Method for Transmitting Data in a Radio Network, a Radio Network and a Receiver

Abstract

What is provided is a method for communicating with a cellular network. The method is performed by a mobile computing device that comprises a transmitter and a receiver. One or more communication channels are monitored for one or more data packets that are transmitted by a base station of the cellular network during a transmission period. The transmission period can include one or more time slots. The mobile computing device determines whether one or more data packets have been received during a first time slot of the transmission period. In response to determining that no data packet has been received during the first time slot, the mobile computing device switches to an idle state until the transmission period ends.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for communicating with a cellular network, the method being performed by a mobile computing device and comprising:
 monitoring one or more communication channels for one or more data packets that are transmitted by a base station of the cellular network during a transmission period, the transmission period including one or more time slots;   determining whether one or more data packets have been received by the mobile computing device during a first time slot of the transmission period; and   in response to determining that no data packet has been received during the first time slot, switching the mobile computing device to an idle state until the transmission period ends.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein monitoring one or more communication channels for one or more data packets includes comparing identifiers of the one or more data packets with an identifier of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mobile computing device is within a geographic region of a first cell, and wherein monitoring one or more communication channels for one or more data packets includes monitoring the one or more communication channels for one or more data packets that are transmitted by the base station that is also within the geographic region of the first cell. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising in response to determining that one or more data packets have been received, processing the one or more data packets. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 after switching the mobile computing device to the idle state, determining whether the transmission period has ended; and   in response to determining that the transmission period has ended, switching out of the idle state.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein switching the mobile computing device to the idle state until the transmission period ends includes deactivating one or more components of the mobile computing device in order to reduce energy consumption. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein deactivating one or more components includes deactivating a radio receiving component of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         9 . A mobile computing device comprising:
 a receiver for receiving data over a cellular network; and   a transmitter for transmitting data over the cellular network;   wherein the mobile computing device is configured to:
 monitor one or more communication channels for one or more data packets that are transmitted by a base station of the cellular network during a transmission period, the transmission period including one or more time slots; 
 determine whether one or more data packets have been received by the mobile computing device during a first time slot of the transmission period; and 
 in response to determining that no data packet has been received during the first time slot, switch the mobile computing device to an idle state until the transmission period ends. 
   
     
     
         10 . The mobile computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile computing device monitors the one or more communication channels for one or more data packets by comparing identifiers of the one or more data packets with an identifier of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile computing device is within a geographic region of a first cell, and wherein the mobile computing device monitors the one or more communication channels for one or more data packets by monitoring the one or more communication channels for one or more data packets that are transmitted by the base station that is also within the geographic region of the first cell. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to, in response to determining that one or more data packets have been received, processing the one or more data packets. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to:
 after switching the mobile computing device to the idle state, determine whether the transmission period has ended; and   in response to determining that the transmission period has ended, switch out of the idle state.   
     
     
         14 . The mobile computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile computing device switches to the idle state until the transmission period ends by deactivating one or more components of the mobile computing device in order to reduce energy consumption. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the mobile computing device deactivates the one or more components by deactivating the receiver. 
     
     
         16 . A cellular device comprising:
 a receiver for receiving data over a cellular network;   a transmitter for transmitting data over the cellular network; and   an antenna coupled to the receiver and the transmitter;   wherein the cellular device is configured to:
 monitor one or more communication channels for one or more data packets that are transmitted by the base station during a transmission period, the transmission period including one or more time slots; 
 determine whether one or more data packets have been received by the cellular device during a first time slot of the transmission period; and 
 in response to determining that no data packet has been received during the first time slot, switch the cellular device to an idle state until the transmission period ends by deactivating at least one of the receiver or the transmitter. 
   
     
     
         17 . The cellular device of  claim 16 , wherein the cellular device monitors the one or more communication channels for one or more data packets by (i) comparing identifiers of the one or more data packets with an identifier of the cellular device, and (ii) filtering out data packets that do not correspond with the identifier of the cellular device. 
     
     
         18 . The cellular device of  claim 16 , wherein the cellular device is further configured to decode the one or more data packets that have been received by the cellular device. 
     
     
         19 . The cellular device of  claim 16 , wherein the cellular device is within a geographic region of a first cell, and wherein the cellular device monitors the one or more communication channels for one or more data packets by monitoring the one or more communication channels for one or more data packets that are transmitted by the base station that is also within the geographic region of the first cell. 
     
     
         20 . The cellular device of  claim 16 , wherein the cellular device is further configured to:
 after switching the cellular device to the idle state, determine whether the transmission period has ended; and   in response to determining that the transmission period has ended, switch out of the idle state.   
     
     
         21 . The cellular device of  claim 16 , wherein when the cellular device is operating in the idle state, one or more other functionalities of the cellular device is accelerated.