Maintaining communication between mobile terminal and network in mobile communication system

• US 9,253,801 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chun, Sung-Duck, Lee, Young-Dae, Jung, Myung-Cheul, Park, Sung-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): PASIA, REDENTOR M
• Application Number:
  US14/109,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20140105190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for maintaining a communication between a mobile terminal and a network in a mobile communication system includes: determining whether a state of the mobile terminal is in an unsynchronized state while maintaining a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with the network; performing a random access channel (RACH) procedure for a synchronized state if it is determined that the state of the mobile terminal is in the unsynchronized state while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network; and after performing the RACH procedure, transitioning from the synchronized state to the unsynchronized state with the network while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network when a timer expires.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a communication between a mobile terminal and a network in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:

determining whether a state of the mobile terminal is in an unsynchronized state while maintaining a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with the network;

performing a random access channel (RACH) procedure for a synchronized state if it is determined that the state of the mobile terminal is in the unsynchronized state while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network; and

after performing the RACH procedure, transitioning from the synchronized state to the unsynchronized state with the network while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network when a timer expires.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the timer is started after receiving a timer related signal from the network.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the timer related signal is timing advance command (TAC), and

wherein the timer is time alignment timer (TAT).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of the mobile terminal is transitioned from the unsynchronized state to the synchronized state by performing the RACH procedure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the RACH procedure is performed in order to obtain information related to a time alignment in an uplink.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the timer is used for a time alignment in an uplink.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the RACH procedure is performed by using a signature.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein all uplink resources allocated to the mobile terminal are released when the timer expires.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the RACH procedure is not performed if it is determined that the state of the mobile terminal is in the synchronized state while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network.

10. A mobile terminal for maintaining communication with a network in a mobile communication system, the mobile terminal comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine whether a state of the mobile terminal is in an unsynchronized state while maintaining a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with the network;

perform a random access channel (RACH) procedure for a synchronized state if it is determined that the state of the mobile terminal is in the unsynchronized state while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network; and

after performing the RACH procedure, transition the state of the mobile terminal from the synchronized state to the unsynchronized state with the network while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network when a timer expires.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the timer is started after receiving a timer related signal from the network.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11,

wherein the timer related signal is timing advance command (TAC), and

wherein the timer is time alignment timer (TAT).

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the state of the mobile terminal is transitioned from the unsynchronized state to the synchronized state by performing the RACH procedure.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the RACH procedure is performed in order to obtain information related to a time alignment in an uplink.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the timer is used for a time alignment in an uplink.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the RACH procedure is performed by using a signature.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein all uplink resources allocated to the mobile terminal are released when the timer expires.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the RACH procedure is not performed if it is determined that the state of the mobile terminal is in the synchronized state while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network.