CONTEXT TRANSFER IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK COMPRISING PLURAL HETEROGENEOUS ACCESS NETWORKS

• US 20100142484A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Bourgett, Alexander, Bachmann, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• 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 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for a context transfer in a communication network including a plurality of heterogeneous access networks, wherein a mobile terminal is attached to one of the access networks. Further, the present invention relates to a context transfer manager performing the method. Moreover, the present invention relates to a mobile terminal specially adapted to perform the provided method for a context transfer. To facilitate a context transfer between heterogeneous access networks, the present invention introduces a context transfer manager generating at least one context based on capabilities and parameters associated to the mobile terminal and capabilities and parameters of the neighboring access networks taking into account the respective access technology. Further the context transfer manager is common to the heterogeneous access networks in the communication network and performs the context transfers related to a particular mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal that accesses to a plurality of heterogeneous access networks and performs a handover therebetween, the mobile terminal comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from an access network information transfer manager common to the plurality of heterogeneous access networks, available access network information containing a list of available access networks in the vicinity of the mobile terminal;

a measure configured to receive signals from the available access networks indicated in the available access network information;

a selector configured to select an access network for the handover from among the available access networks; and

an initiator configured to initiate the handover to the selected access network.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the heterogeneous access networks comprise at least a public land mobile network (PLMN) and a wireless local area network (WLAN).

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the available access network information further include radio access network identifiers of the available access networks.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the signals are beacon messages including radio access network identifiers.