Method and apparatus for complete configuration switching technology

Abstract

Various aspects and techniques for facilitating handovers in a communication network are disclosed. In one particular implementation, a wireless communication method includes transmitting, from a first base station to a second base station, a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the first base station. The handover request message includes a request for a full configuration. The method further includes receiving, from the second base station, a handover response message. The handover response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration. Other aspects and features are also claimed and described.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 999,008, filed on August 20, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 891,182, filed on August 23, 2019, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all applicable purposes as if fully set forth herein. Technical Field

[0003] Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to communication between a user equipment (UE) and a base station. Certain embodiments of the techniques discussed below may implement and provide handover techniques for facilitating mobility, user experience, and communication between devices (e.g., a UE and one or more base stations). The disclosed handover techniques may be used in conditional and / or unconditional handover scenarios.

[0004] Introduction

[0005] Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcasting, and the like. These wireless networks may be multi - access networks capable of supporting multiple users by sharing available network resources. Such networks, which are typically multi - access networks, support the communication of multiple users by sharing available network resources.

[0006] A wireless communication network may include several base stations or B nodes capable of supporting the communication of several user equipments (UEs). A UE may communicate with a base station via a downlink and an uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base station to the UE, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the base station.

[0007] The base station may transmit data and control information to the UE on the downlink and / or may receive data and control information from the UE on the uplink. On the downlink, transmissions from the base station may encounter interference due to transmissions from neighboring base stations or from other radio frequency (RF) transmitters. On the uplink, transmissions from the UE may encounter interference from uplink transmissions of other UEs communicating with neighboring base stations or from other radio RF transmitters. This interference may degrade the performance of both the downlink and the uplink.

[0008] Due to the continuing growth in demand for mobile broadband access, as more UEs access long - range wireless communication networks and more short - range wireless systems are being deployed in communities, the likelihood of interfering with and congesting the network is increasing. Research and development continue to advance wireless technologies to not only meet the growing demand for mobile broadband access, but also to improve and enhance the user experience of mobile communication.

[0009] Brief Overview of Some Embodiments

[0010] The following provides an overview of some aspects of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of the technologies discussed. This overview is not an exhaustive survey of all contemplated features of the present disclosure, and is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the present disclosure nor to attempt to define the scope of any or all aspects of the present disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of the present disclosure in an overview form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

[0011] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a wireless communication method is disclosed. The method includes transmitting a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with a first base station from the first base station to a second base station. The handover request message includes a request for a full configuration. The method further includes receiving a handover response message from the second base station. The handover response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0012] In an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a device configured for wireless communication is disclosed. The device includes at least one processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to: initiate the transmission of a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with a first base station from the first base station to a second base station. The handover request message includes a request for a full configuration. The at least one processor is further configured to receive a handover response message from the second base station. The handover response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0013] In an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a device configured for wireless communication is disclosed. The device includes: means for transmitting a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with a first base station from the first base station to a second base station. The handover request message indicates a request for a full configuration. The device further includes means for receiving a handover response message from the second base station. The handover response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0014] In an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions is disclosed, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include: initiating the transmission of a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with a first base station from the first base station to a second base station. The handover request message includes a request for a full configuration. The operations further include receiving a handover response message from the second base station. The handover response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0015] In an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a method of wireless communication is disclosed. The method includes transmitting, from a first base station to a second base station, a secondary node (SN) addition request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the first base station. The SN addition request message includes a request for a full configuration. The method further includes receiving, from the second base station, an SN addition response message. The SN addition response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0016] In an additional aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus configured for wireless communication is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to initiate transmission, from a first base station to a second base station, of an SN addition request message corresponding to a UE associated with the first base station. The SN addition request message includes a request for a full configuration. The at least one processor is further configured to receive, from the second base station, an SN addition response message. The SN addition response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0017] In an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a device configured for wireless communication is disclosed. The device includes means for transmitting, from a first base station to a second base station, an SN addition request message corresponding to a UE associated with the first base station. The SN addition request message indicates a request for a full configuration. The device further includes means for receiving, from the second base station, an SN addition response message. The SN addition response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0018] In an additional aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions is disclosed, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include: initiating transmission, from a first base station to a second base station, of an SN addition request message corresponding to a UE associated with the first base station. The SN addition request message includes a request for a full configuration. The operations further include receiving, from the second base station, an SN addition response message. The SN addition response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0019] After reading the following description of specific exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, other aspects, features, and embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Although the features may be discussed below with respect to certain embodiments and drawings, various embodiments may include one or more of the advantageous features discussed herein. In other words, although one or more embodiments may be discussed as having certain advantageous features, one or more such features may also be used in accordance with the various embodiments discussed herein. In a similar manner, although the exemplary embodiments may be discussed below as device, system, or method embodiments, the exemplary embodiments may be implemented in various devices, systems, and methods. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present disclosure can be obtained by referring to the following drawings. In the drawings, like components or features may have the same reference numerals. Additionally, each of the same type of components may be distinguished by following the reference numeral with a dash and a second numeral that differentiates between similar components. If only the first reference numeral is used in the specification, the description may apply to any one of the similar components having the same first reference numeral regardless of the second reference numeral.

[0022] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating details of a wireless communication system in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating the design of a base station and a UE configured in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a wireless communication system including a base station that requests a full configuration from another base station during a handover in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a wireless communication system including a base station that requests a full configuration from another base station during one or more secondary node (SN) addition operations in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example frame explained by a base station configured in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example frame explained by a base station configured in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 7 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating the design of a base station configured to send a handover request message in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 8 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating the design of another base station configured to send an SN addition request message in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0030] Detailed Description

[0031] The following detailed description, presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. On the contrary, the detailed description includes specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the subject matter of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these specific details are not required in every instance, and in some examples, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form for clarity of presentation.

[0032] The present disclosure generally relates to providing or participating in communication between two or more wireless devices in one or more wireless communication systems (also referred to as wireless communication networks). In various embodiments, techniques and devices (apparatus) may be used in wireless communication networks such as code division multiple access (CDMA) networks, time division multiple access (TDMA) networks, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) networks, orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA) networks, single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) networks, LTE networks, GSM networks, fifth-generation (5G) or new radio (NR) networks (sometimes referred to as “5G NR” networks / systems / devices), and other communication networks. As described herein, the terms “network” and “system” may be used interchangeably.

[0033] CDMA networks may implement radio technologies such as Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), cdma2000, and the like. UTRA includes Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) and Low Chip Rate (LCR). CDMA2000 encompasses the IS-2000, IS-95, and IS-856 standards.

[0034] TDMA networks may implement radio technologies such as GSM, for example. 3GPP defines standards for the GSM EDGE (Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution) Radio Access Network (RAN) (also denoted as GERAN). GERAN is the radio component of GSM / EDGE together with the network that joins base stations (e.g., Ater and Abis interfaces) to the base station controller (A interface, etc.). The radio access network represents the component of the GSM network through which telephone calls and packet data are routed from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the Internet to subscriber handsets (also referred to as user terminals or user equipment (UE)) and from the subscriber handsets to the PSTN and the Internet. The network of a mobile phone operator may include one or more GERANs, which may be coupled to the Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) in the case of a UMTS / GSM network. The operator network may also include one or more LTE networks and / or one or more other networks. Various different network types may use different radio access technologies (RAT) and radio access networks (RAN).

[0035] OFDMA networks can implement radio technologies such as evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.16, IEEE 802.20, flash-OFDM, etc. UTRA, E-UTRA, and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) are part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). Specifically, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is the UMTS version that uses E-UTRA. UTRA, E-UTRA, GSM, UMTS, and LTE are described in documents provided by an organization called the "3rd Generation Partnership Project" (3GPP), while cdma2000 is described in documents from an organization called the "3rd Generation Partnership Project 2" (3GPP2). These various radio technologies and standards are either known or under development. For example, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a cooperation among groups of telecommunications associations that aims to define globally applicable third-generation (3G) mobile phone specifications. 3GPP Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a 3GPP project aimed at improving the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile phone standard. 3GPP can define the specifications for next-generation mobile networks, mobile systems, and mobile devices. This disclosure focuses on the evolution of wireless technologies from LTE, 4G, 5G, NR, and beyond, which have shared access to the wireless spectrum among networks using a collection of new and different radio access technologies or radio air interfaces.

[0036] 5G networks envision various deployments, various spectrums, and various services and devices that can be achieved using an OFDM-based unified air interface. To achieve these goals, in addition to developing new radio technologies for 5G NR networks, further enhancements to LTE and LTE-A are also considered. 5G NR will be able to scale to provide coverage for: (1) massive Internet of Things (IoT) with ultra-high density (e.g., about 1M nodes / km 2 ), ultra-low complexity (e.g., about dozens of bits per second), ultra-low energy (e.g., about 10+ years of battery life), and deep coverage capable of reaching challenging locations; (2) critical mission control including users with strong security (to protect sensitive personal, financial, or confidential information), ultra-high reliability (e.g., about 99.9999% reliability), ultra-low latency (e.g., about 1 ms), and a wide range of mobility or lack of mobility; and (3) enhanced mobile broadband, which includes extremely high capacity (e.g., about 10 Tbps / km 2 ), extreme data rates (e.g., multi-Gbps rates, 100+ Mbps user experience rate), and deep awareness with advanced discovery and optimization.

[0037] 5G NR devices, networks, and systems can be enabled to use optimized OFDM-based waveform features. These features can include: scalable parameter sets and transmission time intervals (TTIs); a common, flexible framework to efficiently multiplex services and features using dynamic low-latency time-division duplex (TDD) / frequency-division duplex (FDD) designs; and advanced radio technologies such as massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), robust millimeter-wave (mmWave) transmission, advanced channel coding, and device-centric mobility. The scalability of parameter sets in 5G NR (and the scaling of subcarrier spacing) can efficiently address operating diverse services across diverse spectrums and diverse deployments. For example, in various outdoor and macro-coverage deployments with less than 3 GHz FDD / TDD implementations, the subcarrier spacing can occur at 15 kHz for bandwidths such as 1, 5, 10, 20 MHz, etc. For various other outdoor and small cell coverage deployments with TDD greater than 3 GHz, the subcarrier spacing can occur at 30 kHz for 80 / 100 MHz bandwidths. For various other indoor broadband implementations, by using TDD on the unlicensed portion of the 5 GHz band, the subcarrier spacing can occur at 60 kHz for 160 MHz bandwidths. Finally, for various deployments transmitting with an mmWave component at 28 GHz TDD, the subcarrier spacing can occur at 120 kHz for 500 MHz bandwidths.

[0038] The scalable parameter sets of 5G NR enable scalable TTIs to meet various latency and quality of service (QoS) requirements. For example, shorter TTIs can be used for low latency and high reliability, while longer TTIs can be used for higher spectral efficiency. The efficient multiplexing of long and short TTIs allows transmissions to start at symbol boundaries. 5G NR also contemplates a self-contained integrated subframe design with uplink / downlink scheduling information, data, and acknowledgments in the same subframe. The self-contained integrated subframe supports communication in unlicensed or contention-based shared spectrums, supports adaptive uplink / downlink that can be flexibly configured on a per-cell basis to dynamically switch between uplink and downlink to meet current traffic needs.

[0039] For clarity, certain aspects of the devices and technologies may be described below with reference to example 5G NR implementations or in a 5G-centric manner, and 5G terminology may be used as illustrative examples in the following sections; however, this description is not intended to be limited to 5G applications.

[0040] While aspects and embodiments are described herein by way of illustration of some examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional implementations and use cases can arise in many different arrangements and scenarios. The innovations described herein can be implemented across many different platform types, devices, systems, shapes, sizes, packaging arrangements. For example, embodiments and / or uses can be generated via integrated chip embodiments and / or other non-module component-based devices (e.g., end-user devices, vehicles, communication devices, computing devices, industrial equipment, retail / shopping devices, medical devices, AI-enabled devices, etc.). While some examples may or may not be specific to particular use cases or applications, a broad applicability of the described innovations can occur. The scope of implementations can range from chip-level or module components to non-module, non-chip-level implementations and further to aggregated, distributed, or OEM devices or systems incorporating one or more of the described aspects. In some practical environments, devices incorporating the described aspects and features may also necessarily include additional components and features for implementing and practicing the claimed and described embodiments. The innovations described herein are intended to be practiced in a wide variety of implementations, including both large / small devices of different sizes, shapes, and configurations, chip-level components, multi-component systems (e.g., RF chains, communication interfaces, processors), distributed arrangements, end-user devices, etc.

[0041] Figure 1 FIG. 100 shows a wireless network for communication according to some embodiments. The wireless network 100 may include, for example, a 5G wireless network. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, Figure 1 the components presented therein will likely have relevant counterparts in other network arrangements, including, for example, cellular network arrangements and non-cellular network arrangements (e.g., device-to-device or peer-to-peer or ad-hoc network arrangements, etc.).

[0042] Figure 1The wireless network 100 described in the present disclosure includes several base stations 105 and other network entities. A base station may be a station that communicates with a UE and may also be referred to as an evolved Node B (eNB), a next-generation eNB (gNB), an access point, and so on. Each base station 105 provides communication coverage for a specific geographical area. In 3GPP, the term "cell" may refer to such a specific geographical coverage area of a base station and / or the base station subsystem serving the coverage area, depending on the context in which the term is used. In the implementation of the wireless network 100 herein, the base stations 105 may be associated with the same operator or different operators (e.g., the wireless network 100 may include multiple operator wireless networks), and may use one or more frequencies in the same frequency as adjacent cells (e.g., one or more frequency bands in licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or a combination thereof) to provide wireless communication. In some examples, an individual base station 105 or UE 115 may be operated by more than one network operating entity. In other examples, each base station 105 and UE 115 may be operated by a single network operating entity.

[0043] The base station may provide communication coverage for macro cells or small cells (such as pico cells or femto cells), and / or other types of cells. A macro cell generally covers a relatively large geographical area (e.g., with a radius of several kilometers) and may allow unconstrained access by UEs having a service subscription with the network provider. A small cell (such as a pico cell) generally covers a relatively small geographical area and may allow unconstrained access by UEs having a service subscription with the network provider. A small cell (such as a femto cell) generally also covers a relatively small geographical area (e.g., a residence), and in addition to unconstrained access, it may be available for constrained access by UEs associated with the femto cell (e.g., UEs in a closed subscriber group (CSG), UEs of users in the residence, etc.). The base station of a macro cell may be referred to as a macro base station. The base station of a small cell may be referred to as a small cell base station, a pico base station, a femto base station, or a home base station. In Figure 1 the example shown, base stations 105d and 105e are conventional macro base stations, while base stations 105a - 105c are macro base stations enabled with one of 3-dimensional (3D), full-dimensional (FD), or massive MIMO. Base stations 105a - 105c utilize their higher-dimensional MIMO capabilities to employ 3D beamforming in both elevation and azimuth beamforming to increase coverage and capacity. Base station 105f is a small cell base station, which may be a home node or a portable access point. A base station may support one or more (e.g., two, three, four, etc.) cells.

[0044] Wireless network 100 may support synchronous or asynchronous operations. For synchronous operations, each base station may have similar frame timing, and transmissions from different base stations may be approximately aligned in time. For asynchronous operations, each base station may have different frame timing, and transmissions from different base stations may not be aligned in time. In some scenarios, the network may be implemented or configured to handle dynamic switching between synchronous and asynchronous operations.

[0045] UEs 115 are dispersed throughout wireless network 100, and each UE may be stationary or mobile. It should be appreciated that although mobile devices are commonly referred to as user equipment (UE) in the standards and specifications promulgated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such devices may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as mobile stations (MS), subscriber stations, mobile units, subscriber units, radio units, remote units, mobile devices, wireless devices, wireless communication devices, remote devices, mobile subscriber stations, access terminals (AT), mobile terminals, wireless terminals, remote terminals, handsets, terminals, user agents, mobile clients, clients, or some other suitable term. Within this document, a "mobile" device or UE need not have the ability to move and may be stationary. Some non-limiting examples of mobile devices may include embodiments such as one or more of UEs 115, including mobile stations, cellular telephones (cell phones), smart phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, laptop devices, personal computers (PCs), notebooks, netbooks, smartbooks, tablets, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Mobile devices may additionally be "Internet of Things" (IoT) or "Internet of Everything" (IoE) devices, such as automobiles or other transportation vehicles, satellite radios, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, logistics controllers, drones, multi-axis aircraft, quadcopters, smart energy or security devices, solar panels or solar cell arrays, city lighting, water use or other infrastructure; industrial automation and enterprise equipment; consumer and wearable devices, such as glasses, wearable cameras, smart watches, health or fitness trackers, mammalian implantable devices, posture tracking devices, medical devices, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, game consoles, etc.; and digital home or smart home devices, such as home audio, video and multimedia devices, appliances, sensors, vending machines, smart lighting, home security systems, smart meters, etc. In one aspect, a UE may be a device that includes a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC). In another aspect, a UE may be a device that does not include a UICC. In some aspects, a UE that does not include a UICC may also be referred to as an IoE device. Figure 1The UEs 115a - 115d in the illustrated embodiments are examples of mobile smart phone - type devices that access the wireless network 100. The UEs can also be machines specifically configured for connected communications, including machine - type communication (MTC), enhanced MTC (eMTC), narrow - band IoT (NB - IoT), etc. Figure 1 The UEs 115e - 115k in the illustration are examples of various machines configured for communication to access the wireless network 100.

[0046] A mobile device, such as the UE 115, may be capable of communicating with any type of base station, whether macro - base station, pico - base station, femto - base station, relay, etc. In Figure 1 it, lightning bolts (e.g., communication links) indicate wireless transmissions between the UE and a serving base station (a serving base station is a base station designated to serve the UE on the downlink and / or uplink), or desired transmissions between base stations, and backhaul transmissions between base stations. Backhaul communication between the base stations of the wireless network 100 can occur using wired and / or wireless communication links.

[0047] In operation of the wireless network 100, the base stations 105a - 105c use 3D beamforming and coordinated spatial techniques, such as coordinated multi - point (CoMP) or multi - connectivity, to serve the UEs 115a and 115b. The macro - base station 105d performs backhaul communication with the base stations 105a - 105c and the small cell base station 105f. The macro - base station 105d also transmits multicast services subscribed to and received by the UEs 115c and 115d. Such multicast services can include mobile TV or streaming video, or can include other services for providing community information (such as weather emergencies or alerts, such as Amber alerts or Gray alerts).

[0048] The wireless network 100 of each embodiment supports mission-critical communications with ultra-reliable and redundant links for mission-critical devices such as UE 115e, which is a drone. The redundant communication links with UE 115e include those from macro base stations 105d and 105e, as well as small cell base station 105f. Other machine type devices such as UE 115f (thermometer), UE 115g (smart meter), and UE 115h (wearable device) can communicate directly with base stations (such as small cell base station 105f and macro base station 105e) via the wireless network 100, or communicate via the wireless network 100 in a multi-hop configuration by communicating with another user equipment that relays their information to the network (such as UE 115f communicating temperature measurement information to smart meter UE 115g, which is then reported to the network via small cell base station 105f). The wireless network 100 can also provide additional network efficiency through dynamic, low-latency TDD / FDD communications, such as in a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) mesh network between UEs 115i - 115k communicating with macro base station 105e.

[0049] Figure 2 A block diagram of the designs of base station 105 and UE 115 is shown, which can be any one of the base stations and one of the UEs in Figure 1 For a restricted association scenario (as mentioned above), base station 105 can be Figure 1 small cell base station 105f in Figure 2 and UE 115 can be UE 115c or 115D operating in the service area of base station 105f. For access to small cell base station 105f, this UE 115 would be included in the list of accessible UEs of small cell base station 105f. Base station 105 can also be some other type of base station. As

[0050] At base station 105, transmit processor 220 may receive data from data source 212 and control information from controller / processor 240. This control information may be used for Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH), Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH), Physical Hybrid ARQ (Automatic Repeat reQuest) Indicator Channel (PHICH), Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), Enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel (ePDCCH), Machine-Type Communication Physical Downlink Control Channel (MPDCCH), etc. The data may be used for Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), etc. Transmit processor 220 may process (e.g., encode and symbol map) the data and control information to obtain data symbols and control symbols, respectively. Transmit processor 220 may also generate reference symbols, e.g., reference symbols for Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), and cell-specific reference signals. Transmit (TX) Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) processor 230 may perform spatial processing (e.g., precoding) on the data symbols, control symbols, and / or reference symbols, if applicable, and may provide the output symbol streams to modulators / demodulators (MOD) / DEMODs 232a through 232t. Each modulator / demodulator 232 may process its respective output symbol stream (e.g., for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), etc.) to obtain an output sample stream. Each modulator / demodulator 232 may additionally or alternatively process (e.g., convert to analog, amplify, filter, and up-convert) the output sample stream to obtain a downlink signal. The downlink signals from modulators 232a through 232t may be transmitted via antennas 234a through 234t, respectively.

[0051] At user equipment (UE) 115, antennas 252a through 252r may receive the downlink signals from base station 105 and may provide the received signals to modulators / demodulators (MOD) / DEMODs 254a through 254r, respectively. Each modulator / demodulator 254 may condition (e.g., filter, amplify, down-convert, and digitize) its respective received signal to obtain an input sample. Each modulator / demodulator 254 may further process the input sample (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain received symbols. MIMO detector 256 may obtain the received symbols from modulators / demodulators 254a through 254r, perform MIMO detection on the received symbols, if applicable, and provide detected symbols. Receive processor 258 may process (e.g., demodulate, de-interleave, and decode) the detected symbols, provide the decoded data for UE 115 to data sink 260, and provide the decoded control information to controller / processor 280.

[0052] On the uplink, at the UE 115, the transmit processor 264 may receive and process data from the data source 262 (e.g., data for the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH)) and control information from the controller / processor 280 (e.g., control information for the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)). The transmit processor 264 may also generate reference symbols for reference signals. The symbols from the transmit processor 264 may be precoded by the TX MIMO processor 266 when applicable, further processed by the modulator / modulators 254a to 254r (e.g., for SC-FDM, etc.), and transmitted to the base station 105. At the base station 105, the uplink signal from the UE 115 may be received by the antenna 234, processed by the modulator / demodulator 232, detected by the MIMO detector 236 when applicable, and further processed by the receive processor 238 to obtain the decoded data and control information transmitted by the UE 115. The receive processor 238 may provide the decoded data to the data sink 239 and the decoded control information to the controller / processor 240.

[0053] The controller / processors 240 and 280 may direct operations at the base station 105 and the UE 115, respectively. The controller / processor 240 at the base station 105 and / or other processors and modules and / or the controller / processor 280 at the UE 115 and / or other processors and modules may execute or direct the execution of various processes for the techniques described herein, such as executing or directing Figure 5-6 the execution illustrated in and / or other processes for the techniques described herein. The memories 242 and 282 may store data and program code for the base station 105 and the UE 115, respectively. The scheduler 244 may schedule the UE for data transmission on the downlink and / or uplink.

[0054] Wireless communication systems operated by different network operating entities (e.g., network operators) may share spectrum. In some instances, one network operating entity may be configured to use the entire designated shared spectrum for at least a period of time, and then another network operating entity uses the entire designated shared spectrum for a different period of time. Thus, to allow network operating entities to use the full designated shared spectrum and to mitigate interfering communications between different network operating entities, specific resources (e.g., time) may be partitioned and allocated to different network operating entities for specific types of communication.

[0055] For example, a particular time resource can be allocated to a network operating entity, and this particular time resource is reserved for the network operating entity to perform exclusive communication using the entire shared spectrum. Other time resources can also be allocated to the network operating entity, where the entity has priority over other network operating entities in using the shared spectrum for communication. These time resources that are preferentially available for the network operating entity can be utilized by other network operating entities on an opportunistic basis when the prioritized network operating entity does not utilize these resources. Additional time resources to be used on an opportunistic basis can be allocated to any network operator.

[0056] Among different network operating entities, access to the shared spectrum and arbitration of time resources can be centrally controlled by a separate entity, autonomously determined through a predefined arbitration scheme, or dynamically determined based on interactions between wireless nodes of network operators. In some cases, based on a centralized control arbitration scheme, a predefined arbitration scheme, or dynamic determination at the UE or the base station of the network operator, the UE and the base station can access the shared spectrum to perform communication (such as voice or data communication) or the UE can update information as it changes location and switches from one base station to another.

[0057] In some cases, UE 115 and base station 105 can operate in a shared radio frequency spectrum band, which can include licensed or unlicensed (e.g., contention-based) spectrum. In the unlicensed frequency portion of the shared radio frequency spectrum band, UE 115 or base station 105 can traditionally perform a medium sensing procedure to contend for access to the spectrum. For example, UE 115 or base station 105 can perform a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure (such as a clear channel assessment (CCA)) before communication to determine whether the shared channel is available. CCA can include an energy detection procedure for determining whether there is any other active transmission. For example, the device can infer that a change in the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the power meter indicates that the channel is occupied. Specifically, signal power concentrated in a particular bandwidth and exceeding a predetermined noise floor can indicate another wireless transmitter. CCA can also include detection of a specific sequence indicating channel use. For example, another device can transmit a specific preamble before transmitting a data sequence. In some cases, the LBT procedure can include the wireless node adjusting its own backoff window as an agent against collisions based on the amount of energy detected on the channel and / or the acknowledgment / negative acknowledgment (ACK / NACK) feedback for its own transmitted packets.

[0058] Figure 3FIG. 300 is a block diagram of an example wireless communication system that includes a base station that requests a full configuration from another base station during a handover. In some examples, wireless communication system 300 may implement aspects of wireless network 100. For example, wireless communication system 300 may include UE 115. Wireless communication system 300 may also include a first base station 310, a second base station 320, and optionally a third base station 329. Although one UE and two (or three) base stations are illustrated, in other implementations, wireless communication system 300 may include multiple UEs 115, two (or three) or more base stations 105, or both.

[0059] UE 115 includes a processor 302, a memory 304, a transmitter 306, and a receiver 308. Processor 302 may be configured to execute instructions stored in memory 304 to perform the operations described herein. In some implementations, processor 302 includes or corresponds to controller / processor 280, and memory 304 includes or corresponds to memory 282.

[0060] Transmitter 306 is configured to transmit data to one or more other devices, and receiver 308 is configured to receive data from one or more other devices. For example, transmitter 306 may transmit data, and receiver 318 may receive data via a network (such as a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof). For example, UE 115 may be configured to transmit or receive data via a direct device-to-device connection, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a modem-to-modem connection, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a cable transmission system, a cellular communication network, any combination of the foregoing, or any other communication network now known or later developed that permits two or more electronic devices to communicate. In some implementations, transmitter 306 and receiver 308 may be replaced with a transceiver. Additionally or alternatively, transmitter 306, receiver 308, or both may include or correspond to one or more components of UE 115 described with reference to Figure 2 as described.

[0061] First base station 310 includes a processor 312, a memory 314, a transmitter 316, and a receiver 318. Processor 312 may be configured to execute instructions stored in memory 314 to perform the operations described herein. In some implementations, processor 312 includes or corresponds to controller / processor 240, and memory 314 includes or corresponds to memory 242.

[0062] The transmitter 316 is configured to transmit data to one or more other devices, and the receiver 318 is configured to receive data from one or more other devices. For example, the transmitter 316 may transmit data, and the receiver 318 may receive data via a network (such as a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof). For example, the first base station 310 may be configured to transmit or receive data via a direct device-to-device connection, a LAN, a WAN, a modem-to-modem connection, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a cable transmission system, a cellular communication network, any combination of the above, or any other communication network that permits two or more electronic devices to communicate and that is known now or developed later. In some implementations, the transmitter 316 and the receiver 318 may be replaced with a transceiver. Additionally or alternatively, the transmitter 316, the receiver 318, or both may include or correspond to one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to Figure 2 one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to

[0063] The second base station 320 includes a processor 322, a memory 324, a transmitter 326, and a receiver 328. The processor 322 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 324 to perform the operations described herein.

[0064] The transmitter 326 is configured to transmit data to one or more other devices, and the receiver 328 is configured to receive data from one or more other devices. For example, the transmitter 326 may transmit data, and the receiver 328 may receive data via a network (such as a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof). For example, the second base station 320 may be configured to transmit or receive data via a direct device-to-device connection, a LAN, a WAN, a modem-to-modem connection, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a cable transmission system, a cellular communication network, any combination of the above, or any other communication network that permits two or more electronic devices to communicate and that is known now or developed later. In some implementations, the transmitter 326 and the receiver 328 may be replaced with a transceiver. Additionally or alternatively, the transmitter 326, the receiver 328, or both may include or correspond to one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to Figure 2 one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to

[0065] In implementations that include a third base station 329, the third base station 329 may include components similar to those of the first base station 310 or the second base station 320. For example, the third base station 329 may include a processor, a memory, a transmitter, and a receiver.

[0066] In a particular implementation, the wireless communication system 300 includes a fifth generation (5G) network. For example, the first base station 310, the second base station 320, or both are 5G base stations (e.g., configured to operate according to 5G standards). Additionally, the UE 115 may include a 5G UE (e.g., a UE configured to operate according to a 5G network).

[0067] During operation of the wireless communication system 300, the UE 115 is associated with the first base station 310, and a handover scenario may occur. For example, the UE 115 may transmit a measurement report to the first base station 310, and based on that measurement report (and measurements of cells of other base stations such as the second base station 320), the first base station 310 may determine to hand over the UE 115 to the second base station 320. Such a handover may be referred to as an "old-style handover" or an "unconditional handover" because the first base station 310 determines to initiate the handover procedure based on the measurement report. If the cell quality rapidly degrades, the UE 115 may be unable to send the measurement report, resulting in the first base station 310 being unable to initiate the handover, which may lead to a handover failure and a dropped call. As used herein, an "old-style handover" and an "unconditional handover" include or correspond to a handover initiated and controlled by a base station (such as based on a measurement report received at the base station).

[0068] In some other implementations, the handover may be a "conditional handover". In a conditional handover, the first base station 310 may provide a set of conditions to the UE 115 that indicate when the UE 115 can be handed over to another base station (such as the second base station 320). If one or more of these conditions are met, the UE 115 associates with the second base station (without waiting for a further instruction from the first base station 310). Thus, the timing of a conditional handover is unknown in advance (and may never occur, depending on whether the conditions are met). As used herein, a "conditional handover" includes or corresponds to a handover that is at least partially controlled by the UE (such as based on conditions from a base station), and the handover is conditional (e.g., may not be performed or completed depending on the scenario at the UE).

[0069] In some scenarios, the handover techniques discussed herein may involve parameter sharing. As an example, to handover UE 115 to the second base station 320, UE 115 may request the parameters used by the second base station 320 in order to associate with the second base station 320. In legacy handover and conventional conditional handover, the first base station 310 may transmit a handover request message to the second base station 320. The handover request may include the parameters used by the first base station 310 and UE 115. The second base station 320 may respond with a handover response message including an "incremental configuration". The incremental configuration indicates the parameter differences between the parameters of the first base station 310 and the second base station 320. Although sending the parameters as an incremental configuration (as compared to sending all the parameters used by the second base station 320) saves overhead, the incremental configuration may pose challenges (e.g., in conditional handover, where the parameters of the first base station 310 or UE 115 may change before the handover occurs). If such a change occurs, the incremental value may become difficult to use (e.g., due to obsolescence or other factors), unless UE 115 stores all the previous parameters used by the first base station 310 in addition to the current parameters used by the first base station 310.

[0070] Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure set forth techniques for facilitating handover. Handover facilitation techniques may include leveraging a configuration sharing feature. In this way, communication devices may share configuration parameters with each other (e.g., a base station shares with another base station, a UE shares with a base station, and / or a base station shares with a UE). In some scenarios, improved configuration sharing may avoid the uncertainty of incremental configuration by using handover requests and handover responses including "full configuration". As used herein, "full configuration" generally means sharing initial parameters (rather than just incremental configuration values). The initial parameters may include one or more initial access stratum configuration parameters. Communication devices may use the access stratum configuration parameters to establish a connection between two devices (e.g., a UE and a base station) and to enable wireless communication between the two devices.

[0071] The complete configuration sharing may also include other additional or alternative features. In a particular example, the complete configuration may include or contain a complete set of parameters used by the second base station 320 (e.g., the set of parameters provided to the UE by the second base station 320 as part of an initial connection / registration), regardless of the parameters of the first base station 310. For example, the complete set of parameters may include one or more of the following: network identifier, network slicing information, network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI), supported network features (e.g., power control, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) support, carrier aggregation (CA), etc.), physical data unit (PDU) parameters, local area data network (LADN) parameters, mobile-initiated-only connection (MICO) mode indicator, service area parameters, timer durations, emergency numbers, steering of roaming (SOR) transparent container information, extensible authentication protocol (EAP) parameters, operator-defined access category definitions, discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters, other parameters, or combinations thereof. In an alternative or additional scenario, the "complete configuration" may include: ignoring the source base station configuration information. In some cases, the configuration designated as "complete" or "incomplete" may be set by a standards body (such as, for example, 3GPP). Using the complete configuration technique can implement and provide improved handover scenarios aimed at enhancing mobility, user experience, and power efficiency in some scenarios.

[0072] To illustrate the various aspects described above, several examples illustrate handover facilitation. As an example, in a handover scenario, the first base station 310 may transmit a handover request message 330 to the second base station 320. The first base station 310 may include or correspond to the source base station (e.g., the base station associated with the UE 115), and the second base station 320 may include or correspond to the target base station (e.g., the base station to which the UE 115 will hand over). The handover request message 330 may correspond to the UE associated with the first base station 310 (e.g., UE 115).

[0073] According to some arrangements, the handover request message 330 may include a request 332 for a configuration of interest. The configuration of interest may be a request for a complete configuration or some other configuration type. For example, the request 332 may include a complete configuration request, which may correspond to a flag or other indicator included in the handover request message 330. Such a flag or indicator may be represented in various ways. For example, the flag may be a single bit within the handover request message 330. A first value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "1" value) may indicate a request for a complete configuration, while a second value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "0" value) may indicate that a complete configuration is not requested (e.g., an incremental configuration is acceptable). In some implementations, the flag may be included in the header portion of the handover request message 330. In some other implementations, the flag may be included in other parts of the handover request message 330.

[0074] After transmitting the handover request message 330, the first base station 310 may receive a handover response message 334 from the second base station 320. The handover response message 334 may include an indicator 336 that accepts the complete configuration. For example, in response to receiving the handover request message 330, the second base station 320 may generate a handover response message 334 that includes an indicator 336 that indicates whether to accept the complete configuration requested by the handover request message 330. In some implementations, the indicator 336 corresponds to a flag included in the handover response message 334. For example, the flag may be a single bit within the handover response message 334. A first value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "1" value) may indicate acceptance of the complete configuration, while a second value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "0" value) may indicate non-acceptance of the complete configuration. In some implementations, the flag may be included in the header portion of the handover response message 334. In some other implementations, the flag may be included in other portions of the handover response message 334. In some other implementations, the handover response message 334 does not include a flag. In some such implementations, the indicator 336 may correspond to a specific information element included in the handover response message 334.

[0075] The handover response message 334 may include parameters used by the second base station 320. For example, the handover response message 334 may include an initial parameter set (such as access stratum configuration parameters) provided to the device to enable an initial connection with the second base station 320. In some implementations, the parameter set is included in a specific information element of the handover response message 334. For example, a radio resource control (RRC) message including the parameter set may be included in a specific information element of the handover response message 334. The RRC message may include or correspond to the indicator 336. In such implementations, the first base station 310 may determine that the indicator 336 (e.g., the RRC message) is included in the handover response message 334 by performing packet inspection on the handover response message 334. However, this may increase the complexity of the processing performed by the first base station 310 and reduce the overall speed of the handover. Therefore, in some other implementations, the indicator 336 corresponds to a flag in the handover response message 334, such that the first base station 310 does not have to perform packet inspection on the handover response message 334 to determine that the complete configuration is accepted.

[0076] After receiving the handover response message 334 from the second base station 320, the first base station 310 may be configured to pass the handover response message 334 (including the parameter set corresponding to the second base station 320) to the UE 115. For example, the first base station 310 may transmit the handover response message 334 from the first base station 310 to the UE 115 based on the handover response message 334 including an indicator 336 (and the indicator 336 indicates acceptance of the complete configuration). If the indicator 336 does not indicate acceptance, the first base station 310 may still forward the handover response message 334 to the UE 115, or the first base station 310 may declare a handover failure and retry with the second base station 320 or with another base station.

[0077] The exchange of the handover request message 330 and the handover response message 334 may occur for different types of handover operations. For example, the handover request message 330 may be part of a legacy (e.g., unconditional) handover. By way of illustration, the first base station 310 may determine to hand over the UE 115 to the second base station 320 at least in part based on a measurement report from the UE 115. The first base station 310 may determine that the second base station 320 has the best cell for the UE 115, and thus may select the second base station 320 for a legacy handover operation. As another example, the handover request message 330 may be part of a conditional handover. By way of illustration, the first base station 310 may send a set of conditions to the UE 115 that indicate when the UE 115 may be handed over to another base station. Additionally, the first base station 310 may obtain configuration information (e.g., parameters) for one or more base stations to which the UE 115 may be conditionally handed over. For example, the first base station 310 may transmit the handover request message 330 to the second base station 320. Additionally, in some implementations, the first base station 310 may transmit another handover request message corresponding to the UE 115 to the third base station 329. The another handover request message may include another request for a complete configuration. In response, the first base station 310 may receive another handover response message from the third base station 329, the another handover response message including another indicator as to whether the complete configuration is accepted. If the complete configuration is accepted, the another handover response message may further include the parameter set used by the third base station 329.

[0078] In some implementations, the first base station 310 may repeat the handover request procedure based on certain determinations. By way of illustration, the first base station 310 may determine that the target Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration is no longer valid. In some implementations, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid includes determining that the RRC configuration used by the first base station 310 is about to change. Additionally or alternatively, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid may be based on determining that the capabilities of the UE 115 have changed. For example, as a non-limiting example, the UE 115 may change the number of active antennas or the Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) parameters. Additionally or alternatively, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid may be based on determining that one or more security keys corresponding to the wireless network including the first base station 310 and the second base station 320 have changed. For example, if the core network device changes one or more security keys, the parameters used by the second base station 320 (and included in the handover response message 334) may no longer be valid. Based on this determination (e.g., determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid), the first base station 310 may transmit a second handover request message 340 corresponding to the UE 115 from the first base station 310 to the second base station 320. The second handover request message 340 includes a second request 342 for a full configuration. Similar to request 332, in some implementations, the second request 342 may include: a flag included in a portion of the second handover request message 340 (such as a header portion).

[0079] After transmitting the second handover request message 340, the first base station 310 may receive a second handover response message 344 from the second base station 320. The second handover response message 344 may include a second indicator 346 accepting the full configuration. Similar to indicator 336, in some implementations, the second indicator 346 may include: a flag included in a portion of the second handover response message 344 (such as a header portion). In some other implementations, the second indicator 346 may include: a specific information element included in the second handover response message 344. After receiving the second handover response message 344, the first base station 310 may transmit the second handover response message 344 to the UE 115 based on the second handover response message 344 including the second indicator 346. Forwarding the second handover response message 344 to the UE 115 may provide the UE 115 with the updated parameters used by the second base station 320 when performing the handover procedure.

[0080] Therefore, Figure 3A wireless communication system 300 is described in which a source base station (e.g., the first base station 310) requests a target base station (e.g., the second base station 320) to provide a full configuration (e.g., a full set of parameters) in a handover response message instead of providing incremental configuration parameters as in conventional handover techniques. The full configuration parameters may be provided in conditional handovers or in legacy (e.g., unconditional) handovers. Using a full configuration (instead of an incremental configuration) can increase the likelihood that one or more parameters used by the UE 115 are the correct (e.g., up-to-date) parameters for association with the second base station 320, which can reduce (or prevent) handover failures.

[0081] Figure 4 FIG. 400 is a block diagram of an example wireless communication system 400 that includes a base station that requests a full configuration from another base station during a secondary node (SN) addition operation. This may include, for example, a secondary node addition or a tertiary node addition. A node addition may include adding one or more other base stations as additional nodes. In some examples, the wireless communication system 400 may implement aspects of the wireless network 100. For example, the wireless communication system 400 may include the UE 115. The wireless communication system 400 may also include a first base station 410, a second base station 420, and optionally a third base station 429. Although one UE and two (or three) base stations are illustrated, in other implementations, the wireless communication system 400 may include multiple UEs 115, multiple base stations, or both.

[0082] The UE 115 includes a processor 402, a memory 404, a transmitter 406, and a receiver 408. The processor 402 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 404 to perform the operations described herein. In some implementations, the processor 402 includes or corresponds to the controller / processor 280, and the memory 404 includes or corresponds to the memory 282.

[0083] The transmitter 406 is configured to transmit data to one or more other devices, and the receiver 408 is configured to receive data from one or more other devices. For example, the transmitter 406 may transmit data, and the receiver 418 may receive data via a network (such as a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof). For example, the UE 115 may be configured to transmit or receive data via a direct device-to-device connection, a LAN, a WAN, a modem-to-modem connection, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a cable transmission system, a cellular communication network, any combination of the above, or any other communication network now known or later developed that permits two or more electronic devices to communicate. In some implementations, the transmitter 406 and the receiver 408 may be replaced by a transceiver. Additionally or alternatively, the transmitter 406, the receiver 408, or both may include or correspond to one or more components of the UE 115 described with reference to Figure 2 as described.

[0084] The first base station 410 includes a processor 412, a memory 414, a transmitter 416, and a receiver 418. The processor 412 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 414 to perform the operations described herein. In some implementations, the processor 412 includes or corresponds to the controller / processor 240, and the memory 414 includes or corresponds to the memory 242.

[0085] The transmitter 416 is configured to transmit data to one or more other devices, and the receiver 418 is configured to receive data from one or more other devices. For example, the transmitter 416 may transmit data, and the receiver 418 may receive data via a network (such as a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof). For example, the first base station 410 may be configured to transmit or receive data via a direct device-to-device connection, a LAN, a WAN, a modem-to-modem connection, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a cable transmission system, a cellular communication network, any combination of the above, or any other communication network now known or later developed that permits two or more electronic devices to communicate. In some implementations, the transmitter 416 and the receiver 418 may be replaced by a transceiver. Additionally or alternatively, the transmitter 416, the receiver 418, or both may include or correspond to one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to Figure 2 one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to

[0086] The second base station 420 includes a processor 422, a memory 424, a transmitter 426, and a receiver 428. The processor 422 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 424 to perform the operations described herein.

[0087] The transmitter 426 is configured to transmit data to one or more other devices, and the receiver 428 is configured to receive data from one or more other devices. For example, the transmitter 426 may transmit data, and the receiver 428 may receive data via a network (such as a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof). For example, the second base station 420 may be configured to transmit or receive data via a direct device-to-device connection, a LAN, a WAN, a modem-to-modem connection, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a cable transmission system, a cellular communication network, any combination of the above, or any other communication network now known or later developed that permits two or more electronic devices to communicate. In some implementations, the transmitter 426 and the receiver 428 may be replaced by a transceiver. Additionally or alternatively, the transmitter 426, the receiver 428, or both may include or correspond to one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to Figure 2 one or more components of the base station 105 described with reference to

[0088] In an implementation that includes the third base station 429, the third base station 429 may include components similar to those of the first base station 410 or the second base station 420. For example, the third base station 429 may include a processor, a memory, a transmitter, and a receiver.

[0089] In a particular implementation, the wireless communication system 400 includes a 5G network. For example, the first base station 410, the second base station 420, or both are 5G base stations (e.g., base stations configured to operate according to 5G standards). Additionally, the UE 115 may include a 5G UE (e.g., a UE configured to operate according to a 5G network). In some implementations, the UE 115 may be a dual connectivity UE configured to operate according to 4G (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)) standards and according to 5G standards (such as 3GPP standards).

[0090] During operation of the wireless communication system 400, a dual connectivity UE (such as the UE 115) may be connected to base stations operating according to different standards. One of the base stations may act as a primary node or parent node (PN), while the other base station(s) may act as secondary nodes or subordinate nodes (SNs). The UE 115 may receive control information from the PN and any SNs. In some implementations, the PN may operate according to 4G (e.g., LTE) standards, while the SNs may operate according to 5G (e.g., New Radio (NR)) standards. The PN (e.g., the first base station 410) may enable the UE 115 to add an additional SN (e.g., associate with an additional SN) by performing an SN addition procedure, which may be similar to a handover procedure, except that the UE 115 does not disconnect from the PN. Similarly, a currently connected SN may be changed (e.g., handed over) to another SN in a similar manner.

[0091] For illustration, in a scenario where an SN is to be added (or changed), the first base station 410 may transmit an SN addition request message 430 to the second base station 420. The first base station 410 may be configured to operate as a PN, while the second base station 420 may be configured to operate as an SN. The second base station 420 may be applicable to an SN change procedure. The SN addition request message 430 may correspond to a UE (e.g., the UE 115) associated with the first base station 410.

[0092] The SN addition request message 430 includes a request 432 for a full configuration. Similar to what was described above for handover, the full configuration for the SN addition operation may include or correspond to an initial set of parameters (such as access stratum configuration parameters or other configuration parameters for establishing an initial connection) used to initially connect a device (e.g., a UE) to a base station operating as an SN. The size of the full configuration parameter set may vary based on network characteristics supported by the base station (such as CA, MIMO, etc.). In some implementations, the request for the full configuration may be indicated by a flag or another indicator. For example, the request 432 for the full configuration may correspond to a flag included in the SN addition request message 430. For example, the request 432 for the full configuration may be a single bit within the SN addition request message 430. A first value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "1" value) may indicate a request for the full configuration, while a second value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "0" value) may indicate that the full configuration is not requested (e.g., an incremental configuration is acceptable). In some implementations, the flag may be included in the header portion of the SN addition request message 430. In some other implementations, the flag may be included in other portions of the SN addition request message 430.

[0093] After transmitting the SN addition request message 430, the first base station 410 may receive an SN addition response message 434 from the second base station 420. The SN addition response message 434 may include an indicator 436 accepting the full configuration. For example, in response to receiving the SN addition request message 430, the second base station 420 may generate an SN addition response message 434 that includes an indicator 436 indicating whether the full configuration requested by the SN addition request message 430 is accepted. In some implementations, the indicator 436 corresponds to a flag included in the SN addition response message 434. For example, the flag may be a single bit within the SN addition response message 434. A first value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "1" value) may indicate acceptance of the full configuration, while a second value of the single bit (e.g., a logical "0" value) may indicate non - acceptance of the full configuration. In some implementations, the flag may be included in the header portion of the SN addition response message 434. In some other implementations, the flag may be included in other portions of the SN addition response message 434. In some implementations, the SN addition response message 434 does not include a flag. In some such implementations, the indicator 436 may correspond to a specific information element included in the SN addition response message 434.

[0094] The SN addition response message 434 may include parameters used by the second base station 420. For example, the SN addition response message 434 may include an initial parameter set (such as access stratum configuration parameters or other configuration parameters) provided to the device to enable an initial connection with the second base station 420. In some implementations, the parameter set is included in a specific information element of the SN addition response message 434. For example, an RRC message including the parameter set may be included in a specific information element of the SN addition response message 434. The RRC message may include or correspond to an indicator 436. In such implementations, the first base station 410 may determine that the indicator 436 (e.g., the RRC message) is included in the SN addition response message 434 by performing packet inspection on the SN addition response message 436. However, this may increase the complexity of the processing performed by the first base station 410 and reduce the overall speed of the SN addition or SN change process. Therefore, in some other implementations, the indicator 436 corresponds to a flag in the SN addition response message 434, such that the first base station 410 does not have to perform packet inspection on the SN addition response message 434 to determine that the complete configuration is accepted.

[0095] After receiving the SN addition response message 434 from the second base station 420, the first base station 410 may be configured to forward the SN addition response message 434 (including the parameter set corresponding to the second base station 420) to the UE 115. For example, the first base station 410 may transmit the SN addition response message 434 from the first base station 410 to the UE 115 based on the SN addition response message 434 including the indicator 436 (and the indicator 436 indicating acceptance of the complete configuration). If the indicator 436 does not indicate acceptance, the first base station 410 may still forward the SN addition response message 434 to the UE 115, or the first base station 410 may declare a handover failure and retry with the second base station 420 or with another base station.

[0096] The exchange of the SN addition request message 430 and the SN addition response message 434 can occur for different types of SN additions. For example, the SN addition request message 430 can be part of an “old-style SN addition” (“unconditional SN addition”). As used herein, “old-style SN addition” and “unconditional SN addition” include or correspond to one or more SN addition operations initiated and controlled by a PN (e.g., a base station) (such as based on information at that PN). For illustration, the SN addition operation can be initiated by the first base station 410. As another example, the SN addition request message 430 can be part of a “conditional SN addition”. As used herein, “conditional SN addition” includes or corresponds to one or more SN addition operations controlled at least in part by the UE (such as based on conditions from the PN), and these SN addition operations are conditional (e.g., may not be performed or completed based on the scenario at the UE). For illustration, the SN addition procedure can be initiated by the UE 115. Additionally, the first base station 410 can obtain configuration information (e.g., parameters) for more than one SN (e.g., base station) to be conditionally added. For example, the first base station 410 can transmit the SN addition request message 430 to the second base station 420. Additionally, in some implementations, the first base station 410 can transmit another SN addition request message corresponding to the UE 115 to the third base station 429. The another SN addition request message can include another request for a complete configuration. In response, the first base station 410 can receive another SN addition response message from the third base station 429, and the another SN addition response message includes another indicator on whether to accept the complete configuration. If the complete configuration is accepted, the another SN addition response message can further include a parameter set used by the third base station 429.

[0097] In some implementations, the first base station 410 may repeat the SN addition request procedure based on certain determinations. By way of illustration, the first base station 410 may determine that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid. In some implementations, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid includes determining that the RRC configuration affecting the SN will change. For these determinations, changes to the RRC configuration affecting the PN (rather than the SN) may be ignored. Additionally or alternatively, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid may be based on determining that the capabilities of the UE 115 have changed. For example, as a non-limiting example, the UE 115 may change the number of active antennas or MIMO parameters. Additionally or alternatively, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid may be based on determining that one or more security keys corresponding to the wireless network including the first base station 410 and the second base station 420 have changed. For example, if the core network device changes one or more security keys, the parameters used by the second base station 420 (and included in the SN addition handover response message 434) may no longer be valid. Based on this determination (e.g., determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid), the first base station 410 may transmit a second SN addition request message 440 corresponding to the UE 115 from the first base station 410 to the second base station 420. The second SN addition request message 440 may include a second request 442 for a complete configuration. Similar to the request 432, in some implementations, the second request 442 may include: a flag included in a part (such as a header part) of the second SN addition request message 440.

[0098] After transmitting the second SN addition request message 440, the first base station 410 may receive a second SN addition response message 444 from the second base station 420. The second SN addition response message 444 may include a second indicator 446 accepting the complete configuration. Similar to the indicator 436, in some implementations, the second indicator 446 may include: a flag included in a part (such as a header part) of the second SN addition response message 444. In some other implementations, the second indicator 446 may include: a specific information element included in the second SN addition response message 444. After receiving the second SN addition response message 444, the first base station 410 may transmit the second SN addition response message 444 to the UE 115 based on the second SN addition response message 444 including the second indicator 446. Forwarding the second SN addition response message 444 to the UE 115 may provide the UE 115 with updated parameters used by the second base station 420 when performing the SN addition procedure.

[0099] Although described in the context of an SN addition procedure (e.g., adding a new SN to the dual-connected UE 115), in other implementations, it may be performed when changing the SN associated with the UE 115 with reference to Figure 4The operations described. For example, instead of adding a second base station 420, a third base station 429 may be changed (e.g., switched) to the second base station 420. In such implementations, a request to change the SN may include a request for a full configuration as described above.

[0100] Accordingly, Figure 4 FIG. illustrates a wireless communication system 400 in which, as compared to providing incremental configuration parameters, a PN (e.g., a first base station 410) requests that an SN (e.g., a second base station 420) provide a full configuration (e.g., a full set of parameters) in an SN addition response message. The full configuration parameters may be provided in a conditional or legacy (e.g., unconditional) SN addition. Using a full configuration (instead of an incremental configuration) can increase the likelihood that the parameters used by the UE 115 are the correct (e.g., up-to-date) parameters for association with the second base station 420, which can reduce (or prevent) SN addition or change failures.

[0101] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating example blocks that are executed to implement one aspect of the present disclosure. The example blocks will also be described with reference to a base station 700 as illustrated in Figure 7 FIG. Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating a base station 700 configured in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure. In some implementations, the base station 700 may include or correspond to base station 105, a first base station 310, or a first base station 410. The base station 700 includes the structures, hardware, and components as illustrated for Figure 2 the base station 105. For example, the base station 700 includes a controller / processor 240 that operates to execute logic or computer instructions stored in a memory 242 and to control the components of the base station 700 that provide the features and functionality of the base station 700. The base station 700 transmits and receives signals via radio 701a-t and antennas 234a-t under the control of the controller / processor 240. The radio 701a-t includes various components and hardware (as illustrated for Figure 2 the base station 105), including modulators / demodulators 232a-t, a MIMO detector 236, a receive processor 238, a transmit processor 220, and a TX MIMO processor 230.

[0102] At block 500, a first base station transmits a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the first base station to a second base station. The handover request message indicates a request for a full configuration. A base station (such as base station 700) may execute handover request logic 702 stored in memory 242 under the control of controller / processor 240. The execution environment of handover request logic 702 provides functionality for base station 700 to generate and transmit via antennas 234a-t a handover request message indicating a request for a full configuration. In some implementations, the request for a full configuration may be indicated by a flag included in the handover request message. The request for a full configuration may include or correspond to a request for an initial access stratum configuration parameter set (or other parameters used to initially establish a connection with the second base station).

[0103] At block 501, the first base station receives a handover response message from the second base station. The handover response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration. A base station (e.g., base station 700) may execute handover response logic 703 stored in memory 242 under the control of controller / processor 240. The execution environment of handover response logic 703 provides functionality for base station 700 to receive from the second base station (e.g., the target base station) a handover response message that includes an indicator accepting the full configuration. In some implementations, the indicator may be a flag included in the handover response message. In some other implementations, the indicator may be a specific information element included in the handover response message. In some implementations, the execution environment of handover response logic 703 provides functionality for base station 700 to transmit the handover response message to an associated UE (e.g., UE 115).

[0104] In some implementations, the first base station determines that a target RRC configuration is no longer valid and, based on that determination, transmits a second handover request message that includes a second request for a full configuration. A base station (e.g., base station 700) may execute RRC verification logic 704 stored in memory 242 under the control of controller / processor 240. The execution environment of RRC verification logic 704 provides functionality for base station 700 to determine whether a target RRC configuration is no longer valid. In some implementations, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid is based on determining that the capabilities of the associated UE have changed. Additionally or alternatively, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid may be based on determining that one or more security keys corresponding to the wireless network including base station 700 have changed.

[0105] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating example blocks that are executed to implement one aspect of the present disclosure. The example blocks will also be described with reference to base station 800 as illustrated in Figure 8 as illustrated. Figure 8FIG. 800 is a block diagram of a base station configured in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure. In some implementations, base station 800 may include or correspond to base station 105, first base station 310, or first base station 410. Base station 800 includes the structures, hardware, and components as illustrated for base station 105 in Figure 2 For example, base station 800 includes a controller / processor 240 that operates to execute logic or computer instructions stored in a memory 242 and to control the various components of base station 800 that provide the features and functionality of base station 800. Base station 800 transmits and receives signals under the control of controller / processor 240 via radios 801a-t and antennas 234a-t. Radios 801a-t include various components and hardware (as illustrated for base station 105 in Figure 2 ), including modulators / demodulators 232a-t, MIMO detectors 236, receive processors 238, transmit processors 220, and TX MIMO processors 230.

[0106] In block 600, a first base station transmits a secondary node (SN) addition request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the first base station to a second base station. The SN addition request message indicates a request for a full configuration. A base station (such as base station 800) may execute SN addition request logic 802 stored in memory 242 under the control of controller / processor 240. The execution environment of SN addition request logic 802 provides functionality for base station 800 to generate and transmit via antennas 234a-t an SN addition request message indicating a request for a full configuration. In some implementations, the request for a full configuration may be indicated by a flag included in the SN addition request message.

[0107] In block 601, the first base station receives an SN addition response message from the second base station. The SN addition response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration. A base station (e.g., base station 800) may execute SN addition response logic 803 stored in memory 242 under the control of controller / processor 240. The execution environment of SN addition response logic 803 provides functionality for base station 800 to receive from the second base station (e.g., the target base station) an SN addition response message that includes an indicator accepting the full configuration. In some implementations, the indicator may be a flag included in the SN addition response message. In some other implementations, the indicator may be a specific information element included in the SN addition response message. In some implementations, the execution environment of SN addition response logic 803 provides functionality for base station 800 to transmit the SN addition response message to an associated UE (e.g., UE 115).

[0108] In some implementations, the first base station determines that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid and, based on that determination, transmits a second SN addition request message that includes a second request for the complete configuration. The base station (e.g., base station 800) may execute the RRC verification logic 804 stored in the memory 242 under the control of the controller / processor 240. The execution environment of the RRC verification logic 804 provides the functionality for the base station 800 to determine whether the target RRC configuration is no longer valid. In some implementations, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid is based on determining that the capabilities of the associated UE have changed. Additionally or alternatively, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid may be based on determining that one or more security keys corresponding to the wireless network including the base station 800 have changed.

[0109] Although Figure 7 and 8 illustrate different implementations of base stations (e.g., base stations 700 and 800), in other implementations, the components of each base station may be combined in a single base station. For example, a single base station may include: handover request logic 702, handover response logic 703, RRC verification logic 704, SN addition request logic 802, SN addition response logic 803, and RRC verification logic 804 in the memory of the single base station. The base station may be capable of performing any or all of the operations described with reference to Figure 5-6 herein.

[0110] In some aspects, the techniques for enabling a base station to request a complete configuration from another base station during a handover may include additional aspects, such as any single aspect or any combination of aspects described below and / or in combination with one or more other processes or devices described elsewhere herein. In some aspects, implementing a request for a complete configuration during a handover procedure may include an apparatus configured to transmit a handover request message corresponding to a UE associated with the device to a second base station. The handover request message includes a request for the complete configuration. The apparatus is further configured to receive a handover response message from the second base station. The handover response message includes an indicator accepting the complete configuration. In some implementations, the apparatus includes a wireless device, such as a first base station. In some implementations, the apparatus may include at least one processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor may be configured to perform the operations described herein with reference to a wireless device. In some other implementations, the apparatus may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, and the program code may be executed by a computer to cause the computer to perform the operations described herein with reference to a wireless device. In some implementations, the apparatus may include one or more devices configured to perform the operations described herein.

[0111] In a first aspect, the apparatus configures the request for the complete configuration to include a request for an initial access stratum configuration parameter set from the second base station.

[0112] In a second aspect, either alone or in combination with the first aspect, the apparatus transmits a handover response message from the apparatus to the UE based on the handover response message including the indicator.

[0113] In a third aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to second aspects, the apparatus transmits a second handover request message corresponding to the UE from the apparatus to a third base station. The second handover request message includes a second request for a complete configuration.

[0114] In a fourth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to third aspects, the handover request message is part of a conditional handover or a legacy handover.

[0115] In a fifth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fourth aspects, the apparatus determines that a target RRC configuration is no longer valid, based on the determination, transmits a second handover request message corresponding to the UE from the apparatus to the second base station, and receives a second handover response message from the second base station. The second handover request message includes a second request for a complete configuration. The second handover response message includes a second indicator accepting the complete configuration.

[0116] In a sixth aspect, in combination with the fifth aspect, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid is based on determining that the capabilities of the UE have changed.

[0117] In a seventh aspect, in combination with the fifth aspect, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid is based on determining that one or more security keys corresponding to a radio network including the apparatus and the second base station have changed.

[0118] In an eighth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fifth to seventh aspects, the apparatus transmits the second handover response message from the apparatus to the UE based on the second handover response message including the second indicator.

[0119] In a ninth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to eighth aspects, the request for a complete configuration corresponds to a flag included in the handover request message.

[0120] In a tenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to ninth aspects, the indicator corresponds to a flag included in the handover response message.

[0121] In an eleventh aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to ninth aspects, the indicator corresponds to a characteristic information element included in the handover response message.

[0122] In a twelfth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to eleventh aspects, the handover response message includes a set of parameters corresponding to the full configuration.

[0123] In a thirteenth aspect, in combination with the twelfth aspect, the set of parameters is included in a specific information element of the handover response message.

[0124] In some aspects, an apparatus (such as a first base station) configured for wireless communication is configured to transmit an SN addition request message corresponding to a UE associated with the apparatus from the apparatus to a second base station. The SN addition request message includes a request for a full configuration. The apparatus is further configured to receive an SN addition response message from the second base station. The SN addition response message includes an indicator accepting the full configuration. In some implementations, the apparatus includes a wireless device, such as a base station. In some implementations, the apparatus may include at least one processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor may be configured to perform the operations described herein with reference to the wireless device. In some other implementations, the apparatus may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, and the program code may be executed by a computer to cause the computer to perform the operations described herein with reference to the wireless device. In some implementations, the apparatus may include one or more means configured to perform the operations described herein.

[0125] In a fourteenth aspect, the apparatus transmits the SN addition response message from the apparatus to the UE based on the SN addition response message including an indicator.

[0126] In a fifteenth aspect, either alone or in combination with the fourteenth aspect, the apparatus transmits a second SN addition request message corresponding to the UE from the apparatus to a third base station. The second SN addition request message includes a second request for a full configuration.

[0127] In a sixteenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to fifteenth aspects, the SN addition request message is part of a conditional SN addition.

[0128] In a seventeenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to fifteenth aspects, the SN addition request message is part of a legacy SN addition.

[0129] In an eighteenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to seventeenth aspects, the apparatus determines that a target RRC configuration is no longer valid, based on the determination and transmits a second SN addition request message corresponding to the UE from the apparatus to the second base station, and receives a second SN addition response message from the second base station. The second SN addition request message includes a second request for a full configuration. The second SN addition response message includes a second indicator accepting the full configuration.

[0130] In a nineteenth aspect, in combination with the eighteenth aspect, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid is based on determining that the capabilities of the UE have changed.

[0131] In a twentieth aspect, in combination with the eighteenth aspect, determining that the target RRC configuration is no longer valid is based on determining that one or more security keys corresponding to the radio network including the equipment and the second base station have changed.

[0132] In a twenty - first aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the eighteenth to twentieth aspects, the equipment transmits the second SN addition response message from the equipment to the UE based on the second SN addition response message including a second indicator.

[0133] In a twenty - second aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to twenty - first aspects, the equipment is configured to operate as a primary node (PN), and the second base station is configured to operate as an SN.

[0134] In a twenty - third aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to twenty - second aspects, the request for the complete configuration corresponds to a flag included in the SN addition request message.

[0135] In a twenty - fourth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to twenty - third aspects, the indicator corresponds to a flag included in the SN addition response message or a specific information element included in the SN addition response message.

[0136] In a twenty - fifth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to twenty - fourth aspects, the second base station is applicable to the SN change procedure.

[0137] In a twenty - sixth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the fourteenth to twenty - fifth aspects, the SN addition response message includes a set of parameters corresponding to the complete configuration.

[0138] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referred to throughout the above description may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or optical particles, or any combination thereof.

[0139] The functional blocks and modules described herein (e.g., Figure 2 the functional blocks and modules in) may include a processor, electronic devices, hardware devices, electronic components, logic circuits, memories, software code, firmware code, etc., or any combination thereof. Additionally, what is discussed herein with respect to Figure 2-4The relevant features may be implemented via dedicated processor circuitry, via executable instructions, and / or a combination thereof.

[0140] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithmic steps described in connection with the disclosure herein (e.g., Figure 5-6 of the logical blocks) can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described above in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will also readily recognize that the order or combination of the components, methods, or interactions described herein are merely examples and that the components, methods, or interactions of the various aspects of the present disclosure may be combined or performed in ways different from those illustrated and described herein.

[0141] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure herein can be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0142] The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the disclosure herein can be implemented directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read from, and write to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal.

[0143] In one or more exemplary designs, the functions described can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions can be stored on or transmitted via a computer-readable medium as one or more instructions or code. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer, or a general purpose or special purpose processor. Also, a connection can be properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a web site, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, or digital subscriber line (DSL), then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, or DSL is included in the definition of the medium. As used herein, the terms disk and disc include compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), hard disk, solid state disk, and Blu-ray disc, where disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0144] As used herein, including in the claims, the term "and / or" as used in a listing of two or more items means that any one of the listed items can be employed alone or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a composition is described as including components A, B, and / or C, the composition can include only A; only B; only C; a combination of A and B; a combination of A and C; a combination of B and C; or a combination of A, B, and C. Also, as used herein, including in the claims, the term "or" as used in a listing of items prefaced by "at least one of" indicates a disjunctive listing such that, for example, the listing "at least one of A, B, or C" means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C) or any combination thereof.

[0145] The previous description of the present disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication at a first node, the method comprises: transmitting a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the first node to a second node, the handover request message including a request for a complete configuration; receiving a handover response message from the second node, the handover response message including an indicator accepting the complete configuration; transmitting a second handover request message corresponding to the UE to the second node when a target radio resource control (RRC) configuration is no longer valid, the second handover request message including a second request for a complete configuration; and receiving a second handover response message from the second node, the second handover response message including a second indicator accepting the complete configuration.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprises: configuring the request for the complete configuration to include a request for an initial access stratum configuration parameter set from the second node.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprises: transmitting the handover response message to the UE based on the handover response message including the indicator.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprises: transmitting a third handover request message corresponding to the UE to a third node, the third handover request message including a third request for a complete configuration.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the handover request message is part of a conditional handover or a legacy handover.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when the capabilities of the UE change.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when one or more security keys corresponding to a radio network including the first node and the second node change.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprises: transmitting the second handover response message to the UE based on the second handover response message including the second indicator.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the handover response message includes a parameter set corresponding to the complete configuration, and wherein the parameter set is included in a specific information element of the handover response message.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the handover response message includes the indicator and an initial parameter set corresponding to the complete configuration, the initial parameter set being different from the indicator.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the handover response message is configured such that the indicator can be identified independently of performing a packet inspection of the handover response message.

12. An apparatus configured for wireless communication, the apparatus comprises: at least one processor; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: initiate transmission of a handover request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the apparatus to a second node, the handover request message including a request for a complete configuration; Receiving a handover response message from the second node, the handover response message including an indicator of accepting the complete configuration; Initiating transmission of a second handover request message for the second node corresponding to the UE when the target Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration is no longer valid, the second handover request message including a second request for the complete configuration; And Receiving a second handover response message from the second node, the second handover response message including a second indicator of accepting the complete configuration.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the request for the complete configuration corresponds to a flag included in the handover request message.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the indicator corresponds to a flag included in the handover response message.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the indicator corresponds to a specific information element included in the handover response message.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the handover response message includes a parameter set corresponding to the complete configuration.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the parameter set is included in a specific information element of the handover response message.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: configure the request for the complete configuration to include a request for an initial access stratum configuration parameter set from the second node.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit the handover response message to the UE based on the handover response message including the indicator.

20. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit a third handover request message corresponding to the UE to a third node, the third handover request message including a third request for the complete configuration.

21. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the handover request message is part of a conditional handover or legacy handover.

22. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when the capabilities of the UE change.

23. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when one or more security keys corresponding to the wireless network including the apparatus and the second node change.

24. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit the second handover response message to the UE based on the second handover response message including the second indicator.

25. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the handover response message includes the indicator and an initial parameter set corresponding to the complete configuration, the initial parameter set being different from the indicator.

26. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the handover response message is configured to enable identification of the indicator independently of performing a packet inspection of the handover response message.

27. A method for wireless communication at a first node, the method comprising: Transmit a secondary node (SN) addition request message corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the first node to a second node, the SN addition request message including a request for a complete configuration; Receive an SN addition response message from the second node, the SN addition response message including an indicator accepting the complete configuration; Transmit a second SN addition request message corresponding to the UE to the second node when a target radio resource control (RRC) configuration is no longer valid, the second SN addition request message including a second request for a complete configuration; And Receive a second SN addition response message from the second node, the second SN addition response message including a second indicator accepting the complete configuration.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising: Transmit the SN addition response message to the UE based on the SN addition response message including the indicator.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising: Transmit a third SN addition request message corresponding to the UE to a third node, the third SN addition request message including a third request for a complete configuration.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the SN addition request message is part of a conditional SN addition.

31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the SN addition request message is part of a legacy SN addition.

32. The method according to claim 27, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when the capabilities of the UE change.

33. The method according to claim 27, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when one or more security keys corresponding to a wireless network including the first node and the second node change.

34. The method according to claim 27, further comprising: Transmit the second SN addition response message to the UE based on the second SN addition response message including the second indicator.

35. The method according to claim 27, wherein, The request for the complete configuration corresponds to a flag included in the SN addition request message.

36. The method according to claim 27, wherein the SN addition response message includes a parameter set corresponding to the complete configuration, and further wherein the indicator corresponds to a flag included in the SN addition response message or a specific information element included in the SN addition response message.

37. An apparatus configured for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising: At least one processor; And At least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: Initiate transmission of an SN addition request message to a second node for a secondary node (SN) corresponding to a user equipment (UE) associated with the apparatus, the SN addition request message including a request for a complete configuration; Receive an SN addition response message from the second node, the SN addition response message including an indicator accepting the complete configuration; Initiate transmission of a second secondary node (SN) addition request message corresponding to the UE to the second node when the target radio resource control (RRC) configuration is no longer valid, the second SN addition request message including a second request for a complete configuration; and Receive a second SN addition response message from the second node, the second SN addition response message including a second indicator accepting the complete configuration.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the apparatus is configured to operate as a primary node (PN), and wherein the second node is configured to operate as an SN.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the request for the complete configuration corresponds to a flag included in the SN addition request message.

40. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the indicator corresponds to a flag included in the SN addition response message or a specific information element included in the SN addition response message.

41. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the second node is applicable to an SN change procedure.

42. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the SN addition response message includes a parameter set corresponding to the complete configuration.

43. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit the SN addition response message to the UE based on the SN addition response message including the indicator.

44. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit a third SN addition request message corresponding to the UE to a third node, the third SN addition request message including a third request for a complete configuration.

45. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the SN addition request message is part of a conditional SN addition.

46. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the SN addition request message is part of a legacy SN addition.

47. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when the capabilities of the UE change.

48. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the target RRC configuration is no longer valid when one or more security keys corresponding to the wireless network including the apparatus and the second node change.

49. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit the second SN addition response message to the UE based on the second SN addition response message including the second indicator.

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