IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,726,882
Granted Patent B2
US 12,726,882 · App. 17/904,033 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Link switching method and apparatus, link switching configuration method and apparatus, communication node, and medium

Inventors: Mengzhen Wang (Shenzhen, CN); Lin Chen (Shenzhen, CN); Boyuan Zhang (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
H04W40/36H04B17/309H04W36/0016H04W36/0058H04W36/033H04W40/12H04W40/22H04W88/04
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,726,882
App. No.
17/904,033
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a path switching method and apparatus, a path switching configuration method and apparatus, a communication node and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The path switching method is applied to a first user equipment (UE) and may include receiving path switching configuration information, and switching a communication link with a target node from a first link to a second link according to the path switching configuration information.

Claims (21)

1 . A path switching method, applied to a first user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving serving cell information of a relay;

sending, to a base station, a message including relay-associated information comprising a relay identifier, the serving cell information of the relay, and measurement information of the relay, the measurement information comprising a PC5 reference signal received power (RSRP);

receiving path switching configuration information from the base station, wherein the path switching configuration information comprises path switching criteria and switching instruction information, the path switching criteria comprising at least one of a first threshold of link quality of a first link and a threshold of PC5 interface link quality of a second link, the switching instruction information comprising the relay identifier; and

switching a communication link with the base station from the first link to the second link in response to the path switching criteria being met, wherein the first link is for direct communication with the base station and the second link is for communication with the base station through the relay, wherein the path switching criteria being met comprises at least one of the link quality of the first link being lower than the first threshold of the link quality or the PC5 interface link quality of the second link being higher than the threshold of the PC5 interface link quality of the second link.

2 . The path switching method of claim 1 , wherein the switching instruction information comprises at least one of handover indication, a type of service (ToS) for switching, a protocol data unit (PDU) session identifier for switching, a data radio bearer (DRB) for switching, a handover quality of service (QoS) flow information for switching, or a DRB packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) retransmission instruction.

3 . The path switching method of claim 1 , wherein the path switching criteria further includes a type of service (ToS) of the first link.

4 . The path switching method of claim 3 , wherein the path switching criteria is met when the ToS of the first link is a first preset service type.

5 . The path switching method of claim 1 , wherein the serving cell information comprises at least one of an evolved UMPTS terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) cell global identifier (ECGI), a new radio cell global identifier (NCGI) of a new air interface cell, a base station identifier, a global base station identifier, or a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).

6 . The path switching method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement information further comprises a PC5 reference signal received quality (RSRQ) or a PC5 reference signal strength indication (RSSI).

7 . A first user equipment (UE), comprising:

at least one processor configured to:

receive, via a receiver, serving cell information of a relay;

send, via a transmitter to a base station, a message including relay-associated information comprising a relay identifier, the serving cell information of the relay, and measurement information of the relay, the measurement information comprising a PC5 reference signal received power (RSRP);

receive, via the receiver, path switching configuration information from the base station, wherein the path switching configuration information comprises path switching criteria and switching instruction information, the path switching criteria comprising at least one of a first threshold of link quality of a first link and a threshold of PC5 interface link quality of a second link, the switching instruction information comprising the relay identifier; and

switch a communication link with the base station from the first link to the second link in response to the path switching criteria being met, wherein the first link is for direct communication with the base station and the second link is for communication with the base station through the relay, wherein the path switching criteria being met comprises at least one of the link quality of the first link being lower than the first threshold of the link quality or the PC5 interface link quality of the second link being higher than the threshold of the PC5 interface link quality of the second link.

8 . The first UE of claim 7 , wherein the switching instruction information comprises at least one of handover indication, a handover service type, a handover protocol data unit (PDU) session identifier, a handover data radio bearer (DRB), a handover quality of service (QoS) flow information, or a DRB packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) retransmission instructions.

9 . The first UE of claim 7 , wherein the path switching criteria further includes a service type of the first link.

10 . The first UE of claim 9 , wherein the path switching criteria is met when the service type of the first link is a first preset service type.

11 . The first UE of claim 7 , wherein the serving cell information comprises at least one of an E-UTRAN cell global identifier (ECGI), a new radio cell global identifier (NCGI) of a new air interface cell, a base station identifier, a global base station identifier, or a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).

12 . The first UE of claim 7 , wherein the measurement information further comprises a PC5 reference signal received quality (RSRQ) or a PC5 reference signal strength indication RSSI).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2022
From: WANG, MENGZHEN; CHEN, LIN; ZHANG, BOYUAN
To: ZTE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060785/0813 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202010091485.5 · Feb 13, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230074899A1 · Mar 9, 2023
References Cited (50)
US 10728827B2 · Xiao · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11895548B2 · Xu · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20140135019A1 · Jang et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20180213577A1 · Burbidge · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190037430A1 · Lee · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190037463A1 · Feng · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190045405A1 · Byun et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190141771A1 · Ma · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190261216A1 · Lee et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190281526A1 · Freda · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190313315A1 · Xu · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190320495A1 · Kuang · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190357101A1 · Stojanovski · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190380159A1 · Bangolae · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190387446A1 · Xu · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200178155A1 · Xu · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210105066A1 · Uchiyama · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210144606A1 · Xu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220330056A1 · Peng · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220377822A1 · Wang · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230085018A1 · Liu · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CN 101374325A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
CN 103354653A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 105188099A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 108024295A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108029148A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 110461020A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 111901836A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015521455A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016531506A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017103750A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018515969A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018520525A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018533311A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017130593A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017160070A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017188304A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018006253A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018029930A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018059126A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019061195A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Second Japanese Office Action on JP Appl No. 2022-548790, mailed Sep. 26, 2023 (7 pages, including English translation). [cited by applicant]
Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for EP Appl. No. 20918773.1, dated Sep. 27, 2024 (7 pages). [cited by applicant]
First Office Action for CN Appl. No. 202010091485.5, dated Jul. 23, 2024 (with English translation, 16 pages). [cited by applicant]
Huawei et al., “Path switch procedure between Uu and PC5”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #98, R2-1704715, May 19, 2017, Hangzhou, China (5 pages). [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for EP Appl. No. 20918773.1 dated Jan. 8, 2024 (7 pages). [cited by applicant]
Huawei, et al., “Solution for Key Issue #3: Service continuity via UE-to-Network Relay”, SA WG2 Meeting #136AH, S2-2000492, Incheon, South Korea, Jan. 13, 2020 (7 pages). [cited by applicant]
International Searching Authority. International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT Application No. PCT/CN2020/133342 and English translation, mailed Jan. 28, 2021, pp. 1-11. [cited by applicant]
First Japanese Office Action on JP Appl No. 2022-548790, mailed on Jun. 20, 2023 (14 pages). [cited by applicant]
Office Action for KR Appl. No. 10-2022-7029914, dated Nov. 22, 2024 (with English translation, 4 pages). [cited by applicant]