Method and apparatus for controlling traffic volume measurement validity in a universal mobile telecommunications system
AssigneeM-Stack Limited
InventorNicola Funnell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The details of an apparatus and method are disclosed for ensuring that a traffic volume measurement message does not have a validity of CELL_DCH when the user equipment in a UMTS communications system is in CELL_FACH state. The validity is set to other than CELL_DCH at a UTRAN or the UE rejects a message having a validity of CELL_DCH when the UE is in CELL_FACH state.
Claims11
A method for preparing a traffic volume measurement (TVM) message for transmission by a terrestrial radio access network (TRAN), the TRAN compliant for use as a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and compliant for use in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), comprising cells configurable to transmit messages, the method comprising:
- preparing a TVM message configured to be receivable by a user equipment (UE) based on information in the TRAN;
- determining if a state associated with the UE information is the CELL_FACH state;
- setting, if the associated state is CELL_FACH, a validity element to a value that is one of “all states” or “all states except CELL_DCH”, the validity element configurable for inclusion in the TVM message;
- and
- transmitting the prepared TVM message.
A terrestrial radio access network (TRAN), the TRAN compliant for use as a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and compliant for use in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) comprising:
- cells configurable to transmit messages;
- a traffic volume measurement validity setting radio resource control module (TVMVS RCC module) configured to prepare at least portions a TVM message, the message configurable to be receivable by a UE based on information in the TRAN;
- the TVMVS RCC module also configured to detect a state associable with the UE information, and further configured to set a validity element to a value that is one of “all states” or “all states except CELL_DCH” if the detected state is CELL_FACH, the validity element configurable for inclusion in the prepared TVM message;
- and
- a transmitter configured to transmit, using a cell, the message at least partially prepared by the TVMVS RCC module.
A method of processing a traffic volume measurement (TVM) control message at a user equipment (UE), the UE compliant for use in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) in which the UE provides for transition between a plurality of states including a CELL_FACH state and a CELL_DCH state, and where the TVM is associable with a validity element which has a value that defines the states in which the measurement is valid, the method comprising:
- receiving the TVM control message;
- detecting if there is a validity element associable with the TVM;
- determining the value of the validity element associable with the TVM, if there is one;
- and
- if the UE is in CELL_FACH state and if the determined value is CELL_DCH rejecting the TVM control message.
A user equipment (UE) configurable to process a traffic volume measurement (TVM) control message, the UE compliant for use in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), in which the UE provides for transition between a plurality of states including a CELL_FACH state and a CELL_DCH state, and the TVM is associable with a validity element which has a value that defines the states in which a measurement is valid, comprising:
- a control module configured to determine the value of the validity element associable with the TVM;
- and
- where the control module is farther configured to reject the TVM control message when the UE is in the CELL_FACH state and the determined value is CELL_DCH.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.