IP Library › Granted Patent US 12666333

Granted Patent B2

US 12666333 · App. 18/032,622 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Methods and apparatus for performing dual active protocol stack handover in integrated access backhaul in wireless communication systems

Inventors: Oumer Teyeb (Montreal, CA); Martino Freda (Laval, CA); Yugeswar Deenoo Narayanan Thangaraj (Chalfont, PA); Tuong Hoang (Montreal, CA); Jaya Rao (Montreal, CA); Ghyslain Pelletier (Montreal, CA)

Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.

H04W36/30 H04B17/309 H04W36/00692 H04W36/0085 H04W40/22

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12666333
App. No.: 18/032,622
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

The disclosure pertains to methods and apparatus for performing handover by a relay Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit (WTRU) from a source parent WTRU to a target parent WTRU in a wireless network comprising: obtaining uplink data determining, a channel quality for a first link between the relay WTRU and the source parent WTRU, and a channel quality for a second link between the relay WTRU and the target parent WTRU; sending, the uplink data via the first link and the second link based on any of: (1) the determined channel quality for the first link, (2) the determined channel quality for the second link, and/or (3) load conditions; and sending, to a child WTRU served by the relay WTRU via a third link, information indicating a handover of the relay WTRU from the source parent WTRU to the target parent WTRU.

Claims (47)

1 . A method, implemented by a relay device, performing handover from a first node-to a second node in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving information indicating a handover command;

determining, based on measurements by the relay device, a channel quality for a first link between the relay device and the first node, and a channel quality for a second link between the relay device and the second node;

performing the handover at the relay device based on the determination of channel quality of the first link and the second link;

during the handover, sending uplink data via the first link and the second link based on any of: (1) the determined channel quality for the first link, (2) the determined channel quality for the second link, and/or (3) an uplink data buffer occupancy at the relay device; and

sending, to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) served by the relay device via a third link, information indicating a completion of the handover of the relay device from the first node to the second node.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the uplink data comprises any of: (1) uplink data received from the WTRU served by the relay device, (2) uplink data received from a further WTRU and/or (3) uplink data generated by the relay device.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving a message indicating to release the first link with the first node; and releasing the first link with the first node.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, to the WTRU served by the relay device, information indicating any of: (1) to send uplink data by the WTRU to another WTRU during the handover, and/or (2) to send uplink data by the WTRU to the relay device via the third link, on completion of the handover.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving information indicating a handover configuration;

sending a request to establish the second link between the relay device and the second node using the received information indicating the handover configuration,

wherein the handover configuration indicates one or more backhaul (BH) radio link control (RLC) channels associated with the first link, and further comprising sending the uplink data via the one or more BH RLC channels associated with the first link, and/or

wherein the handover configuration indicates one or more BH RLC channels associated with the second link, and further comprising sending the uplink data via the one or more BH RLC channels associated with the second link.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a downlink packet via the first link or the second link;

determining a routing identifier associated with the downlink packet; and

determining, on condition that the routing identifier associated with the downlink packet corresponds to any of a first-address associated with the first node and a second address associated with the second node, that the downlink packet is addressed to the relay device.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising determining the second address based on any of: (1) a handover configuration received by the relay device, (2) a pre-configuration of the relay device with the second address; and/or (3) a derivation from the first address by the relay device.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the relay device is an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, and/or the first node is a first IAB donor and the second node is a second IAB donor.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first link is between a mobile termination unit of the IAB node and a distributed unit of the first node, and the second link is between the mobile termination unit of the IAB node and a distributed unit of the second node.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the relay device is a WTRU.

11 . A relay device configured for performing handover from a first node to a second node in a wireless network, the relay device comprising a processor and a transmitter/receiver unit configured to:

receive information indicating a handover command;

determine, based on measurements by the relay device, a channel quality for a first link between the relay device and the first node, and a channel quality for a second link between the relay device and the second node;

perform the handover at the relay device based on the determination of channel quality of the first link and the second link;

during the handover, send uplink data via the first link and the second link based on any of: (1) the determined channel quality for the first link, (2) the determined channel quality for the second link, and/or (3) an uplink data buffer occupancy at the relay device; and

send, to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) served by the relay device via a third link, information indicating a completion of the handover of the relay device from the first node to the second node.

12 . The relay device according to claim 11 , wherein the uplink data comprises any of: (1) uplink data received from the WTRU served by the relay device, (2) uplink data received from a further WTRU and/or (3) uplink data generated by the relay device.

13 . The relay device according to claim 12 , wherein the first link is between a mobile termination unit of the IAB node and a distributed unit of the first node, and the second link is between the mobile termination unit of the IAB node and a distributed unit of the second node.

14 . The relay device according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitter/receiver unit is further configured to receive a message indicating to release the first link with the first node; and release the first link with the first node.

15 . The relay device according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitter/receiver unit is further configured to send, to the WTRU served by the relay device, information indicating any of: (1) to send uplink data by the WTRU to another WTRU during the handover, and/or (2) to send uplink data by the WTRU to the relay device via the third link, on completion of the handover.

16 . The relay device according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitter/receiver unit is further configured to:

receive information indicating a handover configuration;

send a request to establish the second link between the relay device and the second node using the received information indicating the handover configuration,

wherein the handover configuration indicates one or more backhaul (BH) radio link control RLC) channels associated with the first link, and further comprising sending the uplink data via the one or more BH RLC channels associated with the first link, and/or

17 . The relay device according to claim 11 , wherein:

the transmitter/receiver unit is further configured to:

receive a downlink packet via the first link or the second link;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a routing identifier associated with the downlink packet; and

determine, on condition that the routing identifier associated with the downlink packet corresponds to any of a first address associated with the first node and a second address associated with the second node, that the downlink packet is addressed to the relay device.

18 . The relay device according to claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the second address based on any of: (1) a handover configuration received by the relay device, (2) a pre-configuration of the relay device with the second address; and/or (3) a derivation from the first address by the relay device.

19 . The relay device according to claim 11 , wherein the relay device is an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, and/or the first node is a first IAB donor and the second node is a second IAB donor.

20 . The relay device according to claim 11 , wherein the relay device is a WTRU.