Abstract: A cellular communications system is provided in which a user device sends a Service Request to a Mobility Management Entity together with parameter data that depends on the service that is requested. The Mobility Management Entity then determines from the parameter value if AS security is required to provide the requested service. If it is not, then the Mobility Management Entity accepts the Request without providing security parameters for establishing another signalling radio bearer so that an existing signalling radio bearer is used to provide the requested service. If it is, then the Mobility Management Entity accepts the Request and provides security parameters for establishing another signalling radio bearer to be used in providing the requested service.

Abstract: A communication method performed in a mobile communication device of a telecommunication system includes receiving Service Data Units, SDUs, for transmission to a source node of the telecommunication system, storing a copy of the SDUs in an SDU management buffer, passing the SDUs to a concatenation and segmentation unit to generate Protocol Data Units, PDUs, storing the PDUs in a transmit buffer for transmission to the source node, sending a feedback message to the SDU management buffer identifying an SDU that can be removed from the SDU management buffer, receiving a handover command from the source node after receiving the status report, and after completing handover to a target node, using the received status report to control which SDUs are passed to the concatenation and segmentation unit to form PDUs for transmission to the target node.

Abstract: A method performed by a mobile communication device of a communication network, the method including receiving allocation data defining an allocation of resources to allow the mobile communication device to communicate data with the communication network, the allocation data defining an allocation of resources for both a real time service and a non real time service. Storing a Discontinuous Reception/Transmission (DRX/DTX) pattern which includes i) duration data defining a duration of on periods in which the mobile device can communicate data with the communication network, and ii) interval data defining an interval between adjacent on periods. Using the DRX/DTX pattern to control times at which the mobile communication device can power down circuitry thereof. Communicating non real time data after the real time data in a same on period as the real time data.

Abstract: A method performed by a source long term evolution (LTE) base station includes buffering downlink user data packets for transmission to a mobile communication device in a buffer, sending the downlink user data packets to the mobile communication device, receiving uplink user data packets from the mobile communication device, receiving a handover response indicating a handover of the mobile communication device to a target base station, and selectively forwarding the downlink user data packets from said buffer to the target base station depending upon an RLC status report or hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback information. In response to the receiving the handover response, the source LTE base station stops the sending the downlink user data packets to the mobile communication device and transmits a handover command to the mobile communication device.

Abstract: A communications device in the form of a base station or communications node such as an eNodeB communications node selects one of a plurality of modulation and coding schemes for a control channel for a user communications device on the basis of the range which is specified by the location or channel condition within a cell of the user communications device. The selected modulation and coding scheme are identified to the user communications device separately from the control channel. In one example, the selected modulation and coding scheme is identified to the user communications device by way of a 2-bit code which may be provided within a MAC control block or appended to a MAC Data PDU.

Abstract: A method performed by a EUTRAN base station, the method including generating a request for resource status information. The request defines a periodicity when update messages including said resource status information should be sent. The method further including sending the generated request to a neighboring EUTRAN base station, receiving one or more resource status update messages from the neighboring base station in response to the requested resource status information in accordance with said defined periodicity, and performing load balancing operations in dependence upon the received one or more resource status update messages.

Abstract: A method performed by a node of a communications system includes storing allocation data defining persistently allocated resources for use in communicating data between the node and another node of the communications system within predetermined transmission time intervals, receiving control data relating to a dynamic allocation of resources to be used in a current transmission time interval, the received control data including modulation and coding data and HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) data, and determining if at least one of the modulation and coding data and the HARQ data in the received control data, includes a predefined bit pattern, and if the determining determines that the predefined bit pattern is present, then changing a setting of the stored allocation data defining the persistently allocated resources.

Abstract: A mobile communications system is described in which base stations communicate with each other using a Master/Slave protocol to exchange load balancing information that can be used to control the handover of mobile devices amongst neighbouring base stations and/or neighbouring cells. The Master base station requests the Slave base station to provide a load status report to it either at a defined time or periodicity or in response to certain events.

Abstract: A system is proposed to provide DRX/DTX configuration for mixed real time and non-real time transmission scenarios in a mobile telecommunications environment, particularly applicable to 3GPP networks. The proposed DRX/DTX configuration involves maintaining the DRX/DTX interval the same between the switching of real time VoIP data from an active period to a silence period. The proposed DRX/DTX configuration schedules transmission and/or reception times for a mobile device so that packets for non-real time services are transmitted/received immediately after packets for real time services.

Abstract: A communication method for reducing Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection setup time in an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) includes the step of using an inclusive Signalling Radio Bearer (iSRB) in place of a plurality of individual Signalling Radio Bearers (indSRBs) for transferring signals from Radio Resource Control (RRC) to Medium Access Control (MAC). A Protocol Discriminator (PD) is added to the tail (right side) of each indSRB at the RRC for allowing the MAC to identify each indSRB as received in the iSRB. The PD is needed because the MAC would otherwise be unable to place each indSRB into the appropriate prioritizing queue for trans-mission to the physical layer. The PD is stripped off at the MAC. A preferred embodiment uses the iSRB in place of four individual indSRBs (SRB1, SRB2, SRB3 and SRB4), but in an alternative form the Unacknowledged Mode SRB (SRBI) would not be present in the system and therefore not included in the iSRB.

Abstract: A method of managing security for a connection between a user device and a communications network including a plurality of base stations and a core network, the method including receiving at the core network security capability information for the user device connecting to the communications network via a first base station, retrieving security capability information at the core network for the first base station from a database that stores security capability information for the plurality of base stations, processing in the core network the security capability information for the user device and the security capability information for the first base station to select a security policy for a connection between the user device and the first base station, and transmitting the selected security policy to the first base station.

Abstract: A method performed in a telecommunication system. At a source node, receiving, a sequence of PDCP SDUs for transmission to a device, appending a sequence number to each PDCP SDU, storing and ciphering the PDCP SDUs, passing the ciphered PDCP SDUs to an Outer ARQ entity for segmentation, generating Outer ARQ segments, generating and appending a respective Outer ARQ header to each Outer ARQ segment to generate a corresponding Outer ARQ PDU, sending the generated Outer ARQ PDUs to the device, and sending a request to a target node. At the target node, receiving the request and sending a response to the source node. At the source node, receiving the response, sending a command to the device, and forwarding stored PDCP SDUs with their appended sequence number to the target node. At a target node, receiving PDCP SDUs, from the source node and sending to a device, Outer ARQ PDUs.

Abstract: A method performed by a EUTRAN base station, the method including generating a request for resource status information. The request defines a periodicity when update messages including said resource status information should be sent. The method further including sending the generated request to a neighboring EUTRAN base station, receiving one or more resource status update messages from the neighboring base station in response to the requested resource status information in accordance with said defined periodicity, and performing load balancing operations in dependence upon the received one or more resource status update messages.

Abstract: A method performed by a mobile communication device of a communication network, the method including receiving allocation data defining an allocation of resources to allow the mobile communication device to communicate data with the communication network, the allocation data defining an allocation of resources for both a real time service and a non real time service. Storing a Discontinuous Reception/Transmission (DRX/DTX) pattern which includes i) duration data defining a duration of on periods in which the mobile device can communicate data with the communication network, and ii) interval data defining an interval between adjacent on periods. Using the DRX/DTX pattern to control times at which the mobile communication device can power down circuitry thereof. Communicating non real time data after the real time data in a same on period as the real time data.

Abstract: In a method of facilitating handover of a mobile communication device from a source node to a target node, the method includes buffering received user data packets in the target node during handover prior to sending to the mobile device.

Abstract: A method, performed in a long term evolution (LTE) communications network, of facilitating handover of a mobile communication device from a source node to a target node includes receiving, in the target node, downlink user data packets forwarded from the source node via a first interface, receiving, in the target node, downlink user packets from an external source via a second interface, buffering the received user data packets during handover prior to sending to the mobile communication device, ordering the downlink data packets in the target node based on the interface from which the data packets are received, and sending the ordered downlink data packets from the target node to the mobile communication device after completion of handover from the source node to the target node.

Abstract: A method performed by a source long term evolution (LTE) base station includes buffering downlink user data packets for transmission to a mobile communication device in a buffer, sending the downlink user data packets to the mobile communication device, receiving uplink user data packets from the mobile communication device, receiving a handover response indicating a handover of the mobile communication device to a target base station, and selectively forwarding the downlink user data packets from said buffer to the target base station depending upon an RLC status report or hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback information. In response to the receiving the handover response, the source LTE base station stops the sending the downlink user data packets to the mobile communication device and transmits a handover command to the mobile communication device.

Abstract: A communication method performed in a mobile communication device of a telecommunication system includes receiving Service Data Units, SDUs, for transmission to a source node of the telecommunication system, storing a copy of the SDUs in an SDU management buffer, passing the SDUs to a concatenation and segmentation unit to generate Protocol Data Units, PDUs, storing the PDUs in a transmit buffer for transmission to the source node, sending a feedback message to the SDU management buffer identifying an SDU that can be removed from the SDU management buffer, receiving a handover command from the source node after receiving the status report, and after completing handover to a target node, using the received status report to control which SDUs are passed to the concatenation and segmentation unit to form PDUs for transmission to the target node.

Abstract: A target communications device receiving from a source communications device a notification that a user communications device is to be handed over from that source communications device, provides the source communications device with multiple component carrier information for use by the user communications device. The multiple component carrier information includes information indicating to the user communications device which of the multiple component carriers is to be used for initial access. The multiple component carrier information may be component carrier indexes. Communication devices may exchange component carrier indexes during a setup or updating procedure such as an X2 setup or updating procedure.

Abstract: A mobile communications system is proposed in which mobile communications devices are arranged to transmit signals to and to receive signals from a base station using one or a subset of available sub-bands, with the base station being configured to move the mobile communications devices between the sub-bands. An anchor sub-band is also provided on which idle mobile communications devices camp until they are moved to one or more other sub-bands in addition to or instead of the anchor sub-band.