Patent ID: 6961570

Claim:
A method for maintaining connectivity between a mobile unit and a base station in a wireless communications system, the mobile unit comprising a Radio Resource Control (RRC) used to establish at least a radio bearer when the mobile unit is within a service area of the base station and capable of releasing the radio bearer, the RRC comprising a plurality of internal states, each state defining a connective relationship between the RRC and the base station, the method comprising: starting a second timer as the result of the expiration of a first timer when the RRC is in a CELL_PCH state or a URA_PCH state and when the RRC detects an out of service condition of an established radio bearer; detecting an in service condition of the radio bearer before expiration of the second timer; and stopping the second timer to prevent expiry of the second timer so as to prevent releasing of the radio bearer; wherein the CELL_PCH state and the URA_PCH state both have no dedicated physical channel between the mobile unit and the base station, and no uplink activity is possible for the mobile unit.