Multiple user subscriber identity module (MUSIM) user equipment (UE) switching connection between networks

1 . A method, comprising:

providing, by a user equipment to one or more network nodes corresponding to one or more identity modules of the user equipment, information that the user equipment supports a leave indication from a network connection without waiting for an acknowledgement;

receiving, from the one or more network nodes based on supporting the leave indication, a configuration for transitioning the one or more identity modules of one or more user equipment instances of the user equipment between radio resource control states, wherein the one or more identity modules are associated with the leave indication;

providing, to a first network node, the leave indication for leaving the network connection associated with a first identity module of the user equipment, wherein the user equipment is in a radio resource control connected state to the first network node, wherein the leave indication implies the transitioning; and

transitioning a first radio resource control state of the first identity module to one of the one or more other radio resource control states based on satisfaction of one or more conditions upon providing the leave indication based on the received configuration,

wherein the one or more conditions comprise expiration of one or more timers.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first identity module comprises a first user subscriber identity module and a second identity module comprises a second user subscriber identity module.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transitioning of the first identity module comprises:

transitioning the first radio resource control state from the radio resource control connected state to a radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state upon providing the leave indication based on the configuration;

transitioning a second radio resource control state from a radio resource control idle state or a radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control connected state;

starting a first timer;

transitioning the first identity module from the radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state to the radio resource control connected state upon a second identity module transitioning from the radio resource control connected state to the radio resource control idle state or the radio resource control inactive state prior to expiration of the first timer; and

stopping the first timer.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transitioning of the first identity module comprises:

transitioning the first radio resource control state from the radio resource control connected state to a radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state upon providing the leave indication based on the configuration;

transitioning a second radio resource control state from a radio resource control idle state or a radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control connected state;

starting a first timer;

transitioning the first identity module from the radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state to a radio resource control inactive state based on expiration of the first timer; and

starting a second timer.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the transitioning of the first identity module comprises:

transitioning the first identity module from the radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control connected state upon a second identity module transitioning from the radio resource control connected state to the radio resource control idle state or the radio resource control inactive state prior to expiration of the second timer; and

stopping the second timer.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the transitioning of the first identity module or the second identity module comprises:

transitioning the first identity module from the radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control idle state after expiration of the second timer; and

maintaining the second identity module in the radio resource control connected state after expiration of the second timer.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration comprises at least:

a radio resource control state upon providing the leave indication, and

at least one other radio resource control state upon an occurrence of the one or more conditions or based on expiration of one or more timers.

8 . An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising computer program code,

the at least one memory and computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

provide, by the apparatus to one or more network nodes corresponding to one or more identity modules of the user equipment, information that the apparatus supports a leave indication from a network connection without waiting for an acknowledgement;

receive, from the one or more network nodes based on supporting the leave indication, a configuration for transitioning the one or more identity modules of one or more user equipment instances of the apparatus between radio resource control states, wherein the one or more identity modules are associated with the leave indication;

provide, to a first network node, the leave indication for leaving the network connection associated with a first identity module of the apparatus, wherein the user equipment is in a radio resource control connected state to the first network node, wherein the leave indication implies the transitioning; and

transition a first radio resource control state of the first identity module to one of the one or more other radio resource control states based on satisfaction of one or more conditions upon providing the leave indication based on the received configuration,

wherein the one or more conditions comprise expiration of one or more timers.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first identity module comprises a first user subscriber identity module and a second identity module comprises a second user subscriber identity module.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus, when transitioning the first identity module, at least to:

transition the first radio resource control state from the radio resource control connected state to a radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state upon providing the leave indication based on the configuration;

transition a second radio resource control state from a radio resource control idle state or a radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control connected state;

start a first timer;

transition the first identity module from the radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state to the radio resource control connected state upon a second identity module transitioning from the radio resource control connected state to the radio resource control idle state or the radio resource control inactive state prior to expiration of the first timer; and

stop the first timer.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus, when transitioning the first identity module, at least to:

transition the first radio resource control state from the radio resource control connected state to a radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state upon providing the leave indication based on the configuration;

transition a second radio resource control state from a radio resource control idle state or a radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control connected state;

start a first timer;

transition the first identity module from the radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state to a radio resource control inactive state based on expiration of the first timer; and

start a second timer.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus, when transitioning the first identity module, at least to:

transition the first identity module from the radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control connected state upon a second identity module transitioning from the radio resource control connected state to the radio resource control idle state or the radio resource control inactive state prior to expiration of the second timer; and

stop the second timer.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus, when transitioning the first identity module, at least to:

transition the first identity module from the radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control idle state after expiration of the second timer; and

maintain the second identity module in the radio resource control connected state after expiration of the second timer.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the configuration comprises at least:

a radio resource control state upon providing the leave indication, and

at least one other radio resource control state upon an occurrence of the one or more conditions or based on expiration of one or more timers.

15 . An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising computer program code,

the at least one memory and computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

receive, by the apparatus, information that a user equipment supports a leave indication from a network connection without waiting for an acknowledgement; and

send a configuration associated with transitioning one or more identity modules of one or more user equipment instances of the user equipment between radio resource control states based on satisfaction of one or more conditions,

wherein the one or more conditions comprise expiration of one or more timers.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the configuration comprises the one or more radio resource control states and values for the one or more timers.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the one or more configured radio resource control states comprise one or more of:

a radio resource control connected state,

a radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state,

a radio resource control idle state, or

a radio resource control inactive state.

18 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the configured transitioning includes one or more of:

transitioning a first identity module from a radio resource control connected state to a radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state upon providing the leave indication based on the configuration,

transitioning the first identity form the radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state to the radio resource control connected state upon the second identity transitioning from the radio resource control connected state to a radio resource control idle state or a radio resource control inactive state prior to expiration of a first timer,

transitioning the first identity from the radio resource control connected with connected discontinuous reception state to the radio resource control inactive state after expiration of the first timer,

transitioning the first identity from the radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control connected state upon the second identity module being transitioned from the radio resource control connected state to the radio resource control idle state or the radio resource control inactive state prior to expiration of a second timer, or

transitioning the first identity module from the radio resource control inactive state to the radio resource control idle state after expiration of the second timer.