Communication method, user equipment, and single radio controller

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a communication method, a user equipment, and a single radio controller. The method includes: establishing, by a user equipment, a first connection with an SRC by using a first communications network; and sending, by the user equipment, NAS signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network to the SRC by using the first connection, and/or receiving NAS signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network from the SRC by using the first connection. Therefore, in the embodiments of the present invention, NAS/L3 signaling of a second communications network is transmitted over the first connection that is established in a first communications network, so that a service can flexibly switch between different RATs, and the system efficiency is improved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication method, comprising:
 establishing, by a single radio controller (SRC), a first connection with user equipment by using a first communications network; and   sending, by the SRC, non-access stratum (NAS) signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network to the user equipment by using the first connection, and/or receiving NAS signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network from the user equipment by using the first connection, wherein   the first communications network and the second communications network use different radio access technologies (RATs), and the SRC is configured to manage radio resources of the first communications network and the second communications network.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving, by the SRC, NAS signaling of a second communications network from the user equipment by using the first connection comprises:
 receiving, by the SRC, first NAS signaling that is sent by the user equipment by using the first connection, wherein the first NAS signaling is used to register with or perform a location update to the second communications network; and   the method further comprises: forwarding the first NAS signaling to the second communications network.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first NAS signaling or a message or data that carries the first NAS signaling carries type information of the second communications network; and
 the method further comprises: determining the second communications network according to the type information.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the SRC, second NAS signaling that is sent by the second communications network, wherein the second NAS signaling is used to respond to the first NAS signaling or is NAS signaling that is initiated by the second communications network and related to registration or location update; and   the sending, by the SRC, NAS signaling of a second communications network to the user equipment by using the first connection comprises:   sending, by the SRC, the second NAS signaling to the user equipment by using the first connection.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 recording, by the SRC, an identifier of the user equipment, and information about the first communications network on which the user equipment camps and/or information about the second communications network with which the user equipment is registered.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving, by the SRC, NAS signaling of a second communications network from the user equipment by using the first connection comprises:
 receiving, by the SRC, third NAS signaling that is sent by the user equipment by using the first connection, wherein the third NAS signaling is used to set up a service in the second communications network; and   the method further comprises: forwarding the third NAS signaling to the second communications network.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the third NAS signaling or a message or data that carries the third NAS signaling carries the type information of the second communications network; and
 the method further comprises: determining the second communications network according to the type information.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the SRC, fourth NAS signaling sent by the second communications network, wherein the fourth NAS signaling is used to respond to the third NAS signaling or is NAS signaling initiated by the second communications network and related to service setup; and   the sending, by the SRC, NAS signaling of a second communications network to the user equipment by using the first connection comprises:   sending, by the SRC, the fourth NAS signaling to the user equipment by using the first connection.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises: allocating, by the SRC, a service channel of the second communications network to the user equipment; and
 the sending, by the SRC, Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network to the user equipment by using the first connection comprises:   sending, by the SRC, first Layer 3 signaling to the user equipment by using the first connection, wherein the first Layer 3 signaling is used to transfer the user equipment to the service channel of the second communications network.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein before the allocating, by the SRC, a service channel of the second communications network to the user equipment, the sending, by the SRC, NAS signaling of a second communications network to the user equipment by using the first connection further comprises:
 sending, by the SRC, alerting signaling to the user equipment by using the first connection.   
     
     
         11 . A communication method, comprising:
 establishing, by user equipment, a first connection with a single radio controller (SRC) by using a first communications network; and   sending, by the user equipment, non-access stratum (NAS) signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network to the SRC by using the first connection, and/or receiving NAS signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network from the SRC by using the first connection, wherein   the first communications network and the second communications network use different radio access technologies (RATs), and the SRC is configured to manage radio resources of the first communications network and the second communications network.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the sending, by the user equipment, NAS signaling of a second communications network to the SRC by using the first connection comprises:
 sending, by the user equipment, first NAS signaling of the second communications network to the SRC by using the first connection, wherein the first NAS signaling is used to register with or perform a location update to the second communications network.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the first NAS signaling or a message or data that carries the first NAS signaling carries type information of the second communications network. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the receiving, by the user equipment, NAS signaling of a second communications network from the SRC by using the first connection comprises:
 receiving, by the user equipment, second NAS signaling of the second communications network that is sent by the SRC by using the first connection, wherein the second NAS signaling is used to respond to the first NAS signaling or is NAS signaling that is initiated by the second communications network and related to registration or location update.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the sending, by the user equipment, NAS signaling of a second communications network to the SRC by using the first connection comprises:
 sending, by the user equipment to the SRC by using the first connection, third NAS signaling for setting up a service in the second communications network.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the third NAS signaling or a message or data that carries the third NAS signaling carries the type information of the second communications network. 
     
     
         17 . A communication system, comprising:
 a single radio controller (SRC), configured to establish a first connection with user equipment by using a first communications network, and send non-access stratum (NAS) signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network to the user equipment by using the first connection, wherein the first communications network and the second communications network use different radio access technologies (RATs), and the SRC is configured to manage radio resources of the first communications network and the second communications network;   the user equipment, configured to establish the first connection with the SRC by using the first communications network, and receive the NAS signaling or Layer 3 signaling of the second communications network from the SRC by using the first connection.   
     
     
         18 . A communication system, comprising:
 user equipment, configured to establish a first connection with a single radio controller (SRC) by using a first communications network; and send non-access stratum (NAS) signaling or Layer 3 signaling of a second communications network to the SRC by using the first connection;   the SRC, configured to establish the first connection with the user equipment by using the first communications network, and receive the NAS signaling or Layer 3 signaling of the second communications network from the user equipment by using the first connection, wherein the first communications network and the second communications network use different radio access technologies (RATs), and the SRC is configured to manage radio resources of the first communications network and the second communications network.