Method, apparatus and computer program product for preserving a signaling connection
View Patent ↗A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for preserving a signaling connection after a network has indicated that the signaling connection can be closed, such as by selection of a no follow on proceed mode during routing area updates or attach procedures. By preserving the signaling connection, subsequent communications between the network and the user equipment can be completed without closing and then subsequently reopening the signaling connection.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a mobile terminal, a signal connection release mode indication from a network, the signal connection release mode indication being associated with a signaling connection between the mobile terminal and the network;
initiating, at the mobile terminal, a timer based on the signal connection release mode indication, wherein upon expiration of the timer, the signaling connection will be closed;
receiving, at the mobile terminal, a signaling message from the network prior to expiration of the timer, the signaling message indicative of a desire for further communication; and
halting the timer in response to receipt of the signaling message to prevent expiration of the timer and to correspondingly disallow closing of the signaling connection.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the signal connection release mode indication includes receiving the signal connection release mode indication in a general packet radio service (GPRS) routing update.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the signal connection release mode indication includes a follow on proceed bit that indicates a signal connection release mode that is to be implemented.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signaling connection is a packet switched (PS) signaling connection.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the signaling message indicates a series of data packets to be sent to the mobile terminal.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the signaling message comprises a session management/general packet radio service (GPRS) mobility management protocol data unit (SM/GMM PDU).
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating a closing of the signaling connection upon receipt of an entirety of the further communication.
8. An apparatus comprising a processor, the processor configured to cause the apparatus to:
receive a signal connection release mode indication from a network, the signal connection release mode indication being associated with a signaling connection between the apparatus and the network;
initiate a timer based on the signal connection release mode indication, wherein upon expiration of the timer, the signaling connection will be closed;
receive a signaling message from the network prior to expiration of the timer, the signaling message indicative of a desire for further communication; and
halt the timer in response to receipt of the signaling message to prevent expiration of the timer and to correspondingly disallow closing of the signaling connection.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to receive the signal connection release mode indication included in a general packet radio service (GPRS) routing update.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to receive the signal connection release mode indication including a follow on proceed bit that indicates a signal connection release mode that is to be implemented.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to receive the signal connection release mode indication associated with the signaling connection comprising a packet switched (PS) signaling connection.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to receive the signaling message indicating a series of data packets to be sent to the apparatus.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor configured to cause the apparatus to receive the signaling message comprising a session management/general packet radio service (GPRS) mobility management protocol data unit (SM/GMM PDU).
14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to initiate a closing of the signaling connection upon receipt of an entirety of the further communication.
15. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium configured to store the signal connection release mode indication.
16. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable computer-readable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program code instructions comprising:
first program code instructions configured to cause a mobile terminal to receive a signal connection release mode indication from a network, the signal connection release mode indication being associated with a signaling connection between the mobile terminal and the network;
second program code instructions configured to cause the mobile terminal to initiate a timer based on the signal connection release mode indication, wherein upon expiration of the timer, the signaling connection will be closed;
third program code instructions configured to cause the mobile terminal to receive a signaling message from the network while the timer is running, the signaling message indicative of a desire for further communication; and
fourth program code instructions configured to cause the mobile terminal to halt the timer in response to receipt of the signaling message to prevent expiration of the timer and to correspondingly disallow closing of the signaling connection.
17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the signal connection mode indication is included in a general packet radio service (GPRS) routing update.
18. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the signal connection release mode indication includes a follow on proceed bit that indicates a signal connection release mode that is to be implemented.
19. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the signaling connection is a packet switched (PS) signaling connection.
20. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the further communication comprises a series of data packets.
21. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the further communication comprises a session management/general packet radio service (GPRS) mobility management protocol data unit (SM/GMM PDU).
22. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable program code instructions further comprise fifth program code instructions configured to cause the mobile terminal to initiate a closing of the signaling connection upon receipt of an entirety of the further communication.
23. An apparatus comprising:
means for receiving, at a mobile terminal, a signal connection release mode indication from a network, the signal connection release mode indication being associated with a signaling connection between the mobile terminal and the network;
means for initiating, at the mobile terminal, a timer based on the signal connection release mode indication, wherein upon expiration of the timer, the signaling connection will be closed;
means for receiving, at the mobile terminal, a signaling message from the network prior to expiration of the timer, the signaling message indicative of a desire for further communication; and
means for halting the timer in response to receipt of the signaling message to prevent expiration of the timer and to correspondingly disallow closing of the signaling connection.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the signal connection mode indication is included in a general packet radio service (GPRS) routing update.