Operating and supporting dual mode user equipment

• US 9,184,978 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ewert, Joerg Christian, Keller, Ralf, Witzel, Andreas, Stumpert, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HOANG-CHUONG Q
• Application Number:
  US11/576,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,060 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 370465-467, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A call to a dual mode user equipment is handled by using a further access network from cellular telecommunications access network. An indication of an incoming call to the user equipment is received in a control node that the device can be reached via a device using session initiation protocol (SIP) via the cellular telecommunication access network. The device using SIP sends messages to a device that transforms messages sent according to call control signaling protocol used in the cellular telecommunications network into messages according to SIP. A route to the SIP device is linked to a device that transforms user plane according to protocol in the cellular telecommunications access network into user plane according to internet protocol and vice versa.

Claims

1. A method for handling an incoming call to a user equipment by a control node of a cellular telecommunication access network, said method comprising the following steps:

receiving in the control node an indication of an incoming call to the user equipment, wherein the user equipment is connected to the cellular telecommunication access network,

receiving in the control node an indication communicated wirelessly by the user equipment to the cellular telecommunication access network, wherein the indication indicates that the user equipment is connected by a further access network to a device operating according to a session initiation protocol, and wherein the cellular telecommunication access network rather than the further access network initially receives the indication of the incoming call to the user equipment,

initiating in the control node the linking in on a route towards the device operating according to a session initiation protocol, of a device that transforms messages sent according to a call control signaling protocol used in the cellular telecommunications access network into messages according to the session initiation protocol,

initiating in the control node the linking in on a route towards the device operating according to a session initiation protocol, of a device that transforms user plane transmitted according to a protocol used in the cellular telecommunications access network into user plane transmitted according to an internet protocol and vice versa; and

wherein the control node by performing the first initiating step and the second initiating step provides the incoming call to the user equipment using the device operating according to the session initiation protocol rather than using a wireless radio connection.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the second receiving step comprising the steps of:

determining an address of the device operating according to the session initiation protocol, and

sending an indication, that the user equipment can be reached via the device operating according to a session initiation protocol, to a storage connected to the control node.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of

sending a message comprising an indication that the user equipment can be reached via the device operating according to a session initiation protocol to a database for storing subscriber data.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the database is an AAA server, a home location register or a home subscriber server.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indication that the user equipment can be reached via the device operating according to a session initiation protocol, is received in a location area update message sent by the user equipment.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises the steps of

interrogating a database for storing subscriber data for routing information for reaching the called user equipment,

receiving a response from said database and

determining from analyzing the response that the user equipment can be reached via the device operating according to a session initiation protocol.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the control node is a mobile services switching center.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the device that transforms messages sent according to a call control signaling protocol used in the cellular telecommunications access network into messages according to the session initiation protocol transforms messages is a media gateway control function.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device that transforms user plane transmitted according to a protocol used in the cellular telecommunications access network into user plane transmitted according to an internet protocol is a media gateway or is located in a media gateway.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the device operating according to a session initiation protocol is a service initiation protocol proximity server or an interrogating call session control function.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indication of the incoming call to the user equipment is an initial address message.

12. A method for operating a user equipment that comprises a first transmission unit for communicating with a cellular telecommunications access network and a second transmission unit for communicating with a further access network the method comprising the steps of:

attaching to the cellular telecommunications access network,

determining that the user equipment is currently located in an area that is covered by the further access network,

sending a session initiation protocol message for registering the user equipment at a server of the further access network,

receiving a session initiation protocol message confirming that the user equipment has been registered, and

sending a message from the user equipment to a control node within the cellular telecommunications access network, the message comprising an indication that the user equipment is connected by the further access network to a device operating according to the session initiation protocol, wherein the user equipment is configured to receive an incoming call from the device operating according to the session initiation protocol rather than receive the incoming call over a wireless radio connection directly from the cellular telecommunications access network which initially received the incoming call.

13. A control node for a cellular telecommunication access network comprising:

an input unit,

an output unit, and

a control unit, the control unit adapted;

to receive an indication of an incoming call to a user equipment, wherein the user equipment is connected to the cellular telecommunication access network,

to determine, based on an indication communicated wirelessly by the user equipment to the cellular telecommunication access network, that the user equipment is connected by a further access network to a device operating according to a session initiation protocol, and wherein the cellular telecommunication access network rather than the further access network initially receives the indication of the incoming call to the user equipment,

to initiate the linking in on a route towards the device operating according to a session initiation protocol, of a device that transforms messages sent according to a call control signaling protocol used in the cellular telecommunications access network into messages according to the session initiation protocol and vice versa,

to initiate the linking in on a route towards the device operating according to a session initiation protocol, of a device that transforms user plane transmitted according to a protocol used in the cellular telecommunications access network into user plane transmitted according to an internet protocol and vice versa; and

wherein the control node by performing the first initiate operation and the second initiate operation provides the incoming call to the user equipment using the device operating according to the session initiation protocol rather than using a wireless radio connection.

14. The control node according to claim 13, wherein the control node is connected to a storage for storing subscriber data, wherein the input unit is adapted to receive an indication that a user equipment can be reached via the device operating according to a session initiation protocol and to signal it to the control unit, and

the control unit is adapted to initiate the sending of an indication that the user equipment can be reached via the device operating according to a session initiation protocol to the storage for storing subscriber data and to determine an address for sending data towards the user equipment.

15. The control node according to claim 14, wherein the storage is a visitor location register.

16. The control node according to claim 14, wherein the indication sent to the storage for storing subscriber data comprises an address of the device operating according to a session initiation protocol.

17. The control node according to claim 13, that is implemented by means of a mobile services switching center or a gateway mobile services switching center server.

18. The control node according to claim 13, wherein the control node is adapted to initiate the sending of a message to a database for storing subscriber data, the message comprising an indication that the user equipment can be reached via a device that operates according to a session initiation protocol.

19. The control node according to claim 13, wherein the control node comprises a media gateway control function.

20. The control node according to claim 13, wherein the indication of the incoming call to the user equipment is an initial address message.

21. A user equipment comprising:

a first transmission unit for communicating with a first access network of a telecommunications access network, wherein the first transmission unit is connected to the first access network,

a second transmission unit for communicating with a further access network, and

a control unit, wherein the control unit is adapted;

to receive an indication from the second transmission unit that the user equipment is currently located in an area covered by the further access network, and in response thereto;

to initiate the registration of the user equipment at a server of the further access network via the second transmission unit,

to receive a confirmation that the registration was successful via the second transmission unit, wherein the second transmission unit is connected to the further access network, and

to send an indication wirelessly to the first access network, the indication indicating that the user equipment can be reached via a device operating according to a session initiation protocol which is connected to the further access network, wherein the user equipment is configured to receive an incoming call from the device operating according to the session initiation protocol rather than receive the incoming call over a wireless radio connection directly from the first access network which initially received the incoming call.

22. The user equipment according to claim 21, wherein the first transmission unit is adapted to operate according to at least one of a Global System for Mobile Telecommunication, Code Division Multiple Access, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, American Mobile Phone System, Digital-American Mobile Phone System, or Pacific Digital Cellular standards.

23. User equipment according to claim 21 wherein the second transmission unit is adapted to operate according to at least one of Bluetooth, ISDN, or Wireless Local Area Network recommendations.