WO2024035287A1 - Avoiding race conditions between l1/l2 and l3 mobility - Google Patents

Avoiding race conditions between l1/l2 and l3 mobility Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024035287A1
WO2024035287A1 PCT/SE2023/050611 SE2023050611W WO2024035287A1 WO 2024035287 A1 WO2024035287 A1 WO 2024035287A1 SE 2023050611 W SE2023050611 W SE 2023050611W WO 2024035287 A1 WO2024035287 A1 WO 2024035287A1
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Prior art keywords
mobility
type
procedure
message
mobility procedure
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PCT/SE2023/050611
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French (fr)
Inventor
Pontus Wallentin
Icaro Leonardo DA SILVA
Antonino ORSINO
Stefan Wager
Ioanna Pappa
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Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
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Publication of WO2024035287A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024035287A1/en

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W36/00—Hand-off or reselection arrangements
    • H04W36/0005—Control or signalling for completing the hand-off
    • H04W36/0083—Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
    • H04W36/00837—Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W36/00—Hand-off or reselection arrangements
    • H04W36/08—Reselecting an access point

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to wireless communication systems, and in particular to mobility procedures for wireless communication systems.
  • An user equipment (UE) in RRC CONNECTED state in an Long Term Evolution (LTE, also called enhanced universal terrestrial access, or EUTRA) or a New Radio (NR) communication system can be configured by the network to perform measurements.
  • the network may send a handover command to the UE (in LTE, an RRConnectionReconfiguration message with a field called mobilityControlInfo and in NR, an RRCReconfiguration message with a reconfigurationWithSync field).
  • the procedure to perform a handover is sometimes also referred to as “L3 mobility,” because it is controlled by the radio resource control (RRC) layer, which is part of layer 3 of the communication protocol stack, and the messages exchanged are also within layer 3 (e.g. the RRC layer).
  • RRC radio resource control
  • Intra-CU inter-DU mobility including UP aspects
  • a split in the Radio Access Network is specified.
  • a gNodeB may be split into a Central Unit (CU, gNB-CU) and one or more Distributed Unit(s) (DUs, gNB-DUs).
  • Figure 1 illustrates a summary of the signaling during an L3 mobility procedure, including the signaling between the Source DU, Target DU and the CU, including user plane (UP) aspects, as defined in 3GPP TS 38.401 vl7.1.1, NG-RAN; Architecture description.
  • UP user plane
  • a UE receives downlink user data and transmits uplink user data to a gNB-CU.
  • Step 1 The UE sends a MeasurementReport message to the source gNB-DU.
  • Step 2 The source gNB-DU sends an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the gNB-CU to convey the received MeasurementReport message.
  • Step 2a The gNB-CU may send an UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU to query the latest configuration.
  • Step 2b The source gNB-DU responds with an UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE message that includes full configuration information.
  • Step 3. The gNB-CU sends an UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message to the target gNB-DU to create an UE context and setup one or more data bearers.
  • the UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message includes a HandoverPreparationlnformation field.
  • Step 4 The target gNB-DU responds to the gNB-CU with a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message.
  • Step 5 The gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU, which includes a generated RRCReconfiguration message. That indicates to the Source DU to stop the data transmission for the UE.
  • the source gNB-DU also sends a Downlink Data Delivery Status frame to inform the gNB-CU about the unsuccessfully transmitted downlink data to the UE.
  • Step 6 The source gNB-DU forwards the received RRCReconfiguration message to the UE and provides a downlink data delivery status frame to inform the gNB-CU.
  • Step 7 The source gNB-DU responds to the gNB-CU with the UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE message.
  • Step 8 A Random Access procedure is performed at the target gNB-DU.
  • the target gNB-DU sends a Downlink Data Delivery Status frame to inform the gNB-CU.
  • Downlink packets which may include PDCP PDUs not successfully transmitted in the source gNB-DU, are sent from the gNB-CU to the target gNB-DU.
  • Step 9 The UE responds to the target gNB-DU with an RRCReconfigurationComplete message.
  • Step 10 The target gNB-DU sends an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the gNB-CU to convey the received RRCReconfigurationComplete message. Downlink packets are sent to the UE. Also, uplink packets are sent from the UE, which are forwarded to the gNB- CU through the target gNB-DU.
  • Step 11 The gNB-CU sends an UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMMAND message to the source gNB-DU.
  • Step 12 The source gNB-DU releases the UE context and responds the gNB-CU with an UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message.
  • LI enhancements for inter-cell beam management including LI measurement and reporting, and beam indication [RANI, RAN2]
  • Intra-DU case and intra-CU inter-DU case (applicable for Standalone and CA: no new RAN interfaces are expected)
  • Source and target cells may be synchronized or non-synchronized
  • the following part of the justification is that when the UE moves from the coverage area of one cell to another cell, at some point a serving cell change needs to be performed.
  • serving cell change is triggered by L3 measurements and is done by RRC signalling triggered Reconfiguration with Synchronization for change of PCell and PSCell, as well as release add for SCells when applicable. All cases involve complete L2 (and LI) resets, leading to longer latency, larger overhead and longer interruption time than beam switch mobility.
  • the goal of L1/L2 mobility enhancements is to enable a serving cell change via L1/L2 signalling, in order to reduce the latency, overhead and interruption time.
  • Some embodiments provide a method of operating a user equipment (UE), with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure.
  • the method includes receiving, from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving, from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.
  • the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and executes the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the UE cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE executes the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes receiving a message for an L3 mobility procedure and receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes, after receiving the message for the L3 mobility procedure, receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure may be an RRC message.
  • receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure, and receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes thereafter receiving a radio resource control, RRC, message for an L3 mobility procedure.
  • RRC radio resource control
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes, after receiving the message for the L3 mobility procedure, receiving a message for an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure may be an RRC message.
  • receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure, and wherein receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes thereafter receiving a radio resource control, RRC, message for an L3 mobility procedure.
  • RRC radio resource control
  • the method may further include transmitting, to the source network node or another network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the indication may be in the form of an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
  • the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
  • the method may further include transmitting, to the source network node, an indication that the first type of mobility procedure has been executed, wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Some embodiments provide a method of operating a source network node to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the method includes determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a first type of mobility procedure, determining a need to trigger, for the UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and transmitting a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • the source network node includes a source DU or serving DU.
  • the source network node determines the need to trigger the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure based on receiving an LI, L2 measurement report from the UE that is provided to assist LI/ mobility.
  • the source network node cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the source network node cancels the second type of mobility procedure.
  • the source network node transmits, to a third network node, a message indicating an execution of the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the source network node receives, from a third network node, a message indicating a request to cancel a second type of mobility procedure.
  • determining a need to trigger a first or second type of mobility procedure includes receiving from a third network node a message indicating an execution of a first or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the source network node receives, from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
  • the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
  • the method may further include receiving an L1/L2 measurement report from the UE, and receiving, from a third network node, a message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure involving the UE, wherein the L3 mobility procedure includes the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure. Canceling the at least one of the mobility procedures may include canceling the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the message may be a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message, including an RRCReconfiguration message.
  • canceling the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure includes determining not to send a command to the UE for L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility.
  • the method may further include receiving an L1/L2 based measurement report from the UE and thereafter not triggering the procedure.
  • the method may further include sending a message to the UE triggering the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Some embodiments provide a method of operating a third network node, including deciding to trigger an L3 mobility procedure by a UE, receiving, from a source network node, a message, indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure for the UE, and rejecting the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the message may include a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED message.
  • the rejecting the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure is performed by transmitting a response message, such as an UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE, to the source network node.
  • a response message such as an UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE
  • Some embodiments provide a user equipment, including a processing circuitry, a memory coupled to the processing circuitry, and a transceiver coupled to the processing circuitry.
  • the memory stores at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, and includes computer readable program instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the user equipment to perform operations including receiving, from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving, from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.
  • Some embodiments provide a network node including a processing circuitry, a memory coupled to the processing circuitry, and a transceiver coupled to the processing circuitry.
  • the memory includes computer readable program instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the network node to perform operations including determining a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, determining a need to trigger, for the UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and transmitting a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a summary of the signaling during an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Figure 2 illustrates a system structure in which some embodiments may be implemented.
  • Figure 3 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 6 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • Figures 7A, 7A and 7C illustrate message sequence charts according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 8 illustrates operations performed by a UE according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 9 illustrates operations performed by a UE according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 10 illustrates operations performed by a source network node, such as a source DU, according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 11 illustrates operations performed by the third network node, such as a CU, according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 12 illustrates a method for a UE according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 13 illustrates a method for a UE according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 14 illustrates method for a source network node, such as a source DU or serving DU, according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 15 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 16 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 17 illustrates a method for a UE according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 18 illustrates a method for a first target network node, such as a first target DU, according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 19 illustrates a method for a second target network node, such as a second target DU or a second target gNB, according to some embodiments.
  • Figure 20 shows an example of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 21 shows a UE in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 22 shows a network node in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 23 is a block diagram of a host in accordance with various aspects described herein.
  • Figure 24 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized.
  • Figure 25 shows a communication diagram of a host communicating via a network node with a UE over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments.
  • L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility Even once L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility is implemented, it is expected that there will be cells between which L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility cannot be performed.
  • One such example is cells controlled by different gNBs, since L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility will not support inter-gNB mobility, at least in 3GPP Rel-18. In such cases, L3 mobility must be used.
  • a challenge is therefore how to ensure that L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility and layer 3 mobility procedures can coexist, for the same UE, without interfering with each other.
  • An example of such a challenge is how to handle the situation in which L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility and layer 3 mobility procedures are triggered at nearly the same time for the same UE, which may cause unpredictable results due to race conditions. For example, if an L3 handover and an L1/L2 mobility cell change are both triggered at or near the same time to different target cells, the UE may end up in either target cell.
  • L3 protocol entities i.e., RRC protocol entities
  • L1/L2 mobility is expected to be handled by LI or L2 protocol entities.
  • LI, MAC and RLC protocol entities reside in what is sometimes known as a distributed Unit, DU, while the RRC protocol entity resides in a different node, what is sometimes known as a central unit, CU.
  • the UE is configured with dual connectivity (such as in MR-DC), where the UE has a Master Cell Group (MCG) controlled by a Master Node (MN) and a Secondary Cell Group (SCG), controlled by a Secondary Node, SN.
  • MCG Master Cell Group
  • SCG Secondary Cell Group
  • the MN as well as the SN may use a distributed RAN architecture and be split into CU and DU.
  • some embodiments provide methods for a user equipment (UE), with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure.
  • UE user equipment
  • the UE receives, from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure and a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure. In response, the UE cancels at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and executes the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the UE executes the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the UE when the UE has cancelled an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, it transmits an indication, such as a lower layer signal or message, to the source network node.
  • an indication such as a lower layer signal or message
  • the UE when the UE has cancelled an L3 mobility procedure, it transmits an indication, such as an RRC message, to the source network node or a third network node.
  • an indication such as an RRC message
  • the UE first receives a lower layer Lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and after executing L1/L2 inter-cell mobility on the indicated L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate cell it receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure from the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate cell.
  • the UE first execute L1/L2 inter-cell mobility to a candidate cell and later on receive the RRC message for L3 mobility procedure via the new serving cell instead of via the old serving cell (i.e., the serving cell the UE was served before executing L1/L2 inter-cell mobility the a candidate cell).
  • the UE transmits an LI measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and then triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0), it suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
  • an L3 measurement report e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0
  • the UE if the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0) then triggers an LI measurement report (CSI report for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility), to assist an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report.
  • an L3 measurement report e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0
  • an LI measurement report CSI report for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility
  • the UE transmits an LI measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and then triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3)
  • the UE starts a timer Txxx and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
  • the UE receives a lower layer signaling indicating the execution of L1/L2 inter-cell mobility while the timer Txxx is running, the UE discards the L3 measurement report and stops the timer Txxx. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the L3 measurement report.
  • the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3), and then triggers an LI measurement report to assist L1/L2 inter-cell mobility
  • the UE starts a timer Tyyy and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report.
  • the UE receives an RRC Reconfiguration (e.g. including a Reconfiguration with Sync) indicating the execution of L3 mobility while the timer Tyyy is running, the UE discards the LI measurement report and stops the timer Tyyy. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the LI measurement report.
  • an RRC Reconfiguration e.g. including a Reconfiguration with Sync
  • Some embodiments also provide methods for a source network node, such as a source DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the source network node e.g. Serving DU
  • the source network node e.g. Serving DU
  • the source network node e.g. Serving DU
  • a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and then receives a message to trigger the execution of an L3 mobility procedure for the UE
  • it cancels the L3 mobility procedure e.g. by indicating to the CU the rejection of that due to the lower layer procedure triggering (in response the CU may trigger mobility after the UE connects to the target DU i.e. after L1/L2 inter-cell mobility execution.
  • the source network node when the source network node determines to trigger execution of a the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, it transmits, to a third network node, an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the source network node e.g. source DU
  • the third network node e.g. the CU
  • the RRC Reconfiguration for an L3 mobility procedure to the source network node, including an indication that this is an L3 mobility procedure so the source network node stops any ongoing action related to L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
  • the source network node e.g. a source DU
  • it transmits an indication to the third network node e.g. the CU.
  • Some embodiments also provide methods for a third network node, such as a CU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • a third network node such as a CU
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure and acknowledges the request to the source network node.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it and acknowledges the request to the source network node and may delay any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure until the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure has been completed.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, it responds to the request with one or more of: i) an indication that L3 mobility is to be triggered; ii) an RRC Reconfiguration including a Reconfiguration with Sync, to be provided to the UE to trigger L3 mobility.
  • the third network node when the third network node receive an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determine to trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the third network node when the third network node receive an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determine to trigger L3 mobility, the third network node prepare the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and send this RRC message to the target network node where the UE executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility procedure (e.g., basically the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cell indicated by the source network node in the lower layer indication for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility).
  • the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility procedure e.g., basically the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cell indicated by the source network node in the lower layer indication for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
  • Some embodiments also provide methods for a first target network node, such as a first target DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • a first target network node such as a first target DU
  • the first target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled.
  • the first target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a second type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled. [0102] In one example, the first target network node receives, from the CU, an RRC message for triggering the L3 mobility procedure at the UE, after that the UE has executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility on the first target network node.
  • Some embodiments also provide methods for a second target network node, such as a second target DU, or a second target gNB, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell,.
  • a second target network node such as a second target DU, or a second target gNB
  • the second target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled.
  • the second target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a second type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled.
  • the first target network node receives, from the CU, an RRC message for triggering the L3 mobility procedure at the UE, after that the UE has executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility on the second target network node.
  • some embodiments provide a method for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure.
  • the method includes receiving a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • Some embodiments provide a method for a source network node to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the method includes determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a first type of mobility procedure, determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • Some embodiments provide a method for a third network node to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the method includes determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a first type of mobility procedure, determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Some embodiments described herein enable L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility and layer 3 (L3) mobility procedures to coexist, for the same UE. Moreover, some embodiments provide a predictable behavior in case the two types of mobility are triggered approximately at the same time. This may help to avoid failures, such as radio link failures, a drop of the connection due to race conditions, or an entity ending up in a wrong or inconsistent state.
  • L3 layer 3
  • Some embodiments may also be applicable to distributed RAN architectures and/or dual connectivity (such as MR-DC) scenarios.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a system structure in which some embodiments may be implemented.
  • a user equipment (UE) 201 is a wireless terminal, such as a cellular smartphone, sometimes connected to a source network node 202 over a wireless interface 204, and sometimes connected to a first target network node 203, to which the UE 201 is connected over a wireless interface 205.
  • the UE 201 is connected to a second target network node 213, to which the UE 201 is connected over a wireless interface 214.
  • the source network node 202 In the context of a first type of a mobility procedure, such as an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, for the UE, the source network node 202, sometimes also referred to as the serving network node, controls a source cell 209 and the first target network node 203 controls a first target cell 210.
  • the source network node 202 In the context of a second type of a mobility procedure, such as an L3 mobility procedure, for the UE, the source network node 202, sometimes also referred to as the serving network node, controls a source cell 209 and the second target network node 213 controls a second target cell 216.
  • Each of source network node 202 and the first target network node 203 may be a base station such as e.g.
  • gNB or, e.g. in case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, a distributed unit, sometimes known as either gNB-DU or DU.
  • the source network node 202 corresponds to a source DU, sometimes also known as serving DU
  • the first target network node 203 corresponds to a target DU.
  • Both the source network node 202 and the target network node 203 are connected to a third network node 206, sometime also referred to as serving network node.
  • the third network node 206 may, in the case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, be a central unit (CU).
  • a CU may sometimes referred to as a serving CU, a gNB-CU, CU, gNB-CU-CP or gNB-CU-UP.
  • the third network node may be a core network node such as a user plane function, UPF or an access and mobility management Function, AMF.
  • the second target network node 213 may be a base station, such as a gNB, or, in case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, a distributed unit (DU, or gNB-DU), or a CU.
  • a base station such as a gNB
  • DU distributed unit
  • gNB-DU distributed unit
  • the third network node 206 is connected with the source network node 202 over an interface 207, with the first target network node 203 over an interface 208 and the second target network node 213 over an interface 215.
  • Each of the interfaces 207 and 208 may, e.g. in case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, be an Fl, Fl -U, Fl -C type of interface, or an NG type of interface.
  • the interface 215 may for example be an Xn type of interface or an NG type of interface.
  • the source network node 202, the third network node 206, the first target network node 203 and the second target network node 213 are configured for a dual connectivity (such as MR-DC) scenario.
  • MR-DC dual connectivity
  • each of these nodes may be part of the MN or the SN.
  • L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility uses the term “L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility” as it is used in the Work Item Description in 3GPP, though it interchangeably also uses the terms L1/L2 mobility, Ll-mobility, LI based mobility, Ll/L2-centric inter-cell mobility or L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
  • the basic principle is that the UE receives a lower layer signaling from the network indicating to the UE a change of its serving cell (e.g. change of PCell, from a source to a target PCell), possibly with a change of beam to be monitored for a control channel e.g. a change of transmission configuration indication (TCI) state, wherein a lower layer signaling is a message/ signaling of a lower layer protocol.
  • a change of its serving cell e.g. change of PCell, from a source to a target PCell
  • TCI transmission configuration indication
  • a lower layer protocol refers to a lower layer protocol in the air interface protocol stack compared to RRC protocol, e.g. Medium Access Control (MAC) is considered a lower layer protocol as it is “below” RRC in the air interface protocol stack, and in this case a lower layer signaling/ message may correspond to a MAC Control Element (MAC CE).
  • MAC CE Medium Access Control
  • Another example of lower layer protocol is the Layer 1 (or Physical Layer, LI), and in this case a lower layer signaling/ message may corresponds to a Downlink Control Information (DCI).
  • DCI Downlink Control Information
  • Another relevant aspect is that in multi-beam scenario, a cell can be associated to multiple SSBs, and during a half-frame, different SSBs may be transmitted in different spatial directions (i.e. using different beams, spanning the coverage area of a cell). Similar reasoning may be applicable to CSI-RS resources, which may also be transmitted in different spatial directions.
  • L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure refers to the process of a UE changing its cell from a source cell to a target cell, using L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility.
  • the phrase “lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure” is a message/signal/indication that is sent by the source network node to the UE to provide the UE with the information required for the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the signalling being “lower layer” means that the signalling is at a layer of the protocol stack below the RRC layer, for example signalling in LI and/or L2. Put another way, the lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, is not RRC signalling, or signalling in Layer 3 or above.
  • the present description refers to at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell and that the UE is configured with at least one L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • This configuration may be an RRC configuration, such as encapsulated in an RRCReconfiguration message, that the UE receives when being configured with inter-DU L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
  • the configuration of an L1/L2 based intercell mobility candidate target cell comprises the configuration which the UE needs to start to operate accordingly when it performs L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to that L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell e.g.
  • the configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell comprises parameters of a serving cell (or multiple serving cells), comprising one or more of the groups of parameters within the IE SpCellConfig, or the information element (IE) SCellConfig, in the case of a Secondary Cell.
  • L3 mobility procedure refers to a process of a UE changing its cell from a source cell to a target cell, using a procedure in layer 3 in RRC CONNECTED, sometimes referred to as RRC mobility.
  • Examples of L3 mobility procedure include handover, reconfiguration with sync, conditional handover, PSCell change, SN change, MN change, conditional handover, conditional PSCell Change and dual active protocol stack (DAPS) handover.
  • DAPS dual active protocol stack
  • Figure 3 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and cancels both the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 1 The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 2 The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 3 The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
  • Step 4 The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 5 The source DU transmits a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to the UE.
  • Step 6 The UE cancels both the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 7 The UE transmits an indication, such as a lower layer signal or message, to the source DU, that the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure was cancelled or failed. This step is optional.
  • Step 8 The UE transmits a message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest message, to the source DU.
  • the message indicates that L3 mobility procedure was cancelled or failed.
  • Step 9 The source DU conveys the RRCReestablishmentRequest message to the CU in an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, cancels the L3 mobility procedure and executes the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 1 The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 2 The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 3 The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
  • Step 4 The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 5 The source DU transmits a lower layer signalling indicating to the
  • Step 6 The UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 7 The UE executes the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 8 The UE transmits an uplink signal or message, to the target network DU to confirm the successful execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 9 The UE transmits a message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest message to the target DU.
  • the message indicates that L3 mobility procedure was cancelled or failed
  • Step 10 The target DU conveys the RRCReestablishmentRequest message to the CU in an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and executes the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 1 The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 2 The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 3 The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
  • Step 4. The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 5 The source DU transmits a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to the UE.
  • Step 6 The UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 7 The UE transmits an indication, such as a lower layer signal or message, to the source DU, that the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure was cancelled or failed.
  • an indication such as a lower layer signal or message
  • Step 8 The UE executes the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 9 The UE transmits an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB to confirm the successful execution of the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Figure 6 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • the source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and receives a message to trigger an L3 mobility procedure. It then cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 1 The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure
  • Step 2 The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 3 The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 4 The source DU cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 5 The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
  • Step 6 The UE executes the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 7 The UE transmits an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB to confirm the successful execution of the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Figure 7 A illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • the CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure and receives a request indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the CU rejects the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the operations in this example are as follows.
  • Step 1 The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 2 The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 3 The source DU transmits a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED message to the CU, to indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 4 The CU then rejects the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure by transmitting a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE message to the source DU.
  • Step 5 The source DU cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 6 The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 7 The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
  • Step 8 The UE executes the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 9 The UE transmits an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB to confirm the successful execution of the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Figure 7B illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
  • Step 1 The source MN sends a handover request to a target MN to handover a UE to the target MN.
  • Step 2 The target MN sends an SN addition request to a target SN.
  • Step 3 The target SN acknowledges the SN addition request and
  • Step 3 a The target MN sends an address indication to the target SN.
  • Step 4 The target SN sends a handover request acknowledge to the source
  • Step 5a The source MN sends a SN release request to the source MN. In response, the source MN cancels any L1/L2 mobility procedure involving the UE.
  • Step 5b The source SN sends an SN release acknowledge to the source MN.
  • Step 5c The source MN sends an address indication to the source SN.
  • Step 6. The source MN sends an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message to the UE.
  • Step 7 The UE performs a random access procedure to the target MN.
  • Step 8 Upon successful completion of the random access procedure, the
  • Step 9 The performs a random access procedure to the target SN.
  • Step 10 The target MN sends an SN reconfiguration complete indication to the target SN.
  • Step I la The source SN sends a Secondary RAT Data Usage Report to the source MN.
  • Step 11b The source MN forwards the Secondary RAT Data Usage Report to the A MF.
  • Step 12a The source SN sends a SN Status Transfer message to the source MN.
  • Step 12b The source MN forwards the SN Status Transfer message to the target MN.
  • Step 12c The target MN forwards the SN Status Transfer message to the target SN.
  • Step 13 The UPF sends user data to the source MN, which forwards the data to the target MN.
  • Step 14 The target MN sends a path switch request to the AMF.
  • Step 15 The AMF sends a bearer modification request to the UPF.
  • Step 16a The UPF establishes a new path (MN terminated bearer) to the target MN.
  • Step 16b The UPF establishes a new path (SN terminated bearer) to the target SN.
  • Step 17 The AMF sends a path switch request acknowledgement to the target MN.
  • Step 18 The target MN sends a UE context release to the source MN.
  • Step 19 The source MN forwards the UE context release to the source SN.
  • the UE is configured for dual connectivity and the MN initiates an L3 mobility (inter-MN handover with SN change) while at the same time the source SN initiates an L1/L2 mobility.
  • the source SN gets notified about the L3 mobility when the source MN sends the SN Release Request to the source SN in step 5 a of Figure 7B.
  • the source SN didn’t manage to send the L1/L2 signal to the UE (for example in case of a distributed RAN architecture, the CU of the source SN has just received, from the DU of the source SN, a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED, to indicate a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure), then the source SN cancels L1/L2 mobility (e.g. by transmitting by transmitting a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE message to the DU) and accepts the L3 mobility.
  • L1/L2 mobility e.g. by transmitting by transmitting a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE message to the DU
  • Figure 7C illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. Referring to Figure 7C, the operations are as follows:
  • Step 1 The source MN sends a handover request to a target MN to handover a UE to the target MN.
  • Step 2 The target MN sends an SN addition request to a target SN.
  • Step 3 The target SN acknowledges the SN addition request and
  • Step 3 a The target MN sends an address indication to the target SN.
  • Step 4 The target SN sends a handover request acknowledge to the source
  • Step 5a The source MN sends a SN release request to the source MN. In response, the source rejects the L3 mobility procedure involving the UE.
  • Step 5b The source SN sends an SN release reject to the source MN.
  • the UE is configured for dual connectivity and the MN initiates an L3 mobility (inter-MN handover with SN change) while at the same time the source SN initiates an L1/L2 mobility.
  • the source SN gets notified about the L3 mobility when the source MN sends the SN Release Request to the source SN in step 5 a of
  • Figure 7C In this example the source SN decides to continue with the L1/L2 mobility procedure and reject the L3 mobility procedure. It can respond with SN Release Reject with an appropriate cause value.
  • the source SN when the UE is configured for dual connectivity and the MN initiates an L3 mobility (inter-MN handover without SN change) and there is no SN change the source SN will be notified about the L3 mobility by receiving an SN Addition Request from the target MN. If the source SN has already initiated the L1/L2 mobility, it will respond with SN Addition Request Reject with an appropriate cause value. Otherwise it will cancel the L1/L2 mobility,
  • Figure 8 illustrates operations performed by a UE according to some embodiments.
  • the UE receives, from a source network node, such as a source DU, an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and cancels both the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the L3 mobility procedure.
  • a source network node such as a source DU
  • RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure
  • a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure
  • cancels both the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the L3 mobility procedure are as follows.
  • Step 801. The UE receives an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 802. The UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 803. The UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 804. The UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure.
  • Figure 9 illustrates operations performed by the UE according to some embodiments.
  • the UE transmits, to the source network node, such as a source DU, an LI measurement report, then triggers an L3 measurement report and suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
  • the source network node such as a source DU
  • LI measurement report triggers an L3 measurement report and suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
  • Step 901. The UE transmits an LI measurement report.
  • Step 902. The UE triggers an L3 measurement report.
  • Step 903. The UE suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
  • Figure 10 illustrates operations performed by a source network node, such as a source DU, according to some embodiments.
  • the source network node decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and receives, from a third network node, such as a CU, a message to trigger an L3 mobility procedure. It then cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 1001. The source network node decides to trigger an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 1002 The source network node receives, from a third network node, a message, such as an DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message, including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
  • a message such as an DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message, including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 1003. The source network node cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Figure 11 illustrates operations performed by the third network node, such as a CU, according to some embodiments.
  • the third network node decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure and receives, from a source network node, such as a source DU, a request indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the third network node rejects the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Step 1101. The third network node decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
  • Step 1102. The third network node receives, from the source network node, a message, such as a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED message, to indicate a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • a message such as a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED message
  • Step 1103. The third network node transmits a response message to reject the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Some embodiments provide a method for a User Equipment (UE), with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure.
  • the method includes receiving (1202), from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving (1204), from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling (1206) at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and executes the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the UE cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE executes the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure
  • the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure , the UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling.
  • the UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure followed by an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure and executes the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
  • the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure , the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
  • the UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure followed by an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, the UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and executes the L3 mobility procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling.
  • the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure , the UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling. In addition, the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
  • the UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure followed by an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure and cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
  • the UE transmits, to the source network node, first target network node or second target network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the method wherein the indication is an RRC message, for example an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
  • the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
  • the UE transmits, to the source network node, an indication that the first type of mobility procedure has been executed and wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Figure 13 illustrates a method for a UE according to further embodiments.
  • Figure 13 illustrates a method for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure.
  • the method includes receiving (1302), from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving (1304), from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, executing (1306) the first type of mobility procedure first, and after the first type of mobility has been successfully executed, executing (1308) the second type of mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • Figure 14 illustrates method for a source network node, such as a source DU or serving DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the method includes determining (1402) a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure by a UE, determining (1404) a need to trigger a second type of mobility procedure by the UE, and transmitting (1406) a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • the source network node cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the source network node cancels the second type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the source network node transmits a message to a third network node indicating an execution of the first type of mobility procedure
  • the source network node receives a message from a third network node indicating a request to cancel a second type of mobility procedure
  • determining a need to trigger a first or second type of mobility procedure comprises the source network node receiving from a third network node a message indicating an execution of a first or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the source network node receives, from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message
  • the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE
  • the source network node when the source network node, e.g. a source DU, receives, from the third network node, e.g. the CU, the RRC Reconfiguration for an L3 mobility procedure to the source network node, including an indication that this is an L3 mobility procedure, the source network node stops any ongoing action related to L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
  • the third network node e.g. the CU
  • the source network node before the source network node, e.g. a source DU, transmits to the UE the lower layer signaling indicating the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility execution, the source network node transmits an indication to the third network node, e.g. the CU.
  • the third network node e.g. the CU.
  • the source DU when it decides about the execution, it transmits the lower layer signal to the UE and only thereafter informs candidate/target DU, via the CU, of the serving cell change.
  • the source DU would need to transmit the lower layer signal to the UE before receiving UE Context Modification Request from the CU for the L3 mobility procedure.
  • the CU receives UE Context Modification Required and becomes aware of the L1/L2 mobility, if the L3 mobility and the L1/L2 mobility procedure direct the UE to different cells, the CU initiates a UE Context Release procedure towards the target DU of the L3 mobility procedure with an appropriate cause value.
  • the CU sends a UE Context Modification Request message to the source gNB-DU to query the latest configuration. That happens before CU contacts the target DU. If that step takes place then of course there is no fear of race conditions).
  • the source DU can respond to UE Context Modification Request with UE Context Modification Failure with an appropriate cause value.
  • Figure 15 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the method includes determining (1502) a need to trigger a second type of mobility procedure for a UE, determining (1504) a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure for the UE, and cancelling (1506) at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • the third network node cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the third network node cancels the second type of mobility procedure.
  • the third network node receives, from a source network node, a message indicating an execution of the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the third network node transmits, to a source network node, a message indicating a request to cancel a first type of mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the third network node receives, from the UE via the source network node or first or second target network node, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure or a second type of mobility procedure was cancelled or failure.
  • the indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure and acknowledges the request to the source network node , so the source network node transmits the lower layer signaling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility execution.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it and acknowledges the request to the source network node and may delay any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure until the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure has been completed.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, it responds to the request with one or more of: i) an indication that L3 mobility is to be triggered; ii) an RRC Reconfiguration including a Reconfiguration with Sync, to be provided to the UE to trigger L3 mobility.
  • the serving DU when the serving DU first requests the candidate/target DU, via the CU, that an L1/L2 mobility serving cell change is required, and the candidate/target DU makes a final decision about target cell/beam including the TCI state and/or SSB index. Only thereafter the serving DU creates and transmits the lower layer signal to the UE. In that case the CU responds with UE Context Modification Refuse when the CU receives UE Context Modification Required and becomes aware of the L1/L2 mobility, and in that way it cancels the L1/L2 mobility procedure.
  • Figure 16 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the method includes receiving (1602), from a source network node, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure towards a target cell has been executed by the UE, determining (1604) a need to trigger a second type of mobility procedure by the UE, and sending (1606) an RRC message to the UE to perform a second type of mobility procedure over the target cell in which the UE has executed the first type of mobility procedure.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the third network node when the third network node receives an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, the third network node prepares the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and sends this RRC message to the target network node where the UE executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility procedure (e.g., basically the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cell indicated by the source network node in the lower layer indication for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility).
  • the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility procedure e.g., basically the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cell indicated by the source network node in the lower layer indication for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
  • Figure 17 illustrates a method for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure.
  • the method includes transmitting (1702) a first type of a measurement report, triggering (1704) a second type of a measurement report, and suspending (1706) the transmission of the second type of a measurement report.
  • the first type of a measurement report is a measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of a measurement report is a measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure.
  • the first type of a measurement report is a measurement report for a an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of a measurement report is a measurement report for L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
  • the measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure is one of an LI measurement report, a CSI report or a MAC report.
  • the measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure is triggered by fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, such as an A3 event in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0.
  • the UE starts a timer and suspends the transmission of the second type of a measurement report when the timer is running.
  • the value of the timer is configured by the network.
  • L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331, vl7.1.0, RRC protocol specification), it suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
  • an L3 mobility procedure e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331, vl7.1.0, RRC protocol specification
  • suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which the LI measurement report has been transmitted.
  • the UE only suspends the L3 measurement report if the previously transmitted LI report included information to a target candidate cell also to be included in that L3 measurement report.
  • suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report above is not performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which information is not included in the LI measurement report which has been transmitted.
  • suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is associated to at least one event type known to the UE, such as an A3 event. For example, if the L3 report is not for that type, the UE transmits the L3 measurement report after the LI measurement report.
  • the L3 measurement reports in that case may be used for other actions which are not necessarily L3 mobility, such as the addition, removal or modification of an SCell of the Master Cell Group (MCG) and/or PSCell of the Secondary Cell Group (SCG), and/or an SCell of the SCG.
  • suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is associated to at least one event type indicated to the UE by the network.
  • suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is associated to a measurement identifier indicated to the UE by the network.
  • the UE if the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331, V17.1.0, RRC protocol specification) then triggers an LI measurement report (CSI report for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility), to assist an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report.
  • an L3 measurement report e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331, V17.1.0, RRC protocol specification
  • an LI measurement report CSI report for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility
  • suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is for at least one L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate target cell i.e. if this is a CSI report for intra-cell measurements the rule does not apply.
  • suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which the L3 measurement report has been transmitted e.g. it is one of the triggered cells.
  • the UE only suspends the LI measurement report if the previously transmitted L3 measurement report included information to a target candidate cell also to be included in that LI measurement report.
  • suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is not performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which information is not included in the L3 measurement report which has been transmitted.
  • suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is associated to a CSI reporting configuration and/or resource identifier indicated to the UE by the network.
  • the UE transmits an LI measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and then triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3)
  • the UE starts a timer Txxx and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
  • the UE receives a lower layer signaling indicating the execution of L1/L2 inter-cell mobility while the timer Txxx is running, the UE discards the L3 measurement report and stops the timer Txxx. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the L3 measurement report.
  • the value for timer Txxx may be configured e.g. as part of the reporting configuration of the L3 measurement, and be defined for each reporting configuration.
  • the value for timer Txxx may be configured e.g. as part of the measurement identifier configuration of the L3 measurement, and be defined for each measurement independently.
  • the value for timer Txxx may be configured e.g. as part of the measurement configuration of the L3 measurements, and be defined for all L3 measurements.
  • the UE if the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3), and then triggers an LI measurement report to assist L1/L2 inter-cell mobility, the UE starts a timer Tyyy and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report. If the UE receives an RRC Reconfiguration (e.g. including a Reconfiguration with Sync) indicating the execution of L3 mobility while the timer Tyyy is running, the UE discards the LI measurement report and stops the timer Tyyy. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the LI measurement report.
  • the value for timer Tyyy may be configured e.g. as part of the LI reporting configuration (e.g. CSI reporting configuration), and be defined for each LI reporting configuration.
  • the value for timer Tyyy may be configured e.g. as part of the CSI resource configuration, and be defined for each resource and/or resource set independently.
  • the value for timer Tyyy may be configured e.g. as part of the CSI measurement configuration, and be defined for all LI measurements for assisting L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
  • Figure 18 illustrates a method for a first target network node, such as a first target DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • a first target network node such as a first target DU
  • the first target network node receives (1802), from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
  • the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
  • the first target network node transmits, to the third network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • Figure 19 illustrates a method for a second target network node, such as a second target DU, or a second target gNB, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
  • the second target network node receives (1902), from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or an indication of a failed or cancelled second type of mobility procedure.
  • the indication is an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
  • RRC message such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
  • the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
  • the second target network node receives, from a third network node, an indication of execution of first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • the second target network node cancels at least one of the mobility procedures.
  • the second target network node transmits, to the third network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
  • Figure 20 shows an example of a communication system 2000 in accordance with some embodiments.
  • the communication system 2000 includes a telecommunication network 2002 that includes an access network 2004, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 2006, which includes one or more core network nodes 2008.
  • the access network 2004 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 2010a and 2010b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2010), or any other similar 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) access node or non-3GPP access point.
  • the network nodes 2010 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 2012a, 2012b, 2012c, and 2012d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2012) to the core network 2006 over one or more wireless connections.
  • UE user equipment
  • Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors.
  • the communication system 2000 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections.
  • the communication system 2000 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.
  • the UEs 2012 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 2010 and other communication devices.
  • the network nodes 2010 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 2012 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 2002 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 2002.
  • the core network 2006 connects the network nodes 2010 to one or more hosts, such as host 2016. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts.
  • the core network 2006 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2008) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and/or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 2008.
  • Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and/or a User Plane Function (UPF).
  • MSC Mobile Switching Center
  • MME Mobility Management Entity
  • HSS Home Subscriber Server
  • AMF Access and Mobility Management Function
  • SMF Session Management Function
  • AUSF Authentication Server Function
  • SIDF Subscription Identifier De-concealing function
  • UDM Unified Data Management
  • SEPP Security Edge Protection Proxy
  • NEF Network Exposure Function
  • UPF User Plane Function
  • the host 2016 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 2004 and/or the telecommunication network 2002, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider.
  • the host 2016 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio/video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.
  • the communication system 2000 of Figure 20 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts.
  • the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z- Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and/or any low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.
  • GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
  • UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
  • LTE Long Term Evolution
  • 6G
  • the telecommunication network 2002 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 2002 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 2002. For example, the telecommunications network 2002 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and/or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC)/Massive loT services to yet further UEs.
  • URLLC Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication
  • eMBB Enhanced Mobile Broadband
  • mMTC Massive Machine Type Communication
  • the UEs 2012 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction.
  • a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 2004 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 2004.
  • a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode.
  • a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e. being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved- UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).
  • MR-DC multi-radio dual connectivity
  • the hub 2014 communicates with the access network 2004 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 2012c and/or 2012d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 2010b).
  • the hub 2014 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs.
  • the hub 2014 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 2006 for the UEs.
  • the hub 2014 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 2010, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 2014.
  • the hub 2014 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data.
  • the hub 2014 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 2014 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 2014 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content.
  • the hub 2014 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.
  • the hub 2014 may have a constant/persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 2010b.
  • the hub 2014 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between the hub 2014 and UEs (e.g., UE 2012c and/or 2012d), and between the hub 2014 and the core network 2006.
  • the hub 2014 is connected to the core network 2006 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection.
  • the hub 2014 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 2004 and/or to another UE over a direct connection.
  • UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 2010 while still connected via the hub 2014 via a wired or wireless connection.
  • the hub 2014 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to/from the UEs from/to the network node 2010b.
  • the hub 2014 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 2010b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.
  • Figure 21 shows a UE 2100 in accordance with some embodiments. It will be appreciated that the UE 2100 may correspond to any UE as described herein, including a UE 201 as shown in Figure 2. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other UEs.
  • Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded/integrated wireless device, etc.
  • Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.
  • 3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project
  • NB-IoT narrow band internet of things
  • MTC machine type communication
  • eMTC enhanced MTC
  • a UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3 GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle- to-everything (V2X).
  • a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device.
  • a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller).
  • a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).
  • the UE 2100 includes processing circuitry 2102 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2104 to an input/output interface 2106, a power source 2108, a memory 2110, a communication interface 2112, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof.
  • Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 21. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.
  • the processing circuitry 2102 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 2110.
  • the processing circuitry 2102 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above.
  • the processing circuitry 2102 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).
  • the input/output interface 2106 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and/or output devices.
  • Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof.
  • An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 2100.
  • Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like.
  • the presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user.
  • a sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof.
  • An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device.
  • the power source 2108 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used.
  • the power source 2108 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 2108 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 2100 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 2108.
  • Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 2108 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 2100 to which power is supplied.
  • the memory 2110 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable readonly memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth.
  • the memory 2110 includes one or more application programs 2114, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 2116.
  • the memory 2110 may store, for use by the UE 2100, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
  • the memory 2110 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and/or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof.
  • RAID redundant array of independent disks
  • HD-DVD high-density digital versatile disc
  • HDDS holographic digital data storage
  • DIMM external mini-dual in-line memory module
  • SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
  • SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
  • the UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’
  • the memory 2110 may allow the UE 2100 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to offload data, or to upload data.
  • An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 2110, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.
  • the processing circuitry 2102 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 2112.
  • the communication interface 2112 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2122.
  • the communication interface 2112 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network).
  • Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2118 and/or a receiver 2120 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth).
  • the transmitter 2118 and receiver 2120 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2122) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.
  • communication functions of the communication interface 2112 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short- range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof.
  • GPS global positioning system
  • Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and/or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol/intemet protocol (TCP/IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.
  • CDMA Code Division Multiplexing Access
  • WCDMA Wideband Code Division Multiple Access
  • WCDMA Wideband Code Division Multiple Access
  • GSM Global System for Mobile communications
  • LTE Long Term Evolution
  • NR New Radio
  • UMTS Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
  • WiMax Ethernet
  • TCP/IP transmission control protocol/intemet protocol
  • SONET synchronous optical networking
  • ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode
  • QUIC Hypertext Transfer Protocol
  • HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol
  • a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 2112, via a wireless connection to a network node.
  • Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE.
  • the output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).
  • a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change.
  • the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.
  • a UE when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare.
  • Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door/window sensor, a flood/moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot.
  • a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another UE and/or a network node.
  • the UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device.
  • the UE may implement the 3 GPP NB-IoT standard.
  • a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.
  • any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case.
  • a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone.
  • the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g. by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed.
  • the first and/or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above.
  • a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.
  • FIG. 22 shows a network node 2200 in accordance with some embodiments.
  • network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and/or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network.
  • network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)).
  • APs access points
  • BSs base stations
  • Node Bs Node Bs
  • eNBs evolved Node Bs
  • gNBs NR NodeBs
  • Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations.
  • a base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay.
  • a network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio.
  • RRUs remote radio units
  • RRHs Remote Radio Heads
  • Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio.
  • Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).
  • DAS distributed antenna system
  • network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi- TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and/or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).
  • MSR multi-standard radio
  • RNCs radio network controllers
  • BSCs base station controllers
  • BTSs base transceiver stations
  • OFDM Operation and Maintenance
  • OSS Operations Support System
  • SON Self-Organizing Network
  • positioning nodes e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)
  • the network node 2200 includes a processing circuitry 2202, a memory 2204, a communication interface 2206, and a power source 2208.
  • the network node 2200 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components.
  • the network node 2200 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components)
  • one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes.
  • a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs.
  • each unique NodeB and RNC pair may in some instances be considered a single separate network node.
  • the network node 2200 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs).
  • RATs radio access technologies
  • some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 2204 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 2210 may be shared by different RATs).
  • the network node 2200 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 2200, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 2200.
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • the processing circuitry 2202 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 2200 components, such as the memory 2204, to provide network node 2200 functionality.
  • the processing circuitry 2202 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2202 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and baseband processing circuitry 2214. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and the baseband processing circuitry 2214 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 2212 and baseband processing circuitry 2214 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.
  • SOC system on a chip
  • the processing circuitry 2202 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and baseband processing circuitry 2214.
  • the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and the baseband processing circuitry 2214 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of
  • the memory 2204 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 2202.
  • volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-
  • the memory 2204 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and/or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 2202 and utilized by the network node 2200.
  • the memory 2204 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 2202 and/or any data received via the communication interface 2206.
  • the processing circuitry 2202 and memory 2204 is integrated.
  • the communication interface 2206 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 2206 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 2216 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection.
  • the communication interface 2206 also includes radio front-end circuitry 2218 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 2210. Radio front-end circuitry 2218 comprises filters 2220 and amplifiers 2222.
  • the radio front-end circuitry 2218 may be connected to an antenna 2210 and processing circuitry 2202.
  • the radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 2210 and processing circuitry 2202.
  • the radio front-end circuitry 2218 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection.
  • the radio front-end circuitry 2218 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 2220 and/or amplifiers 2222.
  • the radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 2210.
  • the antenna 2210 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 2218.
  • the digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 2202.
  • the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • the network node 2200 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 2218, instead, the processing circuitry 2202 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 2210. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 2212 is part of the communication interface 2206. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 2206 includes one or more ports or terminals 2216, the radio front-end circuitry 2218, and the RF transceiver circuitry 2212, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 2206 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 2214, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
  • the antenna 2210 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals.
  • the antenna 2210 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 2218 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly.
  • the antenna 2210 is separate from the network node 2200 and connectable to the network node 2200 through an interface or port.
  • the antenna 2210, communication interface 2206, and/or the processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 2210, the communication interface 2206, and/or the processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment.
  • the power source 2208 provides power to the various components of network node 2200 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component).
  • the power source 2208 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 2200 with power for performing the functionality described herein.
  • the network node 2200 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 2208.
  • the power source 2208 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.
  • Embodiments of the network node 2200 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 22 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein.
  • the network node 2200 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 2200 and to allow output of information from the network node 2200. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 2200.
  • FIG 23 is a block diagram of a host 2300, which may be an embodiment of the host 2016 of Figure 20, in accordance with various aspects described herein.
  • the host 2300 may be or comprise various combinations hardware and/or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm.
  • the host 2300 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.
  • the host 2300 includes processing circuitry 2302 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2304 to an input/output interface 2306, a network interface 2308, a power source 2310, and a memory 2312.
  • Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 21 and 22, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 2300.
  • the memory 2312 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 2314 and data 2316, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for the host 2300 or data generated by the host 2300 for a UE.
  • Embodiments of the host 2300 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown.
  • the host application programs 2314 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems).
  • VVC Versatile Video Coding
  • HEVC High Efficiency Video Coding
  • AVC Advanced Video Coding
  • MPEG MPEG
  • VP9 Video Coding
  • audio codecs e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711
  • the host application programs 2314 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 2300 may select and/or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE.
  • the host application programs 2314 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.
  • HLS HTTP Live Streaming
  • RTMP Real-Time Messaging Protocol
  • RTSP Real-Time Streaming Protocol
  • MPEG-DASH Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP
  • FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 2400 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized.
  • virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources.
  • virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components.
  • Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 2400 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host.
  • VMs virtual machines
  • hardware nodes such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host.
  • the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host)
  • the node may be entirely virtualized.
  • Applications 2402 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.
  • Hardware 2404 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and/or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and/or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input/output interface, and so forth.
  • Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 2406 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 2408a and 2408b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 2408), and/or perform any of the functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.
  • the virtualization layer 2406 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 2408.
  • the VMs 2408 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 2406.
  • a virtualization layer 2406 Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 2402 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 2408, and the implementations may be made in different ways.
  • Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.
  • NFV network function virtualization
  • a VM 2408 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine.
  • Each of the VMs 2408, and that part of hardware 2404 that executes that VM be it hardware dedicated to that VM and/or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements.
  • a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 2408 on top of the hardware 2404 and corresponds to the application 2402.
  • Hardware 2404 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 2404 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 2404 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 2410, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 2402.
  • hardware 2404 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station.
  • some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 2412 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.
  • Figure 25 shows a communication diagram of a host 2502 communicating via a network node 2504 with a UE 2506 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments.
  • host 2502 Like host 2300, embodiments of host 2502 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory.
  • the host 2502 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by the host 2502 and executable by the processing circuitry.
  • the software includes a host application that may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as the UE 2506 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 2550 extending between the UE 2506 and host 2502.
  • OTT over-the-top
  • a host application may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 2550.
  • the network node 2504 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with the host 2502 and UE 2506.
  • the connection 2560 may be direct or pass through a core network (like core network 2006 of Figure 20) and/or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks.
  • a core network like core network 2006 of Figure 20
  • one or more other intermediate networks such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks.
  • an intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.
  • the UE 2506 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by UE 2506 and executable by the UE’s processing circuitry.
  • the software includes a client application, such as a web browser or operator-specific “app” that may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 2506 with the support of the host 2502.
  • a client application such as a web browser or operator-specific “app” that may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 2506 with the support of the host 2502.
  • an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via the OTT connection 2550 terminating at the UE 2506 and host 2502.
  • the UE's client application may receive request data from the host's host application and provide user data in response to the request data.
  • the OTT connection 2550 may transfer both the request data and the user data.
  • the UE's client application may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides to the host application through the OTT
  • the OTT connection 2550 may extend via a connection 2560 between the host 2502 and the network node 2504 and via a wireless connection 2570 between the network node 2504 and the UE 2506 to provide the connection between the host 2502 and the UE 2506.
  • the connection 2560 and wireless connection 2570, over which the OTT connection 2550 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host 2502 and the UE 2506 via the network node 2504, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.
  • the host 2502 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application.
  • the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with the UE 2506.
  • the user data is associated with a UE 2506 that shares data with the host 2502 without explicit human interaction.
  • the host 2502 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards the UE 2506.
  • the host 2502 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by the UE 2506.
  • the request may be caused by human interaction with the UE 2506 or by operation of the client application executing on the UE 2506.
  • the transmission may pass via the network node 2504, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 2512, the network node 2504 transmits to the UE 2506 the user data that was carried in the transmission that the host 2502 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2514, the UE 2506 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on the UE 2506 associated with the host application executed by the host 2502.
  • the UE 2506 executes a client application which provides user data to the host 2502.
  • the user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from the host 2502.
  • the UE 2506 may provide user data, which may be performed by executing the client application.
  • the client application may further consider user input received from the user via an input/output interface of the UE 2506. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE 2506 initiates, in step 2518, transmission of the user data towards the host 2502 via the network node 2504.
  • the network node 2504 receives user data from the UE 2506 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards the host 2502.
  • the host 2502 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the UE 2506.
  • One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 2506 using the OTT connection 2550, in which the wireless connection 2570 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the mobility performance of a UE that is capable of both L1/L2 and L3 mobility and thereby provide benefits such as reduced network signalling overhead and reconfigurations.
  • factory status information may be collected and analyzed by the host 2502.
  • the host 2502 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps.
  • the host 2502 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights).
  • the host 2502 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE.
  • the host 2502 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR or AR which it can broadcast, multicast or unicast to UEs.
  • the host 2502 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time critical electrical load to balance power generation needs, location services, presentation services (such as compiling diagrams etc. from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing and/or transmitting data.
  • a measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve.
  • the measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 2502 and/or UE 2506.
  • sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 2550 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities.
  • the reconfiguring of the OTT connection 2550 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of the network node 2504. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art.
  • measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like, by the host 2502.
  • the measurements may be implemented in that software causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 2550 while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.
  • computing devices described herein may include the illustrated combination of hardware components
  • computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components.
  • a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and/or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface.
  • non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.
  • processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium.
  • some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner.
  • the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and/or by end users and a wireless network generally.

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Abstract

A method of operating a user equipment, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure. The method includes receiving, from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving, from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.

Description

AVOIDING RACE CONDITIONS BETWEEN L1/L2 AND L3 MOBILITY
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to wireless communication systems, and in particular to mobility procedures for wireless communication systems.
BACKGROUND
[0002] An user equipment (UE) in RRC CONNECTED state in an Long Term Evolution (LTE, also called enhanced universal terrestrial access, or EUTRA) or a New Radio (NR) communication system can be configured by the network to perform measurements. Upon triggering measurement reports, the network may send a handover command to the UE (in LTE, an RRConnectionReconfiguration message with a field called mobilityControlInfo and in NR, an RRCReconfiguration message with a reconfigurationWithSync field). The procedure to perform a handover is sometimes also referred to as “L3 mobility,” because it is controlled by the radio resource control (RRC) layer, which is part of layer 3 of the communication protocol stack, and the messages exchanged are also within layer 3 (e.g. the RRC layer).
[0003] Intra-CU inter-DU mobility including UP aspects
[0004] In NR, a split in the Radio Access Network (RAN) is specified. A gNodeB (gNB) may be split into a Central Unit (CU, gNB-CU) and one or more Distributed Unit(s) (DUs, gNB-DUs). Figure 1 illustrates a summary of the signaling during an L3 mobility procedure, including the signaling between the Source DU, Target DU and the CU, including user plane (UP) aspects, as defined in 3GPP TS 38.401 vl7.1.1, NG-RAN; Architecture description.
[0005] The operations illustrated in Figure 1 are as follows. Initially, a UE receives downlink user data and transmits uplink user data to a gNB-CU.
Step 1. The UE sends a MeasurementReport message to the source gNB-DU.
Step 2. The source gNB-DU sends an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the gNB-CU to convey the received MeasurementReport message.
Step 2a. The gNB-CU may send an UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU to query the latest configuration.
Step 2b. The source gNB-DU responds with an UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE message that includes full configuration information. Step 3. The gNB-CU sends an UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message to the target gNB-DU to create an UE context and setup one or more data bearers. The UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message includes a HandoverPreparationlnformation field.
Step 4. The target gNB-DU responds to the gNB-CU with a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message.
Step 5. The gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU, which includes a generated RRCReconfiguration message. That indicates to the Source DU to stop the data transmission for the UE. The source gNB-DU also sends a Downlink Data Delivery Status frame to inform the gNB-CU about the unsuccessfully transmitted downlink data to the UE.
Step 6. The source gNB-DU forwards the received RRCReconfiguration message to the UE and provides a downlink data delivery status frame to inform the gNB-CU.
Step 7. The source gNB-DU responds to the gNB-CU with the UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE message.
Step 8. A Random Access procedure is performed at the target gNB-DU. The target gNB-DU sends a Downlink Data Delivery Status frame to inform the gNB-CU. Downlink packets, which may include PDCP PDUs not successfully transmitted in the source gNB-DU, are sent from the gNB-CU to the target gNB-DU.
Step 9. The UE responds to the target gNB-DU with an RRCReconfigurationComplete message.
Step 10. The target gNB-DU sends an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the gNB-CU to convey the received RRCReconfigurationComplete message. Downlink packets are sent to the UE. Also, uplink packets are sent from the UE, which are forwarded to the gNB- CU through the target gNB-DU.
Step 11. The gNB-CU sends an UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMMAND message to the source gNB-DU.
Step 12. The source gNB-DU releases the UE context and responds the gNB-CU with an UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message.
[0006] Further NR mobility enhancements in 3 GPP Rel-18
[0007] As part of 3GPP Release 18, there is a work known as Further NR mobility enhancements. This work item aims to, among others, to specify L1/L2 -based inter-cell mobility. According to the Work Item Description, WID, an objective of the work is to specify mechanism and procedures of L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility for mobility latency reduction. The mechanism and procedures will include: • Configuration and maintenance for multiple candidate cells to allow fast application of configurations for candidate cells [RAN2, RAN3]
• Dynamic switch mechanism among candidate serving cells (including SpCell and SCell) for the potential applicable scenarios based on L1/L2 signalling [RAN2, RANI]
• LI enhancements for inter-cell beam management, including LI measurement and reporting, and beam indication [RANI, RAN2]
• Timing Advance management [RANI, RAN2]
• CU-DU interface signaling to support L1/L2 mobility, if needed [RAN3] [0008] The procedure of L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility are applicable to the following scenarios:
• Standalone, carrier aggregation (CA) and NR-DC dual connectivity with serving cell change within one CG
• Intra-DU case and intra-CU inter-DU case (applicable for Standalone and CA: no new RAN interfaces are expected)
• Both intra-frequency and inter-frequency
• Both FR1 and FR2
• Source and target cells may be synchronized or non-synchronized
[0009] According to the work item description for further NR mobility enhancements, the following part of the justification is that when the UE moves from the coverage area of one cell to another cell, at some point a serving cell change needs to be performed. Currently serving cell change is triggered by L3 measurements and is done by RRC signalling triggered Reconfiguration with Synchronization for change of PCell and PSCell, as well as release add for SCells when applicable. All cases involve complete L2 (and LI) resets, leading to longer latency, larger overhead and longer interruption time than beam switch mobility. The goal of L1/L2 mobility enhancements is to enable a serving cell change via L1/L2 signalling, in order to reduce the latency, overhead and interruption time.
SUMMARY
[0010] Some embodiments provide a method of operating a user equipment (UE), with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure is provided. The method includes receiving, from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving, from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.
[0011] In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and executes the first type of mobility procedure.
[0012] In some embodiments, the UE cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE executes the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
[0013] In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
[0014] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
[0015] In some embodiments, receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes receiving a message for an L3 mobility procedure and receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes, after receiving the message for the L3 mobility procedure, receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. The message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure may be an RRC message.
[0016] In some embodiments, receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure, and receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes thereafter receiving a radio resource control, RRC, message for an L3 mobility procedure.
[0017] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0018] In some embodiments, receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes, after receiving the message for the L3 mobility procedure, receiving a message for an L3 mobility procedure. The message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure may be an RRC message.
[0019] In some embodiments, receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure includes receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure, and wherein receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure includes thereafter receiving a radio resource control, RRC, message for an L3 mobility procedure.
[0020] In some embodiments, the method may further include transmitting, to the source network node or another network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure. The indication may be in the form of an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message. In some embodiments, the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
[0021] The method may further include transmitting, to the source network node, an indication that the first type of mobility procedure has been executed, wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0022] Some embodiments provide a method of operating a source network node to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. The method includes determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a first type of mobility procedure, determining a need to trigger, for the UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and transmitting a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures. In some embodiments, the source network node includes a source DU or serving DU.
[0023] In some embodiments, the source network node determines the need to trigger the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure based on receiving an LI, L2 measurement report from the UE that is provided to assist LI/ mobility.
[0024] In some embodiments, the source network node cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
[0025] In some embodiments, the source network node cancels the second type of mobility procedure.
[0026] In some embodiments, the source network node transmits, to a third network node, a message indicating an execution of the first type of mobility procedure. [0027] In some embodiments, the source network node receives, from a third network node, a message indicating a request to cancel a second type of mobility procedure.
[0028] In some embodiments, determining a need to trigger a first or second type of mobility procedure includes receiving from a third network node a message indicating an execution of a first or second type of mobility procedure.
[0029] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
[0030] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0031] In some embodiments, the source network node receives, from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure. The indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
[0032] In some embodiments, the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
[0033] The method may further include receiving an L1/L2 measurement report from the UE, and receiving, from a third network node, a message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure involving the UE, wherein the L3 mobility procedure includes the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure. Canceling the at least one of the mobility procedures may include canceling the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. The message may be a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message, including an RRCReconfiguration message.
[0034] In some embodiments, canceling the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure includes determining not to send a command to the UE for L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility.
[0035] The method may further include receiving an L1/L2 based measurement report from the UE and thereafter not triggering the procedure.
[0036] The method may further include sending a message to the UE triggering the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0037] Some embodiments provide a method of operating a third network node, including deciding to trigger an L3 mobility procedure by a UE, receiving, from a source network node, a message, indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure for the UE, and rejecting the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. The message may include a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED message.
[0038] In some embodiments, the rejecting the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure is performed by transmitting a response message, such as an UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE, to the source network node.
[0039] Some embodiments provide a user equipment, including a processing circuitry, a memory coupled to the processing circuitry, and a transceiver coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory stores at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, and includes computer readable program instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the user equipment to perform operations including receiving, from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving, from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.
[0040] Some embodiments provide a network node including a processing circuitry, a memory coupled to the processing circuitry, and a transceiver coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory includes computer readable program instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the network node to perform operations including determining a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, determining a need to trigger, for the UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and transmitting a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] Figure 1 illustrates a summary of the signaling during an L3 mobility procedure.
[0042] Figure 2 illustrates a system structure in which some embodiments may be implemented.
[0043] Figure 3 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
[0044] Figure 4 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
[0045] Figure 5 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
[0046] Figure 6 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. [0047] Figures 7A, 7A and 7C illustrate message sequence charts according to some embodiments.
[0048] Figure 8 illustrates operations performed by a UE according to some embodiments.
[0049] Figure 9 illustrates operations performed by a UE according to some embodiments.
[0050] Figure 10 illustrates operations performed by a source network node, such as a source DU, according to some embodiments.
[0051] Figure 11 illustrates operations performed by the third network node, such as a CU, according to some embodiments.
[0052] Figure 12 illustrates a method for a UE according to some embodiments.
[0053] Figure 13 illustrates a method for a UE according to some embodiments.
[0054] Figure 14 illustrates method for a source network node, such as a source DU or serving DU, according to some embodiments.
[0055] Figure 15 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, according to some embodiments.
[0056] Figure 16 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, according to some embodiments.
[0057] Figure 17 illustrates a method for a UE according to some embodiments.
[0058] Figure 18 illustrates a method for a first target network node, such as a first target DU, according to some embodiments.
[0059] Figure 19 illustrates a method for a second target network node, such as a second target DU or a second target gNB, according to some embodiments.
[0060] Figure 20 shows an example of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments.
[0061] Figure 21 shows a UE in accordance with some embodiments.
[0062] Figure 22 shows a network node in accordance with some embodiments.
[0063] Figure 23 is a block diagram of a host in accordance with various aspects described herein.
[0064] Figure 24 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized.
[0065] Figure 25 shows a communication diagram of a host communicating via a network node with a UE over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0066] There currently exist certain challenges in wireless communication networks. For the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility enhancements described in the work item description for Rel-18 Further NR Mobility Enhancements, WID RP -221799, 3GPP work item description: Further NR mobility enhancements, MediaTek, 3 GPP TSG RAN Meeting #96, Budapest, Hungary, June 6-9, 2022, the overall procedure and signalling to configure and execute the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure is still open.
[0067] Even once L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility is implemented, it is expected that there will be cells between which L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility cannot be performed. One such example is cells controlled by different gNBs, since L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility will not support inter-gNB mobility, at least in 3GPP Rel-18. In such cases, L3 mobility must be used.
[0068] A challenge is therefore how to ensure that L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility and layer 3 mobility procedures can coexist, for the same UE, without interfering with each other. An example of such a challenge is how to handle the situation in which L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility and layer 3 mobility procedures are triggered at nearly the same time for the same UE, which may cause unpredictable results due to race conditions. For example, if an L3 handover and an L1/L2 mobility cell change are both triggered at or near the same time to different target cells, the UE may end up in either target cell.
[0069] There is also a scenario to consider when layer 3 mobility, such as a handover, is being or has already been prepared by a network node and then an L1/L2 mobility is triggered. Also, the opposite scenario needs to be considered in which an L1/L2 mobility procedure is underway when an L3 mobility procedure is triggered.
[0070] This problem is even more a challenge due to the fact that L3 mobility is handled by L3 protocol entities (i.e., RRC protocol entities) in the UE and the network, while L1/L2 mobility is expected to be handled by LI or L2 protocol entities. Furthermore, in case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, the LI, MAC and RLC protocol entities reside in what is sometimes known as a distributed Unit, DU, while the RRC protocol entity resides in a different node, what is sometimes known as a central unit, CU.
[0071] The problem also exists in case the UE is configured with dual connectivity (such as in MR-DC), where the UE has a Master Cell Group (MCG) controlled by a Master Node (MN) and a Secondary Cell Group (SCG), controlled by a Secondary Node, SN. The MN as well as the SN may use a distributed RAN architecture and be split into CU and DU. In this scenario, it may happen that one of the nodes, e.g. the MN, triggers an L3 mobility procedure, while the other node, e.g. the SN, triggers an L1/L2 mobility procedure, or vice versa.
[0072] Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges.
[0073] In particular, some embodiments provide methods for a user equipment (UE), with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure.
[0074] In one embodiment, the UE receives, from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure and a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure. In response, the UE cancels at least one of the mobility procedures.
[0075] In one example, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and executes the first type of mobility procedure.
[0076] In one example, the UE executes the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
[0077] In one example, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
[0078] In one example, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure. In another example, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0079] In some embodiments, the may UE transmit, to the source network node, first target network node or second target network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
[0080] In one example, when the UE has cancelled an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, it transmits an indication, such as a lower layer signal or message, to the source network node.
[0081] In one example, when the UE has cancelled an L3 mobility procedure, it transmits an indication, such as an RRC message, to the source network node or a third network node.
[0082] In one example, the UE first receives a lower layer Lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and after executing L1/L2 inter-cell mobility on the indicated L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate cell it receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure from the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate cell. Basically the UE first execute L1/L2 inter-cell mobility to a candidate cell and later on receive the RRC message for L3 mobility procedure via the new serving cell instead of via the old serving cell (i.e., the serving cell the UE was served before executing L1/L2 inter-cell mobility the a candidate cell).
[0083] In some embodiments, if the UE transmits an LI measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and then triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0), it suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
[0084] In some embodiments, if the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0) then triggers an LI measurement report (CSI report for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility), to assist an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report.
[0085] In another example, if the UE transmits an LI measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and then triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3), the UE starts a timer Txxx and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report. If the UE receives a lower layer signaling indicating the execution of L1/L2 inter-cell mobility while the timer Txxx is running, the UE discards the L3 measurement report and stops the timer Txxx. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the L3 measurement report.
[0086] In another example, if the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3), and then triggers an LI measurement report to assist L1/L2 inter-cell mobility, the UE starts a timer Tyyy and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report. If the UE receives an RRC Reconfiguration (e.g. including a Reconfiguration with Sync) indicating the execution of L3 mobility while the timer Tyyy is running, the UE discards the LI measurement report and stops the timer Tyyy. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the LI measurement report.
[0087] Some embodiments also provide methods for a source network node, such as a source DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. [0088] In one example, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure. In another example, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0089] In one example, when the source network node (e.g. Serving DU) has transmitted, to a UE, a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and then receives a message to trigger the execution of an L3 mobility procedure for the UE, it cancels the L3 mobility procedure e.g. by indicating to the CU the rejection of that due to the lower layer procedure triggering (in response the CU may trigger mobility after the UE connects to the target DU i.e. after L1/L2 inter-cell mobility execution.
[0090] In another example, of a method, when the source network node or a third network node has transmitted, to a UE, an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure and then determines to trigger execution of a is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, it cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0091] In another example, when the source network node determines to trigger execution of a the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, it transmits, to a third network node, an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0092] In another example, when the source network node (e.g. source DU) receives, from the third network node, e.g. the CU, the RRC Reconfiguration for an L3 mobility procedure to the source network node, including an indication that this is an L3 mobility procedure so the source network node stops any ongoing action related to L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
[0093] In another example, before the source network node, e.g. a source DU, transmits to the UE the lower layer signaling indicating the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility execution, it transmits an indication to the third network node, e.g. the CU.
[0094] Some embodiments also provide methods for a third network node, such as a CU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
[0095] In one example, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure. In another example, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0096] In one example, when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure and acknowledges the request to the source network node. In another example of a method, when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it and acknowledges the request to the source network node and may delay any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure until the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure has been completed.
[0097] In one example of a method, when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, it responds to the request with one or more of: i) an indication that L3 mobility is to be triggered; ii) an RRC Reconfiguration including a Reconfiguration with Sync, to be provided to the UE to trigger L3 mobility.
[0098] In one example, when the third network node receive an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determine to trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure. In another example of a method, when the third network node receive an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determine to trigger L3 mobility, the third network node prepare the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and send this RRC message to the target network node where the UE executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility procedure (e.g., basically the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cell indicated by the source network node in the lower layer indication for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility).
[0099] Some embodiments also provide methods for a first target network node, such as a first target DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
[0100] In one example, the first target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled.
[0101] In one example, the first target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a second type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled. [0102] In one example, the first target network node receives, from the CU, an RRC message for triggering the L3 mobility procedure at the UE, after that the UE has executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility on the first target network node.
[0103] Some embodiments also provide methods for a second target network node, such as a second target DU, or a second target gNB, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell,.
[0104] In one example, the second target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled.
[0105] In one example, the second target network node receives, from the UE, an indication that a second type of mobility procedure was failed or cancelled.
[0106] In one example, the first target network node receives, from the CU, an RRC message for triggering the L3 mobility procedure at the UE, after that the UE has executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility on the second target network node.
[0107] Accordingly, some embodiments provide a method for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure. The method includes receiving a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
[0108] Some embodiments provide a method for a source network node to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. The method includes determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a first type of mobility procedure, determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
[0109] Some embodiments provide a method for a third network node to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE having at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. The method includes determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a first type of mobility procedure, determining a need to trigger, for a UE, a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures. [0110] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
[OHl] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Some embodiments described herein enable L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility and layer 3 (L3) mobility procedures to coexist, for the same UE. Moreover, some embodiments provide a predictable behavior in case the two types of mobility are triggered approximately at the same time. This may help to avoid failures, such as radio link failures, a drop of the connection due to race conditions, or an entity ending up in a wrong or inconsistent state.
[0112] Some embodiments may also be applicable to distributed RAN architectures and/or dual connectivity (such as MR-DC) scenarios.
[0113] Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.
[0114] Figure 2 illustrates a system structure in which some embodiments may be implemented. Referring to Figure 2, a user equipment (UE) 201 is a wireless terminal, such as a cellular smartphone, sometimes connected to a source network node 202 over a wireless interface 204, and sometimes connected to a first target network node 203, to which the UE 201 is connected over a wireless interface 205. In some cases, the UE 201 is connected to a second target network node 213, to which the UE 201 is connected over a wireless interface 214.
[0115] In the context of a first type of a mobility procedure, such as an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, for the UE, the source network node 202, sometimes also referred to as the serving network node, controls a source cell 209 and the first target network node 203 controls a first target cell 210. In the context of a second type of a mobility procedure, such as an L3 mobility procedure, for the UE, the source network node 202, sometimes also referred to as the serving network node, controls a source cell 209 and the second target network node 213 controls a second target cell 216. Each of source network node 202 and the first target network node 203 may be a base station such as e.g. gNB, or, e.g. in case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, a distributed unit, sometimes known as either gNB-DU or DU. Hence the source network node 202 corresponds to a source DU, sometimes also known as serving DU, and the first target network node 203 corresponds to a target DU. Both the source network node 202 and the target network node 203 are connected to a third network node 206, sometime also referred to as serving network node. [0116] Further, the third network node 206 may, in the case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, be a central unit (CU). A CU may sometimes referred to as a serving CU, a gNB-CU, CU, gNB-CU-CP or gNB-CU-UP. In some embodiments, the third network node may be a core network node such as a user plane function, UPF or an access and mobility management Function, AMF.
[0117] The second target network node 213 may be a base station, such as a gNB, or, in case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, a distributed unit (DU, or gNB-DU), or a CU.
[0118] The third network node 206 is connected with the source network node 202 over an interface 207, with the first target network node 203 over an interface 208 and the second target network node 213 over an interface 215. Each of the interfaces 207 and 208 may, e.g. in case of a distributed CU/DU RAN architecture, be an Fl, Fl -U, Fl -C type of interface, or an NG type of interface. The interface 215 may for example be an Xn type of interface or an NG type of interface.
[0119] Sometimes the source network node 202, the third network node 206, the first target network node 203 and the second target network node 213 are configured for a dual connectivity (such as MR-DC) scenario. In this scenario, and when at least one of the master node (MN) and secondary node (SN) use a distributed RAN architecture each of these nodes may be part of the MN or the SN.
[0120] The present description uses the term “L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility” as it is used in the Work Item Description in 3GPP, though it interchangeably also uses the terms L1/L2 mobility, Ll-mobility, LI based mobility, Ll/L2-centric inter-cell mobility or L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
[0121] Even though 3GPP has not decided how an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility should be standardized, the basic principle is that the UE receives a lower layer signaling from the network indicating to the UE a change of its serving cell (e.g. change of PCell, from a source to a target PCell), possibly with a change of beam to be monitored for a control channel e.g. a change of transmission configuration indication (TCI) state, wherein a lower layer signaling is a message/ signaling of a lower layer protocol.
[0122] A lower layer protocol refers to a lower layer protocol in the air interface protocol stack compared to RRC protocol, e.g. Medium Access Control (MAC) is considered a lower layer protocol as it is “below” RRC in the air interface protocol stack, and in this case a lower layer signaling/ message may correspond to a MAC Control Element (MAC CE). Another example of lower layer protocol is the Layer 1 (or Physical Layer, LI), and in this case a lower layer signaling/ message may corresponds to a Downlink Control Information (DCI). Another relevant aspect is that in multi-beam scenario, a cell can be associated to multiple SSBs, and during a half-frame, different SSBs may be transmitted in different spatial directions (i.e. using different beams, spanning the coverage area of a cell). Similar reasoning may be applicable to CSI-RS resources, which may also be transmitted in different spatial directions.
[0123] The phrase “L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure” refers to the process of a UE changing its cell from a source cell to a target cell, using L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility.
[0124] The phrase “lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure” is a message/signal/indication that is sent by the source network node to the UE to provide the UE with the information required for the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. The signalling being “lower layer” means that the signalling is at a layer of the protocol stack below the RRC layer, for example signalling in LI and/or L2. Put another way, the lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, is not RRC signalling, or signalling in Layer 3 or above.
[0125] The present description refers to at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell and that the UE is configured with at least one L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. This configuration may be an RRC configuration, such as encapsulated in an RRCReconfiguration message, that the UE receives when being configured with inter-DU L1/L2 inter-cell mobility. The configuration of an L1/L2 based intercell mobility candidate target cell comprises the configuration which the UE needs to start to operate accordingly when it performs L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to that L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell e.g. upon reception of the Lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to that L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, which becomes the target cell and the current (new) PCell, or an SCell in a serving frequency. The configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell comprises parameters of a serving cell (or multiple serving cells), comprising one or more of the groups of parameters within the IE SpCellConfig, or the information element (IE) SCellConfig, in the case of a Secondary Cell.
[0126] The phrase “L3 mobility procedure” refers to a process of a UE changing its cell from a source cell to a target cell, using a procedure in layer 3 in RRC CONNECTED, sometimes referred to as RRC mobility. Examples of L3 mobility procedure include handover, reconfiguration with sync, conditional handover, PSCell change, SN change, MN change, conditional handover, conditional PSCell Change and dual active protocol stack (DAPS) handover.
[0127] Figure 3 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. In this example, the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and cancels both the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the L3 mobility procedure.
[0128] Referring to Figure 3, the operations in this example are as follows.
[0129] Step 1. The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
[0130] Step 2. The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
[0131] Step 3. The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
[0132] Step 4. The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0133] Step 5. The source DU transmits a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to the UE.
[0134] Step 6. The UE cancels both the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the L3 mobility procedure.
[0135] Step 7. The UE transmits an indication, such as a lower layer signal or message, to the source DU, that the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure was cancelled or failed. This step is optional.
[0136] Step 8. The UE transmits a message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest message, to the source DU. The message indicates that L3 mobility procedure was cancelled or failed.
[0137] Step 9. The source DU conveys the RRCReestablishmentRequest message to the CU in an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message.
[0138] Figure 4 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. In this example, the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, cancels the L3 mobility procedure and executes the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0139] Referring to Figure 4, the operations in this example are as follows. [0140] Step 1. The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
[0141] Step 2. The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
[0142] Step 3. The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
[0143] Step 4. The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0144] Step 5. The source DU transmits a lower layer signalling indicating to the
UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to the UE.
[0145] Step 6. The UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure.
[0146] Step 7. The UE executes the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0147] Step 8. The UE transmits an uplink signal or message, to the target network DU to confirm the successful execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0148] Step 9. The UE transmits a message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest message to the target DU. The message indicates that L3 mobility procedure was cancelled or failed
[0149] Step 10. The target DU conveys the RRCReestablishmentRequest message to the CU in an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message.
[0150] Figure 5 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. In this example, the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and executes the L3 mobility procedure.
[0151] Referring to Figure 5, the operations in this example are as follows.
[0152] Step 1. The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
[0153] Step 2. The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
[0154] Step 3. The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE. [0155] Step 4. The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0156] Step 5. The source DU transmits a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure to the UE.
[0157] Step 6. The UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0158] Step 7. The UE transmits an indication, such as a lower layer signal or message, to the source DU, that the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure was cancelled or failed.
[0159] Step 8. The UE executes the L3 mobility procedure.
[0160] Step 9. The UE transmits an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB to confirm the successful execution of the L3 mobility procedure.
[0161] Figure 6 illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. In this example, the source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and receives a message to trigger an L3 mobility procedure. It then cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0162] Referring to Figure 6, the operations in this example are as follows.
[0163] Step 1. The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure
[0164] Step 2. The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0165] Step 3. The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
[0166] Step 4. The source DU cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0167] Step 5. The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
[0168] Step 6. The UE executes the L3 mobility procedure.
[0169] Step 7. The UE transmits an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB to confirm the successful execution of the L3 mobility procedure.
[0170] Figure 7 A illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. In this example, the CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure and receives a request indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. The CU then rejects the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. [0171] Referring to Figure 7A, the operations in this example are as follows.
[0172] Step 1. The CU decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
[0173] Step 2. The source DU decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0174] Step 3. The source DU transmits a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED message to the CU, to indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0175] Step 4. The CU then rejects the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure by transmitting a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE message to the source DU.
[0176] Step 5. The source DU cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0177] Step 6. The CU transmits a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the source DU including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
[0178] Step 7. The source DU conveys the received RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure to the UE.
[0179] Step 8. The UE executes the L3 mobility procedure.
[0180] Step 9. The UE transmits an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB to confirm the successful execution of the L3 mobility procedure.
[0181] Figure 7B illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments.
[0182] Referring to Figure 7B, the operations in this example are as follows.
[0183] Step 1. The source MN sends a handover request to a target MN to handover a UE to the target MN.
[0184] Step 2. The target MN sends an SN addition request to a target SN.
[0185] Step 3. The target SN acknowledges the SN addition request and
[0186] Step 3 a. The target MN sends an address indication to the target SN.
[0187] Step 4. The target SN sends a handover request acknowledge to the source
MN.
[0188] Step 5a. The source MN sends a SN release request to the source MN. In response, the source MN cancels any L1/L2 mobility procedure involving the UE.
[0189] Step 5b. The source SN sends an SN release acknowledge to the source MN.
[0190] Step 5c. The source MN sends an address indication to the source SN. [0191] Step 6. The source MN sends an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message to the UE.
[0192] Step 7. The UE performs a random access procedure to the target MN.
[0193] Step 8. Upon successful completion of the random access procedure, the
UE sends an RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete message to the target MN.
[0194] Step 9. The performs a random access procedure to the target SN.
[0195] Step 10. The target MN sends an SN reconfiguration complete indication to the target SN.
[0196] Step I la. The source SN sends a Secondary RAT Data Usage Report to the source MN.
[0197] Step 11b. The source MN forwards the Secondary RAT Data Usage Report to the A MF.
[0198] Step 12a. The source SN sends a SN Status Transfer message to the source MN.
[0199] Step 12b. The source MN forwards the SN Status Transfer message to the target MN.
[0200] Step 12c. The target MN forwards the SN Status Transfer message to the target SN.
[0201] Step 13. The UPF sends user data to the source MN, which forwards the data to the target MN.
[0202] Step 14. The target MN sends a path switch request to the AMF.
[0203] Step 15. The AMF sends a bearer modification request to the UPF.
[0204] Step 16a. The UPF establishes a new path (MN terminated bearer) to the target MN.
[0205] Step 16b. The UPF establishes a new path (SN terminated bearer) to the target SN.
[0206] Step 17. The AMF sends a path switch request acknowledgement to the target MN.
[0207] Step 18. The target MN sends a UE context release to the source MN.
[0208] Step 19. The source MN forwards the UE context release to the source SN.
[0209] In this example, the UE is configured for dual connectivity and the MN initiates an L3 mobility (inter-MN handover with SN change) while at the same time the source SN initiates an L1/L2 mobility. In this example, the source SN gets notified about the L3 mobility when the source MN sends the SN Release Request to the source SN in step 5 a of Figure 7B. In this example the source SN didn’t manage to send the L1/L2 signal to the UE (for example in case of a distributed RAN architecture, the CU of the source SN has just received, from the DU of the source SN, a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED, to indicate a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure), then the source SN cancels L1/L2 mobility (e.g. by transmitting by transmitting a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REFUSE message to the DU) and accepts the L3 mobility.
[0210] Figure 7C illustrates a message sequence chart according to some embodiments. Referring to Figure 7C, the operations are as follows:
[0211] Step 1. The source MN sends a handover request to a target MN to handover a UE to the target MN.
[0212] Step 2. The target MN sends an SN addition request to a target SN.
[0213] Step 3. The target SN acknowledges the SN addition request and
[0214] Step 3 a. The target MN sends an address indication to the target SN.
[0215] Step 4. The target SN sends a handover request acknowledge to the source
MN.
[0216] Step 5a. The source MN sends a SN release request to the source MN. In response, the source rejects the L3 mobility procedure involving the UE.
[0217] Step 5b. The source SN sends an SN release reject to the source MN.
[0218] In this example, the UE is configured for dual connectivity and the MN initiates an L3 mobility (inter-MN handover with SN change) while at the same time the source SN initiates an L1/L2 mobility. In this example, the source SN gets notified about the L3 mobility when the source MN sends the SN Release Request to the source SN in step 5 a of
Figure 7C. In this example the source SN decides to continue with the L1/L2 mobility procedure and reject the L3 mobility procedure. It can respond with SN Release Reject with an appropriate cause value.
[0219] In yet another example, when the UE is configured for dual connectivity and the MN initiates an L3 mobility (inter-MN handover without SN change) and there is no SN change the source SN will be notified about the L3 mobility by receiving an SN Addition Request from the target MN. If the source SN has already initiated the L1/L2 mobility, it will respond with SN Addition Request Reject with an appropriate cause value. Otherwise it will cancel the L1/L2 mobility,
[0220] Figure 8 illustrates operations performed by a UE according to some embodiments. In this example, the UE receives, from a source network node, such as a source DU, an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and cancels both the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the L3 mobility procedure. Referring to Figure 8, the operations performed by the UE in this example are as follows.
[0221] Step 801. The UE receives an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates L3 mobility procedure.
[0222] Step 802. The UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0223] Step 803. The UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0224] Step 804. The UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure.
[0225] Figure 9 illustrates operations performed by the UE according to some embodiments. In this example, the UE transmits, to the source network node, such as a source DU, an LI measurement report, then triggers an L3 measurement report and suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
[0226] Referring to Figure 9, the operations performed by the UE in this example are as follows.
[0227] Step 901. The UE transmits an LI measurement report.
[0228] Step 902. The UE triggers an L3 measurement report.
[0229] Step 903. The UE suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
[0230] Figure 10 illustrates operations performed by a source network node, such as a source DU, according to some embodiments. In this example, the source network node decides to trigger an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and receives, from a third network node, such as a CU, a message to trigger an L3 mobility procedure. It then cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0231] Referring to Figure 10, the operations performed by the source network node in this example are as follows.
[0232] Step 1001. The source network node decides to trigger an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0233] Step 1002. The source network node receives, from a third network node, a message, such as an DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message, including an RRCReconfiguration message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure.
[0234] Step 1003. The source network node cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. [0235] Figure 11 illustrates operations performed by the third network node, such as a CU, according to some embodiments. In this example, the third network node decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure and receives, from a source network node, such as a source DU, a request indicating a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. The third network node then rejects the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0236] Referring to Figure 11, the operations performed by the third network node in this example are as follows.
[0237] Step 1101. The third network node decides to trigger an L3 mobility procedure.
[0238] Step 1102. The third network node receives, from the source network node, a message, such as a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUIRED message, to indicate a trigger of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0239] Step 1103. The third network node transmits a response message to reject the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0240] Some embodiments provide a method for a User Equipment (UE), with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure. Referring to Figure 12, the method includes receiving (1202), from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving (1204), from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, and cancelling (1206) at least one of the mobility procedures.
[0241] In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and executes the first type of mobility procedure.
[0242] In some embodiments, the UE cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the UE executes the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure
[0243] In some embodiments, the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure
[0244] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure. [0245] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0246] In some embodiments, the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure , the UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling.
[0247] In some embodiments, the UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure followed by an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure and executes the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
[0248] In some embodiments, the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure , the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
[0249] In some embodiments, the UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure followed by an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, the UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and executes the L3 mobility procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling.
[0250] In some embodiments, the UE receives an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, followed by a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure , the UE cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling. In addition, the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
[0251] In some embodiments, the UE receives a lower layer signalling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure followed by an RRC message for an L3 mobility procedure, the UE cancels the L3 mobility procedure and cancels the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure. For example, the UE discards the lower layer signaling. For example, the UE discards the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and, if the UE has already applied that, the UE reverts back to the previous configuration before the reception of the message.
[0252] In some embodiments, the UE transmits, to the source network node, first target network node or second target network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure. The method, wherein the indication is an RRC message, for example an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
[0253] In some embodiments, the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
[0254] In some embodiments, the UE transmits, to the source network node, an indication that the first type of mobility procedure has been executed and wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0255] Figure 13 illustrates a method for a UE according to further embodiments. In particular, Figure 13 illustrates a method for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure. The method includes receiving (1302), from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure, receiving (1304), from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure, executing (1306) the first type of mobility procedure first, and after the first type of mobility has been successfully executed, executing (1308) the second type of mobility procedure.
[0256] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
[0257] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0258] Figure 14 illustrates method for a source network node, such as a source DU or serving DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. The method includes determining (1402) a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure by a UE, determining (1404) a need to trigger a second type of mobility procedure by the UE, and transmitting (1406) a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
[0259] In some embodiments, the source network node cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the source network node cancels the second type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the source network node transmits a message to a third network node indicating an execution of the first type of mobility procedure
[0260] In some embodiments, the source network node receives a message from a third network node indicating a request to cancel a second type of mobility procedure
[0261] In some embodiments, determining a need to trigger a first or second type of mobility procedure comprises the source network node receiving from a third network node a message indicating an execution of a first or second type of mobility procedure.
[0262] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0263] In some embodiments, the source network node receives, from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure. The indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message
[0264] In some embodiments, the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE
[0265] In some embodiments, when the source network node, e.g. a source DU, receives, from the third network node, e.g. the CU, the RRC Reconfiguration for an L3 mobility procedure to the source network node, including an indication that this is an L3 mobility procedure, the source network node stops any ongoing action related to L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
[0266] In some embodiments, before the source network node, e.g. a source DU, transmits to the UE the lower layer signaling indicating the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility execution, the source network node transmits an indication to the third network node, e.g. the CU.
[0267] In one approach, when the source DU decides about the execution, it transmits the lower layer signal to the UE and only thereafter informs candidate/target DU, via the CU, of the serving cell change. For a possible race condition, the source DU would need to transmit the lower layer signal to the UE before receiving UE Context Modification Request from the CU for the L3 mobility procedure. In that case, when the CU receives UE Context Modification Required and becomes aware of the L1/L2 mobility, if the L3 mobility and the L1/L2 mobility procedure direct the UE to different cells, the CU initiates a UE Context Release procedure towards the target DU of the L3 mobility procedure with an appropriate cause value.
[0268] In some embodiments, there may be an optional step in which the CU sends a UE Context Modification Request message to the source gNB-DU to query the latest configuration. That happens before CU contacts the target DU. If that step takes place then of course there is no fear of race conditions). The source DU can respond to UE Context Modification Request with UE Context Modification Failure with an appropriate cause value.
[0269] Figure 15 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. The method includes determining (1502) a need to trigger a second type of mobility procedure for a UE, determining (1504) a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure for the UE, and cancelling (1506) at least one of the mobility procedures.
[0270] In some embodiments, the third network node cancels the first type of mobility procedure. In some embodiments, the third network node cancels the second type of mobility procedure.
[0271] In some embodiments, the third network node receives, from a source network node, a message indicating an execution of the first type of mobility procedure.
[0272] In some embodiments, the third network node transmits, to a source network node, a message indicating a request to cancel a first type of mobility procedure.
[0273] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
[0274] In some embodiments, the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is a L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0275] In some embodiments, the third network node receives, from the UE via the source network node or first or second target network node, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure or a second type of mobility procedure was cancelled or failure. The indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
[0276] In some embodiments, when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure and acknowledges the request to the source network node , so the source network node transmits the lower layer signaling indicating to the UE the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility execution. In another example of a method, when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to not trigger L3 mobility, it and acknowledges the request to the source network node and may delay any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure until the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure has been completed.
[0277] In some embodiments, when the third network node receives a request of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, it responds to the request with one or more of: i) an indication that L3 mobility is to be triggered; ii) an RRC Reconfiguration including a Reconfiguration with Sync, to be provided to the UE to trigger L3 mobility.
[0278] In one approach when the serving DU first requests the candidate/target DU, via the CU, that an L1/L2 mobility serving cell change is required, and the candidate/target DU makes a final decision about target cell/beam including the TCI state and/or SSB index. Only thereafter the serving DU creates and transmits the lower layer signal to the UE. In that case the CU responds with UE Context Modification Refuse when the CU receives UE Context Modification Required and becomes aware of the L1/L2 mobility, and in that way it cancels the L1/L2 mobility procedure.
[0279] Figure 16 illustrates a method for a third network node, such as a (serving) CU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. The method includes receiving (1602), from a source network node, an indication that a first type of mobility procedure towards a target cell has been executed by the UE, determining (1604) a need to trigger a second type of mobility procedure by the UE, and sending (1606) an RRC message to the UE to perform a second type of mobility procedure over the target cell in which the UE has executed the first type of mobility procedure.
[0280] In some embodiments, when the third network node receives an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, it cancels any preparation of an L3 mobility procedure. In another example, when the third network node receives an indication of execution of the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and determines to trigger L3 mobility, the third network node prepares the RRC message for the L3 mobility procedure and sends this RRC message to the target network node where the UE executed the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility procedure (e.g., basically the L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate cell indicated by the source network node in the lower layer indication for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility).
[0281] Figure 17 illustrates a method for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure. The method includes transmitting (1702) a first type of a measurement report, triggering (1704) a second type of a measurement report, and suspending (1706) the transmission of the second type of a measurement report.
[0282] In some embodiments, the first type of a measurement report is a measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of a measurement report is a measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure.
[0283] In some embodiments, the first type of a measurement report is a measurement report for a an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of a measurement report is a measurement report for L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
[0284] In some embodiments, the measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure is one of an LI measurement report, a CSI report or a MAC report.
[0285] In some embodiments, the measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure is triggered by fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, such as an A3 event in 3GPP TS 38.331 v 17.1.0.
[0286] In some embodiments, the UE starts a timer and suspends the transmission of the second type of a measurement report when the timer is running.
[0287] In some embodiments, the value of the timer is configured by the network.
[0288] In some embodiments, if the UE transmits an LI measurement report for an
L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and then triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331, vl7.1.0, RRC protocol specification), it suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report.
[0289] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which the LI measurement report has been transmitted. In other words, the UE only suspends the L3 measurement report if the previously transmitted LI report included information to a target candidate cell also to be included in that L3 measurement report.
[0290] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report above is not performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which information is not included in the LI measurement report which has been transmitted.
[0291] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is associated to at least one event type known to the UE, such as an A3 event. For example, if the L3 report is not for that type, the UE transmits the L3 measurement report after the LI measurement report. The reasoning is that the L3 measurement reports in that case may be used for other actions which are not necessarily L3 mobility, such as the addition, removal or modification of an SCell of the Master Cell Group (MCG) and/or PSCell of the Secondary Cell Group (SCG), and/or an SCell of the SCG.
[0292] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is associated to at least one event type indicated to the UE by the network.
[0293] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the L3 measurement report is performed if the L3 measurement report which is triggered is associated to a measurement identifier indicated to the UE by the network.
[0294] In some embodiments, if the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event, like A3 event as defined in 3GPP TS 38.331, V17.1.0, RRC protocol specification) then triggers an LI measurement report (CSI report for L1/L2 inter-cell mobility), to assist an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report.
[0295] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is for at least one L1/L2 inter-cell mobility candidate target cell i.e. if this is a CSI report for intra-cell measurements the rule does not apply.
[0296] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which the L3 measurement report has been transmitted e.g. it is one of the triggered cells. In other words, the UE only suspends the LI measurement report if the previously transmitted L3 measurement report included information to a target candidate cell also to be included in that LI measurement report.
[0297] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is not performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is for a target candidate cell for which information is not included in the L3 measurement report which has been transmitted.
[0298] In some embodiments, suspending transmission of the LI measurement report is performed if the LI measurement report which is triggered is associated to a CSI reporting configuration and/or resource identifier indicated to the UE by the network.
[0299] In another example of a method, if the UE transmits an LI measurement report for an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure, and then triggers an L3 measurement report for an L3 mobility procedure (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3), the UE starts a timer Txxx and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the L3 measurement report. If the UE receives a lower layer signaling indicating the execution of L1/L2 inter-cell mobility while the timer Txxx is running, the UE discards the L3 measurement report and stops the timer Txxx. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the L3 measurement report.
[0300] In some embodiments, the value for timer Txxx may be configured e.g. as part of the reporting configuration of the L3 measurement, and be defined for each reporting configuration.
[0301] In some embodiments, the value for timer Txxx may be configured e.g. as part of the measurement identifier configuration of the L3 measurement, and be defined for each measurement independently.
[0302] In some embodiments, the value for timer Txxx may be configured e.g. as part of the measurement configuration of the L3 measurements, and be defined for all L3 measurements.
[0303] In some embodiments, if the UE transmits an L3 measurement report (e.g. fulfillment of the entering condition of an event like A3), and then triggers an LI measurement report to assist L1/L2 inter-cell mobility, the UE starts a timer Tyyy and while the timer is running the UE suspends the transmission of the LI measurement report. If the UE receives an RRC Reconfiguration (e.g. including a Reconfiguration with Sync) indicating the execution of L3 mobility while the timer Tyyy is running, the UE discards the LI measurement report and stops the timer Tyyy. If the timer expires, the UE transmits the LI measurement report. [0304] In some embodiments, the value for timer Tyyy may be configured e.g. as part of the LI reporting configuration (e.g. CSI reporting configuration), and be defined for each LI reporting configuration.
[0305] In some embodiments, the value for timer Tyyy may be configured e.g. as part of the CSI resource configuration, and be defined for each resource and/or resource set independently.
[0306] In some embodiments, the value for timer Tyyy may be configured e.g. as part of the CSI measurement configuration, and be defined for all LI measurements for assisting L1/L2 inter-cell mobility.
[0307] Figure 18 illustrates a method for a first target network node, such as a first target DU, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell.
[0308] Referring to Figure 18, the first target network node receives (1802), from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure. The indication may be an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
[0309] In some embodiments, the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE.
[0310] In some embodiments, the first target network node transmits, to the third network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
[0311] Figure 19 illustrates a method for a second target network node, such as a second target DU, or a second target gNB, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell. Referring to Figure 19, the second target network node receives (1902), from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or an indication of a failed or cancelled second type of mobility procedure.
[0312] In some embodiments, the indication is an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailur eInformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
[0313] In some embodiments, the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a MAC CE. [0314] In some embodiments, the second target network node receives, from a third network node, an indication of execution of first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
[0315] In some embodiments, the second target network node cancels at least one of the mobility procedures.
[0316] In some embodiments, the second target network node transmits, to the third network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
[0317] Figure 20 shows an example of a communication system 2000 in accordance with some embodiments.
[0318] In the example, the communication system 2000 includes a telecommunication network 2002 that includes an access network 2004, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 2006, which includes one or more core network nodes 2008. The access network 2004 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 2010a and 2010b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2010), or any other similar 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) access node or non-3GPP access point. The network nodes 2010 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 2012a, 2012b, 2012c, and 2012d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2012) to the core network 2006 over one or more wireless connections.
[0319] Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 2000 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 2000 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.
[0320] The UEs 2012 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 2010 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 2010 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 2012 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 2002 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 2002.
[0321] In the depicted example, the core network 2006 connects the network nodes 2010 to one or more hosts, such as host 2016. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 2006 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2008) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and/or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 2008. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and/or a User Plane Function (UPF).
[0322] The host 2016 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 2004 and/or the telecommunication network 2002, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 2016 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio/video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.
[0323] As a whole, the communication system 2000 of Figure 20 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z- Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and/or any low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.
[0324] In some examples, the telecommunication network 2002 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 2002 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 2002. For example, the telecommunications network 2002 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and/or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC)/Massive loT services to yet further UEs.
[0325] In some examples, the UEs 2012 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 2004 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 2004. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e. being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved- UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).
[0326] In the example, the hub 2014 communicates with the access network 2004 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 2012c and/or 2012d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 2010b). In some examples, the hub 2014 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 2014 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 2006 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 2014 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 2010, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 2014. As another example, the hub 2014 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 2014 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 2014 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 2014 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 2014 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices. [0327] The hub 2014 may have a constant/persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 2010b. The hub 2014 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between the hub 2014 and UEs (e.g., UE 2012c and/or 2012d), and between the hub 2014 and the core network 2006. In other examples, the hub 2014 is connected to the core network 2006 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 2014 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 2004 and/or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 2010 while still connected via the hub 2014 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 2014 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to/from the UEs from/to the network node 2010b. In other embodiments, the hub 2014 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 2010b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.
[0328] Figure 21 shows a UE 2100 in accordance with some embodiments. It will be appreciated that the UE 2100 may correspond to any UE as described herein, including a UE 201 as shown in Figure 2. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded/integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.
[0329] A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3 GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle- to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).
[0330] The UE 2100 includes processing circuitry 2102 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2104 to an input/output interface 2106, a power source 2108, a memory 2110, a communication interface 2112, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 21. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.
[0331] The processing circuitry 2102 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 2110. The processing circuitry 2102 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 2102 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).
[0332] In the example, the input/output interface 2106 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and/or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 2100. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device. [0333] In some embodiments, the power source 2108 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 2108 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 2108 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 2100 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 2108. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 2108 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 2100 to which power is supplied.
[0334] The memory 2110 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable readonly memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 2110 includes one or more application programs 2114, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 2116. The memory 2110 may store, for use by the UE 2100, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
[0335] The memory 2110 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and/or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 2110 may allow the UE 2100 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to offload data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 2110, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.
[0336] The processing circuitry 2102 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 2112. The communication interface 2112 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2122. The communication interface 2112 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2118 and/or a receiver 2120 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 2118 and receiver 2120 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2122) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.
[0337] In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 2112 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short- range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and/or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol/intemet protocol (TCP/IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.
[0338] Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 2112, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).
[0339] As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input. [0340] A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door/window sensor, a flood/moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and/or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 2100 shown in Figure 21.
[0341] As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another UE and/or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3 GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.
[0342] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g. by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and/or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.
[0343] Figure 22 shows a network node 2200 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and/or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)).
[0344] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).
[0345] Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi- TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and/or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).
[0346] The network node 2200 includes a processing circuitry 2202, a memory 2204, a communication interface 2206, and a power source 2208. The network node 2200 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 2200 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 2200 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 2204 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 2210 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 2200 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 2200, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 2200.
[0347] The processing circuitry 2202 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 2200 components, such as the memory 2204, to provide network node 2200 functionality.
[0348] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2202 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2202 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and baseband processing circuitry 2214. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and the baseband processing circuitry 2214 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 2212 and baseband processing circuitry 2214 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.
[0349] The memory 2204 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 2202. The memory 2204 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and/or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 2202 and utilized by the network node 2200. The memory 2204 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 2202 and/or any data received via the communication interface 2206. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2202 and memory 2204 is integrated.
[0350] The communication interface 2206 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 2206 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 2216 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 2206 also includes radio front-end circuitry 2218 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 2210. Radio front-end circuitry 2218 comprises filters 2220 and amplifiers 2222. The radio front-end circuitry 2218 may be connected to an antenna 2210 and processing circuitry 2202. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 2210 and processing circuitry 2202. The radio front-end circuitry 2218 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 2218 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 2220 and/or amplifiers 2222. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 2210. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 2210 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 2218. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 2202. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
[0351] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 2200 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 2218, instead, the processing circuitry 2202 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 2210. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 2212 is part of the communication interface 2206. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 2206 includes one or more ports or terminals 2216, the radio front-end circuitry 2218, and the RF transceiver circuitry 2212, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 2206 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 2214, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
[0352] The antenna 2210 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. The antenna 2210 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 2218 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 2210 is separate from the network node 2200 and connectable to the network node 2200 through an interface or port.
[0353] The antenna 2210, communication interface 2206, and/or the processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 2210, the communication interface 2206, and/or the processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment.
[0354] The power source 2208 provides power to the various components of network node 2200 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 2208 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 2200 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 2200 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 2208. As a further example, the power source 2208 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.
[0355] Embodiments of the network node 2200 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 22 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 2200 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 2200 and to allow output of information from the network node 2200. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 2200.
[0356] Figure 23 is a block diagram of a host 2300, which may be an embodiment of the host 2016 of Figure 20, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 2300 may be or comprise various combinations hardware and/or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 2300 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.
[0357] The host 2300 includes processing circuitry 2302 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2304 to an input/output interface 2306, a network interface 2308, a power source 2310, and a memory 2312. Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 21 and 22, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 2300. [0358] The memory 2312 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 2314 and data 2316, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for the host 2300 or data generated by the host 2300 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 2300 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application programs 2314 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host application programs 2314 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 2300 may select and/or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE. The host application programs 2314 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.
[0359] Figure 24 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 2400 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 2400 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized.
[0360] Applications 2402 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.
[0361] Hardware 2404 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and/or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and/or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input/output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 2406 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 2408a and 2408b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 2408), and/or perform any of the functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 2406 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 2408.
[0362] The VMs 2408 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 2406. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 2402 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 2408, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.
[0363] In the context of NFV, a VM 2408 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 2408, and that part of hardware 2404 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and/or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 2408 on top of the hardware 2404 and corresponds to the application 2402.
[0364] Hardware 2404 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 2404 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 2404 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 2410, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 2402. In some embodiments, hardware 2404 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 2412 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.
[0365] Figure 25 shows a communication diagram of a host 2502 communicating via a network node 2504 with a UE 2506 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with various embodiments, of the UE (such as a UE 2012a of Figure 20 and/or UE 2100 of Figure 21), network node (such as network node 2010a of Figure 20 and/or network node 2200 of Figure 22), and host (such as host 2016 of Figure 20 and/or host 2300 of Figure 23) discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 25.
[0366] Like host 2300, embodiments of host 2502 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. The host 2502 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by the host 2502 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as the UE 2506 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 2550 extending between the UE 2506 and host 2502. In providing the service to the remote user, a host application may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 2550.
[0367] The network node 2504 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with the host 2502 and UE 2506. The connection 2560 may be direct or pass through a core network (like core network 2006 of Figure 20) and/or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.
[0368] The UE 2506 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by UE 2506 and executable by the UE’s processing circuitry. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or operator-specific “app” that may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 2506 with the support of the host 2502. In the host 2502, an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via the OTT connection 2550 terminating at the UE 2506 and host 2502. In providing the service to the user, the UE's client application may receive request data from the host's host application and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 2550 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The UE's client application may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides to the host application through the OTT connection 2550.
[0369] The OTT connection 2550 may extend via a connection 2560 between the host 2502 and the network node 2504 and via a wireless connection 2570 between the network node 2504 and the UE 2506 to provide the connection between the host 2502 and the UE 2506. The connection 2560 and wireless connection 2570, over which the OTT connection 2550 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host 2502 and the UE 2506 via the network node 2504, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.
[0370] As an example of transmitting data via the OTT connection 2550, in step 2508, the host 2502 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with the UE 2506. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with a UE 2506 that shares data with the host 2502 without explicit human interaction. In step 2510, the host 2502 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards the UE 2506. The host 2502 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by the UE 2506. The request may be caused by human interaction with the UE 2506 or by operation of the client application executing on the UE 2506. The transmission may pass via the network node 2504, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 2512, the network node 2504 transmits to the UE 2506 the user data that was carried in the transmission that the host 2502 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2514, the UE 2506 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on the UE 2506 associated with the host application executed by the host 2502.
[0371] In some examples, the UE 2506 executes a client application which provides user data to the host 2502. The user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from the host 2502. Accordingly, in step 2516, the UE 2506 may provide user data, which may be performed by executing the client application. In providing the user data, the client application may further consider user input received from the user via an input/output interface of the UE 2506. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE 2506 initiates, in step 2518, transmission of the user data towards the host 2502 via the network node 2504. In step 2520, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the network node 2504 receives user data from the UE 2506 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards the host 2502. In step 2522, the host 2502 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the UE 2506.
[0372] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 2506 using the OTT connection 2550, in which the wireless connection 2570 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the mobility performance of a UE that is capable of both L1/L2 and L3 mobility and thereby provide benefits such as reduced network signalling overhead and reconfigurations.
[0373] In an example scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by the host 2502. As another example, the host 2502 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps. As another example, the host 2502 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, the host 2502 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE. As another example, the host 2502 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR or AR which it can broadcast, multicast or unicast to UEs. As other examples, the host 2502 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time critical electrical load to balance power generation needs, location services, presentation services (such as compiling diagrams etc. from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing and/or transmitting data.
[0374] In some examples, a measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2550 between the host 2502 and UE 2506, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 2502 and/or UE 2506. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 2550 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 2550 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of the network node 2504. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like, by the host 2502. The measurements may be implemented in that software causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 2550 while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.
[0375] Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and/or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.
[0376] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and/or by end users and a wireless network generally.

Claims

Claims:
1. A method of operating a user equipment, UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure, the method comprising: receiving (1202), from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure; receiving (1204), from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure; and cancelling (1206) at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.
2. The method of Claim 1 wherein the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure.
3. The method of Claim 2 wherein the UE executes the first type of mobility procedure.
4. The method of Claim 1, wherein the UE cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
5. The method of Claim 4 wherein the UE executes the second type of mobility procedure.
6. The method of Claim 1 wherein the UE cancels the second type of mobility procedure and cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
7. The method of any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
8. The method of Claim 7, wherein receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure comprises receiving a message for an L3 mobility procedure and wherein receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure comprises, after receiving the message for the L3 mobility procedure, receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
9. The method of Claim 8, wherein the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure comprises a radio resource control, RRC, message.
10. The method of Claim 7, wherein receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure comprises receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure, and wherein receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure comprises thereafter receiving a radio resource control, RRC, message for an L3 mobility procedure.
11. The method of any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
12. The method of Claim 11, wherein receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure comprises receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure and wherein receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure comprises, after receiving the message for the L3 mobility procedure, receiving a message for an L3 mobility procedure.
13. The method of Claim 12, wherein the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure comprises a radio resource control, RRC, message.
14. The method of Claim 11, wherein receiving the message to trigger the first type of mobility procedure comprises receiving a lower layer signalling indicating an L1/L2 based intercell mobility serving cell change procedure, and wherein receiving the message to trigger the second type of mobility procedure comprises thereafter receiving a radio resource control, RRC, message for an L3 mobility procedure.
15. The method of any previous Claim, further comprising: transmitting, to the source network node or another network node, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
16. The method of Claim 15, wherein the indication is an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailurelnformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
17. The method of Claim 15, wherein the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a medium access control, MAC, control element, CE.
18. The method of any previous Claim, further comprising: transmitting, to the source network node, an indication that the first type of mobility procedure has been executed, wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
19. A method of operating a source network node to handle interaction between a first type of mobility procedure and second type of mobility procedure for a user equipment, UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell, the method comprising: determining (1402) a need to trigger, for a UE, a first type of mobility procedure; determining (1404) a need to trigger, for the UE, a second type of mobility procedure; and transmitting (1406) a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
20. The method of Claim 20, wherein the source network node comprises a source distributed unit, DU, or serving DU.
21. The method of Claim 19 or 20, wherein the source network node determines the need to trigger the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure based on receiving an LI, L2 measurement report from the UE that is provided to assist LI/ mobility.
22. The method of any of Claims 19 to 21, wherein the source network node cancels the first type of mobility procedure.
23. The method of any of Claims 19 to 21, wherein the source network node cancels the second type of mobility procedure.
24. The method of any of Claims 19 to 21, wherein the source network node transmits, to a third network node, a message indicating an execution of the first type of mobility procedure.
25. The method of any of Claims 19 to 21, wherein the source network node receives, from a third network node, a message indicating a request to cancel a second type of mobility procedure.
26. The method of any of Claims 19 to 21, wherein determining a need to trigger a first or second type of mobility procedure comprises receiving from a third network node a message indicating an execution of a first or second type of mobility procedure.
27. The method of any of Claims 19 to 26, wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure.
28. The method of any of Claims 19 to 26, wherein the first type of mobility procedure is an L3 mobility procedure and the second type of mobility procedure is an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
29. The method of any of Claims 19 to 28, wherein the source network node receives, from the UE, an indication of a failed or cancelled first type of mobility procedure or second type of mobility procedure.
30. The method of Claim 29, wherein the indication is an RRC message, such as an RRCReestablishmentRequest, message, a Failureinformation message, a MCGFailurelnformation message or a RRCReconfigurationFailure message.
31. The method of Claim 29, wherein the indication is a lower layer indication, such as an LI signal or a medium access control, MAC, control element, CE.
32. The method of Claim 19, further comprising: receiving an L1/L2 measurement report from the UE; and receiving, from a third network node, a message that indicates an L3 mobility procedure involving the UE, wherein the L3 mobility procedure comprises the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure; and wherein canceling the at least one of the mobility procedures comprises canceling the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
33. The method of Claim 32, wherein canceling the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure comprises determining not to send a command to the UE for L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility.
34. The method of Claim 33, further comprising receiving an L1/L2 based measurement report from the UE and thereafter not triggering the procedure
35. The method of Claim 34, wherein the message comprises a DL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message, including an RRCReconfiguration message.
36. The method of Claim 34, further comprising sending a message to the UE triggering the L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility serving cell change procedure.
37. A user equipment, UE, comprising: a processing circuitry; a memory coupled to the processing circuitry; and a transceiver coupled to the processing circuitry; wherein the memory stores at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell; and wherein the memory comprises computer readable program instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the user equipment to perform operations comprising: receiving (1202), from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure; receiving (1204), from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure; and cancelling (1206) at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.
38. The user equipment of Claim 37, wherein the computer readable program instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the user equipment to perform operations according to any of Claims 2 to 18.
39. A user equipment, UE, operative to: receive (1202), from a source network node, a message to trigger a first type of mobility procedure; receive (1204), from the source network node or a third network node, a message to trigger a second type of mobility procedure; and cancel (1206) at least one of the first type of mobility procedure or the second type of mobility procedure.
40. The user equipment of Claim 39, wherein the user equipment is operative to perform operations according to any of Claims 2 to 18.
41. A network node, the network node comprising: a processing circuitry; a memory coupled to the processing circuitry; and a transceiver coupled to the processing circuitry; wherein the memory comprises computer readable program instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the network node to perform operations comprising: determining (1402) a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure for a user equipment, UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell; determining (1404) a need to trigger, for the UE, a second type of mobility procedure; and transmitting (1406) a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
42. The network node of Claim 41, wherein the computer readable program instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the network node to perform operations according to any of Claims 20 to 36.
43. A network node operable to: determine (1402) a need to trigger a first type of mobility procedure for a user equipment, UE, with at least one configuration of an L1/L2 based inter-cell mobility candidate target cell; determine (1404) a need to trigger, for the UE, a second type of mobility procedure; and transmit (1406) a message to the UE cancelling at least one of the mobility procedures.
44. The network node of Claim 44, wherein the network node is operable to perform operations according to any of Claims 20 to 36.
PCT/SE2023/050611 2022-08-09 2023-06-16 Avoiding race conditions between l1/l2 and l3 mobility WO2024035287A1 (en)

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