Enhancement on reception of standalone service accept
A method of supporting reception of standalone SERVICE ACCEPT message is proposed. In one embodiment, a new timer is started when the UE determines successful completion of the service request procedure and has not received SERVICE ACCEPT during the procedure. In an alternative embodiment, an existing timer T3417 or T3417ext can be used to define the allowed time window for the reception of SERVICE ACCEPT. While the timer is running, the UE can treat the SERVICE ACCEPT message as successfully received and the message does not cause protocol error.
1. A method, comprising:
transmitting a service request by a user equipment (UE) to initiate a service request procedure in a mobile communication network, wherein the UE is in a SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state;
starting a timer upon the service request procedure is completed and before receiving a SERVICE ACCEPT message from a mobility management entity (MME);
receiving the SERVICE ACCEPT message from the MME before expiry of the timer, wherein the UE successfully accepts the SERVICE ACCEPT message; and
rejecting the SERVICE ACCEPT message from the MME when received after the expiry of the timer, wherein the UE sends an error status back to the MME.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service request procedure is completed when the UE receives a security protected non-access stratum (NAS) message or an indication that user plane radio bearers are setup up.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UE successfully accepts the SERVICE ACCEPT message together with an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer context status information element (IE) before the expiry of the timer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UE goes to a NORMAL-SERVICE state upon the service request procedure is completed.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UE stays in the SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state after the service request procedure is completed and before receiving the SERVICE ACCEPT message.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the UE goes to a NORMAL-SERVICE state and stops the timer after accepting the SERVICE ACCEPT message.
7. A User Equipment (UE), comprising:
a transmitter that transmits a service request to initiate a service request procedure in a mobile communication network, wherein the UE is in a SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state;
a timer that is started upon the service request procedure is completed and before the UE receives a SERVICE ACCEPT message from a mobility management entity (MME);
a receiver that receives the SERVICE ACCEPT message from the MME before expiry of the timer, wherein the UE successfully accepts the SERVICE ACCEPT message; and
an error handling circuit that rejects the SERVICE ACCEPT message from the MME when received after the expiry of the timer, wherein the UE sends an error status back to the MME.
8. The UE of claim 7 , wherein the service request procedure is completed when the UE receives a security protected non-access stratum (NAS) message or an indication that user plane radio bearers are setup up.
9. The UE of claim 7 , wherein the UE stays in the SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state after the service request procedure is completed and before receiving the SERVICE ACCEPT message.
10. The UE of claim 9 , wherein the UE goes to a NORMAL-SERVICE state and stops the timer after accepting the SERVICE ACCEPT message.
11. A method, comprising:
transmitting a service request by a user equipment (UE) to initiate a service request procedure in a mobile communication network, wherein the UE starts a timer and is in a SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state;
completing the service request procedure, wherein the UE continues to run the timer;
receiving a SERVICE ACCEPT message from a mobility management entity (MME);
accepting the SERVICE ACCEPT message when received before expiry of the timer; and
rejecting the SERVICE ACCEPT message when received after expiry of the timer, wherein the UE sends an error status back to the MME.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the service request procedure is completed when the UE receives a security protected non-access stratum (NAS) message or an indication that user plane radio bearers are setup up.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the UE successfully accepts the SERVICE ACCEPT message together with an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer context status information element (IE) before the expiry of the timer.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the UE goes to a NORMAL-SERVICE state upon completing the service request procedure.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the UE stays in the SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state after completing the service request procedure and before receiving the SERVICE ACCEPT message.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the UE goes to a NORMAL-SERVICE state and stops the timer after accepting the SERVICE ACCEPT message.
17. A User Equipment (UE), comprising:
a transmitter that transmits a service request to initiate a service request procedure in a mobile communication network, wherein the UE is in a SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state;
a timer that is started when the UE initiates the service request procedure, wherein the UE continues to run the timer upon completing the service request procedure;
a receiver that receives a SERVICE ACCEPT message from a mobility management entity (MME); and
a service state handling circuit that accepts the SERVICE ACCEPT message when received before expiry of the timer, wherein the UE rejects the SERVICE ACCEPT message when received after expiry of the timer and sends an error status back to the MME.
18. The UE of claim 17 , wherein the service request procedure is completed when the UE receives a security protected non-access stratum (NAS) message or an indication that user plane radio bearers are setup up.
19. The UE of claim 17 , wherein the UE stays in the SERVICE-REQUEST-INITIATED state after completing the service request procedure and before receiving the SERVICE ACCEPT message.
20. The UE of claim 19 , wherein the UE goes to a NORMAL-SERVICE state and stops the timer after accepting the SERVICE ACCEPT message.