Inactivity timer in a discontinuous reception configured system
View Patent ↗Systems, methods and wireless devices are provided that utilize a timer to ensure a receiver of a wireless device is on to receive downlink transmissions. In the event the timer runs out without further resource allocation, the mobile device turns its radio off. If a further resource allocation occurs while the timer is running, the timer is restarted.
1. A method of transmitting data in a long term evolution (LTE) network, the method comprising:
transmitting radio resource control (RRC) signaling to configure a wireless device for discontinuous reception (DRX) having a plurality of awake periods and a plurality of sleep periods such that a receiver of the wireless device is on during each of the awake periods, and the receiver of the wireless device is off for at least some portions of at least some of the sleep periods;
transmitting a first downlink signal over a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to the wireless device during one of the awake periods, the first downlink signal causing an inactivity timer to start if the inactivity timer is not running when the first downlink signal is received by the wireless device, and causing the inactivity timer to restart if the inactivity timer is already running when the first downlink signal is received by the wireless device;
transmitting a second downlink over the PDCCH to the wireless device during a sleep period, the sleep period corresponding to a time when the inactivity timer is running;
wherein the second downlink signal restarts the inactivity timer;
wherein the first downlink signal is an uplink grant and the second downlink signal is a downlink grant; and
wherein the uplink grant corresponds to an uplink semi-persistent allocation and the downlink grant corresponds to a dynamic allocation.
2. A long term evolution (LTE) network configured to:
transmitting radio resource control (RRC) signaling to configure a wireless device for discontinuous reception (DRX) having a plurality of awake periods and a plurality of sleep periods such that a receiver of the wireless device is on during each of the awake periods, and the receiver of the wireless device is off for at least some portions of at least some of the sleep periods;
transmitting a first downlink signal over a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to the wireless device during one of the awake periods, the first downlink signal causing an inactivity timer to start if the inactivity timer is not running when the first downlink signal is received by the wireless device, and causing the inactivity timer to restart if the inactivity timer is already running when the first downlink signal is received by the wireless device;
transmitting a second downlink over the PDCCH to the wireless device during a sleep period, the sleep period corresponding to a time when the inactivity timer is running;
wherein the second downlink signal restarts the inactivity timer;
wherein the first downlink signal is an uplink grant and the second downlink signal is a downlink grant; and
wherein the uplink grant corresponds to an uplink semi-persistent allocation and the downlink grant corresponds to a dynamic allocation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uplink grant is transmitted using at least one control channel element.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downlink grant is transmitted using at least one control channel element.