Migration of local gateway function in cellular networks

1. A method of wireless communication comprising:

receiving, by a target access node (AN) associated with a first gateway local to the target AN and from a source AN associated with a second gateway local to the source AN, a packet data network (PDN) address for a user equipment (UE) that is for a first data session between the UE and a packet data network (PDN) via the source AN and the second gateway;

processing the PDN address to confirm that the source AN and the target AN are each configured to provide access to the PDN, wherein the source AN is configured to exchange packets with the UE via the first data session;

determining, by the target AN based at least in part on processing the PDN address for the UE, to establish a second data session with the UE via the target AN and the first gateway based at least in part on the received PDN address for the UE that is for the first data session between the UE and the PDN; and

transmitting a request to a network node to establish, at the target AN, the second data session corresponding to the first data session.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing, by the target AN, a data radio link with the UE based at least in part on the PDN address for the first data session;

transmitting, to the PDN, a path update comprising the PDN address of the UE, an indication of an updated path via the target AN, and information about the data radio link; and

forwarding, by the target AN, packets comprising the PDN address between the UE and the PDN via the data radio link.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the path update is one of a multicast message, a broadcast message, a routing message, and a local area network (LAN) signaling message.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing a tunnel to the source AN; and

receiving packets that comprise the PDN address of the UE via the tunnel.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing a data radio link with a second UE; and

forwarding packets comprising a PDN address of the second UE to the data radio link.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining to handover the second UE to a peer AN; and

forwarding, to the peer AN, information about the data radio link and the PDN address of the second UE.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

processing the PDN address to confirm that the target AN and the peer AN are each configured to provide access to the PDN;

establishing a tunnel with the peer AN; and

forwarding packets that comprise the PDN address of the second UE to the peer AN via the tunnel.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDN address for the first data session is received from the source AN, a core network, or the UE via a signaling radio link.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first gateway comprises a first local gateway (L-GW), or a first forwarding element, or a first forwarding node carrying forwarding information base entries, and the second gateway comprises a second L-GW, or a second forwarding element, or a second forwarding node carrying forwarding information base entries.

10. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processor; a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

receive, by a target access node (AN) associated with a first gateway local to the target AN and from a source AN associated with a second gateway local to the source AN, a packet data network (PDN) address for a user equipment (UE) that is for a first data session between the UE and a packet data network (PDN) via the source AN and the second gateway;

process the PDN address to confirm that the source AN and the target AN are each configured to provide access to the PDN, wherein the source AN is configured to exchange packets with the UE via the first data session;

determine, by the target AN, to establish a second data session with the UE via the target AN and the first gateway based at least in part on the processed PDN address for the UE that is for the first data session between the UE and the PDN; and

transmit a request to a network node to establish, at the target AN, the second data session corresponding to the first data session.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are operable executable to cause the processor to:

establish, by the target AN, a data radio link with the UE based at least in part on the PDN address for the first data session;

transmit, to the PDN, a path update comprising the PDN address of the UE, an indication of an updated path via the target AN, and information about the data radio link; and

forward, by the target AN, packets comprising the PDN address between the UE and the PDN via the data radio link.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the path update is one of a multicast message, a broadcast message, a routing message, and a local area network (LAN) signaling message.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are executable to cause the processor to:

establish a tunnel to the source AN; and

receive packets that comprise the PDN address of the UE via the tunnel.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are executable to cause the processor to:

establish a data radio link with a second UE; and

forward packets comprising a PDN address of the second UE to the data radio link.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are executable to cause the processor to:

determine to handover the second UE to a peer AN; and forward, to the peer AN, information about the data radio link and the PDN address of the second UE.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are executable to cause the processor to:

process the PDN address to confirm that the target AN and the peer AN are each configured to provide access to the PDN;

establish a tunnel with the peer AN; and

forward packets that comprise the PDN address of the second UE to the peer AN via the tunnel.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the PDN address for the first data session is received from the source AN, a core network, or the UE via a signaling radio link.

18. A method of wireless communication comprising:

establishing, by a source access node (AN), a data radio link with a user equipment (UE);

determining, by the source AN, to perform a handover procedure of a first data session to a target AN associated with a first gateway local to the target AN, the first data session between the UE and a packet data network (PDN) via the source AN and a second gateway associated with and local to the source AN, and the first data session using the data radio link;

processing a PDN address to confirm that the source AN and the target AN are each configured to provide access to the PDN, wherein the source AN is configured to exchange packets with the UE via the first data session;

transmitting, by the source AN to the target AN, the PDN address for the UE that is for the first data session between the UE and the PDN; and

receiving, from a network node based at least in part on transmitting the PDN address, a PDN path update message for a second data session with the UE via the target AN and the first gateway, the second data session corresponding to the first data session.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

receiving a measurement report from the UE, wherein determining to perform the handover procedure is based at least in part on the measurement report.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the measurement report indicates one or more measurements performed by the UE, the one or more measurements comprising signal strength measurements corresponding to signals communicated between the source AN and the UE and signals communicated between the target AN and the UE.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein transmitting the PDN address comprises:

transmitting a handover request comprising the PDN address.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

receiving, from the target AN based at least in part on transmitting the handover request, a handover request acknowledgement message comprising a state for radio bearer establishment, one or more tunnel endpoint identifiers, or a combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the UE based at least in part on receiving the handover request acknowledgment message, a radio resource control connection reconfiguration request message comprising the state for radio bearer establishment, the one or more tunnel endpoint identifiers, or a combination thereof.

24. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

receiving, from the network node, a context release command;

removing, from the source AN based at least in part on receiving the context release command, a state of a data radio bearer associated with the first data session;

transmitting, to the network node based at least in part on receiving the context release command, a release complete message indicating the removing of the state of the data radio bearer.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

receiving, from the network node via the second gateway, a delete session request message instructing the source AN to delete a FIB state for the UE;

deleting, from the source AN based at least in part on receiving the delete session request, the PDN address for the UE; and

transmitting, to the network node via the second gateway based at least in part on receiving the delete session request message, a delete session response message indicating the deleting the PDN address.

26. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

establishing a tunnel with the target AN; and

transmitting, to the target AN, one or more packets that comprise the PDN address of the UE via the tunnel.

27. The method of claim 18 , wherein the PDN address for the first data session is transmitted to the target AN via a signaling radio link.

28. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processor; a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

establish, by a source access node (AN), a data radio link with a user equipment (UE);

determine, by the source AN, to perform a handover procedure of a first data session to a target AN associated with a first gateway local to the target AN, the first data session between the UE and a packet data network (PDN) via the source AN and a second gateway associated with and local to the source AN, and the first data session using the data radio link;

process a PDN address to confirm that the source AN and the target AN are each configured to provide access to the PDN, wherein the source AN is configured to exchange packets with the UE via the first data session;

transmit, by the source AN to the target AN, the PDN address for the UE that is for the first data session between the UE and the PDN; and

receive, from a network node based at least in part on transmitting the PDN address, a PDN path update message for a second data session with the UE via the target AN and the first gateway, the second data session corresponding to the first data session.