Access Point Signaling for Network Entity Access Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, there is a challenge in efficiently implementing access control for access terminals, particularly in scenarios where small-coverage access points, such as Home NodeBs or femto cells, need to restrict access to authorized users, and existing methods lack a clear mechanism for determining which network entity should perform access control based on the access terminal's capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves an access point sending an indication or message to a network entity to determine whether it should perform access control for an access terminal, using explicit or implicit methods, such as including or excluding a CSG identifier in the message, to specify whether the network entity should control access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access control is implemented for small-coverage access points, then network security and user authorization are improved, but the complexity of determining which network entity should perform access control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access point acts as an intermediary by receiving capability information from the access terminal and determining whether to forward access control requests to the network entity. This mediator approach simplifies the overall system by having the access point make the initial determination based on terminal capabilities, reducing the complexity of centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The access control function is segmented between the access point and the network entity. The access point handles preliminary access control decisions based on terminal capabilities, while the network entity handles more complex authorization decisions. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently with appropriate complexity levels.
2Reliability
If access control is performed by the network entity, then centralized authorization is improved, but the signaling overhead and message complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The access point performs partial access control actions by filtering out terminal capability information that is not needed for access control decisions. This partial action approach reduces the amount of data transmitted to the network entity, minimizing signaling overhead while maintaining necessary authorization functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point extracts and removes unnecessary terminal capability information from the signaling messages before forwarding them to the network entity. This extraction ensures that only essential information for access control is transmitted, reducing message complexity and improving signaling efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If access control information is included in signaling messages, then access control accuracy is improved, but the message size and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The access point applies local quality by selectively including only the specific terminal capability information necessary for access control decisions in the signaling messages. This selective inclusion ensures that the messages contain precisely the information needed for accurate access control without unnecessary data bloat.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point changes the parameters of the signaling messages by modifying them based on the terminal's capability information. The access point adjusts which parameters are included or excluded from the messages dynamically, optimizing the balance between access control accuracy and message processing overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
An access point sends an indication or message to a network entity to indicate whether the network entity is to perform access control for an access terminal. In some implementations the indication/message may comprise an explicit indication of whether or not that network entity is to perform the access control. In some implementations, the inclusion of information (e.g., a CSG identifier) in the message or the exclusion of information from the message indicates whether the network entity is to perform the access control.