Telecommunications networks and devices

Abstract

A GSM, UMTS or LTE mobile telecommunications network includes a radio access network comprising base stations, and further includes one or more additional access points. An access point may be connected to the network core by an IP transport broadband connection. The access point is configured to appear to the mobile terminal as a base station. Arrangements are disclosed which allow the network to restrict access to the network via these access points whilst also minimizing signaling requirements. The access points may be excluded from traditional Tracking Areas, but associated therewith by a network controller in a mapping in order to notify authorized mobile terminals of the Access Point's existence.

1 . A network controller for use in a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell and being configured to wirelessly transmit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP); and wherein the network controller is configured to:
 receive a paging request relating to a given mobile terminal;   access first data indicating the last known location of the given mobile terminal;   access second data indicating any Access Points associated with the last known location; and   where one or more Access Points are associated with the last known location, paging those Access Points, in addition to any macro base stations within the last known location.   
     
     
         2 . The network controller of  claim 1  wherein the second data the network controller is configured to access only indicates any Access Points associated with the last known location that the given mobile terminal is authorised to access. 
     
     
         3 . The network controller of  claim 1 , further configured to page one or more default Access Points associated with the given terminal. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The network controller of  claim 1 , wherein the network controller is further configured to only page a subset of the Access Points indicated in the second data where the number of Access Points indicated in the second data is greater than a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         6 . In a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell, and being configured to wirelessly transit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP), a method of paging a given mobile terminal within the network, the method comprising:
 receiving a paging request relating to a given mobile terminal;   accessing first data indicating the last known location of the given mobile terminal;   accessing second data indicating any Access Points associated with the last known location; and   where one or more Access Points are associated with the last known location, paging those Access Points, in addition to any macro base stations within the last known location.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the second data accessed only indicates any Access Points associated with the last known location that the given mobile terminal is authorised to access. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 additionally paging one or more default Access Points associated with the given terminal.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the one or more default Access Points which are additionally paged are one or more Access Points for which the given mobile terminal is registered as being authorised to access. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . In a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell, for wirelessly transmitting data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, wherein at least one of the base stations is an Access Point (AP), a method of controlling access to the telecommunications network via the at least one Access Point, the method comprising:
 defining tracking areas in the network covering one or more base station cells but which exclude the at least one Access Point cells.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 creating a mapping associating one or more of the at least one Access Points with one and more Tracking Areas; and   using the mapping to perform at least one of the following:   a) notify an idle mobile terminal that it is authorised to select the one or more Access Points when in the one or more Tracking Areas;   b) trigger the establishment of a transport network connection between a base station and each of the one or more Access Points.   c) trigger the establishment of a transport network connection between a network controller and each of the one or more Access Points.   d) page a mobile terminal within the one or more tracking areas and at the one or more Access Points where one of the one or more Tracking Areas was the last Tracking Area recorded for the mobile terminal;   e) where an Access Point is mapped to a first Tracking Area, notify an idle mobile terminal that it is authorised to move from the Access Point to another base station within the first Tracking Area without performing a Tracking Area update;   f) notify a mobile terminal that it is authorised to access the one or more Access Points and that it should undertake a search for transmissions by the one or more Access Points;   g) notify a mobile terminal that it should undertake measurements of transmission received from the one or more Access Points; and   h) notify a base station controlling handover of a mobile terminal that the mobile terminal is authorised to be handed over to the one or more Access Points.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further including comprising:
 a mobile terminal transmitting a Tracking Area update request to a network controller; the network controller determining whether any Access Points exist, in the vicinity of the mobile terminal's new Tracking Area;   where one or more Access Points exist, creating a mapping associating the new Tracking Area with the one or more Access Points; and   transmitting the mapping to the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         14 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A telecommunications network, comprising:
 a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell, and being configured to wirelessly transmit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP), wherein the radio access network is arranged in a plurality of tracking areas with each tracking areas covering one or more cells but excluding the cells of the at least one Access Point.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A micro base station configured for use in a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising one or more macro base stations configured to wirelessly transmit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, the micro base station having a smaller coverage area than the one or more macro base stations, and wherein the micro base station is configured to broadcast information from which the at least one mobile terminal is able to determine if it has access rights to the micro base station. 
     
     
         24 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The micro base station of  claim 23 , wherein the micro base station is configured to additionally broadcast encrypted authorisation data for use by the one or more mobile terminals to decrypt with a previously obtained decryption key, if applicable to each mobile terminal. 
     
     
         28 . A mobile terminal configured for use in a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell, and being configured to wirelessly transmit data that is receivable by the mobile terminal, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP); and wherein the mobile terminal is further configured to:
 receive data transmitted by one or more proximate base stations;   determine if the received data includes an Access Indicator Field, being data that may be transmitted by the one or more Access Points to restrict access; and   using the Access Indicator field to determine if the mobile terminal is entitled to utilise the Access Point, and only attempting to utilise the Access Point if the mobile terminal is entitled to do so.   
     
     
         29 . In a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations configured to wirelessly transmitting data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, wherein at least one of the base stations is an Access Point (AP), a method of restricting access to the at least one Access Point, the method comprising:
 transmitting information from each Access Point from which mobile terminals are able to determine their ability to access the given base station.   
     
     
         30 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A network controller for use in a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell and being configured to wirelessly transmit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP); and wherein the network controller is configured to:
 receive a paging request relating to a given mobile terminal;   where one or more Access Points are defined as default locations for the given mobile terminal, paging those Access Points, in addition to any macro base stations within the last known location.   
     
     
         33 . In a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell, and being configured to wirelessly transit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP), a method of paging a given mobile terminal within the network, the method comprising:
 paging the given mobile terminal, at one or more default Access Points, in addition to any macro base stations within a last known location area.   
     
     
         34 . A base station configured for use in a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell, and being configured to wirelessly transit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP), wherein the base station is configured to:
 broadcast a first tracking area intended for use by mobile terminals that are stationary or travelling at a speed up to and including a threshold speed; and   broadcast a second tracking area intended for use by mobile terminals that are travelling at a speed greater than the threshold speed.   
     
     
         35 . In a telecommunications network including a radio access network comprising a plurality of base stations, each defining a cell, and being configured to wirelessly transit data that is receivable by one or more mobile terminals, with at least one of the base stations being an Access Point (AP), a method of tracking mobile terminals, comprising:
 broadcasting a first tracking area intended for use by mobile terminals that are stationary or travelling at a speed up to and including a threshold speed; and   broadcasting a second tracking area intended for use by mobile terminals that are travelling at a speed greater than the threshold speed.   
     
     
         36 - 39 . (canceled)