Optimized resource allocation for wireless device in packet transfer mode

Abstract

A system and method allows a network, in response to a cell reselection notice, to serve a wireless, wireless device sufficient data to complete a pending data transfer instead of performing the immediate cell change. Appropriate allocation of radio resources to the wireless device in the current serving cell and before cell change allows reduced packet data transfer latencies for small data sessions, better load balancing and traffic resourcing between cells, appropriate allocation of uplink resources in the new target cell, and enhanced control over network congestion.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method for a wireless device, the method comprising:
 transferring data via a data flow in a first communications cell;   performing a measurement of a neighbor cell;   determining a quantity of pending data to be transmitted through the first communications cell to complete at least a selected portion of the data flow through the first communications cell;   transmitting an indication of the quantity of pending data to complete at least the selected portion of the data flow and a measurement report for the neighbor cell; and   after transmitting the quantity of pending data to complete at least the selected portion of the data flow through the first communications cell, switching to the second communications cell.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the selected portion of the data flow is the remaining number of data blocks needed to complete a TBF through the first communications cell. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the selected portion of the data flow is less than the remaining number of data blocks needed to complete the data flow through the first communications cell and is selected to substantially minimize apparent data latency at the wireless device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the indication of the quantity of pending data to complete at least the selected portion of the data flow is a total buffer size in bytes to complete the selected portion of the data flow scaled by a scaling factor. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the total buffer size in bytes to complete the selected portion of the data flow scaled by the scaling factor indicates a number of RLC data octets needed to complete the selected portion of the data flow. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the indication of the number of RLC data octets is given by RLC_BUFFER_SIZE multiplied by two raised to a power of the scaling factor. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein an RLC_BUFFER_SIZE value of ‘0’ indicates that the wireless device does not provide any information on TBF size. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein switching to the second communications cell is performed according to a packet switched handover procedure. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising, before receiving a cell change message from the network, completing at least the selected portion of the data flow through the first communications cell using a remaining number of data blocks. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the neighbor cell is the second communications cell. 
     
     
         36 . A user agent comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 transfer data via a data flow in a first communications cell; 
 perform a measurement of a neighbor cell; 
 determine a quantity of pending data to be transmitted through the first communications cell to complete at least a selected portion of the data flow through the first communications cell; 
 transmit an indication of the quantity of pending data to complete at least the selected portion of the data flow and a measurement report for the neighbor cell; and 
 after transmitting the quantity of pending data to complete at least the selected portion of the data flow through the first communications cell, switch to the second communications cell. 
   
     
     
         37 . The user agent of  claim 36 , wherein the selected portion of the data flow is the remaining number of data blocks needed to complete a TBF through the first communications cell. 
     
     
         38 . The user agent of  claim 36 , wherein the selected portion of the data flow is less than the remaining number of data blocks needed to complete the data flow through the first communications cell and is selected to substantially minimize apparent data latency at the wireless device. 
     
     
         39 . The user agent of  claim 36 , wherein the indication of the quantity of pending data to complete at least the selected portion of the data flow is a total buffer size in bytes to complete the selected portion of the data flow scaled by a scaling factor. 
     
     
         40 . The user agent of  claim 39 , wherein the total buffer size in bytes to complete the selected portion of the data flow scaled by the scaling factor indicates a number of RLC data octets needed to complete the selected portion of the data flow. 
     
     
         41 . The user agent of  claim 40 , wherein the indication of the number of RLC data octets is given by RLC_BUFFER_SIZE multiplied by two raised to a power of the scaling factor. 
     
     
         42 . The user agent of  claim 41 , wherein an RLC_BUFFER_SIZE value of ‘0’ indicates that the wireless device does not provide any information on TBF size. 
     
     
         43 . The user agent of  claim 36 , wherein switching to the second communications cell is performed according to a packet switched handover procedure. 
     
     
         44 . The user agent of  claim 36 , wherein the processor is configured to, before receiving a cell change message from the network, complete at least the selected portion of the data flow through the first communications cell using a remaining number of data blocks. 
     
     
         45 . The user agent of  claim 36 , wherein the neighbor cell is the second communications cell.