公开(公告)号：US11457503B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-27

申请号：US16487173

申请日：2018-03-16

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jaemin Han ,  Yujian Zhang ,  Alexander Sirotkin ,  Xu Zhang ,  Yifan Yu ,  Min Huang ,  Feng Yang ,  Sudeep Palat

IPC: H04W80/02 ,  H04W76/10 ,  H04L1/18 ,  H04L69/16 ,  H04W28/06

Abstract: A centralized RAN architecture that includes lower layer transmission nodes (referred to as distributed units (DUs) herein) that connect to an upper layer RAN node (referred to as a centralized unit (CU) herein). A centralized RAN architecture may include a functional split, between the CU and DU, corresponding to the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) and Radio Link Control (RLC) layers. In one embodiment, a CU may store copies of downlink PDCP PDUs that are transmitted to a first DU. The CU may retransmit, to a second DU, those of the PDCP PDUs which were previously transmitted to the source DU but have not been acknowledged as successfully delivered by the source DU.

公开(公告)号：US11277771B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-15

申请号：US16552897

申请日：2019-08-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yifan Yu ,  Sunny Zhang ,  Guangjie Li

IPC: H04W28/16 ,  H01Q21/28 ,  H04B7/04 ,  H04B7/06

Abstract: Embodiments describe methods and apparatuses for a software-defined cellular system with distributed antennas and baseband units (BBUs). The BBUs may be implemented with software defined network (SDN) technology in some embodiments. Embodiments include provision of a dynamic connection between distributed antennas and a BBU to serve a scheduled UE. In some embodiments, a BBU may select a scheduling set of antennas that may provide a desired connection with the UE. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

公开(公告)号：US11178048B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-16

申请号：US16809329

申请日：2020-03-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yifan Yu

IPC: H04L12/721 ,  H04W40/02 ,  H04L29/08 ,  H04W76/00 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04L29/12

Abstract: Techniques for a selection or reselection a user-plane path in a mobile network are disclosed herein. A user-plane gateway (GW-U) can be configured to decode a packet received from a control plane gateway (GW-C) in a packet data network gateway (PGW) to determine a forwarding policy. Additionally, the GW-U can decode, from an evolved node B (eNB), an internet protocol (IP) packet having a header field. Furthermore, the GW-U can determine a user-plane path for the IP packet based on a comparison of the header field and the forwarding policy. Based on the determined user-plane path, the GW-U can forward the IP packet to a local application server (AS), encapsulate and forward the IP packet to the PGW, or discard the IP packet. Moreover, the GW-U can encode the IP packet for transmission based on the determined user-plane selection.

公开(公告)号：US20230232471A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-20

申请号：US18119463

申请日：2023-03-09

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Alexander Sirotkin ,  Yifan Yu ,  Min Huang ,  Jaemin Han ,  Feng Yang

IPC: H04W76/12

CPC classification number: H04W76/12 ,  H04W80/02

Abstract: Embodiments of a Next Generation Node B (gNB) are described herein. The gNB may be configured with logical nodes, including a gNB central unit (gNB-CU) and a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU). The gNB-CU may include a gNB-CU control plane (gNB-CU-CP) for control-plane functionality, and a gNB-CU user plane (gNB-CU-UP) for user-plane functionality. The gNB may initiate an E1 interface setup procedure, a bearer context setup procedure, and a UE context setup procedure to establish a UE context that includes a signaling radio bearer (SRB) and a data radio bearer (DRB) configuration. The UE context setup request message may be configured to include quality-of-service parameters for the DRB configuration.

公开(公告)号：US11089511B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-10

申请号：US16479432

申请日：2017-03-16

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Yifan Yu

IPC: H04B7/00 ,  H04W28/08 ,  H04W76/12 ,  H04W76/11 ,  H04W8/08 ,  H04W24/08

Abstract: A traffic offloading function (TOF) of a mobile edge computing (MEC) platform uses a traffic forwarding table and a location database updated by monitoring control plane messages. User plane traffic in a default bearer passes through an extended TOF where the IP packets retrieved from a General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnel are forwarded following a policy that is created by detecting (or sniffing) control plane messages exchanged over the S1-MME interface. An additional entity, a location database, is responsible for tracking a location of a UE and other hosts in the mobile network. The location database can be used to guide the forwarding policy creation in an absence of the control plane messages.

公开(公告)号：US11632813B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-18

申请号：US17517182

申请日：2021-11-02

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Alexander Sirotkin ,  Yifan Yu ,  Min Huang ,  Jaemin Han ,  Feng Yang

IPC: H04W76/12 ,  H04W80/02 ,  H04W92/20

Abstract: Embodiments of a Next Generation Node B (gNB) are described herein. The gNB may be configured with logical nodes, including a gNB central unit (gNB-CU) and a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU). The gNB-CU may include a gNB-CU control plane (gNB-CU-CP) for control-plane functionality, and a gNB-CU user plane (gNB-CU-UP) for user-plane functionality. The gNB may initiate an El interface setup procedure, a bearer context setup procedure, and a UE context setup procedure to establish a UE context that includes a signaling radio bearer (SRB) and a data radio bearer (DRB) configuration. The UE context setup request message may be configured to include quality-of-service parameters for the DRB configuration.

公开(公告)号：US20220061110A1

公开(公告)日：2022-02-24

申请号：US17517182

申请日：2021-11-02

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Alexander Sirotkin ,  Yifan Yu ,  Min Huang ,  Jaemin Han ,  Feng Yang

IPC: H04W76/12

Abstract: Embodiments of a Next Generation Node B (gNB) are described herein. The gNB may be configured with logical nodes, including a gNB central unit (gNB-CU) and a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU). The gNB-CU may comprise a gNB-CU control plane (gNB-CU-CP) for control-plane functionality, and a gNB-CU user plane (gNB-CU-UP) for user-plane functionality. The gNB may initiate an E1 interface setup procedure, a bearer context setup procedure, and a UE context setup procedure to establish a UE context that includes a signaling radio bearer (SRB) and a data radio bearer (DRB) configuration. The UE context setup request message may be configured to include quality-of-service parameters for the DRB configuration.

公开(公告)号：US20220021607A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-20

申请号：US17482126

申请日：2021-09-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yifan Yu

IPC: H04L12/721 ,  H04W40/02 ,  H04L29/08 ,  H04W76/00 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04L29/12

Abstract: Techniques for a selection or reselection a user-plane path in a mobile network are disclosed herein. A user-plane gateway (GW-U) can be configured to decode a packet received from a control pane gateway (GW-C) is a packet data network gateway (PGW) to determine a forwarding policy. Additionally, the GW-U can decode, from an evolved node B (eNB), an internet protocol (IP) packet having a header field. Furthermore, the GW-U can determine a user-plane path for the IP packet based on a comparison of the header field and the forwarding policy. Based on the determined user-plane path, the GW-U can forward the IP packet to a local application server (AS), encapsulate and forward the IP packet to the PGW, or discard the IP packet. Moreover, the GW-U can encode the IP packet for transmission based on the determined user-plane selection.

公开(公告)号：US11032873B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-08

申请号：US16417921

申请日：2019-05-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Alexandre Saso Stojanovski ,  Changhong Shan ,  Yifan Yu

IPC: H04W80/10 ,  H04W76/12 ,  H04W76/32 ,  H04W76/11 ,  H04L12/851 ,  H04L29/12

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure session continuity within mobile systems using user plane functions with uplink classifiers. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US11871291B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-09

申请号：US16976646

申请日：2018-07-24

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Changhong Shan ,  Yifan Yu ,  Alexandre Saso Stojanovski

IPC: H04W36/32 ,  H04W76/12 ,  H04W8/02 ,  H04W36/00 ,  H04W36/14

CPC classification number: H04W36/32 ,  H04W8/02 ,  H04W36/0011 ,  H04W36/0055 ,  H04W36/14 ,  H04W76/12

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to data forwarding tunnel establishment between two user plane functions in fifth generation (5G). A device may determine an association of an access and mobility management function (AMF) with a first radio access network (RAN). The device may identify a handover request message received from the first RAN via the AMF. The device may identify a request to establish an indirect data forwarding associated with the handover, wherein the request is received from the first RAN via the AMF. The device may cause to send a response addressed to the AMF indicating that the indirect data forwarding is established.