Radio access network node, core network node, radio terminal, and methods therefor

1. A master Radio Access Network (RAN) node comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to send, to a control plane function in a core network, a PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message requesting modification of a PDU session already established between a radio terminal and a user plane function in the core network, wherein

the PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message is used to indicate to the core network that the already established PDU session is to be split over a plurality of tunnels, and

the PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message includes a list of one or more Quality of Service (QoS) flows associated with the split of the already established PDU session.

2. The master RAN node according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive a PDU session resource setup request message from the control plane function, during a procedure of establishing the PDU session, wherein the PDU session resource setup request message includes first information indicating the split of the PDU session is permitted.

3. The master RAN node according to claim 2 , wherein the first information indicates, on a per-network slice basis, whether or not the split of the PDU session is permitted.

4. The master RAN node according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an indication on a per-radio terminal basis from the control plane function before transmission of the PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message, the indication indicating whether or not the split of the PDU session is permitted.

5. The master RAN node according to claim 1 , wherein the split of the PDU session includes moving one or more QoS flows of a plurality of QoS flows associated with the already established PDU session from a first tunnel between the user plane function and the master RAN node to a second tunnel between the user plane function and a secondary RAN node, or from the second tunnel to the first tunnel.

6. The master RAN node according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to send an inter-node message to a secondary RAN node, wherein the inter-node message is used to indicate to the secondary RAN node that the already established PDU session is to be split over the plurality of tunnels, and the inter-node message includes a list of the one or more QoS flows associated with the split of the already established PDU sessions.

7. The master RAN node according to claim 6 , wherein the inter-node message includes PDU-session-establishment type information explicitly indicating that PDU session split is to be applied to the PDU session or to the one or more QoS flows.

8. The master RAN node according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit, to the radio terminal, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message indicating a secondary cell group configuration for dual connectivity, wherein the RRC connection reconfiguration message is used to indicate to the radio terminal that the already established PDU session is to be split over the plurality of tunnels, and the RRC connection reconfiguration message includes a list of the one or more QoS flows associated with the split of the already established PDU session.

9. The master RAN node according to claim 8 , wherein the secondary cell group configuration includes an identifier of the first PDU session and identifiers of one or more data radio bearers to be associated with the one or more QoS flows, in order to implicitly or explicitly indicate the split of the PDU session.

10. The master RAN node according to claim 8 , wherein the secondary cell group configuration includes data-radio-bearer type information explicitly indicating that PDU session split is to be applied to the PDU session or to the one or more QoS flows.

11. The master RAN node according to claim 1 , wherein

the at least one processor is configured to send a handover request message to a target RAN node to request a handover of the radio terminal from the master RAN node to the target RAN node, and

the handover request message indicates that PDU session split has been applied to the PDU session or to the one or more QoS flows.

12. The master RAN node according to claim 11 , wherein the handover request message includes PDU-session type information or QoS-flow type information explicitly indicating that the PDU session split has been applied to the PDU session or to the one or more QoS flows.

13. The master RAN node according to claim 12 , wherein

the handover request message includes terminal context reference information for distinguishing the radio terminal at the secondary RAN node, and

the terminal context reference information includes an indication indicating that the PDU session split has been applied to the PDU session or to the one or more QoS flows.

14. A control plane node to be located in a core network, the control plane node comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive, from a master Radio Access Network (RAN) node, a PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message requesting modification of a PDU session already established between a radio terminal and a user plane function in the core network, wherein

the PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message is used to indicate to the core network that the already established PDU session is to be split over a plurality of tunnels, and

the PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message includes a list of one or more Quality of Service (QoS) flows associated with the split of the already established PDU session.

15. The control plane node according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a PDU session resource setup request message to the master RAN node, during a procedure of establishing the PDU session, wherein the PDU session resource setup request message includes first information indicating the split of the PDU session is permitted.

16. The control plane node according to claim 15 , wherein the first information indicates, on a per-network slice basis, whether or not the split of the PDU session is permitted.

17. The control plane node according to claim 14 , wherein the split of the PDU session includes moving one or more QoS flows of a plurality of QoS flows associated with the already established PDU session from a first tunnel between the user plane function and the master RAN node to a second tunnel between the user plane function and a secondary RAN node, or from the second tunnel to the first tunnel.

18. A secondary Radio Access Network (RAN) node comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive an inter-node message from a master RAN node, the inter-node message requesting allocation of resources for dual connectivity for a radio terminal, wherein

the inter-node message is also used to indicate to the secondary RAN node that a PDU session already established between the radio terminal and a user plane function in a core network is to be split over a plurality of tunnels, and the inter-node message includes a list of one or more Quality of Service (QoS) flows associated with the split of the already established PDU session.

19. A radio terminal comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message from a master Radio Access Network (RAN) node or a secondary RAN node, the RRC connection reconfiguration message indicating a secondary cell group configuration for dual connectivity, wherein

the RRC connection reconfiguration message is also used to indicate to the radio terminal that a PDU session already established between the radio terminal and a user plane function in a core network is to be split over a plurality of tunnels, and the RRC connection reconfiguration message includes a list of one or more Quality of Service (QoS) flows associated with the split of the already established PDU session.

20. A method performed by a master Radio Access Network (RAN) node, the method comprising:

sending, to a control plane function in the core network, a PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message requesting modification of a PDU session already established between a radio terminal and a user plane function in a core network, wherein

the PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message is used to indicate to the core network that the already established PDU session is to be split over a plurality of tunnels, and

the PDU Session Resource Modify Indication message includes a list of one or more Quality of Service (QoS) flows associated with the split of the already established PDU session.