METHOD AND SYSTEM PROVIDING LOCAL DATA BREAKOUT WITHIN MOBILITY NETWORKS

• US 20180160311A1
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2016
• 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: SHAW, VENSON, Dowlatkhah, Sangar
• Granted Patent: US 10,039,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/125 involving different types of service backbones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying a mobile device in communication with a small-cell via managed spectrum, wherein the small-cell is located at a subscriber premises, and wherein the small-cell is in further communication with a mobile network core. Each of a first Internet protocol (IP) address and a second IP address are associated with the mobile device, which accesses network traffic using one of the first IP address, the second IP address or both. Offload traffic associated with the mobile device is identified, wherein the offload traffic is exchanged between the mobile device and the small-cell at the subscriber premises using the managed spectrum. The offload traffic is associated with the first IP address, wherein user data are exchanged between the mobile device and other equipment at the subscriber premises without the user data being exchanged with the network core. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

identifying a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is in communication with a small-cell access point via managed cellular frequency spectrum, wherein the small-cell access point is located at a subscriber premises, and wherein the small-cell access point is in further communication with a network core of a mobile cellular network that services network traffic among a plurality of cellular access points comprising a macro-cell base station and the small-cell access point;

associating each of a local Internet protocol (IP) address and a global IP address with the mobile device, wherein the mobile device accesses network traffic using one of the local IP address, the global IP address or both;

distinguishing between offload traffic and non-offload traffic associated with the mobile device, wherein the offload traffic and the non-offload traffic are exchanged between the mobile device and equipment at the subscriber premises using the managed cellular frequency spectrum; and

associating the offload traffic with the local IP address, wherein the offload traffic comprises a signaling portion and a user data portion, wherein user data messages of the user data portion are exchanged between the mobile device and the equipment at the subscriber premises without the user data messages being exchanged between one of the mobile device, the equipment at the subscriber premises or both and the network core,

wherein the mobile device is associated with a first access point name identifier and a second access point name identifier.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the global IP address is associated with the first access point name identifier and the local IP address is associated with the second access point name identifier.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a request for mobile network communications initiated by the mobile device, wherein the distinguishing between offload traffic and non-offload traffic associated with the mobile device is responsive to the detecting of the request.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the offload traffic comprises user data exchanged between the mobile device and a device local to the subscriber premises.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the offload traffic comprises user data exchanged between the mobile device and an Internet access local to the subscriber premises.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a state of the mobile cellular network, wherein the associating of the offload traffic with the local IP address is based on the state of the mobile cellular network.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the network core exchanges signaling messages of the signaling portion with the mobile device.

8. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a processing system including a processor, a mobile device in communication with a small-cell access point via managed cellular frequency spectrum, wherein the small-cell access point is located at a subscriber premises, and wherein the small-cell access point is in further communication with a network core of a mobile cellular network;

associating, by the processing system, each of a first Internet protocol (IP) address and a second IP address with the mobile device, wherein the mobile device accesses network traffic using one of the first IP address, the second IP address or both;

identifying, by the processing system, offload traffic associated with the mobile device, wherein the offload traffic is exchanged between the mobile device and the small-cell access point at the subscriber premises using the managed cellular frequency spectrum; and

associating, by the processing system, the offload traffic with the first IP address, wherein user data are exchanged between the mobile device and other equipment at the subscriber premises without the user data being exchanged between one of the mobile device, the small-cell access point or both and the network core,

wherein the mobile device is associated with a first access point name and a second access point name.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first IP address is associated with the first access point name and the second IP address is associated with the second access point name.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting, by the processing system, a request for mobile network communications initiated by the mobile device, wherein the identifying of the offload traffic is responsive to the detecting of the request.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the offload traffic comprises user data exchanged between the mobile device and a device local to the subscriber premises.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the offload traffic comprises user data exchanged between the mobile device and an Internet access local to the subscriber premises.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, by the processing system, a state of the mobile cellular network, wherein the associating of the offload traffic with the first IP address is based on the state of the mobile cellular network.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the network core exchanges signaling messages with the mobile device, wherein the signaling messages facilitate establishment of the offload traffic that comprises the user data.

15. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

identifying a wireless communications device in communication with a small-cell access point via managed cellular frequency spectrum, wherein the small-cell access point is located at a subscriber premises, and wherein the small-cell access point is in further communication with a network core of a mobile cellular network;

determining a wireless communications device address comprising a first address and a second address, wherein the wireless communications device accesses network traffic using the wireless communications device address;

determining network messages associated with the wireless communications device that can be steered based on the wireless communications device address, wherein the network messages are exchanged between the wireless communications device and the small-cell access point at the subscriber premises using the managed cellular frequency spectrum; and

associating the network messages with the first address, wherein user data are exchanged between the wireless communications device and other equipment at the subscriber premises by way of the network messages, without the user data being exchanged between one of the wireless communications device, the small-cell access point or both and the network core,

wherein the wireless communications device is associated with a first access point name and a second access point name.

16. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first address is associated with the first access point name and the second address is associated with the second access point name.

17. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a request for mobile network communications initiated by the wireless communications device, wherein the determining of the network messages associated with the wireless communications device is responsive to the detecting of the request.

18. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the network messages comprise user data exchanged between the wireless communications device and a device local to the subscriber premises.

19. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the network messages comprise user data exchanged between the wireless communications device and an Internet access local to the subscriber premises.

20. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the network core exchanges signaling messages with the wireless communications device to facilitate establishment of an exchange of the network messages.