METHOD FOR RANDOM ACCESS OF MACHINE TO MACHINE (M2M) TERMINALS

• US 20120220325A1
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhou, Lei, Wang, Hai, Zheng, Xufeng
• Granted Patent: US 9,338,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

A method for random access of Machine to Machine (M2M) terminals is applied to a plurality of M2M terminals. The method includes dividing the plurality of M2M terminals into at least one terminal group, and allocating an identifier for each terminal group. After receiving the paging broadcast signaling transmitted by the base station, an M2M terminal in a terminal group determines whether the terminal group identifier carried in the paging broadcast signaling is the identifier of the terminal group that includes the M2M terminal. If true, the M2M terminal starts a random access process. A base station transmits a paging broadcast signaling on the basis of a terminal group rather than issuing a paging broadcast signaling only to individual M2M terminals so that a plurality of M2M terminals can be randomly accessed smoothly and efficiently without causing network access congestion nor affecting the use of public network users.

Claims

1. A method for random access of at least one of a plurality of Machine to Machine (M2M) terminals, the method comprising:

dividing the plurality of M2M terminals into at least one of a number of terminal groups,

allocating an identifier for each terminal group; and

transmitting, by at least one base station, paging broadcast signaling to an M2M terminal in the at least one terminal group to enable the at least one M2M terminal in the at least one terminal group to determine whether a terminal group identifier carried in the paging broadcast signaling is the identifier for the terminal group that includes the at least one M2M terminal and to start a random access process when the identifier for the terminal group that includes the at least one M2M terminal matches the terminal group identifier carried in the paging broadcast signaling.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein dividing the plurality of M2M terminals into the at least one of a number of terminal groups comprises dividing the M2M terminals according to the service type or paging cycle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, dividing the plurality of M2M terminals into the at least one of a number of terminal groups further comprises allocating a member identifier for each M2M terminal in every terminal group, and wherein, the paging broadcast signaling includes a plurality of member identifiers that, before the at least one M2M terminal starts the random access process, enable the at least one M2M terminal to determine whether a member identifier of the at least one terminal is among the plurality of member identifiers carried in the paging broadcast signaling and continue the random access process when the member identifier of the at least one M2M terminal is among the plurality of member identifiers.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein dividing the plurality of M2M terminals into the at least one of a number of terminal groups further comprises:

allocating a member identifier for each M2M terminal in every terminal group, and wherein the paging broadcast signaling comprises a member identifier interval that enables, before the at least one M2M terminal starts a random access process, the at least one M2M terminal to determine whether the member identifier of the at least one M2M terminal is within a member identifier interval carried in the paging broadcast signaling, such that, in response to the member identifier of the at least one M2M terminal being within the member identifier, the at least one M2M terminal is able to continue to start the random access process, wherein the member identifier interval comprises the first member identifier, a number of member identifiers from the first member identifier to a second member identifier, and the second member identifier, and wherein the first member identifier further comprises the smallest value among the member identifier interval while the second member identifier comprises the greatest value among the member identifier interval.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the paging broadcast signaling includes a paging serial number, and wherein, before the at least one M2M terminal starts the random access process, the at least one M2M terminal is configured to

compare the paging serial number carried in the paging broadcast signaling against a previous paging serial number carried in a previous paging broadcast signaling recorded in the at least one M2M terminal,

when the paging serial number in the paging broadcast signal and the previous paging serial number recorded in the at least one M2M terminal are the same, ignore the paging broadcast signaling,

otherwise, delete the previous paging serial and recording the paging serial number carried in the paging broadcast signaling, and continue to start the random access process.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a response from the at least one M2M terminal responding to the paging broadcast signaling after being accessed successfully; and

determining, by the base station, in the paging cycle whether a number of M2M terminals responding to the paging broadcast signaling has reached a set requirement,

if the number of M2M terminals responding to the paging broadcast signaling has reached the set requirement, ending current process, otherwise, continuing to transmit the paging broadcast signaling;

the set requirement comprising one of;

a threshold;

a number of M2M terminals responding to the paging broadcast signaling continuously N times; and

the difference the number of M2M terminals responding to the paging broadcast signaling is less than a given threshold, and wherein N is greater than or equal to 2.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when a paging is for a certain paging purpose, the paging serial numbers of all paging broadcast signaling sent by the base station in the same calling cycle are not changed, while in different calling cycles, no matter whether the paging purpose carried in a paging broadcast signaling is changed or not, the paging serial number in the paging broadcast signaling is changed.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein, assigning the at least one M2M terminal among the M2M terminals in the at least one terminal group to be a group representative, and assigning a second M2M terminal to be a group members;

and

starting the random access process comprises;

determining whether value of the paging field in the paging broadcast signaling is 1 or 2, if the value thereof is 2, when the at least one M2M terminal is the group representative, continuing to start the random access process, when the at least one M2M terminal is a group member, waiting for the base station to successfully respond to the access started by the group representative of the at least one terminal group on behalf of this terminal group before starting any random access process;

if the value thereof is 1, continuing to start the random access process.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein, assigning the at least one M2M terminal among the M2M terminals in the at least one terminal group to be the group representative, and assigning a number of other M2M terminals to be group members;

before executing the comparison, the at least one M2M terminal is configured to

determine its identity as a group representative or group member, if it is a group representative, determine whether value of the paging field in the paging broadcast signaling is 1 or 2, if the value is 2, continuing to start the random access process, if the value is 1, not starting any random access processes;

if the at least one M2M terminal is a group member, continuing with the comparison.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein, assigning the at least one M2M terminal among the M2M terminals in the at least one terminal group to be the group representative, and assigning a number of other M2M terminals to be group members;

the starting a random access process comprises;

determining whether an identity of the at least one M2M terminal is a group member or a group representative, if the identity of the at least one M2M terminal is the group representative, starting the random access process;

if the identity of the at least one M2M terminal is the group member, waiting for the group representative to start a random access process, and after detecting that the broadcast signaling (RNG-ACK) comprises the acknowledgement of random access code sent by the group representative belonging to the at least one terminal group that includes the group representative, starting the random access process;

or,

determining whether the identity of the at least one M2M terminal is the group member or the group representative, if the identity of the at least one M2M terminal is a group representative, responding to the paging broadcast signaling, if the identity of the at least one M2M terminal is a group member, determining whether the member identifier of this terminal is among group identifiers carried in the paging broadcast signaling, if yes, starting the random access process, otherwise, waiting for the base station to successfully respond to the access started by group representative of the at least one terminal group on behalf of the at least one terminal group before starting any random access processes.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, before the at least one M2M terminal starts the random access process, the at least one M2M terminal is configured to determine whether the paging cycle carried in the paging broadcast signaling is that of the at least one terminal terminal, if yes, continuing to start a random access process.

12. A method for random access of at least one Machine to Machine (M2M) terminal out of a plurality of M2M terminals;

the method comprising;

receiving a priority for a service; and

after receiving a paging broadcast signaling transmitted by a base station, determining whether to start a random access process according to priority of the service that is provided by the at least one M2M terminal itself and is corresponding to a service type indicator in the paging broadcast signaling.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, the priority of the service is either a high priority or a common priority;

and

determining, by the at least one M2M terminal, whether to start the random access process according to the service priority that is provided by the at least one M2M terminal itself and is corresponding to the service priority indicator in the paging broadcast signaling further comprising;

determining, by the at least one M2M terminal whether priority of the service provided by the at least one M2M terminal itself corresponding to service type indicator in the paging broadcast signaling is the high priority or the common priority, if it is the high priority, continuing to start the random access process, if it is the common priority, starting the random access process according to the network scheduling.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein, determining whether to start the random access process according to the service priority that is provided by at least one M2M terminal itself and is corresponding to the service priority indicator in the paging broadcast signaling, comprising:

the M2M terminal obtaining the set minimum service priority from system configuration signaling, determining whether priority of the service that is provided by the at least one M2M terminal itself and is corresponding to the service type indicator in the paging broadcast signaling is higher than or equal to a minimum service priority, if yes, continuing to start the random access process.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein, determining whether to start the random access process according to the service priority that is provided by the at least one M2M terminal itself and is corresponding to the service priority indicator in the paging broadcast signaling further comprising:

determining a minimum priority configured for each frame of a superframe from system configuration signaling;

in light of the determined minimum priority configured for each frame, determining whether priority of the service that is provided by the at least one M2M terminal itself and is corresponding to a service type indicator in the paging broadcast signaling is higher or equal to the minimum service priority, if yes, continuing to start a random access process at this frame.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein determining whether priority of the service is higher or equal to the minimum service priority comprises:

determining a mapping relation between a service needing modification of the priority temporarily in the paging broadcast signaling and a temporary priority of the service, changing a priority of the service needing modification the priority temporarily to a temporary priority;

determining whether this temporary service priority is higher than or equal to the minimum service priority; and

after the at least one M2M terminal is randomly accessed, changing the priority of the service back to a previous priority.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

updating priorities already allocated for services.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of a network side and the base station issuing a request for updating the service priority, wherein the request comprises the mapping relation between the service and the latest priority;

after receiving the request, the at least one M2M terminal updating priority of the service carried in the request with a latest priority corresponding to the service, and sending an acknowledgement to confirm that priority of the service has been changed according to the mapping relation between the service and the lasted priority.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of the network side and the base station issuing system broadcast information, wherein this system broadcast information carrying the mapping relation between the service and the latest priority, after receiving the system broadcast information, the at least one M2M terminal updating priority of the service carried in this system broadcast information with the latest priority corresponding to the service.

20. A method for random access of at least one Machine to Machine (M2M) Terminals in a plurality of M2M terminals;

the method comprising;

dividing the plurality of M2M terminals into at least one of a number of terminal groups;

allocating an identifier for each terminal group; and

sending to a M2M terminal in the at least one terminal group, a set minimum service priority from a system configuration signaling to enable the at least one M2M terminal to start a random access process according to the minimum service priority and a priority of a service to be reported.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein sending to a M2M terminal in the at least one terminal group enables the at least one M2M terminal to determine whether the priority of the service is higher than or equal to the minimum service priority, and if yes, start a random access process.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein sending to a M2M terminal in the at least one terminal group enables the at least one M2M terminal to comprising:

determine a set minimum service priority configured for each frame in a superframe from system configuration signaling; and

in light of the determined minimum priority configured for each frame, determine whether the priority of the service is higher than or equal to the minimum service priority, and if yes, start a random access process at this frame.

23. A method for random access of Machine to Machine (M2M) Terminals, the method comprising:

establishing M access channel groups; and

transmitting a system broadcast message to each M2M terminal, wherein each M2M terminal can access according to the indicator in the system broadcast message indicating whether each access channel group allows a M2M terminal to access.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the system broadcast message includes L bits for indicating whether each access allows M2M terminals to access.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein, the L being equal to M.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein M corresponds to a number of access channel groups taking N superframes, wherein, N=M*W, W being a number of superframes comprised in each access channel group, and different access channel groups comprising at least one of:

a same number of superframes; and

a different numbers of superframes.