Inter-system call switching between co-existence wireless systems

• US 9,185,715 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Meylan, Arnaud, Zhou, Yan, Tinnakornsrisuphap, Peerapol, Patel, Chirag, Yavuz, Mehmet
• Primary Examiner(s): Htun, San
• Application Number:
  US13/786,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20140113590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/452.1, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/437, 370/328, 370/329, 370/310.2, 370/338, 370331-332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/028 Dynamic adaptation of the update intervals, e.g. event-triggered updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

Techniques for switching a user equipment (UE) between wireless systems by first establishing a connection with a target system before disconnecting from a serving system are disclosed. In one design, the UE may initially communicate with a first wireless system (e.g., a WLAN system) of a first radio technology. The UE may receive a page to establish a connection with a second wireless system (e.g., a cellular system) of a second radio technology. The first and second wireless systems may be part of a small cell. The page may be sent by the second wireless system to the UE in response to a decision by a network entity to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system. The UE may establish a connection with the second wireless system in response to the page and may thereafter terminate communication with the first wireless system.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

communicating with a first wireless system of a first radio technology by a user equipment (UE);

receiving a page to establish a connection with a second wireless system of a second radio technology, the page being sent by the second wireless system to the UE in response to a decision by a network entity to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system, wherein the decision is based on a load on the first wireless system relative to a load on the second wireless system, or a channel quality for the first wireless system relative to a channel quality for the second wireless system, or a data rate for the UE for the first wireless system relative to a data rate for the UE for the second wireless system, or any combination thereof, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system;

establishing the connection with the second wireless system in response to the page; and

terminating communication with the first wireless system, wherein the terminating communication with the first wireless system comprises;

determining the UE is being blocked from accessing the first wireless system by not receiving a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not receiving an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or receiving an indication of high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or authentication for the UE with the first wireless system being incomplete, or a combination thereof after establishing the connection with the second wireless system, and

terminating communication with the first wireless system in response to the determining the UE is being blocked.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuing to communicate with the first wireless system while establishing the connection with the second wireless system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an authentication procedure with the first wireless system; and

providing credentials of the UE for the second wireless system during the authentication procedure with the first wireless system, the credentials comprising a UE identity (ID) of the UE, and the page being sent to the UE based on the UE ID of the UE.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

altering communication with the first wireless system after establishing the connection with the second wireless system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the decision to switch the UE is based on at least one first user metric obtained by the first wireless system for the UE, or at least one second user metric obtained by the second wireless system for the UE, or both.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the decision to switch the UE is based on at least one first system metric obtained by the first wireless system for the first wireless system, or at least one second system metric obtained by the second wireless system for the second wireless system, or both.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless system comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) system and the second wireless system comprises a cellular system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the small cell is designated to perform at least one control function for the first and second wireless systems.

9. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

communicate with a first wireless system of a first radio technology by a user equipment (UE);

receive a page to establish a connection with a second wireless system of a second radio technology, the page being sent by the second wireless system to the UE in response to a decision by a network entity, wherein the decision is based on a load on the first wireless system relative to a load on the second wireless system, or a channel quality for the first wireless system relative to a channel quality for the second wireless system, or a data rate for the UE for the first wireless system relative to a data rate for the UE for the second wireless system, or any combination thereof, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system;

establish the connection with the second wireless system in response to the page; and

terminate communication with the first wireless system after establishing the connection with the second wireless system, wherein the configuration of the at least one processor to terminate communication with the first wireless system comprises;

configuration to determine the UE is being blocked from accessing the first wireless system by not receiving a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not receiving an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or receiving an indication of high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or authentication for the UE with the first wireless system being incomplete, or a combination thereof after establishing the connection with the second wireless system, and

configuration to terminate communication with the first wireless system in response to determining the UE is being blocked.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to continue to communicate with the first wireless system while establishing the connection with the second wireless system.

11. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for communicating with a first wireless system of a first radio technology by a user equipment (UE);

means for receiving a page to establish a connection with a second wireless system of a second radio technology, the page being sent by the second wireless system to the UE in response to a decision by a network entity, wherein the decision is based on a load on the first wireless system relative to a load on the second wireless system, or a channel quality for the first wireless system relative to a channel quality for the second wireless system, or a data rate for the UE for the first wireless system relative to a data rate for the UE for the second wireless system, or any combination thereof, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system;

means for establishing the connection with the second wireless system in response to the page; and

means for terminating communication with the first wireless system after establishing the connection with the second wireless system, wherein the means for terminating communication with the first wireless system comprises;

means for determining the UE is being blocked from accessing the first wireless system by not receiving a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not receiving an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or receiving an indication of high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or authentication for the UE with the first wireless system being incomplete, or a combination thereof after establishing the connection with the second wireless system, and

means for terminating communication with the first wireless system in response to determining the UE is being blocked.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for continuing to communicate with the first wireless system while establishing the connection with the second wireless system.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

code for causing at least one processor to communicate with a first wireless system of a first radio technology by a user equipment (UE);

code for causing the at least one processor to receive a page to establish a connection with a second wireless system of a second radio technology, the page being sent by the second wireless system to the UE in response to a decision by a network entity, wherein the decision is based on a load on the first wireless system relative to a load on the second wireless system, or a channel quality for the first wireless system relative to a channel quality for the second wireless system, or a data rate for the UE for the first wireless system relative to a data rate for the UE for the second wireless system, or any combination thereof, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system;

code for causing the at least one processor to establish the connection with the second wireless system in response to the page; and

code for causing the at least one processor to terminate communication with the first wireless system after establishing the connection with the second wireless system, wherein the code for causing the at least one processor to terminate communication with the first wireless system comprises;

code for causing the at least one processor to determine the UE is being blocked from accessing the first wireless system by not receiving a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not receiving an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or receiving an indication of high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or authentication for the UE with the first wireless system being incomplete, or a combination thereof after establishing the connection with the second wireless system, and

code for causing the at least one processor to terminate communication with the first wireless system in response to determining the UE is being blocked.

14. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

receiving an indication of a user equipment (UE) communicating with a first wireless system of a first radio technology;

making a decision, by a network entity, to switch the UE from the first wireless system to a second wireless system of a second radio technology, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located;

sending, from the network entity to the second wireless system, a first message to switch the UE to the second wireless system, the UE being paged by the second wireless system to establish a connection with the second wireless system in response to the first message;

receiving, from the second wireless system, a second message indicating that the UE has established the connection with the second wireless system; and

sending, from the network entity to the first wireless system, a third message to direct the first wireless system to terminate communication with the UE by blocking the UE from accessing the first wireless system by not sending a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not sending an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or indicating high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or not completing authentication for the UE, or a combination thereof, the third message being sent by the network entity after receiving the second message.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at least one first user metric for the UE from the first wireless system, or at least one second user metric for the UE from the second wireless system, or both; and

making the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system based on the at least one first user metric, or the at least one second user metric, or both.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one first user metric comprises channel quality achieved by the UE for the first wireless system, and wherein the at least one second user metric comprises channel quality achieved by the UE for the second wireless system.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at least one first system metric from the first wireless system, or at least one second system metric from the second wireless system, or both; and

making the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system based on the at least one first system metric, or the at least one second system metric, or both.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one first system metric comprises loading at the first wireless system, and wherein the at least one second system metric comprises loading at the second wireless system.

19. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive an indication of a user equipment (UE) communicating with a first wireless system of a first radio technology;

make a decision, by a network entity, to switch the UE from the first wireless system to a second wireless system of a second radio technology, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located;

send, from the network entity to the second wireless system, a first message to switch the UE to the second wireless system, the UE being paged by the second wireless system to establish a connection with the second wireless system in response to the first message;

receive, from the second wireless system, a second message indicating that the UE has established the connection with the second wireless system; and

send, from the network entity to the first wireless system, a third message to direct the first wireless system to terminate communication with the UE by blocking the UE from accessing the first wireless system by not sending a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not sending an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or indicating high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or not completing authentication for the UE, or a combination thereof, the third message being sent by the network entity after receiving the second message.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive at least one first user metric for the UE from the first wireless system, or at least one second user metric for the UE from the second wireless system, or both; and

make the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system based on the at least one first user metric, or the at least one second user metric, or both.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive at least one first system metric from the first wireless system, or at least one second system metric from the second wireless system, or both; and

make the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system based on the at least one first system metric, or the at least one second system metric, or both.

22. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving an indication of a user equipment (UE) communicating with a first wireless system of a first radio technology;

means for making a decision, by a network entity, to switch the UE from the first wireless system to a second wireless system of a second radio technology, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located;

means for sending, from the network entity to the second wireless system, a first message to switch the UE to the second wireless system, the UE being paged by the second wireless system to establish a connection with the second wireless system in response to the first message;

means for receiving, from the second wireless system, a second message indicating that the UE has established the connection with the second wireless system; and

means for sending, from the network entity to the first wireless system, a third message to direct the first wireless system to terminate communication with the UE by blocking the UE from accessing the first wireless system by not sending a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not sending an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or indicating high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or not completing authentication for the UE, or a combination thereof, the third message being sent by the network entity after receiving the second message.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for receiving at least one first user metric for the UE from the first wireless system, or at least one second user metric for the UE from the second wireless system, or both; and

means for making the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system based on the at least one first user metric, or the at least one second user metric, or both.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for receiving at least one first system metric from the first wireless system, or at least one second system metric from the second wireless system, or both; and

means for making the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system based on the at least one first system metric, or the at least one second system metric, or both.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

code for causing at least one processor to receive an indication of a user equipment (UE) communicating with a first wireless system of a first radio technology;

code for causing the at least one processor to make a decision, by a network entity, to switch the UE from the first wireless system to a second wireless system of a second radio technology, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located;

code for causing the at least one processor to send, from the network entity to the second wireless system, a first message to switch the UE to the second wireless system, the UE being paged by the second wireless system to establish a connection with the second wireless system in response to the first message;

code for causing the at least one processor to receive, from the second wireless system, a second message indicating that the UE has established the connection with the second wireless system; and

code for causing the at least one processor to send, from the network entity to the first wireless system, a third message to direct the first wireless system to terminate communication with the UE by blocking the UE from accessing the first wireless system by not sending a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not sending an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or indicating high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or not completing authentication for the UE, or a combination thereof, the third message being sent by the network entity after receiving the second message.

26. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

receiving, from a network entity, a first message to switch a user equipment (UE) from a first wireless system of a first radio technology to a second wireless system of a second radio technology, wherein a decision to switch is based on a load on the first wireless system relative to a load on the second wireless system, or a channel quality for the first wireless system relative to a channel quality for the second wireless system, or a data rate for the UE for the first wireless system relative to a data rate for the UE for the second wireless system, or any combination thereof, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system;

sending, to the UE, a page to trigger the UE to establish a connection with the second wireless system, the page being sent to the UE in response to the first message; and

sending, to the network entity, a second message indicating that the UE has established the connection with the second wireless system, wherein the first wireless system terminates communication with the UE by blocking the UE from accessing the first wireless system by not sending a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not sending an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or indicating high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or not completing authentication for the UE, or a combination thereof after the UE completed establishment of the connection with the second wireless system.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

sending at least one user metric for the UE to the network entity, wherein a decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system is made by the network entity based on the at least one user metric for the UE.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

sending at least one system metric for the second wireless system to the network entity, wherein a decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system is made by the network entity based on the at least one system metric for the second wireless system.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

obtaining a UE identity (ID) of the UE based on credentials of the UE for the second wireless system, the credentials being provided by the UE during an authentication procedure performed by the UE with the first wireless system; and

sending the page to the UE based on the UE ID of the UE.

30. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

communicating with a user equipment (UE) by an access point in a first wireless system of a first radio technology, wherein a network entity makes a decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to a second wireless system of a second radio technology, wherein the first and second wireless systems are part of a small cell that supports communication for a small geographic area in which the network entity is located, and wherein the UE is paged by the second wireless system to establish a connection with the second wireless system in response to the decision;

receiving, from the network entity, a message to terminate communication with the UE, the message being sent by the network entity after the UE completed establishment of the connection with the second wireless system; and

terminating communication with the UE by the access point in response to the message, wherein the terminating communication with the UE comprises blocking the UE from accessing the first wireless system to terminate communication with the UE, wherein the blocking the UE comprises blocking the UE from accessing the first wireless system by not sending a probe response to acknowledge a probe request sent by the UE, or not sending an association response to acknowledge an association request sent by the UE, or indicating high loading at the first wireless system in a response sent to the UE, or not completing authentication for the UE, or a combination thereof.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

sending at least one user metric for the UE to the network entity, wherein the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system is made by the network entity based on the at least one user metric for the UE.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

sending at least one system metric for the first wireless system to the network entity, wherein the decision to switch the UE from the first wireless system to the second wireless system is made by the network entity based on the at least one system metric for the first wireless system.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving credentials of the UE for the second wireless system during an authentication procedure performed by the UE with the first wireless system;

obtaining a UE identity (ID) of the UE based on the credentials of the UE for the second wireless system; and

providing the UE ID of the UE to the second wireless system, wherein the UE is paged by the second wireless system based on the UE ID of the UE.