OA21084A - Advertising extensible capability feature sets for a user equipment (UE). - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments include methods for a user equipment (UE) to advertise capabilities to a network node in a radio access network. Embodiments include transmitting, to the network node, information describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE. The information can include one or more InitialFeatureLists and one or more ExtensionFeatureLists, with each each ExtensionFeatureList being associated with a particular InitialFeatureList. Embodiments also include transmitting, to the network node, one or more BandCombination elements, each of which includes: a list of frequency bands in which the UE is concurrently operable; a FeatureSetCombination element identifying features supported by the UE within each frequency band included in the list. Some embodiments can also include receiving, from the network node, a configuration (e.g., for dual connectivity and/or carrier aggregation) based on the information describing a plurality of feature sets and the BandCombination elements. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a network node.

Description

ADVERTISING EXTENSIBLE CAPABILITY FEATURE SETS FOR A USER EQUIPMENT (UE)

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of wireless communications, and more specifically to techniques that enable a wireless device to advertise its supported features and/or capabilities to a wireless network, thereby facilitatîng interoperability between the device and the network.

BACKGROUND

Generally, ail terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning îs clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. Ail references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to ai least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not hâve to be perfonned in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or précédé another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features, and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is an umbrella term for so-called fourth-generation (4G) radio access technologies developed within the Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and initially standardized in Releases 8 and 9, also known as Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN). LTE is targeted at various licensed frequency bands and is accompanied by improvements to non-radio aspects commonly referred to as System Architecture Evolution (SAE), which includes Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network. LTE continues to evolve through subséquent releases that are developed according to standards-setting processes with 3GPP and its working groups (WGs), including the Radio Access Network (RAN) WG, and sub-working groups (e.g., RANl, RAN2, etc.).

In LTE, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol is used to configure, setup, and maîntain the radio connection between the user equipment (UE) and the base station, known as the evolved Node B (eNB). When the UE receives an RRC message from the eNB, it will apply the configuration (also referred to herein as “compile the configuration”), and if this succeeds the l

UE generales an RRC complété message that indicates the transaction ID of the message that triggered this response.

Since LTE Release 8, three Signaling Radio Bearers (SRBs), namely SRBO, SRBl and SRB2 hâve been available for the transport of RRC and Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages between the UE and eNB. A new SRB, known as SRBlbis, was also introduced in rel-13 for supporting DoNAS (Data Over NAS) in NB-IoT.

SRBO carries RRC messages using the CCCH logical channel, and it is used for handling RRC connection setup, résumé, and re-establishment. Once the UE is connected to the eNB (i.e., RRC connection setup or RRC connection reestablishment/ résumé has succeeded), SRBl is used for handling further RRC messages (which may include a piggybacked NAS message) and NAS messages, prior to the establishment of SRB2, ail using DCCH logical channel. SRB2 is used for RRC messages such as logged measurement information, as well as for NAS messages, ail using DCCI-I. SRB2 has a lower priority than SRBl, because logged measurement information and NAS messages can be lengthy and could cause the blocking of more urgent and smaller SRBl messages. SRB2 îs always configured by E-UTRAN after security activation.

In many communication protocols, the two particîpating parties (or “peers”) ex change the information about their respective capabilities. This ensures that each peer does not request any capability which îs not supported by the other peer. In LTE, the UE Capability Infonnation is an RRC message that a UE sends to the serving eNB, usually during an initial registration process with the LTE network. This RRC message informs the network about ail the details of the UE’s capabilities.

In the LTE UE Capability Infonnation message, the UE can indicate not only whether it supports a particular feature, but also whether it supports such a feature when operating on particular frequency band(s). In other words, the UE can indicate that it supports the particular feature when operating on one or more frequency bands, but not when operating on one or more other frequency bands. In addition, the UE can indicate that it supports certain features but not necessarîly the combination thereof.

Furthermore, the UE can advertise supported band combinations. These can be advertised, e.g., in a BandCombinationList infonnation element (IE) that identifies one or more band combinations. Each advertised band combination indicates the one or more bands that the UE is capable to combine in operation, e.g., by carrier aggregation (CA) of one or more RF carriers in each band. In addition, the UE can indicate whether it supports the particular feature(s) on each band combination that the UE is capable of aggregating. As LTE releases go higher and more features are added, the UE Capability Infonnation message has become one of the longest and most complicated RRC messages.

While LTE was primarily designed for user-to-user communications, 5G (also referred to as “NR”) cellular networks are envisioned to support both high single-user data rates (e.g., I Gb/s) and large-scale, machine-to-machîne communication învolving short, bursty transmissions from many different devices that share the frequency bandwidth. The 5G radio standards (also referred to as “New Radio” or “NR”) are currently targeting a wide range of data services includîng eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broad Band) and URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication). These services can hâve different requirements and objectives. For example, URLLC is intended to provide a data service with extremely strict error and latency requirements, e.g., error probabilities as low as 10^-5 or lower and l ms end-to-end latency or lower. For eMBB, the requirements on latency and error probability can be less stringent whereas the required supported peak rate and/or spectral efficiency can be higher.

In NR, the UE advertises its capabilities similarly as in LTE. For example, the UE can indicate not only whether it supports a particular feature, but also whether it supports such a feature when operating on particular frequency band(s). In other words, the UE can indicate that it supports the particular feature when operating on one or more frequency bands, but not when operating on one or more other frequency bands. Also like in LTE, the UE can indicate that it supports certain features but not necessarily the combination thereof. As a further sîmilarîty to LTE, the UE can advertise supported band combinations using, e.g., the BandCombinationList 1E. In addition, as part of this IE, the UE can indicate whether it supports the particular feature(s) on each band combination that the UE is capable of aggregating.

Unlike LTE, however, the NR UE Capability Information signalling for indicating such fme-graîned feature support was not directly embedded into the BandCombinationList IE. Rather, the NR UE capability signaling is split into band combinations and feature set combinations, which are band-independent such that they can be associated with any particular band combination. This arrangement has the potential to reduce the overall signaling overhead if several band combinations (of which there can be many) point to the same feature set combinations, if several feature set combinations point to the same feature sets, and/or if several feature sets point to the same per-CC feature set. Nevertheless, compared to the conventional approach used in LTE, this arrangement can resuit in difficulties if features are extended in future NR releases, as has often been the case with LTE.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments disclosed herein address these problems, issues, and/or drawbacks of existing solutions by providing a flexible and efficient approach for advertising extensible UE capabilities in a radio access network (RAN). Such embodiments can reduce and/or minimize the overhead required to advertise extensions to initial and/or original feature sets, while providing backward compatibility with legacy network nodes that do not recognize and/or support such extensions.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and/or procedures for advertising user equipment (UE) capabîlities to a network node in a radio access network (RAN). The exemplary method and/or procedure can be performed by a UE or wireless device.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can include transmitting, to the network node, information describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE. The information can include one or more InitialFeatureLists, with each InitîalFeatureList comprising one or more non-extensible InitialFeatureSet éléments, and each non-extensible InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more initial features. The information can also include one or more ExtensionFeatureLists, with each ExtensionFeatureList being associated with a particular InitîalFeatureList. Each ExtensionFeatureList can include one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, with each ExtensionFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more extension features.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can also include transmitting, to the network node, one or more BandCombination éléments. Each BandCombination element can include a list of frequency bands in which the UE can concurrent!y transmit and/or receive information. Each BandCombination element can also include a FeatureSetCombination element that identifies features supported by the UE within each frequency band included in the list. The identified features for a particular frequency band can be based on a particular InitialFeatureSet element from each InitîalFeatureList, and on a corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the ExtensionFeatureList associated with each InitîalFeatureList.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include receiving, from the network node, a configuration including identification of one or more frequency bands, wherein the identified frequency bands are part of a list included in a particular transmitted BandCombination element. The configuration can also identify, for each of the identified frequency bands, configuration of one or more features identified by the particular BandCombination element. In this manner, the UE can receive a configuration that is based on the capabîlities information provided to the network node.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include transmitting or receiving information with the network node in the identified frequency bands according to the received configuration.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure also include methods and/or procedures for determining capabîlities of a user equipment (UE). Such exemplary method and/or procedure can be implemented in a network node (e.g., base station, gNB, eNB, or component thereof) of a radio access network (FLAN).

The exemplary method and/or procedure can include receiving, from the UE, information describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE. The information can include one or more Initial Feature Lîsts, with each InitialFeatureList comprising one or more non-extensible InitialFeatureSet éléments, and each non-extensible InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more initial features. The information can also include one or more ExtensionFeature Lîsts, with each ExtensionFeatureList being associated with a particular InitialFeatureList. Each ExtensionFeatureList can include one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, with each ExtensionFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more extension features.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can also include receiving, from the UE, one or more BandCombination éléments. Each BandCombination element can include a list of frequency bands in which the UE can concurrently transmit and/or receive information. Each BandCombination element can also include a FeatureS etCombi nation element that identifies features supported by the UE within each frequency band included in the list. The identified features for a particular frequency band can be based on a particular InitialFeatureSet element from each InitialFeatureList, and on a corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the ExtensionFeatureList associated with each InitialFeatureList.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can also include determining the UE’s capabilities based on the received one or more BandCombination éléments and the received information describing the plurality of feature sets supported by the UE.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include transmitting, to the UE, a configuration including identification of one or more frequency bands, wherein the identified frequency bands are part of a list included in a particular transmitted BandCombination element. The configuration can also identify, for each of the identified frequency bands, configuration of one or more features identified by the particular BandCombination element. In this manner, the network node can provide the UE with a configuration that is based on the capabilities information provided to the network node.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include transmitting or receiving information with the UE in the plurality of frequency bands according to the transmitted configuration.

Other exemplary embodiments include user equipment (UEs, wireless device, etc. or components thereof) and network nodes (e.g., base stations, gNBs, eNBs, etc. or components thereof) configured to perform operations corresponding to the exemplary methods and/or procedures described herein. Other exemplary embodiments include non-transitory, computerreadable media storing program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a UE or network node, configure such UEs or network nodes to perform operations corresponding to exemplary methods and/or procedures described herein.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the foîlowing Detailed Description in view of the drawings briefly described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure l shows exemplary ASN.I code used to specîfy a BandCombinationList information element (IE) usable for UE capability signaling in NR networks.

Figure 2 shows exemplary ASN. I code used to specîfy a FeatureSets IE usable for UE capability signaling in NR networks.

Figure 3 shows exemplary ASN.I code used to specîfy a FeatureSetCombination IE usable for UE capability signaling in NR networks.

Figure 4 shows exemplary ASN.I code used to specîfy a FeatureSets IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 5 shows exemplary ASN.I code used to specîfy a FeatureSetDownlink IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 6 shows exemplary ASN.I code used to specîfy a FeatureSetUplinkPerCC IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 7 shows exemplary ASN.I code used to specîfy a UE-MRDC-Capability IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figures 8 A-B show exemplary ASN.I code used to specîfy FeatureSetDownlinkld and FealureSetUplinkld lEs, respectively, usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure

Figure 9 is a flow diagram illustrating exemplary methods and/or procedures performed by a user equipment (UE), wireless device, or component thereof, according to various exemplary embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

Figure ΙΟ is a flow diagram illustrating exemplary methods and/or procedures performed by a network node (e.g., base station, gNB, eNB, etc.) or component thereof, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 11 illustrâtes an exemplary embodiment of a wireiess network, in accordance with various aspects described herein.

Figure 12 illustrâtes an exemplary embodiment of a UE, in accordance with various aspects described herein.

Figure I3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary virtualization environment usable for implémentation of various embodiments of network nodes described herein.

Figures 1 4-15 are block diagrams of various exemplary communication Systems and/or networks, in accordance with various aspects described herein.

Figures 16-19 are flow diagrams illustrating various exemplary methods and/or procedures implemented in a communication system, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the following terms are used throughout the description given below:

• Radio Node; As used herein, a “radio node” can be either a “radio access node” or a “wireiess device.” • Radio Access Node; As used herein, a “radio access node” (or “radio network node”) can be any node in a radio access network (RAN) of a cellular communications network that opérâtes to wirelessly transmit and/or receive signais. Some examples of a radio access node include, but are not limited to, a base station (e.g., a New Radio (NR) base station (gNB) in a 3GPP Fifth Génération (5G) NR network or an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNB) in a 3GPP LTE network), a high-power or macro base station, a lowpower base station (e.g., a micro base station, a pico base station, a home eNB, or the like), and a relay node.

• Core Network Node: As used herein, a “core network node” is any type of node in a core network. Some examples of a core network node include, e.g., a Mobility

Management Entity (MME), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), or the like.

• Wireless Device: As used herein, a “wireless device” (or “WD” for short) is any type of device that has access to (i.e., is served by) a cellular communications network by communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, the term “wireless device” is used interchangeably herein with “user equipment” (or “UE” for short). Some examples of a wireless device include, but are not limited to, a UE in a 3GPP network and a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device. Communicating wirelessly can involve transmitting and/or receiving wireless signais using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signais suitable for conveying information through air.

• Network Node: As used herein, a “network node” is any node that is either part of the radio access network or the core network of a cellular communications network. Functionally, a network node is equipment capable, configured, arranged, and/or opérable to communicate dîrectly or îndirectly with a wireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the cellular communications network, to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device, and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the cellular communications network.

Note that the description given herein focuses on a 3GPP cellular communications system and, as such, 3GPP terminology or terminology similar to 3GPP terminology is generally used. However, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to a 3GPP system. Other wireless Systems, including without limitation Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Worldwide Interoperabilîty for Microwave Access (WiMax), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), may also benefit from the concepts, principles, and/or embodiments described herein.

In addition, functions and/or operations described herein as being performed by a wireless device or a network node may be distributed over a plurality of wireless devices and/or network nodes. Furthermore, although the tenu “cell” is used herein, it should be understood that (particularly with respect to 5G NR) beams may be used instead of cells and, as such, concepts described herein apply equally to both cells and beams.

As briefly mentioned above, the NR UE Capability Information signalling for indicating fme-grained feature support was not dîrectly embedded into the BandCombinationList IE, as it is in LTE. Rather, the NR UE capability signaling is split into band combinations and feature set combinations, which are band-independent such that they can be associated with any particular band combination. This arrangement has the potential to reduce the overall signaling overhead if several b and combinations (of which there can be many) point to the same feature set combinations, if several feature set combinations point to the same feature sets, and/or if several feature sets point to the same per-CC feature set. Nevertheless, as compared to the conventional approach used in LTE, this arrangement can resuit în difficuîties if features are to be extended in future NR releases, as has often been the case with LTE. These are discussed in more detail below.

Figure l shows exemplary ASN. I code used to specify a BandCombinationList IE usable in NR networks. As illustrated in Figure I, the BandCombinationList IE includes a sequence of BandCombination éléments, each representing a particular band combination that the UE is capable to support for NR or LTE carrier aggregation (CA), and/or LTE/NR dual-connectivity (e.g., EN-DC). Each BandCombination element further indicates the list of bands comprising the particular combination, and BandCombinationParameters associated with the particular combination. In addition to NR-related parameters, BandCombinationParameters can also include parameters related to LTE support and DC support for that particular band combination.

Instead of specifying the particular features associated with each band combination directly în the BandCombinationList IE, an NR UE advertises such features by sendîng a FeatureSets IE. The FeatureSets IE is used to provide pools of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) features sets, as well as a pool of FeatureSetCombination éléments. Figure 2 shows exemplary ASN.l code used to specify a FeatureSets IE usable in NR networks. As shown în Figure 2, the FeatureSets IE includes featureSeiDownlink and featureSetUplink éléments that specify, respectively, a sequence of sets of DL and UL features supported by the UE in a band. For ex&mp\yfeatureSetsDownlink is a sequence (e.g., one or more) of FeatureSeiDownlink, which is a set of DL features. Note, however, that the FeatureSets IE does not associate the indicated sets of DL and UL features with a particular band. The mechanism for associating these feature sets to a particular band is explained further below.

As also shown in Figure 2, FeatureSets IE also includes featureSetDownlinkPerCC and featureSetUplinkPerCC éléments that specify, respectively, a sequence of sets of DL and UL features supported by the UE for a component carrier (CC) in a band. Note, however, that the FeatureSets IE does not associate the indicated sets of DL and UL per-CC features with a particular band. The mechanism for associating these feature sets to a particular band is explained further below.

As shown in Figure 2, the FeatureSets IE also includes a featureSetCombinations element. This element spécifiés a sequence of FeatureSetCombination lEs, each of which can be associated with a particular band combination. Figure 3 shows exemplary ASN.l code used to specify a FeatureSetCombination IE usable in NR networks. In other words, Figure 3 illustrâtes the structure of each FeatureSetCombination identified by the featureSetCombinations element shown in Figure 2.

As shown in Figure 3, the FeatureSetCombination IE includes a list and/or sequence of FeatureSetsPerBand, each of which identifies a sequence of sets of features that can be associated with a carriers of a particular b and of a band combination. Each set in the sequence can be consîdered an alternative or option, such that the UE can indicate multiple supported feature-set options. Each of these sets of features is specifîed by a FeatureSet IE, also shown in Figure 3. In other words, FeatureSetCombination can be considered a two-dimensional matrix of FeatureSet entries, with a column per band combination and a row per supported combination of features. Ail FeatureSetsPerBand in one FeatureSetCombination should hâve the same number of entries. The number of FeatureSetsPerBand in the FeatureSetCombination should be equal to the number of band entries in an associated band combination. The first FeatureSetPerBand applies to the first band entry of the band combination, and so on.

Each FeatureSet element includes a pair of pointers to particular DL and UL features sets specifîed elsewhere. In the case of NR carriers, for example, downlinkSetNR is an identification of (e.g., a pointer to) an entry in the sequence featureSetsDownlink shown in Figure 2. Likewise, upinkSetNR is an identification of an entry in the sequence featureSetsUplink shown in Figure 2. Similariy, for LTE/E-UTRA carriers, downlinkSetEUTRA and uplinkSetEUTRA identify respective entries in feature set lists defined for LTE (e.g., in 3GPP TS 36.331 v.15.1.0).

Retuming to Figure l, each BandCombination entry in the BandCombinationList IE also includes a pointer (i.e., FeatureCombinationSetlD) to a particular FeatureSetCombination that is included in the featureSetCombinations element of the FeatureSets IE shown in Figure 2. In this manner, the NR UE capability signaling is split into band combinations and feature set combinations, which are band-independent such that they can be associated with any particular band combination.

If new UE-related features are standardized in the future, as expected, it will become necessary to add the corresponding capability signalling to the various éléments used by the UE to advertise support for these features. This includes FeatureSetDownlink, FeatureSetUplink, FeatureSetDownlinkPerCC, and FeatureSetUplinkPerCC feature set définitions (also referred to as “data structures”) that comprise the FeatureSets IE shown in Figure 2. However, these data structures are instantiated and sent in lists, each with a particular order and length that is understood by legacy gNBs.

One option is to add a so-called “extension marker” to the feature set définitions. These extension markers can be 24 bits (e.g., three octets or bytes) in length, which is needed to indicate to the receiving network node (e.g., gNB) the length of the remainder of the data structure, which can be quite long. In effect, this length enables “legacy” network nodes that do not understand the new capability bits to jump over those bits and continue parsing the next feature set in the list. However, such overhead is not feasible in a list with several hundred or even a thousand entries, each of which could be extended with new capabilities.

Instead of extending the actual feature sets, as discussed above, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure address these extensibility challenges by creating new lists of extended feature sets and associating each of those new lists (or extension lists) with a respective original list. In other words, each of the éléments în that extension list is associated with an element in the original list, such that an element in both lists can be identified by the same ID, which can be specified în the FeatureSetCombination IE. Accordingly, the structure of the FeatureSetCombination IE is not changed when extending features în this manner. Lîkewise, each BandCombination in a BandCombinationLisi IE can indicate support of one or more FeatureSetCombinations by their respective IDs (e.g., respective positions in featureSetCombinations element of FeatureSets IE). Since there is no need to change IDs of the FeatureSetCombinations when adding feature extensions, there is conséquent!y no need to change the structure ofthe BandCombination element used in the BandCombinationLisi IE.

For example, a FeatureSetDownlink-rl6 extension list identifying new features (e.g., from Release 16) could be associated with an original FeatureSetDownlink list of features. When a UE advertises (e.g., by a pointer or identifier in a FeatureSetCombination IE) a particular feature set associated with an extension, it indicates that the UE supports both the original list and the extension list for that feature set. For example, if a UE indicates in FeatureSetCombination that it supports the features in FeatureSetDownlink with ID = 5 (e.g., the fïfth position în the list indicated by feature Sets Downlink), it implies that it also supports the features in FeatureSetDownIink-rI6 associated with ID = 5 (e.g., the fïfth position in a corresponding extension list).

In such exemplary embodiments, the network’s interprétation of the feature set advertisement in the FeatureSetCombination IE dépends on whether the network supports an extension list associated with a particular original feature set. For example, if a UE indicates in FeatureSetCombination that it supports the FeatureSetDownlink with ID = 5, the network node interprets that the UE also supports extensions in FeatureSetDownlink-r 16 associated with ID = 5, so long as the network node supports the release associated with these extensions. On the other hand, if the network node is a legacy node that does not support the release associated with these extensions, the network node interprets from FeatureSetCombination that the UE only supports the original features indicated b y the particular FeatureSetDownlink. This can be facilitated by adding an “extension marker” in the manner described above. In other words, the network node ignores the FeatureSetDownlink-rl6 that it does not comprehend.

Similar approaches can be used with respect to per-CC features. For example, assume that the UE supports per-CC uplink extensions specified in Release 15.4.0. If the UE indicates in the featureSetListPerUplinkCC of a FeatureSetUplink that it supports the features in FeatureSetUplinkPerCC with ID = 7 (e.g., the seventh position in the list indicated by featureSetsUplinkPerCC), it implies that it also supports the features in FeatureSetUplinkPerCC-vl540 associated with ID = 7 (e.g., the seventh position in a corresponding extension list).

Unlike conventional approaches, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure require only a single ASN.l “extension marker” per list (e.g., to add the new lists) rather than one per each feature set element comprising the lists. In this manner, exemplary embodiments are advantageously backward-compatible with legacy network nodes that do not support such extensions. As such, these legacy nodes can ignore the extensions of the feature sets based on the “extension marker”. Further advantages of the exemplary embodiments include no changes required to the high-level FeatureSetCombination and BandCombinationList lEs used for advertisentent, since those lEs still refer to the same IDs of feature sets and feature sets per CC.

Figure 4 shows exemplary ASN.l code used to specify a FeatureSets IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition to the éléments specified by the conventional ASN.l code shown in Figure 2, the FeatureSets IE shown in Figure 4 also includes two additional éléments. The first — featuresUplinkPerCC-v 1540 — comprises an extension list of per-CC uplink feature sets. Each entry in this list îs associated with a corresponding entry in the original list, featuresUplinkPerCC. In other words, each extension FeatureSetUplinkPerCC-vl540 is associated with a corresponding original FeatureSetUplinkPerCC.

This is further illustrated in Figure 6, which shows exemplary ASN.l code used to specify a FeatureSetUplinkPerCC IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 6, a FeatureSetUplinkPerCC IE includes parameters used to indicate support (or non-support) of various features that can be associated with an individual UL CC. Similarly, Figure 6 also shows an associated FeatureSetUplinkPerCC-vl 540 IE that includes additional parameters used to indicate support (or non-support) of various extension features (labeled “new.. .Featurel”, etc.).

The second additional element in Figure 4 - featuresDownlink-vl6 - comprises an extension list of features that can be associated with an individual downlink band. Each entry in this list îs associated with a corresponding entry in the original list, featuresDownlink. In other words, each extension FeatureSetDownlink-vl6 is associated with a corresponding original FeatureSetDownlink.

This is further illustrated in Figure 5, which shows exemplary ASN.l code used to specify a FeatureSetDownlink IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR net Works, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 5, a FeatureSetDownlink IE includes parameters used to indicate support (or non-support) of various DL features that can be associated with an individual band. Similarly, Figure 5 also shows an associated FeatureSetDownlink-vl6 IE that includes additional parameters used to indicate support (or non-support) of various extension features (labeled “new.. .Featurel ”, etc.).

In addition, the FeatureSetDownlink IE shown in Figure 5 includes a featureSetLislPerDownlinkCC that identifies per-CC (or per-cell) supported features specified in FeatureSelDownlinkPerCC. In particular, featureSetListPerDownlinkCC is a sequence of FeatureSetDownlinkPerCC-Id's, each of which points to a particular FeatureSetDownlinkPerCC and to a corresponding FeatureSetUplinkPerCC-vl 540 supported by each of the CCs or cells. For example, an ID value of seven points to the seventh feature set in both lists. This is substantially identical to the technique for indicating support for per-CC uplink features, discussed above.

Figure 7 shows exemplary ASN. I code used to specify a UE-MRDC-Capability IE usable for extensible UE capability signaling in NR networks, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, the exemplary UE-MRDC-Capability includes a featureSetCombinations IE, which is a sequence or list of FeatureSetCombination éléments. As shown în Figure 3, each FeatureSetCombination element includes an array of FeatureSet éléments, each of which includes the pointers FeatureSetDownlinkld and FeatureSetUplinkld. Figures 8A-B show exemplary ASN.l code used to specify FeatureSetDownlinkld and FeatureSetUplinkld lEs, respectively. As discussed above, FeatureSetDownlinkld points to both initial and extension downlink features defined in FeatureSets (e.g., in Figure 4), while FeatureSetUplinkld points to both initial and extension uplink features defined in FeatureSets.

The various exemplary embodiments illustrated by the ASN.l code in Figures 4-8 can be used together with the conventional BandCombinationList and FeatureSetCombination lEs illustrated m Figures l and 3, respectively. As such, feature extensions can be signaled in a way that is understandable by network nodes supporting such extensions, but at the same time remains backward-compatible with legacy network nodes that do not recognize such feature extensions.

Put a different way, the meaning of a particular FeatureSetCombination identified in a FeatureSets IE changes when the UE advertises éléments (e.g., new features) from the extension list. Although the same ID is used to identify this particular FeatureSetCombination in a BandCombination element of the BandCombinatList IE, the meaning of the BandCombination element also changes as a conséquence. Even so, the structures of the original feature lists do not need to change. Hence, exemplary embodiments are compréhensible by a legacy network node which does not understand the feature extensions.

Figure 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method and/or procedure for advertising user equipment capabilitîes to a network node in a radio access network (RAN), according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary method and/or procedure can be implemented in a user equipment (UE, wireiess device, etc. or component thereof) shown in, or described in relation to, other figures herein. Furthermore, the exemplary method and/or procedure shown in Figure 9 can be utilized cooperatively with other exemplary methods and/or procedures described herein (e.g., Figure 10) to provide various exemplary benefits described herein. Although Figure 9 shows blocks in a particular order, this order is merely exemplary, and the operations of the exemplary method and/or procedure can be performed in a different order than shown and can be combined and/or divided into blocks having different functionality than shown. Optîonal operations are indicated by dashed lines.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can include the operations of block 910, where the UE can transmit, to the network node, înfonnation describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE. The information can include one or more InitialFeatureLists, with each InitialFeatureList comprising one or more non-extensible InitialFeatureSet éléments, and each non-extensible InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more initial features. The information can also include one or more ExtensionFeatureLists, with each ExtensionFeatureLîst being associated with a particular InitialFeatureList. Each ExtensionFeatureList can include one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, with each ExtensionFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more extension features. In some embodiments, the one or more InitialFeatureLists can include a first InitialFeatureList associated with downlink operation and a second InitialFeatureList associated with uplink operation.

In some embodiments, an ExtensionFeatureSet at a particular position in an ExtensionFeatureList can correspond to an InitialFeatureSet at the same particular position in an InitialFeatureList. In some embodiments, each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element can identify features supported by the UE with respect to an entire frequency band. In such embodiments, each InitialFeatureSet element can also identify features supported by the UE with respect to individual component carriers within the particular frequency band.

In some embodiments, the information describing the plurality of features can be a FeatureSets IE comprising various éléments, such as described above in relation to other figures. In such embodiments, the InitialFeatureLists of InitialFeatureSet éléments can include the featureSetsDownlink list of FeatureSetDownlink éléments and the featureSetsUplink list of FeatureSetUplink éléments, among others. Similarly, in such embodiments, the ExtensionFeatureLists of ExtensionFeatureSet éléments can include the featureSetsDownlink-r 16 list of FeatureSetDownlink-r 16 éléments and a corresponding featureSetsUplink-rl 6 list of FeatureSetUplink-rl6 éléments, among others.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can also include the operations of block 920, where the UE can transmit, to the network node, one or more BandCombination éléments. Each BandCombination element can include a list of frequency bands in which the UE can concurrently transmit and/or receive information. Each BandCombination element can also include a FeatureSetCombination element that identifies features supported by the UE within each frequency band included in the list. The features supported by the UE within a particular frequency band can be based on a particular InitialFeatureSet element from each InitialFeatureList, and on a corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the ExtensionFeatureList associated with each InitialFeatureList.

In some embodiments, the FeatureSetCombination element can include one or more FeatureSetldentifiers for each particular frequency band included in the list of frequency bands. Furthermore, each FeatureS et Identifier can be related to a particular InitialFeatureList and to an associated ExtensionFeatureList for that particular frequency band. In addition, each FeatureSetldentifier can identify the particular InitialFeatureSet element from the related InitialFeatureList, and the corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the related ExtensionFeatureList. in some embodiments, the one or more FeatureSetldentifiers, for each particular frequency band, can include a first FeatureSetldentifier associated with downlink operation and a second FeatureSetldentifier associated with uplink operation

For example, the one or more BandCombination éléments can be transmitted as a BandCombinationList IE, such as described above in relation to Figure 1. In such case, the BandCombination element of this IE can include a FeatureSetCombinationlD element, such as described above in relation to Figure 1. Furthermore, this can point to a particular FeatureSetCombination in a list offéatureSetCombinations, such as described above în relation to Figure 7. The identified FeatureSetCombination can include various FeatureSet éléments (e.g., as shown in Figure 3), each of which can include FeatureSetDownlinkld and

FeatureSelUplinkld éléments, each of which identify both initial and extension feature sets (e.g., within the lists shown in Figure 2).

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include the operations of block 930, where the UE can receive, from the network node, a configuration including identification of one or more frequency bands, with the identified frequency bands being part of a list included in a particular transmitted BandCombination element (e.g., transmitted in block 920). The configuration can also include, for each of the identified frequency bands, configuration of one or more features identified b y the particular transmitted BandCombination element. In sonie embodiments, the receîved configuration identifies a plurality of frequency bands for dual connectîvity (DC) or carrier aggregation (CA) operation. In this manner, the UE can receive a DC or CA configuration that is based on the information provided to the network node in blocks 910-920.

In some embodiments, the receîved configuration can include only features indicated by the InitialFeatureSet éléments associated with the respective identified frequency bands. In other embodiments, the receîved configuration can include features indicated by both the InitialFeatureSet éléments and the corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet éléments associated with the respective identified frequency bands.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include the operations of block 940, where the UE can transmit or receive information with the network node in the identified frequency bands according to the receîved configuration (e.g., in block 930).

Figure 10 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method and/or procedure for determining capabilities of a user equipment (UE), according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the exemplary method and/or procedure can be implemented in a network node (e.g., base station, gNB, eNB, etc. or component thereof) of a radio access network (RAN) such as shown in, or described in relation to, other figures herein. Furthermore, the exemplary method and/or procedure shown in Figure 10 can be utilized cooperatively with other exemplary method and/or procedures described herein (e.g., Figure 9) to provide various exemplary benefits described herein. Although Figure 10 shows blocks in a particular order, this order is merely exemplary, and the operations of the exemplary method and/or procedure can be performed in a different order than shown and can be combined and/or divided into blocks having different functionality than shown. Optionai operations are represented by dashed lines.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can include the operations of block 1010, where the network node can receive, from the UE, infonnation describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE. The information can include one or more InitialFeatureLists, with each InitialFeatureList comprising one or more non-extensible InitialFeatureSet éléments, and each non-extensible InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more initial features. The information can also include one or more ExtensionFeatureLists, with each ExtensionFeatureList being associated with a particular InitialFeatureList, Each ExtensionFeatureList can include one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, with each ExtensionFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more extension features. fn some embodiments, the one or more InitialFeatureLists can include a first InitialFeatureList associated with downlink operation and a second InitialFeatureList associated with uplink operation.

In some embodiments, an ExtensionFeatureSet at a particular position in an ExtensionFeatureList can correspond to an InitialFeatureSet at the same particular position in an InitialFeatureList. In some embodiments, each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element can identify features supported by the UE with respect to an entire frequency band. In such embodiments, each InitialFeatureSet element can also identify features supported by the UE wîth respect to individual component carriers within the particular frequency band.

In some embodiments, the information describing the plurality of features can be a FeatureSets IE comprising various éléments, such as described above in relation to other figures. In such embodiments, the InitialFeatureLists of InitialFeatureSet éléments can include the featiireSetsDownlink list of FeatureSetDownlink éléments and the featureSetsUplink list of FeatureSetUplink éléments, among others. Similarly, in such embodiments, the ExtensionFeatureLists of ExtensionFeatureSet éléments can include featureSetsDownlink-rl6 list of FeatureSetDownlink-rl6 éléments and a corresponding featureSetsUplink-rl6 list of FeatureSetUplink-r16 éléments, among others.

The exemplary method and/or procedure can also include the operations of block 1020, where the network node can receive, from the UE, one or more BandCombination éléments. Each BandCombination element can identify a list of frequency bands in which the UE can concurrently transmit and/or receive information. Each BandCombination element can also include a FeatureSetCombination element that identifies features supported by the UE within each frequency band included in the list. The features supported by the UE within a particular frequency band can be based on a particular InitialFeatureSet element from each InitialFeatureList, and on a corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the ExtensionFeatureList associated with each InitialFeatureList.

In some embodiments, the FeatureSetCombination element can include one or more FeatureS etldentifi ers for each particular frequency band included in the list of frequency bands. Furthermore, each FeatureSetldentifier can be related to a particular InitialFeatureList and to an associated ExtensionFeatureList for that particular frequency band. In addition, each FeatureS etldentîfier can identify the particular InitialFeatureSet element from the related InitialFeatureList, and the corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the related ExtensionFeatureList. In some embodiments, the one or more FeatureS et Identifi ers, for each particular frequency band, can include a first FeatureSetIdentifier associated with downlink operation and a second FeatureS etldentîfier associated with uplink operation

For example, the one or more BandCombination éléments can be received as a BandCombinationList IE, such as described above in relation to Figure l. In such case, the BandCombination element of this IE can include a FeatureSetCombinationlD element, such as described above in relation to Figure L Furthermore, this can point to a particular FeatureSetCombination in a list of featureSetCombinations, such as described above in relation to Figure 7. The identified FeatureSetCombination can include various FeatureSet éléments (e.g., as shown in Figure 3), each of which can include FeatureSetDownlinkld and FeatureSetUplinkld éléments, each of which identify both initial and extension feature sets (e.g., within the lists shown in Figure 2).

The exemplary method and/or procedure can also include the operations of block 1030, where the network node can détermine the UE’s capabilities based on the received one or more BandCombination éléments and the received information descrîbing the plurality of feature sets supported by the UE. For example, the network node can détermine the UE’s capabilities by parsing a BandCombinationList IE and a FeatureSets IE received from the UE.

In some embodiments, the operations of block 1030 can include the operations of subblocks 1032, where the network node can, for each particular BandCombination element received, déterminé whether the network node supports the respective ExtensionFeatureSet éléments identified by the particular BandCombination element. Such embodiments can also include the operations of sub-block 1034, wherein for each particular ExtensionFeatureSet element that the network node does not support, the network node can détermine the UE’s capabilities based on features described by the associated InitialFeatureSet element but not on features described by the particular ExtensionFeatureSet element. For example, if the network node is a legacy node that does not support the release corresponding to the extensions associated with the ExtensionFeatureSet, it can “skip” the ExtensionFeatureSet element when it encounters an “extension marker” while parsing the received information.

Such embodiments can also include the operations of sub-block 1036, wherein for each particular ExtensionFeatureSet element that the network node does support, the network node can détermine the UE’s capabilities based on features described by the associated InitialFeatureSet element and by the particular ExtensionFeatureSet element.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include the operations of block 1040, where the network node can transmit, to the UE, a configuration including identification of one or more frequency bands, with the identified frequency bands being part of a list included in a particular received BandCombination element (e.g., received in block 1020), The configuration can also include, for each of the identified frequency bands, configuration of one or more features identified by the particular received BandCombination element. In some embodiments, the transmitted configuration identifies a plurality of frequency bands for dual connectivity (DC) or carrier aggregation (CA) operation. In this manner, the network node can provide the UE a DC or CA configuration that is based on the information received from the UE in blocks 1010-1020.

In some embodiments, the transmitted configuration can include only features indicated by the InitialFeatureSet éléments associated with the respective identified frequency bands. In other embodiments, the transmitted configuration can include features indicated by both the InitialFeatureSet éléments and the corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet éléments associated with the respective identified frequency bands.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method and/or procedure can also include the operations of block 1050, where the network node can transmit or receive infonnation with the UE in the plurality of frequency bands according to the transmitted configuration (e.g., in block 1040).

Although the subject matter described herein can be implemented in any appropriate type of System using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wireless network, such as the example wireless network illustrated in Figure 11. For simplicity, the wireless network of Figure 11 only depicts network H 06, network nodes 1160 and 1160b, and WDs 1110, 1110b, and 1110c. In practice, a wireless network can further include any additional éléments suitable to support communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline téléphoné, a service provider, or any other network node or end device. Of the illustrated components, network node 1160 and wireless device (WD) 1110 are depicted with additional detail. The wireless network can provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices’ access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wireless network.

The wireless network can comprise and/or interface with any type of communication, télécommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wireless network can be configured to operate according to spécifie standards or other types of predefîned ru les or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of the wireless network can implement communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Télécommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.Il standards; and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network 1106 can comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched téléphoné networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

Network node 1160 and WD 1110 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together in order to provide network node and/or wireless device functîonality, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments, the wireless network can comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and/or any other components or Systems that can facilitate or parti cipate in the communication of data and/or signais whether via wired or wireless connections.

Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, NBs, eNBs, and gNBs). Base stations can be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and can then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node can also include one or more (or ail) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

Further examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As another example, a network node can be a virtual network node as described in more detail below.

In Figure 11, network node H 60 includes processing circuitry H70, device readable medium 1180, interface 1190, auxiliary equipment 1184, power source 1186, power circuitry 1187, and antenna 1162. Although network node 1160 illustrated in the example wireless network of Figure 11 can represent a device that includes the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments can comprise network nodes with different combinations of 10 components. It is to be understood that a network node comprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, fonctions and methods and/or procedures disclosed herein. Moreover, while the components of network node 1160 are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node can comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single 15 illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 1180 can comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node 1160 can be composed of multiple physîcally separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which can each hâve their own respective components. In certain scénarios in 20 which network node 1160 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components can be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC can control multiple NodeB’s. In such a scénario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, can in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 1160 can be configured to support multiple radio access 25 technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components can be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 1180 for the different RATs) and some components can be reused (e.g., the same antenna 1162 can be shared by the RATs). Network node 1160 can also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1160, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth 30 wireless technologies. These wireless technologies can be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 1160.

Processing circuitry 1170 can be configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 1170 can include processing 35 information obtained by processing circuitry 1170 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performîng one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a resuit of said processing making a détermination.

Processing circuitry 1170 can comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processer, application-spécifie integrated circuit, field programmable gaie array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic opérable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 1160 components, such as device readable medium 1180, network node 1160 functionality. For example, processing circuitry 1170 can execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1180 or în memory within processing circuitry 1170. Such functionality can include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1170 can include a system on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1170 can include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceîver circuitry 1172 and baseband processing circuitry 1174. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceîver circuitry 1172 and baseband processing circuitry 1174 can be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or ail of RF transceîver circuitry 1172 and baseband processing circuitry 1174 can be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units

In certain embodiments, some or ail of the functionality described herein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or other such network device can be performed by processing circuitry 1170 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1180 or memory within processing circuitry 1170. In alternative embodiments, some or ail of the functionality can be provided by processing circuitry 1170 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrète device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 1170 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1170 alone or to other components of network node 1160, but are enjoyed by network node 1160 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.

Device readable medium 1180 can comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that can be used by processing circuitry Il 70. Device readable medium 11S0 can store any suitable instructions, data or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, ruies, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 1170 and, utilized by network node H 60. Device readable medium H 80 can be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 1170 and/or any data received via interface 1190. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1170 and device readable medium 1180 can be considered to be integrated.

Interface 1190 is used in the wired or wireiess communication of signalling and/or data between network node 1160, network 1106, and/or WDs 1110. As illustrated, interface 1190 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 1194 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 1106 over a wired connection. Interface 1190 also includes radio front end circuitry 1192 that can be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 1162. Radio front end circuitry 1192 comprises filters 1198 and ampli fi ers 1196. Radio front end circuitry 1192 can be connected to antenna 1162 and processing circuitry 1170. Radio front end circuitry can be configured to condition signais communicated between antenna 1162 and processing circuitry 1170. Radio front end circuitry 1192 can receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireiess connection. Radio front end circuitry 1192 can couvert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1198 and/or amplifiera 1196. The radio signal can then be transmitted via antenna 1162. Simîlarly, when receiving data, antenna 1162 can collect radio signais which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1192. The digital data can be passed to processing circuitry 1170. In other embodiments, the interface can comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, network node 1160 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1192, instead, processing circuitry 1170 can comprise radio front end circuitry and can be connected to antenna 1162 without separate radio front end circuitry 1192. Simîlarly, in some embodiments, ail or some of RF transceiver circuitry 1172 can be considered a part of interface 1190. In still other embodiments, interface 1190 can include one or more ports or terminais 1194, radio front end circuitry 1192, and RF transceiver circuitry 1172, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 1190 can communîcate with baseband processing circuitry 1174, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

Antenna Π 62 can include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signais, Antenna 1162 can be coupled to radio front end circuitry 1190 and can be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signais wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 1162 can comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas opérable to transmit/receive radio signais between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna can be used to transmit/receive radio signais in any direction, a sector antenna can be used to transmit/receive radio signais from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna can be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signais in a relatively straight line. In sonie instances, the use of more than one antenna can be referred to as ΜΙΜΟ. In certain embodiments, antenna 1162 can be separate from network node i 160 and can be connectable to network node 1160 through an interface or port.

Antenna 1162, interface 1190, and/or processing circuitry 1170 can be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signais can be received from a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 1162, interface 1190, and/or processing circuitry 1170 can be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any infonnation, data and/or signais can be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

Power circuitry 1187 can comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and can be configured to supply the components of network node 1160 with power for perfonning the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 1187 can receive power from power source 1186. Power source Π86 and/or power circuitry 1187 can be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 1160 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 1186 can either be included in, or extemal to, power circuitry 1187 and/or network node 1160. For example, network node 1160 can be connectable to an extemal power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the extemal power source supplies power to power circuitry 1187. As a further example, power source 1186 can comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 1187. The battery can provide backup power should the extemal power source fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, can also be used.

Alternative embodiments of network node 1160 can include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 11 that can be responsible for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionaiity described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, network node 1160 can include user interface equipment to allow and/or facilitate input of infonnation into network node 1160 and to allow and/or facilitate output of infonnation from network node 1160. This can allow and/or facilitate a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 1160.

In some embodiments, a wireless device (WD, e.g., WD 1110) can be configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a WD can be designed to transmit information to a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered b y an internai or extemai event, or in response to requests from the network. Examples of a WD include, but are not limited to, smart phones, mobile phones, cell phones, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless caméras, gaming consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback appliances, wearable devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablets, laptops, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), Smart devices, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), mobiie-type communication (MTC) devices, Intemet-of-Things (loT) devices, vehicle-mounted wireless tenninal devices, etc.

A WD can support device-to-devîce (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and can in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device. As yet another spécifie example, in an Internet of Things (loT) scénario, a WD can represent a machine or other device that perfonns monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another WD and/or a network node. The WD can în this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which can in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular ex ample, the WD can be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g., refrigerators, télévisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other scénarios, a WD can represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. A WD as described above can represent the endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device can be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described above can be mobile, in which case it can also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile tenninal.

As illustrated, wireless device 1110 includes antenna 1111, interface 1114, processing circuitry 1120, device readable medium 1130, user interface equipment 1132, auxiliary equipment 1134, power source 1136 and power circuitry 1137. WD 1110 can include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 1110, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wireless technologies can be integrated into the same or different chips or set of chips as other components within WD ï 110.

Antenna 1111 can include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signais, and is connected to interface 1114. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 1111 can be separate from WD 1110 and be connectable to WD 1110 through an interface or port. Antenna 1111, interface 1114, and/or processing circuitry 1120 can be configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data and/or signais can be received from a network node and/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 1111 can be considered an interface.

As illustrated, interface 1114 comprises radio front end circuitry 1112 and antenna 1111. Radio front end circuitry 1112 comprise one or more fîlters 1118 and amplifiers 1116. Radio front end circuitry 1114 is connected to antenna 1111 and processing circuitry 1120, and can be configured to condition signais communicated between antenna 1111 and processing circuitry 1120. Radio front end circuitry 1112 can be coupled to or a part of antenna 1111. In some embodiments, WD 1110 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1112; rather, processing circuitry 1120 can comprise radio front end circuitry and can be connected to antenna 1111. Similariy, in some embodiments, some or ail of RF transceiver circuitry 1122 can be considered a part of interface 1114. Radio front end circuitry 1112 can receive digital data that îs to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 1112 can convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1118 and/or amplifiers 1116. The radio signal can then be transmitted via antenna 1111. Similariy, when receiving data, antenna 1111 can collect radio signais which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1112. The digital data can be passed to processing circuitry 1120. In other embodiments, the interface eau comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

Processing circuitry 1120 can comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontrol 1er, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specîfic integrated circuit, freld programmable gâte array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logic opérable to provide, either alone or in conjunction w^rith other WD 1110 components, such as device readable medium 1130, WD 1110 functionality. Such functionality can include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing cîrcuitry 1120 can execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1130 or in memory within processing cîrcuitry 1120 to provide the fiinctionality disclosed herein.

As illustrated, processing cîrcuitry 1120 includes one or more of RF transceiver cîrcuitry 1122, baseband processing cîrcuitry Π24, and application processing cîrcuitry 1126. In other embodiments, the processing cîrcuitry can comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain embodiments processing cîrcuitry 1120 of WD 1110 can comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RF transceiver cîrcuitry 1122, baseband processing cîrcuitry 1124, and application processing cîrcuitry 1126 can be on separate chips or sets of chips. In alternative embodiments, part or ali of baseband processing cîrcuitry 1124 and application processing cîrcuitry 1126 can be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver cîrcuitry 1122 can be on a separate chip or set of chips. In still alternative embodiments, part or ail of RF transceiver cîrcuitry 1122 and baseband processing cîrcuitry 1124 can be on the same chtp or set of chips, and application processing cîrcuitry 1126 can be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or ail of RF transceiver cîrcuitry 1122, baseband processing cîrcuitry 1124, and application processing cîrcuitry 1126 can be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver cîrcuitry 1122 can be a part of interface 1114. RF transceiver cîrcuitry 1122 can condition RF signais for processing cîrcuitry 1120.

In certain embodiments, some or ail of the functionality described herein as being performed by a WD can be provided by processing cîrcuitry 1120 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1130, which in certain embodiments can be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or ail of the functionality can be provided by processing cîrcuitry 1120 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrète device readable storage medium, such as în a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing cîrcuitry 1120 can be configured ίο perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing cîrcuitry 1120 alone or to other components of WD 1110, but are enjoyed by WD 1110 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generaily.

Processing cîrcuitry 1120 can be configured to perform any determinîng, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, as performed by processing cîrcuitry 1120, can include processing information obtained by processing cîrcuitry 1120 by, for example, converting the obtained infonnation into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 1110, and/or perfonning one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a resuit of said processing making a détermination.

Device readable medium 1130 can be opérable to store a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 1120. Device readable medium 1130 can include computer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer exécutable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that can be used by processing circuitry 1120. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1120 and device readable medium 1130 can be considered to be integrated.

User interface equipment 1132 can include components that allow and/or facilitate a human user to interact with WD 1110. Such interaction can be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 1132 can be opérable to produce output to the user and to allow and/or facilitate the user to provide input to WD 1110. The type of interaction can vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 1132 installed in WD 1110, For example, if WD 1110 is a smart phone, the interaction can be via a touch screen; if WD 1110 is a Smart meter, the interaction can be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected). User interface equipment 1132 can include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 1132 can be configured to allow and/or facilitate input of information into WD 1110, and is connected to processing circuitry 1120 to allow and/or facilitate processing circuitry 1120 to process the input information. User interface equipment 1132 can include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more caméras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipment 1132 îs also configured to allow and/or facilitate output of information from WD 1110, and to allow and/or facilitate processing circuitry 1120 to output information from WD 1110. User interface equipment 1132 can include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment 1132, WD 1110 can communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, and allow and/or facilitate them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

Auxilîary equipment 1134 is opérable to provide more spécifie functionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This can comprise specîalized sensors for doing measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliary equipment 1134 can vary depending on the embodiment and/or scénario.

Power source 1136 can, in some embodiments, be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or power cells, can also be used. WD H 10 can further comprise power circuitry 1137 for delivering power from power source 1136 to the various parts of WD 1110 whîch need power from power source 1136 to carry out any functîonality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry 1137 can in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Power circuitry 1137 can addiiionally or altematively be opérable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 1110 can be connectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Power circuitry 1137 can also in certain embodiments be opérable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 1136. This can be, for ex ample, for the charging of power source 1136. Power circuitry 1137 can perform any converting or other modification to the power from power source 1136 to make it suitable for supply to the respective components of WD 1110.

Figure 12 illustrâtes one embodiment of a UE in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily hâve a user în the sense of a human user who owns and/or opérâtes the relevant device. Instead, a UE can represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a spécifie human user (e.g., a Smart sprinkler controller). Altematively, a UE can represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which can be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE 1200 can be any UE identified by the 3^!d Génération Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-loT UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. UE 1200, as illustrated in Figure 12, is one example of a WD configured for communication in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the 3^rd Génération Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP’s GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, the term WD and UE can be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although Figure 12 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.

In Figure 12, UE 1200 includes processing circuitry 1201 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 1205, radio frequency (RF) interface 1209, network connection interface 1211, memory 1215 including random access memory (RAM) 1217, read-only memory (ROM)

1219, and storage medium 1221 or the like, communication subsystem 1231, power source 1233, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1221 includes operating System 1223, application program 1225, and data 1227. In other embodiments, storage medium 1221 can include other similar types of information. Certain UEs can utilize ail of the components shown in Figure 12, or only a subset of the components. The Ievel of intégration between the components can vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs can contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

In Figure 12, processing circuitry 1201 can be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 1201 can be configured to implement any sequential state machine opérative to execute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrète logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate fmnware; one or more stored program, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 1201 can include two central processing units (CPUs). Data can be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 1205 can be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device. UE 1200 can be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 1205. An output device can use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a USB port can be used to provide input to and output from UE 1200. The output device can be a speaker, a Sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. UE 1200 can be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 1205 to allow and/or facîlitate a user to capture information into UE 1200. The input device can include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a caméra (e.g., a digital caméra, a digital video caméra, a web caméra, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presencesensitive display can include a capacitive or résistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor can be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device can be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital caméra, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

In Figure 12, RF interface 1209 can be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface

I2l l can be configured to provide a communication interface to network 1243a. Network 1243a can encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a télécommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 1243a can comprise a Wi-Fi network. Network connection interface 1211 can be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate with one or more other devices over a communication network according to one or more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM, or the like. Network connection interface I2ll can implement receiver and transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiver functions can share circuit components, software or finnware, or alternatively can be implemented separately.

RAM 1217 can be configured to interface via bus 1202 to processing circuitry 1201 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as the operating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 1219 can be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 1201. For example, ROM 1219 can be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic System functions such as basic input and output (I/O), startup, or réception of keystrokes from a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory. Storage medium 1221 can be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, or flash drives. In one example, storage medium 1221 can be configured to include operating system 1223, application program 1225 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engins or another application, and data file 1227. Storage medium 1221 can store, for use by UE 1200, any of a variety of various operating Systems or combinations of operating Systems.

Storage medium 1221 can be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, extemal hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile dise (HD-DVD) optical dise drive, internai hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical dise drive, holographie digital data storage (HDDS) optical dise drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), extemal microDIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1221 can ailow and/or facilitate UE 1200 to access computer-executable instructions, application programs or the like, stored on transi tory or non-transi tory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system can be tangibly embodied in storage medium 1221, which can comprise a device readable medium.

In Figure 12, processing circuitry 1201 can be configured to communicate with network 1243b using communication subsystem 1231. Network 1243a and network 1243b can be the same network or networks or different network or networks. Communication subsystem 1231 can be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 1243b. For example, communication subsystem 1231 can be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.12, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver can include transmitter 1233 and/or receiver 1235 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, approprîate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 1233 and receiver 1235 of each transceiver can share circuit components, software or firmware, or altematively can be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of communication subsystem 1231 can include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, shortrange communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to détermine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, communication subsystem 1231 can include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. Network 1243b can encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a télécommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 1243b can be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a nearfield network. Power source 1213 can be configured to provide altemating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 1200.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein can be implemented in one of the components of UE 1200 or partitioned across multiple components of UE 1200. Further, the features, benefits, and/or functions described herein can be implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware. In one example, communication subsystem 1231 can be configured to include any of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitry 1201 can be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 1202. In another example, any of such components can be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 1201 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any of such components can be partîtioned between processing circuitry 1201 and communication subsystem 1231. In another example, the non-computationally intensive fonctions of any of such components can be implemented in software or fïrmware and the computationally intensive fonctions can be implemented în hardware.

Figure 13 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1300 in which functions implemented by some embodiments can be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which can include virtualizing hardware platfonns, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station, a virtualized radio access node, virtualized core network node) or to a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device) or components thereof and relates to an implémentation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines or containers executing on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

In some embodiments, some or ail of the functions described herein can be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 1300 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 1330. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node can be entirely virtualized.

The fonctions can be implemented by one or more applications 1320 (which can alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network fonctions, etc.) operative to implement some of the features, fonctions, and/or benefïts of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications 1320 are run in virtualization environment 1300 which provides hardware 1330 comprising processing circuitry 1360 and memory 1390. Memory 1390 contains instructions 1395 exécutable by processing circuitry 1360 whereby application 1320 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefïts, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment 1300, comprises general-purpose or special-purpose network hardware devices 1330 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 1360, which can be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedîcated Application Spécifie Integrated Circuits (AS IC s), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or spécial purpose processors. Each hardware device can comprise memory 1390-1 which can be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 1395 or software executed by processing circuitry 1360. Each hardware device can comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 1370, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 1380. Each hardware device can also include non-transitory, persistent, machîne-readable storage media 1390-2 having stored therein software 1395 and/or instructions exécutable by processing circuitry 1360. Software 1395 can include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 1350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 1340 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.

Virtual machines 1340, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1350 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 1320 can be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 1340, and the implémentations can be made in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry 1360 executes software 1395 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 1350, which can sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 1350 can present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 1340.

As shown in Figure 13, hardware 1330 can be a standalone network node with generic or spécifie components. Hardware 1330 can comprise antenna 13225 and can implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1330 can be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g.,such as in a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 13100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1320.

Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolîdate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, virtual machine 1340 can be a software implémentation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtual machines 1340, and that part of hardware 1330 that executes that virtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/or hardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtual machines 1340, forms a separate virtual network éléments (VNE).

In the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsable for handling spécifie network functions that run in one or more Virtual machines 1340 on top of hardware networking infrastructure 1330, and can correspond to application 1320 in Figure 13.

In some embodiments, one or more radio units 13200 that each include one or more transmitters 13220 and one or more receivers 13210 can be coupled to one or more antennas 13225. Radio units 13200 can communicate directly with hardware nodes 1330 via one or more appropriate network interfaces and can be used in combination with the Virtual components to provide a Virtual node with radio capabîlities, such as a radio access node or a base station.

In some embodiments, some signalling can be affected with the use of control system 13230 which can altematively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 1330 and radio units 13200.

With reference to FIGURE 14, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes télécommunication network 1410, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 1411, such as a radio access network, and core network 1414. Access network 1411 comprises a plurality of base stations 1412a, 1412b, 1412c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1413a, 1413b, 1413c. Each base station 1412a, 1412b, 1412c is connectable to core network 1414 over a wired or wireless connection 1415. A first UE 1491 located in coverage area 1413c can be configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1412c. A second UE 1492 in coverage area 1413a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1412a. While a plurality of UEs 1491, 1492 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE îs connecting to the

Télécommunication network 1410 is itself connected to host computer 1430, which can be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 1430 can be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or can be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 1421 and 1422 between télécommunication network 1410 and host computer 1430 can extend directly from core network 1414 to host computer 1430 or can go via an optional intermediate network 1420. Intermediate network 1420 can be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 1420, if any, can be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 1420 can comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of Figure 14 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1491, 1492 and host computer 1430. The connectivity can be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1450. Host computer 1430 and the connected UEs 1491, 1492 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 1450, using access network 1411, core network 1414, any intermediate network 1420 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 1450 can be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 1450 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlînk communications. For example, base station 1412 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 1430 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1491. Similarly, base station 1412 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1491 towards the host computer 1430.

Example implémentations, in accordance with an embodiment, ofthe UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 15. In communication system 1500, host computer 1510 comprises hardware 1515 including communication interface 1516 configured to set up and maîntain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1500. Host computer 1510 further comprises processing circuitry 1518, which can hâve storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 1518 can comprise one or more programmable processors, application-spécifie integrated circuits, field programmable gâte arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 1510 further comprises software 1511, which is stored in or accessible by host computer 1510 and exécutable by processing circuitry 1518. Software 1511 includes host application 1512. Host application 1512 can be opérable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 1530 connecting via OTT connection 1550 terminating at UE 1530 and host computer 1510. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 1512 can provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 1550.

Communication system 1500 can also include base station 1520 provided in a télécommunication system and comprising hardware 1525 enabling it to communicate with host computer 1510 and with UE 1530. Hardware 1525 can include communication interface 1526 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication System 1500, as well as radio interface 1527 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 1570 with UE 1530 located în a coverage area (not shown in Figure 15) served by base station 1520. Communication interface 1526 can be configured to facilitate connection 1560 to host computer 1510. Connection 1560 can be direct or it can pass through a core network (not shown in Figure 15) of the télécommunication System and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the télécommunication System. In the embodiment shown, hardware 1525 of base station 1520 can also include processing circuitry 1528, which can comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gâte arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 1520 further has software I52l stored internally or accessible via an extemal connection.

Communication system 1500 can also include UE 1530 already referred to. Its hardware 1535 can include radio interface 1537 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 1570 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 1530 is currently located. Hardware 1535 of UE 1530 can also include processing circuitry 1538, which can comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gaie arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 1530 further comprises software 1531, which is stored in or accessible by UE 1530 and exécutable by processing circuitry 1538. Software 1531 includes client application 1532. Client application 1532 can be opérable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1530, with the support of host computer 1510. In host computer 1510, an executing host application 1512 can communicate with the executing client application 1532 via OTT connection 1550 terminating at UE 1530 and host computer 1510. In providing the service to the user, client application 1532 can receive request data from host application 1512 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 1550 can transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 1532 can interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that host computer 1510, base station 1520 and UE 1530 illustrated în Figure 15 can be similar or identical to host computer 1430, one of base stations 1412a, 1412b, 1412c and one of UEs 1491, 1492 of Figure 14, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities can be as shown in Figure 15 and independently, the surrounding network topology can be that of Figure 14.

In Figure 15, OTT connection 1550 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 1510 and UE 1530 via base station 1520, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the précisé routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure can détermine the routing, which it can be configured to hide from UE 1530 or from the service provider operating host computer 1510, or both. While OTT connection 1550 is active, the network infrastructure can further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing considération or reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection 1570 between UE 1530 and base station 1520 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 1530 using OTT connection 1550, în which wireless connection 1570 forms the last segment. More precîsely, the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein can improve flexibîlity for the network to monitor endto-end quality-of-servi ce (QoS) of data flows, including their corresponding radio bearers, associated with data sessions between a user equipment (UE) and another entity, such as an OTT data application or service extemai to the 5G network. These and other advantages can facilitate more timely design, implémentation, and deployment of 5G/NR solutions. Furthermore, such embodiments can facilitate flexible and timely control of data session QoS, which can lead to improvements in capacitiy, throughput, latency, etc. that are envisioned by 5G/NR and important for the growth of OTT services.

A measurement procedure can be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other network operatîonal aspects on which the one or more embodiments improve. There can further be an optional network functîonality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1550 between host computer 1510 and UE 1530, în response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functîonality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1550 can be implemented in software 1511 and hardware 1515 of host computer 1510 or in software 1531 and hardware 1535 of UE 1530, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) can be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 1550 passes; the sensors can participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantifies from which software 1511, 1531 can compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 1550 can include message fonnat, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 1520, and it can be unknown or imperceptible to base station 1520. Such procedures and functionalities can be known and practîced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements can involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 1510’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements can be implemented în that software 1511 and 1531 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 1550 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

Figure 16 is a flowehart illustrating an exemplary method and/or procedure implemented in a communication system, în accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which, in some exemplary embodiments, can be those described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawîng référencés to Figure 16 will be included in this section. In step 1610, the host computer provides user data. In substep 1611 (which can be optional) of step 1610, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1620, the host computer initiâtes a transmission carrying the user data to the (JE. in step I630 (which can be optîonal), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described 5 throughout this disclosure. In step 1640 (which can also be optîonal), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

Figure 17 is a flowehart illustrating an exemplary method and/or procedure implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which can be those described with reference to 10 Figures 14 and 15. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing référencés to Figure 17 will be included in this section. In step 1710 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optîonal substep (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application, in step 1720, the host computer initiâtes a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission can pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the 15 embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1730 (which can be optîonal), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

Figure 18 is a flowehart illustrating an exemplary method and/or procedure implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which can be those described with reference to 20 Figures 14 and 15. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 18 will be included in this section. In step 1810 (which can be optîonal), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 1820, the UE provides user data. In substep 1821 (which can be optîonal) of step 1820, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 1811 (which can be optîonal) of step 1810, the UE 25 executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application can further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the spécifie manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiâtes, in substep 1830 (which can be optîonal), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 1840 of the method, the host computer 30 receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

Figure 19 is a flowehart illustrating an exemplary method and/or procedure implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which can be those described with reference to 35 Figures 14 and 15. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 19 will be included in this section. In step 1910 (which can be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 1920 (which can be optional), the base station initiâtes transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 1930 (which can be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

The foregoing merely illustrâtes the principles of the disclosure. Various modifications and alterations to the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled în the art in view of the teachings herein. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous Systems, arrangements, and procedures that, although not explicitly shown or described herein, embody the principles of the disclosure and can be thus within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Various exemplary embodiments can be used together with one another, as well as interchangeably therewith, as should be understood by those having ordinary skill în the art.

The term unit, as used herein, can hâve conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and can include, for example, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid State and/or discrète devices, computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks, procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and so on, as such as those thaï are described herein.

Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functîonal units or modules of one or more Virtual apparatuses. Each Virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these fiinctional units. These functîonal units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include Digital Signal Processor (DSPs), spécial-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to exeeute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optîcal storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more télécommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein. In some implémentations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functîonal unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the présent disclosure.

As described herein, device and/or apparatus can be represented by a semiconductor chip, a chipset, or a (hardware) module comprising such chip or chipset; this, however, does not exclude the possibility that a functionality of a device or apparatus, instead of being hardware implemented, be implemented as a software module such as a computer program or a computer program product comprising exécutable software code portions for execution or being run on a processor. Furthermore, functionality of a device or apparatus can be implemented by any combination of hardware and software. A device or apparatus can also be regarded as an assembly of multiple devices and/or apparatuses, whether functionally in coopération with or independently of each other. Moreover, devices and apparatuses can be implemented in a distrîbuted fashion throughout a System, so long as the functionality of the device or apparatus is preserved. Such and similar principles are considered as known to a skilled person.

Unless otherwise defined, ail terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein hâve the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this spécification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formai sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In addition, certain tenus used in the present disclosure, including the spécification, drawings and exemplary embodiments thereof, can be used synonymously in certain instances, including, but not limited to, e.g., data and information. It should be understood that, while these words and/or other words that can be synonymous to one another, can be used synonymously herein, that there can be instances when such words can be intended to not be used synonymously. Further, to the extent that the prior art knowledge has not been explicitly incorporated by reference herein above, it is explicitly incorporated herein în its entirety. AU publications referenced are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Example embodiments of the techniques and apparatus described herein include, but are not limited to, the following enumerated examples:

l. A method for a user equipment (UE) to advertise UE capabilities to a network node in a radio access network (RAN), the method comprising:

transmitting, to the network node, information describîng a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE, the information comprising:

one or more InitialFeatureLists, each Initial FeatureList comprising one or more non-extensible InitialFeatureSet éléments, each non-extensible InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more initial features;

one or more ExtensionFeatureLists, wherein:

4l each ExtensionFeatureList is associated with a particular InitialFeatureList; and each ExtensionFeatureList comprises one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, each InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more extension features;

transmitting, to the network node, one or more BandCombination éléments, wherein each BandCombination element comprises:

a list of frequency bands in which the UE is simultaneously opérable to transmit and/or receive information; and

[0 for each particular frequency band comprising the list, a further list of one or more FeatureSetldentîfiers, wherein each FeatureS etldenti fer corresponds to a particular InitialFeatureSet element and an associated ExtensionFeatureSet element that describe features supported b y the UE when operating in the particular frequency band.

2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element identify features supported by the UE with respect to a single component carrier (CC).

3. The method of embodiment 1, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated

ExtensionFeatureSet element identify features supported by the UE with respect to an entîre frequency band.

4. The method of any of embodiments 1-3, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element identify features related to one of uplink operation and downlink operation.

5. The method of any of embodiments 1-4, wherein an ExtensionFeatureSet at a particular position in an ExtensionFeatureList corresponds to an InitialFeatureSet at the same particular position în an InitialFeatureList.

6. The method of any of embodiments 1-5, wherein:

each BandCombination element comprises an identifier of a particular FeatureSetCombination associated with the combination of the plurality of frequency bands comprising the list; and the particular FeatureSetCombination comprises the one or more FeatureS et Identi fiers comprising the further list.

7. A method for a network node, opérable in a radio access network (RAN), to receive capabilities advertised by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving, from the UE, information describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE, the information comprising:

one or more InitialFeatureLists, each InitialFeatureList comprising one or more non-extensible InitialFeatureSet éléments, each non-extensible InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more initial features;

one or more ExtensionFeatureLists, wherein:

each ExtensionFeatureList is associated with a particular InitialFeatureList; and each ExtensionFeatureList comprises one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, each InitialFeatureSet element indicating the UE’s support for one or more extension features;

receiving, from the UE, one or more BandCombination éléments, wherein each BandCombination element comprises:

a list of frequency bands in which the UE îs sîmultaneously opérable to transmit and/or receive information; and for each particular frequency band comprising the list, a further list of one or more FeatureS etïdentifiers, wherein each FeatureSetldentifer corresponds to a particular InitialFeatureSet element and an associated ExtensionFeatureSet element that descrîbe features supported by the UE when operating in the particular frequency band.

determining the UE’s capabilities based on the received one or more BandCombination éléments and the received information describing the plurality of feature sets supported by the UE.

8. The method of embodiment 7, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensinoFeatureSet element identify features supported by the UE with respect to a single component carrier (CC).

9. The method of embodiment 7, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element identîfy features supported by the UE with respect to an entire frequency band.

10. The method of any of embodiments 7-9, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element identity features related to one of uplink operation and downlink operation.

11. The method of any of embodiments 7 -10, wherein an ExtensionFeatureSet at a particular position in an ExtensionFeatureList corresponds to an InitialFeatureSet at the same particular position in an InitialFeatureList.

12. The method of any of embodiments 7-11, wherein:

each BandCombination element comprises an identifier of a particular FeatureSetCombination associated with the combination of the plurality of frequency bands comprising the list; and the particular FeatureSetCombination comprises the one or more FeatureSetldenti fiers comprising the further list.

13. The method of any of embodiments 7-12, wherein if the network node does not support an ExtensionFeatureSet element corresponding to a particular FeatureS et Identifier, determining the UE’s capabilîties based on the InitialFeatureSet element corresponding to the particular FeatureSetldentifier but not on the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element,

14. A wireless device configurable to advertise the device’s capabilîties to a network node in a radio access network (RAN), the wireless device comprising:

processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of embodiments 1-6; and power suppiy circuitry configured to suppiy power to the wireless device.

15. A network node opérable in a radio access network (RAN) and configurable to receive capabilîties advertised by a user equipment (UE), the network node comprising:

processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of embodiments 7-13; and power suppiy circuitry configured to suppiy power to the base station.

16. A user equipment (UE) configurable to advertise the UE’s capabilities to a network node in a radio access network (RAN), the UE comprising:

an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signais;

radio front-end circuitry operably coupled to the antenna;

processing circuitry operably coupled to the radio front-end circuitry and confïgured to perform any of the steps of any of embodiments l -6;

an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of infonnation to be processed by the processing circuitry;

an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output infonnation that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and confïgured to supply power to the UE,

17. A communication system including a host computer comprising:

processing circuitry confïgured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry configured to perform any of the operations comprising embodiments 7-13.

I S, The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station,

19. The communication system of the previous two embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to perfonn operations corresponding to any of embodiments l-6,

20. The communication system of the previous three embodiments, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

21. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:

at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the operations comprising any of embodiments 7-13.

22. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data.

23. The method of the previous two embodiments, wherein the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.

24. A User Equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the methods of the previous three embodiments.

25. A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a User Equipment (UE), wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, operably coupled and configured to perform any of the operations of any of embodiments l-6.

26. The communication system of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

27. The communication system of the previous two embodiments, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE’s processing circuitry îs configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

28. A method implemented in a communication System including a host computer, a base station, and a User equipment (UE) the method comprising:

at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of embodiments 1-6.

29. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

30. A communication system including a host computer comprising:

communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a User equipment (UE) to a base station;

wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE’s processing circuitry configured to perform any of the operations of any of embodiments 1-6.

31. The communication system of the previous embodiment, further including the UE.

32. The communication System of the previous two embodiments, further including the base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station.

33. The communication system ofthe previous three embodiments, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

34. The communication system of the previous four embodiments, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.

35. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User equipment (UE) the method comprising:

at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the operations of any of embodiments l -6.

36. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

37. The method of the previous two embodiments, further comprising:

at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; and at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

38. The method of the previous three embodiments, further comprising:

at the UE, executing a client application; and at the UE, receiving input data to the client application, the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application;

wherein the user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application în response to the input data.

39. A communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a User equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry is configured to perform operations of any of embodiments 7-13.

40. The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station.

41. The communication system of the previous two embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

42. The communication System of the previous three embodiments, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application;

and the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

43. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User equipment (UE) the method comprising:

at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of embodiments l -6.

44. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

45. The method of the previous two embodiments, further comprising at the base station, initîating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.

46. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor comprising a user equipment (UE), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments l -6.

47. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor comprising a network node, configure the network node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments 7-13.

Claims (22)

1. l. A method for a user equipment, UE, to advertise UE capabilîties to a network node in a New Radio radio access network, NR RAN, the method comprising:

   transmitting, to the network node, information element describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE, the information element comprising: one or more ImtialFeatureLîsts, wherein:

   each InitialFeatureList includes one or more non-extensible InitîalFeatureSet éléments, and each non-extensible InitîalFeatureSet element indicates the UE’s support for one or more features;

   one or more ExtensionFeatureLists, wherein:

   each ExtensionFeatureList is associated with a particular InitialFeatureList, each ExtensionFeatureList includes one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, and each ExtensionFeatureSet element indicates the UE’s support for one or more features;

   transmitting, to the network node, one or more BandCombination information éléments, wherein each BandCombination information element includes: a list of frequency bands in which the UE can concurrent!y transmit and/or reçoive information; and a FeatureSetCombination element that identifies features supported by the UE within each frequency band included in the list, wherein the features supported by the UE within a particular frequency band are based on: a particular InitîalFeatureSet element from each InitialFeatureList, and a corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the

   ExtensionFeatureList associated with each InitialFeatureList.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the network node, a configuration including:

   identification of one or more frequency bands, wherein the identified frequency bands are part of a list included in a particular transmitted BandCombination element; and for each of the îdentified frequency bands, configuration of one or more features îdentified by the particular transmîtted BandCombination element.
3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the received configuration identifies a plurality of frequency bands for dual connectivîty, DC, or carrier aggregation, CA, operation.
4. 4. The method of any of daims 2-3, wherein the received configuration includes only features indicated b y the InitialFeatureSet éléments associated with the respective îdentified frequency bands.
5. 5. The method of any of daims 2-3, wherein the received configuration includes features indicated by both the InitialFeatureSet éléments and the corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet éléments associated with the respective îdentified frequency bands.
6. 6. The method of any of daims 2-5, further comprising transmitting or receiving information with the network node in the îdentified frequency bands according to the received configuration.
7. 7. The method of any of daims 1-6, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element identify features supported by the UE with respect to the entîre particular frequency band.
8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element also identifies features supported by the UE with respect to individual component carriers within the particular frequency band.
9. 9. The method of any of daims 1-8, wherein the one or more InitialFeatureLists include a first InitialFeatureLîst associated with downlink operation and a second InitialFeatureList associated with uplink operation.
10. 10. The method of any of daims 1 -9, wherein an ExtensionFeatureSet at a particular position in an ExtensionFeatureList corresponds to an InitialFeatureSet at the same particular position in an InitialFeatureList.

    î 1. The method of claims 1-10, wherein, for each particular frequency band included in the list of frequency bands:

    the FeatureSetCombination element includes one or more FeatureS etldentifi ers for that particular frequency band; and each FeatureSetldentifier is related to a particular InitialFeatureList and to an associated ExtensionFeatureList for that particular frequency band; and each FeatureSetldentifier identifies the particular InitialFeatureSet element from the related InitialFeatureList, and the corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the related ExtensionFeatureList.
11. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more FeatureS etldenti fiers, for each particular frequency band, include a first FeatureSetldentifier associated with downlink operation and a second FeatureSetldentifier associated with uplink operation.
12. 13. A method for a network node, of a New Radio radio access network, NR RAN, to détermine capabilities of a user equipment, UE, the method comprising:

    receiving, from the UE, information element describing a plurality of feature sets supported by the UE, the information element comprising: one or more InitialFeatureLists, wherein:

    each InitialFeatureList includes one or more non-extensible InitialFeatureSet éléments, and each non-extensible InitialFeatureSet element indicates the UE’s support for one or more features;

    one or more ExtensionFeatureLîsts, wherein:

    each ExtensionFeatureList is associated with a particular InitialFeatureList, each ExtensionFeatureList includes one or more ExtensionFeatureSet éléments, and each ExtensionFeatureSet element indicates the UE’s support for one or more features;

    receiving, from the UE, one or more BandCombination information éléments, wherein each BandCombination information element includes:

    a list of frequency bands in which the UE can concun'entiy transmit and/or receive information; and a FeatureSetCombination element that identifies features supported by the UE within each frequency band included in the Est, wherein the features supported by the UE within a particular frequency band are based on: a particular InitialFeatureSet element from each InitialFeatureList, and a corresponding ExtensionFeatureSet element from the

    ExtensionFeatureList associated with each InitialFeatureList; and determinîng the UE’s capabilîtîes based on the received one or more BandCombination information éléments and the received information describing the plurality of feature sets supported by the UE.
13. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein determinîng the UE’s capabilities comprises, for each particular BandCombination element:

    determinîng whether the network node supports the respective ExtensionFeatureSet éléments identified by the particular BandCombination element;

    for each particular ExtensionFeatureSet element that the network node does not support, determinîng the UE’s capabilities based on features described by the associated InitialFeatureSet element but not on features described by the particular ExtensionFeatureSet element; and for each particular ExtensionFeatureSet element that the network node supports, determinîng the UE’s capabilities based on features described by the associated InitialFeatureSet element and the particular ExtensionFeatureSet element.
14. 15. The method of any of claims 13-14, wherein each InitialFeatureSet element and the associated ExtensionFeatureSet element identify features supported by the UE with respect to the entîre particular frequency band.
15. 16. The method of any of claims 13-15, wherein the one or more InitialFeatureLists include a first InitialFeatureList associated with downlink operation and a second

    InitialFeatureList associated with uplink operation.
16. 17. The method of any of claims 13-16, wherein an ExtensionFeatureSet at a particular position in an ExtensionFeatureList corresponds to an InitialFeatureSet at the same particular position in an InitialFeatureList.
17. 18. A user equipment, UE, opérable to advertise UE capabilities to a network node in a New Radio radio access network, NR RAN, the UE being further arranged to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 1-12.
18. 19. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment, configure the user equipment to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 1-12.
19. 20. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment, configure the user equipment to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 1-12.
20. 21. A network node, of a New Radio radio access network, NR RAN, configured to détermine capabilities of a user equipment, UE, the network node being arranged to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 13-17.
21. 22. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a network node, configure the network node to perfonn operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 13-17.
22. 23. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a network node, configure the network node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of daims 13-17.