Patent ID: 9071951
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for use in a core network node in a wireless communication network for associating a tracking area identity list comprising at least one tracking area identity (TAI) with a user equipment, the method comprising the steps of: associating a first tracking area identity list with a user equipment as the user equipment registers with the core network node; sending the first tracking area identity list to the user equipment; receiving at least one tracking area identity comprising the tracking area identity of a tracking area being used by the user equipment; compiling a second tracking area identity list based on the tracking area identity list currently associated with the user equipment and on the received at least one tracking area identity; in response to the second tracking area identity list containing a different set of tracking area identities than the tracking area identity list currently associated with the user equipment, sending the second tracking area identity list to the user equipment to replace an earlier tracking area identity list in the user equipment; and associating the second tracking area identity list with the user equipment in place of the tracking area identity list currently associated with the user equipment, wherein the compiling a second tracking area identity list comprises: wherein the least recently used tracking area is determined as the tracking area for which the longest time period has elapsed since an indication was received by the core network node that the tracking area was used by the user equipment, wherein, in response to, the tracking area currently used by the user equipment and/or the last visited tracking area being determined as the tracking area for which the longest time period has elapsed since an indication was received by the core network node that the tracking area was used by the user equipment, the timer(s) for the tracking area identity of the tracking area currently used by the user equipment and/or for the tracking area identity of the last visited tracking area is restarted in the second tracking area identity list.