Systems, methods and computer program products for mobility management in hybrid satellite/terrestrial wireless communications systems
First Claim
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1. A method of handing over communications of a radioterminal from a terrestrial wireless communications system to a satellite wireless communications system, the method comprising:
- communicating a handover command message from the terrestrial wireless communications system to the radioterminal; and
responsive to receipt of the handover command message at the radioterminal, waiting a time interval before terminating a traffic channel between the radioterminal and the terrestrial wireless communications system, wherein waiting a time interval before terminating a traffic channel between the radioterminal and the terrestrial wireless communications system comprises waiting to transmit a handover acknowledgement message from the radioterminal to the terrestrial wireless communications system for a time interval sufficient to determine and communicate timing information for the satellite wireless communications system to the radioterminal from a satellite of the satellite wireless communications system.
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Abstract
Apparatus, methods and computer program products that support inter-PLMN coordination in registration and handover operations are provided. Hysteresis is introduced in registration of radioterminals in a hybrid terrestrial/satellite mobile communications environment. Inter-PLMN handover techniques are provided, including techniques for coordination of communication of timing information and traffic channel controls.
164 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of handing over communications of a radioterminal from a terrestrial wireless communications system to a satellite wireless communications system, the method comprising:
- communicating a handover command message from the terrestrial wireless communications system to the radioterminal; and
responsive to receipt of the handover command message at the radioterminal, waiting a time interval before terminating a traffic channel between the radioterminal and the terrestrial wireless communications system, wherein waiting a time interval before terminating a traffic channel between the radioterminal and the terrestrial wireless communications system comprises waiting to transmit a handover acknowledgement message from the radioterminal to the terrestrial wireless communications system for a time interval sufficient to determine and communicate timing information for the satellite wireless communications system to the radioterminal from a satellite of the satellite wireless communications system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- communicating a handover command message from the terrestrial wireless communications system to the radioterminal; and
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6. A radioterminal comprising:
- a handover controller configured to receive a handover command message from a terrestrial wireless communications system for handover to a satellite wireless communications system and to wait a time interval before terminating a traffic channel between the radioterminal and the terrestrial wireless communications system responsive to receipt of the handover command message at the radioterminal, wherein the handover controller is configured to wait to transmit a handover acknowledgement message from the radioterminal to the terrestrial wireless communications system for a time interval sufficient to determine and communicate timing information for the satellite wireless communications system to the radioterminal from a satellite of the satellite wireless communications system.
- View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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9. A computer program product non-transitory computer-readable medium for controlling handover of a radioterminal from a terrestrial wireless communications system to a satellite wireless communications system, the computer program non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code embodied in a computer readable medium therein, the computer program code comprising:
- program code configured to receive a handover command message from the terrestrial wireless communications system and to cause the radioterminal to wait a time interval before terminating a traffic channel between the radioterminal and the terrestrial wireless communications system responsive to receipt of the handover command message at the radioterminal, wherein the program code configured to receive a handover command message from the terrestrial wireless communications system and to cause the radioterminal to wait a time interval before terminating a traffic channel between the radioterminal and the terrestrial wireless communications system responsive to receipt of the handover command message at the radioterminal comprises program code configured to cause the radioterminal to wait to transmit a handover acknowledgement message from the radioterminal to the terrestrial wireless communications system for a time interval sufficient to determine and communicate timing information for the satellite wireless communications system to the radioterminal from a satellite of the satellite wireless communications system.
- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 20, 21, 22, 23)
Specification