Dormant handoff in a packet data network

• US 20040071112A1
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mahendran, Arungundram C., Hsu, Raymond T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,110,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 Hand-off or reselection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/06 De-registration or detaching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Mobile unassisted dormant handoff in a wireless communication system supporting packet data communications. While in a dormant mode, a mobile node may change packet zones, wherein different packet zones are serviced by at least one different infrastructure element, without identifying the change to the system. The change in packet zone does not necessarily trigger establishment of a communication path for the mobile node until there is packet data ready for communication. In one embodiment, mobile assistance is adapted to the system, and is disabled at the mobile node by an indication in a system parameter message transmitted by the system and received by the mobile node.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile node supporting packet data communications, comprising:

entering a dormant mode of operation;

receiving a system parameters message identifying a packet zone;

ignoring the system parameters message while in the dormant mode of operation;

receiving a page for a packet data communication; and

responding to the page.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein ignoring the system parameters message comprises:

determining a mobile assistance criteria for the dormant mode;

if the mobile assistance criteria is met, transmitting a location identifier; and

if the mobile assistance criteria is not met, ignoring the system parameters message while in the dormant mode.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the mobile assistance criteria is identified by the system parameters message.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the mobile assistance criteria is a multi-bit field in the system parameters message.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein a first bit in the multi-bit field is used to enable mobile-assisted handoff.

6. The method as in claim 4, wherein the mobile assistance criteria corresponds to a change in at least one of a plurality of packet zone identifiers.

7. A mobile node supporting packet data communications, comprising:

means for entering a dormant mode of operation;

means for receiving a system parameters message identifying a packet zone;

means for ignoring the system parameters message while in the dormant mode of operation;

means for receiving a page for a packet data communication; and

means for responding to the page.

8. A mobile node supporting packet data communications, comprising:

means for entering a dormant mode of operation;

means for disabling mobile assisted dormant handoff; and

means for receiving a page for a packet data communication; and

means for responding to the page.

9. A mobile node supporting packet data communications, comprising:

mode selection unit for placing the mobile node in a dormant mode of operation;

dormant handoff control unit for disabling mobile assisted dormant handoff; and

receive circuitry for receiving radio communications; and

transmit circuitry for transmitting radio communications.

10. A method for transmitting packet data communications, comprising:

establishing a first communication path to a mobile node;

processing a packet data communication via the first communication path;

determining the mobile node is not available via the first communication path;

identifying a current location of the mobile node; and

establishing a second communication path to the mobile node in the current location.

11. The method as in claim 10, further comprising:

tearing down the first communication path.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein establishing the first communication path comprises:

establishing a first Point-to-Point connection from a packet data service node to the mobile node, and

wherein establishing the second communication path comprises;

establishing a second Point-to-Point connection from the packet data service node to the mobile node.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein establishing the first communication path comprises:

establishing a first Point-to-Point connection from a packet data service node to the mobile node, and

wherein establishing the second communication path comprises;

establishing a second Point-to-Point connection from a second packet data service node to the mobile node.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein establishing the second communication path, further comprises:

enabling mobile Internet Protocol registration for the mobile node at the current location.