METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING POSSIBLE REPEATED HANDOVER DIFFERENT RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES

摘要

Inter-radio access technology (IRAT) ping pong handover of a user equipment (UE) connection between a source radio access technology (RAT) communications network, e.g., LTE, and a different target RAT communications network, e.g., UTRAN, is detected. A control node determines IRAT ping pong handover information and evaluates an IRAT handover request message for the UE connection from the source RAT network with respect to the handover ping pong information. Based thereon, the node determines that the UE connection meets one or more ping pong conditions associated with the handover ping pong information and provides an indication of an IRAT ping pong handover condition to a base station in the source RAT network to allow the base station to make mobility adjustments.

主权项

1. A method for detecting a possible inter-radio access technology (IRAT) ping pong handover of a user equipment (UE) connection between a source radio access technology (RAT) communications network and a different target RAT communications network, where in an IRAT ping pong handover, the UE connection is handed over from a first cell in the source RAT network to a second cell in the target RAT network and then handed over back to a third cell in the source RAT network within a predetermined limited time during which coverage for the UE connection is available from the source RAT network, the method being implemented by a control node associated with the target RAT network and comprising the steps of:
determining, by the control node, IRAT ping pong handover information; evaluating the UE connection related to an IRAT handover request message from the source RAT network with respect to the IRAT ping pong handover information; based on the evaluating, determining that the UE connection meets one or more ping pong conditions associated with the IRAT ping pong handover information; and providing an indication of an IRAT ping pong handover condition to a base station in the source RAT network.