Mobile station control states based on available power

• US 6,275,712 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Fry, George, Gray, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/259,080
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 455/38.3, 455/70, 455/343, 455/522, 455/572, 455/573, 455/574, 370/318, 370/320, 370/311
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile station is transitioned between control states in a telecommunications system based on available power at the mobile station. In an embodiment, a mobile station signals the system to indicate that power available to the mobile station is less than or greater than a predetermined threshold and that timers for controlling transitions between packet data service control states are adjusted accordingly. If power is below the predetermined threshold, the time period durations of transition timers for control states that require higher mobile station power can be reduced. The mobile station will then spend less time in those control states, thereby conserving battery power.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications system, a method of transitioning a mobile station between control states, said method comprising the steps of:

determining available power for the mobile station; and

setting at least a first and a second parameter based on the result of said step of determining and a selected trade-off of service delay with mobile station power expenditure, said first and said second parameters defining a first and second transition time, respectively, each defining a duration of time the mobile station will remain in a first and a second control state, respectively, wherein the mobile station moves from said first control state to said second control state upon a detection of inactivity in said first control state for said duration of time defined by said first parameter and to a third control state upon a detection of inactivity in said second control state for said duration of time defined by said second parameter, and wherein mobile station power necessary to remain in each state decreases from said first control state and said second control state to said third control state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of setting at least a first and a second parameter comprises setting said second parameter to define a duration of time during which the mobile station will remain in a control hold state before releasing dedicated control channels, if no data is to be transmitted within said duration of time defined by said second parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of setting at least a first and a second parameter comprises setting said first parameter to define a duration of time during which the mobile station will remain in an active state before releasing traffic channels, if no data is to be transmitted within said duration of time defined by said first parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining available power for the mobile station comprises the steps of:

measuring available battery power in the mobile station; and

transmitting a message to the system, said message including an indication of said available battery power.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of transmitting includes transmitting a message including an indication that said available battery power is below a predetermined threshold, and wherein said step of setting at least a first and a second parameter comprises reducing the value of said first and second parameter defining said first and second transition time between said first and second control states, respectively.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of transmitting includes transmitting a message including an indication that said available battery power is above a predetermined threshold, and wherein said step of setting at least a first and a second parameter comprises increasing the value of said first and second parameter defining said first and second transition time between said first and second control states, respectively.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of setting at least a first and a second parameter comprises prohibiting mobile station operation in a selected control state.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of setting comprises sending a message to the mobile station forcing a change of control state.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining available power for the mobile station comprises the steps of:

determining available battery power in the mobile station; and

transmitting a message to the system, said message requesting a change of control state; and

wherein said step of setting comprises transmitting a message to the mobile station forcing a change of control state.

10. In a telecommunications systems, an apparatus for transitioning a mobile station between control states, said apparatus comprising:

a monitor in the mobile station, said monitor for monitoring available battery power and generating a first signal in response to said available battery power reaching a predetermined level;

a first processor coupled to said monitor, said first processor for receiving said first signal and initiating transmission of a message from the mobile station on an RF channel;

a receiver for receiving said message on said RF channel and generating a second signal, said second signal including data, said data including information from said message transmitted from the mobile station; and

a second processor coupled to said receiver, said second processor for receiving said second signal and setting at least a first and a second parameter based on said data included in said second signal and a selected trade-off of service delay with mobile station power expenditure, said first and said second parameter defining first and second transition times, respectively, defining a duration of time the mobile station will remain in a first or a second control state, respectively, wherein the mobile station moves from said first control state to said second control state upon detection of inactivity in said first control state for said duration of time defined by said first parameter and to a third control state upon a detection of inactivity in said second control state for said duration of time defined by said second parameter, and wherein mobile station power necessary to remain in each state decreases from said first control state and said second control state to said third control state, said second processor further for generating at least a third signal for controlling mobile station control state transitions based on said first and second parameter.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said second transition time defines a duration of time during which the mobile station will remain in a control hold state before releasing dedicated control channels, if no data is to be transmitted within said second duration of time.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first transition time defines a duration of time during which the mobile station will remain in an active state before releasing traffic channels, if no data is to be transmitted within said first duration of time.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said data included in said message transmitted from said mobile station includes an indication that said available battery power is below a predetermined threshold, and wherein said second processor sets said first and second parameter by reducing the value of said first and second parameter defining said transition time between said first and second control states, respectively.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said data included in said message transmitted from said mobile station includes an indication that said available battery power is above a predetermined threshold, and wherein said second processor sets said first and second parameter by increasing the value of said first and second parameter defining said transition time between said first and second control states, respectively.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said second processor sets said at least a first and a second parameter by prohibiting mobile station operation in a selected control state.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said second processor generates said at least a third signal for forcing a change of control state at the mobile station.