Relocating context information in header compression

Abstract

A method of relocating the header compression context in a packet network which transmits packets having compressed headers. A connection is established between a mobile terminal and a first network entity and context information used with compression and decompression of the headers of the packets is stored at the mobile terminal and the first network entity. The context information updating is stopped in the mobile terminal and in the first network entity and after that, a snapshot of the compression and decompression context information is taken and stored in the first network entity. The connection between the first network entity and the mobile terminal is changed to a connection between the mobile terminal and a second network entity. The context information snapshot stored by the first network entity is transferred to the second network entity to be stored therein as the context information of the second network entity. The stored context information at the mobile terminal and the second network entity is then used for compression and decompression of the headers of the packets.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of relocating the header compression context in a packet network which transmits packets having compressed headers, said method comprising:
 establishing a connection between a mobile terminal and a first network entity including storing context information used with compression and decompression of the headers of the packets at the mobile terminal and the, first network entity;   stopping the context information updating in the mobile terminal and in the first network entity;   taking a snapshot of the compression and decompression context information in the first network entity including storing said context information snapshot in the first network entity; and   changing the connection between the first network entity and the mobile terminal to a connection between the mobile terminal and a second network entity including transferring the context information snapshot stored by the first network entity to the second network entity which is stored by the second network entity as the context information of the second network entity and using the stored context information at the mobile terminal and the second network entity for compression and decompression of the headers of the packets.   
     
     
       2. A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein:
 said context information updating is stopped by disabling the mobile terminal and the first network entity decompressors from sending acknowledgements to the compressor of the opposite side. 
 
     
     
       3. A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein:
 said context information updating is stopped by stopping the mobile terminal to compress and transmit uplink data and stopping the first network entity to compress and transmit downlink data. 
 
     
     
       4. A method in accordance with  claim 3  wherein:
 said taking a snapshot of the compression and decompression context information in the first network entity is delayed until said transmitted uplink data and downlink data has been received and decompressed. 
 
     
     
       5. A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein:
 said context information updating is stopped by discarding in the first network entity compression/decompression acknowledgements from the mobile terminal. 
 
     
     
       6. A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein:
 said context information updating is stopped by disabling in the first network entity to send compression/decompression acknowledgements to the mobile terminal. 
 
     
     
       7. A method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein:
 sending a context update request from the first network entity to the second network entity, in response to a detection of a context update request sent by the mobile terminal in the first network entity; and 
 sending the first packet from the second network entity to the mobile terminal as a packet containing said context update request. 
 
     
     
       8. A method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein:
 sending a context update request from the first network entity to the second network entity, in response to a detection of out-of synchronism of the context information in the first network entity; and 
 sending the first packet from the second network entity to the mobile terminal as a packet containing said context update request. 
 
     
     
       9. A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein:
 transferring the context information snapshot stored by the first network entity to the second network entity before changing the connection between the first network entity and the mobile terminal to a connection between the mobile terminal and a second network entity. 
 
     
     
       10. A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein:
 said method is used in accordance with Robust Header Compression (ROHC) implemented in a UMTS system. 
 
     
     
       11. A method in accordance with  claim 10  wherein:
 performing said relocation overlapping with serving radio network subsystem (SRNS) relocation. 
 
     
     
       12. A packet network in which packets having compressed headers are transmitted between a mobile terminal and network entities, said network comprising:
 a connection is arranged to established between a mobile terminal and a first network entity;   context information used with compression and decompression of the headers of the packets is arranged to be stored at the mobile terminal and the first network entity;   the context information updating in the mobile terminal and in the first network entity is arranged to be stopped;   a snapshot of the compression and decompression context information is arranged to be taken at and stored in the first network entity;   the connection between the first network entity and the mobile terminal is arranged to be changed to a connection between the mobile terminal and a second network entity, whereby the context information snapshot stored by the first network entity is arranged to be transmitted to and stored in the second network entity as the context information of the second network entity; and   the stored context information at the mobile terminal and the second network entity is arranged to be used for compression and decompression of the headers of the packets.   
     
     
       13. A packet network in accordance with  claim 12  wherein:
 said context information updating is arranged to be stopped by disabling the mobile terminal and the first network entity decompressors from sending acknowledgements to the compressor of the opposite side. 
 
     
     
       14. A packet network in accordance with  claim 12  wherein:
 said context information updating is arranged to be stopped by stopping the mobile terminal to compress and transmit uplink data and stopping the first network entity to compress and transmit downlink data. 
 
     
     
       15. A packet network in accordance with  claim 14  wherein:
 said taking a snapshot of the compression and decompression context information in the first network entity is arranged to be delayed until said transmitted uplink data and downlink data has been received and decompressed. 
 
     
     
       16. A packet network in accordance with  claim 12  wherein:
 said context information updating is arranged to be stopped by discarding in the first network entity compression/decompression acknowledgements from the mobile. 
 
     
     
       17. A packet network in accordance with  claim 12  wherein:
 said context information updating is arranged to be stopped by disabling in the first network entity to send compression/decompression acknowledgements to the mobile terminal. 
 
     
     
       18. A packet network in accordance with  claim 16  wherein:
 a context update request is arranged to be sent from the first network entity to the second network entity, in response to a detection of a context update request sent by the mobile terminal in the first network entity; 
 the first packet is arranged to be sent from the second network entity to the mobile terminal as a packet containing said context update request. 
 
     
     
       19. A packet network in accordance with  claim 16  wherein:
 a context update is arranged to be sent request from the first network entity to the second network entity, in response to a detection of out-of-synchronism of the context information in the first network entity; and 
 the first packet is arranged to be sent from the second network entity to the mobile terminal as a packet containing said context update request. 
 
     
     
       20. A packet network in accordance with  claim 12  wherein:
 the context information snapshot stored by the first network entity is arranged to be transferred to the second network entity before changing the connection between the first network entity and the mobile terminal to a connection between the mobile terminal and a second network entity. 
 
     
     
       21. A packet network in accordance with  claim 12  wherein:
 said packet network is a UMTS system, wherein Robust Header Compression (ROHC) is implemented. 
 
     
     
       22. An apparatus comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit packets;   a receiver configured to receive packets;   a memory configured to store context information used with compressing and decompressing of packet headers;   the apparatus configured to:
 establish a connection between the apparatus and a first network entity; 
 store in the memory, updated context information used with the compressing of the packet headers; 
 receive, from the first network entity, a RRC signalling indicating a SRNS (Serving Radio Network Sub-system) relocation and a header compression context relocation to be performed; 
 in response to receiving the header compression context relocation indication in the RRC signalling, stop updating the stored context information used with the compressing of the packet headers; 
 use the stored updated context information for compression of the packet headers to be transmitted to a second network entity after the SRNS relocation.  
   
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 22, further configured to:
 receive an indication of a handover of the connection from the first network entity to the second network entity.    
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 23, further configured to stop updating the context information used with the compressing and decompressing of the packet headers upon receiving the indication of the handover of the connection from the first network entity to the second network entity.  
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 22, further configured to stop updating the context information used with the compressing and decompressing of the packet headers when no acknowledgement for context update is received from the first network entity.  
     
     
       26. A method of communication in an apparatus comprising:
 establishing a connection between the apparatus and a first network entity;   storing in a memory, updated context information used with compressing of packet headers;   receiving, from the first network entity, a RRC signalling indicating a SRNS (Serving Radio Network Sub-system) relocation and a header compression context relocation to be performed;   in response to receiving the header compression context relocation indication in the RRC signalling, stopping updating of the stored context information used with the compressing of the packet headers;   communicating packets to a second network entity using the stored updated context information for compression of the packet headers after the SRNS relocation.    
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
 receiving from the first network entity, an indication of handover of the communication connection to the second network entity.    
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27, wherein the updating of the context information is stopped upon receiving of the indication of the handover.  
     
     
       29. The method of claim 27, wherein the updating of the context information is stopped when no acknowledgement for context update is received from the first network entity.  
     
     
       30. An apparatus comprising:
 a transmitter;   a receiver;   a memory; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter, receiver, and memory, the processor configured to:
 store in the memory a context information, the context information being used by the apparatus for compressing of packet headers for communication over a first connection with a first network entity, 
 receive, from the first network entity, a RRC signalling indicating a SRNS (Serving Radio Network Sub-system) relocation and a header compression context relocation to be performed; 
 in response to receiving the header compression context relocation indication in the RRC signalling, stop updating the context information, 
 establish a second connection with a second network entity, and 
 use the stored context information for compression of the packet headers for communication over the second connection with the second network entity after the SRNS relocation.  
   
     
     
       31. The apparatus of claim 30, the processor is further configured to:
 receive an indication of a handover of the connection from the first network entity to the second network entity.    
     
     
       32. The apparatus of claim 31, the processor is configured to stop updating the context information upon receiving the indication of the handover of the connection from the first network entity to the second network entity.  
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim 30, the processor is configured to stop updating the context information when no acknowledgement for context update is received from the first network entity.