Network and method for optimizing cell reselection by using an estimation of mobility of a mobile terminal

• US 8,634,845 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Frost, Timothy James, Goia, Alessandro, Pudney, Christopher David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/223,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20110130141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,545 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/456.1, 455/434, 455/440, 455/452.1, 709/230
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/324 by mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/02 by periodical registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The mobile telecommunications network (n) has at least one mobile terminal (1) registered therewith. The network (n) has an active communication state with the mobile terminal (1) and an inactive communication state with the mobile terminal (1). Means Q; V for calculating an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal (1) within the network (n) in each of the states is provided. One embodiment is characterized in that, when the communication changes from a first of the states to a second of the states, the mobility indication calculated in the first of the states is used in the second of the states. In another embodiment, the indication of movement of the mobile terminal is calculated periodically at a time interval (CMCL). A value (DRX Cycle Length) which determines this time interval (CMCL) is transmitted by the network (n) to the mobile terminal (1). This second embodiment is characterized by including means for varying the time interval (CMCL) in dependence upon an indication of movement of the terminal (1).

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunications network, comprising:

at least one mobile terminal registered therewith;

a calculation device that calculates periodically at a minimum frequency an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network, wherein the indication of the movement of the mobile terminal corresponds to a velocity of the mobile terminal, and wherein a value on which said minimum frequency is dependent is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the network, wherein said calculation device internally modifies one of;

the value and the minimum frequency to be relative to a shorter value when the mobile terminal is detected as fast moving; and

an adjustment device that varies at least one of;

said minimum frequency and said value in dependence upon said movement indication, wherein the mobile terminal has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network, and wherein the calculation device calculates the movement indication differently depending on whether the mobile terminal is in the active communication state or the inactive communication state, the calculating device including a first processor comprised in the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the inactive communication state and a second processor comprised in the network and external to the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the active communication state.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the adjustment device varies the minimum frequency in said inactive communication state.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein said value transmitted by the network is a DRX cycle length.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in response to a routeing area update performed by the mobile terminal.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in the broadcast channel as part of system information sent to the mobile terminal.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the calculation device determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the calculation device transmits a message to the mobile terminal.

8. The network of claim 7, wherein the message provides the value that the minimum frequency should be set relative to in case that the terminal is detected as fast moving.

9. The network of claim 7, wherein said message is transmitted as system information.

10. A mobile telecommunications network, comprising:

at least one mobile terminal registered with the network, wherein the mobile terminal has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network;

a calculation device that calculates an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network in each of said states, wherein the indication of the movement of the mobile terminal corresponds to a velocity of the mobile terminal, wherein, when communication changes from a first of said states to a second of said states, the movement indication calculated in the first of said states is used in the second of said states, and wherein the calculation device calculates the movement indication of the mobile terminal differently depending on whether the mobile terminal is in the active communication state or the inactive communication state, the calculating device including a first processor comprised in the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the inactive communication state and a second processor comprised in the network and external to the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the active communication state, wherein said first processor is operable to adjust cell reselection parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.

11. The telecommunications network of claim 10, wherein the calculation device determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

12. The network of claim 10, wherein said first of said states is the active communication state and said second of said states is the inactive communication state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the active communication state is transmitted by the network to the mobile terminal, when the inactive communication state is entered, for use by the first processor.

13. The network of claim 10, wherein said first of said states is the inactive communication state and said second of said states is the active communication state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the inactive communication state is transmitted by the mobile terminal to the network when the active communication state is entered, for use by said second processor.

14. The network of claim 10, wherein said second processor is operable to adjust the handover parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.

15. A method of operating mobile telecommunications network including at least one mobile terminal registered therewith, the method comprising:

calculating periodically at minimum frequency an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network, wherein the indication of the movement of the mobile terminal corresponds to a velocity of the mobile terminal, and wherein a value on which said minimum frequency is dependent is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the network, wherein said calculating step internally modifies one of;

the value and the minimum frequency to be relative to a shorter value when the mobile terminal is detected as fast moving; and

varying at least one of;

said minimum frequency and said value in dependence upon said movement indication, wherein the mobile terminal has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network, and wherein the calculating includes calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal differently depending on whether the mobile terminal is the active communication state or the inactive communication state, the calculating of the movement indication being performed by the mobile terminal in the inactive communication state and being performed by the network, external to the mobile terminal, in the active communication state.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the varying step varies the minimum frequency in said inactive communication state.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said value transmitted by the network is a DRX cycle length.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in response to a routeing area update performed by the mobile terminal.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said value transmitted by the network is transmitted in the broadcast channel as part of system information sent to the mobile terminal.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculating step determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the calculating step is performed by said mobile terminal.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculating step is performed by the network and which transmits a message to the mobile terminal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the message provides the value that the minimum frequency should be set relative to in case that the terminal is detected as fast moving.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said message is transmitted as system information.

25. A method of operating a mobile telecommunications network with which at least one mobile terminal is registered, wherein the mobile terminal has an active communication state with the network and an inactive communication state with the network, the method comprising:

calculating an indication of the movement of the mobile terminal within the network in each of said states, wherein the indication of the movement of the mobile terminal corresponds to a velocity of the mobile terminal, wherein the calculating includes calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal differently depending on whether the mobile terminal is the active communication state or the inactive communication state, and wherein, when communication changes from a first of said states to a second of said states, the movement indication calculated in the first of said states is used in the second of said states, wherein said calculating step is performed by a first processor comprised in the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the inactive communication state, and wherein said calculating step is performed by a second processor comprised in the network and external to the mobile terminal for calculating the movement indication of the mobile terminal in the active communication state, wherein said first processor is operable to adjust cell reselection parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.

26. The method network of claim 25, wherein the calculating step determines whether the mobile terminal is in a high mobility state or a low mobility state.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said first of said states is the active communication state and said second of said states is the inactive communication state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the active communication state is transmitted by the network to the mobile terminal, when the inactive communication state is entered, for use by the first processor.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said first of said states is the inactive communication state and said second of said states is the active communication state, and wherein the movement indication calculated in the inactive communication state is transmitted by the mobile terminal to the network when the active communication state is entered, for use by said second processor.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said second processor is operable to adjust the handover parameters in accordance with a plurality of said movement indications.