Methods and apparatus for multiple data packet connections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9526119-B2
Application number	US-201213532317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2012
Priority date	Jun 29, 2011
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

A network can handle access attempts by a mix of user equipments (UEs) that do and do not support multiple packet data network connections and do and do not support Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv 6 ) and access attempts from networks that do and do not support multiple PDN connections. A method of operating a Trusted Non-3GPP Access network with a 3GPP network involves an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) proxy in the Trusted Non-3GPP Access network and a UE that supports multiple PDN connections, with the AAA proxy sending an indication to the UE that the network supports multiple PDN connections.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a trusted non-cellular access network with a cellular access network, wherein the trusted non-cellular access network includes a trusted non-cellular access network entity, the cellular access network includes a packet data network (PDN) gateway (GW) and a cellular authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server, and a user equipment (UE) that supports multiple PDN connections, each PDN connection using an access point name (APN) other than a default APN, and handover of an existing PDN connection, the method comprising:
sending, from the trusted non-cellular access network entity to the UE, an indication whether the trusted non-cellular access network supports at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, and handover of an existing PDN connection,
wherein the trusted non-cellular access network entity is a AAA Proxy, the indication is sent during an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication procedure, and the method further includes, if the UE does not receive the indication and if the UE prefers at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections, choosing either to abort the EAP authentication procedure, or to complete the EAP authentication procedure and ignore the UE's preference for at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trusted non-cellular access network entity is a AAA Proxy, the indication is sent during an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication procedure, and the method further includes, if the UE does not receive the indication and if the UE intends to request at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections, aborting the EAP authentication procedure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the AAA Proxy includes the indication in an EAP message sent to the UE.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the AAA proxy includes the indication in an AAA message sent with an EAP message to the AAA server, and the AAA server includes the indication in an EAP message sent to the UE.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trusted non-cellular access network is a Trusted Wireless Local Area Network Access Network (TWAN).

6. An arrangement for operating a trusted non-cellular access network with a cellular access network, wherein the trusted non-cellular access network includes a trusted non-cellular access network entity, the cellular access network includes a packet data network (PDN) gateway (GW) and a cellular authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server, and a user equipment (UE) that supports multiple PDN connections, each PDN connection using an access point name (APN) other than a default APN, and handover of an existing PDN connection, the arrangement comprising:
at least one electronic processor configured for sending, from the trusted non-cellular access network entity to the UE, an indication whether the trusted non-cellular access network supports at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, and handover of an existing PDN connection,
wherein the trusted non-cellular access network entity is a AAA Proxy, the indication is sent during an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication procedure, and the UE is configured for choosing, if the UE does not receive the indication and if the UE prefers at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections, either to abort the EAP authentication procedure, or to complete the EAP authentication procedure and ignore the UE's preference for at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections.

7. The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the trusted non-cellular access network entity is a AAA Proxy, the indication is sent during an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication procedure, and the UE is further configured for aborting the EAP authentication procedure if the UE does not receive the indication and if the UE intends to request at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the AAA Proxy includes the indication in an EAP message sent to the UE.

9. The arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the AAA proxy includes the indication in an AAA message sent with an EAP message to the AAA server, and the AAA server includes the indication in an EAP message sent to the UE.

10. The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the trusted non-cellular access network is a Trusted Wireless Local Area Network Access Network (TWAN).

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method of operating a trusted non-cellular access network with a cellular access network, wherein the trusted non-cellular access network includes a trusted non-cellular access network entity; the cellular access network includes a packet data network (PDN) gateway (GW) and a cellular authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server; and a user equipment (UE) that supports multiple PDN connections, each PDN connection using an access point name (APN) other than a default APN, and handover of an existing PDN connection; and the method comprises:
sending, from the trusted non-cellular access network entity to the UE, an indication whether the trusted non-cellular access network supports at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, and handover of an existing PDN connection,
wherein the trusted non-cellular access network entity is a AAA Proxy, the indication is sent during an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication procedure; and if the UE does not receive the indication and if the UE prefers at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections, the UE chooses either to abort the EAP authentication procedure, or to complete the EAP authentication procedure and ignore the UE's preference for at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections.

12. The non-transitory medium of claim 11 , wherein the trusted non-cellular access network entity is a AAA Proxy, the indication is sent during an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication procedure, and if the UE does not receive the indication and if the UE intends to request at least one of a PDN connection using an APN other than the default APN, handover of an existing PDN connection, and multiple PDN connections, the UE aborts the EAP authentication procedure.

13. The non-transitory medium of claim 12 , wherein the AAA Proxy includes the indication in an EAP message sent to the UE.

14. The non-transitory medium of claim 12 , wherein the AAA proxy includes the indication in an AAA message sent with an EAP message to the AAA server, and the AAA server includes the indication in an EAP message sent to the UE.

15. The non-transitory medium of claim 11 , wherein the trusted non-cellular access network is a Trusted Wireless Local Area Network Access Network (TWAN).

Assignees

• Sedlacek Ivo
• Hedman Peter
• Qiang Zu
• Roeland Dinand
• ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M (publ)

Inventors

• Sedlacek Ivo
• Hedman Peter
• Qiang Zu
• Roeland Dinand

Classifications

• H04L63/0892

  by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols · CPC title

• H04W48/17

  Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment] · CPC title

• H04W76/10 Primary

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04W92/02

  Inter-networking arrangements · CPC title

• H04W76/02 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic