HK1152188A - Wireless metropolitan area network architecture for managing network resources and mobility - Google Patents

Description

Wireless metropolitan area network architecture for managing network resources and mobility

The patent application of the invention is a divisional application of an invention patent application with the international application number of PCT/US2005/039078, the international application date of 2005.10.31, the application number of 200580038175.0 in the stage of entering China and the name of a wireless metropolitan area network architecture for managing network resources and mobility.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMANs), and more particularly, to an architecture for managing network resources and mobility in a WMAN.

Background

The Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN) standard must define a network architecture that provides the network equipment and procedures to manage network resources, mobility, and spectrum. The network architecture should allow the network to perform seamless handover between different WMAN networks and to coordinate seamless mobility procedures between 802.21 and other wireless networks (e.g., 802.11 wlan, cellular, etc.).

The current solutions do not define how to manage WMAN network resources and how users are seamlessly handed over in different WMAN networks or from WMAN networks to different access technologies. Therefore, there is a need to define a reference module and a network architecture for radio resource management and mobility management between WMANs and different access technologies.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention proposes an infrastructure that enables seamless mobility in WMAN networks and provides management of spectrum and network resources. A network reference module is introduced in which Radio Resource Management (RRM) and delivery (HO) sublayers are introduced into the protocol stack. The network management plane is responsible for RRM and HO management, and the present invention also proposes physical and logical network architecture selection for network management.

A system for managing resources in a WMAN includes a control and data plane and a management plane. The control and data plane includes a service specific integrity sublayer, a MAC Common Part Sublayer (CPS), and a physical sublayer. The management plane includes a service specific integrated sublayer management entity, a MAC CPS management entity, a RRM sublayer, a delivery sublayer, a physical sublayer management entity, and a management service access point through which the components of the management plane communicate with each other.

A system for managing handoffs in a WMAN, comprising a mobile IP portion; a delivery sublayer, the delivery sublayer being specific to a network type of the WMAN; a Media Independent Handover (MIH) lower layer integration function (LLCF), the LLCF being specific to a network type of the WMAN; an MIH delivery function; and an MIH upper layer integration function.

A system for managing resources in a WMAN includes a base station, a radio access gateway, a core network, and an MIH access gateway. The base station is configured to communicate with a station. The wireless access gateway is configured to operate as a system management entity and communicate with the station. The core network is in communication with the radio access gateway. The MIH access gateway is configured to perform media independent handover and communicate with the radio access gateway.

A system for managing resources in a WMAN includes a base station, an access gateway, and a core network. The base station is configured to communicate with a station. The access network is in communication with the base station and includes a radio access gateway and an MIH access gateway. The MIH access gateway is configured to perform media independent handover and communicate with the radio access gateway. The core network is in communication with the access gateway.

A system for managing resources in a WMAN includes a base station and a core network. The base station includes a MAC and physical layer device, a radio access gateway, and an MIH access gateway. The wireless access gateway is configured to communicate with the MAC and physical layer devices, and the MIH access network is configured to perform media independent handover and communicate with the wireless access gateway. The core network is in communication with the base station.

Drawings

The invention may be understood in more detail by reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment, given as an example, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a WMAN reference block;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating 802.16g delivery management;

fig. 3 shows a first embodiment of a WMAN logical network architecture;

fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of a WMAN logical network architecture;

fig. 5 shows a third embodiment of a WMAN logical network architecture;

fig. 6 shows a first embodiment of a WMAN physical network architecture;

fig. 7 shows a second embodiment of a WMAN physical network architecture; and

fig. 8 shows a third embodiment of the WMAN physical network architecture.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, the term "Station (STA)" is used generically and includes, but is not limited to, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a user equipment, 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, the terminology "Access Point (AP)" includes but is not limited to a node B, a base station, a site controller, or any other type of interfacing device in a wireless environment.

The present invention defines a generalized architecture for WMAN devices that allows seamless mobility in a WMAN. As such, it provides mobility between different networks. Paragraph 1 introduces the protocol reference module, the concept of the management plane is to define mobility and network resource management. Section 2 shows a logical network architecture where two new logical nodes are introduced, namely a system management entity (radio access gateway) and a Media Independent Handover (MIH) access gateway. Section 3 shows how the logical architecture is mapped to different embodiments.

WMAN protocol reference module

Fig. 1 shows a proposed WMAN reference module 100, the module 100 comprising a control and data plane 102 and a management plane 104. The control and data plane 102 includes a service specific Convergence Sublayer (CS)110, a Medium Access Control (MAC) common part sublayer (MAC CPS)112, a security sublayer 114 (which is part of the MAC CPS 112), and a physical sublayer 116. The management plane 104 includes a service specific CS management entity 120, a MAC CPS management entity 122, a security sublayer 124 (which is part of the MAC CPS management entity 122), a RRM and HO sublayer 126, a physical sublayer management entity 128, and a management Service Access Point (SAP) interface 130. Although the RRM and HO sub-layer 126 is shown in fig. 1 as a single layer, the RRM and HO sub-layer 126 may be configured as a separate RRM sub-layer and HO sub-layer, or the HO layer may be a sub-layer of the RRM layer.

The SAP interface 130 is used to configure the MAC layer and the physical layer; and obtaining measurements by the MAC layer and the physical layer. In addition, the SAP interface 130 connects the RRM and HO sublayer 126 with RRM and handover functions, which include RRM and handover decision procedures. The RRM and delivery functions are located outside the MAC management entity 122, which includes algorithms for receiving input from the MAC management entity 122 and making RRM and delivery decisions, and are located within the SME (session management entity) in the 802 reference module.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an 802.16g handover management plane 200. the management plane 200 includes a mobile IP portion 202, an 802.16HO sublayer 204, an 802.21MIH point 16 lower layer integration function (LLCF)206, an MIH HO function 208, and an MIH mobile IP higher layer integration function (HLCF) 210. A SAP-to-MAC interface 220 and a SAP-to-PHY interface 222 are used to connect the 802.16HO sublayer 204 and the 802.21MIH management plane.

Handover within the 802.16 network is handled by the 802.16HO sublayer 204, and the HO sublayer 204 configures the 802.16MAC and physical layers to send measurement and handover triggers via the MAC and physical SAPs 220, 222, respectively, and if a change in 802.16 subnets is required, the 802.16HO sublayer 204 sends the triggers to the mobile IP portion 202. For inter-technology handover (e.g., 802.16 to cellular or 802.16 to 802.11), a handover trigger is sent from the 802.16HO sublayer 204 to the 802.21MIH point 16LLCF 206, and the 802.21MIH handles handover needs if there is a need to change the domain or perform handover with other technologies.

Although the management plane 200 is described in connection with an 802.16 network, the network plane may be implemented in any form of WMAN by changing the HO sub-layer 204 to the LLCF 206 to correspond to the appropriate network type.

WMAN logical network architecture

Fig. 3-5 present different WMAN logical network architectures, wherein the entity and MAC layers are located inside the Base Station (BS). The HO sub-layer resides in the system management entity, referred to as the radio access gateway, which may be responsible for one or more BSs in the same sub-network. The MIH access gateway includes 802.21MIH function. The BS communicates with the mobile station user via the U interface and communicates with other BSs via the IB interface. The Radio Access Network (RAN) is connected to the IP core network via the I-CN interface.

Fig. 3 shows a first embodiment of a logic architecture 300 in which all logical nodes are connected via standardized logical interfaces. The architecture 300 includes a plurality of wireless stations 302, a RAN 304, an IP core network 306, and an MIH access gateway 308. The RAN 304 includes one or more Base Stations (BSs) 310 and at least one radio access gateway 312, which is a system management entity.

A wireless station 302 communicates with a BS 310 via U-interface 320, the BSs 310 communicate with each other via IB-interface 322, the BSs 310 communicate with the wireless access gateway 312 via a-interface 324, which is a re-use of the standardized a-interface between the BS and an authentication and service Authorization Server (ASA). The radio access gateways 312 communicate with each other through an AG interface 326, the radio access gateways 312 communicate with the IP core network 306 through an I-CN interface 328, and the radio access gateways 312 communicate with the MIH access gateway 308 through an I-CMIH interface 330.

Figure 4 illustrates a second embodiment of a logical architecture 400, the architecture 400 including a plurality of wireless stations 402, a RAN 404, an IP core network 406, and an MIH access gateway 408. The RAN 404 includes one or more BSs 410 and at least one radio access gateway 412, which is a system management entity.

A wireless station 402 communicates with a BS 410 via U interface 420, the BSs 410 communicate with each other via IB interface 422, and the BSs 410 communicate with the rat gateway 412 via a interface 424. The radio access gateway 412 communicates with the IP core network 406 through an I-CN interface 426, and the radio access gateway 412 communicates with the MIH access gateway 408 through an SAP interface 428. The IP core network 406 communicates with the MIH access gateway 408 through an I-CN interface 430.

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of a logical architecture 500, the architecture 500 comprising a plurality of wireless stations 502, a RAN 504, an IP core network 506, and an MIH access gateway 508. The RAN 504 includes one or more BSs 510 and at least one radio access gateway 512, which is a system management entity.

A wireless station 502 communicates with a BS 510 via U interface 520, the BSs 510 communicate with each other via IB interface 522, and the BSs 510 communicate with the rat gateway 512 via SAP interface 524. The radio access gateway 512 communicates with the IP core network 506 through an I-CN interface 526, and the radio access gateway 512 communicates with the MIH access gateway 508 through the SAP interface 528. The IP core network 506 communicates with the MIH access gateway 508 over an I-CN' interface 530.

The main difference in architecture 500 is that the radio access gateway 512 is connected to the MIH access gateway 508 via an SAP interface 528, but it is connected to the BS 510 via other SAP interfaces 524.

WMAN entity network architecture

Three logical network architecture options 300, 400, 500 allow WMAN device factories to map these architecture options to different physical network implementations, as shown, for example, in fig. 6-8.

Figure 6 shows a first embodiment of a physical network architecture 600. the architecture 600 includes a plurality of wireless stations 602, a RAN 604, an IP core network 606, and an MIH access gateway 608. The RAN 604 includes one or more BSs 610 and at least one radio access gateway 612, which is a system management entity.

A wireless station 602 communicates with a BS 610 over a U interface 620, the BSs 610 communicate with each other over an IB interface 622, and the BSs 610 communicate with a radio access gateway 612 over an a interface 624. The ran gateways 612 communicate with each other through an AG interface 626, the ran gateways 612 communicate with the IP core network 606 through an I-CN interface 628, and the ran gateways 612 communicate with the MIH access gateway 608 through an I-CMIH interface 630. The IP core network 606 communicates with the MIH access gateway 608 over an I-CN' interface 632.

The architecture 600 includes three main physical nodes on the network side: BS 610, which includes only the physical layer and possibly MAC layer; a wireless access gateway 612 that includes the delivery function; and an MIH access gateway 608, which contains all MIH functions (i.e., 802.21). The architecture 600 assumes the use of a centralized delivery management entity.

Fig. 7 shows a second embodiment of a physical network architecture 700, the architecture 700 comprising a plurality of wireless stations 702, a RAN 704, and an IP core network 706. The RAN 704 includes one or more BSs 710 and at least one radio access gateway 712, each of the access gateways 712 including a radio access gateway 714 and an MIH access gateway 716.

A wireless station 702 communicates with a BS 710 via U-interface 720, the BSs 710 communicate with each other via IB-interface 722, and the BSs 710 communicate with the rat gateway 712 via a-interface 724. The radio access gateway 712 and the MIH access gateway 716 communicate with each other via an SAP interface 726, and the access gateway 712 communicates with each other via an AG interface 728. The access gateway 712 communicates with the IP core network 706 through an I-CN interface 730.

The architecture 700 is another implementation of a centralized solution in which all the delivery functions (wireless network and 802.21 delivery) are centralized in the access gateway 712. The wireless network and 802.21 delivery functions are interconnected via SAP interface 726 in access gateway 712. In the architecture 700, the BS 710 contains only the entities and MAC layers.

Fig. 8 shows a third embodiment of a physical network architecture 800, the architecture 800 comprising a plurality of wireless stations 802, a RAN 804, and an IP core network 806. The RAN 804 includes one or more BSs 810, each BS 810 including a MAC and PHY section 812, a radio access gateway 814, and an MIH access gateway 816.

A wireless station 802 communicates with a BS 810 via the U interface 820, and the MAC and PHY section 812 communicates with the radio access gateway 814 via a first SAP interface 822. The ran 814 and the MIH access gateway 816 communicate with each other via a second SAP interface 824. The BSs 810 communicate with each other via IB interface 826, and the BSs 810 communicate with the IP core network 806 via I-CN interface 828.

The architecture 800 includes a "fat" BS 810 in which the radio network level 802.11 handoff functions are implemented. The delivery function communicates with each other and the entity and MAC layer via the first and second SAPs 822, 824.

Examples

1. A system for managing resources in a wireless metropolitan area network includes a control and data plane and a management plane. The control and data plane includes: a service specific convergence sublayer; a Medium Access Control (MAC) share part sublayer (CPS); and a physical sublayer. The management plane includes: a service specific integrated sublayer management entity; an MAC CPS management entity; a radio resource management and delivery sublayer; a physical sub-layer management entity; and a management service access point by which the components of the management plane communicate with each other.

2. The system of embodiment 1 wherein the rrm sublayer and the handover sublayer are combined into a single sublayer.

3. The system of embodiment 1 wherein the handover sublayer is part of the rrm sublayer.

4. The system as in one of embodiments 1-3, wherein the control and data plane further includes a security sublayer located in the MAC CPS.

5. The system as in one of embodiments 1-4, wherein the management plane further includes a security sublayer located in the MACCPS management entity.

6. A system for managing deliveries in a Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN), comprising: a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) portion; a delivery sublayer, the delivery sublayer being specific to a network type of the WMAN; a Media Independent Handover (MIH) lower layer integration function (LLCF), the LLCF being specific to a network type of the WMAN; an MIH delivery function; and an MIH upper layer integration function.

7. The system of embodiment 6, further comprising: a Service Access Point (SAP) to MAC layer interface and an SAP to PHY interface, the SAP interface enabling communication between the handover sublayer and an MIH management plane.

8. The system of embodiment 6 or 7, wherein the delivery sublayer is configured to perform delivery within the network.

9. The system as in embodiments 6 or 7, wherein the delivery sublayer is configured to perform delivery between subnetworks, the delivery sublayer signaling the mobile IP portion to perform the delivery.

10. The system of embodiment 6 or 7, wherein the delivery sublayer is configured to perform delivery between different technologies, the delivery sublayer signaling the LLCF to perform the delivery.

11. A system for managing resources in a wireless metropolitan area network, comprising: a base station configured to communicate with a station; a wireless access gateway configured to act as a system management entity, the wireless access gateway in communication with the base station; a core network in communication with the radio access gateway; and a Media Independent Handover (MIH) access gateway configured to perform media independent handover, the MIH access gateway in communication with the radio access gateway.

12. The system of embodiment 11 wherein the base station communicates with a station via a U interface.

13. The system of embodiment 11 or 12 wherein the base station communicates with the ran via an a interface.

14. The system as in one of embodiments 11-13, wherein the radio access gateway communicates with the core network via an I-CN interface.

15. The system as in one of embodiments 11-15, wherein the radio access gateway communicates with the MIH access gateway via a CMIH interface.

16. A system as in one of embodiments 11-15 wherein the system comprises more than one base station in communication with the radio access gateway and each base station is configured to communicate with another base station via an IB interface.

17. A system as in one of embodiments 11-16 wherein the system includes more than one radio access gateway and each of the radio access network relations is configured to communicate with another radio access gateway via an AG interface.

18. A system as in one of embodiments 11-14, 16 or 17 wherein the wireless access gateway communicates with the MIH access gateway via a serving access point interface.

19. The system as in one of embodiments 11-18, wherein the core network communicates with the MIH access gateway via an I-CN' interface.

20. The system as in one of embodiments 11, 12, 14, 16, 18 or 19 wherein the base station communicates with the radio access gateway via a serving access point interface.

21. A system for managing resources in a wireless metropolitan area network, comprising: a base station configured to communicate with a station; an access gateway in communication with the base station, the access gateway including a wireless access gateway and a Media Independent Handover (MIH) access gateway configured to perform media independent handover, the MIH access gateway in communication with the wireless access gateway; and a core network in communication with the access gateway.

22. The system of embodiment 21 wherein the base station communicates with a station via a U interface.

23. The system of embodiment 21 or 22 wherein the base station communicates with the access gateway via an a interface.

24. The system as in one of embodiments 21-23, wherein the wireless access gateway communicates with the MIH access gateway via a serving access point interface.

25. The system as in one of embodiments 21-24 wherein the access gateway communicates with the core network via an I-CN interface.

26. A system as in one of embodiments 21-25 wherein the system comprises more than one base station with the access gateway and each base station is configured to communicate with another base station via an IB interface.

27. The system as in one of embodiments 21-26 wherein the system includes more than one access gateway and each access gateway is configured to communicate with another access gateway via an AG interface.

28. A system for managing resources in a wireless metropolitan area network includes a base station and a core network in communication with the base station. The base station includes: a Medium Access Control (MAC) and physical layer device; a wireless access gateway configured to communicate with the MAC and physical layer devices; and a Media Independent Handover (MIH) gateway configured to perform the media independent handover, the MIH access network being in communication with the radio access gateway.

29. The system of embodiment 28 wherein the base station communicates with a station over a U interface.

30. The system of embodiment 28 or 29 wherein the MAC and physical layer devices communicate with the radio access gateway via a serving access point interface.

31. The system as in one of embodiments 28-30 wherein the wireless access gateway communicates with the MIH access gateway via a serving access point interface.

32. The system as in one of embodiments 28-31 wherein the base station communicates with the core network via an I-CN interface.

33. The system as in one of embodiments 28-32 wherein the system comprises more than one base station communicating with each other over an IB interface.

Although the features and elements of the present invention are described in the 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. While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention described herein.

Claims (5)

1. A submission management plane that manages submissions in a wireless network, comprising:

a mobile internet protocol part;

a delivery sublayer specific to a network type of the wireless network and configured to perform a delivery within the network;

a media independent delivery low-level integration function, the low-level integration function being specific to a network type of the wireless network;

a delivery function for media independent delivery; and

a high-level integration function of media independent delivery.

2. The submission management plane of claim 1, further comprising:

a service access point to the MAC layer interface; and

a service access point to physical layer interface;

the service access point interfaces enable communication between the delivery sublayer and a media independent delivery management plane.

3. The submission management plane of claim 1, wherein the submission sublayer is further configured to perform a submission between subnetworks, the submission sublayer signaling the mobile ip portion to perform the submission.

4. The delivery management plane of claim 1, wherein the delivery sublayer is further configured to perform a delivery between technologies, the delivery sublayer signaling the lower layer integration function to perform the delivery.

5. A method for managing handoffs in a wireless network, comprising:

configuring a network-type specific medium access control and physical layer to send measurement and delivery triggers;

sending a delivery trigger to a network type specific integration function; and

communicating with a media independent delivery function through the network type specific integration function.