Checking access to closed subscriber group cells in a mobile network
View Patent ↗Example disclosed mobile station methods comprise performing a first access check based on a first equivalent public land mobile network (EPLMN) list and a first registered public land mobile network (RPLMN) identifier to determine whether a mobile station is allowed to access a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell, performing a second access check based on a second EPLMN list and a second RPLMN identifier, and conditioning reporting of the CSG cell based on the first and second checks. Example disclosed network methods comprise receiving a message from a packet switched domain network node indicating whether a mobile station is allowed to access a CSG cell, and if the message indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell, informing a circuit switched domain network node that a DTM handover failure has occurred.
1. A method for a mobile station, the method comprising:
storing a second equivalent public land mobile network (EPLMN) list and a second RPLMN identifier before obtaining a first EPLMN list and a first registered public land mobile network (RPLMN) identifier via a subsequent packet switched domain registration procedure;
performing a first access check based on the first EPLMN list and the first RPLMN identifier to determine whether the mobile station is allowed to access a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell;
performing a second access check based on a second EPLMN list and a second RPLMN identifier to determine whether the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell, wherein the second EPLMN list and the second RPLMN identifier respectively comprise an EPLMN list and an RPLMN identifier obtained via a most recent circuit switched domain registration procedure, and the second access check comprises comparing a PLMN identifier associated with the CSG cell with the second EPLMN list and the second RPLMN identifier; and
conditioning reporting of the CSG cell based on the first access check and the second access check.
2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first EPLMN list and the first RPLMN identifier respectively comprise an EPLMN list and an RPLMN identifier obtained via a most recent packet switched domain registration procedure, and the first access check comprises comparing a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier associated with the CSG cell with the first EPLMN list and the first RPLMN identifier.
3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein conditioning the reporting of the CSG cell based on the first access check and the second access check comprises:
reporting the CSG cell if at least one of the first access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell or the second access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell; and
not reporting the CSG cell if the first access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell and the second access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell.
4. A method as defined in claim 3 further comprising sending information to identify which of the first access check and the second access check indicated that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell.
5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein conditioning the reporting of the CSG cell based on the first access check and the second access check comprises:
reporting the CSG cell if the first access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell and the second access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell; and
not reporting the CSG cell if at least one of the first access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell or the second access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell.
6. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to perform the method defined in claim 1 .
7. A mobile station comprising: memory to store machine readable instructions; and a processor to execute the machine readable instructions to:
store a second equivalent public land mobile network (EPLMN) list and a second RPLMN identifier before obtaining a first EPLMN list and a first registered public land mobile network (RPLMN) identifier via a subsequent packet switched domain registration procedure;
perform a first access check based on the first EPLMN list and the first RPLMN identifier to determine whether the mobile station is allowed to access a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell;
perform a second access check based on a second EPLMN list and a second RPLMN identifier to determine whether the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell, wherein the second EPLMN list and the second RPLMN identifier respectively comprise an EPLMN list and an RPLMN identifier obtained via a most recent circuit switched domain registration procedure, and the second access check comprises comparing a PLMN identifier associated with the CSG cell with the second EPLMN list and the second RPLMN identifier; and
condition reporting of the CSG cell based on the first access check and the second access check.
8. A mobile station as defined in claim 7 wherein the first EPLMN list and the first RPLMN identifier respectively comprise an EPLMN list and an RPLMN identifier obtained via a most recent packet switched domain registration procedure, and to perform the first access check, the processor is to compare a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier associated with the CSG cell with the first EPLMN list and the first RPLMN identifier.
9. A mobile station as defined in claim 7 wherein the processor further is to:
report the CSG cell if at least one of the first access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell or the second access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell; and
not report the CSG cell if the first access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell and the second access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell.
10. A mobile station as defined in claim 9 wherein the processor further is to send information to identify which of the first access check and the second access check indicated that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell.
11. A mobile station as defined in claim 7 wherein the processor further is to:
report the CSG cell if the first access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell and the second access check indicates that the mobile station is allowed to access the CSG cell; and
not report the CSG cell if at least one of the first access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell or the second access check indicates that the mobile station is not allowed to access the CSG cell.