DISTRIBUTED MACHINE-TO-MACHINE CONNECTIVITY

• US 20120278490A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sennett, Dewayne, Daly, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,295,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

Connections and/or transmission times to or from machine-to-machine (M2M) type devices are staggered and/or randomized. M2M data/call sessions are distributed during a time interval. The distributed connections during a time frame can be random, pseudorandom, and/or distributed in accordance with a scheme to mitigate network congestion.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a start time of a time interval within which to connect a communications device and a network;

randomly determining a value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determining a product of R and the length;

determining a sum of the product and the start time; and

determining a connection time by adding the sum and the start time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication to initiate the connection between the communication device and the network, wherein the determinations of the start time, R, product, sum, and connection time are performed responsive to receiving the indication to initiate the connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a connection between the communications device and the network at the determined connection time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the start time is received in an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the start is a time at which an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network is received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of R is determined via at least one of a random number generator or a pseudorandom number generator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises the start time.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises a serial number of the communications device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection between the communications device and the network at the determined connection time;

parsing information to be transmitted between the communications device and the network into plurality of portions; and

transmitting a portion of the plurality of portions during a time of the established connection.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection between the communications device and the network at the determined connection time; and

authenticating a transmission of information between the communications device and the network during the established connection.

11. A network entity comprising:

a processing portion configured to;

determine a start time of a time interval within which to connect a communications device and a network;

randomly determine a value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determine a product of R and the length;

determine a sum of the product and the start time; and

determine a connection time by adding the sum and the start time.

12. The network entity of claim 11, further comprising:

an input/output potion configured to;

receive an indication to initiate the connection between the communication device and the network, wherein the determinations of the start time, R, product, sum, and connection time are performed responsive to receiving the indication to initiate the connection.

13. The network entity of claim 11, the procession portion further configured to:

initiate a connection between the communications device and the network at the determined connection time.

14. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the start time is received in an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network.

15. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the start is a time at which an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network is received.

16. The network entity of claim 11, wherein a value of R is determined via at least one of a random number generator or a pseudorandom number generator.

17. The network entity of claim 16, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises the start time.

18. The network entity of claim 16, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises a serial number of the communications device.

19. The network entity of claim 11:

the processing portion further configured to

establish a connection between the communications device and the network at the determined connection time; and

parse information to be transmitted between the communications device and the network into plurality of portions; and

the input/output portion further configured to

transmitting a portion of the plurality of portions during a time of the established connection.

20. The network entity of claim 11, the processing portion further configured to:

establish a connection between the communications device and the network at the determined connection time; and

authenticate a transmission of information between the communications device and the network during the established connection.