User Equipment and System Architecture for Voice over Long Term Evolution via Generic Access

• US 20090268722A1
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tao, Patrick, Gallagher, Michael D., Kodnad, Subhash, Padmanabhuni, Sasidhar
• Application Number:
  US12/431,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20090268722A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a communication system that includes (1) an evolved packet system (EPS) that includes an evolved packet core (EPC) and several evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRANs) for communicatively coupling a user equipment (UE) to the EPC, where the EPC is not capable of providing circuit switched (CS) services for the UE and (2) a Voice over long term evolution (LTE) via Generic Access (VOLGA) network controller (VANC) communicatively coupling the UE through the EPS to a legacy circuit switched (CS) core network, where the legacy CS core network is capable of providing CS services to the UE.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

an evolved packet system (EPS) comprising an evolved packet core (EPC) and a plurality of evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRANs) for communicatively coupling a user equipment (UE) to the EPC, wherein the EPC is not capable of providing circuit switched (CS) services for the UE; and

a Voice over long term evolution (LTE) via Generic Access (VOLGA) network controller (VANC) communicatively coupling the UE through the EPS to a legacy circuit switched (CS) core network, wherein the legacy CS core network is capable of providing CS services to the UE.

2. A user equipment (UE) for providing circuit switched (CS) services in an evolved packet system (EPS), the UE comprising:

a plurality of EPS protocol layers for communicatively coupling the UE with an evolved packet core (EPC) of the EPS through an evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN);

a plurality of generic access (GA) protocol layers over said EPS protocol layers;

a plurality of UTRAN protocol layers communicatively coupling the GA protocol layers and the EPS protocol layers through a plurality of interfaces; and

an access mode switch for switching a plurality of circuit switched (CS) protocol layers between the GA protocol layers and the UTRAN protocol layers.