Method for facilitating a handover of a communication device, communication device, application server for facilitating a handover of a communication device, and communication system arrangement

A communication device including:

• a first communication section for communicating with a first radio access network;
• a second communication section for communicating with a second radio access network;
• a processing unit being arranged to:
• whilst the communication device is active on the first radio access network, detect a target access node in the second radio access network for communication with the communication device;
• decide to handover the communication device from the first radio access network to the detected target access node in the second radio access network;
• in response to a decision to handover and prior to handing over, initiate an access control process, to authenticate and authorise the communication device for access to the second radio access network, by sending a handover request message via the first radio access network to an application server communicably coupled to the first and second radio access networks to initiate the access control process, the handover request message including identity information of the detected target access node for use in the access control process;
• and
• after the communication device is authenticated and authorised to access the second radio access network whilst the communication device is still active on the first radio access network, initiate communication between the communication device and the detected target access node in the second radio access network and facilitate hand over of the communication device from the first radio access network to the detected target access node in the second radio access network.

An application server for communicating with a first radio access network and a second radio access network for facilitating a handover of a communication device active on a first radio access network to a second radio access network, the application server comprising:

• a receiving element for receiving a handover request message from the communication device via the first radio access network, the handover request message being generated by the communication device in response to detecting a target access node in the second radio access network for communication and deciding to handover the communication device from the first radio access network to the detected target access node in the second radio access network and prior to handing over;
• an access control element for initiating, in response to receipt of the handover request message, an access control process to authenticate and authorise the communication device for access to the second radio access network;
• and
• communication control element for, after the communication device is authenticated and authorised to access the second radio access network whilst the communication device is still active on the first radio access network, initiating communication between the communication device and detected target access node in the second radio access network so as to facilitate handover of the communication device from the first radio access network to the detected target access node in the second radio access network.

A communication system arrangement comprising a first radio access network, a second radio access network and at least one communication device for communicating with the first and second radio access networks, the communication system arrangement further comprising:

• an application server communicably coupled to the first radio access network and the second radio access network for facilitating a handover of a communication device active on the first radio access network to the second radio access network, the application server comprising:
• a receiving element for receiving a handover request message from the communication device via the first radio access network, the handover request message being generated by the communication device in response to detecting a target access node in the second radio access network for communication and deciding to handover the communication device from the first radio access network to the detected target access node in the second radio access network and prior to handing over;
• an access control element for initiating, in response to receipt of the handover request message, an access control process to authenticate and authorise the communication device for access to the second radio access network;
• and
• communication control element for, after the communication device is authenticated and authorised to access the second radio access network whilst the communication device is still active on the first radio access network, initiating communication between the communication device and detected target access node in the second radio access network so as to facilitate handover of the communication device from the first radio access network to the detected target access node in the second radio access network.