System and method of performing intra-GNB-CU handover by a gnb

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure describe system and methods to perform Intra-gNodeB-Central Unit (CU) handover by a gNodeB(gNB) is disclosed herein. The method includes determining, by the gNB (502), whether resource usage at a first gNB-CU-User Plane(gNB-CU-UP) (506) associated with the gNB-CU (504) of the gNB exceeds a predefined threshold value. Upon determining that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP exceeds the predefined threshold value, the method includes detecting, by the gNB, whether one or more User Equipment (UEs) (510a and 510b) connected with the gNB experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP. Further, the method includes initializing, by the gNB, a handover of at least one of the one or more UEs from the first gNB-CU-UP to a second gNB-CU-UP (508) associated with the gNB-CU of the gNB.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PERFORMING INTRA-GNB-CU HANDOVER BY A GNB

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a field of communication systems and specifically relates to a system and method of performing intra-gNodeB control unit (gNB-CU) handover by a gNode B (gNB).

[0002] In recent years, the number of mobile users and the demand for mobile data traffic has been increasing exponentially. With the exponential growth of mobile data traffic, the demand for content-based traffic has also been increased. Most of the content-based traffic is duplicated in nature, for example, Video on Demand (VoD) services. To help the industrial growth of such an industry, a 5G cellular network is expected to provide a peak throughput of around 20Gbps per UE based on International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT)- requirements. This data rate requirement of the 5G cellular network will stress various components of the 5G Cellular Network.

[0003] Figure 1illustrates scenario 100 of a 5G cellular network, according to an existing technique. The 5G cellular network 100 may include a gNodeB Control Unit (gNB-CU), a Radio Unit (RU) 101a, 101b, an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 106, a gNB-Distributed Unit (DU) 108, a User Plane Function (UPF) 110, and a cloud network 112. The gNB-CU may be referred to as a gNB central unit. The gNB-CU 108 may include a gNB CU Control Plane (gNB-CU-CP)102and a gNB-CU-User Plane (gNB-CU-UP) 104a, 104b. The gNB-CU-CP102 may handle the signaling part while the gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b handles the data traffic part of the UE traffic. The RU 101a and 101b handle physical layer functions, typically situated close to antennas to manage Radio Frequency (RF) processing and signal transmission or reception. The gNB-CU-CP 102 may include Radio Resource Control (RRC) and a Packet Data Convergence Protocol - Control Plane (PDCP-C).Further,the gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b may include a PDCP-User Plane (UP) and aService Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP). The gNB-Distributed Unit (DU) 108 may include aMedium Access Control (MAC) and a Radio Link Control (RLC).

[0004] The gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b may receive or send signaling-related messages to the gNB-CU-CP102 through an E1 interface 114a or 114b. The gNB-CU-CP102 may receive or transmit downlink or uplink data towards the UE through a gNB-(DU) 108 over an F1-U interface 116a, 116b and towards the cloud network 112 via the UPF 110 over a NG-U (N3) interface 118a, 118b. As shown inFigure 1, the gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104bdoes the user-plane processing of the 5G cellular network. The gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b receives a control plane signaling messages such as a Bearer Context Setup Request and a Bearer Context Modification request from the gNB-CU-CP102. Further, the gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b receives a data packet from the UPF 110 for a downlink via the N3 interface 118a and 118b and from the gNB-DU 108 for an uplink via F1-U interface 116a, 116b. The gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b does the PDCP processing of the received data packets as per the 3GPP specification TS 38.323. This includes sequence numbering, header compression, integrity protection, ciphering, etc. as per the 3GPP spec TS 38.323. The gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b may be implemented in various ways, e.g., in a virtual machine or containerized. Like any other software entity, the gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b has limitations such as the maximum number of UEs it can support or the maximum data rate it can process at any given time. Due to the aforementioned limitations, if the resource utilization (e.g., Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage) at the gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b crosses a pre-defined threshold value due to some of the UEs started using the higher data traffic, then the other UEs experience will start deteriorating. The gNB-CU-UP104a, 104b can detect the throughput degradation based on the data dropped at gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b due to high resource usage. Data drop at any particular instance for the UE at the gNB-CU-UP is calculated as,Data drop = Data received at the gNB-CU-UP - Data sent from the gNB-CU-UP

[0005] Thus, during the peak hours when more UEs start using the data traffic, UE's experience starts deteriorating due to throughput degradation. For example, when the gNB-CU-UPs 104a and 104b are fully utilized by a number of UEs during data transfer, any additional requests to increase throughput or add data radio bearers will cause a deterioration in UE performance. This will continue until some UEs are released or stop their data transfer.

[0006] Figure 2illustrates a sequence flow 200 depicting Handover Procedure, according to an existing technique. At step 210, the UE 202 receives downlink user data from the gNB-CU 208 via the source gNB-DU 204. At step 215, the UE 202 transfers uplink user data to the gNB-CU 208 via the source gNB-DU 204. At step 220, the UE 202 transfers a measurement report to the source gNB-DU 204. At step 225, the source gNB-DU 204 sends a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message in the uplink direction to the gNB-CU 208. The RRC message may include the measurement report.

[0007] At step 230, the source gNB-DU 204 may receive a UE context modification request message from the gNB-CU 208. At step 235, the source gNB-DU 204 may send a UE context modification response message to the gNB-CU 208. At step 240, the target gNB-DU 206 may receive a UE context setup request from the gNB-CU 208. At step 245, the target gNB-DU 206 may send a UE context setup response to the gNB-CU 208. At step 250, the source gNB-DU 204 may receive a UE context modification request from the gNB-CU 208. The UE context modification request may include RRC Reconfiguration. At step 255, the source gNB-DU 204 may send the RRC Reconfiguration to the UE 202. At step 260, the source gNB-DU 204 may transfer Downlink Data Delivery Status to the gNB-CU 208. At step 265, the source gNB-DU 204 may send a UE context modification response to the gNB-CU 208. At step 270, perform the Random-Access procedure between the UE 202 and the target gNB-DU 206. At step 275, the UE 202 may send a RRC Reconfiguration Complete to the target gNB-DU 206. At step 280, the target gNB-DU 206 may send a downlink data delivery status to the gNB-CU 208. At step 285, the target gNB-DU 206 may receive Downlink User Data from the gNB-CU 208. At step 290, the target gNB-DU 206 may send an uplink RRC message transfer (RRC Reconfiguration Complete). At step 295, the target gNB-DU 206 may send Downlink user data to the UE 202.At step 296, the UE 202 may send Uplink user data to the gNB-CU 208 via the target gNB-DU 206. At step 297, the source gNB-DU 204 may receive a UE context release command from the gNB-CU 208. At step 298, the source gNB-DU 204 may send the UE context release complete to the gNB-CU 208. In the existing handover procedure 200, the source gNB-DU 204 and target gNB-DU 206 remain the same for changing the gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b. While setting up the UE 202 again in the gNB-CU 208, the gNB-CU 208 will select another gNB-CU-UP 104a, 104b as a target. In theexisting handover procedure 200, the UE 202 needs to be released from the gNB-DU 204 or 206 and the gNB-CU 208 needs to be attached again. The UE 202 also needs to perform a Random Access Procedure or RRC Reconfiguration again to get attached to the RAN again.

[0008] Figure 3is an example scenario 300 depicting a throughput chart when CPU load is maximum, according to an existing technique. The throughput chart 300 may include an UE1 downlink transmit signal 302, an UE1 downlink receive signal 304, an UE1 downlink drop signal 306, an UE2 downlink transmit signal 308, and an UE2 downlink receive signal 310. Consider a scenario where two UEs, UE1 and UE2, are attached to the same CU-UP. When the UE1 begins using a higher data rate, the CPU usage exceeds the pre-defined threshold value. As UE2 starts using data, the user experience of UE1 begins to deteriorate. Figure 3 shows that the downlink (DL) drop 306 for UE1 increases as the DL RX (downlink receive) of UE2 310 increases. This occurs when the CPU load at the CU-UP has reached its maximum capacity. The UE1 downlink transmit signal 302, the UE1 downlink receive signal 304, the UE2 downlink transmit signal 308, and the UE2 downlink receive signal 310 may be with respect to the gNB-CU-UP for both the UE.

[0009] Figure 4is a sequence flow 400 depicting a gNB-CU-UP Status indication procedure, according to an existing technique. In a cellular network, gNB-CU-UPs 104a and 104b are configured with predefined threshold values for each resource, such as the CPU threshold. When the CPU threshold value is exceeded, the gNB-CU-UPs 104a and 104b update status to "overloaded" and notify the gNB-CU-CP 102 using the gNB-CU-UP status indication procedure 402, as defined in 3GPP TS 38.463 Section 8.2.8. As a result, the gNB-CU-CP has real-time knowledge of the resource load for all connected gNB-CU-UPs 104a and 104b.

[0010] Therefore, it is advantageous to provide systems and methods that can overcome one or more of the above-mentioned problems.

[0011] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the disclosure. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the disclosure nor is it intended for determining the scope of the disclosure.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method of performing intra-gNodeB-Control Unit (gNB-CU) handover by a gNodeB (gNB).The method includesdetermining, by the gNB, whether resource usage at a first gNB-CU-User Plane(gNB-CU-UP) associated with the gNB-CU of the gNB exceeds a predefined threshold value. Further, the method includes upon determining that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP exceeds the predefined threshold value, detecting, by the gNB, whether one or more User Equipment (UEs) connected with the gNB are experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP. Furthermore, the method includes initializing, by the gNB, a handover of at least one of the one or more UEs from the first gNB-CU-UP to a second gNB-CU-UP associated with the gNB-CU of the gNB.

[0013] According to another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a system of handover procedure for a Next Generation Node B Centralized Unit (gNB CU). The system includes a memory, at least one processor coupled to the memory. The at least one processor is configured to determine, using the gNB, whether resource usage at a first gNB-CU-User Plane(gNB-CU-UP) associated with the gNB-CU of the gNB exceeds a predefined threshold value. Upon determining that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP exceeds the predefined threshold value, the at least one processor is configured to detect, using the gNB, whether one or more User Equipment (UEs) connected with the gNB are experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP. Furthermore, the at least one processor is configured to initialize, using the gNB, a handover of at least one of the one or more UEs from the first gNB-CU-UP to a second gNB-CU-UP associated with the gNB-CU of the gNB.

[0014] To further clarify the advantages and features of the present disclosure, a more particular description of the disclosure will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting its scope. The disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

[0015] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

[0016] Figure 1illustrates a scenario of a 5G cellular network, according to an existing technique;

[0017] Figure 2illustrates a sequence flow depicting Handover Procedure, according to an existing technique;

[0018] Figure 3is an example scenario depicting a throughput chart when CPU load is maximum, according to an existing technique;

[0019] Figure 4is a sequence flow depicting a gNB-CU-UP Status indication procedure, according to an existing technique;

[0020] Figure 5illustrates a block diagram depicting an example scenario of a wireless communication network (also referred to as a network), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 6illustrates a flow diagram depicting the intra-gNB-CU handover procedure associated with the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 7is a flow chart illustrating a method for performing intra-gNodeB-Control Unit (gNB-CU) handover by a gNodeB (gNB), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 8Ais an example scenario depicting a throughput chart,in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 8Bis another example scenario depicting a throughput chart,in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;and

[0025] Figure 9illustrates a block diagram of a system for managing the handover procedure handover of at least one of the one or more UEs in the wireless communication network, according to an embodiment as disclosed herein.

[0026] Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help improve understanding of aspects of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

[0027] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the various embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.

[0028] The term "some" or "one or more" as used herein is defined as "one", "more than one" or "all". Accordingly, the terms "more than one", "one or more" or "all" would all fall under the definition of "some" or "one or more". The term "an embodiment", "another embodiment", "some embodiments" or "in one or more embodiments" may refer to one embodiment or several embodiments, or all embodiments. Accordingly, the term "some embodiments" is defined as meaning "one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments."

[0029] The terminology and structure employed herein are for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and do not limit, restrict, or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents. The phrase "exemplary" may refer to an example.

[0030] More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to "includes", "comprises", "has", "consists", "have" and grammatical variants thereof do not specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do not exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and must not be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language "must comprise" or "needs to include".

[0031] Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way, it may still be referred to as "one or more features", "one or more elements", "at least one feature", or "at least one element" Furthermore, the use of the terms "one or more" or "at least one" feature or element does not preclude there being none of that feature or element unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as "there needs to be one or more" or "one or more element is required."

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and / or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art.

[0033] As is traditional in the field, embodiments may be described and illustrated in terms of blocks that carry out a described function or functions. These blocks, which may be referred to herein as units or modules or the like, are physically implemented by analog or digital circuits such as logic gates, integrated circuits, microprocessors, microcontrollers, memory circuits, passive electronic components, active electronic components, optical components, hardwired circuits, or the like, and may optionally be driven by firmware and software. The circuits may, for example, be embodied in one or more semiconductor chips, or on substrate supports such as printed circuit boards and the like. The circuits constituting a block may be implemented by dedicated hardware, or by a processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associated circuitry), or by a combination of dedicated hardware to perform some functions of the block and a processor to perform other functions of the block. Each block of the embodiments may be physically separated into two or more interacting and discrete blocks without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, the blocks of the embodiments may be physically combined into more complex blocks without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0034] The accompanying drawings are used to help easily understand various technical features and it should be understood that the embodiments presented herein are not limited by the accompanying drawings. As such, the present disclosure should be construed to extend to any alterations, equivalents, and substitutes in addition to those which are particularly set out in the accompanying drawings. Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are generally used to distinguish one element from another only.

[0035] Figure 5illustrates a block diagram depicting an example scenario of a wireless communication network (also referred to as network 500), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The network 500 may include, without limitation, a direct interconnection, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), wireless network (e.g., using Wireless Application Protocol), the Internet, etc.

[0036] In an embodiment, the network 500 is a 5G cellular network. The network 500 may include a plurality of entities capable of wirelessly communicating with one another. The network 500 includes the plurality of entities, such as a gNodeB (gNB) 502, gNB-CU 504, a first gNB-CU-User Plane(gNB-CU-UP) 506, a second gNB-CU-UP 508, one or more User Equipment(s) UEs 510a and 510b, a gNB- Distributed Unit (DU) 512, a gNB CU Control Plane gNB-CU-CP 514, an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 516, and a User Plane Function (UPF) 518.

[0037] In some embodiments, the gNB 502 may be configured to perform intra-gNodeB-Control Unit (gNB-CU) handover. The gNB 502 may be configured to determine whether resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 associated with the gNB-CU 504 of the gNB 502 exceeds a predefined threshold value. The predefined threshold value may indicate a maximum resource usage allowed within a network infrastructure.The predefined threshold value may refer to a specific resource utilization limit set within a network infrastructure, which, when exceeded, triggers specific actions to maintain optimal network performance. The predefined threshold value may be typically customizable based on an operator's requirements. For instance, the threshold value may be set to90% of resource usage by default,meaning that when the resource utilization of the first gNB-CU-UP 506 reaches 90%, the gNB 502 may initiate the handover of user equipment (UE) to the second gNB-CU-UP 508.

[0038] In an embodiment, the gNB 502 may be configured to determine a corresponding resource usage by the one or more UEs 510a and 510b at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. Resource usage mayrefer to a specific amount or proportion of network resources, such as bandwidth, processing power, or memory, that is being utilized by one or more UEs 510a and 510b within the first gNB-CU-UP 506. Further, the gNB 502 may be configured to compare the corresponding resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 with the predefined threshold value. Furthermore, the gNB 502 may be configured to determine that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 exceeds the predefined threshold value based on the comparison.

[0039] Upon determining that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 exceeds the predefined threshold value, the gNB 502 may be configured to detect whether the one or more UEs 510a and 510b connected with the gNB 502 are experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. Further, the gNB 502 may be configured to initialize a handover of the one or more UEs 510a and 510b from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 associated with the gNB-CU 504 of the gNB 502.

[0040] The handover may include, receivinga Bearer Context Modification required message at the gNB-CU-CP514 from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 for the selected one or more UEs 510a and 510b. The one or more UEs 510a and 510b may experience performance degradation due to resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. The Bearer Context Modification required message may correspond to a message from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to the gNB-CU-CP 514 for the one or more UEs 510a and 510b. TheBearer Context Modification Requiredmessage mayrefer to the message related to the UEs 510a and 510b. For example, the purpose of the Bearer Context Modification required message is to request changes in the bearer context, which may involve updating the configuration of the existing bearer, reassigning resources, or initiating a handover to the second gNB-CU-UP 508. Further, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may be configured to transmita Bearer Context Modification confirm message to the first gNB-CU-UP 506. The Bearer Context Modification confirms message may indicate the requested changes to the bearer context have been successfully implemented. Furthermore, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may be configured to select the second gNB-CU-UP 508of the gNB CU 504 for performing the handover of the one or more UEs 510a and 510b.

[0041] The gNB 502 may be configured to perform a Bearer Context Setup procedure and a Bearer Context Modification procedure with the second gNB-CU-UP 508 based on the selected second gNB-CU-UP 508. For example, the Bearer Context Setup procedure may involve creating a bearer, which is a logical channel that carries the user's data traffic (such as voice, video, or internet browsing) over the network 500. Further, the Bearer Context Modification procedure may allow the network 500 to adjust the quality of service (QoS) parameters, reassign resources, or change the bearer type (e.g., from a default bearer to a dedicated bearer) to better meet the current needs of the UEs 510a and 510b and the network 500. The Bearer Context Setup procedure and the Bearer Context / Modification procedure may refer to the message related to the UEs 510a and 510b as per 3GPP specification TS 38.463. Further, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 of the gNB 502 may be configured to transmit downlink data and uplink data to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 received from the one or more UEs 510a and 510b. For example, the downlink data is the data transmitted from the network 500 to the UEs 510a and 510b. The downlink data may refer to any information sent from the gNB 502 or other network elements to the UEs 510a and 510b. The downlink data typically includes content that the user requests or needs to receive from the Internet or network services. Similarly, the uplink data is the data transmitted from the UE 510a and 510b to the network 500. The uplink data is any information sent from the UE 510a and 510b to the gNB 502 or network elements. Uplink data is generated by the user and sent to the network 500 for processing or storage, or to communicate with other users.

[0042] The gNB 502 may be configured to update an F1 interface - User plane (F1-U) tunnel information and inform the updated F1-U tunnel information to the gNB- DU 512 using an F1 UE Context Modification procedure. Further, the gNB 502 may be configured to perform a Path Switch Procedure with the AMF 516 to update a Next Generation-User plane (NG-U) tunnel information. The path switch procedure may be a signaling process in the network 500 where the AMF 516 coordinates with the gNB 502 to update or switch the data path for a user session. The path switch procedure may be critical for managing and optimizing the routing of user data traffic, especially when there are changes in network conditions, mobility, or user sessions. For example, a user moves from one cell site to another. As the user crosses the boundary between two cells, the Path Switch Procedure ensures that their ongoing data session is seamlessly handed over from the gNB 502 managing the current cell to the gNB managing a new cell.The Path Switch Proceduremay refer to the message related to the UEs 510a and 510b as per 3GPP specification TS 38.413 Section 8.4.4. The AMF 516 may be configured to transmit updated NG-U tunnel information to the UPF 518. The NG-U tunnel information may include tunnel endpoints, the QoS parameters, and traffic routing details.In an embodiment, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may be configured to receive a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) end marker to mark the end of data transmission from the UPF 518. Further, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may be configured to transmit the GTP end marker to thesecond gNB-CU-UP 508.Furthermore, the UPF 518 may be configured to inform updated NG-U tunnel information to the second gNB-CU-UP 508. Further, the second gNB-CU-UP 508 may be configured to receive downlink data from the UPF 518. Upon transmitting the GTP end marker to the second gNB-CU-UP 508, the gNB 502 may be configured to initialize a bearer context release procedure with the first gNB-CU-UP 506 using the gNB-CU-CP 514.For example, the Bearer Context Release Procedure may be a process in the network 500 used to remove or release the bearer context that is no longer needed. The gNB 502 may communicate with the gNB-CU-CP 514 to signal the release of the bearer context, which includes deallocating resources and updating network states. The second gNB-CU-UP 514 may be used for receiving or sending downlink data and uplink data.

[0043] In an embodiment, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may be a logical node hosting a Radio Resource Control (RRC) and the control plane part of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) of the gNB-CU 504 for the gNB 502. The gNB-CU-CP 514 may terminate an E1 interface connected with the first gNB-CU-UP 506 and the F1-C interface connected with the gNB-DU 512.

[0044] The gNB-CU-UP 506 or 508 may be　a logical node hosting the user plane part of the PDCP protocol of the gNB-CU 504 for the gNB 502 and the user plane part of the PDCP protocol and the SDAP protocol of the gNB-CU for the gNB. The gNB-CU-UP terminates the E1 interface connected with the gNB-CU-CP 514 and the F1-U interface connected with the gNB-DU 512.

[0045] The gNB 502 may include the gNB-CU-CP 514, one or more gNB-CU-UPs 506, 508, and one or more gNB-DUs 512. The first gNB-CU-CP 514 may be connected to the gNB-DU 512 through an F1-C interface. The second gNB-CU-UP 508 may be connected to the gNB-DU 512 through the F1-U interface. The first gNB-CU-UP 506 may be connected to the gNB-CU-CP 514 through the E1 interface. In an embodiment, the gNB-DU 512 may be connected to one or more gNB-CU-CPs 514. The first gNB-CU-UP 506 or the second gNB-CU-UP 508 may be connected to the one gNB-CU-CP 514. In an embodiment, the gNB-DU 512 may be connected to the first gNB-CU-UP 506 and the second gNB-CU-UP 508. The gNB-DU 512 may be connected to the gNB-CU-UPs 506 and 508 under the control of the same gNB-CU-CP 514. In an embodiment, the gNB-CU-UP 506 or 508 may be connected to the one or more DUs 512 under the control of the same gNB-CU-CP 514.

[0046] Figure 6illustrates a flow diagram 600 depicting the intra-gNB-CUhandover procedure associated with the network 500, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The network 500 includes one or more network entities such as the UE 510a or 510b, the gNB- DU 512, the gNB-CU-CP 514, the first gNB-CU-UP 506, the second gNB-CU-UP 508, the AMF 516 or UPF 518. In an embodiment, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may include a source gNB-CU-UP, and the second gNB-CU-UP 508 may include a target gNB-CU-UP.

[0047] In an embodiment, if the first gNB-CU-UP 506 resource is overloaded, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may select the UEs 510a or 510b to be moved to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 using the handover procedure to reduce the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. In an example, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 measures the data usage of the UEs 510a and 510b for a certain duration of time and then selects a top pre-defined percentage of the UEs 510a or 510b that are consuming high resources due to a higher data rate and are not critical UEs 510a or 510b. Alternatively, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 selects the top pre-defined percentage of the UEs 510a or 510b that are experiencing higher drops in data throughput due to high resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. Additionally, an operator can suggest the handover procedure for selecting the UEs 510a and 510b. The operator may include, but is not limited to, a cellular operator. Upon receiving the top pre-defined percentage of the UEs 510a or 510b, the gNB-CU 504 may be configured to initiate the Handover procedure. The handover procedure may be related to the intra-gNB-CU handover procedure. The intra-gNB-CU handover procedure inFIGURE 6is described below.

[0048] With reference to Figure 6, at step 605, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may receive or transmit downlink or uplink data towards the UE 510a or 510b.

[0049] At step 610, the UE 510a or 510b performance starts degrading due to max resource utilization at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. For example, the UE 510a and UE 510b are actively using data services, such as streaming video or conducting video calls, through the first gNB-CU-UP 506. The first gNB-CU-UP 506 may be responsible for managing the user plane traffic for the UEs 510a and 510b. Due to the resource degradation, the UEs 510a and 510b experience performance issues, such as increased latency, reduced data speeds, or interrupted services. This degradation occurs because the first gNB-CU-UP 506 cannot handle additional traffic efficiently.

[0050] At step 615, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may send the Bearer Context Modification Required message to the gNB-CU-CP 514. The Bearer Context Modification Required message may include a cause "Not enough User Plane Processing Resources" indicating that the issue is due to insufficient processing capacity. In an embodiment, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 selects a pre-define set of UEs, such as the UEs 510a and 510b that are required to perform the handover procedure. The first gNB-CU-UP 506 then sends the Bearer Context Modification Required message to the gNB-CU-CP 514 for the selected pre-define set of UEs, such as the UEs 510a and 510b.

[0051] At step 620, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may send the Bearer Context Modification Confirm message to the first gNB-CU-UP 506. The Bearer Context Modification confirm message may indicate the requested changes to the bearer context will be completed.

[0052] At step 625, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may select the second gNB-CU-UP 508 as a target. For example, the gNB-CU-CP 514 selects the second gNB-CU-UP 508 as the target for performing handover of the selected UEs 510a and 510b.This is done to redistribute the load more evenly across available resources.

[0053] At step 630, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may then perform the Bearer Context Setup procedure with the second gNB-CU-UP 508. At step 635a, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may then perform the Bearer Context Modification procedure with data forwarding information to the first gNB-CU-UP 506. At step 635b, simultaneously, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may perform the Bearer Context Modification procedure with the second gNB-CU-UP 508.

[0054] At step 640, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may then proceed to forward the received downlink or uplink data to the second gNB-CU-UP 508.

[0055] At step 645, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may inform the gNB-DU 512 about the updated F1-U tunnel information using the F1 UE Context Modification procedure.

[0056] At step 650, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may then initiate the Path Switch Procedure with the AMF 516 to update the NG-U tunnel information. Here, the AMF 516 then forwards the updated tunnel information to the UPF 518.

[0057] On receiving the updated NG-U tunnel information, at step 655, the UPF 518 may send the GTP end marker to the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to mark the end of data transmission.

[0058] At step 655b, the first gNB-CU-UP 506 may then send the GTP end marker to the second gNB-CU-UP 508.

[0059] At step 660, the UPF 518 may then inform the new tunnel information to the second gNB-CU-UP and start sending Downlink (DL) data to the second gNB-CU-UP 508. After performing step 655b, at step 665, the gNB-CU-CP 514 may initiate the Bearer Context Release Procedure with the first gNB-CU-UP 506.

[0060] At step 670, the second gNB-CU-UP 508 may be used for receiving and sending UE's DL or Uplink (UL) data.

[0061] Figure 7is a flow chart illustrating a method 700 for performing intra-gNodeB-Control Unit (gNB-CU) handover by a gNodeB (gNB), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] The method 700 may include a series of operations shown at step 702 through step 712 of Figure 7. The method 700 may be performed by the gNB 502 of the network 500, the details of which are explained in conjunction with Figures 5-6, and the same are not repeated here for the sake of brevity. The method 700 begins at step 702.

[0063] At step 702, the method 7000 may include detecting resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 that has crossed the predefined threshold value.

[0064] At step 704, the method 7000 may include identifying the UEs connected with the gNB experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. At step 706, the method 700 may include determining whether to select the one or more UEs 510a or 510b from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to resolve the resource usage.

[0065] At step 706, the method 700 may include the UEs 510a or 510b, which are not available to select from the first gNB-CU-UP 506. If the step is NO, the method is continued at step 702.

[0066] At step 706, the method 700 may include the UEs 510a or 510b, which are available to select from the first gNB-CU-UP 506. If the step is YES, at step 708, the method 700 may include sending the Bearer Context Modification Required message to the gNB-CU-CP 514 from the first gNB-CU-UP 506.

[0067] At step 710, the method 700 may include sending the Bearer Context Modification confirm message to the first gNB-CU-UP 506 from the gNB-CU-CP 514.

[0068] At step 712, the method 700 may include selecting the second gNB-CU-UP 508 by the gNB-CU-CP 514 to handover the impacted one or more UEs.

[0069] At step 714, the method 700 may include initializing the handover of the one or more UEs from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 associated with the gNB-CU 504 of the gNB 502.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 5-6 together, the method 700 may be performed based on instructions retrieved from non-transitory computer-readable media. A computer-readable media may include machine-executable or computer-executable instructions to perform all or portions of the described method. The computer-readable media may be, for example, digital memories, magnetic storage media, such as magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable data storage media.

[0071] Figure 8Ais an example scenario 800a depicting a throughput chart, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.Figure 8Bis another example scenario 800b depicting a throughput chart, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The throughput chart 800a may include a UE2 downlink transmit signal 802 and an UE2 downlink receive signal 804. The throughput chart 800b may include a UE1 downlink transmit signal 806, a UE1 downlink receive signal 808, and a UE1 downlink drop signal 810, on performing a disclosed lightweight Intra-gNB-CU handover procedure, the impacted UE 510a or 510b gets attached to the second gNB-CU-UP 508. Hence, the experience of the UE 510a may be better as there may not be any drop in data traffic due to high resource utilization at the first gNB-CU-UP 506. The throughput chart 800 shows that the UE 510b may remain connected to the first gNB-CU-UP 506 after performing the intra-gNB-CU handover procedure on the impacted UEs 510a and 510b. Further, the throughput chart 800b shows that the UE 510a may not experience any performance degradation after migrating to the second gNB-CU-UP 508.

[0072] Figure 9illustrates a block diagram of a system 900 for managing the handover procedure of the one or more UEs 510a or 510b in the network 500, according to an embodiment as disclosed herein.

[0073] In an embodiment, the system 900 may include a memory 910, a processor 920, and a communicator 930. In one or more embodiments, the system 900 may be implemented on one or multiple electronic devices (not shown in FIG. 9).

[0074] In an embodiment, the memory 910 stores instructions to be executed by the processor 920 for managing the handover procedure of the one or more UEs 510a or 510b in the network 500, as discussed throughout the disclosure. The memory 910 may include non-volatile storage elements. Examples of such non-volatile storage elements may include magnetic hard discs, optical discs, floppy discs, flash memories, or forms of electrically programmable memories (EPROM) or electrically erasable and programmable (EEPROM) memories. In addition, the memory 910 may, in some examples, be considered a non-transitory storage medium. The term "non-transitory" may indicate that the storage medium is not embodied in a carrier wave or a propagated signal. However, the term "non-transitory" should not be interpreted that the memory 910 is non-movable. In some examples, the memory 910 can be configured to store larger amounts of information than the memory. In certain examples, a non-transitory storage medium may store data that can, over time, change (e.g., in Random Access Memory (RAM) or cache). The memory 910 can be an internal storage unit, or it can be an external storage unit of the system 900, a cloud storage, or any other type of external storage.

[0075] In an embodiment, the processor 920 communicates with the memory 910 and the communicator 930. The processor 920 is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 910 and to perform various processes for managing the handover procedure handover of at least one of the one or more UEs 510a and 510b in the network 500, as discussed throughout the disclosure. The processor 920 may include one or a plurality of processors, maybe a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Processor (AP), or the like, a graphics-only processing unit such as a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a Visual Processing Unit (VPU), and / or an Artificial Intelligence (AI) dedicated processor such as a Neural Processing Unit (NPU).

[0076] In an embodiment, the system 900 may include an intra gNB handover management module 921. The Intra gNB handover management module 921 is implemented by processing circuitry such as logic gates, integrated circuits, microprocessors, microcontrollers, memory circuits, passive electronic components, active electronic components, optical components, hardwired circuits, or the like, and may optionally be driven by firmware. The circuits may, for example, be embodied in one or more semiconductor chips, or on substrate supports such as printed circuit boards and the like.

[0077] In an embodiment, the Intra gNB handover management module 921 may be configured to initialize, the handover of the one or more UEs 510a and 510b from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 associated with the gNB-CU 504 of the gNB 502. The Intra gNB handover management module 921 may include a Bearer Context Setup module 923, a Bearer Context Modification procedure module 925, a Path Switch module 927, and a bearer context release module 929.

[0078] The processor 920 may be configured to determine whether resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 associated with the gNB-CU 504 of the gNB 502 exceeds the predefined threshold value using the Intra gNB handover management module 921. The predefined threshold value may indicate a maximum resource usage allowed within a network infrastructure.Upon determining that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 exceeds the predefined threshold value, the processor 920 may be configured to detect whether the UEs 510a and 510b connected with thegNB 502 are experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 using the Intra gNB handover management module 921. Furthermore, the processor 920 may be configured to initialize the handover of the one or more UEs 510a and 510b from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 associated with the gNB-CU 504 of the gNB 502 using the Intra gNB handover management module 921.

[0079] The processor 920 may be configured to determine at the first gNB-CU-UP 506, the corresponding resource usage by the one or more UEs 510a and 510b. Further, the processor 920 may be configured to compare the corresponding resource usage with the predefined threshold value at the first gNB-CU-UP 506.Theprocessor 920 may be configured to determine that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 exceeds the predefined threshold value based on the comparison using the Intra gNB handover management module 921.

[0080] The processor 920 may be configured to receive the Bearer Context Modification required message using the Bearer Context Modification module 925 at the gNB-CU-CP 514 from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 for the selected the one or more UEs 510a and 510b. The Bearer Context Modification required message may correspond to the message from the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to the gNB-CU-CP 514 for the one or more UEs 510a and 510b. Furthermore, the processor 920 may be configured to transmit the Bearer Context Modification confirm message to the first gNB-CU-UP 506 using the Bearer Context Modification module 925. The processor 920 may be configured to select the second gNB-CU-UP 508 of the gNB CU 504 for performing the handover of the one or more UEs 510a and 510b.

[0081] The processor 920 may be configured to perform the Bearer Context Setup procedure and the Bearer Context Modification procedure with the second gNB-CU-UP 508 based on the selected second gNB-CU-UP 508 using the Bearer Context Setup module 923, the Bearer Context Modification procedure module 925. Further, the processor 920 may be configured to transmit the downlink data and the uplink data to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 received from the one or more or more UEs 510a and 510b using the first gNB-CU-UP 506 of the gNB 502.

[0082] The processor 920 may be configured to update the F1-U tunnel information and inform the updated F1-U tunnel information to the gNB-DU 512 using the F1 UE Context Modification procedure. The processor 920 may be configured to perform the Path Switch Procedure with the AMF 516 using the Path Switch module 927 to update the NG-U tunnel information. The processor 920 may be configured to transmit the updated NG-U tunnel information to the UPF 518 using the AMF 516.

[0083] In an embodiment, the processor 920 may be configured to receive the GPRS GTP end marker at the first gNB-CU-UP 506 to mark the end of data transmission from the UPF 518. Further, the processor 920 may be configured to transmit the GTP end marker to the second gNB-CU-UP 508 using the first gNB-CU-UP 506.

[0084] In an embodiment, the processor 920 may be configured to inform the updated NG-U tunnel information from the UPF 518 to the second gNB-CU-UP 508. Further, the processor 920 may be configured to receive the downlink data from the UPF 518 at the second gNB-CU-UP 508. Upontransmitting the GTP end marker to the second gNB-CU-UP 508, the processor 920 may be configured to initialize the bearer context release procedure with the first gNB-CU-UP 506 using the bearer context release module 929.The second gNB-CU-UP 508 may be used for receiving and sending downlink data and uplink data.

[0085] The communicator 930 is configured for communicating internally between internal hardware components and with external devices (e.g., server) via one or more networks (e.g., radio technology). The communicator 930 includes an electronic circuit specific to a standard that enables wired or wireless communication.

[0086] AlthoughFigure 9shows various hardware components of the system 900, but it is to be understood that other embodiments are not limited thereon. In other embodiments, the system 900 may include less or more number of components. Furthermore, the labels or names of the components are used only for illustrative purposes and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. One or more components can be combined to perform the same or substantially similar functions to the handover procedure of the one or more UEs 510a or 510b in the network 500.

[0087] Exemplary embodiments of the system and method performing the intra-gNodeB control unit (gNB-CU) handover by the gNB. The UEs experiencing performance degradation due to maximum high resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UPcan be migrated to the second gNB-CU-UP using the intra-gNB-CU handover procedure. The maximum resource utilization means the resource usage at gNB-CU-UP has crossed the pre-defined threshold value that could be due to high resource usage by the UEs. The intra-gNB-CU handover procedure does not require the UE to be released from any components of 5G other than the first gNB-CU-UP. Thus, it saves approximately ~300ms of complete handover duration. Since this procedure does not require releasing the UEs from any other parts of 5G, procedures such as RACH and RRC reconfiguration procedures for that UE are not required. Thus, this procedure is transparent to UE.This procedure is faster than the usual complete handover procedure as it requires minimal signalling and handover happens within the gNB-CU. Hence the duration of data interruption is very minimal. This procedure can also be extended to any other scenarios when source gNB-CU-UP experiences any problem, such as block crash, VM reboot, etc. As this procedure is transparent to the UE and requires near to zero latency, it can be essential for Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (uRLLC) services where UEs might get impacted due to maximum or high resource usage at the gNB-CU-UP.The UE does not need to be released from the gNB-DU and also does not need to perform the Random Access Procedure. In the present disclosure, the gNB-CU-CP can select the second gNB-CU-UP to handover the UE from the impacted first gNB-CU-UP. As the present system does not require the UE to be released from the gNB-DU or to perform the Random Access Procedure or RRC Reconfiguration, the system may need less signalling than the existing handover procedure and may be ~300ms faster approximately.

[0088] The various actions, acts, blocks, steps, or the like in the flow diagrams may be performed in the order presented, in a different order, or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some of the actions, acts, blocks, steps, or the like may be omitted, added, modified, skipped, or the like without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0089] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one ordinary skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

[0090] While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

[0091] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein.

[0092] Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts necessarily need to be performed. Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of embodiments is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

[0093] Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component of any or all the claims.

Claims

1.A method of performing intra-gNodeB-Central Unit (gNB-CU) (504) handover by a gNodeB (gNB) (502), comprising:determining, by the gNB (502), whether resource usage at a first gNB-CU-User Plane(gNB-CU-UP) (506) associated with the gNB-CU (504) of the gNB (502) exceeds a predefined threshold value;upon determining that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506) exceeds the predefined threshold value, detecting, by the gNB (502), whether one or more User Equipment (UEs) (510a and 510b) connected with the gNB (502) experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506); andinitializing, by the gNB (502), a handover of at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b) from the first gNB-CU-UP (506) to a second gNB-CU-UP (508) associated with the gNB-CU (504) of the gNB (502).2.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining whether the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506) exceeds the predefined threshold value comprises:determining, at the first gNB-CU-UP (506), a corresponding resource usage by the one or more UEs (510a and 510b);comparing, at the first gNB-CU-UP (506), the corresponding resource usage with the predefined threshold value; anddetermining, by the first gNB-CU-UP (506), that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506) exceeds the predefined threshold value based on the comparison.3.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein initializing, by the gNB, the handover comprises:receiving, at a gNB CU Control Plane (gNB-CU-CP) (514), a Bearer Context Modification required message from the first gNB-CU-UP (506) for the selected one or more UEs (510a and 510b) upon detecting that at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b) is experiencing performance degradation due to resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506), wherein the Bearer Context Modification required message corresponds to at least one message from the first gNB-CU-UP (506) to the gNB-CU-CP (514) for the at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b);transmitting, by the gNB-CU-CP (514), a Bearer Context Modification confirm message to the first gNB-CU-UP (506); andselecting, by the gNB-CU-CP (514), the second gNB-CU-UP (508) of the gNB CU (504) for performing the handover of the at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b).4.The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:performing, by the gNB (502), at least one of a Bearer Context Setup procedure and a Bearer Context Modification procedure with the second gNB-CU-UP (508) based on the selected second gNB-CU-UP (508); andtransmitting, by the first gNB-CU-UP (506) of the gNB, at least one downlink data and uplink data to the second gNB-CU-UP (508) received from the one or more or more UEs (510a and 510b).5.The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:updating, by the gNB (502), an F1 interface - User plane (F1-U) tunnel information and informing the updated F1-U tunnel information to a gNB- Distributed Unit (DU) (512) using an F1 UE Context Modification procedure.6.The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:performing, by the gNB (502), a Path Switch Procedure with an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (516) to update a Next Generation-User plane (NG-U) tunnel information.7.The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the AMF (516) transmits updated NG-U tunnel information to a User Plane Function (UPF) (518).8.The method as claimed in claim 7, comprising:receiving, at the first gNB-CU-UP (506), a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) end marker to mark the end of data transmission from the UPF (518); andtransmitting, by the first gNB-CU-UP (506), the GTP end marker to the second gNB-CU-UP (508).9.The method as claimed in claim 7, comprising:informing, to the second gNB-CU-UP (508), updated NG-U tunnel information from the UPF (518); andreceiving, at the second gNB-CU-UP (508), downlink data from the UPF (518).10.The method as claimed in claim 8, comprising:upon transmitting the GTP end marker to the second gNB-CU-UP (508),initializing, by the gNB (502), a bearer context release procedure with the first gNB-CU-UP (506) using the gNB-CU-CP (514).11.The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second gNB-CU-UP (508) is used for at least one of receiving and sending downlink data and uplink data.12.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined threshold value indicates a maximum resource usage allowed within a network infrastructure.13.A system of handover procedure for a Next Generation Node B Central Unit (gNB CU) (504), comprising:a memory (910);at least one processor (920) coupled to the memory (910), the at least one processor (920) configured to:determine, using the gNB (502), whether resource usage at a first gNB-CU-User Plane(gNB-CU-UP) (506) associated with the gNB-CU (504) of the gNB (502) exceeds a predefined threshold value;upon determining that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506) exceeds the predefined threshold value, detect, using the gNB (502), whether one or more User Equipment (UEs) (510a and 510b) connected with the gNB (502) experiencing performance degradation based on the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506); andinitialize, using the gNB (502), a handover of at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b) from the first gNB-CU-UP (506) to a second gNB-CU-UP (508) associated with the gNB-CU (504) of the gNB (502).14.The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one processor (920) is configured to determine whether the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506) exceeds the predefined threshold value comprises:determine, at the first gNB-CU-UP (506), a corresponding resource usage by the one or more UEs (510a and 510b);compare, at the first gNB-CU-UP (506), the corresponding resource usage with the predefined threshold value; anddetermine, using the first gNB-CU-UP (506), that the resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506) exceeds the predefined threshold value based on the comparison.15.The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one processor (920) is configured to initialize, using the gNB (502), the handover comprises:receive, at a gNB CU Control Plane (gNB-CU-CP (514)), a Bearer Context Modification required message from the first gNB-CU-UP (506) for the selected at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b) the first gNB-CU-UP (506) upon detecting that at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b) is experiencing performance degradation due to resource usage at the first gNB-CU-UP (506), wherein the Bearer Context Modification required message corresponds to at least one message from the first gNB-CU-UP (506) to the gNB-CU-CP (514) for the at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b); transmit, using the gNB-CU-CP (514), a Bearer Context Modification confirm message to the first gNB-CU-UP (506); andselect, using the gNB-CU-CP (514), a second gNB-CU-UP (508) of the gNB CU (504) for performing the handover of the at least one of the one or more UEs (510a and 510b).

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