Inactivity monitoring for different traffic or service classifications

• US 20070259673A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ludwig, Reiner, Willars, Per, Eriksson, Goran
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Different types of traffic requiring different inactivity timer settings are assigned to different bearers or to different QoS classes. Different inactivity timer settings are established for different traffic types. Individual bearers or individual QoS classes are linked to a corresponding inactivity timer profile. The link may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, an additional QoS parameter may be employed in a 3GPP QoS profile, or a new QoS class identifier may be mapped to an inactivity timer setting. Different inactivity timer settings allows both UE battery power conservation to be prioritized for some traffic and end-user experience (quick subsequent response times) to be prioritized for other traffic.

Claims

1. A method for use in mobile radio communications where there is a connection with a mobile terminal, comprising:

determining a type of traffic associated with the connection;

determining one of multiple different inactivity time periods based on a type of traffic associated with the connection; and

providing information regarding the one inactivity time period for use in monitoring whether the one inactivity time period has expired without activity being detected on the connection for that type of traffic

2. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

setting the inactivity time period for the traffic type to balance requirements on response time, resource usage, and power consumption for the traffic type.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein traffic types include a multi-transactional type of activity and a single-transactional type of activity, and wherein the inactivity time period for the multi-transactional type of activity is longer than the inactivity time period for the single-transactional type of activity.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein traffic types include web traffic, VPN traffic, IMS call control signaling, PoC traffic, e-mail access, unidentified Internet traffic, push e-mail notification and delivery traffic, instant messaging traffic, IMS subscribe and notify traffic, IMS presence traffic, machine-to-machine traffic, tariff metering traffic, protocol keep-alive signaling, or periodic surveillance video traffic.

5. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

defining a protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period.

6. The method in claim 5, wherein data traffic carried by the connection is associated with a quality of service class and a parameter indicating quality of service class is used as the protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period.

7. The method in claim 5, further comprising:

communicating the protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period in signaling used to establish or modify one or more bearers of qualities of service associated with the connection.

8. The method in claim 5, further comprising:

communicating the protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period in data packets associated with the connection.

9. The method in claim 1, wherein the traffic type is determined by inspecting the content of packets associated with the connection in a mobile core network and classified according to one or more mobile core network operator policies.

10. The method in claim 1, wherein the traffic type is determined by a policy control node involved in authorizing media flows established by session level signaling for the connection, and wherein the one inactivity time period is provided to a radio access network which determines whether the one inactivity time period has expired without activity of the type of traffic being detected on the connection.

41. The method in claim 1, wherein the type of traffic is determined by statistical analysis of the traffic based on measurements.

11. A method for use in mobile radio communications, comprising:

establishing multiple service classes for communicating data with one or more mobile terminals;

determining a type of traffic associated with each service class;

establishing an associated inactivity time period for each service class; and

determining whether the associated inactivity time period has expired without having detected traffic activity for each service class of the connection.

12. A method for use in mobile radio communications where there is a connection with a mobile terminal, comprising:

receiving an indication of a type of traffic associated with the connection and one of multiple different inactivity time periods determined based on a type of traffic associated with the connection, and

determining whether the one inactivity time period has expired without activity of the type of traffic being detected on the connection.

13. The method in claim 12, wherein the mobile terminal is operating at a first one of multiple mobile states further comprising:

sending information for changing the first mobile state of the mobile terminal to a lower power consuming mobile state if the one inactivity time period has expired.

14. The method in claim 13, wherein each mobile state is defined according to one or more of the following:

a level of radio resources assigned to the connection, a level of power consumption for the mobile terminal, or a delay associated with transition to a mobile state where data transmission can occur.

15. The method in claim 14, wherein when multiple bearers are established for the connection, the method further comprises:

establishing one of the multiple different inactivity time periods for each bearer in the connection based on a type of traffic associated with each bearer, and

changing the first mobile state to the lower power state if associated inactivity timers for all bearers established for the connection have expired.

16. The method in claim 12, wherein when multiple qualities of service are established for the connection, the method further comprises:

establishing one of the multiple different inactivity time periods for each quality of service, and

changing the first mobile state to the lower power state if associated inactivity timers for all qualities of service established for the connection have expired.

17. A method for use in mobile terminal communicating in a mobile radio communications system via a connection, comprising:

operating in a first mobile state;

receiving a state change signal from a radio access network based on expiration of an inactivity time period established for a type of traffic associated with the connection, and

in response to the state change signal, changing operation from the first mobile state to a lower power consuming mobile state.

18. The method in claim 17, wherein the lower power consuming mobile state is a deep sleep mode state and the first mobile state is a higher power consuming mobile state used when data is transmitted on the connection.

19. The method in claim 17, wherein each mobile state is defined according to one or more of the following:

a level of radio resources assigned to the connection, a level of power consumption for the mobile radio, or a delay associated with transition to a mobile state where data transmission can occur.

20. The method in claim 17, wherein the lower power consuming mobile state includes a deep sleep mode state or a variable sleep mode cycle.

21. The method in claim 17, wherein the mobile communications system is a WCDMA type system, and wherein the mobile states include:

cell_DCH, cell_FACH, cell_PCH, and URA_PCH, and wherein the cell_PCH and URA_PCH states include a variable sleep mode cycle.

22. Apparatus for use in a mobile radio communications system where there is a connection with a mobile terminal, comprising electronic circuitry configured to:

determine a type of traffic associated with the connection;

determine one of multiple different inactivity time periods based on a type of traffic associated with the connection; and

provide information regarding the one inactivity time period for use in monitoring whether the one inactivity time period has expired without activity being detected on the connection for that type of traffic.

23. The apparatus in claim 22, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to set the inactivity time period for the traffic type to balance requirements on response time, resource usage, and power consumption for the traffic type.

24. The apparatus in claim 22, wherein traffic types include a transactional type of activity and a single message type of activity, and wherein the inactivity time period for the transactional type of activity is longer than the inactivity time period for the single message type of activity.

25. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein traffic types include web traffic, VPN traffic, IMS call control signaling, PoC traffic, e-mail access, unidentified Internet traffic, push e-mail notification and delivery traffic, instant messaging traffic, IMS subscribe and notify traffic, IMS presence traffic, machine-to-machine traffic, tariff metering traffic, protocol keep-alive messages, or periodic surveillance video traffic.

26. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to define a protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period.

27. The apparatus in claim 26, wherein data traffic carried by the connection is associated with a quality of service class and a parameter indicating the quality of service class is used as the protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period.

28. The apparatus in claim 22, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to communicate the protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period in signaling used to establish or modify one or more bearers of qualities of service associated with the connection.

29. The apparatus in claim 22, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to communicate the protocol parameter indicating the one inactivity time period in data packets associated with the connection.

30. The apparatus in claim 22, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to determine the traffic type by inspecting the content of packets associated with the connection in a mobile core network and classified according to one or more mobile core network operator policies.

31. The apparatus in claim 22 implemented in a policy control node involved in authorizing media flows established by session level signaling for the connection, and wherein the policy control node is configured to provide the one inactivity time period to a radio access network.

32. A radio access network node for use in mobile radio communications where there is a connection with a mobile terminal, comprising electronic circuitry configured to:

receive an indication of a type of traffic associated with the connection and one of multiple different inactivity time period determined based on a type of traffic associated with the connection, and

determine whether the one inactivity time period has expired without activity of the type of traffic being detected on the connection.

33. The radio access network node in claim 32, wherein the mobile terminal is operating at a first one of multiple mobile states and the electronic circuitry is further configured to send information for changing the first mobile state of the mobile terminal to a lower power consuming mobile state if the one inactivity time period has expired.

34. The radio access network node in claim 32, wherein when multiple bearers are established for the connection, the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

establish one of the multiple different inactivity time periods for each bearer in the connection based on a type of traffic associated with each bearer, and

send information to the mobile radio indicating a change from the first mobile state to the lower power state if associated inactivity timers for all bearers established for the connection have expired.

35. The radio access network node in claim 32, wherein when multiple qualities of service are established for the connection, the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

establish one of the multiple different inactivity time periods for each quality of service, and

send information to the mobile radio indicating a change from the first mobile state to the lower power state if associated inactivity timers for all qualities of service established for the connection have expired.

36. A mobile terminal configured to communicate in a mobile radio communications system via a connection, comprising electronic circuitry configurd to:

operate in a first mobile state;

receive a state change signal from a radio access network based expiration of an inactivity time period established for a type of traffic associated with the connection, and

change operation from the first mobile state to a lower power consuming mobile state in response to the state change signal.

37. The mobile terminal in claim 36, wherein the lower power consuming mobile state is a deep sleep mode state and the first mobile state is a higher power consuming mobile state used when data is transmitted on the connection.

38. The mobile terminal in claim 36, wherein each mobile state is defined according to one or more of the following:

a level of radio resources assigned to the connection, a level of power consumption for the mobile radio, or a delay associated with transition to a mobile state where data transmission can occur.

39. The mobile terminal in claim 36, wherein at least one of the mobile states includes a deep sleep state.

40. The mobile terminal in claim 36, wherein the mobile communications system is a WCDMA type system, and wherein the mobile states include:

cell_DCH, cell_FACH, cell_PCH, and URA_PCH, and wherein the cell_PCH and URA_PCH states include a variable sleep mode cycle.