Safe handling of RRC resumption from inactive state

Abstract

A method is provided for a user equipment UE (10) in NR RRC, whereby if an RRC resumption procedure from an inactive state fails, the UE falls back to an old security context. In this way, any subsequent resumption attempt by the UE (10) will derive new security keys from the old keys, meaning that the keys and security context will be the same for each attempt. In this way, the security context in the UE (10) will remain synchronized with the network security context no matter how many attempts the UE (10) has made (assuming that the network does not change the security context when the resumption procedure fails). Alternatively, the UE (10) may store the new security context it obtained during the first resumption attempt and then ensure that it is reused in subsequent resumption attempts.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 657,967, filed on April 16, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates generally to wireless communication networks, and more particularly to systems and methods for maintaining synchronization between a wireless device and a network when the wireless device resumes from an inactive state. Background Art

[0004] Wireless communication networks supporting voice and data communications with wireless devices are ubiquitous in many parts of the world and continue to evolve in terms of technology maturity, system capacity, data rate, bandwidth, supported services, etc. A basic model of a type of wireless network, often referred to as "cellular", has a number of usually fixed network nodes (variously referred to as: base stations, radio base stations, base transceiver stations, service nodes, NodeBs, eNodeBs, eNBs, gNBs, etc.), each of which provides wireless communication services to a large number of wireless devices (variously referred to as: mobile terminals, user equipment or UEs, etc.) within a usually fixed geographic area (referred to as a cell or sector).

[0005] Wireless communications travel between network nodes (e.g., base stations and UEs) as information is modulated onto a radio frequency (RF) carrier signal, which is sent by one node over the air interface and received and demodulated by another node. Because the medium must be open (as opposed to copper wire or fiber, which can be physically fixed), security is a primary concern, and security features have been designed into the technical specifications used to govern network operations. For example, most user plane signals (those that carry user data such as voice, video, text, images, etc.) are encrypted. Many control plane signals (those related to the technical operation of the network, often referred to as "overhead") are integrity protected, meaning that the content is not encrypted; however, cryptographic means ensure that the receiving node can unambiguously authenticate the identity of the sending node. Both encryption and integrity protection are cryptographic operations that rely on the generation and use of various "keys," or unique data that is known (or derived) only by the legitimate parties to the communication. Cryptographic operations are only effective when the same or compatible keys are used by different parties.

[0006] Radio Resource Control States in LTE and NR

[0007] Radio Resource Control (RRC) is the air interface protocol used in the third generation (3G) mobile cellular wireless network protocol Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and the fourth generation (4G) protocol Long Term Evolution (LTE). Modifications to RRC are proposed for the fifth generation (5G) protocol, New Radio (NR). The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications for RRC for UMTS are in Technical Standard (TS) 25.331, and for LTE in TS 36.331.

[0008] In LTE, two general RRC modes are defined for a wireless device or user equipment (UE): RRC_IDLE and RRC_CONNECTED. Within the RRC_CONNECTED mode, the UE transitions between additional RRC states based on an inactivity timer, each of which has lower power consumption. The RRC_CONNECTED mode states for LTE are: CELL-DCH (dedicated channel), CELL_FACH (forward access channel), CELL_PCH (cell paging channel), and URA_PCH (UTRAN registration area or URA, paging channel). The present disclosure focuses on transitions between RRC_CONNECTED and RRC_IDLE modes (and similar NR RRC transitions), rather than transitions between RRC_CONNECTED states. Therefore, as used herein, the terms RRC mode and RRC state are used interchangeably.

[0009] In the LTE RRC_IDLE state, the UE is known to the core network (CN or EPC) and has an Internet Protocol (IP) address, but is not known / tracked by the radio access network (E-UTRAN / eNB). The UE can receive broadcast / multicast data (e.g., system information or SI); monitor paging channels to detect incoming calls; perform neighbor cell measurements; and perform cell (re)selection. A UE in RRC_IDLE can be configured by the network for discontinuous reception (DRX).

[0010] In the LTE RRC_CONNECTED state, the UE is known to the RAN (E-UTRAN / eNB) and the core network, and the UE's mobility is managed by the network. The UE monitors downlink data in the control channel, sends channel quality feedback, and can request uplink resources. The RRC messages RRCRelease (RRC Release) and RRCConnect (RRC Connection) transition the UE from the RRC_CONNECTED state to the RRC_INACTIVE (RRC_ Inactive) state and from the RRC_INACTIVE state to the RRC_CONNECTED state.

[0011] In LTE Release 13, a mechanism was introduced for a UE to be suspended by the network in a suspended state similar to RRC_IDLE, but with the difference that the UE stores the Access Stratum (AS) context or RRC context. This makes it possible to reduce signaling when the UE becomes active again by resuming the RRC connection instead of establishing it from scratch (as previously). Reducing signaling may have several benefits. First, it will reduce the latency for, for example, a smartphone to access the internet. Second, the reduced signaling will reduce battery consumption, which is particularly important for machine-type devices that send little data.

[0012] The basis of the Release 13 solution is that the UE sends an RRCConnectionResumeRequest message to the network and receives an RRCConnectionResume from the network in response. The RRCConnectionResume is not encrypted but integrity protected.

[0013] As part of the standardization work on 5G NR in 3GPP, it has been decided that NR should support an RRC_INACTIVE state with similar properties to the suspended state in LTE Release 13. The properties of RRC_INACTIVE are slightly different from the LTE Release 13 suspended state, as it is a separate RRC state, rather than being part of RRC_IDLE as in LTE. Additionally, in LTE, the CN / RAN connection (NG or N2 interface) is maintained in RRC_INACTIVE when it is suspended. Figure 1 Depicted are the possible RRC state transitions in NR.

[0014] The NR RRC state has the following properties:

[0015] RRC_IDLE:

[0016] UE-specific DRX can be configured by upper layers;

[0017] UE controls mobility based on network configuration;

[0018] UE:

[0019] οMonitor CN paging using 5G-S-TMSI on the paging channel;

[0020] Perform neighbor cell measurements and cell (re)selection;

[0021] Get system information.

[0022] RRC_INACTIVE:

[0023] UE-specific DRX can be configured by upper layers or the RRC layer;

[0024] UE controls mobility based on network configuration;

[0025] UE stores the AS context;

[0026] UE:

[0027] οMonitor CN paging using 5G-S-TMSI and RAN paging using I-RNTI on the paging channel;

[0028] o performing neighbor cell measurements and cell (re)selection;

[0029] o performing RAN-based notification area updates periodically and upon moving out of the RAN-based notification area;

[0030] οGet system information.

[0031] RRC_CONNECTED:

[0032] UE stores the AS context;

[0033] Transferring unicast data to / from UE;

[0034] At low layers, the UE may be configured with UE-specific DRX;

[0035] For UEs that support CA, one or more SCells aggregated with SpCells are used to increase bandwidth;

[0036] For UEs supporting DC, use an SCG aggregated with the MCG to increase bandwidth;

[0037] Network controlled mobility, i.e. handover within NR and from / to E-UTRAN. UE:

[0038] o monitor the paging channel;

[0039] o monitoring a control channel associated with a shared data channel to determine whether data has been scheduled therefor;

[0040] οProvide channel quality and feedback information;

[0041] o Perform neighbor cell measurements and measurement reporting;

[0042] οGet system information.

[0043] RRC recovery procedure in NR and comparison with LTE

[0044] An important aspect of RRC_INACTIVE is the security framework, which is different from the solution in LTE.

[0045] In LTE, the UE is suspended, and when attempting to resume, it first calculates an integrity security token (called a short MAC-I) based on the old security keys, which the UE then includes in the RRC Resume Request. Upon receiving the request, the network obtains the UE context and sends an integrity-protected RRC Connection Resume Request to the UE, which contains the Next Hop Link Count (NCC) parameter, which enables the UE to refresh its security keys and start both integrity protection and ciphering.

[0046] In NR, unlike LTE, instead of refreshing the keys upon receiving the RRC Resume message and starting security thereafter, a NR UE in RRC_INACTIVE receives an NCC in a Suspend message that starts the RRC_INACTIVE state so that it can refresh the keys even before sending the RRC Resume Request. In NR, it has been agreed to calculate the token (equivalent to the short MAC-I in LTE) based on the newly refreshed keys. Then, due to the fact that the UE has refreshed the keys and started security, the network can obtain the context and send an RRC Resume message that is not only integrity protected but also encrypted. The protocol related to this procedure was signed on RAN2#101i in Athens and is reproduced below:

[0047] Working hypothesis:

[0048] 1. Provide NCC when the connection is suspended.

[0049] 2. A new key is derived from the NCC received in the Suspend message and used for the MAC-I calculation in MSG3.

[0050] protocol:

[0051] 1. Msg3 is protected and validation is performed by the last serving gNB before the UE context is transferred to another network node.

[0052] FFS: Whether the target gNB can also verify Msg3 in some cases.

[0053] (Included in previous offline messages: whether Msg3 is protected by the old key or by the new key)

[0054] 2. As in LTE, Msg3 includes MAC-I in the RRC message.

[0055] FFS: Input for MAC-I calculation to possibly resolve replay attack issues from SA3.

[0056] The following excerpt is from the draft of 3GPP Technical Standard (TS) 38.331, covering the recovery procedure in NR RRC, which contains the following new security aspects:

[0057] _______________________________________________________________

[0058] 5.3.13 RRC Connection Recovery

[0059] 5.3.13.1 Overview

[0060] [From this specification Figure 5 .3.13.1-1 to 5.3.13.1-5 are reproduced as appendix Figure 2-6 . ]

[0061] The purpose of this procedure is to restore the RRC connection including restoring SRB and DRB or performing RNA update.

[0062] 5.3.13.2 Startup

[0063] The UE initiates the procedure when upper layers request resumption of the RRC connection, when responding to NG-RAN paging, or when RNA update is triggered while the UE is in RRC_INACTIVE.

[0064] When the procedure is initiated, the UE shall:

[0065] Editor's note: Whether the FFS SCG configuration should be published or should be treated as any other configuration (i.e., using delta signaling).

[0066] 1> Apply the default physical channel configuration as specified in 9.2.4;

[0067] 1> Apply the default semi-persistent scheduling configuration as specified in 9.2.3;

[0068] 1> Apply the default MAC master configuration as specified in 9.2.2;

[0069] 1> Apply CCCH configuration as specified in 9.1.1.2;

[0070] Editor's note: Whether FFS NR supports timeAlignmentTimerCommon (time alignment common timer), whether it is sent in SIB2 and associated UE behavior.

[0071] 1>Start timer T300X;

[0072] 1> Stop timer T380;

[0073] 1> Start sending the RRCResumeRequest (RRC recovery request) message according to 5.3.13.2;

[0074] Editor's Note: FFS requires that you obtain the latest system information before the FFS connection is restored.

[0075] 5.3.13.3 Actions Related to the Transmission of RRCResumeRequest Message

[0076] The UE shall set the content of the RRCResumeRequest message as follows:

[0077] 1> Set resumeIdentity to the stored I-RNTI value provided in the suspension;

[0078] 1> Set resumeCause (resumption reason) according to the information received from the upper layer or from the AS layer;

[0079] Editor's note: Does FFS need to capture more aspects related to resumeCause (e.g., RNA updates due to mobility, RNA periodicity updates, etc.).

[0080] 1> Restore the RRC configuration and security context from the stored UE AS context;

[0081] 1> Using the stored nextHopChainingCount value as specified in TS 33.501

[11] , based on the current K gNB or NH to update K gNB Key;

[0082] Editor's Note: How FFS handles rejections

[0083] 1>Derivation of K RRCenc Key, K RRCint , K UPint Key and K UPenc Key;

[0084] Editor's Note: FFS works assuming TBC (suspended NCC and new keys in RRC Resume Request).

[0085] 1> Set resumeMAC-I to the X least significant bits of MAC-I calculated as follows:

[0086] 2> on ASN.1 encoded as VarResumeMAC-Input with 8 bits per part (i.e. an integer multiple of 8 bits);

[0087] 2>Use K RRCint The key and previously configured integrity protection algorithm; and

[0088] 2> Set all input bits for COUNT, BEARER and DIRECTION to binary;

[0089] Editor's Note: The FFS ResumeMAC-I is of length X.

[0090] Editor's note: Additional input to VarResumeMAC-Input by FFS (replay attack mitigation).

[0091] 1> Restore the PDCP state and re-establish the PDCP entity for SRB1;

[0092] 1>Restore SRB1;

[0093] 1> Submit the RRCResumeRequest message to the lower layer for transmission;

[0094] 1>Immediately use the previously configured algorithm and K RRCint Key and K UPint The key configures the lower layers to resume integrity protection for all radio bearers except SRB0, i.e., integrity protection should be used for all subsequent messages received and sent by the UE;

[0095] NOTE 1: Only DRBs with previously configured UP integrity protection should resume integrity protection.

[0096] 1> Configure the lower layers to resume ciphering for all radio bearers except SRB0 and apply the previously configured ciphering algorithm, K RRCenc Key and K UPenc The key, i.e., the encryption configuration shall be applied to all subsequent messages received and sent by the UE;

[0097] If the lower layers indicate an integrity check failure while the T300X is running, perform the actions specified in 5.3.13.5.

[0098] The UE shall continue with measurements related to cell reselection and cell reselection evaluation. If the conditions for cell reselection are met, the UE shall perform cell reselection as specified in 5.3.13.6.

[0099] _____________________________________________________________

[0100] Agreement on the rejection process in NR

[0101] The rejection procedure is also discussed for NR. In RAN2#99bis, the following agreement has been reached:

[0102] A UE in INACTIVE attempting to resume an RRC connection may receive MSG4 sent over SRBO (without integrity protection) to move the UE back to INACTIVE (ie, rejected with a wait timer).

[0103] Parameters / configurations related to INACTIVE should not be updated by MSG4 sent over SRB0 (as this is an unprotected message).

[0104] Figure 7 The corresponding signal flow for RRC_INACTIVE to RRC_INACTIVE transition (reject scenario) is depicted.

[0105] Current implementation of the protocol for the rejection procedure of the RRC NR specification

[0106] As in LTE, timer T302 starts upon receipt of an RRCReject message, which may be in response to an RRCResumeRequest or an RRCSetupRequest, as shown in the following excerpt from 3GPP TS 38.331:

[0107] ______________________________________________________________

[0108] 5.3.3.x UE Receipt of RRCReject

[0109] UEs should:

[0110] 1> Stop timer T300;

[0111] 1> Reset MAC and release MAC configuration;

[0112] 1> Start timer T302 and set the timer value to waitTime (waiting time);

[0113] 1> Notify the upper layer of the failure to establish the RRC connection and access control related information, at which point the process ends;

[0114] Editor's note: FFS notifies higher levels of information related to access control.

[0115] ______________________________________________________________

[0116] Other reasons why the resume process in NR may not be successful

[0117] There are other situations where the Resume procedure will fail in NR. These include: if the timer started when the UE initiated the ResumeProcedure expires; or if the UE receives a packet that fails the integrity check. The current draft specification for these situations is shown below.

[0118] ______________________________________________________________

[0119] 5.3.13.5 T300X expires, or integrity checks from lower layers fail while T300X is running

[0120] UEs should:

[0121] 1> If timer T300X expires or when an integrity check failure indication is received, 2> Perform operations when transitioning to RRC_IDLE as specified in 5.3.11, where the release reason is RRC Resume failure;

[0122] Editor's Note: If the T300X is the same as the T300, then it is FFS.

[0123] 5.3.13.y Receipt of RRCReject by UE

[0124] UEs should:

[0125] 1> Stop timer T300X;

[0126] 1> Reset MAC and release MAC configuration;

[0127] 1> Start timer T302 and set the timer value to waitTime;

[0128] Editor's Note: FFS RRCReject may include redirection information and / or frequency / RAT deprioritisation information.

[0129] 1> If RRCReject is sent in response to RRCResumeResquest triggered by upper layers;

[0130] 2> Notify the upper layer of the failure to restore the RRC connection and access control related information, at which point the process ends;

[0131] ______________________________________________________________

[0132] Editor's Note: FFS If RRCResumeRequest is not triggered by upper layers, the UE performs the operation.

[0133] Editor's note: Additional UE actions for FFS upon receiving RRCReject, such as T380 processing, SRB1 suspension, etc.

[0134] Editor's note: FFS notifies higher levels of information related to access control.

[0135] ______________________________________________________________

[0136] Consideration of the above specifications shows that the RRC recovery procedure in NR may fail for various reasons. Two such cases are evident from the above draft specification. First, the network rejects the Resume Request message. This message is sent on SRB0 without security and includes a wait time. The UE will not restart any recovery until the wait time expires. Second, the UE receives at least a packet on SRB1 that does not pass integrity verification. In this case, the UE will consider the Resume procedure to have failed and report an error to higher layers.

[0137] In addition to these two cases, if the UE performs cell reselection while the timer (T300X) is running, it will also consider the recovery procedure to have failed and will notify the higher layer or retry the recovery procedure in the target cell.

[0138] The problem with all these cases is that, after a failed recovery, if the UE resumes again, it is unclear how the UE security context should be handled. Currently, it is stated that the UE derives a new security context (e.g. new keys) in the NR before sending a Resume Request message. However, if this principle is followed, this means that the UE will derive a new security context again when it sends a Resume Request again. The problem with this is that the network (e.g. in the case of T300X expiration or cell reselection) may not be aware that the UE has derived a new security context twice because it is not sure whether the network has received the first Resume Request and / or whether it successfully acquired the UE context. Similarly, in the case where the network sends a Reject message, the UE may perform a subsequent Resume in a different cell / network node and the network node may not be aware that the UE has been previously rejected - therefore, it derives the security context multiple times.

[0139] A consequence of the currently specified UE behavior is that the network (security) context and the UE (security) context may become out of sync. In this case, a subsequent Resume procedure will most likely fail as the network will not accept messages from the UE that are protected by a security token based on a different security context than the one the network is operating.

[0140] The background section of this document is provided to place embodiments of the invention in a technical and operating context to help those skilled in the art understand its scope and utility. The methods described in the background section may be implemented, but are not necessarily methods that have been previously conceived or implemented. Unless expressly indicated, statements herein are not admitted to be prior art simply because they are included in the background section. Summary of the invention

[0141] A simplified summary of the present disclosure is presented below to provide a basic understanding to those skilled in the art. The summary is not an extensive overview of the present disclosure and is not intended to identify key / important elements of embodiments of the present invention or to describe the scope of the present invention. The sole purpose of the summary is to present some of the concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description presented later.

[0142] According to an embodiment of the present invention disclosed and claimed herein, a mechanism is introduced to the UE to revert to the old security context if the Resume procedure fails. In this way, any subsequent Resume attempts by the UE will derive new security keys from the old keys, which means that the keys and security context will be the same for each attempt. In this way, no matter how many attempts the UE has performed (assuming that the network does not change the security context when the Resume procedure fails), the security context in the UE will remain synchronized with the network security context. Alternatively, the UE can store the new security context it derived during the first resume attempt and then ensure that it is reused in subsequent Resume attempts.

[0143] One embodiment relates to a method for updating a security context. The method is performed by a wireless device operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol. A wireless device in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including security update parameters from the network. In response to the RRC suspend message, the wireless device enters an RRC INACTIVE state and stores a first security context. In attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state, a second security context is generated using the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message. An RRC resume request message including security parameters from the second security context is sent to the network. The second security context is discarded and the first security context is acquired only when any of the following events occurs: an RRC reject message is received from the network in response to the RRC resume request message; a timer that starts when the RRC resume request message is sent expires without receiving a response message from the network; or a cell reselection is performed before a message is received from the network in response to the RRC resume request message.

[0144] Another embodiment relates to a method for updating a security context. The method is performed by a wireless device operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol. A wireless device in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including security update parameters from the network. In response to the RRC suspend message, the wireless device enters an RRC INACTIVE state and stores a first security context. While attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state: a second security context is generated based on the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message. An RRC resume request message including security parameters from the second security context is sent to the network. Immediately in one embodiment, or in another embodiment in response to any of the following events, the second security context is stored and utilized until confirmed by the network: receiving an RRC reject message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message; expiration of a timer started when the RRC resume request message was sent without receiving a response message from the network; or performing cell reselection before receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message.

[0145] Another embodiment relates to a method for updating a security context for a wireless device. The method is performed by a base station operating in a wireless communication network that employs a radio resource control (RRC) protocol. A previously active security context for the wireless device is stored. An RRC resume request message including a security token is received from the wireless device. A temporary security context for the wireless device is generated. The temporary security context is used to verify the security token. An RRC message is sent to the wireless device. If no response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device, the temporary security context is discarded and the previously active security context is taken. In one embodiment, if a response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device, the temporary security context is made the active security context for the wireless device.

[0146] Another embodiment relates to a wireless device operating in a wireless communication network employing an RRC protocol, wherein the wireless device in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including security update parameters from the network, and enters an RRC INACTIVE state in response to the RRC suspend message, and stores a first security context. The wireless device includes a communication circuit and a processing circuit operably connected to the communication circuit. The processing circuit is adapted to generate a second security context using the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state; send an RRC resume request message including security parameters from the second security context to the network; and discard the second security context and acquire the first security context in response to one of the following events: receiving an RRC reject message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message; expiring a timer started when sending the RRC resume request message without receiving a response message from the network; or performing cell reselection before receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message.

[0147] Another embodiment relates to a wireless device operating in a wireless communication network using an RRC protocol. The wireless device in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including security update parameters from the network, and enters an RRC INACTIVE state and stores a first security context in response to the RRC suspend message. The wireless device includes a communication circuit and a processing circuit operably connected to the communication circuit. The processing circuit is adapted to, when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state: generate a second security context based on the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message; send an RRC resume request message including security parameters from the second security context to the network; and immediately or in response to one of the following events, store the second security context and utilize it until confirmed by the network. The event includes: receiving an RRC reject message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message; expiring a timer started when the RRC resume request message was sent without receiving a response message from the network; or performing cell reselection before receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message.

[0148] Another embodiment relates to a base station operating in a wireless communication network employing an RRC protocol. The base station includes a communication circuit and a processing circuit operatively connected to the communication circuit. The processing circuit is adapted to: store a previously active security context for a wireless device; and receive an RRC resume request message including a security token from the wireless device; generate a temporary security context for the wireless device; use the temporary security context to verify the security token; send an RRC message to the wireless device; if no response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device, discard the temporary security context and retrieve the previously active security context. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0149] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the present invention are shown. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Throughout the text, the same numerals represent the same elements.

[0150] Figure 1 It is a state diagram of RRC states in NR.

[0151] Figure 2 This is the signal diagram of RRC successful connection recovery (3GPP TS 38.331 Figure 5 .3.13.1-1).

[0152] Figure 3 This is a signal diagram of RRC successful connection recovery via connection establishment ( Figure 5 .3.13.1-2).

[0153] Figure 4 This is the signal diagram of the network release after the RRC connection is successfully restored ( Figure 5 .3.13.1-3).

[0154] Figure 5 This is the signal diagram of the network release after the RRC connection is successfully restored ( Figure 5 .3.13.1-4).

[0155] Figure 6 This is the signal diagram of the rejected RRC connection recovery ( Figure 5 .3.13.1-5).

[0156] Figure 7 This is a signal diagram of transition from RRC_INACTIVE to RRC_INACTIVE via RRCReject.

[0157] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a method for updating a security context by a wireless device.

[0158] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of another method of updating a security context by a wireless device.

[0159] Fig.10 The invention is a flow chart of a method for a base station to update a security context for a wireless device.

[0160] Fig.11 It is the hardware block diagram of the wireless device.

[0161] Fig.12 is a functional block diagram of a wireless device according to one embodiment.

[0162] Fig.13 is a functional block diagram of a wireless device according to another embodiment.

[0163] Fig.14 A network node 40 is shown implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0164] Fig.15 According to other embodiments (for example, Fig.16 Functional block diagram of a base station 50 in a wireless network (the wireless network shown).

[0165] Fig.16 is a block diagram of a network and some of its components.

[0166] Fig.17 is a block diagram of a user device.

[0167] Fig.18 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment.

[0168] Fig.19 A telecommunications network is shown connected to a host computer via an intermediary network.

[0169] Fig. 20 The host computer is shown communicating with the user equipment via a base station over a partially wireless connection.

[0170] Fig.21 is a flow chart showing communication between a host computer and a UE in a communication system.

[0171] Fig. 22 is a flow chart showing communication between a host computer and a UE in a communication system.

[0172] Fig.23 is a flow chart showing communication between a UE and a host computer in a communication system.

[0173] Fig.24 is a flow chart illustrating communications between a base station and a host computer in a communication system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0174] For simplicity and illustration purposes, the present invention is described primarily by reference to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. In the following description, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it is apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without limiting these specific details. In this specification, well-known methods and structures are not described in detail to avoid unnecessary confusion of the present invention.

[0175] Embodiment of UE discarding new security context

[0176] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the UE recovers to its previous security context after a failed recovery process. gNB SK gNB , K RRCenc , K RRCint , K UPint , K UPenc When a UE applies a new security context (such as NCC, COUNT, etc.) or applies new parameters (including resetting counters) (such as NCC, COUNT, etc.), it will consider the new context and parameters to be temporary, which means it will store the old values ​​of the parameters. In the following three cases, the UE discards the new security context and restores the stored security context and parameters.

[0177] ______________________________________________________________

[0178] First, when the UE receives an RRCReject message (or equivalent message) in response to the UE resuming the connection (i.e., sending an RRCResumeRequest message), the UE restores the previous security context and parameters. The RRCReject message may include a waiting time, and the UE sets a timer (e.g., T302 (although any name can of course be used to represent the timer)) to this waiting time. The UE can also obtain the waiting time from other sources, for example, the UE can use a predefined default value defined in a technical standard, or can receive the waiting time in another message such as a broadcast message.

[0179] Secondly, assuming that the UE starts a timer (e.g. T300X (although any name may be used to represent this timer)) when initiating the Resume procedure, then when the timer expires, the UE restores the previous (stored) security context and parameters.

[0180] Third, when the UE performs cell reselection after requesting a connection (i.e., sending a RRCResumeRequest message) but before receiving a Resume message, the UE restores the previous security context and parameters. Note that if a timer (e.g., T300X (although any name may be used to represent the timer)) has started when the recovery process is initiated, the UE will restore to the previous security context and parameters upon cell reselection and while the timer (e.g., T300X) is running.

[0181] In any of these cases, when the UE performs a subsequent resumption procedure (i.e., sends an RRCResumeRequest message), for example, because the Resume request is rejected, the relevant timer expires (e.g., T300X or T380), or the UE enters another cell, the UE restores the previously stored security context and parameters and uses the restored security context to derive a new security context (e.g., keys).

[0182] When the UE receives an RRC Resume or RRC Suspend or RRC Release message that is integrity protected by the PDCP layer using a new security context, the UE considers the new security context to be valid (i.e., no longer a temporary context) and discards the stored old security context and parameters.

[0183] When the UE receives an RRC Setup message that triggers the UE to discard its stored AS context, the UE also discards any stored security context (both the old and the new temporary security context).

[0184] Embodiment of UE discarding new security context

[0185] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the UE stores a new security context when the recovery process fails and reuses it when trying to recover again. The UE generates a new key (K gNB SK gNB , K RRCenc , K RRCint , K UPint , K UPenc The UE may then create a new security context (such as a new security context for the UE's own authentication, authentication, or other authentication mechanisms) or apply new parameters such as NCC or COUNT (including resetting counters). The UE may then store this new security context for future use. The UE may store the new security context (or maintain the stored new security context) in the following three cases.

[0186] ______________________________________________________________

[0187] First, when the UE receives an RRCReject message (or equivalent message) in response to the UE resuming the connection (i.e., sending an RRCResumeRequest message), the UE maintains the new security context and parameters. The RRCReject message may include a waiting time, and the UE sets a timer (e.g., T380 (although of course any name may be used to represent the timer)) to this waiting time. The UE may also obtain the waiting time from other sources, for example, the UE may use a predefined default value defined in a technical standard, or it may receive the waiting time in another message such as a broadcast message.

[0188] Secondly, assuming that the UE starts a timer (e.g., T300X (although any name may be used to represent the timer)) when initiating the Resume procedure, then when the timer expires, the UE uses the same (stored) new security context and parameters.

[0189] Third, when the UE performs cell reselection after requesting a connection (i.e., sending a RRCResumeRequest message) but before receiving a Resume message, the UE maintains the new security context and parameters. Note that if a timer (e.g., T300X (of course, any name can be used to represent the timer)) has started when the recovery process is initiated, the UE will use the new (stored) security context and parameters when the cell is reselected and the timer (e.g., T300X) is running.

[0190] In any of these cases, when the UE performs a subsequent resumption procedure (i.e., sends an RRCResumeRequest message), for example because the Resume request is rejected, the relevant timer expires (e.g., T300X or T380), or the UE enters another cell, the UE does not generate a new security context; instead, the stored new security context (e.g., key) is used.

[0191] When the UE receives an RRC Resume or RRC Suspend or RRC Release message that is integrity protected by the PDCP layer using a new security context, the UE considers the new security context to be valid.

[0192] When the UE receives an RRC Setup message that triggers the UE to discard its stored AS context, the UE also discards any stored security context.

[0193] Network Example

[0194] In any of the above embodiments (in a failed Resume process, the UE discards the new security context and restores the old security context, or stores and maintains the new security context), the network operates cooperatively.

[0195] Upon receipt of the UE RRC Resume Request message, the network (e.g., in the source or target RAN node or another network node) generates a new UE security context. The new security context (e.g., keys) is used to verify the security token included in the RRCResumeRequest message. It may also be used to encrypt and / or integrity protect the RRCResume message. However, in doing so, the network treats the security context as a temporary context and stores the old security context. If the network does not receive any response to any subsequent messages sent by the network to the UE (e.g., RRC Resume, RRCSuspend, RRC Release), it shall discard the new security context and restore the old security context and parameters.

[0196] Representative Specification Changes

[0197] The following are representative examples of changes to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications to implement the embodiments described herein. Changes are marked (deleted; Add to ):

[0198] Embodiment of UE discarding new security context

[0199] ______________________________________________________________

[0200] 5.3.13.3 Actions Related to the Transmission of RRCResumeRequest Message

[0201] The UE shall set the content of the RRCResumeRequest message as follows:

[0202] 1> Set resumeIdentity to the stored I-RNTI value provided in suspend;

[0203] 1> Set resumeCause according to the information received from the upper layer or from the AS layer;

[0204] Editor's note: Does FFS need to capture more aspects related to resumeCause (e.g., RNA updates due to mobility, RNA periodicity updates, etc.).

[0205] 1> Restore the RRC configuration and security context from the stored UE AS context:

[0206] 1> Use the stored nextHopChainingCount value as specified in TS 33.501

[11] , based on the current K gNB or NH to update Generate temporary K gNB Key;

[0207] Editor's Note: How does FFS handle rejection situations?

[0208] 1>Derived temporary K RRCenc Key, temporary K RRCint , temporary K UPint Key, and temporary K UPenc Key;

[0209] Editor's Note: FFS works assuming TBC (suspended NCC and new keys in RRC Resume Request).

[0210] 1> Set resumeMAC-I to the X least significant bits of MAC-I calculated as follows:

[0211] 2> On ASN.1 with 8 bits per part (i.e., an integer multiple of 8 bits) VarResumeMAC-Input encoding;

[0212] 2>Use temporary K RRCint The key and previously configured integrity protection algorithm; and

[0213] 2> Set all input bits for COUNT, BEARER and DIRECTION to binary;

[0214] Editor's Note: The FFS ResumeMAC-I is of length X.

[0215] Editor's note: Additional input to VarResumeMAC-Input by FFS (replay attack mitigation).

[0216] 1> Restore the PDCP state and re-establish the PDCP entity for SRB1;

[0217] 1>Restore SRB1;

[0218] 1> Submit the RRCResumeRequest message to the lower layer for transmission;

[0219] 1>Immediately use the previously configured algorithm and temporary K RRCint Key and temporary K UPint The key configures the lower layers to resume integrity protection for all radio bearers except SRB0, i.e., integrity protection should be used for all subsequent messages received and sent by the UE;

[0220] NOTE 1: Only DRBs with previously configured UP integrity protection should resume integrity protection.

[0221] 1>Configure the lower layers to resume encryption for all radio bearers except SRB0 and apply the previously configured encryption algorithm, temporary K RRCenc Key and temporary K UPenc The key, i.e., the encryption configuration shall be applied to all subsequent messages received and sent by the UE;

[0222] If the lower layers indicate an integrity check failure while the T300X is running, perform the actions specified in 5.3.13.5.

[0223] The UE shall continue with measurements related to cell reselection and cell reselection evaluation. If the conditions for cell reselection are met, the UE shall perform cell reselection as specified in 5.3.3.5.

[0224] 5.3.13.5 The T300X expires, or, when the T300X is running, the integrity check from the lower layer fails. or Alternatively, the UE performs cell reselection when T300X is running.

[0225] UEs should:

[0226] 1>Discard including temporary key K gNB , K RRCint , K RRCenc , K UPint and K UPenc A temporary security context;

[0227] 1> If timer T300X expires or when an integrity check failure indication is received

[0228] 2> Perform operations when transitioning to RRC_IDLE as specified in 5.3.11, where the release reason is RRCResume failure;

[0229] Editor's Note: If the T300X is the same as the T300, then it is FFS.

[0230] 5.3.13.y Receipt of RRCReject by UE

[0231] UEs should:

[0232] 1>Discard including temporary key K gNB , K RRCint , K RRCenc , K UPint and K UPenc A temporary security context;

[0233] 1> Stop timer T300X;

[0234] 1> Reset MAC and release MAC configuration;

[0235] 1> Start timer T302 and set the timer value to waitTime;

[0236] Editor's Note: Whether FFS RRCReject may include redirection information and / or frequency / RAT priority reduction information.

[0237] 1> If RRCReject is sent in response to RRCResumeResquest triggered by upper layers;

[0238] 2> Notify the upper layer of the failure to restore the RRC connection and access control related information, at which point the process ends;

[0239] Editor's Note: FFS If RRCResumeRequest is not triggered by upper layers, the UE performs the operation.

[0240] Editor's note: Additional UE actions for FFS upon receiving RRCReject, such as T380 processing, SRB1 suspension, etc.

[0241] Editor's note: FFS notifies higher levels of information related to access control.

[0242] ______________________________________________________________

[0243] Embodiments in which the UE retains the new security context and discards the old security context

[0244] ______________________________________________________________

[0245] 5.3.13.3 Actions Related to the Transmission of RRCResumeRequest Message

[0246] The UE shall set the content of the RRCResumeRequest message as follows:

[0247] 1> Set resumeIdentity to the stored I-RNTI value provided in suspend;

[0248] 1> Set resumeCause according to the information received from the upper layer or from the AS layer;

[0249] Editor's note: Does FFS need to capture more aspects related to resumeCause (e.g., RNA updates due to mobility, RNA periodicity updates, etc.).

[0250] 1> Restore the RRC configuration and security context:

[0251] 1> If the UE does not have a stored "Resume Security Context":

[0252] 2> Restore the security context from the stored UE AS context;

[0253] 2> Using the stored nextHopChainingCount value as specified in TS 33.501

[11] , based on the current K gNB or NH to update K gNB Key;

[0254] Editor's Note: How FFS handles rejections

[0255] 2 >Derived K RRCenc Key, K RRCint , K UPint Key and K UPenc Key;

[0256] Editor's Note: FFS works assuming TBC (suspended NCC and new keys in RRC Resume Request).

[0257] 1>Others

[0258] 2> K gNB , K RRCenc Key, K RRCint , K UPint Key and K UPenc The key is set to the stored "Resume Security The value in "Below"

[0259] 1>(Replace 1) The key K gNB , K RRCint , K RRCenc , K UPint and K UPenc Stored in the "Restoration Security Context";

[0260] 1> Set resumeMAC-I to the X least significant bits of MAC-I calculated as follows:

[0261] 2> On ASN.1 with 8 bits per part (i.e., an integer multiple of 8 bits) VarResumeMAC-Input encoding;

[0262] 2>Use temporary K RRCint The key and previously configured integrity protection algorithm; and

[0263] 2> Set all input bits for COUNT, BEARER and DIRECTION to binary;

[0264] Editor's Note: The FFS ResumeMAC-I is of length X.

[0265] Editor's note: Additional input to VarResumeMAC-Input by FFS (replay attack mitigation).

[0266] 1> Restore the PDCP state and re-establish the PDCP entity for SRB1;

[0267] 1>Restore SRB1;

[0268] 1> Submit the RRCResumeRequest message to the lower layer for transmission;

[0269] 1>Immediately use the previously configured algorithm and K RRCint Key and K UPint The key configures the lower layers to resume integrity protection for all radio bearers except SRB0, i.e., integrity protection should be used for all subsequent messages received and sent by the UE;

[0270] NOTE 1: Only DRBs with previously configured UP integrity protection should resume integrity protection.

[0271] 1> Configure the lower layers to resume encryption for all radio bearers except SRB0 and apply the previously configured encryption algorithm, K RRCenc Key and K UPenc The key, i.e., the encryption configuration shall be applied to all subsequent messages received and sent by the UE;

[0272] If the lower layers indicate an integrity check failure while the T300X is running, perform the actions specified in 5.3.13.5.

[0273] The UE shall continue with measurements related to cell reselection and cell reselection evaluation. If the conditions for cell reselection are met, the UE shall perform cell reselection as specified in 5.3.3.5.

[0274] 5.3.13.5 The T300X expires, or, when the T300X is running, the integrity check from the lower layer fails. or Alternatively, the UE performs cell reselection when T300X is running.

[0275] UEs should:

[0276] 1> (Alternative 2) The key K gNB , K RRCint , K RRCenc , K UPint and K UPenc Stored in the "Restoration Security Context";

[0277] 1> If timer T300X expires or when an integrity check failure indication is received

[0278] 2> Perform operations when transitioning to RRC_IDLE as specified in 5.3.11, where the release reason is RRCResume failure;

[0279] Editor's Note: If the T300X is the same as the T300, it is FFS.

[0280] 5.3.13.y Receipt of RRCReject by UE

[0281] UEs should:

[0282] 1> (Alternative 2) The key K gNB , K RRCint , K RRCenc , K UPint and K UPenc Stored in the "Restoration Security Context";

[0283] 1> Stop timer T300X;

[0284] 1> Reset MAC and release MAC configuration;

[0285] 1> Start timer T302 and set the timer value to waitTime;

[0286] Editor's Note: Whether FFS RRCReject may include redirection information and / or frequency / RAT priority reduction information.

[0287] 1> If RRCReject is sent in response to RRCResumeResquest triggered by upper layers;

[0288] 2> Notify the upper layer of the failure to restore the RRC connection and access control related information, at which point the process ends;

[0289] Editor's Note: FFS If RRCResumeRequest is not triggered by upper layers, the UE performs the operation.

[0290] Editor's note: Additional UE actions for FFS upon receiving RRCReject, such as T380 processing, SRB1 suspension, etc.

[0291] Editor's note: FFS notifies higher levels of information related to access control.

[0292] ______________________________________________________________

[0293] method

[0294] Figure 8A method 100 of updating a security context according to a particular embodiment is depicted. The method is performed by a wireless device operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol. The wireless device in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC Suspend message including security update parameters from the network. In response to the RRC Suspend message, the wireless device enters an RRC INACTIVE state and stores a first security context. In attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state, a second security context is generated using the security update parameters received in the RRC Suspend message (block 102). An RRC Resume Request message including security parameters from the second security context is sent to the network (block 104). Method 100 proceeds to block 112 only when any of the following events occurs: an RRC Reject message is received from the network in response to the RRC Resume Request message (block 106); a timer that was started when the RRC Resume Request message was sent expires (block 108) without receiving a response message from the network; or a cell reselection is performed before a message is received from the network in response to the RRC Resume Request message (block 110). If any of the events of blocks 106, 108, or 110 occurs, then in response, the second security context is discarded and the first security context is acquired (block 112), and method 100 is repeated.

[0295] Fig. 9A method 200 of updating a security context according to other specific embodiments is depicted. The method is performed by a wireless device operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol. The wireless device in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC Suspend message including security update parameters from the network. In response to the RRC Suspend message, the wireless device enters an RRC INACTIVE state and stores a first security context. Upon attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state: a second security context is generated based on the security update parameters received in the RRC Suspend message (block 202). An RRC Resume Request message including security parameters from the second security context is sent to the network (block 204). In one embodiment (indicated by the dashed line), immediately, or in another embodiment in response to any of the following events, method 200 proceeds to block 212: in response to the RRC Resume Request message, an RRC Reject message is received from the network (block 206); a timer started when the RRC Resume Request message is sent expires (block 208) without receiving a response message from the network; or a cell reselection is performed before a message is received from the network in response to the RRC Resume Request message (block 210). In one embodiment (as shown by the dashed line), immediately after block 204, or in another embodiment, if any of the events of blocks 206, 208, or 210 occurs, in response, the second security context is stored and utilized until it is confirmed by the network (block 212), and method 200 is repeated, except for block 202.

[0296] Fig.10 A method 300 of updating a security context for a wireless device according to a particular embodiment is depicted. The method is performed by a base station operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol. A previously active security context for the wireless device is stored (block 302). An RRC ResumeRequest message including a security token is received from the wireless device (block 304). A temporary security context for the wireless device is generated (block 306). The temporary security context is used to verify the security token (block 308). An RRC message is sent to the wireless device (block 310). If no response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device (block 312), the temporary security context is discarded and the previously active security context is taken (block 314). In one embodiment, if a response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device (block 312), the temporary security context is made the active security context for the wireless device (block 316).

[0297] Device

[0298] By implementing any functional device, module, unit or circuit, the device described herein can perform the methods 100, 200, 300 and any other processing described herein. For example, in one embodiment, the device includes a corresponding circuit or circuit system configured to perform the steps shown in the method diagram. In this regard, these circuits or circuit systems may include circuits dedicated to performing certain functional processing and / or one or more microprocessors combined with memory, as well as other digital hardware, which may include a digital signal processor (DSP), dedicated digital logic, etc. The processing circuit may be configured to execute program code stored in a memory, which may include one or more types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory, cache memory, flash memory device, optical storage device, etc. In some embodiments, the program code stored in the memory may include program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and / or data communication protocols, as well as instructions for executing one or more techniques described herein. In an embodiment using a memory, the memory stores program code, which executes the techniques described herein when executed by one or more processors.

[0299] Fig.11 A wireless device 10 in the form of a UE is shown. The UE 10 is any type of device capable of communicating with another radio node such as a base station or another UE using radio signals. Thus, the UE 10 may refer to a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, a machine-type communication (MTC) device, a narrowband Internet of Things (NB IoT) device, etc. The UE 10 may also include a cellular phone or a "smartphone". However, the term UE should be understood to cover any radio node 10, even one without a "user". The UE 10 may also be referred to as a radio device, a radio communication device, a wireless device, a wireless terminal, or simply a terminal - unless the context indicates otherwise, the use of any of these terms is intended to include: a device-to-device UE or device, a machine-type device, or a device capable of machine-to-machine communication, a sensor equipped with a wireless device, a wireless-enabled desktop computer, a mobile terminal, a smartphone, a laptop embedded device (LEE), a laptop mounted device (LME), a USB dongle, a wireless customer premises equipment (CPE), a V2X UE, a ProSe UE, a PDA, an iPAD, a tablet computer, etc. In the discussion herein, the terms machine-to-machine (M2M) devices, machine type communication (MTC) devices, wireless sensors, and sensors may also be used. It should be understood that these devices (although referred to as UE 10) may be configured to send and / or receive data without direct human interaction.

[0300] In some embodiments, the UE 10 includes a user interface, including, for example, a display, a touch screen, a keyboard or keypad, a microphone, a speaker, etc. (not shown); in other embodiments, such as in many M2M, MTC or NB IoT scenarios, the UE 10 may include only minimal user interfaces, or may not include a user interface. The UE 10 also includes processing circuitry 12; a memory 14; and communication circuitry 16, which includes an RF transceiver connected to one or more antennas 18 to enable wireless communications to one or more other radio nodes (e.g., base stations, access points and / or other UEs) over an air interface. As shown by the dashed lines, the antenna 18 may protrude outward from the UE 10, or the antenna 18 may be internal. In some embodiments, the UE 10 may additionally include features such as a camera, an accelerometer, a satellite navigation signal receiver circuit, a vibration motor, etc. (not shown). Fig.11 (depicted in).

[0301] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the memory 14 is used to store software, and the processing circuit 12 is used to execute the software, which, when executed, is used to enable the UE 10 to update the security context when exiting the RRC_INACTIVE state. In particular, when executed on the processing circuit 12, the software can be operated to perform the methods 100 and / or 200 described and claimed herein. In this regard, the processing circuit 12 can implement certain functional devices, units or modules.

[0302] Fig.12 According to other embodiments (for example, Fig.16 1. As shown in the figure, the wireless device 20 is, for example, connected via Fig.11The processing circuit 12 in the embodiment and / or via software code implements various functional devices, units or modules. These functional devices, units or modules used to implement the method 100 in this document include, for example: a security context generation unit 22, an RRC Resume Request sending unit 24 and a security context discarding unit 26. The security context generation unit 22 is configured to generate a second security context using the security update parameters received in the RRC Suspend message. The RRC Resume Request sending unit 24 is configured to send an RRC Resume Request message including security parameters from the second security context to the network. The security context discarding unit 26 is configured to: if the wireless device 20 does not transition to the RRC CONNECTED state, discard the second security context and obtain the first security context stored in response to receiving the RRC Suspend message and entering the RRC INACTIVE state. For example, the wireless device 20 may not transition to the RRC CONNECTED state for any of the following events: receiving an RRC Reject message from the network in response to the RRC Resume Request message; expiring a timer that started when the RRC Resume Request message was sent without receiving a response message from the network; or performing cell reselection before receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC Resume Request message.

[0303] Fig.13 A functional block diagram of a wireless device 30 in a wireless network according to other embodiments is shown (eg, Fig.16 As shown in the figure, the wireless device 30 is connected via Fig.11The processing circuit 12 in the embodiment and / or via software code implements various functional devices, units or modules. These functional devices, units or modules, for example, for implementing the method 200 in this article include, for example: a security context generation unit 32, an RRC Resume Request sending unit 34 and a security context storage unit 36. The security context generation unit 32 is configured to generate a second security context using the security update parameters received in the RRC Suspend message. The RRC Resume Request sending unit 34 is configured to send an RRC Resume Request message including security parameters from the second security context to the network. The security context storage unit 36 ​​is configured to immediately in one embodiment, and in another embodiment if the wireless device 30 does not transition to the RRC CONNECTED state, store the second security context and use it until it is confirmed by the network. For example, the wireless device 30 may not transition to the RRC CONNECTED state for any of the following events: an RRC Reject message is received from the network in response to the RRC Resume Request message; a timer that started when the RRC Resume Request message was sent expires without receiving a response message from the network; or a cell reselection is performed before a message is received from the network in response to the RRC Resume Request message.

[0304] Fig.14 A network node 40 implemented according to one or more embodiments is shown. As shown, the network node 40 includes a processing circuit 42 and a communication circuit 46. The communication circuit 46 is configured to send information to one or more other nodes and / or receive information from one or more other nodes, for example, via any communication technology. The processing circuit 42 is configured to perform the above-mentioned processing, for example, by executing instructions stored in a memory 44. In this regard, the processing circuit 42 may implement certain functional devices, units or modules.

[0305] Fig.14A network node 40 in the form of a service node with one or more UEs 10 is shown, which is referred to in the art as a base station, NodeB, NB, eNB, gNB, radio base station, base transceiver station, access point, etc. The base station 40 includes: processing circuitry 42; memory 44; and communication circuitry 46, which includes, for example, an RF transceiver connected to one or more antennas 48 to enable wireless communication to one or more UEs 10 over an air interface. As shown by the disconnection from the antenna 48, the antenna 48 may be physically located at a location separate from the base station 40, such as mounted on a tower, building, etc. Although the memory 44 is described as being internal to the processing circuit 42, it is understood by those skilled in the art that the memory 44 may also be external. It is also understood by those skilled in the art that virtualization techniques allow some functions nominally performed by the processing circuit 42 to be actually performed by other hardware that may be located remotely (e.g., in the so-called "cloud").

[0306] According to an embodiment of the present invention, processing circuit 42 is operable to cause base station 40 to update the security context of wireless device 10. In particular, processing circuit 42 is operable to perform method 300 described and claimed herein. In this regard, processing circuit 42 may implement certain functional means, units or modules.

[0307] Fig.15 According to other embodiments (for example, Fig.16 1. A functional block diagram of a base station 50 in a wireless network of FIG. 1. As shown in the figure, the network node 50 is, for example, connected via Fig.14 The processing circuit 42 in the wireless device and / or via software code implements various functional devices, units or modules. These functional devices, units or modules for implementing the method 300 in the present invention include, for example: a security context storage unit 52, an RRC message receiving unit 54, a security context generation unit 56, a security token verification unit 58, an RRC message sending unit 60, and a security context discarding unit 62. The security context storage unit 52 is configured to store a previously active security context for the wireless device. The RRC message receiving unit 54 is configured to receive an RRC Resume Request message including a security token from the wireless device. The security context generation unit 56 is configured to generate a temporary security context for the wireless device. The security token verification unit 58 is configured to verify the security token using the temporary security context. The RRC message sending unit 60 is configured to send an RRC message to the wireless device. The security context discarding unit 62 is configured to: if the RRC message receiving unit 54 indicates that no response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device, then discard the temporary security context and obtain the previously active security context.

[0308] Those skilled in the art will also understand that the embodiments herein also include corresponding computer programs.

[0309] The computer program includes instructions, which, when executed on at least one processor of a device, cause the device to perform any of the above-mentioned corresponding processes. In this regard, the computer program may include one or more code modules corresponding to the above-mentioned devices or units.

[0310] The embodiment also includes a carrier embodying such a computer program. The carrier may include one of the following: an electric signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer-readable storage medium.

[0311] In this regard, embodiments of the present invention also include a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable (storage or recording) medium and including instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the device to perform the operations described above.

[0312] The embodiment also includes a computer program product, which includes a program code portion, and when the computer program product is executed by a computing device, the program code portion is used to perform the steps of any embodiment in this document. The computer program product can be stored on a computer readable recording medium.

[0313] Advantages of the embodiments of the present invention

[0314] Compared with the prior art, embodiments of the present invention have many advantages. For example, the network does not need to have a mechanism to track how many failed Resume attempts the UE has performed. Because tracking attempts will increase network load (e.g., increase signaling between base stations), this is particularly beneficial when the network is overloaded and rejects UE recovery attempts.

[0315] Embodiments of the present invention also reduce the risk of UE and network context losing synchronization, which may result in service interruption for end-user services, or in the worst case, the UE and network falling into an unrecoverable state (e.g., the UE keeps recovering again and again, resulting in failure).

[0316] Embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the RRC_INACTIVE state of NR. However, these embodiments may be advantageously applied to other contexts, for example, any RRC_INACTIVE state (or functional equivalent) in LTE. In addition, embodiments are also suitable for inter-RAT procedures involving RRC_INACTIVE, for example between LTE and NR RAT connected to the same CN (e.g., 5G core network). One such scenario is when a UE in LTE RRC_CONNECTED is suspended to LTE RRC_INACTIVE, then mobility is performed and resides on an NR cell (i.e., enters NRRRC_INACTIVE). Another scenario is when a UE in NRRRC_CONNECTED state is suspended to NR RRC_INACTIVE state, then mobility is performed and resides on an LTE cell (i.e., transitions to LTE RRC_INACTIVE state).

[0317] Over-the-Top Implementation

[0318] Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in any suitable type of system using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein are directed to wireless networks such as Fig.16 For simplicity, Fig.16 The wireless network of FIG. 1 depicts only network 1606, network nodes 1660 and 1660b, and WD 1610, 1610b, and 1610c. In practice, the wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable for supporting communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device (e.g., a landline phone, a service provider, or any other network node or terminal device). In the components shown, network node 1660 and wireless device (WD) 1610 are depicted in additional detail. The wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate wireless devices to access and / or use services provided by or via the wireless network.

[0319] A wireless network may include and / or interface to any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular and / or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, a wireless network may be configured to operate according to a particular standard or other type of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of a wireless network may implement communication standards such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards such as IEEE 802.11 standards; and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, and / or ZigBee standards.

[0320] Network 1606 may include one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTN), packet data networks, optical networks, wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

[0321] The network node 1660 and the WD 1610 include various components described in more detail below. These components work together to provide network node and / or wireless device functions, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments, the wireless network may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals via wired or wireless connections.

[0322] As used herein, a network node refers to a device that is capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and / or with other network nodes or devices in a wireless network to enable and / or provide wireless access to a wireless device and / or perform other functions (e.g., management) in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, node Bs, evolved node Bs (eNBs), and NRNodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations can be classified based on the amount of coverage provided by the base stations (or in other words, their transmit power levels), and then the base stations can also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor node that controls a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU) (sometimes also referred to as a remote radio head (RRH)). Such a remote radio unit may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Other examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) devices such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and / or MDTs. As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. However, more generally, a network node may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) that is capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to enable a wireless device to access a wireless network and / or provide access to a wireless network to a wireless device or provide a certain service to a wireless device that has accessed a wireless network.

[0323] exist Fig.16 In the embodiment, the network node 1660 includes a processing circuit 1670, a device readable medium 1680, an interface 1690, an auxiliary device 1684, a power supply 1686, a power supply circuit 1687, and an antenna 1662. Fig.16The network node 1660 shown in the example wireless network of may represent a device including a combination of the hardware components shown, and other embodiments may include network nodes with different combinations of components. It should be understood that the network node includes any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. In addition, although the components of the network node 1660 are depicted as a single box located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in reality, the network node may include multiple different physical components that make up a single shown component (for example, the device readable medium 1680 may include multiple separate hard drives and multiple RAM modules).

[0324] Similarly, the network node 1660 may be composed of multiple physically separated components (e.g., a Node B component and an RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), each of which may have their respective components. In certain scenarios where the network node 1660 includes multiple individual components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more individual components may be shared between several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple Node Bs. In this scenario, each unique Node B and RNC pair may be considered a single individual network node in some cases. In some embodiments, the network node 1660 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such an embodiment, some components may be replicated (e.g., separate device-readable media 1680 for different RATs), and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 1662 may be shared by the RATs). The network node 1660 may also include multiple sets of various illustrated components for different wireless technologies (such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies) integrated into the network node 1660. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within network node 1660 .

[0325] The processing circuit 1670 is configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain acquisition operations) described herein as being provided by the network node. These operations performed by the processing circuit 1670 may include processing information obtained by the processing circuit 1670 in the following manner: for example, by converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or the converted information with information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or the converted information, and making a determination as a result of the processing.

[0326] The processing circuit 1670 may include a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic operable to provide network node 1660 functionality, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 1660 components (e.g., device readable medium 1680). For example, the processing circuit 1670 may execute instructions stored in the device readable medium 1680 or in a memory within the processing circuit 1670. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 1670 may include a system on a chip (SOC).

[0327] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1670 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units (e.g., a radio unit and a digital unit). In alternative embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0328] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein as provided by a network node, base station, eNB, or other such network device may be performed by a processing circuit 1670 executing instructions stored on a device-readable medium 1680 or a memory within the processing circuit 1670. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functions may be provided by the processing circuit 1670, such as in a hardwired manner, without the need to execute instructions stored on a separate or independent device-readable medium. In any of those embodiments, the processing circuit 1670 may be configured to perform the described functions regardless of whether instructions stored on a device-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functions are not limited to only the processing circuit 1670 or other components of the network node 1660, but are enjoyed by the network node 1660 as a whole and / or generally by end users and wireless networks.

[0329] Device readable medium 1680 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer readable memory, including, but not limited to: permanent memory, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drive, compact disk (CD), or digital video disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable memory device and / or computer executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuit 1670. Device readable medium 1680 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs; software; applications including one or more of logic, rules, codes, tables, etc.; and / or other instructions that can be executed by processing circuit 1670 and utilized by network node 1660. Device readable medium 1680 may be used to store any computations performed by processing circuit 1670 and / or any data received via interface 1690. In some embodiments, processing circuit 1670 and device readable medium 1680 may be considered integrated.

[0330] Interface 1690 is used for wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network node 1660, network 1606 and / or WD 1610. As shown, interface 1690 includes a port / terminal 1694 for sending and receiving data to network 1606 via a wired connection, for example. Interface 1690 also includes a radio front-end circuit 1692, which may be coupled to antenna 1662 or may be a part of antenna 1662 in some embodiments. Radio front-end circuit 1692 includes filter 1698 and amplifier 1696. Radio front-end circuit 1692 may be connected to antenna 1662 and processing circuit 1670. Radio front-end circuit may be configured to adjust the signal transmitted between antenna 1662 and processing circuit 1670. Radio front-end circuit 1692 may receive digital data to be sent to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. The radio front end circuit 1692 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1698 and / or amplifiers 1696. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1662. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1662 may collect the radio signal, which is then converted into digital data by the radio front end circuit 1692. The digital data may be delivered to the processing circuit 1670. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0331] In some alternative embodiments, the network node 1660 may not include a separate radio front end circuit 1692, and instead, the processing circuit 1670 may include the radio front end circuit and may be connected to the antenna 1662 without the separate radio front end circuit 1692. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuits 1672 may be considered part of the interface 1690. In other embodiments, the interface 1690 may include one or more ports or terminals 1694, the radio front end circuit 1692, and the RF transceiver circuit 1672 as part of a wireless unit (not shown), and the interface 1690 may communicate with a baseband processing circuit 1674 that is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0332] Antenna 1662 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 1662 may be coupled to radio front-end circuit 1690 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly sending and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 1662 may include one or more omnidirectional, sector or flat panel antennas operable to send / receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. Omnidirectional antennas may be used to send / receive radio signals in any direction, sector antennas may be used to send / receive radio signals from devices within a specific area, and flat panel antennas may be line of sight antennas for sending / receiving radio signals on a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In some embodiments, antenna 1662 may be separated from network node 1660 and may be connected to network node 1660 via an interface or port.

[0333] Antenna 1662, interface 1690 and / or processing circuit 1670 may be configured to perform any receiving operation and / or certain acquisition operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and / or signal may be received from a wireless device, another network node and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 1662, interface 1690 and / or processing circuit 1670 may be configured to perform any sending operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and / or signal may be sent to a wireless device, another network node and / or any other network device.

[0334] The power circuit 1687 may include or be coupled to a power management circuit and is configured to supply power to the components of the network node 1660 to perform the functions described herein. The power circuit 1687 may receive power from the power supply 1686. The power supply 1686 and / or the power circuit 1687 may be configured to provide power to the various components of the network node 1660 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). The power supply 1686 may be included in the power circuit 1687 and / or the network node 1660 or external to the power circuit 1687 and / or the network node 1660. For example, the network node 1660 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet) via an input circuit or interface (such as a cable), whereby the external power source supplies power to the power circuit 1687. As another example, the power supply 1686 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack that is connected to or integrated in the power circuit 1687. If the external power source fails, the battery can provide backup power. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

[0335] Alternative embodiments of network node 1660 may include, in addition to Fig.16 Additional components beyond those shown may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the functionality of the network node, including any functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 1660 may include a user interface device that allows information to be input into the network node 1660 and information to be output from the network node 1660. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions for the network node 1660.

[0336] As used herein, a wireless device (WD) refers to a device that can, is configured to, is arranged to and / or is operable to wirelessly communicate with a network node and / or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise specified, the term WD may be used interchangeably with a user equipment (UE) in this article. Wireless communication may involve the use of electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information through the air to send and / or receive wireless signals. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to send and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, a WD may be designed to send information to a network according to a predetermined schedule when triggered by an internal or external event or in response to a request from a network. Examples of WD include, but are not limited to, smart phones, mobile phones, mobile phones, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablet computers, laptops, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop mounted devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless user premises equipment (CPEs), vehicle-mounted wireless terminal devices, etc. WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and in this case may be referred to as a D2D communication device. As another specific example, in an Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, WD may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and sends the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another WD and / or network node. In this case, WD may be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may be referred to as an MTC device in the 3GPP context. As a specific example, WD may be a UE that implements the 3GPP narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) standard. Specific examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or household or personal appliances (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, etc.), personal wearable devices (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other cases, WD may represent a vehicle or other device that is capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operating status or other functions associated with its operation. As mentioned above, WD may represent an endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal. In addition, as mentioned above, WD may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.

[0337] As shown, wireless device 160 includes antenna 1611, interface 1614, processing circuit 1620, device-readable medium 1630, user interface device 1632, auxiliary device 1634, power supply 1636, and power supply circuit 1637. WD 1610 may include multiple sets of one or more of the components shown for different wireless technologies supported by WD 1610, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, NB-IoT, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, to name a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into chips or chipsets that are the same or different from other components within WD 1610.

[0338] Antenna 1611 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to send and / or receive wireless signals and connected to interface 1614. In some alternative embodiments, antenna 1611 can be separated from WD 1610 and can be connected to WD 1610 through an interface or port. Antenna 1611, interface 1614 and / or processing circuit 1620 may be configured to perform any receiving or sending operation described herein as being performed by WD. Any information, data and / or signal can be received from a network node and / or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front-end circuit and / or antenna 1611 can be considered as an interface.

[0339] As shown, the interface 1614 includes a radio front-end circuit 1612 and an antenna 1611. The radio front-end circuit 1612 includes one or more filters 1618 and an amplifier 1616. The radio front-end circuit 1612 is connected to the antenna 1611 and the processing circuit 1620, and is configured to adjust the signal transmitted between the antenna 1611 and the processing circuit 1620. The radio front-end circuit 1612 may be coupled to the antenna 1611 or as part of the antenna 1611. In some embodiments, the WD 1610 may not include a separate radio front-end circuit 1612; instead, the processing circuit 1620 may include a radio front-end circuit and may be connected to the antenna 1611. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of the RF transceiver circuit 1622 may be considered as part of the interface 1614. The radio front-end circuit 1612 may receive digital data to be sent to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuit 1612 may use a combination of filters 1618 and / or amplifiers 1616 to convert the digital data into a radio signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1611. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1611 may collect the radio signal, which may then be converted into digital data by radio front end circuit 1612. The digital data may be passed to processing circuit 1620. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0340] Processing circuit 1620 may include a combination of one or more of the following: a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or a combination of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic that can be operated to provide WD1610 functions alone or in combination with other WD 1610 components (e.g., device readable medium 1630). Such functions may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuit 1620 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1630 or in a memory within processing circuit 1620 to provide the functions disclosed herein.

[0341] As shown, the processing circuit 1620 includes one or more of the following: RF transceiver circuit 1622, baseband processing circuit 1624, and application processing circuit 1626. In other embodiments, the processing circuit may include different components and / or different combinations of components. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 1620 of WD 1610 may include a SOC. In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuit 1622, the baseband processing circuit 1624, and the application processing circuit 1626 may be located on a separate chip or chipset. In an alternative embodiment, part or all of the baseband processing circuit 1624 and the application processing circuit 1626 may be combined into one chip or chipset, and the RF transceiver circuit 1622 may be located on a separate chip or chipset. In another alternative embodiment, part or all of the RF transceiver circuit 1622 and the baseband processing circuit 1624 may be on the same chip or chipset, and the application processing circuit 1626 may be located on a separate chip or chipset. In other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuit 1622, baseband processing circuit 1624, and application processing circuit 1626 may be combined in the same chip or chipset. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuit 1622 may be part of interface 1614. RF transceiver circuit 1622 may condition RF signals for processing circuit 1620.

[0342] In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein as being performed by the WD may be provided by a processing circuit 1620 executing instructions stored on a device-readable medium 1630, which may be a computer-readable storage device medium in some embodiments. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functions may be provided by the processing circuit 1620, such as in a hardwired manner, without executing instructions stored on a separate or independent device-readable storage medium. In any of those specific embodiments, the processing circuit 1620 may be configured to perform the described functions regardless of whether the instructions stored on the device-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functions are not limited to only the processing circuit 1620 or other components of the WD 1610, but are enjoyed by the WD 1610 as a whole and / or generally by the end user and the wireless network.

[0343] Processing circuit 1620 may be configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain acquisition operations) described herein as being performed by WD. Such operations performed by processing circuit 1620 may include processing information obtained by processing circuit 1620 in the following manner: for example, by converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or the converted information with information stored by WD 1610, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or the converted information; and making a determination as a result of the processing.

[0344] Device readable medium 1630 may be operable to store a computer program; software; an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc.; and / or other instructions executable by processing circuit 1620. Device readable medium 1630 may include computer memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a compact disk (CD) or a digital video disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by processing circuit 1620. In some embodiments, processing circuit 1620 and device readable medium 1630 may be considered integrated.

[0345] The user interface device 1632 may provide a component that allows a human user to interact with the WD 1610. This interaction may have a variety of forms, such as visual, auditory, tactile, etc. The user interface device 1632 may be operable to generate output to the user and allow the user to provide input to the WD 1610. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface device 1632 installed in the WD 1610. For example, if the WD 1610 is a smart phone, the interaction may be through a touch screen; if the WD 1610 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alarm (e.g., if smoke is detected). The user interface device 1632 may include an input interface, device, and circuit and an output interface, device, and circuit. The user interface device 1632 is configured to allow information to be input to the WD 1610, and is connected to the processing circuit 1620 to allow the processing circuit 1620 to process the input information. User interface device 1632 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity sensor or other sensor, a key / button, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuits. User interface device 1632 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 1610, and allows processing circuit 1620 to output information from WD 1610. User interface device 1632 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, a vibration circuit, a USB port, a headphone jack, or other output circuits. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits of user interface device 1632, WD 1610 can communicate with end users and / or wireless networks, and allow them to benefit from the functions described herein.

[0346] Auxiliary device 1634 is operable to provide more specific functions that may not be typically performed by a WD. This may include specialized sensors for taking measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communications (such as wired communications), etc. The inclusion and types of components of auxiliary device 1634 may vary depending on the embodiment and / or scenario.

[0347] In some embodiments, the power source 1636 may be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources may also be used, such as an external power source (e.g., a power outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a battery. WD 1610 may also include a power circuit 1637 for delivering power from the power source 1636 to various parts of WD 1610 that require power from the power source 1636 to perform any functions described or indicated herein. In some embodiments, the power circuit 1637 may include a power management circuit. The power circuit 1637 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in this case, the WD 1610 may be able to connect to an external power source (e.g., a power outlet) via an input circuit or interface (e.g., a power cable). In some embodiments, the power circuit 1637 may also be operable to deliver power from an external power source to the power source 1636. This may be used, for example, to charge the power source 1636. The power circuit 1637 may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications to the power from the power source 1636 so that the power is suitable for the corresponding components of the WD 1610 being powered.

[0348] Fig.17 An embodiment of a UE according to the various aspects described herein is shown. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated device. Rather, a UE may represent a device that is intended to be sold to or operated by a human user but may not, or may not initially, be associated with a particular human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended to be sold to or operated by an end user, but may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE17200 may be any UE identified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-IoT UE, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. As Fig.17 As shown, UE 1700 is an example of a WD configured to communicate according to one or more communication standards promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and / or 5G standards. As previously mentioned, the terms WD and UE may be used interchangeably. Therefore, although Fig.17 It is UE, but the components discussed in this article are also applicable to WD and vice versa.

[0349] exist Fig.17In the embodiment, UE 1700 includes a processing circuit 1701, which is operably coupled to an input / output interface 1705, a radio frequency (RF) interface 1709, a network connection interface 1711, a memory 1715 (including a random access memory (RAM) 1717, a read-only memory (ROM) 1719, and a storage medium 1721, etc.), a communication subsystem 1731, a power supply 1713, and / or any other components, or any combination thereof. The storage medium 1721 includes an operating system 1723, an application 1725, and data 1727. In other embodiments, the storage medium 1721 may include other similar types of information. Some UEs may utilize Fig.17 All components shown, or only a subset of these components. The degree of integration between components may vary for different UEs. In addition, some UEs may include multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0350] exist Fig.17 In the embodiment of the present invention, the processing circuit 1701 can be configured to process computer instructions and data. The processing circuit 1701 can be configured to implement: any sequential state machine operable to execute machine instructions stored as a machine-readable computer program in a memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more general-purpose processors (e.g., microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs)) storing programs together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuit 1701 may include two central processing units (CPUs). The data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

[0351] In the depicted embodiment, the input / output interface 1705 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, an output device, or an input and output device. The UE 1700 may be configured to use an output device via the input / output interface 1705. The output device may use the same type of interface port as the input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from the UE 1700. The output device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, a transmitter, a smart card, another output device, or any combination thereof. The UE 1700 may be configured to use an input device via the input / output interface 1705 to allow a user to capture information into the UE 1700. The input device may include a touch-sensitive display or a presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a webcam, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a steering wheel, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smart card, etc. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor that senses input from the user. The sensor can be, for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another similar sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device can be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

[0352] exist Fig.17 In the embodiment of the present invention, the RF interface 1709 can be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as transmitters, receivers and antennas. The network connection interface 1711 can be configured to provide a communication interface to the network 1743a. The network 1743a can cover wired and / or wireless networks, such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), computer networks, wireless networks, telecommunication networks, another similar network or any combination thereof. For example, the network 1743a can include a Wi-Fi network. The network connection interface 1711 can be configured to include a receiver and transmitter interface for communicating with one or more other devices through a communication network according to one or more communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet, TCP / IP, SONET, ATM, etc.). The network connection interface 1711 can implement receiver and transmitter functions suitable for communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, etc.). The transmitter and receiver functions can share circuit components, software, or firmware, or can alternatively be implemented separately.

[0353] RAM 1717 may be configured to interface with processing circuit 1701 via bus 1702 to provide storage or cache of data or computer instructions during execution of software programs such as operating systems, applications, and device drivers. ROM 1719 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuit 1701. For example, ROM 1719 may be configured to store unchanged low-level system code or data for basic system functions (such as basic input and output (I / O), startup, or keystrokes received from a keyboard) stored in non-volatile memory. Storage medium 1721 may be configured to include memory, such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk, optical disk, floppy disk, hard disk, removable disk, or flash drive. In one example, storage medium 1721 may be configured to include operating system 1723, application 1725 such as web browser application, widget or gadget engine, or another application, and data file 1727. The storage medium 1721 may store any one of a variety of different operating systems or a combination of operating systems for use by the UE 1700 .

[0354] The storage medium 1721 may be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), a floppy drive, a flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical drive, an internal hard drive, a Blu-ray disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), an external micro DIMM SDRAM, a smart card memory (e.g., a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM / RUIM) module), other memory, or any combination thereof. The storage medium 1721 may allow the UE 1700 to access computer executable instructions, applications, etc. stored on a transient or non-transitory memory medium to unload data or upload data. An article (such as an article utilizing a communication system) may be tangibly embodied in the storage medium 1721, which may include a device-readable medium.

[0355] exist Fig.17In the embodiment of the present invention, the processing circuit 1701 may be configured to communicate with the network 1743b using the communication subsystem 1731. The network 1743a and the network 1743b may be the same network or different networks. The communication subsystem 1731 may be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with the network 1743b. For example, the communication subsystem 1731 may be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device (e.g., another WD, UE or base station of a radio access network (RAN)) capable of wireless communication according to one or more communication protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.6, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, etc.). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 1733 and / or a receiver 1735 that respectively implements a transmitter or receiver function suitable for a RAN link (e.g., frequency allocation, etc.). In addition, the transmitter 1733 and the receiver 1735 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or may alternatively be implemented separately.

[0356] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication subsystem 1731 may include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication (such as Bluetooth, near-field communication), location-based communication (such as using a global positioning system (GPS) to determine location), another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, the communication subsystem 1731 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. The network 1743b may cover a wired and / or wireless network (such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another similar network, or any combination thereof). For example, the network 1743b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and / or a near-field network. The power supply 1713 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to the components of the UE 1700.

[0357] The features, benefits and / or functions described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 1700, or may be divided across multiple components of UE 1700. In addition, the features, benefits and / or functions described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware. In one example, the communication subsystem 1731 may be configured to include any component described herein. In addition, the processing circuit 1701 may be configured to communicate with any of such components via a bus 1702. In another example, any such component may be represented by a program instruction stored in a memory, which performs the corresponding function described herein when executed by the processing circuit 1701. In another example, the function of any such component may be divided between the processing circuit 1701 and the communication subsystem 1731. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0358] Fig.18 1800 is a schematic block diagram showing a virtualized environment 1800 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of an apparatus or device, which may include a virtualized hardware platform, storage device, and network resources. As used herein, virtualization may be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device, or any other type of communication device) or a component thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functions are implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines, or containers executed on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

[0359] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 1800 hosted by one or more hardware nodes. Furthermore, in embodiments where the virtual nodes are not radio access nodes or do not require radio connectivity (e.g., core network nodes), the network nodes may be fully virtualized.

[0360] These functions may be implemented by one or more applications 1820 (alternatively referred to as software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.), which are operable to implement certain features, functions, and / or benefits of some embodiments disclosed herein. The applications 1820 run in a virtualized environment 1800, which provides hardware 1830 including processing circuitry 1860 and memory 1890. The memory 1890 contains instructions 1895 executable by the processing circuitry 1860, whereby the applications 1820 are operable to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and / or functions disclosed herein.

[0361] The virtualized environment 1800 includes general or special network hardware devices, which include a set of one or more processors or processing circuits 1860, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, specialized application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuit including digital or analog hardware components or special processors. Each hardware device may include a memory 1890-1, which may be a non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 1895 or software executed by the processing circuit 1860. Each hardware device may include one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 1870 (also known as network interface cards), which include a physical network interface 1880. Each hardware device may also include a non-transitory persistent machine-readable storage medium 1890-2 in which software and / or instructions executable by the processing circuit 1860 are stored. The software may include any type of software, including software for instantiating one or more virtual layers 1850 (also known as hypervisors), software for executing virtual machines 1840, and software that allows them to perform the functions, features and / or benefits described in connection with some embodiments described herein.

[0362] The virtual machine 1840 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual network or interface, and virtual storage, and can be run by a corresponding virtual layer 1850 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of instances of virtual devices can be implemented on one or more virtual machines 1840, and these implementations can be completed in different ways.

[0363] During operation, processing circuitry 1860 executes software that instantiates a hypervisor or virtualization layer 1850, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 1850 may present to virtual machines 1840 a virtual operating platform that appears to be network hardware.

[0364] like Fig.18 As shown, hardware 1830 can be an independent network node with common or specific components. Hardware 1830 may include antenna 18225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1830 may be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., such as in a data center or customer premises equipment (CPE)) in which many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 18100 that oversees, among other things, lifecycle management of application 1820.

[0365] In some contexts, virtualization of hardware is referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many network equipment types into industry-standard high-volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage devices, which can be located in data centers and customer premises equipment.

[0366] In the context of NFV, a virtual machine 1840 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executed on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each virtual machine 1840 and the portion of hardware 1830 that executes the virtual machine (whether hardware dedicated to the virtual machine and / or hardware shared by the virtual machine with other virtual machines 1840) form a separate virtual network element (VNE).

[0367] Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions in one or more virtual machines 1840 running on top of the hardware network infrastructure and interacting with Fig.18 Corresponding to application 1820.

[0368] In some embodiments, one or more radio units 18200, each including one or more transmitters 18220 and one or more receivers 18210, may be coupled to one or more antennas 18225. The radio units 18200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces, and may be used in conjunction with virtual components to provide radio capabilities for virtual nodes (e.g., radio access nodes or base stations).

[0369] In some embodiments, some signaling may be implemented using control system 18230 , which may alternatively be used for communications between hardware nodes and radio unit 18200 .

[0370] Fig.19 A telecommunications network connected to a host computer via an intermediate network is shown according to some embodiments. In particular, reference is made to Fig.19According to an embodiment, a communication system includes a telecommunication network 1910 such as a 3GPP type cellular network, which includes an access network 1911 such as a radio access network and a core network 1914. The access network 1911 includes a plurality of base stations 1912a, 1912b, 1912c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1913a, 1913b, 1913c. Each base station 1912a, 1912b, 1912c may be connected to the core network 1914 via a wired or wireless connection 1915. A first UE 1991 located in the coverage area 1913c is configured to be wirelessly connected to or paged by the corresponding base station 1912c. A second UE 1992 in the coverage area 1913a is wirelessly connected to the corresponding base station 1912a. Although multiple UEs 1991 , 1992 are shown in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to situations where a single UE is in the coverage area or a single UE is connected to the corresponding base station 1912 .

[0371] The telecommunications network 1910 itself is connected to a host computer 1930, which may be embodied in the hardware and / or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, or as a processing resource in a server farm. The host computer 1930 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by or on behalf of a service provider. The connections 1921 and 1922 between the telecommunications network 1910 and the host computer 1930 may extend directly from the core network 1914 to the host computer 1930, or may be made via an optional intermediate network 1920. The intermediate network 1920 may be one of a public, private, or managed network, or a combination of multiple of these networks; the intermediate network 1920 (if any) may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 1920 may include two or more sub-networks (not shown).

[0372] Fig.19The communication system as a whole implements a connection between the connected UEs 1991, 1992 and the host computer 1930. The connection can be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1950. The host computer 1930 and the connected UEs 1991, 1992 are configured to deliver data and / or signaling via the OTT connection 1950 using the access network 1911, the core network 1914, any intermediate networks 1920, and possibly other infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 1950 can be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 1950 passes are unaware of the routes of the uplink and downlink communications. For example, the past routes of incoming downlink communications may not be or need not be notified to the base station 1912, where data originating from the host computer 1930 will be forwarded (e.g., switched) to the connected UE 1991. Similarly, base station 1912 need not be aware of the future routing of outgoing uplink communications originating from UE 1991 toward host computer 1930 .

[0373] According to one embodiment, reference will now be made to Fig. 20 Example implementations of the UE, base station, and host computer discussed in the previous paragraphs are described. Fig. 20 It is shown that the host computer communicates with the user equipment via the base station on a partial wireless connection according to some embodiments. In the communication system 2000, the host computer 2010 includes hardware 2015, which includes a communication interface 2016 configured to establish and maintain a wired or wireless connection with the interface of different communication devices of the communication system 2000. The host computer 2010 also includes a processing circuit 2018, which may have storage and / or processing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuit 2018 may include one or more programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or a combination of these (not shown) suitable for executing instructions. The host computer 2010 also includes software 2011, which is stored in the host computer 2010 or can be accessed by the host computer 2010 and can be executed by the processing circuit 2018. The software 2011 includes a host application 2012. The host application 2012 may be operable to provide services to a remote user, such as a UE 2030, connected via an OTT connection 2050 terminated at the UE 2030 and the host computer 2010. In providing services to the remote user, the host application 2012 may provide user data sent using the OTT connection 2050.

[0374] The communication system 2000 also includes a base station 2020, which is provided in the telecommunication system and includes hardware 2025 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 2010 and with the UE 2030. The hardware 2025 may include a communication interface 2026 for establishing and maintaining wired or wireless connections with different communication devices of the communication system 2000, and for establishing and maintaining at least communication with the base station 2020 in the coverage area ( Fig. 20 The communication interface 2026 may be configured to facilitate a connection 2060 to the host computer 2010. The connection 2060 may be direct or may pass through a core network (eg, a wireless communication network) of the telecommunications system. Fig.14 The base station 2020 may include one or more intermediate networks (not shown) and / or external to the telecommunications system. In the illustrated embodiment, the hardware 2025 of the base station 2020 also includes processing circuitry 2028, which may include one or more programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or a combination of these (not shown) suitable for executing instructions. The base station 2020 also has software 2021 that is stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

[0375] The communication system 2000 also includes the UE 2030 already mentioned. Its hardware 2035 may include a radio interface 2037, which is configured to establish and maintain a wireless connection 2070 with a base station serving the coverage area where the UE 2030 is currently located. The hardware 2035 of the UE 2030 also includes a processing circuit 2038, which may include one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or a combination of these (not shown) suitable for executing instructions. The UE 2030 further includes software 2031 stored in the UE 2030 or accessible by the UE 2030 and executable by the processing circuit 2038. The software 2031 includes a client application 2032. The client application 2032 may be operable to provide services to human or non-human users via the UE 2030 with the support of the host computer 2010. In the host computer 2010, the executing host application 2012 can communicate with the executing client application 2032 via the OTT connection 2050 terminated at the UE 2030 and the host computer 2010. When providing services to users, the client application 2032 can receive request data from the host application 2012 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 2050 can transmit both the request data and the user data. The client application 2032 can interact with the user to generate the user data it provides.

[0376] Notice, Fig. 20 The host computer 2010, base station 2020 and UE 2030 shown can be respectively Fig.19 The host computer 1930, one of the base stations 1912a, 1912b, 1912c and one of the UEs 1991, 1992 may be similar or identical. That is, the internal workings of these entities may be similar to or identical to those of the host computer 1930, one of the base stations 1912a, 1912b, 1912c and one of the UEs 1991, 1992. Fig. 20 As shown, and independently, the surrounding network topology can be Fig.19 network topology.

[0377] exist Fig. 20 , OTT connection 2050 has been abstractly drawn to illustrate communications between host computer 2010 and UE 2030 via base station 2020, without explicitly referencing any intermediate devices and the precise routing of messages via those devices. The network infrastructure may determine the routing, which may be configured to hide the routing from UE 2030 or from the service provider operating host computer 2010, or both. When OTT connection 2050 is active, the network infrastructure may further make decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., based on load balancing considerations or reconfiguration of the network).

[0378] The wireless connection 2070 between the UE 2030 and the base station 2020 is consistent with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout the present disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 2030 using the OTT connection 2050, in which the wireless connection 2070 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments can improve the synchronization of security states between the network and the wireless device, thereby providing benefits such as avoiding the signaling required to correct the unsynchronized security state, thereby reducing congestion and extending the battery life of the device. In some cases, embodiments of the present invention can prevent the wireless device from being completely unable to connect to the network.

[0379] The measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring the data rate, latency and other factors on which one or more embodiments are improved. There may also be an optional network function for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2050 between the host computer 2010 and the UE 2030 in response to changes in the measurement results. The measurement process and / or network function for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2050 may be implemented in the software 2011 and hardware 2015 of the host computer 2010 or in the software 2031 and hardware 2035 of the UE 2030 or in both. In an embodiment, a sensor (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with a communication device through which the OTT connection 2050 passes; the sensor may participate in the measurement process by providing the value of the monitoring quantity exemplified above or providing the value of other physical quantities from which the software 2011, 2031 can calculate or estimate the monitoring quantity. The reconfiguration of the OTT connection 2050 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routes, etc.; the reconfiguration does not need to affect the base station 2020, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 2020. Such processes and functions are known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, the measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates host computer 2010 measurements of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. The measurements may be implemented so that software 2011 and 2031 use the OTT connection 2050 to send messages (particularly empty or "dummy" messages) while monitoring propagation time, errors, etc.

[0380] Fig.21 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which can be reference Fig.19 and Fig. 20 For the sake of simplicity of this disclosure, this section only includes Fig.21 . In step 2110, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step 2111 of step 2110 (which may be optional), the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2120, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 2130 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout the present disclosure, the base station sends the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the host computer to the UE. In step 2140 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

[0381] Fig. 22 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which can be reference Fig.19 and Fig. 20For the sake of simplicity of this disclosure, this section only includes Fig. 22 . In step 2210 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown), the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2220, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout the present disclosure, the transmission may be delivered via a base station. In step 2230 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

[0382] Fig.23 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which can be reference Fig.19 and Fig. 20 For the sake of simplicity of this disclosure, this section only includes Fig.23 . In step 2310 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 2320, the UE provides user data. In sub-step 2321 (which may be optional) of step 2320, the UE provides user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 2311 (which may be optional) of step 2310, the UE executes a client application that provides user data in response to received input data provided by the host computer. When providing user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner of providing user data, in sub-step 2330 (which may be optional), the UE initiates transmission of user data to the host computer. In step 2340 of the method, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout the present disclosure, the host computer receives user data sent from the UE.

[0383] Fig.24 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which can be reference Fig.19 and Fig. 20 For the sake of simplicity of this disclosure, only the host computer, base station and UE described in this section are included. Fig.24 In step 2410 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 2420 (which may be optional), the base station initiates a transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 2430 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

[0384] Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions or benefits disclosed herein may be performed by one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual devices. Each virtual device may include a plurality of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuits that may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers and other digital hardware that may include digital signal processors (DSPs), dedicated digital logic, etc. The processing circuit may be configured to execute program codes stored in a memory, which may include one or more types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory device, optical memory, etc. The program code stored in the memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and / or data communication protocols and instructions for executing one or more technologies described herein. In some implementations, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the processing circuit may be used to cause the corresponding functional unit to perform the corresponding function.

[0385] Generally, all terms used in this article will be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and / or a different meaning is implied in the context in which the term is used. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, all references to an element, device, component, means, step, etc. should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, means, step, etc. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as after or before another step and / or it is implied that a step must be after or before another step. Where appropriate, any feature of any embodiment disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment. Similarly, any advantage of any embodiment may be applied to any other embodiment, and vice versa. Through description, other purposes, features and advantages of the attached embodiments will be obvious.

[0386] The term "unit" may have a conventional meaning in the field of electronic devices, electrical equipment and / or electronic equipment, and may include, for example, electrical and / or electronic circuits, devices, modules, processors, memories, logical solid-state and / or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for performing corresponding tasks, processes, calculations, output and / or display functions, etc., such as those described herein.

[0387] Some embodiments contemplated herein are more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, other embodiments are included within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. The disclosed subject matter should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein; rather, these embodiments are provided merely as examples to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0388] Of course, without departing from the basic characteristics of the present invention, the present invention may be implemented in other ways different from the ways specifically described herein. The present embodiment should be considered as illustrative rather than restrictive in all aspects, and all changes falling within the meaning and equivalent scope of the appended claims should be included therein.

[0389] The following detailed description describes implementation of embodiments of the present invention in the form of examples with reference to the claims.

[0390] Group A includes Examples 1-20 and Example AA:

[0391] AA. The method according to any one of embodiments 1-20, further comprising:

[0392] Provide user data; and

[0393] The user data is forwarded to the host computer via transmission to the base station.

[0394] Group B embodiments include embodiments 21-32 and embodiment BB:

[0395] BB. The method according to any one of embodiments 21-32, further comprising:

[0396] Access user data; and

[0397] Forwards user data to a host computer or wireless device.

[0398] Embodiment 1. A method (100) for updating a security context, performed by a wireless device (10) operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol, wherein the wireless device (10) in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including a security update parameter from the network, and enters an RRC INACTIVE state in response to the RRC suspend message and stores a first security context, the method (100) comprising, when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state:

[0399] generating (102) a second security context using the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message;

[0400] sending (104) an RRC recovery request message to the network; and

[0401] The second security context is discarded (112) in response to one of the following events:

[0402] receiving (106) an RRC reject message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message;

[0403] a timer started when the RRC recovery request message was sent expires (108) without receiving a response message from the network; and

[0404] Prior to receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC recovery request message, cell reselection is performed (110).

[0405] Embodiment 2. The method (100) according to embodiment 1 further includes: repeating the steps of the method by generating a new second security context when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state again.

[0406] Embodiment 3. The method (100) according to any one of the aforementioned embodiments 1-2 further includes: upon receiving an RRC message other than an RRC reject message that uses the second security context for integrity protection, discarding the first security context and using the second security context for further communication.

[0407] Embodiment 4. The method (100) according to any one of the aforementioned embodiments 1-3 further includes: upon receiving an RRC establishment message indicating that the wireless device should discard the stored access layer message, discarding both the first security context and the second security context.

[0408] Embodiment 5. The method (100) according to any one of the aforementioned embodiments 1-4, wherein the security update parameters contained in the RRC suspend message include: a link counter parameter for next hop access key derivation.

[0409] Embodiment 6. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding embodiments 1-5, wherein the first security context and the second security context include one or more cryptographic keys.

[0410] Embodiment 7. The method (100) according to any one of the aforementioned embodiments 1-6 further includes: in a case where an RRC rejection message is received from the network in response to the RRC recovery request message, obtaining a waiting time that the wireless device should wait before sending another RRC recovery request message.

[0411] Embodiment 8. The method (100) of embodiment 7, wherein the waiting time is included in the RRC reject message.

[0412] Embodiment 9. The method (100) according to embodiment 7, wherein the waiting time is a predetermined value.

[0413] Embodiment 10. The method (100) of embodiment 7, wherein the waiting time is obtained from different messages received from the network.

[0414] Embodiment 11. The method (100) of embodiment 1, wherein if the RRC reject message is received (106) from the network in response to the RRC resume request message, discarding (112) the second security context, and the method further comprising:

[0415] If the RRC reject message is received (106) from the network in response to the RRC resume request message, the first security context is restored.

[0416] Embodiment 12. The method (100) of embodiment 1, wherein the second security context (112) is discarded in response to expiration of a timer (108) that starts when the RRC recovery request message is sent without receiving the response message from the network.

[0417] Embodiment 13. The method (100) of embodiment 1, wherein the second security context is discarded (112) if the cell reselection is performed (110) before the message is received from the network in response to the RRC recovery request message.

[0418] Embodiment 14. The method according to embodiment 1 also includes: using one or more security parameters from the second security context to decode a response to the RRC recovery request message.

[0419] Embodiment 15. A method (200) of updating a security context, performed by a wireless device (10) operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol, wherein the wireless device (10) in an RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including a security update parameter from the network, and enters an RRC INACTIVE state in response to the RRC suspend message and stores a first security context, the method (200) comprising, when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state:

[0420] generating (202) a second security context according to the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message;

[0421] sending (204) an RRC recovery request message to the network; and

[0422] In response to one of the following events, storing (212) the second security context and utilizing it until confirmed by the network:

[0423] receiving (206) an RRC reject message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message;

[0424] a timer started when the RRC recovery request message was sent expires (208) without receiving a response message from the network; and

[0425] Prior to receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC recovery request message, cell reselection is performed (210).

[0426] Embodiment 16. The method (200) according to Embodiment 15 further includes: when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state again, repeating each step of the method except generating the second security context.

[0427] Embodiment 17. The method (200) according to any one of embodiments 15-16 further includes: upon receiving an RRC message other than an RRC reject message that uses the second security context for integrity protection, discarding the first security context and using the second security context for further communication.

[0428] Embodiment 18. The method (200) according to any one of embodiments 15-17 further includes: upon receiving an RRC establishment message indicating that the wireless device should discard the stored access layer message, discarding both the first security context and the second security context.

[0429] Embodiment 19. The method (200) according to any one of embodiments 15-18, wherein the security update parameters contained in the RRC suspend message include: a link counter parameter for next hop access key derivation.

[0430] Embodiment 20. The method (200) according to any one of embodiments 15-19, wherein the first security context and the second security context include one or more cryptographic keys.

[0431] Embodiment 21. The method (200) according to any one of embodiments 15-20 further includes: in a case where an RRC reject message is received from the network in response to the RRC recovery request message, obtaining a waiting time that the wireless device should wait before sending another RRC recovery request message.

[0432] Embodiment 22. The method (200) of embodiment 21, wherein the waiting time is included in the RRC reject message.

[0433] Embodiment 23. The method (200) according to embodiment 21, wherein the waiting time is a predetermined value.

[0434] Embodiment 24. The method (200) of Embodiment 21, wherein the waiting time is obtained from different messages received from the network.

[0435] Embodiment 25. A method (300) of updating a security context for a wireless device (10), performed by a base station (40) operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol, the method (300) comprising:

[0436] storing (302) a security context for a previous activity of the wireless device;

[0437] receiving (304) an RRC recovery request message including a security token from the wireless device (10);

[0438] generating (306) a temporary security context for the wireless device;

[0439] Validating the security token using (308) the temporary security context;

[0440] sending (310) an RRC message to the wireless device (10); and

[0441] If no response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device (10), the temporary security context is discarded (312) and the previously active security context is retrieved.

[0442] Embodiment 26. The method (300) of embodiment 21, wherein the wireless device (10) is in an RRCINACTIVE state.

[0443] Embodiment 27. A method (300) according to any one of embodiments 21-22, wherein generating a temporary security context for the wireless device (10) includes: generating the temporary security context using security update parameters sent to the wireless device (10) in an RRC suspend message.

[0444] Embodiment 28. The method (300) of embodiment 23, wherein the security update parameters sent to the wireless device (10) in an RRC suspend message include: a link counter parameter for next hop access key derivation.

[0445] Embodiment 29. The method (300) of any one of Embodiments 21-24, wherein the previously active security context and the temporary security context include one or more cryptographic keys.

[0446] Embodiment 30. The method (300) of any one of Embodiments 21-25, wherein sending an RRC message to the wireless device (10) comprises sending an RRC recovery message to the wireless device.

[0447] Embodiment 31. The method (300) of embodiment 26, wherein the RRC recovery message is integrity protected using the temporary security context.

[0448] Embodiment 32. The method (300) of embodiment 26, wherein the RRC recovery message is encrypted using the temporary security context.

[0449] Group C Example:

[0450] C1. A wireless device configured to perform any steps of any embodiment in Group A.

[0451] C2. A wireless device comprising:

[0452] A processing circuit configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments of Group A; and

[0453] A power circuit is configured to provide power to the wireless device.

[0454] C3. A wireless device comprising:

[0455] A processing circuit and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuit, whereby the wireless device is configured to perform any steps of any of the embodiments in Group A.

[0456] C4. A user equipment (UE), comprising:

[0457] an antenna configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;

[0458] a radio front end circuit coupled to the antenna and the processing circuit and configured to condition signals transmitted between the antenna and the processing circuit;

[0459] A processing circuit configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments of Group A;

[0460] an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow information to be input into the UE for processing by the processing circuitry;

[0461] an output interface connected to the processing circuit and configured to output information that has been processed by the processing circuit from the UE; and

[0462] A battery is connected to the processing circuit and is configured to supply power to the UE.

[0463] C5. A computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor of a wireless device, cause the wireless device to perform the steps of any embodiment of Group A.

[0464] C6. A carrier comprising the computer program according to embodiment C5, wherein the carrier is one of the following: an electric signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer-readable storage medium.

[0465] C7. A base station configured to perform any steps of any embodiment in Group B.

[0466] C8. A base station, comprising:

[0467] A processing circuit configured to perform any step of any embodiment of Group B;

[0468] A power circuit is configured to provide power to the wireless device.

[0469] C9. A base station, comprising:

[0470] A processing circuit and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuit, whereby the base station is configured to perform any steps of any embodiment in Group B embodiments.

[0471] C10. A computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor of a base station, cause the base station to perform the steps of any embodiment in Group B.

[0472] C11. A carrier, comprising the computer program according to embodiment C10, wherein the carrier is one of the following: an electric signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer-readable storage medium.

[0473] Group D Example:

[0474] D1. A communication system comprising a host computer, the host computer comprising:

[0475] processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and

[0476] a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE),

[0477] The cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and a processing circuit, and the processing circuit of the base station is configured to perform any steps of any embodiment in Group B embodiments.

[0478] D2. The communication system according to the aforementioned embodiment further includes a base station.

[0479] D3. The communication system according to the above two embodiments further includes a UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0480] D4. The communication system according to the above three embodiments, wherein:

[0481] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application to provide user data; and

[0482] The UE includes processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with a host application.

[0483] D5. A method implemented in a communication system, the communication system comprising a host, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0484] At the host computer, providing user data; and

[0485] At a host computer, a transmission carrying user data is initiated to a UE via a cellular network including a base station, wherein the base station performs any steps of any of the embodiments in Group B.

[0486] D6. The method according to the aforementioned embodiment further includes: sending user data at the base station.

[0487] D7. The method according to the above two embodiments, wherein the user data is provided on the host computer by executing a host application, and the method further comprises executing a client application associated with the host application at the UE.

[0488] D8. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and a processing circuit configured to execute any of the above three embodiments.

[0489] D9. A communication system comprising a host computer, the host computer comprising:

[0490] processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and

[0491] a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE),

[0492] The UE includes a radio interface and a processing circuit, and the components of the UE are configured to perform any steps of any embodiment in Group A.

[0493] D10. The communication system according to the preceding embodiment, wherein the cellular network further comprises a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

[0494] D11. The communication system according to the two preceding embodiments, wherein:

[0495] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application to provide user data; and

[0496] The processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with a host application.

[0497] D12. A method implemented in a communication system, the communication system comprising a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0498] At the host computer, providing user data; and

[0499] At a host computer, a transmission carrying user data is initiated to a UE via a cellular network including a base station, wherein the UE performs any steps of any of the embodiments in Group A.

[0500] D13. The method according to the aforementioned embodiment further includes: at the UE, receiving user data from the base station.

[0501] D14. A communication system comprising a host, the host comprising:

[0502] a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station,

[0503] The UE comprises a radio interface and a processing circuit, and the processing circuit of the UE is configured to perform any steps of any embodiment in Group A embodiments.

[0504] D15. The communication system according to the aforementioned embodiment further includes a UE.

[0505] D16. The communication system according to the aforementioned two embodiments further includes a base station, wherein the base station includes a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward user data carried by the transmission from the UE to the base station to a host computer.

[0506] D17. A communication system according to any of the preceding three embodiments, wherein:

[0507] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; and

[0508] The processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to provide user data.

[0509] D18. A communication system according to the above four embodiments, wherein:

[0510] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute the host application to provide the requested data; and

[0511] The processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to provide user data in response to the request data.

[0512] D19. A method implemented in a communication system, the communication system comprising a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0513] At a host computer, user data transmitted to a base station is received from a UE, wherein the UE performs any steps of any of the embodiments in Group A.

[0514] D20. The method according to the aforementioned embodiment further includes: at the UE, providing user data to the base station.

[0515] D21. The method according to the above two embodiments further includes:

[0516] At the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing user data to be sent; and

[0517] At the host computer, a host application associated with the client application is executed.

[0518] D22. The method according to the above three embodiments further includes:

[0519] At the UE, executing a client application; and

[0520] receiving input data for the client application at the UE, providing the input data at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application,

[0521] The user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

[0522] D23. A communication system comprising a host computer, the host computer comprising a communication interface, the communication interface being configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface and a processing circuit, the processing circuit of the base station being configured to perform any steps of any embodiment of Group B embodiments.

[0523] D24. The communication system according to the aforementioned embodiment also includes a base station.

[0524] D25. The communication system according to the above two embodiments further includes a UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0525] D26. A communication system according to any of the preceding three embodiments, wherein:

[0526] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application;

[0527] The UE is configured to execute a client application in association with a host application, thereby providing user data to be received by a host computer.

[0528] D27. A method implemented in a communication system, the communication system comprising a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0529] At a host computer, user data originating from a transmission that the base station has received from a UE is received from a base station, wherein the UE performs any steps of any of the embodiments in Group A.

[0530] D28. The method according to the aforementioned embodiment further includes: receiving user data from the UE at the base station.

[0531] D29. The method according to the above two embodiments further includes: at the base station, initiating transmission from the received user data to the host computer.

Claims

1. A method (100) for updating a security context, performed by a wireless device (10) operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol, wherein: The wireless device (10) in the RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including security update parameters from the network, and enters the RRC INACTIVE state and stores a first security context in response to the RRC suspend message, the method (100) comprising, when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state: generating (102) a second security context using the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message; sending (104) an RRC recovery request message to the network; as well as The second security context is discarded (112) and the first security context is restored in response to one of the following events: receiving (106) an RRC reject message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message; a timer started when the RRC recovery request message was sent expires (108) without receiving a response message from the network; and Prior to receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC recovery request message, cell reselection is performed (110).

2. The method (100) according to claim 1, further comprising: When attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state again, the steps of the method are repeated by generating a new second security context.

3. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: Upon receiving an RRC message other than an RRC reject message using the second security context for integrity protection, discarding the first security context and using the second security context for further communication.

4. The method (100) according to any of the preceding claims 1-2, further comprising: Upon receiving an RRC setup message indicating that the wireless device should discard stored access stratum messages, both the first security context and the second security context are discarded.

5. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 1-2, wherein: The security update parameters contained in the RRC suspend message include: a link counter parameter for next hop access key derivation.

6. The method (100) according to any of the preceding claims 1-2, wherein: The first security context and the second security context include one or more cryptographic keys.

7. The method (100) according to any of the preceding claims 1-2, further comprising: In case an RRC reject message is received from the network in response to the RRC resume request message, a wait time is obtained that the wireless device should wait before sending another RRC resume request message.

8. The method (100) according to claim 7, wherein: The waiting time is included in the RRC reject message.

9. The method (100) according to claim 7, wherein: The waiting time is a predetermined value.

10. The method (100) according to claim 7, wherein: The latency is obtained from different messages received from the network.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: A response to the RRC resume request message is decoded using one or more security parameters from the second security context.

12. A method (300) of updating a security context for a wireless device (10), performed by a base station (40) operating in a wireless communication network using a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol, the method (300) comprising: storing (302) a security context for a previous activity of the wireless device; receiving (304) an RRC recovery request message including a security token from the wireless device (10); generating (306) a temporary security context for the wireless device; Validating the security token using (308) the temporary security context; sending (310) an RRC message to the wireless device (10); as well as If no response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device (10), the temporary security context is discarded (312) and the previously active security context is retrieved.

13. The method (300) of claim 12, wherein: The wireless device (10) is in RRC INACTIVE state.

14. The method (300) according to any one of claims 12-13, wherein: Generating a temporary security context for the wireless device (10) includes generating the temporary security context using security update parameters sent to the wireless device (10) in an RRC suspend message.

15. The method (300) of claim 14, wherein: The security update parameters sent to the wireless device (10) in an RRC suspend message include a link counter parameter for next hop access key derivation.

16. The method (300) according to any one of claims 12-13 and 15, wherein: The previously active security context and the temporary security context include one or more cryptographic keys.

17. The method (300) according to any one of claims 12-13 and 15, wherein: Sending an RRC message to the wireless device (10) includes sending an RRC resume message to the wireless device.

18. The method (300) of claim 17, wherein: The RRC resume message is integrity protected using the temporary security context.

19. The method (300) of claim 17, wherein: The RRC resume message is encrypted using the temporary security context.

20. The method (300) of claim 17, wherein: Sending an RRC message to the wireless device (10) includes sending an RRC suspend message or an RRC release message to the wireless device (10).

21. The method (300) according to any one of claims 12-13, 15 and 18-20, further comprising: If a response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device (10), then: discarding the security context of the previous activity; as well as The temporary security context is made the active security context for the wireless device (10).

22. The method (300) according to any one of claims 12-13, 15 and 18-20, wherein: The base station (40) is the source node of the handover process.

23. The method (300) according to any one of claims 12-13, 15 and 18-20, wherein: The base station (40) is a target node of a handover process.

24. A wireless device (10) operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol, wherein: The wireless device (10) in the RRC CONNECTED state receives an RRC suspend message including a security update parameter from the network, and enters an RRC INACTIVE state and stores a first security context in response to the RRC suspend message, the wireless device (10) comprising: Communication circuit (16); A processing circuit (12) operatively connected to the communication circuit (16) and adapted to, when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state: generating (102) a second security context using the security update parameters received in the RRC suspend message; sending (104) an RRC recovery request message to the network; and The second security context is discarded (112) and the first security context is restored in response to one of the following events: receiving (106) an RRC reject message from the network in response to the RRC resume request message; a timer started when the RRC recovery request message was sent expires (108) without receiving a response message from the network; and Prior to receiving a message from the network in response to the RRC recovery request message, cell reselection is performed (110).

25. The wireless device (10) of claim 24, wherein: The processing circuit (12) is further adapted to repeat the specified steps by generating a new second security context when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state again.

26. The wireless device (10) according to any one of claims 24-25, wherein: The processing circuit (12) is further adapted to discard the first security context and use the second security context for further communication upon receiving an RRC message other than an RRC reject message that uses the second security context for integrity protection.

27. The wireless device (10) according to any one of claims 24-25, wherein: The processing circuit (12) is further adapted to discard both the first security context and the second security context upon receiving an RRC setup message indicating that the wireless device should discard stored access stratum messages.

28. The wireless device (10) according to any one of claims 24-25, wherein: The security update parameters contained in the RRC suspend message include: a link counter parameter for next hop access key derivation.

29. The wireless device (10) according to any one of claims 24-25, wherein: The first security context and the second security context include one or more cryptographic keys.

30. The wireless device (10) according to any one of claims 24-25, wherein: The processing circuit (12) is further adapted to obtain a wait time that the wireless device should wait before sending another RRC resume request message if an RRC reject message is received from the network in response to the RRC resume request message.

31. The wireless device (10) of claim 30, wherein: The waiting time is included in the RRC reject message.

32. The wireless device (10) of claim 30, wherein: The waiting time is a predetermined value.

33. The wireless device (10) of claim 30, wherein: The latency is obtained from different messages received from the network.

34. The wireless device (10) of claim 24, wherein: The processing circuit (12) is further adapted to, when attempting to transition to the RRC CONNECTED state: A response to the RRC resume request message is decoded using one or more security parameters from the second security context.

35. A base station (40) operating in a wireless communication network using a radio resource control (RRC) protocol, comprising: Communication circuit (46); as well as a processing circuit (42) operatively connected to the communication circuit (46) and adapted to: storing (302) a security context for a previous activity of the wireless device; receiving (304) an RRC recovery request message including a security token from the wireless device (10); generating (306) a temporary security context for the wireless device (10); Validating the security token using (308) the temporary security context; sending (310) an RRC message to the wireless device (10); as well as If no response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device (10), the temporary security context is discarded (312) and the previously active security context is retrieved.

36. The base station (40) of claim 35, wherein: The wireless device (10) is in RRC INACTIVE state.

37. The base station (40) according to any one of claims 35-36, wherein: The processing circuit (42) is adapted to generate a temporary security context for the wireless device (10) by generating the temporary security context using security update parameters sent to the wireless device (10) in an RRC suspend message.

38. The base station (40) of claim 37, wherein: The security update parameters sent to the wireless device (10) in an RRC suspend message include a link counter parameter for next hop access key derivation.

39. The base station (40) according to any one of claims 35-36 and 38, wherein: The previously active security context and the temporary security context include one or more cryptographic keys.

40. The base station (40) according to any one of claims 35-36 and 38, wherein: The processing circuit (42) is adapted to send an RRC message to the wireless device (10) by sending an RRC resume message to the wireless device (10).

41. The base station (40) of claim 40, wherein: The RRC resume message is integrity protected using the temporary security context.

42. The base station (40) of claim 40, wherein: The RRC resume message is encrypted using the temporary security context.

43. The base station (40) of claim 40, wherein: The processing circuit (42) is adapted to send an RRC message to the wireless device (10) by sending an RRC suspend message or an RRC release message to the wireless device (10).

44. The base station (40) according to any one of claims 35-36, 38 and 41-43, wherein: The processing circuit (42) is further adapted to: if a response to the RRC message is received from the wireless device (10), then: discarding the previously active security context; and The temporary security context is made the active security context for the wireless device (10).

45. The base station (40) according to any one of claims 35-36, 38 and 41-43, wherein: The base station (40) is the source node of the handover process.

46. ​​The base station (40) according to any one of claims 35-36, 38 and 41-43, wherein: The base station (40) is a target node of a handover process.

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