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US 10,257,078 B2Granted
Interworking with legacy radio access technologies for connectivity to next generation core network
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsStefano Faccin, Haris Zisimopoulos, Gavin Bernard Horn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects of the disclosure relate to mechanisms for interworking between legacy and next generation core networks in a communication network. In some examples, a connectivity request originated by a user equipment towards a legacy core network may be transferred to a next generation core network when the user equipment supports the radio access technology of the next generation core network.
Claims51
A method for interworking between core networks in a communication network, comprising:
- receiving, at a first core network, a connectivity request comprising a request for initial connectivity to the first core network from a user equipment via a wireless access network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT) supported by the wireless access network and the first core network, the first RAT providing connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
- determining that the user equipment supports a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is different than the first RAT;
- selecting an interworking core network serving node configured to interwork between the first core network and a second core network supporting the second RAT, the second RAT providing connectivity to the one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows, wherein the second core network is different than the first core network;
- and
- transferring the connectivity request to the interworking core network serving node to establish and relocate connectivity of the user equipment to the second core network so that after relocation of the user equipment to the second core network, the user equipment is configured for connection to the second core network via the wireless access network, wherein transferring the connectivity request further comprises redirecting the connectivity request from the first core network to the interworking core network serving node via the wireless access network and an interworking serving gateway.
2 more elements
A core network serving node within a first core network, comprising:
- an interface communicatively coupled to a wireless access network via the first core network, the wireless access network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT) supported by the first core network;
- a memory;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the interface and the memory, the processor configured to:
- receive a connectivity request comprising a request for initial connectivity to the first core network from a user equipment via the wireless access network utilizing the first RAT, the first RAT providing connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
- determine that the user equipment supports a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is different than the first RAT;
- select an interworking core network serving node configured to interwork between the first core network and a second core network supporting the second RAT, the second RAT providing connectivity to the one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows, wherein the second core network is different than the first core network;
- and
- redirect the connectivity request from the first core network to the interworking core network serving node via the wireless access network and an interworking serving gateway to establish and relocate connectivity of the user equipment to the second core network so that after relocation of the user equipment to the second core network, the user equipment is configured for connection to the second core network via the wireless access network.
6 more elements
A core network serving node apparatus in a communication network, comprising:
- means for receiving a connectivity request comprising a request for initial connectivity to a first core network from a user equipment at the first core network via a wireless access network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT) supported by wireless access network and the first core network, the first RAT providing connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
- means for determining that the user equipment supports a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is different than the first RAT;
- means for selecting an interworking core network serving node configured to interwork between the first core network and a second core network supporting the second RAT, the second RAT providing connectivity to the one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows, wherein the second core network is different than the first core network;
- and
- means for transferring the connectivity request to the interworking core network serving node to establish and relocate connectivity of the user equipment to the second core network so that after relocation of the user equipment to the second core network, the user equipment is configured for connection to the second core network via the wireless access network, wherein the means for transferring the connectivity request further comprises means for redirecting the connectivity request from the first core network to the interworking core network serving node via the wireless access network and an interworking serving gateway.
2 more elements
A method for interworking between core networks in a communication network, comprising:
- receiving a connectivity request comprising a request for initial connectivity to a first core network from a user equipment at an interworking core network serving node for interworking between the first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, wherein the first RAT is different than the second RAT and the first core network is different than the second core network, the first RAT providing connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections, the second RAT providing connectivity to the one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows, the connectivity request originated by the user equipment towards the first core network through a wireless access network utilizing the first RAT, wherein receiving the connectivity request comprises receiving the connectivity request redirected from the first core network to the interworking core network serving node via the wireless access network and an interworking serving gateway, the interworking serving gateway further configured to provide interworking between the first core network and the second core network;
- processing the connectivity request based on at least an indication that the user equipment supports the second RAT;
- and
- establishing connectivity between the user equipment and the second core network via the wireless access network upon successfully processing the connectivity request.
1 more element
An interworking core network serving node for interworking between a first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, wherein the first RAT is different than the second RAT and the first core network is different than the second core network, the interworking core network serving node comprising:
- an interface coupled to a wireless access network that utilizes the first RAT;
- a memory;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the interface and the memory, the processor configured to:
- receive a connectivity request comprising a request for initial connectivity to the first core network originated from a user equipment towards the first core network through the wireless access network utilizing the first RAT, the first RAT providing connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections, the second RAT providing connectivity to the one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows, wherein the connectivity request is redirected from the first core network to the interworking core network serving node via the wireless access network and an interworking serving gateway, the interworking serving gateway further configured to provide interworking between the first core network and the second core network;
- process the connectivity request based on at least an indication that the user equipment supports the second RAT;
- and
- establish connectivity between the user equipment and the second core network via the wireless access network upon successfully processing the connectivity request.
5 more elements
An interworking core network serving node apparatus for interworking between a first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, wherein the first RAT is different than the second RAT and the first core network is different than the second core network, the interworking core network serving node apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving a connectivity request comprising a request for initial connectivity to the first core network originated from a user equipment towards the first core network through a wireless access network utilizing the first RAT, the first RAT providing connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections, the second RAT providing connectivity to the one or more data networks via second core network via based on at least or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows, wherein the means for receiving the connectivity request comprises means for receiving the connectivity request redirected from the first core network to the interworking core network serving node via the wireless access network and an interworking serving gateway, the interworking serving gateway further configured to provide interworking between the first core network and the second core network;
- means for processing the connectivity request based on at least an indication that the user equipment supports the second RAT;
- and
- means for establishing connectivity between the user equipment and the second core network via the wireless access network upon successfully processing the connectivity request.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.