IP Library Granted Patent US 12712951
Granted Patent B2
US 12712951 · App. 18/553,168 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Method and apparatus for managing time alignment timer for small data transmission in wireless communication system

Inventors: Hanul Lee (Seoul, KR); Seungjune Yi (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
H04L69/28H04W72/1263H04W72/23
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12712951
App. No.
18/553,168
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method managing a time alignment timer (TAT) for small data transmission (SDT) in a wireless communication system. In particular, the method includes the steps of: starting a configured grant based small data transmission (CG-SDT) time alignment timer (TAT) upon receiving CG-SDT configuration; transmitting at least one data unit based on the CG-SDT configuration in RRC INACTIVE state during the CG-SDT TAT is running; and restarting the CG-SDT TAT based on a timing advance command (TAC) being received and based on a CG-SDT procedure being ongoing, wherein, based on the TAC being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure not being ongoing, the CG-SDT TAT is not restarted.

Claims (36)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE) from a network, configuration information related to a configured grant based small data transmission (CG-SDT);

starting, by the UE, a CG-SDT time alignment timer (TAT) based on the configuration information; and

performing, by the UE, a CG-SDT procedure in radio resource control (RRC) INACTIVE state while during the CG-SDT TAT is running,

wherein, based on a timing advance command (TAC) being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure being ongoing, the CG-SDT TAT is restarted, and

wherein, based on the TAC being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure not being ongoing, a legacy TAT is started or restarted without restarting the CG-SDT TAT.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, based on the CG-SDT procedure being initiated, the CG-SDT procedure is considered to be ongoing until a reception of at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) release message, a RRC resume message, a RRC reject message or a RRC setup message.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information related to the CG-SDT is received via a radio resource control (RRC) release message.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, based on the CG-SDT TAT being expired, the configuration information related to the CG-SDT is released.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, during the CG-SDT TAT is running, CG resources for the CG-SDT is considered to be valid.

6 . A user equipment (UE) comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE to perform operations comprising:

receiving configuration information related to a configured grant based small data transmission (CG-SDT);

starting a CG-SDT time alignment timer (TAT) based on the configuration information; and

performing a CG-SDT procedure in radio resource control (RRC) INACTIVE state while the CG-SDT TAT is running,

wherein, based on a timing advance command (TAC) being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure being ongoing, the CG-SDT TAT is restarted, and

wherein, based on the TAC being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure not being ongoing, a legacy TAT is started or restarted without restarting the CG-SDT TAT.

7 . The UE of claim 6 , wherein, based on the CG-SDT procedure being initiated, the CG-SDT procedure is considered to be ongoing until a reception of at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) release message, a RRC resume message, a RRC reject message or a RRC setup message.

8 . The UE of claim 6 , wherein the configuration information related to the CG-SDT is received via a radio resource control (RRC) release message.

9 . The UE of claim 6 , wherein, based on the CG-SDT TAT being expired, the configuration information related to the CG-SDT is released.

10 . The UE of claim 6 , wherein, during the CG-SDT TAT is running, CG resources for the CG-SDT is considered to be valid.

11 . An apparatus for a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE to perform operations comprising:

receiving configuration information related to a configured grant based small data transmission (CG-SDT);

starting a CG-SDT time alignment timer (TAT) based on the configuration information; and

performing a CG-SDT procedure in radio resource control (RRC) INACTIVE state while the CG-SDT TAT is running,

wherein, based on a timing advance command (TAC) being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure being ongoing, the CG-SDT TAT is restarted, and

wherein, based on the TAC being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure not being ongoing, a legacy TAT is started or restarted without restarting the CG-SDT TAT.

12 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing at least one computer program comprising program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a user equipment (UE) to perform operations comprising:

receiving configuration information related to a configured grant based small data transmission (CG-SDT);

starting a CG-SDT time alignment timer (TAT) based on the configuration information; and

performing a CG-SDT procedure in radio resource control (RRC) INACTIVE state while the CG-SDT TAT is running,

wherein, based on a timing advance command (TAC) being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure being ongoing, the CG-SDT TAT is restarted, and

wherein, based on the TAC being received and based on the CG-SDT procedure not being ongoing, a legacy TAT is started or restarted without restarting the CG-SDT TAT.