Connection switching control mechanism in multi connectivity communication

A method for use in a communication element or function configured to conduct a multi-connectivity communication in a communication network in which at least two communication links are used to at least two different cells formed by at least one network element or function for forming a communication path, the method comprising

• determining that a link failure recovery procedure for a first communication link with a first cell is conducted,
• detecting that a condition for performing a conditional cell change procedure for a second communication link to a second cell is met, which is to be conducted during the link failure recovery procedure for the first communication link,
• executing a processing for controlling a timing for conducting at least one of the link failure recovery procedure for the first communication link and the conditional cell change procedure for the second communication link, and
• conducting at least one of the link failure recovery process procedure and the conditional cell change procedure according to a result of the processing for controlling the timing,
• the method further comprising,
• starting, when the link failure recovery procedure is conducted, a first timer indicating a time period when a connection reestablishment procedure is started for the first communication link to the first cell;
• and
• in the processing for controlling the timing for conducting at least one of the link failure recovery procedure for the first communication link and the conditional cell change procedure for the second communication link, stopping the first timer when it is detected that the condition for performing the conditional cell change procedure for the second communication link to the second cell is met, and starting a second timer indicating a time period when the connection reestablishment procedure is started for the first communication link to the first cell.

An apparatus for use by a communication element or function configured to conduct a multi-connectivity communication in a communication network in which at least two communication links are used to at least two different cells formed by at least one network element or function for forming a communication path, the apparatus comprising

• at least one processing circuitry, and
• at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processing circuitry,
• wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processing circuitry, cause the apparatus at least:
• to determine that a link failure recovery procedure for a first communication link with a first cell is conducted,
• to detect that a condition for performing a conditional cell change procedure for a second communication link to a second cell is met, which is to be conducted during the link failure recovery procedure for the first communication link,
• to execute a processing for controlling a timing for conducting at least one of the link failure recovery procedure for the first communication link and the conditional cell change procedure for the second communication link, and
• to conduct at least one of the link failure recovery process procedure and the conditional cell change procedure according to a result of the processing for controlling the timing,
• to start, when the link failure recovery procedure is conducted, a first timer indicating a time period when a connection reestablishment procedure is started for the first communication link to the first cell,
• to receive and process, from a communication network control element or function controlling at least one of the first cell and the second cell, at least two different timer values for the first timer, wherein one of the at least two different timer values is applied for the first timer indicating the time period when the connection reestablishment procedure is started for the first communication link to the first cell, and,
• in the processing for controlling the timing for conducting at least one of the link failure recovery procedure for the first communication link and the conditional cell change procedure for the second communication link, to stop the first timer when it is detected that the condition for performing the conditional cell change procedure for the second communication link to the second cell is met, and to restart the first timer, wherein another of the at least two timer values is applied for the first timer.