Paging extension for enhanced coverage global system for mobile (EC-GSM)

• US 9,788,301 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Diachina, John Walter, Bergqvist, Jens, Johansson, Nicklas
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JOSHUA L
• Application Number:
  US15/098,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20160309449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 4554261, 455515
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/06 using multi-step notification by changing the notification area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/08 using multi-step notification by increasing the notification area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A radio access network (RAN) node, a wireless device and various methods are described herein for managing paging bandwidth. In one embodiment, the RAN node transmits a message (e.g., paging message, assignment message) to wireless devices, where the message comprises at least the following: (i) a page mode field which includes information indicating one or more coverage classes for which one or more paging messages were available for transmission during a time interval but were not transmitted to a plurality of wireless devices; and (ii) a used_downlink_coverage_class field which includes information indicating a coverage class associated with the transmitted message.

Claims

1. A wireless device configured to interact with a radio access network (RAN) node, the wireless device comprising:

a processor; and

,

a memory that stores processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor interfaces with the memory to execute the processor-executable instructions, whereby the wireless device is operable to;

receive, from the RAN node, a message which comprises at least the following;

(i) a page mode field which includes information indicating one or more coverage classes for which one or more paging messages were available for transmission by the RAN node during a time interval but were not transmitted; and

(ii) a used_downlink_coverage_class field which includes information indicating a coverage class associated with one or more wireless devices addressed in the received message.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is further operable to:

read the coverage class indicated in the used_downlink_coverage_class field to determine whether the message is potentially addressed to the wireless device or to some other wireless devices;

based on the determination that the message is potentially addressed to the wireless device, read additional payload in the received message;

based on the determination that the message is addressed to some other wireless devices, read the one or more coverage classes indicated by the page mode field to determine whether a paging message is pending for the coverage class of the wireless device but has not yet been transmitted by the RAN node;

based on the determination that a paging message is pending for the coverage class of the wireless device but has not yet been transmitted by the RAN node, enable a paging extension process where the wireless device is operable to;

(i) use the coverage class indicated in the used_downlink_coverage_class field to determine a remainder of the time interval associated with the message; and

(ii) attempt to read the pending paging message that was pending after the time interval; and

based on the determination that a paging message is not pending for the coverage class of the wireless device, return back to sleep and wake up according to a next instance of a nominal paging group for the wireless device.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the message is a paging message or an assignment message.

4. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a Cellular Internet of Things device.

5. A method in a wireless device configured to interact with a radio access network (RAN) node, the method comprising:

receiving, from the RAN node, a message which comprises at least the following;

(i) a page mode field which includes information indicating one or more coverage classes for which one or more paging messages were available for transmission by the RAN node during a time interval but were not transmitted; and

(ii) a used_downlink_coverage_class field which includes information indicating a coverage class associated with one or more wireless devices addressed in the received message.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

reading the coverage class indicated in the used_downlink_coverage_class field to determine whether the message is potentially addressed to the wireless device or to some other wireless devices;

based on the determination that the message is potentially addressed to the wireless device, reading additional payload in the received message;

based on the determination that the message is addressed to some other wireless devices, reading the one or more coverage classes indicated by the page mode field to determine whether a paging message is pending for the coverage class of the wireless device but has not yet been transmitted by the RAN node;

based on the determination that a paging message is pending for the coverage class of the wireless device but has not yet been transmitted by the RAN node, enabling a paging extension process where the wireless device performs the following steps;

(i) using the coverage class indicated in the used_downlink_coverage_class field to determine a remainder of the time interval associated with the message; and

(ii) attempting to read the pending paging message that was pending after the time interval; and

based on the determination that a paging message is not pending for the coverage class of the wireless device, returning back to sleep and waking up according to a next instance of a nominal paging group for the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the message is a paging message or an assignment message.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless device is a Cellular Internet of Things device.