Method and apparatus for communication between wireless telecommunications networks of different technology types

Abstract

For handover between wireless telecommunications networks of different technology types, an air interface is set up between a first node 4 included in a network of a first technology type and a second node 10 included in a network of a second different technology type. Signaling messaging, in accordance with the second technology type, is related to handover of a mobile terminal from the network of the first technology type to the network of the second technology type. The signaling messaging is encapsulated in a container for transmission over the signaling interface. An identifier is associated with the container to indicate that it encapsulates the signaling messaging. When the identifier is detected at the first node, the container is sent over the interface to the second node. In one method in accordance with the invention, the first technology type is WiMAX and the identifier is a special service flow identifier. This may be detected at an Access Services Network Gateway (ASN GW), for example. A method in accordance with the invention thus permits the use of logical radio channels for encapsulating inter-technology signaling.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.