Core Network Awareness of User Equipment, UE, State

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method for use in a network node of providing a radio resource control (RRC) state of a user equipment (UE) to a core network node comprises: receiving, from the core network node, a request to receive a notification of a transition of the UE between a first and second RRC state; determining the UE transitioned between the first and second RRC state; and sending the notification of the transition to the core network node. A method for use in a core network node of receiving RRC state information of a UE comprises: sending, to the network node, a subscription request to receive a notification of a transition of the UE between a first and second RRC state; and upon the network node determining the UE transitioned between the first and second RRC state, receiving the notification from the network node.

1 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method for use in a network node of providing a radio resource control (RRC) state of a user equipment (UE) to a core network node, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the core network node, a subscription request to receive a notification of a transition of the UE between a first RRC state and a second RRC state; and   sending the notification of the transition to the core network node when the UE has transitioned between the first RRC state and the second RRC state.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising sending, to the core network node, a subscription response indicating that the network node will provide the notification. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the subscription request includes a request to receive location information of the UE. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the subscription request includes a periodicity for receiving the notification, wherein the periodicity specifies whether the notification is a one-time notification or a notification for each subsequent transition of the UE between the first RRC state and the second RRC state. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the notification includes location information of the UE. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first RRC state is RRC CONNECTED and the second RRC state is RRC INACTIVE. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the subscription request comprises an information element (IE) in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION INDICATION. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the subscription response comprises an IE in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION CONFIRM. 
     
     
         41 . A network node capable of providing a radio resource control (RRC) state of a user equipment (UE) to a core network node, the network node comprising processing circuitry operable to:
 receive, from the core network node, a subscription request to receive a notification of a transition of the UE between a first RRC state and a second RRC state; and   send the notification of the transition to the core network node when the UE has transitioned between the first RRC state and the second RRC state.   
     
     
         42 . The network node of  claim 41 , the processing circuitry further operable to send, to the core network node, a subscription response indicating that the network node will provide the notification. 
     
     
         43 . The network node of  claim 41 , wherein the subscription request includes a request to receive location information of the UE. 
     
     
         44 . The network node of  claim 41 , wherein the subscription request includes a periodicity for receiving the notification, wherein the periodicity specifies whether the notification is a one-time notification or a notification for each subsequent transition of the UE between the first RRC state and the second RRC state. 
     
     
         45 . The network node of  claim 41 , wherein the notification includes location information of the UE. 
     
     
         46 . The network node of  claim 41 , wherein the first RRC state is RRC CONNECTED and the second RRC state is RRC INACTIVE. 
     
     
         47 . The network node of  claim 41 , wherein the subscription request comprises an information element (IE) in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION INDICATION. 
     
     
         48 . The network node of  claim 42 , wherein the subscription response comprises an IE in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION CONFIRM. 
     
     
         49 . A method for use in a core network node of receiving radio resource control (RRC) state information of a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 sending, to a network node, a subscription request to receive a notification of a transition of the UE between a first RRC state and a second RRC state; and   upon the network node determining the UE transitioned between the first RRC state and the second RRC state, receiving the notification from the network node.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising receiving, from the network node, a subscription response indicating that the network node will provide the notification. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the subscription request includes a request to receive location information of the UE. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the subscription request includes a periodicity for receiving the notification, wherein the periodicity specifies whether the notification is a one-time notification or a notification for each subsequent transition of the UE between the first RRC state and the second RRC state. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the notification includes location information of the UE. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the first RRC state is RRC CONNECTED and the second RRC state is RRC INACTIVE. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the subscription request comprises an information element (IE) in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION INDICATION. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the subscription response comprises an IE in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION CONFIRM. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising modifying an operation of the core network node with respect to the UE based on the received notification. 
     
     
         58 . A core network node capable of receiving radio resource control (RRC) state information of a user equipment (UE), the method core network node comprising processing circuitry operable to:
 send, to a network node, a subscription request to receive a notification of a transition of the UE between a first RRC state and a second RRC state; and   upon the network node determining the UE transitioned between the first RRC state and the second RRC state, receive the notification from the network node.   
     
     
         59 . The core network node of  claim 58 , the processing circuitry further operable to receive, from the network node, a subscription response indicating that the network node will provide the notification. 
     
     
         60 . The core network node of  claim 58 , wherein the subscription request includes a request to receive location information of the UE. 
     
     
         61 . The core network node of  claim 58 , wherein the subscription request includes a periodicity for receiving the notification, wherein the periodicity specifies whether the notification is a one-time notification or a notification for each subsequent transition of the UE between the first RRC state and the second RRC state. 
     
     
         62 . The core network node of  claim 58 , wherein the notification includes location information of the UE. 
     
     
         63 . The core network node of  claim 58 , wherein the first RRC state is RRC CONNECTED and the second RRC state is RRC INACTIVE. 
     
     
         64 . The core network node of  claim 58 , wherein the subscription request comprises an information element (IE) in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION INDICATION. 
     
     
         65 . The core network node of  claim 59 , wherein the subscription response comprises an IE in an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE or a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION CONFIRM. 
     
     
         66 . The core network node of  claim 58 , the processing circuitry further operable to modify an operation of the core network node with respect to the UE based on the received notification.