Hybrid protocol to support communications with multiple networks

• US 20040120283A1
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rezaiifar, Ramin, Agashe, Parag A., Bender, Paul E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to wireless communications. The systems and techniques involve monitoring a first network in accordance with a first air interface, and receiving a message from a second network through the first air interface, the second network being associated with a second air interface different from the first air interface. Various registration and related techniques are also discussed for maintaining connectivity with both networks as the wireless communications device moves through different geographic coverage regions.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

monitoring a first network in accordance with a first air interface; and

receiving a message from a second network through the first air interface, the second network being associated with a second air interface different from the first air interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network comprises a circuit-switched network and the second network comprises a packet-switched network.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising maintaining a dormant connection with the second network while monitoring the first network.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the second network comprises first and second geographic regions, the method further comprising moving into the second geographic region from the first geographic region while monitoring the first network, and sending a request for an identifier to an access network in the second geographic region to support communications with the second network, the request being sent through the first air interface.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first network comprises first and second geographic regions, the method further comprising moving into the second geographic region from the first geographic region while monitoring the second network, and sending a registration request to an access network in the second geographic region to support communications with the first network, the registration request being sent through the second air interface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network comprises a packet-switched network and the second network comprises a circuit-switched network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the message comprises a page from the second network, the method further comprising communicating with the second network in response to the page in accordance with the second air interface.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a message from the first network when communicating with the second network, the message from the first network being sent through the second air interface.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first network comprises a circuit-switched network and the second network comprises a packet-switched network, and wherein the message from the first network comprises a page, the method further comprising terminating communications with the second network in response to the page from the first network, and communicating with the first network in accordance with the first air interface in response to the page from the first network.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first air interface format comprises a first carrier frequency and the second air interface format comprises a second carrier frequency different from the first carrier frequency.

11. A wireless communications device, comprising:

an analog circuit configured to recover information from a signal received in accordance with a first air interface, the first air interface being associated with a first network; and

a processor configured to detect from the recovered information a message from a second network, the second network being associated with a second air interface different from the first air interface.

12. The wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein the first network comprises a circuit-switched network and the second network comprises a packet-switched network.

13. The wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to maintain a dormant connection with the second network while the analog circuit is configured to recover the information from the signal received in accordance with the first air interface.

14. The wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein the second network comprises first and second geographic regions, and wherein the processor is further configured to detect movement of the wireless communications device into the second geographic region from the first geographic region while the analog circuit is configured to recover information from the signal received in accordance with the first air interface, and wherein the processor is further configured to request an identifier from an access network in the second geographic region to support communications with the second network, the identifier request being sent through the first air interface.

15. The wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein the first network comprises first and second geographic regions, and wherein the processor is further configured to detect movement of the wireless communications device into the second geographic region from the first geographic region while the analog circuit is configured to recover information from the signal received in accordance with the second air interface, and wherein the processor is further configured to send a registration request to an access network in the second geographic region to support communications with the first network, the registration request being sent through the second air interface.

16. The wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein the first network comprises a packet-switched network and the second network comprises a circuit-switched network.

17. The wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein the message comprises a page from the second network, the analog circuit being further configured to recover information from a second signal received in accordance with the second air interface in response to the page.

18. The wireless communications device of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured to detect from the information recovered from the second signal a message from the first network.

19. The wireless communications device of claim 18 wherein the message from the first network comprises a page, and wherein the analog circuit is further configured to recover further information from the signal received in accordance with the first air interface in response to the page from the first network.

20. The wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein the first air interface format comprises a first carrier frequency and the second air interface format comprises a second carrier frequency different from the first carrier frequency.

25. The wireless communications device of claim 20 wherein the first network comprises a circuit-switched network and the second network comprises a packet-switched network.

26. The wireless communications device of claim 20 wherein the first network comprises a packet-switched network and the second network comprises a circuit-switched network.

21. A wireless communications device, comprising:

means for recovering information from a signal received in accordance with a first air interface, the first air interface format being associated with a first network; and

means for detecting from the recovered information a message from a second network, the second network being associated with a second air interface format different from the first air interface.

22. The wireless communications device of claim 21 wherein the message comprises a page from the second network, the wireless communications device further comprising means for communicating with the second network in response to the page in accordance with the second air interface.

23. The wireless communications device of claim 22 further comprising means for receiving a message from the first network when communicating with the second network, the message being sent through the first air interface.

24. The wireless communications device of claim 23 wherein the first network comprises a circuit-switched network and the second network comprises a packet-switched network, and wherein the message from the first network comprises a page, the wireless communications device further comprising means for terminating communication with the second network in response to the page from the first network, and means for further communicating with the first network in accordance with the first air interface in response to the page from the first network.

27. A method of communications, comprising:

transmitting a signal from a first network over the air from an access network to a subscriber station in accordance with a first air interface; and

transmitting a message from a second network over the air from the access network to the subscriber station through the first air interface, the second network being associated with a second air interface different from the first air interface.

28. The method of communications of claim 27 wherein the transmission of the message comprises routing the message from the second network to a second access network, and from the second access network to the access network.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the message comprises a page from the second network, the method further comprising transmitting a second signal from the second network over the air from the second access network to the subscriber station in accordance with the second air interface following the page.

30. A method of communications, comprising:

transmitting a signal from a circuit-switched network through a first base station controller to a subscriber station in accordance with a first air interface while the subscriber station moves from a first geographic region to a second geographic region;

transmitting from the subscriber station to a second base station controller a request for an identifier to support communications with a packet-switched network after the subscriber station moves into the second geographic region, the packet-switched network being associated with a second air interface different from the first air interface, and the request being transmitted through the first air interface; and

retrieving information by the second base station controller from the first base station controller to support the communications with the packet-switched network.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the subscriber station maintains a dormant connection with the packet-switched network as it moves from the first geographic region to the second geographic region, and wherein the information retrieved by the second base station controller from the first base station controller relates to maintaining the dormant connection with the packet-switched network through the second base station controller while the subscriber station is receiving the signal from the circuit-switched network in the second geographic region.

32. A method of communications, comprising:

transmitting a signal from a packet-switched network through a base station controller to a subscriber station in accordance with a first air interface while the subscriber station moves from a first geographic region to a second geographic region, the base station controller being located in the first geographic region;

transmitting from the subscriber station to the base station controller a registration request to support communications with a circuit-switched network after the subscriber station moves into the second geographic region, the circuit-switched network being associated with a second air interface different from the first air interface, and the request being transmitted through the first air interface; and

registering the subscriber station with a mobile switching center located in the second geographic region, the registration being performed by the base station controller.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the registration of the subscriber station further comprising signaling from the base station controller through a reflector to the mobile switching center.