Handling of Idle Gap Commands in a Telecommunication System

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and arrangements for the reliability handling of idle gap commands received in a unit of a mobile telecommunication system. A user equipment located in a cell of a mobile telecommunication network receives signaling gap commands used to activate or deactivate idle gaps for downlink measurements in the neighbor cells. It is determined whether the received gap command is reliable or not. Downlink measurements are then performed in accordance with a predefined rule in case the received gap command is determined as unreliable.

1 . A method for handling idle gap commands, the method performed by a user equipment located in a cell of a mobile telecommunication network and comprising:
 determining whether a signaling gap command received from a base station is reliable or unreliable; and   performing downlink measurements on a neighbor cell during an idle gap according to a predefined rule if the gap command is unreliable.   
     
     
         2 . A method for handling idle gap commands, the method performed by a radio base station operating in a cell of a mobile telecommunication network and comprising:
 sending gap commands to a user equipment indicating a function to be performed by the user equipment during idle gaps corresponding to the gap commands; and   configuring the user equipment to perform a predetermined function responsive to the user equipment determining that a received gap command is unreliable.   
     
     
         3 . A user equipment located in a cell of a mobile telecommunication network, the user equipment comprising:
 a logic unit configured to:
 determine whether a signaling gap command received from a base station is reliable or unreliable; and 
 perform downlink measurements on a neighbor cell during an idle gap according to a predefined rule if the gap command is unreliable. 
   
     
     
         4 . A radio base station operating in a cell of a mobile telecommunication network, the radio base station comprising:
 a logic unit configured to:
 send gap commands to a user equipment indicating a function to be performed by the user equipment during idle gaps corresponding to the gap commands; and 
 configure the user equipment to perform a predetermined function responsive to the user equipment determining that a received gap command is unreliable. 
   
     
     
         5 . A user equipment located in a cell of a mobile telecommunication network, the user equipment comprising:
 means for determining whether a signaling gap command received from a base station is reliable or unreliable; and   means for determining downlink measurements on a neighbor cell during an idle gap according to a predefined rule if the gap command is unreliable.   
     
     
         6 . A radio base station operating in a cell of a mobile telecommunication network, the radio base station comprising:
 means for sending gap commands to a user equipment indicating a function to be performed by the user equipment during idle gaps corresponding to the gap commands; and   means for configuring the user equipment to perform a predetermined function responsive to the user equipment determining that a received gap command is unreliable.