Link Layer Switching for Local Breakout in Home Base Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current HNB deployments face complexity and increased processing load due to the need for gateway functions, which limits IP mobility and session continuation, especially in local area scenarios where multiple cells or base stations are involved.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a simplified link layer switching or bridging functionality in the base station device, allowing for terminal-specific connection-oriented point-to-point links with different link layer addressing schemes, which reduces the need for network layer processing and enables seamless handovers within the same subnet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gateway functions (GGSN, routing, tunnelling) are integrated into the HNB for local breakout, then local IP access and route optimization are achieved, but device complexity and processing load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gateway function from the HNB by introducing a separate access router in the home based network. The HNB only performs simple link layer switching between the radio interface and the access router, eliminating complex routing, tunnelling, and charging functions from the base station while maintaining local breakout capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the gateway functionality into separate network elements: the HNB handles only link layer switching, while the access router in the home based network handles IP routing, tunnelling, and charging. This functional segmentation reduces HNB complexity while preserving local IP access capabilities.
2Productivity
If HNB is modelled as an IP router for local breakout, then local IP access is enabled, but IP mobility and session continuation are limited to single HNB connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an access router as an intermediary between the HNB and the terminal device. This access router maintains consistent IP addressing and routing information across multiple HNBs, enabling seamless IP mobility and session continuation when a terminal moves between different base stations in the local area.
3Productivity
If multiple gateway functions are incorporated into HNB, then local breakout is achieved, but processing load increases and RAN/Core network boundary is violated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts heavy processing functions (IP routing, tunnelling, charging) from the HNB and places them in the access router within the home based network. The HNB retains only lightweight link layer switching functionality, significantly reducing processing load while maintaining local breakout capability.
4Device complexity
If link layer switching is implemented in base station, then architecture is simplified and processing is reduced, but different link layer addressing schemes must be handled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an access router as an intermediary that handles the complexity of different link layer addressing schemes. The base station performs simple link layer switching without needing to understand or manage the specifics of different addressing schemes, as the access router translates and adapts between different addressing formats.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for providing access via a cellular access network to a packet-switched network, wherein a terminal-specific connection-oriented point-to-point link is set up between a terminal device (10) and a cellular base station device (20), and the terminal-specific connection-oriented point-to-point link is switched at the cellular base station device (20) on a link layer level to the packet-switched network, so that a point of attachment for said terminal device (10) is located in the packet-switched network (300, 500). Furthermore, a terminal-specific termination point for the packet-switched network (300, 500) is provided at the cellular base station device (20).