Granted Patent B2

US 8,861,433 · App. 12/817,154 · Granted Oct 14, 2014

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. In an access device associated with a first network cell, a method for enabling user equipment (UE) to obtain a service unavailable through the first network cell, the method comprising:

receiving a request for the UE to access the service; and

identifying, in a message to the UE, a plurality of second network cells providing the service and system information of the plurality of second network cells.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service is voice.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service is circuit-switched voice.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network cell does not provide the service.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network cell provides the service using a protocol incompatible with the UE's capability.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received from the UE.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is a response to a paging message.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message directs the UE to connect to one of the plurality of second network cells.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message directs the UE to switch from a first radio access network associated with the first network cell to a second radio access network.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message directs the UE to release a connection with the access device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message identifies location areas of the plurality of second network cells.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network cell and the plurality of second network cells employ different radio access technologies (RAT).

13. In an evolved Node B (eNB) associated with a first network cell in an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), a method for enabling user equipment (UE) to obtain a service not available through the first network cell, the method comprising:

connecting with the UE;

receiving a request for the UE to access the service; and

identifying, in a message to the UE, a plurality of second network cells providing the service and system information of the plurality of second network cells.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the service is voice.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the service is circuit-switched voice.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first network cell does not provide the service.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first network cell provides the service using a protocol incompatible with the UE's capability.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the request is received from a user of the UE.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the request is a response to a paging message.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of second network cells are in one of a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, an evolution-data optimized (EV-DO) network, a 3GSM network, a digital enhanced cordless (DECT) network, a digital AMPS (IS-136/TDMA) network, an integrated digital enhanced network (iDEN), a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), an enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) network, a general packet radio service (GPRS) network, and a GPRS/EDGE radio access network (GERAN).

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the message is a mobility from E-UTRA command (“MobilityFromEUTRACommand”).

22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the message directs the UE to release a connection with the eNB.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the message identifies the carrier frequencies of the access devices associated with the plurality of second network cells.

24. The method of claim 13 , wherein the message identifies location areas of the plurality of second network cells.

Assignments (9)