Extended Serving Gateway for Single-Tunnel LTE–WiFi Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for inter-system mobility between LTE and WiFi networks are resource-intensive and disruptive, leading to excessive tunnel setup and teardown, which affects ongoing communications and increases latency.
Innovation Solution
Extending the Serving Gateway (SGW) to function as a common intermediate gateway for both LTE and WiFi access, enabling a GTP-based 'S1a' interface and extending protocols like EAP and GTP to support multi-access connectivity, thereby optimizing inter-system mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If current solutions are used for inter-system mobility between LTE and WiFi networks, then mobility support is achieved, but resource consumption increases and communication disruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the SGW functionality for LTE and WiFi access networks into a single common SGW entity. This consolidation allows the network to handle inter-system mobility between LTE and WiFi using a unified gateway structure, reducing the need for separate gateway instances and associated resources for each access type.
Solution Approach 2:
The common SGW is designed with multi-functionality to serve both LTE and WiFi access networks simultaneously. It can establish and manage connections for different access technologies through a single interface to the PGW, making the gateway universal rather than access-specific, thereby reducing overall resource consumption.
2Reliability
If current solutions are used for inter-system mobility, then network connectivity is maintained, but tunnel setup and teardown frequency increases causing latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing a common SGW entity that remains active and ready to handle both LTE and WiFi connections. The SGW maintains its connection to the PGW in advance, so when a device needs to switch between access types, the infrastructure is already in place, eliminating the need for time-consuming tunnel setup and teardown operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The common SGW maintains continuous operational state for both LTE and WiFi access types simultaneously. Rather than tearing down existing tunnels when switching access types, the SGW preserves the useful action of data transmission by keeping the same SGW-PGW connection active, thereby eliminating latency associated with re-establishing connectivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate gateways are used for LTE and WiFi access, then access-specific optimization is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate LTE and WiFi gateway functions into a single common SGW structure. This merging reduces the number of gateway entities that need to be managed, simplified the overall network architecture, and reduced complexity in the core network while maintaining the ability to optimize for different access types through software-based policies.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices, and systems related to serving gateway extensions for inter-system mobility in integrated small Cell and WiFi networks. An SGW may be extended into a common intermediate gateway for both LTE and WiFi access. A GTP-based “SI a” interface between a TWAN and an SGW is introduced. The STa interface between TWAN and 3 GPP AAA server/proxy is extended to enable selection of an SGW for establishment of the disclosed S1a interface. The extended SGW and protocols may be used to optimize inter-system mobility between LTE small cells and trusted WiFi. SGW and PDN Gateway (PGW) functionality is disclosed to support GTP-based IP Flow mobility via multi-access (LTE and WiFi) connectivity to the same packet data network (PDN). Non-access stratum (NAS), EAP, and GTP-C protocols may also be extended to include a “multi-connection” indication in addition to existing “handover” indication.