Methods and Arrangements in a Wireless Communication Network for Handling at Least One Primary Tracking Area

• US 20110261715A1
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Vikberg, Jari, Nylander, Tomas, Norefors, Arne, Rune, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 8,670,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/08 using multi-step notification by increasing the notification area

Abstract

A method and arrangement in a data collection network node (130, 140) for gathering information to be used for identification of at least one primary tracking area associated with a user equipment and a method and arrangement in a core network node (101) for selecting at least one tracking area identity identifying at least one tracking area to be used as at least one primary tracking area for a UE are provided. A tracking area identity is retrieved. Information about usage of a tracking area identified by the retrieved tracking area identity is registered. A measure for the user equipment being located in the tracking area is determined. Said at least one tracking area identity identifying at least one tracking area to be used as a primary tracking area is determined, if the measure exceeds a threshold. A method and an arrangement in a second network node (130) for paging a user equipment are provided. When paging the user equipment (140), the second network node first pages the user equipment (140) in the primary tracking area and, if the first page fails, then pages the user equipment (140) in other tracking areas.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method in a data collection network node for gathering information to be used for identifying at least one of a plurality of different tracking areas as a primary tracking area in which a particular user equipment is most likely to be located, wherein a wireless communication network comprises the data collection network node, the method comprising:

retrieving a tracking area identity, and

registering information about usage of a tracking area identified by the retrieved tracking area identity.

32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising sending or receiving a service or tracking area update request, or a page response, and wherein the tracking area identity is retrieved from or in conjunction with that service or tracking area update request or page response.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the information about usage comprises information about one or more of:

cell dwelling time, tracking area dwelling time, number of page responses, service requests, tracking area entrances, tracking area border crossings, identities of camped cells, and identities of tracking areas visited.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein at least some of said information comprises information about usage during one or more different periods of time

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein the data collection network node comprises a network node that manages the mobility of the user equipment, and wherein the retrieved tracking area identity is received from a radio network node in the wireless communication network.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising sending the registered information to a first network node in the wireless communication network that is configured to use the registered information for selecting said at least one primary tracking area

37. The method according to claim 35, further comprising

determining a measure for the user equipment being located in the tracking area identified by the retrieved tracking area identity, wherein the measure is based on one or more of the probability of receiving a page response from the user equipment if the user equipment is located in that tracking area, the time spent by the user equipment in the tracking area, and tracking area border crossings by the user equipment, and

selecting said tracking area identity as the identity of said at least one primary tracking area, if the measure exceeds a threshold.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the threshold is preconfigured or dynamically determined based on at least one of said probability, time spent, and tracking area border crossings.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the data collection network node is temporarily configured to assign only one tracking area to a user equipment in response to a tracking area update request from the user equipment.

40. The method according to claim 31, wherein the data collection network node is said user equipment, and wherein the method further comprises sending the registered information to a core network node in the wireless communication network.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the wireless communication network further comprises a core network node, the method further comprising

selecting the tracking area identity as the identity of said at least one primary tracking area, based on the registered information, and

sending the tracking area identity to the core network node.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein said selecting comprises

determining a measure for the user equipment being located in the tracking area identified by the retrieved tracking area identity, wherein the measure is based on one or more of the probability of receiving a page response from the user equipment if the user equipment is located in that tracking area, the time spent by the user equipment in the tracking area, and tracking area border crossings by the user equipment, and

selecting said tracking area identity as the identity of said at least one primary tracking area, if the measure exceeds a threshold.

43. A data collection network node configured to gather information to be used for identifying at least one of a plurality of different tracking areas as a primary tracking area in which a particular user equipment is most likely to be located, wherein a wireless communication network comprises the data collection network node, the data collection network node comprising:

a retrieving unit configured to retrieve a tracking area identity, and

a processing unit configured to register information about usage of a tracking area identified by the retrieved tracking area identity.

44. A method in a core network node for selecting at least one of a plurality of different tracking areas as a primary tracking area in which a particular user equipment is most likely to be located, wherein a wireless communication network comprises the core network node and the user equipment, the method comprising

retrieving information about one or more tracking areas for the user equipment,

determining a measure for the user equipment being located in each of the one or more tracking areas, wherein the measure is based on one or more of the probability of receiving a page response from the user equipment if the user equipment is located in the tracking area, the time spent by the user equipment in the tracking area, tracking area entries, and tracking area border crossings by the user equipment, and

selecting at least one of said one or more tracking areas as a primary tracking area, if the measure associated with that tracking area exceeds a first threshold.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the information comprises cell dwelling times, tracking area dwelling times, page response statistics, service request statistics, tracking area entrances, tracking area border crossings, camped cells, tracking areas visited by the user equipment, or a combination thereof.

46. The method according to claim 45, at least some of said information comprises information about usage during one or more different periods of time

47. The method according to claim 44, wherein the first threshold is determined based on the retrieved information.

48. The method according to claim 44, wherein the core network node comprises a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the measure is based only on information relating to tracking areas belonging to the same MME pool as the user equipment is currently located in, and wherein the same MME pool comprises one or more MMEs.

49. The method according to claim 44, wherein said first threshold is set based on reducing the number of tracking area updates sent in said wireless communication network, and on reducing the number of tracking areas or the number of cells involved in paging.

50. The method according to claim 44, further comprising selecting at least one of said one or more tracking areas as a secondary tracking area, if the measure exceeds a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is determined based on the retrieved information.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein said first and second thresholds are each set based on reducing the number of tracking area updates sent in said wireless communication network, and on reducing the number of tracking areas or the number of cells involved in paging.

52. The method according to claim 50, wherein said at least one primary tracking area and said at least one secondary tracking area are selected by comparing measures of usage with different thresholds, whereby the first threshold is different from the second threshold.

54. A core network node configured to select at least one of a plurality of different tracking areas as a primary tracking area in which a particular user equipment is most likely to be located, wherein a wireless communication network comprises the core network node and the user equipment, the core network node comprising

a retrieving unit configured to retrieve information about one or more tracking areas for the user equipment,

a processing unit configured to:

determine a measure for the user equipment being located in each of the one or more tracking areas, wherein the measure is based on one or more of the probability of receiving a page response from the user equipment if the user equipment is located in the tracking area, the time spent by the user equipment in the tracking area, tracking area entries, and tracking area border crossings by the user equipment, and

select at least one of said one or more tracking areas as a primary tracking area, if the measure associated with that tracking area exceeds a first threshold.

53. The method according to claim 54, wherein the retrieved information is comprised in subscriber information, wherein the subscriber information comprises information about what one or more tracking areas are associated with the user equipment according to a subscription agreement.

55. A method in a network node that manages a list of tracking area identities for paging a user equipment, wherein at least one of the tracking area identities in the list comprises the identity of a primary tracking area, wherein each tracking area identified by the tracking area identities in the list is associated with at least one cell served by a radio network node that is managed by the network node, wherein a wireless communication network comprises the network node, the radio network node, and the user equipment, the method comprising:

paging the user equipment in at least one cell associated with said at least one primary tracking area, and

if no response is received from the user equipment responsive to said paging, paging the user equipment in cells associated with a set of tracking area identities that are selected among the tracking area identities in said list.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein each tracking area identity in the set of tracking area identities is different from said at least one tracking area identity that identifies at least one primary tracking area.

57. The method according to claim 55, wherein at least one of the tracking area identities in said list comprises the identity of a secondary tracking area.

58. The method according to claim 57, wherein at least one of the primary tracking area is used during a first period of time and the secondary tracking area is used during a second period of time, wherein the first and second periods of time are configured to be overlapping, non-overlapping, or partly overlapping.

59. The method according to claim 57, further comprising paging the user equipment in at least one cell associated with said at least one secondary tracking area, if no response is received from the user equipment responsive to paging the user equipment in the at least one cell associated with said at least one primary tracking area.

60. A network node configured to manage a list of tracking area identifies for paging a user equipment, wherein at least one of the tracking area identities in the list comprises the identity of a primary tracking area, wherein each tracking area identified by the tracking area identities in the list is associated with at least one cell served by a radio network node that is managed by the network node, wherein a wireless communication network includes the network node and the radio network node, the network node comprising a paging unit configured to:

page the user equipment in at least one cell associated with said at least one primary tracking area, and

if no response is received from the user equipment responsive to said paging, page the user equipment in cells associated with a set of tracking area identities that are selected among the tracking area identities in said list.