Wireless local area network (WLAN) node, a wireless device, and methods therein

• US 10,659,370 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Mestanov, Filip, Norrman, Karl, Teyeb, Oumer
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Application Number:
  US15/532,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20170272368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 4554352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/41 by acting on aggregated flows or links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/09 Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A wireless local area network, WLAN, node (400) is adapted to be comprised in an integrated wireless communications network comprising a WLAN and a cellular communications network. The WLAN node (400) comprises a receiving module (401) adapted to receive traffic data from a wireless device. A differentiation module (403) is adapted to determine whether the received traffic data relates to a first traffic type which is to be routed locally within the WLAN or a second traffic type which is to be routed to the cellular communication network. A processing module (405) is adapted to control the handling of the traffic data according to whether the traffic data is determined as relating to the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

Claims

1. A Wireless Local Area Network Access Point (WLAN AP) configured for operation in an integrated wireless communications network comprising a WLAN and a cellular communications network, the WLAN AP comprising:

communication circuitry configured to receive traffic data from a wireless device, the traffic data incoming to the WLAN AP via a WLAN air interface; and

processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to;

determine whether the traffic data is a first traffic type to be routed locally within the WLAN or a second traffic type to be routed to the cellular communication network; and

control how the traffic data is handled according to the determination of whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the type of the traffic data using an extension provided in a logical link control (LLC) layer, wherein the extension indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

2. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the type of the traffic data using a fundamental frame type value that is specifically provided for differentiating between the first traffic type and the second traffic type.

3. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the type of the traffic data from a fundamental frame type value that is used to convey some other form of frame type, and wherein the fundamental frame type value comprises a sub-frame value, wherein the sub-frame value indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

4. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sub-frame value defines a data type relating to a cellular communication network.

5. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information provided in the LLC layer comprises a link service access point (LSAP), wherein the LSAP indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

6. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension provided in the LLC layer comprises sub-network access protocol (SNAP), wherein the SNAP indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

7. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the type of the traffic data using virtual local area network tagging, wherein a dedicated virtual local area network is provided for the second traffic type.

8. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the type of the traffic data based on a received media access control (MAC) address of the wireless device, wherein the wireless device comprises a first MAC address relating to the first traffic type, and a second MAC address relating to the second traffic type.

9. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control how the traffic data is handled by performing at least one of:

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of security, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of security;

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of encryption, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of encryption;

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of priority, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of priority; and

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of authentication, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of authentication.

10. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the following apply:

the first level of security is lower than the respective second level of security, or vice versa;

the first level of encryption is lower than the respective second level of encryption, or vice versa;

the first level of priority is lower than the respective second level of priority, or vice versa; and

the first level of authentication is lower than the respective second level of authentication, or vice versa.

11. The WLAN AP as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first traffic type comprises non-aggregation traffic or local breakout traffic for the WLAN; and

the second traffic type comprises traffic data relating to aggregation traffic for the cellular communications network.

12. A method in a Wireless Local Area Network Access Point (WLAN AP) operating in an integrated wireless communications network comprising a WLAN and a cellular communications network, the method comprising:

receiving traffic data from a wireless device, the traffic data incoming to the WLAN AP over a WLAN air interface;

determining whether the traffic data is a first traffic type to be routed locally within the WLAN or a second traffic type to be routed to the cellular communication network; and

controlling how the traffic data is handled according to whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type,

determining the type of the traffic data using an extension provided in an LLC layer, wherein the extension indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein determining the type of the traffic data comprises one or more of:

determining the type of the traffic data using a fundamental frame type value that is specifically provided for differentiating between the first traffic type and the second traffic type;

determining the type of the traffic data from a fundamental frame type value that is used to convey some other form of frame type, and wherein the fundamental frame type value comprises a sub-frame value, wherein the sub-frame value indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type;

determining the type of the traffic data using information provided in a logical link control (LLC) layer;

determining the type of the traffic data using virtual local area network tagging, wherein a dedicated virtual local area network is provided for the second traffic type; and

determining the type of the traffic data based on a received media access control (MAC) address of the wireless device, wherein the wireless device comprises a first MAC address relating to the first traffic type, and a second MAC address relating to the second traffic type.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of security, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of security;

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of encryption, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of encryption;

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of priority, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of priority; and

transmitting traffic data of the first traffic type to a local node of the WLAN using a first level of authentication, and transmitting traffic data of the second traffic type to a node of the cellular communications network using a second level of authentication.

15. A wireless device comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

processing circuitry configured for executing the instructions, whereby the wireless device is configured to;

convey information with traffic data transmitted by the wireless device to a Wireless Local Area Network Access Point (WLAN AP) over a WLAN air interface, wherein the conveyed information identifies the traffic data as being one of;

a first traffic type to be routed by the WLAN AP to a local WLAN; and

a second traffic type to be routed by the WLAN AP to a cellular communication network,

wherein the memory stores a first media access control (MAC) address for identifying the first traffic type and a second MAC address for identifying the second traffic type,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to convey the information identifying one of the first traffic type and the second traffic type using information provided in a logical link control (LLC) layer.

16. The wireless device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to convey the information identifying the first traffic type or the second traffic type using one of:

a fundamental frame type value that is specifically provided for differentiating between the first traffic type and the second traffic type; and

a fundamental frame type value that is used to convey some other form of frame type, wherein the fundamental frame type value comprises a sub-frame value, and wherein the sub-frame value indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

17. The wireless device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the information provided in the LLC layer comprises one of:

a link service access point (LSAP), wherein the LSAP indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type;

an extension that indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type; and

virtual local area network tagging, wherein a dedicated virtual local area network is provided for the second traffic type.

18. The wireless device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the extension comprises sub-network access protocol (SNAP), wherein the SNAP indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on at least one processor of a Wireless Local Area Network Access Point (WLAN AP) operating in an integrated wireless communications network comprising a WLAN and a cellular communications network, causes the at least one processor to:

receive traffic data from a wireless device, the traffic data incoming to the WLAN AP via a WLAN air interface;

determine whether the traffic data is a first traffic type to be routed locally within the WLAN or a second traffic type to be routed to the cellular communication network; and

control how the traffic data is handled according to whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type,

wherein the processor is configured to determine the type of the traffic data using an extension provided in a logical link control (LLC) layer, wherein the extension indicates whether the traffic data is the first traffic type or the second traffic type.