Network elements, integrated circuits and methods for routing control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9887909-B2
Application number	US-201013391576-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2010
Priority date	Aug 21, 2009
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A method for identifying whether a selective internet protocol transport opportunity (SIPTO) route is allowed to be used by at least one wireless communication unit comprises, at a core network element: storing subscription profile data associated with the at least one wireless communication unit in a home subscriber server (HSS) database, where the subscription profile data comprises an indication of whether the wireless communication unit has access rights to use a SIPTO route, and generating a SIPTO indicator for informing at least one network element that the at least one wireless communication unit is allowed to use the SIPTO route.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method by a core network element in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
acquiring, from a home subscriber server (HSS), subscription information indicating whether a selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) is allowed for a user equipment;
obtaining information on access point name (APN);
identifying whether the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment based on the subscription information and the information on the APN for a packet data network (PDN); and
providing a SIPTO service to the user equipment if the SIPTO is allowed,
wherein internet protocol (IP) traffic for the SIPTO service is transmitted to the user equipment without a user plane traversing a network operator's network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subscription information for the user equipment includes a field indicating whether the SIPTO is allowed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a packet for the user equipment is transferred either by passing through a PDN gateway or without passing through the PDN gateway, if the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment, selecting a PDN gateway for allocating internet protocol (IP) address for the user equipment based on location information of the user equipment.

5. A core network element in a wireless communication network, the core network element comprising:
a processor;
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and
a bus operatively connecting the processor and the transceiver,
wherein the processor is configured to execute a signal processing module arranged to:
acquire, from a home subscriber server (HSS), subscription information indicating whether a selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) is allowed for a user equipment,
obtain information on access point name (APN),
identify whether the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment based on the subscription information and the information on APN for a packet data network (PDN), and
provide a SIPTO service to the user equipment if the SIPTO is allowed, and

wherein internet protocol (IP) traffic for the SIPTO service is transmitted to the user equipment without a user plane traversing a network operator's network.

6. The core network element of claim 5 , wherein the subscription information for the user equipment includes a field indicating whether the SIPTO is allowed.

7. The core network element of claim 5 , wherein a packet for the user equipment is transferred either by passing through a PDN gateway or without passing through the PDN gateway, if the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment.

8. A method by a core network element, the method comprising:
acquiring subscription information indicating whether a selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) is allowed for a user equipment; and
providing the acquired subscription information to a mobility management entity (MME),
wherein whether the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment is identified based on the subscription information and information on access point name (APN) for a packet data network (PDN), and
wherein internet protocol (IP) traffic for the SIPTO is transmitted to the user equipment without a user plane traversing a network operator's network, if the SIPTO is allowed.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a packet for the user equipment is transferred either by passing through a PDN gateway or without passing through the PDN gateway, if the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
if the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment, a PDN gateway for allocating internet protocol (IP) address for the user equipment is selected based on location information of the user equipment.

11. A core network element in a wireless communication network, the core network element comprising:
a processor;
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and
a bus operatively connecting the processor and the transceiver,
wherein the processor is configured to execute a signal processing module arranged to:
acquire subscription information indicating whether a selected internet protocol traffic offload (SIPTO) is allowed for a user equipment, and
provide the acquired subscription information to a mobility management entity (MME),

wherein whether the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment is identified based on the subscription information and information on access point name (APN) for a packet data network (PDN), and
wherein internet protocol (IP) traffic for the SIPTO is transmitted to the user equipment without a user plane traversing a network operator's network, if the SIPTO is allowed.

12. The core network element of claim 11 , wherein a packet for the user equipment is transferred either by passing through a PDN gateway or without passing through the PDN gateway, if the SIPTO is allowed for the user equipment.

Assignees

• Guttman Erik
• Zisimopoulos Haris
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Guttman Erik
• Zisimopoulos Haris

Classifications

• H04L12/56

  Packet switching systems · CPC title

• H04L41/0213

  Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP] · CPC title

• H04L45/24 Primary

  Multipath · CPC title

• H04W40/02

  Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing · CPC title

• H04L47/10

  Flow control; Congestion control · CPC title