Access Method of Wireless Communication Network

• US 20160295503A1
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: VIOREL, Dorin, BUCKNELL, Paul, FANG, Yiwei, MOULSLEY, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 10,616,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure

Abstract

An access method of a device (10) such as an MTC device to a network (20, 30, 40) which allows the transmission of small data packets without the need to read all the System Information normally required to make an initial network access. The device (10) may notify the network that an access request is occurring from a device that was either specifically allowed to use a stored access configuration or is accessing the cell using modified system information being broadcast by the cell. Such notification may be implicit in the characteristics (choice of preamble, timing, frequency and/or repetition) of the access request. The network, preferably having knowledge of the method being used by the device to access the network, can either reject this access or accept it depending on whether the access was from a stored configuration or read from System Information.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a wireless communication network, comprising:

the network broadcasting system information specifying access parameters for gaining access to the network;

a device which needs access to the network deciding whether to use a stored configuration of the access parameters, and if so;

transmitting an access request to the network on the basis of the stored configuration; and

indicating use of the stored configuration; and

the network deciding whether or not to accept the access request.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the device attempting to receive the broadcast system information and deciding whether to use the stored configuration or access parameters based on received system information, depending on the outcome.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the device indicating a failure to receive at least part of the system information.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the device holds a plurality of stored configurations of the access parameters, the method further comprising the device selecting from among the plurality of stored configurations, and indicating the selected stored configuration.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the indicating use of the stored configuration, indicating a failure to receive at least part of the system information and indicating the selected stored configuration are implicit in the access request.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the access request is a random access request including, selected by the device:

a preamble from among a set of random access preambles; and

/or

a transmission timing from among a plurality of possible timings; and

/or

a transmission frequency from among a plurality of possible frequencies; and

/or

a duration in time from a plurality of possible durations; and

/or

an extent in frequency from among a plurality of possible frequency ranges; and

/or

a repetition sequence of signals such as preambles in the time and/or frequency domain from among a plurality of repetition sequences;

the device indicating use of the stored configuration and/or a failure to receive at least part of the system information by its selection(s).

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the network responding to the random access request with a random access response, and repeating transmission of the random access response if the device indicates a failure to receive system information.

8. The method according to claim 1, the system information including an indication of whether an access request based on a stored configuration will, or will not, be accepted by the network.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein if the system information indicates that an access request based on a stored configuration will not be accepted by the network, the device attempts to receive a transmission of further system information, the network repeatedly transmitting the further system information and the device repeating attempts to receive the further system information until it is successfully received.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein wireless communication in the network takes place in time units of frames, each frame divided into a plurality of subframes, and the network decides whether or not to accept the access request based on one or more of:

whether the access parameters used for the access request are valid;

the subframe in which the access request was received; and

whether or not the access request contains a specific signature assigned to the device.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the device obtains the stored configuration from any of:

factory setting of the device;

an application layer setting;

system information received during an earlier access to the network;

or

network specifications.

12. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a base station arranged to broadcast system information specifying access parameters for gaining access to the system; and

a device arranged to determine a need for access to the system, to decide whether to use a stored configuration of the access parameters for an access request, and if so, to transmit the access request to the base station on the basis of the stored configuration and indicate use of the stored configuration;

wherein

the base station is arranged to receive the access request and the indication, and to decide whether or not to accept the access request.

13. A base station for use in a wireless communication network, the base station arranged to:

broadcast system information specifying access parameters for gaining access to the network;

receive, from a device wishing to access the network, an access request and an indication of whether or not a stored configuration of the access parameters has been used for the access request; and

decide whether or not to accept the access request taking into account the indication.

14. A device for use as a terminal in a wireless communication network, the device arranged to:

receive at least part of broadcast system information specifying access parameters for gaining access to the network;

determine a need for access to the system, decide whether to use a stored configuration of the access parameters for an access request, and if so, to transmit the access request to the network on the basis of the stored configuration and indicate use of the stored configuration.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable recording media storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a base station in a wireless communication network, perform the functions of:

broadcasting system information specifying access parameters for gaining access to the network;

receiving, from a device wishing to access the network, an access request and an indication of whether or not a stored configuration of the access parameters has been used for the access request; and

deciding whether or not to accept the access request taking into account the indication.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable recording media storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a terminal in a wireless communication network, perform the functions of:

receiving at least part of broadcast system information specifying access parameters for gaining access to the network;

determining a need for access to the system, decide whether to use a stored configuration of the access parameters for an access request, and if so, to transmit the access request to the network on the basis of the stored configuration and indicate use of the stored configuration.