Wireless local area network (WLAN) traffic offloading

• US 9,706,522 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Etemad, Kamran, Chou, Joey, Sirotkin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pancholi, Rina
• Application Number:
  US14/125,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20140286159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0486 taking channel rank into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/12 Arrangements providing for calling or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/184 with heterogeneous receivers, e.g. layered multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03 Shaping networks in transmitter or receiver, e.g. adaptive shaping networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/165 : for reducing network power consumption H04W36/18 - H04W36/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 : for handling the traffic
• 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 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 : using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 : Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 : based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 : Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 : based on requested quality, e.g. QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 : based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 : Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 : Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor 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 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Technology for communicating access point (AP) information for traffic offloading is disclosed. A request may be received, at a wireless local area network (WLAN) domain manager (DM) from an evolved node B (eNB), for access point (AP) information about one or more WLAN access points (APs) for traffic offloading. The access point (AP) information may be obtained for the one or more WLAN APs, at the WLAN DM, based on at least in part operations and management (OAM) reports from the one or more WLAN APs containing the AP information. The AP information may be communicated, from the WLAN DM to the eNB via a network manager (NM), about the one or more WLAN APs to enable traffic offloading from the eNB to at least one of the WLAN APs.

Claims

1. A Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) node operable to receive information about access points (APs) for traffic offloading, the 3GPP node comprising one or more processors and memory configured to:

send a request, to a network manager (NM) for access point (AP) information about one or more wireless local area network (WLAN) APs for traffic offloading, wherein the AP information includes network identifiers, radio parameters, preference levels that indicate radio and backhaul loading levels at the WLAN APs, and location information for WLAN APs considered for traffic offloading;

receive the AP information from the NM about the one or more WLAN APs, wherein the NM receives the AP information from a WLAN domain manager (WLAN DM), and the WLAN DM generates the AP information based on periodic or trigger based operations and management (OAM) reporting from the WLAN APs;

send an update request, to the NM via a 3GPP DM, for AP status update information about the one or more WLAN APs;

receive the AP status update information, from the NM via the 3GPP DM, about the one or more WLAN APs, wherein the AP status update information includes at least one of a new WLAN AP that is online or an existing WLAN AP that is now offline; and

communicate the AP information and the AP status update information to a user equipment (UE), wherein the AP information and the AP status update information enables the UE to select WLAN APs to receive data via traffic offloading between the 3GPP node and the one or more WLAN APs.

2. The 3GPP node of claim 1, wherein the AP information requested by the 3GPP node corresponds to a plurality of underlaid WLAN APs.

3. The 3GPP node of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to receive the AP information from a WLAN AP collocated with the 3GPP node, wherein the AP information is received at least one of:

periodically or in response to an event.

4. The 3GPP node of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to receive the AP information directly from the one or more WLAN APs for traffic offloading.

5. The 3GPP node of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to receive the AP information from UE assistance reports, the UE assistance reports including UE measurements of power levels associated with the WLAN APs selected for traffic offloading.

6. The 3GPP node of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to communicate with an access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) to receive the AP information.

7. The 3GPP node of claim 1, wherein the 3GPP node is selected from a group consisting of a base station (BS), a Node B (NB), an evolved Node B (eNB), a baseband unit (BBU), a remote radio head (RRH), a remote radio equipment (RRE), or a remote radio unit (RRU).

8. A method for communicating access point (AP) information for traffic offloading, the method comprising:

receiving a request, at a wireless local area network (WLAN) domain manager (DM) from an evolved node B (eNB), for access point (AP) information about one or more WLAN access points (APs) for traffic offloading, wherein the AP information includes network identifiers, radio parameters, preference levels that indicate radio and backhaul loading levels at the WLAN APs, and location information for WLAN APs considered for traffic offloading;

obtaining the access point (AP) information for the one or more WLAN APs, at the WLAN DM, based on periodic or trigger based operations and management (OAM) reporting from the one or more WLAN APs;

communicating the AP information, from the WLAN DM to the eNB via a network manager (NM), about the one or more WLAN APs; and

communicating AP status update information from the WLAN DM to the eNB via the NM, wherein the AP status update information includes at least one of a new WLAN AP that is online or an existing WLAN AP that is now offline,

wherein the AP information and the AP status update information are communicated from the WLAN DM to a user equipment (UE) via the NM and the eNB, enabling the UE to select WLAN APs to receive data via traffic offloading between the eNB and the one or more WLAN APs.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating the AP information, from the WLAN DM to the eNB, via the NM and a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) domain manager (DM).

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving the OAM reports containing the AP information, at the WLAN DM, based on a pulling mechanism to retrieve the AP information.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving the OAM reports containing the AP information at the WLAN DM based on a triggering mechanism implemented at the WLAN AP, wherein the triggering mechanism is at least one of:

periodic, event based, or event periodic.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating WLAN AP location information to the UE, wherein the UE identifies WLAN APs located in proximity to the UE based on the WLAN AP location information.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the AP status update information about the one or more WLAN APs based on OAM reports from the WLAN APs; and

communicating the AP status update information, from the WLAN DM to the NM, about the WLAN APs, wherein the eNB receives the AP status update information via the NM and a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Element Manager (EM).

14. A Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network manager (NM) operable to communicate information about one or more access points (APs) for traffic offloading, the 3GPP NM comprising one or more processors and memory configured to:

receive a request, from a 3GPP evolved node B (eNB) via a 3GPP domain manager (DM), for AP information about one or more APs for traffic offloading, wherein the AP information includes network identifiers, radio parameters, preference levels that indicate radio and backhaul loading levels at the APs, and location information for APs considered for traffic offloading;

communicate the request for the AP information to a wireless local area network (WLAN) domain manager (DM);

receive the AP information about the one or more APs from the WLAN DM, and the WLAN DM generates the AP information based on periodic or trigger based operations and management (OAM) reporting from the APs;

communicate the AP information to the 3GPP eNB via the 3GPP DM;

receive an update request, from the 3GPP eNB via a 3GPP DM, for AP status update information about the one or more APs;

communicate the AP status update information to the 3GPP eNB via the 3GPP DM, wherein the AP status update information includes at least one of a new AP that is online or an existing AP that is now offline,

wherein the AP information and the AP status update information are communicated from the NM to a user equipment (UE) via the 3GPP eNB, enabling the UE to select APs to receive data via traffic offloading between the 3GPP eNB and the one or more APs.

15. The 3GPP NM of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to receive a request for the AP information, from the 3GPP eNB, in response to the 3GPP eNB determining to offload traffic to the one or more APs.

16. The 3GPP NM of claim 14, wherein the AP status update information includes an existing AP that is overloaded or not overloaded.

17. The 3GPP NM of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to communicate the AP status update information to the UE, wherein the UE does not select the AP that is offline or overloaded for offloading.

18. The 3GPP NM of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to communicate the AP status update information to the UE, wherein the UE selects the AP that has become online or not overloaded for offloading.