Interworking between radio access networks

• US 7,769,382 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rasanen, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A
• Application Number:
  US09/911,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,298 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-444, 455/432, 455/433, 455/422, 455/452, 455/453, 455/445, 370329-338, 370/352, 370/353, 370/351
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/26 by agreed or negotiated communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method of interworking between different radio access networks. In this method, a radio transceiver device capable of operating with the first radio access network and the second radio access network is attached to the first radio access network. The method comprises the steps of detecting a service request, accessing information on conditions for the first and the second radio access network for giving sufficient support for a service requested by the service request, analysing whether or not the first radio access network and the second radio access network meets the conditions, and initiating a handover of the radio transceiver device from the first radio access network to the second radio access network if the second radio access network meets the conditions but the first radio access network does not. Thus, the method according to the present invention serves to support dual mode mobile stations and networks in such a way that the correct radio access which sufficiently supports a requested service is automatically obtained.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a request for specific service for a radio transceiver device, wherein said radio transceiver device is configured to operate with a first radio access network and a second radio access network and the radio transceiver device is attached to said first radio access network;

accessing information on conditions for the first radio access network and the second radio access network to provide sufficient support for a specific service requested by said request for the specific service;

analyzing whether said first radio access network and said second radio access network meet said conditions; and

initiating a handover from said first radio access network to said second radio access network when the conditions are met by the second radio access network, but not met by the first radio access network,

wherein information about service availability in the second radio access network are sent from the second radio access network to the radio transceiver device during establishment of a call.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said conditions comprise a condition whether said requested specific service exists in the first radio access network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said conditions depend on each other.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein one of said conditions for the first radio access network is a given amount lower than the corresponding condition for the second radio access network.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed in said radio transceiver device.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed in a network control device.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

informing said radio transceiver device of the fact that a handover to said second radio access network is to be initiated.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said radio transceiver device is a dual mode phone that is configured to be operated in said first radio access network and said second radio access network.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein either said first or said second radio access network comprises a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein either said second or said first radio access network comprises a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said requested specific service comprises a circuit-switched service.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said requested specific service comprises a packet service.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said radio transceiver device is attached to said first radio access network such that the radio transceiver device is located in a cell of said first radio access network and connected by air with said first radio access network.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said radio transceiver device is also located in a cell of said second radio access network.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing further comprises analyzing whether a subscriber using said radio transceiver device is entitled to use said requested service.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein an error procedure is initiated when the information providing means determines that said requested specific service is not available in any of said networks.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to

detect a request for a specific service for the radio transceiver device, wherein said radio transceiver device is configured to operate with a first radio access network and a second radio access network and the radio transceiver device is attached to said first radio access network,

access information on conditions for said first and said second radio access networks to provide sufficient support for the specific service requested by said request for the specific service,

analyze whether said first radio access network and said second radio access network meet the conditions, and

initiate a handover from said first radio access network to said second radio access network when the respective conditions are met by said second radio access network, but not met by said first radio access network,

wherein information about service availability in the second radio access network are sent to the radio transceiver device upon establishment of a call.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said apparatus is configured in said radio transceiver device.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said apparatus is configured in a network control device.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said analyzer is connected to a database to obtain information regarding said conditions of said requested specific service.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said analyzer is configured to analyze whether a subscriber using said radio transceiver device is entitled to use said requested specific service.

22. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured to initiate an error procedure when the information providing means determines that said requested specific service is not available in any of said networks.

23. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the program configured to control a processor to perform a process, process comprising:

detecting a request for a specific service for the radio transceiver device, wherein said radio transceiver device is configured to operate with a first radio access network and a second radio access network and the radio transceiver device is attached to said first radio access network;

accessing information on conditions for the first and the second radio access network to provide sufficient support for a specific service requested by said request for the specific service;

analyzing whether said first radio access network and said second radio access network meets said conditions; and

initiating a handover from said first radio access network to said second radio access network when the conditions are met by the second radio access network, but not met by the first radio access network,

wherein information about service availability in the second radio access network are sent from the second radio access network to the radio transceiver device upon establishment of a call.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a request for a specific service for a radio transceiver device, wherein said radio transceiver device is configured to operate with a first radio access network and a second radio access network and the radio transceiver device is attached to said first radio access network;

accessing means for accessing information on conditions for said first and said second radio access networks for providing sufficient support for the a specific service requested by said request for the specific service;

analyzing means for analyzing whether said first radio access network and said second radio access network meet the conditions; and

initiating means for initiating a handover from said first radio access network to said second radio access network when the respective conditions are met by said second radio access network, but not met by said first radio access network,

wherein information about service availability in the second radio access network are sent from the second radio access network to the radio transceiver device upon establishment of a call.