Adaptive Throughput and Bandwidth for Enhanced Category of Mobile Devices

• US 20170359829A1
• Filed: 04/25/2017
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tabet, Tarik, Khay-Ibbat, Samy, Kiss, Krisztian, Rivera-Barreto, Rafael L., Perez, Cesar, Elsayed, Moustafa M., Vashi, Prashant H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,660,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 based on requested quality, e.g. QoS

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) device may communicate according to a new device category satisfying specified QoS (quality of service) requirements while also satisfying specified link budget requirements, and additional optimization requirements. The new device category may identify the UE device as a wearable device. According to some embodiments, LTE category M may be extended to support non-MTC operations performed by wearable devices. For example, the new device category may support UE mobility and may disallow access barring. Additional extensions may be implemented in response to an indication by the UE that the UE is implementing a specific application, such as VoLTE or a near real-time application, such as audio streaming. In some scenarios, the indication may include the UE indicating a specific QCI value. In some scenarios, the indication may include the UE attaching to a specific APN.

Claims

1. A method of conducting wireless communications between a user equipment device (UE) and a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

by the UE;

communicating to the wireless communication network a device category of the UE, wherein the device category identifies the UE as a wearable device;

establishing a communication channel with the wireless communication network, the communication channel having parameters determined at least in part based on the device category of the UE, wherein the parameters comprise a fixed bandwidth;

indicating to the wireless communication network, after establishing the communication channel, that the UE is implementing a specific application; and

receiving an indication from the wireless communication network that the communication channel parameters have changed, wherein the received indication is in response to the indicating that the UE is implementing the specific application, wherein changed parameters comprise an increased bandwidth.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating that the UE is implementing the specific application comprises specifying a QCI value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating that the UE is implementing the specific application comprises requesting attachment to a specific APN.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the communication channel parameters have changed comprises a message indicating establishment of a dedicated bearer for the specific application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the increased bandwidth comprises a dynamic bandwidth determined by the wireless communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the changed parameters further comprise changed quality of service (QoS) parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific application comprises a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) application, the method further comprising utilizing a machine type communications (MTC) physical downlink control channel (M-PDCCH) for scheduling bundled VoIP audio packets.

8. A user equipment device (UE) comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to;

establish a communication channel with a wireless communication network, the communication channel having initial parameters consistent with a device category of the UE;

transmit to the wireless communication network, after establishing the communication channel, a first indication that the UE is implementing a specific application; and

receive a second indication from the wireless communication network, responsive to the first indication, that the communication channel parameters have changed.

9. The UE of claim 8, wherein the initial parameters are further consistent with a device of the device category of the UE implementing delay-tolerant applications, and wherein the changed parameters are consistent with a device of the device category of the UE implementing a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) application.

10. The UE of claim 8, wherein the initial parameters comprise a fixed bandwidth, and wherein the changed parameters comprise an increased bandwidth.

11. The UE of claim 10, wherein the increased bandwidth comprises a dynamic bandwidth determined by the wireless communication network.

12. The UE of claim 8, wherein the device category of the UE indicates that the UE is a wearable device.

13. The UE of claim 8, wherein the specific application comprises a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) application, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to utilize a machine type communications (MTC) physical downlink control channel (M-PDCCH) for scheduling bundled VoIP audio packets.

14. The UE of claim 8, wherein the indicating that the UE is implementing the specific application comprises specifying a QCI value.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions executable by at least one processor of a user equipment device (UE) to cause the UE to:

communicate with a wireless communication network via a communication channel having first parameters specified by a wearable device category for a wearable device implementing a delay-tolerant application, the wearable device category specifying different parameters for wearable device implementing different classes of applications;

initiate implementation of a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) application;

transmit to the wireless communication network, over the communication channel having the first parameters, a first indication that the UE is implementing the VoIP application; and

receive a second indication from the wireless communication network, responsive to the first indication, that the communication channel has changed to have second parameters specified by a wearable device category for the wearable device implementing the VoIP application.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable to cause the UE to:

initiate implementation of a time-sensitive periodic application after receiving the second indication;

transmit to the wireless communication network, over the communication channel having the second parameters, a third indication that the UE is implementing the time-sensitive periodic application;

transmit to the wireless communication network, over the communication channel having the second parameters, a fourth indication that the UE has stopped implementing the VoIP application;

receive a fifth indication from the wireless communication network, responsive to the fourth indication, that the communication channel has changed to have third parameters specified by the wearable device category for a wearable device implementing the time-sensitive periodic application, the third parameters being different than the first parameters and the second parameters.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first parameters comprise a fixed bandwidth, and wherein the second parameters comprise an increased bandwidth.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the increased bandwidth comprises a dynamic bandwidth determined by the wireless communication network.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable to cause the UE to:

reconfigure operational settings of the UE to communicate with the wireless communication network according to the second parameters, in response to receiving the second indication.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second parameters comprise use of a machine type communications (MTC) physical downlink control channel (M-PDCCH) for scheduling bundled VoIP audio packets.