Patent Description:
At the early stage of network construction of the 5th Generation (<NUM>) mobile communication technology, when deploying <NUM> hotspots on the basis of Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, it is possible to build only <NUM> base stations and then connect <NUM> radio systems to LTE networks in the existing technology, which enables rapid deployment of <NUM> systems. The dual connectivity technology enables collaboration between LTE and <NUM> systems, which is helpful to improve the user speed. In order to distinguish dual connectivity (DC) in LTE systems, in standard protocols, dual connectivity technologies of the 4th Generation (<NUM>) and <NUM> mobile communication technology are called Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC), which also includes dual connectivity in New Radio (NR). Herein, MR-DC, that is, Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity, refers to <NUM> and <NUM> dual connectivity technology. The MR-DC protocol defines two architectures.

MR-DC with EPC, that is, E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC), provides services for Non-Standalone (NSA) terminals with an eNB as a master node and a gNB as a secondary node.

MR-DC with 5GC includes NG-RAN E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (NGEN-DC) and NR-E-UTRA Dual Connectivity (NE-DC), and the main differences are as follows: being connected to the <NUM> Core (5GC), which network element is the master node and which network element is the secondary node.

In the existing technology, an SN Change initiated by a secondary node (SN) in a dual connectivity scenario notifies a master node (MN) to perform an SN Add operation to a target SN. When the SN decides to initiate the SN Change, reference is made only to the relevant factors such as signal quality, which necessitates improvement.

<NPL>, relates to standardization of enhanced X2 signaling for the purpose of flow control over X2 in case of split bearers.

<NPL>, relates to corresponding Text Proposals to be agreed for the TR <NUM>.

<CIT> relates to a method intended for establishing a dual connectivity between a user equipment and a MeNB and a SeNB. This method includes i) a first step during which the MeNB chooses a SeNB to offload a data rate requested by the user equipment, ii) a second step during which the MeNB sends a resource request, including data defining at least complementary radio resources to be allocated, E-RAB parameters, TNL address information, user equipment capabilities, current radio resource configuration for the user equipment, and a user equipment history cell information, to the chosen SeNB, and a third step during which the chosen SeNB determines from these received data and from its not yet allocated radio resources if it can allocate the requested complementary radio resources for the user equipment and how to set corresponding radio parameters.

<NPL>, relates to an overview and overall description of the E-UTRAN radio interface protocol architecture.

"<NPL>, relates to continuing work within the TSG and may change formal TSG approval.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides an information management method, a secondary node, and a computer-readable storage medium.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides an information management method, including: recording, after a secondary node is added to user equipment, history information for the user equipment by the secondary node; storing, by the secondary node, in response to the secondary node receiving history information for the user equipment under other secondary nodes sent by a master node, the history information for the user equipment under the other secondary nodes.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a node including a memory and a processor, where the memory stores a program which, when read and executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an information management method according to any of the embodiments.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium, where the computer-readable storage medium stores one or more programs which are executable by one or more processors to implement an information management method according to any of the embodiments.

In the following, embodiments of the invention are described with particular reference to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. The other embodiments, aspects and/or examples of the disclosure are provided for illustrative purposes to support a better understanding of the invention.

The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in combination with the accompanying drawings. Any combinations of embodiments and features of the embodiments of the present disclosure without conflict are possible.

The steps shown in the flowcharts of the drawings may be performed in a computer system, such as with a set of computer-executable instructions. Moreover, although a logical order is shown in the flowcharts, the steps shown or described may be performed, in some cases, in a different order from that shown or described herein.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an information management method applicable to dual connectivity systems, where the method is used to record and transmit history information for user equipment in an SpCell of a secondary cell group (PScell) on the SN side to assist in SN Change decision-making, so as to select a better target SN and enhance the robustness of the system.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a managing method for history information for user equipment in a dual connectivity system, including the following steps: storing, by an SN, history information carried from an MN; recording history information in the current SN; bringing the history information in the SN to the MN; and selecting, by the SN, a target SN with reference to the history information to trigger an SN Change process.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an information management method, including the following step.

At step <NUM>, after an SN is added to user equipment (UE), the SN records history information for the user equipment.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides an information management method, including the following step: after a secondary node is added to user equipment, the secondary node records the current history information for the user equipment. According to the scheme provided in this embodiment, the history information for the user equipment is recorded so as to facilitate subsequent use of the history information.

Upon successful addition of the SN to the UE, the history information in a PScell is recorded by the SN, including history information after a PScell change due to PScellChange in this process, until the SN is changed or deleted.

In an embodiment, the SN includes, but is not limited to, a Secondary gNodeB (SgNB) and a Secondary eNodeB (SeNB).

In an embodiment, the content contained in the history information is consistent with that defined in the current protocol, including historical access cell information, which includes information such as cell system, cell identification, cell type, and residence time in the current cell. The current history information for the user equipment refers to the information for the user equipment in a residence cell under the current SN.

In an embodiment, the method further includes the following step: in response to the SN receiving history information for the user equipment under other SNs sent by an MN, the history information for the user equipment under the other SNs is stored. In an embodiment, the SN is a target SN, and the MN initiates an SN Add process, at which time the MN carries the history information to the target SN through an SN Addition Request message.

In an embodiment, the method further includes the following step: the SN sends the history information for the user equipment to the MN in an SN change or modify process. In an embodiment, the source SN carries the history information to the MN in an SN Change or SN Modify process, where in the SN Change process, the history information may be carried by an SN Change Required message; and in the SN Modify process, the history information may be carried by an SN Modification Request Acknowledge message.

In an embodiment, the history information sent by the SN to the MN includes the history information for the user equipment recorded by the SN itself (including the history information for the user equipment under the secondary node and the history information for the user equipment before the secondary node being added), or includes the history information for the user equipment under the SN recorded by the SN itself and the history information for the user equipment under the other SNs received by the SN. The history information transmitted by the source SN includes history information carried from other MNs to the source SN and history information newly recorded by the source SN itself, which is the accumulation of history information. In an embodiment, in response to the number of pieces of the recorded history information exceeding a limited number, some records are deleted, for example, the oldest records are eliminated in order. The limited number may be set as required.

At step <NUM>, the MN sends the history information for the user equipment to the SN in the SN change or modify process.

In an embodiment, the history information for the user equipment may be carried in an SN ADD request.

In an embodiment, the MN acquires the history information for the user equipment from the source SN.

In an embodiment, the MN sending the history information for the user equipment to the SN in the SN change or modify process includes the following step: the MN sends the history information for the user equipment to a target SN in the SN change or modify process.

In an embodiment, the MN sending the history information for the user equipment to the secondary node in the secondary node change or modify process includes the following step: the MN is a source MN, the source MN sends the history information for the user equipment to the target MN in the SN change or modify process, and the target MN sends the history information for the user equipment to the target SN.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a secondary node changing method, including the following step.

At step <NUM>, in response to an SN initiating SN change, a target SN is selected according to history information for user equipment.

When the SN decides to initiate SN Change, it needs to select a target SN. At this moment, besides reference to signal quality, reference may be made to history information so as to select a better SN for change. According to the system implementation, a set of selection algorithms may be provided, for example, under the condition of equal signal quality, with reference to the residence time of the cell, an SN with longer residence time is selected as the target SN, etc., and the selection algorithm may be set as required, which is not limited in the present disclosure.

In an embodiment, the method further includes the following step: the SN acquires the history information for the user equipment from the MN.

In the scheme provided by this embodiment, by recording and transmitting the history information for the user equipment in the SN and referring to the history information when the SN initiates the SN Change decision-making, the target side of the SN Change is selected, thereby enhancing the robustness of the system.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a node <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, which is a schematic diagram and does not limit the implementation of the node. When the node serves as the SN side under the dual connection, the node <NUM> includes: a recording module <NUM>.

The recording module <NUM> is configured to be responsible for recording the history information in the current SN after the SN is successfully added, including the whole historical trajectory of changes of PScell in the SN.

In an embodiment, the node <NUM> further includes a receiving module <NUM> and a storage module <NUM>.

The receiving module <NUM> is configured to receive the history information for the user equipment under the SN sent by the MN, where the history information may be carried in an SN Add request message.

The storage module <NUM> is configured to store the history information for the user equipment under the SN.

In an embodiment, the node <NUM> further includes: a sending module <NUM> that is configured to send the history information for the UE to the MN when the SN initiates SN Change. For example, the history information is carried in an SN Change request message.

In an embodiment, the node <NUM> further includes: a decision-making module <NUM> that is configured to make a decision according to the history information for the UE to determine the target SN when initiating SN Change, where a preset algorithm may be used to select an optimal target SN.

The present disclosure is illustrated below by several application examples.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a secondary node changing method. This embodiment involves an EN-DC scenario, as shown in <FIG>. In the EN-DC scenario, only the eNB (i.e., the MeNB in <FIG>, the master node MN in this embodiment) has an S1-C signalling connection with the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), while the SgNB (the secondary node SN in this embodiment) has no signalling connection with the EPC. EN-DC related signalling is exchanged between the eNB and the gNB through X2-C. There is a signalling connection between the UE and the LTE for use in exchange of Radio Resource Control (RRC) signalling and Non-Access-Stratum (NAS) signalling. RRC signalling exchange with the SgNB may also be performed after the SgNB connection is successfully established.

As shown in <FIG>, the following steps are included.

At step <NUM>, upon successful access of the UE at the MN, the MN sends an SgNB Addition Request message to the SN (the source SN in this embodiment) to request the addition of the SN. Since it is the first time to add the SN, no history information for the SN is carried.

At step <NUM>, the source SN replies to the MN with an SgNB Addition Request Acknowledge message to confirm the addition of the SN.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the MN side, the MN sends an SgNB Reconfiguration Complete message to the source SN to notify the source SN of the successful reconfiguration, and then the source SN may start recording the history information in the current PScell.

At step <NUM>, when the source SN initiates the SN Change process, there is no history information for reference (at this moment, there is only history information recorded by the source SN itself, but no history information from other SNs). The source SN sends an SgNB Change Required message to the MN to request SN Change, which carries the history information in PScell of the source SN.

At step <NUM>, the MN sends an SgNB addition request message to the target SN to request the addition of the SN, which carries the history information in the source SN.

At step <NUM>, the target SN replies to the MN with an SgNB Addition Request Acknowledge message to confirm the addition of the SN.

At step <NUM>, the MN replies to the source SN with an SgNB Change Confirm message to confirm SN Change.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the MN side, the MN sends an SgNB Reconfiguration Complete message to the target SN to notify the target SN of the successful reconfiguration, and then the target SN may start recording the history information in the current PScell. When making subsequent decisions on SN Change, the target SN makes reference to the history information carried from the source SN, so as to select the next target SN, and carries the history information in the source SN (the history information acquired from the source SN) and the history information in the target SN (the history information recorded by the target SN) in the SgNB Change Required message sent by the target SN to the MN in the SN Change process.

At step <NUM>, the MN sends a UE Context Release message to the source SN to notify the SN to release the UE context.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an implementation of triggering SN Change by an SN in an MR-DC scene connected with 5GC, which includes the following steps.

At step <NUM>, upon successful access of UE at an MN, the MN sends an SN Addition Request message to an SN (this SN is denoted as the source SN in this embodiment) to request the addition of the SN. Since it is the first time to add the SN, no history information for the SN is carried.

At step <NUM>, the source SN replies to the MN with an SN Addition Request Acknowledge message to confirm the addition of the SN.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the MN side, the MN sends an SN Reconfiguration Complete message to the source SN to notify the source SN of the successful reconfiguration, and then the source SN may start recording the history information in the current PScell.

At step <NUM>, when the source SN initiates the SN Change process, there is no history information for reference (there is only the history information recorded by the source SN itself). The source SN sends an SN Change Required message to the MN to request SN Change, which carries the history information in the PScell of the source SN.

At step <NUM>, the MN sends an SN Addition Request message to the target SN to request the addition of the SN, which carries the history information in the source SN.

At step <NUM>, the target SN replies to the MN with an SN Addition Request Acknowledge message to confirm the addition of the SN.

At step <NUM>, the MN replies to the source SN with an SN Change Confirm message to confirm SN Change.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the MN side, the MN sends an SN Reconfiguration Complete message to the target SN to notify the target SN of the successful reconfiguration, and then the target SN may start recording the history information in the current PScell. When making subsequent decisions on SN Change, the target SN makes reference to the history information carried from the source SN, so as to select the next target SN, and carries the history information in the source SN and in the target SN in the SN Change Required message sent by the target SN to the MN in the SN Change process.

At step <NUM>, upon successful access of the UE at the MN (this MN is the source MN in this embodiment, which will be referred to as the source MN), the source MN sends an SgNB Addition Request message to the SN to request the addition of the SN. Since it is the first time to add the SN, no history information for the SN is carried.

At step <NUM>, the SN replies to the source MN with an SgNB Addition Request Acknowledge message to confirm the addition of the SN.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the source MN side, the source MN sends an SgNB Reconfiguration Complete message to the SN to notify the SN of the successful reconfiguration, and then the SN may start recording the history information in the current PScell.

At step <NUM>, before the source MN initiates a handover, it needs to trigger the SN Modify process, and the source MN sends an SgNB Modification Request message to the SN to request SN configuration information.

At step <NUM>, the SN replies to the source MN with an SgNB Modification Request Acknowledge message, which carries the history information in PScell of the SN.

At step <NUM>, the source MN sends a Handover Request message to the target MN to initiate the handover, and the history information in the SN is carried in UE context information.

At step <NUM>, the target MN initiates an SN addition process, and the target MN sends an SgNB Addition Request to the SN, which also carries the history information in the SN.

At step <NUM>, if the SN identifies the same UE and that PScell remains unchanged, it will continue to record the residence time in the current cell; otherwise, if PScell changes, it will re-record the information in the new cell, and the SN will reply an SN Addition Request Acknowledge message to the target MN.

At step <NUM>, the target MN replies to the source MN with a Handover Request Acknowledge message.

At step <NUM>, the source MN initiates the release preparation process of the SN, and the source MN sends an SgNB Release Request to the SN.

At step <NUM>, the SN sends an SgNB Release Request Acknowledge message to the source MN.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the target MN side, the target MN sends an SN Reconfiguration Complete message to the SN to notify the SN of the successful reconfiguration.

At step <NUM>, the target MN sends a UE Context Release message to the source MN to notify the source MN to initiate UE context release.

At step <NUM>, the source MN initiates UE context release of the SN, and the source MN sends a UE Context Release message to the SN.

At step <NUM>, upon successful access of the UE at the MN (which is referred to as the source MN in this embodiment), the source MN sends an SgNB Addition Request message to the SN (referred to as the source SN in the subsequent steps) to request the addition of the SN. Since it is the first time to add the SN, no history information for the SN is carried.

At step <NUM>, the source SN replies to the source MN with an SgNB Addition Request Acknowledge message to confirm the addition of the SN.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the source MN side, the source MN sends an SgNB Reconfiguration Complete message to the source SN to notify the source SN of the successful reconfiguration, and then the source SN may start recording the history information in the current PScell.

At step <NUM>, before the source MN initiates the handover, it needs to trigger the SN Modify process, and the source MN sends an SgNB Modification Request message to the source SN to request SN configuration information.

At step <NUM>, the source SN replies to the source MN with an SgNB Modification Request Acknowledge message, which carries the history information in PScell in the source SN.

At step <NUM>, the source MN sends a Handover Request message to the target MN to initiate the handover, and the history information for the UE in the source SN is carried in UE context information.

At step <NUM>, the target MN initiates an addition process to the target SN, and the target MN sends an SgNB Addition Request to the target SN, which also carries the history information in the source SN.

At step <NUM>, the target SN sends an SN Addition Request Acknowledge message to the target MN, and the target SN records the history information for the UE in the current SN.

At step <NUM>, the source MN initiates the release preparation process of the source SN, and the source MN sends an SgNB Release Request to the source SN.

At step <NUM>, the source SN sends an SgNB Release Request Acknowledge message to the source MN.

At step <NUM>, upon successful reconfiguration of the UE at the target MN side, the target MN sends an SN Reconfiguration Complete message to the target SN to notify the target SN of the successful reconfiguration.

At step <NUM>, the target MN notifies the source MN to initiate UE context release, and the target MN sends a UE Context Release message to the source MN.

At step <NUM>, the source MN initiates UE context release of the source SN, and the source MN sends a UE Context Release message to the source SN.

Those having ordinary skills in the art should understand that the dual connectivity according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is not limited to the dual connectivity between LTE and <NUM>, but also can be applied to the dual connectivity within <NUM> communication.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a node <NUM> including a memory <NUM> and a processor <NUM>, where the memory <NUM> stores a program which, when read and executed by the processor <NUM>, causes the processor <NUM> to perform an information management method according to any of the embodiments.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium <NUM>, where the computer-readable storage medium <NUM> stores one or more programs <NUM>, and the one or more programs <NUM> are executable by one or more processors to implement an information management method according to any of the embodiments.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a node <NUM> including a memory <NUM> and a processor <NUM>, where the memory <NUM> stores a program which, when read and executed by the processor <NUM>, causes the processor <NUM> to perform a secondary node changing method according to any of the embodiments.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium <NUM>, where the computer-readable storage medium <NUM> stores one or more programs <NUM>, and the one or more programs <NUM> are executable by one or more processors to implement a secondary node changing method according to any of the embodiments.

Claim 1:
An information management method, comprising:
recording, after a secondary node is added to a user
equipment, history information for the user equipment by the secondary node (<NUM>);
characterized by further comprising:
storing, by the secondary node, in response to the secondary node receiving history information for the user equipment under other secondary nodes sent by a master node, the history information for the user equipment under the other secondary nodes.