Enhanced unlicensed mobile access network architecture

• US 20070268855A1
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grayson, Mark, Iyer, Jayaraman, Oswal, Anand K., Shatzkamer, Kevin, Forster, Richard Kyle
• Granted Patent: US 8,817,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) network architecture. In a specific embodiment, the network architecture includes a mobile station and an access point in communication with the mobile station. A UMA Controller (UNC) communicates with the access point. A Service GateWay (SGW) communicates with the UMA controller. The SGW includes functionality to route user-plane packets in the UMA. In a more specific embodiment, the functionality includes UNC user-plane functionality offloaded from the UNC to the SGW; Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) user-plane functionality; access-authentication functionality sufficient to enable the SGW to enable the SGW to bypass a legacy SGSN control plane; and/or Radio Network Controller (RNC) user-plane functionality sufficient to enable communications between the SGW and the RNC.

Claims

1. An Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) network architecture comprising:

a UMA Controller (UNC); and

a Security GateWay (SGW) in communication with the UNC, wherein the SGW includes functionality to route user-plane packets in the UMA.

2. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the functionality includes:

UNC user-plane functionality offloaded from the UNC to the SGW.

3. The network architecture of claim 2, wherein the UNC user-plane functionality is adapted to enable the SGW to bypass the UNC when routing user-plane packets in the UMA network.

4. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the functionality includes:

Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) user-plane functionality.

5. The network architecture of claim 4, wherein the SGSN user-plane functionality is adapted to enable the SGW to route Internet Protocol (IP) services and associated data within the UMA without passing the IP services and associated data through a legacy SGSN module.

6. The network architecture of claim 5, wherein the UNC further includes:

SGSN-server functionality, thereby enabling the UNC to bypass a legacy SGSN server included in the UMA network.

7. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the functionality includes:

access-authentication functionality sufficient to enable the SGW to enable the SGW to bypass a legacy SGSN control plane.

8. The network architecture of claim 7, wherein the access-authentication functionality includes:

functionality sufficient to provide location updates pertaining to a location of a mobile station coupled to the network.

9. The network architecture of claim 7, wherein the functionality includes:

one or more modules adapted to map interactions between the mobile station and the SGW without use of a legacy SGSN server.

10. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the outside network includes:

a cellular network with a Radio Network Controller (RNC).

11. The network architecture of claim 10, wherein the functionality included in the SGW includes:

RNC user-plane functionality sufficient to enable communications between the SGW and the RNC.

12. The network architecture of claim 11, wherein the RNC user-plane functionality is adapted to accommodate one or more protocols for establishing a IuPS (Packet Switched user Interface) interface between the SGW and the RNC.

13. The network architecture of claim 11, wherein the RNC user-plane functionality includes:

support for a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) protocol.

14. A method for efficiently providing services in a network employing an unlicensed spectrum, the method comprising:

employing an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) network or a Generic Access Network (GAN) to facilitate delivering an Internet Protocol (IP) service to a client via the unlicensed spectrum; and

bypassing one or more bottlenecks in the UMA or GAN by employing selectively distributed functionality in the UMA.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein bypassing includes:

employing offloaded functionality associated with an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) Network Controller (UNC), Generic Access Network (GAN) Controller (GANC), and/or a Servicing General Packet Radio Services Support Node (SGSN) that has been offloaded from the SGSN to the UNC or GANC.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the offloaded functionality includes:

SGSN server functionality implemented in the UNC or GANC.

17. A machine-readable medium including instructions executable by a processor for employing an unlicensed spectrum to deliver an Internet Protocol (IP) service to a client, the machine-readable medium one or more instructions for:

facilitating delivery of an Internet Protocol (IP) service to a client via the unlicensed spectrum; and

selectively routing packets associated with the service between the network and one or more additional networks, while bypassing a conventional Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) Network Controller (UNC), Generic Access Network (GAN) Controller (GANC), and/or Servicing General Packet Radio Services Support Node (SGSN) included in the network.

18. A method for employing an unlicensed spectrum to deliver an Internet

Protocol (IP) service to a client via a network, the method comprising:

facilitating delivery of an Internet Protocol (IP) service to a client via the unlicensed spectrum; and

selectively routing packets associated with the service between the network and one or more additional networks, while bypassing a conventional Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) Network Controller (UNC), Generic Access Network (GAN) Controller (GANC), and/or Servicing General Packet Radio Services Support Node (SGSN) included in the network.

19. An apparatus for facilitating providing services in a network employing an unlicensed spectrum, the apparatus comprising:

a first terminal adapted to receive a first connection from a client;

a second terminal adapted to receive a second connection from an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) controller;

a third terminal adapted to receive a third connection from an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server;

a processor;

a machine-readable storage medium coupled to the processor, the machine-readable storage medium including;

one or more instructions for performing a gateway function between the client and the UMA controller;

one or more instructions for performing a function associated with a Servicing GPRS Support Node (SGSN); and

one or more instructions for performing a function associated with the UMA controller.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus includes a Security GateWay (SGW).

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the module includes a UMA controller Internet Protocol (IP) user plane.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the module includes an SGSN user plane.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the module is configured to perform one or more routines for enhancing authentication capabilities of the apparatus via SGSN control-plane functionality implemented via the one or more routines.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the module is configured to perform one or more routines that represent a Radio Network Controller user plane.

25. An apparatus for facilitating providing services in a network employing an unlicensed spectrum, the apparatus comprising:

one or more terminals for transmitting and/or receiving a signal to and/or from a client via an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) network or a Generic Access Network (GAN), wherein the signal is associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) service; and

a module for bypassing one or more bottlenecks in the UMA or GAN by employing functionality distributed to the apparatus from a Servicing General Packet Radio Services Support Node (SGSN), an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) Network Controller (UNC), and/or Generic Access Network (GAN) Controller (GANC) to facilitate providing the IP service to the client via the one or more terminals.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the apparatus includes a Security GateWay (SGW).

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the functionality includes one or more of the following:

Radio Network Controller (RNC) user-plane functionality offloaded from an RNC;

authentication functionality offloaded from a Servicing General Packet Radio Services Support Node (SGSN), wherein the authentication functionality includes SGSN control-plane functionality;

user-plane functionality offloaded from the UNC or GANC.

SGSN user-plane functionality offloaded from an SGSN.