This application relates to machine-to-machine communication in some advance wireless systems, such as IEEE 802.16 and 3GPP.
Machine-to-machine communication is a very distinct capability that enables the implementation of the “Internet of things”. Machine-to-machine communication is defined as an information exchange between a subscriber station and a server station in a core network (through a base station) or between subscriber stations, which may be carried out without any human interaction. Its basic architecture proposed in IEEE 802.16m is given below in
Several industry reports have scoped out the huge potential for this market, with millions of devices being connected over the next five years and revenues in excess of $300 billion (Harbor Research, 2009). So, machine-to-machine technology is a hot research item in some dominated wireless standard research groups, i.e., 3GPP and 802.16.
According to one IEEE 802.16p system requirement, a machine-to-machine system shall support a large number of devices and mechanisms for low power consumption in machine-to-machine devices. Therefore, there are expected to be a large number of machine-to-machine devices in the domain of the machine-to-machine base station. The machine-to-machine support thus is expected to require a huge amount of interactions between the machine-to-machine devices and their supporting base station. For instance, where the base station needs to communicate with the separated machine-to-machine devices, one by one, this would result in some network congestion.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a machine-to-machine solution that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this document will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views, unless otherwise specified.
In accordance with the embodiments described herein, a group paging method is disclosed for efficient machine-to-machine communication in a wireless network. The group paging method enables M2M-capable base stations to group M2M-capable mobile stations according to their traffic properties, assign them a group paging ID, and thereafter page the M2M device, by way of a paging channel. The group paging method mitigates traffic congestion on the wireless network.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the subject matter described herein may be practiced. However, it is to be understood that other embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be construed in a limiting sense, as the scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims.
The background section describes the potential impact from machine-to-machine services. Machine-to-machine (M2M) services are distinct from human interaction services (e.g., laptop and cellular phone use) in several respects. For example, M2M transmissions generally involve small quantities of data being transmitted. The M2M transmissions may be infrequent, relative to human transmissions. The M2M transmissions tend to be location-specific. The M2M devices tend to have a lower mobility, relative to highly mobile human interaction devices. And, the M2M transmissions may be time-controlled, that is, the data may be transmitted in a predefined interval, in short, these features enable the optimization of the existing human interaction services protocol, which is focused on making dedicated subscriber communication possible.
The basic architecture for M2M communication is proposed in the IEEE 802.16m specification, and is depicted in
One efficient method to optimize the machine-to-machine network is aggregation paging for multiple M2M devices, defined herein as “M2M group-based paging”.
The M2M group-based paging method 400 features two vertical lines, one denoting the ABS 50 and the other denoting the AMS 60. As used herein, the ABS and AMS are defined as entities having capability under the IEEE 802.16m specification, with mobile stations being further divided into M2M-capable (60) and non-M2M-capable (70) devices. The arrows at the right side of
The group-based paging method 400 commences with the AMS 60 entering or reentering the network. Initially, the AMS 60 will inform the ABS 50 about its traffic properties (e.g., the location, transmission duration, and action time), with these traffic properties being included in a request to register on the wireless network, denoted as MS REGISTRATION (the 802.16m request is known as AAI-REG-REQ). In some embodiments, the traffic properties are used by the ABS 50 as grouping factors, used to decide which AMSs to group together for subsequent paging operations.
In reply to the MS REGISTRATION request made by the AMS 60, the ABS 50 feeds back a connection identifier, denoted MS-CONNECT-ID, to the AMS, denoted NETWORK-RESPONSE (the 802.16m connection identifier is known as CID and the response is known as AAI-REQ-RSP). Once it has its own unique MS-CONNECT-ID, the AMS 60 may communicate with the ABS 50, and may forward its data to ABS as a registered member of the wireless network. As shown by the arrows on the right, since connection to the network has been established, the AMS 60 is now in a connected mode.
When not performing any data transmissions, to save power, the AMS 60 may enter an idle state, or a sleep mode. While in the idle mode or sleep mode, the AMS 60 is nevertheless able to listen to a paging channel. In some embodiments, the AMS 60 checks the paging channel periodically, while in sleep mode, so as to be apprised of any multicast transmissions from the ABS 50.
Upon obtaining relevant information of multiple machine-to-machine devices located in its cell, the ABS 50 bundles the M2M AMSs 60 together, so to speak, and assigns a unique M2M_group_ID to the bundled group. The identified AMSs to which the M2M_group_ID is assigned share similar traffic properties, such as having a similar transmission interval, for example, The ABS 50 informs each M2M AMS 60 in this identified group of its M2M_group_ID in the deregistration signaling, denoted DEREGISTRATION-RESPONSE (the 802.16m response is known as AAI-DEG-RSP), The M2M_group_ID is multicast by the ABS 50 in the DEREGISTRATION-RESPONSE. Once it is deregistered from the network, the M2M AMS 60 will enter into an idle mode. This is desired, for example, in order to save power.
From this point, all AMSs 60 having this M2M_group_ID may be paged by a single paging message, denoted PAGING-MESSAGE (the 802.16m message is known as AAI-PAG-ADV) in
Once the ABS 50 pages the entire group of ABSs 60 sharing the M2M_group_ID, the AMSs will transmit their data together or in a contention-free way, in some embodiments. This means that the ABS 50 has scheduled the individual M2M devices when paging them, such that the M2M devices in this group need not request contested resources.
In the prior art, to achieve the results illustrated in
First, the M2M-capable AMSA enters the network 100A (block 402). The AMSA informs the ABS 50 about its traffic properties, including, but not limited to, location, transmission duration, and action time (block 404). Upon receiving the request to enter the network (MS-REGISTRATION), the ABS 50 feeds a unique identifier (MS-CONNECT-ID) to the AMSA (block 406). Where it has data to send over the network 100A (block 408), the AMSA transmits using the MS-CONNECT-ID (block 410). Otherwise, the AMSA enters a sleep mode (block 412). In some embodiments, the AMSA continues to periodically listen to the paging channel while in sleep mode.
Meanwhile, the ABS 50 may receive registration information from the other AMSs on the wireless network 100A, denoted AMSB, . . . , AMSQ (block 414). Where it determines that these additional AMSs share similar traffic properties (block 416), the ABS 50 assigns a new group identifier, denoted M2M_group_ID, to AMSA, AMSB, . . . , AMSQ (block 418). The ABS 50 informs AMSA, . . . , AMSQ of their new group identifier in the deregistration signaling (block 420). In some embodiments, the DEREGISTRATION_RESPONSE message is multicast to all AMSs sharing the M2M_GROUP_ID, where they are not transmitting or receiving, the AMSs AMSA, . . . , AMSQ enter an idle mode (block 422).
Thereafter, the ABS 50 is able to communicate with the AMSs AMSA, . . . , AMSQ over a paging channel. The ABS 50 sends the paging message using the M2M_group_ID (block 424). The AMSA, . . . , AMSQ, including those AMSs in either sleep mode or idle mode, will receiving paging messages over the paging channel from the ABS 50 (block 426). Finally, the AMSA, . . . , AMSQ are able to forward their data, using either aggregation or separation, to the ABS 50 (block 428).
While the application has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/CN2011/084967 | 12/30/2011 | WO | 00 | 3/11/2014 |