Communicating data using a local wireless access network node
A local wireless access network node receives a request to offload at least a portion of data traffic for a user equipment from a macro wireless access network node to the local wireless access network node, where the user equipment is to maintain a wireless connection to the macro wireless access network node after the offload. The local wireless access network node sends a response to indicate whether the local wireless access node has accepted or denied the request.
1. A local wireless access network node comprising:
a communication interface to communicate with a macro wireless access network node; and
at least one processor configured to:
receive, from the macro wireless access network node, a request to offload at least a portion of data traffic for a user equipment from the macro wireless access network node to the local wireless access network node, wherein the user equipment is to maintain a wireless connection to the macro wireless access network node after the offload; and
send, to the macro wireless access network node, a response indicating acceptance of the request, the response including random access channel configuration information of the local wireless access network node and random access preamble information to be sent by the macro wireless access network node to the user equipment.
2. The local wireless access network node of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a cancellation request to the macro wireless access network node to cancel an existing offload for the user equipment.
3. The local wireless access network node of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
receive a message indicating that handling of the at least a portion of the data traffic is to be removed from the local wireless access network node, to cause transfer of the at least a portion of the data traffic to another local wireless access network node.
4. The local wireless access network node of claim 3 , wherein the message identifies radio access bearers that are to be removed from the local wireless access network node.
5. The local wireless access network node of claim 3 , wherein the receiving of the message is part of a user equipment transfer from the local wireless access network node to the another local wireless access network node.
6. The local wireless access network node of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to further:
communicate, with the user equipment, the at least a portion of data traffic over a wireless connection between the local wireless access network node and the user equipment;
receive, from the macro wireless access network node, a reconfiguration message to add or remove a portion of data traffic for the user equipment to be handled by the local wireless access network node; and
in response to the reconfiguration message, adjust the at least a portion of the data traffic that is communicated between the local wireless access network node and the user equipment.
7. The local wireless access network node of claim 1 , wherein the request identifies plural radio access bearers, and wherein the response indicates acceptance of just a subset of the plural radio access bearers.
8. A method comprising:
receiving, by a local wireless access network node, a request to offload at least a portion of data traffic for a user equipment from a macro wireless access network node to the local wireless access network node, wherein the user equipment is to maintain a wireless connection to the macro wireless access network node after the offload; and
sending, by the local wireless access network node, a response, wherein the response indicates acceptance of the request, and includes random access channel configuration information of the local wireless access network node and random access preamble information to be sent by the macro wireless access network node to the user equipment.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, by the local wireless access network node from the user equipment, a physical random access signal based on the random access preamble information to establish a radio connection with the local wireless access network node.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, by the local wireless access network node, downlink data from the macro wireless access network node, the downlink data to be sent by the local wireless access network node to the user equipment.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
sending, by the local wireless access network node, uplink data received from the user equipment to the macro wireless access network node.
12. A macro wireless access network node, comprising:
a first communication interface to establish a wireless connection with a user equipment;
a second communication interface to communicate with a local wireless access network node; and
at least one processor to:
send a request to offload at least a portion of traffic data from the macro wireless access network node to each of plural local wireless access network nodes, wherein the user equipment is to maintain the wireless connection to the macro wireless access network node after the offload;
receive a response to the request from each of the plural local wireless access network nodes;
accept the response received from a particular one of the plural local wireless access network nodes, the response from the particular local wireless access network node indicating acceptance of the request; and
send a cancel message to local wireless access network nodes of the plural local wireless access network nodes other than the particular local wireless access network node, the cancel message indicating to the local wireless access network nodes receiving the cancel message that the request is to be cancelled.
13. The macro wireless access network node of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to configure the user equipment to perform measurement of at least one carrier frequency used by local wireless access network nodes.
14. The macro wireless access network node of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to further:
send, to the user equipment, a control message to cause the user equipment to establish a second wireless connection with the particular local wireless access network node in addition to the wireless connection between the user equipment and the macro wireless access network node.
15. The macro wireless access network node of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to further send, to the particular local wireless access network node, downlink data for the user equipment.
16. The macro wireless access network node of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to further send, to the particular local wireless access network node, a sequence number of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) packet data unit (PDU).
17. The macro wireless access network node of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to further receive, from the particular local wireless access network node, uplink data of the user equipment.
18. The macro wireless access network node of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to further direct the particular local wireless access network node to receive or transmit data for the user equipment from or to a core network node.
19. The macro wireless access network node of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to further:
send a reconfiguration message to the particular local wireless access network node to add or remove a portion of data traffic for the user equipment to be handled by the particular local wireless access network node.