GPRS signaling protocol architecture for an unlicensed wireless communication system

• US 7,212,819 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baranowski, Joseph G., Mohammed, Jahangir, Shi, Jianxiong, Shekhar, Madhu C., Elam, Thomas G., Powell, Mark, Kolderup, Kenneth M., Gallagher, Michael D., Markovic, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller; Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US11/228,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 455/448, 455/446, 455/432.2, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/435.1, 455/552.1, 455/445, 455/436, 455/462, 455/465, 455/432.1, 455/421, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]
• 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 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

An unlicensed wireless service is adapted to generate the interface protocols of a licensed wireless service to provide transparent transition of communication sessions between a licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. In one embodiment, a mobile station includes level 1, level 2, and level 3 protocols for licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. An indoor base station and indoor network controller provide protocol conversion for the unlicensed wireless service into a standard base station controller interface of the licensed wireless service.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a) a licensed wireless communication system comprising;

i) a core network; and

ii) a licensed access network for connecting a mobile station to the core network; and

b) an unlicensed wireless communication system comprising an unlicensed network controller for communicatively coupling the mobile station to the core network;

wherein the unlicensed network controller has a multi-layer protocol architecture for supporting general packet radio service (GPRS) signaling, the multi-layer protocol architecture comprising;

1) a secure layer; and

2) an unlicensed radio link control (RLC) layer over the secure layer to support GPRS signaling.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the secure layer is one of secure socket layer (SSL) and IP security (IPSec).

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the unlicensed network controller protocol architecture further comprises:

a) access layers for communicating with a broadband network broadband access layers;

b)an Internet Protocol (IP) layer over the access layers for communicating with the broadband network broadband access layers.

4. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the unlicensed network controller protocol architecture further comprises a physical layer over a network service layer over a base station GPRS protocol (BSSGP) layer for communicating with similar corresponding layers of a licensed wireless communication system serving GPRS support node (SGSN).

5. The communication system of claim 4 wherein the unlicensed network controller interconnects to the licensed wireless communication system core network through a same licensed wireless communication system base station controller (BSC) interface used by a licensed wireless communication system base station subsystem (BSS).

6. The communication system of claim 5 wherein said BSC interface is a standard Gb-Interface.

7. In a communication system comprising licensed and unlicensed wireless communication systems, wherein the licensed wireless communication system comprises a core network and a licensed access network for connecting a mobile station to the core network, wherein the unlicensed wireless communication system comprises an unlicensed network controller for communicatively coupling the mobile station with the core network, a multi-layer signaling protocol architecture for the unlicensed network controller for supporting general packet radio service (GPRS) signaling, the multi-layer signaling protocol architecture comprising:

a) a secure layer; and

b) an unlicensed radio link control (RLC) layer over the secure layer to support GPRS signaling.

8. The multi-layer signaling protocol architecture of claim 7 wherein the secure layer is one of secure socket layer (SSL) and IP security (IPSec).

9. The multi-layer signaling protocol architecture of claim 7, wherein the unlicensed network controller protocol architecture further comprises:

a) access layers for communicating with a broadband network broadband access layers; and

b) an Internet Protocol (IP) layer over the access layers for communicating with the broadband network broadband access layers.

10. The multi-layer signaling protocol architecture of claim 7 further comprising a physical layer over a network service layer over a base station GPRS protocol (BSSGP) layer for communicating with similar corresponding layers of a licensed wireless communication system serving GPRS support node (SGSN).

11. The multi-layer signaling protocol architecture of claim 10 wherein the unlicensed network controller interconnects to the licensed wireless communication system core network through a same licensed wireless communication system base station controller (BSC) interface used by a licensed wireless communication system base station subsystem (BSS).

12. The multi-layer signaling protocol architecture of claim 11 wherein said BSC interface is a standard Gb-Interface.

13. In a communication system comprising licensed and unlicensed wireless communication systems, wherein the licensed wireless communication system comprises a core network and a licensed access network for connecting a mobile station to the core network,wherein the unlicensed wireless communication system comprises an unlicensed network controller for communicatively coupling the mobile station with the core network, a computer readable medium of the unlicensed wireless network controller, said computer readable medium storing a set of executable instructions for implementing a multi-layer signaling protocol architecture for supporting general packet radio service (GPRS) signaling for the unlicensed network controller, the multi-layer signaling protocol architecture comprising:

a) a secure layer; and

b) an unlicensed radio link control (RLC) layer over the secure layer to support GPRS signaling.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further storing instruction for implementing the multi-layer signaling protocol architecture wherein the secure layer is one of secure socket layer (SSL) and IP security (IPSec).

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising storing instruction for implementing the multi-layer signaling protocol architecture wherein the unlicensed network controller protocol architecture further comprises:

a) access layers for communicating with a broadband network broadband access layers;

b) an Internet Protocol (IP) layer over the access layers for communicating with the broadband network broadband access layers.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further storing instruction for implementing a physical layer over a network service layer over a base station GPRS protocol (BSSGP) layer for communicating with similar corresponding layers of a licensed wireless communication system serving GPRS support node (SGSN).

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 further storing instruction for implementing the multi-layer signaling protocol architecture wherein the unlicensed network controller interconnects to the licensed wireless communication system core network through a same licensed wireless communication system base station controller (BSC) interface used by a licensed wireless communication system base station subsystem (BSS).

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein said BSC interface is a standard Gb-Interface.