Facilitating sidelink-based relaying and multi-connectivity in advanced networks

Abstract

Facilitating sidelink-based relaying and multi-connectivity in advanced networks (e.g., 5G, 6G, and beyond) is provided herein. Operations of a method can comprise facilitating, by a first communications device comprising a memory and a processor, an establishment of multiple-connectivity for communication links between a second communications device and a third communications device. Facilitating the establishment of the multiple-connectivity for the communication links can comprise facilitating establishing a communication link between the second communications device and the third communications device. Facilitating the establishment of the multiple-connectivity for the communication links also can comprise facilitating establishing a first communication relay link between the second communications device and the first communications device and a second communication relay link between the first communications device and the third communications device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 aggregating, by network equipment, a direct link and a relay link between a first user equipment and a second user equipment; and   reusing, by the network equipment, a first link measurement procedure and a first link management procedure for the direct link and a second link measurement procedure and a second link management procedure for the relay link, wherein the direct link is configured to route first user traffic between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and wherein the relay link is configured to route second user traffic between the first user equipment and the second user equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reusing comprises:
 reusing, for the direct link, the second link measurement procedure and the second link management procedure.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reusing comprises:
 reusing, for the relay link, the first link measurement procedure and the first link management procedure for the direct link.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregating comprises:
 aggregating the direct link based on a first packet data convergence protocol layer of the first user equipment; and   aggregating the relay link based on a second packet data convergence protocol layer of the second user equipment.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reusing comprises managing division of network traffic between the direct link and the relay link. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 routing, by the network equipment, first user traffic via the direct link; and   routing, by the network equipment, the second user traffic via the relay link, wherein the routing of the first user traffic and the routing of the second user traffic are performed at a same time.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the relay link and the direct link are independent communication links established between the first user equipment and the second user equipment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to the aggregating, implementing, by the network equipment, a relay functionality to relay network communication between the first user equipment and the second user equipment.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to the aggregating, establishing the direct link and the relay link, wherein the establishing comprises facilitating establishing direct connectivity for the first user equipment and the second user equipment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the direct link and the relay link are configured to operate according to a new radio network communication protocol. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 combining first data of a first communication routing and second data of a second communication routing, resulting in a combined communication routing, wherein the first communication routing and the second communication routing are established between a first device and a second device; and 
 managing the combined communication routing based on reusing respective link management procedures and respective link measurement procedures of the first communication routing and the second communication routing. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the combining comprises:
 combining the first data of the first communication routing with the second data of the second communication routing based on a first packet data convergence protocol layer of the first device; and   combining the second data of the second communication routing with the first data of the first communication routing based on a second packet data convergence protocol layer of the second device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the respective link measurement procedures comprise a first link management procedure and a first link measurement procedure for the first communication routing and a second link management procedure and a second link measurement procedure for the second communication routing, and wherein the reusing comprises reusing the first link management procedure and the first link measurement procedure for the second device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the respective link measurement procedures comprise a first link management procedure and a first link measurement procedure for the first communication routing and a second link management procedure and a second link measurement procedure for the second communication routing, and wherein the reusing comprises reusing the second link management procedure and the second link measurement procedure for the first device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 prior to the combining, establishing the first communication routing and the second communication routing via a cellular interface.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 prior to the combining, establishing the first communication routing and the second communication routing via a sidelink interface.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 prior to the combining, establishing the first communication routing and the second communication routing, wherein the establishing comprises implementing a relay functionality to relay wireless communication between the first device and the second device.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 based on a first packet data convergence protocol layer of a first communication device and a second packet data convergence protocol layer of a second communication device, aggregating a direct link and a relay link, wherein the direct link and the relay link are established between the first communication device and the second communication device; and   managing network traffic divided between the direct link and the relay link, wherein the managing comprises reusing a link management procedure and a link measurement procedure for the direct link and the relay link.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the reusing comprises reusing, for the relay link, the link management procedure and the link measurement procedure of the direct link. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the reusing comprises reusing, for the direct link, the link management procedure and the link measurement procedure of the relay link.