US 7,457,265 B2 · Mobility management entity for high data rate wireless communication networks

Abstract

A session controller provides mobility management support in a 1xEVDO wireless communication network, such as one configured in accordance with the TIA/EIA/IS-856 standard. Operating as a logical network entity, the SC maintains location (e.g., a pointing tag) and session information at an access network controller (ANC) granularity, thus allowing it to track access terminal (AT) transfer between ANCs but within subnet boundaries, where a network subnet comprises one or more ANCs. This allows a packet control function (PCF) to maintain location information at a packet zone granularity, thereby reducing mobility management overhead at the PCF. The SC provides updated tag and session information to PCFs, ANCs, and other SCs as needed. Information exchange with other SCs arises, for example, when two or more SCs cooperate to maintain or transfer routing and session information across subnets.

Claims57

Dependent claims

A wireless communication network comprising:

a packet control function;
a plurality of access network controllers connected to the packet control function for communicating with an access terminal engaged in a communication session;
a session controller having memory for storing session information used by one or more of the access network controllers to communicatively couple the access terminal to the packet control function during the communication session, said session controller including a processor programmed to provide the session information to the access network controllers responsive to session information requests from the access network controllers, and to redirect service requests received by a first access network controller from a packet control function to a second access network controller;
and
wherein, in response to transfer of the access terminal from a first one of the access network controllers to a second one of the access network controllers, the session controller sends the session information stored in the session controller to the second access network controller.

2 more elements

A session controller for use in a wireless communication network including a plurality of access network controllers, the session controller comprising:

memory to store session information associated with an access terminal engaged in a communication session, and routing information indicating which of the plurality of access network controllers is currently identified with the access terminal, wherein the routing information comprises a routing to for each one of the plurality of access network controllers, wherein the session controller sets said routing tag to indicate that a corresponding access network controller is currently identified with the access terminal and clears said routing tag to indicate that a corresponding access network controller is not currently identified with the access terminal;
a processor programmed to provide the session information to the access network controllers responsive to session information requests from the access network controllers, and to redirect service requests received by a first access network controller from a packet control function to a second access network and
wherein the session controller updates the routing information in response to the transfer of the access terminal from the first access network controller to the second access network controller.

A method of mobility management in a wireless communication network having a plurality of access network controllers and a packet control function communicatively connected to the plurality of access network controllers, the method comprising:

storing session information associated with an access terminal in a session controller that is communicatively connected to the plurality of access network controllers;
and
storing routing information in the session controller indicating which of the plurality of access network controllers is currently identified with the access terminal by the session controller, wherein the routing information comprises a routing tag for each one of the plurality of access network controllers, and wherein the session controller sets the routing tag to indicate that a corresponding access network controller is currently identified with the access terminal and clears the routing tag to indicate that the corresponding access network controller is not identified with the access terminal;
receiving a session information request by the session controller from one of the access network controllers;
sending the session information stored in the session controller to the requesting access network controller;
redirecting a service request received by a first access network controller from a packet control function to a second access network controller;
and
updating the routing information in response to a transfer of the access terminal from a first access network controller to the second access network controller.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobility management entity for high data rate wireless communication networks

Life of this patent

Mobility management entity for high data rate wireless communication networks

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims57