System for facilitating personal communications with multiple wireless transmit/receive units

Abstract

A system for supporting security and mobility management of wireless communications to multiple wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) includes a first database having a listing of each of the WTRUs along with their capabilities, and a second database having a listing of the location of each of the WTRUs. The second database has at least one subgroup which corresponds to at least two WTRUs which are co-located. The WTRUs in the subgroup are treated as a single WTRU for security and mobility management.

1 . A method for optimizing a communication between a network and a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the WTRU being associated with other WTRUs in a group, and the WTRUs in the group having a local connection with each other, the method comprising: 
 establishing a database containing information regarding capabilities of a WTRU and an association of the WTRU with other WTRUs in a group to which the WTRU belongs; and,    optimizing a transmission of data directed to the WTRU based on the WTRU capabilities and the association of the WTRU with other WTRUs in the group.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the database contains information regarding addresses, bearer capabilities, service subscriptions, locations, security status, security binding, and WTRU connectivity.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of optimizing a transmission comprises: 
 identifying a group identification (ID) of the group to which the WTRU belongs;    identifying the connectivity among WTRUs in the group; and,    finding a route for transmission of the data based on the connectivity.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the data is first transmitted to one of the WTRUs in the group and the WTRU that received the data from the network transmits the data to other WTRUs in the group using the local connection.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the WTRU that received the data from the network sends an alarm to other WTRUs in the group before sending the data to the other WTRUs.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the data is first transmitted to one of the WTRUs in the group and the data is relayed from one WTRU to another WTRU in the group one by one.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the data is stored in each WTRU until the last member of the group receives the data.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the network considers a security status of each WTRU in the group as being verified once a security status of one WTRU in the group is verified.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a location of the WTRU is updated in the database once a location of the WTRU changes.  
   
   
       10 . A system for optimizing a communication between a network and a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the WTRU being associated to other WTRUs in a group to which the WTRU belongs, the system comprising: 
 a network comprising: 
 a database containing information regarding capabilities of a WTRU and an association of the WTRU with other WTRUs in a group to which the WTRU belongs;  
 means for optimizing a transmission of data directed to one of WTRUs in the group based on the capabilities of the WTRU and the association of the WTRU with other WTRUs in the group; and  
   a plurality of WTRUs, each WTRU configured to communicate with other WTRUs via a local connection.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the database includes information regarding addresses, bearer capabilities, service subscriptions, locations, security status, security binding, and WTRU connectivity.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the means for optimizing a transmission comprises: 
 means for identifying a group identification (ID) of a group to which the WTRU belongs;    means for identifying the connectivity among WTRUs in the group; and,    means for finding a route for transmission of the data based on the connectivity.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the network is configured to first transmit data to one of the WTRUs in the group, and the WTRU that received the data from the network is configured to transmit the data to other WTRUs in the group using the local connection.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the WTRU that received the data from the network is configured to send an alarm to other WTRUs in the group before sending the data to other WTRUs.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the network is configured to first transmit data to one of the WTRUs in the group such that the data is relayed from one WTRU to another WTRU in the group one by one.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the data is stored in each WTRU until the last member of the group receives the data.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the network further comprises a means for checking a security status of a WTRU, whereby the network considers a security status of each WTRU in a group as being verified once a security status of one WTRU in the group is verified.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 10  wherein each WTRU further comprises a means for updating the location of the WTRU in the database.  
   
   
       19 . A network station for a wireless communication system comprising: 
 a database configured to contain information regarding capabilities of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and an association of the WTRU with other WTRUs in a group to which the WTRU belongs; and    means for optimizing a transmission of data directed to one of WTRUs in the group based on the capabilities of the WTRU and the association of the WTRU with other WTRUs in the group.    
   
   
       20 . The network station of  claim 19  wherein the database is configured to include information regarding addresses, bearer capabilities, service subscriptions, locations, security status, security binding, and WTRU connectivity.  
   
   
       21 . The network station of  claim 19  wherein the means for optimizing a transmission comprises: 
 means for identifying a group identification (ID) of a group to which the WTRU belongs;    means for identifying the connectivity among WTRUs in the group; and    means for finding a route for transmission of the data based on the connectivity.    
   
   
       22 . The network station of  claim 19  wherein the means for optimizing a transmission is configured to transmit data to one of the WTRUs in the group such that the data is relayed from one WTRU to another WTRU in the group one by one.  
   
   
       23 . The network station of  claim 19  further comprising means for checking a security status of a WTRU, whereby a security status of each WTRU in a group is considered as being verified once a security status of one WTRU in the group is verified.