Techniques for optimizing efficiency in a situation for a possible handover of a mobile terminal

• US 8,995,392 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sachs, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMUEL, DEWANDA A
• Application Number:
  US12/995,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20110142006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/335
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A technique is proposed for optimizing efficiency in a situation for a possible handover of a mobile terminal (106) from a first mobile access network (102) according to a first mobile access technology to a second mobile access network (104) according to a second mobile access technology different from the first mobile access technology. A method embodiment of the technique performed by the mobile terminal (106) comprises the steps of receiving information regarding an availability of at least one of the first mobile access network and the second mobile access network (104), taking a decision regarding a connection to an inter-technology interworking entity (100) adapted to interwork between the first access technology and the second access technology, and establishing a connection to the interworking entity (100) for a preparation of the handover.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a mobile terminal for efficient preparation of a possible handover from a first mobile access network implementing a first mobile access technology to a second mobile access network implementing a second mobile access technology different from the first mobile access technology, wherein either the first mobile access technology is a 3GPP technology and the second mobile access technology is a non-3GPP technology or the first mobile access technology is a non-3GPP technology and the second mobile access technology is a 3GPP technology, the method comprising:

receiving a list of cell values of the first mobile access network from the first mobile access network either periodically or in response to a change of availability of at least one of the first and second mobile access network;

determining that one or more values in the list indicate information about cells of the first mobile access network and that one or more other cell values in the list indicate an availability of the second mobile access network for handover, wherein the one or more other cell values have been reserved for indicating said availability;

responsive to determining that said one or more other cell values indicate the availability of the second mobile access network, making a decision regarding a connection to an inter-technology interworking entity that is adapted to interwork between the first mobile access technology and the second mobile access technology; and

based on said decision, establishing a connection to said inter-technology interworking entity in preparation for said possible handover, or disconnecting an already established connection to said inter-technology interworking entity in order to terminate preparation for said possible handover.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending information from the mobile terminal to the inter-technology interworking entity via an established connection for initiating said possible handover.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising connecting to the second mobile access network responsive to the initiation of said possible handover.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising disconnecting from the first mobile access network responsive to the initiation of said possible handover.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining an address of the inter-technology interworking entity.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said determining the address of the inter-technology interworking entity comprises determining said address from a database of the mobile terminal or from a database accessible via the first mobile access network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said inter-technology interworking entity comprises one of a plurality of inter-technology interworking entities and wherein said information further indicates to which inter-technology interworking entity the mobile terminal is to connect.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising analyzing said information as a basis for making said decision.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, after a connection to the inter-technology interworking entity has been established, making a decision regarding initiation of said possible handover.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein making a decision regarding initiation of said possible handover comprises assessing at least one of:

a probability of successfully connecting to the second mobile access network, and

criteria related to a service being offered to the mobile terminal.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein making a decision regarding a connection to an inter-technology interworking entity comprises assessing at least one of:

a probability of successfully connecting to the second mobile access network, and

criteria related to a service being offered to the mobile terminal.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein information regarding an availability of the first mobile access network or the information regarding the availability of the second mobile access network is received by the mobile terminal whenever the respective availability changes.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first mobile access technology is defined according to a first standard and the second mobile access technology is defined by a second standard different from the first standard.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving said information comprises receiving the information via a connection between the mobile terminal and the first mobile access network.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more cells values that have been reserved for indicating said availability indicate that a connection to the second mobile access network is or will become feasible.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving information regarding an availability of the first mobile access network, that information indicating that a connection to the first mobile access network will no longer be feasible.

17. A method implemented by an entity in a first mobile access network, implementing a first mobile access technology, for efficient preparation of a possible handover of a mobile terminal from the first mobile access network to a second mobile access network implementing a second mobile access technology different from the first mobile access technology, wherein either the first mobile access technology is a 3GPP technology and the second mobile access technology is a non-3GPP technology or the first mobile access technology is a non-3GPP technology and the second mobile access technology is a 3GPP technology, the method comprising sending to the mobile terminal a list of cell values of the first mobile access network either periodically or in response to a change of availability of at least one of the first and second mobile access network, wherein one or more values in the list indicate information about cells of the first mobile access network and one or more other cell values in the list indicate an availability of the second mobile access network for said possible handover, wherein the one or more other cell values have been reserved for indicating said availability.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving an instruction from an inter-technology interworking entity to disconnect the mobile terminal from the first mobile access network, said inter-technology interworking entity adapted to interwork between the first mobile access technology and the second mobile access technology, and

disconnecting the mobile terminal from the first mobile access network.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein sending said information comprises sending the information to the mobile terminal via a connection between the mobile terminal and the first mobile access network.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein said one or more cells values that have been reserved for indicating said availability indicate that a connection to the second mobile access network is or will become feasible.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising sending to the mobile terminal information regarding an availability of the first mobile access network, that information indicating that a connection to the first mobile access network will no longer be feasible.

22. A mobile terminal configured for efficient preparation of a possible handover from a first mobile access network implementing a first mobile access technology to a second mobile access network implementing a second mobile access technology different from the first mobile access technology, wherein the mobile terminal comprises:

a receiving circuit configured to receive a list of cell values of the first mobile access network from the first mobile access network either periodically or in response to a change of availability of at least one of the first and second mobile access network;

a processing circuit configured to;

determine that one or more values in the list indicate information about cells of the first mobile access network and that one or more other cell values in the list indicate an availability of the second mobile access network for handover, wherein the one or more other cell values have been reserved for indicating said availability; and

responsive to determining said one or more other cell values indicate the availability of the second mobile access network, make a decision regarding a connection to an inter-technology interworking entity that is adapted to interwork between the first mobile access technology and the second mobile access technology; and

a transmission circuit configured to, based on said decision, establish a connection to said inter-technology interworking entity in preparation for said possible handover, or disconnect an already established connection to said inter-technology interworking entity in order to terminate preparation for said possible handover.

23. The mobile terminal according to claim 22, wherein said inter-technology interworking entity comprises one of a plurality of inter-technology interworking entities and wherein said information further indicates to which inter-technology interworking entity the mobile terminal is to connect.

24. An entity in a first mobile access network implementing a first mobile access technology, the entity configured for efficient preparation of a possible handover of a mobile terminal from the first mobile access network to a second mobile access network implementing a second mobile access technology different from the first mobile access technology, wherein either the first mobile access technology is a 3GPP technology and the second mobile access technology is a non-3GPP technology or the first mobile access technology is a non-3GPP technology and the second mobile access technology is a 3GPP technology, the entity comprising a transmission circuit configured to send to the mobile terminal a list of cell values of the first mobile access network either periodically or in response to a change of availability of at least one of the first and second mobile access network, wherein one or more values in the list indicate information about cells of the first mobile access network and one or more other cell values in the list indicate an availability of the second mobile access network for said possible handover, wherein the one or more other cell values have been reserved for indicating said availability.

25. The entity according to claim 24, further comprising a receiving circuit configured to receive an instruction from an inter-technology interworking entity to disconnect the mobile terminal from the first mobile access network, said inter-technology interworking entity adapted to interwork between the first mobile access technology and the second mobile access technology, and a processing circuit configured to disconnect the mobile terminal from the first mobile access network.

26. The entity according to claim 24, further comprising a processing circuit configured to trigger the sending of at least one message to the mobile terminal, the message comprising information regarding the availability of at least one of the first mobile access network and the second mobile access network.