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AppleGranted patentNetworks & wirelessInterest 6/10

Apple patents way for phones to send data without fully waking up

Apple has been granted a patent for a method that allows mobile devices to send data while in a low-power 'inactive' state. The system uses a unique digital key assigned by the network to let the phone transmit information directly without first asking for permission to reconnect.

Why it mattersThis could help phones save battery by avoiding the energy-heavy process of fully reconnecting to the network just to send small amounts of data.

In the filing’s own words

Systems, methods, and circuitries are provided for direct transmission of uplink data by an INACTIVE UE using a contention free random access (CFRA) process. In one example, a method, includes, receiving uplink data from transmitted by a user equipment (UE) device while the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) INACTIVE state, wherein the UE uses a contention-free random access (CFRA) process to transmit the uplink data using a dedicated physical random access channel (PRACH) resource or a dedicated preamble resource (dedicated PRACH/preamble resource) assigned to the UE by a network.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A base station, comprising a memory and one or more processors configured to, when executing instructions stored in the memory, cause the base station to: during a radio resource control (RRC) suspend process, transmit a network configuration for direct uplink transmission while in RRC INACTIVE state to a user equipment UE, the network configuration including a UE-dedicated physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble and a timer value, wherein the UE-dedicated PRACH preamble uniquely identifies the UE, further wherein the timer value specifies a maximum time, not including time during which the UE performs direct uplink transmission while in an RRC INACTIVE state, during which the UE-dedicated PRACH preamble is valid; broadcast a message that indicates that a cell associated with the base station supports direct uplink transmission from UEs in RRC INACTIVE state, wherein the message indicates a plurality of supported preamble resources that are supported by the cell for direct uplink transmission from UEs in an RRC INACTIVE state; receive, during a contention-free random access (CFRA) process, the UE-dedicated PRACH preamble on one of the plurality of supported preamble resources from the UE; and receive, during the CFRA process, uplink data from the UE while the UE is in an RRC INACTIVE state, wherein the uplink data does not include a message related to a request for the UE to enter an RRC CONNECTED state.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Base station signaling for user equipment direct transmission while inactive
Patent number
US12739924B2
Application number
17441330
Filed
Aug 6, 2020
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Inventors
9
Claims
11

Classified under

H04W 76/20 Electricity & electronicsH04W 74/02 Electricity & electronicsH04W 74/0833 Electricity & electronicsH04W 74/0838 Electricity & electronicsH04W 74/0836 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.