Multicast Optimization and Aggregation in an Enterprise Controller

• US 20120196594A1
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abhishek, Allaukik, Pazhyannur, Rajesh, Grayson, Mark, Wee, Daniel, Balasekar, Santhalingam, Jin, Hang, Smith, Malcolm
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for managing radio access point (RAP) devices and enterprise controller devices in a wireless communication network. An enterprise controller device registers with a gateway device, and the enterprise controller device receives a registration request from multiple RAP devices that are serviced by the enterprise controller device. As the RAP devices register with the enterprise controller device, the enterprise controller device generates a list of the RAP devices registered with the enterprise controller. As the enterprise controller receives additional registration requests from additional RAP devices, the enterprise controller updates the list. The enterprise controller sends the list to the gateway device with which it registers so that the gateway device is aware of RAP devices serviced by the enterprise controller device. In this way, aggregated messages may be sent from the gateway device to the enterprise controller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

registering an enterprise controller device with a gateway device;

at the enterprise controller device, receiving a registration request from each of a first radio access point (RAP) device and a second RAP device, wherein the first RAP device and the second RAP device are serviced by the enterprise controller device;

at the enterprise controller device, generating a first data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices registered with the enterprise controller; and

sending the first data map from the enterprise controller device to the gateway device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein registering comprises registering the enterprise controller with the gateway such that the gateway uniquely identifies the enterprise controller by using enterprise controller ID information associated with the enterprise controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first data map comprises sending the first data map when the enterprise controller device registers with the gateway device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the enterprise controller device, registering a first user equipment (UE) device with the first RAP device serviced by the enterprise controller device and registering a second UE device with the second RAP device serviced by the enterprise controller device; and

at the enterprise controller device, generating a second data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices and corresponding first and second UE devices serviced by the plurality of RAP devices.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising updating the second data map when the first UE device is handed over from the first RAP device to a third RAP device.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

at the enterprise controller device, receiving a message destined for the first or second UE devices from the gateway device;

at the enterprise controller device, mapping the received message to appropriate RAP devices associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map stored in a memory of the enterprise controller; and

sending the message from the enterprise controller to the appropriate RAP devices based on the second data map.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

receiving the message comprises receiving a single message that is destined for both the first and the second UE devices; and

mapping comprises mapping the received single message to both the first and second RAP device associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving comprises receiving multicast messages destined for both the first and the second UE devices based on multicast classifications previously requested by the first and the second UE devices.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein mapping comprises mapping the received message to the appropriate RAP devices by mapping the received message to context identifiers that are associated with the first and second RAP devices that manage the first and second UE devices, respectively.

10. A method comprising:

at a gateway device, receiving a registration request from one or more enterprise controller devices that are serviced by the gateway device; and

at the gateway device, receiving a data map from each of the one or more enterprise controller devices that are serviced by the gateway device, wherein the data map comprises a list of radio access point (RAP) devices that are serviced by each of the enterprise controller devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

at the gateway device, receiving a message destined for multiple user equipment (UE) devices;

at the gateway device, mapping the received message to an appropriate one of the enterprise controller devices based on the data map; and

sending an aggregated message destined for the multiple UE devices to the appropriate enterprise controller device.

12. A method comprising:

at an enterprise controller device, receiving a first registration request from a first user equipment (UE) device and a second registration request from a second UE device managed by respective first and second radio access point (RAP) devices;

at the enterprise controller device, forwarding the first and second registration request to a gateway device; and

at the enterprise controller device, signaling to the gateway device that the first and the second UE devices are relocating to a third RAP device without the first and second UE devices having sent registration requests for such relocating.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a message at the enterprise controller destined for the first UE device and the second UE device from the gateway device, wherein the message contains a first context identifier that identifies the third RAP device and the first and second UE devices for which the message is destined.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining the third RAP device as a virtual RAP device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a message at the enterprise controller destined for the first UE device from the gateway device, wherein the message contains a first context identifier and a first location area code that are associated with the third RAP device and the first UE device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising mapping the received message at the enterprise controller device to the first RAP device by using a data map stored in a memory of the enterprise controller, wherein the data map comprises a list of a plurality of RAP devices serviced by the enterprise controller device and corresponding UE devices serviced by the plurality of RAP devices.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating at the enterprise controller device a second context identifier that is associated with the first RAP device and the first UE device;

changing the first context identifier in the received message to the second context identifier; and

sending the received message to the first UE device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating at the enterprise controller device a second location area code that is associated with the first RAP device and the first UE device;

changing the first location area code in the received message to the second location area code; and

sending the received message to the first UE device.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a message at the enterprise controller destined for the gateway device from the first UE device, wherein the message contains an outbound context identifier and an outbound location area code that are associated with the first RAP device and the first UE device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising mapping the received message to the third RAP device by generating a virtual location area code associated with the third RAP device, changing the outbound location area code in the received message to the virtual location area code and sending the received message to the gateway device.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface device;

a memory; and

a processor unit coupled to the network interface device and the memory, and configured to;

register the apparatus with a gateway device;

receive a registration request from a first radio access point (RAP) device and a second RAP device to be serviced by the apparatus;

generate a first data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices registered with the apparatus;

store the first data map in the memory; and

send the first data map from the apparatus to the gateway device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

register a first UE device with the first RAP device serviced by the apparatus and a second UE device with the second RAP device serviced by the apparatus;

generate a second data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices and corresponding first and second UE devices serviced by the plurality of RAP devices; and

store the second data map in the memory.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to:

map a message received at the network interface device from the gateway device that is destined for the first or second UE devices to appropriate RAP devices associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map stored in the memory; and

send the message to the appropriate RAP devices based on the second data map.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to map a single message received at the network interface device that is destined for both the first and second UE device to the appropriate RAP device associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to map the received message to the appropriate RAP devices by mapping the received message to context identifiers that are associated with the first and second RAP devices that manage the first and second UE devices, respectively.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface device;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the network interface device and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a registration request from the network interface device from one or more enterprise controller devices that are serviced by the apparatus;

receive a data map from the network interface device from one or more of the enterprise controller devices, wherein the data map comprises a list of radio access point (RAP) devices that are serviced by the apparatus; and

send a message destined for a UE device to an appropriate one of the one or more enterprise controller devices based on the received data map.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the data map from the one or more enterprise controller devices when the one or more enterprise controller devices register with the gateway device.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to register a first UE device with a first RAP device serviced by a particular enterprise controller device and register a second UE device with a second RAP device serviced by the particular enterprise controller device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor is further configured to send a single aggregate message destined for the first UE device and the second UE device to the particular enterprise controller device.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface device;

a memory; and

a processor unit coupled to the network interface device and the memory, and configured to;

receive a registration request from a first user equipment (UE) device and a second UE device that are managed by respective first and second radio access point (RAP devices);

forward the first and second registration requests to a gateway device; and

signal to the gateway device that the first and the second UE device are relocating to a third RAP device without the first and second UE devices having sent registration requests for such relocating.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the processor is further configured to maintain the third RAP device as a virtual RAP device.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the processor is further configured to map a message that is destined for the first UE device to the first RAP device by using a data map comprising a list of plurality of RAP devices serviced by the apparatus and corresponding UE devices serviced by the plurality of RAP devices.