Access terminal authorization at private access points in wireless networks
View Patent ↗This description relates to access terminal authorization methods in wireless networks.
1. A method, comprising:
broadcasting a first access point identifier from a private access point in a radio access network, the first access point identifier comprising a first location area identifier and the second access point identifier comprises a second location area identifier;
broadcasting a second access point identifier from the private access point;
receiving a first message from a first access terminal that is authorized on the private access point, the first message comprising the second access point identifier; and
sending a second message to the first access terminal, the second message comprising the first access point identifier, and the second message being configured to cause the first access terminal to remove the first access point identifier from an access point identifier block list of the first access terminal if the first access point identifier is on the access point identifier block list of the first access terminal;
wherein the access point identifier block list comprises a forbidden list.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the second message comprises:
sending a location area update accept message to the first access terminal, the location area update accept message comprising the first access point identifier, the first access point identifier comprising a first location area identifier; and
wherein receiving the first message comprises:
receiving a location area update request message from the first access terminal, the location area update request message comprising the second access point identifier, the second access point identifier comprising a second location area identifier.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the private access point is configured so that the second access point identifier is never sent in any message from the private access point that would cause the second access point identifier to be placed on an access point identifier block list of any access terminal that is authorized on the private access point.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the private access point is configured so that the second access point identifier is never sent in any reject message originating from the private access point.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
stopping broadcasting the second access point identifier when every access terminal that is authorized on the private access point is using the private access point.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the second access point identifier at least one of periodically or randomly.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the second access point identifier is being broadcast from the private access point, the first access point identifier is not being broadcast from the private access point.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein broadcasting the first access point identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the first access point identifier in a first pilot signal from the private access point; and
for at least some of a time that the first access point identifier is broadcast, broadcasting the first access point identifier concurrently with broadcasting the second access point identifier; and
wherein broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the second access point identifier in a second pilot signal from the private access point.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first pilot signal has a corresponding first scrambling code and the second pilot signal has a corresponding second scrambling code;
the first scrambling code being different from the second scrambling code, the method further comprising:
broadcasting a first neighbor list, the first neighbor list comprising a third scrambling code, the third scrambling code corresponding to a macrocell access point; and broadcasting a second neighbor list, the second neighbor list comprising the first scrambling code.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein broadcasting the second access point identifier in the second pilot signal comprises:
broadcasting the second access point identifier in a greeting pilot signal from the private access point.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
stopping broadcasting the greeting pilot signal when every access terminal that is authorized on the private access point is using the private access point.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a third message from the first access terminal, the third message comprising the second access point identifier; and
sending a fourth message to the first access terminal, the fourth message comprising the second access point identifier.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
translating the second access point identifier to the first access point identifier to facilitate communication between one or more other entities in the radio access network and the first access terminal via the private access point and so that the second access point identifier is not used in communication between the private access point and the one or more entities.
14. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving a second location area update request message from the first access terminal, the second location area update request message comprising the second access point identifier, the second access point identifier comprising the second location area identifier; and
sending a second location area update accept message to the first access terminal, the second location area update accept message comprising the second access point identifier, the second access point identifier comprising the second location area identifier.
15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving a third message from the first access terminal, the third message comprising the second access point identifier;
sending a reject message to the first access terminal;
receiving a fourth message from the first access terminal in response to the first pilot signal, the fourth message comprising the first access point identifier; and
sending a fifth message to the first access terminal, the fifth message comprising the first access point identifier.
16. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
listening to information broadcast from a macrocell access point; and
determining an interval within which to broadcast the second access point identifier using a portion of the information.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the portion of the information comprises discontinuous receive cycle length parameters.
18. A method, comprising:
broadcasting a first access point identifier from a private access point in a radio access network; and
broadcasting a second access point identifier from the private access point, the first access point identifier and the second access point identifier being configured to identify the private access point to access terminals in the radio access network, the second access point identifier being different from the first access point identifier, and individual ones of the access terminals being either authorized or unauthorized on the private access point;
wherein the first access point identifier comprises a first location area identifier and the second access point identifier comprises a second location area identifier.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
determining whether an access terminal of the access terminals is authorized or unauthorized on the private access point by comparing an access terminal identifier of the access terminal to an access control list.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, prior to broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point:
receiving a first message from a first access terminal of the access terminals, the first message comprising the first access point identifier;
determining that the first access terminal is unauthorized on the private access point; and determining that the first access point identifier is the same as an access point identifier of an other private access point on which the first access terminal is authorized.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein receiving the first message comprises:
receiving a location area update request message from the first access terminal, the location area update request message comprising the first access point identifier, the first access point identifier comprising a first location area identifier.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein determining that the first access point identifier is the same as the access point identifier of the other private access point comprises at least one of accessing a database, or receiving an indication that the first access point identifier is the same as the access point identifier of the other private access point.
23. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
prior to broadcasting the second access point identifier, determining that the second access point identifier is not on an access point identifier block list of a second access terminal of the access terminals, the second access terminal being authorized on the private access point.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the access point identifier block list comprises a forbidden list.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein determining that the second access point identifier is not on the access point identifier block list of the second access terminal comprises at least one of accessing a database, or receiving an indication that the second access point identifier is not on the access point identifier block list of the second access terminal.
26. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, prior to broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point:
determining that the first access point identifier was at least recently on an access point identifier block list of a first access terminal of the access terminals, the first access terminal being authorized on the private access point.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein determining that the first access point identifier was at least recently on the access point identifier block list of the first access terminal comprises at least one of accessing a database, or receiving an indication that the first access point identifier was at least recently on the access point identifier block list of the first access terminal.
28. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second access point identifier is configured to not be on an access point identifier block list of a first access terminal of the access terminals, the first access terminal being authorized on the private access point.
29. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
stopping broadcasting the second access point identifier when every access terminal that is authorized on the private access point is using the private access point.
30. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second access point identifier is never included in a reject message sent from the private access point to any access terminal of the access terminals.
31. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, prior to broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point:
determining that the private access point is within a removal window broadcast interval.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point further comprises:
broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point in a greeting pilot signal; and
wherein the removal window broadcast interval comprises a greeting pilot broadcast interval.
33. The method of claim 18 , wherein broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the second access point identifier at least one of periodically or randomly.
34. The method of claim 18 , wherein broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point instead of the first access point identifier.
35. The method of claim 18 , wherein broadcasting the first access point identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the first access point identifier in a first pilot signal from the private access point; and
for at least some of a time that the first access point identifier is broadcast, broadcasting the first access point identifier concurrently with broadcasting the second access point identifier; and wherein broadcasting the second access point identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the second access point identifier in a second pilot signal from the private access point.
36. A method, comprising:
assigning one or more reserved access point identifiers to a private access point network that comprises two or more private access points so that each private access point of the two or more private access points is assigned at least one reserved access point identifier of the one or more reserved access point identifiers, the one or more reserved access point identifiers comprising one or more reserved location area identifiers; and
configuring the two or more private access points of the private access point network so that each reserved access point identifier of the one or more reserved access point identifiers is never sent in any message from the private access point network that would cause the reserved access point identifier to be placed on an access point identifier block list of any access terminal in range of one or more private access points of the private access point network;
wherein the access point identifier block list comprises a forbidden list.
37. The method of claim 36 , wherein assigning the one or more reserved access point identifiers to the private access point network comprises:
assigning one reserved access point identifier to the private access point network so that each private access point of the two or more private access points is assigned the same one reserved access point identifier.
38. A method, comprising:
broadcasting a first location area identifier from a private access point in a radio access network; and
wherein the private access point never includes the first location area identifier in any reject message sent from the private access point to any access terminal that communicates with the private access point such that the first location area identifier is configured to at least not be on a forbidden list of any access terminal that is authorized on the private access point.
39. The method of claim 38 , further comprising:
broadcasting a second location area identifier from the private access point; and
wherein broadcasting the first location area identifier from the private access point comprises:
broadcasting the first location area identifier to attract to the private access point any access terminal that is authorized on the access terminal and that has the second location area identifier on the forbidden list of the access terminal.
40. A method, comprising:
broadcasting a first access point identifier from a first private access point in a radio access network;
receiving a first message from a first access terminal, the first message comprising the first access point identifier;
determining whether the first access terminal is authorized or unauthorized on the first private access point;
if the first access terminal is unauthorized, determining whether the first access point identifier is the same as an access point identifier of a second private access point on which the first access terminal is authorized; and
if the first access point identifier is the same as the access point identifier of the second private access point, broadcasting a second access point identifier from the first private access point.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein the first access point identifier comprises a first location area identifier and the second access point identifier comprises a second location area identifier, and the access point identifier of the second private access point comprises a location area identifier of the second private access point.
42. The method of claim 40 , further comprising:
if the first access point identifier is the same as the access point identifier of the second private access point, selecting the second access point identifier for broadcast; and
stopping broadcasting the first access point identifier when the second access point identifier is selected.
43. The method of claim 40 , wherein determining whether the first access point identifier is the same as the access point identifier of the second private access point comprises at least one of accessing a database, or receiving an indication regarding whether the first access point identifier is the same as the access point identifier of the second private access point.
44. The method of claim 42 , wherein selecting the second access point identifier for broadcast comprises:
determining whether a potential second access point identifier is at least likely to be on any access point identifier block list of any access terminal that is authorized on the first private access point.
45. The method of claim 44 , wherein determining whether the potential second access point identifier is likely to be on any access point identifier block list of any access terminal that is authorized on the first private access point comprises at least one of accessing a database, or receiving an indication regarding whether the potential second access point identifier is likely to be on any access point identifier block list of any access terminal that is authorized on the first private access point.
46. The method of claim 45 , wherein accessing the database comprises:
accessing the database, the database storing at least one of access point identifier block list models corresponding to access terminals, or information regarding the access point identifier block list models, wherein the access terminals comprise any access terminals that are authorized on the first private access point.
47. A method, comprising:
broadcasting a first access point identifier from a first private access point in a radio access network;
determining whether a first access point identifier was at least recently on an access point identifier block list of a first access terminal that is authorized on the first private access point;
if the first access point identifier was at least recently on the access point identifier block list; broadcasting a second access point identifier from the first private access point.
48. The method of claim 47 , wherein the first access point identifier comprises a first location area identifier and the second access point identifier comprises a second location area identifier; and
wherein the access point identifier block list comprises a forbidden list.
49. The method of claim 47 , wherein determining whether the first access point identifier was at least recently on the access point identifier block list of the first access terminal comprises at least one of accessing a database, or receiving an indication regarding whether the first access point identifier was at least recently on the access point identifier block list of the first access terminal.
50. The method of claim 49 , wherein accessing the database comprises:
accessing the database, the database storing at least one of access point identifier block list models corresponding to access terminals, or information regarding the access point identifier block list models, wherein the access terminals comprise the first access terminal and any other access terminals that are authorized on the first private access point.
51. The method of claim 47 , further comprising:
if the first access point identifier was at least recently on the access point identifier block list of the first access terminal, selecting the second access point identifier for broadcast; and stopping broadcasting the first access point identifier when the second access point identifier is selected.
52. The method of claim 51 , wherein selecting the second access point identifier for broadcast comprises:
determining whether a potential second access point identifier is at least likely to be on any access point identifier block list of any access terminal that is authorized on the first private access point.
53. The method of claim 52 , wherein determining whether the potential second access point identifier is likely to be on any access point identifier block list of any access terminal that is authorized on the first private access point comprises at least one of accessing a database, or receiving an indication regarding whether the potential second access point identifier is likely to be on any access point identifier block list of any access terminal that is authorized on the first private access point.
54. The method of claim 53 , wherein accessing the database comprises:
accessing the database, the database storing at least one of access point identifier block list models corresponding to access terminals, or information regarding the access point identifier block list models, wherein the access terminals comprise any access terminals that are authorized on the first private access point.
55. A method, comprising:
receiving a location area update request message from an access terminal, the location area update request message comprising a first location area identifier, the location area update request message being received at a private access point in a radio access network; and
sending an location area update accept message from the private access point to the access terminal in response to the location area update request message, the location area update accept message comprising a second location area identifier.