Gateway device, mobility management device, base station, communication method, control method, paging method, and computer-readable medium

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to providing a gateway device that can properly page a communication terminal managed by a control device even if the control device loses information on the communication terminal when the control device recovers from a failure that has occurred therein. A gateway device ( 10 ) according to the present disclosure includes a storage unit ( 11 ) configured to store temporarily allocated identification information temporarily allocated to a communication terminal and an eDRX parameter associated with the communication terminal, and a transceiver ( 12 ) configured to, in a case in which downlink data destined for a communication terminal managed by a mobility management device ( 20 ) is received after a failure has occurred in the mobility management device ( 20 ), transmit a notification message with the temporarily allocated identification information and the eDRX parameter set therein to the mobility management device ( 20 ) or another mobility management device ( 21 ).

1 . A method of controlling a gateway device that operates as a Serving Gateway (SGW) and communicates with a mobility management device which is operable to be a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and to manage a terminal configured to execute a paging procedure with a power saving feature, the method comprising:
 buffering, by the SGW, downlink data for an extended duration until a next occasion after a restart of the MME; and   transmitting, by the SGW, a Downlink Data Notification message including an identifier of the terminal to the MME, if there is downlink data buffered for the terminal when detecting the MME restart.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the identifier of the terminal is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the terminal is a User Equipment (UE). 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 pacing, by the SGW, the transmitting the Downlink Data Notification message to the MME. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the pacing is configured to transmit the Downlink Data Notification message to the MME alter a period of time from receiving the downlink data. 
     
     
         6 . A gateway device that operates as a Serving Gateway (SGW) and communicates with a mobility management device which is operable to be a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and to manage a terminal configured to execute a paging procedure with a power saving feature, the SGW comprising:
 at least one memory storing instructions; and   at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:
 buffer, by the SGW, downlink data for an extended duration until a next occasion alter a restart of the MME; and 
 transmit, by the SGW, a Downlink Data Notification message including an identifier of the terminal to the MME, if there is downlink data buffered for the terminal when detecting the MME restart. 
   
     
     
         7 . The gateway device according to  claim 6 , wherein the identifier of the terminal is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). 
     
     
         8 . The gateway device according to  claim 6 , wherein the terminal is a User Equipment (UE). 
     
     
         9 . The gateway device according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instruction to pace the transmission of the Downlink Data Notification message to the MME. 
     
     
         10 . The gateway device according to  claim 9 , wherein the pacing is to transmit the Downlink Data Notification message to the MME after a period of time from receiving the downlink data. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to, the computer being as a Serving Gateway (SGW) and communicating with a mobility management device which is operable to be a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and to manage a terminal configured to execute a paging procedure with a power saving feature, the non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to:
 buffer, by the SGW, downlink data for an extended duration until a next occasion after a restart of the MME; and   transmit, by the SGW, a Downlink Data Notification message including an identifier of the terminal to the MME, if there is downlink data buffered for the terminal when detecting the MME restart.