Transfer between cells in a communications system

• US 20060171359A1
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Schwarz, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1443 between licensed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/26 by agreed or negotiated communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/38 by fixed network equipment

Abstract

A method for transferring user equipment from a current cell during an ongoing communication is disclosed. The current cell belongs to a first network. In the method capability information for at least one available cell of a second network is determined in a controller of the current cell, where after at least one cell of the second network is selected based on the capability information to prepare a transfer of the user equipment from the current cell. Information regarding the selected at least one cell of the second network is then sent from the controller to the user equipment.

Claims

1. A method for transferring user equipment from a current cell during an ongoing communication, wherein the current cell belongs to a first network, the method comprising:

determining capability information for at least one available cell of a second network in a controller of the current cell;

selecting at least one cell of the second network based on the capability information to prepare a transfer of the user equipment from the current cell; and

sending information regarding the selected at least one cell of the second network from the controller to the user equipment.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting at least one cell of the second network comprises comparing capabilities of the user equipment and the capabilities of at least one available cell.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining capability information comprises determining in the controller at least a target cell that supports a service of the user equipment that is to be handed over.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of determining in the controller the available cells comprises determining the available cells that are EGPRS or DTM enabled.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining capability information comprises determining in the controller available cells of the second network providing parallel circuit and packet switched services.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the current cell comprises a cell of a third generation mobile communications system.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining capability information comprises obtaining the capability information from system information of the second network by the controller.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the step of obtaining the capability information comprises receiving the capability information in a network assisted cell change message.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting at least one cell of the second network further comprises considering the capability information regarding matching of the cell capabilities to at least one of capabilities of the user equipment, signal strength, load and capacity.

10. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of:

using the capability information during inter-system neighbour measurements.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ongoing communication comprises packet data communications.

12. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of:

selecting a new cell in the user equipment based on the information regarding the selected at least one cell of the second network.

13. A computer program embodied in a computer-readable medium comprising program code means adapted to transfer user equipment from a current cell during an ongoing communication, wherein the current cell belongs to a first network, wherein the computer program performs the following steps when executed in a computer device:

determining capability information for at least one available cell of a second network in a controller of the current cell;

selecting at least one cell of the second network based on the capability information to prepare a transfer of the user equipment from the current cell; and

sending information regarding the selected at least one cell of the second network from the controller to the user equipment.

14. An access network controller comprising a computer program code means adapted to transfer user equipment from a current cell during an ongoing communication, wherein the current cell belongs to a first network, wherein the computer code means performs the following steps when executed in the access network controller:

determining capability information for at least one available cell of a second network in a controller of the current cell;

selecting at least one cell of the second network based on the capability information to prepare a transfer of the user equipment from the current cell; and

sending information regarding the selected at least one cell of the second network from the controller to the user equipment.

15. An access network controller for controlling user equipment in a cell of a first network during ongoing communication, the controller comprising:

a processor means for determining capability information for at least one available cell of a second network based on system information;

a processor means for selecting at least one cell of the second network based on the capability information to prepare a transfer of the user equipment from the current cell; and

an interface for sending information regarding the selected at least one cell to the user equipment.

16. An access network controller according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for interpreting system information messages of the second network.

17. An access network controller according to claim 15, wherein the processor means for determining capability information is configured to determine at least a target cell that supports a service of the user equipment that is to be handed over.

18. An access network controller according to any of claims 15, further comprising:

a radio network controller of a third generation mobile communications system.

19. A communication system, comprising:

a first network;

a second network; and

a controller controlling user equipment in a cell of the first network during ongoing communication, wherein the controller is configured to determine capability information for at least one available cell of the second network based on system information, to select at least one cell of the second network based on the capability information to prepare a transfer of the user equipment from the cell of the first network, and to inform the user equipment in the cell of the first network of the selected at least one cell of the second network.