Interworking with legacy radio access technologies for connectivity to next generation core network

An interworking core network serving node for interworking between a first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, the interworking core network serving node comprising:

• an interface communicatively coupled to a first wireless access network utilizing the first RAT;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the interface and the memory, the processor configured to:
• receive a handover request for performing a handover of a user equipment from the first wireless access network to a second wireless access network utilizing the second RAT, the handover request including an identifier of a target cell within the second wireless access network;
• identify a first core network serving node within the second core network based on the identifier of the target cell;
• and
• forward the handover request to the first core network serving node to complete the handover;
• wherein the first RAT provides connectivity to the one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
• wherein the second RAT provides connectivity to one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows.

An interworking core network serving node apparatus for interworking between a first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, the interworking core network serving node apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a handover request for performing a handover of a user equipment from a first wireless access network utilizing the first RAT to a second wireless access network utilizing the second RAT, the handover request including an identifier of a target cell within the second wireless access network;
• means for identifying a first core network serving node within the second core network based on the identifier of the target cell;
• and
• means for forwarding the handover request to the first core network serving node to complete the handover;
• wherein the first RAT provides connectivity to the one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
• wherein the second RAT provides connectivity to one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows

A method for performing a handover between a first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, comprising:

• receiving, at a first core network serving node, a handover request for performing a handover of a user equipment from a first wireless access network utilizing the first RAT to a second wireless access network utilizing the second RAT, the handover request including an identifier of a target cell for the handover;
• selecting the second wireless access network corresponding to the identifier of the target cell;
• and
• communicating with the second wireless access network to complete the handover;
• wherein the first RAT provides connectivity to the one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
• wherein the second RAT provides connectivity to one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows.

A first core network serving node for performing a handover between a first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, comprising:

• an interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the interface and the memory, the processor configured to:
• receive a handover request for performing a handover of a user equipment from a first wireless access network utilizing the first RAT to a second wireless access network utilizing the second RAT, the handover request including an identifier of a target cell for the handover;
• select the second wireless access network corresponding to the identifier of the target cell;
• and
• communicate with the second wireless access network via the interface to complete the handover;
• wherein the first RAT provides connectivity to the one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
• wherein the second RAT provides connectivity to one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows.

A first core network serving node apparatus for performing a handover between a first core network supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second core network supporting a second RAT, the first core network serving node apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a handover request for performing a handover of a user equipment from a first wireless access network utilizing the first RAT to a second wireless access network utilizing the second RAT, the handover request including an identifier of a target cell for the handover;
• means for selecting the second wireless access network corresponding to the identifier of the target cell;
• and
• means for communicating with the second wireless access network to complete the handover;
• wherein the first RAT provides connectivity to the one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more Packet Data Network (PDN) connections;
• wherein the second RAT provides connectivity to one or more data networks via the second core network based on at least one or more Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows.