Techniques for managing mobility management signaling in a wireless network

• US 8,787,337 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Jain, Puneet K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waqas, Saad A
• Application Number:
  US12/975,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20120039313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques are described that can be used for efficient mobility management signaling. In some cases, a network can specify an extended timer used for a machine to machine (M2M) type device to communicate with a network. The extended timer can be transmitted in connection with an attachment acceptance message, Location Updating Accept message, Tracking Area Update Accept, or Routing Area Update Accept message. In some cases, a timer can be adjusted using a multiplier in order to increase a period at which communications with the network occur. The network can transmit an indication to change a timer by multiplying the timer with the multiplier.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry, when operational, to transmit an indication of low mobility status to a network;

circuitry, when operational, to transmit a request message to the network, the request message comprising one of a tracking area update request message, a location area update request message, and a routing area update request message;

circuitry, when operational, to receive an accept message, the accept message including an extension timer value and the accept message comprising one of a tracking area update accept message, a location area update accept message, and a routing area update accept message;

circuitry, when operational, to perform a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message;

circuitry, when operational, to perform a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the system is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message, the extension timer for the tracking area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the tracking area update procedure;

circuitry, when operational, to perform a location area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a location area update accept message;

circuitry, when operational, to perform a location area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the system is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a location area update accept message, the extension timer for the location area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the location area update procedure;

circuitry, when operational, to perform a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message; and

circuitry, when operational, to perform a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the system is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message, the extension timer for the routing area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the routing area update procedure, wherein the extension timer comprises one of a T3212ext value for a location area update procedure, a T3312ext value for a routing area update procedure, and a T3412ext value for a tracking area update procedure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tracking area update accept message comprises a TRACKING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in 3GPP TS 24.301 version 10.0.0 (2010);

the location area update accept message comprises a LOCATION AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010); and

the routing area update accept message comprises a ROUTING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the request message includes the indication of low mobility status.

4. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

transmit an indication of low mobility status to a network;

request transmission of an attach request message to the network;

access an attach accept message, the attach accept message including an extension timer value;

request performance of a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the computer is not in a low mobility state;

request performance of a tracking area update procedure in accordance with timing indicated by the extension timer value when the computer is in a low mobility state and in response to the extension timer value being associated with a tracking area update procedure, the extension timer for the tracking area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the tracking area update procedure;

request performance of a location area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the computer is not in a low mobility state;

request performance of a location area update procedure in accordance with timing indicated by the extension timer value when the computer is in a low mobility state and in response to the extension timer value being associated with a location area update procedure, the extension timer for the location area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the location area update procedure;

request performance of a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the computer is not in a low mobility state;

request performance of a routing area update procedure in accordance with timing indicated by the extension timer value when the computer is in a low mobility state and in response to the extension timer value being associated with a routing area update procedure, the extension timer for the routing area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the routing area update procedure, wherein the extension timer comprises one of a T3212ext value for a location area update, a T3312ext value for a routing area update procedure, and a T3412ext value for a tracking area update procedure.

5. The medium of claim 4, wherein the attach accept message comprises an ATTACH ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010).

6. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

transmit an indication of low mobility status to a network;

request transmission of a request message to the network, the request message comprising one of a tracking area update request message, a location area update request message, and a routing area update request message;

access an accept message, the accept message including an extension timer value and the accept message comprising one of a tracking area update accept message, a location area update accept message, and a routing area update accept message;

perform a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the computer is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message;

request performance of a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the computer is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message, the extension timer for the tracking area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the tracking area update procedure;

request performance of a location area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the computer is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a location area update accept message;

request performance of a location area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the computer is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a location area update accept message, the extension timer for the location area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the location area update procedure;

request performance of a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the computer is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message; and

request performance of a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the computer is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message, the extension timer for the routing area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the routing area update procedure, wherein the extension timer value comprises one of a T3212ext value for a location area update, a T3312ext value for a routing area update, and a T3412ext value for a tracking area update.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the tracking area update accept message comprises a TRACKING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in 3GPP TS 24.301 version 10.0.0 (2010);

the location area update accept message comprises a LOCATION AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 (2010) version 10.0.0; and

the routing area update accept message comprises a ROUTING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010).

8. A system comprising:

at least one antenna;

a radio communicatively coupled to the at least one antenna; and

at least one processor configured to;

request transmission of an indication of low mobility status to a network;

request transmission of an attach request message to the network;

access an attach accept message, the attach accept message including an extension timer value;

request performance of a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state;

request performance of a tracking area update procedure in accordance with timing indicated by the extension timer value in response to the extension timer value being associated with a tracking area update procedure and when the system is in a low mobility state, the extension timer for the tracking area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the tracking area update procedure;

request performance of a location area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state;

request performance of a location area update procedure in accordance with timing indicated by the extension timer value in response to the extension timer value being associated with a location area update procedure and when the system is in a low mobility state, the extension timer for the location area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the location area update procedure;

request performance of a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state; and

request performance of a routing area update procedure in accordance with timing indicated by the extension timer value in response to the extension timer value being associated with a routing area update procedure and when the system is in a low mobility state, the extension timer for the routing area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the routing area update procedure, wherein the extension timer comprises one of a T3212ext value for a location area update, a T3312ext value for a routing area update, and a T3412ext value for a tracking area update.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the attach accept message comprises an ATTACH ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010).

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising one or more of:

a touch screen interface, gesture recognition, and motion recognition devices.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the attach accept message stores the extension timer in at least a first octet;

bits 1-5 of the first octet represent a timer amount;

bits 6-8 of the first octet define a unit of the timer value; and

the extension timer value comprises the timer amount multiplied by the unit of the timer value.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the attach accept message stores the standard timer in at least a first octet, a timer value of the standard timer based on contents of the first octet;

the attach accept message stores the extension timer in at least a second octet;

bits 1-5 of the second octet represent a timer amount;

bits 6-8 of the second octet define a unit of the timer value; and

the extension timer value comprises the timer amount multiplied by the unit of the timer value.

13. A system comprising:

at least one antenna;

a radio communicatively coupled to the at least one antenna; and

at least one processor configured to;

request transmission of an indication of low mobility status to a network;

request transmission of a request message to the network, the request message comprising one of a tracking area update request message, a location area update request message, and a routing area update request message;

access an accept message, the accept message including an extension timer value and the accept message comprising one of a tracking area update accept message, a location area update accept message, and a routing area update accept message;

request performance of a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message;

request performance of a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message and when the system is in a low mobility state, the extension timer for the tracking area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the tracking area update procedure;

request performance of a location area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a location area update accept message;

request performance of a location area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value in response to receipt of a location area update accept message and when the system is in a low mobility state, the extension timer for the location area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the location area update procedure;

request performance of a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message;

request performance of a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message and when the system is in a low mobility state, the extension timer for the routing area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer for the routing area update procedure, wherein the extension timer value comprises one of a T3212ext value for a location area update, T3312ext value for a routing area update, and a T3412ext value for a tracking area update.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the tracking area update accept message comprises a TRACKING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in 3GPP TS 24.301 version 10.0.0 (2010);

the location area update accept message comprises a LOCATION AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010);

the routing area update accept message comprises a ROUTING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010).

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising one or more of:

a touch screen interface, gesture recognition, and motion recognition devices.

16. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

cause transmission of an indication of low mobility status to a network;

cause transmission of a request message to the network, the request message comprising one of a tracking area update request message, a location area update request message, and a routing area update request message;

receive an accept message, the accept message including an extension timer value and the accept message comprising one of a tracking area update accept message, a location area update accept message, and a routing area update accept message;

perform a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in low mobility state in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message;

perform a tracking area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the system is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a tracking area update accept message, the extension timer for the tracking area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer;

perform a location area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in low mobility state in response to receipt of a location area update accept message;

perform a location area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the system is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a location area update accept message, the extension timer for the location area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer;

perform a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with a standard timer value when the system is not in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message; and

perform a routing area update procedure timed in accordance with the extension timer value when the system is in a low mobility state in response to receipt of a routing area update accept message, the extension timer for the routing area update procedure having a duration that is greater than that of the standard timer, wherein the extension timer comprises one of a T3212ext value for a location area update procedure, a T3312ext value for a routing area update procedure, and a T3412ext value for a tracking area update procedure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the tracking area update accept message comprises a TRACKING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in 3GPP TS 24.301 version 10.0.0 (2010);

the location area update accept message comprises a LOCATION AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010); and

the routing area update accept message comprises a ROUTING AREA UPDATE ACCEPT message described in TS 24.008 version 10.0.0 (2010).

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the request message includes the indication of low mobility status.