Method and system for communicating data between a mobile communications architecture and a packet switched architecture

• US 7,307,968 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hamiti, Shkumbin, Niemela, Tuomas, Mononen, Risto, Kularatna, Shavantha
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEW, KEVIN D
• Application Number:
  US09/784,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,489 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/328, 370/329, 370465-467, 370/469, 370/474, 370/475, 370/476, 370/337, 370/321
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device

Abstract

The method and system provides a data packet encapsulated with protocol data according to an embodiment of the invention. A data packet for communication may be associated with a TLLI and a NSAPI identifying a communications path between a BSS and a SGSN. The method and system provides a BVC associated with the BSS and the SGSN and a NSE that provides communication service to the BVC over NS-VC. The BVC, NSE and NS-VC may be associated with the TLLI and NSAPI. The encapsulated protocol data comprises UDP and IP. UDP provides UDP ports associated with NS-VC. The UDP ports identified as data designated as either real time or non-real time services. IP provides an IP address identifying the NSE providing service to the BVC. The data packet encapsulated with UDP and IP provides for more efficient, flexible and reliable communications between a BSS and a SGSN.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data between a base station system (BSS) and a serving GPRS support node (SGSN), the method comprising:

providing protocol data and associated functions, including encapsulating a data packet with a user datagram protocol (UDP) and a Internet Protocol (IP), wherein the user datagram protocol comprises a user datagram protocol port associated with a network service virtual connection (NS-VC) and, the Internet Protocol provides an Internet Protocol address associated with a network service entity (NSE); and

transmitting the data packet provided with the protocol data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user datagram protocol port is identified as either for real-time or non-real time services.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data packet is associated with a temporary logical link identifier (TLLI) and a network service access point identifier (NSAPI).

4. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

providing a BSSGP virtual connection identifier (BVCI), a network service entity identifier (NSEI) and a link select parameter (LSP), the BVCI, NSEI and LSP associated with the TLLI and NSAPI, the BVCL identifying a BVC, the NSEI identifying the NSE, the NS-VC identified by the BVCI and the NSEI, the LSP identifying a network service virtual link (NS-VL) associated with the NS-VC.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data packet comprises a sub-network dependent convergence protocol(SNDCP).

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the data packet further comprises a logical link control (LLC).

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein protocol data and associated functions further comprise:

a base station system GPRS protocol (BSSGP);

a network service control;

a data link layer; and

a physical link layer.

8. The method a as recited in claim 7, further comprising receiving the data packet provided with the protocol data.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising removing the protocol data and associated functions and the LLC and the SNDCP.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the protocol data and associated functions further comprise:

a sub-network dependent convergence protocol (SNDCP);

a logical link control (LLC);

a base station system GPRS protocol (BSSGP);

a network service control;

a data link layer; and

a physical link layer.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the SNDCP provides RTP/UDP/IP header compression and stripping.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising receiving the data packet provided with the protocol data.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

removing the physical link layer, the data link layer, the IP, the UDP, the network service control and the BSSGP.

14. The method of communicating data as recited in claim 1, wherein the UDP comprises source and destination UDP ports associated with the NS-VC and the IP provides a source and destination IP address associated with the NSE.

15. A base station system for communicating data with a serving GPRS support node, the base station system comprising:

means for providing protocol data and associated functions, including encapsulating a data packet with a user datagram protocol (UDP) and a Internet Protocol (IP), wherein the user datagram protocol comprises a user datagram protocol port associated with a network service virtual connection (NS-VC) and, the Internet Protocol provides an Internet Protocol address associated with a network service entity (NSE); and

means for transmitting the data packet provided with the protocol data.

16. The base station system of communicating data as recited in claim 15, wherein the user datagram protocol comprises source and destination user datagram protocol ports associated with the network service virtual connection and the Internet Protocol provides a source and destination Internet Protocol address associated with the NSE.

17. A serving GPRS support Node for communicating data with a base station system, the serving GPRS support Node comprising:

means for providing protocol data and associated functions, including encapsulating a data packet with a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and a Internet Protocol (IP), wherein the user datagram protocol comprises a user datagram protocol port associated with a network service virtual connection (NS-VC) and, the Internet Protocol provides an Internet Protocol address associated with a network service entity (NSE); and

means for transmitting the data packet provided with the protocol data.

18. The serving GPRS support Node of communicating data as recited in claim 17, wherein the user datagram protocol comprises source and destination user datagram protocol ports associated with the network service virtual connection and the Internet Protocol provides a source and destination Internet Protocol address associated with the NSE.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

providing means for providing protocol data and associated functions, including encapsulating a data packet with a user datagram protocol and a Internet Protocol, wherein the user datagram protocol comprises a user datagram protocol port associated with a network service virtual connection and, the Internet Protocol provides an Internet Protocol address associated with a network service entity; and

transmitting means for transmitting the data packet provided with the protocol data,

wherein the apparatus communicate data between a base station system and a serving GPRS support node.