Path establishment method, access network switching method, access network switching apparatus, mobile station, and proxy access network switching apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9516556-B2
Application number	US-66373608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2008
Priority date	Jun 18, 2007
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

In a mobile communication system including a mobile station, an access apparatus for performing connection control between the mobile station and an access network, and an access network switching apparatus for switching access networks to communicate with the mobile station, the mobile station establishes a first path to communicate with the access apparatus, when the mobile station enters a coverage area of the access apparatus. The access apparatus establishes a second path to communicate with the access network switching apparatus when the first path is established. The access network switching apparatus switches the access networks when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An access network switching method in a mobile communication system including a mobile station, a first access apparatus, and an access network switching apparatus, comprising the steps of:
performing, by the first access apparatus, a connection control between the mobile station and a first access network, the first access network complying with GTP;
performing, by the second access apparatus, a connection control between the mobile station and a second access network, the second access network complying with PMIP;
establishing, by the mobile station, a connection to communicate with the access network switching apparatus via the second access apparatus before transmitting a path switching signal, when the mobile station enters a coverage area of the second access network while communicating over the first access network;
transmitting, by the mobile station, the path switching signal including an indication for switching to a particular bearer selected from plural bearers to the access network switching apparatus, the plural bearers being established in the second access network for communicating with the access network switching apparatus; and
switching, by the access network switching apparatus, from the first access network to the second access network to allow the mobile station to use the particular bearer, when the access network switching apparatus receives the path switching signal from the mobile station.

2. The access network switching method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the path switching signal is a Binding Update.

3. The access network switching method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
when the access network switching apparatus receives the path switching signal from the mobile station while a connection between the second access apparatus and the access network switching apparatus has not been established,
the step of switching comprises establishing, by the access network switching apparatus, a connection to communicate with the mobile station via the second access apparatus and switching from the first access network to the second access network.

4. The access network switching method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving, by the mobile station, a condition for switching access networks from the access network switching apparatus or the second access apparatus, wherein
the step of transmitting comprises transmitting, by the mobile station, the path switching signal when the condition for switching access networks is satisfied.

5. The access network switching method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the step of transmitting comprises transmitting, by the mobile station, a path switching signal to the access network switching apparatus via a proxy access network switching apparatus; and
the step of switching comprises switching from the first access network to the second access network, when the access network switching apparatus receives the path switching signal from the proxy access network switching apparatus.

6. An access network switching apparatus, connected to a first access apparatus and a second access apparatus, comprising:
a connection establishing unit configured to establish a connection to communicate with the mobile station via the second access apparatus before receiving a path switching signal, when the mobile station enters a coverage area of a second access network while communicating over a first access network, wherein a connection control between the mobile station and the first access network is performed by the first access apparatus and a connection control between the mobile station and the second access network is performed by the second access apparatus, the first access network complying with GTP and the second access network complying with PMIP; and
a path switching unit configured to switch access networks, when the path switching signal including an indication for switching, to a particular bearer selected from plural bearers is received from the mobile station, the plural bearers being established in the second access network for communicating with the mobile station.

7. The access network switching apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
the path switching signal is a Binding Update.

8. A mobile station for communicating with an access network switching apparatus, comprising:
a connection establishing unit configured to establish a connection to communicate with the access network switching apparatus via an access apparatus for performing connection control for a second access network before transmitting a path switching signal, when the mobile station enters a coverage area of the second access network while communicating over a first access network, wherein a connection control between the mobile station and the first access network is performed by a first access apparatus and a connection control between the mobile station and the second access network is performed by a second access apparatus, the first access network complying with GTP and the second access network complying with PMIP; and
a path switching instructing unit configured to transmit the path switching signal including an indication for switching to a particular bearer selected from plural bearers to the access network switching apparatus, the plural bearers being established in the second access network for communicating with the access network switching apparatus.

9. The mobile station as claimed in claim 8 , wherein:
the path switching signal is a Binding Update.

Assignees

• Nishida Katsutoshi
• Tanabe Akimichi
• Ntt Docomo Inc

Inventors

• Nishida Katsutoshi
• Tanabe Akimichi

Classifications

• H04W80/04

  Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol] · CPC title

• H04W40/36

  due to handover · CPC title

• H04W88/182

  Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy · CPC title

• H04W36/14

  Reselecting a network or an air interface · CPC title

• H04W36/0016 Primary

  Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions · CPC title