System and method for user equipment identifier configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11659563-B2
Application number	US-201715848725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 4, 2017
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for configuring a bit length of a user equipment identifier (UE ID) used for communications in Layer 1 or Layer 2, or both, between a UE and a network. Multiple mechanisms are provided for the network to provide identifier parameter information (for example bit length and/or an identifier value or a range of values) to the UE to allow the UE to select a particular UE ID based on the identifier parameter information.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a first UE identifier (ID) for use when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC)_Connected active state;
receiving, by the UE, a second UE ID for use when the UE is in a RRC_Inactive state, wherein a bit length of the first UE ID is shorter than a bit length of the second UE ID and the first UE ID and the second UE ID are each a different radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that are independent of one another, and the RRC-Inactive state is different from the RRC_Connected active state and a RRC_Idle state;
transitioning, by the UE, from the RRC_Connected active state to the RRC_Inactive state;
performing, when the UE is in the RRC_Inactive state, grant free communications using the second UE ID, or using the second UE ID for uplink based measurements;
transitioning, by the UE, from the RRC_Inactive state to the RRC_Connected active state; and
maintaining, by UE, the second ID after transitioning from the RRC_Inactive state to the RRC_Connected active state.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the second UE ID after transitioning from the RRC_Connected active state to the RRC_Inactive state.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising dropping the first UE ID and using the second UE ID.

4. The method of claim 1 , receiving identifier parameter information defining the bit length of the first UE ID or the second UE ID.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the identifier parameter information comprises at least one of:
the bit length of the first or second UE ID;
an index value associated with the bit length of the first or second UE ID; and
a value to be used as the first UE ID or the second UE ID.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a message from the UE requesting the first UE ID or the second UE ID.

7. A user equipment (UE) comprising:
a receiver;
a transmitter; and
a processor operatively connected to the receiver and the transmitter, the processor configured to:
receive a first UE identifier (ID) for use when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connected active state;
receive a second UE ID for use when the UE is in a RRC_Inactive state, wherein a bit length of the first UE ID is shorter than a bit length of the second UE ID and the first UE ID and the second UE ID are each a different radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that are independent of one another, and the RRC-Inactive state is different from the RRC_Connected active state and a RRC_Idle state;
transition the UE from the RRC_Connected active state to the RRC_Inactive state;
perform, when the UE is in the RRC_Inactive state, grant free communications using the second UE ID, or using the second UE ID for uplink based measurements;
transition the UE from the RRC_Inactive state to the RRC_Connected active state; and
maintain the second ID after transitioning from the RRC_Inactive state to the RRC_Connected active state.

8. The UE of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to maintain the second UE ID after transitioning from the RRC_Connected active state to the RRC_Inactive state.

9. The UE of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to drop the first UE ID and use the second UE ID.

10. The UE of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive identifier parameter information defining the length of the first UE ID or the second UE ID.

11. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the identifier parameter information comprises at least one of:
the bit length of the first or second UE ID;
an index value associated with the bit length of the first or second UE ID; and
a value to be used as the first UE ID or the second UE ID.

12. The UE of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a message requesting the first UE ID or the second UE ID.

13. A method comprising:
transmitting, by a base station, a first user equipment (UE) identifier (ID) to a UE, for use when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC)_Connected active state;
transmitting, by the base station, a second UE ID to the UE, for the UE to use for uplink based measurements or performing grant free communications when the UE is in a RRC_Inactive state, wherein a bit length of the first UE ID is shorter than a bit length of the second UE ID and the first UE ID and the second UE ID are each a different radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that are independent of one another, and the RRC-Inactive state is different from the RRC_Connected active state and a RRC_Idle state;
performing, by the base station, after the UE transitioning from RRC Active state to the RRC_Inactive state, grant free communications using the second UE ID, or using the second UE ID for uplink based measurements;
maintaining, by the base station for the UE, the second ID after the UE transitioning from the RRC_Inactive state to the RRC_Connected active state.

14. A base station comprising:
a receiver;
a transmitter; and
a processor operatively connected to the receiver and the transmitter, the processor configured to:
transmit a first user equipment (UE) identifier (ID) to a UE, for use when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC)_Connected active state;
transmit a second UE ID to the UE, for the UE to use for uplink based measurements or performing grant free communications when the UE is in a RRC_Inactive state, wherein a bit length of the first UE ID is shorter than a bit length of the second UE ID and the first UE ID and the second UE ID are each a different radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that are independent of one another, and the RRC-Inactive state is different from the RRC_Connected active state and a RRC_Idle state;
perform, after the UE transitioning from RRC Active state to the RRC_Inactive state, grant free communications using the second UE ID, or using the second UE ID for uplink based measurements;

maintain, for the UE, the second ID after the UE transitioning from the RRC_Inactive state to the RRC_Connected active state.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second UE IDs are assigned by a network that the UE is communicating with.

16. The UE of claim 7 , wherein the first and second UE IDs are assigned by a network that the UE is communicating with.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second UE IDs are assigned by a network that the base station is communicating with.

18. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the first and second UE IDs are assigned by a network that the base station is communicating with.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising maintaining the second UE ID after transitioning from the RRC_Connected active state to the RRC_Inactive state.

20. The base station of claim 14 wherein the processor further configured to maintaining the second UE ID after transitioning from the RRC_Connected active state to the RRC_Inactive state.

Assignees

• Au Kelvin Kar Kin
• Baligh Mohammadhadi
• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Au Kelvin Kar Kin
• Baligh Mohammadhadi

Classifications

• H04W72/23 Primary

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04W8/26

  Network addressing or numbering for mobility support · CPC title

• H04L5/0053

  Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals · CPC title

• H04W52/0229

  where the received signal is a wanted signal · CPC title

• H04W76/11 Primary

  Allocation or use of connection identifiers · CPC title