METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INTERIM DISCONTINUOUS RECEPTION/TRANSMISSION

• US 20070291728A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Dalsgaard, Lars, Ranta, Jukka, Huang, Leping
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/347
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method, terminal device, network element, system and computer program product for controlling discontinuous reception or transmission at a terminal device of a communication network are disclosed. A regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme is set by using a first control layer, and in addition thereto a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme can be set by using a second control layer. This arrangement provides long discontinuous reception or transmission cycles for power consumption improvements while at the same time ensuring that the network can easily and flexibly shorten these cycles for increased data throughput, if needed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

setting a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme within a terminal by using a first control layer; and

setting a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme within the terminal by using a second control layer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle is set when said terminal device has been addressed for data reception.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is applied when said terminal device is set into an active mode.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second control layer provides faster control signaling than said first control layer.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said first control layer is a radio resource control layer.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said second control layer is a media access control layer.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said setting of said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle is achieved by signaling at least one of a starting time, an interval, and a life-time for said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme via said second control channel.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said interval is defined based on a modulus of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said life-time is defined based on at least one of a number of frames which can be received within said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle, a number of said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycles within one regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle, or an end-bit of said second control signaling at the end of said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle to indicate the end of interim discontinuous reception or transmission.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein said life-time is defined by a default value.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said default value corresponds to the length of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said setting of said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle is achieved by distributing predetermined interim discontinuous reception or transmission patterns and signaling a selected one to said terminal device.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein setting of said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle comprises indicating a next uplink or downlink resource.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme is set to be valid only for one of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycles.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating a fallback to said regular discontinuous transmission scheme, if a failure has been detected in said interim discontinuous transmission scheme.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said setting steps are controlled based on a dynamic interaction between said regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme and said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme, and wherein said dynamic interaction comprises a decision making step of deciding whether to send said first control layer signaling to adjust said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle or to send said second control layer signaling to adjust said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said decision-making step is based on at least one of a traffic load estimation, at least one radio condition on an air interface to said terminal device, or an algorithm used to calculate signalling overhead.

47. A computer program product comprising code means for generating the steps of claim 1 when run on a computer device.

18. A terminal device comprising:

first timer means for timing a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme;

second timer means for timing a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme; and

setting means for setting said first timer means based on an information received via a first control layer, and for setting said second timer means based on an information received via a second control layer.

19. A terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said setting means are configured to set said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle when said terminal device has been addressed for data reception.

20. A terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said second control layer provides faster control signaling than said first control layer.

21. A terminal device according to claim 20, wherein said first control layer is a radio resource control layer.

22. A terminal device according to claim 20, wherein said second control layer is a media access control layer.

23. A terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said setting means is configured to set said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle based on at least one of a starting time, an interval, and a life-time for said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme, received via said second control channel.

24. A terminal device according to claim 23, wherein said interval is defined based on a modulus of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle.

25. A terminal device according to claim 23, wherein said life-time is defined based on a number of frames which can be received within said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle, a number of said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycles within one regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle, or an end-bit of said second control signaling at the end of said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle to indicate the end of interim discontinuous reception or transmission.

26. A terminal device according to claim 23, wherein said life-time is defined by a default value.

27. A terminal device according to claim 26, wherein said default value corresponds to the length of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle.

28. A terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said setting means is configured to set said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle based on a signaled selected one of distributed predetermined interim discontinuous reception or transmission patterns.

29. A terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said setting means is configured to set said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme to be valid only for one of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycles.

30. A terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said setting means is configured to initiate a fallback to said regular discontinuous transmission scheme, if a failure has been detected in said interim discontinuous transmission scheme.

31. A terminal device according to claim 18, wherein said setting means is controlled based on a dynamic interaction between said regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme and said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme, and wherein said dynamic interaction comprises a decision based on at least one of a traffic load estimation, at least one radio condition on an air interface to said terminal device, or an algorithm used to calculate signalling overhead.

32. A mobile terminal comprising a terminal device according to claim 18.

33. A network element for controlling a terminal device of a communication network, said network element comprising:

first setting means for signaling information used for setting a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme by using a first control layer; and

second setting means for signaling information used for setting a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme by using a second control layer.

34. A network element according to claim 33, wherein said second setting means is configured to signal said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle when said terminal device has been addressed for data reception.

35. A network element according to claim 33, wherein said second control layer provides faster control signaling than said first control layer.

36. A network element according to claim 35, wherein said first control layer is a radio resource control layer.

37. A network element according to claim 35, wherein said second control layer is a media access control layer.

38. A network element according to claim 33, wherein said second setting means is configured to signal at least one of a starting time, an interval, or a life-time for said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme via said second control channel.

39. A network element according to claim 38, wherein said second setting means is configured to define said interval based on a modulus of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle.

40. A network element according to claim 38, wherein said second setting means is configured to define said life-time based on a number of frames which can be received within said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle, a number of said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycles within one regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle, or an end-bit of said second control signaling at the end of said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle to indicate the end of interim discontinuous reception or transmission.

41. A network element according to claim 33, wherein said second setting means is configured to signal a selected one of distributed predetermined interim discontinuous reception or transmission patterns to said terminal device.

42. A network element according to claim 33, wherein said second setting means is configured to indicate a next uplink or downlink resource.

43. A network element according to claim 33, wherein said network element is a base station device.

44. A network element according to claim 33, wherein said first and second setting means is controlled based on a dynamic interaction between said regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme and said interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme, and wherein said dynamic interaction comprises a decision whether to send said first control layer signaling to adjust said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle or to send said second control layer signaling to adjust said interim discontinuous reception or transmission cycle.

45. A network element according to claim 44, wherein said decision is based on at least one of traffic load estimation, at least one radio condition on an air interface to said terminal device, and an algorithm used to calculate signalling overhead.

46. A system for controlling discontinuous reception or transmission in a communication network, said system comprising a network element according to claim 33.

48. A network element for controlling a terminal device of a communication network, said network element comprising:

a first setting unit configured to signal information used for setting a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme by using a first control layer; and

a second setting unit configured to signal used for setting a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme by using a second control layer.

49. A terminal device comprising:

a first timer configured to time a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme;

a second timer configured to time a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme; and

a setting unit configured to set said first timer based on an information received via a first control layer, and for setting said second timer based on an information received via a second control layer.

50. A method comprising:

setting a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme within a terminal;

setting a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme within the terminal; and

performing both settings of said regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle and said shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle by using the same control layer.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle is set when said terminal device has been addressed for data reception.

58. A computer program product comprising code means for generating the steps of claim 50 when run on a computer device.

52. A terminal device comprising:

first timer means for timing a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme;

second timer means for timing a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme; and

setting means for setting said first timer means and said second timer means based on an information received via the same control layer.

53. A terminal device according to claim 52, wherein said setting means are configured to set said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle when said terminal device has been addressed for data reception.

54. A mobile terminal comprising a terminal device according to claim 52.

55. A network element for controlling a terminal device of a communication network, said network element comprising:

first setting means for signaling information used for setting a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme; and

second setting means for signaling information used for setting a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme;

wherein said first and second setting means are configured to perform said settings by using the same control layer.

56. A network element according to claim 55, wherein said second setting means is configured to signal said temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle when said terminal device has been addressed for data reception.

57. A system for controlling discontinuous reception or transmission in a communication network, said system comprising a network element according to claim 55.

59. A network element for controlling a terminal device of a communication network, said network element comprising:

a first setting unit configured to signal information used for setting a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme by using a first control layer; and

a second setting unit configured to signal used for setting a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme by using a second control layer;

wherein said first and second setting units are configured to perform said settings by using the same control layer.

60. A terminal device comprising:

a first timer configured to time a regular discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of a regular discontinuous reception or transmission scheme;

a second timer configured to time a shorter temporary discontinuous reception or transmission cycle of an interim discontinuous reception or transmission scheme; and

a setting unit configured to set said first timer and said second timer based on an information received via the same control layer.