METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEDIA INDEPENDENT HANDOVER

• US 20080259870A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rahman, Shamim Akbar, Olvera-Hernandez, Ulises, Watfa, Mahmoud
• Granted Patent: US 8,537,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/147 Signalling methods or messages providing extensions to protocols defined by standardisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/005 involving radio access media independent information, e.g. MIH [Media independent Hand-off]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14

Abstract

A method and apparatus for performing a handover are disclosed. An Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) client registers with an IMS network and establishes an MIH session with an MIH application server using an SIP. The IMS client establishes a session for IP-based service, (e.g., VoIP), with a communication peer using SIP messaging. MIH messages are exchanged for handover with the MIH application server over IP using SIP messages by encapsulating the MIH messages in SIP instant messages. Alternatively, the MIH messages may be exchanged with the MIH application over IP by sending equivalent SIP messages in place of the MIH messages.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting media independent handover (MIH) messages, the method comprising:

transmitting a MIH message by using a session initiation protocol (SIP) message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message is encapsulated in a message body of an SIP instant message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_CAPABILITY_DISCOVERY.REQUEST message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_REGISTER.REQUEST MESSAGE.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_REGISTER.CONFIRM message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_SUBSCRIBE.REQUEST message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_Event_Subscribe.request message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one MIH message includes a SIP_OPTIONS.request message.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a 200 OK response instant message in place of an MIH acknowledgement.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message includes a SIP equivalent of a MIH_Event_Subscribe.request message.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the MIH message includes a SIP equivalent of a MIH_Event_Subscribe.confirm message.

12. A wireless transmit receive unit WTRU configured to send and receive media independent handover (MIH) messages, the WTRU comprising:

an MIH function configured to generate MIH messages;

a transmitter configured to transmit a MIH message in a session initiation protocol (SIP) message.

13. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message is encapsulated in a message body of an SIP instant message.

14. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_CAPABILITY_DISCOVERY.REQUEST message.

15. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_REGISTER.REQUEST MESSAGE.

16. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_REGISTER.CONFIRM message.

17. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_SUBSCRIBE.REQUEST message.

18. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a MIH_EVENT_SUBSCRIBE.REQUEST message.

19. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a SIP_OPTIONS.REQUEST message.

20. The WTRU of claim 12 further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a 200 OK response instant message in place of an MIH acknowledgement.

21. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a SIP equivalent of a MIH_EVENT_SUBSCRIBE.REQUEST message.

22. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the MIH message includes a SIP equivalent of a MIH_EVENT_SUBSCRIBE.CONFIRM message.

23. An media independent handover function (MIHF) configured to send and receive media independent handover (MIH) messages, the WTRU comprising:

a processor configured to generate MIH messages;

a transmitter configured to transmit a MIH message in a session initiation protocol (SIP) message.

24. The MIHF of claim 24 wherein the MIH message is encapsulated in a message body of an SIP instant message.

25. The MIHF of claim 24 further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive MIH messages in a SIP message.