Methods for enhancing service continuity between a wireless device and a second network, related core network nodes, and related wireless devices
Disclosed is a method performed by a first core network node, for enhancing service continuity between a wireless device and a second network via a first network, wherein the first core network node is part of the first network. The method comprises receiving, from the wireless device and/or from a second core network node of the first network, control signalling indicating that the wireless device requires that a tunnel between the wireless device and the second network and via a gateway of the first network is maintained. The method comprises controlling a radio access network node and/or the gateway based on the control signalling and a capability of the first core network node of the first network to maintain the tunnel.
1. A method, performed by a first core network node, for enhancing service continuity between a wireless device and a second network via a first network, wherein the first core network node is part of the first network, the method comprising:
receiving, from the wireless device and/or from a second core network node of the first network, control signaling indicating that the wireless device requires that a tunnel, between the wireless device and the second network via a gateway of the first network, is maintained, and
controlling a radio access network node and/or the gateway, based on the control signaling and a capability of the first core network node, to maintain the tunnel, wherein the controlling comprises transmitting, to the radio access network (RAN), control signaling indicating that the wireless device is to use one or more specific power saving modes, and
wherein the wireless device is transitioned to the one or more specific power saving modes and the tunnel is maintained while the wireless device is in the one or more specific power saving modes.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein controlling comprises determining, based on the control signaling, the capability of a first core network node to maintain the tunnel when the wireless device is limited to use the one or more specific power saving modes of a set of power saving modes.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is in Connection Management state, CM-Connected state or CM-Idle state in the first network and CM-Connected state in the second network.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein controlling comprises enabling the network to maintain the tunnel to the second network.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the control signaling indicating that the tunnel is required by the wireless device triggers, at the second core network node, a maintenance of a static IP address and/or port configuration of the gateway of the first network.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the control signaling indicating that the wireless device requires that the tunnel between the wireless device and the second network via the gateway of the first network is maintained is received in a session request from the wireless device to the first network.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the control signaling indicating that the wireless device is limited to use the one or more specific power saving modes comprises an assistance information message.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the specific power saving mode comprises a state where the tunnel can be maintained.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the specific power saving mode comprises RRC Inactive or RRC Idle, or both RRC Inactive and RRC Idle.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel is a secure tunnel.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel is a secure tunnel between the wireless device and an interworking function configured to enable interoperation between the first network and the second network.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining comprises receiving from the second core network node or from the gateway, a notification that the address of an end point of the tunnel is a known address of the second network.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first network is a non-public network and the second network is a public network.
14. A core network node comprising a memory circuitry, a processor circuitry, and an interface, wherein the core network node is configured to perform the method according to claim 1 .
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein to maintain the tunnel while the wireless device is in the one or more specific power saving modes, the wireless device transmits a release request to a node of the first network, the release request comprising instructions not to inform any node of the second network that the wireless device has entered the one or more specific power saving modes.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the specific power saving mode comprises RRC Inactive or RRC Idle, or both RRC Inactive and RRC Idle.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first network is a non-public network and the second network is a public network.
18. A method, performed by a wireless device, for service continuity between a first network and a second network, the second network different than the first network, the method comprising:
entering one or more specific power saving modes;
sending an indication to the first network which indicates a request for maintaining tunnel towards a second network while the wireless device is in the one or more specific power saving modes.
19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the indication is sent in non-access stratum NAS message.
20. A wireless device comprising a memory circuitry, a processor circuitry, and a wireless interface, wherein the wireless device is configured to perform the method according to claim 18 .