GB2534311A

GB2534311A - Location validation in cellular communication systems

Info

Publication number: GB2534311A
Application number: GB1604289.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Brock David; Edward Brereton Harrow James
Original assignee: IP Access Ltd
Current assignee: IP Access Ltd
Priority date: 2014-02-21
Filing date: 2014-02-21
Publication date: 2016-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 2034-02-21
Also published as: GB2523352B; GB201403067D0; GB2534311B8; WO2015124659A1; GB2534311B; GB2523352A; GB201604289D0

Abstract

An access point is described that comprises: a transmitter for broadcasting a cell identifier for reception by a wireless communication unit; and a signal processor for setting the cell identifier for broadcasting, and wherein the signal processor is arranged to change the cell identifier over time in accordance with a random, pseudorandom or other unpredictable sequence.

Description

LOCATION VALIDATION IN CELLULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Field of the invention

The field of this invention relates to network elements, wireless communications units and methods for location validation in a cellular communication system

Background of the Invention

Wireless communication systems, such as the 3rd Generation (3G) of mobile telephone standards and technology, are well known. An example of such 3G standards and technology is the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTSTM), developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPPTM) (www.3upp.ord). The 3rd generation of wireless communications has generally been developed to support macro-cell mobile phone communications. Such macro cells utilise high power base stations (NodeBs in 3GPP parlance) to communicate with wireless communication units within a relatively large geographical coverage area. Typically, wireless communication units, or User Equipment (UEs) as they are often referred to in 3G parlance, communicate with a Core Network (CN) of the 3G wireless communication system via a Radio Network Subsystem (RNS). A wireless communication system typically comprises a plurality of radio network subsystems, each radio network subsystem comprising one or more cells to which UEs may attach, and thereby connect to the network. Each macro-cellular RNS further comprises a controller, in a form of a Radio Network Controller (RNC), operably coupled to the one or more Node Bs, via a so-called lub interface.

The second generation wireless communication system (2G), also known as GSM, is a well-established cellular, wireless communications technology whereby "base transceiver stations" (equivalent to the Node B's of the 3G system) and "mobile stations" (user equipment) can transmit and receive voice and packet data. Several base transceiver stations are controlled by a Base Station Controller (BSC), equivalent to the RNC of 3G systems.

Communications systems and networks are developing towards a broadband and mobile system. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project has proposed a Long Term Evolution (LTE) solution, namely, an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunication System Territorial Radio Access Network, (E-UTRAN), for a mobile access network, and a System Architecture Evolution (SAE) solution, namely, an Evolved Packet Core (EPC), for a mobile core network. An evolved packet system (EPS) network provides only packet switching (PS) domain data access so voice services are provided by Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE -a VoIP technique) or, via Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) by a 2G or 3G Radio Access Network (RAN) and circuit switched (CS) domain network. User Equipment( UE) can access a CS domain core network through a 2G/3GRAN such as the (Enhanced Data Rate for GSM -2 -Evolution, EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System Terrestrial Radio Access Network ( UTRAN), and access the EPC through the E-UTRAN.

Some User Equipments have the capability to communicate with networks of differing radio access technologies. For example, a user equipment may be capable of operating within a UTRAN and within an E-UTRAN.

Lower power (and therefore smaller coverage area) cells are a recent development within the field of wireless cellular communication systems. Such small cells are effectively communication coverage areas supported by low power base stations. The terms "picocell" and "femtocell" are often used to mean a cell with a small coverage area, with the term femtocell being more commonly used with reference to residential small cells. Small cells are often deployed with minimum RF (radio frequency) planning and those operating in consumers' homes are often installed in an ad hoc fashion. The low power base stations which support small cells are referred to as Access Points (AP's) with the term Home Node B (HNB, specifically for 3G) or Evolved Home Node B (HeNB, specifically for LTE) defined by 3GPP to identify femtocell Access Points. Each small-cell is supported by a single Access Point. These small cells are intended to augment the wide area macro network and support communications to multiple User Equipment devices in an indoor environment or enterprise. Such small cells are intended to be able to be deployed °underneath" a macrocell (in a multi-layer structure, for example) in order to support communications to UEs in a restricted area such as a shopping mall, for example. An additional benefit of small cells is that they can offload traffic from the macro network, thereby freeing up valuable macro network resources). One or more Access Points are linked to a Core Network through an Access Controller. An Access Controller which links one or more HNB's to the Core Network is known as a Home Node B Gateway (HNB-GVV). An HNB provides a radio access network connectivity to a user equipment (UE) using the so-called luh interface to a HNB-GW.

Although there are no standard criteria for the functional components of an AP, an example of a typical AP for use within a 3GPP 3G system may comprise Node-B functionality and some aspects of Radio Network Controller (RNC) functionality as specified in 3GPP TS 25.467.

A current industry model is to implement a GSMA one API on one of three places: viz. on the User Equipment (for handset applications) or on the small cell (for local applications) or on the application Gateway (for external third-party access). The GSMA one API is an application programming interface which has been developed by the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) Association. It is intended to be a web service interface. An application developed with one API can obtain information across network operators that support it. It is intended for operation on servers and mobile devices and the first API's to be implemented will be for messaging and location functions. Specifically, version 1 requires "location presence" capability and the ability to send and receive short message services (SMS) and multimedia messaging services (MMS) through the application Gateway using the GSMA one API.

"Presence" services in general permit an individual and equipment which he/she uses for communication to share information on the state of the individual and that equipment. Such -3 -information can include whether the individual and his communication equipment are currently able to communicate with others or are engaged on a video call, for example. "Presence" can also include information relating to the location of a user's communication equipment. A "presence server' may be provided in such instances for, on detection that a particular UE has entered a particular location, enabling applications that subscribe to a "presence" service to take some form of action. For example, location information can be very useful to retailers and advertisers who may wish to communicate with shoppers who are known to be in a certain location at a certain time, a shopping mall for example. Location information can also be useful in cases where a location validation service is required, for example, if a user is performing a transaction for which it is required to verify that their User Equipment (or mobile phone) is in the immediate vicinity of where the transaction is taking place.

Some current Location Presence services are based on the use of a localised Identity Request sent by an Access Point providing a "presence cell" of small coverage area to a UE it is serving to obtain its IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identifier). Such location presence servers can also perform a "location validation service" in order to prove that that a particular UE is in the vicinity of the presence cell, within a few feet of cash dispensing machine, for example. In the known methods, the UE must detect the presence cell during the normal scanning it performs according to the relevant protocol in order to select the best cell to camp onto so that it may use communications services provided by the Access Point "presence cell.".

This method has the drawback that it may take an appreciable time (several or even tens of seconds) for the UE to detect the presence cell, decide it is strong enough to reselect to, and attempt to access it. It also has the drawback that there may be a short period of delay in the user obtaining service or the possibility that the normal user service may be briefly unavailable while the UE is reselecting and registering or location updating to the presence cell. It also has the potential drawback that if the presence cell is located in an area of strong macrocell coverage, then the effective range of the presence cell may be reduced considerably as the UE may find that the macrocell coverage is so strong that it does not need to try to reselect to the presence cell, as it is not the strongest cell, and so will never try to access the presence cell, and thus not be detected by the presence cell.

Thus it would be desirable to provide a method which mitigated the above disadvantages.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides an access point, a method and apparatus for location validation, a wireless communication unit and a tangible computer product as described in the accompanying claims.

Specific embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. -4 -

Functional elements of the access point may be implemented in one or more integrated circuit devices.

Known arrangements require that the UE (or mobile device) tries to access a service via the presence cell (whether by transmitting data, or merely by an attempt to register or by performing a location update onto the cell). In contrast, in one embodiment, the invention uses measurements on a very low power "presence cell" in order to determine whether a user's UE is close to the presence cell rather than trying to provide this validation of proximity to the presence cell by accessing service through the presence cell. Thus the present invention may overcome the disadvantages of known systems by providing a means for the UE to confirm its proximity to the presence cell without the need to have the presence cell provide services of any form to the UE. The UE merely detects broadcasts of the presence cell. The presence cell may be served by a low power access point whose properties will be described below and which does not require any connection to a core network. Hence, the method of the present invention places no additional load on the core network. The access point may operate on any type of Radio Access Technology, such as 2G, 3G or LTE, for example. The coverage area of the access point may lie undemeath that of a macrocell, the macrocell operating using 2G, 3G or LTE technology, for example.

A UE which is camped onto the macrocell and comes within range of the presence cell may obtain normal service via the macrocell and may also be capable of making measurements of broadcasts transmitted by the access point and reporting results of such measurements to a location validation centre.

When the owner of the UE is performing a transaction (for example, a cash withdrawal at a cash machine) for which it is required to verify that their UE is in the immediate vicinity of where that transaction is taking place, a location validation centre may request that the UE takes specific measurements of the signal strength of a cell identified by a particular cell identifier which has been assigned to or selected by the presence cell.. A cell identifier may include the locally unique broadcast characteristics which distinguish a particular cell from all other cells in a neighbouring area and typically comprises the combination of; frequency (ARFCN) and Base Station Identity Code (BSIC) if operating in a 2G system or frequency (UARFCN) and Primary Scrambling Code (PSC) if operating in a 3G system or frequency (EARFCN) and Physical Cell Identity (PCI) if operating in an LTE which are used to identify the broadcast information of the presence cell. In addition to these locally unique broadcast characteristics, the cell identifier may include the Cell Global Identity (CGI) which identifies the cell uniquely over a wide area, and is contained in the actual broadcast information.

In an alternative embodiment, the UE may be requested to report the Cell Global Identity (CGI) of the cell which is transmitting on a particular frequency and BSIC or PSC or PCI.

In one embodiment, the measurements are requested through an application which runs on the UE and is in contact with the location validation centre and can perform the measurements using the APIs on the UE to perform the measurements. -5 -

Alternatively, in another embodiment, the measurements are performed using the Location Services (LCS) protocols of the 3GPP protocols, requesting that a particular CGI be reported as detected or not in order to validate the location.

In one embodiment, the cell identifier, for example, the CGI and/or frequency/BSIC/PCl/PSC of the presence cell could be periodically altered. This periodic alteration may be in accordance with a random, pseudo-random or some unpredictable sequence. Advantageously, such a sequence would be unpredictable by observers, thus preventing fraudulent activity such as a non bona fide entity setting up a broadcasting beacon close to the UE of an individual who is being targeted as a victim of a fraudulent transaction.

In a further embodiment, to prevent fraudulent activity, the request to perform the measurements may include several different cell identifiers, as a single measurement set, or as sequential measurement requests, with some of the measurement requests expecting no or very weak detection if the UE is in the location to be validated, and other cells are likely to be detected. Some of these measurements may also relate to broadcasts from a neighbouring macrocell in order to ensure that the presence cells is still in its original location and has not been moved, or to verify that the correct presence cell has been detected (in cases where re-use of frequencies and/or BSIC/PSC/PCIs throughout a cellular network, for example, is employed).

In a further embodiment, if sequential measurement requests are made and the cell identifier of the presence cell is being regularly changed according to a pseudo-random sequence, the sequential measurements of that cell identifier may be correlated with the expected pseudo-random sequence to make it less likely that an attacker is able to just read one frequency and re-broadcast from a bogus presence cell.

In one embodiment, the presence cell indicates to the UE that it cannot provide services (e.g. Cell Barred, Cell Reserved for Operator Use, that it is a Closed Subscriber Group cell, or similar access control indication), but is still be available for measurements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further details, aspects and embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Like reference numerals have been included in the respective drawings to ease understanding.

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a cellular communications system operating in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 2 is a message sequence chart of an example of a method for location validation in a cellular communications system. -6 -

Detailed Description

The inventive concept finds particular applicability in a cellular communication system that supports a number of overlapping communication coverage areas, for example a communication system that comprises a combination of small cells and macro cells. Further, the inventive concept finds applicability in a cellular communication system comprising more than one Radio Access Technology.

Those skilled in the art will recognise and appreciate that the specifics of the examples described are merely illustrative of some embodiments and that the teachings set forth herein are applicable in a variety of alternative settings.

Referring now to FIG.1, a macrocell 101 provides cellular communications services over a respective coverage area and may operate using a 2G, 3G or LTE radio access technology, for example. The macroell 101 may comprise a network element such as a Base Transceiver Station, NodeB or eNodeB for example which can be of conventional design. The macrocell 101 can therefore provide a normal service path (radio interface) to and from a User Equipment 102. The User Equipment (UE) 102 is adapted for taking measurements as part of a location validation procedure to be described below. The macrocell 101 is connected with a Core Network 103 which operates in a conventional manner. A location validation centre 104 may send and receive messages to and from the UE 102 via the core network and the macrocell 101 in a conventional manner, for example, by setting up a data connection with the UE 102. A presence cell 105 is located within the coverage area of the macrocell. The coverage area of the presence cell 105 is relatively small compared with that of the macrocell 101. The presence cell 105 is located close to a "transaction site" where the owner/user of the UE 102 may wish to perform a transaction. Such a transaction could be, for example, receiving cash from a cash dispensing machine located at the transaction site, such cash dispensing machine being maintained by a bank, say. The presence cell is provided by an access point. The access point is provided with a signal processor 106, a memory 107 and a transmitter 108 for transmitting a broadcast signal for reception by a UE which may enter into the region of coverage of the presence cell 105. In one embodiment, there is a communications link between the Location validation centre 104 and the presence cell 105.

In one example, the memory 107 is pre-provisioned with one or more cell identifiers. A cell identifier uniquely identifies the presence cell 105 and distinguishes it from other cells in the area, for example the macrocell 101. The signal processor 106 is arranged to set a cell identifier for broadcasting by the transmitter 108, by selecting one from the memory 107. In one example, the signal processor 106 is preprogrammed to change the transmitted cell identifier periodically in a pseudorandom fashion. Hence the signal processor 106 autonomously changes the specified cell identifier over time. Pre-provisioning of the memory 107 may be done by the location validation centre 104 over a data link with the presence cell 105. -7 -

In another example, the location validation centre 104 sends instructions, over a data link, to the signal processor 106 instructing it to set a cell identifier specified by the location validation centre. The signal processor receives this instruction and responds accordingly.

In another example, the location validation centre 104 sends instructions, over a data link, to the signal processor 106 instructing it to report its current cell identifier. Hence, the signal processor 106 is configured to receive such an instruction and in response to send a message back to the location validation centre 104 reporting its current cell identifier.

In another example, the signal processor 106 autonomously reports, over a data link, its current cell identifier to the location validation centre 104 whenever it is set or changed autonomously by the signal processor.

In other examples, the instruction from the location validation centre 104 to the signal processor 106 includes instructions to change the cell identifier in a pseudorandom or other unpredictable fashion.

In some examples, a cell identifier comprises at least one of; a Cell Global Identifier, a frequency, a Base Station Identity Code, a Primary Scrambling Code, a Physical Cell Identity. The location validation centre acts as a remote controller for the presence cell inasmuch as it is aware of the location and cell identifier of the presence cell, eg, its CGI, frequency, BSIC, PSC, PCI and other such parameters as appropriate to the RAT which the presence cell operates on.

In one example, in addition to broadcasting a signal having a particular cell identifier, the transmitter 108 of the presence cell 105 also transmits an indicator that the cell cannot be used for normal communication services.

Examples of operation of the invention will now be described. A UE 102 is "camped onto" the macrocell 101 and can therefore receive paging messages from any entity via the core network 102. The user of the UE then approaches the transaction site (which is within the coverage area of the presence cell 105) and commences to access the cash dispensing machine which is maintained by the bank. Before the bank allows any transaction to complete, the bank sends a request to the location validation centre 104 asking for confirmation that the UE belonging to user is actually at the location of the cash machine. In response, the location validation centre 104 sends an instruction to the presence cell 105 instructing it to broadcast a specified cell identifier. In response, the presence cell 105 transmits the appropriate broadcast signal which is capable of detection by the UE 102. The location validation centre 14 also calls the UE 102 and sends an instruction to the UE 102 to take measurements of a cell which has the specified cell identifier and to report back to the location validation centre a result of the measurement. Thus, the UE 102 is instructed to search for the presence cell 105 and if it is detected, to measure a parameter of the broadcast signal such as signal strength or path loss, as is conventional in UE neighbouring cell measurement procedures. In response the UE 102 performs the required measurement and sends back a result to the location validation centre 104. The results could comprise for example, a value of signal strength or a confirmatory message confirming that the presence cell has been detected or that its received signal -8 -strength is above a particular threshold or that no cell with the specified cell identifier could be detected. Another example result could be the CGI of a cell broadcasting on a particular frequency, the particular frequency serving as the "cell identifier" notified to the UE 102 by the location validation centre 104. If the presence cell 105 is also transmitting an indicator that services are not available then the UE 102 will not attempt to reselect onto the presence cell 105 but maintain its connection to the macrocell 101.

In another embodiment, the location validation centre 104 also instructs the UE 102 to measure the signal strength of the macrocell 101 and send a result back to the location validation centre which may comprise a value of this signal strength. In response, on receipt of this instruction, the UE 102 may perform such a measurement and send an appropriate result back to the location validation centre over the communications link supported by the macrocell 101.

At the location validation centre 104, on receipt of a result from the UE 102 which confirms that the UE has detected a broadcast signal from the presence cell and therefore must be close to the transaction site, the location validation centre 104 can then validate the location of the user and generate and send a confirmatory message to the bank so that the bank may instruct its cash machine to continue with the transaction. If on the other hand the results sent by the UE 102 signify that either the presence cell could not be detected or that a detected broadcast signal strength was below a threshold value, then the location validation centre 104 will not validate the location of the user and may notify the bank accordingly.

In embodiments where the transmitted cell identifier is varied in accordance with a pseudorandom sequence, the location validation centre 104 may perform a correlation between results from sequential UE measurement with the pseudorandom sequence.

In embodiments where the UE takes measurements of broadcasts from the macrocell 101, the location validation centre 104 uses the results received from the UE 102 relating to these measurements to corroborate the results received which relate to the presence cell measurements.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a UE 102 is in idle mode and "camped on' to the macrocell 101 and moves towards the transaction site. The user of the UE then attempts some transaction at the site as a result of which, the location validation centre is requested to validate that the UE of a user is at the transaction site. At 201, the location validation centre 104 sends the instruction to the UE 102 to take measurements of the presence cell 105. At 202, the UE 102 detects broadcasts from the presence cell and identifies it as the presence cell by detecting its cell identifier. At 203, the results of the measurements are sent from the UE 102 to the location validation centre 104.

The signal processing functionality of the embodiments of the invention, particularly those functions performed by the signal processor 106 of the access point supporting the presence cell may be achieved using computing systems or architectures known to those who are skilled in the relevant art. Computing systems such as, a desktop, laptop or notebook computer, hand-held computing device (PDA, cell phone, palmtop, etc.), mainframe, server, client, or any other type of special or general purpose computing device as may be desirable or appropriate for a given -9 -application or environment can be used. The computing system can include one or more processors which can be implemented using a general or special-purpose processing engine such as, for example, a microprocessor, microcontroller or other control module.

The computing system can also include a main memory, such as random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic memory, for storing information and instructions to be executed by a processor. Such a main memory also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by the processor. The computing system may likewise include a read only memory (ROM) or other static storage device for storing static information and instructions for a processor.

The computing system may also include an information storage system which may include, for example, a media drive and a removable storage interface. The media drive may include a drive or other mechanism to support fixed or removable storage media, such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a compact disc (CD) or digital video drive (DVD) read or write drive (R or RW), or other removable or fixed media drive. Storage media may include, for example, a hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, CD or DVD, or other fixed or removable medium that is read by and written to by media drive. The storage media may include a computer-readable storage medium having particular computer software or data stored therein.

In alternative embodiments, an information storage system may include other similar components for allowing computer programs or other instructions or data to be loaded into the computing system. Such components may include, for example, a removable storage unit and an interface, such as a program cartridge and cartridge interface, a removable memory (for example, a flash memory or other removable memory module) and memory slot, and other removable storage units and interfaces that allow software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit to computing system.

The computing system can also include a communications interface. Such a communications interface can be used to allow software and data to be transferred between a computing system and external devices. Examples of communications interfaces can include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet or other NIC card), a communications port (such as for example, a universal serial bus (USB) port), a PCMCIA slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via a communications interface are in the form of signals which can be electronic, electromagnetic, and optical or other signals capable of being received by a communications interface medium.

In this document, the terms 'computer program product', 'computer-readable medium' non-transitory computer-readable medium' and the like may be used generally to refer to tangible media such as, for example, a memory, storage device, or storage unit. These and other forms of computer-readable media may store one or more instructions for use by the processor comprising the computer system to cause the processor to perform specified operations. Such instructions, generally referred to as 'computer program code' (which may be grouped in the form of computer programs or other groupings), when executed, enable the computing system to perform functions of embodiments of the -10 -present invention. Note that the code may directly cause a processor to perform specified operations, be compiled to do so, and/or be combined with other software, hardware, and/or firmware elements (e.g., libraries for performing standard functions) to do so.

In an embodiment where the elements are implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer-readable medium and loaded into computing system using, for example, removable storage drive. A control module (in this example, software instructions or executable computer program code), when executed by the processor in the computer system, causes a processor to perform the functions of the invention as described herein.

Furthermore, the inventive concept can be applied to any circuit for performing signal processing functionality within a network element. It is further envisaged that, for example, a semiconductor manufacturer may employ the inventive concept in a design of a stand-alone device, such as a microcontroller of a digital signal processor (DSP), or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and/or any other sub-system element.

It will be appreciated that, for clarity purposes, the above description has described embodiments of the invention with reference to a single processing logic. However, the inventive concept may equally be implemented by way of a plurality of different functional units and processors to provide the signal processing functionality. Thus, references to specific functional units are only to be seen as references to suitable means for providing the described functionality, rather than indicative of a strict logical or physical structure or organisation.

Aspects of the invention may be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. The invention may optionally be implemented, at least partly, as computer software running on one or more data processors and/or digital signal processors or configurable module components such as FPGA devices. Thus, the elements and components of an embodiment of the invention may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable way. Indeed, the functionality may be implemented in a single unit, in a plurality of units or as part of other functional units.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with some embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the accompanying claims. Additionally, although a feature may appear to be described in connection with particular embodiments, one skilled in the art would recognize that various features of the described embodiments may be combined in accordance with the invention. In the claims, the term 'comprising' does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. Furthermore, although individually listed, a plurality of means, elements or method steps may be implemented by, for example, a single unit or processor. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly be advantageously combined, and the inclusion in different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. Also, the inclusion of a feature in one category of claims does not imply a limitation to -11 -this category, but rather indicates that the feature is equally applicable to other claim categories, as appropriate.

Furthermore, the order of features in the claims does not imply any specific order in which the features must be performed and in particular the order of individual steps in a method claim does not imply that the steps must be performed in this order. Rather, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. In addition, singular references do not exclude a plurality. Thus, references to 'a', 'an', 'first', 'second', etc. do not preclude a plurality.

Claims

-12 -Claims 1. An access point comprising: a transmitter for broadcasting a cell identifier for reception by a wireless communication unit; and a signal processor for setting the cell identifier for broadcasting, and wherein the signal processor is arranged to change the cell identifier over time in accordance with a random, pseudorandom or other unpredictable sequence.
2. The access point of claim 1 including a memory for storing a plurality of cell identifiers and wherein the signal processor is arranged to select from the memory a cell identifier for broadcasting in a random, pseudorandom or unpredictable sequence.
3. The access point of any preceding claim wherein the signal processor is arranged to receive a request from a remote controller to report its current cell identifier and to send to the remote controller the current cell identifier.
4. The access point of any preceding claim wherein the access point is arranged to report a current cell identifier to a remote controller whenever the cell identifier is changed.
5. The access point of any preceding claim wherein the signal processor is arranged to set the cell identifier in accordance with one from a group of: autonomously, following an instruction received from a remote controller.
6. The access point of any preceding claim wherein the transmitter transmits a signal for reception by the wireless communication unit indicating that communications services cannot be provided by the access point.
7. The access point of any preceding claim wherein the signal processor is implemented in an integrated circuit device.
8. A method for broadcasting a cell identifier, the method comprising, at an access point: setting a cell identifier; broadcasting the cell identifier for reception by a wireless communication unit; and changing the cell identifier over time in accordance with a random, pseudorandom or other unpredictable sequence.
9. The method for broadcasting a cell identifier of claim 8 further comprising: -13 -storing a plurality of cell identifiers in memory; and selecting from the memory a cell identifier for broadcasting in a random, pseudorandom or unpredictable sequence.
10. The method for broadcasting a cell identifier of any of preceding claims 8 to 9 further comprising receiving a request from a remote controller to report its current cell identifier and sending to the remote controller the current cell identifier.
11. The method for broadcasting a cell identifier of any of preceding claims 8 to 10 further comprising autonomously changing the cell identifier over time and reporting a current cell identifier to a remote control whenever the cell identifier is changed.
12. The method for broadcasting a cell identifier of any of preceding claims 8 to 11 further comprising setting the cell identifier in accordance with one from a group of: autonomously, an instruction received from a remote controller.
13. The method for broadcasting a cell identifier of any of preceding claims 8 to 12 further comprising transmitting a signal for reception by the wireless communication unit indicating that communications services cannot be provided by the access point.
14. A tangible computer program product having an executable computer program code stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method in accordance with claim 8.
15. The tangible computer program product of claim 14 comprising at least one from a group consisting of: a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a Read Only Memory, a Programmable Read Only Memory, an Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory, an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory and a Flash memory.