Extended Discontinuous Reception Cycle for Wireless Devices

Abstract

A Machine Type Communication (MTC) device may establish a perpetual connected mode and an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle with a base station. The perpetual connected mode may reduce the amount of signaling overhead required by the MTC device. The extended DRX cycle may enable the MTC device to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the perpetual connected mode. In addition, network overhead may be reduced by decreasing the frequency of scheduled measurements and/or transmissions performed by the MTC device.

1 . A method for controlling a wireless device, comprising:
 establishing a perpetual connected mode with a base station;   establishing an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle for the connected mode with the base station; and   controlling a power state of the wireless device according to the extended DRX cycle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein establishing the extended DRX cycle comprises setting an OFF period of the extended DRX cycle to greater than one minute. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein establishing the extended DRX cycle comprises setting an OFF period of the extended DRX cycle to greater than five minutes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  including determining an expected mobility of the wireless device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  including establishing the extended DRX cycle based on an expected mobility of the wireless device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein controlling the power state of the wireless device comprises deactivating at least one component of the wireless device during an OFF period of the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein controlling the power state of the wireless device comprises activating at least one component of the wireless device during an ON period of the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  including adjusting a measurement schedule based on the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  including performing at least one measurement according to the adjusted measurement schedule. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein performing the at least one measurement function comprises performing a Radio Link Monitoring (RLM) measurement. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein performing the at least one monitoring function comprises performing a Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurement. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  including adjusting a transmission timing based on the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein adjusting the transmission timing comprises adjusting a Time Alignment Timer (TAT) parameter. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein adjusting the transmission timing comprises adjusting an uplink control channel transmission timing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  including establishing the perpetual connected mode using an antenna. 
     
     
         16 . At least one machine readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out a method comprising:
 establishing a perpetual connected mode with a base station;   establishing an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle for the connected mode with the base station; and   controlling a power state of the wireless device according to the extended DRX cycle.   
     
     
         17 . A wireless device comprising:
 an antenna; and   a control module coupled to the antenna, the control module to:
 establish a perpetual connected mode with a base station; 
 establish an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle for the connected mode with the base station; and 
 control a power state of the wireless device according to the extended DRX cycle. 
   
     
     
         18 . The wireless device of  claim 17 , wherein the wireless device is a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device. 
     
     
         19 . The wireless device of  claim 17 , wherein the wireless device is a personal communication device. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless device of  claim 17 , wherein the control module is to control the power state of the wireless device by deactivating at least one component of the wireless device during an OFF period of the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         21 . The wireless device of  claim 17 , wherein the control module is to control the power state of the wireless device by activating at least one component of the wireless device during an ON period of the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         22 . The wireless device of  claim 17 , wherein the control module is to receive a measurement schedule based on the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         23 . The wireless device of  claim 22 , wherein the control module is to perform at least one measurement according to the received measurement schedule. 
     
     
         24 . The wireless device of  claim 23 , wherein the control module is to perform the at least one measurement function by performing a Radio Link Monitoring (RLM) measurement. 
     
     
         25 . The wireless device of  claim 23 , wherein the control module is to perform the at least one measurement function by performing a Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurement. 
     
     
         26 . A base station comprising:
 an antenna; and   a control module coupled to the antenna, the control module to:
 establish a perpetual connected mode with a wireless device; 
 establish an extended discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle for the connected mode with the wireless device; and 
 transmit to the wireless device according to the extended DRX cycle. 
   
     
     
         27 . The base station of  claim 26 , wherein the control module is also to determine an expected mobility of the wireless device. 
     
     
         28 . The base station of  claim 27 , wherein the control module is to establish the extended DRX cycle based on the expected mobility of the wireless device. 
     
     
         29 . The base station of  claim 26 , wherein the control module is to determine a measurement schedule based on the extended DRX cycle. 
     
     
         30 . The base station of  claim 29 , wherein the control module is to transmit the measurement schedule to the wireless device.