Decentrallizing Core Network Functionalities

• US 20110158171A1
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kiiski, Matti Tapani, Ford, Alan, Laitila, Matti Einari, Centonza, Angelo, Michel, Juergen, Vesterinen, Seppo Ilmari
• Granted Patent: US 8,654,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for providing network access, wherein a connection to a core network is established via a wireless access device and a gateway device. Connectivity of the wireless access device is restricted to a pre-defined group of core network address of a pool of gateway devices with multi-node connectivity to the core network, and a single address is selected to establish the connection to a one of the gateway devices. The gateway device is provided with a relay function for mapping a single input address to a plurality of core network addresses based on a location information of the wireless access device and with at least one co-located decentralized core network functionality.

Claims

1. A method of providing network access, said method comprising:

a. establishing a connection to a core network via a wireless access device;

b. restricting connectivity of said wireless access device to a predefined group of core network addresses of a pool of gateway devices with multi-node connectivity to said core network; and

c. selecting a single address to establish said connection to one of said gateway devices.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a user-plane connection to said gateway device via a single Internet Protocol address.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a control-plane connection to said gateway device via a single transmission protocol association containing a single transmission protocol stream and a single Internet Protocol address.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing automatic setup of said gateway device with a pre-defined identification.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said predefined identification comprises a tracking area with at least one dedicated tracking area code.

29. A computer program product comprising code means for producing the steps of claim 1 when run on a computer device.

2. A method of providing network access, said method comprising:

a. using a gateway device for establishing a connection from a wireless access device to a core network;

b. providing said gateway device with a relay function for mapping a single input address to a plurality of core network addresses based on a location information of said wireless access device; and

c. decentralizing at least one core network functionality and co-locating it with said gateway device.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising connecting said gateway device to said core network via several Internet Protocol addresses and several transmission protocol streams.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein said at least one core network functionality comprises at least one of a serving gateway functionality, a packet data network gateway functionality, a mobility management functionality, so that at least one of a user plane and a control plane of said connection is terminated at said gateway device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said mobility management functionality management functionality is part of a pool of mobility management entities local to said gateway device.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising using a default bearer for traffic terminated at said gateway device.

11. The method according to claim 2, wherein said at least one core network functionality comprises a control plane anchor function for said wireless access device, so that a user plane of said connection is terminated at said wireless access device.

12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising using said at least one core network functionality to provide local routing without passing a centralized gateway device at said core network.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said local routing comprises at least one of local peer-to-peer routing and local routing to an external packet data network.

31. A computer program product comprising code means for producing the steps of claim 2 when run on a computer device.

14. An apparatus for providing access to a core network, said apparatus comprising:

a. connecting means which provide a connectivity restricted to a pre-defined group of core network address of a pool of gateway devices with multi-node connectivity to said core network; and

b. selecting means for selecting a single address from said group of core network addresses to establish a connection to a one of said gate-way devices.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said connecting means is adapted to establish a control-plane connection to said gateway device via a single transmission protocol association containing a single transmission protocol stream and a single Internet Protocol address.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said connecting means is adapted to establish a user-plane connection to said gateway device via a single Internet Protocol address.

17. A wireless access device comprising an apparatus according to claim 14.

28. A chip module comprising an apparatus according to claim 14.

18. An apparatus for establishing a connection from a wireless access device to a core network, said apparatus comprising:

a. relay means for mapping a single input address to a plurality of core network addresses based on a location information of said wireless access device; and

b. at least one co-located decentralized core network functionality.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said relay means is configured to provide a connection to said core network via several Internet Protocol addresses and several transmission protocol streams.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said relay means provides a logical signaling interface between said wireless access device and other wireless access devices or macro access devices which provide macro cells.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said at least one core network functionality comprises at least one of a serving gateway functionality, a packet data network gateway functionality, a mobility management functionality, so that at least one of a user plane and a control plane of said connection is terminated at said gateway device.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said mobility management functionality management functionality is part of a pool of mobility management entities local to said gateway device.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said at least one core network functionality is configured to use a default bearer for traffic terminated at said gateway device.

24. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said at least one core network functionality comprises a control plane anchor function for said wireless access device, so that a user plane of said connection is terminated at said wireless access device.

25. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said apparatus is configured to use said at least one core network functionality to provide local routing without passing a centralized gateway device at said core network.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said local routing comprises at least one of local peer-to-peer routing and local routing to an external packet data network.

27. A gateway device comprising an apparatus according to claim 18.

30. A chip module comprising an apparatus according to claim 18.