Path switch to indirect communication through relay UE device in RRC connection state other than RRC connected

A remote user equipment (UE) device comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit a measurement report over a direct Uu communication link to a base station, the measurement report comprising a measurement of a signal transmitted from at least one candidate relay UE device in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN);
• and
• a receiver configured to receive, from the base station over the direct Uu communication link, an RRC Reconfiguration Message identifying a target relay UE device selected from the at least one candidate relay UE device by the base station, the target relay UE device in the RRC state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN),
• the transmitter further configured to transmit an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the base station by transmitting the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the target relay UE device over a PC5 communication link,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Connection Establishment with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC IDLE state,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Resume with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC INACTIVE state.

A method of a relay user equipment (UE) device, the method comprising:

• in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state with a base station other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN), receiving an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message directed to the base station from a remote UE device over a PC5 communication link;
• transmitting, in response to receiving the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, a first RRC message used for RRC Connection Establishment to the base station when the relay UE device is in an RRC IDLE state;
• transmitting, in response to receiving the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, a second RRC message used for RRC Connection Resume to the base station when the relay UE device is in an RRC INACTIVE state;
• and
• transmitting the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the base station over a Uu communication link available in response to one of the first RRC message and the second RRC message.

A chipset of a relay user equipment (UE) device, the chipset comprising:

• a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the computer-readable instructions and, when executing the computer-readable instructions, the processor is configured to execute a method including:
• in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state with a base station other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN), receiving an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message directed to the base station from a remote UE device over a PC5 communication link;
• transmitting, in response to receiving the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, a first RRC message used for RRC Connection Establishment to the base station when the relay UE device is in an RRC IDLE state;
• transmitting, in response to receiving the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, a second RRC message used for RRC Connection Resume to the base station when the relay UE device is in an RRC INACTIVE state;
• and
• transmitting the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the base station over a Uu communication link available in response to one of the first RRC message and the second RRC message.

A method of a remote user equipment (UE) device, the method comprising:

• transmitting a measurement report over a direct Uu communication link to a base station, the measurement report comprising a measurement of a signal transmitted from at least one candidate relay UE device in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN);
• receiving, from the base station over the direct Uu communication link, an RRC Reconfiguration Message identifying a target relay UE device selected from the at least one candidate relay UE device by the base station, the target relay UE device in the RRC state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN);
• transmitting an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the base station by transmitting the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the target relay UE device over a PC5 communication link,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Connection Establishment with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC IDLE state,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Resume with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC INACTIVE state.

A chipset of a remote user equipment (UE) device, the chipset comprising:

• a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the computer-readable instructions and, when executing the computer-readable instructions, the processor is configured to execute a method including:
• transmitting a measurement report over a direct Uu communication link to a base station, the measurement report comprising a measurement of a signal transmitted from at least one candidate relay UE device in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN);
• receiving, from the base station over the direct Uu communication link, an RRC Reconfiguration Message identifying a target relay UE device selected from the at least one candidate relay UE device by the base station, the target relay UE device in the RRC state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN);
• transmitting an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the base station by transmitting the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the target relay UE device over a PC5 communication link,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Connection Establishment with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC IDLE state,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Resume with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC INACTIVE state.

A system comprising:

• a remote user equipment (UE) device;
• and
• a relay UE device,
• wherein the remote UE device includes:
• a transmitter configured to transmit a measurement report over a direct Uu communication link to a base station, the measurement report comprising a measurement of a signal transmitted from at least one candidate relay UE device in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN);
• and
• a receiver configured to receive, from the base station over the direct Uu communication link, an RRC Reconfiguration Message identifying the relay UE device as a target relay UE device selected from the at least one candidate relay UE device by the base station, the target relay UE device in the RRC state other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN),
• the transmitter further configured to transmit an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the base station by transmitting the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the target relay UE device over a PC5 communication link,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Connection Establishment with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC IDLE state,
• the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message invoking the target relay UE device to perform RRC Resume with the base station when the target relay UE device is in an RRC INACTIVE state, and
• wherein the relay UE device includes:
• a receiver configured to, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state with the base station other than RRC Connected (RRC CONN), receive the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message directed to the base station from the remote UE device over the PC5 communication link;
• and
• a transmitter configured to:
• transmit, in response to receiving the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, a first RRC message used for RRC Connection Establishment to the base station when the relay UE device is in an RRC IDLE state,
• transmit, in response to receiving the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, a second RRC message used for RRC Connection Resume to the base station when the relay UE device is in an RRC INACTIVE state, and
• transmit the RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the base station over a Uu communication link available in response to one of the first RRC message and the second RRC message.