Method and system for service portability across disjoint wireless networks

• US 20060245399A1
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holur, Balaji S., Davidson, Kenneth W., Shannon, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,814,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks

Abstract

A method and system for providing services to a communication session anchored to a micro wireless network includes providing at a router of the micro wireless network an interface for communication with a service node of a macro wireless network that is coupled to the micro wireless network. The interface is of a same type as used by a radio access network of the macro wireless network to communicate with the service node. Information associated with the session is communicated between the interface and the service node in a format used by the service node to communicate with the radio access network of the macro wireless network. The macro network provides portability services to the session of the micro wireless network through the interface.

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22. An apparatus, comprising:

a first router that includes a first interface, the first router being associated with a service node in a macro wireless network and the first router being operable to provide an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) function for one or more access points, whereby the access points communicate AAA commands to the first router to achieve respective authentications, wherein a micro wireless network is coupled to the service node of the macro wireless network, the micro wireless network operable to communicate information for a wireless session to the service node via a second interface of a second router, the macro wireless network being operable to;

receive via the second interface a request to authenticate the handover of a particular wireless session from the macro wireless network to the micro wireless network; and

manage the authentication of the particular wireless session such that the particular wireless session may be handed over from the macro wireless network to the micro wireless network.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first and second interfaces comprise a packet control function.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the micro wireless network comprises a wireless local access network (WLAN) and the service node comprises a packet data serving node (PDSN).

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first router of the macro wireless network operates as a AAA proxy such that the access points send AAA data to the first router instead of a AAA server during layer-two authentication, and wherein the access points include an IP address of the first router, which allows for AAA commands to be routed during the layer-two authentication.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the macro network provides services to the session of the micro wireless network through a selected one or both of the first and second interfaces.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the macro network services comprise push data services.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the macro network allows for differential billing for subscriber services.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the macro network services comprise prepaid billing services.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the macro network services comprise traffic management services.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the macro network services comprise handoff services.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first and second interfaces comprise a packet control function.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the micro wireless network comprises a wireless local access network (WLAN) and the service node comprises a packet data serving node (PDSN).

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the first router of the macro wireless network operates as a AAA proxy such that the access points send AAA data to the first router instead of a AAA server during layer-two authentication, and wherein the access points include an IP address of the first router, which allows for AAA commands to be routed during the layer-two authentication.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the macro network provides services to the session of the micro wireless network through a selected one or both of the first and second interfaces.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the macro network services comprise push data services.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the macro network allows for differential billing for subscriber services.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the macro network services comprise prepaid billing services.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the macro network services comprise traffic management services.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the macro network services comprise handoff services.

32. A method for enlisting one or more end users in a network environment in which two networks communicate, comprising:

enlisting one or more end users in a billing plan associated with network communications;

generating a bill associated with one or more of the end users, the bill being based on the billing plan; and

facilitating network communications for one or more of the end users in response to the end users being enlisted in the billing plan, whereby the network communications includes a protocol that comprises;

deploying a first router that includes a first interface, the first router being associated with a service node in a macro wireless network and the first router being operable to provide an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) function for one or more access points, whereby the access points communicate AAA commands to the first router to achieve respective authentications, wherein a micro wireless network is coupled to the service node of the macro wireless network, the micro wireless network operable to communicate information for a wireless session to the service node via a second interface of a second router, the macro wireless network being operable to;

receive via the second interface a request to authenticate the handover of a particular wireless session from the macro wireless network to the micro wireless network; and

manage the authentication of the particular wireless session such that the particular wireless session may be handed over from the macro wireless network to the micro wireless network.