Communication fallback in 5G systems and methods

1. A mobile device for performing Evolved Packet System (EPS) fallback from a 5G system to a Evolved Packet Core (EPC) system, the mobile device comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with and connect to at least one base station,

wherein the at least one base station is a new radio (NR) node or an evolved universal terrestrial radio access node (E-UTRAN); and

a memory storing computer executable instructions of:

determining, based at least in part on a 5G support indicator module of the mobile device, whether the mobile device supports voice communication over new radio (VoNR),

wherein the 5G support indicator module is stored in the memory and includes information about whether the mobile device supports VoNR and whether the at least one base station supports VoNR;

determining, based at least in part on the 5G support indicator module, whether a connected base station supports voice communication over new radio (VoNR);

directly in response to determining that either one of the mobile device or the connected base station does not support voice communication over new radio (VoNR):

generating and transmitting an EPS fallback service request from the mobile device to the connected base station,

wherein the EPS fallback service request instructs the connected base station to initiate a fallback procedure from the 5G system to the EPC system, and

whereby the fallback procedure is triggered, based on the 5G support indicator module, to reduce setup time for a call initiated by the mobile device.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the memory further stores computer executable instructions of:

receiving at least one protocol indicator from the connected base station, wherein the protocol indicator informs the mobile device of a communication protocol supported by the connected base station; and

storing the at least one protocol indicator associated with the connected base station at the mobile device, and wherein the at least one protocol indicator associated with the base station is further associated with a timeframe during which the at least one protocol indicator is valid.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the memory further stores computer executable instructions of:

receiving at least one protocol indicator from the base station, wherein the protocol indicator informs the mobile device of a communication protocol supported by the base station; and

storing the at least one protocol indicator associated with the connected base station at the mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein determining whether the mobile device supports voice communication over new radio (VoNR) and determining whether the connected base station supports voice communication over new radio (VoNR) is based at least in part on:

manufacturer of the mobile device,

manufacturer of the connected base station,

attributes of the mobile device,

attributes of the connected base station,

current location of the mobile device,

location of the connected base station,

location history of the mobile device,

subscriber plan of a subscriber of the mobile device,

profile of the subscriber of the mobile device,

type of communication initiated by the mobile device,

health of the connected base station,

health of a telecommunications network in which the connected base station resides,

congestion in the telecommunications network,

SIM associated with the mobile device,

or any combination thereof.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the EPS fallback service request is a Non-Access Stratum message.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the EPS fallback service request is transmitted to an access and management mobility function node in a telecommunications network in which the connected based station resides, and comprises information of at least one frequency band to be used to perform the fallback procedure from the 5G system to the EPC system.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 whereby, when the mobile device initiates communications, instead of immediately sending a SIP INVITE message to the at least one base station, the mobile device automatically triggers the EPS fallback service request to fall back to the EPC system by performing reselection to an available LTE base station.

8. At least one computer-readable medium, excluding transitory signals and containing instructions, that when executed by a processor, performs a method in a mobile device for performing Evolved Packet System (EPS) fallback from a 5G system to a Evolved Packet Core (EPC) system, the method comprising:

detecting a communication at the mobile device;

determining, based at least in part on 5G indicator data of the mobile device, whether the mobile device supports the communication over new radio,

wherein the 5G indicator data is stored in a memory of the mobile device and includes information about whether the mobile device supports communication over 5G New Radio;

determining, based at least in part on the 5G indicator data, whether a base station supports the communication over new radio;

directly in response to determining that either one of the mobile device or the base station does not support the communication over new radio:

generating and transmitting an EPS fallback service request from the mobile device to the base station,

wherein the EPS fallback service request instructs the base station to initiate a fallback procedure from the 5G system to the EPC system,

whereby the fallback procedure is triggered, based on the 5G indicator data, to reduce setup time for the mobile device in response to the detecting of the communication, and

whereby, when the mobile device detects the communication, instead of immediately sending a SIP INVITE message to the base station, the mobile device automatically triggers the EPS fallback service request to fall back to the EPC system by connecting to an available 3G or 4G base station.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the communication is detected when the mobile device initiates a mobile originated (MO) call or when the mobile device receives an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) message indicating a mobile terminated (MT) call.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the at least one base station is a new radio (NR) node or an evolved universal terrestrial radio access node (E-UTRAN).

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving at least one protocol indicator from the base station, wherein the protocol indicator informs the mobile device of a communication protocol supported by the base station; and

storing the at least one protocol indicator associated with the base station at the mobile device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the at least one protocol indicator associated with the base station is further associated with a timeframe during which the at least one protocol indicator is valid.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the mobile device supports the communication over new radio and determining whether the base station supports the communication over new radio is based at least in part on:

manufacturer of the mobile device,

manufacturer of the base station,

attributes of the mobile device,

attributes of the base station,

current location of the mobile device,

location of the base station,

location history of the mobile device,

subscriber plan of a subscriber of the mobile device,

profile of the subscriber of the mobile device,

a type of the communication,

health of the base station,

health of a telecommunications network in which the base station resides,

congestion in the telecommunications network,

SIM associated with the mobile device,

or any combination thereof.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the communication is of a type:

non-emergency voice call,

emergency voice call,

non-emergency text message,

emergency text message,

video,

or any combination thereof.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the EPS fallback service request is a Non-Access Stratum message.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the EPS fallback service request is transmitted to an access and management mobility function node in a telecommunications network in which the base station resides, and comprises information of at least one frequency band to be used to perform the fallback procedure from the 5G system to the EPC system.

17. A method in a base station for performing Evolved Packet System (EPS) fallback from a 5G system to a Evolved Packet Core (EPC) system, the method comprising:

receiving an EPS fallback service request from a mobile device to the base station,

wherein the mobile device is associated with a 5G support indicator,

wherein the 5G support indicator includes information about whether the mobile device, or both the mobile device and the base station, support communication over 5G New Radio,

wherein the mobile device determines, based at least in part on the 5G support indicator, whether the mobile device supports communication over new radio,

wherein the mobile device determines, based at least in part on the 5G support indicator, whether the base station supports communication over new radio,

wherein the EPS fallback service request is generated by the mobile device directly in response to determining that either one of the mobile device or the base station does not support communication over new radio,

wherein the EPS fallback service request instructs the base station to initiate a fallback procedure from the 5G system to the EPC system,

whereby, the fallback procedure is triggered, based on the 5G support indicator, to reduce setup time, and

whereby, when the mobile device initiates a communication, instead of immediately sending a SIP INVITE message to the base station, the mobile device automatically triggers the EPS fallback service request to fall back to the EPC system by connecting to an available 3G or 4G base station.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the EPS fallback service request comprises information of at least one frequency band to be used to perform the fallback procedure from the 5G system to the EPC system.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

transmitting at least one protocol indicator to the mobile device,

wherein the protocol indicator informs the mobile device of a communication protocol supported by the base station, and

wherein the at least one protocol indicator associated with the base station is further associated with a timeframe during which the at least one protocol indicator is valid.

20. The mobile device of claim 1 :

wherein the 5G support indicator module includes at least one protocol indicator that contains information about a communication protocol supported by one of the mobile device, the connected base station, or a telecommunications network associated with the connected base station; and

wherein the at least one protocol indicator is associated with at least one timeframe during which the at least one protocol indicator is valid.