Interface of an m2m server with the 3gpp core network

Abstract

An M2M Server may be integrated into a 3GPP network. A network node, for example a Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN) may include a dedicated interface with a M2M server. The interface may be called a GM2M interface. The interface may be a logical interface internal to the network node. The node may receive subscriber data and control data, wherein the control data facilitates a network control procedure and the subscriber data identifies a device involved in the network control procedure. The node may determine that the device involved in the network control procedure is a machine to machine device based on the subscriber data. The node may also send the control data to a machine to machine server using a message sent via a dedicated interface with the machine to machine server.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for triggering a machine type communication (MTC) device, the method comprising:
 a cellular network node receiving a request associated with an MTC device from an MTC server, wherein the request is received via a dedicated interface between the cellular network node and the MTC server and the dedicated interface is utilized for transmitting control plane information between the MTC server and the cellular network node;   the cellular network node sending a message based on receiving the request, wherein the MTC device performs a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context activation procedure based on the cellular network node sending the message; and   the cellular network node sending an update to the MTC server via the dedicated interface after receiving the request, wherein the update comprises information associated with the MTC device.   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the request is valid for a timeout period. 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the dedicated interface is utilized for transmitting user plane information between the MTC server and the cellular network node. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein a different interface is utilized for transmitting user plane information between the MTC server and the cellular network node. 
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the update comprises an identifier for the MTC device. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 5 , wherein the identifier is the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) for the MTC device. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the request is configured to trigger the MTC device to perform the PDP context activation procedure. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) sending one or more of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) mobility management (GMM) message or a session management (SM) message to a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), wherein the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message comprises a single bit that indicates that the WTRU is a machine type communication (MTC) device; and   the WTRU communicating with an MTC server via the control plane of a cellular network that includes the SGSN.   
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message comprises an attach request message. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the single bit is the eighth bit of a field in the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message, and the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message comprises an attach request message. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message comprises an routing area update request message. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the single bit is set to 1 to indicate that the WTRU is a MTC device. 
     
     
         13 . A Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN) comprising:
 a transceiver configured to receive one or more of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) mobility management (GMM) message or a session management (SM) message from a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU), wherein the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message comprises a single bit that indicates that the WTRU is a machine type communication (MTC) device; and   a processor configured to store an indication of MTC capability for the WTRU in memory.   
     
     
         14 . The SGSN as in  claim 13 , wherein the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message comprises a detach request message. 
     
     
         15 . The SGSN as in  claim 13 , wherein the single bit is set to 1 to indicate that the WTRU is a MTC device. 
     
     
         16 . The SGSN as in  claim 15 , wherein the single bit is the eighth bit of a field in the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message, and the one or more of the GMM message or the SM message comprises an attach request message. 
     
     
         17 . A Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN) comprising:
 a transceiver configured to receive a session management (SM) message from a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU), wherein the SM message comprises access point name (APN); and   a processor configured to determine that the WTRU is an machine type communication (MTC) device based on the APN received in the SM message.   
     
     
         18 . The SGSN as in  claim 17 , wherein the SM message is an activate Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context request message. 
     
     
         19 . The SGSN as in  claim 18 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit an activate PDP context reject message to the WTRU based on receiving the activate PDP context message comprising the APN. 
     
     
         20 . The SGSN as in  claim 17 , further comprising a dedicated interface configured to communicate directly with an MTC server.