Techniques for managing radio link failure recovery for a user equipment connected to a WWAN and a WLAN

• US 9,414,430 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Vajapeyam, Madhavan Srinivasan, Horn, Gavin Bernard, Gupta, Ajay
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US14/447,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for managing radio link failure recovery for a user equipment (UE) connected to a WWAN and a WLAN. The techniques may include establishing communication with a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT. At least one data flow may be transmitted over each of the first RAT and the second RAT. Determinations may be made as to whether to maintain the at least one data flow over the second RAT when a radio link failure (RLF) is detected at the UE and/or whether to resume the at least one data flow over the second RAT upon RLF recovery. The determinations may be made at the UE, at a network entity in communication with the UE, or some combination thereof.

Claims

1. A method for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

establishing communication with a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology;

transmitting at least one data flow over the first radio access technology and at least one data flow over the second radio access technology;

detecting a radio link failure between a user equipment and the first radio access technology; and

determining whether to maintain the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology when the radio link failure is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first radio access technology is associated with a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and the at least one data flow is at least one of a bearer, a traffic flow template (TFT), a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection, or a quality of service (QoS) class.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the WWAN is a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to maintain the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology comprises deter mining to suspend a transmission of one or more data flows of the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology, and further comprising suspending the transmission of the one or more data flows over the second radio access technology.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a recovery from the radio link failure; and

resuming the transmission of the one or more suspended data flows over the second radio access technology in response to detecting the recovery.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a recovery from the radio link failure; and

resuming the transmission of the one or more suspended data flows over the first radio access technology in response to detecting the recovery.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a recovery from the radio link failure;

receiving a configuration associated with the recovery from the first radio access technology; and

resuming the transmission of the one or more suspended data flows over the second radio access technology based on the configuration.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting information related to the second radio technology to the first radio access technology,

wherein receiving the configuration from the first radio access technology is in response to transmitting the information related to the second radio technology.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises a measurement report.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises a plurality of indications, each of which indicates whether the user equipment suspended the transmission for a particular one of the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology during the radio link failure, wherein each of the plurality of indications is associated with a particular one of the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises a plurality of indications, each of which indicates whether the user equipment is to resume the transmission for a particular one of the at least one data flow over the first radio access technology or the second radio access technology, wherein each of the plurality of indications is associated with a particular one of the at least one data flow over the first radio access technology.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining to maintain the transmission of the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is based on at least one of a network configuration received at the user equipment, an access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) policy, a quality of service (QoS) parameter, or an implementation of the user equipment.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting control signaling over the second radio access technology during the radio link failure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control signaling comprises one or both of radio resource control signaling or non-access stratum signaling.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving control signaling over the second radio access technology during the radio link failure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the control signaling comprises one or both of radio resource control signaling or non-access stratum signaling.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable code, comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to establish communication with a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology;

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit at least one data flow over the first radio access technology and at least one data flow over the second radio access technology;

code for causing the at least one computer to detect a radio link failure between a user equipment and the first radio access technology; and

code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether to maintain the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology when the radio link failure is detected.

19. An apparatus for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

means for establishing communication with a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology;

means for transmitting at least one data flow over the first radio access technology and at least one data flow over the second radio access technology;

means for detecting a radio link failure between a user equipment and the first radio access technology; and

means for determining whether to maintain the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology when the radio link failure is detected.

20. An apparatus for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

a controller configured to establish communication with a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology;

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) radio configured to transmit at least one data flow over the first radio access technology;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio configured to transmit at least one data flow over the second radio access technology;

a radio link failure (RLF) component configured to detect a radio link failure between a user equipment and the first radio access technology; and

an RLF data flow determination component configured to determine whether to maintain the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology when the radio link failure is detected.

21. A method for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

establishing a first communication connection with a user equipment via a first radio access technology;

receiving an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection transmits at least one data flow;

receiving, after a radio link failure of the first communication connection, a radio link failure recovery indication of the first communication connection from the user equipment;

determining whether the at least one data flow can be maintained over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology during a radio link failure; and

indicating to the user equipment whether to maintain the transmission of the at least one data flow, on a per-data flow basis, over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the establishing results from the user equipment moving from an idle state to a connected state or from the user equipment being handed over.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the indicating comprises sending at least one of a configuration message or a data message to the user equipment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the configuration message is a radio resource control message.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the sending comprises sending at least one of a configuration message or a data message to the user equipment over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to establish a first communication connection with a user equipment via a first radio access technology;

code for causing the at least one computer to receive an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection transmits at least one data flow;

code for causing the at least one computer to receive, after a radio link failure of the first communication connection, a radio link failure recovery indication of the first communication connection from the user equipment;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether the at least one data flow can be maintained over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology during a radio link failure; and

code for causing the at least one computer to indicate to the user equipment whether to maintain the transmission of the at least one data flow, on a per-data flow basis, over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

27. An apparatus for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

means for establishing a first communication connection with a user equipment via a first radio access technology;

means for receiving an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection transmits at least one data flow;

means for receiving, after a radio link failure of the first communication connection, a radio link failure recovery indication of the first communication connection from the user equipment;

means for determining whether the at least one data flow can be maintained over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology during a radio link failure; and

means for indicating to the user equipment whether to maintain the transmission of the at least one data flow, on a per-data flow basis, over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

28. An apparatus for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

at least one memory; and

a radio link failure (RLF) data flow configuration component, in communication with the at least one memory, and configured to;

establish a first communication connection with a user equipment via a first radio access technology;

receive an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection transmits at least one data flow;

receive, after a radio link failure of the first communication connection, a radio link failure recovery indication of the first communication connection from the user equipment;

determine whether the at least one data flow can be maintained over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology during a radio link failure; and

indicate to the user equipment whether to maintain the transmission of the at least one data flow, on a per-data flow basis, over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

29. A method for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

receiving, from a user equipment, a radio link failure recovery indication for a first communication connection;

receiving an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection is associated with at least one data flow;

determining whether the at least one data flow can be resumed over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology after the radio link failure recovery; and

indicating to the user equipment whether to resume the transmission of the at least one data flow over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving at least one measurement report related to the second radio access technology; and

determining whether the user equipment can resume the transmission of the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology based at least in part on the at least one measurement report.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of indications, each of which indicates whether the user equipment suspended the transmission of a particular one of the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology during the radio link failure, wherein each of the plurality of indications is associated with a particular one of the at least one data flow;

receiving, from the user equipment, at least one measurement report related to the second radio access technology;

detecting that the first communication connection has been reestablished; and

determining whether to resume transmissions over the second radio access technology based on the at least one measurement report and in response to the detecting.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one measurement report is received as part of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Reestablishment message.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a further indication that the transmission of the at least one data flow over the second radio access technology was maintained during the radio link failure;

detecting that the first communication connection has been reestablished; and

determining whether to transmit the at least one data flow, which was maintained over the second radio access technology during the radio link failure, over the first radio access technology, in response to the detecting.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the indication is included in a measurement report related to the second radio access technology.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the indication is received as part of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Reestablishment message.

36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to receive, from a user equipment, a radio link failure recovery indication for a first communication connection;

code for causing the at least one computer to receive an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection is associated with at least one data flow;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether the at least one data flow can be resumed over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology after the radio link failure recovery; and

code for causing the at least one computer to indicate to the user equipment whether to resume the transmission of the at least one data flow over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

37. An apparatus for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

means for receiving, from a user equipment, a radio link failure recovery indication for a first communication connection;

means for receiving an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection is associated with at least one data flow;

means for determining whether the at least one data flow can be resumed over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology after the radio link failure recovery; and

means for indicating to the user equipment whether to resume the transmission of the at least one data flow over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.

38. An apparatus for managing a radio link failure recovery, comprising:

at least one memory; and

a radio link failure (RLF) data flow configuration component in communication with the at least one memory and configured to;

receive, from a user equipment, a radio link failure recovery indication for a first communication connection;

receive an indication that a second communication connection is established with the user equipment via a second radio access technology, wherein the second communication connection is associated with at least one data flow;

determine whether the at least one data flow can be resumed over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology after the radio link failure recovery; and

indicate to the user equipment whether to resume the transmission of the at least one data flow over the second communication connection via the second radio access technology.