US 9,854,481 B2 · Method and apparatus for maintaining service continuity of user equipment after tracking area is updated

Abstract

Provided are a method and an apparatus for maintaining service continuity of a UE after a tracking area is updated. In the method, after a UE initiates a TAU request, an MME judges whether an updated target SGW is the same as a source SGW (S302); in a case where a judgment result is that the updated target SGW is not the same as the source SGW, the MME further judges whether an eNodeB currently accessed by the UE is changed (S304); and in a case where the eNodeB is not changed, the MME selects the target SGW to serve the UE and sends the eNodeB a notification message indicating that the UE is switched over to a serving area of the target SGW, or the MME stops selecting an SGW for the UE but directly instructs the UE to continue to be served by the source SGW (S306).

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for maintaining service continuity of a user equipment after a tracking area is updated, comprising:

after a user equipment (UE) initiates a tracking area update (TAU) request, a mobility management entity (MME) judging whether an updated target serving gateway (SGW) is the same as a source serving gateway (SGW);
in a case where a judgment result is that the updated target SGW is not the same as the source SGW, the MME further judging whether an evolved base station (eNodeB) currently accessed by the UE is changed;
and
in a case where the eNodeB is not changed, the MME stopping selecting an SGW for the UE but directly instructing the UE to continue to be served by the source SGW.

1 more element

An apparatus located in a mobility management entity (MME) for maintaining service continuity of a user equipment after a tracking area is updated, comprises a hardware processor, configured to perform programming components stored in a memory, wherein the programming components comprise:

a first judgment component, to determine, whether an updated target serving gateway (SGW) is the same as a source serving gateway (SGW), after a user equipment (UE) initiates a tracking area update (TAU) request;
a second judgment component, to determine whether an evolved base station (eNodeB) currently accessed by the UE is changed, when the first judgment component is that the updated target SGW is not the same as the source SGW;
and
an execution component, to stop selecting an SGW for the UE but directly instruct the UE to continue to be served by the source SGW, when the second judgment component determines that the eNodeB currently accessed by the UE is not changed.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for maintaining service continuity of user equipment after tracking area is updated

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for maintaining service continuity of user equipment after tracking area is updated

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8