Method and apparatus for processing data packets received via a control plane in a congested scenario

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for communicating data between user equipment and a network entity. For example, certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for wireless communication. The method generally includes receiving a message including a data packet from a user equipment (UE) during a communication session, and detecting whether the data packet is the last data packet transmitted or received by the UE during the communication session. In certain aspects, the method also includes determining, based on the detection, whether to process or discard the data packet and whether to send a backoff timer to the UE, and processing or discarding the data packet based on the determination.

Description

[0001] This divisional application is a divisional application of the PCT national phase patent application with a PCT international filing date of September 13, 2017, national application number 201780060241.7, and titled “Processing Data Packets Received Through the Control Plane in Congestion Scenario”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for communicating data packets. Background Art

[0003] Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide a variety of telecommunication services, such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA), and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA).

[0004] These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate at a city, country, region, and even global level. An example of an emerging telecommunication standard is Long Term Evolution (LTE). LTE / LTE-Advanced is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile standard promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to grow, there is a need for further improvements in LTE technology. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to other multiple access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ them. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The systems, methods, and devices of the present disclosure each have several aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the disclosure as expressed in the appended claims, some features will now be briefly discussed. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled "Detailed Description," one will understand how the features of the present disclosure provide advantages, including improved communication between access points and stations in a wireless network.

[0006] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, and more particularly to the communication of data packets between user equipment (UE) and network nodes.

[0007] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for wireless communication by a network node. The method generally includes: receiving a message including a data packet from a UE during a communication session; detecting whether the data packet is a last data packet transmitted or received by the UE during the communication session; determining whether to process or discard the data packet and whether to send a backoff timer to the UE based on the detection; and processing or discarding the data packet based on the determination.

[0008] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for wireless communication by a UE. The method generally includes: transmitting a data packet to a network node during a communication session; and receiving a message from the network node including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet. In certain aspects, the method further includes: determining whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message includes an accept message or a reject message; and indicating to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed based on the determination.

[0009] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communications by a network node. The apparatus generally includes: means for receiving a message including a data packet from a UE during a communication session; and means for detecting whether the data packet is the last data packet transmitted or received by the UE during the communication session. In certain aspects, the apparatus further includes: means for determining, based on the detection, whether to process or discard the data packet and whether to send a backoff timer to the UE; and means for processing or discarding the data packet based on the determination.

[0010] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communication by a UE. The apparatus generally includes: means for transmitting a data packet to a network node during a communication session; means for receiving a message from the network node including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet; in certain aspects, the apparatus may also include: means for determining whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message includes an acceptance message or a rejection message; and means for indicating to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed based on the determination.

[0011] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that cause a network node to: receive a message including a data packet from a UE during a communication session; detect whether the data packet is a last data packet transmitted or received by the UE during the communication session; determine, based on the detection, whether to process or discard the data packet and whether to send a backoff timer to the UE; and process or discard the data packet based on the determination.

[0012] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that cause a UE to: transmit a data packet to a network node during a communication session; and receive a message from the network node including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet. In certain aspects, the instructions cause the UE to: determine whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message includes an accept message or a reject message; and indicate to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed based on the determination.

[0013] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communication by a network node. The apparatus generally includes a receiver configured to receive a message including a data packet from a UE during a communication session. The apparatus may also include a processing system configured to: detect whether the data packet is the last data packet transmitted or received by the UE during the communication session; determine whether to process or discard the data packet and whether to send a backoff timer to the UE based on the detection; and process or discard the data packet based on the determination.

[0014] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a device method for wireless communication by a UE. The device generally includes a transmitter configured to transmit a data packet to a network node during a communication session and a receiver configured to receive a message from the network node including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet. In certain aspects, the device also includes a processing system configured to: determine whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message includes an acceptance message or a rejection message; and indicate to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed based on the determination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order that the manner in which the above-recited features of the present disclosure may be understood in detail, a more particular description of what has been briefly summarized above may be given with reference to various aspects, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings illustrate only certain typical aspects of the disclosure and are not to be considered limiting of its scope, as the description may admit to other equally effective aspects.

[0016] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network architecture.

[0017] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an access network.

[0018] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a DL frame structure in LTE.

[0019] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UL frame structure in LTE.

[0020] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a radio protocol architecture for a user plane and a control plane.

[0021] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an evolved NodeB and user equipment in an access network in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 7 Illustrated are example operations for communicating a control plane data backoff timer at registration, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 8 Illustrated are example operations for wireless communications by a network node, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 9 Illustrated are example operations for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 10 Illustrated are operations for communicating control plane service requests and control plane data backoff timers, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0026] To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one aspect may be beneficially utilized in other aspects without specific recitation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for handling data communications destined for a network when the network is overloaded. For example, in certain aspects, an MME may be configured to determine whether to process or discard a data packet received from a UE based on whether processing the data packet will result in further downlink and / or uplink communications. If further communications are expected and the MME has determined that the network is overloaded, the MME may discard the data packet, effectively avoiding further downlink and / or uplink communications.

[0028] The various aspects of the present disclosure are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to any specific structure or function given throughout the present disclosure. On the contrary, these aspects are provided to make the present disclosure thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Based on the teachings herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the present disclosure disclosed herein, whether it is implemented independently of or in combination with any other aspect of the present disclosure. For example, any number of aspects described herein can be used to implement a device or practice method. In addition, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover such devices or methods that are practiced using other structures, functionalities, or structures and functionalities that supplement or supplement the various aspects of the present disclosure described herein. It should be understood that any aspect of the present disclosure disclosed herein can be implemented by one or more elements of the claims. The wording "exemplary" is used herein to mean "used as an example, instance, or illustration." Any aspect described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be interpreted as being superior to or superior to other aspects.

[0029] Although specific aspects are described herein, numerous variations and permutations of these aspects fall within the scope of this disclosure. Although some benefits and advantages of preferred aspects are mentioned, the scope of this disclosure is not intended to be limited to specific benefits, uses, or objectives. Rather, various aspects of this disclosure are intended to be broadly applicable to different wireless technologies, system configurations, networks, and transmission protocols, some of which are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and the following description of preferred aspects. The detailed description and drawings merely illustrate the disclosure and do not limit it, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0030] The techniques described herein can be used in various wireless communication networks, such as code division multiple access (CDMA) networks, time division multiple access (TDMA) networks, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) networks, orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA) networks, single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) networks, and the like. The terms "network" and "system" are often used interchangeably. A CDMA network can implement radio technologies such as Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) and CDMA2000. UTRA includes Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA) and Low Chip Rate (LCR). CDMA2000 covers the IS-2000, IS-95, and IS-856 standards. A TDMA network can implement radio technologies such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). An OFDMA network can implement radio technologies such as Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.16, IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, and the like. UTRA, E-UTRA, and GSM are part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a version of UMTS that uses E-UTRA. It is designed to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectrum efficiency, reducing costs, improving services, utilizing new spectrum, and better integrating with other open standards using OFDMA on the downlink (DL), SC-FDMA on the uplink (UL), and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology. LTE, Advanced LTE, and other versions of LTE are collectively referred to as LTE. UTRA, E-UTRA, GSM, UMTS, and LTE are described in documents from an organization called the "3rd Generation Partnership Project" (3GPP). CDMA2000 is described in documents from an organization called the "3rd Generation Partnership Project 2" (3GPP2). These communication networks are listed merely as examples of networks in which the techniques described in the present disclosure may be applied; however, the present disclosure is not limited to the above communication networks.

[0031] Single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) is a transmission technique that utilizes single-carrier modulation on the transmitter side and frequency-domain equalization on the receiver side. SC-FDMA offers similar performance to OFDMA systems, with essentially the same overall complexity. However, SC-FDMA signals have a lower peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) due to their inherent single-carrier structure. SC-FDMA has attracted attention, particularly in uplink (UL) communications, where lower PAPR greatly benefits wireless nodes in terms of transmit power efficiency.

[0032] Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for uplink / downlink transmission design.

[0033] An access point ("AP") may include, be implemented as, or be referred to as, a Node B, a radio network controller ("RNC"), an evolved Node B (eNB), a base station controller ("BSC"), a base transceiver station ("BTS"), a base station ("BS"), a transceiver function ("TF"), a radio router, a radio transceiver, a basic service set ("BSS"), an extended service set ("ESS"), a radio base station ("RBS"), or some other terminology.

[0034] An access terminal ("AT") may include, be implemented as, or be referred to as, an access terminal, a subscriber station, a subscriber unit, a mobile station, a remote station, a remote terminal, a user terminal, a user agent, a user device, a user equipment (UE), a user station, a wireless node, or some other terminology. In some implementations, an access terminal may include a cellular phone, a smartphone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol ("SIP") phone, a wireless local loop ("WLL") station, a personal digital assistant ("PDA"), a tablet, a netbook, a smartbook, an ultrabook, a handheld device with wireless connectivity, a station ("STA"), or some other suitable processing device connected to a wireless modem. Accordingly, one or more aspects of the teachings herein may be incorporated into a phone (e.g., a cellular phone, a smartphone), a computer (e.g., a desktop), a portable communication device, a portable computing device (e.g., a laptop, a personal data assistant, a tablet, a netbook, a smartbook, an ultrabook), a wearable device (e.g., a smartwatch, smart / virtual reality glasses / eyepieces, smart / virtual reality helmets / headsets, a smart bracelet, a smart wristband, a smart ring, smart clothing, etc.), a medical device or equipment, a biometric sensor / device, an entertainment device (e.g., a music device, a video device, a satellite radio, a gaming device, etc.), a vehicle component or sensor, a smart meter / sensor, an industrial manufacturing equipment, a positioning / navigation device (e.g., GPS, BeiDou, Glonass, Galileo, ground-based, etc.), or any other suitable device configured to communicate via a wireless or wired medium. In some aspects, the node is a wireless node. A wireless node may, for example, provide connectivity to or to a network (e.g., a wide area network such as the Internet or a cellular network) via a wired or wireless communication link. Some UEs may be considered machine type communication (MTC) UEs, which may include remote devices that can communicate with a base station, another remote device, or some other entity. Machine type communication (MTC) may refer to communication involving at least one remote device at at least one end of the communication, and may include a form of data communication involving one or more entities that does not necessarily require human interaction. MTC UEs may include UEs capable of MTC communication with an MTC server and / or other MTC devices over, for example, a public land mobile network (PLMN). Examples of MTC devices include sensors, meters, location tags, monitors, drones, robots / robotic devices, etc. MTC UEs, as well as other types of UEs, may be implemented as NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) devices.

[0035] Note that while various aspects may be described herein using terminology generally associated with 3G and / or 4G wireless technology, various aspects of the present disclosure may be applied in communication systems based on other generations, such as 5G and later generations.

[0036] Example Wireless Communication System

[0037] Figure 1 1 is a diagram illustrating a network architecture 100 in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced. For example, a UE 102 may receive an uplink grant from an eNB 106 or 108 indicating one or more tones within a resource block (RB) allocated to the UE for narrowband communication. The UE 102 may then transmit using the one or more tones indicated in the uplink grant.

[0038] The network architecture 100 may be referred to as an evolved packet system (EPS) 100. The EPS 100 may include one or more user equipment (UE) 102, an evolved UMTS terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) 104, an evolved packet core (EPC) 110, a home subscriber server (HSS) 120, and an operator's IP services 122. The EPS may interconnect with other access networks, but for simplicity, those entities / interfaces are not shown. Exemplary other access networks may include an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) PDN, an Internet PDN, an administrative PDN (e.g., a provisioning PDN), a carrier-specific PDN, an operator-specific PDN, and / or a GPS PDN. As shown, the EPS provides packet-switched services, however, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, various concepts presented throughout this disclosure may be extended to networks providing circuit-switched services.

[0039] The network architecture 100 includes an evolved Node B (eNB) 106 and other eNBs 108. The eNB 106 provides user plane and control plane protocol terminations towards the UE 102. The eNB 106 can be connected to the other eNBs 108 via an X2 interface (e.g., backhaul). The eNB 106 can also be referred to as a base station, a base transceiver station, a radio base station, a radio transceiver, a transceiver function, a basic service set (BSS), an extended service set (ESS), an access point, or some other suitable terminology. The eNB 106 can provide an access point to the EPC 110 for the UE 102. Examples of UE 102 include cellular phones, smartphones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), satellite radios, global positioning systems, multimedia devices, video devices, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, game consoles, tablet devices, netbooks, smartbooks, ultrabooks, drones, robots, sensors, monitors, meters, cameras / security cameras, gaming devices, wearable devices (e.g., smart watches, smart glasses, smart rings, smart bracelets, smart wristbands, smart jewelry, smart clothing, etc.), and any other similarly functional devices. UE 102 may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a mobile station, subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, or some other suitable terminology.

[0040] The eNB 106 is connected to the EPC 110 via the S1 interface. The EPC 110 includes a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 112, other MMEs 114, a Serving Gateway 116, and a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway 118. The MME 112 is a control node that handles signaling between the UE 102 and the EPC 110. Generally speaking, the MME 112 provides bearer and connection management. All user IP packets are delivered through the Serving Gateway 116, which is itself connected to the PDN Gateway 118. The PDN Gateway 118 provides UE IP address allocation and other functions. The PDN Gateway 118 is connected to the operator's IP services 122. The operator's IP services 122 may include, for example, the Internet, an intranet, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), and a PS (Packet Switched) Streaming Service (PSS). In this way, the UE 102 can be coupled to the PDN via the network.

[0041] In certain aspects, the UE 102 may initiate a control plane service request to send data to the network. In some cases, the MME 112 may determine that the network is overloaded and may decide to return a data backoff timer to the UE 102 via a non-access stratum (NAS) message. For example, the UE 102 may indicate to the MME 112 via the eNB 106 that no further UL or DL ​​data transmission is expected. In this case, the MME 112 may process (integrity check / decrypt / forward) the received data packet and send a service accept message along with the backoff timer to the UE 102. The UE 102 may interpret the service accept message as a successful transmission of the data packet and start the backoff timer.

[0042] In certain aspects, the UE 102 may indicate to the MME 112 that further data transmission is expected, and therefore, the MME 112 may not process the received control plane data packets and may send a service reject message along with a backoff timer to the UE 102. In this case, the UE 102 may interpret the service reject message as an indication that the data packet transmission was unsuccessful.

[0043] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an access network 200 in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced. In this example, the access network 200 is divided into several cellular regions (cells) 202. One or more lower-power class eNBs 208 may have a cellular region 210 that overlaps with one or more cells 202. The lower-power class eNBs 208 may be referred to as remote radio heads (RRHs). The lower-power class eNBs 208 may be femtocells (e.g., home eNBs (HeNBs)), picocells, or microcells. Macro eNBs 204 are each assigned to a respective cell 202 and are configured to provide access points to the EPC 110 for all UEs 206 in the cell 202. In this example of the access network 200, there is no centralized controller, but a centralized controller may be used in alternative configurations. The eNBs 204 are responsible for all radio-related functions, including radio bearer control, admission control, mobility control, scheduling, security, and connectivity with the serving gateway 116. The network 200 may also include one or more relays (not shown). According to one application, a UE may function as a relay.

[0044] The modulation and multiple access schemes employed by access network 200 may vary depending on the specific telecommunications standard being deployed. In some applications, OFDM is used on the DL and SC-FDMA is used on the UL to support both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD). As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate from the detailed description below, the various concepts presented herein are well suited for certain applications. However, these concepts can be easily extended to other telecommunications standards that employ other modulation and multiple access techniques. As an example, these concepts can be extended to Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) or Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB). EV-DO and UMB are air interface standards promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) as part of the CDMA2000 family of standards, and employ CDMA to provide broadband Internet access to mobile stations. These concepts can also be extended to Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), which employs Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) and other CDMA variants such as TD-SCDMA; Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), which employs TDMA; and Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, and Flash-OFDM, which employ OFDMA. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE, and GSM are described in documents from the 3GPP organization. CDMA2000 and UMB are described in documents from the 3GPP2 organization. The actual wireless communication standard and multiple access technology employed will depend on the specific application and the overall design constraints imposed on the system.

[0045] The eNB 204 may have multiple antennas supporting MIMO technology. The use of MIMO technology enables the eNB 204 to exploit the spatial domain to support spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and transmit diversity. Spatial multiplexing can be used to simultaneously transmit different data streams on the same frequency. These data streams can be transmitted to a single UE 206 to increase the data rate or to multiple UEs 206 to increase the total system capacity. This is achieved by spatially precoding each data stream (e.g., applying amplitude and phase scaling) and then transmitting each spatially precoded stream on the DL through multiple transmit antennas. The spatially precoded data streams arrive at the UE(s) 206 with different spatial signatures that enable each UE 206 to recover the one or more data streams intended for that UE 206. On the UL, each UE 206 transmits a spatially precoded data stream, which enables the eNB 204 to identify the source of each spatially precoded data stream.

[0046] Spatial multiplexing is generally used when channel conditions are favorable. When channel conditions are less favorable, beamforming can be used to focus the transmit energy in one or more directions. This is achieved by spatially precoding the data for transmission via multiple antennas. To achieve good coverage at the cell edge, single-stream beamforming transmission can be combined with transmit diversity.

[0047] In the detailed description that follows, various aspects of the access network may be described with reference to a MIMO system supporting OFDM on the DL. OFDM is a spread spectrum technique that modulates data onto several subcarriers within an OFDM symbol. These subcarriers are separated by precise frequencies. This separation provides "orthogonality" that enables a receiver to recover the data from these subcarriers. In the time domain, a guard interval (e.g., a cyclic prefix) may be added to each OFDM symbol to combat inter-OFDM symbol interference. The UL may use SC-FDMA in the form of a DFT-spread OFDM signal to compensate for high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR).

[0048] In certain aspects, the UE 206 sends a control plane service request message from idle mode to transmit data to the eNB 204. In some cases, the MME (e.g., Figure 1 The MME 112 of the eNB 204 may determine that the network is overloaded and may decide to return a data backoff timer to the UE 206. The UE 206 may indicate to the MME via the eNB 204 that no further UL or DL ​​data transmission is expected. In this case, the MME may process (integrity check / decrypt / forward) the received data packets and send a NAS message with a service acceptance along with a backoff timer to the UE 206. The UE 206 may interpret the service acceptance message as a successful transmission of the data packets and start the backoff timer.

[0049] In some aspects, the UE 206 may indicate to the MME that further data transmission is expected, and therefore, the MME may not process the received control plane data packet and may send a NAS message with a service rejection and a backoff timer. In this case, the UE may interpret the service rejection message as an indication that the data packet transmission was unsuccessful.

[0050] Figure 3FIG300 is a diagram illustrating an example of a DL frame structure. A frame (10 ms) can be divided into 10 equally sized subframes with indices 0 to 9. Each subframe can include two consecutive time slots. The two time slots can be represented using a resource grid, each time slot including a resource block. The resource grid is divided into a plurality of resource elements. In some cases, a resource block contains 12 consecutive subcarriers in the frequency domain and, for a normal cyclic prefix in each OFDM symbol, contains 7 consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain, or 84 resource elements. For an extended cyclic prefix, a resource block contains 6 consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and has 72 resource elements. Some resource elements, such as those indicated as R 302 and R 304, comprise DL reference signals (DL-RS). DL-RS include cell-specific RS (CRS) (sometimes also referred to as common RS) 302 and UE-specific RS (UE-RS) 304. UE-RS 304 is transmitted only on the resource blocks to which the corresponding physical DL shared channel (PDSCH) is mapped. The number of bits carried by each resource element depends on the modulation scheme. Therefore, the more resource blocks a UE receives and the higher the modulation scheme, the higher the data rate of the UE.

[0051] In some cases, the eNB may transmit a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) for each cell in the eNB. The PSS and SSS may be sent in symbol periods 6 and 5, respectively, in each of subframes 0 and 5 of each radio frame with a normal cyclic prefix (CP). The synchronization signals may be used by UEs for cell detection and acquisition. The eNB may transmit a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) in symbol periods 0 through 3 in slot 1 of subframe 0. The PBCH may carry certain system information.

[0052] The eNB may send a Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) in the first symbol period of each subframe. The PCFICH may convey the number of symbol periods used for control channels (M), where M may be 1, 2, or 3 and may change from subframe to subframe. For small system bandwidths (e.g., with fewer than 10 resource blocks), M may also be 4. The eNB may send a Physical HARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH) and a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) in the first M symbol periods of each subframe. The PHICH may carry information for supporting hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ). The PDCCH may carry information regarding resource allocations to UEs and control information for downlink channels. The eNB may send a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) in the remaining symbol periods of each subframe. The PDSCH may carry data for UEs scheduled for data transmission on the downlink.

[0053] The eNB may transmit the PSS, SSS, and PBCH in the center 1.08 MHz of the system bandwidth used by the eNB. The eNB may transmit the PCFICH and PHICH across the entire system bandwidth in each symbol period in which these channels are transmitted. The eNB may transmit the PDCCH to groups of UEs in certain portions of the system bandwidth. The eNB may transmit the PDSCH to specific UEs in specific portions of the system bandwidth. The eNB may broadcast the PSS, SSS, PBCH, PCFICH, and PHICH to all UEs, unicast the PDCCH to specific UEs, and may also unicast the PDSCH to specific UEs.

[0054] Several resource elements are available in each symbol period. Each resource element (RE) may cover one subcarrier in a symbol period and may be used to transmit one modulation symbol, which may be real or complex valued. Resource elements in each symbol period not used for reference signals may be arranged into resource element groups (REGs). Each REG may include four resource elements in a symbol period. The PCFICH may occupy four REGs in symbol period 0, which may be spaced approximately equally across frequency. The PHICH may occupy three REGs in one or more configurable symbol periods, which may be spread across frequency. For example, the three REGs used for the PHICH may all belong to symbol period 0, or may be spread across symbol periods 0, 1, and 2. For example, the PDCCH may occupy 9, 18, 36, or 72 REGs in the first M symbol periods, which may be selected from the available REGs. Only certain REG combinations may be allowed for use by the PDCCH. In some aspects of the present methods and apparatus, a subframe may include more than one PDCCH.

[0055] The UE may be aware of the specific REGs used for the PHICH and PCFICH. The UE may search different REG combinations to find the PDCCH. The number of combinations to search is typically less than the number of combinations allowed for the PDCCH. The eNB may send the PDCCH to the UE in any combination that the UE will search.

[0056] Figure 4 FIG400 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UL frame structure. The resource blocks available for the UL can be divided into a data segment and a control segment. The control segment can be formed at both edges of the system bandwidth and can have a configurable size. Resource blocks in the control segment can be assigned to UEs for transmitting control information. The data segment can include all resource blocks not included in the control segment. This UL frame structure causes the data segment to include contiguous subcarriers, which allows a single UE to be assigned all contiguous subcarriers in the data segment.

[0057] The UE may be assigned resource blocks 410a, 410b in the control section for transmitting control information to the eNB. The UE may also be assigned resource blocks 420a, 420b in the data section for transmitting data to the eNB. The UE may transmit control information in a physical UL control channel (PUCCH) on the assigned resource blocks in the control section. The UE may transmit only data or both data and control information in a physical UL shared channel (PUSCH) on the assigned resource blocks in the data section. UL transmissions may span both slots of a subframe and may hop across frequency.

[0058] A set of resource blocks can be used to perform initial system access and achieve UL synchronization in the physical random access channel (PRACH) 430. The PRACH 430 carries a random sequence and cannot carry any UL data / signaling. Each random access preamble occupies a bandwidth corresponding to six consecutive resource blocks. The starting frequency is specified by the network. That is, the transmission of the random access preamble is restricted to certain time-frequency resources. There is no frequency hopping for the PRACH. A PRACH attempt is carried in a single subframe (1 ms) or in a sequence of several contiguous subframes, and a UE can only make a single PRACH attempt per frame (10 ms).

[0059] Figure 5 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a radio protocol architecture for the user plane and the control plane. The radio protocol architecture for the UE and eNB is shown as having three layers: Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3. Layer 1 (L1 layer) is the lowest layer and implements various physical layer signal processing functions. The L1 layer will be referred to herein as the physical layer 506. Layer 2 (L2 layer) 508 is above the physical layer 506 and is responsible for the link between the UE and the eNB above the physical layer 506.

[0060] In the user plane, the L2 layer 508 includes a medium access control (MAC) sublayer 510, a radio link control (RLC) sublayer 512, and a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) 514 sublayer, which terminate at the eNB on the network side. Although not shown, the UE may have several upper layers above the L2 layer 508, including a network layer (e.g., an IP layer) that terminates at the PDN gateway 118 on the network side, and an application layer that terminates at the other end of the connection (e.g., a remote UE, a server, etc.).

[0061] The PDCP sublayer 514 provides multiplexing between different radio bearers and logical channels. The PDCP sublayer 514 also provides header compression for upper layer data packets to reduce radio transmission overhead, provides security by encrypting data packets, and provides support for UE handover between eNBs. The RLC sublayer 512 provides segmentation and reassembly of upper layer data packets, retransmission of lost data packets, and reordering of data packets to compensate for out-of-order reception due to hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ). The MAC sublayer 510 provides multiplexing between logical channels and transport channels. The MAC sublayer 510 is also responsible for allocating various radio resources (e.g., resource blocks) in a cellular cell among the UEs. The MAC sublayer 510 is also responsible for HARQ operations.

[0062] In the control plane, the radio protocol architecture for the UE and eNB is essentially the same for the physical layer 506 and the L2 layer 508, except that there is no header compression function for the control plane. The control plane also includes a radio resource control (RRC) sublayer 516 in layer 3 (L3 layer). The RRC sublayer 516 is responsible for obtaining radio resources (i.e., radio bearers) and for configuring the lower layers using RRC signaling between the eNB and the UE.

[0063] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an eNB 610 and a UE 650 in communication in an access network in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced. In certain aspects, the UE 650 may correspond to Figure 1 UE 102, and eNB 610 may correspond to Figure 1 eNB 106. In certain aspects, a UE (e.g., UE 650) combines pairs of antenna ports to generate at least first and second combined antenna ports. For each combined port, the UE sums the reference signals received on the resource elements (REs) of each antenna port in the combined antenna port pair. The UE then determines a channel estimate for each combined antenna port based on the summed reference signals for that combined antenna port. In certain aspects, for each combined port, the UE processes data received on the data REs in each pair based on the determined channel estimate for that combined port.

[0064] In certain aspects, a base station (BS) (e.g., eNB 610) combines pairs of antenna ports to generate at least first and second combined antenna ports for transmission in a narrowband region of a larger system bandwidth. For each of the first and second combined antenna ports, the BS transmits identical data on corresponding REs of each of the combined antenna port pairs, wherein a receiving UE determines a channel estimate for each of the first and second combined ports and processes data received in the REs of each pair based on the determined channel estimate.

[0065] It may be noted that the UE 650 may be implemented by, for example, a combination of the controller 659, the RX processor 656, the channel estimator 658, and / or the transceiver 654 at the UE 650. Furthermore, the BS may be implemented by a combination of one or more of the controller 675, the TX processor, and / or the transceiver 618 at the eNB 610.

[0066] In the DL, upper layer packets from the core network are provided to the controller / processor 675. The controller / processor 675 implements the functionality of the L2 layer. In the DL, the controller / processor 675 provides header compression, encryption, packet segmentation and reordering, multiplexing between logical channels and transport channels, and allocation of radio resources to the UE 650 based on various priority metrics. The controller / processor 675 is also responsible for HARQ operations, retransmission of lost packets, and signaling to the UE 650.

[0067] The TX (transmit) processor 616 implements various signal processing functions for the L1 layer (i.e., the physical layer). These signal processing functions include coding and interleaving to facilitate forward error correction (FEC) at the UE 650, as well as mapping to signal constellations based on various modulation schemes (e.g., binary phase-shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK), M-phase-shift keying (M-PSK), and M-quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM)). The coded and modulated symbols are then split into parallel streams. Each stream is then mapped to an OFDM subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal (e.g., a pilot) in the time and / or frequency domain, and then combined using an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) to produce a physical channel carrying a time-domain OFDM symbol stream. The OFDM stream is spatially precoded to produce multiple spatial streams. Channel estimates from the channel estimator 674 can be used to determine the coding and modulation schemes and for spatial processing. The channel estimates can be derived from reference signals and / or channel condition feedback transmitted by the UE 650. Each spatial stream is then provided via a separate transmitter 618TX to a different antenna 620. Each transmitter 618TX modulates an RF carrier with a corresponding spatial stream for transmission.

[0068] At the UE 650, each receiver 654RX receives a signal via its corresponding antenna 652. Each receiver 654RX recovers the information modulated onto the RF carrier and provides the information to a receiver (RX) processor 656. The RX processor 656 implements various L1 signal processing functions. The RX processor 656 performs spatial processing on the information to recover any spatial streams destined for the UE 650. If multiple spatial streams are destined for the UE 650, they may be combined into a single OFDM symbol stream by the RX processor 656. The RX processor 656 then converts the OFDM symbol stream from the time domain to the frequency domain using a fast Fourier transform (FFT). The frequency domain signal includes a separate OFDM symbol stream for each subcarrier of the OFDM signal. The symbols on each subcarrier, as well as the reference signal, are recovered and demodulated by determining the signal constellation point most likely transmitted by the eNB 610. These soft decisions may be based on channel estimates calculated by the channel estimator 658. These soft decisions are then decoded and deinterleaved to recover the data and control signals originally transmitted on the physical channel by the eNB 610. These data and control signals are then provided to the controller / processor 659.

[0069] The controller / processor 659 implements the L2 layer. The controller / processor may be associated with a memory 660 that stores program codes and data. The memory 660 may be referred to as a computer-readable medium. In the UL, the controller / processor 659 provides demultiplexing between transport channels and logical channels, packet reassembly, cipher decoding, header decompression, and control signal processing to recover upper layer packets from the core network. These upper layer packets are then provided to a data sink 662, which represents all protocol layers above the L2 layer. Various control signals may also be provided to the data sink 662 for L3 processing. The controller / processor 659 is also responsible for error detection using an acknowledgment (ACK) and / or negative acknowledgment (NACK) protocol to support HARQ operations.

[0070] In the UL, data source 667 is used to provide upper layer packets to controller / processor 659. Data source 667 represents all protocol layers above the L2 layer. Similar to the functionality described in conjunction with DL transmissions performed by eNB 610, controller / processor 659 implements the L2 layers for the user plane and control plane by providing header compression, ciphering, packet segmentation and reordering, and multiplexing between logical channels and transport channels based on radio resource allocations performed by eNB 610. Controller / processor 659 is also responsible for HARQ operations, retransmission of lost packets, and signaling to eNB 610.

[0071] Channel estimates derived by a channel estimator 658 from a reference signal or feedback transmitted by the eNB 610 may be used by a TX processor 668 to select the appropriate coding and modulation scheme, and to facilitate spatial processing. The spatial streams generated by the TX processor 668 are provided to different antennas 652 via separate transmitters 654TX. Each transmitter 654TX modulates an RF carrier with a corresponding spatial stream for transmission.

[0072] UL transmissions are processed at the eNB 610 in a manner similar to that described with respect to the receiver functionality at the UE 650. Each receiver 618RX receives a signal through its corresponding antenna 620. Each receiver 618RX recovers information modulated onto an RF carrier and provides the information to the RX processor 670. The RX processor 670 may implement the L1 layer.

[0073] The controller / processor 675 implements the L2 layer. The controller / processor 675 may be associated with a memory 676 that stores program codes and data. Memory 676 may be referred to as a computer-readable medium. In the UL, the controller / processor 675 provides demultiplexing between transport and logical channels, packet reassembly, cipher decoding, header decompression, and control signal processing to recover upper layer packets from the UE 650. Upper layer packets from the controller / processor 675 may be provided to the core network. The controller / processor 675 is also responsible for error detection using ACK and / or NACK protocols to support HARQ operations. The controller / processors 675 and 659 may direct operations at the eNB 610 and UE 650, respectively.

[0074] The controller / processor 659 and / or other processors, components and / or modules at the UE 650 may perform or direct operations, e.g., Figure 8 Operations 800 in, and / or other processes for techniques described herein for implementing the new transmission scheme. Additionally, the controller / processor 675 and / or other processors, components, and / or modules at the eNB 610 may perform or direct operations, e.g., Figure 9 In some aspects, Figure 6 One or more of any components shown in the example operations 800 and 900 may be used to perform example operations 800 and 900, and / or other processes for the techniques described herein. Memories 660 and 676 may store data and program codes for the UE 650 and eNB 610, respectively, which may be accessed and executed by one or more other components of the UE 650 and eNB 610 (e.g., controllers / processors 675, 659).

[0075] In certain aspects, the UE 650 sends a control plane service request message 680 from idle mode to transmit data to the eNB 610. In some cases, the MME (e.g., Figure 1 The MME 112 of the eNB 610 may determine that the network is overloaded and may decide to return a data backoff timer to the UE 650. In certain aspects, the UE 650 may indicate to the MME via the eNB 610 that no further UL or DL ​​data transmission is expected. In this case, the MME may process (integrity check / decrypt / forward) the received data packets and send a NAS message with a service acceptance along with a backoff timer to the UE 650. The UE 650 may interpret the service acceptance message as a successful delivery of the data packets and start the backoff timer.

[0076] In certain aspects, the UE 650 may indicate to the MME that further data transmission is expected, and therefore, the MME may not process the received control plane data packets and may send a NAS message 682 with a reject of service and a back-off timer. In this case, the UE may interpret the reject of service message as an indication that the data packet transmission was unsuccessful.

[0077] Internet of Things

[0078] The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects or "things" embedded with, for example, electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity (e.g., wireless, wired, location-based, etc.) that enable them to collect and exchange data. The IoT allows objects to be remotely sensed and controlled across existing network infrastructure, thereby creating opportunities for more direct integration between the physical world and computer-based systems and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy, and economic benefits. When the IoT is augmented with sensors and actuators, the technology becomes an instance of a broader cyber-physical system that also encompasses technologies such as smart grids, smart homes, smart transportation, and smart cities. Each "thing" can generally be uniquely identified by its embedded computing system, but can interoperate within the existing Internet infrastructure.

[0079] Example Techniques for Processing Data Packets Received Over a Control Plane in Congestion Scenarios

[0080] In the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), downlink (DL) / uplink (UL) data packets may be communicated via control plane (CP) signaling (e.g., data on the non-access stratum between the UE and the MME). In certain aspects, the MME (e.g., Figure 1The MME 112 of the UE may identify that it is in a congested scenario. For example, the MME may determine that the network for the communication is congested. The MME may also receive UL data packets from the UE via control plane signaling. Due to the congested scenario, the MME may decide to process or discard the data packets from the UE. In some cases, the UE may further provide information regarding whether further messages (downlink (DL) or uplink (UL)) or data packets are expected from this communication. The MME may decide to process the received message (packet) because it has already been received. However, if the message is likely to trigger further messages, such as an ACK from an application server, the MME may decide to discard the message.

[0081] In some cases, a backoff timer may be provided by the MME to the UE. The backoff timer may indicate a period of time during which the UE may postpone data transmission to the MME. In some cases, the UE may send a service request message along with data packets using EPS Session Management (ESM) data transport. Subsequently, the overloaded MME may send a service accept message along with the data backoff timer. However, the UE may not be aware of whether the MME has processed the received data packets and forwarded them to the correct core network (CN) node (i.e., service capability exposure function (SCEF) or SGW).

[0082] In some aspects, if the MME sends a service accept to the UE, the UE may assume that the MME has correctly processed and forwarded the data packets sent by the UE (e.g., CP data packets). However, this may cause problems in situations where the UL data packets sent by the UE trigger a message response (e.g., ACK) from the application server or trigger further message exchange flows. Because the MME's intention is to stop data transport for the UE, in situations where further message exchanges may occur for the UE, it is better for the MME to reject the service request and discard any data packets contained therein. In this situation, the MME may send a service reject message including a data backoff timer to the UE. The UE may interpret this indication as an unsuccessful transmission of the data packets. The unsuccessful transmission of the data may be indicated to the upper layers of the UE (e.g., the application layer).

[0083] In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the UE may indicate to the MME in the Release Assistance Information (RAI) in a NAS Protocol Data Unit (PDU) that no further UL or DL ​​data transmission is expected. In this case, because the MME has already received the data packet and determined based on the indication from the UE that no further packets are expected, the MME may process and forward the data packet to the CN, in which case the MME may send a Service Accept with Data Backoff Timer. In certain aspects of the present disclosure, if the MME sends a Service Accept with Data Backoff Timer during the Service Request procedure, the MME also processes and forwards data packets received in the Service Request message.

[0084] Figure 7 Illustrated are example operations 700 for communicating a control plane data backoff timer at registration in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in step 1, the UE may send an Attach or Tracking Area Update (TAU) request to the MME. The preferred network behavior may be control plane Cellular IoT (CIoT) optimization. The MME may then determine whether a backoff timer is to be sent to the UE. For example, the MME may determine that the network is overloaded and a backoff timer should be sent to the UE. In step 2, if the MME is overloaded or close to being overloaded due to data transfer via the control plane (based on a threshold or policy set by the operator), it may accept the registration request (e.g., Attach / TAU Request) from the UE, but may return a control plane data backoff timer via an Attach / TAU Accept message to indicate when the UE should defer data transmission. At this point, the UE may start the backoff timer.

[0085] Figure 8 Illustrated are example operations 800 for wireless communications in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. Operations 800 may be performed, for example, by an MME such as Figure 1 MME 112) to execute.

[0086] Operations 800 begin at block 802 by receiving a message including a data packet from a user equipment (UE) during a communication session. At block 804, the MME may detect whether the data packet is the last data packet transmitted or received by the UE during the communication session. For example, in some cases, the MME may receive an indication from the UE indicating whether the data packet is the last data packet. In other cases, the UE may not send an indication of whether the data packet is the last data packet, and the lack of such an indication from the UE may indicate to the MME that the data packet is the last data packet. In other words, the UE may only provide the MME with an indication of whether the data packet is the last data packet during the communication session.

[0087] At block 806, operations 800 continue by the MME determining, based on the detection, whether to process or discard the data packet and whether to send a backoff timer to the UE. For example, the MME may detect whether the network used to receive the data packet is overloaded. At block 808, the MME may process or discard the data packet based on the determination at block 806. For example, if it is determined that the data packet is not the last data packet, the MME may discard the data packet, or otherwise process the data packet.

[0088] In some cases, the MME may receive a service request (e.g., a CP service request) along with the data packet (e.g., a CP data packet). As described above, the MME may determine to send a data backoff timer indication to the UE. If the UE indicates (e.g., in a Release Assistance Information (RAI) in a NAS Protocol Data Unit (PDU)) that no further UL or DL ​​data transmission is expected (e.g., the data packet is the last data packet to be transmitted or received), the MME may process (integrity check / decrypt / forward to another network node) the received data packet and send a Service Accept message to the UE along with the Data Backoff Timer. In this case, the UE may interpret receipt of the Service Accept message as successful transmission of the data packet (e.g., the MME processed the data packet). For other cases (e.g., no RAI or RAI with further DL expected), the MME may not process the data packet and send a Service Reject message to the UE along with the Data Backoff Timer. The UE may interpret the Service Reject message as unsuccessful transmission of the data packet.

[0089] Figure 9 900 for wireless communications in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. Operations 900 may be performed, for example, by a UE such as Figure 1 UE 102) to execute.

[0090] Operations 900 begin at block 902 by transmitting a data packet to a network node (e.g., MME 112) during a communication session. At block 904, the UE may receive a message from the network node including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet. At block 906, the UE may determine whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message includes an acceptance message or a rejection message. At block 908, the UE may indicate to upper layers of the UE (e.g., an application layer) whether the data packet has been processed based on the determination.

[0091] In certain aspects, the UE may move the communication session to the user plane of the UE based on the message. For example, the UE may execute a NAS procedure to request a network node (e.g., MME 112) to enable data communication over a data radio bearer (DRB), i.e., the user plane. This may be accomplished by performing a registration update (e.g., TAU) with a data pending indication or a regular service request procedure to enable DRBs. The registration update triggers the MME to request the radio access node (e.g., eNB) to establish DRBs for all PDN connections that are allowed to be served over DRBs, including PDN connections where data communication was previously served over a CP path. The MME also establishes an S1-U tunnel between the S-GW and the eNB for user plane data transmission. Once the DRBs for the PDN connections are established between the UE and the radio access node, the UE begins data communication over the user plane, i.e., over DRBs plus S1-U.

[0092] As presented above, a UE may receive a backoff timer from a network node. In certain aspects of the present disclosure, if a UE receives a data packet (e.g., a mobile terminated (MT) CP data packet) while a data backoff timer is running, the UE may stop the backoff timer and continue data transmission. For example, an MME may send a data backoff timer to a UE when it is overloaded, but the MME may stop the overload before the backoff timer expires. Thus, the MME may receive MT data for the UE and, because the MME is no longer overloaded, may continue to deliver the data packet to the UE. In this case, the UE may interpret the receipt of the data packet as an indication that the MME is not overloaded and, therefore, stop the backoff timer.

[0093] If the UE is prevented from sending any data during the backoff timer, several problems may arise. In some cases, the application server will expect a response message (e.g., ACK) from the UE when sending an MT data packet. However, if the UE is not allowed to transmit an ACK, the message transaction may fail at the application layer. In addition, if the MME is no longer congested, there may be no reason to prevent the UE from sending mobile originated (MO) data (even data other than ACKs for MT data). In certain aspects of the present disclosure, when the UE receives MT data from the MME while the data backoff timer is running, the UE can stop the backoff timer.

[0094] Figure 10Illustrated are operations 1000 for communicating a control plane service request and a control plane data backoff timer in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. In step 1, the UE initiates a control plane service request from idle mode to transmit data (e.g., via control plane CIoT EPS optimization). If the MME is overloaded or nearly overloaded with data transfer via the control plane (based on a threshold or policy set by the operator), the MME may decide to return a data backoff timer to the UE. For example, if the UE additionally indicates in the RAI in the NAS PDU that no further UL or DL ​​data transmission is expected, the MME may process (integrity check / decrypt / forward) the received data packet and send a service accept message with a backoff timer to the UE. In this case, the UE may interpret the service accept message as a successful transmission of the data packet and start a backoff timer.

[0095] For other situations, such as when the UE indicates to the MME that further data transmission is expected, the MME may not process the received control plane data packet and may send a service rejection message to the UE along with a backoff timer. In this situation, the UE may interpret the service rejection message as an indication that the data packet transmission was unsuccessful (e.g., not processed by the MME). At this point, the UE may start a backoff timer. In some aspects, the MME may take into account whether the PDN connection for the communication session is set up only to the control plane in making a decision whether to reject the data packet and send a service rejection message or to move the PDN connection to the user plane and process the data packet.

[0096] In certain aspects, while the backoff timer is running, if a NAS data PDU with user data is included (i.e., data delivery optimized via the control plane CIoT EPS), the UE may not send any NAS messages to the MME. However, there are some exceptions. For example, if the UE is configured as a low-priority device and is allowed to send exception reports, the UE may initiate a control plane service request for the exception report even if the backoff timer is running. If the UE receives a NAS message with a backoff timer (e.g., service accept or service reject) in response to the exception report, the UE may no longer send any exception reports while the backoff timer is running. In addition, as presented above, if the UE receives MT data while the backoff timer is running, the UE may stop the backoff timer.

[0097] The methods disclosed herein include one or more steps or actions for implementing the described methods. These method steps and / or actions may be interchangeable with one another without departing from the scope of the claims. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is specified, the order and / or use of the specific steps and / or actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0098] As used herein, a phrase referring to "at least one of" a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including individual members. As an example, "at least one of a, b, or c" is intended to encompass: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, and abc, as well as any combination with multiples of the same elements (e.g., aa, aaa, aab, aac, abb, acc, bb, bbb, bbc, cc, and ccc, or any other ordering of a, b, and c).

[0099] As used herein, the term "determining" encompasses a wide variety of actions. For example, "determining" may include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, searching (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), ascertaining, and the like. Furthermore, "determining" may include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory), and the like. Furthermore, "determining" may also include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

[0100] In some cases, a device may not actually transmit frames, but may instead have an interface for outputting frames for transmission. For example, a processor may output frames to an RF front-end for transmission via a bus interface. Similarly, a device may not actually receive frames, but may instead have an interface for obtaining frames received from another device. For example, a processor may obtain (or receive) frames from an RF front-end for transmission via a bus interface.

[0101] The various operations of the methods described above may be performed by any suitable device capable of performing the corresponding functions. These devices may include various hardware and / or software components and / or modules, including but not limited to circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or processors. Generally speaking, where there are operations illustrated in the figures, these operations may have corresponding counterpart means-plus-function components with similar numbering.

[0102] For example, means for moving, means for determining, means for monitoring, means for deferring, means for processing, means for indicating, and / or means for including may include a processing system that may include one or more processors, such as Figure 6 The TX processor 616, transmitter(s) 618, and / or controller / processor 675 of the eNB 610 illustrated in FIG. Figure 6 The TX processor 668, transmitter(s) 654, and / or controller / processor 659 of the user equipment 650 illustrated in FIG. Means for transmitting and / or means for sending may include a transmitter that may include Figure 6The TX processor 616, transmitter(s) 618, and / or antenna(s) 620 of the eNB 610 illustrated in FIG. Figure 6 TX processor 668, transmitter(s) 654, and / or antenna(s) 652 of user equipment 650 illustrated in FIG. Means for receiving may include a receiver that may include Figure 6 The RX processor 670, receiver(s) 618 and / or antenna(s) 620 of the eNB 610 illustrated in FIG. Figure 6 RX processor 656, receiver(s) 654, and / or antenna(s) 652 of user equipment 650 are illustrated in FIG.

[0103] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the present disclosure may be implemented or executed with a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device (PLD), discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof, designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any commercially available processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0104] If implemented in hardware, an example hardware configuration may include a processing system in a wireless node. The processing system may be implemented using a bus architecture. Depending on the specific application of the processing system and the overall design constraints, the bus may include any number of interconnecting buses and bridges. The bus may link together various circuits, including a processor, machine-readable media, and a bus interface. The bus interface may be used to connect a network adapter, etc., to the processing system via the bus. The network adapter may be used to implement signal processing functions at the PHY layer. In the case of a wireless node, a user interface (e.g., a keypad, display, mouse, joystick, etc.) may also be connected to the bus. The bus may also link various other circuits, such as timing sources, peripherals, voltage regulators, power management circuits, and the like, which are well known in the art and will not be described further. The processor may be implemented using one or more general-purpose and / or special-purpose processors. Examples include microprocessors, microcontrollers, DSP processors, and other circuit systems capable of executing software. Those skilled in the art will recognize how to best implement the functionality described with respect to the processing system, depending on the specific application and the overall design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0105] If implemented in software, each function may be stored as one or more instructions or codes on or transmitted via a computer-readable medium. Software should be broadly interpreted to mean instructions, data, or any combination thereof, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media, including any media that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. The processor may be responsible for managing the bus and general processing, including executing software modules stored on a machine-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium may be coupled to the processor so that the processor can read and write information from / to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. As an example, the machine-readable medium may include a transmission line, a carrier modulated by data, and / or a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that is separate from the wireless node, all of which may be accessed by the processor via a bus interface. Alternatively or in addition, the machine-readable medium or any portion thereof may be integrated into the processor, such as a cache and / or general register file. As examples, examples of machine-readable storage media may include RAM (random access memory), flash memory, phase change memory, ROM (read-only memory), PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), registers, magnetic disks, optical disks, hard drives, or any other suitable storage media, or any combination thereof. Machine-readable media may be embodied in a computer program product.

[0106] A software module may include a single instruction or many instructions and may be distributed across several different code segments, between different programs, and across multiple storage media. A computer-readable medium may include several software modules. These software modules include instructions that, when executed by a device (such as a processor), cause a processing system to perform various functions. These software modules may include a transmitting module and a receiving module. Each software module may reside in a single storage device or be distributed across multiple storage devices. As an example, when a triggering event occurs, a software module may be loaded from a hard drive into RAM. During the execution of the software module, the processor may load some instructions into a cache to increase access speed. One or more cache lines may then be loaded into a general register file for execution by the processor. When describing the functionality of a software module below, it will be understood that such functionality is implemented by the processor when the processor executes instructions from the software module.

[0107] Any connection is also properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technology (such as infrared (IR), radio, and microwave), then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technology (such as infrared, radio, and microwave) is included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and Disks, where disks often reproduce data magnetically, and discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Thus, in some aspects, computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable media (e.g., tangible media). Additionally, for other aspects, computer-readable media may include transient computer-readable media (e.g., signals). Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0108] Thus, certain aspects may include a computer program product for performing the operations presented herein. For example, such a computer program product may include a computer-readable medium having instructions stored (and / or encoded) thereon, which instructions can be executed by one or more processors to perform the operations described herein.

[0109] In addition, it should be appreciated that the modules and / or other appropriate means for performing the methods and techniques described herein can be downloaded and / or otherwise obtained by the wireless node and / or base station where applicable. For example, such a device can be coupled to a server to facilitate the transfer of the means for performing the methods described herein. Alternatively, the various methods described herein can be provided via a storage device (e.g., RAM, ROM, a physical storage medium such as a compact disc (CD) or floppy disk, etc.) so that once the storage device is coupled to or provided to the wireless node and / or base station, the device can obtain the various methods. In addition, any other suitable technology suitable for providing the methods and techniques described herein to a device may be utilized.

[0110] It will be understood that the claims are not limited to the precise configuration and components illustrated above. Various changes, substitutions and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the methods and apparatus described above without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising: transmitting a communication to a network node during a communication session, the communication comprising a data packet and an indication of whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; receiving, from the network node, a message including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet; determining whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message comprises an accept message or a reject message, wherein the message comprising the accept message or the reject message is based at least on the indication as to whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; as well as Based on the determination, indicating to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the communication session to a user plane of the UE based on the message.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining to defer moving the communication session to the user plane if the message includes a service accept message indicating that the data packet has been processed by the network node; as well as Moving the communication session is deferred based on the determination.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: It is determined that another data packet is to be transmitted to the network node, wherein deferring the movement of the communication session includes moving the communication session upon determining that the another data packet is to be transmitted.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a data packet from the network node while the backoff timer is running; as well as In response to receiving the data packet, the backoff timer is stopped.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the received data packets comprise mobile terminated (MT) data packets.

7. An apparatus for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising: means for transmitting a communication to a network node during a communication session, the communication comprising a data packet and an indication of whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; means for receiving from the network node a message including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet; means for determining whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message comprises an accept message or a reject message, wherein the message comprising an accept message or a reject message is based at least on the indication as to whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; as well as means for indicating to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed based on the determination.

8. An apparatus for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: transmitting a communication to a network node during a communication session, the communication comprising a data packet and an indication of whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; receiving, from the network node, a message including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet; determining whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message comprises an accept message or a reject message, wherein the message comprising the accept message or the reject message is based at least on the indication as to whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; as well as Based on the determination, indicating to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to move the communication session to a user plane of the UE based on the message.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: determining to defer moving the communication session to the user plane if the message includes a service accept message indicating that the data packet has been processed by the network node; and Moving the communication session is deferred based on the determination.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: determining that another data packet is to be transmitted to the network node; and Moving the communication session is deferred by moving the communication session upon determining that the further data packet is to be transmitted.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: receiving a data packet from the network node while the backoff timer is running; and In response to receiving the data packet, the backoff timer is stopped.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the received data packets comprise mobile terminated (MT) data packets.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for wireless communications by a mobile equipment (UE), the non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code stored thereon, the program code being configured to cause the UE to: transmitting a communication to a network node during a communication session, the communication comprising a data packet and an indication of whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; receiving, from the network node, a message including an indication of a backoff timer in response to the data packet; determining whether the data packet has been processed by the network node based on whether the message comprises an accept message or a reject message, wherein the message comprising the accept message or the reject message is based at least on the indication as to whether the data packet is a final data packet for transmission or reception by the UE during the communication session; as well as Based on the determination, indicating to upper layers of the UE whether the data packet has been processed.

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