METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING A PDN CONNECTION

• US 20140044098A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Roeland, Dinand, Qiang, Zu
• Granted Patent: US 9,843,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels

Abstract

A method for use in establishing a packet data network, PDN, connection from a user equipment or UE, to a 3GPP core network via a non-3GPP access network. The method comprises receiving at the non-3GPP access network a request to establish the PDN connection; communicating with the 3GPP core network to establish a tunnel for the PDN connection between the non-3GPP access network and the 3GPP core network and to assign an IP address for the tunnel, which tunnel IP address is used subsequently by the non-3GPP access network to distinguish between the new PDN connection tunnel and at least one other such PDN connection tunnel already established for the UE, wherein the 3GPP core network is responsible for assigning the IP address, and sending address information from the non-3GPP access network to the 3GPP core network.

Claims

1. A method for use in establishing a packet data network, PDN, connection from a user equipment, UE, to a 3GPP core network via a non-3GPP access network, the method comprising at the non-3GPP access network;

receiving a request to establish the PDN connection;

communicating with the 3GPP core network to establish a new tunnel for the PDN connection between the non-3GPP access network and the 3GPP core network and to assign an IP address for the tunnel, which tunnel IP address is used subsequently by the non-3GPP access network to distinguish between the new PDN connection tunnel and at least one other such PDN connection tunnel already established for the UE, wherein the 3GPP core network is responsible for assigning the IP address;

determining address information enabling the 3GPP core network to assign an IP address for the new PDN connection tunnel that does not clash with an IP address already assigned to any of the at least one another such PDN connection tunnel; and

by sending the address information from the non-3GPP access network to the 3GPP core network as part of the communicating step.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the address information comprises at least one IP address, not to be assigned by the 3GPP core network to the new tunnel, or at least information enabling the at least one IP address to be determined by the 3GPP core network.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, comprising determining at the non-3GPP access network which IP addresses have already been assigned to or which are already in use by the at least one another such tunnel, and wherein the at least one IP address comprises the determined IP addresses or at least information enabling those IP addresses to be determined by the 3GPP core network,

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the address information comprises at least one IP address from which the 3GPP core network should choose to assign to the new tunnel, or at least information enabling the at least one IP address to be determined by the 3GPP core network,

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising receiving at the non-3GPP access network a request to hand over an existing PDN connection for the UE from a 3GPP access network to the non-3GPP access network, determining at the non-3GPP access network whether the IP address of the PDN connection being handed over clashes with an IP address already assigned to a PDN connection for the UE via the non-3GPP access network, and if a clash is not detected then establishing a handed-over PDN connection via the non-3GPP access network using the IP address of the PDN connection being handed over.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein if a clash is detected, the handover request is rejected.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein if a clash is detected then:

communicating with the 3GPP core network to establish a handed-over PDN connection via the non-3GPP access network without preservation of the IP address of the PDN connection being handed over.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the communicating step comprises sending address information from the non-3GPP access network to the 3GPP core network, the address information enabling the 3GPP core network to assign an IP address for the handed-over PDN connection that does not clash with an IP address already assigned to a PDN connection for the UE via the non-3GPP access network.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steps performed at the non-3GPP access network are performed by a gateway node of the non-3GPP access network, and wherein the steps performed at the 3GPP core network are performed by a gateway node of the 3GPP network.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the non-3GPP access network is a BroadBand Forum, BBF, network.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the non-3GPP gateway node is a Border Network Gateway node of the BBF network.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 3GPP gateway node is a PDN Gateway node of the 3GPP core network.

16. A program comprising computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform each of the method steps of claim 1.

17. A non-transitory storage medium containing a program as claimed in claim 16.

13. An apparatus for use in establishing a packet data network, PDN, connection from a user equipment, UE, to a 3GPP core network via a non-3GPP access network, the apparatus being for use at the non-3GPP access network and comprising:

a first unit for receiving a request to establish the PDN connection;

a second unit for communicating with the 3GPP core network to establish a new tunnel for the PDN connection between the non-3GPP access network and the 3GPP core network and to assign an IP address for the tunnel, which tunnel IP address is used subsequently by the non-3GPP access network to distinguish between the new PDN connection tunnel and at least one other such PDN connection tunnel already established for the UE, wherein the 3GPP core network is responsible for assigning the IP address;

a third unit for determining address information enabling the 3GPP core network to assign an IP address for the new PDN connection tunnel that does not clash with an IP address already assigned to any of the at least one another such PDN connection tunnel; and

a fourth unit for sending the address information from the non-3GPP access network to the 3GPP core network, the fourth unit forming part of the second unit.

14. A method for use in establishing a packet data network, PDN, connection from a user equipment, UE, to a 3GPP core network via a non-3GPP access network, the method comprising at the 3GPP core network:

communicating with the non-3GPP access network to establish a tunnel for the PDN connection between the non-3GPP access network and the 3GPP core network and to assign an IP address for the tunnel, which tunnel IP address is used subsequently by the non-3GPP access network to distinguish between the new PDN connection tunnel and at least one other such PDN connection tunnel already established for the UE, wherein the 3GPP core network is responsible for assigning the IP address, receiving address information from the non-3GPP access network as part of the communicating step; and

using the address information to assign an IP address for the new PDN connection tunnel that does not clash with an IP address already assigned to any of the at least one another such PDN connection tunnel.

15. An apparatus for use in establishing a packet data network, PDN, connection from a user equipment, UE, to a 3GPP core network via a non-3GPP access network, the apparatus being for use at the 3GPP core network and comprising:

a first unit for communicating with the non-3GPP access network to establish a tunnel for the PDN connection between the non-3GPP access network and the 3GPP core network and to assign an IP address for the tunnel, which tunnel IP address is used subsequently by the non-3GPP access network to distinguish between the new PDN connection tunnel and at least one other such PDN connection tunnel already established for the UE, wherein the 3GPP core network is responsible for assigning the IP address;

a second unit for receiving address information from the non-3GPP access network, the second unit forming part of the first unit; and

a third unit for using the address information to assign an IP address for the new PDN connection tunnel that does not clash with an IP address already assigned to any of the at least one another such PDN connection tunnel.