Methods and apparatus for managing paging in a wireless communication network

A method in a terminal device of a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network further comprising a network node, the terminal device being configurable in a plurality of radio resource control (RRC) states, the plurality of RRC states comprising a first RRC state in which the terminal device is configured with first paging occasions to listen for paging messages from the network node, the method comprising:

• being configured with one or more second paging occasions responsive to one or more trigger events relating to a transition of the terminal device one of from the first RRC state to a second RRC state and from the second state to the first RRC state, being configured with one or more second paging occasions comprising one taken from the group consisting of receiving system information from the network node indicating the second paging occasions, and receiving from the network node a dedicated control message indicating the second paging occasions;
• and
• while in the first RRC state, listening for paging messages from the network node during the one or more second paging occasions in addition to the first paging occasions, the dedicated control message further relating to a transition of the terminal device one of from the first RRC state and to the first RRC state.

A method in a wireless communication network, the wireless communication network comprising a first network node and a terminal device, the terminal device being configurable in a plurality of radio resource control (RRC) states, the plurality of RRC states comprising a first RRC state in which the terminal device is configured with first paging occasions to listen for paging messages from the first network node, the method comprising:

• configuring the terminal device with one or more second paging occasions for the terminal device to listen for paging messages from the first network node, in addition to the first paging occasions, while the terminal device is in the first RRC state responsive to one or more trigger events relating to a transition of the terminal device one of from the first RRC state to a second RRC state and from the second RRC state to the first RRC state, the at least one trigger event comprising receiving a data transmission from the terminal device during a temporary transition from the first RRC state to the second RRC state, the data transmission comprising a small data transmission.

A network node for a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network further comprising a terminal device, the terminal device being configurable in a plurality of radio resource control (RRC) states, the plurality of RRC states comprising a first RRC state in which the terminal device is configured with first paging occasions to listen for paging messages from the network node, the network node comprising processing circuitry and a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium storing code that, when executed by the processing circuitry, causes the network node to:

• configure the terminal device with one or more second paging occasions for the terminal device to listen for paging messages from the network node, in addition to the first paging occasions, while the terminal device is in the first RRC state, responsive to at least one trigger event relating to a transition of the terminal device one of from the first RRC state to a second RRC state and from the second RRC state to the first RRC state, the at least one trigger event comprising receiving a data transmission from the terminal device during a temporary transition from the first RRC state to the second RRC state, the data transmission comprising a small data transmission.

A terminal device for a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising a network node, wherein the terminal device is configurable in a plurality of radio resource control (RRC) states, the plurality of RRC states comprising a first RRC state in which the terminal device is configured with first paging occasions to listen for paging messages from the network node, the terminal device comprising processing circuitry and a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium storing code that, when executed by the processing circuitry, causes the terminal device to:

• be configured with one or more second paging occasions responsive to at least one trigger event relating to a transition of the terminal device one of from the first RRC state to the second RRC state and from the second RRC state to the first RRC state, the at least one trigger event comprising transmitting a data transmission during a temporary transition from the first RRC state to the second RRC state, the data transmission comprising a small data transmission;
• and
• while in the first RRC state, listen for paging messages from the network node during the one or more second paging occasions in addition to the first paging occasions.