Application of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle

• US 9,877,352 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Rune, Johan, Larmo, Anna, Susitaival, Riikka
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Eunsook
• Application Number:
  US14/784,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20160073447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns radio communication. More particularly, the present disclosure inter alia introduces the possibility for a user equipment (UE) to apply a temporary DRX cycle during the time period when the UE transitions from an IDLE mode to a CONNECTED mode. Thus, the disclosure presents an example method performed by a UE. The UE is configured to be either in an IDLE mode or in a CONNECTED mode. The method implemented in the UE comprises applying the temporary DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the IDLE mode to the CONNECTED mode.

Claims

1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) wherein the UE is configured to be either in an idle mode or in a connected mode, the method comprising:

applying a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle during a time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode, and in which the UE performs a Random Access procedure.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the DRX cycle is a temporary DRX cycle.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the temporary DRX cycle is applied only when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising:

ceasing to apply the temporary DRX cycle when the UE has transitioned to the connected mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

applying one or several DRX configuration parameters during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising, prior to applying the DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode:

transmitting a data message to a radio network node, the data message comprising a request to apply the DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising, prior to applying the DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode:

receiving another data message from the radio network node, the another data message comprising an acknowledgement of said request.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising, prior to applying the DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode:

retrieving the DRX cycle to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein retrieving the DRX cycle to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode comprises:

receiving a data message from a radio network node, the data message comprising information about the DRX cycle.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein retrieving the DRX cycle to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode comprises:

retrieving information about the DRX cycle from a memory associated with the UE.

11. The method according to claim 5, comprising, prior to applying the DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode:

retrieving DRX configuration parameters to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein retrieving the DRX configuration parameters to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode comprises:

receiving a data message from a radio network node, the data message comprising the DRX configuration parameters.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein retrieving the DRX configuration parameters to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode comprises:

retrieving the DRX configuration parameters from a memory associated with the UE.

14. A method performed by a radio network node, the method comprising:

transmitting a data message to a user equipment (UE) the data message comprising information about a DRX cycle to be applied by the UE during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode, and in which the UE performs a Random Access procedure.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising:

transmitting another data message to the UE, the another data message comprising DRX configuration parameters to be applied by the UE during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

16. The method according to claim 14, comprising:

receiving another data message from the UE, the another data message comprising a request to apply a DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising:

transmitting an acknowledgment of said request to the UE.

18. A user equipment (UE) configured to be either in an idle mode or in a connected mode, the UE comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to apply a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle during a time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode, and in which the UE performs a Random Access procedure.

19. The UE according to claim 18, wherein the DRX cycle is a temporary DRX cycle.

20. The UE according to claim 19, wherein the memory stores computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to apply the temporary DRX cycle only when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

21. The UE according to claim 19, wherein the memory stores computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to cease to apply the temporary DRX cycle when the UE has transitioned to the connected mode.

22. The UE according to claim 18, wherein the memory stores computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to apply one or several DRX configuration parameters during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

23. The UE according to claim 18, comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a data message to a radio network node, the data message comprising a request to apply the DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

24. The UE according to claim 23, comprising a receiver configured to receive another data message from the radio network node, the another data message comprising an acknowledgement of said request.

25. The UE according to claim 18, wherein the memory stores computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to retrieve the DRX cycle to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

26. The UE according to claim 25, comprising a receiver configured to receive a data message from a radio network node, the data message comprising information about the DRX cycle.

27. The UE according to claim 25, wherein the memory stores computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to retrieve information about the DRX cycle from a memory associated with the UE.

28. The UE according to claim 22, wherein the memory stores computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to retrieve the DRX configuration parameters to be applied during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

29. The UE according to claim 28, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a data message from a radio network node, the data message comprising the DRX configuration parameters.

30. The UE according to claim 28, wherein the memory stores computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the UE to retrieve the DRX configuration parameters from a memory associated with the UE.

31. A radio network node, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a data message to a user equipment (UE) the data message comprising information about a DRX cycle to be applied by the UE during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode, and in which the UE performs a Random Access procedure.

32. The radio network node according to claim 31, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit another data message to the UE, the data message comprising DRX configuration parameters to be applied by the UE during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

33. The radio network node according to claim 31, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive another data message from the UE the another data message comprising a request to apply a DRX cycle during the time period when the UE is in transition from the idle mode to the connected mode.

34. The radio network node according to claim 33, comprising a transmitter configured to transmit an acknowledgement of said request to the UE.

35. The radio network node according to claim 31, wherein the radio network node comprises one or several of the following:

an evolved NodeB (eNB), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a Mobility Management Entity (MME).