Cloud based access solution for enterprise deployment

• US 10,219,306 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2016
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federated Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Federated Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Mehrabanzad, Sepehr, Das, Deepak
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mansoury, Nourali
• Application Number:
  US15/150,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4505 using standardised directories; using standardised directory access protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 : using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 : based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 : one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 : Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing mobile services are disclosed. In one implementation, an access point (AP) is provided, which may include a set of one or more base-station functions for use by a user equipment (UE) connected to the AP over a wireless communication interface. The one or more base-station functions may be configured to receive information from the UE. The AP may further include a set of one or more core-network functions configured to receive the information from the set of one or more base-station functions and a distributed portion of a service. The distributed portion of the service may be configured to receive the information from the one or more core-network functions and communicate the information to a corresponding cloud portion of the service running on a cloud platform. The service may be provided by a combination of the distributed portion and the cloud portion of the service. The distributed portion of the service may be further configured to receive a response from the cloud portion of the service based on processing performed by the cloud portion on the cloud platform.

Claims

1. An access point (AP), comprising:

a memory storing instructions for execution by a processor; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to provide;

a set of one or more base-station functions for use by a user equipment (UE) connected to the AP over a wireless communication interface, the one or more base-station functions configured to receive information from the UE;

a set of one or more core-network functions configured to receive the information from the set of one or more base-station functions; and

a distributed portion of a core-network service configured to;

receive the information from the one or more core-network functions,

communicate the information to a corresponding cloud portion of the core-network service running on a cloud platform, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service on the access point is separate from the cloud portion of that same service running on the cloud platform, wherein the core-network service is provided by a combination of the distributed portion and the cloud portion of the core-network service,

and

receive a response from the cloud portion of the core-network service based on processing performed by the cloud portion on the cloud platform.

2. The AP of claim 1, wherein the distributed and cloud portions are used to provide network services for both an enterprise network and a carrier network.

3. The AP of claim 1, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service is further configured to send the response to the one or more core-network functions, and the one or more core-network functions are further configured to cause a network device to be configured based on the response.

4. The AP of claim 3, wherein the one or more core-network functions are configured to cause the network device to be configured based on the response using a software defined networking (SDN) controller.

5. The AP of claim 1, wherein the core-network service is an authentication service, and the response is an authentication result.

6. The AP of claim 1, wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is configured to generate the response based on the result of a plurality of authentication processes, wherein the plurality of authentication processes include an enterprise authentication process.

7. The AP of claim 1, wherein the set of one or more base-station functions are one or more eNodeB functions.

8. The AP of claim 1, wherein the set of one or more core-network functions are one or more EPC functions.

9. The AP of claim 1, wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is stateless.

10. The AP of claim 1, wherein the network device is one of switch, router, and DHCP server.

11. The AP of claim 1, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service is further configured to send the response to the set of one or more core-network functions, wherein the set of one or more core-network functions is configured to send the response to the set of one or more base-station functions, and wherein the set of one or more base-station functions is configured to send the response to the UE.

12. The AP of claim 1, wherein the one or more base-station functions comprises one or more eNodeB functions, and the one or more core-network functions comprises one or more EPC functions.

13. The AP of claim 12, wherein the one or more eNodeB functions are configured to communicate with the one or more EPC functions without using standardized communication interfaces.

14. The AP of claim 12, wherein the one or more EPC functions further comprises at least one of a Mobility Management Function (MMF) and an Optimized Packet Function (OPF).

15. The AP of claim 1, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service is configured to provide an application programming interface (API) accessible by at least one of eNodeB functions or EPC functions.

16. The AP of claim 15, wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is configured to utilize at least one eNodeB function or EPC function using the API provided by the distributed portion of the core-network service.

17. A method performed by an access point (AP), the AP executing a set of one or more base-station functions for use by a user equipment (UE), a set of one or more core-network functions, and a distributed portion of a core-network service, the method comprising:

receiving, by the set of one or more base-station functions, information from the UE;

receiving, by the set of one or more core-network functions, the information from the set of one or more base-station functions;

receiving, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, the information from the one or more core-network functions;

communicating the information to a corresponding cloud portion of the core-network service running on a cloud platform, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service on the access point is separate from the cloud portion of that same service running on the cloud platform,

wherein the core-network service is provided by a combination of the distributed portion and the cloud portion of the core-network service; and

receiving a response from the cloud portion of the core-network service based on processing performed by the cloud portion on the cloud platform.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the distributed and cloud portions are used to provide network services for both an enterprise network and a carrier network.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising sending, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, response to the one or more core-network functions and causing, by the one or more core-network functions, a network device to be configured based on the response.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the causing includes causing, by an SDN controller, the network device to be configured based on the response.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the core-network service is an authentication service, and the response is an authentication result.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising causing the cloud portion of the core-network service to generate the authentication response based on the result of a plurality of authentication processes, wherein the plurality of authentication processes include an enterprise authentication process.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of one or more base-station functions are one or more eNodeB functions.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of one or more core-network functions are one or more EPC functions.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the cloud portion of the core-network service is stateless.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the network device is one of switch, router, and DHCP server.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sending, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, the response to the set of one or more core-network functions;

sending, by the set of one or more core-network functions, the response to the set of one or more base-station functions, and

sending, by the set of one or more base-station functions, the response to the UE.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more base-station functions comprises one or more eNodeB functions, and the one or more core-network functions comprises one or more EPC functions.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the one or more eNodeB functions are configured to communicate with the one or more EPC functions without using standardized communication interfaces.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the one or more EPC functions further comprises at least one of a Mobility Management Function (MMF) and an Optimized Packet Function (OPF).

31. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing, by the distributed portion of the core-network service, an application programming interface (API) accessible by at least one of eNodeB functions or EPC functions.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

utilizing, by the cloud portion of the core-network service, at least one eNodeB function or EPC function using the API provided by the distributed portion of the core-network service.

33. An access point (AP), comprising:

a memory storing instructions for execution by a processor; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to provide;

a set of one or more base-station functions for use by a user equipment (UE) connected to the AP over a wireless communication interface, the one or more base-station functions configured to receive information from the UE;

a set of one or more core-network functions configured to receive the information from the set of one or more base-station functions; and

a

distributed portion of a core-network service configured to;

receive the information from the one or more core-network functions, wherein the set of one or more core-network functions comprises one or more EPC functions,

communicate the information to a corresponding cloud portion of the core-network service running on a cloud platform, wherein the distributed portion of the core-network service on the access point is separate from the cloud portion of that same service running on the cloud platform, wherein the core-network service is provided by a combination of the distributed portion and the cloud portion of the core-network service,

and

receive a response from the cloud portion of the core-network service based on processing performed by the cloud portion on the cloud platform.