Method for controlling an operation mode of a mobile terminal in a broadband wireless access communication system

• US 20060094450A1
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Yun-Sang, Park, Jeong-Hoon
• Application Number:
  US11/033,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094450A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for controlling an operation mode of a terminal in a broadband wireless access communication system. In the method, the operation modes of the terminal is subdivided, such that it is possible to effectively reduce power consumption of the terminal. In particular, the method allows the terminal to operate in the inactive mode in which the terminal having no traffic with a base station more than a predetermined time returns a CID of the terminal to the base station and keeps only a downlink with the base station, so that it is possible to prevent power of the terminal from being consumed during the sleep mode. Additionally, because a CID is not assigned to the terminal in the inactive mode, resources of the base station are efficiently used.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an operation mode of a subscriber terminal in a broadband wireless access communication system including a base station and subscriber terminals, the method comprising:

returning a connection identifier (CID) assigned by the base station from the subscriber terminal to the base station; and

transitioning the subscriber terminal into an inactive state in which system information periodically occurring in the base station is checked at a predetermined paging period, if there is no traffic to transmit during a predetermined time in a state in which the subscriber terminal is connected to the base station.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein inactive subscriber terminals are identified using a unique temporary mobile identifier (TMI) in a paging area including areas controlled by a plurality of base stations.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inactive subscriber terminals are classified into predetermined groups based on the predetermined paging period, and the base station delivers the system information by adding a paging indicator to the system information in order to notify the subscriber terminals of an existence of data, if there is data to be transferred to at least one of the inactive subscriber terminals included in the predetermined group of the predetermined paging period.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the inactive subscriber terminals, a paging advertisement (PAG_ADV) message delivered after a predetermined frame, if the inactive subscriber terminals receive the system information including the paging indicator;

checking if the temporary mobile identifier of an inactive subscriber terminal is included in the paging advertisement message; and

changing the operation mode of the inactive subscriber terminal into an active state, if the temporary mobile identifier of the inactive subscriber terminal is included in the paging advertisement message.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of changing the operation mode of the inactive subscriber terminal comprises the steps of:

assigning a connection identifier to the inactive subscriber terminal, by a base station controlling an area, at which the inactive subscriber terminal is positioned; and

establishing, by the inactive subscriber terminal, transmission links with the base station by using the connection identifier.

6. A method for controlling an operation mode of a subscriber terminal in a broadband wireless access communication system including a base station and subscriber terminals, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning the subscriber terminal with a unique connection identifier, which is used in an area controlled by the base station, and a unique temporary mobile identifier, which is used in a paging area including areas controlled by a plurality of base stations, as a response to a connection request from the subscriber terminal;

transitioning the subscriber terminal into an active mode, such that the subscriber terminal makes data communication with the base station while maintaining transmission links with the base station;

transitioning the subscriber terminal into a sleep mode while the subscriber terminal is maintaining transmission links by a request of the subscriber terminal;

transitioning the subscriber terminal into an inactive state in which the subscriber terminal returns the connection identifier to the base station and maintains only a down link with the base station, if the subscriber terminal has no traffic with the base station for more than a predetermined time, after entering into the sleep mode;

checking system information periodically occurring in the base station by a predetermined paging period using the temporary mobile identifier;

receiving a paging advertisement message after a predetermined frame, if the subscriber terminal in the inactive state receives the system information including a paging indicator for reporting an existence of data to be transferred to the subscriber terminal; and

transitioning the subscriber terminal into the active state, if the temporary mobile indicator of the subscriber terminal is included in the paging advertisement message.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of transitioning the subscriber terminal into the active state, if the temporary mobile indicator of the subscriber terminal is included in the paging advertisement message, comprises the steps of:

assigning a connection identifier to the subscriber terminal by a base station controlling an area in which the subscriber terminal is positioned; and

establishing transmission links with the base station by using the connection identifier.