Energy saving method, user equipment and network-side network element

• US 9,565,630 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Xu, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Alia, Curtis A
• Application Number:
  US14/427,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20150223165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed are a power-saving method, a user equipment and a network-side network element which can reduce power consumption of UEs. The power saving method includes: a user equipment (UE) requesting to enter into a power-saving state or a network-side network element indicating the UE to enter into the power-saving state; and the UE entering into the power-saving state, wherein the power-saving state refers to a state in which the UE cannot respond to paging information sent by the network side, but can send a service request and perform periodic location update. A UE includes a sending module and a processing module. Another UE includes a receiving module and a processing module. The network-side network element includes a configuring module and a storing module.

Claims

1. A power-saving method, comprising:

a user equipment (UE) requesting to enter into a power-saving state, or a network-side network element indicating the UE to enter into the power-saving state;

the UE entering into the power-saving state, wherein the power-saving state refers to a state in which the UE cannot respond to paging information sent by a network side but can send a service request and perform a periodic location update.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a UE in the power-saving state exiting the power-saving state and sending the service request to the network-side network element when having uplink data or signaling to be sent.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

when a periodic location update timer expires, the UE in the power-saving state exiting the power-saving state and performing a location update, and reentering into the power-saving state after the location update is completed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when a periodic location update timer expires, a UE in the power-saving state exiting the power-saving state and performing a location update, and reentering into the power-saving state after the location update is completed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the UE requesting to enter into the power-saving state comprises:

the UE sending power-saving request information to the network-side network element, wherein the power-saving request information is used for requesting to enter into the power-saving state.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the network-side network element indicating the UE to enter into the power-saving state comprises:

the network-side network element sending power-saving indication information to the UE, wherein the power-saving indication information is used for indicating the UE to enter into the power-saving state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

after the UE enters into the power-saving state, the method further comprises:

the UE entering into an idle state after a power-saving state timer expires.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the UE entering into the power-saving state comprises:

the UE staying in an idle state for a preset time period and then entering into the power-saving state, wherein the preset time period is configured and notified to the UE by the network-side network element.

9. A user equipment (UE) for implementing saving power, comprising hardware performing instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium which executes steps in following modules:

a sending module, a receiving module and a processing module, wherein;

the sending module is configured to send power-saving request information to a network side to request to enter into a power-saving state;

the receiving module is configured to receive power-saving indication information sent by a network-side network element to a UE;

the processing module is configured to make the UE enter into the power-saving state, wherein the power-saving state refers to a state in which the UE cannot respond to paging information sent by the network side but can send a service request and perform a periodic location update.

10. The UE of claim 9, wherein

the processing module is further configured to make the UE exit the power-saving state and send the service request to a network-side network element when a UE in the power-saving state has uplink data or signaling to be sent.

11. The UE of claim 10, wherein

the processing module is further configured to:

after a periodic location update timer expires, make the UE in the power-saving state exit the power-saving state and perform a location update, and make the UE re-enter into the power-saving state after the location update is completed.

12. The UE of claim 9, wherein

the processing module is further configured to:

after a periodic location update timer expires, make a UE in the power-saving state exit the power-saving state and perform a location update, and make the UE re-enter into the power-saving state after the location update is completed.

13. The UE of claim 9, wherein

the processing module is further configured to make the UE enter into an idle state after a power-saving state timer expires.

14. The UE of claim 9, wherein

the processing module is configured to make the UE enter into the power-saving state, comprising:

the processing module being configured to make the UE stay in an idle state for a preset time period and then enter into the power-saving state, wherein the preset time period is configured and notified to the UE by a network-side network element.

15. A network-side network element for implementing saving power, comprising a configuring module and a storing module, wherein:

the configuring module is configured to set time of a power-saving state timer for a user equipment (UE);

the storing module is configured to store context information of the UE when the UE is in a power-saving state.

16. The network-side network element of claim 15, wherein

the network-side network element further comprises a sending module, which is configured to send power-saving indication information to the UE, wherein the power-saving indication information is used for indicating the UE to enter into the power-saving state.