Short message service (sms) communication in wireless networks in the packet switched domain

Abstract

Technology for communicating a short message service (SMS) communication in a packet switched (PS) domain of an evolved packet system (EPS) network. One method comprises receiving, at a core network (CN) control node, a request message from a user equipment (UE) indicating that the UE supports PS based SMS and performs a circuit switched (CS) registration only to receive SMS service via a CS domain; and sending, from the CN control node, an accept message to the UE indicating that SMS over a non-access stratum (NAS) is supported by the CN control node.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for communicating a short message service (SMS) communications in a packet switched (PS) domain of an evolved packet system (EPS) network, comprising:
 receiving, at a core network (CN) control node, a request message from a user equipment (UE) indicating that the UE supports PS based SMS and performs a circuit switched (CS) registration only to receive SMS service via a CS domain; and   sending, from the CN control node, an accept message to the UE indicating that SMS over a non-access stratum (NAS) is supported by the CN control node.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CN control node is one of a mobility management entity (MME) and a serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request message is one of an attach request message and a tracking area update request message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the accept message is one of an attach accept message and a tracking area update accept message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending, from the CN control node, an evolved packet system (EPS) mobility management (EMM) message identifying that an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) attach is rejected as PS only is supported and the EPS network supports SMS over the NAS. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising indicating in the attach accept message or the tracking area update accept message that the IMSI attach is only for SMS. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request message further comprises receiving an attach request message or a tracking area update request message, wherein the attach request message or the tracking area update request message comprises an additional update type information element (IE) having a selected bit set to indicate if the UE supports PS based SMS and performs the CS registration only to receive SMS service via the CS domain. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request message further comprises receiving an attach request message or a tracking area update request message, wherein the attach request message or the tracking area update request message comprises a mobile station network feature support information element (IE) having a selected bit set to indicate if the UE supports PS based SMS and performs the CS registration only to receive SMS service via the CS domain. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request message further comprises receiving an attach request message or a tracking area update request message, wherein the attach request message or the tracking area update request message comprises a UE network capability information element (IE) having a selected bit set to indicate if the UE supports PS based SMS and performs the CS registration only to receive SMS service via the CS domain. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request message further comprises receiving an attach request message or a tracking area update request message, wherein the attach request message or the tracking area update request message comprises an EPS attach type information element (IE) having a selected bit set to indicate if the UE supports PS based SMS and performs the CS registration only to receive SMS service via the CS domain. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request message further comprises receiving an attach request message or a tracking area update request message, wherein the attach request message or the tracking area update request message comprises a mobile station network capability information element (IE) having a selected bit set to indicate if the UE supports PS based SMS and performs the CS registration only to receive SMS service via the CS domain. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the accept message further comprises sending an attach accept message or a tracking area update accept message to the UE, wherein the attach accept message or the tracking area update accept message comprises an EPS network feature support information element (IE) using a selected bit in the IE to identify if SMS over NAS is supported or is not supported by the EPS network. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the accept message further comprises sending an attach accept message or a tracking area update accept message to the UE, wherein the attach accept message or the tracking area update accept message comprises an EPS extended network feature support information element (IE) using a selected bit in the IE to identify if SMS over NAS is supported or is not supported by the EPS network. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a non-broadcasted Location Area Identity (LAI) by the CN control node. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a reserved Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) from the CN control node to the UE. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a notification from the CN control node to a Home Subscriber Server that the CN control node is capable of SMS transfer without establishing an SGs association with a mobile switching center (MSC). 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions adapted to be executed to implement the method for adapting a wireless network for packet switched communication of a short message service message, comprising:
 transmitting a request message from a user equipment (UE) to a mobility management entity (MME) indicating that the UE supports packet switched (PS) based short message service (SMS) and performs a circuit switched (CS) registration only to receive CS based SMS service;   receiving, at the UE, an accept message from the MME indicating that SMS over a non-access stratum (NAS) is supported by the MME.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising transmitting the request message, wherein the request message is one of an attach request message and a tracking area update request message. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising sending, from MME, an evolved packet system (EPS) mobility management (EMM) message identifying a cause code that an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) attach is rejected as PS only is supported and the EPS network supports SMS over the NAS. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein transmitting the request message further comprises transmitting an attach request message or a tracking area update request message, wherein the attach request message or the tracking area update request message comprises an additional update type information element (IE) having a selected bit set to indicate if the UE supports PS based SMS and performs the CS registration only to receive SMS service via the CS domain. 
     
     
         21 . A mobility management entity (MME) configured to adapt a user equipment (UE) for packet switched (PS) communication of a short message service (SMS) message, comprising:
 a PS support module operable at the MME and configured to:
 receive a request message from a UE indicating that the UE supports PS based SMS and performs a circuit switched (CS) registration only to receive SMS service via a CS domain; and 
 send an accept message to the UE indicating that SMS over a non-access stratum (NAS) is supported by MME. 
   
     
     
         22 . The MME of  claim 21 , wherein the PS support module is further configured to transmit an evolved packet system (EPS) mobility management (EMM) message identifying a cause code that an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) attach is rejected as PS only is supported and the EPS network supports SMS over the NAS. 
     
     
         23 . The MME of  claim 21 , further comprising receiving the request message from the UE, wherein receiving the request message further comprises receiving an attach request message or a tracking area update request message, wherein the attach request message or the tracking area update request message comprises an additional update type information element (IE) having a selected bit set to indicate if the UE supports PS based SMS and performs the CS registration only to receive SMS service via the CS domain. 
     
     
         24 . The MME of  claim 21 , wherein the request message is one of an attach request message and a tracking area update request message. 
     
     
         25 . The MME of  claim 21 , wherein the accept message is one of an attach accept message and a tracking area update accept message.