Patent ID: 8345594

Claim:
A method for performing a handover between heterogeneous networks at a first mobile communication network node, the method comprising: receiving information from a mobile station (MS) that includes an indication that the MS can access a generic access network (GAN); transmitting a first message to a second mobile communication network node based on the information; receiving a second message from the second mobile communication network node in response to the first message, wherein the second message includes at least one generic access network (GAN) cell information; and transmitting the at least one GAN cell information to the MS, wherein the first message is a radio link setup request message or a radio link additional request message, wherein the second message is a radio link setup response message or a radio link additional response message, wherein the at least one GAN cell information is transmitted through a neighboring GSM cell information element (IE), a neighboring GAN cell information IE, or a non-critical extension part included in the radio link setup response message, and wherein neighboring GSM cell information IE includes an indication that the at least one cell is a GAN cell if the information is transmitted through the neighboring GSM cell information IE.