Method and Apparatus for Establishment of Asynchronous Transfer Mode Based Bearer Connection between a Network Controller and Core Network

• US 20090262704A1
• 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:
  US12/426,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20090262704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• 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 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• 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 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• 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 establishes, at a network controller, a bearer connection between an access point and the core network indicating an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based bearer connection. The method also establishes an internet protocol (IP) based bearer connection. The method also establishes a user plane between the access point and the core network and routes user plane data to the core network through the ATM based bearer connection.

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 comprising:

at the network controller, establishing a bearer connection between a particular access point and the core network, wherein establishing the bearer connection comprises;

(i) initiating signaling to establish an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based bearer connection between the network controller and the core network, and

(ii) establishing an Internet Protocol (IP) based bearer connection between the network controller and the particular service region;

receiving a message from the particular access point for establishing a user plane between the particular access point and the core network; and

establishing said user plane using said IP based bearer connection between the particular access point and the network controller and said ATM based bearer connection between the network controller and the core network, wherein said network controller routes user plane data received from the particular access point over the IP based bearer connection to the core network through the ATM based bearer connection by the network controller.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an assignment request message to initiate establishment of the bearer connections.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the assignment request message is a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) message, said message further comprising an ATM Adaptation Layer2 (AAL2) binding identity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the bearer connection further comprises receiving an establish confirm message at the network controller to acknowledge establishment of the ATM based bearer connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating signaling to establish the ATM based bearer connection comprises sending an Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP) message from the network controller to the core network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein initiating signaling to establish the ATM based bearer connection further comprises receiving an ALCAP confirm message to confirm the successful establishment of an ATM Adaptation Layer2 (AAL2) connection between the network controller and the core network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP based bearer connection transports user plane data using Voice over IP (VoIP).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP based bearer connection comprises an IP address and a port number for addressing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular access point is a Home Node B and the second communication system is a Home Node B Access Network.

10. 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 for establishing a voice bearer connection between a particular access point and the core network, the method comprising:

from the network controller, initiating signaling to the core network based on an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) address, wherein said signaling is for establishing an ATM adaptation layer (AAL) connection with the core network;

sending a bearer assignment request message to a particular access point, said bearer assignment request message comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) address over which to establish an IP based bearer connection with the particular access point;

forwarding a user plane setup message received from the particular access point over the IP connection to the core network by modifying said user plane setup message to include said ATM addressing for the core network; and

passing communication data received from the particular access point over the IP connection to the core network using the AAL connection.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a RANAP Assignment Request (RAB) message comprising said ATM address for initiating signaling to establish the AAL connection.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending an acknowledgement message from the network controller to the core network to indicate that the establishment of the bearer connection between the UE and the core network is complete.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the acknowledgement message is a Radio Access Bearer (RAB) Assignment Response message.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said bearer assignment request message is for triggering setup of Iu user plane between the particular access point and the core network.

15. 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 of the network controller storing a computer program, said computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for establishing a bearer connection between a particular access point and the core network, wherein the set of instructions for establishing the bearer connection comprises;

(i) a set of instructions for initiating signaling to establish an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based bearer connection between the network controller and the core network, and

(ii) a set of instructions for establishing an Internet Protocol (IP) based bearer connection between the network controller and the particular service region;

a set of instructions for receiving a message from the particular access point for establishing a user plane between the particular access point and the core network; and

a set of instructions for establishing said user plane using said IP based bearer connection between the particular access point and the network controller and said ATM based bearer connection between the network controller and the core network, wherein said network controller routes user plane data received from the particular access point over the IP based bearer connection to the core network through the ATM based bearer connection by the network controller.

16. 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 for establishing a voice bearer connection between a particular access point and the core network, the method comprising:

at the particular access point, receiving a message from the network controller requesting establishment of a bearer connection between said particular access point and the core network;

from the particular access point, sending a message to trigger establishment of an Internet Protocol (IP) based user plane connection with the network controller, wherein said network controller uses an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) based bearer connection to communicate the core network; and

exchanging data with the core network through said network controller.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the message requesting establishment of the bearer connection comprises an IP address assigned by the network controller for a specific bearer connection with the particular access point.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the message requesting establishment of the bearer connection further comprises a Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) port assigned by the network controller for the specific bearer connection with the particular access point.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising, after sending the message to trigger establishment of the IP based user plane connection, performing radio bearer setup with a user equipment operating within the service region of the particular access point.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the particular access point is a Home Node B and the second network is a Home Node B Access Network.

21. 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 of a particular access point, said computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for receiving a message from the network controller requesting establishment of a bearer connection between said particular access point and the core network;

a set of instructions for sending a message to trigger establishment of an Internet Protocol (IP) based user plane connection with the network controller, wherein said network controller uses an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) based bearer connection to communicate with the core network; and

a set of instructions for exchanging data with the core network through said network controller.