Methods and apparatus to indicate space requirements for communicating capabilities of a device

• US 9,173,198 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Faurie, Ren, Hole, David Philip, Kreuzer, Werner Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US13/038,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20110217980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 455450-455, 370329-338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to indicate space requirements for communicating capabilities of a device are disclosed. In accordance with a disclosed example method, a request is sent to a network to request a quantity of blocks to be allocated for use by a mobile station. The quantity of blocks is determined based on a data size to identify radio access capabilities of the mobile station. An allocation of the quantity of blocks is received from the network. Radio access capability information of the mobile station is sent via the allocated blocks.

Claims

1. A method to communicate capabilities of a mobile station, comprising:

determining a type of use for a data transfer session;

in response to determining the type of use, identifying a listing of the radio access capabilities of the mobile station, wherein the listing includes radio access capabilities pertaining to the determined type of use and excludes some of the radio access capabilities that are irrelevant to the determined type of use;

sending a request to a network, the request requesting a particular quantity of blocks to be allocated for use by the mobile station to send the listing of the radio access capabilities of the mobile station, wherein the particular quantity of blocks is determined by the mobile station based on a data size, the data size corresponding to an amount of data to transmit the listing of the radio access capabilities of the mobile station, and the particular quantity of blocks indicated by a value located in the request;

receiving an allocation of the quantity of blocks from the network; and

sending the list of the radio access capabilities of the mobile station via the allocated blocks.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request is a channel request message sent by the mobile station to the network, wherein the allocation of the quantity of blocks is received at the mobile station in an assignment message, and wherein the radio access capability information of the mobile station is sent to the network via an associated control channel.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request is a channel request message.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein sending the second listing of the radio access capabilities of the mobile station to the network comprises sending the second listing of the radio access capabilities during a temporary block flow setup process.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second listing of the radio access capabilities pertains at least to a specific type of use by the mobile station for the data transfer session.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the quantity of blocks is determined based on radio access capabilities that are supported by the network and the mobile station.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first listing of the radio access capabilities is one of an exhaustive listing of radio access capabilities or a listing of radio access capabilities relevant only to downlink communications to the core network.

8. A computer readable storage memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to implement the method as defined in claim 1.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request does not request more blocks than are to be used to identify the radio access capabilities.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the type of use is selectable at the mobile station from a group comprising:

(a) a first use type to transfer an amount of data less than a predetermined threshold,

(b) a second use type to transfer information generated at the mobile station, and

(c) a third use type for an uplink-only transfer of information,

wherein each use type is associated with a respectively different portion of the first listing of radio access capabilities.

11. An apparatus to communicate capabilities of a device, comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine a type of use for a data transfer session;

in response to determining the type of use, identify radio access capabilities of a mobile station that pertains to the determined type of use;

send a request to a network, the request requesting a particular quantity of blocks to be allocated for use by a mobile station, wherein the particular quantity of blocks is determined by the mobile station based on a data size, the data size determined by the mobile station to be an amount of data of the identified radio access capabilities of the mobile station without requesting more blocks than needed to send the identified radio access capabilities, and the particular quantity of blocks indicated by a value located in the request;

receive an allocation of the quantity of blocks from the network; and

send the identified radio access capability information of the mobile station via the allocated blocks.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the request is a channel request message sent by the mobile station to the network, wherein the allocation of the quantity of blocks is received at the mobile station in an assignment message, and wherein the radio access capability information of the mobile station is sent to the network via an associated control channel.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the request is a channel request message.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to send the radio access capability information of the mobile station to the network during a temporary block flow setup process.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the radio access capability information pertains at least to a specific type of use by the mobile station for the data transfer session.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to determine the quantity of blocks based on radio access capabilities that are supported by the network and the mobile station.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to send the radio access capability information of the mobile station to the network after the mobile station registers with a core network of the network during a registration process, and wherein during the registration process, the processor is configured to send one of an exhaustive listing of radio access capabilities or a listing of radio access capabilities relevant only to downlink communications to the core network.