Granted Patent B2

US 8,687,538 · App. 13/872,817 · Granted Apr 1, 2014

Abstract

Claims (96)

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor, the at least one processor comprising:

a common system information preparation device configured to prepare a set of common system information which applies to communication networks sharing at least one shared local communication area for communicating between the apparatus and host network elements,

a dedicated system information preparation device configured to prepare a set of dedicated system information which applies to at least one of the communication networks sharing the at least one shared local communication area for communicating between the apparatus and host network elements, wherein the dedicated system information is addressed only to host network elements configured to support sharing of a local communication area, and

a transmitting device configured to send from the apparatus to host network elements located in a shared local communication area, system information comprising the set of common system information prepared by the common system information preparation device and the set of dedicated system information prepared by the dedicated system information preparation device,

wherein the set of common system information comprises an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas of the communication networks that share the at least one shared local communication area, said neighboring local communication areas neighboring the at least one shared local communication area,

wherein an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas usable for the common system information is a list indicating absolute radio frequency channel numbers,

wherein a general identification element of a communication network usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a public land mobile network identification,

wherein a common general identification element of a communication network usable for the common information is a common public land mobile network identification,

wherein a network identification element usable for the common information is a network color code, and

wherein a permission indication usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a network color code permitted information element.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the set of common system information further comprises a common general identification element of a communication network controlling the shared local communication area.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the set of dedicated system information comprises a general identification element for each of the communication networks sharing the shared local communication area.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the set of common system information further comprises a network identification element usable for distinguishing communication networks,

wherein the network identification element is set such that

the network identification element for a communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in the shared local communication area is different from the network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in a non-shared local communication area being a neighboring local communication area to the shared local communication area, and

the network identification element for each communication network sharing the shared local communication area with the controlling communication network is different from each network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area, and, in case still other communication networks are sharing the shared local communication area is different from the network identification element for the still other communication networks sharing the shared local communication area.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor further comprises:

a permission indication preparation device configured to prepare a permission indication element indicating on the basis of the network identification element of the respective communication network which neighboring local communication areas are allowed to be considered in at least one of a reselection procedure, a local communication area measurement procedure and a local communication area measurement and reporting procedure conducted by a host network element, and

a permission indication transmitting device configured to transmit the permission indication element prepared by the permission indication preparation device from the apparatus to host network elements.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the permission indication element is set to indicate at least one of a network identification element related to the general identification element of the communication network to which a specific host network element is registered, a network identification element related to a common general identification element of the communication network controlling the at least one shared local communication area, and an alternative network identification element related to the general identification element of the communication network to which a specific host network element is registered when the communication network controls the shared local communication area.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the permission indication preparation device is further configured to prepare a separate dedicated permission indication element set for each communication network sharing the shared local communication area,

wherein the dedicated permission indication elements are addressed only to host network elements being configured to support sharing of a local communication area.

8. A method comprising:

preparing, using a processor, a set of common system information which applies to communication networks sharing at least one shared local communication area for communicating between a communication apparatus and host network elements,

preparing, using a processor, a set of dedicated system information which applies to at least one of the communication networks sharing the at least one shared local communication area for communicating between the communication apparatus and host network elements, wherein the dedicated system information is addressed only to host network elements configured to support sharing of a local communication area, and

transmitting, using a transmitter of the communication apparatus, from the communication apparatus to host network elements located in a shared local communication area, system information comprising the prepared set of common system information and the prepared set of dedicated system information,

wherein the set of common system information comprises an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by all neighboring local communication areas of the communication networks that share the at least one shared local communication area, said neighboring local communication areas neighboring the at least one shared local communication area,

wherein an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas usable for the common system information is a list indicating absolute radio frequency channel numbers,

wherein a general identification element of a communication network usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a public land mobile network identification,

wherein a common general identification element of a communication network usable for the common information is a common public land mobile network identification,

wherein a network identification element usable for the common information is a network color code, and

wherein a permission indication usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a network color code permitted information element.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor, the at least one processor comprising:

a system information receiving device configured to receive system information,

the system information comprising a set of common system information which applies to communication networks sharing at least one shared local communication area for communicating between the apparatus and host network elements, and a set of dedicated system information which applies to at least one of the communication networks sharing the at least one shared local communication area for communicating between the apparatus and host network elements,

wherein the set of dedicated system information is addressed only to host network elements configured to support sharing of a local communication area,

wherein the set of common system information comprises an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas of the communication networks that share the at least one shared local communication area,

said neighboring local communication areas neighboring the at least one shared local communication area, and

a system information processing device configured to process the set of common system information and the set of dedicated system information received by the system information receiving device for one of a reselection procedure, a local communication area measurement procedure and a local communication area measurement and reporting procedure conducted by a host network element,

wherein an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas usable for the common system information is a list indicating absolute radio frequency channel numbers,

wherein a general identification element of a communication network usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a public land mobile network identification,

wherein a common general identification element of a communication network usable for the common information is a common public land mobile network identification,

wherein a network identification element usable for the common information is a network color code, and

wherein a permission indication usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a network color code permitted information element.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the set of common system information further comprises a common general identification element of a communication network controlling the shared local communication area.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the set of dedicated system information comprises a general identification element for each of the communication networks sharing the shared local communication area.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the set of common system information further comprises a network identification element usable for distinguishing communication networks,

wherein the network identification element is set such that

the network identification element for a communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in the shared local communication area is different from the network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in a non-shared local communication area being a neighboring local communication area to the shared local communication area, and

the network identification element for each communication network sharing the shared local communication area with the controlling communication network is different from each network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area, and, in case still other communication networks are sharing the shared local communication area, is different from the network identification element for the still other communication networks sharing the shared local communication area.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor further comprises:

a permission indication receiving and processing device configured to receive and process a permission indication element for determining on the basis of the network identification element of the respective communication network which neighboring local communication areas are allowed to be considered in the at least one of the reselection procedure, the local communication area measurement procedure and the local communication area measurement and reporting procedure conducted by the host network element.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the permission indication receiving and processing device is configured to select the local communication areas on the basis of the permission indication element indicating at least one of a network identification element related to the general identification element of the communication network to which a specific host network element is registered, a network identification element related to a common general identification element of the of the communication network controlling the at least one shared local communication area, and an alternative network identification element related to a general identification element of the communication network to which a specific host network element is registered when the communication network controls the shared local communication area.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 ,

wherein the permission indication receiving and processing device is further configured to receive and process a dedicated permission indication element set for each communication network sharing the shared local communication area,

wherein the dedicated permission indication element is processed only when the apparatus is implemented in a host network element being configured to support sharing of a local communication area.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the permission indication receiving and processing device is configured to use the permission indication element for determining on the basis of the network identification element of the respective communication network which neighboring local communication areas are allowed to be considered for the reselection procedure when the host network element to which the apparatus is applied is in an idle state, and for the local communication area measurement procedure or the local communication area measurement and reporting procedure when the host network element to which the apparatus is applied is in one of a dual transfer mode and a packed transfer mode.

17. A method comprising:

receiving system information at a communication apparatus, the system information comprising a set of common system information which applies to communication networks sharing at least one shared local communication area for communicating between the communication apparatus and host network elements, and a set of dedicated system information which applies to at least one of the communication networks sharing the at least one shared local communication area for communicating between the communication apparatus and host network elements,

wherein the set of dedicated system information is addressed only to host network elements configured to support sharing of a local communication area,

wherein the set of common system information comprises an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas of the communication networks that share the at least one shared local communication area, said neighboring local communication areas neighboring the at least one shared local communication area, and

processing, using a processor at the communication apparatus, the received set of common system information and the received set of dedicated system information for one of a reselection procedure, a local communication area measurement procedure and a local communication area measurement and reporting procedure conducted by a host network element,

wherein an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas usable for the common system information is a list indicating absolute radio frequency channel numbers,

wherein a general identification element of a communication network usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a public land mobile network identification,

wherein a common general identification element of a communication network usable for the common information is a common public land mobile network identification,

wherein a network identification element usable for the common information is a network color code, and

wherein a permission indication usable for one of the common and dedicated information is a network color code permitted information element.

18. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor, the at least one processor comprising:

a common system information preparation device configured to prepare a set of common system information which applies to local communication areas of a communication network sharing at least one shared local communication area with other communication networks for communicating between the apparatus and host network elements; and

a transmitting device configured to send from the apparatus to host network elements located in a non-shared local communication area that is a neighboring local communication area to a shared local communication area, system information comprising the set of common system information prepared by the common system information preparation device;

wherein the set of common system information comprises an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by the at least one shared local communication area and neighboring local communication areas of the communication network that share the at least one shared local communication area, said neighboring local communication areas neighboring the at least one shared local communication area; and

wherein the set of common system information further comprises a network identification element usable for distinguishing communication networks,

wherein the network identification element is set such that

the network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in the shared local communication area is different from the network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in a non-shared local communication area being the neighboring local communication area to the shared local communication area, and

the network identification element for each communication network sharing the shared local communication area with the controlling communication network is different from each network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area, and, in case still other communication networks are sharing the shared local communication area, is different from the network identification element for the still other communication networks sharing the shared local communication area,

wherein an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas usable for the common system information is a list indicating absolute radio frequency channel numbers, a network identification element usable for the common information is a network color code, and a permission indication usable for one of the common information is a network color code permitted information element.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one processor further comprises:

a permission indication preparation device configured to prepare a permission indication element indicating on the basis of the network identification element of the respective communication network which neighboring local communication areas are allowed to be considered in at least one of a reselection procedure, a local communication area measurement procedure and a local communication area measurement and reporting procedure conducted by a host network element,

wherein the permission indication elements comprises an indication based on the network identification element used for the shared local communication area.

20. A method comprising:

preparing, using a processor, a set of common system information which applies to local communication areas of a communication network sharing at least one shared local communication area with other communication networks for communicating between a communication apparatus and host network elements; and

transmitting, using a transmitter of the communication apparatus, from the communication apparatus to host network elements located in a non-shared local communication area that is a neighboring local communication area to a shared local communication area, system information comprising the set of common system information;

wherein the set of common system information comprises an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by the at least one shared local communication area and neighboring local communication areas of the communication network that share the at least one shared local communication area, said neighboring local communication areas neighboring the at least one shared local communication area; and

wherein the set of common system information further comprises a network identification element usable for distinguishing communication networks,

wherein the network identification element is set such that

the network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in the shared local communication area is different from the network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area used in a non-shared local communication area being the neighboring local communication area to the shared local communication area, and

the network identification element for each communication network sharing the shared local communication area with the controlling communication network is different from each network identification element for the communication network controlling the shared local communication area, and, in case still other communication networks are sharing the shared local communication area, is different from the network identification element for the still other communication networks sharing the shared local communication area,

wherein an information element indicating radio frequency channels used by neighboring local communication areas usable for the common system information is a list indicating absolute radio frequency channel numbers, a network identification element usable for the common information is a network color code, and a permission indication usable for one of the common information is a network color code permitted information element.

21. The method according to claim 20 , comprising:

preparing, using a processor, a permission indication element indicating on the basis of the network identification element of the respective communication network which of the neighboring local communication areas are allowed to be considered in at least one of a reselection procedure, a local communication area measurement procedure and a local communication area measurement and reporting procedure conducted by a host network element,

wherein the permission indication elements comprises an indication based on the network identification element used for the shared local communication area.

Assignments (8)