초록 ▼

A method and system for a handoff in a broadcast communication system is disclosed. A subscriber assisted handoff is impractical in a broadcast communication system due to e.g., a high signaling load, a difficulty to synchronize the broadcast transmission. On the other hand, the small number of broa

A method and system for a handoff in a broadcast communication system is disclosed. A subscriber assisted handoff is impractical in a broadcast communication system due to e.g., a high signaling load, a difficulty to synchronize the broadcast transmission. On the other hand, the small number of broadcast channels enables the subscriber station to perform the handoff autonomously. To streamline the autonomous handoff decision process, several distinct sets of pilot identifiers and rules for transitioning among the sets are defined. To fully integrate broadcast services with the services provided by the cellular telephone systems in a subscriber environment, a methods for various handoff scenarios are analyzed.

대표청구항 ▼

A method and system for a handoff in a broadcast communication system is disclosed. A subscriber assisted handoff is impractical in a broadcast communication system due to e.g., a high signaling load, a difficulty to synchronize the broadcast transmission. On the other hand, the small number of broa

A method and system for a handoff in a broadcast communication system is disclosed. A subscriber assisted handoff is impractical in a broadcast communication system due to e.g., a high signaling load, a difficulty to synchronize the broadcast transmission. On the other hand, the small number of broadcast channels enables the subscriber station to perform the handoff autonomously. To streamline the autonomous handoff decision process, several distinct sets of pilot identifiers and rules for transitioning among the sets are defined. To fully integrate broadcast services with the services provided by the cellular telephone systems in a subscriber environment, a methods for various handoff scenarios are analyzed. ic Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or in the same country as the new visitor network entity.4. The method of claim 3, wherein this determination is made in the home network entity.5. The method of claim 3, wherein this determination is made in the new visitor network entity.6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending to the previous visitor network entity a message requesting the transfer of a newer subscriber profile.7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending from the home network entity an update location response to the new visitor network entity indicating that the updated subscriber profile should be retrieved from the previous visitor network entity.8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending from the new visitor network entity a message to the previous visitor network entity requesting the updated subscriber profile to be transferred to the new visitor network entity.9. The method of claim 8, further comprising returning from the previous visitor network entity the updated subscriber profile in one or several response message (s).10. The method of claim 8, further comprising, if the subscriber profile cannot be retrieved from the previous visitor network entity, sending to the home network entity a restore message including the identity of the concerned subscriber.11. The method of claim 8, wherein the message includes an explicit indication that the subscriber profile and its associated revision management parameter should be sent from the home network entity to the new visitor network entity.12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the subscriber profile needs to be updated comprises comparing in the previous visitor network entity a version parameter indicating a version of the subscribe profile stored in the new visitor network entity with a version parameter indicating the version of the subscriber profile currently stored in the previous visitor network entity.13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of updating comprises sending from the previous visitor network entity to the new visitor network entity the newer subscriber profile and its associated version parameter in one or more response messages.14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, upon reception of the response message (s) from the previous visitor network entity, replacing the previously stored subscriber profile and the associated versions parameter with the subscriber profile and associated version parameter received in the response message.15. The method of claim 1, wherein the network supports circuit switched communication, the home network entity is a home location register (HLR), and the visitor network entities are visitor location registers (VLRs).16. The method of claim 1, wherein the network supports General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), the home network entity is a home location register (HLR) connected to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), and the visiting network entities are Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs).17. A system for handling subscriber data for a mobile station (MS) roaming in a network including home network entity containing information regarding subscribers to the network and one or more visitor network entities containing information regarding subscribers to one or more other networks, the system comprising: means for receiving an update location request at a new visitor network entity serving an area into which the subscriber has roamed from an area served by a previous visitor network entity; means for indicating the update location request to the home network entity; means for determining whether a subscriber profile of the subscriber stored in the new visitor network entity needs updating; means for determining whether conditions for updating the subscriber profile stored in the new visitor network entity from the previous visitor network entity are met; and means for, if the subscriber profile needs updating and the conditions are met, updating the subscriber profile stored in the new visitor network entity from the previous visitor network entity. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for determining whether the subscriber profile needs updating comprises means for comparing in the home network entity a version parameter indicating a version of the subscriber profile stored in the new visitor network entity with a version parameter indicating a version of the subscriber profile stored in the home network entity.19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for determining whether the conditions for updating the subscriber profile in the new visitor network entity from the previous visitor network entity are met includes means for determining whether the previous visitor network entity is located in the same Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or in the same country as the new visitor network entity.20. The system of claim 19, wherein this determination is made in the home network entity.21. The system of claim 19, wherein this determination is made in the new visitor network entity.22. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for sending to the previous visitor network entity a message requesting the transfer of a newer subscriber profile.23. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for sending from the home network entity an update location response to the new visitor network entity indicating that the updated subscriber profile should be retrieved from the previous visitor network entity.24. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for sending from the new visitor network entity a message to the previous visitor network entity requesting the updated subscriber profile to be transferred to the new visitor network entity.25. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for returning from the previous visitor network entity the updated subscriber profile in one or several response message (s).26. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for sending to the home network entity a restore message including the identity of the concerned subscriber if the subscriber profile cannot be retrieved from the previous visitor network entity.27. The system of claim 26, wherein the message includes an explicit indication that the subscriber profile and its associated revision management parameter should be sent from the home network entity to the new visitor network entity.28. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for determining whether the subscriber profile needs to be updated comprises comparing in the previous visitor network entity a version parameter indicating a version of the subscribe profile stored in the new visitor network entity with a version parameter indicating the version of the subscriber profile currently stored in the previous visitor network entity.29. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for updating comprises means for sending from the previous visitor network entity to the new visitor network entity the newer subscriber profile and its associated version parameter in one or more response messages.30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for replacing the previously stored subscriber profile and the associated versions parameter with the subscriber profile and associated version parameter received in the response message, upon reception of the response message (s) from the previous visitor network entity.31. The system of claim 17, wherein the network supports circuit switched communication, the home network entity is a home location register (HLR), and the visitor network entities are visitor location registers (VLRs).32. The system of claim 17, wherein the network supports General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), the home network entity is a home location register (HLR) connected to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), and the visiting network entities are Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs).33. A method for handling subscriber data for a subscriber roaming in a network including a home network entity containing information regarding subscribers to the network and one or more visitor network entities containing information regarding subscribers to one or more other networks, the method comprising: receiving at the home network entity a request to update a subscriber profile stored in a visitor network entity; determining whether modifications recorded in the home network entity are sufficient to enable updating of the subscriber profile by comparing a version parameter of the subscriber profile stored in the visitor network entity with a version parameter of the subscriber profile stored in the home network entity, and if the version parameters are within a predetermine range, the modification recorded in home network entity are deemed sufficient; and if the modifications recorded are sufficient, sending the modifications from the home network entity to the visitor network entity. 34. The method of claim 33, further comprising, if the modifications recorded are not sufficient, sending the entire subscriber profile from the home network entity to the visitor network entity.35. The method of claim 33, further comprising sending only indications of the modifications of the subscriber profile from the home network entity to the visitor network entity to indicate to the visitor network entity how its currently stored version of the subscriber profile should be updated to reflect the subscriber profile currently stored in the home network entity.36. The method of claim 35, further comprising sending, together with the modification indications, a version parameter associated with the version of the subscriber profile currently stored in the home network entity.37. The method of claim 36, further comprising, in the visitor network entity, replacing the previously stored version parameter with the version parameter received from the home network entity.38. The method of claim 33, further comprising keeping track of modifications of the subscriber profile in the home network entity in order to be able to include all the relevant modification indications in a message.39. The method of claim 33, further comprising, in the visitor network entity, using the modification indications to update the version of the subscriber profile previously stored in the visitor network entity to reflect the version of the subscriber profile currently stored in the home network entity.40. The method of claim 33, wherein the network supports circuit-switched communications, the home network entity is a home location register (HLR), and the visitor network entity is a visitor location register (VLR).41. The method of claim 33, wherein the network supports General Packet Radio Service, the home network entity is a home location register (HLR) connected to a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), and the visitor network entities are Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs).42. A system for handling subscriber data for a subscriber roaming in a network including a home network entity containing information regarding subscribers to the network and one or more visitor network entities containing information regarding subscribers to one or more other networks, the method comprising: means for receiving at the home network entity a request to update a subscriber profile stored in a visitor network entity; means for determining whether modifications recorded in the home network entity are sufficient to enable updating of the subscriber profile by comparing a version parameter of the subscriber profile stored in the visitor network entity with a version parameter of the subscriber profile stored in the home network entity, and if the version parameters are within a predetermine range, the modifications recorded in the home network entity are deemed sufficient; and means for, if the modifications recorded are sufficient, sending the modifications from the home network entity to the visitor network entity. 43. The system of claim 42, further comprising, means f