BASE STATION TO ACCESS POINT INTERFACE FOR DATA BEARER ROUTING

• US 20150109927A1
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: OZTURK, Ozcan, HORN, Gavin Bernard, JAIN, Vikas, WADHWA, Deepak
• Application Number:
  US14/489,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20150109927A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0027 for a plurality of data sessions of end-to-end connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer end-to-end data connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00698 using different RATs
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0094 Definition of hand-off measurement parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• 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 92/20 between access points

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for routing data bearers of a user equipment (UE) while the UE is handing over or associating to a base station (BS) of a first radio access technology (RAT) while being served by a BS of a second RAT are disclosed. An Xw interface that is used to control offloading and routing of data bearers between base stations of disparate RATs is disclosed. Call flows illustrating the use of the Xw interface and apparatus using the Xw interface are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communications of a first radio access technology (RAT) comprising:

a processor configured to;

identify a plurality of data bearers configured for a user equipment (UE) served by a first base station of a second RAT;

receive from the UE a measurement report identifying a second base station of the second RAT;

identify one or more of the data bearers to offload to the second base station of the second RAT based on the measurement report;

communicate with the first and second base stations of the second RAT to offload the identified data bearers to the second base station of the second RAT; and

configure the UE to use the second base station of the second RAT for transmitting and receiving the identified bearers; and

a memory coupled with the processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein communicating with the first base station of the second RAT comprises sending a modify bearer message to the first base station of the second RAT to stop offloading of the identified bearers to the first base station of the second RAT.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein communicating with the second base station of the second RAT comprises sending an initial bearer message to offload a set of bearers to the second base station of the second RAT.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifying the one or more data bearers to offload comprises identifying one or more data bearers based on load at the first base station of the second RAT, load at the second base station of the second RAT, and received signal quality in the measurement report.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement report indicates the UE is associated with the second base station of the second RAT.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement report indicates the UE is no longer associated with the first base station of the second RAT.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive resource and performance metrics and statistics from the first base station of the second RAT or the second base station of the second RAT through a direct interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the resource and performance metrics comprise at least one of:

hardware load of the apparatus;

hardware load of the first base station of the second RAT; and

hardware load of the second base station of the second RAT.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

use a flow control at the apparatus to reduce underflow and overflow of the receive buffers of the first base station of the second RAT or the second base station of the second RAT.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

utilize performance metrics and statistics of the second base station of the second RAT for determining the amount of data to be forwarded at any time instance.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein determining the amount of data to be forwarded is performed periodically.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein determining the amount of data to be forwarded is performed based on receiving an indication from the second base station of the second RAT.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

utilize performance metrics and statistics of the UE for determining the amount of data to be forwarded at any time instance.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first RAT and the second RAT comprise the same RAT.

15. An apparatus for wireless communications of a first radio access technology (RAT) comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive, from a user equipment (UE), a measurement report identifying a target base station of the first RAT;

determine the UE is interworking with a base station of a second RAT;

send a handover request to the target base station, the handover request including information identifying the base station of the second RAT and at least one data bearer configured for the UE served by the base station of the second RAT;

configure the UE to handover to the target base station while keeping interworking with the base station of the second RAT;

forward data for the identified at least one data bearer to the target base station until the handover is complete; and

send an indication to the target base station that the base station is ending forwarding data for the identified at least one data bearer to the target base station; and

a memory coupled with the processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein data from the UE for the at least one data bearer is received via the base station of the second RAT.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein data to the UE for the at least one data bearer is received from a core network.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the identified at least one data bearer comprises data bearers both from and to the UE configured to be served by the base station of the second RAT.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first RAT and the second RAT comprise the same RAT.

20. An apparatus for wireless communications of a first radio access technology (RAT) comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a handover request from a source base station of the first RAT to handover a user equipment (UE), the handover request including information identifying a base station of a second RAT and at least one data bearer configured for the UE served by the base station of the second RAT;

receive data for the identified at least one data bearer from the source base station until the handover is complete; and

send a request to offload the at least one identified data bearer to the base station of the second RAT; and

a memory coupled with the processor.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the request to offload is sent after receiving the handover request.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the request to offload is sent after the identified at least one data bearer is switched to the source base station of the first RAT.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the request to offload is sent after a Status Transfer of data packets for the identified at least one data bearer is received from the source base station.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one data bearer comprises data bearers both from and to the UE.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to:

forward the received data from the source base station to the base station of the second RAT for data bearers that originate from the core network.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to:

stop the forwarding in response to receiving an indication to stop from the core network via the source base station.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to:

forward the received data from the source base station to a core network for the identified at least one data bearer which originates from the UE.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first RAT and the second RAT comprise the same RAT.

29. A method for wireless communications by a base station (BS) of a first radio access technology (RAT) comprising:

identifying a plurality of data bearers configured for a user equipment (UE) served by a first base station of a second RAT;

receiving from the UE a measurement report identifying a second base station of the second RAT;

identifying one or more of the data bearers to offload to the second base station of the second RAT based on the measurement report;

communicating with the first and second base stations of the second RAT to offload the identified data bearers to the second base station of the second RAT;

configuring the UE to use the second base station of the second RAT for transmitting and receiving the identified bearers.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first RAT and the second RAT comprise the same RAT.