Methods and apparatus for providing end marker functionality in mobile networks having SRv6-configured mobile user planes
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- at a base station configured for use in a mobile network, and operative as a source base station for a handover of a user equipment (UE) to a target base station;
receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) message from a user plane (UP) entity which carries data traffic of a data session for the UE; and
performing a function associated with a segment identifier identified in a segment routing header (SRH) of the IP message, the function comprising an end marker handling function associated with the segment identifier.
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Abstract
End marker functionality may be provided in mobile networks having mobile user planes configured with segment routing for IPv6 (SRv6), especially suitable for 5G network migration. For example, a base station may receive an SRv6 control message from a user plane function (UPF) which carries data traffic of a data session for the UE. The base station may perform a function associated with a segment identifier (SID) identified in a segment routing header (SRH) of the SRv6 control message. The function may be an end marker handling function associated with an end marker SID. Performing the end marker handling function may cause the base station to generate a tunneling protocol message (e.g. according to GPRS tunneling protocol or GTP) comprising an end marker message and send the tunneling protocol message comprising the end marker message for receipt by the target base station.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
at a base station configured for use in a mobile network, and operative as a source base station for a handover of a user equipment (UE) to a target base station; receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) message from a user plane (UP) entity which carries data traffic of a data session for the UE; and performing a function associated with a segment identifier identified in a segment routing header (SRH) of the IP message, the function comprising an end marker handling function associated with the segment identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A base station, comprising:
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a controller; a transceiver circuit coupled to the controller and configured for wireless communication with a user equipment (UE); a first interface configured for communication with a user plane (UP) entity assigned to the UE for a data session; a second interface configured for communication with a target base station in a handover of the UE while the base station operates as a source base station; the controller being configured to; receive via the first interface a segment routing (SR) for Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) (SRv6) message from the UP entity which carries data traffic of the data session for the UE; and perform a function associated with a segment identifier (SID) identified in a segment routing header (SRH) of the SRv6 message, the function comprising an end marker handling function associated with the SID.
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14. A method, comprising:
at a control plane (CP) entity for session management, receiving a message indicating a handover of a user equipment (UE) from a source base station to a target base station; generating an Internet Protocol (IP) message which includes a segment routing header populated with a segment identifier associated with an end marker handling function; and sending the IP message to a user plane (UP) entity assigned to the UE for forwarding to the source base station. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification