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EP-4740603-A1 - METHODS AND APPARATUS OF REENABLING N1 MODE CAPABILITY AFTER NO SLICES BEING AVAILABLE IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

EP4740603A1EP 4740603 A1EP4740603 A1EP 4740603A1EP-4740603-A1

Abstract

Techniques pertaining to reenabling N1 mode capability after no slices being available in mobile communications are described. An apparatus (e.g., a UE) disables a network mode capability for a currently camped network over an access due to no network slice being available for the network. The UE also memorizes an identity of the network for which the network mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available. Moreover, the UE starts a timer for reenabling the network mode capability responsive to the network mode capability being disabled due to no network slice being available. The UE further removes the memorized identity of the network for which the network mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available upon the expiry of timer.

Inventors

  • Puneet
  • LIN, YUAN-CHIEH

Assignees

  • MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240617

Claims (20)

  1. A method, comprising: disabling, by a processor of a user equipment (UE) , a network mode capability for a currently camped network over an access due to no network slice being available for the network; memorizing, by the processor, an identity of the network for which the network mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available; starting, by the processor, a timer for reenabling the network mode capability responsive to the network mode capability being disabled due to no network slice being available; and removing, by the processor, the memorized identity of the network for which the network mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available upon the expiry of timer.
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network mode is N1 mode.
  3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a public land mobile network (PLMN) or standalone non-public network (SNPN) .
  4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access comprises a 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access or a non-3GPP access.
  5. The method of Claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the processor, a reject message with a specific cause indicating no network slices available, wherein the disabling of the network mode capability comprises disabling the network mode capability responsive to receiving the reject message.
  6. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving of the reject message comprises receiving a rejected network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) in a REGISTRATION REJECT message.
  7. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving of the reject message comprises receiving the rejected message during an initial registration procedure, a mobility registration procedure or a network-initiated de-registration procedure.
  8. A method, comprising: disabling, by a processor of a user equipment (UE) , an N1 mode capability for a currently camped network over a type of access due to no network slice being available for the network; and memorizing, by the processor, an identity of the network for which the N1 mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available.
  9. The method of Claim 8, wherein the network comprises a public land mobile network (PLMN) or standalone non-public network (SNPN) .
  10. The method of Claim 8, wherein the type of access comprises a 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access or a non-3GPP access.
  11. The method of Claim 8, further comprising: starting, by the processor, a timer for reenabling the N1 mode capability.
  12. The method of Claim 11, further comprising: removing, by the processor, the identity of the PLMN or SNPN upon expiring of the timer.
  13. The method of Claim 8, further comprising: receiving, by the processor, a reject message with a specific cause indicating no network slices available, wherein the disabling of the N1 mode capability comprises disabling the N1 mode capability responsive to receiving the reject message.
  14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving of the reject message comprises receiving a rejected network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) in a REGISTRATION REJECT message.
  15. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving of the reject message comprises receiving the rejected message during an initial registration procedure, a mobility registration procedure or a network-initiated de-registration procedure.
  16. An apparatus implementable in a user equipment (UE) , comprising: a transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly; and a processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to perform operations comprising: disabling an N1 mode capability for a currently camped public land mobile network (PLMN) or standalone non-public network (SNPN) over a 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access due to no network slice being available for the PLMN or SNPN; and memorizing an identity of the PLMN or SNPN for which the N1 mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available.
  17. The apparatus of Claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising: starting a timer for reenabling the N1 mode capability.
  18. The apparatus of Claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising: removing the identity of the PLMN or SNPN upon expiring of the timer.
  19. The apparatus of Claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising: receiving, via the transceiver, a reject message with a specific cause indicating no network slices available, wherein the disabling of the N1 mode capability comprises disabling the N1 mode capability responsive to receiving the reject message.
  20. The apparatus of Claim 10, wherein the receiving of the reject message comprises: receiving a rejected network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) in a REGISTRATION REJECT message; or receiving the rejected message during an initial registration procedure, a mobility registration procedure or a network-initiated de-registration procedure.

Description

METHODS AND APPARATUS OF REENABLING N1 MODE CAPABILITY AFTER NO SLICES BEING AVAILABLE IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION (S) The present disclosure claims the priority benefit of Indian Patent Application No. 202321044516, filed 03 July 2023, respectively, the content of which herein being incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure is generally related to mobile communications and, more particularly, to reenabling N1 mode capability after no slices being available in mobile communications. BACKGROUND In wireless communications such as mobile communications under the current 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specification, when an initial registration procedure or mobility registration procedure or network-initiated de-registration procedure is rejected with a 5th Generation Mobility Management (5GMM) cause #62 (no network slices available) , a user equipment (UE) receiving the rejected network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) in the REGISTRATION REJECT message is to take corresponding actions based on the rejection cause in the rejected single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) (s) . The S-NSSAI (s) may be one or more of the following: “S-NSSAI not available in the current PLMN or SNPN” , “S-NSSAI not available in the current registration area” , “S-NSSAI not available due to the failed or revoked network slice-specific authentication and authorization” , and “S-NSSAI not available due to maximum number of UEs reached. ” When a registration reject or network-initiated de-registration is received with a 5GMM cause #62, the UE may disable its N1 mode capability according to the current 3GPP specification. However, it is not defined that for how much time a particular public land mobile network (PLMN) will be disabled. Additionally, it is not defined how to ensure the UE can perform periodic or background scan (e.g., N1 mode should not be disabled for more than a search time T) . Moreover, it is not defined as to when to enable the N1 mode capability such as, for example, switching off, universal subscriber identity module (USIM) removal, or entry being updated in “list of subscribers” . Therefore, there is a need for a solution of reenabling N1 mode capability after no slices being available in mobile communications. SUMMARY The following summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. That is, the following summary is provided to introduce concepts, highlights, benefits, and advantages of the novel and non-obvious techniques described herein. Select implementations are further described below in the detailed description. Thus, the following summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. An objective of the present disclosure is to propose solutions or schemes that address the issue (s) described herein. More specifically, various schemes proposed in the present disclosure are believed to provide solutions pertaining to reenabling N1 mode capability after no slices being available in mobile communications. It is believed that implementations of one or more of the schemes proposed herein may address or otherwise alleviate the issues described above. In one aspect, a method may involve a UE disabling a network mode capability for a currently camped network over an access due to no network slice being available for the network. The method may also involve the UE memorizing an identity of the PLMN or SNPN for which the N1 mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available. The may additionally involve the UE starting a timer for reenabling the network mode capability and removing the memorized identity of the network for which the network mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available upon the expiry of timer. In another aspect, a method may involve a UE disabling an N1 mode capability for a currently camped network over a type of access due to no network slice being available for the network. The method may also involve the UE memorizing an identity of the network for which the N1 mode capability is disabled due to no network slice being available. It is noteworthy that, although the description provided herein may be in the context of certain radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies such as 5th Generation (5G) /New Radio (NR) /Beyond Fifth-Generation (B5G) mobile communications, the proposed concepts, schemes and any variation (s) /derivative (s) thereof may be implemented in, for and by other types of radio access technologies, networks and network topologies such as, for example and without limitation, 4th Generation (4G) /Long-Term Evolution (LTE) , LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, Internet-of-Things (IoT) , Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) , Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)