Method and apparatus for paging terminals in an OFDM system for achieving both fast paging response and low power consumption by utilizing a multi-step paging process

摘要

Techniques for paging terminals in a wireless (e.g., OFDMA) communication system to achieve both fast paging response and low power consumption for the terminals are described. A terminal receives paging indicator from a base station. If the paging indicator indicates that the terminal is potentially being paged, then the terminal receives at least one paging message from a paging channel. The terminal determines whether any one of the at least one paging message is for the terminal e.g., based on identification information included in each paging message. If a paging message indicates that the terminal is paged, then the terminal sends an acknowledgement for the paging message. The base station may estimate the timing of the terminal based on the acknowledgement and may send timing adjustment to the terminal. The terminal may adjust its timing based on the timing adjustment and may be able to quickly access the system with no contention.

主权项

1. A terminal comprising:
at least one processor configured to receive at least one orthogonal frequency division multiplexing symbol carrying a paging indicator, to process the at least one orthogonal frequency division multiplexing symbol to detect the paging indicator, to determine whether an indicator bit within the paging indicator is set, to receive at least one paging message from a paging channel when the indicator bit is set, and to send a paging acknowledgement in an uplink paging acknowledgement segment in response to receipt of the paging message followed by a plurality of unused symbol periods within the uplink paging acknowledgement segment; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor.