Granted Patent B2

US 12,328,611 · App. 17/426,589 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Inventors: Huichun Liu (Beijing, CN); Peng Cheng (Beijing, CN); Xipeng Zhu (San Diego, CA); Gavin Bernard Horn (La Jolla, CA); Ozcan Ozturk (San Diego, CA)

H04W24/10H04W68/02

Abstract

Claims (75)

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

receiving, at a first radio access network (RAN) from an access and mobility management function (AMF) network entity, a measurement configuration to start a trace of a user-equipment (UE), wherein the first RAN comprises a first base station;

determining, by the first RAN, a transition of the UE to an inactive state; and

sending, by the first RAN, one or more messages in response to the determination that the UE is in the inactive state, wherein the one or more messages comprise:

a paging message to a second RAN indicating to trigger the transition of the UE to a connected state from the inactive state, wherein the second RAN comprises a second base station,

a message comprising the measurement configuration to start the trace of the UE to the second RAN, and

an indication to the AMF network entity that the trace of the UE is deactivated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paging message triggers a protocol for the UE to enter the connected state from the inactive state.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request from a second RAN to receive context of the UE, wherein sending the one or more messages comprises sending a UE context response message having the context of the UE to the second RAN in response to the reception of the request.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the UE context response message indicates the measurement configuration.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating a previously cached UE context with the measurement configuration; and

receiving a request from a second RAN for a context of the UE, wherein sending the one or more messages comprises sending a UE context response message having the updated UE context to the second RAN in response to the reception of the request for the context of the UE.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the method further comprises selecting whether to defer the start of the trace until the UE transitions to a connected state or to trigger the transition to the connected state for the trace; and

if the selection comprises selecting to trigger the transition, the sending of the one or more messages further comprises sending the RAN paging message to the second RAN to trigger the transition of the UE to the connected state prior to the reception of the request for the context of the UE.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the selection is based on an indication from the AMF network entity or based a context of the UE.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement configuration comprises an immediate minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration;

the determination comprises determining that the UE has transitioned to the inactive state while configured with the immediate MDT configuration;

the method further comprises:

storing the immediate MDT configuration based on the determination; and

configuring the UE to resume the trace after the UE has entered a connected state.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

sending the one or more messages comprises sending a message to coordinate the trace of the UE with the measurement configuration received from the AMF network entity;

the measurement configuration comprises a logged minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration; and

if the UE transitions to the inactive state while configured with the logged MDT configuration, the logged MDT configuration is valid only while the UE is within an area scope set by the AMF network entity in the measurement configuration.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising configuring the UE with a RAN notification area (RNA), wherein the logged MDT configuration is further valid only while the UE is within the RNA.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement configuration comprises a configuration for a logged minimization of drive test (MDT); and

the method further comprises configuring the UE with a RAN notification area (RNA) when the UE transitions to the inactive state; and

sending the one or more message comprises sending a radio resource control (RRC) release message to the UE for the transition of the UE to the inactive state, the RRC release message configuring the logged MDT if the UE is within the RNA.

12. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

detecting, by an access and mobility management function (AMF) network entity, a state of a user-equipment (UE);

determining, by the AMF network entity, a minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration to start a trace of the UE based on the detection, wherein the determined MDT configuration is a logged MDT configuration based on the UE being in an inactive state or an immediate MDT configuration based on the UE not being in the inactive state;

generating, by the AMF network entity, a message comprising the MDT configuration; and

sending, by the AMF network entity, the message to a radio access network (RAN) to coordinate the trace, wherein the RAN comprises a base station.

13. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

receiving, by a first radio access network (RAN) from a second RAN, a first message having a measurement configuration to start a trace of a user equipment (UE) that is in an inactive state, wherein the first RAN comprises a first base station and the second RAN comprises a second base station;

determining, by the first RAN, in response to the first message, to transmit a path switch request to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network entity;

transmitting, by the first RAN to the AMF, the path switch request;

receiving, by the first RAN from the AMF network entity in response to the path switch request, a second message indicating measurement configuration to start a trace of the UE; and

transmitting, by the first RAN to the UE, the measurement configuration.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

sending a UE context request message to the second RAN;

receiving a UE context response message from the second RAN; and

transmitting a radio resource control (RRC) resume message to the UE after receiving the UE context response message.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a RAN paging message from the second RAN; and

transmitting a paging message to the UE to transition the UE from the inactive state to a connected state prior to the transmission of the measurement configuration.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving an RRC resume request from the UE.

17. A first radio access network (RAN) comprising a first base station, comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to execute the instructions and cause the first RAN to:

receive from an access and mobility management function (AMF) network entity a measurement configuration to start a trace of a user-equipment (UE);

determine a transition of the UE to an inactive state; and

send one or more messages in response to the determination that the UE is in the inactive state, wherein the one or more messages comprise:

a paging message to a second RAN comprising a second base station indicating to trigger the transition of the UE to a connected state from the inactive state,

a message comprising the measurement configuration to start the trace of the UE to the second RAN, and

an indication to the AMF network entity that the trace of the UE is deactivated.

18. An access and mobility management function (AMF) network entity, comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to execute the instructions and cause the AMF network entity to:

detect a state of a user-equipment (UE);

determine a minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration to start a trace of the UE based on the detection, wherein the determined MDT configuration is a logged MDT configuration based on the UE being in an inactive state or an immediate MDT configuration based on the UE not being in the inactive state;

generate a message comprising the MDT configuration; and

send the message to a radio access network (RAN) to coordinate the trace.

19. A first radio access network (RAN) comprising a first base station, comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to execute the instructions and cause the first RAN to:

receive from a second RAN comprising a second base station a first message having a measurement configuration to start a trace of a user equipment (UE) that is in an inactive state;

determine, in response to the first message, to transmit a path switch request to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network entity;

transmit, to the AMF network entity, the path switch request;

receive, from the AMF network entity in response to the path switch request, a second message indicating measurement configuration to start a trace of the UE; and

transmit, to the UE, the measurement configuration.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (30)