IP Library › Granted Patent US 12701622
Granted Patent B2
US 12701622 · App. 18/185,762 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Connection resume request method and apparatus

Inventors: Li Hu (Shanghai, CN); Bingzhao Li (Beijing, CN); Jing Chen (Shanghai, CN); Tingting Geng (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLGOIES CO., LTD.
H04W76/18H04W12/04H04W12/10H04W76/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12701622
App. No.
18/185,762
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A connection resume request method includes generating, by a terminal, a new access stratum key; sending, by the terminal to a target base station, a connection resume request message requesting to resume a radio resource control (RRC) connection; receiving, by the terminal, a connection resume rejection message from the target base station, wherein the connection resume rejection message indicates that the resuming of the RRC connection is rejected; and resuming, by the terminal, the new access stratum key to a previous access stratum key, wherein the previous access stratum key is an access stratum key that is used, before the apparatus enters an inactive state, by the terminal and the source base station.

Claims (40)

1 . A connection resume method implemented by an apparatus and comprising:

receiving a suspend message from a source base station;

entering an inactive state according to the suspend message;

deriving a new access stratum key different from a first access stratum key, wherein the first access stratum key is used, before the apparatus enters the inactive state, by the apparatus;

sending, to a target base station, a connection resume request for resuming from the inactive state to a connected state in the target base station;

receiving, from the target base station, a connection resume rejection message indicating that the connection resume request is rejected; and

in response to the connection resume rejection message, deleting the new access stratum key and keeping the first access stratum key as a current access stratum key.

2 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein deriving the new access stratum key comprises deriving the new access stratum key based on the first access stratum key and a target physical cell identifier (PCI).

3 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein keeping the first access stratum key comprises keeping the first access stratum key in a current access stratum security context.

4 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein the suspend message comprises a next hop chaining counter (NCC), and wherein deriving the new access stratum key comprises deriving the new access stratum key based on the NCC and a target physical cell identifier (PCI).

5 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein keeping the first access stratum key as the current access stratum key comprises using a security context before an update as a current security context or a stored security context, and wherein the security context before the update includes the first access stratum key.

6 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein the source base station and the target base station are the same.

7 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein the connection resume rejection message is based on a heavy load of the target base station.

8 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the connection resume rejection message from the target base station comprises receiving the connection resume rejection message from the target base station when the target base station has a heavy load.

9 . The connection resume method of claim 1 , wherein the suspend message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection release message comprising an indication instructing the apparatus to enter the inactive state.

10 . An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to couple to a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a suspend message from a source base station;

enter an inactive state according to the suspend message;

derive a new access stratum key different from a first access stratum key, wherein the first access stratum key is used, before the apparatus enters the inactive state, by the apparatus;

send, to a target base station, a connection resume request for resuming from the inactive state to a connected state in the target base station;

receive, from the target base station, a connection resume rejection message indicating that the connection resume request is rejected; and

in response to the connection resume rejection message, delete the new access stratum key and keep the first access stratum key as a current access stratum key.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to derive the new access stratum key based on the first access stratum key and a target physical cell identifier (PCI).

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to keep the first access stratum key as the current access stratum key by keeping the first access stratum key in a current access stratus security context.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the suspend message comprises a next hop chaining counter (NCC), and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to derive the new access stratum key based on the NCC and a target physical cell identifier (PCI).

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the new access stratum key is KgNB*, and wherein the first access stratum key is KgNB.

15 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to keep the first access stratum key as the current access stratum key by using a security context before an update as a current security context or a stored security context, and wherein the security context before the update includes the first access stratum key.

16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the source base station and the target base station are the same.

17 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the connection resume rejection message is based on a heavy load of the target base station.

18 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the suspend message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection release message comprising an indication instructing the apparatus to enter the inactive state.

19 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is a terminal device.

20 . A computer program product comprising instructions that are stored on a computer-readable medium and that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

receive a suspend message from a source base station;

enter an inactive state according to the suspend message;

derive a new access stratum key different from a first access stratum key, wherein the first access stratum key is associated with use, before the apparatus enters the inactive state, by the apparatus and the source base station;

send, to a target base station, a connection resume request for resuming from the inactive state to a connected state in the target base station;

receive, from the target base station, a connection resume rejection message indicating that the connection resume request is rejected; and

in response to the connection resume rejection message, delete the new access stratum key and keep the first access stratum key as a current access stratum key.

21 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is a chip in a terminal device.