User equipment and methods to indicate power saving mode configuration to ran nodes

An apparatus of a user equipment (UE) comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate with an evolved Node-B (eNB);
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• configure the transceiver to transmit a power saving mode (PSM) configuration indication comprising a PSM configuration indication;
• and
• configure the transceiver to receive from the eNB, when the UE is in connection mode, an RRC connection release message at a time that is based on the transmitted PSM configuration indication.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an evolved Node-B (eNB) to configure the network entity to communicate via a transceiver with user equipment (UE), the one or more processors to configure the eNB to:

• receive a power saving mode (PSM) configuration indication of the UE from a mobility management entity (MME) in one of an Initial UE Context Setup Request, a UE Context Modify Request, a pattern parameter of core network assistance information, and a message dedicated to providing the PSM configuration indication to the eNB, the PSM configuration indication including a PSM configuration indication;
• determine whether the UE is in a connection mode;
• and
• transmit, from an evolved Node-B (eNB) to the UE, a radio resource control (RRC) connection release message in response to determining that the UE is in a connection mode, timing of transmission of the RRC connection release message based on the received PSM configuration indication.