Methods and apparatus for mobile voice service management

• US 8,837,357 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dwyer, Johanna Lisa, Burbidge, Richard Charles, Faccin, Stefano, Chin, Chen Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Application Number:
  US12/828,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20110158165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for mobile voice service management are described. An example method includes receiving a mobile network request for registering with a mobile network and responsive to the mobile network request, sending a response including an area identity list and an identifier indicating whether an area identified in the tracking area identity list supports a service.

Claims

1. A method of a mobility manager, the method comprising:

receiving a mobile network request for registering with a mobile network; and

responsive to the mobile network request, sending a response including an area identity list and an identifier indicating whether an area identified in the area identity list supports a service, wherein the identifier indicates that a first area in the area identity list supports the service and the identifier indicates that a second area in the area identity list does not support the service.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the service is voice over internet protocol multimedia subsystem service (VoIMS).

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the service is voice over long term evolution (LTE) via generic access (VoLGA).

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network request is a TRACKING AREA UPDATE and the response is a TRACKING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network request is a ROUTING AREA UPDATE and the response is a ROUTING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network request is an ATTACH request and the response is an ATTACH ACCEPT.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the identifier indicates whether all areas on the area identity list support the service.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring information about a set of areas; and

selectively storing areas that support the service in the area identity list.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring information about a set of areas;

selectively storing areas that support the service and a second service in the area identity list.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the area identity list is at least one of a tracking area identity list and a routing area identity list.

11. A mobility manager comprising:

a receiver to receive a mobile network request for registering with a mobile network; and

a transmitter responsive to the mobile network request, to send a response including an area identity list and an identifier indicating whether an area identified in the area identity list supports a service, wherein the identifier indicates that a first area in the area identity list supports the service and the identifier indicates that a second area in the area identity list does not support the service.

12. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, wherein the service is voice over internet protocol multimedia subsystem service (VoIMS).

13. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, wherein the service is voice over long term evolution (LTE) via generic access (VoLGA).

14. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, wherein the network request is a TRACKING AREA UPDATE and the response is a TRACKING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT.

15. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, wherein the network request is an ATTACH request and the response is an ATTACH ACCEPT.

16. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, wherein the network request is a ROUTING AREA UPDATE and the response is a ROUTING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT.

17. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, wherein the identifier indicates whether all areas on the area identity list support the service.

18. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

an acquirer to acquire information about a set of areas; and

an analyzer to selectively store areas that support the service in the area identity list.

19. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

an acquirer to acquire information about a set of areas;

an analyzer to selectively store areas that support the service and a second service in the area identity list.

20. A mobility manager as defined in claim 11, wherein the area identity list is at least one of a tracking area identity list and a routing area identity list.

21. A mobile station comprising:

a transmitter to send a network request; and

a receiver to receive a response to the network request including an area identity list and an identifier indicating whether an area identified in the area identity list supports a service, wherein the identifier indicates that a first area in the area identity list supports the service and the identifier indicates that a second area in the area identity list does not support the service.

22. A mobile station as defined in claim 21, further comprising a list extractor to extract the area identity list from the response.

23. A mobile station as defined in claim 22, further comprising a manager to determine whether all areas identified on the area identity list support the service based on the identifier.

24. A mobile station as defined in claim 21, wherein the area identity list is at least one of a tracking area identity list and a routing area identity list.