Mobility management entity for high data rate wireless communication networks
First Claim
1. A wireless communication network comprising:
- a packet control function;
a plurality of access network controllers connected to the packet control function for communicating with an access terminal engaged in a communication session;
a session controller having memory for storing session information used by one or more of the access network controllers to communicatively couple the access terminal to the packet control function during the communication session; and
wherein, in response to transfer of the access terminal from a first one of the access network controllers to a second one of the access network controllers, the session controller sends the session information stored in the session controller to the second access network controller.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A session controller provides mobility management support in a 1xEVDO wireless communication network, such as one configured in accordance with the TIA/EIA/IS-856 standard. Operating as a logical network entity, the SC maintains location (e.g., a pointing tag) and session information at an access network controller (ANC) granularity, thus allowing it to track access terminal (AT) transfer between ANCs but within subnet boundaries, where a network subnet comprises one or more ANCs. This allows a packet control function (PCF) to maintain location information at a packet zone granularity, thereby reducing mobility management overhead at the PCF. The SC provides updated tag and session information to PCFs, ANCs, and other SCs as needed. Information exchange with other SCs arises, for example, when two or more SCs cooperate to maintain or transfer routing and session information across subnets.
-
Citations
65 Claims
-
1. A wireless communication network comprising:
-
a packet control function;
a plurality of access network controllers connected to the packet control function for communicating with an access terminal engaged in a communication session;
a session controller having memory for storing session information used by one or more of the access network controllers to communicatively couple the access terminal to the packet control function during the communication session; and
wherein, in response to transfer of the access terminal from a first one of the access network controllers to a second one of the access network controllers, the session controller sends the session information stored in the session controller to the second access network controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
25. A session controller for use in a wireless communication network including a plurality of access network controllers, the session controller comprising:
-
memory to store session information associated with an access terminal engaged in a communication session; and
a processor programmed to provide the session information to the access network controllers responsive to session information requests from the access network controllers.
-
-
41. A method of mobility management in a wireless communication having a plurality of access network controllers and a packet control function communicatively connected to the plurality of access network controllers, the method comprising:
-
storing session information associated with an access terminal in a session controller that is communicatively connected to the plurality of access network controllers; and
receiving a session information request by the session controller from one of the access network controllers; and
sending the session information stored in the session controller to the requesting access network controller. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
-
-
60. A method of reestablishing a data connection between a packet control function and a dormant access terminal that has moved from a first access network controller to a second access network controller, said method comprising:
-
sending a service request from the packet control function to the first access network controller indicated by routing information stored in the packet control function as being currently identified with said access terminal;
sending a service request notification from the first access network controller to a session controller;
sending a connection setup request from said session controller to said second access network controller indicated by routing information stored in said session controller as being currently identified with said access terminal; and
sending a connection request from said second access network controller to said packet control function. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
Specification