Patent ID: 7949336
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling use of a mobile network element, comprising: receiving, at a base station controller, an indication from a small base transceiver station that a mobile station associated with a mobile network is attempting to access the mobile network via the small base transceiver station, wherein the mobile station is not authorized to use the small base transceiver station to access the mobile network, wherein the small base transceiver station is located within a geographic area in which the mobile station is authorized to access the mobile network via a macro base transceiver station, and wherein the mobile station has requested a location update via the small base transceiver station; determining, at the base station controller, an identifier associated with the mobile station; determining, at the base station controller, whether the mobile station is authorized to access the mobile network via the small base transceiver station using the determined identifier associated with the mobile station; and if the base station controller determines that the mobile station is not authorized to access the mobile network via the small base transceiver station, forcing a handover of the mobile station from the small base transceiver station, wherein the forced handover is caused by a handover command generated by the base station controller and transmitted to the mobile station via the small base transceiver station even though the mobile station is not authorized to access the mobile network via the small base transceiver station.