Controlling radio connection states

A node for controlling transitions between radio resource control (RRC) states for a wireless terminal in a radio access network, the radio resource control states comprising a first state and a second state, the node comprising a communication and control circuitry configured to:

• calculate a prediction of an inter-arrival time (ITB) between successive data bursts to be handled,
• detect that a data burst is to be handled,
• decide whether to make a transition from the first state to the second state upon termination of handling of the detected data burst if the prediction of the ITB is greater than a current ITB threshold, wherein
• the current ITB threshold is a time interval that is determined based on a fractional distribution of true predictions and false predictions made for a plurality of ITB values using a prediction algorithm in relation to ITB values recorded for the plurality of ITB values, and
• direct the wireless terminal either to remain in the first state or switch to the second state in accordance with the decision.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, software instructions that, when executed in a processor in a node for controlling transitions between radio resource control (RRC) states for a wireless terminal in a radio access network, the radio resource control states comprising a first state and a second state, causes the processor to:

• calculate a prediction of an inter-arrival time (ITB) between successive data bursts to be handled;
• detect that a data burst is to be handled;
• decide whether to make a transition from the first state to the second state upon termination of handling of the detected data burst if the prediction of the ITB is greater than a current ITB threshold, wherein
• the current ITB threshold is a time interval that is determined based on a fractional distribution of true predictions and false predictions made for a plurality of ITB values using a prediction algorithm in relation to ITB values recorded for the plurality of ITB values;
• and
• direct the wireless terminal either to remain in the first state or switch to the second state in accordance with the decision.