Method and apparatus for using non-access stratum procedures in a mobile station to access resources of component carriers belonging to different radio access technologies

• US 9,681,480 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2012
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olvera-Hernandez, Ulises, Pelletier, Ghyslain, Liu, Kai, Adjakple, Pascal M., Watfa, Mahmoud, Wang, Peter S., Ahmad, Saad
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US13/588,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20130044709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 370252, 370329, 370419, 370463
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to perform a multi-radio access technology (RAT) access (MRA) operation. The apparatus may include a WTRU non-access stratum (NAS) entity to communicate with a first and second NAS entity of a first and second core network (CN). Alternatively, the first WTRU NAS entity communicates with a first NAS entity of a first CN, and a second WTRU NAS entity communicates with a second NAS entity of a second CN. The apparatus may include a radio resource control (RRC) entity which controls a first RAT connected to the first CN and a second RAT connected to the second CN. Alternatively, the apparatus includes an RRC entity which controls a first connection using a first RAT connected to the first CN and a second connection using a second RAT connected to a second CN.

Claims

1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to perform a multi-radio access technology (RAT) access (MRA) operation, the WTRU comprising:

a WTRU non-access stratum (NAS) entity configured to communicate with a first NAS entity of a first core network and a second NAS entity of a second core network, wherein a first RAT is connected to the first core network and a second RAT is connected to the second core network;

a radio resource control (RRC) entity configured to control a first connection using the first RAT and a second connection using the second RAT; and

a transceiver configured to send a registration message to the first core network using the first RAT, wherein the registration message includes a request for registration with the first core network of the first RAT and a request for registration with the second core network of the second RAT.

2. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the first RAT and the second RAT are different ones of:

long term evolution (LTE), (LTE-A), universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), UMTS terrestrial radio access frequency division duplex (UTRA-FDD), wideband channel division multiple access (WCDMA), UMTS terrestrial radio access time division duplex (UTRA-TDD), UMTS terrestrial radio access time division duplex high chip rate (UTRA-TDD HCR), UMTS terrestrial radio access time division duplex low chip rate (UTRA-TDD LCR), high speed packet access (HSPA), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE), 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.16a, 802.16e, 802.20, code division multiple access (CDMA) 2000 1x, CDMA2000, and evolution-data optimized (EV-DO).

3. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the WTRU is further configured to select a first cell for the first RAT based on a signal received from the first core network, wherein the signal is one of a broadcast signal or a dedicated signal, and wherein the signal comprises information regarding cells of the first core network that support MRA operation.

4. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein MRA operation is triggered by one or more of the following:

the WTRU requesting a connection to an access point name (APN), the WTRU requesting a predetermined Quality of Service (QoS), the WTRU requesting a connection to a particular Internet Protocol (IP) address, the WTRU requesting voice service, the WTRU requesting data service, the WTRU requesting short message service (SMS) service, or by the WTRU specifying a new establishment cause as a result of one of the following;

an overload condition, an event matching an operator policy trigger, or an indication stored in a subscriber profile.

5. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the sent registration message is an ATTACH message that serves to attach the WTRU to the first NAS entity of the first core network and the second NAS entity of the second core network.

6. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the first RAT operates on one or more frequencies, and the second RAT operates on one or more different frequencies.

7. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the WTRU NAS entity is configured to communicate with a second WTRU NAS entity to coordinate delivery of packet switched (PS) data.

8. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the RRC entity is further configured to control a first instance of an RRC to manage the first RAT, and to control a second instance of an RRC to manage the second RAT.

9. A method, performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), for multi-radio access technology (RAT) access (MRA) operation, the method comprising:

communicating, by a WTRU non-access stratum (NAS) entity, with a first NAS of a first core network and a second NAS entity of a second core network, wherein a first RAT is connected to the first core network and a second RAT is connected to the second core network;

controlling, by a radio resource control (RRC) entity, a first connection using the first RAT and a second connection using the second RAT; and

sending a registration message to the first core network using the first RAT, wherein the registration message includes a request for registration with the first core network of the first RAT and a request for registration with the second core network of the second RAT.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the registration message is an ATTACH message and the sending the registration message serves to attach the WTRU to the first NAS entity of the first core network and to the second NAS entity of the second core network.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the attaching of the WTRU to the first NAS entity and the attaching of the WTRU to the second NAS entity are performed simultaneously.