Patents by Inventor Nicola Funnell

Nicola Funnell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060141999
    Abstract: Air interface management apparatus for use in network-based control of measurements made by mobile user equipment with respect to cells of the network is adapted to detect conflict in content of measurement control messages instructing the report of pathloss measurement values. Conflict is detected in particular where the message specifies: a) an identity for a triggering event for which the category or categories of cell to be measured is determined at the receiver solely by said identity and comprises detected set cells, or b) periodical measurement in respect of a detected set cell. Pathloss measurements are not possible in these cases. The apparatus provides a mechanism for dealing with detected conflict by blocking transmission of, or response to, a measurement control message giving rise to conflict. Alternatively, the message or the response may be modified to avoid the conflict.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Nicola Funnell, Gjalt de Jong
  • Publication number: 20060030294
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method for ciphering messages in mobile telecommunications system user equipment are disclosed. The apparatus is arranged to receive ciphering configuration parameters in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer; forward ciphering configuration parameters to a Radio Link Control (RLC) or Medium Access Control (MAC) layer; and, in response to subsequent receipt of a message from the network, which message indicates that the user equipment device is to start ciphering, configuring the user equipment device to start ciphering using the ciphering configuration parameters in the RLC/MAC layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventors: Nicola Funnell, Andrew Farnsworth
  • Publication number: 20050276417
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method for ciphering messages in mobile telecommunications system user equipment and network are disclosed. The apparatus is arranged to store a plurality of current ciphering configurations and/or a plurality of old (previously applied) ciphering configurations and/or a plurality of new (future) ciphering configurations. Thus different ciphering configuration may be applied at different times and for different radio bearers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventor: Nicola Funnell
  • Publication number: 20050249241
    Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for routing data in a communication device defined in terms of a protocol stack. The protocol stack includes an upper logical layer, a lower logical layer, and a mid stack layer. A determiner determines the configuration of the radio bearer by which the data is to be communicated. If a determination is made that the radio bearer is configured such that it does not require its application to the mid stack layers, a data bypasser causes the data to bypass the mid stack layer. If, conversely, the data is to be applied to the mid stack layer, the data is caused to be routed therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Andrew John Farnsworth, Nicola Funnell
  • Publication number: 20050250529
    Abstract: Mobile user equipment for use in a cellular communications environment performs an improved cell selection on transitions out of a connected mode state. The transitions might be from one connected mode state to another or from a connected mode state to idle mode. The improvement in cell selection lies in assembling the list of candidate cells prior to cell selection. In the prior art, the list of candidate cells would usually be restricted to the serving cell or active cells supporting communication between the equipment and the network prior to transition. In embodiments of the invention, the list might comprise cells which are not the serving cell or which are outside the active set, for example a network-preferred cell or cells neighbouring the serving cell or cells of the active set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Nicola Funnell, Gideon Roberts, Andrew Farnsworth, Richard George, Gjalt de Jong
  • Publication number: 20050181801
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for handling system information in mobile telecommunications system user equipment, wherein updates are applied in a defined order. In particular, in 3G UMTS systems, when System Information Block (SIB) SIB 11 and SIB 12 are received with information elements relating to cell information list (e.g. “intra-frequency cell info list”, “inter-frequency cell info list” and “Inter-RAT cell info list”) then the system information associated with the system information block information element in SIB 11 is applied before the system information associated with the system information block information element in SIB 12.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventor: Nicola Funnell
  • Publication number: 20050174977
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method for handling discard of a service data unit in universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment. Strategies for the radio resource control entity to handle discard of a service data unit by the radio link control entity are presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: David Pedlar, Gjalt Gerrit Jong, Nicola Funnell
  • Publication number: 20050175033
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method for handling discard of a service data unit in universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment. Strategies for the radio resource control entity to handle discard of a service data unit by the radio link control entity are presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Nicola Funnell, David Winstone Pedlar, Gjalt Gerrit De Jong
  • Publication number: 20050175034
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method for handling discard of a service data unit in universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment. Strategies for the radio resource control entity to handle discard of a service data unit by the radio link control entity are presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Gjalt Gerrit De Jong, Nicola Funnell, David Winstone Pedlar
  • Publication number: 20050169210
    Abstract: The details of an apparatus and method are disclosed for setting the Uplink RRC message sequence number for a new integrity protection configuration to be applied for signalling radio bearer RB0, on completion of a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION procedure. The sequence number is set to a value such that the next RRC message to be sent on uplink RB0 will use the new integrity protection configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventor: Nicola Funnell
  • Publication number: 20050159147
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for taking measurements in a mobile telecommunications system are disclosed, the system comprising a network of a plurality of cells and at least one user equipment device. The method comprises, at the user equipment device, receiving a measurement control set-up command and, in response the user equipment device, setting up the measurements. Then it monitors for a change in state of the UE and, in response to a change in state, issuing a measurement control pause command and, in response, the user equipment device stopping taking measurements, and maintains the measurement settings initialised previously. The device then monitors for a change in state of the UE and, in response to a change in state, issuing a measurement control resume command and, in response, the user equipment device resumes taking measurements with the maintained measurement settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Gideon Roberts, Nicola Funnell
  • Publication number: 20050157655
    Abstract: The details of an apparatus and method are disclosed for ensuring that a traffic volume measurement message does not have a validity of CELL_DCH when the user equipment in a UMTS communications system is in CELL_FACH state. The validity is set to other than CELL_DCH at a UTRAN or the UE rejects a message having a validity of CELL_DCH when the UE is in CELL_FACH state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventor: Nicola Funnell
  • Publication number: 20050086466
    Abstract: The details of an apparatus and method for determining uplink ciphering activation time in universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment are disclosed herein. The ciphering activation time is determined for radio bearers other than RB2 by measuring the data rate on each target radio bearer during the time that it takes for a polling or RRC message sent from the user equipment UE to be acknowledged by the network UTRAN. For RB2, the uplink ciphering activation time is determined by taking into account the size of the RRC response message and the data already queued on RB2 for transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Applicant: M-Stack Limited
    Inventors: Nicola Funnell, Andrew Farnsworth, Robert Harrison
  • Publication number: 20050036619
    Abstract: The details of an apparatus and method for determining uplink ciphering activation time in universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment are disclosed herein. The ciphering activation time is determined for radio bearers other than RB2 by measuring the data rate on each target radio bearer during the time that it takes for a polling or RRC message sent from the user equipment UE to be acknowledged by the network UTRAN. For RB2, the uplink ciphering activation time is determined by taking into account the size of the RRC response message and the data already queued on RB2 for transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Applicant: M-Stack Limited
    Inventors: Nicola Funnell, Andrew Farnsworth, Robert Harrison