Method and system for activating a femto base station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9572045-B2
Application number	US-88190710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2010
Priority date	Sep 14, 2010
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A method for activating a femto base station includes transmitting at least one binding message that binds at least one access point with a collocated femto base station. The method also includes determining the collocated femto base station is in a power saving mode. The method additionally includes transmitting via the access point a request requesting that the collocated femto base station is put into an operational mode.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for activating a femto base station from an endpoint, comprising:
transmitting from the endpoint at least one binding message that binds at least one local area network access point with a collocated femto base station, wherein the local area network access point and the collocated femto base station are coupled to a wireless service provider network via the internet, and wherein the local area network access point provides the endpoint access to the wireless service provider network via the internet;
determining the collocated femto base station is in a power saving mode; and
transmitting from the endpoint via the local area network access point a request requesting that the collocated femto base station is put into an operational mode, wherein
transmitting the at least one binding message comprises transmitting the at least one binding message to a wireless service provider's network via a secure connection, and
wherein the binding between the at least one local area network access point and the collocated femto base station occurs for a limited period.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a first connection with the at least one access point;
establishing a second connection with the femto base station; and
upon concurrently maintaining the first and second connections, generating the at least one binding message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, periodically transmitting at least one additional binding message that re-binds the at least one access point with the collocated femto base station.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binding message comprises a MAC address associated with the at least one access point and a femto base station identifier associated with the collocated femto base station.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting at least one additional binding message that binds at least one additional access point with the collocated femto base station.

6. A method for activating a femto base station, comprising:
receiving a binding message from an endpoint, the binding message identifying a local area network access point and a femto base station collocated with the local area network access point, wherein the local area network access point and the collocated femto base station are coupled to a wireless service provider network via the internet, and wherein the local area network access point provides the endpoint access to the wireless service provider network via the internet;
storing a first binding based on the binding message;
at the local area network access point, receiving a first request from the endpoint comprising the first binding, the first request requesting that the femto base station be put into an operational mode; and
transmitting a second request from the local area network access point to the femto base station requesting that the femto base station be put into an operational mode, the first request and the second request using different interfaces, wherein
receiving the binding message from the endpoint comprises receiving the binding message sent to the wireless service provider's network via a secure connection, and
wherein the first binding between the local area network access point and the femto base station occurs for a limited period.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising authenticating the first endpoint.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining that the first binding has expired; and
deleting the first binding request.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first binding message comprises a MAC address associated with the access point and a femto base station identifier associated with the femto base station.

10. An endpoint for activating a femto base station, comprising:
an interface configured to transmit at least one binding message that binds at least one local area network access point with a collocated femto base station, wherein the local area network access point and the collocated femto base station are coupled to a wireless service provider network via the internet, and wherein the local area network access point provides the endpoint access to the wireless service provider network via the internet; and
a processor coupled to the interface and configured to determine the collocated femto base station is in a power saving mode;
wherein the interface is further configured to transmit via the local area network access point a request requesting that the collocated femto base station is put into an operational mode, wherein the interface configured to transmit the at least one binding message is further configured to transmit the at least one binding message to a wireless service provider's network via a secure connection, and
wherein the binding between the at least one local area network access point and the collocated femto base station occurs for a limited period.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the interface is further configured to:
establish a first connection with the at least one access point;
establish a second connection with the femto base station; and
upon concurrently maintaining the first and second connections, generate the at least one binding message.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the interface is further configured to periodically transmit at least one additional binding message that re-binds the at least one access point with the collocated femto base station.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the binding message comprises a MAC address associated with the at least one access point and a femto base station identifier associated with the collocated femto base station.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the interface is further configured to transmit at least one additional binding message that binds at least one additional access point with the collocated femto base station.

15. A local area network access point for activating a femto base station, comprising:
an interface configured to receive a binding message from an endpoint, the binding message identifying the local area network access point and a femto base station collocated with the local area network access point, wherein the local area network access point and the collocated femto base station are coupled to a wireless service provider network via the internet, and wherein the local area network access point provides the endpoint access to the wireless service provider network via the internet; and
a processor coupled to the interface and configured to have a first binding based on the binding message stored;
wherein the interface is further configured to:
receive a first request from the endpoint comprising the first binding, the first request requesting that the femto base station be put into an operational mode; and
transmit a second request to the femto base station requesting that the femto base station be put into an operational mode, the first request and the second request using different interfaces, wherein

receiving the binding message from the endpoint comprises receiving the binding message sent to the wireless service provider's network via a secure connection, and
wherein the first binding between the local area network access point and the femto base station occurs for a limited period.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to authenticate the first endpoint.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the first binding has expired; and
have the first binding request deleted.

Assignees

• Zhu Chenxi
• Chen Wei-Peng
• Fujitsu Ltd

Inventors

• Zhu Chenxi
• Chen Wei-Peng

Classifications

• H04W52/0206 Primary

  in access points, e.g. base stations · CPC title

• H04W24/02 Primary

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• Y02B60/50

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H04W84/045

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

• Y02D30/70

  in wireless communication networks · CPC title