Circuit service tunneling methods and user equipment thereof

1. A user equipment connected to a first mobile service network providing packet-switched domain services, comprising:

a first communications protocol module for communicating with the first mobile service network;

a circuit switch tunneling control module for establishing a circuit service tunnel, via the first mobile service network, from the user equipment to an interworking node of a second mobile service network providing circuit-switched domain services, wherein the interworking node is connecting the second mobile service network to the first mobile service network; and

a circuit switch tunneling data module for transmitting a circuit service tunneling message for the second mobile service network via the circuit service tunnel,

wherein the circuit switch tunneling control module further receives a measurement request from the second mobile service network, performs a pilot measurement on the first mobile service network, and transmits a measurement result obtained from the pilot measurement to the second mobile service network.

2. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the circuit service tunneling message comprises any combination of the following:

a logical channel indication information indicating that a shared signaling channel or a dedicated signaling channel is being used to transmit the circuit service tunneling message; and

a protocol revision information indicating that a protocol level is being used for the circuit-service tunneling message.

3. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the circuit service tunneling message carries data from a Link Access Control layer providing a layer-to-layer message acknowledgment mechanism to ensure the delivery of the circuit service tunneling message.

4. The user equipment of claim 1 , further comprising a second communications protocol module for communicating with the second mobile service network.

5. The user equipment of claim 4 , wherein the circuit switch tunneling control module is further configured to:

receive a system information block from the first mobile service network via the first communications protocol module;

transmit a plurality of registration parameters indicated in the system information block to the second communications protocol module;

transmit a parameter request to the first mobile service network via the first communications protocol module in response to a request from the second communications protocol module;

receive a parameter response from the first mobile service network via the first communications protocol module; and

transmit a plurality of configuration parameters indicated in the parameter response to the second mobile service network.

6. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the circuit switch tunneling data module further receives another circuit service tunneling message from the second mobile service network.

7. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the second mobile service network is one of the following:

a Code-Division Multiple-Access 2000 system;

a Code-Division Multiple-Access 1x Evolution-Data Optimized system;

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access system; and

a High Rate Packed Data system.

8. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the second mobile service network further transmits a circuit service tunneling acknowledgement message to inform the user equipment that the circuit service tunneling message has been received when receiving the circuit-service tunneling message.

9. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the circuit switch tunneling control module enters an inactive state in response to initializing the user equipment or the first communications protocol module, and enters an active state in response to the user equipment connecting to the first mobile service network.

10. A circuit service tunneling method for a user equipment connected to a first mobile service network providing packet-switched domain services, comprising:

communicating with the first mobile service network via a first communications protocol module;

establishing a circuit service tunnel, via the first mobile service network, from the user equipment to an interworking node of a second mobile service network providing circuit-switched domain services, wherein the interworking node is connecting the second mobile service network to the first mobile service network;

transmitting a circuit service tunneling message for the second mobile service network via the circuit service tunnel;

performing a pilot measurement on the first mobile service network when receiving a measurement request from the second mobile service network; and

transmitting a measurement result obtained from the pilot measurement to the second mobile service network.

11. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 10 , wherein the circuit service tunneling message comprises any combination of the following:

a logical channel indication information indicating that a shared signaling channel or a dedicated signaling channel is being used to transmit the circuit service tunneling message; and

a protocol revision information indicating that a protocol level is being used for the circuit-service tunneling message.

12. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 10 , wherein the circuit service tunneling message carries data from a Link Access Control layer providing a layer-to-layer message acknowledgment mechanism to ensure the delivery of the circuit service tunneling message.

13. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 10 , further comprising communicating with the second mobile service network via a second communications protocol module.

14. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving a system information block from the first mobile service network via the first communications protocol module;

transmitting a plurality of registration parameters indicated in the system information block to the second communications protocol module;

transmitting a parameter request to the first mobile service network via the first communications protocol module in response to a request from the second communications protocol module;

receiving a parameter response from the first mobile service network via the first communications protocol module; and

transmitting a plurality of configuration parameters indicated in the parameter response to the second mobile service network.

15. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving another circuit service tunneling message from the second mobile service network.

16. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 11 , wherein the second mobile service network is one of the following:

a Code-Division Multiple-Access 2000 system;

a Code-Division Multiple-Access 1x Evolution-Data Optimized system;

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access system; and

a High Rate Packed Data system.

17. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 10 , wherein the second mobile service network further transmits a circuit service tunneling acknowledgement message to inform the user equipment that the circuit service tunneling message has been received when receiving the circuit-service tunneling message.

18. The circuit service tunneling method of claim 10 , further comprising activating the establishing of the circuit service tunnel in response to initializing the user equipment or the first communications protocol module, and activating the establishing of the circuit service tunnel in response to the user equipment connecting to the first mobile service network.

19. A user equipment connected to a first mobile service network providing packet-switched domain services, comprising:

a first communications protocol module for communicating with the first mobile service network;

a circuit switch tunneling control module for establishing a circuit service tunnel between the first mobile service network and a second mobile service network providing circuit-switched domain services, wherein the circuit service tunnel is established by the user equipment; and

a circuit switch tunneling data module for transmitting a circuit service tunneling message from the first communications protocol module to the second mobile service network via the circuit service tunnel,

wherein the circuit switch tunneling control module further receives a measurement request from the second mobile service network, performs a pilot measurement on the first mobile service network, and transmits a measurement result obtained from the pilot measurement to the second mobile service network.

20. A circuit service tunneling method for a user equipment connected to a first mobile service network providing packet-switched domain services, comprising:

communicating with the first mobile service network via a first communications protocol module;

establishing a circuit service tunnel between the first mobile service network and a second mobile service network providing circuit-switched domain services, wherein the circuit service tunnel is established by the user equipment;

transmitting a circuit service tunneling message from the first communications protocol module to the second mobile service network via the circuit service tunnel;

performing a pilot measurement on the first mobile service network when receiving a measurement request from the second mobile service network; and

transmitting a measurement result obtained from the pilot measurement to the second mobile service network.