Femtocell Gateway Security and Self-Organization

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cellular communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing and securing femtocell networks, particularly in providing secure and standardized communication and management within smaller areas like homes or small offices, where low-power WiMAX base stations are used, and ensuring seamless mobility and frequency reuse.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a femto access service network architecture that includes a femto gateway, security gateway, and self-organizing networks server, which provides secure tunnels, authentication, and automatic configuration to manage femtocells, ensuring secure communication and optimal performance within the network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If femtocells are deployed in home or small office environments using shared broadband connections, then coverage and capacity are extended to smaller areas, but network security and management control are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A gateway is introduced as an intermediary between the femtocell access point and the core network. The gateway establishes secure tunnels (IPsec) for communication, performs authentication, and provides network management functions, thereby maintaining security while enabling widespread femtocell deployment in home and small office environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If multiple femtocells are deployed across different locations, then network capacity and coverage are improved, but network management complexity and configuration difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The femtocell gateway implements self-organizing network (SON) capabilities that enable automatic configuration, neighbor relation management, and optimization of femtocell parameters. This self-service approach reduces manual configuration requirements and simplifies management of large-scale femtocell deployments across multiple locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The gateway serves multiple functions including secure tunnel establishment, authentication, network management, and self-organizing capabilities. This multi-functional design consolidates various management tasks into a single platform, reducing overall management complexity while supporting extensive femtocell deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If femtocells operate independently with shared broadband connections, then deployment flexibility and cost are reduced, but seamless mobility and handover capability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway acts as a mediator that connects independent femtocells to the core network through standardized interfaces. This enables mobility management and handover capabilities while preserving the deployment flexibility of using shared broadband connections, as the gateway handles the complexity of inter-femtocell coordination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8638731B2Femtocell architecture and network

Publication Date: 2014.01.28

AI summary

A femtocell architecture and network are described. In one example the femtocell has a wireless access point having a first communications interface for wireless communications with a subscriber unit and a second communications interface for communications with a cellular radio communications system, and a secure gateway between the access point and the cellular system to secure communications between the access point and the cellular system.