CN106303985A - Method, device and communication system for grouping based on machine type communication - Google Patents

Abstract

A method, device and communication system based on machine type communication grouping, the method is used in a communication system, the method includes the following steps: broadcasting, by a base station, packet requests to a plurality of User Equipments (UEs) in an area; determining, by the base station, whether the user equipment has at least one group leader; and receiving, by the base station, a grouping report reported by the group leader if the base station determines that the user equipment has the group leader; wherein the grouping report records ue identifiers of all ues belonging to a group corresponding to the group leader.

Description

Method, device and communication system based on machine type communication grouping

technical field

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically relates to a method, device and communication system based on machine type communication (Machine Type Communication, MTC) grouping.

Background technique

For a long time, our daily life has been facilitated by various machines and devices. Generally speaking, today's machines and devices are equipped with computing processors and software to provide intelligent services. On the other hand, due to the popularization of wireless communication technology, machine-type communication technology has been developed, enabling remote machines to exchange information through wireless communication and operate without human operation. Especially for major public constructions such as water conservancy facilities, bridges, nature reserves, etc., machine-type communication sensors (sensors) can be used to monitor the operating status or environmental measurement status of public constructions, and the monitoring results can be transmitted wirelessly The communication technology returns to the management and control center, and the wireless communication technology includes: Global System for Mobile Communications (Global System for Mobliecommunications, GSM) technology, General Packet Radio Service (General Packet Radio Service, GPRS) technology, Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution, EDGE) technology, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) technology, Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000, CDMA-2000) technology, Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TimeDivision-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) technology, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) technology, Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, Long Term Evolution Enhanced (LTE-Advanced) technology, and time-sharing Long-term evolution (Time-Division LTE, TD-LTE) technology, etc.

In order to deploy MTC services through large-scale low-mobility and low-cost devices, users/service operators should manage these devices by grouping. Therefore, the command information can be sent to the group through the group without sending it to each device in batches; Network/server resources. In addition, according to the specification standard book TS22.368 formulated by The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the MTC system should be optimized to handle MTC groups. However, in the prior art, it is only defined how to transmit group information to a group of devices (for example, through cell broadcast, Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS), IP multicast (IPmulticast) etc.), but it is not clear how devices are grouped.

Therefore, there is a need for a method, device and communication system based on MTC packets to solve the above problems.

Contents of the invention

The invention provides a method, device and communication system based on machine type communication grouping.

The present invention proposes a method for grouping based on machine type communication, which is used in a communication system. The method includes the following steps: a base station broadcasts a grouping request to a plurality of user equipments (User Equipment, UE) in an area; through the above The base station determines whether there is at least one group leader in the user equipment; and if the base station determines that there is the group leader in the user equipment, receiving a group report reported by the group leader through the base station; Wherein, the above-mentioned group report record belongs to the user equipment identifiers of all user equipment in the group corresponding to the above-mentioned group leader.

In some embodiments, the above method further includes: starting a first timer by the base station; if the first timer expires and the base station does not receive the group report transmitted by the group leader, it is determined that The above-mentioned user equipment does not have the above-mentioned group leader; and executing a local group leader selection procedure. In some embodiments, the local group leader selection procedure further includes: broadcasting group leader selection request information to the user equipment through the base station; after the user equipment receives the group leader selection request information, the above-mentioned use The or equipment activates a respective random back-off timer; and when the above-mentioned random back-off timer expires, the user equipment corresponding to the above-mentioned random back-off timer respectively unicasts a group leader selection acceptance message to the above-mentioned base station and broadcasts A group leader chooses to accept information to other user equipments, wherein, when the corresponding random backoff timer expires and has not received a first one of the above-mentioned group leader selection acceptance information transmitted from the above-mentioned remaining user equipments The user device becomes the group leader. In some embodiments, the local group leader selection procedure further includes: after the other user equipments receive the group leader selection acceptance message, stop their respective random backoff timers. In some embodiments, the above-mentioned local group leader selection procedure further includes: when the above-mentioned base station receives the above-mentioned group leader selection acceptance message transmitted by the above-mentioned first UE, starting a second timer; 2. When the timer expires, the base station sends a group leader selection completion message to the group leader. In some embodiments, after the above-mentioned base station determines that there is the above-mentioned group leader in the above-mentioned user equipment, it further includes the following steps: start a third timer through the above-mentioned group leader, and receive the information sent by the other above-mentioned user equipment Respective group responses, wherein the above-mentioned group responses at least include the user equipment identifier of the corresponding user equipment; and when the third timer expires, the group leader generates the above-mentioned group reports according to the above-mentioned group responses, and transmits the above-mentioned Packets are reported to the aforementioned base stations. In some embodiments, before the above-mentioned base station broadcasts the above-mentioned grouping request to the above-mentioned user equipment, the following steps are further included: receiving, through the above-mentioned base station, a message sent by a Machine Type Communication (MTC) application/a Machine Type Communication server A group indication; wherein the group indication is used to request a group result report on all UEs in the above area. In some embodiments, after the base station receives the group report reported by the group leader, the method further includes the following steps: sending the group report to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) through the base station; The mobile management entity transmits the grouping result report to the above-mentioned MTC application/the above-mentioned MTC server according to the above-mentioned grouping report; wherein the above-mentioned grouping result report includes at least one group identifier and an International Mobile Subscriber Identification (IMSID, IMSI) list. In some embodiments, the above-mentioned method further includes the following step: sending the above-mentioned grouping result report to the above-mentioned base station through the above-mentioned mobility management entity according to the above-mentioned grouping report. In some embodiments, the above-mentioned method further includes the following steps: the above-mentioned base station transmits a group grouping result report to the above-mentioned group leader. In some embodiments, a third user equipment does not start the random backoff timer corresponding to the third user equipment, directly unicasts a group leader selection acceptance message to the above base station and broadcasts the group leader selection acceptance information to the remaining user devices, wherein the third user device has been the leader of the group.

The present invention proposes a method for grouping based on machine type communication, which is used in a user equipment. The method includes the following steps: receiving a group leader selection request message transmitted by a base station; enabling a random backoff timer; and when the random backoff timer expires and a group leader selection acceptance message transmitted from at least one second user equipment has not been received, respectively unicast the group leader selection acceptance message to the base station and broadcast the above-mentioned A group leader selection acceptance message is sent to the second user equipment, wherein the user equipment becomes a group leader; and a group leader selection completion message sent by the base station is received.

In some embodiments, the method further includes: after the second UE receives the group leader selection acceptance message, stopping respective random backoff timers.

The present invention proposes a communication system based on machine type communication groups, including: a base station and a plurality of user equipments (User Equipment, UE). The base station broadcasts a grouping request in an area; the plurality of user equipments (User Equipment, UE) respectively receive the grouping request; wherein, the base station determines whether there is at least one group leader in the user equipment; if the base station When it is determined that there is the group leader in the user equipment, the group report reported by the group leader is received through the base station; wherein, the group report record belongs to all users in the group corresponding to the group leader The device's user device identifier.

The present invention proposes a communication device based on machine type communication grouping. The communication device includes: a control circuit, a processor and a memory. The above-mentioned processor is set in the above-mentioned control circuit. The above-mentioned memory is arranged in the above-mentioned control circuit and coupled to the above-mentioned processor; wherein the above-mentioned processor is configured to execute an instruction stored in the above-mentioned memory to perform: receiving a group leader selection request information transmitted by a base station; enabling a random backoff timer; and when the random backoff timer expires and a group leader selection acceptance message transmitted from at least one second user equipment has not been received, respectively unicast the group leader selection receiving information to the base station and broadcasting the group leader selection acceptance information to the second user equipment, wherein the communication device becomes a group leader; and receiving a group leader selection completion message transmitted by the base station.

In order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, preferred embodiments are listed below and described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) service model supporting Machine Type Communication (MTC).

FIG. 2A shows a mode in which communication is directly performed without a machine type communication server.

FIG. 2B shows a mode in which a machine type communication server (eg, SCS) is located outside the 3GPP network.

FIG. 2C shows a mode in which the MTC server is located inside the 3GPP network.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary schema diagram of an MTC architecture.

FIG. 4 shows another simplified functional block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a simplified functional block diagram of the execution program code in FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an information sequence diagram of an MTC packet according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a message sequence diagram of an MTC packet according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a message sequence diagram of a local group leader selection procedure according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of a method for grouping based on MTC according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a method for grouping based on MTC according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Wherein, the reference signs are explained as follows:

400 communication device;

402 input device;

404 output device;

406 control circuit;

408 CPU;

410 memory;

412 execute program code;

414 transceivers;

500 application layer;

502 third floor;

504 second floor;

506 first floor;

600 information sequence diagram;

S602, S604, S606, S608, S610, S612, S614 steps;

700 information sequence diagram;

S702, S704, S706, S708, S710, S712, S714, S716, S718, S720 steps;

800 information sequence diagram;

S802, S804, S806, S808, S810, S812 steps;

900 method flow chart;

S905, S710, S915 steps;

1000～information flow chart;

S1005, S1010, S1015, S1020 steps.

detailed description

In order to make the purpose, features, and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, preferred embodiments are specifically cited below, together with the accompanying drawings, FIGS. 1 to 10 , for a detailed description. This specification provides different examples to illustrate the technical features of different implementations. Wherein, the arrangement of each element in the embodiment is for illustration purpose, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, part of the reference numerals in the embodiments are repeated for the purpose of simplifying the description, and do not imply the correlation between different embodiments.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (The 3rd Generation Partnership Project), also known as "3GPP", is a cooperation agreement to define technical specifications and technical reports for third-generation and fourth-generation wireless communication systems applicable to the world . The 3rd Generation Partnership Project defines specifications for next-generation mobile networks, systems and devices.

The 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology is used to improve the standards of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile phones or mobile devices to meet future requirements. In one aspect, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System has been modified to provide support and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, E-UTRA) -UTRAN) specifications.

At least some of the description of the communication system and method of the present invention may be related to the third generation partnership project long-term evolution technology (LTE), the evolved version of the long-term evolution technology (LTE Advanced, LTE-A) and other standards (for example, the first Versions 8, 9, 10 and/or 11 of the Three Generation Partnership Project). However, the scope of the present invention should not be limited in these respects. The communication systems and methods disclosed herein may be used in other types of wireless communication systems, at least in some aspects.

The wireless communication device can be an electronic device for communicating voice and/or transmitting data to a base station, which can communicate with a network device (for example, a public switched telephone network (Public Switched Telephone Network, PSTN), Internet, etc. ). In the communication system and method described in the present invention, the wireless communication device may be referred to as a mobile station, a user equipment (UE), an access terminal, a subscriber station (Subscriber Station), a mobile terminal, a user terminal, terminal, user use unit, etc. For example, the wireless communication device may be a cellular handheld device, a smart handheld device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a notebook computer, a netbook (Netbook), an e-reader (e-reader), a wireless modem (WirelessModem) and other devices . In the 3rd Generation Partnership Project specification, a wireless communication device is generally referred to as user equipment (UE). However, as the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project standard, the terms "user equipment (UE)" and "wireless communication device" can be used interchangeably in the present invention, both denoted as "wireless Communication device" is a common term.

In the 3rd Generation Partnership Project specification, base stations are usually referred to as "Node B (Node B)", evolved Node B (evolved Node B, eNB), enhanced Node B (enhanced eNB), home evolved Node B (home evolved Node B, HeNB), home enhanced Node B (homeenhanced Node B, HeNB) or other similar terms. Since the scope of the present invention should not be limited only to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project standard, the terms "base station", "node B", "base station" and "home base station" can be used interchangeably, and are all denoted as "base station" in the present invention. " in common terms. Additionally, the term "base station" may be used to refer to an access point. An access point may be an electronic device that provides a device for wireless communication with access to a network (eg, Local Area Network (LAN), Internet, etc.). The term "communication device" may also be used to refer to wireless communication devices and/or base stations.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) service model supporting Machine Type Communication (MTC). The MTC architecture defined in 3GPP may include MTC devices, MTC servers, and MTC users as shown in FIG. 1 . Furthermore, the machine type communication server may be connected to the radio network via a 3GPP bearer service, short message service (SMS) or message service (MS) (bearer service means an end-to-end information delivery service from the network point of view, unlike end-to-end connection from the user's point of view). The machine type communication server performs communication with the radio network or with the machine type communication device via the radio network, and may correspond to a machine type communication service platform for providing an access interface to machine type communication users. The MTC user can access the MTC server via an application programming interface (Application Programming Interface, API).

The reference point of FIG. 1 is described as follows. The reference point MTCu provides the access of the machine type communication device to the 3GPP network for the transmission of user plane and control plane services. The MTCu interface can be based on Uu (the interface between the user equipment and Node B in WCDMA), Um (the interface between the mobile station (MS) and the base transceiver station (BTS) in GSM), Ww (the interface between the US and the WLAN access network). interface) and LTE-Uu interface (interface between UE and eNodeB in LTE). MTCi is a reference point used by a machine type communication server to connect to a 3GPP network and communicate with a machine type communication device via a 3GPP bearer service/IMS. MTCi can be based on Gi, Sgi and Wi interfaces. The MTCsp is the reference point used by the machine type communication server to communicate information with the 3GPP network. MTCsms is a reference point for MTC servers to connect to 3GPP networks and communicate with MTC devices via 3GPP SMS.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in the machine type communication network architecture defined in the current 3GPP standard, a method of utilizing the existing 3GPP bearer service is proposed. Furthermore, a method using SMS for data exchange between a machine type communication device and a machine type communication server is proposed. This considers the characteristics of the machine type communication application for the purpose of transmitting/receiving a small amount of data such as metering information or product information. Existing SMS methods and IMS-based SMS methods can be used. In the example of FIG. 1, MTCsms is a data exchange interface using an existing SMS method and MTCi indicates a data exchange interface using an IMS-based SMS method.

2A-2C are diagrams showing machine type communication modes.

The machine type communication applications are respectively executed in the machine type communication device and the machine type communication application server to interact via communication using a network. In this case, various modes of the machine type communication service can be realized according to what participates in the communication between the machine type communication application and the 3GPP network. FIG. 2A shows a mode in which communication is directly performed without a machine type communication server. FIG. 2B shows a mode in which a machine type communication server (eg, SCS) is located outside the 3GPP network. FIG. 2C shows a mode in which the MTC server is located inside the 3GPP network. Also, FIG. 2A corresponds to a direct communication scheme controlled by a 3GPP operator, FIG. 2B corresponds to a communication scheme controlled by a service provider, and FIG. 2C corresponds to a communication scheme controlled by a 3GPP operator.

The direct mode of FIG. 2A shows that the MTC application directly performs communication with the UE (or MTC device) with respect to the 3GPP network as an over-the-top (OTT) application.

The indirect mode of FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C shows that the MTC application indirectly performs communication with the UE (or MTC device) using the supplementary service provided by the 3GPP network. More specifically, in the example of FIG. 2B , the MTC application may use the MTC server for supplementary services provided by third-party service providers (ie, service providers not responsible for 3GPP). The machine type communication server may perform communication with the 3GPP network through various interfaces. In the example of FIG. 2C , a machine type communication application may use a machine type communication server for supplementary services provided by a 3GPP operator (which corresponds to a service provider). Communication between the machine type communication server and the 3GPP network is performed within the PLMN.

Since the indirect modes in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are complementary, 3GPP operators can combine the above indirect modes for different applications. That is, although not shown in FIGS. 2A˜2B , the machine type communication module may be implemented as a hybrid mode in which a direct mode and an indirect mode are simultaneously used. For example, user plane connections may use direct mode while control plane signaling may use indirect mode.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary schema diagram 300 of an MTC architecture.

A point-to-point application between a user equipment (or MTC device) for MTC and an MTC application can use services provided by the 3GPP system and optional services provided by the MTC server. The 3GPP system can provide transport and communication services including various optimized services to facilitate machine type communication (including 3GPP bearer services, MS, and SMS). In FIG. 3, UE for MTC is connected to 3GPP network (UTRAN, E-UTRAN, GERAN, 1-WLAN, etc.) through Um/Uu/LTE-Uu interface. The architecture of FIG. 3 includes the various machine type communication schemas described with reference to FIG. 1 .

First, entities shown in FIG. 3 will be described.

In FIG. 3, the machine type communication application server is a server on the network on which the machine type communication application is executed. Technologies to realize various machine type communication applications are applicable to the machine type communication application server, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, in FIG. 3 , the MTC application server can access the MTC server through a reference point API, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Alternatively, the machine type communication application server may be co-located with the machine type communication server.

The MTC server is a server to manage the MTC device network, and may be connected to the 3GPP network to communicate with nodes of the PLMN and user equipment for MTC.

A machine type communication interworking function (MTC-interworking function, IWF) may control the interworking between the machine type communication server and the operator core network and act as a proxy for machine type communication operations. To support machine type communication indirect or hybrid modes, one or more machine type communication interworking functions may exist in a home PLMN (HPLMN). The machine type communication interworking function can relay and interpret the signaling protocol on the reference point MTCsp to enable the PLMN to perform specific functions. The machine type communication interworking function may perform a function for authenticating to the machine type communication server before the machine type communication server establishes communication with the 3GPP network, a function for requesting authentication for a control plane from the machine type communication server, related to a trigger indication described below Linked functions, etc.

Short Message Service-Service Center (SMS-SC)/Internet Protocol Short Message Gateway (IP-SM-GW) can manage the transmission and reception of SMS. The SMS-SC is used to relay short messages between a Short Message Entity (SME) (an entity for transmitting or receiving a short message) and a mobile station and to store and forward the short messages. IP-SM-GW can be used to perform IP-based protocol interaction between user equipment and SMS-SC.

A Charging Data Function (CDF)/Charging Gateway Function (CGF) may perform charging operations.

The HLR/HSS serves to store subscriber information (MSI, etc.), routing information, configuration information, etc. and provide it to the machine type communication interworking function.

The SGSN/MME may perform control functions such as mobility management, authentication, resource allocation, etc. to connect user equipment to the network. In association with the triggers described below, the SGSN/MME may be configured to receive a trigger indication from a machine type communication interworking function and process the trigger indication into the form of information provided to the machine type communication device.

Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)/Serving Gateway (S-GW) and Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW) can be used as gateways connecting the core network to external networks.

The main reference points for Figure 3 are described below. MTCsms is a reference point used by entities outside the 3GPP system to communicate with user equipment for machine type communication via SMS. The MTCsp is a reference point used by entities outside the 3GPP system to communicate control plane signals related to machine type communication interworking functions. T4 is the reference point used by the Machine Type Communication Interaction Function to route Device Triggers to the HPLMN SMS-SC. T5a is the reference point used between the machine type communication interworking function and the serving SGSN. T5b is the reference point used between the Machine Type Communication Interworking Function and the serving MME. S6m is a reference point used by the MTC interworking function to query the HSS/HLR for the E.164 MSISDN or external identifier mapped to the IMSI, and to collect user equipment implementability and configuration information.

The communication of the user plane with the machine type communication server in the indirect and mixed mode cases and the machine type communication application server in the direct and mixed mode cases can be performed through Gi and SGi using conventional protocols.

For details related to the description of Figures 1 to 3, please refer to 3GPP TS23.887, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Next, refer to FIG. 4 , which shows a simplified functional block diagram of a communication device 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention in another way. In FIG. 3, the communication device 300 can be used to embody the user equipment (UE) and the base station in FIG. ), or other systems similar to the above two are preferred. The communication device 400 may include an input device 402 , an output device 404 , a control circuit 406 , a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU) 408 , a memory 410 , a program code 412 , and a transceiver 414 . The control circuit 406 executes the program code 412 in the memory 410 through the central processing unit 408 to control operations performed in the communication device 400 . The communication device 400 can use the input device 402 (such as a keyboard or number keys) to receive user input signals; it can also output images and sounds through the output device 404 (such as a screen or a speaker). The transceiver 414 is used for receiving and sending wireless signals, sending the received signals to the control circuit 406 , and outputting the signals generated by the control circuit 406 in a wireless manner. In another embodiment, the communication device 400 may further include a timer or a random backoff timer (not shown in the figure) for timing to perform subsequent actions.

FIG. 5 shows a simplified functional block diagram of the execution program code 412 in FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the execution program code 412 includes an application layer 500 , a third layer 502 , a second layer 504 , and is coupled to the first layer 506 . Layer 3 502 generally performs radio resource control. Layer 2 504 generally performs link control. The first layer 506 is generally responsible for physical connections.

FIG. 6 shows a message sequence diagram 600 of an MTC packet according to an embodiment of the invention.

In step S602, the MTC server/MME application transmits a group indication to a base station through a Mobility Management Entity (MME) server, wherein the group indication is used to request information about all users in an area Device grouping results report. In step S604, after receiving the grouping instruction, the base station returns a grouping acknowledgment to the MTC server/MTC application server. Next, in step S606, the base station broadcasts a packet request to a plurality of UEs in the area. Please note that after the base station broadcasts the group request to multiple UEs, in step S608, the base station determines whether there is at least one group leader among all the UEs. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the base station determines that there is at least one group leader in all UEs. Therefore, in step S610, at least one group leader in the user equipment reports a respective group report to the base station, wherein the group report records belong to all users of the user equipment in the group corresponding to the group leader device identifier. After the base station receives the group reports reported by all the group leaders, in step S612, the base station transmits the group reports to the mobility management entity. In step S614, the MME generates a grouping result report according to the grouping report, and transmits the grouping result report to the MTC application/MTC server, wherein the grouping result report includes at least a group identifier and an international mobile subscriber identity Code (International Mobile Subscriber Identification, IMSI) list. In step S616, the MME sends a grouping result report to the base station. In step S618, the base station receives the grouping result report, and sends a group grouping result report to the group leader in the UE according to the grouping result report.

FIG. 7 shows a message sequence diagram 700 of an MTC packet according to an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the base station determines that there is no at least one group leader in all UEs.

In step S702, the MTC server/MTC application server transmits a group indication to a base station, wherein the group indication is used to request a group result report on all UEs in an area. In step S704, after receiving the grouping instruction, the base station returns a grouping acknowledgment to the MTC server/MTC application server. Next, in step S706, the base station broadcasts a packet request to a plurality of UEs in the area. In step S708, the base station starts a first timer. If the first timer expires and the base station does not receive the group report transmitted by at least one group leader, it is determined that there is no group leader among the UEs. In step S710, the base station enables all UEs in the area to perform a local group leader selection procedure. The detailed flow of the local group leader selection procedure will be illustrated in FIG. 8 later.

Next, after at least one group leader is selected, in step S712, the group leader starts a third timer and receives respective group responses sent by other user equipments, wherein the group responses at least include corresponding A UE identifier of the UE itself. When the third timer expires, in step S714, the group leader generates the group report according to the group response. In step S716, the group leader transmits the group report to the base station, wherein the group report records UE identifiers of all UEs belonging to the group corresponding to the group leader. After the base station receives the group report reported by the group leader, in step S718, the base station transmits the group report to the mobility management entity. In step S720, the MME generates a grouping result report according to the grouping report, and transmits the grouping result report to the MTC application/the above-mentioned MTC server, wherein the grouping result report includes at least a group identifier and an international mobile subscriber Identification code (International MobileSubscriber Identification, IMSI) list. In step S722, the MME transmits a grouping result report to the base station. In step S724, the base station receives the grouping result report, and sends a group grouping result report to the group leader according to the grouping result report. Additionally, the base station can store group reports and/or group result reports in memory.

FIG. 8 shows a message sequence diagram 800 of a local group leader selection procedure according to an embodiment of the invention.

In step S802, the base station broadcasts group leader selection request information to a plurality of user equipments. In step S804, after receiving the group leader selection request message, the plurality of UEs respectively activate a random backoff timer. In step S806, when the random backoff timer expires, the user equipment corresponding to the random backoff timer unicasts a group leader selection acceptance message to the base station and broadcasts a group leader selection acceptance message to other users equipment. It should be noted that, in this step, the first user equipment becomes the group leader when the corresponding random backoff timer expires and has not yet received the group leader selection acceptance information transmitted from other user equipments. . In other words, the UE with the random backoff timer that expires first is the group leader.

After the remaining user equipments receive the group leader selection acceptance message, in step S808, stop their respective random backoff timers. After the base station receives the group leader selection acceptance message sent by the first UE, in step S810, a second timer is started. Finally, when the second timer expires, in step S812, the base station sends a group leader selection completion message to the group leader, indicating that the local group leader selection procedure is completed.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart 900 of a method for grouping based on machine-type communication according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is used in a communication system. In step S905, a base station broadcasts a packet request to a plurality of user equipments in an area. In step S910, the base station determines whether there is at least one group leader in the UE. In step S915, if the base station determines that there is the group leader in the user equipment, the base station receives the group report reported by the group leader, wherein the group report record belongs to the corresponding group leader The user device identifiers of all user devices in the group for .

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart 1000 of a method for MTC grouping according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is used in a user equipment. In step S1005, the UE receives a group leader selection request message sent by a base station. In step S1010, the UE activates a random backoff timer. Next, in step S1015, when the aforementioned random backoff timer expires and has not received a group leader selection acceptance message transmitted from at least one second user equipment, the user equipment respectively unicasts the group leader selection Accepting the information to the base station and broadcasting the group leader to choose to accept the information to the above-mentioned second user equipment, wherein the user equipment becomes a group leader. Finally, in step S1020, the UE receives a group leader selection completion message sent by the base station. In an embodiment, since the second user equipment also receives the group leader selection request information sent by the base station and starts its own random backoff timer, when the second user equipment receives the group Once the leaders choose to accept the message, they stop their respective random backoff timers.

In one embodiment, the value of the random backoff timer of the third user equipment that once became the group leader can be set to 0, that is, when the base station broadcasts the group leader selection request information, the third user equipment can immediately Unicasting a group leader selection acceptance message to the base station and broadcasting a group leader selection acceptance message to other user equipments. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the base station can further compare a grouping report or a grouping result report stored in the memory. When the base station determines that the third user equipment broadcasting the group leader selection acceptance message has become the group leader, the base station directly uses the third user equipment as the group leader. On the other hand, if the third UE has never been a group leader, the base station can choose to perform the local group leader selection procedure for all UEs, or only perform local group leader selection for ungrouped UEs program.

In addition, the CPU 308 can also execute the program code 312 to present the actions and steps described in the above embodiments, or other descriptions in the specification.

The above embodiments are described using various perspectives. It will be apparent that the teachings herein can be presented in many ways, and any specific architecture or functionality disclosed in an example is only a representative situation. Based on the teachings herein, anyone skilled in the art should understand that the content presented herein can be presented in different forms independently or in combination of multiple forms. For example, it can be realized by using a certain device or a certain method in any manner mentioned above. An implementation of an apparatus or a manner of execution may be realized in one or more of the above-discussed forms with any other architecture, or functionality, or both.

Those of skill in the art will understand that information and signals may be represented using many different technologies and techniques. For example, all data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips (chips) that may be referred to in the above description may be volts, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or optical particles, or presented by any combination of the above.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, processors, devices, circuits, and calculation steps described herein and the electronic hardware (for example, in source code or other digital implementation of a technical design, analog implementation, or a combination of both), various forms of programming or design code linked with instructions (hereinafter referred to as "software" or "software module" for convenience), or both combinations of those. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various descriptive elements, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality takes a form of hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure.

In addition, the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits, and the various aspects disclosed herein, may be implemented in integrated circuits (ICs), access terminals, access points; , access terminal, and access point. Integrated circuits can be composed of general purpose processors, digital signal processors (digital signal processors, DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (application specific integrated circuits, ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (field programmable gate arrays, FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, electronic components, optical components, mechanical components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein; and may perform the functions present in the integrated Executable code or instructions within a circuit, outside an integrated circuit, or both. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but may also be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may be formed by a combination of computer devices, such as a combination of a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microcomputer, multiple sets of microcomputers, one or more sets of microcomputers and a DSP core, or any other similar configuration.

Any specific order or hierarchy of steps in the procedures disclosed herein is by way of example only. Based upon design preferences, it must be understood that any specific order or hierarchy of steps in the procedures may be rearranged within the scope of the disclosure in this document. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and therefore shouldn't be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

The use of ordinal numerals such as "first", "second", "third" and the like to modify elements in the claims does not in itself imply any priority, order of precedence, order of priority among elements, or method performed The sequence of steps is used only as a label to distinguish between different elements with the same name (with different ordinal numbers).

Although the present invention has been disclosed as above with implementation examples, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make some changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection of the present invention The scope should be as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (26)

1. a method based on machine type communication packet, in a communication system, its feature exists In, said method comprises the following steps:

By base station broadcast packet requests extremely multiple user equipment in a region；

Judge, in above-mentioned user equipment, whether there is at least one group leader by above-mentioned base station；With And

If above-mentioned base station judges have above-mentioned group leader in above-mentioned user equipment, then by upper State base station and receive the packet report returned by above-mentioned group leader；

Wherein, above-mentioned packet report record belongs to all uses in the group of corresponding above-mentioned group leader The user device identifier of person's equipment.

2. method based on machine type communication packet, the most above-mentioned judgement as claimed in claim 1 Step also includes:

By above-mentioned base station initiated one first timer；

If expiring and above-mentioned base station does not receives and transmitted by above-mentioned group leader at above-mentioned first timer Above-mentioned packet report time, it is judged that in above-mentioned user equipment, not there is above-mentioned group leader；And

Perform a local group leader option program.

3. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 2, the most above-mentioned this locality Group leader option program includes:

Select solicited message to above-mentioned user equipment by above-mentioned base station broadcast group leader；

After above-mentioned user equipment receives above-mentioned group leader selection solicited message, above-mentioned user sets For enabling a respective random back timer；And

When above-mentioned random back timer expires, the user of corresponding above-mentioned random back timer sets Back-up other clean culture one group leader election accepts information to above-mentioned base station and broadcast one group's leader election The information that accepts is to remaining user equipment, wherein, expires and still at corresponding random back timer Do not receive the above-mentioned group leader transmitted from remaining user equipment above-mentioned to select to accept information One first user equipment become above-mentioned group leader.

4. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 3, the most above-mentioned this locality Group leader option program also includes:

When remaining user equipment above-mentioned receives after above-mentioned group leader selects to accept information, stop each From random back timer.

5. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 3, the most above-mentioned this locality Group leader option program also includes:

Select when above-mentioned base station receives the above-mentioned group leader transmitted by above-mentioned first user equipment After accepting information, start one second timer；And

When above-mentioned second timer expires, above-mentioned base station is transmitted group's leader election and is completed information extremely Above-mentioned group leader.

6. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 5, also includes following step Rapid:

Start one the 3rd timer by above-mentioned group leader, and receive by remaining user equipment above-mentioned The each self-grouping transmitted is responded, and wherein, above-mentioned packet is responded and at least included corresponding user equipment User device identifier；And

When the 3rd timer expires, respond generation by above-mentioned group leader according to above-mentioned packet above-mentioned Packet report, and transmit above-mentioned packet report to above-mentioned base station.

7. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 1, wherein at above-mentioned base Before broadcast them of standing packet request extremely above-mentioned user equipment, also comprise the following steps:

Received by machine type communication application/mono-machine type communication server by above-mentioned base station The packet instruction transmitted；

The most above-mentioned packet indicates in order to ask about user equipment all in above-mentioned zone Group result is reported.

8. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 7, connects in above-mentioned base station After receiving the packet report returned by above-mentioned group leader, said method also comprises the following steps:

Transmit above-mentioned packet by above-mentioned base station to report to a mobile management entity；And

Transmit above-mentioned group result by above-mentioned mobile management entity according to above-mentioned packet report to report extremely Above-mentioned machine type communication application/above-mentioned machine type communication server；

The report of the most above-mentioned group result includes that at least one group identifier and an international mobile subscriber are known Other code inventory.

9. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 8, said method also wraps Include the following step:

Transmit above-mentioned group result by above-mentioned mobile management entity according to above-mentioned packet report to report extremely Above-mentioned base station.

10. the method being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 9, said method is also Comprise the following steps:

The report of a group group group result is transmitted to above-mentioned group leader in above-mentioned base station.

11. methods being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 3, said method is also Comprise the following steps:

The value of the random back timer of above-mentioned group leader is set to 0.

12. 1 kinds of methods based on machine type communication packet, in a user equipment, it is special Levying and be, said method comprises the following steps:

Receive the group's leader election solicited message transmitted by a base station；

Enable a random back timer；And

When above-mentioned random back timer expires and does not receives from least one second user equipment When the group's leader election transmitted accepts information, broadcast them group leader selects to accept letter respectively Breath is to above-mentioned base station and above-mentioned second user equipment, and wherein, above-mentioned user equipment becomes a group Group leader；And

Receive the group's leader election transmitted by above-mentioned base station and complete information.

13. methods being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 12, also include:

When above-mentioned second user equipment receives after above-mentioned group leader selects to accept information, stop each From random back timer.

14. 1 kinds of communication systems based on machine type communication packet, it is characterised in that including:

One base station, broadcast packet requests in a region；

Multiple user equipment, receive above-mentioned packet request respectively；

Wherein, above-mentioned base station judges whether have at least one group leader in above-mentioned user equipment； If above-mentioned base station judges have above-mentioned group leader in above-mentioned user equipment, then by above-mentioned base Stand and receive the packet report returned by above-mentioned group leader；Wherein, above-mentioned packet report record belongs to The user device identifier of all user equipment in the group of corresponding above-mentioned group leader.

15. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 14, Qi Zhongshang State base station also to include:

One first timer；

Wherein, if expiring and above-mentioned base station does not receives by above-mentioned group leader institute at above-mentioned first timer During the above-mentioned packet report transmitted, then judge that not there is in above-mentioned user equipment above-mentioned group neck Lead；And the local group leader option program of above-mentioned base station execution one.

16. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 15, Qi Zhongshang State local group leader option program also to include:

Above-mentioned base station broadcast group leader selects solicited message to above-mentioned user equipment；

After above-mentioned user equipment receives above-mentioned group leader selection solicited message, above-mentioned user sets For enabling a respective random back timer；And

When above-mentioned random back timer expires, the user of corresponding above-mentioned random back timer sets Back-up other clean culture one group leader election accepts information to above-mentioned base station and broadcast one group's leader election The information that accepts is to remaining user equipment, wherein, expires and still at corresponding random back timer Do not receive the above-mentioned group leader transmitted from remaining user equipment above-mentioned to select to accept information One first user equipment become above-mentioned group leader.

17. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 16, Qi Zhongshang State local group leader option program also to include:

When remaining user equipment above-mentioned receives after above-mentioned group leader selects to accept information, stop each From random back timer.

18. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 16, Qi Zhongshang State local group leader option program also to include:

Select when above-mentioned base station receives the above-mentioned group leader transmitted by above-mentioned first user equipment After accepting information, start one second timer；And

When above-mentioned second timer expires, above-mentioned base station is transmitted group's leader election and is completed information extremely Above-mentioned group leader.

19. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 18, Qi Zhong After above-mentioned base station judges to have above-mentioned group leader in above-mentioned user equipment, above-mentioned group leader opens Dynamic one the 3rd timer, and receive each self-grouping response transmitted by remaining user equipment above-mentioned, Wherein, the user device identifier at least including corresponding user equipment is responded in above-mentioned packet；And When the 3rd timer expires, respond the above-mentioned packet of generation by above-mentioned group leader according to above-mentioned packet Report, and transmit above-mentioned packet report to above-mentioned base station.

20. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 14, Qi Zhong Above-mentioned base station receives after being returned respective packet report by above-mentioned group leader, and above-mentioned base station is according to upper State packet report and transmit the report of above-mentioned group result to machine type communication application/mono-machine type The communication server；

The report of the most above-mentioned group result includes that at least one group identifier and an international mobile subscriber are known Other code inventory.

21. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 20, also wrap Include:

One mobile management entity；

After wherein receiving, in above-mentioned base station, the packet report returned by above-mentioned group leader, above-mentioned base station Transmit above-mentioned packet report to above-mentioned mobile management entity；Above-mentioned mobile management entity is according to above-mentioned packet Report transmits the report of above-mentioned group result and leads to above-mentioned machine type communication application/above-mentioned machine type Telecommunications services device；

The report of the most above-mentioned group result includes that at least one group identifier and an international mobile subscriber are known Other code inventory.

22. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 21, Qi Zhongshang State mobile management entity and transmit the report of above-mentioned group result to above-mentioned base station according to above-mentioned packet report.

23. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 22, Qi Zhongshang State base station and transmit the report of a group group group result to above-mentioned group leader.

24. communication systems being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 16, also wrap Include:

The value of the random back timer of above-mentioned group leader is set to 0.

25. 1 kinds of communicators based on machine type communication packet, it is characterised in that above-mentioned communication Device includes:

One control circuit；

One processor, is arranged in above-mentioned control circuit；And

One memorizer, is arranged in above-mentioned control circuit and couples and above-mentioned processor；

The most above-mentioned processor configures in order to perform an instruction being stored in above-mentioned memorizer, to perform:

Receive the group's leader election solicited message transmitted by a base station；

Enable a random back timer；And

Set from least one second user when above-mentioned random back timer expires and not yet receives When the standby group's leader election transmitted accepts information, broadcast them group leader selects to accept respectively Information is to above-mentioned base station and above-mentioned second user equipment, and wherein, above-mentioned communicator becomes a group Leader；And

Receive the group's leader election transmitted by above-mentioned base station and complete information.

26. communicators being grouped based on machine type communication as claimed in claim 25, above-mentioned finger Order also includes:

When above-mentioned second user equipment receives after above-mentioned group leader selects to accept information, stop each From random back timer.