Providing an indicator of presence of a first access network that is capable of interworking with a second access network

Various wireless access techniques have been proposed or implemented that allow mobile stations to communicate with other mobile stations or with wired stations coupled to wired networks. Examples of wireless access technologies include GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) specified by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), and CDMA2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000) specified by 3GPP2. There is. CDMA2000 defines a packet-switched radio access network called an HRPD (High Rate Packet Data) radio access network.

A more recent standard that provides packet-switched wireless access is the 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution) standard, which aims to improve UMTS technology. The LTE standard is also called the EUTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access) standard. EUTRA technology is considered to be the 4th generation (4G) technology, and wireless network operators are evolving towards it to provide better service.

<p> In general, the method according to the embodiment is said that the mobile station can interact with a first access network operating by a first protocol and a second access network operating by a different second protocol. It has a stage of receiving a control message including an indicator indicating the existence of a network. The mobile station's personality specifies a configuration that allows the mobile station to use the function of the first access network that allows interaction with the second access network upon receipt of the indicator. Follow the steps to establish.</p><p> Other features and alternative features will become apparent from the following specification, drawings, and claims.</p>

Some embodiments will be described with reference to the following drawings.<figref num="1">FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example including different types of radio access networks into which some embodiments can be incorporated.</figref><figref num="2">It is a flow diagram which shows the process executed by a mobile station by some embodiments.</figref><figref num="3">It is a flow diagram which shows the process executed by the base station of a radio access network by some embodiments.</figref><figref num="4">It is a block diagram which shows the radio station by some Embodiment.</figref>

Wireless network operators are evolving into 4th generation (4G) wireless networks. This type of 4G wireless network is an LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless network defined by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project). The LTE standard is also called the EUTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access) standard.

There are various difficulties in evolving from CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) 2000 technology such as HRPD (High Rate Packet Data) technology specified by 3GPP2 to EUTRA technology. The technology that enables the evolution from HRPD to EUTRA uses eHRPD (evolved HRPD) technology. The eHRPD radio access network can interact with the EUTRA radio access network. Mobile stations that support eHRPD technology can be handed off between eHRPD access networks and EUTRA access networks. Also, mobile stations that support eHRPD can perform cell re-selection on either the EUTRA access network or the eHRPD access network. If the radio protocol is different, OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) modulation, GMSK (Gaussian minimum shift) Different radio communication modulation types are used, such as keying) modulation, 8PSK (8 phase-shift keying) modulation, and CDMA modulation.

Whether or not mobile communications maintained by wireless network providers are dead does not mean that all HRPD access networks will implement the eHRPD function. In other words, an HRPD access network within one HRPD coverage area can use eHRPD (these access networks are called eHPRD access networks), but another HRPD access network within that HRPD coverage area supports the eHRPD feature. None (these access networks are called HPRD access networks). For example, an HRPD cell that overlaps the EUTRA coverage area, or an HRPD cell that is adjacent to the EUTRA coverage area, can utilize the eHRPD access network.

When mobile stations move from HRPD access networks to eHRPD access networks, traditional mechanisms cannot provide an efficient technique for initiating session negotiation procedures to establish an eHRPD personality. For example, a mobile station may be powered on in a normal HRPD access network and then moved to an eHRPD access network. The eHRPD personality includes a configuration that allows the mobile station to take advantage of the features of the eHRPD access network that allow it to interact with the EUTRA network. The personality includes a protocol type (which specifies the type of protocol used) used for communication between the mobile station and the access network, and an attribute value (value of a predetermined attribute related to communication). The eHRPD personality includes protocol types and attribute values associated with the eHRPD technology that allow mobile stations to use the eHRPD function. Mobile stations cannot use the eHRPD function without establishing an eHRPD personality.

In some embodiments, a mechanism or technique is provided that allows a mobile station with eHRPD capability to efficiently determine that it is in an eHRPD access network. This can be achieved by sending the mobile station a control message containing indicators for one or more access networks with eHRPD functionality. This control message can be sent via the eHRPD access network to which the mobile station has migrated. In this case, the indicator in the control message is an indicator that the eHRPD access network to which the mobile station has migrated has the eHRPD function. Alternatively, the mobile station can provide information about which neighborhoods of the access network in which the mobile station is currently located have eHRPD functionality. In the latter case, the control message may also include multiple indicators as to which nearby access network of the access network in which the mobile station is currently located has eHRPD capability.

If the mobile station determines that it is in an access network with eHRPD capability, it can perform an eHRPD personality negotiation and establish a specific eHRPD personality for that mobile station.

Although described with reference to HRPD, eHRPD, and EUTRA, it should be noted that, more generally, mobile stations include controls that include an indicator that there is a first access network that can interact with the second access network. You can receive messages. Here, the first access network operates by the first protocol, and the second access network operates by a second protocol different from the first protocol. Upon receiving the indicator, the mobile station establishes a mobile station personality that specifies the configuration that allows the mobile station to use the features of the first access network that allow it to interact with the second access network. Perform the procedure. The technology according to some embodiments can be applied to, for example, WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) specified by IEEE802.16, WiFi specified by IEEE802.11, and other types of access networks.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration example including different types of access networks, including the EUTRA access network 102, the HRPD access network 104, and the eHRPD access network 106. Although Figure 1 shows only one EUTRA access network 102, one HRPD access network 104, and one eHRPD access network 106, in general, multiple EUTRA access networks, multiple HRPD access networks, and multiple eHRPDs. There may be an access network 106. The terms "access network" and "radio access network" used herein refer to a mobile station in order to access services provided on a target network, such as packet data network 116. A device that can be wirelessly connected via.

According to EUTRA technology, EUTRA access network 102 includes an extended node B (eNodeB), which is a type of base station. The HRPD access network 104 includes an HRPD base station, and the eHRPD access network 106 includes an eHRPD base station. Base stations perform the following tasks: radio resource management, mobility management to manage mobile station mobility, traffic routing, and more. Generally, the term "base station" refers to a cellular network base station or access point used in any type of wireless network, or any type of wireless transmitter / receiver that communicates with a mobile station. The term "base station" may also include related controllers such as base station controllers and wireless network controllers. The term "base station" also refers to a femto base station or access point, a micro base station or access point, or a pico base station or access point. A "mobile station" is a telephone handset, portable computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), or health monitor or security buzzer (attack). An embedded device such as alarm).

As shown in FIG. 1, in the EUTRA network 100, the mobile station 108 wirelessly connects to the EUTRA access network 102. The EUTRA access network 102 is connected to various components, including a serving gateway 110 and a mobility management entity (MME) 112. MME112 is the control node for EUTRA access network 102. For example, the MME112 serves as an idle mode mobile station tracking and paging procedure. The MME112 also serves to select a serving gateway for the mobile station during initial attach and handover. The MME112 also serves to authenticate mobile station users.

The serving gateway 110 routes bearer data packets. The serving gateway 110 also acts as a mobility anchor for the user plane during handovers between different access networks. The serving gateway 110 is also connected to a packet data network (PDN) gateway 114 that connects the mobile station 108 and the packet data network 116 (such as the Internet and networks that provide various services).

In the HRPD network 101, the mobile station 118 is wirelessly connected to the HRPD access network 104. The HRPD access network 104 is connected to the packet data serving node (PDSN) 120, and the PDSN 120 is connected to the packet data network 116.

Further, in order to enable the interaction between the HRPD network 101 and the EUTRA network 100, an eHRPD access network 106 wirelessly connected to the mobile station 122 is provided. The eHRPD access network 106 is connected to the HRPD Serving Gateway (HSGW) 124. HSGW124 is the entity that terminates the eHRPD access network interface from the eHRPD access network 106. The HSGW124 routes packet data traffic originating from or destined for a mobile station. HSGW124 provides mobile stations with interaction with EUTRA network 100. Interaction features include mobility support, policy management and billing, access authentication, roaming, and more. The HSGW124 supports seamless inter-technology mobility transfer between EUTRA network 100 and eHRPD access network 106.

We have referred to the EUTRA, HRPD, and eHRPD standards to refer to current and temporally evolving standards. Future standards evolving from EUTRA, HRPD, or eHRPD may be referred to by different names. When we say "EUTRA," "HRPD," or "eHRPD," we also include such evolved standards. Also, as mentioned above, the techniques and mechanisms can be applied to systems that utilize other types of wireless protocols.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the process executed by the mobile station. The mobile station receives a control message that includes an eHRPD capable indicator indicating that the access network, such as the eHRPD access network 106, has the capabilities of eHRPD (step 202). The control message received by the mobile station may be an overhead message broadcast by the access network over the control channel. One type of overhead message is the HRPD QuickConfig message. Another example of an overhead message is the Sector Parameters message. Use QuickConfig messages to show changes in the content of overhead messages. Sector specifics to mobile stations using SectorParameters messages information) is sent. In other embodiments, other types of control messages are used to signal that an access network has eHRPD functionality. Also, instead of broadcasting the message, the control message including the eHRPD function indicator may be a message addressed to a mobile station.

The control message may only indicate whether the access network to which the mobile station is currently attached is an eHRPD functional access network. Alternatively, the control message may indicate a set of access networks that include a neighborhood access network with eHRPD functionality. In the latter scenario, the control message is provided with multiple indicators indicating which of the multiple access networks has the eHRPD function. Thus, the mobile station knows that when switching to the new eHRPD access network 106, the new eHRPD access network 106 has eHRPD functionality.

When the mobile station attaches to the eHRPD feature access network in response to the eHRPD indicator, it performs the procedure of establishing an eHRPD personality for that mobile station (step 204). In some embodiments, the procedure for establishing an eHRPD personality may be a session configuration procedure.

Once the eHRPD personality for the mobile station is established, the mobile station can take advantage of the features of the eHRPD functional access network (eg, eHRPD access network 106) that allows interaction with the EUTRA network 100.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing a process executed by the access network according to some embodiments. For example, the procedure of FIG. 3 can be performed by the eHRPD access network 106 of FIG. The access network sends a control message containing an eHRPD feature indicator indicating that the access network can support eHRPD (step 302). Alternatively, the control message may include a plurality of eHRPD capable indicators indicating that each access network has eHRPD capability. The access network works with the mobile station to establish an eHRPD personality for that mobile station, depending on the procedure initiated by the mobile station (step 304).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the radio station 400. This radio station may be a mobile station (eg, mobile station 108, 118, or 122 in FIG. 1) or a base station (eNodeB, HRPD base station, or eHRPD base station in FIG. 1). May be good. The radio station 400 includes a processor (or a plurality of processors) 402, and the processor is connected to a storage medium 404. Machine-readable instruction 406 can be executed on processor 402 to perform tasks related to radio station 400, such as the tasks shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. The radio station 400 also includes an interface 408 that communicates over a radio link, such as an RF (radio frequency) link.

Machine-readable instruction 406 is loaded into processor 402 for execution. Processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, processor modules or subsystems, programmable integrated circuits, programmable gate arrays, and other control or computing devices.

Data and instructions are stored in their respective storage devices. The storage device is implemented as one or more computer-readable storage media or machine-readable storage media. Storage media include different types of memory, such as DRAM (dynamic random access memories), SRAM (static random access memories), EPROM (erasable and programmable read-only memories), EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read-). Only memories), and semiconductor memory devices such as flash memory; magnetic disks such as fixed disks, flexible disks, and removable disks; other magnetic media such as tapes; CDs (compact discs) and DVDs (digital video). Optical media such as discs); or other types of storage devices are included. The above instructions can be provided on a single computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium, or in some cases multiple computer-readable or machine-readable storage distributed throughout a large system with multiple nodes. It may be provided on a medium. Such computer-readable or machine-readable storage media are considered to be part of an article or article of manufacture. A product or product can refer to any single or multiple components manufactured.

The details have been described above in order for the disclosure to be understood. However, it can be done without some or all of these details. Other embodiments may include modifications or modifications of the above details. The appended claims include such amendments and modifications.