System and Method for Handovers in a Dual Connectivity Communications System
AssigneeFuturewei Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNathan Edward Tenny, Xuelong Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for operating a first access node in a dual connectivity (DuCo) handover includes receiving an event trigger for a combined event from a user equipment (UE), sending to a second access node, a combined instruction for primary secondary cell (PSCell) addition and a role change with the second access node in accordance with the event trigger, adding as the second access node as a PSCell, and indicating to the UE, a role change between the first access node and the second access node.
Claims22
A method for operating a first access node in a dual connectivity (DuCo) handover, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the first access node, an event trigger for a combined event from a user equipment (UE);
- sending, by the first access node, to a second access node, a combined instruction for primary secondary cell (PSCell) addition and a role change with the second access node in accordance with the event trigger;
- adding, by the first access node, as the second access node as a PSCell;
- and
- indicating, by the first access node, to the UE, a role change between the first access node and the second access node.
A method for operating a first access node in a dual connectivity (DuCo) handover, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the first access node, a combined event trigger for a combined event from a user equipment (UE);
- sending, by the first access node, to a second access node, a combined instruction for a role change with the second access node and a primary secondary cell (PSCell) release in accordance with the combined event trigger;
- indicating, by the first access node, to the UE, a role change between the first access node and the second access node;
- receiving, by the first access node, a UE context release instruction from the second access node;
- and
- releasing, by the first access node, a UE context associated with the UE.
A method for operating a second access node in a dual connectivity (DuCo) handover, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the second access node, from a first access node, a combined instruction for a role change with the second access node and a primary secondary cell (PSCell) release;
- changing, by the second access node, to operating as a primary cell (PCell);
- and
- sending, by the second access node, a user equipment (UE) context release instruction to the first access node.
A method for processing packets during a role change between a first access node and a second access node, the method comprising:
- applying, by a user equipment (UE), to a first set of packets, a first set of packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) functions associated with the first access node prior to a processing of a switch indicator, wherein the first set of PDCP functions associated with the first access node includes sequence number assignment and header compression;
- applying, by the UE, to a second set of packets, a first set of PDCP functions associated with the second access node after the processing of the switch indicator, wherein the first set of PDCP functions associated with the second access node includes sequence number assignment and header compression;
- applying, by the UE, to a third set of packets, a second set of PDCP functions associated with the first access node when communicating with the first access node, wherein the second set of PDCP functions associated with the first access node includes header addition and/or removal and deciphering and/or ciphering;
- and
- applying, by the UE, to a fourth set of packets, a second set of PDCP functions associated with the second access node when communicating with the second access node, wherein the second set of PDCP functions associated with the second access node includes header addition and/or removal and deciphering and/or ciphering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.