Handover or location update for optimization for relay stations in a wireless network

• US 20070249347A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Zheng, Haihong, Maheshwari, Shashikant, Saifullah, Yousuf
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0009 for a plurality of users or terminals, e.g. group communication or moving wireless networks user group management H04W4/08; processing of subscriber group data H04W8/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/38 by fixed network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Various embodiments are disclosed relating to the optimization of relay station handovers and location update in a wireless network. According to an example embodiment, a request to handover a plurality of mobile stations from a first base station to a second base station may be sent. An identifier associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations may be received. In another example embodiment, each of the identifiers is forwarded to the mobile station corresponding to the connection identifier. In another example embodiment, a location update may be performed by sending a message to a network device, such as a target base station, to provide location update information for a plurality of mobile stations. In this manner, one message may be transmitted over a wireless link to facilitate a handover or location update for a plurality of mobile stations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a request to handover a plurality of mobile stations from a first base station to a second base station; and

receiving an identifier associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending the request to handover comprises:

receiving information related to the first base station and the second base station; and

making a determination to handover the plurality of mobile stations based on the received information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending the request to handover comprises:

receiving a channel quality parameter for the first base station and a channel quality parameter for the second base station; and

making a determination to handover the plurality of mobile stations based on the received channel quality parameters.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the sending the request to handover comprises sending, by a relay station, the request to handover the plurality of mobile stations from the first base station to the second base station, and

the receiving the identifier comprises receiving, by the relay station, the identifier associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the sending the request to handover comprises sending, by the first base station, the request to handover the plurality of mobile stations from the first base station to the second base station, and

the receiving the identifier comprises receiving, by the relay station, the identifier associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the identifier comprises receiving a connection identifier associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising forwarding each of the identifiers to the mobile station corresponding to the identifier.

8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

determining an identifier associated with the first base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations;

performing a mapping between the identifiers associated with the first base station and corresponding identifiers associated with the second base station; and

communicating with each mobile station using the identifier of the each mobile station that is associated with the first base station, and communicating with the second base station using the identifier of the each mobile station that is associated with the second base station, based on the mapping.

9. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

forwarding messages between one of the mobile stations and the second base station by substituting an identifier associated with the first base station for communicating with the one mobile station and communicating with the second base station using the identifier associated with the second base station for the one mobile station.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending comprises sending a relay station handover request including a connection identifier associated with the first base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending comprises sending a handover pre-notification message including connection identifiers associated with the first base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving comprises receiving either a relay station handover response including connection identifiers associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations or a handover pre-notification message including connection identifiers associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations.

13. An apparatus provided in a station for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

a controller;

a memory coupled to the controller; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the controller; and

the apparatus adapted to;

send a request to handover a plurality of mobile stations from a first base station to a second base station; and

receive an identifier associated with the second base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the apparatus is adapted to:

determine an identifier associated with the first base station for each of the plurality of mobile stations;

perform a mapping between the identifiers associated with the first base station and corresponding identifiers associated with the second base station; and

communicate with each mobile station using the identifier of the each mobile station that is associated with the first base station, and communicate with the second base station using the identifier of the each mobile station that is associated with the second base station.

16. A method comprising:

detecting a change in location in a wireless network;

sending a message to a network device to perform location update for a plurality of mobile stations.

15. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the request to handover includes a plurality of indicators each associated with one of the plurality of mobile stations.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the detecting comprises receiving a new paging group ID corresponding to a new location.

18. The method of claim 16 and further comprising:

receiving a response to the message confirming the location update for the plurality of mobile stations; and

sending a message to each of the plurality of mobile stations to provide a new paging group ID.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the sending comprises:

sending a location update message from a relay station to a target base station to provide location update information for the plurality of mobile stations.

20. The method of claim 19 and further comprising:

sending, by the target base station, one or more messages to a paging controller to provide the location update information for the plurality of mobile stations.