Methods and devices for limiting access to femtocell radio access networks
US8515434B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 8, 2010 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 5, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W84/045
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Femtocell radio access network (RAN) devices are typically small, low-cost base stations that can be deployed in areas where macro-cellular RAN coverage is poor or congested. Thus, wireless communication devices (WCDs) using femtocell devices may benefit from improved wireless coverage, while traffic is offloaded from the macro-cellular RAN. It is desirable to use femtocell devices to their full extent, but also to give the owners of these femtocell devices control over which WCDs may use of femtocell services. Accordingly, femtocell devices may be provisioned with a “greylist” that specifies which WCDs are granted full femtocell services, and which WCDs are granted limited or no femtocell services.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.