# US 10,375,665 B2 · Method and apparatus for supporting access control and mobility management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,665 B2 - Document ID: US10375665B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/881,605 - Filed: 2018-01-26 - Published: 2018-08-09 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-06 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Xu Li; Hang Zhang - Inventors: Xu Li; Hang Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375665B2 ## CPC - H04W 60/04: using triggered events - H04W 8/02: Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H04W 60/00: Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration - H04W 76/20: Manipulation of established connections - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - H04W 76/38: triggered by timers - H04W 88/02: Terminal devices - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract The present application provides a method and apparatus for supporting general registration of user equipment to facilitate MO only mode preferences. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for managing a connection of a user equipment (UE) to a network, the method comprising actions at an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the network of: receiving a registration request from the UE comprising a mobile initiated connection only (MICO) mode preference; and transmitting a response to the UE, the response including a determination indicating that the MICO mode is allowed for the UE, a value of a periodic registration update timer, and an indication for disabling the UE's reset of the periodic registration update timer before the periodic registration update timer expires. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: when a communication activity schedule suggests the absence of at least one of a downlink and network-initiated communication with the UE, determining that the MICO mode is allowed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: obtaining the communication activity schedule from a unified data management (UDM) function. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: when a communication activity suggests a scheduled at least one of the downlink and network-initiated communication with the UE at a specified future time, determining that the MICO mode is allowed and the value of the periodic registration update timer value is such that the periodic registration update timer will expire before the specified future time occurs. ### Claim 5 An access and mobility management function (AMF) node of a network comprising: a processor; and a machine-readable memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the AMF node to perform actions of managing a connection of a user equipment (UE) to the network including: receiving a registration request from the UE comprising a mobile initiated connection only (MICO) mode preference; and transmitting a response to the UE, the response including a determination indicating that the MICO mode is allowed for the UE, a value of a periodic registration update timer, and an indication for disabling the UE's reset of the periodic registration update timer before the periodic registration update timer expires. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The AMF node of claim 5, further comprising instructions to cause the AMF node to perform actions including: when a communication activity schedule suggests the absence of at least one of a downlink and network-initiated communication with the UE, determining that the MICO mode is allowed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The AMF node of claim 6, further comprising instructions to cause the AMF node to perform actions including: obtaining the communication activity schedule from a unified data management (UDM) function. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The AMF node of claim 5, further comprising instructions to cause the AMF node to perform actions including: when a communication activity suggests a scheduled at least one of the downlink and network-initiated communication with the UE at a future time, determining that the MICO mode is allowed and the value of the periodic registration update timer value is such that the periodic registration update timer will expire before the future time occurs. ### Claim 9 A method for managing a connection of a user equipment (UE) to a network, the method comprising actions at the UE including: transmitting a registration request comprising a mobile initiated connection only (MICO) mode preference to an access and mobility management function (AMF) in the network; receiving a response from the AMF, the response including a determination indicating that the MICO mode is allowed, a value of a periodic registration update timer, and an indication for disabling the UE's reset of the periodic registration update timer before the periodic registration update timer expires; starting the periodic registration update timer after receiving the response, where a duration of the periodic registration update timer is equal to the received value; and keeping the periodic registration update timer running irrespective of a transition from an idle state to a state of connection to the network until expiry of the periodic registration update timer according to the indication. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein, upon expiry of the periodic registration update timer, performing a periodic registration update. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: entering the MICO mode after receiving the response. ### Claim 12 A user equipment (UE) comprising: a processor; and a machine-readable memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the UE to perform actions for managing a connection of the UE to a network including: transmitting a registration request comprising a mobile initiated connection only (MICO) mode preference to an access and mobility management function (AMF) in the network; receiving a response from the AMF, the response including a determination indicating that the MICO mode is allowed, a value of a periodic registration update timer, and an indication for disabling the UE's reset of the periodic registration update timer before the periodic registration update timer expires; starting the periodic registration update timer after receiving the response, where a duration of the periodic registration update timer is equal to the received value; and keeping the periodic registration update timer running irrespective of a transition from an idle state to a state of connection to the network until expiry of the periodic registration update timer according to the indication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, further comprising instructions to cause the UE to perform actions including: upon expiry of the periodic registration update timer, performing a periodic registration update. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, further comprising instructions to cause the UE to perform actions including: entering the MICO mode after receiving the response.