Service areas in CS domain services

• US 8,503,992 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Pehrsson, Arne, Hallenstl, Magnus, Rune, Gran, Vikberg, Jari, Witzel, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US12/666,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20100189035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/450, 455/422, 455/437, 455/440, 370/328, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0069 Cell search, i.e. determining cell identity [cell-ID] design of multiplexing codes H04J13/00; processing access restriction or access information H04W48/16; discovery of network devices for network data management H04W8/005; sounding signals for channel estimation H04L25/0226; structure of reference signals in multicarrier modulation systems H04L27/2613; frame, time or carrier synchronisation in multicarrier modulation systems H04L27/2655
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• 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

The invention provides a method of enabling the service level networks (e.g. CSoLTE or IMS CN) to provide location-dependent services based on a circuit switched domain from a service level network to a mobile station communicating with a cell in a radio access network that utilises a packet switched domain. The method includes providing cell location information relating to the location of the cell; determining a Service Area Identifier based on the cell location information; and providing the Service Area Identifier to the service level network. The Service Area Identifier is then used for different location based services and applications in the service level network nodes.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating the provision of circuit-switched Service Area-dependent services to a mobile station from a service level network that requires a Service Area Identifier (SAI) to provide the Service Area-dependent services to the mobile station, the mobile station communicating with a cell of a cellular Packet Switched (PS) access domain that does not initially provide the SAI to the service level network, the method comprising:

from the PS access domain, initially providing only a Cell Global Identity (CGI) for said cell to the mobile station without providing the SAI to said mobile station, wherein the SAI is different from the CGI but can be determined from the CGI;

determining the SAI from the CGI using one of the following approaches;

converting the CGI into the SAI using a Mobility Management Entity (MME),

translating the CGI into the SAI using a translation function entity in the service level network, and

converting the CGI into the SAI using a Mobile Switching Centre;

sending the SAI to the mobile station in response to receiving a request therefor from the mobile station, wherein the request comprises the CGI but not the SAI; and

providing the determined SAI to said service level network so as to facilitate provision of circuit-switched Service Area-dependent services to the mobile station despite initial non-provision of the SAI to the mobile station as well as the service level network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the SAI includes the step of MME providing the Service Area Identifier to a Packet Mobile Switching Centre.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the determined SAI to the service level network includes the step of the mobile station sending the Service Area Identifier to the service level network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the SAI further comprises the step of determining the SAI from a Tracking Area within which said mobile station is located.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the Service Area Identifier is determined from data stored in a memory of the translation function entity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the Service Area Identifier is determined from data stored as a look-up table in which input parameters comprise the CGl.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the Service Area Identifier is determined in a radio network controller of a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network in response to receiving the request from the mobile station.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the service level network comprises the IMS core network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the SAI is provided to a node of the service level network from another node.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the other node is a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing Service Area dependent services over the PS domain using the Service Area Identifier.

12. A mobile device configured for communication in a cellular Packet Switched (PS) access domain, the mobile device being configured to perform the following:

initially receive only a Cell Global Identity (CGI) for a cell of the PS access domain with which the mobile device is currently communicating, wherein the mobile device does not receive a Service Area Identifier (SAI) from the PS access domain as part of the initial reception of the CGI, and wherein the SAI is different from the CGI but can be determined from the CGI;

transmit a message to the PS access domain requesting the SAI based on the location of the mobile device for enabling the provision of Service Area dependent services to the mobile device from a service level network that requires the SAI to provide the Service Area-dependent services, wherein the service level network also does not initially receive the SAI from the PS access domain, and wherein the message from the mobile device comprises the CGI but not the SAI, and wherein receipt of the CGI enables the PS access domain to determine the SAI using one of the following approaches;

convert the CGI into the SAI using a Mobility Management Entity (MME),

translate the CGI into the SAI using a translation function entity in the service level network, and

convert the CGI into the SAI using a Mobile Switching Centre; and

receive at the mobile device, the SAI from the PS access domain.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 wherein the message transmitted from the mobile device also comprises a Tracking Area.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, configured to transmit said message each time the Tracking Area is updated.