CN115459796A

CN115459796A - System and method for controlling radio frequency exposure

Info

Publication number: CN115459796A
Application number: CN202211112885.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 崔杰; S·萨姆布瓦尼; 唐扬; 何宏; 张大伟; 曾威; 孙海童; 金唯哲; 张羽书; 姚春海; 叶春璇; 杨维东; 吴志斌; D·尼基斯克
Original assignee: Apple Inc
Current assignee: Apple Inc
Priority date: 2021-05-17
Filing date: 2021-05-17
Publication date: 2022-12-09

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for controlling radio frequency exposure. A wireless network may include base stations and User Equipment (UE). The UE may transmit an Uplink (UL) signal to the base station using a dynamically adjustable maximum UL duty cycle. The UE may transmit an indicator to the base station when the UE recognizes that a user is proximate to the UE. The indicator may identify that a Radio Frequency Exposure (RFE) event has occurred and/or a suggested maximum UL duty cycle that will allow the UE to meet limits for RFEs. The base station may restrict UL grants to the UE such that the UE performs subsequent communications using the suggested maximum UL duty cycle or a different maximum UL duty cycle. Coordinating the adjustment of the UL duty cycle in this manner may allow the UE to meet the limit on RFE without requiring the UE to perform a maximum transmission power level reduction.

Description

System and method for controlling radio frequency exposure

The divisional application is based on the divisional application of the Chinese patent application with the application number of 202180007798.0, the application date of 2021, 5 months and 17 days, and the invention name of the invention is "system and method for controlling radio frequency exposure".

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless networks, and more particularly to wireless networks having electronic devices with wireless communication circuitry.

Background

The electronic device typically includes wireless communication circuitry. For example, cellular telephones, computers, and other devices often contain antennas and wireless transceivers for supporting wireless communications. An electronic device communicates with a wireless base station in a wireless network.

Electronic devices with wireless capabilities are often subject to regulatory limits regarding radio frequency exposure. It may be difficult to provide satisfactory and efficient wireless communication between a wireless network and an electronic device while ensuring that regulatory limits are met.

Disclosure of Invention

The wireless network may include base stations with corresponding cells. A User Equipment (UE) device may be located within a cell and may communicate with a base station. The UE device and the base station may communicate using a communication protocol, such as a 3GPP fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR) protocol. The UE device may use the antenna to transmit an Uplink (UL) signal to the base station with a maximum UL duty cycle. The maximum UL duty cycle may be dynamically adjustable. The network, base station, and UE device may quickly coordinate the dynamic adjustment of the maximum UL duty cycle.

The UE device may perform proximity detection operations to identify when a user or other human body is in proximity to the UE device. When the UE device detects that a user or other human body is in proximity to the UE device, the UE device may transmit an indicator to the base station. The indicator may identify that a Radio Frequency Exposure (RFE) event has occurred such that the UE device may need to adjust UL transmissions to continue to meet regulatory limits for RFE. The UE device may identify a suggested maximum UL duty cycle that will allow the UE device to continue to meet regulatory limits on RFE. The suggested maximum UL duty cycle may take into account the path loss between the UE device and the base station, if desired. The indicator may identify a RFE level generated at the UE device. The indicator may additionally or alternatively identify a suggested maximum UL duty cycle.

The base station may process the indicator to confirm that the UE device may use the suggested maximum UL duty cycle or identify a different updated maximum UL duty cycle for the UE device. The base station may adjust a UL schedule for the UE device that limits UL grants to the UE device such that the UE device performs subsequent communications using the suggested maximum UL duty cycle or the updated maximum UL duty cycle. If desired, the base station may provide a feedback signal identifying acceptance of the proposed maximum UL duty cycle or identifying an updated maximum UL duty cycle. Coordinating the adjustment of the UL duty cycle in this manner may allow the UE device to continue to meet regulatory limits on RFE without requiring the UE device to perform maximum transmission power level reduction, thereby optimizing the UL communication and throughput of the UE device.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary electronic device having wireless circuitry for communicating with a wireless base station, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary cell with a wireless base station and user equipment communicating using steerable beams of radio frequency signals, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 3 is a flow diagram of illustrative operations that may be performed by a base station and a user equipment in dynamic maximum Uplink (UL) duty cycle adjustment for the user equipment determined using a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) coordination network, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of illustrative operations that may be performed by a base station and user equipment in dynamic maximum Uplink (UL) duty cycle adjustment for the user equipment determined using PUCCH coordinated user equipment, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of illustrative operations that may be performed by a base station and a user equipment in dynamic maximum Uplink (UL) duty cycle adjustment for the user equipment determined using a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) coordination network, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 6 is a flow diagram of illustrative operations that may be performed by a base station and a user equipment in dynamic maximum Uplink (UL) duty cycle adjustment for the user equipment determined using PRACH coordinated user equipment, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 7 is a circuit block diagram of illustrative wireless circuitry on a user equipment for generating Radio Frequency Exposure (RFE) level information and uplink duty cycle information for transmission to a base station in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 8 is a table showing how an illustrative user equipment may identify different optimal uplink duty cycles for different path loss environments, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 9 is a flow diagram of illustrative operations that may be performed by a user equipment to report RFE level information and uplink duty cycle information for coordinating maximum UL duty cycle adjustments or other network adjustments, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 10 is a table showing how an illustrative user equipment may identify different RFE levels for a base station using different Medium Access Channel (MAC) Control Element (CE) indicator values, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 11 and 12 are tables showing how an illustrative user equipment may identify a requested UL duty cycle for a base station using different Medium Access Channel (MAC) Control Element (CE) indicator values, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 13 is a flow diagram of exemplary operations that may be performed by a base station and a user equipment in reporting RFE level information for the user equipment to the base station using a MAC CE, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 14 is a flow diagram of illustrative operations that may be performed by a base station and a user equipment in reporting UL duty cycle information for the user equipment to the base station using a MAC CE, in accordance with some embodiments.

Detailed Description

The electronic device 10 of fig. 1 may be: computing devices such as laptop computers, desktop computers, computer monitors including embedded computers, tablets, cellular telephones, media players, or other handheld or portable electronic devices; smaller devices such as wrist watch devices, wall-mounted devices, earphone or headphone devices, devices embedded in eyeglasses; or other equipment worn on the head of the user; or other wearable or miniature devices, televisions, computer displays that do not contain an embedded computer, gaming devices, navigation devices, embedded systems (such as systems in which electronic equipment with a display is installed in a kiosk or in a car), voice-controlled speakers connected to the wireless internet, home entertainment devices, remote control devices, game controllers, peripheral user input devices, wireless base stations or access points, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices; or other electronic equipment.

As shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. 1, device 10 may include components located on or within an electronic device housing, such as housing 12. The housing 12 (which may sometimes be referred to as a shell) may be formed from plastic, glass, ceramic, fiber composite, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, metal alloys, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some cases, part or all of housing 12 may be formed from a dielectric or other low conductivity material (e.g., glass, ceramic, plastic, sapphire, etc.). In other cases, at least some of the housing 12 or the structures making up the housing 12 may be formed from metal elements.

The apparatus 10 may include a control circuit 14. Control circuit 14 may include a memory device such as memory circuit 20. The storage circuitry 20 may include hard disk drive storage, non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically programmable read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static random access memory or dynamic random access memory), and so forth. The memory circuit 20 may include memory devices and/or removable storage media integrated within the apparatus 10.

Control circuitry 14 may include processing circuitry such as processing circuitry 22. Processing circuitry 22 may be used to control the operation of device 10. Processing circuitry 22 may include one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, host processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, central Processing Units (CPUs), graphics Processing Units (GPUs), and the like. Control circuitry 14 may be configured to perform operations in device 10 using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and/or software. Software code for performing operations in the device 10 may be stored on the storage circuitry 20 (e.g., the storage circuitry 20 may comprise a non-transitory (tangible) computer-readable storage medium storing the software code). The software code may sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data, instructions, or code. The software codes stored on the memory circuit 20 may be executed by the processing circuit 22. Portions of storage circuitry 20 may be located on processing circuitry 22 (e.g., as L1 and L2 caches), if desired, while other portions of storage circuitry 20 are located external to processing circuitry 22 (e.g., while still being accessible by processing circuitry 22 via a memory interface).

Control circuitry 14 may be used to run software on device 10, such as a satellite navigation application, an internet browsing application, a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone call application, an email application, mediaPlayback applications, gaming applications, operating system functions, and the like. To support interaction with external equipment, the control circuit 14 may be used to implement a communication protocol. Communication protocols that may be implemented using control circuit 14 include Internet protocols, wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE802.11 protocols-sometimes referred to as IEEE802.11 protocols

) Such as

Protocols for other short-range wireless communication links, such as protocols for other Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs), IEEE802.11 ad protocols (e.g., ultra-wideband protocols), cellular telephony protocols (e.g., 3G protocols, 4G (LTE) protocols, 3GPP fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR) protocols, etc.), antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols (e.g., global Positioning System (GPS) protocols, global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) protocols, etc.), antenna-based spatial ranging protocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols for signals transmitted at millimeter-wave and centimeter-wave frequencies, or other desired range detection protocols), or any other desired communication protocol. Each communication protocol may be associated with a corresponding Radio Access Technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection method used to implement the protocol.

Device 10 may include input-output circuitry 16. The input-output circuitry 16 may include an input-output device 18. Input-output devices 18 may be used to allow data to be provided to device 10 and to allow data to be provided from device 10 to external devices. The input-output devices 18 may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices 18 may include touch sensors, displays (e.g., touch-sensitive displays and/or force-sensitive displays), lighting components such as displays without touch sensor capability, buttons (mechanical, capacitive, optical, etc.), scroll wheels, touch pads, keypads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or compasses to detect motion), capacitive sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, force sensors (e.g., force sensors coupled to a display to detect pressure applied to a display), and so forth. In some configurations, keyboards, headphones, displays, pointing devices such as trackpads, mice, and joysticks, and other input-output devices can be coupled to device 10 using wired or wireless connections (e.g., some of input-output devices 18 can be peripheral devices coupled to a main processing unit or other portion of device 10 via wired or wireless links).

The input-output circuitry 16 may include radio circuitry 24 to support wireless communications. The wireless circuitry 24 (sometimes referred to herein as wireless communication circuitry 24) may include one or more antennas 30. The radio circuitry 24 may also include baseband processor circuitry, transceiver circuitry, amplifier circuitry, filter circuitry, switching circuitry, radio frequency transmit lines, and/or any other circuitry for transmitting and/or receiving radio frequency signals using the antenna 30. Although the control circuitry 14 is shown separately from the radio circuitry 24 in the example of fig. 1 for clarity, the radio circuitry 24 may include processing circuitry that forms part of the processing circuitry 22 and/or memory circuitry that forms part of the memory circuitry 20 of the control circuitry 14 (e.g., portions of the control circuitry 14 may be implemented on the radio circuitry 24). For example, the control circuitry 14 may include baseband processor circuitry or other control components that form part of the radio circuitry 24. The baseband processor circuit may, for example, access a communication protocol stack on control circuit 14 (e.g., storage circuit 20) to: performing user plane functions at a PHY layer, a MAC layer, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, an SDAP layer, and/or a PDU layer; and/or perform control plane functions at a PHY layer, a MAC layer, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, an RRC layer, and/or a non-access layer. PHY layer operations may additionally or alternatively be performed by Radio Frequency (RF) interface circuits within radio circuitry 24, if desired.

The wireless circuitry 24 may communicate radio frequency signals using a 3GPP 5G new radio (5G NR) communication band or any other desired communication band (sometimes referred to herein as a frequency band or simply a band). These radio frequency signals may include millimeter wave signals, sometimes referred to as Extremely High Frequency (EHF) signals, that propagate at frequencies above about 30GHz (e.g., at 60GHz or other frequencies between about 30GHz and 300 GHz). These radio frequency signals may additionally or alternatively include centimeter-wave signals propagating at frequencies between about 10GHz and 30 GHz. These radio frequency signals may additionally or alternatively include signals at frequencies less than 10GHz, such as signals between about 410MHz and 7125 MHz. In scenarios in which radio frequency signals are transmitted using a 5G NR communication band, these radio frequency signals may be transmitted in a 5G NR communication band within a 5G NR frequency range 2 (FR 2) that includes centimeter and millimeter wave frequencies between about 24GHz and 100GHz, a 5G NR communication band within a 5G NR frequency range 1 (FR 1) that includes frequencies below 7125MHz, and/or other 5G NR communication bands within other 5G NR frequency ranges FRx (e.g., where x is an integer greater than 2) that may include frequencies above about 57GHz to 60 GHz. If desired, device 10 may also include an antenna for processing satellite navigation system signals, cellular telephone signals (e.g., radio frequency signals communicated using the Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications band or other non-5G NR communications bands), wireless local area network signals, near field communications, light-based wireless communications, or other wireless communications.

For example, as shown in fig. 1, the radio circuitry 24 may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry, such as 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28, for transmitting radio-frequency signals using a 5G NR communication protocol and a RAT. The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may support communications at frequencies between approximately 24GHz and 100GHz (e.g., within FR2, FRx, etc.) and/or at frequencies between approximately 410MHz and 7125MHz (e.g., within FR 1). Examples of frequency bands that may be covered by the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 include frequency bands under the 3GPP wireless communication series of standards, communication frequency bands under the IEEE 802.XX series of standards, IEEE K communication frequency bands between approximately 18GHz and 27GHz, K between approximately 26.5GHz and 40GHz _a Communication band, K between about 12GHz and 18GHz _u A communication band, a V communication band between about 40GHz and 75GHz, a W communication band between about 75GHz and 110GHz and/or other bands between about 10GHz and 110GHz, a C band between about 3300MHz and 5000MHz, an S band between about 2300MHz and 2400MHz, an L band between about 1432MHz and 1517MHz, and/or other bands between about 410MHz and 7125MHzFrequency bands. The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may be formed from one or more integrated circuits (e.g., a plurality of integrated circuits mounted on a common printed circuit in a system-in-package or system-on-a-chip device, one or more integrated circuits mounted on different substrates, etc.). The radio circuit 24 may cover different frequency bands used in different geographical areas, if desired.

Wireless communications using the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 may be bidirectional. For example, 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may transmit radio frequency signals 36 to and from external wireless equipment, such as external equipment 8. External equipment 8 may be another electronic device such as electronic device 10, may be a wireless access point, may be a wireless base station, or the like. Implementations in which the external equipment 8 is a wireless base station are sometimes described herein as examples. Accordingly, external equipment 8 may sometimes be referred to herein as a wireless base station 8 or simply a base station 8. Base station 8 may have control circuitry, such as control circuitry 14, and radio circuitry, such as radio circuitry 24 of device 10. Control circuitry on base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 (e.g., control circuitry running on other base stations, cloud networks, virtual or logical networks, physical networks, wired networks, wireless networks, local area networks, servers, network nodes, routers, terminals, computing devices, switches, and/or any other desired components of network 6) may store, maintain, operate, process, and/or implement a network scheduler for base station 8. The network scheduler may be implemented using software and/or hardware running on the network 6. The network scheduler may generate a network (communication) schedule for each UE device in the cell of base station 8. The network schedule may identify (allocate) time and/or frequency domain resources for each UE device to communicate with base station 8 (e.g., in accordance with the 5G NR protocol). The network scheduler may include an uplink scheduler that schedules uplink resources and a downlink scheduler that schedules downlink resources. In this way, the network scheduler may coordinate the communication resources to allow the base station 8 to provide satisfactory wireless communication and connectivity for each UE device in its cell.

The device 10 and the base station 8 may form part of a wireless communication network, such as the communication network 6 (e.g., a node and/or a terminal). The communication network 6 (sometimes referred to herein as the network 6) may include any desired number of devices 10, base stations 8, and/or other network components (e.g., switches, routers, access points, servers, end hosts, local area networks, wireless local area networks, etc.) arranged in any desired network configuration. The network 6 may be managed by a wireless network service provider. Device 10 may also sometimes be referred to as a User Equipment (UE) 10 or UE device 10 (e.g., because device 10 may be used by an end user to perform wireless communications with a network). Base stations 8 may operate within corresponding cells that span a particular geographic location or area. Base station 8 may be used to provide communication capabilities (e.g., 3gpp 5G NR communication capabilities) for a plurality of UE devices, such as device 10, located within its cell. The air interface over which the UE device and base station 8 communicate may be compatible with 3GPP Technical Specifications (TS), such as those defining the 5G NR system standard.

Radio frequency signals 36 (sometimes referred to herein as wireless links 36) may include radio frequency signals transmitted by device 10 (e.g., in uplink direction 32) to base station 8 and radio frequency signals transmitted by base station 8 (e.g., in downlink direction 34) to device 10. The radio frequency signals 36 transmitted in the uplink direction 32 may sometimes be referred to herein as Uplink (UL) signals. The radio frequency signals in the downlink direction 34 may sometimes be referred to herein as Downlink (DL) signals. The radio frequency signal 36 may be used to transmit wireless data. The wireless data may include a data stream arranged into packets, symbols, frames, and so on. The wireless data may be organized/formatted according to a communication protocol (e.g., the 5G NR communication protocol) that manages the wireless link between the device 10 and the base station 8. The wireless data conveyed by the uplink signals transmitted by the device 10 (e.g., in the uplink direction 32) may sometimes be referred to herein as uplink data. The wireless data conveyed by the downlink signals transmitted by the base station 8 (e.g., in the downlink direction 34) may sometimes be referred to herein as downlink data. The wireless data may include, for example, data that has been encoded into corresponding data packets, such as wireless data associated with a telephone call, streaming media content, internet browsing, wireless data associated with a software application running on device 10, an email message, and so forth. Control signals may also be transmitted in the uplink and/or downlink directions between base station 8 and device 10.

The radio circuitry 24 may include transceiver circuitry for handling communications in non-5G NR communications bands, if desired, such as non-5G NR transceiver circuitry 26. The non-5G NR transceiver circuit 26 may include processing for

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) transceiver circuitry for 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for (IEEE 802.11) communications, processing 2.4GHz

Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) transceiver circuitry for communication bands, cellular telephone transceiver circuitry for handling cellular telephone communication bands of 700MHz to 960MHz, 1710MHz to 2170MHz, 2300MHz to 2700MHz, and/or any other desired cellular telephone communication band between 600MHz and 4000MHz (e.g., cellular telephone signals transmitted using 4G LTE protocol, 3G protocol, or other non-5G NR protocol), GPS receiver circuitry for receiving GPS signals at 1575MHz or signals for handling other satellite positioning data (e.g., GLONASS signals at 1609MHz, beidou satellite navigation system (BDS) band signals, etc.), television receiver circuitry, AM/FM radio receiver circuitry, paging system transceiver circuitry, near Field Communication (NFC) circuitry, ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver circuitry operating under the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and/or other ultra-wideband communication protocols, and the like. non-5G NR transceiver circuits 26 and 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 may each include one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuits, low noise input amplifiers, passive radio frequency components, filters, synthesizers, modulators, demodulators, modems, mixers, switching circuits, transmit line structures, and other circuits for processing radio frequency signals. The non-5G NR transceiver circuitry 26 may transmit and receive radio frequency signals below 10GHz (and organized according to a non-5G NR communication protocol) using one or more antennas 30. The 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 may transmit and receive radio frequency signals (e.g., FR1 and/or at frequencies including above 57 GHz) using the antenna 30Radio frequency signals at FR2/FRx frequencies).

The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may, for example, comprise baseband processor circuitry. The baseband processor circuit may process/generate baseband signals or waveforms carrying information in a 3GPP compliant network, such as network 6. The waveform may be based on cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CP-OFDM) in the uplink or downlink, and discrete fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM) in the uplink, if desired. The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may also include upconverter and/or downconverter circuitry (e.g., mixer circuitry) for converting signals between baseband and radio frequencies, between baseband and intermediate frequencies, between baseband and radio frequencies, and/or between intermediate frequencies and radio frequencies.

In satellite navigation system links, cellular telephone links, and other long-range links, radio frequency signals are typically used to transmit data over thousands of feet or miles. At 2.4GHz and 5GHz

Link and

in links, as well as other short-range wireless links, radio frequency signals are typically used to transmit data over tens or hundreds of feet. The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may transmit radio frequency signals over short distances traveled on the line-of-sight path. To enhance signal reception for 5G NR communications, particularly communications at frequencies above 10GHz, phased antenna arrays and beamforming (steering) techniques (e.g., schemes that adjust the antenna signal phase and/or amplitude of each antenna in the array to perform beam steering) may be used. Since the operating environment of the device 10 can be switched to non-use and to use higher performance antennas in their place, antenna diversity schemes can also be used to ensure that antennas have begun to be blocked or otherwise degraded.

The antenna 30 in the radio circuit 24 may be formed using any suitable antenna type. For example, the antenna 30 may include an antenna having a resonating element formed from a stacked patch antenna structure, a loop antenna structure, a patch antenna structure, an inverted-F antenna structure, a slot antenna structure, a planar inverted-F antenna structure, a monopole antenna structure, a dipole antenna structure, a helical antenna structure, a yagi (yagi field) antenna structure, a hybrid of these designs, and so forth. One or more of the antennas 30 may be cavity-backed if desired. Different types of antennas may be used for different frequency bands and combinations of frequency bands. For example, one type of antenna may be used to form a non-5G NR wireless link for the non-5G NR transceiver circuitry 26 and another type of antenna may be used to transmit radio frequency signals in the 5G NR communication band for the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28. The antennas 30 used to transmit radio frequency signals for the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may be arranged as one or more phased antenna arrays, if desired.

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating how base station 8 may communicate with device 10 within a corresponding cell of network 6. As shown in fig. 2, the network 6 may be organized into one or more cells, such as cells 40 distributed over one or more geographic areas or regions. Cells 40 may have any desired shape (e.g., hexagonal shape, rectangular shape, circular shape, elliptical shape, or any other desired shape having any desired number of straight and/or curved sides). Base station 8 may communicate with one or more UE devices, such as device 10, within cell 40 (e.g., to provide device 10 with communication access to the rest of network 6, other UE devices, other networks, the internet, etc.). Although the storage and processing operations of the base station 8 may sometimes be described herein as being performed by or at the base station 8, some or all of the control circuitry for the base station 8 (e.g., storage circuitry such as storage circuitry 20 and/or processing circuitry such as processing circuitry 22) may be located at the base station 8 and/or may be distributed across two or more network devices in the network 6 (e.g., any desired number of base stations, servers, cloud networks, physical devices, distributed and/or virtual/logical devices implemented via software, etc.).

When operating at relatively high frequencies, such as frequencies greater than 10GHz, radio frequency signals communicated between base station 8 and device 10 may experience substantial over-the-air signal attenuation. To increase the gain of these signals, base station 8 and/or device 10 may transmit radio frequency signals using a phased antenna array (e.g., a phased array of antennas 30). Each antenna in the phased antenna array may transmit a radio frequency signal provided with a respective phase and magnitude. The signals transmitted by each antenna constructively and destructively interfere to produce a corresponding signal beam having a pointing direction (e.g., the direction of the signal beam having the peak gain). The phase and/or magnitude provided to each antenna may be adjusted to actively steer the signal beam in different directions.

For example, as shown in fig. 2, device 10 may transmit a radio frequency signal (e.g., radio frequency signal 36 of fig. 1) on signal beam 42 using a phased antenna array. The apparatus 10 may adjust the phase/magnitude provided to each antenna in the phased antenna array to point the signal beam 42 in a selected pointing direction (e.g., peak gain direction), as indicated by arrow 48. Similarly, base station 8 may transmit radio frequency signals on signal beam 44 using a phased antenna array. The base station 8 may adjust the phase/magnitude provided to each antenna in the phased antenna array to steer the signal beam 44 to a point in the selected pointing direction, as indicated by arrow 46. Base station 8 may steer signal beam 44 to a point toward device 10, and device 10 may steer signal beam 42 to a point toward base station 8 to allow wireless data to be communicated between base station 8 and device 10. Phased antenna arrays may also sometimes be referred to as phased array antennas (e.g., phased arrays of antenna elements). The signal beam direction may be adjusted over time as the device 10 moves relative to the base station 8. As device 10 moves between cells 40, handover operations may be performed with other base stations in network 6.

Device 10 may transmit uplink signals to base stations 8 (sometimes referred to herein as gnbs 8) within signal beams 42. Device 10 may transmit uplink signals at a selected output power level (sometimes referred to herein as an uplink output power level, transmit power level, or transmission power level). The device 10 may have a maximum output power level P _CMAX (e.g., the maximum output power level at which the device 10 may transmit radio frequency signals within the signal beam 42). The output power level may be adjusted using Uplink (UL) power control operations. In cellular networks, UL power control can be a complex procedure,the complex procedure includes an open loop power control operation during initial access (e.g., during a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) procedure) followed by a closed loop power control operation when the UE device is connected to the network (e.g., when the UE and base station transmit a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) signal, a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) signal, a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS), etc.).

During transmission of radio frequency signals, some of the radio frequency signals transmitted by device 10 may be incident on an external object (such as external object 50). The external object 50 may be, for example, a user of the device 10 or a body of another person or animal. External object 50 may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as user 50. In these scenarios, the radio frequency energy exposure at the user 50 may be characterized by one or more Radio Frequency (RF) exposure metrics. The RF exposure metric may include a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of the radio frequency signal at a frequency of less than 6GHz (in W/kg), a Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) of the radio frequency signal at a frequency of greater than 6GHz (in mW/cm) ² In units) and the Total Exposure Rate (TER) of the combined SAR and MPE. Regulatory requirements (e.g., as enforced by government, regulatory, or industry standards or regulations for the area in which the cell 40 is located) typically enforce limits on the amount of RF energy exposure allowed for external objects 50 near the antenna on the device 10 over a specified period of time (e.g., corresponding to SAR and MPE limits over a regulatory average period of time).

Generally speaking, the maximum radiated Radio Frequency (RF) power allowed while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements is a function of the location of the device 10 relative to the user 50, the current direction of the signal beam 42 (and the sidelobe levels of the signal beam 42; the main lobe of the signal beam 42 is shown in FIG. 2), and the proximity of the user 50 to the antenna on the device 10 that generated the signal beam 42. The RF energy exposure (e.g., SAR and MPE) generated by the device 10 depends primarily on the transmission power level of the device 10 and the UL duty cycle of the device 10. The transmit (uplink) power level of the device 10 is provided by an amplifier (e.g., a power amplifier) in the transmit chain of the radio circuit 24 (fig. 1). The duty cycle of the device 10 is given by the fraction of the time resources of the device 10 used for UL transmissions (e.g., the fraction or percentage of time slots in a given time period in which the transmission chain is actively transmitting radio frequency signals).

In previous versions of the 3GPP TSS, the power management term P-MPR (power management maximum power reduction) was the only available resource for the device 10 to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements regarding RF energy exposure. The power management term P-MPR (sometimes referred to herein as maximum power reduction, MPR) in the 3GPP TSS specifies a reduction in the maximum transmission power level for device 10 (e.g., such that subsequently transmitted signals are at a higher maximum transmission power level P than device 10) _CMAX Minus the uplink power level transmission for which the power reduction specified by the power management term P-MPR is small). This reduction in the maximum transmission power level limits the amount of radio frequency energy exposure of the user 50 adjacent the device 10, thereby helping to ensure that the device 10 meets regulatory requirements regarding RF energy exposure.

However, performing RF exposure compliance in this manner using only transmit power backoff (maximum power reduction) may result in a reduction in uplink coverage for device 10. For example, a transmission power backoff (MPR) of only 6dB may result in a reduction of more than 30% in the uplink range of device 10 (e.g., the distance device 10 may transmit uplink signals that are received at base station 8 with satisfactory signal quality). As another example, a sudden and abrupt decrease in UL transmission power achieved through P-MPR (e.g., due to a suddenly detected proximity of the user 50 adjacent to the device 10 or within the signal beam 42) may cause a Radio Link Failure (RLF) with the base station 8.

On the other hand, in previous versions of the 3GPP TSS, the maximum UL duty cycle of the device 10 remains static and is only reported by the device 10 to the network when the device 10 transmits its UE capabilities to the base station 8 (e.g., using the maxuplinkdtycycle-FR 2 entry). The maxuplinkdtycycle-FR 2 entry is only a single static limit that does not take into account the different use cases that may occur and only defines the duty cycle limit at which the device 10 will start applying the transmission power backoff (MPR). When the maxuplinkdetycycle-FR 2 entry does not exist in the UE capabilities transmitted by the device 10 to the base station 8, then other means (such as MPR) must be used to meet the RF exposure requirements. Furthermore, the maxuplinkdetycycle-FR 2 entry does not allow for dynamically scaling the UL duty cycle to avoid transmission power backoff in different situations. For example, the device may be located in different positions relative to the user's head or body, resulting in different RF energy exposures and thus allowing different UL duty cycle values while transmitting at the maximum transmission power level.

Further, a device such as device 10 may apply sensing to detect whether an external object (e.g., a portion of user 50 such as a user's hand, finger, or head) is proximate to the device. The allowed RF energy exposure level depends on the sensing result (e.g., whether an object is near the transmitting antenna). Thus, the device is required to scale the RF energy exposure accordingly, and such scaling would need to be performed dynamically. The maxuplinkdtycycle-FR 2 entry defined in 3GPP TSS does not allow scaling of RF exposure in view of the dynamic situation where an object is detected by a sensor or moves out of the sensor detection zone. To alleviate these problems associated with using only MPR and a static maximum UL duty cycle, device 10 may dynamically adjust the UL duty cycle (e.g., maximum UL duty cycle) used to transmit UL signals to base station 8 to meet regulatory requirements regarding RF energy exposure.

To allow the device 10 to dynamically adjust the UL duty cycle, the device 10 needs to quickly coordinate with the network (e.g., base station 8) so the network can accommodate any changes (adjustments) to the UL duty cycle over time. Using Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) and Radio Resource Control (RRC) interactions between the device 10 and the base station 8 can introduce an excessive amount of delay to the system, if not careful. It may therefore be desirable to be able to coordinate dynamic UL duty cycle adjustments outside of MAC CE and RRC interactions where possible.

Fig. 3 is a flow diagram of exemplary operations that may be performed by network 6 to perform and coordinate dynamic UL duty cycle adjustments (e.g., outside of MAC CE and RRC interactions). Operations 52 through 58 of fig. 3 may be performed by device 10 while located in cell 40 of corresponding base station 8. Operations 60 through 64 of fig. 3 may be performed by base station 8 in cell 30 in which device 10 is located.

At operation 52, device 10 may begin transmitting UL signals to base station 8 using the initial maximum UL duty cycle. Uplink transmissions may be performed according to an UL schedule generated by base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 that grants device 10 an UL time slot that achieves an initial maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., after a wireless connection has been established between base station 8 and device 10). Base station 8 may begin receiving the UL signal transmitted by device 10 using the initial maximum UL duty cycle at operation 92.

At operation 54, the device 10 may perform a proximity detection operation to determine whether the user 50 is at, adjacent to, or proximate to the active (transmit) antenna 30 and/or the signal beam 42 on the device 10. The proximity detection operation helps the device 10 determine whether the user 54 will be subjected to RF energy exposure from the signal beam 42 such that the device 10 will accumulate SAR and/or MPE from the presence of the user 54. Such communication may be subject to regulations regarding RF energy exposure (e.g., SAR limits and/or MPE limits).

The device 10 may perform proximity detection operations using: one or more image sensors, one or more capacitive proximity sensors, one or more Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) sensors coupled to an active transmit antenna on device 10 (e.g., sensors that measure the amount of radio frequency energy reflected back to the transceiver from the transmit antenna due to the presence of an external object), one or more touch sensors integrated into or separate from a display of device 10, one or more acoustic (e.g., ultrasonic) sensors, one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one or more sensors that gather wireless performance metric data such as a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) value or a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value, information indicating that user 50 is currently providing user input to device 10, information indicating that user 50 is currently performing one or more software operations using a software application running on device 10, GPS data, one or more radar sensors, one or more light detection and ranging (Lidar) sensors, one or more infrared light or image sensors, one or more ambient light sensors, and/or a threshold of the presence of one or more other sensors on device 10 or on the device 10 and/or within a detectable range of other antenna (e.g., a distance that may be detected by a user 50, for example, within a proximity to device 10. If desired, the proximity detection operation may distinguish inanimate external objects from animate external objects (e.g., portions of the body of the user 50).

When device 10 detects that user 50 is present at, adjacent to, or proximate to one or more of the antennas on device 10 (e.g., the active antenna used to form signal beam 42), processing may proceed to operation 56. At operation 56, the device 10 (e.g., the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 and the one or more antennas 30 of fig. 1) may transmit an indicator to the base station 8 identifying that an RF exposure event has occurred at the device 10 (e.g., an event that the device 10 will begin accumulating SAR/MPE subject to regulatory limits on RF energy exposure). The device 10 may transmit the indicator as a bit or string (series) of bits that identifies that an RF exposure event has occurred. In the example of fig. 3, device 10 transmits the indicator over a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) (e.g., using a PUCCH signal). Device 10 may transmit the indicator, for example, within Uplink Control Information (UCI) carried on PUCCH.

At operation 62, base station 8 may receive the indicator transmitted by device 10 over the PUCCH. In this way, device 10 may notify base station 8 and network 6 that the device needs to reduce its maximum UL duty cycle in order to comply with regulations regarding RF energy exposure in the presence of user 50 (e.g., this indicator via PUCCH may serve as a trigger for the network to adjust the maximum UL duty cycle of device 10). In response to receiving the indicator, base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 (e.g., the UL scheduler of base station 8) may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle for device 10 that is lower than the initial UL duty cycle. The updated maximum UL duty cycle may be, for example, the maximum UL duty cycle that is supported by base station 8 and that will allow base station 8 to continue communicating with device 10 while also accommodating communication with other UE devices in cell 40. Base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 may generate or update UL schedules, e.g., for device 10 and/or other UE devices in cell 40, to achieve/accommodate the updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by device 10.

At operation 64, the base station 8 (e.g., the 5G NR transceiver circuitry and one or more of the antennas on the base station 8) may transmit a feedback signal to the device 10 (e.g., using the DL resources allocated to the particular device 10, which transmits the indicator to the base station 8 at operation 56). The feedback signal may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by the device 10 (e.g., an updated UL schedule or grant for use by the device 10 may be identified that adapts/implements the updated maximum UL duty cycle). In the example of fig. 3, the base station 8 transmits the feedback signal over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) (e.g., using a PDCCH signal). The base station 8 may transmit the feedback signal, e.g., within Downlink Control Information (DCI) carried on the PDCCH (e.g., as a series or string of bits).

At operation 58, device 10 may receive the feedback signal from base station 8 and may begin transmitting the UL signal using the updated maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., implementing an updated UL schedule or grant generated by base station 8 and/or network 6). Device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle for uplink communications while ensuring that any applicable regulations regarding RF energy exposure are met, since the updated maximum UL duty cycle is lower than the initial maximum UL duty cycle and therefore produces less RF energy incident on user 50. The updated maximum UL duty cycle may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as a reduced maximum UL duty cycle. The device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle until the user 50 is no longer detected at, adjacent to, or proximate to the transmit antenna or signal beam 42 until the base station 8 instructs the device 10 to use a different maximum UL duty cycle, or until any other desired trigger condition occurs.

If desired, the device 10 may suggest or request a particular updated UL duty cycle in response to detecting that the user 50 is at, adjacent to, or proximate to the device 10, as shown in FIG. 4.

Operations

54, 66, 68, and 70 of fig. 4 may be performed by device 10. Operations 72 through 82 of fig. 4 may be performed by base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6.

Operations

52 and 60 of fig. 3 are also performed during these operations of fig. 4, but have been omitted from fig. 4 for clarity.

Once device 10 has detected the presence of user 50 at operation 54, processing may proceed to operation 66 of fig. 4. At operation 66, control circuitry 14 on device 10 may identify a new maximum UL duty cycle for use during subsequent communications that is less than the initial maximum UL duty cycle. The new maximum UL duty cycle may sometimes be referred to herein as a suggested or requested maximum UL duty cycle. The new maximum UL duty cycle may be one that will be low enough to allow the device 10 to continue transmitting UL signals (e.g., using the new maximum UL duty cycle) while still meeting regulatory limits for MPE/SAR, even if there is a user 50.

At operation 68, the device 10 (e.g., the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 and the one or more antennas 30 of fig. 1) may transmit an indicator to the base station 8 identifying the new maximum UL duty cycle. The indicator may comprise a bit or string (series) of bits that identifies the new maximum UL duty cycle. In the example of fig. 4, device 10 transmits the indicator over a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) (e.g., using a PUCCH signal). The device 10 may transmit the indicator, for example, within Uplink Control Information (UCI) carried on PUCCH.

At operation 62, base station 8 may receive the indicator transmitted by device 10 over the PUCCH. In this way, the device 10 may inform the base station 8 and the network 6 that the device needs to reduce its maximum UL duty cycle and a reduced maximum UL duty cycle that would allow the device 10 to continue to comply with regulations regarding RF energy exposure in the presence of the user 50. In response to receiving the indicator, base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 (e.g., the UL scheduler of base station 8) may process the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by the indicator to determine whether using the new maximum UL duty cycle for device 10 will be satisfactory to the network (e.g., taking into account the current traffic load on base station 8 from any other UE devices in cell 40, the load balancing policy of base station 8, etc.).

If the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by device 10 is not satisfactory for network 6, processing may proceed to operation 76 via path 74. At operation 76, base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle for device 10 that is lower than the initial UL duty cycle (e.g., which is supported by base station 8 and would allow base station 8 to continue communicating with device 10 while also accommodating communication with other UE devices in cell 40). Base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 may generate or update UL schedules, e.g., for device 10 and/or other UE devices in cell 40, to achieve/accommodate the updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by device 10.

If the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by device 10 is satisfactory for network 6, processing may proceed from operation 72 via path 78 to operation 80. At operation 80, the base station 8 and/or other portions of the network 6 may set the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by the device 10 to the updated maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., the base station 8 may accept/confirm the new maximum UL duty cycle suggested by the device 10 to allow the device 10 to continue to meet the SAR/MPE limit).

At operation 82, base station 8 may transmit a feedback signal to device 10 (e.g., using the DL resource allocated to the particular device 10, which transmits the indicator to base station 8 at operation 56). The feedback signal may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by the device 10. For example, base station 8 may confirm to device 10 that the new maximum UL duty cycle as identified by device 10 operation 66 has been accepted by the network for subsequent use by device 10 (e.g., using one bit in the feedback signal) or may inform device 10 to use a different maximum UL duty cycle as identified by base station 8 at operation 76 (e.g., using a series of bits in the feedback signal). In the example of fig. 4, the base station 8 transmits the feedback signal over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) (e.g., using a PDCCH signal). Base station 8 may transmit the feedback signal, for example, within Downlink Control Information (DCI) carried on the PDCCH.

At operation 70, device 10 may receive a feedback signal from base station 8 and may begin transmitting UL signals using the updated maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., based on an updated UL schedule generated by base station 8 and/or network 6). Device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle for uplink communications while ensuring that any applicable regulations regarding RF energy exposure are met, since the updated maximum UL duty cycle is lower than the initial maximum UL duty cycle and thus involves less RF energy incident on user 50. Device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle until user 50 is no longer detected at, adjacent to, or proximate to transmit antenna or signal beam 42, until base station 8 instructs device 10 to use a different maximum UL duty cycle, or until any other desired trigger condition occurs.

The examples of fig. 3 and 4 in which device 10 and base station 8 use PUCCH/PDCCH to coordinate dynamic adjustment of the maximum UL duty cycle used by device 10 are merely illustrative. The initial access procedures of device 10 and base station 8 may be used to coordinate dynamic adjustment of the maximum UL duty cycle used by device 10, if desired. For example, device 10 and base station 8 may use a Random Access Channel (RACH) procedure to coordinate dynamic adjustment of the maximum UL duty cycle used by device 10.

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of an illustrative operation involving the use of a RACH procedure to coordinate dynamic adjustment of the maximum UL duty cycle used by device 10. Operations 84 through 90 of fig. 5 may be performed by device 10 while located in cell 40 of corresponding base station 8. Operations 92 through 96 of fig. 5 may be performed by base station 8 in cell 40 in which device 10 is located.

At operation 84, device 10 may begin transmitting UL signals to base station 8 using the initial maximum UL duty cycle. Base station 8 may begin receiving the UL signal transmitted by device 10 using the initial maximum UL duty cycle at operation 92. For example,

operations

84 and 92 may be performed before device 10 has fully accessed and synchronized with network 6. Alternatively,

operations

84 and 92 may be omitted, if desired.

At operation 86, the device 10 may perform a proximity detection operation to determine whether the user 50 is at, adjacent to, or proximate to the active (transmit) antenna 30 and/or the signal beam 42 on the device 10. The proximity detection operation may include, for example, the same proximity detection operation performed at operation 54 of fig. 3 and 4.

When device 10 detects that user 50 is present at, adjacent to, or proximate to one or more of the antennas on device 10 (e.g., the active antenna used to form signal beam 42), processing may proceed to operation 88. At operation 88, the device 10 (e.g., the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 and the one or more antennas 30 of fig. 1) may transmit an indicator to the base station 8 identifying that an RF exposure event has occurred at the device 10 (e.g., an event that the device 10 will begin accumulating SAR/MPE subject to regulatory limits on RF energy exposure). In the example of fig. 5, the device 10 transmits the indicator over a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) (e.g., using a PRACH signal). In other words, the indicator transmitted by the device 10 may be carried on the PRACH. The device 10 may transmit the indicator as a bit or string (series) of bits (e.g., within a PRACH preamble) that identifies that an RF exposure event has occurred.

At operation 94, the base station 8 may receive the indicator transmitted by the device 10 over the PRACH. In this way, device 10 may notify base station 8 and network 6 that the device needs to reduce its maximum UL duty cycle in order to comply with regulations regarding RF energy exposure in the presence of user 50. In response to receiving the indicator, base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 (e.g., the UL scheduler of base station 8) may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle for device 10 that is lower than the initial UL duty cycle. The updated maximum UL duty cycle may be, for example, the maximum UL duty cycle that is supported by base station 8 and that will allow base station 8 to continue communicating with device 10 while also accommodating communication with other UE devices in cell 40. Base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 may generate or update UL schedules, e.g., for device 10 and/or other UE devices in cell 40, to achieve/accommodate the updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by device 10.

At operation 96, base station 8 may transmit a feedback signal to device 10 (e.g., to the particular device 10 transmitting the indicator). The feedback signal may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by the device 10 (e.g., an updated UL schedule or grant for the device 10 may be identified that adapts/implements the updated maximum UL duty cycle). In the example of fig. 5, base station 8 transmits a feedback signal using a Random Access Response (RAR) (e.g., msg2 RAR). In other words, a feedback signal (e.g., information identifying an updated maximum UL duty cycle) may be carried on the RAR.

At operation 90, device 10 may receive a feedback signal from base station 8 and may begin transmitting UL signals using the updated maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., implementing an updated UL schedule or grant generated by base station 8 and/or network 6). Device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle for uplink communications while ensuring that any applicable regulations regarding RF energy exposure are met, since the updated maximum UL duty cycle is lower than the initial maximum UL duty cycle and thus involves less RF energy incident on user 50. The updated maximum UL duty cycle may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as a reduced maximum UL duty cycle. Device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle until user 50 is no longer detected at, adjacent to, or proximate to transmit antenna or signal beam 42, until base station 8 instructs device 10 to use a different maximum UL duty cycle, or until any other desired trigger condition occurs.

If desired, the device 10 may suggest or request a particular updated UL duty cycle in response to detecting that the user 50 is at, adjacent to, or proximate to the device 10, as shown in FIG. 6.

Operations

86 and 100 through 104 of fig. 6 may be performed by device 10. Operations 106 through 116 of fig. 6 may be performed by base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6.

Once device 10 has detected the presence of user 50 at operation 86, processing may proceed to operation 100 of fig. 6. At operation 86, control circuitry 14 on device 10 may identify a new maximum UL duty cycle for use during subsequent communications that is less than the initial maximum UL duty cycle. The new maximum UL duty cycle may sometimes be referred to herein as a suggested or requested maximum UL duty cycle. The new maximum UL duty cycle may be one that will be low enough to allow the device 10 to continue to transmit UL signals (e.g., using the new maximum UL duty cycle) while still meeting regulatory limits on MPE/SAR, even if a user 50 is present.

At operation 102, the device 10 (e.g., the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 and the one or more antennas 30 of fig. 1) may transmit an indicator to the base station 8 identifying a new maximum UL duty cycle. The indicator may comprise a bit or string (series) of bits that identifies the new maximum UL duty cycle. In the example of fig. 6, the device 10 transmits the indicator over a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) (e.g., using a PRACH signal). In other words, the indicator transmitted by the device 10 may be carried on the PRACH.

At operation 106, the base station 8 may receive the indicator transmitted by the device 10 over the PRACH. In this way, the device 10 can inform the base station 8 and the network 6 that the device needs to reduce its maximum UL duty cycle in the presence of the user 50, as well as a reduced maximum UL duty cycle that will allow the device 10 to continue to comply with regulations regarding RF energy exposure. In response to receiving the indicator, base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 (e.g., the UL scheduler of base station 8) may process the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by the indicator to determine whether using the new maximum UL duty cycle for device 10 would be satisfactory to the network (e.g., not unduly interfere with current traffic load on base station 8 from other UE devices in cell 40, base station 8-based load balancing strategies, etc.).

If the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by device 10 is not satisfactory for network 6, processing may proceed to operation 110 via path 108. At operation 110, base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle for device 10 that is lower than the initial UL duty cycle (e.g., that is supported by base station 8 and that will allow base station 8 to continue communicating with device 10 while also accommodating communications with other UE devices in cell 40). Base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 may generate or update UL schedules, e.g., for device 10 and/or other UE devices in cell 40, to achieve/accommodate the updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by device 10.

If the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by device 10 is satisfactory for network 6, processing may proceed from operation 106 via path 112 to operation 114. At operation 114, base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6 may set the new maximum UL duty cycle identified by device 10 to the updated maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., base station 8 may accept/confirm the new maximum UL duty cycle suggested by device 10 to allow device 10 to continue to meet SAR/MPE limits).

At operation 116, base station 8 may transmit a feedback signal to device 10. The feedback signal may identify an updated maximum UL duty cycle to be used by the device 10. In the example of fig. 6, base station 8 transmits a feedback signal using a Random Access Response (RAR) (e.g., msg2 RAR). In other words, a feedback signal (e.g., information identifying an updated maximum UL duty cycle) may be carried on the RAR. For example, base station 8 may confirm to device 10 that the new maximum UL duty cycle as identified by device 10 operation 100 has been accepted by the network for subsequent use by device 10 (e.g., using one bit in the RAR message) or may inform device 10 to use a different maximum UL duty cycle as identified by base station 8 at operation 110 (e.g., using a series of bits in the RAR message).

At operation 104, device 10 may receive a feedback signal from base station 8 and may begin transmitting UL signals using the updated maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., according to an updated UL schedule generated by base station 8 and/or network 6). Device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle for uplink communications while ensuring that any applicable regulations regarding RF energy exposure are met, since the updated maximum UL duty cycle is lower than the initial maximum UL duty cycle and thus involves less RF energy incident on user 50. The device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle until the user 50 is no longer detected at, adjacent to, or proximate to the transmit antenna or signal beam 42 until the base station 8 instructs the device 10 to use a different maximum UL duty cycle, or until any other desired trigger condition occurs.

If desired, device 10 may perform dynamic scaling of the maximum UL duty cycle to keep the RF exposure within regulatory limits (e.g., without using MPR). Device 10 may, for example, calculate the level of RF exposure caused by device 10. The calculation may take into account sensor data collected by sensors on the device 10 (e.g., in the input-output device 18 of fig. 1) that indicate that the user 50 or another external object is present near the transmit antenna on the device. The calculated RF exposure level may include an absolute value and a relative value compared to regulatory RF exposure limits.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram that illustrates how the wireless circuitry 24 on the device 10 may include components for dynamically scaling the maximum UL duty cycle to keep RF exposure within regulatory limits. As shown in fig. 7, the wireless circuitry 24 may include maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136, RF exposure (RFE) level calculation circuitry 132, and an RF exposure limit (rules) database 134. These components may be implemented in hardware (e.g., one or more processors, circuit components, logic gates, diodes, transistors, switches, arithmetic Logic Units (ALUs), registers, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, etc.) and/or software on device 10. Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may also be sometimes referred to herein as maximum UL duty cycle calculation engine 136 or maximum UL duty cycle calculator 136. The RFE level calculation circuit 132 may also sometimes be referred to herein as an RFE level calculation engine 132 or an RFE level calculator 132.

The RF exposure limit database 134 may be coupled to the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 and the RFE level calculation circuit 132 by a control path 138. Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may have an output coupled to 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 (or other transceiver circuitry in device 10) via control path 130. RFE level calculation circuit 132 may have a first output coupled to 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 (or other transceiver circuits in device 10) via control path 128 and may have a second output coupled to maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 via control path 140. The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may be coupled to an antenna 30 via a radio frequency transmission line path 124.

During an UL transmission, the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may transmit an uplink signal UL SIG over the radio frequency transmission line path 124 and antenna 30 (e.g., using a selected/current UL duty cycle ULDC CURR that is less than or equal to a current (e.g., initial) maximum UL duty cycle). The antenna 30 may transmit an uplink signal UL SIG to the base station 8 (e.g., over the wireless link 36). As shown in fig. 7, base station 8 may include an antenna 118, transceiver circuitry 120, and an UL scheduler 122. This example is merely illustrative and UL scheduler 122 may be located or distributed on other parts of network 6, if desired. The antenna 118 may also transmit the DL signal (e.g., over the wireless link 36) to the antenna 30 on the device 10. The antenna 30 may pass the received DL signals to the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 via a radio frequency transmission line path 124.

RF exposure limit database 134 may be hard-coded or soft-coded into device 10 (e.g., in storage circuitry 16 of fig. 1) and may include a database, a data table, or any other desired data structure. The RF exposure limits database 134 may store RF exposure rules associated with operation of the wireless circuitry 24 within different geographic regions. The RF exposure LIMIT database 134 may, for example, store regulatory SAR LIMITs, regulatory MPE LIMITs, and average time periods of SAR LIMITs and MPE LIMITs (sometimes collectively referred to herein as RF exposure LIMITs RFE _ LIMIT) for one or more geographic regions (e.g., countries, continents, states, regions, municipalities, provinces, independent countries, etc.) that enforce regulatory LIMITs on the amount of RF energy exposure allowed by users 50 in the vicinity of the antenna 30. For example, the RF exposure LIMIT database 134 may store a first RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT (e.g., a first SAR LIMIT, a first MPE LIMIT, and/or a first average time period) that regulations in a first country require enforcement, a second RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT (e.g., a second SAR LIMIT, a second MPE LIMIT, and/or a second average time period) that regulations in a second country require enforcement, and so on. The entries of the RF exposure limit database 134 may be stored at the time of manufacture, assembly, testing, and/or calibration of the device 10 and/or may be updated over time during operation of the device 10 (e.g., periodically or in response to a triggering condition such as a software update or detecting that the device 10 has first entered a new country).

If desired, the RF exposure limit database 134 may receive a control signal DEV _ LOC identifying the current location of the device 10 (e.g., from other portions of the control circuit 14 of FIG. 1). The RF exposure LIMIT database 134 may use the control signal DEV _ LOC to identify a specific RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT applicable to the device 10 within the cell 40 (e.g., a specific average time period, SAR LIMIT, and/or MPE LIMIT imposed by the corresponding regulatory authority for the current location of the device 10). The RF exposure LIMIT database 134 may provide the identified RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT to the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 and the RFE level calculation circuit 132 via a control path 138. Control circuit 14 may generate control signal DEV _ LOC based on the current GPS location of device 10, sensor data such as compass or accelerometer data, the location of device 10 as identified by a base station 8 or access point in communication with device 10, and/or any other desired information indicative of the geographic location of device 10. Although RF exposure limit database 134 is sometimes described herein as providing data to other components (e.g., maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 and RFE level calculation circuit 132), one or more processors, memory controllers, or other components may actively access the database, may retrieve stored data from the database, and may pass the retrieved data to other components for corresponding processing.

The RFE level calculation circuit 132 may receive uplink information UL INFO from the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 over control path 126. The uplink information UL INFO may include information identifying the current UL duty cycle, ULDC CURR, used by the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 for transmitting the uplink signal UL SIG, information identifying the modulation scheme and/or modulation order used by the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 for transmitting the uplink signal UL SIG, information identifying the transmission power level and/or maximum transmission power level used by the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 for transmitting the uplink signal UL SIG, information identifying the frequency band used by the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 for transmitting the uplink signal UL SIG, and/or any other desired information associated with the transmission of the uplink signal UL SIG.

The RFE level calculation circuit 132 may also receive sensor data SENS over the control path 126 (e.g., from the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 or from sensors located elsewhere on the device 10). The sensor data SENS may, for example, be sensor data generated by one or more sensors on the device 10 in performing a proximity detection operation (e.g., at operation 54 of fig. 3 and 4 and operation 86 of fig. 5 and 6). The sensor data SENS may thus indicate the presence or absence of a part of the body of the user 50, whether the device 10 is held by the user, whether the device 10 is held to the head of the user, the distance between the user 50 and the device 10, etc.

The RFE level calculation circuit 132 may identify (e.g., generate, produce, calculate, infer, derive, estimate, or operate) a current RF exposure CURR _ RFE that is produced by the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 in transmitting the uplink signal UL _ SIG (e.g., within a corresponding averaging period) based on information contained within the uplink information UL _ INFO received from the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 and based on the sensor data SENS. The current RF exposure CURR _ RFE may depend on the sensor data SENS (e.g., the sensor data SENS indicates that there may be more RF exposure when the user 50 is close to the device 10, holding the device 10 to its head, etc., than when the sensor data indicates that the user 50 is far away from the device 10, not holding the device 10, etc.). The RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132 can also generate (e.g., identify, produce, calculate, infer, derive, estimate, or operate) a current RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL for the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 based on the current RF exposure CURR _ RFE and the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT received from the RF exposure LIMIT database 134. For example, the RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132 may generate the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL using equation 1.

The RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132 can, for example, include logic (e.g., digital logic) such as a multiplier and divider that generates the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL. The RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132 may communicate the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL to the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 via a control path 128. The RFE level calculation circuit 132 may also communicate the current uplink duty cycle ULDC CURR and the current RF exposure CURR RFE from the uplink information UL INFO to the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 via the control path 140.

The maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 may generate (e.g., identify, produce, calculate, infer, derive, estimate, or operate) a new (suggested/requested) maximum uplink duty cycle, ULDC _ CURR, based on the current uplink duty cycle, ULDC _ CURR, (e.g., as received from the RFE level calculation circuit 132), the current RF exposure amount CURR _ RFE, received from the RFE level calculation circuit 132, and the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT, received from the RF exposure LIMIT database 134. Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may generate the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC, for example, using equation 2.

Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may, for example, include logic (e.g., digital logic) such as a multiplier and divider that generates the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC. Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may communicate the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC to 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 over control path 130. The maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC may be a maximum uplink duty cycle that will allow the device 10 to continue to perform UL transmissions while meeting applicable regulatory limits on RF exposure taking into account the current RF exposure and the current UL duty cycle (e.g., without reducing the maximum transmission power level). Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may generate the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC, for example, when processing operation 66 of fig. 4 or operation 100 of fig. 6.

Additionally or alternatively, the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may control (adjust) the UL duty cycle (e.g., the maximum uplink duty cycle) for other purposes, such as optimizing UL throughput for different usage scenarios. The UL throughput depends on the UL duty cycle, the applied modulation scheme (e.g., quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation scheme, quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) schemes such as 16-QAM, 64-QAM, or 256-QAM, etc.), and the transmission power level. In scenarios where the device 10 is relatively close to the base station 8, the highest throughput may be achieved using a relatively high UL duty cycle and a relatively high modulation order, while only a relatively low transmission power level is required. On the other hand, in scenarios where the device 10 is relatively far from the base station 8, the device 10 needs a relatively high transmission power level to close the link, while using a relatively low UL duty cycle and a relatively low modulation order such as QPSK to achieve the highest UL throughput (e.g., in far cell scenarios, reducing the UL duty cycle may increase coverage and throughput).

To this end, maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may estimate the distance between device 10 and base station 8 within cell 40. Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may estimate the distance by measuring the signal strength (e.g., RSSI values) of the DL signal received from base station 8 and/or the path loss associated with the received DL signal (e.g., because greater distances correlate to lower RSSI values and higher path losses). Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may then identify (e.g., generate, operate, calculate, derive, infer, etc.) an optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to be used (e.g., a path loss optimized maximum uplink duty cycle) taking into account an estimated distance or measured path loss between device 10 and base station 8. Although the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC is sometimes referred to herein as the optimal uplink duty cycle, the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC may be the maximum uplink duty cycle that has been optimized to account for, for example, the path loss environment of the device 10 in communication with the base station 8.

If desired, the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 may store a table, such as table 142 of fig. 8, relating different measured path losses PL to corresponding optimal UL duty cycles OPT _ ULDC. The table 142 may be hard or soft coded into the device 10 and may be implemented as a database, a data table, or any other desired data structure. The entries of table 142 may be stored at the time device 10 is manufactured, assembled, tested, and/or calibrated and/or may be updated over time during operation of device 10. As shown in fig. 8, the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 may store an optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC for each measured path loss value PL (e.g., a first optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to be used when the measured path loss has a value PL1, a second optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to be used when the measured path loss has a value PL2, an nth optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to be used when the measured path loss has a value PLN, etc.). The maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may identify the optimal uplink duty cycle to use based on the measured path loss PL (e.g., circuitry 136 may identify that the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC1 should be used when measuring path loss PL1, may identify that the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC2 should be used when measuring path loss PL2, etc.).

Once the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 has identified the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to be used for the current measured path loss, the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may transmit the lower of the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC over the control path 130 to the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28. Transmitting the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC (sometimes referred to herein as the RFE-related UL duty cycle) to the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 when the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC is below the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC may be used to ensure RFE compliance of the device 10. Transmitting the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC (sometimes referred to herein as the path-loss related UL duty cycle or the path-loss related maximum UL duty cycle) when the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC is below the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC may be used to maximize the UL throughput.

The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may transmit the uplink report UL RPT to the base station 8 via the radio frequency transmission line path 124 and the antenna 30. The uplink report UL _ RPT may include the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL and/or the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC generated by the RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132 (or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC generated by the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 when OPT _ ULDC is less than MAX _ ULDC). For example, a reporting entity on the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 (e.g., within baseband circuitry of the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28) or elsewhere in the wireless circuitry 24 (e.g., interposed on the control paths 128 and 130) may generate an uplink report UL RPT containing information identifying the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL and/or the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC (or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC) for transmission by the antenna 30 over the wireless link 36. The uplink report UL RPT may be used as a dynamic report to the network 6 informing the network 6 of the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL generated at the device 10 and/or the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC (or the best uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC) that the device 10 may provide to keep RFE compliant (e.g., in view of the current path loss environment) when MPR is not used.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart of illustrative operations that may be performed by the radio circuitry 24 on the device 10 to generate an uplink report UL RPT to be transmitted to the base station 8 (e.g., to dynamically adjust the UL duty cycle of the device 10 over time or to otherwise ensure that the device 10 is able to meet RFE requirements in view of its current RFE level and path loss environment).

At operation 144, the control circuitry 14 (fig. 1) may identify an RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT (e.g., SAR LIMIT, MPE LIMIT, and/or average time period) enforced on the devices 10 within the cell 40 using the RF exposure LIMIT database 134 (e.g., based on the control signal DEV _ LOC). The RF exposure LIMIT database 134 may communicate the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT to the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 and the RFE level calculation circuit 132 via a control path 138.

At operation 146, the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may begin transmitting an uplink signal UL SIG via antenna 30 using the current (maximum) uplink duty cycle ULDC CURR. The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may generate uplink information UL _ INFO and may transmit the uplink information UL _ INFO to the RFE level calculation circuitry 132 via the control path 126. The uplink information UL _ INFO may identify the current uplink duty cycle ULDC _ CURR and any other information that the RFE level calculation circuit 132 uses to identify the current RF exposure CURR _ RFE.

At operation 148, sensors on the device 10 may generate sensor data SENS and may provide the sensor data SENS to the RFE level calculation circuit 132. Operations 144-148 may be performed in any desired sequence, or two or more (e.g., all) of operations 144-148 may be performed concurrently (e.g., simultaneously) or in a time-interleaved manner, if desired.

At operation 150, the RFE level calculation circuit 132 may identify the current RF exposure CURR _ RFE based on the uplink information UL _ INFO and the sensor data SENS. The RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132 can then generate an RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL based on the current RF exposure CURR _ RFE and the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT (e.g., according to equation 1). The RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132 may communicate the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL to the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 via a control path 128. The RFE level calculation circuit 132 may communicate the current (maximum) uplink duty cycle ULDC _ CURR (e.g., as identified by the uplink information UL _ INFO) and the current RF exposure CURR _ RFE to the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 over a control path 140.

At operation 152, the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 may generate the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC based on the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT, the current (maximum) uplink duty cycle ULDC _ CURR, and the current RF exposure CURR _ RFE (e.g., according to equation 2). Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may also identify (e.g., estimate, compute, derive, calculate, infer, etc.) a path loss between device 10 and base station 8 (e.g., using collected RSSI values or other wireless performance metric values), if desired. Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may then identify (e.g., using table 142 of fig. 8) the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC corresponding to the estimated path loss. The maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may compare the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC with the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC.

If the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC is less than or equal to the optimum uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC, processing may proceed from operation 152 via path 154 to operation 156. At operation 156, the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 may communicate the generated maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC to the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28 over the control path 130.

At operation 158, the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may transmit an uplink report UL RPT via the antenna 30 that includes information identifying the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL (e.g., as generated by the RFE LEVEL calculation circuitry 132) and/or the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX ULDC for subsequent processing by the base station 8 and/or other portions of the network 6.

If the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC is less than the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC, processing may proceed from operation 152 via path 160 to operation 162. At operation 162, the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuit 136 may communicate the identified optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC over the control path 130 to the 5G NR transceiver circuit 28.

At operation 164, the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may transmit an uplink report UL RPT via the antenna 30 that includes information identifying the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL (e.g., as generated by the RFE LEVEL calculation circuitry 132) and/or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT ULDC for subsequent processing by the base station 8 and/or other portions of the network 6.

The example of fig. 9 is merely illustrative. Maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136 may forgo identifying the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC, if desired. In these examples, the comparison at operation 152 may be omitted and

operations

162 and 164 may be omitted (e.g., processing may proceed directly from operation 152 to operation 156). If desired, the device 10 may transmit the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL only within the uplink report UL RPT (e.g., without reporting MAX _ ULDC or OPT _ ULDC). In these examples, operations 152 through 164 may be omitted and device 10 may transmit an uplink report UL _ RPT at operation 150. If desired, the device 10 may transmit MAX _ ULDC or OPT _ ULDC only within the uplink report UL _ RPT (e.g., without reporting RFE _ LEVEL).

If desired, the 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may transmit the uplink report UL _ RPT using MAC CE element signaling (e.g., MAC CE element signaling may be extended to report the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL and/or the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC). If desired, the device 10 may transmit the uplink report UL _ RPT to the base station 8 once when starting communication with the base station 8 and may then transmit a subsequent uplink report UL _ RPT each time the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL and/or the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC (or the optimum uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC) changes to a different value.

The 5G NR transceiver circuitry 28 may, for example, transmit the uplink report UL RPT as an indicator within the MAC CE element. The indicator may include a first indicator identifying the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL and/or a second indicator identifying the maximum UL duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal UL duty cycle OPT _ ULDC. Each indicator may comprise, for example, a bit sequence/series. As one example, the first indicator may be a 3-bit indicator. The second indicator may be a 3-bit indicator or a 4-bit indicator. These examples are merely illustrative, and in general, each indicator may have any desired number of bits.

Fig. 10 shows a table 166, which illustrates one example of how the first indicator may be a 3-bit indicator for identifying different RF exposure LEVELs RFE LEVEL to the base station 8. As shown in fig. 10, the first indicator may have a first value (e.g., "0") when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL is at a first value (e.g., when the RF exposure LEVEL is less than or equal to 25% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT), a second value (e.g., "1") when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL is at a second value that is greater than the first value (e.g., when the RF exposure LEVEL is 50% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT), a third value (e.g., "2") when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL is at a third value that is greater than the second value (e.g., when the RF exposure LEVEL is 75% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT), a fourth value that is greater than the third value (e.g., has a fourth value (e.g., "3") when the RF exposure LEVEL is at 100% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT, has a fifth value (e.g., "4") when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL is at a fifth value that is greater than the fourth value (e.g., when the RF exposure LEVEL is at 150% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT), has a sixth value (e.g., "5") when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL is at a sixth value that is greater than the fifth value (e.g., when the RF exposure LEVEL is at 200% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT), has a seventh value (e.g., "6") when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL is at a seventh value that is greater than the sixth value (e.g., when the RF exposure LEVEL is at 300% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT), or has an eighth value that is greater than the seventh value (e.g., when the RF exposure level is greater than or equal to 400% relative to the RF exposure LIMIT RFE _ LIMIT) has an eighth value (e.g., "7"). This example is merely illustrative, and in general, each value of the first indicator may correspond to any desired RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL or may correspond to a range of RF exposure LEVELs RFE _ LEVEL (e.g., where the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL is rounded to the nearest value or nearest larger value in the second row of the table 166). For example, if device 10 generates 55% RFE _ LEVEL, the MAC CE may be provided with a first indicator value of either "1" (which is the value in table 166 closest to 55%) or "2" (which is the larger value in table 166 closest to 55%). For example, rounding to the nearest larger value may allow the device 10 to have greater confidence that the RFE limit will be met. In general, the first indicator may include any desired number of bits to report the RF exposure level at any desired granularity.

Fig. 11 shows a table 168, which shows one example of how the second indicator may be a 3-bit indicator for identifying a different maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or an optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to the base station 8. As shown in fig. 11, the first indicator may have a first value (e.g., "0") when the (new/suggested/requested) uplink duty cycle (e.g., the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC) is 5%, a second value when the uplink duty cycle is 10%, a third value when the uplink duty cycle is 15%, etc.

Fig. 12 shows a table 170, which illustrates one example of how the second indicator may be a 4-bit indicator (e.g., with a finer granularity than the 3-bit example of fig. 11) for identifying a different maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or an optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to the base station 8. As shown in fig. 12, the first indicator may have a first value (e.g., "0") when the (new/suggested/requested) uplink duty cycle (e.g., the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC) is 5%, a second value when the uplink duty cycle is 7.5%, a third value when the uplink duty cycle is 10%, etc. In tables 168 and 170, a UL duty cycle of 100% corresponds to UL transmission by device 10 in all UL slots. The examples of fig. 11 and 12 are merely illustrative, and in general, each value of the second indicator may correspond to any desired uplink duty cycle having any desired roughness. In general, the second indicator may include any desired number of bits to report the RF exposure level at any desired granularity.

Fig. 13 is a flow diagram of illustrative operations involved in reporting the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL to the base station 8 using the MAC CE to allow the base station 8 to adjust the UL duty cycle of the device 10 or otherwise help ensure that the device 10 meets RFE regulations. Operations 172 through 176 of fig. 13 may be performed by device 10.

Operations

178 and 180 of fig. 13 may be performed by base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6.

At operation 172, the device 10 may transmit an uplink signal UL SIG using the current maximum uplink duty cycle ULDC CURR. The device 10 may collect sensor data SENS for performing proximity detection operations. The device 10 may begin generating an uplink report, such as an uplink report UL RPT. The uplink report UL RPT may include information identifying the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL generated by the uplink signal UL SIG. Once device 10 has detected that an external object (e.g., user 50) is at, adjacent to, or in proximity to a transmitting antenna on device 10 (e.g., while performing a proximity detection operation), this may indicate a potential RFE event and processing may proceed to operation 174. The detection of an external object during a proximity detection operation may sometimes be referred to herein as the detection of an RFE event at the device 10. This example is merely illustrative, and in general, processing may proceed to operation 174 in response to any desired trigger condition. As an example, processing may proceed to operation 174 in response to a decrease in UL transmission power (e.g., associated with device 10 being in close proximity to a base station), in response to detecting device 10 being a predetermined distance from base station 8 or in a predetermined path loss condition (e.g., based on a path loss value generated at device 10, wireless performance metric data collected at device 10, etc.), and/or the like. In other words, detecting the proximity of an external object 46 or user need not be a trigger condition to initiate dynamic adjustment of the UL duty cycle and to coordinate the UL duty cycle with the network.

At operation 174, the device 10 may transmit the uplink report UL _ RPT to the base station 8 through the MAC CE. The uplink report UL RPT may, for example, include a first indicator that identifies the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL generated by the device 10 (e.g., at the time of processing operation 172).

At operation 178, the base station 8 may receive an uplink report UL _ RPT from the device 10. UL scheduler 122 (fig. 7) may generate an updated UL schedule for the particular UE device (device 10) transmitting the uplink report based on the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL identified by the first indicator in the uplink report UL RPT. The updated UL schedule may include restrictions on the UL schedule for device 10 (e.g., in the time domain) such that the updated UL schedule identifies/implements an updated maximum UL duty cycle for device 10 that is smaller than the current maximum uplink duty cycle ULDC CURR. If the current maximum UL duty cycle ULDC CURR includes UL transmissions during each time slot within a given time period, the updated maximum UL duty cycle may grant UL transmissions to device 10, for example, during 75% of the time slots within the given time period, 50% of the time slots within the given time period, etc.

At operation 180, base station 8 may transmit a feedback signal to apparatus 10 (e.g., over the PDCCH), the feedback signal including an uplink GRANT, such as the uplink GRANT UL GRANT of fig. 7. The uplink GRANT UL GRANT may instruct the device 10 to perform subsequent communications according to its updated UL schedule (e.g., an updated maximum UL duty cycle achieved using the updated UL schedule).

At operation 176, the device 10 may receive a feedback signal and an uplink GRANT UL GRANT from the base station 8. The device 10 may then begin transmitting an uplink signal UL SIG in accordance with an uplink GRANT UL GRANT (e.g., in accordance with the updated UL schedule of the device 10). The uplink GRANT UL GRANT may configure the device 10 to transmit the uplink signal UL SIG using the updated maximum UL duty cycle (e.g., by performing UL transmissions within time slots granted to the device 10 in accordance with the updated UL schedule of the device 10). In this way, the device 10 may continue to perform UL transmissions while meeting regulatory limits on RF energy exposure without reducing transmission power levels.

The apparatus 10 may continue to generate the RF exposure value RFE _ LEVEL during the processing of

operations

174 and 176. The device 10 may continue to use the updated maximum UL duty cycle for uplink transmissions until the device 10 (e.g., the RFE LEVEL calculation circuit 132) identifies that there is a change in the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL. Once there is a change in the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL, the device 10 may generate a new uplink report UL _ RPT identifying the new RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL and the process may loop back to operation 174 via path 182 to report the new RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL to the base station 8 (e.g., using the new uplink report UL _ RPT). The base station 8 may then adapt to changes in RF exposure LEVEL (e.g., by authorizing an increased maximum UL duty cycle to the device 10 when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL decreases and/or authorizing a decreased maximum UL duty cycle to the device when the RF exposure LEVEL RFE _ LEVEL increases).

The example of fig. 13 is merely illustrative. The handshaking procedure of

operations

180 and 176 is not necessary and

operations

180 and 176 may be omitted if desired. In these examples, the UL scheduler may simply begin performing communications according to an updated UL schedule that effectively configures the device 10 to achieve an updated maximum duty cycle without having to acknowledge changes to the device 10 in a separate DL transmission (feedback signal). In addition to or instead of the change in UL duty cycle, the network may schedule other changes, if desired, such as a change in the UL modulation scheme used by device 10 and/or the MPR for device 10, in order to allow device 10 to comply with RFE regulations while performing communication at a satisfactory UL throughput in view of the current path loss environment of device 10.

Fig. 14 is a flowchart of exemplary operations involving reporting the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimum uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to the base station 8 using the MAC CE to instruct the base station 8 to adjust the UL duty cycle of the device 10 to the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimum uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC.

Operations

172, 184, and 186 of fig. 14 may be performed by device 10.

Operations

188 and 190 of fig. 14 may be performed by base station 8 and/or other portions of network 6.

At operation 172, the device 10 may transmit an uplink signal UL SIG using the current maximum uplink duty cycle ULDC CURR. The device 10 may collect sensor data SENS for performing proximity detection operations. The device 10 may begin generating an uplink report, such as an uplink report UL RPT. The uplink report UL _ RPT may comprise information identifying the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC. Once device 10 has detected that an external object (e.g., user 50) is at, adjacent to, or proximate to a transmit antenna on device 10, this may indicate a potential RFE event and processing may proceed to operation 184. This example is merely illustrative, and in general, processing may proceed to operation 184 in response to any desired trigger condition. As an example, processing may proceed to operation 184 in response to a decrease in UL transmission power (e.g., associated with device 10 being in close proximity to a base station), in response to detecting device 10 being a predetermined distance from base station 8 or in a predetermined path loss condition (e.g., based on a path loss value generated at device 10, wireless performance metric data collected at device 10, etc.), and/or the like. In other words, detecting the proximity of an external object 46 or user need not be a trigger condition to initiate dynamic adjustment of the UL duty cycle and to coordinate the UL duty cycle with the network.

At operation 184, the device 10 may transmit the uplink report UL _ RPT to the base station 8 through the MAC CE. The uplink report UL RPT may, for example, include a second indicator that identifies the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC identified by the device 10 (e.g., as generated at the time of process operation 172).

At operation 188, the base station 8 may receive an uplink report UL _ RPT from the device 10. UL scheduler 122 (fig. 7) may generate an updated UL schedule for the particular UE device (device 10) transmitting the uplink report based on the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC identified by the second indicator in the uplink report UL _ RPT. The updated UL schedule may include restrictions on the UL schedule of device 10 (e.g., in the time domain) such that the updated UL schedule identifies/achieves the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC as identified/requested by device 10.

If desired, base station 8 (e.g., UL scheduler 122) may determine whether base station 8 and/or network 6 can limit UL scheduling of device 10 to achieve the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC (e.g., by determining whether the newly proposed uplink duty cycle is compatible with the capabilities of base station 8, whether the newly proposed uplink duty cycle may be used without unduly burdening communications for other UE devices in cell 40, whether load balancing within cell 40 will support the newly proposed uplink duty cycle, etc.). If base station 8 or network 6 is unable to limit the UL scheduling of device 10 to achieve the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC, the updated UL scheduling of device 10 may require that the maximum transmission power level (e.g., MPR) of device 10 be reduced without changing the UL duty cycle of device 10.

At operation 190, the base station 8 may transmit a feedback signal to the device 10 (e.g., over PDCCH) comprising an uplink GRANT, such as the uplink GRANT UL GRANT of fig. 7. The uplink GRANT UL GRANT may instruct the device 10 to perform subsequent communications according to its updated UL schedule (e.g., using the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC requested/proposed by the device 10). If the base station 8 or the network 6 is not able to limit the UL scheduling of the device 10 to achieve the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC, the uplink GRANT UL _ GRANT may instruct the device 10 to perform subsequent communications using the current maximum uplink duty cycle ULDC _ CURR and MPR.

At operation 186, the apparatus 10 may receive a feedback signal and an uplink GRANT UL GRANT from the base station 8. The device 10 may then begin transmitting an uplink signal UL SIG in accordance with an uplink GRANT UL GRANT (e.g., in accordance with the updated UL schedule of the device 10). The uplink GRANT UL GRANT may configure the device 10 to transmit the uplink signal UL SIG using the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC. If the base station 8 or the network 6 is not able to limit the UL scheduling of the device 10 to achieve the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC, the uplink GRANT UL _ GRANT may configure the device 10 to transmit uplink signals using the current uplink duty cycles ULDC _ CURR and MPR. In this way, the device 10 may continue to perform UL transmissions while meeting regulatory limits on RF energy exposure. Further, by identifying the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC in the uplink report UL _ RPT when the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC is less than the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC (e.g., when processing operation 152 of fig. 9), the device 10 may maximize its UL throughput regardless of the distance between the device 10 and the base station 8 within the cell 40.

The device 10 may continue to produce the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimum uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC during the processing of

operations

174 and 176. The device 10 may continue to use the maximum UL duty cycle authorized in the uplink GRANT UL GRANT until the device 10 (e.g., the maximum UL duty cycle calculation circuitry 136) identifies that there is a change in the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC. Once there is a change in the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC, the device 10 may generate a new uplink report UL _ RPT identifying the new maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC and the process may loop back to operation 184 via path 192 to report the new maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC to the base station 8 (e.g., using the new uplink report UL _ RPT). The base station 8 may then adapt to the change in the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimum uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC requested by the device 10.

The example of fig. 14 is merely illustrative. The handshaking procedure of

operations

190 and 186 is not necessary and

operations

190 and 186 may be omitted if desired. In these examples, the UL scheduler may simply begin performing communications according to an updated UL schedule that effectively configures the device 10 to implement MAX _ ULDC or OPT _ ULDC without having to acknowledge changes to the device 10 in a separate DL transmission (feedback signal). In addition to or instead of the change in UL duty cycle, the network may schedule other changes, if desired, such as a change in the UL modulation scheme used by device 10 and/or the MPR for device 10, in order to allow device 10 to comply with RFE regulations while performing communication at a satisfactory UL throughput in view of the current path loss environment of device 10.

The examples of fig. 13 and 14 may be combined if desired (e.g., by including both a first indicator identifying the RF exposure LEVEL RFE LEVEL and a second indicator identifying the maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or the optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC in the uplink report UL _ RPT transmitted by the MAC CE). In these examples, when the network is able to accommodate, base station 8 may allocate to device 10 an updated maximum UL duty cycle as generated at base station 8 or equal to maximum uplink duty cycle MAX _ ULDC or optimal uplink duty cycle OPT _ ULDC. If the network cannot accommodate any change in the maximum UL duty cycle, the base station 8 may instruct the device 10 to perform MPR without adjusting the duty cycle to ensure that the device 10 can continue to meet the RFE specification.

The methods and operations described above in connection with fig. 1-14 may be performed by components of apparatus 10 and/or base station 8 using software, firmware, and/or hardware (e.g., dedicated circuitry or hardware). The software code for performing these operations may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a tangible computer-readable storage medium) that is stored on one or more of the components of the device 10 (e.g., the storage circuitry 20 of fig. 1). The software code may sometimes be referred to as software, data, instructions, program instructions, or code. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may include a drive, non-volatile memory such as non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), a removable flash drive or other removable media, other types of random access memory, and so forth. The software stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be executed by processing circuitry (e.g., processing circuitry 22 of fig. 1, etc.) on one or more of the components of device 10 and/or base station 8. The processing circuit may include a microprocessor, central Processing Unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuit with processing circuit, or other processing circuit.

Device 10 may collect and/or use personally identifiable information. It is well known that the use of personally identifiable information should comply with privacy policies and practices that are recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of inadvertent or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be explicitly stated to the user.

For one or more aspects, at least one of the components illustrated in one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to perform one or more operations, techniques, processes, or methods as described in example portions below. For example, the baseband circuitry described above in connection with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the following examples. As another example, circuitry associated with a UE, base station, network element, etc., as described above in connection with one or more of the preceding figures, can be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the following examples illustrated in the examples section.

Examples

In the following sections, further exemplary aspects are provided.

Embodiment 1 comprises a method of operating a user equipment to communicate with a wireless base station, the method comprising: determining a preferred Uplink (UL) duty cycle for use by the user equipment in transmitting uplink signals to the wireless base station; generating a message identifying the preferred UL duty cycle; and transmitting the message to the wireless base station.

Embodiment 2 includes a method as in embodiment 1 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein determining the preferred UL duty cycle comprises determining the preferred UL duty cycle based at least on a path loss between the user equipment and the wireless base station.

Embodiment 3 includes the method of

embodiment

1 or 2 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein determining the preferred UL duty cycle includes determining the preferred UL duty cycle based at least on a transmission power level of the user equipment.

Embodiment 4 includes the method of any one of embodiments 1 to 3 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein determining the preferred UL duty cycle includes determining the preferred UL duty cycle based at least on detection of a Radio Frequency Exposure (RFE) event at the user equipment.

Embodiment 5 includes a method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: a radio frequency exposure event associated with the presence of an external object proximate to the user equipment is detected.

Embodiment 6 includes a method according to embodiment 5 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: in response to detecting the radio frequency exposure event, determining an additional preferred UL duty cycle for use by the user equipment in transmitting uplink signals to the wireless base station; generating an additional message identifying the additional preferred UL duty cycle; and transmitting the additional message to the wireless base station.

Embodiment 7 includes the method of any one of embodiments 1 to 6 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the message to the wireless base station includes transmitting the message over a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).

Embodiment 8 includes a method according to embodiment 7 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal from the wireless base station over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), the feedback signal indicating that the wireless base station accepts the preferred UL duty cycle for the user equipment.

Embodiment 9 includes the method of any one of embodiments 1 to 6 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the message to the wireless base station includes transmitting the message over a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH).

Embodiment 10 includes a method according to embodiment 9 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a Random Access Response (RAR) from the wireless base station, the RAR instructing the wireless base station to accept the preferred UL duty cycle for the user equipment.

Embodiment 11 includes the method of any one of embodiments 1 to 6 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the message to the wireless base station includes transmitting the message in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

Embodiment 12 includes a method according to embodiment 11 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal from the wireless base station over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), the feedback signal instructing the wireless base station to accept the preferred UL duty cycle for the user equipment.

Embodiment 13 includes a method of operating a user equipment to communicate with a wireless base station, the method comprising: wirelessly transmitting an indicator to the wireless base station, the indicator indicating that the user equipment requests an updated maximum Uplink (UL) duty cycle for use by the user equipment during a subsequent UL transmission; and transmitting a UL signal to the wireless base station using the updated maximum UL duty cycle after transmitting the indicator to the wireless base station.

Embodiment 14 includes the method of embodiment 13 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein wirelessly transmitting the indicator includes wirelessly transmitting the indicator in response to detecting a Radio Frequency Exposure (RFE) event associated with presence of an external object in proximity to the user equipment, and wherein the indicator identifies that the user equipment has detected the RFE event.

Embodiment 15 includes the method of embodiment 14 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies an RFE level generated by the user equipment when transmitting the first UL signal.

Embodiment 16 includes a method as in embodiment 15 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises one or more bits in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

Embodiment 17 includes a method according to embodiment 16 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal identifying the updated maximum UL duty cycle from the wireless base station over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Embodiment 18 includes the method of embodiment 16 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises a 3-bit indicator.

Embodiment 19 includes the method of embodiment 14 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator includes transmitting the indicator over a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).

Embodiment 20 includes the method of embodiment 19 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator over the PUCCH includes transmitting the indicator as one or more bits in Uplink Control Information (UCI) of the PUCCH.

Embodiment 21 includes a method according to embodiment 19 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal identifying the updated maximum UL duty cycle from the wireless base station via a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Embodiment 22 includes the method of claim 21 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the feedback signal includes one or more bits in Downlink Control Information (DCI) of the PDCCH.

Embodiment 23 includes the method of embodiment 14 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator includes transmitting the indicator over a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH).

Embodiment 24 includes a method according to embodiment 23 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: a Random Access Response (RAR) is received from the wireless base station identifying the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 25 includes a method according to embodiment 14 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: in response to detecting the RFE event, a suggested maximum UL duty cycle is identified that allows the user equipment to meet a predetermined limit for RFE.

Embodiment 26 includes the method of embodiment 13 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies the recommended maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 27 includes a method according to embodiment 26 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal from the wireless base station identifying that the wireless base station has accepted the user equipment to use the suggested maximum UL duty cycle as the updated maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 28 includes the method of embodiment 27 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator comprises transmitting the indicator over a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) and wherein receiving the feedback signal comprises receiving the feedback signal over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Embodiment 29 includes the method of embodiment 27 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator includes transmitting the indicator over a Random Access Channel (RACH) and wherein receiving the feedback signal includes receiving a Random Access Response (RAR).

Embodiment 30 includes the method of embodiment 27 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator includes transmitting the indicator in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) and wherein receiving the feedback signal includes receiving the feedback signal over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Embodiment 31 includes a method according to embodiment 26 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal from the wireless base station identifying the updated maximum UL duty cycle, wherein the suggested maximum UL duty cycle is different from the updated maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 32 includes the method of embodiment 31 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator comprises transmitting the indicator over a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) and wherein receiving the feedback signal comprises receiving the feedback signal over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Embodiment 33 includes the method of embodiment 31 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator includes transmitting the indicator over a Random Access Channel (RACH) and wherein receiving the feedback signal includes receiving a Random Access Response (RAR).

Embodiment 34 includes the method of embodiment 31 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein transmitting the indicator includes transmitting the indicator in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) and wherein receiving the feedback signal includes receiving the feedback signal over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Embodiment 35 includes the method of embodiment 26 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of bits in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

Embodiment 36 includes a method according to embodiment 35 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal from the wireless base station over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), the feedback signal identifying that the wireless base station has accepted the user equipment to use the suggested maximum UL duty cycle as the updated maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 37 includes a method as described in embodiment 35 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: receiving a feedback signal from the wireless base station over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) identifying the updated maximum UL duty cycle, wherein the updated maximum UL duty cycle is different from the recommended maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 38 includes the method of embodiment 35 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises a 3-bit indicator.

Embodiment 39 includes the method of embodiment 35 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises a 4-bit indicator.

Embodiment 40 includes a method as in embodiment 13 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the updated maximum UL duty cycle is less than an initial maximum UL duty cycle used by the user equipment for UL transmission prior to transmitting the indicator.

Embodiment 41 includes a method of operating a radio base station within a cell, the method comprising: receiving an Uplink (UL) signal transmitted by a user equipment device in the cell using a first maximum UL duty cycle; wirelessly receiving an indicator transmitted by the user equipment device; and generating an UL schedule for the user equipment device based on the indicator, the UL schedule implementing a second maximum UL duty cycle that is less than the first maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 42 includes the method of embodiment 41 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises one or more bits transmitted by the user equipment device over a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).

Embodiment 43 includes a method as described in embodiment 42 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: transmitting a feedback signal to the user equipment device over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), wherein the feedback signal instructs the user equipment device to transmit an additional UL signal at the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 44 includes the method of embodiment 43 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 45 includes the method of embodiment 43 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies a third maximum UL duty cycle that is different from the first maximum UL duty cycle and different from the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 46 includes the method of embodiment 41 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises one or more bits transmitted by the user equipment device over a Random Access Channel (RACH).

Embodiment 47 includes a method as described in embodiment 46 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: transmitting a Random Access Response (RAR) to the user equipment device, wherein the RAR instructs the user equipment device to transmit an additional UL signal at the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 48 includes the method of embodiment 47 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 49 includes the method of embodiment 47 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies a third maximum UL duty cycle that is different from the first maximum UL duty cycle and different from the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 50 includes the method of embodiment 41 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator comprises one or more bits transmitted by the user equipment device in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

Embodiment 51 includes a method as described in embodiment 50 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: transmitting a feedback signal to the user equipment device over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), wherein the feedback signal instructs the user equipment device to transmit an additional UL signal at the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 52 includes the method of embodiment 51 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 53 includes a method as described in embodiment 52 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, further comprising: determining whether the wireless base station can support the second maximum UL duty cycle; generating the UL schedule when the wireless base station can support the second maximum UL duty cycle; and instructing the user equipment device to perform a maximum transmission power reduction when the wireless base station cannot support the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 54 includes the method of embodiment 51 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator identifies a third maximum UL duty cycle that is different from the first maximum UL duty cycle and different from the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 55 includes a method as in embodiment 41 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the indicator includes a Radio Frequency Exposure (RFE) level that the user equipment device produces when transmitting the UL signal using the first maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 56 includes an electronic device operable in an environment including a wireless base station, comprising: one or more antennas; one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data indicative of a proximity of an external object to the one or more antennas; a transceiver configured to transmit Uplink (UL) signals using a first maximum UL duty cycle through the one or more antennas; and one or more processors configured to generate a Radio Frequency Exposure (RFE) level based at least on the sensor data and the first maximum UL duty cycle, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit information identifying the RFE level to the wireless base station.

Embodiment 57 includes the electronic device of embodiment 56 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: identifying a current amount of RFE based at least on the sensor data and the first maximum UL duty cycle; and generating the RFE level based on the current RFE amount and a predetermined RFE limit.

Embodiment 58 includes the electronic device of embodiment 57 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: generating a second maximum UL duty cycle different from the first maximum UL duty cycle based at least on the predetermined RFE limit, the current RFE amount, and the first maximum UL duty cycle, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit information identifying the second maximum UL duty cycle to the wireless base station.

Embodiment 59 includes the electronic device of embodiment 58 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: identifying a path loss between the electronic device and the wireless base station; and generating a third maximum UL duty cycle different from the first maximum UL duty cycle and the second maximum UL duty cycle based at least on the path loss between the electronic device and the wireless base station.

Embodiment 60 includes an electronic device according to embodiment 59 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the transceiver is configured to: transmitting the third maximum UL duty cycle to the wireless base station when the third maximum UL duty cycle is lower than the second maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 61 includes the electronic device of embodiment 56 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein after transmitting the information identifying the RFE level, the transceiver is configured to receive an uplink grant from the wireless base station, the uplink grant instructing the transceiver to transmit an additional UL signal through the one or more antennas using a second maximum UL duty cycle that is less than the first maximum UL duty cycle.

Embodiment 62 includes the electronic device of embodiment 56 or some other embodiment or combination of embodiments herein, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the information identifying the RFE level using a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE).

Embodiment 63 may include an apparatus comprising means for performing one or more elements of a method according to or related to any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof, or any other method or process described herein.

Embodiment 64 may include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform one or more elements of a method according to or related to any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof, or any other method or process described herein.

Embodiment 65 may include an apparatus comprising logic, modules, or circuitry to perform one or more elements of a method according to or related to any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof, or any other method or process described herein.

Embodiment 66 may include a method, technique, or process, or a portion or component thereof, according to or in connection with any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 67 may include an apparatus comprising: one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, technique or process according to or related to any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 68 may include a signal, or a portion or component thereof, according to or in connection with any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 69 may include datagrams, information elements, packets, frames, segments, PDUs, or messages, or portions or components thereof, or otherwise described in this disclosure, in accordance with or in connection with any of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 70 may include a signal encoded with data, or a portion or component thereof, as described in or relating to any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof, or otherwise described in this disclosure.

Embodiment 71 may include a signal encoded with a datagram, IE, packet, frame, segment, PDU, or message, or a portion or component thereof, or otherwise described in this disclosure, as described in or relating to any one of embodiments 1 through 62, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 72 may include an electromagnetic signal carrying computer readable instructions, wherein execution of the computer readable instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform a method, technique, or process, or a portion thereof, according to or in connection with any one of embodiments 1-62, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 73 may include a computer program comprising instructions, wherein execution of the program by a processing element causes the processing element to perform a method, technique or process according to any one of embodiments 1 to 62 or associated therewith or any combination thereof, or part thereof.

Embodiment 74 may include signals in a wireless network as shown and described herein.

Embodiment 75 may include a method of communicating in a wireless network as shown and described herein.

Embodiment 76 may include a system for providing wireless communication as shown and described herein.

Embodiment 77 may include an apparatus for providing wireless communication as shown and described herein.

Any of the above examples may be combined with any other example (or combination of examples) unless explicitly stated otherwise. The foregoing description of one or more specific implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the various aspects to the precise form disclosed.

The foregoing is merely exemplary and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented independently or in any combination.

Claims

1. An electronic device operable in an environment including a wireless base station, the electronic device comprising:

one or more antennas;

one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data indicative of a proximity of an external object to the one or more antennas; and

a transceiver configured to transmit, through the one or more antennas, UL signals using a first maximum Uplink (UL) duty cycle and configured to transmit, to the wireless base station, information identifying an RFE level based on the sensor data and the first maximum UL duty cycle.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the RFE level is based on a current RFE amount and a predetermined RFE limit.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the current amount of RFE is based on the sensor data and the first maximum UL duty cycle.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit information to the wireless base station identifying a second maximum UL duty cycle that is different from the first maximum UL duty cycle and that is based on the predetermined RFE limit, the current RFE amount, and the first maximum UL duty cycle.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit information to the wireless base station identifying a third maximum UL duty cycle that is different from the first maximum UL duty cycle and the second maximum UL duty cycle, the third maximum UL duty cycle based on a path loss between the electronic device and the wireless base station.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the information identifying the third maximum UL duty cycle to the wireless base station when the third maximum UL duty cycle is lower than the second maximum UL duty cycle.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, after transmitting the information identifying the RFE level, the transceiver is configured to receive an uplink grant from the wireless base station, the uplink grant instructing the transceiver to transmit an additional UL signal through the one or more antennas using a second maximum UL duty cycle that is less than the first maximum UL duty cycle.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the information identifying the RFE level using a media access control element (MAC CE).

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the MAC CE includes a 3-bit or 4-bit indicator.

10. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

generating, with one or more sensors, sensor data indicative of a proximity of an external object to one or more antennas of the electronic device; and

transmitting, with a transmitter, an UL signal using the one or more antennas and a first maximum Uplink (UL) duty cycle, wherein the UL signal includes information identifying an RFE level associated with the one or more antennas.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the RFE level is based on the sensor data and the first maximum UL duty cycle.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the RFE level is based on a current RFE amount and a predetermined RFE limit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the current amount of RFE is based on the sensor data and the first maximum UL duty cycle.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, with the transmitter, information to the wireless base station using the one or more antennas identifying a second maximum UL duty cycle, the second maximum UL duty cycle different from the first maximum UL duty cycle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second maximum UL duty cycle is based on the predetermined RFE limit, a current RFE amount, and the first maximum UL duty cycle.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting, with the transmitter, information identifying a third maximum UL duty cycle to the wireless base station using the one or more antennas when the third maximum UL duty cycle is lower than the second maximum UL duty cycle, the third maximum UL duty cycle being different from the first maximum UL duty cycle and the second maximum UL duty cycle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third maximum UL duty cycle is based on a path loss between the electronic device and the wireless base station.

18. A method of operating a wireless base station, the method comprising:

receiving, with one or more antennas, information identifying an RFE level in an uplink, UL, signal transmitted by an electronic device; and

transmitting, with the one or more antennas, a Downlink (DL) signal to the electronic device, the DL signal comprising an uplink grant for the electronic device based on the RFE level.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the uplink grant includes a maximum UL duty cycle for the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the maximum UL duty cycle comprises a maximum UL duty cycle identified by an UL signal transmitted by the electronic device.