Methods and apparatuses for providing services to a dual mode GPRS/WLAN or UMTS/WLAN WTRU

• US 9,008,065 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Purkayastha, Debashish, Shaheen, Kamel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US14/095,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Methods and network nodes are described. A network node receives an attach request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) via a cellular radio access network (RAN). The attach request message includes a mobile station (MS) radio access capability information element (IE), and the MS radio access capability IE includes a field that indicates whether the WTRU is capable of receiving services from a core network via a non-cellular wireless access network. The network node provides services from the core network to the WTRU.

Claims

1. A method for use in a network node, the method comprising:

the network node receiving an attach request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) via a cellular radio access network (RAN),

wherein the attach request message includes a mobile station (MS) radio access capability information element (IE), and

wherein the MS radio access capability IE includes a field that indicates whether the WTRU is capable of receiving services from a core network via a non-cellular wireless access network; and

the network node providing services from the core network to the WTRU.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network node is a Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-cellular wireless access network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the MS radio access capability IE further includes:

an RF Power Capability field;

a Multislot capability field;

an 8PSK Power Capability field;

a COMPACT Interference Measurement Capability field;

a Revision Level Indicator field;

a UMTS FDD Radio Access Technology Capability field;

a UMTS 3.84 Mcps TDD Radio Access Technology Capability field;

a UMTS 1.28 Mcps TDD Radio Access Technology Capability field; and

a Modulation based multislot class support field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular radio access network is based on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) technology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the services are provided via the cellular RAN.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the services are provided via a non-cellular wireless access network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the network node providing an attach accept message to the WTRU responsive to the attach request message.

9. A network node comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an attach request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) via a cellular radio access network (RAN),

wherein the attach request message includes a mobile station (MS) radio access capability information element (IE), and

wherein the MS radio access capability IE includes a field that indicates whether the WTRU is capable of receiving services from a core network via a non-cellular wireless access network; and

a processor and a transmitter configured to provide services from the core network to the WTRU.

10. The network node of claim 9, wherein the network node is a Serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN).

11. The network node of claim 9, wherein the MS radio access capability IE indicates whether the non-cellular wireless access network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

12. The network node of claim 9, wherein the MS radio access capability IE further includes:

an RF Power Capability field;

a Multislot capability field;

an 8PSK Power Capability field;

a COMPACT Interference Measurement Capability field;

a Revision Level Indicator field;

a UMTS FDD Radio Access Technology Capability field;

a UMTS 3.84 Mcps TDD Radio Access Technology Capability field;

a UMTS 1.28 Mcps TDD Radio Access Technology Capability field; and

a Modulation based multislot class support field.

13. The network node of claim 9, wherein the cellular RAN is based on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) technology.

14. The network node of claim 9, wherein the processor and transmitter are configured to provide the services via the cellular RAN.

15. The network node of claim 9, wherein the processor and transmitter are configured to provide the services via a non-cellular wireless access network.

16. The network node of claim 9, wherein the processor and transmitter are further configured to generate and transmit an attach accept message to the WTRU responsive to the attach request message.

17. A method for use in a network node, the method comprising:

receiving an attach request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the attach request message indicating a request to attach to a cellular core network and including a capability indicator that indicates whether the WTRU is capable of receiving services from the cellular core network via a wireless local area network (WLAN); and

providing services to the WTRU based on the capability indicator.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the services are provided via a cellular radio access network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cellular radio access network is based on GSM or UMTS technology.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the capability indicator is a radio access capability information element or a mobile station (MS) network capability information element.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the services are provided via a wireless local area network (WLAN).

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing, to the WTRU, an acknowledgement of the attach request message.

23. A network node comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an attach request message from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the attach request message indicating a request to attach to a cellular core network and including a capability indicator that indicates whether the WTRU is capable of receiving services from the cellular core network via a wireless local area network (WLAN); and

a processor and transmitter configured to provide services to the WTRU based on the capability indicator.

24. The network node of claim 23, wherein the processor and transmitter are configured to provide the services via a cellular radio access network.

25. The network node of claim 24, wherein the cellular radio access network is based on GSM or UMTS technology.

26. The network node of claim 24, wherein the capability indicator is a radio access capability information element or a mobile station (MS) network capability information element.

27. The network node of claim 24, wherein services are provided via a WLAN.