METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STATE/MODE TRANSITIONING

• US 20090124249A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: YOUNG, Gordon Peter, ARZELIER, Claude Jean-Frederic, SUZUKI, Takashi, WIRTANEN, Jeffrey William, ISLAM, Muhammad Khaledul
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and network element to control use of a transition indication message by a user equipment, the method including an inhibit transition indication in a configuration message; and sending the configuration message with the inhibit transition indication to the user equipment. Also, a method and user equipment for sending a transition indication, the method setting a timer according to an inhibit transition indication received from a network element; detecting that a data transfer is complete; and sending the transition indication upon detecting that the timer is not running.

Claims

1. A method to control use of a transition indication message by a user equipment, comprising:

including an inhibit transition indication in a configuration message; and

sending the configuration message with the inhibit transition indication to the user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inhibit transition indication is part of an information element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inhibit transition indication includes the inhibit timer value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the inhibit timer value is selected from an list of predetermined values.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the list includes a value to indicate that there is no need to apply an inhibit timer at the user equipment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the value to indicate that there is no need to apply an inhibit timer is zero.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration message is selected from the group consisting of:

a RRC CONNECTION REQUEST message;

a RRC CONNECTION SETUP message;

a RRC CONNECTION RELEASE message;

a RADIO BEARER SETUP message;

a SYSTEM INFORMATION broadcast message;

a system information block (SIB) message;

an ACTIVE SET UPDATE message;

a CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message;

a HANDOVER TO UTRAN COMMAND message;

a PHYSICAL CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RELEASE message;

a TRANSPORT CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message; and

a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending is performed when a new cell or network is acquired by the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending is in response to receiving a request from the user equipment.

10. A network element configured to control use of a transition indication message by a user equipment, the network element configured to:

include an inhibit transition indication in a configuration message; and

send the configuration message with the inhibit transition indication to the user equipment.

11. The network element of claim 10, wherein the inhibit transition indication is part of an information element.

12. The network element of claim 10, wherein the inhibit transition indication includes the inhibit timer value.

13. The network element of claim 12, wherein the inhibit timer value is selected from a list of predetermined values.

14. The network element of claim 13, wherein the list includes a value to indicate that there is no need to apply an inhibit timer at the user equipment.

15. The network element of claim 14, wherein the value to indicate that there is no need to apply an inhibit timer is zero.

16. The network element of claim 10, wherein the configuration message is selected from the group consisting of:

a RRC CONNECTION REQUEST message;

a RRC CONNECTION SETUP message;

a RRC CONNECTION RELEASE message;

a RADIO BEARER SETUP message;

a SYSTEM INFORMATION broadcast message;

a system information block (SIB) message;

an ACTIVE SET UPDATE message;

a CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message;

a HANDOVER TO UTRAN COMMAND message;

a PHYSICAL CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RELEASE message;

a TRANSPORT CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message; and

a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION message.

17. A method at a user equipment (UE) for sending a transition indication, the method comprising:

setting a timer according to an inhibit transition indication received from a network element;

detecting that a data transfer is complete; and

sending the transition indication upon detecting that the timer is not running.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the inhibit transition indication is an inhibit timer value.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the sending of the transition indication is done upon detecting that the timer has expired.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the timer is started upon the sending of any transition indication.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the inhibit transition indication is received in a configuration message.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein configuration message is a mobility message.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the configuration message is selected from the group consisting of:

a RRC CONNECTION REQUEST message;

a RRC CONNECTION SETUP message;

a RRC CONNECTION RELEASE message;

a RADIO BEARER SETUP message;

a SYSTEM INFORMATION broadcast message;

a system information block (SIB) message;

an ACTIVE SET UPDATE message;

a CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message;

a HANDOVER TO UTRAN COMMAND message;

a PHYSICAL CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RELEASE message;

a TRANSPORT CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message; and

a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION message.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the transition indication indicates no more packet switched data is expected for a prolonged period.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the transition indication is a SIGNALING CONNECTION RELEASE INDICATION message.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the transition indication is a DATA TRANSFER COMPLETE INDICATION message.

27. A user equipment configured to send a transition indication, the user equipment configured to:

set a timer according to an inhibit transition indication received from a network element;

detect that a data transfer is complete; and

send the transition indication upon detecting that the timer is not running.

28. The user equipment of claim 27, wherein the inhibit transition indication is an inhibit timer value.

29. The user equipment of claim 27, wherein the sending of the transition indication is done upon detecting that the timer has expired.

30. The user equipment of claim 27, wherein the timer is started upon the sending of any transition indication.

31. The user equipment of claim 27, wherein the inhibit transition indication is received in a configuration message.

32. The user equipment of claim 31, wherein configuration message is a mobility message.

33. The user equipment of claim 31, wherein the configuration message is selected from the group consisting of:

a RRC CONNECTION REQUEST message;

a RRC CONNECTION SETUP message;

a RRC CONNECTION RELEASE message;

a RADIO BEARER SETUP message;

a SYSTEM INFORMATION broadcast message;

a system information block (SIB) message;

an ACTIVE SET UPDATE message;

a CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message;

a HANDOVER TO UTRAN COMMAND message;

a PHYSICAL CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RELEASE message;

a TRANSPORT CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message; and

a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION message.

34. The user equipment of claim 27 wherein the transition indication indicates no more packet switched data is expected for a prolonged period.

35. The user equipment of claim 27, wherein the transition indication is a SIGNALING CONNECTION RELEASE INDICATION message.

36. The user equipment of claim 27, wherein the transition indication is a DATA TRANSFER COMPLETE INDICATION message.