Mechanisms to extend UMA or GAN to inter-work with UMTS core network

• US 7,843,900 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Michael D., Markovic, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US11/200,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,938 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/456.2, 455/436, 455/435.2, 370/338, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Mechanisms to extend UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) or GAN (General Access Network) to inter-work with a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) core network. A UMA network controller (UNC) is provided to interface between a UMA network and a UMTS core network using the standard Iu-CS and Iu-PS interfaces. From the viewpoint of the UMTS core network, the UNC appears as another Radio Network Controller (RNC). Protocol layer schemes are disclosed for mobile stations, UNCs, SGSNs and MSCs to support signaling and data messaging in both the packet-switched and connection-switched domains. The mobile stations provide dual-mode operation, such that they are able to access the UMTS core network via unlicensed service when in a UMA access area, and to access the UMTS core network via licensed service when outside of a UMA access area and in a UTRAN service area.

Claims

1. An unlicensed network controller (UNC) to operate in an unlicensed wireless communication system comprising a first radio access network, the UNC comprising:

a first network interface comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) network interface;

a second network interface comprising a Up interface for communicating messages with a mobile station (MS) via an access point communicatively coupled between the UNC and the MS, the Up interface including a plurality of protocol layers implemented over the IP network interface;

a third network interface for connecting the UNC to a (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) core network that is accessible to a second radio access network comprising a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), the third network interface comprising an Iu-PS (packet-switched) interface to communicate with a Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN) in the UMTS core network, the third network interface supporting signaling protocols for packet-switched service while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-PS interface using a layered protocol that includes a Radio Access Node Application Part (RANAP) layer over a Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) layer and a plurality of Iu-PS control plane lower layers; and

one or more processing units for generating and/or processing a plurality of messages transmitted over the third network interface between the UNC and the UMTS core network, wherein the UNC appears to the UMTS core network as a UTRAN Radio Network Controller (RNC).

2. The UNC of claim 1, wherein the third network interface includes an Iu-CS (circuit-switched) interface to communicate with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the UMTS core network.

3. The UNC of claim 2, wherein the third network interface supports signaling protocols for circuit-switched service while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-CS interface using a layered protocol that includes a RANAP layer over an SCCP layer and a plurality of Iu-CS control plane lower layers.

4. The UNC of claim 2, wherein the third network interface supports a CS user plane transport while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-CS interface using a layered protocol that includes a remote IP (Internet Protocol) layer over a plurality of Iu-CS user plane lower layers.

5. The UNC of claim 1, wherein the third network interface further supports data messages for packet-switched service while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-PS interface using a layered protocol that includes a remote IP (Internet Protocol) layer over a plurality of Iu-PS user plane lower layers.

6. The UNC of claim 1 further comprising a security gateway (SGW) server, wherein the SGW server comprises (i) a first network interface for connecting to the first radio access network and (II) a second network interface for connecting the SGW server to the UMTS core network.

7. The UNC of claim 6, wherein the SGW server further comprises a third network interface for connecting the SGW to an AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) server in the UMTS core network.

8. The UNC of claim 6, wherein the second network interface of the SGW server includes an Iu-CS interface.

9. The UNC of claim 6, wherein the second network interface of the SGW server includes the Iu-PS interface.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile station operable to communicate with a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) telecommunications network using a licensed wireless communication channel serviced by a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and an unlicensed wireless communication channel in an unlicensed wireless access area,

wherein the mobile station is (i) associated with a licensed wireless network identifier and a licensed wireless location identifier when the mobile station is in a licensed wireless access area and (ii) associated with an unlicensed wireless network identifier and an unlicensed wireless location identifier when the mobile station is in the unlicensed wireless access area,

wherein the mobile station employs a plurality of protocol layers to access an unlicensed wireless service and a UMTS core network, the protocol layers being used to support communication with an unlicensed wireless network controller over a Up interface and the UMTS core network via an Iu-CS interface,

wherein the mobile station supports signaling protocols for circuit-switched service while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-CS interface using a layered protocol, the layered protocol including a Connection Management (CM) layer, a Mobility Management (MM) layer, a UMA Radio Resource (UMA-RR) layer, and a transmission control protocol (TCP) layer, and

wherein the layered protocol further includes a Remote Internet Protocol (Remote IP) layer, a security protocol layer, a transport IP layer, and a plurality of lower layers.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the unlicensed wireless access area comprises an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN).

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the unlicensed wireless access area comprises a Bluetooth personal local area network (PLAN).

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the mobile station supports a CS user plane transport while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-CS interface using a layered protocol, the layered protocol including an Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) codecs layer, and an RTP/UDP layer.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the layered protocol further includes a remote IP layer, a security layer, a transport IP layer, and a plurality of unlicensed lower layers.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the protocol layers further include layers to support communication with the UMTS core network via an Iu-PS interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mobile station supports signaling protocols for packet-switched service while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-PS interface using a layered protocol, the layered protocol including a GPRS mobility management)/(Session Management)/Short Message Service (GMM/SM/SMS) layer, a UMA Radio Resource (UMA-RR) layer, and a TCP layer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the layered protocol further includes a remote IP layer, a security layer, a transport IP layer, and a plurality of unlicensed lower layers.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mobile station supports data messages for packet-switched service while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-PS interface using a layered protocol, the layered protocol including an IP layer, a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) tunneling protocol-User (GTP-U) layer, and a UDP layer.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the layered protocol further includes a remote IP layer, a security layer, a transport IP layer, and a plurality of unlicensed lower layers.