Method and apparatus for dual connectivity management

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

memory storing a program of instructions;

wherein the memory storing the program of instructions is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

at a master base station belonging to a wireless communication network comprising the master base station and a secondary cell group comprising at least one secondary base station, configure one or more secondary cell group bearers for a secondary base station, wherein configuring the secondary cell group bearer comprises configuring an inactivity timer for the secondary cell group, and wherein the inactivity timer is configured to indicate that, if no activity has occurred on the secondary cell group bearer during pendency of the inactivity timer, the secondary cell group bearer is to be released; and

signal the configuration to the secondary base station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to, in response to recognition by the master base station that secondary cell group bearer was released because of expiration of the inactivity timer, direct the master base station to examine whether to release the radio resource control connection for the secondary cell group bearer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to, upon recognition that the secondary cell group bearer was released because of expiration of the inactivity timer, base configuration of a subsequent activity timer for the activity timer for the bearer on recognition of inactivity as the reason for the release.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the master base station is a master enhanced node B and the secondary base station is a secondary enhanced node B and wherein an inactivity timer for each secondary cell group bearer is signaled as part of a secondary enhanced node B addition request message.

5. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

memory storing a program of instructions;

wherein the memory storing the program of instructions is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

at a secondary base station belonging to a wireless communication network comprising a master base station and a secondary cell group comprising at least the secondary base station, in response to receiving an secondary cell group bearer configuration from a master base station, with the configuration including an inactivity timer, establish the SECONDARY CELL GROUP bearer and monitor the timer;

in response to expiration of the timer, determine whether traffic has been present during pendency of the inactivity timer; and

in response to recognition that no traffic has been if there is no traffic on the secondary cell group bearer during pendency of the timer, release the secondary cell group bearer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the secondary base station is a secondary enhanced node B and the master base station is a master enhanced node B and wherein releasing of the secondary cell group bearer by the secondary enhanced node B comprises sending a bearer release message to the master enhanced node B.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the bearer release message includes an indication that the secondary cell group bearer was released due to inactivity.

8. A method comprising:

at a master base station belonging to a wireless communication network comprising the master base station and a secondary cell group comprising at least one secondary base station, configuring one or more secondary cell group bearers for a secondary base station, wherein configuring the secondary cell group bearer comprises configuring an inactivity timer for the secondary cell group, and wherein the inactivity timer is configured to indicate that, if no activity has occurred on the secondary cell group bearer during pendency of the inactivity timer, the secondary cell group bearer is to be released; and

signaling the configuration to the secondary base station.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, in response to recognition by the master base station that secondary cell group bearer was released because of expiration of the inactivity timer, direct the master base station to examine whether to release the radio resource control connection for the secondary cell group bearer.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, upon recognition that the secondary cell group bearer was released because of expiration of the inactivity timer, base configuration of a subsequent activity timer for the activity timer for the bearer on recognition of inactivity as the reason for the release.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the master base station is a master enhanced node B and the secondary base station is a secondary enhanced node B and wherein an inactivity timer for each secondary cell group bearer is signaled as part of a secondary enhanced node B addition request message.

12. A method comprising:

at a secondary base station belonging to a wireless communication network comprising a master base station and a secondary cell group comprising at least the secondary base station, in response to receiving a secondary cell group bearer configuration from a master base station, with the configuration including an inactivity timer, establishing the secondary cell group bearer and monitoring the inactivity timer;

in response to expiration of the timer, determine whether traffic has been present during pendency of the inactivity timer; and

in response to recognition that no traffic has been if there is no traffic on the secondary cell group bearer during pendency of the timer, releasing the secondary cell group bearer.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the secondary base station is a secondary enhanced node B and the master base station is a master enhanced node B and wherein releasing of the secondary cell group bearer by the secondary enhanced node B comprises sending a bearer release message to the master enhanced node B.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the bearer release message includes an indication that the secondary cell group bearer was released due to inactivity.

15. A non-transitory computer readable memory storing a program of instructions, execution of which by at least one processor configures an apparatus to at least:

at a master base station belonging to a wireless communication network comprising the master base station and a secondary cell group comprising at least one secondary base station, configure one or more secondary cell group bearers for a secondary base station, wherein configuring the secondary cell group bearer comprises configuring an inactivity timer for the secondary cell group, and wherein the inactivity timer is configured to indicate that, if no activity has occurred on the secondary cell group bearer during pendency of the inactivity timer, the secondary cell group bearer is to be released; and

signal the configuration to the secondary base station.

16. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to, in response to recognition by the master base station that secondary cell group bearer was released because of expiration of the inactivity timer, direct the master base station to examine whether to release the radio resource control connection for the secondary cell group bearer.

17. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to, upon recognition that the secondary cell group bearer was released because of expiration of the inactivity timer, base configuration of a subsequent activity timer for the activity timer for the bearer on recognition of inactivity as the reason for the release.

18. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 15 , wherein the master base station is a master enhanced node B and the secondary base station is a secondary enhanced node B and wherein an inactivity timer for each secondary cell group bearer is signaled as part of a secondary enhanced node B addition request message.

19. A non-transitory computer readable memory storing a program of instructions, execution of which by at least one processor configures an apparatus to at least:

at a secondary base station belonging to a wireless communication network comprising a master base station and a secondary cell group comprising at least the secondary base station, in response to receiving an secondary cell group bearer configuration from a master base station, with the configuration including an inactivity timer, establish the secondary cell group bearer and monitor the timer;

in response to expiration of the timer, determine whether traffic has been present during pendency of the inactivity timer; and

in response to recognition that no traffic has been if there is no traffic on the secondary cell group bearer during pendency of the timer, release the secondary cell group bearer.

20. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 19 , wherein the secondary base station is a secondary enhanced node B and the master base station is a master enhanced node B and wherein releasing of the secondary cell group bearer by the secondary enhanced node B comprises sending a bearer release message to the master enhanced node B.