CONNECTIVITY AUGMENTED SERVICES ARCHITECTURE, DISCOVERY AND CONNECTION

• US 20160227471A1
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gundamraju, Sowmini, De Foy, Xavier, Perras, Michelle, Reznik, Alexander, Lynch, Kenneth F., Hergenhan, Scott C., Gazda, Robert G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,117,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and instrumentalities are described to obtain application-based connectivity. A wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) may, in response to a request to access a connectivity-sponsored application, establish a control connection over a first access network for contacting an application connectivity coordinator. The establishment of control connection may include sending an attach request, receiving an IP address for a control link to the application connectivity coordinator, and receiving an IP address. Using the control connection, the WTRU may send an access network discovery request to the application connectivity coordinator. The WTRU may receive, from the application connectivity coordinator a list of access networks. The WTRU may select a second access network from the list of access networks to access the connectivity-sponsored application.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method implemented by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for obtaining application-based connectivity, the method comprising:

in response to a request to access a connectivity-sponsored application, establishing a control connection using a first access network for contacting an application connectivity coordinator;

sending, using the control connection, an access network discovery request to the application connectivity coordinator;

receiving, from the application connectivity coordinator, a list of access networks; and

selecting a second access network from the list of access networks for accessing the connectivity-sponsored application.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving one or more System Information Broadcast (SIB) messages, wherein each of the SIB messages indicates whether the associated access network supports application-based connectivity; and

selecting the first access network for providing the control connection based on internal state information.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first access network is selected on a condition that:

the first access network provides support for application based network, and

the first access network matches one of an application connectivity coordinator supported list of access networks.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the first access network is selected based on one or more of provider rules, WTRU rules, a list of application connectivity coordinators that support the connectivity-sponsored application, a list of application connectivity coordinator supported access networks, or a list of candidate providers and candidate access networks for providing control connection.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein establishing the control connection comprises:

sending an attach request using the first access network, wherein the attach request comprises an application connectivity coordinator identifier and a device identifier;

receiving a temporary identifier; and

receiving an IP address associated with the temporary identifier for a control link to the application connectivity coordinator.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the application connectivity coordinator identifier and the device identifier are pre-provisioned or received from the application connectivity coordinator.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the access network discovery request comprises one or more of an application connectivity coordinator identifier, a device identifier, a WTRU location, or application information, wherein the application information comprises one or more of an application identifier, or an application type.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein, on a condition that the second access network is different than the first access network, disconnecting from the first access network and connecting to the second access network.

31. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured for obtaining application-based connectivity, the WTRU comprising:

a processor configured to at least;

in response to a request to access a connectivity-sponsored application, establish a control connection using a first access network for contacting an application connectivity coordinator;

send, using the control connection, an access network discovery request to the application connectivity coordinator;

receive, from the application connectivity coordinator, a list of access networks; and

select a second access network from the list of access networks for accessing the connectivity-sponsored application.

32. The WTRU of claim 31, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive one or more System Information Broadcast (SIB) messages, wherein each of the SIB messages indicates whether the associated access network supports application-based connectivity; and

select the first access network for providing the control connection based on internal state information.

33. The WTRU of claim 32, wherein the first access network is selected on a condition that:

the first access network provides support for application based network, and

the first access network matches one of an application connectivity coordinator supported list of access networks.

34. The WTRU of claim 32, wherein the first access network is selected based on one or more of provider rules, WTRU rules, a list of application connectivity coordinators that support the connectivity-sponsored application, a list of application connectivity coordinator supported access networks, or a list of candidate providers and candidate access networks for providing control connection.

35. The WTRU of claim 31, wherein establishing the control connection comprises:

sending an attach request using the first access network, wherein the attach request comprises an application connectivity coordinator identifier and a device identifier;

receiving a temporary identifier; and

receiving an IP address associated with the temporary identifier for a control link to the application connectivity coordinator.

36. The WTRU of claim 35, wherein the application connectivity coordinator identifier and the device identifier are pre-provisioned or received from the application connectivity coordinator.

37. The WTRU of claim 31, wherein the access network discovery request comprises one or more of an application connectivity coordinator identifier, a device identifier, a WTRU location, or application information, wherein the application information comprises one or more of an application identifier, or an application type.

38. The WTRU of claim 31, wherein, on a condition that the second access network is different than the first access network, disconnecting from the first access network and connecting to the second access network.