Flushing PDCP Packets To Reduce Network Load In Multi-Connectivity Scenarios

A method, comprising:

• receiving a data unit at a duplicating node in a communications network, wherein the duplicating node receives in the data unit a copy of a packet that is also sent via one or more nodes in a duplication set of nodes toward a user equipment, the data unit comprising a duplication flag indicating the corresponding data unit comprises a copy of the packet;
• forwarding the data unit with the packet to a first protocol layer of a plurality of layers toward transmission via an air interface toward the user equipment;
• and
• discarding, in the first protocol layer or in a layer lower than the first protocol layer, the packet in response to receiving an acknowledgement at the duplicating node that a copy of the packet was successfully received by the user equipment.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more memories including computer program code,
• the one or more memories and the computer program code configured, with the one or more processors, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
• receiving a packet at an anchor node in a communications network;
• duplicating, by the anchor node, the packet to form two copies of the packet;
• flagging, by the anchor node, each of two data units, each comprising one of the two copies, with a duplication flag indicating the corresponding data unit comprises a copy of the packet;
• sending, by the anchor node, one of the two data units, with one of the copies, through a plurality of protocol layers toward transmission via an air interface toward a user equipment;
• and
• sending, by the anchor node, another of the two data units, with the other copy, over a network interface and toward one or more duplicating nodes.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and one or more memories including computer program code,
• the one or more memories and the computer program code configured, with the one or more processors, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
• receiving a data unit at a duplicating node in a communications network, wherein the duplicating node receives in the data unit a copy of a packet that is also sent via one or more nodes in a duplication set of nodes toward a user equipment, the data unit comprising a duplication flag indicating the corresponding data unit comprises a copy of the packet;
• forwarding the data unit with the packet to a first protocol layer of a plurality of layers toward transmission via an air interface toward the user equipment;
• and
• discarding, in the first protocol layer or in a layer lower than the first protocol layer, the packet in response to receiving an acknowledgement at the duplicating node that a copy of the packet was successfully received by the user equipment.