Patent Application

App. No. 18/641,552

Abstract

Claims (61)

1 . A method comprising

taking initial values for a UL split threshold for a 4G and 5G leg for a number of split Data Radio Bearers (DRBs), wherein UL split threshold parameters comprise:

an average UL buffer measure for a UE using a Buffer Status Report (BSR) provided by the UE;

a UL data volume at a CU-UP for a DRB of the number of split DRBs;

a UL PRB utilization;

a UL Cell throughput for each UL cell;

subscribing to the UL split threshold parameters from an gNB or eNB E2 node by a near-RT RIC;

detecting, by the E2 node, an RIC event trigger;

analyzing the parameters, by the near-RT RIC, to determine whether to change the values of UL split threshold parameters for some of the number of UL split DRBs, and if so;

updating the UL split threshold parameters at the E2 node; and

communicating the updated UL split threshold parameters to the UE.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

computing the average UL buffer measure with the BSR for a UE periodically at a 5G DU for each UL split; and

computing the average UL buffer measure with the BSR for a UE periodically at a 4G DU for each UL split DRB.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

communicating the periodically computed the average UL buffer measure for the UE at the 5G DU for each UL split to a 5G CU-CP via an F1-C interface; and

communicating the periodically computed the average UL buffer measure for the UE at the 4G DU for each UL split to the 5G CU-CP via an F1-C interface.

4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

computing the BSR for a corresponding Logical Channel Group ID (LCG ID) in the 4G network and the 5G network;

wherein the 4G DU and the 5G DU each identify the BSR in a buffer size field of the corresponding LCG ID.

5 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:

mapping each of a BSR index (k) to a buffer size in a range (b1,b2] in bytes; and

computing the lower value of the range; or

computing an average of the range (average of b1+1 and b2) while computing average BSR.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

informing, by the UE, the BSR for the 4G leg and 5G leg to the respective 4G DU and 5GU;

computing the average BSR at the 4GDU and 5G DU or communicating the BSR to a near-RT-RIC and computing the average BSR at the near-RT-RIC.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein an E2 protocol message includes an object for communicating the parameters from the 4G DU and the 5G DU to the near-RT-RIC.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the analyzing the parameters, by the near-RT RIC, to determine whether to dynamically change the values of UL split threshold parameters for some of the number of UL split DRBs comprises:

determining if a BSR average across the 4G leg and the 5G leg for the split DRB for a time interval is above a configured threshold and is high;

determining if a CU-UP data volumes for the split DRB is below a configured threshold; and

reducing the value of the UL split threshold for the DRB and communicating the reduced value to the 4G CU and the 5G CU.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

communicating, by the 4G CU, the reduced value to the UE.

10 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

analyzing, by the near-RT-RIC, the UL PRB utilization for 4G DU and the 5G DU and identifies the 5G leg or 4G leg where a corresponding scheduler can give the UE optimal UL data transmission.

11 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

increasing, by the near-RT RIC, the UL cell throughput when a UL CU-UP data volume starts going up for a DRB or a packet drops at CU-UP for UL cell throughput; or

increasing, by the near-RT RIC, the UL cell throughput when a UL CU-UP data volume starts going up for a DRB or a packet drops at CU-UP for UL cell throughput.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

communicating the increased UL cell throughput to a 4GCU, and

communicating, by the 4G CU, the updated UL split threshold to the UE.

13 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:

decreasing, by the near-RT-RIC, the UL split threshold for some DRBs when both a UL cell throughput of 4G cell and a 5G cell is below a configured threshold; or

decreasing, by the near-RT-RIC, the UL split threshold for some DRBs that were sending most of their data via the 5G leg when a UL cell throughput of a 5G UL cell throughput is above a configured threshold and is high and the throughput of 4G UL cell throughput is below a configured threshold and is low.

14 . A method comprising

taking initial values for a UL split threshold for a 4G and 5G leg for a number of split Data Radio Bearers (DRBs), wherein UL split threshold parameters comprise one or more of:

an average UL buffer measure for a UE using a Buffer Status Report (BSR) provided by the UE;

a UL data volume at a CU-UP for a DRB of the number of split DRBs;

a UL PRB utilization; and

a UL Cell throughput for each UL cell;

communicating the UL split threshold parameters to a 5G CU;

analyzing the parameters, by the 5G CU, to determine whether to change the values of UL split threshold parameters for some of the number of UL split DRBs, and if so;

updating the UL split threshold parameters at the 5G CU; and

communicating the updated UL split threshold parameters to the UE.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

computing the average UL buffer measure with the BSR for a UE periodically at a 5G DU for each UL split; and

computing the average UL buffer measure with the BSR for a UE periodically at a 4G DU for each UL split DRB.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

communicating the periodically computed the average UL buffer measure for the UE at the 5G DU for each UL split to a 5G CU-CP via an F1-C interface; and

communicating the periodically computed the average UL buffer measure for the UE at the 4G DU for each UL split to the 5G CU-CP via an F1-C interface.

Assignments (16)