Slot Reservation Indication for Paging Slot Management in Wireless Networks

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mobile stations operating in reduced slotted mode cannot perform operations like GPS signal searching or network scanning without missing paging slots, leading to potential call setup delays due to insufficient time between slots.

Innovation Solution

The mobile device transmits a slot reservation indication to the wireless network to reserve specific paging slots, allowing it to perform functions like GPS fixes or network scanning without receiving page messages during those slots, or the network infers reservations based on neighbor list messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the mobile station operates in reduced slotted mode with shortened slot cycle, then call setup time is reduced, but the mobile station cannot perform operations like GPS signal searching or network scanning without missing paging slots

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall setup timeVSAvoidability to perform additional operations

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile station sends a slot reservation indication to the network infrastructure in advance, notifying it of upcoming operations (GPS fixes, network scanning) that will cause it to miss paging slots. The network proactively refrains from sending page messages during these reserved periods, preventing message loss before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The slot reservation indication acts as an intermediary communication mechanism between the mobile station and the network infrastructure. It conveys the mobile station's operational intentions to the network, which then adjusts its paging behavior accordingly, coordinating between the mobile station's need to perform additional operations and the network's need to deliver messages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the mobile station performs operations like GPS signal searching or network scanning in reduced slotted mode, then operational flexibility is improved, but paging slots are missed leading to call setup delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidmessage reception reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile station sends a slot reservation indication to the network infrastructure in advance, notifying it of upcoming operations (GPS fixes, network scanning) that will cause it to miss paging slots. The network proactively refrains from sending page messages during these reserved periods, preventing message loss before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The slot reservation indication provides feedback from the mobile station to the network infrastructure about its operational state and upcoming activities. This feedback loop allows the network to adapt its paging behavior to the mobile station's needs, ensuring reliable message delivery while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the mobile station monitors all assigned paging slots in reduced slotted mode, then message reception is ensured, but insufficient time remains to perform additional operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage receptionVSAvoidability to perform additional operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts specific paging slots from the regular monitoring schedule by reserving them in advance. These reserved slots are removed from the set of slots the mobile station must monitor, allowing the station to perform additional operations during these extracted time periods without compromising message reception for non-reserved slots.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile station sends a slot reservation indication to the network infrastructure in advance, notifying it of upcoming operations (GPS fixes, network scanning) that will cause it to miss paging slots. The network proactively refrains from sending page messages during these reserved periods, preventing message loss before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7436791B2Methods and apparatus for providing slot reservations for slotted messages in wireless communication networks

Publication Date: 2008.10.14 MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

In one illustrative example, a mobile communication device transmits a slot reservation indication to the wireless network for reserving each nth paging slot assigned to the mobile device. At some point in time, a page message request for paging the mobile device is received within the wireless network. A page message for paging the mobile device is refrained from being transmitted within a reserved paging slot, but rather within a subsequent paging slot assigned to the mobile device after a lapse of time associated with the reserved paging slot. During the slot reservation, the mobile device may perform a function such as a GPS location fix or network scanning operation.