SLEEP-STATE FOR MOBILE TERMINAL AND SERVICE INITIATION FOR MOBILE TERMINALS IN SLEEP-STATE

• US 20090059829A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Weniger, Killian, Bachmann, Jens, Hakenberg, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0058 Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• 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 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention relates to the initiation of a service to a mobile terminal capable of communicating via at least a first and second access network. Further, the invention relates to a reduction of power consumption of mobile terminals supporting connectivity to at least two access networks. The invention also relates to mobile communication systems and in particular to mobile communications through heterogeneous access networks. In order to prove improved method for initiating services to mobile terminals and/or to reduce power consumption of mobile terminals, the invention introduces of a sleep state that can be entered by the terminal for an access system if same is not used. Upon requesting a service from/to the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal starts service initiation through a second access system and transits back to active state for the first access system for service provision.

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A method for initiating a service to a mobile terminal capable of communicating via at least a first and second access network, wherein the mobile terminal has Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to the first access network and is in a sleep state in the second access network, the method comprising:

receiving at or transmitting by the mobile terminal a service request through the first access network,

starting initiation of the service by control signaling through the first access network,

receiving at the mobile terminal via the first access network a command to activate the mobile terminal'"'"'s interface to the second access network for service provision, and

activating by the mobile terminal its interface to the second access network for continuing the initiation of the service or for receiving service data through the second access network.

48. The method according to claim 47, further comprising setting up a radio connection for service provision between the mobile terminal and the second access network upon activation of the mobile terminal'"'"'s interface to the second access network.

49. The method according to claim 48, further comprising informing a routing entity in a core network on setup of the radio connection.

50. The method according to claim 47, wherein the mobile terminal has been assigned a first IP address for communication through the first access network and a second IP address for communication through the second network prior to receiving the service request.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the mobile terminal uses the first IP address as a care-of address for receiving data addressed to the second IP address.

52. The method according to claim 47, wherein the mobile terminal'"'"'s interface to the second access network is deactivated while in sleep state.

53. The method according to claim 47, wherein the mobile terminal periodically receives broadcast system information from the second access network and/or does not transmit any uplink data to the second access network while in sleep state.

54. The method according to claim 47, wherein the mobile terminal transits to an active state by activating its interface to the second access network.

55. The method according to claim 47, wherein the command to activate the mobile terminal'"'"'s radio interface comprises radio access network parameters for use by the mobile terminal.

87. The method according to claim 47, wherein the first and the second access network use different access technologies.

89. The method according to claim 47, wherein one of the first and second access networks is a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) based radio access network and the other access network is a non-3GPP based access network.

56. A method for initiating a service for a mobile terminal through a first access network, wherein the mobile terminal has Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to a second access network and is in a sleep state in the first access network, the method comprising:

transmitting by a network entity in a core network to the mobile terminal or receiving from the mobile terminal at the network entity a service initiation request through the second access network,

starting initiation of the service by control signaling with the mobile terminal through the second access network,

configuring system resources in the first access network for service provision, and

transmitting from the network entity a command to the mobile terminal to activate its interface to the first access network, wherein the command is transmitted through the second access network.

57. The method according to claim 56, further comprising:

receiving by the network entity a message indicating that the mobile terminal has established a radio connection to the first access network upon having transmitted the activation command, and

routing service-related data destined to the mobile terminal through the first access network upon having received the message.

58. The method according to claim 56, wherein a care-of address registered previous to service initiation by the mobile terminal at a IP mobility management entity in the core network is used for packet transmissions to the mobile terminal through the second access network.

59. The method according to claim 56, further comprising determining at a network entity of the core network whether to utilize the first or the second access network to provide the requested service to the mobile terminal, and

wherein the transmission of the command to activate the interface to the first access network and the configuration of system resources are performed, if it is decided to utilize the first access network.

60. The method according to claim 56, wherein the command to activate the mobile terminal'"'"'s radio interface is transmitted by a network entity of the core network and comprises radio access network parameters for use by the mobile terminal.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein said radio access network parameters have been received by the network entity during configuration of system resources in the first access network from a mobility management and/or user plane entity to be serving the mobile terminal in the first access network.

62. The method according to claim 56, further comprising determining a mobility management and/or user plane entity to be serving the mobile terminal in service provision through the first access network.

63. The method according to claim 56, further comprising determining radio access parameters of the mobile terminal for service provision through the first access network.

64. The method according to claim 63, wherein the radio access service parameters include the service radio cell to be serving the mobile terminal in service provision.

65. The method according to claim 56, wherein configuration of system resources comprises transmitting context information to a mobility management and/or user plane entity in the core network serving the mobile terminal in service provision through the first access network.

66. The method according to claim 65, wherein the context information have been buffered in a network entity of the core network having mobility management functionality upon the mobile terminal transiting into sleep state.

67. The method according to claim 62, further comprising transmitting to the mobility management and/or user plane entity to be serving the mobile terminal a command to reactivate a context for communication through the first access network.

68. The method according to claim 62, further comprising instructing a mobility management and/or user plane entity that has been serving the mobile terminal upon transiting into sleep state to transfer a context for communication through the first access network to the mobility management and/or user plane entity to be serving the mobile terminal.

92. A network comprising at least one network element adapted to perform the method according to claim 56.

69. A method for reducing the power consumption of a mobile terminal supporting connectivity to at least two access networks, the method comprising:

attaching the mobile terminal to a first network, thereby obtaining an IP address for the mobile terminal for use in communication through the first access network,

registering the Internet Protocol (IP) address as a care-of address of the mobile terminal at an IP mobility management entity, wherein the IP mobility management entity provides IP mobility management functionality to the mobile terminal, and

upon having registered the care-of address at the IP mobility management entity, transiting by the mobile terminal into a sleep state for communication via a second access network.

70. The method according to claim 69, further comprising attaching the mobile terminal to the second access network.

71. The method according to claim 69, wherein in the sleep state the mobile terminal deactivates its air interface to the second access network.

72. The method according to claim 71, wherein in the sleep state the mobile terminal periodically receives broadcast system information from the second access network and/or does not transmit any uplink data to the second access network.

73. The method according to claim 69, further comprising assigning a tracking area to the mobile terminal within the first radio access network.

74. The method according to claims 69, further comprising requesting by a network entity in the core network context information from a mobility management and/or user plane entity serving the mobile terminal in the second access network when transiting into sleep state.

75. The method according to claim 74, further comprising buffering the context information in the network entity for later use in service provision to the mobile terminal through the second access network.

76. The method according to claim 69, further comprising deactivating a context at a mobility management and/or user plane entity in the core network serving the mobile terminal when transiting into sleep state.

77. The method according to claim 74, further comprising redirecting data traffic directed to the mobile terminal to a gateway for provision to the mobile terminal through the first access network.

78. The method according to claim 69, further comprising checking the availability of the mobile terminal through the first access network.

79. The method according to claim 78, wherein the mobility management and/or user plane entity checks the availability on an event triggered basis or periodically.

80. The method according to claim 69, further comprising activating the interface to the second access network by the mobile terminal in response to a timeout of a timer or if no data have been received via the interface to the first access network for a predetermined time span.

81. The method according to claim 69, wherein attaching to the first access network comprises transmitting a message from the mobile terminal to the IP mobility management entity to register the obtained IP address as the care-of address for an IP address of the mobile terminal to be used for communication through the second access network.

82. The method according to claim 69, further comprising obtaining an IP address to be used by the mobile terminal for communication through the second access network when authenticating the mobile terminal in the first access network.

83. The method according to claim 69, wherein the attaching to the first access network comprises informing the mobile terminal on an IP address to be used for communication through the second access network.

84. The method according to claim 69, further comprising generating a context at a mobility management and/or user plane entity within a core network connected to the first and second access network.

85. The method according to claim 69, further comprising instructing a mobility management and/or user plane entity within a core network connected to the first and second access network to generate a context by the IP mobility management entity.

86. The method according to claim 69, further comprising obtaining an identification of the IP mobility management entity when authenticating the mobile terminal in the first access network.

88. The method according to claim 69, wherein the first and the second access network use different access technologies.

90. The method according to claim 69, wherein one of the first and second access networks is a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) based radio access network and the other access network is a non-3GPP based access network.

91. A mobile terminal capable of communicating via at least a first and second access network and having Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to the first access network and is in a sleep state in the second access network, the mobile terminal comprising:

a transceiver adapted to receive or transmitting a service request through the first access network, and for starting initiation of the service by control signaling through the first access network, the transceiver being further adapted to receive a command to activate the mobile terminal'"'"'s interface to the second access network for service provision via the first access network, and

a controlling unit adapted to activate the mobile terminal'"'"' interface to the second access network for continuing the initiation of the service or for receiving service data through the second access network.

93. A mobile terminal supporting connectivity to at least two access networks comprising:

a transceiver adapted to attach the mobile terminal to a first network, thereby obtaining an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the mobile terminal for use in communication through the first access network, and

wherein the transceiver is further adapted to register the IP address as a care-of address of the mobile terminal at an IP mobility management entity, wherein the IP mobility management entity provides IP mobility management functionality to the mobile terminal, and

a processor adapted to transit into a sleep state for communication via the second access network upon having registered the care-of address at the IP mobility management entity.