Ma pdu session and user plane resource establishment for data transmission

Abstract

A method to establish and activate an MA PDU session for data transmission over a selected access is proposed. UE initiates a UE-requested PDU session establishment procedure. Once the UE receives a PDU SESSION ESTABLISHMENT ACCEPT message with ATSSS container IE, the UE can consider the MA PDU session has been activated and user plane resources are successfully established on the selected access. A method to convert an SA PDU session to an MA PDU session for data transmission over a selected access is proposed. UE initiates a UE-requested PDU session modification procedure. Once the UE receives a PDU SESSION MODIFICATION COMMAND message with ATSSS container IE, the UE can consider the MA PDU session has been converted from the SA PDU session and user plane resources are successfully established on the selected access.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 establishing a multi-access protocol data unit (MA PDU) session by a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE is registered to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) over both a first access type and a second access type;   transmitting a PDU session establishment request message over the first access type and in response receiving a PDU session establishment accept message;   receiving a first indication from the network that user plane resources are established on the first access type; and   receiving a second indication from the network that user plane resource are established on the second access type, wherein the UE considers the MA PDU session is activated and starts data transmission upon receiving the PDU session establishment accept message.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PDU session establishment accept message comprises an Access Traffic Steering Switching and Splitting (ATSSS) Container IE. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UE receives the PDU session establishment accept message before receiving the first indication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UE receives the PDU session establishment accept message after receiving the first indication. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first notification is carried by a radio resource control (RRC) signaling message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UE starts the data transmission without waiting for the first indication nor waiting for the second indication. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UE starts a timer upon receiving the PDU session establishment accept message, wherein the UE re-initiates a UE-requested PDU session establishment procedure over the second access type when the UE has not received the second notification upon timer expiry. 
     
     
         8 . A User Equipment (UE), comprising:
 a protocol data unit (PDU) session handling circuit that establishes a multi-access PDU (MA PDU) session, wherein the UE is registered to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) over both a first access type and a second access type;   a transmitter that transmits a PDU session establishment request message over the first access type and in response receiving a PDU session establishment accept message; and   a receiver that receiving a first indication from the network that user plane resources are established on the first access type, wherein the UE receives a second indication from the network that user plane resource are established on the second access type, and wherein the UE considers the MA PDU session is activated and starts data transmission upon receiving the PDU session establishment accept message.   
     
     
         9 . The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the PDU session establishment accept message comprises an Access Traffic Steering Switching and Splitting (ATSSS) Container IE. 
     
     
         10 . The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the first notification is carried by a radio resource control (RRC) signaling message. 
     
     
         11 . The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the UE starts the data transmission without waiting for the first indication nor waiting for the second indication. 
     
     
         12 . The UE of  claim 8 , wherein the UE starts a timer upon receiving the PDU session establishment accept message, wherein the UE re-initiates a UE-requested PDU session establishment procedure over the second access type when the UE has not received the second notification upon timer expiry. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 maintaining a single-access protocol data unit (SA PDU) session by a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE is registered to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) over both a first access type and a second access type;   transmitting a PDU session modification request message over the first access type to convert the SA PDU session to a multi-access (MA) PDU session, and in response receiving a PDU session modification command message;   receiving a first indication from the network that user plane resources are established on the first access type; and   receiving a second indication from the network that user plane resource are established on the second access type, wherein the UE considers the MA PDU session is converted and starts data transmission upon receiving the PDU session modification command message.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the PDU session modification command message comprises an Access Traffic Steering Switching and Splitting (ATSSS) Container IE. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the UE receives the PDU session modification command message before receiving the first indication. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the UE receives the PDU session modification command message after receiving the first indication. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first notification is carried by a radio resource control (RRC) signaling message. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the UE starts the data transmission without waiting for the first indication nor waiting for the second indication. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the UE performs intersystem change from EPS to 5GS and maps a PDU connection to the corresponding SA PDU session. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the UE starts a timer upon receiving the PDU session modification command message, wherein the UE re-initiates a UE-requested PDU session establishment procedure over the second access type when the UE has not received the second notification upon timer expiry.