Updating WLAN aggregation configuration

1. A method, performed in a first access node in a wireless network, wherein the first access node is serving a user equipment, UE, for which communications between the UE and a first wireless local-area network access point, WLAN AP, are aggregated with communications between the UE and the first access node, in cooperation with a node that comprises a first wireless termination, WT, that controls the first WLAN AP and a second WLAN AP, the method comprising:

establishing a tunnel between the first access node and the first WT for exchanging data for the UE via the first WLAN AP;

determining to replace the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP with communications between the UE and a second WLAN AP;

determining that the second WLAN AP is controlled by the first WT; and

sending a reconfiguration message to the first WT, in response to determining that the second WLAN AP is controlled by the first WT, the reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the second WLAN AP; and

after sending the reconfiguration message, receiving user plane data from the UE via the second WLAN AP via the established tunnel.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before sending the reconfiguration message, receiving user plane data from the UE, via the first WLAN AP and via the tunnel established between the first access node and the first WT.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining that the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP should be replaced is based on WLAN measurements received from the UE.

4. A method, performed in a first access node in a wireless network, wherein the first access node is serving a user equipment, UE, for which communications between the UE and a first wireless local-area network access point, WLAN AP, are aggregated with communications between the UE and the first access node, in cooperation with a node that comprises a first wireless termination, WT, that controls a plurality of WLAN APs including the first WLAN AP, the method comprising:

establishing a tunnel between the first access node and the first WT for exchanging data for the UE via the first WLAN AP;

determining to replace the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP with communications between the UE and a second WLAN AP;

determining that the second WLAN AP is not one of the plurality of WLAN APs controlled by the first WT;

establishing a new tunnel between the first access node and a second WT that controls the second WLAN AP, in response to determining that the second WLAN AP is not one of the plurality of WLAN APs controlled by the first WT; and

releasing the tunnel previously established between the first access node and the first WT.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

before establishing the new tunnel, receiving user plane data from the UE, via the first WLAN AP and via the tunnel previously established between the first access node and the first WT; and

after establishing the new tunnel, receiving user plane data from the UE, via the second WLAN AP and via the new tunnel between the first access node and the second WT.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said determining that the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP should be replaced is based on WLAN measurements received from the UE.

7. A method, performed in a first node in a wireless local-area network, WLAN, the first node comprising a wireless termination, WT, that controls a first WLAN access point, AP, and a second WLAN AP, the method comprising:

establishing a tunnel between the first node comprising the WT and an access node in a cellular network for exchanging data for a user equipment, UE, between the first WLAN AP and the access node;

forwarding user data received from the UE via the first WLAN AP to the access node via the established tunnel;

forwarding user data received from the access node via the established tunnel to the UE via the first WLAN AP;

receiving a reconfiguration message from the access node, the reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the second WLAN AP; and

subsequent to receiving the reconfiguration message, forwarding user data for the UE received from the access node via the established tunnel to the UE, via the second WLAN AP, and forwarding user data received from the UE via the second WLAN AP to the access node via the established tunnel.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, in response to receiving the reconfiguration message, forwarding, to the second WLAN AP, user data buffered for transmission to the UE via the first WLAN AP.

9. A first access node adapted for use in a wireless network, wherein the first access node is configured to, while serving a user equipment, UE, for which communications between the UE and a first wireless local-area network access point, WLAN AP, are aggregated with communications between the UE and the first access node, in cooperation with a node that comprises a first wireless termination, WT, that controls the first WLAN AP and a second WLAN AP, the first access node comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to:

establish a tunnel between the first access node and the first WT for exchanging data for the UE via the first WLAN AP;

determine to replace the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP with communications between the UE and a second WLAN AP;

determine that the second WLAN AP is controlled by the first WT;

send a reconfiguration message to the first WT, in response to determining that the second WLAN AP is controlled by the first WT, the reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the second WLAN AP; and

after sending the reconfiguration message, receiving user plane data from the UE via the second WLAN AP via the established tunnel.

10. The first access node of claim 9 , wherein the first access node is further configured to:

before sending the reconfiguration message, receive user plane data from the UE, via the first WLAN AP and via the tunnel established between the first access node and the first WT.

11. The first access node of claim 9 , wherein the first access node is further configured to determine that the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP should be replaced based on WLAN measurements received from the UE.

12. A first access node adapted for use in a wireless network, wherein the first access node is configured to, while serving a user equipment, UE, for which communications between the UE and a first wireless local-area network access point, WLAN AP, are aggregated with communications between the UE and the first access node, in cooperation with a node that comprises a first wireless termination, WT, that controls a plurality of WLAN APs including the first WLAN AP, the first access node comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to:

establish a tunnel between the first access node and the first WT for exchanging data for the UE via the first WLAN AP;

determine to replace the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP with communications between the UE and a second WLAN AP;

determine that the second WLAN AP is not one of the plurality of WLAN APs controlled by the first WT;

establish a new tunnel between the first access node and a second WT that controls the second WLAN AP, in response to determining that the second WLAN AP is not one of the plurality of WLAN APs controlled by the first WT; and

release the tunnel previously established between the first access node and the first WT.

13. The first access node of claim 12 , wherein the first access node is further configured to:

before establishing the new tunnel, receive user plane data from the UE, via the first WLAN AP and via the tunnel previously established between the first access node and the first WT; and

after establishing the new tunnel, receive user plane data from the UE, via the second WLAN AP and via the new tunnel between the first access node and the second WT.

14. The first access node of claim 12 , wherein said determining that the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP should be replaced is based on WLAN measurements received from the UE.

15. A first node configured for use in a wireless local-area network, WLAN and comprising a wireless termination, WT, that controls a first WLAN access point, AP, and a second WLAN AP, the first node comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to:

establishing a tunnel between the first node comprising the WT and an access node in a cellular network for exchanging data for a user equipment, UE, between the first WLAN AP and the access node;

forward user data received from the UE via the first WLAN AP to the access node via the established tunnel;

forward user data received from the access node via the established tunnel to the UE via the first WLAN AP;

receive a reconfiguration message from the access node, the reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the second WLAN AP; and

subsequent to receiving the reconfiguration message, forward user data for the UE received from the access node via the established tunnel to the UE, via the second WLAN AP, and forward user data received from the UE via the second WLAN AP to the access node via the established tunnel.

16. The first node of claim 15 , wherein the first node is configured to, in response to receiving the reconfiguration message, forward, to the second WLAN AP, user data buffered for transmission to the UE ( 40 ) via the first WLAN AP.

17. The first node of claim 15 , wherein the first node is configured to, in response to receiving the reconfiguration message, forward, to the second WLAN AP, user data that was previously sent to the UE via the first WLAN AP but that is unacknowledged as of receiving the reconfiguration message.

18. A first access node adapted for use in a wireless network, the first access node comprising:

a communication interface circuit configured to communicate with one or more other access nodes and with a wireless termination, WT, in a node in a wireless local-area network, WLAN;

a transceiver circuit configured to communicate with one or more user equipments, UEs; and

a processing circuit operatively connected to the communication interface circuit and transceiver circuit;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to, while serving a user equipment, UE, for which communications between the UE and a first wireless local-area network access point, WLAN AP, are aggregated with communications between the UE and the first access node, in cooperation with a node that comprises a first WT that controls the first WLAN AP and a second WLAN AP:

establish a tunnel between the first access node and the first WT for exchanging data for the UE via the first WLAN AP;

determine to replace the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP with communications between the UE and a second WLAN AP;

determine that the second WLAN AP is controlled by the first WT;

send a reconfiguration message to the first WT, in response to determining that the second WLAN AP is controlled by the first WT, the reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the second WLAN AP; and

after sending the reconfiguration message, receive user plane data from the UE via the second WLAN AP via the established tunnel.

19. A first access node adapted for use in a wireless network, the first access node comprising:

a communication interface circuit configured to communicate with one or more other access nodes and with a wireless termination, WT, in a node in a wireless local-area network, WLAN;

a transceiver circuit configured to communicate with one or more user equipments, UEs; and

a processing circuit operatively connected to the communication interface circuit and transceiver circuit;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to, while serving a user equipment, UE, for which communications between the UE and a first wireless local-area network access point, WLAN AP, are aggregated with communications between the UE and the first access node, in cooperation with a node that comprises a first WT that controls a plurality of WLAN APs including the first WLAN AP:

establish a tunnel between the first access node and the first WT for exchanging data for the UE via the first WLAN AP;

determine to replace the aggregated communications between the UE and the first WLAN AP with communications between the UE and a second WLAN AP;

determine the second WLAN AP is not one of the plurality of WLAN APs controlled by the first WT;

establish a new tunnel between the first access node and a second WT that controls the second WLAN AP, in response to determining that the second WLAN AP is not one of the plurality of WLAN APs controlled by the first WT; and

release the tunnel previously established between the first access node and the first WT.

20. A first node configured for use in a wireless local-area network, WLAN and comprising a wireless termination, WT, that controls a first WLAN access point, AP, and a second WLAN AP, the first node comprising:

a communication interface circuit configured to communicate with the first WLAN AP and the second WLAN AP controlled by the WT and to communicate with one or more access nodes in a cellular network; and

a processing circuit operatively connected to the communication interface circuit;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

establish a tunnel between the first node comprising the WT and the access node in a cellular network for exchanging data for a user equipment UE, between the first WLAN AP and the access node;

forward user data received from the UE via the first WLAN AP to the access node via the established tunnel;

forward user data received from the access node via the established tunnel to the UE via the first WLAN AP;

receive a reconfiguration message from the access node, the reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the second WLAN AP; and

subsequent to receiving the reconfiguration message, forward user data for the UE received from the access node via the established tunnel to the UE, via the second WLAN AP, and forward user data received from the UE via the second WLAN AP to the access node via the established tunnel.