Cellular-wireless local area network (wlan) interworking

Abstract

A device for facilitating cellular-wireless local area network (WLAN) interworking includes a radio circuit and one or more processor circuits. The radio circuit can transceive radio-frequency (RF) signals. The processor circuit receives an indication to perform cellular-wireless local area network (WLAN) interworking, determines that a first base station associated with the wireless device does not support tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission, and identifies a WLAN access point associated with a second base station that supports tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission. The radio circuit establishes a connection between the wireless device and the WLAN access point, facilitates handover between the first base station and the second base station, and receives cellular data from the second base station via the WLAN access point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless device, comprising:
 a radio circuit configured to transceive radio-frequency (RF) signals; and   at least one processor circuit,   wherein:   the at least one processor circuit is configured to:
 receive an indication to perform cellular-wireless local area network (WLAN) interworking; 
 determine that a first base station associated with the wireless device does not support tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission; and 
 identify a WLAN access point associated with a second base station that supports tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission, and 
   the radio circuit is configured to:
 establish a connection between the wireless device and the WLAN access point; 
 facilitate handover between the first base station and the second base station; and 
 receive cellular data from the second base station via the WLAN access point. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless device of  claim 1 , wherein the radio circuit is configured to facilitate the handover by transmitting an identifier associated with the WLAN access point. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless device of  claim 2 , wherein the radio circuit is configured to facilitate the handover in response to receiving a request for information from the first base station and by transmitting the identifier is in response to receiving the request. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless device of  claim 1 , wherein the radio circuit is further configured facilitate establishing a tunnel between the wireless device and the second base station. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless device of  claim 4 , wherein the tunnel is associated with an Internet Protocol and cellular data is received via the tunnel. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless device of  claim 4 , wherein the tunnel comprises an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) tunnel. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless device of  claim 4 , wherein the packet comprises a tunnel identifier associated with the tunnel, and wherein the tunnel identifier comprises a security parameter index (SPI). 
     
     
         8 . The wireless device of  claim 1 , wherein radio circuit is configured receive the cellular data comprising a packet from the second base station via the WLAN access point. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 receiving an indication to perform cellular-wireless local area network (WLAN) interworking;   determining, by a user equipment (UE), that a first base station associated with the UE does not support tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission;   identifying a WLAN access point associated with a second base station, wherein the second base station supports tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission;   establishing a connection between the UE and the WLAN access point;   facilitating handover between the first base station and the second base station; and   receiving cellular data from the second base station via the WLAN access point.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein facilitating the handover comprises transmitting, by the UE to the first base station, an identifier associated with the WLAN access point. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein facilitating the handover comprises receiving a request for information from the first base station, wherein transmitting the identifier is in response to receiving the request. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising facilitating establishing a tunnel between the UE and the second base station, wherein the tunnel is associated with an Internet Protocol and cellular data is received via the tunnel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the tunnel comprises an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) tunnel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving cellular data comprises receiving a packet from the second base station via the WLAN access point, and the packet comprises a tunnel identifier associated with the tunnel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tunnel identifier comprises a security parameter index (SPI). 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product comprising instructions stored in a tangible computer-readable storage medium, the instructions comprising:
 instructions to receive an indication to perform cellular-wireless local area network (WLAN) interworking;   instructions to determine, by a user equipment (UE), that a first base station associated with the UE does not support tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission;   instructions to identify a WLAN access point associated with a second base station, wherein the second base station supports tunneling of cellular data over WLAN transmission;   instructions to establish a connection between the UE and the WLAN access point;   instructions to facilitate handover between the first base station and the second base station; and   instructions to receive cellular data from the second base station via the WLAN access point.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein facilitating the handover comprises transmitting, by the UE to the first base station, an identifier associated with the WLAN access point. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein facilitating the handover comprises receiving a request for information from the first base station, wherein transmitting the identifier is in response to receiving the request. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , further comprising facilitating establishing a tunnel between the UE and the second base station, wherein the tunnel is associated with an Internet Protocol and cellular data is received via the tunnel, and wherein the tunnel is an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) tunnel. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein receiving cellular data comprises receiving a packet from the second base station via the WLAN access point, and the packet comprises a tunnel identifier associated with the tunnel, wherein the tunnel identifier comprises a security parameter index (SPI).