U.S. patent application number 15/753863 was filed with the patent office on 2019-01-10 for method and apparatus for access, handover, and encryption control of a ue.
The applicant listed for this patent is SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Xiaowan KE, Hong WANG, Lixiang XU.
Application Number | 20190014465 15/753863 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58051062 |
Filed Date | 2019-01-10 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190014465 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WANG; Hong ; et al. |
January 10, 2019 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCESS, HANDOVER, AND ENCRYPTION CONTROL
OF A UE
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a method for access of a user
equipment (UE) in a communication system. The communication system
includes the UE, a base station, and a network node. The base
station carries out radio link control (RLC) layer and media access
control (MAC) layer functions. The network node carries out packet
data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio resource control
(RRC) layer, and non-access (NAS) layer functions. The method
includes the following steps. The network node receives a
non-access stratum identifier of the UE or a random number
generated by the UE sent from the UE through a RRC message, and the
network node sends the received non-access stratum identifier or
the random number to the base station, for the base station to set
a UE collision dismiss identifier. Using the present disclosure,
different users accessing to a network can be supported. The
present disclosure relates to a communication method and system for
converging a 5th-Generation (5G) communication system for
supporting higher data rates beyond a 4th-Generation (4G) system
with a technology for Internet of Things (IoT). The present
disclosure may be applied to intelligent services based on the 5G
communication technology and the IoT-related technology, such as
smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, connected car,
health care, digital education, smart retail, security and safety
services.
Inventors: |
WANG; Hong; (Beijing,
CN) ; XU; Lixiang; (Beijing, CN) ; KE;
Xiaowan; (Beijing, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. |
Gyeonggi-do |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
58051062 |
Appl. No.: |
15/753863 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
August 22, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2016/009243 |
371 Date: |
February 20, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 8/26 20130101; H04W
76/20 20180201; H04W 76/11 20180201; H04W 24/10 20130101; H04W
76/27 20180201; H04W 76/12 20180201; H04W 74/0833 20130101; H04W
76/22 20180201; H04W 74/0858 20130101; H04W 74/002 20130101; H04W
80/08 20130101; H04W 80/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 8/26 20060101
H04W008/26; H04W 74/08 20060101 H04W074/08; H04W 76/12 20060101
H04W076/12; H04W 76/11 20060101 H04W076/11; H04W 76/22 20060101
H04W076/22; H04W 76/27 20060101 H04W076/27; H04W 24/10 20060101
H04W024/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 20, 2015 |
CN |
201510514353.8 |
Claims
1. A method of a network node in a communication system the method
comprising: receiving a non-access stratum identifier of a UE or a
random number generated by the UE transmitted from the UE through a
RRC message; and transmitting the received non-access stratum
identifier or the random number to a base station carrying out
radio link control (RLC) layer and media access control (MAC) layer
functions, wherein the non-access stratum identifier or the random
number is used to set a UE collision dismissal identifier by the
base station, and wherein the network node carries out packet data
convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio resource control (RRC)
layer, and non-access stratum (NAS) layer functions.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RRC message is a RRC
establishment request message carrying the non-access stratum
identifier or the random number, and wherein the RRC establishment
request message is transmitted to the base station by being
contained in a MAC data packet, and wherein the MAC data packet is
transmitted from a MAC layer of the base station to a SxAP layer of
the base station, and then a MAC layer data packet is contained in
a Sx interface message and is transmitted from the SxAP layer of
the base station to the network node, and wherein the Sx interface
is an interface between the base station and the network node, and
the SxAP layer is an application protocol layer corresponding to
the Sx interface.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein in response to determining that
the UE saves an allocated non-access stratum identifier when the
RRC establishment request message is transmitted, then the RRC
establishment request message carries the allocated non-access
stratum identifier, or otherwise, the RRC establishment request
message carries the random number.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein after the network node receives
the non-access stratum identifier and before the network node
transmits the non-access stratum identifier, the method further
comprises: extracting the non-access stratum identifier and
generating a RRC establishment message; and transmitting the RRC
establishment message to the UE after or at the time when the
network node transmits the non-access stratum identifier, wherein
the RRC establishment message comprises configuration information
and encryption information for a radio bearer of the UE.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein a user plane between the network
node and the base station adopts a general packet radio service
tunnel protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol, and a
PDCP data packet between the network node and the UE is transmitted
between the network node and the base station through the GTP-U
tunnel protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are one-to-one
mapping.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network node contains a radio
bearer (RB) identifier of a data radio bearer and uplink receiving
tunnel information of a data bearer on an Sx interface in a message
transmitting the non-access stratum identifier, the method further
comprises: transmitting the RB identifier of the data radio bearer
and the uplink receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on
the Sx interface after the network node transmits the non-access
stratum identifier; and after the network node transmits the RB
identifier and the uplink receiving tunnel information to the base
station, receiving a RB identifier of a successfully configured
radio bearer and downlink receiving tunnel information of a data
bearer on the Sx interface transmitted from the base station.
7. A method a base station in a communication system, the method
comprising: transparently transmitting a RRC message which is
transmitted from a UE and carries a non-access stratum identifier
of the UE or a random number generated by the UE to a network node
carrying out packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio
resource control (RRC) layer, and non-access stratum (NAS) layer
functions; and receiving the non-access stratum identifier of the
UE or the random number transmitted from the network node, and
setting a UE collision dismissal identifier to the non-access
stratum identifier of the UE or the random number, wherein the base
station carries out radio link control (RLC) layer and media access
control (MAC) layer functions.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein a user plane between the network
node and the base station adopts a general packet radio service
tunnel protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol, and a
PDCP data packet between the network node and the UE is transmitted
between the network node and the base station through the GTP-U
tunnel protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are one-to-one
mapping.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein a message received by the base
station, in which the non-access stratum identifier is carried,
further comprises a radio bearer (RB) identifier of a data radio
bearer and uplink receiving tunnel information of a data bearer on
an Sx interface, the method further comprising: after the base
station receives the non-access stratum identifier of the UE
transmitted from the network node, further receiving the RB
identifier of the data radio bearer and the uplink receiving tunnel
information of the data bearer on the Sx interface; and after the
base station receives the RB identifier and the uplink receiving
tunnel information, transmitting a RB identifier of a successfully
configured radio bearer and downlink receiving tunnel information
of a data bearer on the Sx interface to the network node.
10. A network node in a communication system, comprising: a
receiving unit, a transmitting unit, a packet data convergence
protocol (PDCP) layer processing unit, a radio resource control
(RRC) layer processing unit and a non-access stratum (NAS) layer
processing unit; wherein the receiving unit is configured to
receive a non-access stratum identifier of a UE or a random number
generated by the UE through a RRC message from the UE in the
communication system; the transmitting unit is configured to
transmit the non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random
number received by the receiving unit to the base station, for the
base station to set a UE collision dismissal identifier; the PDCP
layer processing unit is configured for PDCP layer processing of
transmitting and receiving a packet; the RRC layer processing unit
is configured for RRC layer processing of transmitting and
receiving the packet; and the NAS layer processing unit is
configured for NAS layer processing of transmitting and receiving
the packet.
11. The network node of claim 10, wherein the RRC message is a RRC
establishment request message carrying the non-access stratum
identifier or the random number, and wherein the RRC establishment
request message is transmitted to the base station by being
contained in a MAC data packet, and wherein the MAC data packet is
transmitted from a MAC layer of the base station to a SxAP layer of
the base station, and then a MAC layer data packet is contained in
a Sx interface message and is transmitted from the SxAP layer of
the base station to the network node, and wherein the Sx interface
is an interface between the base station and the network node, and
the SxAP layer is an application protocol layer corresponding to
the Sx interface.
12. The network node of claim 11, wherein in response to
determining that the UE saves an allocated non-access stratum
identifier when the RRC establishment request message is
transmitted, then the RRC establishment request message carries the
allocated non-access stratum identifier, or otherwise, the RRC
establishment request message carries the random number.
13. A base station in a communication system, comprising: a
transparent transmission unit, a receiving unit, a radio link
control (RLC) layer processing unit, and a media access control
(MAC) layer processing unit; wherein the transparent transmission
unit is configured to transparently transmit a RRC message which
carries a non-access stratum identifier of a UE or a random number
generated by the UE transmitted from the UE to a network node in
the communication system; the receiving unit is configured to
receive the non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random
number transmitted from the network node, and set a UE collision
dismissal identifier to the non-access stratum identifier of the UE
or the random number; the RLC layer processing unit is configured
for RLC layer processing of transmitting and receiving a packet;
and the MAC layer processing unit is configured for MAC layer
processing of transmitting and receiving the packet.
14. The base station of claim 13, wherein a user plane between the
network node and the base station adopts a general packet radio
service tunnel protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol,
and a PDCP data packet between the network node and the UE is
transmitted between the network node and the base station through
the GTP-U tunnel protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are
one-to-one mapping.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to radio communications,
especially to a method and apparatus for access, handover, and
encryption control of a user equipment (UE).
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] To meet the demand for wireless data traffic having
increased since deployment of 4G communication systems, efforts
have been made to develop an improved 5G or pre-5G communication
system. Therefore, the 5G or pre-5G communication system is also
called a `Beyond 4G Network` or a `Post LTE System`. The 5G
communication system is considered to be implemented in higher
frequency (mmWave) bands, e.g., 60 GHz bands, so as to accomplish
higher data rates. To decrease propagation loss of the radio waves
and increase the transmission distance, the beamforming, massive
multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), Full Dimensional MIMO
(FD-MIMO), array antenna, an analog beam forming, large scale
antenna techniques are discussed in 5G communication systems. In
addition, in 5G communication systems, development for system
network improvement is under way based on advanced small cells,
cloud Radio Access Networks (RANs), ultra-dense networks,
device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, moving
network, cooperative communication, Coordinated Multi-Points
(CoMP), reception-end interference cancellation and the like. In
the 5G system, Hybrid FSK and QAM Modulation (FQAM) and sliding
window superposition coding (SWSC) as an advanced coding modulation
(ACM), and filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal
multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as
an advanced access technology have been developed.
[0003] The Internet, which is a human centered connectivity network
where humans generate and consume information, is now evolving to
the Internet of Things (IoT) where distributed entities, such as
things, exchange and process information without human
intervention. The Internet of Everything (IoE), which is a
combination of the IoT technology and the Big Data processing
technology through connection with a cloud server, has emerged. As
technology elements, such as "sensing technology", "wired/wireless
communication and network infrastructure", "service interface
technology", and "Security technology" have been demanded for IoT
implementation, a sensor network, a Machine-to-Machine (M2M)
communication, Machine Type Communication (MTC), and so forth have
been recently researched. Such an IoT environment may provide
intelligent Internet technology services that create a new value to
human life by collecting and analyzing data generated among
connected things. IoT may be applied to a variety of fields
including smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or
connected cars, smart grid, health care, smart appliances and
advanced medical services through convergence and combination
between existing Information Technology (IT) and various industrial
applications.
[0004] In line with this, various attempts have been made to apply
5G communication systems to IoT networks. For example, technologies
such as a sensor network, Machine Type Communication (MTC), and
Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication may be implemented by
beamforming, MIMO, and array antennas. Application of a cloud Radio
Access Network (RAN) as the above-described Big Data processing
technology may also be considered to be as an example of
convergence between the 5G technology and the IoT technology.
[0005] Modern mobile communication technologies more and more tend
to provide users with multi-media services at high transmission
rates. FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a system architecture evolution
(SAE) system architecture.
[0006] In FIG. 1, a UE 101 is a terminal device for receiving data.
An evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) 102
is a radio access network which includes a macro bases stations
(eNodeB/NodeB) that provide an interface for the UE to access a
radio network. A mobility management entity (MME) 103 is
responsible for managing a mobility context, a session context and
security information of the UE. A serving gateway (SGW) 104 is
responsible for providing user plane functions. The MME 103 and the
SGW 104 may be located in a same physical entity. A packet data
network gateway (PGW) 105 is responsible for functions such as
charging and lawful interception, and it may be located in a same
physical entity with the SGW 104 too. A policy and charging rules
function (PCRF) entity 106 is responsible for providing quality of
service (QoS) policies and charging rules. A serving general packet
radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) 108 is a network node
device that provides routing for data transmissions in a universal
mobile telecommunications system (UMTS). A home subscriber server
(HSS) 109 is a home subscriber subsystem of the UE, and it is
responsible for protecting user information such as a current
location of the UE, an address of a serving node, user security
information, and a packet data context of the UE.
[0007] Future LTE evolved networks should support various types of
users. For example, intelligent home appliances may be a type of
user, and intelligent sensing devices in onboard systems may be a
type of user. Different types of users may have different
requirements. Some types of users have a high requirement for
transmission delay, and these types of users are called critical
mechanism type communication (C-MTC) users. Some types of users do
not have a high requirement for transmission delay, but require
frequent establishment of data paths to transmit small data of
several bits, and these types of users are called massive mechanism
type communication (M-MTC) users. For these types of users, it is
necessary to reduce signaling procedures needed for data
establishment, and decrease load of a control plane. Anyway,
different users have different requirements for the networks.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0008] At present, a LTE network architecture uses a general access
network to provide services for all users, and it is not flexible
enough to meet the requirements of different users, and network
utilization is not maximized. However, if the network functions are
implemented by software, users of different features can be more
flexibly supported, resources sharing can be realized, and
scheduling of the resources will be more flexible. Network
functions being implemented by software refers to using software to
implement functions of a current access network and a core network.
In this way, even if a virtualization implementation method is not
used, functions of an access network can be re-divided so that
functions that are sensible to time delay and require a strong
processing ability are put closer to a user.
Solution to Problem
[0009] The present disclosure provides a new network architecture
which re-divides the functions of a current access network, and
proposes signaling procedures of connection establishment for a
UE.
[0010] The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus
for access, handover, and encryption control of a UE in a
communication system, and thus, network resources can be more
efficiently used.
[0011] A method for access of a user equipment (UE) in a
communication system, in which the communication system includes
the UE, a base station and a network node, the base station carries
out radio link control (RLC) layer and media access control (MAC)
layer functions, and the network node carries out packet data
convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio resource control (RRC)
layer, and non-access stratum (NAS) layer functions, the method
including:
[0012] receiving, by the network node, a non-access stratum
identifier of the UE or a random number generated by the UE sent
from the UE through a RRC message; and
[0013] sending, by the network node, the received non-access
stratum identifier or the random number to the base station, for
the base station to set a UE collision dismissal identifier.
[0014] Preferably, the RRC message is a RRC establishment request
message;
[0015] the RRC establishment request message carrying the
non-access stratum identifier or the random number is sent to the
base station by being contained in a MAC data packet, and a MAC
layer of the base station sends the MAC data packet to an SxAP
layer of the base station, and then the SxAP layer of the base
station sends the MAC layer data packet to the network node by
containing the MAC layer data packet in a Sx interface message;
[0016] in which the Sx interface is an interface between the base
station and the network node, and the SxAP layer is an application
protocol layer corresponding to the Sx interface.
[0017] Preferably, if the UE saves an allocated non-access stratum
identifier when the RRC establishment request message is sent, then
the RRC establishment request message carries the allocated
non-access stratum identifier, or otherwise, the RRC establishment
request message carries the random number.
[0018] Preferably, after the network node receives the non-access
stratum identifier and before the network node sends the non-access
stratum identifier, the method further inlcudes: the network node
extracting the non-access stratum identifier and generating a RRC
establishment message; and after or at the time when the network
node sending the non-access stratum identifier, the network node
sending the RRC establishment message to the UE;
[0019] in which the RRC establishment message includes
configuration information and encryption information for a radio
bearer of the UE.
[0020] Preferably, a user plane between the network entity and the
base station adopts a general packet radio service tunnel protocol
for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol, and a PDCP data packet
between the network entity and the UE is transmitted between the
network entity and the base station through the GTP-U tunnel
protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are one-to-one
mapping.
[0021] Preferably, the network node contains a radio bearer (RB)
identifier of a data radio bearer and uplink receiving tunnel
information of a data bearer on an Sx interface in a message
sending the non-access stratum identifier; or after the network
node sends the non-access stratum identifier, the network node
sends the RB identifier of the data radio bearer and the uplink
receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on the Sx
interface; and
[0022] after the network node sends the RB identifier and the
uplink receiving tunnel information to the base station, the method
further includes: the network node receiving a RB identifier of a
successfully configured radio bearer and downlink receiving tunnel
information of a data bearer on the Sx interface sent from the base
station.
[0023] A method for access of a user equipment (UE) in a
communication system, in which the communication system includes
the UE, a base station and a network node, the base station carries
out radio link control (RLC) layer and media access control (MAC)
layer functions, and the network node carries out packet data
convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio resource control (RRC)
layer, and non-access stratum (NAS) layer functions, the method
including:
[0024] transparently transmitting, by the base station, a RRC
message which is sent from the UE and carries a non-access stratum
identifier of the UE or a random number generated by the UE to the
network node; and
[0025] receiving, by the base station, the non-access stratum
identifier of the UE or the random number sent from the network
node, and setting a UE collision dismissal identifier to the
non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number.
[0026] Preferably, a user plane between the network entity and the
base station adopts a general packet radio service tunnel protocol
for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol, and a PDCP data packet
between the network entity and the UE is transmitted between the
network entity and the base station through the GTP-U tunnel
protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are one-to-one
mapping.
[0027] Preferably, a message received by the base station, in which
the non-access stratum identifier is carried, further includes a
radio bearer (RB) identifier of a data radio bearer and uplink
receiving tunnel information of a data bearer on an Sx interface;
or after the base station receives the non-access stratum
identifier of the UE sent from the network node, the base station
further receives the RB identifier of the data radio bearer and the
uplink receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on the Sx
interface; and
[0028] after the base station receives the RB identifier and the
uplink receiving tunnel information, the method further includes:
the base station sending a RB identifier of a successfully
configured radio bearer and downlink receiving tunnel information
of a data bearer on the Sx interface to the network node.
[0029] A method for handover of a user equipment (UE) in a
communication system, in which the communication system includes
the UE, a base station and a network node, the base station carries
out radio link control (RLC) layer and media access control (MAC)
layer functions, and the network node carries out packet data
convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio resource control (RRC)
layer, and non-access stratum (NAS) layer functions, the method
including:
[0030] receiving, by the network node, a physical layer measurement
result received from the UE by the base station from the base
station; and
[0031] sending, by the network node, a RRC measurement
configuration to the UE based on the physical layer measurement
report, receiving a RRC measurement report reported by the UE, and
making a handover decision for the UE based on the RRC measurement
report.
[0032] Preferably, the physical layer measurement result includes
channel quality indication (CQI) information.
[0033] Preferably, the physical layer measurement result is
reported together with traffic information received by the network
node; or the physical layer measurement result is reported through
an Sx interface between the network node and the base station by
being carried in a self-defined message.
[0034] A method for encryption control of a user equipment (UE) in
a communication system, including:
[0035] receiving, by a network node, an uplink radio resource
control (RRC) establishment request message sent from a UE; and
[0036] sending, by the network node, a RRC establishment message to
the UE, in which the RRC establishment message carries encryption
information.
[0037] A network node in a communication system, including: a
receiving unit, a sending unit, a packet data convergence protocol
(PDCP) layer processing unit, a radio resource control (RRC) layer
processing unit and a non-access stratum (NAS) layer processing
unit; in which
[0038] the receiving unit is configured to receive a non-access
stratum identifier of a UE or a random number generated by the UE
through a RRC message from the UE in the communication system;
[0039] the sending unit is configured to send the non-access
stratum identifier of the UE or the random number received by the
receiving unit to the base station, for the base station to set a
UE collision dismissal identifier;
[0040] the PDCP layer processing unit is configured for PDCP layer
processing of sending and receiving a packet;
[0041] the RRC layer processing unit is configured for RRC layer
processing of sending and receiving the packet; and
[0042] the NAS layer processing unit is configured for NAS layer
processing of sending and receiving the packet.
[0043] A base station in a communication system, including: a
transparent transmission unit, a receiving unit, a radio link
control (RLC) layer processing unit, and a media access control
(MAC) layer processing unit; in which
[0044] the transparent transmission unit is configured to
transparently transmit a RRC message which carries a non-access
stratum identifier of a UE or a random number generated by the UE
sent from the UE to a network node in the communication system;
[0045] the receiving unit is configured to receive the non-access
stratum identifier of the UE or the random number sent from the
network node, and set a UE collision dismissal identifier to the
non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number;
[0046] the RLC layer processing unit is configured for RLC layer
processing of sending and receiving a packet; and
[0047] the MAC layer processing unit is configured for MAC layer
processing of sending and receiving the packet.
[0048] A network node in a communication system, including: a
receiving unit, a configuration unit, a handover decision unit, a
packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer processing unit, a
radio link control (RRC) layer processing unit and a non-access
stratum (NAS) layer processing unit; in which
[0049] the receiving unit is configured to receive a physical layer
measurement result which is sent from a base station in the
communication system and received from a UE in the communication
system by the base station; and is further configured to receive a
RRC measurement report reported by the UE;
[0050] the configuration unit is configured to send a RRC
measurement configuration to the UE based on the physical layer
measurement report;
[0051] the handover decision unit is configured to carry out a
handover decision for the UE according to the RRC measurement
report reported by the UE;
[0052] the PDCP layer processing unit is configured for PDCP layer
processing of sending and receiving a packet;
[0053] the RRC layer processing unit is configured for RRC layer
processing of sending and receiving the packet; and
[0054] the NAS layer processing unit is configured for NAS layer
processing of sending and receiving the packet.
[0055] A network node in a communication system, including: a
receiving unit and a sending unit; in which
[0056] the receiving unit is configured to receive an uplink radio
(RRC) establishment request sent from a user equipment (UE) in the
communication system; and
[0057] the sending unit is configured to send a RRC establishment
message to the UE, in which the RRC establishment message carries
encryption information.
[0058] The present disclosure provides a method of a network node
in a communication system the method comprising:
[0059] receiving a non-access stratum identifier of a UE or a
random number generated by the UE transmitted from the UE through a
RRC message; and
[0060] transmitting the received non-access stratum identifier or
the random number to a base station carrying out radio link control
(RLC) layer and media access control (MAC) layer functions,
[0061] wherein the non-access stratum identifier or the random
number is used to set a UE collision dismissal identifier by the
base station, and
[0062] wherein the network node carries out packet data convergence
protocol (PDCP) layer, radio resource control (RRC) layer, and
non-access stratum (NAS) layer functions.
[0063] Preferably, wherein the RRC message is a RRC establishment
request message carrying the non-access stratum identifier or the
random number, and
[0064] wherein the RRC establishment request message is transmitted
to the base station by being contained in a MAC data packet,
and
[0065] wherein the MAC data packet is transmitted from a MAC layer
of the base station to a SxAP layer of the base station, and then a
MAC layer data packet is contained in a Sx interface message and is
transmitted from the SxAP layer of the base station to the network
node, and
[0066] wherein the Sx interface is an interface between the base
station and the network node, and the SxAP layer is an application
protocol layer corresponding to the Sx interface.
[0067] Preferably, wherein in response to determining that the UE
saves an allocated non-access stratum identifier when the RRC
establishment request message is transmitted, then the RRC
establishment request message carries the allocated non-access
stratum identifier, or otherwise, the RRC establishment request
message carries the random number.
[0068] Preferably, wherein after the network node receives the
non-access stratum identifier and before the network node transmits
the non-access stratum identifier, the method further
comprises:
[0069] extracting the non-access stratum identifier and generating
a RRC establishment message; and
[0070] transmitting the RRC establishment message to the UE after
or at the time when the network node transmits the non-access
stratum identifier,
[0071] wherein the RRC establishment message comprises
configuration information and encryption information for a radio
bearer of the UE.
[0072] Preferably, wherein a user plane between the network node
and the base station adopts a general packet radio service tunnel
protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol, and a PDCP
data packet between the network node and the UE is transmitted
between the network node and the base station through the GTP-U
tunnel protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are one-to-one
mapping.
[0073] Preferably, wherein the network node contains a radio bearer
(RB) identifier of a data radio bearer and uplink receiving tunnel
information of a data bearer on an Sx interface in a message
transmitting the non-access stratum identifier, the method further
comprises:
[0074] transmitting the RB identifier of the data radio bearer and
the uplink receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on the
Sx interface after the network node transmits the non-access
stratum identifier; and
[0075] after the network node transmits the RB identifier and the
uplink receiving tunnel information to the base station, receiving
a RB identifier of a successfully configured radio bearer and
downlink receiving tunnel information of a data bearer on the Sx
interface transmitted from the base station.
[0076] The present disclosure provides a method of a base station
in a communication system, the method comprising:
[0077] transparently transmitting a RRC message which is
transmitted from a UE and carries a non-access stratum identifier
of the UE or a random number generated by the UE to a network node
carrying out packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio
resource control (RRC) layer, and non-access stratum (NAS) layer
functions; and
[0078] receiving the non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the
random number transmitted from the network node, and setting a UE
collision dismissal identifier to the non-access stratum identifier
of the UE or the random number,
[0079] wherein the base station carries out radio link control
(RLC) layer and media access control (MAC) layer functions.
[0080] Preferably, wherein a user plane between the network node
and the base station adopts a general packet radio service tunnel
protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol, and a PDCP
data packet between the network node and the UE is transmitted
between the network node and the base station through the GTP-U
tunnel protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are one-to-one
mapping.
[0081] Preferably, wherein a message received by the base station,
in which the non-access stratum identifier is carried, further
comprises a radio bearer (RB) identifier of a data radio bearer and
uplink receiving tunnel information of a data bearer on an Sx
interface, the method further comprising:
[0082] after the base station receives the non-access stratum
identifier of the UE transmitted from the network node, further
receiving the RB identifier of the data radio bearer and the uplink
receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on the Sx
interface; and
[0083] after the base station receives the RB identifier and the
uplink receiving tunnel information, transmitting a RB identifier
of a successfully configured radio bearer and downlink receiving
tunnel information of a data bearer on the Sx interface to the
network node.
[0084] The present disclosure provides an apparatus for A network
node in a communication system, comprising: a receiving unit, a
transmitting unit, a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer
processing unit, a radio resource control (RRC) layer processing
unit and a non-access stratum (NAS) layer processing unit;
wherein
[0085] the receiving unit is configured to receive a non-access
stratum identifier of a UE or a random number generated by the UE
through a RRC message from the UE in the communication system;
[0086] the transmitting unit is configured to transmit the
non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number
received by the receiving unit to the base station, for the base
station to set a UE collision dismissal identifier;
[0087] the PDCP layer processing unit is configured for PDCP layer
processing of transmitting and receiving a packet;
[0088] the RRC layer processing unit is configured for RRC layer
processing of transmitting and receiving the packet; and
[0089] the NAS layer processing unit is configured for NAS layer
processing of transmitting and receiving the packet.
[0090] Preferably, wherein the RRC message is a RRC establishment
request message carrying the non-access stratum identifier or the
random number, and
[0091] wherein the RRC establishment request message is transmitted
to the base station by being contained in a MAC data packet,
and
[0092] wherein the MAC data packet is transmitted from a MAC layer
of the base station to a SxAP layer of the base station, and then a
MAC layer data packet is contained in a Sx interface message and is
transmitted from the SxAP layer of the base station to the network
node, and
[0093] wherein the Sx interface is an interface between the base
station and the network node, and the SxAP layer is an application
protocol layer corresponding to the Sx interface.
[0094] Preferably, wherein in response to determining that the UE
saves an allocated non-access stratum identifier when the RRC
establishment request message is transmitted, then the RRC
establishment request message carries the allocated non-access
stratum identifier, or otherwise, the RRC establishment request
message carries the random number.
[0095] The present disclosure provides an apparatus for a base
station in a communication system, comprising: a transparent
transmission unit, a receiving unit, a radio link control (RLC)
layer processing unit, and a media access control (MAC) layer
processing unit; wherein
[0096] the transparent transmission unit is configured to
transparently transmit a RRC message which carries a non-access
stratum identifier of a UE or a random number generated by the UE
transmitted from the UE to a network node in the communication
system;
[0097] the receiving unit is configured to receive the non-access
stratum identifier of the UE or the random number transmitted from
the network node, and set a UE collision dismissal identifier to
the non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random
number;
[0098] the RLC layer processing unit is configured for RLC layer
processing of transmitting and receiving a packet; and
[0099] the MAC layer processing unit is configured for MAC layer
processing of transmitting and receiving the packet.
[0100] Preferably, wherein a user plane between the network node
and the base station adopts a general packet radio service tunnel
protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnel protocol, and a PDCP
data packet between the network node and the UE is transmitted
between the network node and the base station through the GTP-U
tunnel protocol, and tunnels and air radio bearers are one-to-one
mapping.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0101] As is seen from the foregoing technical schemes, the present
disclosure provides a new network architecture, and also provides a
method about how to support a UE accessing to a network under the
new network architecture. With the method of the present
disclosure, users with different features can be supported
flexibly, and continuously receiving data of users can be
supported, which realizes network resources sharing and more
flexible resources scheduling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0102] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a traditional SAE system
architecture;
[0103] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a basic structure of an
access network architecture according to the present
disclosure;
[0104] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a user plane protocol architecture
according to the present disclosure;
[0105] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a control plane protocol architecture
according to the present disclosure;
[0106] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a basic flow of a UE access
method according to the present disclosure;
[0107] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the UE access method
according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;
[0108] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the UE access method
according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure;
[0109] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a UE handover
method according to the present disclosure; and
[0110] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a UE encryption
control method according to the present disclosure.
MODE FOR THE INVENTION
[0111] To make the objects, technical means and advantages of the
present disclosure more readily understood, the present disclosure
will be further elaborated hereinafter in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
[0112] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a system architecture according to
the present disclosure. The architecture includes:
[0113] A module 201 is a UE.
[0114] Modules 202 are base stations. The base stations carry out a
radio link control (RLC) function and a media access control (MAC)
function. Preferably, the base stations may be deployed at a
location near the UE. The base stations may communicate with each
other through interfaces, or may be controlled in a centralized way
using a network node 203. In the present disclosure, it is assumed
that there are no interfaces between the base stations, but the
base stations are controlled in a centralized way using the network
node 203.
[0115] A module 203 is a network node. The network node includes a
part of functions of a traditional access network and functions of
a core network, and realizes functions such as radio resource
control (RRC), packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), and
non-access stratum (NAS). Preferably, the network node may be
realized in various ways, and the functions of the network node may
be integrated in a physical entity, or may be distributed over
different entities, or may be implemented using software.
[0116] The network node of the module 203 communicates with the
base stations of the modules 202 through interfaces. The interfaces
include a control plane and a user plane. The control plane may
define a new Sx interface. An interface protocol of the control
plane will be described in a control protocol shown in FIG. 4. The
user plane may use tunnels, and an interface protocol of the user
plane will be described in a user protocol shown in FIG. 3.
[0117] FIG. 3 is a diagram of user plane protocols among respective
entities according to the present disclosure.
[0118] A user plane between the network node entity and the base
station adopts a tunnel protocol. A PDCP data packet is sent to the
UE by the base station through a tunnel protocol (GPRS tunnel
protocol for the user plane (GTP-U)). Tunnels and over-the-air
radio bearers are one-to-one mapping. After the base station
receives the data packet transmitted on a tunnel, internally, it
forwards the data packet to be processed by a corresponding RLC
protocol on the base station. After the data packet is processed by
the RLC protocol, it is passed to be processed by a MAC protocol,
and then after being processed by a physical layer protocol, it is
transmitted to the UE through an air interface.
[0119] FIG. 4 is a diagram of control plane protocols among
respective entities in the present disclosure.
[0120] An Sx protocol is defined for an interface Sx between the
base station and the network node, and transmissions of downlink
messages are sent to the base station by the network node. A NAS
protocol packet on the network node is transmitted to a RRC
protocol layer through an inner interface. The RRC protocol layer
generates a RRC message, and the NAS data packet is carried in a
transparent container in the RRC message. The RRC protocol layer
may generate a RRC message directly, not including NAS information.
The RRC message is processed by PDCP, and it is then transmitted to
the base station through the Sx protocol. A RRC data packet is
transmitted to the base station by being contained in a transparent
container by the network node. The Sx protocol also carries
configuration information made by the network node for the base
station. After the RRC message is received by the base station by
means of the Sx protocol, it is forwarded to be processed by means
of a corresponding RLC protocol through an inner interface, and
then after being processed by a MAC protocol and a physical layer
protocol, it is forwarded to the UE by the base station. Uplink
data transmission procedures are similar.
[0121] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a basic flow of a UE access
method according to the present disclosure. The flow includes
processing at the UE, the base station, and the network node. For
description purpose, the method is described by way of three
devices interacting with each other. As shown in FIG. 5, the method
includes the following steps.
[0122] At step 501, the UE sends a non-access stratum identifier or
a random number to the network node.
[0123] The RRC protocol terminates at the UE and the network node.
A RRC message sent by the UE contains the non-access stratum
identifier, and the network node can parse out the non-access
stratum identifier using RRC. If the UE stores a non-access stratum
identifier previously allocated by the network node, e.g., an
S-TMSI, then the UE sets the non-access stratum identifier to the
S-TMSI, and if the UE has not stored a non-access stratum
identifier allocated by the network node, then the UE generates a
random number, and sends the random number to the network node.
[0124] At step 502, the network node sends the non-access stratum
identifier or random number of the UE received to the base station,
and the base station sets a UE collision dismissal identifier.
[0125] The RRC message in step 501 is the first RRC message sent by
the UE, and it is sent to the network node by the base station
through an Sx interface. Therefore, the base station should be able
to establish a relation between the Sx interface and a UE context
on the base station. After the base station receives the RRC
message sent from the UE in step 501, based on a logic channel
carried in the RRC message, the base station can know that this is
the first RRC message. Generally, the base station assigns a unique
identifier for the UE, e.g., a cell radio network temporary
identifier (C-RNTI),within the base station, and sends it to the UE
before the step 510, i.e., during a random access procedure. In the
step 501, the base station can receive the C-RNTI of the UE, and
the C-RNTI is included in a MAC header. The base station sends the
RRC message to the network node through an Sx interface message,
and the base station allocates an Sx interface-based identifier for
the UE, e.g., an eNBUESxAP ID, to uniquely identify the UE on the
interface between the base station and the network node. When the
network node sends a corresponding message, it also allocates an Sx
interface-based identifier for the UE, e.g., a NetworkUESxAP ID.
Through the pair of identifiers, a UE signaling link is established
on the Sx interface. After the UE signaling link is established,
signaling related to the UE carries the pair of identifiers. In
this way, the base station saves a mapping relationship between the
pair of Sx interface-based identifiers of the UE and the C-RNTI.
After the base station receives an Sx interface message, through a
pair of identifiers of the UE carried in the message, the base
station can send the message to a correct UE.
[0126] After the RRC layer of the network node receives the message
sent in step 501, if the message is a first message for RRC
establishment i.e., a RRC request message, the network node sends a
non-access stratum identifier or a random number carried by the
message to the base station. A purpose of sending the message to
the base station is to let the base station send the non-access
stratum identifier to the UE for random access collision detection
and dismissal. After the base station receives the non-access
stratum identifier or the random number, the base station uses the
non-access stratum identifier or the random number to dismiss
collisions, i.e., containing related information in a MAC header
and sending it to the UE. In the MAC header, the non-access stratum
identifier is referred to as a UE collision dismissal identifier.
Meanwhile, the base station contains a RRC establishment message in
a MAC data portion, and sends it to the UE. After UE receives the
RRC establishment message, the UE first compares the UE collision
dismissal identifier contained in the MAC header and a non-access
stratum identifier (or a random number) of it. If they are same,
then the UE knows that it has passed collision detection and can
parse the RRC message. If they are different, then the UE knows
that it has not passed collision detection, and may carry out a
next random access procedure.
[0127] The base station receives the UE collision dismissal
identifier from the Sx interface, and internally forwards it to the
MAC layer of the base station, and the base station indicates the
UE collision dismissal identifier in a MAC control packet.
[0128] FIG. 6 is a method for a UE accessing a network according to
an embodiment. Under the architecture shown in FIG. 2, the UE
actively initiates a RRC establishment procedure. This procedure
may be used in other network architectures. The method for the UE
accessing the network may include the following steps.
[0129] At step 601, the UE sends a random access code to the base
station.
[0130] The UE may select one of two sets of random access codes.
Which set being selected decides the length of the third message in
step 603, and is dependent on the air interface quality of the UE.
The sets of random access codes and corresponding thresholds are
broadcast to the UE through a broadcast message.
[0131] At step 602, the MAC layer of the base station sends a radio
access response message to the UE. The radio access response
message is sent on a downlink shared channel.
[0132] The radio access response message includes a random access
code indication, time adjustment information, initial uplink
resource allocation and a unique temporary cell identifier, C-RNTI.
The radio access response message is generated by the MAC layer,
and foregoing information is included within a MAC layer frame. The
MAC layer frame includes a MAC header and a MAC data packet, or
only includes a MAC header. The MAC header contains control
information, e.g., foregoing information being contained in the MAC
header.
[0133] At step 603, the UE sends an uplink RRC establishment
request message.
[0134] The uplink RRC establishment request message is sent on an
uplink shared channel, and the uplink shared channel is allocated
by the base station in step 602. The RRC establishment request
message is sent to the base station by being contained in the MAC
data packet portion. The RRC establishment request message includes
a non-access stratum identifier of the UE, e.g., an S-TMSI. If no
non-access stratum identifier is allocated to the UE, the UE
generates a random number, and contains the random number in the
RRC establishment request message.
[0135] After the MAC layer of the base station receives a MAC
protocol data unit (MAC PDU), the base station finds that a logic
channel indicated by the MAC header is a common control channel
(CCCH), and then the MAC layer of the base station knows that the
MAC PDU bears a RRC message. The base station does not parse the
data packet contained in the MAC PDU, but sends the MAC data packet
contained in the received MAC PDU to the SxAP protocol through an
inner interface (may be through RLC), to trigger the SxAP to
forward the RRC request message to the network node. The message of
the inner interface may carry a unique cell identifier of the UE,
C-RNTI, which may be a temporary C-RNTI. The MAC layer of the base
station knows the C-RNTI or temporary C-RNTI of the UE, and when
the base station allocates a resource to the UE, it will use the
C-RNTI to indicate the resource is allocated to which UE. The SxAP
saves a mapping relation between C-RNTIs and Sx interface-based UE
identifiers allocated by the base station. In this way, the SxAP
knows which UE sends the RRC message through the Sx interface.
[0136] The SxAP protocol layer of the base station sends the first
Sx interface-based message to the SxAP protocol layer of the
network node. The RRC request message may be sent through this
first SxAP message. For example, the initial UE message is an Sx
interface-based message, and the initial UE message includes a RRC
container which contains the RRC establishment request message sent
by the UE.
[0137] The first SxAP message further carries an Sx interface-based
UE identifier allocated by the base station to uniquely identify
the UE on the Sx interface. Similarly, the network node also
allocates an Sx interface-based UE identifier for the UE in a
response message, and the pair of identifiers is carried in
signaling of the UE on the SxAP. Through the pair of identifiers,
the base station and the network node can find a context of a
corresponding UE.
[0138] After the network node receives the first uplink message of
the Sx interface, it forwards the RRC container contained in the
first uplink message through the SxAP protocol to be processed by
the RRC protocol of the network node. The RRC protocol performs
collision detection of radio random access, and by checking the
non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number
contained in the RRC establishment request message, the network
node can identify a UE of radio random access. Then, the RRC
protocol generates a RRC establishment message, and the RRC
establishment message is sent to be processed by the SxAP protocol
through an inner interface, and the message in step 504 is launched
through the SxAP protocol.
[0139] At step 604, the network node sends an initial establishment
request message.
[0140] The initial establishment request message may have other
names. The initial establishment request message carries a UE
collision dismissal identifier, and the UE collision dismissal
identifier is set to be the non-access stratum identifier of the UE
or the random number carried in the message of the step 603. The UE
collision dismissal identifier is sent to the MAC layer through an
inner interface for use by the MAC layer in subsequent steps.
[0141] The initial establishment request message further includes
an Sx interface-based UE identifier allocated to the UE by the
network node, and the Sx interface-based UE identifier uniquely
identifies the UE on the Sx interface or on the network node.
[0142] The initial establishment request message may further
include configuration information for the RLC and MAC layers, for
example, including a radio bearer (RB) identifier and configuration
of a signaling radio bearer. The initial establishment request
message may further include a RB identifier of a data radio bearer
and uplink receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on the
Sx interface. Tunnel information includes an IP address and a
tunnel number.
[0143] The SxAP of the base station receives the initial
establishment request message of the step 604, and sends a C-RNTI
and a UE collision dismissal identifier to the MAC layer.
[0144] At step 605, the base station sends an initial establishment
response message.
[0145] The initial establishment response message includes a RB
identifier of a successfully configured radio bearer and downlink
receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on the Sx
interface, including an IP address and a tunnel number.
[0146] At step 606, the network node sends a RRC establishment
message to the UE.
[0147] The RRC establishment message is generated based on the RRC
protocol of the network node (as described in the step 603), and is
sent to the base station through an Sx interface message, e.g., a
downlink data transmission message. The downlink data transmission
message includes a UE identifier on the Sx interface and a RRC
container. The RRC container includes the RRC establishment
message.
[0148] The RRC establishment message includes elements of an
original RRC establishment message, i.e., including configuration
information on radio bearer of the UE, e.g., including a RB
identifier and configuration information of signaling radio bearer,
and a RB identifier and configuration information of data radio
bearer. The RRC establishment message may further include encrypted
information, and may specifically include encryption algorithm
configuration and integrity protection algorithm configuration.
[0149] At step 607, the UE sends a RRC establishment completion
message to the network node.
[0150] The RRC establishment completion message includes an
identifier of a successfully established bearer.
[0151] After the base station receives the MAC PDU, through logic
channel information contained in the MAC header, the base station
can find a corresponding RLC, and then it forwards the data packet
of the MAC PDU through the RLC for processing by the Sx protocol,
and transmits the RRC message through an Sx interface message to
the network node. The RRC establishment completion message further
includes a non-access stratum message, and based on the non-access
stratum message, the network can establish a data link with an
external network.
[0152] Afterwards, data transmissions can be carried out between
the UE and the network. This procedure omits operations in the
network, and it is assumed that the operations over the network
layer are the same with an existing procedure.
[0153] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a method for a UE
accessing a network according to Embodiment 2 of the present
disclosure. Under the architecture shown in FIG. 2, the UE actively
initiates a RRC establishment procedure. This procedure may be used
in other network architectures. The method for the UE accessing the
network includes the following steps.
[0154] At step 701, the UE sends a random access code to a base
station.
[0155] The UE may select one of two sets of random access codes.
Which set being selected decides the length of the third message in
step 703, and is dependent on the air interface quality of the UE.
The sets of random access codes and corresponding thresholds are
broadcast to the UE through a broadcast message.
[0156] At step 702, the MAC layer of the base station sends a radio
access response message to the UE. The radio access response
message is sent on a downlink shared channel.
[0157] The radio access response message includes a random access
code indication, time adjustment information, initial uplink
resource allocation and a unique temporary cell identifier, C-RNTI.
The radio access response message is generated by the MAC layer,
and foregoing information is included within a MAC layer frame. The
MAC layer frame includes a MAC header and a MAC data packet.
[0158] At step 703, the UE sends an uplink RRC establishment
request message.
[0159] The uplink RRC establishment request message is sent on an
uplink shared channel, and the uplink shared channel is allocated
by the base station in step 702. The RRC establishment request
message is sent to the base station by being contained in the MAC
data packet portion. The RRC establishment request message includes
a non-access stratum identifier of the UE, e.g., an S-TMSI. If no
non-access stratum identifier is allocated to the UE, the UE
generates a random number, and contains the random number in the
RRC establishment request message.
[0160] After the MAC layer of the base station receives a MAC
protocol data unit (MAC PDU), the base station finds that a logic
channel indicated by the MAC header is a common control channel
(CCCH), and then the MAC layer of the base station knows that the
MAC PDU bears a RRC message. The base station does not parse the
data packet contained in the MAC PDU, but sends the MAC data packet
contained in the received MAC PDU to the SxAP protocol through an
inner interface (may be through RLC), to trigger the SxAP to
forward the RRC request message to the network node. The message of
the inner interface may carry a unique cell identifier of the UE,
C-RNTI, which may be a temporary C-RNTI. The MAC layer of the base
station knows the C-RNTI or temporary C-RNTI of the UE, and when
the base station allocates a resource to the UE, it will use the
C-RNTI to indicate the resource is allocated to which UE. The SxAP
saves a mapping relation between C-RNTIs and Sx interface-based UE
identifiers allocated by the base station. In this way, the SxAP
knows which UE sends the RRC message through the Sx interface.
[0161] The SxAP protocol layer of the base station sends the first
Sx interface-based message to the SxAP protocol layer of the
network node. The RRC request message may be sent through this
first SxAP message. For example, the initial UE message is an Sx
interface-based message, and the initial UE message includes a RRC
container which contains the RRC establishment request message sent
by the UE.
[0162] The first SxAP message further carries an Sx interface-based
UE identifier allocated by the base station to uniquely identify
the UE on the Sx interface. Similarly, the network node also
allocates an Sx interface-based UE identifier for the UE in a
response message, and the pair of identifiers is carried in
signaling of the UE on the SxAP. Through the pair of identifiers,
the base station and the network node can find a context of a
corresponding UE.
[0163] After the network node receives the first uplink message of
the Sx interface, it forwards the RRC container contained in the
first uplink message through the SxAP protocol to be processed by
the RRC protocol of the network node. The RRC protocol performs
collision detection of radio random access, and by checking the
non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number
contained in the RRC establishment request message, the network
node can identify a UE of radio random access. Then, the RRC
protocol generates a RRC establishment message, and the RRC
establishment message is sent to be processed by the SxAP protocol
through an inner interface, and the message in step 604 is launched
through the SxAP protocol.
[0164] At step 704, the network node sends an initial establishment
request message.
[0165] The initial establishment request message may have other
names. The initial establishment request message carries a UE
collision dismissal identifier, and the UE collision dismissal
identifier is set to be the non-access stratum identifier of the UE
or the random number carried in the message of the step 703.
[0166] The initial establishment request message further includes
an Sx interface-based UE identifier allocated to the UE by the
network node, and the Sx interface-based UE identifier uniquely
identifies the UE on the Sx interface or on the network node.
[0167] The initial establishment request message may further
include configuration information for the RLC and MAC layers, for
example, including a radio bearer (RB) identifier and configuration
of a signaling radio bearer. The initial establishment request
message may further include a RB identifier of a data radio bearer
and uplink receiving tunnel information of the data bearer on the
Sx interface. Tunnel information includes an IP address and a
tunnel number.
[0168] The initial establishment request message includes a RRC
container, and the RRC contain contains the RRC establishment
message. The RRC establishment message includes elements of an
original RRC establishment message, i.e., including configuration
information for a radio bearer of the UE, e.g., including a RB
identifier and configuration information of a signaling radio
bearer, and a RB identifier and configuration information of a data
radio bearer. The initial establishment request message may further
include encryption information, and may specifically include
encryption algorithm configuration and integrity protection
algorithm configuration.
[0169] At step 705, the base station forwards the RRC establishment
message to the UE.
[0170] After the base station receives the message in step 704
through the Sx protocol, the
[0171] Sx interface sends the RRC container and the UE collision
dismissal identifier to the MAC protocol (through RLC). After the
RRC container is processed by RLC, and handed to the MAC layer, it
is called MAC service data unit (SDU). On the MAC layer, the
received SDU is put into a MAC data packet portion, and the MAC
data packet portion includes the UE collision dismissal identifier.
Then the base station sends the MAC PDU to the UE.
[0172] At step 706, the UE sends a RRC establishment completion
message to the base station.
[0173] After the MAC layer of the base station receives the MAC
PDU, it can find a corresponding RLC through logic channel
information contained in a MAC header, and then it forwards the
data packet of the MAC PDU through RLC to be processed through the
Sx protocol. For control logic information, the base station knows
that what is contained in the data packet of the MAC PDU is RRC
signaling, and then the base station sends the RRC message through
an Sx interface message to the network node.
[0174] At step 707, the base station sends an initial establishment
response message to the network node.
[0175] The initial establishment response message carries a RRC
container, and the RRC container carries a RRC establishment
completion message. The RRC establishment completion message may
further include a non-access stratum message. Based on the
non-access stratum message, the network can establish a data link
with the external network.
[0176] Afterwards, data transmissions can be carried out between
the UE and the network. The procedures simplify operations over the
network, and it is assumed that the operations over the network are
the same with existing procedures.
[0177] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a basic flow of a UE
handover method according to the present disclosure. The flow
optimizes a data plane between the base stations and the
network.
[0178] According to the architecture shown in FIG. 2, PDCP and RRC
are on the network node, and RLC and MAC are on the base stations.
The base stations and the network node need to adopt a traffic
control mechanism to reasonably allocate data. For example, when
there are two base stations used to provide data transmissions for
the UE, PDCP needs to know which base station has a better data
transmission state so as to allocate more data for the base
station, and thus, the base stations need to report their traffic
information. At present, traffic information reported by a base
station includes buffer size, the amount of data lost on an
interface, and the largest PDCP number successfully transmitted to
the UE. In the architecture shown in FIG. 2, a current traffic
control mechanism will be used, but it needs to be enhanced and
optimized.
[0179] Since the network needs to configure measurement of the UE,
and the network needs to know the physical layer channel quality of
the UE. On the physical layer, the UE needs to report its current
channel state, e.g., channel state information (CSI), and sounding
reference signal (SRS). CSI includes various kinds of report
information in which a channel quality indicator (CQI) reflects a
channel quality. If the network knows a channel quality of the UE,
the network can determine how to configure measurement of the RRC
layer of the UE, and thus the method in FIG. 7 needs to be
used.
[0180] At step 801, the base station sends a physical layer
measurement to the network node.
[0181] The base station receives a physical layer measurement
report from the UE, and the physical layer measurement report sent
by the UE includes CSI and SRS. The base station can send some
physical layer report information sent from the UE to the network
node through a control plane or user plane. For example, when the
base station reports traffic information, it also contains CSI
which at least includes CQI information in the traffic information
report. The period of report is the same with the traffic
information report mechanism.
[0182] Or, on the control plane, a new message may be defined, and
through this newly defined message, the base station can send CSI
information (at least includes CQI information) to the network node
through the Sx interface.
[0183] After the network node receives physical layer report
information sent by the base station, with reference to physical
layer report information, the RRC protocol of the network node can
carry out configuration of measurement control.
[0184] At step 802, the network node configures RRC
measurement.
[0185] RRC configures the UE to measure a neighboring cell and a
neighboring frequency.
[0186] At step 803, the UE reports a measurement result.
[0187] After the network node receives the RRC measurement result,
it makes a handover decision based on the received measurement
result. Specifically, the RRC protocol of the network node can
determine whether it needs to switch a master serving cell and a
master serving base station of the UE to another cell or another
base station. If the network node needs, the network node initiates
a switch procedure subsequently.
[0188] According to the architecture of the present disclosure, or
in other network architectures, the RRC and control encryption
functions are located in a same entity, which can reduce signaling
flows of the UE accessing the network. During RRC establishment,
encryption information is sent to the UE. FIG. 9 is a schematic
diagram of the method.
[0189] At step 901, the UE sends an uplink RRC establishment
request message to the network node.
[0190] The uplink RRC establishment request message is sent on an
uplink shared channel, and the uplink shared channel is allocated
by the base station in step 702. The RRC establishment request
message is sent to the base station by being contained in the MAC
data packet portion. The RRC establishment request message includes
a non-access stratum identifier of the UE, e.g., an S-TMSI. If no
non-access stratum identifier is allocated to the UE, the UE
generates a random number, and contains the random number in the
RRC establishment request message.
[0191] At step 902, the network node sends a RRC establishment
message to the UE.
[0192] The RRC establishment message includes elements of an
original RRC establishment message, i.e., including configuration
information on radio bearer of the UE, e.g., including a RB
identifier and configuration information of signaling radio bearer,
and a RB identifier and configuration information of data radio
bearer. The RRC establishment message may further include encrypted
information, and may specifically include encryption algorithm
configuration and integrity protection algorithm configuration.
[0193] At step 903, the UE sends a RRC establishment completion
message to the network node.
[0194] The UE performs configuration according to the message in
the step 902, and then sends the RRC establishment completion
message to the network node. Afterwards, the UE can send and
receive data.
[0195] What is described in the foregoing is detailed
implementation of UE access, handover, and encryption control
methods. The present disclosure further provides a network node and
a base station applicable to implement the foregoing methods.
[0196] Corresponding to the UE accessing method, the present
disclosure further provides a network node and a base station.
[0197] The network node corresponding to the UE accessing method
includes a receiving unit, a sending unit, a PDCP layer processing
unit, a RRC layer processing unit, and a NAS layer processing
unit.
[0198] The receiving unit is configured to receive a non-access
stratum identifier of a UE through a RRC message sent from the UE
in the communication system. The sending unit is configured to send
the non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number
received by the receiving unit to the base station, for the base
station to set a UE collision dismissal identifier. The PDCP layer
processing unit, the RRC layer processing unit and the NAS layer
processing unit are respectively used for PDCP, RRC and NAS layers
processing of sending and receiving packets.
[0199] The base station corresponding to the UE accessing method
includes a transparent transmission unit, a sending unit, a
receiving unit, a RLC layer processing unit, and a MAC layer
processing unit.
[0200] The transparent transmission unit is configured to
transparently transmit the RRC message which contains the
non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number
generated by the UE sent from the UE to the network node in the
communication system. The receiving unit is configured to receive
the non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the random number
sent from the network node, and set a UE collision dismissal
identifier to the non-access stratum identifier of the UE or the
random number. The RLC layer processing unit and the MAC layer
processing unit are respectively configured for RLC and MAC layers
processing of packets sent or received. The Sx interface is an
interface between the base station and the network node; and a pair
of UE identifiers includes an Sx interface-based UE identifier
allocated by the identifier allocation unit and an Sx
interface-based UE identifier allocated by the network device, and
is used to establish a singling link for the UE on the Sx interface
and uniquely identify signaling related to the UE.
[0201] Corresponding to the UE handover method, the present
disclosure provides a network node which includes a receiving unit,
a configuration unit, a handover decision unit, a PDCP layer
processing unit, a RRC layer processing unit, and a NAS layer
processing unit.
[0202] The receiving unit is configured to receive the physical
layer measurement result sent from the base station in the
communication system and received from the UE in the communication
system by the base station; and is further configured to receive
the RRC measurement report reported by the UE. The configuration
unit is configured to send a RRC measurement configuration to the
UE based on the physical layer measurement report. The handover
decision unit is configured to carry out a handover decision for
the UE according to the RRC measurement report reported by the UE.
The PDCP layer processing unit, the RRC layer processing unit, and
the NAS layer processing unit are respectively configured for PDCP,
RRC, and NAS layer processing of sending and receiving packets.
[0203] Corresponding to the UE encryption control method, the
present disclosure provides a network node which includes a
receiving unit and a sending unit.
[0204] The receiving unit is configured to receive an uplink RRC
establishment request message sent from the UE in the communication
system. The sending unit is configured to send a RRC establishment
message to the UE, and contain encryption information in the RRC
establishment message.
[0205] What is described in the foregoing are only embodiments of
the present disclosure, and should not be construed as limitations
to the present disclosure. Any changes, equivalent replacements,
modifications made without departing from the scope and spirit of
the present disclosure are intended to be included within the
protecting scope of the present disclosure.
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