Enhance at command for backoff timer control

• US 10,034,325 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HFI Innovation, Inc. (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Yuan-Chieh, Huang-Fu, Chien-Chun, Jheng, Yu-Syuan, Niemi, Marko, Chen, Chi-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Gary
• Application Number:
  US15/273,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

AT commands are used for controlling Mobile Termination (MT) functions and GSM/UMTS network services from a Terminal Equipment (TE) through Terminal Adaptor (TA). 3GPP introduces multiple backoff timers and barring to solve network congestion problem. However, a TE does not know the timer value and the barring status. In accordance with one novel aspect, a new AT command interface that can respond timer value and barring status to the TE is proposed. It reduces wasteful retries and saves power consumption of the TE. Through the new AT command interface, the TE can query backoff timer status. Via unsolicited result code (URC), the MT can detect backoff timer status change and report updated backoff timer status to the TE.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining backoff timer status information associated with an access point name (APN) for sending a session management request by a mobile termination (MT) in a mobile communication network;

detecting whether the backoff timer status information has changed;

determining whether backoff timer status reporting is enabled by a terminal equipment (TE); and

transmitting updated backoff timer status information to the TE via an Unsolicited Result Code (URC) if the backoff timer status information has changed and if backoff timer status reporting is enabled.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the backoff timer status information comprises a backoff timer value, a residual timer value, or a barring status.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the backoff timer status information comprises at least one of a reattempt radio access technology (RAT) indicator, a reattempt public land mobile network (PLMN) indicator, a non-access stratum (NAS) signaling low priority indicator, a backoff timer type, a session management or EPS session management (SM/ESM) cause value, and an SM/ESM request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the backoff timer status reporting is enabled or disabled via an Attention (AT) command sent from the TE.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the backoff timer status change involves at least one of a backoff timer is started, a backoff timer is stopped, a backoff timer is expired, and a barring status associated with the backoff timer is changed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the URC for the updated backoff timer status is transmitted to the TE without receiving a preceding AT command for retrieving the backoff timer status information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the MT and the TE are collocated within a user equipment (UE).

8. A Mobile Termination (MT) comprising:

a backoff timer status detector that determines backoff timer status information associated with an access point name (APN) for sending a session management request in a mobile communication network, wherein the detector also detects whether the backoff timer status information has changed;

a backoff timer status reporting handler that determines whether backoff timer status reporting is enabled by a terminal equipment (TE); and

a transmitter that transmits updated backoff timer status information to the TE via an Unsolicited Result Code (URC) if the backoff timer status information has changed and if backoff timer status reporting is enabled.

9. The MT of claim 8, wherein the backoff timer status information comprises a backoff timer value, a residual timer value, or a barring status.

10. The MT of claim 8, wherein the backoff timer status information comprises at least one of a reattempt radio access technology (RAT) indicator, a reattempt public land mobile network (PLMN) indicator, a non-access stratum (NAS) signaling low priority indicator, a backoff timer type, a session management or EPS session management (SM/ESM) cause value, and an SM/ESM request.

11. The MT of claim 8, wherein the backoff timer status reporting is enabled or disabled via an Attention (AT) command sent from the TE.

12. The MT of claim 8, wherein the detecting of the backoff timer status change involves at least one of a backoff timer is started, a backoff timer is stopped, a backoff timer is expired, and a barring status associated with the backoff timer is changed.

13. The MT of claim 8, wherein the URC for the updated backoff timer status is transmitted to the TE without receiving a preceding AT command for retrieving the backoff timer status information.

14. The MT of claim 8, wherein the MT and the TE are collocated within a user equipment (UE).

15. A method comprising:

transmitting a first Attention (AT) command by a terminal equipment (TE) in a mobile communication network, wherein the first AT command is for configuring backoff timer status reporting associated with an access point name (APN) for sending a session management request;

receiving updated backoff timer status information from a mobile termination (MT) via an Unsolicited Result Code (URC) if the backoff timer status information has changed and if backoff timer status reporting is enabled; and

scheduling a second AT command associated with the corresponding SM/ESM request for the APN based on the updated backoff timer status information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the backoff timer status information comprises a backoff timer value, a residual timer value, or a barring status.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the backoff timer status information comprises at least one of a reattempt radio access technology (RAT) indicator, a reattempt public land mobile network (PLMN) indicator, a non-access stratum (NAS) signaling low priority indicator, a backoff timer type, a session management or EPS session management (SM/ESM) cause value, and an SM/ESM request.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the backoff timer status information further comprises one or more SM/ESM procedures related to a backoff timer type or an SM/ESM cause value.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the backoff timer status information has changed if at least one of a backoff timer is started, a backoff timer is stopped, a backoff timer is expired, and a barring status associated with the backoff timer is changed.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the URC for the updated backoff timer status is transmitted to the TE without receiving a preceding AT command for retrieving the backoff timer status information.