Patent ID: 8676193
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for connecting a subscriber station with its operator using a wireless base station belonging to a different operator, comprising: establishing a wireless connection between (i) a wireless base station belonging to a first operator and (ii) at least one subscriber station associated with a second operator, using wireless spectrum belonging to the first operator; opening a dedicated backhaul channel between the wireless base station and a second core network data source belonging to the second operator, wherein said dedicated backhaul channel is used substantially solely for communicating data sets between the second operator and the at least one subscriber station; communicating data sets between the second core network data source and the at least one subscriber station, via (i) the dedicated backhaul channel and (ii) the wireless base station using the wireless spectrum; opening a general backhaul channel between the wireless base station and a first core network data source belonging to the first operator, prior to opening the dedicated backhaul channel, wherein said general backhaul channel is used substantially solely for communicating data sets between the first operator and subscriber stations associated with the first operator; and communicating data sets between the first core network data source belonging to the first operator and the subscriber stations associated with the first operator, via (i) the general backhaul channel and (ii) the wireless base station using the wireless spectrum, substantially concurrently with communicating data sets between the second core network data source belonging to the second operator and the at least one subscriber station associated with the second operator; thereby creating a traffic separation at backhaul level between (i) data sets communicated between the first operator and its subscriber stations, and (ii) data sets communicated between the second operator and its subscriber stations; wherein both subscriber stations associated with the first operator and subscriber stations associated with the second operator are wirelessly connected to the wireless base station, via a single radio access network created by the wireless base station using the wireless spectrum, thereby creating a traffic union at the radio access network between (i) data sets communicated between the first operator and its subscriber stations, and (ii) data sets communicated between the second operator and its subscriber stations.