Apple patents wireless setup for smoother data handoffs
Apple describes a method where a phone connects to a cellular tower and a cloud-based network controller simultaneously. It encrypts data at the phone and uses specific security codes tied to the tower to keep the connection stable while moving.
In the filing’s own words
This disclosure relates to techniques for establishing a data path with improved mobility features in a wireless communication system. A wireless device may establish a wireless link with an air-interface node of a cellular network. Cell-specific physical layer security coding may be performed for the wireless link between the wireless device and the air-interface node. User-plane termination may be established between the wireless device and a controller entity of the cellular network, which may be a cloud-deployed network function, via the wireless link. The wireless device may form user-plane uplink packets for the controller entity, and apply end-to-end security to generate encrypted user-plane uplink packets at a user-plane termination layer of the wireless device. The encrypted user-plane uplink packets may be provided to the controller entity via the wireless link with the air-interface node.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method, comprising: by a wireless device: establishing a first wireless link with a first air-interface node of a cellular network; establishing user-plane termination with a controller entity of the cellular network via the first wireless link, wherein the controller entity is a cloud-deployed network function for the cellular network; forming user-plane uplink packets for the controller entity; applying end-to-end security to generate encrypted user-plane uplink packets at a user-plane termination layer of the wireless device; performing physical layer security coding for the first wireless link between the wireless device and the first air-interface node based at least in part on one or more cell-specific parameters; and providing the encrypted user-plane uplink packets to the controller entity via the first wireless link with the first air-interface node.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Datapath Architecture for Improved Mobility
- Publication number
- US20260304109A1
- Application number
- 19489870
- Filed
- Jun 25, 2023
- Published
- Oct 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 8
- Claims
- 21
Classified under
H04W 12/033 Electricity & electronicsH04W 36/0038 Electricity & electronicsH04W 12/04 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Networks & wireless
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.