Devices, methods and computer program products for an improved handover in inter-site carrier aggregation scenarios

1. A device, comprising

a control module configured to control a communication module,

the communication module being controlled to communicate with a terminal in association with at least a first other device, using at least two carriers, wherein at least a first carrier towards the terminal is established from the device and at least a second carrier is established towards the terminal from the first other device;

and wherein the control module is configured to

receive a report indicative of a connection quality of the first carrier,

responsive to the receiving of the report indicative of the connection quality of the first carrier, issue a request for handover of the first carrier towards a second device,

send a relocation information in relation to the first carrier towards the first other device, and

only after sending that relocation information, command the terminal to perform a handover of the first carrier to the second device.

2. A device according to claim 1 , further comprising

an interface towards said at least first other device,

a measurement module configured to measure an average transport delay for data that are exchanged between the device and said at least first other device via said interface, wherein

the control module is configured to

delay the command to the terminal after sending the relocation information according to the measured transport delay.

3. A device according to claim 2 , wherein

the measurement module is configured to measure transport delay based on a Ping procedure directed to address of a respective first other device.

4. A device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control module is configured to

include, in said request for handover, information indicative of the first carrier established towards the terminal and of the at least second carrier established towards the terminal from the first other device.

5. A method, comprising

communicating by a device with a terminal in association with at least a first other device, using at least two carriers, wherein at least a first carrier towards the terminal is established from the device and at least a second carrier is established towards the terminal from the first other device;

receiving at the device of a report indicative of a connection quality of the first carrier,

responsive to the receiving of the report indicative of the connection quality of the first carrier, issuing by the device a request for handover of the first carrier towards a second device,

sending by the device a relocation information in relation to the first carrier towards the first other device, and

only after sending that relocation information, commanding by the device the terminal to perform a handover of the first carrier to the second device.

6. A method according to claim 5 , further comprising

providing for an interface from the device towards said at least first other device,

measuring an average transport delay for data that are exchanged between the device and said at least first other device via said interface, and

delaying the commanding the terminal after sending the relocation information according to the measured transport delay.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein measuring the transport delay is based on a Ping procedure directed to an address of a respective first other device.

8. A method according to claim 5 , further comprising

including, in said request for handover, information indicative of the first carrier established towards the terminal and of the at least second carrier established towards the terminal from the first other device.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

memory module comprising software code portions; and

a processor, wherein the memory module and the software code portions are configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

communicating with a terminal in association with at least a first other device, using at least two carriers, wherein at least a first carrier towards the terminal is established and at least a second carrier is established towards the terminal from the first other device;

receiving a report indicative of a connection quality of the first carrier,

responsive to the receiving of the report indicative of the connection quality of the first carrier, issuing a request for handover of the first carrier towards a second device, sending a relocation information in relation to the first carrier towards the first other device,

including, in said request for handover, information indicative of the first carrier established towards the terminal and of the at least second carrier established towards the terminal from the first other device, and

only after sending that relocation information, commanding the terminal to perform a handover of the first carrier to the second device.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the memory module and the software code portions are further configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

measuring an average transport delay for data that are exchanged between the device and said at least first other device via said interface; and

delaying the command to the terminal after sending the relocation information according to the measured transport delay.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the memory module and the software code portions are further configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

measuring transport delay based on a Ping procedure directed to address of a respective first other device.

12. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:

code for communicating by a device with a terminal in association with at least a first other device, using at least two carriers, wherein at least a first carrier towards the terminal is established from the device and at least a second carrier is established towards the terminal from the first other device;

code for receiving at the device of a report indicative of a connection quality of the first carrier,

code for issuing, responsive to the receiving of the report indicative of the connection quality of the first carrier by the device a request for handover of the first carrier towards a second device,

code for sending by the device a relocation information in relation to the first carrier towards the first other device, and

code for commanding, only after sending that relocation information, by the device the terminal to perform a handover of the first carrier to the second device.

13. A computer program product according to claim 12 , further comprising:

code for providing for an interface from the device towards said at least first other device,

code for measuring an average transport delay for data that are exchanged between the device and said at least first other device via said interface, and

code for delaying the commanding the terminal after sending the relocation information according to the measured transport delay.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein measuring the transport delay is based on a Ping procedure directed to an address of a respective first other device.

15. A computer program product according to claim 12 , further comprising

code for including, in said request for handover, information indicative of the first carrier established towards the terminal and of the at least second carrier established towards the terminal from the first other device.

16. A method, comprising:

communicating with a terminal in association with at least a first other device, using at least two carriers, wherein at least a first carrier towards the terminal is established and at least a second carrier is established towards the terminal from the first other device;

receiving a report indicative of a connection quality of the first carrier,

responsive to the receiving of the report indicative of the connection quality of the first carrier issuing a request for handover of the first carrier towards a second device, sending a relocation information in relation to the first carrier towards the first other device,

including, in said request for handover, information indicative of the first carrier established towards the terminal and of the at least second carrier established towards the terminal from the first other device, and

only after sending that relocation information, commanding the terminal to perform a handover of the first carrier to the second device.

17. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising

providing for an interface from the device towards said at least first other device,

measuring an average transport delay for data that are exchanged between the device and said at least first other device via said interface, and

delaying the commanding the terminal after sending the relocation information

according to the measured transport delay.

18. A method according to claim 17 , wherein measuring the transport delay is based on a Ping procedure directed to an address of a respective first other device.

19. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:

code for communicating with a terminal in association with at least a first other device, using at least two carriers, wherein at least a first carrier towards the terminal is established and at least a second carrier is established towards the terminal from the first other device;

code for receiving a report indicative of a connection quality of the first carrier,

code for issuing, responsive to the receiving of the report indicative of the connection Quality of the first carrier, a request for handover of the first carrier towards a second device, sending a relocation information in relation to the first carrier towards the first other device,

code for including, in said request for handover, information indicative of the first carrier established towards the terminal and of the at least second carrier established towards the terminal from the first other device, and

code for commanding, only after sending that relocation information, the terminal to perform a handover of the first carrier to the second device.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19 , further comprising:

code for providing for an interface from the device towards said at least first other device,

code for measuring an average transport delay for data that are exchanged between the device and said at least first other device via said interface, and

code for delaying the commanding the terminal after sending the relocation information according to the measured transport delay.