Dual-connectivity architecture and setup procedures

1 . An apparatus for wireless communication at a remote user equipment (UE), comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

detect one or more relay UEs for a secondary connection with a second network entity in a dual connectivity configuration for communication with a first network entity and the second network entity, the dual connectivity configuration including a primary connection with the first network entity and the secondary connection with the second network entity;

receive, from the first network entity, a configuration for establishing the secondary connection with the second network entity via one of the one or more relay UEs;

establish the secondary connection via the one of the one or more relay UEs for communication with the second network entity based on the received configuration for establishing the secondary connection; and

configure one or more second bearers for the secondary connection via the one of the one or more relay UEs, the one or more second bearers supporting data transmission via the secondary connection.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the primary connection with the first network entity comprises a direct connection or a relayed connection.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detection of the one or more relay UEs is based on a list of network entities suitable for the secondary connection.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the list of network entities suitable for the secondary connection is preconfigured, or is received from the first network entity in a system information block (SIB) or a radio resource control (RRC) message.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the at least one processor being further configured to:

receive, from the first network entity, an indication of dual connectivity.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the at least one processor being further configured to:

transmit, to the first network entity, an indication of the detected one or more relay UEs.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the indication of the detected one or more relay UEs is transmitted to the first network entity in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the configuration for establishing the secondary connection is received from the first network entity in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first network entity is a master node and the second network entity is a secondary node.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the secondary connection comprises a new local link or a previously existing local link with the one of the one or more relay UEs.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein, if the secondary connection comprises the previously existing link, the at least one processor is further configured to configure the previously existing link to support a relaying capability.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the new local link or the previously existing local link comprises one of a sidelink, a peer-to-peer communication link, a device-to-device communication link, a Bluetooth link or a Wi-Fi link.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the at least one processor being further configured to:

communicate with the first network entity via one or more first bearers for the primary connection; and

communicate with the second network entity via the one or more second bearers for the secondary connection.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , the at least one processor being further configured to:

transmit a same protocol data unit (PDU) via one of the one or more first bearers for the primary connection and via one of the one or more second bearers for the secondary connection.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor.

16 . A method of wireless communication at a remote user equipment (UE), comprising:

detecting one or more relay UEs for a dual connectivity configuration for communication with a first network entity and a second network entity, the dual connectivity configuration including a primary connection with the first network entity and a secondary connection with the second network entity;

receiving, from the first network entity, a configuration for establishing the secondary connection via one of the one or more relay UEs;

establishing the secondary connection via the one of the one or more relay UEs for communication with the second network entity; and

configuring one or more second bearers for the secondary connection via the one of the one or more relay UEs, the one or more second bearers supporting data transmission via the secondary connection.

17 . An apparatus for wireless communication at a first network entity, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

receive, from a remote user equipment (UE), an indication of one or more relay UEs for a secondary connection with a second network entity in a dual connectivity configuration for communication with the first network entity and the second network entity, the dual connectivity configuration including a primary connection with the first network entity and the secondary connection with the second network entity;

select, based at least on the received indication, one of the one or more relay UEs for the secondary connection;

transmit, to the second network entity, an indication to prepare the second network entity for the secondary connection with the remote UE via the one of the one or more relay UEs; and

transmit, to the remote UE, a configuration for establishing the secondary connection with the second network entity via the one of the one or more relay UEs.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the primary connection with the remote UE comprises a direct connection or a relayed connection.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , the at least one processor being further configured to:

transmit, to the remote UE, a list of network entities suitable for the secondary connection in a system information block (SIB) or a radio resource control (RRC) message.

20 . The apparatus of claim 17 , the at least one processor being further configured to:

transmit, to the remote UE, an indication of the dual connectivity configuration.

21 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the indication of the one or more relay UEs for the dual connectivity configuration is received from the remote UE in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

22 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the configuration for establishing the secondary connection is transmitted to the remote UE in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

23 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first network entity is a master node and the second network entity is a secondary node.

24 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein to prepare the secondary connection, the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit a secondary connection configuration to the second network entity; and

receive a confirmation of the secondary connection confirmation from the second network entity.

25 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the secondary connection comprises a new local link or a previously existing link between the remote UE and the one of the one or more relay UEs.

26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the new local link or the previously existing local link comprises one of a sidelink, a peer-to-peer communication link, a device-to-device communication link, a Bluetooth link, or a Wi-Fi link.

27 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein a relaying connection configuration for the secondary connection is transmitted from the second network entity to the relay UE.

28 . The apparatus of claim 17 , the at least one processor being further configured to:

communicate with the remote UE via one or more first bearers for the primary connection.

29 . The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor.

30 . A method of wireless communication at a first network entity, comprising:

receiving, from a remote user equipment (UE), an indication of one or more relay UEs for a dual connectivity configuration for communication with the first network entity and a second network entity, the dual connectivity configuration including a primary connection with the first network entity and a secondary connection with the second network entity;

selecting, based at least on the received indication, one of the one or more relay UEs for the secondary connection;

preparing the secondary connection with the second network entity for connectivity with the remote UE via the one of the one or more relay UEs; and

transmitting, to the remote UE, a configuration for establishing the secondary connection with the second network entity via the one of the one or more relay UEs.