Method and apparatus for communication between wireless telecommunications networks of different technology types

Abstract

For handover between wireless telecommunications networks of different technology types, an air interface is set up between a first node 4 included in a network of a first technology type and a second node 10 included in a network of a second different technology type. Signaling messaging, in accordance with the second technology type, is related to handover of a mobile terminal from the network of the first technology type to the network of the second technology type. The signaling messaging is encapsulated in a container for transmission over the signaling interface. An identifier is associated with the container to indicate that it encapsulates the signaling messaging. When the identifier is detected at the first node, the container is sent over the interface to the second node. In one method in accordance with the invention, the first technology type is WiMAX and the identifier is a special service flow identifier. This may be detected at an Access Services Network Gateway (ASN GW), for example. A method in accordance with the invention thus permits the use of logical radio channels for encapsulating inter-technology signaling.

1 . A method for communication between wireless telecommunications networks of different technology types, including the steps of:
 setting up an air interface between a MS and a first node included in a network of a first technology type;   setting up a signaling interface between the first node included in a network of a first technology type and a second node included in a network of a second different technology type   providing signaling messaging over the above signaling interface in accordance with the second technology type, the signaling messaging being related to handover of a mobile terminal from the network of the first technology type to the network of the second technology type;   encapsulating the signaling messaging in a container for transmission over the signaling interface;   associating an identifier (from the over-the-air interface message) with the container to indicate that it encapsulates said signaling messaging;   and, when the identifier is detected at the first node, sending the container over the signaling interface to the second node.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the first technology type is WiMAX and the identifier is a special service flow identifier. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  and wherein the second technology type is HRPD. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3  and wherein the signaling interface is an S101 interface. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  and wherein the identifier is detected at the Access Services Network Gateway (ASN GW). 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the first technology type is HRPD. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the identifier is in the form of a signaling link protocol (SLP) identifier or a new identifier that is equivalent to SLP (the common characteristics of this new identifier with SLP is: they boith terminate at HRPD RNC and will not be forwarded to HRPD PDSN). 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the first and second technology types are respective ones of the following technology types: High Rate Packet Data (HRPD); WiMAX; Long Term Evolution (LTE); and Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB). 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  and wherein the interface is an S101 interface. 
     
     
         10 . A node for a wireless telecommunications network of a first technology type, the node comprising: a detector for detecting an identifier associated with a message container, the identifier indicating that the container encapsulates handover signaling messaging in accordance with a second technology type different to the first technology type; and a transmitter for transmitting a container having the detected identifier over an air interface with another node included in a wireless telecommunications network of the second technology type. 
     
     
         11 . The node as claimed in  claim 10  and wherein the first and second technology types are respective ones of the following technology types: High Rate Packet Data (HRPD); WiMAX; Long Term Evolution (LTE); and Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB). 
     
     
         12 . The node as claimed in  claim 10  and wherein the interface is an S101 interface. 
     
     
         13 . A mobile terminal having the capability of communicating with networks of at least two respective different technology types and operative, during handover preparation for handover from a first network of a first technology type to a second network of a second technology type, to add an identifier to signaling messaging for use in the second network to indicate that the signaling messaging is to be tunneled from the first network to the second network over an interface. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile terminal as claimed in  claim 13  and wherein the first and second technology types are respective ones of the following technology types: High Rate Packet Data (HRPD); WiMAX; Long Term Evolution (LTE); and Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB). 
     
     
         15 . The mobile terminal as claimed in  claim 13  and wherein the interface is an S101 interface.