# US 10,873,980 B2 · Connection control apparatus and method

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- Number: US 10,873,980 B2
- Document ID: US10873980B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/890,453
- Filed: 2018-02-07
- Published: 2018-06-14
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-07
- Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Bo Lin; Hong Wang; Yajuan Li
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873980B2

## CPC

- H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers
- H04W 8/26: Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
- H04W 36/0016: {Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions}
- H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination}
- H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
- H04W 72/51: based on terminal or device properties
- H04W 76/10: Connection setup
- H04W 76/22: Manipulation of transport tunnels
- H04L 61/5007: Internet protocol [IP] addresses
- H04W 36/0033: {with transfer of context information}
- H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup
- H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
- H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a connection control apparatus and method. The method includes: receiving a link configuration request message sent by a second terminal; sending a bearer configuration request message to a network-side device according to the link configuration request message; receiving a bearer configuration complete message that is sent by the network-side device according to the bearer configuration request message; establishing a mapping relationship between the service bearer and the second terminal; and sending a link configuration complete message to the second terminal after the mapping relationship is established, so that the second terminal performs data transmission with the network-side device over the service bearer by using the first terminal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
a receiving unit configured to receive a link configuration request message sent by a second terminal, wherein the link configuration request message carries context information of the second terminal, and the context information comprises at least an identifier (ID) of the second terminal;
a sending unit configured to send a bearer configuration request message to a network-side device covering a coverage area according to the link configuration request message, wherein the bearer configuration request message comprises a radio bearer modification request message or a bearer resource modification request message, the bearer configuration request message carries the context information of the second terminal, the bearer configuration request message is used to request the network-side device to configure a service bearer, and the service bearer is used to transmit service data of the second terminal between a first terminal within the coverage area and the network-side device;
the receiving unit is further configured to receive a bearer configuration complete message that is sent by the network-side device according to the bearer configuration request message, wherein the bearer configuration complete message carries an ID of the service bearer;
a processor configured to allocate a second IP address to the second terminal, establish a mapping relationship between a first IP address allocated by a data gateway P-GW to the second terminal and the second IP address, and establish a mapping relationship between an ID of a first radio bearer and the second IP address;
the sending unit is further configured to send a link configuration complete message to the second terminal after the mapping relationship between the first IP address and the second IP address and the mapping relationship between the ID of the first radio bearer and second IP address are established, so that the second terminal performs data transmission with the network-side device over the service bearer through the first terminal;
in an uplink direction, the receiving unit is further configured to receive uplink data sent by the second terminal, wherein a source IP address of the uplink data is the second IP address; and
the processor is further configured to replace the source IP address of the uplink data with the first IP address.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when sending the bearer configuration request message to the network-side device according to the link configuration request message, the sending unit is configured to:
send, according to the context information, a radio bearer modification request message to a first base station eNB that serves the first terminal, so that the first eNB configures the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal, wherein the first radio bearer is used to transmit the service data of the second terminal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when sending the bearer configuration request message to the network-side device according to the link configuration request message, the sending unit is configured to:
send a bearer resource modification request message to a mobility management entity MME according to the context information, so that the MME configures a second S1 bearer between the first eNB and a serving gateway S-GW, and the MME controls the first eNB to configure the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal, wherein the second S1 bearer and the first radio bearer are used to transmit the service data of the second terminal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the sending unit is further configured to send, to the first eNB over the first radio bearer mapping the second IP address, the uplink data whose source IP address is replaced; or
in a downlink direction, the receiving unit is further configured to receive, over the first radio bearer mapping the second IP address, downlink data that is destined for the second terminal and whose destination IP address is the first IP address; the processor is further configured to replace the destination IP address of the downlink data with the second IP address; and the sending unit is further configured to send, to the second terminal, the downlink data whose destination IP address is replaced.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the context information further comprises the first IP address allocated by a data gateway P-GW to the second terminal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the context information of the second terminal further comprises an originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal,
the receiving unit is further configured to receive the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal in the context information, and
the sending unit is further configured to send the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal to the first eNB.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when an ID of the first eNB is same as the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal, the processor is further configured to configure the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal according to the radio bearer modification request message.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when an ID of the first eNB is different from the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal, the sending unit is configured to send a handover request message to a source eNB corresponding to the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the receiving unit is further configured to receive a handover acknowledgment message sent by the source eNB.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the handover acknowledgment message sent by the source eNB is received, the processor is further configured to configure the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal according to the radio bearer modification request message.

### Claim 11

A method, comprising:
receiving a link configuration request message sent by a second terminal, wherein the link configuration request message carries context information of the second terminal, and the context information comprises at least an identifier (ID) of the second terminal;
sending a bearer configuration request message to a network-side device covering a coverage area according to the link configuration request message, wherein the bearer configuration request message comprises a radio bearer modification request message or a bearer resource modification request message, the bearer configuration request message carries the context information of the second terminal, the bearer configuration request message is used to request the network-side device to configure a service bearer, and the service bearer is used to transmit service data of the second terminal between a first terminal within the coverage area and the network-side device;
receiving a bearer configuration complete message that is sent by the network-side device according to the bearer configuration request message, wherein the bearer configuration complete message carries an ID of the service bearer;
allocating a second IP address to the second terminal, establishing a mapping relationship between a first IP address allocated by a data gateway P-GW to the second terminal and the second IP address, and establishing a mapping relationship between an ID of a first radio bearer and the second IP address;
sending a link configuration complete message to the second terminal after the mapping relationship between the first IP address and the second IP address and the mapping relationship between the ID of the first radio bearer and second IP address are established, so that the second terminal performs data transmission with the network-side device over the service bearer through the first terminal;
in an uplink direction, receiving uplink data sent by the second terminal, wherein a source IP address of the uplink data is the second IP address; and
replacing the source IP address of the uplink data with the first IP address.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein sending the bearer configuration request message to the network-side device according to the link configuration request message comprises:
sending, according to the context information, a radio bearer modification request message to a first base station eNB that serves the first terminal, so that the first eNB configures the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal, wherein the first radio bearer is used to transmit the service data of the second terminal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein sending the bearer configuration request message to the network-side device according to the link configuration request message comprises:
sending a bearer resource modification request message to a mobility management entity MME according to the context information, so that the MME configures a second S1 bearer between the first eNB and a serving gateway S-GW, and the MME controls the first eNB to configure the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal, wherein the second S1 bearer and the first radio bearer are used to transmit the service data of the second terminal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, further comprising:
sending, to the first eNB over the first radio bearer mapping the second IP address, the uplink data whose source IP address is replaced; or
in a downlink direction, receiving, over the first radio bearer mapping the second IP address, downlink data that is destined for the second terminal and whose destination IP address is the first IP address, replacing the destination IP address of the downlink data with the second IP address, and sending, to the second terminal, the downlink data whose destination IP address is replaced.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12,
wherein the context information of the second terminal further comprises an originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal; and
further comprising:
receiving the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal in the context information; and
sending the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal to the first eNB.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, further comprising: when an ID of the first eNB is same as the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal, configuring the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal according to the radio bearer modification request message.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, further comprising: when an ID of the first eNB is different from the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal, sending a handover request message to a source eNB corresponding to the originally-accessed-cell ID of the second terminal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, further comprising: receiving a handover acknowledgment message sent by the source eNB.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, further comprising: when the handover acknowledgment message sent by the source eNB is received, configuring the first radio bearer between the first eNB and the first terminal according to the radio bearer modification request message.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the context information further comprises the first IP address allocated by a data gateway P-GW to the second terminal.