US 12,133,159 B2
In-band signaling of access network information along the user-plane for differentiated charging
Raghavendra Suryanarayanarao Vidyashankar, Bangalore South (IN); Santhosh Shenoy Panambur, Karnataka (IN); and Om Prakash Suthar, Bolingbrook, IL (US)
Assigned to CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/068,031.
Prior Publication US 2022/0116854 A1, Apr. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. H04W 48/08 (2009.01); H04W 4/24 (2024.01); H04W 36/00 (2009.01); H04W 36/14 (2009.01); H04W 48/18 (2009.01); H04W 88/16 (2009.01); H04W 92/02 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 48/08 (2013.01) [H04W 4/24 (2013.01); H04W 36/0027 (2013.01); H04W 36/0066 (2013.01); H04W 36/14 (2013.01); H04W 48/18 (2013.01); H04W 88/16 (2013.01); H04W 92/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. In a communication system that includes at least a first radio access network of a first radio access technology type and a second radio access network of a second radio access technology type, a method performed at a radio access network element of the second radio access network, comprising:
receiving a data transmission from a user equipment that has dual connectivity capabilities for communication in both the first radio access network and the second radio access network;
determining whether there is a change in radio access technology type for the user equipment indicating that the user equipment has handed over from the first radio access network to the second radio access network;
in response to determining that the user equipment has changed radio access technology type, encapsulating data from the user equipment in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)-User Plane (GTP-U) protocol packet by providing an 8-bit extension header comprising a 4-bit indication to indicate to a mobile core network that the radio access technology type is changed to the second radio access technology type from the first radio access technology type, a 3-bit indication to indicate to the mobile core network that a cell group is changed to a secondary cell group from a master cell group, and a 1-bit flag to indicate to the mobile core network whether a split bearer scenario is enabled or disabled, to form an encapsulated GTP-U protocol packet; and
sending the encapsulated GTP-U protocol packet to the mobile core network to inform the mobile core network that the user equipment has changed to the second radio access technology type.