Method and System for Notifying Transport Layer Address

• US 20160105920A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: HUANG, Ying, GAO, Yin, WU, Yunlu
• Granted Patent: US 9,756,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A method and system for notifying a transport layer address are disclosed. The method includes: a first base station sending transport layer address information of an X2 gateway connected to the first base station to a second base station, wherein, the first base station is a home base station (step 10); and the second base station initiating an X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway (step 20). The system includes: a first base station, configured to: send transport layer address information of an X2 gateway connected to the first base station to a second base station; wherein, the first base station is a home base station; and the second base station, configured to: initiate an X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a transport layer address, comprising:

a first base station sending transport layer address information of an X2 gateway connected to the first base station to a second base station;

wherein, the first base station is a home base station; and

the second base station initiating an X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first base station sending the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station to the second base station comprises;

the first base station initiating a transport layer address discovery process, and sending a base station configuration transfer message to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the base station configuration transfer message carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station; and

the MME sending an MME configuration transfer message to the second base station, wherein the MME configuration transfer message carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

the base station configuration transfer message sent by the first base station to the MME further carries connection establishment indication information;

wherein, the connection establishment indication information is used for indicating whether the second base station is required to initiate an X2 connection establishment process;

the MME configuration transfer message sent by the MME to the second base station further carries the connection establishment indication information;

the second base station initiating the X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway comprises;

in a case that the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway is received in the transport layer address discovery process initiated by the first base station, if judging that the connection establishment indication information carried in the received MME configuration transfer message indicates that it is required to initiate the X2 connection establishment process, the second base station sending an X2 connection establishment request message to the X2 gateway.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first base station sending the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station to the second base station comprises;

the second base station initiating a transport layer address discovery process, and sending a base station configuration transfer message to an MME;

after receiving the base station configuration transfer message, the MME sending an MME configuration transfer message to the first base station;

the first base station sending a base station configuration transfer message to the MME, wherein the base station configuration transfer message carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station; and

the MME sending an MME configuration transfer message to the second base station, wherein the MME configuration transfer message carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station,

preferably,

wherein;

if the first base station establishes an S1 connection with the MME through a home base station gateway as an S1 agent, the base station configuration transfer message and the MME configuration transfer message transmitted between the first base station and the MME are both transmitted through the home base station gateway.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

if the first base station establishes an S1 connection with the MME through a home base station gateway as an S1 agent, the base station configuration transfer message and the MME configuration transfer message transmitted between the first base station and the MME are both transmitted through the home base station gateway.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway, if there is a firewall function, the second base station storing the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway in an access control list (ACL) maintained by the current base station; and

in a communication process between the second base station and the X2 gateway, the second base station checking whether a transport layer address of the X2 gateway communicating with the second base station exists in the ACL;

if the transport layer address exists, permitting communication between the X2 gateway and the current base station; and

if the transport layer address does not exist, rejecting communication between the X2 gateway and the current base station.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the second base station initiating the X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway comprises;

the second base station sending an X2 establishment request message to the X2 gateway, wherein the X2 establishment request message carries;

base station identity information of the second base station, information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool;

after completing an X2 connection establishment with the second base station, if judging that a condition for sending a base station configuration update message is satisfied, the X2 gateway sending a base station configuration update message to the first base station and sending a base station configuration update message to the second base station respectively;

wherein, the base station configuration update message sent to the first base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool; and

the base station configuration update message sent to the second base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the first base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein:

the condition for sending the base station configuration update message comprises that;

the first base station and the second base station are adjacent base stations or an X2 connection has been established between the first base station and the X2 gateway,

or,

the method further comprises;

the first base station storing the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station; and

the second base station storing the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the second base station initiating the X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway specifically comprises;

the second base station sending an X2 establishment request message to the X2 gateway, wherein the X2 establishment request message carries;

base station identity information of the first base station, base station identity information of the second base station, information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

after receiving the X2 establishment request message sent from the second base station, the X2 gateway sending the X2 establishment request message to the first base station according to the base station identity information of the first base station carried in the X2 establishment request message.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

after receiving the X2 establishment request message sent from the second base station, according to the base station identity information of the first base station and/or the base station identity information of the second base station carried in the X2 establishment request message, the X2 gateway sending a base station configuration update message to the first base station and/or sending a base station configuration update message to the second base station correspondingly;

wherein, the base station configuration update message sent to the first base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool; and

the base station configuration update message sent to the second base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the first base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

the first base station storing the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station; and

the second base station storing the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station.

13. A system for notifying a transport layer address, comprising a first base station and a second base station, wherein:

the first base station is configured to;

send transport layer address information of an X2 gateway connected to the first base station to a second base station;

wherein, the first base station is a home base station; and

the second base station is configured to;

initiate an X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a mobility management entity (MME);

wherein;

the first base station is configured to send the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station to the second base station by means of;

initiating a transport layer address discovery process, and sending a base station configuration transfer message to the MME, wherein the base station configuration transfer message carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station;

the MME is configured to;

send an MME configuration transfer message to the second base station, wherein the MME configuration transfer message carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station,

or,

the system further comprises;

a mobility management entity (MME);

wherein;

the second base station is further configured to;

initiate a transport layer address discovery process, and send a base station configuration transfer message to the MME;

the MME is configured to;

after receiving the base station configuration transfer message, send an MME configuration transfer message to the first base station; and

after receiving the base station configuration transfer message sent from the first base station, send an MME configuration transfer message to the second base station, wherein the MME configuration transfer message carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station;

the first base station is configured to send the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station to the second base station by means of;

sending a base station configuration transfer message to the MME, wherein the base station configuration transfer message at least carries the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway connected to the first base station.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a home base station gateway, wherein;

the home base station gateway is configured to;

when the first base station establishes an S1 connection with the MME through the home base station gateway as an S1 agent, transmit the base station configuration transfer message and the MME configuration transfer message transmitted between the first base station and the MME.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein:

the second base station is further configured to;

after receiving the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway, if there is a firewall function, store the transport layer address information of the X2 gateway in an access control list (ACL) maintained by the current base station; and

in a communication process between the second base station and the X2 gateway, check whether a transport layer address of the X2 gateway communicating with the second base station exists in the ACL;

if the transport layer address exists, permit communication between the X2 gateway and the current base station; and

if the transport layer address does not exist, reject communication between the X2 gateway and the current base station.

18. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

an X2 gateway;

wherein;

the second base station is configured to initiate the X2 connection establishment flow according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway by means of;

sending an X2 establishment request message to the X2 gateway, wherein the X2 establishment request message carries;

base station identity information of the second base station, information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool;

the X2 gateway is configured to;

after completing an X2 connection establishment with the second base station, if judging that a condition for sending a base station configuration update message is satisfied, send a base station configuration update message to the first base station and send a base station configuration update message to the second base station respectively;

wherein, the base station configuration update message sent to the first base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool; and

the base station configuration update message sent to the second base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the first base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein:

the condition for sending the base station configuration update message comprises that;

the first base station and the second base station are adjacent base stations or an X2 connection has been established between the first base station and the X2 gateway,

or,

wherein;

the first base station is further configured to;

store the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station; and

the second base station is further configured to;

store the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station.

20. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

an X2 gateway;

wherein;

the second base station is configured to initiate the X2 connection establishment flow with the X2 gateway according to the received transport layer address information of the X2 gateway by means of;

sending an X2 establishment request message to the X2 gateway, wherein the X2 establishment request message carries;

base station identity information of the first base station, base station identity information of the second base station, information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein:

the X2 gateway is configured to;

after receiving the X2 establishment request message sent from the second base station, send the X2 establishment request message to the first base station according to the base station identity information of the first base station carried in the X2 establishment request message,

or,

wherein;

the X2 gateway is configured to;

after receiving the X2 establishment request message sent from the second base station, according to the base station identity information of the first base station and/or the base station identity information of the second base station carried in the X2 establishment request message, send a base station configuration update message to the first base station and/or send a base station configuration update message to the second base station correspondingly;

wherein, the base station configuration update message sent to the first base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the second base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool; and

the base station configuration update message sent to the second base station carries X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station, comprising;

information of a serving cell under the first base station, information of a neighboring cell of the serving cell and information of a connected MME pool,

or,

wherein;

the first base station is further configured to;

store the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the second base station; and

the second base station is further configured to;

store the received X2 interface application layer configuration information of the first base station.

15. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)