IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,376,168
Granted Patent B2
US 12,376,168 · App. 17/664,557 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Method, apparatus and computer program related to secondary cell group reactivation in multi-radio access technology-dual connectivity

Inventors: Amaanat Ali (Espoo, FI); Jarkko Tuomo Koskela (Oulu, FI); Tero Henttonen (Espoo, FI)
Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
H04W76/15H04W36/00698H04W36/144H04W74/0833H04W76/19H04W76/34H04W88/06H04W88/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,376,168
App. No.
17/664,557
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a method comprising, at a user equipment operating in connection with a first radio access technology network and a second radio access technology network, determining that communication using the second radio access technology is to be suspended and in response to the determining, suspending communication using the second radio access technology and storing a configuration relating to the second radio access technology such that communication using the second radio access technology can be reactivated via at least one of the first radio access technology network and the second radio access technology network.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus comprising:

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

operate using a dual connectivity with a master cell group (MCG) of a first network using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a secondary cell group (SCG) of a second network using a second RAT;

receive, from the MCG, an indication comprising a command to suspend the SCG of the second network using the second RAT; and

suspend the SCG of the second network while the apparatus is operated in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with the first network and retain a configuration of the SCG.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a communication between the apparatus and the SCG is suspended when the SCG has been suspended.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the communication is a data transmission using the second RAT that includes a new radio (NR) access technology.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the indication includes conditions indicating when the SCG is to be reactivated and a measurement configuration.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus uses only one radio resource condition state.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

an SCG configuration is retained by the apparatus as a retrievable configuration in the RRC connected state, and

the RRC connected state is an RRC_CONNECTED state.

7. A method comprising:

operating, by a user device, using a dual connectivity with a master cell group (MCG) of a first network using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a secondary cell group (SCG) of a second network using a second RAT;

receiving, by the user device from the MCG, an indication comprising a command to suspend the SCG of the second network using the second RAT; and

suspending, by the user device, the SCG of the second network using the second RAT while the user device is operated in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with the first network and retaining a configuration of the SCG.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein a communication between the user device and the SCG is suspended when the SCG has been suspended.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the communication is a data transmission using the second RAT that includes a new radio (NR) access technology.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the indication includes conditions indicating when the SCG is to be reactivated and a measurement configuration.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the user device uses only one radio resource condition state.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein

an SCG configuration is retained by the user device as a retrievable configuration in the RRC connected state, and

the RRC connected state is an RRC_CONNECTED state.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause a computing system to perform steps including:

operating, by a user device, using a dual connectivity with a master cell group (MCG) of a first network using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a secondary cell group (SCG) of a second network using a second RAT;

receiving, by the user device from the MCG, an indication comprising a command to suspend the SCG of the second network using the second RAT; and

suspending, by the user device, the SCG of the second network using the second RAT while the user device is operated in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with the first network and retaining a configuration of the SCG.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein a communication between the user device and the SCG is suspended when the SCG has been suspended.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14 , wherein the communication is a data transmission using the second RAT that includes a new radio (NR) access technology.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the indication includes conditions indicating when the SCG is to be reactivated and a measurement configuration.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the user device uses only one radio resource condition state.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein

an SCG configuration is retained by the user device as a retrievable configuration in the RRC connected state, and

the RRC connected state is an RRC_CONNECTED state.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2022
From: ALI, AMAANAT; KOSKELA, JARKKO TUOMO; HENTTONEN, TERO
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 060018/0922 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16648181
Related Publication 20220287124A1 · Sep 8, 2022
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