IP Library › Granted Patent US 12684633
Granted Patent B2
US 12684633 · App. 18/574,840 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Grouping and prioritizing of dissimilar PDU sessions in a telecommunications system

Inventor: Josep Colom Ikuno (Korneuburg, AT)
Assignee: DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
H04W76/11H04W76/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12684633
App. No.
18/574,840
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A telecommunications system includes: a user equipment; one or more access networks (ANs); a core network (CN); and one or more data networks (DNs). The one or more ANs are configured to provide the UE access to the CN. The CN is configured to provide connectivity to the one or more DNs. The UE is configured to access the one or more DNs by using different protocol data unit (PDU) sessions, established between the UE and the CN via the one or more ANs, providing connectivity to the one or more DNs, each PDU session comprising a respective PDU session identifier (ID). The CN is configured to signal the UE, via the one or more ANs, an established PDU session, wherein the established PDU session is identified by a PDU session ID and at least one PDU session group ID. The same PDU session group ID is assigned to different PDU sessions and indicates that the different PDU sessions belong together.

Claims (42)

1 . A telecommunications system, comprising:

a user equipment (UE);

one or more access networks (ANs);

a core network (CN); and

one or more data networks (DNS);

wherein the one or more ANs are configured to provide the UE access to the CN;

wherein the CN is configured to provide connectivity to the one or more DNs;

wherein the UE is configured to access the one or more DNs by using different protocol data unit (PDU) sessions, established between the UE and the CN via the one or more ANs, providing connectivity to the one or more DNs, each PDU session comprising a respective PDU session identifier (ID);

wherein the CN is configured to signal the UE, via the one or more ANs, an established PDU session identified by a PDU session ID and a PDU session group ID;

wherein the PDU session group ID is assignable to a plurality of different PDU sessions to indicate that the plurality of different PDU sessions belong together; and

wherein the one or more ANs are configured to use the PDU session group ID to steer UE mobility.

2 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein each respective PDU session includes a respective priority identifier for identifying, within a given PDU session group, a respective priority of the respective PDU session.

3 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein the UE is configured to request a PDU session by sending a PDU session establishment request message to the CN, via the one or more ANs, the request comprising a previously received PDU session group ID.

4 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein the UE is configured to request a PDU session by sending a PDU session establishment request message to the CN, via the one or more ANs, the request comprising an indication that a new PDU session group ID should be provided by the CN.

5 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein the PDU session group ID comprises a related PDU session group purpose ID for identifying a usage of the PDU session group.

6 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein the PDU session group ID comprises a related PDU session group purpose ID for identifying a purpose of the PDU session group.

7 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein the PDU session group ID comprises a related PDU session group purpose ID for identifying a usage and a purpose of the PDU session group.

8 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein the PDU session ID comprises the PDU session group ID.

9 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein the UE is configured to trigger a release of all PDU sessions within a PDU session group by sending a message to the CN, via the one or more ANs, indicating at least the PDU session group ID and an indication to release.

10 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein prior to PDU session establishment the UE is configured to register to the CN via the one or more ANs, and the UE is configured to inform the CN about its capability for supporting PDU session groups.

11 . The telecommunications system of claim 1 , wherein PDU sessions assigned a given PDU session group ID are assigned to two or more UEs.

12 . A method for grouping protocol data unit (PDU) sessions in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:

providing, by one or more access networks (ANs) of the telecommunications system to a user equipment (UE) of the telecommunications system, access to a core network (CN) of the telecommunications system;

providing, by the CN to the UE, connectivity to one or more data networks (DNs) of the telecommunications system;

accessing, by the UE, the one or more DNs by using different PDU sessions, established between the UE and the CN via the one or more ANs, providing connectivity to one or more DNs, each PDU session comprising a respective PDU session identifier (ID); and

signaling, by the CN to the UE via the one or more ANs, an established PDU session identified by a PDU session ID and a PDU session group ID;

wherein the PDU session group ID is assignable to a plurality of different PDU sessions to indicate that the plurality of different PDU sessions belong together; and

wherein the method further comprises: using, by the one or more ANs, the PDU session group ID to steer UE mobility.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each respective PDU session includes a priority identifier for identifying, within a given PDU session group, a respective priority of the respective PDU session.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

requesting, by the UE, a PDU session by sending a PDU session establishment request message to the CN via the one or more ANs, the request comprising a previously received PDU session group ID.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

requesting, by the UE, a PDU session by sending a PDU session establishment request message to the CN via the one or more ANs, the request comprising an indication that a new PDU session group ID should be provided by the CN.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the PDU session group ID comprises a related PDU session group purpose ID for identifying a usage of the PDU session group.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the PDU session group ID comprises a related PDU session group purpose ID for identifying a purpose of the PDU session group.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the PDU session group ID comprises a related PDU session group purpose ID for identifying a usage and a purpose of the PDU session group.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the PDU session ID comprises the PDU session group ID.

20 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

triggering, by the UE, a release of all PDU sessions within a PDU session group by sending a message to the CN via the one or more ANs, indicating at least the PDU session group ID and an indication to release.

21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein prior to PDU session establishment the method comprises:

registering, by the UE, to the CN via the one or more ANs; and

informing, by the UE to the CN, about its capability for supporting PDU session groups.