WO2022031197A1

WO2022031197A1 - Additional thresholds for dual connectivity data path switching

Info

Publication number: WO2022031197A1
Application number: PCT/SE2021/050586
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jens Bergqvist; Pontus Wallentin; Stefan Wager; Oumer TEYAB
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2020-08-06
Filing date: 2021-06-16
Publication date: 2022-02-10

Abstract

In one aspect, a method performed by a wireless device is provided. The method comprises receiving a set of path selection conditions from a network node, the set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for data latency, and determining one or more quantity values corresponding to the one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions. The method further comprises comparing each of the determined quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions, and determining one or more paths to be used for sending uplink data traffic or reporting buffer status based on the comparison.

Description

ADDITIONAL THRESHOLDS FOR DUAL CONNECTIVITY DATA PATH SWITCHING

Technical field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to wireless networks, and particularly to methods, apparatus and machine-readable media for performing path selection.

Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description.

Carrier Aggregation

When Carrier Aggregation (CA) is configured, the User Equipment (UE) only has one Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the network. Furthermore, at RRC connection establishment/re-establishment/handover, one serving cell provides the Non Access Stratum (NAS) mobility information, and at RRC connection re-establishment/handover, one serving cell provides the security input. This cell is referred to as the Primary Cell (PCell). In addition, depending on UE capabilities, Secondary Cells (SCells) can be configured to form together with the PCell a set of serving cells. The configured set of serving cells for a UE therefore always consists of one PCell and one or more SCells. Furthermore, when dual connectivity is configured, it could be the case that one carrier under the Secondary Cell Group (SCG) is used as the Primary SCell (f). Hence, in this case we have one PCell and one or more SCell(s) over the Master Cell Group (MCG) and one PSCell and one or more SCell(s) over the SCG.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The reconfiguration, addition, and removal of SCells can be performed by RRC. At intra- RAT handover, RRC can also add, remove, or reconfigure SCells for usage with the target PCell. When adding a new SCell, dedicated RRC signalling is used for sending all required system information of the SCell i.e. while in connected mode, UEs need not acquire broadcasted system information directly from the SCells.

3GPP Dual Connectivity

In 3GPP the dual-connectivity (DC) solution has been specified, both for Long Term Evolution (LTE) and between LTE and New Radio (NR). In DC two nodes are involved, a master node (MN or Master eNB (MeNB)) and a Secondary Node (SN, or Secondary eNB (SeNB)). Multi-connectivity (MC) is the case when there are more than 2 nodes involved. Also, it has been proposed in 3GPP that DC is used in the Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) cases in order to enhance the robustness and to avoid connection interruptions.

There are different ways to deploy 5G network with or without interworking with LTE (also referred to as E-UTRA) and evolved packet core (EPC). In principle, NR and LTE can be deployed without any interworking, denoted by NR stand-alone (SA) operation, that is NR base station (gNB) in NR can be connected to 5G core network (5GCN) and EUTRAN base station (eNB) can be connected to EPC with no interconnection between the two. On the other hand, the first supported version of NR is the so-called EN-DC (E-UTRAN-NR Dual Connectivity. In such a deployment, dual connectivity between NR and LTE is applied with LTE as the master and NR as the secondary node. The RAN node (gNB) supporting NR, may not have a control plane connection to core network (EPC), instead it relies on the LTE as master node (MeNB). This is also called as "Non-standalone NR". Notice that in this case the functionality of an NR cell is limited and would be used for connected mode UEs as a booster and/or diversity leg, but an RRCJDLE UE cannot camp on these NR cells.

With introduction of 5GCN, other options may be also valid. As mentioned above, one of the options of LTE and NR interworking supports stand-alone NR deployment where gNB is connected to 5GCN. Similarly, LTE can also be connected to 5GCN using an option known as eLTE, E-UTRA/5GC, or LTE/5GC, and the node can be referred to as an ng-eNB. In these cases, both NR and LTE are seen as part of the NG-RAN (and both the ng-eNB and the gNB can be referred to as NG-RAN nodes). It is worth noting that there are other variants of dual connectivity between LTE and NR which will be standardized as part of NG-RAN connected to

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

5GCN, denoted by MR-DC (Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity). Under the MR-DC umbrella, we have:

• EN-DC: LTE is the master node and NR is the secondary (EPC CN employed)

• NE-DC: NR is the master node and LTE is the secondary (5GCN employed)

• NGEN-DC: LTE is the master node and NR is the secondary (5GCN employed)

• NR-DC: Dual connectivity where both the master and secondary are NR (5GCN employed).

As migration for these options may differ from different operators, it is possible to have deployments with multiple options in parallel in the same network. In combination with dual connectivity solutions between LTE and NR it is also possible to support CA (Carrier Aggregation) in each cell group (i.e. MCG and SCG) and dual connectivity between nodes on same RAT (e.g. NR-NR DC). For the LTE cells, a consequence of these different deployments is the co-existence of LTE cells associated to eNBs connected to EPC, 5GCN or both EPC/5GC.

As mentioned earlier, DC is standardized for both LTE and E-UTRA -NR DC (EN-DC).

LTE DC and EN-DC are designed differently when it comes to which nodes control what. Basically, there are two options:

1. Centralized solution (like LTE-DC),

2. Decentralized solution (like EN-DC).

Figure 1 shows what the schematic control plane (CP) architecture looks like for LTE DC and EN-DC. In both LTE-DC and EN-DC, there is a master node, a secondary node, and a user equipment (UE). The master node includes an LTE RRC entity and the UE includes an LTE RRC state entity. There is an S1-C interface between the master node and a mobility management entity (MME) (not shown in the figure), an Xn-C interface between the master node and the secondary node, a Uu interface between the master node and the UE and between the secondary node and the UE. The main difference between LTE DC and EN-DC is that in EN-DC, the Secondary Node (SN) has a separate RRC entity (NR RRC). This means that the SN can control the UE also; sometimes using the radio interface Uu directly to the UE without the knowledge of the Master Node (MN) but often the SN need to coordinate with the MN. In LTE-DC, the RRC decisions are always coming from the MN (MN uses the radio interface Uu

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

to the UE). Note however, the SN still decides the configuration of the SN, since it is only the SN itself that has knowledge of what kind of resources, capabilities etc. it has. Furthermore, in both LTE-DC and EN-DC, the UE has an LTE RRC state. Furthermore, in LTE-DC and EN-DC, the control plane interface between MN and SN is X2-C.

For EN-DC, the major changes compared to LTE DC are:

• The introduction of split bearer from the SN (known as SCG split bearer)

• The introduction of split bearer for RRC

• The introduction of a direct RRC from the SN (also referred to as SCG Signaling

Radio Bearer (SRB))

Figure 2 shows the User Plane (UP) architecture for EN-DC. A bearer may be categorized into a bearer type. Each bearer type is characterized by which radio resources that are involved. For an MCG bearer, only MCG radio resources and RLC+MAC layer entities for the MCG are involved, these include E-UTRA RLC, EUTRA RLC, NR RLC, E-UTRA MAC, and NR MAC. For an SCG bearer, only SCG radio resources and RLC+MAC layer entities for the SCG are involved. For a split bearer, both MCG and SCG radio resources as well as RLC+MAC layer entities for both the MCG and SCG are involved. Furthermore, the bearers may also be categorized into MN terminated bearers and SN terminated bearers depending on the network node where they are terminated. The user plane interface between MN and SN is X2.

The network can configure either E-UTRA PDCP layer or NR PDCP layer for MN terminated MCG bearers while NR PDCP layer is always used for all other bearers.

For split bearers, in the downlink, the path switching between the MCG or SCG legs or duplication on both is left to network implementation. On the other hand, for split bearers, in the Uplink (UL), the network configures the UE to use the MCG, SCG or both legs. The terms "leg”, "path” and "Radio Link Control (RLC) bearer” may be used interchangeably throughout this document.

Bearer configuration, and related Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)ZMedium Access Control (MAC) aspects are described in more detail in the following paragraphs.

The UE gets the bearer configuration in the radioBearerConfig that can be included in the RRCReconfiguration message. If a UE is configured with MR-DC, it will have two radio bearer configurations, one associated with the MCG (i.e. for Master Node (MN) terminated

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

bearers) and one associated with the SCG (i.e. for SN terminated bearers). Each bearer has an associated Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) configuration, and for split bearers, there is a configuration in the PDCP-Config (moreThanOneRLC) that specifies the primary path to be used for UL data transmission (i.e. either the MCG or the SCG). There is also a threshold ul-DataSplitThreshold specified under the moreThanOneRLC IE. If the UL buffer at the UE corresponding to that split bearer is below this threshold, the UE will only do the Buffer Status Reporting (BSR) and/or UL scheduling request to the node hosting the primaryPath (e.g. if primarypath is MCG, to MN, i.e. scheduling request/BSR sent via MCG Medium Access Control (MAC) to the MN). If the UL buffer becomes above the threshold, the UE can send the BSR/Scheduling request to both the MN and SN (and send the UL data on whichever link, MCG or SCG, that gives it grant).

PDCP Transmit operation and data volume calculation are described in 3GPP 38.323 V16.1.0. The IE PDCP-Config is described in 3GPP TS 38.331 v16.1 .0.

Packet duplication aspects are discussed in more detail in the following paragraphs.

Reliability in wireless communication is typically provided via retransmissions. However, there a latency penalty with retransmissions because a retransmission is triggered only when the first transmission has failed (or takes more than the expected time). Thus, bearers that carry traffic of ultra-reliable low latency (URLLC) services/applications, retransmissions are not the optimal way of assuring reliability. An alternative that has been adopted in 3GPP in rel- 15 (both in LTE and NR) is Packet duplication, which consists of sending the same packets (PDCP PDUs) twice. That way, no extra latency will be used to assure reliability, as both the original and the duplicate packet are transmitted simultaneously. The overhead in terms of the required capacity for duplication can be minimized by enabling duplication only when the quality of the link associated with that bearer is below a certain level (i.e. no need to duplicate packets if the link is in excellent conditions and no packet loss/del ay is anticipated).

Sending both the duplicate and the original on the same link and carrier is not desirable, as the main aim of duplication is to create diversity. There are two different ways of doing so: Carrier Aggregation (CA) based duplication and Dual Connectivity (DC) base duplication.

CA level duplication means that different carriers are used to send a duplicate version of the same PDCP PDU. An additional RLC entity and an additional logical channel are added to the radio bearer to handle the duplicated PDCP PDUs. To ensure the original PDCP PDU

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

and the corresponding duplicate shall not be transmitted on the same carrier, logical channel mapping restrictions are used in MAC (i.e. each logical channel of the duplicated bearer will be associated with a given carrier, i.e. PCell or SCell).

In DC level duplication, on the other hand, the PDCP PDU is forwarded to both the MCG and SCG paths that comprise a split bearer. Naturally, DC level duplication is applicable only for split DRBs/SRBs.

In EN-DC, CA duplication can be applied in the MN and in the SN, but MCG bearer CA duplication can be configured only in combination with E-UTRAN PDCP and MCG bearer CA duplication can be configured only if DC duplication is not configured for any split bearer.

In NGEN-DC, CA duplication can only be configured for SCG bearer. In NE-DC, CA duplication can only be configured for MCG bearer. In NR-DC, CA duplication can be configured for both MCG and SCG bearers.

PDCP duplication can be configured by RRC, and its initial status (activated/deactivated) may also be signaled via RRC. A MAC CE (Control Element) is used to dynamically control PDCP data duplication (i.e. turn it on or off). A bitmap is used to indicate per each RB if data duplication is activated or deactivated.

In Release 16, duplicating more than one times has been specified.

CA without duplication is transparent to DRB and RLC-bearer configuration, as data will be sent to the MAC, and MAC can push the data to any carrier (PCell or SCell) that schedules the UE first. On the other hand, with CA duplication, there is a carrier restriction between the two carriers involved in the duplication and the corresponding RLC entities. Due to this, when some Radio Link Failure happen (e.g. due to maximum number of RLC retransmissions), it may be possible to pinpoint which carrier is causing the problem.

SCG power saving mode aspects are described in more detail in the following paragraphs.

In order to improve network energy efficiency and UE battery life for UEs in MR-DC, a Rel-17 work item is planned to introduce efficient SCG/SCell activation/deactivation. This can be especially important for MR-DC configurations with NR SCG, as it has been evaluated in RP-190919 that in some cases NR UE power consumption is 3 to 4 times higher than LTE.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

3GPP has specified the concept of deactivated SCell for LTE and NR. As depicted in Figure 3, for NR, the SCell can be in either deactivated state or activated state. The configured SCell(s) may be activated and deactivated by transmitting the SCell Activation/Deactivation MAC CE from the network to the UE. The SCell may also be deactivated upon expiry of a timer configured per SCell, known as the sCellDeactivationTimer. As a third option, the SCell state may be configured by RRC signalling.

3GPP has also specified the concepts of dormant SCell (in LTE) and dormancy like behavior of an SCell (for NR).

In LTE, when an SCell is in dormant state, like in the deactivate state, the UE does not need to monitor the corresponding PDCCH or PDSCH and cannot transmit in the corresponding uplink. However, differently from deactivated state, the UE is required to perform and report Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) measurements. A PUCCH SCell (SCell configured with PUCCH) cannot be in dormant state.

In NR, as also depicted in Figure 3, dormancy like behaviour for SCells is realized using the concept of dormant Bandwidth Parts BWPs. When the SCell is activated, the active BWP used by the SCell can be switched between a "non-dormant" BWP and a dormant BWP. One dormant BWP, which is one of the dedicated BWPs configured by the network via RRC signaling, can be configured for an SCell. If the active BWP of the activated SCell is a dormant BWP, the UE stops monitoring PDCCH on the SCell but continues performing Channel State Information (CSI) measurements, AGC and beam management, if configured. A Downlink Control Information (DCI) is used to control enter! ng/leavi ng the dormant BWP for one or more SCell(s) or one or more SCell group(s), and it is sent to the special cell (sPCell) of the cell group that the SCell belongs to (i.e. PCell in case the SCell belongs to the MCG and PSCell if the SCell belongs to the SCG). The SpCell (i.e. PCell of PSCell) and PUCCH SCell cannot be configured with a dormant BWP.

However, only SCells can be put to put in dormant state (in LTE) or operate in dormancy like behavior (NR). Also, only SCells can be put into the deactivated state in both LTE and NR. Thus, if the UE is configured with MR-DC, it is not possible to fully benefit from the power saving options of dormant state or dormancy like behavior as the PSCell cannot be configured with that feature. Instead, an existing solution could be releasing (for power savings) and adding (when traffic demands requires) the SCG on a need basis. However, traffic is likely to be bursty, and

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

adding and releasing the SCG involves a significant amount of RRC signaling and inter-node messaging between the MN and the SN, which causes considerable delay.

In Release 16, some discussions were made regarding putting also the PSCell in dormancy, also referred to as SCG Suspension. Some preliminary agreements were made on that the UE supports network-controlled suspension of the SCG in RRC_CONNECTED but that UE behavior for a suspended SCG is FFS.

Summary

There currently exist certain challenge(s). As discussed above, the UE can be configured with split bearers and UL data split threshold could be specified that will determine when the UE tries to use both the MCG and SCG links. This mechanism enables some level of load balancing/sharing between the MCG and SCG radios/legs. However, one big shortcoming with this approach is that it is solely based on the data volume.

For example, there can be scenarios where the data volume is below the threshold but the signal level or quality towards the SN is low/bad or the SN is congested/overloaded and not scheduling the UE frequently, thus the UL data may experience considerable latency due to retransmissions, thus using only the SCG may not be the optimal option. On the other hand, there can be scenarios where the data volume is above the threshold but the signal level or quality towards the SN is excellent and/or the SN is not loaded, while at the same time the signal towards the MN may not be that good and/or the MN may be overloaded), and thus using only the SCG may still be the optimal option.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. The present disclosure proposes mechanisms to consider a set of MCG/SCG path selection conditions to determine UL data transmission operation for a UE in dual connectivity, e.g. which path(s) to be used to report buffer status and send UL data traffic of split bearers. Each MCG/SCG path selection condition may comprise threshold(s) associated with monitoring quantities, such as data volume, radio signal measurements towards the MCG and/or SCG and/or data latency criteria.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Specifically, MCG and/or SCG measurements of radio signals and/or data latency criteria may be used in conjunction with UL data split threshold to determine which path (primary, secondary, or both) to be used for buffer status reporting and sending data of split bearers.

For example, when the radio conditions towards the SCG are not suitable, even if the UL split buffer threshold is not reached, the UE could try to get scheduled on the MCG and send the data over the MCG leg. If the radio conditions towards the SCG get even worse, the UE could autonomously switch the primary path towards the MCG, regardless of the current buffer level.

There are, proposed herein, various embodiments which address one or more of the issues disclosed herein.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating Control Plane architecture for Dual Connectivity in LTE Dual Connectivity (DC) and EN-DC;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating network side protocol termination options for MCG, SCG and split bearers in MR-DC with EPC (EN-DC);

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating dormancy like behavior for SCells in NR;

Figure 4 depicts a method in accordance with particular embodiments of the disclosure;

Figure 5 depicts a method in accordance with particular embodiments of the disclosure;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a wireless network according to some embodiments;

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a user equipment according to some embodiments;

Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment according to some embodiments;

Figure 9 shows a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments;

Figure 10 shows a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments;

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment;

Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment;

Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment;

Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment;

Figure 15 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an apparatus in a wireless network; and

Figure 16 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an apparatus in a wireless network.

Detailed description

Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

The present disclosure provides methods at a wireless device/terminal, also called a User Equipment UE. The wireless device or UE may, in some embodiments correspond to the wireless device 610, the UE 700 and/or the virtual apparatus 1500 as described below with respect to Figure 15.

The wireless device, which may be configured with split data Data Radio Bearer (DRBs), can receive a set of MCG/SCG path selection conditions from the network including thresholds. Each threshold may be associated with a monitoring quantity for MCG/SCG path selection. Examples of such monitoring quantities include data volume, radio signal measurement for MCG/SCG and quantities for determining data latency. Thresholds may be configured separately for each bearer.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The wireless device can determine values of the monitoring quantities for MCG/SCG path selection. This determination may include data volume calculation, radio signal measurement and monitoring of criteria for data latency.

Then, the wireless device can compare determined values of the monitoring quantities for MCG/SCG path selection with the thresholds. This comparison may be performed individually for each bearer, as the thresholds and monitoring quantities may be bearer-specific. For example, a calculated data volume may be compared with a first threshold, a radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) is compared with a second threshold, and a quantity for determining data latency is compared with a threshold.

The comparisons may be used for determining which path(s) to be used to report buffer status and send UL data traffic of certain split bearers. For example, if data volume is below a certain threshold, a radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) for MCG is above a certain threshold, and a radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) for SCG is below a certain threshold, the wireless device may select the MCG path for certain split bearer(s). Determination of which path may be performed on per-bearer basis and therefore in case of multiple split bearers, the selected path for one given bearer may be the MCG while the selected path for another given bearer may be the SCG. The determination of path may result in a number of alternative outcomes, for example "MCG only” or "SCG only”, where MCG or SCG path is selected as the only path, or "Both MCG and SCG”, where data is duplicated and sent on both legs, or "Any of MCG or SCG” where data can be sent on either (could be up to wireless device implementation), "First of MCG or SCG”, where data is buffered on PDCP level and sent on whichever leg that is scheduled first.

In one embodiment, an operation like this is proposed:

The wireless device may be configured with split DRBs (MN terminated or/and SN terminated)

Initially, the primary path may be set to the SCG (i.e. the MCG is mainly used for coverage purposes only, e.g. for SRBs) the MCG may be put in a power saving state (e.g. long DRX)

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCells) drops below a certain level (e.g. threshold_SCG_1)

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PCell and/or MCG SCell) is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_MCG_1), then even if the UL split buffer threshold is not reached, the wireless device may behave as if the threshold level is reached (i.e. reports data volume to both MCG and SCG MAC and sends the data on whichever leg get scheduled first), corresponding to "First of MCG or SCG” or "Any of MCG or SCG” as determined path;

• If the MCG was suspended, then MCG may be transitioned into normal operation (e.g. no DRX). In the case of long DRX, the wireless device sending a scheduling request to the MCG may implicitly deactivate the DRX operation. In other cases of power saving (e.g. MCG suspension, PCell dormancy, etc), some explicit signaling may be required to bring the MCG to normal operation. For example, the wireless device may send a request to the SN, and SN may inform the MN, MN/MCG transitions to normal operation, SN/MN may inform the wireless device to resume its MCG to normal operation.

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCells) drops below a certain level (e.g. threshold_SCG_2) and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PCell and/or MCG SCell) is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_MCG_2), then the wireless device may switch the primary path of the bearer to the MCG, and report data volume corresponding to that bearer only to the MCG MAC, corresponding to "MCG only” as determined path;

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCells) gets above a certain level (e.g. threshold_SCG_3) and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PCell and/or MCG SCell) is below a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_MCG_3), then even if the UL split buffer threshold is not reached, the wireless device may behave as if the threshold level is reached (i.e. reports data volume to both MCG and SCG MAC and sends the data on whichever leg get scheduled first), corresponding to "First of MCG or SCG” or "Any of MCG or SCG” as determined path;

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCells) gets above a certain level (e.g. threshold_SCG_4)

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PCell and/or MCG SCell) is below a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_MCG_4), then the wireless device may switch the primary path of the bearer to the SCG, and may report data volume corresponding to that bearer only to the SCG MAC, corresponding to "SCG only” as determined path.

In another embodiment, an operation like this is proposed:

Initially, the primary path may be set to the MCG the SCG may be put in a power saving state (e.g. long DRX)

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PCell and/or MCG SCells) drops below a certain level (e.g. threshold_MCG_1) and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCell) is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_SCG_1), then even if the UL split buffer threshold is not reached, the wireless device may behave as if the threshold level is reached (i.e. reports data volume to both MCG and SCG MAC and sends the data on whichever leg get scheduled first), corresponding to "First of MCG or SCG” or "Any of MCG or SCG” as determined path.

• If the SCG was suspended, then SCG has to be transitioned into normal operation (e.g. no DRX). In the case of long DRX, the wireless device sending a scheduling request to the SCG may implicitly deactivate the DRX operation. In other cases of power saving (e.g. SCG suspension, PSCell dormancy, etc), some explicit signaling maybe required to bring the SCG to normal operation. For example, the UE may send a request to the MN, and MN may inform the SN, SN/SCG may transition to normal operation, SN/MN may inform the wireless device to resume its SCG to normal operation.

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PCell and/or MCG SCells) drops below a certain level (e.g. threshold_MCG_2) and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCell) is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_SCG_2), then the

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

wireless device may switch the primary path of the bearer to the SCG, and may report data volume corresponding to that bearer only to the SCG MAC, corresponding to "SCG only” as determined path;

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PCell and/or MCG SCells) gets above a certain level (e.g. threshold_MCG_3) and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCell) is below a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_SCG_3), then even if the UL split buffer threshold is not reached, the wireless device may behave as if the threshold level is reached (i.e. reports data volume to both MCG and SCG MAC and sends the data on whichever leg get scheduled first), corresponding to "First of MCG or SCG” or "Any of MCG or SCG” as determined path

If/when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG (e.g. PSCell and/or MCG SCells) gets above a certain level (e.g. threshold_MCG_4) and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCell) is below a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_SCG_4), then the wireless device may switch the primary path of the bearer to the MCG, and may report data volume corresponding to that bearer only to the MCG MAC, corresponding to "MCG only” as determined path;

In yet another embodiment, an operation like this is proposed:

Initially, the primary path may be set to the SCG

If/when the quantity for determining data latency is above a certain level (e.g. threshold DL_1) and the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG is above a certain level (e.g. threshold_MCG_5), then the wireless device may switch the primary path of the bearer to the MCG, and may report data volume corresponding to that bearer only to the MCG MAC, corresponding to "MCG only” as determined path;

If/when the quantity for determining data latency is above a certain level (e.g. threshold DL_3) and the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG is above a certain level (e.g. threshold_MCG_5), and the radio measurement result

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

(e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCell) is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_SCG_4) then even if the UL split buffer threshold is not reached, the wireless device may behave as if the threshold level is reached (i.e. reports data volume to both MCG and SCG MAC and sends the data on whichever leg get scheduled first), corresponding to "First of MCG or SCG” or "Any of MCG or SCG” as determined path.

In yet another embodiment, an operation like this is proposed:

Initially, the primary path may be set to the MCG

If/when the quantity for determining data latency drops below a certain level (e.g. threshold DL_2) and the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCell) is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_SCG_4), then the wireless device may switch the primary path of the bearer to the SCG, and may report data volume corresponding to that bearer only to the SCG MAC, corresponding to "SCG only” as determined path;

If/when the quantity for determining data latency is above a certain level (e.g. threshold DL_3) and the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG is above a certain level (e.g. threshold_MCG_5), and the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the SCG (e.g. PSCell and/or SCG SCell) is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_SCG_4) then even if the UL split buffer threshold is not reached, the wireless device may behave as if the threshold level is reached (i.e. reports data volume to both MCG and SCG MAC and sends the data on whichever leg get scheduled first), corresponding to "First of MCG or SCG” or "Any of MCG or SCG” as determined path.

In some embodiments, a method according to the previous embodiments is proposed, where instead of or in addition to primary path switching or trying to use both legs, the wireless device may be configured to start duplicating data of a split bearer on both legs when the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the primary path becomes lower than a certain threshold and/or the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the secondary path raises above a certain threshold.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

For example, for a split bearer with primary path set to the SCG, if the radio measurement results towards the PSCell and/or SCG SCells falls below a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_x) and/or the radio measurement results towards the PCell and/or MCG SCells is above a certain threshold (e.g. threshold_y), the wireless device may start duplicating data over both links. It should be noted that there could be yet another threshold (e.g. threshold_z) associated with the MCG, where this behavior is applicable only if the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) towards the MCG is between threshold_y and threshold_z. That is, this could be an indication that the signal towards the MCG is good, but may not be good enough to rely on it completely. If, however, the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) to the MCG raises above event threshold_z, then the MCG leg may be considered to be reliable enough and instead of data duplication, the wireless device may either resort to requesting to be scheduled or sending buffer status to both legs and sending the data to whichever gives the UL grants first, or even switching the primary path to the MCG.

In all the above embodiments, in order to avoid ping pong behavior (e.g. switching back and forth between MCG and SCG legs) due to bursty traffic, some hysteresis effect can be realized by using several mechanisms like: time to trigger values: the signal towards the MN/SN is supposed to be above a given threshold or below a given threshold, only if it remains above the threshold or below the threshold for the specified time to trigger duration filtering: filtering of the radio measurement results (e.g. the radio signal levels or radio signal quality results) can be applied, e.g. a moving average filter over a certain specified duration/window.

In some embodiments, a method according to the previous embodiments is proposed, where the existing UL split buffer threshold (e.g. ul-DataSplitThreshold) may be first triggered and the wireless device only then checks whether the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) for the MCG and or SCG is above or below certain thresholds before starting to send data on both the MCG and SCG legs (and report data volume to both the MCG and SCG MAC). Alternatively, the wireless device may be configured with a separate buffer level threshold that trigger radio measurements of e.g. radio signal levels or quality on the MCG and/or SCG. As an example, the wireless device may have a split DRB with MCG as primary path and may be configured with the existing buffer level threshold ul-DataSplitThreshold for

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

reporting of data volume also to the SCG MAC (in addition to the MCG MAC) and a new buffer level threshold ul-DataThreshold_x for when to start performing radio measurements of e.g. radio signal levels or quality on the SCG. The ul-DataThreshold_x threshold may then have a lower value than ul-DataSplitThreshold. If the buffer level reaches the threshold ul- DataThreshold_x, the wireless device may then start the corresponding radio measurements on the SCG. If the threshold ul-DataSplitThreshold then also is reached, the wireless device may use the radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) for the SCG to determine whether to report data volume also to the SCG MAC (in addition to the MCG MAC) and thus trigger the use of the SCG leg as well.

In another embodiment, after the wireless device has compared the determined values of the monitoring quantities for MCG/SCG path selection with the thresholds, rather than performing path selection, it may transmit a message to the network. In one example, this message may be a measurement report.

In another embodiment, after the wireless device has compared the determined values of the monitoring quantities for MCG/SCG path selection with the thresholds, in addition to performing path selection, it may transmit a message to the network. In one example, this message may be a measurement report.

In yet another embodiment, the Secondary Node (SN) may detect that the performance becomes bad, e.g. below a certain threshold, and based on this it may request less downlink data from the MN for the UE or for the bearer. This request, or change in request, can be done using e.g. a flow control procedure over the Xn interface, and the performance can be considered based on e.g. received CQI measurements or different data latency criteria.

A number of exemplary implementations of certain embodiments will be described below.

When submitting a PDCP PDU to the RLC layer, the transmitting PDCP entity in the wireless device needs to take the determined path to be used for UL data into account. If the determined path is "MCG only”, the PDCP entity may submit the PDCP PDU to the MCG RLC entity. If the determined path is "SCG only”, the PDCP entity may submit the PDCP PDU to the SCG RLC entity. If the determined path is "Both MCG and SCG”, the PDCP entity may duplicate the PDCP PDU to both the MCG RLC entity and the SCG RLC entity. If the determined path is "Any of MCG or SCG”, the PDCP entity may submit the PDCP PDU to either

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

the MCG RLC entity or the SCG RLC entity. If the determined path is "First of MCG or SCG”, the PDCP entity may submit the PDCP PDU to either the MCG RLC entity or the SCG RLC entity, whichever cell group where the wireless device is scheduled first. In the latter case the wireless device may send a buffer status report in both the MCG and SCG, await the grant in both cell groups and transmit the PDCP PDU in the cell group (MCG or SCG) where the grant is received first. If the determined path is "Any of MCG or SCG”, the selected path for UL data may be up to the wireless device implementation. For example, the wireless device may select path in a random fashion or based on some other criteria. The wireless device may even send the data on the leg whichever is scheduled first, in a similar way as the wireless device is expected to do when the determined path is "First of MCG or SCG”.

Data volume calculation may be performed for the purpose of buffer status reporting to the network in the MCG and SCG cells, respectively, but also to determine the value of the monitoring quantities. There are multiple alternatives for data volume calculation. In general, the data volume calculation may be performed by the transmitting PDCP entity in the wireless device and takes the following data into consideration: the PDCP SDUs for which no PDCP Data PDUs have been constructed; the PDCP Data PDUs that have not been submitted to lower layers; the PDCP Control PDUs; for AM DRBs, the PDCP SDUs to be retransmitted; for AM DRBs, the PDCP Data PDUs to be retransmitted.

For split bearers, the transmitting PDCP entity may be associated with two RLC entities which belongs to different Cell Groups. There may be data in the PDCP entity buffer which has not been submitted to any RLC entity and that is included in the calculation. This data may correspond to "the PDCP SDUs for which no PDCP Data PDUs have been constructed” and "the PDCP Data PDUs that have not been submitted to lower layers”.

In case of split bearers, PDCP control PDUs may be normally submitted to only one RLC entity, the primary RLC, e.g. the RLC entity associated with the MCG. The data volume calculation may take any unsubmitted PDCP control PDUs and PDCP control PDUs to be retransmitted (if any) into account.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

For AM DRBs and split bearers, the data which has already been submitted to the RLC layer and is to be retransmitted, there are multiple alternatives how it can be included in the calculation. This data may correspond to "for AM DRBs, the PDCP SDUs to be retransmitted” and "for AM DRBs, the PDCP Data PDUs to be retransmitted”. In one alternative, the data volume calculation of the AM DRB data to be retransmitted may include data submitted any RLC entity (i.e. the sum of the data submitted to the RLC entity for the MCG and the data submitted to the RLC entity for the SCG). In another alternative, the data volume calculation of the AM DRB data to be retransmitted may include data submitted to the RLC entity for the MCG. In yet another alternative, the data volume calculation of the AM DRB data to be retransmitted may include data submitted to the RLC entity for the SCG.

The radio signal measurements that are used as conditions for determined path may include measurements on the PCell, the PSCell or SCells and be performed on e.g. SSB or CSI-RS.

The measurements may consist of e.g. RRM measurements (such as Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) or Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR)), CSI measurements or CQI measurements.

There are multiple alternative quantities for determining data latency. In one example the quantity is the number of RLC retransmissions during a certain time period. In another example the quantity is the number of Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) retransmissions during a certain time period. In yet another example the quantity is the number of expirations of the MAC retransmission Buffer Status Report Timer (retxBSR-Timer) during a certain time period. In yet another example the quantity is number of scheduling requests that do not result in grants during a certain time period.

Parameters, for the MCG/SCG path selection conditions may be configured in the wireless device by the network using RRC signalling. These parameters may include thresholds for radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) such as threshold_MCG_1 , threshold_MCG_2, etc. and threshold_SCG_1 , threshold_SCG_2, etc.; thresholds for data latency threshold DL_1 , threshold DL_2, etc., and thresholds for data volume. Also values hysteresis and time-to-trigger parameters for radio measurement results (e.g. radio signal levels or quality values), data latency and data volume may be included in this configuration. This

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

configuration may be performed by the RRCReconfiguration message in NR and the RRCConnectionReconfiguration message in LTE.

In one alternative, the RRC information element in NR known as RadioBearerConfig may be used to configure the parameters for path selection. For example, these may be included within the parameter pdcp-Config. An example configuration can be seen in Table 1 below, where a new parameter pathSelectionCondition is included within the parameter pdcp-Config in order to provide parameters for path selection for a bearer configured as a split bearer. In this example configuration the DataVolumeCondition, RadioMeasurementCondition and LatencyCondition include parameters for path selection based on the respective quantity such as e.g. thresholds, hysteresis values and time to trigger and possibly related actions, e.g. the determined path to use, when the conditions are fulfilled. When the parameter pathSelectionCondition is included, it means that the wireless device shall perform path selection for the corresponding bearer according to the content of this parameter. For example, if the field dataVolumeCondition is included, it also means that the wireless device shall use a data volume monitoring quantity and use further parameters within this field, e.g. thresholds, as part of the determination of selected path based on data volume. And for example, if the field radioMeasurementCondition is included, it also means that the wireless device shall use a radio signal measurement monitoring quantity and use further parameters within this field, e.g. thresholds, as part of the determination of selected path based on radio signal measurement. And for example, if the field latencycondition is included, it also means that the wireless device shall use a quantity for determining latency and use further parameters within this field, e.g. thresholds, as part of the determination of selected path based on latency.

Below is an illustrative example of how 3GPP TS 38.331 may be amended to include the parameter pathSelectionCondition in IE PDCP-Config.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Table 1 : Example configuration of path selection conditions. The new configuration parameters are underlined in the table.

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In another alternative, the MCG/SCG path selection conditions may be configured using measurement configuration. As part of this measurement configuration, MCG and SCG PCell/PSCell may be included as measurement objects and as a reporting configuration an MCG/SCG path selection configuration is provided. The MCG/SCG path selection configuration may include a path selection instruction (e.g. MCG only, SCG only, Both MCG and SCG, Any of MCG or SCG, First of MCG or SCG), reference to an event type, threshold(s), hysterisis and time to trigger. In this embodiment, when conditions for the event are fulfilled (taking hysteresis into account) the path selection instruction can be applied (after any configured time-to-trigger). For example, using event A5 "PCell/ PSCell becomes worse than threshold 1 and neighbour becomes better than threshold2” (where the "neighbour” corresponds to an MCG Pcell and the "Pcell/PSCell” corresponds to the SCG PSCell), and the path selection instruction says "MCG only”, the wireless device may switch the UL transmission to use only the MCG.

In one alternative of this embodiment, new measurement events may be defined which includes the possibility to monitor also data volume quantities and quantities for determining data latency. In one alternative, rather than to perform path selection after conditions for the event has been fulfilled, the wireless device may transmit a measurement report to the network. In one alternative, in addition to perform path selection after conditions for the event has been fulfilled, the wireless device may transmit a measurement report to the network.

Figure 4 depicts a method in accordance with particular embodiments. The method may be performed by a wireless device or UE (such as the wireless device 610 or the UE 700 described below). The wireless device may be operating using any radio-access technology (RAT), such as NR, LTE, etc. The wireless device may be communicating with one or multiple

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

network nodes using one or more multiple RATs, e.g., NR Standalone, Multi-connectivity with NR.

The method begins at step 402 in which the wireless device receives a set of path selection conditions from a network node. The set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for data latency. In some embodiments, the received set of path selection conditions may further comprise a data volume threshold. At least one of the one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions may be configured for a specific bearer.

In step 404, the wireless device determines one or more quantity values. Each of the one or more determined quantity values corresponds to one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions. In some embodiments, determining the one or more quantity values in step 404 may comprise performing at least one of: data volume calculation, radio signal measurement, and monitoring of criteria for data latency. In some embodiments, determining one or more quantity values in step 404 may be performed upon a UL split buffer threshold being triggered.

In embodiments where at least one of the one or more quantity values is a quantity for determining data latency, the quantity for determining data latency may be one of: the number of RLC retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of HARQ retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of expirations of the Media Access Control (MAC) retransmission Buffer Status Reporting Timer (retxBSR-Timer) during a certain time period, and the number of scheduling requests that do not result in grants during a certain time period.

In embodiments where at least one of the one or more quantity values is a radio measurement quantity, the radio measurement quantity may be one of: a reference signal received power (RSRP) value , a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) value, and signal- to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SI NR) value, and a channel quality indicator (CQI) value.

In step 406, the wireless device compares each of the determined quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions. In some embodiments, comparing each of the determined quantity values with a corresponding threshold may be performed individually for each bearer. In some embodiments, comparing each of the determined quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds may be performed upon a UL split buffer threshold being triggered.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

In step 408, the wireless device determines one or more paths to be used for sending uplink data traffic or reporting buffer status, based on the comparison in step 406.

In some embodiments, the determination of the one or more paths in step 408 may be performed on a per-bearer basis. Specifically, in these embodiments the quantity values and the corresponding threshold(s) may be bearer-specific, and the wireless device can compare in step 406 the determined quantity values with the one or more corresponding thresholds. For example, a calculated data volume may be compared with a first threshold, a radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) may be compared with a second threshold, and a quantity for determining data latency may be compared with a third threshold. Then, in step 408 the wireless device can determine the one or more paths to use individually for a specific radio bearer, i.e. determining to use one or more paths for a first radio bearer, and different one or more paths for a second, different, radio bearer.

The comparison in step 406 may be used for determining which path(s) to be used to report buffer status and send UL data traffic of certain split bearers. For example, if data volume is below a certain threshold, a radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) for MCG is above a certain threshold, and a radio measurement result (e.g. radio signal level or quality) for SCG is below a certain threshold, the wireless device may select the MCG path for certain split bearer(s). Since the determination of which path can be performed on a per-bearer basis, in case of multiple split bearers, the selected path for one given bearer may be the MCG while the selected path for another given bearer may be the SCG.

In some embodiments, determining of the one or more paths at step 408 may result in one of: Master Cell Group (MCG) only, Secondary Cell Group (SCG) only, Both MCG and SCG, Any of MCG or SCG, and First of MCG or SCG. MCG only indicates that a MCG path is determined as the only path. SCG only indicates that a SCG path is determined as the only path. Both MCG and SCG indicates that data is duplicated and transmitted via both a MCG path and a SCG path. Any of MCG of SCG indicates that data can be transmitted via either a MCG path and a SCG path. First of MCG or SCG indicates that data is buffered on a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) level and is transmitted via a MCG path or a SCG path, whichever is scheduled first.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise transmitting a message by the wireless device to the network node via the one or more determined paths. The message may include the one or more determined quantity values.

In some embodiments, prior to receiving the set of path selection conditions at step 402, the method may further comprise setting a primary path to a Master Cell Group (MCG) and setting a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) to a power saving state, or setting a primary path to a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) and setting a Master Cell Group (MCG) to a power saving state. In these embodiments, the method may further comprise transitioning the power saving state of the MCG or the SCG into normal operation based on results of the determination of one or more paths. Transitioning the power saving state of the MCG into normal operation may comprise sending a scheduling request to the MCG, or transitioning the power saving state of the SCG into normal operation comprises sending a scheduling request to the SCG.

In some embodiments, if a quantity value towards the SCG is below a second corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a quantity value towards the MCG is above a second corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths may result in MCG only.

In some embodiments, if a quantity value towards the SCG is above a third corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a quantity value towards the MCG is below a third corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths may result in First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG.

In some embodiments, if a quantity value towards the SCG is above a fourth corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a quantity value towards the MCG is below a fourth corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths may result in SCG only.

It is noted that the terms "first corresponding SCG/MCG threshold”, "second corresponding SCG/MCG threshold”, "third corresponding SCG/MCG threshold”, and "fourth corresponding SCG/MCG threshold” are used in the context of the present disclosure to denote different thresholds that may or may not be used in combination in certain embodiments, rather than indicating that a threshold is to be used in combination with any other thresholds. In some embodiments it may not be necessary to use the respective thresholds in combination. For example, in some embodiments, it may be possible to use the second corresponding SCG threshold without using the first corresponding SCG threshold, and in some embodiments, it may be possible to use the fourth corresponding MCG threshold without using the third

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

corresponding MCG threshold, or the second corresponding MCG threshold, or the first corresponding MCG threshold.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise setting a primary path to SCG. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of a first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths may result in MCG only. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of the first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of the second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, and a value of the second type towards the SCG is below a corresponding SCG threshold, determining one or more paths may result in First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise setting a primary path to MCG. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of a first type is below a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths may result in SCG only. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of the first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, and a quantity value of the second type is above a corresponding SCG threshold, determining one or more paths may result in First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG.

Figure 5 depicts a method in accordance with particular embodiments. The method may be performed by a network node or base station (such as the network node 660 described below). The network node may operate using any radio access technology (RAT), such as NR, LTE, etc. The network node may communicate with a wireless device which is communicating with one or multiple network noes using one or more multiple RATs, e.g. NR Standalone, Multiconnectivity with NR. The network node may be a serving network node for such a wireless device.

The method begins at step 502, in which the network node transmits a set of path selection conditions to a wireless device. The set of path selection condition comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for determining data latency. In some embodiments, the network node may be a secondary node and the other network node may be a master node. In some embodiments, the received set of path selection conditions may further comprise a data volume threshold.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

In step 504, the network node receives a message from a wireless device via a path. This path may be determined by the wireless device. The message may include one or more quantity values that have been determined at the wireless device.

In step 506, the network node determines whether a performance threshold has been breached based on the path via which the message was received. As mentioned above, the message may include one or more quantity values that have been determined at the wireless device. In these embodiments, in step 506 the network node may determine whether a performance threshold has been breached by comparing each of the one or more quantity values with the performance threshold.

For example, the quantity value in the message may be a quantity for determining data latency, specifically the number of RLC retransmissions during a certain time period, and the performance threshold may be an upper limit for the number of RLC retransmissions during the certain time period. In this case, it may be determined that the performance threshold is breached if the number of RLC retransmissions during the certain time period is higher than the value corresponding to the performance threshold. As another example, the quantity value in the message may be a reference signal received power (RSRP) value, and the performance threshold may be a lower limit for the RSRP value. In this case, it may be determined that the performance threshold is breached if the RSRP value is lower than the value corresponding to the performance threshold.

As another example, the network node may detect, using the performance threshold, that the performance becomes bad, and based on this the network node may request less downlink data from the other network node for the wireless device or for the bearer. This request, or change in request, can be done using for example a flow control procedure over the Xn interface, and the performance can be considered based on e.g. received CQI measurements or a different data latency criterion.

As yet another example, if the wireless device is using a SCG for a radio bearer (where the use of the SCG is based on whether relevant performance threshold(s) are breached), the network node (which is the secondary node in this case) can determine that those performance threshold(s) are breached based on the fact that the wireless device is using the SCG, and it can then request the other network node (i.e. the master node) to send more downlink data to the network node for the radio bearer.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Thus, in step 506, there may be two alternatives of operation - the first alternative being that the message from the wireless device includes the determined one or more quantity values for determining whether the performance threshold has been breached, the second alternative being that the network node determines whether the performance threshold has been breached based on the fact that the wireless device is using a certain path.

In step 508, the network node adjusts a request for downlink data from another network node for the wireless device or for a bearer of the wireless device, based on the determination of whether a performance threshold has been breached. In some embodiments, adjusting a request for downlink data in step 508 may comprise generating a new request or changing a current request. In some embodiments, adjusting a request for downlink data is performed using a flow control procedure over an Xn interface.

Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in any appropriate type of system using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wireless network, such as the example wireless network illustrated in Figure 6. For simplicity, the wireless network of Figure 6 only depicts network 606, network nodes 660 and 660b, and WDs 610, 610b, and 610c. In practice, a wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable to support communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other network node or end device. Of the illustrated components, network node 660 and wireless device (WD) 610 are depicted with additional detail. The wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices' access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wireless network.

The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wireless network may be configured to operate according to specific standards or other types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of the wireless network may implement communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/or any other appropriate

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network 606 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks, Internet Protocol (IP) networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

Network node 660 and WD 610 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together in order to provide network node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments, the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections.

As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the wireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs),

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged, and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with access to the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless device that has accessed the wireless network.

In Figure 6, network node 660 includes processing circuitry 670, device readable medium 680, interface 690, auxiliary equipment 684, power source 686, power circuitry 687, and antenna 662. Although network node 660 illustrated in the example wireless network of Figure 6 may represent a device that includes the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise network nodes with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that a network node comprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Moreover, while the components of network node 660 are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 680 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node 660 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which network node 660 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeB's. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 660 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 680 for the different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 662 may be shared by the RATs). Network node 660 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 660, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR,

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 660.

Processing circuitry 670 is configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 670 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 670 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.

Processing circuitry 670 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 660 components, such as device readable medium 680, network node 660 functionality. For example, processing circuitry 670 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 680 or in memory within processing circuitry 670. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 670 may include a system on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry 670 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 672 and baseband processing circuitry 674. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 672 and baseband processing circuitry 674 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 672 and baseband processing circuitry 674 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or other such network device may be performed by processing circuitry 670 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 680 or memory within processing circuitry 670. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 670 without executing instructions stored

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

on a separate or discrete device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 670 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 670 alone or to other components of network node 660, but are enjoyed by network node 660 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.

Device readable medium 680 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 670. Device readable medium 680 may store any suitable instructions, data or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 670 and, utilized by network node 660. Device readable medium 680 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 670 and/or any data received via interface 690. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 670 and device readable medium 680 may be considered to be integrated.

Interface 690 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signalling and/or data between network node 660, network 606, and/or WDs 610. As illustrated, interface 690 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 694 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 606 over a wired connection. Interface 690 also includes radio front end circuitry 692 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 662. Radio front end circuitry 692 comprises filters 698 and amplifiers 696. Radio front end circuitry 692 may be connected to antenna 662 and processing circuitry 670. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 662 and processing circuitry 670. Radio front end circuitry 692 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 692 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 698 and/or amplifiers 696. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 662. Similarly,

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

when receiving data, antenna 662 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 692. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 670. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, network node 660 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 692, instead, processing circuitry 670 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 662 without separate radio front end circuitry 692. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 672 may be considered a part of interface 690. In still other embodiments, interface 690 may include one or more ports or terminals 694, radio front end circuitry 692, and RF transceiver circuitry 672, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 690 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 674, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

Antenna 662 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 662 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 690 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 662 may comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna may be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as Ml MO. In certain embodiments, antenna 662 may be separate from network node 660 and may be connectable to network node 660 through an interface or port.

Antenna 662, interface 690, and/or processing circuitry 670 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 662, interface 690, and/or processing circuitry 670 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

Power circuitry 687 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 660 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 687 may receive power from power source 686. Power source 686 and/or power circuitry 687 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 660 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 686 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 687 and/or network node 660. For example, network node 660 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry 687. As a further example, power source 686 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 687. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

Alternative embodiments of network node 660 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 6 that may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the network node's functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, network node 660 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 660 and to allow output of information from network node 660. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 660.

As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, the term WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE). Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information through air. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the network. Examples of a

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

WD include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a tablet, a laptop, a laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc.. A WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device. As yet another specific example, in an Internet of Things (loT) scenario, a WD may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another WD and/or a network node. The WD may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-loT) standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other scenarios, a WD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. A WD as described above may represent the endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described above may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.

As illustrated, wireless device 610 includes antenna 611 , interface 614, processing circuitry 620, device readable medium 630, user interface equipment 632, auxiliary equipment 634, power source 636 and power circuitry 637. WD 610 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 610, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or set of chips as other components within WD 610.

Antenna 611 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 614. In certain alternative

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

embodiments, antenna 611 may be separate from WD 610 and be connectable to WD 610 through an interface or port. Antenna 611 , interface 614, and/or processing circuitry 620 may be configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a network node and/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 611 may be considered an interface.

As illustrated, interface 614 comprises radio front end circuitry 612 and antenna 611. Radio front end circuitry 612 comprise one or more filters 618 and amplifiers 616. Radio front end circuitry 614 is connected to antenna 611 and processing circuitry 620, and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 611 and processing circuitry 620. Radio front end circuitry 612 may be coupled to or a part of antenna 611. In some embodiments, WD 610 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 612; rather, processing circuitry 620 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 611. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 622 may be considered a part of interface 614. Radio front end circuitry 612 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 612 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 618 and/or amplifiers 616. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 611. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 611 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 612. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 620. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

Processing circuitry 620 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD 610 components, such as device readable medium 630, WD 610 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 620 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 630 or in memory within processing circuitry 620 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

As illustrated, processing circuitry 620 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 622, baseband processing circuitry 624, and application processing circuitry 626. In other embodiments, the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitry 620 of WD 610 may comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 622, baseband processing circuitry 624, and application processing circuitry 626 may be on separate chips or sets of chips. In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry 624 and application processing circuitry 626 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 622 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In still alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 622 and baseband processing circuitry 624 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 626 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 622, baseband processing circuitry 624, and application processing circuitry 626 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 622 may be a part of interface 614. RF transceiver circuitry 622 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 620.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processing circuitry 620 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 630, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 620 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 620 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 620 alone or to other components of WD 610, but are enjoyed by WD 610 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.

Processing circuitry 620 may be configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, as performed by processing circuitry 620, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 620 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

to information stored by WD 610, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.

Device readable medium 630 may be operable to store a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 620. Device readable medium 630 may include computer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 620. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 620 and device readable medium 630 may be considered to be integrated.

User interface equipment 632 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 610. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 632 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 610. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 632 installed in WD 610. For example, if WD 610 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 610 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected). User interface equipment 632 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 632 is configured to allow input of information into WD 610, and is connected to processing circuitry 620 to allow processing circuitry 620 to process the input information. User interface equipment 632 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipment 632 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 610, and to allow processing circuitry 620 to output information from WD 610. User interface equipment 632 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment 632, WD 610 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Auxiliary equipment 634 is operable to provide more specific functionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This may comprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliary equipment 634 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.

Power source 636 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or power cells, may also be used. WD 610 may further comprise power circuitry 637 for delivering power from power source 636 to the various parts of WD 610 which need power from power source 636 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry 637 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Power circuitry 637 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 610 may be connectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Power circuitry 637 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 636. This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 636. Power circuitry 637 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 636 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 610 to which power is supplied.

Figure 7 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE 700 may be any UE identified by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-loT UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. UE 700, as illustrated in Figure 7, is one example of a WD configured for communication in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, the term WD and UE may be used

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

interchangeable. Accordingly, although Figure 7 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.

In Figure 7, UE 700 includes processing circuitry 701 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 705, radio frequency (RF) interface 709, network connection interface 711 , memory 715 including random access memory (RAM) 717, read-only memory (ROM) 719, and storage medium 721 or the like, communication subsystem 731 , power source 733, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 721 includes operating system 723, application program 725, and data 727. In other embodiments, storage medium 721 may include other similar types of information. Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in Figure 7, or only a subset of the components. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

In Figure 7, processing circuitry 701 may be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 701 may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 701 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 705 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device. UE 700 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 705. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE 700. The output device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. UE 700 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 705 to allow a user to capture information into UE 700. The input device may include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

In Figure 7, RF interface 709 may be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface 711 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 743a. Network 743a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 743a may comprise a Wi-Fi network. Network connection interface 711 may be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate with one or more other devices over a communication network according to one or more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM, or the like. Network connection interface 711 may implement receiver and transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

RAM 717 may be configured to interface via bus 702 to processing circuitry 701 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as the operating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 719 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 701. For example, ROM 719 may be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions such as basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokes from a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory. Storage medium 721 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, or flash drives. In one example, storage medium 721 may be configured to include operating system 723, application program 725 such as a web browser application, a widget or

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

gadget engine or another application, and data file 727. Storage medium 721 may store, for use by UE 700, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

Storage medium 721 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external microDIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 721 may allow UE 700 to access computer-executable instructions, application programs or the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied in storage medium 721 , which may comprise a device readable medium.

In Figure 7, processing circuitry 701 may be configured to communicate with network 743b using communication subsystem 731 . Network 743a and network 743b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks. Communication subsystem 731 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 743b. For example, communication subsystem 731 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.11 , CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver may include transmitter 733 and/or receiver 735 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 733 and receiver 735 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of communication subsystem 731 may include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication,

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, communication subsystem 731 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. Network 743b may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 743b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near-field network. Power source 713 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 700.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 700 or partitioned across multiple components of UE 700. Further, the features, benefits, and/or functions described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware. In one example, communication subsystem 731 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitry 701 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 702. In another example, any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 701 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 701 and communication subsystem 731. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 800 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or to a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device) or components thereof and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines or containers executing on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 800 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 830. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may be entirely virtualized.

The functions may be implemented by one or more applications 820 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications 820 are run in virtualization environment 800 which provides hardware 830 comprising processing circuitry 860 and memory 890. Memory 890 contains instructions 895 executable by processing circuitry 860 whereby application 820 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment 800, comprises general-purpose or special-purpose network hardware devices 830 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 860, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or special purpose processors. Each hardware device may comprise memory 890-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 895 or software executed by processing circuitry 860. Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 870, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 880. Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media 890-2 having stored therein software 895 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 860. Software 895 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 850 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 840 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.

Virtual machines 840, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 850 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 820 may be implemented

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

on one or more of virtual machines 840, and the implementations may be made in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry 860 executes software 895 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 850, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 850 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 840.

As shown in Figure 8, hardware 830 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 830 may comprise antenna 8225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 830 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 8100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 820.

Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, virtual machine 840 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtual machines 840, and that part of hardware 830 that executes that virtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/or hardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtual machines 840, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).

Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more virtual machines 840 on top of hardware networking infrastructure 830 and corresponds to application 820 in Figure 8.

In some embodiments, one or more radio units 8200 that each include one or more transmitters 8220 and one or more receivers 8210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 8225. Radio units 8200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 830 via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

In some embodiments, some signalling can be effected with the use of control system 8230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 830 and radio units 8200.

With reference to FIGURE 9, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 910, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 911 , such as a radio access network, and core network 914. Access network 911 comprises a plurality of base stations 912a, 912b, 912c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 913a, 913b, 913c. Each base station 912a, 912b, 912c is connectable to core network 914 over a wired or wireless connection 915. A first UE 991 located in coverage area 913c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 912c. A second UE 992 in coverage area 913a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 912a. While a plurality of UEs 991, 992 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 912.

Telecommunication network 910 is itself connected to host computer 930, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 930 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 921 and 922 between telecommunication network 910 and host computer 930 may extend directly from core network 914 to host computer 930 or may go via an optional intermediate network 920. Intermediate network 920 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 920, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 920 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of Figure 9 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 991 , 992 and host computer 930. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 950. Host computer 930 and the connected UEs 991 , 992 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 950, using access network 911 , core network 914, any intermediate network 920 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 950 may be transparent in the sense that the

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

participating communication devices through which OTT connection 950 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 912 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 930 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 991 . Similarly, base station 912 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 991 towards the host computer 930.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 10. In communication system 1000, host computer 1010 comprises hardware 1015 including communication interface 1016 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1000. Host computer 1010 further comprises processing circuitry 1018, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 1018 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 1010 further comprises software 1011 , which is stored in or accessible by host computer 1010 and executable by processing circuitry 1018. Software 1011 includes host application 1012. Host application 1012 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 1030 connecting via OTT connection 1050 terminating at UE 1030 and host computer 1010. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 1012 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 1050.

Communication system 1000 further includes base station 1020 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1025 enabling it to communicate with host computer 1010 and with UE 1030. Hardware 1025 may include communication interface 1026 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1000, as well as radio interface 1027 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 1070 with UE 1030 located in a coverage area (not shown in Figure 10) served by base station 1020. Communication interface 1026 may be configured to facilitate connection 1060 to host computer 1010. Connection 1060 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in Figure 10) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 1025 of base station 1020 further includes

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

processing circuitry 1028, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 1020 further has software 1021 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system 1000 further includes UE 1030 already referred to. Its hardware 1035 may include radio interface 1037 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 1070 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 1030 is currently located. Hardware 1035 of UE 1030 further includes processing circuitry 1038, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 1030 further comprises software 1031, which is stored in or accessible by UE 1030 and executable by processing circuitry 1038. Software 1031 includes client application 1032. Client application 1032 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1030, with the support of host computer 1010. In host computer 1010, an executing host application 1012 may communicate with the executing client application 1032 via OTT connection 1050 terminating at UE 1030 and host computer 1010. In providing the service to the user, client application 1032 may receive request data from host application 1012 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 1050 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 1032 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that host computer 1010, base station 1020 and UE 1030 illustrated in Figure 10 may be similar or identical to host computer 930, one of base stations 912a, 912b, 912c and one of UEs 991 , 992 of Figure 9, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Figure 10 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of Figure 9.

In Figure 10, OTT connection 1050 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 1010 and UE 1030 via base station 1020, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from UE 1030 or from the service provider operating host computer 1010, or both. While OTT connection 1050 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection 1070 between UE 1030 and base station 1020 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 1030 using OTT connection 1050, in which wireless connection 1070 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may enable data to be sent to the cell group with better radio conditions or to the cell group with the shortest latency, and/or enable a fast selection of data path (i.e. MCG or SCG) by the UE without explicit signaling with the network to perform the path switch and thereby provide benefits such as reduced data loss and/or delays, better system capacity, and reduced risk of overload of network nodes.

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1050 between host computer 1010 and UE 1030, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1050 may be implemented in software 1011 and hardware 1015 of host computer 1010 or in software 1031 and hardware 1035 of UE 1030, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 1050 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software 1011 , 1031 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 1050 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 1020, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 1020. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 1010's measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 1011 and 1031 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or 'dummy' messages, using OTT connection 1050 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 11 will be included in this section. In step 1110, the host computer provides user data. In substep 1111 (which may be optional) of step 1110, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1120, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 1130 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1140 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 12 will be included in this section. In step 1210 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1220, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1230 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 13 will be included in this section. In step 1310 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 1320, the UE provides user data. In substep 1321 (which may be optional) of step 1320, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 1311 (which may be optional) of step 1310, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 1330 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 1340 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 14 will be included in this section. In step 1410 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 1420 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 1430 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

Figure 15 shows virtualization apparatus in accordance with some embodiments. Figure 15 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 1500 in a wireless network (for example, the wireless network shown in Figure 6). The apparatus may be implemented in a wireless device or network node (e.g., wireless device 610 or network node 660 shown in Figure 6). Apparatus 1500 is operable to carry out the example method described with reference to Figure 4 and possibly any other processes or methods disclosed herein. It is also to be understood that the method of Figure 4 is not necessarily carried out solely by apparatus 1500. At least some operations of the method can be performed by one or more other entities.

Virtual Apparatus 1500 may comprise processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments. In some implementations, the processing circuitry

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

may be used to cause receiving unit 1502, determining unit 1504, comparing unit 1506, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1500 to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in Figure 15, apparatus 1500 includes receiving unit 1502, determining unit 1504, and comparing unit 1506. Receiving unit 1502 is configured to receive a set of path selection conditions from a network node. The set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for data latency. In some embodiments, the received set of path selection conditions further comprises a data volume threshold, at least one of the one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions may be configured for a specific bearer.

Determining unit 1504 is configured to determine one or more quantity values corresponding to one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions. In some embodiments, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more quantity values by performing at least one of: data volume calculation, radio signal measurement, and monitoring of criteria for data latency. Determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more quantity values upon a UL split buffer threshold being triggered.

In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more quantity values may be a quantity for determining data latency, and the quantity for determining data latency may be one of: the number of RLC retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of HARQ retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of expirations of the Media Access Control (MAC) retransmission Buffer Status Reporting Timer (retxBSR-Timer) during a certain time period, and the number of scheduling requests that do not result in grants during a certain time period.

In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more quantity values may be a radio measurement quantity, and the radio measurement quantity may be one of: a reference signal received power (RSRP) value , a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) value, and signal- to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SI NR) value, and a channel quality indicator (CQI) value.

Comparing unit 1506 is configured to compare each of the determined quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions. Comparing unit 1506 may be configured to compare each of the determined quantity values

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

with a corresponding threshold individually for each bearer. Comparing unit 1506 may be configured to perform the comparison upon a UL split buffer threshold being triggered.

Determining unit 1504 is also configured to determine one or more paths to be used for sending uplink data traffic or reporting buffer status, based on the comparison performed by comparing unit 1506. In some embodiments, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths on a per-bearer basis.

In some embodiments, determining unit 1504 may be configured such that determination of the one or more paths may result in one of: Master Cell Group (MCG) only, Secondary Cell Group (SCG) only, Both MCG and SCG, Any of MCG or SCG, and First of MCG or SCG. MCG only indicates that a MCG path is determined as the only path. SCG only indicates that a SCG path is determined as the only path. Both MCG and SCG indicates that data is duplicated and transmitted via both a MCG path and a SCG path. Any of MCG of SCG indicates that data can be transmitted via either a MCG path and a SCG path. First of MCG or SCG indicates that data is buffered on a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) level and is transmitted via a MCG path or a SCG path, whichever is scheduled first.

In some embodiments, if a quantity value towards the SCG is below a first corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a quantity value towards the MCG is above a first corresponding MCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as First of MCG or SCG, or Any of MCG or SCG.

In some embodiments, if a quantity value towards the SCG is below a second corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a quantity value towards the MCG is above a second corresponding MCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as MCG only.

In some embodiments, if a quantity value towards the SCG is above a third corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a quantity value towards the MCG is below a third corresponding MCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG.

In some embodiments, if a quantity value towards the SCG is above a fourth corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a quantity value towards the MCG is below a fourth corresponding MCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as SCG only.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

In some embodiments, apparatus 1500 may further include a transmitting unit configured to transmit a message to the network node via the one or more determined paths. The message may include the one or more determined quantity values.

In some embodiments, apparatus 1500 may further include a setting unit configured to, prior to the receiving unit 1502 receiving the set of path selection conditions, set a primary path to a Master Cell Group (MCG) and setting a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) to a power saving state or set a primary path to a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) and setting a Master Cell Group (MCG) to a power saving state. In these embodiments, setting unit may be further configured to transition the power saving state of the MCG or the SCG into normal operation based on results of the determination of one or more paths. In these embodiments, setting unit may be configured to transition the MCG or the SCG into normal operation by sending a scheduling request to the MCG or the SCG.

It is noted that the terms "first corresponding SCG/MCG threshold”, "second corresponding SCG/MCG threshold”, "third corresponding SCG/MCG threshold”, and "fourth corresponding SCG/MCG threshold” are used in the context of the present disclosure to denote different thresholds that may or may not be used in combination in certain embodiments, rather than indicating that a threshold is to be used in combination with any other thresholds. In some embodiments it may not be necessary to use the respective thresholds in combination. For example, in some embodiments, it may be possible to use the second corresponding SCG threshold without using the first corresponding SCG threshold, and in some embodiments, it may be possible to use the fourth corresponding MCG threshold without using the third corresponding MCG threshold, or the second corresponding MCG threshold, or the first corresponding MCG threshold.

In some embodiments, apparatus 1500 may further comprise a setting unit configured to set a primary path to SCG. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of a first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as MCG only. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of the first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of the second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, and a quantity value of the second type towards the SCG is

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

below a corresponding SCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG.

In some embodiments, apparatus 1500 may further comprise a setting unit configured to set a primary path to MCG. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of a first type is below a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as SCG only. In these embodiments, if a quantity value of the first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, and a quantity value of the second type is above a corresponding SCG threshold, determining unit 1504 may be configured to determine the one or more paths as First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG.

Figure 16 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 1600 in a wireless network (for example, the wireless network shown in Figure 6). The apparatus may be implemented in a network node (e.g. network node 660 shown in Figure 6.). In some embodiments, the network node may be a secondary node. Apparatus 1600 is operable to carry out the example method described with reference to Figure 5 and possibly any other processes or methods disclosed herein. It is also understood that the method of Figure 5 is not necessarily carried out solely by apparatus 1600. At least some operations of the method can be performed by one or more other entities.

Virtual Apparatus 1600 may comprise processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause apparatus 1600, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1600 to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

As illustrated in Figure 16, apparatus 1600 includes transmitting unit 1602, receiving unit 1604, determining unit 1606, and adjusting unit 1608. Transmitting unit 1602 is configured to transmit a set of path selection conditions to a wireless device. The set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for determining data latency. In some embodiments, the received set of path selection conditions may further comprise a data volume threshold.

Receiving unit 1604 is configured to receive a message from a wireless device via a path, which may be determined by the wireless device. Determining unit 1606 is configured to determine, based on the path via which the message was received, whether a performance threshold has been breached.

Adjusting unit 1608 is configured to adjust a request for downlink data from another network node for the wireless device or for a bearer of the wireless device, based on the determination of whether a performance threshold has been breached. As mentioned above, in some embodiments the network node may be a secondary node. In these embodiments, the another network node is a master node. Adjusting unit 1608 may be configured to adjust a request for downlink data by generating a new request or changing a current request. In some embodiments, adjusting a request for downlink data may be performed using a flow control procedure over an Xn interface.

The term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, for example, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks, procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and so on, as such as those that are described herein.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The following numbered statements set out embodiments of the disclosure.

EMBODIMENTS

Group A

1 . A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

- receiving a set of path selection conditions from a network, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises one or more thresholds, each of the one or more thresholds being associated with a monitoring quantity for path selection;

- determining one or more monitoring quantity values, wherein each of the one or more determined quantity values corresponds to one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions; and

- comparing each of the determined monitoring quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds so as to determine one or more paths to be used for sending uplink data traffic or reporting buffer status, and/or

- transmitting a message to the network, wherein the message includes the one or more determined monitoring quantity values.

2. The method of the previous embodiment, wherein the one or more thresholds comprises at least one of: a data volume threshold, a radio measurement result threshold, and a quantity threshold for determining data latency

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein at least one of the one or more monitoring quantity values is a quantity for determining data latency, and wherein the quantity for determining data latency is one of: the number of RLC retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of HARQ retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of expirations of the Media Acess Control (MAC) retransmission Buffer Status Reporting Timer (retxBSR-Timer) during a certain time period, and the number of scheduling requests that do not result in grants during a certain time period. The method of any of the previous embodiments, herein at least one of the one or more thresholds is configured for a specific bearer. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein determining the one or more monitoring quantity values comprises at least one of: data volume calculation, radio signal measurement, and monitoring of criteria for data latency. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein comparing each of the determined monitoring quantity values with a corresponding threshold is performed individually for each bearer. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein determination of the one or more paths is performed on a per-bearer basis. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein at least one of the following steps is performed upon a UL split buffer threshold being triggered:

- determining one or more monitoring quantity values; and

- comparing each of the determined monitoring quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein determination of the one or more paths results in one of: Master Cell Group (MCG) only, Secondary Cell Group (SCG) only, Both MCG and SCG, Any of MCG or SCG, and First of MCG or SCG. The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising setting a primary path to one of MCG and SCG, and setting the other one of MCG and SCG to power saving state. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising transitioning the power saving state MCG or the SCG into normal operation based on results of the determination of one or more paths. The method of the previous embodiment, wherein transitioning the MCG or the SCG into normal operation comprises sending a scheduling request to the MCG or the SCG. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein if a monitoring quantity value towards the SCG is below a first corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a monitoring quantity value towards the MCG is above a first corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in First of MCG or SCG, or Any of MCG or SCG. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein if a monitoring quantity value towards the SCG is below a second corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a monitoring quantity value towards the MCG is above a second corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in MCG only.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein if a monitoring quantity value towards the SCG is above a third corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a monitoring quantity value towards the MCG is below a third corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein if a monitoring quantity value towards the SCG is above a fourth corresponding SCG threshold, and/or a monitoring quantity value towards the MCG is below a fourth corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in SCG only. The method of any of the embodiments 1 to 12, further comprising setting a primary path to SCG, and wherein if a monitoring quantity value of a first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a monitoring quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in MCG only. The method of the previous embodiment, wherein if a monitoring quantity value of the first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a monitoring quantity value of the second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, and a monitoring value of the second type towards the SCG is below a corresponding SCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG. The method of any of the embodiments 1 to 12, further comprising setting a primary path to MCG, wherein if a monitoring quantity value of a first type is below a corresponding threshold, and a monitoring quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in SCG only.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The method of the previous embodiment, wherein if a monitoring quantity value of the first type is above a corresponding threshold, and a monitoring quantity value of a second type towards the MCG is above a corresponding MCG threshold, and a monitoring quantity value of the second type is above a corresponding SCG threshold, determining one or more paths results in First of MCG or SCG or Any of MCG or SCG. The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising:

- providing user data; and

- forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to the base station.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Group B Embodiments

22. A method performed by a base station, the method comprising:

- receiving a message from a wireless device, wherein the message includes one or more monitoring quantity values determined at the wireless device;

- determining, based on the one or more monitoring quantity values, whether a performance threshold has been breached;

- adjusting a request for downlink data from another base station for the wireless device or for a bearer of the wireless device, based on the determination of whether a performance threshold has been breached.

23. The method of the previous embodiment, wherein the base station is a secondary node and the another base station is a master node.

24. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein adjusting a request for downlink data comprises generating a new request or changing a current request.

25. The method of any of the previous embodiments, wherein adjusting a request for downlink data is performed using a flow control procedure over an Xn interface.

26. The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising:

- obtaining user data; and

- forwarding the user data to a host computer or a wireless device.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Group C Embodiments

27. A wireless device comprising:

- processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and

- power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.

28. A base station, the base station comprising:

- processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments;

- power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the base station.

29. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

- an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals;

- radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry;

- the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments;

- an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry;

- an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and

- a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

A communication system including a host computer comprising:

- processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and

- a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE),

- wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments. The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station. The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station. The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein:

- the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and

- the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

- at the host computer, providing user data; and

- at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data. The method of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to performs the of the previous 3 embodiments. A communication system including a host computer comprising:

- processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and

- a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE),

- wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's components configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments. The communication system of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein:

- the UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

- at the host computer, providing user data; and

- at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station. A communication system including a host computer comprising:

- communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station,

- wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments. The communication system of the previous embodiment, further including the UE.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station. The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein:

- the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; and

- the UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data. The communication system of the previous 4 embodiments, wherein:

- the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data; and

- the UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

- at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising:

- at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; and

- at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application. The method of the previous 3 embodiments, further comprising:

- at the UE, executing a client application; and

- at the UE, receiving input data to the client application, the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application,

- wherein the user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data. A communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments. The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station. The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein:

- the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application;

- the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

- at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE. The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising at the base station, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer. A method performed by a network for data path selection, the method comprising:

- configuring a set of path selection conditions, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises one or more thresholds, each of the one or more thresholds being associated with a monitoring quantity for path selection; and

- transmitting the set of path selection conditions to a wireless device. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising receiving a message from a wireless device, wherein the message includes one or more monitoring quantity values determined at the wireless device, and wherein each of the one or more

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

determined quantity values corresponds to one or more thresholds in the set of path selection conditions.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

Claims

1 . A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

- receiving (402) a set of path selection conditions from a network node, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for data latency;

- determining (404) one or more quantity values corresponding to the one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions;

- comparing (406) each of the determined quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions; and

- determining (408) one or more paths to be used for sending uplink data traffic or reporting buffer status based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message to the network node via the one or more determined paths.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message includes the determined one or more quantity values.

4. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the received set of path selection conditions further comprises a data volume threshold.

5. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein determining (404) the one or more quantity values comprises performing at least one of: data volume calculation, radio signal measurement, and monitoring of criteria for data latency.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more quantity values is a quantity for determining data latency, and wherein the quantity for determining data latency is one of: the number of RLC retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of HARQ retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of expirations of the Media Access Control, MAC, retransmission Buffer Status Reporting Timer, retxBSR-Timer, during a certain time period, and the number of scheduling requests that do not result in grants during a certain time period.

7. The method of claim 5 or claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more quantity values is a radio measurement quantity, and wherein the radio measurement quantity is one of: a reference signal received power, RSRP, value , a reference signal received quality, RSRQ, value, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, SINR, value, and a channel quality indicator, CQI, value.

8. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions is configured for a specific bearer.

9. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein comparing (406) each of the determined quantity values with a corresponding threshold is performed individually for each bearer.

10. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein determination of the one or more paths is performed on a per-bearer basis.

11 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the following steps is performed upon a UL split buffer threshold being triggered:

- determining (404) one or more quantity values; and

- comparing (406) each of the determined quantity values with the one or more corresponding thresholds.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

12. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising, prior to receiving the set of path selection conditions:

- setting a primary path to a Master Cell Group, MCG, and setting a Secondary Cell Group, SCG, to a power saving state, or

- setting a primary path to a Secondary Cell Group, SCG, and setting a Master Cell Group, MCG, to a power saving state.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transitioning the power saving state of the MCG or of the SCG into normal operation based on results of the determination of one or more paths.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein transitioning the power saving state of the MCG into normal operation comprises sending a scheduling request to the MCG, or transitioning the power saving state of the SCG into normal operation comprises sending a scheduling request to the SCG.

15. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein determination of the one or more paths results in one of: Master Cell Group, MCG, only, Secondary Cell Group, SCG, only, Both MCG and SCG, Any of MCG or SCG, and First of MCG or SCG, wherein MCG only indicates that a MCG path is determined as the only path, wherein SCG only indicates that a SCG path is determined as the only path, wherein Both MCG and SCG indicates that data is duplicated and transmitted via both a MCG path and a SCG path, wherein Any of MCG of SCG indicates that data can be transmitted via either a MCG path and a SCG path, and

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

wherein First of MCG or SCG indicates that data is buffered on a Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, level and is transmitted via a MCG path or a SCG path, whichever is scheduled first.

16. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising:

- transmitting (502) a set of path selection conditions to a wireless device, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for determining data latency;

- receiving (504) a message from a wireless device via a path;

- determining (506), based on the path via which the message was received, whether a performance threshold has been breached; and

- adjusting (508) a request for downlink data from another network node for the wireless device or for a bearer of the wireless device, based on the determination of whether a performance threshold has been breached.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the network node is a secondary node and the another network node is a master node.

18. The method of claim 16 or claim 17, wherein adjusting (508) a request for downlink data comprises generating a new request or changing a current request.

19. The method of any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein adjusting (508) a request for downlink data is performed using a flow control procedure over an Xn interface.

20. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the received set of path selection conditions further comprises a data volume threshold.

21. A wireless device comprising:

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

- processing circuitry configured to cause the wireless device to:

- receive a set of path selection conditions from a network node, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for data latency;

- determine one or more quantity values corresponding to the one or more thresholds in the receive set of path selection conditions; and

- compare each of the determined quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions; and

- determine one or more paths to be used for sending uplink data traffic or reporting buffer status based on the comparison; and

- power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.

22. The wireless device of claim 21 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless device to transmit a message to the network node via the one or more determined paths.

23. The wireless device of claim 22, wherein the message includes the determined one or more quantity values.

24. The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the received set of path selection conditions further comprises a data volume threshold.

25. The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the one or more quantity values by performing at least one of: data volume calculation, radio signal measurement, and monitoring of criteria for data latency.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein at least one of the one or more quantity values is a quantity for determining data latency, and wherein the quantity for determining

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

data latency is one of: the number of RLC retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of HARQ retransmissions during a certain time period, the number of expirations of the Media Access Control, MAC, retransmission Buffer Status Reporting Timer, retxBSR- Timer, during a certain time period, and the number of scheduling requests that do not result in grants during a certain time period.

27. The wireless device of claim 25 or claim 26, wherein at least one of the one or more quantity values is a radio measurement quantity, and wherein the radio measurement quantity is one of: a reference signal received power, RSRP, value , a reference signal received quality, RSRQ, value, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, SI NR, value, and a channel quality indicator, CQI, value.

28. The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 27, wherein at least one of the one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection condition is configured for a specific bearer.

29. The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 28, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to compare each of the determined quantity values with a corresponding threshold individually for each bearer.

30. The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the one or more paths on a per-bearer basis.

31 . The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 30, wherein the processing circuitry is configured such that at least one of the following steps is performed upon a UL split buffer being triggered:

- determining one or more quantity values; and

- comparing each of the determined values with the one or more corresponding thresholds.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

32. The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 31, wherein prior to receiving the set of path selection conditions, the processing circuitry is further configured to:

- set a primary path to a Master Cell Group, MCG, and set a Secondary Cell Group, SCG, to a power saving state, or

- set a primary path to a Secondary Cell Group, SCG, and set a Master Cell Group, MCG, to a power saving state.

33. The wireless device of claim 32, where the processing circuitry is further configured to transition the power saving state MCG or SCG into normal operation based on results of the determination of one or more paths.

34. The wireless device of claim 33, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to transition the power saving state MCG into normal operation by sending a scheduling request to the MCG, or the processing circuitry is configured to transition the power saving state SCG into normal operation by sending a scheduling request to the SCG.

35. The wireless device of any one of claims 21 to 34, wherein the determination of the one or more paths results in one of: Master Cell Group, MCG, only, Secondary Cell Group, SCG, only, Both MCG and SCG, Any of MCG or SCG, and First of MCG or SCG, wherein MCG only indicates that a MCG path is determined as the only path, wherein SCG only indicates that a SCG path is determined as the only path, wherein Both MCG and SCG indicates that data is duplicated and transmitted via both a MCG path and a SCG path, wherein Any of MCG or SCG indicates that data can be transmitted via either a MCG path and a SCG path, and wherein First of MCG or SCG indicates that data is buffered on a Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, level and is transmitted via a MCG path or a SCG path, whichever is scheduled first.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

36. A network node, the network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to: transmit a set of path selection conditions to a wireless device, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for determining data latency; receive a message from a wireless device via a path determine, based on the path via which the message was received, whether a performance threshold has been breached; and adjust a request for downlink data from another base station for the wireless device or for a bearer of the wireless device, based on the determination of whether a performance threshold has been breached; power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the base station.

37. The network node of claim 36, wherein the network node is a secondary node and the another network node is a master node.

38. The network node of claim 36 or claim 37, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust a request for downlink data by generating a new request or changing a current request.

39. The network node of any one of claims 36 to 38, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust a request for downlink data using a flow control procedure over an Xn interface.

40. A wireless device configured to:

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)

receive a set of path selection conditions from a network node, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for data latency; determine one or more quantity values corresponding to the one or more thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions; compare each of the determined quantity values with one or more corresponding thresholds in the received set of path selection conditions; and determine one or more paths to be used for sending uplink data traffic or reporting buffer status based on the comparison.

41 . The wireless device of 40, wherein the wireless device is further configured to perform the method of any of claims 2 to 15.

42. A network node configured to: transmit a set of path selection conditions to a wireless device, wherein the set of path selection conditions comprises at least one of a radio measurement result threshold and a quantity threshold for determining data latency; receive a message from a wireless device via a path determine, based on the path via which the message was received, whether a performance threshold has been breached; and adjust a request for downlink data from another base station for the wireless device or for a bearer of the wireless device, based on the determination of whether a performance threshold has been breached.

43. The network node of claim 42, wherein the network node is further configured to perform the method of any one of claims 17 to 20.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26)