Method, system and apparatus for paging access terminals

Abstract

A method for paging access terminals. The method includes: a network entity sends a paging message to a target AN. The paging message carries the information required for calculating the time when the AT wakes to monitor the paging message. The information includes the absolute time that is determined according to the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state. Upon receipt of the paging message, the target AN determines when to send the paging message to the AT according to the information carried in the paging message. The present embodiments also disclose a system and apparatus for paging access terminals. The apparatus is a network entity that sends the paging message. The method, system and apparatus can be used to determine the time when the AT wakes to monitor the paging message, thus ensuring that the AT paging is not missed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for paging access terminals, comprising:
 receiving, by a target access network, AN, a first paging message from a network entity, wherein the first paging message carries information required for calculating the time when an access terminal, AT, wakes to monitor the a second paging message, and the information includes an absolute time determined according to the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state; and 
 determining, by the target AN, the time to send the second paging message to the AT according to the information carried in the first paging message. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , before receiving the first paging message from the network entity, further comprising:
 sending, by a current serving AN of the AT, the absolute time to the network entity, when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , before receiving the first paging message from the network entity, further comprising:
 monitoring, by a current serving AN of the AT, the state of the radio link between the current serving AN and the AT when the AT is disconnected exceptionally, previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state; 
 determining, by the current serving AN, a time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state; 
 determining, by the current serving AN, the absolute time according to the time; 
 sending, by the current serving AN, the absolute time to the network entity. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of any one of  claim 1 , wherein the network entity is an anchor AN of the AT or a special paging controller. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the absolute time is equal to the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the absolute time is determined by converting the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state with a preset algorithm. 
     
     
       7. A system for paging access terminals, comprising: at least a target access network, AN, and a network entity, wherein
 the network entity is adapted to send a first paging message to the target AN, wherein, the first paging message carries an information required for calculating the time when an access terminal, AT, wakes to monitor the a second paging message, and the information includes an absolute time that is determined according to the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state; and 
 the target AN is adapted to receive the first paging message and use the information carried in the first paging message to calculate the time when the AT wakes to monitor the second paging message and send the second paging message to the AT at the calculated time. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the network entity comprises a time storage unit and a paging message sending unit, wherein
 the time storage unit is adapted to store the absolute time that is determined according to the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state; and 
 the paging message sending unit is adapted to carry the absolute time that is stored in the time storage unit with other information used for calculating the time when the AT wakes to monitor the second paging message within the first paging message and send the first paging message to the target AN. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: a serving AN of the AT, wherein
 the serving AN is adapted to receive the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state sent by the AT, to determine the absolute time according to the received time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state, and to send the absolute time to the time storage unit. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: a serving AN of the AT, wherein
 the serving AN is adapted to monitor the state of the radio link between the serving AN and the AT when the serving AN of the AT determines that the AT is disconnected exceptionally and enters the idle state, to determine the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state, to determine the absolute time according to the time, and to send the absolute time to the time storage unit. 
 
     
     
       11. A An apparatus for paging access terminal, comprising: a time storage unit and a paging message sending unit, wherein
 the time storage unit is adapted to store the absolute time that is determined according to the time when the AT previously shifts from the connected state to the idle state; and 
 the paging message sending unit is adapted to carry the absolute time that is stored in the time storage unit with other information used for calculating the time when the AT wakes to monitor the a second paging message within the a first paging message and send the first paging message to the target AN. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is one of an anchor AN of the AT and a special paging controller.