CN2919711Y - System for collocating inner user device of actuating wireless LAN to couple in 3GPP system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for configuring an interworking wireless local area network (I-WLAN) user equipment (UE) to access a third generation partnership project (3GPP) system begins by initiating a connection from a UE to the 3GPP system, the initiating step including indicating the UE's interworking protocol capabilities. Authentication and authorization of the UE connection by the WLAN to the 3GPP system is requested, including indicating the UE's interworking protocol capabilities. The 3GPP system determines whether to accept the UE's request, including examining the UE's interworking protocol capabilities. An interworking protocol is instantiated at the UE, whereby the UE is configured to interwork with the 3GPP system.

Description

System for configuring internal action wireless local area network user equipment to access 3GPP system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to configuring an internally actuated wireless local area network (I-WLAN) User Equipment (UE). More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for configuring an inter-acting wireless local area network user equipment to access a 3GPP (third generation partnership project) based Packet Switched (PS) system via an inter-acting wireless local area network.

Background

Currently, there are several wlan internal operation designs including 3GPP system. In one design, the peer-to-peer tunneling method, the ue establishes a tunnel terminating at the Packet Data Gateway (PDG) in the 3GPP infrastructure system. The tunnel traverses a wireless local area network gateway (WAG) without being terminated at (and possibly being traversed by) the wlan gateway. This design has been standardized as a preferred configuration that all internally active wlan user equipment must implement.

The second design is a switched tunneling method that involves establishing two tunnels between the packet data gateway and the user equipment at the wlan gateway. The first tunnel between the wlan gateway and the packet data gateway uses the existing 3GPP based integrated packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) and the second tunnel follows the general internet protocol tunneling protocol.

A third internally activated design is the generic access method, which involves traffic tunneling from the 3GPP system to the 3GPP base user equipment via the internally activated wlan. In this design, the inter-acting WLAN acts as a pseudo-3 GPP node B that is inter-acting within the 3GPP system at the Radio Access Network (RAN) level. Traffic traverses an inter-active wireless local area network Access Point (AP) to decode the traffic back to 3GPP format and transmit it to the inter-active wireless local area network user equipment of the 3GPP infrastructure terminal.

The existence of these designs is creating a potential conflict regarding the preferred mode of operation. For example: 1) the ue may support all configurations but is not aware that the appropriate configuration is supported by the network; 2) the ue can only support one design (e.g., end-to-end tunneling architecture), but the network is configured to use another internally-actuated design (e.g., switched tunneling solution); 3) the ue and network can support all designs but currently cannot communicate the preferred mode of operation between the two sides.

The operating protocols and parameters of these designs are different. The end result is that a variety of techniques or designs can be used to support inter-active wireless local area networks and 3GPP system inter-active (typically cellular) that instruct the ue to support all these designs or some mechanism to determine which design is supported at the infrastructure level and then configure the ue to operate according to the supported design. During set-up, there should be a procedure to inform the ue of the network configuration so that it can use the correct internal activation protocol.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The present invention is directed to a configuration internal-action wireless local area network user equipment for accessing a 3GPP system, for solving a potential conflict regarding a preferred operation mode between the user equipment and a network, so as to improve the communication efficiency between the user equipment and the network. According to the present invention, when the configuration function is actuated inside the ue, the ue activates the connection to the 3GPP system via the inside-actuated wlan. When authentication and authorization are required, the inter-active wlan activates the inter-active configuration function for the ue in the 3GPP system. The 3GPP system informs the ue about the use of the internal operation configuration. The UE selects a preferred internal activation configuration for the 3GPP system.

A system for configuring an inter-acting wireless local area network user equipment to access a 3GPP system includes the user equipment, a wireless local area network and the 3GPP system. The user equipment is an activation device comprising a function of activating a connection request to the 3GPP system; a first indication device for indicating the internal operation protocol function of the user equipment to the wireless local area network; and an instantiation device instantiating the selected internal action protocol. The wireless local area network includes a second indicating device for indicating the inter-working protocol function of the UE to the 3GPP system. The 3GPP system comprises a first determining device for determining whether to accept a connection request from a user equipment; second determining means for determining the UE and the inter-active protocol function of the 3GPP system; and a selection device for selecting an internal operation protocol used between the user equipment and the wireless local area network.

A system configured to facilitate inter-active wireless local area network user equipment access to a 3GPP system includes user equipment, a wireless local area network and a 3GPP system. The UE comprises a connection request activation device and an internal action protocol instantiation device. The wireless local area network includes a connection device and an internal operation protocol device. The 3GPP system includes an internally activated protocol device, a connection evaluation device, an internally activated protocol determination device, and an internally activated protocol selection device. The internal action protocol device is a communication exchange internal action protocol. The connection request activation means is in communication with the connection means, which is in communication with the connection evaluation means. The internal action protocol determining means receives information from the internal action protocol means and the connection evaluating means to determine the available internal action protocol. The internal operation protocol selection device selects the internal operation protocol for use, which is transmitted to the internal operation protocol instantiation device.

Adopt the utility model discloses, effectively solved the potential conflict of the preferred mode of operation between relevant user equipment and network, promoted the communication efficiency between user equipment and network.

Drawings

The invention will be understood in more detail from the following description of preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of two internal operating protocols for an internally operating WLAN user equipment to access a 3GPP system;

FIG. 2 is a third exemplary embodiment of an internally activated wireless local area network UE for accessing a 3GPP system;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for configuring an inter-active wireless local area network user equipment to access a 3GPP system; and

figure 4 is a system diagram of a 3GPP system configured to facilitate inter-active wlan user equipment access.

Detailed Description

Thereafter, the ue includes, but is not limited to, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a pager, or any other type of device capable of operating in a wireless environment. When referred to hereafter, a base station includes but is not limited to a node-B, site controller, access point or other type of interfacing device in a wireless environment.

Figure 1 is a block diagram of two systems using an interworking protocol by which an interworking wireless local area network user equipment may access a cellular system such as a 3GPP system. Although 3GPP systems are described below, other cellular systems, such as 3GPP2, GPRS/EDGE, etc., may also be used. A system 100 using an end-to-end tunneling protocol includes a 3GPP system packet data gateway 102 that provides connectivity between a 3GPP network and a wireless local area network. The packet data gateway 102 communicates with the first wlan 104 via an end-to-end ip tunnel 106. A tunnel 106 is created through the wlan gateway 108, which is an interface between the wlan 104 and the 3GPP network. The wireless lan ue 110 communicates with the 3GPP network via the wlan 104, the tunnel 106 and the pdn gateway 102. In the system 100, the tunnel 106 is extended from the packet data gateway 102 down to the wlan user equipment 110.

The system 120 uses a switched tunneling protocol (integrated packet radio service tunneling protocol). The system 120 includes a 3GPP system gateway integrated packet radio service support node (GGSN)122 in communication with a wlan gateway 126 via an integrated packet radio service tunneling protocol 124. The wlan gateway 126 communicates with a second wlan 130 via an internet protocol tunnel 128. The wireless lan ue 132 communicates with the 3GPP network via the wlan 130, the ip tunnel 128, the wlan gateway 126, and the integrated gprs tunneling protocol tunnel 124. The system 120 uses two tunnels: an integrated gprs tunneling protocol tunnel 124 between the gateway integrated gprs support node 122 and the wlan gateway 126, and an internet protocol tunnel 128 between the wlan gateway 126 and the wlan user equipment 132. It should be noted that in this case, the use of a PDF and gateway integrated packet radio service support node is interchangeable.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of a generic access internal operation protocol 200. Fig. 2 shows the overall architecture of a 3GPP system in which a wlan 202 is directly connected to a service integration packet radio service support node 204. The wlan access point serves as an alternative Radio Access Network (RAN) in parallel with a GSM (global system for mobile communications) EDGE (enhanced data global system for mobile communications environment) radio access network (GERAN)206 and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) 208. The wireless local area network 202 may also be connected to a Media Gateway (MGW)210 where internet protocol based traffic is provided. 3GPP traffic from the SGSN 204 directed towards the WLAN 202 is tunneled using an IP tunnel and transmitted over the WLAN 202 to the WLAN user equipment. The wlan user equipment then tunnels the ip data (i.e., 3GPP traffic) back to the 3GPP base user equipment for processing. The wlan 202 may act as a conduit for 3GPP traffic.

Other inter-active schemes between the 3GPP system and the wireless local area network user equipment are possible. Systems 100, 120 and 200 are exemplary, and other internal actuation schemes may be used in the context of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart of a method 300 for configuring an inter-active wlan ue access to a 3GPP system in accordance with the present invention. The method 300 uses a wireless local area network user equipment 302, a wireless local area network 304, and a 3GPP system 306 that includes an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server and a master location register (HLR).

The wlan 304 and the 3GPP system 306 exchange internal operating protocols (step 310). The internal action protocol is used to profile the services of the wlan 304 and 3GPP system 306 and to set parameters such as internal action level, whether the user is allowed to access a particular service, bit rate, etc.

The ue 302 activates service to the 3GPP system 306 and signals its internal active protocol functions in the connection (step 312). The wlan 304 forwards the authentication and authorization request procedure to the 3GPP system 306, indicating the inter-active protocol function (step 314).

The 3GPP system 306 performs authentication and authorization reception procedures including inter-active protocol configuration supported by the 3GPP system 306 to the wlan 304 and the ue 302 (step 316). The 3GPP system 306 activates the supported internal action protocol to the ue 302 and directs the ue 302 to use it.

The user equipment 302 instantiates the preferred internal action protocol configuration (step 318). If ue 302 can support both configurations, 3GPP system 306 directs ue 302 to use its preferred operating mode. If ue 302 can only support the end-to-end tunneling scheme and 3GPP system 306 can support both modes of operation, 3GPP system 306 can receive the ue's additional requirements and provide services using the end-to-end tunneling solution. If ue 302 and 3GPP system 306 do not support the same configuration, 3GPP system 306 must reject the ue's accompanying requirements and indicate that the configuration requirements during the attach procedure of ue 302 are not supported (step 312).

The wlan 304 activates the tunnel establishment procedure (end-to-end tunneling or tunneling protocol based exchange tunneling) with the 3GPP system (step 320).

The method 300 facilitates exchanging information regarding what type of tunneling can be expected during user equipment 302 attachment. Because each type of tunneling has a different setup procedure, the exchange of information can simplify the internal action setup.

Figure 4 is an illustration of a system 400 configured to facilitate inter-active wireless local area network user equipment access to a 3GPP system. The system 400 includes a ue 402, a wlan 404 and a 3GPP system 406. The user equipment 402 includes a connection request activation device 410 and an internal action protocol instantiation device 412. The wlan 404 includes an interworking protocol device 420 and a connection device 422. The 3GPP system 406 includes an inter-active protocol device 430, a connection evaluation device 432, an inter-active protocol determination device 434, and an inter-active protocol selection device 436.

The components of system 400 operate as follows. The wlan 404 and the 3GPP system 406 exchange interworking protocols via interworking protocol devices 420 and 430, respectively. The ue 402 activates the connection to the 3GPP system 406 via the connection request activation device 410. Since the ue 402 is connected to the wlan 404, the connection request activation device 410 is in communication with the connection device 422 in the wlan 404. The connection means 422 is a connection evaluation means 432 for transmitting a connection request from the user equipment 402 to the 3GPP system 406.

The connection evaluation means 432 determines whether the connection request from the ue 402 should be allowed to the 3GPP system 406. Once the connection request is granted, the proactive protocol determining means 434 determines proactive functions of the UE 402 and the 3GPP system 406. The internal action protocol determining means 434 uses the information obtained from the connection request (via the connection evaluation means 432) and the internal action protocol with the wlan 404 (via the internal action protocol means 430).

The internal action protocol selection device 436 selects the internal action protocol to be used based on information received from the internal action protocol determination device 434. The internal activation protocol selection device 436 then communicates the selected internal activation protocol to the internal activation protocol instantiation device 412 at the user equipment 402. The internal action protocol instantiating means 412 then instantiates the appropriate internal action protocol to allow communication between the user equipment 402 and the 3GPP system 406.

Although the features and elements of the present invention are described in the preferred embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone (without the other features and elements of the preferred embodiments) or in various combinations with or without other features and elements of the present invention.

Claims (1)

1. A system configured to facilitate internally actuating a wireless local area network user equipment for accessing a 3GPP system, comprising:

a user equipment, comprising:

a connection request activation device; and

an internal action protocol instantiation device;

a wireless local area network, comprising:

a connecting device; and

an internal actuation protocol device; and

a 3GPP system, comprising:

an internal actuation protocol device;

a connection evaluation device;

an internal actuation protocol determining device; and

an internal actuation protocol selection device;

wherein,

the internal actuation protocol device in the wireless local area network and the internal actuation protocol device in the 3GPP system are communication exchange internal actuation protocols;

the connection request activation means in the ue communicating with the connection means in the wlan, which communicates with the connection evaluation means in the 3GPP system;

the inter-active protocol determining means receives information from the inter-active protocol means and the connection evaluating means in the 3GPP system to determine an available inter-active protocol between the UE and the 3GPP system; and

the internal action protocol selection means receives information from the internal action protocol determination means to select the internal action protocol to be used, the internal action protocol selection means transmits the selected internal action protocol to the internal action protocol instantiation means in the user equipment.

Images