Arrangement and method relating to packet data communication and a packet data communication system

• US 6,735,187 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Pettersson, Sten, Helander, Lars-Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M.
• Application Number:
  US09/502,756
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/347, 370/337, 370/328, 370/321, 370/310.2, 370/358, 370/468, 370/351, 370/352, 370/389, 370/395, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/465, 370/341, 370/349, 370/428, 370/452, 370/560, 455/426, 455/414, 455/436, 455/560, 455/561
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An end user local network and a packet data communication network are interconnected by an arrangement including a packet data network backbone, at least one packet data node with a serving functionality for handling packet data communication, and a gateway functionality for providing communication with external network(s). At least one virtual distributed node provides a gateway functionality and includes an interworking node device including a converting device for converting between a local network and user communication protocol including a user level data packet format (ULC) and an internal packet data communication protocol using an internal packet data format (ICP). The virtual distributed node includes a management functionality (MA) for managing the interworking node device. The management functionality is executed in a packet data node, and the packet data network backbone is used for communication.

Claims

1. An arrangement for interconnecting an end user local network and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, comprising

a packet data network backbone,

at least one Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) with a serving functionality for handling packet data communication, and

at least one distributed gateway node (DGN) providing a gateway functionality between said end user local network and said GPRS network and comprising an interworking means for converting between a local network end user communication protocol using a user level data packet format and an internal packet data communication protocol using an internal packet data format, wherein a management functionality for managing the distributed gateway node resides within said SGSN and wherein said SGSN communicates signaling over said packet data network backbone to manage said distributed gateway node.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement comprises a plurality of SGSN and the management functionality is provided and executed in a number of said SGSN.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the internal packet data frames of the internal communication protocol are encrypted, and the interworking means converts said internal packet data frames to/from user level packet data frames.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the encrypted frames are IP-sec-frames.

5. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein at least a number of end user(s) use(s) an overlapping IP-addressing scheme, the external data network being the Internet.

6. A General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communication system supporting packet data communication and connected to an external data network and comprising

a number of Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSN) with a serving functionality for handling packet data communication and communicating with a base station system and with end user local network,

a gateway functionality node connected to said packet data communications for communicating with the external data network(s), further comprising converting means for converting between a communication protocol for local network end user traffic which protocol comprises a user level data packet format (ULC) and an internal packet data network protocol using an internal packet data format (ICP)

packet data backbone for connecting said SSSNs and said gateway functionality node;

and

wherein management functionality for managing said gateway functionality node is located within one of said SGSNs and manages said gateway functionality node via signaling over said packet data backbone.

7. A GPRS communication system according to claim 6, wherein a number of internal packet data frames provided to a number of interworking node devices for conversion, are encrypted, and interworking nodes device(s) convert, said internal packet data frames to/from user level packet data frames.

8. A method of interconnecting an end user local network and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network comprising a packet data network backbone and a number of Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs) including a serving functionality for handling packet data communication and a gateway functionality for communication with external networks, comprising the steps of:

introducing an interworking node device providing a gateway functionality,

executing the management of said interworking nodes device within one of said SGSNs including a serving functionality,

using an internal data communication protocol for communication between said one of said SGSNs and said interworking node device and wherein said one of said SGSNs manages said interworking node device using said internal data communication protocol,

using an end user communication protocol for communication between said interworking node device and an end user of a local network, and

in said interworking node device, converting between the end user communication protocol and the internal data communication protocol.