Extending Geofencing to Enterprise Roaming and Neutral Host

Abstract

Geofencing information for enterprise campus sites is stored in a geofencing database. Having such geofencing information available makes it possible to save power by limiting scans to only regions that are relevant to the User Equipment (UE) doing the scanning. Dynamic credential selection is also made possible. The geofence database is learned and/or provisioned from individual enterprise deployments. As a new enterprise network is deployed, the network accesses a resource that manages the geofencing database and provides information for the newly deployed network.

Claims

1. A method comprising: a) determining whether enterprise information is defined for a specific campus; and b) using the enterprise information and associating a User Equipment (UE) with a Mobile Network Operator subscription to be provisioned to announce preferred enterprise campuses where a neutral host is deployed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The disclosed method and apparatus, in accordance with one or more various embodiments, is described with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict examples of some embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding of the disclosed method and apparatus. They should not be considered to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the claimed invention. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are not necessarily made to scale.

[0028] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a basic configuration for a communication network.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a wireless communication network implemented as an enterprise network using a CBRS system.

[0030] FIG. 3 is an illustration of some of the components of various identifiers and the source of those components.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows relevant identifiers and some provisioning information.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows the addition of an MNO PLMN-ID having a list of MNO PLMN-IDs as part of the enterprise deployment information.

[0033] The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed invention to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that the disclosed method and apparatus can be practiced with modification and alteration, and that the invention should be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Geofencing

[0034] In some embodiments, geofencing information for enterprise campus sites is stored in a geofencing database. Having such geofencing information available makes it possible to save power by limiting scans to only regions that are relevant to the UE doing the scanning. Furthermore, dynamic credential selection is made possible. In some embodiments, the geofence database is learned and/or provisioned from individual enterprise deployments. That is, in some embodiments, as a new enterprise network is deployed, the network accesses a resource that manages the geofencing database and provides information for the newly deployed network. In some embodiments, a UE learns geofencing for preferred enterprise campuses locally. For example, in some embodiments, when a UE camps on an enterprise network BS/AP, the UE will receive geofencing information for the enterprise network. In addition, the UE may receive geofencing information for neighboring networks as well. In some such embodiments, the UE is capable of interfacing with a geofencing database management entity and providing information to that entity to allow the geofencing database to be updated with information related to the enterprise network. This information can be shared with a server for crowdsourcing either by the UE directly or through the geofencing database.

[0035] In some embodiments, enterprise campuses have building level geofencing to allow a UE to appropriately transition across MNO and enterprise networks. When a UE enters a building, geofencing information allows the UE to transition from an MNO to the appropriate enterprise network. In some embodiments, using GPS based geofencing alone impacts the UE's power consumption, since the UE must continuously determine its GPS location. Accordingly, an additional method for determining the location of the UE may be employed to reduce the amount of power consumed by the UE. In some embodiments, the GPS location that is marked during the deployment of a gNB/eNB does not necessarily provide the actual coverage of the enterprise network nor coverage of the macro MNO network for different service providers that might be necessary for determining the appropriate transition points between the two networks. However, in some embodiments, part of the deployment procedures includes marking the extremities of the campus.

[0036] In some embodiments, the database uses a secure key-based enterprise network identifier. In some embodiments, further classification of the enterprise network is performed to allow a distributed campus within an enterprise to be identified and managed based on the GPS location of the enterprise network and UEs that enter the enterprise campus.

[0037] In some embodiments, a geofencing database receives and stores some or all of the following information which is associated with each enterprise network identifier and GPS location: (1) the eNBs and their associated GPS locations; and (2) for each MNO: (a) the cell IDs of MNO networks near the campus; and (b) one or more of the reference signal receive power (RSRP) values (i.e., the average power received from a single Reference signal) of the active and candidate macro MNO Cell IDs radio signature that can be used as an entry point into a campus. In some embodiments, individual signatures for each entry point to the network campus are retained independently to allow each such entry point into the campus to be recognized. In some embodiments, the GPS information associated with each of the radio signatures are also maintained in the GPS database.

Geofencing Information Provided to the UE

[0038] In some embodiments, the UE queries the database, providing to the database the preferred enterprise network identifier and the UE's current location. The database responds with a set of radio signatures associated with the closest enterprise campus. In some embodiments, the radio signatures are provided with a set of locations that are typically visited by users. In some embodiments, this is associated with weights used as a time series to determine a campus entry and exit point. In some embodiments, the GPS information is provided as an aggregate. In some cases, the information provides a “trilateral” center of the campus with a radial distance that is used to determine the campus boundaries. In some cases, a set of GPS points are provided along with the radial distances to assist in identifying the boundaries. In some embodiments, the information provides a segment-linear boundary with a set of GPS points with straight lines connecting each of the dots marking the boundary.

UE Behavior in Geofencing

[0039] In some embodiments, a UE runs scans for enterprise networks based on “feed-forward classification”. In some such embodiments, the radio signatures are used as a static signature. In some embodiments, the radio signatures are used as a time series along with the weights provided. In some embodiments, GPS information is used if the radio signatures are not available or the identity cannot be determined from the MNO network radio signature. In some embodiments, if neither the radio signature nor a GPS location is available, the UE performs sawtooth based scans with a configurable timer determining the amount of time between scans, as well as the time between initiating the sawtooth pattern.

[0040] In some embodiments, to reduce the amount of data to be sent to the UE, one or more of the following methods can be employed. In some embodiments, for enterprises with multiple sites, the information is recorded on a site basis and the information is provide to the UE based on the UEs current location, including sites in the proximity of the UE. The GPS information of the deployed CBSDs is used to determine a combined representation of a set comprising a location of a center and a radius about that center. In some embodiments, this is stored as a single entry. In some embodiments, the CBSD is stored with a maximum+/−50 m error in the GPS location. Nonetheless, most deployments define the CBSD GPS location with greater accuracy than the maximum+/−50 m error. In some embodiments, the expected error in the GPS information is also provided as part of the information provided at the time the enterprise is deployed (or the time an additional BS/AP is added to the network). The expected error may be used to manage the definition of the geofence.

[0041] In another embodiment, GPS locations of the campus extremities are collected and unified into a small set of entries. As part of the deployment process, radio signature of the MNO networks are collected. The information in the radio signature may consist of a set comprising {Channel, Cell ID, RSRP range}. In some embodiments, there are several points on campus where this information is collected, ideally along the extremities of the campus. This information is unified to have a set of MNO network pilots along with their RSRP ranges.

[0042] In some embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus, arbitration is allowed across available networks of MNO, enterprise LTE/NR and WiFi networks based on subscriptions and user preferences. A UE may have several subscriptions: MNO, Enterprise LTE/NR, and Wi-Fi. In some instances, devices prefer Wi-Fi camping over any LTE/NR networks, including the enterprise LTE/NR networks. In some embodiments, the UE identifies policies for the UE to optimally use the MNO, Enterprise LTE/NR, and Wi-Fi based on the UE preferences/subscriptions. In some embodiments, the UE can specify policies that can be defined by the enterprise campus IT, potentially influenced by MNOs to define the preference of UE operations across MNO, enterprise LTE/NR, and Wi-Fi networks. These policies will depend on the services/applications. The policies can be static or dynamic based on the realtime conditions.

[0043] In some embodiments, provide the ability to dynamically select from among the available enterprise credentials stored on the UE. The UE will have multiple enterprise credentials on the device stored as embedded credentials. Rather than requiring the user to identify the specific embedded credential to use, the preference is based on the geofenced information to select the appropriate credential to use for the associate with the enterprise while on a specific campus.

[0044] Accordingly, in such embodiments, geofencing and other information is used to select the appropriate credential from among the available enterprise credentials. It is possible for the UE to be in the vicinity of multiple enterprises with overlapping geofences. Some embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus are methods of dynamic eSIM credential selection within and across geofenced areas.

[0045] Accordingly, the UE can be provisioned with multiple independent private credentials. Roaming allows the UE to find other networks where access is permitted for a provisioned credential. In accordance with some embodiments, provisioning of enterprise related information, including the geofencing is performed. The industry specification TS-1004 specifies the preferred location and enterprise deployment information (CBSD IDs, NIDs) to be allowed networks. In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus, the UE avoids any other networks not included in an allowed list. When roaming with a single credential is allowed, provisioning in the UE is required to identify the roaming scenarios. The UE needs to be able to identify which networks are ‘home’ enterprise networks and which are ‘roaming’ enterprise networks. The presently disclosed method and apparatus provides a clear mechanism of provisioning this information in the UE. It is important to associate the provisioned information with the single credential. Retaining a hierarchy of the database that includes both home and roaming network information will be better aligned for the UE implementation. Also from the network side, associating provisioning information with a signal credential allows a uniform behavior across all UE to be defined, by pushing all the required information from a single request based on the home network identifiers provided from the UE on an enterprise information request.

[0046] With the enterprise information associated with specific campuses already defined for private network subscriptions, in accordance with the disclosed method and apparatus, the same information is used and the device is associated with an MNO subscription to be provisioned and preferred enterprise campuses where neutral hosts are deployed are announced. This allows the UE to avoid camping onto drive-by/walk-by neutral host networks and rather allows the UE to associate with preferred neutral host deployments.

[0047] In some embodiments, the current behavior is not changed from the macro network management of the device transitions to/from the neutral host networks, but rather provides additional information to the UE that can be used for device camping optimizations.

[0048] In some embodiments, the UE is provisioned with both the MNO and enterprise subscriptions. In some such embodiments the UE with the enterprise information provisioned with the enterprise subscription can be leveraged with the knowledge of the neutral host deployments to optimize system camping. In some embodiments in which MNO coverage is weak or non-existent, the UE can transition and operate both the credentials on the enterprise network employing a same-channel Dual SIM, Dual Standby (DSDS) operation.

[0049] Although the disclosed method and apparatus is described above in terms of various examples of embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the particular features, aspects and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claimed invention should not be limited by any of the examples provided in describing the above disclosed embodiments.

[0050] Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide examples of instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or the like; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future.

[0051] A group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although items, elements or components of the disclosed method and apparatus may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.

[0052] The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. The use of the term “module” does not imply that the components or functionality described or claimed as part of the module are all configured in a common package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of a module, whether control logic or other components, can be combined in a single package or separately maintained and can further be distributed in multiple groupings or packages or across multiple locations.

[0053] Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described with the aid of block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration.