Selective notification of DRX parameter
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are provided that may reduce unnecessary resource consumption and network traffic in a communications network, such as an LTE network. Initiating a tracking area update (TAU) procedure may be avoided in instances where a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle length chosen by a user equipment (UE) would be ignored in accordance with standards governing paging in the communications networks. To determine whether or not a TAU should be initiated, three parameters may be considered. A first parameter may be the DRX cycle length that is already configured in a mobility management entity (MME). A second parameter may be a DRX cycle length chosen by the UE that the UE wishes to indicate to the MME. A third parameter may be a DRX cycle length that is broadcast by an evolved Node B serving a cell in which the UE is operating.
1. A method, comprising, in a user equipment (UE):
determining two or more discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle lengths, including determining a first DRX cycle length being broadcast by a long term evolution based (LTE-based) evolved node B (eNB) in a cell and determining a second DRX cycle length proposed by the UE operating in the cell; and
determining to skip a tracking area update (TAU) procedure to configure a DRX cycle in a LTE-based mobility management entity (MME) if the first DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB is a lowest DRX cycle length among the two or more determined DRX cycle lengths, and to initiate the TAU procedure if the first DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB is greater than a lowest DRX cycle length among the two or more determined DRX cycle lengths.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more DRX cycle lengths consist of the first DRX cycle length, and the second DRX cycle length.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, initiating, by the UE, the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle in the MME based on the second DRX cycle length if the first DRX cycle length is greater than the second DRX cycle length.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more DRX cycle lengths consist of a third DRX cycle length configured in the MME, the first DRX cycle length, and the second DRX cycle length.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, initiating, by the UE, the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle in the MME based on the second DRX cycle length if the first DRX cycle length is greater than at least one of the second and third DRX cycle lengths.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the initiating of the TAU procedure comprises sending, by the UE, a TAU request to the MME, the TAU request including the second DRX cycle length.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, re-evaluating, by the UE, the configuring of the DRX cycle in the MME when the UE determines a change in the first DRX cycle length prior to the sending of the TAU request to the MME.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the changing of the first DRX cycle length is a result of a cell change or a change in broadcast information detected by the UE.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, re-evaluating, by the UE, the configuring of the DRX cycle in the MME when the UE changes the second DRX cycle length prior to the sending of the TAU request to the MME.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, including, by the UE, the second DRX cycle in the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle in the MME, regardless of the sizes of the first and second DRX cycle lengths, when the TAU procedure is initiated for a cause other than the configuring of the DRX cycle in the MME.
11. A method, comprising, in a user equipment (UE):
determining a first discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle length proposed by the UE;
determining a second DRX cycle length being broadcast by a long term evolution based (LTE-based) evolved node B (eNB) in a cell in which the UE operates;
determining whether a third DRX cycle length is already configured in a LTE-based mobility management entity (MME);
if the third DRX cycle length is already configured, determining to skip a tracking area update (TAU) procedure to configure a DRX cycle in the MME and determining to operate according to the second DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB, if the second DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB is less than or equal to the lesser of the first DRX cycle length and the third DRX cycle length, and to initiate the TAU procedure if the second DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB is not less than or equal to the lesser of the first DRX cycle length and the third DRX cycle length, and to initiate the TAU procedure if the second DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB is greater than the lesser of the first DRX cycle length and the third DRX cycle length; and
if the third DRX cycle length is not already configured, determining to skip the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle in the MME and determining to operate according to the second DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB, if the second DRX cycle length is less than or equal to the first DRX cycle length, and to initiate the TAU procedure if the second DRX cycle length is greater than the first DRX cycle length.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising, re-evaluating, by the UE, the determination to skip the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle when the second DRX cycle length changes.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising, re-evaluating, by the UE, the determination to skip the TAU procedure when the first DRX cycle length changes.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, if the third DRX cycle length is already configured, initiating, by the UE, the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle in the MME based on the first DRX cycle length if the second DRX cycle length is greater than at least one of the first DRX cycle length and the third DRX cycle length.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising, indicating, by the UE, the first DRX cycle length to the MME in the TAU request regardless of the sizes of the first DRX cycle length, the second DRX cycle length, or the third DRX cycle length when the TAU procedure is initiated for a cause other than the configuring of the DRX cycle in the MME.
16. A method, comprising, in a user equipment (UE):
determining a first discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle length proposed by the UE;
determining a second DRX cycle length being broadcast by a long term evolution based (LTE-based) evolved node B (eNB) in a cell in which the UE operates;
determining a third DRX cycle length configured in a LTE-based mobility management entity (MME); and
making a decision to skip a tracking area update (TAU) procedure to update a DRX cycle in the MME and determining to operate according to the second DRX cycle length being broadcast by the eNB, if the second DRX cycle length is less than or equal to the lesser of the first DRX cycle length and the third DRX cycle length, and a decision to initiate the TAU procedure if the second DRX cycle length is greater than the lesser of the first DRX cycle length and the third DRX cycle length.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising, initiating, by the UE, the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle in the MME if the first DRX cycle length is greater than at least one of the second and third DRX cycle lengths.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising, re-evaluating, by the UE, the configuring of the DRX cycle in the MME when the first DRX cycle length changes.
19. The method of claim 16 further comprising, re-evaluating, by the UE, the configuring of the DRX cycle in the MME when the second DRX cycle length changes.
20. The method of claim 16 further comprising, including, by the UE, the first DRX cycle length in the TAU procedure to configure the DRX cycle in the MME, regardless of the sizes of the first and second DRX cycle lengths, when the TAU procedure is initiated for a cause other than the configuring of the DRX cycle in the MME.