WO2021037334A1

WO2021037334A1 - Qos monitoring of broadcast v2x services over sidelink

Info

Publication number: WO2021037334A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/072686
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vinh Van Phan; Ling Yu; Hajo Bakker; Rudraksh SHRIVASTAVA; Oliver Blume; Jedrzej STANCZAK
Original assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
Priority date: 2019-08-26
Filing date: 2019-08-26
Publication date: 2021-03-04

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatuses, methods, systems, computer programs, computer program products and computer-readable media regarding QoS monitoring of broadcast V2X services over sidelink. The method comprises receiving, at the first user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of- Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, reporting the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

Description

DESCRIPTION

QOS MONITORING OF BROADCAST V2X SERVICES OVER SIDELINK

Technical Field

Various example embodiments relate to apparatuses, methods, systems, computer programs, computer program products and computer-readable media regarding QoS monitoring of broadcast V2X services over sidelink.

Abbreviations and Definitions:

3GPP 3^rd Generation Partnership Project

5GS 5G System

5QI 5G QoS Indicator

CBR Channel Busy Rate

C-PDU Control Packet Data Unit

ID Identifier

MAC CE Medium Access Control Control Element

MBMS Multicast Broadcast Multimedia Service

NR New Radio

PC5 Interface for device-to-device communication over sidelink

PDCP Packet Data Convergence Protocol

PLMN Public Land Mobile Network

PPPP ProSe Per- Packet Priority

PPPR ProSe Per-Packet Reliability

PQI PC5 QoS Indicator

ProSe Proximity Services

PSCCH Physical Sidelink Control Channel

RRC Radio Resource Control

SCI Sidelink Control Information

SL SideLink QoS Quality of Service

UE User Equipment

V2X Vehicle-to- Everything

Background

The present invention is targeted for 3GPP NR V2X support in Release 17 and beyond. There is a need for monitoring QoS of provided radio communication services in general. This can be realized on different levels of protocol stacks and at different nodes of a serving network for different users and services. The outcomes of QoS monitoring can be used for service provisioning and network planning, management of network configuration and operation as well as provided services to individual users or user groups either semi-statically or dynamically.

However, currently, there is no such mechanism for QoS monitoring and feedback over sidelink.

Summary

It is an object of various example embodiments to improve the prior art and to provide apparatuses, methods, systems, computer programs, computer program products and computer-readable media regarding QoS monitoring of broadcast V2X services over sidelink.

According to an aspect of various example embodiments there is provided a method comprising: receiving, at a first user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of- Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, reporting the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided a method comprising: receiving, at a second user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, receiving, at the second user equipment, a transmission packet from the first user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with a QoS monitoring session initiated by the first user equipment, determining, at the second user equipment, to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session and starting recording on SL reception packets received from the first user equipment, and reporting the results of the recording on the SL reception packets to a network entity.

According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided a method comprising: determining, at a network entity, a configuration on QoS monitoring of a sidelink, SL, broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, sending, by the network entity, the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and receiving, at the network entity, from the first user equipment and the second user equipment, reports on results of recording by the first user equipment and the second user equipment on the SL transmission packets and SL reception packets. According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided an apparatus for use in a first user equipment, comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving, at the first user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of- Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, reporting the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided an apparatus for use in a second user equipment, comprising: at least one processor, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving, at the second user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, receiving, at the second user equipment, a transmission packet from the first user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with a QoS monitoring session initiated by the first user equipment, determining, at the second user equipment, to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session and starting recording on SL reception packets received from the first user equipment, and reporting the results of the recording on the SL reception packets to a network entity.

According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided an apparatus for use in a network entity, comprising: at least one processor, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: determining, at the network entity, a configuration on QoS monitoring of a sidelink, SL, broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, sending, by the network entity, the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and receiving, at the network entity, from the first user equipment and the second user equipment, reports on results of recording by the first user equipment and the second user equipment on the SL transmission packets and SL reception packets.

According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided an apparatus, comprising: receiving, at a first user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of- Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, reporting the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided an apparatus, comprising: receiving, at a second user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, receiving, at the second user equipment, a transmission packet from the first user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with a QoS monitoring session initiated by the first user equipment, determining, at the second user equipment, to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session and starting recording on SL reception packets received from the first user equipment, and reporting the results of the recording on the SL reception packets to a network entity.

According to another aspect of various example embodiments there is provided an apparatus, comprising: determining, at a network entity, a configuration on QoS monitoring of a sidelink, SL, broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, sending, by the network entity, the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and receiving, at the network entity, from the first user equipment and the second user equipment, reports on results of recording by the first user equipment and the second user equipment on the SL transmission packets and SL reception packets.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer program product comprising code means adapted to produce steps of any of the methods as described above when loaded into the memory of a computer. According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program product as defined above, wherein the computer program product comprises a computer-readable medium on which the software code portions are stored.

According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program product as defined above, wherein the program is directly loadable into an internal memory of the processing device.

According to an aspect of various example embodiments there is provided a computer readable medium storing a computer program as set out above.

Further aspects and features of the present invention are set out in the dependent claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other objects, features, details and advantages will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of various aspects/embodiments which is to be taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a signaling diagram illustrating an example of a signaling flow between different entities according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a Tx UE operation according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an Rx UE operation according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method according to certain embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an apparatus according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure is described herein with reference to particular non-limiting examples and to what are presently considered to be conceivable embodiments. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure is by no means limited to these examples and embodiments, and may be more broadly applied.

In the following, some example versions of the disclosure and embodiments are described with reference to the drawings. For illustrating the various embodiments, the examples and embodiments will be described in connection with a cellular communication network based on a 3GPP based communication system, for example, a 5G/NR system or the like. As such, the description of example embodiments given herein specifically refers to terminology which is directly related thereto. Such terminology is only used in the context of the presented non limiting examples and embodiments, and does naturally not limit the present disclosure in any way. Rather, any other system configuration or deployment may equally be utilized as long as complying with what is described herein and/or example embodiments described herein are applicable to it. Further, it is to be noted that the various embodiments are not limited to an application using such types of communication systems or communication networks, but is also applicable in other types of communication systems or communication networks.

Certain aspects of the present invention are focusing on possible QoS monitoring of broadcast SL based V2X services, comparable to audience monitoring of MBMS services over Uu at least from the following aspects: (i) both are based on 1-to- many broadcast-based communication without feedback control on radio access level; and (ii) both does not require UE having to be in RRC CONNECTED state to receive services. It is noted that SL communication is even possible for UE in out- of-coverage situation.

MBMS services over Uu are provided by the network and thus the network has full knowledge of the source or Tx side. The QoS monitoring at the network side can be based on monitoring and reporting from Rx UEs on provided MBMS service sessions received by reporting Rx UEs.

On the other hand, for broadcast-based V2X services over SL, the communication is on a per-packet basis and rather dynamic, from both Tx UE and Rx UE perspectives, due to high mobility nature of vehicle UEs. Hence, monitoring such as reliability and latency characteristics of QoS for a targeted broadcast-based V2X services over SL is by no means obvious. It is noted that QoS requirements are provided from the application layer to the radio access layer for SL at Tx UE, as per packet with PPPP and/or PPPR in current LTE or as per-flow 5QI/PQI as defined by SA2 for NR SL recently.

It is noted that a QoS downgrade for broadcast SL may be due to the Rx UE moving farther away from the Tx UE and should not be identified as the problem of SL broadcast from QoS enforcement perspective. Thus, QoS monitoring for SL broadcast should allow the network to determine whether a QoS downgrade is due to network resources, conditions and operations (e.g. capacity of preconfigured resource pools, traffic loads, collisions in radio transmissions, etc.), rather than due to the Rx UE moving away. This is based on QoS monitoring and reporting from both Tx UE and Rx UE, as proposed below.

Certain aspects of the present invention therefore provide a method for the network to monitor, e.g., reliability and latency characteristics of QoS for targeted broadcast-based V2X services over SL. The outcomes of QoS monitoring may be used, e.g., for provisioning and adjusting targeted services, resource allocation modes as well as resource pools for different traffic patterns over different service areas (e.g., specific to certain roads and road traffic patterns). Certain aspects of the present invention are based on the idea of coordinating the Tx UE and the Rx UE of SL to report on transmissions and receptions of a targeted QoS class to the serving network so that the network side is able to determine outcomes of QoS monitoring on QoS characteristics of interest, such as reliability and latency, for the targeted broadcast-based V2X service over SL. This is based on the following proposals.

As to the transmitting user equipment, Tx UE, the following is noted.

The Tx UE is configured to perform QoS monitoring and reporting on a targeted SL broadcast service or service class from time to time including: (i) determining to initiate a QoS monitoring session for a preconfigured time interval or a preconfigured number of Tx packets over SL per each initiated QoS monitoring session for a broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID) as per a targeted QoS class (PPPP and/or PPPR as in LTE or 5QI/PQI as in 5G); (ii) triggering Rx UE which is receiving SL from the Tx UE to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session of the Tx UE, i.e., performing QoS monitoring and reporting as proposed below; and (iii) recording and reporting on SL transmissions and receptions of a broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID) as per a targeted QoS class on at least SL transmissions to the network.

In the following, the steps (i) to (iii) are described in more detail:

(i) The determining step is triggered at the Tx UE based on at least one of the followings: a preconfigured periodical time interval (e.g., every 2 minutes); a preconfigured event (e.g., a measured CBR at Tx UE over targeted SL resources within preconfigured ranges, Tx UE in a certain service area or time period of the day, etc.); a request received from the serving network in either common or dedicated signaling. This is coupled with a (pre- )configured time interval and/or a (pre-)configured number of Tx packets per each initiated QoS monitoring session (e.g., each QoS monitoring session lasts for 10 seconds or over 100 Tx packets). Then, the following conditions or constraints are proposed in order to reduce protocol overhead further. a) Tx UE initiates a QoS monitoring session for a broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID) if Tx UE detects or discovers other SL UE in proximity. The detection or discovery may be based on, e.g., sensing or receiving from other SL UE, further to the CBR based trigger listed above. This condition aims to avoid having to perform the QoS monitoring in empty-road situations. This condition may be further strengthened by having thatTx UE within a preconfigured time interval applied for detecting or discovering other SL UE in proximity receives at least N packets of the targeted SL broadcast V2X service (SL Destination ID) from other SL UEs. b) Tx UE initiates a QoS monitoring session for a broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID) if Tx UE is not involved (acting as Rx UE) in more than K (a preconfigured integer) QoS monitoring session(s) initiated by other SL UE(s) in proximity for the same broadcast-based V2X service. K may be configured as specific to the serving PLMN (Tx UE and other UEs are of the same serving PLMN) or regardless of the serving PLMN. This condition aims to avoid having too many UEs in proximity to perform the QoS monitoring of the same service.

(ii) The triggering Rx UE step is based on having Tx UE to mark each Tx packet of the initiated QoS monitoring session intended for Rx UE to be involved in the QoS monitoring session upon receiving such a Tx packet. The marking information may include at least QoS monitoring session number. In addition, the marking information may also include, e.g.: QoS class indication of the packet, packet sequent number, PLMN ID of Tx UE (assuming that UE ID of Tx UE in form of Source ID is already provided with the Tx packet). The marking can be realized with the following options: a) In case Tx packet is an actual application message of the targeted broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID), the marking is provided with a PDCP C-PDU or MAC CE or SL control information (e.g. SCI over PSCCH) associated with the Tx packet. b) In case Tx packet is a new PDU type of the SL signaling protocol or Tx UE generated test packets introduced specifically for the QoS monitoring, the marking is provided as the contents of the new PDU type or test packets.

(iii) The recording and reporting step by Tx UE includes the number of Tx packets, the transmitted pattern of those Tx packets and, optionally, the number of Rx packets received from other SL UEs for the targeted broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID) per an initiated QoS session (session number). It is noted that if Tx UE is also involved in other QoS monitoring sessions initiated by other UEs (Tx UE is acting as Rx UE in other QoS monitoring sessions) for the same targeted service, then the reporting on Rx packets shall follow the reporting of involved Rx UE as proposed below. The recorded results on the number of Tx packets may further indicate the number of Tx packets using Mode-1 and the number of Tx packets using Mode-2 as well as the number of duplicated Tx packets (on higher layer such as PDCP for high-reliability services as specified in LTE, for example). It is assumed that during a QoS monitoring session each Tx packet is transmitted without segmentation and with the same number of repetitions, as configured by the network for the targeted QoS. Tx UE may be configured to report the recorded results with the following options: a) Tx UE reports the recorded results of QoS monitoring as per an initiated QoS monitoring session. b) Tx UE reports the recorded results of QoS monitoring as early as possible when Tx UE is in RRC CONNECTED state, considering that Tx UE may perform QoS monitoring for the targeted broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID) while being in RRC IDLE or INACTIVE states or even out-of-coverage situations. c) Tx UE may report the recorded results of QoS monitoring to the serving network as well as the application server.

As to the receiving user equipment, Rx UE, the following is noted.

The Rx UE, upon receiving a packet marked for QoS monitoring with the associated marking information described above from Tx UE, is triggered to determine to be involved in the QoS monitoring session of Tx UE and records the number of Rx packets received from Tx UE, the number of duplicated Rx packets (to be discarded), and the number of repetitions needed to receive those Rx packets in the current QoS monitoring session for the targeted broadcast-based V2X service (SL Destination ID) as per indicated QoS class, per indicated QoS monitoring session number of Tx UE (indicated Source ID and PLMN ID). The Rx UE may also record the time duration for which the number of Rx packets are received as well as the number of failed SL receptions during that time duration. The failed SL reception means that Rx UE received SCI from Tx UE over SL but failed to receive actual Tx packet scheduled by the received SCI over SL. In this case, Rx UE may not know whether the failed reception belongs to the targeted QoS monitoring session from Tx UE or not if the marking information associated with Tx packet is not included in the received SCI but in the form of PDCP C-PDU or MAC CE sent along with Tx packet. This information, together with the report from corresponding Tx UE, may be used to determine the number of Tx packets the Rx UE missed (not failed) to receive. In case the packet sequence number is included in the marking information associated with each Rx packet, the Rx UE may record and report on the number of missing packet sequence numbers among those Rx packets received from Tx UE for the targeted QoS monitoring session. Rx UE may be configured to report the recorded results similarly as Tx UE with 3 options described above under (iii).

It is noted thatTx UE and Rx UE of SL may belong to different PLMNs, as considered above in (i) b) of Tx UE. Thus, having PLMN ID of Tx UE indicated in the marking information allows for Rx UE and the serving network of Rx UE to determine how to report or make use of the report from Rx UE. For an example, Rx UE may be configured to be involved in initiated QoS monitoring session of Tx UE, which belongs to the same PLMN (recording and reporting). For another example, assuming that Rx UE is configured to be involved in initiated QoS monitoring session of Tx UE regardless whether Rx UE and Tx UE are served by the same PLMN or not, the serving PLMN of Rx UE may then forward the report of Rx UE to the serving PLMN of Tx UE or the application server common to all serving PLMNs of Tx UE and Rx UE. In another option, Rx UE may report the recorded results to the application server. Based on the report from the Tx UE and corresponding reports from different Rx UEs, the network side (a QoS monitoring network entity of serving PLMN or a common application server) may derive the outcomes of QoS monitoring per an initiated QoS monitoring session for a configured SL mode or a triggering condition.

In a special setting, a QoS monitoring session may consist of a single Tx packet. This option is rather simple and effective when considering that the targeted QoS class is of per-packet messaging services.

Figure 1 illustrates interactions between a serving network 13, a Tx UE 12 and an Rx UE 11 according to various embodiments of the invention.

In step Sll, a common configuration on QoS monitoring of SL broadcast V2X services is made between the Rx UE 11, the Tx UE 12 and the serving network 13. This step can be realized using common control signaling, dedicated signaling or preconfiguration. Then, in step S12, the Tx UE 12 determines to initiate a QoS monitoring session for a SL broadcast V2X service or QoS class and starts recording on Tx packets.

In step S13, the Tx UE 12 transmits marking information related to the SL packet and QoS monitoring session to the Rx UE 11.

In step S14, the Rx UE 11, which receives the marking information related to the SL packet and QoS monitoring session transmitted from the Tx UE 12, determines to be involved in the QoS monitoring session and starts recording on Rx packets.

The Tx UE 12 continues transmitting the marking information related to the SL packet and QoS monitoring session to the Rx UE 11 in steps S15 and S16 and then, in step S17, reports the recorded results to the network 13.

Further, also the Rx UE 11 reports its recorded results to the network 13 in step S18. The UE reporting of recorded results in Figure 1 may be using e.g. Logged Measurement and Reporting, considering UE in IDLE state when conducting SL transmission and reception, or on-the-fly Measurement and Reporting considering UE in CONNECTED state when conducting SL transmission and reception. The IDLE and CONNECTED states as well as the Logged Measurement and Reporting for IDLE UE and the Measurement and Reporting for CONNECTED UE are specified as part of RRC protocol as in LTE for examples.

Based on the reports received in S17 and S18 from the Tx UE 12 and one or more of the Rx UE 11, the network 13 may derive the outcomes of QoS monitoring per an initiated QoS monitoring session for a configured SL mode or triggering condition.

Figure 2 illustrates the procedure performed by the Tx UE 12.

In step S21, the Tx UE receives the configuration on QoS monitoring of SL broadcast V2X services.

In step S22, the Tx UE 12 determines to initiate a QoS monitoring session for a SL broadcast V2X service or QoS class and starts recording on Tx packets.

In step S23, the Tx UE 12 sends QoS monitoring session related marking information together with each Tx packet of the initiated QoS monitoring session over SL to the Rx UE 11. Steps S22 and S23 are repeated until the end of the QoS monitoring session.

Then, in step S24, the Tx UE 12 reports the recorded results on Tx packets to a QoS monitoring network entity.

Figure 3 illustrates the procedure performed by the Rx UE 11.

In step S31, the Rx UE 11 receives the configuration on QoS monitoring of SL broadcast V2X services in a similar manner than the Tx UE in step S21 in Fig. 2. In step S32, the Rx UE 11 receives a SL packet with QoS monitoring session related marking information from the Tx UE 12.

In step S33, the Rx UE 11 determines to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session of the Tx UE 12 and starts recording on Rx packet for the initiated QoS monitoring session. Steps S32 and S33 are repeated until the end of the QoS monitoring session.

Then, in step S34, the Rx UE 11 reports the recorded results on Rx packets to the QoS monitoring network entity.

For further details regarding the processes between the Tx UE, the Rx UE and the network, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, reference is made to the above-described steps (i) to (iii).

As to the control network entity 13 for configuring relevant UEs to perform the roles of Tx UE 12 and Rx UE 11, the following is noted. The configuration can be provided and updated to relevant UEs along with e.g. registration and location update of relevant UEs, considering that relevant UEs may be in IDLE or INACTIVE state of the serving radio access network. This configuration can be provided as pre-configuration as well, considering that QoS monitoring may be needed for out- of-coverage situation as well. It may be possible for the serving network to be able to enable or disable this QoS monitoring feature on the serving cell basis at least from Tx UE perspective. For examples, individual gNB may be configured to indicate to relevant UEs that the QoS monitoring is allowed or not allowed under its coverage. If it is not allowed, then a relevant UE being served by the gNB may disable at least the Tx UE role of the QoS monitoring. The gNB may also allow or not allow a relevant UE to get access to the gNB just in order for reporting on QoS monitoring and nothing else primarily.

In view of the above, with the method proposed according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the network can monitor reliability and latency characteristics of QoS for a targeted broadcast-based V2X services over SL, which can be used for provisioning and adjusting targeted services, resource allocation modes as well as resource pools for different traffic patterns over different service areas.

In the following, a more general description of example versions of the present invention is made with respect to Figs. 4 to 7.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method according to some example versions of the present invention.

According to example versions of the present invention, the method may be implemented in or may be part of a user equipment, or the like. The method comprises receiving in step S41, at a first user equipment which performs a device- to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining in step S42, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending in step S43, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, and reporting, in step S44, the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

According to some example versions of the present invention, the first user equipment determines to initiate the QoS monitoring session for a preconfigured time interval or a preconfigured number of transmission packets over SL per each initiated QoS monitoring session for a broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service as per a targeted QoS class.

According to some example versions of the present invention, the determining step is triggered at the first user equipment based on at least one of the following: a preconfigured periodical time interval; a preconfigured event; and a request received from the network entity in either common or dedicated signaling. According to some example versions of the present invention, the first user equipment records the number of the transmission packets and the transmitted pattern of those transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session.

According to some example versions of the present invention, the marking information includes at least one of a QoS monitoring session number, a QoS class indication of the packet, a packet sequent number, and a Public Land Mobile Network identification, PLMN ID, of the first user equipment.

According to some example versions of the present invention, the marking information is provided with one of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol Control Packet Data Unit, PDCP C-PDU, or Medium Access Control Control Element, MAC CE, or SL control information associated with the transmission packet or as a content of a new PDU type or test packet of the SL signaling protocol

Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a method according to some example versions of the present invention.

According to example versions of the present invention, the method may be implemented in or may be part of a user equipment, or the like. The method comprises receiving in step S51, at a second user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, receiving in step S52, at the second user equipment, a transmission packet from the first user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with a QoS monitoring session initiated by the first user equipment, determining in step S53, at the second user equipment, to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session and starting recording on SL reception packets received from the first user equipment, and reporting, in step S54 the results of the recording on the SL reception packets to a network entity.

According to some example versions of the present invention, the second user equipment records the number of reception packets received form the first user equipment, the number of duplicated reception packets, and the number of repetitions needed to receive the reception packets in the current QoS monitoring session for a targeted broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service as per indicated QoS class, per indicated QoS monitoring session number of the first user equipment.

According to some example versions of the present invention, the second user equipment records the time duration for which the number of reception packets are received as well as the number of failed SL receptions during that time duration

According to some example versions of the present invention, the marking information is provided with one of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol Control Packet Data Unit, PDCP C-PDU, or Medium Access Control Control Element, MAC CE, or SL control information associated with the transmission packet or as a content of a new PDU type or test packet of the SL signaling protocol.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a method according to some example versions of the present invention.

According to example versions of the present invention, the method may be implemented in or may be part of a network entity, or the like. The method comprises determining in a step S61, at a network entity, a configuration on QoS monitoring of a sidelink, SL, broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, sending in a step S62, by the network entity, the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and receiving in a step S63, at the network entity, from the first user equipment and the second user equipment, reports on results of recording by the first user equipment and the second user equipment on the SL transmission packets and SL reception packets. According to some example versions of the present invention, the network entity provides the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment along with a registration and location update of relevant user equipment or as a pre-configuration.

According to some example versions of the present invention, the method further comprises deriving, by the network entity, the outcomes of the QoS monitoring per an initiated QoS monitoring session for a configured SL mode or triggering condition based on the reports received from the first user equipment and the second user equipment.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an apparatus according to some example versions of the present invention.

In Fig. 7, a block circuit diagram illustrating a configuration of an apparatus 70 is shown, which is configured to implement the above described various aspects of the invention. It is to be noted that the apparatus 70 shown in Fig. 7 may comprise several further elements or functions besides those described herein below, which are omitted herein for the sake of simplicity as they are not essential for understanding the invention. Furthermore, the apparatus may be also another device having a similar function, such as a chipset, a chip, a module etc., which can also be part of an apparatus or attached as a separate element to the apparatus, or the like.

The apparatus 70 may comprise a processing function or processor 71, such as a CPU or the like, which executes instructions given by programs or the like. The processor 71 may comprise one or more processing portions dedicated to specific processing as described below, or the processing may be run in a single processor. Portions for executing such specific processing may be also provided as discrete elements or within one or further processors or processing portions, such as in one physical processor like a CPU or in several physical entities, for example. Reference sign 72 denotes transceiver or input/output (I/O) units (interfaces) connected to the processor 71. The I/O units 72 may be used for communicating with one or more other network elements, entities, terminals or the like. The I/O units 72 may be a combined unit comprising communication equipment towards several network elements, or may comprise a distributed structure with a plurality of different interfaces for different network elements. The apparatus 70 further comprises at least one memory 73 usable, for example, for storing data and programs to be executed by the processor 71 and/or as a working storage of the processor 71.

The processor 71 is configured to execute processing related to the above- described aspects.

In particular, the apparatus 70 may be implemented in or may be part of a user equipment or the like, and may be configured to perform processing as described in connection with Figs. 4 or 5. Additionally, the apparatus 70 may be implemented in or may be part of a network entity or the like, and may be configured to perform processing as described in connection with Fig. 6.

Further, the present invention may be implement by an apparatus comprising means for performing the above-described processing.

For further details regarding the functions of the apparatus, reference is made to the description of the methods according to some example versions of the present invention as described in connection with Figs. 4 to 6.

In the foregoing exemplary description of the apparatus, only the units/means that are relevant for understanding the principles of the invention have been described using functional blocks. The apparatus may comprise further units/means that are necessary for its respective operation, respectively. However, a description of these units/means is omitted in this specification. The arrangement of the functional blocks of the apparatus is not to be construed to limit the invention, and the functions may be performed by one block or further split into sub-blocks.

When in the foregoing description it is stated that the apparatus (or some other means) is configured to perform some function, this is to be construed to be equivalent to a description stating that a (i.e. at least one) processor or corresponding circuitry, potentially in cooperation with computer program code stored in the memory of the respective apparatus, is configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least the thus mentioned function. Also, such function is to be construed to be equivalently implementable by specifically configured circuitry or means for performing the respective function (i.e. the expression "unit configured to" is to be construed to be equivalent to an expression such as "means for").

For the purpose of the present invention as described herein above, it should be noted that

- method steps likely to be implemented as software code portions and being run using a processor at an apparatus (as examples of devices, apparatuses and/or modules thereof, or as examples of entities including apparatuses and/or modules therefore), are software code independent and can be specified using any known or future developed programming language as long as the functionality defined by the method steps is preserved;

- generally, any method step is suitable to be implemented as software or by hardware without changing the idea of the aspects/embodiments and its modification in terms of the functionality implemented;

- method steps and/or devices, units or means likely to be implemented as hardware components at the above-defined apparatuses, or any module(s) thereof, (e.g., devices carrying out the functions of the apparatuses according to the aspects/embodiments as described above) are hardware independent and can be implemented using any known or future developed hardware technology or any hybrids of these, such as MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor), CMOS (Complementary MOS), BiMOS (Bipolar MOS), BiCMOS (Bipolar CMOS), ECL (Emitter Coupled Logic), TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic), etc., using for example ASIC (Application Specific IC (Integrated Circuit)) components, FPGA (Field- programmable Gate Arrays) components, CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) components, APU (Accelerated Processor Unit), GPU (Graphics Processor Unit) or DSP (Digital Signal Processor) components;

- devices, units or means (e.g. the above-defined apparatuses, or any one of their respective units/means) can be implemented as individual devices, units or means, but this does not exclude that they are implemented in a distributed fashion throughout the system, as long as the functionality of the device, unit or means is preserved;

- an apparatus may 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 an apparatus or module, instead of being hardware implemented, be implemented as software in a (software) module such as a computer program or a computer program product comprising executable software code portions for execution/being run on a processor;

- a device may be regarded as an apparatus or as an assembly of more than one apparatus, whether functionally in cooperation with each other or functionally independently of each other but in a same device housing, for example.

In general, it is to be noted that respective functional blocks or elements according to above-described embodiments can be implemented by any known means, either in hardware and/or software, respectively, if it is only adapted to perform the described functions of the respective parts. The mentioned method steps can be realized in individual functional blocks or by individual devices, or one or more of the method steps can be realized in a single functional block or by a single device.

Generally, any method step is suitable to be implemented as software or by hardware without changing the idea of the present invention. Devices and means can be implemented as individual devices, but this does not exclude that they are implemented in a distributed fashion throughout the system, as long as the functionality of the device is preserved. Such and similar principles are to be considered as known to a skilled person.

Software in the sense of the present description comprises software code as such comprising code means or portions or a computer program or a computer program product for performing the respective functions, as well as software (or a computer program or a computer program product) embodied on a tangible medium such as a computer-readable (storage) medium having stored thereon a respective data structure or code means/portions or embodied in a signal or in a chip, potentially during processing thereof. It is to be noted that the aspects/embodiments and general and specific examples described above are provided for illustrative purposes only and are in no way intended that the present invention is restricted thereto. Rather, it is the intention that all variations and modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims are covered.

Embodiments of the invention are described for NR/5G networks. However, the invention is not restricted to NR/5G networks and may be employed in other 3GPP networks such as 3G networks, 4G networks, and upcoming 3GPP releases, too. The invention may be employed in non-3GPP networks provided they comprise a corresponding function.

One piece of information may be transmitted in one or plural messages from one entity to another entity. Each of these messages may comprise further (different) pieces of information.

Names of network elements, protocols, and methods are based on current standards. In other versions or other technologies, the names of these network elements and/or protocols and/or methods may be different, as long as they provide a corresponding functionality.

If not otherwise stated or otherwise made clear from the context, the statement that two entities are different means that they perform different functions. It does not necessarily mean that they are based on different hardware. That is, each of the entities described in the present description may be based on a different hardware, or some or all of the entities may be based on the same hardware. It does not necessarily mean that they are based on different software. That is, each of the entities described in the present description may be based on different software, or some or all of the entities may be based on the same software. Each of the entities described in the present description may be embodied in the cloud.

Implementations of any of the above described blocks, apparatuses, systems, techniques or methods include, as non-limiting examples, implementations as hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

It is to be understood that what is described above is what is presently considered the preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the description of the preferred embodiments is given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method, comprising: receiving, at a first user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of- Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, reporting the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the first user equipment determines to initiate the QoS monitoring session for a preconfigured time interval or a preconfigured number of transmission packets over SL per each initiated QoS monitoring session for a broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service as per a targeted QoS class.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the determining step is triggered at the first user equipment based on at least one of the following : a preconfigured periodical time interval; a preconfigured event; and a request received from the network entity in either common or dedicated signaling.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the first user equipment records the number of the transmission packets and the transmitted pattern of those transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session.

5. A method, comprising; receiving, at a second user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, receiving, at the second user equipment, a transmission packet from the first user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with a QoS monitoring session initiated by the first user equipment, determining, at the second user equipment, to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session and starting recording on SL reception packets received from the first user equipment, and reporting the results of the recording on the SL reception packets to a network entity.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the second user equipment records the number of reception packets received from the first user equipment, the number of duplicated reception packets, and the number of repetitions needed to receive the reception packets in the current QoS monitoring session for a targeted broadcast-based Vehicle-to- Everything, V2X, service as per indicated QoS class, per indicated QoS monitoring session number of the first user equipment.

7. The method according to claims 5 or 6, wherein the second user equipment records the time duration for which the number of reception packets are received as well as the number of failed SL receptions during that time duration

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: the marking information includes at least one of a QoS monitoring session number, a QoS class indication of the packet, a packet sequent number, and a Public Land Mobile Network identification, PLMN ID, of the first user equipment.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: the marking information is provided with one of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol Control Packet Data Unit, PDCP C-PDU, or Medium Access Control Control Element, MAC CE, or SL control information associated with the transmission packet or as a content of a new PDU type or test packet of the SL signaling protocol.

10. A method, comprising: determining, at a network entity, a configuration on QoS monitoring of a sidelink, SL, broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, sending, by the network entity, the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and receiving, at the network entity, from the first user equipment and the second user equipment, reports on results of recording by the first user equipment and the second user equipment on the SL transmission packets and SL reception packets.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: the network entity provides the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment along with a registration and location update of relevant user equipment or as a pre-configuration.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising deriving, by the network entity, the outcomes of the QoS monitoring per an initiated QoS monitoring session for a configured SL mode or triggering condition based on the reports received from the first user equipment and the second user equipment.

13. An apparatus for use in a first user equipment, comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving, at the first user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of- Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, reporting the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: determining to initiate the QoS monitoring session for a preconfigured time interval or a preconfigured number of transmission packets over SL per each initiated QoS monitoring session for a broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service as per a targeted QoS class.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein: the determining step is triggered at the first user equipment based on at least one of the following: a preconfigured periodical time interval; a preconfigured event; and a request received from the network entity in either common or dedicated signaling.

16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: recording the number of the transmission packets and the transmitted pattern of those transmission packets for the initiated QoS session.

17. An apparatus for use in a second user equipment, comprising: at least one processor, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving, at the second user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, receiving, at the second user equipment, a transmission packet from the first user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with a QoS monitoring session initiated by the first user equipment, determining, at the second user equipment, to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session and starting recording on SL reception packets received from the first user equipment, and reporting the results of the recording on the SL reception packets to a network entity.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: recording the number of reception packets received from the first user equipment, the number of duplicated reception packets, and the number of repetitions needed to receive the reception packets in the current QoS monitoring session for a targeted broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service as per indicated QoS class, per indicated QoS monitoring session number of the first user equipment.

19. The apparatus according to claims 17 or 18, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: recording the time duration for which the number of reception packets are received as well as the number of failed SL receptions during that time duration

20. The apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein: the marking information includes at least one of a QoS monitoring session number, a QoS class indication of the packet, a packet sequent number, and a Public Land Mobile Network identification, PLMN ID, of the first user equipment.

21. The apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein: the marking information is provided with one of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol Control Packet Data Unit, PDCP C-PDU, or Medium Access Control Control Element, MAC CE, or SL control information associated with the transmission packet or as a content of a new PDU type or test packet of the SL signaling protocol.

22. An apparatus for use in a network entity, comprising: at least one processor, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: determining, at the network entity, a configuration on QoS monitoring of a sidelink, SL, broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, sending, by the network entity, the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and receiving, at the network entity, from the first user equipment and the second user equipment, reports on results of recording by the first user equipment and the second user equipment on the SL transmission packets and SL reception packets.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: providing the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment along with a registration and location update of relevant user equipment or as a pre-configuration.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: deriving, by the network entity, the outcomes of the QoS monitoring per an initiated QoS monitoring session for a configured SL mode or triggering condition based on the reports received from the first user equipment and the second user equipment.

25. An apparatus, comprising: receiving, at a first user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of- Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, determining, at the first user equipment, to initiate a QoS monitoring session over SL and starting recording on SL transmission packets for the initiated QoS monitoring session, sending, by the first user equipment, a transmission packet to the second user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with the initiated QoS monitoring session, reporting the results of the recording on the SL transmission packets to the network entity.

26. An apparatus, comprising: receiving, at a second user equipment which performs a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, a configuration on Quality-of-Service, QoS, monitoring over sidelink, SL, from a network entity, receiving, at the second user equipment, a transmission packet from the first user equipment over SL, wherein the transmission packet is marked with marking information associated with a QoS monitoring session initiated by the first user equipment, determining, at the second user equipment, to be involved in the initiated QoS monitoring session and starting recording on SL reception packets received from the first user equipment, and reporting the results of the recording on the SL reception packets to a network entity.

27. An apparatus, comprising: determining, at a network entity, a configuration on QoS monitoring of a sidelink, SL, broadcast-based Vehicle-to-Everything, V2X, service between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, sending, by the network entity, the configuration information to the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and receiving, at the network entity, from the first user equipment and the second user equipment, reports on results of recording by the first user equipment and the second user equipment on the SL transmission packets and SL reception packets.

28. A computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

29. A computer readable medium storing a computer program according to claim 28.