Method and Apparatus for State/Mode Transitioning

Abstract

A method and network element for sending a transition indication to transition a user equipment to a different state or mode, the method receiving a configuration message from a network; and transmitting a transition indication from the user equipment, the transition indication only includes a cause if the configuration message contains an inhibit transition indication. Also, a method and user equipment for processing a transitioning indication from a user equipment indicating the user equipment desires a transition to a different state or mode, the method comprising: receiving the transition indication from the user equipment; if the transition indication contains a cause: releasing a signaling connection of the user equipment or transitioning the user equipment to a different state or mode; and if the transition indication does not contain the cause: releasing the signaling connection.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a user equipment (UE), a message from a network, wherein the message comprises an inhibit duration value;   determining that a timer is not running, wherein the timer is associated with the inhibit duration value; and   in response to the determining, transmitting a transition indication of the UE, wherein the transition indication relates to a preference for a first radio resource control (RRC) configuration, and the inhibit duration value is associated with the transition indication.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the transition indication is associated with power consumption. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the inhibit duration value corresponds to a time duration during which the UE is prohibited from transmitting the transition indication. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the inhibit duration value is selected from a list of preset values. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the list includes a value of zero. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising starting the timer with a timer value set to the inhibit duration value. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising inhibiting further transmission of transition indications while the timer is running. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising transmitting another transition indication for a second RRC configuration. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the another transition indication is associated with power consumption. 
     
     
         38 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 a memory; and   at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to:
 receive a message from a network, wherein the message comprises an inhibit duration value; 
 determine that a timer is not running, wherein the timer is associated with the inhibit duration value; and 
 in response to the determination, transmit a transition indication of the UE, wherein the transition indication relates to a preference for a first radio resource control (RRC) configuration, and the inhibit duration value is associated with the transition indication. 
   
     
     
         39 . The UE of  claim 38 , wherein the transition indication is associated with power consumption. 
     
     
         40 . The UE of  claim 38 , wherein the inhibit duration value corresponds to a time duration during which the UE is prohibited from transmitting the transition indication. 
     
     
         41 . The UE of  claim 40 , wherein the inhibit duration value is selected from a list of preset values. 
     
     
         42 . The UE of  claim 41 , wherein the list includes a value of zero. 
     
     
         43 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause a user equipment (UE) to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a message from a network, wherein the message comprises an inhibit duration value;   determining that a timer is not running, wherein the timer is associated with the inhibit duration value; and   in response to the determining, transmitting a transition indication of the UE, wherein the transition indication relates to a preference for a first radio resource control (RRC) configuration, and the inhibit duration value is associated with the transition indication.   
     
     
         44 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 43 , wherein the transition indication is associated with power consumption. 
     
     
         45 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 43 , wherein the inhibit duration value corresponds to a time duration during which the UE is prohibited from transmitting the transition indication. 
     
     
         46 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 45 , wherein the inhibit duration value is selected from a list of preset values. 
     
     
         47 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 46 , wherein the list includes a value of zero. 
     
     
         48 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 43 , the operations further comprising starting the timer with a timer value set to the inhibit duration value.