WLAN-to-WWAN handover methods and apparatus using a WLAN support node having a WWAN interface

• US 8,095,175 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited, Mcmaster University
• Original Assignee: Mcmaster University
• Inventors: Todd, Terence D., Azhari, Seyed Vahid
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US11/553,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20080102843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,902 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/440, 455/445, 455/438, 455/437, 455/439, 455/456, 455/44, 455/552, 370/331, 370/338, 370/328, 370/401
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for use in switching communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) (e.g. an IEEE 802.11-based network) and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) (e.g. a cellular telecommunications network) for a mobile communication device are disclosed. A network support node which is utilized to facilitate such transitioning has a first communication interface (e.g. an Ethernet interface) for connection with a communication network which includes the WLAN and a second communication interface (e.g. a cellular radio air interface) for communicating with a base station of the WWAN over a wireless communication link.

Claims

1. A method in a network support node for use in switching communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) of a LAN and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) for a mobile communication device which operates in the WLAN in a communication session with another communication device, the network support node containing a LAN interface and a WWAN radio frequency (RF) interface and being separate and apart from the WWAN, the method comprising the acts of:

providing in the LAN the network support node which contains the LAN interface and the WWAN RF interface such that the network support node is contained entirely in the LAN, the LAN interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN, the WWAN RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a base station of the WWAN such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station;

in response to receiving an indication which indicates a transition of the mobile communication device from the WLAN to the WWAN;

receiving, at the network support node, from the LAN via the LAN interface, voice data of the communication session between the mobile communication device and the other communication device; and

communicating, with the mobile communication device, by the network support node via the WWAN RF interface over the wireless communication link with the base station, the voice data of the communication session, at least while communication operations for the mobile communication device are being switched from the WLAN to the WWAN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the WWAN is a cellular telecommunications network and the WWAN RF interface is a cellular RF interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network support node is separate and apart from the mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at the network support node, an additional communication session to be established and maintained with the mobile communication device for communicating the voice data of the communication session between the mobile communication device and the other communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the LAN interface is a wired Ethernet interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the WLAN is operative in accordance with IEEE 802.11 or WiMAX.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the indication, causing a message to be sent to a router in the LAN for receiving the voice data at the network support node.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the network support node, at least one of an IP address and a link layer address of the mobile communication device; and

wherein the act of receiving the voice data of the communication session comprises the further act of receiving voice data which is addressed to the at least one of the IP address and the link layer address of the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, which is embodied as a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium and computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium which are executable to perform the acts of receiving and communicating of the method.

10. A network support node for use in switching communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) of a LAN and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) for a mobile communication device which operates in the WLAN in a communication session with another communication device, the network support node being separate and apart from the WWAN and comprising:

one or more processors;

a LAN interface coupled to the one or more processors, the LAN interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN;

a WWAN radio frequency (RF) interface coupled to the one or more processors, the WWAN RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a base station of the WWAN such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station;

the one or more processors being configured to receive an indication which indicates a transition of the mobile communication device from the WLAN to the WWAN and, in response to receiving the indication;

receive, from the LAN via the LAN interface, voice data of the communication session between the mobile communication device the other communication device; and

communicate, with the mobile communication device, via the WWAN RF interface over the wireless communication link with the base station, the voice data of the communication session, at least while communication operations for the mobile communication device are being switched from the WLAN to the WWAN.

11. The network support node of claim 10, wherein the WWAN RF interface is a cellular RF interface configured to communicate with the WWAN which is a cellular telecommunications network.

12. The network support node of claim 10, wherein the LAN interface is a wired Ethernet interface.

13. The network support node of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

cause, via the WWAN RF interface, an additional communication session to be established and maintained with the mobile communication device for communicating the voice data of the communication session between the mobile communication device and the other communication device.

14. The network support node of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

in response to receiving the message which is indicative of the transition, cause a message to be sent to a router in the communication network for receiving the voice data.

15. The network support node of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

receive at least one of an IP address and a link layer address of the mobile communication device; and

receive the voice data of the communication session by receiving voice data which is addressed to the at least one of the IP address and the link layer address of the mobile communication device.

16. A local area network (LAN), comprising:

a wireless local area network (WLAN) comprising a plurality of wireless access points (APs) through which a mobile communication device may operate in a communication session with another communication device;

a network support node which is connected to and contained entirely within the LAN, and separate and apart from a wireless wide area network (WWAN) with which the mobile communication may operate, the network support node comprising;

one or more processors;

a LAN interface coupled to the one or more processors, the LAN interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN;

a WWAN radio frequency (RF) interface coupled to the one or more processors, the WWAN RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a base station of the WWAN such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station;

the one or more processors of the network support node being configured to receive an indication which indicates a transition of the mobile communication device from the WLAN to the WWAN and, in response to receiving the indication;

receive, from the LAN via the LAN interface, voice data of the communication session between the mobile communication device and the other communication device; and

communicate, with the mobile communication device, via the WWAN RF interface over the wireless communication link with the base station, the voice data of the communication session, at least while communication operations for the mobile communication device are being switched from the WLAN to the WWAN.

17. The LAN of claim 16, wherein the WLAN comprises an IEEE 802.11-based network.

18. The LAN of claim 16, wherein the LAN interface comprises an Ethernet interface.

19. The LAN of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors of the network support node are further configured to:

establish and maintain, via the WWAN RF interface, a call with the mobile communication device for communicating the voice data of the communication session.

20. The LAN of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors of the network support node are further operative to:

in response to the message which is indicative of the transition, cause a message to be sent to a router of the LAN for receiving the voice data.

21. The LAN of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors of the network support node are further operative to:

receive at least one of an IP address and a link layer address of the mobile communication device; and

receive the voice data of the communication session by receiving voice data which is addressed to the at least one of the IP address and the link layer address of the mobile communication device.

22. A method for use by a mobile communication device in switching communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) of a LAN and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) using a network support node, the network support node being separate and apart from the WWAN and containing a LAN interface and a WWAN radio frequency (RF) interface, the LAN interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN, the WWAN RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a base station of the WWAN such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station, the mobile communication device including a WLAN radio transceiver portion and a WWAN radio transceiver portion, the method comprising the acts of:

operating, via the WLAN with use of the WLAN radio transceiver portion, in a communication session with another communication device;

sending, by the mobile communication device, a message which is indicative of a transition of the mobile communication device from the WLAN to the WWAN, for providing an indication of the transition to the network support node;

in response to sending the message, performing the following acts during the communication session at least while communication operations are being switched from the WLAN to the WWAN for the mobile communication device;

communicating, by the mobile communication device, via the WWAN with use of the WWAN radio transceiver portion, with the network support node which has the wireless communication link established with the base station of the WWAN; and

receiving, by the mobile communication device, via the WWAN from the network support node, voice data of the communication session with the other communication device which is communicated over the wireless communication link between the network support node and the base station of the WWAN.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the WLAN comprises an IEEE 802.11-based network and the WWAN comprises a cellular telecommunications network.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

requesting and receiving, by the mobile communication device, an IP address from the WWAN.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

causing, by the mobile communication device, a handover message to be sent so that the communication session is switched to the WWAN.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

requesting and receiving, by the mobile communication device, an IP address from the WWAN; and

causing, by the mobile communication device, a SIP message with the IP address to be sent so that the communication session is switched to the WWAN.

27. A mobile communication device which is configured to switch communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) of a LAN and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) with use of a network support node, the network support node being separate and apart from the WWAN and containing a LAN interface and a WWAN radio frequency (RF) interface, the LAN interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN, the WWAN RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a base station of the WWAN such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station, the mobile communication device comprising:

one or more processors;

a WLAN radio transceiver portion coupled to the one or more processors and configured for communications with a WLAN of a LAN;

a WWAN radio transceiver portion coupled to the one or more processors and configured for communications with a WWAN;

the one or more processors being configured to;

operate the WLAN radio transceiver portion in the WLAN in a communication session with another communication device;

send a message which is indicative of a transition of the mobile communication device from the WLAN to the WWAN, for providing an indication of the transition to the network support node;

in response to sending the message, perform the following actions during the communication session at least while communication operations are being switched from the WLAN to the WWAN for the mobile communication device;

communicate, via the WWAN with use of the WWAN radio transceiver portion, with the network support node which has the wireless communication link established with the base station of the WWAN; and

receive, via the WWAN from the network support node, voice data of the communication session between the mobile communication device and the other communication device which is communicated over the wireless communication link between the network support node and the base station of the WWAN.

28. The mobile communication device of claim 27, wherein the WLAN radio transceiver portion comprises an IEEE 802.11-based transceiver portion and the WWAN radio transceiver portion comprises a cellular transceiver portion.

29. The mobile communication device of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

request and receive an IP address from the WWAN.

30. The mobile communication device of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

cause a handover message to be sent to the WWAN so that the communication session is switched to the WWAN.

31. The mobile communication device of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

request and receive an IP address from the WWAN; and

cause a SIP message with the IP address to be sent in the WWAN so that the communication session is switched to the WWAN.

32. A method in a network support node for use in switching communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) of a LAN and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) for a mobile communication device, the network support node being separate and apart from the WWAN and containing a LAN interface and a WWAN radio frequency (RF) interface, the LAN interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN, the WWAN RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a base station of the WWAN such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving, by the network support node, a message which indicates that the mobile communication device is transitioning from the WLAN to the WWAN;

in response to receiving the message, sending, from the network support node, a message to a router of the LAN for instructing the router to communicate voice data of a communication session of the mobile communication device to the network support node;

in response to sending the message to the router, receiving, at the network support node of the LAN, voice data of the communication session from the router via the LAN interface; and

communicating, by the network support node, over the wireless communication link established with the base station of the WWAN, the voice data of the communication session, for receipt by the mobile communication device in the WWAN.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the WLAN comprises an IEEE 802.11-based network and the WWAN comprises a cellular telecommunications network.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the act of causing the message to be sent to the router comprises the further act of causing an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) message to be sent to the router.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the LAN interface is an Ethernet interface.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the act of receiving the message comprises receiving a message having at least one of a link layer address and an IP address of the mobile communication device.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the act of receiving the message comprises the further act of receiving a message having at least one of a link layer address and an IP address of the mobile communication device, and wherein the act of causing the message to be sent to the router comprises the further act of causing a Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) message having the at least one of the link layer address and the IP address to be sent to the router.

38. A network support node for use in switching communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) of a LAN and a cellular telecommunications network for a mobile communication device, the network support node being separate and apart from the cellular telecommunications network and comprising:

one or more processors;

an Ethernet interface coupled to the one or more processors, the Ethernet interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN;

a cellular radio frequency (RF) interface coupled to the one or more processors, the cellular RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a cellular base station of the cellular telecommunications network such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the base station;

the one or more processors being configured to;

receive, from the LAN via the Ethernet interface, data of a communication session of the mobile communication device operating in the WLAN; and

communicate, via the cellular RF interface over the wireless communication link with the cellular base station, the data of the communication session.

39. A network support node for use in switching communication operations between a wireless local area network (WLAN) of a LAN and a cellular telecommunications network for a mobile communication device, the network support node being separate and apart from the cellular telecommunications network and comprising:

one or more processors;

the one or more processors being configured for use in switching the communication operations for the mobile communication device which operates in the WLAN in a communication session with another communication device;

a first interface coupled to the one or more processors, the first interface being configured to connect the network support node as a LAN node in the LAN such that the network support node is contained entirely in the LAN;

a second interface comprising a cellular RF interface coupled to the one or more processors, the cellular RF interface being configured to wirelessly communicate over a wireless communication link with a cellular base station of the cellular telecommunications network such that the network support node operates as a client end station with the cellular base station;

the one or more processors being configured to;

receive, from the LAN via the first interface, data of a communication session of the mobile communication device operating in the WLAN; and

communicate, via the cellular RF interface over the wireless communication link with the cellular base station, the data of the communication session.