System and Method for Supporting Switching Between a Packet-Switched Network and a Circuit-Switched Network

A method, performed by a User Equipment, UE, for controlling communications between the UE and a base station in a radio access network, RAN, the UE comprising first and second transceivers, each having a corresponding receiver, the UE configured with one or more serving cells for communicating with the RAN, the method comprising:

• monitoring the RAN on a specific serving cell of said one or more serving cells using a first receiver of the first and second transceivers;
• and
• sending a tune-out message to the base station in the RAN, the message configured to:
• indicate, to the base station, a temporary tune-out from the RAN on at least one of the first receiver and a second receiver of the first and second transceivers;
• and
• indicate, to the base station, an impact on the one or more serving cells when the UE performs the temporary tune-out;
• and
• identify which of the one or more serving cells will be affected by the temporary tune-out.

A User Equipment (UE) configured to control communications between the UE and a base station in a radio access network, RAN, the UE configured with one or more serving cells for communicating with the RAN and comprising:

• a communication interface comprising a plurality of transceivers, each transceiver having a corresponding receiver and configured to communicate with the RAN via base station;
• and
• a programmable controller operatively connected to the plurality of transceivers, and configured to:
• monitor the RAN on a specific serving cell of the one or more serving cells using a first receiver of the first and second transceivers;
• and
• send a tune-out message to the base station in the RAN, the tune-out message configured to:
• indicate a temporary tune-out from the RAN on at least one of the first receiver and a second receiver of the first and second transceivers;
• indicate to the base station in the RAN, an impact on the one or more serving cells when the UE performs the temporary tune-out;
• and
• identify which of the one or more serving cells will be affected by the temporary tune-out.

A method for controlling communications between a User Equipment (UE) and a base station in a radio access network, RAN, the method performed by the base station and comprising:

• configuring the UE with one or more serving cells for communicating with the RAN;
• and
• receiving, from the UE, a tune-out message configured to:
• indicate, to the base station, that at least one of a first receiver of the UE monitoring a specific serving cell of the one or more serving cells, and a second receiver of the UE, will temporarily tune-out from the RAN;
• indicate, to the base station in the RAN, an impact on the one or more serving cells when the UE performs the temporary tune-out;
• and
• identify, to the base station, which of the one or more serving cells will be affected by the temporary tune-out.

A base station in a radio access network, RAN, configured to control communications between a User Equipment (UE) and the base station, the base station comprising:

• a communication interface configured to communicate with a UE;
• and
• a programmable controller operatively connected to the communication interface and configured to:
• configure the UE with one or more serving cells for communicating with the RAN;
• and
• receive, from the UE, a tune-out message configured to:
• indicate, to the base station, that at least one of a first receiver of the UE monitoring a specific serving cell of the one or more serving cells, and a second receiver of the UE, will temporarily tune-out from the RAN;
• indicate, to the base station, an impact on the one or more serving cells when the UE performs the temporary tune-out;
• and
• identify, to the base station, which of the one or more serving cells will be affected by the temporary tune-out.