Method and apparatus for integrated wireless communications in private and public network environments

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 in which the call control message requesting a location update and received from the mobile station at the private base transceiver stations and being passed to the processing layer for mobility management resident within the private base transceiver stations additionally, comprises: reformatting the call control message as an external message requesting registration by the packet interface layer, the external message specifying the mobile station identifier; sending the external message from the packet interface layer over the packet data network; and receiving a confirmation message confirming registration over the packet data network, the confirmation message including a packet data network identifier for the mobile station, the packet data network operable for direct communication with a public wireless network.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 2 additionally comprising: before the step of sending the external message, issuing a channel request message from the mobile station to a layer for radio resource functions resident within the private base transceiver stations; and returning an immediate channel assignment message from the layer for radio resource functions to the mobile station.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 3 additionally comprising: returning a message confirming acknowledgment from the packet data network indicating call parameters as an encapsulated packet data network message.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 1 additionally establishing a connection for a mobile station initiated call, comprising the steps of: sending a call setup message from the mobile station to the private base transceiver stations, the call setup message being received at the processing layer for mobility management, the call setup message indicating a called party number; forming an internal setup message in a layer for connection management associated with the private base transceiver stations, and forwarding the internal setup message to the packet interface layer of the private base transceiver stations; and forming a message requesting acknowledgment from the internal setup message, and forwarding the message requesting acknowledgment across the packet data network.

Claim 7

A method as in claim 5 additionally comprising: sending a setup message from the private base transceiver stations across the packet data network, the setup message including an indicator of the called party number to be used by the mobile station; in response thereto, receiving, at the private base transceiver stations, a call proceeding message from the packet data network; forwarding the call proceeding message internally to the layer for connection management within the private base transceiver stations; and forwarding a call proceeding message from the layer for connection management through to the processing layer for mobility management, to the mobile station.

Claim 8

A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising terminating a call at a mobile station, comprising the steps of: receiving, from the packet data network, a setup message encapsulated in a data network message; forwarding the setup message through an internal protocol stack as an internal setup message indicating a called party number and other configuration information to the layer for connection management in the private base transceiver stations; and sending an internal page request message from the layer for connection management to the layer for radio resource functions within the private base transceiver stations.

Claim 9

A method as in claim 7 additionally comprising: the layer for radio resource functions issuing a paging request message to the mobile station; and in response thereto, the mobile station returning a paging response message indicating a mobile station identifier to the processing layer for mobility management to initiate a begin call sequence.

Claim 10

A method as in claim 8 additionally comprising: after the call setup message is received at the layer for connection management; providing a begin call internal message from the layer for connection management to the packet interface layer, the begin call message initiating a message requesting acknowledgment that includes the mobile station identifier and called party number; receiving, from the packet data network, a message confirming acknowledgment indicating connection information; and generating an internal accepted call message using the received message confirming acknowledgment to establish the ability to receive a call.

Claim 11

A method as in claim 9 additionally comprising: in response to receiving the accepted call message at the layer for connection management, generating a setup message to the mobile station, the setup message indicating a called party number and channel number; returning a call confirmed message from the mobile station to the layer for connection management; generating an internal call confirmed message from the layer for connection management to the packet layer interface; and generating an open channel message from the packet layer interface to the packet data network to open channels for information transfer.

Claim 12

A method as in claim 1 in which the call control messages indicate a handover of servicing the mobile station from a serving private base transceiver stations to a target private base transceiver stations, further comprising: passing a handover request message from the layer for connection management within the private base transceiver stations to the packet layer interface; generating a location request message indicating the private base transceiver stations identifier and called party number; and returning from the packet data network a location confirmation message indicating handover processing information.

Claim 13

A method as in claim 11 additionally comprising: forwarding a handover message from the packet layer interface as a nonstandard packet data network message indicating a handover request; and receiving a handover acceptance message as a nonstandard packet data network message.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 12 additionally comprising: upon receipt of a connection message from the target private base transceiver stations reporting on allocation of resources, bridging a release complete message received from the target private base transceiver stations at the serving private base transceiver stations from the packet layer interface to the layer for connection management; bridging the release complete message from the layer for connection management to the processing layer for mobility management; and forwarding a handover command from the processing layer for mobility management to the mobile station.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 wherein the external control messages causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver stations associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver stations.

Claim 16

A computer program product having computer program code for allowing a mobile station to communicate in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system comprising a plurality of private base transceiver stations, the private base transceiver stations having radio transceivers that communicate data and signaling information with the mobile station, the private base transceiver stations also having a processing layer for mobility management and a call control processing layer contained within them, the private base transceiver stations interconnected by a packet data network, comprising: computer program code for receiving a call control message at the private base transceiver stations and passing the call control message to the processing layer for mobility management resident within the private base transceiver stations, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier; computer program code for forwarding the call control message internally within the private base transceiver stations to a packet interface layer in the private base transceiver stations, the packet interface layer providing communication between the private base transceiver stations and other nodes connected to the packet data network; computer program code for, at the packet interface layer, formatting an external control message intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and computer program code for forwarding the external control message across the packet data network.

Claim 17

A computer program product having computer program code for allowing a mobile station to communicate in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system comprising a plurality of private base transceiver stations, the private base transceiver stations having radio transceivers that communicate data and signaling information with the mobile station, the private base transceiver stations also having a processing layer for mobility management and a call control processing layer contained within them, the private base transceiver stations interconnected by a packet data network, comprising: computer program code for receiving a call control message at the private base transceiver stations and passing the call control message to the processing layer for mobility management resident within the private base transceiver stations, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier; computer program code for forwarding the call control message internally within the private base transceiver stations to a packet interface layer in the private base transceiver stations, the packet interface layer providing communication between the private base transceiver stations and other nodes connected to the packet data network; computer program code for, at the packet interface layer, formatting an external control message intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and computer program code for forwarding the external control message across the packet data network.

Claim 18

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the external control messages causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver stations associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver stations.

Claim 19

A wireless communication system including a plurality of private base transceiver stations, the private base transceiver stations having radio transceivers that communicate data and signaling information with the mobile station, the private base transceiver stations also having a processing layer for mobility management and a call control processing layer contained within them, the private base transceiver stations interconnected by a packet data network, comprising: a private base transceiver stations operable to receive a call control message at the private base transceiver stations and pass the call control message to the processing layer for mobility management resident within the private base transceiver stations, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier; a packet interface layer in the private base transceiver stations operable to receive the forwarded call control message internally within the private base transceiver stations, the packet interface layer further operable to provide communication between the private base transceiver stations and other nodes connected to the packet data network; an external control message formatted at the packet interface layer and intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and a packet data network operable to forward the external control message.

Claim 20

A wireless communication system including a plurality of private base transceiver stations, the private base transceiver stations having radio transceivers that communicate data and signaling information with the mobile station, the private base transceiver stations also having a processing layer for mobility management and a call control processing layer contained within them, the private base transceiver stations interconnected by a packet data network, comprising: a private base transceiver stations operable to receive a call control message at the private base transceiver stations and pass the call control message to the processing layer for mobility management resident within the private base transceiver stations, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier; a packet interface layer in the private base transceiver stations operable to receive the forwarded call control message internally within the private base transceiver stations, the packet interface layer further operable to provide communication between the private base transceiver stations and other nodes connected to the packet data network; an external control message formatted at the packet interface layer and intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and a packet data network operable to forward the external control message.

Claim 21

The wireless communication system of claim 17 wherein the external control messages causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver stations associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver stations.

Claim 22

A wireless communication system including a plurality of private base transceiver stations, the private base transceiver stations having radio transceivers that communicate data and signaling information with the mobile station, the private base transceiver stations also having a processing layer for mobility management and a call control processing layer contained within them, the private base transceiver stations interconnected by a packet data network, comprising: means for receiving a call control message at the private base transceiver stations and for passing the call control message to the processing layer for mobility management resident within the private base transceiver stations, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier; means for forwarding the call control message internally within the private base transceiver stations to a packet interface layer in the private base transceiver stations, the packet interface layer operable to provide communication between the private base transceiver stations and other nodes connected to the packet data network; means for, at the packet interface layer, formatting an external control message intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and means for forwarding the external control message across the packet data network.

Claim 23

A wireless communication system including a plurality of private base transceiver stations, the private base transceiver stations having radio transceivers that communicate data and signaling information with the mobile station, the private base transceiver stations also having a processing layer for mobility management and a call control processing layer contained within them, the private base transceiver stations interconnected by a packet data network, comprising: means for receiving a call control message at the private base transceiver stations and for passing the call control message to the processing layer for mobility management resident within the private base transceiver stations, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier; means for forwarding the call control message internally within the private base transceiver stations to a packet interface layer in the private base transceiver stations, the packet interface layer operable to provide communication between the private base transceiver stations and other nodes connected to the packet data network; means for, at the packet interface layer, formatting an external control message intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and means for forwarding the external control message across the packet data network.

Claim 24

The wireless communication system of claim 19 wherein the external control messages causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver stations associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver stations.