# US 10,772,146 B2 · Multi-connectivity communication method, device, and terminal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,772,146 B2 - Document ID: US10772146B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/504,130 - Filed: 2019-07-05 - Published: 2019-10-31 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-06 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Xiaoli Shi; Wenjie Peng; Hongzhuo Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10772146B2 ## CPC - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - H04W 80/04: Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol] - H04W 8/00: Network data management - H04W 76/16: Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - H04W 80/02: Data link layer protocols - H04W 80/08: Upper layer protocols {(network arrangements or communication protocols for networked applications H04L67/00)} - H04W 84/20: Leader-follower arrangements - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W 92/10: between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A multi-connectivity communication method includes: a secondary base station receives a first RRC message generated by an RRC entity of an anchor base station and a second RRC message generated by an RRC entity of the secondary base station. The secondary base station sends the first RRC message and the second RRC message to the terminal via an air interface between the secondary base station and the terminal, where a PDCP header, an RLC header, or a newly added adaptation layer carries indication information, the indication information is used to indicate a target RRC entity that generates an RRC message, the target RRC entity is the RRC entity of the anchor base station or the RRC entity of the secondary base station, and the anchor base station and the secondary base station use different radio access technologies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multi-connectivity communication method, comprising: receiving, by a terminal, via different logical channels of an air interface between a secondary base station and the terminal, radio resource control (RRC) messages from the secondary base station, wherein the RRC messages comprise a first RRC message generated by an RRC entity of a master base station and a second RRC message generated by an RRC entity of the secondary base station; and identifying, by the terminal, based on the different logical channels, the first RRC message and the second RRC message, the master base station and the secondary base station using different radio access technologies; and further comprising: receiving, by the terminal, configuration information of a first signaling radio bearer (SRB) from the secondary base station; receiving, by the terminal, configuration information of a second SRB from the secondary base station, wherein receiving the RRC messages from the secondary base station comprises: receiving the first RRC message from the secondary base station using the first SRB; and receiving the second RRC message from the secondary base station using the second SRB. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the configuration information of the first SRB comprises receiving the configuration information of the first SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station, and receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station comprises receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein receiving the configuration information of the first SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station comprises receiving the configuration information of the first SRB from the secondary base station via an interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and an interface between the master base station and the terminal; and receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station comprises receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station via the interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and the interface between the master base station and the terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the terminal from the secondary base station via the master base station, a correspondence between the configuration information of the first SRB and the RRC entity of the master base station; and receiving, by the terminal via the interface between the secondary base station and the terminal, a correspondence between the configuration information of the second SRB and the RRC entity of the secondary base station. ### Claim 5 A communication apparatus for a terminal, comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory storage medium coupled to the processor and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the terminal to: receive, via different logical channels of an air interface between a secondary base station and the terminal, radio resource control (RRC) messages from the secondary base station, the RRC messages comprising a first RRC message generated by an RRC entity of a master base station and a second RRC message generated by an RRC entity of the secondary base station; and identify, based on the different logical channels, the first RRC message generated by the RRC entity of the master base station, and the second RRC message is generated by the RRC entity of the secondary base station, wherein the master base station and the secondary base station use different radio access technologies; wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the terminal to: receive configuration information of a first signaling radio bearer (SRB) from the secondary base station; and receive configuration information of a second SRB from the secondary base station, the receiving the RRC messages from the secondary base station comprising: receiving the first RRC message from the secondary base station using the first SRB; and receiving the second RRC message from the secondary base station using the second SRB. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein receiving the configuration information of the first SRB from the secondary base station comprises receiving the configuration information of the first SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station, and receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station comprises receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein receiving the configuration information of the first SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station comprises: receiving the configuration information of the first SRB from the secondary base station via an interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and an interface between the master base station and the terminal; and receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station via the master base station comprises: receiving the configuration information of the second SRB from the secondary base station via the interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and the interface between the master base station and the terminal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the terminal to: receive, from the secondary base station via the master base station, a correspondence between the configuration information of the first SRB and the RRC entity of the master base station; and receive, via the interface between the secondary base station and the terminal a correspondence between the configuration information of the second SRB and the RRC entity of the secondary base station. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the non-transitory storage medium is external of the processor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the non-transitory storage medium is incorporated into the processor. ### Claim 11 A multi-connectivity communication method, comprising: receiving, by a secondary base station, a first radio resource control (RRC) message generated by an RRC entity of a master base station; generating, by the secondary base station, a second RRC message via an RRC entity of the secondary base station; and transmitting, by the secondary base station, the first RRC message and the second RRC message to a terminal via two different logical channels of an air interface between the secondary base station and the terminal, wherein the master base station and the secondary base station use different radio access technologies; and further comprising: establishing, by the secondary base station, first and second signaling radio bearers (SRB) corresponding to the two different logical channels; sending, by the secondary base station, configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal; and sending, by the secondary base station, configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal; the transmitting the first RRC message and the second RRC message to the terminal comprising: transmitting the first RRC message to the terminal using the first SRB; and transmitting the second RRC message to the terminal using the second SRB. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal comprises: sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal via the master base station; and sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal comprises: sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal via the master base station. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal via the master base station comprises: sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal via an interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and an interface between the master base station and the terminal; and sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal via the master base station comprises: sending, by the secondary base station, the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal via an interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and an interface between the master base station and the terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: sending, by the secondary base station, a correspondence between the configuration information of the first SRB and the RRC entity of the master base station to the terminal via the master base station; and sending, by the secondary base station, a correspondence between the configuration information of the second SRB and the RRC entity of the secondary base station to the terminal via the interface between the secondary base station and the terminal. ### Claim 15 A communication apparatus for a secondary base station, the communication apparatus comprising a processor coupled with a non-transitory storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the secondary base station to: receive a first radio resource control (RRC) message generated by an RRC entity of a master base station; initiate an RRC entity of the secondary base station to generate a second RRC message; and transmit the first RRC message and the second RRC message to a terminal via two different logical channels of an air interface between the secondary base station and the terminal, wherein the master base station and the secondary base station use different radio access technologies; and wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the secondary base station to: establish first and second signaling radio bearers (SRB) corresponding to the two different logical channels; send configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal; and send configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal; wherein transmitting the first and second RRC messages to the terminal comprises: transmitting the first RRC message to the terminal using the first SRB; and transmitting the second RRC message to the terminal using the second SRB. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein sending the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal comprises sending the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal via the master base station, and sending the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal comprises sending the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal via the master base station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein sending the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal via the master base station comprises: sending the configuration information of the first SRB to the terminal via an interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and an interface between the master base station and the terminal; and sending the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal via the master base station comprises sending the configuration information of the second SRB to the terminal via an interface between the secondary base station and the master base station, and an interface between the master base station and the terminal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the secondary base station to: send a correspondence between the configuration information of the first SRB and the RRC entity of the master base station to the terminal via the master base station; and send a correspondence between the configuration information of the second SRB and the RRC entity of the secondary base station to the terminal via the interface between the secondary base station and the terminal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the non-transitory storage medium is external of the processor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the non-transitory storage medium is incorporated into the processor.