HANDLING OF CONTROL INTERFACE FAILURE IN MULTICAST TRANSMISSIONS VIA A CELLULAR NETWORK

摘要

A control node (140; 150) of a cellular network establishes one or more control plane sessions with a gateway node (160). On the basis of these one or more control plane sessions with the gateway node (160), the control node (140; 150) also establishes one or more control plane sessions with one or more radio access network nodes (112, 114; 122, 24) to control multicast transmissions by the one or more radio access network nodes (112, 14; 122, 124). Further, the control node (140; 150) detects a connection failure to the gateway node (160). When detecting the connection failure, the control node (140; 150) starts a first timer. Further, also the gateway node (160) detects the connection failure. When detecting the connection failure, the gateway node (160) starts a second timer. The second timer is configured with a longer duration than the first timer. In response to expiry of the first timer, the control node (140; 150) locally deletes the one or more control plane sessions with the gateway node (160) and with the one or more control plane sessions with the one or more radio access network nodes (112, 114; 122, 124). In response to expiry of the second timer, the gateway node (160) triggers a reaction to the connection failure by the gateway node (160), e.g., selection of an alternative control node.