# US 12,004,243 B2 · Method and apparatus for supporting UE-to-network relay communication in a wireless communication system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,243 B2 - Document ID: US12004243B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/551,584 - Filed: 2021-12-15 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-18 - Assignees: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. - Applicants: ASUSTek Computer Inc. - Inventors: Li-Te Pan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004243B2 ## CPC - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup - H04W 76/19: Connection re-establishment - H04W 76/25: Maintenance of established connections - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user - H04W 92/18: between 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 A method and device are disclosed for a relay User Equipment (UE). The relay UE connects with a remote UE or serving the remote UE for a relay communication with a network node. The relay UE receives a message on a PC5 RLC channel from the remote UE, wherein the PC5 RLC channel is associated with a Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or a Uu SRB on which the remote UE transmitting RRC signalling in RRC_CONNECTED. The relay UE initiates or performs a RRC connection resume procedure with the network node in response to reception of the message on the PC5 RLC channel or when data is available for transmission from the relay UE to the network node on a Uu RLC channel associated with the Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or the Uu SRB on which the remote UE transmitting RRC signalling in RRC_CONNECTED. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for a relay User Equipment (UE), comprising: connecting with a remote UE or serving the remote UE for a relay communication with a network node; receiving a message on a PC5 Radio Link Control (RLC) channel from the remote UE, wherein the PC5 RLC channel is associated with a Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or a Uu Signalling Radio Bearer (SRB) on which the remote UE transmitting Radio Resource Control (RRC) signalling in RRC_CONNECTED; in response to reception of the message on the PC5 RLC channel or when data is available for transmission from the relay UE to the network node on a Uu RLC channel associated with the Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or the Uu SRB on which the remote UE transmitting RRC signalling in RRC CONNECTED, initiating or performing a RRC connection resume procedure with the network node; and at least one of: transmitting a first RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection resume procedure, wherein the first RRC message is used for request of resuming a RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node; receiving a second RRC message from the network node in the RRC connection resume procedure, wherein the second RRC message is used for resuming the RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node; or transmitting a third RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection resume procedure, wherein the third RRC message is used for completion of resuming the RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the remote UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the message to the relay UE. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the relay UE is in RRC_INACTIVE when receiving the message from the remote UE, and the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network node is a base station. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the relay UE is in RRC_INACTIVE when receiving the message from the remote UE, or the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node. ### Claim 6 A relay User Equipment (UE), comprising: a control circuit; a processor installed in the control circuit; and a memory installed in the control circuit and operatively coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to execute a program code stored in the memory to: connect with a remote UE or serving the remote UE for a relay communication with a network node; receive a message on a PC5 Radio Link Control (RLC) channel from the remote UE, wherein the PC5 RLC channel is associated with a Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or a Uu Signalling Radio Bearer (SRB) on which the remote UE transmitting Radio Resource Control (RRC) signalling in RRC_CONNECTED; in response to reception of the message on the PC5 RLC channel or when data is available for transmission from the relay UE to the network node on a Uu RLC channel associated with the Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or the Uu SRB on which the remote UE transmitting RRC signalling in RRC CONNECTED, initiate or perform a RRC connection resume procedure with the network node; and at least one of: transmit a first RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection resume procedure, wherein the first RRC message is used for request of resuming a RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node; receive a second RRC message from the network node in the RRC connection resume procedure, wherein the second RRC message is used for resuming the RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node; or transmit a third RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection resume procedure, wherein the third RRC message is used for completion of resuming the RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The relay UE of claim 6, wherein the remote UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the message to the relay UE. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The relay UE of claim 6, wherein the relay UE is in RRC_INACTIVE when receiving the message from the remote UE, and the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The relay UE of claim 6, wherein the network node is a base station. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The relay UE of claim 6, wherein at least one of the relay UE is in RRC_INACTIVE when receiving the message from the remote UE, or the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node. ### Claim 11 A method for a relay User Equipment (UE), comprising: connecting with a remote UE or serving the remote UE for a relay communication with a network node; receiving a message on a PC5 Radio Link Control (RLC) channel from the remote UE, wherein the PC5 RLC channel is associated with a Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or a Uu Signalling Radio Bearer (SRB) on which the remote UE transmitting Radio Resource Control (RRC) signalling in RRC_CONNECTED; in response to reception of the message on the PC5 RLC channel or when data is available for transmission from the relay UE to the network node on a Uu RLC channel associated with the Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or the Uu SRB on which the remote UE transmitting RRC signalling in RRC_CONNECTED, initiating or performing a RRC connection establishment procedure with the network node; and at least one of: transmitting a first RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection establishment procedure, wherein the first RRC message is used for request of establishing a RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node; receiving a second RRC message from the network node in the RRC connection establishment procedure, wherein the second RRC message is used for establishing the RRC connection; or transmitting a third RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection establishment procedure, wherein the third RRC message is used for completion of establishing the RRC connection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the remote UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the message to the relay UE. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the relay UE is in RRC_IDLE when receiving the message from the remote UE, and the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the network node is a base station. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the relay UE is in RRC_IDLE when receiving the message from the remote UE, or the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node. ### Claim 16 A relay User Equipment (UE), comprising: a control circuit; a processor installed in the control circuit; and a memory installed in the control circuit and operatively coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to execute a program code stored in the memory to: connect with a remote UE or serving the remote UE for a relay communication with a network node; receive a message on a PC5 Radio Link Control (RLC) channel from the remote UE, wherein the PC5 RLC channel is associated with a Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or a Uu Signalling Radio Bearer (SRB) on which the remote UE transmitting Radio Resource Control (RRC) signalling in RRC_CONNECTED; in response to reception of the message on the PC5 RLC channel or when data is available for transmission from the relay UE to the network node on a Uu RLC channel associated with the Uu SRB1 for the remote UE or the Uu SRB on which the remote UE transmitting RRC signalling in RRC_CONNECTED, initiate or perform a RRC connection establishment procedure with the network node; and at least one of: transmit a first RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection establishment procedure, wherein the first RRC message is used for request of establishing a RRC connection between the relay UE and the network node; receive a second RRC message from the network node in the RRC connection establishment procedure, wherein the second RRC message is used for establishing the RRC connection; or transmit a third RRC message to the network node in the RRC connection establishment procedure, wherein the third RRC message is used for completion of establishing the RRC connection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The relay UE of claim 16, wherein the remote UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the message to the relay UE. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The relay UE of claim 16, wherein the relay UE is in RRC_IDLE when receiving the message from the remote UE, and the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The relay UE of claim 16, wherein the network node is a base station. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The relay UE of claim 16, wherein at least one of the relay UE is in RRC_IDLE when receiving the message from the remote UE, or the relay UE is in RRC_CONNECTED when transmitting the third RRC message to the network node.