Recovery methods for restoring service in a distributed radio access network
View Patent ↗A mobile communication network includes a plurality of access nodes that can serve different roles in support of a communication session with a mobile station. An access node can serve as a connecting node that receives access requests the mobile station, as an anchor node to anchor a radio packet connection with a core network for the communication session; or as a primary node to store session information for the communication session. One or more monitoring entities monitor the availability of the access nodes and broadcast notification messages to other access nodes when an access node failure is detected. The broadcast message includes the identity of the failed access node. Other access nodes may take action to restore connections and recover session information maintained by the failed access node.
1. A method implemented by an access node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes for providing network access to mobile terminals, said method comprising:
maintaining a local database at an access node, said local database comprising a list of peer access nodes and corresponding states of the peer access nodes including the availability of said peer access nodes to serve as a primary access node to store session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal;
receiving notification messages from one or more monitoring entities indicating changes in said availability of said peer access nodes; and
updating said local database responsive to said notification messages to reflect the current availability of the peer access nodes.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting, during session establishment, a peer access node from said local database to serve as a primary node for a communication session with a mobile terminal.
3. A recovery method implemented by an anchor node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes, said anchor node providing a radio packet connection for a communication session with a mobile terminal, said method comprising:
receiving a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as a primary node for storing session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable; and
identifying itself as the anchor node to a secondary node responsive to said notification message.
4. A recovery method implemented by an anchor node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access, said anchor node providing a radio packet connection for a communication session with a mobile terminal, said method comprising:
receiving a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as a primary node for storing session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable; and
transferring session information for the communication session with said mobile terminal to a secondary node responsive to said notification message.
5. A recovery method implemented by a primary node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes, said primary node storing session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal, said method comprising:
receiving a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as an anchor node providing a radio packet connection for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable; and
establishing a new radio packet connection for the communication session responsive to said notification message.
6. A recovery method implemented by a primary node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes, said primary node storing session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal, said method comprising:
receiving a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as a anchor node providing a radio packet connection for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable;
selecting a peer access node to serve as a new anchor node; and
sending a handoff directive to the peer access node selected to serve as the new anchor node to provide a radio packet connection for the communication session with the mobile terminal.
7. A mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes for providing network access to mobile terminals, each said access node including a control unit operative to:
maintain a local database comprising a list of peer access nodes and corresponding states of the peer access nodes including the availability of said peer access nodes to serve as a primary access node to store session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal;
receive notification messages from one or more monitoring entities indicating changes in said availability of said peer access nodes; and
update said local database responsive to said notification messages to reflect the current availability of the peer access nodes.
8. The mobile communication network of claim 7 further comprising selecting, during session establishment, a peer access node from said local database to serve as a primary node for a communication session with a mobile terminal.
9. An anchor node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes, said anchor node providing connection to a core network for a communication session with a mobile terminal, said anchor node including a control unit operative to:
receive a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as a primary node for storing session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable; and
identify itself as the anchor node to a secondary node responsive to said notification message.
10. An anchor node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes for providing network access to mobile terminals, said anchor node including a control unit operative to:
receive a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as a primary node for storing session information for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable; and
transfer session information for the communication session to a secondary node responsive to said notification message.
11. A primary node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes for providing network access to mobile terminals, said primary node including a control unit operative to:
receive a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as a anchor node for providing a radio packet connection for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable; and
establish a new radio packet connection for the communication session responsive to said notification message.
12. A primary node in a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of access nodes for providing network access to mobile terminals, said primary node including a control unit operative to comprising:
receive a notification message indicating that a peer access node serving as a anchor node providing a radio packet connection for a communication session with a mobile terminal is unavailable; and;
select a peer access node to serve as a new anchor node; and
send a handoff directive to the peer access node selected to serve as the new anchor node.