Call-re-establishment via alternative access network

• US 20060209798A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Oikarinen, Esko, Dalsgaard, Lars
• Application Number:
  US11/334,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209798A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• 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 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A terminal device and method of re-establishes a circuit switched call or a packet switched connection in a data network having at least a first access network and a second access network. A failure of the circuit switched call or the packet switched connection established via the first access network is detected at the terminal device and connection re-establishment is initiated via the second access network in response to the result of checking registration to the second access network, if a failure has been detected. Thereby, a new option is provided to avoid connection failures when coverage to another access network is available, especially where call re-establishment via the first access network is not allowed.

Claims

1. A method of re-establishing a circuit switched call or a packet switched connection in a data network comprising at least a first access network and a second access network, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a failure of a circuit switched call or a packet switched connection established via a first access network;

checking whether registration to a second access network is given;

selecting a new serving cell of said second access network; and

initiating connection re-establishment via said second access network in response to a result of said checking step, if the failure has been detected in said detecting step.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said initiating step comprises the step of initiating a rove-in procedure to the new serving cell of said second access network.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein initiating said rove-in procedure comprises prioritizing said rove-in procedure over cell selection of said first access network after abnormal release and cell reselection failure.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said rove-in procedure is caused due to a call re-establishment procedure in a global system for mobile communication/edge radio access network (GERAN) or due to abnormal release with reselection in general packet radio services (GPRS).

5. A method according claim 1, wherein said first access network comprises a wireless licensed access network and said second access network comprises a wireless unlicensed access network.

6. A method according to 1, wherein said connection re-establishment comprises a packet switched call or connection.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said first access network comprises a global system for mobile communication/edge radio access network (GERAN) and said second access network comprises an unlimited mobile access network (UMAN).

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said connection re-establishment comprises a circuit switched call.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said first access network comprises a global system for mobile communication (GSM) network and said second access network comprises an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN).

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of checking whether said second access network supports call re-establishment.

11. A method of executing a rove-in procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating registration with an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN); and

following successful registration, causing rove-in by a call re-establishment procedure in a global system for mobile communication/edge radio access network (GERAN) or for general packet radio services (GPRS) due to abnormal release with cell reselection.

12. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, the computer program configured to control a computer device to perform the steps of:

detecting a failure of a circuit switched call or a packet switched connection established via a first access network;

checking whether registration to a second access network is given;

selecting a new serving cell of said second access network; and

initiating connection re-establishment via said second access network in response to a result of said checking step, if the failure has been detected in said detecting step.

13. A terminal device for providing access to a first access network and a second access network, said terminal device comprising:

detecting means for detecting a failure of a circuit switched call or a packet switched connection established via a first access network;

checking means for checking registration to a second access net work;

selecting means for selecting a new serving cell of said second access network; and

signaling control means for initiating connection re-establishment via said second access network in response to an output of said detecting means and a result of said checking means.

14. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said signaling control means are configured to initiate a rove-in procedure to the new serving cell of said second access network.

15. A terminal device according to claim 14, wherein said signaling control means are configured to prioritize said rove-in procedure over cell selection of said first access network after abnormal release and cell reselection failure

16. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said first access network comprises a wireless licensed access network and said second access network comprises a wireless unlicensed access network.

17. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said connection re-establishment comprises a packet switched call or connection.

18. A terminal device according to claim 17, wherein said first access network comprises a global system for mobile communications/edge radio access network (GERAN) and said second access network comprises an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN).

19. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said connection re-establishment comprises a circuit switched call.

20. A terminal device according to claim 19, wherein said first access network comprises a global system for mobile communication (GSM) network and said second access network comprises an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN).

21. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said signaling control means are configured to check whether said second access network supports call re-establishment.