Method and system for handover between different types of access systems

• US 8,488,554 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: HU, Weihua, WANG, Shanshan, YAN, Wenjun, Liu, Lina
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qin, Zhiren
• Application Number:
  US12/429,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20090201883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 455/432, 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/439, 455/440, 455/517, 455/524, 455/422.1, 726/15
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 Manipulation of transport tunnels

Abstract

A method for handover between different types of access systems in some embodiments consistent with the present invention includes: when the UE hands over between different types of access systems, the UE accesses the IASA connected with the UE in the source access system through the destination access system. Furthermore, the present invention discloses a handover system, and a UE that includes an IASA address storing module and an IASA address sending module. The handover system includes: a destination access system, and a source IASA.

Claims

1. A method for handover between different types of access systems, the method comprising:

when a User Equipment (UE) handovers from a non-3GPP access system to a 3GPP access system, accessing, by the UE, a source Inter Access Systems Anchor (IASA) connected with the UE in the non-3GPP access system through the 3GPP access system,

wherein the step of accessing the source IASA comprises;

during a service activation process in the 3GPP access system, sending, by the UE, an Active Packet Data Protocol (PDP) Context Request containing an address of the source IASA to a 3GPP access gateway, wherein, the Active PDP Context Request comprises an IASA allocation identifier for indicating whether to allow the 3GPP access gateway to reallocate the address of the source IASA; and

determining, by the 3GPP access gateway, whether it is necessary to reallocate the address of the source IASA; and

if it is unnecessary to reallocate the address of the source IASA, creating a PDP context between the 3GPP access gateway and the source IASA.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the handover comprises:

handover when the UE is in an idle state and handover when the UE is in an active service state.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the IASA is interconnected with the 3GPP access system and the non-3GPP access system through different interface addresses;

and the method further comprises;

allocating, by a network side, a 3GPP IASA address and a non-3GPP IASA address for the IASA; and

storing, by the UE, the 3GPP IASA address and the non-3GPP IASA address.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein accessing, by the UE, the IASA connected with the UE in the non-3GPP access system through the 3GPP access system further comprises:

during the handover process, initiating, by the UE, service activation using the 3GPP IASA address stored on the UE in the 3GPP access system.