EP-4738979-A1 - IMPROVED RADIO RESOURCE CONFIGURATION PROFILE HANDLING

Abstract

The disclosure inter alia relates to an apparatus. The apparatus may comprise means for receiving, from a network node, an indication of at least one radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which is to be retained by the apparatus in an inactive radio state of the apparatus. Alternatively or in addition, the apparatus may comprise means for determining the at least one radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which is to be retained by the apparatus in the inactive radio state of the apparatus. The apparatus may further comprise means for retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile in the inactive radio state of the apparatus. The apparatus may further comprise means for discarding at least a part of at least one further radio resource configuration profile.

Inventors

• HENTTONEN, TERO
• KESKITALO, ILKKA ANTERO
• JAYAWARDANA, Palihawadana Arachchige Dinu Nirmal

Assignees

• Nokia Technologies Oy

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20241030

Claims (16)

1. An apparatus comprising: - means for determining at least one radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which is to be retained by the apparatus in an inactive radio state of the apparatus; - means for retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile in the inactive radio state of the apparatus; and - means for discarding at least a part of at least one further radio resource configuration profile.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile are configured for only retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile indicated to be retained.
3. The apparatus of any of claims 1 or 2, further comprising: - means for determining at least one retention duration, wherein a respective one of the at least one radio resource configuration profile is to be retained for a respective one of the at least one retention duration, - wherein the means for retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile are configured for retaining at least a part of a respective one of the at least one radio resource configuration profile for a respective one of the at least one retention duration.
4. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: - means for determining at least one action to be performed by the apparatus in response to at least one retention duration of the at least one radio resource configuration profile having expired; and - means for performing the at least one action in response to the at least one retention duration having expired.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one action comprises at least one of: - discarding at least a part of at least one of the at least one radio resource configuration profile, wherein a respective retention duration of the at least one of the at least one radio resource configuration profile has expired; - indicating, to a network node, that the at least one retention duration has expired; - determining at least one reselected frequency, the at least one reselected frequency being different from at least one currently selected frequency; - determining at least one modified reselection priority, the at least one modified reselection priority being different from a current reselection priority; or - modifying a measurement configuration of the apparatus.
6. The apparatus of any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the means for determining the at least one retention duration are configured for determining the at least one retention duration based on a mobility of the apparatus in the inactive radio state.
7. The apparatus of any of claims 3 to 6, further comprising: - means for monitoring the at least one retention duration.
8. The apparatus of any of claims 3 to 7, wherein the means for determining at least one radio resource configuration profile are configured for determining the at least one radio resource configuration profile based on a number of means for monitoring the at least one retention duration and/or wherein the means for determining the at least one retention duration are configured for determining the at least one retention duration based on a number of means for monitoring the at least one retention duration.
9. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the means for retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile are configured for retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile after the apparatus transitioned from a connected radio state to the inactive radio state.
10. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 9, further comprising: - means for indicating, to a network node, at least one retained radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which has been retained by the apparatus in the inactive radio state.
11. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 10, further comprising: - means for determining that at least a part of at least one retained radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which has been retained by the apparatus in the inactive radio state is to be discarded; and - means for discarding at least a part of the at least one retained radio resource configuration profile having been determined to be discarded.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one retained radio resource configuration profile is determined to be discarded based on a mobility of the apparatus in the inactive radio state.
13. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 12, further comprising: - means for indicating, to a network node, at least one retained radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which has been retained by the apparatus in the inactive radio state and further during an event associated with a mobility of the apparatus.
14. A method, performed by an apparatus, the method comprising: - determining at least one radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which is to be retained by the apparatus in an inactive radio state of the apparatus; - retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile in the inactive radio state of the apparatus; and - discarding at least a part of at least one further radio resource configuration profile.
15. A computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the method of claim 14.
16. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon the computer program of claim 15.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD Various example embodiments relate to wireless communication networks, in particular to handling radio resource configuration profiles in such networks. BACKGROUND In a wireless communication network, one or more protocols may be used, e.g. in order to control a data transmission between a user equipment (UE) and the wireless communication network. A configuration profile of such a protocol may include, e.g., one or more configurations, parameters, and/or settings for controlling the data transmission. Examples of wireless communication networks comprise cellular networks such as networks operating according to Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G, or 6G radio access technology. 5G radio access technology may also be referred to as New Radio (NR) access technology. An example of a protocol used in UMTS/LTE/NR for controlling radio resources in said networks is the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, develops standards for LTE, 5G/NR and 6G. One of the topics discussed within 3GPP is how to further improve a handling of configuration profiles, in particular radio resource configuration profiles. SUMMARY OF SOME EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS A user equipment (UE) may be in different states with respect to a radio link of the UE with a wireless communication network. Examples of such radio states include an idle, an inactive and a connected radio state, respectively. The connected radio state may be characterized by a relatively high UE activity, e.g. with respect to signaling and measurements, as compared with the idle or the inactive radio state. Such a relatively high UE activity may negatively affect an overall operation time of the UE due to the amount of energy consumed by the UE. Therefore, it may seem expedient for the UE to transition to other radio states such as, e.g. the idle or the inactive radio state from time to time, e.g. when no active data exchange is taking place. However, in particular relatively frequent transitions between a connected radio state and other radio states may introduce several drawbacks, such as an increased signaling overhead, an increase in time consumption, and added delays, e.g. due to the need for reconfiguring the radio link of the UE with the wireless communication network. While continuously keeping the UE in a connected radio state may mitigate some of the aforementioned issues, this may not always be desirable, e.g. when no active data exchange is taking place, e.g. for a relatively long period of time. In particular, continuously keeping the UE in a connected radio state may lead to a lower energy efficiency of both the UE and the wireless communication network. In view of the above, it may be desirable to handle one or more radio resource configuration profiles in an advantageous manner when transitioning between different radio states. Given this, certain embodiments of the disclosure may have the effect of enabling an improved handling of radio resource configuration profiles (e.g. in 6G), e.g. when transitioning between different radio states. In particular, certain embodiments of the disclosure may enable an apparatus (e.g. a UE) to retain (e.g. store) at least parts of some radio resource configuration profiles in an inactive radio state of the apparatus and to discard (e.g. delete) at least parts of some other radio resource configuration profiles, thereby conserving storage, radio and/or power resources at the apparatus and/or at the wireless communication network while reducing signaling overhead, consumed time, and/or delays when exchanging data between the apparatus and the network, thus enabling an improved handling of radio resource configuration profiles. According to a first example aspect, there is disclosed an apparatus. The apparatus may comprise means for receiving, from a network node, an indication of at least one radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which is to be retained by the apparatus in an inactive radio state of the apparatus. The apparatus may further comprise means for retaining at least a part of the at least one radio resource configuration profile in the inactive radio state of the apparatus. The apparatus may further comprise means for discarding at least a part of at least one further radio resource configuration profile. Alternatively or in addition to the means for receiving, from the network node, the indication of the at least one radio resource configuration profile, the apparatus may comprise means for determining the at least one radio resource configuration profile at least a part of which is to be retained by the apparatus in the inactive radio state of the apparatus. The apparatus according to the first example aspect may be or may comprise a user equipment (UE). Further, the network node from which the indication may be received may be or may be comprised by an apparatus according to a second exam