System and method for providing small cell gateway redundancy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9948548-B2
Application number	US-201514838139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Aug 27, 2015
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

An example method is provided and may include steps of configuring a HeNB with plurality of global eNode B identities (global eNB IDs), where each global eNB ID is associated with one of a plurality of HeNB gateways (HeNB-GWs), and broadcasting a first global eNB ID by the HeNB when the HeNB is served by a first HeNB-GW. When/if the HeNB loses connectivity with the first HeNB-GW, the method provides a step of switching the broadcasting from the first global eNB ID to a second global eNB ID and re-parenting the HeNB, now broadcasting or is configured to start/continue broadcasting the second global eNB ID, from being served by the first HeNB-GW to being served by a second HeNB-GW.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
configuring a Home eNode B (HeNB) with plurality of global eNode B identities (global eNB IDs), wherein each global eNB ID is associated with one of a plurality of HeNB gateways (HeNB-GWs);
broadcasting a first global eNB ID by the HeNB when the HeNB is served by a first HeNB-GW;
receiving, by a mobility management entity (MME), a downlink packet notification for a user equipment (UE);
routing the downlink packet for the UE to the first HeNB-GW using the first global eNB ID when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW;
switching the broadcasting from the first global eNB ID to a second global eNB ID and re-parenting the HeNB, from being served by the first HeNB-GW to being served by a second HeNB-GW, when the HeNB loses connectivity with the first HeNB-GW; and
routing the downlink packet for the UE to the second HeNB-GW using the second global eNB ID when the HeNB is served by the second HeNB-GW.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selecting, when the HeNB loses connectivity with the first HeNB-GW and prior to the re-parenting, the second HeNB-GW from the plurality of HeNB gateways based on a weight factor.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a tracking area identity (TAI) of the HeNB when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW is the same as the TAI of the HeNB when the HeNB is served by the second HeNB-GW.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein re-parenting the HeNB from being served by the first HeNB-GW to being served by the second HeNB-GW comprises the HeNB sending to the second HeNB-GW a setup request comprising the second global eNB ID.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW, the first HeNB-GW is an active HeNB-GW and the second HeNB-GW is a standby HeNB-GW.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein both the first HeNB-GW and the second HeNB-GW are active HeNB-GWs when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW.

7. One or more non-transitory tangible media encoding logic that include instructions for execution that, when executed by a processor, are operable to perform operations comprising:
configuring a Home eNode B (HeNB) with plurality of global eNode B identities (global eNB IDs), wherein each global eNB ID is associated with one of a plurality of HeNB gateways (HeNB-GWs);
broadcasting a first global eNB ID by the HeNB when the HeNB is served by a first HeNB-GW;
receiving, by an MME, a downlink packet notification for a UE;
routing the downlink packet for the UE to the first HeNB-GW using the first global eNB ID when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW;
switching the broadcasting from the first global eNB ID to a second global eNB ID and re-parenting the HeNB, from being served by the first HeNB-GW to being served by a second HeNB-GW, when the HeNB loses connectivity with the first HeNB-GW; and
routing the downlink packet for the UE to the second HeNB-GW using the second global eNB ID when the HeNB is served by the second HeNB-GW.

8. The media according to claim 7 , the operations further comprising selecting, when the HeNB loses connectivity with the first HeNB-GW and prior to the re-parenting, the second HeNB-GW from the plurality of HeNB gateways based on a weight factor.

9. The media according to claim 7 , wherein a tracking area identity (TAI) of the HeNB when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW is the same as the TAI of the HeNB when the HeNB is served by the second HeNB-GW.

10. The media according to claim 7 , wherein re-parenting the HeNB from being served by the first HeNB-GW to being served by the second HeNB-GW comprises the HeNB sending to the second HeNB-GW a setup request comprising the second global eNB ID.

11. The media according to claim 7 , the operations further comprising communicating the plurality of global eNB IDs to a user equipment (UE) when the UE attaches to the HeNB.

12. The media according to claim 7 , wherein, when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW, the first HeNB-GW is an active HeNB-GW and the second HeNB-GW is a standby HeNB-GW.

13. The media according to claim 7 , wherein both the first HeNB-GW and the second HeNB-GW are active HeNB-GWs when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW.

14. An apparatus, comprising:
a Home eNode B (HeNB);
at least one memory element configured to store computer executable instructions, and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory element and configured, when executing the instructions, to:
configure the HeNB with plurality of global eNode B identities (global eNB IDs), wherein each global eNB ID is associated with one of a plurality of HeNB gateways (HeNB-GWs);
broadcast a first global eNB ID by the HeNB when the HeNB is served by a first HeNB-GW;
receive, by an MME, a downlink packet notification for a UE;
route the downlink packet for the UE to the first HeNB-GW using the first global eNB ID when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW;
switch the broadcast from the first global eNB ID to a second global eNB ID and re-parent the HeNB, from being served by the first HeNB-GW to being served by a second HeNB-GW, when the HeNB loses connectivity with the first HeNB-GW; and
route the downlink packet for the UE to the second HeNB-GW using the second global eNB ID when the HeNB is served by the second HeNB-GW.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select, when the HeNB loses connectivity with the first HeNB-GW and prior to the re-parenting, the second HeNB-GW from the plurality of HeNB gateways based on a weight factor.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein a tracking area identity (TAI) of the HeNB when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW is the same as the TAI of the HeNB when the HeNB is served by the second HeNB-GW.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein re-parenting the HeNB from being served by the first HeNB-GW to being served by the second HeNB-GW comprises the HeNB sending to the second HeNB a setup request comprising the second global eNB ID.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein, when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW, the first HeNB-GW is an active HeNB-GW and the second HeNB-GW is a standby HeNB-GW.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein both the first HeNB-GW and the second HeNB-GW are active HeNB-GWs when the HeNB is served by the first HeNB-GW.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Gandhi Indermeet Singh

Classifications

• H04W84/045

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

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04L45/28 Primary

  using route fault recovery · CPC title

• H04L45/22

  Alternate routing · CPC title