Control mechanism for autonomous mobility of terminal device

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor, and

at least one memory storing instructions executed by the at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

create a list of candidate communication cells usable as target cells for a potential autonomous mobility procedure in a communication network by a communication element;

send the list to a communication element; and

transmit, when the list is sent to the communication element, preparation information to the candidate communication cells contained in the list sent to the communication element, the preparation information comprising information for preparing the candidate communication cells for the potential autonomous mobility procedure by the communication element, wherein the preparation information comprises timer information indicating a time period in which the candidate communication cells are allowed to participate in the autonomous mobility procedure.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the list of candidate communication cells comprises at least one of:

an information element indicating a cell identification of each candidate communication cell,

a carrier identification element indicating a component carrier to which the autonomous mobility procedure is to be directed, and

timer information indicating a time period in which the candidate communication cell is allowed to participate in the autonomous mobility procedure.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to send the list to the communication element as a measurement configuration information.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the preparation information comprises:

configuration data necessary for providing immediate service to the communication element when the autonomous mobility procedure is executed.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to transmit the preparation information via an interface between communication network control elements.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

receive from a candidate communication cell a request for obtaining the configuration data necessary for providing the immediate service to the communication element when the autonomous mobility procedure is executed; and

transmit corresponding configuration data related to the communication element to the requesting candidate communication cell.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

detect a switch-over of the communication element from a first of the candidate communication cells to a second of the candidate communication cells on the same carrier; and

instruct the first of the candidate communication cells to release the connection to the communication element via the carrier.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

inform any of the candidate communication cells that it is released as a target cell for the autonomous mobility procedure by the communication element.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is comprised in a communication network control element controlling a primary serving cell with which the communication element communicates, wherein the communication element is a terminal device or user equipment, and wherein the candidate communication cells are secondary cells located in an area of the primary serving cell.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the primary serving cell is configured to communicate with the communication element via at least one first carrier, and each of the secondary cells is configured to communicate with the communication element via at least one second carrier, wherein a carrier aggregation of the at least one first carrier and the at least one second carrier is used for a communication of the communication element.

11. A method comprising

creating a list of candidate communication cells usable as target cells for a potential autonomous mobility procedure by a communication element;

sending the list to a communication element; and

transmitting, when the list is sent to the communication element, preparation information to the candidate communication cells contained in the list sent to the communication element, the preparation information comprising information for preparing the candidate communication cells for the potential autonomous mobility procedure by the communication element, and timer information indicating a time period in which the candidate communication cells are allowed to participate in the autonomous mobility procedure.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the list of candidate cells comprises at least one of:

an information element indicating a cell identification of each candidate communication cell, and

a carrier identification element indicating a component carrier to which the autonomous mobility procedure is to be directed.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising sending of the list to the communication element as a measurement configuration information.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the preparation information comprises:

configuration data necessary for providing immediate service to the communication element when the autonomous mobility procedure is executed, and

timer information indicating a time period in which the candidate communication cell is allowed to participate in the autonomous mobility procedure.

15. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising transmitting the preparation information via an interface between communication network control elements.

16. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising

receiving from a candidate communication cell a request for obtaining the configuration data necessary for providing the immediate service to the communication element when the autonomous mobility procedure is executed; and

transmitting corresponding configuration data related to the communication element to the requesting candidate communication cell.

17. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising

detecting a switch-over of the communication element from a first of the candidate communication cells to a second of the candidate communication cells on the same carrier; and

instructing the first of the candidate communication cells to release the connection to the communication element via the carrier.

18. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising

informing any of the candidate communication cells that it is released as a target cell for the autonomous mobility procedure by the communication element.

19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the method is implemented in a communication network control element controlling a primary serving cell with which the communication element communicates, wherein the communication element is a terminal device or user equipment, and wherein the candidate communication cells are secondary cells located in an area of the primary serving cell.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the primary serving cell is configured to communicate with the communication element via at least one first carrier, and each of the secondary cells is configured to communicate with the communication element via at least one second carrier, wherein a carrier aggregation of the at least one first carrier and the at least one second carrier is used for a communication of the communication element.