Enhanced Software-Defined Network Controller to Support Ad-Hoc Radio Access Networks

• US 20170251393A1
• Filed: 02/26/2016
• Published: 08/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cui, Zhi, Wang, Jiansong
• Granted Patent: US 10,111,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to an enhanced software-defined networking (“SDN”) controller to support ad-hoc radio access technologies (“RATs”). An SDN controller receives, from an ad-hoc radio access controller serving an ad-hoc radio access network (“RAN”), an attach request sent on behalf of a user equipment (“UE”) operating in communication with an ad-hoc RAT transceiver node. The attach request includes a physical IP address associated with the UE. The physical IP address includes an IP address sub-interface pre-fix broadcast to the UE by the ad-hoc RAT transceiver node combined with a physical address of the UE. In response to the attach request, the SDN controller can complete an attachment procedure for allowing the ad-hoc radio access controller to an SDN network. The SDN controller also can update one or more components operating within the SDN network to reflect how to reach the UE via the physical IP address.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions for a software-defined networking controller stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from an ad-hoc radio access controller serving an ad-hoc radio access network, an attach request sent on behalf of a user equipment operating in communication with an ad-hoc radio access technology transceiver node, wherein the attach request comprises a physical IP address associated with the user equipment, and wherein the physical IP address comprises an IP address sub-interface pre-fix, broadcast to the user equipment by the ad-hoc radio access technology transceiver node, combined with a physical address of the user equipment;

in response to the attach request, completing an attachment procedure for allowing the ad-hoc radio access controller access to a software-defined networking network; and

updating a component operating within the software-defined networking network to reflect how to reach the user equipment via the physical IP address.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

informing the ad-hoc radio access controller of attachment success; and

communicating with the ad-hoc radio access controller as if the ad-hoc radio access controller is a base station operating within a public carrier radio access network.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, to the ad-hoc radio access controller, an address of a preferred dynamic host configuration protocol server, wherein the ad-hoc radio access controller requests a public session layer IP address from the preferred dynamic host configuration protocol server;

receiving, from the ad-hoc radio access controller, an association between the public session layer IP address and the physical IP address; and

updating the component operating within the software-defined networking network to reflect how to reach the user equipment via the public session layer IP address through the ad-hoc radio access controller with the IP address sub-interface pre-fix.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise during a handover procedure whereby the user equipment moves from the ad-hoc radio access network to the public carrier radio access network, sending the public session layer IP address to the user equipment so that the user equipment can communicate with the public carrier radio access network without service interruption.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the ad-hoc radio access network operates in accordance with an ad-hoc radio access technology selected from a group of ad-hoc radio access technologies comprising wireless local area network, low-power wide-area network, long-range wide-area network, and BLUETOOTH peer-to-peer.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the user equipment comprises an Internet of things device.

7. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions for an ad-hoc radio access controller stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an attach request from a user equipment operating in communication with an ad-hoc radio access technology transceiver node served by the ad-hoc radio access controller, wherein the attach request comprises a physical IP address associated with the user equipment, and wherein the physical IP address comprises an IP address sub-interface pre-fix broadcast to the user equipment by the ad-hoc radio access technology transceiver node combined with a physical address of the user equipment;

in response to the attach request, completing an attachment procedure for allowing the user equipment to access an ad-hoc radio access network comprising the ad-hoc radio access technology transceiver node; and

providing, on behalf of the user equipment, the attach request to a software-defined networking controller, wherein the software-defined networking controller completes attachment for allowing the user equipment access to a software-defined networking network via the ad-hoc radio access network.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the software-defined networking controller, notification of attachment success; and

receiving, from the software-defined networking controller, an address of a preferred dynamic host configuration protocol server;

requesting, from the software-defined networking controller, a public session layer IP address from the preferred dynamic host configuration protocol server; and

receiving, from the preferred dynamic host configuration protocol server, the public session layer IP address.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise assigning a local private IP address to the user equipment.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise informing the software-defined networking controller of an association between the public session layer IP address and the physical IP address.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise setting up network address translation and port address translation between the local private IP address and the public session layer IP address.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the ad-hoc radio access network operates in accordance with an ad-hoc radio access technology selected from a group of ad-hoc radio access technologies comprising wireless local area network, low-power wide-area network, long-range wide-area network, and BLUETOOTH peer-to-peer.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the user equipment comprises an Internet of things device.

14. A software-defined networking controller comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions of an inter-radio access technology mobility management function module that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving, from an ad-hoc radio access controller serving an ad-hoc radio access network, an attach request sent on behalf of a user equipment operating in communication with an ad-hoc radio access technology transceiver node, wherein the attach request comprises a physical IP address associated with the user equipment, and wherein the physical IP address comprises an IP address sub-interface pre-fix broadcast to the user equipment by the ad-hoc radio access technology transceiver node combined with a physical address of the user equipment,

in response to the attach request, completing an attachment procedure for allowing the ad-hoc radio access controller access to a software-defined networking network, and

updating a component operating within the software-defined networking network to reflect how to reach the user equipment via the physical IP address.

15. The software-defined networking controller of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

informing the ad-hoc radio access controller of attachment success; and

communicating with the ad-hoc radio access controller as if the ad-hoc radio access controller is a base station operating within a public carrier radio access network.

16. The software-defined networking controller of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, to the ad-hoc radio access controller, an address of a preferred dynamic host configuration protocol server, wherein the ad-hoc radio access controller requests a public session layer IP address from the preferred dynamic host configuration protocol server;

receiving, from the ad-hoc radio access controller, an association between the public session layer IP address and the physical IP address; and

updating the component operating within the software-defined networking network to reflect how to reach the user equipment via the public session layer IP address through the ad-hoc radio access controller with the IP address sub-interface pre-fix.

17. The software-defined networking controller of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise during a handover procedure whereby the user equipment moves from the ad-hoc radio access network to the public carrier radio access network, sending the public session layer IP address to the user equipment so that the user equipment can communicate with the public carrier radio access network without service interruption.

18. The software-defined networking controller of claim 17, wherein the ad-hoc radio access network operates in accordance with an ad-hoc radio access technology selected from a group of ad-hoc radio access technologies comprising wireless local area network, low-power wide-area network, long-range wide-area network, and BLUETOOTH peer-to-peer.

19. The software-defined networking controller of claim 17, wherein the processor and the memory are resources of a network functions virtualization platform.

20. The software-defined networking controller of claim 16, wherein the user equipment comprises an Internet of things device.