Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Optis Wireless Technology, LLC

Klaus Turina

Josephus Kuster

Dimitris Papadimitriou

Johan Lundström

Volker Kleinfeld

Kari-Pekka Perttula

Dimitrios Papadimitriou

Mauro Bellora

Jo Kuster

Aitor Artola

Aldo Baserga

Monica Wifvesson

Daniel Nilsson

Åke Arvidsson

Mikael Willgert

Wei Luo

Martin Kaibel

Hakan Niska

Hans-Peter Lippelt

Kyösti Toivanen

Dimitrious Papadimitriou

Kyosti Toivanen

Abhay Ds

Ziquan Pan

Aldo Basgera

Altor Artola

The present application generally relates to wireless communication technology. More particularly, the present application relates to a method and apparatus for performing protection control in a core network with separation between control plane and user plane. The present application also relates to computer program product adapted for the same purpose. According to one embodiment, a method for performing protection control in a core network with separation between control plane and user plane, comprises the following steps performed on the user plane: —a) pairing a User Plane Function (UPF) and at least one User Plane Security Function (UPSF); and —b) notifying a pairing relationship between the UPF and the UPSF to the control plane so that the pair of the UPF and the UPSF can be controlled by a Control Plane Function (CPF) via the same reference point.

Method and apparatus for performing protection control in a core network

There is provided a method of operating a Service Communication Proxy, SCP, node () in a communication network as a proxy network repository function, NRF, for a first network function, NF, producer node in the communication network. The first NF producer node () is to migrate from a direct communication mode with a first NF consumer node () to an indirect communication mode with the first NF consumer node () via the SCP node (). The SCP node () discovers a NF profile for the first NF producer node (), wherein the NF profile for the first NF producer node () is stored by a first network repository function, NRF, node (604) in the communication network, and the NF profile comprises a service address for the first NF producer node (); receives a registration request from the first NF producer node (), wherein the registration request is a request to register a NF profile for the first NF producer node () at a NRF node (), wherein the registration request indicates the service address for the first NF producer node (); and, in response to the received registration request, sends an update request to the first NRF node () to update the NF profile for the first NF producer node () stored by the first NRF node () to replace the service address of the first NF producer node () with a first service address of the SCP node () that is associated with the service address of the first NF producer node ().

Migration to indirect communication mode in a service-based architecture

A system, method, node and computer program for allocating a user equipment, UE, () roaming in a visited network (), to a dedicated core network, DCN, () out of a plurality of DCN () available in the visited network (), is provided. The method comprises receiving a trigger comprising a DCN-type indicator from a home network () of the roaming UE (), and determining, responsive to the reception of the DCN-type indicator, whether an DCN-type indicated by the received DCN-type indicator is supported by the visited network (). The method further comprises determining, if the DCN-type is not supported by the visited network (), an alternative DCN-type supported by the visited network () and allocating, by the visited network (), the roaming UE () to a DCN () of the alternative DCN-type.

Core network allocation handling

A signalling proxy system for a switching center server is provided, as well as a method of operating a signalling proxy system for a switching center server. The signalling proxy system comprises two signalling proxies for routing signalling traffic between a network node and a plurality of switching center server units. Each signalling proxy is addressable by an address code and is operable in one of an active state and a passive state towards the network node.

Signalling proxy system for a switching center server, wherein an indication of operation in an active state is transmitted from a signaling proxy via at least one processing blade to the remaining signaling proxies

Apparatus configured to operate within a communication network as a pool proxy, routing signalling traffic between a node of a first network and one of a set of pooled nodes within a second network. The apparatus is further configured to operate in one of an active state and a passive state towards the first network node and, when in said active state to send a heartbeat signal to at least one of said pooled nodes for relaying to a peer pool proxy and, when in said passive state, to receive a heartbeat signal from a peer pool proxy relayed via at least one of said pooled nodes. In the event that no heartbeat signal is received when in the passive state, the apparatus is configured to activate itself as pool proxy towards the first network node.

Mobile core network node redundancy

A technique is disclosed for selectively providing access to a network node for testing and verification associated with a testing classification and requests are received from a network component to initiate a call via the net-work node. If it is determined that with the testing classification, service is provided via the network node.

Technique for providing selective access to network node

Method, devices and computer programs for routing a message to a first network server (MSC) in a server pool (CNSP) of a mobile communication system are disclosed. The mobile communication system comprises a controller (BSC) of an access network (AN) connectable to the first network server (MSC) and at least one further network server (MSC) in the server pool (CNSP), wherein service points are defined (S) and one or more of the service points are allocated (S) uniquely to each of the network servers (MSCMSC) in the server pool (CNSP). At least one of the network servers (MSCMSC) has allocated (S) at least two of the service points. A temporary identity is assigned (S) by the first network server (MSC) to a mobile device (MS). The temporary identity includes a selected service point which is selected (S) from the one or more service points allocated to the first network server (MSC). The temporary identity is transmitted (S) to the mobile device (MS) and a message (S) from the mobile device (MS) to the first network server (MSC) is routed (S) to the first network server (MSC) by extracting the selected service point from the temporary identity received by the mobile device (MS) and applying a routing algorithm to the selected service point. The routing algorithm reveals the first network server (MSC) from an analysis of the selected service point.

Method and devices for routing a message to a network server in a server pool

To achieve an efficient and flexible routing of signaling messages between a core network and an access network in a mobile communication cellular network, it is proposed to provide a pool of mobile switching apparatuses between the core network and the access network. Each mobile switching apparatus in the pool () comprises a signaling unit () adapted to issue a paging message to the access network for connection establishment to a mobile terminal. Further, according to the present invention it is proposed to provide each mobile switching apparatus in the pool () with a relay unit () adapted to receive a paging response from the access network. Further, the relay unit () is adapted to determine a mobile switching apparatus in the pool () of mobile switching apparatuses handling the paging response.

Signaling in a mobile cellular communication network with pooled MSCs

Method, devices, and computer programs for routing a message to a first network server (MSC) in a server pool (CNSP) of a mobile communication system are disclosed. The mobile communication system comprises a controller (BSC) of an access network (AN) connectable to the first network server (MSC) and at least one further network server (MSC) in the server pool (CNSP), wherein service points are defined (S) and one or more of the service points are allocated (S) uniquely to each of the network servers (MSC), MSC) in the server pool (CNSP). At least one of the network servers (MSC, MSC) has allocated (S) at least two of the service points. A temporary identity is assigned (S) by the first network server (MSC) to a mobile device (MS). The temporary identity includes a selected service point which is selected (S) from the one or more service points allocated to the first network server (MSC). The temporary identity is transmitted (S) to the mobile device (MS) and a message (S) from the mobile device (MS) to the first network server (MSC) is routed (S) to the first network, server (MSC) by extracting the selected service point from the temporary identity received by the mobile device (MS) and applying a routing algorithm to the selected service point. The routing algorithm reveals the first network server (MSC) from an analysis of the selected service point.

A system and methods of global paging of mobile stations in a wireless network. The system includes a MSC pool () for servicing mobile stations within a specified service area of the network and a radio configuration database () defining a plurality of global paging areas () within the specified service area. The radio configuration database () is accessible by any mobile switching center () in the pool () to allow paging of a mobile station () roaming within the specified service area according to one or more global paging areas (). The radio configuration database () can be structured in a hierarchy including cells, locations areas, and base station controller/radio network controller () for each global paging area in the specified service area. In this way, any mobile switching center in the pool is capable of paging a mobile station within the specified service area by accessing the radio configuration database and determining the cell identity, location area identity, and base station controller/radio network controller identity of a mobile station roaming within the specified service area.

Global paging of mobile stations in a wireless network using MSC pool

A communication apparatus running a protocol stack implementation for interworking between a signaling source node and a signaling target node provides improved support for introducing server pools in packet networks and for achieving transparency for applications. A first protocol implementation unit (SCTP) runs a signaling control layer on top of a packet transfer network (IP) for exchanging signaling messages via one or more signaling associations. A second protocol implementation unit (SUA, M3UA) runs a user adaptation layer on top of the signaling control layer SCTP for supporting signaling connection control services (RANAP) used by the signaling source node. A name mapping unit receives a signaling target node name from the signaling source node and maps the name into a peer signaling association.

Signaling transport protocol extensions for load balancing and server pool support

The present invention relates to method and means for a system initiated subscriber information redistribution in order to achieve a load redistribution within a pool of core network nodes. The subscribers, that are affected by the redistribution, are determined by the bit values in their TMSI's. These specific TMSI's are then arranged to be treated as invalid by the cellular system. Messages etc. from subscribers with invalid TMSI's will be 'trapped' in the cellular system and the subscriber information that belongs to these subscribers will be redistributed to new core network nodes.

Method and means for redistribution of subscriber information in UMTS networks where the nodes are arranged in pools

Disclosed are systems and methods for associating querying switches with responsive access nodes in a telecommunications network () having a switch pool (). The methods include techniques for assigning a switch () of the switch pool () as a handling switch for queries received from the plurality of access nodes (). The handling switch directs queries to respective target access nodes (). The handling switch also receives responses from target access nodes. Techniques are provided for reassignment of the handling switch from among switches () of the switch pool () on the basis of various criteria such as, for example load or transaction count. Examples of the invention in the context of a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network () having a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) pool () are described.

Switch selection mechanism for a switch pool in a wireless telecommunications network

To achieve an improved support for introduction of server pools in packet networks and further to achieve transparency for applications the present invention provides a communication apparatus running a protocol stack implementation for interworking between a signaling source node and a signaling target node. The communication apparatus comprises a first protocol implementation unit (SCTP) adapted to run a signaling control layer on top of a packet transfer network (IP) for exchange of signaling messages via at least one signaling association. Further, the communication apparatus comprises a second protocol implementation unit (SUP, M UA) adapted to run a user adaptation layer on top of the signaling control layer (SCTP) for support of signaling connection control services (RANAP) used by the signaling source node. A name mapping unit is adapted to receive a signaling target node name from the signaling source node and to map the signaling target node name into a peer signaling association.

To achieve an efficient and flexible routing of signaling messages between a core network and an access network in a mobile communication cellular network, it is proposed to provide a pool of mobile switching apparatuses between the core network and the access network. Each mobile switching apparatus in the pool ( ) comprises a signaling unit ( ) adapted to issue a paging message to the access network for connection establishment to a mobile terminal. Further, according to the present invention it is proposed to provide each mobile switching apparatus in the pool ( ) with a relay unit ( ) adapted to receive a paging response from the access network. Further, the relay unit ( ) is adapted to determine a mobile switching apparatus in the pool ( ) of mobile switching apparatuses handling the paging response.

Growing community of inventors

Backnang, Germany

Klaus Turina