Apparatus and Method for Communications

• US 20130201957A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Phan, Vinh, Hakola, Sami, Koskela, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 10,104,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Apparatus and method for communication are provided. The method includes storing a machine type communication channel access profile of user equipment configured to utilise machine type communication with a network when the equipment has not an active connection with the network. The access profile is based on active UE contexts including serving-cell contexts of the device on the last access occasion. The access profile is synchronised between the user equipment and the network.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

store a machine type communication channel access profile of user equipment configured to utilise machine type communication with a network when the equipment has not an active connection with the network, wherein the access profile is based on active user equipment contexts including serving-cell contexts of the device on the last access occasion, and

synchronise the access profile between the user equipment and the network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to receive the machine type communication channel access profile of the user equipment when the user equipment connects to a base station of the network for the first time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to forward the stored information to the network during a connection setup between the network and the equipment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stored information comprises equipment identities, serving-cell identities and system information, time and status of the previous network connection, timing advance information, transmit power used during previous connection and/or channel allocation information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to update the stored information whenever an active connection with the equipment and network is set up.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stored information comprises information on a traffic channel utilised by the user equipment

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein information on a traffic channel comprises an index identifying a given channel pre-allocated to machine type communication traffic.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is part of a network element.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising

a random number generator synchronised with a random number generator kept by user equipment configured to utilise machine type communication with a network, wherein the apparatus is configured to

store information on the latest generated number and preconfigured PIN code, and generate a ciphering key utilising the generator, and the PIN code, and

forward the generated ciphering key to the network for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the network and the user equipment.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a request from another network element regarding the stored information, and send the requested information.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is configured to trigger a base station to page the user equipment with an encrypted message.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is configured to request a connection to the user equipment on the basis of a pre-determined schedule.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is configured to:

receive encrypted data from the user equipment;

decrypt the data and forward the data to the network.

14. User equipment in a communication network, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

store machine type communication channel access profile of user equipment configured to utilise machine type communication with a network when the equipment has not an active connection with the network, wherein the profile is based on active user equipment contexts including serving-cell contexts of the device on the last access occasion, and synchronise the access profile between the user equipment and the network.

15. The user equipment of claim 14, wherein the stored information comprises equipment identities, serving-cell identities and system information, time and status of the previous network connection, timing advance information, transmit power used during previous connection and/or channel allocation information.

16. The user equipment of claim 14, wherein the user equipment further comprises

a random number generator synchronised with a random number generator kept by the network, wherein the user equipment is configured to

store information on the latest generated number and preconfigured PIN code, and

generate a ciphering key utilising the generator, and the PIN code, and

utilise the generated ciphering key for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the network and the user equipment.

17. The user equipment of claim 14, wherein the user equipment is configured to receive from a base station updated channel access information and a permission to send data using the stored channel access information.

18. A method comprising:

storing a machine type communication channel access profile of user equipment configured to utilise machine type communication with a network when the equipment has not an active connection with the network, wherein the access profile is based on active user equipment contexts including serving-cell contexts of the device on the last access occasion, and synchronising the access profile between the user equipment and the network.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the machine type communication channel access profile of the user equipment when the user equipment connects to a base station of the network for the first time.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

forwarding the stored information to the network during a connection setup between the network and the equipment.

21. The method of claim 18,

wherein the stored information comprises equipment identities, serving-cell identities and system information, time and status of the previous network connection, timing advance information, transmit power used during previous connection and/or channel allocation information.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

updating the stored information whenever an active connection with the equipment and network is set up.

23. The method of claim 18,

wherein the stored information comprises information on a traffic channel utilised by the user equipment.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

specifying a pre-determined set of channels for machine type communication traffic.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

keeping a random number generator synchronised with a random number generator kept by user equipment configured to utilise machine type communication with a network,

storing information on the latest generated number and pre-configured PIN code, and

generating a ciphering key utilising the generator, and the PIN code, and

forwarding the generated ciphering key to the network for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the network and the user equipment.

26. A computer program embodied on a distribution medium, comprising program instructions which, when loaded into an electronic apparatus, control the apparatus to:

store machine type communication channel access profile of user equipment configured to utilise machine type communication with a network when the equipment has not an active connection with the network, wherein the access profile is based on active user equipment contexts including serving-cell contexts of the device on the last access occasion, and

synchronise the access profile between the user equipment and the network