RRC Light Connected State Handling for Faster Cell Reselection

The patent segments the RRC state management by introducing a distinct RRC_Light_Connected state with specific handling procedures. The state transition is divided into clear phases: entering RRC_Light_Connected from RRC_Connected, performing cell reselection within this state, and transitioning back to RRC_Connected. This segmentation provides structured management for what would otherwise be an ambiguous intermediate state.

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining the complete handling procedure for RRC_Light_Connected state transitions. The network configures the UE with specific parameters and procedures before the UE enters this state, including cell reselection criteria and transition conditions. This preliminary configuration eliminates uncertainty during the actual state transition and cell reselection process.

The patent applies universality by making the RRC_Connected configurations multi-functional. The same configuration set serves both the RRC_Connected state and the RRC_Light_Connected state. The UE maintains these configurations without full reconfiguration when transitioning to light connected state, and the network can activate or deactivate the same configuration resources based on the UE's state, eliminating the need for separate configuration sets for each state.

The patent applies discarding and recovering by allowing the UE to temporarily discard full RRC reconfiguration procedures when entering RRC_Light_Connected state, relying instead on maintained configurations. When the UE needs to return to full RRC_Connected mode, it recovers the complete configuration set from the network. This approach saves time during brief transitions while maintaining the ability to recover full configurations when needed.