Home Node B System Architecture with Support for RANAP User Adaptation Protocol

• US 20090265543A1
• 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:
  US12/426,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265543A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/151
• 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 uses three sets of protocol layers: a security layer, a transport layer, and a layer for transferring Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) messages, to communicate between the network controller and one of the access points. The method also uses the Iuh interface for the transport of messages across the three sets of protocol layers.

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, an access point comprising:

a first set of protocol layers for establishing a secure communication path with the network controller to encrypt and provide data integrity for messages exchanged between the particular access point and the network controller;

a second set of protocol layers for ensuring reliable transport of messages exchanged between the particular access point and the network controller through the secure communication path; and

a third set of protocol layers for transferring Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) messages to the core network through the network controller without modifying content of the RANAP messages, wherein said third set of protocol layers define a header for encapsulating said RANAP messages, said header used for passing said RANAP messages between the particular access point and the network controller.

2. The access point of claim 1, wherein the first set of protocol layers correspond to an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) protocol layer.

3. The access point of claim 1, wherein the second set of protocol layers correspond to a Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) reliable transport protocol.

4. The access point of claim 3, wherein the third set of protocol layers transfer said RANAP messages between the particular access point and the network controller using SCTP as an underlying transport layer.

5. The access point of claim 1, wherein the third set of protocol layers correspond to a RANAP User Adaptation (RUA) protocol.

6. The access point of claim 5, wherein said third set of protocol layers define a RUA header for encapsulating a RANAP message that is passed between the particular access point and the network controller.

7. The access point of claim 6, wherein encapsulating the RANAP message in the RUA header minimizes RUA procedures by not duplicating existing RANAP procedures.

8. The access point of claim 1, wherein the third set of protocol layers facilitate the transparent relay of RANAP messages as the network controller does not decode a RANAP message that is received from the core network when forwarding said RANAP message to the particular access point.

9. The access point of claim 1 further comprising an Iuh interface established with the network controller, wherein the first, second, and third set of protocol layers define messaging formats for the Iuh interface.

10. The access point of claim 1, wherein the particular access point is a Home Node B and the second network is a Home Node B Access Network.

11. For a network controller that communicatively couples a plurality of service regions of a first communication system to a core network of a second communication system comprising a licensed wireless radio access network, a method comprising:

at the network controller, receiving a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) message from the core network for routing to a particular service region;

encapsulating said RANAP message based on a set of protocol layers of the second communication system; and

passing the encapsulated RANAP message to the particular service region for processing.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving an encapsulated RANAP message from the particular service region for routing to the core network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said set of protocol layers specifies an adaptation layer for the network controller to relay said RANAP message transparently towards the core network without needing to decode the encapsulated RANAP message.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein encapsulating said RANAP message comprises adding a header to the message without modifying content of said RANAP message.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising removing the encapsulated header from the RANAP message before passing said RANAP message to the core network for processing.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein encapsulating said RANAP message does not comprise changing any contents of said RANAP message.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein passing the encapsulated RANAP message comprises passing the encapsulated RANAP message over a reliable transport layer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the reliable transport layer is SCTP.

19. 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, the network controller comprising:

a first set of protocol layers for establishing a secure communication path with a particular access point to encrypt and provide data integrity for messages exchanged between the particular access point and the network controller;

a second set of protocol layers for ensuring reliable transport of messages exchanged between the particular access point and the network controller through the secure communication path; and

a third set of protocol layers for transferring Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) messages received at the network controller from the core network to the particular access point without changing said RANAP messages.

20. The network controller of claim 19, wherein the third set of protocol layers transfer said RANAP messages without changing the RANAP messages by encapsulating said RANAP messages with data for routing said RANAP messages between the network controller and the particular access point.

21. The network controller of claim 19, wherein said third set of protocol layers specifies an adaptation layer for the network controller to relay said RANAP message transparently towards the core network without needing to decode an encapsulated RANAP message received from the particular access point.

22. The network controller of claim 19, wherein said third set of protocol layers facilitate the transparent relay of RANAP messages as the network controller does not decode a RANAP message that is received from the core network when forwarding said RANAP message to the particular access point.