Method and system for system discovery and user selection
AssigneeInterDigital Technology Corporation
InventorsUlises Olvera-Hernandez, Alan Carlton, Guang Lu, Juan Zuniga, Maged Zaki, Marian Rudolf
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Abstract
The invention includes a method and apparatus for mobility handling across different wireless technologies by efficiently performing alternate network discovery and enabling a mobile station to select the most desirable candidate radio access technology, depending on parameters such as location and network policy settings.
Claims52
A method for a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) in communication with a cellular network to become aware of and establish a communicative coupling with an accessible wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising:
- providing a communicative coupling between the WTRU and the cellular communication system;
- providing the cellular system with the locations of WLANs within its service area;
- tracking the position of the WTRU;
- comparing the position of the WTRU with the known locations of the WLANs;
- detecting when the WTRU is in the vicinity of a WLAN such that the WTRU can establish a communicative coupling with the WLAN;
- notifying the WTRU that a WLAN is in its vicinity;
- determining if the WTRU should establish a communicative coupling with the WLAN;
- and
- if affirmative, the WTRU establishing a communicative coupling with the WLAN.
A multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) able to receive and process information regarding at least one wireless local area network WLAN in its vicinity, determine which of a plurality of possible communication couplings is a preferred coupling, and establish the preferred communication coupling, comprising:
- a cellular component for communicating via a communicative coupling with a cellular network;
- a WLAN component for communicating via a communicative coupling with a WLAN;
- and
- a media independent handover-handover (MIHHO) component for facilitating the discovery of available networks, determining which of a plurality of possible communication couplings is a preferred coupling, and facilitating establishing the preferred communication coupling.
The WTRU of claim 16 wherein the cellular network is one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Global System for Mobile communications (GMS) system, a General Packet Radio System (GPRS) and a 3GPP compliant system, and the WLAN is an IEEE 802.X compliant WLAN.
A wireless local area network (WLAN) access point comprising:
- a media independent handover (MIH) device configured to transmit MIH information to facilitate a handover between the WLAN and a cellular network of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the MIH information comprising for each of a plurality of identified networks a network identifier, a network location, a system operator identifier, a system capability, a quality of service (QoS) parameter, and a radio access type.
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:
- a media independent handover (MIH) device configured to receive MIH information to facilitate a handover of the WTRU between a WLAN and a cellular network, the MIH information comprising for each of a plurality of identified networks a network identifier, a network location, a system operator identifier, a system capability, a quality of service (QoS) parameter, and a radio access type.
A network access point comprising:
- a media independent handover (MIH) device configured to transmit MIH information to facilitate a handover between the network and a cellular network of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the MIH information comprising for each of a plurality of identified networks a network identifier, a network location, a system operator identifier, a system capability, a quality of service (QoS) parameter, and a radio access type.
A method for use by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:
- providing a communicative coupling between the WTRU and a first network using a first access technology;
- receiving MIH information to facilitate a handover of the WTRU between the first network and a preferred network using a second access technology, the MIH information comprising for each of a plurality of identified networks a network identifier, a network location, a system operator identifier, a system capability, a quality of service (QoS) parameter, and a radio access type;
- evaluating the MIH information to determined the preferred network;
- and
- initiating a handover of the WTRU to the preferred network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.