METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING A CONNECTION BETWEEN NETWORK ELEMENTS

• US 20130034065A1
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hurtta, Tuija, Koistinen, Janne
• Granted Patent: US 9,386,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels

Abstract

Establishing or handling a connection between a first and a second network element connected to different networks such as GPRS/UMTS and IP-based networks is disclosed. The connection is established of via at least one a third network element such as a SGSN or GGSN arranged in one of the networks. The third network element is adapted to send, when receiving information on an establishment of a connection, a request to a fourth network element which may be a Call State Control Function, a Policy Control Function, or a Call Processing Server. The request requests permission for establishing a type of connection, or requests a check of a connection parameter, and specifies the first and/or second network element and/or the connection or connection type to be established. The fourth network element returns a response specifying a permission for establishing a connection or connection type, or a connection parameter.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. An apparatus comprising:

a network element configured to at least

receive information of a connection for a call between a user equipment and a called party,

send a permission request to another network element requesting permission for the connection, the permission request specifying at least one of the user equipment, the called party, and the connection,

receive from the other network element a response specifying at least one of a permission for the connection and a connection parameter, and

control the connection dependent on the response.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the network element is a support node.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the support node is a gateway general packet radio service support node.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the other network element is a call state control function.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the other network element is a policy control function.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the other network element is at least partly implemented as part of the third network element.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the permission request comprises at least one of the following:

an international mobile subscriber identity, a packet data protocol address, a destination address for the connection, a traffic flow template, and a network layer service access point identifier.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the permission request comprises a connection parameter comprising at least one of the following:

an accepted quality of service value, an accepted bearer party information, and an indication of whether the connection is an emergency connection.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the response further comprises an international mobile subscriber identity.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a user equipment configured to at least send a message, wherein the message initiates, at a network element, at least receiving information of a connection for a call between the user equipment and a called party, sending a permission request to another network element requesting permission for the connection, the permission request specifying at least one of the user equipment, the called party, and the connection, receiving from the other network element, a response specifying at least one of a permission for the connection and a connection parameter, and controlling the connection dependent on the response.

19. An method comprising:

sending, by a user equipment, a message, wherein the message initiates, at a network element, at least receiving information on a connection for a call between the user equipment and a called party, sending a permission request to a another network element requesting permission for the connection, the permission request specifying at least one of the user equipment, the called party, and the connection, receiving from the other network element, a response specifying at least one of a permission for the connection and a connection parameter, and controlling the connection dependent on the response; and

receiving, at the user equipment, a response to the message.

20. A system for establishing a connection in a two-layer communication network comprising a first communication network layer adapted to establish a communication channel to a terminal and a second communication network layer adapted to establish a session carried on said communication channel, said system being adapted to at least:

establish a session with an identifier,

establish a communication channel with said identifier, and

authorize said communication channel by said session using said identifier.