Controlling data transmission between a user equipment and a packet data network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10009953-B2
Application number	US-201214235434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2012
Priority date	Jul 27, 2011
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for controlling transmission of user data between a user equipment and a packet data via a packet switched data network, such as an Evolved Packet System (EPS). An association is formed between the user equipment and one or more gateways in the packet switched data network. In some embodiments, one or more messages are sent to the user equipment indicating a capability of the one or more gateways to inhibit transmission of user data towards the user equipment; an indication is received from the user equipment to inhibit transmission of user data to the user equipment from the first gateway, and, in response, transmission of user data towards the user from at least one of the gateways is inhibited. In some embodiments, in response to receipt of an indication from the user equipment to inhibit transmission of data towards the user equipment, a message is sent to the user equipment indicating parameters defining transmission characteristics of user data that may be transmitted between at least one of the gateways and the user equipment, and the gateways control transmission of data towards the user equipment in accordance with the sent parameters. This enables transmission of user data between a user equipment and a packet data network to be controlled.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling user data transmission between a user equipment (UE) and one or more packet data networks (PDNs) via a packet switched data network including a core network, the core network including one or more gateways, each of the one or more gateways being communicatively coupled to at least one of the one or more PDNs, the method comprising:
establishing, by at least one of the one or more gateways, a connection between the user equipment and the one or more gateways, the connection enabling transmission of user data between the user equipment and the one or more PDNs via the one or more gateways;
transmitting, by the at least one gateway, one or more messages to the user equipment indicating one or more parameters defining data transmission characteristics of user data to be transmitted between the one or more gateways and the user equipment;
transmitting, by the at least one gateway, one or more messages to the user equipment indicating a capability of the one or more gateways to block transmission of the user data towards the user equipment;
receiving, by the at least one gateway, an indication and a packet filter list from the user equipment to block transmission of the user data to the user equipment from a first of the one or more gateways; and
blocking, by the at least one gateway, transmission of the user data towards the user equipment from the first gateway based on a policy associated with an Access Point Name (APN) corresponding to the at least one gateway, the packet filter list and the data transmission characteristics of the user data, in response to receipt of the indication.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking of transmission of the user data is based on a predefined rule stored in the first gateway and the user data comprises a first type of data and a second type of data, and the predefined rule includes a first rule to selectively block transmission of either the first type or the second type of user data.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first at least one gateway is communicatively coupled to a first PDN which is arranged to transmit the first type of user data, and the predefined rule includes a second rule to block transmission of all user data of the second type from the first gateway to the user equipment and to allow transmission of user data of the first type from the first gateway to the user equipment.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving an indication from the user equipment to block transmission of the second type of user data from a second of the one or more gateways, the second gateway being communicatively coupled to a second PDN which is not arranged to transmit user data of the first type; and
blocking transmission of all user data from the second gateway towards the user equipment.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indication specifies one or more of the data transmission characteristics of user data whose transmission is to be blocked, and the method further comprises blocking transmission of user data in accordance therewith.

6. A method of controlling user data transmission between a user equipment and one or more packet data networks (PDNs) via a packet switched data network including a core network, the core network including one or more gateways, each of the one or more gateways being communicatively coupled to at least one of the one or more PDNs, the method comprising:
establishing, by the user equipment, a connection between the user equipment and the one or more gateways, the connection enabling transmission of user data between the user equipment and the one or more PDNs via the one or more gateways;
receiving, by the user equipment, a first message at the user equipment from the core network indicating one or more parameters defining data transmission characteristics of user data to be transmitted between a first of the one or more gateways and the user equipment;
receiving, by the user equipment, a second message at the user equipment indicating a capability of the first gateway to block transmission of the user data to the user equipment; and
transmitting, by the user equipment, an indication and a packet filter list from the user equipment to block transmission of the user data to the user equipment,
wherein the user data is blocked based on a policy associated with an Access Point Name (APN) corresponding to the first gateway, the packet filter list and the data transmission characteristics of the user data in response to receipt of the indication.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the user equipment determining that a serving access network is a visited network, wherein the indication is sent based at least in part on a determination by the user equipment that the serving access network is a visited network.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the user equipment receiving an indication from the core network that the connection has been successfully established, wherein the indication to block transmission of the user data to the user equipment is sent from the user equipment based at least in part on receipt of the indication that the connection has been successfully established.

9. A gateway for controlling user data transmission between a user equipment and a packet data network (PDN), the gateway being communicatively coupled to the PDN, the gateway comprising:
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and
a controller coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
establish a connection with the user equipment, the connection enabling transmission of user data between the gateway and the PDN via the gateway;
transmit a first message to the user equipment indicating one or more parameters defining data transmission characteristics of user data to be transmitted between the gateway and the user equipment;
transmit a second message to the user equipment indicating a capability of the gateway to block transmission of the user data towards the user equipment;
receive an indication and a packet filter list from the user equipment to block transmission of the user data towards the user equipment from the gateway; and
blocking transmission of the user data towards the user equipment from the gateway based on a policy associated with an Access Point Name (APN) corresponding to the gateway, the packet filter list and the data transmission characteristics of the user data, in response to receipt of the indication.

10. A user equipment for use with a packet switched data network including a core network, the user equipment being capable of receiving user data from, and transmitting user data to, one or more packet data networks (PDNs) via the core network, the core network including one or more gateways, each of the one or more gateways being communicatively coupled to at least one of the one or more PDNs, the user equipment comprising:
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and
a controller coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
establish a connection with the one or more gateways, the connection enabling transmission of user data between the user equipment and the one or more PDNs via the one or more gateways;
receive a first message from the core network indicating one or more parameters defining data transmission characteristics of user data to be transmitted between a first of the one or more gateways and the user equipment;
receive a second message indicating a capability of the first gateway to block transmission of the user data to the user equipment; and
transmit an indication to block transmission of the user data to the user equipment a

Assignees

• Zisimopoulos Haris
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zisimopoulos Haris

Classifications

• H04W8/12

  between location registers or mobility servers · CPC title

• H04L47/266 Primary

  Stopping or restarting the source, e.g. X-on or X-off · CPC title

• H04W48/04

  based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed · CPC title

• H04W8/18

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• H04W88/16

  Gateway arrangements · CPC title