Power based fast dormancy

• US 9,467,941 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tsai, Shiau-He, Kang, Insung, Chen, Qingxin
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US13/491,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/13.4, 455/517, 455/522, 455/574, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/343.1, 455/343.5, 455/13.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

When a user equipment (UE) is communicating wirelessly over a wireless communication network and terminates wireless communication temporarily due to power limit constraints (such as to satisfy a specific absorption rate (SAR) threshold), the UE may maintain its radio access network (RAN) identification (ID) and domain context, in order to quickly resume wireless communication, and avoid upper layer connection setup, once the UE is no longer power limited.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

determining a user equipment (UE) is power limited during wireless communications on a first radio access technology (RAT) while consuming power with another application; and

transmitting a signaling connection release indicator to suspend over the air activity of the first RAT while maintaining upper layer connectivity, in response to determining the UE is power limited, in which maintaining the upper layer connectivity preserves connectivity for resuming wireless communications of the first RAT.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the UE is power limited due to a specific absorption rate (SAR) threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising resuming wireless communications on the first RAT when the UE is no longer power limited.

4. The method of claim 3, in which resuming wireless communications occurs without upper layer connection setup.

5. The method of claim 1, in which maintaining upper layer connectivity comprises maintaining a UE radio access network (RAN) identification (ID) and domain context.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the other application comprises wirelessly communicating over a second radio access technology (RAT).

7. The method of claim 6, in which the second RAT supports voice communications, and the first RAT supports data communications.

8. An apparatus operable in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a user equipment (UE) is power limited during wireless communications on a first radio access technology (RAT) while consuming power with another application; and

means for transmitting a signaling connection release indicator to suspend over the air activity of the first RAT while maintaining upper layer connectivity, in response to determining the UE is power limited, in which maintaining the upper layer connectivity preserves connectivity for resuming wireless communications of the first RAT.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which the UE is power limited due to a specific absorption rate (SAR) threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, in which maintaining upper layer connectivity comprises maintaining a UE radio access network (RAN) identification (ID) and domain context.

11. A computer-readable medium having non-transitory program code for wireless communication recorded thereon, the program code comprising:

program code to determine a user equipment (UE) is power limited during wireless communications on a first radio access technology (RAT) while consuming power with another application; and

program code to transmit a signaling connection release indicator to suspend over the air activity of the first RAT while maintaining upper layer connectivity, in response to determining the UE is power limited, in which maintaining the upper layer connectivity preserves connectivity for resuming wireless communications of the first RAT.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, in which the UE is power limited due to a specific absorption rate (SAR) threshold.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, in which maintaining upper layer connectivity comprises maintaining a UE radio access network (RAN) identification (ID) and domain context.

14. An apparatus configured for operation in a wireless communication network, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter;

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and the transmitter, the at least one processor being configured;

to determine a user equipment (UE) is power limited during wireless communications on a first radio access technology (RAT) while consuming power with another application; and

to transmit, using the transmitter, a signaling connection release indicator to suspend over the air activity of the first RAT while maintaining upper layer connectivity, in response to determining the UE is power limited, in which maintaining the upper layer connectivity preserves connectivity for resuming wireless communications of the first RAT.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, in which the UE is power limited due to a specific absorption rate (SAR) threshold.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, in which the at least one processor is further configured to resume wireless communications on the first RAT when the UE is no longer power limited.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, in which resuming wireless communications occurs without upper layer connection setup.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, in which maintaining upper layer connectivity comprises maintaining a UE radio access network (RAN) identification (ID) and domain context.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, in which the other application comprises wirelessly communicating over a second radio access technology (RAT).

20. The apparatus of claim 19, in which the second RAT supports voice communications, and the first RAT supports data communications.