Method and apparatus for control layer communication between network nodes having multiple interfaces

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for transmitting control plane messages in a communication network. Messaging is between two logical nodes, e.g. gNBs. Logical nodes include multiple networked sub-entities. Multiple sub-interfaces couple a pair of logical nodes. One sub-interface is selected based on keys associated with content of a message. Key-to-sub-interface associations are stored in memory. The keys may be identifiers included in the control plane message, such as UE IDs, Cell IDs, etc. Packets carrying the control plane message are configured and transmitted using the selected sub-interface. A key-to-sub-interface association may be established or updated when a control plane message is received via the sub-interface and includes the key, or in response to a rejection message specifying the correct sub-interface to use. A middle box entity may be provided in a logical node for each sub-interface and configured to act at least initially to forward messages to appropriate sub-entities.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.