Bandwidth Management For A Converged Gateway In A Hybrid Network

• US 20120071168A1
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tomici, John L., Cartmell, John, Chitrapu, Prabhakar R., Di Girolamo, Rocco, Gauvreau, Jean-Louis, Kamarajugadda, Aravind, Ye, Chunxuan, Reznik, Alexander, Chandra, Arty, Lynch, Kenneth F., Hergenhan, Scott C., Laha, Kushanava, Varshney, Reeteshkumar, Podias, Nicholas J., Demir, Alpaslan Y., Freda, Martino, Seed, Dale N., Starsinic, Michael F., Russell, Paul L., Toug, Athmane, Upadhyay, Onkarnath
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/04 based on wireless node resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections

Abstract

Systems and methods for integrating bandwidth management (BWM) equipment into a network in order to manage the use of bandwidth over multiple radio access technologies (RATs) relating to communications between a wireless transmit receive unit and a mobile core network (MCN). When integrating itself into the network, a BWM server may be placed between a MCN and an femto access point. In order for WTRUs to communicate with the MCN through the femto access point and a BWM server, a BWM server may need deep packet inspection capabilities.

Claims

1. A system to manage bandwidth over multiple radio access links, the system comprising:

a first communications device providing a first radio access technology (RAT) link to a WTRU;

a second communications device providing a second radio access technology (RAT) link to the WTRU; and

a bandwidth management (BWM) server, configured to communicate with the first communications device and the second communications device,

wherein the BWM server provides connectivity to an application server and,

wherein the BWM server establishes a session with a BWM client on the WTRU,

such that a first portion of a communication between the WTRU and the application server is routed via the first communication device and a second portion of the communication is routed via the second communications device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the BWM server uses Multi-Network Transport Protocol (MNTP).

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the BWM server terminates a first tunneling protocol from the first communications device and establishes a second tunneling protocol with a device in a mobile core network.

4. A method of managing bandwidth over multiple radio access technology links, the method comprising:

a bandwidth management (BWM) server, establishing a first internet protocol based tunnel with a first communications device, wherein the first communications device has a radio access technology (RAT) link to a WTRU;

the BWM server, establishing a second internet protocol based tunnel with a second communications device;

the BWM, establishing a communication interface with a third communications device, wherein the third communications device has a RAT link to the WTRU, wherein the radio access technology of the third communications device is different from the radio access technology of the first communications device;

receiving a data packet over the second tunnel;

determining whether to transmit the packet over the first tunnel or the communications interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining is based on the radio conditions of the first RAT link.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the BWM server terminates and reestablishes a tunneling protocol between the first communication device and the third communication device.

7. A device comprising:

a processor configured to;

establish a first internet protocol based tunnel with a first communications device, wherein the first communications device has a radio access technology (RAT) link to a WTRU;

establish a second internet protocol based tunnel with a second communications device;

establish a communication interface with a third communications device, wherein the third communications device has a RAT link to the WTRU, wherein the radio access technology of the third communications device is different from the radio access technology of the first communications device;

receive a data packet over the second tunnel;

determine whether to transmit the packet over the first tunnel or the communications interface;

transmit the received data packet.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the path of the communication based on the type of application communicating with the WTRU.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determines the path of the communication based on the radio conditions of at least one of the first RAT link and the communications interface.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform deep packet inspection.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

add a protocol sequence number to the packet received over the second tunnel.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the second tunnel is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol tunnel.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the second tunnel is an internet protocol security tunnel.

14. The device of claim 7, wherein the first tunnel is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) tunnel.

15. The device of claim 7, wherein the first tunnel is an internet protocol security tunnel.

16. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

process the packet received from the second tunnel based on Multi-Network Transport Protocol (MNTP).

17. The device of claim 7, wherein the second communications device is a core network device.

18. The device of claim 7, wherein the third communications device is a wireless fidelity (WiFi) access point.

19. The device of claim 8, wherein the second communications device is a local gateway (LGW).

20. The device of claim 7, wherein the first communications device is a H(e)NB.