Methods and Nodes for Packet Duplication Relating to Carrier Aggregation in a Wireless Communication Network

A method in a node for a wireless communication network, the node being configurable with a plurality of radio carriers for radio transmission between the node and one or more other nodes of the wireless communication network, the plurality of radio carriers comprising at least a first carrier and a second carrier, the node being operable according to a protocol stack comprising at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the second layer is higher than the first layer, wherein the first layer is responsible for aggregation of the first and second radio carriers, and wherein the second layer is responsible for duplication of data packets for transmission over the first and second carriers, the method comprising:

• determining, at a first entity of the first layer, that the second carrier is activated or deactivated;
• and
• sending, from the first entity of the first layer to a first entity of the second layer, an indication of the activation or deactivation of the second carrier.

A method in a node for a wireless communication network, the node being configurable with a plurality of radio carriers for radio transmission between the node and one or more other nodes of the wireless communication network, the plurality of radio carriers comprising at least a first carrier and a second carrier, the node being operable according to a protocol stack comprising at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the second layer is higher than the first layer, wherein the first layer is responsible for aggregation of the first and second radio carriers, and wherein the second layer is responsible for duplication of data packets for transmission over the first and second carriers, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a first entity of the second layer, an instruction to commence or cease duplication of packets over the first and second carriers;
• and
• sending, from the first entity of the second layer to a first entity of the first layer, a request to activate or deactivate the second carrier.

A node for a wireless communication network, the node being configurable with a plurality of radio carriers for radio transmission between the node and one or more other nodes of the wireless communication network, the plurality of radio carriers comprising at least a first carrier and a second carrier, the node being operable according to a protocol stack comprising at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the second layer is higher than the first layer, wherein the first layer is responsible for aggregation of the first and second radio carriers, and wherein the second layer is responsible for duplication of data packets for transmission over the first and second carriers, the node comprising processing circuitry and a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing code which, when executed by the processing circuitry, causes the node to:

• determine, at a first entity of the first layer, that the second carrier is activated or deactivated;
• and
• send, from the first entity of the first layer to a first entity of the second layer, an indication of the activation or deactivation of the second carrier.

A node for a wireless communication network, the node being configurable with a plurality of radio carriers for radio transmission between the node and one or more other nodes of the wireless communication network, the plurality of radio carriers comprising at least a first carrier and a second carrier, the node being operable according to a protocol stack comprising at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the second layer is higher than the first layer, wherein the first layer is responsible for aggregation of the first and second radio carriers, and wherein the second layer is responsible for duplication of data packets for transmission over the first and second carriers, the node comprising processing circuitry and a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing code which, when executed by the processing circuitry, causes the node to:

• receive, at a first entity of the second layer, an instruction to commence or cease duplication of packets over the first and second carriers;
• and
• send, from the first entity of the second layer to a first entity of the first layer, a request to activate or deactivate the second carrier.