Handling of interworking with EPC in presence of non-3GPP PDU sessions

• US 10,869,245 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2019
• Issued: 12/15/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang-Fu, Chien-Chun, Lin, Zong-Syun
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US16/374,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20190313290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6295 using multiple queues, one for each individual QoS, connection, flow or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/143 Termination or inactivation of sessions, e.g. event-controlled end of session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/06 De-registration or detaching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure can provide an apparatus and method for operating a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session associated with a non-3GPP access when the apparatus is to perform an inter-system change. The apparatus can include processing circuitry that is configured to connect to a first communication system over a 3GPP access and a non-3GPP access and switch the connection from the first communication system to a second communication system. Further, when in a release mode, the processing circuitry can release a PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access, and when in a transfer mode, the processing circuitry can transfer the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access to a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection that is in the second communication system over a 3GPP access.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising processing circuitry that is configured to:

connect to a first communication system over a 3GPP access and a non-3GPP access;

switch the connection from the first communication system to a second communication system;

wherein, in a release mode the processing circuitry releases a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access, and in a transfer mode the processing circuitry transfers the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access to a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection that is in the second communication system over a 3GPP access by;

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access to the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the 3GPP access, and then transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the 3GPP access to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access;

or

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access directly to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry releases the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access, further includes one of:

releasing locally at the apparatus;

or

releasing using a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) procedure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access directly to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access, further includes initiating a PDN connectivity procedure in the second communication system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

suspend an inter-system change between the first communication system and the second communication system;

transfer the PDU session that is in the first communication system from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access; and

resume the inter-system change after transferring the PDU session from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

suspend an inter-system change between the first communication system and the second communication system;

maintain the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access; and

resume the inter-system change after the PDU session is completed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to deregister from the first communication system over the non-3GPP access before the PDU session in the first communication system is transferred from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access.

7. A method, comprising:

connecting, by a processing circuitry of a user equipment (UE), to a first communication system over a 3GPP access and a non-3GPP access;

switching the connection from the first communication system to a second communication system;

wherein, in a release mode the processing circuitry releases a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access, and in a transfer mode the processing circuitry transfers the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access to a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection that is in the second communication system over a 3GPP access by;

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access to the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the 3GPP access, and then transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the 3GPP access to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access;

or

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access directly to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein releasing the PDU session that is connected to the first communication system over the non-3GPP access further includes one of:

releasing locally at the apparatus;

or

releasing using a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) procedure.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access directly to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access, further includes initiating a PDN connectivity procedure in the second communication system.

10. The method of claim 7, further including:

suspending an inter-system change between the first communication system and the second communication system;

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access; and

resuming the inter-system change after transferring the PDU session from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access.

11. The method of claim 7, further including:

suspending an inter-system change between the first communication system and the second communication system;

maintaining the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access; and

resuming the inter-system change after the PDU session is completed.

12. The method of claim 7, further including deregistering from the first communication system over the non-3GPP access before the PDU session in the first communication system is transferred from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

connecting to a first communication system over a 3GPP access and a non-3GPP access;

switching the connection from the first communication system to a second communication system; and

in a release mode, releasing a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access, and in a transfer mode, transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access to a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection that is in the second communication system over a 3GPP access by;

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access to the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the 3GPP access, and then transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the 3GPP access to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access;

or

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access directly to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions being executed by the processor to release the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access further causes the processor to perform the steps of:

releasing locally at the apparatus;

or

releasing using a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) procedure.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions being executed by the processor to transfer the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access directly to the PDN connection that is in the second communication system over the 3GPP access, further causes the processor to perform the step of initiating a PDN connectivity procedure in the second communication system.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions being executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform the steps of:

suspending an inter-system change between the first communication system and the second communication system;

transferring the PDU session that is in the first communication system from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access; and

resuming the inter-system change after transferring the PDU session from the non-3GPP access to the 3GPP access.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions being executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform the steps of:

suspending an inter-system change between the first communication system and the second communication system;

maintaining the PDU session that is in the first communication system over the non-3GPP access; and

resuming the inter-system change after the PDU session is completed.