Providing multiple levels of service for wireless communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9642033-B2
Application number	US-201213456082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2012
Priority date	Mar 12, 2008
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

Local breakout is provided by one or more nodes (e.g., a local access point and/or a local gateway) in a wireless network to facilitate access to one or more local services. In conjunction with local breakout, multiple IP points of presence relating to different levels of service may be provided for an access point. For example, one point of presence may relate to a local service while another point of presence may relate to a core network service.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of communication, comprising:
receiving at an access point a packet from an access terminal;
determining a level of service associated with the packet based on whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service, wherein:
a first Internet protocol address is associated with the local service,
the access point is associated with an Internet protocol subnetwork, and
a second Internet protocol address is associated with the network service;

determining whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service, wherein:
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a core network gateway when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the network service, and
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a home network when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the local service;

receiving at the access point a page request from a local mobility management entity relating to traffic associated with the local service, wherein paging is initiated only at the access point; and
paging the access terminal in response to receiving the page request.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of service is also associated with an access point name.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining an identifier that is transmitted with the packet.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining a stream on which the packet is transmitted.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stream is associated with a data radio bearer.

7. An apparatus for communication, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive at an access point a packet from an access terminal;
a level of service determiner configured to determine a level of service associated with the packet based on whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service, wherein:
a first Internet protocol address is associated with the local service,
the access point is associated with an Internet protocol subnetwork, and
a second Internet protocol address is associated with the network service;
a communication controller configured to determine whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service, wherein:
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a core network gateway when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the network service, and
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a home network when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the local service;

wherein the receiver is further configured to receive at the access point a page request from a local mobility management entity relating to traffic associated with the local service, wherein paging is initiated only at the access point; and
a transmitter configured to page the access terminal in response to the access point receiving the page request.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the level of service is also associated with an access point name.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining an identifier that is transmitted with the packet.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining a stream on which the packet is transmitted.

12. An apparatus for communication, comprising:
means for receiving at an access point a packet from an access terminal;
means for determining a level of service associated with the packet based on whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service, wherein:
a first Internet protocol address is associated with the local service,
the access point is associated with an Internet protocol subnetwork, and
a second Internet protocol address is associated with the network service;
means for determining whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service, wherein:
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a core network gateway when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the network service, and
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a home network when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the local service;

means for receiving at the access point a page request from a local mobility management entity relating to traffic associated with the local service, wherein paging is initiated only at the access point, and
means for paging the access terminal in response to receiving the page request.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the level of service indicates whether packets are to be tunneled.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the level of service is also associated with an access point name.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining an identifier that is transmitted with the packet.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the determination of the level of service comprises determining a stream on which the packet is transmitted.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to:
receive at an access point a packet from an access terminal;
determine a level of service associated with the packet based at least in part on whether the packet is associated with a local service or a network service, wherein:
a first Internet protocol address is associated with the local service,
the access point is associated with an Internet protocol subnetwork, and
a second Internet protocol address is associated with the network service;
determine whether to send the packet via a protocol tunnel based on the determined level of service, wherein:
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a core network gateway when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the network service, and
the packet is tunneled via a protocol tunnel that terminates in a home network when the determined level of service indicates that the packet is associated with the local service;

receive at the access point a page request from a local mobility management entity relating to traffic associated with the local service, wherein paging is initiated only at the access point; and
page the access terminal in response to receiving the page request.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the level of service is also associated with an access point name.

19. A method of communication, comprising:
using, at an access terminal, a first non access stratum (NAS) instance to communicate with a first node via a common air interface with an access point;
using, at the access terminal, a second NAS instance to communicate with a second node via the common air interface with the access point;
accessing a first service based on the communication with the first node and accessing a second service based on the communication with the second node,
wherein the first node is

Assignees

• Gupta Rajarshi
• Ulupinar Fatih
• Agashe Parag A
• Tinnakornsrisuphap Peerapol
• Prakash Rajat
• Horn Gavin Bernard
• Giaretta Gerardo
• Ahmavaara Kalle
• Song Osok
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Gupta Rajarshi
• Ulupinar Fatih
• Agashe Parag A
• Tinnakornsrisuphap Peerapol
• Prakash Rajat
• Horn Gavin Bernard
• Giaretta Gerardo
• Ahmavaara Kalle
• Song Osok

Classifications

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04W84/045

  using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B · CPC title

• H04W48/17

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

• H04L12/2876 Primary

  Handling of subscriber policies (group policies management H04L41/0893) · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title