Communication path switching method, apparatus, and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023156564-A1
Application number	US-202218146552-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2022
Priority date	Jun 30, 2020
Publication date	May 18, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of this application provide a communication path switching method, an apparatus, and a system. The method includes: A first terminal receives a first radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message sent by a first network device, the first RRC connection reconfiguration message comprises a first identifier, a second identifier, and first indication information, the first identifier identifies the first terminal, the first indication information indicates the first terminal to perform communication path switching, the second identifier identifies a second terminal, and the second terminal is a target terminal for the communication path switching; and the first terminal sends a first message to the second terminal, the first message comprises the first identifier.

First claim

1 . A communication path switching method, comprising:
receiving, by a first terminal, a first radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message from a first network device, wherein the first RRC connection reconfiguration message comprises a first identifier, a second identifier, and first indication information, the first identifier identifies the first terminal, the first indication information includes a request for the first terminal to perform communication path switching, the second identifier identifies a second terminal, and the second terminal is a target terminal for the communication path switching; and sending, by the first terminal, a first message to the second terminal, wherein the first message comprises the first identifier.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the first terminal, a second message to the first network device, wherein the second message comprises at least one second candidate identifier, each of the at least one second candidate identifier identifies a second candidate terminal, and the second candidate terminal is a candidate target terminal for the communication path switching of the first terminal.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is a local identification (ID).

4 . A communication path switching method, comprising:
receiving, by a first network device, a first message from a first terminal, wherein the first message comprises at least one second candidate identifier, the second candidate identifier identifies a second candidate terminal, and the second candidate terminal is a candidate target terminal for communication path switching of the first terminal; and sending, by the first network device, a first radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message to the first terminal, wherein the first RRC connection reconfiguration message comprises a second identifier, a first identifier, and first indication information, the first identifier identifies the first terminal, the first indication information includes a request for the first terminal to perform communication path switching, the second identifier identifies a second terminal, and the second terminal is a target terminal for the communication path switching of the first terminal.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the first network device, the second identifier from the at least one second candidate identifier.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
sending, by the first network device, a second message to the second terminal, wherein the second message comprises configuration information of a first bearer, the configuration information of the first bearer is usable by the second terminal to set up the first bearer, and the first bearer comprises a first radio bearer for transmitting signaling and data of the first terminal between the second terminal and the first terminal, and a second radio bearer for transmitting signaling and data of the first terminal between the second terminal and the first network device.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second message further comprises the first identifier.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second message further comprises second indication information, and the second indication information indicates that the second terminal is the target terminal for the communication path switching of the first terminal; and
the first network device receives a third identifier from the second terminal.

9 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the first identifier is a first local identification (ID), the second identifier is a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), and the third identifier is a second local ID.

10 . A communication apparatus, comprising at least one processor, and a memory storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor;
wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising: receiving, by a first terminal, a first radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message from a first network device, wherein the first RRC connection reconfiguration message comprises a first identifier, a second identifier, and first indication information, the first identifier identifies the first terminal, the first indication information includes a request for the first terminal to perform communication path switching, the second identifier identifies a second terminal, and the second terminal is a target terminal for the communication path switching; and sending, by the first terminal, a first message to the second terminal, wherein the first message comprises the first identifier.

11 . The communication apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
sending, by the first terminal, a second message to the first network device, wherein the second message comprises at least one second candidate identifier, each of the at least one second candidate identifier identifies a second candidate terminal, and the second candidate terminal is a candidate target terminal for the communication path switching of the first terminal.

12 . The communication apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first identifier is a local identification (ID).

13 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein receiving the first RRC connection reconfiguration message occurs after sending the second message.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the first terminal, measurement configuration information, wherein the measurement configuration information is usable by the first terminal to perform a channel quality measurement.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
performing, by the first terminal, a discovery process in response to satisfaction of a trigger condition, wherein the discovery process is configured to discovery the second terminal.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the discovery process further comprises:
obtaining a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the second terminal; obtaining a cell identifier of the second terminal; and obtaining channel quality information between the first terminal and the second terminal using the measurement configuration information, and the method further comprises transmitting, by the first terminal, the C-RNTI, the cell identifier and the channel quality information to the first network device.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein receiving the first RRC connection reconfiguration message is performed after transmitting the C-RNTI, the cell identifier and the channel quality information to the first network device.

18 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein receiving the first RRC connection reconfiguration message occurs after sending the second message.

19 . The communication apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the first terminal, measurement configuration information, wherein the measurement configuration information is usable by the first terminal to perform a channel quality measurement. performing, by the first terminal, a discovery process in response to satisfaction of a trigger condition, wherein the discovery process is configured to discovery the second terminal.

2

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Nanxin
• Peng Wenjie
• Wang Jun
• Xu Haibo

Classifications

• H04W40/22

  using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point · CPC title

• H04W40/36

  due to handover · CPC title

• H04W36/30

  by measured or perceived connection quality data · CPC title

• H04W36/0055

  Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link · CPC title

• H04W36/302

  due to low signal strength · CPC title