Method And Apparatus For Group Paging In Wireless Communication

Abstract

Various methods and devices are provided to address the need to reduce paging latency. In one method, a wireless network determines ( 201 ) a number of mobiles to be paged in a wireless coverage area that are members of a paging group. If ( 202 ) the determined number of mobiles to be paged exceeds a group-page-threshold, then the wireless network pages ( 203 ) members of the paging group in the wireless coverage area using a group-id.

1 . A method for paging a group, the method comprising:
 determining, by a wireless network, a number of mobiles to be paged in a wireless coverage area that are members of a paging group;   paging, by the wireless network, members of the paging group in the wireless coverage area using a group-id, if the determined number of mobiles to be paged exceeds a group-page-threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising
 selecting, by the wireless network, mobiles to be members of the paging group.   
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein selecting mobiles to be members of the paging group comprises
 identifying mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time.   
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein identifying mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time comprises
 identifying mobiles that stay in the same wireless coverage area.   
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein identifying mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time comprises
 identifying mobiles that move between the same wireless coverage areas.   
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein identifying mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time comprises
 identifying mobiles that move in to or out of the same wireless coverage area on a similar schedule.   
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising
 indicating, to members of the paging group by the wireless network, the group-id associated with the paging group.   
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising
 paging, by the wireless network, each member of the paging group to be paged using an individual identifier, if the determined number of mobiles to be paged does not exceed the group-page-threshold.   
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the wireless coverage area comprises at least one of a cell or a sector. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the group-page-threshold comprises a group-page-threshold for the paging group. 
     
     
         11 . An article of manufacture comprising a processor-readable storage medium storing one or more software programs which when executed by one or more processors performs the steps of the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . Wireless network equipment in a communication system, the wireless network equipment being configured to communicate with other devices in the system, wherein the wireless network equipment is operative
 to determine a number of mobiles to be paged in a wireless coverage area that are members of a paging group, and   to page members of the paging group in the wireless coverage area using a group-id, if the determined number of mobiles to be paged exceeds a group-page-threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The wireless network equipment as recited in  claim 12  being further operative
 to select mobiles to be members of the paging group. 
 
     
     
         14 . The wireless network equipment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein being operative to select mobiles to be members of the paging group comprises being operative
 to identify mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time.   
     
     
         15 . The wireless network equipment as recited in  claim 14 , wherein being operative to identify mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time comprises being operative
 to identify mobiles that stay in the same wireless coverage area.   
     
     
         16 . The wireless network equipment as recited in  claim 14 , wherein being operative to identify mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time comprises being operative
 to identify mobiles that move between the same wireless coverage areas.   
     
     
         17 . The wireless network equipment as recited in  claim 14 , wherein being operative to identify mobiles that have similar location characteristics over time comprises being operative
 to identify mobiles that move in to or out of the same wireless coverage area on a similar schedule.   
     
     
         18 . The wireless network equipment as recited in  claim 12  being further operative
 to indicate to members of the paging group the group-id associated with the paging group. 
 
     
     
         19 . The wireless network equipment as recited in  claim 12  being further operative
 to page each member of the paging group to be paged using an individual identifier, if the determined number of mobiles to be paged does not exceed the group-page-threshold.