EFFICIENT HANDOFFS BETWEEN CELLULAR AND WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORKS

摘要

The present invention facilitates a handoff between cellular and wireless local area networks (WLANs). To facilitate a WLAN interface with the cellular network, a proxy packet control function (P-PCF) establishes a data tunnel to a packet data serving node (PDSN), as well as a WLAN association with a mobile terminal. The WLAN association is a tunnel, and is preferably implemented via an Access Router acting as a liaison between the proxy PCF and an Access Point. The Access Router and the proxy PCF establish an IP tunnel, which carries the WLAN user's PPP traffic. Handoffs between the cellular and WLAN networks are facilitated by effecting a same-PDSN, inter-PCF handoff wherein the communication session with the mobile terminal is effectively changed from between the PDSN and the proxy PCF to between the PDSN and a PCF associated with a base station controller facilitating the cellular access, and vice versa.