Apparatus, system and method for dual connectivity
AssigneeNEC Corporation
InventorsXiaowei Zhang, Anand Raghawa Prasad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An SeNB informs an MeNB that it can configure bearers for the given UE. At this time, the MeNB manages the DRB status, and then sends a key S-KeNB to the SeNB. The MeNB also sends a KSI for the S-KeNB to both of the UE and the SeNB. After this procedure, the MeNB informs an EPC (MME and S-GW) about the new bearer configured at the SeNB, such that the S-GW 50 can start offloading the bearer(s) to the SeNB 30. Prior to the offloading, the EPC network entity (MME or S-GW) performs verification that: 1) whether the request is coming from authenticated source (MeNB); and 2) whether the SeNB is a valid eNB to which the traffic can be offload.
Claims7
A Master Node (MN) in a mobile communication system including a User Equipment (UE), a Secondary Node (SN), and a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the MN and the SN are connected to the UE for Dual Connectivity (DC), the MN comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor, wherein upon execution of the instructions the processor causes the MN to:
- send, to the SN, a SN Addition request message or a SN Modification request message,
- receive, from the SN, a SN Addition request acknowledgement message or a SN Modification request acknowledgement message,
- send, to the UE, a RRCConnectionReconfiguration message including a counter to update a key for the SN,
- receive, from the UE, a RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete message,
- send, to the MME, an E-RAB Modification Indication message including DC configuration information and an indicator showing that the E-RAB Modification Indication message is used for the DC, but is not used for a handover, and
- receive an E-RAB Modification Confirmation message from the MME.
A Master Node (MN) in a mobile communication system including a User Equipment (UE), a Secondary Node (SN), and a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the MN and the SN are connected to the UE for Dual Connectivity (DC), the MN comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor, wherein upon execution of the instructions the processor causes the MN to:
- send, to the SN, a SN Addition request message or a SN Modification request message,
- receive, from the SN, a SN Addition request acknowledgement message or a SN Modification request acknowledgement message,
- send, to the UE, a RRCConnectionReconfiguration message including a counter to update a key for the SN,
- receive, from the UE, a RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete message,
- send, to the MME, an E-RAB Modification Indication message including an address of the SN and an indicator showing that the E-RAB Modification Indication message is used for the DC, but is not used for a handover, and
- receive an E-RAB Modification Confirmation message from the MME.
A method of a Master Node (MN) in a mobile communication system including a User Equipment (UE), a Secondary Node (SN), and a Mobility Management Entity (MME), wherein the MN and the SN are connected to the UE for Dual Connectivity (DC), the method comprising:
- sending, to the SN, a SN Addition request message or a SN Modification request message;
- receiving, from the SN, a SN Addition request acknowledgement message or a SN Modification request acknowledgement message;
- sending, to the UE, a RRCConnectionReconfiguration message including a counter to update a key for the SN;
- receiving, from the UE, a RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete message;
- sending, to the MME, an E-RAB Modification Indication message including DC configuration information and an indicator showing that the E-RAB Modification Indication message is used for the DC, but is not used for a handover;
- and
- receiving an E-RAB Modification Confirmation message from the MME.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.