Application layer communications in cellular networks

Apparatus for deployment in a cellular network, in which is assigned a first UE (User Equipment) address to a first UE and a second UE address to a second UE and a first application client on the first UE and a second application client on the second UE are connected to a specific application server, and it is requested by the specific application server to connect the first UE, served by the said apparatus, with the second UE, served by a specific RAN (Radio Access Network) node, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one network interface;
• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor, which is configured to operate as controller of the said apparatus, being operational to:
• establish a wireless connection between the said apparatus and the first UE,
• determine the identity of the second RAN node serving the second UE,
• establish a connection within RAN, between the first UE and the second UE through the said apparatus and the specific RAN node, wherein the user data is conveyed through the said apparatus and through the specific RAN node, between the first application client on the first UE and the second application client on the second UE.

A User Equipment (UE) apparatus for deployment in a cellular network, wherein the UE apparatus is assigned with a first UE address and another UE is assigned with another UE address, and a first application client on the said UE apparatus and a second application client on the other UE are connected to a specific application server, and it is requested by the specific application server to connect the said UE apparatus, served by a first RAN (Radio Access Network) node, with the other UE, served by a second RAN node, and the second RAN node serving the other UE is identified by the first RAN node, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one radio, which is configured to communicate over the air with at least one base station, by using a cellular radio interface (Uu) between a UE and a base station, or is configured to communicate over the air with at least one sidelink hub by using a cellular sidelink radio interface;
• a signal processing block, configured to acquire synchronization with the at least one base station or with the at least one sidelink hub;
• and
• at least one processor, which is configured to operate as a controller of the said UE apparatus, being operational to establish a connection within RAN, between the first application client and the second application client, through the first RAN node and the second RAN node, and to convey user data between the first application client on the UE apparatus and the second application client on the other UE through the first and second RAN nodes.