Wireless communications method and apparatus

Abstract

A communications apparatus, suitable for establishing a wireless communications connection with a further apparatus, comprises first and second communications means. The first communications means is suitable to establish a wireless communication connection with the further apparatus and the second communications means is operable to retrieve identification information from such further apparatus. The first communications means is operable only to establish a wireless communication connection with a further apparatus on the basis of an authorisation made on the basis of information retrieved from the further apparatus by the second communications means.

1 . A communications apparatus suitable for establishing a wireless communications connection with a further apparatus, comprising:
 a first communications unit operable to establish a wireless communication connection with said further apparatus;   a second communications unit operable to retrieve identification information from said further apparatus; and   an authorisation unit operable to determine, on the basis of the retrieved identification information, whether the further apparatus is authorised;   wherein said first communications unit is operable to establish a wireless communication connection with said further apparatus, dependent on the further apparatus being authorised.   
     
     
         2 . The communications apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third communications unit operable to establish a connection with a third party data resource.   
     
     
         3 . The communications apparatus in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said third communications unit is operable to connect to a physical communications medium, for provision of a connection to the Internet. 
     
     
         4 . The communications apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said second communications unit comprises a radio frequency identification receiver, operable to communicate with a radio frequency identification tag of a further apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The communications apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said second communications unit is operable to measure, with said retrieved identification information, signal strength of a signal bearing said retrieved identification information. 
     
     
         6 . A communications network comprising:
 a first base station comprising, a first wireless communications unit suitable to establish a wireless communication connection with a mobile station within a range; and   a second base station comprising,
 a communications apparatus suitable to establish a wireless communication connection with a mobile station within a range, and comprising, 
 a first communications unit operable to establish a wireless communication connection with said mobile station, 
 a second communications unit operable to retrieve identification information from said mobile station, and 
 an authorisation unit operable to determine, on the basis of the retrieved identification information, whether the mobile station is authorised; 
   wherein said first communications unit is operable to establish a wireless communication connection with said mobile station, dependent on the further apparatus being authorised,   wherein the range of the first base station is substantially larger than the range of the second base station.   
     
     
         7 . A communications network comprising:
 a first base station comprising,   a first wireless communications unit suitable to establish a wireless communication connection with a mobile station within a range; and   a plurality of second base stations, each second base station comprising,
 a communications apparatus, suitable to establish a wireless communication connection with a mobile station within a range, and comprising, 
 a first communications unit operable to establish a wireless communication connection with said mobile station, 
 a second communications unit operable to retrieve identification information from said mobile station, and 
 an authorisation unit operable to determine, on the basis of the retrieved identification information, whether the mobile station is authorised; 
   wherein said first communications unit is operable to establish a wireless communication connection with said mobile station, dependent on the further apparatus being authorised,   wherein the range of the first base station is substantially larger than the range of each second base station.   
     
     
         8 . A communications network in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein one of said second base stations is operable to collect identification information gathered at said other second base stations from a mobile station and, on the basis of said gathered identification information, to send handover information to said first base station. 
     
     
         9 . A communications network in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein:
 said second communications unit is operable to measure, with said retrieved identification information, signal strength of a signal bearing said retrieved identification information, and   one of said second base stations is operable to collect information gathered at said other second base stations from a mobile station and, on the basis of said gathered information, to send handover information to said first base station, the handover information defining a subset of the second base stations suitable for connection with the mobile station, said first base station being operable to determine, on the basis of the received handover information, one of said second base stations suitable for connection with the mobile station, and to initiate handover from said first base station to said determined second base station.   
     
     
         10 . In a communications network comprising first and second communications apparatus, wherein the first communications apparatus comprises first and second communications units, said first communications unit being operable to establish a wireless communication connection with said second apparatus and said second communications unit being operable to retrieve identification information from such second apparatus, a method of establishing a wireless communications connection between said first and second communications apparatus, the method comprising:
 seeking, from the first apparatus, information from said second apparatus via said second communication unit,   performing an authorisation check on the basis of received information, and   establishing a wireless communication connection with said second apparatus only on authorisation of said second apparatus in said authorisation check.   
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising:
 stablishing a connection between said first apparatus and a third party data resource by way of a third communications unit of the first communications apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , comprising using the third communications unit to connect to a physical communications medium, for provision of a connection to the Internet. 
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , comprising:
 providing the second communications unit with a radio frequency identification receiver; and   using said second communications unit to communicate with a radio frequency identification tag of a second apparatus.   
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 10  comprising:
 measuring, with said second communications unit, signal strength of a signal bearing said retrieved information. 
 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer program product comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer controlled communications device, cause the device to perform the method in accordance with  claim 10 .