Method and arrangement for load balancing in a wireless communication system

• US 8,504,055 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Vikberg, Jari, Nylander, Tomas, Rune, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US13/143,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20110269499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 455/453, 455436-444, 370331-332, 370/401
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/088 among core entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0925 using policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system that enable a load balancing procedure in a network with HeNB GWs. The problem of the ineffective conventional load balancing procedure when used in a network with HeNB GWs, is addressed by a solution where the HeNB includes (510) an explicit indication of the reason for radio link establishment (load balancing establishment cause) in the S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE message (511) used to establish the S1 signaling connection associated with a user equipment to an MME, so that the HeNB GW (550) can perform an accurate MME selection based on the knowledge that the establishment is due to load balancing, i.e. an MME selection that realizes the required inter-MME load balancing.

Claims

1. A method for load balancing in a wireless communication system, said system providing a wireless service to at least one active user equipment, wherein a radio base station gateway is connected to at least two core network control nodes and to at least two radio base stations, said method characterised by the following steps, performed by the radio base station gateway:

receiving a command for releasing a signaling connection associated with a user equipment due to load balancing, the command received from one of the core network control nodes in which at least one of said active user equipments is registered,

receiving a message comprising a request for a signaling connection to a core network control node and a load balancing establishment cause, the message received from one of the radio base stations, and

selecting a core network control node based on said load balancing establishment cause, when establishing the requested signaling connection.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the radio base station gateway comprises a counting device for each of said core network control nodes, and wherein the step of receiving a command also comprises the step of increasing by one the value of the counting device corresponding to the core network control node from which the command is received, and the step of selecting a core network control node comprises the sub steps of

selecting a core network control node which has the value zero of said counting device, and

decreasing by one the value of one of said counting devices which has a value larger than zero.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the received message also comprises an identifier of a user equipment, said identifier comprising an identity of the core network control node in which said user equipment is registered, and wherein the step of selecting a core network control node comprises the sub step of

selecting another core network control node than the one corresponding to the core network control node identity comprised in said identifier.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the identifier of a user equipment is comprised in the request for a signaling connection in the received message.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the received message also comprises a core network control node identity, and wherein the step of selecting a core network control node comprises the sub step of

selecting another core network control node than the one corresponding to said core network control node identity.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication system is an SAE/LTE system, the core network control node is a MME, the radio base station is a Home eNodeB and the radio base station gateway is a Home eNodeB gateway.

7. A method for load balancing in a wireless communication system, said system providing a wireless service to at least one active user equipment, wherein a radio base station gateway is connected to at least two core network control nodes and to at least two radio base stations, said method characterised by the following steps, performed by a radio base station,

receiving a connection request from a user equipment, said connection request initiating a connection establishment and comprising a load balancing establishment cause,

sending a first message to the radio base station gateway, said first message comprising a request for a signaling connection to a core network control node and a load balancing establishment cause.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the connection request also comprises an identifier of the user equipment from which the connection request is received, said identifier comprising an identity of the core network control node in which said user equipment is registered, and wherein said first message also comprises said identifier.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the connection request also comprises an identity of the core network control node in which the user equipment from which the connection request is received is registered, and wherein said first message also comprises said core network control node identity.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of receiving a connection request comprises the further step of receiving from the user equipment a second message concluding the connection establishment, said second message comprising an identity of the core network control node in which the user equipment from which said second message is received is registered, and wherein said first message also comprises said core network control node identity.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the wireless communication system is an SAE/LTE system, the core network control node is a MME, the radio base station is a Home eNodeB and the radio base station gateway is a Home eNodeB gateway.

12. A method for load balancing in a wireless communication system, said system providing a wireless service to at least one active user equipment, wherein a radio base station gateway is connected to at least two core network control nodes and to at least two radio base stations, said method characterised by the following steps, performed by a user equipment,

transmitting a connection request to a radio base station, said connection request initiating a connection establishment and comprising a load balancing establishment cause, and

transmitting an identity of a core network control node in which said user equipment is registered.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said identity of a core network control node is transmitted in said connection request.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said identity of a core network control node is comprised in an identifier of said user equipment.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said identity of a core network control node is transmitted in a message concluding the connection establishment.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the wireless communication system is an SAE/LTE system, the core network control node is a MME, the radio base station is a Home eNodeB and the radio base station gateway is a Home eNodeB gateway.

17. A radio base station gateway for a wireless communication system adapted to provide a wireless service to at least one active user equipment, said radio base station gateway connectable to at least two core network control nodes and to at least two radio base stations, and characterised in that it comprises:

a command receiving unit, arranged to receive a command for releasing a signaling connection associated with a user equipment due to load balancing, the command received from one of the core network control nodes in which at least one of said active user equipments is registered,

a message receiving unit, arranged to receive a message comprising a request for a signaling connection to a core network control node and a load balancing establishment cause, the message received from one of the radio base stations, and

a selecting unit, arranged to select a core network control node based on said load balancing establishment cause when establishing the requested signaling connection.

18. The radio base station gateway according to claim 17, further comprising a counting device for each of said core network control nodes, and wherein the command receiving unit is further arranged to increase by one the value of the counting device corresponding to the core network control node from which the command is received, and the selecting unit is arranged to select a core network control node which has the value zero of said counting device, and to decrease by one the value of one of said counting devices which has a value larger than zero.

19. The radio base station gateway according to claim 17, wherein the received message also comprises an identifier of a user equipment, said identifier comprising an identity of the core network control node in which said user equipment is registered, and wherein the selecting unit is arranged to select another core network control node than the one corresponding to the core network control node identity comprised in said identifier.

20. The radio base station gateway according to claim 19, wherein the identifier of a user equipment is comprised in the request for a signaling connection in the received message.

21. The radio base station gateway according to claim 17, wherein the received message also comprises a core network control node identity, and wherein the selecting unit is arranged to select another core network control node than the one corresponding to said core network control node identity.

22. The radio base station gateway according to claim 17, wherein the wireless communication system is an SAE/LTE system, the core network control node is a MME, the radio base station is a Home eNodeB and the radio base station gateway is a Home eNodeB gateway.

23. A radio base station for a wireless communication system adapted to provide a wireless service to at least one active user equipment, the radio base station connectable to a radio base station gateway, said gateway connectable to at least two core network control nodes, and the radio base station characterised in that it comprises,

a receiving unit, arranged to receive a connection request from a user equipment, said connection request initiating a connection establishment and comprising a load balancing establishment cause,

a sending unit, arranged to send a first message to the radio base station gateway, said first message comprising a request for a signaling connection to a core network control node and a load balancing establishment cause.

24. The radio base station according to claim 23, wherein the connection request also comprises an identifier of the user equipment from which the connection request is received, said identifier comprising an identity of the core network control node in which said user equipment is registered, and wherein said first message also comprises said identifier.

25. The radio base station according to claim 23, wherein the connection request also comprises an identity of the core network control node, in which the user equipment from which the connection request is received, is registered, and wherein said first message also comprises said core network control node identity.

26. The radio base station according to claim 23, wherein the receiving unit, is further arranged to receive from the user equipment a second message concluding the connection establishment, said second message comprising an identity of the core network control node in which the user equipment from which said second message is received is registered, and wherein said first message also comprises said core network control node identity.

27. The radio base station according to claim 23, wherein the wireless communication system is an SAE/LTE system, the core network control node is a MME, the radio base station is a Home eNodeB and the radio base station gateway is a Home eNodeB gateway.

28. A user equipment for a wireless communication system comprising a radio base station gateway connectable to at least two core network control nodes and to at least two radio base stations, said user equipment characterised in that it comprises:

a transmitter, arranged to transmit a connection request to a radio base station, said connection request initiating a connection establishment and comprising a load balancing establishment cause, and said transmitter further arranged to transmit an identity of a core network control node in which said user equipment is registered, to the radio base station.

29. The user equipment according to claim 28, wherein said identity of a core network control node is transmitted in said connection request.

30. The user equipment according to claim 29, wherein said identity of a core network control node is comprised in an identifier of said user equipment.

31. The user equipment according to claim 28, wherein said identity of a core network control node is transmitted in a message concluding the connection establishment.

32. The user equipment according to claim 28, wherein the wireless communication system is an SAE/LTE system, the core network control node is a MME, the radio base station is a Home eNodeB and the radio base station gateway is a Home eNodeB gateway.