Bearer activation for multiple radio access technology dual connectivity scenarios

• US 10,548,177 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2018
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Patil, Sudhakar Reddy, Ramamurthi, Vishwanath, Kotecha, Lalit R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Duc T
• Application Number:
  US15/955,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20190320480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for activating bearers in radio access networks includes receiving information regarding channel conditions for a secondary RAT; identifying a first set of radio bearers for a primary RAT and a second set of radio bearers for the secondary RAT based on the received channel conditions; and establishing the first set of radio bearers associated with the primary RAT. The method may also include providing a message to a core network indicating that first set of radio bearers have been established for the primary RAT, the message includes an indication that the second set of radio bearers will be established after the core network has been configured for operation with the first set of radio bearers; reconfiguring a UE for establishing the second set of radio bearers associated with the secondary RAT; and indicating that the reconfiguration of the UE for the second set of radio bearers is complete.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a master node associated with a primary radio access technology (RAT), information regarding channel conditions associated with a secondary RAT;

identifying, by the master node, a first set of radio bearers suitable for the primary RAT and a second set of radio bearers suitable for the secondary RAT based on the received channel conditions;

establishing, by the master node, only the first set of radio bearers associated with the primary RAT;

providing, from the master node, a message to a core network indicating that the first set of radio bearers have been established for the primary RAT, wherein the message includes an indication that the second set of radio bearers will subsequently be established after the core network has been configured for operation with the first set of radio bearers;

reconfiguring, by the master node, a user equipment (UE) for establishing the second set of radio bearers associated with the secondary RAT; and

indicating, by the master node to a secondary node, that the reconfiguration of the UE for the second set of radio bearers is complete.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises:

receiving measurement reports from the UE regarding channel conditions of the secondary RAT between the UE and the secondary node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises:

receiving a list of bearers to be activated for exchanging service data flows associated with a plurality applications.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifying further comprises:

comparing the received list of bearers with information residing within the master node identifying the suitability of bearers associated with the different RATs for the service data flows associated with the plurality of applications.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, from the master node to the UE upon establishing the first set of radio bearers and prior to establishing the second set of radio bearers, an indication that additional bearers associated with the secondary RAT will be established.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing further comprises:

sending a message to the core network that a completion of a context setup for the first set of radio bearers is partially complete to indicate that a context for the second set of radio bearers has not been setup.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the master node is an eNodeB wirelessly communicating via the primary RAT associated with an LTE network, and the secondary node is a gNodeB wirelessly communicating via the secondary RAT associated with a 5G network.

8. A node, comprising:

a network interface;

an RF interface and antenna associated with a primary radio access technology (RAT);

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory to;

receive information regarding channel conditions associated with a secondary RAT;

identify a first set of radio bearers suitable for the primary RAT and a second set of radio bearers suitable for the secondary RAT based on the received channel conditions;

establish only the first set of radio bearers associated with the primary RAT;

provide a message to a core network indicating that the first set of radio bearers have been established for the primary RAT, wherein the message includes an indication that the second set of radio bearers will subsequently be established after the core network has been configured for operation with the first set of radio bearers;

reconfigure a user equipment (UE) for establishing the second set of radio bearers associated with the secondary RAT; and

indicate to a secondary node, that the reconfiguration of the UE for the second set of radio bearers is complete.

9. The node of claim 8, wherein the instructions for receiving cause the processor to:

receive measurement reports from the UE regarding channel conditions of the secondary RAT between the UE and the secondary node.

10. The node of claim 8, wherein the instructions for identifying cause the processor to:

receive a list of bearers to be activated for exchanging service data flows associated with a plurality of applications.

11. The node of claim 10, wherein the instructions for identifying cause the processor to:

compare the received list of bearers with information residing within the master node identifying the suitability of bearers associated with the different RATs for the service data flows associated with the plurality of applications.

12. The node of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

provide to the UE upon establishing the first set of radio bearers and prior to establishing the second set of radio bearers, an indication that additional bearers associated with the secondary RAT will be established.

13. The node of claim 8, wherein the instructions for providing cause the processor to:

send a message to the core network that a completion of a context setup for the first set of radio bearers is partially complete to indicate that a context for the second set of radio bearers has not been setup.

14. The node of claim 8, wherein the node is an master node eNodeB wirelessly communicating via the primary RAT associated with an LTE network, and the secondary node is a gNodeB wirelessly communicating via the secondary RAT associated with a 5G network.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive, at a master node associated with a primary radio access technology (RAT), information regarding channel conditions associated with a secondary RAT;

identify, by the master node, a first set of radio bearers suitable for the primary RAT and a second set of radio bearers suitable for the secondary RAT based on the received channel conditions;

establish, by the master node, only the first set of radio bearers associated with the primary RAT;

provide, from the master node, a message to a core network indicating that the first set of radio bearers have been established for the primary RAT, wherein the message includes an indication that the second set of radio bearers will subsequently be established after the core network has been configured for operation with the first set of radio bearers;

reconfigure, by the master node, a user equipment (UE) for establishing the second set of radio bearers associated with the secondary RAT; and

indicate, by the master node to a secondary node, that the reconfiguration of the UE for the second set of radio bearers is complete.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for receiving cause the processor to:

receive measurement reports from the UE regarding channel conditions of the secondary RAT between the UE and the secondary node.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for identifying cause the processor to:

receive a list of bearers to be activated for exchanging service data flows associated with a plurality of applications.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for identifying cause the processor to:

compare the received list of bearers with information residing within the master node identifying the suitability of bearers associated with the different RATs for the service data flows associated with the plurality of applications.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

provide, from the master node to the UE upon establishing the first set of radio bearers and prior to establishing the second set of radio bearers, an indication that additional bearers associated with the secondary RAT will be established.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for providing cause the processor to:

send a message to the core network that a completion of a context setup for the first set of radio bearers is partially complete to indicate that a context for the second set of radio bearers has not been setup.