DETERMINISTIC USER EQUIPMENT BARRING

• US 20140307720A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hwang, Woonhee, Koslela, Jarkko
• Granted Patent: US 9,485,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

According to an example embodiment, there is provided a method comprising determining a barring class to which a user equipment belongs, and determining a value for a barring timer, wherein determining the value for a barring timer uses a value derived from a system frame number, SFN, in which the user equipment received an access barring parameter. The method may further comprise initializing the barring timer to the determined value, starting the barring timer and determining, while the barring timer is running, whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method, comprising:

determining a barring class to which a user equipment belongs, and

determining a value for a barring timer, wherein determining the value for a barring timer uses a value derived from a system frame number, SFN, in which the user equipment received an access barring parameter.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising initializing the barring timer to the determined value, starting the barring timer and determining, while the barring timer is running, whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred.

20. A method according to claim 18, further comprising determining whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred and, if the user equipment is barred, initializing the barring timer to the determined value and starting the barring timer.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein determining the barring class uses a network identifier, NI, of the user equipment in conjunction with the SFN.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein determining the barring class is accomplished by the formula:

(NI+n-bits of the SFN) Mod m, where m is a total number of barring classes other than special barring classes.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein n is the four most significant bits of the SFN, or is four consecutive bits other than the most significant bits of the SFN.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein determining a value for the barring timer is accomplished by the formula:

(0.7+0.6 times ((NI+n-bits of the SFN) Mod

     100)/100) times ac-BarringTime), where ac-BarringTime is a value received in broadcast signaling from the network.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein n is the four most significant bits of the SFN, or is four consecutive bits other than the most significant bits of the SFN, and where ac-BarringTime is received in a SystemInformationBlock2, SIB2.

26. A method according to claim 18, wherein determining if the user equipment is barred comprises consulting a table having a number of columns corresponding to n-bits of the SFN and a number of rows corresponding to k different percentages of barred user equipment, and locating in a pertinent row and column an identity of those barring classes that are currently access barred.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein k is equal to 10 corresponding to values of 10%, 20%, 30%, . . . , 90%, 100%.

28. An apparatus, comprising at least one data processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code being configured, with the at least one data processor, to cause the apparatus at least to

determine a barring class to which a user equipment belongs, and

determine a value for a barring timer, wherein determining the value for a barring timer uses a value derived from a system frame number, SFN, in which the user equipment received an access barring parameter.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the apparatus is further configured to be caused to initialize the barring timer to the determined value, start the barring timer and determine, while the barring timer is running, whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred.

30. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the apparatus is further configured to be caused to determine whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred and, if the user equipment is barred, initialize the barring timer to the determined value and starting the barring timer.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein determining the barring class uses a network identifier, NI, of the user equipment in conjunction with the SFN.

32. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein determining if the user equipment is barred comprises consulting a table having a number of columns corresponding to n-bits of the SFN and a number of rows corresponding to k different percentages of barred user equipment, and locating in a pertinent row and column an identity of those barring classes that are currently access barred.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein k is equal to 10 corresponding to values of 10%, 20%, 30%, . . . , 90%, 100%.

34. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory memory medium storing computer instructions, the computer instructions being configured to cause, when run on a processor,

determining a barring class to which a user equipment belongs, and

determining a value for a barring timer, wherein determining the value for a barring timer uses a value derived from a system frame number, SFN, in which the user equipment received an access barring parameter.

35. A computer program product according to claim 34, wherein the computer instructions being further configured to cause initializing the barring timer to the determined value, starting the barring timer and determining, while the barring timer is running, whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred.

36. A computer program product according to claim 34, wherein the computer instructions being further configured to cause determining whether a group of user equipment to which the user equipment belongs is barred and, if the user equipment is barred, initializing the barring timer to the determined value and starting the barring timer.

37. A computer program product according to claim 36, wherein determining the barring class uses a network identifier, NI, of the user equipment in conjunction with the SFN.