WO2018206101A1

WO2018206101A1 - Selection criteria for (non-ip) data destinations

Info

Publication number: WO2018206101A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/061201
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jani Olavi SODERLUND
Original assignee: Nokia Solutions And Networks Oy
Priority date: 2017-05-10
Filing date: 2017-05-10
Publication date: 2018-11-15

Abstract

It is provided a method, comprising monitoring if a request to create a session to transmit data from a terminal to an access point name is received; determining an internet protocol address if the request is received; instructing to forward the data to the internet protocol address; wherein the internet protocol address is determined based on the access point name and at least one of a type indication and a location indication; if the internet protocol address is determined based on the type indication, the request comprises the type indication and the type indication indicates a type of the terminal; and if the internet protocol address is determined based on the location indication, the request comprises the location indication and the location indication indicates a location of the terminal.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Title

Selection criteria for (non-IP) data destinations

Field of t e invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus, a method, and a computer program product related to address mapping. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus, a method, and a computer program product related to address mapping for non-IP data.

Abbreviations

3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project

4G, 5G 4^th Generation, 5^th Generation

AAA Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting

APN Access Point Name

AS Application Server

C-BS CloT Base Station

CloT Cellular loT

C-SGN CloT Serving Gateway Node

ctx Context

EPC Evolved Packet Core

GPRS General Packet Radio Service

GSM Global System for Mobile Communication

GSMA GSM Association

GTP GPRS Tunneling Protocol

GW Gateway

HSS Home Subscriber Sever

IMEI International Mobile Equipment Identity

loT Internet of Things

IP Internet Protocol

L1 , L2 Layer 1 , Layer 2 of OSI layer model

LTE Long Term Evolution

LTE-A LTE Advanced MAC Medium Access Control

MME Mobility Management Entity

MO Mobile Originated

MT Mobile Terminated

NAS Non-Access Stratum

NB Narrowband

NIDD Non-IP Data Delivery

PDCP Packet Data Convergence Protocol

PDN Packet Data Network

PGW, P-GW Packet Data Gateway

RFC Request for Comments

RLC Radio Link Control

S1 AP S1 Application Part

S5/S8 Interface between SGW and PGW (S8 for roaming)

SCEF Service Capability Exposure Function

SCTP Stream Control Transmission Protocol

SGi 3GPP Standard interface between PGW and the packet data network

SGW Serving Gateway

TAC Type Allocation Code

TR Technical Report

TS Technical Specification

UDP User Datagram Protocol

UE User Equipment

VRF Virtual Routing Function

Background of the invention

This application relates to the cellular loT (CloT) in the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). The CloT devices may be simplified by use of non-IP data, allowing devices to communicate with the server side without the need for Internet Protocol (IP) stack. The support of Non-IP data is part of the 3GPP CloT optimisations. A specific 3GPP PDN Type "Non-IP" is used for Non-IP data.

3GPP TR 23.720 describes a solution (solution 15) where data is relayed via P-GW between the UE and Application Server (AS) as shown in Fig. 1 . An alternative solution is to relay the data from MME to SCEF, but this solution is not considered further in this application. 3GPP TR.720 describes t e solution 15 shown in Fig. 1 substantially as follows:

When the UE does not need IP services, it would make use of this procedure to setup a PDN connection to send and receive non-IP data. When Non-IP is requested, the P-GW or corresponding function in a C-SGN/MME allocates an IP address for the UE. The IP address is used to identify the UE in the UDP/IP encapsulation over the SGi interface. The PGW or corresponding function in a C-SGN/MME does not convey the IP address to the UE, i.e. it omits the stateless address autoconfiguration.

The "non-IP" service provided by the 3GPP network for CloT reduces the overhead passed over the low bitrate radio interface. The interface towards the Application Service is still a "normal" IP interface to enable the use of all mainstream IP technology at the Application Server side and to minimize the impact on the 3GPP system. Since a CloT UE using "non- IP" has no means to address different Application Servers, it will be a point-to-point tunnel between the UE and the Application Server. The destination IP address of the Application Server is defined in the APN.

The steps shown in Fig. 1 are substantially as follows:

1 . UE sends initial attach with an indication set to "Non-IP".

2. C-SGN/MME authenticates the UE following normal procedures if necessary. The C-SGN/MME processes the initial attach and identifies that the UE uses non-IP data. IP address allocation will be carried out, for use in the UDP/IP encapsulation on the SGi interface. Since a UE using a non-IP data has no means to address different Application Servers, the C-SGN/MME selects a proper destination for the UE, e.g. the Application Server, according to the APN and will forward any data from UE to that specific Application Server. The non-IP data sent between the UE and the Application Server is encapsulated in UDP/IP packets. The IP address allocated for the UE and the IP address of the AS configured in the non-IP APN will be used for setting the addresses in the UDP/IP header. Other IP related operation same as step 4.

3. The C-SGN/MME processes the initial attach and identifies that the UE uses non-IP data. Therefore, it selects a proper P-GW according to the APN. The C- SGN/MME/SGW sends the Create Session Request to the P-GW, indicating that "Non-IP" is requested. 4. The P-GW runs the IP related operation for "non-IP", e.g. IP address allocation, but no SLAAC (e.g. no Router Advertisements sent to the UE), establishes a PDN context for modified switching where UDP/IP encapsulation are used over the SGi interface and non-IP data are used over the S5/S8. In addition, any existing or future non-standardized tunnelling may be used by the P-GW on top of the UDP/IP encapsulated data on the SGi interface e.g. VPN secure tunnelling.

5. The P-GW responds with a Create Session Response, indicating that the "Non-IP" PDN connection has been setup.

6. C-SGN/MME sends the Attach Accept to the UE.

7. UE sends an Attach Complete to the C-SGN/MME to indicate the successful attach including setup of a PDN connection for non-IP Small Data.

The steps 3 to 5 are executed within a single combined node when separate P-GW is not used.

For uplink non-IP traffic, the UE sends the non-IP data to C-SGN/MME/SGW over the bearer, which in turn forwards the data to the Application Server encapsulated in UDP/IP. In case the UE is roaming or a separate P-GW is used, the C-SGN/MME/SGW forwards the non-IP data to P-GW and the P-GW forwards that to the Application Server encapsulated in UDP/IP.

For downlink non-IP traffic, the Application Server sends non-IP data for the UE encapsulated in UDP/IP to the P-GW or C-SGN. The P-GW or C-SGN removes the UDP/IP header and forwards the downlink non-IP traffic to the UE using the UE's non-IP bearer. The P-GW/C-GSN triggers the IP header removal based on context information for the PDN connection.

For the P-GW/C-SGN side a 3GPP known UDP port may be used for the non-IP data. For the Application Server side the IP address and UDP port of the Application Server is configured per APN. UDP port(s) to route the packet to appropriate application server(s) is pre-configured at P-GW/C-SGN (e.g. based on business agreement between operator and application server provider).

The normative standardization continues in 3GPP TS 23.401 , which describes solutions for support for Non-IP Data Delivery (NIDD). For release 13, the normative solution is described in section 4.3.17.8 of this 3GPP TS. Fig. 2 shows the protocol stacks and conversions involved in passing non-IP traffic from UE to AS. At the bottom, the structure of a datagram from SGW/PGW to AS (on SGi interface) is shown.

Thus, more fine-grained solutions for selecting the destination application server are needed.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to improve the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus, comprising at least one processor, at least one memory including computer program code, and the at least one processor, with the at least one memory and the computer program code, being arranged to cause the apparatus to at least perform monitoring if a request to create a session to transmit data from a terminal to an access point name is received; determining an internet protocol address if the request is received; instructing to forward the data to the internet protocol address; wherein the internet protocol address is determined based on the access point name and at least one of a type indication and a location indication; if the internet protocol address is determined based on the type indication, the request comprises the type indication and the type indication indicates a type of the terminal; and if the internet protocol address is determined based on the location indication, the request comprises the location indication and the location indication indicates a location of the terminal.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method, comprising monitoring if a request to create a session to transmit data from a terminal to an access point name is received; determining an internet protocol address if the request is received; instructing to forward the data to the internet protocol address; wherein the internet protocol address is determined based on the access point name and at least one of a type indication and a location indication; if the internet protocol address is determined based on the type indication, the request comprises the type indication and the type indication indicates a type of the terminal; and if the internet protocol address is determined based on the location indication, the request comprises the location indication and the location indication indicates a location of the terminal. According to each of the first and second aspects, if the internet protocol address is determined based on the type indication, the request may comprise a terminal identifier of the terminal and the terminal identifier may include the type of the terminal. The terminal identifier may comprise an international mobile equipment identifier.

According to each of the first and second aspects, if the internet protocol address is determined based on the location identifier, the location identifier may comprise a location value.

According to each of the first and second aspects, the session may be for non-internet- protocol data and the data may be non-internet-protocol data.

The method of the second aspect may be a method of data delivery.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product comprising a set of instructions which, when executed on an apparatus, is configured to cause the apparatus to carry out the method according to the second aspect. The computer program product may be embodied as a computer-readable medium or directly loadable into a computer.

According to some embodiments of the invention, at least one of the following advantages may be achieved:

• Reduced administrative effort due to smaller number of APNs;

• Scaling problems due to high number of APNs may be avoided;

• Higher flexibility in mapping of APNs to IP addresses;

• AS may be optimized for a terminal type;

• Reduced distances for routing of (non-IP) data;

• Legislative requirements may be fulfilled;

• Backward compatibility: the terminal and other network elements than PGW (or AAA server) and interfaces are not affected.

It is to be understood that any of the above modifications can be applied singly or in combination to the respective aspects to which they refer, unless they are explicitly stated as excluding alternatives.

Brief description of the drawings Further details, features, objects, and advantages are apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention which is to be taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a message flow according to solution 15 of 3GPP TR 23.270;

Fig. 2 shows protocol stacks involved in NIDD including UDP/IP tunneling towards AS

(upper part) with a datagram structure on the PGW's SGi side (bottom part);

Fig. 3 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 shows a method according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 shows a method according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 7 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of certain embodiments

Herein below, certain embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the features of the embodiments can be freely combined with each other unless otherwise described. However, it is to be expressly understood that the description of certain embodiments is given by way of example only, and that it is by no way intended to be understood as limiting the invention to the disclosed details.

Moreover, it is to be understood that the apparatus is configured to perform the corresponding method, although in some cases only the apparatus or only the method are described.

The current 3GPP standard essentially defines that the destination AS and the tunnelling technique (if differing from de-facto solution described in 3GPP TS 23.401 , section 4.3.17.8.3.3.2 "SGi PtP tunnelling based on UDP/IP", see for example 3GPP TS 23.401 , section 4.3.17.8.3.3.3 "Other SGi PtP tunnelling mechanisms") are selected based on Access Point Name (APN) pre-configuration in the PGW, see 3GPP TS 23.401 , section 4.3.17.8.3.3.1 :

The P-GW decides at PDN connection establishment based on pre-configuration which point-to-point tunneling technique is used for the SGi based delivery between the P-GW and the AS. NOTE: The pre-configuration can be done in the P-GW per APN or based on other criterion such as SLA between operator and 3rd party application service provider, etc.

With this 1 :1 mapping of APN to AS (more specific: IP address of AS), it is possible to use static APN:AS mapping, or even acquire the mapping information dynamically from e.g. AAA server (dynamic tunnelling according to RFC 2868, where the AS is defined by a Tunnel-Server-Endpoint attribute of an Access accept message).

However, there are use cases which may require a more intelligent solution in the PGW or AAA server. Furthermore, even if multiple application servers could be mapped to common VRFs (virtual routing functions) in transport level, the number of different APNs would end up to be very large. This may create dimensioning problems in the core network elements as well as increasing configuration and operational complexities.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a more fine-granular solution for selecting the destination application server. Namely, according to some embodiments of the invention, the AS (IP address of the AS) may be selected not only based on the APN received in the Create Session Request (step 3 of Fig. 1 ) but also on one or both of the UE type and the UE location. Thus, the current 1 :1 mapping between the APN and (IP address of) AS may be made a N:M mapping with at least one of N, M > 1 .

Information on the UE type is available in the Type Allocation Code (TAC) which is part of the IMEI known by the PGW. The "UE type" (i.e. "Mobile Equipment Identity (MEI)") comes to the PGW in the Create Session Request, if the information is available in the MME/SGSN. This is defined in GTPv2 specification 3GPP TS 29.274 and GTPvl specification 3GPP TS 29.060. The structure of the IMEI is specified in 3GPP TS 23.003. The Type Allocation Code (TAC) is issued by the GSM Association in its capacity as the Global Decimal Administrator. Further information can be found in the GSMA TS.06 "IMEI Allocation and Approval Process" (http://www.gsma.com/newsroom/gsmadocuments/)

In some embodiments of the invention, based on TAC, different destination AS may be configured for different device types, allowing e.g. sharing APN across various devices owned by some organization. One may even connect all devices of the same type attaching to different APNs to the same common application server. This common application server may be particularly configured to handle this device type. Information on the location of the UE is provided by the location value. The User Location Information (ULI) comes to the PGW in the Create Session Request, if the information is available in the MME/SGSN. This is defined in GTPv2 specification 3GPP TS 29.274 and GTPvl specification 3GPP TS 29.060. Mapping based on the location information allow e.g. selecting a local destination AS. The UE location is provided to the PGW by MME/SGSN.

Especially in Europe, many operators work across multiple countries, while providing centrally core network elements like PGW. Depending on local legislations (and potentially also on the type of the devices), the authorities might require the data to be handled within the same country. If the mapping of APN to IP address of the AS is based on the UE location, the operator may deploy the AS to each country and keep the PGW centrally deployed. In such a configuration, the PGW may select the destination AS based on the UE's current location which would help to achieve this legislative restriction.

The mapping based on UE type and/or UE location may be preconfigured in the PGW or AAA server, or even in any other server (such as a dedicated server) in which the mapping is performed. The mapping options should be described in the respective 3GPP standards for non-IP tunnelling solutions.

Fig. 3 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. The apparatus may be a mapping function such as a PGW or a AAA server, or an element thereof. Fig. 4 shows a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The apparatus according to Fig. 3 may perform the method of Fig. 4 but is not limited to this method. The method of Fig. 4 may be performed by the apparatus of Fig. 3 but is not limited to being performed by this apparatus.

The apparatus comprises monitoring means 10, determining means 20, and instructing means 30. The monitoring means 10, determining means 20, and instructing means 30 may be monitoring processor, determining processor, and instructing processor, respectively.

The monitoring means 10 monitors if a request to create a session to transmit data from a terminal to an access point name is received (S10). The request comprises a type indication indicating a type of the terminal. In particular, the session may be a session for non-IP data.

If the request is received (S10 = "yes"), the determining means 20 determines an internet protocol address based on the access point name and the type indication (S20). The instructing means 30 instructs to forward the data to the internet protocol address determined by the determining means 20 (S30).

Fig. 5 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. The apparatus may be a mapping function such as a PGW or a AAA server, or an element thereof. Fig. 6 shows a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The apparatus according to Fig. 5 may perform the method of Fig. 6 but is not limited to this method. The method of Fig. 6 may be performed by the apparatus of Fig. 5 but is not limited to being performed by this apparatus.

The apparatus comprises monitoring means 1 10, determining means 120, and instructing means 130. The monitoring means 1 10, determining means 120, and instructing means 130 may be monitoring processor, determining processor, and instructing processor, respectively.

The monitoring means 1 10 monitors if a request to create a session to transmit data from a terminal to an access point name is received (S1 10). The request comprises a location indication indicating a location of the terminal. In particular, the session may be a session for non-IP data.

If the request is received (S1 10 = "yes"), the determining means 120 determines an internet protocol address based on the access point name and the location indication (S120).

The instructing means 130 instructs to forward the data to the internet protocol address determined by the determining means 120 (S130).

Fig. 7 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. The apparatus comprises at least one processor 410, at least one memory 420 including computer program code, and the at least one processor 410, with the at least one memory 420 and the computer program code, being arranged to cause the apparatus to at least perform at least one of the methods according to Figs. 4 and 6.

If the respective one of the UE type and the UE location is not available for the PGW (e.g. because MME/SGSN does not provide it in the Create Session Request), according to some embodiments of the invention, one AS may be assigned per APN, irrespective of UE type or location.

Embodiments of the invention may be employed in a 3GPP network such as LTE or LTE- A, or in a 5G network. They may be employed also in other wireless or wireline communication networks such as CDMA, EDGE, UTRAN networks, WiFi networks, etc.. Preferably, embodiments of the invention are applied to non-IP data. In these cases, the network should allow non-IP data transfer to/from the terminal.

Some embodiments of the invention are related to enhancing the basic solution described in the standards, i.e UDP/IP tunnelling in SGi interface. However, some embodiments of the invention are also applicable to any other non-standard tunnelling solution, e.g. as described in the 3GPP TS 23.401 .

A terminal may be any apparatus capable to access the respective network. E.g., in 3GPP networks, a terminal may be a UE, an loT device, etc. The terminal may be a smartphone, a laptop, a mobile phone etc. In particular, embodiments of the invention may be applied to non-loT devices, too.

One piece of information may be transmitted in one or plural messages from one entity to another entity. Each of these messages may comprise further (different) pieces of information.

Names of network elements, protocols, and methods are based on current standards. In other versions or other technologies, the names of these network elements and/or protocols and/or methods may be different, as long as they provide a corresponding functionality.

If not otherwise stated or otherwise made clear from the context, the statement that two entities are different means that they perform different functions. It does not necessarily mean that they are based on different hardware. That is, each of the entities described in the present description may be based on a different hardware, or some or all of the entities may be based on the same hardware. It does not necessarily mean that they are based on different software. That is, each of the entities described in the present description may be based on different software, or some or all of the entities may be based on the same software. One or more of the described entities may be implemented in the cloud. In particular, each of the described entities may be implemented as a network slice. According to t e above description, it should thus be apparent that example embodiments of the present invention provide, for example, an address mapping function, such as a P- GW or a AAA server, or a component thereof, an apparatus embodying the same, a method for controlling and/or operating the same, and computer program(s) controlling and/or operating the same as well as mediums carrying such computer program(s) and forming computer program product(s).

Implementations of any of the above described blocks, apparatuses, systems, techniques or methods include, as non-limiting examples, implementations as hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof. They may be implemented fully or partly in the cloud.

It is to be understood that what is described above is what is presently considered the preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the description of the preferred embodiments is given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims:

1 . Apparatus, comprising at least one processor, at least one memory including computer program code, and the at least one processor, with the at least one memory and the computer program code, being arranged to cause the apparatus to at least perform

monitoring if a request to create a session to transmit data from a terminal to an access point name is received;

determining an internet protocol address if the request is received;

instructing to forward the data to the internet protocol address; wherein

the internet protocol address is determined based on the access point name and at least one of a type indication and a location indication;

if the internet protocol address is determined based on the type indication, the request comprises the type indication and the type indication indicates a type of the terminal; and

if the internet protocol address is determined based on the location indication, the request comprises the location indication and the location indication indicates a location of the terminal.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, if the internet protocol address is determined based on the type indication, the request comprises a terminal identifier of the terminal and the terminal identifier includes the type of the terminal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the terminal identifier comprises an international mobile equipment identifier.

4. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein, if the internet protocol address is determined based on the location identifier, the location identifier comprises a location value.

5. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the session is for non-internet- protocol data and the data are non-internet-protocol data.

6. Method, comprising

determining an internet protocol address if the request is received; instructing to forward t e data to the internet protocol address; wherein

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, if the internet protocol address is determined based on the type indication, the request comprises a terminal identifier of the terminal and the terminal identifier includes the type of the terminal.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the terminal identifier comprises an international mobile equipment identifier.

9. The method according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein, if the internet protocol address is determined based on the location identifier, the location identifier comprises a location value.

10. The method according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the session is for non-internet- protocol data and the data are non-internet-protocol data.

1 1 . A computer program product comprising a set of instructions which, when executed on an apparatus, is configured to cause the apparatus to carry out the method according to any of claims 6 to 10.

12. The computer program product according to claim 1 1 , embodied as a computer-readable medium or directly loadable into a computer.