Transitioning to cell DCH RRC state to report application-level measurement

A method in a radio access network, RAN, node comprising:

• transmitting a request for a measurement report to a user equipment, UE, node, for an application operating in the UE at a layer above a radio resource control, RRC, protocol layer of the UE;
• receiving a cell update message from the UE, wherein the cell update message indicates that the UE has the measurement report available to send;
• transmitting instructions to the UE instructing the UE to transition to a CELL_DCH RRC state;
• and
• receiving the measurement report from the UE while the UE is in the CELL_DCH RRC state.

A user equipment, UE, node, comprising:

• a transceiver, the transceiver containing components whereby the UE is operative to provide wireless communication over a radio interface;
• and
• a processor coupled with the transceiver, wherein the processor containing components to provide communication with a radio access network, RAN, node through the transceiver, and whereby the processor is operative to:
• receive a request from a radio access network for a measurement report for an application operating at a layer above a radio resource control, RRC, protocol layer;
• generate the measurement report in response to the request;
• determine a current RRC connected state of the UE when the measurement report is ready to be sent;
• in response to determining that the current RRC connected state of the UE is not a CELL_DCH RRC state, send a cell update message to the radio access network, wherein the send the cell update message comprises send the cell update message if the current RRC connected state of the UE is a CELL_FACH RRC state, a URA_PCH RRC state or a CELL_PCH RRC state;
• receive instructions from the radio access network to transition to the CELL_DCH RRC state;
• transition to the CELL_DCH RRC state;
• and
• transmit the measurement report while the UE is in the CELL_DCH RRC state.

A radio access network, RAN, node, comprising:

• a network interface, the network interface including components whereby the RAN node is operative to provide communications over a network;
• and
• a processor coupled with the network interface, wherein the processor including components to provide communication with a user equipment (UE) node through the network interface, and whereby the processor is operative to:
• transmit a request for a measurement report to a user equipment, UE, node, for an application operating in the UE at a layer above a radio resource control, RRC, protocol layer of the UE;
• receive a cell update message from the UE, wherein the cell update message indicates that the UE has the measurement report available to send and wherein the receive a cell update message from the UE comprises the cell update message sent from the UE if the current RRC connected state of the UE is a CELL_FACH RRC state, a URA_PCH RRC state or a CELL_PCH RRC state;
• transmit instructions to the UE instructing the UE to transition to a CELL_DCH RRC state;
• and
• receive the measurement report from the UE while the UE is in the CELL_DCH RRC state.