Methods and devices for managing radio access in a communication system

• US 8,989,087 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lindoff, Bengt, Mildh, Gunnar, Parkvall, Stefan, Sgfors, Mats Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Jagannathan, Melanie
• Application Number:
  US13/018,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20110305220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method for managing radio access comprises sending of a radio access technology (RAT) resource aggregation request from a first radio access network (RAN) to a second RAN concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a source RAN, and returning a response to the first RAN. The source RAN is the first or second RAN. The first and second RANs use different radio access technologies. Radio resources of a base station in a target RAN, the RAN to which the user equipment is not connected, are reserved. A report of the reserved radio resources is sent to the source RAN. A RAT resource aggregation command is transmitted to the user equipment. The RAT resource aggregation command comprises that a RAT resource aggregation shall be used and the reserved radio resources. The base stations have at least partly overlapping coverage areas.

Claims

1. A method for managing radio access in a communication system, the method comprising:

sending, from a first radio access network to a second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a source radio base station of a source radio access network, wherein said source radio access network is one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, said first radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, and said second radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology;

receiving, in said first radio access network from said second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request response;

reserving radio resources of a target radio base station in a target radio access network, said target radio access network being the radio access network, of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, to which said user equipment is not connected, said source radio base station and said target radio base station having at least partly overlapping coverage areas;

sending, from said target radio access network to said source radio access network, a report of said reserved radio resources;

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network, wherein said primary radio access network is said target radio access network;

initiating, by said primary radio access network, an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said primary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said primary radio access network, wherein said initiating of said inter-cell handover comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation is used; and

initiating, by said secondary radio access network, an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said secondary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said secondary radio access network, wherein said initiating of said inter-cell handover comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation is used and wherein said inter-cell handover of said secondary radio access network being performed in parallel to said inter-cell handover of said primary radio access network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said source radio access network is said first radio access network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving combined downlink user data from a core network of said primary radio access network;

dividing said combined downlink user data in said primary radio access network into primary downlink user data and said secondary downlink user data;

transmitting said secondary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said secondary radio access network; and

transmitting said primary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving primary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said user equipment;

receiving secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said secondary radio access network;

combining said primary uplink user data and said secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network into combined uplink user data; and

transmitting said combined uplink user data from said primary radio access network to said core network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network, wherein said primary radio access network is said target radio access network; and

indicating, from said primary radio access network or said secondary radio access network to a core network, that a change in a context of said core network should be performed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a release command from at least one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network to said user equipment, indicating a removal of the connection to at least one of said first radio base station and said second radio base station.

7. A method for managing radio access in a communication system, the method comprising:

sending, from a first radio access network to a second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a source radio base station of a source radio access network, wherein said source radio access network is one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, said first radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, and said second radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology;

receiving, in said first radio access network from said second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request response;

receiving, in said source radio access network from a target radio access network, a report of reserved radio resources in a target radio base station in the target radio access network, said target radio access network being the radio access network, of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, to which said user equipment is not connected and said source radio base station and said target radio base station having at least partly overlapping coverage areas;

transmitting, from said source radio access network to said user equipment, a radio access technology resource aggregation command, wherein said radio access technology resource aggregation command comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation shall be used and information about said reserved radio resources;

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network, wherein said primary radio access network is said target radio access network;

initiating, by said primary radio access network, an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said primary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said primary radio access network, wherein said initiating of said inter-cell handover comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation is used; and

initiating, by said secondary radio access network, an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said secondary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said secondary radio access network, wherein said initiating of said inter-cell handover comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation is used and wherein said inter-cell handover of said secondary radio access network being performed in parallel to said inter-cell handover of said primary radio access network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving combined downlink user data from a core network of said primary radio access network;

dividing said combined downlink user data in said primary radio access network into primary downlink user data and said secondary downlink user data;

transmitting said secondary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said secondary radio access network; and

transmitting said primary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said user equipment.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving primary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said user equipment;

receiving secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said secondary radio access network;

combining said primary uplink user data and said secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network into combined uplink user data; and

transmitting said combined uplink user data from said primary radio access network to said core network.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising delivering a release command from at least one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network to said user equipment, indicating a removal of the connection to at least one of said first radio base station and said second radio base station.

11. A method for managing radio access in a communication system, the method comprising:

sending, from a first radio access network to a second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a source radio base station of a source radio access network, wherein said source radio access network is one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, said first radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, and said second radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology;

receiving, in said first radio access network from said second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request response;

receiving, in said source radio access network from a target radio access network, a report of reserved radio resources in a target radio base station in the target radio access network, said target radio access network being the radio access network, of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, to which said user equipment is not connected and said source radio base station and said target radio base station having at least partly overlapping coverage areas;

transmitting, from said source radio access network to said user equipment, a radio access technology resource aggregation command, wherein said radio access technology resource aggregation command comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation shall be used and information about said reserved radio resources;

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network, wherein said primary radio access network is said target radio access network;

initiating, by said primary radio access network, an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said primary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said primary radio access network, wherein said initiating of said inter-cell handover comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation is used; and

wherein said initiating, by said primary radio access network, of an inter-cell handover further comprises initiation of an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said secondary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said secondary radio access network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving combined downlink user data from a core network of said primary radio access network;

dividing said combined downlink user data in said primary radio access network into primary downlink user data and said secondary downlink user data;

transmitting said secondary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said secondary radio access network; and

transmitting said primary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said user equipment.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving primary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said user equipment;

receiving secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said secondary radio access network;

combining said primary uplink user data and said secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network into combined uplink user data; and

transmitting said combined uplink user data from said primary radio access network to said core network.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising delivering a release command from at least one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network to said user equipment, indicating a removal of the connection to at least one of said first radio base station and said second radio base station.

15. A method for managing radio access in a communication system, the method comprising:

sending, from a first radio access network to a second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a source radio base station of a source radio access network, wherein said source radio access network is one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, said first radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, and said second radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology;

receiving, in said first radio access network from said second radio access network, a radio access technology resource aggregation request response;

reserving radio resources of a target radio base station in a target radio access network, said target radio access network being the radio access network, of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, to which said user equipment is not connected, said source radio base station and said target radio base station having at least partly overlapping coverage areas;

sending, from said target radio access network to said source radio access network, a report of said reserved radio resources;

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network, wherein said primary radio access network is said target radio access network;

initiating, by said primary radio access network, an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said primary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said primary radio access network, wherein said initiating of said inter-cell handover comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation is used; and

wherein said initiating, by said primary radio access network, of an inter-cell handover further comprises initiation of an inter-cell handover from a radio base station, to which said user equipment is connected, of said secondary radio access network to another radio base station having the same radio access technology as said secondary radio access network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving combined downlink user data from a core network of said primary radio access network;

dividing said combined downlink user data in said primary radio access network into primary downlink user data and said secondary downlink user data;

transmitting said secondary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said secondary radio access network; and

transmitting said primary downlink user data from said primary radio access network to said user equipment.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network as a primary radio access network and the other one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network a secondary radio access network;

receiving primary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said user equipment;

receiving secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network from said secondary radio access network;

combining said primary uplink user data and said secondary uplink user data in said primary radio access network into combined uplink user data; and

transmitting said combined uplink user data from said primary radio access network to said core network.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising delivering a release command from at least one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network to said user equipment, indicating a removal of the connection to at least one of said first radio base station and said second radio base station.

19. A method for establishing a radio access technology resource aggregation in a communication system, the method comprising:

receiving, in a user equipment, a radio access technology resource aggregation command from a source radio base station of a source radio access network;

said radio access technology resource aggregation command comprising information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation shall be used and information about reserved radio resources of a target radio base station of a target radio access network, wherein said source radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, said target radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology, and wherein said source radio base station and said target radio base station have at least partly overlapping coverage areas;

transmitting user equipment radio access capability information from said user equipment to said communication system identifying said user equipment as being able to support radio access technology resource aggregation; and

setting up, among said user equipment, said target radio base station, and said source base station, a radio access technology resource aggregation according to said reserved radio resources.

20. A node of a first radio access network for use in a communication system, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to communicate with at least a second radio access network and further configured to either (a) send a radio access technology resource aggregation request to said second radio access network concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a radio base station of a source radio access network, and receive a radio access technology resource aggregation request response from said second radio access network, or (b) receive a radio access technology resource aggregation request from said second radio access network concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a radio base station of a source radio access network and transmit a radio access technology resource aggregation request response to said second radio access network, or both, wherein said source radio access network is one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, said first radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, and said second radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology; and

a resource manager configured to reserve radio resources of a target radio base station of said first radio access network, wherein said source radio base station and said target radio base station have at least partly overlapping coverage areas;

wherein said first transceiver is further configured to report said reserved radio resources from said first radio access network to said second radio access network; and

a second transceiver configured for communication with said user equipment and further configured to receive user equipment radio access capability information from said user equipment identifying said user equipment as being able to support radio access technology resource aggregation.

21. A node of a first radio access network for use in a communication system, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to communicate with at least a second radio access network and further configured to either (a) send a radio access technology resource aggregation request to said second radio access network concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a radio base station of a source radio access network, and receive a radio access technology resource aggregation request response from said second radio access network, or (b) receive a radio access technology resource aggregation request from said second radio access network concerning communication with a user equipment connected to a radio base station of a source radio access network and transmit a radio access technology resource aggregation request response to said second radio access network, or both, wherein said source radio access network is one of said first radio access network and said second radio access network, said first radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, and said second radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology;

wherein said first transceiver is further configured to receive, from said second radio access network, a report of reserved radio resources of a target radio base station of said second radio access network, wherein said source radio base station and said target radio base station have at least partly overlapping coverage areas; and

a second transceiver configured for communication with at least said user equipment and further configured to;

transmit a radio access technology resource aggregation command to said user equipment, wherein said radio access technology resource aggregation command comprises information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation shall be used and information about reserved radio resources of said target radio base station; and

receive user equipment radio access capability information from said user equipment identifying said user equipment as being able to support radio access technology resource aggregation.

22. User equipment for use in a communication system, comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a source radio base station of a source radio access network of said communication system and a target radio base station of a target radio access network of said communication system, wherein said source radio access network operates with a first radio access technology, said target radio access network operates with a second radio access technology different from said first radio access technology, and said source radio base station and said target radio base station have at least partly overlapping coverage areas;

said transceiver being further configured to;

receive a radio access technology resource aggregation command from said source radio base station, said radio access technology resource aggregation command comprising information indicating that a radio access technology resource aggregation shall be used and information about reserved radio resources of said target radio base station; and

transmit user equipment radio access capability information to the communication system identifying said user equipment as being able to support radio access technology resource aggregation; and

a connection handler, configured to configure said user equipment for setting up a radio access technology resource aggregation to said target radio base station and said source base station, according to said reserved radio resources.