CLIAMS:. ,TagSPECI:FORM 2

THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
(See section 10, rule 13)

“A method and system of control plane signaling for supporting internet sessions of various UEs in a LTE network”

Tejas Networks Limited
Plot No. 25, JP Software Park,
Electronics City, Phase-1, Hosur Road
Bangalore - 560 100, Karnataka, India

The following specification particularly describes the invention.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an LTE network.

Background of the Invention

In LTE terminology, radio access network is labeled as RAN and core network is called as Evolved Packet Core (EPC). An eNodeB or Base Station (BS) is the interface between RAN and EPC. When a mobile station (MS) or user equipment (UE) wants to communicate over the wireless communication network either for internet or VoIP service, the said MS needs an IP address. This IP address is assigned by an allocation logic that assigns private IP address. This logic (sometimes called as NAT function, Firewall function or DHCP function) is usually present within the Packet Data Network gateway (PDN-GW). For simplicity considering the case where there are multiple PDN-GWs. For sending internet traffic from MS to internet or VoIP network, a tunnel, called EPS bearer is setup from MS to PDN-GW. (See Figure).
When there is no traffic or when MS is disconnected the tunnel is torn. This setting-up and tearing down of bearer tunnels results in control plane signaling. In a huge deployment scenario (e.g. 10,000 Base Station and 1000 UE per BS) the control signaling may overload the network or impact the performance of the network. The internet traffic is best effort whereas VoIP requires guaranteed latency. So tunnel is important for VoIP or other non-best-effort service and is not needed for internet traffic. A MS will have one VoIP session whereas it may have multiple data sessions, albeit a best-effort service, over the internet. Charging for internet data service is 100 to 1000 times lesser than VoIP or phone calls. But, the resources the internet data service over the wireless or mobile communication network is same as that of the VoIP. Internet traffic has tunnels and hence a QoS over the mobile communication network. But, unlike VoIP that goes over dedicated or high QoS path to the recipient, the internet traffic merges or interfaces with the best-effort based internet network. Is the tunnel really needed for traffic that after reaching PDN-GW is treated with best-effort quality of service?
Problem Statement

1. Control plane signaling increases as more data session or bearers is setup
– Resource and processing power at network elements like eNodeB, MME, etc. increases
2. Cost of carrying internet traffic is high over mobile communication network

Description of the figures
Figure1 shows various EPS bearer from UE to Internet network via PDN-GW.
Figure 2 shows existing system network according to prior art.
Figure 3 shows a novel system network of control plane signaling for supporting internet sessions of various UEs in a LTE network.

Description of the disclosure
The IP address allocation logic is replicated at eNodeB. The job of this function is to do network address translation from private IP address that logic assigns to all MS to public IP address, maintaining session information for all MS, etc.
The PCEF function is now replicated at eNodeB.
PCEF ensures that the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) are adhered to by the service.
Traditionally, authentication of the incoming request from the UE is performed at the HSS and EIR attached to MME and at PCEF within the PDN GW.
HSS hosts a database containing subscription related information for the population of end-users.
EIR stores the International Mobile Equipment Identities (IMEI) of the end-user devices used within the network. These IMEI can be ‘white-listed’, ‘grey-listed’, or ‘black-listed’ to control access to the network
HSS and EIR are same as in the standard. The eNodeB does not replicate HSS and EIR. It uses the existing HSS and EIR.

Conclusion
When a UE wants to connect to internet, the said UE will be authenticated at HSS and EIR. This is same as in standard.
After authentication of the service and device, the internet traffic (that is always mapped over TCP/IP) will be identified by the eNodeB.
eNodeB will ensure compliance of the internet traffic to PCRF (policy and charging rules function).
If the eNodeB has connectivity to the internet via a local gateway or port then the internet traffic will be directed to that gateway or port. This is like eNodeB having a simple version of PDN-GW as one of its function.
Else it will enable setting up of EPS bearer across the EPC upto PDN GW.

Abstract
The present invention relates to control plane signaling for supporting internet sessions of various UE in a LTE network.