Management of wireless connections

• US 8,515,436 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Song, Osok, Tenny, Nathan Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trandai, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/412,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20090247176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 455352-354, 455/404.1, 455410-411, 4554121-4122, 455/413, 4554141-4144, 455415-417, 455/422.1, 455/423, 4554321-4323, 455433-434, 4554351-4353, 455/436, 455/458, 455/409, 455/524, 379/67, 379/88, 379177-179, 379/182, 379/185, 379/187, 379/209, 379/266, 379/309
• 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:

receiving at an eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) a non-access stratum (NAS) message and an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE);

establishing the RRC connection with the UE for transmitting the NAS message to the UE;

transmitting the NAS message to the UE; and

maintaining or closing the RRC connection, based on the indication

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a flag indicating whether the RRC connection should be retained or closed.

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

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

5. 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.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the triggering event comprises an expiration of a timer.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the triggering event comprises a receipt of an explicit indication to close the RRC connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the eNode B receives the indication from the MME prior to the eNode B establishing the RRC connection with the UE.

9. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message to an eNode B; and

providing to the eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE);

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.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication comprises a flag indicating whether the RRC connection should be retained or closed.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein providing an indication comprises providing an indication on an uplink connection between the user equipment and the eNode B.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein providing an indication comprises providing an indication on a downlink connection between a mobility management entity (MME) and the eNode B.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the RRC connection is maintained until the occurrence of a triggering event comprising an explicit indication to close the RRC connection.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the eNode B receives the indication from the MME prior to the eNode B establishing the RRC connection with the UE.

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

logic for receiving at an eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) a non-access stratum (NAS) message and an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE);

logic for establishing the RRC connection with the UE for transmitting the NAS message to the UE;

logic for transmitting the NAS message to the UE; and

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

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.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the indication comprises a flag indicating whether the RRC connection should be retained or closed.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the indication is received on an uplink connection between the user equipment and the eNode B.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the indication is received on a downlink connection between a mobility management entity (MME) and the eNode B.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, 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.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of:

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

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

logic for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message to an eNode B; and

logic for providing to the eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment.

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.

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

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the logic for providing an indication is configured to provide an indication on an uplink connection between the user equipment and the eNode B.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein logic for providing an indication is configured to provide an indication on a downlink connection between a mobility management entity (MME) and the eNode B.

25. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for receiving at an eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) a non-access stratum (NAS) message and an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE);

means for establishing the RRC connection with the UE for transmitting the NAS message to the UE;

means for transmitting the NAS message to the UE; and

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

26. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for transmitting a non-access stratum (NAS) message to an eNode B; and

means for providing to the eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE).

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

instructions for receiving at an eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) a non-access stratum (NAS) message and an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE);

instructions for establishing the RRC connection with the UE for transmitting the NAS message to the UE; and

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

28. A computer-program product for wireless communications, comprising a non-transitory 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 to an eNode B; and

instructions for providing to the eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE).

29. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive at an eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) a non-access stratum (NAS) message and an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE); and

establish the RRC connection with the UE for transmitting the NAS message to the UE;

transmit the NAS message to the UE;

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

a memory coupled to the processor.

30. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

transmit a non-access stratum (NAS) message to an eNode B, and

provide to the eNode B from a mobility management entity (MME) an indication of whether or not for the eNode B to retain a radio resource control (RRC) connection associated with the NAS message, wherein the indication comprises an information element (IE) indicating an access stratum (AS) security context for a user equipment (UE); and

a memory coupled to the processor.