MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20180077676A1
• Filed: 11/17/2017
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Duesseldorf GmbH (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Duesseldorf GmbH (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: KALOXYLOS, Alexandros, BULAKCI, Oemer, CHATZIKOKOLAKIS, Konstantinos, SPAPIS, Panagiotis, ALONISTIOTI, Athanasia
• Granted Patent: US 10,200,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a mobile wireless communication device (101a-c) configured to communicate with a location management server (105) over a wireless communication network. The mobile wireless communication device (101a-c) is configured to be part of a cluster of mobile wireless communication devices managed on the basis of a clustering protocol, wherein the clustering protocol is configured to select one of the mobile wireless communication devices (101a-c) of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices to be a cluster head for representing the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices. The mobile wireless communication devices (101a-c) of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices are either in a network-connected mode or a network-idle mode relative to the wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communication device configured to communicate with a location management server over a wireless communication network, the mobile wireless communication device being configured to be part of a cluster of mobile wireless communication devices managed on the basis of a clustering protocol, the clustering protocol configured to select one of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices to be a cluster head for representing the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices being either in a network-connected mode or a network-idle mode relative to the wireless communication network,

wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to select one of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, including the mobile wireless communication device itself, being in the network-connected mode to be a cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server;

and

wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is not the cluster head and is in the network-connected mode, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to be selected by the cluster head as the cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server.

2. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to send cluster location management information to the location management server, wherein the cluster location management information comprises information about the location of the cluster head and/or information about the respective locations of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, and wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is not the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to refrain from sending device location management information to the location management server, wherein the device location management information comprises information about the location of the wireless communication device.

3. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to select itself to be the cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server, in case the mobile wireless communication device is in the network-connected or the network-idle mode and the other mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices are in the network-idle mode.

4. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a LTE network, a LTE-A network or a future evolution thereof and wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head and all mobile wireless communication devices are in the network-idle mode the mobile wireless communication device is configured to use a non-contentious RACH procedure for sending cluster location management information to the location management server.

5. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head and all mobile wireless communication devices are in the network-idle mode, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to perform the non-contentious RACH procedure on the basis of at least one dedicated RACH preamble from at least one base station of the wireless communication network.

6. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the mobile wireless communication device is configured to request the at least one dedicated RACH preamble from a source base station and to receive the at least one RACH preamble from the source base station, wherein the source base station has receiving the at least one dedicated RACH preamble from at least one neighboring base station.

7. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a LTE network, a LTE-A network or a future evolution thereof and wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to use an enhanced RRC connection request to send cluster location management information to the location management server, wherein the enhanced RRC connection request includes a marker for indicating that the request is to be rejected and that the location of the mobile wireless communication device is to be forwarded to the location management server.

8. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to determine the frequency or the content of the cluster location management information or the events that trigger the sending of cluster location management information to the location management server.

9. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the cluster location management information to be sent by the mobile wireless communication device to the location management server, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, comprises an identifier of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, location information about the cluster head, information about the velocity of the cluster head, a list pairing an identifier of a wireless mobile communication device of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, such as an IMSI, with an identifier of a cell of the wireless communication network, and/or the coverage area of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices.

10. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a LTE network, a LTE-A network or a future evolution thereof and wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is not the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to refrain from sending device location management information to the location management server by suppressing sending of tracking area update requests to the location management server or by suppressing location update timers.

11. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to send cluster location management information the location management server, each time another mobile wireless communication device joins the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, another mobile wireless communication device leaves the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices and/or the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices is changed in a different way.

12. The mobile wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless communication device is configured to communicate with the other mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices over an intra-cluster communication channel.

13. A location management server configured to communicate over a wireless communication network with a cluster of wireless communication devices, wherein the location management server is configured to receive cluster location management information from the mobile wireless communication device, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, and to adapt a location area list building procedure and/or a paging procedure implemented in the location management server on the basis of the cluster location management information;

and

Wherein the mobile wireless communication device being configured to be part of a cluster of mobile wireless communication devices managed on the basis of a clustering protocol, the clustering protocol configured to select one of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices to be a cluster head for representing the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices being either in a network-connected mode or a network-idle mode relative to the wireless communication network,

wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to select one of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, including the mobile wireless communication device itself, being in the network-connected mode to be a cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server; and

wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is not the cluster head and is in the network-connected mode, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to be selected by the cluster head as the cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server.

14. The location management server of claim 13, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to send cluster location management information to the location management server, wherein the cluster location management information comprises information about the location of the cluster head and/or information about the respective locations of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, and wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is not the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to refrain from sending device location management information to the location management server, wherein the device location management information comprises information about the location of the wireless communication device.

15. The location management server of claim 14, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to select itself to be the cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server, in case the mobile wireless communication device is in the network-connected or the network-idle mode and the other mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices are in the network-idle mode.

16. The location management server of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a LTE network, a LTE-A network or a future evolution thereof and wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head and all mobile wireless communication devices are in the network-idle mode the mobile wireless communication device is configured to use a non-contentious RACH procedure for sending cluster location management information to the location management server.

17. The location management server of claim 16, wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster head and all mobile wireless communication devices are in the network-idle mode, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to perform the non-contentious RACH procedure on the basis of at least one dedicated RACH preamble from at least one base station of the wireless communication network.

18. The location management server of claim 16, wherein the mobile wireless communication device is configured to request the at least one dedicated RACH preamble from a source base station and to receive the at least one RACH preamble from the source base station, wherein the source base station has receiving the at least one dedicated RACH preamble from at least one neighboring base station.

19. The location management server of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a LTE network, a LTE-A network or a future evolution thereof and wherein, in case the mobile wireless communication device is the cluster rapporteur, the mobile wireless communication device is configured to use an enhanced RRC connection request to send cluster location management information to the location management server, wherein the enhanced RRC connection request includes a marker for indicating that the request is to be rejected and that the location of the mobile wireless communication device is to be forwarded to the location management server.

20. A method of operating a mobile wireless communication device configured to communicate with a location management server over a wireless communication network, the mobile wireless communication device being configured to be part of a cluster of mobile wireless communication devices managed on the basis of a clustering protocol, the clustering protocol configured to select one of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices to be a cluster head for representing the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices being either in a network-connected mode or a network-idle mode relative to the wireless communication network, wherein the method comprises the following steps in the mobile wireless communication device:

selecting one of the mobile wireless communication devices of the cluster of mobile wireless communication devices, including the mobile wireless communication device itself, being in the network-connected mode to be a cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server;

or

being selected, in case the mobile wireless communication device is not the cluster head and is in network-connected mode, by the cluster head as the cluster rapporteur for communicating with the location management server.