Method and system for selectively reducing call-setup latency through management of paging frequency

• US 20030148785A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Zhou, Tong, Mangal, Manish, Yarkosky, Mark L., Chaturvedi, Pawan
• Granted Patent: US 6,865,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

A method and system for selectively reducing call-setup latency. The method and system provides for selectively increasing the paging frequency used for paging certain mobile stations, so as to decrease the time that it takes to establish radio-link connectivity with those mobile stations. The method and system is particularly useful when establishing real-time communication sessions, such as instant chat sessions, but may be useful in other scenarios as well.

Claims

1. A method of reducing call-setup latency at a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving a request to change a mode of operation of the mobile station from a first mode to a second mode; and

responsive to the request, the mobile station switching from operation at a first paging slot cycle index to operation at a second paging slot cycle index.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first slot cycle index is slot cycle index 2, and wherein the second slot cycle index is slot cycle index 0.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the request, the mobile station sending a signaling message via an air interface to a base station controller, directing the base station controller to switch to operating at the second paging slot cycle index as well,

whereby both the base station and the mobile station then operate at the second paging slot cycle index.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first slot cycle index is slot cycle index 2, and wherein the second slot cycle index is slot cycle index 0.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to switch from a normal mode to a push-to-talk mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to switch from a normal-paging mode to a fast-paging mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to switch from operation at slot index cycle 2 to operation at slot index cycle 0.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to switch from a current paging frequency to a higher paging frequency.

9. A mobile station comprising:

a processor;

data storage;

machine language instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the processor to carry out functions comprising;

receiving a user request to switch the mobile station from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation; and

responsively switching the mobile station from operation at a first paging frequency to operation at a second paging frequency.

10. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein switching the mobile station from operation at a first paging frequency to operation at a second paging frequency comprises switching the mobile station from operation at slot cycle index 2 to operation at slot cycle index 0.

11. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

responsive to the user request, sending a signaling message via an air interface to a base station controller, directing the base station controller to switch to operation at the second paging frequency as well,

whereby both the base station and the mobile station then operate at the second paging frequency.

12. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein:

operation at the first paging frequency comprises operation at slot cycle index 2; and

operation at the second paging frequency comprises operation at slot cycle index 0.

13. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the user request comprises a request to switch the mobile station from a normal mode to a push-to-talk mode.

14. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the user request comprises a request to switch from a normal-paging mode to a fast-paging mode.

15. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the user request comprises a request to switch from operation at slot index cycle 2 to operation at slot index cycle 0.

16. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the user request comprises a request to switch from a current paging frequency to a higher paging frequency.

17. In a wireless communication system in which a plurality of mobile stations communicate via radio access networks, a method comprising:

selectively switching a subset of the mobile stations to operate at a higher paging frequency than others, so as to reduce setup time for establishing radio link connectivity with the mobile stations of the subset.