An apparatus is disclosed for permitting a mobile terminal having multiple, heterogeneous network connections (e.g., multiple wired or wireless transceivers of various types) to set up and maintain virtual connections over multiple networks to either the same or to multiple destinations. The mobile terminal can “load-share” traffic, i.e., it can distribute segments of traffic over a full set of heterogeneous networks, significantly improving the reliability and availability of communications. In a first embodiment, a mobile terminal is configured with multiple radio frequency (RF) transceivers. Operating system software is provided for dynamically establishing and maintaining traffic flow for user applications over multiple communications paths, and for automatically adapting to variations in the networking environment, application traffic flow requirements, end user preferences, or mobility. In a second embodiment, a software-defined radio is used to implement the physical layer protocols for each desired network, eliminating the need for multiple transceivers.

Multi-access terminal with capability for simultaneous connectivity to multiple communication channels

A method performed by user equipment (UE) includes receiving a request to access a service unavailable through a first network cell associated with the UE, and receiving a message from an access device associated with the first network cell, wherein the message identifies a plurality of second network cells providing the service.

Method for accessing a service unavailable through a network cell

A method for selecting an alternate wireless communication system for a wireless communication device is disclosed. The method comprises using a first radio access technology (RAT) by a wireless communication device when scanning (202) for an initial wireless communication network (201). The wireless communication device further registers (215) to the initial wireless communication network (201). Then, the initial wireless communication network (201) determines (206) alternate RAT wireless communication network information for the wireless communication device and sends (235) the alternate RAT wireless communication network information to the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device receives the alternate RAT wireless communication network information and selects (240) a first alternate wireless communication network from within the alternate RAT wireless communication network information, scans for the first alternate wireless communication network using an alternate RAT and registers with the first alternate wireless communication network using the alternate RAT.

Method and apparatus for detecting an alternate wireless communication network

Systems and methods are provided for processing wireless signal components for a mobile wireless access broadband service. This can include processes for defining a protocol that controls whether to invoke a tune away component to determine an alternative wireless communications path. This can include defining one or more tune away parameters for the tune away component. The process can then automatically select the alternative wireless communications path based in part on the tune away procedure and at least one of the tune away parameters.

Tune-away protocols for wireless systems

In a handover operation an access terminal is handed over from a source access point to a target access point. To facilitate efficient identification of a target access point, a handover operation may be initiated by the target access point. A candidate frequency search also may be invoked to confirm that an access terminal identified by a target access point for a handover is in the vicinity of the target access point. A source access point may verify whether an access terminal is in a vicinity of a target access point to determine whether to perform a handover operation. A source access point may handle potential ambiguity between several target access points by sending handover commands to each of these target access points. An access terminal also may assist in the determination of whether to perform a handover operation.

Source initiated communication handover

Various schemes for performing inter-system handoff, eg, from a UTRAN to a cdma2000 radio access network (RAN) are described For a MAHHO scheme, the UTRAN uses measurements obtained by a multi-RAT device to determine suitable cdma2000 cell(s) for handover The measurements are obtained by a candidate frequency search procedure, and the handover is accomplished by a handoff execution procedure For a MDHHO scheme, the UTRAN relies on location information for the multi-RAT device to select suitable cdma2000 cell(s) for handover For a CRHHO scheme, a new call is established on the cdma2000 RAN and the pending call on the UTRAN is released in a manner such that the handover appears seamless to the multi-RAT device The multi-RAT device includes two modem processors that perform processing for the UTRAN and cdma2000 RAN and an application processor that controls the modem processors

Vieri Vanghi

Papers

Inter-system handoff between wireless communication networks of different radio access technologies