Method and system for paging user equipment
The present invention provides a method and system for paging User Equipment (UE). According to embodiments, repetition of paging can help UEs to more reliably receive pages when they are operating in idle mode DRX, and in particular enhanced idle mode DRX (eDRX). The UE and the eNB are cooperatively configured to determine an eDRX time interval and a value for paging occasion (PO) repetition based on one or more parameters, such as UE mobility requirements; UE power requirements; latency requirements, and timing discrepancies between base stations. The base station transmits pages, and the UE monitors for said pages, with timing that is based on the eDRX time interval and the PO repetition values.
1. A method for paging a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
determining, by a base station serving the UE, an enhanced discontinuous reception (eDRX) time interval, a value for paging occasion (PO) repetition and a PO repetition spacing based on one or more parameters, wherein the PO repetition spacing is indicative of a time interval between a page transmission and a page transmission repetition within the eDRX time interval, wherein the eDRX time interval is greater than the PO repetition spacing, wherein the one or more parameters are selected by the base station for determining the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing, wherein the determined eDRX time interval, the determined value for PO repetition and the determined PO repetition spacing are determinative for a second eDRX time interval to be used by the UE, second value for PO repetition to be used by the UE and a second PO repetition spacing to be used by the UE, respectively, wherein determining the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing includes prior to selecting the one or more parameters, wirelessly receiving, from the UE, indications of an initial eDRX time interval determined by the UE, an initial value for PO repetition determined by the UE and an initial PO repetition spacing determined by the UE, wherein the one or more parameters include the indications, wherein the base station determines when the eDRX time interval and the value for PO repetition are to be the same as the initial eDRX time interval and the initial value for PO repetition, respectively; and
transmitting, by the base station, the page transmission and the page transmission repetition based on the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing, in accordance with a paging schedule synchronized with the UE's monitoring schedule.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PO repetition spacing is configured to be at least equal to an inter-cell timing discrepancy indicative of expected variations in paging timings between base stations.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters are indicative of one or more of: mobility requirements of the UE; power requirements of the UE;
latency requirements of the UE; and requirements of one or more applications operating in association with the UE.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the eDRX time interval and the value for PO repetition determined by the base station are transmitted by the base station to the UE before transmitting the page transmission and the page transmission repetition.
5. A method for receiving pages by a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
determining, by the UE, an enhanced discontinuous reception (eDRX) time interval, a value for paging occasion (PO) repetition and a PO repetition spacing based on one or more parameters, wherein the PO repetition spacing is indicative of a time interval between a page transmission and a page transmission repetition within the eDRX time interval, wherein the eDRX time interval is greater than the PO repetition spacing, wherein the determined eDRX time interval, the determined value for PO repetition and the determined PO repetition spacing at least in part comply with one or more UE requirements indicated in the one or more parameters;
transmitting information indicative of the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing to a base station;
receiving, from the base station, second information indicative of a second eDRX time interval, a second value for PO repetition and a second PO repetition spacing, the second eDRX time interval, the second value for PO repetition and the second PO repetition spacing determined by the base station; and
monitoring, by the UE, for the page transmission and the page transmission repetition at times based on the second eDRX time interval, the second value for PO repetition and the second PO repetition spacing received from the base station, in accordance with a paging schedule synchronized with the UE's monitoring schedule.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein transmitting information indicative of the eDRX time interval and the value for PO repetition comprises wirelessly transmitting values of the eDRX time interval and the value for PO repetition to the base station.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the PO repetition spacing is configured to be at least equal to an inter-cell timing discrepancy indicative of expected variations in paging timings between base stations.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more parameters are indicative of one or more of: mobility requirements of the UE; power requirements of the UE; latency requirements of the UE; and requirements of one or more applications operating in association with the UE.
9. A system for paging a User Equipment (UE), the system comprising:
a UE having a UE enhanced discontinuous reception (eDRX) controller configured to manage eDRX operation of the UE; and
an eNB having an eNB eDRX controller configured to manage a paging operation of the eNB,
wherein the UE eDRX controller and the eNB eDRX controller are cooperatively configured to determine an eDRX time interval, value for paging occasion (PO) repetition and a PO repetition spacing based on one or more parameters,
wherein the PO repetition spacing is indicative of a time interval between a page transmission and a page transmission repetition within the eDRX time interval,
wherein the eDRX time interval is greater than the PO repetition spacing,
wherein the one or more parameters are selected by the eNB for determining the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing,
wherein the UE eDRX controller and the eNB eDRX controller share one or more of the determined eDRX time interval, the determined value for PO repetition, the determined PO repetition spacing and the one or more parameters in a configuration phase,
wherein the eNB eDRX controller is further configured to direct the base station to transmit the page transmission and the page transmission repetition based on the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing,
wherein the UE eDRX controller is further configured to direct the UE to monitor for the page transmission and the page transmission repetition based on the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing.
10. A user equipment (UE) for use with a wireless communication network, the UE comprising an enhanced discontinuous reception (eDRX) controller configured to:
determine an eDRX time interval, a value for paging occasion (PO) repetition and a PO repetition spacing based on one or more parameters, wherein the PO repetition spacing is indicative of a time interval between a page transmission and a page transmission repetition within the eDRX time interval, wherein the eDRX time interval is greater than the PO repetition spacing, wherein the determined eDRX time interval, the determined value for PO repetition and the determined PO repetition spacing at least in part comply with one or more UE requirements indicated in the one or more parameters;
direct the UE to communicate either the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing or the one or more parameters to the base station;
direct the UE to receive, from the base station, second information indicative of a second eDRX time interval, a second value for PO repetition and a second PO repetition spacing, the second eDRX time interval, the second value for PO repetition and the second PO repetition spacing determined by the base station; and
direct the UE to monitor for the page transmission and the page transmission repetition at times which are based on the second eDRX time interval, the second value for PO repetition and the second PO repetition spacing received from the base station, in accordance with a paging schedule synchronized with the UE's monitoring schedule.
11. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the eDRX controller is further configured to: determine a PO repetition spacing based on the one or more parameters, the PO repetition spacing indicative of a time interval between the page transmission and the page transmission repetition; and direct the UE to monitor for the page transmission and a page transmission repetition at times which are further based on the PO repetition spacing.
12. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the one or more parameters are indicative of one or more of: mobility requirements of the UE; power requirements of the UE; latency requirements of the UE; and requirements of one or more applications operating in association with the UE.
13. A wireless communication network base station comprising an enhanced discontinuous reception (eDRX) controller configured to:
determine an eDRX time interval, a value for paging occasion (PO) repetition and a PO repetition spacing based on information received from a user equipment (UE), the eDRX time interval and the value for PO repetition based on one or more parameters, wherein the PO repetition spacing is indicative of a time interval between a page transmission and a page transmission repetition within the eDRX time interval, wherein the eDRX time interval is greater than the PO repetition spacing, wherein the one or more parameters are selected by the base station for determining the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the determined PO repetition spacing, wherein the determined eDRX time interval, the determined value for PO repetition and the determined PO repetition spacing are determinative for a second eDRX time interval to be used by the UE, a second value for PO repetition to be used by the UE and a second PO repetition spacing to be used by the UE, respectively, wherein determining the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing includes prior to selecting the one or more parameters, wirelessly receiving, from the UE, indications of an initial eDRX time interval determined by the UE, an initial value for PO repetition determined by the UE and an initial PO repetition spacing determined by the UE, wherein the one or more parameters include the indications, and determine when the eDRX time interval and the value for PO repetition are to be the same as the initial eDRX time interval and the initial value for PO repetition, respectively; and
direct the base station to transmit the page transmission and the page transmission repetition at times which are based on the eDRX time interval, the value for PO repetition and the PO repetition spacing, in accordance with a paging schedule synchronized with the UE's monitoring schedule.
14. The base station of claim 13 , wherein the one or more parameters are indicative of one or more of: mobility requirements of the UE; power requirements of the UE; latency requirements of the UE; and requirements of one or more applications operating in association with the UE.
15. The base station of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a revised eDRX time interval and a revised value for PO repetition based on sharing of base station resources between plural UEs.