Method for transmitting MTC data in a mobile communication system

• US 10,129,688 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Hyunsook, Kim, Taehyeon, Kim, Laeyoung, Stojanovski, Saso, Vedrine, Arnaud
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US15/206,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20170006407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly relates to a method for transmitting a small-sized control signal (also known as “small data”) using a control plane in a MTC (machine-type communication) service in a mobile communication system. In the present invention, MTC data is encapsulated in an existing control procedure or control message or the like, on a control signal, without performing packet data bearer setup, and the control signal having the encapsulated MTC data is sent between a network and a terminal, thereby optimizing network resource efficiency and reducing the wireless channel load.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting downlink machine type communication (MTC) data in a mobile communication system, the method being performed by an enhanced Node B (eNB) and comprising:

broadcasting a paging message to a corresponding cell where user equipments (UEs) are camping on;

receiving, from a UE among the UEs, a service request (SR) message in response to the paging message, the SR message being transmitted to initiate a service request procedure when the UE is in an idle mode; and

transmitting, to the UE, a radio resource control (RRC) connection release message to stop the service request procedure, the RRC connection release message comprising encapsulated downlink MTC data,

wherein the RRC connection release message is used as an acknowledgement of the SR message to the UE, and

wherein the acknowledgment indicates whether the SR message has been successfully received or not.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the SR message comprises encapsulated uplink MTC data; and

the acknowledgment further indicates whether the uplink MTC data is successfully received or not.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, from another network entity, a downlink data notification of the downlink MTC data from an external network node.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the RRC connection release message further comprises:

an indicator field indicating that the downlink MTC data is encapsulated; and

a field containing contents of the downlink MTC data.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the RRC connection release message further comprises a contents field of the downlink MTC data indicating the presence of the downlink MTC data.

6. A method for receiving downlink machine type communication (MTC) data in a mobile communication system, the method being performed by a user equipment (UE) and comprising:

receiving a paging message from an eNodeB (eNB), the paging message being broadcast to a corresponding cell where user equipments (UEs), including the UE, are camping on;

transmitting, to the eNB, a service request (SR) message in response to the paging message, the SR message being transmitted to initiate a service request procedure when the UE is in an idle mode; and

receiving, from the eNB a radio release control (RRC) connection release message indicating to stop the service request procedure, the RRC connection release message comprising encapsulated downlink MTC data,

wherein the RRC connection release message is used as an acknowledgement of the SR message from the eNB, and

wherein the acknowledgment indicates whether the SR message has been successfully received or not.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

the SR message comprises encapsulated uplink MTC data;

the acknowledgment further indicates whether the uplink MTC data is successfully received or not; and

the downlink control the RRC connection release message further comprises;

an indicator field indicating that the downlink MTC data is encapsulated; and

a field containing contents of the downlink MTC data.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the RRC connection release message further includes contents field of the downlink MTC data indicating the presence of the downlink MTC data.