Patent Description:
Long term evolution (LTE) access control mechanisms include an Access Class Barring (ACB) mechanism, a Service Specific Access Control (SSAC) mechanism, an Extended Access Barring (EAB) mechanism and an Application specific Congestion control for Data Communication (ACDC) mechanism.

The ACB mechanism is configured for performing access control on the basis of an access type and an access class of a user equipment (UE). The SSAC mechanism is configured for performing access control on a multimedia telephony voice video call (MMTEL voice/video call) initiated by a terminal. The EAB mechanism is, introduced in view of machine-type communication. The ACDC mechanism is configured for performing access control on operator identified applications.

In an LTE system, in a procedure of establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection, reestablishing the RRC connection, and recovering the RRC connection, a first uplink RRC request message initiated by a terminal (also called UE) will carry a connection establishment cause, such as an RRC connection establishment cause (calling, called, high priority level calling, etc.), an RRC connection reestablishment cause (switching failure, reconfiguration failure) and an RRC connection resume reason (calling, called, etc.). Some connection establishment causes (such as calling and called) are provided for an RRC layer by a higher layer, and some connection establishment causes (such as switching failure) are generated by the RRC layer itself.

Along with development of wireless communication systems, terminal types and types of services are diversified, modes and types needing to perform access control are more and more, and access control mechanisms will be complicated.

In the existing LTE system, access control and connection establishment cause generation are two related mechanisms. A unified access control mechanism is introduced into a <NUM> new radio (NR) system. There is no solution for determining an establishment cause yet under the unified access control mechanism.

In summary, there is no solution for determining an establishment cause yet under the <NUM> NR system. Document R2-<NUM> provides details on the proposed NR AC mechanism aiming to identify the key stage-<NUM> aspects for RAN2 to discuss and conclude and to respond CT1/SA2 questions on their incoming LSs [<NUM>][<NUM>]. It is to note that coordination with CT1, SA1 and SA2 may also be required. Document, <CIT>, discloses that the step which determines whether one Embodiment of this invention needs to access-control for the service with specific UE. The step which sends a system broadcast message to UE is contained, and a system broadcast message provides the access control method of transmitting access control information intrinsic native in a service, when it is necessary to access-control for the service with specific UE.

Embodiments of the present application provide a method for determining an establishment cause, and a terminal, for solving the problem, existing in the related art, that there is no solution for determining an establishment cause yet under a <NUM> NR system.

In order to more clearly describe solutions of embodiments of the present application, drawings required to be used in descriptions of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained according to these drawings by those having ordinary skill in the art on the premise of not making inventive labor.

In order to make objects, solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application is further described in details below with reference to drawings. Apparently, embodiments described are only part of embodiments of the present application, rather than all embodiments. All other embodiments achieved by those having ordinary skill in the art on the premise of not making inventive labor on the basis of the embodiments of the present application all fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Referring to <FIG>, a method for performing access control according to embodiments of the present application includes the following operations.

Operation <NUM> is that An RRC layer of a terminal determines an access category of the terminal.

Operation <NUM> is that the RRC layer of the terminal determines, according to a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause, a connection establishment cause corresponding to the access category of the terminal.

In the embodiments of the present application, the RRC layer of the terminal determines the access category of the terminal, and determines, according to the mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause, the connection establishment cause corresponding to the access category for the terminal. Since the RRC layer of the terminal in the embodiments of the present application determines, according to the mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause, the connection establishment cause corresponding to the access category of the terminal, a solution for determining an establishment cause under a <NUM> NR system is provided, to thereby improve system performance.

Optionally, there are many modes for the RRC layer of the terminal in the embodiments of the present application to determine the access category of the terminal. For instance a higher layer will notify the RRC layer of the access category if the higher layer of the terminal needs to initiate services. Further for instance the higher layer will notify the RRC layer of the access category by initiating a signaling procedure, e.g., tracking area update (TAU). correspondingly, the RRC layer of the terminal receives the access category notified by the higher layer. This part is not according to the invention and is present for illustration purposes only.

The RRC layer of the terminal determines the access category by itself, e.g., the RRC layer of the terminal determines the access category during RRC connection resume of the terminal.

During the RRC connection resume, the terminal needs to initiate an RAN notification area (RNA) updating procedure. Since the procedure is an RAN procedure and does not relate to a core network, the RRC layer directly determines the access category as "RNA update".

It shall be noted that the above-mentioned contents are only illustrated, and modes capable of enabling the RRC layer to determine the access category of the terminal are applicable to the embodiments of the present application.

The RRC layer of the terminal acquires a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause through at least one of specifications in protocols, pre-configuration, or higher-layer notification.

Specifications in protocols, i.e., the mapping relationship is specified through the protocols, for instance the mapping relationship may be specified in the protocols in a form of tables, etc..

Pre-configuration, i.e., the mapping relationship is configured into the terminal in advance.

Higher-layer notification, i.e., the higher layer notifies the terminal of the mapping relationship.

In implementations, due to various reasons (for example, services are newly added, and new access categories and establishment causes are required to be added; and the existing access categories are adjusted (for example, some services are deleted, the access categories and establishment causes are reallocated, etc.)), mapping relationships between access categories and connection establishment causes may be changed, thus, the RRC layer needs to update the mapping relationships between the access categories and the connection establishment causes. The procedure of updating includes but not limited to modifying, deleting and adding.

Optionally, the RRC layer of the terminal updates the mapping relationships between the access categories and the connection establishment causes according to an updating notification received from the higher layer.

Besides the mode of notifying updating by the higher layer, the RRC layer may perform updating automatically if the RRC layer discovers that the mapping relationships between the access categories and the connection establishment causes are changed.

After the RRC layer of the terminal determines the connection establishment cause corresponding to the access category for the terminal, the RRC layer of the terminal may perform an access control judgment operation according to the access category of the terminal and/or the determined connection establishment cause.

Detailed introduction is performed below.

For example, the connection establishment cause is calling, and calling broadcast at a network side includes two kinds of access strategies, i.e., a calling service and calling signaling. Each strategy is <NUM> bit. UE may initiate the calling service when the <NUM> bit refers to TRUE, and otherwise, the calling service cannot be initiated. Whereas, at this time, the calling signaling can be initiated, and the calling service cannot be initiated.

Optionally, the RRC layer of the terminal sends an uplink RRC message containing the connection establishment cause if the RRC layer of the terminal determines that the terminal is able to access.

The operation of sending the uplink RRC message containing the connection establishment cause is used for judging by the network side whether UE with the establishment cause is allowed to be accommodated or not.

Solutions of the present application are described in details below by citing several embodiments.

Embodiment <NUM>: RRC connection establishment procedure (protocol pre-specified, or pre-configured mode).

In view of the RRC connection establishment procedure, a RRC layer of a terminal maintains mapping relationships between access categories and connection establishment causes.

The mapping relationships may be set as required. Referring to table <NUM>, a mapping relationship is provided according to embodiments of the present application. It shall be noted that the mapping relationship provided in table <NUM> is illustrated, and any mapping relationship between the access categories and the connection establishment causes is applicable to the embodiments of the present application.

In implementations, a terminal may acquire the mapping relationship according to at least one of the following modes: protocol pre-specified, for example performing pre-engagement in a higher-layer protocol; or pre-configured, for example performing pre-configuring in a RRC layer.

The mapping relationship may have a basic default configuration. When a change occurs, the terminal may do corresponding updating, for example the RRC layer performs updating after a higher layer notification is received; and updating may also be performed after the RRC layer determines that the mapping relationship is changed.

When a higher layer needs to initiate a service, the higher layer firstly provides information on an access category (category <NUM> for instance) for the RRC layer.

The RRC layer seeks a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause according to the information on the access category and generates a corresponding establishment cause, namely calling service, according to the mapping relationship.

The RRC layer performs an access control judgment flow according to the access category (category <NUM>) and/or the establishment cause (calling service). When the condition that UE may access is judged, an access procedure is triggered, and an uplink RRC message carries the establishment cause, i.e. "calling service".

Embodiment <NUM>: RRC connection establishment procedure (a mode for supplying a mapping relationship to a RRC layer by a higher layer).

After UE is started up or a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause is updated, a higher layer of the UE provides the mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause to the RRC layer, and a form can be the same as table <NUM> in the embodiment <NUM>.

When the higher layer needs to initiate a service subsequently, the higher layer firstly provides information on an access category (category <NUM> for instance) for the RRC layer.

The RRC layer seeks a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause according to the information on the access category and generates a corresponding establishment cause, namely high priority level, according to the mapping relationship.

The RRC layer performs an access control judgment flow according to the access category (category <NUM>) and/or the establishment cause (high priority level). When the condition that the UE may access is judged, a first uplink RRC message carries the establishment cause, i.e., "high priority level".

Embodiment <NUM>: RRC connection resume procedure.

In view of the RRC connection resume procedure, a RRC layer maintains mapping relationships between access categories and connection establishment causes, and the mapping relationships may be the same as table <NUM> in the embodiment <NUM>.

Difference from the embodiment <NUM> lies in that related access category information is generated by the RRC layer during the RRC connection resume procedure.

Then, the RRC layer seeks a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause according to the generated information on the access category (category <NUM> for instance) and generates a corresponding establishment cause, namely called, according to the mapping relationship. The RRC layer performs an access control judgment flow according to the access category (category <NUM>) and/or the establishment cause (called). When the condition that the UE may access is judged, a first uplink RRC message carries the establishment cause, i.e., "called".

Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiments of the present application further provide a terminal. Since a principle for solving problem by the terminal is similar to that of a method for determining an establishment cause according to the embodiments of the present invention, therefore, implementations of the terminal may refer to those of the method, and no further description is needed in details.

Referring to <FIG>, a first terminal of the embodiments of the present invention includes a category determining module <NUM> and a processing module <NUM>.

The category determining module <NUM> is configured to determine an access category for the terminal through a RRC layer.

The processing module <NUM> is configured to determine, according to a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause, a connection establishment cause corresponding to the access category for the terminal through the RRC layer.

Optionally, there are many modes for the RRC layer of the terminal in the embodiments of the present application to determine the access category for the terminal.

For instance the category determining module <NUM> is further configured to receive the access category notified by a higher layer through the RRC layer; or determine the access category through the RRC layer itself. For example the RRC layer of the terminal determines the access category during RRC connection resume of the terminal.

It shall be noted that the above-mentioned contents are illustrated, and modes capable of enabling the RRC layer to determine the access category for the terminal are applicable to the embodiments of the present application.

Optionally, the processing module <NUM> is further configured to acquire a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause through at least one of specifications in protocols, pre-configuration, or higher-layer notification.

Optionally, the processing module <NUM> is further configured to update the mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause according to an updating notification received from the higher layer through the RRC layer.

Besides the mode of notifying updating by the higher layer, the RRC layer may perform updating automatically if the processing module <NUM> discovers that the mapping relationships between the access categories and the connection establishment causes are changed through the RRC layer.

Optionally, the processing module <NUM> is further configured to perform an access control judgment operation according to the access category of the terminal and/or the determined connection establishment cause through the RRC layer.

Optionally, the processing module <NUM> is further configured to send an uplink RRC message containing the connection establishment cause through the RRC layer after determining that the terminal is able to access.

Referring to <FIG>, a second terminal according to the embodiments of the present invention is provided. The second terminal includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM> and a transceiver <NUM>. This part is not according to the invention and is present for illustration purposes only.

The processor <NUM> is configured to read and execute programs in the memory <NUM> to determine an access category of the terminal through a RRC layer, and to determine, according to a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause, a connection establishment cause corresponding to the access category of the terminal through the RRC layer.

The transceiver <NUM> is configured to receive and send data under the control of the processor <NUM>.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is further configured to receive the access category notified by a higher layer through the RRC layer; or determine the access category by the RRC layer itself.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is further configured to acquire the mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause according to at least one of specifications in protocols; pre-configuration; or higher-layer notification.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is configured to update the mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause according to an updating notification received from a higher layer through the RRC layer.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is further configured to perform an access control judgment operation according to the access category of the terminal and/or the determined connection establishment cause through the RRC layer.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is further configured to send an uplink RRC message containing the connection establishment cause through the RRC layer after determining that the terminal is able to access.

In which, interaction between the processor <NUM> and the terminal is performed through the transceiver <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a bus structure (represented by a bus <NUM>). The bus <NUM> may include random quantities of interconnected buses and bridges. Various circuits including one or more processors represented by a general processor <NUM> and memories represented by a memory <NUM> are linked together by the bus <NUM>. All kinds of other circuits such as peripheral terminals, voltage regulators and power management circuits may also be linked together by the bus <NUM> is known in the field, so that no further description is needed in the text. A bus interface <NUM> provides an interface between the bus <NUM> and the transceiver <NUM>.

The transceiver <NUM> may be an element, may also be a plurality of elements, for instance a plurality of receivers and transmitters, and provides a unit for being in communication with other devices on a transmission medium. For example: the transceiver <NUM> receives external data from other terminals. The transceiver <NUM> is configured for sending data processed by the processor <NUM> to other terminals. Decided by properties of a computing system, user interfaces <NUM> such as a keypad, a display, a loudspeaker, a microphone and an operating lever can be further provided.

The processor <NUM> is responsible for managing the bus <NUM> and general processing such as the fore-mentioned running general operating system. The memory <NUM> can be used for storing data employed by the processor <NUM> during operation executing.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field-Programmable Gate Array(FPGA) or a Complex Programmable Logic Device( CPLD).

Embodiments of the present application further protect a readable storage medium, and the storage medium stores a program for executing a method for determining an establishment cause referring to a <FIG> of the embodiments of the present application. After the storage is connected with other terminals, the program in the storage medium can be executed through a calculating device in the other terminals, and thus, solutions of the embodiments of the present application are achieved.

The storage can be connected with the other terminals through external interfaces or internal interfaces. For example, the storage is a USB drive, a mobile HDD, etc., and thus, the storage can be connected through an external interface; and for example, the storage is a storage module in the other terminals, and thus, the storage can be connected through an internal interface.

The present application is described referring to methods, devices (systems) and/or block diagrams and/or flow charts of computer programmed products according to embodiments of the present application shown above. It should be understood that a block of a pictorial view of the block diagram and/or flow chart and combination of blocks of the pictorial view of the block diagram and/or flow chart can be achieved through computer programmed instructions. These computer programmed instructions can be supplied to a general-purpose computer, a processor of a special-purpose computer and/or other programmable data processing devices to generate a machine, so that instructions executed by the computer processor and/or the other programmable data processing devices create a method for achieving appointed functions/actions in blocks of a block diagram and/or a flow chart.

Correspondingly, the present application can also be implemented with hardware and/or software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.). More further, the present application may adopt a form of computer programmed products on computer usable or computer readable storage media, and the computer programmed products have computer usable or computer readable program codes achieved in the media and are used by an instruction execution system or in a manner of combining the instruction execution system. In the context of the present application, the computer usable or computer readable media may be any medium, may contain, store, communicate, transmit or convey programs, are used by instruction execution systems, devices or terminals or are used in a manner of combining the instruction execution systems, devices or terminals.

Claim 1:
A method for determining an establishment cause, comprising:
determining (<NUM>), by a Radio Resource Control, RRC, layer of a terminal, an access category of the terminal; and
determining (<NUM>), by the RRC layer of the terminal, a connection establishment cause corresponding to the access category of the terminal, according to a mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause;
characterized in that, the determining (<NUM>), by the RRC layer of the terminal, the access category of the terminal comprises:
determining, by the RRC layer of the terminal itself, the access category of the terminal;
wherein the RRC layer of the terminal acquires the mapping relationship between an access category and a connection establishment cause according to at least one of:
specifications in protocols;
pre-configuration; or
higher-layer notification;
wherein the determining, by the RRC layer of the terminal itself, the access category of the terminal, comprises:
during an RRC connection resume, initiating, by the terminal, an radio access network notification area, RNA, updating procedure, and determining, by the RRC layer of the terminal itself, that the access category of the terminal is RNA update according to the RNA updating procedure.