Allocating network identifiers to access terminals
AssigneeAlcatel Lucent
InventorsSuresh P. Nair, Peretz Feder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosed subject provides embodiments of a method of allocating network identifiers to access terminals. One embodiment of the method includes allocating a fixed length identifier to an access terminal on initial entry of the access terminal to a network. The access terminal is identified by one of a plurality of mode-dependent identifiers in communication over an air interface between the access terminal and the network. The mode-dependent identifier is selected based on an operational mode of the access terminal. The method also includes providing the fixed length identifier to one or more entities in the network.
Claims19
A method, comprising:
- allocating, at a network entity, a fixed length identifier to an access terminal on initial entry of the access terminal to a network, wherein the access terminal is identified by one of a plurality of mode-dependent identifiers having different lengths, said one mode-dependent identifier being selected based on an operational mode of the access terminal;
- mapping the one of the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers to the fixed length identifier to identify the access terminal in at least one uplink message transmitted within the network;
- and
- mapping the fixed length identifier to the one of the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers to identify the access terminal in at least one downlink message transmitted over an air interface that originates at an access node and is terminated by the access terminal.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, at an access node of a network, a first message from the network, wherein the first message comprises a header comprising a fixed length identifier associated with an access terminal;
- mapping, at the access node, the fixed length identifier to one of a plurality of mode-dependent identifiers associated with the access terminal, wherein said one of the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers is selected based upon an operational mode of the access terminal, and wherein the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers have different lengths;
- and
- transmitting, from the access node, information in the first message over an air interface towards the access terminal in a second message that identifies the access terminal using said one of the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers, wherein the air interface is terminated by the access terminal.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, at an access node of a network and from an access terminal, a first message over an air interface that is terminated by the access terminal, wherein the first message comprises a header comprising one of a plurality of mode-dependent identifiers associated with the access terminal, wherein said one of the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers is selected based upon an operational mode of the access terminal, and wherein the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers have different lengths;
- mapping, at the access node, said one of the plurality of mode-dependent identifiers to a fixed length identifier associated with the access terminal;
- and
- transmitting, from the access node, information in the first message to at least one entity in the network in a second message that identifies the access terminal using the fixed length identifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.