Methods, apparatus and machine-readable media relating to migration in a wireless communication network
A method is performed by a first base station, the first base station being configured as one of a plurality of base stations providing services to a plurality of devices in a wireless communication network according to a multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices. The method comprises: transmitting a request message to a second base station of the plurality of base stations, the request message requesting an alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices.
1 . A method performed by a first base station in a wireless communication network, for altering a multi-connectivity configuration used for a plurality of devices comprising one or more integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes and one or more user equipments (UEs), the method comprising:
determining an alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration;
associating a respective group identifier with device identifiers for each group of one or more groups of devices among the plurality of devices, where each group of devices is associated with a same parent IAB node; and
initiating the alteration by transmitting a request message to a second base station involved in the alteration, the request message requesting the alteration and identifying the one or more groups to the second base station by including the respective group identifiers.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration comprises:
addition of resources at the second base station for the plurality of devices; or
a change of second base station for the multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration comprises release of resources at the second base station for the plurality of devices.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the request message includes device identifiers for the plurality of devices.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the request message comprises:
a group context information list including a respective group context information list item for each of the one or more groups of devices, each group context information list item including the respective group identifier and one or more information elements common to all devices in the respective group; and
for each group, a device context information list including a respective device context information list item for each device in the group, each device context information list item including a respective one of the device identifiers.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the request message comprises indications of contexts for wireless connections between the plurality of devices and the wireless communication network.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein each context comprises a plurality of information elements, and wherein the request message comprises single instances of one or more first information elements of the plurality of information elements whose values are common to a plurality of the contexts, and respective instances of one or more second information elements of the plurality of information elements.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving a response message from the second base station.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the response message comprises an indication of whether the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices was successful or unsuccessful.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration comprises migration of one or more parent IAB nodes from a source central unit to a target central unit, the one or more parent IAB nodes being associated with respective groups of the one or more groups of devices.
11 . A first base station configured for operation in a wireless communication network, wherein the first base station comprises:
processing circuitry configured to:
determine an alteration to a multi-connectivity configuration used by the wireless communication network for a plurality of devices, including one or more integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes and one or more user equipments (UEs);
associate a respective group identifier with device identifiers for each group of one or more groups of devices among the plurality of devices, where each group of devices is associated with a same parent IAB node; and
initiate the alteration by causing the base station to transmit a request message to a second base station involved in the alteration, the request message requesting the alteration and identifying the one or more groups to the second base station by including the respective group identifiers; and
power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the first base station.
12 . A method performed by a second base station in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
receiving a request message from a first base station in the wireless communication network, the first base station coordinating a multi-connectivity configuration used for a plurality of devices including one or more integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes and one or more user equipments (UEs);
determining a requested alteration of the multi-connectivity configuration from the request message, and identifying one or more affected groups of devices, based on the request message including one or more group identifiers, each group identifier identifying a respective group of devices among the plurality of devices that is associated with a same parent IAB node; and
transmitting a response message to the first base station, the response message comprising an indication of whether the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices was successful or unsuccessful.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration comprises:
addition of resources at the second base station for the plurality of devices;
a change of second base station for the multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices; or
release of resources at the second base station for the plurality of devices.
14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the response message comprises identities of one or more devices for which the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration was unsuccessful or comprises identities of one or more devices for which the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration was successful.
15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the response message is transmitted responsive to successful alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices.
16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the request message comprises an indication of identities for the plurality of devices.
17 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the request message comprises:
a group context information list including a respective group context information list item for each of the one or more affected groups of devices, each group context information list item including a respective group identifier and one or more information elements common to all devices in the respective group; and
for each group, a device context information list including a respective device context information list item for each device in the group, each device context information list item including a respective one of the device identifiers.
18 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the request message comprises indications of contexts for wireless connections between the plurality of devices and the wireless communication network.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein each context comprises a plurality of information elements, and wherein the request message comprises single instances of one or more first information elements of the plurality of information elements whose values are common to a plurality of the contexts, and respective instances of one or more second information elements of the plurality of information elements.
20 . A second base station configured for operation in a wireless communication network, wherein the second base station comprises:
processing circuitry configured to cause the base station to:
receive a request message from a first base station in the wireless communication network, the first base station coordinating a multi-connectivity configuration used for a plurality of devices including one or more integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes and one or more user equipments (UEs);
determine a requested alteration of the multi-connectivity configuration from the request message, and identify one or more affected groups of devices, based on the request message including one or more group identifiers, each group identifier identifying a respective group of devices among the plurality of devices that is associated with a same parent IAB node; and
transmit a response message to the first base station, the response message comprising an indication of whether the alteration to the multi-connectivity configuration for the plurality of devices was successful or unsuccessful; and
power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the second base station.