Handover Signaling for Home Base Station Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobility procedures between macro Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) and Home NodeBs (HNBs) in heterogeneous networks are inefficient due to reliance on core network routing for access control and membership verification, leading to significant delays.
Innovation Solution
Modifying existing Enhanced SRNS Relocation procedures to include direct communication between RNCs and HNBs for handover processes, using RNSAP signaling, and integrating CSG membership verification and access control within the core network to facilitate efficient handovers between macro RNCs and HNBs, including CSG ID validation and charging corrections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If core network routing is used for access control and membership verification in handover procedures, then access control and membership verification are ensured, but significant delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing access control and membership verification before the handover is completed. The target HNB verifies the UE's CSG membership status and receives access control decisions from the core network in advance (during the handover preparation phase), so that when the handover is executed, these verification processes are already complete. This eliminates the need for real-time core network communication during the actual handover execution, thereby reducing delays while maintaining reliable access control and membership verification.
2Productivity
If direct communication between RNCs and HNBs is used for handover, then handover efficiency is improved, but access control and membership verification complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the handover process into distinct phases: preparation phase (where access control and membership verification are performed between target HNB and core network), execution phase (where actual handover occurs), and completion phase (where resource cleanup is performed). This segmentation allows direct RNC-to-HNB communication for the execution phase, improving efficiency, while the verification complexity is isolated to the preparation phase, making the system more manageable and less complex overall.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the target HNB as an intermediary that receives access control decisions and CSG membership verification results from the core network during the preparation phase. This intermediary then uses this pre-verified information during the direct RNC-to-HNB handover execution, eliminating the need for continuous core network involvement and reducing the complexity of real-time verification while maintaining security and access control.
3Measurement precision
If Enhanced SRNS Relocation procedures are modified to include CSG ID validation and charging corrections, then charging accuracy is improved, but procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing CSG ID validation and determining the appropriate charging rate during the handover preparation phase, before the actual handover occurs. The target HNB receives and validates the CSG ID from the source RNC, determines the correct charging rate based on this validation, and stores this information for use during and after the handover. This ensures accurate charging from the outset while keeping the procedure manageable by separating the validation logic from the handover execution logic.
Data Source
AI summary
Cell relocation procedures to address handover between a macro radio network controller (RNC) and a home base station in a wireless communication network, while accounting for access control or membership verification procedures needed to support a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) at the home base station. An example method begins with the receiving of a request for handover of the mobile terminal from an RNC of the macro wireless network. A closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier for the home base station and a cell access mode for the home base station are then sent, to a core network node associated with the macro wireless network, for use by the core network node in membership verification or access control for the mobile terminal. In response, the home base station receives a CSG membership status for the mobile terminal from the core network node.