Paging related methods and apparatus

A communications method, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a first base station, a paging request to page a first UE device;
• determining, at the first base station, a first set of base stations which are to attempt to page the first UE device, said first set of base stations including a small cell base station;
• sending, from the first base station, a paging request message to the small cell base station in said first set of base stations, said paging request message requesting paging of the first UE device;
• receiving, at the first base station, a paging response message from the small cell base station, said paging response message indicating one of:
• i) an attempt at the small cell base station to page the first UE device was successful or ii) an attempt at the small cell base station to page the first UE device was unsuccessful;
• receiving, at the first base station, a second paging request, said second paging request being a request to page a second UE device;
• determining, at the first base station, a second set of base stations which are to attempt to page the second UE device, said second set of base stations including a second small cell base station, said second small cell base station not being in said first set of base stations;
• sending, from the first base station, a paging request message to the second small cell base station in said second set of base stations, said paging request message requesting paging of the second UE device;
• and
• receiving, at the first base station, a paging response message from the second small cell base station, said paging response message indicating one of:
• i) an attempt at the second small cell base station to page the second UE device was successful or ii) an attempt at the small cell base station to page the second UE device was unsuccessful.

A communications system comprising:

• a first base station including:
• a first processor configured to:
• operate the first base station to receive a paging request to page a first UE device;
• determine a first set of base stations which are to attempt to page the first UE device, said first set of base stations including a small cell base station;
• operate the first base station to send a paging request message to the small cell base station in said first set of base stations, said paging request message requesting paging of the first UE device;
• operate the first base station to receive a paging response message from the small cell base station, said paging response message indicating one of:
• i) an attempt at the small cell base station to page the first UE device was successful or ii) an attempt at the small cell base station to page the first UE device was unsuccessful;
• operate the first base station to receive an additional paging request to page the first UE device;
• determine an additional set of base stations which are to attempt to page the first UE device, said additional set of base stations including an additional small cell base station which is not included in said first set of base stations;
• operate the first base station to send a paging request message to the additional small cell base station in said additional set of base stations, said paging request message to the additional small cell base station requesting paging of the first UE device;
• and
• operate the first base station to receive a paging response message from the additional small cell base station, said paging response message indicating one of:
• i) an attempt at the additional small cell base station to page the first UE device was successful or ii) an attempt at the additional small cell base station to page the first UE device was unsuccessful.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor control a first base station to perform the steps of:

• receiving, at the first base station, a paging request to page a first UE device;
• determining, at the first base station, a first set of base stations which are to attempt to page the first UE device, said first set of base stations including a small cell base station;
• sending, from the first base station, a paging request message to the small cell base station in said first set of base stations, said paging request message requesting paging of the first UE device;
• receiving, at the first base station, a paging response message from the small cell base station, said paging response message indicating one of:
• i) an attempt at the small cell base station to page the first UE device was successful or ii) an attempt at the small cell base station to page the first UE device was unsuccessful;
• receiving, at the first base station, an additional paging request to page the first UE device;
• determining, at the first base station, an additional set of base stations which are to attempt to page the first UE device, said additional set of base stations including an additional small cell base station which is not included in said first set of base stations;
• sending, from the first base station, a paging request message to the additional small cell base station in said additional set of base stations, said paging request message to the additional small cell base station requesting paging of the first UE device;
• and
• receiving, at the first base station, a paging response message from the additional small cell base station, said paging response message indicating one of:
• i) an attempt at the additional small cell base station to page the first UE device was successful or ii) an attempt at the additional small cell base station to page the first UE device was unsuccessful.