Management techniques for wireless network mobility procedures

Abstract

Connection management techniques for wireless network mobility procedures are described. In one embodiment, for example, an evolved packet core (EPC) node may comprise a processor circuit to receive a notification of a mobility procedure for a user equipment (UE), determine whether to release a local gateway (L-GW)-provided packet data network (PDN) connection of the UE, and in response to a determination that the L-GW-provided PDN connection is to be released, send either a detach request message or a delete session request message to initiate a process for releasing the L-GW-provided PDN connection. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

1 . An evolved packet core (EPC) node, comprising:
 a processor circuit to receive a notification of a mobility procedure for a user equipment (UE), determine whether to release a local gateway (L-GW)-provided packet data network (PDN) connection of the UE, and in response to a determination that the L-GW-provided PDN connection is to be released, send either a detach request message or a delete session request message to initiate a process to release the L-GW-provided PDN connection.   
     
     
         2 . The EPC node of  claim 1 , the L-GW-provided PDN connection comprising a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) PDN connection. 
     
     
         3 . The EPC node of  claim 1 , the processor circuit to send a detach request message to initiate a mobility management entity (MME)-initiated detach process to release the L-GW-provided PDN connection in response to a determination that the L-GW-provided PDN connection comprises an only PDN connection of the UE. 
     
     
         4 . The EPC node of  claim 1 , the processor circuit to send a delete session request message to initiate a mobility management entity (MME)-requested PDN disconnection process to release the L-GW-provided PDN connection in response to a determination that the L-GW-provided PDN connection does not comprise an only PDN connection of the UE. 
     
     
         5 . The EPC node of  claim 4 , the processor circuit to send the delete session request message with a reactivation requested cause. 
     
     
         6 . The EPC node of  claim 1 , the processor circuit to send either the detach request message or the delete session request message following the mobility procedure. 
     
     
         7 . The EPC node of  claim 1 , the mobility procedure comprising a tracking area update (TAU). 
     
     
         8 . The EPC node of  claim 1 , the mobility procedure comprising a handover. 
     
     
         9 . The EPC node of any of  claims 1  to  8 , comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) transceiver; and 
 one or more RF antennas. 
 
     
     
         10 . A mobility management entity (MME), comprising:
 logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to receive, during a mobility procedure for a user equipment (UE), a mobility procedure control message, determine to release a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) packet data network (PDN) connection of the UE based on the mobility procedure control message, and following the mobility procedure, trigger a deactivation of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection.   
     
     
         11 . The MME of  claim 10 , the logic to trigger the deactivation of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection by initiating an MME-requested PDN disconnection procedure in response to a determination that the SIPTO@LN PDN connection does not comprise an only PDN connection of the UE. 
     
     
         12 . The MME of  claim 11 , the logic to initiate the MME-requested PDN disconnection procedure with a reactivation requested cause. 
     
     
         13 . The MME of  claim 10 , the logic to trigger the deactivation of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection by initiating an MME-initiated detach procedure in response to a determination that the SIPTO@LN PDN connection comprises an only PDN connection of the UE. 
     
     
         14 . The MME of  claim 10 , the mobility procedure comprising a tracking area update (TAU) procedure, the mobility procedure control message comprising a context response message. 
     
     
         15 . The MME of  claim 10 , the mobility procedure comprising a handover procedure, the mobility procedure control message comprising a forward relocation request message. 
     
     
         16 . The MME of  claim 10 , the logic to receive the mobility procedure control message from a previous serving MME of the UE. 
     
     
         17 . The MME of  claim 10 , the logic to receive the mobility procedure control message over an S10 interface connection. 
     
     
         18 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to being executed on a mobility management entity (MME), cause the MME to:
 receive a notification of a tracking area update (TAU) procedure for a user equipment (UE);   during the TAU procedure, receive a context response message identifying a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) packet data network (PDN) connection of the UE and identifying a local home network identifier (LHN-ID) for the UE; and   determine whether to prompt a release of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection based on the LHN-ID.   
     
     
         19 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed on the MME, cause the MME to determine not to prompt the release of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection in response to a determination, based on the LHN-ID, that a local home network of the UE does not change according to the TAU procedure. 
     
     
         20 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed on the MME, cause the MME to determine to prompt the release of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection in response to a determination, based on the LHN-ID, that a local home network of the UE changes according to the TAU procedure. 
     
     
         21 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed on the MME, cause the MME to determine whether the SIPTO@LN PDN connection is a sole PDN connection for the UE. 
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed on the MME, cause the MME to prompt the release of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection by commencing a PDN disconnection procedure based on a determination that the SIPTO@LN PDN connection is not the sole PDN connection for the UE. 
     
     
         23 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed on the MME, cause the MME to commence the PDN disconnection procedure with a reactivation requested cause. 
     
     
         24 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed on the MME, cause the MME to prompt the release of the SIPTO@LN PDN connection by commencing a detach procedure based on a determination that the SIPTO@LN PDN connection is the sole PDN connection for the UE. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a target mobility management entity (MME) for a handover of a user equipment (UE), a forward relocation request;   determining, by a processor circuit, that a local gateway (L-GW)-provided packet data network (PDN) connection for the UE is to be disconnected based on the forward relocation request; and   selecting a process for disconnecting the L-GW-provided PDN connection based on a determination of whether the L-GW-provided PDN connection comprises a lone PDN connection for the UE.   
     
     
         27 - 33 . (canceled)