Service frequency based 3GDT

Abstract

A method for reducing the signaling load of a GPRS core network system is provided. The GPRS core network system comprises a first UE, a first RNC, a first SGSN, a first core network node, and a first IP network, where the first UE is arranged to be in communication with the first RNC, where the first RNC is arranged to be in communication with the SGSN for non-3GDT communication of the GPRS core network system or the core network node for 3GDT communication of the GPRS core network system, where the first SGSN is arranged to be in communication with the first core network node, where the first core network node is arranged to be in contact with the first IP network, where one or more service requests originates from the first UE to the SGSN, where the number of service requests to the SGSN is measured.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for reducing a signaling load of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) core network system, wherein the GPRS core network system comprises a first User Equipment (UE); a first Radio Network Controller (RNC); a first Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN); a first core network node, the first core network node being either a Gateway GPRS Support Node/Packet Data Network Gateway (GGSN/PGW), or a Serving Gateway (SGW); and a first Internet Protocol (IP) network, the method comprising:
 receiving by the first SGSN one or more service requests from the first UE; 
 measuring by the first SGSN the number of service requests from the first UE to the first SGSN in a predetermined measurement interval of time; 
 determining by the first SGSN whether the measured number of service requests in the predetermined measurement interval of time exceeds a threshold value; 
 setting up a 3rd Generation Direct Tunnel (3GDT) communication if a configuration of the first SGSN allows the setup of the 3GDT communication and the number of service requests from the first UE to the first SGSN does not exceed the threshold value; and 
 setting up a non-3GDT communication for the GPRS core network system if the number of service requests from the first UE to the first SGSN exceeds the threshold value, 
 wherein the first UE is arranged to be in communication with the first RNC, 
 wherein the first RNC is arranged to be in communication with the first SGSN for non-3GDT communication of the GPRS core network system or the first core network node for 3GDT communication of the GPRS core network system, 
 wherein the first SGSN is arranged to be in communication with the first core network node, and 
 wherein the first core network node is arranged to be in contact with the first IP network. 
 
     
     
       2. A network system in communication with a first User Equipment (UE) comprising:
 a first Radio Network Controller (RNC); 
 a first Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN); 
 a first core network node, the first core network node being either a Gateway GPRS Support Node/Packet Data Network Gateway (GGSN/PGW), or a Serving Gateway (SGW); and 
 a first Internet Protocol (IP) network, 
 wherein the first RNC is arranged to be in communication with the first SGSN for non-3rd Generation Direct Tunnel (3GDT) communication of the network system or the first core network node for 3GDT communication of the network system, 
 wherein the first SGSN is arranged to be in communication with the first core network node, 
 wherein the first core network node is arranged to be in contact with the first IP network, and 
 wherein the first SGSN is configured to:
 receive one or more service requests from the first UE; 
 measure the number of service requests from the first UE to the first SGSN in a predetermined measurement interval of time; 
 determine whether the measured number of service requests in the predetermined measurement interval of time exceeds a threshold value; 
 set up a 3GDT communication if a configuration of the first SGSN allows the set up of the 3GDT communication and the number of service requests from the first UE to the first SGSN does not exceed the threshold value; and 
 set up a non-3GDT communication for the network system if the number of service requests from the first UE to the first SGSN exceeds the threshold value. 
 
 
     
     
       3. A method performed by a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) of a network, the method comprising:
 receiving by the SGSN one or more service requests from a user equipment (UE); 
 measuring by the SGSN a number of the one or more service requests from the UE in a predetermined measurement interval of time; 
 determining by the SGSN whether the measured number of the one or more service requests in the predetermined measurement interval of time exceeds a threshold value; 
 setting up by the SGSN a 3rd Generation Direction Tunnel (3GDT) communication if a configuration of the SGSN allows the setup of the 3GDT communication and the number of the one or more service requests from the UE does not exceed the threshold value; 
 setting up by the SGSN a non-3GDT communication for a GPRS core network system if the number of the one or more service requests from the UE exceeds the threshold value; and 
 wherein the network further comprises a Radio Network Controller (RNC), a core network node, and an Internet Protocol (IP) network, the RNC being arranged to be in communication with the SGSN for non-3GDT communication or the core network node for 3GDT communication, the SGSN being arranged to be in communication with the core network node, and the core network node being arranged to be in contact with the IP network.