Prioritization of Energy Over System Throughput in a Wireless Communications System

Abstract

The present invention relates to a user equipment and a radio base station, and to related methods of enabling the radio base station to affect an energy saving in the system during a connection between the user equipment and the radio base station according to a priority level of the energy saving. The method comprises the step of detecting a trigger received via a user interface of the user equipment, where the trigger is associated with the priority level of the energy saving in the system. It also comprises transmitting an indicator of the priority level to the radio base station, allowing the radio base station to affect the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the priority level, by configuring different user or system related parameters.

1 . A method, in a user equipment in a wireless communications system, for enabling a radio base station to affect an energy saving in the system during a connection between the user equipment and the radio base station according to a priority level of the energy saving, the method comprising:
 detecting a trigger received via a user interface of the user equipment, wherein the trigger is associated with the priority level of the energy saving in the system; and   transmitting an indicator of the priority level to the radio base station, thus allowing the radio base station to affect the energy saving in the system, during the connection, according to the priority level.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is transmitted during initial access of the connection, and the priority level is indicated in a random access preamble or a user equipment capability message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is transmitted after initial access of the connection, and the priority level is indicated in a medium access control (MAC) control element, a scheduling request, a buffer status report, or a quality of service parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting an additional trigger associated with a further priority level of the energy saving, wherein the additional trigger is received via a user interface of the user equipment; and   transmitting an indicator of the further priority level to the radio base station, allowing the radio base station to further affect the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the further priority level.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the priority level corresponds to one of at least two pre-determined priority levels. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving information regarding the energy saving in the system during the connection, from the radio base station. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the priority level indicates a priority of the energy saving in relation to any of a throughput, a delay, a priority, and a packet loss rate associated with the connection. 
     
     
         8 . A method, in a radio base station in a wireless communications system, for affecting an energy saving in the system during a connection between a user equipment and the radio base station according to a priority level of the energy saving, the method comprising:
 retrieving an indicator of the priority level of the energy saving in the system; and   configuring a parameter affecting the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the indicated priority level.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the indicator is retrieved from the user equipment during initial access of the connection, and the priority level is indicated in a random access preamble or a user equipment capability message. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the indicator is retrieved from the user equipment after initial access of the connection, and the priority level is indicated in a medium access control (MAC) control element, a scheduling request, a buffer status report, or a quality of service parameter. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the indicator is retrieved from a network node during initial access of the connection, and the priority level is indicated in a user equipment subscription parameter. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving an additional indicator of a further priority level of the energy saving in the system, from the user equipment; and   configuring the parameter affecting the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the indicated further priority level.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the configured parameter is at least one of a user equipment related parameter and a system related parameter. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the priority level corresponds to one of at least two pre-determined priority levels. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising transmitting information regarding the energy saving in the system during the connection, to the user equipment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the priority level indicates a priority of the energy saving in relation to any of a throughput, a delay, a priority, and a packet loss rate associated with the connection. 
     
     
         17 . A user equipment configured to be used in a wireless communications system and to enable a radio base station to affect an energy saving in the system during a connection between the user equipment and the radio base station according to a priority level of the energy saving, the user equipment comprising:
 a detecting unit adapted to detect a trigger received via a user interface of the user equipment, the trigger associated with the priority level of the energy saving in the system; and   a transmitter adapted to transmit an indicator of the priority level to the radio base station, allowing the radio base station to affect the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the priority level.   
     
     
         18 . The user equipment of  claim 17 , wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit the indicator during initial access of the connection, and wherein the priority level is indicated in a random access preamble or a user equipment capability message. 
     
     
         19 . The user equipment of  claim 17 , wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit the indicator after initial access of the connection, and wherein the priority level is indicated in a medium access control (MAC) control element, a scheduling request, a buffer status report, or a quality of service parameter. 
     
     
         20 . The user equipment of  claim 17 , wherein the detecting unit is further adapted to detect an additional trigger of a further priority level of the energy saving, the additional trigger received via a user interface of the user equipment, and wherein the transmitting unit is further adapted to transmit an indicator of the further priority level to the radio base station, allowing the radio base station to further affect the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the further priority level. 
     
     
         21 . The user equipment of  claim 17 , wherein the priority level corresponds to one of at least two pre-determined priority levels. 
     
     
         22 . The user equipment of  claim 17 , further comprising a receiver adapted to receive information regarding the energy saving in the system during the connection, from the radio base station. 
     
     
         23 . The user equipment of  claim 17 , wherein the priority level indicates a priority of the energy saving in relation to any of a throughput, a delay, a priority, and a packet loss rate associated with the connection. 
     
     
         24 . A radio base station configured to be used in a wireless communications system and to affect an energy saving in the system during a connection between a user equipment and the radio base station according to a priority level of the energy saving, the radio base station comprising:
 a retrieving unit adapted to retrieve an indicator of the priority level of the energy saving in the system; and   a configuring unit adapted to configure a parameter affecting the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the indicated priority level.   
     
     
         25 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , wherein the retrieving unit is adapted to retrieve the indicator of the priority level from the user equipment during initial access of the connection, and wherein the priority level is indicated in a random access preamble or a user equipment capability message. 
     
     
         26 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , wherein the retrieving unit is adapted to retrieve the indicator from the user equipment after initial access of the connection, and wherein the priority level is indicated in a medium access control (MAC) control element, a scheduling request, a buffer status report, or a quality of service parameter. 
     
     
         27 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , wherein the retrieving unit is adapted to retrieve the indicator from a network node during initial access of the connection, and wherein the priority level is indicated in a user equipment subscription parameter. 
     
     
         28 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , wherein the receiver is further adapted to receive an additional indicator of a further priority level of the energy saving in the system, from the user equipment, and the configuring unit is further adapted to configure the parameter affecting the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the indicated further priority level. 
     
     
         29 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , wherein the parameter is at least one of a user equipment related parameter and a system related parameter. 
     
     
         30 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , wherein the priority level corresponds to one of at least two pre-determined priority levels. 
     
     
         31 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , further comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit information regarding the energy saving in the system during the connection, to the user equipment. 
     
     
         32 . The radio base station of  claim 24 , wherein the priority level indicates a priority of the energy saving in relation to any of a throughput, a delay, a priority and a packet loss rate associated with the connection. 
     
     
         33 . A method, in a user equipment in a wireless communications system, for affecting an energy saving in the system during a connection between the user equipment and a radio base station according to a priority level of the energy saving, the method comprising:
 detecting a trigger received via a user interface of the user equipment, wherein the trigger is associated with the priority level of the energy saving in the system; and   configuring a user equipment related parameter affecting the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the priority level.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the user equipment related parameter is at least one of a user equipment capability, and a parameter related to supported radio access technologies. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the priority level indicates a priority of the energy saving in relation to any of a throughput, a delay, a priority, and a packet loss rate associated with the connection. 
     
     
         36 . A user equipment configured to be used in a wireless communications system, and to affect an energy saving in the system during a connection between the user equipment and a radio base station according to a priority level of the energy saving, the user equipment comprising:
 a receiver adapted to receive a trigger via a user interface of the user equipment, wherein the trigger is associated with the priority level of the energy saving in the system; and   a configuring unit, adapted to configure a user equipment related parameter affecting the energy saving in the system during the connection according to the priority level.   
     
     
         37 . The user equipment of  claim 36 , wherein the user equipment related parameter is at least one of a user equipment capability, and a parameter related to supported radio access technologies. 
     
     
         38 . The user equipment of  claim 36 , wherein the priority level indicates a priority of the energy saving in relation to any of a throughput, a delay, a priority, and a packet loss rate associated with the connection.