Methods, apparatuses, related computer program product and data structure for deciding on a signaling scheme for handover
View Patent ↗A first method (and related first apparatus) includes transmitting, in a handover request message, an indication of a first protocol version; a second method (and related second apparatus) includes receiving, in the handover request message, the indication, deciding, based on the received indication and a second protocol version, on a value of an information element included in a handover request acknowledgement message to be transmitted, the information element indicating usage of a first or second signaling schemes, and transmitting the handover request acknowledgement message including the information element; and in the first method receiving the handover request acknowledgement message including the information element; and a third method (and related third apparatus) including receiving the handover command message including the information element, and configuring according to one of the first and second signaling schemes indicated by the information element.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, in a handover request message, an indication of a first protocol version;
deciding, based on the received indication of the first protocol version and a second protocol version, on a value of an information element comprised in a handover request acknowledgement message to be transmitted, the information element indicating usage of one of a first signaling scheme and a second signaling scheme different from the first signaling scheme; and
transmitting the handover request acknowledgement message comprising the information element indicating usage of the one of the first and second signaling scheme.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the deciding is performed during a handover preparation.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indication of the first protocol version is comprised in a radio resource control container.
4. The method according to any claim 1 , wherein the indication of the first protocol version is signaled in an X2/S1 application signaling protocol.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first signaling scheme utilizes handover command messages of full configuration.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the information element is set to affirmative.
7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first protocol version is higher than the second protocol version.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second signaling scheme utilizes handover command messages of reduced configuration.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the information element is set to non-affirmative.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first protocol version is equal to or lower than the second protocol version.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following applies:
the protocol version is constituted by a protocol release;
the information element is constituted by at least one bit;
the handover request acknowledgement message is constituted by or encapsulates a radio resource control connection reconfiguration message;
the first protocol is constituted by a radio resource control protocol of a handover source entity;
the indication of the first protocol version is an enumerated information element;
the second protocol is constituted by a radio resource control protocol of a handover target entity;
the handover command messages of full configuration are constituted by radio resource control connection reconfiguration messages;
the handover command messages of delta configuration are constituted by radio resource control connection reconfiguration messages; and
the radio resource control container is constituted by an handover preparation information message.
12. A computer program product comprising code means for performing a method according to claim 1 when run on a processing means or module.
13. A method, comprising:
transmitting, in a handover request message, an indication of a first protocol version; and
receiving, responsive to the transmitting, a handover request acknowledgement message comprising an information element indicating usage of one of a first signaling scheme and a second signaling scheme different from the first signaling scheme, the usage of the one of the first and second signaling schemes having been decided based on the first protocol version and an external second protocol version.
14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
extracting an handover command message from the received handover request acknowledgement message, the handover command message comprising the information element.
15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting, after the receiving, the handover command message to a user equipment.
16. A method, comprising:
receiving a handover command message comprising an information element indicating usage of one of a first signaling scheme and a second signaling scheme different from the first signaling scheme, the usage of the one of the first and second signaling schemes having been decided based on an external first protocol version and an external second protocol version; and
configuring according to one of the first and second signaling schemes indicated by the information element.
17. An apparatus, comprising:
means for receiving, in a handover request message, an indication of a first protocol version;
means for deciding, based on the received indication of the first protocol version and a second protocol version, on a value of an information element comprised in a handover request acknowledgement message to be transmitted, the information element indicating usage of one of a first signaling scheme and a second signaling scheme different from the first signaling scheme; and
means for transmitting the handover request acknowledgement message comprising the information element indicating usage of the one of the first and second signaling schemes.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the means for deciding is configured to perform during a handover preparation.
19. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the indication of the first protocol version is comprised in a radio resource control container.
20. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the indication of the first protocol version is configured to be signaled in an X2/S1 application signaling protocol.
21. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the first signaling scheme is configured to utilize handover command messages of full configuration.
22. The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the information element is configured to be set to affirmative.
23. The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the first protocol version is higher than the second protocol version.
24. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the second signaling scheme is configured to utilize handover command messages of reduced configuration.
25. The apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the information element is configured to be set to non-affirmative.
26. The apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the first protocol version is equal to or lower than the second protocol version.
27. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein at least one of the following applies:
the protocol version is constituted by a protocol release;
the information element is constituted by at least one bit;
the handover request acknowledgement message is constituted by or encapsulates a radio resource control connection reconfiguration message;
the first protocol is constituted by a radio resource control protocol of a handover source entity;
the indication of the first protocol version is an enumerated information element;
the second protocol is constituted by a radio resource control protocol of a handover target entity;
the handover command messages of full configuration are constituted by radio resource control connection reconfiguration messages;
the handover command messages of delta configuration are constituted by radio resource control connection reconfiguration messages; and
the radio resource control container is constituted by a handover preparation information message.
28. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein at least one, or more of means for receiving, means for deciding, means for transmitting, means for extracting, means for configuring and the apparatus is implemented as a chipset, module or subassembly.
29. An apparatus, comprising:
means for transmitting, in a handover request message, an indication of a first protocol version; and means for receiving, responsive to the means for transmitting, a handover request acknowledgement message comprising an information element indicating usage of one of a first signaling scheme and a second signaling scheme different from the first signaling scheme, the usage of the one of the first and second signaling schemes having been decided based on the first protocol version and an external second protocol version.
30. The apparatus according to claim 29 , further comprising:
means for extracting an handover command message from the received handover request acknowledgement message, the handover command message comprising the information element.
31. The apparatus according to claim 29 , further comprising means for transmitting, after the receiving, the handover command message to a user equipment.
32. An apparatus, comprising:
means for receiving a handover command message comprising an information element indicating usage of one of a first signaling scheme and a second signaling scheme different from the first signaling scheme, the usage of the one of the first and second signaling schemes having been decided based on an external first protocol version and an external second protocol version; and
means for configuring according to one of the first and second signaling schemes indicated by the information element.