APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR STATE SUSPENSION IN HYBRID NETWORKS

• US 20140080479A1
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vangala, Sarma V., Yerrabommanahalli, Vikram B., Balakrishnan, Swaminathan, Chetty, Chandra S., Nagarajan, Viswanath
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for suspending session state during hybrid network operation. In one exemplary embodiment, a cellular device uses a single-radio solution to support circuit-switched calls on a CDMA 1× network and packet-switched calls on LTE. Periodically, the cellular device tunes away from LTE and monitors CDMA 1× activity, and vice versa. During these tuned-away periods, the client device may suspend operation on the tuned away network for extended tune away intervals.

Claims

1. A method for operating a user equipment (UE) device in at least a first network, the method comprising:

identifying an extended outage event;

providing information regarding the extended outage event to the first network;

suspending a session with the first network for a duration of the extended outage event; and

resuming the session with the first network after the duration of the extended outage event;

wherein the identification of the extended outage event is initiated by the UE device and is based on a timer, where the timer is started when the UE device tunes to a second network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the extended outage event is based at least in part on an operation of the UE device within the second network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation is selected from one of:

(i) a data transmission on the second network, (ii) a data reception on the second network, and (iii) a measurement of a functional parameter of the second network.

4. The method of claim 2, where the operation comprises at least one of:

(i) a registration with the second network, (ii) a location area update with the second network, (iii) an access of a paging channel of the second network, (iv) a search operation associated with the second network, (v) a measurement of a cell parameter of the second network, (vi) a voice call between the UE device and the second network, (vii) an out of service procedure;

(viii) a power measurement associated with the second network, (ix) and overhead updates after moving to a different channel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein responsive to the timer expiring, the UE device tunes back to the first network to provide the information regarding the extended outage event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of the extended outage is based on one or more data communicated via the second network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending the session comprises the UE device and the first network storing one or more device context information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the device context information comprises one or more of:

(i) a UE device status;

(ii) a UE connection status;

(iii) one or more active applications of the UE device;

(iv) one or more UE application states;

(v) one or more UE application histories;

(vi) one or more UE application transactions;

(vii) one or more UE download histories; and

(viii) one or more UE upload histories.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein resuming the session comprises the UE device and the first network restoring the stored one or more device context information.

5-6. -6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

13. A portable radio communications apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a timer, the timer configured to expire after a timer interval;

a wireless interface; and

a connection management logic in communication with the processor and the wireless interface and configured to execute an extended outage event process, the extended outage event process causing the portable radio communications apparatus to;

communicate with a first network via a session;

tune to a second network and start the timer; and

when the timer expires;

tune back to the first network;

suspend the session with the first network for a duration of an extended outage event;

communicate with a second network during the extended outage event; and

thereafter, resume the session with the first network.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of computer readable instructions stored thereon, the instructions configured to, when executed by a processor, cause a mobile device to:

establish a communications session with a first network;

while the communications session is active, tune to a second network; and

when an extended outage event occurs while the mobile device is tuned to the second network;

provide information regarding the extended outage event to the first network;

suspend the communications session with the first network; and

when the extended outage event finishes, resume the suspended communications session with the first network.

15-20. -20. (canceled)