MANAGEMENT OF WIRELESS CONNECTIONS

• US 20090247176A1
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tenny, Nathan Edward, Song, Osok
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers

Abstract

Techniques for signaling whether or not a radio resource control (RRC) connection should be maintained are provided. The signaling may be provided, for example, in existing NAS transport messages, or in separate messages. The signaling may be provided in the uplink and/or downlink direction.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message;

receiving an indication of whether or not to retain the RRC connection after transmission of the NAS message; and

maintaining or closing the RRC connection, based on the indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of whether or not to retain an RRC connection associated with the NAS message comprises receiving the indication in a message transmitted separate from the NAS message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is transmitted with the NAS message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication comprises a flag indicating whether the RRC connection should be retained or closed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is received on an uplink connection between a user equipment and an eNode B.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is received on a downlink connection between a mobility management entity (MME) and an eNode B.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining or closing the RRC connection, based on the indication comprises:

maintaining the RRC connection, based on the indication, until the occurrence of a triggering event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of:

expiration of a timer and receipt of an explicit indication to close the RRC connection.

10. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message; and

providing an indication of whether or not to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing an indication of whether or not to retain an RRC connection associated with the NAS message comprises transmitting the indication with a message transmitted separate from the NAS message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication is transmitted with the NAS message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication comprises a flag indicating whether the RRC connection should be retained or closed.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein providing an indication comprises providing an indication on an uplink connection between a user equipment and an eNode B.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein providing an indication comprises providing an indication on a downlink connection between a mobility management entity (MME) and an eNode B.

17. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

logic for establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message;

logic for receiving an indication of whether or not to retain the RRC connection after transmission of the NAS message; and

logic for maintaining or closing the RRC connection, based on the indication.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logic for receiving the indication of whether or not to retain an RRC connection associated with the NAS message is configured to receive the indication with a message transmitted separate from the NAS message.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the indication is transmitted with the NAS message.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE).

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the indication comprises a flag indicating whether the RRC connection should be retained or closed.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the indication is received on an uplink connection between a user equipment and an eNode B.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the indication is received on a downlink connection between a mobility management entity (MME) and an eNode B.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein maintaining or closing the RRC connection, based on the indication comprises:

maintaining the RRC connection, based on the indication, until the occurrence of a triggering event.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of:

expiration of a timer and receipt of an explicit indication to close the RRC connection.

26. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

logic for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message; and

logic for providing an indication of whether or not to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the logic for providing an indication of whether or not to retain an RRC connection associated with the NAS message is configured to transmit the indication with a message transmitted separate from the NAS message.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the indication is transmitted with the NAS message.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE).

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the indication comprises a flag indicating whether the RRC connection should be retained or closed.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the logic for providing an indication is configured to provide an indication on an uplink connection between a user equipment and an eNode B.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein logic for providing an indication is configured to provide an indication on a downlink connection between a mobility management entity (MME) and an eNode B.

33. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message;

means for receiving an indication of whether or not to retain the RRC connection after transmission of the NAS message; and

means for maintaining or closing the RRC connection, based on the indication.

34. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message; and

means for providing an indication of whether or not to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message.

35. A computer-program product for wireless communications, comprising a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message;

instructions for receiving an indication of whether or not to retain the RRC connection after transmission of the NAS message; and

instructions for maintaining or closing the RRC connection, based on the indication.

36. A computer-program product for wireless communications, comprising a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message; and

instructions for providing an indication of whether or not to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message.

37. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message,

receive an indication of whether or not to retain the RRC connection after transmission of the NAS message, and

maintain or close the RRC connection, based on the indication; and

a memory coupled to the processor.

38. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

transmit a non-access stratum (NAS) message, and

provide an indication of whether or not to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message; and

a memory coupled to the processor.