Home Node B System Architecture

Abstract

Some embodiments provide methods and systems for integrating a first communication system with a core network of a second communication system that has a licensed wireless radio access network. The first communication system includes one or more user hosted access points that operate using short range licensed wireless frequencies in order to establish service regions of the first communication system and a network controller for communicatively coupling the service regions to the core network. The first communication system includes a Home Node-B (HNB) system where the access points are Home Node-Bs and the network controller is a HNB Gateway (HNB-GW). Some embodiments define multi-layered protocol stacks for implementing management functionality and control plane functionality for the access points and the network controller. The HNB is connected to the HNB-GW via the Iuh interface. The Iuh management functionality is provided via a HNBAP protocol layer and control plane functionality, such as relay of RANAP, is provided via a RUA protocol layer.

Description

CLAIM OF BENEFIT TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61 / 046,401, entitled “Mechanisms to Relay or Transfer RANAP Messages between 3 G Home Node-B and the Core Network via the Home Node-B Gateway”, filed Apr. 18, 2008; U.S. Provisional Application 61 / 055,961, entitled “Mechanisms to Transport RANAP Messages between 3 G Home Node-B and the Core Network via the Home Node-B Gateway”, filed May 23, 2008; U.S. Provisional Application 61 / 058,912, entitled “Transport of RANAP Messages over the Iuh Interface”, filed Jun. 4, 2008; U.S. Provisional Application 61 / 080,227, entitled “HNB System Architecture”, filed Jul. 11, 2008; and U.S. Provisional Application 61 / 101,148, entitled, “Support for Closer Subscriber Group (CSG) in Femtocell System”, filed Sep. 29, 2008. The contents of Provisional Applications 61 / 046,401, 61 / 055,961, 61 / 058,912, 61 / 080,227, and 61 / 101,148 are hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]T...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]The network controller of some embodiments seamlessly integrates each of the short range licensed wireless service regions with the core network. In some such embodiments, the network controller seamlessly integrates with the core network by using existing Iu interfaces of the core network to communicatively couple each of the service regions to the core network. Accordingly, the network controller of some embodiments uses standardized messaging and protocols to communicate with the core network while utilizing HNB-AN messaging and protocols to communicate with each of the service regions. In this manner, the network controller of some embodiments reduces deployment costs of the HNB-AN within the UMTS core network. Specifically, deployment of the network controller of some embodiments requires no change to the UMTS core network while still providing HNB wireless service that combines the mobility of licensed wireless networks with the quality and speed of landline/broadband services. In some embodiments, the network controllers take on s

Problems solved by technology

The wireless transport mechanisms and frequencies employed by typical licensed wireless systems limit both data transfer rates and range.

However, with each upgrade iteration (e.g., 3 G to 4 G), the licensed wireless system providers incur substantial costs from licensing additional bandwidth spectrum to upgrading the existing radio network equipment or core network equipment.

Use

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