Network coding for dual connectivity

A method of wireless communication at a base station, the method comprising:

• receiving a first number of source packets at a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer;
• sending the first number of source packets from the PDCP layer to a first network coding layer of the base station;
• encoding the first number of source packets into a second number of encoded packets with a rateless network code at the first network coding layer;
• determining whether the first number of source packets exceeds a preconfigured threshold that is based on a limited number of source packets for the base station and a size of each source packet in the limited number of source packets;
• dividing the first number of source packets into a first portion and a second portion when the first number of source packets exceeds the preconfigured threshold, wherein the first portion corresponds to the limited number of source packets and the second portion corresponds to a difference between the first number of source packets and the limited number of source packets, wherein the second portion of the first number of source packets is sent to a second network coding layer over a radio access network (RAN) interface by the PDCP layer, wherein the first network coding layer is a sub-layer of a first radio link control (RLC) layer at the base station and the second network coding layer is a sub-layer of a second RLC layer at a road side unit (RSU);
• sending a first portion of the first number of source packets to the first network coding layer at the base station and a second portion of the first number of source packets to a second network coding layer at the RSU over the RAN interface when the first number of source packets exceeds the preconfigured threshold;
• and
• sending the first number of source packets exclusively to the first network coding layer when the first number of source packets does not exceed the preconfigured threshold.

An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• receive a first number of source packets from a packet data convergence protocol PDCP) layer;
• determine, at a radio resource control (RRC) layer, a pre-configured threshold that corresponds to a total size of encoded packets for the apparatus;
• encode the first number of source packets into a second number of encoded packets with a rateless network code at a first network coding layer;
• determine whether the second number of encoded packets satisfies the pre-configured threshold;
• send the second number of encoded packets from the first network coding layer to a first radio link control (RLC) layer, wherein the sending comprises:
• sending a first portion of the second number of encoded packets to the first RLC layer at the apparatus and a second portion of the second number of encoded packets to a second RLC layer at a road side unit (RSU) over a radio access network (RAN) interface when the second number of encoded packets satisfies the pre-configured threshold, and
• sending the second number of encoded packets exclusively to the first RLC layer when the second number of encoded packets does not satisfy the pre-configured threshold;
• and
• transmit, to a user equipment, encoded data comprising the second number of encoded packets.

An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• receive a first number of source packets at a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer;
• send the first number of source packets from the PDCP layer to a first network coding layer of the apparatus;
• encode the first number of source packets into a second number of encoded packets with a rateless network code at the first network coding layer;
• determine whether the first number of source packets exceeds a preconfigured threshold that is based on a limited number of source packets for the apparatus and a size of each source packet in the limited number of source packets;
• divide the first number of source packets into a first portion and a second portion when the first number of source packets exceeds the preconfigured threshold, wherein the first portion corresponds to the limited number of source packets and the second portion corresponds to a difference between the first number of source packets and the limited number of source packets, wherein the second portion of the first number of source packets is sent to a second network coding layer over a radio access network (RAN) interface by the PDCP layer, wherein the first network coding layer is a sub-layer of a first radio link control (RLC) layer at the apparatus and the second network coding layer is a sub-layer of a second RLC layer at a road side unit (RSU);
• send a first portion of the first number of source packets to the first network coding layer at the apparatus and a second portion of the first number of source packets to a second network coding layer at the RSU over the RAN interface when the first number of source packets exceeds the preconfigured threshold;
• and
• send the first number of source packets exclusively to the first network coding layer when the first number of source packets does not exceed the preconfigured threshold.