Method and apparatus supporting local breakout in a dual-connectivity architecture

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The present disclosure provides a method of de-activating a local internet protocol access (LIPA) bearer supporting local breakout in a dual-connectivity architecture. When a master eNodeB (MeNB) determines to change a secondary eNodeB (SeNB) serving a user equipment (UE) or hand the UE over from the MeNB to an eNB, the MeNB may trigger a LIPA bearer de-activation process, and then trigger the process of change the SeNB serving the UE or hand the UE over from the MeNB to the eNB. Various examples also provide another method and an apparatus for de-activating a LIPA bearer, for bearer switch, for establishing a LIPA bearer. The methods and apparatus can establish, switch and correctly release local breakout bearer in a dual-connectivity architecture, so as to reduce the load of a core network of an operator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.