Method and apparatus for providing access to a packet data network

Abstract

An access point supports communication in a femto cell of a cellular communication network. The access point comprises transceiver circuitry arranged to enable communication with at least one wireless communication unit located within the femto cell, and a signal processing logic module comprising an access point controller interface logic module arranged to enable communication between the access point and an access point controller. The signal processing logic module further comprises a gateway logic module arranged to provide an interface between the at least one wireless communication unit located within the femto cell and a packet data network.

1 . An access point for supporting communication in a femto cell of a cellular communication network, the access point comprising:
 a transceiver circuitry arranged to enable communication with at least one wireless communication unit located within the femto cell; and   a signal processing logic module comprising an access point controller interface logic module arranged to enable communication between the access point and an access point controller, and a gateway logic module arranged to provide a gateway interface between the at least one wireless communication unit located within the femto cell and a packet data network.   
     
     
         2 . The access point of  claim 1  wherein, upon receipt of a request from the wireless communication unit to access the packet data network, the signal processing logic module is arranged to modify the request to comprise at least one from the group consisting of: an identifier corresponding to the gateway logic module of the access point, an address corresponding to the gateway logic module of the access point, and a substantially generic address corresponding to gateway logic modules of access points. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The access point of  claim 2  wherein the gateway logic module is further arranged to forward the modified request on to a core network element via the access point controller. 
     
     
         6 . The access point of  claim 2  wherein, upon receipt of a request to access a data packet network, the signal processing logic module is arranged to determine whether the data packet network for which access is requested is the same data packet network with which the gateway logic module of the access point is arranged to provide an interface. 
     
     
         7 . The access point of  claim 6 , wherein if the data packet network for which access is requested is the same data packet network with which the gateway logic module of the access point is arranged to provide an interface, the signal processing logic module is arranged to modify the request to comprise an identifier that corresponds to the gateway logic of the access point. 
     
     
         8 . The access point of  claim 2  wherein the signal processing logic module is arranged, upon receipt of an Activate PDP (Packet Data Protocol) Context Request message from the wireless communication unit, to determine whether the received Activate PDP Context Request message comprises an Access Point Name (APN) that corresponds to a service relating to the data packet network with which the gateway logic module of the access point is arranged to provide the interface. 
     
     
         9 . The access point of  claim 8  wherein if the received Activate PDP Context Request message comprises the APN corresponding to service relating to the data packet network with which the gateway logic module of the access point is arranged to provide interface, the signal processing logic module is arranged to modify the Activate PDP Context Request message to comprise an APN corresponding to the gateway logic module of the access point. 
     
     
         10 . The access point of  claim 8  wherein, upon receipt of the Activate PDP Context Request message from the wireless communication unit, the signal processing logic module is arranged to compare the APN within the received request to a list of APN labels stored within memory. 
     
     
         11 . The access point of  claim 10  wherein if the APN within the received request matches an entry within the list of APN labels stored within memory, the signal processing logic module is arranged to modify the Activate PDP Context Request message to comprise an APN corresponding to the gateway logic module of the access point. 
     
     
         12 . The access point of  claim 1  wherein the access point controller interface logic module is arranged to enable communication between the access point and the access point controller via the packet data network with which the gateway logic module provides an interface. 
     
     
         13 . The access point of  claim 1  wherein the gateway logic module is arranged to provide an interface between the at least one wireless communication unit located within the femto cell and the at least one from the group consisting of: Internet and a Local Area Network (LAN). 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A wireless communication unit comprising:
 a transceiver circuitry arranged to enable communication with a cellular communication network; and   a signal processing logic module arranged to request access to a packet data network via the cellular communication network;   wherein the signal processing logic module is further arranged to:   determine whether the wireless communication unit is connected to a femto cell access point of the cellular communication network; and   if the wireless communication unit is connected to the femto cell access point of the cellular communication network, the signal processing logic module is arranged to transmit a request to access the packet data network comprising at least one from the group consisting of: an identifier corresponding to a gateway interface of the femto cell access point, an address corresponding to a gateway logic module of the femto cell access point, and a substantially generic address corresponding to gateway logic modules of access points.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A network element of a cellular communication network, the network element comprising a signal processing logic module arranged to receive requests to access a packet data network from wireless communication units and to initiate access activation in response thereto;
 wherein the signal processing logic module comprises a gateway router logic module, and upon receipt of a request to access a packet data network from a wireless communication unit within a femto cell, the gateway router logic module is arranged to:   identify a femto access point supporting the femto cell within which the wireless communication unit is located; and   obtain an address for a gateway interface of the identified femto access point with which the signal processing logic module is to initiate access activation.   
     
     
         19 . The network element of  claim 18  wherein, upon receipt of the request to access the packet data network, the signal processing logic module is arranged to determine whether the request was received from a macro sub-system radio network controller or a femto access point controller. 
     
     
         20 . The network element of  claim 19  wherein if the request was received from the femto access point controller, the signal processing logic module is arranged to provide the request to the gateway router logic module for the gateway router logic module to obtain an appropriate address for the gateway interface of the femto access point. 
     
     
         21 . A method for providing access to a packet data network, the method comprising, at an access point:
 receiving a request to access the data packet network, the request comprising an identifier that corresponds to a remote gateway interface;   modifying the request to comprise an identifier that corresponds to a local gateway interface; and   forwarding the modified request on to a core network element.   
     
     
         22 . A method for providing a wireless communication unit with access to a packet data network, the method comprising, at the wireless communication unit:
 determining whether the wireless communication unit is connected to a femto cell access point of a cellular communication network; and   if the wireless communication unit is connected to the femto cell access point of the cellular communication network,   transmitting a request to access the packet data network wherein the request comprises an identifier that corresponds to a gateway interface of the femto cell access point.   
     
     
         23 . A method for providing access to a packet data network, the method comprising, at a network element:
 receiving a request to access the packet data network from a wireless communication unit within a femto cell;   identifying a femto access point that supports the femto cell within which the wireless communication unit is located;   obtaining an address for a gateway interface of the identified femto access point; and   initiating access creation using the obtained femto access point gateway interface address.   
     
     
         24 . A wireless communication system adapted to support the method for providing access to a packet data network according to  claim 21 . 
     
     
         25 . A non-transitory computer-readable product having executable program code stored therein for programming signal processing logic to perform a method for providing access to a packet data network, the program code operable for, when executed at an access point:
 receiving a request to access the packet data network at a femto access point, the request comprising an identifier corresponding to a remote gateway interface;   modifying the request to comprise a local identifier corresponding to a local gateway interface; and   forwarding the modified request on to a core network element.   
     
     
         26 . A non-transitory computer-readable product having executable program code stored therein for programming signal processing logic to perform a method for providing a wireless communication unit with access to a packet data network, the program code operable for, when executed at a wireless communication unit:
 determining whether the wireless communication unit is connected to a femto cell access point of a cellular communication network; and   if the wireless communication unit is connected to the femto cell access point of the cellular communication network, to transmit a request to access the packet data network comprising an identifier corresponding to a gateway interface of the femto cell access point.   
     
     
         27 . A non-transitory computer-readable product having executable program code stored therein for programming signal processing logic to perform a method for providing access to a packet data network, the program code operable for, when executed at a network element:
 receiving a request to access the packet data network from a wireless communication unit within a femto cell;   identifying a femto access point supporting the femto cell within which the wireless communication unit is located;   retrieving an address for a gateway interface of the identified femto access point; and   initiating access activation using the obtained femto access point gateway interface address.