# US 2018/0324101 A1 · System and method for low-overhead interoperability between 4g and 5g networks

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- Number: US 2018/0324101 A1
- Document ID: US20180324101A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/040,296
- Filed: 2018-07-19
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-23
- Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
- Applicants: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
- Inventors: Jignesh S. Panchal
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324101A1

## CPC

- H04L 47/2475: for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
- H04W 28/0268: {using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24)}
- H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels
- H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections
- H04W 76/16: Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
- H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals
- H04W 92/12: between access points and access point controllers
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Techniques described herein may allow for the seamless and efficient use of multiple radio access technologies (“RATs”), such as 4G and 5G RATs. A virtualized base station may be used, which processes traffic sent to and/or received from a user equipment (“UE”) via 4G and 5G RATs. The virtualized base station may include separate protocol stacks for the separate RATs. One RAT may be the “master” RAT, and the protocol stack for the master RAT may communicate with a core network via a General Packet Radio (“GPRS”) Tunneling Protocol (“GTP”) tunnel. In the downlink direction, the virtual base station may determine via which RAT traffic, received from the core network, should be sent to the UE by identifying quality of service class indicators (“QCIs”) associated with the downlink traffic.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions; and
one or more processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions causes the one or more processors to:
receive a first set of media access control (“MAC”) protocol data units (“PDUs”) from a set of radio equipment associated with a wireless telecommunications network, the first set of MAC PDUs corresponding to traffic received by the set of radio equipment from a UE via a first radio access technology (“RAT”);
receive a second set of MAC PDUs from the set of radio equipment associated with the wireless telecommunications network, the second set of MAC PDUs corresponding to traffic received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via a second RAT;
generate General Packet Radio (“GPRS”) Tunneling Protocol (“GTP”) PDUs based on the first set of MAC PDUs and the second set of MAC PDUs; and
forward the generated GTP PDUs to a core network of the wireless telecommunications network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the core network of the wireless telecommunications network includes an Evolved Packet Core (“EPC”).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the traffic is first traffic associated with a first application,
wherein executing the processor-executable instructions, to forward the GTP PDUs to the core network, further causes the one or more processors to provide the GTP PDUs via a first GTP tunnel,
wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the one or more processors to:
receive second traffic, associated with a second application, from the set of radio equipment associated with the wireless telecommunications network, the second traffic having been received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via the second RAT; and
provide the second traffic to the core network via a second GTP tunnel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the device processes the first and second MAC PDUs in lieu of an evolved Node B.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising distinct first and second protocol stacks that are associated with the first and second RATs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5,
wherein the first protocol stack is configured to:
generate a first set of radio link control (“RLC”) PDUs based on the first set of MAC PDUs;
generate a first set of Packet Data Convergence Protocol (“PDCP”) PDUs based on the first set of RLC PDUs; and
generate a first set of GTP PDUs based on the first set of PDCP PDUs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the second protocol stack is configured to:
generate a second set of RLC PDUs based on the second set of MAC PDUs; and
output the second set of RLC PDUs to the first protocol stack.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the first protocol stack is further configured to:
receive the second set of RLC PDUs from the first protocol stack;
generate a second set of PDCP PDUs based on the received second set of RLC PDUs; and
generate a second set of GTP PDUs based on the second set of PDCP PDUs,
wherein forwarding the generated GTP PDUs to the core network includes forwarding the generated first and second sets of GTP PDUs to the core network.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the first set of GTP PDUs are associated with a first quality of service class identifier (“QCI”), and wherein the second set of GTP PDUs are associated with a second QCI that is different from the first QCI.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the one or more processors to:
establish first and second GTP tunnels with the core network; and
when forwarding the generated GTP PDUs to the core network:
forward first GTP PDUs, that are based on traffic received from the UE via the first RAT, via the first GTP tunnel; and
forward second GTP PDUs, that are based on traffic received from the UE via the second RAT, via the second GTP tunnel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the one or more processors to:
receive GTP PDUs, destined for the UE, from the core network;
identify a quality of service class indicator (“QCI”) associated with each of the GTP PDUs received from the core network;
process GTP PDUs, that have been identified as being associated with a first QCI, via a first protocol stack that is associated with the first RAT; and
process GTP PDUs, that have been identified as being associated with a second QCI, via a second protocol stack that is associated with the second RAT.

### Claim 12

A method, comprising:
receiving, by a virtualized base station, a first set of media access control (“MAC”) protocol data units (“PDUs”) from a set of radio equipment associated with a wireless telecommunications network, the first set of MAC PDUs corresponding to traffic received by the set of radio equipment from a UE via a first radio access technology (“RAT”);
receiving, by the virtualized base station, a second set of MAC PDUs from the set of radio equipment associated with the wireless telecommunications network, the second set of MAC PDUs corresponding to traffic received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via a second RAT;
generating, by the virtualized base station, General Packet Radio (“GPRS”) Tunneling Protocol (“GTP”) PDUs based on the first set of MAC PDUs and the second set of MAC PDUs; and
forwarding, by the virtualized base station, the generated GTP PDUs to a core network of the wireless telecommunications network.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the traffic is first traffic associated with a first application, the method further comprising:
receiving second traffic, associated with a second application, from the set of radio equipment associated with a wireless telecommunications network, the second traffic having been received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via the first RAT;
receiving third traffic, associated with a third application, from the set of radio equipment associated with a wireless telecommunications network, the third traffic having been received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via the second RAT;
providing the second traffic to the core network via a first GTP tunnel; and
providing the third traffic to the core network via a second GTP tunnel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the virtualized base station processes the first and second MAC PDUs in lieu of an evolved Node B.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the virtualized base station implements distinct first and second protocol stacks that are associated with the first and second RATs,
wherein implementing the first protocol stack includes:
generating a first set of radio link control (“RLC”) PDUs based on the first set of MAC PDUs;
generating a first set of Packet Data Convergence Protocol (“PDCP”) PDUs based on the first set of RLC PDUs; and
generating a first set of GTP PDUs based on the first set of PDCP PDUs;
wherein implementing the second protocol stack includes:
generating a second set of RLC PDUs based on the second set of MAC PDUs; and
outputting the second set of RLC PDUs to the first protocol stack;
wherein implementing the first protocol stack further includes:
receiving the second set of RLC PDUs from the first protocol stack;
generating a second set of PDCP PDUs based on the received second set of RLC PDUs; and
generating a second set of GTP PDUs based on the second set of PDCP PDUs,
wherein forwarding the generated GTP PDUs to the core network includes forwarding the generated first and second sets of GTP PDUs to the core network.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the first set of GTP PDUs are associated with a first quality of service class identifier (“QCI”), and wherein the second set of GTP PDUs are associated with a second QCI that is different from the first QCI.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
establishing first and second GTP tunnels with the core network; and
when forwarding the generated GTP PDUs to the core network:
forwarding first GTP PDUs, that are based on traffic received from the UE via the first RAT, via the first GTP tunnel; and
forwarding second GTP PDUs, that are based on traffic received from the UE via the second RAT, via the second GTP tunnel.

### Claim 18

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to:
receive a first set of media access control (“MAC”) protocol data units (“PDUs”) from a set of radio equipment associated with a wireless telecommunications network, the first set of MAC PDUs corresponding to traffic received by the set of radio equipment from a UE via a first radio access technology (“RAT”);
receive a second set of MAC PDUs from the set of radio equipment associated with the wireless telecommunications network, the second set of MAC PDUs corresponding to traffic received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via a second RAT;
generate General Packet Radio (“GPRS”) Tunneling Protocol (“GTP”) PDUs based on the first set of MAC PDUs and the second set of MAC PDUs; and
forward the generated GTP PDUs to a core network of the wireless telecommunications network.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the traffic is first traffic associated with a first application, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the one or more processors to:
receive second traffic, associated with a second application, from the set of radio equipment associated with a wireless telecommunications network, the second traffic having been received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via the first RAT;
receive third traffic, associated with a third application, from the set of radio equipment associated with a wireless telecommunications network, the third traffic having been received by the set of radio equipment from the UE via the second RAT;
provide the second traffic to the core network via a first GTP tunnel; and
provide the third traffic to the core network via a second GTP tunnel.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the one or more processors to:
receive GTP PDUs from the core network;
identify a quality of service class indicator (“QCI”) associated with each of the GTP PDUs received from the core network;
process GTP PDUs, that have been identified as being associated with a first QCI, via a first protocol stack that is associated with the first RAT; and
process GTP PDUs, that have been identified as being associated with a second QCI, via a second protocol stack that is associated with the second RAT.