Control and data plane solutions for carrier-aggregation based WLAN offload

• US 9,426,689 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Himayat, Nageen, Talwar, Shilpa, Etemad, Kamran, Gupta, Vivek G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abelson, Ronald B
• Application Number:
  US14/675,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20150208274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/231, 370/235, 370/237, 370/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0465 taking power constraints at power amplifier or emission constraints, e.g. constant modulus, into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0478 Special codebook structures directed to feedback optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0482 Adaptive codebooks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0486 taking channel rank into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0046 using joint detection algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0032 Without explicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0025 Spatial division following the spatial signature of the channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0026 Division using four or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 : of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 : Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 : Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0057 : Physical resource allocation for CQI
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 : Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 : Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 : for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 : Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 : based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 : Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 : based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0203 : in the radio access network or backbone network of wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 : where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 : Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 : of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 : adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling data traffic offload to a WLAN (e.g., a Wi-Fi network) from a WWAN (e.g., a 4G LTE network) are generally disclosed herein. One embodiment includes data traffic offload techniques managed by a Radio Resource Control (RRC) in a networked device including offloading data at the IP, PDCP, RLC, or MAC layers; another embodiment includes data traffic offload techniques managed by a MAC Scheduler with RRC control. Configurations for multimode user equipment (UE) and multimode base stations are also described herein, including configurations for implementing a Multiple Radio Access Technology (Multi-RAT) aggregation function to offload data from a WWAN to a WLAN and transmit the data via the WLAN using a Layer 2 transport.

Claims

1. A method performed by an evolved Node B (eNB) for offloading data flows from a primary network to a secondary network, the method comprising:

providing an aggregation function configured to transfer data between a primary network interface and a secondary network interface, wherein the secondary network interface is operably coupled to a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) transceiver, and wherein the secondary network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operating according to a standard from the IEEE 802.11 standards family;

offloading data from a primary data flow within the primary network interface based on network condition measurements in the primary network, by transferring the data to a secondary data flow within the secondary network interface using the aggregation function, wherein offloading data is controlled by signaling received from a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer in the primary network interface, and wherein offloading data occurs at a user plane layer of the primary network interface; and

tunneling the data from a Layer 2 level of the primary network interface, via the secondary data flow over the secondary network, using the secondary network interface;

wherein the tunneled data is identifiable as offloaded from the primary network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user plane layer of the primary network interface is an IP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, or MAC layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the RRC protocol layer controls offloading data based on network condition measurements occurring over a predetermined period of time obtained from the primary network and the secondary network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the RRC protocol layer analyzes Quality of Service (QoS) requirements of the primary data flow in connection with controlling offloading data.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving one or more signaling messages indicating mapping of the primary data flow, wherein the RRC protocol layer processes the one or more signaling messages.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregation function includes a scheduler/router to coordinate signaling from a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer for offloading data flows occurring at one of a plurality of layers in a user plane of the primary data flow.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically mapping the primary data flow within the primary network interface to the secondary network for offloading, wherein dynamically mapping the primary data flow occurs at session establishment or during a session.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically mapping the primary data flow within the primary network interface to split the primary data flow among the primary network and the secondary network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing flow aggregation including mapping at least part of the primary data flow within the primary network interface to the secondary network for offloading; and

mapping at least part of the primary data flow within the primary network interface to the primary network.

10. An evolved Node B eNodeB, comprising:

physical-layer circuitry that provides a primary network interface to communicate with a primary network in accordance with a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) standard, the primary network interface providing a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer;

physical-layer circuitry that provides a secondary network interface to communicate with a secondary network, wherein the secondary network interface is operably coupled to a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) transceiver, and wherein the secondary network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operating according to a standard from the IEEE 802.11 standards family; and

physical-layer circuitry to offload data flows from the primary network to the secondary network using an aggregation function, the aggregation function to transfer data in the data flows with operations that;

offload data from the primary network interface to a data flow within the secondary network interface based on network condition measurements in the primary network, wherein the offload of data is controlled by

signaling received from the RRC protocol layer, and wherein the offload of data occurs at a user plane layer of the primary network interface; and

tunnel the data from a Layer 2 level of the primary network interface, via the secondary network using the secondary network interface;

wherein the tunneled data on the secondary network is identifiable as offloaded from the primary network.

11. The eNodeB of claim 10, wherein the aggregation function includes a scheduler/router and to control the offload of data from the primary network interface to the data flow within the secondary network interface.

12. The eNodeB of claim 10, wherein the RRC protocol layer is provides signaling of the offload of data to the aggregation function.

13. The eNodeB of claim 10, wherein the primary network interface is operably coupled to a transceiver configured to perform multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) beamforming, and wherein the primary network is an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) broadband wireless access network.

14. The eNodeB of claim 10, wherein the aggregation function transmits one or more signals to provide a notification of the offload of data to the secondary network.

15. At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising a plurality of instructions that, responsive to being executed with circuitry of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations that:

provide an aggregation function configured to transfer data between a primary network interface of a primary network and a secondary network interface of a secondary network, wherein the secondary network interface is operably coupled to a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) transceiver, and wherein the secondary network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operating according to a standard from the IEEE 802.11 standards family;

offload data from a primary data flow within the primary network interface based on network condition measurements in the primary network, by transferring the data to a secondary data flow within the secondary network interface using the aggregation function, wherein the offload of data is controlled by signaling received from a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer in the primary network interface, and wherein the offload of data occurs at a user plane layer of the primary network interface; and

tunnel the data from a Layer 2 level of the primary network interface, via the secondary data flow over the secondary network, using the secondary network interface;

wherein the tunneled data is identifiable as offloaded from the primary network.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the user plane layer of the primary network interface is an IP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, or MAC layer.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the RRC protocol layer controls the offload of data based on network condition measurements occurring over a predetermined period of time obtained from the primary network and the secondary network.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the RRC protocol layer analyzes Quality of Service (QoS) requirements of the primary data flow in connection with control of the offload of data.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, the instructions further comprising instructions that cause the machine to perform operations that:

receive one or more signaling messages indicating mapping of the primary data flow, wherein the RRC protocol layer processes the one or more signaling messages.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the aggregation function includes a scheduler/router to coordinate signaling from a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer for offloading data flows occurring at one of a plurality of layers in a user plane of the primary data flow.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising instructions that cause the machine to perform operations that:

dynamically map, at session establishment or during a session, the primary data flow within the primary network interface to the secondary network for the offload of data.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

dynamically map the primary data flow within the primary network interface to split the primary data flow among the primary network and the secondary network.