Small data transmission in a wireless communications system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016374048-A1
Application number	US-201615172110-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques are provided for transmission of small data packets through a paging procedure in a MTC or cellular internet of things system (CIoT). A core network may receive data to be transmitted to a user equipment (UE) and may determine that a small data packet transmission may be initiated for the data. The core network may format the small data packet into a paging request that includes the data and a UE identification, and transmit the paging request to a base station. The base station may receive the paging request, and initiate a page process with the UE. The UE may receive a page message, and initiate an access procedure that may be used for transmission of the small data. The UE may be in idle mode prior to the small data transmission, and in some examples may return to idle mode following the transmission of the small data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for wireless communication, comprising:
receiving a small data packet to be transmitted to a user equipment (UE); formatting the small data packet into a paging request, the paging request including UE identification information and the small data packet; and transmitting the paging request to one or more base stations.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether a confirmation of delivery of the small data packet is received; and retransmitting the paging request to the one or more base stations in an absence of the confirmation within a defined period of time.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the formatting the small data packet into the paging request comprises applying one or both of a control plane data encryption key or a control plane data integrity key.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the paging request further includes header information that indicates the paging request includes the small data packet.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by an entity of an evolved packet core.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the method is performed by a cellular internet of things (CIoT) serving gateway node (C-SGN).

7 . A method for wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, at a base station from a network node, a paging request associated with a user equipment (UE), wherein the paging request comprises a small data packet for the UE; transmitting a page to the UE; receiving an access request from the UE; and transmitting the small data packet to the UE responsive to the access request.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving an acknowledgement from the UE indicating correct reception of the small data packet; and transmitting, to the network node, a confirmation that the small data packet was delivered to the UE.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the transmitting the small data packet to the UE includes transmitting the small data packet in a control plane message associated with a signaling radio bearer.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the control plane message comprises a message of a random access procedure comprising the access request.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving, in the random access procedure, a connection request message comprising a small data request field, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the small data packet to the UE in a connection establishment message responsive to the connection request message.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the page to the UE includes an indication that the small data packet is to be transmitted.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the access request is received on a set of physical random access channel (PRACH) resources associated with connectionless transfer of small data packets.

14 . A method for wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, at a user equipment (UE), a page from a base station; initiating a random access procedure by transmitting an access request to the base station responsive to the page; receiving a small data packet in a control plane message prior to activation of a dedicated radio bearer for a data connection with the base station; and acknowledging the small data packet.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the control plane message is part of the random access procedure.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the control plane message is a random access response message of the random access procedure.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
transmitting, in a connection request message, a small data request field, wherein the small data packet is received in a connection establishment message sent in response to the connection request message.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the access request is transmitted on a set of physical random access channel (PRACH) resources associated with connectionless transfer of small data packets.

19 . An apparatus for communication, comprising:
a processor; memory in electronic communication with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory; wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:
receive a small data packet to be transmitted to a user equipment (UE);
format the small data packet into a paging request, the paging request including UE identification information and the small data packet; and
transmit the paging request to one or more base stations.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the apparatus to:
determine whether a confirmation of delivery of the small data packet is received; and retransmit the paging request to the one or more base stations in an absence of the confirmation within a defined period of time.

21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the formatting the small data packet into the paging request comprises applying one or both of a control plane data encryption key or a control plane data integrity key.

22 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the paging request further includes header information that indicates the paging request includes the small data packet.

23 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are executed by an entity of an evolved packet core.

24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the instructions are executed by a cellular internet of things (CIoT) serving gateway node (C-SGN).

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Griot Miguel
• Vajapeyam Madhavan Srinivasan

Classifications

• H04W12/10

  Integrity · CPC title

• H04L63/123

  received data contents, e.g. message integrity · CPC title

• H04W12/037

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

• H04W74/0833

  Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access · CPC title

• H04W68/02

  Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel · CPC title