Method for determining whether to grant access of a user equipment to a radio access network

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for determining whether to grant access of a user equipment (UE) to a radio access network in a present position of the user equipment (UE) within a communications system. The communications system comprises a control node (N 1, N 2 ) handling services for the user equipment (UE) and an access node (AN 1, AN 2 ) controlling the access network. The method is initiated by receiving a request for service processing for the user equipment (UE) in the control node (N 1, N 2 ) with an identification of the user equipment (UE). A subscriber group information is determined for the user equipment (UE) according to the identification of the user equipment and sent to the access node (AN 1, AN 2 ). Furthermore, an area access information according to the present location of the user equipment (UE) is determined in the access node (AN 1, AN 2 ). The access granting of the user equipment (UE) to the radio access network is performed according to a logical combination of the subscriber group information and the area access information. A communication network, nodes and software programs embodying the invention are also described.

1 . Method for determining whether to grant access of a user equipment (UE) to a radio access network in a present position of the user equipment (UE) within a communications system, the communications system comprising a control node (N 1 , N 2 ) handling services for the user equipment (UE) and an access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ) controlling the access network, the method comprising the steps of 
 receiving a request for service processing for the user equipment (UE) in the control node (N 1 , N 2 ) with an identification of the user equipment (UE),    determining a subscriber group information for the user equipment (UE) according to the identification of the user equipment,    sending the subscriber group information to the access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ),    determining an area access information according to the present location of the user equipment (UE) in the access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ),    and performing the access granting of the user equipment (UE) to the radio access network according to a logical combination of the subscriber group information and the area access information.    
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein an operator identification is determined in the control node (N 1 , N 2 )from the identification of the user equipment (UE) and the subscriber group information is determined according to the operator identification.  
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein an information on the roaming agreements for the operators is stored and the subscriber group information is determined according to the information on the roaming agreements.  
     
     
         4 . Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the subscriber group information is enclosed in a reply to the request for service processing.  
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein the reply is any message from a group comprising a common identification message (C), a relocation request (RR′), a handover request or a bearer assignment request.  
     
     
         6 . Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the determined subscriber group information is stored and retrieved for a further determination of an access granting to the user equipment (UE).  
     
     
         7 . Method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the subscriber group information and the area access information is a bitmap.  
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein a logical operation is performed on the bitmaps and the access granting is determined according to the result of the logical operation.  
     
     
         9 . Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the access granting is determined in the access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ).  
     
     
         10 . Method according to any of the  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the subscriber group information and the area access information are transmitted to the user equipment (UE) and wherein the access granting is determined in the user equipment (UE).  
     
     
         11 . Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ) controls a UMTS radio access network or a GSM radio access network.  
     
     
         12 . Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ) is a radio network controller and wherein the control node is a mobile services switching center or a GPRS Support Node.  
     
     
         13 . Communication network adapted to perform a method according to any preceding claim.  
     
     
         14 . Control node for a communications system with a processing system adapted to handle services for a user equipment (UE) and provided with an interface to exchange messages with an access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ) and/or with the user equipment (UE), wherein the control node (N 1 , N 2 ) is adapted to receive a request for service processing for the user equipment with an identification of the user equipment (UE), characterized in that the control node (N 1 , N 2 ) is adapted to determine a subscriber group information for the user equipment (UE) according to the identification and to send the subscriber group information to the access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ).  
     
     
         15 . Access node for a radio access network of a communications system with a processing system adapted to determine whether to grant access of a user equipment (UE) to the radio access network in a present position of the user equipment and to control the access and provided with an interface to exchange messages with a control node (N 1 , N 2 ) handling services for the user equipment (UE) and with the user equipment, characterized in that the access node (AN  1 , AN 2 ) is adapted to receive a subscriber group information, 
 the access node (AN 1 , AN 2 ) is adapted to determine an area access information according to the present location of the user equipment (UE), and to perform the access granting of the user equipment (UE) to the radio access network according to a logical combination of the subscriber group information and the area access information.    
     
     
         16 . Program unit comprising code for performing either the steps of a method according to any of the  claims 1  to  12  which are executed in the access node or which are executed in the control node.