Method and apparatus for performing handover

• US 8,520,636 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Xu, Lixiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIVERS, ASHLEY L
• Application Number:
  US13/068,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20110274086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0038 of security context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0083 Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method and an apparatus perform a handover using the X2 interface. A source base station transmits a handover requirement message, for a handover to a destination base station of a user equipment (UE), to a source base station gateway. When a handover command message indicating performing of the handover to a destination base station of the UE is received from the source base station gateway, the handover command message is transmitted to the UE. When a UE context release command message is received from the source base station gateway, a context of the UE is released. And a UE context release completion message, representing that the context of the UE is released, is transmitted to the source base station gateway. The handover requirement message includes a Next-hop Chaining Counter (NCC) and an encryption key for a communication between the UE and the destination base station.

Claims

1. A method for performing a handover by a source base station, the method comprising:

transmitting a handover requirement message, for a handover to a destination base station of a user equipment (UE), to a source base station gateway;

when a handover command message indicating performing of the handover to the destination base station of the UE is received from the source base station gateway, transmitting the handover command message to the UE;

when a UE context release command message is received from the source base station gateway, releasing a context of the UE; and

transmitting a UE context release completion message to the source base station gateway,

wherein the handover requirement message comprises a Next-hop Chaining Counter (NCC) and an encryption key for a communication between the UE and the destination base station, and

wherein the NCC and the encryption key are transmitted to the destination base station from a destination base station gateway, after the NCC and the encryption key are delivered to the destination base station gateway from the source base station gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handover requirement message further comprises a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier of the destination base station and access pattern information of the destination base station.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to the source base station gateway an interface establishment request message that comprises information of a serving cell managed by the source base station; and

setting an interface for a communication with the base source base station gateway in response to receiving an interface response message,

wherein transmitting the handover requirement message to the source base station gateway comprises transmitting the handover requirement message to the source base station gateway using the interface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information of the serving cell comprises at least one of a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Cell Global Identifier (ECGI), a Tracking Area Code (TAC), and at least one broadcasted Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information of the serving cell further comprises at least one of information on an antenna port amount of the source base station and Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) configuration information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the encryption key for the communication between the UE and the destination base station based on at least one of a current encryption key for a communication between the UE and the source base station, a physical cell identifier (PCI) of a destination cell managed by the destination base station, and a frequency.

7. A method for performing a handover by a destination base station, the method comprising:

receiving a handover request message from a destination base station gateway, the handover request message for requesting a handover to the destination base station of a user equipment (UE) receiving a service from a source base station;

allocating a resource to the UE;

transmitting a handover request acknowledgement message to the destination base station gateway, the handover request acknowledgement message indicating that the handover to the destination base station of the UE is possible; and

when a handover acknowledgement message is received from the UE, the handover acknowledgement message indicating that the handover to the destination base station of the UE is to be performed, transmitting to the destination base station gateway a handover notification message for notifying the handover of the UE,

wherein the handover request message comprises a Next-hop Chaining Counter (NCC) of the source base station and an encryption key for a communication between the UE and the destination base station, and

wherein the NCC and the encryption key are transmitted to the destination base station gateway from a source base station gateway, after the NCC and the encryption key are delivered to the source base station gateway from the source base station.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting to the destination base station gateway an interface establishment request message comprising information of a serving cell managed by the destination base station; and

setting an interface for a communication with the destination base station gateway upon receiving an interface establishment response message,

wherein receiving the handover request message from the destination base station gateway comprises receiving the handover request message from the destination base station gateway using the interface set for a communication with the destination base station gateway.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information of the serving cell comprises at least one of a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Cell Global Identifier (ECGI), a Tracking Area Code (TAC), and at least one broadcasted Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information of the serving cell further comprises at least one of information on an antenna port amount of the destination base station and Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) configuration information.

11. A source base station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a handover command message, indicating a performing of a handover to a destination base station of a user equipment (UE), from a source base station gateway, and receive a UE context release command message from the source base station gateway;

a controller configured to release a context of the UE when the UE context release command message is received from the source base station gateway; and

a transmitter configured to transmit to the source base station gateway a handover requirement message for the handover to the destination base station of the UE, transmit the handover command message to the UE when the handover command message is received from the source base station gateway, and transmit to the source base station gateway a UE context release completion message representing that the context of the UE is released when the context of the UE is released according to a reception of the UE context release command message,

wherein the handover requirement message comprises a Next-hop Chaining Counter (NCC) and an encryption key for a communication between the UE and the destination base station, and

wherein the NCC and the encryption key are transmitted to the destination base station from a destination base station gateway, after the NCC and the encryption key are delivered to the destination base station gateway from the source base station gateway.

12. The source base station of claim 11, wherein the handover requirement message further comprises a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier of the destination base station and access pattern information of the destination base station.

13. The source base station of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit to the source base station gateway an interface establishment request message including information of a serving cell managed by the source base station, and transmit the handover requirement message to the source base station gateway using an interface set for a communication with the source base station gateway, and

wherein the controller is further configured to set the interface based on the interface establishment response message.

14. The source base station of claim 13, wherein the information of the serving cell comprises at least one of a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Cell Global Identifier (ECGI), a Tracking Area Code (TAC), and at least one broadcasted Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier.

15. The source base station of claim 14, wherein the information of the serving cell further comprises at least one of information on an antenna port amount of the source base station and Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) configuration information.

16. The source base station of claim 11, wherein controller is further configured to generate the encryption key for the communication between the UE and the destination base station based on at least one of a current encryption key for a communication between the UE and the source base station, a physical cell identifier (PCI) of a destination cell managed by the destination base station, and a frequency.

17. A destination base station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a handover request message from a destination base station gateway, the handover request message representing a message for requesting a handover to the destination base station of a user equipment (UE) receiving a service from a source base station, and receive a handover acknowledgement message from the UE, the handover acknowledgement message indicating that the handover to the destination base station of the UE is to be performed;

a controller configured to allocate a resource the UE when the handover request message is received; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a handover request acknowledgement message to the destination base station gateway when the resource is allocated to the UE, the handover request acknowledgement message indicating that the handover to the destination base station of the UE is possible, and transmit to the destination base station gateway a handover notification message for notifying the handover of the UE when the handover acknowledgement message is received,

wherein the handover request message comprises a Next-hop Chaining Counter (NCC) of the source base station and an encryption key for a communication between the UE and the destination base station, and

wherein the NCC and the encryption key are transmitted to the destination base station gateway from a source base station gateway, after the NCC and the encryption key are delivered to the source base station gateway from the source base station.

18. The destination base station of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit to the destination base station gateway an interface establishment request message comprising information of a serving cell managed by the destination base station,

the receiver is further configured to receive an interface establishment response message, and receive the handover request message from the destination base station gateway using an interface that is set for a communication with the destination base station gateway, and

wherein the controller is further configured to set the interface based on the interface establishment response message.

19. The destination base station of claim 18, wherein the information of the serving cell comprises at least one of a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Cell Global Identifier (ECGI), a Tracking Area Code (TAC), and at least one broadcasted Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier.

20. The destination base station of claim 19, wherein the information of the serving cell further comprises at least one of information on an antenna port amount of the destination base station and Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) configuration information.