Signaling for inactive mobility

1. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving signaling of a configuration to establish a signaling radio bearer (SRB) with at least one of a first link to a first network entity and a second link to a second network entity;

transitioning to an inactive state where context of the UE in the network is maintained at the UE and at least the first network entity; and

communicating with the network using the SRB while in the inactive state

wherein the UE applies the configuration to access the network via the SRB when moving to the second network entity; and

wherein communicating with the network comprises performing a radio access network (RAN) notification area (RNA) update procedure using the split bearer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the RNA update procedure using the split bearer comprises:

sending an RNA update message to the second network entity, to be forwarded to the first network entity via the SRB; and

receiving a response to the RNA update message from the first network entity, forwarded from the second network entity, via the SRB.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating with the network comprises sending a message to request transition from the inactive state to resume a radio resource control (RRC) connection using the split bearer.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving a response to the request from the first network entity, forwarded from the second network entity, via the SRB.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the response rejects the request and is received via the SRB without integrity protection.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the response moves the UE back into the inactive state and is received via the SRB with integrity protection.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the response configures at least some same parameters as configured by a message to move the UE into the inactive state.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the response moves the UE to an Idle state and is received via the SRB with integrity protection.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the response carries at least one of: priority, redirect information, idle mode mobility control information, cause or idle mode re-selection information.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the response indicates the UE is to stay in the Idle state.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating with the network comprises at least one of sending or receiving data via the SRB.

12. A method for wireless communications by a network entity, comprising:

signaling, to a user equipment (UE), a configuration to establish a split signaling radio bearer (SRB) with a first link to the network entity and a second link to another network entity;

transitioning the UE to an inactive state where context of the UE in the network is maintained at the UE and at least the network entity; and

communicating with the UE via the SRB while the UE is in the inactive state

wherein:

the UE supports dual-connectivity;

the SRB comprises a split SRB with a first link to the network entity and a second link to the other network entity;

the network entity comprises a master node (MN);

the other network entity comprises a secondary node (SN);

the MN configures the other network entity to act as an SN and releases another network entity previously acting as an SN to the UE, and

the UE applies the configuration to access the network via the SRB when moving to the other network entity.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the network entity applies integrity protection on the SRB using security credentials provided to the UE before moving to the inactive state.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein communicating with the UE comprises receiving a radio access network (RAN) notification area (RNA) update from the UE using the split bearer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving the RNA update procedure using the split bearer comprises:

receiving an RNA update message forwarded by the other network entity via the SRB; and

sending a response to the RNA update message to be forwarded to the UE by the other network entity, via the SRB.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein communicating with the UE comprises receiving a message from the UE to request transition from the inactive state to resume a radio resource control (RRC) connection using the split bearer.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

sending a response to the request to the other network entity, to be forwarded to the UE, via the SRB.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the response rejects the request and is received via the SRB without integrity protection.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the response moves the UE back into the inactive state and is received via the SRB with integrity protection.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the response configures at least some same parameters as configured by a message to move the UE into the inactive state.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the response moves the UE to an Idle state and is received via the SRB with integrity protection.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the response carries at least one of: priority, redirect information, idle mode mobility control information, cause or idle mode re-selection information.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the response indicates the UE is to stay in the Idle state.

24. The method of claim 12 , wherein communicating with the UE comprises at least one of sending or receiving data via the SRB.

25. A method for wireless communications by a network entity, comprising:

receiving a message from a user equipment (UE) in an inactive state via a split signaling radio bearer (SRB) with a first link to the network entity and a second link to another network entity; and

forwarding the message to the second network entity wherein:

the other network entity comprises an anchor base station that signaled the configuration to the UE; and

the network entity comprises a base station the UE is using to access the network.