Method and apparatus for offload operation of the idle mode in a cellular device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9930598-B2
Application number	US-201615243930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2016
Priority date	Aug 21, 2015
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A dormant/idle mode operation of a plurality of cellular device(s) is offloaded using proximity radio interface to a second device having cellular capability so that a plurality of cellular devices can turn off the radio and baseband circuitry associated with the cellular capability, and save battery power. The second device to which the dormant/idle mode operation is offloaded acts like a proxy device for a plurality of cellular devices to perform at least one of the following functions on behalf of plurality of cellular devices: monitor network page, perform cell re-selection, perform tracking area update, or perform D2D transmission and reception, wherein the second device and the plurality of cellular devices are connected each other through a proximity radio interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of a first device, the method comprising:
entering an idle mode of a cellular radio interface;
performing a proximity connection with a second device using a proximity radio interface;
transmitting an offload request message to the second device; and
receiving an offload accept response message from the second device in response to the offload request message if a registered public land mobile network (PLMN) of the second device is same as a registered PLMN of the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting an idle mode offload request message to a cellular network, wherein idle mode offload request message includes UE identity; and
receiving an idle mode offload response message in response to the idle mode offload request message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second device, non-access stratum (NAS) context container using the proximity radio interface to update NAS information of the first device if the first device detects an event to update the NAS information; and
updating the NAS information of the first device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second device, a context transfer container using the proximity radio interface if the second device detects an event trigger associated with the first device;
updating NAS context based on information included in the context transfer container; and
turning on the cellular radio interface.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
entering an active mode of the cellular radio interface; and
transmitting a response message to a cellular network if the event trigger is associated with page record for the first device.

6. A method of a second device, the method comprising:
performing a proximity connection with a first device using a proximity radio interface after the first device enters an idle mode of a cellular radio interface;
receiving an offload request message from the first device; and
determining whether a registered PLMN of the second device is same as a registered PLMN of the first device or not; and
transmitting, to the first device, an offload accept response message in response to the offload request message received from the first device if the registered PLMN of the second device is same as the registered PLMN of the first device.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
transmitting, to a cellular network, a tracking area update (TAU) request message for the second device and the first device if tracking area change is detected;
receiving a TAU accept message in response to the TAU request message, wherein the TAU accept message includes NAS information for the second device and the first device;
updating an NAS context for the second device; and
creating the NAS context associated with the first device.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
transmitting, to the first device, a NAS context container using the proximity radio interface to update the NAS information of the first device.

9. The method of claim 6 ,
transmitting, to the first device, a context transfer container using the proximity radio interface if the second device detects an event trigger associated with the first device.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
verifying the registered PLMN of the second device; and
deciding an offload operation requested by the first device based on the verified registered PLMN.

11. A first device comprising:
a transceiver configured to:
transmit signals to a second device and a cellular network; and
receive signals from the second device and the cellular network, wherein the transceiver comprises a proximity radio interface and a cellular radio interface; and

a processor configured to:
enter an idle mode of a cellular radio interface;
perform a proximity connection with the second device using a proximity radio interface;
transmit an offload request message to the second device; and
receive an offload accept response message from the second device in response to the offload request message if a registered PLMN of the second device is same as a registered PLMN of the first device.

12. The first device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
transmit an idle mode offload request message to the cellular network, wherein the idle mode offload request message includes UE identity; and
receive an idle mode offload response message in response to the idle mode offload request message.

13. The first device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive, from the second device, a non-access stratum (NAS) context container using the proximity radio interface to update NAS information of the first device if the second device detects an event to update the NAS information; and
updating the NAS information of the first device.

14. The first device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive, from the second device, a context transfer container using the proximity radio interface if the second device detects an event trigger associated with the first device;
updating NAS context based on information included in the context transfer container; and
turn on the cellular radio interface.

15. The first device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
enter an active mode of the cellular radio interface; and
transmit a response message to a cellular network if the event trigger is associated with page record for the first device.

16. A second device comprising:
a transceiver configured to:
transmit signals to a first device and a cellular radio interface; and
receive signals from the first device and the cellular radio interface, wherein the transceiver comprises a proximity radio interface and a cellular radio interface; and

a processor s configured to:
perform a proximity connection with the first device using a proximity radio interface after the first device enters an idle mode of a cellular radio interface;
receive an offload request message from the first device;
determine whether a registered PLMN of the second device is same as a registered PLMN of the first device or not; and
transmit, to the first device, an offload accept response message in response to the offload request message received from the first device if the registered PLMN of the second device is same as the registered PLMN of the first device.

17. The second device of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
transmit, to the cellular radio interface, a tracking area update (TAU) request message for the second device and the first device if tracking area change is detected;
receive a TAU accept message in response to the TAU request message, wherein the TAU accept message includes NAS information for the second device and the first device;
update an NAS context for the second device; and
create the NAS context associated with the first device.

18. The second device of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit, to the first device, a NAS context container using the proximity radio interface to update the NAS information of the first device.

19. The second device of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit, to the first device, a context transfer container using the proximity radio interface if the second device detects an event trigger associated with the first device.

20. The second device o

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ingale Mangesh Abhimanyu
• Agiwal Anil
• Sharma Diwakar
• Rao Prasad Rajaram
• Tushar Vrind

Classifications

• H04W48/20

  Selecting an access point · CPC title

• H04W4/80 Primary

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W76/27

  Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states · CPC title

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W36/22 Primary

  for handling the traffic · CPC title