Nortel Networks Corporation

Hitachi, Ltd.

Curtis M Provost

Jerry Louis Mizell

David J Lauson

Michael Anthony Brown

Marvin Bienn

Haibo Qian

Donald Bruce Keeler

Martin L J Gallant

A method to provide an optimized intra-HeNB GW handover operation that reduces signaling to and from an LTE MME (Mobility Management Entity) function of the 3GPP E-UTRAN Evolved Packet core (EPC). In operation, an HeNB Gateway (GW) intercepts handover requests from a source HeNB to a target HeNB and processes these requests locally, with minimal interaction from the MME. Where possible, messaging to and from the MME is minimized and/or reduced, irrespective of the 3GPP requirement that the GW relay all handover-related messages to the MME.

Optimized home evolved NodeB (eNB) handover in an LTE network

A serving GPRS node (SGSN) is made content aware by passing content based rate information in the GPRS tunnel protocol (GTP) header. The SGSN uses the PDP context request to inform a GPRS support node (GGSN) that it is content aware and can process the content based rate information. In one embodiment, the rate information is passed in a GTP extension header. A new GTP header type tells the SGSN that rate information is present in the GTP header content field. In an alternate embodiment, the rate information is passed in a fourth octet of a four octet tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID).

Method for extending content aware accounting to a serving GPRS node

A mobile communications system includes a system controller and cell sites having base station systems. The network between the system controller and the base station systems is a packet-switched network, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network. In one embodiment, the mobile communications system is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) system. The system controller is a serving GPRS support node (SGSN), and the network between the SGSN and the base station systems includes a Gb network. In one arrangement, IP addressing is used to communicate messages between the base station systems and the SGSN.

Packet-switched communications in a mobile network

A system for delivering SMS messages to a mobile terminal includes an apparatus and method that deliver the SMS messages either using legacy SMS message formats or data packet formats. Additionally, a connection is created between a message center and a gateway GPRS support node wherein SMS messages may be transmitted to the gateway GPRS support node in a data packet format. To provide this capability, the gateway GPRS support node includes a unique port address for receiving SMS messages and circuitry for processing SMS messages received in a data packet format. A serving GPRS support node is formed to include circuitry for determining whether to transmit the SMS message to the mobile terminal in a data packet format or in a legacy SMS message format.

GPRS network and method therefor

Gateway GPRS support node and method therefor

A mobile communications network includes base stations and a system controller, such as a serving GPRS support node (SGSN) of a General Packet Radio Service network. An interface, such as a Gb interface, is provided between each base station and the system controller. A plurality of paths (e.g., Network Service virtual circuits) in the interface are identified, with each path defined by an address in the base station and an address in the system controller. One of the plurality of paths is associated for a given mobile station. Load sharing can be accomplished by employing either an implicit path negotiation or an explicit path negotiation.

Communicating over one or more paths in an interface between a base station and a system controller

A system for delivering SMS messages to a mobile terminal includes an apparatus and method that deliver the SMS messages either using legacy SMS message formats or data packet formats. Additionally, a connection is created between a message center and a gateway GPRS support node wherein SMS messages may be transmitted to the gateway GPRS support node in a data packet format. To provide this capability, the gateway GPRS support node includes a unique port address for receiving SMS messages and circuitry for processing SMS messages received in a data packet format. A serving GPRS support node is formed to include circuitry for determining whether to transmit the SMS message to the mobile terminal in a data packet format or in a legacy SMS message format and to receive the message regardless of the path utilized by the message center to transmit the message.

Dual protocol GPRS message center and method therefor

The present invention supports the initialization of an interface between a wireless network and a packet-based communication network, including the exchange of initial endpoint address information and the revision of such endpoint address information through an addition and/or deletion procedure.

System interface supporting IP endpoint data exchange and regulation

A mobile communications system includes a system controller that provides access control for mobile stations within the network controlled, by the system controller. In one example, the mobile communications network is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network. The system controller provides access to a packet-based data network. In addition, the system controller enables prepaid short message service (SMS), in which mobile stations can originate or receive short messages according to the prepaid SMS. A flag kept in a home location register (HLR) stores a field to indicate if the user has subscribed to prepaid SMS. In one embodiment, the field is an access point name (APN) field according to the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Curtis M Provost