Apparatus and method for shared network

Abstract

An apparatus and method support user devices ( 109 - 113 ) and multiple core networks ( 125, 126 ) with a shared network. A rule set for a user device is associated with a core network ( 125, 126 ). Access information associated with a shared network is converted to core network behaviors using the rule set. A network element ( 400 ) can be employed to map the shared network information to core network information using the rule set for network uses.

1 . A method operating a user device in a shared network, comprising: 
 receiving a signaling message that includes a rule set associated with a core network;    receiving broadcast information including access information associated with a shared network; and    applying the shared network information received to the core network rule set to determine a behavior of the user device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signaling message is a registration accept message.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signaling message is a location update accept message.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signaling message is a location update reject message.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signaling message is a registration reject message.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access information is a location identity.  
   
   
       7 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the location identity is a location area, and wherein the user device uses the rule to translate the location area received into a mapped location area for the associated core network.  
   
   
       8 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , where the location identity is the network identity.  
   
   
       9 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , where the location identity is an SSID.  
   
   
       10 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the location identity is a routing area identity, and wherein the user device uses the rule to translate the routing area received into mapped routing area for the associated core network.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the behavior is transmitting the mapped location area in a routing area update request.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the behavior is transmitting the mapped routing area in a routing area update request.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the behavior is transmitting a location area update request for a circuit switched network.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the behavior is transmitting a routing area update request for a packet switched network.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the behavior is refraining from transmitting a location identity update request.  
   
   
       16 . A method of operating a user device in a shared network, comprising: 
 receiving a registration accept message associated with a core network through the shared network, the registration accept message including a rule set, the rule set associated with a core network serving the user device through the shared network;    storing the rule set in the user device;    receiving a broadcast message from the radio access network, the broadcast message including shared network access information;    converting the shared network access information using the stored rule set to determine core network access information;    determining a desired behavior for the user device based on the core network access information.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the desired behavior is transmitting a location update request.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the desired behavior is transmitting a location update request to a mobile station controller.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the desired behavior is refraining from transmitting a location update request.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving a location area identity which is different from a stored location area identity which is stored in the user device, and refraining from transmitting a location update request.  
   
   
       21 . A user device, comprising: 
 a transceiver to transmit and receive signals, the transmitter receiving a broadcast message from the radio access network, the broadcast message including a broadcast location identity associated with a shared access network; and    a controller coupled to the transceiver, the controller mapping the shared network access information in the broadcast message to a serving core network location identity using a stored rule set to determine mapped location identity, and detecting a cell reselection event when the mapped location identity indicates that a core network cell reselection is detected.    
   
   
       22 . A method of operating a network element to support network sharing, comprising: 
 detecting a call establishment event for a target user device;    determining a current location identity of the target user device;    mapping the current location identity of the target device to shared access network location identities using a rule set associated with the target user device and the core network; and    communicating a message according to the mapped access network location identities.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of communicating the message, further comprises the step of sending a request to the radio network controller to transmit the message to the mapped location identities.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , further including the step in a shared access network of determining whether a location update accept communication needs to be sent to the user device.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the shared access network is a public land mobile network.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the shared access network is local area network.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the network element is in a core network, and further including the step transmitting a request to the local area network to broadcast a paging message on the mapped access network identity areas.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the network element is in the access network, and wherein the step of communicating includes the step in the access network of sending a page from the shared network according to the mapped access network location identities in response to a request from the core network including the core network location identities.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the core network signaling message is received from a core network element and the rule set is attached to the core network signaling message.  
   
   
       30 . A network element, comprising: 
 a communication interface between a controller and a system including a shared access network and core networks; and    a controller coupled to the interface, the controller mapping the shared network access information to serving core network location identities using a stored rule set to determine mapped location identities, and communicating the mapped core network location identities to at least one of the access network and the core network.