Method and apparatus for providing access to a packet data network
Assigneeip.access Limited
InventorsDavid Neil, Neil Philip Piercy
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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.
Claims16
A network element of a cellular communication network, the network element comprising:
- signal processing logic comprising a gateway router that is coupled to respective local gateway interfaces of a plurality of base stations, wherein the signal processing logic is arranged to receive requests to access a packet data network (PDN) from wireless communication units and to initiate access activation in response thereto;
- wherein the signal processing logic receives a request to access a PDN that is identified by a generic address corresponding to gateway interfaces of the plurality of base stations from a wireless communication unit within a communication cell, and the gateway router is arranged to:
- identify, from the plurality of base stations identified by the generic address, a base station supporting communications in the communication cell within which the wireless communication unit is located;
- and
- obtain an address for a gateway interface of the identified base station with which the signal processing logic is to initiate access activation of the wireless communication unit to a local PDN coupled to the identified base station;
- wherein the obtained gateway interface address of the identified base station is subsequently used as a gateway in routing communications between the wireless communication unit and the local PDN.
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 (PDN) that is identified by a generic address corresponding to gateway interfaces of a plurality of base stations from a wireless communication unit within a communication cell;
- identifying, from the plurality of base stations identified by the generic address, a base station that supports communications in the communication cell within which the wireless communication unit is located;
- obtaining an address for a gateway interface of the identified base station;
- and
- initiating access activation of the wireless communication unit to a local PDN coupled to the identified base station;
- wherein the obtained gateway interface address of the identified base station is subsequently used as a gateway in routing communications between the wireless communication unit and the local PDN.
A network element of a cellular communication network, the network element comprising:
- signal processing logic circuit comprising a gateway router that is coupled to respective local gateway interfaces of a plurality of base stations, wherein the signal processing logic circuit is arranged to receive requests to access a packet data network (PDN) from wireless communication units and to initiate access activation in response thereto;
- wherein the signal processing logic circuit receives a request to access a PDN that is identified by a generic address corresponding to gateway interfaces of the plurality of base stations from a wireless communication unit within a communication cell, the gateway router is arranged to:
- identify, from the plurality of base stations identified by the generic address, a base station supporting communications in the communication cell within which the wireless communication unit is located;
- and
- obtain an address for a gateway interface of the identified base station with which the signal processing logic circuit is to initiate access activation of the wireless communication unit to a local PDN coupled to the identified base station;
- wherein the obtained gateway interface address of the identified base station is subsequently used as a gateway in routing communications between the wireless communication unit and the local PDN.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.