Patent ID: 8526945

Claim:
A method, executed on at least one of a mobility management entity or an LTE network computer node comprising: receiving a first tracking area identifier indicating a tracking area where a user equipment (UE) is located; updating a registered tracking area (RTA) list for the UE based on whether the first tracking area identifier corresponds with a previously visited tracking area for the UE, wherein the RTA list comprises at least one second tracking area identifier indicating a tracking area where the UE was previously registered; wherein the step of updating the RTA list comprises: comparing the first tracking area identifier to a last seen tracking area (LSTA) list for the UE to determine whether the UE is engaged in cyclic movement; removing the at least one second tracking area identifier from the RTA list if the UE is not engaged in cyclic movement; adding the first tracking area identifier to the RTA list; the method further comprising the step of: updating the LSTA list with the first tracking area identifier.