Data unit processing

Abstract

The method of the present invention includes transmitting, by a first device to a second device, a plurality of packets associated with a data unit of a data flow; determining, by the first device, a transmission failure of at least one packet of the plurality of packets; discarding, by the first device, the plurality of packets based on the transmission failure of the at least one packet and the plurality of packets associated with the data unit; and transmitting, by the first device to the second device, an indication that the plurality of packets are discarded.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 301,541, filed January 21, 2022, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0002] In this disclosure, various embodiments are presented as examples of how the disclosed technology may be implemented and / or how the disclosed technology may be practiced in environments and scenarios. It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the scope. Indeed, after reading the specification, it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art how to implement alternative embodiments. The present embodiments should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments. The embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Limitations, features, and / or elements from the disclosed exemplary embodiments may be combined to create further embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure. The figures that highlight features and advantages are shown only as examples. The disclosed architecture is sufficiently flexible and configurable to be utilized in ways other than those shown. For example, the actions listed in any flowchart may be rearranged in some embodiments or used only optionally.

[0003] The embodiments may be configured to operate as desired. The disclosed mechanisms may be implemented when certain criteria are met, for example, in a wireless device, a base station, a wireless environment, a network, a combination of the above, etc. Exemplary criteria may be based at least in part, for example, on wireless device or network node configuration, traffic load, initial system setup, packet size, traffic characteristics, a combination of the above, etc. When one or more criteria are met, various exemplary embodiments may be applied. Thus, it may be possible to implement exemplary embodiments that selectively implement the disclosed protocols.

[0004] A base station may communicate with a mix of wireless devices. Wireless devices and / or base stations may support multiple technologies and / or multiple releases of the same technology. Wireless devices may have one or more specific capabilities. Where the disclosure refers to a base station communicating with multiple wireless devices, the disclosure may refer to a subset of all wireless devices in the coverage area. The disclosure may refer to multiple wireless devices of a given LTE or 5G release, for example, that include a given capability and are in a given sector of the base station. Multiple wireless devices in the disclosure may refer to selected multiple wireless devices and / or a subset of all wireless devices in the coverage area that perform according to the disclosed methods, etc. There may be multiple base stations or multiple wireless devices in a coverage area that may not comply with the disclosed methods. For example, those wireless devices or base stations are implemented based on older releases of LTE or 5G technology. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0005] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B show an embodiment of a communication network including an access network and a core network.

[0006] [Diagram 2]2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D show various examples of a service-based architectural framework within a core network.

[0007] [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary communications network including a core network function.

[0008] [Figure 4] 4A and 4B show an example of a core network architecture having multiple user plane functions and untrusted access.

[0009] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows an example of a core network architecture for a roaming scenario.

[0010] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows an example of network slicing.

[0011] [Figure 7] 7A, 7B and 7C show services provided between protocol layers of the user plane protocol stack, the control plane protocol stack and the user plane protocol stack.

[0012] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a quality of service model for data exchange.

[0013] [Figure 9] 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D show example states and state transitions of a wireless device.

[0014] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a registration procedure for a wireless device.

[0015] [Figure 11]FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a service request procedure for a wireless device.

[0016] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a protocol data unit session establishment procedure for a wireless device.

[0017] [Figure 13] FIG. 13 illustrates an example of components of an element in a communications network.

[0018] [Figure 14] 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14D show various examples of physical core network deployments, each having one or more network functions or portions thereof.

[0019] [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] [Figure 21]FIG. 21 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] [Diagram 25] FIG. 25 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a diagram of one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] In this disclosure, "a" and "an" and similar phrases refer to a single instance of a particular element, but should not be interpreted to exclude other instances of that element. For example, a two-wheeler having two wheels may be described as having "wheel (singular)". Similarly, any term ending with the suffix "(s)" should be interpreted as "at least one" and / or "one or more". In this specification, the term "may" should be interpreted as "may, for example." In other words, the term "may" indicates that the phrase following the term "may" is one example of multiple preferred possibilities and may or may not be used by one or more of the various embodiments. As used herein, the terms "comprises" and "consists of" recite one or more components of a described element. The term "comprises" is interchangeable with "includes" and does not exclude unrecited components included in the described element. In contrast, "consists of" provides a complete recitation of one or more components of the described element.

[0033] The words "based on," "responding to," "depending on," "employ," "use," and similar phrases indicate the presence and / or influence of particular factors and / or conditions on an event and / or action, but do not exclude that unlisted factors and / or conditions may also be present and / or affect the event and / or action. For example, if action X is performed "based on" condition Y, this should be interpreted as the action being performed "based on" at least condition Y. For example, if performance of action X is performed when both conditions Y and Z are satisfied, then performance of action X may be described as being "based on Y."

[0034] The term "configured" may relate to the capacity of a device, whether the device is in an operational or non-operational state. Configuring may refer to a particular setting of a device that affects the operational characteristics of the device, whether the device is in an operational or non-operational state. In other words, hardware, software, firmware, registers, memory values, etc. may be "configured" within a device, whether the device is in an operational or non-operational state, to provide the device with a particular characteristic. A term such as "a control message originating at a device" may mean that the control message has parameters that can be used to configure a particular characteristic in the device or to implement a particular action in the device, whether the device is in an operational or non-operational state.

[0035] In this disclosure, a parameter includes one or more information objects, which may include one or more other objects. For example, if parameter J includes parameter K, which includes parameter L, and parameter L includes parameter M, then J includes L and J includes M. A parameter may be referred to as a field or an information element. In an exemplary embodiment, when one or more messages include multiple parameters, it means that a parameter of the multiple parameters is in at least one of the one or more messages, but not necessarily in each of the one or more messages.

[0036] The disclosure may refer to possible combinations of the listed elements. For the sake of brevity and readability, the disclosure does not explicitly describe each and every variation that may be obtained by selecting from a set of optional features. The disclosure should be construed as explicitly disclosing all such variations. For example, the seven possible combinations of the listed elements A, B, and C consist of (1) "A", (2) "B", (3) "C", (4) "A and B", (5) "A and C", (6) "B and C", and (7) "A, B, and C". For the sake of brevity and readability, these seven possible combinations may be described using any of the following interchangeable formulations: "at least one of A, B, and C", "at least one of A, B, or C", "one or more of A, B, or C", "one or more of A, B, or C", "A, B, and / or C". It will be understood that impossible combinations are excluded. For example, "X and / or not X" should be interpreted as "X or not X." Furthermore, it will be appreciated that these formulations may describe overlapping and / or synonymous concepts, e.g., alternative expressions of "identifier, identification, and / or ID number."

[0037] The present disclosure may refer to sets and / or subsets. As an example, a set X may be a set of elements that includes one or more elements. If all elements of X are also elements of Y, then X may be referred to as a subset of Y. In the present disclosure, only non-empty sets and subsets are considered. For example, if Y consists of elements Y1, Y2, and Y3, then the possible subsets of Y are {Y1, Y2, Y3}, {Y1, Y2}, {Y1, Y3}, {Y2, Y3}, {Y1}, {Y2}, and {Y3}.

[0038] 1A illustrates an example of a communication network 100 in which an embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented. The communication network 100 may be, for example, a public land mobile network (PLMN) operated by a network operator. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the communication network 100 includes a wireless device 101, an access network (AN) 102, a core network (CN) 105, and one or more data networks (DNs) 108.

[0039] The wireless device 101 may communicate with the DN 108 via the AN 102 and the CN 105. In this disclosure, the term wireless device may refer to and encompass any mobile or fixed (non-mobile) device for which wireless communication is required or enabled. For example, wireless devices include phones, smartphones, tablets, computers, laptops, sensors, meters, wearable devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, vehicular roadside units (RSUs), relay nodes, automobiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, urban air vehicles, and / or any combination thereof. The term wireless device encompasses other terms, including user equipment (UE), user terminal (UT), access terminal (AT), mobile station, handset, wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU), and / or wireless communication device.

[0040] The AN 102 may connect the wireless device 101 to the CN 105 in any suitable manner. The communication direction from the AN 102 to the wireless device 101 is referred to as the downlink, and the communication direction from the wireless device 101 to the AN 102 is referred to as the uplink. The downlink transmission may be separated from the uplink transmission using frequency division duplexing (FDD), time division duplexing (TDD), and / or some combination of the two duplexing techniques. The AN 102 may connect to the wireless device 101 through wireless communication over an air interface. An access network operating at least in part over the air interface may be referred to as a radio access network (RAN). The CN 105 may set up one or more end-to-end connections between the wireless device 101 and one or more DNs 108. The CN 105 may authenticate the wireless device 101 and provide billing functions.

[0041] In this disclosure, the term base station may refer to and encompass any element of the AN 102 that facilitates communication between the wireless device 101 and the AN 102. Access networks and base stations have many different names and implementations. A base station may be a terrestrial base station fixed on the Earth. A base station may be a mobile base station having a moving coverage area. A base station may be in space, for example, on a satellite. For example, WiFi and other standards may use the term access point. As another example, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP®) has produced specifications for three generations of mobile networks, each of which uses different terminology. The third generation (3G) and / or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) standards may use the term Node B.4G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) standard may use the term Evolved Node B (eNB). 5G and / or New Radio (NR) standards may describe the AN 102 as a Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) and the base station may be referred to as a Next Generation eNB (ng-eNB) and / or Generation Node B (gNB). Future standards (e.g., 6G, 7G, 8G) may use new terminology to refer to elements that implement the methods described in this disclosure (e.g., wireless devices, base stations, ANs, CNs, and / or components thereof). The base station may be implemented as a repeater or relay node used to extend the coverage area of ​​a donor node. A repeater node may amplify and rebroadcast wireless signals received from a donor node. A relay node may perform the same / similar functions as a repeater node, but may decode wireless signals received from a donor node and remove noise before amplifying and rebroadcasting the wireless signals.

[0042] The AN 102 may include one or more base stations, each having one or more coverage areas. The geographic size and / or range of a coverage area may be defined in terms of the extent to which a receiver of the AN 102 can successfully receive a transmission from a transmitter (e.g., wireless device 101) operating within the coverage area (and / or vice versa). A coverage area may be referred to as a sector or a cell (in some contexts, the term cell refers to the carrier frequency used in a particular coverage area, rather than the coverage area itself). A base station with a large coverage area may be referred to as a macrocell base station. Other base stations cover smaller areas, for example, to provide coverage in areas where macrocell coverage is weak or to provide additional coverage in areas of high traffic (sometimes referred to as hotspots). Examples of small cell base stations include, in order of decreasing coverage area, microcell base stations, picocell base stations, and femtocell or home base stations. The combined coverage areas of the base stations can provide wireless coverage to the wireless device 101 over a wide geographic area and support mobility of the wireless device.

[0043] A base station may include one or more sets of antennas for communicating with wireless devices 101 over the air interface. Each set of antennas may be separately controlled by the base station. Each set of antennas may have a corresponding coverage area. As an example, a base station may include three sets of antennas for controlling three coverage areas on three different sides of the base station, respectively. The entire base station (and its corresponding antennas) may be deployed at a single location. Alternatively, a controller at a central location may control one or more sets of antennas at one or more distributed locations. The controller may be, for example, a baseband processing unit that is part of a centralized or cloud RAN architecture. The baseband processing unit may be centralized or virtualized within a pool of baseband processing units. The sets of antennas at distributed locations may be referred to as remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0044] FIG. 1B illustrates another exemplary communication network 150 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. The communication network 150 may be comprised of, for example, a PLMN run by a network operator. As shown in FIG. 1B, the communication network 150 includes a UE 151, a Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) 152, a 5G Core Network (5G-CN) 155, and one or more DNs 158. The NG-RAN 152 includes one or more base stations, exemplified as a Generation Node B (gNB) 152A and a Next Generation Evolved Node B (ng eNB) 152B. The 5G-CN 155 includes one or more Network Functions (NFs), including a Control Plane Function 155A and a User Plane Function 155B. The one or more DNs 158 may include a public DN (e.g., Internet), a private DN, and / or an intra-operator DN. These components may represent specific implementations and / or terms relative to the corresponding components illustrated in FIG. 1A.

[0045] The base stations of the NG-RAN 152 may be connected to the UE 151 via a Uu interface. The base stations of the NG-RAN 152 may be connected to each other via an Xn interface. The base stations of the NG-RAN 152 may be connected to the 5G CN 155 via an NG interface. The Uu interface may include an air interface. The NG and Xn interfaces may include an air interface or may consist of a direct physical connection or an indirect connection through an underlying transport network (such as an Internet Protocol (IP) transport network).

[0046] Each of the Uu, Xn, and NG interfaces may be associated with a protocol stack. The protocol stack may include a user plane (UP) and a control plane (CP). In general, user plane data may include data related to a user of the UE 151, such as internet content downloaded via a web browser application, sensor data uploaded via a tracking application, or email data communicated to or from an email server. In contrast, control plane data may include signaling and messages that facilitate packaging and routing of user plane data so that it may be exchanged with a DN. The NG interface may be divided, for example, into an NG user plane interface (NG-U) and an NG control plane interface (NG-C). The NG-U interface may provide for delivery of user plane data between the base station and one or more user plane network functions 155B. The NG-C interface may be used for control signaling between the base station and one or more control plane network functions 155A. The NG-C interface may provide, for example, NG interface management, UE context management, UE mobility management, transport of NAS messages, paging, PDU session management and configuration transfer and / or alert messaging. In some cases, the NG-C interface may support transmission of user data (e.g., small amount of data transmission for IoT devices).

[0047] One or more of the base stations of the NG-RAN 152 may be split into a central unit (CU) and one or more distributed units (DUs). The CU may connect to one or more DUs via an F1 interface. The CU may handle one or more upper layers in a protocol stack, and the DU may handle one or more lower layers in the protocol stack. For example, the CU may handle RRC, PDCP, and SDAP, and the DU may handle RLC, MAC, and PHY. The one or more DUs may be in geographically diverse locations with respect to the CU and / or each other. Thus, the CU / DU split architecture may enable increased coverage and / or better coordination.

[0048] The gNB 152A and the ng-eNB 152B may provide different user plane and control plane protocol terminations to the UE 151. For example, the gNB 154A may provide New Radio (NR) protocol terminations over a Uu interface associated with a first protocol stack. The ng-eNB 152B may provide Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) protocol terminations over a Uu interface associated with a second protocol stack.

[0049] 5G-CN 155 may authenticate UE 151, set up end-to-end connections between UE 151 and one or more DNs 158, and provide charging functions. 5G-CN 155 may be based on a service-based architecture in which the NFs that make up 5G-CN 155 provide services to each other and to other elements of communication network 150 via interfaces. 5G-CN 155 may include any number of other NFs and any number of instances of each NF.

[0050] 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D show various examples of a framework of a service-based architecture in a core network. In a service-based architecture, a service may be sought by a service consumer and provided by a service producer. Before acquiring a particular service, an NF may determine where such a service may be acquired. To discover a service, an NF may communicate with a network repository function (NRF). As an example, an NF that provides one or more services may be registered with a network repository function (NRF). The NRF may store data related to one or more services that the NF is prepared to provide to other NFs in the service-based architecture. A consumer NF may query the NRF to discover a producer NF (e.g., by obtaining a list of NF instances that provide a particular service from the NRF).

[0051] In the example of FIG. 2A, NF211 (a consumer NF in this example) may send a request 221 to NF212 (a producer NF). The request 221 may be a request for a particular service and may be sent based on discovery that NF212 is the producer of that service. The request 221 may include data related to NF211 and / or the requested service. NF212 may receive the request 221, perform one or more actions associated with the requested service (e.g., obtain data), and provide a response 221. The one or more actions performed by NF212 may be based on the request data included in the request 221, data stored by NF212, and / or data obtained by NF212. The response 222 may notify NF211 that the one or more actions have been completed. The response 222 may include response data related to NF212, the one or more actions, and / or the requested service.

[0052] In the example of FIG. 2B, NF 231 sends request 241 to NF 232. In this example, part of the service generated by NF 232 is to send request 242 to NF 233. NF 233 may perform one or more operations and provide response 243 to NF 232. Based on response 243, NF 232 may send response 244 to NF 231. It will be appreciated from FIG. 2B that a single NF may fulfill the role of a producer of a service, a consumer of a service, or both. A particular NF service may include any number of nested NF services generated by one or more other NFs.

[0053] FIG. 2C illustrates an example of a subscription notification interaction between a consumer NF and a producer NF. NF 251 in FIG. 2C sends subscription 261 to NF 252. NF 253 sends subscription 262 to NF 252. Although two NFs are shown in FIG. 2C for illustrative purposes (to demonstrate that NF 252 may provide multiple subscription services to different NFs), it will be understood that the subscription notification interaction requires only one subscriber. NFs 251, 253 may be independent of each other. For example, NFs 251, 253 may independently discover NF 252 and / or independently decide to subscribe to a service provided by NF 252. In response to receiving the subscription, NF 252 may provide a notification to the subscribing NF. For example, NF 252 may send notification 263 to NF 251 based on subscription 261 and may send notification 264 to NF 253 based on subscription 262.

[0054] As shown in the example illustrated in FIG. 2C, the sending of the notifications 263, 264 may be based on a determination that a condition has occurred. For example, the notifications 263, 264 may be based on a determination that a particular event has occurred, a determination that a particular condition is unresolved, and / or a determination that a time period associated with a subscription has elapsed (e.g., a time period associated with a subscription for periodic notifications). As shown in the example of FIG. 2C, the NF 252 may send the notifications 263, 264 to the NFs 251, 253 simultaneously and / or in response to the same condition. However, it will be understood that the NF 252 may provide notifications at different times and / or in response to different notification conditions. In one example, the NF 251 may request a notification when a particular parameter measured by the NF 252 exceeds a first threshold, and the NF 252 may request a notification when the parameter exceeds a second threshold different from the first threshold. In one example, the parameters of interest and / or corresponding thresholds may be indicated in the subscriptions 261, 262.

[0055] FIG. 2D illustrates another example of subscription-notification interactions. FIG. 2D 271 sends a subscription 281 to NF 272. In response to receiving the subscription 281 and / or determining that a notification condition has occurred, NF 272 may send a notification 284. The notification 284 may be sent to NF 273. Unlike the example of FIG. 2C (where the notification is sent to the subscribing NF), FIG. 2D illustrates that a subscription and its corresponding notification may be associated with different NFs. For example, NF 271 may subscribe to a service provided by NF 272 instead of NF 273.

[0056] 3 illustrates another exemplary communication network 300 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. The communication network 300 includes a user equipment (UE) 301, an access network (AN) 302, and a data network (DN) 308. The remaining elements illustrated in FIG. 3 may be included in and / or associated with a core network. Each element of the core network may be referred to as a network function (NF).

[0057] The NFs illustrated in FIG. 3 include a user plane function (UPF) 305, an access and mobility management function (AMF) 312, a session management function (SMF) 314, a policy control function (PCF) 320, a network repository function (NRF) 330, a network exposure function (NEF) 340, a unified data management (UDM) 350, an authentication server function (AUSF) 360, a network slice selection function (NSSF) 370, a charging function (CHF) 380, a network data analysis function (NWDAF) 390, and an application function (AF) 399. The UPF 305 may be a user plane core network function, while the NFs 312, 314, and 320-390 may be control plane core network functions. Although not shown in the example of FIG. 3, the core network may include additional instances of any of the illustrated NFs and / or one or more different NF types providing different services. Other examples of NF types include a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC), a Location Management Function (LMF), an Operations, Administration, and Maintenance Function (OAM), a Public Warning System (PWS), a Short Message Service Function (SMSF), a Unified Data Repository (UDR), and an Unstructured Data Storage Function (UDSF).

[0058] Each element shown in FIG. 3 has an interface with at least one other element. The interface may be, for example, a logical connection rather than a direct physical connection. Any interface may be identified using a reference point representation and / or a service-based representation. In a reference point representation, the letter "N" followed by a number indicates an interface between two particular elements. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, AN 302 and UPF 305 interface via "N3", while UPF 305 and DN 308 interface via "N6". In contrast, in a service-based representation, the letter "N" is followed by a letter. The letter identifies the NF that provides a service to the core network. For example, PCF 320 may provide a service via interface "Npcf". PCF 320 may provide a service to any NF in the core network via "Npcf". Thus, a service-based representation may correspond to a bundle of reference point representations. For example, the Npcf interface between the PCF320 and the core network may generally correspond to the N7 interface between the PCF320 and the SMF314, the N30 interface between the PCF320 and the NEF340, etc.

[0059] The UPF 305 may act as a gateway for user plane traffic between the AN 302 and the DN 308. The UE 301 may connect to the UPF 305 via a Uu interface and an N3 interface (also referred to as an NG-U interface). The UPF 305 may connect to the DN 308 via an N6 interface. The UPF 305 may connect to one or more other UPFs (not shown) via an N9 interface. The UE 301 may be configured to receive services through a protocol data unit (PDU) session, which is a logical connection between the UE 301 and the DN 308. The UPF 305 (or multiple UPFs, if desired) may be selected by the SMF 314 to handle a particular PDU session between the UE 301 and the DN 308. The SMF 314 may control the function of the UPF 305 for the PDU session. The SMF 314 may connect to the UPF 305 via an N4 interface. The UPF 305 may handle any number of PDU sessions associated with any number of UEs (via any number of ANs). For the purpose of handling one or more PDU sessions, the UPF 305 may be controlled by any number of SMFs via any number of corresponding N4 interfaces.

[0060] The AMF 312 shown in FIG. 3 may control UE access to the core network. The UE 301 may register to the network via the AMF 312. The UE 301 may need to register before establishing a PDU session. The AMF 312 may manage the registration area of ​​the UE 301, allowing the network to track the physical location of the UE 301 in the network. For a UE in connected mode, the AMF 312 may manage UE mobility, e.g., handover from one AN or part of it to another AN or part of it. For a UE in idle mode, the AMF 312 may perform registration updates and / or page the UE to transition the UE to connected mode.

[0061] The AMF 312 may receive non-access stratum (NAS) messages from the UE 301, transmitted according to a NAS protocol. The NAS messages relate to communication between the UE 301 and the core network. The NAS messages may be relayed to the AMF 312 via the AN 302, but may be described as communication over the N1 interface. The NAS messages may facilitate UE registration and mobility management, for example, by authenticating, identifying, configuring, and / or managing the connections of the UE 301. The NAS messages may support session management procedures to maintain user plane connectivity and quality of service (QoS) of sessions between the UE 301 and the DN 309. If the NAS messages involve session management, the AMF 312 may send the NAS messages to the SMF 314. The NAS messages may be used to transport messages between the UE 301 and other components of the core network (e.g., core network components other than the AMF 312 and the SMF 314). The AMF 312 may act on the particular NAS message itself, or alternatively, may forward the NAS message to an appropriate core network function (such as, for example, the SMF 314).

[0062] The SMF 314 shown in FIG. 3 may establish, modify, and / or release a PDU session based on the received UE 301 message. The SMF 314 may, for example, assign, manage, and / or assign an IP address to the UE 301 when establishing a PDU session. There may be multiple SMFs in a network, and each SMF may be associated with a respective group of wireless devices, base stations, and / or UPFs. A UE with multiple PDU sessions may be associated with a different SMF for each PDU session. As mentioned above, the SMF 314 may select one or more UPFs to process a PDU session and control the processing of the PDU session by the selected UPF by providing rules for packet processing (PDR, FAR, QER, etc.). Rules regarding QoS and / or charging for a particular PDU session may be obtained from the PCF 320 and provided to the UPF 305.

[0063] The PCF 320 may provide services related to policy rules to other NFs. The PCF 320 may use subscription data and information about network conditions to determine policy rules and then provide the policy rules to specific NFs that may be responsible for enforcing those rules. The policy rules may relate to access and mobility policy control and may be enforced by the AMF. The policy rules may relate to session management and may be enforced by the SMF 314. The policy rules may be, for example, network-specific, wireless device-specific, session-specific, or data flow-specific.

[0064] The NRF 330 may provide service discovery. The NRF 330 may belong to a particular PLMN. The NRF 330 may maintain an NF profile associated with other NFs in the communication network 300. The NF profile may include, for example, the address, PLMN, and / or type of the NF, a slice identifier, a list of one or more services provided by the NF, and authentication required to access the service.

[0065] The NEF 340 shown in FIG. 3 may provide an interface to an external domain and allow the external domain to selectively access the control plane of the communication network 300. The external domain may include, for example, third party network functions, application functions, etc. The NEF 340 may act as a proxy between the external elements and network functions such as the AMF 312, the SMF 314, the PCF 320, the UDM 350, etc. As an example, the NEF 340 may determine the location or reachability status of the UE 301 based on a report from the AMF 312 and provide the status information to the external elements. As an example, the external elements may provide information via the NEF 340 that facilitates the setting of parameters for establishing a PDU session. The NEF 340 may determine which data and functions of the control plane are exposed to the external domain. The NEF 340 may provide a secure exposure that authenticates and / or authorizes the external entities to which the data or functions of the communication network 300 are exposed. The NEF 340 may selectively control the exposure such that the internal architecture of the core network is hidden from the external domain.

[0066] The UDM 350 may provide data storage for other NFs. The UDM 350 may allow a unified view of network information that can be used to provide the most relevant information to various NFs from a single resource. The UDM 350 may store and / or retrieve information from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). For example, the UDM 350 may retrieve user subscription data associated with the UE 301 from the UDR.

[0067] The AUSF 360 may support mutual authentication of the UE 301 by the core network and authentication of the core network by the UE 301. The AUSF 360 may perform important contracting procedures and provide key material that can be used to improve security.

[0068] The NSSF 370 may select one or more network slices to be used by the UE 301. The NSSF 370 may select a slice based on slice selection information. For example, the NSSF 370 may receive single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) and map the S-NSSAI to a network slice instance identifier (NSI).

[0069] The CHF 380 may control billing-related tasks associated with the UE 301. For example, the UPF 305 may report traffic usage associated with the UE 301 to the SMF 314. The SMF 314 may collect usage data from the UPF 305 and one or more other UPFs. The usage data may indicate the amount of data exchanged, the DNs exchanged, the network slices associated with the data, or any other information that may affect billing. The SMF 314 may share the collected usage data with the CHF. The CHF may use the collected usage data to perform billing-related tasks associated with the UE 301. The CHF may instruct the SMF 314 to restrict or affect access to the UE 301 and / or provide billing-related notifications to the UE 301 depending on the charging status of the UE 301.

[0070] The NWDAF 390 may collect and analyze data from and provide data analysis services to other network functions. As an example, the NWDAF 390 may collect data related to the load level of a particular network slice instance from the UPF 305, the AMF 312, and / or the SMF 314. Based on the collected data, the NWDAF 390 may provide load level data to the PCF 320 and / or the NSSF 370 and / or notify the PCF 320 and / or the NSSF 370 if the load level of the slice reaches and / or exceeds a load level threshold.

[0071] The AF 399 may be outside the core network, but may interact with the core network to provide information related to QoS requirements or traffic routing preferences associated with a particular application. The AF 399 may access the core network based on exposure constraints imposed by the NEF 340. However, the operator of the core network may consider the AF 399 as a trusted domain that has direct access to the network.

[0072] Figures 4A, 4B, and 5 show other examples of core network architectures similar in some respects to the core network architecture 300 shown in Figure 3. For the sake of brevity, some of the core network elements shown in Figure 3 are omitted. Many of the elements shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 5 are similar in some respects to the elements shown in Figure 3. For the sake of brevity, some details related to their functionality or operation are omitted.

[0073] FIG. 4A illustrates an example of a core network architecture 400A including the deployment of multiple UPFs. The core network architecture 400A includes a UE 401, an AN 402, an AMF 412, and an SMF 414. Unlike the previous example of the core network architecture described above, FIG. 4A illustrates multiple UPFs including a UPF 405, a UPF 406, and a UPF 407, and multiple DNs including a DN 408 and a DN 409. Each of the multiple UPFs 405, 406, 407 may communicate with the SMF 414 via an N4 interface. The DNs 408, 409 communicate with the UPFs 405, 406, respectively, via an N6 interface. In FIG. 4A, the multiple UPFs 405, 406, 407 may communicate with each other via an N9 interface.

[0074] The UPFs 405, 406, 407 may perform traffic detection, where the UPFs identify and / or classify packets. Packet identification may be performed based on Packet Detection Rules (PDRs) provided by the SMF 414. The PDRs may include packet detection information including one or more of a source interface, a UE IP address, a Core Network (CN) tunnel information (e.g., a CN address of an N3 / N9 tunnel corresponding to a PDU session), a network instance identifier, a Quality of Service Flow Identifier (QFI), a filter set (e.g., an IP packet filter set or an Ethernet packet filter set), and / or an application identifier.

[0075] In addition to indicating how a particular packet is detected, the PDR may further indicate rules for handling the packet upon its detection. The rules may include, for example, forwarding action rules (FARs), multi-access rules (MARs), usage report rules (URRs), QoS enforcement rules (QERs), etc. For example, the PDR may include one or more FAR identifiers, MAR identifiers, RRR identifiers, and / or QER identifiers. These identifiers may indicate rules prescribed for handling a particular detected packet.

[0076] The UPF 405 may perform traffic forwarding according to the FAR. For example, the FAR may indicate that packets associated with a particular PDR are forwarded, duplicated, dropped, and / or buffered. The FAR may indicate a destination interface, e.g., "access" for downlink or "core" for uplink. If buffering packets, the FAR may indicate a buffering action rule (BAR). As an example, the UPF 405 may perform data buffering of a certain number of downlink packets if a PDU session is stopped.

[0077] The UPF 405 may perform QoS enforcement according to the QER. For example, the QER may indicate an approved guaranteed bit rate and / or a maximum bit rate enforced for packets associated with a particular PDR. The QER may indicate that a particular guaranteed and / or maximum bit rate may be for uplink packets and / or downlink packets. The UPF 405 may mark packets belonging to a particular QoS flow with a corresponding QFI. The marking may enable the receiver of the packet to determine the QoS of the packet.

[0078] The UPF 405 may provide the usage report to the SMF 414 according to the RRR. The URR may indicate one or more trigger conditions for the generation and reporting of the usage report, e.g., immediate reporting, periodic reporting, a receiving threshold of uplink traffic, or any other suitable trigger condition. The URR may indicate a method for measuring the usage of network resources, e.g., data volume, duration, and / or event.

[0079] As mentioned above, the DNs 408, 409 may include public DNs (e.g., Internet), private DNs (e.g., private, internal company-owned DNs), and / or intra-operator DNs. Each DN may provide operator services and / or third-party services. The services provided by the DNs may be Internet, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), augmented or virtual reality networks, edge computing or mobile edge computing (MEC) networks, etc. Each DN may be identified using a Data Network Name (DNN). The UE 401 may be configured to establish a first logical connection with the DN 408 (first PDU session), a second logical connection with the DN 409 (second PDU session), or both (first and second PDU sessions) at the same time.

[0080] Each PDU session may be associated with at least one UPF configured to act as a PDU session anchor (PSA, or "anchor"). The anchor may be a UPF that provides an N6 interface with the DN.

[0081] In the embodiment of FIG. 4A, UPF 405 may be the anchor of a first PDU session between UE 401 and DN 408, while UPF 406 may be the anchor of a second PDU session between UE 401 and DN 409. The core network may use the anchor to provide service continuity (e.g., IP address continuity) for a particular PDU session when UE 401 moves from one access network to another. For example, assume that UE 401 establishes a PDU session using a data path to DN 408 using an access network other than AN 402. The data path may include UPF 405 acting as an anchor. Further assume that UE 401 later moves into the coverage area of ​​AN 402. In such a scenario, SMF 414 may select a new UPF (UPF 407) to fill the gap between the newly entered access network (AN 402) and the anchor UPF (UPF 405). PDU session continuity may be maintained as any number of UPFs are added or removed from the data path. When a UPF is added to the data path, it may be described as an intermediate UPF and / or a cascaded UPF, as shown in FIG. 4A.

[0082] As mentioned above, the UPF 406 may be an anchor for the second PDU session between the UE 401 and the DN 409. Although the anchors for the first and second PDU sessions are associated with different UPFs in FIG. 4A, it will be understood that this is merely an example. It will also be understood that multiple PDU sessions with a single DN may correspond to any number of anchors. When there are multiple UPFs, the UPF at the branching point (UPF 407 in FIG. 4) may act as an uplink classifier (UL-CL). The UL-CL may divert uplink user plane traffic to a different UPF.

[0083] The SMF 414 may assign, manage, and / or assign an IP address to the UE 401, for example, upon establishment of a PDU session. The SMF 414 may maintain an internal pool of IP addresses to be assigned. The SMF 414 may assign IP addresses provided by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server or an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server, as needed. IP address management may be performed according to Session and Service Continuity (SSC) modes. In SSC mode 1, the IP address of the UE 401 may be maintained (and the same anchor UPF may be used) as the wireless device moves within the network. In SSC mode 2, the IP address of the UE 401 changes (e.g., a previous IP address and UPF may be abandoned and a new IP address and anchor UPF may be established) as the UE 401 moves within the network. In SSC mode 3, it may be possible to temporarily maintain the old IP address (similar to SSC mode 1) while establishing a new IP address (similar to SSC mode 2), thus combining features of SSC modes 1 and 2. Applications that are sensitive to IP address changes may operate according to SSC mode 1.

[0084] UPF selection may be controlled by the SMF 414. For example, upon establishment and / or modification of a PDU session between the UE 401 and the DN 408, the SMF 414 may select the UPF 405 as the anchor of the PDU session and / or select the UPF 407 as an intermediate UPF. Criteria for UPF selection include path efficiency and / or speed between the AN 402 and the DN 408. Reliability, load status, location, slice support, and / or other capabilities of the candidate UPFs may also be considered.

[0085] 4B illustrates an example of a core network architecture 400B that supports untrusted access. Similar to FIG. 4A, the UE 401 shown in FIG. 4B connects to the DN 408 via the AN 402 and the UPF 405. The AN 402 and the UPF 405 constitute trusted (e.g., 3GPP®) access to the DN 408. In contrast, the UE 401 may also access the DN 408 using an untrusted access network AN 403, and a non-3GPP® interworking function (N3IWF) 404.

[0086] The AN403 may be, for example, a wireless land area network (WLAN) operating according to the IEEE 802.11 standard. The UE401 may connect to the AN403 via the interface Y1 in any manner prescribed for the AN403. The connection to the AN403 may be with or without authentication. The UE401 may obtain an IP address from the AN403. The UE401 may decide to connect to the core network 400B and select an untrusted access for that purpose. The AN403 may communicate with the N3IWF404 via the Y2 interface. After selecting the untrusted access, the UE401 may provide the N3IWF404 with sufficient information to select an AMF. The selected AMF may be, for example, the same AMF used by the UE401 for 3GPP access (AMF412 in this embodiment). The N3IWF404 may communicate with the AMF412 via the N2 interface. The UPF 405 may be selected and the N3IWF 404 may communicate with the UPF 405 via the N3 interface. The UPF 405 may be a PDU session anchor (PSA) and may remain the anchor for the PDU session even when the UE 401 shifts between trusted and untrusted access.

[0087] 5 illustrates an example of a core network architecture 500 in which a UE 501 is in a roaming scenario. In the roaming scenario, the UE 501 is a subscriber of a first PLMN (Home PLMN, or HPLMN) but binds to a second PLMN (Visited PLMN, or VPLMN). The core network architecture 500 includes a UE 501, an AN 502, a UPF 505, and a DN 508. The AN 502 and the UPF 505 may be associated with the VPLMN. The VPLMN may manage the AN 502 and the UPF 505 using core network elements associated with the VPLMN, including an AMF 512, an SMF 514, a PCF 520, an NRF 530, an NEF 540, and an NSSF 570. An AF 599 may be adjacent to the core network of the VPLMN.

[0088] UE 501 may not be a subscriber of the VPLMN. AMF 512 may allow UE 501 to access the network based on, for example, roaming restrictions applied to UE 501. To obtain network services provided by the VPLMN, the core network of the VPLMN may need to interact with core network elements of UE 501's HPLMN, in particular PCF 521, NRF 531, NEF 541, UDM 551, and / or AUSF 561. The VPLMN and HPLMN may communicate using an N32 interface connecting their respective Security Edge Protection Proxies (SEPPs). In FIG. 5, the respective SEPPs are illustrated as VSEPP 590 and HSEPP 591.

[0089] The VSEPP 590 and HSEPP 591 communicate over the N32 interface for defined purposes while hiding information about each PLMN from the other. The SEPP may apply roaming policies based on communication over the N32 interface. The PCF 520 and PCF 521 may communicate over the SEPP to exchange policy related signaling. The NRF 530 and NRF 531 may communicate over the SEPP to enable service discovery of NFs in the respective PLMNs. The VPLMN and HPLMN may independently maintain the NEF 540 and NEF 541. The NSSF 570 and NSSF 571 may communicate over the SEPP to coordinate slice selection for the UE 501. The HPLMN may handle all authentication and subscription related signaling. For example, when UE501 registers or requests a service via the VPLMN, the VPLMN may authenticate UE501 and / or obtain subscription data for UE501 by accessing UDM551 and AUSF561 of the HPLMN via the SEPP.

[0090] The core network architecture 500 shown in FIG. 5 may be referred to as a local breakout configuration, in which the UE 501 uses one or more UPFs (i.e., UPF 505) of the VPLMN to access the DN 508. However, other configurations are possible. For example, in a home routing configuration (not shown in FIG. 5), the UE 501 may use one or more UPFs of the HPLMN to access the DN. In a home routing configuration, the N9 interface may operate in parallel to the N32 interface and carry user plane data across the frontier between the VPLMN and the HPLMN. One or more SMFs of each PLMN may communicate over the N32 interface to coordinate session management for the UE 501. The SMFs may control the respective UPFs on both sides of the frontier.

[0091] 6 illustrates an example of network slicing. Network slicing may refer to the division of a shared infrastructure (e.g., a physical infrastructure) into separate logical networks. These separate logical networks may be independently controlled, isolated from one another, and / or associated with dedicated resources.

[0092] Network architecture 600A illustrates an unsliced ​​physical network corresponding to a single logical network. Network architecture 600A includes a user plane, where UEs 601A, 601B, 601C (collectively, UEs 601) have physical and logical connections to DNs 608 via ANs 602 and UPFs 605. Network architecture 600A includes a control plane, where AMFs 612 and SMFs 614 control various aspects of the user plane.

[0093] The network architecture 600A may have a particular set of characteristics (e.g., with respect to maximum bit rate, reliability, delay, bandwidth usage, power consumption, etc.). This set of characteristics may be influenced by the nature of the network element itself (e.g., processing power, availability of free memory, proximity to other network elements, etc.) or its management (e.g., optimized to maximize bit rate or reliability and reduce delay or power bandwidth usage). The characteristics of the network architecture 600A may change over time, for example, by upgrading equipment or by changing procedures to target specific characteristics. However, at any given time, the network architecture 600A will have a single set of characteristics that may or may not be optimized for a particular use case. For example, the UEs 601A, 601B, 601C may have different requirements, but the network architecture 600A may be optimized for only one of the three.

[0094] Network architecture 600B is an example of a sliced ​​physical network divided into multiple logical networks. In FIG. 6, the physical network is divided into three logical networks called slice A, slice B, and slice C. For example, UE 601A may be served by AN 602A, UPF 605A, AMF 612, and SMF 614A. UE 601B may be served by AN 602B, UPF 605B, AMF 612, and SMF 614B. UE 601C may be served by AN 602C, UPF 605C, AMF 612, and SMF 614C. Although each UE 601 communicates with different network elements from a logical perspective, these network elements may be deployed by a network operator using the same physical network element.

[0095] Each network slice may be tailored to a network service with a different set of characteristics. For example, slice A may correspond to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services. Mobile broadband may refer to Internet access by mobile users commonly associated with smartphones. Slice B may correspond to ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), focusing on reliability and speed. Compared to eMBB, URLLC may improve the viability of use cases such as autonomous driving and remote surgery. Slice C may correspond to massive machine-type communications (mMTC), focusing on low-power services delivered to a large number of users. For example, slice C may be optimized for a dense network of battery-powered sensors that provide small amounts of data periodically. Many mMTC use cases would be prohibitively expensive to operate using eMBB or URLLC networks.

[0096] If the service requirements of one of the UEs 601 change, the network slice serving that UE can be updated to provide better service. Additionally, the set of network characteristics corresponding to eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC can change such that variants of eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC are provided. Alternatively, the network operator can offer completely new services, for example in response to customer requests.

[0097] In FIG. 6, each of the UEs 601 has its own network slice. However, it will be appreciated that a single slice can serve any number of UEs and a single UE can operate using any number of slices. Furthermore, in the example network architecture 600B, the AN 602, the UPF 605, and the SMF 614 are separated into three separate slices, and the AMF 612 is not sliced. However, it will be appreciated that a network operator may deploy any architecture that selectively utilizes any combination of sliced ​​and non-sliced ​​network elements, with different network elements divided into different numbers of slices. Although FIG. 6 shows only three core network functions, it will be appreciated that other core network functions may be sliced ​​as well. A PLMN that supports multiple network slices may maintain a separate network repository function (NFR) for each slice, allowing other NFs to discover network services associated with that slice.

[0098] Network slice selection may be controlled by the AMF or, alternatively, by a separate Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF). For example, a network operator may define and implement separate Network Slice Instances (NSIs). Each NSI may be associated with a Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI). The S-NSSAI may include a particular slice / service type (SST) indicator (indicating eMBB, URLLC, mMTC, etc.). As an example, a particular tracking area may be associated with one or more configured S-NSSAIs. The UE may identify (e.g., during registration) one or more requested and / or registered S-NSSAIs. The network may indicate to the UE one or more allowed and / or rejected S-NSSAIs.

[0099] The S-NSSAI may further include a slice differentiator (SD) to distinguish different tenants of a particular slice and / or service type. For example, a tenant may be a customer of a network operator (e.g., a vehicle manufacturer, a service provider, etc.) that obtains (e.g., purchases) guaranteed network resources and / or a particular policy to handle its subscribers. A network operator may configure different slices and / or slice types and use the SD to determine which tenants are associated with a particular slice.

[0100] 7A, 7B and 7C show services provided between the user plane (UP) protocol stack, the control plane (CP) protocol stack and the protocol layers of the UP protocol stack.

[0101] The layers may be associated with the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model of computer networking functions. In the OSI model, layer 1 may correspond to a lower layer, and higher layers may be above the lower layer. Layer 1 may correspond to a physical layer, which is related to the physical infrastructure used to transfer signals (e.g., cables, optical fibers, and / or radio frequency transceivers). In New Radio (NR), layer 1 may include a physical layer (PHY). Layer 2 may correspond to a data link layer. Layer 2 may relate to packaging of data (e.g., in data frames) for transfer between nodes of the network using the physical infrastructure of layer 1. In NR, layer 2 may include a media access control layer (MAC), a radio link control layer (RLC), a packet data convergence layer (PDCP), and a service data application protocol layer (SDAP).

[0102] Layer 3 may correspond to the network layer. Layer 3 may be concerned with routing of data packaged in Layer 2. Layer 3 may handle prioritization of data and traffic avoidance. In NR, Layer 3 may include the Radio Resource Control layer (RRC) and the Non-Access Layer (NAS). Layers 4-7 may correspond to the transport layer, the session layer, the presentation layer, and the application layer. The application layer interacts with end users to provide data associated with the application. In one embodiment, an end user implementing an application may generate data associated with the application and begin sending the information to a target data network (e.g., the Internet, an application server, etc.). Starting from the application layer, each layer of the OSI model may manipulate and / or repackage the information and deliver it to the lower layer. At the lowest layer, the manipulated and / or repackaged information may be exchanged over a physical infrastructure (e.g., electrical, optical, and / or electromagnetic). Upon approaching the target data network, the information is unpackaged and provided to higher and higher layers until it again reaches the application layer in a form usable by the target data network (e.g., the same form provided by the end user). To respond to the end user, the data network may perform this procedure in reverse.

[0103] 7A shows a user plane protocol stack. The user plane protocol stack may be a New Radio (NR) protocol stack for the Uu interface between the UE 701 and the gNB 702. At layer 1 of the UP protocol stack, the UE 701 may implement a PHY 731 and the gNB 702 may implement a PHY 732. At layer 2 of the UP protocol stack, the UE 701 may implement a MAC 741, an RLC 751, a PDCP 761, and an SDAP 771. The gNB 702 may implement a MAC 742, an RLC 752, a PDCP 762, and an SDAP 772.

[0104] 7B illustrates a control plane protocol stack. The control plane protocol stack may be an NR protocol stack for the Uu interface between the UE 701 and the gNB 702 and / or the N1 interface between the UE 701 and the AMF 712. At layer 1 of the CP protocol stack, the UE 701 may implement PHY 731 and the gNB 702 may implement PHY 732. At layer 2 of the CP protocol stack, the UE 701 may implement MAC 741, RLC 751, PDCP 761, RRC 781, and NAS 791. The gNB 702 may implement MAC 742, RLC 752, PDCP 762, and RRC 782. The AMF 712 may implement NAS 792.

[0105] NAS may relate to the non-access stratum, in particular communications between the UE 701 and the core network (e.g., AMF 712). Lower layers may relate to the access stratum, e.g., communications between the UE 701 and the gNB 702. Messages sent between the UE 701 and the core network may be referred to as NAS messages. In one example, NAS messages may be relayed by the gNB 702, but the contents of the NAS messages (e.g., information elements of the NAS messages) may be invisible to the gNB 702.

[0106] FIG. 7C illustrates an example of services provided between protocol layers of the NR user plane protocol stack illustrated in FIG. 7A. The UE 701 may receive services via a PDU session, which may be a logical connection between the UE 701 and a data network. The UE 701 and the DN may exchange data packets associated with the PDU session. The PDU session may include one or more Quality of Service (QoS) flows. The SDAP 771 and SDAP 772 may perform mapping and / or de-mapping between one or more QoS flows of the PDU session and one or more radio bearers (e.g., data radio bearers). The mapping between the QoS flows and the data radio bearers may be determined by the gNB 702 in the SDAP 772, and the UE 701 may be informed of the mapping (e.g., based on control signaling and / or reflected mapping). For reflected mapping, the SDAP 772 of the gNB 220 may mark the downlink packets with a QoS flow indicator (QFI) and deliver the downlink packets to the UE 701. The UE 701 may determine the mapping based on the QFI of the downlink packet.

[0107] PDCP 761 and PDCP 762 may perform header compression and / or decompression. Header compression may reduce the amount of data transmitted over the physical layer. PDCP 761 and PDCP 762 may perform encryption and / or decryption. Encryption may reduce unauthorized decryption of data transmitted over the physical layer (e.g., intercepted on the air interface) and protect data integrity (e.g., to ensure that control messages originate from the intended source). PDCP 761 and PDCP 762 may perform retransmission of undelivered packets, in-sequence delivery and reordering of packets, packet duplication, and / or duplicate packet identification and removal. In dual connectivity scenarios, PDCP 761 and PDCP 762 may perform mapping between split radio bearers and RLC channels.

[0108] The RLC 751 and RLC 752 may perform segmentation, retransmission via automatic repeat request (ARQ), removal of duplicate data units received from the MAC 741 and MAC 742, respectively, and the RLCs 213 and 223 may provide RLC channels as a service to the PDCPs 214 and 224, respectively.

[0109] The MAC 741 and MAC 742 may perform multiplexing and / or demultiplexing of logical channels. The MAC 741 and MAC 742 may map logical channels to transport channels. In one example, the UE 701 may multiplex data units of one or more logical channels into a transport block at the MAC 741. The UE 701 may transmit the transport block to the gNB 702 using the PHY 731. The gNB 702 may receive the transport block using the PHY 732 and demultiplex the data units of the transport block back into the logical channels. The MAC 741 and MAC 742 may perform error correction via hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), logical channel prioritization, and / or padding.

[0110] PHY731 and PHY732 may perform mapping of transport channels to physical channels. PHY731 and PHY732 may perform digital and analog signal processing functions (e.g., encryption / decryption and modulation / demodulation) for transmitting and receiving information (e.g., transmission over the air interface). PHY731 and PHY732 may perform multi-antenna mapping.

[0111] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a quality of service (QoS) model for differentiated data exchange. The QoS model of FIG. 8 includes a UE 801, an AN 802, and a UPF 805. The QoS model facilitates prioritization of specific packets or protocol data units (PDUs), also referred to as packets. For example, high priority packets may be exchanged faster and / or more reliably than low priority packets. The network may expend more resources on exchanging high QoS packets.

[0112] In the embodiment of FIG. 8, a PDU session 810 is established between the UE 801 and the UPF 805. The PDU session 810 may be a logical connection that allows the UE 801 to exchange data with a particular data network (e.g., the Internet). The UE 801 may request the establishment of the PDU session 810. At the time the PDU session 810 is established, the UE 801 may identify a target data network, for example, based on its data network name (DNN). The PDU session 810 may be managed, for example, by a session management function (SMF, not shown). To facilitate the exchange of data associated with the PDU session 810, between the UE 801 and the data network, the SMF may select the UPF 805 (and optionally one or more other UPFs, not shown).

[0113] One or more applications associated with the UE 801 may generate uplink packets 812A-812E associated with the PDU session 810. To operate within the QoS model, the UE 801 may apply QoS rules 814 to the uplink packets 812A-812E. The QoS rules 814 may be associated with the PDU session 810 and may be determined and / or provided to the UE 801 when the PDU session 810 is established and / or modified. Based on the QoS rules 814, the UE 801 may classify the uplink packets 812A-812E, map each of the uplink packets 812A-812E to a QoS flow, and / or mark the uplink packets 812A-812E with a QoS flow indicator (QFI). As the packets travel through the network and mix with other packets from other UEs, potentially with different priorities, the QFI indicates how the packets should be treated according to the QoS model. In this figure, uplink packets 812A, 812B are mapped to QoS flow 816A, uplink packet 812C is mapped to QoS flow 816B, and the remaining packets are mapped to QoS flow 816C.

[0114] QoS flows may be the finest granularity of QoS differentiation in a PDU session. In the figure, three QoS flows 816A-816C are illustrated. However, it will be understood that there may be any number of QoS flows. Some QoS flows may be associated with guaranteed bit rates (GBR QoS flows) and other QoS flows may have non-guaranteed bit rates (non-GBR QoS flows). The QoS flows may also be subject to aggregate bit rates per UE and per session. One of the QoS flows may be a default QoS flow. The QoS flows may have different priorities. For example, QoS flow 816A may have a higher priority than QoS flow 816B, which may have a higher priority than QoS flow 816C. The different priorities may be reflected by different QoS flow characteristics. For example, a QoS flow may be associated with a flow bit rate. A particular QoS flow may be associated with a guaranteed flow bit rate (GFBR) and / or a maximum flow bit rate (MFBR). A QoS flow may be associated with a particular packet delay budget (PDB), packet error rate (PER), and / or maximum packet loss rate. QoS flows may also be subject to aggregate bit rates per UE and per session.

[0115] To operate within the QoS model, the UE 801 may apply resource mapping rules 818 to the QoS flows 816A-816C. The air interface between the UE 801 and the AN 802 may be associated with resources 820. In this figure, the QoS flow 816A is mapped to resource 820A, while the QoS flows 816B, 816C are mapped to resource 820B. The resource mapping rules 818 may be provided by the AN 802. To meet the QoS requirements, the resource mapping rules 818 may specify more resources for relatively high priority QoS flows. With more resources, a high priority QoS flow, such as the QoS flow 816A, may be more likely to obtain a high flow bit rate, a low packet delay budget, or other characteristics associated with the QoS rule 814. The resources 820 may include, for example, radio bearers. Radio bearers (e.g., data radio bearers) may be established between the UE 801 and the AN 802. The 5G radio bearers between the UE 801 and the AN 802 may be different from the LTE bearers, e.g., the Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearers between the UE and the packet data network gateway (PGW), the S1 bearers between the eNB and the serving gateway (SGW), and / or the S5 / S8 bearers between the SGW and the PGW.

[0116] When packets associated with a particular QoS flow are received at the AN 802 via resource 820A or resource 820B, the AN 802 may separate the packets into respective QoS flows 856A-856C based on the QoS profile 828. The QoS profile 828 may be received from the SMF. Each QoS profile may correspond to a QFI, e.g., a QFI marked on the uplink packets 812A-812E. Each QoS profile may include QoS parameters such as a 5G QoS Identifier (5QI) and an Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP). The QoS profile of a non-GBR QoS flow may further include additional QoS parameters such as a Reflected QoS Attribute (RQA). The QoS profile of a GBR QoS flow may further include additional QoS parameters such as a Guaranteed Flow Bit Rate (GFBR), a Maximum Flow Bit Rate (MFBR), and / or a Maximum Packet Loss Rate. The 5QI may be a standardized 5QI with a one-to-one mapping to a standardized combination of 5G QoS characteristics for each well-known service. The 5QI may be a dynamically assigned 5QI for which no standardized 5QI value is defined. The 5QI may represent 5G QoS characteristics. The 5QI may include a resource type, a default priority level, a packet delay budget (PDB), a packet error rate (PER), a maximum data burst volume, and / or an averaging window. The resource type may indicate a non-GBR QoS flow, a GBR QoS flow, or a delay-critical GBR QoS flow. The averaging window may represent a period over which the GFBR and / or MFBR are calculated. The ARP may be a priority level including preemption capability and preemption vulnerability. Based on the ARP, the AN802 may apply admission control to the QoS flow in case of resource limitations.

[0117] The AN 802 may select one or more N3 tunnels 850 for transmission of the QoS flows 856A-856C. After the packets are split into the QoS flows 856A-856C, the packets may be transmitted to the UPF 805 (e.g., toward the DN) via the selected one or more N3 tunnels 850. The UPF 805 may verify that the QFIs of the uplink packets 812A-812E are consistent with the QoS rules 814 provided to the UE 801. The UPF 805 may measure and / or count the packets and / or provide packet metrics, for example, to the PCF.

[0118] The figure also illustrates a downlink process. In particular, one or more applications may generate downlink packets 852A-852E. The UPF 805 may receive the downlink packets 852A-852E from one or more DNs and / or one or more other UPFs. According to the QoS model, the UPF 805 may apply a packet detection rule (PDR) 854 to the downlink packets 852A-852E. Based on the PDR 854, the UPF 805 may map the packets 852A-852E to QoS flows. In this figure, the downlink packets 852A, 852B are mapped to QoS flow 856A, the downlink packet 852C is mapped to QoS flow 856B, and the remaining packets are mapped to QoS flow 856C.

[0119] QoS flows 856A-856C may be transmitted to the AN 802. The AN 802 may apply resource mapping rules to the QoS flows 856A-856C. In this figure, QoS flow 856A is mapped to resource 820A, and QoS flows 856B, 856C are mapped to resource 820B. To meet QoS requirements, the resource mapping rules may assign more resources to higher priority QoS flows.

[0120] 9A-9D show example states and state transitions of a wireless device (e.g., a UE). At any given time, the wireless device may have a radio resource control (RRC) state, a registration management (RM) state, and a connection management (CM) state.

[0121] 9A is an example diagram illustrating RRC state transitions of a wireless device (e.g., UE). The UE may be in one of three RRC states: RRC IDLE 910 (e.g., RRC_IDLE), RRC INACTIVE 920 (e.g., RRC_INACTIVE), or RRC CONNECTED 930 (e.g., RRC_CONNECTED). Depending on its RRC state, the UE may implement different RAN-related control plane procedures. Other elements of the network, e.g., a base station, may track the RRC state of one or more UEs and implement the appropriate RAN-related control plane procedures for each RRC state.

[0122] In the RRC connection 930, the UE may be able to exchange data with the network (e.g., a base station). Parameters necessary for the exchange of data may be established and known to both the UE and the network. The parameters may be referred to and / or included in the RRC context of the UE (also referred to as the UE context). These parameters may include, for example, one or more AS contexts, one or more radio link configuration parameters, bearer configuration information (e.g., related to data radio bearers, signaling radio bearers, logical channels, QoS flows, and / or PDU sessions), security information, and / or PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, and / or SDAP layer configuration information. The base station to which the UE is connected may store the RRC context of the UE.

[0123] During RRC connected 930, the UE's mobility may be managed by the access network, while the UE itself can manage mobility during RRC idle 910 and / or RRC inactive 920. During RRC connected 930, the UE can manage mobility by measuring signal levels (e.g., reference signal levels) from the serving cell and neighboring cells and reporting these measurements to the base station currently serving the UE. The network can initiate a handover based on the reported measurements. The RRC state can transition from RRC connected 930 to RRC idle 910 via a connection release procedure 930 or to RRC inactive 920 via a connection deactivation procedure 932.

[0124] In RRC Idle 910, no RRC context may be established for the UE. In RRC Idle 910, the UE may not have an RRC connection with a base station. While in RRC Idle 910, the UE may be in a sleep state most of the time (e.g., to conserve battery power). The UE may wake up periodically (e.g., once every discontinuous reception cycle) to monitor for paging messages from the access network. UE mobility may be managed by the UE through a procedure known as cell reselection. The RRC state may transition from RRC Idle 910 to RRC Connected 930 via a connection establishment procedure 913, which may involve a random access procedure as discussed in more detail below.

[0125] In RRC Inactive 920, previously established RRC context is maintained in the UE and base station. This allows for a faster transition to RRC Connected 930 with reduced signaling overhead compared to transitioning from RRC Idle 910 to RRC Connected 930. The RRC state may transition to RRC Connected 930 via a Connection Resume procedure 923. The RRC state may transition to RRC Idle 910 via a Connection Release procedure 921, which may be the same as or similar to a Connection Release procedure 931.

[0126] The RRC states may be associated with mobility management mechanisms. In RRC IDLE 910 and RRC INACTIVE 920, mobility is managed by the UE through cell reselection. The purpose of mobility management in RRC IDLE 910 and RRC INACTIVE 920 is to allow the network to inform the UE of events via paging messages without broadcasting the paging messages throughout the entire mobile communication network. The mobility management mechanisms used in RRC IDLE 910 and RRC INACTIVE 920 may allow the network to track the UE on a cell group level, so that paging messages may be broadcast on cells of the cell group in which the UE is currently located instead of the entire communication network. The tracking may be based on groupings of different granularities. For example, there may be three levels of granularity of cell grouping: individual cells, cells within a RAN area identified by a RAN Area Identifier (RAI), and cells within a group of RAN areas referred to as a tracking area and identified by a Tracking Area Identifier (TAI).

[0127] The tracking area may be used to track the UE at the CN level. The CN may provide the UE with a list of TAIs associated with the UE registration area. If the UE moves, through cell reselection, to a cell associated with a TAI that is not included in the list of TAIs associated with the UE registration area, the UE may perform a registration update in the CN to enable the CN to update the UE's location and provide the UE with a new UE registration area.

[0128] The RAN area may be used to track the UE at the RAN level. For a UE in RRC inactive 920 state, a RAN notification area may be assigned to the UE. The RAN notification area may include one or more cell identities, a list of RAIs, and / or a list of TAIs. In an embodiment, a base station may belong to one or more RAN notification areas. In an embodiment, a cell may belong to one or more RAN notification areas. If the UE moves through cell reselection to a cell that is not included in the RAN notification area assigned to the UE, the UE may perform a notification area update with the RAN to update the RAN notification area of ​​the UE.

[0129] A base station that stores the RRC context for a UE or the last serving base station for the UE may be referred to as an anchor base station. The anchor base station may maintain the RRC context for the UE at least for a period of time that the UE remains in the RAN notification area of ​​the anchor base station and / or for a period of time that the UE remains in RRC inactive 920.

[0130] 9B is an example diagram illustrating registration management (RM) state transitions for a wireless device (e.g., UE). The states are RM-DEREGISTERED 940 and RM-REGISTERED 950.

[0131] In RM Deregistration 940, the UE is not registered with the network and the UE is not reachable by the network. To be reachable by the network, the UE must perform an initial registration. As an example, the UE may register with the AMF of the network. If the registration is rejected (Registration Reject 944), the UE remains in RM Deregistration 940. If the registration is accepted (Registration Accept 945), the UE transitions to RM Registration 950. While the UE is RM Registered 950, the network may store, retain, and / or maintain a UE context for the UE. The UE context may be referred to as a wireless device context. The UE context corresponding to the network registration (maintained by the core network) may differ from the RRC context corresponding to the RRC state (maintained by the access network, e.g., the base station). The UE context may include a UE identifier and records of various information related to the UE, such as UE capability information, policy information for access and mobility management of the UE, a list of allowed or established slice or PDU sessions, and / or a registration area of ​​the UE (i.e., a list of tracking areas covering a geographic area where the wireless device is likely to be found).

[0132] While the UE is RM registered 950, the network may store the UE context of the UE and may use the UE context to reach the UE, if necessary. Furthermore, some services may not be provided by the network unless the UE is registered. The UE may update the UE context while remaining in RM registered 950 (registration update consent 955). For example, if the UE leaves one tracking area and enters another, the UE may provide a tracking area identifier to the network. The network may deregister the UE or the UE may deregister itself (deregistration 954). For example, the network may automatically deregister the wireless device if it is inactive for a certain amount of time. Upon deregistration, the UE may transition to deregistered RM 940.

[0133] 9C is an example diagram illustrating connection management (CM) state transitions of a wireless device (e.g., UE), shown from the perspective of the wireless device. The UE can be in CM idle 960 (e.g., CM-IDLE) or CM connected 970 (e.g., CM connected).

[0134] In CM idle 960, the UE does not have a non-access stratum (NAS) signaling connection with the network. As a result, the UE cannot communicate with the core network functions. The UE may transition to CM connected 970 by establishing an AN signaling connection (AN signaling connection establishment 967). This transition may be initiated by sending an initial NAS message. The initial NAS message may be a registration request (e.g., if the UE is RM deregistered 940) or a service request (e.g., if the UE is RM registered 950). If the UE is RM registered 950, the UE may initiate the AN signaling connection establishment by sending a service request, or the network may send a page, thereby triggering the UE to send a service request.

[0135] In CM Connected 970, the UE may communicate with the core network functions using NAS signaling. As an example, the UE may exchange NAS signaling with the AMF for registration management purposes, service request procedures, and / or authentication procedures. As another example, the UE may exchange NAS signaling with the SMF to establish and / or modify PDU sessions. The network may disconnect the UE or the UE may disconnect itself (AN Signaling Connection Release 976). For example, when the UE transitions to unregistered RM 940, the UE may also transition to CM Idle 960. When the UE transitions to CM Idle 960, the network may stop the user plane connection of the UE's PDU sessions.

[0136] 9D is an example diagram illustrating CM state transitions of a wireless device (e.g., UE) as shown from the perspective of the network (e.g., AMF). The UE's CM state tracked by the AMF can be in CM idle 980 (e.g., CM-IDLE) or CM connected 990 (e.g., CM connected). When the UE transitions from CM idle 980 to CM connected 990, the AMF establishes more N2 contexts for the UE (N2 context establishment 989). When the UE transitions from CM connected 990 to CM idle 980, the AMF releases more N2 contexts for the UE (N2 context release 998).

[0137] 10-12 show example procedures for UE registration, service request, and PDU session establishment.

[0138] 10 illustrates an example of a registration procedure for a wireless device (e.g., a UE). Based on the registration procedure, the UE may transition from RM deregistration 940 to RM registration 950, for example.

[0139] Registration may be initiated by the UE to obtain authorization to receive services, to enable mobility tracking, to enable reachability, or for other purposes. The UE may perform initial registration as a first step toward connecting to a network (e.g., UE powered on, airplane mode off, etc.). Registration may also be performed periodically to inform the network of the UE's presence (e.g., while in CM-IDLE state) or in response to changes in UE capabilities or registration area. Deregistration (not shown in FIG. 10) may be performed to terminate network access.

[0140] At 1010, the UE sends a registration request to the AN. As an example, the UE may move from a coverage area of ​​a previous AMF (denoted as AMF#1) to a coverage area of ​​a new AMF (denoted as AMF#2). The registration request may be a NAS message. The registration request may include a UE identifier. The AN may select an AMF for registration of the UE. For example, the AN may select a default AMF. For example, the AN may select an AMF (e.g., a previous AMF) that is already mapped to the UE. The NAS registration request may include a network slice identifier, and the AN may select an AMF based on the requested slice. After the AMF is selected, the AN may send a registration request to the selected AMF.

[0141] At 1020, the AMF receiving the registration request (AMF#2) performs a context transfer. The context may be a UE context, for example, an RRC context of the UE. As an example, the AMF#2 may send a message to the AMF#1 requesting a context of the UE. The message may include a UE identifier. The message may be a Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer message. The AMF#1 may send a message including the requested UE context to the AMF#2. This message may be a Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer message. After the UE context is received, the AMF#2 may coordinate authentication of the UE. After the authentication is completed, the AMF#2 may send a message to the AMF#1 indicating that the UE context transfer is completed. This message may be a Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer Response message.

[0142] The authentication may require the participation of the UE, the AUSF, the UDM, and / or the UDR (not shown). For example, the AUSF may request that the AUSF authenticate the UE. For example, the AUSF may perform the authentication of the UE. For example, the AUSF may obtain authentication data from the UDM. For example, the AUSF may send a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) to the AMF based on successful authentication. For example, the AUSF may provide an intermediate key to the AMF. The intermediate key may be used to derive an access-specific security key for the UE, enabling the AMF to perform security context management (SCM). The AUSF may obtain subscription data from the UDM. The subscription data may be based on information obtained from the UDM (and / or the UDR). The subscription data may include a subscription identifier, security credentials, access and mobility related subscription data, and / or session related data.

[0143] At 1030, a new AMF, AMF#2, registers and / or subscribes with the UDM. AMF#2 may perform the registration using the UE Context Management service of the UDM (Nudm_UECM). AMF#2 may obtain the subscription information of the UE using the Subscriber Data Management service of the UDM (Nudm_SDM). AMF#2 may further request that the UDM notify AMF#2 if the subscription information of the UE changes. When the new AMF registers and subscribes, the previous AMF, AMF#1, may be de-registered and de-subscribed. After de-registration, AMF#1 is no longer responsible for the mobility management of the UE.

[0144] At 1040, the AMF#2 obtains an access and mobility (AM) policy from the PCF. As an example, the AMF#2 may provide subscription data of the UE to the PCF. The PCF may determine an access and mobility policy for the UE based on the subscription data, network operator data, current network conditions, and / or other suitable information. For example, an owner of a first UE may purchase a higher level of service than an owner of a second UE. The PCF may provide rules associated with different levels of service. Based on the subscription data of each UE, the network may apply different policies that facilitate different levels of service.

[0145] For example, access and mobility policies may relate to service area restrictions, RAT / Frequency Selection Priority (RFSP, where RAT stands for Radio Access Technology), authorization and prioritization of access types (e.g., LTE vs. NR), and / or selection of non-3GPP access (e.g., Access Network Discovery and Selection Policy (ANDSP)). Service area restrictions may include a list of tracking areas in which a UE is allowed to be served (or prohibited from being served). Access and mobility policies may include UE Route Selection Policy (URSP)) that affect routing to established or new PDU sessions. As mentioned above, different policies may be obtained and / or enforced based on the UE's subscription data, the UE's location (i.e., the location of the AN and / or AMF), or other suitable factors.

[0146] At 1050, the AMF#2 may update the context of the PDU session. For example, if the UE has an existing PDU session, the AMF#2 may coordinate with the SMF to activate a user plane connection associated with the existing PDU session. The SMF may update and / or release the session management context (Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext, Nsmf_PDUSession_ReleaseSMContext) of the PDU session.

[0147] At 1060, the AMF#2 sends a registration accept message to the AN and forwards the registration accept message to the UE. The registration accept message may include a new UE identifier and / or a new configured slice identifier. The UE may send a registration complete message to the AN and forward the registration complete message to the AMF#2. The registration complete message may acknowledge receipt of the new UE identifier and / or the new configured slice identifier.

[0148] At 1070, the AMF#2 may obtain UE policy control information from the PCF. The PCF may provide an Access Network Discovery Selection Policy (ANDSP) to facilitate non-3GPP access. The PCF may provide a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) to facilitate mapping of specific data traffic to specific PDU session connection parameters. As an example, the URSP may indicate that data traffic associated with a specific application should be mapped to a specific SSC mode, network slice, PDU session type, or preferred access type (3GPP or non-3GPP).

[0149] 11 illustrates an example of a service request procedure for a wireless device (e.g., a UE). The service request procedure illustrated in FIG. 11 is a network-triggered service request procedure for a UE in a CM-IDLE state. However, other service request procedures (e.g., a UE-triggered service request procedure) may also be understood by reference to FIG. 11, as discussed in more detail below.

[0150] At 1110, the UPF receives data. The data may be downlink data for transmission to the UE. The data may be associated with an existing PDU session between the UE and the DN. The data may be received, for example, from the DN and / or another UPF. The UPF may buffer the received data. In response to receiving the data, the UPF may notify the SMF of the received data. The identity of the notified SMF may be determined based on the received data. The notification may be, for example, an N4 session report. The notification may indicate that the UPF has received data associated with the UE and / or a particular PDU session associated with the UE. In response to receiving the notification, the SMF may send PDU session information to the AMF. The PDU session information may be sent in an N1N2 message transfer for forwarding to the AN. The PDU session information may include, for example, UPF tunnel endpoint information and / or QoS information.

[0151] At 1120, the AMF determines that the UE is in a CM-IDLE state. The determination at 1120 may be in response to receiving the PDU session information. Based on the UE being determined to be CM-IDLE, the service request procedure may proceed to 1130 and 1140, as shown in FIG. 11. However, if the UE is not CM-IDLE (e.g., if the UE is CM-Connected), 1130 and 1140 may be skipped and the service request procedure may proceed directly to 1150.

[0152] At 1130, the AMF pages the UE. The paging at 1130 may be performed based on the UE being CM-IDLE. To perform the paging, the AMF may send a page to the AN. The page may be referred to as a paging or a paging message. The page may be an N2 request message. The AN may be one of multiple ANs within a RAN notification area of ​​the UE. The AN may send the page to the UE. The UE may be within a coverage area of ​​the AN and may receive the page.

[0153] At 1140, the UE may request a service. The UE may send a service request to the AMF via the AN. As shown in FIG. 11, the UE may request a service at 1140 in response to receiving a paging at 1130. However, as mentioned above, this is for the specific case of a network-triggered service request procedure. In some scenarios (e.g., when uplink data becomes available to the UE), the UE may initiate a UE-triggered service request procedure. The UE-triggered service request procedure may start at 1140.

[0154] At 1150, the network may authenticate the UE. Authentication may require participation of the UE, AUSF, and / or UDM, for example, similar to authentication described elsewhere in this disclosure. In some cases (e.g., if the UE was recently authenticated), authentication at 1150 may be skipped.

[0155] At 1160, the AMF and the SMF may perform a PDU session update. As part of the PDU session update, the SMF may provide one or more UPF tunnel endpoint identifiers to the AMF. In some cases (not shown in FIG. 11), the SMF may need to coordinate with one or more other SMFs and / or one or more other UPFs to set up a user plane.

[0156] At 1170, the AMF may send the PDU session information to the AN. The PDU session information may be included in an N2 request message. Based on the PDU session information, the AN may configure user plane resources for the UE. To configure the user plane resources, the AN may, for example, perform an RRC reconfiguration of the UE. The AN may confirm to the AMF that the PDU session information has been received. The AN may inform the AMF that user plane resources are configured and / or provide information related to the user plane resource configuration.

[0157] For a UE triggered service request procedure, the UE may receive a NAS service accept message from the AMF via the AN, at 1170. Once user plane resources are configured, the UE may transmit uplink data (e.g., the uplink data that caused the UE to trigger the service request procedure).

[0158] At 1180, the AMF may update a session management (SM) context of the PDU session. For example, the AMF may notify the SMF (and / or one or more other associated SMFs) that user plane resources are configured and / or provide information related to the user plane resource configuration. The AMF may provide the SMF (and / or one or more other associated SMFs) with one or more AN tunnel endpoint identifiers of the AN. Once the SM context update is complete, the SMF may send an Update SM Context Response message to the AMF.

[0159] Based on the update of the session management context, the SMF may update the PCF for policy control purposes. For example, if the location of the UE changes, the SMF may inform the PCF of the new location of the UE.

[0160] Based on the update of the session management context, the SMF and UPF may perform session modification. The session modification may be implemented using an N4 Session Modification message. After the session modification is completed, the UPF may transmit downlink data (e.g., downlink data that causes the UPF to trigger a network-triggered service request procedure) to the UE. The transmission of the downlink data may be based on one or more AN tunnel endpoint identifiers of the AN.

[0161] 12 illustrates an example of a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment procedure for a wireless device (e.g., UE). The UE may decide to send a PDU session establishment request to create a new PDU session, to hand over an existing PDU session to the 3GPP network, or for any other suitable reason.

[0162] At 1210, the UE initiates a PDU session establishment. The UE may send a PDU session establishment request to the AMF via the AN. The PDU session establishment request may be a NAS message. The PDU session establishment request may indicate a PDU session ID, a requested PDU session type (new or existing), a requested DN (DNN), a requested network slice (S-NSSAI), a requested SSC mode, and / or any other suitable information. The PDU session ID may be generated by the UE. The PDU session type may be, for example, an Internet Protocol (IP)-based type (e.g., IPv4, IPv6, or dual stack IPv4 / IPv6), an Ethernet type, or an unstructured type.

[0163] The AMF may select an SMF based on a PDU session establishment request. In some scenarios, the requested PDU session may already be associated with a particular SMF. For example, the AMF may store a UE context of the UE, and the UE context may indicate that a PDU session ID of the requested PDU session is already associated with a particular SMF. In some scenarios, the AMF may select an SMF based on a determination that the SMF is prepared to process the requested PDU session. For example, the requested PDU session may be associated with a particular DNN and / or S-NSSAI, and the SMF may be selected based on a determination that the SMF can manage the PDU session associated with the particular DNN and / or S-NSSAI.

[0164] At 1220, the network manages the context of the PDU session. After selecting the SMF at 1210, the AMF sends a PDU session context request to the SMF. The PDU session context request may include the PDU session establishment request received from the UE at 1210. The PDU session context request may be a Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext request and / or a Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext request. The PDU session context request may indicate an identifier of the UE, a requested DN, and / or a requested network slice. Based on the PDU session context request, the SMF may obtain subscription data from the UDM. The subscription data may be session management subscription data of the UE. The SMF may subscribe to updates of the subscription data, so that the PCF sends new information if the subscription data of the UE changes. After obtaining the subscription data of the UE, the SMF may send a PDU session context response to the AMG. The PDU session context response may be a Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext response and / or a Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext response. The PDU session context response may include a session management context ID.

[0165] At 1230, secondary authorization / authentication may be performed, if necessary. The secondary authorization / authentication may involve the UE, the AMF, the SMF, and the DN. The SMF may access the DN via a Data Network Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (DN AAA) server.

[0166] At 1240, the network sets up a data path for uplink data associated with the PDU session. The SMF may select a PCF and establish a session management policy association. Based on the association, the PCF may provide an initial set of policy control and charging rules (PCC rules) for the PDU session. When targeting a specific PDU session, the PCF may indicate to the SMF a method for assigning an IP address to the PDU session, a default charging method for the PDU session, an address of a corresponding charging entity, a trigger for requesting a new policy, etc. The PCF may also target a service data flow (SDF) that includes one or more PDU sessions. When targeting an SDF, the PCF may indicate to the SMF a policy for applying QoS requirements, monitoring traffic (e.g., for charging purposes), and / or steering traffic (e.g., by using one or more specific N6 interfaces).

[0167] The SMF may determine and / or assign an IP address for the PDU session. The SMF may select one or more UPFs (a single UPF in the example of FIG. 12) to process the PDU session. The SMF may send an N4 session message to the selected UPF. The N4 session message may be an N4 session establishment request and / or an N4 session modification request. The N4 session message may include packet detection, enforcement, and reporting rules associated with the PDU session. In response, the UPF may acknowledge by sending an N4 session establishment response and / or an N4 session modification response.

[0168] The SMF may send PDU session management information to the AMF. The PDU session management information may be a session service request (e.g., Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer) message. The PDU session management information may include a PDU session ID. The PDU session management information may be a NAS message. The PDU session management information may include N1 session management information and / or N2 session management information. The N1 session management information may include a PDU session establishment accept message. The PDU session establishment accept message may include tunnel endpoint information of the UPF and quality of service (QoS) information associated with the PDU session.

[0169] The AMF may send an N2 request to the AN. The N2 request may include a PDU session establishment accept message. Based on the N2 request, the AN may determine AN resources for the UE. The AN resources may be used by the UE to establish a PDU session with the DN via the AN. The AN may determine resources to be used for the PDU session and indicate the determined resources to the UE. The AN may send a PDU session establishment accept message to the UE. For example, the AN may perform an RRC reconfiguration of the UE. After the AN resources are configured, the AN may send an N2 request acknowledgement to the AMF. The N2 request acknowledgement may include N2 session management information, such as a PDU session ID and tunnel endpoint information of the AN.

[0170] After the data path for the uplink data is set up at 1240, the UE may optionally transmit the uplink data associated with the PDU session. As shown in FIG. 12, the uplink data may be transmitted to the DN associated with the PDU session via the AN and UPF.

[0171] At 1250, the network may update the PDU session context. The AMF may send an update PDU session context request to the SMF. The update PDU session context request may be an Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext request. The update PDU session context request may include the N2 session management information received from the AN. The SMF may acknowledge the PDU session context update. The acknowledgement may be an Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext response. The acknowledgement may include a subscription requesting to be notified to the SMF about any UE mobility events. Based on the update PDU session context request, the SMF may send an N4 session message to the UPF. The N4 session message may be an N4 session modification request. The N4 session message may include tunnel endpoint information of the AN. The N4 session message may include a forwarding rule associated with the PDU session. In response, the UPF may send and acknowledge an N4 session modification response.

[0172] After the UPF receives the tunnel endpoint information of the AN, the UPF may relay downlink data associated with the PDU session. As shown in Figure 12, the downlink data may be received from the DN associated with the PDU session via the AN and the UPF.

[0173] FIG. 13 illustrates an example of components of an element in a communications network. FIG. 13 includes a physical deployment (hereafter, “deployment 1330”) of a wireless device 1310, a base station 1320, and one or more network functions 1330. Any wireless device described in this disclosure may have similar components and may be implemented in a similar manner as the wireless device 1310. Any other base station described in this disclosure (or any portion thereof, depending on the base station architecture) may have similar components and may be implemented in a similar manner as the base station 1320. Any physical core network deployment in this disclosure (or any portion thereof, depending on the base station architecture) may have similar components and may be implemented in a similar manner as the deployment 1330.

[0174] The wireless device 1310 may communicate with the base station 1320 over the air interface 1370. The direction of communication from the wireless device 1310 to the base station 1320 over the air interface 1370 is known as the uplink, and the direction of communication from the base station 1320 to the wireless device 1310 over the air interface 1370 is known as the downlink. The downlink transmission may be separated from the uplink transmission using some combination of FDD, TDD, and / or duplexing techniques. Although a single wireless device 1310 and a single base station 1320 are shown in FIG. 13, it will be understood that the wireless device 1310 can communicate with any number of base stations or other access network components over the air interface 1370, and the base station 1320 can communicate with any number of wireless devices over the air interface 1370.

[0175] The wireless device 1310 may include a processing system 1311 and a memory 1312. The memory 1312 may include one or more computer readable media, e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable media. The memory 1312 may include instructions 1313. The processing system 1311 may process and / or execute the instructions 1313. The processing and / or execution of the instructions 1313 may cause the wireless device 1310 and / or the processing system 1311 to perform one or more functions or activities. The memory 1312 may include data (not shown). One of the functions or activities performed by the processing system 1311 may include storing data in the memory 1312 and retrieving previously stored data from the memory 1312. In one example, downlink data received from the base station 1320 may be stored in the memory 1312, and uplink data for transmission to the base station 1320 may be retrieved from the memory 1312. As shown in FIG. 13, the wireless device 1310 may communicate with a base station 1320 using a transmit processing system 1314 and / or a receive processing system 1315. Alternatively, the transmit processing system 1314 and the receive processing system 1315 may be implemented as a single processing system or both may be omitted and all processing within the wireless device 1310 may be performed by the processing system 1311. Although not shown in FIG. 13, the transmit processing system 1314 and / or the receive processing system 1315 may be coupled to dedicated memory similar to but separate from the memory 1312 and may contain instructions that may be processed and / or executed to perform one or more of their respective functions. The wireless device 1310 may include one or more antennas 1316 for accessing an air interface 1370.

[0176] The wireless device 1310 may include one or more other elements 1319. The one or more other elements 1319 may include software and / or hardware that provide features and / or functions. For example, a speaker, a microphone, a keypad, a display, a touchpad, a satellite transceiver, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a hands-free headset, a frequency modulation (FM) radio unit, a media player, an Internet browser, an electronic control unit (e.g., for an automobile), and / or one or more sensors (e.g., an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a temperature sensor, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a light sensor, a camera, a global positioning sensor (GPS), etc.). The wireless device 1310 may receive user input data from the one or more other elements 1319 and / or provide user output data to the one or more other elements 1319. The one or more other elements 1319 may include a power source. The wireless device 1310 may be configured to receive power from the power source and distribute the power to other components within the wireless device 1310. The power source may include one or more power sources, for example, batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, or any combination thereof.

[0177] The wireless device 1310 may transmit uplink data to and / or receive downlink data from the base station 1320 via the air interface 1370. To perform the transmission and / or reception, one or more of the processing system 1311, the transmit processing system 1314, and / or the receive system 1315 may implement Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) functions. As an example, the transmit processing system 1314 and / or the receive system 1315 may perform layer 1 OSI functions, and the processing system 1311 may perform higher layer functions. The wireless device 1310 may transmit and / or receive data via the air interface 1370 using one or more antennas 1316. For scenarios in which the one or more antennas 1316 include multiple antennas, the multiple antennas may be used to perform one or more multi-antenna techniques, such as spatial multiplexing (e.g., single-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or multi-user MIMO), transmit / receive diversity, and / or beamforming.

[0178] The base station 1320 may include a processing system 1321 and a memory 1322. The memory 1322 may include one or more computer readable media, e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable media. The memory 1322 may include instructions 1323. The processing system 1321 may process and / or execute the instructions 1323. Processing and / or executing the instructions 1323 may cause the base station 1320 and / or the processing system 1321 to perform one or more functions or activities. The memory 1322 may include data (not shown). One of the functions or activities performed by the processing system 1321 may include storing data in the memory 1322 and retrieving previously stored data from the memory 1322. The base station 1320 may communicate with the wireless device 1310 using the transmit processing system 1324 and the receive processing system 1325. 13, the transmit processing system 1324 and / or the receive processing system 1325 may be coupled to dedicated memory similar to but separate from the memory 1322 and may contain instructions that may be processed and / or executed to perform one or more of their respective functions. The wireless device 1320 may include one or more antennas 1326 for accessing the air interface 1370.

[0179] The base station 1320 may transmit downlink data to the wireless device 1310 and / or receive uplink data from the wireless device 1310 via the air interface 1370. To perform the transmission and / or reception, one or more of the processing system 1321, the transmit processing system 1324, and / or the receive system 1325 may implement OSI functions. As an example, the transmit processing system 1324 and / or the receive system 1325 may perform layer 1 OSI functions, and the processing system 1321 may perform higher layer functions. The base station 1320 may transmit and / or receive data over the air interface 1370 using one or more antennas 1326. For scenarios in which the one or more antennas 1326 include multiple antennas, the multiple antennas may be used to perform one or more multi-antenna techniques, such as spatial multiplexing (e.g., single-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or multi-user MIMO), transmit / receive diversity, and / or beamforming.

[0180] The base station 1320 may include an interface system 1327. The interface system 1327 may communicate with one or more base stations and / or one or more elements of a core network via an interface 1380. The interface 1380 may be wired and / or wireless, and the interface system 1327 may include one or more components suitable for communicating via the interface 1380. In FIG. 13, the interface 1380 connects the base station 1320 to a single deployment 1330, but it will be understood that the wireless device 1310 may communicate with any number of base stations and / or CN deployments via the interface 1380, and the deployment 1330 may communicate with any number of base stations and / or other CN deployments via the interface 1380. The base station 1320 may include one or more other elements 1329 similar to one or more of the one or more other elements 1319.

[0181] The deployment 1330 may include any number of portions of any number of instances of one or more network functions (NFs). The deployment 1330 may include a processing system 1331 and a memory 1332. The memory 1332 may include one or more computer readable media, e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable media. The memory 1332 may include instructions 1333. The processing system 1331 may process and / or execute the instructions 1333. The processing and / or execution of the instructions 1333 may cause the deployment 1330 and / or the processing system 1331 to perform one or more functions or activities. The memory 1332 may include data (not shown). One of the functions or activities performed by the processing system 1331 is to store data in the memory 1332, retrieve previously stored data from the memory 1332, etc. The deployment 1330 may access an interface 1380 using an interface system 1337. The deployment 1330 may include one or more other elements 1339 similar to one or more of the one or more other elements 1319 .

[0182] One or more of the systems 1311, 1314, 1315, 1321, 1324, 1325, and / or 1331 may include one or more controllers and / or one or more processors. The one or more controllers and / or one or more processors may include, for example, a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and / or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate and / or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, on-board units, or any combination thereof. One or more of the systems 1311, 1314, 1315, 1321, 1324, 1325, and / or 1331 may perform signal encryption / processing, data processing, power control, input / output processing, and / or other functions that enable the wireless device 1310, the base station 1320, and / or the deployment 1330 to operate in a mobile communications system.

[0183] Many of the elements described in the disclosed embodiments may be implemented as modules, where a module is defined as an element that performs a defined function and has a defined interface to other elements. The modules described in this disclosure may be implemented in hardware, software in combination with hardware, firmware, wetware (e.g., hardware with biological elements), or a combination thereof, which may be behaviorally equivalent. For example, a module may be implemented in software routines written in a computer language configured to run on a hardware machine (C, C++, Fortran, Java, Basic, Matlab, and / or the like) or Simulink, Stateflow, GNU Octave, or LabVIEW MathScript. It may also be possible to implement modules using physical hardware that incorporates discrete or programmable analog, digital, and / or quantum hardware. Examples of programmable hardware include computers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs, complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and the like. Computers, microcontrollers, and microprocessors can be programmed using languages ​​such as assembly, C, and C++. FPGAs, ASICs, and CPLDs are often programmed using hardware description languages ​​(HDLs) such as Verilog or VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL), which configure the connections between the less functional internal hardware modules of the programmable device. To achieve a functional modular result, the above techniques are often used in combination.

[0184] The wireless device 1310, the base station 1320, and / or the deployment 1330 may implement a timer and / or counter. The timer / counter may start with an initial value. As used herein, starting may include restarting. Once started, the timer / counter may run. The execution of the timer / counter may be associated with an occurrence. When an occurrence occurs, the value of the timer / counter may change (e.g., increase or decrease). The occurrence may be, for example, an extrinsic event (e.g., receiving a signal, measuring a condition, etc.), an intrinsic event (e.g., sending a signal, calculating, comparing, performing or deciding to perform an action, etc.), or any combination thereof. In the case of a timer, the occurrence may be the passage of a particular amount of time. However, it will be understood that a timer may be described and / or implemented as a counter that counts the passage of a particular unit of time. The timer / counter may run in the direction of a terminal value until the terminal value is reached. Reaching the terminal value may be referred to as the expiration of the timer / counter. The terminal value may be referred to as a threshold value. A timer / counter may be paused and the current value of the timer / counter is retained, maintained, and / or carried over even upon the occurrence of one or more occurrences that will change the timer / counter's value. A timer / counter may be unpaused or continued and the retained, maintained, and / or carried over value will begin to change again upon the occurrence of one or more occurrences. A timer / counter may be set and / or reset. As used herein, setting may include resetting. When a timer / counter is set and / or reset, the timer / counter's value may be set to an initial value. A timer / counter may be started and / or restarted. As used herein, starting may include restarting. In some embodiments, when a timer / counter is restarted, the timer / counter's value may be set to an initial value and the timer / counter may begin running.

[0185] 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14D show various example arrangements of physical core network deployments, each having one or more network functions or portions thereof. The core network deployments include deployment 1410, deployment 1420, deployment 1430, deployment 1440, and / or deployment 1450. Each deployment may be similar to deployment 1330 shown in FIG. 13, for example. In particular, each deployment may include a processing system for performing one or more functions or activities, a memory for storing data and / or instructions, and an interface system for communicating with other network elements (e.g., other core network deployments). Each deployment may include one or more network functions (NFs). The term NF may refer to a particular set of functions and / or one or more physical elements (e.g., a processing system and a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform the functions) configured to perform those functions. For example, in this disclosure, if a network function is described as performing X, Y, and Z, it will be understood that this refers to one or more physical elements configured to perform X, Y, and Z, regardless of how or where the physical element or elements are deployed. The term NF may refer to a network node, network element, and / or network device.

[0186] As described in more detail below, there are various types of NFs, and each type of NF may have a different set of functions associated with it. Multiple different NFs may be flexibly deployed in different locations (e.g., in different physical core network deployments) or in the same location (e.g., coexisting in the same deployment). A single NF may be flexibly deployed in different locations (implemented using different physical core network deployments) or in the same location. Furthermore, a physical core network deployment may also implement one or more base stations, application functions (AFs), data networks (DNs), or any portion thereof. An NF may be implemented in various ways, including as a network element on dedicated or shared hardware, as a software instance running on dedicated or shared hardware, or as a virtualized function instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud-based platform), etc.

[0187] 14A shows an example arrangement of core network deployments, each deployment including one network function. Deployment 1410 includes NF 1411, deployment 1420 includes NF 1421, and deployment 1430 includes NF 1431. Deployments 1410, 1420, 1430 communicate via interface 1490. Deployments 1410, 1420, 1430 may have different physical locations with different signal propagation delays relative to other network elements. The diversity of physical locations of deployments 1410, 1420, 1430 may enable the provision of services to a wide area with improved speed, coverage, security, and / or efficiency.

[0188] Figure 14B illustrates an example arrangement in which a single deployment includes multiple NFs. Unlike Figure 14A, where each NF is deployed in a separate deployment, Figure 14B illustrates multiple NFs in the deployments 1410, 1420. In one embodiment, the deployments 1410, 1420 may implement software-defined networking (SDN) and / or network function virtualization (NFV).

[0189] For example, the deployment 1410 includes an additional network function, NF 1411A. The NFs 1411, 1411A may be composed of multiple instances of the same NF type coexisting at the same physical location within the same deployment 1410. The NFs 1411, 1411A may be implemented independently of one another (e.g., separated and / or independently controlled). For example, the NFs 1411, 1411A may be associated with different network slices. A processing system and memory associated with the deployment 1410 may perform all functions associated with the NF 1411 in addition to all functions associated with the NF 1411A. In one example, the NFs 1411, 1411A may be associated with different PLMNs, but the deployment 1410 implementing the NFs 1411, 1411A may be owned and / or operated by a single entity.

[0190] As shown in FIG. 14B , the deployment 1420 includes a NF 1421 and an additional network function NF 1422. The NFs 1421, 1422 may be different NF types. Similar to the NFs 1411, 1411A, the NFs 1421, 1422 may be co-located within the same deployment 1420 but implemented separately. As an example, a first PLMN may own and / or operate the deployment 1420 having the NFs 1421, 1422. As another example, the first PLMN may implement the NF 1421 and the second PLMN may obtain at least a portion of the capabilities of the deployment 1420 (e.g., processing power, data storage, etc.) from the first PLMN (e.g., rent, lease, procure, etc.) to implement the NF 1422. As yet another example, a deployment may be owned and / or operated by one or more third parties, and a first PLMN and / or a second PLMN may procure respective portions of the capabilities of the deployment 1420. When multiple NFs are provided in a single deployment, the network may operate with greater speed, coverage, security, and / or efficiency.

[0191] FIG. 14C illustrates an example arrangement of a core network deployment in which a single instance of an NF is implemented using multiple different deployments. In particular, a single instance of an NF 1422 is implemented in deployments 1420, 1440. As an example, the functionality provided by the NF 1422 may be implemented as a bundle or sequence of sub-services. Each sub-service may be implemented independently, for example, in different deployments. Each sub-service may be implemented in different physical locations. By distributing the implementation of the sub-services of a single NF across different physical locations, a mobile communications network may operate with greater speed, coverage, security, and / or efficiency.

[0192] FIG. 14D illustrates an example arrangement of a core network deployment in which one or more network functions are implemented using data processing services. In FIG. 14D, NFs 1411, 1411A, 1421, 1422 are included in the deployment 1450 implemented as data processing services. The deployment 1450 may include, for example, a cloud network and / or a data center. The deployment 1450 may be owned and / or operated by the PLMN or by a third party other than the PLMN. The NFs 1411, 1411A, 1421, 1422 implemented using the deployment 1450 may belong to the same PLMN or different PLMNs. The PLMN may acquire (e.g., rent, lease, procure, etc.) at least a portion of the capabilities (e.g., processing power, data storage, etc.) of the deployment 1450. By providing one or more NFs using data processing services, the mobile communications network may operate with greater speed, coverage, security, and / or efficiency.

[0193] As shown in the figure, different network elements (e.g., NFs) may be located in different physical deployments or may be co-located in a single physical deployment. It will be understood that in this disclosure, transmission and reception of messages between different network elements is not limited to inter-deployment or intra-deployment transmissions unless explicitly indicated.

[0194] In one example, a deployment may be a black box that is preconfigured with one or more NFs and preconfigured to communicate in a predetermined manner with other "black box" deployments (e.g., via interface 1490). Additionally or alternatively, a deployment may be configured to operate according to open source instructions (e.g., software) designed to implement the NFs and communicate in a transparent manner with other deployments. A deployment may operate according to Open RAN (O-RAN) standards.

[0195] The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 15 illustrates how an application data unit (ADU) is delivered from a sender to a receiver. An ADU may include, for example, a photo file, a video frame, a text file, etc. For example, an ADU may include data units generated by one or more protocols (e.g., RTP, DASH, TCP, UDP, etc.). An ADU may be generated and / or created by a first instance of a particular application, for example, for use and / or enjoyment by a second instance of the application, or for processing by an application server of the application. An intermediate layer may be responsible for packaging and / or formatting the ADU for delivery from a sender to a receiver. For example, an intermediate layer may provide functionality for one or more protocols (e.g., IP, etc.). After formatting the ADU into one or more packets based on one or more protocols, the intermediate layer may forward the one or more packets to a lower layer. The lower layer may provide functionality for forwarding the one or more packets from one node to another node, for example, via a particular interface. A second instance of the application may be located on another node.

[0196] As shown in FIG. 15 , for example, an upper layer (e.g., an application) in the UE may generate ADU1. The upper layer in the UE may deliver ADU1 to an intermediate layer of the UE. For the delivered ADU1, the intermediate layer of the UE may process ADU1 and package ADU1 into one or more packets based on one or more protocols. For example, the one or more packets may include packet 1 and packet 2. For example, if an IP protocol is used, ADU1 may be processed into one or more IP packets. Each IP packet may include at least a portion of ADU1.

[0197] The intermediate layer may deliver the generated packet or packets to the lower layer. The lower layer may be an access layer (AS) responsible for forwarding data between the UE and the NG-RAN. For example, an SDAP entity of the AS may receive packet 1 and / or packet 2 from the intermediate layer as SDU1 and SDU2. The AS of the UE may process and transmit SDU1 and SDU2. For example, the AS of the UE may transmit SDU1 and SDU2 to the AS of the NG-RAN. For example, an RLC entity of the AS of the UE may process and generate one or more PDUs from SDU1 and SDU2. For example, based on the amount of radio resources allocated by the NG-RAN, the RLC layer of the AS may segment SDU1 into PDU1 and PDU2 and SDU2 into PDU3 and PDU4. A MAC entity of the AS may receive one or more PDUs from the RLC entity. The MAC entity may transmit the received PDU or PDUs to the NG-RAN.

[0198] The various layers have different functions, such as those described above in FIG. 7C. The data that makes up ADU1 may be split, fragmented, compressed, encrypted, reordered, multiplexed, encoded, etc. After ADU1 passes through these layers, the end result (e.g., one or more PDUs) may be suitable for transmission. However, the PDUs may be (literally) indecipherable to the application associated with ADU1. After transmission, which is described in more detail below, the process may be reversed and ADU1 may be reconstructed on the other side (e.g., the application server in FIG. 15) so that it can be used by the application.

[0199] Returning to FIG. 15, the MAC entity of the NG-RAN may receive one or more PDUs transmitted by the UE. The received one or more PDUs may be reassembled into one or more SDUs. For example, for received PDU1 and PDU2, the AS of the NG-RAN may reassemble SDU1. For example, for received PDU3 and PDU4, the AS of the NG-RAN may reassemble SDU2. Packet1 of SDU1 and Packet2 of SDU2 may be delivered from the NG-RAN to a core network (e.g., UPF). The core network may transmit Packet1 and Packet2 to a receiver (e.g., an application server associated with the ADU) via the Internet. After receiving Packet1 and Packet2, the middle layer of the application server may recover ADU1 and deliver ADU1 to the upper layer. The application layer may use the received ADU1 to perform application-specific processing.

[0200] In existing technologies, one or more protocol entities and / or one or more layers may be unrelated to the differentiated characteristics of differentiated uses. In existing technologies, one or more protocol entities and / or one or more layers may be unrelated to the differentiated characteristics of one or more types of ADUs for applications. For example, an AS may not take into account the different characteristics of different applications. For example, an AS may not take into account the differences and / or similarities and / or relationships between one or more ADUs of an application. For example, a data unit in a lower layer (e.g., Packet 1, SDU 1, PDU 2 in FIG. 15) may be associated with a portion of an ADU associated with a particular application (e.g., ADU 1 in FIG. 15). However, within the lower layer, the data unit may not be recognizable as a particular application data unit, or even associated with a particular application. In the lower layer, the data unit may simply be a series of 1s and 0s that are packaged for delivery. This application-independent approach (e.g., an ADU-independent approach) may contribute to support independent enhancements of one or more layers and / or one or more entities. For example, by not tying the behavior of an AS to specific application characteristics, an AS may evolve without requiring changes in the behavior of one or more applications. This application-agnostic approach allows the AS to support the introduction of new applications that are developed later. However, as new advanced use cases emerge and the QoS requirements of applications increase to provide an enhanced experience to users, the application-agnostic approach of the AS may not be able to support efficient use of radio and network resources, as discussed in more detail below.

[0201] FIG. 16 illustrates an example of data delivery in which one or more SDUs are not delivered from the UE to the NG-RAN. For one or more generated PDUs (e.g., PDU1, PDU2, PDU3, PDU4), the lower layer RLC entity and / or the lower layer MAC entity may transmit one or more PDUs. If the transmission of a PDU fails, the RLC entity and / or the MAC entity may perform a retransmission of the PDU. For example, if the RLC entity of the transmitter receives a negative acknowledgement for one or more SDUs from the RLC entity of the receiver, the RLC entity of the transmitter may perform a retransmission of one or more SDUs. For example, if the MAC entity of the transmitter receives a negative HARQ acknowledgement for a HARQ process from the receiver, the MAC entity of the transmitter may perform a HARQ retransmission for the HARQ process.

[0202] In the example of FIG. 16 , at time t=t1, the RLC entity of the transmitter may transmit PDU1 and may receive an acknowledgment for PDU1. At time t=t2, the RLC entity may transmit the next PDU, which is PDU2. After detecting that the transmission of PDU2 fails, the RLC entity may perform retransmission of PDU2 at times t=t2′ and t=t2″. After some transmissions of PDU2 fail, the RLC entity may stop transmitting PDU2, start transmitting PDU3 at t=t3, and start transmitting PDU4 at t=t4. For the received PDUs (e.g., PDU1, PDU3, and PDU4), the receiver may perform assembly of one or more SDUs using the received one or more PDUs. The receiver may deliver one or more assembled SDUs to a next hop (e.g., UPF, NG-RAN, UE, Internet router, upper layer).

[0203] As FIG. 15 illustrates, for delivery of an ADU from a transmitter to a receiver, all PDUs associated with the ADU may need to be delivered from the UE to the NG-RAN. If one of the PDUs is not successfully delivered, the ADU may not be recovered. For example, in the example of FIG. 16, ADU1 is associated with PDU1, PDU2, and PDU3. ADU2 is associated with PDU4. In the example, the NG-RAN may not be able to reassemble SDU1 (e.g., packet 1) because PDU2 is not successfully delivered from the UE to the NG-RAN. In the example, the NG-RAN may receive PDU3 and PDU4. The NG-RAN may wait to receive PDU2 because PDU2 is not successfully delivered from the UE to the NG-RAN. For example, the NG-RAN may start a timer for PDU3 and / or PDU4. PDU2 may not be received until expiration of the timer. Upon expiration of the timer, the NG-RAN may process PDU3 and PDU4.

[0204] In an example, since PDU3 and PDU4 are successfully delivered from the UE to the NG-RAN, the NG-RAN can reassemble SDU2 (e.g., packet 2) and SDU3 (e.g., packet 3). The NG-RAN may forward packet 2 and packet 3 to the application server via the core network. Since packet 1 is not received, the application server cannot recover ADU1 with received packet 2. In an example, since PDU3 and PDU4 are received from the UE to the NG-RAN and PDU2 is not received, the NG-RAN may wait to receive PDU2 until a timer expires. Since the UE may stop transmitting PDU2, the NG-RAN wait for PDU2 may not be required.

[0205] However, as illustrated by the embodiment of Figure 16, inefficient operation of existing technologies may cause one or more network nodes to deliver one or more packets and / or one or more PDUs associated with an unrecoverable ADU. However, as illustrated by the embodiment of Figure 16, inefficient operation of existing technologies may cause one or more network nodes to delay delivery of one or more packets and / or one or more PDUs to one or more network nodes.

[0206] For example, after receiving PDU1, the receiving RLC entity of the NG-RAN may wait for the reception of PDU2. For PDU2, at t=t2″, the transmitting RLC entity of the UE may determine a failure to transmit PDU2. However, the receiving RLC entity may wait unnecessarily for the reception of PDU2. The transmitting RLC entity may then transmit PDU3 at t=t3 and PDU4 at t=t4. PDU3 and PDU4 may be received by the receiving RLC entity. However, because PDU2 has not yet been received, the receiving RLC entity may unnecessarily delay the processing of the received PDU3 and PDU4. The NG-RAN may then use PDU3 and PDU4 to reassemble SDU2 (e.g., packet 2) and SDU3 (e.g., packet 3). The NG-RAN may forward packet 2 and packet 3 to the core network. The core network may forward packet 2 and packet 3 to the application server. Because packet 1 is missing, packet 2 may not be available to the application server. Thus, radio and network resources may be unnecessarily wasted for delivery of packet 2 in the operation of existing technologies. Delivery of packet 3 to the application server may be delayed due to PDU2. Thus, unnecessary delays in data delivery may degrade user experience in the operation of existing technologies.

[0207] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure improve system efficiency by enhancing network and / or UE operation. In one embodiment, a transmitting protocol entity may exchange with a receiving protocol entity information of one or more protocol data units and / or one or more service data units associated with a service data unit and / or failed transmission of the protocol data unit. This may increase the efficiency of buffer management and reduce delays in data delivery. In one embodiment, one or more protocol entities may perform data processing based on the exchanged information regarding one or more protocol data units and / or one or more service data units associated with a service data unit and / or failed transmission of the protocol data unit. This may reduce unnecessary use of system radio and / or network resources. This may support a reduction in overall latency.

[0208] In this specification, the term NG-RAN may be interpreted as a base station which may include at least one of a gNB, eNB, ng-eNB, NodeB, access node, access point, N3IWF, relay node, base station central unit (e.g., gNB-CU), base station distributed unit (e.g., gNB-DU), and / or the like.

[0209] In this specification, the term AMF may be interpreted as a core network device that may include at least one of a mobility management function / entity, an access management function, and / or the like. In this specification, the term SMF may be interpreted as a core network device that may include at least one of a session management function / entity, a serving gateway, a PDN gateway, and / or the like.

[0210] In this specification, the term core network node may be interpreted as a core network device that may include at least one of AMF, SMF, NSSF, UPF, NRF, UDM, PCF, and / or the like. The term core network may be interpreted as a core network node. In this specification, the term access node may be interpreted as a base station that may include NG-RAN, etc. In this specification, the term network node may be interpreted as a core network node and / or an access node and / or a UE and / or the like.

[0211] In this specification, a protocol entity may be interpreted as an entity that performs a specific set of functions related to wireless access (e.g., LTE access, NR access) and / or wired access (e.g., Ethernet) and / or communication (e.g., TCP, IP). In one embodiment, an entity may be interpreted as a protocol entity. In one embodiment, a protocol entity of LTE and / or NR may include an SDAP entity and / or a PDCP entity and / or an RLC entity and / or a MAC entity and / or a PHY entity. In one embodiment, a layer (e.g., SDAP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, PHY layer) may be interpreted as a protocol entity (e.g., SDAP entity, PDCP entity, RLC entity, MAC entity, PHY entity).

[0212] In this specification, a service data unit may be interpreted as a unit of data received by a protocol entity. In this specification, a protocol data unit may be interpreted as a unit of data transmitted by a protocol entity. A protocol entity may receive one or more service data units (SDUs) from another protocol entity, and a protocol entity may transmit one or more protocol service data units (PDUs) to another protocol entity of the same host or another host. For example, a PDCP entity may receive one or more PDCP SDUs from an upper entity (e.g., an SDAP entity), and the PDCP entity may transmit one or more PDCP PDUs to a lower entity (e.g., an RLC entity). A lower entity (e.g., an RLC entity) may receive one or more SDUs (e.g., an RLC SDU) from an upper layer. The one or more SDUs received by the lower layer may be the same as the one or more PDUs transmitted by the upper layer.

[0213] In this specification, the term AF (Application Function) may be interpreted as an AS (Application Server) that may host and / or execute one or more applications.

[0214] In this specification, the term ADU may be interpreted as a unit of data exchanged between one or more hosts that provide services to an application. In one embodiment, an application (e.g., an Internet browser, an instant messaging application, a video player application, etc.) may be executed on a first host (e.g., a smartphone, a computer, an application server, etc.), and the same application may be executed on a second host (e.g., another smartphone, a computer, an application server, etc.). The application on the first host may generate application data (e.g., a photo file, a text message, etc.) that includes one or more ADUs. For delivery of the application data from the first host to the second host, the application of the first host may deliver the application data to a first type protocol entity (e.g., a SIP entity, etc.). To deliver the application data to the second host, the first type protocol entity of the first host may process the application data and generate one or more first type protocol data units (e.g., an SSID request message, an SSID response message, etc.). The first type protocol entity may deliver the one or more first type protocol data units to a first type access (e.g., an LTE access, an NR access, a WIFI access, etc.). The first type access of the first host may process one or more first type protocol data units and generate one or more first type access protocol data units (e.g., SDAP PDU, PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, MAC PDU, etc.). The first type access of the first host may transmit one or more first type access protocol data units. The first type access of the third host (e.g., NG-RAN, UE, etc.) may receive one or more first type access protocol data units.The third host may reassemble one or more first type protocol data units and deliver one or more first type protocol data units to a second type access of the third host (e.g., LTE access, NR access, WIFI access, Ethernet access, ATM access, GTP access, etc.). The second type access of the third host may process one or more first type protocol data units and generate one or more second type access protocol data units (e.g., Ethernet frames, ATM cells, LTE access PDUs, NR access PDUs, WIFI access packets, etc.). The second type access of the third host may transmit one or more second type access protocol data units. The second type access of the second host may receive one or more second type access protocol data units. The second type access of the second host may reassemble one or more first type protocol data units using one or more second type access protocol data units. The second type access of the second host may deliver the reassembled one or more first type protocol data units to a first type protocol entity of the second host. The first type protocol entity of the second host may reassemble the application data using one or more received first type protocol data units. The first type protocol entity of the second host may deliver the application data to an application of the second host.

[0215] In one embodiment, there may be one or more protocol entities (e.g., TCP entity, UDP entity, RTP entity, etc.) between the application and the access (e.g., LTE access, NR access, WIFI access). In the above description, for simple illustration purposes, only one protocol entity (e.g., a first type protocol entity) is described. In one embodiment, there may be one or more protocol entities (e.g., a second type protocol entity, a third type protocol entity, etc.) between the first type protocol entity and the access. Similarly, in one embodiment, there may be one or more hosts (e.g., NG-RAN, UPF, Internet router, etc.) between the first host and the second host. In the above description, for simple illustration purposes, only one host (e.g., a third host) is described. In one embodiment, there may be one or more additional hosts (e.g., a fourth host (e.g., UPF), a fifth host (e.g., Internet router), etc.) between the third host and the second host. In one embodiment, a pair of hosts may use the same or different types of access. For example, a third type of access (e.g., optical fiber, satellite, etc.) may be used for communication between the third host and the fourth host.

[0216] In one embodiment, the ADU may be interpreted as application data. In one embodiment, the ADU may be interpreted as a first type protocol data unit. In one embodiment, the ADU may be interpreted as a second type protocol data unit, etc. In one embodiment, the ADU may be interpreted as a data unit of a protocol entity. In one embodiment, the first host and the second host may hold one or more contexts for the protocol entities. For example, an application of the first host may communicate with an application of the second host. An application of the first host may have a context of the second host. An application of the second host may have a context of the first host. Thus, the application data may be an ADU. For example, a first type protocol entity of the first host may communicate with a first type protocol entity of the second host. A first type protocol entity of the first host may have a context of the second host. A first type protocol of the second host may have a context of the first host. Thus, the first type protocol data unit may be an ADU. For example, a first type access of a first host cannot communicate with a second type access of a second host. A first type access of a first host cannot have the context of a second type access of a second host. A second type access of a second host cannot have the context of a first type access of a first host. Thus, a first type access protocol data unit cannot be an ADU. Thus, a second type access protocol data unit cannot be an ADU.

[0217] In this specification, the term service data flow may be interpreted as a set of data units exchanged between one or more hosts. For example, a first service data flow may be interpreted as a set of one or more data units from a second host to a first host. For example, a second service data flow may be interpreted as a set of one or more data units from a third host to a first host. For example, one or more data units of a service data flow may include the same shares on one or more attributes (e.g., the same source IP address, the same destination IP address, the same UDP port, etc.).

[0218] In this specification, the term portion may be interpreted as a part. For example, a portion of an SDU may be interpreted as one or more parts of an SDU. For example, a portion of an SDU may be interpreted as one or more bytes / bits of an SDU. For example, a portion of a PDU may be interpreted as one or more parts of a PDU. For example, a portion of a PDU may be interpreted as one or more bytes / bits of a PDU. In this specification, the term segment may be interpreted as a part. For example, a segment of an RLC SDU and / or an RLC SDU segment may be one or more bytes / bits of an RLC SDU.

[0219]

[0220] FIG. 17 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0221] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet. When the first transmitting protocol entity receives the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may further receive one or more associated ADU information with the one or more packets. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a first packet with the first associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a second packet with the second associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a third packet having third associated ADU information. For example, the first associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the first packet is 1. For example, the second associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the second packet is 1. For example, the third associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the third packet is 2. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the second packet are associated. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the third packet are not associated.

[0222] In one embodiment, the first transmission protocol entity may process the received one or more packets and / or one or more associated ADU information. After processing, the first transmission protocol entity may construct one or more PDUs (e.g., PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU). For example, the one or more PDUs may include a first PDU and / or a second PDU and / or a third PDU. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a first SDU (e.g., a first packet). The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a second SDU (e.g., a second packet). The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a third SDU (e.g., a third packet).

[0223]

[0224] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a transmitting PDCP entity) may deliver one or more PDUs (e.g., a PDCP PDU) to a second transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a transmitting RLC entity). The transmitting RLC entity may receive one or more RLC SDUs (e.g., one or more PDCP PDUs). For the received one or more RLC SDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may construct one or more RLC PDUs. The one or more RLC PDUs may include at least segments of one or more RLC SDUs (e.g., RLC SDU 1 segment 1, RLC SDU 1 segment 2, RLC SDU 1, RLC SDU 2 segment 1, RLC SDU 2). Based on the size information indicated by the MAC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may construct one or more RLC PDUs from the one or more RLC SDUs. For example, if the MAC entity requests the transmitting RLC entity to deliver a data block of less than 500 bytes, the transmitting RLC entity may construct an RLC PDU that may be less than 500 bytes. An RLC PDU may include at least segments and / or control information of one or more RLC SDUs.

[0225] In one embodiment, after constructing the one or more RLC PDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may deliver the one or more RLC PDUs to the MAC entity for transmission. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may construct one or more RLC PDUs using one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs. For example, for a first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU), the transmitting RLC entity may generate one or more RLC PDUs. The one or more RLC PDUs may include the first RLC PDU and / or the second RLC PDU. The first RLC PDU may include a first segment of RLC SDU1 (e.g., a first portion of the first PDCP PDU). The second RLC PDU may include a second segment of RLC SDU1 (e.g., a second portion of the first PDCP PDU).

[0226] In one embodiment, the transmitting RLC entity may transmit one or more RLC PDUs. One or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. One or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, a first RLC PDU (e.g., RLC SDU1 segment 1) may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, a second RLC PDU (e.g., RLC SDU1 segment 2) may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. To deliver RLC SDU1 segment 2 to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may retransmit RLC SDU1 segment 2 several times.

[0227] In one embodiment, after several successful retransmissions attempting to deliver RLC SDU1 segment 2 to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed may be that the transmitting RLC entity stops transmitting RLC SDU1 and / or segments of RLC SDU1. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed may be that the transmitting RLC entity aborts delivery of RLC SDU1 and / or segments of RLC SDU1. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed may be that the delivery of RLC SDU1 has failed. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed may be that the delivery of RLC SDU1 does not succeed within a configured time.

[0228] In one embodiment, based on the determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed, the transmitting RLC entity may send an RLC control PDU (e.g., RLC Status PDU, RLC Transmitter Status Report, RLC Status PDU) to the receiving RLC entity. The RLC control PDU may include information regarding one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will not transmit. The RLC control PDU may include information regarding one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will stop transmitting. The RLC control PDU may include information regarding one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will cease transmitting. The information regarding the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of the one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs may include one or more sequence numbers associated with the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of the one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. For example, an RLC control PDU may include information that RLC SDU1 cannot be transmitted and / or discarded.

[0229] In one embodiment, the receiving RLC entity may receive an RLC control PDU. Based on the received RLC control PDU, the receiving RLC entity may identify one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC PDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will not transmit and / or will stop transmitting and / or will cease transmitting. For example, for the identified one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may behave as if one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs have been received. For example, the receiving RLC entity may update local variables associated with the operation of the receiving RLC entity. For example, the receiving RLC entity may update local variables associated with one or more sequence numbers (e.g., sequence numbers of the next expected RLC PDU / SDU, and / or sequence numbers of the acknowledged RLC PDU / SDU, and / or sequence numbers associated with the receiving window). For example, for the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU(s) and / or one or more RLC SDU(s), the receiving RLC entity may determine one or more RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU(s) and / or one or more RLC SDU(s) associated with the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU(s) and / or one or more RLC SDU(s), and the receiving RLC entity may discard the determined RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU(s) and / or one or more RLC PDU segments.For example, if the RLC control PDU indicates that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has been aborted, the receiving RLC entity may discard the first RLC SDU1 segment 1. For example, for the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s) segment(s), the receiving RLC entity may indicate to the receiving PDCP entity information of the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s) segment(s) and / or RLC SDU(s). Based on the indication from the receiving RLC entity, the receiving PDCP entity may determine one or more PDCP PDUs / SDUs associated with the indicated RLC SDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s) segment(s). The receiving PDCP entity may discard the determined one or more PDCP PDUs.

[0230]

[0231] FIG. 18 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0232] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet. When the first transmitting protocol entity receives the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may further receive one or more associated ADU information with the one or more packets. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a first packet with the first associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a second packet with the second associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a third packet having third associated ADU information. For example, the first associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the first packet is 1. For example, the second associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the second packet is 1. For example, the third associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the third packet is 2. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the second packet are associated. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the third packet are not associated.

[0233] In one embodiment, the first transmission protocol entity may process the received one or more packets and / or one or more associated ADU information. After processing, the first transmission protocol entity may construct one or more PDUs (e.g., PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU). For example, the one or more PDUs may include a first PDU and / or a second PDU and / or a third PDU. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a first SDU (e.g., a first packet). The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a second SDU (e.g., a second packet). The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a third SDU (e.g., a third packet).

[0234]

[0235] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver a first PDCP PDU to a transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting RLC entity may receive a first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU, RLC SDU 1). For the received first RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the first RLC SDU and construct one or more RLC PDUs. The one or more RLC PDUs may include at least one or more segments of the first RLC SDU. For example, the one or more RLC PDUs may include the first RLC PDU (e.g., RLC PDU 1, RLC SDU 1 segment 1) and / or the second RLC PDU (e.g., RLC PDU 2, RLC SDU 1 segment 2).

[0236] In one embodiment, after constructing the one or more RLC PDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may deliver the one or more RLC PDUs to the MAC entity for transmission. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may construct a first RLC PDU (e.g., RLC PDU1) using a first segment of the first RLC SDU. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may construct a second RLC PDU (e.g., RLC PDU2) using a second segment of the first RLC SDU.

[0237] In one embodiment, the transmitting RLC entity may transmit one or more RLC PDUs. The one or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. The one or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, the first RLC PDU may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, the second RLC PDU may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. To deliver the second segment of the first RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may retransmit the second segment of the first RLC SDU several times.

[0238] In one embodiment, after several failed retransmissions attempting to deliver the second segment of the first RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to stop transmitting RLC SDU1 and / or one or more segments of RLC SDU1. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to abort transmitting RLC SDU1 and / or one or more segments of RLC SDU1. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed may be for delivery of one or more segments of RLC SDU1 and / or RLC SDU1 to fail.

[0239] In one embodiment, based on the determination that the transmission of RLC SDU1 has failed, the transmitting RLC entity may indicate delivery information to the transmitting PDCP entity. The delivery information may indicate that the delivery of a PDCP PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) has failed and / or that the delivery of an RLC SDU (e.g., the first RLC SDU) has failed. The delivery information may indicate that an error occurred in the delivery of the PDCP PDU and / or the RLC SDU.

[0240] In one embodiment, based on the delivery information, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine to discard the PDCP PDU indicated by the delivery information and / or the PDCP SDU associated with the PDCP PDU. In one embodiment, based on the delivery information, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine to discard the PDCP SDU (e.g., the first PDCP SDU, the first packet) associated with the PDCP PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) indicated by the delivery information. Based on the delivery information from the transmitting RLC entity, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine the ADU information associated with the PDCP PDU. For example, based on the delivery information indicating the first PDCP PDU, and / or the first PDCP SDU is associated with the first PDCP PDU, and / or the first packet is associated with the first PDCP SDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine the ADU information (e.g., the identity of the ADU) associated with the first packet. For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the identity of the ADU associated with the first packet may be 1. Based on the identified ADU information associated with the PDCP PDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may further determine one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., packets) associated with the ADU information. For example, based on the ADU information associated with the second packet, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the second packet (e.g., the second PDCP SDU) is associated with the first packet. Based on the determination, the transmitting PDCP entity may discard the second packet (e.g., the second PDCP SDU) and / or the second PDCP PDU. For example, based on the ADU information associated with the third packet, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the third packet (e.g., the third PDCP SDU) is not associated with the first packet. Based on the determination, the transmitting PDCP entity may not discard the third packet (e.g., the third PDCP SDU) and / or the third PDCP PDU.

[0241]

[0242] FIG. 19 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0243] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet. When the first transmitting protocol entity receives the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may further receive one or more associated ADU information with the one or more packets. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a first packet with the first associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a second packet with the second associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a third packet having third associated ADU information. For example, the first associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the first packet is 1. For example, the second associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the second packet is 1. For example, the third associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the third packet is 2. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the second packet are associated. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the third packet are not associated.

[0244] In one embodiment, the first transmission protocol entity may process the received one or more packets and / or one or more associated ADU information. After processing, the first transmission protocol entity may construct one or more PDUs (e.g., PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU). For example, the one or more PDUs may include a first PDU and / or a second PDU and / or a third PDU. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a first SDU (e.g., a first packet). The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a second SDU (e.g., a second packet). The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a third SDU (e.g., a third packet).

[0245] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver a first PDCP PDU to a transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting RLC entity may receive a first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU, RLC SDU 1). For the received first RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the first RLC SDU and may construct a first RLC PDU (RLC PDU 1).

[0246] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver the second PDCP PDU to the transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting RLC entity may receive a second RLC SDU (e.g., a second PDCP PDU, a PDCP PDU2, an RLC SDU2). For the received second RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the second RLC SDU and construct one or more RLC PDUs. For example, the one or more RLC PDUs may include the second RLC PDU (RLC PDU2).

[0247] In one embodiment, after constructing one or more RLC PDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may deliver the one or more RLC PDUs to the MAC entity for transmission.

[0248] One or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. One or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, the first RLC SDU may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. The receiving RLC entity may buffer the successfully received one or more RLC SDUs in a memory. For example, the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. To deliver the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may retransmit the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU several times.

[0249] In one embodiment, after several failed retransmissions attempting to deliver the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the transmission of RLC SDU2 has failed. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU2 has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to stop transmitting RLC PDU2 and / or RLC SDU2. The determination that the transmission of RLC PDU2 has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to abort transmitting RLC PDU2 and / or RLC SDU2. The determination that the transmission of RLC PDU2 has failed may be for the delivery of RLC SDU2 and / or RLC PDU2 to fail.

[0250] In one embodiment, based on the determination that the transmission of RLC SDU2 has failed, the transmitting RLC entity may send delivery information to the transmitting PDCP entity. The delivery information may indicate that the delivery of a PDCP PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) has failed and / or that the delivery of an RLC SDU (e.g., the second RLC SDU) has failed. The delivery information may indicate that an error occurred in the delivery of the PDCP PDU and / or the RLC SDU.

[0251] In one embodiment, based on the delivery information, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine to discard the PDCP PDU indicated by the delivery information. In one embodiment, based on the delivery information, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine to discard the PDCP SDU (e.g., second PDCP SDU, second packet) associated with the PDCP PDU indicated by the delivery information. Based on the delivery information from the RLC transmitting entity, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine ADU information associated with the PDCP PDU. For example, based on the delivery information indicating a second PDCP PDU and / or the second PDCP SDU is associated with the second PDCP PDU and / or the second packet is associated with the second PDCP SDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine ADU information (e.g., identity of the ADU) associated with the second packet.

[0252] For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the identity of the ADU associated with the second packet is 1. Based on the identified ADU information associated with the PDCP PDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may further determine one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., packets) associated with the ADU information. For example, based on the ADU information associated with the first packet and / or based on the ADU information associated with the second packet, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the first packet (e.g., the first PDCP SDU) is associated with the second packet (e.g., the second PDCP SDU). Based on the determination, the transmitting PDCP entity may discard the first packet (e.g., the first PDCP SDU) and / or the first PDCP PDU. For example, based on the ADU information associated with the third packet and / or based on the ADU information associated with the second packet, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the third packet (e.g., the third PDCP SDU) is not associated with the second packet (e.g., the second PDCP SDU). Based on the determination, the transmitting PDCP entity may not discard the third packet (eg, the third PDCP SDU) and / or the third PDCP PDU.

[0253] In one embodiment, based on one or more ADU information and based on identification of associated PDCP SDU(s) (e.g., one or more packets, one or more PDCP PDUs), the transmitting PDCP entity may indicate to the transmitting RLC entity that it needs to discard a first PDCP PDU (e.g., a first RLC SDU). For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may indicate to the transmitting RLC entity that it needs to discard a first RLC SDU. For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may indicate to the transmitting RLC entity that it needs to discard one or more RLC SDUs based on the ADU information. Based on the information of the one or more RLC SDUs to be discarded, the transmitting RLC entity may send an RLC control PDU (e.g., an RLC status PDU, an RLC transmitter status report) to the receiving RLC entity. The RLC control PDU may include information regarding one or more segments of the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will not transmit and / or discard. The RLC control PDU may include information regarding one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will stop transmitting. The RLC control PDU may include information regarding one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will stop transmitting. The information regarding the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs may include one or more sequence numbers associated with the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs.For example, based on an indication from the transmitting PDCP entity that the first RLC SDU needs to be discarded, the RLC control PDU may include information that the first RLC PDU and / or one or more segments of the first RLC SDU and / or the first RLC SDU needs to be discarded.

[0254] In one embodiment, a receiving RLC entity may receive an RLC control PDU. Based on the received RLC control PDU, the receiving RLC entity may identify one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC PDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will not transmit and / or stop transmitting and / or abort transmitting and / or discard. For example, for the identified one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may behave as if the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs were received. For example, the receiving RLC entity may update one or more local variables associated with the operation of the receiving RLC entity. For example, the receiving RLC entity may update one or more local variables associated with one or more sequence numbers (e.g., sequence numbers of the next expected RLC SDU, and / or sequence numbers of one or more segments of the RLC SDU, and / or sequence numbers of confirmed RLC SDUs associated with the reception / reception window, and / or sequence numbers, etc.) For example, for the identified one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU, and / or one or more RLC SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may determine one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU, and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU, and / or one or more RLC SDUs associated with the identified one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU, and / or one or more RLC SDUs.The receiving RLC entity may discard one or more segments of the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more RLC SDU(s) and / or one or more RLC SDU(s) segments. For example, the receiving RLC entity may discard the first RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more segments of the first RLC SDU(s). For example, for the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more RLC SDU(s) and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU(s), the receiving RLC entity may indicate to the receiving PDCP entity information of the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or one or more segments of the RLC SDU(s) and / or one or more RLC SDU(s) to the receiving PDCP entity. Based on the indication from the receiving RLC entity, the receiving PDCP entity may determine one or more PDCP PDUs associated with the indicated one or more RLC SDUs. The receiving PDCP entity may discard the determined one or more PDCP PDUs.

[0255] FIG. 20 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0256] As shown in the example of Figure 19, the receiving RLC entity may receive a first RLC PDU. The first RLC PDU may include a first PDCP PDU. Based on the first RLC PDU, the receiving RLC entity may recover the first RLC SDU. The receiving RLC entity may deliver the recovered first RLC SDU to the receiving PDCP entity. The receiving PDCP entity may buffer the received first RLC SDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU).

[0257] In one embodiment, a receiving RLC entity may receive an RLC control PDU. The RLC control PDU may indicate that a first RLC PDU and / or a first RLC SDU should be discarded. The receiving RLC entity may indicate to the receiving PDCP entity that the first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU) should be discarded. Based on the indication from the receiving RLC entity, the receiving PDCP entity may discard the first PDCP PDU and / or the first PDCP SDU.

[0258] FIG. 21 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0259] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet. When the first transmitting protocol entity receives the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may further receive one or more associated ADU information with the one or more packets. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a first packet with the first associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a second packet with the second associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a third packet having third associated ADU information. For example, the first associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the first packet is 1. For example, the second associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the second packet is 1. For example, the third associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the third packet is 2. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the second packet are associated. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the third packet are not associated.

[0260] In one embodiment, the first transmission protocol entity may process the received one or more packets and / or one or more associated ADU information. After processing, the first transmission protocol entity may construct one or more PDUs (e.g., PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU). For example, the one or more PDUs may include a first PDU and / or a second PDU and / or a third PDU. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a first SDU (e.g., a first packet). The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a second SDU (e.g., a second packet). The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a third SDU (e.g., a third packet).

[0261] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver a first PDCP PDU to a transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting RLC entity may receive a first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU, PDCP PDU1, RLC SDU1). For the received first RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the first RLC SDU and construct one or more RLC PDUs. For example, the one or more RLC PDUs may include the first RLC PDU (RLC PDU1).

[0262] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver the second PDCP PDU to the transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting RLC entity may receive a second RLC SDU (e.g., a second PDCP PDU, a PDCP PDU2, an RLC SDU2). For the received second RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the second RLC SDU and construct one or more RLC PDUs. For example, the one or more RLC PDUs may include the second RLC PDU (RLC PDU2).

[0263] In one embodiment, after constructing one or more RLC PDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may deliver the one or more RLC PDUs to the MAC entity for transmission.

[0264] The one or more RLC PDUs and / or the one or more RLC SDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. The one or more RLC PDUs and / or the one or more RLC SDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, the first RLC PDU and / or the first RLC SDU may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. The receiving RLC entity may buffer the successfully received one or more RLC PDUs and / or the one or more RLC SDUs in a memory. For example, the receiving RLC entity may deliver the successfully received RLC SDUs to the receiving PDCP entity. For example, the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. To deliver the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may retransmit the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU several times.

[0265] In one embodiment, after several failures to deliver the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the transmission of RLC PDU2 and / or the second RLC SDU has failed. The determination that the transmission of RLC PDU2 and / or the second RLC SDU has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to stop transmitting RLC PDU2 and / or RLC SDU2. The determination that the transmission of RLC PDU2 and / or the second RLC SDU has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to abort transmitting RLC PDU2 and / or RLC SDU2. The determination that the transmission of RLC PDU2 has failed may be for the delivery of RLC SDU2 and / or the second RLC SDU to fail.

[0266] In one embodiment, based on the determination that the transmission of RLC PDU2 and / or the second RLC SDU has failed, the transmitting RLC entity may transmit delivery information to the transmitting PDCP entity. The delivery information may indicate that the delivery of a PDCP PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU, the second RLC SDU) has failed and / or that the delivery of an RLC SDU (e.g., the second RLC SDU) has failed. The delivery information may indicate that an error occurred in the delivery of the PDCP PDU and / or the RLC SDU.

[0267] In one embodiment, based on the delivery information, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine to discard the PDCP PDU indicated by the delivery information. In one embodiment, based on the delivery information, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine to discard the PDCP SDU (e.g., second PDCP SDU, second packet) associated with the PDCP PDU indicated by the delivery information. Based on the delivery information from the RLC transmitting entity, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine ADU information associated with the PDCP PDU. For example, based on the delivery information indicating a second PDCP PDU, and / or the second PDCP SDU is associated with the second PDCP PDU, and / or the second packet is associated with the second PDCP SDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine ADU information (e.g., identity of the ADU) associated with the second packet. For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the identity of the ADU associated with the second packet is 1. Based on the identified ADU information associated with the PDCP PDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may further determine one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., packets) associated with the ADU information. For example, based on the ADU information associated with a first packet, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the first packet (e.g., the first PDCP SDU) is associated with a second packet. Based on the determination, the transmitting PDCP entity may discard the first packet (e.g., the first PDCP SDU) and / or the first PDCP PDU. For example, based on the ADU information associated with a third packet, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the third packet (e.g., the third PDCP SDU) is not associated with the second packet. Based on the determination, the transmitting PDCP entity may not discard the third packet (e.g., the third PDCP SDU) and / or the third PDCP PDU.

[0268] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may transmit a PDCP status report (e.g., PDCP control PDU, PDCP transmitter report) to the receiving PDCP entity. The PDCP status report may include information that one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., first PDCP SDU, second PDCP SDU) are discarded and / or not transmitted. For example, the PDCP status report may include information that the transmission of one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., first PDCP SDU, second PDCP SDU) is stopped and / or aborted. For example, the PDCP status report may include information of one or more PDCP SDUs that the transmitting PDCP entity may or may not transmit. For example, the PDCP status report may include information of one or more PDCP PDUs associated with one or more ADUs. For example, the PDCP status report may include information of one or more sequence numbers that the transmitting PDCP entity may transmit.

[0269] In one embodiment, the receiving PDCP entity may receive a PDCP control PDU. Based on the received PDCP control PDU, the receiving PDCP entity may identify one or more PDCP PDUs and / or one or more PDCP SDUs that the transmitting PDCP entity will not transmit and / or will stop transmitting and / or will abort transmitting and / or will discard. For example, for the identified one or more PDCP PDUs and / or one or more PDCP SDUs, the receiving PDCP entity may operate as if one or more PDCP PDUs and / or one or more PDCP SDUs were received. For example, based on the PDCP control PDU, the receiving PDCP entity may update a local variable associated with the operation of the receiving PDCP entity. For example, the receiving PDCP entity may update a local variable associated with an array number of the next expected PDCP PDU / SDU and / or an array number associated with a receiving window. For example, for the identified one or more PDCP PDUs and / or one or more PDCP SDUs, the receiving PDCP entity may discard the identified one or more PDCP PDUs and / or one or more PDCP SDUs. For example, for the identified PDCP PDU(s) and / or PDCP SDU(s), the receiving PDCP entity may indicate to the receiving RLC entity information of one or more RLC SDUs associated with the identified PDCP PDU(s). Based on the indication from the receiving PDCP entity, the receiving RLC entity may determine one or more RLC PDUs and / or RLC SDUs to discard. Based on the indication from the receiving PDCP entity, the receiving RLC entity may determine one or more RLC PDUs and / or RLC SDUs not to be transmitted. Based on the indication from the receiving PDCP entity, the receiving RLC entity may determine one or more RLC PDUs and / or RLC SDUs that the receiving RLC entity does not need to wait to receive.Based on the indication from the receiving PDCP entity, the receiving RLC entity may update one or more local variables (eg, one or more sequence numbers, one or more times).

[0270] FIG. 22 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0271] In one embodiment, when the transmitting PDCP entity receives a PDCP SDU (e.g., a packet), the transmitting PDCP entity may start a timer for the PDCP SDU. The timer may be associated with discarding the PDCP SDU. If the transmitting PDCP entity receives an indication that a PDCP PDU associated with the PDCP SDU is delivered, the transmitting PDCP entity may stop the timer. If the PDCP SDU timer expires, the transmitting PDCP entity may discard the PDCP SDU and / or the PDCP PDU associated with the PDCP SDU. If the PDCP SDU timer expires, the transmitting PDCP entity may indicate to the transmitting RLC entity to discard the RLC SDU associated with the PDCP PDU. If the PDCP SDU timer expires, the transmitting PDCP entity may indicate to the receiving PDCP entity that transmission of the PDCP SDU has failed and / or has stopped.

[0272] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may receive one or more PDCP SDUs. The one or more PDCP SDUs may include a first PDCP SDU and a second PDCP SDU. The transmitting PDCP entity may further receive one or more ADU information associated with the one or more PDCP SDUs. For example, the first ADU information associated with the first PDCP SDU may include information that a first ADU identification associated with the first PDCP SDU may be 1. For example, the second ADU information associated with the second PDCP SDU may include information that a second ADU identification associated with the second PDCP SDU may be 1. For the received first PDCP SDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may start a timer. The transmitting PDCP entity may deliver a first PDCP PDU associated with the first PDCP SDU to the transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting PDCP entity may not receive an indication that the first PDCP PDU has been delivered. The timer for the first PDCP SDU may expire. If a timer for a PDCP SDU expires, the transmitting PDCP entity may decide to discard the PDCP SDU, for example, the transmitting PDCP entity may decide to discard the first PDCP SDU.

[0273] In one embodiment, when the transmitting PDCP entity decides to discard the PDCP SDU and / or PDCP PDU, it may perform the procedure as shown in the embodiment of Figure 17, Figure 18, Figure 19, Figure 20, Figure 21. For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may act as if the PDCP SDU (and / or the PDCP PDU) associated with the expiration timer may be indicated in the delivery information. For example, if the first timer for the first PDCP SDU expires, the transmitting PDCP entity may act as if the first PDCP SDU and / or the first PDCP PDU is indicated by the delivery information from the RLC entity. For example, the delivery information may be that the transmission of the PDCP PDU fails / stops. For example, the behavior of the PDCP entity as shown in the embodiment of Figure 17, Figure 18, Figure 19, Figure 20, Figure 21 may be triggered by the expiration of the timer instead of receiving the delivery information from the RLC entity.

[0274] For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine ADU information associated with the timer-expired PDCP SDU (e.g., the first PDCP SDU). The transmitting PDCP entity may determine ADU information associated with the PDCP SDU (e.g., the identity of the ADU). For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the identity of the ADU associated with the PDCP SDU is 1. Based on the identified ADU information associated with the PDCP SDU, the transmitting PDCP entity may further determine one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., packets) associated with the ADU information. For example, based on the ADU information associated with the second packet, the transmitting PDCP entity may determine that the first packet (e.g., the first PDCP SDU) is associated with the second packet (e.g., the second PDCP SDU). Based on the determination, the transmitting PDCP entity may discard the second packet (e.g., the second PDCP SDU) and / or the second PDCP PDU.

[0275] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may transmit a PDCP status report (e.g., PDCP control PDU, PDCP transmitter report) to the receiving PDCP entity. The PDCP status report may include information that one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., the first PDCP SDU) are discarded and / or not transmitted. For example, the PDCP status report may include information that the transmission of one or more PDCP SDUs (e.g., the first PDCP SDU) and / or one or more PDCP PDUs is stopped and / or aborted. For example, the PDCP status report may include information of one or more PDCP SDUs and / or one or more PDCP PDUs that the transmitting PDCP entity may or may not transmit. For example, the PDCP status report may include information of one or more PDCP PDUs / SDUs associated with one or more ADUs. For example, the PDCP status report may include information of sequence numbers that the transmitting PDCP entity may transmit.

[0276] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may indicate to the transmitting RLC entity that it needs to discard a second PDCP PDU (second RLC SDU). For example, the transmitting PDCP entity may indicate to the transmitting RLC entity that it needs to discard a first RLC SDU. For example, the PDCP entity may indicate to the transmitting RLC entity that the transmitting RLC entity needs to discard one or more RLC SDUs based on the ADU information. Based on the information of the one or more RLC SDUs to be discarded, the transmitting RLC entity may send an RLC control PDU (e.g., an RLC status PDU, an RLC transmitter status report) to the receiving RLC entity. The RLC control PDU may include information about one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will not transmit and / or discard. The RLC control PDU may include information about one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will stop transmitting. The RLC control PDU may include information regarding one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will cease transmitting. The information regarding the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs may include one or more sequence numbers associated with the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. For example, based on an indication from the transmitting PDCP entity that the first RLC SDU should be discarded, the RLC control PDU may include information regarding the first RLC PDU and / or the first RLC SDU should be discarded.

[0277] FIG. 23 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0278] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet. When the first transmitting protocol entity receives the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may further receive one or more associated ADU information with the one or more packets. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a first packet with the first associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a second packet with the second associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a third packet having third associated ADU information. For example, the first associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the first packet is 1. For example, the second associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the second packet is 1. For example, the third associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the third packet is 2. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the second packet are associated. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the third packet are not associated.

[0279] In one embodiment, the first transmission protocol entity may process the received one or more packets and / or one or more associated ADU information. After processing, the first transmission protocol entity may construct one or more PDUs (e.g., PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU). For example, the one or more PDUs may include a first PDU and / or a second PDU and / or a third PDU. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a first SDU (e.g., a first packet). The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a second SDU (e.g., a second packet). The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a third SDU (e.g., a third packet).

[0280] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver one or more PDCP PDUs to the transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting PDCP entity may deliver one or more ADU information associated with the one or more PDCP PDUs. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU) having first ADU information. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a second RLC SDU (e.g., a second PDCP PDU) having second ADU information. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a third RLC SDU (e.g., a third PDCP PDU) having third ADU information. For example, the ADU information associated with the first RLC SDU and / or the second RLC SDU may indicate that the ADU identity is 1. For example, the ADU information associated with the third RLC SDU may indicate that the ADU identity is 2.

[0281] For a received first RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the first RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., a first RLC PDU, RLC PDU1). For a received second RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the second RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., a second RLC PDU, RLC PDU2). For a received third RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the third RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., a third RLC PDU, RLC PDU3). The transmitting RLC entity may transmit one or more RLC PDUs.

[0282] One or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. One or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, a first RLC PDU (e.g., a first RLC SDU, a first PDCP PDU) and / or a third RLC PDU (e.g., a third RLC SDU, a third PDCP PDU) may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. The receiving RLC entity may buffer the successfully received one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs in a memory. One or more RLC SDUs may be delivered from the receiving RLC entity to the receiving PDCP entity. For example, a second RLC PDU and / or a second RLC SDU may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. To deliver the second RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may retransmit the second RLC PDU / SDU several times.

[0283] In one embodiment, after several failed retransmissions attempting to deliver the second RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the transmission of RLC SDU2 and / or RLC PDU2 has failed. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU2 and / or RLC PDU2 has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to stop transmitting the RLC PDU2 and / or RLC SDU2. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU2 and / or RLC PDU2 has failed may be for the transmitting RLC entity to abort transmitting the RLC PDU2 and / or RLC SDU2. The determination that the transmission of RLC SDU2 and / or RLC PDU2 has failed may be for the delivery of the RLC SDU2 and / or RLC SDU2 to fail.

[0284] In one embodiment, based on the determination that the transmission of RLC SDU2 and / or RLC PDU2 has failed, the transmitting RLC entity may discard the RLC PDU and / or the RLC SDU associated with the RLC PDU. The transmitting RLC entity may determine ADU information associated with the discarded RLC SDU and / or the discarded RLC PDU. For example, based on the ADU information delivered in the RLC SDU associated with the RLC PDU, the transmitting RLC entity may determine the ADU information. Based on the determined ADU information, the transmitting RLC entity may determine one or more RLC SDUs associated with the determined ADU information. For example, the ADU information of the discarded RLC SDU (e.g., the second RLC SDU) may indicate that the ADU identity of the discarded RLC SDU (e.g., the second RLC SDU) is 1. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the ADU identity of RLC SDU1 is 1. Based on the determination of the ADU information of the one or more RLC SDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may discard one or more RLC SDUs. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may further discard one or more RLC SDUs (e.g., RLC SDU1) associated with the same ADU information as the discarded RLC SDU (e.g., RLC SDU2). For example, the transmitting RLC entity may discard one or more RLC PDUs associated with the one or more discarded RLC SDUs. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the ADU identity of RLC SDU3 is 2. Based on the determination of the ADU information of the one or more RLC SDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may not discard one or more RLC SDUs. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may not discard one or more RLC SDUs (e.g., RLC SDU3) associated with different ADU information as the discarded RLC SDU (e.g., RLC SDU2). For example, the transmitting RLC entity may not discard one or more RLC PDUs associated with the one or more non-discarded RLC SDUs.

[0285] In one embodiment, for one or more discarded RLC SDUs and / or one or more discarded RLC PDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may send an RLC control PDU (e.g., an RLC status PDU, an RLC transmitter status report) to the receiving RLC entity. The RLC control PDU may include information about one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will not transmit and / or discard. The RLC control PDU may include information about one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will stop transmitting. The RLC control PDU may include information about one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will cease transmitting. The information about the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs may include one or more sequence numbers associated with the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. For example, based on the information of the discarded one or more RLC SDUs / PDUs, the RLC control PDU may include information that the first RLC PDU and / or the first RLC SDU needs to be discarded. For example, based on the information of the discarded one or more RLC SDUs / PDUs, the RLC control PDU may include information that the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU needs to be discarded. For example, based on ADU information associated with the discarded one or more RLC SDUs / PDUs, the RLC control PDU may include information of one or more ADUs associated with the one or more RLC PDUs / SDUs (e.g., the first RLC SDU, the second RLC SDU).

[0286] In one embodiment, the receiving RLC entity may receive an RLC control PDU. Based on the received RLC control PDU, the receiving RLC entity may identify one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs that the transmitting RLC entity will not transmit and / or will stop transmitting and / or will abort transmitting and / or will discard. For example, for the identified one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may operate as if one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs have been received. The receiving RLC entity may operate as if one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs have been received, since the receiving RLC entity may not wait / expect long to receive one or more RLC PDUs / SDUs. For example, the receiving RLC entity may update a local variable associated with the operation of the receiving RLC entity. For example, the receiving RLC entity may update a local variable associated with one or more sequence numbers of the next expected RLC PDU / SDU, and / or one or more sequence numbers of the confirmed RLC PDU / SDU, and / or one or more sequence numbers associated with the reception / reception window / buffer. For example, for the identified one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may determine one or more RLC PDUs and / or RLC SDUs associated with the identified one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. The receiving RLC entity may discard the identified one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. For example, the receiving RLC entity may discard the first RLC PDU and / or the first RLC SDU. For example, the receiving RLC entity may discard the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU.For example, for the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s), the receiving RLC entity may indicate to the receiving PDCP entity information of the identified RLC PDU(s) and / or RLC SDU(s). The information may include that the RLC SDU(s) are to be discarded and / or not transmitted and / or aborted. Based on the indication from the receiving RLC entity, the receiving PDCP entity may determine one or more PDCP PDUs / SDUs associated with the indicated RLC SDU(s). The receiving PDCP entity may discard the determined PDCP PDU(s).

[0287] FIG. 24 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0288] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet. When the first transmitting protocol entity receives the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may further receive one or more associated ADU information with the one or more packets. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a first packet with the first associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a second packet with the second associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a third packet having third associated ADU information. For example, the first associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the first packet is 1. For example, the second associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the second packet is 1. For example, the third associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the third packet is 2. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the second packet are associated. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the third packet are not associated.

[0289] In one embodiment, the first transmission protocol entity may process the received one or more packets and / or one or more associated ADU information. After processing, the first transmission protocol entity may construct one or more PDUs (e.g., PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU). For example, the one or more PDUs may include a first PDCP PDU and / or a second PDCP PDU and / or a third PDCP PDU. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a first SDU (e.g., a first packet). The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a second SDU (e.g., a second packet). The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a third SDU (e.g., a third packet). For example, the one or more PDUs may include one or more ADU information. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include a first SDU (e.g., a first packet, a first PDCP SDU) and / or a first ADU information. The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include a second SDU (e.g., a second packet, a second PDCP SDU) and / or a second ADU information. The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include a third SDU (e.g., a third packet, a third PDCP SDU) and / or a third ADU information. For example, the first ADU information and / or the second ADU information may indicate that an associated ADU identity is 1. For example, the third ADU information may indicate that an associated ADU identity is 2.

[0290] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver one or more PDCP PDUs to the transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting PDCP entity may deliver one or more ADU information associated with the one or more PDCP PDUs. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU) having first ADU information. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a second RLC SDU (e.g., a second PDCP PDU) having second ADU information. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a third RLC SDU (e.g., a third PDCP PDU) having third ADU information. For example, the ADU information associated with the first RLC SDU and / or the second RLC SDU may indicate that the ADU identity is 1. For example, the ADU information associated with the third RLC SDU may indicate that the ADU identity is 2.

[0291] In one embodiment, for a received first RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the first RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., the first RLC PDU). For a received second RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the second RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., the second RLC PDU). For a received third RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the third RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., the third RLC PDU). The one or more RLC PDUs may include one or more ADU information associated with one or more RLC PDUs / SDUs. For example, the first RLC PDU may include ADU information associated with the first RLC SDU. For example, the second RLC PDU may include ADU information associated with the second RLC SDU. For example, the third RLC PDU may include ADU information associated with the third RLC SDU. The transmitting RLC entity may transmit one or more RLC PDUs.

[0292] In one embodiment, one or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. One or more RLC PDUs transmitted by the transmitting RLC entity may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. For example, a first RLC PDU may be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. The receiving RLC entity may buffer the successfully received one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs in a memory. One or more RLC SDUs may be delivered to the receiving PDCP entity. For example, a second RLC PDU may not be successfully delivered to the receiving RLC entity. To deliver the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU to the receiving RLC entity, the transmitting RLC entity may retransmit the second RLC PDU and / or the second RLC SDU several times.

[0293] In one embodiment, the receiving RLC entity may receive one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. For example, the receiving RLC entity may receive the first RLC PDU and / or the third RLC PDU. The receiving RLC entity may not receive one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. For example, the receiving RLC entity may not receive the second RLC PDU. Based on the received one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may identify one or more missing RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs. For example, based on one or more sequence numbers of the one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may determine one or more missing RLC PDUs. For example, based on the sequence numbers of the received first RLC PDU (e.g., 1) and third RLC PDU (e.g., 3), the receiving RLC entity may determine that the second RLC PDU (e.g., 2) is missing. For one or more unreceived RLC PDUs / SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may determine ADU information associated with the missing one or more RLC PDUs / SDUs. For the determined ADU information, the receiving RLC entity may discard one or more RLC PDUs / SDUs associated with the ADU information. For example, the receiving RLC entity may determine that the ADU information associated with the missing RLC PDU (e.g., RLC PDU2) is 1. Based on the identified ADU information and the ADU information of the one or more received RLC PDUs / SDUs, the receiving RLC entity may determine that a first RLC PDU / SDU is associated with the same ADU information. Based on the determination, the receiving RLC entity may discard the first RLC PDU / SDU.

[0294] In other embodiments, the one or more PDCP PDUs may include one or more ADU information. The one or more PDCP PDUs may include one or more ADU information associated with the PDCP PDU. For example, the first PDCP PDU may include a first PDCP SDU and / or a first ADU information. For example, the second PDCP PDU may include a second PDCP SDU and / or a second ADU information. For example, the third PDCP PDU may include a third PDCP SDU and / or a third ADU information. Based on the one or more ADU information of the one or more PDCP PDUs, the receiving PDCP entity may determine one or more PDCP PDUs associated with the ADU information of the missing one or more PDCP PDUs. The receiving PDCP entity may discard the determined one or more associated PDCP PDUs / SDUs. This PDCP entity operation may be similar to that of the RLC entity as shown in the previous embodiment.

[0295] FIG. 25 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0296] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet. When the first transmitting protocol entity receives the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may further receive one or more associated ADU information with the one or more packets. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a first packet with the first associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a second packet with the second associated ADU information. The first transmitting protocol entity may receive a third packet having third associated ADU information. For example, the first associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the first packet is 1. For example, the second associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the second packet is 1. For example, the third associated ADU information may indicate that an identity of an ADU associated with the third packet is 2. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the second packet are associated. For example, the one or more associated ADU information may indicate that the first packet and the third packet are not associated.

[0297] In one embodiment, the first transmission protocol entity may process the received one or more packets and / or one or more associated ADU information. After processing, the first transmission protocol entity may construct one or more PDUs (e.g., PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU). For example, the one or more PDUs may include a first PDU and / or a second PDU and / or a third PDU. The first PDU (e.g., the first PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a first SDU (e.g., a first packet). The second PDU (e.g., the second PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a second SDU (e.g., a second packet). The third PDU (e.g., the third PDCP PDU) may include at least a portion of a third SDU (e.g., a third packet).

[0298] In one embodiment, the transmitting PDCP entity may deliver one or more PDCP PDUs to the transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting PDCP entity may deliver one or more ADU information associated with the one or more PDCP PDUs. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a first RLC SDU (e.g., a first PDCP PDU) having first ADU information. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a second RLC SDU (e.g., a second PDCP PDU) having second ADU information. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may receive a third RLC SDU (e.g., a third PDCP PDU) having third ADU information. For example, the ADU information associated with the first RLC SDU and / or the second RLC SDU may indicate that the ADU identity is 1. For example, the ADU information associated with the third RLC SDU may indicate that the ADU identity is 2.

[0299] In one embodiment, for a received first RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the first RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., a first RLC PDU). For a received second RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the second RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., a second RLC PDU). For a received third RLC SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may process the third RLC SDU and may construct one or more RLC PDUs.

[0300] In one embodiment, the transmitting RLC entity may deliver one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., one or more MAC SDUs) to the transmitting MAC entity. The transmitting MAC entity may construct one or more MAC PDUs including one or more MAC SDUs. The one or more MAC SDUs may include the RLC PDUs. The transmitting MAC entity may assign the one or more MAC PDUs to one or more HARQ processes. The one or more HARQ processes may perform transmission and / or retransmission to deliver the one or more MAC PDUs to the receiving MAC entity. For example, the one or more MAC PDUs may include a first MAC PDU and / or a second MAC PDU. The first MAC PDU may include a first RLC PDU (e.g., a first MAC SDU). The second MAC PDU may include a second RLC PDU (e.g., a second MAC SDU). The one or more HARQ processes may include a first HARQ process and / or a second HARQ process. The first HARQ process may transmit the first MAC PDU. The second HARQ process may transmit a second MAC PDU.

[0301] In one embodiment, the first HARQ process of the transmitting MAC entity may fail to deliver the first MAC PDU to the receiving MAC entity. The transmitting MAC entity may report a failure of the transmission of the MAC SDU (e.g., the first RLC PDU) to the transmitting RLC entity. The transmitting RLC entity may determine that the transmission of the first RLC PDU has failed. For example, if the transmission of the first RLC PDU has failed several times, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the transmission of the first RLC PDU has failed. Based on the determination that the transmission of the RLC PDU has failed, the transmitting RLC entity may discard the first RLC PDU and / or the first RLC SDU. Based on the determination that the transmission of the RLC PDU / SDU has failed, the transmitting RLC entity may identify ADU information associated with the first RLC PDU and / or the first RLC SDU. Based on the identified ADU information, the transmitting RLC entity may determine one or more RLC SDUs and / or one or more RLC PDUs associated with the identified ADU information. For example, based on the ADU information associated with the first RLC PDU / SDU and the ADU information associated with the second RLC PDU / SDU, the transmitting RLC entity may determine that the first RLC PDU and / or the first RLC SDU are associated. For example, based on the determination, the transmitting RLC entity may determine to discard the second RLC SDU / PDU and / or to stop transmitting the second RLC SDU / PDU.

[0302] In one embodiment, based on the ADU information of one or more RLC PDUs and / or one or more RLC SDUs, the transmitting RLC entity may indicate information of one or more RLC PDUs (e.g., one or more MAC SDUs) to the transmitting MAC entity to discard and / or abort transmission. Based on the information delivered from the transmitting RLC entity, the transmitting MAC entity may determine one or more associated HARQ processes. For example, the transmitting RLC entity may indicate to the transmitting MAC entity that a second RLC PDU (e.g., a second MAC SDU) needs to be discarded. Based on the second MAC SDU being transmitted via a second HARQ process, the transmitting MAC entity may terminate and / or abort transmission via the second HARQ process.

[0303] FIG. 26 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0304] In one embodiment, a transmitting entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity, a MAC entity) may receive one or more service data units (e.g., an SDU, a PDCP SDU, an RLC SDU, an SDAP SDU, a MAC SDU) from an upper layer / entity (e.g., an application layer, an intermediate layer, an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity, a MAC entity). The transmitting entity may process the one or more received service data units. The transmitting entity may construct one or more protocol data units (e.g., a PDU, a PDCP PDU, an RLC PDU, an SDAP PDU, a MAC PDU) based on the one or more service data units. The transmitting entity may transmit the one or more protocol data units and / or deliver the one or more protocol data units to a lower layer (e.g., an RLC entity, a MAC entity, a PDCP entity, a PHY entity).

[0305] In one embodiment, the transmitting entity may decide not to transmit or retransmit one or more protocol data units and / or one or more service data units. The transmitting entity may decide to terminate or stop transmission of one or more protocol data units and / or one or more service data units. The decision may be based on the number of attempted transmissions for the protocol data unit and / or service data unit exceeding a threshold (e.g., 3 times, 4 times, etc.). The decision may be based on the time elapsed since the availability of the service data unit and / or protocol data unit passed a threshold (e.g., 1 second, 5 seconds, etc.). The decision may be based on an upper layer requesting discard of the service data unit and / or protocol data unit.

[0306] In one embodiment, based on the determination, the transmitting entity may transmit a transmitter status report (e.g., a control protocol data unit) to the receiving entity. The transmitter status report may include information regarding one or more service data units and / or one or more protocol data units that the transmitter will stop transmitting and / or discontinue and / or discard.

[0307] FIG. 27 may depict one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0308] In one embodiment, a transmitting entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity, a MAC entity) may receive one or more service data units (e.g., an SDU, a PDCP SDU, an RLC SDU, an SDAP SDU, a MAC SDU) from an upper layer / entity (e.g., an application layer, an intermediate layer, an SDAP layer, a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity, a MAC entity). The transmitting entity may receive one or more ADUs of information associated with the one or more service data units.

[0309] The transmitting entity may process one or more received service data units. The transmitting entity may construct one or more protocol data units (e.g., PDU, PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, SDAP PDU, MAC PDU) based on the one or more service data units. The transmitting entity may transmit one or more protocol data units and / or deliver one or more protocol data units to lower layers (e.g., RLC entity, MAC entity, PDCP entity, PHY entity).

[0310] In one embodiment, the transmitting entity may decide not to transmit or retransmit one or more protocol data units and / or one or more service data units. The transmitting entity may decide to terminate or stop transmission of one or more protocol data units and / or one or more service data units. The decision may be based on the number of attempted transmissions for the protocol data unit and / or service data unit exceeding a threshold (e.g., 3 times, 4 times, etc.). The decision may be based on the time elapsed since the availability of the service data unit and / or protocol data unit passed a threshold (e.g., 1 second, 5 seconds, etc.). The decision may be based on an upper layer requesting discard of the service data unit and / or protocol data unit.

[0311] In one embodiment, for one or more service data units and / or one or more protocol data units (e.g., a first set of units) to be discarded, the transmitting entity may identify associated ADU information for the one or more service data units and / or one or more protocol data units. Based on the ADU information, the transmitting entity may determine one or more protocol data units and / or one or more protocol data units (e.g., a second set of units) associated with the one or more protocol data units (e.g., the first set of units) to be discarded. For example, the one or more protocol data units (e.g., the first set of units) to be discarded may include the first service data unit. For example, the first service data unit may be associated with first ADU information. The first ADU information may indicate that the ADU identity is 1. For example, the second service data unit may be associated with second ADU information. The second ADU information may indicate that the ADU identity is 1. For example, the third service data unit may be associated with third ADU information. The third ADU information may indicate that the ADU identity is 2. Based on the one or more ADU information for the one or more service data units, the transmitting entity may determine that the second service data unit may be associated with the first service data unit. Based on the determination, the transmitting entity may discard the second service data unit.

[0312] In one embodiment, based on the determination, the transmitting entity may transmit a transmitter status report (e.g., a control protocol data unit) to the receiving entity. The transmitter status report may include information regarding one or more service data units and / or one or more protocol data units that the transmitter will stop transmitting and / or discontinue and / or discard.

[0313] In one embodiment, a first transmitting protocol entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity) may receive one or more packets (e.g., SDUs) from an upper layer (e.g., an SDAP entity, a PDCP entity, an IP entity, a TCP entity, etc.). The one or more packets may include at least one or more packet headers and / or one or more packet payloads. The one or more packet payloads may include one or more ADUs and / or one or more bytes of one or more ADUs and / or one or more SDUs (e.g., a PDCP SDU, an SDAP SDU, an RLC SDU). The one or more packets may include a first packet and / or a second packet and / or a third packet.

[0314] In one embodiment, the fourth entity (e.g., an RRC entity) may configure the first transmission protocol entity with state information. Based on the state information, the first transmission protocol entity may identify one or more associated ADU information to one or more packets. The state information may include information of how to identify that one or more SDUs are associated with the same ADU. The state information may include information of how to identify that one or more SDUs are associated with different ADUs. The state information may include information of how to identify ADU information associated with an SDU. For example, the state information may indicate one or more fields. For example, the one or more fields may include at least one of one or more fields of an application data unit (ADU), one or more fields of an IP packet, one or more fields of an RTP packet, one or more fields of a UDP packet, one or more fields of a TCP packet, one or more fields of an HTTP packet, a timestamp field, a DSCP field, and the like.

[0315] In one embodiment, when the first transmitting protocol entity receives one or more packets, based on the state information, the first transmitting protocol entity can identify one or more associated ADU information for the one or more packets. For example, when the first transmitting protocol entity receives one or more packets, based on the state information, the first transmitting protocol entity can identify one or more packets associated with the same ADU. For example, the state information can indicate a timestamp field. The timestamp field of the first packet can be 1. The timestamp field of the second packet can be 1. The timestamp field of the third packet can be 2. Based on the state information and the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity can determine that the first packet and the second packet are associated with the same ADU. Based on the state information and the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity can determine that the first packet and the third packet are not associated with the same ADU. Based on the state information and the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity can determine that the associated ADU information for the first packet is 1. Based on the status information and the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may determine that the associated ADU information for the second packet is 1. Based on the status information and the one or more packets, the first transmitting protocol entity may determine that the associated ADU information for the third packet is 2. Based on the determination, the first transmitting protocol entity may generate first associated ADU information for the first packet. Based on the determination, the first transmitting protocol entity may generate second associated ADU information for the second packet. Based on the determination, the first transmitting protocol entity may generate third associated ADU information for the third packet.

[0316] In one embodiment, in the embodiments of Figures 17-25, instead of receiving one or more packets having one or more associated ADU information, the first transmitting protocol entity may determine one or more associated ADU information for the one or more packets, as described above.

[0317] In one embodiment, a first entity (e.g., a PDCP entity) may receive one or more service data units (SDUs, e.g., PDCP SDUs) from a third entity (e.g., an upper layer, an SDAP entity, a protocol entity). For example, the one or more SDUs may include a first SDU. The first entity may generate one or more protocol data units (PDUs, e.g., PDCP PDUs) based on the one or more SDUs. For example, based on the first SDU, the first entity may generate a first PDU. The first PDU may include the first SDU. The first entity may transmit the first PDU. For example, a first entity of a first network node (e.g., a first device, UE, NG-RAN) may transmit the first PDU to a first entity of a second network node (e.g., a second device, NG-RAN, UE). For example, a first entity may transmit a first PDU to a second entity (eg, an RLC entity, a MAC entity, a PDCP entity, a PHY entity, an SDAP entity) to request delivery of the first PDU.

[0318] In one embodiment, the first entity may determine that delivery of the first PDU has failed. The delivery failure of the first PDU may be interpreted as a delivery failure of the first SDU. For example, the first entity may determine a delivery failure of the first PDU if the first PDU is not successfully delivered within a threshold (e.g., a configured amount of time). For example, the second entity may perform a transmission of the first PDU. If the second entity fails to transmit the first PDU, the second entity may indicate to the first entity that delivery of the first PDU has failed. If the second entity does not receive an acknowledgement for the first PDU from a receiver (e.g., a second entity of a second network node), the second entity may indicate to the first entity that delivery of the first PDU has failed.

[0319] In one embodiment, the first entity may determine a delivery failure of the first PDU if the first SDU is not successfully delivered within a threshold (e.g., a configured amount of time). The first entity may start a timer with a configured amount of time for the first SDU when the first SDU is received from the third entity. If the timer expires, the first entity may determine that delivery of the first PDU has failed. If the first entity receives an indication that the first SDU and / or the first PDU was successfully delivered, the first entity may stop the timer for the first SDU.

[0320] For example, the second entity may determine a delivery failure of the first PDU when a number of transmissions of the first PDU reaches a threshold (e.g., a configured number) Based on the determination, the second entity may indicate to the first entity that delivery of the first PDU has failed.

[0321] The first entity may discard the first SDU and / or the first PDU for which delivery fails based on the determination of a delivery failure of the first PDU. The first entity may not discard the first PDU and / or the first SDU if the first entity does not determine a delivery failure for the first PDU. The first entity may remove the first SDU and / or the first PDU from its memory if the first entity determines to discard the first SDU and / or the first PDU.

[0322] In one embodiment, based on the determination that the delivery of the first PDU has failed, the first entity may transmit to the first entity of the second network node an indication to discard the first SDU and / or an indication to stop transmission of the first SDU. For example, the first entity of the first network node may transmit to the first entity of the second network node an indication to discard the first SDU (e.g., information of delivery failure of the first SDU, information of the first SDU not being transmitted, information of the transmission of the first SDU being stopped). For example, the indication to discard the first SDU may include a status report (e.g., a PDCP status report) and / or a control PDU (e.g., a PDCP control PDU) and / or the like. For example, the indication to discard the first SDU may include identification information of the first SDU and / or the first PDU. For example, the identification information of the first SDU and / or the first PDU may include one or more sequence numbers and / or identity information of the first SDU and / or the first PDU. For example, the indication to discard the first SDU may include: - information indicating that the first entity stops / aborts the transmission of the first SDU and / or the first PDU; - information that the first SDU and / or the first PDU must be discarded, - information that the first entity may not transmit the first SDU and / or the first PDU.

[0323] In one embodiment, the first entity may receive configuration information from a fourth entity (e.g., a radio resource control entity) on whether to send an indication to discard the first SDU. For example, if the configuration information indicates that the first entity sends an indication to discard the first SDU, the first entity may send an indication to discard the first SDU. For example, if the configuration information does not indicate that the first entity sends an indication to discard the first SDU, the first entity may not send an indication to discard the first SDU. For example, the configuration information may further include information of one or more parameters associated with determining a delivery failure. For example, the configuration information may include one or more thresholds for the one or more parameters (e.g., a configured number, a number of retransmissions for one or more SDUs, a timer value).

[0324] In one embodiment, the first entity of the first network node may receive a response to the indication to discard the first SDU from the second network node, For example, the response may include at least one of acknowledging receipt of the indication to discard the first SDU, discarding the first SDU, discarding the first PDU, and / or updating a parameter (e.g., a receive window, a local variable).

[0325] In one embodiment, the first PDU may include information for identifying a first SDU associated with the first PDU, for example, the first PDU may include one or more sequence numbers and / or one or more identity information associated with the first SDU.

[0326] In one embodiment, a first entity (e.g., a radio link control entity, RLC entity) of a first device (e.g., a UE, an NG-RAN) may receive a service data unit (SDU) from a third entity (e.g., a packet data convergence protocol entity, PDCP entity) of the first device. The first entity may segment (e.g., format) the SDU into a plurality of protocol data units (PDUs). The plurality of PDUs may include at least one first PDU and at least one second PDU. The first entity may transmit the at least one first PDU to a second device (e.g., an NG-RAN, a UE). The first entity may determine to discard the SDU based on a delivery failure of at least one of the at least one second PDU or SDU. Based on the determination, the first entity of the first device may transmit an indication to the first entity of the second device to discard at least one of the at least one first PDU or SDU. In one embodiment, the delivery failure may be determined based on at least one second PDU not being transmitted within a configured time. In one embodiment, the delivery failure may be determined based on the at least one second PDU being transmitted a configured number of times and the first entity not receiving an acknowledgement. In one embodiment, the delivery failure may be determined based on the number of transmissions made for the SDU reaching a configured number. In one embodiment, the delivery failure may be determined based on the sum of the number of transmissions made for the at least one first PDU and the at least one second PDU reaching a configured number. In one embodiment, based on the indication, the first entity of the second device may discard the at least one first PDU and / or the at least one second PDU and / or SDU. In one example, based on the indication, the first entity of the second device may update one or more local variables and / or one or more timers.

[0327] In one embodiment, a first entity (e.g., an RLC entity, a PDCP entity, an SDAP entity) of a first device (e.g., a UE, an NG-RAN) may receive a service data unit (SDU) from a third entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an SDAP entity, an upper layer) of the first device. The first entity may segment the SDU into a plurality of protocol data units (PDUs). The plurality of PDUs may include at least one first PDU and at least one second PDU. The first entity may transmit the at least one first PDU to a second device (e.g., an NG-RAN, an UE). The first entity may determine to discard the SDU based on a delivery failure of the at least second PDU. Based on the determination, the first entity may transmit an indication to the second device to discard at least one of the at least one first PDU or the SDU.

[0328] In one embodiment, a receiving protocol entity (e.g., PDCP entity, RLC entity) of a first network node (e.g., UE, NG-RAN) may receive one or more protocol data units (PDUs) from a transmitting protocol entity (e.g., PDCP entity, RLC entity) of a second network node (e.g., NG-RAN, UE). The one or more PDUs may be associated with one or more service data units (SDUs). The receiving protocol entity may receive transmitter status information (e.g., control PDUs, status reports, status PDUs) from the transmitting protocol entity. The transmitter status information may include information of one or more SDUs to be discarded at the transmitting protocol entity. The receiving protocol entity may process one or more received PDUs and / or one or more received SDUs based on the transmitter status information. For example, the receiving protocol entity may discard one or more received PDUs and / or one or more received SDUs based on the transmitter status information.

[0329] In one embodiment, a first entity of a first network node may receive a service data unit (SDU) from a second entity. The first entity may construct one or more protocol data units (PDUs) based on the received SDU. The first entity may transmit one or more PDUs to a third entity. The first entity may determine to stop transmitting the SDU. Based on the determination, the first entity may transmit information of the SDU to a peer entity (e.g., the second network node).

[0330] In one embodiment, a first entity (e.g., a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an SDAP entity, an application, a protocol entity, a MAC entity, a PHY entity) of a first network node (e.g., a UE, an NG-RAN) can receive a first service data unit (SDU, SDAP SDU, PDCP SDU, RLC SDU, MAC SDU, PHY SDU, ADU (e.g., IP packet, RTP packet, TCP packet, UDP packet, or application data)) from a third entity (e.g., an upper layer of the first network node, application, protocol entity). The first entity can generate at least one first protocol data unit (PDU, SDAP PDU, PDCP PDU, RLC PDU, MAC PDU, PHY PDU) using the first SDU. The first entity can transmit at least one first PDU.

[0331] In one embodiment, the first entity may determine that delivery of the first SDU has failed. For example, the first entity may receive an indication from a second entity (e.g., an RLC entity, a PDCP entity, an SDAP entity, an application, a protocol entity, a MAC entity, a PHY entity) that delivery of the first SDU and / or at least one PDU associated with the first SDU has failed. For example, if a number of transmissions for the at least one PDU reaches a threshold, the second entity may transmit to the first entity that delivery of the at least one PDU has failed. Based on the indication that delivery of the at least one PDU has failed, the first entity may determine that delivery of the first SDU has failed. For example, the first entity may start a timer when it receives the first SDU. If the timer expires, the first entity may determine that delivery of the first SDU has failed. The first entity may stop the timer if the first entity receives an indication that the SDU was successfully delivered. A configuration value for the timer may be indicated by the fourth entity.

[0332] In one embodiment, the first entity may receive a second SDU from a third entity. The first entity may generate at least one second PDU using the second SDU. The first entity may transmit at least one second PDU. The combination of the first SDU and / or the second SDU may include a first ADU.

[0333] In one embodiment, based on the determination that the delivery of the first SDU has failed, the first entity may determine to discard the first SDU. In one embodiment, the first entity may identify a second SDU associated with the first SDU. For example, based on one or more ADU information associated with the one or more SDUs, the first entity may identify a second SDU associated with the first SDU. For example, if the associated ADU information for the first SDU and / or the associated ADU information for the second SDU match, the first entity may determine that the second SDU is associated with the first SDU. For example, the third entity may deliver to the first entity one or more SDUs and / or one or more ADU information associated with the one or more SDUs. For example, the first SDU and the second SDU may be associated if a condition is met. The first entity may determine whether the condition is met. For example, the condition may be that one or more fields of the first SDU match one or more fields of the second SDU. For example, the condition may be that an identification information of an ADU associated with the first SDU matches an identification information of an ADU associated with the second SDU. The first SDU and the second SDU may include a service data flow. The service data flow may be identified by a source address and / or a destination address. The fourth entity (e.g., an RRC entity) may configure the first entity with information of the one or more fields. For example, the one or more fields may include at least one of one or more fields of an application data unit (ADU), one or more fields of an IP packet, one or more fields of an RTP packet, one or more fields of a UDP packet, one or more fields of a TCP packet, one or more fields of an HTTP packet, a timestamp field, and a DSCP field. For example, the one or more fields may include one or more fields of one or more SDUs.

[0334] Based on the determination, the first entity may decide to discard the second SDU.

[0335] In one embodiment, if it is determined that the second SDU and the first SDU are associated, the first entity may transmit information of the second SDU. For example, the first entity of the first network node may transmit information of the second SDU to the first entity of the second network node (e.g., NG-RAN, UE). For example, the information of the second SDU may indicate that the first network node may not transmit the second SDU and / or at least one PDU associated with the second SDU. For example, the information of the second SDU may indicate that the second SDU and / or at least one PDU associated with the second SDU is discarded and / or that the second SDU and / or at least one PDU associated with the second SDU needs to be discarded. The information of the second SDU may further include information of the first SDU. The information of the first SDU may indicate that the first network node may not transmit the first SDU and / or at least one PDU associated with the first SDU. The information of the first SDU may indicate a discard of the first SDU and / or at least one PDU associated with the first SDU. The information of the first SDU may indicate a need to discard the first SDU and / or at least one PDU associated with the first SDU. For example, the information of the second SDU may include a status report (e.g., a PDCP status report, an RLC status report, an SDAP status report) and / or a control PDU (e.g., a PDCP control PDU, an RLC control PDU, a MAC control element) and / or the like.

[0336] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the second SDU and the first SDU are not associated, the first entity may not transmit information of the second SDU.

[0337] In one embodiment, if the second SDU is to be discarded, the first entity may send an indication to the second entity to discard at least one PDU associated with the second SDU. In one embodiment, if the first SDU is to be discarded, the first entity may send an indication to the second entity to discard at least one PDU associated with the first SDU.

[0338] In one embodiment, the first entity may receive a response to the information in the second SDU.

[0339] In one embodiment, a receiving protocol entity (e.g., PDCP, RLC) may receive one or more protocol data units (PDUs) from a transmitting protocol entity. The one or more PDUs may be associated with a first service data unit (SDU). The receiving protocol entity may receive information from the transmitting protocol entity that the first SDU is to be discarded. Based on the information that the first SDU is to be discarded, the receiving protocol entity may update one or more parameters of the receiving entity. The one or more parameters include at least one of a receive window (e.g., receive window sequence number, next data sequence number) or one or more timers (e.g., stop one or more timers, start one or more timers).

[0340] In one embodiment, a transmitting protocol entity of a first network node may receive one or more service data units (SDUs) from an upper layer. The transmitting protocol entity may determine one or more SDU identifications for the one or more SDUs. The transmitting protocol entity may generate one or more protocol data units (PDUs) using the one or more SDUs. The one or more PDUs may include at least one or more SDU identifications. The transmitting protocol entity may transmit the one or more PDUs.

[0341] In one embodiment, a receiving protocol entity may receive one or more protocol data units (PDUs). The one or more PDUs may include one or more service data unit (SDU) identifications and one or more SDUs. Based on the one or more received PDUs and the one or more SDU identifications, the receiving protocol entity may determine that one or more SDUs have been received incorrectly. The receiving protocol entity may determine that one or more PDUs associated with the one or more SDUs have not been received correctly. Based on the determination, the receiving protocol entity may discard the determined one or more associated PDUs.

Claims

1. 1. A method comprising: transmitting, by the first device to the second device, a number of packets associated with data units of the data flow; determining, by the first device, a transmission failure of at least one packet of the plurality of packets; The first device said failure to transmit said at least one packet; and discarding the plurality of packets based on the plurality of packets being associated with the data unit; transmitting, by the first device to the second device, an indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded.

2. 1. A method comprising: discarding, by the first device, a plurality of packets associated with a data unit of the data flow based on a failure to transmit at least one of the plurality of packets; transmitting, by the first device, an indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising transmitting, by the first device to a second device, the plurality of packets associated with the data units of the data flow.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first device comprises a first wireless device and the second device comprises a second wireless device.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first device comprises a first entity of a first wireless device and the second device comprises a second entity of the first wireless device.

6. Either the first entity or the second entity: the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, or A radio link control (RLC) layer.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the data unit comprises a service data unit (SDU).

8. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising segmenting, by the first entity, the SDU into a plurality of protocol data units (PDUs), the PDUs including at least one first PDU and at least one second PDU.

9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the discarding comprises discarding, by the first entity, the SDU based on the failure to transmit the at least one second PDU.

10. The method of any one of claims 2 to 9, further comprising determining, by the first device, a transmission failure of at least one packet of the plurality of packets.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first device determines the transmission failure based on expiration of a time period associated with the at least one packet.

12. The first device comprises: starting the time period associated with the at least one packet when the packet is received; and The method of claim 11 , wherein the first device stops the time period associated with the at least one packet when the first device receives an indication that the at least one packet is received by the second device.

13. The indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded comprises: Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Status Report, or The method according to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein the PDCP control protocol data unit is transmitted via at least one of the PDCP control protocol data unit.

14. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein the indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded includes information indicating that the second device should discard each of the plurality of packets.

15. 15. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving, by the first device, configuration information from the second device regarding whether to send the indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded.

16. The method of any one of claims 2 to 15, wherein the first device receives the plurality of packets from an application.

17. The first device an acknowledgment to the indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded; an indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded; or The method of any one of claims 2 to 16, further comprising receiving at least one of the following:

18. 17. The method of claim 2, further comprising removing the data unit from a memory of the first device based on determining, by the first device, to discard the plurality of packets.

19. A first device comprising one or more processors and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first device to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 18.

21. 1. A method comprising: A method comprising receiving, by a second device, an indication from a first device that a number of packets associated with a data unit of a data flow are to be discarded.

22. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising discarding, by the second device and based on the indication, one or more received packets of the plurality of packets.

23. The method of any one of claims 21 to 22, further comprising receiving, by the second device, from the first device, the plurality of packets associated with the data units of the data flow.

24. The method of any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the first device comprises a first wireless device and the second device comprises a second wireless device.

25. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the first device comprises a first entity of a first wireless device and the second device comprises a second entity of the first wireless device.

26. Either the first entity or the second entity: the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, or 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising at least one of: a radio link control (RLC) layer;

27. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the data unit comprises a service data unit (SDU).

28. The indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded comprises: Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Status Report, or The method according to any one of claims 21 to 27, wherein the received data is received via at least one of the following: a PDCP control protocol data unit.

29. 29. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 28, wherein the indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded includes information indicating that the second device should discard each of the plurality of packets.

30. 30. The method of any one of claims 21 to 29, further comprising transmitting configuration information from the second device to the first device regarding whether to transmit the indication that the plurality of packets are discarded.

31. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the configuration information includes a value for the time period to enable the first device to determine the transmission failure based on expiration of the time period.

32. A second device comprising one or more processors and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the second device to perform the method of any one of claims 21 to 31.

33. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of claims 21 to 31.

34. 1. A system comprising: A first device, comprising one or more processors, the first device being configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, discarding a plurality of packets associated with a data unit of the data flow based on a failure to transmit at least one of the plurality of packets; and a memory storing instructions to cause a first device to perform operations including transmitting an indication to a second device that the plurality of packets have been discarded; the second device, wherein the second device includes one or more processors, and when executed by the one or more processors, the second device includes and a second device including a memory storing instructions for performing operations including receiving from the first device the indication that the plurality of packets are to be discarded.

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