Extended discontinuous reception signaling for connected mode user equipments

• US 10,225,881 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sebire, Benoist Pierre, Wu, Chunli, Decarreau, Guillaume
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Brian S
• Application Number:
  US15/549,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20180042068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A user equipment uses extended discontinuous reception (DRX) when the user equipment is in connected mode with a communication network. The extended DRX comprises extended DRX cycles and offsets, which are based on a value of a specific DRX cycle. The user equipment receives (S31) signaling from the communication network, the signaling comprising an extended DRX cycle indication and offset value, calculates (S32) an extended DRX cycle from the extended DRX cycle indication and an offset from the offset value, using the value of the specific DRX cycle, and executes (S33) the DRX when the user equipment is in the connected mode with the extended DRX cycle calculated and the offset calculated.

Claims

1. A method for use in a user equipment, the user equipment using an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) when the user equipment is in a connected mode with a communication network, wherein the extended DRX comprises extended DRX cycles and offsets, which are based on a value of a specific DRX cycle, the method comprising:

receiving signaling from the communication network, the signaling comprising an extended DRX cycle indication and an offset value;

calculating an extended DRX cycle from the extended DRX cycle indication and an offset from the offset value, using the value of the specific DRX cycle; and

executing the DRX when the user equipment is in the connected mode with the extended DRX cycle calculated and the offset calculated.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving signaling from the communication network, the signaling comprising the value of the specific DRX cycle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the value of the specific DRX cycle is the maximum length of a long DRX cycle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the long DRX cycle is 2560 milliseconds.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a value of the long DRX cycle is in number of sub-frames.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the extended DRX cycle indication indicates the extended DRX cycle and is a first multiplication value of the value of the specific DRX cycle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the offset value indicates a DRX start offset and is a second multiplication value of the value of the specific DRX cycle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the offset value indicates an extended DRX cycle start offset and is a second multiplication value of the extended DRX cycle length divided by the value of the specific DRX cycle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a long term evolution network.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause a user equipment to perform a method comprising:

using an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) when the user equipment is in a connected mode with a communication network, wherein the extended DRX comprises extended DRX cycles and offsets, which are based on a value of a specific DRX cycle;

receiving signaling from the communication network, the signaling comprising an extended DRX cycle indication and an offset value;

calculating an extended DRX cycle from the extended DRX cycle indication and an offset from the offset value, using the value of the specific DRX cycle; and

executing the DRX when the user equipment is in the connected mode with the extended DRX cycle calculated and the offset calculated.

11. An apparatus comprising at least one processor;

and at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

use an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) when the apparatus is in a connected mode with a communication network, wherein the extended DRX comprises extended DRX cycles and offsets, which are based on a value of a specific DRX cycle;

receive signaling from the communication network, the signaling comprising an extended DRX cycle indication and an offset value;

calculate an extended DRX cycle from the extended DRX cycle indication and an offset from the offset value, using the value of the specific DRX cycle; and

execute the DRX when the apparatus is in the connected mode with the extended DRX cycle calculated and the offset calculated.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

receive signaling from the communication network, the signaling comprising the value of the specific DRX cycle.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the value of the specific DRX cycle is the maximum length of a long DRX cycle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the long DRX cycle is 2560 milliseconds.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a value of the long DRX cycle is in number of sub-frames.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the extended DRX cycle indication indicates the extended DRX cycle and is a first multiplication value of the value of the specific DRX cycle.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the offset value indicates a DRX start offset and is a second multiplication value of the value of the specific DRX cycle.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the offset value indicates an extended DRX cycle start offset and is a second multiplication value of the extended DRX cycle length divided by the value of the specific DRX cycle.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a user equipment.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is for communicating in a long term evolution network.