Method for separating and processing signal and bearer in all IP radio access network

Abstract

A method for processing a signal and a bearer separately in an ALL IP network system includes the steps of: transmitting a service request message (SRM) from a mobile station (MS) to a radio network (RN); at the RN, determining whether a circuit-related service or a packet-related service is requested; if the circuit-related service is requested: (i) transmitting a CM service request message to a MSC server, (ii) receiving a service request acknowledgement (SRA) message from the MSC server, and (iii) assigning a bearer in response to the SRA message; and if the packet-related service is requested: (i) transmitting the SRM from the RN to a core network without processing the SRM; (ii) at the core network, processing the SRM and transmitting an assignment request to the RN, the assignment request requesting that the RN assign the bearer; and (iii) assigning the bearer in response to the assignment request.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for processing a signal and a bearer separately in an ALL IP network system including one or more mobile stations, one or more radio networks and one or more core networks, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) transmitting a service request message from a mobile station to a radio network; 
 b) at the radio network, determining whether a circuit related service or a packet-related service is requested; 
 c) if the circuit related service is requested:
 (i) transmitting a connection management (CM) service request message to a mobile switching center (MSC) server; 
 (ii) receiving a service request acknowledgement message from the MSC server; and 
 (iii) assigning a bearer in response to the service request acknowledgement message; and 
 
 d) if the packet-related service is requested:
 (i) transmitting the service request message from the radio network to a core network without processing the service request message; 
 (ii) at the core network, processing the service request message and transmitting an assignment request to the radio network, the assignment request requesting that the radio network assign a bearer for user data; and 
 (iii) assigning the bearer in response to the assignment request. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the radio network includes a radio network control system (RNCS) and a radio bearer function (RBF) unit, the RBF unit performing bearer assignment. 
     
     
       3. The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the core network includes the MSC server and a session manager, the session manager managing a packet-related message. 
     
     
       4. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein whether the circuit-related service or the packet related service is requested is determined by reading an address of a TCP/IP header allocated to each service request message. 
     
     
       5. The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein if the address of the TCP/IP header has an address of the session manager, it is determined that the packet-related service is requested. 
     
     
       6. The method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the step d)(iii) includes the steps of:
 (A) transmitting a response message related to the service request from the RNCS to the mobile station; 
 (B) at the RNCS, requesting that the RBF unit assign the bearer; and 
 (C) at the RBF unit, assigning the bearer. 
 
     
     
       7. Computer-readable recording media storing instructions for performing a method for processing a signal and a bearer separately in an ALL IP network system including one or more mobile stations, one or more radio networks and one or more core networks, the method comprising the steps of A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, that upon execution by a computing device cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 a) transmitting a service request message from a mobile station to a radio network; 
 b) at the radio network, determining whether a circuit-related service or a packet-related service is requested; 
 c) if the circuit related service is requested:
 (i) transmitting a connection management (CM) service request message to a mobile switching center (MSC) server; 
 (ii) receiving a service request acknowledgement message from the MSC server; and 
 (iii) assigning a bearer in response to the service request acknowledgement message; and 
 
 d) if the packet-related service is requested:
 (i) transmitting the service request message from the radio network to a core network without processing the service request message; 
 (ii) at the core network, processing the service request message and transmitting an assignment request to the radio network, the assignment request requesting that the radio network assign a bearer for user data; and 
 (iii) assigning the bearer in response to the assignment request. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The non-transitory computer-readable recording media medium as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the step d)(iii) includes the steps of:
 (A) transmitting a response message related to the service request from a radio network control system (RNCS) to the mobile station; 
 (B) at the RNCS, requesting that a radio bearer function (RBF) unit assign the bearer; and 
 (C) at the RBF unit, assigning the bearer. 
 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for processing a signal and a bearer separately in an ALL IP network system, the apparatus comprising:
 a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions; and   a computing device configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to:
 receive a service request message from a mobile station; 
 determine whether a circuit-related service or a packet related service is requested; 
 if the circuit-related service is requested:
 transmit a connection management (CM) service request message to a mobile switching center (MSC) server; 
 receive a service request acknowledgement message from the MSC server; and 
 assign a bearer in response to the service request acknowledgement message; and 
 
 if the packet-related service is requested:
 transmit a second service request message to a core network without processing the second service request message; 
 receive an assignment request message from the core network, wherein the assignment request message requests that a radio network control system assign the bearer in response to processing of the second service request message by the core network; and 
 transmit a request to assign the bearer in response to the assignment request, wherein the bearer is assigned by a radio network element serving a radio bearer function. 
 
   
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is an element of a radio network configured to communication with mobile devices. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the computing device is further configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to determined whether the circuit related service or the packet-related service is requested by reading an address of a TCP/IP header allocated to each service request message. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein if the address of the TCP/IP header has an address of a session manager of the core network, it is determined that the packet-related service is requested. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computing device is further configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to transmit a response message related to the service request to the mobile station. 
     
     
       14. A method comprising:
 receiving a service request message from a mobile station at a radio network control system;   at the radio network control system, determining whether a circuit-related service or a packet related service is requested;   if the circuit-related service is requested:
 transmitting a connection management (CM) service request message to a mobile switching center (MSC) server from the radio network control system; 
 receiving a service request acknowledgement message at the radio network control system from the MSC server; and 
 assigning, at the radio network control system, a bearer in response to the service request acknowledgement message; and 
   if the packet-related service is requested:
 transmitting a second service request message from the radio network control system to a core network without processing the second service request message; 
 receiving an assignment request message at the radio network control system from the core network, wherein the assignment request message requests that the radio network control system assign the bearer in response to processing of the second service request message by the core network; and 
 transmitting a request from the network control system to assign the bearer in response to the assignment request, wherein the bearer is assigned by a radio network element serving a radio bearer function. 
   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14, wherein the core network includes the MSC server and a session manager configured to manage a packet-related message. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14, wherein whether the circuit related service or the packet-related service is requested is determined by reading an address of a TCP/IP header allocated to each service request message. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16, wherein if the address of the TCP/IP header has an address of a session manager of the core network, it is determined that the packet-related service is requested. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting a response message related to the service request from the RNCS to the mobile station. 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
 instructions to receive a service request message from a mobile station;   instructions to determine whether a circuit-related service or a packet related service is requested;   instructions to, if the circuit-related service is requested:
 transmit a connection management (CM) service request message to a mobile switching center (MSC) server; 
 receive a service request acknowledgement message from the MSC server; and 
 assign a bearer in response to the service request acknowledgement message; and 
   instructions to, if the packet-related service is requested:
 transmit a second service request message from a radio network to a core network without processing the second service request message; 
 receive an assignment request message from the core network, wherein the assignment request message requests that the radio network assign the bearer in response to processing of the second service request message by the core network; and 
 transmit a request to assign the bearer in response to the assignment request, wherein the bearer is assigned by a radio network element serving a radio bearer function.