Vertical handover

• US 8,244,248 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Forssell, Mika, Sarolahti, Pasi, Yang, Fan
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/591,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,114 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/332, 370/333, 370/338, 370/328, 370/329, 455436-444, 455/422.1, 455/423
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface

Abstract

A vertical handover decision to perform a seamless vertical handover of a wireless apparatus from a current access network to a target access network is established. When deciding to perform the vertical handover from the current access network to the target access network it can be considered whether an intermediate access network could be used. It can be decided that first a seamless vertical handover is performed from the current access network to an intermediate access network, and subsequently a seamless vertical handover from the intermediate access network to the target access network is performed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing, by a decision unit, a decision to perform a vertical handover of a wireless, apparatus from a current access network to a target access network that is different from the current access network;

further deciding, by the decision unit, to perform the vertical handover from the current access network to the target access network via at least one intermediate access network;

further deciding, by the decision unit, that the vertical handover from the current access network to the target access network is to be performed in a seamless manner by first performing a seamless vertical handover from the current access network to the at least one intermediate access network; and

subsequently performing a seamless vertical handover from the at least one intermediate access network to the target access network, wherein the current access network, the target access network and the at least one intermediate access network are configured to provide wireless devices with access to services via wireless interfaces comprised therein;

further deciding, by the decision unit, that the at least one intermediate access network is used for waiting when the wireless apparatus sees the target access network but access to the target access network is temporarily unavailable;

performing the vertical handover of the wireless apparatus seamlessly by activating a connection with the at least one intermediate access network, wherein data sent via the connection with the at least one intermediate access network is not transmitted via the current access network or the target access network;

checking the characteristics of the target network while being in the at least one intermediate network; and

making a final decision whether to perform handover from the at least one intermediate network to the target access network only after the characteristics of the target network have been checked.

2. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

establishing the decision to perform the vertical handover based on at least one beforehand stored criterion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate access network and the target access network are selected from a group of access networks which the wireless apparatus sees at the time of decision making.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the seamless vertical handovers comprises a vertical handover without causing substantial interruption in application level connections.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises deciding to perform the vertical handover via said at least one intermediate access network if the current access network and target access network can not be simultaneously active for the wireless apparatus.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code,

the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;

establish a decision to perform a vertical handover of a wireless apparatus from a current access network to a target access network that is different from the current access network;

further decide to perform the vertical handover from the current access network to the target access network via at least one intermediate access network;

further decide that the vertical handover from the current access network to the target access network is to be performed in a seamless manner by first performing a seamless vertical handover from the current access network to the at least one intermediate access network;

further, decide that the at least one intermediate access network is used for waiting when the wireless apparatus sees the target access network but access to the target access network is temporarily unavailable;

perform the vertical handover seamlessly by activating a connection with the at least one intermediate access network, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one wireless interface configured to enable the apparatus to form at least one wireless connection with each of the current access network, the target access network and the at least one intermediate access network, wherein data sent via the connection with the at least one intermediate access network is not transmitted via the current access network or the target access network;

further, check the characteristics of the target network while being in the at least one intermediate network; and

make a final decision whether to perform handover from the at least one intermediate network to the target access network only after the characteristics of the target network have been checked.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the memory is further configured to store beforehand at least one criterion based on which the decision to perform the vertical handover is established.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the memory and the computer program code, with the processor, are further configured to cause the apparatus at least to further perform:

select the at least one intermediate access network and the target access network from a group of access networks which the wireless apparatus sees at the time of decision making.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein seamless vertical handover comprises a vertical handover without causing substantial interruption in application level connections.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the memory and the computer program code, with the processor, are further configured to cause the apparatus at least to further perform:

decide that the vertical handover is performed via said at least one intermediate access network if the current access network and target access network can not be simultaneously active for the wireless apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a network-based apparatus or a network server.

13. A method comprising:

establishing, by a decision unit, a decision to perform a vertical handover of a wireless apparatus from a current access network to a target access network that is different from the current access network;

making a distinction, by the decision unit, between seamless and non-seamless vertical handovers when establishing the decision;

selecting, by the decision unit, the target access network from a group of available target access networks on the basis that the vertical handover is to be seamless, wherein the current access network and the target access network are configured to provide wireless devices with access to services via wireless interfaces comprised therein;

further deciding, by the decision unit, that at least one intermediate access network is used for waiting when the wireless apparatus sees the target access network but access to the target access network is temporarily unavailable;

performing the vertical handover of the wireless apparatus seamlessly by activating a connection with the at least one intermediate access network, wherein data sent via the connection with the at least one intermediate access network is not transmitted via the current access network or the target access network;

checking the characteristics of the target network while being in the at least one intermediate network; and

making a final decision whether to perform handover from the at least one intermediate network to the target access network only after the characteristics of the target network have been checked.

14. The method of claim 13, the method comprising:

establishing the decision to perform the vertical handover based on at least one beforehand stored criterion.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the group of available target access networks comprises a group of target access networks which are available for handover at the time of decision making.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the seamless vertical handover comprises a vertical handover without causing substantial interruption in application level connections.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;

establish a decision to perform a vertical handover of a wireless

apparatus from a current access network to a target access network that is different from the current access network;

make a distinction between seamless and non-seamless vertical handovers when establishing the decision;

select the target access network from a group of available target access networks on the basis that the vertical handover is to be seamless;

decide that at least one intermediate access network is used for waiting when the wireless apparatus sees the target access network but access to the target access network is temporarily unavailable;

perform the vertical handover seamlessly by activating a connection with the at least one intermediate access network, wherein data sent via the connection with the at least one intermediate access network is not transmitted via the current access network or the target access network;

further, check the characteristics of the target network while being in the at least one intermediate network; and

make a final decision whether to perform handover from the at least one intermediate network to the target access network only after the characteristics of the target network have been checked, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one wireless interface configured to enable the apparatus to form at least one wireless connection with each of the current access network, the target access network and the at least one intermediate access network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory is further configured to store beforehand at least one criterion based on which the decision to perform the vertical handover is established.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the group of available target access networks comprises a group of target access networks which are available for handover at the time of decision making.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the seamless vertical handover comprises a vertical handover without causing substantial interruption in application level connections.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless apparatus.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus comprises a network-based apparatus or a network server.