Apparatus and Method for Transmitting Messages in Mobile Telecommunications System User Equipment

• US 20090312004A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Farnsworth, Andrew, Young, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and device for transmitting a sequence of messages from a handheld telecommunications device to a telecommunications network is described, the sequence of messages comprising a plurality of messages to be transmitted at specified times. The method comprises transmitting a message of the sequence of messages and turning off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device after transmission of at least one of the messages in the sequence of messages. The method has particular application to messages that terminate a radio connection, such as RRC Connection Release Complete messages in a UMTS system.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a sequence of messages from a wireless telecommunications device to a telecommunications network, the sequence of messages comprising a plurality of messages to be transmitted at specified times, the method comprising:

turning off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device after transmission of at least one of the messages in the sequence of messages.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

turning off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device for a period of time after transmission of a message in the sequence of messages; and

turning on at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device at the end of the period of time in preparation for transmitting a further message of the sequence of messages at a specified time.

3. A method according to claim 2 further comprising turning off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device after the transmission of each message in the sequence of messages.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising initiating the turning off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device in response to transmission of the final message in the sequence of messages.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the messages in the sequence of messages are to terminate a radio connection between the device and the network.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the second and any subsequent messages in the sequence of messages include a repeat of at least part of the first message.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein, during transmission of the sequence of messages, the messages are transmitted in an unacknowledged mode.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the device is operable in accordance with the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sequence of messages comprises a sequence of Radio Resource Control Connection Release Complete messages.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein, after transmitting a message, both the transmitter and the receiver of the device are turned off.

21. A computer program comprising program code for use in a wireless telecommunications device, the computer program causing the wireless communications device to operate according to the method of claim 1.

11. A wireless telecommunications device arranged to transmit a sequence of messages to a telecommunications network, the sequence of messages comprising a plurality of messages to be transmitted at specified times, the device comprising means to:

transmit a message of the sequence of messages; and

turn off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device after transmission of at least one of the messages in the sequence of messages.

12. A device according to claim 11 further arranged to:

turn off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device for a period of time after transmission of a message in the sequence of messages; and

turn on at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device at the end of the period of time in preparation for transmitting a further message of the sequence of messages at a specified time.

13. A device according to claim 12 further arranged to turn off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device after transmission of each message in the sequence of messages.

14. A device according to claim 11 further arranged to initiate the turning off at least one of the transmitter and receiver of the device in response to transmission of the final message in the sequence of messages.

15. A device according to claim 11 wherein the messages in the sequence of messages are to terminate a radio connection between the device and the network.

16. A device according to claim 11 wherein the second and any subsequent messages in the sequence of messages include a repeat of at least part of the first message.

17. A device according to claim 11 wherein the device is arranged to transmit the messages in an unacknowledged mode.

18. A device according to claim 11 wherein the device is operable in accordance with the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System.

19. A device according to claim 11 wherein the sequence of messages comprises a sequence of Radio Resource Connection Release Complete messages.

20. A device according to claim 11 wherein the device is arranged to turn off both the transmitter and the receiver after transmitting a message.