METHOD, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SECOND GENERATION AND THIRD GENERATION PACKET DATA NETWORKS

摘要

Communication is enabled between a first network in which control functions and user functions are combined in a first node and a second network in which user functions are implemented in a second node, and control functions are implemented in a third node. A determination is made whether data received contains control data. If so the control data is extracted from the received data and is forwarded to the third node in which control functions are handled. The control data is used for resource handling. The extraction and forwarding may be performed in the first, second, or third node or at any place in between. If the received data does not contain control data, control data is added at the third node and forwarded to the second node. The first network may be a second generation data packet network, e.g., a Global Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, and the second network may be a third generation packet data network., e.g., a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) network.