Access terminal assisted node identifier confusion resolution using a time gap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9094880-B2
Application number	US-48665009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2009
Priority date	Jun 19, 2008
Publication date	Jul 28, 2015
Grant date	Jul 28, 2015

Abstract

Confusion resulting from assigning the same node identifier to multiple nodes is resolved through the use of confusion detection techniques and the use of unique identifiers for the nodes. In some aspects a network may provide a time gap (e.g., an asynchronous time gap) during which an access terminal may temporarily cease monitoring transmissions from a source node so that the access terminal may acquire a unique identifier from a target node. In some aspects an access terminal may commence handover operations at a target node after determining whether the access terminal is allowed to access the target node. In some aspects a source node may prepare several target nodes for potential handover in the event confusion is detected or likely. Here, the source node may send information relating to the preparation of the potential target nodes to the access terminal whereby the access terminal uses the handover preparation information to initiate a handover at that target node.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of communication, comprising:
receiving at a first access point an indication based on a determination made by an access terminal that the access terminal is in the vicinity of a second access point in a closed subscriber group (CSG) list of the access terminal at which the access terminal may receive service;
receiving a first identifier of the second access point;
determining by the first access point whether to initiate handover operations based on the indication from the access terminal;
determining by the first access point whether the first identifier may be used to identify at least one node other than the second access point;
sending by the first access point, as a result of the determination that the first identifier is used to identify at least one node other than the second access point, a request for the access terminal to acquire a second identifier of the second access point; and
receiving, at the first access point the second identifier of the second access point from the access terminal in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein handover operations are not initiated if it is determined that the access terminal may not receive service from the second access point based on the indication.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the second identifier to communicate with the second access point to prepare the second access point for handover of the access terminal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to acquire the second identifier includes an indication of an asynchronous time gap during which the access terminal may temporarily cease monitoring transmissions from the first access point.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the time gap does not have a defined duration.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the time gap comprises a measurement gap indication or a discontinuous reception indication.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the time gap is defined to commence upon receipt of the second message by the access terminal.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the time gap is defined to terminate upon acquisition of the second identifier by the access terminal.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first identifier comprises a physical cell identifier; and
the second identifier comprises a global cell identifier.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising initiating a handover of the access terminal to the second access point based on the second identifier.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second identifier is unique within a larger region than the first identifier.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second identifier is more unique than the first identifier.

13. An apparatus for communication, comprising:
means for receiving at a first access point an indication based on a determination made by an access terminal that the access terminal is in the vicinity of a second access point in a closed subscriber group (CSG) list of the access terminal at which the access terminal may receive service;
means for receiving a first identifier of the second access point;
means for determining by the first access point whether to initiate handover operations based on the indication from the access terminal;
means for determining by the first access point whether the first identifier may be used to identify at least one node other than the second access point;
means for sending by the first access point, as a result of the determination that the first identifier is used to identify at least one node other than the second access point, a request for the access terminal to acquire a second identifier of the second access point; and
means for receiving, at the first access point, the second identifier of the second access point from the access terminal in response to the request.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the request to acquire the second identifier includes an indication of an asynchronous time gap during which the access terminal may temporarily cease monitoring transmissions from the first access point.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the time gap does not have a defined duration.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the time gap comprises a measurement gap indication or a discontinuous reception indication.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the time gap is defined to commence upon receipt of the second message by the access terminal.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the time gap is defined to terminate upon acquisition of the second identifier by the access terminal.

19. A computer-program product, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to:
receive at a first access point an indication based on a determination made by an access terminal that the access terminal is in the vicinity of a second access point in a closed subscriber group (CSG) list of the access terminal at which the access terminal may receive service;
receive a first identifier of the second access point;
determine by the first access point whether to initiate handover operations based on the indication from the access terminal;
determine by the first access point whether the first identifier may be used to identify at least one node other than the second access point;
send by the first access point, as a result of the determination that the first identifier is used to identify at least one node other than the second access point, a request for the access terminal acquire a second identifier of the second access point; and
receive, at the first access point, the second identifier of the second access point from the access terminal in response to the request.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19 , wherein the request to acquire the second identifier includes an indication of an asynchronous time gap during which the access terminal may temporarily cease monitoring transmissions from the first access point.

21. The computer-program product of claim 20 , wherein the time gap does not have a defined duration.

22. The computer-program product of claim 20 , wherein the time gap comprises a measurement gap indication or a discontinuous reception indication.

23. A method of communication, comprising:
performing an autonomous search by an access terminal to detect one or more neighboring access points;
determining an allowed likelihood of receiving service from a second access point based on a result of the autonomous search, wherein the second access point is one of the detected one or more neighboring access point;
transmitting an indication from the access terminal to a first access point when the allowed likelihood is determined such that the access terminal will likely receive service from the second access point in a closed subscriber group (CSG) list of the access terminal;
receiving a request from the first access point at the access terminal, wherein the request is for a node identifier of the second access point;
monitoring for a transmission from the second access point that comprises the node identifier; and
reporting the node identifier to the first access point upon receipt of the node identifier from the second access point.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
receiving a message from the first access point at the access terminal, wherein the message indicates a next available time gap during which the access terminal may temporarily

Assignees

• Prakash Rajat
• Gupta Rajarshi
• Agashe Parag A
• Kitazoe Masato
• Meylan Arnaud
• Horn Gavin B
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Prakash Rajat
• Gupta Rajarshi
• Agashe Parag A
• Kitazoe Masato
• Meylan Arnaud
• Horn Gavin B

Classifications

• H04W36/38

  by fixed network equipment · CPC title

• H04W36/0016

  Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions · CPC title

• H04W36/0061

  of neighbour cell information · CPC title

• H04W36/0088 Primary

  Scheduling hand-off measurements · CPC title

• H04W84/045

  using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B · CPC title