Access method of wireless communication network

• US 10,616,823 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Bucknell, Paul, Fang, Yiwei, Viorel, Dorin, Moulsley, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Faisal
• Application Number:
  US15/182,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure

Abstract

An access method of a device (10) such as an MTC device to a network (20, 30, 40) which allows the transmission of small data packets without the need to read all the System Information normally required to make an initial network access. The device (10) may notify the network that an access request is occurring from a device that was either specifically allowed to use a stored access configuration or is accessing the cell using modified system information being broadcast by the cell. Such notification may be implicit in the characteristics (choice of preamble, timing, frequency and/or repetition) of the access request. The network, preferably having knowledge of the method being used by the device to access the network, can either reject this access or accept it depending on whether the access was from a stored configuration or read from System Information.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a wireless communication network by a device, the method comprising:

the device receiving a configuration information including an access parameter for gaining access to the network;

the device storing the configuration information including the access parameter;

the device transiting a Radio Resource Control (RRC) CONNECTED mode to an RRC_IDLE mode;

the device, in the RRC_IDLE mode, transmitting a first message for an access request to the network on the basis of the configuration information that is stored in the device; and

the device receiving from a base station a second message that indicates whether or not a connection between the base station and the device, based on the access parameter of the stored configuration information, is valid.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the device attempting to receive the configuration information via a system information and deciding whether to use, for the access request, the stored configuration information based on received system information, depending on the outcome.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the device indicating a failure to receive at least part of the system information.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the device holds a plurality of stored configuration information, the method further comprising the device selecting from among the plurality of stored configuration information, and indicating the selected stored configuration information used for the access request.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the indicating use of the stored configuration information, indicating a failure to receive at least part of the system information and indicating the selected stored configuration information are implicit in the access request.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the access request is a random access request including, selected by the device:

a preamble from among a set of random access preambles; and

/or

a transmission timing from among a plurality of possible timings; and

/or

a transmission frequency from among a plurality of possible frequencies; and

/or

a duration in time from a plurality of possible durations; and

/or

an extent in frequency from among a plurality of possible frequency ranges; and

/or

a repetition sequence of signals such as preambles in the time and/or frequency domain from among a plurality of repetition sequences;

the device indicating use of the stored configuration information and/or a failure to receive at least part of the system information by its selection(s).

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the network responding to the random access request with a random access response, and repeating transmission of the random access response if the device indicates a failure to receive system information.

8. The method according to claim 1, the configuration information including an indication of whether an access request based on a stored configuration will, or will not, be accepted by the network.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein if the configuration information indicates that an access request based on the stored configuration information will not be accepted by the network, the device attempts to receive a transmission of further configuration information, the network repeatedly transmitting the further configuration information and the device repeating attempts to receive the further configuration information until it is successfully received.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein wireless communication in the network takes place in time units of frames, each frame divided into a plurality of subframes, and the network decides whether or not to accept the access request based on one or more of:

whether the access parameter used for the access request is valid;

the subframe in which the access request was received; and

whether or not the access request contains a specific signature assigned to the device.

11. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a base station of a wireless communication network; and

a device;

wherein the base station is configured to transmit configuration information including an access parameter for gaining access to the network;

the device is configured to;

receive the configuration information including the access parameter;

store the configuration information including the access parameter;

transit a Radio Resource Control (RRC) CONNECTED mode to an RRC IDLE mode; and

in the RRC_IDLE mode, transmit a first message for an access request to the base station on the basis of the stored configuration information;

the base station is configured to transmit to the device a second message that indicates whether or not a connection between the base station and the device, based on the access parameter of the stored configuration information, is valid; and

the terminal is configured to receive from base station the second message.

12. A base station for use in a wireless communication network, the base station comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit configuration information including an access parameter for gaining access to the network; and

a receiver configured to receive, from a device, a first message, the first message being an access request on the basis of the configuration information by the device that has the configuration information and that has transited from a Radio Resource Control (RRC) CONNECTED mode to an RRC_IDLE mode,

wherein after receiving of the first message, the transmitter is configured to transmit to the device a second message that indicates whether or not a connection between the base station and the device, based on the access parameter of the configuration information, is valid.

13. A device for use as a terminal in a wireless communication network, the device comprising:

a transmitter/receiver configured to receive configuration information including an access parameter for gaining access to the network;

a memory configured to store the configuration information; and

processor circuitry configured to transit a Radio Resource Control (RRC) CONNECTED mode to an RRC_IDLE mode,

wherein the transmitter/receiver, in the RRC_IDLE mode, is configured to;

transmit to a base station a first message for an access request on the basis of the stored configuration information; and

after the transmitting of the first message to the base station, receive from the base station a second message that indicates whether or not the access parameter of the configuration information can be used for communication between the base station and the device.

14. A terminal for use in a wireless communication network, the terminal comprising

a receiver configured to receive from a base station a configuration information including an access parameter;

a memory configured to store in the memory the configuration information

controller circuitry configured to transit a Radio Resource Control (RRC) CONNECTED mode to an RRC_IDLE mode; and

a transmitter configured to, in the RRC_IDLE mode, transmit to the base station a first message for an access request,

wherein after the transmitting of the first message to the base station, the receiver is configured to receive from base station a second message that indicates whether or not the access parameter of the configuration information can be used for communication with the base station.

15. The terminal according to claim 14, the receiver is configured to attempt to receive the configuration information transmitted by the network, and

the controller circuitry is configured to determine whether to transmit the access request using configuration information in place of the stored configuration information.

16. A base station for use in a wireless communication network, the base station comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit to a device a configuration information including an access parameter; and

a receiver configured to receive from the device a first message, the first message for an access request by the device that has the configuration information and has transited from a Radio Resource Control (RRC) CONNECTED mode to an RRC IDLE mode,

wherein after the receiving of the first message, the transmitter is configured to transmit to the device a second message that indicates whether or not the access parameter of the configuration information can be used for communication with the device.

17. The base station according to claim 16, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the configuration information via a system information that includes an indication of whether an access request based on the configuration information will, or will not, be accepted by the network.