Cell relay packet routing

• US 8,902,805 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ulupinar, Fatih, Horn, Gavin B., Agashe, Parag A., Tenny, Nathan E., Shi, Yongsheng
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PHUC H
• Application Number:
  US12/603,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 370/315, 370/338, 370/400
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate packet routing among relay eNBs in a wireless network. A donor eNB can create at least a portion of a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) for a relay eNB communicating with a UE or other device. In addition, the relay eNB communicating with the UE can create a portion of the TEID. Upon receiving packets with a TEID, the donor eNB can route the packets to downstream eNBs based on the portion of the TEID that it created. Other downstream eNBs can continue to route packets to next hop eNBs based on the portion of the TEID created by the donor eNB or the downstream eNBs themselves. The relay eNB communicating with the UE can route packets to the UE based on the portion of the TEID it created and/or the portion created by the donor eNB.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) that includes at least a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB) and a disparate portion generated by a relay eNB;

determining a disparate network node to receive the packet based at least in part on the TEID;

comparing the portion generated by the donor eNB to a routing table associating one or more TEID portions with identifiers of network nodes, wherein the determining the disparate network node is based at least in part on locating the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table; and

transmitting the packet to the disparate network node.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the portion generated by the donor eNB from an upstream network node; and

storing the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table along with an identifier of the disparate network node.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the disparate portion along with an identifier of the disparate network node in another routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining the disparate network node includes locating the disparate portion of the TEID in the other routing table associated with the identifier of the disparate network node.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the disparate network node is a user equipment (UE), and the storing the disparate portion along with the identifier includes storing the disparate portion in the other routing table along with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising requesting the portion generated by the donor eNB from the donor eNB.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) that includes at least a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

determining a disparate network node to receive the packet based at least in part on the TEID;

generating a disparate portion of the TEID;

storing the disparate portion along with an identifier of the disparate network node in a routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes, wherein the disparate network node is a user equipment (UE), and the storing the disparate portion along with the identifier includes storing the disparate portion in the routing table along with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE;

transmitting the packet to the disparate network node; and

receiving an access request from the UE, wherein the generating the disparate portion of the TEID is based at least in part on the access request.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) that includes at least a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

determining a disparate network node to receive the packet based at least in part on the TEID;

transmitting the packet to the disparate network node;

generating the portion of the TEID; and

storing the portion of the TEID along with an identifier of the disparate network node in a routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier is a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the disparate network node.

10. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) having at least a portion assigned by a donor evolved Node B (eNB) and a disparate portion, with respect to the portion assigned by the donor eNB, assigned by a relay eNB;

identify a disparate network node related to the TEID;

locate the portion assigned by the donor eNB in a routing table associating one or more TEID portions with identifiers of network nodes, wherein the at least one processor identifies the disparate network node based at least in part on locating the portion assigned by the donor eNB in the routing table; and

transmit the packet to the disparate network node; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

11. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

obtain the portion assigned by the donor eNB from an upstream network node; and

store the portion assigned by the donor eNB in the routing table with an identifier of the disparate network node.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

store an association between the disparate portion of the TEID and an identifier of the disparate network node in another routing table.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor identifies the disparate network node at least in part by locating the disparate portion of the TEID in the other routing table and extracting the identifier of the disparate network node based on the association.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the disparate network node is a user equipment (UE), and the identifier corresponds at least in part to a radio bearer of the UE.

15. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) having at least a portion assigned by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

identify a disparate network node related to the TEID;

transmit the packet to the disparate network node;

assign the portion of the TEID; and

store an association between the portion of the TEID and an identifier of the disparate network node in a routing table; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the identifier is a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the disparate network node.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying a network node related to a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) received in a packet from a disparate network node, wherein the TEID includes a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB) and a disparate portion, with respect to the portion generated by the donor eNB, generated by a relay eNB, wherein the means for identifying the network node further maintains a routing table comprising TEID portions associated with identifiers of related network nodes, locates the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table, and identifies the network node based on an identifier associated with the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table; and

means for transmitting the packet to the network node.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving the portion generated by the donor eNB from an upstream node, wherein the means for identifying the network node stores the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table along with the identifier of the network node.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for identifying the network node stores the disparate portion of the TEID along with an identifier of the network node.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for identifying the network node locates the disparate portion of the TEID, along with an association to the identifier of the network node, in another routing table.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the network node is a user equipment (UE), and the means for identifying the network node stores the disparate portion of the TEID with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for requesting the portion generated by the donor eNB from the donor eNB.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying a network node related to a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) received in a packet from a disparate network node, wherein the TEID includes a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB), wherein the network node is a user equipment (UE), and the means for identifying the network node stores the disparate portion of the TEID with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE;

means for transmitting the packet to the network node;

means for generating a disparate portion of the TEID, wherein the means for identifying the network node stores the disparate portion of the TEID along with an identifier of the network node, wherein the means for generating the disparate portion of the TEID generates the disparate portion of the TEID based at least in part on receiving an access request from the UE.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying a network node related to a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) received in a packet from a disparate network node, wherein the TEID includes a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

means for transmitting the packet to the network node; and

means for generating the portion of the TEID, wherein the means for identifying the network node stores the portion of the TEID with an identifier of the network node in a routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the identifier is a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the network node.

26. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) that includes at least a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB) and a disparate portion, with respect to the portion generated by the donor eNB, generated by a relay eNB;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a disparate network node to receive the packet based at least in part on the TEID;

code for causing the at least one computer to compare the portion generated by the donor eNB to a routing table associating one or more TEID portions with identifiers of network nodes, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the disparate network node determines the disparate network node based at least in part on locating the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the packet to the disparate network node.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to receive the portion generated by the donor eNB from an upstream network node; and

code for causing the at least one computer to store the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table along with an identifier of the disparate network node.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to store the disparate portion along with an identifier of the disparate network node in another routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the disparate network node determines the disparate network node at least in part by locating the disparate portion of the TEID in the other routing table associated with the identifier of the disparate network node.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the disparate network node is a user equipment (UE), and the code for causing the at least one computer to store the disparate portion of the TEID stores the disparate portion of the TEID in the other routing table along with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) that includes at least a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a disparate network node to receive the packet based at least in part on the TEID;

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the packet to the disparate network node;

code for causing the at least one computer to generate a disparate portion of the TEID;

code for causing the at least one computer to store the disparate portion along with an identifier of the disparate network node in a routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes, wherein the disparate network node is a user equipment (UE), and the code for causing the at least one computer to store the disparate portion of the TEID stores the disparate portion of the TEID in the routing table along with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE; and

code for causing the at least one computer to receive an access request from the UE, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to generate the disparate portion of the TEID generates the disparate portion of the TEID based at least in part on the access request.

32. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a packet from a network node comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) that includes at least a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a disparate network node to receive the packet based at least in part on the TEID;

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the packet to the disparate network node;

code for causing the at least one computer to generate the portion of the TEID; and

code for causing the at least one computer to store the portion of the TEID along with an identifier of the disparate network node in a routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the identifier is a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the disparate network node.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

a routing table component that identifies a network node related to a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) received in a packet from a disparate network node, wherein the TEID includes a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB) and a disparate portion, with respect to the portion generated by the donor eNB, generated by a relay eNB, wherein the routing table component further maintains a routing table comprising TEID portions associated with identifiers of related network nodes, locates the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table, and identifies the network node based on an identifier associated with the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table; and

a packet routing component that transmits the packet to the network node.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a TEID prefix receiving component that obtains the portion generated by the donor eNB from an upstream node, wherein the routing table component stores the portion generated by the donor eNB in the routing table along with the identifier of the network node.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the routing table component stores the disparate portion of the TEID along with an identifier of the network node.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the routing table component locates the disparate portion of the TEID, along with an association to the identifier of the network node, in another routing table.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the network node is a user equipment (UE), and the routing table component stores the disparate portion of the TEID with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

a routing table component that identifies a network node related to a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) received in a packet from a disparate network node, wherein the TEID includes a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

a packet routing component that transmits the packet to the network node; and

a TEID prefix generating component that creates a disparate portion of the TEID, wherein the routing table component stores the disparate portion of the TEID along with an identifier of the network node, wherein the network node is a user equipment (UE), and the routing table component stores the disparate portion of the TEID with a radio bearer identifier related to the UE, wherein the TEID prefix generating component creates the disparate portion of the TEID based at least in part on receiving an access request from the UE.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a TEID requesting component that requests the portion generated by the donor eNB from the donor eNB.

41. An apparatus, comprising:

a routing table component that identifies a network node related to a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) received in a packet from a disparate network node, wherein the TEID includes a portion generated by a donor evolved Node B (eNB);

a packet routing component that transmits the packet to the network node; and

a TEID prefix generating component that creates the portion of the TEID, wherein the routing table component stores the portion of the TEID with an identifier of the network node in a routing table comprising one or more portions of TEIDs and related identifiers of next hop network nodes.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the identifier is a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the network node.