Method and apparatus for use in a communications network

• US 8,553,663 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Harmatos, Janos, Csaszar, Andras, Mihaly, Attila, Papp, Oktavian, Toth, Zoltan, Westberg, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Eunsook
• Application Number:
  US12/933,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method is provided of enabling access for a terminal (12-1) to a remote network (60) via a mobile network (40). A first connectivity service function (30) is provided as part of the mobile network (40). A second connectivity service function (20) is provided as part of the remote network (60). A third connectivity service function (10) is provided associated with the terminal (12-1). The first connectivity service function (30) is adapted to cooperate in establishing a first layer 2 tunnel (25) between itself (30) and the second connectivity service function (20). The first connectivity service function (30) is also adapted to cooperate in establishing a second layer 2 tunnel (15) between itself (30) and the third connectivity service function (10). The terminal (12-1) thereby has layer 2 access into the remote network (60) through the first and second tunnels (25, 15) using the first, second and third connectivity service functions (30, 20, 10).

Claims

1. A method of enabling access for a terminal to a remote network via a mobile network, the method comprising:

providing a first connectivity service function as included in the mobile network;

providing a second connectivity service function as included in the remote network;

providing a third connectivity service function associated with the terminal; and

at the first connectivity service function;

establishing a first layer 2 tunnel between the first connectivity service function and the second connectivity service function, and a second layer 2 tunnel between the first connectivity service function and the third connectivity service function, to provide the terminal with layer 2 access into the remote network through the first and second tunnels using the first, second and third connectivity service functions; and

establishing virtual switches or bridges to interconnect each such first tunnel established by the first connectivity function to its corresponding second tunnel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the third connectivity service function is provided in a node separate from the terminal, with the terminal being in communication with the node to access the third connectivity service function.

3. The method of claim 2, where the terminal is connected to a local network, and wherein the third connectivity service function is configured to provide layer 2 connectivity for a plurality of terminals of the local network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third connectivity service function is provided as included in the terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second connectivity service function is separate from a node in the remote network with which the terminal is communicating through the first and second tunnels.

6. A method of enabling access for a terminal to a remote network via a mobile network, the method comprising:

providing a first connectivity service function as included in the mobile network;

establishing a first layer 2 tunnel between the first connectivity service function and a second connectivity service function provided as included in the remote network;

establishing a second layer 2 tunnel between the first connectivity service function and a third connectivity service function associated with the terminal;

establishing virtual switches or bridges at the first connectivity function to interconnect each such first tunnel established by the first connectivity function to its corresponding second tunnel;

using the virtual switches or bridges to forward layer 2 traffic received at the first connectivity service function and destined for a node in the remote network to the second connectivity service function through the first tunnel; and

using the virtual switches or bridges to forward layer 2 traffic received at the first connectivity service function and destined for the terminal to the third connectivity service function through the second tunnel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote network is an Ethernet-based network and the first and second tunnels are Ethernet tunnels carrying Ethernet packets, and wherein the method comprises tunnelling the Ethernet packets over Internet Protocol (IP) using the Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol (L2TP).

8. An apparatus for enabling access for a terminal to a remote network via a mobile network, the apparatus comprising:

a circuit configured to establish a first layer 2 tunnel between a first connectivity service function provided as included in the mobile network and a second connectivity service function provided as included in the remote network;

a circuit configured to establish a second layer 2 tunnel between the first connectivity service function and a third connectivity service function associated with the terminal;

a circuit configured to establish virtual switches or bridges at the first connectivity function to interconnect each such first tunnel established by the first connectivity function to its corresponding second tunnel;

a circuit configured to forward layer 2 traffic received at the first connectivity service function and destined for a node in the remote network to the second connectivity service function through the first tunnel, using the established virtual switches or bridges; and

a circuit configured to forward layer 2 traffic received at the first connectivity service function and destined for the terminal to the third connectivity service function through the second tunnel using the established virtual switches or bridges.