METHOD AND APPARATUS TO ROUTE PACKET FLOWS OVER TWO TRANSPORT RADIOS

• US 20140369198A1
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Rinne, Mika, Koskela, Jarkko, Kekki, Sami
• Granted Patent: US 9,883,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/245 Link aggregation, e.g. trunking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method includes receiving packets of a flow at a packet data convergence protocol layer; and based on at least one criterion, routing the flow to one or both of at least one cellular transport radio and a wireless local area network transport radio. Another method includes receiving at a packet data network gateway from an S 1 interface a dynamic host configuration protocol request for a station; one of creating an internet protocol configuration for the station or generating another dynamic host configuration protocol request to a dynamic host configuration protocol server to obtain the internet protocol configuration; and delivering the internet protocol configuration to the station. Apparatus for performing the methods are also disclosed, as are computer-readable program storage devices.

Claims

1-66. -66. (canceled)

67. A method, comprising:

receiving packets of a flow at a packet data convergence protocol layer; and

based on at least one criterion, routing the flow to one or both of at least one cellular transport radio and a wireless local area network transport radio.

68. The method of claim 67, where the at least one cellular transport radio is compliant with a long term evolution (LTE) standard and the wireless local area network transport radio is compliant with at least one of an IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standard, LTE, or a local area evolved 3GPP standard.

69. The method of claim 67, where a same packet data convergence protocol sequence number string is used for consecutive IP packets of a packet flow, regardless of whether the IP packets are transported via the at least one cellular transport radio or the wireless local area network transport radio.

70. The method of claim 69, where a security key sequence is also the same for the packet flow.

71. The method of claim 69, where a first security key sequence is used for the first packet flow and where a second security key sequence is used for the second packet flow.

72. The method of claim 67, where a first packet data convergence protocol sequence number string is used for consecutive IP packets of a first packet flow transported via the at least one cellular transport radio, and where a second packet data convergence protocol sequence number string is used for consecutive IP packets of a second packet flow transported via the wireless local area network transport radio.

73. The method of claim 67, where the at least one criterion is provided from a mobility management entity.

74. The method of claim 67, where the at least one criterion is based on one or both of network load and traffic flows of a user device that comprises the at least one cellular transport radio and wireless local area network transport radio.

75. The method of claim 67, where the at least one cellular transport radio functions as a primary cell and where the wireless local area network transport radio functions as a secondary cell having an extension carrier.

76. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one data processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, where the at least one memory and computer program code are configured, with the at least one data processor, to cause the apparatus at least to receive packets of a flow at a packet data convergence protocol layer and, based on at least one criterion, to route the flow to one or both of at least one cellular transport radio and a wireless local area network transport radio.

77. The apparatus of claim 76, where the at least one cellular transport radio is compliant with a long term evolution (LTE) standard and the wireless local area network transport radio is compliant with at least one of an IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standard, LTE, or a local area evolved 3GPP standard.

78. The apparatus of claim 76, where a same packet data convergence protocol sequence number string is used for consecutive IP packets of a packet flow, regardless of whether the IP packets are transported via the at least one cellular transport radio or the wireless local area network transport radio.

79. The apparatus of claim 78, where a security key sequence is also the same for the packet flow.

80. The apparatus of claim 78, where a first security key sequence is used for the first packet flow and where a second security key sequence is used for the second packet flow.

81. The apparatus of claim 76, where a first packet data convergence protocol sequence number string is used for consecutive IP packets of a first packet flow transported via the at least one cellular transport radio, and where a second packet data convergence protocol sequence number string is used for consecutive IP packets of a second packet flow transported via the wireless local area network transport radio.

82. The apparatus of claim 76, where the at least one criterion is provided from a mobility management entity.

83. The apparatus of claim 76, where the at least one criterion is based on one or both of network load and traffic flows of a user device that comprises the at least one cellular transport radio and wireless local area network transport radio.

84. The apparatus of claim 76, where the at least one cellular transport radio functions as a primary cell and where the wireless local area network transport radio functions as a secondary cell having an extension carrier.

85. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising code for:

receiving packets of a flow at a packet data convergence protocol layer; and

based on at least one criterion, routing the flow to one or both of at least one cellular transport radio and a wireless local area network transport radio.

86. A computer program product according to claim 85, where a same packet data convergence protocol sequence number string is used for consecutive IP packets of a packet flow, regardless of whether the IP packets are transported via the at least one cellular transport radio or the wireless local area network transport radio.