Slotted Access For Wireless Communication Devices And Control Thereof

Abstract

An example method provides a method of determining access times and channels for a wireless communication device. One embodiment includes selecting, at a wireless communication device, one of a plurality of time intervals in a periodically repeating access cycle for transmission of an access signal based on an identification number identifying the wireless communication device, negotiating a preamble assignment for the selected one of the plurality of time intervals, and transmitting the access signal over an access channel in the selected one of the plurality of time intervals using a preamble corresponding to the preamble assignment.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a machine-type communication (MTC) device from a network node, at a power-up initialization stage of the MTC device, a pre-assigned access slot and preamble for transmission of an access signal; and   for one or more future access attempts, transmitting, at the MTC device, the access signal over an access channel in the pre-assigned access slot using the pre-assigned preamble.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pre-assigned preamble for the pre-assigned access slot is unique to the MTC device relative to other MTC devices in a cell. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, at the network node:
 indicating at least a first time slot of a plurality of time slots, defining a blocking time slot, in which access should be prevented; and 
 preventing transmission of access attempts from MTC devices having a pre-assigned access slot corresponding to the blocking time slot. 
 
     
     
         4 . A method, comprising:
 constraining a machine-type communication (MTC) device to transmit access signals over an access channel corresponding to a pre-assigned preamble assignment received from a network node, during a pre-assigned time slot received from the network node, the pre-assigned time slot comprising one of a plurality of time slots that make up a periodically repeating access cycle.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the pre-assigned preamble for the pre-assigned time slot is unique to the MTC device relative to other MTC devices in a cell. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising, at the network node:
 sending a blocking signal indicating at least a first time slot of a plurality of time slots, defining a blocking time slot, in which access signals should be prevented; and 
 preventing transmission of access attempts from MTC devices having a pre-assigned access slot corresponding to the blocking time slot. 
 
     
     
         7 . A machine-type communication (MTC) device comprising a processor and an associated memory, the processor configured to
 receive, from a network node, at a power-up initialization stage of the MTC device, a pre-assigned access slot and preamble for transmission of an access signal; and   for one or more future access attempts, transmit the access signal over an access channel in the preassigned access slot using the pre-assigned preamble.   
     
     
         8 . A network node comprising a processor and an associated memory, the processor configured to
 constrain a machine-type communication (MTC) device to transmit access signals over an access channel corresponding to a pre-assigned preamble assignment received from the network node, during a pre-assigned time slot received from the network node, the pre-assigned time slot comprising one of a plurality of time slots that make up a periodically repeating access cycle.   
     
     
         9 . The network node of  claim 8 , the processor further configured to
 send a blocking signal indicating at least a first time slot of a plurality of time slots, defining a blocking time slot, in which access signals should be prevented; and   prevent transmission of access attempts from MTC devices having a pre-assigned access slot corresponding to the blocking time slot.