Ultra reliable reporting of scg measurements while spcell degrades

Abstract

Systems and methods for ultra reliable reporting of secondary cell group (SCG) measurements to a secondary node (SN) used in multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC) operation that specifically account for the possibility of SCG special cell (SpCell) degradation are disclosed herein. A user equipment (UE) may establish a signaling radio bearer (SRB) 3 with the SN. The UE may then identify that a handover condition (which may be associated with SCG SpCell degradation) for the SCG SpCell is met, and accordingly send an SCG measurement report over each of the SRB3 and an SRB1 between the UE and a master node (MN) used in the MR-DC operation. Such information received at the MN is forwarded to the SN. Accordingly, the reception of SCG measurement reports (to enable handover to a new SpCell by the SN) is not solely dependent messages on the SpCell of the SCG alone (using SRB3), improving reliability.

1 . A method of a secondary node (SN) operable with a user equipment (UE) using a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC) mode with a master node (MN) and the SN, comprising:
 establishing, with the UE, a signaling radio bearer (SRB);   while the SRB with the UE is established, receiving, from the MN, a secondary cell group (SCG) measurement report for the UE; and   determining, based on contents of the SCG measurement report, to perform a handover from a special cell (SpCell) of the SN to a neighbor cell of a target node.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining, based on the contents of the SCG measurement report, to perform the handover comprises comparing a difference between a power level of the SpCell of the SN from the SCG measurement report and a power level of the neighbor cell of the target node from the SCG measurement report to a threshold amount. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SRB is an SRB3. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the MR-DC mode is a new radio (NR)-NR dual connectivity (NR-DC) mode. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the MR-DC mode is an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA)-new radio (NR) dual connectivity (EN-DC) mode. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target node is the SN. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending, to the target node, a handover request. 
     
     
         8 . A system for operating with a user equipment (UE) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC) mode, the system comprising a master node (MN) and a secondary node (SN), wherein:
 the SN is in communication with the UE and the MN and comprises a first memory and one or more first processors configured to process an SCG measurement report as received from either of the UE on a first signaling radio bearer (SRB) and the MN; and   the MN is in communication with the UE and the SN and comprises a second memory and one or more second processors configured to process the SCG measurement report as received from the UE on a second SRB and forward the SCG measurement report to the SN.   
     
     
         9 . The system for operating of  claim 8 , wherein the SCG measurement report is received at the MN on the second SRB in a ULInformationTransferMRDC message. 
     
     
         10 . The system for operating of  claim 8 , wherein the first SRB is an SRB3 and the second SRB is an SRB1. 
     
     
         11 . The system for operating of  claim 8 , wherein the MR-DC mode is a new radio (NR)-NR dual connectivity (NR-DC) mode. 
     
     
         12 . The system for operating of  claim 8 , wherein the MR-DC mode is an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA)-new radio (NR) dual connectivity (EN-DC) mode. 
     
     
         13 . A secondary node (SN) for operating with a user equipment (UE) using a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC) mode with a master node (MN) and the SN, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the SN to:
 establish, with the UE, a signaling radio bearer (SRB); 
 while the SRB with the UE is established, receive, from the MN, a secondary cell group (SCG) measurement report for the UE; and 
 determine, based on contents of the SCG measurement report, to perform a handover from a special cell (SpCell) of the SN to a neighbor cell of a target node. 
   
     
     
         14 . The SN of  claim 13 , wherein the determination, based on the contents of the SCG measurement report, to perform the handover comprises comparing a difference between a power level of the SpCell of the SN from the SCG measurement report and a power level of the neighbor cell of the target node from the SCG measurement report to a threshold amount. 
     
     
         15 . The SN of  claim 13 , wherein the SRB is an SRB3. 
     
     
         16 . The SN of  claim 13 , wherein the MR-DC mode is a new radio (NR)-NR dual connectivity (NR-DC) mode. 
     
     
         17 . The SN of  claim 13 , wherein the MR-DC mode is an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA)-new radio (NR) dual connectivity (EN-DC) mode. 
     
     
         18 . The SN of  claim 13 , wherein the target node is the SN. 
     
     
         19 . The SN of  claim 13 , further comprising sending, to the target node, a handover request.