PROVIDING MULTIPLE LEVELS OF SERVICE FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

• US 20090232019A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Agashe, Parag A., Ulupinar, Fatih, Prakash, Rajat, Giaretta, Gerardo, Song, Osok, Tinnakornsrisuphap, Peerapol, Gupta, Rajarshi, Ahmavaara, Kalle, Horn, Gavin B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/287 Remote access server, e.g. BRAS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Local breakout is provided by one or more nodes (e.g., a local access point and/or a local gateway) in a wireless network to facilitate access to one or more local services. In conjunction with local breakout, multiple IP points of presence relating to different levels of service may be provided for an access point. For example, one point of presence may relate to a local service while another point of presence may relate to a core network service. IP point of presence may be identified for an over-the-air packet to indicate a termination point for the packet. Also, different mobility management functionality may be provided at different nodes in a system whereby mobility management for a given node may be provided by a different node for different types of traffic. Thus, an access terminal may support multiple NAS instances. In addition, different types of paging may be provided for different types of traffic. Furthermore, messages associated with one protocol may be carried over another protocol to reduce complexity in the system.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

providing a first Internet protocol point of presence to enable an access terminal access to a first level of service, wherein the first level of service determines a first termination in a network for packets;

providing a second Internet protocol point of presence to enable the access terminal access to a second level of service, wherein the second level of service determines a second termination in the network for packets; and

sending, over a common air interface, traffic indicating the first level of service and traffic indicating the second level of service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first level of service indicates that packets are not to be tunneled; and

the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a visited network and an edge gateway.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a home network and a core network gateway.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a first access point name and a first Internet protocol address; and

the second level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a second access point name and a second Internet protocol address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first level of service is a local service; and

the second level of service is a network service.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the local service comprises service provided via an access point that communicates with the access terminal over the common air interface; and

the network service comprises service provided via a first hop router for the access terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the access point is associated with an Internet protocol subnetwork; and

the local service comprises service provided by an entity that is associated with the Internet protocol subnetwork.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

sending traffic indicating the first level of service comprises defining a first identifier of the first level of service and transmitting the identifier with a first packet;

sending traffic indicating the second level of service comprises defining a second identifier of the second level of service and transmitting the identifier with a second packet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

sending traffic indicating the first level of service comprises determining a first set of one or more streams associated with the first level of service and transmitting a first packet via a stream in the determined first set of streams; and

sending traffic indicating the second level of service comprises determining a second set of one or more streams associated with the second level of service and transmitting a second packet via a stream in the determined second set of streams.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first set of streams is associated with a first set of data radio bearers; and

the second set of streams is associated with a second set of data radio bearers.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending messages associated with a first protocol via a second protocol to manage the sending of the traffic indicating the first level of service.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first protocol is associated with communication between a mobility manager and a serving gateway; and

the second protocol is associated with communication between the mobility manager and an access point that communicates with the access terminal over the common air interface.

14. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a point of presence controller configured to provide a first Internet protocol point of presence to enable an access terminal access to a first level of service, and further configured to provide a second Internet protocol point of presence to enable the access terminal access to a second level of service, wherein the first level of service determines a first termination in a network for packets and the second level of service determines a second termination in the network for packets; and

a communication controller configured to send, over a common air interface, traffic indicating the first level of service and traffic indicating the second level of service.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the first level of service indicates that packets are not to be tunneled; and

the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a visited network and an edge gateway.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a home network and a core network gateway.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the first level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a first access point name and a first Internet protocol address; and

the second level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a second access point name and a second Internet protocol address.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the first level of service is a local service; and

the second level of service is a network service.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

sending traffic indicating the first level of service comprises defining a first identifier of the first level of service and transmitting the identifier with a first packet;

sending traffic indicating the second level of service comprises defining a second identifier of the second level of service and transmitting the identifier with a second packet.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

sending traffic indicating the first level of service comprises determining a first set of one or more streams associated with the first level of service and transmitting a first packet via a stream in the determined first set of streams; and

sending traffic indicating the second level of service comprises determining a second set of one or more streams associated with the second level of service and transmitting a second packet via a stream in the determined second set of streams.

22. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for providing a first Internet protocol point of presence to enable an access terminal access to a first level of service, and for providing a second Internet protocol point of presence to enable the access terminal access to a second level of service, wherein the first level of service determines a first termination in a network for packets and the second level of service determines a second termination in the network for packets; and

means for sending, over a common air interface, traffic indicating the first level of service and traffic indicating the second level of service.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the first level of service indicates that packets are not to be tunneled; and

the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a visited network and an edge gateway.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a home network and a core network gateway.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the first level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a first access point name and a first Internet protocol address; and

the second level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a second access point name and a second Internet protocol address.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the first level of service is a local service; and

the second level of service is a network service.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

sending traffic indicating the first level of service comprises defining a first identifier of the first level of service and transmitting the identifier with a first packet;

sending traffic indicating the second level of service comprises defining a second identifier of the second level of service and transmitting the identifier with a second packet.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

sending traffic indicating the first level of service comprises determining a first set of one or more streams associated with the first level of service and transmitting a first packet via a stream in the determined first set of streams; and

sending traffic indicating the second level of service comprises determining a second set of one or more streams associated with the second level of service and transmitting a second packet via a stream in the determined second set of streams.

30. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

provide a first Internet protocol point of presence to enable an access terminal access to a first level of service, wherein the first level of service determines a first termination in a network for packets;

provide a second Internet protocol point of presence to enable the access terminal access to a second level of service, wherein the second level of service determines a second termination in the network for packets; and

send, over a common air interface, traffic indicating the first level of service and traffic indicating the second level of service.

31. The computer-program product of claim 30, wherein:

the first level of service indicates that packets are not to be tunneled; and

the second level of service indicates that packets are to be tunneled.

32. The computer-program product of claim 30, wherein:

the first level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a first access point name and a first Internet protocol address; and

the second level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of;

a second access point name and a second Internet protocol address.

33. The computer-program product of claim 30, wherein:

the first level of service is a local service; and

the second level of service is a network service.

34. A method of communication, comprising:

receiving a packet;

determining a level of service associated with the packet; and

determining whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a visited network and an edge gateway.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a home network and a core network gateway.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of:

an access point name and an Internet protocol address.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein:

the packet is received at an access point that communicates via an air interface with an access terminal that sent the packet;

the local service comprises service provided via the access point; and

the network service comprises service provided via the protocol tunnel to a first hop router for the access terminal.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein:

the access point is associated with an Internet protocol subnetwork; and

the local service comprises service provided by an entity that is associated with the Internet protocol subnetwork.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining an identifier that is transmitted with the packet.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining a stream on which the packet is transmitted.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the stream is associated with a data radio bearer.

45. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a packet;

a level of service determiner configured to determine a level of service associated with the packet; and

a communication controller configured to determine whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a visited network and an edge gateway.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a home network and a core network gateway.

49. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of:

an access point name and an Internet protocol address.

50. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service.

51. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining an identifier that is transmitted with the packet.

52. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining a stream on which the packet is transmitted.

53. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for receiving a packet;

means for determining a level of service associated with the packet; and

means for determining whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a visited network and an edge gateway.

56. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a home network and a core network gateway.

57. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of:

an access point name and an Internet protocol address.

58. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service.

59. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining an identifier that is transmitted with the packet.

60. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining a stream on which the packet is transmitted.

61. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

receive a packet;

determine a level of service associated with the packet; and

determine whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service.

62. The computer-program product of claim 61, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a visited network and an edge gateway.

63. The computer-program product of claim 61, wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in at least one of the group consisting of:

a home network and a core network gateway.

64. The computer-program product of claim 61, wherein the level of service is associated with at least one of the group consisting of:

an access point name and an Internet protocol address.

65. The computer-program product of claim 61, wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service.

66. A method of communication, comprising:

using, at an access terminal, a first NAS instance to communicate with a first node;

using, at the access terminal, a second NAS instance to communicate with a second node; and

accessing a first service based on the communication with the first node and accessing a second service based on the communication with the second node.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein:

the first node provides, for the first service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management; and

the second node provides, for the second service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the second service.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with paging management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with paging management for the second service.

70. The method of claim 66, wherein the first and second NAS instances provide different types of paging for different types of traffic.

71. The method of claim 66, wherein the first node comprises an access point that communicates over-the-air with the access terminal.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via the access point; and

the second service comprises network service provided via a first hop router for the access terminal.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the packets are sent in a tunnel to the first hop router.

74. The method of claim 66, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via a gateway through which traffic from the access terminal flows to a first hop router for the access terminal; and

the second service comprises network service provided via the first hop router.

75. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a control signal processor configured to use, at an access terminal, a first NAS instance to communicate with a first node, and further configured to use, at the access terminal, a second NAS instance to communicate with a second node; and

a communication controller configured to access a first service based on the communication with the first node, and further configured to access a second service based on the communication with the second node.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the first node provides, for the first service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management; and

the second node provides, for the second service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management.

77. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the second service.

78. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with paging management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with paging management for the second service.

79. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the first and second NAS instances provide different types of paging for different types of traffic.

80. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the first node comprises an access point that communicates over-the-air with the access terminal.

81. The apparatus of claim 80, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via the access point; and

the second service comprises network service provided via a first hop router for the access terminal.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the packets are sent in a tunnel to the first hop router.

83. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via a gateway through which traffic from the access terminal flows to a first hop router for the access terminal; and

the second service comprises network service provided via the first hop router.

84. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for using, at an access terminal, a first NAS instance to communicate with a first node, and for using, at the access terminal, a second NAS instance to communicate with a second node; and

means for accessing a first service based on the communication with the first node, and for accessing a second service based on the communication with the second node.

85. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein:

the first node provides, for the first service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management; and

the second node provides, for the second service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management.

86. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the second service.

87. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with paging management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with paging management for the second service.

88. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein the first and second NAS instances provide different types of paging for different types of traffic.

89. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein the first node comprises an access point that communicates over-the-air with the access terminal.

90. The apparatus of claim 89, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via the access point; and

the second service comprises network service provided via a first hop router for the access terminal.

91. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the packets are sent in a tunnel to the first hop router.

92. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via a gateway through which traffic from the access terminal flows to a first hop router for the access terminal; and

the second service comprises network service provided via the first hop router.

93. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

use, at an access terminal, a first NAS instance to communicate with a first node via;

use, at the access terminal, a second NAS instance to communicate with a second node; and

access a first service based on the communication with the first node and access a second service based on the communication with the second node.

94. The computer-program product of claim 93, wherein:

the first node provides, for the first service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management; and

the second node provides, for the second service, at least one of the group consisting of;

mobility management and session management.

95. The computer-program product of claim 93, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with bearer management for the second service.

96. The computer-program product of claim 93, wherein:

the first NAS instance is associated with paging management for the first service; and

the second NAS instance is associated with paging management for the second service.

97. The computer-program product of claim 93, wherein the first and second NAS instances provide different types of paging for different types of traffic.

98. The computer-program product of claim 93, wherein the first node comprises an access point that communicates over-the-air with the access terminal.

99. The computer-program product of claim 98, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via the access point; and

the second service comprises network service provided via a first hop router for the access terminal.

100. The computer-program product of claim 99, wherein the packets are sent in a tunnel to the first hop router.

101. The computer-program product of claim 93, wherein:

the first service comprises local service provided via a gateway through which traffic from the access terminal flows to a first hop router for the access terminal; and

the second service comprises network service provided via the first hop router.