Mobility communication method, network nodes, and storage medium

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a mobility communication method, network nodes, and a storage medium. The method comprises: sending a first message to a second network node, and receiving a second message sent by the second network node, the second message comprising configuration information of at least one candidate cell.

Description

Mobility communication method, network node and storage medium TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of wireless communication, for example to a mobility communication method, a network node and a storage medium. BACKGROUND

[0002] Layer one / layer two triggered mobility (L1 / L2 Triggered Mobility, LTM) is a process of user terminal (User Equipment, UE) mobility. In the LTM process, a base station (such as a gNB) receives layer one (L1) measurement reports from a UE and gives a cell switch command (Cell Switch Command) through medium access control-control element (Medium Access Control-Control Element, MAC CE) signaling according to the reports, thereby changing the serving cell (Serving Cell) of the UE. At present, only the LTM process within one network node can be implemented, but there is no effective solution for the LTM process across network nodes. SUMMARY

[0003] The present application provides a mobility communication method, a network node and a storage medium.

[0004] The present application provides a mobility communication method, which is applied to a first network node and includes the following steps.

[0005] sending a first message to a second network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node;

[0006] receiving a second message sent by the second network node, the second message including configuration information of at least one candidate cell.

[0007] The present application also provides a mobility communication method, which is applied to a second network node and includes the following steps.

[0008] receiving a first message sent by a first network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node;

[0009] sending a second message to the first network node, the second message including configuration information of at least one candidate cell

[0010] The present application also provides a network node, which includes a memory, a processor and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and the processor implements the above-mentioned mobility communication method when executing the program.

[0011] The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer readable storage medium, and the computer readable storage medium stores a computer program, and the program is executed by a processor to realize the mobility communication method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a mobility communication method according to an embodiment;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a mobility communication method according to an embodiment;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a mobility communication device according to an embodiment;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a mobility communication device according to an embodiment;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a hardware structural schematic diagram of a network node according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It can be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, but not to limit the present application. It should be noted that the embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other as long as there is no conflict. In addition, it should be noted that only parts related to the present application are shown in the drawings for convenience of description.

[0018] The embodiment of the present application provides a method for implementing LTM across network nodes, especially a method for implementing subsequent LTM in the process of LTM across network nodes.

[0019] In the embodiment of the present application, the first network node, the second network node and the third network node are all network nodes, which can also be referred to as network elements or service nodes, etc. For example, in a new radio (NR) system, it can be an NR-RAN node, i.e. gNB or ng-eNB. The first network node can be understood as a source network node, the second network node can be understood as a target network node after LTM switching, and the third network node can be understood as a candidate network node or a non-target network node for LTM switching. After the process of LTM across network nodes is completed, the second network node will become a source network node in the subsequent LTM process, and the first network node may be a candidate network node or a target network node in the subsequent LTM process.

[0020] The LTM process in the embodiment of the present application is mainly described as follows:

[0021] Step 1. The first network node decides to configure LTM and initiates LTM preparation.

[0022] Step 2. The first network node sends a first message, e.g. a HANDOVER REQUEST message, to the third network node. The first message can contain at least one of the following information:

[0023] An indication to indicate the request of LTM configuration;

[0024] One or more requested / suggested candidate cell IDs;

[0025] LTM configuration ID of the candidate cell;

[0026] LTM configuration ID mapping list for mapping between candidate cell and LTM configuration ID;

[0027] Request indication of L1 reference signal (RS) measurement configuration, which can be used to request synchronization signal block (SSB) configuration and / or channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) configuration of the candidate cell;

[0028] Request indication of early timing advance (TA) acquisition resource configuration;

[0029] Request indication of transmission configuration indication (TCI)-state configuration of the candidate cell;

[0030] Request indication of reference configuration;

[0031] Reference configuration;

[0032] Maximum number of candidate cells for LTM configuration by the third network node;

[0033] Estimated arrival probability of the UE.

[0034] Step 3. The second network node can perform admission control.

[0035] Step 4. The third network node prepares the configuration related to the LTM and sends a second message, e.g. a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, to the first network node. The second message includes the configuration of one or more LTM candidate cells and possibly Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration (e.g. for L1 measurements) and / or security related configuration (e.g. for primary key update). If the second message contains a request indication of reference configuration, the third network node will include the generated reference configuration in the eleventh message, e.g. a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message. Each LTM candidate cell configuration can at least contain one of the following information:

[0036] Identity of candidate Distributed Unit (DU);

[0037] Identity of candidate cell;

[0038] Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) of candidate cell;

[0039] Configuration of SSB, e.g. for L1 measurements or TCI-state configuration;

[0040] CSI-RS configuration, e.g. for L1 measurements or TCI-state configuration;

[0041] Candidate cell configuration, e.g. a Radio Resource Control Reconfiguration (RRCReconfiguration) message contained in a container;

[0042] Indication to indicate whether the candidate cell configuration is a full configuration or not;

[0043] Configuration of early synchronization, e.g. early Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration;

[0044] TCI-state configuration, e.g. downlink or joint TCI-state list, or uplink TCI-state list;

[0045] The first network node can request the number of candidate cells prepared for the UE from the second network node.

[0046] Step 5. The first network node can initiate a modification procedure to each third network node to update the candidate cell configuration (e.g. L1 measurement reporting configuration) and / or inform other third network nodes about the candidate information.

[0047] For example, in Step 5a, the first network node sends a third message, a modification message (e.g., HANDOVER MODIFICATION REQUEST or other Xn message) to the third network node. The third message can include the CSI resource configuration, TCI-state information, UL early synchronization configuration, and / or other LTM configuration ID of the candidate cell in the third network node. The first network node can also provide the reference configuration and / or security related configuration to the third network node.

[0048] For example, in Step 5b, the third network node responds to the twelfth message, e.g., a modification request acknowledge message (e.g., HANDOVER MODIFICATION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE or other Xn message) to the first network node. The twelfth message can include the updated candidate configuration to the first network node.

[0049] Step 6. The first network node can send a thirteenth message, e.g., an RRC reconfiguration message (possibly containing one or more LTM candidate configurations) including LTM related configuration to the UE.

[0050] Step 7. The UE can save the LTM candidate configuration, send a fourteenth message, e.g., an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the first network node.

[0051] Step 7a. If early data forwarding is applied, the first network node can send a fifteenth message, e.g., an EARLY STATUS TRANSFER message to the third network node.

[0052] Step 8a. The UE can perform downlink synchronization with the candidate cell before receiving the cell handover command.

[0053] Step 8b. The UE can perform uplink (UL) synchronization with the candidate cell (e.g., early RACH based on UE’s TA measurement, Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) Order triggered) according to network indication.

[0054] For example, in Step 8b-1, the UL synchronization can be triggered by a PDCCH order from the source cell, the UE sends a preamble to the indicated candidate cell. The third network node calculates the TA value of the candidate cell based on the received preamble.

[0055] For example, at step 8b-2, the third network node can send the TA value, associated Contention Free Random Access (CFRA) resource information, candidate cell ID and / or source DU ID to the first network node via a sixteenth message, e.g., a TA INFORMATION TRANSFER message or other Xn message.

[0056] Step 9. The UE can perform L1 measurement on the configured candidate cell and can send an L1 measurement report to the first network node (e.g., source DU) according to the L1 measurement related configuration in the received RRC reconfiguration message. The UE starts to perform L1 measurement as long as the L1 measurement related configuration is applicable.

[0057] Step 10. The first network node can decide to perform cell handover to the target cell according to the L1 measurement result.

[0058] Step 11. The first network node can send a MAC CE (e.g., a cell handover MAC CE) triggering cell handover, which includes the candidate configuration index of the target cell. The UE switches to the target cell and applies the configuration corresponding to the indicated candidate configuration index.

[0059] Step 12. The first network node can send a fourth message, e.g., a notification message (e.g., a CELL SWITCH NOTIFICATION message) to the second network node to indicate that the LTM is initiated / triggered by the second network node to the UE. The notification message includes the target cell ID and / or the selected TCI-state ID of the target cell.

[0060] Step 12a. If early data forwarding is applied, the first network node can send a seventeenth message, e.g., an EARLY STATUS TRANSFER message to the second network node.

[0061] Step 13. If the UE does not have valid TA for the target cell, the UE can perform a random access procedure on the target cell. If the UE has valid TA for the target cell, the UE skips the random access procedure to the target cell, i.e., performs RACH-less LTM.

[0062] Step 14. The UE can complete the LTM cell change procedure by sending an eighteenth message, e.g., an RRCReconfigurationComplete message, to the target cell. If the UE has performed a RA procedure, the UE considers the LTM cell change execution successfully completed when the random access procedure is successfully completed. For LTM without RACH, the UE considers the LTM cell change execution successfully completed when the UE determines that the network has successfully received its first UL data.

[0063] Step 15a / b. The second network node can send a fifth message, e.g., a HANDOVER SUCCESS message, to the first network node informing that the UE has successfully accessed the target cell. The message can include the target cell ID. In response, the first network node can send a nineteenth message, e.g., a SN STATUS TRANSFER message, to the second network node and can start data forwarding.

[0064] Step 16. The second network node can send an eighth message, e.g., a PATH SWITCH REQUEST message, to the AMF triggering the core network to switch the downlink data path to the second network node and to establish an instance of the interface, e.g., NG-C interface, pointing to the second network node. This message can include an indication of whether the first network node is configured as LTM or an indication of whether to keep the DL data path (or Transport Network Layer (TNL) resources of the User Plane (UP)) towards the first network node and / or to switch the DL data path (or TNL resources of the UP) towards the first network node to a ready state.

[0065] Step 17. The core network can switch the downlink data path to the second network node. If the first network node is not configured as LTM, the core network, e.g., User Plane Function (UPF), can send one or more “end marker” packets per Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session / tunnel to the first network node and can release any U-plane / TNL resources pointing to the first network node. If the first network node is configured as LTM, the core network, e.g., UPF, can send one or more “end marker” packets per PDU session / tunnel to the first network node and can keep the U-plane / TNL resources pointing to the first network node and switch to a ready state.

[0066] Step 18. The Authentication Management Function (AMF) can acknowledge the 23rd message, e.g. PATH SWITCH REQUEST message, by a 20th message, e.g. PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message.

[0067] The above description provides an example of implementing the LTM procedure across network nodes, for illustrating the method provided by the embodiments of the present application, but the method provided by the embodiments of the present application is not limited to the above process. In other implementations of the LTM procedure across network nodes, the embodiments of the present application can also be applicable.

[0068] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a mobility communication method provided by an embodiment, which can be applied to a first network node, which can be a source network node of mobility switching. As shown in FIG. 1, the method provided by the embodiments includes steps 110 and 120.

[0069] In step 110, a first message is sent to a second network node, and the first message is used to request configuration information of a candidate cell from the second network node.

[0070] In step 120, a second message sent by the second network node is received, and the second message includes configuration information of at least one candidate cell.

[0071] In the embodiments, the first network node interacts with the second network node to obtain configuration information of a candidate cell for switching in a mobility procedure, so that mobility switching across network nodes (from the first network node to the second network node) is possible.

[0072] In an embodiment, the first message includes an estimated arrival probability of a user equipment to the second network node or the candidate cell.

[0073] In an embodiment, the second message includes a number of candidate cells that the first network node can request the second network node to prepare for the user equipment, which can also be understood as a number (or a maximum number) of candidate cells that the second network node can prepare for the user equipment in the first network node.

[0074] In an embodiment, after receiving the second message sent by the second network node, the method further includes:

[0075] Step 130, a third message is sent to a third network node, and the third message is used to request to update configuration information of a candidate cell, and the third message further includes setting information.

[0076] In an embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0077] Step 140, sending a fourth message to a second network node, the fourth message being used to indicate that the handover has been initiated to the user equipment and / or information of a target cell of the handover; the fourth message further comprises configuration information; the second network node being a network node corresponding to the target cell of the handover.

[0078] In an embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0079] Step 150, in the case that a fifth message sent by the second network node is received, sending the configuration information to the second network node; wherein the fifth message is used to indicate that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell; the second network node being a network node corresponding to the target cell of the handover.

[0080] In an embodiment, the first network node sends the configuration information to the second network node, the configuration information comprising at least one of:

[0081] an identity of the third network node;

[0082] a first identity allocated by the third network node to the user equipment, the first identity being used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node;

[0083] a second identity allocated by the first network node to the user equipment, the second identity being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0084] context information of the user equipment;

[0085] data forwarding configuration information configured by the third network node;

[0086] data forwarding TNL information allocated by the third network node to the user equipment;

[0087] wherein the third network node is a mobility candidate network node of the user equipment.

[0088] As an example, the source network node (the first network node) before the handover can synchronize the context information of the UE to the new source network node (the second network node) after the handover, so that the new source network node performs the process of the subsequent LTM.

[0089] In the third message sent by the first network node to the (all) third network nodes, for example, the HANDOVER MODIFICATION REQUEST,

[0090] Alternatively, the first network node sends the setting information to the second network node in a fourth message, e.g. CELL SWITCH NOTIFICATION message, sent to the second network node,

[0091] Alternatively, the first network node sends the setting information to the second network node in a fourth message, e.g. CELL SWITCH NOTIFICATION message, sent to the second network node,

[0092] Alternatively, the first network node sends the setting information to the second network node in a fourth message, e.g. CELL SWITCH NOTIFICATION message, sent to the second network node.

[0093] The setting information includes at least one of the following information:

[0094] an identity of the third network node;

[0095] a first identity allocated to the UE by the third network node;

[0096] a second identity allocated to the UE by the first network node;

[0097] context information of the UE;

[0098] data forwarding configuration information configured by the third network node;

[0099] data forwarding TNL information allocated to the UE by the third network node.

[0100] The identity allocated to the UE by the third network node refers to an identity allocated by the third network node for a signalling connection between the third network node and the first network node.

[0101] The identity allocated to the UE by the first network node refers to an identity allocated by the first network node for a signalling connection between the first network node and the third network node.

[0102] The signalling connection between the third network node and the first network node refers to a UE Associated Signalling Connection between the third network node and the first network node, which can be a logical connection.

[0103] The type of the identity allocated to the UE can be NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID in the NR system.

[0104] The type of the identity of the network node can be Global NG-RAN Node ID in the NR system.

[0105] The context information of the UE includes early synchronization information allocated to the UE by the third network node and / or LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE by the third network node, which is saved by the first network node.

[0106] On this basis, before or after the LTM handover is completed, or after the target network node of the LTM procedure is determined, the first network node can send the locally saved identification ID of the other candidate node (the third network node), the identification information allocated by the third network node to the UE, and / or the identification information allocated by the first network node to the UE, etc. to the second network node, or before the target network node is determined, the above setting information is sent to all third network nodes, so that after the LTM procedure is completed, the second network node can initiate a signaling connection procedure with the third network nodes according to the information. Otherwise, if the second network node cannot know the identification of the third network node and the UE identification allocated by the third network node to the UE, the third network node cannot establish a signaling connection associated with the UE, and thus cannot perform a subsequent LTM procedure.

[0107] In addition, the identification allocated by the third network node to the UE, or the identification allocated by the first network node to the UE, can be used by the third network node to identify the UE, i.e. to determine the UE associated with the signaling procedure initiated by the second network node, and / or the configuration of the UE in the third network node.

[0108] In addition, the context information of the UE saved by the first network node is sent to the second network node, and these information are required by the second network node to become a new source network node, which can save the overhead and time required by the second network node to collect these information, and improve the efficiency of the second network node to perform a subsequent LTM procedure.

[0109] In an embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0110] Step 160, in the case of receiving the sixth message sent by the second network node, initiating a release procedure, the release procedure comprising releasing at least one of:

[0111] the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0112] the LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment;

[0113] the resources prepared by the third network node for the user equipment;

[0114] wherein the second network node is a network node corresponding to the target cell of the handover;

[0115] the third network node is a mobility candidate network node of the user equipment.

[0116] In an embodiment, the sixth message is one of: a fifth message sent by the second network node, the fifth message indicating that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell;

[0117] a newly defined message between network nodes;

[0118] an existing message between network nodes other than the fifth message;

[0119] a user equipment context release message.

[0120] In an embodiment, the sixth message is used to indicate at least one of:

[0121] release of a signaling connection between the third network node;

[0122] information of the third network node that needs to be released;

[0123] information of the third network node that the second network node fails to establish a connection with.

[0124] In an embodiment, in the release procedure initiated by the first network node, the method further comprises:

[0125] Step 170, sending a seventh message to the third network node, the seventh message being used to indicate at least one of:

[0126] release of a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node established for the user equipment;

[0127] release of an LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment by the third network node;

[0128] release of resources prepared for the user equipment;

[0129] release of a context of the user equipment;

[0130] release of a configuration for data forwarding.

[0131] As an example, after a LTM procedure is completed, a signaling connection between the first network node (a source network node) and the third network node (another candidate network node) is released, or an LTM candidate configuration and / or corresponding resources prepared for the UE by the third network node are released.

[0132] The first network node can initiate the release procedure in any of the following cases:

[0133] After the first network node receives the sixth message sent by the second network node, the sixth message is a message sent from the second network node to the first network node. The sixth message can be one of:

[0134] a fifth message sent by the second network node, e.g. a HANDOVER SUCCESS message;

[0135] a newly defined message between network nodes;

[0136] other messages between network nodes.

[0137] The sixth message is used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0138] The first network node can release the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node, the sixth message can carry an indication or the sixth message itself represents the indication;

[0139] Information of the third network nodes that need to be released, including the identities of these network nodes, e.g. gNB ID, to indicate which third network nodes are LTM candidate configurations prepared for the UE that need to be released;

[0140] Information of the third network nodes that cannot establish connection with the second network node, including the identities of these network nodes, e.g. gNB ID;

[0141] Whether the configuration for data forwarding configured by the third network node for the user equipment needs to be released;

[0142] In the release process initiated by the first network node, the first network node sends a seventh message to the third network node, the seventh message is used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0143] Release the signaling connection established for the UE between the first network node and the third network;

[0144] Release the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE by the third network node, the configuration for data forwarding, the corresponding resources, and / or the context of the UE.

[0145] After receiving the seventh message, if the seventh message indicates to release the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE, the configuration for data forwarding, the corresponding resources, and / or the context of the UE, the third network node receiving the seventh message releases the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE, the configuration for data forwarding, the corresponding resources, and / or the context of the UE; otherwise, the third network node does not release the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE, the configuration for data forwarding, the corresponding resources, and / or the context of the UE. If the seventh message indicates to release the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node, the third network node releases the signaling connection established for the UE between the first network node and the third network node.

[0146] On this basis, the second network node can instruct the first network node which third network nodes cannot establish a connection with the second network node, i.e., these third network nodes cannot become candidate network nodes of the candidate LTM procedure. In this case, the first network node can instruct the third network nodes to release all LTM candidate configurations prepared for the UE, so as to save resources; otherwise, because the second network node cannot establish a connection with the third network nodes, the LTM candidate configurations prepared by the third network nodes for the UE cannot be selected as target configurations by the second network node, nor can they be released by the second network node, thus causing waste of resources.

[0147] In addition, the first network can initiate the release procedure after receiving the fifth message or the sixth message sent by the third network node, so as to avoid that the first network node releases the signaling connection established with the third network node in advance too early, and improve the reliability of the LTM.

[0148] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a mobility communication method provided by an embodiment, which can be applied to a second network node, which can be a target network node in candidate network nodes of mobility switching. As shown in FIG. 2, the method provided by the embodiment includes steps 210 and 220.

[0149] In step 210, a first message sent by a first network node is received, and the first message is used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node.

[0150] In step 220, a second message is sent to the first network node, and the second message includes configuration information of at least one candidate cell.

[0151] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of switching; and the method further includes:

[0152] In step 230, a fourth message sent by the first network node is received, and the fourth message is used to indicate that switching has been initiated for a user equipment and / or information of a target cell of switching; and the fourth message further includes setting information.

[0153] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of switching; and the method further includes:

[0154] In step 240, a fifth message is sent to the first network node, and the fifth message is used to indicate that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell; and setting information sent by the first network node is received.

[0155] In an embodiment, the setting information sent by the first network node to the second network node includes at least one of the following:

[0156] an identity of the third network node;

[0157] a first identity allocated by the third network node to the user equipment, the first identity being used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node;

[0158] a second identity allocated by the first network node to the user equipment, the second identity being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0159] context information of the user equipment;

[0160] data forwarding configuration information configured by the third network node;

[0161] data forwarding TNL information allocated by the third network node to the user equipment;

[0162] wherein the third network node is a mobility candidate network node of the user equipment.

[0163] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; the method further comprises:

[0164] Step 250, sending a sixth message to the first network node, the sixth message being used to instruct the first network node to initiate a release procedure, the release procedure comprising releasing at least one of the following:

[0165] the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0166] LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment;

[0167] resources prepared by the third network node for the user equipment.

[0168] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; the method further comprises:

[0169] Step 260, sending an eighth message to a core network element, the eighth message being used to trigger the core network to switch a downlink data path to the second network node and establish an interface instance pointing to the second network node.

[0170] In an embodiment, the eighth message is used to instruct at least one of the following:

[0171] the switching procedure of the downlink data path is an LTM procedure;

[0172] the second network node configures LTM for the user equipment;

[0173] the current path switching procedure supports subsequent LTM;

[0174] The current path switching procedure is part of the LTM procedure.

[0175] As an example, the second network node indicates in an eighth message (e.g., a PATH SWITCH REQUEST message) sent to a core network network element (e.g., an AMF) that the path switching procedure is triggered by the LTM procedure, or that the second network node configures the UE with the LTM, or that a subsequent LTM procedure is possible after the path switching procedure, or that the path switching procedure is part of the LTM procedure. Based on the indication in the eighth message, the core network can optimize the subsequent LTM procedure.

[0176] In the existing path switching procedure, the AMF can carry updated configuration information in the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message, including releasing some PDU sessions, or carrying the core network side TNL information of the new NG-U tunnel, or carrying the new expected UE behavior information, or carrying the updated QoS parameters of the Quality of Service (QoS) flow. That is, in the path switching procedure, the core network can modify part of the UE configuration, and part of the configuration can affect the RRC configuration of the UE, and part of the configuration does not affect the RRC configuration of the UE, but only affects the UE configuration at the network node. If the configuration of the UE is updated in the path switching procedure, the second network node can send the updated configuration to other third network nodes, so that in the subsequent LTM procedure, the new target network node can operate the UE according to the updated configuration, but this will increase the signaling overhead and processing complexity. The method in the embodiments of the present application can optimize the path switching procedure for the LTM procedure in the path switching procedure in the LTM procedure, for example, without changing the core network side TNL information of the NG-U tunnel, or without updating the QoS flow parameters of the UE, etc., which can simplify the processing of the access network side and improve the mobility switching efficiency.

[0177] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; and the method further comprises:

[0178] Step 270, sending a ninth message to a third network node, the ninth message being used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0179] an identifier of the first network node;

[0180] The first network node allocates a fifth identity for a user equipment, and the fifth identity is used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node.

[0181] The third network node allocates a sixth identity for a user equipment, and the sixth identity is used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node.

[0182] All or part of a path switch request acknowledgement message received by the second network node;

[0183] Releasing a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0184] An LTM candidate configuration that needs to be released;

[0185] Information of a candidate cell that needs to be released;

[0186] Context information of a user equipment;

[0187] Information of source network node data forwarding.

[0188] The third network node releases an LTM candidate configuration prepared for a user equipment upon receiving the ninth message, or releases a corresponding LMT candidate configuration according to an indication of the ninth message.

[0189] In an embodiment, the ninth message is one of the following: a handover modification request message; a handover request message; a newly defined inter-network node message.

[0190] In an embodiment, the identity of the first network node, the fifth identity, or the sixth identity is used to indicate at least one of the following: a user equipment; a resource allocated for the user equipment; an LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment.

[0191] In an embodiment, the LTM candidate configuration that needs to be released or the information of the candidate cell that needs to be released is used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0192] An indication for the third network node to release an LTM candidate configuration prepared for a user equipment;

[0193] An indication for the third network node to release an LTM candidate configuration corresponding to a candidate cell;

[0194] An indication for the third network node to release a resource allocated for an LTM candidate configuration;

[0195] An indication for the third network node to release context information of a user equipment.

[0196] In an embodiment, the ninth message is further used to instruct to release the signaling connection associated with the user equipment between the first network node and the third network node.

[0197] In an embodiment, the context information of the user equipment is released, including at least one of:

[0198] releasing the context of the user equipment; releasing the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment by the third network node; releasing the resource allocated for the user equipment.

[0199] In an embodiment, the third network node releases the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment upon receiving the ninth message, or releases the corresponding LMT candidate configuration according to the instruction of the ninth message.

[0200] In an embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0201] Step 280, receiving the tenth message sent by the third network node, the tenth message being a response message or a handover modification response message of the ninth message;

[0202] The tenth message includes at least one of:

[0203] a new identity allocated for the user equipment by the third network node;

[0204] information for data forwarding of the target network node;

[0205] LTM candidate configuration information;

[0206] information of the released LTM candidate configuration;

[0207] early synchronization configuration information.

[0208] In an embodiment, the LTM candidate configuration information includes at least one of: a new LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment by the third network node; an updated or modified LTM candidate configuration.

[0209] As an example, the new source network node (the second network node) can perform functions such as completing signaling connection, updating configuration, and / or exchanging data forwarding information between the subsequent LTM and the candidate network node.

[0210] The second network node sends a ninth message to the third network node. The second network node can send the ninth message after receiving the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE. The ninth message can be: a handover modification request message (e.g., the HANDOVER MODIFICATION REQUEST or other message described above); a HANDOVER REQUEST message; or a newly defined inter-node message.

[0211] The ninth message can contain at least one of the following information:

[0212] an identity of the first network node;

[0213] a third identity allocated by the first network node for the UE;

[0214] a fourth identity allocated by the third network node for the UE;

[0215] part or all of the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message received by the first network node, including:

[0216] 1) TNL information allocated by the core network for delivering uplink data, such as uplink NG-U UP TNL Information, Additional NG-U UP TNL Information, Redundant UL NG-U UP TNL Information, Additional Redundant NG-U UP TNL Information, and / or the like allocated for a PDU session. The third network node can use this TNL address for delivering uplink data during the LTM handover procedure.

[0217] 2) QoS parameter information of the QoS flow, which can be carried in the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message sent by the AMF to the second network node. For example, an Alternative QoS Parameters Set List for each QoS flow, a CN Packet Delay Budget Downlink, a CN Packet Delay Budget Uplink, and / or a Burst Arrival Time Downlink.

[0218] 3) an indication indicating to release the signalling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0219] 4) LTM candidate configuration information that needs to be released, or information of candidate cells that needs to be released

[0220] 5) an indication to release the UE context;

[0221] 6) information of data forwarding of the source network node.

[0222] The identity allocated by the third network node for the UE refers to an identity allocated by the third network node for the signalling connection between the third network node and the first network node.

[0223] The identity allocated by the first network node for the UE refers to an identity allocated by the first network node for the signalling connection between the first network node and the third network node.

[0224] The second network node can obtain the identity allocated by the third network node for the UE and / or the identity allocated by the first network node for the UE according to the setting information sent by the first network node to the second network node.

[0225] The signalling connection between the third network node and the first network node can refer to a UE Associated Signalling Connection between the third network node and the first network node, and the signalling connection can be a logical connection.

[0226] The identity of the first network node, the identity allocated by the first network node for the UE, and / or the identity allocated by the third network node for the UE can be used to identify the UE recognized by the third network node, and / or the resource allocated for the UE, and / or the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE.

[0227] The third network node can modify the configuration of the UE according to the ninth message. The configuration of the UE can include the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE, or can be a configuration that does not require modification of the RRC configuration of the UE.

[0228] The information of the LTM candidate configuration to be released, or the information of the candidate cell to be released, can be used to instruct the third network node to release the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE, or the LTM candidate configuration corresponding to the candidate cell, and possibly the resource allocated by the third network node for the LTM candidate configuration, and possibly the context of the corresponding UE. The information of the LTM candidate configuration to be released can be an LMT configuration ID. The information of the candidate cell to be released can be an identifier of the cell.

[0229] After receiving the second message, the third network node releases the LTM candidate configuration to be released, or the LTM candidate configuration corresponding to the candidate cell, and / or the corresponding resource.

[0230] The ninth message and the subsequent tenth message can be used to complete the establishment of the UE Associated Signalling Connection between the second network node and the third network node.

[0231] After receiving the ninth message, the third network node can allocate an identifier, such as an XnAP ID, for the UE on the signalling connection.

[0232] The ninth message can also be used to indicate that the second network node is a new source network node, and the third network node updates the locally stored information of the source network node accordingly.

[0233] The ninth message can also be used to indicate the release of the UE Associated Signalling Connection between the first network node and the third network node. This can be explicitly carried in the ninth message, or the ninth message itself can represent the indication. According to the indication, the third network node releases the UE Associated Signalling Connection between the third network node and the first network node, which can include releasing the identifier allocated by the third network node for the UE on the signalling connection, releasing the resource allocated by the third network node for the signalling connection, releasing the configuration allocated by the third network node for data forwarding of the signalling connection, but does not include releasing the LTM candidate configuration or the context of the UE related to the UE.

[0234] an indication to release the UE context, for instructing the third network node to release the context of the UE, and further instructing to release the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE by the third network node, and / or the corresponding resource allocated for the UE. The third network node releases the context of the UE, the LTM candidate configuration, and / or the resource allocated for the UE according to the indication.

[0235] The information of the data forwarding of the source network node comprises at least one of the following information:

[0236] The downlink data forwarding suggestion for each QoS flow suggested by the second network node;

[0237] The mapping of the QoS flow to the data radio bearer (DRB) on the second network node;

[0238] The source downlink forwarding IP address.

[0239] The data forwarding information of the source network node can be used by the third network node to configure the data forwarding information.

[0240] The third network node sends a tenth message to the second network node in response to receiving the ninth message.

[0241] The tenth message can be a response message in response to the ninth message, or a handover modification response message.

[0242] The tenth message comprises at least one of the following information:

[0243] The new identity allocated for the UE by the third network node;

[0244] The data forwarding information of the target network node;

[0245] The LTM candidate configuration information;

[0246] The information of the released LTM candidate configuration;

[0247] The early synchronization configuration information.

[0248] The data forwarding information of the target network node comprises at least one of the following information:

[0249] The identity of the QoS flow for which the target network node receives data forwarding;

[0250] PDU level DL data forwarding UP TNL information (PDU Session level DL data forwarding UP TNL Information);

[0251] PDU level UL data forwarding UP TNL information (PDU Session level UL data forwarding UP TNL Information);

[0252] DRB level DL data forwarding UP TNL information (DL Forwarding UP TNL Information);

[0253] DRB level UL data forwarding UP TNL information (UL Forwarding UP TNL Information).

[0254] The information of data forwarding of the target network node is the data forwarding information configured by the third network node, which can be used for data forwarding between the second network element node and the third network element node in the LTM process.

[0255] The LTM candidate configuration information includes the LTM candidate configuration newly prepared for the UE by the third network node, or the updated / modified LTM candidate configuration. The third network node can update / modify the configuration of the UE according to the ninth message, and / or modify / update the resources allocated to the UE.

[0256] In the case that the modification / update of the configuration of the UE involves the LTM candidate configuration, the third network node can include the newly prepared and / or updated LTM candidate configuration in the tenth message mentioned above and send it to the second network node. After receiving the tenth message, the second network node can initiate the RRC reconfiguration process of the UE to send the updated LTM candidate configuration to the UE.

[0257] The information of the released LTM candidate configuration refers to the information of the released LTM candidate configuration, such as the ID of the released LTM candidate configuration.

[0258] Upon receiving the ninth message, the third network node can release the previously prepared LTM candidate configuration for the UE according to its own resource situation, or release the corresponding LMT candidate configuration according to the information of the LTM candidate configuration to be released indicated by the second network node in the ninth message.

[0259] The early synchronization configuration information can include downlink early synchronization configuration information and / or uplink early synchronization configuration information. The downlink early synchronization information includes information for early downlink synchronization at the LTM candidate cell, including information of a downlink synchronization signal, such as information of a TCI-state or an SSB. The uplink early synchronization information includes information for early uplink synchronization at the LTM candidate cell, including preamble configuration information and / or configuration of a random access resource (RACH resource) for the UE to initiate early uplink synchronization or for the UE to perform a random access procedure at the target cell in a cell handover procedure.

[0260] On the basis of the above, after receiving the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE, the second network node can obtain the configuration information sent by the core network, including an uplink data delivery address on the core network side, updated QoS parameters of a QoS flow, and the core network can release some PDU sessions. In a conventional handover procedure, these configuration information is only sent from the first network node to the second network node in the handover preparation procedure before the next handover. In the method of the embodiments of the present application, in order to efficiently and reliably complete the subsequent LTM procedure, these updated configurations are sent in advance to all third network nodes, which is beneficial for the third network nodes to update the local configurations according to the updated information of the core network, including updating the LTM candidate configuration of the UE, so that the LTM candidate configuration of the UE and the configuration information of the core network can be consistent when the LTM procedure is subsequently initiated.

[0261] Secondly, the second network node (new "source network node") and the third network node complete the establishment of the signaling connection, and the second network node carries the identifier allocated by the first network node for the UE and / or the identifier previously allocated by the third network node for the UE in the ninth message, so as to facilitate the third network node to identify the UE and the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the UE and the allocated resources.

[0262] Thirdly, the third network node receives the ninth message, and can know that the first network node has undergone handover, and the third network node can therefore release the signaling connection established with the first network node, thereby saving the resources of the third network node.

[0263] In addition, the second network node can instruct the third network node to release the LTM candidate configuration, or release all LTM candidate configurations and the context of the UE, etc. through the ninth message. After the completion of an LTM procedure, the second network node can decide whether to release some LTM candidate configurations and whether to release the context of the UE on a certain third network node, thereby increasing the flexibility of the LTM procedure.

[0264] Finally, the above various purposes can be achieved through the ninth message and the tenth message, and the signaling overhead between network nodes is saved.

[0265] In an embodiment, the negotiation / interaction procedure between Master Node (MN) and Secondary Node (SN) about LTM is as follows:

[0266] In Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC) scenario, MN can configure Master Cell group (MCG) LTM, and SN can configure Secondary Cell Group (SCG) LTM. In some cases (e.g. for intra-CU LTM), the network (NW) can configure both MCG LTM and SCG LTM. Accordingly, the NW can configure both L1 measurements for MCG LTM (e.g. MN side L1 measurements) and L1 measurements for SCG LTM (e.g. SN side L1 measurements). The L1 measurements for MCG LTM are generated by MN configuration, while the L1 measurements for SCG LTM are generated by SN configuration. In order to avoid the L1 measurements for MCG LTM and the L1 measurements for SCG LTM configured by the NW exceeding the maximum limit of UE capability, the interaction / negotiation between MN and SN about L1 measurements is needed. There are two ways as follows:

[0267] Way one: MN sends the information of L1 measurements allowed to be configured by SN to SN. SN performs SN side L1 measurement configuration according to the information provided by MN, for example, the number of SN side configured L1 measurements cannot exceed the maximum number indicated by MN.

[0268] Way two: MN and SN negotiate the information of L1 measurements allowed to be configured by SN, for example:

[0269] MN sends the information of L1 measurements allowed to be configured by SN to SN;

[0270] SN can also send the information of L1 measurements requested / suggested to be configured by SN to MN, for example, when the L1 measurements wanted to be configured by SN exceed the maximum number allowed to be configured indicated by MN;

[0271] MN can receive or reject the information of L1 measurements requested / suggested to be configured by SN. MN sends feedback information to SN. SN performs L1 measurement configuration according to the feedback information of MN.

[0272] Among the information of L1 measurement and / or the information of L1 measurement requested / suggested by the SN, the content of the information of L1 measurement includes at least one of the following:

[0273] 1. The maximum number of frequency layers for intra-frequency L1-Reference Signal Receiving Power (RSRP) measurement and inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement without measurement gap;

[0274] 2. The maximum number of frequency layers for inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement with measurement gap;

[0275] 3. The maximum number of neighbor cells that can be measured on each frequency layer for intra-frequency L1-RSRP measurement and inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement without measurement gap;

[0276] 4. The maximum number of neighbor cells that can be measured on each frequency layer for inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement with measurement gap;

[0277] 5. The maximum number of total cells that can be measured (e.g., the total number of serving cells and neighbor cells on all frequency layers for L1 intra-frequency measurement and inter-frequency measurement without measurement gap);

[0278] 6. The maximum number of SSB resources for L1-RSRP measurement within one time slot (e.g., the number of SSB resources that the UE can measure on a candidate cell within one time slot for intra-frequency measurement or inter-frequency measurement without measurement gap);

[0279] 7. The maximum number of SSB resources on each frequency layer for intra-frequency L1-RSRP measurement and inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement without measurement gap;

[0280] 8. The maximum number of SSB resources on each frequency layer for inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement with measurement gap;

[0281] 9. The maximum number of total SSB resources (e.g., the total number of SSB resources for L1 intra-frequency measurement and inter-frequency measurement on all frequency layers);

[0282] 10. The maximum number of CSI-RS resources for L1-RSRP measurement within one time slot (e.g., the number of CSI-RS resources that the UE can measure on a candidate cell within one time slot for intra-frequency measurement or inter-frequency measurement without measurement gap);

[0283] 11. The maximum number of CSI-RS resources on each frequency layer for intra-frequency L1-RSRP measurement and inter-frequency CSI-RS measurement without measurement gap;

[0284] 12. The maximum number of CSI-RS resource numbers on each frequency layer for inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement requiring measurement gap;

[0285] 13. The maximum number of total CSI-RS resource numbers (e.g., the total number of CSI-RS resources for serving cell and neighbor cell on all frequency layers for L1 intra-frequency measurement and inter-frequency measurement not requiring measurement gap).

[0286] In some embodiments, the maximum number in the above item 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12 can be configured with one of {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}. The maximum number in the above item 5 can be configured with one of {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24}. The maximum number in the above item 6, 10 can be configured with one of {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 32, 48, 64}. The maximum number in the above item 9, 13 can be configured with one of {0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 32, 64}.

[0287] In some embodiments, the maximum number of the indicated L1 measurement information cannot exceed the maximum number of the corresponding L3 measurement information. For example, the maximum number of frequency layers for inter-frequency L1-RSRP measurement requiring measurement gap that the SN allows to configure or the SN requests / suggests to configure cannot exceed the maximum number of frequency layers for inter-frequency L3 measurement that the SN allows to configure or the SN requests / suggests to configure (e.g., the maximum number indicated by the information element maxMeasFreqsSCG).

[0288] In some embodiments, if the SN does not include one or more of the above in the L1 measurement information that the MN sends to the SN (i.e., the certain information is default), the SN cannot configure the information or the maximum value of the information that the SN can configure is the specified maximum value (i.e., the maximum value reported by the UE capability or the maximum value specified by the protocol).

[0289] The above L1 measurement information that the SN allows to configure and / or the above L1 measurement information that the SN requests / suggests to configure can be delivered in the following ways:

[0290] Way 1: The information is directly included in the Xn / X2 message (e.g., SN Addition / Modification Request or SN Addition / Modification Request Acknowledge message), for example, the information is included in the Xn / X2 message as an information element.

[0291] Option 2: Include the information in RRC message, e.g., CG-ConfigInfo or CG-Config message. This RRC message is included in Xn / X2 message (e.g., SN Addition / Modification Request or SN Addition / Modification Request Acknowledge message) as an information element.

[0292] Inter-MN LTM

[0293] In MR-DC scenario, NW can configure two types of MCG LTM, inter-MN LTM without SCG change and inter-MN LTM with SCG release. If NW configures both types of LTM candidate cells, in the case of consecutive LTM, when NW selects inter-MN LTM with SCG release candidate cell to trigger LTM, the execution of inter-MN LTM with SCG release makes UE release DC connection (i.e., delete SCG), then in the subsequent LTM, NW cannot / should not select inter-MN LTM without SCG change candidate cell (because UE has no SCG configuration at this time).

[0294] In the configuration preparation procedure of inter-MN LTM, it is up to candidate MN to decide which type of MCG LTM to configure (e.g., inter-MN LTM without SCG change or inter-MN LTM with SCG release). Currently, source MN does not know the type of MCG LTM configured by candidate MN. However, in the triggering execution procedure of inter-MN LTM, it is up to source MN to decide which candidate cell to select to execute LTM. Therefore, in the case of coexistence of candidate cells of the above two types of MCG LTM, the selection of candidate cell by source MN can cause LTM execution failure (e.g., source MN selects inter-MN LTM without SCG change candidate cell, but at this time UE has no SCG configuration). In order to avoid the above failure, the following solutions can be considered:

[0295] Scheme one: In the configuration preparation phase of inter-MN LTM, the source MN decides the type of candidate cell (e.g., inter-MN LTM without SCG change, or inter-MN LTM with SCG release), and informs the candidate MN. For example, an indicator is included in the handover request message to indicate the type of requested candidate cell. The candidate MN prepares the configuration of candidate cell according to the indication information of source MN (e.g., whether to keep or delete the SCG configuration).

[0296] Scheme two: In the configuration preparation phase of inter-MN LTM, the candidate MN informs the source MN of the type of configured candidate cell (e.g., inter-MN LTM without SCG change, or inter-MN LTM with SCG release). For example, an indicator is included in the handover request response message to indicate the type of prepared candidate cell.

[0297] Scheme three: After receiving the LTM cell handover command, the UE applies the configuration of target candidate cell indicated in the LTM cell handover command. If the UE is not in dual connectivity state (i.e., without SCG configuration) at this time, the UE automatically releases / deletes the SCG configuration in the configuration of target candidate cell (if the configuration of target candidate cell contains SCG configuration). In addition, the UE can inform the NW (i.e., target MN) whether the SCG configuration is deleted in the handover completion message (e.g., RRC reconfiguration complete message) sent to the NW. For example, an indicator is included in the RRC reconfiguration complete message to indicate whether the SCG is deleted or kept. According to the indication information (e.g., the SCG has been deleted), the target MN can trigger the SN release procedure.

[0298] For scheme one and scheme two, the source MN can know the type of each prepared candidate cell. When triggering the LTM execution, the source MN can select the appropriate candidate cell type according to the need to trigger the LTM. In addition, in the configuration preparation phase of inter-MN, the source MN can inform each candidate MN of the type of each prepared candidate cell, for example, through the handover request or update message.

[0299] Embodiments of the present application also provide a mobility communication device. FIG. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a mobility communication device provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the mobility communication device comprises:

[0300] The sending module 310 is configured to send a first message to a second network node, wherein the first message is used to request configuration information about a candidate cell from the second network node;

[0301] The receiving module 320 is configured to receive a second message sent by the second network node, wherein the second message comprises configuration information of at least one candidate cell.

[0302] In an embodiment, the first message comprises a predicted probability of the user equipment reaching the second network node or the candidate cell.

[0303] In an embodiment, the second message comprises a number of candidate cells that the first network node can request the second network node to prepare for the user equipment.

[0304] In an embodiment, after receiving the second message sent by the second network node, the sending module 310 is further configured to:

[0305] send a third message to a third network node, wherein the third message is used to request updating of the configuration information of the candidate cell,

[0306] and the third message further comprises setting information.

[0307] In an embodiment, the sending module 310 is further configured to send a fourth message to the second network node, wherein the fourth message is used to indicate that the handover has been initiated to the user equipment and / or information of a target cell of the handover;

[0308] and the fourth message further comprises setting information.

[0309] The second network node is a network node corresponding to the target cell of the handover.

[0310] In an embodiment, the sending module 310 is further configured to:

[0311] send the setting information to the second network node upon receiving a fifth message sent by the second network node;

[0312] wherein the fifth message is used to indicate that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell.

[0313] The second network node is a network node corresponding to the target cell of the handover.

[0314] In an embodiment, the setting information comprises at least one of the following:

[0315] an identifier of the third network node;

[0316] a first identifier allocated by the third network node to the user equipment, wherein the first identifier is used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node.

[0317] The first network node allocates a second identity for the user equipment, the second identity being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node.

[0318] Context information of the user equipment.

[0319] Data forwarding configuration information configured by the third network node.

[0320] Data forwarding TNL information allocated by the third network node for the user equipment.

[0321] The third network node is a mobility candidate network node for the user equipment.

[0322] In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises an initiating module configured to initiate a release procedure in a case that the sixth message sent by the second network node is received, the release procedure comprising releasing at least one of the following:

[0323] The signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node.

[0324] LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment.

[0325] Resources prepared by the third network node for the user equipment.

[0326] The second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of handover.

[0327] The third network node is a mobility candidate network node for the user equipment.

[0328] In an embodiment, the sixth message is one of the following:

[0329] The fifth message sent by the second network node, the fifth message indicating that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell; a newly defined message between network nodes; an existing message between network nodes other than the fifth message; a user equipment context release message.

[0330] In an embodiment, the sixth message is used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0331] Release of the signaling connection with the third network node.

[0332] Information of the third network node that needs to be released.

[0333] Information of the third network node that the second network node fails to establish a connection with.

[0334] In an embodiment, the sending module 310 is further configured to:

[0335] sending a seventh message to the third network node, the seventh message being used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0336] releasing the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node established for the user equipment;

[0337] releasing the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment;

[0338] releasing the resource prepared for the user equipment;

[0339] releasing the context of the user equipment;

[0340] releasing the configuration for data forwarding.

[0341] The mobility communication device provided by the embodiment belongs to the same inventive concept as the mobility communication method provided by the above-described embodiments, and the technical details not described in the embodiment can be found in any of the above-described embodiments, and the embodiment has the same beneficial effects as the mobility communication method.

[0342] The embodiment also provides a mobility communication device. FIG. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a mobility communication device according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the mobility communication device comprises:

[0343] a receiving module 410 configured to receive a first message sent by a first network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node;

[0344] a sending module 420 configured to send a second message to the first network node, the second message comprising configuration information of at least one candidate cell. In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of handover; and the method further comprises:

[0345] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of handover; and the receiving module 410 is further configured to:

[0346] receive a fourth message sent by the first network node, the fourth message being used to indicate that handover has been initiated to the user equipment and / or information of the target cell of handover;

[0347] The fourth message further comprises setting information.

[0348] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of handover; and the sending module 420 is further configured to send a fifth message to the first network node, the fifth message being used to indicate that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell;

[0349] The receiving module 410 is further configured to receive the configuration information sent by the first network node.

[0350] In an embodiment, the configuration information comprises at least one of:

[0351] an identity of the third network node;

[0352] a first identity allocated by the third network node to the user equipment, the first identity being used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node;

[0353] a second identity allocated by the first network node to the user equipment, the second identity being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0354] context information of the user equipment;

[0355] data forwarding configuration information configured by the third network node;

[0356] data forwarding TNL information allocated by the third network node to the user equipment;

[0357] wherein the third network node is a mobility candidate network node of the user equipment.

[0358] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; the sending module 420 is further configured to send a sixth message to the first network node, the sixth message being used to instruct the first network node to initiate a release process, the release process comprising releasing at least one of:

[0359] the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0360] LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment;

[0361] resources prepared by the third network node for the user equipment.

[0362] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; the sending module 420 is further configured to send an eighth message to a core network element, the eighth message being used to trigger the core network to switch a downlink data path to the second network node and establish an interface instance pointing to the second network node.

[0363] In an embodiment, the eighth message is used to instruct at least one of:

[0364] the switching process of the downlink data path is an LTM process;

[0365] the second network node configures the user equipment with an LTM;

[0366] The current path switch procedure supports a subsequent LTM;

[0367] The current path switch procedure is part of an LTM procedure.

[0368] In an embodiment, the second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; the sending module 420 is further configured to send a ninth message to the third network node, the ninth message being used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0369] an identity of the first network node;

[0370] the fifth identity being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0371] the sixth identity being used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node;

[0372] all or part of the path switch request acknowledgement message received by the second network node;

[0373] releasing the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node;

[0374] an LTM candidate configuration that needs to be released;

[0375] information of a candidate cell that needs to be released;

[0376] context information of the user equipment;

[0377] source network node data forwarding information.

[0378] In an embodiment, the ninth message is one of the following: a handover modification request message; a handover request message; a newly defined inter-network node message.

[0379] In an embodiment, the identity of the first network node, the fifth identity, or the sixth identity is used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0380] a user equipment; a resource allocated to the user equipment; an LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment.

[0381] In an embodiment, the LTM candidate configuration that needs to be released or the information of the candidate cell that needs to be released is used to indicate at least one of the following:

[0382] indicating the third network node to release an LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment;

[0383] indicating the third network node to release the LTM candidate configuration corresponding to the candidate cell;

[0384] indicating the third network node to release the resource allocated for the LTM candidate configuration;

[0385] indicating the third network node to release the context information of the user equipment.

[0386] In an embodiment, the ninth message is further used to indicate to release the signaling connection associated with the user equipment between the first network node and the third network node.

[0387] In an embodiment, the releasing the context information of the user equipment comprises at least one of:

[0388] releasing the context of the user equipment; releasing the LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment; and releasing the resource allocated for the user equipment.

[0389] In an embodiment, the third network node releases the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment upon receiving the ninth message, or releases the corresponding LTM candidate configuration according to the indication of the ninth message.

[0390] In an embodiment, the receiving module 410 is further configured to:

[0391] receive a tenth message sent by the third network node, the tenth message being a response message to the ninth message or a handover modification response message;

[0392] the tenth message comprises at least one of:

[0393] a new identity allocated by the third network node for the user equipment;

[0394] information for data forwarding of the target network node;

[0395] LTM candidate configuration information;

[0396] information of the released LTM candidate configuration;

[0397] early synchronization configuration information.

[0398] In an embodiment, the LTM candidate configuration information comprises at least one of:

[0399] a new LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment; and an updated or modified LTM candidate configuration.

[0400] The mobility communication device provided in the embodiment belongs to the same inventive concept as the mobility communication method provided in the above embodiments, and the technical details not described in the embodiment can be referred to the above embodiments, and the embodiment has the same beneficial effects as the mobility communication method.

[0401] The embodiment of the present application further provides a network node. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a hardware structure of a network node according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the network node provided by the present application includes a processor 510 and a memory 520. The processor 510 in the network node can be one or more, and Fig. 5 takes one processor 510 as an example. The memory 520 is configured to store one or more programs. The one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors 510, so that the one or more processors 510 implement the mobility communication method as described in the embodiments of the present application.

[0402] The network node further includes a communication device 530, an input device 540 and an output device 550.

[0403] The processor 510, the memory 520, the communication device 530, the input device 540 and the output device 550 in the network node can be connected through a bus or other means, and Fig. 5 takes the connection through the bus as an example.

[0404] The input device 540 can be used to receive input digital or character information, and generate key signal input related to user settings and function control of the network node. The output device 550 can include a display device such as a display screen.

[0405] The communication device 530 can include a receiver and a transmitter. The communication device 530 is configured to perform information receiving and transmitting communication under the control of the processor 510.

[0406] The memory 520, as a computer readable storage medium, can be configured to store software programs, computer executable programs and modules, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the mobility communication method according to the embodiments of the present application (for example, the sending module 310 and the receiving module 320 in the mobility communication device). The memory 520 can include a program storage area and a data storage area, where the program storage area can store an operating system and application programs required by at least one function; and the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the network node, etc. In addition, the memory 520 can include a high-speed random access memory, and can also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one magnetic disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state memory device. In some examples, the memory 520 can further include a memory disposed remotely with respect to the processor 510, and these remote memories can be connected to the network node through a network. Examples of the network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and a combination thereof.

[0407] The embodiments of the present application further provide a storage medium, which stores a computer program. The computer program is executed by a processor to implement the mobility communication method according to any one of the embodiments of the present application. The method comprises: sending a first message to a second network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node;

[0408] The method further comprises: receiving a second message sent by the second network node, the second message comprising configuration information about at least one candidate cell. Alternatively, the method comprises: receiving a first message sent by a first network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node; and sending a second message to the first network node, the second message comprising configuration information about at least one candidate cell.

[0409] The embodiments of the present application further provide a storage medium, which stores a computer program. The computer program is executed by a processor to implement the mobility communication method according to any one of the embodiments of the present application. The method comprises: sending a first message to a second network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node;

[0410] The method further comprises: receiving a second message sent by the second network node, the second message comprising configuration information about at least one candidate cell. Alternatively, the method comprises: receiving a first message sent by a first network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node; and sending a second message to the first network node, the second message comprising configuration information about at least one candidate cell.

[0411] The computer storage medium of the embodiments of the present application can adopt any combination of one or more computer readable media. The computer readable medium can be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium may, for example, but is not limited to, be: an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device or apparatus, or any combination thereof. More specific examples (non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium include: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device or apparatus.

[0412] The computer readable signal medium can include a data signal propagated in a baseband or as part of a carrier wave, in which computer readable program code is carried. Such propagated data signal can take many forms, including but not limited to: an electromagnetic signal, an optical signal, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer readable signal medium can also be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium, which can send, propagate or transmit the program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus or device.

[0413] The program code contained on the computer readable medium can be transmitted by any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wire, optical cable, radio frequency (RF), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0414] Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present application can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code can execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection can be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

[0415] The embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product, comprising computer programs / instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the video encoding method according to any of the above embodiments.

[0416] The above merely provides exemplary embodiments of the present application but should not be used to limit the protective scope of the present application.

[0417] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the term user terminal encompasses any appropriate type of wireless user equipment, such as a mobile phone, a portable data processing portable network browser or a vehicle mounted mobile station.

[0418] Generally, the various embodiments of the present application can be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects can be implemented in hardware, while other aspects can be implemented in firmware or software which can be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the present application is not limited thereto.

[0419] Embodiments of the present application can be implemented by a data processor of a mobile device executing computer program instructions, for example in a processor entity, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. Computer program instructions can be in assemblies, Instruction Set Architecture (ISA), machine, machine dependent, microcode, firmware, state setting data, or in any combination of one or more programming languages, executed on one or more computing devices.

[0420] The block diagrams of any logical flow of the present application in the accompanying drawings can represent program steps or can represent interconnected logic circuits, modules, and functions, or can represent a combination of program steps and logic circuits, modules, and functions. The computer program can be stored on a memory. The memory can have any type suitable for the local technical environment and can be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as, but not limited to, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an optical storage device, and a system memory that is a combination of a memory device and a storage device. The computer readable media can include a non-transitory storage medium. The data processor can be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and can include, but is not limited to, a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and a processor based on multi-core processor architecture.

[0421] A detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present application has been provided above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, various modifications and changes can be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present application, which is defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, the proper scope of the present application is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A mobility communication method applied to a first network node, comprising: sending a first message to a second network node, the first message being used to request configuration information of candidate cells from the second network node; receiving a second message sent by the second network node, the second message comprising configuration information of at least one candidate cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first message comprises a predicted probability of a user equipment reaching the second network node or the candidate cell.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The second message comprises a number of candidate cells that the first network node can request the second network node to prepare for the user equipment. 4.The method of claim 1, after receiving the second message sent by the second network node, further comprising: sending a third message to a third network node, the third message being used to request to update configuration information of candidate cells, the third message further comprising setting information. 5.The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending a fourth message to the second network node, the fourth message being used to indicate at least one of the following: information of a target cell that has initiated handover to the user equipment and information of a target cell of handover; the fourth message further comprising setting information; the second network node being a network node corresponding to the target cell of handover. 6.The method of claim 1, further comprising: in a case where a fifth message sent by the second network node is received, sending setting information to the second network node; wherein the fifth message is used to indicate that the user equipment has successfully accessed a target cell; the second network node being a network node corresponding to the target cell of handover.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein, The setting information comprises at least one of the following: an identity of the third network node; a first identity allocated by the third network node to the user equipment, the first identity being used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node; a second identity allocated by the first network node to the user equipment, the second identity being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node; context information of the user equipment; data forwarding configuration information configured by the third network node; data forwarding transport network layer (TNL) information allocated by the third network node to the user equipment; wherein the third network node is a mobility candidate network node of the user equipment. 8.The method of claim 1, further comprising: in a case where a sixth message sent by the second network node is received, initiating a release procedure, the release procedure comprising releasing at least one of the following: a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node; layer one / layer two trigger mobility (LTM) candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment; resources prepared by the third network node for the user equipment; wherein the second network node is a network node corresponding to the target cell of handover; the third network node being a mobility candidate network node of the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The sixth message is one of the following: a fifth message sent by the second network node, the fifth message indicating that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell; a newly defined message between network nodes; an existing message between network nodes other than the fifth message; a user equipment context release message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, The sixth message is used to indicate at least one of the following: release of a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node; information of the third network node that needs to be released; information of the third network node that cannot establish a connection with the second network node.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, In the release process initiated by the first network node, further comprising: sending a seventh message to the third network node, the seventh message being used to indicate at least one of the following: release of a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node established for the user equipment; release of an LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment; release of resources prepared for the user equipment; release of a context of the user equipment; release of a configuration for data forwarding.

12. A mobility communication method applied to a second network node, comprising: receiving a first message sent by a first network node, the first message being used to request configuration information about candidate cells from the second network node; sending a second message to the first network node, the second message comprising configuration information of at least one candidate cell.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of handover; the method further comprises: receiving a fourth message sent by the first network node, the fourth message being used to indicate at least one of the following: information that handover of a target cell has been initiated to a user equipment and information of the target cell of handover; the fourth message further comprises setting information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, The second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of handover; the method further comprises: sending a fifth message to the first network node, the fifth message being used to indicate that the user equipment has successfully accessed the target cell; receiving setting information sent by the first network node.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein, The setting information comprises at least one of the following: an identifier of a third network node; a first identifier allocated by the third network node to the user equipment, the first identifier being used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node; a second identifier allocated by the first network node to the user equipment, the second identifier being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node; context information of the user equipment; data forwarding configuration information configured by the third network node; data forwarding transport network layer (TNL) information allocated by the third network node to the user equipment; The third network node is a mobility candidate network node of the user equipment.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein, The second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of handover; the method further comprises: sending a sixth message to the first network node, the sixth message being used to indicate that the first network node initiates a release process, the release process comprising release of at least one of the following: a signaling connection between the first network node and a third network node; an LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment; The third network node prepares resources for the user equipment.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein, The second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; the method further comprises: sending an eighth message to a core network element, the eighth message being used to trigger the core network to switch a downlink data path to the second network node and to establish an interface instance pointing to the second network node.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, The eighth message is used to indicate at least one of the following: The switching process of the downlink data path is an LTM process; The second network node configures an LTM for the user equipment; The current path switching process supports a subsequent LTM; The current path switching process is part of an LTM process.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein, The second network node is a network node corresponding to a target cell of the handover; the method further comprises: sending a ninth message to a third network node, the ninth message being used to indicate at least one of the following: An identity of the first network node; A third identity allocated by the first network node to the user equipment, the third identity being used for a signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node; A fourth identity allocated by the third network node to the user equipment, the fourth identity being used for a signaling connection between the third network node and the first network node; All or part of the path switching request confirmation message received by the second network node; Releasing the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node; An LTM candidate configuration that needs to be released; Information of a candidate cell that needs to be released; Releasing context information of the user equipment; Information of source network node data forwarding.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, The ninth message is one of the following: A handover modification request message; a handover request message; a newly defined message between network nodes.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, The identity of the first network node, the third identity, or the fourth identity is used to indicate at least one of the following: The user equipment; resources allocated to the user equipment; LTM candidate configurations prepared for the user equipment.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein, The LTM candidate configuration that needs to be released or the information of the candidate cell that needs to be released is used to indicate at least one of the following: Indicating the third network node to release the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment; Indicating the third network node to release the LTM candidate configuration corresponding to the candidate cell; Indicating the third network node to release resources allocated to the LTM candidate configuration; Indicating the third network node to release the context information of the user equipment.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein, The ninth message is further used to indicate to release the signaling connection between the first network node and the third network node associated with the user equipment.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein, The context information of the user equipment to be released includes at least one of the following: Releasing the context of the user equipment; releasing the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment by the third network node; releasing resources allocated to the user equipment.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein, The third network node releases the LTM candidate configuration prepared for the user equipment upon receiving the ninth message, or releases the corresponding LMT candidate configuration according to the indication of the ninth message.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising: receive a tenth message sent by the third network node, the tenth message being a response message or a handover modification response message of the ninth message; the tenth message comprising at least one of: a new identity allocated by the third network node for the user equipment; information for data forwarding by a target network node; LTM candidate configuration information; information of a released LTM candidate configuration; early synchronization configuration information.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein, the LTM candidate configuration information comprising at least one of: a new LTM candidate configuration prepared by the third network node for the user equipment; or an updated or modified LTM candidate configuration.

28. A first network node, comprising: a memory, and one or more processors; the memory configured to store one or more programs; when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors are caused to implement the mobility communication method according to any one of claims 1-11.

29. A second network node, comprising: a memory, and one or more processors; the memory configured to store one or more programs; when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors are caused to implement the mobility communication method according to any one of claims 12-27.

30. A mobile communication system comprising: the first network node according to claim 28, and the second network node according to claim 29.

31. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, wherein, the program, when executed by a processor, implements the mobility communication method according to any one of claims 1-27.

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