UE triggered second cell group suspension/dormancy/deactivation/resumption

1 . A method performed by a wireless terminal operating in Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (“MR-DC”) and configured with a first cell group associated with a first network node and a second cell group associated with a second network node, the method comprising:

monitoring conditions and events for an indication that an operating mode of the second cell group should be modified;

responsive to detecting the indication that the operating mode of the second cell group should be modified, transmitting an indication to a network requesting a modification for the operating mode of the second cell group;

receiving a command from the network to change the operating mode of the second cell group; and

responsive to receiving the command, adjusting the operating mode of the second cell group based on the command.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cell group is a Master Cell Group (“MCG”) comprising a primary cell (“PCell”) and MCG secondary cells (“SCells”) associated with a Master Node (“MN”) and the second cell group is a Secondary Cell Group (“SCG”) comprising a primary secondary cell (“PSCell”) and SCG SCells associated with a Secondary Node (“SN”).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cell group is a Secondary Cell Group (“SCG”) comprising a primary secondary cell (“PSCell”) and SCG secondary cells (“SCells”) associated with a Secondary Node (“SN”) and the second cell group is a Master Cell Group (“MCG”) comprising a primary cell (“PCell”) and MCG SCells associated with a Master Node(“MN”).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating mode of the second cell group comprises one of a normal operating mode or a reduced/power-saving mode.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conditions and the events that are monitored comprise at least one of:

uplink (“UL”) buffer status of radio bearers;

detection of incoming UL data;

UL/downlink (“DL”) throughput;

mobility state;

information related to temperature including overheating conditions;

power/battery level;

expiry of a timer that is started when the wireless terminal receives a command to enter the operating mode, and the timer is stopped when the wireless terminal receives a command to leave the operating mode;

an indication associated to data bulk consumption; and

an indication of a specified type of movement.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the UL buffer status of radio bearers comprises a total UL buffer status of all radio bearers or UL buffer status of a subset of radio bearers,

wherein the subset of radio bearers is determined based on at least one of:

a packet data convergence protocol (“PDCP”) termination point of radio bearers whose PDCP is terminated at the second network node;

a Cell group association comprising at least one of:

radio bearers that are associated with only the second cell group; and

radio bearers that are associated with both the first and second cell group;

a Service/Application type or quality of service (“QoS”) profile comprising at least one of radio bearers that have a specific QoS profile; and

an explicit list of radio bearer identities provided by the network.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the detection of incoming UL data comprises at least one of:

arrival of UL data for a radio bearer that is suspended;

arrival of UL data for a radio bearer whose packet data convergence protocol (“PDCP”) is terminated at the second network node;

arrival of UL data for a radio bearer that is associated with only the second cell group, while the second cell group is suspended;

arrival of UL data for a radio bearer that is associated with both the first cell group and the second cell group, where a primary path for the radio bearer is the second cell group and the second cell group is suspended; and

arrival of UL data for radio bearers with a certain specific service or QoS profile which is expected to be better served by the second cell group.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the UL/DL throughput comprises one of a total UL/DL throughput of all radio bearers or the UL/DL throughput of a subset of radio bearers, and

wherein the subset of the radio bearers is determined based on at least one of:

a PDCP termination point;

a cell group association comprising one of:

radio bearers that are associated with only the second cell group; or

radio bearers that are associated with both the first cell group and the second cell group;

a service/application type or quality of service (“QoS”) profile of radio bearers that have a specific QoS profile; and

an explicit list of radio bearer Identities provided by the network.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein monitoring the conditions and events comprises determining that the UL buffer status remains below a first threshold for a specific filtering duration.

10 . The method according to of claim 6 , wherein monitoring the conditions and events comprises determining that the UL buffer status stays above a second threshold for a specific filtering duration.

11 . The method of claim 9 , where transmitting the indication comprises transmitting an indication to put the second cell group in a reduced/power-saving mode.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each radio bearer whose buffer levels are being monitored has associated threshold values.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a value of the first threshold and the second threshold are the same for at least a subset of the radio bearers whose buffer levels are being monitored.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein transmitting the indication comprises transmitting an indication to put the second cell group in a normal operating mode.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditions related to UL/DL throughput of radio bearers is considered to be fulfilled when the UL/DL throughput remains below a first threshold for a specific duration.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein transmitting the indication comprises transmitting an indication to put the second cell group in a reduced/power-saving mode.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the conditions related to UL/DL throughput of radio bearers is considered to be fulfilled when the UL/DL throughput stays above a second threshold for a specific duration.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each radio bearer whose throughput levels are being monitored has an associated value of the first threshold and the second threshold.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein values of the first threshold and the second threshold are the same for at least a subset of the radio bearers whose throughput levels are being monitored.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein transmitting the indication comprises transmitting an indication to put the second cell group in a normal operating mode.