Method to detect a user equipment stuck on a dedicated channel

1. A method of resource utilization in a User Equipment (UE) engaged in a dedicated channel comprising:

determining that the UE is stuck on the dedicated channel, wherein the determining includes examining whether, for a pre-defined time period, the UE is (a) failing to send and receive higher layer signaling messages; (b) failing to send and receive user data over non-signaling Radio Bearers (RBs); (c) failing to send and receive signals over a voice RB; and (d) failing to determine that DCH Loopback Mode is active;

performing a local release of radio resources of the dedicated channel; and

placing the UE in an idle mode.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein performing the local release comprises checking a field in a Non Volatile Memory (NYM).

3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising:

executing a fatal error routine when the field contains a pre-defined value.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dedicated channel is accessed in a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) network, and the UE is on the dedicated channel while in a CELL_DCH state.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein higher layer signaling messages are sent and received over Signaling RB 3 and Signaling RB 4 in a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) network.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a corresponding network controls the pre-defined time period by transmitting pre-defined time period information to at least one User Equipment in its coverage area.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the pre-defined time period information is broadcast in a system information message.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the pre-defined time period information is sent in a device-specific message to at least one User Equipment in its coverage area.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the UE performs the step of examining.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a corresponding network performs the step of examining.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the UE is stuck on the dedicated channel is triggered by a corresponding network.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein a corresponding network triggers the step of determining by transmitting a trigger to at least one User Equipment in its coverage area.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the trigger is broadcast in a system information message.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the trigger is sent in a device-specific message to at least one User Equipment in its coverage area.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the UE performs the local release.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein a corresponding network performs the local release.

17. A computer program product for use with a computer, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for resource utilization in a User Equipment (UE) engaged in a dedicated channel, the computer readable program code performing:

determining that the UE is stuck on the dedicated channel, wherein the determining includes:

staffing a timer;

examining whether the UE is performing at least one of sending and receiving higher layer signaling messages;

examining whether the UE is performing at least one of sending and receiving user data over non-signaling Radio Bearers;

examining whether the UE is performing at least one of sending and receiving signals over a voice Radio Bearer (RB);

examining whether DCH Loopback Mode is active; and

determining a time period from the timer;

performing a local release of radio resources of the dedicated channel; and

placing the UL in an idle mode.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program code, while performing a local release of dedicated channel's radio resources, performing:

executing a fatal error routine.