Identification of dormant wireless communication devices in wireless communication systems
View Patent ↗Systems, methods, and software for identifying dormant wireless communication devices in wireless communication systems are provided herein. In one example, a method of operating a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes providing wireless access to communication services to wireless communication devices, where the wireless communication devices are associated with at least a first paging zone. The method also includes instructing the wireless communication devices associated with the first paging zone to associate with a temporary paging zone identifier and responsively receiving indications of the temporary paging zone identifier transferred by at least a portion of the wireless communication devices. The method also includes identifying dormant ones of the wireless communication devices based on which of the ones of the wireless communication devices transfer the indications, and instructing the wireless communication devices associated with the temporary paging zone identifier to resume association with the first paging zone.
1. A method of operating a wireless communication system to count wireless communication devices in a geographic area, the method comprising:
receiving geographic data that indicates the geographic area;
determining wireless coverage sectors in the geographic area;
identifying wireless access nodes serving the wireless coverage sectors in the geographic area, wherein the wireless access nodes transmit one or more paging zone identifiers;
transmitting a temporary zone identifier from the wireless access nodes in the geographic area instead of the one or more paging zone identifiers;
receiving the temporary zone identifier from dormant wireless communication devices in the geographic area and identifying the dormant wireless communication devices in the geographic area;
transmitting the one or more paging zone identifiers from the wireless access nodes in the geographic area instead of the temporary zone identifier; and
receiving the one or more paging zone identifiers from the dormant wireless communication devices in the geographic area.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the geographic area comprises a building.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication system comprises a Mobility Management Entity (MME).
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless access nodes comprise eNodeBs.
5. A wireless communication system to count wireless communication devices in a geographic area, comprising:
a network interface configured to receive geographic data that indicates the geographic area;
a page control system configured to determine wireless coverage sectors in the geographic area;
the page control system configured to identify wireless access nodes serving the wireless coverage sectors in the geographic area, wherein the wireless access nodes transmit one or more paging zone identifiers;
the network interface configured to transmit a temporary zone identifier from the wireless access nodes in the geographic area instead of the one or more paging zone identifiers;
the network interface configured to receive the temporary zone identifier from dormant wireless communication devices in the geographic area;
the page control system configured to identify the dormant wireless communication devices in the geographic area;
the network interface configured to transmit the one or more paging zone identifiers from the wireless access nodes in the geographic area instead of the temporary zone identifier; and
the network interface configured to receive the one or more paging zone identifiers from the dormant wireless communication devices in the geographic area.
6. The wireless communication system of claim 5 wherein the geographic area comprises a building.
7. The wireless communication system of claim 5 wherein the wireless communication system comprises a Mobility Management Entity (MME).
8. The wireless communication system of claim 5 wherein the wireless access nodes comprise eNodeBs.