JP2011512105A - Communication method and apparatus based on femtocell network - Google Patents

Abstract

  A communication method and apparatus based on a femto network is disclosed. The method and the apparatus are mainly used for signal connection control unit user adaptation between the femto network gateway (FGW) and the mobile network switching center (MSC) of the core network and between the FGW and the femtocell network AP (FAP). Used to establish each layer (SUA) connection. Messages are sent between the FGW and the core network MSC and between the FGW and the FAP via two established SUA connections. In addition, a message can be transmitted between the MSC and the FAP of the core network according to the configuration logical cell message so that the FAP can reliably access the core network and provide a communication service to the terminal device.

Description

  This application is a Chinese patent application entitled “Communication Method and Device Based on Femto-cell Network” filed with the Chinese Patent Office on 15 February 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The priority of No. 0080076763.4 is claimed.

  The present invention relates to communication technology, and in particular, to a communication method and apparatus based on a femtocell network.

  Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) technology is one of the wireless connection technologies used in third generation (3G) mobile communication systems. The architecture of a CDMA2000 network is shown in FIG. In this network architecture, a base station (Base Transceiver Station) (BTS), a base station controller (BSC), and a mobile switching center (MSC) via a mobile station (MSC) A wireless communication service is provided to a Mobile Station (MS).

  In the network architecture shown in FIG. 1, a lot of traffic is generated indoors. Therefore, indoor coverage needs to be effectively expanded. Currently, the concept of femtocell has been proposed. That is, indoor coverage based on a femto cell network is performed using a home access point (AP), and the service is transmitted using a Digital Subscriber Line (XDSL) broadband network or the Internet. . The home AP is plug and play capable, thus reducing transmission and network planning costs. Femtocell technology is compatible with existing terminals that effectively cover indoor areas.

  FIG. 2 shows a femtocell network architecture. A femto access point (FAP) installed in a home is a core such as a CDMA network via a home gateway (HGW), the Internet, and a femto gateway (FGW). Communicate with the network.

  In the process of implementing the present invention, the inventor has realized that the prior art has at least the following problems.

  In the femtocell network shown in FIG. 2, there is a huge number of FAPs, and a solution for managing those FAPs and a solution for enabling those FAPs to access the core network need to be presented. is there. However, so far, no solution to effectively manage a huge number of FAPs has been presented, and FAPs cannot reliably access the core network to provide terminal communication services.

  Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for communication based on a femtocell network that allows the FAP to reliably access the core network to provide terminal communication services.

The communication method based on the femtocell network is:
Establishing a Signaling Connection Control Part User Adaptation Layer (SUA) connection between the FGW and the MSC of the core network, and a SUA connection between the FGW and the FAP Including sending information between the FGW and the MSC of the core network and between the FGW and the FAP via one SUA connection.

FGW
A connection establishment unit configured to establish a SUA connection between the FGW and the MSC of the core network and a SUA connection between the FGW and the FAP;
A first information transmission unit configured to transmit information between the FGW and the MSC of the core network and between the FGW and the FAP via two SUA connections established by the connection establishment unit.

The communication method based on the femtocell network is:
The FGW includes transmitting information between the MSC and the FAP of the core network according to configuration logical cell information corresponding to each logical cell corresponding to at least one FAP.

A communication device based on a femtocell network
A configuration information storage unit configured to store pre-configured logic cell information corresponding to one or more FAPs in each logic cell;
A second information transmission unit configured to transmit information between the MSC and the FAP of the core network according to the logical cell information stored by the configuration information storage unit.

  The technical solution according to the invention provides reliable communication between the FAP and the FGW and between the FGW and the MSC via two SUA connections. Furthermore, convergence management can be performed on a large number of FAPs according to logical cell identification information (ID) on the FGW. Therefore, a service can be provided to a terminal user by accessing a core network supported by a huge number of FAPs.

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art CDMA2000 network architecture. 1 illustrates a prior art femtocell network architecture. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a SUA connection protocol stack provided in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the SUA connection establishment process performed at the time of position registration in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the SUA connection establishment process performed at the time of call processing in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the location registration process provided in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the call transmission process provided in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the call termination process provided in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the handoff process provided in one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a positioning service execution process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of FGW provided in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the communication apparatus provided in one Embodiment of this invention.

  In each embodiment of the present invention, two SUA connections are established between the FAP and the MSC. One SUA connection is established between FAP and FGW, and the other SUA connection is located between FGW and MSC. On the MSC, only the FGW SUA information needs to be configured. Information can then be sent between the FGW and the core network MSC and between the FGW and the FAP via the two established SUA connections.

  For example, when the FAP corresponds to the cell ID and the logical cell ID, after receiving the request information for establishing the SUA connection from the FAP, the FGW changes the cell ID in the request information to the logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP. And the changed request information can be sent to the core network MSC to establish a corresponding SUA connection.

  In order to make the present invention clearer, details relating to an implementation process of each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Since FAP is used for indoor coverage purposes, the number of FAPs in the network is enormous. Therefore, the femtocell network needs to be scalable enough to allow access for multiple FAPs. In each embodiment of the present invention, the FAP can communicate with the FGW via a standard A1p interface (A1 interface based on IP) / A2p interface (A2 interface based on IP). In addition, the FGW performs convergence processing of the A1p / A2p interface and accesses the core network using the standard A1p / A2p interface. The A1 / A2 interface is an interface used between the MSC and the BSC in the core network. Thus, when deploying a femtocell network, it is not necessary to change existing core network elements on a large scale. For this reason, the deployment of the femtocell network does not significantly affect the core network, and the femtocell network can be sufficiently expanded.

  Each embodiment of the present invention uses the FGW to implement the convergence function of the A1p / A2p interface so that the MSC of the core network can protect multiple FAPs (similar to BSC). The A1p signaling message between the FAP and the MSC may be transmitted via two SUA connections: a SUA connection between the FAP and the FGW and a SUA connection between the FGW and the MSC. FIG. 3 shows the corresponding protocol stack in which SUA information is processed on the FGW. Therefore, the MSC of the core network generally configures only the FGW as a general purpose BSC and does not need to configure any information about each FAP that is served by the FGW.

  In the signaling protocol stack shown in FIG. 3, the FAP needs to use the corresponding IP security protocol (IPsec) to communicate with the FGW over the public Internet and protect the transmitted information. In FIG. 3, Interoperability Specification (IOS), SUA, Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP), and IP are standard protocol stacks that can be applied to the A1p interface.

  FIG. 4 shows a SUA connection establishment process performed at the time of location registration in an embodiment of the present invention based on the protocol stack of FIG. The SUA connection establishment process includes the following steps.

  Step 1 and Step 2: The FAP sends a SUA connection request message to the FGW, which carries A interface information (ie complete layer 3 information). After receiving the SUA connection request message, the FGW sends an SUA connection request message to the MSC, which carries the A interface information (ie, complete layer 3 information).

  Step 3 and Step 4: After receiving the SUA connection request message, the MSC does not send another message after returning the location update confirmation message, so the SUA connection does not need to be established. In this way, the MSC returns a SUA connection rejection message to the FGW, and the FGW sends a SUA connection rejection message to the FAP.

  FIG. 5 shows a SUA connection establishment process performed at the time of call setup in the embodiment of the present invention based on the protocol stack of FIG. The SUA connection setup process includes the following steps.

  Step 1 and Step 2: The FAP sends a SUA connection request message to the FGW. This message carries A interface information (ie complete layer 3 information). After receiving the SUA connection request message, the FGW sends the SUA connection request message to the MSC. This message carries A interface information (ie complete layer 3 information).

  Step 3 and Step 4: After receiving the SUA connection request message, the MSC returns a SUA connection confirmation message to the FGW. The FGW sends a SUA connection confirmation message to the FAP. In this way, two SUA connections are established, the SUA connection between the MSC and the FGW and the SUA connection between the FGW and the FAP. These two SUA connections carry call related signaling.

  In each embodiment of the present invention, the FGW can transmit information between the MSC and the FAP of the core network according to the configuration logical cell information. In this configuration logic cell information, each logic cell corresponds to one or more FAPs. That is, each logic cell may correspond to only one FAP, or may correspond to a plurality of FAPs otherwise. For example, in the setting on the FGW, all the logic cells may correspond to a plurality of FAPs, a certain part of the logic cells respectively correspond to a plurality of FAPs, and the remaining logic cells each have only one FAP. It can also correspond to.

  For example, assume that one group of logical cells is scheduled for the femtocell network, and therefore one FAP corresponds to one cell ID and one logical cell ID. The FGW maps the FAP to the logical cell ID, and therefore the cell ID in the information such as the A interface information between the FGW and the MSC is replaced with the logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP (the cell ID before replacement is assigned to the FAP). Corresponding physical cell ID). When the femtocell network does not assign a unique cell ID to each FAP (ie, does not assign a cell ID corresponding to the FAP) and directly uses a logical cell ID (ie, multiple FAPs may have the same cell ID) However, the cell ID in the information such as the A interface information may not be replaced with the logical cell ID on the FGW.

  Specifically, after receiving the information sent by the FAP, the FGW changes the cell ID in the information to the logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP and sends the changed information to the MSC of the core network.

  Therefore, the logical cell information also needs to be configured in the core network MSC in order to process femtocell network services.

  Furthermore, the MS's registered FAP needs to be recorded in the FGW in order to transfer the connectionless message of the A interface. For example, after receiving the information sent by the MSC of the core network, the FGW determines the FAP according to the destination user information in the received information. The mapping relationship between the destination user information and the FAP is recorded in the FGW at the time of the location registration process, the call origination process, or the call end process. Later, in order to send a connectionless message, the received information can be sent to the FAP or to the FAP and its neighboring FAPs.

  Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the coverage area of the FAP serving the BTS and BSC functions is small and the FAP supports only a few users. In general, only one cell needs to be configured in one FAP. In the core network, each MSC supports only a limited number of cells. Therefore, multiple FAPs can use the same cell ID. That is, a plurality of FAPs having the same cell ID constitute one logical cell, and the cell ID corresponding to this is called a logical cell ID. On the FGW, it is necessary to configure the mapping relationship between each FAP and the corresponding logical cell ID. Table 1 shows the mapping relationship assuming that m logical cells are allocated to the femtocell network.

  Furthermore, in order for the femtocell network service to be implemented normally, the above-mentioned logical cell ID must also be configured on the MSC of the macro network, and each logical cell corresponds to the FGW that covers the logical cell. Belongs to BSC.

  The service processing provided in one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below.

  (I) Location registration process

  As shown in FIG. 6, the location registration process based on the information in Table 1 includes the following steps.

  Step 1 to Step 4: The FAP receives a registration message from the MS and constructs a complete layer 3 information: location update request message (the layer 3 information element in the complete layer 3 information message is a location update request) The complete layer 3 information (location update request message) is sent to the FGW. After receiving the complete layer 3 information (location update request message), the FGW changes the cell ID in the complete layer 3 information to the logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP, that is, records the cell ID on the FGW. Change to the logical cell ID corresponding to the changed FAP and send the changed complete layer 3 information to the MSC. The MSC updates the location information of the MS and returns a location update acceptance message.

  The location update request message serves as a layer 3 information element in the complete layer 3 information message.

  Steps 5 to 7: After receiving the location update acceptance message, the FGW records the MS's registered FAP as the location information of the MS and forwards the location update acceptance message to the corresponding FAP. After receiving the location update acceptance message, the FAP sends a registration acceptance command to the MS.

  The mapping relationship between the MSID and the registered FAP is recorded on the FGW to transfer the connectionless message. This mapping relationship is shown in Table 2.

  (II) Call origination processing

  As shown in FIG. 7, the call origination process based on the information in Table 1 includes the following steps.

  Steps 1 to 3: The FAP receives the outgoing message from the MS and sends complete L3 information: connection management (CM) service request message (the Layer 3 information element in this complete Layer 3 information message is a CM service request). Build and send complete L3 information to FGW. After receiving the complete L3 information (CM service request message), the FGW changes the cell ID in the complete layer 3 information to the logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP, updates the MS's registered FAP information, Complete L3 information: CM service request message.

  Steps 4 to 8: Corresponding SUA connections are established between the FGW and the FAP and between the FGW and the MSC, respectively. Subsequent assignment request messages, assignment complete messages, and release messages are forwarded via the SUA connection.

  In the call origination process shown in FIG. 7, the corresponding A2p bearer parameters (that is, the IP address and port number of the FAP service plane) may not be changed. The source address and the destination address of the service plane IP packet are the FAP IP address and the FGW IP address, respectively. The corresponding FGW is only responsible for route forwarding.

  (III) Call termination processing

  As shown in FIG. 8, the call termination process based on the information in Table 1 includes the following steps.

  Step 1-Step 3: After receiving a paging request message from the MSC, the FGW sends a paging request message to the corresponding FAP according to the MS's registered FAP (shown in Table 2), and the FAP Send a page message to.

  In order to ensure the paging success rate, the corresponding paging range is expanded according to the location information of the registered FAP. That is, the paging range includes one or more neighboring FAPs.

  For other connectionless messages such as short messages, the transfer mode is the same as the transfer mode of the paging request message.

  Step 4: After receiving the page message, the paged MS returns a page response message to the FAP.

  Step 5 to Step 11: After receiving the page response message, the FAP performs the same operation as the call origination process shown in FIG. 7, and thus implements the call termination service.

  (IV) Handoff processing from femtocell network to core network

  As shown in FIG. 9, the process of handoff from the femtocell network to the core network includes:

  Step 1 to Step 4: The FAP sends a handoff required message to the FGW. The handoff required message carries a cell list (ie, target cell list) of a core network (such as a CDMA network). In the cell list, the FAP corresponds to a specific core network cell. After receiving the handoff required message, the FGW forwards the message to the MSC. The MSC exchanges messages with the target core network BSC to complete the handoff.

  Specifically, the FGW forwards the handoff required message to the corresponding MSC via the SUA connection.

  Step 5 and Step 6: After receiving the handoff request ACK (handoff request confirmation) message, the MSC sends a handoff command message to the FGW. The FGW forwards the handoff command message over the SUA connection.

  Step 7 to Step 11: After receiving the handoff completion message sent by the BSC of the core network, the MSC sends a clear command message (ie release message) to the FGW via the corresponding SUA connection, and the FGW , Send a clear command message to the FAP to release resources on the FGW and FAP. After a resource is released, the FAP sends a clear complete message to the FGW, and the FGW sends a clear complete message to the MSC to indicate that the corresponding resource release is complete.

  (V) Process for performing positioning service

  FIG. 10 shows a process for implementing a positioning service calculated with information provided by the BSC. The positioning service process performed after the corresponding SUA connection is established includes the following steps.

  Step 1 and Step 2: The MSC sends a radio measurement message to the FGW for a location request. The FGW forwards this message to the FAP corresponding to the SUA connection.

  Step 3 and Step 4: The FAP returns a radio measurement message for position response to the FGW. This message carries FAP Global Positioning System (GPS) information. The FGW forwards the radio measurement message for position response to the MSC.

  If the FGW already knows the FAP GPS information, the FGW may return a location response radio measurement message directly to the MSC. In this case, step 2 and step 3 can be omitted. In addition, if the FGW knows the GPS information of the FAP in advance (e.g., the FGW is reported to the FGW after the FAP is powered on), the FGW may perform radio measurements for location requests. Since it is necessary to respond directly to the message, it is necessary to determine the type of the received A interface message.

  (VI) Billing process

  In one embodiment of the present invention, when the operator intends to implement a charging policy for the femtocell network, the charging post-processing software is provided so that the operator can perform charging in a differential manner according to the cell ID in the charging record. You just need to change. In this way, a charging operation specific to the femtocell network can be performed.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an FGW is provided. As shown in FIG. 11, this FGW is
A connection establishment unit 11 configured to establish a SUA connection between the FGW and the MSC of the core network and a SUA connection between the FGW and the FAP;
A first information transmission unit 12 configured to transmit information between the FGW and the MSC of the core network and between the FGW and the FAP via two SUA connections established by the connection establishment unit 11 .

Optionally, the device further comprises
After the FGW receives the information (such as A interface information) sent by the FAP, the cell ID in the information is changed to the logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP, and the changed information is sent to the first information transmission unit 12. A cell ID changing unit 13 configured to send may be included.

In one embodiment of the present invention, another communication device based on a femtocell network is provided. As shown in FIG. 12, this communication device
Each logic cell corresponds to one or more FAPs, that is, one logic cell may correspond to only one FAP or multiple FAPs. For example, all logic cells Configuration information configured to store multiple pre-configured logic cell information corresponding to a plurality of FAPs, or a portion of the logical cells each corresponding to a plurality of FAPs and the remaining logical cells each corresponding to only one FAP A storage unit 21;
A second information transmission unit 22 configured to transmit information between the MSC and the FAP of the core network according to the logical cell information stored by the configuration information storage unit 21;

Optionally, the second information transmitter 22
After receiving the information sent by the FAP, the cell ID in the received information sent by the FAP is changed to the logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP according to the logical cell information stored by the configuration information storage unit. A configured cell ID changing unit 221;
An information sending unit 222 configured to send the information changed by the cell ID changing unit to the MSC of the core network may be included.

Optionally, the second information transmitter is
The mapping relationship with the FAP determines the FAP according to the destination user information in the information sent by the MSC of the core network, which can be recorded in the configuration information storage unit during the location registration process, call origination process, or call termination process. An AP determination unit 223 configured as described above,
It may include the information transmission unit 222 configured to send the received information to the corresponding FAP determined by the AP determination unit 223, or to simultaneously transmit the received information to the corresponding FAP and its neighboring FAPs. Good.

  A communication device based on the above-described femtocell network can be an FGW, and a cell ID changing unit and an AP determination unit in the communication device can be installed together in the FGW to perform corresponding functions.

  In conclusion, with the two SUA connections and logical cell IDs provided by the FGW, all the services supported by the core network can simply be configured as long as the corresponding macro network elements are configured in the process of deploying the femtocell network. It can be supported in a femtocell network. Thus, the user can easily access the network through the femtocell network to perform various services and enjoy a better experience. Furthermore, in each embodiment of the present invention, the femtocell network does not change the standard A1p / A2p interface at all, and does not change the corresponding core network via the standard A1p / A2p interface (ie, a macro network core such as a CDMA network). Network), and thus the scalability of the femtocell network is further improved.

  Each embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in an FGW, may be implemented in another femtocell network device, and may be implemented in a network device (eg, FAP and MSC) connected between a femtocell network and a core network. In a network device or the like).

  The above descriptions are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any alterations, modifications or substitutions that can be readily devised by those skilled in the art should be included within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims (10)

A signal connection control unit user adaptation layer (SUA) connection between the femto gateway (FGW) and the mobile network switching center (MSC) of the core network, and a SUA connection between the FGW and the femto access point (FAP) Based on a femtocell network comprising establishing and transmitting information between the FGW and the MSC of the core network and between the FGW and the FAP via the two established SUA connections Communication method. When the FAP corresponds to cell ID information (ID) and logic cell ID,
After the FGW receives information from the FAP, it changes the cell ID in the information sent by the FAP to the logical cell ID and sends the changed information to the MSC of the core network. The method of claim 1 further comprising: A signal connection control unit user adaptation layer (SUA) connection between the femto gateway (FGW) and the mobile network switching center (MSC) of the core network, and a SUA connection between the FGW and the femto access point (FAP) A connection establishment unit configured to establish;
First information configured to transmit information between the FGW and the MSC of the core network and between the FGW and the FAP via the two SUA connections established by the connection establishment unit FGW provided with a transmission part. After the FGW receives the information sent by the FAP, the cell ID in the information sent by the FAP is changed to logical cell identification information (ID) corresponding to the FAP, and the changed information The FGW according to claim 3, further comprising: a cell ID changing unit configured to send a message to the first information transmitting unit. A femto gateway (FGW) transmits information between the mobile network switching center (MSC) and the femto access point (FAP) of the core network according to configuration logical cell information in which each logical cell corresponds to at least one FAP. A communication method based on a femtocell network. The process of sending the information is
After the FGW receives the information sent by the FAP, the cell ID information (ID) in the information sent by the FAP is changed to a logical cell ID corresponding to the FAP, and the changed 6. The method of claim 5, comprising sending information to the MSC of the core network. The process of sending the information is
After the FGW receives the information sent by the MSC of the core network, the mapping relationship between the destination user information and the FAP is determined during the location registration process, call origination process, or call termination process. Determining an FAP according to destination user information in the information sent by the MSC, as recorded in the FGW, and sending the receipt information to the FAP, or sending the receipt information to the FAP and FAP neighbors of the FAP The method of claim 5, comprising sending to. A configuration information storage configured to store pre-configured logic cell information, each logic cell corresponding to one or more femto access points (FAPs);
A femto comprising a second information transmitter configured to transmit information between the mobile network switching center (MSC) of the core network and the FAP according to the logical cell information stored by the configuration information storage unit A communication device based on a cell network. The second information transmission unit includes:
After receiving the information sent by the FAP, the cell ID information (ID) in the information sent by the FAP corresponds to the FAP according to the logical cell information stored by the configuration information storage unit. A cell ID changing unit configured to change the logic cell ID to
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: an information sending unit configured to send the information changed by the cell ID changing unit to the MSC of the core network. The second information transmission unit includes:
After receiving the information sent by the MSC, the mapping relationship between the destination user information and the FAP is recorded in the configuration information storage unit during location registration processing, call origination processing, or call termination processing An access point (AP) determination unit configured to determine an FAP according to destination user information in the information sent by the MSC of the core network;
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: an information sending unit configured to send the received information to the FAP determined by the AP determining unit.

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