METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING REACHABILITY OF A USER EQUIPMENT IN IDLE STATE

• US 20150063225A1
• Filed: 03/31/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: KANAMARLAPUDI, Sitaramanjaneyulu, HSU, Liangchi, ATTAR, Rashid Ahmed Akbar, VALLURU, Girish
• Granted Patent: US 10,154,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for maintaining reachability at a user equipment (UE). In one aspect, the apparatuses and methods are configured to detect a change in a radio connection between the UE and a peer entity, wherein the change in the radio connection is associated with the UE entering an idle state, to communicate to the peer entity, in response to detecting the change in the radio condition, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state and is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state, and to enter the idle state after communicating the indication to the peer entity. In another aspect, the apparatuses and methods are configured to communicate to the peer entity an indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining reachability at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

detecting a change in a radio connection between the UE and a peer entity, wherein the change in the radio connection is associated with the UE entering an idle state;

communicating to the peer entity, in response to the change in the radio connection being detected, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state; and

entering the idle state after communicating the indication to the peer entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating comprises communicating to the peer entity an indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating comprises communicating the indication by a modem processor of the UE to a modem processor of the peer entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the change in the radio connection comprises detecting that utilization of the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is less than a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the change in the radio connection comprises detecting that a quality metric of the radio connection between the UE and a serving cell is less than a threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising

initiating a radio recovery procedure in response to the quality metric of the connection between the UE and the serving cell being less than the threshold;

determining whether the radio recovery procedure has failed; and

entering the idle state in response to a determination that the radio recovery procedure has failed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the change in the radio connection comprises detecting that the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is to be released.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising initiating, at the UE, the release of the radio connection.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a network entity in communication with the UE initiates the release of the radio connection.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating by an application on the UE with an application on the peer entity using the radio connection.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating, by a modem processor of the UE to the application on the UE through an application processor of the UE, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing, by the modem processor, an application programming interface to the application processor to enable the application processor to invoke the functionality of the modem processor when the UE is in the idle state.

13. A computer program product for maintaining reachability at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, including code executable by a computer to;

detect a change in a radio connection between the UE and a peer entity, wherein the change in the radio connection is associated with the UE entering an idle state;

communicate to the peer entity, in response to the change in the radio condition being detected, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state; and

enter the idle state after communicating the indication to the peer entity.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the code executable by the computer to communicate to the peer entity comprises code executable by the computer to communicate to the peer entity an indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the code executable by the computer to communicate to the peer entity comprises code executable by the computer to communicate the indication by a modem processor of the UE to a modem processor of the peer entity.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the code executable by the computer to detect the change in the radio connection comprises code executable by the computer to detect that utilization of the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is less than a threshold.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the code executable by the computer to detect the change in the radio connection comprises code executable by the computer to detect that a quality metric of the radio connection between the UE and a serving cell is less than a threshold.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes code executable by the computer to:

initiate a radio recovery procedure in response to the quality metric of the connection between the UE and the serving cell being less than the threshold;

determine whether the radio recovery procedure has failed; and

enter the idle state in response to a determination that the radio recovery procedure has failed.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the code executable by the computer to detect the change in the radio connection comprises code executable by the computer to detect that the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is to be released.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes code executable by the computer to initiate, at the UE, the release of the radio connection.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein a network entity in communication with the UE initiates the release of the radio connection.

22. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes code executable by the computer to communicate by an application on the UE with an application on the peer entity using the radio connection.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes code executable by the computer to communicate, by a modem processor of the UE to the application on the UE through an application processor of the UE, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes code executable by the computer to provide, by the modem processor, an application programming interface to the application processor to enable the application processor to invoke the functionality of the modem processor when the UE is in the idle state.

25. An apparatus for maintaining reachability at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for detecting a change in a radio connection between the UE and a peer entity, wherein the change in the radio connection is associated with the UE entering an idle state;

means for communicating to the peer entity, in response to the change in the radio condition being detected, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state; and

means for entering the idle state after communicating the indication to the peer entity.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for communicating comprises means for communicating to the peer entity an indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for communicating comprises means for communicating the indication by a modem processor of the UE to a modem processor of the peer entity.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for detecting the change in the radio connection comprises means for detecting that utilization of the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is less than a threshold.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for detecting the change in the radio connection comprises means for detecting that a quality metric of the radio connection between the UE and a serving cell is less than a threshold.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising

means for initiating a radio recovery procedure in response to the quality metric of the connection between the UE and the serving cell being less than the threshold;

means for determining whether the radio recovery procedure has failed; and

means for entering the idle state in response to a determination that the radio recovery procedure has failed.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for detecting the change in the radio connection comprises means for detecting that the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is to be released.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising means for initiating, at the UE, the release of the radio connection.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein a network entity in communication with the UE initiates the release of the radio connection.

34. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for communicating by an application on the UE with an application on the peer entity using the radio connection.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for communicating, by a modem processor of the UE to the application on the UE through an application processor of the UE, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising means for providing, by the modem processor, an application programming interface to the application processor to enable the application processor to invoke the functionality of the modem processor when the UE is in the idle state.

37. An apparatus for maintaining reachability at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a radio connection change component configured to detect a change in a radio connection between the UE and a peer entity, wherein the change in the radio connection is associated with the UE entering an idle state;

an indication communicating component configured to communicate to the peer entity, in response to the change in the radio condition being detected, an indication that the UE is to enter the idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state; and

an idle state component configured to cause the UE to enter the idle state after communicating the indication to the peer entity.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the indication communicating component is further configured to communicate to the peer entity an indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the indication communicating component is configured to cause a modem processor component of the UE to communicate the indication to a modem processor component of the peer entity over the radio connection.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the radio connection change component is configured to detect that utilization of the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is less than a threshold.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the radio connection change component is configured to detect that a quality metric of the radio connection between the UE and a serving cell is less than a threshold.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising

a radio recovery component configured to initiate a radio recovery procedure in response to the quality metric of the connection between the UE and the serving cell being less than the threshold;

wherein the radio recovery component is further configured to determine whether the radio recovery procedure has failed; and

wherein the idle state component is further configured to cause the UE to enter the idle state in response to a determination that the radio recovery procedure has failed.

43. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the radio connection change component is configured to detect that the radio connection between the UE and the peer entity is to be released.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the radio connection change component is further configured to initiate the release of the radio connection.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein a network entity in communication with the UE initiates the release of the radio connection.

46. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a radio link communication component configured to enable communications by an application on the UE with an application on the peer entity using the radio connection.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

an application processor component; and

a modem processor component configured to communicate the indication to the application on the UE through the application processor component.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the modem processor component is further configured to provide an application programming interface to the application processor to enable the application processor to invoke the functionality of the modem processor when the UE is in the idle state.

49. A method for handling reachability of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving, at a peer entity, a first indication that the UE is to enter an idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state, wherein the UE is to enter the idle state in response to detection by the UE of a change in a radio connection between the UE and the peer entity; and

reaching, by the peer entity, the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the first indication.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

receiving, at the peer entity, a second indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time; and

refraining from reaching the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the second indication.

51. A computer program product for handling reachability of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, including code executable by a computer to;

receive, at a peer entity, a first indication that the UE is to enter an idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state, wherein the UE is to enter the idle state in response to detection by the UE of a change in a radio connection between the UE and the peer entity; and

reach, by the peer entity, the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the first indication.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes code executable by a computer to:

receive, at the peer entity, a second indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time; and

refrain from reaching the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the second indication.

53. An apparatus for handling reachability of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for receiving a first indication that the UE is to enter an idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state, wherein the UE is to enter the idle state in response to detection by the UE of a change in a radio connection between the UE and a peer entity; and

means for reaching the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the first indication.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein:

the means for receiving further comprises means for receiving a second indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time; and

the means for reaching further comprises means for refraining from reaching the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the second indication.

55. An apparatus for handling reachability of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a radio link communication component configured to;

receive a first indication that the UE is to enter an idle state and that the UE is reachable for a specified duration of time while in the idle state, wherein the UE is to enter the idle state in response to detection by the UE of a change in a radio connection between the UE and the peer entity, and

reach the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the first indication.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the radio link communication component is further configured to:

receive a second indication that the peer entity is not to attempt to reach the UE during the specified duration of time; and

refrain from reaching the UE during the specified duration of time in response to the second indication.