Using standard cellular handsets with a general access network

Abstract

Mobile communication is disclosed. A standard cellular mobile station at is communicated with at least in part via a standard cellular air link. A mobile communication between the standard cellular mobile station and a core mobile network is relayed via a generic access network. In some embodiments, translation between the standard cellular air link and a generic access network uplink interface is performed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a prior art GSM EDGE (enhanced data rate for GSM evolution) radio access network (GERAN).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a prior art generic access network (GAN).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a prior art approach to providing mobile phone service via both a GERAN and GAN.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system for IP backhaul of mobile call data.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system for enabling a standard cellular handset to be used to access a core mobile network via a generic access network.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system for enabling a standard cellular handset to be used to access a core mobile network via a generic access network.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of portions of a system for enabling a standard cellular handset to be used to access a core mobile network via a generic access network.

FIG. 8A is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for establishing a connection to access a core mobile network via a generic access network using a standard cellular handset.

FIG. 8B is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for establishing a connection to access a core mobile network via a generic access network using a standard cellular handset.

FIG. 8C is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for establishing a secure tunnel on behalf of an MS.

FIG. 8D is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for using an IMSI other than the IMSI of an MS to establish a secure tunnel to the GANC on behalf of the MS.

FIG. 8E is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process that facilitates the use of an IMSI other than the IMSI of an MS to establish a secure tunnel to the GANC on behalf of the MS.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for releasing resources associated with a standard cellular handset that has been accessing a mobile network via a generic access network.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for connecting a call placed by or to a standard cellular handset accessing a mobile network via a generic access network.

FIGS. 11A and 11B show a call flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for handover to a BTS configured to enable a standard cellular handset to be used to access a mobile network via a GAN.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for handover from a BTS configured to enable a standard cellular handset to be used to access a mobile network via a GAN.

Claims

1. A method for mobile communication, comprising: communicating with a standard cellular mobile station at least in part via a standard cellular air link; andrelaying a mobile communication between the standard cellular mobile station and a core mobile network via a generic access network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein relaying the mobile communication via a generic access network comprises providing connectivity to the core mobile network via a generic access network controller.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein providing connectivity to the core mobile network via a generic access network controller comprises establishes on behalf of the mobile station a connection to the generic access network controller.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the standard cellular mobile station comprises a single mode device configured to communicate only via the standard cellular air link.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the standard cellular mobile station is not configured to communicate with the generic access network except via the standard cellular air link.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the standard cellular mobile station comprises a standard GSM phone.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein communicating with the standard cellular mobile station at least in part via the standard cellular air link comprises receiving via a packet data network call data received from the mobile station at a base transceiver station configured to communicate with the mobile station via the air link.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using a secret data not associated with the mobile station to provide to the core mobile network an authentication data required to establish on behalf of the mobile station a secure connection to a node associated with the generic access network.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the mobile station comprises a first mobile station included in a plurality of mobile stations for which connectivity to the core mobile network is being provided via the generic access network and further comprising establish for each mobile station in the plurality of mobile stations a corresponding secure connection to the node associated with the generic access network.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein relaying a mobile communication between the standard cellular mobile station and a core mobile network via a generic access network comprises translating between the standard cellular air link and a generic access network uplink interface.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the standard cellular air link comprises the Um interface and the generic access network uplink interface comprises the Up interface.

12. A mobile network element, comprising: a communication interface; anda processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to: communicate with a standard cellular mobile station at least in part via a standard cellular air link; anduse the communication interface to relay a mobile communication between the standard cellular mobile station and a core mobile network via a generic access network.

13. A mobile network element as recited in claim 12, wherein the communication interface comprises an IP network interface.

14. A mobile network element as recited in claim 12, wherein the communication interface comprises a Up interface.

15. A mobile network element as recited in claim 12, wherein the mobile network element comprises a base transceiver station.

16. A mobile network element as recited in claim 12, wherein the mobile network element comprises a gateway configured to communicate with a base transceiver station via an IP network.

17. A mobile network element as recited in claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to relay a mobile communication between the standard cellular mobile station and a core mobile network via a generic access network at least in part by establishing on behalf of the mobile station a secure tunnel to a generic access network element.

18. A mobile network element as recited in claim 17, wherein the generic access network element comprises a generic access network controller.

19. A mobile network element as recited in claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to relay a mobile communication between the standard cellular mobile station and a core mobile network via a generic access network at least in part by translating between the standard cellular air link and a generic access network uplink interface.

20. A computer program product for mobile communication, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for: communicating with a standard cellular mobile station at least in part via a standard cellular air link; andrelaying a mobile communication between the standard cellular mobile station and a core mobile network via a generic access network.