Patent ID: 7974630

Claim:
An apparatus comprising a computing device, the computing device comprising a monitor and a determining unit; the monitor being configured to monitor more than one parameter related to an active connection between a mobile station and a support node, wherein the support node is within a core network of a cellular communications network, and wherein said more than one parameter includes a parameter comprising an indication of user inactivity; and the determining unit being configured to determine whether the connection between said support node and said mobile station is to be released based on the more than one parameter; wherein the computing device is further configured to cause the connection between the mobile station and the support node to be established, and further configured to cause the connection to be released in an instance in which there is user inactivity for a predetermined period of time by: causing transmission of a release message to an entity within the core network of the cellular communications network, the release message comprising an indication of the reason for releasing the connection, receiving a release command from the entity within the core network of the cellular communications network, and in response to receiving the release command, causing a connection release message to be sent to the mobile station; and wherein the apparatus is external to the core network of the cellular communications network.