Method and apparatus for CGW selection

• US 10,104,521 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sachs, Joachim, Keranen, Ari, Rune, Johan, Eriksson, Anders E., Militano, Francesco, Beijar, Nicklas, Tsiatsis, Vlasios
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaheed, Khalid
• Application Number:
  US15/116,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]

Abstract

The invention relates to selecting a capillary gateway node via which a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device is to be connected to a radio access network. The network node configured to select a capillary network gateway node for connecting an MTC device to a radio access network comprises a processing unit and a memory containing instructions executable by the processing unit. The network node is operative to obtain an indication of availability of credentials of a plurality of capillary network gateway nodes being capable of connecting the MTC device to the radio access network, and to select one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes via which the MTC device is to be connected to the radio access network based at least in part on the availability of credentials of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a capillary network gateway node for connecting a Machine Type Communication, MTC, device to a radio access network, comprising:

obtaining an indication of availability of credentials of a plurality of capillary network gateway nodes being capable of connecting the MTC device to the radio access network;

comparing a number of credentials available at each of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes with a credential threshold value; and

selecting one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes via which the MTC device is to be connected to the radio access network based at least in part on the availability of credentials of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes and for which the number of credentials is equal to or exceeds the credential threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the credential threshold value is set to correspond to a number of credentials enough to serve two MTC devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises:

selecting the one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes having a greatest number of credentials available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises:

selecting the one of the plurality capillary network gateway nodes if an additional criterion is satisfied.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein in case the additional criterion is not satisfied for said one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes, another one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes having a greatest number of credentials available, and satisfying the additional criterion, is selected.

6. The method of claim 4, the additional criteria comprising one or more of:

quality of channel between the MTC device and the respective capillary network gateway node, required transmission power of the MTC device when transmitting to the respective capillary network gateway node, battery/energy status of the MTC device, physical location of the MTC device, distance from the MTC device to the respective capillary network gateway node, capability of the MTC device to reach the respective capillary network gateway node and capillary network technology used by the respective capillary network gateway node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining an indication of availability of credentials comprises:

receiving, at the MTC device, the indication of availability of credentials from one or more of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes;

or

receiving, at least one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes, the indication of availability of credentials.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining an indication of availability of credentials comprises:

receiving the indication of availability of credentials at a network node being any one selected from a group comprising a Serving Gateway, SGW, a Packet Data Network Gateway, PGW, and an Evolved NodeB, eNodeB, in a Long Term Evolution, LTE, network, any one selected from a group comprising a Serving General Packet Radio Service Support Node, SGSN, a Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Node, GGSN, a Radio Network Controller, RNC, and a NodeB, in a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS, network, any one selected from a group comprising a SGSN, a GGSN, a Base Station Controller, BSC, and a Base Transceiver Station, BTS, in a Global System for Mobile communications, GSM, network, a Services Capability Server, SCS, and an Operation and Maintenance node.

9. A network node configured to select a capillary network gateway node for connecting a Machine Type Communication, MTC, device to a radio access network, comprising a processing unit and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing unit, whereby said network node is operative to:

obtain an indication of availability of credentials of a plurality of capillary network gateway nodes being capable of connecting the MTC device to the radio access network;

compare a number of credentials available at each of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes with a credential threshold value; and

select one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes via which the MTC device is to be connected to the radio access network based at least in part on the availability of credentials of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes and for which the number of credentials is equal to or exceeds the credential threshold value.

10. The network node of claim 9, wherein the credential threshold value is set to correspond to a number of credentials enough to serve two MTC devices.

11. The network node of claim 9, further being operative to:

select the one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes having a greatest number of credentials available.

12. The network node of claim 9, further being operative to:

select the one of the plurality capillary network gateway nodes if an additional criterion is satisfied.

13. The network node of claim 12, further being operative to, in case the additional criterion is not satisfied for said one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes, connect the MTC device to another one of the plurality of capillary network gateway nodes having a greatest number of credentials available, and satisfying the additional criterion.

14. The network node of claim 9, said network node being any one selected from a group comprising a Serving Gateway, SGW, a Packet Data Network Gateway, PGW, and an Evolved NodeB, eNodeB, in a Long Term Evolution, LTE, network, any one selected from a group comprising a Serving General Packet Radio Service Support Node, SGSN, a Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Node, GGSN, a Radio Network Controller, RNC, and a NodeB, in a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS, network, any one selected from a group comprising a SGSN, a GGSN, a Base Station Controller, BSC, and a Base Transceiver Station, BTS, in a Global System for Mobile communications, GSM, network, a Services Capability Server, SCS, and an Operation and Maintenance node.

15. The network node of claim 9, comprising any one or more of said plurality of capillary network gateway nodes.

16. The network node of claim 15, the capillary network gateway nodes being any one selected from a group comprising a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, PDA, a smart phone, a tablet, a laptop, a media player, a Bluetooth Access Point, an IEEE 802.15.4 based Access Point, AP, a Wi-Fi AP, and any other short range radio communication technology AP.