Communication method and system for machine-type communication UE

• US 9,467,820 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Xu, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Application Number:
  US14/411,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20150382157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/025 Indirect paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A communication method and system for a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) User Equipment (UE) are disclosed. The method includes that: at least one MTC UE in an MTC UE group receives, based on group paging information received, broadcast information carrying group trigger information from an MTC server, wherein the group trigger information is used for triggering the at least one MTC UE in the MTC UE group; and the at least one UE communicates with the MTC server based on the group trigger information. In the disclosure, the group trigger information is broadcast to the MTC UE group through the broadcast information, so that a plurality of MTC UE in one group is triggered simultaneously, thus optimizing group triggering process, and reducing network resources occupied in the group triggering process.

Claims

1. A communication method for a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) User Equipment (UE), comprising:

at least one MTC UE in an MTC UE group receiving broadcast information carrying group trigger information from an MTC server based on group paging information received, wherein the group trigger information is used for triggering the at least one MTC UE in the MTC UE group; and

the at least one MTC UE communicating with the MTC server based on the group trigger information;

wherein the at least one MTC UE in the MTC UE group receiving the broadcast information carrying the group trigger information from the MTC server comprises;

the at least one MTC UE determining that the group paging information is received by itself, wherein the group paging information is used for indicating change of the broadcast information;

the at least one MTC UE detecting, based on the group paging information, whether the group trigger information carried in the broadcast information is the one needed by itself;

if so, the at least one MTC UE acquiring the group trigger information from the broadcast information;

if not, the at least one MTC UE discarding the group trigger information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one MTC UE detecting, based on the group paging information, whether the group trigger information carried in the broadcast information is the one needed by itself comprises that:

the at least one MTC UE detecting, based on a group identity (ID) carried in the group paging information, whether the group paging information corresponds to the MTC UE group;

if so, the at least one MTC UE detecting, based on the group identity (ID) carried in the group trigger information, whether the group trigger information is the one needed by itself;

if not, the at least one MTC UE discarding the group paging information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein before the at least one MTC UE in the MTC UE group receiving the broadcast information carrying the group trigger information from the MTC server based on the group paging information received, the method further comprises:

sending, by the MTC server, the group trigger information to a piece of access network equipment through a service node of the MTC UE group; and

broadcasting, by the access network equipment which receives the group trigger information, the group trigger information to an area where the MTC UE group is.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein sending, by the MTC server, the group trigger information to the access network equipment through the service node of the MTC UE group comprises:

an MTC-Interworking Function (MTC-IWF) receiving the group trigger information sent by the MTC server, wherein the group trigger information comprises at least one of the following;

a group ID of the MTC UE group and a physical area corresponding to the group trigger information;

the MTC-IWF updating the physical area in the group trigger information to one of the following identifiers;

a Tracking Area Identifier (TAI), a Router Area Identifier (RAI), a Location Area Identifier (LAI) and a cell identifier;

the MTC-IWF inquiring, based on the group ID of the MTC UE group, subscription information of the MTC UE group and the service node of the MTC UE group; and

the MTC-IWF sending, through the service node, the group trigger information to the access network equipment.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the MTC-IWF sending, through the service node, the group trigger information to the access network equipment comprises:

the MTC-IWF sending the group trigger information to the service node in one of the following ways;

a T4 interface, a T5 interface, a Cell Broadcast Centre (CBC) and a Broadcast Multicast Service Centre (BMSC); and

the service node sending the group trigger information to the access network equipment, and sending the group paging information to the MTC UE group through the access network equipment.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising:

the MTC-IWF sending, through the T4 interface, the group trigger information to the service node in a form of a short message;

the MTC-IWF sending, through the T5 interface, the group trigger information to the service node in a form of a short message or dedicated control signalling;

the MTC-IWF sending, through the CBC, the group trigger information to the service node in a form of a Cell Broadcast Service (CBS); and

the MTC-IWF sending, through the BMSC, the group trigger information to the service node in a form of a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein before the at least one MTC UE in the MTC UE group receiving, based on the group paging information received, the broadcast information carrying the group trigger information from the MTC server, the method further comprises:

receiving, by a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW)/Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Node (GGSN), the group trigger information sent by the MTC server, wherein the MTC server and the PGW/GGSN are connected directly through a Gi/SGi interface or connected through a Service Capability Server (SCS);

sending, by the PGW/GGSN, a Downlink Data Notification (DDN) to the service node of the MTC UE group through a Signalling Gateway (SGW);

receiving, by the at least one MTC UE, the group paging information, and establishing a Public Data Network (PDN) connection with the PGW/GGSN, wherein the MTC UE in the MTC UE group shares the PDN connection; and

sending, by the SGW, the group trigger information to the MTC UE group through the PDN connection.

8. The method according to any one of claim 1, wherein the broadcast information can be sent in one of the following ways:

Multicast Control Channel (MCCH) information, Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) information and System Information (SI).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the SI is a System Information Block (SIB) designed for the MTC UE, and only the MTC UE monitors and reads the SI.

10. The method according to any one of claim 1, wherein the service node of the MTC UE group comprises at least one of the following:

a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Service General Packet Radio Service Support Node (SGSN) and a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC).

11. The method according to any one of claim 1, wherein the access network equipment comprises at least one of the following:

an evolved node B (eNB), a NodeB, a Radio Network Controller (RNC), a Base Station Controller (BSC) and a Base Transceiver Station (BTS).

12. The method according to any one of claim 1, wherein the broadcast information carrying the group trigger information is sent periodically.

13. A Machine-Type Communication (MTC) User Equipment (UE), comprising:

a receiving entity configured to receive, based on group paging information received, broadcast information carrying group trigger information from an MTC server, wherein the group trigger information is used for triggering the MTC UE in the MTC UE group; and

a communication entity configured to communicate with the MTC server based on the group trigger information;

wherein the receiving entity comprises;

a determining unit configured to determine that the group paging information is received by itself, wherein the group paging information is used for indicating change of the broadcast information;

a detecting unit configured to detect, based on the group paging information, whether the group trigger information carried in the broadcast information is the one needed by itself;

an acquiring unit configured to acquire the group trigger information from the broadcast information based on a condition that a detecting result is positive; and

a discarding unit configured to discard the group trigger information based on a condition that the detecting result is negative.

14. The MTC UE according to claim 13, wherein the detecting unit comprises:

a first detecting subunit configured to detect whether the group paging information corresponds to the MTC UE group based on a group identity (ID) carried in the group paging information;

a second detecting subunit configured to detect, based on a condition that a detecting result is positive, whether the group trigger information is the one needed by itself based on the group ID carried in the group trigger information; and

a discarding subunit configured to discard, based on a condition that the detecting result is negative, the group paging information.

15. A communication system for a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) User Equipment (UE), comprising:

an MTC server, an MTC-Interworking Function (MTC-IWF), a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW)/Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Node (GGSN), an MTC UE group, a service node of the MTC UE group and a piece of access network equipment, wherein

the MTC server is configured to generate group trigger information;

the MTC-IWF is configured to send the group trigger information through a T4 interface or a T5 interface or a Cell Broadcast Centre (CBC) or a Broadcast Multicast Service Centre (BMSC);

the PGW/GGSN is configured to send the group trigger information through a user plane;

the service node of the MTC UE group is configured to send group paging information to the MTC UE group, and send the group trigger information to the access network equipment;

the MTC UE in the MTC UE group comprises;

a receiving entity configured to receive, based on the group paging information received, broadcast information carrying the group trigger information from the MTC server, wherein the group trigger information is used for triggering the MTC UE in the MTC UE group; and

a communication entity configured to communicate with the MTC server based on the group trigger information;

wherein at least one MTC UE in the MTC UE group is configured to perform the following operation;

the at least one MTC UE determining that the group paging information is received by itself, wherein the group paging information is used for indicating change of the broadcast information;

the at least one MTC UE detecting, based on the group paging information, whether the group trigger information carried in the broadcast information is the one needed by itself;

if so, the at least one MTC UE acquiring the group trigger information from the broadcast information;

if not, the at least one MTC UE discarding the group trigger information.