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US6904029B2
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Method and apparatus for a source-initiated handoff from a source cellular wireless network to a target non-cellular wireless network
Assignee: Arris Enterprises LLC
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Filing: 2003-01-23
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Granted: 2005-06-07
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Expires: 2023-01-23
Abstract
Abstract To address the need for an apparatus and method for handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network (WLAN, e.g.), the present application describes an access gateway ( 214 ) and a dual mode mobile station ( 201 ) that enable such handoffs. Dual mode MSs can determine when a handoff to a non-cellular network is preferred and request a handin ( 302 ) from the non-cellular network. The access gateway provides information to the MS ( 304 ) so that it can initiate a handoff through the serving cellular network. Triggering handoffs in this manner, allows cellular networks to handle handoffs to non-cellular networks in much the same way they handle inter-MSC handoffs today, i.e., source initiated.
Inventors
- 👤 Chad M. Fors
- 👤 Venkat Gopikanth
- 👤 Raymond M. Liss
- 👤 Robert T. Love
- 👤 Rajesh S. Pazhyannur
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:27
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W36/00; H04W36/0005; H04W36/0055; H04W36/0066; H04W84/00; H04W84/18; H04W88/00; H04W88/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
An access gateway able to facilitate handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network, the access gateway comprising: a network interface; and a cellular interworicing device, communicatively coupled to the network interface, that receives a handin request from a mobile station (MS) via a non-cellular access point and the network interface, that sends a handin request acknowledgment to the MS via the non-cellular access point and the network interface in response to the handin request, that receives a handoff indication from a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the MS, that receives a handoff complete indication from the MS via the non-cellular access point and the network interface, and that sends an indication to the MSC that the MS is on channel, in response to the hand off complete indication.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
An access gateway able to facilitate handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network, the access gateway comprising: a network interface; and a cellular interworicing device, communicatively coupled to the network interface, that receives a handin request from a mobile station (MS) via a non-cellular access point and the network interface, that sends a handin request acknowledgment to the MS via the non-cellular access point and the network interface in response to the handin request, that receives a handoff indication from a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the MS, that receives a handoff complete indication from the MS via the non-cellular access point and the network interface, and that sends an indication to the MSC that the MS is on channel, in response to the hand off complete indication.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The access gateway of claim 1 , wherein the non-cellular access point comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The access gateway of claim 2 , wherein the WLAN access point utilizes wireless signaling of at least one type from the group of signaling types consisting of Bluetooth, HiperLAN 2, and IEEE 802.11.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The access gateway of claim 1 , wherein the network interface sends and receives messaging using an internet protocol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The access gateway of claim 1 , wherein the cellular interworking device performs cellular mobility interworking by interfacing with MSCs and home location registers (HLRs).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The access gateway of claim 5 , wherein the cellular interworking device performs cellular interworking for registration, authentication, and handoff.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The access gateway of claim 5 , wherein the cellular interworking device performs PSTN interworkirig utilizing at least one landline signaling protocol from the group consisting of ISDN User Part (ISUP) and Mutli Frequency R1 (MFR1).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The access gateway of claim 5 , wherein the cellular interworking device performs cellular mobility interworking by interfacing with a circuit gateway.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The access gateway of claim 8 , wherein the cellular interworking device performs cellular mobility interworking by interfacing with a circuit gateway.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for facilitating handoff of a mobile station (MS) from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network comprising: receiving, by an access gateway, a handin request from the MS via a non-cellular access point; sending, by the access gateway in response to the handin request, a handin request acknowledgment to the MS via the non-cellular access point; receiving, by the access gateway, a handoff indication from a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the MS; receiving, by the access gateway, a handoff complete indication from the MS via the non-cellular access point; and sending, by the access gateway in response to the handoff complete indication, an indication that the MS is on channel to the MSC associated with the MS.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for facilitating handoff of a mobile station (MS) from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network comprising: receiving, by an access gateway, a handin request from the MS via a non-cellular access point; sending, by the access gateway in response to the handin request, a handin request acknowledgment to the MS via the non-cellular access point; receiving, by the access gateway, a handoff indication from a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the MS; receiving, by the access gateway, a handoff complete indication from the MS via the non-cellular access point; and sending, by the access gateway in response to the handoff complete indication, an indication that the MS is on channel to the MSC associated with the MS.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the handin request acknowledgment comprises a handoff-target identifier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the handoff-target identifier comprises a cell identifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the handoff-target identifier comprises a value which is predefined to trigger an automatic handoff determination by the cellular wireless network from which the MS is attempting to handoff.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising: receiving, by the access gateway, call information for the MS from the MSC; and routing, by the access gateway, the call information to the MS via the non-cellular access point.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the call information is received via DS0 signaling.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the call information is routed to the non-cellular access point via an internet protocol (IP) network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the call information comprises information of at least one type from the group consisting of voice and video-telephony.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the handoff indication comprises receiving, by the access gateway, a mobile application part (MAP) FACDIR2 message from the MSC.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising sending, by the access gateway, a MAP facdir2 message to the MSC in response to the MAP FACDIR2 message.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein sending the indication that the MS is on channel comprises sending a MAP MSONCH message.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein sending the indication that the MS is on channel comprises sending the indication to the MSC in response to the handoff complete indication from the MS.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the handin request comprises receiving the handin request via an internet protocol (IP) packet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
144 words
A mobile station (MS) able to handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network, the MS comprising: a transmitter; a receiver; and a processor, communicatively coupled to the transmitter and receiver, that sends, via the transmitter, a handin request to an access gateway via a non-cellular access point, that receives, via the receiver, a handin request acknowledgment from the access gateway via the non-cellular access point, that sends, via the transmitter after receiving the handin request acknowledgment, a signal strength message to a serving cellular base site, wherein the signal strength message comprises values intended to trigger a handoff determination, that receives, via the receiver, a handoff release indication from a serving cellular base site, and that sends, via the transmitter and after receiving the handoff release indication, a handoff complete indication to the access gateway via the non-cellular access point.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
144 words
A mobile station (MS) able to handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network, the MS comprising: a transmitter; a receiver; and a processor, communicatively coupled to the transmitter and receiver, that sends, via the transmitter, a handin request to an access gateway via a non-cellular access point, that receives, via the receiver, a handin request acknowledgment from the access gateway via the non-cellular access point, that sends, via the transmitter after receiving the handin request acknowledgment, a signal strength message to a serving cellular base site, wherein the signal strength message comprises values intended to trigger a handoff determination, that receives, via the receiver, a handoff release indication from a serving cellular base site, and that sends, via the transmitter and after receiving the handoff release indication, a handoff complete indication to the access gateway via the non-cellular access point.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for handing off from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network comprising: sending, by a mobile station (MS), a handin request to an access gateway via a non-cellular access point; receiving, by the MS, a handin request acknowledgment from the access gateway via the non-cellular access point; sending, by the MS after receiving the handin request acknowledgment, a signal strength message to a serving cellular base site, wherein the signal strength message comprises values intended to trigger a handoff determination; receiving, by the MS, a handoff release indication from the serving cellular base site; and sending, by the MS after receiving the handoff release indication, a handoff complete indication to the access gateway via the non-cellular access point.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for handing off from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network comprising: sending, by a mobile station (MS), a handin request to an access gateway via a non-cellular access point; receiving, by the MS, a handin request acknowledgment from the access gateway via the non-cellular access point; sending, by the MS after receiving the handin request acknowledgment, a signal strength message to a serving cellular base site, wherein the signal strength message comprises values intended to trigger a handoff determination; receiving, by the MS, a handoff release indication from the serving cellular base site; and sending, by the MS after receiving the handoff release indication, a handoff complete indication to the access gateway via the non-cellular access point.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the handin request comprises an indication of from which cellular wireless network the MS is attempting to handoff.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the handin request comprises a serving cell identifier.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the serving cell identifier comprises a Base Transceiver Station Identity Code (BSIC).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the serving cell identifier comprises a PN offset.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the handin request acknowledgment comprises a handoff-target identifier.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein the handoff-target identifier comprises a cell identifier.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the signal strength message comprises the cell identifier and an artificial signal strength value associated with the cell identifier intended to trigger a handoff of the MS to the non-cellular wireless network identified by the cell identifier.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein the handoff-target identifier comprises a value which is predefined to trigger an automatic handoff determination by the cellular wireless network from which the MS is attempting to handoff.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein the signal strength message comprises the handoff-target identifier in order to trigger a handoff of the MS to the non-cellular wireless network identified by the handoff-target identifier.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the signal strength message comprises a CDMA Pilot Strength Measurement Message (PSMM).
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the signal strength message comprises a message from the group consisting of MEAS_RES (Measurement Result) and MEAS_REP (Measurement Report).
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 24 , further comprising: receiving, by the MS, call information via the serving cellular base site and a mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the MS; and receiving, by the MS, call information via the non-cellular access point, the access gateway, and the MSC.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 36 , wherein receiving call information via the non-cellular access point occurs after sending the handoff complete indication.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 36 , wherein receiving call information via the non-cellular access point further comprises receiving call information via a voice-over-IP (VoIP) protocol.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 38 , wherein the VoIP protocol comprises a protocol from the group consisting of a H.323 protocol, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and a Skinny Protocol.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 24 , further comprising obtaining, by the MS, an IP address for the MS.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 24 , further comprising obtaining, by the MS, an IP address for the access gateway.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 24 , further comprising determining, by the MS, that a handoff from the serving cellular base site to the non-cellular access point is preferred.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein determining that a handoff from the serving cellular base site to the non-cellular access point is preferred comprises determining that a handoff is preferred based on at least one handoff factor from the group consisting of relative signal conditions between cellular and non-cellular networks and relative cost of cellular and non-cellular service.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein sending the handin request comprises sending the handin request via an internet protocol (IP) packet.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein sending the handoff complete indication comprises sending the handoff complete indication via an internet protocol (IP) packet.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the handoff release indication comprises a HND_CMD (handoff command) message from the serving cellular base site.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the handoff release indication comprises a CDMA Handoff Direction Message from the serving cellular base site.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-06-06 | 2008-12-06 | 2009-06-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-06-06 | 2012-12-06 | 2013-06-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-06-06 | 2016-12-06 | 2017-06-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |