Emergency call support for mobile communications

• US 7,574,193 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hulkkonen, Tony, Guyot, Olivier
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/762,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20050101288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/521, 455527-528, 379/45
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• 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

A communication system can include an access network, a core network, and user equipment for connection to the core network through the access network. The access network can be configured to receive a request for network access from the user equipment, to receive network access information from the core network, to selectively control access to the core network for the user equipment in dependence on the network information, to identify a request for an emergency call, and to disable the selective control of access to the core network responsive to identification of an emergency call.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a receiver, a network access request from a user equipment in a network, said network comprising an access network and a core network;

determining, by a determiner, if the network access request is an emergency call in dependence on receipt of an indication, received from the core network, that the network access request is an emergency call;

receiving, by the receiver, network access information relating to the user equipment, the network access information indicating the areas the user equipment is allowed to access;

detecting, by a detector, establishment of a radio access bearer;

disabling, by a disabler, selective access to the network in response to determining that the network access request is an emergency call and in response to detecting the establishment of the radio access bearer, which disabling is activated only for a predetermined time period and for the emergency call network access associated with the established radio access bearer;

detecting, by a detector, termination of the emergency call; and

terminating, by a terminator, the disabling responsive to a control signal and responsive to the detecting the termination of the emergency call.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving includes receiving the network access information that comprises network area access information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disabling selective access includes selectively controlling the network.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the disabling selective access is performed in the access network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprising:

receiving the network access information from the core network.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing the method in a third generation partnership project mobile communication system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said indication in said network access request.

8. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium including computer program code, the computer program code configured to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a network access request from a user equipment in a network, said network comprising an access network and a core network;

determining if the network access request is an emergency call in dependence on receipt of an indication, received from the core network, that the network access request is an emergency call;

receiving network access information relating to the user equipment, the network access information indicating the areas the user equipment is allowed to access;

detecting establishment of a radio access bearer;

disabling selective access to the network in response to determining that the network access request is an emergency call and in response to detecting the establishment of the radio access bearer, which disabling is activated only for a predetermined time period and for the emergency call network access associated with the established radio access bearer;

detecting termination of the emergency call; and

terminating the disab1ing responsive to a control signal and responsive to the detecting the termination of the emergency call.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a network access request receiver configured to receive a network access request from a user equipment in a network, said network comprising an access network and a core network;

a determiner configured to determine if the network access request is an emergency call in dependence on receipt of an indication, received from the core network, that the network access request is an emergency call;

a network access information receiver configured to receive network access information relating to the user equipment, the network access information indicating the areas the user equipment is allowed to access;

an access controller configured to selectively control network access for the user equipment in dependence on the network access information;

a detector configured to detect establishment of a radio access bearer;

a disabler configured to disable the access controller for an emergency call, said disabler being activated in response to said determiner determining said network access request is an emergency call and in response to said detector detecting the establishment of the radio access bearer, which disabler is configured such as to be activated only for a predetermined time period and for the emergency call network access associated with the established radio access bearer;

a second detector configured to detect termination of the emergency call; and

a terminator configured to terminate the disabling responsive to a control signal and responsive to the second detector detecting the termination of the emergency call.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the network access information is shared network area access information.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the access network comprises the apparatus.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a timer, wherein the predetermined time period is determined by the timer.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive the network access information from the core network.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a radio network controller of a radio access network.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said network access request receiver is configured to receive said indication in said network access request.

16. A system, comprising:

an access network;

a core network; and

at least one user equipment configured to connect to the core network through the access network,

wherein the access network is configured to

receive a request for network access request from the user equipment,

determine if the network access request is an emergency call in dependence on receipt of an indication, received from the core network, that the network access request is an emergency call,

receive network access information relating to the user equipment from the core network, the network access information indicating the areas the user equipment is allowed to access,

detect the establishment of a radio access bearer,

disable selective controlling of access to the network in dependence on determining that the network access request is an emergency call and detecting the establishment of a radio access bearer, which disabling is activated only for a predetermined time period and for the emergency call network access associated with the established radio access bearer;

detect termination of the emergency call; and

terminate the disabling responsive to a control signal and responsive to the detection of the termination of the emergency call.

17. The system of claim 16,

wherein the access network is configured to receive an indication of the emergency call on relocation of the call to the access network.

18. The system of claim 16,

wherein the access network is configured to send an indication of the emergency call on relocation of the call to another access network.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a third generation partnership project mobile communication system.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

network access request receiving means for receiving a network access request from a user equipment in a network, said network comprising an access network and a core network;

determining means for determining if the network access request is an emergency call in dependence on receipt of indication, received from the network, that the access request is an emergency call;

network access information receiving means for receiving network access information relating to the user equipment, the network access information indicating the areas the user equipment is allowed to access;

selection means for selectively controlling network access for the user equipment in dependence on the network access information;

means for detecting establishment of a radio access bearer; and

disabling means for disabling the selection means for an emergency call, said disabling means being activated in response to said determining means determining said network access request is an emergency call and in response to said detecting means detecting the establishment of the radio access bearer, which disabling means is configured such as to be activated only for a predetermined time period and for the emergency call network access associated with the established radio access bearer;

second means for detecting configured to detect termination of the emergency call; and

termination means configured to terminate the disabling means responsive to a control signal and responsive to the second means for detecting the termination of the emergency call.

21. A system, comprising:

an access network;

a core network; and

at least one user equipment for connection to the core network through the access network,

wherein the access network comprises

network access request receiving means for receiving a network access request from a user equipment in a network;

determining means for determining if the network access request is an emergency call in dependence on receipt of an indication, received from the core network, that the access request is an emergency call;

network access information receiving means for receiving network access information relating to the user equipment, the network access information indicating the areas the user equipment is allowed to access;

selection means for selectively controlling network access for the user equipment in dependence on the network access information;

means for detecting establishment of a radio access bearer;

disabling means for disabling the selection means for an emergency call, said disabling means being activated in response to said determining means determining said network access request is an emergency call and in response to said detecting means detecting the establishment of the radio access bearer, which disabling means is configured such as to be activated only for a predetermined time period and for the emergency call network access associated with the established radio access bearer;

second means for detecting configured to detect termination of the emergency call; and

termination means configured to terminate the disabling means responsive to a control signal and responsive to the second means for detecting the termination of the emergency call.