摘要 |
A user equipment UE has a c-plane connection to a macro cell and a u-plane connection to a source local cell. The u-plane connection is handed over to a target local cell while maintaining the c-plane connection so the macro cell can facilitate the u-plane handover. In one embodiment the UE uses coverage information about the source local cell and its own mobility to predict when the handover is needed, and the macro cell can identify which is the target local cell. The handover can occur across a coverage gap between the source and target local cells, where the UE gets synchronization information and a dedicated preamble for the target local cell prior to being in its range. In the examples also path switching and transfer of the UE context can occur prior to the UE being in range of the target local cell. |