Method And Apparatus For Power Management In Handover Between Heterogeneous Networks

• US 20080318580A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhong, Hui, Liu, Yuan, Wang, Shu, Shu, Guiming, Dong, Peiying, Zhou, Yi
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/444
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for power management in handover between heterogeneous networks comprising: an MIH layer obtains power information and provides it for an MIH user layer; the MIH user layer determines the handover policy according to the power information. In various embodiments of the disclosure, the MIH layer triggers an event so that the MIH user layer can obtain power information, and select a lower-layer network connection automatically according to the current power status, thus implementing handover; the MIH user layer sends a query request to the MIH layer to obtain power consumption parameters from the network, and selects a lower-layer network connection according to the power consumption and the current power status, thus implementing handover and making more accurate and effective decisions in the handover.

Claims

1. A method for power management in handover between heterogeneous networks, comprising:

determining, by an media independent handover (MIH) user layer, a handover policy according to power information;

wherein the power information is obtained by an MIH layer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering, by the MIH user layer, with the MIH layer a power event carrying a power threshold of a device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the process of registering a power event comprises:

by the MIH user layer, sending a Register request to the MIH layer and requesting to register a power event; and

by the MIH layer, registering a power event for the MIH user layer as requested, and obtaining a power threshold value from the MIH user layer, wherein the power event is triggered when the power of the device drops below the threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein obtaining a power threshold value from the MIH user layer comprises:

sending, by the MIH user layer, a Register request containing a power threshold value to the MIH layer;

or

sending, by the MIH user layer, a parameter configuration primitive containing a power threshold value to the network management entity.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the process of obtaining the power information of the device comprises:

storing, by the MIH layer, the power threshold of the device into a network management entity; and

by the network management entity, sending power status information to the MIH layer automatically, indicating that the power of the lower-layer device is lower than the threshold when the power of the lower-layer device drops below the power threshold of the device;

or by the MIH layer, querying the current power information of the lower-layer device in the network management entity periodically through polling.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein storing the power threshold of the lower-layer device into a network management entity by the MIH layer comprises:

storing the threshold value carried in the power event Register request into a management information base (MIB) of the network management entity, by the MIH layer; and

learning, by the network management entity, the power information of the lower-layer device through an operating system (OS) interface.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

by the MIH layer, triggering the power event to the MIH user layer, and sending the power event that carries the power information to the MIH user layer, when the power of the lower-layer device drops below the power threshold of the device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the handover policy according to the received event, and, if handover is required, deciding to perform network handover according to the information carried in the power event, by the MIH user layer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the MIH user layer, sending a Register request to the MIH layer, requesting to register a link-going-down event; and

registering, by the MIH layer, a link-going-down event for the MIH user layer as requested.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

registering, by the MIH layer, a link-going-down event with a link layer; and

wherein obtaining the power information of the device comprising;

reporting, by the link layer, a power status information to the MIH layer through a link-going-down event carrying the power information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the link-going-down event registered by the MIH layer with the link layer carrying the parameters indicative of the event reason comprises the parameter of low power.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the link-going-down event registered by the MIH layer with the link layer is Link_Going_Down;

the parameter that indicates the event reason is ReasonCode; and

the parameter indicative of low power contained in ReasonCode is RC_LOW_POWER.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining a power threshold value from the MIH user layer, and triggering a power event when the power of the device drops below the threshold;

wherein obtaining the power information of the device comprises;

storing, by the MIH layer, the power threshold of the device into a network management entity; and

by the network management entity, sending power status information to the MIH layer automatically, indicating that the power of the lower-layer device is lower than the threshold, when the power of the lower-layer device drops below the power threshold of the device;

or

by the MIH layer, querying the power information of the lower-layer device in the network management entity periodically through polling, when the power of the lower-layer device drops below the power threshold of the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein obtaining a power threshold value from the MIH user layer comprises:

sending, by the MIH user layer, a Register request containing a power threshold value to the MIH layer;

or

sending, by the MIH user layer, a parameter configuration primitive containing a power threshold value to the network management entity.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending, by the MIH layer, the link-going-down event containing the power information to the MIH user layer according to the obtained power information.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the link-going-down event registered by the MIH user layer with the MIH layer carrying the parameters indicative of the event reason includes the parameter of low power.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the link-going-down event registered by the MIH user layer with the MIH layer is MIH_Link_Going_Down;

the parameter that indicates the event reason is ReasonCode; and

the parameter indicative of low power contained in ReasonCode is RC_LOW_POWER.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

by the MIH user layer, determining the handover policy according to the received event, and, if handover is required, deciding to perform network handover according to the information carried in the power event.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the MIH user layer, a query request to the MIH layer; and

determining, by the MIH user layer, a network handover policy according to the handover decision information;

wherein the handover decision information containing the power information to the MIH user layer by the MIH layer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the MIH user layer comprises:

an application layer, a transport layer or a network layer.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein the information carried in the power event comprises:

source that triggers the event, media access control (MAC) address of the mobile device, predicted time interval from triggering a power event to complete power failure of the device, predicted probability of power failure of the device in the specified time interval;

current power, and information about the network interfaces incompliant with the current power requirement.

22. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

by the MIH user layer, originating a power event Deregister request to the lower-layer device through the MIH layer; and

by the MIH layer, returning deregistration response information, and feeding back a deregister confirm command to the MIH user layer.

23. An apparatus for power management in handover between heterogeneous networks, comprising:

a media independent handover function (MIHF) unit, adapted to obtain power information from outside; and

a media independent handover (MIH) user layer unit, adapted to obtain the power information and determine a handover policy according to the power information from the MIHF unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a network management entity, adapted to receive a threshold value from the MIHF unit, and provide power status information and/or power status notification for the MIHF unit when the power of a lower-layer device drops below the threshold;

the MIHF unit is further adapted to send the threshold value in the Register request of the MIH user layer unit to the network management entity;

query the power status notification and/or power status information in the network management entity, or receive the power status notification and/or power status information from the network management entity;

trigger a power event according to the power status notification and send power status information to the MIH user layer unit; and

the MIH user layer unit is further adapted to send a Register request containing the power threshold value to the MIHF unit and receive the power status information from the MIHF unit.

25. The apparatus of any of claims 24, wherein the MIHF unit is further adapted to deregister the power event corresponding to the deregister request sent from the MIH user layer unit, and send a deregister confirm message to the MIH user layer unit;

and

the MIH user layer unit is further adapted to send a deregister request to the MIHF unit; and

receive the deregister confirm message from the MIHF unit.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a link layer unit, adapted to register a link-going-down event for the MIHF according to a Register request from the MIHF unit, and send a Register Confirm message to the MIHF unit;

trigger a link-going-down event to the MIHF when a lower link layer detects that the remaining power is not enough for keeping a current link, and send the link-going-down event containing the power information to the MIHF unit;

the MIHF unit is adapted to send the Register request to the link layer unit according to the Register request from the MIH user layer unit, requesting to register the link-going-down event;

receive the Register Confirm message from the link layer unit; and

send the link-going-down event to the MIH user layer unit according to the power information from the link layer unit; and

the MIH user layer unit is adapted to confirm the power status of the lower-layer device according to the link-going-down event from the MIHF unit, and determine the handover policy.

27. The apparatus of any of claims 26, wherein the MIHF unit is further adapted to deregister the power event corresponding to the deregister request sent from the MIH user layer unit, and send a deregister confirm message to the MIH user layer unit;

and

the MIH user layer unit is further adapted to send a deregister request to the MIHF unit; and

receive the deregister confirm message from the MIHF unit.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a management entity, adapted to provide a power status and/or power status notification for the MIHF unit;

the MIHF unit is adapted to send a link-going-down event to the MIH user layer unit according to the power information from the network management entity; and

the MIH user layer unit is adapted to confirm the power status of the lower-layer device according to the link-going-down event from the MIHF unit, and determine the handover policy.

29. The apparatus of any of claims 28, wherein the MIHF unit is further adapted to deregister the power event corresponding to the deregister request sent from the MIH user layer unit, and send a deregister confirm message to the MIH user layer unit;

and

the MIH user layer unit is further adapted to send a deregister request to the MIHF unit; and

receive the deregister confirm message from the MIHF unit.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining, by the MIH user layer, a target network for handover according to the network status; and

performing network handover.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein performing network handover comprises:

scanning currently available networks;

pre-allocating resources between the current network and a target network after selecting the target network for handover; and

performing network handover.

30. A method for power management in handover between heterogeneous networks, comprising:

obtaining, by a media independent handover (MIH) layer, power information and providing the power information for an MIH user layer as requested by the MIH user layer.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein requesting power information from the MIH user layer comprises:

sending, by the MIH user layer, a query request to the MIH layer.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining, by the MIH user layer, a current network status according to a handover decision information.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein obtaining the power information and providing the power information for an MIH user layer comprises:

by the MIH layer, obtaining a handover decision information and providing the handover decision information for the MIH user layer;

the handover decision information comprising;

power information, signal strength and tariff.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein obtaining handover decision information comprises:

obtaining handover decision information in a MAC-based transmission mode or an IP-based transmission mode.

37. An apparatus for power management in handover between heterogeneous networks, comprising:

a media independent handover (MIH) user layer unit, adapted to request power information from a media independent handover function (MIHF) unit; and

receive the power information from the MIHF unit;

wherein the power information is obtained from outside and sent to the MIH user layer unit by the MIHF unit.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

a network layer unit, adapted to obtain the power information from an external network as requested by the MIHF unit, and send the power information to the MIHF unit; and

the MIHF unit is further adapted to request the power information from the network layer unit, and send the power information received from the network layer unit to the MIH user layer unit.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the network layer unit comprises:

a media access control (MAC) layer unit, adapted to obtain the power information from the external network and send the power information to the MIHF unit; and

the MIHF unit is further adapted to send the power information received from the MAC layer unit to the MIH user layer unit.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the network layer unit comprises:

an Internet Protocol (IP) layer unit, adapted to obtain the power information from the external network and send the power information to the MIHF unit; and

the MIHF unit is further adapted to send the power information received from the IP layer unit to the MIH user layer unit.