Method for operating a user equipment in a cellular network

1. Method for operating a user equipment communicating in parallel by means of a primary base node and at least one secondary base node of a cellular network with a remote terminal, the cellular network comprising at least two radio access networks, the primary base node and the secondary base node being assigned to different radio access networks, the primary base node being the base node the user equipment is camping on in non-connected mode, the secondary base node being a candidate base node evaluated by at least one of the user equipment or the cellular network as suited for serving the user equipment, for setting up a communication link to the remote terminal: the method comprising the step for the user equipment of:

sending a first capability message comprising available capabilities of the user equipment to the primary base node,

receiving a first indication from the primary base node relating to the capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node,

sending a second capability message to the secondary base node, comprising at most those capabilities not indicated as being used by the primary base node,

receiving a second indication from the secondary base node relating to the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node,

sending a third capability message with still unused capabilities to the primary base node, and

initiating the communication link by means of the primary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node, and by means of the secondary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the capabilities relate to a resource allocation relating to a supported band combination of at least one of the primary base node and secondary base node.

3. The method according to claim 2 ,

further comprising the steps for the user equipment, upon reception of an allocation change request from the primary base node during an active connection:

sending a reallocation confirmation message to the primary base node,

determining in response to the allocation change request the change in available capabilities, and

sending a capability message indicating the remaining capabilities to the secondary base node.

4. The method according to claim 3 ,

further comprising the step of, after sending the capability message to the secondary base node:

receiving an indication from the secondary base node relating to resource allocation change, and

changing resource allocation based on said allocation request and said resource allocation change indication.

5. The method according to claim 1 ,

the method comprising the step of:

evaluating the radio conditions at least of the primary base node, and

initiating to change the primary base node assignment to the secondary base node in response to the detection of a reduction of the radio conditions below a predetermined threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1 ,

further comprising the step of:

in response to detection of a radio link drop of at least one of the secondary base nodes, sending a reception warning message to the primary base node indicating that radio link drop of the secondary base node active in the communication at the user equipment.

7. User equipment configured to communicate with a remote terminal by means of a primary base node and at least one secondary base node of a cellular network in parallel, the cellular network for use with the user equipment comprising at least two radio access networks, the primary base node and the secondary base node being assigned to different radio access networks, the primary base node being the base node the user equipment is camping on in non-connected mode, the secondary base node being a candidate base node chosen by at least one of the user equipment or the cellular network as suited for serving the user equipment,

for setting up a communication link, the user equipment comprises a transmitter/receiver configured to:

send a first capability message comprising available capabilities of the user equipment to the primary base node,

receive a first indication from the primary base node of capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node,

send a second capability message to the secondary base node, comprising only those capabilities not indicated as being used by primary base node,

receive a second indication from the secondary base node relating to the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node,

send a third capability message with still unused capabilities to the primary base node, and

initiate setting up the communication link by means of the primary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node, and by means of the secondary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node.

8. The user equipment according to claim 7 ,

wherein the capabilities relate to a resource allocation relating to a supported band combination of at least one of the primary base node and secondary base node,

the user equipment is, in response to reception of an allocation change request from the primary base node during an active connection, configured to:

send a reallocation confirmation message to the primary base node,

determine in response to the allocation change request the change in available capabilities, and

send a capability message indicating the available capabilities to the secondary base node.

9. The user equipment according to claim 8 ,

further configured to:

receive an indication from the secondary base node relating to resource allocation change, and

change resource allocation based on said allocation request and said resource allocation change indication.

10. The user equipment according to claim 7 ,

wherein the user equipment is further configured to:

evaluate the radio conditions at least of the primary base node, and

initiate to change the primary base node assignment to the secondary base node in response to the detection of a reduction of the radio conditions below a predetermined threshold.

11. Method for operating a user equipment communicating in parallel by means of a primary base node and at least one secondary base node of a cellular network with a remote terminal and for handling the user equipment in the cellular network, the cellular network comprising at least two radio access networks, the primary base node and the secondary base node being assigned to different radio access networks, the primary base node being the base node said user equipment is camping on in non-connected mode, the secondary base node being a candidate base node chosen by at least one of the user equipment or the cellular network as suited for serving the user equipment,

the method comprising the step for the user equipment of:

sending a first capability message comprising available capabilities of the user equipment to the primary base node,

receiving a first indication from the primary base node relating to the capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node,

sending a second capability message to the secondary base node, comprising at most those capabilities not indicated as being used by the primary base node,

receiving a second indication from the secondary base node relating to the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node,

sending a third capability message with still unused capabilities to the primary base node, and

initiating the communication link by means of the primary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node, and by means of the secondary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node, and

the method comprising the steps for the primary base node of:

receiving the first capability message comprising available capabilities of the user equipment,

determining used capabilities of the available capabilities,

sending the first indication,

receiving the third capability message comprising still unused capabilities of the user equipment, and

serving the user equipment in a setup communication link with the indicated capabilities.

12. The method according to claim 11 ,

wherein a communication link between the user equipment and the remote terminal by means of the primary base node and at least one secondary base node is active,

the method further comprising the step for at least one out of the primary base node and the secondary base node of:

detecting the need for a reallocation change to the user equipment,

sending a stay allocation message to at least one of the other base nodes active in the communication link,

sending an allocation change message to the user equipment, and

receiving a reallocation confirmation message from the user equipment.

13. The method according to claim 12 ,

the method comprising the steps for the secondary base node of:

upon reception of a stay allocation message from the primary base node, suppressing allocation changes,

receiving from the user equipment a capability message indicating available capabilities, and

sending a completion message indicating that the stay phase is ended to the primary base node.

14. The method according to claim 11 ,

comprising the step for the primary base node of:

receiving an reception warning message from the user equipment indicating that for a first secondary base nodes active in the communication link the reception conditions at the user equipment are below a predetermined threshold,

determining a second secondary base node suited for serving the user equipment,

sending a free capability message to the first secondary base node, instructing to release the selected capabilities of the user equipment,

sending a response message to the user equipment informing about the released capabilities, and

recommending the second secondary base node to the user equipment.

15. A system comprising:

a user equipment configured to communicate with a remote terminal by means of a primary base node and at least one secondary base node of a cellular network in parallel, the cellular network for use with the user equipment comprising at least two radio access networks, the primary base node and the secondary base node being assigned to different radio access networks, the primary base node being the base node the user equipment is camping on in non-connected mode, the secondary base node being a candidate base node chosen by at least one of the user equipment or the cellular network as suited for serving the user equipment,

for setting up a communication link, the user equipment comprises a transmitter/receiver configured to:

send a first capability message comprising available capabilities of the user equipment to the primary base node,

receive a first indication from the primary base node of capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node,

send a second capability message to the secondary base node, comprising only those capabilities not indicated as being used by the primary base node,

receive a second indication from the secondary base node relating to the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node,

send a third capability message with still unused capabilities to the primary base node, and

initiate setting up the communication link by means of the primary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the primary base node, and by means of the secondary base node using the capabilities indicated as being used by the secondary base node, and

the primary base node, wherein the primary base node is configured to:

receive the first capability message comprising available capabilities of the user equipment,

determine usable capabilities of the available capabilities,

send the first indication to the user equipment,

receive the third capability message comprising still unused capabilities of the user equipment,

send a message to the user equipment indicating additionally usable capabilities of said unused capabilities, and

serve the user equipment in a setup communication link with the indicated capabilities.