Lightweight Mrrm with Radio Agnostic Access Selection in the Core Network

• US 20080256260A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sachs, Joachim, Magnusson, Per, Prytz, Mikael, Lundsjo, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/240
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0083 Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00837 Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/28 involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections

Abstract

A method and arrangement for making a handover decision in a multi-access communication network is disclosed. A first set of criteria is determined for when a handover between at least two access paths should be performed and a report is sent when at least one criterion of a first set of criteria is fulfilled. A second set of criteria is determined for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed and a report is sent when at least one criterion of said second set of criteria is fulfilled. One or more data sessions of at least one user terminal network are determined to be handed over based on the sent reports and a core network anchor and a terminal anchor are directed to execute a handover by re-routing said determined data sessions from one access path to an alternative access path.

Claims

1. An arrangement for making a handover decision in a multi-access communication network comprising a core network and at least one user terminal network communicating with said core network on at least two access paths via at least two access networks, whereby data sessions are routed on at least a first access path via a first access network and a second access path via a second access network, wherein the arrangement comprises:

means for determining a first set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths (a, b) should be performed;

means for sending a first report when at least one criterion of said first set of criteria is fulfilled;

means for determining a second set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths a, b should be performed;

means for sending a second report when at least one criterion of said second set of criteria is fulfilled;

means for determining one or more data sessions of said at least one user terminal network to be handed over based on at least one of the sent first and second report;

means for executing a handover by re-routing said determined data sessions from one access path to an alternative access path.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining the first set of criteria is an access network control function located in at least one of said at least two access networks.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining the second set of criteria is a connection management function located in said at least one user terminal network.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining one or more data sessions of said at least one user terminal network to be handed over is an access selection function.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said access selection function is located in the core network.

6. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said access selection function is located in the user terminal network.

7. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said access selection function is arranged to request for first and second reports.

8. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said access selection function comprises means for establishing a list of possible said handover actions for affected user terminal network data sessions and means for sorting said list in priority order, whereby handovers are executed from said list in priority order until a threshold of required handover actions is met.

9. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement further comprises means for determining a third set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed.

10. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least two access networks are at least two access network nodes located in one access network.

11. An arrangement in an access network for making a handover decision in a multi-access communication network comprising a core network and at least one user terminal network communicating with said core network on at least two access paths via at least two access network nodes, whereby data sessions are routed on at least a first access path via a first access network node and a second access path via a second access network node, wherein the arrangement comprises:

means for determining a set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed;

means for sending a report to a superior access selection function node when at least one criterion of said set of criteria is fulfilled, whereby said access selection function node is arranged to determine one or more data sessions of said at least one user terminal network to be handed over based on said sent report.

12. An arrangement in a user terminal network for making a handover decision in a multi-access communication network comprising a core network and at least one user terminal network communicating with said core network on at least two access paths via at least two access networks, whereby data sessions are routed on at least a first access path via a first access network and a second access path via a second access network, wherein the arrangement comprises:

means for determining a set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed;

means for sending a report to a superior access selection function node when at least one criterion of said set of criteria is fulfilled, whereby said access selection function node is arranged to determine one or more data sessions of said at least one user terminal network to be handed over based on said sent report.

13. An access selection function for making a handover decision in a multi-access communication network comprising a core network and at least one user terminal network communicating with said core network on at least two access paths via at least two access networks, whereby data sessions are routed on at least a first access path via a first access network and a second access path via a second access network, wherein the access selection function comprises:

means for receiving a report if at least one criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed is determined means for determining one or more data sessions of said at least one user terminal network to be handed over based on said sent report whereby a handover is executed by re-routing said determined data sessions from one access path to an alternative access path.

14. An access selection function according to claim 13, wherein said access selection function is located in the core network.

15. An access selection function according to claim 13, wherein said access selection function is located in the user terminal network.

16. A method for making a handover decision in a multi-access communication network comprising a core network and at least one user terminal network communicating with said core network on at least two access paths via at least two access networks, whereby data sessions are routed on at least a first access path via a first access network and a second access path via a second access network wherein the method comprises the steps of:

determining a first set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed;

sending a first report when at least one criterion of said first set of criteria is fulfilled;

determining a second set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed;

sending a second report when at least one criterion of said second set of criteria is fulfilled;

determining one or more data sessions of said at least one user terminal network to be handed over based on at least one of the sent first and second report;

executing a handover by re-routing said determined data sessions from one access path to an alternative access path.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the step of determining a first set of criteria is performed by an access network control function located in at least one of said at least two access networks.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the step of determining a second set of criteria is performed by a connection management function located in said at least one user terminal network.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein the step of determining one or more data sessions of said at least one user terminal network to be handed over is performed by an access selection function.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of determining a third set of criteria for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said first and second reports are sent upon request by said access selection function.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said first and second reports are sent periodically to said access selection function.

23. A method according to claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

establishing a list of possible said handover actions for affected user terminal network data sessions; and

,

sorting said list in priority order, whereby handovers are executed from said list in priority order until a threshold of required handover actions is met.

24. A computer program product, which is directly loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer, and which comprises a computer program for performing the method of claim 16 when said program is run on said computer.