Handling connected mode mobility from areas bounding multi-operator core network and non-multi-operator core network shared infrastructure

• US 9,432,906 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patil, Santosh Ramrao, Hamel, Eric, Grayson, Mark, Okmyanskiy, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US14/310,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method provided in one embodiment includes receiving, at a first network element, a first message including a first network identifier associated with a first network. The first message further includes an indication of an association of the first network identifier with a first user equipment. The method further includes receiving, by the first network element, a second message indicative of an initiated handover of the first user equipment to a second network. The second message includes a second network identifier associated with the second network. The method further includes determining, by the first network element, whether the second network identifier matches the first network identifier, and terminating the initiated handover by the first network element when the second network identifier does not match the first network identifier.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first network element, a first message including a first network identifier associated with a first network, the first message further including an indication of an association of the first network identifier with a first user equipment;

receiving, by the first network element, a second message indicative of an initiated handover of the first user equipment to a second network, the second message including a second network identifier associated with the second network, wherein the initiated handover is an initiated handover of the first user equipment from a small cell network in the first network element to the second network;

determining, by the first network element, whether the second network identifier matches the first network identifier; and

terminating the initiated handover by the first network element when the second network identifier does not match the first network identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the initiated handover when the second network identifier matches the first network identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message is a measurement report from the first user equipment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network is a first core network associated with a first network operator and the second network is a second core network associated with a second operator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network element is a small cell gateway.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message is a handover message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the handover message is a relocation request message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein terminating the initial handover includes sending a handover failure message to a second network element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network element is a small cell access point.

10. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a first network element, a first message including a first network identifier associated with a first network, the first message further including an indication of an association of the first network identifier with a first user equipment;

receiving, by the first network element, a second message indicative of an initiated handover of the first user equipment to a second network, the second message including a second network identifier associated with the second network, wherein the initiated handover is an initiated handover of the first user equipment from a small cell network in the first network element to the second network;

determining, by the first network element, whether the second network identifier matches the first network identifier; and

terminating the initiated handover by the first network element when the second network identifier does not match the first network identifier.

11. The logic of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise allowing the initiated handover when the second network identifier matches the first network identifier.

12. The logic of claim 10, wherein the second message is a measurement report from the first user equipment.

13. The logic of claim 10 wherein the first network is a first core network associated with a first network operator and the second network is a second core network associated with a second operator.

14. The logic of claim 10, wherein the first network element is a small cell gateway.

15. The logic of claim 10, wherein the second message is a handover message.

16. The logic of claim 10, wherein terminating the initial handover includes sending a handover failure message to a second network element.

17. A network element, comprising:

a memory element configured to store electronic code;

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the electronic code; and

a module coupled to the memory element and the processor, wherein the network element is configured for;

receiving a first message including a first network identifier associated with a first network, the first message further including an indication of an association of the first network identifier with a first user equipment;

receiving a second message indicative of an initiated handover of the first user equipment to a second network, the second message including a second network identifier associated with the second network, wherein the initiated handover is an initiated handover of the first user equipment from a small cell network in the first network element to the second network;

determining whether the second network identifier matches the first network identifier; and

terminating the initiated handover by the first network element when the second network identifier does not match the first network identifier.

18. The network element of claim 17, wherein the network element is further configured to allow the initiated handover when the second network identifier matches the first network identifier.

19. The network element of claim 17, wherein the second message is a measurement report from the first user equipment.

20. The network element of claim 17 wherein the first network is a first core network associated with a first network operator and the second network is a second core network associated with a second operator.

21. The network element of claim 17, wherein the network element is a small cell gateway.

22. The network element of claim 17, wherein the second message is a handover message.