Apparatus, systems and methods for discontinuous signaling in a mobile communication network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10149345-B2
Application number	US-201514711149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for discontinuous signaling in a mobile communication network. User equipment (UE)/mobile terminal requests slotted transmissions and, in response to the network authorizing slotted transmissions, communication of subsequent UE transmissions are slotted, such that a minimum time period is required to elapse between each UE transmission. In specific embodiments of the invention the minimum time period is a predetermined time period known in advance to the user equipment and network. In other embodiments of the invention the user equipment slotted transmission requests includes a requested minimum time period, which may be approved or revised by the network. In still further embodiments the network, upon receiving the request for slotted transmissions, determines the minimum time period.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for discontinuous transmissions in a mobile communication network, the method comprising:
determining, at the UE, a requested minimum time for conducting slotted UE transmissions;
transmitting, from user equipment (UE) to a mobile communication network, an initial UE transmission, prior to connection set-up, that includes (i) an indicator signal that is configured to request slotted UE transmissions and (ii) the requested minimum time;
in response to transmitting the initial UE transmission, receiving, at the UE, a response that authorizes slotted UE transmissions and instructs the UE to (i) utilize the requested minimum time, or (ii) utilize a revised minimum time that is different than the requested minimum time; and
in response to authorizing slotted UE transmission, slotting communication of each subsequent UE transmission including connection set-up transmission, wherein slotting requires a minimum time to elapse between each UE transmission.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, immediately prior to transmitting the initial UE transmission, dynamically determining the requested minimum time based on one or more of capacitor size, battery type, and current battery charging level.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial UE transmission is an access preamble and wherein slotting requires the minimum time to elapse between transmission of the access preamble and a connection request and requires the minimum time to elapse between the connection request and a session request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein slotting further requires a reception chain of the UE not to be deactivated during the minimum time period.

5. A user equipment (UE) apparatus for discontinuous transmissions during a mobile communication network, the apparatus comprising:
a memory;
a processor in communication with the memory; and
a transmission module stored in the memory, executable by the processor, and configured to:
determine a requested minimum time for conducting slotted UE transmissions;
transmit, to a mobile communication network, an initial UE transmission, prior to connection set-up, that includes (i) an indicator signal that is configured to request slotted UE transmissions and (ii) the requested minimum time;
in response to transmitting the initial UE transmission, receive, a response to the initial UE transmission that authorizes slotted UE transmissions and instructs the UE to (i) utilize the requested minimum time, or (ii) utilize a revised minimum time that is different than the requested minimum time; and
in response to being authorized for slotted UE transmission, slot communication of each subsequent UE transmission including connection set-up transmission, wherein slotting requires a minimum time to elapse between each UE transmission.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the transmission module is further configured to dynamically determine, immediately prior to transmitting the UE initial transmission, the requested minimum time based on one or more of capacitor size, battery type, and current battery charging level.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the transmission module is further configured to transmit the initial UE transmission defined as an access preamble and wherein slotting requires the minimum time to elapse between transmission of the access preamble and a connection request and requires the minimum time to elapse between the connection request and a session request.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein slotting further requires a reception chain of the UE not to be deactivated during the minimum time period.

9. A mobile communication network system for discontinuous transmissions during a mobile communication network, the system comprising:
a user equipment (UE) terminal comprising a first memory, a first processor in communication with the first memory and a transmission module stored in the first memory, executable by the first processor and configured to determine a requested minimum time for conducting slotted UE transmissions, transmit an initial UE transmission, prior to connection set-up, that includes an indicator signal that is configured to request slotted UE transmissions and (ii) the requested minimum time; and
a base station apparatus comprising a second memory and second processor in communication with the second memory and configured to, in response to receiving the initial UE transmission, signal a response that authorizes slotted UE transmissions and instructs the UE to (i) utilize the requested minimum time, or (ii) utilize a revised minimum time that is different than the requested minimum time,
wherein, in response to the UE terminal receiving the response, the transmission module is configured to slot communication of each subsequent UE transmission including connection set-up transmission, wherein slotting requires a minimum time to elapse between each UE transmission.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transmission module is further configured to dynamically determine, immediately prior to transmitting the initial UE transmission, the requested minimum time based on one or more of capacitor size, battery type, and current battery charging level.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein slotting further requires a reception chain of the UE not to be deactivated during the minimum time period.

Assignees

• Sony Corp
• Sony Mobile Communications Inc

Inventors

• Ljung Rickard
• Larsson Bo
• Zander Olof
• Plicanic Samuelsson Vanja
• Priyanto Basuki

Classifications

• H04W52/0209 Primary

  in terminal devices · CPC title

• Y02D70/24

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H04W72/1268

  of uplink data flows · CPC title

• Y02D70/1242

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02D70/26

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic