Multi-RAT Radio Resource Aggregation with Split Bearer Support

A wireless cellular node comprising:

• a radio;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the radio;
• wherein the radio and the processor are configured to:
• communicate with a user equipment device (UE) using a first radio access technology (RAT), wherein the first RAT is a cellular RAT;
• receive an indication of whether the UE supports multi-RAT radio resource aggregation;
• transmit to the UE, while the UE is in a connected mode, using signaling specific to the UE, radio resource control (RRC) information for performing access point selection for redirection of uplink data by the UE via a second RAT according to a split bearer configuration based in part on the received indication;
• wherein the split bearer configuration causes the UE to:
• transmit a first portion of uplink data of a first radio bearer using first radio resources via the first RAT;
• and
• route, at a cellular protocol stack packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, a second portion of uplink data of the first radio bearer using second radio resources via the second RAT;
• trigger attachment of the UE to a first access point using the second radio interface, and perform communication with the UE according to the split bearer configuration via the first access point;
• perform communication with the UE according to the split bearer configuration via a second access point, different than the first access point, in accordance with the RRC information.

A method for operating a cellular network, the method comprising:

• at a base station of the cellular network:
• communicating with a user equipment device (UE) using a first radio access technology (RAT), wherein the first RAT is a cellular RAT;
• receiving an indication of whether the UE supports multi-RAT radio resource aggregation;
• transmitting to the UE, while the UE is in a connected mode, using signaling specific to the UE, radio resource control (RRC) information for performing access point selection for redirection of uplink data by the UE via a second RAT according to a split bearer configuration based in part on the received indication;
• wherein the split bearer configuration causes the UE to:
• transmit a first portion of uplink data of a first radio bearer using first radio resources via the first RAT;
• and
• route, at a cellular protocol stack packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, a second portion of uplink data of the first radio bearer using second radio resources via the second RAT;
• triggering attachment of the UE to a first access point using the second radio interface, and perform communication with the UE according to the split bearer configuration via the first access point;
• performing communication with the UE according to the split bearer configuration via a second access point, different than the first access point, in accordance with the RRC information.