Method in a network node of a wireless communications network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9986496-B2
Application number	US-201013877202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2010
Priority date	Oct 13, 2010
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A method and network node for selecting a most suitable gateway for a User Equipment (UE) located in a wireless communications network. The network includes the network node and at least two gateways configured to provide packet data network connectivity to the UE located within a served cell. The network node detects a presence of a local gateway among the gateways and obtains UE information including a type of the UE. The UE type is either a stationary/fixed type or a mobile type, and the UE type is determined based on UE mobility behavior in relation to a local gateway service area. The network node selects the detected local gateway or another gateway among the at least two gateways for providing packet data network connectivity to the UE based on the determined UE type.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method in a network node for selecting a gateway for a user equipment in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising the network node and at least two gateways configured to provide packet data network connectivity to the user equipment located within a served cell, the method comprising:
detecting a presence of a local gateway, serving a local gateway service area, among the at least two gateways;
obtaining user equipment information comprising a type of the user equipment, the type of the user equipment being one of a stationary type or a mobile type, and wherein the type of the user equipment is determined based on user equipment mobility behavior in relation to the local gateway service area; and
selecting from among the at least two gateways, the detected local gateway when the UE is determined to be the stationary type, or selecting a global gateway when the UE is determined to be the mobile type, for providing packet data network connectivity to the user equipment.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtained user equipment information also includes a service type requested by the user equipment, and wherein the selecting is based on both the determined type of the user equipment and on the service type requested by the user equipment.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the selecting step also includes selecting the local gateway or another gateway based on user equipment information comprising user equipment actual location in the wireless communications network.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the user equipment information from the user equipment.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the user equipment information from a Home Location Register, HLR, or from a Home Subscriber Server, HSS, where the user equipment information is stored.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting step is performed by receiving address information for the local gateway via, or directly from, one or more of the following nodes: a radio access node; a eNodeB; a Radio Network Controller, RNC; a Mobility Management Entity, MME; and a Serving GPRS Support Node, SGSN.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtaining step also includes obtaining information indicating a capability of the local gateway, and wherein the selecting step also includes selecting the local gateway or another gateway based on the obtained information indicating the capability of the local gateway.

8. A network node for selecting a gateway for a user equipment in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising the network node and at least two gateways configured to provide packet data network connectivity to the user equipment located within a served cell, wherein the network node comprises:
a detecting circuit configured to detect a presence of a local gateway, serving a local gateway service area, among the at least two gateways;
an obtaining circuit configured to obtain user equipment information including a type of the user equipment, the type of the user equipment being one of a stationary type or a mobile type, and wherein the type of the user equipment is determined based on user equipment mobility behavior in relation to the local gateway service area; and
a selecting circuit configured to select among the at least two gateways, the detected local gateway when the UE is determined to be the stationary type, or a global gateway when the UE is determined to be the mobile type, for providing packet data network connectivity to the user equipment.

9. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the local gateway is located in a radio access network and the other gateway is a global gateway located in a mobile core network.

10. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the mobility behavior includes information about user equipment movement between cells in the wireless communications network.

11. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the local gateway service area is predefined to include one or more of the following: a Radio Base Station; an eNodeB; and a Radio Network Controller, RNC, to be served by the local gateway.

12. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the local gateway includes at least partial functionality of a serving gateway and a packet data network gateway.

13. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the obtained user equipment information indicating the type of the user equipment is received at the network node as part of user equipment data when a user equipment context is created.

14. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the obtained user equipment information indicating the type of the user equipment is received at the network node as part of an attach message sent from the user equipment.

15. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the obtaining circuit is further configured to obtain the user equipment information from a storing unit located in one or more of the following: the user equipment, a Mobility Management Entity, MME; a Home Location Register, HLR; a Home Subscriber Server, HSS; a Serving GPRS Support Node, SGSN; a Radio Network Controller, RNC; and an eNodeB.

16. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the network node is a Mobility Management Entity, MME.

Assignees

• Nylander Tomas
• Vikberg Jari
• Hedberg Tomas
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Nylander Tomas
• Vikberg Jari
• Hedberg Tomas

Classifications

• H04W48/17 Primary

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

• H04W28/0226

  based on location or mobility (handoff or reselection H04W36/00; mobile application services making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02) · CPC title

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title