Quality of Service Initiated Handover
20180359672 ยท 2018-12-13
Inventors
Cpc classification
H04W36/00222
ELECTRICITY
H04W36/0066
ELECTRICITY
International classification
Abstract
The application relates to a method for operating a first radio access node 100 of a first packet switched mobile communications network. The first radio access node receives a request for establishing a data packet session requiring a defined quality of service and determines that the data packet session cannot be handled by the first packet switched communications network. The first radio access node triggers a hand over to a second packet switched mobile communications network based on the determining and transmits an indication towards a mobile entity (200) involved in the data packet session indicating that a resource for the data packet session will be available when the handover is completed.
Claims
1-35. (canceled)
36. A method for operating a first radio access node of a first packet switched mobile communications network, the method comprising: receiving a request for establishing a data packet session requiring a defined quality of service; determining that the data packet session cannot be handled by the first packet switched communications network; triggering a hand over to a second packet switched mobile communications network based on the determining; and transmitting an indication towards a mobile entity involved in the data packet session indicating that a resource for the data packet session will be available when the handover is completed.
37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the data packet session comprises a real time data packet session provided for a mobile entity terminating or a mobile entity originating call.
38. The method according to claim 36, wherein a handover request is transmitted towards the second packet switched mobile communications network, the handover request comprising information about a reason for the handover.
39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the reason indicates at least one of: the handover is for a data packet flow with a quality of service suitable for a voice or video call; and the required quality of service or the needed resources could not be provided by the first packet switched mobile communications network.
40. The method according to claim 36, wherein transmitting an indication towards the mobile entity comprises transmitting at least one of: a resource setup message comprising the indication towards the mobile entity requesting to set up radio resources for the data packet session; and an establishment accept message for a data packet session comprising the indication.
41. The method according to claim 36, wherein the indication is transmitted directly to the mobile entity or transmitted via a core network entity of the first packet switched mobile communications network to the mobile entity.
42. The method according to claim 36, wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 5G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network or wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 5 G network.
43. A method for operating a mobile entity, comprising: connecting to a first packet switched mobile communications network; determining that a data packet session requiring a defined quality of service should be started; receiving an indication indicating that a resource for the data packet session is not available in the first packet switched mobile communications network, but will be available when a hand over from the first packet switched mobile communications network to a second packet switched mobile communications network is completed; and setting up the data packet session based on the indication with the assumption that the resource will be available when a hand over from the first packet switched mobile communications network to a second packet switched mobile communications network is completed.
44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising setting a time out in response to receiving the indication, wherein it is checked until the timeout occurs whether a hand over command towards the second packet switched mobile communications network is received, wherein the change of the radio access technology is only performed when the hand over command is received before the time out occurs.
45. The method according to claim 43, wherein receiving the indication comprises at least one of: receiving a resource setup message requesting to set up radio resources for the data packet session; and receiving an establishment accept message for a data packet session comprising the indication.
46. The method according to claim 43, wherein the indication is received from: a radio access node of the first packet switched mobile communications network; or a core network entity of the first packet switched mobile communications network independent from other indications sent by a radio access network of the first packet switched mobile communications network to the mobile entity.
47. The method according to claim 43, wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 5G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network or wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 5 G network.
48. A first radio access node provided in a first packet switched mobile communications network, the first radio access node comprising a memory and at least one processor, the memory containing instructions executable by said at least one processor, wherein the first radio access node is operative to: receive a request for establishing a data packet session requiring a defined quality of service; determine that the data packet session cannot be handled by the first packet switched communications network; trigger a hand over to a second packet switched mobile communications network based on the determining; and transmit an indication towards a mobile entity involved in the data packet session indicating that a resource for the data packet session will be available when the hand over is completed.
49. The first radio access node according to claim 48, wherein the data packet session comprises a real time data packet session provided for a mobile entity terminating or a mobile entity originating call.
50. The first radio access node according to claim 48, wherein the first radio access node is operative to transmit a hand over request towards the second packet switched mobile communications network, the hand over request comprising information about a reason for the hand over.
51. The first radio access node according to claim 50, wherein the reason indicates at least one of: the handover is for a data packet flow with a quality of service suitable for a voice or video call; and the required quality of service or the needed resources could not be provided by the first packet switched mobile communications network.
52. The first radio access node according to claim 48, wherein the first radio access node is operative, for transmitting the indication, to transmit at least one of: a resource setup message comprising the indication towards the mobile entity requesting to set up radio resources for the data packet session; and an establishment accept message for a data packet session comprising the indication.
53. The first radio access node according to claim 48, wherein the first radio access node is operative to transmit the indication directly to the mobile entity or to transmit the indication via a core network entity of the first packet switched mobile communications network to the mobile entity.
54. The first radio access node according to claim 48, wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 5G network and a second packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network or wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network is a 5 G network.
55. A mobile entity comprising a memory and at least one processor, the memory containing instructions executable by said at least one processor, wherein the first mobile entity is operative to: connect to a first packet switched mobile communications network; determine that a data packet session requiring a defined quality of service should be started; receive an indication indicating that a resource for the data packet session is not available in the first packet switched mobile communications network, but will be available when a hand over from the first packet switched mobile communications network to a second packet switched mobile communications network is completed; and set up the data packet session based on the indication with the assumption that the resource will be available when a hand over from the first packet switched mobile communications network to a second packet switched mobile communications network is completed.
56. The mobile entity according to claim 55, wherein the mobile entity is operative to set a time out in response to receiving the indication, to check until the timeout occurs whether a hand over command towards the second packet switched mobile communications network is received, and to perform the change of the radio access technology only when the hand over command is received before the time out occurs.
57. The mobile entity according to claim 55, wherein the mobile entity is operative, for receiving the indication, to receive at least one of: a resource setup message requesting to set up radio resources for the data packet session; and an establishment accept message for a data packet session comprising the indication.
58. The mobile entity according to claim 55, wherein the mobile entity is operative to receive the indication from: a radio access node of the first packet switched mobile communications network; or a core network entity of the first packet switched mobile communications network independent from other indications sent by a radio access network of the first packet switched mobile communications network to the mobile entity.
59. The mobile entity according to claim 55, wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 5G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network or wherein the first packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 4G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network comprises a 5 G network.
60. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product for controlling a first radio access node of a first packet switched mobile communications network, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on at least one processor of the first radio access node, causes the first radio access node to execute the method of claim 36.
61. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product for controlling a mobile entity, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on at least one processor of the mobile entity, causes the mobile entity to execute the method of claim 43.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The foregoing and additional features and effects of the application will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0033] In the following, embodiments of the application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the following description of embodiments is not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the application is not intended to be limited by the embodiments described hereinafter or by the drawings, which are to be illustrative only.
[0034] The drawings are to be regarded as being schematic representations, and elements illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale. Rather the various elements are represented such that their function and general-purpose becomes apparent to a person skilled in the art. Any connection or coupling between functional blocks, devices or components of a physical or functional unit shown in the drawings and described hereinafter may also be implemented by an indirect connection or coupling. A coupling between components may be established over a wired or wireless connection. Functional blocks may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.
[0035] With the context of the present application, the term mobile entity or user equipment, UE, refers to a device used by a person or a user for his or her personal communication. It can be a telephone type of device, for example of a telephone or a session initiation protocol (SIP) or voiceover internet protocol phone, cellular telephone, a mobile station, cordless phone, or a personal digital assistant type of device like laptop, notebook, notepad, tablet equipped with a wireless data connection et cetera. The mobile entity may also be associated with nonhumans like animals, plants or machines. A mobile entity may be equipped with a UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card) including an Universal Subscriber Identity Module, USIM and an IP Multimedia Services Identity Module, ISIM or SIM (subscriber identity module) comprising unique identities such as the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) or GUTI (Globally Unique Temporary UE identity) associated it with the user using the mobile entity wherein the GUTI and TMSI are allocated by the network. For the sake of clarity, it is noted that there is a difference but also a tight connection between a user and a subscriber. The user gets access to the network by acquiring a subscription to the network and by that becomes a subscriber within the network. The network then recognises the subscriber e.g. based on the IMSI or TMSI and uses the associated subscription to identify related subscriber data. The user is the actual user of the mobile entity and the user may also be the one owing the subscription, but the user and the owner of the subscription may also be different.
[0036] In the following embodiments are disclosed from a 5G radio access network and a 5G core network perspective interworking with LTE/EPC, but the following description is also applicable for an LTE/EPC network interworking with a 5G radio access network and a 5G core network.
[0037] If the radio access node in the 5G network (or in the 4G network) receives a request to establish a quality of service flow with a quality of service flow indicator, QFI, suitable for a voice call or a video call, then the 5G radio access node (or the 4G radio access node) will initiate an interradio access technology handover (IRAT) handover to 4G (5G) if the 5G radio access node (or the 4G radio access node) [0038] does not support the required quality of service suitable for a voice media that only supports the 5QI/QFI suitable for signalling, [0039] supports 5QI/QFI suitable for voice media, but the data packet session, PDU session cannot be served as the capacity limit may be reached, [0040] in either case takes measurement reports and the radio capabilities of the mobile entity into account.
[0041] The radio access node to which the UE is currently connected may be pre-provisioned with QFI (QoS Flow Indicator) and relevant QoS characteristics for voice prior a PDU (Packet Data Unit) session is established. In such a case the radio access node should look at the QFI label on the user plane in order to execute the procedure.
[0042] The system architecture is shown in more detail in
[0043] From a handover perspective, the PDU session or the data packet session with 5QI, for example for voice, is treated as if the resources were already reserved in the source radio access network even though these resources are not actually reserved by the corresponding radio access node. But treating the handover as already reserved enables establishing a suitable bearer (for example a voice bearer) comprising resources in the target radio access network as part of the handover procedure, and hence the mobile entity 200 can start using this bearer for the voice or video media right after camping on the target access network. The radio access node 100a or 100b indicates to the mobile entity 200, e.g. via RRC (radio resource control) that the PDU session is being established or can be used once the handover is completed. Accordingly, the mobile entity 200 knows that the call establishment proceeds, that the radio resources are not yet available but will be available when the handover has been completed. Accordingly, the mobile entity 200 is informed that an additional delay to finally set up the call which may be a mobile originated or a mobile terminated call, may occur.
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[0050] It should be understood that the radio access node 100 and the mobile entity 200 may comprise further functional entities such as a human-machine interface (HMI) or input unit, a display et cetera, however, for the sake of clarity the discussion of these functional units was omitted.
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[0053] From the above said, some general conclusions can be drawn. As far as the radio access node of the first packet switched mobile communications network is concerned to which the mobile entity is currently connected and which determines that it cannot handle the data packet session, the first radio access node can transmit a handover request message towards the second packet switched mobile communications network wherein the handover request message comprises an information about a reason for the handover.
[0054] The reason for the handover may indicate that the handover is for a data packet flow with a quality of service suitable for voice or video call. Furthermore, the reason may indicate that the required quality of service or needed resources could not be provided by the first packet switched mobile communications network.
[0055] The data packet session in question can be a real-time data packet session provided for a mobile entity terminating or a mobile entity originating call, wherein the call can be a voice call or video call.
[0056] For the transmission of the indication towards the mobile entity 200 a resource setup request message may be transmitted to the mobile entity 200 which comprises the indication wherein the resource setup request message requests to set up radio resources for the real-time data packet session.
[0057] Furthermore, the step of transmitting the indication may comprise the step of transmitting an establishment accept message for a data packet session including the indication.
[0058] The indication about the available resources after the handover may be transmitted directly to the mobile entity 200, or it may be transmitted via a core network entity of the first packet switched mobile communications network to the mobile entity 200.
[0059] As far as the mobile entity 200 is concerned, it may set a time out in response to receiving the indication wherein the mobility entity 200 checks until the timeout occurs, whether the handover command towards the second packet switched mobile communications network is received. The mobile entity 200 can then initiate the change of the radio access technology only when the handover command is received before the timeout occurs.
[0060] When the indication is received from the radio access node 100, the mobile entity 200 may receive a resource setup message in which it is requested to set up the radio resources for the data packet session. Furthermore, it is possible that an establishment accept message for the data packet session is received including the indication.
[0061] The mobile entity 200 may receive the indication either directly from the radio access node 100 of the first packet switched network or it may receive the indication from a core network entity of the first packet switched mobile communications network and preferably independent from other indications sent by a radio access network of the first packet switched mobile communications network.
[0062] The first packet switched mobile communications network may be a 5G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network may be a 4G network. However, it is also possible that the first packet switched mobile communications network is the 4G network and the second packet switched mobile communications network is the 5G network.
[0063] Summarizing the present application enables a voice centric mobile entity to camp on one of the radio access networks and if there is no support or no capacity for the call a handover is triggered to the other packet switched network which is quality of service enabled for the voice during the call setup.