Flexible switching between standalone mode and non-standalone mode in carrier aggregation

Inventors: Xu Zhao (Edison, NJ); Xuan Guo (Glen Rock, NJ); Mohamed L. Haidara (New Providence, NJ)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

H04W72/12

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12666414
App. No.: 17/815,303
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A user equipment (UE) is configured to operate in a non-standalone carrier aggregation (NSA CA) mode. The UE is also configured to determine an NSA CA bandwidth (BW) associated with bands being used for the NSA CA mode, determine a standalone carrier aggregation (SA CA) BW associated with bands being used for a SA CA mode after the UE is switched to the SA CA mode and determine, based on at least the NSA CA BW and the SA CA BW, for the UE to remain in the SA CA mode or switch to the NSA CA mode.

Claims (32)

1 . A processor of a user equipment (UE) operating in a non-standalone carrier aggregation (NSA CA) mode, the processor configured to:

determine an NSA CA bandwidth (BW) associated with bands being used for the NSA CA mode;

determine a standalone carrier aggregation (SA CA) BW associated with bands being used for a SA CA mode after the UE is switched to the SA CA mode; and

determine whether the UE is to remain in the SA CA mode or switch to the NSA CA mode based on at least two ratios associated with the NSA CA BW and the SA CA BW.

2 . The processor of claim 1 , wherein a first ratio of the at least two ratios comprises a first bandwidth that is unique to the NSA CA BW and a second bandwidth that is shared between the NSA CA BW and the SA CA CW.

3 . The processor of claim 1 , wherein a second ratio of the at least two ratios comprises a first bandwidth that is unique to the NSA CA BW and a second bandwidth that is unique to the SA CA BW.

4 . The processor of claim 1 , wherein the determination is further based on a comparison of each of the at least two ratios to a corresponding threshold.

5 . The processor of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to input results of the comparison of each of the at least two ratios to the corresponding threshold into a switching logic.

6 . The processor of claim 1 , wherein, when it is determined to switch to the NSA CA mode, the processor is further configured to:

disable a SA CA capability of the UE.

7 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate using component carriers associated with a first network when operating in a standalone carrier aggregation (SA CA) mode and to communicate using component carriers associated with the first network and a second network when operating in a non-standalone carrier aggregation (NSA CA) mode; and

a processor configured to:

determine an NSA CA bandwidth (BW) associated with bands being used for the NSA CA mode;

determine an SA CA BW associated with bands being used for the SA CA mode; and

determine whether the UE is to operate in the SA CA mode or the NSA CA mode based on at least two ratios associated with the NSA CA BW and the SA CA BW.

8 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein a first ratio of the at least two ratios comprises a first bandwidth that is unique to the NSA CA BW and a second bandwidth that is shared between the NSA CA BW and the SA CA CW.

9 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein a second ratio of the at least two ratios comprises a first bandwidth that is unique to the NSA CA BW and a second bandwidth that is unique to the SA CA BW.

10 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein the determination is further based on a comparison of each of the at least two ratios to a corresponding threshold.

11 . The UE of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to input results of the comparison of each of the at least two ratios to the corresponding threshold into a switching logic.

12 . The UE of claim 7 , wherein, when it is determined to operate in the NSA to:

disable a SA CA capability of the UE.

13 . A method comprising:

at a user equipment (UE) operating in a non-standalone carrier aggregation (NSA CA) mode:

determining an NSA CA bandwidth (BW) associated with bands being used for the NSA CA mode;

determining a standalone carrier aggregation (SA CA) BW associated with bands being used for a SA CA mode after the UE is switched to the SA CA mode; and

determining whether the UE is to remain in the SA CA mode or switch to the NSA CA mode based on at least two ratios associated with the NSA CA BW and the SA CA BW.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a first ratio of the at least two ratios comprises a first bandwidth that is unique to the NSA CA BW.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first ratio of the at least two ratios further comprises a second bandwidth that is shared between the NSA CA BW and the SA CA CW.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a second ratio of the at least two ratios comprises a first bandwidth that is unique to the NSA CA BW.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second ratio of the at least two ratios further comprises a second bandwidth that is unique to the SA CA BW.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the determination is further based on a comparison of each of the at least two ratios to a corresponding threshold.