METHOD AND NODES FOR PAGING IN A RADIO ACCESS NETWORK

• US 20150139117A1
• Filed: 07/09/2012
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Xia, Qi, De Wit, Erik, Srenson, Lennart, Svensson, Hkan
• Granted Patent: US 10,104,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/06 using multi-step notification by changing the notification area

Abstract

A method for paging a user equipment, UE, in a radio access network, RAN, served by a core network node. When a UE attaches to the radio access network, a service area identity included in the respective a respective registration message from each UE, is received and registered in the core network node. The method further includes a step of receiving one or more data packets to be sent to a receiving UE attached to the network and determining a permitted latency for delivery of the one or more data packets to the UE. When permitted latency exceeds a predetermined latency threshold, a step of retrieving the registered SAI for the receiving UE is performed. In a concluding step in the method of paging, a first page is performed of the UE, directing the first page to cells belonging to a first paging area determined by the retrieved SAI.

Claims

1. A method for paging a user equipment, UE, in a radio access network, RAN, served by a core network node, wherein, upon UE signaling to the RAN, a service area identity, SAI, included in a respective message from each UE, is received and registered in the core network node, the method performed in the core network node comprising:

receiving one or more data packets to be sent to a UE attached to the network;

determining a permitted latency for delivery of the one or more data packets to the UE;

when permitted latency exceeds a predetermined latency threshold, retrieving the SAI registered for the UE; and

directing a first page of the UE to cells belonging to a first paging area, wherein the first paging area is determined by the retrieved SAI.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first paging area determined by the SAI is the service area represented by the SAI.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first paging area determined by the SAI is the service area represented by the SAI and one or more neighboring service areas.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first paging area is selected in the radio access node upon receipt of a core network paging message including the SAI.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein permitted latency for delivery of the one or more data packets to the UE is determined from a permitted latency for a receiving service.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein permitted latency for delivery of the one or more data packets to the UE is determined from a permitted latency for the UE subscription.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the page is included in a radio access network application protocol, RANAP, paging message and wherein the paging message includes the SAI.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a second page of the UE is performed in cells belonging to a second paging area upon time-out of the first page in the first paging area.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein paging is performed based on information provided in a predetermined paging profile.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the paging profile specifies a number of times to perform a first page in the service area represented by the SAI prior to switching to the second page in the second paging area.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the core network node is a serving general packet radio service, GPRS, supporting node, SGSN, in a mobile switch center, MSC.

12. A core network node serving a radio access network, RAN, to which one or more user equipment, UE, is attached, the core network node comprising:

a network communication unit configured to receive and transmit radio access network application protocol messages;

a processor configured to process a received radio access network application protocol message to retrieve a service area identity, SAI, received for a UE in the RAN; and

a memory configured to store the SAI for a respective UE,

wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve the SAI stored for a respective UE from the memory on receipt of one or more data packets to be sent to the UE and for which permitted latency exceeds a predetermined latency threshold, and to include the SAI in a radio access network application protocol paging message.

13. The core network node according to claim 12, wherein the core network node is a serving general packet radio service, GPRS, supporting node, SGSN, in a mobile switch center, MSC.

14. A radio access node in a radio access network, RAN, to which one or more user equipment, UE, is attached, comprising:

a network communication unit configured to receive and transmit radio access network application protocol messages; and

a processor configured to process a received radio access network application protocol, RANAP, paging message, to retrieve a service area identity, SAI, in the RANAP paging message and to initiate a first page of a UE to a first paging area determined from the SAI retrieved from the paging message.

15. The radio access node according to claim 14, wherein the radio access node is a radio network controller, RNC.