Identifiers for MTC group in 3GPP systems

A method, comprising:

• receiving a signal from at least one node of a wireless network, the signal containing a machine-type communication (MTC) comprising MTC Group ID information, the MTC Group ID information corresponding to an MTC Feature that provides at least one system optimization for the wireless device;
• and
• determining whether the MTC Group ID contained in the received signal corresponds to an MTC Feature to which the wireless device is a member;
• and
• if the MTC Group ID contained in the received signal corresponds to an MTC Features to which the wireless device is a member, responding to additional information contained in the received signal relating to the MTC Feature to which the wireless device is a member,
• otherwise, ignoring the received signal;
• wherein the MTC Group ID information contained in the received signal comprises part of a Mobile Subscription Identification (MSIN) field of an International Mobile Subscriber Identify (IMSI).

A wireless device, comprising:

• a receiver capable of receiving a signal from at least one node of a wireless network, the signal containing a machine-type communication (MTC) comprising MTC Group ID information, the MTC Group ID information contained in the received signal corresponding to an MTC Feature that provides at least one system optimization for the wireless device, and comprising a part of a Mobile Subscription Identification (MSIN) field of an International Mobile Subscriber Identify (IMSI) additional digits added to an IMSI, or a part of a separate MTC Group message;
• and
• a processor coupled to the receiver and capable of determining whether the MTC Group ID contained in the received signal corresponds to an MTC Feature to which the wireless device is a member;
• and
• a memory storing MTC Group ID information corresponding to at least one MTC Feature to which the wireless is a member,
• the processor being capable of determining whether the MTC Group ID information contained in the received signal corresponds to the MTC Group ID information stored in the memory.

An article comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, if executed, result in at least the following:
• receiving a signal from at least one node of a wireless network, the signal containing a machine-type communication (MTC) comprising MTC Group ID information, the MTC Group ID information corresponding to an MTC Feature that provides at least one system optimization for the wireless device, the MTC Group ID information contained in the received signal comprising part of a Mobile Subscription Identification (MSIN) field of an International Mobile Subscriber Identify (IMSI), additional digits added to an International Mobile Subscriber Identify (IMSI), or part of a separate MTC Group message, and the wireless network comprising a network based on a Bluetooth-based standard, an IEEE 802.11-based standard, an IEEE 802.16-based standard, an IEEE 802.18-based wireless network standard, a Third Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) based wireless network standard, a 3GPP2 Air Interface Evolution (3GPP2 AIE) based wireless network standard, a UMTS-based protocol wireless network, a CDMA2000-based protocol wireless network, a GSM-based protocol wireless network, a cellular-digital-packet-data-based (CDPD-based) protocol wireless network, a Mobitex-based protocol wireless network, a Near-Field-Communications-based (NFC-based) link, a WiGig-based network, or a ZigBee-based network, or a combination thereof;
• and
• determining whether the MTC Group ID contained in the received signal corresponds to an MTC Feature to which the wireless device is a member;
• and
• if the MTC Group ID contained in the received signal corresponds to an MTC Features to which the wireless device is a member, responding to additional information contained in the received signal relating to the MTC Feature to which the wireless device is a member,
• otherwise, ignoring the received signal.