Method and user equipment for collecting configuration data useable for initialization of a radio access node

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9369343-B2
Application number	US-201214384180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2012
Priority date	Apr 12, 2012
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

It is presented a user equipment ( 20 ), UE, for collecting configuration data useable for initialization of a radio access node ( 10 ). The UE ( 20 ) comprises a communication interface ( 22 ) arranged for wireless communication, a processor ( 23 ) and a memory ( 24 ) for storing a software package comprising computer program code. When the software package is run in the processor ( 23 ) it causes the user equipment ( 20 ) to collect configuration data in form of a Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, code and scan neighboring radio access nodes associated with the collected PLMN code for collecting configuration data in the form of broad casted System Information, SI, data. The UE ( 20 ) establishes a wireless communication link with the radio access node ( 10 ) and communicates the collected configuration data to the radio access node ( 10 ) over the established wireless communication link. Furthermore a corresponding method, computer programs and computer program products are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for collecting configuration data usable for initialization of a radio access node, the method being performed in a user equipment, in which a software package is installed and executable in a processor thereof, said method comprising:
collecting, by the user equipment, configuration data in the form of a Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, code;
scanning, by the processor on the user equipment, neighboring radio access nodes associated with the collected PLMN code for collecting configuration data in the form of broadcasted System Information, SI, data;
reading, by a reader on the user equipment, an optical representation of data associated with the radio access node, the optical representation of data being an identifier of the radio access node;
establishing, by the processor on the user equipment, a wireless communication link with the radio access node; and
communicating, by the user equipment, the collected configuration data to the radio access node over the established wireless communication link.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the SI data comprises cell identities or Cell Global Identities, CGI, used within a coverage area of the radio access node to be initialized.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the SI data comprises routing and/or tracking area data within a coverage area of the radio access node to be initialized.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the PLMN code is collected by reading the PLMN code from a Subscription Identity Module/Universal Subscription Identity Module, SIM/USIM, of the user equipment.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising collecting, by the user equipment, configuration data in the form of geographical location data associated with the user equipment by using a Global Positioning System, GPS.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising obtaining, by the processor on the user equipment, a string of characters based on the read optical representation of data associated with the radio access node and generating an encryption key based on the obtained string of characters.

7. A user equipment for collecting configuration data usable for initialization of a radio access node, the user equipment comprising:
a communication interface arranged for wireless communication;
a processor;
a reader arranged to read an optical representation of data associated with the radio access node, the optical representation being an identifier of the radio access node; and
a memory storing a software package comprising a computer program code which, when runs in the processor, causes the user equipment to:
collect configuration data in the form of a Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, code;
scan neighboring radio access nodes associated with the collected PLMN code for collecting configuration data in the form of broadcasted System Information, SI, data;
establish a wireless communication link with the radio access node; and
communicate the collected configuration data to the radio access node over the established wireless communication link.

8. The user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the SI data comprises cell identities or Cell Global Identities, CGI, used within a coverage area of the radio access node to be initialized.

9. The user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the SI data comprises routing and/or tracking area data within a coverage area of the radio access node to be initialized.

10. The user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the user equipment is configured to collect the PLMN code by reading the PLMN code on its Subscription Identity Module/Universal Subscription Identity Module, SIM/USIM.

11. The user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the user equipment is configured to collect geographical location data associated with the user equipment by using a Global Positioning System, GPS.

12. The user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the reader is a barcode reader for reading a barcode associated with the radio access node.

13. The user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the user equipment is a smart phone, mobile phone or cellular phone.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for collecting configuration data with a user equipment, said configuration data being usable for initialization of a radio access node, the computer program comprising computer program code which, when run in a processor of the user equipment, causes the user equipment to perform the following steps:
collect configuration data in form of a Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, code;
scan neighboring radio access nodes associated with the collected PLMN code for collecting configuration data in the form of broadcasted System Information, SI, data;
read an optical representation of data associated with the radio access node, the optical representation of data being an identifier of the radio access node;
establish a wireless communication link with the radio access node; and
communicate the collected configuration data to the radio access node over the established wireless communication link.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14 , which further causes the user equipment to perform the method according to claim 2 .

Assignees

• Nylander Tomas
• Stålnacke Per-Daniel
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Nylander Tomas
• Stålnacke Per-Daniel

Classifications

• H04L41/24

  using dedicated network management hardware · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04L41/0886

  Fully automatic configuration · CPC title

• H04L41/0806

  for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play · CPC title

• H04L41/0853 Primary

  by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information · CPC title