Non-terrestrial network user equipment behavior in case of failures in location tracking

A method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) comprising:

• transmitting, in a connected mode for a connection between the UE and a network node of a non-terrestrial network, one or more uplink messages to the network node;
• identifying, while the UE is in the connected mode, that a synchronization timer associated with a synchronization of the connection has expired;
• transmitting, to the network node, a message indicating that the synchronization timer has expired;
• determining, based at least in part on the expiration of the synchronization timer, that the synchronization of the connection fails to satisfy a synchronization threshold or an associated constraint;
• and
• initiating a radio link failure timer based at least in part on performing a location failure recovery procedure and the synchronization timer expiring.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• establish a connection between the UE and a network node of a non-terrestrial network;
• identify, based at least in part on a synchronization failure event and while the UE is in a connected mode in accordance with establishing the connection, that a location failure condition has occurred for the connection, wherein the synchronization failure event comprises expiry of a synchronization timer associated with a synchronization associated with the connection;
• transmit, to the network node, a message indicating that the synchronization timer has expired;
• perform, at least in part in response to the location failure condition, one or more actions of a location failure recovery procedure to restore a synchronization associated with the connection;
• and
• initiate a radio link failure timer based at least in part on performing the location failure recovery procedure and the synchronization timer expiring.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• transmit, in a connected mode for a connection between the UE and a network node of a non-terrestrial network, one or more uplink messages to the network node;
• identify, while the UE is in the connected mode, that a synchronization timer associated with a synchronization of the connection has expired;
• transmit, to the network node, a message indicating that the synchronization timer has expired;
• determine, based at least in part on the expiration of the synchronization timer, that the synchronization of the connection fails to satisfy a synchronization threshold or an associated constraint;
• and
• initiate a radio link failure timer based at least in part on performing a location failure recovery procedure and the synchronization timer expiring.