Access to a home network within a multi-connectivity framework

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11844129-B2
Application number	US-202117335105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2021
Priority date	Jun 3, 2020
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A system includes: a user equipment (UE); at least two Internet access providers; a multi-connectivity provider backend; a home network (HN); and a data network (DN). The UE comprises at least two access interfaces. Multi-connectivity is provided between the UE and the HN. The multi-connectivity provider backend is configured to establish a connection to the HN, and to provide the UE with access to the HN.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a user equipment (UE);
at least two Internet access providers;
a multi-connectivity provider backend;
a home network (HN); and
a data network (DN);
wherein the UE comprises at least two access interfaces;
wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is configured to establish a connection to the HN and to provide the UE with access to the HN, whereby multi-connectivity is provided between the UE and the HN, wherein the multi-connectivity includes the UE being connected to the HN simultaneously via multiple types of access technologies;
wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is further configured to:
check whether the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN; and
based on the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN,
apply counter-measures in the multi-connectivity provider backend, or
send a message to the UE, the message comprising an indication to the UE to apply counter-measures.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the establishment of the connection to the HN includes a tunnel connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the tunnel connection is encrypted.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the establishment of the connection to the HN includes routing from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DN is the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend and the HN belong to a same operator, and the multi-connectivity provider backend provides access to the HN without going through the DN.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is further configured to:
determine whether the UE is already connected to the HN through one of the UE's access interfaces; and
based on determining that one access interface is already connected to the HN:
stop the connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend to the HN; or
route HN-related traffic to the UE through the already connected access interface.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the determination of whether at least one of the UE's access interface is already connected to the HN is based on: geo-location, a Service Set Identifier (SSID), or signaling between the UE and the multi-connectivity provided backend.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is configured to establish the connection with the HN through a residential gateway (RG).

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple types of access technologies include Wi-Fi and cellular access technologies.

11. A method for providing multi-connectivity between a user equipment (UE) and a home network (HN) in a system, the system comprising the UE, at least two Internet access providers, a multi-connectivity provider backend, the HN, and a data network (DN), wherein the UE comprises at least two access interfaces, the method comprising:
establishing, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, a connection to the HN; and
providing, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, the UE with access to the HN, whereby multi-connectivity is provided between the UE and the HN, wherein the multi-connectivity includes the UE being connected to the HN simultaneously via multiple types of access technologies;
wherein the method further comprises:
checking, at the multi-connectivity provider backend, whether the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN; and
based on the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN,
applying counter-measures in the multi-connectivity provider backend, or
sending a message to the UE, the message comprising an indication to the UE to apply counter-measures.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the establishing of the connection to the HN includes a tunnel connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the tunnel connection is encrypted.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the establishing of the connection to the HN includes routing from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the DN is the Internet.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend and the HN belong to a same operator, and the multi-connectivity provider backend provides access to the HN without going through the DN.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, whether the UE is already connected to the HN through one access interface, and
based on determining that one access interface is already connected to the HN:
stopping the connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend to the HN, or
routing HN-related traffic to the UE through the already connected access interface.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the determination of whether the UE is already connected to the HN through one access interface is based on: geo-location, a Service Set Identifier (SSID), or signaling between the UE and the multi-connectivity provided backend.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
establishing, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, the connection with the HN through a residential gateway (RG).

Assignees

• Deutsche Telekom Ag

Inventors

• Amend Markus
• Bogenfeld Eckard
• Henze Thomas
• Hellebrand Katja

Classifications

• H04W76/16 Primary

  Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer · CPC title

• H04W8/04

  Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server] · CPC title

• H04W8/28

  Number portability {; Network address portability} · CPC title

• H04W76/12

  Setup of transport tunnels · CPC title

• H04W76/10 Primary

  Connection setup · CPC title