Selecting a serving gateway

• US 8,862,148 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc., Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Stojanovski, Saso, Barnowski, Barnaba, Parsons, Eric, Osborne, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US13/318,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20120184294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/328, 455/422.1, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/125 involving different types of service backbones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system and method are provided for enabling a mobile device to establish a local IP access on a packet data network connection on a femto cellular access network. A local server gateway and a macro server gateway are coupled to the femto cellular access network. A mobility management entity is coupled to the femto cellular access network, the local server gateway and the macro server gateway. The mobility management entity obtains a status mode of the mobile device and a location of the mobile device transmitted on the femto cellular access network. The mobility management entity selects one of the local server gateway and the macro server gateway based on the status mode of the mobile device and the location of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobility manager configured to communicatively couple to a femto cellular access network and configured to communicate with a local server gateway and a macro server gateway, wherein the mobility manager is configured to;

obtain a status mode of a mobile device and a location of the mobile device transmitted on the femto cellular access network; and

select one of the local server gateway and the macro server gateway for the mobile device based on the status mode of the mobile device and the location of the mobile device;

wherein the local server gateway and the macro server gateway are configured to communicatively couple to the femto cellular access network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a local gateway communicatively coupled to the femto cellular access network, wherein the local gateway is configured to receive data packets from the femto cellular access network and route the data packets to one of the local server gateway or the macro server gateway.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the status mode of the mobile device includes one of an active mode and an idle mode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the local server gateway is positioned in a local environment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the macro server gateway is positioned in a macro environment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the femto cellular access network includes one of an long-term evolution (LTE) network, an evolution-data optimized (EVDO) network connected to an evolved packet core (EPC), and a WiMax 802.16e/m network connected to the EPC.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the local gateway is associated with at least one access point name.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a single access point name is assigned to a plurality of subscribers.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobility manager is further configured to:

select the macro server gateway for the mobile device based on determining that the device is located in a local environment and that the device is in an idle mode.

10. A mobile device configured to communicatively couple to a femto cellular access network and configured to:

utilize a local server gateway to access a packet data network in response to operating in a first mode at a particular location; and

utilize a macro server gateway to access a packet data network in response to operating in a second mode at the particular location;

wherein the local server gateway and the macro server gateway are communicatively coupled to the femto cellular access network.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a local gateway communicatively coupled to the femto cellular access network, the local gateway receiving data packets from the femto cellular access network and routing the data packets to one of the local server gateway or the femto server gateway.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the femto cellular access network includes one of an long-term evolution (LTE) network, an evolution-data optimized (EVDO) network connected to an evolved packet core (EPC), and a WiMax 802.16e/m network connected to the EPC.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is configured to utilize the local server gateway or the macro server gateway in response to information generated by a mobility manager, wherein the mobility manager is communicatively coupled to the macro server gateway and the local server gateway.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the particular location is within range of a local access point, wherein the first mode is an active mode and wherein the second mode is an idle mode.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein a plurality of access point names are assigned to a plurality of subscribers.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the status mode of the mobile device includes one of an active mode and an idle mode.

17. A method, comprising:

determining a status of a mobile device;

determining a location of the mobile device;

communicating with a local server gateway and a macro server gateway;

selecting one of the local server gateway and the macro server gateway to provide IP access to the mobile device on a packet data network connection based on the status of the mobile device and the location of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the status of the mobile device includes receiving an indication of one of an active status or an idle status.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the location of the mobile device includes receiving an indication of one of a macro environment and a local environment.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising selecting the macro server gateway when the status of the mobile device is the idle status and the location of the mobile device is the local environment.