Patent ID: 9736193
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04W

Claim:
1. A method for maintaining packet data protocol (PDP) context for a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: detecting a data offload condition wherein the UE is sending or receiving data using a data path that does not include a first network node, and wherein a first PDP context for the UE is maintained at the first network node, and wherein the first PDP context is maintained at the first network node as long as periodic heartbeat signals are received by the first network node; sending, in response to the detected data offload condition, a lock command to the first network node, wherein the lock command prevents deletion of the first PDP context by the first network node regardless of the receipt of the periodic heartbeat signals by the first network node; detecting an end of the data offload condition; and sending an unlock command to the first network node in response to detecting the end of the data offload condition, wherein the unlock command allows deletion of the first PDP context by the first network node.