Methods and apparatus for managing network signaling
View Patent ↗Systems and apparatus for managing signaling between a network and machine type communication (MTC) devices. An MTC device receives an indication such as a locally detached state indication and, during the validity of the indication, remains locally detached and does not attempt communication with the network except under specified conditions, such as a need by the MTC device to initiate data transfer, or triggering of the MTC device. The MTC device may also receive a local detachment timer and remain attached during the validity of the local detachment timer, with the MTC device becoming locally detached and the indication becoming valid upon expiration of the local detachment timer.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
circuitry configured to:
receive from a wireless network and store a locally detached state indication specifying at least one required condition under which the apparatus is allowed to perform communication with the wireless network and to attempt location registration with the wireless network, and a time period during which the locally detached state indication is valid; and
while the locally detached state indication is valid, remain attached to the wireless network but refrain from attempting communication with the wireless network and from attempting location registration unless the at least one required conditions prevails, wherein when the local detached state indication expires, the wireless network removes registration information of the apparatus;
wherein the at least one required condition comprises
presence of data to be sent to the wireless network,
and when there is data to be sent to the wireless network, the apparatus is further caused to, while the locally detached state indication is valid, perform an attachment and, after successful attachment, perform session establishment to send the data.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the locally detached state indication is received while the apparatus is attached to the wireless network.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to initiate a local detachment timer, locally detach from the wireless network without signaling, and set the locally detached state indication to a valid state until expiration of the local detachment timer.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the apparatus is caused to remain attached to the wireless network but refrain from location registration related signaling between initiation and expiration of the local detachment timer, and when the local detachment timer expires the wireless network removes registration information of the apparatus.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one required condition is receiving a triggering signal and wherein the apparatus is further caused to, upon receiving the triggering signal, perform attachment and session establishment.
6. An apparatus, comprising:
circuitry configured to:
send to a wireless communications device a locally detached state indication specifying at least one required condition under which the wireless communication device is allowed to perform communication with a wireless network and to attempt location registration with the wireless network, and a time period during which the indication is valid,
wherein while the locally detached state indication is valid, the wireless communications device remains attached to the wireless network but refrains from attempting communication with the wireless network and from attempting location registration, and when the local detached state indication expires, the apparatus removes registration information of the wireless communication device, and
the at least one required condition comprises
presence of data at the wireless communications device for transfer to the wireless network,
and when there is data at the wireless communication device to be sent to the wireless network, the wireless communication device, while the locally detached state indication is valid, performs an attachment and, after successful attachment, performs session establishment to send the data.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to remove registration information for the wireless communications device from storage in the wireless network when the locally detached state indication becomes valid.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to notify a machine type communication server when the indication becomes valid.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to send an initial value of a local detachment timer value to the wireless communications device and initiate a local detachment timer, and wherein the locally detached state indication becomes valid after expiration of the local detachment timer.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is caused to remove registration information for the wireless communications device from network storage upon expiration of the local detachment timer.
11. A method comprising:
receiving from a wireless network and storing a locally detached state indication specifying at least one required condition under which a wireless communications device is allowed to perform machine type communication with the wireless network and to attempt location registration with the wireless network, and a time period during which the indication is valid; and
while the indication is valid, remaining attached to the wireless network but refraining from attempting communication with the wireless network and from attempting location registration unless at least one of the required conditions prevails, wherein when the locally detached state indication expires, the wireless network removes registration information of the wireless communication device,
wherein the at least one required condition comprises
presence of data to be sent to the wireless network,
and when there is data to be sent to the wireless network, the wireless communication device, while the locally detached state indication is valid, performs an attachment and, after successful attachment, performs session establishment to send the data.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising initiating a local detachment timer, locally detaching from the wireless network, and setting the locally detached state indication to a valid state upon expiration of the locally detachment timer.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising remaining attached to the wireless network but refraining from signaling location updates between initiation and expiration of the local detachment timer, and when the local detachment timer expires the wireless network removes registration information of the apparatus.
14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, wherein the program comprises computer executable instructions for causing an apparatus to at least:
receive from a wireless network and store a locally detached state indication specifying at least one required condition under which the apparatus is allowed to perform machine type communication with the wireless network and to attempt location registration with the wireless network, and a time period during which the locally detached state indication is valid; and
while the locally detached state indication is valid, remain attached to the wireless network but refrain from attempting communication and from attempting location registration with the wireless network unless at least one of the required conditions prevails, wherein when the local detached state indication expires, the wireless network removes registration information of the wireless communication device,
wherein the at least one required condition comprises
presence of data to be sent to the wireless network,
and when there is data to be sent to the wireless network, the apparatus, while the locally detached state indication is valid, performs an attachment and, after successful attachment, performs session establishment to send the data.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to initiate a timer, locally detach from the wireless network, and setting the locally detached state indication to a valid state upon expiration of the local detachment timer.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is caused to remain attached to the wireless network but refrain from signaling location updates between initiation and expiration of the local detachment timer, and when the local detachment timer expires the wireless network removes registration information of the apparatus.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the at least one required condition is receiving a triggering signal and wherein the apparatus is further caused to, upon receiving the triggering signal, perform attachment and session establishment.