Mobile station GPRS implementation for switching between licensed and unlicensed wireless systems

• US 7,107,055 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baranowski, Joseph G., Mohammed, Jahangir, Shi, Jianxiong, Shekhar, Madhu C., Elam, Thomas G., Powell, Mark, Kolderup, Kenneth M., Gallagher, Michael D., Markovic, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US11/227,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 455/448, 455/446, 455/432.2
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

An unlicensed wireless service is adapted to generate the interface protocols of a licensed wireless service to provide transparent transition of communication sessions between a licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. In one embodiment, a mobile station includes level 1, level 2, and level 3 protocols for licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. An indoor base station and indoor network controller provide protocol conversion for the unlicensed wireless service into a standard base station controller interface of the licensed wireless service.

Claims

1. A mobile station for accessing both an unlicensed wireless communication system and a licensed wireless communication system, wherein the licensed system is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), the mobile station comprising:

a) a GPRS mode for accessing the GPRS;

b) an unlicensed wireless mode for accessing the unlicensed wireless communication system;

c) a GPRS mobility management (GMM) protocol layer for managing mobile station mobility;

d) a logical link control (LLC) protocol layer;

e) an access mode switch for switching between the unlicensed wireless mode and the GPRS mode;

f) an unlicensed network radio link control (RLC) entity; and

g) a GPRS radio link control (GPRS-RLC) entity;

i. wherein the GPRS-RLC entity and the unlicensed network RLC entity coordinate with each other; and

ii. wherein the unlicensed network RLC entity and the GPRS-RLC entity each communicate with the GMM protocol layer through a GPRS mobility management radio resource management service access point (GMMRR-SAP) interface; and

iii. wherein the unlicensed network RLC entity and the GPRS-RLC entity each communicate with the LLC protocol layer through a GPRS radio resource management service access point (GRR-SAP) interface.

2. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the access mode switch switches signaling functions between the unlicensed wireless mode and the GPRS mode.

3. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the access mode switch switches data communications between the unlicensed wireless mode and the GPRS mode.

4. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the GRR-SAP interface behaves identically when communicating with the unlicensed network RLC entity and when communicating with the GPRS-RLC entity.

5. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the GMMRR-SAP interface behaves identically when communicating with the unlicensed network RLC entity and when communicating with the GPRS-RLC entity.

6. The mobile station of claim 4, wherein the GMMRR-SAP interface behaves identically when communicating with the unlicensed network RLC entity and when communicating with the GPRS-RLC entity.

7. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein:

a) the unlicensed network RLC entity provides coordination with the GPRS-RLC entity through an unlicensed network-GPRS service access point interface; and

b) the GPRS-RLC entity provides coordination with the unlicensed network RLC entity through a GPRS-unlicensed network service access point interface.

8. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein the mobile station accesses the unlicensed wireless communication system using a Bluetooth wireless standard.

9. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein the mobile station further comprises a plurality of protocol layers.

10. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the mobile station communicates with the unlicensed wireless communication system using the unlicensed network RLC entity.

11. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the unlicensed wireless communication system is transparent to the LLC protocol layer.

12. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the mobile station further comprises an internet protocol (IP) layer.

13. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the mobile station communicates with a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) using the IP protocol layer.

14. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the mobile station communicates with a serving GPRS support node (SGSN) using the LLC protocol layer.

15. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the LLC protocol layer connects to the SGSN through a Gb-standard interface.

16. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the mobile station communicates with a serving GPRS support node (SGSN) using a subnetwork dependent convergence protocol (SNDCP) layer.

17. The mobile station of claim 16, wherein the SNDCP layer connects to the SGSN through a Gb-standard interface.

18. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the mobile station further comprises a group of protocol layers above the LLC protocol layer.

19. The mobile station of claim 18, wherein the unlicensed wireless communication system is transparent to the group of protocol layers above the LLC protocol layer.