User equipment characteristics

Abstract

A method of providing an indication of ambient operational characteristics of user equipment to a network control node in a wireless communication network, and a method of configuring radio resource allocation to user equipment in a wireless communication network in response to an indication of ambient operational characteristics of said user equipment. The method of providing an indication of ambient operational characteristics of user equipment to a network control node in a wireless communication network comprises: determining how many cell boundaries the user equipment has crossed within a monitoring period; assessing an operational parameter indicative of a relationship between the user equipment and each cell visited during the monitoring period; and communicating an indication of how many cell boundaries have been crossed together with an indication of the operational parameter to the network control node. The method of configuring radio resource allocation to user equipment in a wireless communication network in response to an indication of ambient operational characteristics of said user equipment comprises: receiving an indication of how many cell boundaries have been crossed by the user equipment in a monitoring period, together with an indication of an operational parameter indicative of a relationship between the user equipment and each cell visited by the user equipment during the monitoring period; and configuring an inactivity timer to apply to the user equipment in response to the received indications. Aspects and embodiments described provide mobility information to a network in order to allow a network to configure radio parameters for user equipment such to achieve better battery consumption and reduced signaling load within a network. Techniques described may be useful to smart phones operating with background applications running.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 transmitting by a user equipment information comprising an indication of a time spent by said user equipment in each cell visited in any of a connected and an idle radio connection status during a monitoring period;   wherein said user equipment is in said connected state at least once during said monitoring period and in said idle state at least once during said monitoring period.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said monitoring period comprises a predetermined time. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said method further comprises determining how many cell boundaries said user equipment has crossed within said predetermined time. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said predetermined time is a configurable period of time. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said monitoring period is dependent upon a number of cells visited. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said number of cells visited is a configurable number. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information is transmitted when connecting to a network. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information is transmitted when connected to a network. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein said information further comprises said radio connection status, said radio connection status comprising a state in which said user equipment is not connected to said network. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said state in which said user equipment is not connected to said network comprises a power off state. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information further comprises a cell ID and an indication of how long said user equipment was in said cell, for each cell visited. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information further comprises a list of last visited cells, an ordering of said list being indicative of a path said user equipment has followed. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein when said user equipment visits at least one of said cells multiple times during said monitoring period, said information comprises said indication of said time spent for each of said visits. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 16 , comprising assessing said information at said user equipment prior to transmitting said information. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 16 , comprising determining how many cell boundaries said user equipment has crossed during said monitoring period. 
     
     
         31 . A user equipment comprising:
 communication logic operable to transmit information comprising an indication of a time spent by said user equipment in each cell visited in any of a connected and an idle radio connection status during a monitoring period;   wherein said user equipment is in said connected state at least once during said monitoring period and in said idle state at least once during said monitoring period.   
     
     
         32 . The user equipment according to  claim 31 , said user equipment further comprising assessment logic operable to assess said time spent in each cell visited by said user equipment during said monitoring period. 
     
     
         33 . The user equipment according to  claim 31 , said user equipment further comprising determination logic operable to determine how many cell boundaries said user equipment has crossed within said monitoring period. 
     
     
         34 . A method comprising:
 receiving an indication of a radio connection status of a user equipment and a time spent in said radio connection status by said user equipment in a monitoring period; and   configuring an inactivity timer to apply to said user equipment in response to said received indications;   wherein said radio connection status comprises a connected state and an idle state.   
     
     
         35 . A computer program product operable, when executed on a computer, to perform the method according to  claim 16  and another method comprising:
 receiving an indication of a radio connection status of a user equipment and a time spent in said radio connection status by said user equipment in a monitoring period; and 
 configuring an inactivity timer to apply to said user equipment in response to said received indications; 
 wherein said radio connection status comprises a connected state and an idle state. 
 
     
     
         36 . A network control node comprising:
 reception logic operable to receive an indication of a radio connection status of a user equipment and a time spent in said radio connection status by said user equipment in a monitoring period; and   configuration logic operable to configure an inactivity timer to apply to said user equipment in response to said received indications;   wherein said radio connection status comprises an idle state and a connected state.