Patent ID: 7778641
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A radio access network having a first communication protocol, said radio access network defining first cells at least some of which neighbor foreign cells employing a foreign communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, said foreign communication protocol associated with a foreign communication system, the radio access network comprising: a radio access network node structure for communicating with a multi-mode mobile radio in said first cells; a data mechanism for exchanging handover information through said network node structure with said multi-mode radio as said multi-mode radio is to be handed-over to at least one of said foreign cells, said data mechanism comprising a container structure comprising content expressed in the foreign communications protocol so that the node structure can serve as a conduit for the container and need not understand the content of the container structure; and wherein the container structure comprises a dedicated data mapped structure generic to said radio access network and said foreign communication system such that said generic data mapped structure transports both handover data content unique to said first communication protocol and handover data content unique to said foreign communication protocol.