US 8,045,493 B2Granted

Mechanisms to extend UMA or GAN to inter-work with UMTS core network

AssigneeKineto Wireless, Inc.

InventorsMichael D. Gallagher, Milan Markovic

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A network controller operates in an unlicensed wireless communication system including a first radio access network. The network controller includes a Up interface for communicating with a mobile station and an IP network interface. The network controller includes a network interface for connecting the network controller to a UMTS core network that is accessible to a second radio access network that includes a UTRAN. The network interface includes an Iu-CS interface to communicate with a MSC in the UMTS core network. The network interface supports signaling protocols for circuit-switched services while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-CS interface using a layered protocol that includes a RANAP layer over a SCCP layer and several Iu-CS control plane lower layers. The network controller includes modules for generating and/or processing messages transmitted over the network interface. The network controller appears to the UMTS core network as a UTRAN RNC.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A network controller to operate in an unlicensed wireless communication system comprising a first radio access network, the network controller comprising:

a first network interface comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) network interface;
a second network interface comprising a Up interface for communicating with a mobile station (MS) via an access point communicatively coupled between the network controller and the MS, the Up interface including a plurality of protocol layers implemented over the IP network interface;
a third network interface for connecting the network controller to a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) core network that is accessible to a second radio access network comprising a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), the third network interface comprising an Iu-CS (circuit-switched) interface to communicate with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the UMTS core network, the third network interface supporting signaling protocols for circuit-switched services while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-CS interface using a layered protocol that includes a Radio Access Node Application Part (RANAP) layer over a Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) layer and a plurality of Iu-CS control plane lower layers;
and
one or more modules for generating and/or processing a plurality of messages transmitted over the third network interface between the network controller and the UMTS core network, wherein the network controller appears to the UMTS core network as a UTRAN Radio Network Controller (RNC).

2 more elements

A mobile station operable to communicate with a Universal Model Telecommunications System (UMTS) telecommunications network using a licensed wireless communication channel serviced by a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and an unlicensed wireless communication channel in an unlicensed wireless access area,

wherein the mobile station is associated with a licensed wireless network identifier and a licensed wireless location identifier for use when the mobile station is in a licensed wireless access area, and associated with an unlicensed wireless network identifier and an unlicensed wireless location identifier when the mobile station is in the unlicensed wireless access area,
wherein the mobile station employs a plurality of protocol layers to access an unlicensed wireless service and a UMTS core network, the protocol layers being used to support communication with an unlicensed wireless network controller over a Up interface and the UMTS core network via an Iu-PS interface,
wherein the mobile station supports signaling protocols for packet-switched services while inter-working with the UMTS core network via the Iu-PS interface using a layered protocol, the layered protocol including a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Mobility Management/Session Management/Short Message Service (GMM/SM/SMS) layer, an unlicensed wireless communication radio resource (RR) layer, and a transmission control protocol (TCP) layer, and
wherein the layered protocol further includes a remote IP layer, a security layer, a transport IP layer, and a plurality of unlicensed lower layers.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/916,486Filed 29 Oct 2010 · continuation
Priority: 10 Aug 2005
Published: US 2011/0044219 A124 Feb 2011
Granted: 25 Oct 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

H04W 88/12
Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices: access point controller devices
H04W 92/02
Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks: inter-networking arrangements
H04W
Wireless communication networks

Family

Application11/200,736Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Aug 2005
US 2011/0044219 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Feb 2011
US 7,843,900 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2007/0041360 A1Published application
US 8,045,493 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.