Circuit switched fallback procedure

• US 8,934,331 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2010
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Song, Osok, Ulupinar, Fatih, Ramachandran, Shyamal
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENSON, JAMAAL R
• Application Number:
  US12/876,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20110216645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 370216-240, 455436-444
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point

Abstract

A CS fallback procedure handles conflict that may arise when handover operations occur during CS fallback. If CS fallback is initiated for an access terminal and handover of that access terminal is then initiated before the CS fallback completes, the target for the handover is informed of the CS fallback so that the target may perform the appropriate CS fallback operations.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

sending a first message to a first access point, wherein the first message includes a circuit switched fallback indicator associated with a circuit switched fallback procedure for an access terminal;

determining, after the first message is sent to the first access point, that handover of the access terminal from the first access point to a second access point has been initiated during the circuit switched fallback procedure at the first access point; and

sending a second message to the second access point as a result of the determination, wherein the second message sent to the second access point includes the circuit switched fallback indicator associated with the circuit switched fallback procedure for the access terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises a UE Context Modification Request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises an Initial Context Setup Request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises receiving another message that is indicative of the handover of the access terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the another message comprises a handover notify message.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the another message comprises a path switch request message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second messages sent to the first and second access points respectively, comprise UE Context Modification Requests that include the circuit switched fallback indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises sending the second message to the second access point if the handover of the access terminal is completed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a handover notify message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a path switch request message.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, as a result of the determination, an indication of circuit switched fallback for the access terminal from a first mobility management entity associated with the first access point to a second mobility management entity associated with the second access point.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication is included in context information sent from the first mobility management entity to the second mobility management entity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the first message sent to the first access point; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

sending the first message to the first access point comprises an S1 interface procedure; and

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the S1 interface procedure; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises reattempting the S1 interface procedure with the second access point if the handover is completed.

16. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a circuit switched fallback controller configured to send a first message to a first access point, wherein the first message includes a circuit switched fallback indicator associated with a circuit switched fallback procedure for an access terminal; and

a handover controller configured to determine, after the first message is sent to the first access point, that handover of the access terminal from the first access point to a second access point has been initiated during the circuit switched fallback procedure at the first access point,

wherein the circuit switched fallback controller is further configured to send a second message to the second access point as a result of the determination, and wherein the second message sent to the second access point includes the circuit switched fallback indicator associated with the circuit switched fallback procedure for the access terminal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises a UE Context Modification Request.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises an Initial Context Setup Request.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the determining comprises receiving another message that is indicative of the handover of the access terminal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the another message comprises a handover notify message.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the another message comprises a path switch request message.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second messages sent to the first and second access points respectively, comprise UE Context Modification Requests that include the circuit switched fallback indicator.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises sending the second message to the second access point if the handover of the access terminal is completed.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a handover notify message.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a path switch request message.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the circuit switched fallback controller is further configured to send, as a result of the determination, an indication of circuit switched fallback for the access terminal from a first mobility management entity associated with the first access point to a second mobility management entity associated with the second access point.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the indication is included in context information sent from the first mobility management entity to the second mobility management entity.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the first message sent to the first access point; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

29. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

sending the first message to the first access point comprises an S1 interface procedure; and

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the S1 interface procedure; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises reattempting the S1 interface procedure with the second access point if the handover is completed.

31. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for sending a first message to a first access point, wherein the first message includes a circuit switched fallback indicator associated with a circuit switched fallback procedure for an access terminal;

means for determining, after the first message is sent to the first access point, that handover of the access terminal from the first access point to a second access point has been initiated during the circuit switched fallback procedure at the first access point; and

means for sending a second message to the second access point as a result of the determination, wherein the second message sent to the second access point includes the circuit switched fallback indicator associated with the circuit switched fallback procedure for the access terminal.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises a UE Context Modification Request.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises an Initial Context Setup Request.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein determining comprises receiving another message that is indicative of the handover of the access terminal.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the another message comprises a handover notify message.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the another message comprises a path switch request message.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first and second messages sent to the first and second access points respectively, comprise UE Context Modification Requests that include the circuit switched fallback indicator.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises sending the second message to the second access point if the handover of the access terminal is completed.

39. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a handover notify message.

40. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a path switch request message.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising means for sending, as a result of the determination, an indication of circuit switched fallback for the access terminal from a first mobility management entity associated with the first access point to a second mobility management entity associated with the second access point.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the indication is included in context information sent from the first mobility management entity to the second mobility management entity.

43. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the first message sent to the first access point; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

44. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

sending the first message to the first access point comprises an S1 interface procedure; and

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the S1 interface procedure; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises reattempting the S1 interface procedure with the second access point if the handover is completed.

46. A computer-program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

send a first message to a first access point, wherein the first message includes a circuit switched fallback indicator associated with a circuit switched fallback procedure for an access terminal;

determine, after the first message is sent to the first access point, that handover of the access terminal from the first access point to a second access point has been initiated during the circuit switched fallback procedure at the first access point; and

send a second message to the second access point as a result of the determination, wherein the second message sent to the second access point includes the circuit switched fallback indicator associated with the circuit switched fallback procedure for the access terminal.

47. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises a UE Context Modification Request.

48. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein the first message sent to the first access point comprises an Initial Context Setup Request.

49. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein determining comprises receiving another message that is indicative of the handover of the access terminal.

50. The computer-program product of claim 49, wherein the another message comprises a handover notify message.

51. The computer-program product of claim 49, wherein the another message comprises a path switch request message.

52. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein the first and second messages sent to the first and second access points respectively, comprise UE Context Modification Requests that include the circuit switched fallback indicator.

53. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises sending the second message to the second access point if the handover of the access terminal is completed.

54. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a handover notify message.

55. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein determining that the handover has been initiated comprises determining that the handover is complete based on reception of a path switch request message.

56. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to send, as a result of the determination, an indication of circuit switched fallback for the access terminal from a first mobility management entity associated with the first access point to a second mobility management entity associated with the second access point.

57. The computer-program product of claim 56, wherein the indication is included in context information sent from the first mobility management entity to the second mobility management entity.

58. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein:

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the first message sent to the first access point; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

59. The computer-program product of claim 46, wherein:

sending the first message to the first access point comprises an S1 interface procedure; and

determining comprises receiving a rejection to the S1 interface procedure; and

the rejection comprises an indication that the handover is in progress.

60. The computer-program product of claim 59, wherein sending the second message to the second access point comprises reattempting the S1 interface procedure with the second access point if the handover is completed.