Method and Apparatus

• US 20160295634A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HMD Global Oy
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: MIAO, De Shan, LUNTTILA, Timo Erkki, ROSA, Claudio
• Granted Patent: US 11,039,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/005 Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• 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: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method including determining whether an apparatus is to operate in a first, second or third mode of operation; wherein said first mode of operation includes a first level of activity, said second mode of operation includes a second level of activity that is lower than said first level of activity, and said third mode of operation includes a third level of activity that is lower than said second level of activity; applying a first reference signal transmission regime when in said second mode of operation; and applying a second reference signal transmission regime when in said third mode of operation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether an apparatus is to operate in a first, second or third mode of operation;

wherein said first mode of operation comprises a first level of activity, said second mode of operation comprises a second level of activity that is lower than said first level of activity, and said third mode of operation comprises a third level of activity that is lower than said second level of activity;

applying a first reference signal transmission regime when in said second mode of operation;

and applying a second reference signal transmission regime when in said third mode of operation.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, comprising moving from any one of said first, second and third modes of operation to any other of said first, second and third modes of operation.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, comprising operating in said first mode of operation when a parameter satisfies a first threshold level, operating in said second mode of operation when said parameter satisfies a second threshold level that is lower than said first threshold level, and operating in said third mode of operation when said parameter satisfies a third threshold level that is lower than said second threshold level.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said parameter comprises at least one of:

a cell-load, a neighbouring eNB requirement;

paging information;

user equipment triggering information.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first reference signal transmission regime comprises transmitting at least one reference signal with a first time interval.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said second reference signal transmission regime comprises transmitting at least one reference signal with a second time interval that is longer than said first time interval.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first mode of operation is associated with an active state of a base station, said second mode of operation is associated with a short dormancy state of a base station;

and said third mode of operation is associated with a long dormancy state of a base station.

8. (canceled)

9. An apparatus comprising

at least one processor;

and at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

determine whether to operate in a first, second or third mode of operation;

wherein said first mode of operation comprises a first level of activity, said second mode of operation comprises a second level of activity that is lower than said first level of activity, and said third mode of operation comprises a third level of activity that is lower than said second level of activity;

apply a first reference signal transmission regime when in said second mode of operation;

and apply a second reference signal transmission regime when in said third mode of operation.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, configured to move from any one of said first, second and third modes of operation to any other of said first, second and third modes of operation.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said apparatus is configured to operate in said first mode of operation when a parameter satisfies a first threshold level, operate in said second mode of operation when said parameter satisfies a second threshold level that is lower than said first threshold level, and operate in said third mode of operation when said parameter satisfies a third threshold level that is lower than said second threshold level.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said parameter comprises at least one of:

a cell-load, a neighbouring eNB requirement;

paging information;

user equipment triggering information.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first reference signal transmission regime comprises transmitting at least one reference signal with a first time interval.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said second reference signal transmission regime comprises transmitting at least one reference signal with a second time interval that is longer than said first time interval.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first mode of operation is associated with an active state of a base station, said second mode of operation is associated with a short dormancy state of a base station;

and said third mode of operation is associated with a long dormancy state of a base station.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first apparatus, information regarding a level of activity of a second apparatus;

configuring a connection mode of said first apparatus with said second apparatus in dependence on said information, wherein said connection mode comprises a first connection mode or a second connection mode; and

said first connection mode comprises a first level of activity, and said second connection mode comprises a second level of activity that is lower than said first level of activity.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said information comprises information regarding one of:

a long dormancy state;

a short dormancy state; and

an active state of said second apparatus.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17, comprising configuring said second connection mode when said state of said second apparatus is said long dormancy state, and configuring said first connection mode when said state of said second apparatus is either of said short dormancy state or said active state.

19. A method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said first connection mode is a radio resource connection mode and said second connection mode is a radio resource connection idle mode.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19, wherein data transmission is prohibited from said first apparatus to said second apparatus when said first apparatus is in said radio resource connection mode and said second apparatus is in said short dormancy state.

21. (canceled)

22. An apparatus comprising

at least one processor;

and at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive information regarding a level of activity of a second apparatus;

configure a connection mode of said apparatus with said second apparatus in dependence on said information, wherein said connection mode comprises a first connection mode or a second connection mode; and

said first connection mode comprises a first level of activity, and said second connection mode comprises a second level of activity that is lower than said first level of activity.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein said information comprises information regarding one of:

a long dormancy state;

a short dormancy state; and

an active state of said second apparatus.

24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said apparatus is configured to configure said second connection mode when said state of said second apparatus is said long dormancy state, and configure said first connection mode when said state of said second apparatus is either of said short dormancy state or said active state.

25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said first connection mode is a radio resource connection mode and said second connection mode is a radio resource connection idle mode.

26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein said apparatus is configured to prohibit data transmission to said second apparatus when said apparatus is in said radio resource connection mode and said second apparatus is in said short dormancy state.

27. A computer program comprising computer executable instructions which when run on one or more processors perform the method comprising:

receiving, at a first apparatus, information regarding a level of activity of a second apparatus;

configuring a connection mode of said first apparatus with said second apparatus in dependence on said information, wherein said connection mode comprises a first connection mode or a second connection mode; and

said first connection mode comprises a first level of activity, and said second connection mode comprises a second level of activity that is lower than said first level of activity.