Method for network sharing of multiple network operators and network sharing management proxy device using the same

• US 9,973,350 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Lin, Ying-Dar, Chang, Hsien-Wen, Lin, Kun-Yi, Lai, Chia-Lin, Chien, Hsu-Tung
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Fahmida
• Application Number:
  US14/982,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A method for network sharing of multiple network operators includes steps of: providing a network sharing management proxy device adapted to be disposed between a sharing access point (AP) and a plurality of core networks of the network operators, wherein the sharing AP allows one or more end user equipment (UE) of the network operators to access; receiving a control message by the network sharing management proxy device, wherein the control message is corresponding to an UE, and the UE is an end UE of a first network operator of the network operators; checking the control message to determine that the UE is corresponding to which one of the network operators, and generating tunneling information accordingly; and transmitting the control message to a first core network of the first network operator according to the tunneling information.

Claims

1. A method for network sharing of multiple network operators, comprising:

providing a network sharing management proxy device adapted to be disposed between a sharing access point (AP) and a plurality of core networks of the network operators, wherein the sharing AP allows one or more end user equipment (UE) of the network operators to access;

receiving a control message by the network sharing management proxy device, wherein the control message is corresponding to a UE, and the UE is an end UE of a first network operator of the network operators;

checking the control message to determine that the UE is corresponding to which one of the network operators, and generating tunneling information accordingly;

encapsulating the control message into a data packet; and

transmitting the data packet to a first core network of the first network operator according to the tunneling information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the control message from the sharing AP by the network sharing management proxy device; and

transmitting the control message to a transmission media, to deliver the control message to the core networks through the transmission media.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the control message is sent to the first core network through at least one of the core networks in a form of data packets.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

selecting a second core network of the core networks to transmit the control message to the first core network according to network conditions and/or routing rules.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

establishing a first tunneling connection to another network sharing management proxy device according to the tunneling information; and

establishing a second tunneling connection to the first core network by the other network sharing management proxy device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the control message from a transmission media by the network sharing management proxy device; and

sending the control message to the first core network through at least one of the core networks.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

selecting a second core network of the core networks to transmit the control message to the first core network according to network conditions and/or routing rules.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tunneling information is corresponding to a tunnel end in the first core network, and the tunnel end is to forward the control message, in response to the tunneling information, to one or more network components for network registration and/or authentication.

9. A network sharing management proxy device for network sharing of multiple network operators, comprising:

a receiving circuit, receiving a control message corresponding to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE is an end UE of a first network operator of the network operators;

a processing circuit, checking the control message to determine that the UE is corresponding to which one of the network operators, generating tunneling information accordingly, and encapsulating the control message into a data packet; and

a transmitting circuit, transmitting the data packet to a first core network of the first network operator according to the tunneling information;

wherein the network sharing management proxy device is adapted to be disposed between a sharing access point (AP) and a plurality of core networks of the network operators, and the sharing AP allows one or more end UE of the network operators to access.

10. The network sharing management proxy device according to claim 9, wherein the receiving circuit receives the control message from the sharing AP, and the transmitting circuit sends the control message to a transmission media to pass the control message to the core networks.

11. The network sharing management proxy device according to claim 10, wherein the control message is sent to the first core network through at least one of the core networks in a form of data packets.

12. The network sharing management proxy device according to claim 10, wherein the processing circuit selects a second core network of the core networks to transmit the control message to the first core network according to network conditions and/or routing rules.

13. The network sharing management proxy device according to claim 10, wherein the processing circuit establishes a first tunneling connection to another network sharing management proxy device according to the tunneling information, and utilizes the other network sharing management proxy device to establish a second tunneling connection to the first core network.

14. The network sharing management proxy device according to claim 9, wherein the network sharing management proxy device receives the control message from a transmission media, and sends the control message to the first core network through at least one of the core networks.

15. The network sharing management proxy device according to claim 14, wherein the processing circuit selects a second core network of the core networks to transmit the control message to the first core network according to network conditions and/or routing rules.

16. The network sharing management proxy device according to claim 9, wherein the tunneling information is corresponding to a tunnel end in the first core network, and the tunnel end is to forward the control message, in response to the tunneling information, to one or more network components for network registration and/or authentication.