BANDWIDTH MANAGEMENT, AGGREGATION AND INTERNET PROTOCOL FLOW MOBILITY ACROSS MULTIPLE-ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES

• US 20140161055A1
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chitrapu, Prabhakar, Tomici, John, Cartmell, John, Reznik, Alexander, Ye, Chunxuan, Perras, Michelle, Laha, Kushanava, Lynch, Kenneth, Lopez-Torres, Oscar, Seed, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 9,295,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0027 for a plurality of data sessions of end-to-end connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer end-to-end data connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/28 involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for bandwidth management, aggregation and internet protocol (“IP”) flow mobility (“IFOM”) across multiple-access technologies are provided. Included is a method that includes selecting, from a packet data network (“PDN”) connection formed through a plurality of access systems communicatively coupled with a wireless transmit and/or receive unit (“WTRU”), an access system over which to transport a flow of internet protocol (“IP”) traffic to and/or from the WTRU. The method may also include sending, to the WTRU, a request to associate the flow of IP traffic with the selected access system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting, from a packet data network (“

PDN”

) connection formed through a plurality of access systems of a network communicatively coupled with a wireless transmit and/or receive unit, an access system over which to transport a flow of internet protocol (“

IP”

) traffic to, from or to and from the WTRU; and

sending, to the WTRU, a request to associate the flow of IP traffic with the selected access system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an access system comprises selecting the access system responsive to an event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sending a request to associate the flow of IP traffic with the selected access system comprises sending the request responsive to an event.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the event comprises a condition associated with any of the network and PDN connection.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising monitoring the network for the event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

awaiting a response to the request sent to the WTRU;

receiving, from the WTRU, a second request to associate the flow of IP traffic with a second access system of the plurality of access systems; and

responsive to a priority associated with the first request being subordinate to a priority associated with the second request, sending, to the WTRU, an acceptance of the second request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

awaiting a response to the request sent to the WTRU;

receiving, from the WTRU, a second request to modify the first request;

sending, to the WTRU, a third request comprising a modification to the first request; and

receiving, in responsive to the third request, an acceptance of the third request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second request and the modification to the first request comprises a request to associate the flow of IP traffic with a second access system of the plurality of access systems.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, at a network entity of the network prior to sending the request, a token whose possession is required to send the request to associate to the WTRU.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, from the PDN connection, a second access system over which to transport a sub-flow of the flow of IP traffic to, from or to and from the WTRU; and

sending, to the WTRU, a second request to (i) associate the sub-flow with the second selected access system the second care-of address and (ii) de-associate such sub-flow from the first selected access system.

11. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending, to the WTRU, information for reordering of packets to facilitate reconstruction of the flow of traffic.

12. A method for performing bandwidth management (“

BWM”

) in a network comprising first and second access systems configured in accordance with first and second access technologies, respectively, the method comprising;

establishing a local internet protocol (“

IP”

) connection via an access node of the first access system;

establishing a direct tunnel between the access node and a local gateway (“

LGW”

) of the first access system; and

establishing an IP connection between the LGW and a gateway of a mobile core network (“

MCN”

).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein establishing the local IP connection comprises establishing a first wireless link with a wireless transmit/receive unit (“

WTRU”

), and the method further comprises;

registering the WTRU with a local home agent (“

L-HA”

) of the network in connection with the local IP connection;

establishing a second wireless link with a access node of the second access system;

adding the second wireless link to the L-HA; and

managing the first and second wireless links in connection with transport of traffic via the L-HA.

14. A system for performing bandwidth management (“

BWM”

) in a network comprising first and second access systems configured in accordance with first and second access technologies, respectively, the system comprising;

a wireless transmit/receive unit (“

WTRU”

) comprising a BWM application;

a first access node of the first access system;

a second access node of the second access system;

a local gateway (“

LGW”

) of the network;

a direct tunnel established between the second access node and the LGW;

a local Internet protocol (“

IP”

) connection established via the first access node and the second access node;

a first wireless link between the WTRU and the first access node;

a second wireless link between the WTRU and the second access node;

an IP connection established between the LGW and a gateway of a mobile core network (MCN); and

a local home agent (“

L-HA”

) of the network adapted to (i) register the WTRU therewith in connection with the local IP connection, and (ii) manage first and second wireless links.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a local WLAN access gateway (“

WAG”

) in communication with the second access node and the L-HA.

16. A system for performing bandwidth management (“

BWM”

) in a network comprising first and second access systems configured in accordance with cellular and wireless local-area-network (“

WLAN”

) access technologies, respectively, the system comprising;

a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising a BWM application;

a first access node of the first access system;

a second access node of the second access system;

a local gateway (LGW) of the network;

a direct tunnel established between the second access node and the LGW;

a local Internet protocol (“

IP”

) access (“

LIPA”

) connection established via the first access node and the second access node;

a first wireless link between the WTRU and the first access node;

a second wireless link between the WTRU and the second access node;

an IP connection established between the LGW and a gateway of a mobile core network (MCN); and

a local home agent (L-HA) of the network adapted to (i) register the WTRU therewith in connection with the LIPA connection, and (ii) manage first and second wireless links.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a local WLAN access gateway (“

WAG”

) in communication with the second access node and the L-HA.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the LGW and the L-HA are formed as a single entity.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the L-HA is further adapted to provide to a mobile core network (MCN) any of ingress into and egress from the network.