Method and apparatus for reporting WLAN capabilities of dual mode GPRS/WLAN or UMTS/WLAN WTRU

• US 20050163089A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaheen, Kamel M., Purkayastha, Debashish
• Granted Patent: US 8,102,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Method and apparatus for enabling a wireless terminal to communicate the dual-mode capabilities and reporting the interworking capabilities of the two networks with which the wireless terminal have the added capability of obtaining services from either one of the interworking networks.

Claims

1. A method for reporting capabilities of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) capable of supporting a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a general packet radio system/universal mobile telecommunication system (GPRS/UMTS) network, the method comprising:

said WTRU;

informing a core network of WLAN services it is capable of supporting; and

said GPRS/UMTS network;

providing those services the WTRU identifies it is capable of supporting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the WTRU sends a radio access (RA) capability information element (IE) indicating the WLAN interworking and the WLAN capabilities it can support.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the WTRU sends the capability to support multiple services as part of an information element (IE).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the WTRU sends a radio access capability (RAC) IE.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the core network sends the interworking and WLAN capabilities as a part of an information element (IE) to the WTRU.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the core network sends a network capability (NW) IE.

7. Apparatus for reporting capabilities of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) capable of supporting both wireless local area network (WLAN) and general packet radio system/universal mobile telecommunication system (GPRS/UMTS) services, comprising:

the WTRU comprising;

means for providing a message informing a core network of WLAN services it is capable of supporting; and

the core network comprising means for providing the services the WTRU identifies it is capable of supporting responsive to said message.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said means for providing a message comprises:

means for sending the capability to support multiple services.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said means for sending sends a radio access capability (RAC) IE.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said means for providing a message comprises:

means for sending the capability to support multiple services as part of an information element (IE).

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the core network comprises:

means for sending interworking and WLAN capabilities to said WTRU.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the core network comprises:

means for sending interworking and WLAN capabilities to said WTRU as a part of an information element (IE).

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the core network means for sending includes means for sending a network capability (NW) IE.

14. A method for reporting capabilities of a dual-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to a wireless communication network, comprising:

said WTRU informing said network of services said WTRU is capable of supporting;

said network providing services offered to said WTRU; and

said WTRU selecting one of said dual modes to receive services.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said dual-mode WTRU has a capability of communication with a wireless local area network WLAN and a GPRS/UMTS network and indicates these given capabilities in given bits of an information element (IE).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said WTRU places a binary state in said given bits to indicate the capability of supporting said services.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said network inserts binary states into given bits of said IE to identify capabilities of supporting services including SMS capability via a WLAN and SMS capabilities via GPRS channels.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said WTRU inserts binary states into given bits of said IE to identify capabilities of supporting services including SMS capability via a WLAN and SMS capabilities via GPRS channels.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said WTRU informs said network of capabilities by transmitting an information element (IE).

20. The method of claim 14, said WTRU further comprising:

communicating with a GPRS network when operating in a first mode; and

communicating with a WLAN when operating on a second mode.

21. The method of claim 14, said WTRU further comprising:

communicating with a UMTS network when operating in a first mode; and

communicating with a WLAN when operating on a second mode.

22. The method of claim 14, comprising said WTRU:

transmitting a message having bit positions each identifying a given WLAN communications protocol; and

inserting a given binary state into that bit which indicates a protocol supported by the WTRU.

23. A method for reporting capabilities of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) capable of supporting both wireless local area network (WLAN) and general packet radio system/universal mobile telecommunication system (GPRS/UMTS) services, the method comprising:

said WTRU;

informing a core network of its capability to support both WLAN and GPRS/UMTS services; and

the core network;

sending a radio access capability information element indicating the WLAN interworking and the WLAN capabilities to indicate whether if WLAN interworking is supported, or not.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

said WTRU;

sending a capability to support multiple services as part of an information element (IE).

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the WTRU comprises:

sending a radio access capability (RAC) IE.

26. The method of claim 23, said core network comprising:

sending interworking and WLAN capabilities as a part of an information element (IE).