IP Library Granted Patent US 11,510,267
Granted Patent B2
US 11,510,267 · App. 16/376,809 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Efficient Evolved Packet System (EPS) fallback

Inventors: Rahul Pal (Bellevue, WA); Suresh Thanneeru (Redmond, WA); Salvador Mendoza (Issaquah, WA); Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva (Renton, WA)
Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
H04W76/18H04L12/66H04L47/20H04W8/02H04L65/1016
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,510,267
App. No.
16/376,809
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to efficient Evolved Packet System (EPS) fallback. A method may include receiving a rejection message that indicates a rejection to set up a call through a 5th Generation (5G) network by a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN). In response to receiving the rejection message, the method may include transmitting a request to establish a dedicated bearer through a 4th Generation (4G) network. A confirmation that the second dedicated bearer has been established through the 4G network may be received within a predetermined time after transmitting the request.

Claims (44)

1. A session management system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions being executable by the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

transmitting, to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) in a 5th Generation (5G) core network and by a Session Management Function (SMF) in the 5G core network, a first request to set up a call in the 5G core network;

receiving, from the AMF and by the SMF, a first rejection message that indicates a rejection of the first request by a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) connected to the AMF;

in response to receiving the first rejection message, transmitting, to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and by the SMF, a second request to establish a first dedicated bearer through a 4th Generation (4G) network;

within a predetermined time after transmitting the second request, receiving, from the MME and by the SMF, a confirmation that the first dedicated bearer has been established through the 4G network; and

in response to receiving the confirmation, transmitting, to a policy control system and by the SMF, an indication that the first dedicated bearer has been established through the 4G network,

wherein the first dedicated bearer through the 4G network carries data associated with the call in accordance with at least one of a Quality of Service (QoS) requirement.

2. The session management system of claim 1 , wherein the first dedicated bearer established through the 4G network carries voice services between a User Equipment (UE) connected to a 4G RAN in the 4G network and an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network connected to the policy control system.

3. The session management system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting, to the AMF, a third request to set up a call in the 5G core network;

receiving, from the AMF, a second rejection message that indicates a rejection of the third request by the 5G RAN;

in response to receiving the second rejection message, transmitting, to the MME, a fourth request to establish a second dedicated bearer through the 4G network; and

upon expiration of the predetermined time after transmitting the fourth request and without receiving a confirmation that the second dedicated bearer has been established, initiating call failure by transmitting an indication of the second rejection message to the policy control system.

4. The session management system of claim 1 , wherein the session management system further comprises a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway Control plane function (PGW-C) of the 4G network, and

wherein the policy control system comprises a Policy Control Function (PCF) of the 5G core network and a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) of the 4G network.

5. A method comprising:

receiving, by a Session Management Function (SMF) of a 5th Generation (5G) network, a rejection message that indicates a rejection to set up a call in the 5G network by a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN);

in response to receiving the rejection message, transmitting, to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and by the SMF, a request to establish a dedicated bearer through a 4th Generation (4G) network; and

within a predetermined time after transmitting the request, receiving, by the SMF, a confirmation that the dedicated bearer has been established through the 4G network,

wherein the SMF is implemented in a session management system, and

wherein the dedicated bearer carries data associated with the call in accordance with at least one of a Quality of Service (QoS) requirement.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the rejection message indicates that the 5G RAN has rejected a request to set up the call.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the rejection message is received from an Application Management Function (AMF) in the 5G network.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined time is between 1 millisecond and 1 second.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dedicated bearer established through the 4G network carries data traffic between a User Equipment (UE) and a Data Network (DN) and comprises a 4G RAN.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data traffic comprises voice services and the DN includes an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the session management system comprises a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway Control plane function (PGW-C) of the 4G network.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dedicated bearer comprises a Guaranteed Bitrate (GBR) flow.

13. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions being executable by the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a Session Management Function (SMF) in a 5th Generation (5G) core network, a rejection to set up a call through the 5G core network by a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN);

in response to receiving the rejection, transmitting, to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and by the SMF, a request to establish a dedicated bearer through a 4th Generation (4G) network; and

within a predetermined time after transmitting the request, receiving, by the SMF, a confirmation that the dedicated bearer has been established through the 4G network,

wherein the SMF is implemented by the system.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the rejection indicates that the 5G RAN has rejected a request to set up the call.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the rejection is received from an Application Management Function (AMF) in the 5G core network.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined time is between 1 millisecond and 1 second.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the dedicated bearer established through the 4G network carries data traffic between a User Equipment (UE) and a Data Network (DN) and is through a 4G RAN.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the data traffic comprises voice services and the DN includes an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway Control plane function (PGW-C) of the 4G network.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the dedicated bearer comprises a Guaranteed Bitrate (GBR) flow.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2022
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
To: IBSV LLC; LAYER3 TV, LLC; PUSHSPRING, LLC; T-MOBILE CENTRAL LLC; T-MOBILE USA, INC.; ASSURANCE WIRELESS USA, L.P.; BOOST WORLDWIDE, LLC; CLEARWIRE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; CLEARWIRE IP HOLDINGS LLC; SPRINTCOM LLC; SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P.; SPRINT INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED; SPRINT SPECTRUM LLC
Reel/Frame 062595/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 2, 2020
From: T-MOBILE USA, INC.; ISBV LLC; T-MOBILE CENTRAL LLC; LAYER3 TV, INC.; PUSHSPRING, INC.; BOOST WORLDWIDE, LLC; CLEARWIRE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; CLEARWIRE IP HOLDINGS LLC; CLEARWIRE LEGACY LLC; SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P.; SPRINT INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED; SPRINT SPECTRUM L.P.; ASSURANCE WIRELESS USA, L.P.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
Reel/Frame 053182/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2019
From: PAL, RAHUL; THANNEERU, SURESH; MENDOZA, SALVADOR; SILVA, KARUNAKALAGE VIRAJ RAKITHA
To: T-MOBILE USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 048808/0886 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200323008A1 · Oct 8, 2020