Method and apparatus for communicating via a gateway

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a user equipment establishes a connection to a local area network, transmits information relating to the local area network to a gateway selection function, the gateway selection function determines whether a method to configure the local area network can be obtained, and the gateway selection function configures the local area network and local route parameters in the user equipment either via the local area network or via a cellular network.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 logic circuitry configured to cause a connection to be established to a local area network;   memory configured to store information relating to the local area network;   the logic circuitry configured to cause at least part of the information relating to the local area network to be transmitted from the apparatus to a gateway selection function; and   transceiver circuitry configured to receive configuration information from the gateway selection function, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of: a traffic filter, charging advice, a bandwidth quota, bearer parameters, and context parameters,
 wherein the gateway selection function is comprised in a core network of a cellular communication network. 
   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the local area network is caused to be transmitted via the local area network. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the local area network is caused to be transmitted via a cellular network. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is received via the local area network. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is received via a cellular network. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gateway selection function is comprised in a core network of either a home or a visited cellular network of a subscriber associated with the apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the local area network comprises at least one of: internet protocol address of the apparatus via the local area network, a network mask, a default gateway identity, a name-to-address mapping server identity, a local area network identity, and location information. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a user equipment and an antenna. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 causing a connection to be established to a local area network;   causing information relating to the local area network to be transmitted from a user equipment to a gateway selection function in a core network of a cellular communication network; and   receiving reconfiguration information from the gateway selection function, wherein the reconfiguration information comprises at least one of: a traffic filter, charging advice, a bandwidth quota, bearer parameters, and context parameters.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the information relating to the local area network is caused to be transmitted via the local area network. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the information relating to the local area network is caused to be transmitted via a cellular network. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the configuration information is received via the local area network. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the configuration information is received via a cellular network. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the information relating to the local area network comprises at least one of: internet protocol address of the apparatus via the local area network, a network mask, a default gateway identity, a name-to-address mapping server identity, a local area network identity, and location information. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
 receive information relating to a local area network from a user equipment; 
 determine whether at least one method to control the local area network can be obtained; 
 responsive to at least one method to control the local area network being successfully obtained, cause the local area network to be configured by using the method; and 
 cause local area network parameters in the user equipment to be configured. 
   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the method to control the local area network is obtained from a database. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the database is shared and is comprised in a different domain than the apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the method to control the local area network is obtained by requesting if from the local area network. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the local area network parameters in the user equipment are configured via the local area network. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the local area network parameters in the user equipment are configured via a cellular network. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein responsive to a determination that at least one method to control the local area network cannot be obtained, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to configure the user equipment to cause at least a part of local area network traffic originating from the user equipment to be tunneled to an operator gateway. 
     
     
         22 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:
 code for causing a connection to be established to a local area network;   code for causing information relating to the local area network to be transmitted from a user equipment to a gateway selection function in a core network of a cellular communication network; and   code for receiving reconfiguration information from the gateway selection function.   
     
     
         23 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:
 code for receiving information relating to a local area network from a user equipment;   code for determining whether at least one method to control the local area network can be obtained;   code for causing the local area network to be configured by using the method responsive to at least one method to control the local area network being successfully obtained; and   code for causing local area network parameters in the user equipment to be configured.