Multicast optimization and aggregation in an enterprise controller

• US 8,909,223 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abhishek, Allaukik, Pazhyannur, Rajesh, Grayson, Mark, Wee, Daniel, Balasekar, Santhalingam, Jin, Hang, Smith, Malcolm
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US13/016,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20120196594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 455/446, 455/449, 4554351-4353, 455/406, 455410-411
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for managing radio access point (RAP) devices and enterprise controller devices in a wireless communication network. An enterprise controller device registers with a gateway device, and the enterprise controller device receives a registration request from multiple RAP devices that are serviced by the enterprise controller device. As the RAP devices register with the enterprise controller device, the enterprise controller device generates a list of the RAP devices registered with the enterprise controller. As the enterprise controller receives additional registration requests from additional RAP devices, the enterprise controller updates the list. The enterprise controller sends the list to the gateway device with which it registers so that the gateway device is aware of RAP devices serviced by the enterprise controller device. In this way, aggregated messages may be sent from the gateway device to the enterprise controller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

registering an enterprise controller device with a gateway device;

at the enterprise controller device, receiving a registration request from each of a first radio access point (RAP) device and a second RAP device, wherein the first RAP device and the second RAP device are serviced by the enterprise controller device;

at the enterprise controller device, generating a first data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices registered with and serviced by the enterprise controller;

sending the first data map from the enterprise controller device to the gateway device such that the gateway device is provided with a list of RAP devices that are registered with and serviced by the enterprise controller device to enable the enterprise controller to receive from the gateway device a single message that is destined for the first and second RAP devices;

at the enterprise controller device, registering a first user equipment (UE) device with the first RAP device serviced by the enterprise controller device and registering a second UE device with the second RAP device serviced by the enterprise controller device; and

at the enterprise controller device, generating a second data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices and corresponding first and second UE devices serviced by the plurality of RAP devices;

at the enterprise controller device, receiving a message destined for the first or second UE devices from the gateway device;

at the enterprise controller device, mapping the received message to appropriate RAP devices associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map stored in a memory of the enterprise controller; and

sending the message from the enterprise controller to the appropriate RAP devices based on the second data map.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein registering comprises registering the enterprise controller with the gateway such that the gateway uniquely identifies the enterprise controller by using enterprise controller ID information associated with the enterprise controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first data map comprises sending the first data map when the enterprise controller device registers with the gateway device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the second data map when the first UE device is handed over from the first RAP device to a third RAP device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the message comprises receiving a single message that is destined for both the first and the second UE devices; and

mapping comprises mapping the received single message to both the first and second RAP device associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving multicast messages destined for both the first and the second UE devices based on multicast classifications previously requested by the first and the second UE devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping comprises mapping the received message to the appropriate RAP devices by mapping the received message to context identifiers that are associated with the first and second RAP devices that manage the first and second UE devices, respectively.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface device;

a memory; and

a processor unit coupled to the network interface device and the memory, and configured to;

register the apparatus with a gateway device;

receive a registration request from a first radio access point (RAP) device and a second RAP device to be serviced by the apparatus;

generate a first data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices registered with and serviced by the apparatus;

store the first data map in the memory;

send the first data map from the apparatus to the gateway device such that the gateway device is provided with a list of RAP devices that are registered with and serviced by the enterprise controller device to enable the enterprise controller to receive from the gateway device a single message that is destined for the first and second RAP devices,

register a first UE device with the first RAP device serviced by the apparatus and a second UE device with the second RAP device serviced by the apparatus;

generate a second data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices and corresponding first and second UE devices serviced by the plurality of RAP devices; and

store the second data map in the memory, and

map a message received at the network interface device from the gateway device that is destined for the first or second UE devices to appropriate RAP devices associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map stored in the memory; and

send the message to the appropriate RAP devices based on the second data map.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to map a single message received at the network interface device that is destined for both the first and second UE device to the appropriate RAP device associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to map the received message to the appropriate RAP devices by mapping the received message to context identifiers that are associated with the first and second RAP devices that manage the first and second UE devices, respectively.

11. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

register an enterprise controller device with a gateway device;

receive a registration request from each of a first radio access point (RAP) device and a second RAP device, wherein the first RAP device and the second RAP device are serviced by the enterprise controller device;

generate a first data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices registered with and serviced by the enterprise controller;

send the first data map from the enterprise controller device to the gateway device such that the gateway device is provided with a list of RAP devices that are registered with and serviced by the enterprise controller device to enable the enterprise controller to receive from the gateway device a single message that is destined for the first and second RAP devices,

register a first user equipment (UE) device with the first RAP device serviced by the enterprise controller device and registering a second UE device with the second RAP device serviced by the enterprise controller device;

generate a second data map that comprises a list of the first and second RAP devices and corresponding first and second UE devices serviced by the plurality of RAP devices;

receive a message destined for the first or second UE devices from the gateway device;

map the received message to appropriate RAP devices associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map stored in a memory of the enterprise controller; and

send the message from the enterprise controller to the appropriate RAP devices based on the second data map.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to register comprise instructions operable to register the enterprise controller with the gateway such that the gateway uniquely identifies the enterprise controller by using enterprise controller ID information associated with the enterprise controller.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to send comprise instructions operable to send the first data map when the enterprise controller device registers with the gateway device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11, further comprising instructions operable to update the second data map when the first UE device is handed over from the first RAP device to a third RAP device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to receive comprise instructions operable to receive a single message that is destined for both the first and the second UE devices and wherein the instructions operable to map comprise instructions operable to map the received single message to both the first and second RAP device associated with the first and second UE devices by using the second data map.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to receive comprise instructions operable to receive multicast messages destined for both the first and the second UE devices based on multicast classifications previously requested by the first and the second UE devices.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to map comprise instructions operable to map the received message to the appropriate RAP devices by mapping the received message to context identifiers that are associated with the first and second RAP devices that manage the first and second UE devices, respectively.