Patent ID: 12238676

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purpose of explanation, details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments disclosed. It is apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be implemented without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement.

A session management function (SMF) may subscribe to the UE mobility event notification from an AMF, such as reporting the UE location, UE moving into or out of area of interest (AOI), or the like, by invoking Namf_EventExposure_Subscribe service operation. After the subscription, a location reporting procedure may be performed by the AMF.

The AMF may request the NG-RAN location reporting with event reporting type (e.g. UE location or UE presence in AOI), reporting mode and its related parameters (e.g. number of reporting).

As previously mentioned, when a UE is in CM-CONNECTED state, NG-RAN location reporting procedure may be performed. Location information of the UE is reported by the NG-RAN to the AMF then to the SMF. When the UE transits to CM-IDLE state, the NG-RAN location reporting procedure ceases. Later on, when the UE wants to change the state from CM-IDLE to CM-CONNECTED and with event subscription existing (e.g. AOI), NG-RAN location reporting procedure won't automatically restart. To accompany the UE transiting from CM-IDLE state to CM-CONNECTED state, a message for establishing a connection between the AMF and the UE, such as setting up a UE-context which can be called an Initial Context Setup Message, is sent from the AMF to the NG-RAN. However, there is no indication of instruction on location report, e.g. Location Reporting Request Type information element (IE) included in the Initial Context Setup or Downlink NAS Transport message. Besides a previous request for NG-RAN location reporting procedure when the UE previously transited to its CM-CONNECTED state, the AMF has to re-request the NG-RAN location reporting explicitly, with a separate Location Reporting procedure.

The present disclosure proposes improved solutions for location reporting. These solutions may be applied to a wireless communication system including a terminal device, a base station and a mobility management node. The terminal device can communicate through a radio access communication link with the base station. The base station can provide radio access communication links to terminal devices that are within its communication service cell. The base station may be, for example, a gNB in new radio (NR) or an evolved node B (eNB) in LTE. Note that the communications may be performed between the terminal device and the base station according to any suitable communication standards and protocols. The mobility management node can carry out the mobility management of the terminal device. For example, the mobility management node may be an AMF in NR or an MME in LTE.

The terminal device may also be referred to as, for example, access terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile unit, subscriber station, or the like. It may refer to any end device that can access a wireless communication network and receive services therefrom. By way of example and not limitation, the terminal device may include a portable computer, an image capture terminal device such as a digital camera, a gaming terminal device, a music storage and playback appliance, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a wearable device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or the like.

In an Internet of things (IoT) scenario, a terminal device may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another terminal device and/or a network equipment. In this case, the terminal device may be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may, in a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) context, be referred to as a machine-type communication (MTC) device. Particular examples of such machines or devices may include sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machineries, bikes, vehicles, or home or personal appliances, e.g. refrigerators, televisions, personal wearables such as watches, and so on.

Hereinafter, the solutions will be described in detail with reference toFIGS.1-6.FIG.1is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at a mobility management node according to an embodiment of the disclosure. For example, the mobility management node may take the form of an AMF, an MME, or any other entity having similar functionality. At block102, the mobility management node determines to establish a connection between the mobility management node and a terminal device for which location reporting is required. For example, in the case of NR (which means the mobility management node is an AMF), if a terminal device is performing registration update procedure or service request procedure, or if the AMF is performing service request procedure for the terminal device (which means the terminal device is transiting from CM_IDLE to CM_CONNECTED), the AMF may determine to establish a connection between the AMF and the terminal device. If an NF, such as an SMF, a network exposure function (NEF), or the like, has subscribed to mobility event notification from the AMF for the terminal device, the AMF may determine that location reporting is required for the terminal device.

At block104, the mobility management node sends, to a base station, a request for establishing the connection. The request is configured to request the base station to report location information of the terminal device. Since the request for establishing the connection also request the base station to report location information of the terminal device, the signaling between the mobility management node and the base station can be reduced. In the case of NR, if there is any downlink data destined to the terminal device, the service delay can be reduced since the indication about the location of the terminal device (e.g. the terminal device moving into AOI) can be timely provided from the AMF to the SMF. For example, the request for establishing the connection may be a request for establishing a context for the terminal device. In order to request the base station to report location information of the terminal device, the request for establishing the connection may include an IE for requesting location reporting.

As an exemplary example, the request for establishing the connection may be an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message (in the case of registration update procedure or service request procedure) or a DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT message (in the case of registration update procedure). The IE for requesting location reporting may be an IE called Location Reporting Request Type that indicates a type of the requested location reporting, such as UE location, UE moving into or out of AOI, or the like. The location Reporting Request is included in the message that is first sent from 5th generation core (5GC) to NG-RAN node when the terminal device transits from CM-IDLE to CM-CONNECTED. As an example, the message first sent from 5GC to NG-RAN is an Initial Context Setup message requesting for an establishment of a connection. In this way, the NG-RAN location reporting procedure can be optimized.

For example, the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message defined in chapter 9.2.2.1 of 3GPP technical specification (TS) 38.413 v15.1.0 may be modified with the enhancement introduced in the last row of the below Table 1, which is underlined for ease of reading. The DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT message defined in chapter 9.2.5.2 of 3GPP TS 38.413 v15.1.0 may be modified with the enhancement introduced in the last row of the below Table 2, which is also underlined for ease of reading. It should be noted that although the method has been described above in the context of NR, those skilled in the art can understand that the same principle can also be applied to other suitable technologies such as LTE (e.g. an MME may send, to an eNB, an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message including Location Reporting Request Type IE).

TABLE 1Enhanced INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST by adding Location Reporting Request TypeIE typeandSemanticsAssignedIE/Group NamePresenceRangereferencedescriptionCriticalityCriticalityMessage TypeM9.3.1.1YESrejectAMF UE NGAPM9.3.3.1YESrejectIDRAN UE NGAPM9.3.3.2YESrejectIDOld AMFOAMF NameYESreject9.3.3.22UE AggregateC-9.3.1.58YESrejectMaximum BitifPDUsessionResourceSetupRateRRC InactiveO9.3.1.15YESignoreAssistanceInformationGUAMIM9.3.3.3YESrejectPDU Session0 . . . 1YESrejectResourceSetup RequestList>PDU Session1 . . . <maxnoofPDUSessions>EACHrejectResourceSetup RequestItem IEs>>PDUM9.3.1.50—Session ID>>NAS-PDUO9.3.3.4—>>S-NSSAIM9.3.1.24—>>PDUMOCTETContaining—SessionSTRINGthe PDUResourceSessionSetupResourceRequestSetupTransferRequestTransfer IEspecified insubclause9.3.4.1.Allowed NSSAIM9.3.1.31Indicates theYESignoreS-NSSAIspermitted bythe networkUE SecurityM9.3.1.86YESrejectCapabilitiesSecurity KeyM9.3.1.87YESrejectTrace ActivationO9.3.1.14YESignoreMobilityO9.3.1.85YESignoreRestriction ListUE RadioO9.3.1.74YESignoreCapabilityIndex toO9.3.1.61YESignoreRAT/FrequencySelectionPriorityMasked IMEISVO9.3.1.54YESignoreNAS-PDUO9.3.3.4YESignoreEmergencyO9.3.1.26YESrejectFallbackIndicatorLocationO9.3.1.65YESignoreReportingRequest Type

TABLE 2Enhanced DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT by addingLocation Reporting Request TypeIE typeandSemanticsAssignedIE/Group NamePresenceRangereferencedescriptionCriticalityCriticalityMessage TypeM9.3.1.1YESignoreAMF UE NGAPM9.3.3.1YESrejectIDRAN UE NGAPM9.3.3.2YESrejectIDOld AMFOAMF NameYESreject9.3.3.22RAN PagingO9.3.3.15YESignorePriorityNAS-PDUM9.3.3.4YESrejectMobilityO9.3.1.85YESignoreRestriction ListIndex toO9.3.1.61YESignoreRAT/FrequencySelectionPriorityUE AggregateO9.3.1.58YESignoreMaximum BitRateLocationO9.3.1.65YESignoreReportingRequest Type

FIG.2is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at a base station according to an embodiment of the disclosure. At block202, the base station receives, from a mobility management node, a request for establishing a connection between the mobility management node and a terminal device. The request is configured to request the base station to report location information of the terminal device. As mentioned above, the received request for establishing a connection may accompany a transition of the terminal device from CM-IDLE state to CM-CONNECTED state. Block202corresponds to block104and its details are omitted here. At block204, the base station reports, according to the request, the location information of the terminal device to the mobility management node. For example, in the case of NR, the request for establishing the connection may be an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message or a DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT message. The IE for requesting location reporting may be an IE called Location Reporting Request Type that indicates a type of the requested location reporting. The location information of the terminal device is reported to the mobility management node according to the indicated type. If the Location Reporting Request Type IE is included in the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message or the DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT message, the base station may perform the requested location reporting functionality for the terminal device as described in subclause 8.12 of 3GPP TS 38.413 v15.1.0. It should be noted that two blocks shown in succession in the figures may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.

FIG.3is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown, in this exemplary process, the mobility management node is an AMF and the base station is an NG-RAN node. At block301, the AMF determines that a UE is to transit from CM-IDLE state to CM-CONNECTED state and location reporting is required for the UE. At block302, the AMF sends, to the NG-RAN node, an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST or DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT message, which is enhanced by including a Location Reporting Request Type IE indicating the type of the requested location reporting. At block303, according to the indicated type of the requested location reporting, the NG-RAN node send location report(s) of the UE to the AMF.

FIG.4is a block diagram showing an apparatus suitable for use in practicing some embodiments of the disclosure. For example, any one of the mobility management node and the base station described above may be implemented through the apparatus400. As shown, the apparatus400may include a processor410, a memory420that stores a program, and optionally a communication interface430for communicating data with other external devices through wired and/or wireless communication.

The program includes program instructions that, when executed by the processor410, enable the apparatus400to operate in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, as discussed above. That is, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented at least in part by computer software executable by the processor410, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

The memory420may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, flash memories, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memories and removable memories. The processor410may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and processors based on multi-core processor architectures, as non-limiting examples.

FIG.5is a block diagram showing a mobility management node according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown, the mobility management node500comprises a determination module502and a sending module504. The determination module502may be configured to determine to establish a connection between the mobility management node and a terminal device for which location reporting is required, as described above with respect to block102. The sending module504may be configured to send, to a base station, a request for establishing the connection, as described above with respect to block104. The request is configured to request the base station to report location information of the terminal device.

FIG.6is a block diagram showing a base station according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown, the base station600comprises a reception module602and a location reporting module604. The reception module602may be configured to receive, from a mobility management node, a request for establishing a connection between the mobility management node and a terminal device, as described above with respect to block202. The request is configured to request the base station to report location information of the terminal device. The location reporting module604may be configured to report, according to the request, the location information of the terminal device to the mobility management node, as described above with respect to block204. The modules described above may be implemented by hardware, or software, or a combination of both.

In general, the various exemplary embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the disclosure is not limited thereto. While various aspects of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

As such, it should be appreciated that at least some aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in various components such as integrated circuit chips and modules. It should thus be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may be realized in an apparatus that is embodied as an integrated circuit, where the integrated circuit may comprise circuitry (as well as possibly firmware) for embodying at least one or more of a data processor, a digital signal processor, baseband circuitry and radio frequency circuitry that are configurable so as to operate in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

It should be appreciated that at least some aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure may be embodied in computer-executable instructions, such as in one or more program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types when executed by a processor in a computer or other device. The computer executable instructions may be stored on a computer readable medium such as a hard disk, optical disk, removable storage media, solid state memory, RAM, etc. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the function of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. In addition, the function may be embodied in whole or in part in firmware or hardware equivalents such as integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and the like.

References in the present disclosure to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment” and so on, indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but it is not necessary that every embodiment includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

It should be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second” and so on may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “has”, “having”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and/or combinations thereof. The terms “connect”, “connects”, “connecting” and/or “connected” used herein cover the direct and/or indirect connection between two elements.

The present disclosure includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or any generalization thereof. Various modifications and adaptations to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, any and all modifications will still fall within the scope of the non-Limiting and exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.