US 8,477,811 B2 · Radio access network (RAN) level keep alive signaling

Abstract

In a wireless communication system, a mobile station performs “keep-alive” signaling with a serving radio access network (RAN), transmitting its identity without necessarily an accompanying data portion. The serving RAN does not necessarily acknowledge. Thereby, the mobile station maintains state synchronization with the serving RAN, which also benefits in being able to timely release a context when the “keep-alive” transmission is not continued. In one aspect, the mobile station utilizes random access procedures (RACH) for uplink data arrival with a 0-byte MAC buffer status report whose identifying Cell Radio Network Temporary Identity (C-RNTI) can be used by the serving RAN for keep alive purposes. In another aspect, the mobile station can perform non-access stratum (NAS) signaling containing identification for the mobile station that is supported by underlying access stratum (AS) signaling via the serving RAN. This identifying NAS signaling is detected or a downstream recipient alerts the serving RAN.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for communicating with a radio access network, the method comprising:

determining that no data is queued at a first device for transmission to the radio access network;
and
transmitting to the radio access network, based on determining that no data is queued, an identifying signal that causes the radio access network to maintain context of the first device at the radio access network, wherein no acknowledgement is received from the radio access network during the communicating.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Radio access network (RAN) level keep alive signaling

Life of this patent

Radio access network (RAN) level keep alive signaling

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23