Method and apparatus for monitoring a channel during an active session in a wireless communication system

• US 8,364,159 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2002
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Turner, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hanh N
• Application Number:
  US10/075,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20030152044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,005 Days
• Field of Search: 370/330, 370/331, 370/329, 370/468, 370/352, 370/335, 370/336, 370/320, 370/332, 370/395.2, 370/337, 370/344, 370/321, 370/385, 370/386, 455/436, 455/426.1, 455/428, 455/13.4, 455/442, 455/452.2, 455/464, 455/515, 455/524, 455/525, 455/134, 455/135, 379/32.01, 379/93.35, 709/227, 709/201, 709/202, 709/229, 709/226
• US Class Current: 455/451
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment of the invention monitors a paging channel from one wireless network during an active communications session with another wireless network.

Claims

1. A method of conducting wireless data communications comprising:

receiving a packet data transmission from a first wireless network over a first traffic channel;

transmitting a pause command to the first wireless network to temporarily suspend data transmission over the first traffic channel;

reconfiguring a receiver from a mode corresponding to communication with the first wireless network to a mode corresponding to communication with a second wireless network;

monitoring a paging channel of the second wireless network;

reconfiguring the receiver from the mode corresponding to communication with the second wireless network to the mode corresponding to communication with the first wireless network; and

transmitting a resume command to the first wireless network to resume data transmission over the first traffic channel.

2. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 1, wherein transmitting a pause command to the first wireless network includes transmitting a pause command to a packet data serving node via the first wireless network, and

wherein transmitting a resume command to the first wireless network includes transmitting the resume command to the packet data serving node via the first wireless network.

3. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 2, wherein receiving a packet data transmission from a first wireless network includes receiving a packet data transmission from the packet data serving node via the first wireless network.

4. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the receiver includes changing a frequency of a radio-frequency stage.

5. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 1, wherein the pause command includes a command to reduce a data rate.

6. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 1, wherein the pause command includes a command to set a null data rate.

7. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 6, wherein reconfiguring the receiver includes changing a frequency of a radio-frequency stage.

8. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 6, wherein the resume command includes a command to set a non-null data rate.

9. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 1, wherein the resume command includes a command to set a non-null data rate.

10. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 1, wherein the first traffic channel utilizes the same relative time slot, frequency, and/or coding parameters before data transmission is temporarily suspended via the pause command and after data transmission is resumed via the resume command.

11. A method of conducting wireless data communications comprising:

receiving a packet data transmission from a first wireless network over a first wireless channel;

transmitting a pause command to the first wireless network to temporarily suspend data transmission over the first wireless channel; and

monitoring a second wireless channel for transmissions from a second wireless network; and

transmitting a resume command to the first wireless network to resume data transmission over the first wireless channel, wherein said monitoring occurs between said transmitting a pause command and said transmitting a resume command.

12. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 11, wherein the pause command includes a command to set a null data rate.

13. The method of conducting wireless data communications according to claim 12, wherein the resume command includes a command to set a non-null data rate.

14. A data storage medium having machine-readable code, the machine-readable code including instructions executable by an array of logic elements, said instructions defining a method of conducting wireless data communications comprising:

receiving a packet data transmission from a first wireless network over a first traffic channel;

transmitting a pause command to the first wireless network to temporarily suspend data transmission over the first traffic channel;

reconfiguring a receiver from a mode corresponding to communication with the first wireless network to a mode corresponding to communication with a second wireless network;

monitoring a paging channel of the second wireless network;

reconfiguring the receiver from the mode corresponding to communication with the second wireless network to the mode corresponding to communication with the first wireless network; and

transmitting a resume command to the first wireless network to resume data transmission over the first traffic channel.

15. An access terminal configured and arranged to receive packet data transmissions from a first wireless network over a first traffic channel, said access terminal comprising:

a timer configured and arranged to send an indication at a time near a start of a paging slot;

a command generator configured and arranged to issue a pause command in response to the indication;

a physical layer control unit configured and arranged to transmit the pause command to the first wireless network to temporarily suspend data transmission over the first traffic channel; and

a monitor configured and arranged to monitor a paging channel during the paging slot for transmissions transmitted by a second wireless network at least to the access terminal,

wherein the physical layer control unit is further configured and arranged to transmit a resume command to the first wireless network at a time near an end of the paging slot to resume data transmission over the first traffic channel.

16. The access terminal according to claim 15, wherein the indication includes an interrupt request signal.

17. The access terminal according to claim 15, wherein the command generator is further configured and arranged to issue the resume command.

18. The access terminal according to claim 15, wherein the pause command includes a command to set a null data rate.

19. The access terminal according to claim 18, wherein the resume command includes a command to set a non-null data rate.

20. The access terminal according to claim 15, wherein the pause command is directed to a packet data serving node.

21. The access terminal according to claim 20, wherein the resume command is directed to the packet data serving node.

22. The access terminal according to claim 15, wherein the physical layer control unit is further configured and arranged to receive the packet data transmissions from the first wireless network over the first traffic channel, and

wherein, near a start of the paging slot, a mode of the physical layer control unit is changed from a mode corresponding to the first traffic channel to a mode corresponding to the paging channel.

23. The access terminal according to claim 22, wherein the physical layer control unit includes a radio-frequency stage, and

wherein changing a mode of the physical layer control unit includes changing a frequency of the physical layer control unit.

24. The access terminal according to claim 22, wherein, near an end of the paging slot, a mode of the physical layer control unit is changed from the mode corresponding to the paging channel to the mode corresponding to the first traffic channel.

25. An access terminal configured and arranged to receive data transmissions from a first wireless network over a first traffic channel, said access terminal comprising:

a timer configured and arranged to send an indication at a time near a start of a time slot;

a command generator configured and arranged to issue a pause command in response to the indication to temporarily suspend data transmission over the first traffic channel; and

a monitor configured and arranged to monitor a different channel during the time slot for transmissions transmitted by a second wireless network at least to the access terminal,

wherein the command generator is further configured and arranged to issue a resume command at a time near an end of the time slot to resume data transmission over the first traffic channel, and

wherein the pause command and the resume command are transmitted to the first wireless network.

26. The access terminal according to claim 25, wherein the pause command includes a command to set a null data rate.

27. The access terminal according to claim 26, wherein the resume command includes a command to set a non-null data rate.

28. The access terminal according to claim 25, wherein the indication includes an interrupt request signal.

29. A wireless apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a packet data transmission from a first wireless network over a first traffic channel;

means for transmitting a pause command to the first wireless network to temporarily suspend data transmission over the first traffic channel;

means for reconfiguring a receiver from a mode corresponding to communication with the first wireless network to a mode corresponding to communication with a second wireless network;

means for monitoring a paging channel of the second wireless network;

means for reconfiguring the receiver from the mode corresponding to communication with the second wireless network to the mode corresponding to communication with the first wireless network; and

means for transmitting a resume command to the first wireless network to resume data transmission over the first traffic channel.