Patent ID: 8165061
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: H04W,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for supporting an interworking between a wireless local area network and a mobile communications network, the mobile communications network including a serving radio network controller, a universal mobile telecommunications system, and a radio access network comprising a transceiver coupled to a radio network controller, the radio network controller being coupled to a core network, the method comprising the steps of: providing an interworking function disposed on the wireless local area network side of the mobile communications network; connecting the wireless local area network to the mobile communications network by employing the interworking function as a drift radio network controller associated with the mobile communications network, wherein the connecting step connects the wireless local area network to the mobile communications network through a user plane interface disposed between the interworking function and the serving radio network controller, and wherein the mobile communications network further including a serving general packet radio service support node, a gateway general packet radio service support node, and a node B; forming a data path from a user equipment to the interworking function to the serving radio network controller to the serving general packet radio service support node to the gateway general packet radio service support node; forming a control path from the user equipment to the node B to the serving radio network controller to the serving general packet radio service support node to the gateway general packet radio service support node; and performing call admission control by the interworking function. wherein said performing step is implemented based upon at least one of a type of service assigned by the interworking function, a type of dedicated/common transport channel requested by the serving radio network controller, and wireless local area network resources available in an access point to which a user equipment will attach.