Method for Performing Packet Switched Handover in a Mobile Communication System

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, direct the apparatus at least to:

• cause communications with a remote packet switching node, prior to receiving a data packet stream that is routed from the remote packet switching node as a result of a handover to the remote packet switching node, to receive an indication of a packet-switched handover condition associated with a mobile node, to request packet-switched handover preparation, to send logical link layer information, and to receive logical link layer information;
• form a first logical link layer control entity in response to connection establishment and a second logical link layer control entity in response to a packet-switched handover condition;
• detect the packet-switched handover condition and a packet-switched handover completion;
• and
• cause the second logical link layer control entity to be configured to renegotiate logical link layer parameters with a packet switched node after the packet-switched handover completion when the logical link layer parameters are not suitable.

A method of performing packet switched handover in a mobile communication network comprising a mobile node, a first and a second packet switching node, the method comprising:

• detecting a handover condition associated with the mobile node in the first packet switching node;
• requesting handover preparation by the first packet switching node from the second packet switching node,
• receiving at least one ciphering parameter from the first packet switching node to the second packet switching node when the first packet switching node requests handover preparation from the second packet switching node;
• receiving a packet at the first packet switching node;
• forming a logical link layer Protocol Data Unit (PDU) from data in the packet;
• sending a first frame containing the logical link layer Protocol Data Unit (PDU) to the mobile node from the first packet switching node;
• sending the logical link Protocol data Unit (PDU) from the first packet switching node to the second packet switching node;
• and
• sending a second frame containing the logical link layer Protocol Data Unit (PDU) to the mobile node from the second packet switching node.