Method and apparatus decreasing handover latency in heterogeneous networks

A method used by a Media Independent Handover Server (MIHS) for decreasing handover latency between a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a mobile terminal (MT), when a first handover is performed, context including first network access information that is used by the MT to access the first network;
• receiving, from the MT, a request for information for the MT to use to perform a second handover comprising the first network access information that was previously used by the MT to access the first network access;
• and
• transmitting, to the MT, through the second network when a second handover is performed, information for the MT to use to perform the second handover from the second network back to the first network without a network scanning procedure, a ranging procedure, a security authentication procedure, a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) binding update procedure, and a service registration procedure, the information comprising the previously received first network access information,
• wherein the MIHS manages a profile of information varied in real-time, and the profile of information comprises at least one of Internet Protocol address of the MT, authentication information, and a using service characteristic.

A system for decreasing handover latency from a first network to a second network, the system comprising:

• a mobile terminal (MT) for transmitting to a Media Independent Handover Server (MIHS) context including first network access information that is used by the MT to access the first network, when a first handover is performed from the first network to the second network, for receiving from the MIHS the previously transmitted first network access information through the currently used second network, when a second handover is performed from the second network to the first network, and for performing the second handover from the second network back to the first network without a network scanning procedure, a ranging procedure, a security authentication procedure, a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) binding update procedure, and a service registration procedure, based on the first network access information received from the MIHS and which was previously transmitted from the MT to the MIHS;
• and
• the MIHS for receiving from the MT the context including the first network access information that is used by the MT to access the first network, receiving from the MT a request for the previously transmitted first network access information, and transmitting to the MT the previously transmitted first network access information for the MT to use to perform the second handover from the second network back to the first network without a negotiation process,
• wherein the MIHS manages a profile of information varied in real-time, and the profile of information comprises at least one of Internet Protocol address of the MT, authentication information, and a using service characteristic.

A mobile terminal (MT) apparatus for decreasing handover latency from a first network to a second network, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory for storing first network access information that is used to access the first network;
• and
• a controller for controlling the handover latency by controlling the memory,
• wherein, when a first handover is performed from the first network to the second network, the MT transmits to a Media Independent Handover Server (MIHS) context including the first network access information that is used to access the first network, when a second handover is performed from the second network to the first network, the MT receives from the MIHS the previously transmitted first network access information, and the MT performs the second handover from the second network back to the first network without a network scanning procedure, a ranging procedure, a security authentication procedure, a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) binding update procedure, and a service registration procedure, based on the first network access information received from the MIHS and which was previously transmitted from the MT to the MIHS, and
• wherein the MIHS manages a profile of information varied in real-time, and the profile of information comprises at least one of Internet Protocol address of the MT, authentication information, and a using service characteristic.

A Media Independent Handover Server (MIHS) apparatus for decreasing handover latency from a first network to a second network, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory for storing first network access information that is used by a mobile terminal (MT) to access the first network;
• and
• a controller for controlling the handover latency by controlling the memory,
• wherein the first network access information that is used by the MT to access the first network is received as context from the MT when a first handover is performed, and when a request for information for the MT to use to perform a second handover comprising the first network access information used for first network access is received from the MT, the MIHS transmits the information for the MT to use to perform the second handover from the second network back to the first network without a network scanning procedure, a ranging procedure, a security authentication procedure, a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) binding update procedure, and a service registration procedure, the information comprising the previously received first network access information, to the MT, when the second handover is performed, and
• wherein the MIHS manages a profile of information varied in real-time, and the profile of information comprises at least one of Internet Protocol address of the MT, authentication information, and a using service characteristic.