RRC Connection Cause Configuration for ProSe Relay UEs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ProSe UE-to-network relay architecture in LTE systems does not distinguish between relay UE and remote UE traffic, limiting end-to-end security and quality of service, and requires improvements for efficient operation and path switching between Uu and D2D wireless interfaces, especially in deep coverage scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for configuring radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment for relay user equipment in idle mode, allowing the relay UE to perform RRC connection establishment procedures based on RRC connection establishment causes received from remote UEs for proximity-based services (ProSe) UE-to-network relay, enabling efficient RRC connection management and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ProSe UE-to-network relay architecture does not distinguish between relay UE and remote UE traffic, then the system structure remains simple, but end-to-end security and quality of service cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traffic handling by introducing separate RRC connection establishment causes for relay UE and remote UE. The relay UE uses cause value 'prose-RelayAccess' while remote UE uses 'prose-RemoteAccess', enabling the network to distinguish and process their traffic separately, thus ensuring end-to-end security without fundamentally changing the overall architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism through the RRC connection establishment cause field, which acts as a mediator between the relay UE and the network. This field carries information about the remote UE's access requirements, allowing the network to provide appropriate security and QoS treatment without direct complexity in the relay architecture.
2Productivity
If the relay UE performs RRC connection establishment without specific cause configuration, then the connection setup is simple, but service continuity and efficient operation cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by configuring the RRC connection establishment cause in advance before the actual connection establishment. The relay UE receives and stores the cause value from the remote UE, then uses this pre-configured information when initiating RRC connection with the network, ensuring efficient and continuous service without complex real-time decision-making.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the relay UE uses generic RRC connection establishment procedure, then the procedure is simple to implement, but path switching between Uu and D2D interfaces cannot be efficiently managed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the RRC connection establishment cause specific to the relay scenario. Instead of using generic cause values, the patent introduces 'prose-RelayAccess' as a localized cause type that provides path switching capability specifically for relay operations, while keeping the overall RRC procedure structure unchanged.
Data Source
AI summary
In the performance of a proximity-based services (ProSe) user equipment (UE)-to-network relay operation, when a remote UE needs to transmit control/user plane data to a network, a relay UE may be in a radio resource control (RRC) idle state. At this time, the relay UE receives an RRC connection establishment cause from the remote UE, and performs an RRC connection establishment procedure for the ProSe UE-to-network relay of the remote UE on the basis of the received RRC connection establishment cause.