GPRS data protocol architecture for an unlicensed wireless communication system

• US 7,634,270 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US11/229,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 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, 455/442, 455/410, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/436, 455/462, 455/433, 370/338, 370/401, 370/352, 370/331, 370/328
• 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; and

b) an unlicensed wireless communication system comprising an unlicensed network controller for communicatively coupling a plurality of unlicensed service regions to the licensed wireless communication system, wherein the unlicensed network controller has a multi-layer protocol architecture for supporting general packet radio service (GPRS) data transmission, the multi-layer protocol architecture comprising;

i) a secure layer;

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

iii) a user datagram protocol (UDP) layer over the secure layer; and

iv) an unlicensed radio link control (RLC) layer over the UDP layer.

2. 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).

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the licensed wireless communication system comprises a serving GPRS support node (SGSN), wherein the unlicensed network controller communicatively couples to the licensed wireless communication system through the SGSN.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the unlicensed network controller and the SGSN are communicatively coupled through a standard Gb-Interface.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the secure layer is secure socket layer (SSL).

6. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the multi-layer protocol architecture of the unlicensed network controller further comprises a message relay function for relaying logical link control (LLC) protocol data units (PDUs) between the mobile station and the SGSN.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said unlicensed network controller communicatively couples a mobile station operating in a particular service region to the licensed wireless communication system.

8. The communication of claim 1, wherein the secure layer is IP security (IPSec).

9. In a communication system comprising licensed and unlicensed wireless communication systems, wherein the licensed wireless communication system comprises a core network and a licensed radio access network for connecting a mobile station to the core network using a licensed wireless frequency, wherein the unlicensed wireless communication system comprises an access point, an unlicensed network controller of an unlicensed wireless communication system, said unlicensed network controller comprising a multi-layer protocol architecture for supporting general packet radio service (GPRS) data transmission, the multi-layer signaling protocol architecture comprising:

a) a secure layer;

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

c) a user datagram protocol (UDP) layer over the secure layer; and

d) an unlicensed radio link control (RLC) layer over the UDP layer,

wherein said unlicensed network controller is for communicatively coupling the mobile station with the core network, and

wherein said access point is for communicatively coupling the mobile station and unlicensed network controller.

10. The multi-layer signaling protocol architecture of claim 9, wherein the secure layer is IP security (IPSec).

11. The unlicensed network controller of claim 9, 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).

12. The unlicensed network controller of claim 9, wherein the licensed wireless communication system comprises a serving GPRS support node (SGSN), wherein the unlicensed network controller communicatively couples to the licensed wireless communication system through the SGSN.

13. The unlicensed network controller of claim 12, wherein the unlicensed network controller and the SGSN are communicatively coupled through a standard Gb-Interface.

14. The unlicensed network controller of claim 9, wherein the secure layer is secure socket layer (SSL).

15. The unlicensed network controller of claim 12, wherein the multi-layer protocol architecture of the unlicensed network controller further comprises a message relay function for relaying logical link control (LLC) protocol data units (PDUs) between the mobile station and the SGSN.

16. In a communication system comprising an unlicensed wireless communication system comprising an unlicensed network controller, a computer readable medium of the unlicensed network controller, said computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

a set of executable instructions for implementing a multi-layer protocol architecture for supporting general packet radio service (GPRS) data transmission for the unlicensed network controller, the multi-layer protocol comprising;

a) a secure layer;

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

c) a user datagram protocol (UDP) layer over the secure layer;

d) an unlicensed radio link control (RLC) layer over the UDP layer; and

a set of executable instructions for communicatively coupling a mobile station with a licensed wireless communication system.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the secure layer is IP security (IPSec).

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions 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).

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the licensed wireless communication system comprises a serving GPRS support node (SGSN), wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for communicatively coupling the unlicensed network controller to the licensed wireless communication system through the SGSN.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the unlicensed network controller and the SGSN are communicatively coupled through a standard Gb-Interface.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the secure layer is secure socket layer (SSL).

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for implementing a message relay function for relaying logical link control (LLC) protocol data units (PDUs) between the mobile station and the SGSN.

23. The computer readable of claim 16, wherein the unlicensed wireless communication system comprises an access point for communicatively coupling the mobile station and the unlicensed network controller.