METHODS AND DEVICES FOR FACILITATING EMERGENCY CALLS OVER WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20160295385A1
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Li, Amy, Wang, Chunbo, Wang, Lu
• Granted Patent: US 9,699,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method implemented by a first gateway node for processing an emergency call from an untrusted non-3GPP access network. The method comprises: receiving an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network; detecting an event of the emergency call depending upon the emergency network access identifier included in the request message; selecting for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and establishing for the terminal device an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network which is identified by the selected emergency access point name. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there are provided corresponding methods and devices.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a first gateway node for processing an emergency call, comprising:

receiving an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, wherein the emergency call request includes an emergency network access identifier constructed by the terminal device;

detecting an event of the emergency call depending upon the emergency network access identifier;

selecting for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and

establishing for the terminal device an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network which is identified by the selected emergency access point name.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising informing the terminal device of the selected emergency access point name, thereby facilitating potential handover from the untrusted non-3GPP based access network to a 3GPP based access network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein establishing an emergency call session for the terminal device comprises:

sending to the second gateway node a create session request including the selected emergency access point name, thereby enabling the second network node to identify the emergency call session.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein establishing an emergency call session for the terminal device comprises:

authenticating the terminal device based on an equipment identity of the terminal device.

5. A method implemented by a terminal device for initiating an emergency call over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, comprising:

constructing an emergency network access identifier;

sending to a first gateway node an emergency call request including the constructed emergency network access identifier; and

establishing, via the first gateway node, an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with an external network providing an emergency call service.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the emergency network access identifier includes a predetermined indicator of the emergency call.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

receiving from the first gateway node an emergency access point name, thereby facilitating potential handover from the untrusted non-3GPP based access network to a 3GPP based access network.

8. A method implemented by a network node of a 3GPP based access network for facilitating emergency call handover from an untrusted non-3GPP based access network to the 3GPP based access network, comprising:

receiving a request message sent from a terminal device that is currently performing an emergency call over the untrusted non-3GPP based access network, wherein the request message includes a handover indication and an emergency access point name which identifies an external network used to establish the emergency call;

detecting an event of the emergency call handover based on the handover indication and the emergency access point name;

establishing an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the selected emergency access point name; and

switching the emergency call of the terminal device from a bearer of the untrusted non-3GPP based access network to the to a bearer of the 3GPP based access network.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the request message is a packet data network connectivity request message or an attach request message.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein establishing an emergency call session with a second gateway node comprises:

sending to the second gateway node a create session request including the emergency access point name, thereby enabling the second gateway node to identify the emergency call session.

11. A method implemented by a network node of a 3GPP based access network for processing an emergency call, comprising:

receiving an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over a 3GPP based access network;

selecting for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and

establishing an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the selected emergency access point name.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

informing the terminal device of the selected emergency access point name, thereby facilitating potential handover from the 3GPP based access network to an untrusted non-3GPP based access network.

13. A method implemented by a first gateway node for facilitating emergency call handover from a 3GPP based access network to an untrusted 3GPP based access network, comprising:

receiving a request message sent from a terminal device that is currently performing an emergency call over the 3GPP based access network, wherein the request message includes a handover indication and an emergency access point name which identifies an external network used to establish the emergency call;

detecting an event of the emergency call handover based on the handover indication and the emergency network access identifier; and

establishing an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the emergency access point name included in the request message.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein establishing an emergency call session for the terminal device comprises:

sending to the second gateway node a create session request including the handover indication and the emergency access point name, thereby enabling the second gateway node to identify the emergency call session and perform the emergency call handover.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein establishing an emergency call session for the terminal device comprises:

authenticating the terminal device based on an equipment identity of the terminal device.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the request message further includes an emergency network access identifier constructed by the terminal device.

17. A first gateway node operably for processing an emergency call, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, wherein the emergency call request includes an emergency network access identifier constructed by the terminal device;

a detecting unit configured to detect an event of the emergency call depending upon the emergency network access identifier;

a selecting unit configured to select for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and

a session establishing unit configured to establish for the terminal device an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network which is identified by the selected emergency access point name.

18. The first gateway node according to claim 17, further comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to inform the terminal device of the selected emergency access point name, thereby facilitating potential handover from the untrusted non-3GPP based access network to a 3GPP based access network.

19. The first gateway node according to claim 17, wherein the session establishing unit is further configured to send to the second gateway node a create session request including the selected emergency access point name, thereby enabling the second network node to identify the emergency call session.

20. The first gateway node according to claim 17, wherein the session establishing unit is further configured to authenticate the terminal device based on an equipment identity of the terminal device.

21. A terminal device operably for initiating an emergency call over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, comprising:

an identifier constructing unit configured to construct an emergency network access identifier;

a transmitting unit configured to send to a first gateway node an emergency call request including the constructed emergency network access identifier; and

a session establishing unit configured to establish, via the first gateway node, an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with an external network providing an emergency call service.

22. The terminal device according to claim 21, wherein the emergency network access identifier includes a predetermined indicator of the emergency call.

23. The terminal device according to claim 21, further comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive from the first gateway node an emergency access point name, thereby facilitating potential handover from the untrusted non-3GPP based access network to a 3GPP based access network.

24. A network node of a 3GPP based access network operably for facilitating emergency call handover from an untrusted non-3GPP based access network to the 3GPP based access network, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a request message sent from a terminal device that is currently performing an emergency call over the untrusted non-3GPP based access network, wherein the request message includes a handover indication and an emergency access point name which identifies an external network used to establish the emergency call;

a detecting unit configured to detect an event of the emergency call handover based on the handover indication and the emergency access point name;

a session establishing unit configured to establish an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the selected emergency access point name; and

a switching unit configured to switch the emergency call of the terminal device from a bearer of the untrusted non-3GPP based access network to a bearer of the 3GPP based access network.

25. The network node according to claim 24, wherein the request message is a packet data network connectivity request message or an attach request message.

26. The network node according to claim 24, wherein the session establishing unit is further configured to send to the second gateway node a create session request including the emergency access point name, thereby enabling the second gateway node to identify the emergency call session.

27. A network node of a 3GPP based access network operably for processing an emergency call, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over a 3GPP based access network;

a selecting unit configured to select for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and

a session establishing unit configured to establish an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the selected emergency access point name.

28. The network node according to claim 27, further comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to inform the terminal device of the selected emergency access point name, thereby facilitating potential handover from the 3GPP based access network to an untrusted non-3GPP based access network.

29. A first gateway node operably for facilitating emergency call handover from a 3GPP based access network to an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a request message sent from a terminal device that is currently performing an emergency call over the 3GPP based access network, wherein the request message includes a handover indication and an emergency access point name which identifies an external network used to establish the emergency call;

a detecting unit configured to detect an event of the emergency call handover based on the handover indication and the emergency network access identifier; and

a session establishing unit configured to establish an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the emergency access point name included in the request message.

30. The first gateway node according to claim 29, wherein the session establishing unit is configured to send to the second gateway node a create session request including the handover indication and the emergency access point name, thereby enabling the second gateway node to identify the emergency call session and perform the emergency call handover.

31. The first gateway node according to claim 29, wherein the session establishing unit is further configured to authenticate the terminal device based on an equipment identity of the terminal device.

32. The first gateway node according to claim 29, wherein the request message received by the receiving unit further includes an emergency network access identifier constructed by the terminal device.

33. A first gateway node operably for processing an emergency call, comprising a processor adapted to:

cause to receive an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, wherein the emergency call request includes an emergency network access identifier constructed by the terminal device;

cause to detect an event of the emergency call depending upon the emergency network access identifier;

cause to select for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and

cause to establish for the terminal device an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network which is identified by the selected emergency access point name.

34. The first gateway node according to claim 33, further comprising a memory, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor.

38. The network node according to claim 33, further comprising a memory, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor.

35. A terminal device operably for initiating an emergency call over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, comprising a processor adapted to:

cause to construct an emergency network access identifier;

cause to send to a first gateway node an emergency call request including the constructed emergency network access identifier; and

cause to establish, via the first gateway node, an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with an external network providing an emergency call service.

36. The terminal device node according to claim 35, further comprising a memory, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor.

37. A network node of a 3GPP based access network for facilitating emergency call handover from an untrusted non-3GPP based access network to the 3GPP based access network, a processor adapted to:

cause to receive a request message sent from a terminal device that is currently performing an emergency call over the untrusted non-3GPP based access network, wherein the request message includes a handover indication and an emergency access point name which identifies an external network used to establish the emergency call;

cause to detect an event of the emergency call handover based on the handover indication and the emergency access point name;

cause to establish an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the selected emergency access point name; and

cause to switch the emergency call of the terminal device from bearer of the untrusted non-3GPP based access network to the bearer of the 3GPP based access network.

39. A network node of a 3GPP based access network operably for processing an emergency call, comprising a processor adapted to:

cause to receive an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over a 3GPP based access network;

cause to select for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and

cause to establish an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the selected emergency access point name.

40. The network node according to claim 39, further comprising a memory, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor.

41. A first gateway node operably for facilitating emergency call handover from a 3GPP based access network to an untrusted non-3GPP based access network, comprising a processor adapted to:

cause to receive a request message sent from a terminal device that is currently performing an emergency call over the 3GPP based access network, wherein the request message includes a handover indication and an emergency access point name which identifies an external network used to establish the emergency call;

cause to detect an event of the emergency call handover based on the handover indication and the emergency network access identifier; and

cause to establish an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network that is identified by the emergency access point name included in the request message.

42. The first gateway node according to claim 41, further comprising a memory, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor.