Radio Communication System, Method and Arrangement for Use in a Radio Communication System

Abstract

A system includes a first access network arranged to operate according to a first Radio Access Technology, a second access network arranged to operate according to a second Radio Access Technology, and a user device which is connectable to the first access network and to the second access network. The system also includes an authentication node arranged to identify the user device, when seeking access to the second access network, through a user device identifier for the user device, wherein the user device identifier is associated with the first access network. A query node provides information about a context of the user device in the first access network based on the user device identifier. An access selection node generates an access selection decision for the access sought by the user device to the second access network based on the provided context, and the access selection decision is then executed.

1 . A method of operating a node of a first Radio Access Network (RAN) of a first Radio Access Technology (RAT), the method comprising:
 receiving an access attempt at the node from a user device, wherein the access attempt includes a user device identifier associated with a second Radio Access Network (RAN) of a second Radio Access Technology different than the first Radio Access Technology;   transmitting a query from the node to the second Radio Access Network, wherein the query includes an identification of the user device based on the user device identifier received from the user device; and   after transmitting the query, providing a communication service for the user device through the node of the first Radio Access Network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the communication service comprises a communication server previously provided to the user device through the second Radio Access Network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first Radio Access Technology comprises an IEEE 802.11 compliant RAT, and wherein the second Radio Access Technology comprises a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) compliant RAT, a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) compliant RAT, an FOMA (Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access) compliant RAT, an LTE (Long Term Evolution) compliant RAT, a D-AMPS (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System) compliant RAT, and/or a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) 2000 compliant RAT. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user device identifier comprises a temporary identifier assigned by the second Radio Access Network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user device identifier comprises an S-TMSI, P-TMSI, and/or EAP-SIM/AKA fast authentication NAI. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user device identifier comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the query includes the user device identifier received from the user device and associated with the second Radio Access Network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the node comprises an IEEE 802.11 compliant node, and wherein the second Radio Access Technology comprises a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) compliant RAT, a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) compliant RAT, an FOMA (Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access) compliant RAT, an LTE (Long Term Evolution) compliant RAT, a D-AMPS (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System) compliant RAT, and/or a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) 2000 compliant RAT. 
     
     
         9 . A node of a first Radio Access Network (RAN) of a first Radio Access Technology (RAT), the node comprising:
 a processor configured to,
 receive an access attempt from a user device, wherein the access attempt includes a user device identifier associated with a second Radio Access Network (RAN) of a second Radio Access Technology different than the first Radio Access Technology; 
 transmit a query to the second Radio Access Network, wherein the query includes an identification of the user device based on the user device identifier received from the user device; and 
 provide a communication service for the user device through the node of the first Radio Access Network after transmitting the query. 
   
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a node for use with a first access network arranged to operate according to a first Radio Access Technology capable of providing a communication service over a first communication path to a user device through the first access network and a second access network arranged to operate according to a second Radio Access Technology capable of providing the communication service over a second communication path to the user device through the second access network, wherein the user device is connectable to said first access network and to said second access network and wherein the first and second Radio Access Technologies are different, the method comprising:
 obtaining a user device identifier identifying the user device when the user device is seeking access to the second access network, wherein the user device identifier is associated with first first access network, wherein the user device identifier is provided by the user device;   obtaining information about a context of the user device in the first access network based on the user device identifier;   generating an access selection decision for the access sought by the user device to the second access network based on the provided context information; and   causing the access selection decision to be executed.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the user device identifier comprises a temporary identifier assigned by the second Radio Access Network. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein obtaining information comprises obtaining a permanent identifier for the user device using the temporary identifier and obtaining information about the context using the permanent identifier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the temporary identifier is provided from the user device through the second access network. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the identifier comprises an S-TMSI, P-TMSI, and/or EAP-SIM/AKA fast authentication NAI. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the user device identifier comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein generating the access selection decision includes connecting the user device to the second access network including,
 identifying the communication service provided initially to the user device through the first access network, 
 analyzing the provided context information of the user device, and 
 selecting the second access network to provide the communication service to the user device based on the provided context information of the user device, 
 wherein causing the access selection decision to be executed comprises providing the communication service through the second access network. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein generating the access selection decision comprises maintaining connection for the user device with the first access network including,
 identifying the communication service provided initially to the user device through the first access network, 
 analyzing the provided context information of the user device, and 
 selecting the first access network to provide the communication service to the user device based on the provided context information of the user device, 
 wherein causing the access selection decision to be executed comprises continuing to provide the communication service through the first access network. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein generating the access selection decision comprises mapping a first communication service of the user device to the first access network and a second communication service of the user device to the second access network including,
 identifying the first communication service and the second communication service provided initially to the user device through the first access network, 
 analyzing the provided context information of the user device, 
 selecting the first access network to provide the first communication service to the user device based on the provided context information of the user device, and 
 selecting the second access network to provide the second communication service to the user device based on the provided context information of the user device, 
 wherein executing the access selection decision comprises providing the first communication service through the first access network and providing the second communication service through the second access network. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first Radio Access Technology comprises a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) compliant RAT, a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) compliant RAT, an FOMA (Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access) compliant RAT, an LTE (Long Term Evolution) compliant RAT, a D-AMPS (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System) compliant RAT, and/or a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) 2000 compliant RAT, and wherein the second Radio Access Technology comprises an IEEE 802.11 compliant RAT. 
     
     
         20 . A node for use with a first access network arranged to operate according to a first Radio Access Technology capable of providing a communication service over a first communication path to a user device through the first access network and a second access network arranged to operate according to a second Radio Access Technology capable of providing the communication service over a second communication path to the user device through the second access network, wherein the user device is connectable to said first access network and to said second access network and wherein the first and second Radio Access Technologies are different, the node comprising:
 a processor configured to,
 obtain a user device identifier identifying the user device when the user device is seeking access to the second access network, wherein the user device identifier is associated with first access network, wherein the user device identifier is provided by the user device; 
 obtain information about a context of the user device in the first access network based on the user device identifier; 
 generate an access selection decision for the access sought by the user device to the second access network based on the provided context information; and 
 cause the access selection decision to be executed.