Paging area update

1. A method for operating a wireless communication device connectable to a cellular network comprising a plurality of cells, the method comprising:

receiving, from the cellular network, configuration information for delaying a transmission of a paging area update request that triggers a paging area update of a paging area of a paging operation of the wireless communication device,

when operating in a disconnected mode associated with the paging operation, determining that the paging area update is required, and

upon determining that the paging area update is required, delaying the transmission of the paging area update request in accordance with the configuration information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is indicative of a paging discard timer associated with a length of a paging escalation sequence of the paging operation.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transmission of the paging area update request is delayed at most until expiry of the paging discard timer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is indicative of whether a current paging area in which the wireless communication device is currently located overlaps a neighboring paging area adjacent to the current paging area.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the transmission of the paging area update request is selectively delayed if the configuration information indicates that the current paging area overlaps the neighboring paging area.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the configuration information is indicative of a cell which is not defined to belong to the current paging area and in which paging signals for the wireless communication device are transmitted.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring a received power of a downlink reference signal,

wherein the transmission of the paging area update request is delayed until the received power fulfills a power condition.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the received power is repeatedly measured while delaying the transmission of the paging area update request.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining a repetition rate of said repeated measuring of the received power based on at least one of a paging discard timer associated with a length of a paging escalation sequence of the paging operation, or a mobility level of the wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the configuration information is indicative of the power condition.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining a repetition level of the transmission of the paging area update request based on the received power of the reference signal.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is indicative of whether said delaying of the transmission of the paging area update request message is allowed.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:

entering a sleep state while delaying the transmission of the paging area update request.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is at least partly received when operating in a connected mode, prior to a transition to the disconnected mode.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the configuration information is at least partly included in a connection deactivation message triggering the transition to the disconnected mode.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information is at least partly included in a broadcasted system information block.

17. A method of operating a node of a cellular network comprising a plurality of cells, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a wireless communication device, configuration information for delaying a transmission of a paging area update request upon the wireless communication device determining that a paging area update is required, wherein the paging area update request triggers the paging area update of a paging area of a paging operation of the wireless communication device,

when the wireless communication device operates in a disconnected mode associated with the paging operation, performing the paging operation in accordance with the configuration information.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the configuration information is indicative of a paging discard timer associated with a length of a paging escalation sequence of the paging operation.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the configuration information is indicative of whether a current paging area in which the wireless communication device is currently located overlaps a neighboring paging area adjacent to the current paging area.

20. A wireless communication device connectable to a cellular network comprising a plurality of cells, the wireless communication device comprising control circuitry configured to

receive, from the cellular network, configuration information for delaying a transmission of a paging area update request that triggers a paging area update of a paging area of a paging operation of the wireless communication device,

determine that the paging area update is required, when operating in a disconnected mode associated with the paging operation, and

delay the transmission of the paging area update request in accordance with the configuration information upon determining that the paging area update is required.