Apparatus and messages for interworking between unlicensed access network and GPRS network for data services

• US 8,130,703 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonus Networks Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Markovic, Milan, Shi, Jianxiong (Jason), Gallagher, Michael D., Gupta, Rajeev
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US12/564,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20100074181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/341, 370/352, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/469, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/466, 455/552.1, 455/403, 455/458
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• 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 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Methods for performing various operations via unlicensed mobile access (UMA) radio link control (URLC) messages in an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN). The UMAN comprises a first radio access network that may be employed for accessing data services provided by a core network comprising a second radio access network. URLC messages are exchanged between mobile stations (MSs) and UMA network controllers (UNCs) to perform various operations associated with the UMAN. An MS may access the UMAN via a wireless access point (AP) that is communicatively coupled to a UNC via an IP network. The URLC messages are sent between MSs and UNCs using an Up interface comprising a set of layered protocols over an underlying IP transport.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating packet switched operations in an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) network, the method comprising:

establishing a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection between a network controller and a mobile station (MS);

using the TCP connection to transfer signaling messages between the network controller and the MS to facilitate packet switched operations, each signaling message comprising;

a protocol discriminator,

a skip indicator, and

a message type via which the message is to be identified; and

receiving at the network controller an ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message from the MS for activating a transport channel (TC) for General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data transfer services, the TC for providing an uplink GPRS data transfer service from the MS to the network controller and a downlink GPRS data transfer service from the network controller to the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message comprising an MS User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port information element (IE) that indicates a port number of the MS for the downlink GPRS data transfer service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the MS initiates the activation of the TC, wherein the activation of the TC is triggered by an uplink GPRS data transfer request when no active TC exists between the MS and the network controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message comprises a temporary logical link identity (TLLI) IE.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending an ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message from the network controller to the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprising a network controller IP address IE that indicates an IP address of the network controller for the uplink GPRS data transfer service, and a network controller UDP port IE that indicates a port number of the network controller for the uplink GPRS data transfer service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprises a TC activation status IE that indicates a status of the TC activation, and a temporary logical link identity (TLLI) IE.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at the network controller a DEACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message from the MS, the DEACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message comprising a TC deactivation cause IE that indicates a cause for a deactivation, and a temporary logical link identity (TLLI) IE.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the MS restarts a TC timer when any uplink data packet is sent using the TC or any downlink data packet is received using the TC, wherein the MS initiates the deactivation of the TC when the TC timer expires.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending a DEACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message from the network controller to the MS, said DEACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprising a TLLI IE.

9. A method for facilitating packet switched operations in an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) network, the method comprising:

establishing a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection between a network controller and a mobile station (MS);

using the TCP connection to transfer signaling messages between the network controller and the MS to facilitate packet switched operations, each signaling message comprising;

a protocol discriminator,

a skip indicator, and

a message type via which the message is to be identified; and

sending an ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message from the network controller to the MS for activating a transport channel (TC) for General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data transfer services, the TC for providing an uplink GPRS data transfer service from the MS to the network controller and a downlink GPRS data transfer service from the network controller to the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message comprising a network controller internet protocol (IP) address information element (IE) that indicates an IP address of the network controller for the uplink GPRS data transfer service, and a network controller User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port IE that indicates a port number for the uplink GPRS data transfer service.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the network controller initiates the activation of the TC, wherein the activation of the TC is triggered by a downlink GPRS data transfer request when no active TC exists between the MS and the network controller.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving at the network controller an ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message from the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprising an MS UDP port IE that indicates a port number for the downlink GPRS data transfer service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprises a TC activation status IE that indicates a status of the TC activation, and a temporary logical link identity (TLLI) IE.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving at the network controller a DEACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message from the MS, the DEACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message comprising a TC deactivation cause IE that indicates a cause for a deactivation, and a temporary logical link identity (TLLI) IE.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the MS restarts a TC timer when any uplink data packet is sent using the TC or any downlink data packet is received using the TC, wherein the MS initiates the deactivation of the TC when the TC timer expires.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising sending a DEACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message from the network controller to the MS, said DEACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprising a TLLI IE.

16. A network controller for operating in a network comprising a first radio access network, the network controller comprising:

a first network interface comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) network interface;

a second network interface comprising a Up interface, via which messages are to be transmitted to and received from a mobile station (MS) via an access point communicatively coupled between the network controller and the MS, the Up interface including a plurality of layers implemented over the IP network interface;

a third network interface, via which the network controller connects to a core network that is accessible to a second licensed wireless radio access network; and

a set of modules for generating and/or processing a plurality of signaling messages transmitted over the Up interface to facilitate packet switched operations, each signaling message comprising;

a protocol discriminator,

a skip indicator, and

a message type via which the message is to be identified, wherein the set of modules is further for receiving at the network controller an ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message from the MS for activating a transport channel (TC) for General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data transfer services, the TC for providing an uplink GPRS data transfer service from the MS to the network controller and a downlink GPRS data transfer service from the network controller to the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message an MS User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port information element (IE) that indicates a port number of the MS for the downlink GPRS data transfer service.

17. The network controller of claim 16, wherein the set of modules is further for sending an ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message from the network controller to the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprising a network controller IP address IE that indicates an IP address of the network controller for the uplink GPRS data transfer service, and a network controller UDP port IE that indicates a port number of the network controller for the uplink GPRS data transfer service.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium of a network controller storing a computer program for facilitating packet switched operations in an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) network, the computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for establishing a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection between the network controller and a mobile station (MS);

a set of instructions for using the TCP connection to transfer signaling messages between the network controller and the MS to facilitate packet switched operations, each signaling message comprising;

a protocol discriminator,

a skip indicator, and

a message type via which the message is to be identified; and

a set of instructions for sending an ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message from the network controller to the MS for activating a transport channel (TC) for General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data transfer services, the TC for providing an uplink GPRS data transfer service from the MS to the network controller and a downlink GPRS data transfer service from the network controller to the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message comprising a network controller internet protocol (IP) address information element (IE) that indicates an IP address of the network controller for the uplink GPRS data transfer service, and a network controller User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port IE that indicates a port number for the uplink GPRS data transfer service.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for receiving at the network controller an ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message from the MS, the ACTIVATE-UTC-ACK message comprising an MS UDP port IE that indicates a port number for the downlink GPRS data transfer service.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for receiving at the network controller a DEACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message from the MS, the DEACTIVATE-UTC-REQ message comprising a TC deactivation cause IE that indicates a cause for a deactivation, and a temporary logical link identity (TLLI) IE.