Access Mode Switch for a User Equipment of a Communication System

• US 20080137612A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amit Khetawat, Michael D. Gallagher, Milan Marković, Patrick Tao
• Original Assignee: Amit Khetawat, Michael D. Gallagher, Milan Marković, Patrick Tao
• Inventors: Tao, Patrick, Gallagher, Michael D., Markovic, Milan, Khetawat, Amit
• Application Number:
  US11/927,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137612A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• 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

Some embodiments provide a method of registering a user equipment (UE) in a communication system that includes a licensed wireless communication system and a generic access network (GAN) that has a generic access network controller (GANC). The method sends a register request message from the UE to the GANC that indicates a GAN mode capability of A/Gb only for the UE. When the GANC has a GAN mode capability of A/Gb, the GANC registers the UE with the GAN. When the GANC has a GAN mode capability of Iu only, the GANC rejects the register request message. When the GANC has a GAN mode capability of both A/Gb and Iu, the GANC registers the UE based on a set of GANC mode selection rules that the GANC applies for registering UEs with the GAN.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. A user equipment (UE) for communicating with a first universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a second global system for mobile communication (GSM) EDGE radio access network (GERAN), and a wireless third communication system comprising a network controller for communicatively coupling the wireless third communication system to the first and second wireless communication systems through a core telecommunication network, the UE comprising:

a) a general packet radio service (GPRS) mobility management (GMM) protocol layer for managing mobile station mobility;

b) a UTRAN radio resource control (RRC) protocol layer;

c) a GERAN RRC protocol layer;

d) a generic access protocol layer; and

e) an access mode switch for connecting the GMM layer to one of the UTRAN RRC, the GERAN RRC, and the generic access protocol layers;

wherein the UTRAN RRC, the GERAN RRC, and the generic access protocol layers directly coordinate with each other for roving and handover of the UE.

6. The UE of claim 5, wherein the generic access protocol layer is one of a generic access packet switched resources (GA-PSR) protocol layer and a generic access resource control (GA-RC) protocol layer.

7. The UE of claim 5 further comprising a GERAN GRR service access point (GERAN GRR-SAP) interface for connecting one of the GERAN RRC and the generic access protocol layers to the GMM layer, wherein the GERAN GRR-SAP interface is identical for connecting the GMM layer to the GERAN RRC and to the generic access layers.

8. The UE of claim 5 further comprising a GERAN GMMRR service access point (GERAN GMMRR-SAP) interface for connecting one of the GERAN RRC and the generic access protocol layers to the GMM layer, wherein the GERAN GMMRR-SAP interface is identical for connecting the GMM layer to the GERAN RRC and to the generic access layer.

9. The UE of claim 5 further comprising a UTRAN RABMAS service access point (RABMAS-SAP) for connecting one of the UTRAN RRC and the generic access protocol layers to the GMM layer, wherein the UTRAN RABMAS-SAP interface is identical for connecting the GMM layer to the UTRAN RRC layer and to the generic access layer.

10. The UE of claim 5 further comprising a UTRAN GMMAS service access point (GMMAS-SAP) for connecting one of the UTRAN RRC and the generic access protocol layers to the GMM layer, wherein the UTRAN GMMAS-SAP interface is identical for connecting the GMM layer to the UTRAN RRC layer and to the generic access layer.

11. The UE of claim 5, wherein the UE is a cellular telephone.

12. The UE of claim 5, wherein the UE is one of a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer equipped with a subscriber identity mobile (SIM) card, a dual mode cellular/Wi-Fi device, and a dual mode cellular WiMax device.

13. The UE of claim 5, wherein the UE is a terminal adaptor connecting fixed wired devices to wireless communication systems.

14. A user equipment (UE) for communicating with a first universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a second global system for mobile communication (GSM) EDGE radio access network (GERAN), and a wireless third communication system comprising a network controller for communicatively coupling the wireless third communication system to the first and second wireless communication systems through a core telecommunication network, the UE comprising:

a) a global system for communications (GSM) mobility management (MM) protocol layer for managing mobile station mobility;

b) a UTRAN radio resource control (RRC) protocol layer;

c) a GERAN RRC protocol layer;

d) a generic access protocol layer; and

e) an access mode switch for connecting the MM layer to one of the UTRAN RRC, the GERAN RRC, and the generic access protocol layers;

wherein the UTRAN RRC, the GERAN RRC, and the generic access protocol layers directly coordinate with each other for roving and handover of the UE.

15. The UE of claim 14, wherein the generic access protocol layer is one of a generic access packet switched resources (GA-PSR) protocol layer and a generic access resource control (GA-RC) protocol layer.

16. The UE of claim 14 further comprising a GERAN RR service access point (GERAN RR-SAP) interface for connecting one of the GERAN RRC and the generic access protocol layers to the MM layer, wherein the GERAN RR-SAP interface is identical for connecting the MM layer to the GERAN RRC layer and to the generic access protocol layer.

17. The UE of claim 14 further comprising a UTRAN RR service access point (RR-SAP) for connecting one of the UTRAN RRC and the generic access protocol layers to the MM layer, wherein the UTRAN RR-SAP interface is identical for connecting the MM layer to the UTRAN RRC layer and to the generic access layer.

18. The UE of claim 14, wherein the UE is a cellular telephone.

19. The UE of claim 14, wherein the UE is one of a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer equipped with a subscriber identity mobile (SIM) card, a dual mode cellular/Wi-Fi device, and a dual mode cellular WiMax device.

20. The UE of claim 14, wherein the UE is a terminal adaptor connecting fixed wired devices to wireless communication systems.

21. A user equipment (UE) for communicating with a first universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a second global system for mobile communication (GSM) EDGE radio access network (GERAN), and a wireless third communication system comprising a network controller for communicatively coupling the wireless third communication system to the first and second wireless communication systems through a core telecommunication network, the UE comprising:

a) a packet switched (PS) user plane routing service protocol layer;

b) a UTRAN PDCP protocol layer;

c) a GERAN RLC/MAC protocol layer;

d) a generic access protocol layer; and

e) an access mode switch for connecting the (PS) user plane routing service protocol layer to one of the UTRAN PDCP, the GERAN RLC/MAC, and the generic access protocol layers.

22. The UE of claim 21, wherein the generic access protocol layer is generic access packet switched resources (GA-PSR) protocol layer.

23. The UE of claim 21, wherein the UE is a cellular telephone.

24. The UE of claim 21, wherein the UE is one of a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer equipped with a subscriber identity mobile (SIM) card, a dual mode cellular/Wi-Fi device, and a dual mode cellular WiMax device.

25. The UE of claim 21, wherein the UE is a terminal adaptor connecting fixed wired devices to wireless communication systems.