Apparatus and method for use in paging mode in wireless communications systems

• US 6,816,736 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Uppala, Sathyadev Venkata, Laroia, Rajiv, Li, Junyi
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/756,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20020090959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 455/458, 455/515, 370/347
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a unique paging time slot format, each of the allocated paging time slots occurs periodically and is split into several prescribed paging time slots including at least one first type paging time slot having a relatively short duration and at least one second type paging time slot having a longer duration. The at least one first type paging time slots is of relatively short duration and transports an indication whether a particular associated wireless terminal was paged. The second type paging time slot is of longer duration than the first type time slot and transports the entire paging message. Specifically, a wireless terminal that is normally in a standby mode only has to enter a monitor mode, i.e., “wake up”, to monitor the relatively short first type paging time slot to determine whether it has been paged. If it has been paged, the wireless terminal then monitors the longer second type paging time slot to determine if it is transporting a valid paging message for the paged wireless terminal. If no valid paged indication is detected in the first type paging time slot or no valid paging message is detected in the second type paging time slot, the wireless terminal returns to the standby mode, i.e., returns to a “sleep” state, and waits for the next periodic occurrence of its assigned paging time slot.

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless terminal of a wireless communications system including at least one base station and one or more of said wireless terminals to receive paging messages comprising the step of:

periodically receiving paging time slots intended to transport paging messages to one or more of said wireless terminals, wherein each individual one of said one or more paging time slots includes one or more of first type paging time slots, and at least one associated second type paging time slot, each of said first type paging time slots including fewer bits than said associated second type paging time slot and being intended to transport an indication that a particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, and said associated second type paging time slot for transporting a complete paging message for a paged wireless terminal;

monitoring only said fewer bits of an assigned first type paging time slot in said paging time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged; and

in response to detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, monitoring a second type paging time slot in said paging time slot, associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication, for said complete paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of periodically receiving includes receiving in said paging time slots a plurality of said first type paging time slots associated with a particular second type paging time slot.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of periodically receiving includes receiving for each of said one or more first type paging time slots an assigned separate subgroup of wireless terminals.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein said step of periodically receiving includes receiving each of said first type paging time slots transporting an indication of any particular one of said one or more wireless terminals in its assigned subgroup that has been paged.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 further including the steps of monitoring an assigned first type time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and in response to detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged monitoring a second type paging time slot associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication for a paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said particular one of said one or more of said wireless terminals is initially in a standby mode and further including a step of entering a monitoring mode prior to receiving said paging time slot including said first type paging time slot assigned to said particular one of said one or more of said wireless terminals.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 further including the steps of monitoring said assigned first type time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and in response to detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more of said wireless terminals has been paged monitoring a second type paging time slot associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication for a paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

8. The method as defined in claim 6 further including the steps of monitoring said assigned first type time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and in response to not detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, returning to said standby mode.

9. The method as defined in claim 6 further including the steps of monitoring said assigned first type time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and in response to detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, monitoring a second type paging time slot associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication for a paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 further including a step of in response to not detecting a paging message for said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals in said second type paging time slot, returning to said standby mode.

11. The method as defined in claim 9 further including the step of in response to detecting a paging message for said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals in said associated second type paging time slot, entering an operation state indicated by the detected paging message.

12. The method as defined in claim 1 further including said at least one base station for use in said wireless communications system including said at least one base station and said one or more of said wireless terminals to transmit paging messages comprising the steps of:

in said at least one base station

generating a paging time slot format including one or more periodically recurring paging time slots associated with one or more of said wireless terminals, wherein each of said one or more paging time slots includes one or more of first type time slots, and at least one associate second type time slot, each of said first type paging time slots in said paging time slot including fewer bits than said associated second type time slot and being intended to transport an indication that a particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and said associated second type time slot in said paging time slot for transporting a paging message for a paged wireless terminal; and

transmitting one or more paging messages in said paging time slot format including said one or more periodically recurring paging time slots associated with one or more of said wireless terminals.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein said at least one wireless terminal is initially in a standby mode and further including a step of entering a monitoring mode prior to receiving said paging time slot including said first type paging time slot assigned to said at least one wireless terminal.

14. Apparatus for a wireless terminal of a wireless communications system including at least one base station and one or more of said wireless terminals to receive paging messages comprising:

a receiver for periodically receiving paging time slots intended to transport paging messages to said one or more of said wireless terminals, wherein each individual one of said one or more paging time slots includes one or more of first type paging time slots, and at least one associated second type paging time slot, each of said first type paging time slots including fewer bits than said associated second type paging time slot and being intended to transport an indication that a particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and said associated second type paging time slot for transporting a complete paging message for a paged wireless terminal;

a first monitor for monitoring only said fewer bits of an assigned first type paging time slot in said paging time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged; and

a second monitor, responsive to said detection of an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, to monitor a second type paging time slot in said paging time slot, associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication, for said complete paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein a plurality of said first type paging time slots is associated with a particular second type paging time slot.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein a separate subgroup of wireless terminals is assigned to each of said one or more first type paging time slots.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein each of said first type paging time slots is intended to transport an indication of any particular wireless terminal in its assigned subgroup that has been paged.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said receiver monitors an assigned first type time slot for an indication that a particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and in response to detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, said receiver monitors a second type paging time slot associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication for a paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals is initially in a standby mode and is controlled to enter a monitoring mode prior to receiving said paging time slot including said first type paging time slot assigned to said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein in said monitoring mode, said receiver is controlled to monitor said assigned first type time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and in response to detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, said receiver is controlled to monitor a second type paging time slot associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication for a paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein in said monitoring mode, said receiver is controlled to monitor said assigned first type time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and in response to not detecting an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, said particular one wireless terminal is controlled to return to said standby mode.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein in said monitoring mode, said receiver is controlled to monitor said assigned first type time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, and in response to detecting an indication that said particular one or more of said wireless terminals has been paged, said receiver is controlled to monitor a second type paging time slot associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication for a paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said particular one wireless terminal, in response to not detecting a paging message for said particular one wireless terminal in said second type paging time slot, is controlled to return to said standby mode.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said wireless terminal, in response to detecting a paging message for said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals in said associated second type paging time slot, is controlled to enter an operational state indicated by the detected paging message.

25. The wireless communications system as defined in claim 14 including said at least one base station and said one or more of said wireless terminals to transmit paging messages comprising:

in said at least one base station

a generator for generating a paging time slot format including one or more periodically recurring paging time slots to transmit paging messages to one or more of said one or more wireless terminals, wherein each individual one of said one or more paging time slots includes one or more of first type paging time slots, and at least one associated second type paging time slot, each of said first type paging time slots including fewer bits than said associated second type paging time slot and being intended to transport an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and said associated second type paging time slot for transporting a complete paging message for a paged wireless terminal, and

a transmitter for transmitting said paging time slot format to said one or more wireless terminals.

26. The system as defined in claim 25 wherein said at least one wireless terminal is initially in a standby mode and further including said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals being controlled to enter a monitoring mode prior to receiving said paging time slot including said first type paging time slot assigned to said at least one wireless terminal.

27. Apparatus for a wireless terminal of a wireless communications system including at least one base station and one or more wireless terminals to receive paging messages comprising:

means for periodically receiving paging time slots intended to transport paging messages to one or more wireless terminals, wherein each individual one of said one or more paging time slots includes one or more of first type paging time slots, and at least one associated second type paging time slot, each of said first type paging time slots including fewer bits than said second type paging time slot and being intended to transport an indication that a particular one of said one or more particular wireless terminals has been paged and said associated second type paging time slot for transporting a complete paging message for a paged wireless terminal;

means for monitoring only said fewer bits of an assigned first type paging time slot in said paging time slot for an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged; and

said means for monitoring being responsive to detection of an indication that said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged, for monitoring a second type paging time slot in said paging time slot, associated with said first type paging time slot transporting said detected indication, for said complete paging message for the paged wireless terminal.

28. The wireless communications system as defined in claim 27 including said at least one base station and said one or more wireless terminals to transmit paging messages comprising:

in at least one base station

means for generating a paging time slot format including one or more periodically recurring paging time slots to transmit paging messages to said one or more wireless terminals, wherein each individual one of said one or more paging time slots includes one or more of first type paging time slots, and at least one associated second type paging time slot, each of said first type paging time slots including fewer bits than said second type paging time slot and being intended to transport an indication said particular one of said one or more wireless terminals has been paged and said associated second type paging time slot for transporting a paging message for a paged wireless terminal, and

means for transmitting said paging time slot format to said one or more wireless terminals.