Method and system for integrating media independent handovers

• US 20060258355A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlton, Alan Gerald, Rudolf, Marian, Olvera-Hernandez, Ulises
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/005 involving radio access media independent information, e.g. MIH [Media independent Hand-off]
• 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 method and system for integrating media independent handover (MIH) under IEEE 802.21 and unlicensed mobile access (UMA) are disclosed. A public land mobile network (PLMN) and an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN) are concurrently deployed. UMA is supported such that a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may access the UMAN to receive PLMN services through the UMAN. MIH entities are included both in the VVTRU and the UMAN and the MIH entity of the WTRU monitors handover events and information and generates a handover trigger for handover between the PLMN and the UMAN. The MIH entity in the UMAN interacts with the MIH entity of the WTRU to report a remote event, handover information and command.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system including a public land mobile network (PLMN) and an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN) wherein unlicensed mobile access (UMA) is supported such that a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may access the UMAN to receive services provided by the PLMN through the UMAN and may handover between the PLMN and the UMAN for continuous service, a system for integrating a media independent handover (MIH) function and UMA, the system comprising:

a multi-mode WTRU comprising;

an MIH entity for monitoring handover events and information and sending a handover trigger to an upper layer for handover between the PLMN and the UMAN;

a UMAN interface for interfacing with the UMAN and reporting a handover event and information to the MIH entity of the WTRU; and

a PLMN interface for interfacing with the PLMN and reporting a handover event and information to the MIH entity of the WTRU; and

the UMAN comprising;

an access point (AP) for providing a radio access to the WTRU;

an MIH entity for interacting with the MIH entity of the WTRU to report a remote handover event, information and command relevant to generation of the handover trigger; and

a UMA network controller (UNC) for supporting access to the PLMN through the UMAN, whereby the WTRU triggers a handover based on received events, information and commands.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the UMAN is one of Bluetooth network, IEEE 802 network and HYPERLAN/2, and the PLMN is one of a global system for mobile communication (GSM) network, a third generation partnership project (3GPP) network and 3GPP2 network.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the WTRU comprises a UMA protocol stack and a GSM protocol stack and service access points are provided between the MIH entity and the UMA protocol stack and between the MIH entity and the GSM protocol stack.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the MIH entity of the WTRU and the MIH entity of the UMAN are layer independent entities.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the MIH entity of the UMAN is included in the AP.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the MIH entity of the UMAN is included in the UNC.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the UMAN interface of the WTRU communicates with the MIH entity of the WTRU by an event service (ES), an information service (IS) and a command service (CS) for exchanging an event, information and a command.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote events are communicated between the MIH entity of the WTRU and the MIH entity of the UMAN over layer 2 transport.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the MIH entity of the WTRU communicates with the MIH entity of the UMAN via using a higher layer transport protocol.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the UMAN further comprising an MIH network entity for controlling the MIH entity of the UMAN.

11. In a wireless communication system including a public land mobile network (PLMN) and an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN) wherein unlicensed mobile access (UMA) is supported such that a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may access the UMAN to receive services provided by the PLMN through the UMAN and may handover between the PLMN and the UMAN for continuous service, a method for integrating a media independent handover (MIH) function and UMA, the method comprising:

(a) providing an MIH entity in the WTRU and the UMAN, respectively;

(b) the MIH entity of the WTRU collecting local and remote handover events, information and commands;

(c) the MIH entity of the WTRU determining whether a threshold for triggering handover is met based on the collected handover events and information or a handover command is issued; and

(d) if the determination at step (c) is positive, the MIH entity of the WTRU initiating a handover between the PLMN and the UMAN by sending a handover trigger to an upper layer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the UMAN is one of Bluetooth network, IEEE 802 network and HYPERLAN/2, and the PLMN is one of a global system for mobile communication (GSM) network, a third generation partnership project (3GPP) network and 3GPP2 network.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the MIH entity of the WTRU and the MIH entity of the UMAN are layer independent entities.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the MIH entity of the UMAN is included in an access point.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the MIH entity of the UMAN is included in an UMA network controller (UNC).

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the handover events, information and commands are communicated by an event service (ES), an information service (IS) and a command service (CS).

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the remote events, information and commands are communicated over layer 2 transport.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the MIH entity of the WTRU communicates with the MIH entity of the UMAN via using a higher layer transport protocol.