Processing state information

Abstract

A method of operating a user equipment in a communications system comprising at least one cell that is controlled by a radio access node, the method comprising: maintaining current state information relating to the user equipment; determining whether to report current state information relating to the user equipment to the radio access node on the basis of the received indication; and reporting a current value associated with at least a given state information part to the radio access node in response to determining that current state information relating to the user equipment should be transmitted on the basis of the received indication.

1 . A method of operating a user equipment in a communications system comprising at least one cell that is controlled by a radio access node, the method comprising:
 maintaining current state information relating to the user equipment, the state information comprising at least one state information part associated with one or more features for which state information reporting may be configured in the at least one cell, the at least one state information part being associable with a plurality of different values;   receiving an indication from the radio access node regarding state information held by the radio access node relating to the user equipment;   determining whether to report current state information relating to the user equipment to the radio access node on the basis of the received indication; and   reporting a current value associated with at least a given state information part to the radio access node in response to determining that current state information relating to the user equipment should be transmitted on the basis of the received indication.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises determining that the current value has not yet been received by the radio access node. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the received indication comprises a version identifier indicating a version of the given state information part held by the radio access node. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the determining includes determining that the version identifier does not correspond with a current version of the given state information part. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 including a version identifier indicating the current version of the given state information part when reporting the value associated with the given state information part to the radio access node.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 advancing the version identifier indicating the current version of the given state information part upon reporting the value associated with the given state information part to the radio access node.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the version identifier indicating a version of the given state information part held by the radio access node is a common version identifier that indicates a version of both the given state information part and at least one additional state information part. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 reporting the value associated with the given state information part and a value associated with the at least one additional state information part to the radio access node.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 including a common version identifier when reporting the value associated with the given state information part and the value associated with the at least one additional state information part to the radio access node.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the indication is received from the radio access node on the basis of a change of connection of the user equipment from a first cell in the communications system to a second cell in the communications system. 
     
     
         11 . User equipment for use in a communications system comprising at least one cell that is controlled by a radio access node, the user equipment comprising:
 a data store configured to maintain current state information relating to the user equipment, the state information comprising at least one state information part associated with one or more features for which state information reporting may be configured in the at least one cell, the at least one state information part being associable with a plurality of different values;   a radio interface configured to receive an indication from the radio access node regarding state information held by the radio access node relating to the user equipment, and to receive state information to the radio access node; and   a processor configured to determine whether to report current state information relating to the user equipment to the radio access node on the basis of the received indication, and to report a current value associated with at least a given state information part to the radio access node in response to determining that current state information relating to the user equipment should be transmitted on the basis of the received indication.   
     
     
         12 . The user equipment according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the current value has not yet been received by the radio access node. 
     
     
         13 . The user equipment according to  claim 11 , wherein the received indication comprises a version identifier indicating a version of the given state information part held by the radio access node. 
     
     
         14 . The user equipment according to  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the version identifier does not correspond with a current version of the given state information part. 
     
     
         15 . The user equipment according to  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to include a version identifier indicating the current version of the given state information part when reporting the value associated with the given state information part to the radio access node. 
     
     
         16 . The user equipment according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to advance the version identifier indicating the current version of the given state information part upon reporting the value associated with the given state information part to the radio access node. 
     
     
         17 . The user equipment according to  claim 11 , wherein the version identifier indicating a version of the given state information part held by the radio access node is a common version identifier that indicates a version of both the given state information part and at least one additional state information part. 
     
     
         18 . The user equipment according to  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to report the value associated with the given state information part and a value associated with the at least one additional state information part to the radio access node. 
     
     
         19 . The user equipment according to  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to include a common version identifier when reporting the value associated with the given state information part and the value associated with the at least one additional state information part to the radio access node. 
     
     
         20 . The user equipment according to  claim 11 , wherein the indication is received from the radio access node on the basis of a change of connection of the user equipment from a first cell in the communications system to a second cell in the communications system. 
     
     
         21 . A method of operating a user equipment in a radio access network comprising cells that are controlled by radio access nodes, the method comprising:
 maintaining current state information relating to the user equipment, the state information comprising at least one state information part associated with one or more features for which state information reporting may be configured in a cell, the at least one state information part being associable with a plurality of different values;   initiating first reporting of a current value associated with at least a given state information part to a radio access node;   activating a timer on the basis of the initiation of the first reporting;   determining whether to initiate second reporting of the current value to a radio access node on the basis of one or more predetermined triggers; and   initiating the second reporting of the current value in response to detection of one of the one or more predetermined triggers before expiry of a timing period measured by the timer.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the one or more predetermined triggers comprise failure of a connection between the user equipment and the radio access network. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the one or more predetermined triggers comprises a message associated with handover between cells of the radio access network. 
     
     
         24 . User equipment for use in a radio access network comprising cells that are controlled by radio access nodes, the user equipment comprising:
 a data store configured to maintain current state information relating to the user equipment, the state information comprising at least one state information part associated with one or more features for which state information reporting may be configured in a cell, the at least one state information part being associable with a plurality of different values; and   a processor configured to:
 initiate first reporting of a current value associated with at least a given state information part to a radio access node; 
 activate a timer on the basis of the initiation of the first reporting; 
 determine whether to initiate second reporting of the current value to a radio access node on the basis of one or more predetermined triggers; and 
 initiate second reporting of the current value in response to detection of one of the one or more predetermined triggers before expiry of a timing period measured by the timer. 
   
     
     
         25 . The user equipment according to  claim 24 , wherein the one or more predetermined triggers comprise failure of a connection between the user equipment and the radio access network. 
     
     
         26 . The user equipment according to  claim 24 , wherein the one or more predetermined triggers comprises a message associated with handover between cells of the radio access network.