Method and Apparatus for Transport of RANAP Messages over the Iuh Interface in a Home Node B System

• US 20090262682A1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tao, Patrick, Gupta, Rajeev, Gallagher, Michael D., Khetawat, Amit
• Application Number:
  US12/426,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20090262682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5656 using the AAL2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/32 Release of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

Some embodiments are implemented in a communication system that includes a first communication system comprised of a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network, and a second communication system comprising a plurality of user hosted access points and a network controller. In some embodiments, each access point operates using short range licensed wireless frequencies to establish a service region. In some embodiments, the network controller communicatively couples the core network to the plurality of access points. The method covers communication from the user equipment to an access point or from the core network to a network controller. The method sends of a radio access network application part (RANAP) message by identifying the RANAP message with a first header and encapsulating that message with a second header. The method passes the encapsulated message to its destination using information from the second header.

Claims

1. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a method of passing a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) message within the second network, the method comprising:

identifying the RANAP message comprising a first header;

encapsulating the RANAP message with a second header without modifying the first header, said second header to specify routing of the RANAP message between a particular access point and the network controller when passing said message to a particular destination; and

passing the encapsulated RANAP message within the second network using information of the second header.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second header comprises a context identifier for uniquely identifying a particular user equipment operating within a service region of the second network as the particular destination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises passing said encapsulated RANAP message over a reliable transport layer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the reliable transport layer is established using Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises passing the encapsulated RANAP message over SCTP with an adaptation layer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises passing the encapsulated RANAP message over SCTP by use of a payload protocol identifier (PPI).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second header comprises a core network identity to indicate a core network domain as the particular destination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second header comprises an Inter Domain NAS Node Selector (IDNNS) for identifying a particular node within the core network with which to establish a signaling connection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second header enables the network controller to transparently relay a RANAP message from a particular access point to the core network without a need to decode the encapsulated RANAP message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second header comprises an indication of service domain for the RANAP message, said indication of service domain comprises at least one of a circuit switched service domain and a packet switched service domain.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises passing the encapsulated RANAP message over the Iuh interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises passing the encapsulated RANAP message over skinny call control procedure (SCCP).

13. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for passing a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) message within the second network, the computer program executable by at least one processor, the computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for identifying the RANAP message comprising a first header;

a set of instructions for encapsulating the RANAP message with a second header without modifying the first header, said second header to specify routing of the RANAP message between a particular access point and the network controller when passing said message to a particular destination; and

a set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message within the second network using information of the second header.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second header comprises a context identifier for uniquely identifying a particular user equipment operating within a service region of the second network as the particular destination.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises a set of instructions for passing said encapsulated RANAP message over a reliable transport layer.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the reliable transport layer is established using Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP).

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises a set of instructions for passing the encapsulated message over SCTP with an adaptation layer.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for passing the RANAP message comprises a set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message over SCTP by use of a payload protocol identifier (PPI).

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second header comprises a core network identity to indicate a core network domain as the particular destination.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein said second header comprises an Inter Domain NAS Node Selector (IDNNS) for identifying a particular node within the core network with which to establish a signaling connection.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second header enables the network controller to transparently relay a RANAP message from a particular access point to the core network without a need to decode the encapsulated RANAP message.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second header comprises an indication of service domain for the RANAP message, said indication of service domain comprises at least one of a circuit switched service domain and a packet switched service domain.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message over the Iuh interface.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein a set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises a set of instructions for passing the encapsulated RANAP message over skinny call control procedure (SCCP).