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US 8,897,790 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for handover procedure in communication network with relay extension
AssigneeNokia Siemens Networks Oy
InventorsJyri Kalervo Hamalainen, Bernhard Raaf, Oumer Teyeb, Vinh Van Phan
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Abstract
An enhanced solution for controlling a handover procedure for handing a terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell in a communication network with relay nodes is provided. In the solution, the relay nodes actively assist in the handover procedure by, for instance, initiating the handover procedure, configuring a relayed link and buffering user data at the relay node.
Claims33
A method, comprising:
- utilizing a handover procedure for handing a terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell;
- receiving handover-related data from the terminal device at a source relay node;
- determining, by the source relay node, the need for a handover of the terminal device from the source relay node to a target node on the basis of the received handover-related data;
- receiving, by the source relay node an enquiry from a source central node controlling the source relay node about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover so that the source central node can determine whether the source relay node is capable of assisting in the handover;
- transmitting, by the source relay node to the source central node a capability information message about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- receiving, by the source relay node from the source central node a capability information confirm message confirming that the source central node has knowledge about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- and
- initiating the handover procedure at the source relay node by transmitting a handover request to the source central node controlling the source relay node and releasing resources allocated to the terminal device, if it has been determined by the source relay node that there is a need for the handover of the terminal device, so that the terminal device is handed over from the source cell to the target cell and terminal device-related user data transmission is suspended to the source relay node.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- utilizing a handover procedure for handing a terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell;
- receiving a handover request from a source relay node at a source central node;
- transmitting, by the source central node controlling the source relay node, an enquiry about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover so that the source central node can determine whether the source relay node is capable of assisting in the handover;
- receiving, by the source central node from the source relay node a capability information message about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- transmitting, by the source central node to the source relay node a capability information confirm message confirming that the source central node has knowledge about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- and
- suspending terminal device-related user data transmission to the source relay node, whereby the handover procedure is initiated at the source relay node by transmitting the handover request to the source central node controlling the source relay node and resources allocated to the terminal device are released, if it has been determined by the source relay node that there is a need for the handover of the terminal device from the source relay node to the target node on the basis of handover-related data received by the source relay node from the terminal device, so that the terminal device is handed over from the source cell to the target cell.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more memories including computer program code,
- the one or more memories and the computer program code configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
- utilize a handover procedure for handing a terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell;
- receive handover-related data from the terminal device at a source relay node;
- determine, at the source relay node, the need for a handover of the terminal device from the source relay node to a target node on the basis of the received handover-related data;
- receive, by the source relay node an enquiry from a source central node controlling the source relay node about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover so that the source central node can determine whether the source relay node is capable of assisting in the handover;
- transmit, by the source relay node to the source central node a capability information message about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- receive, by the source relay node from the source central node a capability information confirm message confirming that the source central node has knowledge about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- and
- initiate the handover procedure at the source relay node by transmitting a handover request to the source central node controlling the source relay node and releasing resources allocated to the terminal device, if it has been determined by the source relay node that there is a need for the handover of the terminal device, so that the terminal device is handed over from the source cell to the target cell and terminal device-related user data transmission is suspended to the source relay node.
9 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores program instructions, the execution of which result in operations that comprise:
- receiving handover-related data from the terminal device at a source relay node;
- determining, at the source relay node, the need for a handover of the terminal device from the source relay node to a target node on the basis of the received handover-related data;
- receiving, by the source relay node an enquiry from a source central node controlling the source relay node about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover so that the source central node can determine whether the source relay node is capable of assisting in the handover;
- transmitting, by the source relay node to the source central node a capability information message about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- receiving, by the source relay node from the source central node a capability information confirm message confirming that the source central node has knowledge about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- and
- initiating the handover procedure at the source relay node by transmitting a handover request to the source central node controlling the source relay node and releasing resources allocated to the terminal device, if it has been determined by the source relay node that there is a need for the handover of the terminal device, so that the terminal device is handed over from the source cell to the target cell and terminal device-related user data transmission is suspended to the source relay node.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more memories including computer program code,
- the one or more memories and the computer program code configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
- utilize a handover procedure for handing a terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell;
- receive a handover request;
- transmit the handover request from the apparatus to a target central node;
- transmit, by the apparatus controlling the source relay node, an enquiry about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover so that the apparatus can determine whether the source relay node is capable of assisting in the handover;
- receive, by the apparatus from the source relay node a capability information message about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- transmit, by the apparatus to the source relay node a capability information confirm message confirming that the apparatus has knowledge about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- and
- suspend terminal device-related user data transmission to the source relay node, whereby the handover procedure is initiated at the source relay node by transmitting a handover request to the apparatus controlling the source relay node and resources allocate to tie terminal device are released, if it has been determined by the source relay node that there is a need for the handover of the terminal device from the source relay node to the target node on the basis of handover-related date received by the source relay node from the terminal device, so that the terminal device is handed over from the source cell to the target cell.
9 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores program instructions, the execution of which result in operations that comprise:
- utilizing a handover procedure for handing a terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell;
- receiving a handover request;
- transmitting the handover request to a target central node;
- transmitting, from an apparatus controlling the source relay node, an enquiry about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover to enable a determination of whether the source relay node is capable of assisting in the handover;
- receiving from the source relay node a capability information message about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- transmitting to the source relay node a capability information confirm message confirming knowledge about the collaborating capabilities of the source relay node regarding the handover;
- and
- suspending terminal device-related user data transmission to the source relay node, whereby the handover procedure is initiated at the source relay node by transmitting a handover request to the apparatus controlling the source relay node and resources allocated to the terminal device are released, if it has been determined by the source relay node that there is a need for the handover of the terminal device from the source relay node to the target node on the basis of handover-related data received by the source relay node from the terminal device, so that the terminal device is handed over from the source cell to the target cell.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.