Predictive paging based on mobility history and movement patterns

摘要

A method and apparatus for efficient paging of user equipment (UE) in an LTE network is disclosed. In addition to storing the Last Seen eNodeB (LSeNB) for each UE attached to a mobility management entity (MME), the MME also maintains an LSeNB List of the eNodeBs seen immediately before the LSeNB for each UE. When a notification for a UE arrives at the MME, then MME can select from several paging methods, including paging only the LSeNB to locate the UE and sending a paging request LSeNB as well as to the list of eNodeBs seem immediately before the LSeNB. The MME can send a paging request to more than a single eNodeB but less than a full Tracking Area. Efficient paging is especially needed for voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls where a call will go to voice mail if a page isn't answered quickly.

主权项

1. A method, executed in a wireless network having base stations and wireless mobility managers controlling the base stations, comprising the steps of:
maintaining a database of user equipment (UE) mobility patterns, said database storing at least a Last Seen list of one or more base stations in the order in which they were visited by the user equipment (UE) for each UE attached to the wireless mobility managers and the number of times one base station is visited immediately after another base station for pairs of base stations within a set; receiving a message requesting access to a requested UE; maintaining a paging policy table for the wireless mobility managers that determines which of one or more paging methods are used in response to different types of notifications, said paging methods including any of accessing the Last Seen base station, accessing a list of the Last Seen base stations, accessing the Last Seen tracking area and accessing the Last Seen tracking area and neighboring tracking areas; accessing the paging policy table when a message requesting access to the UE is received to determine which one or more paging methods to follow; generating a mobility pattern list, in response to the notification request, of likely base stations the requested UE would visit by accessing the database with the requested UE's most recently visited base station; and combining the mobility pattern list with the Last Seen list for the requested UE to determine which base stations receive a first paging request; sending the first paging request to the base stations on the Last Seen list for the requested UE; and if that paging request fails, sending a second paging request to a larger group of base stations in accordance with the paging policy table.