Uma Cs/Ps Split Architecture and Interface

• US 20080198841A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Landais, Bruno, Desorbay, Eric, Pouplin, Gerard, Feron, Didier
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

An UMA network controller (SGW,D1,D2) is dedicated for an UMA mobile network comprising a CS core network (CN2) with an MSC and a MGW, a PS core network (CN1) with a SGSN. This UMA network controller comprises a) a security gateway (SGW), a PS part (D1) and a CS part (D2). The security gateway (SGW) is coupled to the MGW, to at least one PS part (D1) and to at least one CS part (D2), and arranged to ensure security procedures between mobile stations (MS) and the UMA world, and to forward messages relative to the control plan for both CS (CN2) and PS (CN1) core networks, and messages relative to the user plan for both the CS (CN2) and PS (CN1) core networks. The PS part (D1) is intercalated between the SGSN(s) and the SGW, and arranged for forwarding user data between the SGSN and mobile stations (MS) through the SGW, and for handling the control plan for the PS core network (CN1) through packet switched call messages over TCP. The CS part (D2) is intercalated between the SGW and the MSC and arranged for handling the control plan for the CS core network (CN2) and discovery and registration procedures of the mobile stations (MS), for forwarding packet switched call messages over TCP between a PS part (D1) and the mobile stations (MS) through the SGW, and for relaying circuit switched call messages between the MSC and the mobile stations (MS) through the SGW.

Claims

1. UMA network controller (SGW, D1, D2) for an UMA mobile communication network comprising a circuit switched core network (CN2) with at least one mobile switching center (MSC) and a media gateway (MGW), a packet switched core network (CN1) with at least one serving GPRS serving node (SGSN), characterized in that it comprises a security gateway (SGW), a packet switched part (D1) and a circuit switched part (D2), said security gateway (SGW) being coupled to said media gateway (MGW), to at least one packet switched part (D1) and to at least one circuit switched part (D2), and arranged i) to ensure security procedures between mobile stations (MS) and an UMA world, ii) to forward messages relative to the control plan for both circuit switched (CN2) and packet switched (CN1) core networks between mobile stations (MS) and at least one circuit switched part (D2), iii) to forward messages relative to the user plan for the circuit switched core network (CN2) between mobile stations (MS) and the media gateway (MGW), and iv) to forward messages relative to the user plan for the packet switched core network (CN1) between mobile stations (MS) and at least one packet switched part (D2), said packet switched part (D1) being intercalated between said serving GPRS serving node (SGSN) and said security gateway (SGW), and arranged for forwarding user data between said serving GPRS serving node (SGSN) and mobile stations (MS) through said security gateway (SGW), and for handling the control plan for the packet switched core network (CN1) through packet switched call messages over TCP, and said circuit switched part (D2) being intercalated between said security gateway (SGW) and a mobile switching center (MSC), and arranged for handling the control plan for the circuit switched core network (CN2) and discovery and registration procedures of said mobile stations (MS), for forwarding packet switched call messages over TCP between a packet switched part (D1) and said mobile stations (MS) through said security gateway (SGW), and for relaying circuit switched call messages between said mobile switching center (MSC) and said mobile stations (MS) through said security gateway (SGW).

2. UMA network controller according to claim 1, characterized in that a packet switched part (D1) and a circuit switched part (D2) are arranged to exchange messages through at least one transport path.

3. UMA network controller according to claim 2, characterized in that said transport path is chosen in a group comprising at least a TCP path and an UDP path.

4. UMA network controller according to claim 1, characterized in that said packet switched part (D1) comprises a pilot station (PSN) arranged for implementing operating and maintenance function and chosen centralized functions, and at least one logical service station (SSj) arranged for handling the control plan and the user plan of the GPRS traffic.

5. UMA network controller according to claim 4, characterized in that said circuit switched part (D2) comprises at least one logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) arranged for establishing a transport connection with at least one logical service station (SSj) of at least one packet switched part (D1), for handling the control plan for said circuit switched core network (CN2) and discovery and registration procedures of said mobile stations (MS), for forwarding packet switched call messages over TCP between each of said service stations (SSj) and said mobile stations (MS) through said security gateway (SGW), and for relaying circuit switched call messages between said mobile switching center (MSC) and said mobile stations (MS) through said security gateway (SGW).

6. UMA network controller according to claim 5, characterized in that each service station (SSj) is a functional entity supporting one transport connection per logical unit UNC-CS (LUi), and one network service entity per serving GPRS serving node (SGSNk).

7. UMA network controller according to claim 6, characterized in that each logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) is arranged for selecting a transport path among the ones that serves a chosen routing area identity (RAIk) associated to a serving GPRS serving node (SGSNk), and said service station (SSj) which is connected to said chosen transport path is arranged for selecting a network service entity (NSEk) among the ones that can be selected for said chosen routing area identity (RAIk).

8. UMA network controller according to claim 4, characterized in that each logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) is arranged, when it needs to establish a transport connection, i) to require to said pilot station (PSN) of a packet switched part (D1), the identity of each of its active service stations (SSj) and the IP address and the transport port to use in order to establish a transport path with each of said active service stations (SSj), then ii) to establish effective transport connections with said active service station (SSj), by means of said respective received IP addresses and transport ports, and then iii) to send its identity, within said established transport connections, to said active service stations (SSj) in order they send it at least their respective identities and eventual lists of routing area identities (RAIk) that they can respectively serve.

9. UMA network controller according to claim 8, characterized in that each active service station (SSj) is arranged to accept said transport connection even if all its network service entities (NSEk) are not operational.

10. UMA network controller according to claim 8, characterized in that each logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) is arranged to try again periodically to establish said transport connection when it fails.

11. UMA network controller according to claim 8, characterized in that each logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) is arranged to monitor the availability of transport connections by sending periodically a dedicated message to the pilot station (PSN) and the service stations (SSj) of the concerned packet switched part (D1).

12. UMA network controller according to claim 4, characterized in that each logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) is arranged, upon receipt of a message of an URR type from a mobile station (MS), to choose a transport connection adapted to handle messages of the URR and URLC types received from said mobile station (MS), then to forward said received URR message to the service station (SSj) connected to said chosen transport connection, within a message of an UPPS type.

13. UMA network controller according to claim 12, characterized in that each service station (SSj) is arranged, upon receipt of an UPPS message containing an URR message from a mobile station (MS), to allocate a NSEi+BVCi to a Cell Identifier contained into said received UPPS message.

14. UMA network controller according to claim 12, characterized in that each logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) is arranged, upon receipt of a message of an URR type from a mobile station (MS) and when it manages more than one routing area identity (RAIk), either to select one of these routing area identities (RAIk) by means of at least one chosen rule, or to select the routing area identity (RAIk) transmitted by the mobile station (MS), and then to select the service station corresponding to the selected routing area identity (RAIk).

15. UMA network controller according to claim 14, characterized in that each logical unit UNC-CS (LUi) is arranged, upon receipt of a message of an URLC type from a mobile station (MS), to forward said received URLC message to the concerned service station (SSj), via a selected transport connection, within a message of an UPPS type, and said service station (SSj) is arranged, when required and upon receipt of said UPPS message comprising said URLC message, to create a context associated to said mobile station (MS) and to forward the data contained into said URLC message to a serving GPRS serving node (SGSNk) through a network service entity (NSEk) associated to the routing area identity (RAIk) associated to said serving GPRS serving node (SGSNk).

16. UMA network controller according to claim 1, characterized in that said circuit switched part (D2) is installed into a circuit switched call server (CSR) which also comprises said mobile switching center (MSC).