Method of transmitting data and discontinuous coverage network

Abstract

A method of transmitting data from a specific network equipment (NE) via a radio access point (RAP1, RAP2) associated with the specific network equipment to a mobile terminal (MT1, MT2) in a discontinuous coverage network (DCN). The discontinuous coverage network comprises at least one transfer zone (TZ1, TZ2) and at least one intermediate area (IZ), wherein data is transferred to and stored in a cache (CA1, CA2) of the mobile terminal (MT1, MT2) while the mobile terminal is in the transfer zone. The proposed method includes a transfer time extension (TTEX) comprising the steps of: detecting a filling level of the cache when the mobile terminal exits the transfer area, andcontinuing to fill the cache of the mobile terminal outside a transfer zone until the cache filling level reaches a predefined threshold value (TV).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a discontinuous coverage network in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed diagram illustrating the concept of data transmission in accordance with the present invention in the discontinuous coverage network of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a specific network equipment of the discontinuous coverage network of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the data transmitting method in accordance with the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting data from a specific network equipment via a radio access point associated with the specific network equipment to a mobile terminal in a discontinuous coverage network with a number of disconnected transfer zones, wherein data is transferred to and stored in a cache of the mobile terminal while the mobile terminal is in a transfer zone, wherein a transfer time extension comprising the steps of: detecting a filling level of the cache when the mobile terminal exits the transfer zone, andcontinuing to fill the cache of the mobile terminal outside a transfer zone until the cache filling level reaches a predefined threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer time extension further comprises the steps of: determining a number of scheduled data transfers from the radio access point to other mobile terminals, andcontinuing to fill the cache of the mobile terminal outside the transfer zone in accordance with said number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: detecting a number of mobile terminals leaving a transfer zone with only partially filled cache, andenabling the transfer time extension during peaks of network traffic in accordance with the detection result.

4. A specific network equipment for association with at least one radio access point of a discontinuous coverage network, comprising transmitter means for transferring data to at least one mobile terminal in a transfer zone for storage in a cache of the mobile terminal, wherein a transfer time extension apparatus comprising detector means adapted to detect a filling level of the cache when the mobile terminal exits the transfer zone, and continuation means adapted to continue to fill the cache of the mobile terminal outside the transfer zone until the cache filling level reaches a predefined threshold value.

5. The specific network equipment of claim 4, wherein the transfer time extension apparatus further comprises determining means adapted to determine a number of scheduled data transfers from the radio access point to other mobile terminals and operable to continue to fill the cache of the mobile terminal outside the transfer zone in accordance with said number.

6. The specific network equipment of claim 4, further comprising detecting means (DM) adapted to detect a number of mobile terminals leaving a transfer zone with only partially filled cache and operable to enable the transfer time extension during peaks of network traffic in accordance with the detection result.

7. A discontinuous coverage network comprising at least one mobile terminal with a cache and a number of radio access points, each radio access point defining a transfer zone for transferring data to the mobile terminal for storage in the cache, characterised in that at least one radio access point is associated with a specific network equipment according to claim 4.

8. A computer programme product, comprising first programme code sequences operable to transmit data from a specific network equipment via a radio access point associated to the specific network equipment to a mobile terminal in a discontinuous coverage network with a number of disconnected transfer zones, wherein data is transferred to and stored in a cache of the mobile terminal while the mobile terminal is in a transfer zone, wherein a second program code sequences operable to implement a transfer time extension comprising the steps of: detecting a filling level of the cache when the mobile terminal exits the transfer zone, andcontinuing to fill the cache of the mobile terminal outside a transfer zone until the cache filling level reaches a predefined threshold value.