Femtocell access control

摘要

Methods and apparatus for controlling access of a mobile device to a femtocell base station in a communications network are described. The method determines whether to allow access of the mobile device to the femtocell base station based on the femtocell-mobile device path loss for transmissions between the mobile device and the femtocell base station. Access may be allowed if the femtocell-mobile device pathloss is lower than a threshold amount. Additionally or alternatively access may be allowed only if the femtocell-mobile device pathloss is lower than the macrocell-mobile device pathloss for transmissions between the mobile device and a macrocell base station. The method is particularly applicable for hybrid access mode femtocells and additional conditions may be applied regarding the number of mobile device that are not part of the subscriber group that can access the femtocell. The method may be implemented by the femtocell, the macrocell or by any other suitable network device.

主权项

1. A method for controlling access of a mobile device to a femtocell base station comprising:
determining whether to allow access of the mobile device to the femtocell base station based on a femtocell-mobile device pathloss for transmissions between the mobile device and the femtocell base station; applying one or more constraints governing transmission with a mobile device that is not part of a preferred group of mobile devices for the femtocell base station, when access to the femtoceil base station is allowed to the mobile device which is not part of the preferred group of mobile devices, wherein the one or more constraints comprises a power cap on the power of uplink transmission from the mobile device to the femtocell base station, and wherein the power cap for the mobile device which is not part of the preferred group is higher than a power cap for other mobile devices that are part of the preferred group.