Patent Application
20080235048
The exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of this invention relate generally to wireless communications systems and, more specifically, relate to preferential access in a wideband wireless communication system such as WiMAX that includes multiple access providers and multiple service providers.
The following abbreviations are herewith defined:
AAA authentication, authorization and accounting
ASN access services network
BS base station (or other wireless access node)
CAPL contractual agreement preference list
DMO device management object
H-NSP home NSP
HA home agent
MAC medium access control
NAP network access provider
NSP network service provider
NWG network working group
PHY physical layer
QoS quality of service
RAPL roaming agreement preference list
SBC subscriber basic capability
SOHO small office/home office
TFTP trivial file transfer protocol
V-NSP visited-NSP
WiMAX worldwide interoperability for microwave access
WiMAX system lends itself as a lightweight Internet access technology. It is built on top of the IEEE 802.16e MAC+PHY standard from IEEE (certified by WiMAX). The system standard (higher layers and network) are standardized and certified by a body known as the WiMAX Forum. While IEEE 802.16e standardization was completed in December 2005, the WiMAX Forum standardization is still ongoing and it is currently finalizing its Release 1 documents.
Unlike many other more mature wireless technologies, WiMAX differentiates between network service providers and network access providers. Examples of network service providers include traditional Internet service providers ISPs, virtual wireless ISPs, and the like. A network service provider is characterized in that it maintains a service level agreement SLA with individual subscribers. Relevant to this invention is wireless network service providers. Network access providers operate base stations that wirelessly interface subscriber terminals to the networks stipulated in the SLA. Of course, the network service providers might also serve as network access providers as when they operate their own base stations.
WiMAX uses the terminology network access providers (NAP) and network service providers (NSP) to maintain the distinction, and that terminology is continued herein though its use is in a more generic sense and not limited only to WiMAX. An NAP may be connected to one or more NSPs whenever there is a contractual agreement between the NAP and the NSP. In addition, an NSP may connect to other NSPs by having a roaming agreement between each other.
A schematic diagram showing these distinctions is illustrated at
Now the subscriber 202 seeks access from another location, for example through an ASN in LA, NYC, or Miami as shown in
Subscriber terminals obtain information about available NAPs by scanning different frequencies, whereas information about NSPs that the NAPs support is obtained through either or both SII-ADV (advertisement) or SBC-RSP (response) messages. The network uses the SII-ADV message to periodically broadcast a list of NSP identifiers, and uses the SBC-RSP during a negotiation of which subscriber capabilities it will support, in reply to the subscriber's companion SBC-REQ (request) message. Subscriber terminals must have some way to determine through which NAP it connects to its Home NSP 206. It could do this by using any available NAP (e.g., the first NAP 208) that advertizes the identifier NSP ID (identifier) of its Home NSP 206. However, the home NSP 206 may want to define preferences regarding which NAP to use. Furthermore, if the home NSP 206 is not supported by any of the available NAPs (e.g., the second NAP 212), the subscriber terminal 202 must have some means to select another NSP (namely a visited-NSP 216) through which to connect to the home NSP 206. Also in this case, the home NSP 206 may want to prefer some V-NSP over the other. These preferences may be given as two lists: Contractual Agreement Preference List (CAPL) and Roaming Agreement Preference List (RAPL). These names are not formally defined in WiMAX currently and their use herein is generic.
In more traditional mobile telephony networks (e.g., code division multiple access CDMA and global system for mobile communications GSM), there is only one preference list because those systems do not have a concept of different access and service providers. The subscriber terminal 202 would have this preference list information stored into its configuration information, and is thereby able to select the preferred roaming partner to connect to in the event the home network is not available.
The current assumption in developing WiMAX is that the subscriber terminals store both the CAPL and the RAPL locally. This is seen to be an extension of the single preference-list solution used in GSM(CDMA noted above, and would enable the subscriber terminal to select a preferred NAP, or a preferred V-NSP for the case where the H-NSP is not reachable via any of the available NAPs.
The inventors have determined that supporting of the GSM/CDMA/WiMAX preference-list presents problems. Specifically, if the CAPL and RAPL (or equivalent preference lists in other technologies) are stored into the configuration information of the subscriber terminal, and that subscriber terminal has to respect that configuration information always and without question, the following problems exist:
What is needed in the art is a way to enable the home NSP's preferences as to NAP and V-NSP to be followed by its subscriber stations, without the disadvantages seen above for the solution of extending the single preference list used in GSM/CDMA to dual preference lists of CAPL and RAPL in WiMAX. Furthermore, advantages of the invention detailed below for supporting dual preference lists of CAPL and RAPL without the above disadvantages applies also to the technologies using single preference lists.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method that includes determining that a terminal is connected to an access provider, and sending to the terminal from the terminal's home service provider a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences of the listed service providers relative to one another.
In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the invention is an apparatus that includes a processor executing a program that is stored in a memory that operates to determine that a terminal is connected to an access provider, and to send to the terminal a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences of the listed service providers relative to one another.
In accordance with still another exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method that includes receiving a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences by a terminal's home service provider of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences by the terminal's home service provider of the listed service providers relative to one another. The method further includes connecting to an available access provider and to an available service provider according to the indicated preferences.
In accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention is an apparatus that includes a receiver, a processor, a memory and a transmitter. The receiver is configured to receive a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences by a terminal's home service provider of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences by the terminal's home service provider of the listed service providers relative to one another. The transmitter, processor, memory and receiver are configured so that together they connect to an available access provider and to an available service provider according to the indicated preferences.
And in accordance with still a further exemplary embodiment of the invention is a computer readable memory that embodies a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processor to perform actions directed toward connecting to a preferred access provider and to a preferred service provider. In this embodiment of the invention the actions include, in response to receiving a list of access providers and a list of service providers, connecting to an available access provider and to an available service provider according to the preferences indicated in the lists. The list of access providers indicates preferences by a terminal's home service provider of the listed access providers relative to one another, and the list of service providers indicates preferences by the terminal's home service provider of the listed service providers relative to one another.
In accordance with an additional exemplary embodiment of the invention is an apparatus that includes receiving means for receiving receive a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences by a terminal's home service provider of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences by the terminal's home service provider of the listed service providers relative to one another. The apparatus further includes storing means for storing the received lists, and transmitting means for connecting, in conjunction with the receiving means, to an available access provider and to an available service provider according to the indicated preferences. In a particular embodiment, the receiving means includes a receiver, the storing means includes a local computer-readable memory, and the transmitting means includes a transmitter.
Embodiments of the invention are detailed below with particular reference to the attached drawing Figures.
Embodiments of this invention employ versions of the CAPL and RAPL, but the versions stored in the subscriber terminal are not the entire lists themselves but are dynamically configured subsets of the CAPL and RAPL that are tailored to avoid the problems detailed above, and also to meet the demonstrated need of the terminal for only a portion of those lists.
Reference is made first to
Also shown in
In general, the various embodiments of the UE 10 can include, but are not limited to, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) having wireless communication capabilities, portable computers having wireless communication capabilities, image capture devices such as digital cameras having wireless communication capabilities, gaming devices having wireless communication capabilities, music storage and playback appliances having wireless communication capabilities, Internet appliances permitting wireless Internet access and browsing, as well as portable units or terminals that incorporate combinations of such functions.
The MEMs 10B, 12B, 14B, 16B and 18B may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. The DPs 10A, 12A, 14A, 16A and 18A may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and processors based on a multi-core processor architecture, as non-limiting examples.
In general, the subscriber terminal 10 follows two rules for connecting to any NAP:
Now are described embodiments of the invention with reference to the relationship architecture of
For the specific examples given in the detailed embodiments of
One method for executing the embodiment of
The subscriber terminal 302 locally stores that small CAPL for later access whenever it is in that area again. The subscriber terminal 302 can then connect directly to the most preferred NAP in the same area whenever it tries to enter to the network at a later time/date because it has this small CAPL for that area stored on a local memory within the terminal 302. Also, the subscriber terminal 302 is able to perform inter-NAP handovers in that area to a more preferred NAP whenever it is connected to one NAP and another with higher priority on the small CAPL list becomes available. This is true whether the small CAPL was downloaded 404 on the current connection with the network or at some previous time/date and recalled for use with the current connection.
Steps b) through d) may be performed after initial service flows have been established, or alternatively prior to establishing those service flows in order to avoid re-location of the data path and possibly other components as well. These are implementation details that can be optimized without departing from the broader teachings of this invention.
Next is described a network initiated handover.
One method of executing a method according to
As with the terminal-initiated handover at
Steps b) through g) may be performed after initial service flows have been established, or alternatively before those service flows are established in order to avoid re-location of data paths (and possibly other components) and the start of accounting.
Now are described the two remaining connection options from
A method for executing the signaling diagram of
The terminal 302 can connect directly to the most preferred V-NSP in the same area whenever it tries to enter to the network at a later time/date because it has the small CAPL and small RAPL for that area (the relevant subsets of the CAPL and RAPL). Also, the terminal 302 is able to perform inter-NSP handovers in that area to more preferred V-NSP using the preferences downloaded at step 604, which the subscriber terminal 302 stores in its local memory.
Steps b) through d) may possibly be performed after initial service flows have been established, or alternatively before that to avoid re-location of data path and possibly other components as well.
At
Method steps that may be used to execute the signaling diagram of
The subscriber terminal 302 can connect directly to the most preferred V-NSP in the same area whenever it tries to enter to the network at a later time/date because the network has forced a handover to the second V-NSP 322 rather than keeping the connection to the first V-NSP 316. The terminal 302 stores this information in its local memory and thereby builds a RAPL for those V-NSPs for which the network has forced a handover (or has not attempted to force a handover) that mirror the RAPL of the H-NSP 306 in relevant parts. Also, the terminal 302 is able to perform inter-NSP handovers in that area to a more preferred V-NSP by accessing its local memory and the stored RAPL that it builds based on these network-initiated handovers and knowing that if a preferred V-NSP were not initially selected the network would initiate a handover to a different V-NSP. Hence, the terminal 302 learns the preferences while it traverses in different areas.
Steps b) through g) may possibly be performed after initial service flows have been established, or alternatively before the establishment of those service flows to avoid re-location of the data paths (and possibly other components) and the starting of accounting. Also, the selection of the HA could be made only after step f) to avoid possible relocation of it.
Now are described some additional/alternate scenarios that may occur that differ from those detailed above. In one additional scenario, the third NAP 312 is supported by both the first V-NSP 316 and the second V-NSP 322. In the event that the subscriber terminal 302 connects to the first V-NSP 316 via the third NAP 312, then the embodiments of
Another additional scenario is the subscriber terminal 302 sees both the first NAP 308 and the third NAP 312 (see
It can be seen from the above detailed examples that an advantage of embodiments of this invention is that there is no need for the network to update a CAPL and RAPL of all the terminals whenever the contractual or roaming agreements change or when new agreements are written. To the extent that any terminal stores a subset of the CAPL or RAPL, that subset is particularly tailored to the historic usage of that particular terminal, and any updates can be made according to the signaling diagrams shown above on an as needed basis when the terminal makes a selection other than that most preferred by the H-NSP. Additionally, bandwidth on the air interface is saved because updating traffic is reduced and also traffic inside the network is decreased. The individual terminals save memory because they do not have to store an entire CAPL and/or RAPL, only those truncated lists tailored (by the network for the area in which they connect, or by themselves due to building their own local lists) to their individual usage history.
Further advantage can be gained by delaying the start of accounting until after the handovers detailed herein, so that the NAP/V-NSP with which the terminal makes initial contact but that quickly hands over the terminal to a more preferred NAPN-NSP does not bill for that minimal time and slight resources used. Such would incur large transaction costs for minimal renumeration. An agreement among all the V-NSPs to forgo billing for an initial network entry that lasts less than a pre-determined period of time would avoid such accounting overhead. Some NAPs might not agree to a similar provision amongst themselves since that would reflect revenue loss without a corresponding offset for the case where an NAP is not also owned and operated by a NSP, and so NAPs could agree to bill only their NSP in those instances. It is in the interest of the NSPs to agree because any revenue loss from failing to invoice another NSP after handing over a newly established terminal would on average be offset by not being invoiced for a corresponding situation where another terminal was quickly handed over to that same NSP by another one.
The above details broader aspects of the invention. Below are detailed specific implementations of the small CAPL and/or RAPL preference lists that are sent to the terminals from the H-NSP, such as in message 404 of
While the specific structure of the RAPI-CAPL may take any of various forms according to these teachings, one particular structure of the RAPL and CAPL that may be added to the Network Access OMA DM Object, WiMAX specific OMA DM Object, some other OMA DM Object, or to the Client Provisioning tree is as follows.
Exemplary RAPL/CAPL Structure:
[1 . . . n]*[H-NSP-ID data]
The RAPL and CAPL structure, such as that shown by example above, may be located in a WiMAX DM Object.
The main level in the structure shown at the first line represents the H-NSPs. The second level, with indents from (1*NAP Node) and (1*V-NSP Node), contains respectively the CAPL which includes the connections between the H-NSP and the NAPs in the terminal's area, and the RAPL which includes connections between the H-NSP and the V-NSPs in the terminal's area. Also, under each V-NSP, a CAPL for that V-NSP may be introduced, which is shown as “[0 . . . 1] NAP Node” in the fourth level of indentation above.
The general principle of this structure is straightforward. At the first line/level is given the ID of the H-NSP. Different ID numbers may apply to the same H-NSP in different geographic areas, so there may be more than one ID in this field even though there is only one SLA between the subscriber terminal and an NSP.
At the next level, first is shown 1*NAP Node, which lists the NAPs in the area according to preference type given by the H-NSP. Next in the second level is shown 1*V-NSP Node, which lists all the V-NSPs in the area according to those same preference types given by the H-NSP. Note that for the V-NSP preference type=preferred, there is also a listing of NAP-ID for each of the three indicated preference types. This is because the network may prefer one NAP over another of the same V-NSP (or forbid one NAP while allowing others of this V-NSP, or have no preference for one NAP of this V-NSP but indicate a preference for another NAP of this same V-NSP). The network preference types are detailed below.
All NAP and V-NSP items in the RAPL and CAPL may have a parameter characterized as preference type (or simply “type”), which can have the following values: “preferred”, “forbidden” and “any”. The value “preferred” is used to indicate that the terminal is allowed to connect to this network (NAP) or operator (NSP). For those NAPs and V-NSPs for which the type is “preferred”, they are listed in a preferred order so as to give relative preference one over the other. Also, for “preferred” type NAPs and V-NSPs, there may be an additional “preference_number” field which would indicate the actual preference. The advantage of this “preference_number” field would be the possibility to define NAPs and V-NSPs to be equally preferred. This would enable subscriber terminal to connect to any of those that have same “preference_number” value. If the “preference_number” field is used, then in one embodiment the order of the NAP/NSP indicates a further preference within the same value of preference_number, and in another embodiment the order of the NAPs/NSPs in the respective list can be disregarded and only the preference_number used to determine relative preference. Type=“Forbidden” is used to tell the terminal that this network (NAP) or operator (NSP) must not be connected. Type=“Any” indicates that any network (NAP) or operator (NSP) can be used, with any exceptions given by type=forbidden in the same list.
If a NAP or V-NSP node is mandatory, then there must be at least one sub-node. The H-NSP-ID, V-NSP-ID and NAP-ID data may contain the following parameters in addition to type: NAP/NSP ID, band class, central frequency, channel bandwidth, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) length, operator name, realm, authentication parameters, QoS parameters, supported service information, geographical area information and MIP (mobile Internet protocol) information.
The subscriber terminal 302 can implement the network selection logic indicated in the above CAPLs/RAPLs in the following way:
The network operates with the CAPL/RAPL as follows:
As can be seen, these implementations provide a highly flexible and bandwidth efficient way for the terminals to execute the preferences of the H-NSP with regards to NAPs and V-NSPs.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of this invention related to the subscriber terminal, there is provided a method, apparatus and computer program embodied on a computer readable memory for accessing a wireless network according to a home service provider preference policy. The terminal determines several access nodes and one or more service providers associated with each of those access nodes, determines a preference for one of the service providers and one of the access nodes, and establishes itself on a wireless network through the determined preferred service provider and determined preferred access node. In one embodiment the terminal uses a downloaded list of service providers and access nodes having a connection to a home service provider, and establishes itself as above by requesting a handover to the determined preferred access node and/or service provider. The downloaded list is specific to the area in which the terminal is located. Such a downloaded list may include preference types for the service providers and/or access nodes, including ‘preferred’, ‘forbidden’ and ‘any’. Certain rules are followed as to how the terminal selects one service provider and access point over others based on the preference type and ranking/hierarchy for those with type=preferred. In another embodiment the terminal determines the preferred service provider and preferred access node based on a handover of the terminal from a first access node and/or service provider to the preferred access node or service provider and determines from this network-initiated handover the preference of one over the other. In both cases the terminal stores the preference in a local memory.
Further in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of this invention related to the network, there is provided a method, apparatus and computer program embodied on a computer readable memory for imposing on a subscriber terminal a home service provider's preference policy for access provider and service provider. Upon connection to an access provider and service provider (including the home service provider) having a connection to the home network service provider, the home service provider determines if the terminal is connected to the home service provider via a most preferred pathway. If it is determined that the terminal is connected to the home service provider via the most preferred pathway, no further action is taken by the home service provider respecting the preference policy. If it is determined that the terminal is not connected to the home service provider via the most preferred pathway, the home network service provider downloads (via the pathway along which the terminal is connected) a list of access providers and a list of service providers, where each of these lists is tailored to the area in which the terminal is currently located. The tailored list may be centered on the current terminal location, or merely include the terminal location and be truncated to a finite number of access providers to include an access provider to which the terminal has the capacity to connect with. As above, in an embodiment this list/these lists include a preference type, and the list includes type=preferred in a hierarchical order of preference, type=forbidden for access providers or service providers to which the terminal is not to connect, and type=any for which no specific hierarchical preference is indicated but connection by the terminal is allowed. For the case where there are both type=preferred and type=any, the preference is hierarchical by type=preferred and thereafter, if no connection with a type=preferred access provider or service provider is available to the terminal, the terminal is allowed to connect to a type=any access provider or service provider.
Further, while described in the context of WiMAX and described subscriber terminal 302/UE 10 and NAPs/NSPs, those descriptions are by example only and it is within the scope of the exemplary embodiments of this invention to use these teachings in any wideband wireless system where access providers (e.g., NAPs) may not always be under control of or operated by a single network service provider, where roaming agreements alone do not give the business relation between access providers and network service providers.
In general, the various embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the invention is not limited thereto. While various aspects of the invention may be illustrated and described as block diagrams and signaling diagrams, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, signals and methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof. The signaling diagrams are specifically indicative of method steps executed by the various nodes, in the order given when one step is responsive to or depends on a previous step.
Embodiments of the inventions may be practiced in various components such as integrated circuit modules. The design of integrated circuits is by and large a highly automated process. Complex and powerful software tools are available for converting a logic level design into a semiconductor circuit design ready to be etched and formed on a semiconductor substrate.
Programs, such as those provided by Synopsys, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. and Cadence Design, of San Jose, Calif. automatically route conductors and locate components on a semiconductor chip using well established rules of design as well as libraries of pre-stored design modules. Once the design for a semiconductor circuit has been completed, the resultant design, in a standardized electronic format (e.g., Opus, GDSII, or the like) may be transmitted to a semiconductor fabrication facility or “fab” for fabrication.
Various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, any and all modifications of the teachings of this invention will still fall within the scope of the non-limiting embodiments of this invention.
Furthermore, some of the features of the various non-limiting embodiments of this invention may be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features. As such, the foregoing description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles, teachings and exemplary embodiments of this invention, and not in limitation thereof.
This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.: 60/919,796, filed Mar. 22, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60919796 | Mar 2007 | US |
