US 7,626,971 B2 · Mobile communication system and method of controlling operation thereof

Abstract

By separating a function responsible for a control plane and a function responsible for a user plane into physically independent devices, a radio access network system, in which expandability and flexibility of a network is enhanced, is obtained. In the radio access network (RAN) system, the RAN is so designed that a server responsible for the control plane (CPS) and a server responsible for the user plane (UPS) are physically separated from each other. In response to an external request, a logical connection is set between the CPS and the UPS. For identification of the logical connection, mapping between a mobile unit or a radio bearer and the logical connection is managed using a logical connection ID. Thus, the CPS and UPS can independently be added or removed in a system configuration, thus enhancing the scalability of a mobile communication system.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A mobile communication system which includes a mobile unit, a radio base station apparatus, and a radio network controller,

the radio network controller comprises:
user plane controlling means for carrying user data in relation to the mobile unit;
and
control plane controlling means for controlling signaling, the control plane controlling means being physically separated from the user plane controlling means, and
in response to an external request, setting of a logical connection is controlled between the control plane controlling means and the user plane controlling means by using a logical connection identifier to indicate the logical connection among a logical connection group,
wherein the logical connection controlled between the control plane controlling means and the user plane controlling means is further providing a direct connection between a transport network layer and a radio network layer in the mobile communication system.

3 more elements

A method of controlling operation in a mobile communication system which includes user plane controlling means for carrying user data in relation to a mobile unit and control plane controlling means for controlling signaling, the control plane controlling means being physically separated from the user plane controlling means, the method comprising:

a step of setting and controlling a logical connection between the control plane controlling means and the user plane controlling means by using a logical connection identifier to indicate the logical connection among a logical connection group in response to an external request,
wherein the step of setting and controlling a logical connection between the control plane controlling means and the user plane controlling means further comprises setting a direct logical connection between a transport network layer and a radio network layer in the mobile communication system.

A mobile communication system which includes a mobile unit, a radio base station apparatus, and a radio network controller,

the radio network controller comprises:
user plane controlling means for carrying user data in relation to the mobile unit;
and
control plane controlling means for controlling signaling, the control plane controlling means being physically separated from the user plane controlling means, and
in response to an external request, setting of a logical connection is controlled between the control plane controlling means and the user plane controlling means by using a logical connection identifier to indicate the logical connection among a logical connection group,
wherein the external request includes a transmission destination identifier indicating a destination of signal that the control plane controlling means transmits in response to the external request,
at least either one of the control plane controlling means and the user plane controlling means comprises means for determining the logical connection identifier in response to the external request, and
each of the control plane controlling means and the user plane controlling means comprises means for generating a logical connection corresponding to the logical connection identifier,
the user plane controlling means comprises means for generating a first identifier for the logical connection in response to the external request and transmitting a logical connection request message including the first identifier and the transmission destination identifier to the control plane controlling means,
the control plane controlling means comprises means for generating a second identifier corresponding to the first identifier and transmitting a logical connection acknowledgement message including the first and second identifiers to the user plane controlling means, and means for recording the first and second identifiers, and the transmission destination identifier with their being associated with one another, and the user plane controlling means further comprises means for setting a radio bearer, between the transmission destination and
the user plane controlling means, corresponding to the logical connection, and means for recording the first and second identifiers, and an identifier of the radio bearer with their being associated with one another.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobile communication system and method of controlling operation thereof

Life of this patent

Mobile communication system and method of controlling operation thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23