Method and Apparatus for Traffic Aggregation Setup between WLAN and 3GPP

Abstract

A node of a RAN of a wide area cellular network initiates aggregation of WLAN traffic and cellular network traffic for a user equipment. The node determines to initiate aggregation of WLAN traffic and cellular network traffic for the user equipment and signals to a node of the WLAN network or the user equipment that aggregation should be initiated for the user equipment. Data is exchanged with the user equipment via a cellular radio link and using an interface between the RAN node and the WLAN node, where the traffic data on the interface is aggregated with the traffic data on the cellular radio link.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, in a node of a radio access network (RAN) of a wide area cellular network, the method comprising:
 signaling to a user equipment that aggregation of wireless local area network (WLAN) traffic and cellular network traffic should be initiated for the user equipment, wherein the signaling comprises transmitting, to the user equipment, a message comprising an indication of which bearers are to be aggregated and/or an indication of a type of aggregation; and,   exchanging first user traffic data with the user equipment using an interface between the RAN node and the WLAN node, and contemporaneously exchanging second user traffic data with the user equipment via a cellular radio link, wherein the first user traffic data on the interface is aggregated with the second user traffic data on the cellular radio link.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises establishing a tunnel between the RAN node and the WLAN node, and wherein exchanging the first user traffic data with the user equipment is performed via the tunnel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said signaling is in response to receiving an instruction to initiate aggregation from another node. 
     
     
         4 . A method, in a node of a wireless local area network (WLAN) for initiating aggregation of WLAN traffic and cellular network traffic for a user equipment, the method comprising:
 determining whether to initiate aggregation for the user equipment; and   in response to said determining, forwarding first user traffic data received from the user equipment to a node in a radio access network (RAN) of a wide-area cellular network and forwarding second user traffic data received from the RAN node to the user equipment, wherein the first user traffic data on the interface is aggregated with the second user traffic data on the cellular radio link.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising establishing a tunnel with the RAN node for exchanging the first user traffic data with the user equipment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining traffic that is to be forwarded between the RAN node and the user equipment using a traffic flow template and an identity of the user equipment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises signaling to the user equipment that aggregation should be started for the user equipment. 
     
     
         8 . A node of a radio access network (RAN) of a wide area cellular network, the RAN node being configured to initiate aggregation of wireless local area network (WLAN) traffic and cellular network traffic for a user equipment, wherein the RAN node comprises:
 a transceiver circuit configured to communicate with the user equipment;   a communication interface circuit configured to communicate with at least one node of a WLAN; and   a processing circuit configured to:   signal to the user equipment via the transceiver circuit that aggregation should be initiated for the user equipment, wherein the signaling comprises transmitting, to the user equipment, a message comprising an indication of which bearers are to be aggregated and/or an indication of a type of aggregation; and,   exchange first user traffic data with the user equipment using an interface between the RAN node and the WLAN node and contemporaneously exchange second user traffic data with the user equipment via a cellular radio link, wherein the first user traffic data on the interface is aggregated with the second user traffic data on the cellular radio link.   
     
     
         9 . The RAN node of  claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to establish a tunnel between the RAN node and the WLAN node. 
     
     
         10 . A node of a wireless local area network (WLAN) configured to initiate aggregation of WLAN traffic and cellular network traffic for a user equipment, wherein the WLAN node comprises:
 a transceiver circuit configured to communicate with the user equipment;   a communication interface circuit configured to communicate with a node in a radio access network (RAN) of a wide-area cellular network; and   a processing circuit configured to:   determine whether to initiate aggregation for the user equipment; and   in response to determining to initiate aggregation, forward first user traffic data received from the user equipment to the RAN node and forward second user traffic data received from the RAN node to the user equipment, wherein the first user traffic data on the interface is aggregated with the second user traffic data on the cellular radio link.   
     
     
         11 . The WLAN node of  claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to establish a tunnel with the RAN node for exchanging the first user traffic data with the user equipment. 
     
     
         12 . The WLAN node of  claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine traffic that is to be forwarded between the RAN node and the user equipment using a traffic flow template and an identity of the user equipment.