EXPLICIT LAYER TWO SIGNALING FOR DISCONTINUOUS RECEPTION

• US 20080225772A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: XU, SHUGONG
• Application Number:
  US11/684,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20080225772A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 Data link layer protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The embodiments of the present invention provide for methods, devices, and systems adapted to enable an eNodeB to instruct a user equipment (UE) to adjust its current discontinuous reception (DRX) parameter by Layer 2 signaling, in particular, via Layer 2 protocol data units.

Claims

1. A method of discontinuous reception (DRX) management by an eNodeB, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving via a Layer 3 signaling, by a user equipment (UE), a set of one or more DRX parameters;

determining by said eNodeB a current DRX indicator for said UE;

transmitting by said eNodeB said current DRX indicator via a Layer 2 protocol data unit;

receiving by said UE said Layer 2 protocol data unit (PDU);

associating said current DRX indicator to a DRX parameter from said set of one or more DRX parameters; and

applying by said UE said associated DRX parameter for discontinuous reception.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of DRX parameters is related to DRX periods.

3. The method of claim 1, said Layer 3 signaling is via a radio resource control (RRC) protocol stack conforming to the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) specification.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said current DRX indicator is represented by 2 bits.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said 2 bits indicate to said UE at least one of the following:

apply continuous reception;

apply the next longer DRX period;

apply the next shorter DRX period;

apply the DRX period received via a Layer 3 signaling.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said current DRX indicator indicates a DRX period.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said Layer 2 PDU is at least one of the following:

a Medium Access Control (MAC), a radio link control (RLC) PDU, a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) PDU.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a header section of said Layer 2 PDU.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a payload section of said Layer 2 PDU.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving by said UE of said Layer 2 PDU is via a radio network.

11. A system comprising:

an eNode B comprising;

a DRX controller module adapted to;

determine a set of one or more discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters;

transmit said set of DRX parameters to a user equipment (UE) via Layer 3 signaling;

determine a current DRX indicator for said UE; and

transmit said current DRX indicator to said UE via a Layer 2 protocol data unit (PDU); and

a communication interface module adapted to;

enable communication between said UE and said eNodeB; and

said UE comprising;

a DRX execution module adapted to;

receive said set of discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters transmitted by said eNodeB;

receive said current DRX indicator via said Layer 2 PDU;

associate said current DRX indicator to a DRX parameter from said set of DRX parameters; and

apply said associated DRX parameter for discontinuous reception; and

a communication interface module adapted to;

enable communication between said UE and said eNodeB.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said communication interface of said eNodeB and said communication interface of said UE are both radio communication interfaces.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said current DRX indicator indicates at least one of the following:

apply continuous reception;

apply the next longer DRX period;

apply the next shorter DRX period;

apply the DRX period received via a Layer 3 signaling.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said set of DRX parameters is related to DRX periods.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said current DRX indicator indicates a DRX period.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said Layer 2 PDU is at least one of the following:

a Medium Access Control (MAC), a radio link control (RLC) PDU, a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) PDU.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a header section of said Layer 2 PDU.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a payload section of said Layer 2 PDU.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a radio network conforming to an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) specification with which said eNodeB and said UE communicate with each other.

20. A user equipment device adapted to communicate with an eNodeB, said device comprising:

a DRX execution module adapted to;

receive a set of discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters transmitted by said eNodeB;

receive a current DRX indicator via said Layer 2 PDU;

associate said current DRX indicator to a DRX parameter from said set of DRX parameters; and

apply said associated DRX parameter for discontinuous reception; and

a communication interface module adapted to;

enable communication between said device and said eNodeB.