Methods and devices for efficient use of multiple paging channels

摘要

Methods and systems for efficiently using multiple paging channels in a wireless communication network are proposed. In particular, a radio access network (RAN) may determine that a wireless communication device (WCD), such as a cell phone, has not been responding to paging messages transmitted on a secondary paging channel. In response to this determination, the RAN may instruct the WCD to listen only to a primary paging channel, while the RAN will only use the primary paging channel to page the WCD. This, in turn, may increase the likelihood that the WCD is able to properly receive and respond to paging messages, and reduce the power consumption and battery drain of neighboring WCDs.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
a radio access network (RAN) transmitting a set of paging messages to a wireless communication device (WCD) via a primary paging channel and a secondary paging channel, both of a wireless coverage area, wherein the RAN maintains a page success rate for the WCD; based on the page success rate, determining that the WCD has not responded to at least one of the set of paging messages; in response to determining that the WCD has not responded to the at least one of the set of paging messages, the RAN (i) transmitting a first command to the WCD to instruct the WCD to refrain from using the secondary paging channel while the WCD is associated with the wireless coverage area, and (ii) while the WCD is associated with the wireless coverage area, transmitting one or more paging messages to the WCD via only the primary paging channel; detecting a handoff of the WCD to a new wireless coverage area of the RAN; and in response to detecting the handoff, (i) transmitting a second command to the WCD to instruct the WCD to use both the primary paging channel and the secondary paging channel, and (ii) thereafter, transmitting two or more paging messages to the WCD via the primary paging channel and the secondary paging channel.