Connection states for a user entity in a serving gateway of an evolved packet core system

摘要

A serving gateway node (SGW) and a method therefore is being provided being adapted for operating in a network in which a control-plane tunnel between a mobility manage-men! entity (MME) and a serving gateway node (SGW), a control plane tunnel between the serving gateway node (SGW) and a packet gateway node (PGW), and one or more user plane tunnels between the serving gateway node (SGW) and the packet gateway node (PGW), may be set up, the serving gateway (SGW) comprising an application layer control mechanism (APL LR CTRL), interface means, (!F) and a data base (DB). The serving gateway (SGW) is adapted for entering a state of ECM-IDLE (108) and ECM-CONNECTED (110) for a user entity (UE) in question. The serving gateway upon reception of a Modify Bearer Request message (107) may effectuate a setting up one or more user plane tunnels between the serving gateway (SGW) and a base station (eNodeB). The serving gateway (SGW) is being adapted to, upon receiving a Create Session Request message (102) from a packet gateway node, set up a timer (105), which on time-out (114) effectuates the serving gateway to put the user entity in ECM-IDLE (108) even if no Modify Bearer Request (107) is received.