Invoking DRX mode based on high-quality connection

• US 10,660,152 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2018
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Raghunathan, Sathyanarayanan, Sekar, Muthukumaraswamy, Vijayakumar, Maheswaran, Majjara, Suresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US16/130,191
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0077 of access information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and systems for configuring service of a user equipment device (UE). When the UE has dual-connectivity service, such as EN-DC service, high quality on one of the UE'"'"'s air-interface connections could result in transition of the UE to operate in discontinuous reception (DRX) mode on the UE'"'"'s other air-interface connection.

Claims

1. A method for configuring service of a user equipment device (UE) when the UE has a first air-interface connection with a first Node-B (NB) and a second air-interface connection with a second NB, wherein on each connection, the UE is operable in a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode and in a non-DRX mode, the method comprising:

detecting threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection when the UE is operating in the non-DRX mode on both the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection;

responsive to at least detecting the threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection when the UE is operating in the non-DRX mode on both the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection, transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection while the UE remains in the non-DRX mode on the first air-interface connection; and

upon the transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection responsive to at least the detecting of the threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection, retaining the second air-interface connection regardless of absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection, wherein retaining the second air-interface connection regardless of absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection comprises forgoing application by the second NB of an inactivity timer for timing absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection, the expiration of which would trigger release of the second air-interface connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitioning of the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection is not based on absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising conditioning the transitioning on further detecting threshold low quality of the second air-interface connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection is based on UE-reported channel quality of the first air-interface connection being at least as high as a predefined threshold channel quality level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection is carried out by at least one of the first NB and the second NB.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection comprises:

transmitting over the second air-interface connection from the second NB to the UE a signaling message interpretable by the UE to cause the UE to transition to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the UE operates in the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection while the UE remains in the non-DRX mode on the first air-interface connection, bearer data communication to and from the UE flows over the first air-interface connection and not over the second air-interface connection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon the transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection responsive to the detecting of the threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection, applying an inactivity timer for timing an absence of bearer data communication on the first air-interface connection, and upon expiration of the inactivity timer, releasing both the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection while the UE remains in the non-DRX mode on the first air-interface connection;

detecting that quality of the first air-interface connection is no longer threshold high; and

responsive to detecting that quality of the first air-interface connection is no longer threshold high, reverting the UE to the non-DRX mode on the second air-interface connection, wherein the UE then again operates in the non-DRX mode on both the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection.

10. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first Node-B (NB) configured to provide first coverage; and

a second NB configured to provide second coverage,

wherein the wireless communication system is configured to control operation of a user equipment device (UE) when the UE is being served concurrently by the first NB over a first air-interface connection and by the second NB over a second air-interface connection, wherein on each connection, the UE is operable in a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode and in a non-DRX mode, and wherein controlling operation of the UE includes;

(i) detecting threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection when the UE is operating in the non-DRX mode on both the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection,

(ii) responsive to at least detecting the threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection when the UE is operating in the non-DRX mode on both the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection, transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection while the UE remains in the non-DRX mode on the first air-interface connection, and

(iii) upon the transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection responsive to at least the detecting of the threshold high quality of the first air-interface connection, retaining the second air-interface connection regardless of absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection, wherein retaining the second air-interface connection regardless of absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection comprises forgoing application by the second NB of an inactivity timer for timing absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection, the expiration of which would trigger release of the second air-interface connection.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein the first NB includes a controller configured to perform the detecting based on channel-quality reporting from the UE, and wherein the second NB includes a controller configured to perform the transitioning of the UE by transmitting to the UE a control signal interpretable by the UE to cause the UE to transition to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein each controller comprises at least one programmed processing unit.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein the transitioning of the UE to the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection is not based on absence of bearer data communication on the second air-interface connection.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein the transitioning is conditioned on further detecting threshold low quality of the second air-interface connection.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein when the UE operates in the DRX mode on the second air-interface connection while the UE remains in the non-DRX mode on the first air-interface connection, bearer data communication to and from the UE flows over the first air-interface connection and not over the second air-interface connection.

16. A Node-B (NB) configured to control service of a user equipment device (UE), the NB comprising:

a wireless communication interface through which the NB is configured to provide air-interface service;

a network communication interface though which the NB is configured to communicate on a core network; and

a controller for controlling the service of the UE, wherein the controller is configured to cause the NB to carry out operations including;

while the NB is serving the UE over an air-interface connection and the UE is operating in a non-discontinuous-reception (non-DRX) mode on the air-interface connection, transitioning the UE from the non-DRX mode on the air-interface connection to a DRX mode on the air-interface connection in response to threshold high quality of another air-interface connection over which the UE is being served concurrently by another NB, and

upon the transitioning the UE to the DRX mode on the air-interface connection, retaining the air-interface connection regardless of absence of bearer data communication on the air-interface connection, wherein retaining the second air-interface connection regardless of absence of bearer data communication on the air-interface connection comprises forgoing application of an inactivity timer for timing absence of bearer data communication on the air-interface connection, the expiration of which would trigger release of the air-interface connection.

17. The NB of claim 16, wherein the transitioning of the UE to the DRX mode is not based on absence of bearer data communication with the UE.