WGSN: WLAN-based GPRS support node with push mechanism

Abstract

This paper proposes wireless LAN (WLAN)-based GPRS Support Node (WGSN), as a solution for integrating Third Generation (3G) and WLAN services. We show that the 3G mechanisms can be re-used for WLAN user authentication and network access without introducing new procedures and without modifying the existing 3G network components. We describe the WGSN features and show how they are designed and implemented. To reduce the power consumption and computation complexity of a mobile station (MS), the WGSN applications may not be activated in the MS if they are not used. For an MS-terminated application, a push mechanism is implemented in WGSN, which automatically activates the application at the MS side. An analytic model is proposed to investigate the requirements on the WGSN transmission delay of the push operation. A WGSN prototype has been implemented in the Industrial Technology Research Institute and National Chiao-Tung University Joint Research Center.