Granted Patent B2

US 8,724,586 · App. 13/144,947 · Granted May 13, 2014

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A method implemented by a Mobile Management Entity (MME) for determining if a handoff request for an active voice session of a user equipment (UE) is applicable to a Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) procedure or a Circuit Switched over Long-Term Evolution via Generic Access Network (CSoLTEvGAN) procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

wherein the UE, is moving from an Evolved-UMTS Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) to a GSM Radio Access Network/UMTS Radio Access Network (GERAN/UTRAN);

receiving an indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable;

determining if an CSoLTE indicator is received in addition to receiving the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable;

in response to determining CSoLTE indicator has been received in addition to receiving the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable, directing handoff signaling for the active voice session of the UE over a Sv interface to a Generic Access Network Controller (GANC) in accordance with the CSoLTEvGAN procedure; and

in response to determining the CSoLTE indicator has not been received in addition to receiving the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable, directing the handoff signaling for the active voice session of the UE over a Sv interface to a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) in accordance with a Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) procedure;

directing the handoff signaling for the active voice session of the UE to a service GPRS support node (SGSN) when failing to receive both the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable and the CSoLTE indicator.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the GANC via a Policy and Charging Rules Function, a Packet Data Network-Gateway, and a Serving GW if different from the Packet Data Network-Gateway as part of a network initiated dedicated bearer activation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the Policy and Charging Rules Function when being connected to the GANC for a certain IP-CAN session, via a Packet Data Network-Gateway, and a Serving GW if different from the Packet Data Network-Gateway as part of a network initiated dedicated bearer activation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the UE via an eNodeB during acknowledgment of a network initiated dedicated bearer activation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the UE which used Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling via an eNodeB during a UE requested bearer resource activation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is sent from the UE to the MME in a NonAccess Stratum (NAS) message.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the NAS message is an attach message.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the NAS message is a Tracking Area Update (TAU) message.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active voice session uses a bearer with a Quality of Service Class Identifier (QCI) equal to one.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active voice session uses a bearer with an operator configured Quality of Service Class Identifier.

11. A Mobile Management Entity (MME) for determining if a handoff request for an active voice session of a user equipment (UE) is applicable to a Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) procedure or a Circuit Switched over Long-Term Evolution via Generic Access Network (CSoLTEvGAN) procedure, the MME further comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores processor-executable instructions where the processor interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to:

receive an indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable, wherein the UE is moving from an Evolved UMTS Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) to a GSM Radio Access Network/UMTS Radio Access network (GERAN/UTRAN);

determine if an CSoLTE indicator has been received in addition to receiving the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable;

responsive to a determination that the CSoLTE indicator has been received in addition to receiving the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable, direct handoff signaling for the active voice session of the UE over a Sv interface to a Generic Access Network Controller (GANC) in accordance with the CSoLTEvGAN procedure;

responsive to a determination that the CSoLTE indicator has not been received in addition to receiving the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable, direct the handoff signaling for the active voice session of the UE over a Sv interface to a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) in accordance with a Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) procedure;

direct the handoff signaling for the active voice session of the UE to a service GPRS support node (SGSN) when failing to receive both the indication where the UE is SRVCC capable and CSoLTEvGAN capable and the CSoLTE indicator.

12. The MME of claim 11 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the GANC via a Policy and Charging Rules Function, a Packet Data Network-Gateway, and a Serving GW if different from the Packet Data Network-Gateway as part of a network initiated dedicated bearer activation.

13. The MME of claim 11 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the Policy and Charging Rules Function when being connected to the GANC for a certain IP-CAN session, via a Packet Data Network-Gateway, and a Serving GW if different from the Packet Data Network-Gateway as part of a network initiated dedicated bearer activation.

14. The MME of claim 11 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the UE via an eNodeB during acknowledgment of a network initiated dedicated bearer activation.

15. The MME of claim 11 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is received from the UE which used Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling via an eNodeB during a UE requested bearer resource activation.

16. The MME of claim 11 , wherein the CSoLTE indicator is sent from the UE to the MME in a NonAccess Stratum (NAS) message.

17. The MME of claim 16 , wherein the NAS message is an attach message.

18. The MME of claim 16 , wherein the NAS message is a Tracking Area Update (TAU) message.

19. The MME of claim 11 , wherein the active voice session uses a bearer with a Quality of Service Class Identifier (QCI) equal to one.

20. The MME of claim 11 , wherein the active voice session uses a bearer with an operator configured Quality of Service Class Identifier.

Assignments (8)