Method and apparatus of transition to a battery efficient state or configuration by indicating end of data transmission in long term evolution

• US 9,125,208 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi, Burbidge, Richard Charles, Cai, Zhijun, Young, Gordon Peter, Arzelier, Claude Jean-Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Mered, Habte
• Application Number:
  US12/616,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20100118752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 455/574, 455/154.1, 455/127.5, 455/343.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1443 between licensed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method is provided for sending a Fast Dormancy (FD) indication from a User Equipment (UE) to an access device through a Media Access Control (MAC) layer. The method includes receiving an indication from an upper layer that there is no more data for a prolonged period of time and generating and sending a MAC control element to the access device.

Claims

1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

determining whether a type of one or more bearers assigned to the UE is a background type or an interactive type;

determining a status of an inhibit timer reflecting whether the inhibit timer has expired or is not running;

determining whether to send a request for a more energy efficient state or mode based on the determined type of the one or more bearers and the status of the inhibit timer, wherein an inhibit timer value represents a time duration during which the UE is prevented from sending a subsequent request for the more energy efficient state or mode; and

transmitting the request based on the determining of whether to send the request for the more energy efficient state or mode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the inhibit timer value via radio resource control signaling.

2. A method performed by a network element, the method comprising:

determining whether a type of one or more bearers assigned to a user equipment (UE) is a background type or an interactive type;

determining whether to permit the UE to send a request for a more energy efficient state or mode based on the determined type of the one or more bearers assigned to the UE;

generating an indication based on the determining;

setting an inhibit timer value, wherein the inhibit timer value represents a time duration during which the UE is prevented from sending a subsequent request for the more energy efficient state or mode; and

transmitting the indication and the inhibit timer value to the UE.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the indication comprises transmitting a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Reconfiguration message.

4. A user equipment (UE) comprising transmitter, receiver, memory and a processor, the processor configured to:

determine whether a type of one or more bearers assigned to the UE is a background type or an interactive type;

determine a status of an inhibit timer reflecting whether the inhibit timer has expired or is not running;

determine whether to send a request for a more energy efficient state or mode based on the determined type of the one or more bearers and the status of the inhibit timer, wherein an inhibit timer value represents a time duration during which the UE is prevented from sending a subsequent request for the more energy efficient state or mode; and

transmit the request based on the determination of whether to send the request for the more energy efficient state or mode.

8. The UE of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the inhibit timer value via dedicated radio resource control signaling.

5. A network element comprising transmitter, receiver, memory and a processor, the processor configured to:

determining whether a type of one or more bearers assigned to a user equipment (UE) is a background type or an interactive type;

determine whether to permit the UE to send a request for a more energy efficient state or mode based on the determined type of the one or more bearers assigned to the UE;

generate an indication based on the determining;

set an inhibit timer value, wherein the inhibit timer value represents a time duration during which the UE is prevented from sending a subsequent request for the more energy efficient state or mode; and

transmit the indication and the inhibit timer value to the UE.

6. The network element of claim 5, wherein the transmitting the indication comprises transmitting a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Reconfiguration message.