Method, apparatus, network element and software product for location area update optimization

• US 8,032,088 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Koskela, Jarkko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dinh
• Application Number:
  US11/728,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20080026698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 455/68, 455/3.04, 455/3.06, 455/416, 455/426.1, 455/432, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/433.1, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/445, 455/453, 455/458, 455/560, 455/561, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/521, 370/328, 370/351, 370/356, 370/443
• US Class Current: 455/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

A method, apparatus, software product, and network element enable a user equipment to operate in an idle mode, to sense a change in the broadcasted location area, and to then report that change to a network without requiring a dedicated connection to the network. This embodiment is achieved by sending an identifier via an uplink transport channel, and then the user equipment receives a resource allocation that is based at least partly on the identifier. The user equipment provides an uplink signal via the allocated resource, including a user equipment identity in the uplink signal. When the user equipment receives confirmation, including the user equipment identity, then the user equipment reenters the idle mode. The uplink signal provided an update as to the location area of the user equipment, although other types of signals can instead be provided this way to the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

operating an apparatus in an idle state;

sensing a broadcasted location area identification indicative of a location area of the apparatus;

operating the apparatus in an idle state signalling mode in case of sensing a new location area of the apparatus by sending an identifier selected in the apparatus via an uplink transport channel wherein the identifier is a random identifier and the uplink transport channel is a random access channel;

receiving a resource allocation that is based at least partly on the identifier wherein the allocated resource lacks a radio link identity;

providing an uplink signal via the allocated resource that uses either upper layer or radio resource control signalling, including a user equipment identity in the uplink signal, wherein the uplink signal includes an update as to the apparatus in the new location area;

receiving confirmation, including the user equipment identity; and

reentering the idle state, from the idle state signalling mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is carried out by the signalling by the apparatus in the idle state signalling mode without entering an active state having a dedicated radio link connection established.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is accompanied by a field indicative of forthcoming contents of the uplink signal, and

wherein the resource allocation is based at least partly on the field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the forthcoming contents include an update as to the location area of the apparatus.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the user equipment identity is the international mobile subscriber identity, if an allocator of the temporary identity has changed since a previous uplink signal.

6. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory medium with program code stored thereon for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 1.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for sensing a broadcasted location area identification indicative of a new location area of the apparatus;

means for interrupting an idle state and operating the apparatus in an idle state signalling mode in case of sensing a new location area of the apparatus by sending an identifier selected in the apparatus via an uplink transport channel wherein the identifier is a random identifier and the uplink transport channel is a random access channel;

means for receiving a resource allocation that is based at least partly on the identifier wherein the allocated resource lacks a radio link identity;

means for generating an uplink signal via the allocated resource allocated at least based partly on the identifier, wherein the uplink signal includes an update as to the apparatus in the new location area;

means for receiving confirmation of the uplink signal, the identifier included in the confirmation; and

means for reentering the idle state, from the idle state signalling mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the confirmation concludes the interrupting the idle state and is followed by a return to the idle state such that the update is performed in the idle state signalling mode without establishing any dedicated connection in a connected state.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

sense a broadcasted location area identification indicative of a location area of the apparatus;

interrupt an idle state of the apparatus and operate the apparatus in an idle state signalling mode in case of sensing a new location area of the apparatus by sending an identifier via an uplink transport channel wherein the identifier is a random identifier selected by the apparatus and the uplink transport channel is a random access channel;

receive a resource allocation that is based at least partly on the identifier wherein the allocated resource lacks a radio link identity;

generate an uplink signal via a resource allocated at least based partly on the identifier wherein the allocated resource uses either upper layer or radio resource control signalling and lacks a radio link identity, wherein the uplink signal includes an update as to the apparatus in the new location area;

receive confirmation of the uplink signal, the identifier being included in the confirmation; and

reenter the idle state, from the idle state signalling mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the confirmation concludes the interruption of the idle state and is followed by the apparatus reentering the idle state such that the update is performed in the idle state signalling mode without establishing any dedicated connection in a connected state.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the identifier is based at least in part on either an international mobile subscriber identity or a temporary identity.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code embodied in the computer readable medium configured, when run on a processor of an apparatus, to cause the apparatus to:

sense a broadcasted location area identification indicative of a location area of the apparatus;

interrupt an idle state of the apparatus, in case of sensing a changed location area, and operate the apparatus in an idle state signalling mode by sending an identifier in an idle state signalling mode via an uplink transport channel wherein the identifier is a random identifier selected by the apparatus and the uplink transport channel is a random access channel;

receive a resource allocated at least partly based on the identifier wherein the allocated resource lacks a radio link identity;

generate an uplink signal via said resource allocated at least partly based on the identifier, wherein the uplink signal includes an update as to the apparatus in the changed location area; and

accept confirmation of the uplink signal, the identifier being included in the confirmation, and

cause a reentry of the apparatus into the idle state from the idle state signalling mode.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11,

wherein the update is performed without establishing a dedicated connection in a connected state.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

sense, in an idle state, a broadcasted location area identification indicative of a location area of the apparatus;

store a most recent received location area identification; and

compare the most recent received location area identification to a previous received location area identification,

generate, if the at least one processor determines that the location area identification has changed, an identifier for transmission in an idle state signalling mode via an uplink transport channel wherein the identifier is a random identifier selected by the apparatus and the uplink transport channel is a random access channel, and after receipt of a resource allocated at least partly based on the identifier, also generate an uplink signal for transmission via the resource allocated at least partly based on the identifier, wherein the allocated resource uses either upper layer or radio resource control signalling and lacks a radio link identity and wherein the uplink signal includes an update as to the apparatus in the most recent received location area identification;

receive confirmation, including the identifier; and

reenter the idle state from the idle state signalling mode.

14. The module of the mobile device of claim 13,

wherein the identifier for transmission in the idle state signalling mode via the uplink transport channel is accompanied by a field indicative of forthcoming contents of the uplink signal, and

wherein the allocated resource is based at least partly on the field.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the update is carried out without entering an active state requiring establishment of a dedicated radio link connection.

15. A network element comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

broadcast a location area identification indicative of a location area of the network element;

receive an identifier via an uplink transport channel wherein the identifier is a random identifier selected by an apparatus in an idle state signalling mode and the uplink transport channel is a random access channel; and

allocate a resource at least based partly on the identifier and send it to the apparatus wherein the allocated resource uses either upper layer or radio resource control signalling and lacks a radio link identity,

receive an uplink signal from the apparatus in the idle state signalling mode via the allocated resource, the uplink signal including an apparatus identity wherein the uplink signal includes an update as to the apparatus newly located in the location area of the network element; and

send a confirmation of the uplink signal, the apparatus identity being included in the confirmation to enable the apparatus to reenter the idle state from the idle state signalling mode.

16. The network element of claim 15, wherein the identifier is accompanied by a field indicative of forthcoming contents of the uplink signal, and

wherein allocating the resource is based at least partly on the field.

19. The network element of claim 15, wherein the update is carried out without establishing a dedicated connection to the apparatus.