# US 9,521,149 B2 · Means and method for controlling network access in integrated communications networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,521,149 B2 - Document ID: US9521149B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/993,669 - Filed: 2005-06-28 - Published: 2010-02-11 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2005-06-28 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Joachim Sachs; Ian Herwono - Inventors: Joachim Sachs; Ian Herwono - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521149B2 ## CPC - H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles} - H04L 43/0847: {Transmission error} - H04L 43/087: Jitter - H04L 43/0888: Throughput - H04L 63/061: {for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838)} - H04L 63/0869: {for achieving mutual authentication (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273)} - H04L 63/0892: {by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols} - H04W 12/069: using certificates or pre-shared keys - H04W 12/082: using revocation of authorisation - H04W 28/18: Negotiating wireless communication parameters - H04W 74/00: Wireless channel access - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods may be used by a Multi Radio Resource Management function for assisting the control of a User Terminal's access to an access network domain in a radio communications network. The MRRM function is arranged to communicate with a first radio access network domain to which a first authorization entity, A1, authorizes UTs access, and to communicate with at least a second radio access network domain to which a second authorization entity, A2, authorizes UTs access. The methods include receiving at least one radio resource information message, RRIM, from the second access network domain, the message comprising at least one parameter value, X2, of at least one radio resource parameter, P2, related to the traffic load and/or the radio resource consumption and/or the characteristics of at least one radio traffic channel, associated with said second access network domain. The methods further includes: defining a criterion, C, for granting the UT access to the second access network domain, wherein C is a function of at least X2; establishing whether C is fulfilled or not for UT; and instructing A2 that UT is authorized to access the second access network domain if C is fulfilled for UT and instructing A2 that UT is not authorized to access the second access network domain if C is not fulfilled for UT. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for assisting the control of a User Terminal's, UT's, access to an access network domain in a radio communications network, said method to be used by a Multi Radio Resource Management, MRRM, function of said communications network, said MRRM function being arranged to communicate with a first radio access network domain to which a first authorization entity, A1, authorizes UTs access, and to communicate with at least a second radio access network domain to which a second authorization entity, A2, authorizes UTs access, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, from said second authorization entity, A2, an indication that said UT is authorized to access said second access network domain according to a local authorization policy, wherein said local authorization policy forms a pre-requisite condition for granting UT access to the second authorization entity; receiving at least one radio resource information message, RRIM, from said second access network domain, said message comprising at least one parameter value, X2, of at least one radio resource parameter, P2, related to the traffic load and/or the radio resource consumption and/or the characteristics of at least one radio traffic channel, associated with said second access network domain, defining a criterion, C, for granting said UT access to said second access network domain, wherein said C is a function of at least said parameter value, X2, establishing whether said criterion, C, is fulfilled or not for said UT, instructing said second authorization entity, A2, that said UT is authorized to access said second access network domain if said pre-requisite condition is fulfilled and if said criterion, C, is fulfilled for said UT and instructing said second authorization entity, A2, that said UT is not authorized to access said second access network domain if said criterion, C, is not fulfilled for said UT, wherein said MRRM function resides in a same network node as said second authorization entity, A2; and wherein the definition of said criterion C comprises the following steps: defining a minimum tolerable threshold value, X2MiN for said radio resource parameter P2, being a QoS value requested by said UT, estimating the effective value, X2EST, of said parameter P2 as a consequence of said UT being granted access to said second access network domain, and granting said UT access to said second access network domain only if said X2EST exceeds said X2MIN. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein said X2 represents a total traffic load associated with said second access network domain in terms of throughput (Kb/s), total number of served users (UTs), interference value (e.g. in terms of W or SIR), total number of channel access collisions, transmission power (W), or represents a radio resource consumption in terms of transmission power (W), total number of served UTs, total number of used codes or sub-carriers or time slots, associated with said second access network domain, or represents a radio channel quality of said UT, in terms of a SNR-value or a SIR-value or a BER-value or a FER-value or throughput-value (Kb/s) or packet delay value (ms). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein said first access network domain forms a 3GPP cellular radio network and said second access network domain forms a wireless data network according to an IEEE 802 standard or according to a standard Internet protocol for mobile applications, MIP, or wherein said second access network domain forms a 3GPP cellular radio network and said first access network domain forms a wireless data network according to an IEEE 802 standard or according to a standard Internet protocol for mobile applications, MIP. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: monitoring whether said criterion C continues to be fulfilled after having instructed said A2 to grant authorization for said UT, establishing that said C is no longer fulfilled for said UT, instructing said A2 to revoke the authorization for said UT to access said second access network domain. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: forming a global access policy concerning at least one UT's authorization to access said second access network domain, wherein said global policy is a function of said criterion, C, monitoring radio resource parameter values relating to said second access network domain and/or said first access network domain and establishing the authorization status for at least said UT according to said global policy, detecting the change of authorization status for at least said UT, according to said global policy, forming a policy update message comprising an authorization instruction, sending said policy update message to said authorization entity application, A2, responsible for establishing whether said UT is authorized to access said second access network domain. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5 wherein said authorization instruction comprises a maximum or minimum tolerable parameter value associated with said second access network domain. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of instructing said second authorization entity, A2, comprises the following step: sending an access network domain access reply message comprising an access grant identifier indicating the authorization status of said UT based on said C, and comprising a UT identifier, to said A2 entity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein said MRRM function is realized as a MRRM entity residing in a single network node and wherein said RRIM message/s comprises a plurality of parameter values related to at least one radio resource parameter, or a set of radio resource parameters, of said radio communications network and wherein said C is a function of said plurality of parameter values. ### Claim 9 A network node comprising a Multi Radio Resource Management, MRRM, function for assisting the control of a User Terminal's, UT's, access to an access network domain, said MRRM function being arranged to communicate with a first access network domain in an integrated radio communications network to which domain a first authorization entity, A1, authorizes UTs access, and being arranged to communicate with a second access network domain in said communications network to which domain a second authorization entity, A2, authorizes UTs access, wherein said network node is configured to perform steps comprising: receiving, from said second authorization entity, A2, an indication that said UT is authorized to access said second access network domain according to a local authorization policy, wherein said local authorization policy forms a pre-requisite condition for granting UT access to the second authorization entity; receiving at least one radio resource information message, RRIM, from said second access network domain, said message comprising at least one parameter value, X2, of at least one radio resource parameter, P2, related to the traffic load and/or the radio resource consumption and/or the characteristics of at least one radio traffic channel, associated with said second access network domain, defining a criterion, C, for granting said UT access to said second access network domain, wherein said C is a function of at least said parameter value, X2, establishing whether said criterion, C, is fulfilled or not for said UT, instructing said second authorization entity, A2, that said UT is authorized to access said second access network domain if said pre-requisite condition is fulfilled and if said criterion, C, is fulfilled for said UT and instructing said second authorization entity, A2, that said UT is not authorized to access said second access network domain if said criterion, C, is not fulfilled for said UT, wherein said second authorization entity, A2, and said MRRM function reside in said network node; and wherein the definition of said criterion C comprises the following steps: defining a minimum tolerable threshold value, X2MiN for said radio resource parameter P2, being a QoS value requested by said UT, estimating the effective value, X2EST, of said parameter P2 as a consequence of said UT being granted access to said second access network domain, and granting said UT access to said second access network domain only if said X2EST exceeds said X2MIN. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The network node according to claim 9, further being arranged as a Radio Network Controller, RNC, being arranged to communicate with said first access network domain via a first data port, and to communicate with said second access network domain via a second data port. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory data storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for assisting the control of a User Terminal's, UT's, access to an access network domain in a radio communications network, said method to be used by a Multi Radio Resource Management, MRRM, function of said communications network, said MRRM function being arranged to communicate with a first radio access network domain to which a first authorization entity, A1, authorizes UTs access, and to communicate with at least a second radio access network domain to which a second authorization entity, A2, authorizes UTs access, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, from said second authorization entity, A2, an indication that said UT is authorized to access said second access network domain according to a local authorization policy, wherein said local authorization policy forms a pre-requisite condition for granting UT access to the second authorization entity; receiving at least one radio resource information message, RRIM, from said second access network domain, said message comprising at least one parameter value, X2, of at least one radio resource parameter, P2, related to the traffic load and/or the radio resource consumption and/or the characteristics of at least one radio traffic channel, associated with said second access network domain, defining a criterion, C, for granting said UT access to said second access network domain, wherein said C is a function of at least said parameter value, X2, establishing whether said criterion, C, is fulfilled or not for said UT, instructing said second authorization entity, A2, that said UT is authorized to access said second access network domain if said pre-requisite condition is fulfilled and if said criterion, C, is fulfilled for said UT and instructing said second authorization entity, A2, that said UT is not authorized to access said second access network domain if said criterion, C, is not fulfilled for said UT, wherein said Multi Radio Resource Management, MRRM, function resides in a same network node as said second authorization entity, A2; and wherein the definition of said criterion C comprises the following steps: defining a minimum tolerable threshold value, X2MiN for said radio resource parameter P2, being a QoS value requested by said UT, estimating the effective value, X2EST, of said parameter P2 as a consequence of said UT being granted access to said second access network domain, and granting said UT access to said second access network domain only if said X2EST exceeds said X2MIN.