Unlicensed mobile access optimization

• US 20060262778A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Haumont, Serge, Suumaki, Jan, Shrestha, Bimal, Wallenius, Matti, Pena Sierra, Luis
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• 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 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

In a method for mobile access of a mobile device for a system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprises a serving node, a packet gateway node and the mobile device. The method comprises the steps of negotiating a direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node by the serving node, wherein the direct tunneling connection is only dedicated to packet switched traffic of the mobile device using the non-cellular mobile access, and establishing the direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node by the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for mobile access of a mobile device in a system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising a serving node, a packet gateway node and the mobile device, the method comprising:

negotiating a direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node by the serving node, wherein the direct tunneling connection is only dedicated to packet switched traffic of the mobile device using the non-cellular mobile access; and

establishing the direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node by the mobile device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, using the same mobility management by the serving node for both the cellular and the non-cellular mobile access of the mobile device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a layered protocol structure of a user plane for packet switched traffic using the non-cellular access contains a protocol stack for the mobile device including a tunneling protocol layer.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the protocol stack for the mobile device does not include Global System for Mobile (GSM) specific protocols.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein Logic Link Control (LLC) and Subnetwork Dependent Convergence Protocol (SNDCP) protocols are not included.

23. A computer program product comprising processor implementable instruction portions for performing all the steps of a method according to claim 1.

24. The computer program product according to claim 23, wherein said computer program product comprises a software medium storing said processor implementable instruction portions.

25. The computer program product according to claim 23, wherein said computer program product is directly loadable into an internal memory of a computer.

26. A signal carrying processor implementable instructions for controlling a computer to carry out all the steps of a method according to claim 1.

2. A method for mobile access of a mobile device in a system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising a serving node, a packet gateway node, a secure gateway node and the mobile device, the method comprising:

establishing a secure connection between the mobile device and the secure gateway node;

negotiating a direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node through the secure gateway node by the serving node, wherein the direct tunneling connection is only dedicated to packet switched traffic of the mobile device using the non-cellular mobile access; and

establishing the direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node through the secure gateway node by the mobile device.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising, using the same mobility management by the serving node for both the cellular and the non-cellular mobile access of the mobile device.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein a layered protocol structure of a user plane for packet switched traffic using the non-cellular access contains a protocol stack for the mobile device including a tunneling protocol layer.

9. A mobile device configured to use cellular and non-cellular mobile access in a system comprising the mobile device, a serving node and a packet gateway node, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

establish a direct tunneling connection to the packet gateway node according to information received from the serving node; and

perform at least one of sending and receiving packet switched traffic over the direct tunneling connection only when using the non-cellular mobile access.

11. The mobile device according to claim 9, further configured to use a same mobility management with the serving node for both the cellular and the non-cellular mobile access.

12. The mobile device according to claim 9, wherein a protocol stack of the mobile device includes a tunneling protocol layer.

13. The mobile device according to claim 12, wherein the protocol stack of the mobile device does not include Global System for Mobile (GSM) specific protocols.

14. The mobile device according to claim 13, wherein Logic Link Control (LLC) and Subnetwork Dependent Convergence Protocol (SNDCP) protocols are not included.

10. A mobile device configured to use cellular and non-cellular mobile access in a system comprising the mobile device, a serving node, a secure gateway node and a packet gateway node, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

establish a secure connection between the mobile device and the secure gateway node;

establish a direct tunneling connection to a packet gateway node through the secure gateway node according to information received from the serving node; and

perform at least one of sending and/or receiving packet switched traffic over the direct tunneling connection only when using the non-cellular mobile access.

15. The mobile device according to claim 10, further configured to use a same mobility management with the serving node for both the cellular and the non-cellular mobile access.

16. The mobile device according to claim 10, wherein a protocol stack of the mobile device includes a tunneling protocol layer.

17. A serving node configured to support mobile access for a mobile device in a system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising the serving node, a packet gateway node and the mobile device, wherein the serving node is further configured to:

negotiate a direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node, wherein the direct tunneling connection is only dedicated to packet switched traffic of the mobile device using the non-cellular mobile access.

19. The serving node according to claim 17, further configured to use the same mobility management for both the cellular and the non-cellular mobile access of the mobile device.

18. A serving node configured to support mobile access for a mobile device in a system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising the serving node, a packet gateway node, a secure gateway node and the mobile device, wherein the serving node is further configured to:

negotiate a direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node through the secure gateway node, wherein the direct tunneling connection is only dedicated to packet switched traffic of the mobile device using the non-cellular mobile access.

20. The serving node according to claim 18, further configured to use the same mobility management for both the cellular and the non-cellular mobile access of the mobile device.

21. A system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising:

a serving node configured to support mobile access for a mobile device in a system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising the serving node, a packet gateway node and the mobile device, wherein the serving node is further configured to negotiate a direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node, wherein the direct tunneling connection is only dedicated to packet switched traffic of the mobile device using the non-cellular mobile access;

a packet gateway node;

a secure gateway node; and

a mobile device according configured to use cellular and non-cellular mobile access in a system comprising the mobile device, a serving node and a packet gateway node, wherein the mobile device is further configured to establish a direct tunneling connection to a packet gateway node according to information received from a serving node and to perform at least one of sending and receive packet switched traffic over the direct tunneling connection only when using the non-cellular mobile access.

22. A system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising

a serving node configured to support mobile access for a mobile device in a system providing cellular and non-cellular mobile access, the system comprising the serving node, a packet gateway node, a secure gateway node and the mobile device, wherein the serving node is further configured to negotiate a direct tunneling connection between the mobile device and the packet gateway node through the secure gateway node, wherein the direct tunneling connection is only dedicated to packet switched traffic of the mobile device using the non-cellular mobile access;

a packet gateway node;

a secure gateway node; and

a mobile device configured to use cellular and non-cellular mobile access in a system comprising the mobile device, a serving node, a secure gateway node and a packet gateway node, wherein the mobile device is further configured to establish a secure connection between the mobile device and the secure gateway node establish a direct tunneling connection to a packet gateway node through the secure gateway node according to information received from a serving node, and

send and/or receive packet switched traffic over the direct tunneling connection only when using the non-cellular mobile access.