Handling of access capability information in a mobile network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9294993-B2
Application number	US-201013380161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2010
Priority date	Jun 30, 2009
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

In a mobile network with a plurality of access networks ( 210, 220 ), a control node ( 110 ) which is controlling access of a user equipment ( 300 ) to that one of the access networks ( 210, 220 ) which is currently used by the user equipment ( 300 ) determines an access capability of the user equipment ( 300 ) in said access network ( 210, 220 ), e.g. support of voice communication over packet switched access. The control node ( 110 ) provides an indication of the determined access capability to a subscriber database ( 150 ) associated with the user equipment ( 300 ). The indication may then be retrieved from the subscriber database ( 150 ) and be used to control termination of a connection to the user equipment ( 300 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of supporting control of user equipment communications in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, comprising:
in a control node which is controlling access of a user equipment to that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment, determining an access capability of the user equipment in said access network, said access capability comprising support of voice communication over packet switched access; and
providing an indication of the determined access capability to a subscriber database associated with the user equipment.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indication is provided in response to the user equipment attaching to the mobile network.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indication is provided in response to the user equipment moving to said access network from another one of the access networks.

4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
determining if the access capability has changed; and
if the access capability has changed, providing the indication to the subscriber database.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the access capability comprises at least one of support of circuit switched fallback for short message service, support of circuit switched fallback for voice service, and idle mode signaling reduction being active or not.

6. A method of controlling communication of a user equipment in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, comprising:
receiving, from a subscriber database associated with the user equipment, an indication of an access capability of the user equipment in that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment, said access capability comprising support of voice communication over packet switched access; and
on the basis of the received indication, controlling termination of a connection to the user equipment.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the access capability comprises at least one of support of circuit switched fallback for short message service, support of circuit switched fallback for voice service, and idle mode signaling reduction being active or not.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising if the received indication indicates support of voice communication over packet switched access, deciding to terminate the connection using voice communication over packet switched access.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein if the received indication indicates no support of voice communication over packet switched access, deciding to terminate the connection using circuit switched access.

10. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising requesting the indication by sending a message to the subscriber database.

11. A method of controlling communication of a user equipment in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, comprising:
receiving, in a subscriber database associated with the user equipment, an indication of an access capability of the user equipment in that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment, said access capability comprising support of voice communication over packet switched access;
storing the indication in the subscriber database; and
transmitting the indication from the subscriber database to a server configured to control termination of connections to the user equipment.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the access capability comprises at least one of support of circuit switched fallback for short message service, support of circuit switched fallback for voice service, and idle mode signaling reduction being active or not.

13. A control node in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, the control node comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit communication signals over the mobile network;
one or more processing circuits communicatively coupled to the transmitter and configured to:
control access of a user equipment to that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment;
determine an access capability of the user equipment in said access network, said access capability comprising support of voice communication over packet switched access; and
transmit an indication of the determined access capability to a subscriber database associated with the user equipment via the transmitter.

14. A server for use in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, the server comprising:
a receiver configured to receive communication signals over the mobile network;
one or more processing circuits communicatively coupled to the receiver and configured to:
control providing of terminating connections to a user equipment;
receive, from a subscriber database associated with the user equipment via the receiver, an indication of an access capability of the user equipment in that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment, said access capability comprising support of voice communication over packet switched access; and
control termination of a connection to the user equipment on the basis of the received indication.

15. A subscriber database network node to be used in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, the subscriber database network node comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit communication signals over the mobile network;
a receiver configured to receive communication signals over the mobile network;
one or more processing circuits communicatively coupled to the transmitter and receiver, the one or more processing circuits configured to:
receive, via the receiver, an indication of an access capability of a user equipment in that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment from a control node controlling access of the user equipment to said access network, said access capability comprising support of voice communication over packet switched access;
store the indication; and
transmit the indication to a server configured to control termination of a connection to the user equipment via the transmitter;

wherein the subscriber database network node is associated with the user equipment.

16. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores computer-executable process steps for controlling communication of a user equipment in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, said computer-executable process steps causing a processor of a network device to perform the steps of:
in a control node which is controlling access of the user equipment to that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment, determining an access capability of the user equipment in said access network, said access capability comprising support of voice communication over packet switched access; and
providing an indication of the determined access capability to a subscriber database associated with the user equipment.

17. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores computer-executable process steps for controlling communication of a user equipment in a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, said computer-executable process steps causing a processor of a network device to perform the steps of:
receiving, from a subscriber database associated with the user equipment, an indication of an access capability of the user equipment in that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment, said access capability

Assignees

• Keller Ralf
• Hedman Peter
• Lindholm Fredrik
• Olsson Magnus
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Keller Ralf
• Hedman Peter
• Lindholm Fredrik
• Olsson Magnus

Classifications

• H04W60/04

  using triggered events · CPC title

• H04W48/18 Primary

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W8/20 Primary

  Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04W48/08

  Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery (signalling during connection H04W76/00) · CPC title