END-TO-END ARCHITECTURE, API FRAMEWORK, DISCOVERY, AND ACCESS IN A VIRTUALIZED NETWORK

• US 20140086177A1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adjakple, Pascal M., Wang, Peter S., Liu, Kai, Olvera-Hernandez, Ulises, Ahmad, Saad, Rahman, Shamim Akbar
• Granted Patent: US 9,693,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed such that a WTRU may obtain network operator agnostic wireless access for a service. The WTRU may receive a system information (SI) broadcast from a radio access network (RAN) node. The SI broadcast may indicate that an operator of the RAN node supports service-based network access. The WTRU may send a service request to a virtual service provider to request the service. The WTRU may receive a service response from the virtual service provider. The WTRU may receive a service response from the virtual service provider, the service response indicating a mobile network operator (MNO) to use for obtaining the service and subscription information for accessing the MNO, wherein the MNO is different than the operator of the RAN node. The WTRU may access the MNO to obtain the service.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a WTRU for obtaining network operator agnostic wireless access for a service, the method comprising:

receiving a system information (SI) broadcast from a radio access network (RAN) node, the SI broadcast indicating that an operator of the RAN node supports service-based network access;

sending one or more of a service request to a virtual service provider to request the service, a validation method, or a payment method, wherein, the service request comprises one or more of a service type, a service duration, or a quality of service (QoS);

receiving a service response from the virtual service provider, the service response indicating a mobile network operator (MNO) to use for obtaining the service and subscription information for accessing the MNO, wherein the MNO is different than the operator of the RAN node; and

accessing the MNO to obtain the service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the WTRU lacks a subscription with either the operator of the RAN node or the MNO.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request is sent as part of an attach request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the attach request is of access cloud service type.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the WTRU attaches to the RAN node in a limited state in order to determine an operator network to use for accessing the service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the limited state limits at least one of an amount of time the WTRU is allowed to be attached, a destination the WTRU is allowed to access, a priority associated with requests sent by the WTRU, or bearer parameters for the WTRU.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the service response is received in a detach message.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating with the MNO based on the subscription information received in the service response.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a first network connection using a first radio access technology; and

utilizing the first network connection to communicate with a server virtualizing resources for a second radio access technology utilized by the WTRU.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the WTRU is a light WTRU.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating with a cloud WTRU, wherein the cloud WTRU performs a processor or memory intense function.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor or memory intense function comprises one or more of re-authentications, or temporarily storing videos.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises a global APN.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the global APN comprises one or more of a network identifier, a virtual network (VN) identifier, or an operator identifier.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the attach request comprises an indication to support dynamic CN extension.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a virtual network (VN) and indicating the selected VN in a PreAttach message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the PreAttach message comprises one or more of a VN capability, or a VN identifier.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request comprises an access specific information of a virtual network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the access specific information comprises one or more of a virtual network identifier (VN-ID), a virtual network indicator (VN-indicator), a virtual network permission number (VN-permission-number), one or more security-credentials, a virtual network privilege or priority number (VN-privilege/priority-number), an access location information (access-location-info), one or more of available access network nodes (available-access-network-nodes), a service identifier (service-ID), an application identifier (App-ID), a desired QOS level, or a price.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the service request is sent via an Uv interface.

21. A WTRU configured to implement network operator agnostic wireless access for a service, the WTRU comprising:

A processor configured to;

receive a system information (SI) broadcast from a radio access network (RAN) node, the SI broadcast indicating that an operator of the RAN node supports service-based network access;

send one or more of a service request to a virtual service provider to request the service, a validation method, or a payment method, wherein, the service request comprises one or more of a service type, a service duration, or a quality of service (QoS);

receive a service response from the virtual service provider, the service response indicating a mobile network operator (MNO) to use for obtaining the service and subscription information for accessing the MNO, wherein the MNO is different than the operator of the RAN node; and

access the MNO to obtain the service.

22. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the WTRU lacks a subscription with either the operator of the RAN node or the MNO.

23. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the service request is sent as part of an attach request.

24. The WTRU of claim 23, wherein the attach request is of access cloud service type.

25. The WTRU of claim 23, wherein the WTRU attaches to the RAN node in a limited state in order to determine an operator network to use for accessing the service.

26. The WTRU of claim 25, wherein the limited state limits at least one of an amount of time the WTRU is allowed to be attached, a destination the WTRU is allowed to access, a priority associated with requests sent by the WTRU, or bearer parameters for the WTRU.

27. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the service response is received in a detach message.

28. The WTRU of claim 21, further comprising authenticating with the MNO based on the subscription information received in the service response.

29. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

establish a first network connection using a first radio access technology; and

utilize the first network connection to communicate with a server virtualizing resources for a second radio access technology utilized by the WTRU.

30. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the WTRU is a light WTRU.

31. The WTRU of claim 30, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with a cloud WTRU, wherein the cloud WTRU performs a processor or memory intense function.

32. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the processor or memory intense function comprises one or more of re-authentications, or temporarily storing videos.

33. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the service request comprises a global APN.

34. The WTRU of claim 33, wherein the global APN comprises one or more of a network identifier, a virtual network (VN) identifier, or an operator identifier.

35. The WTRU of claim 24, wherein the attach request comprises an indication to support dynamic CN extension.

36. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to select a virtual network (VN) and indicate the selected VN in a PreAttach message.

37. The WTRU of claim 36, wherein the PreAttach message comprises one or more of a VN capability, or a VN identifier.

38. The WTRU of claim 21, wherein the service request comprises an access specific information of a virtual network.

39. The WTRU of claim 38, wherein the access specific information comprises one or more of a virtual network identifier (VN-ID), a virtual network indicator (VN-indicator), a virtual network permission number (VN-permission-number), one or more security-credentials, a virtual network privilege or priority number (VN-privilege/priority-number), an access location information (access-location-info), one or more of available access network nodes (available-access-network-nodes), a service identifier (service-ID), an application identifier (App-ID), a desired QOS level, or a price.

40. The WTRU of claim 38, wherein the service request is sent via an Uv interface.