U.S. patent application number 14/816282 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-30 for apparatus and method for small data transmission in 3gpp-lte systems.
The applicant listed for this patent is Intel Corporation. Invention is credited to Sangeetha L. Bangolae, Puneet Jain, Marta Martinez Tarradell, Varun Rao.
Application Number | 20160192408 14/816282 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49304622 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160192408 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Martinez Tarradell; Marta ;
et al. |
June 30, 2016 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SMALL DATA TRANSMISSION IN 3GPP-LTE
SYSTEMS
Abstract
In Machine Type Communication (MTC) with a 3GPP Long Term
Evolution (LTE) Network, there is often a need to transmit and
receive small data payloads. New information elements (IEs) have
been defined to ease the transmission and receipt of small data
payloads. Methods and systems can use the new IEs to more
efficiently transmit and receive data. The new IEs include a Small
Data ACK IE and a Small Data Container IE. Other new messages
include an RRC Release Indicator and an RRC Connection Release.
Inventors: |
Martinez Tarradell; Marta;
(Hillsboro, OR) ; Bangolae; Sangeetha L.;
(Beaverton, OR) ; Jain; Puneet; (Hillsboro,
OR) ; Rao; Varun; (Cincinnati, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Intel Corporation |
Santa Clara |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49304622 |
Appl. No.: |
14/816282 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13790630 |
Mar 8, 2013 |
9100160 |
|
|
14816282 |
|
|
|
|
61679627 |
Aug 3, 2012 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
370/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 40/20 20130101;
H04W 48/18 20130101; H04W 40/246 20130101; H04L 67/16 20130101;
H04W 16/18 20130101; H04W 16/28 20130101; H04B 17/27 20150115; H04L
65/1006 20130101; H04W 76/28 20180201; H04W 4/70 20180201; H04L
41/0659 20130101; H04L 43/0811 20130101; H04W 24/04 20130101; H04W
24/02 20130101; H04W 76/16 20180201; Y02D 30/70 20200801; H04W
48/14 20130101; H04W 76/11 20180201; H04L 41/0836 20130101; H04L
45/306 20130101; H04N 21/23439 20130101; H04W 88/06 20130101; H04L
65/4092 20130101; H04L 67/36 20130101; H04N 21/25825 20130101; H04W
76/15 20180201; H04L 41/082 20130101; H04L 65/80 20130101; H04W
76/10 20180201; H04W 76/14 20180201; H04W 36/14 20130101; H04W
12/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 76/02 20060101
H04W076/02 |
Claims
1. User equipment (UE) comprising: a processor; and a transceiver;
wherein the processor is arranged to: receive a request to send a
small data payload to the UE from the transceiver; instruct the
transceiver to send a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection
Request message to an evolved Node B (eNB); receive an RRC
Connection Setup message from the eNB from the transceiver;
instruct the transceiver to send an RRC Connection Setup Complete
message to the eNB; and receive an RRC Connection Release message
from the eNB the transceiver; wherein: the RRC Connection Setup
message comprises the small data payload; and the RRC Connection
Setup Complete message comprises a Small Data Acknowledgment (ACK)
message arranged to indicate the receipt of the small data payload.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/679,627, filed Aug. 3, 2012, incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments pertain to wireless communications. Some
embodiments pertain to wireless communications used in Long-Term
Evolution (LTE) networks.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Machines often need to communicate with other machines with
little or no human intervention. In the past, such communications
were made via wire. As time went on, wireless communications began
to be used. With the increased availability of mobile broadband,
machine type communications (MTC) via mobile broadband is becoming
more and more popular. MTC enables communications between remote
machines for the exchange of information and operating commands
without the need for human intervention. Exemplary uses of
machine-type communications include remote sensors, e-health,
remote-controlled utility meters, surveillance cameras, toll
payments, production chain automation, and the like. For example, a
device can monitor the operation status of another device and
report the statuses to a central server; a device can read a
utility meter and provide the data to a billing department for the
preparation of monthly utility bills; or a device in a car can
sense that the car has passed a toll booth and transmit the
information to the toll taking authority for billing purposes.
[0004] The amount of data being sent in MTC applications is
typically smaller in size than the data present in human-initiated
communication. This small amount of data traffic is a common
feature across many MTC applications. User equipment (UEs) that are
used in an MTC configuration may spend most of their time in an
idle state and need to wake up mainly to send or receive a small
amount of data.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0006] FIG. 2 shows the frame structure of an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0007] FIG. 3 shows the frame structure of an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0008] FIG. 4 shows an overview of an embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0009] The following description and the drawings sufficiently
illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art
to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural,
logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Examples merely
typify possible variations. Individual components and functions are
optional unless explicitly required, and the sequence of operations
may vary. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included
in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set
forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those
claims.
[0010] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding
of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled
in the art that the present invention may be practiced without
these specific details. In other instances, well-known method,
procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in
detail so as not to obscure the present invention.
[0011] Although embodiments of the invention are not limited in
this regard, the terms "plurality" and "a plurality" as used herein
may include, for example, "multiple" or "two or more." The terms
"plurality" or "a plurality" may be used throughout the
specification to describe two or more components, devices,
elements, units, parameters, and the like. For example, "a
plurality of stations" may include two or more stations.
[0012] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a
collaboration agreement established in December 1998 to bring
together a number of telecommunications standards bodies, known as
"Organizational Partners," that currently include the Association
of Radio Industries and Business (ARIB), the China Communications
Standards Association (CCSA), the European Telecommunications
Standards Institute (ETSI), the Alliance for Telecommunications
Industry Solutions (ATIS), the Telecommunications Technology
Association (TTA), and the Telecommunication Technology Committee
(TTC). The establishment of 3GPP was formalized in December 1998 by
the signing of the "The 3rd Generation Partnership Project
Agreement."
[0013] 3GPP provides globally applicable standards as Technical
Specifications and Technical Reports for a 3rd Generation Mobile
System based on evolved GSM core networks and radio access
technologies that they support (e.g., Universal Terrestrial Radio
Access (UTRA) for both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time
Division Duplex (TDD) modes). 3GPP also provides standards for
maintenance and development of the Global System for Mobile
communication (GSM) as Technical Specifications and Technical
Reports including evolved radio access technologies (e.g., General
Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Enhanced Data rates for GSM
Evolution (EDGE)). Technical Specifications for current standards
related to mobile telephony are generally available to the public
from the 3GPP organization.
[0014] 3GPP is currently studying the evolution of the 3G Mobile
System and considers contributions (views and proposals) directed
toward the evolution of the UTRA Network (UTRAN). A set of
high-level requirements was identified by 3GPP workshops including:
reduced cost per bit; increased service provisioning (i.e., more
services at lower cost with better quality); flexibility of use of
existing and new frequency bands; simplified architecture with open
interfaces; and reduced/reasonable terminal power consumption. A
study on the UTRA & UTRAN Long Term Evolution (UTRAN-LTE, also
known as 3GPP-LTE and Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRA)) was started in
December 2004 with the objective to develop a framework for the
evolution of the 3GPP radio-access technology towards a
high-data-rate, low-latency and packet-optimized radio-access
technology. The study considered modifications to the
radio-interface physical layer (downlink (DL) and uplink (UL)) such
as means to support flexible transmission bandwidth up to 20 MHz,
introduction of new transmission schemes, and advanced
multi-antenna technologies.
[0015] 3GPP-LTE is based on a radio-interface incorporating
orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) techniques. OFDM is
a digital multi-carrier modulation format that uses a large number
of closely-spaced orthogonal sub-carriers to carry respective user
data channels. Each sub-carrier is modulated with a conventional
modulation scheme, such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM),
at a (relatively) low symbol rate when compared to the radio
frequency (RF) transmission rate. In practice, OFDM signals are
generated using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm.
[0016] As described above, Machine Type Communication (MTC) is used
for communication with user equipment (UE) without human input.
Some MTC UEs might spend most of their time in RRC idle state or in
an extra-low power consuming state (e.g. deep idle or optimized
idle state) and will mainly wake up to send or receive a small
amount of data. A more efficient method of operating the UEs would
be desirable.
[0017] The following examples assume that a UE is in a not-active
state but is registered to the network. For example, the UE may be
in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state. When the network
wants to trigger the UE or has a small amount of data to convey to
the UE (downlink data), the network might notify the UE through the
use of a paging message or even send the small data payload
directly in the paging message. In addition, another newly defined
message might be used in an uplink transmission to notify RRC
Connection release request indication or send the small data ACK
from the UE. Small data payloads are typically 1 to 128 bytes in
length. However, it should be understood that small data payloads
may be larger in some instances.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the use of a paging
message to convey a small data payload to a UE. At the top of FIG.
1 are three entities: a user equipment (UE) 150, an evolved Node B
(eNB) 160, and a Mobile Management Entity (MME) 170. The various
lines shown illustrate which entity is performing a task.
[0019] MME 170 sends a paging message to UE 150. The paging message
may contain a small data payload (102). After receiving this
notification, UE 150 sends an RRC Connection Request message to eNB
160, requesting the establishment of a connection (104). After
receiving the RRC Connection Request and assuming that the network
does not reject the connection, eNB 160 replies to UE 150 with an
RRC Connection Setup Complete message (106).
[0020] While sending the RRC Connection Setup Complete message to
the eNB, the UE may include one of two defined information elements
(IEs) (108), "Small Data ACK" and "RRC Release Indication." These
two IEs may perform the following actions: [0021] 1) Small Data
ACK--UE 150 acknowledges the small data reception (downlink data).
[0022] 2) RRC Release Indication--If UE 150 does not have any
uplink data to convey, UE 150 indicates its intention of releasing
its connection because the network has already indicated that only
small data was going to be sent in the downlink connection.
Therefore, no other actions are expected to be coming from the
network.
[0023] Thereafter, eNB 160 forwards the Small Data ACK to MME 170
(110). MME 170 sends a release command to eNB 160 (112). eNB 160
then sends an RRC Connection Release message to UE 150 to terminate
the connection (114).
[0024] With continued reference to FIG. 1, the elements of FIG. 1
can be followed in another embodiment with a few changes. At (102),
MME 170 sends a paging message to UE 150 with a small data payload.
The paging message may indicate the need to transmit small data to
UE 150. After receiving this notification, UE 150 sends an RRC
Connection Request message to eNB 160 to perform connection
establishment (104). After receiving the RRC Connection Request and
assuming that the network does not reject the connection, eNB 160
replies to UE 150, adding the small data payload if the paging was
only indicating a future transmission (106).
[0025] While sending the RRC Connection Setup Complete message to
eNB 160, UE 150 may include one of two defined information elements
(IEs) (108): "Small Data ACK" and "RRC Release Indicator"
performing the following actions: [0026] 1) UE acknowledges the
small data reception (downlink data). [0027] 2) If it does not have
any uplink data to convey, the UE indicates its intention of
releasing its connection because the network already indicated that
only small data was going to be sent in downlink. Therefore, no
other actions are expected to be coming from the network.
[0028] Thereafter, eNB 160 forwards the Small Data ACK message to
MME 170 (110). MME 170 sends a release command to eNB 160 (112).
eNB 160 then sends an RRC Connection Release message to UE 150 to
terminate the connection (114).
[0029] In another embodiment, if network vendors prefer to have
further control over the connection release of UEs, then after the
transmission or reception of a small data payload (108), the "RRC
Connection Release" message might be sent by eNB 160 to UE 150 as
an affirmative response to the RRC Release Indication sent in the
RRC Connection Setup Complete message. Thus, the remaining steps of
FIG. 1 need not be performed because the connection between eNB 160
and UE 150 has been released.
[0030] In another embodiment, UE 150 could send a new RRC message
to eNB 160 at (108). This message would indicate the intention of
releasing the connection and simultaneously acknowledge the
reception of the small data instead of acknowledging the receipt
with a RRC Connection Setup Complete message. The message could be
called "RRC Connection Release Request." This message might be
replied to by the eNB using the existing "RRC Connection Release"
message.
[0031] In another embodiment an RRC Connection Setup Complete
message (described in 106) can be used to send a small data payload
in an uplink connection. With continued reference to FIG. 1, at
102, UE 150 sends an RRC Connection Request to eNB 160 with a small
data indicator. eNB 160 replies by sending an RRC Connection Setup
message to UE 150 (104). The small data indicator is used by UE 150
to inform eNB 160 that the small data payload will be appended into
the RRC Connection Setup Complete message (106). After UE 150 sends
the RRC Connection Setup Complete message with the small data
payload, if eNB 160 does not have any additional information to
send to UE 150, eNB 160 will release UE 150 by sending an RRC
Connection Release message (108). This RRC Connection Release
message might also carry the acknowledgment that the small data
payload was received.
[0032] In another embodiment, the RRC Connection Release message
(114) may be used to send any downlink (DL) small data and
acknowledgments (ACK) for uplink (UL) small data that eNB 160 has
to forward to UE 150. The small data indicator may be sent via the
paging message. In the alternative, eNB 160 may store the small
data indicator and send it to UE 150 as part of the RRC Connection
Setup Complete message.
[0033] When eNB 160 receives the first UL Network Access Stratum
(NAS) message from the radio interface, eNB 160 invokes NAS
Transport procedure. It sends the INITIAL UE MESSAGE message to MME
170 including the NAS message as a NAS Protocol Data Unit (NAS-PDU)
Information Element (IE).
[0034] The Initial UE message format is defined in section 36.413
of the 3GPP specification. This message is sent by the eNB to
transfer the initial layer 3 message to the MME over the S1
interface.
[0035] The format in FIG. 2 below defines the Initial UE Message
with Small Data included. The new Small Data Container (SDC)
Information Element (IE) that has been defined that will carry the
small data payload from eNB to MME. Modified Initial UE message is
shown below:
[0036] The frame structure of the Small Data ACK IE is illustrated
in FIG. 2. The Small Data ACK IEI field (202) is the identifier of
the Small Data ACK IE. The size is one octet. The result field
(204) indicates the success or failure of the transmission. The
size is one octet.
[0037] The frame structure for the Small Data Container IE is shown
in FIG. 3. The Small Data Container (SDC) IE is defined to send
small data on NAS signaling messages. SDC IE is included as an
optional IE in the `Initial UE Message` message content. The Small
Data Container IEI field (302) is the identifier of this Small Data
Container IE. The size is one octet (8 bits). Length of Small Data
Container field (304) is the size of the small data that would be
included in this IE. The size of this field is two octets (16
bits). The Data Payload field (306)--Carries the small data payload
that needs to be transmitted to/from the network. The size of this
field varies from 1 to 128 octets (8 bits to 1024 bits), depending
on the amount of data to be sent.
[0038] The SDC IE is a type 6 information element. A detailed
explanation on the different types of information element is
described in section 24.007 of the 3GPP Technical
Specification.
[0039] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an exemplary UE that is
capable of performing embodiments of the invention. A UE 400
includes a processor 402. Processor 402 is arranged to perform
instructions that may be contained in a memory 450. The UE may also
comprise a transceiver 430 and an antenna assembly 440. Processor
402 may be arranged to perform calculations and other operations on
signals, then send those signals to transceiver 430, which prepares
the signals for transmission outside the UE via antenna assembly
440. Signals from outside the UE may be received by antenna
assembly 440. These signals would then proceed through transceiver
430 to processor 402 for processing. It should be understood that a
UE 400 may contain other elements that are not shown in FIG. 4,
such as user interface inputs (e.g., touch screens and/or buttons)
and outputs (e.g., a displays, speakers, etc.).
[0040] There may be new information elements within various
messages. It should be understood that, for ease of use, the
message termed RRC Connection Release may be written without
spaces: "RRCConnectionRelease." This does not change the
functionality of the message.
[0041] The RRC Connection Setup Complete message may contain new
information elements. In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Setup
Complete message may contain several new messages, including
smallDataAck, rrcRelease-Indication, and nonCriticalExtension. A
SmallDataRelease message may comprise smallDataPayload and
nonCriticalExtension information elements.
[0042] The RRC Connection Release message may also contain new
information elements. Similarly, other messages may be referred to
both with and without spaces. In one embodiment, the
RRCConnectionRelease includes smallDataRelease, smallDataAck, and
nonCriticalExtension information elements. The smallDataRelease
information element may contain smallDataPayload and
nonCriticalExtension information elements.
[0043] The RRCConnectionReleaseRequest message may also contain new
information elements. In one embodiment, the
RRCConnectionReleaseRequest message includes
RRC-Transactionldentifier, SmallDataRelease, and SmallDataPayload
information elements.
[0044] Another new information element may be the AccessCause
information element, which may be used along with the
RRCConnectionRequest message.
[0045] The following examples pertain to further embodiments.
[0046] In one embodiment, user equipment (UE) may comprise: a
processor arranged to: receive a request to send a small data
payload to the UE; send a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection
Request message to an evolved Node B (eNB); receive an RRC
Connection Setup message from the eNB; send an RRC Connection Setup
Complete message to the eNB; and receive an RRC Connection Release
message from the eNB. The RRC Connection Setup message comprises a
small data payload; and the RRC Connection Setup Complete message
comprises a Small Data ACK message arranged to indicate the receipt
of the small data payload.
[0047] The UE may be arranged to perform Machine Type
Communications (MTC).
[0048] In one embodiment, the request to send a small data payload
to the UE comprises the small data payload.
[0049] In one embodiment, the request to send a small data payload
to the UE comprises a Small Data Indicator arranged to inform the
UE of the need to receive a Small Data payload.
[0050] In one embodiment, the small data payload comprises data
less than or equal to 128 octets in length.
[0051] In one embodiment, the UE is further arranged to receive an
RRC Connection Release message. In one embodiment, the RRC
Connection Release message is received from an eNB.
[0052] In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Release Request
message comprises a Small Data ACK message arranged to indicate the
receipt of the small data payload.
[0053] In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Request message
comprises a small data indicator arranged to indicate that the UE
has a second small data payload to send to the eNB; and the RRC
Connection Setup Complete message comprises the second small data
payload.
[0054] In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Setup message
comprises an indicator arranged to indicate the presence of a small
data payload; and the RRC Connection Release message comprises the
small data payload.
[0055] In another embodiment, a method for sending a small data
payload to a user equipment (UE) may comprise: sending a paging
message to the UE; receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC)
Connection Request message; sending an RRC Connection Setup message
to the UE; receiving an RRC Connection Setup Complete message; and
sending an RRC Connection Release message; wherein: the paging
message comprises a small data payload; and the RRC Connection
Setup Complete message comprises a Small Data ACK message arranged
to indicate the receipt of the small data payload.
[0056] In one embodiment, the paging message comprises a small data
indictor; and the RRC Connection Setup message comprises a small
data payload.
[0057] In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Request message may
comprise an indication that the UE wishes to send an uplink small
data payload; the RRC Connection Setup Complete message comprises
the uplink small data payload; and the RRC Connection Release
message comprises an acknowledgement of the receipt of the uplink
small data payload.
[0058] In one embodiment, the small data payload may comprise data
less than or equal to 128 octets.
[0059] In one embodiment, the small data payload may comprise a
small data container information element (IE) comprising: a small
data container information element identifier field; a field
arranged to indicate the length of the small data container; and a
payload field arranged to contain the small data payload.
[0060] In one embodiment, the small data container information
element identifier field has a length of 1 octet; the field
arranged to indicate the length of the small data container has a
length of 2 octets; and the payload field has a length that is
between 1 octet and 128 octets.
[0061] In one embodiment, the Small Data ACK message comprises a
Small Data ACK information element comprising: a Small Data ACK
identifier field with a length of 1 octet; and a Result field with
a length of 1 octet.
[0062] In another embodiment, a method for sending a small data
payload to a UE may comprise: sending a paging message to the UE;
receiving an RRC Connection Request message; sending an RRC
Connection Setup message to the UE; receiving an RRC Connection
Setup Complete message; and sending an RRC Connection Release
message; wherein: the RRC Connection Release Request message
comprises a Small Data ACK message arranged to indicate the receipt
of the small data payload.
[0063] In another embodiment, a method for a UE to receive a small
data payload may comprise: receiving a paging message from an MME;
sending an RRC Connection Request message to an eNB; and after
receiving an RRC Connection Setup message from the eNB, sending an
RRC Connection Setup Complete message to the eNB. The RRC
Connection Setup Complete Message may comprise a small data
payload.
[0064] In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Setup Complete message
may further comprise an indication that the UE has received the
small data payload.
[0065] In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Setup Complete message
may further comprises a request to release a connection between the
UE and the eNB.
[0066] In one embodiment, the UE may also send an RRC Connection
Release Request message to the eNB after sending the RRC Connection
Setup Complete message.
[0067] In one embodiment, the UE may also release a connection
between the UE and the eNB after receiving an RRC Connection
Release message from the eNB.
[0068] In one embodiment, the RRC Connection Release message may
comprise a small data payload.
[0069] While certain features of the invention have been
illustrated and described herein, many modifications,
substitutions, changes, and equivalents may occur to those skilled
in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended
claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as
fall within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *