Network and Method for Optimizing Cell Reselection by Using an Estimation of Mobility of a Mobile Terminal

• US 20110130141A1
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Frost, Timothy James, Goia, Alessandro, Pudney, Christopher David
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/324 by mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/02 by periodical registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The mobile telecommunications network (n) has at least one mobile terminal (1) registered therewith. The network (n) has an active communication state with the mobile terminal (1) and an inactive communication state with the mobile terminal (1). Means Q; V for calculating an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal (1) within the network (n) in each of the states is provided. One embodiment is characterised in that, when the communication changes from a first of the states to a second of the states, the mobility indication calculated in the first of the states is used in the second of the states. In another embodiment, the indication of movement of the mobile terminal is calculated periodically at a time interval (CMCL). A value (DRX Cycle Length) which determines this time interval (CMCL) is transmitted by the network (n) to the mobile terminal (1). This second embodiment is characterised by including means for varying the time interval (CMCL) in dependence upon an indication of movement of the terminal (1).

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunications network, comprising:

at least one mobile terminal registered therewith;

a calculation device that calculates periodically at a minimum frequency an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network, wherein a value on which said frequency is dependent is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the network; and

an adjustment device that varies at least one of;

said minimum frequency and/or and said value in dependence upon said movement indication.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network and wherein the adjustment device varies the minimum frequency in said inactive state.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein said value transmitted by the network is a DRX cycle length.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in response to a routeing area update performed by the mobile terminal.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in the broadcast channel as part of system information sent to the mobile terminal.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the calculation device determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

7. The network according to claim 1, wherein said mobile terminal includes the calculation device.

8. The network of claim 7, wherein said calculation device internally modifies the minimum frequency to be relative to a shorter value when the mobile terminal is detected as fast moving.

9. The network of claim 1, wherein the calculation device transmits a message to the mobile terminal.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein the message provides the value that the minimum frequency should be set relative to in case that the terminal is detected as fast moving.

11. The network of claim 9, wherein said message is transmitted as system information.

12. A mobile telecommunications network, comprising:

at least one mobile terminal registered with the network, wherein the mobile terminal has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network;

a calculation device that calculates an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network in each of said states wherein, when communication changes from a first of said states to a second of said states, the movement indication calculated in the first of said states is used in the second of said states.

13. The telecommunications network of claim 12, wherein the calculation device determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

14. The network of claim 12, wherein said calculating device includes a first processor comprised in the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the inactive state.

15. The network of claim 12, wherein said calculating device comprises a second processor comprised in the network for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the active state.

16. The network of claim 14, wherein said first of said states is the active state and said second of said states is the inactive state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the active state is transmitted by the network to the mobile terminal, when the inactive state is entered, for use by the first processor.

17. The network of claim 15, wherein said first of said states is the inactive state and said second of said states is the active state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the inactive state is transmitted by the mobile terminal to the network when the active state is entered, for use by said second processor.

18. The network of claim 14, wherein first processor is operable to adjust cell reselection parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.

19. The network of claim 15, wherein said second processor is operable to adjust the handover parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.

20. A method of operating mobile telecommunications network including at least one mobile terminal registered therewith, the method comprising:

calculating periodically at minimum frequency an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network, wherein a value on which said frequency is dependent is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the network; and

varying at least one of;

said minimum frequency and said value in dependence upon said movement indication.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the mobile terminal has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network and wherein the varying step varies the minimum frequency in said inactive state.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said value transmitted by the network is a DRX cycle length.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in response to a routeing area update performed by the mobile terminal.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in the broadcast channel as part of system information sent to the mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the calculating step determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the calculating step is performed by said mobile terminal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said calculating step internally modifies the minimum frequency to be relative to a shorter value when the mobile terminal is detected as fast moving.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the calculating step is performed by the network and which transmits a message to the mobile terminal (1).

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the message provides the value that the minimum frequency should be set relative to in case that it is the terminal is detected as fast moving.

30. The method of claims 28, wherein said message is transmitted as system information.

31. A method of operating a mobile telecommunications network with which at least one mobile terminal is registered, wherein the mobile terminal (1) has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network, the method comprising:

calculating an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network in each of said states, wherein, when communication changes from a first of said states to a second of said states, the movement indication calculated in the first of said states is used in the second of said states.

32. The method network of claim 31, wherein the calculating step determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said calculating step is performed by a first processor comprised in the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the inactive state.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said calculating step is performed by a second processor comprised in the network for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the active state.

35. The method of claims 33, wherein said first of said states is the active state and said second of said states is the inactive state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the active state is transmitted by the network to the mobile terminal, when the inactive state is entered, for use by the first processor.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said first of said states is the inactive state and said second of said states is the active state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the inactive state is transmitted by the mobile terminal to the network when the active state is entered, for use by said second processor.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein first processor is operable to adjust cell reselection parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said second processor is operable to adjust the handover parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.