Optimized home evolved NodeB (eNB) handover in an LTE network
First Claim
1. A handover method operating within an evolved packet core (EPC) network having a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and a set of Home evolved NodeB (HeNB) nodes associated with a Home eNB Gateway (HeNB GW), comprising:
- responsive to receipt of a first message requesting a handover from a source HeNB to a target HeNB, determining, at the HeNB GW, whether the handover can be processed locally at the HeNB GW by evaluating whether (i) the target HeNB is in a same tracking area as the source HeNB, (ii) the target HeNB either is open or supports a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier indicated by the source HeNB, and (iii) both the source and target HeNB use a same HeNB GW data path interface; and
if the handover from the source HeNB to the target HeNB can be processed locally because (i) the target HeNB is in the same tracking area as the source HeNB, (ii) the target HeNB either is open or supports the Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier indicated by the source HeNB, and (iii) both the source and target HeNB use the same HeNB GW data path interface, completing the handover from the source HeNB to the target HeNB without relaying at least one or more handover protocol messages between the HeNB GW and the MME.
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Abstract
A method to provide an optimized intra-HeNB GW handover operation that reduces signaling to and from an LTE MME (Mobility Management Entity) function of the 3GPP E-UTRAN Evolved Packet core (EPC). In operation, an HeNB Gateway (GW) intercepts handover requests from a source HeNB to a target HeNB and processes these requests locally, with minimal interaction from the MME. Where possible, messaging to and from the MME is minimized and/or reduced, irrespective of the 3GPP requirement that the GW relay all handover-related messages to the MME.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A handover method operating within an evolved packet core (EPC) network having a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and a set of Home evolved NodeB (HeNB) nodes associated with a Home eNB Gateway (HeNB GW), comprising:
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responsive to receipt of a first message requesting a handover from a source HeNB to a target HeNB, determining, at the HeNB GW, whether the handover can be processed locally at the HeNB GW by evaluating whether (i) the target HeNB is in a same tracking area as the source HeNB, (ii) the target HeNB either is open or supports a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier indicated by the source HeNB, and (iii) both the source and target HeNB use a same HeNB GW data path interface; and if the handover from the source HeNB to the target HeNB can be processed locally because (i) the target HeNB is in the same tracking area as the source HeNB, (ii) the target HeNB either is open or supports the Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier indicated by the source HeNB, and (iii) both the source and target HeNB use the same HeNB GW data path interface, completing the handover from the source HeNB to the target HeNB without relaying at least one or more handover protocol messages between the HeNB GW and the MME. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A Home evolved NodeB Gateway (HeNB GW) apparatus for use in an evolved packet core (EPC) network, the HeNB GW coupled to a set of HeNBs, and a Mobility Management Entity (MME), comprising:
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a processor; a computer memory holding computer program instructions which when executed by the processor perform a handover method comprising; responsive to receipt of a first message requesting a handover from a source HeNB to a target HeNB, determining whether the handover can be processed locally by evaluating whether (i) the target HeNB is in a same tracking area as the source HeNB, (ii) the target HeNB either is open or supports a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier indicated by the source HeNB, and (iii) both the source and target HeNB use a same HeNB GW data path interface; and if the handover from the source HeNB to the target HeNB can be processed locally because (i) the target HeNB is in the same tracking area as the source HeNB, (ii) the target HeNB either is open or supports the Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier indicated by the source HeNB, and (iii) both the source and target HeNB use the same HeNB GW data path interface, completing the handover from the source HeNB to the target HeNB without relaying at least one or more handover protocol messages to or from the MME. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method operative in a Home Evolved NodeB (HeNB) gateway to which a set of source and target HeNB nodes are coupled, comprising:
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responsive to receipt of a handover request from a source HeNB node to a target HeNB node, determining, at the HeNB gateway, if (i) the target HeNB node is in a same tracking area as the source HeNB node, (ii) the target HeNB node either is open or supports a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier indicated by the source HeNB node, and (iii) both the source HeNB node and the target HeNB node use a same gateway interface; and processing the handover request locally, at the HeNB gateway, and completing the handover from the source HeNB node to the target HeNB node without relaying at least one or more handover protocol messages between the HeNB GW and a Mobility Management Entity (MME) when conditions (i)-(iii) are true. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification