DISJOINT BEARER ROUTING

• US 20150043486A1
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: HORN, Gavin Bernard, OZTURK, Ozcan, JAIN, Vikas
• Granted Patent: US 10,716,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• 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 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for switching bearers between radio access technologies (RATs) are described. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the uplink part of a bearer may be served by one RAT, while the downlink part of the bearer is served by another RAT. A part of a bearer may be served by more than one RAT. Methods and apparatus for communicating via bearer with parts served by differing RATs are also described.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications by a base station (BS), comprising:

establishing a data connection with a user equipment (UE) via one or more data bearers;

making a first determination whether to route uplink traffic for each data bearer from the UE via a first radio access technology (RAT) or a second RAT;

making a second determination whether to route downlink traffic for each data bearer to the UE via the first RAT or the second RAT; and

participating in the data connection based on the first and second determinations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first determination comprises a determination to send uplink traffic of all data bearers via the first RAT.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second determination comprises a determination to send downlink traffic of one or more data bearers via both the first RAT and the second RAT.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first RAT comprises a wireless wide-area network (WWAN) and the second RAT comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second determination comprises a determination to send downlink traffic for a bearer via the first RAT and the second RAT.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless wide-area network (WWAN); and

the other of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second determinations is based on a predetermined configuration that specifies at least one of uplink or downlink traffic should be routed to a particular RAT.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second determinations is based on optimization of a system utility function comprising expected performance of the one or more data bearers routed via the first RAT or the second RAT.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a radio resource control (RRC) message indicating at least one of the first and second determinations.

10. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

receiving a configuration indicating one or more data bearers are to be sent via a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, wherein the uplink and downlink traffic for data bearers is independently configured for routing via the first RAT and the second RAT; and

sending a configuration complete message in response to the received configuration.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending uplink traffic for a data bearer via the first RAT; and

receiving downlink traffic for the data bearer via the first RAT and the second RAT.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first RAT comprises a WWAN.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein:

one of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless wide-area network (WWAN); and

the other of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN).

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the received configuration is received in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending a channel conditions report, wherein the received configuration is based on the channel conditions report.

16. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processor configured to;

establish a data connection with a user equipment (UE) via one or more data bearers;

make a first determination whether to route uplink traffic for each data bearer from the UE via a first radio access technology (RAT) or a second RAT;

make a second determination whether to route downlink traffic for each data bearer to the UE via the first RAT or the second RAT; and

participate in the data connection based on the first and second determinations; and

a memory coupled to the processor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first determination comprises a determination to send uplink traffic of all data bearers via the first RAT.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second determination comprises a determination to send downlink traffic of one or more data bearers via both the first RAT and the second RAT.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first RAT comprises a wireless wide-area network (WWAN) and the second RAT comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN).

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second determination comprises a determination to send downlink traffic for a bearer via both the first RAT and the second RAT.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

one of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless wide-area network (WWAN); and

the other of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN).

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first or second determinations is based on a predetermined configuration that specifies at least one of uplink or downlink traffic should be routed to a particular RAT.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first or second determinations is based on optimization of a system utility function comprising expected performance of the one or more data bearers routed via the first RAT or the second RAT.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide a radio resource control (RRC) message indicating at least one of the first and second determinations.

25. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a configuration indicating one or more data bearers are to be sent via a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, wherein the uplink and downlink traffic for data bearers is independently configured for routing via the first RAT and the second RAT; and

send a configuration complete message in response to the received configuration; and

a memory coupled to the processor.

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

send uplink traffic for a data bearer via the first RAT; and

receive downlink traffic for the data bearer via the first RAT and the second RAT.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first RAT comprises a WWAN.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein:

one of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless wide-area network (WWAN); and

the other of the first and second RATs comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN).

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the received configuration is received in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

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

send a channel conditions report, wherein the received configuration is based on the channel conditions report.