US 7,103,662 B2Granted

System and method for improved session management in a data cellular network

AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)

InventorsDipankar Ray, Sonal Pauddar, Pankaj Pobaru, John Curtin

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Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for improved session management when roaming between access networks (AN) within a data cellular network. In one embodiment, gateway functionality is added to one AN in each subnet. The Gateway AN (GAN) provides session transfer capabilities during a dormant handoff with a source AN located in a different subnet. The GAN is responsible for receiving session information request messages from target AN's within the local subnet, querying other GANs within other subnets to locate the subnet that contains the source AN for the session and routing the session information back to the target ANs. In another embodiment, an extended session is established across several ANs within a subnet. When an Access Terminal (AT) initiates a new extended session, the responsible AN negotiates a common session across the ANs covered by the extended session area. During the session negotiation, each AN establishes a new session and allocates a new Unicast Access Terminal Identifier (UATI). Each AN is notified of each UATI allocated for the extended session. Once the negotiation between ANs is completed, the AT can roam anywhere within the extended session area without re-negotiating the session or transferring session information.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A telecommunications system for improved session management within a data cellular network, comprising:

a gateway one of a plurality of access networks, each of the plurality of access networks being capable of being in wireless communication with a plurality of access terminals to provide data connectivity between a packet switched data network and the plurality of access terminals during respective data sessions associated with the plurality of access terminals, said gateway access network serving a first subnet of the plurality of access networks and further comprising:
means for receiving a session information request message from a target one of the plurality of access networks within the first subnet, the session information request message being sent to complete a dormant handoff of an ongoing one of the data sessions to the target access network;
means for determining a second subnet that contains a source one of the plurality of access networks associated with the ongoing data session;
and
means for routing session information associated with the ongoing data session from the source access network to the target access network;
wherein the session information request message includes location data associated with the source access network, and wherein said means for determining further comprises:
means for identifying an additional gateway access network within the second subnet based on the location data;
and,
wherein said means for identifying further comprises:
means for associating subnet geographical areas and gateway access network identities;
and
means for mapping the location data to one of the subnet geographical areas.

9 more elements

A method for improved session management within a data cellular network having a plurality of access networks, each of the plurality of access networks being capable of being in wireless communication with a plurality of access terminals to provide data connectivity between a packet switched data network and the plurality of access terminals during respective data sessions associated with the plurality of access terminals, said comprising the steps of:

receiving a session information request message at a gateway one of the plurality of access networks serving a first subnet of the plurality of access networks from a target one of the plurality of access networks within the first subnet, the session information request message being sent to complete a dormant handoff of an ongoing one of the data sessions to the target access network;
determining a second subnet that contains a source one of the plurality of access networks associated with the ongoing data session;
and
routing session information associated with the ongoing data session from the source access network to the target access network;
wherein the session information request message includes location data associated with the source access network, and wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of:
identifying an additional gateway access network within the second subnet based on the location data;
and,
wherein said step of identifying further comprises the steps of:
associating subnet geographical areas and gateway access network identities;
and
mapping the location data to one of the subnet geographical areas.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/051,435Filed 16 Jan 2002
Published: US 2003/0135626 A117 Jul 2003
Granted: 5 Sep 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04W 36/0066
Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link: of control information between different types of networks in order to…
H04W 28/18
Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]:…
H04W 8/00
Network data management
H04W 8/26
Network data management: network addressing or numbering for mobility support