Apparatus and method for reducing padding in dual connectivity

A user equipment (UE) in a wireless network system, the UE comprising:

• at least one transceiver;
• at least one processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the UE to:
• transmit, to a first network node through the at least one transceiver, a first buffer status report (BSR), the first BSR including a first data volume for transmission of a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity, transmit, to a second network node through the at least one transceiver, a second BSR, the second BSR including a second data volume for transmission of the PDCP entity, transmit, to the first network node through the at least one transceiver,
• first uplink (UL) transmission data with a first set of padded bits, based on first UL grants from the first network node, transmit, to the second network node through the at least one transceiver,
• second UL transmission data with a second set of padding bits, based on second UL grants from the second network node, scale the first data volume to a first scaled data volume to be requested in a first subsequent BSR to the first network node, based on a first medium access control (MAC) padding ratio of the first set of padded bits of the first UL transmission data over a first UL throughput to the first network node, and scale the second data volume to a second scaled data volume to be requested in a second subsequent BSR to the second network node, based on a second MAC padding ratio of the second set of padded bits of the second UL transmission data over a second UL throughput to the second network node.

A network node in a wireless network system, the network node comprising:

• at least one transceiver;
• at least one processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the network node to:
• receive, from a user equipment (UE) through the at least one transceiver,
• a buffer status report (BSR), the BSR including a data volume for transmission of a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity for split bearer, transmit, to the UE through the at least one transceiver, uplink (UL) grants based on the data volume requested in the BSR, receive, from the UE through the at least one transceiver, UL transmission data with a set of padding bits in accordance with the UL grants, and scale the UL grants to scaled UL grants to be provided to the UE, based on a first medium access control (MAC) padding ratio of the set of padded bits of the UL transmission data over an UL throughput from the UE to the network node.