Location update method and inter core network entity handover method

• US 6,438,370 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Le, Khiem, Einola, Heikki, Rajaniemi, Jaakko
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, DORIS HA
• Application Number:
  US09/271,191
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/435, 455/456, 455/450, 455/67.3, 455/67.6, 455/426, 455/442, 455/422, 455/436, 455/67.1, 370/310, 370/277
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events

Abstract

A scheme for providing a notification to a Mobile Station (MS) to initiate a location update in a mobile telecommunication system, a scheme for providing update of location of the MS to a new Core Network (CN) entity via interface between the CN entities, a scheme for providing update of location of the MS to a new CN entity via interface between a CN entity and a Serving RNC (SRNC), a scheme for providing an inter Core Network (CN) handover, e.g. inter-SGSN handover, in a mobile telecommunication system, are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for providing a notification to a Mobile Station (MS) for a location update of the MS in a mobile telecommunication system wherein the MS is controlled by one of a plurality of Radio Network Controllers (RNCs), which comprising:

a) serving the MS by a first RNC;

b) in response to the MS having moved from a first area to a second area, wherein service in the first area is provided via a first set of Base Stations (BSs) controlled by the first RNC and service in the second area is provided via a second set of BSs controlled by a second RNC, providing the service to the MS via the second set of BSs while keeping the control of the connection with the first RNC, and monitoring a predefined criteria set for RNC relocation;

c) in response to having met the predefined criteria, moving the control of the connection to the second RNC, the plurality of RNCs being connected to a Core Network (CN) which has a plurality of CN entities including one active CN entity, so that control of the connection is changed from the first RNC to the second RNC; and

d) notifying the MS that the control of the connection has been changed from the first RNC to the second RNC and that the location update of the MS should be performed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the active CN entity is connected to the first RNC.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the active CN entity is connected to the second RNC.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the location update of the MS by the MS to the plurality of CN entities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the MS is made by the MS.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the MS is made by the second RNC.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the MS is made by the active CN entity.

8. A method of mobility management in a mobile telecommunication system including a mobile station (MS), a radio network having a plurality of radio network controllers (RNCs) controlling use of radio resources and including a serving RNC, and a plurality of core network entities (CNEs) each of which connects to at least one of the RNCs, the MS having at least one type of connection connected to the CNEs, the CNEs managing mobility of the MS by storing information of a current location of the MS and connecting at least a first type of connections of the MS to a second network and a second MS of the mobile telecommunication system, a radio connection of the MS being controlled by the serving RNC, and an MS connection being routed to/from a respective CNE via the serving RNC, the method comprising:

controlling the mobile station (MS) by a first RNC of the plurality of RNCs, the first RNC being the serving RNC;

in response to the MS having moved from a first area to a second area wherein service in the first area is provided via a first set of Base Stations (BSs) controlled by the first RNC and service in the second area is provided via a second set of BSs controlled by a second RNC, providing the service to the MS from the second set of BSs while keeping control of the MS connection with the first RNC, and monitoring a predefined criteria set for RNC relocation;

in response to having met the predefined criteria, moving the control of the MS connection to the second RNC according to a predefined criteria, service in the second area being controlled by the second RNC when the MS is moved from the first area to the second area, the second RNC being the serving RNC; and

updating location of the MS to the CNE connected to the second RNC to manage mobility of the MS.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the updating step comprises the steps of notifying the MS that the control of the radio connection of the MS has been moved to the second RNC, the MS sending a location update upon receiving notification.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the MS is notified that the control of the radio connection of the MS is moved to the second RNC by the second RNC.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein the MS is notified that the control of the radio connection of the MS is moved to the second RNC by one of the CNEs.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein location of the MS is updated to the CNE connected to the second RNC by the second RNC.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein the mobile telecommunication system comprising at least two different types of CNEs, the location of the MS is updated to a second type of the CNE connected to the second RNC by a first type of the CNE controlling the first type connection of the MS.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein the first RNC is connected to a first one of the CNEs, the second RNC is connected to a second one of the CNEs, when the location of the MS is updated to the second CNE, the control of the connection is moved from the first CNE to the second CNE.

15. A method according to claim 8, wherein the first RNC is connected to a first one of the CNEs, and the second RNC is connected to a second one of the CNEs, when the location of the MS is updated to the second CNE, the control of connection remains in the first CNE.

16. A method according to claim 8, wherein the mobile telecommunication system comprises at least two different types of CNEs, the MS has an active connection to a first type of the CNE which is connected to a first RNC and has no active connection to a second type of the CNE which is connected to the first RNC, the location of the MS is updated to the second type of the CNE connected to the second RNC.

17. A method according to claim 8, wherein the mobile telecommunication system has at least two different types of CNEs, wherein the location of the mobile station is updated in at least two types of CNEs connected to the second RNC.

18. A radio access network for a mobile telecommunication system, comprising:

a mobile station (MS);

a radio access network including a plurality of radio network controllers (RNCs) controlling use of radio resources;

a plurality of core network elements (CNEs) each connected to at least one of the RNCs, the MS having at least one controlling CNE that manages mobility of the MS by storing information on a current location of the MS and connects at least a first type of connections of the MS to other networks and other mobile stations of the mobile telecommunication system, a radio connection of the MS being controlled by a serving RNC and serviced by a first set of Base Stations (BSs) and the connection of the MS being routed to/from a respective CNE via the serving RNC, and in response to the MS moving to an area serviced by a second set of Base Stations (BSs) controlled by a second RNC, control of the connection of the MS being kept with the serving RNC while service being transferred to the second set of BSs, and a predefined criteria set for moving the control to the second RNC being monitored, and the serving RNC functionality of the connection being moved from the serving RNC to the second RNC in response to meeting the predefined criteria; and

wherein the radio access network is arranged to update the current location of the MS to the CNE connected to the second RNC to manage mobility of the MS in response to having moved the control of the radio connection of the MS from the first RNC to the second RNC.

19. A radio access controller for a mobile telecommunication system, comprising:

a mobile station (MS);

a radio access network including a plurality of radio network controllers (RNCs) controlling use of radio resources;

a plurality of core network elements (CNEs) each connected to at least one RNC, the MS having at least one controlling CNE that manages mobility of the MS by storing information on a current location of the MS and connects at least a first type of connections of the MS to other networks and other MSs of the mobile telecommunication system, a radio connection of the MS being controlled by a serving RNC and serviced by a first set of Base Stations (BSs) and the connection of the MS being routed to/from a respective CNE via the serving RNC, and in response to the MS moving to an area controlled by a second RNC and serviced by a second set of BSs, control of the connection of the MS being kept with the serving RNC while service being transferred to the second set of BSs, and a predefined criteria set for moving the control to the second RNC being monitored, and the serving RNC functionality of the connection being moved from the serving RNC to the second RNC in response to meeting the predefined criteria; and

wherein the radio access controller is arranged to update a current location of the MS to the CNE connected to the second RNC to manage mobility of the MS in response to having moved the control of the radio connection of the MS from the first RNC to the second RNC.

20. A radio access network for a mobile telecommunication system, comprising:

a mobile station (MS);

a radio access network including a plurality of radio network controllers (RNCs) controlling use of radio resources;

a plurality of core network elements (CNEs) each connected to at least one RNC, the MS having at least one controlling CNE storing information on a current location of the MS and connecting at least a first type of connections of the MS to other networks and other mobile stations of the mobile telecommunication system, a radio connection of the MS being controlled by a serving RNC and serviced by a first set of Base Stations (BSs) and the connection of the MS being routed to/from a respective CNE via the serving RNC, and in response to the MS moving to an area controlled by a second RNC and serviced by a second set of BSs, control of the connection of the MS being kept with the serving RNC while service being transferred to the second set of BSs, and a predefined criteria set for moving the control to the second RNC being monitored, and the serving RNC functionality of the connection being moved from the serving RNC to the second RNC in response to meeting the predefined criteria; and

wherein the radio access network is arranged to send the MS a request to send a location update message in response to having moved the control of the radio connection of the MS from the first RNC to the second RNC.

21. A radio access controller for a mobile telecommunication system, comprising:

a mobile station (MS);

a radio access network including a plurality of radio network controllers (RNCs) controlling use of radio resources;

core network elements (CNEs) each connected to at least one RNC, the MS having at least one controlling CNE storing information on a current location of the MS and connecting at least a first type of connections of the MS to other networks and other mobile stations of the mobile telecommunication system, a radio connection of the MS being controlled by a serving RNC and serviced by a first set of Base Stations (BSs) and the connection of the MS being routed to/from a respective CNE via the serving RNC, and in response to the MS moving to an area controlled by a second RNC and serviced by a second set of BSs, control of the connection of the MS being kept with the serving RNC while service being transferred to the second set of BSs, and a predefined criteria set for moving the control to the second RNC being monitored, and the serving RNC functionality of the connection being moved from the serving RNC to the second RNC in response to meeting the predefined criteria; and

wherein the radio network controller is arranged to send the MS a request to send a location update message in response to having moved the control of the radio connection of the MS from the first RNC to the second RNC.