METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING A HANDOVER PROCEDURE BETWEEN A 3GPP LTE NETWORK AND AN ALTERNATIVE WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20070224988A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaheen, Kamel M.
• Application Number:
  US11/683,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20070224988A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks

Abstract

In a wireless communications system including a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) network, at least one alternative wireless network, and a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the 3GPP LTE network sends an indication of the availability of the alternative network or a list of available alternative networks in an area where the WTRU is located. The WTRU receives the information and initiates a handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the information. The WTRU may request a list of alternative wireless networks from the 3GPP LTE network, or may send capability information to the 3GPP LTE network. The alternative wireless network may be a 3GPP network, an interworking wireless local area network (I-WLAN), or a fixed broadband network.

Claims

1. In a wireless communications system including a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) network, at least one alternative wireless network, and a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a method for performing a handover procedure between the 3GPP LTE network and the alternative network, the method comprising:

the 3GPP LTE network sending information regarding the alternative wireless network to the WTRU;

the WTRU receiving the information; and

the WTRU initiating a handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is an indication of the availability of the alternative wireless network in an area where the WTRU is located.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the WTRU requesting a list of alternative wireless networks from the 3GPP LTE network; and

the 3GPP LTE network providing the list of alternative wireless networks to the WTRU, whereby the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the list.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the WTRU sending capability information of the WTRU to the 3GPP LTE network; and

the 3GPP LTE network sending a list of alternative wireless networks to the WTRU based on the capability information, whereby the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the list.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is a list of available alternative wireless networks.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the WTRU displaying the information regarding the alternative wireless network to a user, whereby the handover procedure is initiated upon approval by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the 3GPP LTE network transmits the information by at least one of broadcasting, multicasting and unicasting.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the alternative wireless network is an interworking wireless local area network (I-WLAN).

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

the WTRU sending an initial access message to the I-WLAN;

the I-WLAN performing an authentication procedure and sending an access grant message if the WTRU is authenticated; and

the WTRU receiving a service from the I-WLAN.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the I-WLAN allocating a new IP address for the WTRU.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the alternative wireless network is a fixed broadband network.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the WTRU performing a measurement on a channel of the fixed broadband network;

the WTRU sending a measurement report to the 3GPP LTE network;

the 3GPP LTE network selecting a target alternative wireless network;

the 3GPP LTE network contacting the target alternative wireless network;

the 3GPP LTE network sending an access grant message to the WTRU if the WTRU is authenticated and an access to the target alternative wireless network is granted;

the WTRU sending an initial access message to the fixed broadband network; and

the WTRU receiving a service from the fixed broadband network.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

the 3GPP LTE network allocating a new Internet protocol (IP) address to the WTRU.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the WTRU performing a scanning for the alternative wireless network, whereby the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network if a predetermined criteria is satisfied after the scanning.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network if the WTRU is within a predetermined range of the alternative wireless network.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the 3GPP LTE network releasing a radio resource for the WTRU after handover to the alternative wireless network is completed.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the alternative wireless network includes at least one of a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a global system for mobile communication (GSM) enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN), a GSM network, and a global packet radio services (GPRS) network.

18. A wireless communications system comprising:

at least one alternative wireless network;

a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) network configured to transmit information regarding the alternative wireless network; and

a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to receive the information and initiate a handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the information.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the information is an indication of the availability of the alternative wireless network.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the WTRU is configured to request a list of alternative wireless networks from the 3GPP LTE network and the 3GPP LTE network is configured to provide the list of alternative wireless networks to the WTRU, whereby the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the list.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the WTRU is configured to send capability information of the WTRU to the 3GPP LTE network and the 3GPP LTE network is configured to send a list of alternative wireless networks to the WTRU based on the capability information, whereby the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the list.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the information is a list of available alternative wireless networks.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the WTRU is configured to display the information regarding the alternative wireless network to a user and initiate the handover procedure upon approval by the user.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the 3GPP LTE network is configured to transmit the information by at least one of broadcasting, multicasting and unicasting.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the alternative wireless network is an interworking wireless local area network (I-WLAN).

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the WTRU is configured to send an initial access message to the I-WLAN to receive a service from the I-WLAN, and the I-WLAN is configured to perform an authentication procedure and send an access grant message if the WTRU is authenticated.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the I-WLAN is configured to allocate a new IP address for the WTRU.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the alternative wireless network is a fixed broadband network.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the WTRU is configured to perform a measurement on a channel of the fixed broadband network, send a measurement report to the 3GPP LTE network, and send an initial access message to the fixed broadband network to receive a service from the fixed broadband network, and the 3GPP LTE network is configured to select a target alternative wireless network based on the measurement report, contact the target alternative wireless network, and send an access grant message to the WTRU if the WTRU is authenticated and an access to the target alternative wireless network is granted.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the 3GPP LTE network is configured to allocate a new Internet protocol (IP) address to the WTRU.

31. The system of claim 18 wherein the WTRU is configured to perform a scanning for the alternative wireless network, whereby the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network if a predetermined criteria is satisfied after the scanning.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the WTRU initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network if the WTRU is within a predetermined range of the alternative wireless network.

33. The system of claim 18 wherein the 3GPP LTE network is configured to release a radio resource for the WTRU after a handover to the alternative wireless network is completed.

34. The system of claim 18 wherein the alternative wireless network includes at least one of a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a global system for mobile communication (GSM) enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN), a GSM network, and a global packet radio services (GPRS) network.

35. In a wireless communications system including a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) network and at least one alternative wireless network, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to perform a handover procedure between the 3GPP LTE network and the alternative wireless network, the WTRU comprising:

a 3GPP LTE radio unit for communication with the 3GPP LTE network, the 3GPP LTE radio unit receiving information regarding the alternative wireless network transmitted by the 3GPP LTE network;

at least one alternative radio unit for communication with the alternative wireless network; and

a handover controller for initiating a handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the information.

36. The WTRU of claim 35 wherein the information is an indication of the availability of the alternative wireless network.

37. The WTRU of claim 36 wherein the handover controller is configured to send a request for a list of alternative wireless networks to the 3GPP LTE network, and receive the list from the 3GPP LTE network, whereby the handover controller initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network based on the list.

38. The WTRU of claim 36 wherein the handover controller sends capability information of the WTRU to the 3GPP LTE network, whereby the 3GPP LTE network sends a list of alternative wireless networks to the WTRU based on the capability information.

39. The WTRU of claim 35 wherein the information is a list of available alternative wireless networks.

40. The WTRU of claim 35 wherein the handover controller is configured to display the information regarding the alternative wireless network to a user and initiate the handover procedure upon approval by the user.

41. The WTRU of claim 35 wherein the alternative radio unit is an interworking wireless local area network (I-WLAN) radio unit.

42. The WTRU of claim 35 wherein the alternative radio unit is a fixed broadband system (FBS) radio unit.

43. The WTRU of claim 35 wherein the alternative radio unit performs a scanning for the alternative wireless network, whereby the handover controller initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network if a predetermined criteria is satisfied after the scanning.

44. The WTRU of claim 43 wherein the handover controller initiates the handover procedure to the alternative wireless network if the WTRU is within a predetermined range of the alternative wireless network.