CONTROLLING NETWORK RESOURCE USAGE OF MACHINE TYPE COMMUNICATION (MTC) DEVICES

• US 20110310731A1
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Park, Kenneth J., Kowalski, John M.
• Application Number:
  US12/819,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20110310731A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A method for controlling network resource usage of a machine type communication (MTC) device is described. A request for network resources is received from an MTC application. A notification of a status of the MTC application is sent to a core network (CN). A set of commands is received from the CN. The commands as instructed by the CN are performed.

Claims

1. A method for controlling network resource usage of a machine type communication (MTC) device, comprising:

receiving a request for network resources from an MTC application;

sending a notification to a core network (CN) of a status of the MTC application;

receiving a set of commands from the CN; and

performing the commands as instructed by the CN.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device; and

applying the set of device rules each time an MTC application requests network resources.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device are hard coded on the MTC device at the time of manufacture.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device are sent by the CN to the MTC device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device are a combination of device rules hard coded on the MTC device at the time of manufacture and device rules sent by the CN to the MTC device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein applying the set of device rules comprises comparing a network resource usage metric with a network resource usage threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising denying the request for network resources if the network resource usage metric is greater than the network resource usage threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification sent to the CN indicates that the MTC application has exceeded the network resource usage threshold.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

granting the request for network resources if the network resource usage metric is less than the network resource usage threshold; and

providing network resources to the MTC application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification sent to the CN indicates that the MTC application is near to exceeding the network resource usage threshold.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising updating the network resource usage metric.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to stop providing the MTC application access to network resources.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to start providing the MTC application access to network resources.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to resume providing the MTC application access to network resources.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to report MTC application resource requests over time.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by the MTC device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by an access stratum (AS) on the MTC device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of commands received from the CN are received via a broadcast control channel (BCH) transport channel.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of commands received from the CN are received via a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) transport channel.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the device rules take into account at least one of:

a number of access requests made by the MTC application over a given period of time, a number of access attempts made by the MTC device over a given period of time, an amount of time and frequency resources used over a given period of time, and a current traffic load on a network.

21. An apparatus configured for controlling network resource usage of a machine type communication (MTC) device, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

receive a request for network resources from an MTC application;

send a notification to a core network (CN) of a status of the MTC application;

receive a set of commands from the CN; and

perform the commands as instructed by the CN.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

obtain a set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device; and

apply the set of device rules each time an MTC application requests network resources.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device are hard coded on the MTC device at the time of manufacture.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device are sent by the CN to the MTC device.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the set of device rules governing the network resource usage of the MTC device are a combination of devices rules hard coded on the MTC device at the time of manufacture and device rules sent by the CN to the MTC device.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions executable to apply the set of device rules comprises instructions executable to compare a network resource usage metric with a network resource usage threshold.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further executable to deny the request for network resources if the network resource usage metric is greater than the network resource usage threshold.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the notification sent to the CN indicates that the MTC application has exceeded the network resource usage threshold.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

grant the request for network resources if the network resource usage metric is less than the network resource usage threshold; and

provide network resources to the MTC application.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the notification sent to the CN indicates that the MTC application is near to exceeding the network resource usage threshold.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further executable to update the network resource usage metric.

32. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to stop providing the MTC application access to network resources.

33. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to start providing the MTC application access to network resources.

34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to resume providing the MTC application access to network resources.

35. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to report MTC application resource requests over time.

36. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is the MTC device.

37. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions are executable by an access stratum (AS) on the MTC device.

38. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the set of commands received from the CN are received via a broadcast control channel (BCH) transport channel.

39. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the set of commands received from the CN are received via a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) transport channel.

40. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the device rules take into account at least one of:

a number of access requests made by the MTC application over a given period of time, a number of access attempts made by the MTC device over a given period of time, an amount of time and frequency resources used over a given period of time, and a current traffic load on a network.

41. A method for controlling network resource usage of a machine type communication (MTC) device by a core network (CN), the method comprising:

receiving a notification from the MTC device;

generating a set of commands in response to the notification; and

sending the set of commands to the MTC device.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the notification indicates that an MTC application has exceeded a network resource usage threshold.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the notification indicates that an MTC application is near to exceeding a network resource usage threshold.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to stop providing an MTC application access to network resources.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to start providing an MTC application access to network resources.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to resume providing the MTC application access to network resources.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to report MTC application resource requests over time.

48. An apparatus configured for controlling network resource usage of a machine type communication (MTC) device, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

receive a notification from the MTC device;

generate a set of commands in response to the notification; and

send the set of commands to the MTC device.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the notification indicates that an MTC application has exceeded a network resource usage threshold.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the notification indicates that an MTC application is near to exceeding a network resource usage threshold.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to stop providing an MTC application access to network resources.

52. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to start providing an MTC application access to network resources.

53. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to resume providing the MTC application access to network resources.

54. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the set of commands instructs the MTC device to report MTC application resource requests over time.