Packet radio network and method
First Claim
1. A packet radio network for providing a facility for communicating internet packets to and/or from a mobile user equipment, the packet radio network comprisinga gateway support node operable to provide a packet data protocol context for controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from the packet radio network from and/or to the mobile user equipment via a packet communications bearer,a serving support node operable to control communications of the internet packets to and from the gateway support node to and/or from mobile user equipment to form the packet communications bearer, anda radio network part operable to provide a radio access bearer for communicating the internet packets via a radio access interface to and/or from the mobile user equipment, wherein in response to a packet data protocol activation request message requesting a common packet data protocol context, the serving support node is operable in combination with the gateway support node to establish a common packet data protocol context in association with a packet communications bearer, the common packet data protocol context being established to communicate internet protocol packets via the packet communications bearer according to an internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for one or more communications sessions, andthe packet data protocol activation request message communicated to the serving support node from the mobile user equipment includes an end user address information element, with a packet data protocol type number field having a value set to a predetermined value to indicate a request for the common packet data protocol context, and an address field representing an address in accordance with the internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for communicating the internet packets using the common packet data protocol context.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A packet radio network provides a facility for communicating internet packets to and/or from a mobile user equipment. The packet radio network comprises a gateway support node, a serving support node and a radio network part. The gateway support node is operable to provide a packet data protocol context for controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from the packet radio network from and/or to the mobile user equipment via a packet communications bearer. The serving support node is connected to the gateway support node and is operable to control communications of the internet packets to and from the gateway support node to and/or from mobile user equipment to form the packet communications bearer. The radio network part is operable to provide a radio access bearer for communicating the internet packets via a radio access interface to and/or from the mobile user equipment. In response to a packet data protocol activation request message requesting a common packet data protocol context, the serving support node is operable in combination with the gateway support node to establish a common packet data protocol context in association with a packet communications bearer. The common packet data protocol context is established to communicate internet protocol packets via the packet communications bearer according to an internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for one or more communications sessions. The common packet data protocol context therefore provides more flexibility, because a mobile user equipment can send both IPv4 internet packets and IPv6 internet packets as specified by the mobile user equipment. Furthermore a packet radio network according to example embodiments is provided with an arrangement for sharing the same GPRS/UMTS session, using a common packet communications bearer including the high-speed broadband radio bearers.
60 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A packet radio network for providing a facility for communicating internet packets to and/or from a mobile user equipment, the packet radio network comprising
a gateway support node operable to provide a packet data protocol context for controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from the packet radio network from and/or to the mobile user equipment via a packet communications bearer, a serving support node operable to control communications of the internet packets to and from the gateway support node to and/or from mobile user equipment to form the packet communications bearer, and a radio network part operable to provide a radio access bearer for communicating the internet packets via a radio access interface to and/or from the mobile user equipment, wherein in response to a packet data protocol activation request message requesting a common packet data protocol context, the serving support node is operable in combination with the gateway support node to establish a common packet data protocol context in association with a packet communications bearer, the common packet data protocol context being established to communicate internet protocol packets via the packet communications bearer according to an internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for one or more communications sessions, and the packet data protocol activation request message communicated to the serving support node from the mobile user equipment includes an end user address information element, with a packet data protocol type number field having a value set to a predetermined value to indicate a request for the common packet data protocol context, and an address field representing an address in accordance with the internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for communicating the internet packets using the common packet data protocol context.
-
10. A method of communicating internet packets to and/or from a mobile user equipment via a packet radio network, the method comprising
providing a packet data protocol context in a gateway support node of the packet radio network, for controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from the packet radio network from and/or to the mobile user equipment via a packet communications bearer, controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from mobile user equipment via a serving support node of the packet radio network to provide the packet communications bearer, and providing a radio access bearer from a radio network part of the packet radio network for communicating the internet packets via a radio access interface to and/or from the mobile user equipment, wherein in response to a packet data protocol activation request message requesting a common packet data protocol context, the providing a packet data protocol context comprises establishing a common packet data protocol context in association with a packet communications bearer, the common packet data protocol context being established to communicate internet protocol packets via the packet communications bearer according to an internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for one or more communications sessions, wherein the packet data protocol activation request message communicated to the serving support node from the mobile user equipment includes an end user address information element, the end user information element including a packet data protocol type number field having a value set to a predetermined value to indicate a request for the common packet data protocol context, and an address field representing an address in accordance with the internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for communicating the internet packets using the common packet data protocol context.
-
14. A computer program providing computer executable code, which when loaded on to a computer, performs a method of communicating internet packets to and/or from a mobile user equipment via a packet radio network, the method comprising
providing a packet data protocol context in a gateway support node of the packet radio network, for controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from the packet radio network from and/or to the mobile user equipment via a packet communications bearer, controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from mobile user equipment via a serving support node of the packet radio network to provide the packet communications bearer, and providing a radio access bearer from a radio network part of the packet radio network for communicating the internet packets via a radio access interface to and/or from the mobile user equipment, wherein in response to a packet data protocol activation request message requesting a common packet data protocol context, the providing a packet data protocol context comprise establishing a common packet data protocol context in association with a packet communications bearer, the common packet data protocol context being established to communicate internet protocol packets via the packet communications bearer according to an internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for one or more communications sessions, wherein the packet data protocol activation request message communicated to the serving support node from the mobile user equipment includes an end user address information element, the end user information element including a packet data protocol type number field having a value set to a predetermined value to indicate a request for the common packet data protocol context, and an address field representing an address in accordance with the internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for communicating the internet packets using the common packet data protocol context.
-
17. An apparatus for communicating internet packets to and/or from a mobile user equipment via a packet radio network, the apparatus comprising
means for providing a packet data protocol context in a gateway support node of the packet radio network, for controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from the packet radio network from and/or to the mobile user equipment via a packet communications bearer, means for controlling the communication of the internet packets to and/or from mobile user equipment via a serving support node of the packet radio network to provide the packet communications bearer, and means for providing a radio access bearer from a radio network part of the packet radio network for communicating the internet packets via a radio access interface to and/or from the mobile user equipment, wherein in response to a packet data protocol activation request message requesting a common packet data protocol context, the means for providing a packet data protocol context comprises means for establishing a common packet data protocol context in association with a packet communications bearer, the common packet data protocol context being established to communicate internet protocol packets via the packet communications bearer according to an internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for one or more communications sessions, wherein the packet data protocol activation request message communicated to the serving support node from the mobile user equipment includes an end user address information element, the end user information element including a packet data protocol type number field having a value set to a predetermined value to indicate a request for the common packet data protocol context, and an address field representing an address in accordance with the internet protocol version specified by the mobile user equipment for communicating the internet packets using the common packet data protocol context.
-
18. (canceled)
-
19. (canceled)
Specification