QCI change via bearer release and reestablishment

US11076436B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• T-Mobile USA, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Kun Lu · Bellevue, US
• Jun Liu · Issaquah, US
• Christopher H. Joul · Bellevue, US
• Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva · Renton, US
• Suresh Thanneeru · Redmond, US
• Salvador Mendoza · Issaquah, US
• Rahul Pal · Kanchinakote, IN
• Egil Gronstad · Bellevue, US
• Alan Denis MacDonald · Bellevue, US
• Kunal Prakash Barawkar · Bellevue, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 12, 2018
• Grant date: Jul 27, 2021
• Expiry date: Dec 12, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W76/38
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A core network element, such as a PCRF and/or an MME, can determine that a Quality of Service (QoS) Class Indicator (QCI) of particular bearer set up between the core network and user equipment (UE) should be changed to a new QCI. When a control node, such as the MME, determines that no teardown delay conditions are met, the control node can send a bearer release message to a base station that instructs the base station to tear down all bearers for the UE, even if they are in use. In a dual connectivity arrangement, such as a E-UTRAN New Radio-Dual Connectivity (EN-DC) configuration, the base station can instruct a secondary base station to also release all bearers for the UE. The control node can instruct the base station to reestablish the particular bearer with the new QCI when the base station reestablishes the bearers for the UE.