Method and system to manage radio resource control (rrc) connection in multi-sim user equipment (ue)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016249408-A1
Application number	US-201615052412-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Feb 24, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for releasing a radio resource control (RRC) connection in a wireless communication network. A user equipment (UE) monitors the RRC connection. The UE performs a local RRC connection release when the UE has failed to receive an RRC connection release message from a network based on a predefined criterion. The RRC transmits an RRC connection release indication to the network. A first subscriber identity module (SIM) is transitioned from an RRC connected mode to an RRC idle mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for releasing a radio resource control (RRC) connection by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
monitoring the RRC connection; performing a local RRC connection release operation when the UE has failed to receive an RRC connection release message from a network based on a predefined criterion; transmitting an RRC connection release indication message to the network; and transitioning a first subscriber identity module (SIM) from an RRC connected mode to an RRC idle mode.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the RRC connection comprises:
when the first SIM is in the RRC connected mode and a second SIM is in the RRC idle mode, receiving information for a network of the second SIM; and allocating a radio frequency (RF) and baseband resources from the first SIM to the second SIM.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predefined criterion comprises expiry of an RF unavailability monitoring timer in the RRC connected mode.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein performing the local RRC connection release operation and transmitting the RRC connection release indication message comprises:
determining that the first SIM does not receive the RF and baseband resources within the expiry of the RF unavailability monitoring timer; and transmitting the RRC connection release indication message to the network.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
setting a value of the RF unavailability monitoring timer.

6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving a value of the RF unavailability monitoring timer from the network.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predefined criterion comprises downlink data reception inactivity for a preset time.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein monitoring the RRC connection further comprises receiving an access message requesting access to the RF and the baseband resources from the second SIM, and
wherein transmitting the RRC connection release indication message comprises determining that the RRC connected mode of the first SIM is unknown to the network when downlink data reception is inactive for the preset time.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predefined criterion comprises reception of a paging message from the network while the UE is in the RRC connected mode.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the RRC connection release indication message comprises determining that the RF and the baseband resources are to be allocated to the second SIM upon reception of the paging message, and transmitting the RRC connection release indication message upon determining that the RF and the baseband resources are to be allocated to the second SIM.

11 . A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network, the UE comprising:
a processor configured to:
monitor the RRC connection;
perform a local radio resource control (RRC) connection release operation when the UE has failed to receive an RRC connection release message from a network based on a predefined criterion;
transmit an RRC connection release indication message to the network; and
transit a first subscriber identity module (SIM) from an RRC connected mode to an RRC idle mode.

12 . The UE of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
when the first SIM is in the RRC connected mode and a second SIM is in the RRC idle mode, receive information for a network of the second SIM; and allocate a radio frequency (RF) and baseband resources from the first SIM to the second SIM.

13 . The UE of claim 12 , wherein the predefined criterion comprises expiry of an RF unavailability monitoring timer in the RRC connected mode.

14 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine that the first SIM fails to receive the RF and baseband resources within the expiry of the RF unavailability monitoring timer; and transmit the RRC connection release indication message.

15 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to set a value of the RF unavailability monitoring timer.

16 . The UE of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a value of the RF unavailability monitoring timer from the network.

17 . The UE of claim 12 , wherein the predefined criterion comprises downlink data reception inactivity for a preset time.

18 . The UE of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to receive an access message requesting access to the RF and the baseband resources from the second SIM, and
wherein the processor is configured to transmit the RRC connection release indication message comprises determining that the RRC connected mode of the first SIM is unknown to the network when downlink data reception is inactive for the preset time.

19 . The UE of claim 12 , wherein the predefined criterion comprises reception of a paging message from the network while the UE is in the RRC connected mode.

20 . The UE of claim 19 , wherein transmitting the RRC connection release indication message comprises determining that the RF and the baseband resources are to be allocated to the second SIM upon reception of the paging message, and transmitting the RRC connection release indication message upon determining that the RF and the baseband resources are to be allocated to the second SIM.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Thiruvenkatachari Balaji Srinivasan
• Gupta Ashish Kumar
• Madhurantakam Shrinath Ramamoorthy

Classifications

• H04W76/06 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W8/183

  Processing at user equipment or user record carrier · CPC title

• H04W76/38 Primary

  triggered by timers · CPC title

• H04W60/005

  Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming · CPC title