Apparatuses, service networks, and methods for handling plmn-specific parameters for an inter-plmn handover

Abstract

A User Equipment (UE) including a wireless transceiver and a controller is provided. The wireless transceiver performs wireless transmission and reception to and from a first cell of a first Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and a second cell of a second PLMN. The controller performs a Location Update (LU) procedure with the second cell via the wireless transceiver in response to an inter-PLMN handover of the UE from the first cell of the first PLMN to the second cell of the second PLMN, and obtains one or more Session Management (SM), Evolved SM (ESM), or 5GSM parameters of the second PLMN from a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session modification command, a bearer modification command, or a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context modification command which is received from the second cell via the wireless transceiver in response to completing the LU procedure caused by the inter-PLMN handover.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A User Equipment (UE), comprising:
 a wireless transceiver, configured to perform wireless transmission and reception to and from a first cell of a first Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and a second cell of a second PLMN; and   a controller, configured to perform a Location Update (LU) procedure with the second cell via the wireless transceiver in response to an inter-PLMN handover of the UE from the first cell of the first PLMN to the second cell of the second PLMN, and obtain one or more Session Management (SM), Evolved SM (ESM), or 5GSM parameters of the second PLMN from a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session modification command, a bearer modification command, or a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context modification command which is received from the second cell via the wireless transceiver in response to completing the LU procedure caused by the inter-PLMN handover.   
     
     
         2 . The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the LU procedure comprises sending an LU request comprising an indication of the inter-PLMN handover to the second cell via the wireless transceiver, and the indication of the inter-PLMN handover triggers the second PLMN to send the PDU session modification command, the bearer modification command, or the PDP context modification command via the second cell upon completion of the LU procedure. 
     
     
         3 . The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to send a request for the SM, ESM, or 5GSM parameters to the second cell via the wireless transceiver upon completing the LU procedure, prior to receiving the PDU session modification command, the bearer modification command, or the PDP context modification command from the second cell via the wireless transceiver. 
     
     
         4 . The UE of  claim 3 , wherein the request is a PDU Session Modification Request message in response to the second cell utilizing a 5G cellular technology, or a Bearer Resource Modification Request message in response to the second cell utilizing a 4G cellular technology, or a Modify PDP Context Request message in response to the second cell utilizing a 2G or 3G cellular technology. 
     
     
         5 . The UE of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the second cell utilizing a 5G cellular technology, the LU procedure is a Registration procedure with a 5G System (5GS) registration type Information Element (IE) set to “mobility registration updating” and the PDU session modification command is a PDU Session Modification Command message. 
     
     
         6 . The UE of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the second cell utilizing a 4G cellular technology, the LU procedure is a Tracking Area Update (TAU) procedure and the bearer modification command is a Modify EPS (Evolved Packet System) Bearer Context Request message. 
     
     
         7 . The UE of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the second cell utilizing a 2G or 3G cellular technology, the LU procedure is a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure and the PDP context modification command is a Modify PDP Context Request message or a Modify PDP Context Accept message. 
     
     
         8 . The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the SM, ESM, or 5GSM parameters comprise at least one of:
 configuration associated with a Narrow Band-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) rate control; and   configuration associated with a Packet-Switched (PS) data off feature.   
     
     
         9 . The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to obtain one or more Mobility Management (MM), Evolved MM (EMM), or 5GMM parameters of the second PLMN during the LU procedure. 
     
     
         10 . A method for handling Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)-specific parameters for an inter-PLMN handover, executed by a User Equipment (UE) communicatively connected to a first cell of a first PLMN and a second cell of a second PLMN, the method comprising:
 performing a Location Update (LU) procedure with the second cell in response to an inter-PLMN handover of the UE from the first cell of the first PLMN to the second cell of the second PLMN; and   obtaining one or more SM, Evolved SM (ESM), or 5GSM parameters of the second PLMN from a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session modification command, a bearer modification command, or a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context modification command which is received from the second cell in response to completing the LU procedure caused by the inter-PLMN handover.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the LU procedure comprises sending an LU request comprising an indication of the inter-PLMN handover to the second cell, and the indication of the inter-PLMN handover triggers the second PLMN to send the PDU session modification command, the bearer modification command, or the PDP context modification command via the second cell upon completion of the LU procedure. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 sending a request for the SM, ESM, or 5GSM parameters to the second cell upon completing the LU procedure, prior to receiving the PDU session modification command, the bearer modification command, or the PDP context modification command from the second cell.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the request is a PDU Session Modification Request message in response to the second cell utilizing a 5G cellular technology, or a Bearer Resource Modification Request message in response to the second cell utilizing a 4G cellular technology, or a Modify PDP Context Request message in response to the second cell utilizing a 2G or 3G cellular technology. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, in response to the second cell utilizing a 5G cellular technology, the LU procedure is a Registration procedure with a 5G System (5GS) registration type Information Element (IE) set to “mobility registration updating” and the PDU session modification command is a PDU Session Modification Command message. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, in response to the second cell utilizing a 4G cellular technology, the LU procedure is a Tracking Area Update (TAU) procedure and the bearer modification command is a Modify EPS Bearer Context Request message. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, in response to the second cell utilizing a 2G or 3G cellular technology, the LU procedure is a Routing Area Update (RAU) procedure and the PDP context modification command is a Modify PDP Context Request message or a Modify PDP Context Accept message. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the SM, ESM, or 5GSM parameters comprise at least one of:
 configuration associated with a Narrow Band-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) rate control; and   configuration associated with a Packet-Switched (PS) data off feature.   
     
     
         18 . A method for handling Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)-specific parameters for an inter-PLMN handover, executed by a User Equipment (UE) communicatively connected to a first cell of a first PLMN and a second cell of a second PLMN, the method comprising:
 performing a Location Update (LU) procedure with the second cell in response to an inter-PLMN handover of the UE from the first cell of the first PLMN to the second cell of the second PLMN; and   applying one or more Session Management (SM), Evolved SM (ESM), or 5GSM parameters of the first PLMN for the second PLMN in response to completing the LU procedure caused by the inter-PLMN handover.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the applying of the SM, ESM, or 5GSM parameters of the first PLMN for the second PLMN comprises: reusing current values of the SM, ESM, or 5GSM parameters of the first PLMN for the second PLMN. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the applying of the SM, ESM, 5GSM parameters of the first PLMN for the second PLMN comprises: using default values of the SM, ESM, 5GSM parameters of the first PLMN for the second PLMN.