ES2365378T3 - CENTRALIZED ACQUISITION OF MOBILE ACCESS POINTS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of operating a network system (302) to facilitate remote access to a mobile network comprising: obtaining (1102) specific information to a user terminal "UT"; and characterized by employing (1004) the specific information to the UT to determine the UT's access performance to disparate types of access points; and generate (1106) a customized "SDL" system determination list that establishes a preferred type of access point to select between types of disparate access points based on the UT access features.

Description

Background

I. Field

The following disclosure is generally about wireless communications and, more specifically, about managing remote access for devices in a mixed environment of access points.

II. Background

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communications (for example, voice, data, multimedia services, etc.) to multiple users. Subscriber services allow users to access and use diverse communications content on the service provider's network. As the demand for high-speed and multimedia data services grows rapidly, there is a challenge in implementing efficient and robust communications systems with improved performance.

Traditional fixed line communications systems, such as digital subscriber line (DSL), cable line, switched line connection or similar network access technologies offered by Internet service providers (ISPs) are alternative communication platforms already Sometimes competitors of wireless communications. However, in recent years users have begun to replace fixed line communications with mobile communications. Several advantages of mobile communications systems, such as user mobility, the relatively small size of user equipment (UE) and easy access to public switched telephone networks, as well as the Internet, have made such systems very convenient and Well, very popular. As users have begun to rely more on mobile systems for communications services traditionally obtained through fixed line systems, the demand for increased bandwidth, service reliability, high quality voice and low prices has increased .

In addition to the mobile telephone networks currently implemented, a new class of small base stations has emerged. These small base stations are low power and typically can use fixed line communications to connect to a central network of a mobile operator. In addition, these base stations can be distributed for personal / private use in a home, an office, an apartment, a private recreational facility, etc., to provide mobile units with indoor and outdoor wireless coverage. These personal base stations are generally referred to as base stations of access point or, alternatively, own units of Node B (HNB) or femtocells. The femtocell type base stations offer a new paradigm in mobile network connectivity, allowing the control of subscribers to access the mobile network and the quality of access. WO 99/40746 describes that as a PCS handset with dual system determination lists, labeled as first list and second list. WO 2007/111860 describes a procedure and an apparatus for carrying out a call switching procedure in use between a long-term evolution network (LTE) of the third generation association project (3GPP) and a wireless network alternative.

Summary

The present disclosure contemplates the management of centralized, as well as distributed, access to various types of mobile network access points. In some aspects the network components may generate a system determination list (SDL) list for a user terminal (UT) that is customized to access the UT's features and / or the current UT position. The SDL can be used by the UT to determine at which network access points to be on hold, to switch communication, or the like. The network components may include a network database that maintains the subscriber information and that of the related proprietary femtocell, or the own location register (HLR) of a network operator. Alternatively, the information can be obtained by air (OTA) from the UT or from a base station (BS) served by the UT.

In other aspects of the present disclosure, the management of access points of the network can be managed by means of a UT with femto benefits and / or access points of the mobile network, to provide a distributed management of the access points. An interface application maintained in a femtocell can facilitate communication between the femtocell and the UT with femto features. After initial power-up and / or acquisition, a start-up process can be implemented to establish a connection between the femtocell and the UT femto. The start-up process can be used by the femtocell to provision the UT with an SDL that establishes the femtocell as a high priority access point within a particular geographical area (GEO), or its own GEO. Thus, when the UT femto is within the GEO itself, the UT is more likely to be acquired by the femtocell, to be on hold and / or to switch communication with it. When outside the GEO itself, a mobile network can provision the UT OTA femto with a custom SDL suitable for a non-own GEO zone, which establishes non-femto cells as higher priority access points.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a method of operating a network system is provided to facilitate remote access to a mobile network, according to claim 1.

According to additional aspects, an apparatus adapted to facilitate remote access to a mobile network according to claim 10 is disclosed.

According to additional aspects of the present disclosure, an operating method is provided in a user terminal for selecting an access point to a mobile network, according to claim 11.

In addition, an apparatus configured to select an access point to a mobile network according to claim 18 is disclosed

In at least one additional aspect, a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium according to claim 19 is disclosed.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary wireless communications environment according to aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a sample wireless network comprising base stations (BS) of femtocell type according to other aspects.

Fig. 3 represents a block diagram of a sample system for provisioning a user terminal (UT) with a system determination list (SDL) for the acquisition of the femtocell.

Fig. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system that facilitates the selective acquisition of the BS based on the benefits of the UT.

Fig. 5 represents a block diagram of a sample system that employs the distributed management of access points for a UT.

Fig. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system that uses a boot configuration to provision a UT according to some aspects disclosed herein.

Fig. 7 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary environment comprising various interleaved femtocell networks and a macro access environment.

Fig. 8 represents a block diagram of an exemplary custom SDL that facilitates the management of specific access points to the GEO according to some aspects.

Fig. 9 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system comprising a BS femto communicatively coupled with one or more UT according to some aspects.

Fig. 10 represents a block diagram of a sample system comprising a UT with femto performance communicatively coupled with one or more BS.

Fig. 11 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary methodology to provide centralized management of access points in a mobile environment.

Fig. 12 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary methodology for obtaining specific information to the UT to generate a customized SDL according to some aspects.

Fig. 13 represents a flow chart of a sample methodology for using a customized SDL to access a mobile network.

Fig. 14 represents a flow chart of a sample methodology to provide distributed management of access points in a mobile environment.

Fig. 15 illustrates a flow chart of a sample methodology for communicating with a femtocell to generate a customized SDL for a particular UT.

Fig. 16 illustrates a flow chart of a sample methodology for using a custom SDL to select preferred access points to a mobile network.

Fig. 17 represents a block diagram of an exemplary system that provides centralized management of access points for mobile networks.

Fig. 18 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system that employs a customized SDL to access BS of mobile networks.

Fig. 19 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system that provides distributed management of access points for mobile networks.

Fig. 20 represents a block diagram of an exemplary system that facilitates the distributed management of access points for a mobile network.

Detailed description

Various aspects are now described with reference to the drawings, in which similar reference numbers are used to refer to similar elements from beginning to end. In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects. However, it may be apparent that such aspect (s) can be put into practice without these specific details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices are shown in the form of a block diagram to facilitate the description of one or more aspects.

In addition, various aspects of the disclosure are described below. It should be clear that the teaching of this document can be embodied in a variety of ways and that any specific structure and / or function disclosed in this document is merely representative. Based on the teachings of this document, one skilled in the art should appreciate that one aspect disclosed in this document can be implemented independently of any other aspect and that two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, an apparatus can be implemented and / or a procedure can be implemented using any number of the aspects set forth herein. In addition, an apparatus can be implemented and / or a procedure can be implemented using another structure and / or functionality in addition to one or more of the aspects set forth herein or apart from them. For example, many of the procedures, devices, systems and devices described herein are described in the context of implementing improved access to networks in a mobile environment comprising disparate types of access points. One skilled in the art should appreciate that similar techniques could be applied to other communications environments.

The development of wireless access points to communications networks has been a solution offered to converge between traditional wireless communication systems and traditional fixed line communication systems. Convergence, termed in other cases fixed-wireless convergence, implies a degree of interoperability between fixed line networks (for example, intranet, Internet, etc.) and mobile communications networks (for example, cellular telephone networks). Base stations (BS) provide wireless access to the network of a mobile communications operator, such as a circuit-switched voice network (for example, a multi-access network with code division [CDMA] 1-X or CDMA 1X ), a combined circuit-switched and packet-switched voice and data network (for example, an optimized network of evolution data from CDMA [EV-DO]) or an all-packet voice and data network (for example, a long-term evolution network [LTE],

or similar. Examples of a BS of access points (termed BS herein, as an alternative) include a Node B (NB), a transceiver base unit (BTS), a proprietary Node B (HNB), or simply a BS, of various Transmission / cell power sizes, including macro cells, micro cells, pico cells, femto cells, etc.

The introduction of various types of BS access points in traditional BS macro networks allows significant flexibility and consumer control over personal access to such networks. Often, users can configure terminal devices to select a BS from nearby access points or a macrorred BS, depending on which one provides the best signal. In addition, BS access points can provide plans with preferential rates compared to the macrorred, at least in some circumstances, allowing users to reduce usage charges.

However, since typical macro-networks are often deployed with large-scale public use as a fundamental market, intramural reception can often be worse than reception abroad (for example, due to signal absorption radio frequency through buildings, insulation, ground relief, etc.), which makes the mobile device less effective than a fixed line computer in such an environment. However, access point BSs can provide a significant improvement in this environment. For example, femtocell technology provides a user with significant control in terms of personal wireless connectivity, both intramural and abroad, often bypassing most or all of such connectivity problems. Therefore, the BS femto can further extend the mobility of the UT even in a suboptimal environment for such macro-networks.

In spite of the significant advantages of the BS femto and other access point deployments, some problems have occurred as a result, due to the added complexity in coupling the BS femto with the macro-grids of an operator. For example, the deployment of access points, especially in the case of femtocells, is typically unplanned or semi-planned, which means that these BSs are installed outside the control of the network operator. Thus, the operator has a limited capacity to implement the ideal placement of these access points with respect to other access points such or with respect to the BS macro. In addition, the spatial formation of wireless signals with respect to other photocells, or even a precise knowledge of the location of the position of such cells, may be seriously limited. In addition, when the deployment of BS femto is open to consumer purchase and installation, a very dense installation of such cells can occur in urban or commercial areas with a large population, which leads to a competition of wireless resources between femtocells and nearby macro cells. In addition, BS femto may be associated with a closed subscriber group (CSG) and provide network access only to members of the CSG; in that case, access is not provided, for example, to the general cellular public. Thus, a femto deployment in the middle of a macrorred integrates restricted access BS (RA) with general access BS (GA).

Many pre-existing UTs are not equipped to distinguish between BS from GA and RA, especially if such BSs use both cellular frequencies and, therefore, can consume a significant amount of energy looking for BS of RA, which denies service to a UT, and trying to access them. In addition, pre-existing terminals and pre-existing wireless network standards require mobile terminals to scan incoming wireless signals to identify optimal signals. When there are only a few nearby BS that the terminal can distinguish, this is typically a feasible process. However, in dense deployments of access points, dozens or hundreds of access points may exist in close proximity (for example, within a large apartment building in a city). If the UT's own access point, which has a CSG that includes the UT, is within the dense deployment, distinguishing the own access point from hundreds or thousands of closely located outside access points can be a significant problem. For example, it is likely that the UT uses a significant amount of energy while on hold (analyzing pilot and control channels) or pointing out outside access points that will deny network access to the UT.

When the UT is not in an area that includes its own access point (or, for example, when the UT does not have an active subscription with a BS femto), the problem becomes to distinguish the BS from RA from the access BS general (GA) and ignore the BS of RA. Furthermore, although the BS femto can be deployed on separate frequencies, such as the macrorred, in some circumstances the femto cells and the macro cells share one or more network frequencies and, thus, are not so easily distinguished. Thus, there is a need to distinguish the BS femto from the BS of the macro-networks. In addition, it may be beneficial to limit the signaling of the RA BS UT when it is not likely to find a BS of its own. In addition, it may be beneficial to increase a probability of signaling or the search for RA BS when it is expected to find the BS itself and mitigate the redundant signaling of femto BS outside. Aspects of the present disclosure may provide an improvement for many of the preceding problems.

To address some of the preceding and similar problems, the present disclosure contemplates the parameterization of a mobile network for the access of the user terminals to a mixed network of macro cells and femto cells. The parameterization can be used to direct the UTs to one or another type of cell, frequency channel or the like, to improve the probability that the UE discovers a preferred cell, when applicable, or ignores non-preferred cells. In some implementations, a femto system identifier (SID) separate from the SIDs of the macrorred is reserved for all femtocells. Thus, a femtorred can distinguish a femtocell that transmits the SID femto from the BS macro. In addition, a differentiated network ID or node ID (NID) is assigned to each femtor cell in the femtorred. In some aspects, for example when the reuse of the NID is required, each cell may also be assigned a cell ID, which may optionally comprise the modified NID based on additional data, such as the physical address of a subscriber, a mobile station identifier (MSI), or an international MSI (IMSI) or the like. Thus, including the SID / NID / ID of the cell in a transmitted signal, a BS femto can be distinguished from the BS macro, and can be distinguished from other BS femto.

Thus, for example, the aforementioned parameterization can be used to direct the UT with femtocell performance to a nearby femtocell or to frequency channels used by femtocells based on the SID / NID femto and, optionally, to the cell ID. The parameterization can identify one or more of its own femtocells as preferred or high priority network access points. If the UE femto detects a wireless signal transmitted by the proprietary femtocell, the preferred or high priority state may cause the UT femto to acquire such a cell or to switch communication to such a cell if it is already on hold in another cell in the network. If the UT femto is not currently waiting in the femtocell itself, the UT may periodically search for nearby cells to discover the preferred femtocell.

In some aspects of the disclosure, a second parameterization can be provided to UTs without femto, or UT macro, capabilities, such terminals away from the femtocell, or towards a macrocell, or both. If the femto cells share a common channel or frequency carrier with the macro cells, the parameterization can establish that the macro cells are preferred or high priority cells with respect to the femto cells. Such a relative priority may cause a UT macro to select a macrocell in preference to a femtocell,

or have the UT macro periodically search for macro cells when it is on hold in a femtocell. If the femtocell and macrocell are displayed on separate frequency channels, the parameterization can exclude data from the femtocell, so that the UT macro ignores the signals initiated by the femtocell. In at least some aspects of the present disclosure, the parameterization may comprise a system determination list (SDL: see below) (for example, a preferred roaming list) that sets the priorities of the cells, optionally as a function of a particular geographical area or the access / registration area of a network. Consequently, UT and UT macro with femto benefits can be selectively provisioned to increase the likelihood of a particular type of cell being acquired, optionally depending on where the UT is located (see below).

According to other additional aspects, directing a UT towards a particular type of cell, or moving away from it, can be implemented based on a geographical area (GEO) in which the UT is currently located. For example, if a UT with femto benefits is within a GEO in which a proprietary femtocell is located, the network parameterization (for example, an SDL) that directs the UT femto to prefer femto cells can be provided. Alternatively, or in addition, the parameterization may specify that the femtocell be a cell of higher relative priority compared to other cells, such as the macrocell. On the other hand, femto cells can be given the lowest priority when the UT femto is in a non-self GEO. Thus, the network would not need to update the parameterization set as the UT moves from GEO to GEO. In either case, the relative priority of the cell can be established as a function of whether the UT femto can expect to find its own femtocell, based on the current GEO in which the UT femto is located.

The provisioning of a UT with the appropriate parameterization based on the UT's performance and / or the position of the UT can be implemented in various appropriate ways. In at least one aspect, a femto database can be maintained in a mobile network comprising information specific to the UT. When a UT tries to register in a cell, information identifying the UT can be provided to the network. The network can then determine if the UT is trying to register a femtocell in a macrocell and, in this case, if the femtocell is its own cell in which the UT is authorized to access the mobile network, or a foreign cell, in the that such access to the UT is not authorized. If the UT is being registered in a macrocell, a parameterization can be sent over the air (OTA) to the UT (for example, from the macrocell or a nearby femtocell), increasing the likelihood that the UT will look for and acquire a femtocell, optionally conditioned to the UT being within its own GEO. If the UT is being registered in a foreign femtocell, a different set of parameters can be provided to the UT, directing the UT to search for other femto cells, search for other frequencies, search for macro cells or a combination of the above. If the UT is being registered in the own femtocell, a third parameterization can be provided to the UT, increasing the probability that the UT will remain in the own femtocell (for example, creating a high threshold above which the UT searches for other cells or switches communication with them).

According to additional aspects, the parameterization can be dynamically implemented based on the UT information when the UT is registered in a cell. In such aspects, information specific to the IT may be provided to the mobile network, which can generate or update a customized system determination list (SDL) for the UT (for example, a preferred roaming list [PRL] or similar) . The customized SDL may include an appropriate parameterization for the UT, depending on whether the UT has femto benefits and optionally depending on which GEO the UT is currently in. The UT-specific information, the current GEO information and the own GEO information, with which the SDL is dynamically configured, can be obtained in various suitable ways. In at least one aspect, the UT information and the GEO itself can be obtained from the directory of an operator (for example, an own location register [HLR] or such a device) maintained by the UT mobile operator. In other aspects, the UT may store such information and provide the information with the registration request. In other additional aspects, a user can enter the information (for example, by dialing a service number and including specific information to the UT) manually in the UT, which can be uploaded with the registration or sent by an uplink channel to the network mobile. Once the network receives the specific information to the UT, the dynamic SDL can be generated and sent to the UT OTA.

As an alternative to the above, the start-up procedure can be used to generate a specialized start-up SDL when a UT femto pairs with its own femtocell or establishes an initial configuration with it. The femtocell can generate a boot SDL and an SDL femto when it boots and connects to a mobile network. The boot SDL can specify a femtocell identity, as well as a boot cell ID and / or a boot frequency channel used to provision the SDL to the UT femto. On the other hand, the SDL femto can specify typical system, network and frequency channels used in ordinary communication between the femtocell and the UT. When the UT femto is paired with the femtocell, the starter and femto SDLs can be sent OTA to the UT femto. The UT femto can use the boot SDL when it starts for the first time, or when searching from a different mobile system (for example, switching between third-generation association project systems [3GPP] and third-party 3GPP2 systems) to acquire the femtocell . Once acquired, the femtocell can update the SDL femto in the UT femto, if necessary. The UT femto can then use the SDL femto to acquire the femtocell, search for other cells, switch communication to the femtocell or a combination of the above.

According to other additional aspects, an application interconnection can be established in the femtocell that allows the femtocell to communicate with any suitable UT femto. Such communication can be established to determine if the UT femto is included within a closed group of subscribers (CSG) associated with the femtocell and, therefore, authorized to register with the femtocell. In addition, such interconnection can be used to provision the UT guest femto to provisionally access the femtocell and register therein. After establishing a connection with the femtocell through the application interconnection, a UT femto can analyze the received signals, including the macrocell signals and the nearby femtocell signals, and provide the femtocell with information about the surrounding network. The femtocell can then generate a dynamic SDL that includes optimal cell selection parameters based on the information from the surrounding network. For example, the dynamic SDL can establish a relative priority for the macrorred and the femtocell. Alternatively, or in addition, the dynamic SDL can establish nearby femtocells as preferred or non-preferred cells, putting these dynamic SDLs on the blacklist. The dynamic SDL can be provided to the UT femto, which can use the SDL in cell selection and communication switching procedures. Using the information from the surrounding network, it is not necessary for the dynamic cell to generate an exhaustive list of foreign femto cells that should be blacklisted. Instead, only femto cells that are close enough (for example, having pilot signals strong enough) to interfere with the provisioning of the femtocell can be blacklisted, allowing a dynamic SDL of a relatively small size. In addition to the above, if changes occur in the surrounding network, the femtocell can update the dynamic SDL and add the updated SDL to an UT OTA femto through the application interconnection. Consequently, the UT femto can be provisioned with updated network information to optimize search and acquisition functions in an evolutionary network deployment.

The techniques described herein can be used for various wireless communications systems, such as multiple code division access (CDMA), multiple time division access (TDMA), multiple frequency division access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), SC-FDMA (single carrier FDMA) and other systems. The terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably. A CDMA system can implement a radio technology such as Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), CDMA2000, etc. UTRA includes CDMA broadband (W-CDMA) and other variants of CDMA. The CDMA2000 covers the IS-2000, IS-95 and IS-856 standards. A TDMA system can implement a radio technology such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). An OFDMA system can implement a radio technology such as Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), Ultramobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM®, etc. UTRA and E-UTRA are part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). The LTE (long-term evolution) is an upcoming version of UMTS that EUTRA uses, which uses OFDMA on the downlink and SC-FDMA on the uplink. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE and GSM are described in documents of an organization called “3rd Generation Association Project” (3GPP). CDMA2000 and UMB are described in documents of an organization called "Project 2 of 3rd Generation Association" (3GPP2).

As used herein, the terms "component," "system," "module," and the like are intended to refer to an entity related to computers, whether physical, software, software running, logic. physics, intermediate support, microcode and / or any combination thereof. For example, a module can be, without limitation, a process that runs on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, a device and / or a computer. One or more modules may reside within a process and / or an execution thread, and a module may be located in an electronic device and / or be distributed between two or more electronic devices. In addition, these modules can be executed from various computer-readable media that have various data structures stored on them. Modules can communicate through local and / or remote processes, such as according to a signal that has one or more data packets (for example, data from one component that interacts with another component in a local system, a distributed system and / or, through a network such as the Internet, with other systems through the signal). In addition, the components or modules of the systems described herein may be arranged and / or supplemented by additional components / modules / systems to facilitate the achievement of the various aspects, goals, advantages, etc., described with reference to they are not limited to the precise configurations presented in a given figure, as one skilled in the art will appreciate.

In addition, various aspects in connection with a UT user terminal are described herein. A UT can also be called a system, subscriber unit, subscriber station, mobile, mobile station, mobile communications device, mobile device, remote station, remote terminal, access terminal (AT), user agent (UA), device of user, user equipment (UE) or similar. A subscriber station can be a mobile telephone, a cordless telephone, a telephone with Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), a wireless local loop station (WLL), an electronic calendar (PDA), a handheld device that has benefits of wireless connection or other process device connected to a wireless modem or similar mechanism that facilitates wireless communication with a process device.

In one or more exemplary embodiments, the described functions may be implemented in physical support, software, physical logic, intermediate support, microcode or any suitable combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions can be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or as code in a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable media comprise computer-readable physical media, which includes computer storage media and physical media communications media and communications media, including any means of software, intermediate media, physical logic, microcode and / or media. physical support that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one place to another.

As used herein, computer storage media may be any media that a computer can access. By way of example, and not limitation, such storage means may comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CDROM or other optical disk storage devices, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage, smart cards and flash memory devices (for for example, card unit, pencil, key ...) or any other suitable means that can be used to carry or store program code in the form of instructions or data structures and which a computer can access. The physical support communications media may include any suitable device or any data connection that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one entity to another, at least in part, using an electrical, mechanical and / or electromechanical physical support. In general, a data connection is also properly called computer readable medium. For example, if a program, software or other data is transmitted from a website, a server or other remote source using a coaxial cable, a fiber optic cable, a twisted pair, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a communications bus structure, Ethernet or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio and microwave are included in the definition of medium, and any suitable physical support component associated with such medium is included in the definition of physical support communications media. As used herein, a disc includes the compact disc (CD), the laser disc, the optical disc, the versatile digital disc (DVD), the floppy disk and the Blu-ray disc, in which the disks written disks in English reproduce data magnetically, while discs written discs in English reproduce data optically with laser beams. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media.

For a physical support implementation, the various illustrative logics, logic blocks, modules and circuits of the process units described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or preformed within one or more integrated circuits for specific applications (ASIC), digital signal processors (DSP), digital signal processing devices (DSPD), programmable logic devices (PLD), on-site programmable door arrays (FPGA), discrete doors or transistor logic , discrete hardware components, general purpose processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein or a combination thereof. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but, alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller or state machine. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core or any other suitable configuration. In addition, at least one processor may comprise one or more operable modules to perform one or more of the steps and / or the actions described herein.

In addition, various aspects or features described herein can be implemented as a procedure, an apparatus or an article manufactured using standard programming and / or engineering techniques. In addition, the steps and / or actions of a procedure or an algorithm described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein can be embodied directly in physical media, in a software module executed by a processor or in a combination of the two. In addition, in some aspects, the steps and / or actions of a procedure or an algorithm may reside as at least one or any combination or set of codes and / or instructions in a medium readable by a device, a medium readable by a machine and / or a computer-readable medium, which can be incorporated into a computer program product. The term "manufactured article", as used herein, is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any device or media readable by computer.

In addition, the word "exemplary" is used herein with the meaning of serving as an example, sample or illustration. It should not be construed that any aspect or design described herein as "copies" is necessarily preferred or advantageous with respect to other aspects or designs. Rather, it is intended that the use of the exemplary word present concepts in a concrete way. As used in this application and in the appended claims, it is intended that the term "o" means an inclusive "o", not an exclusive "o". That is, unless otherwise specified, or clear from the context, it is intended that "X uses A or B" means any of the inclusive permutations. That is, if X uses A; X uses B; or X uses both A and B, so "X uses A or B" is satisfied under any of the above cases. In addition, the articles "a" and "a", as used in this application and in the appended claims, should generally be interpreted as meaning "one or more", unless otherwise specified or clear. for the context that should be addressed in a singular way.

As used herein, the terms "infer" and "inference" generally refer to the process of reasoning or inferring about the states of the system, the environment and / or the user from a set of observations captured through of events and / or data. The inference can be used to identify a specific context or action, or it can generate a probability distribution, for example, in states. The inference can be probabilistic, that is, the calculation of a probability distribution in states of interest based on a consideration of events and / or data. Such inference results in the construction of new events or actions from a set of observed events and / or stored event data, whether or not events are correlated in close temporal proximity and regardless of whether the events and data come from one or more sources of events and data.

With reference to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary wireless communication system 100 configured to support various users in which various embodiments and various aspects disclosed may be implemented. As shown in Fig. 1, the system 100 provides communications for multiple cells, such as macro cells 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, 102e, 102f, 102g (alternatively, macro cells 102a-102g), each cell being served by a corresponding access point (AP) 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d, 104e, 104f, 104g (alternatively, AP 104a-104g). Each cell 102a-102g can be further divided into one or more sectors. Various UT 106a, 106b, 106c, 106d, 106e, 106f, 106g, 106h, 106i, 106j, 106k (alternatively, UT 106a106k) are dispersed by the system 100. Each AT 106a-106k can communicate with one or more AP 104a- 104g per one way link (FL) and / or one way back link (RL) at any given time, depending, for example, on whether an AT (106a-106k) is active and whether it is on a smooth call transfer . The wireless communications system 100 can provide service to a large geographical area; for example, macro cells 102a-102g may encompass some apples in a neighborhood.

Fig. 2 depicts an exemplary communication system 200 to allow the deployment of BS (eg, BS macro, BS femto) within a network environment. System 200 includes multiple BS, including femto BS 210, each of which is installed in corresponding small-scale network environments. Examples of small-scale network environments may include user residences, business locations, 230 intramural / outdoor installations, and so on. The BS 210 femto can be configured to attend the associated UT 220 (for example, included in a CSG associated with the BS 210 femto) or, optionally, UT 220 outsiders or visitors (for example, which are not configured for the CSG of the femto BS 210). Each BS 210 femto is further coupled to the Internet 240 and to a central network 250 of the mobile operator by means of a DSL routing device (not shown) or, alternatively, to a cable modem, a broadband connection by electrical cable, a satellite Internet connection or such a broadband Internet connection (not shown).

To implement wireless services through the BS 210 femto, an owner of the BS 210 femto subscribes to a mobile service, such as 3g mobile services, offered through the central network 250 of the mobile operator. In addition, the UT 220 may be able to operate in a macrocellular environment and / or in a small-scale residential network environment, using various techniques described herein. Thus, at least in some aspects disclosed, the femto BS 210 can be backward compatible with any suitable existing UT 220. In addition, apart from the mobile network 250 of macro cells, the UT 220 can be serviced by a predetermined number of BS 210 femto, specifically the BS 210 femts that reside within one or more user residences, business locations or 230 intramural facilities / from outside and cannot be in a soft call transfer state with macrorred 250. It should be appreciated that although aspects described herein employ 3GPP terminology, it should be understood that the aspects can also be applied to 3GPP technology (Version 99 [Re199], Re15, Re16, Re17), as well as 3GPP2 technology (1xRTT, 1xEV-DO Re10, RevA, RevB) and other known and related technologies.

Fig. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system 300 that provides centralized management of access points in a mobile communications environment. A suitable mobile environment may include GA macro access points (for example, macro cells, micro cells, pico cells or even femto cells configured for a GA in some circumstances), as well as RA femto access points that have a limited CSG. Since the system 300 is centralized, access point management can be provided for UTs served by multiple BSs, or for all UTs served by a BS network. As illustrative examples, if the system 300 is located in a base station controller (BSC) that manages several BSs for a base station subsystem (BSS), the system 300 can provide access point management for each BSS of the BSS. Also, if the system 300 is located in a mobile switching center (MSC) or in a GPRS server support node (SGSN) for a system employing GPRS (general packet radio transmission system), a management of access for all BSs served by the MSC and / or the SGSN. Alternatively, or in addition, the system 300 may be located within the central network of the operator, allowing the management of access points to be performed centrally in the central network for all BSs coupled to the central network. In some cases, the system 300 may be deployed in a centralized network of femtocells, on an Internet server or within the central network of the operator (for example, on an Internet gateway of such a network) to facilitate access management for each of the femto cells.

System 300 comprises a provisioning module 302 that facilitates the selection of access points for UTs coupled to a mobile network. The provisioning module 302 can generate a system determination list (SDL) (for example, see, infra, Fig. 8) that can be used by a UT to select from multiple access points available to the mobile network. In addition, the provisioning module 302 can be customized for the UT based, at least, on the femto benefits of the UT. Thus, for example, a first type of SDL can be customized for a UT without femto benefits and a second type of SDL can be customized for a UT with femto benefits. In addition, the second type can be individualized for each UT with femto benefits to identify the femto cells that allow, for example, a network access to the particular UT femto.

To customize an SDL, the provisioning module 302 may include an SDL module 308 that obtains data specific to the UE and specific to the femtocell from an UE-femto data analyzer 306. A communications processor 304 can be coupled with various external sources to obtain the information. For example, the provisioning module 302 may employ the communications processor 304 to engage with a particular femtocell (for example, by means of an Internet gateway that communicates with the femtocell via the Internet) to obtain data from the femtocell or data concerning a UT coupled with the femtocell (for example, an MSI, IMSI, electronic serial number [ESN] or a similar unique ID of the UT). Alternatively, or in addition, the communications processor 304 may employ a macrorred (not shown) to couple with the UT femto to obtain such information. In other aspects, the communications processor can be coupled with a femto database (for example, see, infra, Fig. 4) or with the own location register (HLR) of a network operator, in which such record stores the data of the UT femto.

The data obtained by the communications processor 304 are provided to the UE-femto 306 analyzer to extract the relevant information. Such information may include an SID of a serving BS (for example, an SID femto reserved for femto cells, a SID macro), as well as a subset of the NID and / or cell ID of the cells associated with the SID. In addition, the information extracted may comprise information from the ID of a UT that attempts to register on a mobile network. SDL module 308 can generate a default SDL (for example, a PRL) for UTs coupled with a BS macro, UTs that do not have femto benefits (determined, at least in part, from UT data) or of the UTs that are not in their own GEO. The default SDL can contain a SID / NID macro list (or other node IDs, such as a subnet ID on an EV-DO system) with which the UT can connect. In some aspects, the SDL may set one or more SID / NID as preferred IDs, as set forth in more detail below.

For a custom SDL, the SDL module 308 can provision an SDL with information relevant to a particular UT or a cell serving the UT. Thus, for example, an SID reserved for femto BS can be included in the personalized SDL if the particular UT is a UT with femto benefits. Using such a personalized SDL, UTs can identify that the signals that include the reserved SID originate from a femtocell. In addition, the custom SDL may include a subset of NID and / or cell ID associated with the SID femto. Thus, the UT can ignore signals that do not include the NID / ID subset of cells, or simply analyze the signals that include the NID / ID subset of cells in conjunction with signals that include a different SID (for example, a macro SID). In some aspects, the NID / ID subset of cells may include one or more NID / ID of own femtocell cells associated with a UT femto that is registered.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the SDL module 308 may set one or more different system and / or network IDs as preferred, one or more different system and / or network IDs as non-preferred, not indicating special preference for a system and / or network ID, or a combination of the above. Thus, a UT can select between one or more signals based on the intensity and / or the quality of the signal, as well as the state of preference of the SID / NID. When a custom SDL is provided to a UT with one or more preferred SIDs / NIDs, the UT can continue to search for preferred SIDs / NIDs even though it is currently coupled to a non-preferred cell or to a cell that has no preferred status. In addition, if the UT acquires the preferred SID / NID, it can set a high threshold above which the UT will search for other BSs. Thus, as a particular example, the UT can ignore neighboring cells when coupled to the preferred cell, unless the signal strength of the preferred cell falls below a relatively low threshold, or the disparity of the intensity of The signal between the preferred cell and a neighboring cell rises above a relatively high threshold, which favors the neighboring cell.

According to other additional aspects, an SDL can be configured according to one or more GEO. Thus, the SID / NID available within a GEO in which a cell that obtains a registration request resides may be included in the SDL. In some aspects, the SDL may also include neighboring GEOs and associated SID / NIDs, in the event that a UT moves outside the current GEO. For a custom SDL for a UT femto, the current GEO may contain SID / NID d BS macro, and one or more SID / NID femto if the current GEO is its own GEO associated with the UT femto. In addition, the SID / NID femto can be given a status of preference, by directing the UT to favor the femtocell with respect to other types of network access points, as discussed above. If the current GEO is not the GEO itself, then the SDL can be configured to not contain any SID / NID femto, which allows the UT femto to ignore the wasted signaling to the foreign femtocells. Consequently, the personalized SDL can be used to preserve the supplementary signaling for the UT femto, listing SID / NID of femtocells as preferred when it is expected that an own femtocell is found (for example, in the own GEO) or not including SID / NID of femtocells when the femtocell itself cannot be expected (for example, outside its own GEOs).

Fig. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary system 400 that provides access point management for UT 404A, 404B, of varying access capacity. The system 400 may comprise a provisioning module 402 that generates an SDL for the UTs based on the performance of the respective UT. The provisioning module 402 may receive a request for registration in the communications processor 408 from an access point, such as macro access point 406A or femto access point 406B, which includes ID information of a UT 404A, 404B (for example, MSI, IMSI, ESN, etc.) that is registered. The ID information can be used to obtain information (416) from subscribers in various data memories of the network. For example, the UE-femto 412 data analyzer can access a network 414 femto database if the UT that is registered is a UT 404B femto. The 414 femto database can store subscriber profiles 416 indicating which UT femto (404A) of subscribers are allowed to access a particular femtocell (406B), as well as which femtocell (406B) are own cells for a particular UT femto (404A) of subscriber. In addition, database 414 may indicate an associated GEO for each femtocell (406B) and one or more of its own GEO for each UT femto (404A). Thus, using the UT 404A femto ID that is registered, the provisioning module 402 can identify the femtocell (406B) associated with such ID and GEO of such cells. If the UT 404A femto is in its own GEO, the SDL module 422 can generate a custom SDL that identifies the own femtocell and establishes such a cell as a preferred cell. If not, the SDL may include SID / NID of macro cells, which direct the UT to search for macro cells or to remain coupled to them.

Alternatively, or in addition to the foregoing, the provisioning module 402 may comprise a data interface 418 that can be coupled with the Internet and / or a mobile central network 420. Thus, the data interface 418 can communicate with a femtocell 406B using an Internet gateway (not shown) used by such cell 406B. The data interface can be used to interrogate the femtocell 406B and obtain ID information of such a cell and / or of the UT (404B) coupled to the femtocell 406B. In addition, the data interface can communicate with the central macro 420 to obtain information from the UT subscriber. In some aspects, such information may include subscriber ID information. The subscriber ID information can be used to establish a particular GEO for the 406B femtocell. For example, a physical address (for example, an email address), a postal code and / or similar information can be used to establish the GEO femto. Thus, the GEO femto may be a relatively small area surrounding the 406B femtocell, which limits several additional access points (406A) that are included in the GEO of the femtocell. If the UT that is registered is a UT femto (404A) and a GEO typical of the UT femto (404A) is the same as the GEO of the 406B femtocell, the GEO femto, as well as the SID / NID or the femtocell ID 406B can be included in a custom SDL by module 422 of SDL, which is provided to such UT. If not, an SDL containing the SID / NID / IDs of the BS macro can be generated and provided to the UT, causing the UT to ignore the femtocell signals and search macroseanals instead.

Fig. 5 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary system 500 that provides distributed management of access points for a UT 504. As depicted, system 500 may comprise one or more femtocell 502 and one or more UT, including the UT 504 femto. The 502 femtocell may comprise an interconnection application 506 configured to provide a wireless data exchange between the UT 504 femto and an own 502 femtocell associated with such UT 504. The interconnection application 506 may be used to generate a SDL specially customized for the UT 504 femto, similar to that described above, but starting from the 502 own femtocell instead of a centralized network location. In addition, the interconnection application 506 may employ a frequency channel typically used by the 502 femtocell for wireless communications, or it may use a special provisioning or a boot channel to provide the custom SDL (e.g., see, supra, Fig. 6).

The interconnection application 506 can be used by the own femtocell 502 to carry out self-configuration procedures with a central macrorred 518 by means of an Internet connection. Thus, for example, the 502 femtocell can obtain information relevant to neighboring (not shown) cells of the 502 femtocell, including macro cells, as well as other femto cells. In addition, the 502 femtocell can obtain data indicating whether such additional femto cells are femto cells of the UT 504 femto or foreign femto cells that provide limited access to the UT 504 femto or no access.

The interconnection application 506 may comprise an SDL provisioning module 512 that can generate a custom SDL for the UT 504 femto. If the UT 504 femto is included in a CSG associated with the 502 femtocell, the SDL may be provisioned by specifying that the 502 femtocell, as well as any neighboring neighbor femtocell, are preferred cells, that nearby macro cells are of lower priority and that foreign femto cells are non-preferred. If the UT 504 femto is not included in the CSG, the 502 femtocell can verify a group of subscriber guests (GSG) to determine whether guest access to the UT 504 femto should be provided. The guest access may comprise full access (same as for own femto cells) or limited access, which limits bandwidth, mobile resources and / or an amount of time in which the host UT can use the 502 femtocell. For a host SDL, the 502 femtocell can establish a preferred cell and that neighboring cells (macro or femto) are lower priority cells. Optionally, the host SDL may not provide any special preference for the 502 femtocell and neighboring cells, allowing the host SDL to acquire and access the neighboring cells based on the signal strength.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the UT 504 femto may employ the interconnection application 506 to provide an SDL to the 502 femtocell. Thus, for example, a default SDL obtained from the mobile central network 518 can be sent by means of a air supply function 520 (OTAF) and a BS 522 macro can be sent to the interconnection application 506. The provisioning module 512 can then modify the default SDL to generate the custom SDL, presented above, including the SID / NID or the ID of the 502 femtocell as the preferred cell and specifying the neighboring cells as non-preferred cells.

The UT femto and the 502 femtocell can use normal wireless communication (for example, using a typical operating channel of the 502 femtocell, unlike a boot and provisioning channel, for example) once the custom SDL is generated and that it is provided to femto UT 504. Periodically, femtocell 502 and femto UT 504 can communicate with interconnection application 506 (optionally using a special starting frequency) to update the provisioning of the SDL in module 512 provisioning of the SDL For example, changes in neighboring cells / cell IDs can be added to an SDL used by the UT 504 femto by periodic use of the interconnection application 506. Thus, the system 500 can employ the interconnection application 506 and the SDL provisioning module 512 to generate, as well as to update, a customized SDL to reflect the changing conditions of the network.

According to particular aspects of the present disclosure, a personalized SDL may reflect the prevailing conditions of the signals near the 502 femtocell. In such aspects, the UT 504 femto can be coupled with the 502 femtocell by means of the interconnection application 506 for provisioning of the SDL. During such provisioning, the UT 504 femto may employ a signal analysis module 508 to monitor and analyze the neighboring macro and femto BS wireless signals (522). Signal strength, signal quality and similar statistics can be obtained using the 508 signal analysis module. In addition, the signal analysis module 508 can identify the information of the SID / NID or cell ID transmitted with each signal to identify a BS (522) that transmits the signal. The information can be provided to the femtocell 502 by means of a report module 510. In such a case, the SDL provisioning module 512 can identify neighboring cells (522) that result in potentially intense interference or that have sufficiently strong signals to cause the UT 504 femto to attempt to acquire or switch to such signals. If the UT 504 femto is even in a CSG or a GSG of the 502 femtocell, the SDL provisioning module 512 may blacklist the neighboring foreign femto cells to prevent the UT 504 femto from trying to acquire such cells. During the provisioning of the SDL update, as discussed above, new foreign femtocells, determined by the signal analysis module 508, may also be blacklisted, as necessary. Consequently, the custom SDL can be provisioned to blacklist only neighboring cells that are likely to interfere with the UT 504 femto or have it transfer the call to such cells, providing a relatively small blacklist, instead blacklisting all femto cells that share a common GEO with the 502 femtocell.

Fig. 6 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary system 600 that facilitates initial boot provisioning for terminal devices that are coupled to a mobile network. System 600 comprises a provisioning module 602 coupled to a UT 604 femto via a BS-UT interface. Such an interface may comprise a wireless transceiver of a femtocell device (not shown) coupled to the provisioning module and a wireless channel used by such a transceiver. Boot provisioning can be used to generate a custom SDL for femto UT 604, as described herein, and provide the custom SDL to select and transfer the call to the network BSs identified in the SDL.

The provisioning module 602 comprises a boot configuration module 606 that establishes the boot provisioning for a femtocell coupled to the provisioning module 602 and for the UT 604 femto. The boot configuration module 606 can obtain specific femto information from a processor 610 of data that can communicate with an operator's mobile network (for example, via an Internet connection coupled with a femtocell). The femto information may comprise an SID reserved for use by femtocells. In addition, the femto information may comprise boot and cellular information used by the UT 604 femto for initial configurations and for signaling / acquisition of cells and network resources, respectively. The start-up information may comprise the SID, as well as a start-up NID, used at start-up to identify a femtocell, as well as a start-up frequency channel used to communicate with the femtocell for start-up provisioning. The starting information, <SID, NIDarranque, Canalarranque>, can be included in a personalized SDL provided to the UT 604 femto, either through a femtocell coupled to the provisioning module 602 if communication between such a cell and the cell is already established. femto UT 604, or through the provisioning of the macrorred.

Once the UT 604 femto obtains the custom SDL comprising the boot information, listed above, the UT 604 can perform initialization or pairing routines with a femtocell using the boot NID and the boot channel. In some aspects, the start-up procedure is carried out with the femtocell emitting at very low power (for example, a fraction of a watt), the UT 604 femto being located near the femtocell (for example, less than 1 meter) . The starter channel can be used, in particular aspects, to circumvent a CSG used by the femtocell, since it can be assumed that with such a narrow range the UT 604 femto is operated by a femtocell owner. Consequently, in such aspects, the UT 604 femto be initially included in the CSG of the femtocell using the start-up operations provided by the system 600.

After initial pairing with the femtocell, the provisioning module 602 can generate a customized SDL for mobile communications with the femtocell. The boot SDL can be provided by the UT 604 femto, during the initial acquisition, to the femtocell, which can send such SDL to the data processor 610. A femto module 608 of the SDL configuration can modify the boot SDL to include a specific femto SID / NID and a channel for cellular communications with the femtocell. Such information can be represented as <SIDfemto, NIDfemto, Canalfemto>, which indicates a SID / NID / Femtorrelative channel of operation. Subsequent interaction between the UT 604 femto and the femtocell can be performed using the femtorrelated information at normal femtotransmission powers / distances, in which the UT 604 is screened using the femtocell CSG. In some aspects, the analysis of neighboring cells (for example, as described supra in Fig. 5) can be carried out during the initial provisioning described above. Thus, the femto information may also include external femto cells blacklisted that have a threshold intensity / quality of the threshold or greater, which could result in the UT 604 acquiring or transferring the call to neighboring external femto cells instead of to a configured own femtocell. As described, the system 600 can provide an efficient mechanism for distributed management of access points that employs initial pairing routines of devices.

Fig. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an integrated mobile environment femto-macro 700 according to aspects of the present disclosure. The mobile environment 700 comprises at least one BS 702 macro that provides wireless GA services for a UT 704. Thus, the UT 704 can communicate communicatively with the BS 702 macro under favorable macro-wireless conditions, or when a preferred BS (706A, 706B) Not within sufficient reach.

In addition, the environment 700 comprises multiple GEO 708A, 708B, 708C, 708D (or 708A-708D) within the coverage of the BS 702 macro. Such GEOs comprise at least two of its own GEO 708A, 708D in which the UT 704 is associated with at least one own femtocell 706A, 706B. For example, GEO 708A may comprise a residential area in which a subscriber has an own 706A femtocell established in the residence of such a subscriber. In addition, the GEO 708D may comprise a commercial or industrial area in which the subscriber has a second own 706B femtocell established in an office building or other place of business. Other GEO 708B, 708C are foreign GEOs, in which the subscriber has no own femtocell (706A, 706B).

It should be appreciated that the GEO 708A-708D represented by the environment 700 can be defined using various criteria. In one example, GEO 708A-708D can be defined using regional network information, such as a location zone ID (LAI) or a routing zone IDE (RAI) of the macrorred (702). In other examples, GEO 708A-708D can be defined using political / legal geographical boundaries, such as municipal boundaries, county boundaries, state boundaries, or the like. In other additional examples, GEO 708A-708D can be defined based on subscriber data associated with the own femto cells 706A, 706B. Thus, for example, an email address, a postal code or other position / zone identifier (for example, a global positioning system) associated with the respective own femto cells 706A, 706D can be used to define at least the respective own GEO 708A , 708D. In some aspects, a combination of the preceding examples may be used in the definition of GEO 708A, 708D.

As the UT 704 moves from GEO to GEO, it can inform a BS server of the identity of a GEO in which the UT 704 is currently located. The serving BS can send the GEO to a mobile network to update the location of the current position of the UT 704. In addition, the current GEO can be used to generate a custom SDL for the UT 704, as described herein ( for example, when preference is given to suitable BSs over other BSs, depending on the type of the current, own or third-party GEO). In a centralized management architecture of the access points, the network can generate and provide the customized SDL to the UT 704, using the BS 702 macro or a femtocell (706A, 706D) coupled with the UT 704. The network can use the information of the current position / location, for example, to search for UT 704 and deliver such data, as is known in the art. In a distributed management architecture of access points, a server BS (702, 706A, 706B) can generate and provide the customized SDL to UT 704, optionally after boot provisioning. In such a case, a serving BS (702, 706A, 706D) can update the custom SDL, if necessary, when the UT 704 moves to a new GEO and attempts to register for the first time in a BS within the new GEO. Consequently, using an SDL for the management of access points can be an adaptable mechanism that takes into account the mobility of the UT and a dynamic network (for example, including new macro and / or BS femto deployments).

Fig. 8 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary custom SDL 806 according to aspects of the present disclosure. The SDL 806 can be provided by an 802 access point to the UT 804 using an OTA communication, optionally during a boot or pairing routine after the UT 804 starts. The SDL 806 can be referenced by the UT 804 to identify the points of UT 804. access available within a particular GEO at which the UT 804 is currently located. Such current GEO can be issued by the access point 802 or determined based on the measurement of the location of the position (eg GPS ), etc.

As shown, SDL 806 comprises three different GEOs: GEO 1, GEO 2 and GEO 3. GEO 1 is associated with an own femtocell (HFC) of the UT 804, as well as one or more macro cells and one or more other femto cells ( AFC). Since the femtocell itself is contained within GEO 1, such GEO is indicated as its own GEO. In addition, each access point is associated with a particular cell ID (for example SID / NID / cell ID), with which the UT 804 can identify particular access points. Each access point is also given a priority. The own cell is given a high priority in GEO 1, macro access points are given a medium priority and the foreign femto cells within GEO 1 are blacklisted (or, optionally, receive a low priority ). Thus, the UT 804 will acquire the femtocell itself with the condition that such a cell is identified and rises above a relatively low threshold. If not, a macrocell is selected. If a foreign femtocell is identified, the signal associated with such a cell can be ignored.

GEO 2 and 3 are both foreign GEOs, which do not include a proprietary femtocell associated with UT 804. In GEO 2, which comprises at least one foreign femtocell, all femtocells are given a non-preferential priority and the one or more Macro cells are given a high priority. Consequently, the UT 804 will select the macrocell provided that a signal from such a cell is above a relatively low threshold. An external femtocell can be accessed if a macrocell cannot be distinguished, optionally to initiate signaling with a mobile network if the foreign femtocell allows such signaling. In some aspects, the UT 804 may attempt to register as a host UT in the foreign femtocell and obtain a specialized SDL in which the femtocell is given a higher priority (for example, average, or a preferred state). With respect to GEO 3, which includes only macro cells, the UT 804 can be connected to a macro cell. It should be appreciated that whenever UT 804 is connected to a non-preferred cell (or if a signal from a preferred cell falls below a relatively low threshold), UT 804 can periodically search for preferred cells to identify and acquire such cells. Thus, if the UT 804 is connected to a macrocell but moves from GEO 2 to GEO 1, the femtocell itself can be identified.

In addition to the above, SDL 806 can indicate the frequency channels used by various access points. In a multi-carrier environment, in which multiple channels are available, the UT 804 can search within such channels and / or between them to identify cells, and periodically search for preferred cells when connected to medium or non-preferred cells. As shown, SDL 806 can provide a selective determination of network access points to facilitate the identification of a preferred cell with respect to other cells, depending on a particular GEO in which the UT 804 is currently located. Consequently, there is a greater probability of obtaining the preferred cells, which leads to more efficient mobile communications as a whole.

Fig. 9 represents a block diagram of an exemplary system 900 comprising a BS 902 and one or more UT 904 (eg, mobile devices) according to aspects of the present disclosure. The BS 902 can be configured to provide selective access to disparate types of mobile network access points, as described herein. For the UT 904 configured to identify and distinguish between such types of access points, the BS 902 can provide a personalized SDL containing identifying information of the various access points and the priorities of such access points. When the UT 904 is not configured to identify or distinguish between different types of access points, an SDL can be provided that contains information identifying appropriate access points to the macrorred that allows the UT 904 to ignore the access points. not macro

The BS 902 (e.g., access point, ...) may comprise a receiver 910 that receives one or more airborne signals and messages (OTA) from one or more UT 904 through one or more receiving antennas 906, and a transmitter 930 that transmits OTA encoded / modulated signals and messages provided by modulator 928 to one or more UT 904 through one or more transmitting antennas 908. Receiver 910 may receive information from receiving antennas 906 and may further comprise a signal receiver (not shown) that receives uplink data transmitted by the UT 904. In addition, receiver 910 is operatively associated with a demodulator 912 that demodulates the information received. The demodulated symbols are analyzed by a processor 914. The processor 914 is coupled with a memory 916 that stores information relating to the functions provided by the BS 902. In one case, the stored information may comprise rules for obtaining various IDs of access points. and specific femto information and to generate a femoto-specific SDL for the UT 904. In addition, the stored information may comprise sets of parameters configured to establish preferred and non-preferred BS (902).

In addition, the BS 902 may comprise a provisioning module 918 that employs the benefits of a UT

(904) and customize an SDL for the UT (904) based on such features. For example, if the UT is a device with femto capabilities, the provisioning module 918 may employ a signaling interconnection 920 to communicate with a mobile central network and / or with a specific femto database maintained by such a network. The signaling interconnection can obtain subscriber information associated with the UT (904) with femto benefits and can also obtain, from the femto database, own femto cells associated with such UT. Optionally, when the BS 902 is a BS femtocell, the subscriber information and the femto benefits for the UT 904 included in a CSG 924 can be stored in memory 916 for internal use of the BS 902. After obtaining the subscriber information and the benefits, a customized SDL can be generated for the UT 904 femto that establishes its own femtocell (902) as a preferred cell and that, optionally, establishes macro cells and / or foreign cells such as medium or low priority cells and cells entered in a list black, respectively. In some aspects, the BS 902 may comprise an interconnection 922 of data for coupling with the Internet, for communicating with other BS femto or for coupling to the mobile central network (for example, if the BS 902 is a BS of the femtocell).

According to one or more additional aspects, the BS 902 may comprise a boot module 926 for the initial provisioning of UT. The boot module 926 may employ a boot node ID and / or a boot frequency channel to communicate with the UT femto for initial provisioning, as described herein. The boot module 926 can be used to establish a UT (904) as part of the CSG 924 during initial provisioning. In such a case, the starter module 926 can also provide a lower power transmission parameter so that the processor 914 limits the start communication with a relatively short range (for example, less than 1 meter) to mitigate the probability that unauthorized UTs dock with BS 902 during startup procedures. In addition, the boot module 926 can obtain the near wireless conditions of a suitable UT (904) during such initial provisioning to allow the provisioning module 918 to customize an SDL for nearby network signals. Thus, for example, nearby foreign femto cells can be blacklisted to prevent a UT (904) included in the CSG from performing a vain communication switching with an external femtocell. Consequently, it may be more likely that UT (904) remains coupled with BS 902, rather than making a transfer to other cells.

Fig. 10 illustrates a block diagram as an exemplary system 1000 comprising a UT (for example, a mobile device) 1002 that can be configured to interconnect with a BS 1004. The UT 1002 can be configured to wirelessly engage with one or more such BS 1004 (for example, an access point) of a wireless network. Thus, for example, the UT 1002 can receive OTA signals from the BS 1004 through a FL channel and respond with OTA signals and messages through an RL channel, as is known in the art. In addition, the UT 1002 can obtain system determination information from the BS 1004 to selectively choose between access points to the wireless network. In some aspects, the UT 1002 can provide specific information of the UT and / or the subscriber to facilitate the generation of a personalized SDL based on the benefits of the UT 1002. The personalized SDL can, for example, establish one or more types of points of access as preferred or non-preferred access points to facilitate such selective access to the network, as described herein.

The UT 1002 includes at least one antenna 1006 (for example, a transmission receiver or a group of such receivers comprising an input interface) that receives a signal and one or more receivers 1008 that carry out the typical actions (for example , filter, amplify, convert down, etc.) into the received signal. According to at least some aspects, one or more processors 1012 can selectively analyze portions of signals received from a demodulator 1010 and obtain synchronization and / or control information relevant to a selected base station (1004) or to a type of base station. In general, the antenna 1006 and the transmitter 1034, which wirelessly sends modulated symbols provided by the modulator 1028, called a transceiver collectively, can be configured to facilitate the wireless exchange of data with the base station (s) 1004.

The antenna 1006 and the receiver (s) 1008 can also be coupled with a demodulator 1010 that can demodulate the received symbols and provide them to or to the processors 1012 for evaluation. It should be appreciated that the processor (s) 1012 can control and / or reference one or more components (1006, 1008, 1010, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020, 1022, 1024, 1026, 1028) of the UT 1002. In addition, the one or more 1012 processors can execute one or more modules, applications, motors or the like (1016, 1018, 1022, 1024, 1026) comprising information or controls relevant to the execution of functions of the UT 1002. For example, such functions may include scrutinizing statistics of the strength and / or signal quality of the received wireless signals, use a personalized SDL to selectively access particular BS (1004) or BS types, or transfer the call to them, or similar operations, such as described in this document.

The UT 1002 may also include a memory 1014 that is operatively coupled to the processor or processors 1012. The memory 1014 can store data that is to be transmitted, received and the like, and instructions (1020) suitable for making a wireless communication with a remote device (1004). In addition, memory 1014 can store modules, applications, engines, etc. (1016, 1018, 1022, 1024, 1026) executed by the processor or processors 1012, above.

In addition to the above, the processor (s) 1012 and the memory 1014 may be coupled to a reselection module 1016 that can perform the reselection of the base station to acquire a network access point (1004) or to identify a preferential access point (1004) and switch to it. The reselect module 1016 can obtain such an address from a custom SDL obtained from the BS 1004 and stored in the memory 1014. The reselection may comprise scanning the wireless signals obtained in the antenna 1006 and the receiver 1008 to identify the cell IDs of such signals and compare them with the cell IDE of the custom SDL.

To facilitate the generation of a custom SDL, the processor (s) 1012 may provide data that identifies the UT 1002 or data associated with a subscriber from a subscriber profile 1020 stored in memory 1014. The subscriber data may be used to establish an own GEO for the UT 1002 (for example, based on the address, the subscriber's postal code or similar data). In some aspects, the processor (s) 1012 may interrogate a user through a user interface (UI) of the UT 1002 (not shown) to obtain subscriber data, such as location data establishing the GEO itself, or data that identify the UT 1002, as a telephone number of the UT 1002, the serial number, the MSI, the IMSI or similar data. In addition, the subscriber profile 1020 and / or the information obtained from the UI may indicate the femto performance of the UT 1002. The preceding data may be sent to the BS 1004 to generate the personalized SDL, as described herein.

In addition to the above, the UT 1002 may comprise an analysis module 1018 for determining signal statistics of the received wireless signals. Signal statistics may comprise information on the intensity and / or signal quality. Such statistics can also be provided to the BS 1004 together with the initial start-up and / or acquisition routines (eg, start-up routines) implemented by the start-up module 1026 to configure the UT 1002 for communication with the BS 1002 and / or to blacklist nearby foreign femto cells, stored in a blacklist module 1024. The statistical information can be sent to the BS 1004 by means of a routing module 1022, which can use a particular starting channel to communicate with the BS 1004 during the start-up / acquisition routines. Upon completion of the start-up / acquisition routines, the UT 1002 can use the personalized SDL to acquire a nearby access point (1004) and attempt to register in a mobile network associated with the access point (1004).

The aforementioned systems have been described with respect to the interaction between various components, modules and / or communication interfaces. It should be appreciated that such systems and components / modules / interfaces may include the components or subcomponents specified in the foregoing, some of the specified components or subcomponents and / or additional components. For example, a system could include femtocells 210 coupled to the provisioning module 302, the Internet 240, the central network 518 and the UT 1002 or a different combination of these and other components. Subcomponents could also be implemented as components communicatively coupled to other components instead of being included in parent components. In addition, it should be noted that one or more components could be combined into a single component that provides joint functionality. For example, the signal analysis module 508 may include the routing module 518, or vice versa, to facilitate the analysis of the statistics of the received signals and the reporting of such statistics to a proprietary femtocell by means of a single component. The components may also interact with one or more additional components not specifically described herein but known to those skilled in the art.

In addition, as will be appreciated, various portions of the systems disclosed above and the procedures below may include or consist of components, subcomponents, processes, means, methodologies or mechanisms based on intelligence or knowledge or rules (for example, support vector machines, neural networks, expert systems, Bayesian belief networks, fuzzy logic, data fusion engines, classifiers ...). Such components, among others, and in addition to what has already been described herein, can automate certain mechanisms or processes carried out in this way to make portions of the systems and procedures more adaptive as well as more efficient. and smart.

In view of the exemplary systems described above, the methodologies that can be implemented according to the subject matter disclosed will be better appreciated with reference to the flowcharts of FIGURES 11-16. Although for the purposes of simplicity of explanation the methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it should be understood and appreciated that the subject matter claimed is not limited by the order of the blocks, since some blocks may be presented in different orders and / or concurrently with other blocks, differing from what is represented and described in this document. In addition, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methodologies described in the following of this document. Additionally, it should also be appreciated that the methodologies disclosed in the following of this document and throughout this report are likely to be stored in an article manufactured to facilitate the transport and transfer of such methodologies to computers. The term manufactured article, as used, is intended to cover a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, device in conjunction with a carrier or a storage medium.

Fig. 11 depicts a flow chart of an exemplary methodology 110 to provide centralized access management in a mobile communications environment. In 1102, procedure 1100 can obtain specific data from the UT. The data may include appropriate identification information to determine the UT exclusively. Such data may comprise an MSI, an IMSI, an ESN or a similar identifier of a UT. The data can be obtained by direct OTA communication with the UT or through a network access point coupled with the UT. In this case, the data can be accompanied with an access request, used by the UT to access a mobile network.

In 1104, procedure 1100 can use the UT-specific data to determine the UT access presentations. In some aspects, the data may be referenced against a femto database comprising data associated with femto use or with femto subscription plans. The database may comprise a table that lists own femto cells for various UTs with femto benefits, as well as unauthorized UTs for certain particular femtocells. By accessing the femto database, it can be determined if the UT is a UT with femto benefits (for example, if the specific information of the UT is included in the database), which own femto cells are associated with the UT and the information that identifies its own GEO associated with each of such own femtocell.

As an alternative to the above, or in addition to this, the specific UT data can be used to access the location register of an operator associated with the UT. In some such aspects, the femto benefits of the UT, as well as the own femto cells and the GEOs of such cells, can also be obtained from the own location register. Alternatively, specific UT data may be included in a registration request submitted by the UT and be obtained directly or indirectly from the UT or a serving cell associated with the UT. For example, a user of the UT can send the ID information and / or femto benefits (including a reference to the femto / own GEO) in a UT UI. Such information can then be received instead of or in addition to accessing the femto database or the operator's own location register.

In 1106, procedure 1100 can generate a custom SDL for the UT based, at least in part, on the UT access features. For example, the SDL may include access information for macro cells close to the UT if the UT does not have femto benefits, and include access information for both macro cells and femto cells if the UT has femto benefits. In addition to the above, the SDL may indicate a relative priority for the types of access points (for example, femto, macro) based on the location of the UT. Thus, for example, if the UT is currently in its own GEO, a high priority may be given to the access information of the femtocell and a low priority given to the macro access information. The priority may facilitate an increased probability that the UT accesses a femtocell and remains coupled to it. In some aspects, the personalized SDL can identify a particular own femtocell of the UT, so that such a cell can be identified by the UT. The femtocell itself can be given the highest priority. In additional aspects, also the foreign femto cells can be identified and given the lowest priority, or they can be blacklisted in the personalized SDL. Consequently, the UT can avoid wasted signaling to foreign femto cells. Once the custom SDL is generated, it can be sent to the UT to selectively access various network access points based on at least the type of access point.

Fig. 12 represents a flow chart of an exemplary methodology 1200 for obtaining specific UT data to generate a customized SDL for a UT. In 1202, procedure 1200 may obtain UT-specific data from a UT, as described herein. In 1204, the procedure 1200 may interrogate an HLR as to data of the subscriber associated with the UT. In 1206, a determination is made as to whether the UT is a UT with femto benefits, based, at least in part, on the subscriber data. If the UT is not a UT with femto benefits, the procedure 1200 may continue up to 1208, in which a macro SDL is generated that sets the priority to the macro access points and provides it to the UT in 1222.

If it is determined that the UT is a UT with femto benefits, the procedure 1200 may continue up to 1210. In 1210, the procedure 1200 may optionally interrogate (as indicated by the dashed lines) a femto database as to one or more own femtocell and related information relevant to the UT. Alternatively, the method 1200 can dynamically obtain the femtocell (s) and related information from the network HLR, or from the UT, instead of accessing a femto database. In either case, the procedure 1200 can obtain one or more of its own femtocells and one or more of its own GEOs relative to the UT in 1212. In addition, in 1214, the procedure 1200 can obtain a current GEO for the UT, as well as neighboring cells within such GEO. In 1216, procedure 1200 can determine whether the UT is within a cell of its own or a GEO of its own. If not, the procedure 1200 can continue until 1218, in which a custom SDL can be generated in a foreign femto environment. Such foreign SDL can give foreign femtocell low priority or blacklist such cells and give relatively high priority to macro cells. On the other hand, if it is determined that the UT is within the cell itself or a GEO itself in the reference number 1216, the procedure 1200 can continue until 1220, in which a proprietary SDL can be generated for the UT. The SDL itself can identify and give high priority to an own femtocell associated with the UT. In 1222, procedure 1200 can send the custom SDL to the UT, whether macro, foreign or own femto.

Fig. 13 represents a luxury diagram of an exemplary methodology for accessing a mobile network. In 1302, procedure 1300 may submit a registration application comprising an ID of a requesting UT. The ID may comprise any suitable information that can be used to distinguish the UT from other UTs of that type. According to some aspects, the registration request may optionally include the UT access features, such as if the UT is configured to access a femtocell, information of the ID of a proprietary femtocell (for example, SID / NID / ID of the cell) and the frequency channels used by such a cell, as well as a location

or current GEO of the UT and an ID of a BS that is currently serving the UT.

In 1304, procedure 1300 can obtain a personalized SDL to the UT information presented in reference number 1302. Thus, for example, the personalized SDL may include information that identifies its own femtocell, foreign femtocell and / or nearby macro cells within a current GEO occupied by the UT. In other aspects, the SDL can provide a relative priority for various access points as a function of the type of the access point, as well as frequency channels used by the various access points. Based on the relative priority, the UT can select from various received signals to identify a preferred access point. If the preferred access point is not located on a particular frequency channel, the UT can switch channels to continue trying to locate the preferred access point. However, if such an access point cannot be found, the UT may select a non-preferred cell, or a cell to which no particular preference has been given (or, for example, to which a medium preference has been given) . However, the UT can periodically scan the received signals and the available frequency channels to continue trying to obtain the preferred cell. Such periodic scrutiny can continue until the preferred cell is found or until a new SDL is provided to the UT (for example, if the UT moves to a new GEO, if the network topology changes, the UT disconnects and connects, or similar) that does not include a preferred cell.

Fig. 14 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary methodology to provide distributed access management in a mobile communications environment. In 1402, procedure 1400 can obtain a registration request with specific UT data, as described herein. In 1404, procedure 1400 can obtain femto benefits from the requesting UT (for example, from such UT, from a femto database, from an operator's HLR, etc.). In 1406, the method 1400 can obtain data from neighboring cells, from cells within a particular GEO in which the UT is located or from cells near the serving cell coupled to the UT. The data from the neighboring cells can be obtained from a component of the network, or from the UT, which can analyze the signals transmitted by the neighboring cells and provide statistics of such signals such as analysis of the network environment near the UT. In 1408, procedure 1400 can generate an SDL with UT performance and data from neighboring cells. The benefits of the UT can be used to customize the SDL to allow selective management of access points by the UT, as described herein. In addition, data from neighboring cells can be used by the UT to search for a preferred cell, if any, indicated in the SDL. In at least one aspect, data from neighboring cells may be used to blacklist one or more non-preferred access points within the vicinity of a serving cell, if the serving cell is a preferred access point (by example, an own femtocell). Using data from neighboring cells, a relatively small cell blacklist can be maintained, reducing the process and memory requirements for analyzing and storing, respectively, the customized SDL.

Fig. 15 represents a flow chart of an exemplary methodology for employing startup routines to engage with a UT and generate a custom SDL for the UT based on the UT's access capabilities. In 1502, the procedure 1500 can establish a link of the central network with a mobile central network. In 1504, procedure 1500 can obtain starting parameters for the initial acquisition of a nearby UT. In 1506, procedure 1500 can obtain cellular parameters for cellular communication with remote devices. In 1508, procedure 1500 may enter a boot provisioning mode. In 1510, the procedure can establish a link with a nearby UT. Optionally, the link can use a particularly low transmission power, allowing communication only with a UT that is in close proximity. In 1512, procedure 1500 can receive UT data and statistics from the surrounding network from the UT. In 1514, procedure 1500 can generate a custom SDL for the UT based on the UT data and network statistics. In 1516, procedure 1500 may add the UT to a CSG, establishing the UT as an authorized UT. In 1518, procedure 1500 can provide the custom SDL to the UT. In 1520, procedure 1500 can obtain updated parameters of the network topology from a network. The updated parameters of the network topology may include additional and / or modified UT data within a surrounding GEO. In 1522, procedure 1500 may modify the custom SDL provided to the UT based on the updated parameters of the network topology. In 1524, procedure 1500 can provide the updated SDL to the UT to facilitate the selection of access points in the updated network environment.

Fig. 16 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary methodology to facilitate the generation of a customized SDL based on specific UT data and specific UT access features. In 1602, procedure 1600 can obtain data from the UT memory or user input. In 1604, procedure 1600 can obtain a bootable SDL. The boot SDL can be obtained, for example, from a mobile network employed by a BS BS associated with the network (for example, a BS macro). In 1606, the procedure 1600 may enter a start-up and / or acquisition mode in a start-up channel provided by the start-up SDL. In 1608, the procedure 1600 can be coupled to a boot cell (for example, identified by a boot NID) in the boot channel. In 1610, procedure 1600 can provide UT data to the boot cell. In 1612, the procedure 1600 can analyze the wireless signals received from a surrounding network, optionally excluding the signals obtained from the boot cell. In 1614, procedure 1600 can extract statistics from signals, such as signal strength, signal quality and the like, from wireless signals received. In 1616, the procedure 1600 can provide the boot cell with the statistics of extracted signals. In 1618, procedure 1600 can obtain a custom SDL based on the UT data and the statistics of extracted signals. In 1620, procedure 1600 may employ the custom SDL to search and acquire a preferred network cell. In 1622, procedure 1600 can be registered with the preferred cell in a femto frequency channel specified in the personalized SDL. In 1624, procedure 1600 can obtain an updated SDL based on a change in the network topology information.

Figures 17 and 18 represent diagrams of exemplary systems 1700, 1800 that facilitate and use, respectively, a centralized management of access points for access points of a mobile network, as described herein. For example, systems 1700, 1800 may reside, at least partially, within a wireless communications network and / or within a transmitter, such as a node, a base station, an access point, a user terminal, a personal computer coupled with a mobile interface card

or similar. It should be appreciated that the systems 1700, 1800 are represented including functional blocks, which may be functional blocks that represent functions implemented by a processor, a software or a combination thereof (for example, physical logic).

The system 1700 may comprise a first means 1702 for obtaining data concerning the UT. The data may comprise information that distinguishes the UT from other such UTs, as well as identifying an operator that provides mobile service to the UT. A second means 1704 may use data to obtain the access benefits of the UT. Benefits can be obtained from a femto database if the UT is identified with a UT with femto benefits. Alternatively, or in addition, benefits may be obtained from the HLR of an operator maintained in the operator's core network. In other aspects of the present disclosure, the benefits may be obtained with the data concerning the UT, or derived directly or indirectly from such data (for example, when the data or a calculated key of such data produces the benefits). The system 1700 can also comprise a third means 1706 to generate a personalized SDL. The personalized SDL can list access points to the mobile network that can be used by the UT based, at least in part, on the UT's benefits. In some aspects, network access points can be filtered as a function of a current GEO in which the UT is located. In addition, access points may be given a particular order of priority or preference, facilitating selective access to one or more such access points and / or the acquisition thereof. Thus, for example, when the UT is a device with femto benefits, priority can be given to the femto access points or to an own access point associated with the UT. When the UT does not have femto benefits, priority can be given to other access points, such as GA macro access points.

The system 1800 may comprise a first means 1802 for submitting a registration request to an access point of a mobile network, wherein the registration request comprises an ID of the requesting device. In addition, the system 1800 may comprise a second means 1800 for obtaining a customized SDL based, at least in part, on the ID of the requesting device. For example, the SDL can identify and give high priority to a particular access point associated with the requesting device. In addition to the above, the system 1800 may comprise a third means 1806 for using the personalized SDL to search and / or acquire an access point identified in the SDL. Such means 1806 may employ a preference of access points specified in the SDL when conducting the search. Thus, cells that have a higher preference can be selected above other cells. When a preferred cell cannot be identified by means 1806, means 1806 can select a less preferred or non-preferred cell for access to the network. In that case, however, the media may periodically restart the search to identify the preferred access point. If the preferred access point is identified, the 1800 system can be connected with such access point and request of the same mobile services. In addition, when the preferred access point is identified, the means 1806 may lower a threshold below which system 1800 will search for other cells instead of the preferred access point, to increase the probability that system 1800 remains coupled with the point of preferential access.

Figures 19 and 20 represent block diagrams of exemplary systems 1900, 2000 that facilitate and use, respectively, a centralized management of access points of a mobile network, as described herein. For example, systems 1900, 2000 may reside, at least partially, within a wireless communications network and / or within a transmitter, such as a node, a base station, an access point, a user terminal, a Personal computer coupled with a mobile interface card or similar. It should be appreciated that the 1900, 2000 systems are represented including functional blocks, which may be functional blocks that represent functions implemented by a processor, a software or a combination thereof (for example, physical logic).

System 1900 comprises a first means 1902 for initiating a boot mode based on boot parameters. Such parameters may specify a frequency channel for wireless communications associated with the start mode, a start ID to identify the 1900 system, as well as a transmission power of the wireless communications during the transmission mode. In addition, the system 1900 may include a second means 1904 for obtaining the UT access benefits by means of a wireless data exchange. In addition, the 1900 system may comprise a third means 1906 for generating a personalized SDL based on access capabilities. The personalized SDL may indicate a preference for one or more types of access points based on the UT's features. In some aspects, an own access point associated with the UT can be identified and listed as an access point of the highest priority in the SDL to facilitate an increased probability of searching and acquiring the own access point. According to particular aspects, the SDL may also blacklist the access points that are determined to be within close proximity of the preferred access point based on the relative intensity of the signal of such close access points. Consequently, the SDL can facilitate the reduced probability that the UT avoids the preferred access point in favor of other such access points.

System 2000 comprises a first means 2002 for obtaining a boot SDL. The boot SDL can be obtained, for example, by OTA provisioning from components of a mobile network. In addition, the system 2000 may comprise a second means 2004 for coupling to a cell by means of a boot channel specified in the boot SDL. In addition, a system, node and / or cell ID of the cell can be extracted from the boot SDL to facilitate the identification of such a cell. In addition, the 2000 system may comprise a third means 2006 for obtaining and employing a customized SDL in the selection of access points of a mobile network. The customized SDL can indicate typical radio frequency channels used by access points to facilitate search and access. In addition, the personalized SDL can identify such cells by a cell ID or similar identifier. Therefore, the 2000 system can terminate the communication with the cell and start the search for a specified cell in the customized SDL and attempt to obtain mobile services from such a specified cell. Optionally, the custom SDL can be based on one or more surrounding GEOs in which the 2000 system resides. As the 2000 system moves from one GEO to another, the SDL can be referenced to determine which cells should be used to access to network. When the specified cells cannot be identified, general-purpose cells, such as network macro cells, can be used instead. In such a case, the 2000 system may continue to search for cells specified by the SDL while it is coupled to the network by means of general purpose cells.

What has been described above includes examples of aspects of the claimed subject matter. Of course, it is not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for the purpose of describing the claimed subject matter, but a person with a normal mastery of the technique can recognize that many additional combinations and permutations of the disclosed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, it is intended that the subject matter disclosed encompasses all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, to the extent that the expressions "include" are used, "has"

or "having" either in the detailed description or in the claims, such expressions are intended to be inclusive, similar to the expression "comprising", as "comprising" is interpreted when used as a transition formula in a claim.

Claims (19)

1. A method of operating a network system (302) to facilitate remote access to a mobile network comprising: obtain (1102) information specific to a user terminal "UT"; and characterized by employ (1004) the specific information to the UT to determine the UT's access performance to disparate types of access points; Y generate (1106) a customized "SDL" system determination list that establishes a preferred type of access point to select from different types of disparate access points based on the UT access features.

2.

The method of claim 1, further comprising the identification of data for a UT femtocell within the personalized SDL.

3.

The method of claim 1, further comprising the specification of a relative priority of respective access points based, at least in part, on the type of access point.

Four.

The method of claim 1, further comprising:

define or obtain a geographical area of its own “GEO” within which a femtocell of the UT is located; and provide multiple priority hierarchies in the custom SDL that set different priorities of the access points when the UT is inside and outside its own GEO; or set within the custom SDL, as preferred: a cell ID or a frequency channel of an own femtocell when the UT is within a GEO comprising the own femtocell; or a cell ID or a frequency channel of a macrocell when the UT is not within the GEO which comprises the femtocell itself.

5.

The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the specific information to the UT further comprises receiving a UT ID and using the ID to extract the information from at least one of: an operator database of the network; or

a centralized database of the central network; and access to the centralized database of the central network as a function of users authorized to use their own femtocell or as a function of their own femtocell associated with the UT.

6.

The method of claim 1, wherein the generation of the personalized SDL, further comprises: employing an access point coupled to the UT to obtain a current SDL for the UT; use specific UT data to identify an own femtocell associated with the UT; obtain updated network information for a current GEO from the UT; and use the updated network information and data concerning the own femtocell to

dynamically modify the current SDL and generate the custom SDL.

7.

The method of claim 1, further comprising the use of a macro or femto access point to add the personalized SDL to the UT by means of "OTA" aerial signaling.

8.

The method of claim 1, further comprising the inclusion of a parameter with the custom SDL that redirects the UT to a non-femto bearer if the UT is a non-femto device.

9.

The method of claim 1, further comprising the inclusion of a set of neighboring femtocell IDs with the personalized SDL to facilitate the search for nearby femto cells in multiple carriers if the UT is in a multi-carrier environment and is a UT with femto benefits .

10.

An apparatus configured to facilitate remote access to a mobile network comprising: a means for obtaining (1702) specific information to a UT; and characterized by

a means for using (1704) the information specific to the UT to determine the UT's access performance to disparate types of access points; Y a means for generating (1706) a customized SDL that establishes a preferred type of access point to select between different types of access points based on the UT access features. 11. A method of operating a user terminal to select an access point to a mobile network comprising: submit (1302) a request for registration in the network comprising a UT ID before a cell in the mobile network; characterized by obtain (1304) a customized SDL configured for the UT ID, establishing the personalized SDL a preferred type of access point based on the UT's access performance to disparate types of access points; Y employ (1306) the personalized SDL to search for neighboring cells or channels if the cell is not a preferred cell or is a non-preferred cell.

12.

The method of claim 11 which employs the personalized SDL to search for neighboring cells, which further comprises comparing a node ID of the cell with a node ID in the custom SDL to determine whether the cell is preferred or not preferred.

13.

The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identify a cell GEO and compare the GEO with the personalized SDL to determine whether the cell is preferred or not preferred; wherein the identification of the GEO further comprises analyzing a signal transmitted by the cell or determining a position of the UT; Y determine if the cell's GEO is its own GEO associated with the UT based on the comparison.

14.

The method of claim 11 which further comprises coupling with the non-preferred cell if the preferred cell is not identified within a threshold time; and the periodic search of the preferred cell while coupling with the non-preferred cell persists.

fifteen.

The method of claim 11, wherein obtaining the personalized SDL further comprises presenting data that identifies a proprietary GEO or its own femtocell to a mobile network.

16.

The method of claim 11, further comprising obtaining an updated SDL based on changes in the network topology from the cell of the mobile network.

17.

The method of claim 11, further comprising the use of a mobile subscriber identifier "MSI", an international mobile subscriber identifier "IMSI", an electronic serial number "ESN" or a device number "DN" or a combination thereof as the UT ID.

18.

An apparatus configured to select an access point to a mobile network comprising:

means for submitting (1802) a request for registration in a network comprising a UT ID to a cell in the mobile network; and characterized by a means for obtaining (1804) a personalized SDL configured for the UT ID, the custom SDL establishing a preferred type of access point based on the UT's access performance to disparate types of access points; Y means for using (1806) the personalized SDL to search for neighboring cells if the cell is not a preferred cell or is a non-preferred cell. 19. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium comprising: codes for having a computer carry out the steps of the process of any one of claims 1 to 9 and 11 to 17.