Master Base Station Access Control for Small Cell Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In small cell architecture, there is a lack of effective methods for adding a bearer in a secondary base station and performing access control and member authentication for user equipment (UE) when the secondary base station is a home base station.
Innovation Solution
A method where the master base station sends closed subscriber group (CSG) member status to the secondary base station, allowing differentiation between CSG members and non-members for handover decisions, and communicates with the Mobility Management Entity (MME) to validate and manage bearer setup and charging, ensuring proper access control and charging for the UE.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If dual-connectivity is implemented in small cell architecture with home base station as secondary base station, then data transmission capability is improved, but access control and member authentication become complex and undefined
Solution Approach 1:
The master base station acts as an intermediary between the UE and the home base station (SeNB). It performs access control and member authentication on behalf of the SeNB by obtaining CSG member status information and validating it before allowing the UE to access the secondary cell. This mediator approach resolves the complexity by centralizing authentication functions at the MeNB while enabling dual-connectivity data transmission.
2Quantity of substance
If bearer is added in secondary base station cell, then network capacity is improved, but access control validation becomes uncertain
Solution Approach 1:
The master base station performs preliminary access control validation by obtaining and validating CSG member status information before the UE is allowed to access the secondary cell or before a bearer is added. This preliminary action ensures that only authenticated members can access the home base station cell, making access control validation certain and reliable while still allowing network capacity expansion through bearer addition.
3Measurement precision
If CSG member status information is obtained and validated, then access control precision is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The CSG member status information obtained by the master base station serves multiple functions: it is used for access control validation, for determining whether to allow UE access to the secondary cell, and for making decisions about bearer setup and modification. This multi-functionality reduces signaling overhead by reusing the same information for multiple purposes rather than requiring separate validation mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling, charging and positioning a UE is disclosed, which includes: a master base station sending closed subscriber group (CSG) member status of the UE in a secondary cell to a secondary base station; the master base station sending a CSG identity of the secondary cell and a PLMN identity selected for the UE that serves the UE in a cell of the secondary base station to a mobility management entity (MME); the MME validating CSG member status of the UE in the secondary cell; and the MME sending the validated CSG member status to the master base station. with the present application, the UE is able to properly access to the secondary cell, and access control and member validation, charging, and positioning may be performed for the UE reasonably, which improves the user experience.