Tail optimization protocol for cellular radio resource allocation

• US 9,374,824 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gerber, Alexandre, Mao, Zhuoqing, Qian, Feng, Sen, Subhabrata, Spatscheck, Oliver, Wang, Zhaoguang
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US14/257,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/67.11, 370/465, 370/467
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/005 Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Power and resource efficiency of a mobile network device are increased. In one aspect, a Tail Optimization Protocol (TOP) enables cooperation between a mobile device and an associated radio access network to eliminate idle periods (e.g., tails) when possible. Various systems and methods described herein can leverage the ability of applications and/or their associated connections to accurately predict a long tail time, from which a mobile device can notify an associated cellular network on such an imminent tail in order to allow the cellular network to immediately release tail resources. Various other aspects provided herein realize TOP via fast dormancy and/or other similar notification mechanisms, which enable a handset or other device to notify a cellular network for immediate resource release.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a system comprising a processor, a time period of a network inactivity timer that is employable to transition a user equipment from a first communicative state to a second communicative state, wherein a first set of radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the first communicative state is greater than a second set of the radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the second communicative state; and

based on the time period, customizing, by the system, a tail timing criterion that is employable to transition the user equipment from the first communicative state to a third communicative state, wherein a third set of radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the third communicative state is less than the second set of the radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the second communicative state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the tail timing criterion has been satisfied, facilitating, by the system, the transition of the user equipment from the first communicative state to the third communicative state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining that the tail timing criterion has been satisfied comprises determining that an inter-transfer time period is greater than the time period, wherein the inter-transfer time period represents an estimated delay between data transfers associated with the user equipment and a radio access network device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the time period is a first time period and the facilitating the transition comprises facilitating the transition in response to determining that a second time period that represents time elapsed subsequent to the user equipment receiving communication data is greater than a guard time period that is defined based on measurement data received from a radio access network device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the customizing comprises customizing the tail timing criterion based on measurement data associated with a set of tail threshold values.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the customizing comprises customizing the tail timing criterion based on a determined change of a duration of state promotions associated with the set of tail threshold values, wherein the state promotions facilitate a transition of the user equipment from the third communicative state to the first communicative state.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the customizing comprises customizing the tail timing criterion based on reducing the duration of the state promotions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the customizing comprises customizing the tail timing criterion based on information associated with a set of applications of the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the customizing comprises customizing the tail timing criterion based on information received from a content provider device.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving timing data indicative of a time period of a network inactivity timer that is employable to transition a user equipment from a first communicative state to a second communicative state, wherein a first set of radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the first communicative state is greater than a second set of the radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the second communicative state, and

based on the timing data, determining a tail timing criterion that is employable to transition the user equipment from the first communicative state to a third communicative state, wherein a third set of radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the third communicative state is less than the second set of the radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the second communicative state.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the determining the tail timing criterion comprises determining the tail timing criterion based on a determined change in a duration of state promotions associated with the set of tail threshold values.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the state promotions facilitate a transition of the user equipment from the third communicative state to the second communicative state.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the state promotions facilitate a transition of the user equipment from the third communicative state to the first communicative state.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the determining the tail timing criterion comprises determining the tail timing criterion based on information associated with a set of applications of the user equipment.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the determining the tail timing criterion comprises determining the tail timing criterion based on information received from a content provider device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the timing data from a radio network controller device.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, in response to execution cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

based on a time period of a network inactivity timer that is employable to transition a user equipment from a first communicative state to a second communicative state, customizing a tail timing criterion that is employable to transition of the user equipment from the first communicative state to a third communicative state, wherein a first set of radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the first communicative state is greater than a second set of the radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the second communicative state, and a third set of radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the third communicative state is less than the second set of the radio resources utilized by the user equipment in the second communicative state; and

in response to determining that the tail timing criterion has been satisfied, initiating a transition of the user equipment from the first communicative state to a third communicative state.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the determining that the tail timing criterion has been satisfied comprises determining that an inter-transfer time period is greater than the time period, wherein the inter-transfer time period represents an estimated delay between data transfers associated with the user equipment and a radio access network device.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the time period is determined based on timing data received from a radio network controller device.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the tail timing criterion is determined based on information received from a content provider device.