Discontinuous reception alignment in dual connectivity networks

A non-transitory computer readable storage device including instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processor(s) of a User Equipment (UE), cause the UE to perform operations to:

• align discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration between counterpart Evolved Node Bs (eNB)s, wherein the counterpart eNBs are a Master eNB (MeNB) and a Secondary eNB (SeNB) simultaneously connected to the UE;
• communicate system frame timing and system rame number (SFN) information between the counterpart eNBs;
• align discontinuous reception start offset (drxStartOffset) values for the counterpart eNBs according to the system frame timing and SFN information to compensate for offsets in system frame timing;
• start DRX ON durations at specific frame or sub-frame times determined by the aligned drxStartOffset values;
• and
• use the aligned drxStartOffset values for beginning active state periods, after the expiration of a DRX inactivity timer.

A method for aligning discontinuous reception (DRX) in a dual connectivity wireless network comprising;

• exchanging system frame timing and system frame number (SFN) information between a Master Evolved Node B (MeNB) and a Secondary Evolved Node B (SeNB) simultaneously connected to a User Equipment (UE);
• and
• determining DRX start offset (drxStartOffset) values for the MeNB and the SeNB according to the exchanged system frame timing and SFN information, for initiating aligned packet activity with the UE at specific frame and/or sub-frame times;
• wherein the aligned packet activity is associated with DRX ON durations at specific frame or sub-frame times determined by aligned drxStartOffset values for beginning active state periods when an inactivity timer expires.

A dual connectivity enabled User Equipment (UE) comprising:

• memory configured to store system frame timing and system frame number (SFN) information;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• communicate the system frame timing and SFN information between counterpart evolved Node Bs (eNBs), wherein the counterpart eNBs are a Master eNB (MeNB) and a Secondary eNB (SeNB) simultaneously connected to the UE;
• align Discontinuous Reception (DRX) start offset (drxStartOffset) values for the counterpart eNBs according to the system frame timing and SFN information to compensate for offsets in the system frame timing;
• start DRX ON durations at specific frame or sub-frame times determined by the aligned drxStartOffset values;
• and
• use the aligned DRX start offset values for beginning active state periods when an inactivity timer expires.