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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobility management entity (MME), comprising:
 processor circuitry to generate a mobility procedure control message for a mobility procedure for a user equipment (UE), and send the mobility procedure control message from a source MME to a target MME over a S10 interface during the mobility procedure, the mobility procedure control message having an information element (IE) for a local home network identifier (LHN-ID) to indicate whether a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) is active for a packet data connection (PDN) of the UE.   
     
     
         2 . The MME of  claim 1 , wherein the IE for the LHN-ID indicates that the SIPTO@LN is active for the PDN of the UE. 
     
     
         3 . The MME of  claim 1 , wherein the SIPTO@LN is active for a stand-alone gateway (GW). 
     
     
         4 . The MME of  claim 1 , the mobility procedure control message to comprise a forward relocation request and the mobility procedure to comprise a handover procedure. 
     
     
         5 . The MME of  claim 1 , the processor circuitry to send a forward relocation request to a target MME over the S10 interface as part of a S1-based handover relocation procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The MME of  claim 1 , the mobility procedure control message to comprise a context response and the mobility procedure to comprise a tracking area update (TAU) procedure. 
     
     
         7 . The MME of  claim 1 , the target MME to determine whether a local home network of the UE changes based on a forward relocation request, determine whether to maintain a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) packet data network (PDN) connection of the UE following a handover procedure based on whether the local home network of the UE changes, and maintain the SIPTO@LN PDN connection in response to a determination that the local home network of the UE does not change. 
     
     
         8 . The MME of  claim 1 , comprising a memory coupled to the processor circuitry, and a memory controller coupled to the memory. 
     
     
         9 . The MME of  claim 1 , comprising a network interface coupled to the processor circuitry. 
     
     
         11 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to being executed at a mobility management entity (MME), cause the MME to:
 generate a mobility procedure control message for a mobility procedure for a user equipment (UE); and   send the mobility procedure control message from a source MME to a target MME over a S10 interface during the mobility procedure, the mobility procedure control message having an information element (IE) for a local home network identifier (LHN-ID) to indicate whether a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) is active for a packet data connection (PDN) of the UE.   
     
     
         12 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the IE for the LHN-ID indicates that the SIPTO@LN is active for the PDN of the UE. 
     
     
         13 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the SIPTO@LN is active for a stand-alone gateway (GW). 
     
     
         14 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the mobility procedure control message to comprise a forward relocation request and the mobility procedure to comprise a handover procedure. 
     
     
         15 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , comprising instructions that, in response to being executed at the MME, cause the MME to send a forward relocation request to a target MME over the S10 interface as part of a S1-based handover relocation procedure. 
     
     
         16 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the mobility procedure control message to comprise a context response and the mobility procedure to comprise a tracking area update (TAU) procedure. 
     
     
         17 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the target MME to determine whether a local home network of the UE changes based on a forward relocation request, determine whether to maintain a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) packet data network (PDN) connection of the UE following a handover procedure based on whether the local home network of the UE changes, and maintain the SIPTO@LN PDN connection in response to a determination that the local home network of the UE does not change. 
     
     
         18 . A method for a mobility management entity (MME), comprising:
 generating a mobility procedure control message for a mobility procedure for a user equipment (UE); and   sending the mobility procedure control message from a source MME to a target MME over a S10 interface during the mobility procedure, the mobility procedure control message having an information element (IE) for a local home network identifier (LHN-ID) to indicate whether a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) is active for a packet data connection (PDN) of the UE.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the IE for the LHN-ID indicates that the SIPTO@LN is active for the PDN of the UE. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the SIPTO@LN is active for a stand-alone gateway (GW). 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , the mobility procedure control message to comprise a forward relocation request and the mobility procedure to comprise a handover procedure. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising sending a forward relocation request to a target MME over the S10 interface as part of a S1-based handover relocation procedure. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , the mobility procedure control message to comprise a context response and the mobility procedure to comprise a tracking area update (TAU) procedure. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the target MME to determine whether a local home network of the UE changes based on a forward relocation request, determine whether to maintain a selected internet protocol traffic offload at local network (SIPTO@LN) packet data network (PDN) connection of the UE following a handover procedure based on whether the local home network of the UE changes, and maintain the SIPTO@LN PDN connection in response to a determination that the local home network of the UE does not change.