Method and apparatus optimizing receipt of call/broadcast paging messages by self-powered wireless communications devices

• US 7,715,855 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Subrahmanya, Parvathanathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary; Erika A
• Application Number:
  US10/756,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20050153714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• Field of Search: 455/458, 455/418, 455/574
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless communications network (120) responds to each incoming call placed to a wireless communications device (134) by transmitting a call-paging message (418) within a corresponding partition of a digital radio frame of prescribed format. Responsive to each occurrence of a broadcast event (404), the network transmits (414) a repeating broadcast-paging message announcing the availability of broadcast content from the network. The broadcast-paging message is transmitted multiple times within each digital radio frame. Another sequence (500) describes WCD operation in this network. Responsive to wakeup (502) from sleep, the WCD detects (509) received signal quality. The WCD also receives (510) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message and a number of instances (at least one) of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message. This number varies inversely with the detected signal quality.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless communications device, comprising operations of:

responsive to wakeup from a reduced power sleep state, performing operations comprising;

detecting signal quality of one or more prescribed signals received by the wireless communications device, receiving signals including (1) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message and (2) a first number of at least one instance of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message, where the first number varies inversely with the detected signal quality;

where call-paging message content indicates whether the network has received an incoming call for the device, and broadcast-paging message content indicates whether the network has announced availability of on-demand broadcast content;

prior to re-entering the sleep state, computing a next wakeup time in order to minimize a total time of receiving the call-paging message and a second number of at least one instance of the broadcast-paging message, and configuring the wireless device to wake at the computed next wakeup time; and

wherein the operation of computing the next wakeup time comprises;

if the second number is greater than one, planning the next wakeup time to receive at least one broadcast-paging message before the next call-paging message.

2. A method for operating a wireless communications device, comprising operations of:

responsive to wakeup from a reduced power sleep state, performing operations comprising;

detecting signal quality of one or more prescribed signals received by the wireless communications device, receiving signals including (1) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message and (2) a first number of at least one instance of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message, where the first number varies inversely with the detected signal quality;

where call-paging message content indicates whether the network has received an incoming call for the device, and broadcast-paging message content indicates whether the network has announced availability of on-demand broadcast content; and

the operations further comprising;

planning the first number in regard to a next wakeup, and storing a machine-readable representation of the first number for future retrieval and use by the wireless communications device responsive to the next wakeup.

3. A processor-readable storage medium including processor-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the operations comprising:

responsive to wakeup from a reduced power sleep state, performing operations comprising;

detecting signal quality of one or more prescribed signals received by the wireless communications device, receiving signals including (1) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message and (2) a first number of at least one instance of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message, where the first number varies inversely with the detected signal quality;

where call-paging message content indicates whether the network has received an incoming call for the device, and broadcast-paging message content indicates whether the network has announced availability of on-demand broadcast content;

prior to re-entering the sleep state, computing a next wakeup time in order to minimize a total time of receiving the call-paging message and a second number of at least one instance of the broadcast-paging message, and configuring the wireless communications device to wake at the computed next wakeup time; and

wherein the operation of computing the next wakeup time comprises;

if the second number is greater than one, planning the next wakeup time to receive at least one broadcast-paging message before the next call-paging message.

4. A processor-readable storage medium including processor-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the operations comprising:

responsive to wakeup from a reduced power sleep state, performing operations comprising;

detecting signal quality of one or more prescribed signals received by the wireless communications device, receiving signals including (1) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message and (2) a first number of at least one instance of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message, where the first number varies inversely with the detected signal quality;

where call-paging message content indicates whether the network has received an incoming call for the device, and broadcast-paging message content indicates whether the network has announced availability of on-demand broadcast content; and

wherein the operations further comprise;

planning the first number in regard to a next wakeup, and storing a machine-readable representation of the first number for future retrieval and use by the wireless communications device responsive to the next wakeup.

5. Circuitry including multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to manage a wireless communications device, the operations comprising:

responsive to wakeup from a reduced power sleep state, performing operations comprising;

detecting signal quality of one or more prescribed signals received by the wireless communications device, receiving signals including (1) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message and (2) a first number of at least one instance of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message, where the first number varies inversely with the detected signal quality;

where call-paging message content indicates whether the network has received an incoming call for the device, and broadcast-paging message content indicates whether the network has announced availability of on-demand broadcast content prior to re-entering the sleep state, computing a next wakeup time in order to minimize a total time of receiving the call-paging message and a second number of at least one instance of the broadcast-paging message, and configuring the wireless communications device to wake at the computed next wakeup time; and

wherein the operation of computing the next wakeup time comprise;

if the second number is greater than one, planning the next wakeup time to receive at least one broadcast-paging message before the next call-paging message.

6. Circuitry including multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to manage a wireless communications device, the operations comprising:

responsive to wakeup from a reduced power sleep state, performing operations comprising;

detecting signal quality of one or more prescribed signals received by the wireless communications device, receiving signals including (1) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message and (2) a first number of at least one instance of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message, where the first number varies inversely with the detected signal quality;

where call-paging message content indicates whether the network has received an incoming call for the device, and broadcast-paging message content indicates whether the network has announced availability of on-demand broadcast content; and

wherein the operations further comprise;

planning the first number in regard to a next wakeup, and storing a machine-readable representation of the first number for future retrieval and use by the wireless communications device responsive to the next wakeup.

7. An apparatus for operating a wireless communications device, comprising:

responsive to wakeup from a reduced power sleep state, means for performing operations comprising;

means for detecting signal quality of one or more prescribed signals received by the wireless communications device,

means for receiving signals including;

(1) scheduled network transmission of a call-paging message; and

(2) a first number of at least one instance of a repeating network transmitted broadcast-paging message that occurs multiple times for each scheduled transmission of the call-paging message, where the first number varies inversely with the detected signal quality;

where call-paging message content indicates whether the network has received an incoming call for the device, and broadcast-paging message content indicates whether the network has announced availability of on-demand broadcast content; and

means for planning the first number in regard to a next wakeup, and storing a machine-readable representation of the first number for future retrieval and use by the wireless communications device responsive to the next wakeup.