Connection management method, user equipment, core network entity, and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11291069-B2
Application number	US-201716649377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2017
Priority date	Sep 21, 2017
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A connection management method includes: accessing, by UE, a network using a first base station, where the UE is in an RRC inactive state; accessing, by the UE, a network using a second base station, where the second base station does not support the RRC inactive state; and sending, by the UE, a first request message to a first core network entity using the second base station, so that the first core network entity releases a connection to the first base station based on the first request message.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connection management method, comprising:
accessing, by user equipment (UE), a network by using a first base station, wherein the UE is in a radio resource connection (RRC) inactive state;
accessing, by the UE, a network by using a second base station, wherein the second base station does not support the RRC inactive state; and
sending, by the UE, a first request message to a first core network entity by using the second base station, so that the first core network entity releases a connection to the first base station based on the first request message;
wherein the first core network entity is a core network entity of the network accessed by the second base station, wherein the first request message further comprises UE capability information, and the UE capability information indicates that the UE supports the RRC inactive state.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein before sending, by the UE, a first request message to a first core network entity by using the second base station, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the UE, a broadcast message sent by the second base station; and
determining, by the UE based on the broadcast message, that the second base station does not support the RRC inactive state.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first base station is a base station corresponding to a network accessed by the UE before the UE moves, and the second base station is a base station corresponding to a network accessed by the UE after the UE moves.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein before sending, by the UE, a first request message to a first core network entity by using the second base station, the method further comprises:
switching, by the UE, a state of the UE from the RRC inactive state to an idle state.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first request message comprises indication information, and the indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch from the RRC inactive state to an idle state.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first request message is a location update request, an attach request, a registration request, or a service request.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first base station supports the RRC inactive state.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first core network entity is a mobility management entity (MME), or an access and mobility management function entity (AMF).

9. A connection management method, comprising:
accessing, by UE, a network by using a first base station, wherein the UE is in a RRC inactive state;
accessing, by the UE, a network by using a second base station, wherein the second base station does not support the RRC inactive state; and
sending, by the UE, a first request message to a first core network entity by using the second base station, so that the first core network entity sends a second request message to a second core network entity, and the second core network entity releases a connection to the first base station based on the second request message;
wherein the first core network entity is a core network entity of the network accessed by the second base station, and the second core network entity is a core network entity of the network accessed by the first base station, wherein the first request message further comprises UE capability information, and the UE capability information indicates that the UE supports the RRC inactive state.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein before sending, by the UE, a first request message to a first core network entity by using the second base station, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the UE, a broadcast message sent by the second base station; and
determining, by the UE based on the broadcast message, that the second base station does not support the RRC inactive state.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first base station is a base station corresponding to a network accessed by the UE before the UE moves, and the second base station is a base station corresponding to a network accessed by the UE after the UE moves.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein before sending, by the UE, a first request message to a first core network entity by using the second base station, the method further comprises:
switching, by the UE, a state of the UE from the RRC inactive state to an idle state.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first request message comprises indication information, and the indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch from the RRC inactive state to an idle state.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first core network entity is a MME, and the second core network entity is an AMF.

15. UE, comprising:
a non-transitory memory comprising instructions; and
a processor coupled to the non-transitory memory, the instructions being executed by the processor to cause the UE to:
access a network by using a first base station, wherein the UE is in a RRC inactive state;
access a network by using a second base station, wherein the second base station does not support the RRC inactive state; and
send a first request message to a first core network entity by using the second base station, so that the first core network entity releases a connection to the first base station based on the first request message; wherein the first core network entity is a core network entity of the network accessed by the second base station, wherein the first request message further comprises UE capability information, and the UE capability information indicates that the UE supports the RRC inactive state.

16. The UE according to claim 15 , the instructions further cause the UE to:
receive a broadcast message sent by the second base station; and
determine that the second base station does not support the RRC inactive state, based on the broadcast message.

17. The UE according to claim 15 , the instructions further cause the UE to:
switch a state of the UE from the RRC inactive state to an idle state.

18. The UE according to claim 15 , wherein the first request message further comprises UE capability information, and the UE capability information indicates that the UE supports the RRC inactive state.

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Xiaojuan
• Yang Haorui
• Jin Hui
• Ouyang Guowei
• He Yue
• Dou Fenghui

Classifications

• H04W76/27 Primary

  Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states · CPC title

• H04W76/34

  Selective release of ongoing connections · CPC title

• H04W76/15 Primary

  Setup of multiple wireless link connections · CPC title

• H04W76/40

  for selective distribution or broadcast · CPC title