METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATION

• US 20090181685A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wallentin, Pontus, Ludwig, Reiner, Rathonyi, Béla, Ekstrom, Hannes
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states

Abstract

The invention aims to reduce the delay associated with setting up a session for a user terminal in a mobile communication network. A control unit for use in a wireless communication network for controlling a user terminal'"'"'s ability to communicate with the network, comprising—at least one input for receiving event information about at least one trigger event indicating that the user terminal is likely to wish to communicate with the network within a predetermined period of time—decision logic for deciding whether the state of the terminal should be changed to enable it to communicate and—output means for triggering the a state change for the terminal to a state in which the terminal is able to communicate with the network, if the decision logic decides that this should be done.

Claims

1. A control unit for use in a wireless communication network for controlling a user terminal'"'"'s (UE) ability to communicate with the network, comprising:

at least one input for receiving event information about at least one trigger event indicating that the user terminal (UE) is likely to wish to communicate with the network within a predetermined period of time—

decision logic for deciding whether the state of the terminal (UE) should be changed to enable it to communicate and

output means for triggering a state change for the terminal to a state in which the terminal is able to communicate with the network, if the decision logic decides that this should be done.

2. A control unit according to claim 1, further comprising at least one input for load information about the current traffic load in the network, wherein the decision logic is arranged to consider said load information when deciding.

3. A control unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one trigger event concerns the terminal'"'"'s geographical location.

4. A control unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one trigger event concerns an activity performed by the terminal.

5. A control unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one trigger event is based on the terminal'"'"'s previous behaviour.

6. A control unit according to claim 1, further comprising an output for triggering the establishment of at least one bearer for the terminal when the decision logic determines that the state of the terminal should be changed.

7. A control unit according to claim 1, arranged to be included in a unit that manages bearer set-up functions in the wireless communication network, such as a Policy Charging Rules Function, PCRF, unit

8. A control unit according to claim 1, arranged to be included in a unit that manages radio resource functions in the wireless communication network, such as a Radio Network Controller, RNC, unit.

9. A wireless communication network comprising at least one control unit according to claim 1.

10. A method in a wireless communication network comprising the steps of

detecting at least one trigger event related to a user terminal, indicating that the user terminal (UE) is likely to wish to communicate with the network within a predetermined period of time,

deciding, based on the at least one trigger event, that the user terminal'"'"'s state should be changed to a state in which it is able to communicate with the network

changing the state of the terminal to a state in which it is able to communicate with the network, if it is decided in the previous step that the state should be changed.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising at least one input for load information about the current traffic load in the network, wherein the decision logic is arranged to consider said load information when deciding.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said at least one trigger event concerns the terminal'"'"'s geographical location.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein said at least one trigger event concerns an activity performed by the terminal.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein said at least one trigger event is based on the terminal'"'"'s previous behaviour.

15. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of triggering the establishment of at least one bearer for the terminal when the decision logic determines that the state of the terminal should be changed.