METHOD FOR NETWORK CONTROLLED ACCESS SELECTION

• US 20110128907A1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Kvernvik, Tor
• Granted Patent: US 9,584,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5691 Access to open networks; Ingress point selection, e.g. ISP selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices

Abstract

The invention provides an Access Selection Server (ASS) and a method for the same. The invention also provides a User Equipment (UE). The Access Selection Server (ASS) comprises storing means and software and is adapted for location in a communication network comprising at least one User Equipment (UE) and communication nodes. The ASS is also arranged to store information of all accesses for each UE in the communication network and information of overall load status of the communication network in the storing means by means of collecting information through interactions with the communication nodes, the UE and an Access Selection Server subscriber Data Base (ASS DB). The ASS is further arranged to communicate control messages, based on the stored information, from the ASS to the UE, thereby enabling control of multiple UE-accesses from the ASS.

Claims

1. An Access Selection Server (ASS) (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) comprising storing means and software, the ASS being adapted for location in a communication network comprising at least one User Equipment (UE) (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) and communication nodes (204, 401, 406, 206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705, 211, 202) characterized by the ASS being arranged to allow each UE to have multiple accesses to at least one Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW) (211) being part of the communication network, each access comprising one IP-session (502, 503), the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) further being arranged to store information of all accesses for each UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) in the communication network and information of overall load status of the communication network in the storing means by means of collecting information through interactions with the communication nodes (204, 401, 406, 206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705, 211, 202), the UE and an Access Selection Server subscriber Data Base (ASS DB) (203), and that the ASS is arranged to communicate control messages, based on the stored information, from the ASS to the UE, thereby enabling control of multiple UE-accesses from the ASS.

2. An ASS according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication network is according to 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) or a communication network being based on and /or evolved from 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

3. An ASS according to claim 1-2, characterized in that said communication nodes comprise at least one of an Application Function (AF) (204, 401, 406), a Policy and Charging Rules Functions (PCRF) (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705), a Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW) (211) and a Network Management System (NMS) (202).

4. An ASS according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the access from the UE to one PDN GW (211) is arranged through one or several Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Networks (IP-CANS) (213) such as a network based on a Radio Access Technology (RAT), the UE also being arranged to communicate with more than one PDN GW, each PDN GW having one or several IP-CAN connections with the UE and further that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) is arranged to be connected to the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) through an IP-based interface (214, 305).

5. An ASS according to any one of claims 3-4, characterized in that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) is a separate node.

6. An ASS according to claim 5, characterized in that a reference point Rx1 (215), being an Rx-reference point between the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) and the AF (204, 401, 406) and arranged to enable the AF to communicate a request, for updating the multi-access policy rules in the UE due to AF session establishment/modification/deactivation, to the ASS, and further arranged to handle communication between the ASS and the AF for informing the ASS of activations and modifications of IP-sessions.

7. An ASS according to claim 6, characterized in that the AF (204, 401, 406) comprises a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) (803, 903) being modified to communicate a request to the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) for activation of access selection.

8. An ASS according to any one of the preceding claims 5-7, characterized in that a reference point Rx2 (216, 605), being an Rx or Gx reference point or an aggregation of an Rx-reference point (205) and a Gx-reference point (209), is arranged to handle communication between the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) and the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) and for transfer of information concerning IP-sessions in the PCRF to the ASS.

9. An ASS according to any one of the preceding claims 5-8, characterized in that the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) is extended by procedures for two new messages, the PCRF being arranged to report session information, via the reference point Rx2 (216, 605), to the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) about Radio Access Technology and IP address and other possible session information stored in the PCRF session data base in the first message and in the second message the PCRF is arranged to receive acknowledgement from the ASS of the activation, modification and deactivation of all UE IP-CANS.

10. An ASS according to any one of the claims 3-4, characterized in that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) is a separate node or said ASS and the PCRF node (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) are arranged to be integrated into one logical node or said ASS, said PCRF and the AF (204, 401, 406) are arranged to be integrated into one logical node.

11. An ASS according to claim 10, characterized in that a reference point Rx2 (216, 605), being an Rx or Gx reference point or an aggregation of an Rx-reference point (205) and a Gx-reference point (209), is arranged to handle communication between the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) and the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) and for transfer of information concerning IP-sessions in the PCRF to the ASS and the reference point Rx2 being further arranged to enable the AF to communicate a request, for updating the multi-access policy rules in the UE due to AF session establishment/modification/deactivation, to the ASS via the Rx reference point and the PCRF and to handle communication between the AF and the ASS via the Rx reference point and the PCRF.

12. An ASS according to any one of the claims 10-11, characterized in that the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) is arranged to be extended by procedures for two new messages, the PCRF being arranged to report session information, via the reference point Rx2 (216, 605), to the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) about Radio Access Technology and IP address and other possible session information stored in the PCRF session data base in the first message and in the second message the PCRF is arranged to receive acknowledgement from the ASS of the activation, modification and deactivation of all UE IP-CANS and the PCRF further being arranged to be extended to communicate a request for updating the multi-access policy rules in the UE due to AF session establishment/modification/deactivation, from the AF to the ASS through the Rx2 reference point.

13. An ASS according to any one of the preceding claims 3-12, characterized in that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) is arranged to receive information about load status for different Radio Access Technologies within the communication network from the Network Management System (NMS) (202) through a management interface (218).

14. An ASS according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ASS software is arranged to perform the following steps:

handling a single access or multiple accesses in parallel

guiding the UE in activating, modifying or changing an access in order to request the correct Radio Access Technology (RAT).

15. An ASS according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ASS software comprises access selection criteria being arranged to be communicated to the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) through the IP-based interface (214, 305), thus establishing a control of the UE from the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902).

16. An ASS according to claim 15, characterized in that the access selection criteria is a direct instruction (303) to the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) to use a certain Radio Access Technology (RAT) or a preference list of available Radio Access Technologies for different services (304) arranged to instruct the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) which RAT to use depending on parameters such as location, time of the day and load status.

17. An ASS according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the PDN GW (211) is a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN).

18. An ASS according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there is at least one ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) per Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).

39. A communication system comprising an ASS according to any of claims 1-18.

40. A communication system according to claim 39, characterized by further comprising a Subscription Profile Repository (SPR) (207) connected to the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) through a reference point Sp (208) or integrated with other communication nodes.

19. A method for an Access Selection Server (ASS) (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) comprising storing means and software, the ASS being located in a communication network, the communication network comprising at least one User Equipment (UE) (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) and communication nodes (204, 401, 406, 206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705, 211, 202) characterized by the ASS allowing each UE to have multiple accesses to at least one Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW) (211) being part of the communication network, each access comprising one IP-session (502, 503), the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) further storing information (1002) of all accesses for each UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) in the communication network and information of overall load status of the communication network in the storing means by collecting information (1001) through interactions (1001) with the communication nodes (204, 401, 406, 206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705, 211, 202), the UE and an Access Selection Server subscriber Data Base (ASS DB) (203) and that the ASS communicates control messages (1003), based on the stored information, from the ASS to the UE, thereby enabling control (1003) of multiple UE-accesses from the ASS.

20. A method according to claim 19, characterized in that the communication network is according to 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) or a communication network being based on and/or evolved from 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

21. A method according to claim 19-20, characterized in that the said communication nodes comprise at least an Application Function (AF) (204, 401, 406), a Policy and Charging Rules Functions (PCRF) (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705), a Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW) (211) and a Network Management System (NMS) (202).

22. A method according to any one of claims 19-21, characterized in that the access from the UE to one PDN GW (211) runs through one or several Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Networks (IP-CANS) (213) such as a network based on a Radio Access Technology (RAT), the UE also communicating with more than one PDN GW, each PDN GW having one or several IP-CAN connections with the UE and further that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) is connected to the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) through an IP-based interface (214, 305).

23. A method according to any one of claims 21-22, characterized in that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) is a separate node.

24. A method according to claim 23, characterized in that a reference point Rx1 (215), being an Rx-reference point between the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) and the AF (204, 401, 406) enabling the AF to communicate a request, for updating the multi-access policy rules in the UE due to AF session establishment/modification/deactivation, to the ASS, and further to handle communication between the ASS and the AF for informing the ASS of activations and modifications of IP-sessions.

25. A method according to claim 24, characterized in that the AF (204, 401, 406) comprises a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) (803, 903) being modified to communicate a request to the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) for activation of access selection.

26. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 23-25, characterized in that a reference point Rx2 (216, 605), being an Rx or Gx reference point or an aggregation of an Rx-reference point (205) and a Gx-reference point (209), is used to handle communication between the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) and the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) and for transfer of information concerning IP-sessions in the PCRF to the ASS.

27. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 23-26, characterized in that the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) is extended by procedures for two new messages, the PCRF reports session information, via the reference point Rx2 (216, 605), to the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) about Radio Access Technology and IP address and other possible session information stored in the PCRF session data base in the first message and in the second message the PCRF receives acknowledgement from the ASS of the activation, modification and deactivation of all UE IP-CANS.

28. A method according to any one of the claims 21-22, characterized in that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) is a separate node or said ASS and the PCRF node (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) are integrated into one logical node or said ASS, said PCRF and the AF (204, 401, 406) are integrated into one logical node.

29. A method according to claim 28, characterized in that a reference point Rx2 (216, 605), being an Rx or Gx reference point or an aggregation of an Rx-reference point (205) and a Gx-reference point (209), handles communication between the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) and the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) and transfers information concerning IP-sessions in the PCRF to the ASS and the reference point Rx2 further enabling the AF to communicate a request, for updating the multi-access policy rules in the UE due to AF session establishment/modification/deactivation, to the ASS via the Rx reference point and the PCRF and further handles communication between the AF and the ASS via the Rx reference point and the PCRF.

30. A method according to any one of the claims 28-29, characterized in that the PCRF (206, 407, 601, 602, 704, 705) is extended by procedures for two new messages, the PCRF reports session information, via the reference point Rx2 (216, 605), to the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) about Radio Access Technology and IP address and other possible session information stored in the PCRF session data base in the first message and in the second message the PCRF receives acknowledgement from the ASS of the activation, modification and deactivation of all UE IP-CANS and the PCRF further being extended to communicate a request, for updating the multi-access policy rules in the UE due to AF session establishment/modification/deactivation, from the AF to the ASS through the Rx2 reference point.

31. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 21-30, characterized in that the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) receives information about load status for different Radio Access Technologies within the communication network from the Network Management System (NMS) (202) through a management interface (218).

32. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 19-31, characterized in that the ASS software performs the following steps:

handling a single access or multiple accesses in parallel

guiding the UE in activating, modifying or changing an access in order to request the correct Radio Access Technology (RAT).

33. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 19-32, characterized in that the ASS software comprises access selection criteria being communicated to the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) through the IP-based interface (214, 305), thus establishing a control of the UE from the ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902).

34. A method according to claim 33, characterized in that the access selection criteria is a direct instruction (303) to the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) to use a certain Radio Access Technology (RAT) or a preference list of available Radio Access Technologies for different services (304) instructing the UE (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) which RAT to use depending on parameters such as location, time of the day and load status.

35. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 19-34, characterized in that the PDN GW (211) is a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN).

36. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 19-35, characterized in that there is at least one ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902) per Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).

37. A User Equipment (UE) (212, 302, 701, 801, 901) arranged to interact with a communication network, characterized in that the UE comprises an ASS-function wherein the UE further is arranged to communicate through an IP-based interface (214, 305) with an ASS (201, 301, 404, 409, 603, 706, 802, 902), the ASS function in the UE being arranged to handle requests from the ASS to perform activation of new accesses and/or modification or deactivation of existing accesses.

38. A User equipment according to claim 37, characterized by the ASS function in the UE being adapted for one or more of:

informing the ASS about available passive accesses for the UE and/or geographical location information for the UE.

receiving data concerning selection of a Radio Access Technology

communicating a request for an IP-CAN establishment

initiating for SIP invite/reinvite.