Granted Patent B2

US 9,020,507 · App. 13/262,975 · Granted Apr 28, 2015

Inventors: Markus Warken (Laupheim, DE); Jochen Wessel (München, DE)

Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy

H04W88/10H04W8/26H04W36/0083

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. A method comprising:

communicating data between a network element, capable of communicating with a user equipment via at least two different communication technologies, and the user equipment by using a first communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies;

determining radio conditions, of the at least two different communication technologies between the network element and the user equipment, by a multi radio access technology radio resource management function transparent to a plurality of further network elements of the at least two different communication technologies;

in response to said determining, selecting by the multi radio access technology radio resource management function to use a second communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies based on said radio conditions, wherein said second communications technology is different from the first communication technology; and

determining a load status of each of said at least two different communication technologies;

communicating said data between a further network element of the plurality of further network elements and said network element by using a second the second communication technology, wherein

communicating said data between said user equipment and said network element by simultaneously using a first communication technology and a further communication technology different from said first communication technology.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting one of said at least two different communication technologies as said first communication technology by taking into account said load status of said at least two different communication technologies.

3. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating data between a further user equipment and said network element by using a third communication technology different from said first technology.

4. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from said user equipment a connection request by using said second communication technology;

forwarding said connection request to said further network element by using said second communication technology;

initiating a connection between said user equipment and said network element via said first communication technology while maintaining communicating with said further network element by using said second communication technology.

5. Method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

establishing a connection between said user equipment and said network element via said second communication technology before initiating said connection between said user equipment and said network element via said first communication technology.

6. A network element comprising:

a first interface for communicating data between a user equipment and said network element, wherein said network element is capable of communicating with the user equipment via at least two different communication technologies, and wherein said first interface is capable of using a first communication technology of said at least two different communication technologies;

a second interface for communicating said data between a further network element of a plurality of further network elements of the at least two different communication technologies and said network element, wherein said second interface is capable of using a second communication technology;

a multi radio access technology radio resource management function, transparent to the plurality of further network elements of the at least two different communication technologies, for determining radio conditions of the at least two different communication technologies between the network element and the user equipment, and deciding for said first interface to use a second communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies based on said radio conditions, wherein said second communications technology is different from the first communication technology; and

determining a load status of each of said at least two different communication technologies;

a processing part for transferring said data between said first interface and said second interface, thereby allowing said second interface to use a second communication technology, wherein

communicating said data between said user equipment and said network element by simultaneously using a first communication technology and a further communication technology different from said first communication technology.

7. A transceiver station comprising:

a first interface for communicating data between a user equipment and said network element, wherein said network element is capable of communicating with the user equipment via at least two different communication technologies, and wherein said first interface is capable of using a first communication technology of said at least two different communication technologies;

a second interface for communicating said data between a further network element of a plurality of further network elements of the at least two different communication technologies and said network element, wherein said second interface is capable of using a second communication technology;

a multi radio access technology radio resource management function, transparent to the plurality of further network elements of the at least two different communication technologies, for determining radio conditions of the at least two different communication technologies between the network element and the user equipment, and deciding for said first interface to use a second communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies based on said radio conditions, wherein said second communications technology is different from the first communication technology; and

determining a load status of each of said at least two different communication technologies;

a processing part for transferring said data between said first interface and said second interface, thereby allowing said second interface to use a second communication technology, wherein

communicating said data between said user equipment and said network element by simultaneously using a first communication technology and a further communication technology different from said first communication technology.

8. Transceiver station according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a first radio resource managing unit for managing radio resources of said first communication technology;

a second radio resource managing unit for managing radio resources of said second communication technology;

wherein said network element is a common radio resource managing unit

communicating with said first radio resource managing unit for managing radio resources for communicating data between said user equipment and said network element using said first communication technology and

communicating with said second radio resource managing unit for managing radio resources for communicating data between said user equipment and said network element using said second communication technology.

9. User equipment comprising:

a first transceiver module for communicating with a network element via a first communication technology;

a second transceiver module for communicating with said network element via a second communication technology;

and a controller for operating said first transceiver module and said second transceiver module simultaneously.

10. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium in which a computer program is stored that, when being executed by a computer, is configured to provide instructions to control or carry out or control the following:

communicating data between a network element, capable of communicating with a user equipment via at least two different communication technologies, and the user equipment by using a first communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies;

determining radio conditions, of the at least two different communication technologies between the network element and the user equipment, by a multi radio access technology radio resource management function transparent to a plurality of further network elements of the at least two different communication technologies;

in response to said determining, selecting by the multi radio access technology radio resource management function to use a second communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies based on said radio conditions, wherein said second communications technology is different from the first communication technology; and

determining a load status of each of said at least two different communication technologies;

communicating said data between a further network element of the plurality of further network elements and said network element by using the second communication technology, wherein

communicating said data between said user equipment and said network element by simultaneously using a first communication technology and a further communication technology different from said first communication technology.

11. An apparatus comprising:

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

communicating data between a network element, capable of communicating with a user equipment via at least two different communication technologies, and the user equipment by using a first communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies;

determining radio conditions, of the at least two different communication technologies between the network element and the user equipment, by a multi radio access technology radio resource management function transparent to a plurality of further network elements of the at least two different communication technologies;

in response to said determining, selecting by the multi radio access technology radio resource management function to use a second communication technology of the at least two different communication technologies based on said radio conditions, wherein said second communications technology is different from the first communication technology; and

determining a load status of each of said at least two different communication technologies;

communicating said data between a further network element of the plurality of further network elements and said network element by using a second the second communication technology, wherein

communicating said data between said user equipment and said network element by simultaneously using a first communication technology and a further communication technology different from said first communication technology.

Assignments (10)

Continuity (1)