Methods and systems for transitioning a user equipment to an inactive state

Abstract

Wireless communications systems and methods related to transition of a user equipment (UE) to an inactive state are provided. In some aspects, a multi-subscriber identity module (MSIM) UE may request a network to transition one subscription or SIM to an inactive state when another subscription or SIM has a higher priority. In some aspects, a UE may request for the UE to be transitioned to an inactive state based on the signal quality of network signals at the location of the IF. In some aspects, a UE may request a network to transition the network to an inactive state when downlink data transmission from the network to the UE has stalled

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of wireless communication performed by a multi-subscriber identity module (MSIM) user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 determining a first subscription of the MSIM UE is in a first connected state with a first network and a second subscription of the MSIM UE is in a second connected state with a second network; and   transmitting, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the first subscription from the first connected state to an inactive state with the first network when a connection of the second connected state has a higher priority than a connection of the first connected state.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request includes a mobile initiated connection only (MICO) information element indicating to the first network that the MSIM UE is entering MICO mode when the first subscription is transitioned to the inactive state. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request includes an information element indicating a reason for requesting the transition from the first connected state to the inactive state. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising resuming, by the first subscription, the first connected state when the connection of the second connected state has a priority no higher than the connection of the first connected state. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first network, a radio access network (RAN) paging message configured to trigger the first subscription to resume the first connected state, the RAN paging message generated based on the information element.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the reason for requesting the transition includes absence of incoming downlink data at the MSIM UE during the first connected state, initiation by the MSIM UE of a tune away procedure to switch a radio access technology during the first connected state, or a quality of signal coverage of the first network at a location of the MSIM UE being no greater than a threshold level of signal quality during the first connected state. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network and/or the second nets pork include a long-term evolution (LTE) network or a new radio (NR) network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request is a UE assistance information message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the first network, in response to transmitting the request, a radio resource control (RRC) release message configured to transition the first subscription of the UE from the first connected state to the inactive state.   
     
     
         10 . A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 performing a first estimation of a quality of signal coverage of a network at a location of the UE that is in a connected state with the network; and   determining whether to transmit a request to the network based on the first estimation, the request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first estimation indicates that the quality of signal coverage of the network is in a range that triggers a radio link failure (RLF). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the request is transmitted to the network prior to the UE experiencing a REF. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 performing a second estimation of the quality of signal coverage of the network at the location of the UE after the UE is transitioned from the connected state to the inactive state by the network;   resuming the connected state when the second estimation indicates that the quality of signal coverage of the network improves so as not to trigger a RLF.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining a type of an application executing on the UE and communicating with the network via the connected state of the UE with the network; and   determining to transmit the request when the type of the application is a non-time critical application.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first estimation is performed using a location-based communication module of the UE. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the location-based communication module includes a global positioning system (GPS) module or a Wi-Fi® module. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first estimation is based on a mobility of the UE. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first estimation is based on a block error rate (BLER) measurement of a communication of the UE with the network during the connected state. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the network includes a long-term evolution (LTE) network or a new radio (NR) network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the request includes a mobile initiated connection only (MICO) information element indicating to the network that the UE is entering MICO mode when the UE is transitioned to the inactive state. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving from the network, in response to transmitting the request, a radio resource control (RRC) release message configured to transition the UE from the connected state to the inactive state.   
     
     
         22 . A method of wireless comma cation performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 determining downlink data transmission to the UE from a network to which the UE is in a connected state has stalled; and   transmitting, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the request is transmitted to the network with a maximum amount of power allocated for transmitting messages from the UE to the network. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the request is a UE assistance information message. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 receiving from the first network, in response to transmitting the request, a radio resource control (RRC) release message configured to transition the UE from the connected state to the inactive state.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the network includes a long-term evolution (LTE) network or a new radio (NR) network. 
     
     
         27 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 determine a first subscription of the MSIM UE is in a first connected state with a first network and a second subscription of the MSIM UE is in a second connected state with a second network; and 
   a transceiver configured to:
 transmit, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the first subscription from the first connected state to an inactive state with the first network when a connection of the second connected state has a higher priority than a connection of the first connected state. 
   
     
     
         28 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 perform a first estimation of a quality of signal coverage of a network at a location of the UE that is in a connected state with the network; and 
 determine whether to transmit a request to the network based on the first estimation, the request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network. 
   
     
     
         29 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 determine downlink data transmission to the UE from a network to which the UE is in a connected state has stalled; and 
   a transceiver configured to:
 transmit, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network. 
   
     
     
         30 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), the program code comprising:
 code for causing the UE to determine a first subscription of the MSIM UE is in a first connected state with a first network and a second subscription of the MSIM UE is in a second connected state with a second network; and   code for causing the UE to transmit, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the first subscription from the first connected state to an inactive state with the first network when a connection of the second connected state has a higher priority than a connection of the first connected state.   
     
     
         31 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), the program code comprising:
 code for causing the UE to perform a first estimation of a quality of signal coverage of a network at a location of the UE that is in a connected state with the network; and   code for causing the UE to determine whether to transmit a request to the network based on the first estimation, the request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network.   
     
     
         32 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), the program code comprising:
 code for causing the UE to determine downlink data transmission to the UE from a network to which the UE is in a connected state has stalled; and   code for causing the UE to transmit, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network.   
     
     
         33 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 means for determining a first subscription of the MSIM UE is in a first connected state with a first network and a second subscription of the MSIM UE is in a second connected state with a second network; and   means for transmitting, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the first subscription from the first connected state to an inactive state with the first network when a connection of the second connected state has a higher priority than a connection of the first connected state.   
     
     
         34 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 means for performing a first estimation of a quality of signal coverage of a network at a location of the UE that is in a connected state with the network; and   means for determining whether to transmit a request to the network based on the first estimation, the request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network.   
     
     
         35 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 means for determining downlink data transmission to the UE from a network to which the UE is in a connected state has stalled; and   means for transmitting, to the network, a request configured to request a transition of the UE from the connected state to an inactive state with the network.