MEDIA INDEPENDENT HANDOVER FOR MOBILITY

• US 20060291423A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlton, Alan Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 7,933,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/005 involving radio access media independent information, e.g. MIH [Media independent Hand-off]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment

Abstract

A media independent handover (MIH) device communicates with an 802 technology medium access control (MAC) layer and an 802 technology physical (PHY) layer utilizing an 802 technology management entity (ME) device. Handover information messages are produced by the MIH device. The handover information messages facilitate handover. The 802 technology ME device facilitates encapsulation of the handover information messages. The 802 technology ME device is coupled to the 802 technology MAC layer and the 802 technology PHY layer. The encapsulated handover information messages is sent to other MIH devices messages via the 802 technology ME device.

Claims

1. A station capable of operating using a wireless 802 technology and a cellular technology, the station comprising:

a media independent handover (MIH) device configured to provide information to facilitate a handover and produce handover information messages;

an 802 technology management entity (ME) device coupled to the MIH device, the 802 technology ME device coupled to an 802 technology medium access control layer and an 802 technology physical (PHY) layer, the 802 technology ME device configured to process handover information messages produced by the MIH device; and

the MIH device configured to communicate with the 802 MAC layer and the 802 technology PHY layer utilizing the 802 technology ME device, the MIH device configured to send the processed handover information messages to other MIH devices messages via the 802 technology ME device.

2. The station of claim 1 wherein the station is configured to handover from an 802 technology to a cellular technology in response to the information provided by the MIH to facilitate handover.

3. The station of claim 1 wherein the MIH device is configured to communicate with technologies other than 802 technologies.

4. The station of claim 1 wherein the 802 technology is an 802.11 technology or an 802.16 technology.

5. The station of claim 1 wherein the cellular technology is a GSM, GPRS or 3G technology.

6. The station of claim 1 wherein the MIH device is configured as a sublayer between layer 2 and layer 3.

7. The station of claim 1 wherein the MIH device is coupled to layer 3.

8. The station of claim 1 wherein a handover policy function is configured to utilize the MIH information to facilitate handover for a handover decision.

9. The station of claim 8 wherein the handover decision is made autonomously by the handover policy function.

10. The station of claim 1 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology MAC layer and the PHY ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology PHY layer;

the MIH device communicates with the MAC ME device.

11. The station of claim 1 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology MAC layer and the PHY ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology PHY layer;

the MIH device communicates with both the MAC ME device and the PHY ME device.

12. A method for use by a station capable of operating using a wireless 802 technology and a cellular technology, the method comprising:

communicating by a media independent handover (MIH) device with an 802 technology medium access control (MAC) layer and an 802 technology physical (PHY) layer utilizing an 802 technology management entity (ME) device;

producing handover information messages by the MIH device, the handover information messages facilitate handover;

processing the handover information messages by the 802 technology ME device;

wherein the 802 technology ME device being coupled to the 802 technology MAC layer and the 802 technology PHY layer; and

sending the processed handover information messages to other MIH devices messages via the 802 technology ME device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the station performs a handover from an 802 technology to a cellular technology in response to the information provided by the MIH to facilitate handover.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the MIH device communicates with technologies other than 802 technologies.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the 802 technology is an 802.11 technology or an 802.16 technology.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the cellular technology is a GSM, GPRS or 3G technology.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the MIH device is a sublayer between layer 2 and layer 3.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the MIH device communicates directly with layer 3.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein a handover policy function utilizes the MIH information to facilitate handover for a handover decision.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the handover decision is made autonomously by the handover policy function.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device communicates with the 802 technology MAC device and the PHY ME device communicates with the 802 technology PHY device;

the MIH device communicates with the MAC ME device.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device communicates with the 802 technology MAC device and the PHY ME device communicates with the 802 technology PHY device;

the MIH device communicates with both the MAC ME device and the PHY ME device.

23. An access point station capable of operating using a wireless 802 technology and transferring information to a cellular technology, the access point comprising:

a media independent handover (MIH) device configured to provide information to facilitate a handover of a station and produce handover information messages;

an 802 technology management entity (ME) device coupled to the MIH device, the 802 technology ME device coupled to an 802 technology medium access control layer and an 802 technology physical (PHY) layer, the 802 technology ME device configured to process handover information messages produced by the MIH device; and

the MIH device configured to communicate with the 802 MAC layer and the 802 technology PHY layer utilizing the 802 technology ME device, the MIH device configured to send the processed handover information messages to other MIH devices messages via the 802 technology ME device.

24. The access point of claim 23 wherein the access point is configured to initiate handover of a station from an 802 technology to a cellular technology in response to the information provided by the MIH to facilitate handover.

25. The access point of claim 23 wherein the MIH device is configured to communicate with technologies other than 802 technologies.

26. The access point of claim 23 wherein the 802 technology is an 802.11 technology or an 802.16 technology.

27. The access point of claim 23 wherein the cellular technology is a GSM, GPRS or 3G technology.

28. The access point of claim 23 wherein the MIH device is configured as a sublayer between layer 2 and layer 3.

29. The access point of claim 23 wherein the MIH device is coupled to layer 3.

30. The access point of claim 23 wherein a handover policy function is configured to utilize the MIH information to facilitate handover for a handover decision.

31. The access point of claim 30 wherein the handover decision is made autonomously by the handover policy function.

32. The access point of claim 23 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology MAC layer and the PHY ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology PHY layer;

the MIH device communicates with the MAC ME device.

33. The access point of claim 23 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology MAC layer and the PHY ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology PHY layer;

the MIH device communicates with both the MAC ME device and the PHY ME device.

34. A wireless communication system comprising at least one access point and at least one station capable of operating using a wireless 802 technology and transferring information to a cellular technology, the communication system comprising:

each of the at least one access point comprising;

a media independent handover (MIH) device configured to provide information to facilitate a handover of a station and produce handover information messages;

an 802 technology management entity (ME) device coupled to the MIH device, the 802 technology ME device coupled to an 802 technology medium access control layer and an 802 technology physical (PHY) layer, the 802 technology ME device configured to process handover information messages produced by the MIH device; and

the MIH device configured to communicate with the 802 MAC layer and the 802 technology PHY layer utilizing the 802 technology ME device, the MIH device configured to send the processed handover information messages to other MIH devices messages via the 802 technology ME device; and

each of the at least one station in communication with one of the at least one access point.

35. The communication system of claim 34 wherein each of the at least on station comprises a station MIH device configured to receive the encapsulated handover messages.

36. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the access point is configured to initiate handover of a station from an 802 technology to a cellular technology in response to the information provided by the MIH to facilitate handover.

37. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the MIH device is configured to communicate with technologies other than 802 technologies.

38. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the 802 technology is an 802.11 technology or an 802.16 technology.

39. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the cellular technology is a GSM, GPRS or 3G technology.

40. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the MIH device is configured as a sublayer between layer 2 and layer 3.

41. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the MIH device is coupled to layer 3.

42. The communication system of claim 34 wherein a handover policy function is configured to utilize the MIH information to facilitate handover for a handover decision.

43. The communication system of claim 42 wherein the handover decision is made autonomously by the handover policy function.

44. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology MAC layer and the PHY ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology PHY layer;

the MIH device communicates with the MAC ME device.

45. The communication system of claim 34 wherein the 802 technology ME device comprises a MAC ME device and a PHY ME device;

the MAC ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology MAC layer and the PHY ME device is configured to communicate with the 802 technology PHY layer;

the MIH device communicates with both the MAC ME device and the PHY ME device.