FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of communication technologies, and more specifically, to a method for managing WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) resources in an access network system, an apparatus and system thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As one of wireless wideband technologies, WLAN has gained a rapid development in recent years. Network operators introduce WLAN into their access network systems and expect to realize more value-added services through wireless technologies such as WLAN. They set up public WLANs in hot-spot areas such as airport, hotel, conference center, home and the like, to provide network access services. Centralized WLAN architecture becomes the first choice. A plurality of ACs (Access Controllers) are deployed in the access network; the ACs may be independently present in the access network or integrated on an access node AN. Through a CAPWAP (Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points) protocol, each AC performs WLAN control management on a considerable number of wireless termination points (WTP) and performs access management of terminal users. The AC just corresponds to an access node.

However, with the constantly expansion of networking scale and increasingly wider deployment of WLAN, it becomes an imminent problem to be solved how to employ a unified and effective mechanism in the access network system to manage WLAN (including creation, release of WLAN, etc.) through AC, so as to satisfy the flexible requirements of terminal users.

In the access network, in order to perform QoS (Quality of Service)-demanding and service-related operations with respect to each user, BBF standardization organization defines a Layer 2 control mechanism that runs between an access node and a Broadband Network Gateway, and meanwhile IETF ( which is Internet Engineering Task Force) formulates a concerned access node control protocol ANCP. Through the ANCP protocol, network operators may manage various access technologies (e.g., xDSL, sPON) in a unified management and control manner. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention intends to provide a technical solution for supporting WLAN resource management in an access network system, which may realize WLAN resource configuration management in the access network based on a particular WLAN resource configuration request through an access node control protocol ANCP between a network gateway BNG and an access control device AC.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for WLAN resource management in an access network system, the access network system including a network gateway, an access control device, and a wireless access node controlled by the access control device, wherein the network gateway receives a WLAN resource configuration request; and transmits an access node control protocol ANCP-based WLAN resource configuration message to the access control device in accordance with the received WLAN resource configuration request; the access control device controls a corresponding wireless access node to perform configuration management of WLAN in accordance with the WLAN resource configuration message.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network gateway for WLAN resource management in an access network system, which comprises: a receiving module configured to receive a WLAN resource configuration request; a transmitting module configured to transmit an access node control protocol ANCP-based WLAN resource configuration message to an access control device based on the WLAN resource configuration request.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an access control device for WLAN resource management in an access network system, which comprises: a receiving module configured to obtain an access node control protocol ANCP-based WLAN resource configuration message from a network gateway in the access network system; a control module configured to control a corresponding wireless access node to perform configuration management of WLAN in accordance with the WLAN resource configuration message.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an authentication server for WLAN resource management, which comprises: a receiving module configured to receive a WLAN service request from a mobile site; an authentication module configured to authenticate the WLAN service request and assign WLAN access parameters to the mobile site based on the authentication result; and a transmitting module configured to transmit the WLAN access parameters to the mobile site and transmit a WLAN resource configuration request to a network gateway BNG in the access network system, the WLAN resource configuration request being used for a wireless access node to perform corresponding WLAN configuration management adapted for the mobile site to access in an access network system.

According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an access network system that comprises a network gateway, an access control device, and a plurality of wireless access nodes controlled by the access control device, wherein the network gateway receives a WLAN resource configuration request; and transmits an access node control protocol ANCP-based WLAN resource configuration message to the access control device in accordance with the WLAN resource configuration request; and the access control device controls a corresponding wireless access node to perform configuration management of WLAN in accordance with the WLAN resource configuration message.

The present invention has the following potential technical advantages:

An access network operator may manage and control various access technologies in an access network system, including a centralized WLAN deployed in an access network, through a unified ANCP protocol, which may efficiently create/ delete a WLAN that satisfies particular requirements on a corresponding WTP and also control and manage WLAN access of a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features, properties, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings; like elements in the accompanying drawings have the same identifiers, in which:

Fig. 1 is a WLAN deployment diagram under an access network system provided in the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a WLAN control message embodiment of an ANCP protocol provided in the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a WLAN dynamic creation embodiment in an access network system provided in the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a WLAN dynamic release embodiment in an access network system provided in the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a WLAN dynamic release embodiment in an access network system provided in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a WLAN deployment diagram under an access network system provided by the present invention. Several WiFi mobile sites UE1, UE2, UE3 are connected to an access controller AC l or an access node AN having an access controller AC via their respectively wireless access nodes WTP1 , WTP2, the access controller AC l and the access node AN in the access network system may be concatenated by a switch in Ethernet and converged together to a broadband network gateway BNG located at the edge of the access network system and in turn connected to an IP/MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) network that is a backbone network.

The broadband network gateway BNG shown in Fig. 1 , on one hand, performs the functionality of a network bearer, in charge of terminating user network connection in the access network system and converging users' traffic; and on the other hand, performs a control and implementation function, which may cooperate with an authentication system, charging system, client management system, and service policy control system to realize authentication, charging and management of user access, where it further performs WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) resource management in the access network system. It may receive a WLAN resource configuration request from a third-party server via a particular protocol interface, and may transmit an access node control ANCP protocol - based WLAN resource configuration message to the access control device AC l or the access node AN with the functionality of the access control AC via the ANCP protocol interface in accordance with said WLAN resource configuration request.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the above mentioned WLAN resource configuration request may be initiated by an AAA authentication server. The AAA authentication server performs an access authentication function such as authenticating user identity and/or traffic, which saves user data such as user identity information and relevant traffic properties; when it receives an access authentication request from a user, it supports query of the user data in a database and provides the authentication result to the user terminal and its network access device. Here, the AAA authentication server authenticates WLAN service requests from WiFi mobile sites UE1 , UE2, UE3. On one hand, it transmits a WLAN resource configuration request to the broadband network gateway BNG in the access network system based on the authentication result, so as to perform, for the wireless access nodes WTPl, WTP2, a corresponding WLAN configuration management adapted for the mobile sites to access in the access network system. Typically, the protocol interfacing manner between the AAA server and the broadband network gateway BNG may adopt the RADIUS protocol manner. On the other hand, it may assign corresponding WLAN access parameters to the mobile sites according to the previous WLAN configuration management response and provide the parameters to the WiFi mobile sites.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the above mentioned WLAN resource configuration request may be initiated by a policy server to notify the BNG to create a certain WLAN on some particular WTPs according to the operation requirements.

The access node AN in Fig. 1 may be a DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) with the functionality of an access controller AC, or an OLT (Optical Network Terminal), an LAN SWITCH, etc.; the access node AN and the access controller AC 1 may perform centralized WLAN configuration management with respect to the accessing wireless access nodes WTPl, WTP2 through a particular protocol such as CAPWAP or LWAPP (Lightweight Access Point Protocol). Here, the access node AN and the access controller AC 1 may receive an access node control ANCP protocol-based WLAN resource configuration message from the broadband network gateway BNG in the access network system via the ANCP protocol interface, and control its corresponding wireless access nodes WTPl, WTP2 to perform configuration management of WLAN via the CAPWAP protocol interface in accordance with the WLAN resource configuration message, for example, creating a WLAN that may provide mobile sites UE1 , UE2 with traffic access at WTPl ; and create a WLAN that may provide the mobile site UE3 with traffic access at WTP2.

Fig. 2 is a WLAN control message embodiment according to the ANCP protocol provided in the embodiments of the present invention, which may be used for the broadband network gateway BNG to transmit a WLAN resource configuration management message to the access controller, and for the access controller to report WLAN resources to the broadband network gateway BNG and respond to the WLAN resource configuration management message.

With the broadband network gateway BNG transmitting a WLAN resource configuration management message to the access controller as an example, it at least includes the following information items:

one message type (Message Type) parameter to distinguish from other ANCP protocol type of messages;

The addressable information of a wireless access node WTP in the access network system may be identified with version (v) and wireless access node identifier (WTP Identifier). The WTP Identifier may be the IP address of the WTP, v parameter is used to indicate the type of the IP address of the WTP. For example, v parameter being "0" indicates that the IP address is an IPv4-based address type; v parameter being "1" indicates that the IP address is an IPv6-based address type; and

Corresponding WLAN resource configuration parameter (CAPWAP IEEE 802.11 WLAN Message Element), which may be a WLAN management element based on a CAPWAP protocol manner for indicating the AC to change the service provided on the WTP; the WLAN management element may be used for creating, upgrading or deleting the WLAN on the WTP. For various message elements of the CAPWAP IEEE802. i l WLAN, see RFC5416.

Fig. 3 is a WLAN dynamic creation example in an access network system provided in the embodiments of the present invention. In Fig. 3, the broadband network gateway BNG dynamically creates, for a WiFi mobile site UE3, a WLAN adapted for the mobile site to access in the access network system, in accordance with a WLAN resource configuration request from an AAA server.

At step S301, the WiFi mobile site UE3 may be associated to a wireless access node WTP2 in the access network system via a public service set identifier (SSID) and in turn initialize an authentication request, which includes user information such as account, password, affiliated domain (or the required traffic type), etc. WTP2 transmits an authentication request message to a access controller AC 1 through a CAPWAP protocol; when receiving the authentication request message, the access controller AC 1 further places the identification information of the WTP2 itself (e.g., IP address information of WTP) and identification information of AC 1 (e.g., IP address of the AC) into the authentication request message, and transmits it to the broadband network gateway BNG based on an ANCP protocol manner.

At step S302, when receiving the authentication request message, the broadband network gateway further transmits a RADIUS protocol manner-based access request (Access_Request) packet to an AAA server.

At step S303, the AAA server receives the Access_Request packet and authenticates whether this request is legal. When the authentication passes, it decides whether WTP2 corresponding to the WiFi mobile site UE3 has a WLAN that fits the access conditions; if a WIT (WLAN Information Table) has a WLAN that fits particular conditions, it adds an identification corresponding to the WiFi mobile site UE3 into the corresponding WIT entries, and assigns and transmits corresponding WLAN access parameters to the mobile site; if the WIT does not have a WLAN that fits particular conditions, it will assign corresponding WLAN access parameters (e.g., corresponding SSID of the WLAN, the enciphering/deciphering manner, etc.) for the WiFi mobile site UE3 ; meanwhile, it transmits a WLAN resource configuration request to the broadband network gateway BNG in the access network system to request creation of a corresponding WLAN on WTP2 to which the site UE3 correspondingly access in order to provide services.

At step S304, after receiving the WLAN resource configuration request from the AAA server and based on the WLAN resource request, the broadband network gateway BNG transmits an access node control ANCP protocol-based WLAN resource configuration message to the access control device AC 1.

At step S305, the access control device AC 1 obtains the access node control ANCP protocol-based WLAN resource configuration message from the network gateway BNG, and it controls a corresponding wireless access node WTP to perform configuration management of WLAN according to said WLAN resource configuration message, i.e., creating a corresponding WLAN on WTP2 to which the WiFi mobile site UE3 correspondingly access in order to provide services.

At step S306, after the access control device AC 1 successfully creates the WLAN on WTP2, the access control device AC 1 transmits a corresponding response message to the broadband network gateway BNG for confirming whether said WLAN resource configuration succeeds or fails.

At step S307, after receiving said response message, the broadband network gateway BNG further transmits the WLAN resource configuration result to the AAA authentication server (or the policy server).

At step S308, the AAA server transmits an access accept (Access_Accept) packet based on the response message, the packet carrying the corresponding WLAN access parameters assigned for the WiFi mobile site UE3.

At step S309, the broadband network gateway BNG further transmits, in a corresponding manner, the WLAN access parameters in the Access_Accept packet to the authentication requesting party - the mobile site UE3.

At step S310, the mobile site UE3 performs 802.11 association or re-association to connect to the created WLAN with the obtained WLAN access parameters, and assigns the network access parameters for the mobile site UE3, for example, configuring an IP address for the mobile network terminal through a DHCP protocol, such that it obtains a capability of retrieving relevant network resources.

Fig. 4 is a WLAN dynamic release example provided in the embodiments of the present invention. In Fig. 4, based on the mobile site informing manner, a broadband network gateway BNG releases WLAN access resources for a mobile site UE3 in the access network system in accordance with a WLAN resource configuration request from an AAA server.

At step S401, when the mobile site UE3 exists from WLAN, it would transmit a DHCP release message to a DHCP server.

At step S402, the broadband network gateway BNG determines that the mobile site exits based on the obtained DHCP protocol message and in turn informs the AAA server to stop charging.

At step S403, when receiving the message of stop charging, the AAA server decides whether to perform WLAN resource configuration update. First, it updates the corresponding WIT entry, i.e., deleting the mobile site information from the corresponding WLAN; when the WLAN has no users, the AAA server transmits a WLAN resource configuration request to the broadband network gateway BNG in the access network system to request it to delete the corresponding WLAN in the access network system so as to release the resources.

At step S404, after receiving the WLAN resource configuration request from the AAA server, the broadband network gateway BNG transmits an access node control ANCP protocol-based WLAN resource configuration message to the access control device AC1 in accordance with said WLAN resource request to request deletion of the corresponding WLAN at the WTP to which the mobile site correspondingly access, so as to stop providing services.

At step S405, the access control device AC 1 obtains the access node control ANCP protocol-based WLAN resource configuration message from the network gateway BNG, and it controls its corresponding wireless access node WTP to perform configuration management of WLAN according to the WLAN resource configuration message, i.e., creating a corresponding WLAN at WTP2 to which the WiFi mobile site UE3 correspondingly access, so as to stop providing services.

At step S406, after successfully deleting the WLAN at WTP2, the access control device AC 1 transmits a corresponding response message to the broadband network gateway BNG for confirming success of said WLAN resource configuration.

At step S407, after receiving the response message, the broadband network gateway BNG further transmits the WLAN resource configuration result to the AAA authentication server (or the policy server).

Fig. 5 is a WLAN dynamic release embodiment in an access network system provided in the embodiments of the present invention. In the figure, based on WTP2 detecting and reporting the WLAN resources, the broadband network gateway BNG releases WLAN access resources for a mobile site UE3 in an access network system in accordance with the WLAN resource configuration request from an AAA server.

At step S501, when the mobile site UE3 leaves WLAN without any symptom or notification, after a certain period of time, WTP2 will detect that the mobile site UE3 has been overtime, and it will transmit a CAPWAP protocol-based message to an access controller AC 1 to inform it to delete this mobile site.

At step S502, the access controller AC 1 will inform the broadband network gateway BNG through an ANCP protocol manner-based WLAN resource control message to indicate that its mobile site UE3 has exited from WTP2.

At step S503, the broadband network gateway BNG reports exit of the mobile site to the AAA server.

At step S504, the AAA server will decide whether to perform WLAN resource configuration update based on said resource report. First, it updates the corresponding WIT entry, i.e., deleting the mobile site UE3 information from the corresponding WLAN entry; when the WLAN has no users, the AAA server transmits a WLAN resource configuration request to the broadband network gateway BNG in the access network system to request it to delete the corresponding WLAN so as to release the resources.

At step S505, the broadband network gateway BNG transmits an access node control ANCP protocol-based WLAN resource configuration message to the access controller AC1 to request it to delete the corresponding WLAN on WTP2.

At step S506, the access controller AC 1 controls its corresponding wireless access node WTP2 to perform configuration management of WLAN in accordance with the access node control ANCP protocol-based WLAN resource configuration message to delete the corresponding WLAN to which WTP2 correspondingly access, so as to provide services.

At step S507, after successfully deleting the WLAN at WTP, the access control device AC 1 transmits a corresponding response message to the broadband network gateway BNG for confirming success of the WLAN resource configuration.

At step S508, after receiving the response message, the broadband network gateway BNG further transmits the WLAN resource configuration result to the AAA authentication server (or the policy server).

Those skilled in the art should understand that the above depicted means and functions may be implemented in combination with a program control microprocessor and software functions of a general computer, and/or implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). It should also be understood that although the present invention is mainly explained in the form of method and apparatus, the present invention may also be embodied into a computer program product and a system including a computer processor and a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory may be encoded with one or more programs performing the functions disclosed here.

Although some embodiments have been provided above to illustrate the present invention, they are used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may perform various modifications on the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. All such modifications fall within the scope of the present invention.