Granted Patent B2

US 12,317,366 · App. 17/763,064 · Granted May 27, 2025

Inventors: Qian Chen (Mölndal, SE); Christofer Lindheimer (Vadstena, SE); Stefan Rommer (Västra Frölunda, SE); Paul Schliwa-Bertling (Ljungsbro, SE); Magnus Stattin (Upplands Väsby, SE); Alessio Terzani (Stockholm, SE)

Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)

H04W76/34H04W76/27H04W84/042H04W88/06

Abstract

Claims (68)

1. A method performed by a processor in a user equipment, UE, having multiple universal subscriber identity modules, USIMs, the method comprising:

receiving information from a first public land mobile network, PLMN, associated with a first USIM of the multiple USIMs, indicating there is one of mobile terminating, MT, signaling or data in the first PLMN while the UE is actively communicating with a second PLMN associated with a second USIM of the multiple USIMs;

responsive to receiving the information, sending a service request to an access and mobility management function, AMF, node of the second PLMN, the service request comprising information indicating which service classes the UE has selected to be notified while the UE is in the idle or inactive state;

receiving a radio resource control, RRC, connection release from a radio access network, RAN, node of the second PLMN in response to sending the service request.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

staying connected to the second PLMN in one of a connection management, CM,-idle state, a CM-idle state with suspend, or a CM-connected with RRC inactive state responsive to receiving the RRC connection release from the RAN node.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the service request to the AMF node of the second PLMN comprises sending the service request with information on handling MT signaling/data for the UE in the second PLMN while the UE is in the first PLMN.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the service request to the AMF node of the second PLMN further comprises sending the service request with further information indicating a time period the information is valid while the UE is in the first PLMN.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the service request to the AMF node of the second PLMN comprises sensing information on handling that comprises information that the UE shall not be paged while in the first PLMN and information that the UE will be sent a notification to the UE for service classes selected by the UE when MT signaling or data is received for the service classes selected by the UE is received in the second PLMN in the time period when the time period is indicated by UE.

6. A method performed by a processor in a user equipment, UE, having multiple universal subscriber identity modules, USIMs, the method comprising:

receiving information from a first public land mobile network, PLMN, associated with a first USIM of the multiple USIMs, indicating there is one of mobile terminating, MT, signaling or data in the first PLMN while the UE is actively communicating with a second PLMN associated with a second USIM of the multiple USIMs;

responsive to receiving the information, sending one or more radio resource control, RRC, messages to a radio access network, RAN, node of the second PLMN with at least one of the one or more RRC messages comprising an indication that the UE will enter RRC inactive mode in the second PLMN after being released from the second PLMN and information on which service classes the UE has selected to be notified about while the UE is in RRC inactive mode;

receiving a RRC connection release in response to sending the one or more RRC message, the RRC connection release comprising one of a command to move to idle mode, a command to move to idle mode with suspend or a command to enter RRC inactive mode.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein sending the one or more RRC messages comprises:

having information on handling MT signaling/data in the second PLMN when the UE is in the first PLMN.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein sending the one or more RRC messages to the RAN node of the second PLMN comprises sending the one or more RRC messages with further information indicating a time period the information is valid while the UE in in the first PLMN.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein sending the one or more RRC messages to the RAN node of the second PLMN comprises sending the one or more RRC messages with the information on handling further comprising information that the UE shall not be paged while in the first PLMN and information that the UE will be sent a notification to the UE for service classes selected by the UE when MT signaling or data is received for the service classes selected by the UE is received in the second PLMN in the time period when the time period is indicated by UE.

10. A wireless device configured to operate in a communication network, the wireless device having multiple universal subscriber identity modules, USIMs, and comprising:

processing circuitry; and

memory coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the wireless device to perform operations comprising:

receiving information from a first public land mobile network, PLMN, associated with a first USIM of the multiple USIMs, indicating there is one of mobile terminating, MT, signaling or data in the first PLMN while the UE is actively communicating with a second PLMN associated with a second USIM of the multiple USIMs;

responsive to receiving the information, sending a service request to an access and mobility management function, AMF, node of the second PLMN, the service request comprising information indicating which service classes the UE has selected to be notified while the UE is in the idle or inactive state;

receiving a radio resource control, RRC, connection release from a radio access network, RAN, node of the second PLMN in response to sending the service request.

11. A wireless device configured to operate in a communication network, the wireless device comprising:

processing circuitry; and

memory coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the wireless device to perform operations comprising:

receiving information from a first public land mobile network, PLMN, associated with a first USIM of the multiple USIMs, indicating there is one of mobile terminating, MT, signaling or data in the first PLMN while the UE is actively communicating with a second PLMN associated with a second USIM of the multiple USIMs;

responsive to receiving the information, sending one or more radio resource control, RRC, messages to a radio access network, RAN, node of the second PLMN with at least one of the one or more RRC messages comprising an indication that the UE will enter RRC inactive mode in the second PLMN after being released from the second PLMN and information on which service classes the UE has selected to be notified about while the UE is in RRC inactive mode;

receiving a RRC connection release in response to sending the one or more RRC message, the RRC connection release comprising one of a command to move to idle mode, a command to move to idle mode with suspend or a command to enter RRC inactive mode.

12. A method performed by a processor in an access and mobility management function, AMF, node of a public land mobile network, PLMN, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a user equipment, UE, having multiple universal subscriber identity modules, USIMs, the request including an indication that the UE will go to an idle or inactive state for the PLMN and comprising information indicating at least one service class the UE wants to continue to receive mobile terminating, MT, signaling or data received in the PLMN when the UE is in the idle or inactive state;

responsive to receiving the request, determining whether to move the UE to connection management, CM,-idle mode, move the UE to CM-idle mode with suspend, or modify UE context to a radio access network, RAN, node to determine whether to move the UE to radio resource control, RRC, inactive mode based on the request; and

responsive to determining to move the UE to CM-idle mode or CM-idle mode with suspend:

instructing the UE to move to CM-idle mode or CM-idle mode with suspend; and

adjusting idle periodic mobility handling based on the information in the request.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

informing a session management function, SMF, node and user plane function, UPF, to adjust downlink data/signaling handling responsive to determining to move the UE to CM-idle mode.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

informing the SMF node and UPF that the UE will be suspended responsive to determining to move the UE to CM-idle mode with suspend and that MT data and signaling shall be restricted based on the information from the UE; and

instructing the UE to move to CM-idle mode with suspend responsive to determining to move the UE to CM-idle mode with suspend.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program comprising program code to be executed by processing circuitry of an access and mobility management function, AMF, node configured to operate in a communication network, whereby execution of the program code causes the AMF node to perform operations according to claim 12 .

16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium including program code to be executed by processing circuitry of an access and mobility management function, AMF, node configured to operate in a communication network, whereby execution of the program code causes the AMF node to perform operations according to claim 12 .

17. An access and mobility management function, AMF, node configured to operate in a communication network, the AMF node comprising:

processing circuitry; and

memory coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the AMF node to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request from a user equipment, UE, having multiple universal subscriber identity modules, USIMs, the request including an indication that the UE will go to an idle or inactive state for the public land mobile network, PLMN, and comprising information indicating at least one service class the UE wants to continue to receive mobile terminating, MT, signaling or data received in the PLMN when the UE is in the first PLMN;

responsive to receiving the request, determining whether to move the UE to connection management, CM,-idle mode, move the UE to CM-idle mode with suspend, or modify UE context to a radio access network, RAN, node to determine whether to move the UE to radio resource control, RRC, inactive mode based on the request; and

responsive to determining to move the UE to CM-idle mode or CM-idle mode with suspend:

instructing the UE to move to CM-idle mode or CM-idle mode with suspend; and

adjusting idle periodic mobility handling based on the information in the request.

18. A method of operating a radio access network, RAN, node in a first public land mobile network, PLMN, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a user equipment, UE, that the UE will enter radio resource control, RRC, inactive state in the first PLMN;

receiving one or more RRC messages from the UE with at least one of the RRC messages having information on handling MT signaling/data in the first PLMN when the UE is in RRC inactive state;

determining whether the UE should enter RRC inactive state without informing an access and mobility management function, AMF, node, whether to release a UE context towards the AMF with the information, or whether to send a UE context suspend request towards the AMF node;

responsive to determining the UE should enter RRC inactive state, instructing the UE to enter RRC inactive state;

responsive to determining to release the UE context towards the AMF, sending the UE context towards the AMF node; and

responsive to determining to send the UE context suspend request towards the AMF node, sending the UE context suspend request towards the AMF node.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

responsive to determining to move the UE to RRC inactive mode, adjusting handling of periodic RAN notification area, RNA, and MT signaling/data for the UE.

20. A radio access network, RAN, node configured to operate in a communication network, the RAN node comprising:

processing circuitry; and

memory coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the RAN node to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication from a user equipment, UE, that the UE will enter radio resource control, RRC, inactive state in a first public land mobile network, PLMN;

receiving one or more RRC messages from a user equipment, UE, with at least one of the RRC messages having information on handling MT signaling/data in the first PLMN when the UE is in the second PLMN;

determining whether the UE should enter RRC inactive state without informing an access and mobility management function, AMF, node, whether to release a UE context towards the AMF with the information, or whether to send a UE context suspend request towards the AMF node;

responsive to determining the UE should enter RRC inactive state, instructing the UE to enter RRC inactive state;

responsive to determining to release the UE context towards the AMF, sending the UE context towards the AMF node; and

responsive to determining to send the UE context suspend request towards the AMF node, sending the UE context suspend request towards the AMF node.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (12)