3GPP base station, in particular eNodeB, enabling discovery of non-3GPP access networks, in particular Wi-Fi access points

摘要

The present invention relates to a base station of a 3GPP network, such as an eNodeB, which builds its own Wi-Fi map, i.e. information about the Wi-Fi environment in the vicinity of the base station. It is known that a user equipment can query a so-called Access Network Discovery and Selection Function within the evolved packet core for information about non-3GPP accesses. However, information as specified by IEEE 802.1-2011 (Wi-Fi Alliance Hotspot 2.0) is currently not included in this ANDSF information. Another solution being discussed at 3GPP is that the user equipment needs to scan, retrieve in the beacon and/or send Access Network Query Protocol queries, also known under the acronym ANQP, to obtain a list of networks that may be available in the vicinity of the user equipment and information assisting the user equipment to expedite the connection to these networks. However, a equipment-based solution has several drawbacks such as battery consumption, and that the information can not be generated ahead of time, i.e. the equipment must be under Wi-Fi network coverage. This problem is solved by the application in that 3GPP base station BS (BS1) comprises a Wi-Fi interface (WI) which obtains the above mentioned information by a) sending Access Network Query Protocol Queries (ANQP_q) and receiving respective responses (ANQP_r) from the wireless hotspots (WH); b) reading beacon information from the wireless hotspots; or c) sending Probe requests and receiving corresponding responses. In a further alternative, the information may also be obtained from a neighbour base station over an X2 interface.