Granted Patent B2

US 9,420,612 · App. 11/506,741 · Granted Aug 16, 2016

Inventors: Luis Barreto (Camberley, GB); Juho Pirskanen (Tampere, FI)

Assignee: Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.

H04W76/02H04W76/022H04W92/12H04W92/14

Abstract

Claims (108)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a user equipment, a message including information indicating that a message requesting a radio resource connection and a message requesting initiation of at least one service can be combined into a single message, wherein the received message comprises a system information broadcast message comprising a bit indicating whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into the single message;

at the user equipment in a packet mobility management idle mode, combining, into the single message, the message requesting a radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service, where the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a service-initiation request message that specifies a particular service requested by the user equipment and initiates a signaling connection for the particular requested service, the signaling connection being between the user equipment and a wireless network; and

transmitting, prior to the initiation of the signaling connection between the user equipment and the wireless network, the single message from the user equipment to a network element in the wireless network, the single message being configured to establish the radio resource connection and initiate the signaling connection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the service-initiation request message requests initiation of at least one packet switched service.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

completing a radio resource control connection procedure corresponding to the radio resource control connection request message; and

activating a packet data protocol context corresponding to the service-initiation request message.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a connection management service request message requesting initiation of at least one circuit switched service.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

completing a radio resource control connection procedure corresponding to the radio resource control connection request message; and

activating the at least one circuit switched service corresponding to the connection management service request message.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the radio resource control connection request message comprises a radio resource control: cell update message.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless network comprises a wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the single message is transmitted from the user equipment to the network element using the wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection requests a radio resource connection on the wide-band code division multiple access network, and

wherein the message requesting initiation of the at least one service requests initiation of at least one service on the wide-band code division multiple access network.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising testing the bit in order to determine whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into the single message.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether reception has occurred of a message including information indicating that the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into the single message;

receiving, subsequent to transmission of the single message, a message indicating the radio resource connection has been set up in the wireless network for the user equipment; and

in response to both a determination that reception has not occurred of the message including information indicating that the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into the single message and the message indicating the radio resource connection has been set up in the wireless network, transmitting from the user equipment to the network element a second message comprising the service request message.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the single message comprises a first portion for the message requesting the radio resource connection and a second portion for a bit string,

wherein the bit string comprises an encoded initial direct transfer message including the message requesting initiation of the at least one service, and

wherein the first portion is encoded in accordance with a first protocol and the second portion is encoded in accordance with a second protocol.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first protocol comprises an Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) protocol and the second protocol comprises a non-access stratum protocol.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the single message comprises a first portion for the message requesting the radio resource connection and a second portion for an initial direct transfer message, the initial direct transfer message including the message requesting initiation of the at least one service, and

wherein both the first and second portions are encoded using a single protocol.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

receiving, at a user equipment, a message including information indicating that a message requesting a radio resource connection and a message requesting initiation of at least one service can be combined into a single message, wherein the received message comprises a system information broadcast message comprising a bit indicating whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into the single message;

to combine, into the single message, the message requesting a radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of at least one service, where the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a service-initiation request message that specifies a particular service requested by a user equipment and initiates a signaling connection for the particular requested service, the signaling connection being between the user equipment and a wireless network; and

to transmit, prior to the initiation of the signaling connection between the user equipment and the wireless network, the single message from the apparatus to a network element in the wireless network, the single message being configured to establish the radio resource connection and initiate the signaling connection.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the service-initiation request message requests initiation of at least one packet switched service.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a connection management service request message requesting initiation of at least one circuit switched service.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the wireless network comprises a wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the single message is transmitted from the apparatus to the network element using the wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection requests a radio resource connection on the wide-band code division multiple access network, and

wherein the message requesting initiation of the at least one service requests initiation of at least one service on the wide-band code division multiple access network.

17. A non-transitory computer readable memory tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by one or more data processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a user equipment, a message including information indicating that a message requesting a radio resource connection and a message requesting initiation of at least one service can be combined into a single message, wherein the received message comprises a system information broadcast message comprising a bit indicating whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into the single message;

at the user equipment in a packet mobility management idle mode, combining, into the single message, the message requesting a radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of at least one service, where the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a service-initiation request message that specifies a particular service requested by the user equipment and initiates a signaling connection for the particular requested service, the signaling connection being between the user equipment and a wireless network; and

causing the single message to be transmitted from the user equipment to a network element in a wireless network, wherein the single message is transmitted prior to the initiation of the signaling connection between the user equipment and the wireless network, the single message being configured to establish the radio resource connection and initiate the signaling connection.

18. A method comprising:

transmitting, to a user equipment, a message including information indicating that a message requesting a radio resource connection and a message requesting initiation of at least one service can be combined into a single message, wherein the transmitted message comprises a system information broadcast message comprising a bit indicating whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message can be combined into the single message;

receiving, prior to initiation of a signaling connection between the user equipment and a wireless network, from the user equipment in a packet mobility management idle mode the single message including both the message requesting a radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of at least one service, where the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a service-initiation request message that specifies a particular service requested by the user equipment and initiates a signaling connection for the particular requested service, the signaling connection being between the user equipment and the wireless network;

in response to the message requesting the radio resource connection, performing radio resource control connection establishment for the user equipment in order to establish the radio resource control connection between the user equipment and at least one of a plurality of network elements of the wireless network; and

in response to the message requesting initiation of the at least one service, performing service request initiation procedures for the user equipment, wherein at least part of the radio resource control connection establishment and at least part of the service request initiation procedures are performed in parallel.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the service-initiation request message requests initiation of at least one packet switched service.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

completing a radio resource control connection procedure corresponding to the radio resource control connection request message; and

activating a packet data protocol context corresponding to the service request message.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a connection management service request message requesting initiation of at least one circuit switched service.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

completing a radio resource control connection procedure corresponding to the radio resource control connection request message; and

activating the circuit switched at least one service corresponding to the connection management service request message.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the radio resource control connection request message comprises a radio resource control cell update message.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the wireless network comprises a wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the single message is transmitted from the user equipment to the network element using the wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection requests a radio resource connection on the wide-band code division multiple access network, and

wherein the message requesting initiation of the at least one service requests initiation of at least one service on the wide-band code division multiple access network.

25. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

transmitting, subsequent to reception of the single message and during the radio resource control connection establishment, a radio resource control connection setup message from one of the plurality of network elements to the user equipment;

receiving, subsequent to transmission of the radio resource control connection setup message, another message comprising the message requesting initiation of the at least one service; and

in response to the other message, ignoring at least a portion of the other message comprising the message requesting initiation of the at least one service.

26. The method of claim 18 , wherein the single message comprises a first portion for the message requesting the radio resource connection and a second portion for a bit string,

wherein the bit string comprises an encoded initial direct transfer message including the message requesting the initiation of at least one service, and

wherein the method further comprises forwarding the initial direct transfer message from a first network element to a second network element and determining at the second network element the message requesting initiation of the at least one service from the initial direct transfer message.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection is encoded using a first protocol that is implemented by the first network element, the bit string is encoded using a second protocol that is implemented by the second network element, and

wherein the first network element does not implement the second protocol.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first protocol comprises an Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) protocol and the second protocol comprises a non-access stratum protocol.

29. The method of claim 18 , wherein the single message comprises a first portion for the message requesting the radio resource connection and a second portion for an initial direct transfer message that includes the message requesting initiation of the at least one service,

wherein the first and second portions are encoded using a first protocol, and

wherein the method further comprises at a first network element determining from the initial direct transfer message an initial user equipment message in a second protocol comprising the message requesting initiation of the at least one service and communicating the initial user equipment message in the second protocol to a second network element.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first network element controls performance of the radio resource control connection establishment and the second network element controls performance of the service request initiation procedures.

31. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

transmitting, to a user equipment, a message to the user equipment, the transmitted message including information indicating that a message requesting the radio resource connection and a message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into a single message, wherein the transmitted message comprises a system information broadcast message comprising a bit indicating whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message can be combined into the single message;

to receive, prior to initiation of a signaling connection between the user equipment and a wireless network, from the user equipment in a packet mobility management idle mode the single message including both the message requesting a radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of at least one service, where the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a service-initiation request message that specifies a particular service requested by the user equipment and initiates a signaling connection for the particular requested service, the signaling connection being between the user equipment and the wireless network;

in response to the message requesting the radio resource connection, to perform radio resource control connection establishment for the user equipment in order to establish the radio resource control connection between the user equipment and at least one network element of the wireless network; and

in response to the message requesting initiation of the at least one service, to perform service request initiation procedures for the user equipment,

wherein at least part of the radio resource control connection establishment and at least part of the service request initiation procedures are performed in parallel.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the service-initiation request message requests initiation of at least one packet switched service.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a connection management service request message requesting initiation of at least one circuit switched service.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the apparatus comprises a wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the single message is transmitted from the user equipment to the network element using the wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection requests a radio resource connection on the wide-band code division multiple access network, and

wherein the message requesting initiation of the at least one service requests initiation of at least one service on the wide-band code division multiple access network.

35. A non-transitory computer readable memory tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by one or more data processors to perform operations comprising:

transmitting, to a user equipment, a message to the user equipment, the transmitted message including information indicating that a message requesting the radio resource connection and a message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into a single message, wherein the transmitted message comprises a system information broadcast message comprising a bit indicating whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message can be combined into the single message;

receiving, prior to initiation of a signaling connection between the user equipment and a wireless network, from the user equipment in a packet mobility management idle mode the single message including both the message requesting a radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of at least one service, where the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a service-initiation request message that specifies a particular service requested by the user equipment and initiates a signaling connection for the particular requested service, the radio resource control connection being between the user equipment and the wireless network;

in response to the message requesting the radio resource connection, causing radio resource control connection establishment to be performed for the user equipment in order to establish the radio resource control connection between the user equipment and at least one network element of the wireless network; and

in response to the message requesting initiation of the at least one service, causing service request initiation procedures for the user equipment to be performed,

wherein at least part of the radio resource control connection establishment and at least part of the service request initiation procedures are performed in parallel.

36. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 35 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the service-initiation request message requests initiation of at least one packet switched service.

37. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 35 , wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection comprises a radio resource control connection request message and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a connection management service request message requesting initiation of at least one circuit switched service.

38. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 35 , wherein the wireless network comprises a wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the single message is transmitted from the user equipment to the network element using the wide-band code division multiple access network,

wherein the message requesting the radio resource connection requests a radio resource connection on the wide-band code division multiple access network, and

wherein the message requesting initiation of the at least one service requests initiation of at least one service on the wide-band code division multiple access network.

39. A method comprising:

receiving, at a user equipment, a message including information indicating that a message requesting a radio resource connection and a message requesting initiation of at least one service can be combined into a single message, wherein the received message comprises a system information broadcast message comprising a bit indicating whether or not the message requesting the radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of the at least one service can be combined into the single message;

at the user equipment in a packet mobility management idle mode, combining, into the single message, the message requesting a radio resource connection and the message requesting initiation of at least one service, where the message requesting initiation of the at least one service comprises a service-initiation request message that specifies a particular service requested by the user equipment and initiates a signaling connection for the particular requested service between the user equipment and a wireless network, and transmitting, prior to the initiation of the signaling connection for the particular requested service by the user equipment, the single message from the user equipment to a first network element in the wireless network, the radio resource control connection being between the user equipment and the wireless network;

at the first network element, receiving the single message and, in response to the message requesting the radio resource connection, performing radio resource control connection establishment for the user equipment in order to establish the radio resource control connection between the user equipment and at least one of a plurality of network elements of a wireless network; and

at a second network element in the wireless network, in response to the message requesting initiation of the at least one service, performing service request initiation procedures for the user equipment,

wherein at least part of the radio resource control connection establishment and at least part of the service request initiation procedures are performed in parallel.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (2)