Communications via multiple access points

• US 10,057,937 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yanji, Liu, Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sai Ming
• Application Number:
  US15/307,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20170064769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for controlling communication with a communication device connected to a plurality of access points are described. Predefined inactivity in communications between a first access point and the communication device may be determined at the first access point. An indication of predefined inactivity in communications between the communication device and a second access point may be provided by the second access point. Connectivity state of the communication device is only changed when said predefined inactivity in communications between the first access point and the communication device has been determined and said indication has been provided.

Claims

1. A method for controlling communication with a communication device connected to a plurality of access points, the method comprising:

determining predefined inactivity in communications between a first access point and the communication device,

receiving an indication of predefined inactivity in communications between the communication device and a second access point, and

changing the connectivity state of the communication device when said predefined inactivity in communications between the first access point and the communication device has been determined and said indication has been received.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of predefined inactivity comprises determining expiry of an inactivity timer.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising communicating, subsequent to communication of the indication of predefined inactivity and before a change of the connectivity state, an indication of resumed activity in communications between the communication device and the second access point.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein, in response to the indication of resumed activity, the first access point ignores the indication of predefined inactivity thereof.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first access point restarts an inactivity timer function thereof when no indication of predefined inactivity has been received from the second access point by the expiry of the inactivity timer function and resumed activity in communications between the first access point and the communication device is determined.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein communications between the access points and the communication device comprises user plane communications of packet data.

20. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said program comprising code means adapted to perform the steps of claim 1 when the program is run on processor apparatus.

2. A method for controlling communications with a communication device connected to a plurality of access points, the method comprising:

determining predefined inactivity in communications between a second access point and the communication device,

sending an indication of the determined predefined inactivity to a first access point for use in determination whether to change the connectivity state of the communication device, and

waiting for information regarding the connectivity state of the communication device.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the first access point comprises a master access point and the second access point comprises a secondary access point for the communication device in dual connectivity mode.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein the change of the connectivity state comprises release of radio resource control connection by the first access point.

10. An apparatus for controlling communications with a communication device connected to a plurality of access points, the apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to

determine predefined inactivity in communications between a first access point and a communication device,

determine an indication of predefined inactivity in communications between the communication device and a second access point, and

change the connectivity state of the communication device when said predefined inactivity in communications between the first access point and the communication device and said indication have been determined.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, the apparatus being configured to determine the predefined inactivity from expiry of an inactivity timer.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first access point comprises a master access point and the second access point comprises a secondary access point for the communication device in dual connectivity mode.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, the apparatus being configured to communicate, subsequent to communication of the indication of predefined inactivity and before a change of the connectivity state, an indication of resumed activity in communications between the communication device and the second access point.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, configured to, in response to the indication of resumed activity from the second access point, ignore the indication of predefined inactivity of the second access node.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10, configured to restart an inactivity timer function thereof when no indication of predefined inactivity has been received from the second access point by the expiry of the inactivity timer function and resumed activity in communications between the first access point and the communication device is determined.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the change of connectivity state comprises release of radio resource control connection by the first access point.

11. An apparatus for controlling communications with a communication device connected to a plurality of access points, the apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to

determine predefined inactivity in communications between a second access point and a communication device,

send an indication of the determined predefined inactivity to a first access point for use in determination whether to change the connectivity state of the communication device, and

wait for information regarding change in the connectivity state of the communication device.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first access point comprises a master access point and the second access point comprises a secondary access point for the communication device in dual connectivity mode.

19. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the change of the connectivity state comprises release of radio resource control connection by the first access point.