Message Processing in Communication Systems

• US 20100325226A1
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: McBeath, Sean, Burbidge, Richard Charles, Fong, Mo-Han
• Granted Patent: US 8,750,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment

Abstract

A method and apparatus for use in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of, at a user agent receiving a configuration message from an access device, where uplink time synchronization at the user agent has been lost when the configuration message is received, using at least a portion of the configuration message information to configure the user agent and after time synchronization has been restored, communicating with the access device.

Claims

1. A method in a communication system comprising the steps of, at a user agent:

receiving a configuration message from an access device;

where uplink time synchronization at the user agent has been lost when the configuration message is received, using at least a portion of the configuration message information to configure the user agent; and

after time synchronization has been restored, communicating with the access device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein uplink time synchronization at the user agent is determined to be lost based on a time alignment timer being expired or not running.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration message includes a configuration of at least one uplink control channel resource and communicating with the access device includes transmitting to the access device using a control channel resource associated with the configuration message.

4. A method in a communication system comprising the steps of, at a user agent:

receiving a configuration message from an access device;

where uplink time synchronization at the user agent has been lost when the configuration message is received and after time synchronization has been restored, using at least a portion of the configuration message information to configure the user agent, and communicating with the access device using the configuration received in the message.

5. A method in a communication system where a configuration message is received at a user agent and includes information indicating how the user agent should be configured to communicate with an access device, the method comprising the steps of, at a user agent:

receiving a configuration message from an access device;

where uplink time synchronization at the user agent has been lost when the configuration message is received, using the configuration message information to configure the user agent; and

suspending communication with the access device until time synchronization has been restored.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein uplink time synchronization at the user agent is determined to be lost based on a time alignment timer being expired or not running.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the configuration message includes a configuration of at least uplink one control channel resource and communicating with the access device includes transmitting to the access device using a control channel resource associated with the configuration message.

8. An apparatus for use in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a user agent including a processor programmed to perform the steps of;

receiving a configuration message from an access device;

where uplink time synchronization at the user agent has been lost when the configuration message is received, using at least a portion of the configuration message information to configure the user agent; and

after time synchronization has been restored, communicating with the access device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein uplink time synchronization at the user agent is determined to be lost based on a time alignment timer being expired or not running.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the configuration message includes a configuration of at least one uplink control channel resource and communicating with the access device includes transmitting to the access device using a control channel resource associated with the configuration message.

11. An apparatus for use with a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a user agent including a processor programmed to perform the steps of;

receiving a configuration message from an access device;

where uplink time synchronization at the user agent has been lost when the configuration message is received and after time synchronization has been restored, using at least a portion of the configuration message information to configure the user agent, and communicating with the access device using the configuration received in the message.

12. A apparatus for use with a communication system where a configuration message is received at a user agent and includes information indicating how the user agent should be configured to communicate with an access device, the apparatus comprising:

a user agent including a processor programmed to perform the steps of;

receiving a configuration message from an access device;

where uplink time synchronization at the user agent has been lost when the configuration message is received, using the configuration message information to configure the user agent; and

suspending communication with the access device until time synchronization has been restored.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein uplink time synchronization at the user agent is determined to be lost based on a time alignment timer being expired or not running.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the configuration message includes a configuration of at least uplink one control channel resource and communicating with the access device includes transmitting to the access device using a control channel resource associated with the configuration message.