Methods and system for carrying out a handover of a mobile communication device between different access networks

A communication system comprising a processor configured to perform a method for conducting a handover of a mobile communication device from a first access network to a second access network, the method performed by the processor configured to carry out an access and mobility management function for the first access network and comprising:

• transmitting a protocol data unit session update request to a second computing device, wherein the second computing device carries a session management function for the second access network;
• in response to transmitting the protocol data unit session update request, receiving, from the second computing device, an identifier of a protocol data unit session and network slice information regarding a network slice to be used by the mobile communication device to communicate on the second access network using the protocol data unit session;
• selecting a third computing device within a network slice instance selected based on the network slice information, wherein the third computing device carries out an access and mobility management function for the second access network;
• transmitting, to the third computing device, a relocation request that includes the network slice information and the identifier of the protocol data unit session;
• receiving, from a mobility management entity of the first access network, a mobility management context of the first access network, wherein the first access network is an evolved packet system;
• mapping the mobility management context of the first access network to a mobility management context of the second access network;
• and
• transmitting, to the third computing device, the mobility management context of the second access network that is mapped to the mobility management context of the first access network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions, upon execution by a processor configured to carry out an access and mobility management function for a first access network, causing the processor to implement a method for carrying out a method for conducting a handover of a mobile communication device from the first access network to a second access network, the method comprising:

• transmitting a protocol data unit session update request to a second computing device, wherein the second computing device carries a session management function for the second access network;
• in response to transmitting the protocol data unit session update request, receiving an identifier of a protocol data unit session and network slice information regarding a network slice to be used by the mobile communication device to communicate on the second access network using the protocol data unit session;
• selecting a target computing device within a network slice instance selected based on the network slice information, the target computing device configured to carry out an access and mobility management function for the second access network;
• and
• transmitting, to the target computing device, a relocation request that includes the network slice information and the identifier of the protocol data unit session;
• receiving, from a mobility management entity of the first access network, a mobility management context of the first access network, wherein the first access network is an evolved packet system;
• mapping the mobility management context of the first access network to a mobility management context of the second access network;
• and
• transmitting to the target computing device, the mobility management context of the second access network that is mapped to the mobility management context of the first access network.