RRC connection request method and apparatus for mobile communications

• US 20040229626A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Young Dae, Yi, Seung June, Chun, Sung Duck
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure

Abstract

A method and apparatus for transmitting a single counting end message to reject the RRC connection requests of a plurality of terminals, thus minimizing the waste of radio resources and providing a quick response to those terminals that transmitted a connection request. RRC connection request messages are sent by a plurality of terminals to a network in response to an RRC connection-required message received from the network on a first channel. Each terminal monitors a second channel for an RRC connection setup message. The network establishes connections with a predetermined number of terminals by transmitting an RRC connection setup message to each terminal on the second channel and then transmits a single RRC connection-not-required message to the plurality of terminals on the first channel. Each terminal that does not receive an RRC connection setup message on the second channel after a predetermined period of time then monitors the first channel and, after receiving the RRC connection-not-required message, terminates the network connection procedure and does not re-transmit an RRC connection request message.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with a network in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first connection message on a first channel, the first connection message comprising a connection-required indicator;

transmitting a connection request message to request a response message from the network;

waiting to receive, during a certain period of time, the response message on a second channel;

receiving a second connection message on the first channel if the response message is not received within the certain period of time; and

determining, in response to the second connection message, whether the connection request message should be re-transmitted to the network, wherein the connection request message is re-transmitted if the second connection message contains a connection-required indicator and the connection request message is not re-transmitted if the second connection message contains a connection-not-required indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

switching from the first channel to the second channel after transmitting the connection request message; and

switching from the second channel to the first channel after waiting the certain period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first connection message, response message and second connection response message are associated with a user service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user service comprises an MBMS service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request message is an RRC connection request message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message is an RRC connection setup message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first connection message is an RRC connection-required message and the second connection message is one of an RRC connection-required message and an RRC connection-not-required message.

8. A method of communicating with a network in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first connection message on a first channel, the first connection message comprising a connection-required indicator;

initiating a network connection procedure associated with a user service by transmitting a connection request message to request a response message from the network through a second channel;

waiting to receive the response message from the network through the second channel; and

terminating the network connection procedure upon occurrence of a first interrupt event and a second interrupt event, wherein the first interrupt event is a terminal internal event and the second interrupt event is a terminal external event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein terminating the network connection procedure further comprises not re-transmitting the connection request message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first interrupt event is the expiration of a timer that has a predetermined time period.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second interrupt event comprises receiving a second connection message, via the first channel, the second connection message comprising a connection-not-required indicator.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second connection message is an RRC connection-not-required message.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising re-transmitting the connection request message upon occurrence of the first interrupt event and a third interrupt event, wherein the first interrupt event is the expiration of a timer that has a predetermined time period and the third interrupt event is a terminal external event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the third interrupt event comprises receiving a second connection message via the first channel, the second connection message comprising a connection-required indicator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second connection message is an RRC connection-required message.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the first channel and the second channel are one of logical channels, transport channels and physical channels.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first channel is an MBMS control channel and the second channel is a common control channel.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the user service comprises an MBMS service.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the connection request message is an RRC connection request message.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein the response message is an RRC connection setup message.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein the first connection message is an RRC connection-required message.

22. A method of communicating with a plurality of terminals in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first connection message on a first channel to a plurality of terminals subscribing to a service, the first connection message comprising a connection-required indication associated with the service;

receiving a connection request message from at least one of the plurality of terminals;

transmitting a second connection message on a second channel to a specific one of the plurality of terminals, wherein the second connection message comprises a connection-setup indication associated with the specific one of the plurality of terminals; and

transmitting a third connection message on the first channel to the plurality of terminals, wherein the third connection message comprises one of connection-required information and connection-not-required information associated with the service based on the number of connection request messages received.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the third connection message comprises connection-required information if the number of connection request messages received is less than a predetermined threshold and the third connection message comprises connection-not-required information if the number of connection request messages received is one of equal to and grater than the predetermined threshold.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the service comprises a point to multipoint service.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising transmitting a plurality of connection messages on the second channel, wherein each of the plurality of connection messages is sent to a different specific one of the plurality of terminals and comprises a connection-setup indication associated with the specific terminal to which it is sent.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the second connection message comprises a terminal identifier for the specific terminal.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the third connection message comprises a service identifier for the service.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the first connection message is an RRC connection-required message.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one connection request message is an RRC connection request message.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the second connection message is an RRC connection setup message.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the third connection message is on of an RRC connection-required message and an RRC connection-not-required message.

32. A terminal for communicating with a network in a mobile communication system, the terminal comprising:

a transmitter adapted to initiate a network connection process associated with a user service by transmitting a connection request message to the network to request a response message;

a display adapted to convey information to a user;

a memory unit adapted to store information related to the user service and network connections;

a receiver adapted to receive a first connection message and a second connection message on a first channel, the first connection message comprising a connection-required indicator and the second connection message comprising one of a connection-required indicator and a connection-not-required indicator, and a response message on a second channel; and

a processing unit adapted to wait to receive the response message during a certain period of time after sending the connection request message and, if the response message is not received within the certain period of time, to evaluate the contents of the second connection message and one of re-transmit the connection request message and terminate the network connection process, wherein the connection request message is re-transmitted if the second connection message contains a connection-required indicator and the network connection process is terminated if the second connection message contains a connection-not-required indicator.

33. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the processor is further adapted to not re-transmit the connection request message if the network connection procedure is terminated

34. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the user service comprises an MBMS service.

35. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the connection request message is an RRC connection request message.

36. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the response message is an RRC connection setup message.

37. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the first connection message is an RRC connection-required message and the second connection message is one of an RRC connection-required message and an RRC connection-not-required message.

38. The terminal of claim 32, wherein the first channel and the second channel are one of logical channels, transport channels and physical channels.

39. The terminal of claim 38, wherein the first channel is an MBMS control channel and the second channel is a common control channel.

40. An network for radio communication with a plurality of terminals in a mobile communication system, the network comprising:

a transmitter adapted to transmit a first connection message on a first channel to a plurality of terminals subscribing to a service, transmit a second connection message on a second channel to at least a specific one of the plurality of terminals and transmit a third connection message on the first channel to the plurality of terminals, wherein the first connection message comprises a connection-required indication associated with the service, the second connection message comprises a connection-setup indication associated with the specific one of the plurality of terminals, and the third connection message comprises one of connection-required information and connection-not-required information;

a receiver adapted to receive a connection request message from at least one of the plurality of terminals;

a storage unit adapted to store information related to a connection request message count, the user service and network connections; and

a controller adapted to determine to which at least one specific terminal to send the second connection message and to determine whether the third connection message should comprise connection-required information or connection-not-required information based on the number of connection request messages received.

41. The network of claim 40, wherein the third connection message comprises connection-required information if the number of connection request messages received is less than a predetermined threshold and the third connection message comprises connection-not-required information if the number of connection request messages received is one of equal to and grater than the predetermined threshold.

42. The network of claim 40, wherein the service comprises a point to multipoint service.

43. The network of claim 40, the controller further adapted to send a plurality of connection messages on the second channel, wherein each of the plurality of connection messages is sent to a different specific one of the plurality of terminals and comprises a connection-setup indication associated with the specific terminal to which it is sent.

44. The network of claim 40, the controller further adapted to include a terminal identifier for the at least specific one of the plurality of terminals in the second connection message.

45. The network of claim 40, the controller further adapted to include a service identifier for the service in the third connection message.

46. The network of claim 40, wherein the first connection message is an RRC connection-required message.

47. The network of claim 40, wherein the at least one connection request message is an RRC connection request message.

48. The network of claim 40, wherein the second connection message is an RRC connection setup message.

49. The network of claim 40, wherein the third connection message is one of an RRC connection-required message and an RRC connection-not-required message.