METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STATE/MODE TRANSITIONING

• US 20090129339A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi, Islam, Muhammad Khaledul, Arzelier, Claude Jean-Frederic, Wirtanen, Jeffrey William, Young, Gordon Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,969,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and network element for sending a transition indication to transition a user equipment to a different state or mode, the method receiving a configuration message from a network; and transmitting a transition indication from the user equipment, the transition indication only includes a cause if the configuration message contains an inhibit transition indication. Also, a method and user equipment for processing a transitioning indication from a user equipment indicating the user equipment desires a transition to a different state or mode, the method comprising: receiving the transition indication from the user equipment; if the transition indication contains a cause: releasing a signaling connection of the user equipment or transitioning the user equipment to a different state or mode; and if the transition indication does not contain the cause: releasing the signaling connection.

Claims

1. A method for sending a transition indication to transition a user equipment to a different state or mode, the method comprising:

receiving a configuration message from a network; and

transmitting a transition indication from the user equipment, the transition indication only includes a cause if the configuration message contains an inhibit transition indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inhibit transition indication is an inhibit timer value.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, if the configuration message contains an inhibit timer value, setting a timer according to the received inhibit timer value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting occurs if the timer is not running.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting occurs if the timer has expired.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising resetting the timer upon acquiring a new cell or network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition indication is a SIGNALING CONNECTION RELEASE INDICATION message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition indication is a DATA TRANSFER COMPLETE INDICATION message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration message is received upon the user equipment acquiring a new network or cell.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration message is selected from the group consisting of:

a RRC CONNECTION REQUEST message;

a RRC CONNECTION SETUP message;

a RRC CONNECTION RELEASE message;

a RADIO BEARER SETUP message;

a SYSTEM INFORMATION broadcast message;

a system information block (SIB) message;

an ACTIVE SET UPDATE message;

a CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message;

a HANDOVER TO UTRAN COMMAND message;

a PHYSICAL CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RELEASE message;

a TRANSPORT CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message; and

a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION message.

11. A user equipment configured to send a transition indication to transition to a different state or mode, the user equipment configured to:

receive a configuration message from a network; and

transmit a transition indication from the user equipment, the transition indication only includes a cause if the configuration message contains an inhibit transition indication.

12. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the inhibit transition indication is an inhibit timer value.

13. The user equipment of claim 12 further configured to setting a timer according to the received inhibit timer value if the configuration message contains the inhibit timer value.

14. The user equipment of claim 13, wherein the transmitting occurs if the timer is not running.

15. The user equipment of claim 13, wherein the transmitting occurs if the timer has expired.

16. The user equipment of claim 13 further comprising resetting the timer upon acquiring a new cell or network.

17. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the transition indication is a SIGNALING CONNECTION RELEASE INDICATION message.

18. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the transition indication is a DATA TRANSFER COMPLETE INDICATION message.

19. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the configuration message is received upon the user equipment acquiring a new network or cell.

20. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the configuration message is selected from the group consisting of:

a RRC CONNECTION REQUEST message;

a RRC CONNECTION SETUP message;

a RRC CONNECTION RELEASE message;

a RADIO BEARER SETUP message;

a SYSTEM INFORMATION broadcast message;

a system information block (SIB) message;

an ACTIVE SET UPDATE message;

a CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message;

a HANDOVER TO UTRAN COMMAND message;

a PHYSICAL CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RECONFIGURATION message;

a RADIO BEARER RELEASE message;

a TRANSPORT CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION message; and

a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION message.

21. A method for processing a transitioning indication from a user equipment indicating the user equipment desires a transition to a different state or mode, the method comprising:

receiving the transition indication from the user equipment;

if the transition indication contains a cause;

releasing a signaling connection of the user equipment or transitioning the user equipment to a different state or mode; and

if the transition indication does not contain the cause;

releasing the signaling connection.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein releasing the signaling connection initiates the release of a radio resource control (RRC) connection for the user equipment.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the signaling connection is for an identified core network domain.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the transitioning is done to a more battery efficient state or mode.

25. A network element configured to transition a state or mode of a user equipment, the network equipment configured to:

receive the transition indication from the user equipment;

if the transition indication contains a cause;

release a signaling connection of the user equipment or transitioning the user equipment to a different state or mode; and

if the transition indication does not contain the cause;

release the signaling connection.

26. The network element of claim 25, wherein releasing the signaling connection initiates the release of a radio resource control (RRC) connection for the user equipment.

27. The network element of claim 26, wherein the signaling connection is for an identified core network domain.

28. The network element of claim 27, wherein the transitioning is done to a more battery efficient state or mode.