Node and Method for Establishing Auxiliary Bearers

• US 20150131535A1
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wallentin, Pontus, Gunnarsson, Fredrik, Rune, Gran
• Application Number:
  US13/989,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20150131535A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• 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 36/0069 in case of dual connectivity, e.g. decoupled uplink/downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections

Abstract

A base station, and corresponding method therein, for assisting in the establishment of an auxiliary bearer. The base station is configured to identify a need for establishing an auxiliary bearer and then send a request for such a bearer to a network node. Also, a communications node is configured to receive a bearer establishment request and identify that such a request is for an auxiliary bearer. The communications node is further configured to associate the auxiliary bearer with a pre-existing bearer established within the communications node.

Claims

1-47. -47. (canceled)

48. A method, in a base station in a wireless network, for assisting in an establishment of an auxiliary bearer, the method comprising:

identifying a need for establishing an auxiliary bearer to be associated with a pre-existing bearer served by the base station; and

sending a first request to establish the auxiliary bearer to a network node.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the identifying comprises receiving a second request to establish the auxiliary bearer from a wireless terminal, radio controller, or mobility management node.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the identifying is based on an evaluation of contents of a bearer establishment request of the pre-existing bearer.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the identifying is based on one or more of:

wireless terminal measurements;

a type of service used by the pre-existing bearer;

a location of a wireless terminal associated with the pre-existing bearer;

a mobility history of the wireless terminal associated with the pre-existing bearer;

a hysteresis load analysis of base stations.

52. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

receiving, from a mobility management node, a second request to establish a connection for a requesting bearer;

determining that the requesting bearer is the auxiliary bearer; and

associating the auxiliary bearer with the pre-existing bearer.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the determining is based on a predetermined period of time or a number of received bearer requests.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the determining is based on an information element comprised in the second request.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein information element was provided by the base station in the sending of the first request.

56. The method of claim 52, wherein the determining is based on a comparison of a Quality of Service Class Identifier (QCI) value of the pre-existing bearer and a QCI value associated with the received second request to establish a connection for a requesting bearer.

57. The method of claim 52, wherein the associating comprises providing a load sharing between the pre-existing and the auxiliary bearer.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the load sharing is provided via a multi-path Transmission Control Protocol.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the load sharing is based on at least one of:

a radio interface load of cells providing the auxiliary and pre-existing bearers

a hardware load of cells providing the auxiliary and pre-existing bearers;

a transport network load of cells providing the auxiliary and pre-existing bearers.

60. The method of claim 52, further comprising performing a selective handover to assign the auxiliary bearer to another base station.

61. The method of claim 48, wherein the network node is a radio controller or a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function.

62. A base station for assisting in an establishment of an auxiliary bearer, the base station being in a wireless network and comprising:

processing circuitry configured to identify a need for establishing an auxiliary bearer to be associated with a pre-existing bearer served by the base station;

radio circuitry configured to send a first request to establish the auxiliary bearer to a network node.

63. The base station of claim 62, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to identify the need for establishing the auxiliary bearer based on a second request to establish the auxiliary bearer received from a wireless terminal, radio controller, or mobility management node.

64. The base station of claim 62, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to identify the need for establishing the auxiliary bearer based on a bearer establishment request of the pre-existing bearer.

65. The base station of claim 62, wherein the network node is a radio controller or a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function.

66. A method, in a communications node, for assisting in an establishment of an auxiliary bearer, the communication node being comprised in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving a bearer establishment request;

identifying the bearer establishment request is for an auxiliary bearer;

associating the auxiliary bearer with a pre-existing bearer established within the communications node.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein:

either the communications node is Packet Data Network Gateway and the bearer establishment request is received from a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF);

or

the communications node is a PCRF and the bearer establishment request is received from a radio controller or a base station.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the identifying is based on one or more of:

a comparison of a Quality of Service value of the pre-existing bearer and the auxiliary bearer;

a comparison of a Quality of Service Class Identifier value of the pre-existing bearer and the auxiliary bearer;

an information element comprised in a request for the pre-existing and/or auxiliary bearer;

a comparison of traffic flow templates associated with the pre-existing and auxiliary bearer.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein the associating comprises providing a load sharing between the pre-existing and the auxiliary bearer.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the load sharing is provided via a multi-path Transmission Control Protocol.

71. The method of claim 69, wherein the load sharing is based on one or more of:

a radio interface load of cells providing the auxiliary and pre-existing bearers;

a hardware load of cells providing the auxiliary and pre-existing bearers;

a transport network load of cells providing the auxiliary and pre-existing bearers.

72. The method of claim 66, wherein the communications node is a wireless terminal and the bearer establishment request is from a base station.

73. The method of claim 72, further comprising sending a request for establishing the auxiliary bearer to a serving base station.

74. The method of claim 72, wherein the sending is performed as a result of any one or more of:

wireless terminal measurements,

a type of service used by the pre-existing bearer,

a location of a wireless terminal associated with the pre-existing bearer; and

mobility history of the wireless terminal associated with the pre-existing bearer.

75. The method of claim 72, wherein the wherein identifying is based on one or more of:

a comparison of a Quality of Service value of the pre-existing bearer and the auxiliary bearer;

a comparison of a Quality of Service Class Identifier value of the pre-existing bearer and the auxiliary bearer;

information element comprised in a request for the pre-existing and/or auxiliary bearer.

76. A communications node for assisting in an establishment of an auxiliary bearer, the communication node being in a wireless network, the communications node comprising:

radio circuitry configured to receive a bearer establishment request;

processing circuitry configured to;

identify the bearer establishment request is for an auxiliary bearer;

associate the auxiliary bearer with a pre-existing bearer established within the communications node.

77. The communications node of claim 76, wherein either:

the communications node is Packet Data Network Gateway and the bearer establishment request is received from a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function;

or

the communications node is a PCRF and the bearer establishment request is received from a radio controller or a base station.

78. The communications node of claim 76, wherein the communications node is a wireless terminal and the bearer establishment request is from a base station.