System and method for enabling mobile edge services

• US 6,891,842 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hillo, Jarmo, Sahaya, Anurag, Hallikainen, Petri, Sukirti, Gupta
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, STEVEN
• Application Number:
  US10/251,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 370465-467, 370/338, 370352-356, 370/328, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method are directed to providing a Mobile Edge Service (MES) in a mobile network. An apparatus configured to enable a smart Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN) to communicate with an MES application layer such that a service provider may provide a content delivery service, a network service, and an application service to an subscriber. The apparatus is also directed to enabling an interaction between components in the smart GGSN by providing a protocol stack that includes control, data, and management interface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for enabling a mobile edge service, comprising:

a smart Gateway General packet radio service Support Node (GGSN) interface that is configured to receive a packet from at least one of a wireless application, and a Wireless Network Includes (WNI);

a switch that is configured to receive the packet from the smart GGSN interface, and determines where to forward the packet, based at least in part on a request associated with the packet;

a core service layer that is configured to employ the request associated with the packet to provide the packet to at least one mobile edge service; and

a protocol stack means for managing an interaction between the smart GGSN interface, the switch, and the core service.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an edge Application Programming Interface (API) that is configured to enable communication between the switch and the core service layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the WNI is further configured to manage wireless content for at least one of an application, a content, and a wireless delivery mechanism.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the WNI manages wireless content with an XML-based markup language.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smart GGSN interface is further configured to receive the packet from at least one of a Gi interface, a wireless application, and a Gn interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch is further configured to route the packet based on at least one of a packet type, a packet source, a packet destination, and a policy associated with the packet.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the policy associated with the packet further comprises at least one of a characteristic of a mobile device, bandwidth, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), service subscription, Visitor Location Register (VLR), and access privilege.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a protocol stack that is configured to manage each interaction between the smart GGSN interface, the switch, and the core service layer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protocol stack further comprises:

a control plane that is configured to forward the packet based at least in part on a control signal associated with the packet;

a data plane that is configured to forward the packet based at least in part on content associated with the packet; and

a management plane that enables a set of components in the protocol stack to provide the packet to at least one mobile edge service.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protocol stack employs a minimum set of components that are determined in part by at least one of a policy, a request associated with the packet, a control signal associated with the packet, and content associated with the packet.

11. A protocol stack for enabling a mobile edge service, comprising:

a forwarding layer configured to receive a packet from at least one of a wireless application, a Wireless Network Includes (WNI), a Gi interface, and a Gn interface, and to forward the packet to at least one of a switch, and a core service layer;

a signaling layer configured to forward the packet based on a control signal associated with the packet;

a lookup layer configured to examine content associated with the packet, and to route the packet based on the examined content;

an enhanced-services signaling layer configured to determine a service type associated with the packet, and to route the packet based on at least one of the service type, the control signal associated with the packet, and the examined content;

an enhanced-services core layer configured to enable an interaction between the core service layer and at least one mobile edge service;

a mobile edge services layer configurable to provide at least one mobile edge service;

a mobile edge services configuration and monitoring layer configured to manage each interaction between each layer; and

a data plane that includes;

a transport proxy protocol configured to identify a transport proxy based at least in part on a Transport Access Point Names (TAPN), wherein the TAPN comprises an Access Point Name (APN), and a signature based at least in part on an Open System Interconnect (OSI) layer 3 packet lookup; and

a service proxy protocol configured to identify a service proxy based at least in part on a Service Access Point Name (SAPN), where the SAPN comprises the TAPN, and a content signature based at least in part on an OSI layer 7 content lookup.

12. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising:

a control plane that is configured to forward the packet to at least one protocol layer based at least in part on the control signal associated with the packet; and

a management plane that is configured to determine a set of components in the protocol stack to enable the packet to access at least one mobile edge service.

13. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising a control plane that includes:

a services control interface configured to enable at least one of signaling, and a registration interaction between the enhanced-services core layer and the enhanced-services signaling layer;

a smart Gateway General packet radio service Support Node (GGSN) interface configured to provide the packet to a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) proxy agent based at least in part on the control signal, associated with the packet; and

a resource control protocol configured to enable a mobile edge service to route the packet to at least one of a switch, and a router.

14. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising a smart GGSN interface that is configured to query a system in a General Packet Radio Services/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (GPRS/UMTS) network.

15. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising a smart GGSN interface that enables one of a transparent, and a non-transparent interface.

16. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising a smart GGSN interface that is configured to perform actions, including:

if a PDP proxy response is associated with the packet,

sending the packet to a PDP proxy agent;

receiving the PDP proxy response from the PDP proxy agent; and

if the PDP proxy response is unassociated with the packet, sending a copy of the packet to the PDP proxy agent.

17. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising a smart GGSN interface that is configured to enable the enhanced-services signaling layer to forward a control signal associated with the packet based on at least one of control signal type, subscriber type, and occurrence of a pre-determined event.

18. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising a services control interface that is configured to provide a bi-directional, peer-to-peer service registration protocol.

19. The protocol stack of claim 11, further comprising a resource control protocol that is configured to perform at least one action including initialization, modification, status query, and mapping of a mobile edge service.

20. A method for enabling a mobile edge service, comprising:

enabling a smart GGSN to receive a packet from a Wireless Network Includes (WNI);

employing a switch to determine where to forward the received packet, based at least in part on a request associated with the packet;

providing the packet to a mobile edge service based on at least one of content associated with the packet, a service type associated with the packet, and a control signal associated with the packet; and

employing a protocol stack means for managing an interaction between the smart GGSN, the switch, and the mobile edge service to enable management of the packet.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the packet further comprises receiving the packet from at least one of a wireless application, a Gi interface, and a Gn interface.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein forwarding the packet further comprises employing an edge Application Programming Interface (API).

23. The method of claim 20, wherein forwarding the packet further comprises:

routing the packet based at least in part on a control signal associated with the packet;

routing the packet based at least in part on content associated with the packet; and

enabling a protocol layer for routing the packet.

24. A system for enabling a mobile edge service, comprising:

a smart GGSN interface means for receiving a packet from at least one of a wireless application, a Wireless Network Includes (WNI), a Gi interface, and a Gn interface;

a switching means for receiving the packet from the interface means, and for determining where to route the packet, based at least in part on a request associated with the packet;

a core service means for employing the request associated with the packet and providing the packet to at leas one mobile edge service; and

a protocol stack means for managing an interaction between the interface means, the switching means, and the core service means.