Radio network node, user equipment (UE) and methods performed therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12389284-B2
Application number	US-202117789827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2021
Priority date	Feb 13, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments herein relate to for example a method performed by a radio network node for handling a communication of a user equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network. The radio network node transmits a handover command for handing over the UE, from a source cell to a target cell, wherein a security parameter for encrypting data communicated between the radio network node and the UE is retained during the handover. Furthermore, the radio network node maintains a sequence number status for reception and/or transmission of a signalling radio bearer of the UE during the handover from the source cell to the target cell, and/or at a fallback from the target cell to the source cell, when the UE triggers the fallback to the source cell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method performed by a radio network node for handling a communication of a user equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
transmitting, to the UE, a handover command for handing over, in a make before break handover, the UE from a source cell to a target cell, wherein a security key for encrypting data communicated between the radio network node and the UE is retained during the make before break handover, and
maintaining, by the radio network node, a sequence number status for reception and/or transmission of a signalling radio bearer of the UE, wherein the maintaining is performed a) during the make before break handover from the source cell to the target cell, b) during a fallback from the target cell to the source cell, and c) when the UE triggers the fallback to the source cell, wherein maintaining the sequence number status comprises maintaining sequential incrementation of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, downlink or uplink, DL/UL, COUNT value for signalling radio bearer one, SRB1, at the make before break handover to the target cell and at fallback to the source cell of the UE.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sequence number status is a count number of a counter.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fallback is triggered in case of a handover failure in the target cell.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a handover complete message from the UE on the signalling radio bearer in the target cell using sequence number n+1, where n is the sequence number of the last packet received on the signalling radio bearer in the source cell; and, in case the random access in the target cell fails and the UE triggers fallback to the source cell, maintaining sequence number status for the signalling radio bearer during the fallback of the UE from the target cell to the source cell.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving a fallback indication message on the signalling radio bearer in the source cell using packet sequence number n+2 or n+1 depending on if the handover complete message was transmitted by the UE in the source cell when the fallback was triggered.

6. A method performed by a user equipment, UE, for handling communication of the UE in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
receiving, from a radio network node, a handover command for handing over the UE in a make before break handover, from a source cell to a target cell, wherein a security key used for encrypting data communicated between the wireless communication network and the UE, is retained during the make before break handover, and
maintaining, by the UE, a sequence number status for transmission of a signalling radio bearer of the UE, wherein the maintaining is performed a) during the make before break handover from the source cell to the target cell, b) during a fallback from the target cell to the source cell, and c) when the UE triggers the fallback to the source cell, wherein maintaining the sequence number status comprises maintaining sequential incrementation of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, uplink, UL, COUNT value for signalling radio bearer one, SRB1, at the make before break handover to the target cell and at fallback to the source cell of the UE.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the handover command instructs the UE to perform a Dual Active Protocol Stack, DAPS, handover from the source cell to the target cell and wherein the security key is retained during the make before break handover; and the sequence number status for a signalling radio bearer during the make before break handover from the source cell to the target cell is maintained; the method further comprising:
transmitting a handover complete message to wireless communication network on the signalling radio bearer in the target cell using sequence number n+1, where n is a sequence number of the last packet transmitted on the signalling radio bearer in the source cell.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein, in case fallback to the source cell is triggered due to handover failure in the target cell, the packet sequence number status is maintained for the signalling radio bearer during the fallback from the target cell to the source cell, and the method further comprising:
transmitting a fallback indication message on the signalling radio bearer in the source cell using packet sequence number n+2 or n+1 depending on if the handover complete message was transmitted in the target cell when the fallback was triggered.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the sequence number status is a count number of a counter.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the fallback is triggered in case of a handover failure in the target cell.

11. A radio network node for handling a communication of a user equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network, wherein the radio network node is configured to:
transmit, to the UE, a handover command for handing over, in a make before break handover, the UE from a source cell to a target cell, wherein a security key for encrypting data communicated between the radio network node and the UE is retained during the make before break handover, and
maintain, by the radio network node, a sequence number status for reception and/or transmission of a signalling radio bearer of the UE, wherein the maintaining is performed a) during the make before break handover from the source cell to the target cell, b) during and at a fallback from the target cell to the source cell, and c) when the UE triggers the fallback to the source cell, wherein the radio network node is configured to maintain the sequence number status by maintaining sequential incrementation of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, downlink or uplink, DL/UL, COUNT value for signalling radio bearer one, SRB1, at the make before break handover to the target cell and at fallback to the source cell of the UE.

12. The radio network node according to claim 11 , wherein the sequence number status is a count number of a counter.

13. The radio network node according to claim 11 , wherein the fallback is triggered in case of a handover failure in the target cell.

14. The radio network node according to claim 11 , wherein the radio network node is further configured to:
receive a handover complete message from the UE on the signalling radio bearer in the target cell using sequence number n+1, where n is the sequence number of the last packet received on the signalling radio bearer in the source cell; and, in case the random access in the target cell fails and the UE triggers fallback to the source cell, to maintain the sequence number status for the signalling radio bearer during the fallback of the UE from the target cell to the source cell.

15. The radio network node according to claim 11 , wherein the radio network node is further configured to:
receive a fallback indication message on the signalling radio bearer in the source cell using packet sequence number n+2 or n+1 depending on if the handover complete message was transmitted by the UE in the source cell when the fallback was triggered.

16. A user equipment, UE, for handling communication of the UE in a wireless communication network, wherein the UE is configured to:
receive, from a radio network node, a handover command for handing over the UE in a make before break handover, from a source cell to a target cell, wherein a security key used for encrypting data communicated between the wireless communication network and th

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Ohlsson Oscar
• Rune Johan
• Wallentin Pontus
• Persson Claes-Göran

Classifications

• H04W36/0079

  in case of hand-off failure or rejection · CPC title

• H04L47/34

  ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers · CPC title

• H04W36/0005 Primary

  Control or signalling for completing the hand-off · CPC title

• H04W12/037

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

• H04W36/0055

  Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link · CPC title