Validity time of system information in a wireless communication system

A method, performed by a radio network node configured for use in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• transmitting system information and a value tag indicating a version of the system information;
• wherein the value tag implicitly indicates a validity time period for which the version of the system information is deemed valid;
• wherein the value tag is one of multiple different possible value tags;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively associated with different possible validity time periods;
• wherein a table at the radio network node maps each different possible value tab to one of the different possible validity time periods;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively mapped to different possible validity time periods.

A user equipment configured for use in a wireless communication system, the user equipment comprising:

• radio circuitry;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to receive, via the radio circuitry, system information and a value tag indicating a version of the system information;
• wherein the value tag implicitly indicates a validity time period for which the version of the system information is deemed valid;
• wherein the value tag is one of multiple different possible value tags;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively associated with different possible validity time periods;
• wherein a table at the user equipment maps each different possible value tag to one of the different possible validity time periods;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively mapped to different possible validity time periods.

A radio network node configured for use in a wireless communication system, the radio network node comprising:

• radio circuitry;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to transmit, via the radio circuitry, system information and a value tag indicating a version of the system information;
• wherein the value tag implicitly indicates a validity time period for which the version of the system information is deemed valid;
• wherein the value tag is one of multiple different possible value tags;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively associated with different possible validity time periods;
• wherein a table at the radio network node maps each different possible value tag to one of the different possible validity time periods;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively mapped to different possible validity time periods.

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a computer program product for controlling a user equipment configured for use in a wireless communication system, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on processing circuitry of the user equipment, causes the user equipment to:

• receive system information and a value tag indicating a version of the system information;
• wherein the value tag implicitly indicates a validity time period for which the version of the system information is deemed valid;
• wherein the value tag is one of multiple different possible value tags;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively associated with different possible validity time periods;
• wherein a table at the user equipment maps each different possible value tag to one of the different possible validity time periods;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively mapped to different possible validity time periods.

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a computer program product for controlling a radio network node configured for use in a wireless communication system, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on processing circuitry of the radio network node, causes the radio network node to:

• transmit system information and a value tag indicating a version of the system information;
• wherein the value tag implicitly indicates a validity time period for which the version of the system information is deemed valid;
• wherein the value tag is one of multiple different possible value tags;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively associated with different possible validity time periods;
• wherein a table at the radio network node maps each different possible value tag to one of the different possible validity time periods;
• wherein at least two of the different possible value tags are respectively mapped to different possible validity time periods.