Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing an automatic handoff process of a user equipment (UE) from either a wireless local area network (WLAN) to a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or from a UMTS to a WLAN. Handoffs may be initiated by the UE, based upon user preference, signal quality, comparison of location coordinates of the UE and the system to be switched to or signal quality. The available channels of one system may be broadcast to the UE by the other system or the UE may monitor channels of the system to be switched to and lock on to one. The handoff may also be initiated by the UMTS, the selection being power-based.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for offloading backhaul traffic are disclosed. A first base station may detect a condition triggering backhaul traffic offloading for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU). The first base station may establish a wireless connection with a second base station, and offload at least one bearer of the WTRU onto the second base station via the wireless connection. The first base station may be a macro-cell base station and the second base station may be a femto-cell base station having a wired connection to Internet and a mobile operator core network. The first or second base station may include a relay functionality and act as a relay between thee WTRU and the other base station. The backhaul link may be established using a Uu, Un, X2 interface or any other interface over a licensed or license-exempt frequency, a TV white space frequency, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for offloading backhaul traffic are disclosed. A first base station may detect a condition triggering backhaul traffic offloading for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU). The first base station may establish a wireless connection with a second base station, and offload at least one bearer of the WTRU onto the second base station via the wireless connection. The first base station may be a macro-cell base station and the second base station may be a femto-cell base station having a wired connection to Internet and a mobile operator core network. The first or second base station may include a relay functionality and act as a relay between the WTRU and the other base station. The backhaul link may be established using a Uu, Un, X2 interface or any other interface over a licensed or license-exempt frequency, a TV white space frequency, etc.

Abstract: Method and apparatus delivering voice/data services within a piconet operating over a limited range or over a WLAN communicating with 3GPP devices by reformatting data into IP format before delivering to the WLAN. The service is short message service (SMS). Upon receipt of an SMS message, relevant routing information is retrieved. A PDGW address for the SMS message is identified and is sent to the PDGW address which identifies the WLAN user equipment (UE) for receiving the SMS and reformats the SMS message into IP format (text or encapsulation) for delivery to the UE. A protocol architecture is provided for SMS delivery over WLANs, in particular, for UMTS/CDMA based SMS over WLAN through two alternative mechanisms, i.e., SMS tunneling and SMS proxy, for protocols for the delivery of SMS across the WLAN. The invention enhances standard 802.11 in the context of UMTS and CDMA 2000; as well as other scenarios.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing an automatic handoff process of a user equipment (UE) from either a wireless local area network (WLAN) to a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or from a UMTS to a WLAN. Handoffs may be initiated by the UE, based upon user preference, signal quality, comparison of location coordinates of the UE and the system to be switched to or signal quality. The available channels of one system may be broadcast to the UE by the other system or the UE may monitor channels of the system to be switched to and lock on to one. The handoff may also be initiated by the UMTS, the selection being power-based.

Abstract: Method and apparatus delivering voice/data services within a piconet operating over a limited range or over a WLAN communicating with 3GPP devices by reformatting data into IP format before delivering to the WLAN. The service is short message service (SMS). Upon receipt of an SMS message, relevant routing information is retrieved. A PDGW address for the SMS message is identified and is sent to the PDGW address which identifies the WLAN user equipment (UE) for receiving the SMS and reformats the SMS message into IP format (text or encapsulation) for delivery to the UE. A protocol architecture is provided for SMS delivery over WLANs, in particular, for UMTS/CDMA based SMS over WLAN through two alternative mechanisms, i.e., SMS tunneling and SMS proxy, for protocols for the delivery of SMS across the WLAN. The invention enhances standard 802.11 in the context of UMTS and CDMA 2000; as well as other scenarios.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing an automatic handoff process of a dual-mode user equipment (UE) from either a wireless local area network (WLAN) to a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or from a UMTS to a WLAN. Handoffs may be initiated by the UE, based upon user preference, signal quality, comparison of location coordinates of the UE and the system to be switched to or signal quality. The available channels of one system may be sent to the UE by the other system or the UE may monitor channels of the system to be switched to and lock on to one. The handoff may also be initiated by the UMTS, the selection being power-based.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for offloading backhaul traffic are disclosed. A first base station may detect a condition triggering backhaul traffic offloading for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU). The first base station may establish a wireless connection with a second base station, and offload at least one bearer of the WTRU onto the second base station via the wireless connection. The first base station may be a macro-cell base station and the second base station may be a femto-cell base station having a wired connection to Internet and a mobile operator core network. The first or second base station may include a relay functionality and act as a relay between the WTRU and the other base station. The backhaul link may be established using a Uu, Un, X2 interface or any other interface over a licensed or license-exempt frequency, a TV white space frequency, etc.

Abstract: The present invention proposes an infrastructure to enable seamless mobility for wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs) and to provide for management of spectrum and network resources. An WMAN reference model is introduced where the radio resource management (RRM) and handover (HO) sub-layer is introduced into the protocol stack. The WMAN management plane is responsible for the RRM and HO management. Several physical and logical network architecture options for WMAN management are proposed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus delivering voice/data services within a piconet operating over a limited range or over a WLAN communicating with 3GPP devices by reformatting data into IP format before delivering to the WLAN. The service is short message service (SMS). Upon receipt of an SMS message, relevant routing information is retrieved. A PDGW address for the SMS message is identified and is sent to the PDGW address which identifies the WLAN user equipment (UE) for receiving the SMS and reformats the SMS message into IP format (text or encapsulation) for delivery to the UE. A protocol architecture is provided for SMS delivery over WLANs, in particular, for UMTS/CDMA based SMS over WLAN through two alternative mechanisms, i.e., SMS tunneling and SMS proxy, for protocols for the delivery of SMS across the WLAN. The invention enhances standard 802.11 in the context of UMTS and CDMA 2000; as well as other scenarios.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing an automatic handoff process of a dual-mode user equipment (UE) from either a wireless local area network (WLAN) to a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or from a UMTS to a WLAN. Handoffs may be initiated by the UE, based upon user preference, signal quality, comparison of location coordinates of the UE and the system to be switched to or signal quality. The available channels of one system may be sent to the UE by the other system or the UE may monitor channels of the system to be switched to and lock on to one. The handoff may also be initiated by the UMTS, the selection being power-based.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new communication mechanism between the UE and the GGSN pertaining to Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) signaling, and coordinates and assigns responsibility for RSVP messaging. This ensures proper RSVP messaging, prevents unnecessary consumption of radio resources and reduces chances of collisions within the network. Also, the invention prevents the possibility that neither the UE nor GGSN respond appropriately to the RSVP requirements by halting transmission of any RSVP path/refreshment messages to the IP network in order to refresh/maintain the reservation states due to lack of clear assignment of responsibility. This lack of clear understanding between the UE and the GGSN may result in the expiration of the IP network resource reservations made earlier for media streams.

Abstract: Method and Apparatus for making more efficient use of air link resources and network capacity in a mobile telecommunications system in which unauthorized and/or unsupported media types transmitted in a session initialization protocol (SIP) message sent from one equipment user (UE) to another are deleted by the network(s) as the SIP message is routed through the system.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing an automatic handoff process of a dual-mods user equipment (UE) from either a wireless local area network (WLAN) to a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or from a UMTS to a WLAN. Handoffs may be initiated by the UE, based upon user preference, signal quality, comparison of location coordinates of the UE and the system to be switched to or signal quality. The available channels of one system may be sent to the UE by the other system or the UE may monitor channels of the system to be switched to and lock on to one. The handoff may also be initiated by the UMTS, the selection being power-based.

Abstract: Method and Apparatus for making more efficient use of air link resources and network capacity in a mobile telecommunications system in which unauthorized and/or unsupported media types transmitted in a session initialization protocol (SIP) message sent from one equipment user (UE) to another are deleted by the network(s) as the SIP message is routed through the system.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the possibility of a race condition that arises due to lack of a communication mechanism between the UE and the GGSN, saving unnecessary consumption of radio resources and reducing chances of collisions within the network. Also, the invention prevents the possibility that neither the UE nor GGSN respond appropriately to the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) requirements by halting transmission of any RSVP path/refreshment messages to the IP network in order to refresh/maintain the reservation states due lack of clear assignment of responsibility. This lack of clear understanding between the UE and the GGSN may result in the expiration of the IP network resource reservations made earlier for media streams. This scenario can occur with a higher probability in the absence of this dialog.

Abstract: A base station in a subscriber communication network for communicating signals between subscriber stations and an external communication network having a plurality of ports. The base station includes a communication circuit for enabling simultaneous communications between a plurality of the ports and a plurality of subscriber stations over a given communication channel having multiple sequentially repetitive time slots; a remote-connection processor for directing communications between the time slot assigned to a given subscriber station and a given external communication network port; and an exchange for connecting the communication circuit to the external communication network ports.