Seamless Handoff Across Heterogeneous Access Networks Using a Handoff Controller in a Service Control Point

• US 20100150110A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nytell Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: TTI Inventions C LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Shrader, David C., Demers, Stephanie, Zhang, Tao, Das, Subir, Dutta, Ashutosh, Morera Sempere, Raquel, Lukacs, Donald R., Alfieri, James, Lyles, Bryan J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,442,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/005 involving radio access media independent information, e.g. MIH [Media independent Hand-off]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/304 due to measured or perceived resources with higher communication quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

In a telecommunications network in which a mobile handset is capable of communicating in both an IP domain and a non-IP domain, the handoff of an existing communications session between the mobile handset and a fixed user is facilitated by a handoff controller implemented in a service control point. The handoff controller implements different handoff methods depending on the status of the fixed user and the transition of the mobile user. Additionally 802.21 Media Independent Handover Function in conjunction with SIP is used to facilitate handover between IP and Non-IP points in the system.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method for using a handoff controller for handing off a communication session of a first communication device from a first network to a second network, wherein the first network is one of an Internet Protocol (IP) network and a cellular network and the second network is a different one of the IP network and the cellular network as compared to the first network, and wherein the first communication device is in communication with a second communication device, the method comprising:

sending a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message from the handoff controller to the first communication device instructing the first communication device to monitor at least one predetermined characteristic of an interface between the first communication device and the first network;

receiving at the handoff controller an SIP message from the first communication device when a value associated with the at least one predetermined characteristic has been met to provide a received SIP message;

receiving at the handoff controller network information regarding available connection points in the second network;

determining in the handoff controller, based on the received SIP message and the network information, one of the available connection points in the second network to which the first communication device shall be connected;

sending a further SIP message from the handoff controller to the first communication device identifying the one of the available connection points in the second network; and

effecting, by the handoff controller, a seamless handoff of the first communication device from the first network to the second network via the identified one of the available connection points so as to allow continued communication between the first communication device and the second communication device;

wherein the SIP messages contain non-SIP service primitives pertaining to handover capabilities, with the handoff controller performing the steps as a function, at least in part, of the service primitives.

18. The method for using a handoff controller as claimed in claim 17, wherein the handoff controller is configured to utilize an 802.21 MIH layer to process 802.21 MIHF service primitives.

19. The method for using a handoff controller as claimed in claim 17, wherein the service primitives are independent of protocols and access technologies associated with IP networks and cellular networks and IP components and cellular components.

20. The method for using a handoff controller as claimed in claim 17, wherein effecting a seamless handoff includes establishing a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) session through SIP messaging.

21. The method for using a handoff controller as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first communication device is capable of operating in both the IP network and the cellular network.

22. The method for using a handoff controller as claimed in claim 17, wherein the cellular network is one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network.

23. The method for using a handoff controller as claimed in claim 17, wherein the handoff controller resides in a Service Control Point (SCP).

24. The method for using a handoff controller as claimed in claim 17, further comprising generating usage records, via the handoff controller, for the first communication device regarding transition of the first communication device between networks for billing purposes.

25. A method for using a first communication device in connection with a handoff of a communication session of the first communication device from a first network to a second network, wherein the first network is one of an Internet Protocol (IP) network and a cellular network and the second network is a different one of the IP network and the cellular network as compared to the first network, and wherein the first communication device is in communication with a second communication device, the method comprising:

receiving at the first communication device a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message from a handoff controller instructing the first communication device to monitor at least one predetermined characteristic of an interface between the first communication device and the first network;

sending an SIP message from the first communication device to the handoff controller when a value associated with the at least one predetermined characteristic has been met;

receiving at the first communication device a further SIP message from the handoff controller identifying one available connection point in the second network, wherein the identified one available connection point is determined by the handoff controller based on the SIP message and additional network information the handoff controller receives which contain information regarding available connection points in the second network; and

effecting, through the first communication device, a seamless handoff of the first communication device from the first network to the second network via the identified one of the available connection points so as to allow continued communication between the first communication device and the second communication device; and

wherein the SIP messages contain non-SIP service primitives pertaining to handover capabilities, with the first communication device performing the steps as a function, at least in part, of the service primitives.

26. The method for using a first communication device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first communication device supports use of 802.21 MIHF service primitives.

27. The method for using a first communication device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the service primitives are independent of protocols and access technologies associated with IP networks and cellular networks and IP components and cellular components.

28. The method for using a first communication device as claimed in claim 25, wherein effecting a seamless handoff includes establishing a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) session through SIP messaging.

29. The method for using a first communication device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first communication device is capable of operating in both the IP network and the cellular network.

30. The method for using a first communication device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the cellular network is one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network.

31. An apparatus comprising a handoff controller for handing off a communication session of a first communication device from a first network to a second network, wherein the first network is one of an Internet Protocol (IP) network and a cellular network and the second network is a different one of the IP network and the cellular network as compared to the first network, and wherein the first communication device is in communication with a second communication device, the handoff controller comprising:

a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) interface configured to send and receive SIP messages;

a handover processing part configured to process non-SIP service primitives that pertain to handover capabilities; and

a session handover manager configured to effect the handing off of the communication session of the first communication device from the first network to the second network by;

sending an SIP message to the first communication device instructing the first communication device to monitor at least one predetermined characteristic of an interface between the first communication device and the first network;

receiving an SIP message from the first communication device when a value associated with the at least one predetermined characteristic has been met to provide a received SIP message;

receiving network information regarding available connection points in the second network;

determining, based on the received SIP message and the network information, one of the available connection points in the second network to which the first communication device shall be connected;

sending a further SIP message to the first communication device identifying the one of the available connection points in the second network; and

effecting a seamless handoff of the first communication device from the first network to the second network via the identified one of the available connection points so as to allow continued communication between the first communication device and the second communication device;

wherein the SIP messages contain non-SIP service primitives pertaining to handover capabilities, with the session handover manager performing, at least in part, as a function of the service primitives.

32. The apparatus comprising a handoff controller as claimed in claim 31, wherein the service primitives are independent of protocols and access technologies associated with IP networks and cellular networks and IP components and cellular components.

33. The apparatus comprising a handoff controller as claimed in claim 31, wherein effecting a seamless handoff includes establishing a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) session through SIP messaging.

34. The apparatus comprising a handoff controller as claimed in claim 31, wherein the cellular network is one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network.

35. The apparatus comprising a handoff controller as claimed in claim 31, wherein the handoff controller resides in a Service Control Point (SCP).

36. The apparatus comprising a handoff controller as claimed in claim 31, wherein the handoff controller may be configured to generate usage records for the first communication device regarding transition of the first communication device between networks for billing purposes.

37. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method for handing off a communication session of a first communication device from a first network to a second network, wherein the first network is one of an Internet Protocol (IP) network and a cellular network and the second network is a different one of the IP network and the cellular network as compared to the first network, and wherein the first communication device is in communication with a second communication device, the method comprising:

sending a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message from the computing device to the first communication device instructing the first communication device to monitor at least one predetermined characteristic of an interface between the first communication device and the first network;

receiving at the computing device an SIP message from the first communication device when a value associated with the at least one predetermined characteristic has been met to provide a received SIP message;

receiving at the computing device network information regarding available connection points in the second network;

determining in the computing device, based on the received SIP message and the network information, one of the available connection points in the second network to which the first communication device shall be connected;

sending a further SIP message from the computing device to the first communication device identifying the one of the available connection points in the second network; and

effecting, by the computing device, a seamless handoff of the first communication device from the first network to the second network via the identified one of the available connection points so as to allow continued communication between the first communication device and the second communication device;

wherein the SIP messages contain non-SIP service primitives pertaining to handover capabilities, with the computing device performing the steps as a function, at least in part, of the service primitives.

38. The tangible computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 37, wherein the computing device is configured to utilize an 802.21 MIH layer to process 802.21 MIHF service primitives.

39. The tangible computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 37, wherein the service primitives are independent of protocols and access technologies associated with IP networks and cellular networks and IP components and cellular components.

40. The tangible computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 37, wherein effecting a seamless handoff includes establishing a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) session through SIP messaging.

41. The tangible computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 37, wherein the first communication device is capable of operating in both the IP network and the cellular network.

42. The tangible computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 37, wherein the cellular network is one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network.

43. The tangible computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 37, wherein the computing device resides in a Service Control Point (SCP).

44. The tangible computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 37, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform generating usage records for the first communication device regarding transition of the first communication device between networks for billing purposes.