WO2016056963A1

WO2016056963A1 - Dynamic cell activation

Info

Publication number: WO2016056963A1
Application number: PCT/SE2014/051190
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin HESSLER; Pål FRENGER; Erik Eriksson; Göran RUNE
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2014-10-09
Filing date: 2014-10-09
Publication date: 2016-04-14

Abstract

According to an aspect of the teachings herein, one or more network nodes (10) perform dynamic cell activation in which a second air interface (36) is dynamically activated to provide cellular communication services from a communication service provider (12) to a wireless device(28). The dynamic activation decision or trigger is based on signaling exchanged with the wireless device (28) over a first air interface (30). Dynamic cell activation in this manner allows, as a non-limiting example,the radio transceiver circuitry (40-B) used for the second air interface (36) to be activated on an on-demand basis, while using simpler and/or lower-power transceiver circuitry (40-A) for the first air interface (30).

Description

DYNAMIC CELL ACTIVATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to wireless communication networks, and particularly relates to dynamic cell activation, for providing communication services from dynamically activated cells.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, rising and volatile energy prices have had a profound effect on all industries, not least the telecommunications sector, which is now also challenged by rapidly rising traffic volumes and massive subscriber uptake. Energy concerns coupled with the fact that telecom operators are among the largest electricity consumers in many countries are adding to the importance of improved efficiencies in the radio network.

Spectrum represents one of the most important resources in wireless radio technology. For example, substantial benefits flow when different regions use the same frequency bands for the same purpose. Often in each country the different frequency bands are sold in so called "spectrum auctions", meaning that the auctioned spectrum goes to the highest bidders. These high bidders do not necessarily make full use of the acquired spectrum. For example, radar and military applications seldom use the entire spectrum allocated to those applications. Even telecommunication operators often do not use their entire allocated spectrum, e.g., because of selective deployment of certain Radio Access Technologies or RATs, such as those associated with higher-data rate services.

More and more of everyday life in the future networked society will be dependent upon the availability of high-capacity wireless technology. This inevitability implies that more and more business opportunities will arise from the deployment of wireless technology. However, it is recognized herein that many of these diverse business cases will not be lucrative enough to permit or justify the purchase of required spectrum. Consider, for example, the emerging machine type communication, MTC, markets in which potentially large numbers of devices need to communicate. These devices may be situated in remote locations, e.g., in industrial areas with few humans, and will typically use Public Land Mobile Networks, PLMNs, for accessing the corresponding MTC service provider networks and systems.

Although the availability of wireless networks using standardized spectrum and RATs adds meaningful value, e g., such as promoting tourism and business development, the capital expenditures needed to build out such systems far exceed, at least initially, the revenue available from an initially small subscriber base. Such areas thus may be underserved because the spectrum owners lack the threshold level of economic incentive to make the initial capital expenditures.

As another example, consider the case where large groups of people congregate, such as at concerts, sporting events, etc. The venue owners may not be interested in partnering with any specific communications network operator. Further, the congregated people will generally represent a diverse set of network operator affiliations, and it is very difficult to install operator- specific equipment for all or even most of the represented operators. Further, the energy usage is undesirably high for multi-operator base stations that persistently operate with multiple carriers over a range of frequency spectrums or bands associated with the different operators.

While these issues might suggest an opportunity for the venue owner or another third party to provide communication services, at least within the confines of the involved premises, it is recognized herein that one of the obstacles to doing so is the lack of available licensed spectrum. For example, while the use of WiFi networks over limited coverage areas is a well known approach, that approach lacks the capacity, flexibility and other advantages that flow from making cellular communication services from one or more communication service providers— e.g., commercial cellular network operators— available at least to authorized users.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the teachings herein, one or more network nodes perform dynamic cell activation in which a second air interface is dynamically activated to provide cellular communication services from a communication service provider to a wireless device. The dynamic activation decision or trigger is based on signaling exchanged with the wireless device over a first air interface, which allows, as a non-limiting example, the radio transceiver circuitry used for the second air interface to be activated on an on-demand basis, while using simpler and/or lower-power transceiver circuitry for the first air interface.

In an example method, one or more network nodes perform dynamic cell activation based on transmitting an announcement signal via a first air interface. The method further includes receiving an access signal via the first air interface, where the access signal is sent from a wireless device in receipt of the announcement signal. Still further, the method includes determining that cellular communication services from a communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device and, in response, dynamically activating a second air interface that is used to provide the cellular communication services. Of course, it will be appreciated that in other instances, e.g., at other times or with respect to other wireless devices and/or other communication service providers, an opposite, negative determination may be made such that the second air interface is not activated for providing cellular communication services to the involved wireless device.

In some embodiments in which the foregoing method is realized, the one or more network nodes comprise a single radio base station that includes first and second radiofrequency transceiver circuitry for providing the first and second air interfaces, respectively. The base station in at least one such embodiment includes a communication interface configured for communicating with one or more nodes in an operator network, e.g., one or more Core Network, CN, nodes, which are operative to provide the base station with indications of whether or not cellular communication services should be made available to any given wireless device at any given time. Here, the "given" wireless device will be understood as one that sent an access signal to the radio base station over the first air interface.

In other embodiments, the one or more network nodes comprise first and second radio transceiver nodes, which are broadly referred to herein as first and second base stations. In this arrangement, the first base station provides the first air interface and the second base station provides the second air interface. Of further note, either or both the first and second transceiver nodes may use multiple transmission and/or reception points, e.g., such as provided in a Distributed Antenna System, DAS. But the number, location and configuration of such transmission points may differ between the first and second base stations.

Continuing with the example, the second base station dynamically activates the second air interface responsive to it or the first base station determining that cellular communication services from a communication service provider should be made available to a wireless device that transmitted an access signal to the first base station via the first air interface. In this respect, it should be appreciated that the first and second base stations may or may not be alike. In a non- limiting example, the first base station differs from the second base station in any one or more of the following respects: the first base station uses a lower-power or simplified air interface as compared to the second base station, the first and second base stations use different Radio Access Technologies, RATs, for the first and second air interfaces, respectively, and the first and second base stations use different spectra for the first and second air interfaces, respectively.

Whether the first and second air interfaces are implemented in one network node or in more than one network node, the one or more network nodes are configured to perform dynamic cell activation based on providing one or more communication interfaces that in turn provide the first air interface and the second air interface. In some embodiments, the one or more network nodes include one or more processing circuits, which are operatively associated with the one or more communication interfaces and which are configured to: transmit an announcement signal via the first air interface; receive an access signal via the first air interface, where the access signal is sent from a wireless device in receipt of the announcement signal; determine that cellular communication services from a communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device; and in response to such determination, dynamically activate the second air interface, to provide the cellular communication services.

In a further example, a non-transitory computer readable medium stores a computer program. The stored computer program includes program instructions that, when executed by processing circuits of one or more network nodes, cause the one or more network nodes to: transmit an announcement signal via the first air interface; receive an access signal via the first air interface, where the access signal is sent from a wireless device in receipt of the

announcement signal; determine that cellular communication services from a communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device; and in response to such determining, dynamically activate a second air interface of the one or more network nodes that is used to provide the cellular communication services.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above features and advantages. Indeed, those skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description, and upon viewing the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figs. 1A-1E are block diagrams of example embodiments of one or more network nodes configured for dynamic cell activation.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an example network node configured for dynamic cell activation.

Fig. 3 is a logic flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of processing at a network node, for carrying out dynamic cell activation.

Figs. 4 and 5 are logic flow diagrams providing example details for various ones of the operations depicted in the method of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a functional architecture implemented in a network node, for carrying out dynamic cell activation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1A illustrates a network node 10 that is communicatively linked to an operator network, e.g., a Core Network or CN 12, which represents a given communication service provider. As an example, a "communication service provider" is a company that provides subscribers or other users with communication services via one or more Public Land Mobile Networks, PLMNs, such as those based on cellular communication standards promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project or 3 GPP.

The network node 10 includes radio transceiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals and in this example configuration it may be understood as a type of base station or access point. The network node 10 makes cellular communication services from one or more affiliated communication service providers available on a conditional basis, as described more fully in the below example embodiments. While the diagram depicts the network node 10 as being communicatively coupled to the CN 12 of a given communication service provider, the network node 10 may be affiliated with any number of communication service providers and therefore may have communication links to any number of corresponding CNs 12.

The network node 10 therefore may provide "on-demand" cellular communication services under the auspices of a single communication service provider, or under two or more communication service providers, irrespective of whether those service providers have some type of "sharing" agreement in place with respect to the network node 10, or are independently affiliated with the network node 10. Here, it should be understood that the network node 10 might not be owned by any communication service provider. Instead, the node owner puts in place the necessary business agreements with one or more communication service providers, to allow the network node to make cellular communication services available from such communication service providers.

In support of such arrangements, the network node 10 links to one CN 12 or to more than one CN 12 of the affiliated communication service provider or providers. Linking may be through, e.g., a linking network, W, 14 that may include public or closed IP networks. By way of example, the illustrated CN 12 includes a Gateway entity, GW, 16, and an HSS/AAA entity 18. Here, "HSS" denotes Home Subscriber Server and "AAA" denotes

Authentication/ Authorization/ Accounting functionality. Consequently, the HSS/AAA entity 18 may be regarded as a type of "authorization server" or the like, to be accessed directly or indirectly by the network node 10 whenever it needs to determine whether cellular communication services from a given communication service provider should or should not be made available, e.g., to a given wireless device

The CN 12 generally also includes one or more mobility management entities, MMEs, 19. Of course, the specific terminology of these packet-routing, authorization and mobility management nodes will vary according to the network standards applicable to the involved communication service providers and their respective operator networks. The details of these example CN entities is relevant to this disclosure only to the extent that such entities may be involved in a permission-based dynamic cell activation technique as provided for herein by way of the disclosed apparatuses and method.

Further details in Fig. 1 A aid better understanding of dynamic cell activation according to the example arrangement shown in the figure. One sees two coverage areas 20 and 22, which coverage areas 20 and 22 may be referred to as "cells" 20 and 22. In a broad sense, a cell may be understood as the allocation of particular radio communication resources over a given geographic coverage area. However, the word "cell" as used herein does not expressly mean a cell within a cellular communication network. With that point in mind, the cell 20 may or may not use a cellular RAT, whereas cell 22 does use one or more cellular RATs. Likewise, the cell 20 may not be part of any cellular network.

According to the teachings herein, the network node 10 is configured to transmit an announcement signal 24 and to receive an access signal 26, as sent from a wireless device 28 In particular, the announcement signal 24 is transmitted via a first air interface 30 and, likewise, the access signal 26 is received via the first air interface 30. The first air interface 30 implements a cellular RAT in some embodiments and it implements a non-cellular RAT in other embodiments.

The announcement signal 24 may be broadcasted for general reception by any compatible wireless devices 28 within the coverage area of the cell 20, such that a given wireless device 28 transmits an access signal 26 to the network node 10 over the first air interface 30, in response to detecting or otherwise receiving the announcement signal 24. As such, the network node 10 may receive individual access signals 24 from any number of wireless devices 28.

In at least one embodiment, the announcement signal 24 is a simple beacon or carrier signal that indicates the presence of the network node 10 via the first air interface 30.

Correspondingly, an appropriately configured wireless device 28 includes radio transceiver circuitry adapted to detect or otherwise receive the announcement signal 24 according to the downlink particulars of the first air interface 30, and to send an access signal 26 in response to detecting the announcement signal 24, in accordance with the uplink particulars of the first air interface 30. However, in some embodiments, the announcement signal 24 conveys identity information for one or more communication service providers For example, in at least one embodiment, the announcement signal 24 conveys one or more Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, identifiers for one or more communication service providers. Consider a case where the network node 10 is affiliated with multiple communication service providers— i.e., it can provide cellular communication services to given wireless devices 28 from any one or more of the affiliated communication service providers. In such a case and in at least one contemplated configuration, the announcement signal 24 conveys a PLMN for each affiliated communication service provider, or conveys a PLMN or other value indicating the multiple communication service providers.

Correspondingly, in some embodiments, the access signal 26, as sent from a given wireless device 28 that is in receipt of the announcement signal 24, includes an indication of the PLMN or other identifier of the communication service provider that is "targeted" by the wireless device 28 for cellular communication services. The access signal 26 in at least one such embodiment further includes a wireless device identifier of the wireless device 28. Such information allows the network node 10 to identify the targeted communication service provider and to determine whether cellular communication services from the targeted communication service provider should be made available to the specifically identified wireless device 28.

However, it is also contemplated that the access signal 26 in some embodiments, or as sent in at least some instances by a given wireless device 28, does not identify a communication service provider or providers. For example, the access signal 26 may simply include a wireless device identifier and/or some other type of identifier associated with the wireless device 28. In general, then, the access signal 26 includes identity information, the nature and extent of which may vary in dependence on the capabilities of the wireless device 28, the contents of the announcement signal 24, or the particular implementation details at issue

In any case, the signal timing, structure, channels, resource allocations, frequencies, protocols, etc., used for transmitting the announcement signal 24 and receiving the access signal 26 constitute the first air interface 30. Communications between the network node 10 and wireless devices 28 in the first cell 20 are therefore carried out according to the particulars of the first air interface 30.

At least during times when the cell 22 is activated, the network node 10 provides cellular communication services via one or more cellular carriers 32. The cellular carrier or carriers 32 and the corresponding signal timing, structure, channels, resource allocations, frequencies, protocols, etc., constitute a second air interface 36. Communications between the network node 10 and wireless devices 28 in the second cell 22 are therefore carried out according to the particulars of the second air interface 36. As a non-limiting example, second air interface 36 uses a Frequency Division Duplex, FDD, arrangement and the cellular carrier 32 comprises a downlink carrier at a first frequency and an uplink carrier at a second frequency. Alternatively, the second air interface 36 uses a Time Division Duplex, TDD, arrangement and the cellular carrier 32 is time-shared between uplink and downlink transmissions. In general, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the second air interface 36 will be configured according to one or more cellular communication technologies, e.g., one or more standardized cellular Radio Access Technologies, RATs.

Referring additionally to Fig. 2, the network node 10 includes radio transceiver circuitry

40 comprising first radio interface circuitry 40-A that is configured to provide the first air interface 30 and second radio interface circuitry 40-B that is configured to provide, when active, the second air interface 36. Depending on the nature of the first and second air interfaces 30 and 36, some radio interface circuitry may be shared between the first and second radio interface circuitry 40-A and 40-B .

The first radio interface circuitry 40-A includes transmitter circuits, receiver circuits, and associated control circuits that are collectively configured to transmit and receive signals according to the RAT implemented via the first air interface 30. In particular, the first radio interface circuitry 40-1 A is configured for transmission of one or more announcement signals 24 and for the reception of access signals 26 as sent from any number of wireless devices 28.

Likewise, the second radio interface circuitry 40-B includes transmitter circuits, receiver circuits, and associated control circuits that are collectively configured to transmit and receive signals according to the RAT implemented via the second air interface 36. In particular, the second radio interface circuitry 40-B is configured for downlink transmission and uplink reception according to the particular cellular communication standard(s) in use for the cell 22, during times in which the cell 22 is active.

The first air interface 30 may implement a cellular RAT or a non-cellular RAT, such as IEEE 802.1 1 WiFi, whereas the second air interface 36 implements a cellular RAT, e.g., GSM, WCDMA, HSDPA, LTE, etc., for the purposes of providing cellular communication services. Moreover, in one or more embodiments where the first air interface 30 is implemented using a cellular RAT, it may or may not be the same cellular RAT as is implemented by the second air interface 36. Further, the first air interface 30 may use simplified channel structures and/or lower power than would normally be used for providing cellular communication services— e.g., in a given cellular RAT implementation, the first air interface 30 may not provide user traffic channels.

Put simply, the network node 10 advantageously uses the first air interface 30 to determine when the second air interface 36 should be activated. The network node 10 can therefore leave the second radio interface circuitry 40-B in a dormant or inactive state until the second air interface 36 is needed. For providing cellular communication services from a given communication service provider, the second radio interface circuitry 40-B may implement the second air interface 36 using a cellular RAT that is "native" to the communication service provider in question, so that a wireless devices 28 that would ordinarily be able to use Radio Access Networks, RANs, affiliated with the communication service provider will be offered a compatible air interface for accessing the cellular communication services.

However, this arrangement is not limiting, and the cellular RAT used by the second air interface 36 may differ from the cellular RAT or RATs that are native to the communication service provider in question. For example, two or more communication service providers may decide on a mutually agreeable cellular RAT, or some baseline cellular RAT, and the network node 10 would then configure the air interface 36 to implement that agreed upon cellular RAT whenever the second air interface 36 is dynamically activated to provide cellular communication services from any such communication service providers.

In this vein, it is contemplated herein that the network node 10 may have affiliations with more than one communication service provider, or may otherwise be shared by more than one communication service provider. To the extent that these multiple communication service providers are associated with differing native cellular RATs, the second radio interface circuitry 40-B in one or more embodiments is configured to provide an air interface 36 according to each such native cellular RAT. Further, the network node 10 in at least one embodiment is configured to provide cellular communication services simultaneously from two or more different communication service providers, which is tantamount to simultaneously providing more than one cell 22 and, correspondingly, more than one second air interface 36. Notably, with proper configuration of the second radio interface circuitry 40-B, the network node 10 simultaneously provides, as needed or requested, multiple cells 22 in different spectrum or multiple cells 22 having different second air interfaces 36, or both.

Of course, the radio interface circuitry 40-B is, in other embodiments, configured to provide the second air interface 36 according to one or more pre-selected cellular RATs that may or may not be native to any of the one or more communication service providers from which cellular communication services can be made available. For example, the second air interface 36 may be implemented according to a pre-selected cellular RAT that is mutually agreeable to two or more communication service providers, or which is perceived as offering broad compatibility to a wide range of wireless devices 28.

Consider an example case where the network node 10 is affiliated with first and second communication service providers, referred to as "Network Operator A" and "Network Operator B", respectively. The network node 10 may use a single cell 20 and a corresponding single air interface 30 to transmit the announcement signal 24. To do so, the network node 10 may use a cellular RAT or a non-cellular RAT for the first air interface 30. In one example, the single cell 20 and single first air interface 30 are implemented using a cellular RAT that is native to at least one of the Network Operators A and B, or that has otherwise been preconfigured. In another example, the network node 10 effectively implements two cells 20 and two first air interfaces 30 by transmitting the announcement signal 24 according to a first RAT that is defined for the Network Operator A and a second RAT that is defined for the Network Operator B. Of course, the network node 10 may use a non-cellular RAT for the cell 20 and air interface 30, e.g., by implementing the first air interface 30 as an IEEE 802.11 WiFi interface, and thereby offer broad compatibility with a wide range of wireless device types.

Assume that a given wireless device 28 receives the announcement signal 24. In some embodiments, or at least in some wireless device configurations, the wireless device 28 will automatically transmit an access signal 26 in response to detecting the announcement signal 24 In other embodiments, or at least in configurations where the announcement signal 24 conveys communication service provider identifiers, the wireless device 28 returns an access signal 26 in response to detecting the presence of a network identifier in the announcement signal 24 corresponding to a communication service provider with which the wireless device 28 is affiliated or is otherwise authorized to use. In either case, the network node 10 receives the access signal 26 via the first air interface 30.

As noted, the access signal 26 in general carries identifier information that is usable at the network node 10 to determine whether cellular communication services should be made available to the wireless device 28 For example, the identifier information comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier or TMSI, or other wireless device identifier. The network node 10 may store or have access to database information that maps the wireless device identifier to a particular communication service provider. The same or another database stored in or made accessible to the network node 10 may also indicate whether service should be made available to the wireless device 28, or the network node 10 may submit the wireless device identifier to a network operator server 18 of the communication service provider and receive a return indication as to whether cellular communication service should be made available to the wireless device 28.

Alternatively, the network node 10 may simply submit the wireless device identifier to all or at least more than one of its affiliated communication service providers—in cases where the network node 10 has more than one affiliation-to see whether any of the affiliated

communication service providers return an affirmative indication that cellular communication services should be provided to the wireless device 28. In yet another contemplated configuration, the access signal 26 returned from the wireless device 28 identifies the communication service provider or providers that should be targeted for providing cellular communication services to the wireless device 28, and the network node 10 communicates with the corresponding CN or

CNs 12, to determine whether such services are authorized by any of the targeted communication service providers.

The network node 10 may activate the second air interface 36 according to whichever cellular RAT has been configured for use in providing cellular communication services from the targeted communication service provider, or according to some pre-configured or default cellular RAT. In at least one embodiment, therefore, the network node 10 is configured to provide more than one second air interface 36, possibly simultaneously, where each second air interface 36 provides cellular communication services to one or more wireless devices 28, under the auspices of a different communication service provider Correspondingly, in at least one such

embodiment, the announcement signal 24 conveys separate identifiers for each such

communication service provider and/or will convey an identifier that is known by the wireless devices 28 to denote multiple communication service providers. The return access signal 26 from a given wireless device 28 may be similar in that it conveys an identifier or other value that is mappable by the network node 10 to a particular communication service provider.

It will be appreciated that, even if the first air interface 30 implements a cellular RAT, the network node 10 can advantageously lower its power consumption and otherwise simplify operation of the first air interface 30 by using a reduced channel structure that omits user traffic channels and includes only those control, broadcast and random access channels as are needed to advertise the availability of cellular services and receive requests for such services. Similar advantages apply in embodiments where the first air interface is an IEEE 802.11 WiFi interface or other lower-power communications interface. "Lower power" here denotes less power than would conventionally be associated with maintaining an active cell in a cellular communication network. Fig. IB is substantially identical to Fig. 1 A except that it illustrates another embodiment wherein the network node 10 as previously described comprises two network nodes 10-1 and 10- 2. The diagram is not meant to depict any particular spacing or geographic arrangement of the two network nodes 10-1 and 10-2, nor is meant to suggest any particular correspondence between the network nodes 10-1 and 10-2 and the coverage areas of the respective cells 20 and 22. Indeed, the two network nodes 10-1 and 10-2 can be geographically separate or co-located.

The operative detail to note in Fig. IB is that the first network node 10-1 implements the first air interface 30, while the second network node 10-2 implements the second air interface 36. In a related implementation contemplated herein, there are multiple "second" network nodes 10- 2, with each one providing an air interface 36 according to a different cellular RAT and/or having a different communication service provider affiliation. In such embodiments, the first network node 10-1 may act as a common front-end for the multiple second network nodes 10-2, and may initiate dynamic activation of any one or more of them on an on-demand basis, based on receiving access signals 26 from given wireless devices 28. The particular second network node 10-2 or nodes 10-2 targeted for such activation will, of course, correspond to the communication service provider or providers targeted or otherwise selected for activation.

Figs. 1C and ID present simplified example diagrams of the arrangements in Figs. 1A and IB respectively. Fig. 1C in particular shows a single network node 10 implementing the transceiver circuitry used for both the first and second air interfaces 30 and 36, while Fig. ID depicts the transceiver circuitry for the first air interface 30 as residing in a first network node 10-1 and the transceiver circuitry for the second air interface 36 as residing in a second network node 10-2.

The two network nodes 10-1 and 10-2 may be communicatively coupled by an inter-node communication links, such as suggested in Fig. IB and ID. In one such example, the decision- making control for dynamic cell activation resides in the first network node 10-1, and the first network node 10-1 sends signaling to the second network node 10-2 to activate the second air interface 36, upon the first network node 10-1 determining that cellular communication services should be made available. Alternatively, the decision-making control resides in the second network node 10-2. In such embodiments, it is enough for the first network node 10-1 to relay received access signal 26 to the second network node 10-2, or to send signaling indicating the that access signal 26 conveying a relevant communication service provider identifier has been received from a wireless device 28 at the first network node 10-1.

As a further alternative, the first network node 10-1 receives access signal 26 from a given wireless device 28 and sends corresponding signaling towards the CN 12 of the communication service provider indicated in the access signal 26. In turn, the CN 12 sends signaling towards the second node 10-2. For example, the second node 10-2 decides that cellular communication services should be made available from the communication service provider based on receiving signaling from the CN 12.

Other variations in the signaling used in a two-node implementation are possible. For example, the first network node 10-1 is, in one or more embodiments, an Access Point, AP, or WiFi controller. In such cases, the signaling "chain" logically connecting the first and second network nodes 10-1 and 10-2 may comprise the WiFi AP or controller as the first network node 10-1, along with a CN node, such as an SGSN, and a Radio Network Controller or RNC that is associated with the second network node 10-2 operating as a radio base station.

Fig. IE illustrates further example embodiments. In this diagram, one sees that the first network node 10-1 includes or is associated with one transmit/receive point 38-1— e.g., one transmit/receive antenna. This depiction is non-limiting, however, and the first network node 10- 1 may be associated with more than one transmit/receive point, such as is seen for the second network node 10-2, which is depicted in association with more than one transmit/receive point 38-2. Three such points are shown by way of example, but a greater or lesser number of them may be connected to or included in the second network node 10-2. The two network nodes 10-1 and 10-2 may share one or more transmit/receive points 38 in common— here "38" generically refers to any point regardless of its node affiliation. However, it may be that the second node 10- 2 uses a larger number of transmit/receive points 38, or a more widely distributed set of transmit/receive points than are used by the first network node 10-1.

Fig. 2 illustrates an example network node 10 in more detail. The discussion of Fig. 2 assumes that one network node 10 is configured to perform dynamic cell activation and provides both the first and second air interfaces 30 and 36. It shall be understood, however, that all such details apply to an alternative arrangement in which a first network node 10-1 implements the first air interface 30 and a second network node 10-2 implements the second air interface 36. In such two-node arrangements, both such nodes 10-1 and 10-2 may have like or similar circuitry, at least with respect to processing and storage circuits, albeit the specific configurations of such circuitry will be adapted with respect to the particular role play by each respective node in the dynamic cell activation taught herein.

According to the details of Fig. 2, an example network node 10 includes a processing circuit 42 that is operatively associated with the radio transceiver circuitry 40. The processing circuit 42 in this example is also associated with storage 44. The storage 44 in some

embodiments stores a computer program 46 and, optionally, configuration data 48. The network node 10 may further include a network interface 50, e.g., for communicating with one or more CNs 12. The storage 44 provides non-transitory storage for the computer program 46 and it may comprise disk storage, solid-state memory storage, or any mix thereof. By way of non-limiting example, the storage 44 comprises any one or more of SRAM, DRAM, EEPROM, and FLASH memory. In general, the storage 44 comprises one or more types of computer-readable medium providing non-transitory storage of the computer program 46 and any configuration data 48 used by the network node 10.

In turn, in at least some embodiments, the processing circuit 42 is configured to carry out dynamic cell activation as taught herein, based at least in part on the execution of computer program instructions. The processing circuit 42 comprises, for example, one or more digital processing circuits, e.g., one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, Digital Signal Processors or DSPs, Field Programmable Gate Arrays of FPGAs, Complex Programmable Logic Devices or CPLDs, Application Specific Integrated Circuits or ASICs, or any mix thereof. More generally, the processing circuit 42 may comprise fixed, non-programmable circuitry, or programmable circuitry that is specially adapted via the execution of program instructions implementing the functionality taught herein. In general, the processing circuit 42 may comprise some mix of fixed and programmed circuitry.

Regardless of its specific implementation details, the processing circuit is configured to transmit an announcement signal 24 via the first air interface 30, and is configured to receive an access signal 26 via the first air interface 30, where the access signal 26 is sent from a wireless device 28 in receipt of the announcement signal 24. The processing circuit 42 is further configured to determine that cellular communication services should be made available to the wireless device 28 and, in response to that determination, dynamically activate the second air interface 36, for providing the cellular communication services.

In an example embodiment, the network node 10 is configured to operate the first air interface 30 according to a first predefined RAT and operate the second air interface 36 according a second predefined RAT that is distinct from the first RAT. In other embodiments, the first and second air interfaces 30 and 36 use the same RAT, but the first air interface 30 implements a stripped down or simplified version of the RAT.

In one or more other embodiments, the first radio interface circuitry 40-A implements a

Wireless Local Access Network, WLAN, interface as the first air interface 30. Here, the processing circuit 42 is configured to transmit the announcement signal 24 as WLAN signaling and likewise to receive the access signal 26 as WLAN signaling. In an embodiment that is particularly advantageous in at least certain contexts, the first air interface 30 comprises an IEEE 802.1 1 WiFi interface, whereas, as previously stipulated, the second air interface 36 comprises a cellular radio interface. Thus, the network node 10 uses WiFi to transmit the announcement signal 24 and to receive the access signal 26, but does not activate cellular services until it receives an access signal 26 via WiFi. The network node 10 may condition activation of the cell 22 / air interface 36 on explicitly determining whether the wireless device 28 from which it received the access 26 is authorized to use cellular communication services from an affiliated communication service provider, or it may condition activation on determining that the wireless device 28 is at least associated with an affiliated communication service provider, or it may condition activation simply on the act of receiving the access signal 26. In all such cases, it should be understood that the wireless device 28 will be subjected to further authentication and authorization procedures by the selected communication service provider, once the cell 22 is activated and the wireless device 28 attempts to connect to the cell 22.

The WiFi implementation is an example of the network node 10 using a "predefined RAT", which is predefined in the sense that its specifications are externally known and used by any number of wireless devices 28 that may want to access cellular communication services through the network node 10. In the above example in particular, the IEEE 802.11 WiFi specifications are an example of a predefined RAT implemented by the first air interface 30, and the 3 GPP LTE specifications are an example of a predefined RAT implemented by the second air interface 36. In the context of this example arrangement, the PLMNs of the communication service providers affiliated with the network node 10 may be transmitted as defined by "Hotspot 2.0". Of course, that is a non-limiting example of announcement signal transmission.

More generally, in at least some embodiments, the first air interface 30 comprises a non- cellular radio interface provided via the first radio interface circuitry 40- A, and the second air interface 36 comprises a cellular radio interface provided via the second radio interface circuitry 40-B As a further example of the numerous advantages gained through the teachings herein, if a cellular RAT is used to implement the first air interface 30, such implementation can be lower power or simplified with respect to the implementation that would be needed to provide cellular communication services through the first air interface 30.

Consider as one example the case where the first air interface 30 comprises a first cellular radio interface provided by the first radio interface circuitry 40- A and the second air interface 36 comprises a second cellular radio interface provided by the second radio interface circuitry 40-B. The network node 10 in at least one such embodiment advantageously omits user traffic channels from the first cellular radio interface, whereas they are included in the second air interface 36, along with everything else needed to provide normal, conventional cellular communication services via the second air interface 36.

Worth noting also is the fact that the coverage areas or cells 20 and 22 do not necessarily have the same size or shape, nor do they necessarily share the same transmit/receive antennas— one may again refer to the example of Fig. IE. However, as a general proposition their respective coverage areas will at least partially overlap. Further, the first air interface 30 may be provided on a continuous or persistent basis, or at least on a regularly recurring basis— e.g., having periodic windows of signaling activity— so as to provide ongoing or regular transmission of the announcement signal 24. Conversely, the network node 10 saves potentially significant power by operating the second air interface 36 on a demand basis— i.e., using dynamic activation such that the second air interface 36 is powered up or activated in response to receiving access signals 26 over the first air interface 30, at least from wireless devices 28 that are authorized to make use of the available cellular communication services.

In one example configuration, the network node 10 has local authentication information, e.g., a subscriber database included in its configuration information 48, and it uses that local information to determine whether the wireless device 28 is at least associated with a

communication service provider that is affiliated with the network node 10. Depending upon the nature of the database, the database may also explicitly indicate whether the wireless device 28 is or is not authorized, at least in a default sense, to use cellular communication services from the communication service provider in question

In an example case, a particular communication service provider owns the network node 10 and thus the network node 10 can be considered as being affiliated with that communication service provider, and the cellular communication services offered by it are enabled or otherwise supported by that communication service provider. In another example, a third party owns the network node 10 but that third party has a business arrangement in place by which the network node 10 is affiliated with a given communication service provider, such that the cellular communication services provided by the network node 10 via the second air interface 36 are provided through that communication service provider. The network node 10 in at least some of its embodiments may be configured to support affiliations with more than one communication service provider and provides cellular communication services from any one or more of them on an on-demand, dynamic basis.

For a given access signal 26 received at the network node 10, the processing circuit 42 is configured to determine whether or not the sending wireless device 28 is authorized to use cellular communication services from any one or more of its one or more affiliated communication service providers. For example, the processing circuit 42 is configured to submit an access request query to a network operator server, e.g., the HSS/AAA 18 shown in Fig. 1 A. The access request query includes an indication of the wireless network identifier of the wireless device 28, such as may be received in conjunction with the access signal 26 sent from the wireless device 28. A corresponding access request response is returned to the network node 10 from the CN 12 of the affiliated communication service provider, which indicates to the processing circuit 42 whether or not cellular communication services from the communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device 28. Such processing represents a non-limiting implementation of the more general processing involved, wherein the processing circuit 42 determines whether or not cellular communication services from a "targeted" communication service provider should be made available to a given wireless device 28, based on being configured to determine whether or not the wireless device identifier of the wireless device 28 is associated with a subscriber account of the targeted communication service provider. The subscriber status determination is made using database information local to the network node 10, or based on querying the CN 12 of the targeted communication service providers. Here, in one example, the "targeted" communication service provider is the one or ones indicated in the access signal 26 received from the wireless device 28 in question. In another example, e.g., in a case where the identifier information in the access signal 28 conveys a wireless device identity but does not convey communication service provider identifiers, the "targeted" communication service provider is a default selection, or is selected by the network node 10 by "pinging" all affiliated communication service providers using the wireless device identifier and seeing whether an affirmative response is received from any of them, or is selected by the network node 10 by mapping the wireless device identifier to a particular communication service provider— e.g., the wireless device identifier is mapped to a network operator domain.

Also, as noted earlier, in one or embodiments it is contemplated that the network node 10 does not condition dynamic activation of the second air interface 36 on pre-authorization of the involved wireless device 28 and instead the processing circuit 42 determines that it "should" make cellular communication services available merely based on receiving an access signal 26 from the wireless device 28 via the first air interface 30. This is in keeping with the idea recognized herein that a wireless device 28 generally will send an access signal 26 in response to receiving and understanding the announcement signal 24 transmitted on the first interface 30. Further, the involved communication service provider will subject the wireless device 28 to normal cellular network authentication once the second air interface 36 is activated and the wireless device 28 attempts to gain admission to the cell 22. Here, it might also be noted the network node 10 does not necessarily have to acknowledge an access signal 26 incoming to it via the first air interface 30. Acknowledgments are not necessary in the sense that the wireless devices 28 are, as a general proposition, configured to look for cellular network signals and to make random access attempts responsive to detecting a cellular communication cell. A wireless device 28 consequently will, as a matter of its inherent operation, detect the cell 22 upon its dynamic activation by the network node 10.

However, the network node 10 in one or more embodiments does provide

acknowledgements for the access signal 26 sent from given wireless devices 28. One advantage thereby gained being that compatible wireless devices 28 may immediately wake up or activate their cellular radio circuitry and look for the cell 22 in response to receiving an acknowledgment over the first air interface 30 of its transmitted access signal 26 The network node 10 also may provide "assistance" information to wireless devices 28 via the first air interface 30. For example, the network node 10 uses the first air interface 30 to provide cell information for the cell 22, e.g., to aid cell detection and identification by the wireless devices 28. Further, in at least some embodiments, the network node 10 restricts access to the cell 22, e.g., by remembering the wireless device identifiers of wireless devices 28 that transmitted an access signal 26 to it via the first air interface 30 and then admitting into the cell 22 only those wireless devices 28 having a wireless device identifier matching one of the remembered identifiers.

In a contemplated alternative configuration, once the cell 22 is dynamically activated, the network node 10 will admit wireless devices 28 to the cell 22 without first receiving access signal 26 from such wireless devices 28 via the cell 20. Of course, wireless devices 28 that are admitted to the cell 22 in that manner are still subject to whatever network authentications apply with respect to the communication service provider, and the network node 10 may be configured to deactivate the cell 22 immediately upon recognizing that there are no wireless devices 28 connected to the cell 22, or after expiration of some corresponding inactivity timer. Of course, the initial activation of the cell 22 is still a dynamic event.

Fig. 3 provides a good overview of an example method 300 of dynamic cell activation, as performed by a network node 10. The method 300 includes transmitting (Block 302) an announcement signal 24 via a first air interface 30. The method 300 further includes receiving (Block 304) an access signal 26 via the first air interface 30. The access signal 26 is sent from a wireless device 28 in receipt of the announcement signal 24. The method 300 additionally includes determining (Block 306) that cellular communication services should made available to the wireless device 28 and, in response to that determination, dynamically activating (Block 308) a second air interface 36 of the network node 10 through which the network node 10 provides the cellular communication services. For example, the network node 10 determines that the wireless device 28 should be provided access to the cellular communication services by submitting the wireless device identifier received in the access signal 26 to a targeted communication service provider and receiving a positive or affirmative response in return.

In one or more embodiments, the network node 10 ignores or otherwise does not act upon access signals 26 that are determined as coming from unidentified wireless devices 28, or from wireless devices 28 that are unrecognized by any of the network node's one or more affiliated communication service providers.

Determining whether a wireless device 28 should be granted access to cellular communication services involves, in some embodiments, communications between the network node 10 and one or more CN 12 entities of the involved communication service provider. Fig. 4 illustrates an example configuration where the operations of Block 306 in Fig. 3 include forming and submitting an access request query to a network operator server (Blocks 306A and 306B). The HSS/AAA 18 shown in Fig. 1A represent an example of such a server. The access request query includes an indication of the wireless network identifier of the involved wireless device 28. A corresponding access request response is returned to the network (Block 306C), which indicates to the base station 10 whether or not cellular communication services should be made available to the wireless device 28. When the returned indication is positive, the base station 10 determines that it should make cellular communication services available to the wireless device 28 (Block 306D) In the converse case, the network node 10 determines that the cellular communication services should not be made available and, hence, does not dynamically activate the cell 22.

In some configurations, or in some instances, the network node 10 only queries one communication service provider as to whether cellular communication services should be made available to the wireless device 28 For example, the one communication service provider in this instance is the only one the network node 10 is affiliated with, or is the only one that is identified as having an association with the wireless device identifier of the wireless device 28. In other configurations, or in some other instances, the network node 10 may query more than one communication service provider as to whether cellular communication services should be made available to the wireless device 28. For such cases in at least some embodiments contemplated herein, the network node 10 sends access requests to more than one communication service provider and will determine that cellular communication services should be made available to the involved wireless device 28 if a positive access request response is received from any of the queried communication service providers. The cellular communication services would, in this case, be provided from a communication service provider for which a positive access request response was received.

It should also be noted that when querying more than one communication service provider, the queries can be sent serially until a positive response is received or until all queries have been sent. Contemplated variations include sending multiple queries in parallel, or sending one query while another one is still pending, or sending queries according to some prioritization, e.g., home network provider first, roaming providers second, etc.

Fig. 5 illustrates a generalized embodiment along these lines, where the network node 10 determines whether or not a given requesting wireless device 28 is affiliated with a

communication service provider by accessing an identifier and/or subscriber database (Block

306E). The database may be local, e.g., stored as part of the configuration information 48 shown in Fig. 2, or may be remote, e.g., as stored in a HSS/AAA 18 shown in Fig. lA, for the involved communication service provider. In either case, the network node 10 determines from the database as to whether or not cellular communication services from the communication service provider in question should be made available to the involved wireless device 28. Notably, the determination may be a threshold determination. For example, the network node 10 may determine from the wireless device identifier of a requesting wireless device 28 that the device is affiliated with the communication service provider and thus dynamically activates the cell 22, to provide the wireless device 28 with at least the chance to undergo normal cellular

communication services authentication

In a non-limiting example, the wireless device 28 includes in the access signal 26 its IMSI or another unique identifier that is at least temporarily associated with the wireless device 28. The network node 10 generates an access request query for one or more communication service providers, or for a centralized data server, where that query includes the identifier received from the wireless device 28, or an identifier derived therefrom. In cases where the query is sent to a communication service provider, or to multiple communication service providers, the network node 10 receives return replies from each communication service provider, e.g., indicating whether or not the wireless device 28 is affiliated with the communication service provider. To the extent that only one communication service provider provides a positive response with respect to the wireless device 28, that communication service provider will be taken as the communication service provider targeted for use in dynamic cell activation.

If two or more communication service providers indicate some level of affiliation, e.g., because of roaming or other business agreements between communication service providers, the network node 10 may compare preference or priority information returned to it from the network operator servers, or otherwise known to it, to decide which communication service provider should be targeted for use in providing the cellular communication services. This decision dictates which CN 12 the network node 10 attempts to use for supporting the dynamic activation of the cell 22 and the actual providing of cellular communication services through the cell 22.

However, dynamically activating the cell 22 to provide cellular communication services does not necessarily guarantee that the targeted communication service provider will permit the wireless device 28 to use any of the cellular communication services. For example, the wireless device 28 may be associated with a subscriber account that lacks sufficient credit for certain activities that are subject to online charging. But these kinds of restrictions are a normal part of charging and billing and it is enough to note that the initial decision by the network node 10 to provide a requesting wireless device 28 with access to the advertised cellular communication services does not have to entail a full assessment of the involved subscriber account and instead may be undertaken as a threshold decision as to whether or not the second air interface 36 should be activated.

Fig. 6 illustrates an example functional module or circuit architecture as may be implemented in the network node 10, e.g., based on the processing circuit 42 executing computer program instructions included in the computer program 46 stored in the storage 44. The illustrated embodiment includes a transmitter module 600 for transmitting announcement signal 24 via the first air interface 30. Here, it will be understood that the transmitter module 600 includes or otherwise interfaces with and controls radio circuitry in the radio transceiver circuitry 40 introduced in Fig. 2.

The network node 10 further includes a receiver module 602 for receiving access signals 26 via the first air interface 30. As with the transmitter module 600, the receiver module 602 includes or interfaces with radio circuitry in the transceiver circuitry 40, and it will be understood that the receiver module 602 is configured to process signaling as received via the first air interface 30, and to demodulate, decode or otherwise extract information from the received access signals 26 according to the applicable protocols associated with the RAT implemented via the first air interface 30.

The network node 10 additionally includes a determiner module 604 for determining whether or not cellular communication services should be made available for a given wireless device 28 from which it has received an access signal 26. Further, the network node 10 includes an activator module 606 that dynamically activates the second air interface 36 of the network node 10 in response to an affirmative determination by the determiner module 604, to provide the cellular communication services to the wireless device 28. The activator module 606, for example, interfaces with and controls activation and deactivation of the second radio interface circuitry 40-B shown in Fig. 2. The activator module 606 may maintain all or at least a portion of the second radio interface circuitry 40-B in an off state, a standby state, or otherwise in a low- power state, where all such states can be understood as being examples of an "inactive" state.

In an alternative implementation involving first and second network nodes 10-1 and 10-2, at least those portions of the transmitter module 600 and the receiver module 602 that are associated with the first air interface 30 are implemented in the first network node 10-1, while those portions that are associated with the second air interface 36 are implemented in the second network node 10-2. The determiner module 604 and activation module 606 may be in the first network node 10-1, in which case the dynamic activation decisions are taken in the first network node 10-1 and it sends activation triggering signaling directly or indirectly to the second network node 10-2. Alternatively, if the determiner module 604 and activation module 606 are in the second network node 10-2, the first network node 10-1 can simply forward access signal 26 directly or indirectly to the second network node 10-2, or send queries towards one or more CNs 12, and then rely on the CNs 12 to communicate with the second network node 10-2 for dynamic activation.

With the above in mind, it will be appreciated that the network node 10 advantageously lowers its overall power consumption or otherwise simplifies its operation by offering cellular communication services on a dynamically activated, on-demand basis. Thus, the cell 20 used to advertise the availability of those services may be a persistent but possibly simplified and low- power cell defined by the coverage area and radio resources of the announcement-channel signaling and corresponding access-channel signaling. By way of non-limiting example, the cell 20 may have any one or more of the following simplifications: a non-cellular air interface, a simplified cellular air interface, an omnidirectional coverage area, a single transmit antenna, and a narrow operational bandwidth. In contrast, in at least some embodiments, the cell 22 may have any one or more of the following: a high gain directional antenna, multiple transmit and receive antennas or antenna elements, e.g., for diversity and/or Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output, MIMO, operation, and a wide operational bandwidth. Further, the network node or nodes 10 may have more than one access point or radio head to choose from for use in activating the cell 22, and not all of those access points or radio heads are necessarily used or available for the cell 20. An example of such arrangements is seen in Fig. IE.

However implemented, the cell 22 is dynamically activated by the network node 10 in response to receiving access signal 26 via the cell 20, i.e., via the first air interface 30. The cellular communication carrier or carriers 32 used in the dynamically activated cell 22 is/are implemented within a selected or defined spectrum according to the applicable RAT

specifications. By way of example, the cell 22 and its associated carrier or carriers 32 may be Long Term Evolution, LTE, or Wideband CDMA, WCDMA, carriers implemented according to the relevant technical specifications promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project.

The signaling from a communication service provider to the network node 10 may be explicit, e.g., an activation message sent from a node associated with the communication service provider. In other embodiments, such signaling is done using an operations and maintenance interface. In a specific embodiment related to Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, EUTRAN, implementations of the network node 10 and Evolved Packet Core, EPC, implementations of the CNs 12, there may be an "SI" interface between the network node 10 and the CN or CNs 12 with which the network node 10 has affiliations and corresponding core network connectivity.

Alternatively, or additionally, such signaling may come on an "X2" or other inter-node interface, such as where one network node 10-1 initiates or controls cell activation by another network node 10-2. As noted, signaling may be exchanged directly between the first and second network nodes 10-1 and 10-2 in such cases, or they may communicate indirectly through another node, such as an MME 19. In any case, a given communication service provider may decide to activate additional licensed or unlicensed spectrum for all users supporting the spectrum or based on other criteria In some embodiments, spectrum is only activated based on specific subscription information, e.g., for premium customers or subscribers having an association with the owner/operator of the network node 10. Conditional activation of the cell 22 for a given wireless device 28 may also depend on the type or number of services the wireless device 28 is running or desires access to.

In a further notable aspect of the teachings herein, a communication service provider can in some sense issue "spectrum certificates" that advantageously exploit or extend conventional handover procedures in which mobile wireless devices 28 are handed over between network base stations, even across RATs and across communication service providers. For example, assume that a network node 10 of the type described herein is installed at a sports stadium or other location in which large crowds congregate. A given subscriber of a given communication service provider may initially begin operating his or her wireless device 28 within the "normal" or persistent network coverage area of the respective communication service provider. As that subscriber enters the stadium or other location at issue, the wireless device 28 can be handed over to the network node 10, by virtue of the network node 10 dynamically activating a cell 22 in the spectrum of the involved communication service provider and admitting the wireless device 28 into the cell 22. Of course, once the cell 22 is activated, subsequent wireless devices 28 may be admitted to the cell 22 provided those wireless devices 28 are associated with subscribers of the same communication service provider. Such approaches advantageously permit "roaming- like" behavior and the use of essentially conventional charging solutions in the context of dynamic cell activation.

In one example implementation, the mobility management entities, e.g., the MMEs 19 shown in Fig. 1 A, of an affiliated communication service provider are configured to track the movement of subscriber wireless devices 28 into service coverage areas associated with dynamic cell activation, and to communicate with the network node or nodes 10 in those locations, e.g., to provide seamless handover of a given wireless device 28 from the operator network to a dynamically activated cell 22. Thus, as an additional or alternative mechanism for triggering dynamic cell activation, the network node 10 and its included processing circuit 42 may be configured to dynamically activate the cell 22— or more than one cell 22, possibly using different spectrum and/or RATs— responsive to signaling incoming from one or more CNs 12. For example, an MME 19 or other CN 12 node of an affiliated communication service provider sends activation trigger signaling to the network node 10, to trigger dynamic cell activation of the cell 22 for a wireless device 28 that is leaving a normal or persistent cell of the

communication service provider or a roaming affiliate and entering the coverage area associated with the cell 22 Such signaling may include the wireless device identifier or other such data, for enabling the network node 10 to recognize and admit the wireless device 28 to the cell 22.

Notably, modifications and other embodiments of the disclosed invention(s) will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention(s) is/are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method (300) at one or more network nodes (10) of performing dynamic cell activation characterized by:

transmitting (302) an announcement signal (24) via a first air interface (30);

receiving (304) an access signal (26) via the first air interface (30), as sent from a

wireless device (28) in receipt of the announcement signal;

determining (306), based on identifier information sent from the wireless device (28) in conjunction with the access signal (26), that cellular communication services from a communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device

(28); and

in response to said determining (306), dynamically activating (308) a second air interface (36) that is used to provide the cellular communication services.

2. The method (300) of claim 1, wherein the method (300) includes operating the first air interface (30) according to a first predefined Radio Access Technology, RAT, and operating the second air interface (36) according to a second predefined RAT that is distinct from the first RAT

3. The method (300) of claim 1 or 2, wherein transmitting (302) the announcement signal (24) via the first air interface (30) comprises transmitting Wireless Local Access Network, WLAN, signaling via first radio interface circuitry (40-A) of a first network node (10-1) and wherein receiving (304) the access signal (26) via the first air interface (30) comprises receiving WLAN signaling via the first radio interface circuitry (40-A), as transmitted from the wireless device (28).

4. The method (300) of any of claims 1-3, wherein the first air interface (30) comprises an IEEE 802.11 WiFi interface, and wherein the second air interface (36) comprises a cellular radio interface.

5. The method (300) of any of claims 1-4, wherein the first air interface (30) comprises a non-cellular radio interface provided via first radio interface circuitry (40-A) of a first network node (10-1), and wherein the second air interface (36) comprises a cellular radio interface provided via second radio interface circuitry (40-B) of the first network node (10-1) or a second network node (10-2).

6. The method (300) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first air interface (30) comprises a first cellular radio interface provided by first radio interface circuitry (40-A) of a first network node (10-1) and the second air interface (36) comprises a second cellular radio interface provided by second radio interface circuitry (40-B) of the first network node (10-1) or a second network node (10-2), and wherein the second cellular radio interface provides user traffic channels whereas the first cellular radio interface omits user traffic channels.

7. The method (300) of any of claims 1-6, wherein transmitting (302) the announcement signal (24) via the first air interface (30) comprises transmitting one or more Public Land Mobile, PLMN, Identifiers that identify one or more communication service providers from which cellular communication services are available.

8. The method (300) of any of claims 1-7, wherein determining (306) that cellular communication services from the communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device (28) comprises determining that the wireless device (28) is affiliated with the communication service provider, based on a wireless device identifier received from the wireless device (28) as at least part of said identifier information.

9. The method (300) of claim 8, wherein determining that the wireless device (28) is affiliated with the communication service provider comprises submitting an access request query to a network operator server (18), said access request query including an indication of the wireless device identifier, and receiving a corresponding access request response in return, said access request response indicating that the cellular communication services should be made available to the wireless device (28).

10. The method (300) of any of claims 1-9, wherein the communication service provider is a selected one among two or more communication service providers from which cellular communication services are available, and wherein the method includes selecting the selected communication service provider based on the identifier information.

11. One or more network nodes ( 10) configured to perform dynamic cell activation, said one or more network nodes (10) characterized by:

communication means (40) providing a first air interface (30); and

processing means (42, 44, 46) operatively associated with the communication means for: transmitting an announcement signal (24) via the first air interface (30);

receiving an access signal (26) via the first air interface (30), as sent from a

wireless device (28) in receipt of the announcement signal;

determining, based on identifier information sent from the wireless device (28) in conjunction with the access signal (26), that cellular communication services from a communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device (28); and

in response to said determining, dynamically activating a second air interface (36) of the one or more network nodes (10) that is used to provide the cellular communication services.

12. The one or more network nodes (10) of claim 11, wherein the one or more network nodes (10) are configured to operate the first air interface (30) according to a first predefined Radio Access Technology, RAT, and operate the second air interface (36) according to a second predefined RAT that is distinct from the first RAT.

13. The one or more network nodes (10) of claim 11 or 12, wherein the first radio interface circuitry (40- A) is a Wireless Local Access Network, WLAN, interface, and wherein the processing means (42, 44, 46) is configured to transmit the announcement signal (24) as WLAN signaling, and to receive the access signal (26) as WLAN signaling.

14. The one or more network nodes (10) of any of claims 11-13, wherein the first air interface (30) comprises an IEEE 802.11 WiFi interface, and wherein the second air interface (36) comprises a cellular radio interface.

15. The one or more network nodes (10) of any of claims 11-14, wherein the first air interface (30) comprises a non-cellular radio interface provided via first radio interface circuitry (40-A) of a first network node (10-1), and wherein the second air interface (36) comprises a cellular radio interface provided via second radio interface circuitry (40-B) of the first network node (10-1) or a second network node (10-2).

16. The one or more network nodes (10) of claim 11 or 12, wherein the first air interface (30) comprises a first cellular radio interface provided via first radio interface circuitry (40-A) of a first network node (10-1) and the second air interface (36) comprises a second cellular radio interface provided by second radio interface circuitry (40-B) of the first network node (10-1) or a second network node (10-2), and wherein the second cellular radio interface provides user traffic channels whereas the first cellular radio interface omits user traffic channels.

17. The one or more network nodes (10) of any of claims 11-16, wherein the processing means (42, 44, 46) is configured to transmit the announcement signal (24) via the first air interface (30) by transmitting one or more Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, Identifiers that identify one or more communication service providers

18. The one or more network nodes (10) of any of claims 11-17, wherein the processing means (42, 44, 46) is configured to determine that cellular communication services from the communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device (28) based on determining that the wireless device (28) is affiliated with the communication service provider, based on a wireless device identifier received from the wireless device (28) as at least part of said identifier information.

19. The one or more network nodes (10) of claim 18, wherein the processing means (42, 44, 46) is configured to determine that the wireless device (28) is affiliated with the communication service provider by submitting an access request query to a network operator server (18), said access request query including an indication of the wireless device identifier, and receiving a corresponding access request response in return, said access request response indicating whether or not the cellular communication services should be made available to the wireless device (28).

20. The one or more network nodes (10) of claim 18, wherein the communication service provider is a selected one among two or more communication service providers from which cellular communication services are available, and wherein the processing means (42, 44, 46) is configured to select the selected communication service provider based on the identifier information.

21. The one or more network nodes (10) of any claims 11-20, wherein the processing means (42, 44, 46) comprises a processing circuit (42) and a non-transitory computer readable medium (44) storing a computer program (46) executable by the processing circuit (42), including computer program instructions to configure the processing circuit (42) to transmit the announcement signal (24) via the first air interface (30), receive the access signal (26) via the first air interface (30), determine that the cellular communication services from the

communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device (28), and dynamically activate the second air interface (36) in response to said determination.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium (44) storing a computer program (46) comprising program instructions that, when executed by processing circuits (42) of one or more network nodes (10), cause the one or more network nodes (10) to:

transmit an announcement signal (24) via the first air interface (30);

receive an access signal (26) via the first air interface (30), as sent from a wireless device

(28) in receipt of the announcement signal;

determine that cellular communication services from a communication service provider should be made available to the wireless device (28); and

in response to said determining, dynamically activate a second air interface (36) of the one or more network nodes (10) that is used to provide the cellular communication services.