Method and system for managing communication sessions during multi-mode mobile station handoff

• US 20060291419A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mangal, Manish, McConnell, Von K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0027 for a plurality of data sessions of end-to-end connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer end-to-end data connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• 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

A multi-mode mobile station includes a first interface for wireless communication with a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a second interface for wireless communication with a wireless wide area network (WWAN). The multi-mode mobile station may become engaged in one or more communication sessions via a first wireless network. Session information regarding these one or more communication sessions is stored in a storage system. In response to a handoff request, a control sytem evaluates the session information to determine which of the communication sessions, if any, can be continued via the second wireless network, in accordance with a policy. The user may be notified of any sessions that can not be continued via the second wireless network and/or continued at a reduced level of performance. If the user opts to complete the handoff, continuable sessions are continued via the second wireless network and non-continuable sessions are dropped.

Claims

1. A method for communication session management for a multi-mode mobile station, said multi-mode mobile station having a first interface for wireless communication with a first wireless network and a second interface for wireless communication with a second wireless network, said method comprising:

establishing at least one communication session with said multi-mode mobile station via said first wireless network;

storing session information regarding said at least one communication session;

receiving a handoff request; and

in response to said handoff request, evaluating said session information to determine, in accordance with a policy, which of said at least one communication session, if any, can be continued via said second wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first wireless network is a wireless local area network (WLAN) and said second wireless network is a wireless wide area network (WWAN).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a call session control function (CSCF) stores said session information, further comprising:

a service control point (SCP) obtaining said session information from said CSCF.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first wireless network is a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and said second wireless network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a mobile switching center (MSC) stores said session information, further comprising:

an SCP obtaining said session information from said MSC and providing said session information to a CSCF.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one communication session includes a voice session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one communication session includes a data session.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said multi-mode mobile station registering via said second wireless network; and

said multi-mode mobile station transmitting said handoff request via said second wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a continuable communication session in said at least one communication session, in accordance with said policy; and

continuing said continuable communication session via said second wireless network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a non-continuable communication session in said at least one communication session, in accordance with said policy; and

transmitting a notification to said multi-mode mobile station that said non-continuable communication session can not be continued via said second wireless communication network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a continuable communication session and a non-continuable communication session in said at least one communication session, in accordance with said policy;

transmitting a notification to said multi-mode mobile station that said non-continuable communication session can not be continued via said second wireless communication network;

providing a user of said multi-mode mobile station with an option whether to continue said continuable communication session via said second wireless network; and

continuing said continuable communication session via said second wireless network, if said user has opted to continue.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a continuable communication session in said at least one communication session, in accordance with said policy;

determining that said continuable communication session would proceed via said second wireless network at a reduced level of performance relative to said first wireless network; and

transmitting a notification to said multi-mode mobile station regarding said reduced level of performance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a user of said multi-mode mobile station with an option whether to continue said continuable communication session via said second wireless network; and

continuing said continuable communication session via said second wireless network, if said user has opted to continue.

14. A method for session handoff between a first wireless network and a second wireless network for a multi-mode mobile station, said multi-mode mobile station having a first interface for wireless communication with said first wireless network and a second interface for wireless communication with said second wireless network, said method comprising:

establishing a plurality of communications sessions with said multi-mode mobile station via said first wireless network, said plurality of communication sessions including a voice session between said multi-mode mobile station and an endpoint;

storing session information regarding said plurality of communication sessions;

receiving a handoff request;

in response to said handoff request, evaluating said session information to determine, in accordance with a policy, which of said communication sessions can be continued via said second wireless network;

determining that said voice session can be continued via said second wireless network, in accordance with said policy; and

continuing said voice session via said second wireless network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein establishing a voice session between said multi-mode mobile station and an endpoint via said first wireless network comprises:

establishing a first segment between said endpoint and an anchor point and establishing a second segment between said anchor point and said multi-mode mobile station via said first wireless network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein continuing said voice session via said second wireless network comprises:

establishing a third segment between said anchor point and said multi-mode mobile station via said second wireless network; and

dropping said second segment.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said plurality of communication sessions includes a data session, further comprising:

determining that said data session can not be continued via said second wireless network, in accordance with said policy.

18. A system for communication session management for a multi-mode mobile station, said multi-mode mobile station having a first interface for wireless communication with a first wireless network and a second interface for wireless communication with a second wireless network, said system comprising:

a first-network storage system for storing first-network session information regarding first-network communication sessions established with said multi-mode mobile station via said first wireless network;

a second-network storage system for storing second-network session information regarding second-network communication sessions established with said multi-mode mobile station via said second wireless network;

a first-network evaluation system for evaluating, in response to a second-to-first network handoff request, said second-network session information to determine, in accordance with a first-network policy, which of said second-network communication sessions, if any, can be continued via said first wireless network; and

a second-network evaluation system for evaluating, in response to a first-to-second network handoff request, said first-network session information to determine, in accordance with a second-network policy, which of said first-network communication sessions, if any, can be continued via said second wireless network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said first wireless network is a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and said second wireless network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said first-network storage system includes an MSC, said second-network storage system includes a CSCF, said first-network evaluation system includes an SCP, and said second-network evaluation system includes an application server.