Data Communication In An Inactive State

A user equipment (UE) comprising processing hardware and configured to:

• determine, when the UE is in the inactive state, that data is available for transmission to a radio access network (RAN);
• apply a security function to the data to generate a secured packet;
• perform a first random access procedure with the RAN, while the UE is in the inactive state, including transmitting the secured packet in an uplink message associated with the first random access procedure;
• and
• in response to determining that the RAN has not received the secured packet, perform at least one of:
• re-transmit the secured packet in an uplink message associated with a second random access procedure, or
• transmit, to the RAN, a request to resume or set up a radio connection.

A method in a first base station for processing a secured packet from a UE, the method comprising:

• receiving, by processing hardware, the secured packet when the UE is operating in an inactive state associated with a protocol for controlling radio resources, the secured packet including data and an identity of the UE;
• identifying, by the processing hardware and based on the identity of the UE, a second base station with which the UE communicated in an active state prior to transitioning to the inactive state;
• forwarding the data, by the processing hardware, in accordance with the identified base second station;
• failing to retrieve, by the processing hardware, a context of the UE from the second base station;
• and
• in response to the failing, configuring a new radio connection between the first base station and the UE.