Systems and methods for improving circuit switched fallback performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9264945-B2
Application number	US-201113293996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2011
Priority date	Nov 11, 2010
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for improving Circuit Switched (CS) Fallback performance, such as in an LTE network, are described. In one aspect, a UE may perform a RAU procedure before performing a CS call setup procedure when the UE has camped on a Non-DTM GERAN target after failing to access a redirection target. In another aspect, an MME may determine whether to perform a PS suspension based on an ISR status associated with a user terminal. In another aspect, an eNB may send information associated with a PS suspension to a user terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing communications in a multi-mode environment, the method comprising:
receiving, at a user terminal, a redirection target from a network entity;
detecting a failure to connect to the redirection target;
searching, responsive to the failure, for an alternative target;
camping on a cell of the alternative target; and
performing at least one of a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure and a Circuit Switched (CS) call setup procedure while camped on the cell.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the redirection target uses a first Radio Access Technology (RAT) different from a second RAT used by the alternative target.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the RAU procedure before performing the CS call setup procedure.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the RAU procedure in parallel with the CS call setup procedure.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, at the user terminal, whether to perform the RAU procedure in advance of the CS call setup procedure based on at least one of an operator preference, a user preference, an operator policy, or a user policy.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the at least one of the RAU procedure and the CS call setup procedure based in part on a configuration status of a multi-mode environment (MME) serving the user terminal.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium holding encoded instructions for causing a user terminal of a wireless communication network to:
receive a redirection target from a network entity;
detect a failure to connect to the redirection target;
search, responsive to the failure, for an alternative target;
camp on a cell of the alternative target; and
perform at least one of a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure and a Circuit Switched (CS) call setup procedure while camped on the cell.

8. A communication apparatus, comprising:
a transmitter module configured to communicate with a plurality of base stations using different Radio Access Technologies (RATs);
a receiver module configured to receive a redirection target from a network entity;
a processor module coupled to the transmitter module and to the receiver module, configured to:
detect a failure to connect to the redirection target;
search, in conjunction with the receiver module, for an alternative target in response to the failure;
initiate a process to camp on a cell of the alternative target; and
initiate at least one of a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure and a Circuit Switched (CS) call setup procedure in conjunction with the transmitter module while camped on the cell.

9. The communication apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor module is further configured to determine that the redirection target uses a first Radio Access Technology (RAT) different from a second RAT used by the alternative target.

10. The communication apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor module is further configured to determine whether to perform the RAU procedure in advance of the CS call setup procedure based on at least one of an operator preference, a user preference, an operator policy, or a user policy.

11. The communication apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor module is further configured to perform the at least one of the RAU procedure and the CS call setup procedure based in part on a configuration status of a multi-mode environment (MME).

12. A communication apparatus, comprising:
means for receiving a redirection target;
means for detecting a failure to connect to the redirection target;
means for searching, responsive to the failure, for an alternative target;
means for camping on a cell of the alternative target; and
means for performing at least one of a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure and a Circuit Switched (CS) call setup procedure while camped on the cell.

13. A method for providing communications in a multi-mode environment, the method comprising:
receiving, at a user terminal, a redirection target from a network entity;
detecting a failure to connect to the redirection target;
camping, responsive to the failure, on a cell associated with an alternative target; and
determining whether to perform a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure while camped on the cell.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining when to perform a Circuit Switched (CS) call setup procedure in response to the determining whether to perform a RAU procedure.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining when to perform the CS call setup procedure based in part on which of at least one Radio Access Technology (RAT) is in use by the redirection target and the alternative target.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining when to perform a Circuit Switched (CS) call setup procedure based at least in part on determining an Idle Mode Signaling Reduction (ISR) status of the user terminal.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising communicating with the network entity via a cell of a first network using a first Radio Access Technology (RAT) when receiving the redirection target, wherein the redirection target uses a second RAT different from the first RAT.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising receiving Packet Service (PS) suspension information for a suspension of PS to the user terminal in connection with receiving the redirection target.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising determining whether to perform the RAU procedure further based on the PS suspension information.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining whether the redirection target is Dual Transfer Mode (DTM) capable.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising determining whether to perform the RAU procedure based at least in part on whether the redirection target is DTM capable.

22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising receiving information in one or more system information blocks (SIBs) from the network entity for determining whether the redirection target is DTM capable.

23. The method of claim 20 , further comprising receiving information from the network entity in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Release Request for determining whether the redirection target is DTM capable.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium holding encoded instructions for causing a user terminal of a wireless communication network to:
receive a redirection target from a network entity;
detect a failure to connect to the redirection target;
camp on a cell associated with an alternative target; and
determine whether to perform a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure while camped on the cell.

25. A communication apparatus, comprising:
a transmitter module configured to communicate with a plurality of base stations using different Radio Access Technologies (RATs);
a receiver module configured to receive a redirection target from a network entity;
a processor module coupled to the transmitter module and to the receiver module, and configured to:
detect a failure to connect to the redirection target;
initiate a process to camp on a cell associated with an alternative target; and
determine whether to perform a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure while camped on the cell.

26. The communication apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the processor module is further configu

Assignees

• Ramachandran Shyamal
• Zhu Xipeng
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Ramachandran Shyamal
• Zhu Xipeng

Classifications

• H04W60/04

  using triggered events · CPC title

• H04W36/0022 Primary

  for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies · CPC title

• H04W36/14

  Reselecting a network or an air interface · CPC title

• H04W36/144 Primary

  over a different radio air interface technology · CPC title

• H04W36/00224

  between packet switched [PS] and circuit switched [CS] network technologies, e.g. circuit switched fallback [CSFB] · CPC title