Method for data forwarding in a small cell system

A method performed by a target secondary node (SN) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a master node (MN), a request message for adding the target SN, the request message including configuration information on a source SN;
• transmitting, to the MN, a response message including an address of the target SN, wherein the address includes a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) and a transport network layer (TNL) address for a data forwarding;
• and
• receiving, from the source SN, data by a direct data forwarding based on the address of the target SN delivered to the source SN.

A method performed by a source secondary node (SN) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a master node (MN), a request message including a forwarding address, wherein the request message includes an address of a target SN as the forwarding address, in case that a direct data forwarding from the source SN to the target SN is used;
• transmitting, to the MN, an SN status transfer message including a status of the source SN;
• and
• transmitting, to the target SN, data by the direct data forwarding based on the address of the target SN,
• wherein the address includes a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) and a transport network layer (TNL) address for a data forwarding.

A master node (MN) in a wireless communication system, the MN comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal;
• and
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
• transmit, to a target secondary node (SN), a first request message for adding the target SN, the first request message including configuration information on a source SN,
• receive, from the target SN, a response message including an address of the target SN, wherein the address includes a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) and a transport network layer (TNL) address for a data forwarding, and
• transmit, to the source SN, a second request message including a forwarding address,
• wherein the second request message includes the address of the target SN as the forwarding address, in case that a direct data forwarding from the source SN to the target SN is used.

A target secondary node (SN) in a wireless communication system, the target SN comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal;
• and
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
• receive, from a master node (MN), a request message for adding the target SN, the request message including configuration information on a source SN,
• transmit, to the MN, a response message including an address of the target SN, wherein the address includes a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) and a transport network layer (TNL) address for a data forwarding, and
• receive, from the source SN, data by a direct data forwarding based on the address of the target SN delivered to the source SN.

A source secondary node (SN) in a wireless communication system, the source SN comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal;
• and
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
• receive, from a master node (MN), a request message including a forwarding address, wherein the request message includes an address of a target SN as the forwarding address, in case that a direct data forwarding from the source SN to the target SN is used,
• transmit, to the MN, an SN status transfer message including a status of the source SN, and
• transmit, to the target SN, data by the direct data forwarding based on the address of the target SN,
• wherein the address includes a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) and a transport network layer (TNL) address for a data forwarding.