Ubiquitous access to FEMTO-connected network

Abstract

A system and method of enabling a mobile device to communicate with a local IP network host and an external IP network host using a femto cellular access point on a femto cellular access network. A local gateway is coupled to the femto cellular access network for receiving data packets transmitted on the femto cellular access network and for routing the data packets to one of a local IP network and an external IP network, based on a destination address associated with the data packets. The femto cellular access network includes an LTE network, an EVDO network connected to an EPC, or a WiMax 802.16e/m network connected to the EPC.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A user equipment device (UE), comprising:
 communication circuitry configured to perform wireless communication with a femto cellular access point; 
 processing hardware coupled to the communication circuitry, wherein the processing hardware is configured to operate with the communication circuitry to:
 generate first data packets for transmission to a terminal device having a destination address within a local IP network coupled to the femto cellular access point; 
 transmit the first data packets to the terminal device via the femto cellular access point using the communication circuitry, the first data packets being maintained in the local IP network without transmitting the data packets to a core gateway of a macro cellular network in response to the destination address being within the local IP network; 
 generate second data packets for transmission outside of the local IP network; and 
 transmit the second data packets to the femto cellular access point using the communication circuitry, wherein the second data packets comprise a destination address external to the local IP network, the second data packets being routed to the core gateway of the macro cellular network in response to the destination address being external to the local IP network. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal device includes at least one of a media player, a printer, a computer or a data storage device. 
     
     
       3. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the first data packets are routed through a router of the local IP network to the terminal device. 
     
     
       4. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the femto cellular access point is configured to communicate control plane information associated with the UE to a mobility management entity (MME) of the macro cellular network. 
     
     
       5. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the local IP network comprises a plurality of terminal devices. 
     
     
       6. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the femto cellular access point provides a femto cellular access network, wherein the femto cellular access network comprises an LTE network. 
     
     
       7. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the femto cellular access point is assigned an address local to the local IP network. 
     
     
       8. A method for communicating with a femto cellular access network, comprising:
 at a user equipment device (UE):
 generating first data packets for transmission to a terminal device having a destination address within a local IP network coupled to the femto cellular access point; 
 transmitting the first data packets to the terminal device via the femto cellular access point, the first data packets being maintained in the local IP network without transmitting the data packets to a core gateway of a macro cellular network in response to the destination address being within the local IP network; 
 generating second data packets for transmission outside of the local IP network; and 
 transmitting the second data packets to the femto cellular access point, wherein the second data packets comprise a destination address external to the local IP network, the second data packets being routed to the core gateway of the macro cellular network in response to the destination address being external to the local IP network. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the terminal device includes at least one of a media player, a printer, a computer or a data storage device. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first data packets are routed through a router of the local IP network to the terminal device. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the femto cellular access point is configured to communicate control plane information associated with the UE to a mobility management entity (MME) of the macro cellular network. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the local IP network comprises a plurality of terminal devices. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the femto cellular access point provides a femto cellular access network, wherein the femto cellular access network comprises an LTE network. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the femto cellular access point is assigned an address local to the local IP network. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for enabling a user equipment (UE) to communicate with a local IP network and a macro cellular network via a femto cellular access point, wherein the program instructions, when executed by a processor of the UE, cause the UE to perform a method comprising:
 generating first data packets for transmission to a terminal device having a destination address within a local IP network coupled to the femto cellular access point; 
 transmitting the first data packets to the terminal device via the femto cellular access point, the first data packets being maintained in the local IP network without transmitting the data packets to a core gateway of a macro cellular network in response to the destination address being within the local IP network; 
 generating second data packets for transmission outside of the local IP network; and 
 transmitting the second data packets to the femto cellular access point, wherein the second data packets comprise a destination address external to the local IP network, the second data packets being routed to the core gateway of the macro cellular network in response to the destination address being external to the local IP network. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 15 , wherein the terminal device includes at least one of a media player, a printer, a computer or a data storage device. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first data packets are routed through a router of the local IP network to the terminal device. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 15 , wherein the femto cellular access point is further configured to communicate control plane information associated with the UE to a mobility management entity (MME) of the macro cellular network. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 15 , wherein the local IP network comprises a plurality of terminal devices. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of  claim 15 , wherein the femto cellular access point provides a femto cellular access network, wherein the femto cellular access network comprises an LTE network.