Method and node for selecting a capillary network gateway

• US 10,104,607 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): Mui, Gary
• Application Number:
  US15/116,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20170171806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• 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 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for selecting a capillary network gateway for a machine device of a capillary network. The method comprises: acquiring a respective bearer service parameter for two or more capillary network gateways of the capillary network, each capillary network gateway being capable of data exchange between the machine device and a wireless network, and wherein the bearer service provides a backhaul connection in the wireless network; and selecting, for the machine device, a capillary network gateway based on the bearer service parameters. The disclosure relates to a corresponding node, computer program and computer program product.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a capillary network gateway for a machine device of a capillary network, the method comprising:

acquiring a respective bearer service parameter for two or more capillary network gateways of the capillary network, each capillary network gateway being capable of data exchange between the machine device and a wireless network, and wherein the bearer service provides a backhaul connection that connects a radio interface provided by the wireless network with a core network of the wireless network, and

selecting, for the machine device, a capillary network gateway based on the respective bearer service parameters for the respective bearer service that provides the backhaul connection.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting is further based on information relating to the machine device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information relating to the machine device comprises requirements of an application configured in the machine device, and wherein the selecting comprises selecting the capillary network gateway having a bearer service parameter appropriate for the requirements of the application.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, comprising deriving information about the application when run by the machine device by parsing an incoming or outgoing machine device message.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises selecting the capillary network gateway such that the bearer service parameter thereof is appropriate for requirements of the machine device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising instructing the machine device to connect to the selected capillary network gateway.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the instructing comprises providing a listing of the selected capillary network gateway and further capillary network gateways of the two or more capillary network gateways, the listing providing a prioritized order instructing the machine device to connect to one of the capillary network gateway in the prioritized order.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is performed in at least one of the capillary network gateways of the capillary network;

and

the acquiring comprises receiving a bearer service parameter from at least one other capillary network gateway of the capillary network and obtaining a bearer service parameter for the capillary network gateway in which the method is performed, and wherein the selecting comprises selecting the capillary network gateway having a bearer service parameter meeting the requirements of an application configured in the machine device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is performed in a network node of the wireless network;

and the acquiring comprises obtaining, in the network node, a respective bearer service parameter for the two or more capillary network gateways.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the obtaining comprises:

receiving, from each of the two or more capillary network gateways a respective bearer service parameter, or

using information about the respective bearer service parameter available in the network node, or

receiving, from one or more other network nodes of the wireless network, a respective bearer service parameter for the two or more capillary network gateways.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is performed in the machine device;

and the acquiring comprises receiving a respective bearer service parameter from the two or more capillary network gateways.

12. A node for selecting a capillary network gateway for a machine device of a capillary network, the node comprising a processor and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the node is operative to:

acquire a respective bearer service parameter for two or more capillary network gateways of the capillary network, each capillary network gateway being capable of data exchange between the machine device and a wireless network, and wherein the bearer service provides a backhaul connection that connects a radio interface provided by the wireless network with a core network of the wireless network, and

select, for the machine device, a capillary network gateway based on the respective bearer service parameters for the respective bearer service that provides the backhaul connection.

13. The node as claimed in claim 12, operative to select by further basing the selection on information relating to the machine device.

14. The node as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information relating to the machine device comprises requirements of an application configured in the machine device, and wherein the node is operative to select the capillary network gateway having a bearer service parameter appropriate for the requirements of the application.

15. The node as claimed in claim 14, operative to derive information about the application when run by the machine device by parsing an incoming or outgoing machine device message.

16. The node as claimed in claim 12, operative to select the capillary network gateway such that the bearer service parameter thereof is appropriate for requirements of the machine device.

17. The node as claimed in claim 12, operative to repeat the acquiring, and operative to determine based thereon if a reselection of capillary network gateway is to be performed.

18. The node as claimed in claim 12, operative to instruct the machine device to connect to the selected capillary network gateway.

19. The node as claimed in claim 18, operative to instruct by providing a listing of the selected capillary network gateway and further capillary network gateways of the two or more capillary network gateways, the listing providing a prioritized order instructing the machine device to connect to one of the capillary network gateway in the prioritized order.

20. The node as claimed in claim 12, comprising a capillary network gateway and operative to acquire by receiving a bearer service parameter from at least one other capillary network gateway of the capillary network and obtaining a bearer service parameter for itself, and operative to select the capillary network gateway having a bearer service parameter meeting the requirements of an application configured in the machine device.

21. The node as claimed in claim 12, comprising a network node of the wireless network, and operative to acquire by obtaining, in the network node, a respective bearer service parameter for the two or more capillary network gateways.

22. The node as claimed in claim 21, operative to obtain by:

receiving, from each of the two or more capillary network gateways a respective bearer service parameter, or

using information about the respective bearer service parameter available in the network node, or

receiving, from one or more other network nodes of the wireless network, a respective bearer service parameter for the two or more capillary network gateways.

23. The node as claimed in claim 12, comprising a machine device, and operative to acquire by receiving a respective bearer service parameter from the two or more capillary network gateways.

24. The node as claimed in claim 12, operative to select further based on one or more of:

channel quality and/or required transmission power of a channel between the machine device and the two or more capillary network gateways, energy status of the machine device, location of the two or more capillary network gateways, radio technology used by the respective capillary network gateway in communication with the machine device.

25. The node as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bearer service parameter comprises one or more of:

quality of service associated with an evolved packet system bearer, data rate, a parameter related to packet loss probability, packet delay variation, cost related to the bearer service, cost in each of the two or more capillary network gateways of providing a bearer service having a specified quality of service.