Data routing in cellular communication system

Abstract

There is provided a solution for proactively transferring ( 206 ) downlink data addressed to a terminal device ( 120 ) from a data routing network element (e.g. S-GW) of a cellular communication system. According to an embodiment, a location of the terminal device is determined and an identifier associated with the determined location is delivered to the data routing network element. Then, the data routing network element may forward data to the eNB even before one or more services for the delivery of the downlink data to the terminal device have been completed.

1 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor, and   at least one memory comprising a computer program code, wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:   receive, in a first network element from a second network element of a cellular communication system, a paging request for a terminal device;   in response to receiving the paging request, determine whether or not the terminal device is located in a control area of the first network element, the control area comprising at least one cell of the cellular communication system;   upon determining that the terminal device is located in the control area, transmit of a notification message to the second network element, and   after transmission of the notification message and before a service for the terminal device has been fully configured for data transmission in the first network element, receive in the first network element payload data associated with the service.   
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to maintain a cell level location of terminal devices located in the control area, the cell level location indicating for each terminal device at least one cell of the control area where the terminal device is located. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to carry out said determining by causing a transmission of a paging request message in the control area to the terminal device and receiving a response to the paging request message from the terminal device. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to:
 carry out said determining by causing a transmission of a paging request message in the control area to the terminal device and receiving a response to the paging request message from the terminal device, and   when the service is a radio resource control connection established between the terminal device and the first network element,   transmit at least some of the payload data to the terminal device right after the configuration of the radio resource connection.   
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to:
 carry out said determining by causing a transmission of a paging request message in the control area to the terminal device and receiving a response to the paging request message from the terminal device, and   when the service is a radio resource control connection established between the terminal device and the first network element,   transmit at least some of the payload data to a local area access node for transmission to the terminal device right after the configuration of the radio resource connection.   
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to:
 carry out said determining by causing a transmission of a paging request message in the control area to the terminal device and receiving a response to the paging request message from the terminal device, and   when the service is a radio resource control connection established between the terminal device and the first network element,   determine a sub-cell where the terminal device is located;   cause a local area access node controlling the sub-cell to carry out paging of the terminal device, and   transmit of the payload data to at least one local area access node before the radio resource connection with the terminal device has been fully configured for data transmission.   
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to carry out said determining by causing a transmission of a paging request message in the control area to the terminal device and receiving a response to the paging request message from the terminal device in a random access procedure carried out between the terminal device and the first network element. 
     
     
         55 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor, and   at least one memory comprising a computer program code, wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:   detect, in a data routing network element of a cellular communication system, that downlink data addressed to a terminal device of the cellular communication system exists;   in response to said detecting, transmit of a notification message causing paging of the terminal device;   as a response to the notification message, receive a response notification message identifying a first network element controlling a control area comprising at least one cell, and   transmit, on the basis of the received response, said downlink data to the first network element before a service between the data routing network element and the terminal device and associated with said downlink data has been fully configured.   
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the first network element is a local area access node operating a sub-cell within a macro cell controlled by a macro cell access node. 
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the notification message is transmitted to a mobility management entity of the cellular communication system, the mobility management entity for tracking the location of the terminal device in a tracking area and for carrying out paging of the terminal device, and wherein the response notification message is received from the mobility management entity. 
     
     
         58 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor, and   at least one memory comprising a computer program code, wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:   detect, in a network element of a cellular communication system, that downlink data addressed to a terminal device of the cellular communication system exists;   in response to said detecting, determine a cell where the terminal device is located, and   upon determining the cell, transmit a notification message to a data routing network element of the cellular communication system, wherein the notification message comprises an identifier associated with the determined cell and is transmitted before a service associated with said downlink data has been fully configured between the network element and the terminal device.   
     
     
         59 . The apparatus of  claim 58 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to:
 store the identifier in a location database, and   transmit a paging message only to an access node operating the cell in which the terminal device is located.   
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 58 , wherein the processor, the memory, and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to:
 store the identifier in a location database;   in response to said detecting, transmit a paging message only to an access node operating the cell in which the terminal device is located, and   transmit, upon unsuccessful paging of the terminal device in the cell, a paging request in a tracking area comprising a plurality of cells.   
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 58 , wherein the notification message is transmitted to the data routing network element before receiving a response to a paging message paging the terminal device.