# US 11,445,410 B2 · Wireless communication service delivery responsive to user equipment (UE) handovers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,445,410 B2 - Document ID: US11445410B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/154,494 - Filed: 2021-01-21 - Published: 2022-07-21 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-21 - Assignees: Sprint Communications Company L.P. - Applicants: T-Mobile Innovations LLC - Inventors: Zheng Cai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445410B2 ## CPC - H04W 36/0009: {for a plurality of users or terminals, e.g. group communication or moving wireless networks (user group management H04W4/08; processing of subscriber group data H04W8/186)} - H04M 15/66: {Policy and charging system} - H04W 12/033: of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic - H04W 28/0268: {using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24)} - H04W 36/0011: {for data sessions of end-to-end connection} - H04W 36/0033: {with transfer of context information} - H04W 40/36: due to handover - H04W 60/04: using triggered events - H04W 76/22: Manipulation of transport tunnels - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - H04W 80/02: Data link layer protocols - H04W 8/18: Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data - H04W 88/14: Backbone network devices - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A wireless communication system delivers a wireless data service to User Equipment (UE) responsive to a handover. A Centralized Unit (CU) transfers a handover registration to a Network Repository Function (NRF). A Session Management Function (SMF) transfers a handover subscription for the UE to the NRF. The CU detects a handover of the UE and responsively transfers a handover notice for the UE to the NRF. In response to the handover subscription for the UE from the SMF, the NRF transfers the handover notice for the UE to the SMF. The SMF modifies the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the handover notice for the UE. For example, the SMF may implement data encryption for the UE responsive to the handover. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a wireless communication system to deliver a wireless data service to User Equipment (UE) responsive to a handover of the UE, the method comprising: a Radio Access Network Centralized Unit (RAN CU) transferring a handover registration to a Network Repository Function (NRF); a Session Management Function (SMF) transferring a handover subscription for the UE to the NRF; the NRF receiving the handover registration and the handover subscription; the RAN CU detecting a handover of the UE and responsively transferring a handover notice for the UE to the NRF; the NRF receiving the handover notice for the UE, and in response to the handover subscription for the UE from the SMF, transferring the handover notice for the UE to the SMF; and the SMF modifying the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the handover notice for the UE. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the RAN CU detecting the handover of the UE comprises detecting the handover of the UE to a specific Radio Unit (RU). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the RAN CU detecting the handover of the UE comprises detecting the handover of the UE to a specific set of Radio Units (RUs). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: a Policy Control Function (PCF) selecting a policy for the UE; and wherein the SMF modifying the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the handover notice for the UE comprises transferring the handover notice for the UE to the PCF; and further comprising: the PCF modifying the policy for the UE responsive to the handover notice and signaling the modified policy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: the SMF signaling a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF exchanging user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service responsive to the SMF signaling; and wherein the SMF modifying the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the handover notice for the UE comprises instructing the UPF to deliver a modified wireless data service to the UE; and the UPF exchanging additional user data for the UE to deliver the modified wireless data service to the UE responsive to the SMF instruction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: a Policy Control Function (PCF) selecting a policy for the UE; the SMF signaling a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE per the policy; the UPF exchanging user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service per the policy responsive to the SMF signaling; and wherein the SMF modifying the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the handover notice for the UE comprises transferring the handover notice for the UE to the PCF; the PCF modifying the policy for the UE; the SMF signaling the UPF to deliver the wireless data service to the UE per the modified policy; and the UPF exchanging additional user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service per the modified policy. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: the SMF signaling a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF exchanging user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service responsive to the SMF signaling; and wherein the SMF modifying the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the handover notice for the UE comprises instructing the UPF to encrypt the wireless data service for the UE; and further comprising the UPF encrypting and decrypting additional user data and exchanging the encrypted additional user data with the UE to encrypt the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the SMF instruction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the RAN CU detecting the handover of the UE and transferring the handover notice for the UE to the NRF comprises the RAN CU executing a Radio Resource Control (RRC) and the RRC detecting the handover of the UE and transferring the handover notice for the UE to the NRF. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: the SMF signaling a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF exchanging user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service to the UE responsive to the SMF signaling; and the RAN CU executing a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) and the PDCP exchanging the user data for the UE with the UPF. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: the SMF signaling a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF exchanging user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service to the UE responsive to the SMF signaling; and the RAN CU executing a Service Data Adaption Protocol (SDAP) and the SDAP exchanging the user data for the UE with the UPF. ### Claim 11 A wireless communication system to deliver a wireless data service to User Equipment (UE) responsive to a handover of the UE, the wireless communication system comprising: a Radio Access Network Centralized Unit (RAN CU) configured to transfer a handover registration to a Network Repository Function (NRF); a Session Management Function (SMF) configured to transfer a handover subscription for the UE to the NRF; the NRF configured to receive the handover registration and the handover subscription; the RAN CU configured to detect a handover of the UE and responsively transfer a handover notice for the UE to the NRF; the NRF configured to receive the handover notice for the UE, and in response to the handover subscription for the UE from the SMF, transfer the handover notice for the UE to the SMF; and the SMF configured to modify the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the handover notice for the UE. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 wherein the RAN CU is configured to detect the handover of the UE to a specific Radio Unit (RU). ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 wherein the RAN CU is configured to detect the handover of the UE to a specific set of Radio Units (RUs). ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 further comprising: a Policy Control Function (PCF) configured to select a policy for the UE; and wherein the SMF is configured to transfer the handover notice for the UE to the PCF; and further comprising: the PCF configured to modify the policy for the UE responsive to the handover notice and signal the modified policy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 further comprising: the SMF configured to signal a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF configured to exchange user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service responsive to the SMF signaling; and wherein the SMF is configured to instruct the UPF to deliver a modified wireless data service to the UE; and the UPF is configured to exchange additional user data for the UE to deliver the modified wireless data service to the UE responsive to the SMF instruction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 further comprising: a Policy Control Function (PCF) configured to select a policy for the UE; the SMF configured to signal a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE per the policy; the UPF configured to exchange user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service per the policy responsive to the SMF signaling; and wherein the SMF is configured to transfer the handover notice for the UE to the PCF; the PCF is configured to modify the policy for the UE; the SMF is configured to signal the UPF to deliver the wireless data service to the UE per the modified policy; and the UPF is configured to exchange additional user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service per the modified policy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 further comprising: the SMF configured to signal a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF configured to exchange user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service responsive to the SMF signaling; and wherein the SMF is configured to instruct the UPF to encrypt the wireless data service for the UE; and further comprising the UPF configured to encrypt and decrypt additional user data and exchange the encrypted additional user data with the UE to encrypt the wireless data service for the UE responsive to the SMF instruction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 wherein the RAN CU is configured to execute a Radio Resource Control (RRC) and the RRC is configured to detect the handover of the UE and transfer the handover notice for the UE to the NRF. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 further comprising: the SMF configured to signal a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF configured to exchange user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service to the UE responsive to the SMF signaling; and the RAN CU is configured to execute a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) and the PDCP is configured to exchange the user data for the UE with the UPF. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The wireless communication system of claim 11 further comprising: the SMF configured to signal a User Plane Function (UPF) to deliver the wireless data service to the UE; the UPF is configured to exchange user data for the UE to deliver the wireless data service to the UE responsive to the SMF signaling; and the RAN CU is configured to execute a Service Data Adaption Protocol (SDAP) and the SDAP is configured to exchange the user data for the UE with the UPF.