SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING DISCOVERY OF LOCAL SERVICE AVAILABILITY IN LOCAL CELLULAR COVERAGE

• US 20110171953A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Faccin, Stefano, Bakker, Jan Hendrik Lucas
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Local IP Access (LIPA) allows an IP-capable user equipment (UE) connected via a femto cell direct access to other IP-capable devices in the local IP network. Selected IP Traffic Offload (SIPTO) is used to offload selected types of IP traffic towards a defined IP network close to the UE'"'"'s point of attachment to the access network. LIPA PDN Connectivity indicates a PDP Context or a PDN Connection that gives access to services located in the local IP network of the femto cell subsystem. SIPTO PDN Connectivity indicates a PDP Context or PDN Connection that allows offload of selected types of IP traffic towards a defined IP network close to the UE'"'"'s point of attachment to the access network. Systems, devices and methods are described herein that enable the identification of the type of connectivity available to a UE and enable session continuity for local cellular coverage.

Claims

1. A method for use in an user equipment (UE) comprising:

receiving an indication of a type of connectivity available in a telecommunication cell;

wherein an indication of the type of connectivity available is one or more of;

local internet protocol access (LIPA) connectivity;

selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) connectivity; and

remote connectivity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an indication of a type of connectivity available in a telecommunication cell comprises receiving an indication of a type of connectivity available in any one of:

a GERAN/UTRAN femto cell;

a GERAN/UTRAN macro cell;

an E-UTRAN femto cell;

an E-UTRAN macro cell;

WLAN cells; and

non-3GPP cells.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving at least one of:

an indication of whether specific types of connectivity are available; and

an indication of whether specific types of connectivity are not available.

4. The method claim 1 wherein receiving an indication of the availability comprises receiving at least one of:

LIPA connectivity supported;

LIPA connectivity not supported;

SIPTO connectivity supported;

SIPTO connectivity not supported;

remote connectivity supported; and

remote connectivity not supported.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the indication of a type of connectivity available occurs in the non-access stratum (NAS) functional layer.

7. A method for use in an user equipment (UE) comprising:

requesting a type of connectivity in a telecommunication cell;

wherein the type of connectivity comprises;

one or more of;

local internet protocol access (LIPA) connectivity;

and remote connectivity.

6. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the indication of a type of connectivity occurs during one of:

attachment;

when requesting an additional packet data protocol (PDP) context;

at packet data network (PDN) connection.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein requesting a type of connectivity in a telecommunication cell is made on an access point name (APN) basis.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein requesting a type of connectivity in a telecommunication cell is performed during one of:

attachment;

when requesting an additional packet data protocol (PDP) context;

at packet data network (PDN) connection.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising in response to a request for a type of connectivity receiving one of:

an indication of a supported type of connectivity available in a telecommunication cell;

an indication of a requested type of connectivity available in a telecommunication cell;

an indication of a type of connectivity other than that which was requested that is available in a telecommunication cell; and

an indication that a requested type of connectivity is not available in a telecommunication cell.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

when the indication of a type of connectivity that is available in a telecommunication cell is other than that which was requested is received;

or

when the indication that a requested type of connectivity is not available;

disconnecting a particular connection for which the type of connectivity was requested.

12. A method for use in a first node of a network comprising:

receiving a request from a second node in the network for a type of connectivity;

validating the request based on the request and information stored in the first node regarding the second node.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein GPRS includes one or

more of:

Generic Packet Radio Service (GPRS) GERAN, GPRS UTRAN, Evolved Packet System (EPS) GERAN, EPS UTRAN, EPS E-UTRAN, EPS WLAN and other non-3GPP systems.

14. A method for use in an user equipment (UE) comprising:

receiving application connectivity policies in a functional layer above a non-access stratum (NAS) layer;

receiving an indication of at least one mobility event in the functional layer above the NAS layer from a functional layer below the NAS layer;

determining whether a specific type of connectivity is available based upon the application connectivity policies and the indication of the at least one mobility event.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving application connectivity policies comprises receiving policies that define one or more of:

whether a particular access is preferable for an application with respect to other accesses;

whether a particular access is forbidden for an application;

whether one or more of;

local internet protocol access (LIPA) connectivity;

selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) connectivity; and

remote connectivity are preferable for an application when the UE is connected to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell;

whether one or more of;

LIPA connectivity;

SIPTO connectivity; and

remote connectivity are forbidden for an application when the UE is connected to a CSG cell;

whether one or more of;

LIPA connectivity;

SIPTO connectivity; and

remote connectivity are the only type of connectivity that an application can use when the UE is connected to a CSG cell;

whether an application can use a certain type of connectivity in a specific CSG cell or set of CSG cells; and

whether, if LIPA connectivity is available, an application should request LIPA connectivity and remote connectivity simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing an indication of at least one mobility event comprises providing an indication of one or more of:

an active handover to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell;

an active handover from a CSG cell;

a Tracking Area Update (TAU)/Routing Area Update (RAU) in a CSG cell;

an active handover to a different radio access technology (RAT).

17. The method of claim 16 comprising:

providing an indication of an active handover to, or from, a CSG cell further comprises at least one of;

providing a closed subscriber group identifier (CSG ID) of the CSG cell; and

providing an indication of the type of connectivity available in the CSG cell.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein determining whether a specific type of connectivity is available comprises determining if the type of connectivity is one or more of:

local internet protocol access (LIPA) connectivity;

selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) connectivity; and

remote connectivity.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein determining whether a specific type of connectivity is available further comprises at least one of:

suspending operation of at least one application that requires a type of connectivity that is determined not to be available;

activating operation of at least one application that requires a type of connectivity that is determined to be available.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising at least one of:

suspending operation of at least one application comprises placing one or more of the at least one application in a dormant state in which the one or more application remains active, but does not exchange data; and

activating operation of at least one application comprises waking one or more of the at least one application that is in a dormant state.

21. A method comprising:

providing an indication of a type of connectivity in telecommunication cell;

wherein the indication of the type of connectivity is one or more of;

local internet protocol access (LIPA) connectivity;

selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) connectivity; and

remote connectivity.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein providing an indication of a type of connectivity is performed in response to receiving a request for a type of connectivity.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein providing an indication of a type of connectivity is performed in response to receiving a request for connectivity.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving a request for a type of connectivity comprises:

receiving a request for one or more of;

local internet protocol access (LIPA) connectivity;

selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) connectivity; and

remote connectivity.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein providing an indication of a type of connectivity comprises providing:

an indication of a supported type of connectivity available in a telecommunication cell;

an indication of a type of connectivity other than that which was requested that is available in a telecommunication cell; and

an indication that a requested type of connectivity is not available in a telecommunication cell.

26. A method comprising:

providing an indication of a type of connectivity in a macro cell

wherein the indication of the type of connectivity is one or more of;

local internet protocol access (LIPA) connectivity; and

remote connectivity.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein providing an indication of a type of connectivity comprises providing:

an indication of a requested type of connectivity available in a macro cell;

an indication of a type of connectivity other than that which was requested that is available in a macro cell; and

an indication that a requested type of connectivity is not available in a macro cell.