Controlling operating states of a mobile station in a packet radio system

• US 6,243,579 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kari, Hannu H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGREE, TRACY MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/155,680
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426, 455/466, 455/403, 455/422, 455/435, 370/902, 370/913, 370/311, 370/314, 370/324, 370/337, 370/347, 370/349-350, 370/352, 370/354, 370/450, 370/457
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a packet radio network, a mobile station (MS) has an active state and a standby state. In the active state, the mobile station performs data transmission and updates its location more often than in the standby state. The mobile station changes from the active state to the standby state if there is no data transmission during a predetermined period. The packet radio network (SGSN) may also direct, if required, the mobile station (MS) from the active state to the standby state. The mobile station (MS) transmits to the packet radio network a short pseudo data packet either before the timer expires or in response to a command transmitted by the packet network to change the state (GO STANDBY) when the mobile station wants to stay in the active state.

Claims

1. A packet radio system comprising:

a packet radio network, and

a mobile station having a first state and a second state, the mobile station carrying out data transmission and updating its location more often in the first state than in the second state, the mobile station being arranged to change from the first state to the second state, if there is no data transmission during a predetermined period,

said mobile station comprising a first timer that controls the time the mobile station stays in the first state after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the first timer, the mobile station independently changes from the first state to the second state,

the packet radio network comprising a second timer that controls the time the first state is maintained as the status of the mobile station in the packet radio network after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the second timer, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state when the time of said second timer is approximately the same as the time of said first timer,

the packet radio network being arranged, if required, to command the mobile station from the first state to the second state,

the mobile station being arranged to transmit a short pseudo data packet to the packet radio network either before the end of said predetermined period or in response to said command when the mobile station wants to stay in the first state, whereupon the first and second timers are reset and reactivated in response to the transmission and reception, respectively, of the pseudo data packet.

2. A packet radio system according to claim 1, wherein said pseudo data packet contains the mobile station identity and little or no data.

3. A packet radio system comprising:

a packet radio network, and

a mobile station having a first state and a second state, the mobile station carrying out data transmission and updating its location more often in the first state than in the second state, the mobile station being arranged to change from the first state to the second state, if there is no data transmission during a predetermined period,

the mobile station comprising a first timer that controls the time the mobile station stays in the first state after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the first timer, the mobile station independently changes from the first state to the second state,

the packet radio network comprising a second timer that controls the time the first state is maintained as the status of the mobile station in the packet radio network after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the second timer, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state when the time of said second timer is approximately the same as the time of said first timer,

the packet radio network being arranged to maintain data about the current packet radio cell and packet radio channel of the mobile station when the mobile station is in the first state,

the packet radio network being arranged to maintain data about the current routing area of the mobile station, which comprises one or several cells, when the mobile station is in the second state,

the mobile station being arranged to update the packet radio cell and packet radio channel data to the packet radio network whenever it changes the cell or the channel in the first state,

the mobile station being arranged to update the routing area data to the packet radio network whenever it arrives at a new routing area in the second state,

the packet radio network being arranged, if required, to command the mobile station from the first state to the second state,

the mobile station being arranged to transmit a short pseudo data packet to the packet radio network before said timers expire or in response to said command when the mobile station wants to remain in the first state, whereupon the first and second timers are reset and reactivated in response to the transmission and reception, respectively, of the pseudo data packet.

4. A packet radio system according to claim 3, wherein said pseudo data packet contains the mobile station identity and little or no data.

5. A packet radio system comprising:

a packet radio network, and

a mobile station having a first state and a second state, the mobile station performing data transmission and updating its location more often in the first state than in the second state, the mobile station being arranged to change from the first state to the second state, if there is no data transmission during a predetermined period,

the mobile station comprising a first timer that controls the time the mobile station stays in the first state after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the first timer, the mobile station independently changes from the first state to the second state,

the packet radio network comprising a second timer that controls the time the first state is maintained as the status of the mobile station in the packet radio network after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the second timer, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state when the time of said second timer is approximately the same as the time of said first timer,

the packet radio network being arranged to command the mobile station from the first state to the second state with a first signalling message immediately after the transmission of the last data packet when the mobile station assumes that it has no data to transmit for a while,

the mobile station being arranged to inform the packet radio network with another signalling message after the transmission of the last data packet that it changes immediately from the first state to the second state when the mobile station assumes that it has no more data to transmit for a while, whereupon the first and second timers are reset and reactivated in response to the transmission and reception, respectively, of the pseudo data packet.

10. A packet radio system according to claim 5, wherein:

in response to the reception of the first signalling message, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the transmission of the first signalling message, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.

11. A packet radio system according to claim 10, wherein:

in response to the transmission of the second signalling message, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the reception of the second signalling message, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.

12. A packet radio system according to claim 5, wherein:

in response to the transmission of the second signalling message, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the reception of the second signalling message, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.

6. A packet radio system comprising:

a packet radio network, and

a mobile station having a first state and a second state, the mobile station carrying out data transmission and updating its location more often in the first state than in the second state, the mobile station being arranged to change from the first state to the second state, if there is no data transmission during a predetermined period,

the mobile station comprising a first timer controlling the time the mobile station remains in the first state after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the first timer, the mobile station independently changes from the first state to the second state,

the packet radio network comprising a second timer controlling the time the first state is maintained as the status of the mobile station in the packet radio network after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the second timer, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state when the time of said second timer is approximately the same as that of said first timer,

the packet radio network being arranged to maintain data about the current packet radio cell and packet radio channel of the mobile station when the mobile station is in the first state,

the packet radio network being arranged to maintain data about the current routing area of the mobile station, which comprises one or several cells, when the mobile station is in the second state,

the mobile station being arranged to update the packet radio cell and packet radio channel data to the packet radio network whenever the mobile station changes the cell or the channel in the first state,

the mobile station being arranged to update the routing area data to the packet radio network whenever it arrives at a new routing area in the second state,

the mobile station being arranged to transmit a short pseudo data packet to the packet radio network in response to said first signalling message when the mobile station wants to stay in the first state, whereupon the first and second timers are reset and reactivated in response to the transmission and reception, respectively, of the pseudo data packet.

7. A packet radio system according to claim 6, wherein:

in response to the reception of the first signalling message, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the transmission of the first signalling message, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.

8. A packet radio system according to claim 7, wherein

in response to the transmission of the second signalling message, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the reception of the second signalling message, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.

9. A packet radio system according to claim 6, wherein:

in response to the transmission of the second signalling message, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the reception of the second signalling message, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.

13. A packet radio system comprising:

a packet radio network, and

a mobile station having a first state and a second state, the mobile station performing data transmission and updating its location more often in the first state than in the second state, the mobile station being arranged to change from the first state to the second state, if there is no data transmission during a predetermined period,

the mobile station comprising a first timer that controls the time the mobile station stays in the first state after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the first timer, the mobile station independently changes from the first state to the second state,

the packet radio network comprising a second timer that controls the time the first state is maintained as the status of the mobile station in the packet radio network after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the second timer, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state when the time of said second timer is approximately the same as the time of said first timer,

the packet radio network being arranged to immediately command the mobile station from the first state to the second state with the control data contained in the last data packet when the packet radio network assumes that it has no more data to transmit for a while,

the mobile station being arranged to inform the packet radio network with the control data contained in the last data packet that it changes immediately from the first state to the second state when the mobile station assumes that it has no more data to transmit for a while, whereupon the first and second timers are reset and reactivated in response to the transmission and reception, respectively, of the pseudo data packet.

14. A packet radio system according to claim 13, wherein:

in response to the transmission or reception of said control data, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the transmission or reception of said control data, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.

15. A packet radio system according to claim 13, wherein the data packet contains a dedicated information field wherein said control data is transmitted.

16. A packet radio system comprising:

a packet radio network, and

a mobile station having a first state and a second state, the mobile station carrying out data transmission and updating its location more often in the first state than in the second state, the mobile station being arranged to change from the first state to the second state, if there is no data transmission during a predetermined period,

the mobile station comprising a first timer controlling the time the mobile station remains in the first state after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the first timer, the mobile station independently changes from the first state to the second state,

the packet radio network comprising a second timer controlling the time the first state is maintained as the status of the mobile station in the packet radio network after the transmission or reception of a data packet, wherein, in response to the expiration of the second timer, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state when the time of said second timer is approximately the same as that of said first timer,

the packet radio network being arranged to maintain data about the current packet radio cell and packet radio channel of the mobile station when the mobile station is in the first state,

the packet radio network being arranged to maintain data about the current routing area of the mobile station, which comprises one or several cells, when the mobile station is in the second state,

the mobile station being arranged to update the packet radio cell and packet radio channel data to the packet radio network whenever the mobile station changes the cell or the channel in the first state,

the mobile station being arranged to update the routing area data to the packet radio network whenever it arrives at a new routing area in the second state,

the mobile station being arranged to transmit a short pseudo data packet to the packet radio network in response to the reception of said control data when the mobile station wants to stay in the first state, whereupon the first and second timers are reset and reactivated in response to the transmission and reception, respectively, of the pseudo data packet.

17. A packet radio system according to claim 16, wherein

in response to the transmission or reception of said control data, the mobile station changes from the first state to the second state, and

in response to the transmission or reception of said control data, the packet radio network changes the status of the mobile station from the first state to the second state.