Method, apparatus and system for managing bearers in a wireless communication system

1. An apparatus, to be employed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

memory having instructions;

processing circuitry coupled with the memory to execute the instructions to cause the UE to:

communicate with a core network on one or more evolved packet system (EPS) bearers through a master evolved Node B (MeNB);

receive, from the MeNB, a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message to switch at least one of the one or more EPS bearers from the MeNB to a secondary eNB (SeNB);

synchronize with the SeNB, in response to the RRC connection reconfiguration message; and

communicate with the core network on the at least one of the EPS bearers through the SeNB; and

keep communication with the MeNB on a signaling radio through the MeNB.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to execute the instructions to cause the UE to communicate with the core network on a default EPS bearer of the EPS bearers via the MeNB.

3. An apparatus, to be employed by a master evolved Node B (MeNB), comprising:

memory having instructions; and

processing circuitry coupled to the memory to execute the instructions to cause the MeNB to:

communicate with a user equipment (UE) and a core network on one or more evolved packet system (EPS) bearers through the MeNB;

transmit, to a secondary eNB (SeNB), an addition request of switching at least one of the EPS bearers from the MeNB to the SeNB;

receive, from the SeNB, an acknowledgment message to acknowledge that the at least one of the EPS bearers can be switched from the MeNB to the SeNB;

transmit, to the UE, a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message to switch the at least one of the EPS bearers;

communicate with the UE on a signaling radio bearer through the MeNB, while the UE further communicates with the core network on the at least one of the EPS bearers through the SeNB; and

continue to communicate with the UE and the core network on a default EPS bearer of the EPS bearers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the addition request comprises characteristics of the at least one of the EPS bearers, UE security capabilities, or security context.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to execute the instructions to cause the MeNB to transmit, to a mobility management entity (MME), a path switch request of switching a downlink path of an EPS bearer from between the MeNB and the core network to between the SeNB and the core network.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to execute the instructions to cause the MeNB to deliver in-transit packet data buffered at the MeNB to the SeNB.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to execute the instructions to cause the MeNB to convey an uplink packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) serial number receiver status or a downlink PDCP serial number receiver status to the SeNB to preserve the uplink PDCP serial number receiver status or the downlink PDCP serial number receiver status.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the addition request comprises an information element to convey a list of evolved universal terrestrial radio access network radio access bearers (E-RABs) to be set up by the SeNB, and wherein the acknowledgment message comprises a list of admitted E-RABs including transport network layer address information for the respective admitted E-RAB.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the acknowledgment message comprises a transparent container to be sent to the UE, wherein said transparent container includes a cell-radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) for identifying the UE by the SeNB.

10. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause a secondary evolved Node B (SeNB) to:

process an addition request, received from a master eNB (MeNB), the addition request to request switching of at least one of one or more evolved packet system (EPS) bearers from the MeNB to the SeNB, wherein a user equipment (UE) communicates with a core network on the EPS bearers through the MeNB;

transmit, to the MeNB, a message to acknowledge that the at least one of the EPS bearer can be switched;

synchronize with the UE in order to establish the at least one of the EPS bearer through the SeNB;

communicate with the UE and the core network on the at least one of the EPS bearer through the SeNB, while the UE further communicates with the MeNB on a signaling bearer through MeNB.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the addition request comprises characteristics of the at least one of the EPS bearers, UE security capabilities, or security context.

12. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the SeNB to buffer in-transit packet data received from the MeNB.

13. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the SeNB to process an uplink packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) serial number receiver status or a downlink PDCP serial number receiver status from the MeNB to preserve the uplink PDCP serial number receiver status or the downlink PDCP serial number receiver status.

14. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the SeNB to transmit, to a mobility management entity (MME), a path switch request of switching a downlink path of the EPS bearer from between the MeNB and the core network to between the SeNB and the core network.