GATEWAY SELECTION CONTROLLED BY NETWORK

• US 20170135031A1
• Filed: 09/01/2016
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: BUCKLEY, Adrian, BAKKER, Jan Hendrik Lucas, RUSSELL, Nicholas James
• Granted Patent: US 10,425,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• 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

A method, computer program product and a user equipment (UE) are provided for selecting a second network node for connection. A first message is sent to a first network node. The first message includes UE request capabilities. A second message is received from the first network node. The second message includes an indication. A second network node is selected for connecting to the network based on the received indication. The second network node may be an Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG). The UE request capabilities may indicate ePDG selection and/or allow discovery of details of one or more ePDGs for connection. the indication contains at least one of a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or an indication that the UE must attempt to connect using only an ePDG belonging to a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN).

Claims

1. A method in a user equipment (UE) to select a second network node, the method comprising:

sending a first message to a first network node, the first message including UE request capabilities;

receiving a second message from the first network node, the second message including an indication; and

selecting a second network node for connecting to a network based on the received indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE comprises a mobile equipment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the UE further comprises a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network node is an Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the UE request capabilities indicate ePDG selection.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the UE request capabilities allow discovery of details of one or more ePDGs for connection.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication includes at least one of a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or an indication that the UE attempts to connect using an ePDG belonging to a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting the second network node based on the received indication further comprises selecting the ePDG in the RPLMN by constructing an operator identifier FQDN using a PLMN ID of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) to which the user equipment is attached.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network node is a Domain Name Service (DNS) server.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).

11. A user equipment (UE) for selecting a second network node for connection to a network, the UE comprising:

a communication interface that;

sends a first message to a first network node, the first message including UE request capabilities; and

receives a second message from the first network node, the second message including an indication; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the communication interface, the processor selects a second network node for connecting to the network based on the received indication.

12. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the second network node is an Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG).

13. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the UE request capabilities indicate ePDG selection.

14. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the UE request capabilities allow discovery of details of one or more ePDGs for connection.

15. The user equipment of claim 12, wherein the indication includes at least one of a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or an indication that the UE attempts to connect using an ePDG belonging to a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN).

16. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein selecting the second network node based on the received indication further comprises selecting the ePDG in the RPLMN by constructing an operator identifier FQDN using a PLMN ID of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) to which the user equipment is attached.

17. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the first network node is a Domain Name Service (DNS) server.

18. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the processor and communication interface further attach the user equipment to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).

19. A computer program product for selecting a second network node for a user equipment to connect to a network, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for;

sending a first message to a first network node, the first message including UE request capabilities;

receiving a second message from the first network node, the second message including an indication; and

selecting a second network node for connecting to the network based on the received indication.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the second network node is an Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG).

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the UE request capabilities indicate ePDG selection.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the UE request capabilities allow discovery of details of one or more ePDGs for connection.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the indication includes at least one of a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or an indication that the UE attempts to connect using an ePDG belonging to a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN).

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein selecting the second network node based on the received indication further comprises selecting the ePDG in the RPLMN by constructing an operator identifier FQDN using a PLMN ID of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) to which the user equipment is attached.

25. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the first network node is a Domain Name Service (DNS) server.

26. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising instructions for attaching to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).