Patent Description:
Certain abbreviations that may be found in the description and/or in the Figures are herewith defined as follows:.

The <NUM> new radio system is an evolution of the <NUM> mobile communication systems. Accordingly, a security architecture for <NUM> is designed to integrate <NUM> equivalent security. In addition, for <NUM> new radio there has been reassessment of security threats and packet data unit integrity protection.

In accordance with present standards a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) provides its services including integrity protection and verification operations to upper layers such as the RRC and user plane upper layers.

Example embodiments of the invention work to address issues and improve such integrity protection and verification operations. <NPL>, discusses handling split signalling radio bearer (SRB) during secondary cell group (SCG) failure. It discloses that the UE changes the configured uplink (UL) path of the split SRB to master cell group (MCG) when secondary cell group (SCG) failure occurs. This enables the transmission of the SCGFailureInformation message as well as subsequent RRC messages directly to the master node (MN). A UE initiates the procedure to report SCG failures when SCG transmission is not suspended and when there is an integrity check failure indication from SCG lower layers. <NPL>, discusses behaviour for data radio bearer (DRB) IP check failures. It discloses that, after IP check failure is detected on split DRB, UE is to discard the packets failing IP check. If the attack persist, UE is to report the IP check failure to MN/SN. If the split DRB IP check failure is reported to SN, SN should send a DRB IP check failure indication to MN. The split DRB IP check failure may also be reported to MN. As MCG and SCG part of the DRB have common PDCP configure form MN. Security issue on MCG part of the DRB may also be a security issue on SCG part of the DRB. So it may not be secure to send data over one part the split DRB while the other experience persistent IP check failure. Therefore, after indication of split DRB IP check failure, either from UE or SN, MN suspends both MCG and SCG parts of the split DRB. Then MN may reconfigure the split DRB.

The foregoing and other aspects of embodiments of this invention are made more evident in the following Detailed Description, when read in conjunction with the attached Drawing Figures, wherein:.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code, the program code executed by at least one processor to perform at least the method as described in the paragraphs above.

In another example aspect of the invention, there is an apparatus comprising: means for identifying, by a network device of a communication network, an integrity verification failure of at least one protocol data unit received by the network device over a cell group configured to a user equipment; and means, based on identifying the integrity verification failure, for sending to a control protocol entity associated with the network device information comprising an indication of the integrity verification failure and an indication of the cell group.

A further example embodiment is an apparatus comprising the apparatus of the previous paragraph, wherein the at least one protocol data unit comprises at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit, and wherein the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit is received over the cell group using at least one bearer, and there is means for determining by the network device at least one condition is associated with the at least one bearer; wherein the sending the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is based on the determined at least one condition; wherein the at least one condition comprises at least one of: a condition that the network device is configured by a radio resource control layer to perform the at least one operation based on the integrity verification failure, a condition that the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit was received over a split bearer, and a condition that the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit was received over the at least one bearer with data duplication configured; wherein there is means for determining whether the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group or a secondary cell group, and based on the determining, initiating at least one procedure; wherein for a case it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group, the at least one procedure comprises: initiating a radio resource control connection re-establishment procedure; wherein for a case it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received over a secondary cell group, the at least one procedure comprises initiating a secondary cell group failure information procedure; wherein there is means for determining by the control protocol entity associated with the network device that the cell group is controlled by another network device; and based on the determining, causing communicating of the indication of the integrity verification failure and the cell group to the another network device; wherein the indication is sent to the another network device over an Xn application protocol; wherein the control protocol entity is associated with a central unit of the network device, and wherein the central unit is subdivided into a control-plane side and a user-plane side, and wherein the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is sent from the user-plane side to the control-plane side using an E1AP protocol; wherein based on the identifying the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is sent from a packet data convergence protocol entity to a radio resource control layer at the network device; wherein the radio resource control layer is determining whether the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group or a secondary cell group, and based on the determining, initiating at least one procedure; wherein the at least one bearer comprises a split bearer; and/or wherein the network device is embodied in one of the user equipment and a base station of the communication network.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraph above, at least the means for identifying, sending, and determining comprises a network interface, and computer program code stored on a computer-readable medium and executed by at least one processor.

In another example aspect of the invention, there is an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least: identify, by a network device of a communication network, an integrity verification failure of at least one protocol data unit received by the network device over a cell group configured to a user equipment; and based on identifying the integrity verification failure, send to a control protocol entity associated with the network device information comprising an indication of the integrity verification failure and an indication of the cell group.

A further example embodiment is an apparatus comprising the apparatus of the previous paragraph, wherein the at least one protocol data unit comprises at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit, and wherein the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit is received over the cell group using at least one bearer; and the at least one memory including the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: determine by the network device at least one condition is associated with the at least one bearer, wherein the sending the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is based on the determined at least one condition; wherein the at least one condition comprises at least one of: a condition that the network device is configured by a radio resource control layer to perform the at least one operation based on the integrity verification failure, a condition that the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit was received over a split bearer, and a condition that the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit was received over the at least one bearer with data duplication configured; wherein the at least one memory including the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: determine whether the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group or a secondary cell group, and based on the determining, initiating at least one procedure; wherein for a case it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group, the at least one procedure comprises: initiating a radio resource control connection re-establishment procedure, and wherein for a case it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received over a secondary cell group, the at least one procedure comprises initiating a secondary cell group failure information procedure; wherein the at least one memory including the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: determine by the control protocol entity associated with the network device that the cell group is controlled by another network device; and based on the determining, cause communicating of the indication of the integrity verification failure and the cell group to the another network device; wherein based on the identifying the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is sent from a packet data convergence protocol entity to a radio resource control layer at the network device; and/or wherein the radio resource control layer is determining whether the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group or a secondary cell group, and based on the determining, initiating at least one procedure.

A communication system comprising the apparatus performing operations as described above.

In this invention, improvements to integrity check failure operations are proposed.

In accordance with standards at the time of this application, data unit integrity protection functions can include both integrity protection and integrity verification and can be performed in PDCP, if configured. A data unit that is integrity protected is the PDU header and the data part of the PDU before ciphering. The integrity protection is applied to PDCP Data PDUs of SRBs. The integrity protection is applied to PDCP Data PDUs of DRBs for which integrity protection is configured.

According to 3GPP standards there are integrity protection functions which can include both integrity protection and integrity verification. These functions are performed in PDCP for PDCP entities associated with SRBs and/or an SLRB that needs integrity protection.

The Packet Data Convergence Protocol supports the following functions:.

As noted above, Packet Data Convergence Protocol includes integrity protection and integrity verification functions. In these integrity protection functions operations a data unit that is integrity protected includes a PDU header and a data part of the PDU before a ciphering. In accordance with standards an integrity protection function can be performed for PDCP entities associated with DRBs if integrity protection is configured.

Example embodiments of the invention work to address issues and improve such integrity verification operations.

It is noted that according to specification <NPL>):
NR PDCP currently specifies:.

After determining the COUNT value of the received PDCP Data PD U = RCVD_COUNT, the receiving PDCP entity shall: - perform deciphering and integrity verification of the PDCP Data PDU using COUNT = RCVD_COUNT;.

Further, according to specification <NPL>):.

The UE shall only initiate the procedure either when AS security has been activated or for a NB-IoT UE supporting RRC connection re-establishment for the Control Plane CIoT EPS optimisation. The UE initiates the procedure when one of the following conditions is met:.

The UE initiates the procedure when one of the following conditions is met:.

A UE initiates the procedure to report SCG failures when SCG transmission is not suspended and when one of the following conditions is met:.

Further, <NPL>) specifies the different bearer types that can be configured to a UE configured in Multi-RAT Dual Connectivity (MR-DC), where SRB1 and SRB2 can also be configured as split bearers:
In MR-DC, from a UE perspective, three bearer types exist: MCG bearer, SCG bearer and split bearer. These three bearer types are depicted in Figure <NUM>. <NUM>-<NUM> for MR-DC with EPC (EN-DC) and in Figure <NUM>. <NUM>-<NUM> of <NPL>)for MR-DC with 5GC (NGEN-DC, NE-DC).

In accordance with standards there is non-split bearers and split bearers. A non-split bearer may be a bearer whose radio resources are provided by an MN or SN base station. Whereas a split bearer in dual connectivity includes a bearer whose radio protocols are located in both MN and a SN devices and use both MgNB and SgNB resources.

In the Multi-RAT Dual Connectivity (MR-DC) standards at the time of this application, from a UE perspective, three bearer types exist: MCG bearer, SCG bearer and split bearer. These three bearer types are depicted in <FIG> for MR-DC with EPC (EN-DC) and in <FIG> for MR-DC with 5GC (NGEN-DC, NE-DC). MR-DC is a generalization of the Intra-E-UTRA Dual Connectivity (DC), where a multiple Rx/Tx UE may be configured to utilize resources provided by two different nodes connected via non-ideal backhaul. One node acts as the MN and the other as the SN. The MN and SN are connected via a network interface and at least the MN is connected to the core network.

<FIG> shows a radio protocol architecture for MR-DC bearers MCG, SCG and split bearers from a UE perspective in MR-DC with EPC (EN-DC) at a network device.

As shown in <FIG> there are three bearers depicted for MR-DC and EPC (EN-DC). As shown in <FIG> there is an MCG Bearer <NUM>, a Split Bearer <NUM>, and a SCG Bearer <NUM>. In <FIG> for EN-DC, the network can configure either an E-UTRA PDCP or NR PDCP <NUM> for MN terminated MCG bearer <NUM> while NR PDCP is always used for all other bearers. Further, NR PDCP <NUM> can show a split bearer, where the "/" between E-UTRA PDCP and NR PDCP of box <NUM> of <FIG> can show that an MCG bearer can be configured with either LTE PDCP aka E-UTRA PDCP (e.g., 3GPP <NUM>) or NR PDCP (e.g., 3GPP <NUM>). Then data outgoing from the device (e.g., gNB, eNB, or UE) first go through this PDCP layer and then gets into an RLC layer. <FIG> shows in an RLC layer there can be an E-UTRA RLC <NUM>, E-UTRA RLC <NUM>, NR RLC <NUM>, and NR RLC <NUM>. Then for integrity related operations in EN-DC, NR RLC <NUM> or NR RLC <NUM> and NR MAC <NUM> is used in the MN or UE while E-UTRA RLC <NUM> or E-UTRA RLC <NUM> and E-UTRA MAC <NUM> is used in the SN.

Further, in accordance with standards NG-RAN supports NG-RAN E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (NGEN-DC), in which a UE is connected to one NG-eNB that acts as a MN and one gNB that acts as a SN. The NG-eNB is connected to the 5GC and the gNB is connected to the NG-eNB via the Xn interface. Further, NG-RAN supports NR-E-UTRA Dual Connectivity (NE-DC), in which a UE is connected to one gNB that acts as a MN and one NG-eNB that acts as a SN. The gNB is connected to 5GC and the NG-eNB is connected to the gNB via the Xn interface. Further, NG-RAN may support NR-NR Dual Connectivity, in which a UE is connected to one gNB that acts as a MN and one gNB that acts as a SN. The MN is connected to 5GC and the SN is connected to the MN via the Xn interface. In NGEN-DC, E-UTRA RLC/MAC is used in the MN while NR RLC/MAC is used in the SN. In NE-DC, NR RLC/MAC is used in the MN. In NR-NR dual connectivity, NR radio protocols are used.

<FIG> shows Figure <NUM>. <NUM>-<NUM> of 3GPP TS <NUM> V15. <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>): Radio Protocol Architecture for MCG, SCG and split bearers from a UE perspective in MR-DC with 5GC (NGEN-DC, NE-DC, NR-NR DC). As shown in <FIG> there are three bearer types for MR-DC with 5GC (NGEN-DC, NE-DC, NR-NR DC).

As shown in <FIG> there are QoS flows <NUM> of packet data units to SDAP <NUM>. Then the flow is mapped to one of three bearer types depicted for MR-DC and 5GC (NGEN-DC, NE-DC, NR-NR DC). As shown in <FIG> there is an MCG Bearer <NUM>, a Split Bearer <NUM>, and a SCG Bearer <NUM>. For NGEN-DC and NE-DC and NR-NR DC NR PDCP is used for all bearer types. Then data outgoing from the device (e.g., gNB, eNB, or UE) gets into an RLC layer. <FIG> shows in an RLC layer there can be an MN RLC <NUM>, MN RLC <NUM>, SN RLC <NUM>, and SN RLC <NUM>. Then the bearers are mapped to MN MAC <NUM> and/or SN MAC <NUM> as in <FIG>.

From a network perspective each bearer as in <FIG> (MCG Bearer <NUM>, SCG Bearer <NUM>, and Split Bearer <NUM>) can be terminated either in MN or in SN. There can be network side protocol termination.

However, it is noted that based on operations in the present specifications as similarly stated above at least the following problems can occur:.

Further, it is noted that these operations in the present standards can occur when split bearers are enabled, such as from a UE perspective.

Example embodiment of the invention works to at least address these issues and improve operations of these integrity protection and verification operations.

Before describing the example embodiments of the invention in further detail, reference is made to <FIG> for illustrating a simplified block diagram of various electronic devices that are suitable for use in practicing the example embodiments of this invention. <FIG> shows a block diagram of one possible and non-limiting exemplary system in which the example embodiments of the invention may be practiced. In <FIG>, a user equipment (UE) <NUM> is in wireless communication with a wireless network <NUM>. A UE is a wireless, typically a user equipment or mobile device that can access a wireless network. The UE <NUM> includes one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memories <NUM>, and one or more transceivers <NUM> interconnected through one or more buses <NUM>. Each of the one or more transceivers <NUM> includes a receiver Rx, <NUM> and a transmitter Tx <NUM>. The one or more buses <NUM> may be address, data, or control buses, and may include any interconnection mechanism, such as a series of lines on a motherboard or integrated circuit, fiber optics or other optical communication equipment, and the like. The one or more transceivers <NUM> have multi-connectivity configurations and communicate over the wireless network <NUM> or any other network. The one or more memories <NUM> include computer program code <NUM> executed by the one or more processors <NUM>. The one or more processors <NUM> may be implemented also as an integrated circuit or through other hardware such as a programmable gate array. For instance, the one or more memories <NUM> and the computer program code <NUM> may be configured, with the one or more processors <NUM>, to cause the user equipment <NUM> to perform one or more of the operations as described herein. The UE <NUM> communicates with gNB <NUM> and the gNB <NUM> via a wireless link <NUM>.

The gNB <NUM> (NR/<NUM> Node B or possibly an evolved NB) is a base station such as a secondary node base station (e.g., for NR or LTE long term evolution) that communicates with devices such as gNB <NUM> and UE <NUM> of <FIG>. The gNB <NUM> provides access to wireless devices such as the UE <NUM> to the wireless network <NUM>. The gNB <NUM> includes one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memories <NUM>, one or more network interfaces (N/W I/F(s)) <NUM>, and one or more transceivers <NUM> interconnected through one or more buses <NUM>. Each of the one or more transceivers <NUM> includes a receiver Rx <NUM> and a transmitter Tx <NUM>. The one or more memories <NUM> include computer program code 153executed by the one or more processors <NUM>. The one or more processors <NUM> may be implemented also as an integrated circuit or through other hardware such as a programmable gate array. The one or more memories <NUM> and the computer program code <NUM> are configured to cause, with the one or more processors <NUM>, the gNB <NUM> to perform one or more of the operations as described herein. The one or more network interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> and the one or more transceivers <NUM> that have multi-connectivity configurations and communicate over the wireless network <NUM> or any other network. Such communication can be between the gNB <NUM>, the gNB <NUM>, and the UE <NUM> via the links <NUM> and <NUM>. In addition, two or more gNB <NUM> may communicate with another gNB or eNB using, e.g., links <NUM>. The links <NUM> may be wired or wireless or both and may implement, e.g., an X2 interface. Further the links <NUM> may be through other network devices such as, but not limited to an NCE/MME/SGW device such as the NCE/MME/SGW <NUM> of <FIG>.

The gNB <NUM> (NR/<NUM> Node B or possibly an evolved NB) is a base station such as a master node base station (e.g., for NR or LTE long term evolution) that communicates with devices such as the gNB <NUM> and/or UE <NUM> and/or the wireless network <NUM>. The gNB <NUM> includes one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memories <NUM>, one or more network interfaces (N/W I/F(s)) <NUM>, and one or more transceivers <NUM> interconnected through one or more buses <NUM>. Each of the one or more transceivers <NUM> includes a receiver Rx <NUM> and a transmitter Tx <NUM>. The one or more transceivers <NUM> have multi-connectivity configurations and communicate over the wireless network <NUM> or any other network. The one or more memories <NUM> include computer program code <NUM> executed by the one or more processors <NUM>. The one or more processors <NUM> may be implemented also as an integrated circuit or through other hardware such as a programmable gate array. The one or more memories <NUM> and the computer program code <NUM> are configured to cause, with the one or more processors <NUM>, the gNB <NUM> to perform one or more of the operations as described herein. The one or more network interfaces <NUM> communicate over a network such as via the links <NUM>. Two or more gNB <NUM> or gNB <NUM> may communicate with another gNB and/or eNB or any other device using, e.g., links <NUM>. The links <NUM> maybe wired or wireless or both and may implement, e.g., an X2 interface. Further, as stated above the links <NUM> may be through other network devices such as, but not limited to an NCE/MME/SGW device such as the NCE/MME/SGW <NUM> of <FIG>.

The one or more buses <NUM> and <NUM> may be address, data, or control buses, and may include any interconnection mechanism, such as a series of lines on a motherboard or integrated circuit, fiber optics or other optical communication equipment, wireless channels, and the like. For example, the one or more transceivers <NUM> and/or <NUM> may be implemented as a remote radio head (RRH) <NUM> and/or <NUM>, with the other elements of the gNB <NUM> being physically in a different location from the RRH, and the one or more buses <NUM> could be implemented in part as fiber optic cable to connect the other elements of the gNB <NUM> to a RRH.

It is noted that description herein indicates that "cells" perform functions, but it should be clear that the gNB that forms the cell will perform the functions. The cell makes up part of a gNB. That is, there can be multiple cells per gNB.

The wireless network <NUM> may include a network control element (NCE) <NUM> that may include MME (Mobility Management Entity)/SGW (Serving Gateway) functionality, and which provides connectivity with a further network, such as a telephone network and/or a data communications network (e.g., the Internet). The gNB <NUM> is coupled via a link <NUM> to the NCE <NUM>. The gNB <NUM> is coupled via a link <NUM> to the NCE <NUM>. Further, the gNB <NUM> is coupled via links <NUM> to the gNB <NUM>. The links <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM> may be implemented as, e.g., an S1 interface.

The NCE <NUM> includes one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memories <NUM>, and one or more network interfaces (N/W I/F(s)) <NUM>, interconnected through one or more buses coupled with the link <NUM>. The one or more memories <NUM> and the computer program code <NUM> are configured to, with the one or more processors <NUM>, cause the NCE <NUM> to perform one or more operations which may be needed to support the operations in accordance with the example embodiments of the invention.

Note that the virtualized entities that result from the network virtualization are still implemented, at some level, using hardware such as processors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> and memories <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, and also such virtualized entities create technical effects.

The computer readable memories <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. The computer readable memories <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be means for performing storage functions. The processors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and processors based on a multi-core processor architecture, as non-limiting examples. The processors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be means for performing functions, such as controlling the UE <NUM>, gNB <NUM>, gNB <NUM>, and other functions as described herein.

As similarly stated above, in the present specifications at least the following problems can occur:.

To address at least these problems, in accordance with example embodiments of the invention, there is:
At PDCP:.

The new actions proposed above for PDCP may be subject to one or more of the following conditions:.

The new actions proposed above for RRC may apply to certain types of bearer only, such as:.

The purpose of the proposed XnAP indication is to keep the right entity on the network side informed when the UE is configured with dual connectivity i.e. is being served both by a Master Node and Secondary Node at network side (e.g., see 3GPP TS <NUM>). An example use case is integrity-verification failure of an uplink PDU received over the Master Cell Group on a radio bearer whose PDCP entity is terminated in the dual-connectivity Secondary Node. In this case, the Secondary Node should inform the Master Node of such a failure.

<FIG> illustrates operations which may be performed by a device such as, but not limited to, a device such as the gNB <NUM> and/or gNB <NUM> and/or UE <NUM> as in <FIG>. As shown in step <NUM> of <FIG> there is identifying, by a network device of a communication network, an integrity verification failure of at least one protocol data unit received by the network device over a cell group configured to a user equipment. Then as shown in step <NUM> of <FIG> there is, based on identifying the integrity verification failure, sending to a control protocol entity associated with the network device information comprising an indication of the integrity verification failure and an indication of the cell group.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraph above, wherein the at least one protocol data unit comprises at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit, and wherein the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit is received over the cell group using at least one bearer, and
there is determining by the network device at least one condition is associated with the at least one bearer, wherein the sending the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is based on the determined at least one condition.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein the at least one condition comprises at least one of: a condition that the network device is configured by a radio resource control layer to perform the at least one operation based on the integrity verification failure, a condition that the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit was received over a split bearer, and a condition that the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit was received over the at least one bearer with data duplication configured.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, there is determining whether the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group or a secondary cell group, and based on the determining, initiating at least one procedure.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein for a case it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group, the at least one procedure comprises initiating a radio resource control connection re-establishment procedure.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein for a case it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received over a secondary cell group, the at least one procedure comprises initiating a secondary cell group failure information procedure.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, there is determining by the control protocol entity associated with the network device that the cell group is controlled by another network device; and based on the determining, causing communicating of the indication of the integrity verification failure and the cell group to the another network device.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein the indication is sent to the another network device over an Xn application protocol.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein the control protocol entity is associated with a central unit of the network device, and wherein the central unit is subdivided into a control-plane side and a user-plane side, and wherein the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is sent from the user-plane side to the control-plane side using an E1AP protocol.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein based on the identifying the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is sent from a packet data convergence protocol entity to a radio resource control layer at the network device.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein the radio resource control layer is determining whether the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group or a secondary cell group, and based on the determining, initiating at least one procedure.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein the at least one bearer comprises a split bearer.

In accordance with the example embodiments as described in the paragraphs above, wherein the network device is embodied in one of the user equipment and a base station of the communication network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium (Memory(ies) <NUM>, Memory(ies) <NUM> and/or Memory(ies) <NUM> as in <FIG>) storing program code (Computer Program Code <NUM>, Computer Program Code <NUM> and/or Computer Program Code <NUM> as in <FIG>), the program code executed by at least one processor (Processor(s) <NUM>, Processor(s) <NUM> and/or Processors <NUM> as in <FIG>) to perform the operations as at least described in the paragraphs above.

In accordance with an example embodiment of the invention as described above there is an apparatus comprising: means for identifying (one or more transceivers <NUM>, RRH <NUM>, and/or RRH <NUM>; Computer Program Code <NUM>, Computer Program Code <NUM>, and/or Computer Program Code <NUM>; and Processor(s) <NUM>, Processor(s) <NUM> and/or Processors <NUM> as in <FIG>), by a network device (UE <NUM>, gNB <NUM>, and/or gNB <NUM> as in <FIG>) of a communication network (Network <NUM> as in <FIG>), an integrity verification failure of at least one protocol data unit received by the network device over a cell group configured to a user equipment (UE <NUM> as in <FIG>); and means, based on identifying the integrity verification failure, for sending (one or more transceivers <NUM>, RRH <NUM>, and/or RRH <NUM>; Computer Program Code <NUM>, Computer Program Code <NUM>, and/or Computer Program Code <NUM>; and Processor(s) <NUM>, Processor(s) <NUM> and/or Processors <NUM> as in <FIG>) to a control protocol entity associated with the network device (UE <NUM>, gNB <NUM>, and/or gNB <NUM> as in <FIG>) information comprising an indication of the integrity verification failure and an indication of the cell group.

In the example aspect of the invention according to the paragraph above, wherein at least the means for identifying and sending comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium [Memory(ies) <NUM>, Memory(ies) <NUM> and/or Memory(ies) <NUM> as in <FIG>] encoded with a computer program [Computer Program Code <NUM>, Computer Program Code <NUM> and/or Computer Program Code <NUM> as in <FIG>] executable by at least one processor [Processor(s) <NUM>, Processor(s) <NUM> and/or Processors <NUM> as in <FIG>].

In general, the various embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof.

The foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary and non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the best method and apparatus presently contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the invention. However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, as long as they fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

It should be noted that the terms "connected," "coupled," or any variant thereof, mean any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements, and may encompass the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are "connected" or "coupled" together. The coupling or connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. As employed herein two elements may be considered to be "connected" or "coupled" together by the use of one or more wires, cables and/or printed electrical connections, as well as by the use of electromagnetic energy, such as electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency region, the microwave region and the optical (both visible and invisible) region, as several non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples.

Claim 1:
A method, comprising:
identifying (<NUM>), by a packet data convergence protocol entity of a network device of a communication network, an integrity verification failure for at least one protocol data unit received by the network device from a cell group, wherein the cell group is configured to a user equipment; and
based on identifying the integrity verification failure, sending (<NUM>), by the packet data convergence protocol entity of the network device to a radio resource control layer at the network device, information comprising: i) an indication of the integrity verification failure, and ii) an indication of the cell group,
wherein the at least one protocol data unit comprises at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit, and wherein the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit is received from the cell group using at least one bearer;
the method further comprising:
determining by the network device at least one condition associated with the at least one bearer, wherein the sending the information comprising the indication of the integrity verification failure and the indication of the cell group is based on the determined at least one condition, wherein the at least one condition comprises a condition that the at least one packet data convergence protocol data unit was received from a split bearer; and
the method further comprising:
determining, by the radio resource control layer,
whether the at least one protocol data unit was received over a master cell group or a secondary cell group, and
when it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received from a master cell group, initiating a radio resource control connection re-establishment procedure, and
when it is determined that the at least one protocol data unit was received from a secondary cell group, initiating a secondary cell group failure information procedure.