EXPLICIT LAYER TWO SIGNALING FOR DISCONTINUOUS RECEPTION

1 . A method of discontinuous reception (DRX) management by an eNodeB, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving via a Layer 3 signaling, by a user equipment (UE), a set of one or more DRX parameters;

determining by said eNodeB a current DRX indicator for said UE;

transmitting by said eNodeB said current DRX indicator via a Layer 2 protocol data unit;

receiving by said UE said Layer 2 protocol data unit (PDU);

associating said current DRX indicator to a DRX parameter from said set of one or more DRX parameters; and

applying by said UE said associated DRX parameter for discontinuous reception.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said set of DRX parameters is related to DRX periods.

3 . The method of claim 1 , said Layer 3 signaling is via a radio resource control (RRC) protocol stack conforming to the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) specification.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein said current DRX indicator is represented by 2 bits.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said 2 bits indicate to said UE at least one of the following:

apply continuous reception;

apply the next longer DRX period;

apply the next shorter DRX period;

apply the DRX period received via a Layer 3 signaling.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said current DRX indicator indicates a DRX period.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein said Layer 2 PDU is at least one of the following: a Medium Access Control (MAC), a radio link control (RLC) PDU, a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) PDU.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a header section of said Layer 2 PDU.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a payload section of said Layer 2 PDU.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of receiving by said UE of said Layer 2 PDU is via a radio network.

11 . A system comprising:

an eNode B comprising:

a DRX controller module adapted to:

determine a set of one or more discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters;

transmit said set of DRX parameters to a user equipment (UE) via Layer 3 signaling;

determine a current DRX indicator for said UE; and

transmit said current DRX indicator to said UE via a Layer 2 protocol data unit (PDU); and

a communication interface module adapted to:

enable communication between said UE and said eNodeB; and

said UE comprising:

a DRX execution module adapted to:

receive said set of discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters transmitted by said eNodeB;

receive said current DRX indicator via said Layer 2 PDU;

associate said current DRX indicator to a DRX parameter from said set of DRX parameters; and

apply said associated DRX parameter for discontinuous reception; and

a communication interface module adapted to:

enable communication between said UE and said eNodeB.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein said communication interface of said eNodeB and said communication interface of said UE are both radio communication interfaces.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said current DRX indicator indicates at least one of the following:

apply continuous reception;

apply the next longer DRX period;

apply the next shorter DRX period;

apply the DRX period received via a Layer 3 signaling.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said set of DRX parameters is related to DRX periods.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said current DRX indicator indicates a DRX period.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said Layer 2 PDU is at least one of the following: a Medium Access Control (MAC), a radio link control (RLC) PDU, a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) PDU.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a header section of said Layer 2 PDU.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said current DRX indicator is stored in a payload section of said Layer 2 PDU.

19 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

a radio network conforming to an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) specification with which said eNodeB and said UE communicate with each other.

20 . A user equipment device adapted to communicate with an eNodeB, said device comprising:

a DRX execution module adapted to:

receive a set of discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters transmitted by said eNodeB;

receive a current DRX indicator via said Layer 2 PDU;

associate said current DRX indicator to a DRX parameter from said set of DRX parameters; and

apply said associated DRX parameter for discontinuous reception; and

a communication interface module adapted to:

enable communication between said device and said eNodeB.