Method for controlling sleep-mode operation in a communication system

A method for controlling a sleep-mode operation in a Base Station (BS) in a communication system, comprising:

• receiving a first message including a variable listening interval indicator (VLII) from a Mobile Station (MS);
• transmitting a second message including the VLII to the MS in response to the first message;
• and
• performing one of a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation according to the VLII, after determining that the MS is kept in a sleep state of sleep mode and transitions to an awake state of the sleep mode as a listening interval comes,
• wherein the first operation is for transmitting data to the MS, the second operation is for receiving data from the MS, and the third operation is for transmitting data to the MS and receiving data from the MS.

A method for controlling a sleep-mode operation in a Mobile Station (MS) in a communication system, comprising:

• starting a timer in a listening interval of a sleep mode, when data is transmitted between the MS and a Base Station (BS)
• maintaining the listening interval of the sleep mode in an awake state, until the timer expires;
• and
• restarting the timer, if additional data is received from the BS,
• wherein the timer is used for a listening window extension of the MS.

A method for controlling a sleep-mode operation in a Base Station (BS) in a communication system, comprising:

• starting a timer in a listening interval of a sleep mode, when data is transmitted between a Mobile Station (MS) and the BS;
• maintaining the listening interval of the sleep mode in an awake state, until the timer expires;
• and
• restarting the timer, if additional data is received from the MS;
• wherein the timer is used for a listening window extension of the BS.