METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING CIPHERING PROBLEM RECOVERY FOR UNACKNOWLEDGED MODE RADIO BEARER

• US 20100197230A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Brian, Charles, Alexander Graham, Kubota, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1848 Time-out mechanisms

Abstract

An apparatus for providing ciphering problem detection may include a processor. The processor may be configured to receive an unacknowledged mode message, initiate operation of a timer based on receipt of the unacknowledged mode message, re-initiate timer operation in response to each subsequent unacknowledged mode message received prior to expiration of the timer, record a timer expiry event in response to the timer expiring prior to receipt of a subsequent unacknowledged mode message, and indicate a data reception error in response to receipt of the subsequent unacknowledged mode message after recordation of the timer expiry event.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:

receive an unacknowledged mode message;

initiate operation of a timer based on receipt of the unacknowledged mode message;

re-initiate timer operation in response to each subsequent unacknowledged mode message received prior to expiration of the timer; and

indicate a data reception error in response to the timer expiring prior to receipt of a subsequent unacknowledged mode message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein receiving the unacknowledged mode message comprises receiving an unacknowledged mode data protocol data unit (UM data PDU).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to configure the timer with a timer duration defined based on instructions received from a network entity.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to configure the timer based on a hardcoded timer duration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to initiate a cell update procedure to facilitate recovery from the data reception error in response to the indication of the data reception error.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to initiate the cell update procedure to facilitate recovery from the data reception error by providing a particular value in a cell update message to a network entity, the particular value enabling re-synchronization of a transmitter of the unacknowledged mode message with the receiver of the unacknowledged mode message.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the particular value is a START value provided in the cell update message to initialize a COUNT-C value to a value used by the network entity.

8. A method comprising:

receiving an unacknowledged mode message;

initiating operation of a timer based on receipt of the unacknowledged mode message;

re-initiating timer operation in response to each subsequent unacknowledged mode message received prior to expiration of the timer; and

indicating a data reception error in response to the timer expiring prior to receipt of a subsequent unacknowledged mode message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the unacknowledged mode message comprises receiving an unacknowledged mode data protocol data unit (UM data PDU).

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring the timer with a timer duration defined based on instructions received from a network entity.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring the timer based on a hardcoded timer duration.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising initiating a cell update procedure to facilitate recovery from the data reception error in response to the indication of the data reception error.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein initiating the cell update procedure to facilitate recovery from the data reception error comprises providing a particular value in a cell update message to a network entity, the particular value enabling re-synchronization of a transmitter of the unacknowledged mode message with the receiver of the unacknowledged mode message.

14. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising:

program code instructions for receiving an unacknowledged mode message;

program code instructions for initiating operation of a timer based on receipt of the unacknowledged mode message;

program code instructions for re-initiating timer operation in response to each subsequent unacknowledged mode message received prior to expiration of the timer; and

program code instructions for indicating a data reception error in response to the timer expiring prior to receipt of a subsequent unacknowledged mode message.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein receiving the unacknowledged mode message comprises receiving an unacknowledged mode data protocol data unit (UM data PDU).

16. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising program code instructions for configuring the timer with a timer duration defined based on instructions received from a network entity.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising program code instructions for configuring the timer based on a hardcoded timer duration.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising program code instructions for initiating a cell update procedure to facilitate recovery from the data reception error in response to the indication of the data reception error.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein program code instructions for initiating the cell update procedure to facilitate recovery from the data reception error include instructions for providing a particular value in a cell update message to a network entity, the particular value enabling re-synchronization of a transmitter of the unacknowledged mode message with the receiver of the unacknowledged mode message.

20. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an unacknowledged mode message;

means for initiating operation of a timer based on receipt of the unacknowledged mode message;

means for re-initiating timer operation in response to each subsequent unacknowledged mode message received prior to expiration of the timer; and

means for indicating a data reception error in response to the timer expiring prior to receipt of a subsequent unacknowledged mode message.