Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11006267-B2
Application number	US-201816148237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2018
Priority date	Dec 6, 2007
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

Handling of UE capability information in a mobile telecommunications network wherein an eNodeB receives information regarding the UE capability information from the UE and stores the information. The eNodeB sends the UE capability information to the EPC, i.e., to an MME, which receives and stores the UE capability information. When the UE transits from idle to active state, does an initial attach, or when a part of the UE capabilities have changed, it sends a message to the eNodeB regarding the update. The eNodeB forwards the message to the MME, which sends a response associated with the previously stored UE capability information to the eNodeB. The eNodeB decides whether the UE capabilities stored in the MME is up-to-date based on the message from the UE and the response from the MME. If the UE holds updated UE capabilities the eNodeB can request updated UE capability information from the UE.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for a user equipment (UE) associated with UE capabilities, for handling UE capability information of the UE in a mobile telecommunications network comprising a core network node and an eNodeB, the method comprising:
sending a message comprising information indicative of UE capabilities of the UE and also comprising a flag that directly indicates that UE capabilities of the UE need to be updated;
in response to the message, receiving a request for updated UE capability information from eNodeB; and
sending, to the eNodeB, in response to the request, updated capability information for the UE.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) security capabilities of the UE.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises sending to the mobile telecommunications network, prior to sending the message, the UE capability information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information indicative of UE capabilities of the UE comprises a value tag corresponding to a current set of UE capabilities for the UE.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the value tag serves as a version number of the UE capability information.

6. A user equipment (UE) associated with UE capabilities, for handling UE capability information of the UE in a mobile telecommunications network that comprises a core network node and an eNodeB, the UE comprising:
receiver circuitry; and
transmitter circuitry;

wherein the UE is configured to use the receiver circuitry and transmitter circuitry to:
send a message comprising information indicative of UE capabilities of the UE and also comprising a flag that directly indicates that UE capabilities of the UE need to be updated;
in response to the message, receive a request for updated UE capability information from the eNodeB; and
send, to the eNodeB, in response to the request, updated capability information for the UE.

7. The UE of claim 6 , wherein the message comprises the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) security capabilities of the UE.

8. The UE of claim 6 , wherein the UE is configured to use the receiver circuitry and transmitter circuitry to send UE capability information to the mobile telecommunications network, prior to sending the message.

9. The UE of claim 6 , wherein the information indicative of UE capabilities of the UE comprises a value tag corresponding to a current set of UE capabilities for the UE.

10. The UE of claim 9 , wherein the value tag serves as a version number of the UE capability information.

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Mildh Gunnar
• Nordstrand Ingrid
• Rácz András
• Stattin Magnus
• Wallentin Pontus

Classifications

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• H04L63/20

  for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227) · CPC title

• H04W12/037

  of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic · CPC title

• H04W8/22 Primary

  Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities · CPC title

• H04W8/20 Primary

  Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title