METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HANDOVER BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCESS SYSTEMS

• US 20090201883A1
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: LIU, Lina, YAN, Wenjun, WANG, Shanshan, HU, Weihua
• Granted Patent: US 8,488,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 Manipulation of transport tunnels

Abstract

A method for handover between different types of access systems in some embodiments consistent with the present invention includes: when the UE hands over between different types of access systems, the UE accesses the IASA connected with the UE in the source access system through the destination access system. Furthermore, the present invention discloses a handover system, and a UE that includes an IASA address storing module and an IASA address sending module. The handover system includes: a destination access system, and a source IASA.

Claims

1. A method for handover between different types of access systems, comprising:

when a User Equipment (UE) handover between different types of access systems, accessing, by the UE, an Inter Access Systems Anchor (IASA) connected with the UE in the source access system through a destination access system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein,

the source access system is a non-3GPP access system, and the destination access system is a 3GPP access system;

and

accessing, by the UE, the IASA connected with the UE in the source access system through the destination access system comprises;

during a service activation process in the 3GPP access system, sending, by the UE, a source IASA address to a 3GPP access gateway; and

creating a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context between the 3GPP access gateway and the source IASA.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, the sending, by the UE, a source IASA address to a 3GPP access gateway comprises:

sending, by the UE, an Active PDP Context Request containing the source IASA address to the 3GPP access gateway.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, the Active PDP Context Request comprises an IASA allocation identifier for indicating whether to allow the 3GPP access gateway to reallocate the IASA address;

and

before creating a PDP context between the 3GPP access gateway and the source IASA, the method further comprises;

determining, by the 3GPP access gateway, whether it is necessary to reallocate the IASA address; and

if it is unnecessary to reallocate the IASA address, creating a PDP context between the 3GPP access gateway and the source IASA.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the source access system is a 3GPP access system, and the destination access system is a non-3GPP access system;

and

accessing the IASA connected with the UE in the source access system through the destination access system comprises at least one of the following;

initiating, by the UE, a Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP) registration using the source IASA address as a Home Address (HoA);

and,

initiating, by the UE, creation of an Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) tunnel using the source IASA address as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) Gateway (GW) address.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, before the handover process, the method comprises:

obtaining, by the UE, an IASA address for the UE connecting to the 3GPP access system.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, the mean of obtaining the IASA address is one of the following:

during a service activation process in the 3GPP access system, sending, by a 3GPP access gateway, an IASA address contained in an Active PDP Context Request to the UE;

and,

obtaining, by the UE, the IASA address through a router advertisement sent by the IASA.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the different types of access systems comprises a 3GPP access system and a non-3GPP access system;

the IASA is interconnected with the 3GPP access system and the non-3GPP access system through different interface addresses; and

the method comprises;

allocating, by a network side, a 3GPP IASA address and a non-3GPP IASA address; and

storing, by the UE, the two IASA addresses.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the source access system is a non-3GPP access system, and the destination access system is a 3GPP access system;

accessing, by the UE, the IASA connected with the UE in the source access system through the destination access system comprises;

during the handover process, initiating, by the UE, service activation using the 3GPP IASA address stored on the UE in the 3GPP access system.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the source access system is a 3GPP access system, and the destination access system is a non-3GPP access system;

accessing, by the UE, the IASA connected with the UE in the source access system through the destination access system comprises;

during the handover process, initiating, by the UE, a MIP registration or creation of an IPsec tunnel using the non-3GPP IASA address stored on the UE.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the handover comprises:

handover when the UE is in an idle state and handover when the UE is in an active service state.

12. A handover system, comprising:

a destination access system, and an Inter Access Systems Anchor (IASA) of a source access system, wherein,

the destination access system is adapted to receive a source IASA address sent by a User Equipment (UE), and connect to a source IASA corresponding to the IASA address.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the system further comprises:

the UE, adapted to send the source IASA address to the destination access system during the handover process.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein, the different types of access systems comprises a 3GPP access system and a non-3GPP access system;

the 3GPP access system is one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), a Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS), and a System Architecture Evolution (SAE);

and,

the non-3GPP access system is one of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, and CDMA2000.

15. A User Equipment (UE), characterized by comprising an IASA address storing module and an IASA address sending module, wherein

the IASA address storing module is adapted to store an IASA address;

and

the IASA address sending module is adapted to obtain the IASA address from the IASA address storing module, and send the obtained IASA address to a destination access system.

16. A User Equipment (UE), comprising an IASA address obtaining module and an IASA address sending module, wherein

the IASA address obtaining module is adapted to obtain a source IASA address connected with the UE in the source access system, and send the obtained source IASA address to the IASA address sending module;

and

the IASA address sending module is adapted to receive the source IASA address from the IASA address obtaining module, and send the received source IASA address to a destination access system.