Granted Patent B2

US 12,446,099 · App. 17/556,918 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Inventors: Thomas Uhling (Spokane Valley, WA); Keith Barnes (Waseca, MN)

Assignee: Itron, Inc.

H04W76/28H04W68/02H04W72/12H04W72/1263

Abstract

Claims (133)

1. A method of operating a processor-based radio, comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information, wherein identifying POs of the eDRX cycle comprises:

identifying, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information and an RAT Timing Reference Signal from a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) port of the RAT modem, a time when a first PO of a next page time window (PTW) will occur; and

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem.

2. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising:

determining POs in a first page time window (PTW) of the eDRX cycle; and

repeatedly determining POs in each succeeding PTW interval while the eDRX cycle is utilized.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying POs of the eDRX cycle comprises:

calculating, based at least in part on a time to a first PO received in the eDRX scheduling information and a timestamp of an RAT timing reference GPIO signal recognized by the processor-based radio, when a leading edge of the first PO of the next PTW will occur.

4. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising:

scheduling an event for an upcoming PO based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information; and

communicating the event to an event arbitrator.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein scheduling the event for the upcoming PO comprises:

applying a drift margin to a beginning and to an end of the event to reduce conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem, wherein the drift margin is based at least in part on expected real time clock drift.

6. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising:

waiting for a first PO;

timestamping a time that a PO Trigger GPIO signal goes active; and

determining a time on a real time clock that the first PO occurred, wherein the determining comprises:

obtaining a PO Trigger Delay received in the eDRX scheduling information; and

subtracting the PO Trigger Delay from the timestamp of the PO Trigger GPIO signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the RAT modem is an LTE modem; and

the shared resources comprise:

one or more antennas;

transmit and receive amplifiers;

DSP processing elements;

memory elements; and

elements of a physical layer.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure a processor-based radio to perform acts comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information, wherein acts identifying POs of the eDRX cycle comprise:

identifying, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information and an RAT Timing Reference Signal from a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) port of the RAT modem, a time when a first PO of a next page time window (PTW) will occur; and

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the acts additionally comprise:

determining POs in a first page time window (PTW) of the eDRX cycle; and

repeatedly determining POs in each succeeding PTW interval while the eDRX cycle is utilized.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the acts identifying POs of the eDRX cycle comprise:

calculating, based at least in part on a time to a first PO received in the eDRX scheduling information and a timestamp of an RAT timing reference GPIO signal recognized by the processor-based radio, when a leading edge of the first PO of the next PTW will occur.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the acts additionally comprise:

scheduling an event for an upcoming PO based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information; and

communicating the event to an event arbitrator.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein scheduling the event for the upcoming PO comprises:

applying a drift margin to a beginning and to an end of the event to reduce conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem, wherein the drift margin is based at least in part on expected real time clock drift.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the acts additionally comprise:

waiting for a first PO;

timestamping a time that a PO Trigger GPIO signal goes active; and

determining a time on a real time clock that the first PO occurred, wherein the determining comprises:

obtaining a PO Trigger Delay received in the eDRX scheduling information; and

subtracting the PO Trigger Delay from the timestamp of the PO Trigger GPIO signal.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein:

the RAT modem is an LTE modem; and

the shared resources comprise:

one or more antennas;

transmit and receive amplifiers;

DSP processing elements;

memory elements; and

elements of a physical layer.

15. A system, comprising:

a radio access technology (RAT) modem, configured to perform acts comprising:

establishing an extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) cycle with a cellular system; and

sending eDRX scheduling information, that is based at least in part on the eDRX cycle, wherein the eDRX scheduling information comprises:

a duration of the eDRX cycle;

a time to a first PO;

a time period between POs; and

an eDRX repeat interval; and

a processor-based radio, configured to perform acts comprising:

receiving the eDRX scheduling information sent by the RAT modem;

receiving a signal, sent from the RAT modem to the processor-based radio, that is time-aligned with a leading edge of a PO subframe of the cellular system;

identifying, by operation of the processor-based radio, paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information; and

managing, by operation of the processor-based radio, usage of resources shared between the RAT modem and the processor-based radio.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor-based radio is additionally configured to perform acts comprising:

receiving, by operation of the processor-based radio, a signal from the RAT modem; and

synchronizing, by operation of the processor-based radio using the signal, a clock of the processor-based radio to be time-aligned to a paging opportunity event defined by the RAT modem.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor-based radio is additionally configured to perform acts comprising:

determining POs in a first page time window (PTW) of the eDRX cycle; and

repeatedly determining POs in each succeeding PTW interval while the eDRX cycle is utilized.

18. A method of operating a processor-based radio, comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information, wherein identifying POs of the eDRX cycle comprises:

calculating, based at least in part on a time to a first PO received in the eDRX scheduling information and a timestamp of an RAT timing reference GPIO signal recognized by the processor-based radio, when a leading edge of the first PO of a next page time window (PTW) will occur; and

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem.

19. A method of operating a processor-based radio, comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information;

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem;

scheduling an event for an upcoming PO based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information, wherein scheduling the event for the upcoming PO comprises:

applying a drift margin to a beginning and to an end of the event to reduce conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem, wherein the drift margin is based at least in part on expected real time clock drift; and

communicating the event to an event arbitrator.

20. A method of operating a processor-based radio, comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information;

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem;

waiting for a first PO;

timestamping a time that a PO Trigger GPIO signal goes active; and

determining a time on a real time clock that the first PO occurred, wherein the determining comprises:

obtaining a PO Trigger Delay received in the eDRX scheduling information; and

subtracting the PO Trigger Delay from the timestamp of the PO Trigger GPIO signal.

21. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure a processor-based radio to perform acts comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information, wherein acts identifying POs of the eDRX cycle comprise:

calculating, based at least in part on a time to a first PO received in the eDRX scheduling information and a timestamp of an RAT timing reference GPIO signal recognized by the processor-based radio, when a leading edge of the first PO of a next page time window (PTW) will occur; and

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem.

22. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure a processor-based radio to perform acts comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information;

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem;

scheduling an event for an upcoming PO based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information, wherein scheduling the event for the upcoming PO comprises:

applying a drift margin to a beginning and to an end of the event to reduce conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem, wherein the drift margin is based at least in part on expected real time clock drift; and

communicating the event to an event arbitrator.

23. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure a processor-based radio to perform acts comprising:

receiving extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) scheduling information, that is based at least in part on an eDRX cycle, from a radio access technology (RAT) modem;

identifying paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information;

waiting for a first PO;

timestamping a time that a PO Trigger GPIO signal goes active;

determining a time on a real time clock that the first PO occurred, wherein the determining comprises:

obtaining a PO Trigger Delay received in the eDRX scheduling information; and

subtracting the PO Trigger Delay from the timestamp of the PO Trigger GPIO signal; and

managing, based at least in part on the identified POs, usage of resources shared between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem to avoid conflicts between the processor-based radio and the RAT modem.

24. A system, comprising:

a radio access technology (RAT) modem, configured to perform acts comprising:

establishing an extended discontinuous reception mode (eDRX) cycle with a cellular system; and

sending eDRX scheduling information, that is based at least in part on the eDRX cycle, wherein the eDRX scheduling information comprises:

a duration of the eDRX cycle;

a time to a first PO;

a time period between POs; and

an eDRX repeat interval; and

a processor-based radio, configured to perform acts comprising:

receiving the eDRX scheduling information sent by the RAT modem;

identifying, by operation of the processor-based radio, paging opportunities (POs) of the eDRX cycle, based at least in part on the eDRX scheduling information;

receiving, by operation of the processor-based radio, a signal from the RAT modem;

synchronizing, by operation of the processor-based radio using the signal, a clock of the processor-based radio to be time-aligned to a paging opportunity event defined by the RAT modem; and

managing, by operation of the processor-based radio, usage of resources shared between the RAT modem and the processor-based radio.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (17)