System and method for message redirection between mobile telecommunication networks with different radio access technologies

• US 20040147262A1
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Lescuyer, Pierre, Lucidarme, Thierry
• Granted Patent: US 7,123,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• 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 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data

Abstract

Communication systems and methods are provided allowing a single mode mobile terminal to support mobile assisted signal strength measurement operations in both a fixed frequency reuse based communication network and an adaptive channel allocation based communication network. Candidate base station signal strength measurements are requested by a fixed frequency reuse type network, measured by the mobile terminal and provided to the fixed frequency reuse type network which is seeking to identify a strongest signal for mobile assisted handover operations. In addition, interference signal strength measurements are requested by an adaptive channel allocation type network, measured by the mobile terminal and provided to the adaptive channel allocation type network by the mobile terminal. No redundant circuitry is required in the mobile terminal. Instead, the mobile terminal executes the same operations using the same hardware regardless of whether the requested measurement is of a candidate signal strength or an interference signal.

Claims

1. A method of operating at least a first and a second mobile telecommunications network connected through at least one common node, the second network radio access being uncoordinated with the first network radio access, a multi-mode mobile terminal being in radio communication with the first mobile telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of:

the mobile terminal scanning a frequency spectrum and identifying at least a potential radio access network;

the mobile terminal communicating a report of the results of the scan to the first network,

the mobile terminal sending a message to the first telecommunications network with a request for specific mobile telecommunications service,

the first network deciding in response to the report and the request which of the radio networks detected by the scan of the mobile terminal is suitable for the requested service, and

the first radio network requesting the common node to redirect at least a part of the communication to the second network.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the radio access technology of the first network is different from the radio access technology of the second network.

4. The method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the first network comprises a first access network and a core network and the common node is in the core network.

5. The method according to any previous claim, further comprising the step of the first network transmitting a message to the mobile terminal, the message including system parameters of the second network.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the message is broadcast to the mobile terminal.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the message is transmitted depending upon the location of the mobile terminal.

8. The method according to any previous claim, wherein the redirection is via a wireline.

9. The method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the redirection is via a wide area multimedia IP telecommunications network.

10. The method according to any previous claim, wherein the first network is a cellular network.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the second network is uncoordinated with the first network, system information relating to detection and acquisition of access to the second network not being coordinated with the first network

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second network is uncoordinated with the first network.

2-1. The method according to clam 1 wherein system information relating to detection and acquisition of access to the second network not being coordinated with the first network.

11. A system having at least a first and a second mobile telecommunications network connected through at least one common node, the second network radio access being uncoordinated with the first network radio access, a multi-mode mobile terminal being in radio communication with the first mobile telecommunications network, comprising:

means in the mobile terminal for scanning a frequency spectrum and identifying potential radio network sources;

means in the mobile terminal for communicating a report of the results of the scan to the first network,

means in the mobile terminal for sending a message to the first telecommunications network with a request for specific mobile telecommunications service,

means in the first network for deciding in response to the report and the request which of the radio network sources detected by the scan of the mobile terminal is suitable for the requested service, and

means in the first radio network for requesting the common node to redirect at least a part of the communication to the second network.

13. The system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the radio access technology of the first network is different from the radio-access technology of the second network.

14. The system according to any of the claims 11 to 13, wherein the first network comprises a first access network and a core network and the common node is in the core network.

15. The system according to any of claims 11 to 14 wherein the first network is a cellular network.

16. A network element for use with at least a first and a second mobile telecommunications network the second network radio access being uncoordinated with the first network radio access, a multi-mode, comprising:

means for receiving from a multi-mode mobile terminal in radio communication with the first mobile telecommunications network a report of the results of a scan of a frequency spectrum and identification of potential radio network sources,

means for receiving from the mobile terminal a request for specific mobile telecommunications service, and

means for deciding in response to the report and the request which of the radio networks detected by the scan is suitable for the requested service, and

means for requesting redirection of at least a part of the communication to the second network.

17. The network element according to claim 16, wherein system information relating to detection and acquisition of access to the second network is not coordinated with the first network.