IP Library Granted Patent US 11,632,696
Granted Patent B2
US 11,632,696 · App. 16/968,702 · Granted Apr 18, 2023

Mobility handling for multi-access protocol data unit (PDU) sessions in a 5G network

Inventors: Guanzhou Wang (Brossard, CA); Saad Ahmad (Montreal, CA)
Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
H04W36/0027H04W36/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,632,696
App. No.
16/968,702
Granted
Apr 18, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, etc. for handling mobility in connection with protocol data unit (PDU) sessions are provided. Among these is a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) that may receive, from a source access network (S-AN), a handover command in connection with a handover involving a multi-access protocol PDU (MA-PDU) session having one of first and second access legs associated with the S-AN. The WTRU may determine that the second access leg should be associated to the S-AN for the handover. The WTRU may send a session modification message to request modification of the MA-PDU session to cause the second access leg to become associated with S-AN The WTRU may establish a radio resource control connection with a target AN (T-AN), and the first and second access legs (e.g., as a combined access leg) may be associated with the T-AN.

Claims (36)

1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising circuitry, including a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, and memory, configured to:

receive, from a source access network (S-AN) a command for a handover involving a multi-access protocol data unit (MA-PDU) session, wherein the MA-PDU session comprises first and second data flows, wherein the first data flow is associated with the S-AN, and wherein the second data flow is associated with an access network other than the S-AN;

determine whether to switch the second data flow to the S-AN for the handover;

on condition that the determination is to switch the second data flow to the S-AN for the handover, send a session modification message to request modification of the MA-PDU session to combine the first and second data flows to the S-AN for the handover; and

establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a target access network (T-AN) wherein the WTRU executes the handover of the first data flow and the second data flow to the T-AN.

2. The WTRU of claim 1 , further configured to:

receive, via the T-AN, traffic comprising the first data flow and the second data flow.

3. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the session modification message indicates any of one or more identifiers for the MA-PDU session, a requested action, and a direction of association change.

4. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the session modification message comprises information indicating any of an internet protocol tuple for the second data flow, a packet filter for the second data flow, and a quality of service flow identifier of the second data flow.

5. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive a confirmation to the session modification message.

6. The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive, via the T-AN, traffic previously buffered by the S-AN.

7. A method to handover a multi-access protocol data unit (MA-PDU) session, the method comprising:

receiving, from a source access network (S-AN) a command for a handover, wherein the MA-PDU session comprises first and second data flows, wherein the first data flow is associated with the S-AN, and wherein the second data flow is associated with an access network other than the S-AN;

determining whether to switch the second data flow to the S-AN for the handover;

on condition that the determination is to switch the second data flow to the S-AN for the handover, sending a session modification message to request modification of the MA-PDU session to combine the first and second data flows to the S-AN for the handover; and

establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a target access network (T-AN) wherein a wireless transmit/receive (WTRU) executes the handover of the first data flow and the second data flow to the T-AN.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, via the T-AN, traffic comprising the first data flow and the second data flow.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein sending a session modification message comprises sending a session modification message that indicates any of: one or more identifiers for the MA-PDU session, a requested action, and a direction of association change.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein sending a session modification message comprises sending the session modification message containing an indication of any of: an internet protocol tuple for the second data flow, a packet filter for the second data flow, and a quality of service flow identifier of the second data flow.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving a confirmation to the session modification message.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, via the T-AN, traffic previously buffered by the S-AN.

13. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising circuitry, including a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, and memory, configured to:

receive, from a source access network (S-AN) a command for a handover involving a multi-access protocol data unit (MA-PDU) session, wherein the MA-PDU session comprises first and second data flows, wherein the first data flow is associated with the S-AN, and wherein the second data flow is associated with an access network other than the S-AN;

determine whether to switch the second data flow to the S-AN for the handover;

on condition that the determination is not to switch the second data flow to the S-AN for the handover, the circuitry is configured to:

maintain the second data flow;

establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a T-AN, wherein the first data flow is switched to the T-AN; and

send, to the T-AN, an RRC reconfiguration message to request modification of the MA-PDU session to combine the second data flow with the first data flow to the T-AN.

14. The WTRU of claim 13 , further configured to:

receive, via the T-AN, traffic comprising the first data flow and the second data flow.

15. The WTRU of claim 13 , wherein the RRC reconfiguration message to request for modification of the MA-PDU session indicates one or more identifiers for the MA-PDU session.

16. The WTRU of claim 13 , wherein the circuity is further configured to receive a confirmation to the RRC reconfiguration message.

17. The WTRU of claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive, via the T-AN, traffic previously buffered by the S-AN.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2023
From: IDAC HOLDINGS, INC.
To: INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062308/0215 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2020
From: WANG, GUANZHOU; AHMAD, SAAD
To: IDAC HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053447/0675 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62791428 · Jan 11, 2019
Provisional Application 62652457 · Apr 4, 2018
Provisional Application 62710429 · Feb 16, 2018
Related Publication 20210014742A1 · Jan 14, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,255,772 US 12,568,549