# US 12,225,603 B2 · Communication method and apparatus for reducing data transmission delay and reducing signaling overheads > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,225,603 B2 - Document ID: US12225603B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/673,548 - Filed: 2022-02-16 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-16 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Xiaoying Xu; Qufang Huang; Chong Lou; Qinghai Zeng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225603B2 ## CPC - H04W 48/20: Selecting an access point - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04W 76/19: Connection re-establishment - H04W 76/20: Manipulation of established connections - H04W 76/30: Connection release - H04W 8/26: Network addressing or numbering for mobility support - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract This application provides a communication method and apparatus, and relates to the field of communication technologies, to resolve problems of a long data transmission delay and high signaling overheads. A first access network device receives uplink user plane data from a user equipment in an inactive state, and sends an uplink control plane information element and the uplink user plane data to a second access network device through a same interface. The method is applied to a data transmission process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication method, comprising: receiving, by a first access network device, uplink user plane data from a user equipment (UE) in an inactive state; and sending, by the first access network device, an uplink control plane information element and the uplink user plane data to a second access network device through different interfaces, wherein the uplink control plane information element comprises a first indication information element, and wherein the first indication information element comprises a cause value or a buffer status report (BSR), and the cause value or the BSR is used to indicate the second access network device to receive the uplink user plane data sent by the first access network device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the uplink control plane information element comprises one or more of the following information elements: a first user equipment identifier, identity authentication information of the UE, a cell identifier of a target cell accessed by the UE, or a second user equipment identifier allocated by the first access network device to the UE. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the sending, by the first access network device, the uplink control plane information element and the uplink user plane data to the second access network device through different interfaces comprises: sending, by the first access network device, the uplink control plane information element to the second access network device through a control plane interface; and sending, by the first access network device, the uplink user plane data to the second access network device through a user plane interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first access network device, a downlink control plane information element and downlink user plane data from the second access network device through different interfaces; and sending, by the first access network device, the downlink user plane data to the UE, wherein the downlink control plane information element comprises a second indication information element, and the second indication information element is used to indicate the first access network device to receive the downlink user plane data from the second access network device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The communication method according to claim 4, wherein the receiving, by the first access network device, the downlink control plane information element and the downlink user plane data from the second access network device through different interfaces comprises: receiving, by the first access network device, the downlink user plane data from the second access network device through a user plane interface; and receiving, by the first access network device, the downlink control plane information element from the second access network device through a control plane interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The communication method according to claim 4, further comprising: starting, by the first access network device, a timer in response to the first access network device receiving the downlink user plane data but not receiving the downlink control plane information element, wherein a running period of the timer is used by the first access network device to receive the downlink control plane information element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first access network device through a control plane interface or a user plane interface, a downlink control plane information element and downlink user plane data from the second access network device. ### Claim 8 An apparatus, comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the non-transitory memory stores a program to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including instructions for: receiving, by the apparatus, uplink user plane data from a user equipment (UE) in an inactive state; and sending, by the apparatus, an uplink control plane information element and the uplink user plane data to a second access network device through different interfaces, wherein the uplink control plane information element comprises a first indication information element, and wherein the first indication information element comprises a cause value or a buffer status report (BSR), and the cause value or the BSR is used to indicate the second access network device to receive the uplink user plane data sent by the apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the uplink control plane information element comprises one or more of the following information elements: a first user equipment identifier, identity authentication information of the UE, a cell identifier of a target cell accessed by the UE, or a second user equipment identifier allocated by the first access network device to the UE. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the sending, by the apparatus, the uplink control plane information element and the uplink user plane data to the second access network device through different interfaces comprises: sending, by the apparatus, the uplink control plane information element to the second access network device through a control plane interface; and sending, by the apparatus, the uplink user plane data to the second access network device through a user plane interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the program further includes instructions for: receiving, by the apparatus, a downlink control plane information element and downlink user plane data from the second access network device through different interfaces; and sending, by the apparatus, the downlink user plane data to the UE, wherein the downlink control plane information element comprises a second indication information element, and the second indication information element is used to indicate the apparatus to receive the downlink user plane data from the second access network device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the receiving, by the apparatus, the downlink control plane information element and downlink user plane data from the second access network device through different interfaces comprises: receiving, by the apparatus, the downlink user plane data from the second access network device through a user plane interface; and receiving, by the apparatus, the downlink control plane information element from the second access network device through a control plane interface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the program further includes instructions for: starting, by the apparatus, a timer in response to the apparatus receiving the downlink user plane data but not receiving the downlink control plane information element, wherein a running period of the timer is used by the apparatus to receive the downlink control plane information element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the program further includes instructions for: receiving, by the apparatus through a control plane interface or a user plane interface, a downlink control plane information element and downlink user plane data from the second access network device. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that are executable by a computer, and the instructions comprise instructions for: receiving, by a first access network device, uplink user plane data from a user equipment (UE) in an inactive state; and sending, by the first access network device, an uplink control plane information element and the uplink user plane data to a second access network device through different interfaces, wherein the uplink control plane information element comprises a first indication information element, and wherein the first indication information element comprises a cause value or a buffer status report (BSR), and the cause value or the BSR is used to indicate the second access network device to receive the uplink user plane data sent by the first access network device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the uplink control plane information element comprises one or more of the following information elements: a first user equipment identifier, identity authentication information of the UE, a cell identifier of a target cell accessed by the UE, or a second user equipment identifier allocated by the first access network device to the UE. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the sending, by the first access network device, the uplink control plane information element and the uplink user plane data to the second access network device through different interfaces comprises: sending, by the first access network device, the uplink control plane information element to the second access network device through a control plane interface; and sending, by the first access network device, the uplink user plane data to the second access network device through a user plane interface.