Patent ID: 9107110
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A clustered femtocell network, comprising: a plurality of femtocell access points that are connected via a logical interface to a mobile network in order to provide user equipment with radio access to said mobile network, the user equipment being configured to perform handovers between the femtocell access points, wherein said mobile network includes a Mobility Management Function (MMF) and a logical function, which is a Proxy Mobility Management Function (P-MMF), is provided that enables local mobility management of said user equipment in said clustered femtocell network, the P-MMF hides the handovers from the MMF by intercepting and interpreting mobility-related signaling between said MMF and said femtocell access points such that the P-MMF emulates towards said femtocell access points the behavior of the MMF of said mobile network in handling the handovers and towards the MMF of said mobile network the behavior of said femtocell access points such that there is no indication to the MMF that the user equipment does not remain attached to the same femtocell access point.