Apple Inc.
BEARER-LESS ARCHITECTURE FOR A WIRELESS CELLULAR NETWORK

Abstract:

An architecture, for a cellular communications system, is described herein in which a "bearer-less" model is used for both the radio interface and the network core. Instead of using an individual Layer 2 bearer for each Quality of Service (QoS) class, in the architecture described herein, a common Layer 2 connection (e.g., a Layer 2 "fat pipe") may be used to handle traffic flows between a User Equipment (UE) device and an external Packet Data Network (PDN). Additionally, a bearer-less architecture may be used in the radio interface (i.e., between User Equipment (UE) and the eNB).