US-12621893-B2 - Optimizing use of PDU session status IE

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing synchronization of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions between a user equipment (UE) and a network are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a determination of whether a message comprising a PDU session status information element (IE) should be sent is based on previous messaging between peer entities of the network. In some embodiments, a determination that the peer entity is informed of a relevant PDU session status is made after expected reply messaging is received in response to prior messaging. In some cases, a reply message without a PDU session status IE is sent from one entity to a peer entity when it is determined that each entity has a matching PDU session status. Cases involving failures detected at the network, and cases where an entity activates a data radio bearer (DRB) of a PDU session that is inactive at its peer are also discussed.

Inventors

• NIRLESH KOSHTA
• Anikethan Ramakrishna Vijaya KUMAR
• Basant KUMAR
• Krisztian Kiss
• Pradeep Pangi
• Sridhar Prakasam

Assignees

• APPLE INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20210903

Priority Date

20201104

Claims (17)

1. 1 . A method of a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving, from a network, one of a notification request and mobile terminated (MT) paging; determining that a protocol data unit (PDU) session that was previously available at the UE is no longer available at the UE; determining that a registration request message indicating that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE has not been sent to the network; and sending, to the network, based on the determination that the registration request message has not been sent to the network, a message comprising a PDU session status information element (IE) that indicates that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the message comprising the PDU session status IE is a service request message.
3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the message comprising the PDU session status IE is the registration request message.
4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE is based upon a determination that the PDU session is not currently active at the UE.
5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE is based upon a determination that the PDU session is being deactivated at the UE.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the network has been informed that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE based upon a receipt, from the network, of a reply message corresponding to the message comprising the PDU session status IE.
7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the reply message is a service accept message.
8. 8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the reply message is a registration accept message.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining that the network has not been informed that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE based upon a failure to receive, from the network, a reply message corresponding to the message comprising the PDU session status IE; and sending, to the network, based on the determination that the network has not been informed that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE, a second message comprising a second PDU session status IE that indicates that the PDU session is no longer available at the UE.
10. 10 . A method of a user equipment (UE), comprising: determining that the UE has data to be sent to a network on uplink (UL); detecting a change in a protocol data unit (PDU) session status maintained by the UE; and sending, to the network, a message comprising a PDU session status information element (IE) that indicates the PDU session status maintained by the UE based on the determination that the UE has pending data for UL and the detection of the change in the PDU session status maintained by the UE.
11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the message comprising the PDU session status IE is a service request message.
12. 12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the message comprising the PDU session status IE is a registration request message.
13. 13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining that the network has received the PDU session status maintained by the UE based upon a receipt, from the network, of a reply message corresponding to the message comprising the PDU session status IE.
14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the reply message is a service accept message.
15. 15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the reply message is a registration accept message.
16. 16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: determining that the network has not received the PDU session status maintained by the UE based upon a failure to receive, from the network, a reply message corresponding to the message comprising the PDU session status IE, and; sending, to the network, based on the determination that the network has not received the PDU session status maintained by the UE, a second message comprising a second PDU session status IE that indicates the PDU session status maintained by the UE.
17. 17 . A method of an access and mobility function (AMF) of a network, comprising: processing a service request message sent by a user equipment (UE) to the network, the service request message indicating that one or more protocol data unit (PDU) sessions are active at the UE; determining, based on a PDU session status maintained at the AMF, that the one or more PDU sessions that are active at the UE are active at the network; and generating, in response to the determining that the one or more PDU sessions that are active at the UE are active at the network, a service accept message that does not include a PDU session status information element (IE).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This application relates generally to wireless communication systems, including wireless communication systems that maintain protocol data unit (PDU) session synchronization between a user equipment (UE) and a network using messages that contain PDU session status information elements (IEs). BACKGROUND Wireless mobile communication technology uses various standards and protocols to transmit data between a base station and a wireless mobile device. Wireless communication system standards and protocols can include the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) (e.g., 4G) or new radio (NR) (e.g., 5G); the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard, which is commonly known to industry groups as worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX); and the IEEE 802.11 standard for wireless local area networks (WLAN), which is commonly known to industry groups as Wi-Fi. In 3GPP radio access networks (RANs) in LTE systems, the base station can include a RAN Node such as an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Node B (also commonly denoted as evolved Node B, enhanced Node B, eNodeB, or eNB) and/or a Radio Network Controller (RNC) in an E-UTRAN, which communicate with a wireless communication device, known as user equipment (UE). In fifth generation (5G) wireless RANs, RAN Nodes can include a 5G Node, NR node (also referred to as a next generation Node B or g Node B (gNB)). RANs use a radio access technology (RAT) to communicate between the RAN Node and UE. RANs can include global system for mobile communications (GSM), enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) RAN (GERAN), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), and/or E-UTRAN, which provide access to communication services through a core network. Each of the RANs operates according to a specific 3GPP RAT. For example, the GERAN implements GSM and/or EDGE RAT, the UTRAN implements universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) RAT or other 3GPP RAT, the E-UTRAN implements LTE RAT, and NG-RAN implements 5G RAT. In certain deployments, the E-UTRAN may also implement 5G RAT. Frequency bands for 5G NR may be separated into two different frequency ranges. Frequency Range 1 (FR1) may include frequency bands operating in sub-6 GHz frequencies, some of which are bands that may be used by previous standards, and may potentially be extended to cover new spectrum offerings from 410 MHz to 7125 MHz. Frequency Range 2 (FR2) may include frequency bands from 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz. Bands in the millimeter wave (mmWave) range of FR2 may have smaller coverage but potentially higher available bandwidth than bands in FR1. Skilled persons will recognize these frequency ranges, which are provided by way of example, and may change from time to time or from region to region. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced. FIG. 1 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 illustrates a method of an AMF of a network, according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 illustrates a method of an AMF of a network, according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 illustrates a method of a UE, according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 illustrates a UE in accordance with one embodiment. FIG. 12 illustrates a network node in accordance with one embodiment. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a service based architecture in accordance with certain embodiments. FIG. 14 illustrates components in accordance with one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A user equipment (UE) and a network may communicate between each other using one or more protocol data unit (PDU) sessions. A PDU session may be understood to comprise a logical connection (e.g., a data radio bearer (DRB)) between a UE and the network. Such PDU sessions may provide data transport for communicating externally to the network. In other words, the UE may communicate with the external entities using one or more PDUs with the network. A PDU session may be established according to a protocol that is used to communicate data to the external entity. For example, a PDU session may be typed to use according to IP packets, Ethernet frames, or some other type of transport arrangement. In some RATs (e.g., NR), it is possible to consider multiple simultaneous PDU sessions as between a UE and a network. These PDU sessions may include one or more active PDU sessions. An active