Method for a connection through a core network

• US 20040100914A1
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Noguera, Juan, Hellwig, Karl, Israelsson, Martin, Maupin, Alain, Hodges, Phil
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/22 between access point controllers

Abstract

In a method for the establishment of a connection between a first node (RNC1) and a second node (RNC2), both are connectable to a core network which comprises interconnected core network nodes (CN1, CN2). The first node (RNC1) signals a call request to a first core network node (CN1). If the first node is an access node, it sends an initialization according to a framing protocol, wherein a set of parameters for the framing of information sent over the interface between the first access node (RNC1) and the first core network node (CN1). If the first node is no access node, a first control server (MSC1) defines said set of parameters. The set of parameters is transmitted to the first core network node (CN1) and the first core network node (CN1) stores the parameter set. The first core network node (CN1) initializes the connection (Co) to a further core network node according to said protocol and the further core network node stores the parameter set. The initialization of the connection (Co) to and the storing of parameters in further core network nodes is performed stepwise until a final core network node (CN2) is reached which is connectable to the second access node (RNC2). The final core network node (CN2) initializes the connection (Co) to the second access node (RNC2) according to said protocol and the second access node (RNC2) stores the parameter set. A core network node and a program unit embodying the invention are also described.

Claims

1. Method for the establishment of a connection between a first node (RNC1) and a second node (RNC2) which are connectable to a core network, wherein the core network comprises interconnected core network nodes (CN1, CN2), characterized in that

the first core network node (CN 1) receives a set of parameters for the framing of information sent over the interface between the first access node (RNC1) and a first core network node (CN1) for a connection (Co),

the first core network node (CN1) stores the parameter set,

a decision is taken to set an indicator that transparent transmission is performed after call establishment,

the first core network node (CN1) initializes the connection (Co) to a further core network node according to said protocol, including said indicator,

the further core network node stores the parameter set including said indicator,

stepwise initialization of the connection (Co) to and storing of parameters and the indicator in further core network nodes until a final core network node (CN2) is reached which is connectable to the second node (RNC2),

the final core network node (CN2) initializes the connection (Co) to the second node (RNC2) according to said protocol and the second access node (RNC2) stores the parameter set including said indicator.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the decision to set an indicator is taken by a core network control node (MSC1) controlling the first core network node (CN1).

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the decision to set an indicator is taken by the first core network node (CN1).

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the decision to set an indicator is taken by an access node (RNC1, RNC2).

5. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a decision to monitor payload for initialisation messages is taken by a core network control node and signalled to a core network node.

6. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a core network control node decides to set a parameter that unsolicited Iu initialisations are not permitted and sends said parameter to an access node.

7. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a core network node (CN1, CN2) in the connection (Co) breaks the connection (Co) and initializes a connection segment (Co′

) to a different core network node or access node (RNC3) according to said protocol, using the same parameter set for the connection segment (Co′

) as for the connection (Co).

8. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the second access node (RNC2) initializes a reverse connection (Co) to the final core network node (CN2) according to the protocol, wherein a second set of parameters for the framing of information is transmitted.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein both sets of parameters differ and a core network node (CN1, CN2) inserts a pair of transcoders (TR) into the connection (Co).

10. Method according to claim 8, wherein both sets of parameters differ and the final core network node (CN2) sends a message to a control server (MSC2) for initiating a modification of connection (Co) parameters by the final access node (RNC2), the final access node (RNC2) changing both the parameter sets for uplink and for downlink transmissions to the final core network node (CN2).

16. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a core network node (CN1, CN2) acknowledges the initialization to a preceding node (CN1, CN2, RNC1).

17. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the framing protocol is the Iu protocol.

18. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a core network node (CN1, CN2) in the connection (Co) inserts a function unit into the connection (Co).

19. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein the connection (Co) between two core network nodes (CN1, CN2) is established via a switch.

20. Method according to any preceding claim, wherein a core network node (CN1, CN2) is adapted to establish connections according to different framing protocols, checks the framing protocol defined in a request to initialize a connection (Co) and selects said framing protocol for the initialization of the connection (Co) to a further node (CN1, CN2, RNC1, RNC2).

24. Core network node according to any of the claims 21 to 23, wherein the core network node is adapted to perform a method according to any of the claims 1 to 20.

27. Program unit according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said program unit comprises code for performing any steps of a method according to any of the claims 1 to 20.

11. Method for the establishment of a connection between a first access node (RNC1) and a second access node (RNC2) which are connectable to a core network, wherein the core network comprises interconnected core network nodes (CN1, CN2), characterized in that

the first access node (RNC1) initializes the connection (Co) to a first core network node (CN1) according to a framing protocol, wherein a set of parameters for the framing of information sent over the interface between the first access node (RNC1) and the first core network node (CN1) is transmitted to the first core network node (CN1),

the first core network node (CN1) stores the parameter set,

the first core network node (CN1) initializes the connection (Co) to a further core network node according to said protocol,

the further core network node stores the parameter set,

stepwise initialization of the connection (Co) to and storing of parameters in further core network nodes until a final core network node (CN2) is reached which is connectable to the second access node (RNC2),

the final core network node (CN2) initializes the connection (Co) to the second access node (RNC2) according to said protocol and the second access node (RNC2) stores the parameter set.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein a core network node (CN1, CN2) in the connection (Co) breaks the connection (Co) and initializes a connection segment (Co′

) to a different core network node or access node (RNC3) according to said protocol.

13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the second access node (RNC2) initializes a reverse connection (Co) to the final core network node (CN2) according to the protocol, wherein a second set of parameters for the framing of information is transmitted, and the initialization is performed stepwise to the first access node (RNC1).

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein both sets of parameters are incompatible and a core network node (CN1, CN2) inserts a transcoder (TR) into the connection (Co).

15. Method according to claim 13, wherein both sets of parameters are incompatible and a core network node (CN1, CN2) sends a message to a control server (MSC1, MSC2) for initiating a modification of connection (Co) parameters by at least one access node (RNC1, RNC2).

21. Core network node in a communication network, wherein said node is interconnected with further core network nodes (CN1, CN2), and comprises

an interface for receiving an initialization request from an access node (RNC1) or a further core network node (CN1, CN2) to establish a connection (Co) according to a framing protocol,

a processing system to extract a set of parameters for the framing protocol from the request and initialize the connection (Co) to a further core network node (CN1, CN2) or an access node (RNC1, RNC2) according to said protocol

and a memory (MEM) for storing the extracted parameter set.

22. Core network node in a communication network, wherein said node is interconnected with further core network nodes (CN1, CN2), and comprises

an interface for receiving an initialization request from a node (RNC1, CN1, CN2) to establish a connection (Co) according to a framing protocol,

a processing system to extract a set of parameters for the framing protocol from the request and determine an indicator for the permission of transparent Iu UP transmission after connection establishment, and initialize the connection (Co) to a further node (CN1, CN2, RNC1, RNC2) according to said protocol and monitoring the transmission according to the indicator,

and a memory (MEM) for storing the extracted parameter set and said indicator.

23. Core network node according to claim 22, wherein the core network node is adapted to perform a decision to set said indicator.

25. Program unit on a data carrier or loadable into a core network node, said program unit comprising code for performing the steps of

receiving a request to initialize a connection (Co) according to a framing protocol,

extracting a set of parameters for the framing of information according to said protocol,

storing the parameter set,

and initializing the connection (Co) to a further core network node (CN1, CN2) or an access node (RNC1, RNC2) according to said protocol.

26. Program unit according to claim 25, wherein the program unit performs the steps of

deciding or receiving a decision that an indicator is set, permitting transparent transmission of Iu user plane after connection establishment,

and initializing the connection (Co) with a forwarding of the indicator.