Managing or facilitating network connectivity in a wireless communication system

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating network connectivity of the wireless communication device in an Integrated Access and Backhaul, IAB, communication system are disclosed. A method at a wireless communication device comprises determining whether there are one or more preferred mobile cells other than a serving mobile cell serving the wireless communication device, the one or more preferred mobile cells being preferential target cells for the wireless communication device. In an example, the one or more preferred mobile cells are bound to each other and the wireless communication device may determine whether a serving cell, such as a serving mobile cell, serving the wireless communication device is bound to one or more other cells, such as one or more other mobile cells. For mobile cells, a cell may be bound to a mobile cell when movement of the cell is related to movement of the mobile cell. Methods at an IAB node associated with one or more cells, such as one or more mobile cells, of the IAB communication system and methods at an IAB donor node of the IAB communication system, the IAB donor node managing a connection between a wireless communication device and a serving cell, such as a serving mobile cell, serving the wireless communication device, are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.