Method, access control node and domain name server in a wireless communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9788294-B2
Application number	US-201013496730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2010
Priority date	Oct 30, 2009
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A method in a access control node for selecting of a local gateway co-located with or near a home node is provided. The access control node receives ( 201 ) a connectivity request from a user equipment. The user equipment requests a local or remote connection to the home node. The access control node obtains ( 202 ) an access point name of the home node. The access control node selects the local gateway co-located with or near the home node by the action of sending ( 203 ) a domain name system query to a home node gateway associated with the home node, by addressing a domain name system server. The query comprises a request for an IP address of the local gateway that is associated with the obtained access point name. The access control node selects the local gateway co-located with or near the home node by the further action of receiving ( 204 ) a response from the domain name system server. The response comprising the requested IP address of the local gateway.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method in an access control node for selecting of a local gateway co-located with or near a home node, the method comprising:
receiving a connectivity request from a user equipment, the user equipment requesting a local or remote connection to the home node;
obtaining an access point name of the home node, wherein the access point name comprises a cell identifier; and
selecting the local gateway co-located with or near the home node by performing operations comprising:
sending a domain name system query that is based on the cell identifier comprised in the obtained access point name, to a home node gateway associated with the home node, by addressing a domain name system server; and
receiving a response from the domain name system server, the response comprising an IP address of the local gateway.

2. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying the home node gateway for sending the domain name system query in response to an identifier of the home node gateway that is comprised in the connectivity request; and
adding the identifier of the home node gateway to the domain name system query.

3. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the access point name from the received connectivity request.

4. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the access point name in response to a default access point name.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the cell identifier is a service area identity, an Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network cell identity, or an extended radio network controller identity.

6. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising adding user information or location information to the access point name.

7. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying the home node using the cell identifier, wherein the cell identifier comprises a home node identifier or the identifier of a closed subscriber group.

8. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the cell identifier using information available in an S1/Iu message carrying a non access stratum command to setup the new Local IP Access or Selective IP Traffic Offload connection.

9. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining from the access point name whether Local IP Access or Selective IP Traffic Offload shall be used for the connection to the home node.

10. Method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
using the determined Local IP Access or Selective IP Traffic Offload for the connection to the home node; and
performing one of:
adding to the domain name system query an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network cell global identity or a home node identifier, and an identifier of the home node gateway; and
sending as parameters to the domain name system server an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network cell global identity or a home node identifier, and an identifier of the home node gateway.

11. Method according to claim 1 , wherein remote access is to be applied, and wherein the access point name comprises a closed subscriber group identifier and wherein the closed subscriber group identifier is added to the domain name system query.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
obtaining the access point name comprises obtaining, via the access control node, the access point name of the home node, wherein the access point name further comprises an indication as to whether Selective IP Traffic Offload or Local IP Access should be used for the connection to the home node;
the method further comprises determining from the access point name that the Selective IP Traffic Offload shall be used for the connection to the home node;
sending the domain name system query comprises sending, in the domain name system query, via the access control node, a cell global identity that is included in the access point name, wherein the response to the domain name system query is based on a lookup by the domain name system server of an association between the IP address of the local gateway and the cell global identity; and
the method further comprises using the Selective IP Traffic Offload for the connection to the home node.

13. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein the access control node comprises a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and/or Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN); and
wherein sending the domain name system query further comprises:
sending, in the domain name system query, via the MME and/or SGSN, a request for the IP address of the local gateway.

14. A method in a domain name system server for enabling selection of a local gateway for a user equipment, which local gateway is co-located with or near a home node serving the user equipment, the method comprising:
receiving from an access control node, a domain name system query to a home node gateway associated with the home node that is associated with an access point name, wherein the access point name comprises a cell identifier, and wherein the domain name system query is based on the cell identifier comprised in the access point name;
obtaining from the home node gateway, an IP address of the local gateway that is associated with the access point name; and
sending a response to the access control node, the response comprising the IP address of the local gateway, which IP address of the local gateway enables the access control node to select the local gateway.

15. Method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
forwarding the received domain name system query to the home node gateway corresponding to the user equipment; and
obtaining the IP address of the local gateway being associated with the access point name from the home node gateway answering the domain name system query.

16. Method according to claim 14 , wherein an identifier of the home node gateway is comprised in the domain name system query received from the access control node, and further comprising using the identifier of the home node gateway to identify the home node gateway for forwarding the domain name system query to it.

17. Method according to claim 14 , wherein obtaining the IP address of the local gateway that is associated with the access point name comprises receiving the IP address from the home node gateway before the domain name system query is received from the access control node.

18. Method according to claim 14 , wherein Local IP Access or Selective IP Traffic Offload is to be applied, and wherein an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network cell global identity or a home node identifier, and an identifier of the home node gateway is comprised in the domain name system query, or is received as parameters from the access control node.

19. An access control node for selecting of a local gateway co-located with or near a home node, the access control node comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a connectivity request from a user equipment, the user equipment requesting a local or remote connection to the home node;
an obtaining unit configured to obtain an access point name of the home node, wherein the access point name comprises a cell identifier; and
a sending unit configured to send a domain name system query that is based on the cell identifier comprised in the obtained access point name, to a home node gateway associated with the home node, by addressing a domain name system server, and
wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a response from the domain name system server, the response comprising an IP address of the local gateway.

Assignees

• Miklós György
• Rune Johan
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Miklós György
• Rune Johan

Classifications

• H04W84/045

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

• H04L61/1511

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L29/12735

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L29/12066

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L61/3075

  Electricity · mapped topic