RLAN wireless telecommunications with radio access network (RAN) gateway and methods

• US 8,897,186 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pantech Wireless, LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Signal Trust for Wireless Innovation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chitrapu, Prabhakar R., Menon, Narayan Parappil, Ozluturk, Fatih M., Kiernan, Brian Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): GHOWRWAL, OMAR J
• Application Number:
  US13/872,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20130235833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/335, 370/338, 370/342, 370/401, 370216-218, 370/221, 370/225, 370229-231, 370/235, 370/236, 370/254, 370/255, 370351-357, 370359-360, 370/386, 370/389, 370/400, 370/419, 370/422, 370/902, 370/912, 370/913, 370/431, 370/433, 370/463, 455/426.2, 455/41.2, 455/422.1, 455/445, 455/432.1, 709/200, 709/238, 709/230, 709/227, 709/220
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/913 Wireless or radio

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for communicating with the Internet via a gateway are disclosed. The gateway may be a Radio Access Network (RAN) gateway. The gateway may communicate data with at least one user equipment (UE). The gateway may route the data via one or more interfaces. The data may be routed by bypassing a core network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a transceiver data in a third generation partnership project (3GPP) wireless format from at least one user equipment (UE);

routing by an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway the received data in IP formatted packets directly through an Internet interface to bypass a core network; and

tunneling authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) information directly through the Internet interface to the core network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet interface is configured with serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) functions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet interface is configured with general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) functions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing picocell coverage.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive data in a third generation partnership project (3GPP) wireless format from at least one user equipment (UE); and

an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway configured to route the data in IP formatted packets directly through an Internet interface to bypass a core network, wherein authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) information is tunneled directly through the Internet interface to the core network.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the Internet interface is configured with serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) functions.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the Internet interface is configured with general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) functions.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is further configured to provide picocell coverage.

9. A method comprising:

receiving data at a transceiver in a third generation partnership project (3GPP) wireless format from at least one user equipment (UE);

routing from an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway the received data in IP formatted packets through a GI interface such that the data is routed to the Internet by bypassing a core network; and

tunneling authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) information related to the at least one UE through the GI interface and directly to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the IP gateway is connected to the Internet via an Internet service provider (ISP).

11. The method as in claim 9, further comprising:

communicating the AAA information to the core network.

12. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving data at a transceiver in a third generation partnership project (3GPP) wireless format from at least one user equipment (UE); and

means for routing from an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway the received data in IP formatted packets through a GI interface such that the data is routed to the Internet by bypassing a core network; and

means for tunneling authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) information related to the at least one UE through the GI interface and directly to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

13. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the GI interface includes serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) functions.

14. The apparatus as in claim 12, further comprising means for communicating the AAA function information to the core network.