WO2021186057A1 - Resource allocation fencing for sidelink transmissions - Google Patents

Resource allocation fencing for sidelink transmissions Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2021186057A1
WO2021186057A1 PCT/EP2021/057133 EP2021057133W WO2021186057A1 WO 2021186057 A1 WO2021186057 A1 WO 2021186057A1 EP 2021057133 W EP2021057133 W EP 2021057133W WO 2021186057 A1 WO2021186057 A1 WO 2021186057A1
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Prior art keywords
configuration
geofencing
mode
resources
information
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PCT/EP2021/057133
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French (fr)
Inventor
Sarun Selvanesan
Baris GÖKTEPE
Roya EBRAHIM REZAGAH
Nithin SRINIVASAN
Thomas Fehrenbach
Thomas Wirth
Thomas Schierl
Cornelius Hellge
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Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
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Publication of WO2021186057A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021186057A1/en

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W72/00—Local resource management
    • H04W72/50—Allocation or scheduling criteria for wireless resources
    • H04W72/51—Allocation or scheduling criteria for wireless resources based on terminal or device properties
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W92/00—Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks
    • H04W92/16—Interfaces between hierarchically similar devices
    • H04W92/18—Interfaces between hierarchically similar devices between terminal devices

Definitions

  • the present application concerns the field of wireless communication systems or networks, more specifically a control of a communication, like a sidelink communication, in one or more geographical areas.
  • Embodiments concern the resource allocation, RA, fencing for sidelink, SL, transmissions so as to refrain a UE, like an out-of-coverage UE being in an area without network coverage or an in-coverage UE using bands with geographical restrictions, for a communication or to authorize a UE to perform a communication, like a sidelink communication in a licensed or unlicensed frequency band in one or more geographical areas.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an example of a terrestrial wireless network 100 including, as is shown in Fig. 1(a), a core network 102 and one or more radio access networks RAN-i, RAN 2 , ... RANN.
  • Fig. 1(b) is a schematic representation of an example of a radio access network RAN n that may include one or more base stations gNBi to gNB 5 , each serving a specific area surrounding the base station schematically represented by respective cells 106i to IO6 5 .
  • the base stations are provided to serve users within a cell.
  • the one or more base stations may serve users in licensed and/or unlicensed bands.
  • base station refers to a gNB in 5G networks, an eNB in UMTS/LTE/LTE-A/ LTE- A Pro, or just a BS in other mobile communication standards.
  • a user may be a stationary device or a mobile device.
  • the wireless communication system may also be accessed by mobile or stationary loT devices which connect to a base station or to a user.
  • the mobile devices or the loT devices may include physical devices, ground based vehicles, such as robots or cars, aerial vehicles, such as manned or unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, the latter also referred to as drones, buildings and other items or devices having embedded therein electronics, software, sensors, actuators, or the like as well as network connectivity that enables these devices to collect and exchange data across an existing network infrastructure.
  • Fig. 1(b) shows an exemplary view of five cells, however, the RANn may include more or less such cells, and RAN n may also include only one base station.
  • Fig. 1(b) shows two users UEi and UE 2 , also referred to as user equipment, UE, that are in cell 106 2 and that are served by base station gNB 2 .
  • FIG. 1 (b) shows two loT devices 110i and 110 2 in cell I O64, which may be stationary or mobile devices.
  • the loT device 110i accesses the wireless communication system via the base station gNB4 to receive and transmit data as schematically represented by arrow 112i.
  • the loT device 110 2 accesses the wireless communication system via the user UE3 as is schematically represented by arrow 112 2 .
  • the respective base station gNBi to gNBs may be connected to the core network 102, e.g., via the S1 interface, via respective backhaul links 114i to 114 5 , which are schematically represented in Fig. 1 (b) by the arrows pointing to “core”.
  • the core network 102 may be connected to one or more external networks.
  • the external network may be the Internet, or a private network, such as an Intranet or any other type of campus networks, e.g., a private WiFi or 4G or 5G mobile communication system.
  • some or all of the respective base station gNBi to gNBs may be connected, e.g., via the S1 or X2 interface or the XN interface in NR, with each other via respective backhaul links 1161 to 1165, which are schematically represented in Fig. 1(b) by the arrows pointing to “gNBs”.
  • a sidelink channel allows direct communication between UEs, also referred to as device-to-device, D2D, communication.
  • the sidelink interface in 3GPP is named PC5.
  • the physical resource grid may comprise a set of resource elements to which various physical channels and physical signals are mapped.
  • the physical channels may include the physical downlink channel, PDSCH, the physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, and the physical sidelink shared channel, PSSCH, carrying user specific data, also referred to as downlink, uplink or sidelink payload data, the physical broadcast channel, PBCH, and the physical sidelink broadcast channel, PSBCH, carrying for example a master information block, MIB, and one or more of a system information block, SIB, one or more sidelink information blocks (SLIBs) if supported, the physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, the physical uplink control channel, PUCCH, and the physical sidelink control channels, PSSCH, carrying for example the downlink control information, DCI, the uplink control information, UCI, or the sidelink control information, SCI.
  • the sidelink interface may also support a 2-stage SCI, which refers to a first control region containing some parts of the sidelink control information, SCI.
  • the physical channels may further include the physical random access channel, PRACH or RACH, used by UEs for accessing the network once a UE synchronized and obtained the MIB and SIB.
  • the physical signals may comprise reference signals or symbols, RS, synchronization signals and the like.
  • the resource grid may comprise a frame or radio frame having a certain duration in the time domain and having a given bandwidth in the frequency domain.
  • the frame may have a certain number of subframes of a predefined length, e.g., 1ms.
  • Each subframe may include one or more slots of 12 or 14 OFDM symbols depending on the cyclic prefix, CP, length.
  • a frame may also consist of a smaller number of OFDM symbols, e.g., when utilizing shortened transmission time intervals, sTTI, or a mini-slot/non-slot-based frame structure comprising just a few OFDM symbols.
  • the wireless communication system may be any single-tone or multicarrier system using frequency-division multiplexing, like the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing, OFDM, system, the orthogonal frequency-division multiple access, OFDMA, system, or any other IFFT-based signal with or without CP, e.g., DFT-s-OFDM.
  • Other waveforms like non- orthogonal waveforms for multiple access, e.g., filter-bank multicarrier, FBMC, generalized frequency division multiplexing, GFDM, or universal filtered multi carrier, UFMC, may be used.
  • the wireless communication system may operate, e.g., in accordance with the LTE- Advanced pro standard, or the 5G or NR, New Radio, standard, or the NR-U, New Radio Unlicensed, standard.
  • the wireless network or communication system depicted in Fig. 1 may be a heterogeneous network having distinct overlaid networks, e.g., a network of macro cells with each macro cell including a macro base station, like base station gNBi to gNBs, and a network of small cell base stations, not shown in Fig. 1, like femto or pico base stations.
  • NTN non-terrestrial wireless communication networks
  • the non-terrestrial wireless communication network or system may operate in a similar way as the terrestrial system described above with reference to Fig. 1 , for example in accordance with the LTE-Advanced Pro standard or the 5G or NR, new radio, standard.
  • UEs that communicate directly with each other over one or more sidelink, SL, channels e.g., using the PC5 or PCS interface or WiFi direct.
  • UEs that communicate directly with each other over the sidelink may include vehicles communicating directly with other vehicles, V2V communication, vehicles communicating with other entities of the wireless communication network, V2X communication, for example roadside units, RSUs, roadside entities, like traffic lights, traffic signs, or pedestrians.
  • RSUs may have functionalities of BS or of UEs, depending on the specific network configuration.
  • Other UEs may not be vehicular related UEs and may comprise any of the above-mentioned devices. Such devices may also communicate directly with each other, D2D communication, using the SL channels.
  • both UEs may be served by the same base station so that the base station may provide sidelink resource allocation configuration or assistance for the UEs.
  • both UEs may be within the coverage area of a base station, like one of the base stations depicted in Fig. 1. This is referred to as an “in-coverage” scenario.
  • Another scenario is referred to as an “out- of-coverage” scenario. It is noted that “out-of-coverage” does not mean that the two UEs are not within one of the cells depicted in Fig.
  • these UEs may not be connected to a base station, for example, they are not in an RRC connected state, so that the UEs do not receive from the base station any sidelink resource allocation configuration or assistance, and/or may be connected to the base station, but, for one or more reasons, the base station may not provide sidelink resource allocation configuration or assistance for the UEs, and/or may be connected to the base station that may not support NR V2X services, e.g., GSM, UMTS, LTE base stations.
  • NR V2X services e.g., GSM, UMTS, LTE base stations.
  • one of the UEs may also be connected with a BS, and may relay information from the BS to the other UE via the sidelink interface and vice-versa.
  • the relaying may be performed in the same frequency band, in-band-relay, or another frequency band, out-of-band relay, may be used.
  • communication on the Uu and on the sidelink may be decoupled using different time slots as in time division duplex, TDD, systems.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an in-coverage scenario in which two UEs directly communicating with each other are both connected to a base station.
  • the base station gNB has a coverage area that is schematically represented by the circle 200 which, basically, corresponds to the cell schematically represented in Fig. 1.
  • the UEs directly communicating with each other include a first vehicle 202 and a second vehicle 204 both in the coverage area 200 of the base station gNB. Both vehicles 202, 204 are connected to the base station gNB and, in addition, they are connected directly with each other over the PC5 interface.
  • the scheduling and/or interference management of the V2V traffic is assisted by the gNB via control signaling over the Uu interface, which is the radio interface between the base station and the UEs.
  • the gNB provides SL resource allocation configuration or assistance for the UEs, and the gNB assigns the resources to be used for the V2V communication over the sidelink.
  • This configuration is also referred to as a mode 1 configuration in NR V2X or as a mode 3 configuration in LTE V2X.
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an out-of-coverage scenario in which the UEs directly communicating with each other are either not connected to a base station, although they may be physically within a cell of a wireless communication network, or some or all of the UEs directly communicating with each other are to a base station but the base station does not provide for the SL resource allocation configuration or assistance.
  • Three vehicles 206, 208 and 210 are shown directly communicating with each other over a sidelink, e.g., using the PCS interface.
  • the scheduling and/or interference management of the V2V traffic is based on algorithms implemented between the vehicles. This configuration is also referred to as a mode 2 configuration in NR V2X or as a mode 4 configuration in LTE V2X.
  • the scenario in Fig. 3 which is the out-of-coverage scenario does not necessarily mean that the respective mode 2 UEs in NR or mode 4 UEs in LTE are outside of the coverage 200 of a base station, rather, it means that the respective mode 2 UEs in NR or mode 4 UEs in LTE are not served by a base station, are not connected to the base station of the coverage area, or are connected to the base station but receive no SL resource allocation configuration or assistance from the base station.
  • Fig. 3 schematically illustrates an out of coverage UE using a relay to communicate with the network.
  • the UE 210 may communicate over the sidelink with UE1 which, in turn, may be connected to the gNB via the Uu interface.
  • UE1 may relay information between the gNB and the UE 210.
  • Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 illustrate vehicular UEs
  • the described in-coverage and out-of-coverage scenarios also apply for non-vehicular UEs.
  • any UE like a hand-held device, communicating directly with another UE using SL channels may be in-coverage and out-of-coverage.
  • relay devices or relay nodes may be employed to solve performance issues, like a reduced data rate, a weaker signal and higher interference as it may be encountered on the radio coverage edges of a cell of a base station.
  • the relay node may extract data from a received signal, apply noise correction and retransmit a new signal on its own.
  • a UE-to-Network relay has been specified.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates a scenario where a relay LIE operates as a UE-to-Network relay.
  • the relay device or relay node mentioned above may be a user equipment, UE, and, in the following, is referred to a relay UE.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates a UE 200 that is to connect to a destination 202, e.g., to an entity of the access network 202a, like a gNB, of to an entity of the core network 202a.
  • the end-to- end communication between the UE 200, that is also referred to as the remote UE, and the destination uses a relay UE 206 that provides functionality to support connectivity to the destination in the core network 202 for the remote UE 200.
  • the remote UE 200 and the relay UE may communicate using the PC5 interface, and the relay UE and the access network may communicate using the Uu interface.
  • a UE-to-UE relay in addition to the UE-to-Network relay, also a UE-to-UE relay is supported.
  • the destination 202 is another UE.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates a scenario where the relay is a UE-to-UE relay 206.
  • the remote UE 200 is to connect to the other UE 202, and the relay UE 206 provides functionality to support connectivity to the destination UE 208, for the remote UE 200.
  • the remote UE 200 and the relay UE may communicate using the PCS interface, and the relay UE and the other UE 202 may communicate using also the PC5 interface.
  • Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 illustrate the relay to be a UE
  • the relay may be any entity having network connectivity and enabling that the remote UE 200 is connected to the destination 202, like the core network or another UE.
  • the relay entity could be a group leader UE, a roadside unit, RSU, or any mobile or stationary device.
  • Such a relay entity may be a relay node having some base station functionality, such as scheduling of resources, etc.
  • a relay can also be a relay node in the classical sense, e.g. a base station infrastructure device, providing relaying functionality as in an amplify and forward (AF) relay, or a decode-and-forward relay (DF), e.g.
  • AF amplify and forward
  • DF decode-and-forward relay
  • a plurality of such user devices may form a user device group, also referred to simply as group, and the communication within the group or among the group members may be performed via the sidelink interfaces between the user devices, like the PC5 interface.
  • the above-described scenarios using vehicular user devices may be employed in the field of the transport industry in which a plurality of vehicles being equipped with vehicular user devices may be grouped together, for example, by a remote driving application.
  • a plurality of user devices may be grouped together for a sidelink communication among each other include, for example, factory automation and electrical power distribution.
  • factory automation a plurality of mobile or stationary machines within a factory may be equipped with user devices and grouped together for a sidelink communication, for example for controlling the operation of the machine, like a motion control of a robot.
  • electrical power distribution entities within the power distribution grid may be equipped with respective user devices which, within a certain area of the system may be grouped together so as to communicate via a sidelink communication with each other so as to allow for monitoring the system and for dealing with power distribution grid failures and outages.
  • sidelink communication is not limited to a communication within a group. Rather, the sidelink communication may be among any of UEs, like any pair of UEs.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an example of a wireless communication system
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an in-coverage scenario in which two UEs directly communicating with each other are both connected to a base station;
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an out-of-coverage scenario in which the UEs directly communicating with each other;
  • Fig. 4 illustrates a scenario where a relay UE operates as a UE-to-Network relay
  • Fig. 5 illustrates a scenario where the relay is a UE-to-UE relay
  • Fig. 6 illustrates a geographical area having different regions A, B and C in which different policies or configurations may apply;
  • Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system including a transmitter, like a base station, and one or more receivers, like user devices, UEs capable of operating in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
  • Fig. 8 illustrates a UE in accordance with embodiments of the present invention
  • Fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention according to which a geo fenced area as defined by a geo fencing configuration is smaller than a base station coverage area;
  • Fig. 10 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention similar to Fig. 9 according to which a geo fenced area as defined by a geo fencing configuration is larger than a base station coverage area;
  • Fig. 11 illustrates a group-based geo fencing configuration in accordance with embodiments of the present invention
  • Fig. 12 illustrates for the scenario of Fig. 11 a SIB based geo fencing configuration and group-based geo fencing configurations for two channels available for a sidelink communication in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • Fig. 13 illustrates an example of a computer system on which units or modules as well as the steps of the methods described in accordance with the inventive approach may execute.
  • a wireless communication system may have NR system architecture.
  • usage of resources is only restricted on the network level, for example, on a public land mobile network, PLMN, level, i.e. , the PLMN specifies what resources to be used and what resources are not to be used for a communication within the PLMN.
  • PLMN public land mobile network
  • a UE needs to be informed accordingly, however, this works only in case the UE is in-coverage of the network.
  • the operation or usage of the UE within one or more geographical areas may need to be restricted to certain resources, for example, to one or more unlicensed bands.
  • the UE may be aware of the geographical area in which certain radio parameters are valid, for example, based on one or more configurations or one or more policies provided by the wireless communication network or which are built-in into the UE by the vendor.
  • the geographical area may define a larger area, like the bounds of a city, and for one or more smaller areas within the larger area, e.g., a private wireless communication network such as a campus network, a different configuration or policy with regard to the radio parameters being valid may be used.
  • a configuration or policy for an area provides radio parameters that define which resources may be used, for example, which frequency bands are to be employed for a communication by the UE within the area, for example, only Intelligent Transportation System, ITS, bands, only non-ITS bands, or both ITS bands and non-ITS bands.
  • ITS bands are frequency bands specified on a country and/or region basis and are meant only for intelligent transport services, ITS.
  • Non-ITS bands are licensed bands, such as the bands used for NR.
  • the radio parameters may also include a resource pool configuration including resources the UE may use in these bands for a given area.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates a geographical area having different regions A, B and C in which different policies or configurations may apply.
  • region A may define an area that is out- of-coverage of a gNB, and the network operator may define that the one or more UEs being within region A are restricted in their operation in such a way that they may only use one or more ITS bands for a communication.
  • Region B is an area being in-coverage of the gNB, and a UE may be allowed to use the one or more ITS bands and the one or more non-ITS bands, as defined by the configuration or policy for region B.
  • Region C is an area that is out-of-coverage of an gNB, however, a different configuration or policy applies when compared to region A, for example, the UE may be allowed to use in region C also both the one or more ITS bands and the one or more non-ITS bands.
  • region A may be an area where the operator does not provide certain services, such as sidelink V2X services, anymore, and the previously used bands are used for different purposes. It is also possible for the operator to restrict UEs from using the licensed bands in the region in order to avoid any interference with private campus networks that are being deployed in factories and industries. This, essentially, may be the outskirts of a city region.
  • Region B may be an area where the operator provides certain services, such as V2X, and licensed bands of the operator may also be used in addition to the ITS bands for the specific service.
  • This region may be the urban and populous area of a city region.
  • Region C may be an area which is managed by a different operator than the one the UE is registered with, but the different operator allows using certain non-ITS bands to be used by UEs which are not managed by this operator.
  • This region may be the urban but less populated area of a city region, like parks or gardens. Based on the dynamics of the above described scenarios involving local networks, some of the regions, e.g., Region A, B or C, might only be valid during certain times of the day or certain days within the week.
  • regions might be formed dynamically based on traffic situations on roads, e.g., a traffic jam on a highway, which leads to routing of V2X traffic through a region A with the BS spanning regions B, which has not been optimized to cope with V2X data traffic in its frequency bands.
  • a network operator may desire UEs, which are not in region B but in region A, not to use any of the licensed bands that are used for NR, e.g., to refrain UEs being in region A to use up bandwidth in the licensed bands which are reserved for users in region B.
  • the regions C may be considered by the network to be sufficiently far away from the region B so that in these regions, a UE may also use resources from the licensed bands.
  • a NR system architecture restricts usage of certain resources, like frequency bands, only on a network level so that only a UE being in coverage of the network, for example, a UE being within region B, may be informed about the resources it may employ for a communication in region B.
  • the UE has no information about other regions so that, when the UE leaves the in-coverage area or region B, it has no knowledge about possible limitations or restrictions with regards to the usage of certain resources across certain bands or frequencies outside the regions B, and specifically in other regions like region A.
  • UEs being in region A or in region C of Fig. 6, i.e., UEs being out-of-coverage have no information about restrictions implied by the network with regard to the use of certain resources within the respective regions or geographical areas A to C indicated in Fig. 6.
  • a UE entering the geographical area of Fig. 6 from outside is located in region A or in region C, i.e., is in an out-of-coverage area and, therefore, has no possibility to obtain from the network possible restrictions for regions A and C.
  • This also applies when the UE is when freshly started or turned on in region A or C and is not pre-configured with the appropriate usage restrictions.
  • it is not possible to restrict the usage or operation of a UE being out-of-coverage, for example, a UE operating in a NR Mode 2, to certain resources, like to unlicensed bands only, in one or more geographical areas, for example, for areas where there is no network coverage, like regions A and C in Fig. 6.
  • the present invention addresses the above problems and, in accordance with embodiments, provides improvements or enhancements for a communication, like a sidelink communication, by refraining a UE from transmitting and/or receiving in a one or more configured geographical areas.
  • Embodiments ensures that the UE operation, like a sidelink operation, may be restricted in one or more predetermined geographical areas, for example, by restricting an operation, like the SL operation, completely, or by confining the operation to a certain resource, like a certain frequency band within the non-ITS bands. This applies, for example, for out-of-coverage UEs, like the ones being located in region A in Fig. 6, but also for areas in which there is no network coverage.
  • Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a wireless communication system as depicted in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 including base stations and users, like mobile terminals or loT devices.
  • Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system including a transmitter 300, like a base station, and one or more receivers 302, 304, like user devices, UEs.
  • the transmitter 300 and the receivers 302, 304 may communicate via one or more wireless communication links or channels 306a, 306b, 308, like a radio link.
  • the transmitter 300 may include one or more antennas ANTT or an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements, a signal processor 300a and a transceiver 300b, coupled with each other.
  • the receivers 302, 304 include one or more antennas ANTUE or an antenna array having a plurality of antennas, a signal processor 302a, 304a, and a transceiver 302b, 304b coupled with each other.
  • the base station 300 and the UEs 302, 304 may communicate via respective first wireless communication links 306a and 306b, like a radio link using the Uu interface, while the UEs 302, 304 may communicate with each other via a second wireless communication link 308, like a radio link using the PC5 or sidelink, SL, interface.
  • the UEs When the UEs are not served by the base station, are not be connected to a base station, for example, they are not in an RRC connected state, or, more generally, when no SL resource allocation configuration or assistance is provided by a base station, the UEs may communicate with each other over the sidelink.
  • the system or network of Fig. 7, the one or more UEs 302, 304 of Fig. 7, and the base station 300 of Fig. 7 may operate in accordance with the inventive teachings described herein.
  • the present invention provides (see for example claim 1) a user equipment, UE, for a wireless communication system, wherein the UE is to perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs, and wherein, the UE is to refrain from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
  • UE user equipment
  • the UE is to refrain from usage a plurality of time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources in the one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
  • the UE is to receive restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, e.g., a geofencing configuration, the restriction information indicating the time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more geographical areas.
  • restriction information indicating the time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more geographical areas.
  • the frequency resources are defined as one or more of the following:
  • RP resource pool
  • RP e.g., transmit or receive or exceptional RP
  • a frequency band like an unlicensed band, e.g., the Intelligent Transportation System
  • ITS band and/or the Industrial, Scientific and Medical, ISM, band, or a licensed band, e.g., a non-ITS band,
  • time resources are defined as one or more of the following:
  • a symbol e.g., an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, symbol
  • the spatial resources are defined as one or more of the following:
  • PMI precoder matrix indicator
  • the UE is to receive the restriction information for the one or more geographical areas by means of one or more control messages, e.g., physical layer, like DCI, and/or MAC layer, e.g., via MAC CE message, and/or RRC layer, and/or higher layer control messages, and/or Assistance Information Messages, AIMs.
  • control messages e.g., physical layer, like DCI, and/or MAC layer, e.g., via MAC CE message, and/or RRC layer, and/or higher layer control messages, and/or Assistance Information Messages, AIMs.
  • the UE is to receive the restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, from a base station, BS, of the wireless communication system, e.g., by means of one or more of the following:
  • broadcast messages like a system information block, SIB, or a master information block, MIB,
  • BWP bandwidth part
  • the UE is pre-configured with the geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE to receive the restriction information defining the geofencing configuration from one or more entities of the wireless communication system, e.g., from one or more of the following:
  • relay entities e.g., relay UE or a relay BS
  • CN e.g., the 5G-CN
  • the UE is to receive the restriction information over a sidelink interface by means of one of the following:
  • AIMs Assistance Information Messages
  • SLIBs Sidelink Information Blocks
  • the UE is to receive the restriction information by a passive detection
  • broadcast control messages e.g., a PSBCH message
  • the UE is to receive the restriction information by an active detection, wherein the UE is to actively seek out one or more control messages that contain the restriction information, by
  • the UE is to actively seek out the one or more control messages when a current restriction information of the UE expired, or when the UE is aware, e.g., based on one or more received messages, that it is within or is approaching a certain geographical area for which restrictions apply.
  • the UE is to receive a resource configuration, wherein the resource configuration includes parameters specifying the restriction information.
  • the restriction information comprises one or more of:
  • a geofencing configuration such as GNSS coordinates, a geo fence, a zone or zone identifier, a paging area, a cell-ID, a PLMN or a country,
  • information about a time the geofencing configuration is active such as a period of time, a Time to live, TTL, a future time or a time pattern,
  • the UE is to update an existing geofencing configuration only with a geofencing configuration having the priority higher than the priority of the existing geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE is to apply the geofencing configuration only for traffic with a certain priority class, e.g., such that only traffic with a priority above a certain threshold is allowed in the restricted geographical area,
  • resource pools dedicated for Mode 1 or Mode 2 operations such that the time-frequency grid corresponding to ITS bands where the UE may use both operation modes within the geo-fenced area
  • the UE when the UE does not receive a geofencing configuration for a certain geographical area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
  • the UE is only to use bands, e.g., the ITS band, which do not have any underlying geofencing restrictions.
  • the UE when a geo fenced area as defined by the geofencing configuration is less than a base station coverage area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
  • the UE when the UE exits the geo fenced area, the UE is to remain in Mode 1 as long as it is within the coverage area of the base station,
  • the UE when the UE is operating in Mode 2 and when the UE is within the coverage area of the base station, the UE is to switch to Mode 1 , • when the UE leaves the coverage area of the base station or leaves the geo fenced area, the UE is to perform a handover to another BS, if present,
  • the UE when a geo fenced area as defined by the geofencing configuration is larger than a base station coverage area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
  • the UE when UE is out of the geo fenced area, the UE is to operate in either the ITS band or the non-ITS band.
  • the UE responsive to receiving an updated geofencing configuration, the UE is to operate as follows:
  • the UE responsive to receiving a geofencing configuration, when the UE enters the geo fenced area and may use only restricted resources, and perform one or more of the following: • if the UE was operating in RRC connected mode, the UE is to switch to RRC inactive or RRC idle mode,
  • the UE is to switch to RRC idle mode and refrain from performing random access to a configured and/or pre-configured or sensed frequency band for a given time period.
  • the UE responsive to receiving a geofencing configuration, when the UE exits the geo fenced area, if the UE was operating in RRC inactive or RRC idle mode, the UE is to switch to RRC connected mode.
  • the UE is a member of a UE group, and the UE is to receive the geofencing configuration by
  • default channel availability information e.g., obtained by a SIB signaling, is overwritten by the geofencing configuration.
  • the geofencing configuration is common for some or all of the UEs of the wireless communication system, and/or is UE- specific and/or is group-specific.
  • the UE in case the UE is configured with a set of resources spanning across time and/or frequency resources, the UE is to deactivate autonomously all resources which are restricted in accordance with the geofencing configuration.
  • the present invention provides (see for example claim 26) a network entity of a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including a plurality of UEs capable of communicating over a sidelink, wherein the network entity is to signal to one or more of the UEs geofencing configuration causing the UE to refrain from or to allow transmitting and/or receiving in one or more geographical areas indicated by the geofencing configuration.
  • the present invention provides (see for example claim 27) a wireless communication system, comprising one or more of the inventive UEs, and/or one or more of the inventive network entities.
  • the UE comprises one or more of a mobile terminal, or a stationary terminal, or a cellular loT-UE, or a vehicular UE, or a vehicular group leader, GL, UE, or an loT or narrowband loT, NB-loT, device, or a ground based vehicle, or an aerial vehicle, or a drone, or a moving base station, or road side unit, RSU, or a building, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using a sidelink the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any sidelink capable network entity.
  • a mobile terminal or a stationary terminal, or a cellular loT-UE, or a vehicular UE, or a vehicular group leader, GL, UE, or an loT or narrowband loT, NB-loT
  • the network entity comprises one or more base stations, wherein the base station comprises one or more of a macro cell base station, or a small cell base station, or a central unit of a base station, or a distributed unit of a base station, or a road side unit, RSU), or a UE, or a group leader, GL, UE, or a relay or a remote radio head, or an AMF, or an MME, or an SMF, or a core network entity, or mobile edge computing, MEC, entity, or a network slice as in the NR or 5G core context, or any transmission/reception point, TRP, enabling an item or a device to communicate using the wireless communication network, the item or device being provided with network connectivity to communicate using the wireless communication network.
  • the base station comprises one or more of a macro cell base station, or a small cell base station, or a central unit of a base station, or a distributed unit of a base station, or a road side unit, RSU), or a UE, or a
  • the present invention provides (see for example claim 30) a method for operating a user equipment, UE, of a wireless communication system, the method comprising: operating the UE perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs, and refraining the UE from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
  • a method for operating a user equipment, UE, of a wireless communication system comprising: operating the UE perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs, and refraining the UE from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
  • resources e.g., SL resources
  • the present invention provides (see for example claim 31) a method for operating a network entity of a wireless communication system a plurality of UEs communicating over a sidelink, the method comprising: signaling, by the network entity, to one or more of the UEs geofencing configuration causing the UE to refrain from or to allow transmitting and/or receiving in one or more geographical areas indicated by the geofencing configuration,
  • Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out one or more methods in accordance with the present invention.
  • Embodiments of the present invention address the above-described problems in conventional approaches with regard to the operation or usage of an out-of-coverage UE in the licensed bands, for example, for a sidelink communication, like a transmission on the sidelink.
  • a transmission using resources of the licensed frequency band may not be desired by a network operator, for example, in case a UE is located in region C of Fig. 6 which is close to the in-coverage regions B.
  • region A a UE may be allowed to use resources from the licensed band, for example, because the region A is not covered by the network operator of regions B or C or because region A is deemed to be sufficiently far away from the in-coverage region.
  • a UE for avoiding the use of undesired resources in region C, in accordance with the present invention, a UE is provided, i.e. a UE performing a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs over a sidelink, with a configuration and/or pre-configuration which indicates to the UE that it is to refrain from a communication or that it is authorized to perform a communication, like a transmission and/or a reception over the sidelink, in one or more configured geographical areas.
  • Fig. 8 illustrates a UE in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • UE1 may perform a sidelink communication, for example, over the PC5 interface, with one or more further UEs, like UE2 depicted in Fig. 8.
  • UE1 may also perform a communication, for example, over the Uu interface, with one or more base stations, like the gNB depicted in Fig. 8.
  • UE1 includes circuitry 400 for performing the communication to UE2 and/or the gNB.
  • UE1 includes a storage or a memory 402 for storing a configuration indicating one or more geographical areas in which the UE is to refrain from transmitting and/or receiving on the PCS interface and/or on the Uu interface.
  • a configuration indicating one or more geographical areas in which the UE is to refrain from transmitting and/or receiving on the PCS interface and/or on the Uu interface In the embodiment depicted in Fig.
  • UE1 being aware of its location, determines, as it is schematically indicated at 404, whether the location or area in which the UE1 is currently located is the geographical area or region A with which the UE is configured. If this is the case, the UE1 refrains from a sidelink communication and/or a Uu communication in a particular set of resources, e.g., within licensed bands, as defined in the configuration 402, as is schematically indicated at 406. Otherwise, in case UE1 determines that it is not within area A, the sidelink or Uu communication may be allowed, as is schematically indicated 408.
  • the UE may refrain from or be authorized to carry out a transmission/reception using the sidelink and/or the Uu interface in the one or more geographical areas in such a way that the sidelink and/or the Uu interface over a particular set of resources is not used at all.
  • the UE within the one or more configured geographical areas, may refrain from using a plurality of time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources, like the licensed resources in region A in Fig. 6.
  • UE1 may receive restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, which is also referred to as a geo fencing configuration.
  • the geo fencing configuration received at the UE may be stored in the memory 402, and the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may indicate the time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources UE1 is not to use or is to use when being in the geographical area indicated by the geo fencing configuration.
  • embodiments of the present invention handle a situation in which, for example, a UE does not receive a configuration or policy regarding the operation or usage in region A, and in accordance with the present invention this additional information is provided to the UE, i.e.
  • the UE is provided with an additional policy or configuration associated with the region A restricting or authorizing operation of the UE within region A, for example, for preventing or authorizing the UE from using one or more non-ITS bands, i.e., the licensed bands used for NR, when being in region A.
  • an additional policy or configuration associated with the region A restricting or authorizing operation of the UE within region A, for example, for preventing or authorizing the UE from using one or more non-ITS bands, i.e., the licensed bands used for NR, when being in region A.
  • the restriction information or geo fencing configuration may define the one or more frequency resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more configuration areas as one or more of the following:
  • a resource block RB
  • a resource pool RP
  • RP e.g., transmit or receive or exceptional RP
  • a frequency band like an unlicensed band, e.g., the Intelligent Transportation System, ITS, band and/or the Industrial, Scientific and Medical, ISM, band, or a licensed band, e.g., a non-ITS band,
  • the restriction information or geo fencing configuration may define the time resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more geographical areas as one of the following:
  • a symbol e.g., an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, symbol
  • the restriction imposed on the UE with regard to its operation in one or more configured geographical areas is not limited to certain time and/or frequency resources, for example, in the non-ITS bands.
  • the restriction or authorization may also be defined in terms of spatial resources so that, for example, when being in a certain location, the UE is to use time/frequency resources for a transmission only wherein the transmission is directed into a certain, non-restricted direction. For example, when considering Fig.
  • a UE being located in region A may have a geo fencing configuration defining spatial resources for region A in such a way that the UE may use also non-ITS bands for a sidelink and/or Uu communication provided the communication is directed away from the in-coverage regions B, for example, is directed towards the boundary of the overall area depicted in Fig. 6.
  • the restriction information or geo fencing configuration may include such spatial resources which may be defined as one or more of the following:
  • UE1 may receive the restriction information or geo fencing configuration for the one or more geographical areas by one or more control messages, for example, by physical layer signaling using, for example, a DCI or an SCI, or by datalink layer signaling, for example in the medium access control, MAC, layer, or by an RRC layer signaling, or by a signaling via higher layers, or by a combination of the previously mentioned signaling methods.
  • the UE may receive the geo fencing configuration or restriction information from a base station of the wireless communication system, and the geo fencing configuration may be included in one or more broadcast messages, like the system block information, SIB, or the master information block, MIB.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be included in the DCI or in an RRC message.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be included in a bandwidth part, BWP, configuration which may be received at the UE by a unicast, groupcast or multicast communication.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be included as part of a resource pool configuration indicating, for example, the resources to be used for a sidelink communication and/or a Uu communication of the UE.
  • the UE may receive the restriction information or geo fencing configuration not only from the gNB but also from another UE, for example over the sidelink.
  • the UE like UE1 in Fig. 8, may receive the geo fencing configuration from the gNB and/or from another UE connected to the UE1 or via a sidelink, like UE2 in Fig. 8.
  • the configuration information may be provided by UE2 using PC5 RRC signaling.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be part of a sidelink control information, SCI, transmitted from UE2 to UE1 over the sidelink interface.
  • the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may be included in a multistage SCI and it may be part of a first stage SCI or in one or more second stage SCIs.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be embedded in the physical sidelink feedback channel, PSFCH.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be transmitted as part of a unicast, groupcast, multicast or broadcast message over the sidelink.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be included in one or more data packets that are transmitted over the sidelink, for example via the physical sidelink shared channel, PSSCH.
  • embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism at a UE, like UE1 in Fig. 8, that is similar to a mechanism used to restrict drones from flying into a certain geographical area.
  • this mechanism is used to restrict a UE from using a spectrum, like one or more of the above mentioned resources, or from preventing a UE from performing a certain kind of operation, like a SL communication, in a certain geographical area.
  • information about the restricted area may be sent directly to the UE via a physical layer message, a MAC layer message and/or a higher layer message.
  • the downlink or sidelink control channels or the RRC layer or an appropriate V2X layer may be used to signal the geographical area, more specifically the geo fencing configuration, to a particular UE.
  • the geo fencing configuration may be included in a broadcast message, such as the SIB or MIB, over a broadcast channel, such as the Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel, PSBCH, or a dedicated signaling channel may be employed, like an RRC channel.
  • existing signaling approaches may be reused, for example, by including the geo fencing configuration, for example, into the BWP configuration.
  • the BWP configuration may be extended by certain parameters specifying the geo fencing configuration, for example the specific geo fencing configuration parameters described in more detail below.
  • the UE when using physical layer signaling for informing the UE of a restriction, the UE may carry out sensing to detect signals from the network or another UE carrying the restriction information or geo fencing configuration.
  • the sensing carried out by the UE may include a passive detection or an active detection.
  • the UE in accordance with embodiments, may listen to resources or the PSBCH known at the UE for receiving broadcast control messages that may include the geo fencing configuration or restriction information.
  • the UE may look for one or more messages that are broadcasted at a certain power level, for example at a power level higher than a predefined threshold which indicates to the UE that a message is transmitted that includes a broadcast control message that may include the restriction information or geo fencing configuration.
  • the broadcast control message may be a message in the physical sidelink broadcast channel, PSBCH.
  • PSBCH physical sidelink broadcast channel
  • the UE may use synchronization preambles broadcasted by the gNB via the RRC configuration or received from another UE via the PC5 interface, and based on the stored synchronization preambles may recognize and detect messages that may include the geo fencing configuration.
  • the UE may also receive the configurations by RRC configurations, which are broadcasted by the gNB via the Uu link, or by another UE via the PC5 link.
  • the UE may actively seek out one or more control messages including the restriction information or geo fencing configuration.
  • the UE may request one or more entities, like one or more neighboring UEs, one or more UEs within a group the UE belongs to, an RSU, a base station, a relay node, such as a relay UE or any other entity for the restriction information or the geo fencing configuration, and, following the request, receives from the one or more entities the restriction information.
  • the UE may perform an active detection when a current restriction information expires or when the UE becomes aware that it is within or is approaching a certain geographical area for which restrictions apply or for which it holds no valid geo fencing configuration or no geo fencing configuration at all.
  • the UE may perform active sensing by synchronizing with the network, or by actively decoding data from the network. As mentioned, this may be employed when the UE is aware of geographical restrictions in the area or when a current geo fencing configuration or policy has either expired or not been updated. As long as the UE does not see certain data or control messages, for example certain downlink control information, like a DCI, SCI, RRC, SIB, PBCH or MIB and/or certain user data from a base station or from another UE, it only uses the uplink bands over the Uu interface.
  • certain downlink control information like a DCI, SCI, RRC, SIB, PBCH or MIB and/or certain user data from a base station or from another UE, it only uses the uplink bands over the Uu interface.
  • the UE may actively seek out for a control message that contains restriction information for the geographical area in which the UE is currently located.
  • the UE may perform an active detection dependent on a status of another UE. For example, in case another UE is in a connected mode and/or in an inactive mode, the UE may refrain from using the same spectrum as the other UE for a Mode 2 operation.
  • the UE may include a geo fencing configuration for a certain area, however, this configuration, for certain reasons, may have expired. In such a situation, using the above described signaling approaches, the UE may obtain an updated geo fencing configuration.
  • the UE may stop operating in a mode as indicated by the expired geo fencing configuration, for example it may stop operating in the restricted resources, e.g., using Mode 2.
  • the UE may try to connect to the network either through the gNB or through another UE so as to obtain the updated geo fencing configuration.
  • embodiments of the present invention are advantageous as based on the geo fencing configuration received at a UE, the UE may stop or curtail performing certain operations in a geographical area as specified in the geo fencing configuration or may restrict operation to certain resources as those mentioned above in the geographical area defined by the geo fencing configuration. Further, embodiments of the present invention are advantageous as by providing the UE and also a plurality of other UEs communicating over the sidelink with the geo fencing configuration, it is ensured that a large number of UEs refrains from performing a certain operation completely or refrains from using certain resources for a sidelink communication when operating in Mode 2, like resources associated with other operations, like an uplink operation over the Uu interface.
  • embodiments of the present invention are advantageous as the geo fencing configuration obtained, for example by means of the above described signaling approaches, may allow or deny a certain UE or a group of UEs, like UEs of a certain brand, to operate in a certain manner, like to use particular frequency bands when operating in NR Mode 2, or may implement certain rules of when to allow or deny such an operation, like the Mode 2 operation, for example, to specify certain resources to be used for this kind of operation within the geographical area identified by the geo fencing configuration.
  • the geo fencing configuration may restrict the operation mode to be used by a UE or the resources to be used by the UE within a certain geographical area dependent on a certain state or capability of the UE.
  • a UE may use certain resources when it is in a certain state, like in a CONNECTED_MODE state.
  • the UE may communicate in a given spectrum only for a certain time, for example, a specified time to life, TTL, so as to reduce interference with other network entities.
  • the restriction information or geo fencing configuration may define the geographical area to which the geo fencing configuration pertains in terms of coordinates of a certain area or location, and this information may be used so as to block certain operations of a UE, like a Mode 2 traffic on particular frequencies, thereby providing what is also referred to as a geo-fence.
  • the restriction information defining the geo fencing configuration may be received in the above described way from one or more entities of the wireless communication system, for example from one or more of the following:
  • BSs e.g., a BS belonging to a campus network
  • relay entities e.g., relay UE or a relay BS
  • a core network e.g., the 5G-CN
  • OTT Over the top, OTT, e.g., via the Internet.
  • the geo fencing configuration may also be preconfigured.
  • the UE is pre-configured with the geo fencing configuration, and the geo fencing configuration may be stored in a memory of the UE or may be hardwired in the UE, or it may be stored in a universal integrated circuit card, UICC, or a subscriber identity module, SIM, like a universal subscriber identity module USIM, card, a universal integrated circuit card, ICC, or an embedded subscriber identity module.
  • the pre-configured geo fencing configuration may be an initial configuration which, responsive to certain situations, may expire and needs to be updated or which needs to be updated when the UE is within or approaches a different area for which other restrictions apply and for which the initial geo fencing configuration may not be valid.
  • the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may include one or more of the following information:
  • a geofencing configuration such as GNSS coordinates, a geo fence, a zone or zone identifier, a paging area, a cell-ID, a PLMN or a country, 3D coordinates, for example, for drones, planes, UAVs and the like, or a list of coordinates, like a center coordinate together with a radius for defining the area, or a vector of coordinates or a triangle mesh,
  • a time the geofencing configuration is active such as a period of time, a Time to live (TTL), a future time or a time pattern,
  • the UE is to update an existing geofencing configuration only with a geofencing configuration having the priority higher than the priority of the existing geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE is to apply the geofencing configuration only for traffic with a certain priority class, e.g., such that only traffic with a priority above a certain threshold is allowed in the restricted geographical area,
  • resource pools dedicated for Mode 1 or Mode 2 operations such that the time-frequency grid corresponding to ITS bands where the UE may use both operation modes within the geo-fenced area
  • the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may include one or more of the following information regarding its time, duration, delay or validity:
  • Start time where the restriction or authorization begins at the given start time. This is a fixed date or time or offset time from the time the UE receives the configuration.
  • Time duration where the restriction, once started, lasts for x duration of time. This may also be considered as time to live.
  • Time pattern where the restriction or authorization is valid from say 9am to 5pm, for 5 days in a week (Mon-Fri). If a time pattern is used, the start time and time duration is implicitly included in the time pattern.
  • Time delay or future time where the restriction or authorization is valid starting at some time in the future. This may be indicated either as a fixed delay time, like in 10 hours or 2 days from the start time, or a future date and time, like 25th March, 10am.
  • a UE is provided with a default procedure for situations in case there is no geo fencing configuration. For example, this may occur when a UE approaches an area or is within an area for which the UE has no geo fencing configuration.
  • the UE may continue to operate in its current mode, for example, it may continue to operate in accordance with a default Mode 2 procedure using all bands as defined by the default Mode 2 procedure.
  • the UE may continue operating only in bands, like the ITS band, which do not have any underlying geo fencing restriction, i.e., other bands that may be present, are not used unless a geo fencing configuration is received explicitly indicating that the other bands may be used.
  • the UE may need a default setting to fall back to. This may be the ITS band, in the case no restriction information is received.
  • the UE may also go back to a configured or pre-configured frequency band as a fallback method, which is agreed to be used in such cases, e.g., this may be an emergency band, or a band with a minimum required bandwidth or minimum required set of resources, so that the UE may exchange small data (but might not be able to use services with high service requirements such as URLLC or large data downloads).
  • the UE may be aware of geo fencing restrictions because one or more geo fencing configurations are received for one or more geographical areas. For example, when assuming that a UE receives the restriction information or geo fencing configuration from a SIB and/or a MIB from a base station or via a PCS RRC message from another UE communicating with the UE over the sidelink, the UE may perform certain actions dependent on the size of a geo fenced area, as specified by the geo fencing configuration, with regard to a base station coverage area.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates a scenario in accordance with which a geo fenced area as defined by a geo fencing configuration is smaller than a base station coverage area.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates the gNB, the associated base station coverage area 410 and the geo fenced area 412 as defined by the geo fencing configuration. It is assumed that a UE moves from a center of the base station coverage area 410 towards the outside of the base station coverage area 410, as is indicated by arrow 414. When the UE is operating in Mode 1 and is within the geo fenced area 412, the UE continues to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area 412. Once the UE exits the geo fenced area 412 but stays within the base station coverage area 410, the UE may continue to operate in Mode 1.
  • the UE When the UE leaves the base station coverage area 410 it enters the Mode 2 operational area 416 and switches to a Mode 2 operation.
  • the UE When the UE leaves the base station coverage area 410 or leaves the geo fenced area 412, the UE may be required to perform a handover or conditional handover, CHO, to another base station or relay node. In accordance with embodiments, there may be no restrictions in area 416 and the UE may operate in either the ITS band or the non-ITS band. It is also possible that when the UE is operating in Mode 1 or Mode 2, the UE shifts to Mode 2 and uses only a configured or pre-configured set of resources.
  • Mode 2 when the UE is operating in Mode 2, e.g., on restricted resources, that the UE tries to shift to Mode 1 , e.g., by performing a handover or conditional handover operation, CHO, when leaving the restricted area or geo fence.
  • Fig. 10 shows a scenario similar to Fig. 9 except that the geo fenced area 412 is larger than the base station coverage area 410.
  • the UE continues to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area 412 and within the base station coverage area 410.
  • the UE may perform Mode 2 operations over restricted, authorized or pre-configured resources, or, in accordance with other embodiments, the UE may operate in accordance with Mode 2 using resources specified by the geo fencing configuration, like a specific ITS band in certain frequencies.
  • information concerning the resource pool corresponding to the ITS band and the frequencies to be used may be provided to the UE as the geo fencing configuration that is transmitted as part of the SIB and/or the MIB or that is transmitted as a PC5 RRC message.
  • the UE may attempt to perform a handover or conditional handover to another base station or relay node.
  • the UE may operate in Mode 2.
  • the UE may receive an updated geo fencing configuration indicating that the geo fenced area changed.
  • the UE When the UE is operating in Mode 1 within updated geo fenced area, the UE continues to operate in Mode 1 , and follow the procedures as described with reference to Fig. 9, where it enforces the updated resource usage restrictions.
  • the UE When the UE is operating in Mode 1 and is outside the geo fenced area, the UE continues to operate in Mode 1, as described with reference to Fig. 9.
  • the UE When the UE is operating in Mode 2 within the updated geo fenced area and within the coverage area of the base station, the UE immediately shifts to Mode 1 , as per the configurations received with the geo fencing update.
  • the UE continues to operate in Mode 1 as long as the UE is within the geo fenced area and within the base station coverage area, and follows the procedures described with reference to Fig. 10.
  • the UE When the UE is operating in Mode 2, out of coverage of the base station and was out of the geo fenced area, but is currently within the updated geo fenced area, the UE enforces the updated resource usage restrictions as per the configurations received with the geo fencing update.
  • the UE when the UE receives a geo fencing configuration and enters into the area defined within the configuration, the UE enforces the updated resource usage restrictions as per the configurations, and may also perform a change it its operational mode. This change may be one or more of the following:
  • the geo fencing configuration may be a group based geo fencing configuration.
  • a plurality of UEs communicating over the sidelink may form a group of UEs.
  • a gNB may group UEs based on their geographical location, subscription level and the like.
  • a geo fencing configuration associated with a certain group may be signaled to the UE by an RRC signaling including the geo fencing configuration and indicating a group index or a group Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RNTI.
  • the gNB may use the DCI for forwarding the geo fencing configuration for the group, and the DCI may be transmitted in the group common PDCCH, GC-PDCCH, scrambled with the group RNTI, for example to signal, via the geo fencing configuration, the availability of one or more resources, like one or more channels, in the geographical area indicated by the configuration.
  • Fig. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a group-based geo fencing configuration. Similar to Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, also Fig. 11 illustrates the gNB and the coverage area 410 thereof as well as a geo fenced area 412 indicated by a geo fencing configuration provided to UE1 to UE5 illustrated in Fig. 11. It is assumed that UE1 and UE2 are not members of a certain group and are located within the coverage area 410 of the gNB while UE3 and UE4 are members of a first group C1 and UE5 is a member of a second group C2. Both groups are located outside the coverage area 410 but within the geo fenced area 412. In accordance with embodiments, all UEs depicted in Fig.
  • Fig. 11 may initially receive a geo fencing configuration for geo fenced area 412, for example via a system information block, SIB, broadcast by the gNB, as is indicated at 418 in Fig. 12.
  • Fig. 120 illustrates for the scenario of Fig. 11 a SIB based geo fencing configuration and group-based geo fencing configurations for two channels available for a sidelink communication in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • the SIB 418 indicates for all UEs, namely UE1 and UE2 not being group UEs and for the groups C1 and C2, available/non-available resources.
  • the resources may be certain channels, like channelO and channeU, however, the resources may be indicated in any other form, e.g., in a way as described above in more detail.
  • the SIB indicated that among the available channels for a sidelink communication, namely channelO and channeU , only channeU is available. More specifically, as is indicated at 418, the SIB indicates the nonavailability of channelO, , and the availability of channeU,.
  • the SIB indicates the nonavailability of channelO, , and the availability of channeU,.
  • all UEs may include an initial geo fencing configuration prohibiting operation on a sidelink, for example using available channelO and channel!
  • all UEs within the geo fenced area obtain an updated geo fencing configuration via SIB 418 indicating that for a sidelink communication all UEs may employ channel! ChannelO remains unavailable.
  • the gNB may configure specific UEs or specific groups of UEs with a geo fencing area different than the geo fencing area broadcasted by the gNB.
  • a UE may use a UE specific or group specific geo fencing area instead of the broadcasted geo fencing area at least for a duration which may be indicated by the gNB.
  • the gNB may signal a UE-specific or group specific geo fenced configuration for group C1 including UE3 and UE4.
  • the gNB may signal the geo fencing configuration 420 using the GC-PDCCH.
  • UE3 and UE4 may communicate using both available channels, namely channelO and channel! as is indicated by the received configuration 420, thereby overriding the configuration received from the SIB 418.
  • the gNB may signal a further UE specific or group specific geo fenced configuration for group C2 including UE5.
  • the gNB may signal the geo fencing configuration 422 for the UEs of group C2 using the GC-PDCCH. Starting from time t3, UEs in group C2 are to refrain from any communication in channelO and in channeM , as is indicated by the received configuration 422, thereby overriding the configuration received from the SIB 418.
  • a UE-specific or group-specific geo fencing configuration for specifying a certain geo fenced area is not limited to groups of UEs, rather, it may also be provided to individual UEs not being members of a group.
  • the UE-specific signaling may cause a deactivation of certain resources, like a bandwidth part, responsive to receiving a geo fencing configuration, like a UE-specific geo fencing configuration.
  • the gNB may employ an approach for deactivation of certain resources like a bandwidth part.
  • the UE may be configured with a set of resources or bandwidth parts which span one or more channels or sub-channels and based on the geo fencing for a specific UE, certain resources, like a configured TX bandwidth part, may not be used or employed by the UE.
  • the UE may deactivate autonomously all resources, like bandwidth parts, that span the non-allowed channels, for example, the channels indicated as being not available in Fig. 12. This may result in a resource change, like a change in bandwidth part, in case the UE operates currently in a deactivated resource or bandwidth part.
  • the UE in view of the geo fencing configuration that causes the deactivation of certain resources, like a certain bandwidth part, the UE may refuse or is not expected to change to such a deactivated resource set or bandwidth part, despite receiving a signaling from a gNB to use these resources or bandwidth part during a certain validity time window, which may be associated with a geo fencing configuration.
  • the wireless communication system may include a terrestrial network, or a non-terrestrial network, or networks or segments of networks using as a receiver an airborne vehicle or a spaceborne vehicle, or a combination thereof.
  • the user device, UE, described herein may be one or more of a power-limited UE, or a hand-held UE, like a UE used by a pedestrian, and referred to as a Vulnerable Road User, VRU, or a Pedestrian UE, P-UE, or an on-body or hand-held UE used by public safety personnel and first responders, and referred to as Public safety UE, PS-UE, or an loT UE, e.g., a sensor, an actuator or a UE provided in a campus network to carry out repetitive tasks and requiring input from a gateway node at periodic intervals, or a mobile terminal, or a stationary terminal, or a cellular loT-UE, or a vehicular UE, or a vehicular group leader, GL, UE, or an loT, or a narrowband loT, NB-loT, device, or a WiFi non Access Point STAtion, non-AP STA, e.g.
  • the base station, BS, described herein may be implemented as mobile or immobile base station and may be one or more of a macro cell base station, or a small cell base station, or a central unit of a base station, or a distributed unit of a base station, or a road side unit, or a UE, or a group leader, GL, or a relay, or a remote radio head, or an AMF, or an SMF, or a core network entity, or mobile edge computing entity, or a network slice as in the NR or 5G core context, or a WiFi AP STA, e.g., 802.11 ax or 802.11 be, or any transmission/reception point, TRP, enabling an item or a device to communicate using the wireless communication network, the item or device being provided with network connectivity to communicate using the wireless communication network.
  • a WiFi AP STA e.g., 802.11 ax or 802.11 be, or any transmission/reception point, TRP, enabling an item or a device
  • Vulnerable road users, VRUs, like pedestrian UEs, P-UEs these UEs are basically hand-held UEs used by pedestrians, like mobile phones.
  • the UE may transmit its location periodically to vehicular UEs, V-UEs, so that these V-UEs are aware of the UE’s location.
  • the V-UEs may receive a transmission from the UE in case they are in proximity and that there is a possibility of a collision.
  • PS-UEs such UEs may be on-body or hand-held UEs used by public safety personnel and first responders, like policemen, paramedics and firemen.
  • the PS-UEs require both transmit and receive functionality at all times.
  • loT-UEs these UEs may include sensors in a sensor network, actuators or other low power nodes or powered relay and/or processing nodes.
  • loT-UEs these UEs may be devices in a closed campus network designed to carry out certain tasks and obtaining inputs from a gateway node at periodic intervals. Examples for loT-UEs are robots on a factory floor carrying out repetitive tasks.
  • Embodiments of the inventive approach are described for sidelink communications in the context of cellular communication systems, safety communication systems, campus networks.
  • the present invention is not limited to this, rather, in accordance with further embodiments, the inventive approach may be employed in any kind of communication network, e.g., an ad-hoc communication network.
  • a block or a device corresponds to a method step or a feature of a method step.
  • aspects described in the context of a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block or item or feature of a corresponding apparatus.
  • Various elements and features of the present invention may be implemented in hardware using analog and/or digital circuits, in software, through the execution of instructions by one or more general purpose or special-purpose processors, or as a combination of hardware and software.
  • embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in the environment of a computer system or another processing system.
  • Fig. 13 illustrates an example of a computer system 500.
  • the units or modules as well as the steps of the methods performed by these units may execute on one or more computer systems 500.
  • the computer system 500 includes one or more processors 502, like a special purpose or a general-purpose digital signal processor.
  • the processor 502 is connected to a communication infrastructure 504, like a bus or a network.
  • the computer system 500 includes a main memory 506, e.g., a random-access memory, RAM, and a secondary memory 508, e.g., a hard disk drive and/or a removable storage drive.
  • the secondary memory 508 may allow computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system 500.
  • the computer system 500 may further include a communications interface 510 to allow software and data to be transferred between computer system 500 and external devices.
  • the communication may be in the from electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being handled by a communications interface.
  • the communication may use a wire or a cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link and other communications channels 512.
  • computer program medium and “computer readable medium” are used to generally refer to tangible storage media such as removable storage units or a hard disk installed in a hard disk drive. These computer program products are means for providing software to the computer system 500.
  • the computer programs also referred to as computer control logic, are stored in main memory 506 and/or secondary memory 508. Computer programs may also be received via the communications interface 510.
  • the computer program when executed, enables the computer system 500 to implement the present invention.
  • the computer program when executed, enables processor 502 to implement the processes of the present invention, such as any of the methods described herein. Accordingly, such a computer program may represent a controller of the computer system 500.
  • the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into computer system 500 using a removable storage drive, an interface, like communications interface 510.
  • the implementation in hardware or in software may be performed using a digital storage medium, for example cloud storage, a floppy disk, a DVD, a Blue-Ray, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, having electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which cooperate or are capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system such that the respective method is performed. Therefore, the digital storage medium may be computer readable.
  • Some embodiments according to the invention comprise a data carrier having electronically readable control signals, which are capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system, such that one of the methods described herein is performed.
  • embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a computer program product with a program code, the program code being operative for performing one of the methods when the computer program product runs on a computer.
  • the program code may for example be stored on a machine readable carrier.
  • inventions comprise the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein, stored on a machine readable carrier.
  • an embodiment of the inventive method is, therefore, a computer program having a program code for performing one of the methods described herein, when the computer program runs on a computer.
  • a further embodiment of the inventive methods is, therefore, a data carrier, or a digital storage medium, or a computer-readable medium comprising, recorded thereon, the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein.
  • a further embodiment of the inventive method is, therefore, a data stream or a sequence of signals representing the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein. The data stream or the sequence of signals may for example be configured to be transferred via a data communication connection, for example via the Internet.
  • a further embodiment comprises a processing means, for example a computer, or a programmable logic device, configured to or adapted to perform one of the methods described herein.
  • a further embodiment comprises a computer having installed thereon the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein.
  • a programmable logic device for example a field programmable gate array, may be used to perform some or all of the functionalities of the methods described herein.
  • a field programmable gate array may cooperate with a microprocessor in order to perform one of the methods described herein.
  • the methods are preferably performed by any hardware apparatus.

Abstract

A user equipment, UE, for a wireless communication System is described. The UE is to perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs. The UE is to refrain from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.

Description

RESOURCE ALLOCATION FENCING FOR SIDELINK TRANSMISSIONS
Description
The present application concerns the field of wireless communication systems or networks, more specifically a control of a communication, like a sidelink communication, in one or more geographical areas. Embodiments concern the resource allocation, RA, fencing for sidelink, SL, transmissions so as to refrain a UE, like an out-of-coverage UE being in an area without network coverage or an in-coverage UE using bands with geographical restrictions, for a communication or to authorize a UE to perform a communication, like a sidelink communication in a licensed or unlicensed frequency band in one or more geographical areas.
Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an example of a terrestrial wireless network 100 including, as is shown in Fig. 1(a), a core network 102 and one or more radio access networks RAN-i, RAN2, ... RANN. Fig. 1(b) is a schematic representation of an example of a radio access network RANn that may include one or more base stations gNBi to gNB5, each serving a specific area surrounding the base station schematically represented by respective cells 106i to IO65. The base stations are provided to serve users within a cell. The one or more base stations may serve users in licensed and/or unlicensed bands. The term base station, BS, refers to a gNB in 5G networks, an eNB in UMTS/LTE/LTE-A/ LTE- A Pro, or just a BS in other mobile communication standards. A user may be a stationary device or a mobile device. The wireless communication system may also be accessed by mobile or stationary loT devices which connect to a base station or to a user. The mobile devices or the loT devices may include physical devices, ground based vehicles, such as robots or cars, aerial vehicles, such as manned or unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, the latter also referred to as drones, buildings and other items or devices having embedded therein electronics, software, sensors, actuators, or the like as well as network connectivity that enables these devices to collect and exchange data across an existing network infrastructure. Fig. 1(b) shows an exemplary view of five cells, however, the RANn may include more or less such cells, and RANn may also include only one base station. Fig. 1(b) shows two users UEi and UE2, also referred to as user equipment, UE, that are in cell 1062 and that are served by base station gNB2. Another user UE3 is shown in cell IO64 which is served by base station gNB4. The arrows IO81, 1082 and 1083 schematically represent uplink/downlink connections for transmitting data from a user UEi, UE2 and UE3 to the base stations gNB2, gNB4 or for transmitting data from the base stations gNB2, gNB4 to the users UEi, UE2I UE3. This may be realized on licensed bands or on unlicensed bands. Further, Fig. 1 (b) shows two loT devices 110i and 1102 in cell I O64, which may be stationary or mobile devices. The loT device 110i accesses the wireless communication system via the base station gNB4 to receive and transmit data as schematically represented by arrow 112i. The loT device 1102 accesses the wireless communication system via the user UE3 as is schematically represented by arrow 1122. The respective base station gNBi to gNBs may be connected to the core network 102, e.g., via the S1 interface, via respective backhaul links 114i to 1145, which are schematically represented in Fig. 1 (b) by the arrows pointing to “core”. The core network 102 may be connected to one or more external networks. The external network may be the Internet, or a private network, such as an Intranet or any other type of campus networks, e.g., a private WiFi or 4G or 5G mobile communication system. Further, some or all of the respective base station gNBi to gNBs may be connected, e.g., via the S1 or X2 interface or the XN interface in NR, with each other via respective backhaul links 1161 to 1165, which are schematically represented in Fig. 1(b) by the arrows pointing to “gNBs”. A sidelink channel allows direct communication between UEs, also referred to as device-to-device, D2D, communication. The sidelink interface in 3GPP is named PC5.
For data transmission a physical resource grid may be used. The physical resource grid may comprise a set of resource elements to which various physical channels and physical signals are mapped. For example, the physical channels may include the physical downlink channel, PDSCH, the physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, and the physical sidelink shared channel, PSSCH, carrying user specific data, also referred to as downlink, uplink or sidelink payload data, the physical broadcast channel, PBCH, and the physical sidelink broadcast channel, PSBCH, carrying for example a master information block, MIB, and one or more of a system information block, SIB, one or more sidelink information blocks (SLIBs) if supported, the physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, the physical uplink control channel, PUCCH, and the physical sidelink control channels, PSSCH, carrying for example the downlink control information, DCI, the uplink control information, UCI, or the sidelink control information, SCI. The sidelink interface may also support a 2-stage SCI, which refers to a first control region containing some parts of the SCI, and, optionally, a second control region, which contains a second part of control information.
For the uplink, the physical channels may further include the physical random access channel, PRACH or RACH, used by UEs for accessing the network once a UE synchronized and obtained the MIB and SIB. The physical signals may comprise reference signals or symbols, RS, synchronization signals and the like. The resource grid may comprise a frame or radio frame having a certain duration in the time domain and having a given bandwidth in the frequency domain. The frame may have a certain number of subframes of a predefined length, e.g., 1ms. Each subframe may include one or more slots of 12 or 14 OFDM symbols depending on the cyclic prefix, CP, length. A frame may also consist of a smaller number of OFDM symbols, e.g., when utilizing shortened transmission time intervals, sTTI, or a mini-slot/non-slot-based frame structure comprising just a few OFDM symbols.
The wireless communication system may be any single-tone or multicarrier system using frequency-division multiplexing, like the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing, OFDM, system, the orthogonal frequency-division multiple access, OFDMA, system, or any other IFFT-based signal with or without CP, e.g., DFT-s-OFDM. Other waveforms, like non- orthogonal waveforms for multiple access, e.g., filter-bank multicarrier, FBMC, generalized frequency division multiplexing, GFDM, or universal filtered multi carrier, UFMC, may be used. The wireless communication system may operate, e.g., in accordance with the LTE- Advanced pro standard, or the 5G or NR, New Radio, standard, or the NR-U, New Radio Unlicensed, standard.
The wireless network or communication system depicted in Fig. 1 may be a heterogeneous network having distinct overlaid networks, e.g., a network of macro cells with each macro cell including a macro base station, like base station gNBi to gNBs, and a network of small cell base stations, not shown in Fig. 1, like femto or pico base stations. In addition to the above described terrestrial wireless network also non-terrestrial wireless communication networks, NTN, exist including spaceborne transceivers, like satellites, and/or airborne transceivers, like unmanned aircraft systems. The non-terrestrial wireless communication network or system may operate in a similar way as the terrestrial system described above with reference to Fig. 1 , for example in accordance with the LTE-Advanced Pro standard or the 5G or NR, new radio, standard.
In mobile communication networks, for example in a network like that described above with reference to Fig. 1, like an LTE or 5G/NR network, there may be UEs that communicate directly with each other over one or more sidelink, SL, channels, e.g., using the PC5 or PCS interface or WiFi direct. UEs that communicate directly with each other over the sidelink may include vehicles communicating directly with other vehicles, V2V communication, vehicles communicating with other entities of the wireless communication network, V2X communication, for example roadside units, RSUs, roadside entities, like traffic lights, traffic signs, or pedestrians. RSUs may have functionalities of BS or of UEs, depending on the specific network configuration. Other UEs may not be vehicular related UEs and may comprise any of the above-mentioned devices. Such devices may also communicate directly with each other, D2D communication, using the SL channels.
When considering two UEs directly communicating with each other over the sidelink, both UEs may be served by the same base station so that the base station may provide sidelink resource allocation configuration or assistance for the UEs. For example, both UEs may be within the coverage area of a base station, like one of the base stations depicted in Fig. 1. This is referred to as an “in-coverage” scenario. Another scenario is referred to as an “out- of-coverage” scenario. It is noted that “out-of-coverage” does not mean that the two UEs are not within one of the cells depicted in Fig. 1 , rather, it means that these UEs may not be connected to a base station, for example, they are not in an RRC connected state, so that the UEs do not receive from the base station any sidelink resource allocation configuration or assistance, and/or may be connected to the base station, but, for one or more reasons, the base station may not provide sidelink resource allocation configuration or assistance for the UEs, and/or may be connected to the base station that may not support NR V2X services, e.g., GSM, UMTS, LTE base stations.
When considering two UEs directly communicating with each other over the sidelink, e.g., using the PC5/PC3 interface, one of the UEs may also be connected with a BS, and may relay information from the BS to the other UE via the sidelink interface and vice-versa. The relaying may be performed in the same frequency band, in-band-relay, or another frequency band, out-of-band relay, may be used. In the first case, communication on the Uu and on the sidelink may be decoupled using different time slots as in time division duplex, TDD, systems.
Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an in-coverage scenario in which two UEs directly communicating with each other are both connected to a base station. The base station gNB has a coverage area that is schematically represented by the circle 200 which, basically, corresponds to the cell schematically represented in Fig. 1. The UEs directly communicating with each other include a first vehicle 202 and a second vehicle 204 both in the coverage area 200 of the base station gNB. Both vehicles 202, 204 are connected to the base station gNB and, in addition, they are connected directly with each other over the PC5 interface. The scheduling and/or interference management of the V2V traffic is assisted by the gNB via control signaling over the Uu interface, which is the radio interface between the base station and the UEs. In other words, the gNB provides SL resource allocation configuration or assistance for the UEs, and the gNB assigns the resources to be used for the V2V communication over the sidelink. This configuration is also referred to as a mode 1 configuration in NR V2X or as a mode 3 configuration in LTE V2X.
Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an out-of-coverage scenario in which the UEs directly communicating with each other are either not connected to a base station, although they may be physically within a cell of a wireless communication network, or some or all of the UEs directly communicating with each other are to a base station but the base station does not provide for the SL resource allocation configuration or assistance. Three vehicles 206, 208 and 210 are shown directly communicating with each other over a sidelink, e.g., using the PCS interface. The scheduling and/or interference management of the V2V traffic is based on algorithms implemented between the vehicles. This configuration is also referred to as a mode 2 configuration in NR V2X or as a mode 4 configuration in LTE V2X. As mentioned above, the scenario in Fig. 3 which is the out-of-coverage scenario does not necessarily mean that the respective mode 2 UEs in NR or mode 4 UEs in LTE are outside of the coverage 200 of a base station, rather, it means that the respective mode 2 UEs in NR or mode 4 UEs in LTE are not served by a base station, are not connected to the base station of the coverage area, or are connected to the base station but receive no SL resource allocation configuration or assistance from the base station. Thus, there may be situations in which, within the coverage area 200 shown in Fig. 2, in addition to the NR mode 1 or LTE mode 3 UEs 202, 204 also NR mode 2 or LTE mode 4 UEs 206, 208, 210 are present. In addition, Fig. 3, schematically illustrates an out of coverage UE using a relay to communicate with the network. For example, the UE 210 may communicate over the sidelink with UE1 which, in turn, may be connected to the gNB via the Uu interface. Thus, UE1 may relay information between the gNB and the UE 210.
Although Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 illustrate vehicular UEs, it is noted that the described in-coverage and out-of-coverage scenarios also apply for non-vehicular UEs. In other words, any UE, like a hand-held device, communicating directly with another UE using SL channels may be in-coverage and out-of-coverage. In a wireless communication system or network, like the one described above with reference to Fig. 1 , relay devices or relay nodes may be employed to solve performance issues, like a reduced data rate, a weaker signal and higher interference as it may be encountered on the radio coverage edges of a cell of a base station. The relay node may extract data from a received signal, apply noise correction and retransmit a new signal on its own. Rather than only repeating the signal, the relay node also increases the signal quality. In the 3GPP specifications for 4G, a UE-to-Network relay has been specified. Fig. 4 illustrates a scenario where a relay LIE operates as a UE-to-Network relay. The relay device or relay node mentioned above may be a user equipment, UE, and, in the following, is referred to a relay UE. Fig. 4 illustrates a UE 200 that is to connect to a destination 202, e.g., to an entity of the access network 202a, like a gNB, of to an entity of the core network 202a. The end-to- end communication between the UE 200, that is also referred to as the remote UE, and the destination uses a relay UE 206 that provides functionality to support connectivity to the destination in the core network 202 for the remote UE 200. The remote UE 200 and the relay UE may communicate using the PC5 interface, and the relay UE and the access network may communicate using the Uu interface.
In NR or 5G, in addition to the UE-to-Network relay, also a UE-to-UE relay is supported. In such a scenario, the destination 202 is another UE. Fig. 5 illustrates a scenario where the relay is a UE-to-UE relay 206. The remote UE 200 is to connect to the other UE 202, and the relay UE 206 provides functionality to support connectivity to the destination UE 208, for the remote UE 200. The remote UE 200 and the relay UE may communicate using the PCS interface, and the relay UE and the other UE 202 may communicate using also the PC5 interface.
Although Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 illustrate the relay to be a UE, it is noted that the relay may be any entity having network connectivity and enabling that the remote UE 200 is connected to the destination 202, like the core network or another UE. For example, the relay entity could be a group leader UE, a roadside unit, RSU, or any mobile or stationary device. Such a relay entity may be a relay node having some base station functionality, such as scheduling of resources, etc. Furthermore, a relay can also be a relay node in the classical sense, e.g. a base station infrastructure device, providing relaying functionality as in an amplify and forward (AF) relay, or a decode-and-forward relay (DF), e.g. operating on layer- 2 (L2), or even a layer-3 (L3), which forwards data on Internet Protocol (IP)-level. In the above-described scenarios of vehicular user devices, UEs, a plurality of such user devices may form a user device group, also referred to simply as group, and the communication within the group or among the group members may be performed via the sidelink interfaces between the user devices, like the PC5 interface. For example, the above-described scenarios using vehicular user devices may be employed in the field of the transport industry in which a plurality of vehicles being equipped with vehicular user devices may be grouped together, for example, by a remote driving application. Other use cases in which a plurality of user devices may be grouped together for a sidelink communication among each other include, for example, factory automation and electrical power distribution. In the case of factory automation, a plurality of mobile or stationary machines within a factory may be equipped with user devices and grouped together for a sidelink communication, for example for controlling the operation of the machine, like a motion control of a robot. In the case of electrical power distribution, entities within the power distribution grid may be equipped with respective user devices which, within a certain area of the system may be grouped together so as to communicate via a sidelink communication with each other so as to allow for monitoring the system and for dealing with power distribution grid failures and outages.
Naturally, in the above-mentioned use cases, sidelink communication is not limited to a communication within a group. Rather, the sidelink communication may be among any of UEs, like any pair of UEs.
In a wireless communication system as described above, there may be a need to provide improvements with regard to the resource allocation for transmissions, like sidelink transmissions, in a certain geographical area.
Embodiments of the present invention are now described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an example of a wireless communication system;
Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an in-coverage scenario in which two UEs directly communicating with each other are both connected to a base station; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an out-of-coverage scenario in which the UEs directly communicating with each other;
Fig. 4 illustrates a scenario where a relay UE operates as a UE-to-Network relay;
Fig. 5 illustrates a scenario where the relay is a UE-to-UE relay;
Fig. 6 illustrates a geographical area having different regions A, B and C in which different policies or configurations may apply;
Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system including a transmitter, like a base station, and one or more receivers, like user devices, UEs capable of operating in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
Fig. 8 illustrates a UE in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
Fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention according to which a geo fenced area as defined by a geo fencing configuration is smaller than a base station coverage area;
Fig. 10 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention similar to Fig. 9 according to which a geo fenced area as defined by a geo fencing configuration is larger than a base station coverage area;
Fig. 11 illustrates a group-based geo fencing configuration in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
Fig. 12 illustrates for the scenario of Fig. 11 a SIB based geo fencing configuration and group-based geo fencing configurations for two channels available for a sidelink communication in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and
Fig. 13 illustrates an example of a computer system on which units or modules as well as the steps of the methods described in accordance with the inventive approach may execute. Embodiments of the present invention are now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same or similar elements have the same reference signs assigned.
A wireless communication system, like the one described above with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3, may have NR system architecture. In a conventional NR system architecture, usage of resources is only restricted on the network level, for example, on a public land mobile network, PLMN, level, i.e. , the PLMN specifies what resources to be used and what resources are not to be used for a communication within the PLMN. A UE needs to be informed accordingly, however, this works only in case the UE is in-coverage of the network. However, when the UE is out-of-coverage, e.g., a UE is operating in NR Mode 2, the operation or usage of the UE within one or more geographical areas may need to be restricted to certain resources, for example, to one or more unlicensed bands.
The UE may be aware of the geographical area in which certain radio parameters are valid, for example, based on one or more configurations or one or more policies provided by the wireless communication network or which are built-in into the UE by the vendor. The geographical area may define a larger area, like the bounds of a city, and for one or more smaller areas within the larger area, e.g., a private wireless communication network such as a campus network, a different configuration or policy with regard to the radio parameters being valid may be used. For example, a configuration or policy for an area provides radio parameters that define which resources may be used, for example, which frequency bands are to be employed for a communication by the UE within the area, for example, only Intelligent Transportation System, ITS, bands, only non-ITS bands, or both ITS bands and non-ITS bands. ITS bands are frequency bands specified on a country and/or region basis and are meant only for intelligent transport services, ITS. Non-ITS bands are licensed bands, such as the bands used for NR. The radio parameters may also include a resource pool configuration including resources the UE may use in these bands for a given area.
Fig. 6 illustrates a geographical area having different regions A, B and C in which different policies or configurations may apply. For example, region A may define an area that is out- of-coverage of a gNB, and the network operator may define that the one or more UEs being within region A are restricted in their operation in such a way that they may only use one or more ITS bands for a communication. Region B is an area being in-coverage of the gNB, and a UE may be allowed to use the one or more ITS bands and the one or more non-ITS bands, as defined by the configuration or policy for region B. Region C is an area that is out-of-coverage of an gNB, however, a different configuration or policy applies when compared to region A, for example, the UE may be allowed to use in region C also both the one or more ITS bands and the one or more non-ITS bands. For example, region A may be an area where the operator does not provide certain services, such as sidelink V2X services, anymore, and the previously used bands are used for different purposes. It is also possible for the operator to restrict UEs from using the licensed bands in the region in order to avoid any interference with private campus networks that are being deployed in factories and industries. This, essentially, may be the outskirts of a city region. Region B may be an area where the operator provides certain services, such as V2X, and licensed bands of the operator may also be used in addition to the ITS bands for the specific service. This region may be the urban and populous area of a city region. Region C may be an area which is managed by a different operator than the one the UE is registered with, but the different operator allows using certain non-ITS bands to be used by UEs which are not managed by this operator. This region may be the urban but less populated area of a city region, like parks or gardens. Based on the dynamics of the above described scenarios involving local networks, some of the regions, e.g., Region A, B or C, might only be valid during certain times of the day or certain days within the week. With respect to V2X, certain regions might be formed dynamically based on traffic situations on roads, e.g., a traffic jam on a highway, which leads to routing of V2X traffic through a region A with the BS spanning regions B, which has not been optimized to cope with V2X data traffic in its frequency bands.
When considering the scenario described above with reference to Fig. 6, a network operator may desire UEs, which are not in region B but in region A, not to use any of the licensed bands that are used for NR, e.g., to refrain UEs being in region A to use up bandwidth in the licensed bands which are reserved for users in region B. On the other hand, the regions C may be considered by the network to be sufficiently far away from the region B so that in these regions, a UE may also use resources from the licensed bands. As mentioned above, currently, a NR system architecture restricts usage of certain resources, like frequency bands, only on a network level so that only a UE being in coverage of the network, for example, a UE being within region B, may be informed about the resources it may employ for a communication in region B. The UE has no information about other regions so that, when the UE leaves the in-coverage area or region B, it has no knowledge about possible limitations or restrictions with regards to the usage of certain resources across certain bands or frequencies outside the regions B, and specifically in other regions like region A. Currently there is only the mode 2 configuration which gives information on how to behave out-of-coverage, however, this configuration is global and does not give any information for certain geographic areas. Thus, UEs being in region A or in region C of Fig. 6, i.e., UEs being out-of-coverage, have no information about restrictions implied by the network with regard to the use of certain resources within the respective regions or geographical areas A to C indicated in Fig. 6.
For example, a UE entering the geographical area of Fig. 6 from outside is located in region A or in region C, i.e., is in an out-of-coverage area and, therefore, has no possibility to obtain from the network possible restrictions for regions A and C. This also applies when the UE is when freshly started or turned on in region A or C and is not pre-configured with the appropriate usage restrictions. Thus, it is not possible to restrict the usage or operation of a UE being out-of-coverage, for example, a UE operating in a NR Mode 2, to certain resources, like to unlicensed bands only, in one or more geographical areas, for example, for areas where there is no network coverage, like regions A and C in Fig. 6.
The present invention addresses the above problems and, in accordance with embodiments, provides improvements or enhancements for a communication, like a sidelink communication, by refraining a UE from transmitting and/or receiving in a one or more configured geographical areas. Embodiments ensures that the UE operation, like a sidelink operation, may be restricted in one or more predetermined geographical areas, for example, by restricting an operation, like the SL operation, completely, or by confining the operation to a certain resource, like a certain frequency band within the non-ITS bands. This applies, for example, for out-of-coverage UEs, like the ones being located in region A in Fig. 6, but also for areas in which there is no network coverage. Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a wireless communication system as depicted in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 including base stations and users, like mobile terminals or loT devices. Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system including a transmitter 300, like a base station, and one or more receivers 302, 304, like user devices, UEs. The transmitter 300 and the receivers 302, 304 may communicate via one or more wireless communication links or channels 306a, 306b, 308, like a radio link. The transmitter 300 may include one or more antennas ANTT or an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements, a signal processor 300a and a transceiver 300b, coupled with each other. The receivers 302, 304 include one or more antennas ANTUE or an antenna array having a plurality of antennas, a signal processor 302a, 304a, and a transceiver 302b, 304b coupled with each other. The base station 300 and the UEs 302, 304 may communicate via respective first wireless communication links 306a and 306b, like a radio link using the Uu interface, while the UEs 302, 304 may communicate with each other via a second wireless communication link 308, like a radio link using the PC5 or sidelink, SL, interface. When the UEs are not served by the base station, are not be connected to a base station, for example, they are not in an RRC connected state, or, more generally, when no SL resource allocation configuration or assistance is provided by a base station, the UEs may communicate with each other over the sidelink. The system or network of Fig. 7, the one or more UEs 302, 304 of Fig. 7, and the base station 300 of Fig. 7 may operate in accordance with the inventive teachings described herein.
USER EQUIPMENT
The present invention provides (see for example claim 1) a user equipment, UE, for a wireless communication system, wherein the UE is to perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs, and wherein, the UE is to refrain from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 2), the UE is to refrain from usage a plurality of time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources in the one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 3), the UE is to receive restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, e.g., a geofencing configuration, the restriction information indicating the time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more geographical areas.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 4), the frequency resources are defined as one or more of the following:
• a subchannel or a set of subchannels,
• a resource block, RB,
• a resource pool, RP, e.g., transmit or receive or exceptional RP,
• a band width part, BWP,
• a frequency band, like an unlicensed band, e.g., the Intelligent Transportation System,
ITS, band and/or the Industrial, Scientific and Medical, ISM, band, or a licensed band, e.g., a non-ITS band,
• a carrier, a frequency range.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 5), the time resources are defined as one or more of the following:
• a symbol, e.g., an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, symbol,
• a sub-slot,
• a slot,
• a subframe,
• a radio frame,
• an absolute or relative time interval.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 6), the spatial resources are defined as one or more of the following:
• a transmit and/or receive beam index,
• a transmit and/or receive beam ID,
• a transmit and/or receive beam group ID,
• angular restriction,
• precoder matrix indicator (PMI).
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 7), the UE is to receive the restriction information for the one or more geographical areas by means of one or more control messages, e.g., physical layer, like DCI, and/or MAC layer, e.g., via MAC CE message, and/or RRC layer, and/or higher layer control messages, and/or Assistance Information Messages, AIMs.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 8), the UE is to receive the restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, from a base station, BS, of the wireless communication system, e.g., by means of one or more of the following:
• one or more broadcast messages, like a system information block, SIB, or a master information block, MIB,
• Downlink Control Information, DCI, a MAC CE message, or an RRC message,
• a bandwidth part, BWP, configuration, e.g., received by a unicast, groupcast or multicast communication,
• a resource pool configuration, • any other type of control signaling using the PDCCH or control embedded within the data channel, e.g., PDSCH.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 9), the UE is pre-configured with the geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE to receive the restriction information defining the geofencing configuration from one or more entities of the wireless communication system, e.g., from one or more of the following:
• one or more base stations, BSs,
• one or more relay entities, e.g., relay UE or a relay BS,
• one or more PLMNs different from the wireless communication system,
• a small cell,
• a road side unit, RSU,
• another UE via a sidelink interface, like a group leader, GL, UE,
• a core network, CN, e.g., the 5G-CN,
• over the top, OTT, e.g., via the Internet.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 10), the UE is to receive the restriction information over a sidelink interface by means of one of the following:
• PC5 RRC signaling or PC5 MAC CE messages,
• Sidelink Control Information, SCI, wherein the information may be included in the first stage SCI or one or more second stage SCIs,
• one or more Assistance Information Messages, AIMs, wherein the information may be in the form of Sidelink Information Blocks, SLIBs, or as a control or data transmission,
• embedded in the Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel, PSFCH,
• any unicast, groupcast, multicast or broadcast message via the sidelink, SL,
• one or more data packets, e.g., via the Physical Sidelink Shared Channel, PSSCH.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 11), the UE is to receive the restriction information by a passive detection
• on pre-configured or configured resources known by the UE for receiving one or more broadcast control messages, e.g., a PSBCH message, or
• of one or more messages broadcasted at a certain power level, e.g., at a power level higher than a certain threshold, the certain power lever being indicative to the UE that a message is a broadcast control message that may contain the restriction information, or
• by RRC configurations, that are broadcasted by the gNB via the Uu link, or by another UE via the PC5 link.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 12), the UE is to receive the restriction information by an active detection, wherein the UE is to actively seek out one or more control messages that contain the restriction information, by
• requesting one or more entities, like one or more neighboring UEs, one or more UEs within a group the UE belongs to, a GL UE, an RSU, a relay node, a relay UE, or a BS, for the restriction information, and
• receiving from the one or more entities the restriction information.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 13), the UE is to actively seek out the one or more control messages when a current restriction information of the UE expired, or when the UE is aware, e.g., based on one or more received messages, that it is within or is approaching a certain geographical area for which restrictions apply.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 14), the UE is to receive a resource configuration, wherein the resource configuration includes parameters specifying the restriction information.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 15), the restriction information comprises one or more of:
• information about the one or more restricted geographical areas of a geofencing configuration, such as GNSS coordinates, a geo fence, a zone or zone identifier, a paging area, a cell-ID, a PLMN or a country,
• information about the restricted time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources of the geofencing configuration
• information about a time the geofencing configuration is active, such as a period of time, a Time to live, TTL, a future time or a time pattern,
• information about a duration of the geofencing configuration, such as day of time, validity or start time,
• information about a delay the geofencing configuration becomes active,
• information about a priority of the geofencing configuration, wherein the UE is to update an existing geofencing configuration only with a geofencing configuration having the priority higher than the priority of the existing geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE is to apply the geofencing configuration only for traffic with a certain priority class, e.g., such that only traffic with a priority above a certain threshold is allowed in the restricted geographical area,
• information about a version of the geofencing configuration,
• information about one or more resource pool configurations of the geofencing configuration, e.g., resource pools dedicated for Mode 1 or Mode 2 operations such that the time-frequency grid corresponding to ITS bands where the UE may use both operation modes within the geo-fenced area,
• information about one or more restrictions of the geofencing configuration, such as a use of the geofencing configuration only in an RRC_CONNECTED mode or in an inactive mode or a usage timer interval,
• information about a group ID indicating a group of UEs to which the geofencing configuration applies or does not apply to,
• information about a mode which is restricted with the geo-fenced area, e.g. , only Mode 1 is allowed.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 16), when the UE does not receive a geofencing configuration for a certain geographical area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
• the UE is to continue to operate in its current mode using configured bands,
• the UE is only to use bands, e.g., the ITS band, which do not have any underlying geofencing restrictions.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 17), when a geo fenced area as defined by the geofencing configuration is less than a base station coverage area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
• when the UE is operating in Mode 1 , the UE is to continue to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area,
• when the UE exits the geo fenced area, the UE is to remain in Mode 1 as long as it is within the coverage area of the base station,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area of the base station, the UE is to shift to Mode
2,
• when the UE is operating in Mode 2 and when the UE is within the coverage area of the base station, the UE is to switch to Mode 1 , • when the UE leaves the coverage area of the base station or leaves the geo fenced area, the UE is to perform a handover to another BS, if present,
• when the UE is operating in Mode 1 or Mode 2, the UE is to shift to Mode 2 and use only configured and/or pre-configured resources.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 18), when a geo fenced area as defined by the geofencing configuration is larger than a base station coverage area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
• when the UE is operating in Mode 1 within the geo fenced area, the UE is to continue to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area and coverage of the BS,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area and is within a geo fenced area, the UE is to shift to Mode 2 and is to refrain from using the restricted resources,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area and is within a geo fenced area, the UE is to shift to Mode 2 and use only configured and/or pre-configured resources,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area and is within a geo fenced area, the UE is to perform a handover to another BS, if present,
• when UE is out of the geo fenced area, the UE is to operate in either the ITS band or the non-ITS band.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 19), responsive to receiving an updated geofencing configuration, the UE is to operate as follows:
• when the UE is operating in Mode 1 within an updated geo fenced area, the UE is to continue to operate in Mode 1 ,
• when the UE is operating in Mode 2 within the updated geo fenced area and is within the coverage of the BS, the UE is to shift to Mode 1 , as per the updated geofencing configuration,
• when the UE is operating in Mode 2, is within the updated geo fenced area and is outside the coverage of the BS, the UE is to continue in Mode 2 and is to refrain from using bands as per the updated geofencing configuration or is to restrict its use to configured and/or pre-configured frequency resources, only.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 20), responsive to receiving a geofencing configuration, when the UE enters the geo fenced area and may use only restricted resources, and perform one or more of the following: • if the UE was operating in RRC connected mode, the UE is to switch to RRC inactive or RRC idle mode,
• if the UE was operating in RRC inactive mode, the UE is to switch to RRC idle mode,
• the UE is to switch to RRC idle mode and refrain from performing random access to a configured and/or pre-configured or sensed frequency band for a given time period.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 21), responsive to receiving a geofencing configuration, when the UE exits the geo fenced area, if the UE was operating in RRC inactive or RRC idle mode, the UE is to switch to RRC connected mode.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 22), the UE is a member of a UE group, and the UE is to receive the geofencing configuration by
• an RRC signaling indicating a group index or a group RNTI, and/or
• a DCI in a group common-PDCCH, GC-PDCCH, scrambled with a group RNTI to signal the availability of channels or applicability of different restriction configurations, or
• a SCI via a unicast, a groupcast, a multicast, or a broadcast communication over the sidelink, or
• an AIM via a control or data transmission.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 23), default channel availability information, e.g., obtained by a SIB signaling, is overwritten by the geofencing configuration.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 24), the geofencing configuration is common for some or all of the UEs of the wireless communication system, and/or is UE- specific and/or is group-specific.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 25), in case the UE is configured with a set of resources spanning across time and/or frequency resources, the UE is to deactivate autonomously all resources which are restricted in accordance with the geofencing configuration.
NETWORK ENTITY
The present invention provides (see for example claim 26) a network entity of a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including a plurality of UEs capable of communicating over a sidelink, wherein the network entity is to signal to one or more of the UEs geofencing configuration causing the UE to refrain from or to allow transmitting and/or receiving in one or more geographical areas indicated by the geofencing configuration.
SYSTEM
The present invention provides (see for example claim 27) a wireless communication system, comprising one or more of the inventive UEs, and/or one or more of the inventive network entities.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 28), the UE comprises one or more of a mobile terminal, or a stationary terminal, or a cellular loT-UE, or a vehicular UE, or a vehicular group leader, GL, UE, or an loT or narrowband loT, NB-loT, device, or a ground based vehicle, or an aerial vehicle, or a drone, or a moving base station, or road side unit, RSU, or a building, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using a sidelink the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any sidelink capable network entity.
In accordance with embodiments (see for example claim 29), the network entity comprises one or more base stations, wherein the base station comprises one or more of a macro cell base station, or a small cell base station, or a central unit of a base station, or a distributed unit of a base station, or a road side unit, RSU), or a UE, or a group leader, GL, UE, or a relay or a remote radio head, or an AMF, or an MME, or an SMF, or a core network entity, or mobile edge computing, MEC, entity, or a network slice as in the NR or 5G core context, or any transmission/reception point, TRP, enabling an item or a device to communicate using the wireless communication network, the item or device being provided with network connectivity to communicate using the wireless communication network.
METHOD
The present invention provides (see for example claim 30) a method for operating a user equipment, UE, of a wireless communication system, the method comprising: operating the UE perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs, and refraining the UE from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas. The present invention provides (see for example claim 31) a method for operating a network entity of a wireless communication system a plurality of UEs communicating over a sidelink, the method comprising: signaling, by the network entity, to one or more of the UEs geofencing configuration causing the UE to refrain from or to allow transmitting and/or receiving in one or more geographical areas indicated by the geofencing configuration,
COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT
Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out one or more methods in accordance with the present invention.
Embodiments of the present invention address the above-described problems in conventional approaches with regard to the operation or usage of an out-of-coverage UE in the licensed bands, for example, for a sidelink communication, like a transmission on the sidelink. A transmission using resources of the licensed frequency band may not be desired by a network operator, for example, in case a UE is located in region C of Fig. 6 which is close to the in-coverage regions B. On the other hand, in region A, a UE may be allowed to use resources from the licensed band, for example, because the region A is not covered by the network operator of regions B or C or because region A is deemed to be sufficiently far away from the in-coverage region. For avoiding the use of undesired resources in region C, in accordance with the present invention, a UE is provided, i.e. a UE performing a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs over a sidelink, with a configuration and/or pre-configuration which indicates to the UE that it is to refrain from a communication or that it is authorized to perform a communication, like a transmission and/or a reception over the sidelink, in one or more configured geographical areas.
Fig. 8 illustrates a UE in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. UE1 may perform a sidelink communication, for example, over the PC5 interface, with one or more further UEs, like UE2 depicted in Fig. 8. UE1 may also perform a communication, for example, over the Uu interface, with one or more base stations, like the gNB depicted in Fig. 8. UE1 includes circuitry 400 for performing the communication to UE2 and/or the gNB. UE1 includes a storage or a memory 402 for storing a configuration indicating one or more geographical areas in which the UE is to refrain from transmitting and/or receiving on the PCS interface and/or on the Uu interface. In the embodiment depicted in Fig. 8 it is assumed that the UE1 is configured with the geographical area or region A of Fig. 6. UE1, being aware of its location, determines, as it is schematically indicated at 404, whether the location or area in which the UE1 is currently located is the geographical area or region A with which the UE is configured. If this is the case, the UE1 refrains from a sidelink communication and/or a Uu communication in a particular set of resources, e.g., within licensed bands, as defined in the configuration 402, as is schematically indicated at 406. Otherwise, in case UE1 determines that it is not within area A, the sidelink or Uu communication may be allowed, as is schematically indicated 408.
In accordance with embodiments, the UE may refrain from or be authorized to carry out a transmission/reception using the sidelink and/or the Uu interface in the one or more geographical areas in such a way that the sidelink and/or the Uu interface over a particular set of resources is not used at all. In accordance with other embodiments, the UE, within the one or more configured geographical areas, may refrain from using a plurality of time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources, like the licensed resources in region A in Fig. 6.
In accordance with embodiments, UE1 may receive restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, which is also referred to as a geo fencing configuration. The geo fencing configuration received at the UE may be stored in the memory 402, and the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may indicate the time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources UE1 is not to use or is to use when being in the geographical area indicated by the geo fencing configuration. Thus, embodiments of the present invention handle a situation in which, for example, a UE does not receive a configuration or policy regarding the operation or usage in region A, and in accordance with the present invention this additional information is provided to the UE, i.e. , the UE is provided with an additional policy or configuration associated with the region A restricting or authorizing operation of the UE within region A, for example, for preventing or authorizing the UE from using one or more non-ITS bands, i.e., the licensed bands used for NR, when being in region A.
In accordance with embodiments, the restriction information or geo fencing configuration may define the one or more frequency resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more configuration areas as one or more of the following:
• a subchannel or a set of subchannels,
• a resource block, RB, • a resource pool, RP, e.g., transmit or receive or exceptional RP,
• a band width part, BWP,
• a frequency band, like an unlicensed band, e.g., the Intelligent Transportation System, ITS, band and/or the Industrial, Scientific and Medical, ISM, band, or a licensed band, e.g., a non-ITS band,
• a carrier,
• a frequency range.
In accordance with embodiments, the restriction information or geo fencing configuration may define the time resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more geographical areas as one of the following:
• a symbol, e.g., an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, symbol,
• a sub-slot,
• a slot,
• a subframe,
• a radio frame,
• an absolute or relative time interval.
In accordance with yet other embodiments, the restriction imposed on the UE with regard to its operation in one or more configured geographical areas is not limited to certain time and/or frequency resources, for example, in the non-ITS bands. In accordance with other embodiments, the restriction or authorization may also be defined in terms of spatial resources so that, for example, when being in a certain location, the UE is to use time/frequency resources for a transmission only wherein the transmission is directed into a certain, non-restricted direction. For example, when considering Fig. 6, a UE being located in region A may have a geo fencing configuration defining spatial resources for region A in such a way that the UE may use also non-ITS bands for a sidelink and/or Uu communication provided the communication is directed away from the in-coverage regions B, for example, is directed towards the boundary of the overall area depicted in Fig. 6. The restriction information or geo fencing configuration may include such spatial resources which may be defined as one or more of the following:
• a transmit and/or receive beam index,
• a transmit and/or receive beam ID,
• a transmit and/or receive beam group ID,
• angular restriction, precoder matrix indicator (RMS).
In accordance with embodiments, different approaches may be used for providing the restriction information or geo fencing configuration to the UE, like UE1 of Fig. 8. UE1 may receive the restriction information or geo fencing configuration for the one or more geographical areas by one or more control messages, for example, by physical layer signaling using, for example, a DCI or an SCI, or by datalink layer signaling, for example in the medium access control, MAC, layer, or by an RRC layer signaling, or by a signaling via higher layers, or by a combination of the previously mentioned signaling methods. The UE may receive the geo fencing configuration or restriction information from a base station of the wireless communication system, and the geo fencing configuration may be included in one or more broadcast messages, like the system block information, SIB, or the master information block, MIB. In accordance with other embodiments, as mentioned above, the geo fencing configuration may be included in the DCI or in an RRC message. In accordance with yet other embodiments, the geo fencing configuration may be included in a bandwidth part, BWP, configuration which may be received at the UE by a unicast, groupcast or multicast communication. In accordance with yet other embodiments, the geo fencing configuration may be included as part of a resource pool configuration indicating, for example, the resources to be used for a sidelink communication and/or a Uu communication of the UE.
In accordance with further embodiments, the UE may receive the restriction information or geo fencing configuration not only from the gNB but also from another UE, for example over the sidelink. In other words, the UE, like UE1 in Fig. 8, may receive the geo fencing configuration from the gNB and/or from another UE connected to the UE1 or via a sidelink, like UE2 in Fig. 8. For example, the configuration information may be provided by UE2 using PC5 RRC signaling. In accordance with other embodiments, the geo fencing configuration may be part of a sidelink control information, SCI, transmitted from UE2 to UE1 over the sidelink interface. For example, the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may be included in a multistage SCI and it may be part of a first stage SCI or in one or more second stage SCIs. In accordance with yet other embodiments, the geo fencing configuration may be embedded in the physical sidelink feedback channel, PSFCH. In accordance with further embodiments, the geo fencing configuration may be transmitted as part of a unicast, groupcast, multicast or broadcast message over the sidelink. In accordance with even further embodiments, the geo fencing configuration may be included in one or more data packets that are transmitted over the sidelink, for example via the physical sidelink shared channel, PSSCH.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism at a UE, like UE1 in Fig. 8, that is similar to a mechanism used to restrict drones from flying into a certain geographical area. However, other than in the example of restricting drones from flying into a certain geographical area, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, this mechanism is used to restrict a UE from using a spectrum, like one or more of the above mentioned resources, or from preventing a UE from performing a certain kind of operation, like a SL communication, in a certain geographical area. As mentioned above, information about the restricted area, like GPS coordinates, and/or about a certain behavior of the UE within the geographical area may be sent directly to the UE via a physical layer message, a MAC layer message and/or a higher layer message. In accordance with such embodiments, the downlink or sidelink control channels or the RRC layer or an appropriate V2X layer may be used to signal the geographical area, more specifically the geo fencing configuration, to a particular UE. As mentioned above, when using direct signaling, the geo fencing configuration may be included in a broadcast message, such as the SIB or MIB, over a broadcast channel, such as the Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel, PSBCH, or a dedicated signaling channel may be employed, like an RRC channel. Also, as mentioned above, existing signaling approaches may be reused, for example, by including the geo fencing configuration, for example, into the BWP configuration. In accordance with embodiments, the BWP configuration may be extended by certain parameters specifying the geo fencing configuration, for example the specific geo fencing configuration parameters described in more detail below.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, when using physical layer signaling for informing the UE of a restriction, the UE may carry out sensing to detect signals from the network or another UE carrying the restriction information or geo fencing configuration. The sensing carried out by the UE may include a passive detection or an active detection. In case of a passive detection, the UE, in accordance with embodiments, may listen to resources or the PSBCH known at the UE for receiving broadcast control messages that may include the geo fencing configuration or restriction information. In accordance with other embodiments, the UE may look for one or more messages that are broadcasted at a certain power level, for example at a power level higher than a predefined threshold which indicates to the UE that a message is transmitted that includes a broadcast control message that may include the restriction information or geo fencing configuration. The broadcast control message may be a message in the physical sidelink broadcast channel, PSBCH. Thus, in accordance with this embodiment, energy detection of a signal is employed, and a signal within a certain power class is detected. In general, a gNB may transmit with a substantially higher transmit power than UEs so that a detection based on a power threshold may be employed. The UE may use synchronization preambles broadcasted by the gNB via the RRC configuration or received from another UE via the PC5 interface, and based on the stored synchronization preambles may recognize and detect messages that may include the geo fencing configuration. The UE may also receive the configurations by RRC configurations, which are broadcasted by the gNB via the Uu link, or by another UE via the PC5 link.
In case of an active detection, the UE may actively seek out one or more control messages including the restriction information or geo fencing configuration. For example, the UE may request one or more entities, like one or more neighboring UEs, one or more UEs within a group the UE belongs to, an RSU, a base station, a relay node, such as a relay UE or any other entity for the restriction information or the geo fencing configuration, and, following the request, receives from the one or more entities the restriction information. For example, the UE may perform an active detection when a current restriction information expires or when the UE becomes aware that it is within or is approaching a certain geographical area for which restrictions apply or for which it holds no valid geo fencing configuration or no geo fencing configuration at all. For the active detection, the UE may perform active sensing by synchronizing with the network, or by actively decoding data from the network. As mentioned, this may be employed when the UE is aware of geographical restrictions in the area or when a current geo fencing configuration or policy has either expired or not been updated. As long as the UE does not see certain data or control messages, for example certain downlink control information, like a DCI, SCI, RRC, SIB, PBCH or MIB and/or certain user data from a base station or from another UE, it only uses the uplink bands over the Uu interface. Once the certain data or control messages and/or user data from a base station are recognized by the UE, it may actively seek out for a control message that contains restriction information for the geographical area in which the UE is currently located. In accordance with other embodiments, the UE may perform an active detection dependent on a status of another UE. For example, in case another UE is in a connected mode and/or in an inactive mode, the UE may refrain from using the same spectrum as the other UE for a Mode 2 operation. In accordance with embodiments, the UE may include a geo fencing configuration for a certain area, however, this configuration, for certain reasons, may have expired. In such a situation, using the above described signaling approaches, the UE may obtain an updated geo fencing configuration. However, in case the UE determines that no updated version of the geo fencing configuration may be obtained, in accordance with embodiments, the UE may stop operating in a mode as indicated by the expired geo fencing configuration, for example it may stop operating in the restricted resources, e.g., using Mode 2. For obtaining the update, the UE may try to connect to the network either through the gNB or through another UE so as to obtain the updated geo fencing configuration.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention are advantageous as based on the geo fencing configuration received at a UE, the UE may stop or curtail performing certain operations in a geographical area as specified in the geo fencing configuration or may restrict operation to certain resources as those mentioned above in the geographical area defined by the geo fencing configuration. Further, embodiments of the present invention are advantageous as by providing the UE and also a plurality of other UEs communicating over the sidelink with the geo fencing configuration, it is ensured that a large number of UEs refrains from performing a certain operation completely or refrains from using certain resources for a sidelink communication when operating in Mode 2, like resources associated with other operations, like an uplink operation over the Uu interface. Also, embodiments of the present invention are advantageous as the geo fencing configuration obtained, for example by means of the above described signaling approaches, may allow or deny a certain UE or a group of UEs, like UEs of a certain brand, to operate in a certain manner, like to use particular frequency bands when operating in NR Mode 2, or may implement certain rules of when to allow or deny such an operation, like the Mode 2 operation, for example, to specify certain resources to be used for this kind of operation within the geographical area identified by the geo fencing configuration. In accordance with embodiments, the geo fencing configuration may restrict the operation mode to be used by a UE or the resources to be used by the UE within a certain geographical area dependent on a certain state or capability of the UE. For example, a UE may use certain resources when it is in a certain state, like in a CONNECTED_MODE state. In accordance with other embodiments, the UE may communicate in a given spectrum only for a certain time, for example, a specified time to life, TTL, so as to reduce interference with other network entities. In accordance with embodiments, the restriction information or geo fencing configuration may define the geographical area to which the geo fencing configuration pertains in terms of coordinates of a certain area or location, and this information may be used so as to block certain operations of a UE, like a Mode 2 traffic on particular frequencies, thereby providing what is also referred to as a geo-fence.
In accordance with embodiments, the restriction information defining the geo fencing configuration may be received in the above described way from one or more entities of the wireless communication system, for example from one or more of the following:
• one or more base stations, BSs, e.g., a BS belonging to a campus network,
• one or more relay entities, e.g., relay UE or a relay BS,
• one or more PLMNs different from the wireless communication system,
• a small cell,
• a road side unit, RSU,
• another UE via a sidelink interface,
• a core network, e.g., the 5G-CN,
• Over the top, OTT, e.g., via the Internet.
Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above in accordance with which the geo fencing configuration is provided to the UE via a certain signaling from one or more network entities, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. Rather, in accordance with other embodiments, instead of signaling the geo fencing configuration during operation of the UE, the geo fencing configuration may also be preconfigured. In accordance with embodiments, the UE is pre-configured with the geo fencing configuration, and the geo fencing configuration may be stored in a memory of the UE or may be hardwired in the UE, or it may be stored in a universal integrated circuit card, UICC, or a subscriber identity module, SIM, like a universal subscriber identity module USIM, card, a universal integrated circuit card, ICC, or an embedded subscriber identity module. The pre-configured geo fencing configuration may be an initial configuration which, responsive to certain situations, may expire and needs to be updated or which needs to be updated when the UE is within or approaches a different area for which other restrictions apply and for which the initial geo fencing configuration may not be valid.
In accordance with embodiments, the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may include one or more of the following information:
• information about the one or more restricted or authorized geographical areas of a geofencing configuration, such as GNSS coordinates, a geo fence, a zone or zone identifier, a paging area, a cell-ID, a PLMN or a country, 3D coordinates, for example, for drones, planes, UAVs and the like, or a list of coordinates, like a center coordinate together with a radius for defining the area, or a vector of coordinates or a triangle mesh,
• information about the restricted time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources of the geofencing configuration,
• information about a time the geofencing configuration is active, such as a period of time, a Time to live (TTL), a future time or a time pattern,
• information about a duration of the geofencing configuration, such as day of time, validity or start time,
• information about a delay the geofencing configuration becomes active,
• information about a priority of the geofencing configuration, wherein the UE is to update an existing geofencing configuration only with a geofencing configuration having the priority higher than the priority of the existing geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE is to apply the geofencing configuration only for traffic with a certain priority class, e.g., such that only traffic with a priority above a certain threshold is allowed in the restricted geographical area,
• information about a version of the geofencing configuration,
• information about one or more resource pool configurations of the geofencing configuration, e.g., resource pools dedicated for Mode 1 or Mode 2 operations such that the time-frequency grid corresponding to ITS bands where the UE may use both operation modes within the geo-fenced area,
• information about one or more restrictions of the geofencing configuration, such as a use of the geofencing configuration only in an RRC_CONNECTED mode or in an inactive mode or a usage timer interval,
• information about a group ID indicating a group of UEs to which the geofencing configuration applies or does not apply to,
• information about a mode which is restricted with the geo-fenced area, e.g., only Mode 1 is allowed.
In accordance with embodiments, the geo fencing configuration or restriction information may include one or more of the following information regarding its time, duration, delay or validity:
• Start time, where the restriction or authorization begins at the given start time. This is a fixed date or time or offset time from the time the UE receives the configuration.
• Time duration, where the restriction, once started, lasts for x duration of time. This may also be considered as time to live. • Time pattern, where the restriction or authorization is valid from say 9am to 5pm, for 5 days in a week (Mon-Fri). If a time pattern is used, the start time and time duration is implicitly included in the time pattern.
• Time delay or future time, where the restriction or authorization is valid starting at some time in the future. This may be indicated either as a fixed delay time, like in 10 hours or 2 days from the start time, or a future date and time, like 25th March, 10am.
• Validity or expiry time, where the restriction or authorization expires after the given time, immaterial of whether the configuration was used or not. This is like an expiry date of the configuration.
In the following, embodiments are described regarding actions taken by a UE provided with a geo fencing configuration. Different scenarios are described during which the UE may receive the restriction information or geo fencing configuration, and possible actions taken by the UE are explained.
In accordance with embodiments, a UE is provided with a default procedure for situations in case there is no geo fencing configuration. For example, this may occur when a UE approaches an area or is within an area for which the UE has no geo fencing configuration. Thus, when the UE has no geo fencing configuration for a certain geographical area, the UE may continue to operate in its current mode, for example, it may continue to operate in accordance with a default Mode 2 procedure using all bands as defined by the default Mode 2 procedure. In accordance with other embodiments, the UE may continue operating only in bands, like the ITS band, which do not have any underlying geo fencing restriction, i.e., other bands that may be present, are not used unless a geo fencing configuration is received explicitly indicating that the other bands may be used. In the case where the system is configured with geo fencing restrictions, the UE may need a default setting to fall back to. This may be the ITS band, in the case no restriction information is received. The UE may also go back to a configured or pre-configured frequency band as a fallback method, which is agreed to be used in such cases, e.g., this may be an emergency band, or a band with a minimum required bandwidth or minimum required set of resources, so that the UE may exchange small data (but might not be able to use services with high service requirements such as URLLC or large data downloads).
In accordance with other embodiments, the UE may be aware of geo fencing restrictions because one or more geo fencing configurations are received for one or more geographical areas. For example, when assuming that a UE receives the restriction information or geo fencing configuration from a SIB and/or a MIB from a base station or via a PCS RRC message from another UE communicating with the UE over the sidelink, the UE may perform certain actions dependent on the size of a geo fenced area, as specified by the geo fencing configuration, with regard to a base station coverage area.
Fig. 9 illustrates a scenario in accordance with which a geo fenced area as defined by a geo fencing configuration is smaller than a base station coverage area. Fig. 9 illustrates the gNB, the associated base station coverage area 410 and the geo fenced area 412 as defined by the geo fencing configuration. It is assumed that a UE moves from a center of the base station coverage area 410 towards the outside of the base station coverage area 410, as is indicated by arrow 414. When the UE is operating in Mode 1 and is within the geo fenced area 412, the UE continues to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area 412. Once the UE exits the geo fenced area 412 but stays within the base station coverage area 410, the UE may continue to operate in Mode 1. When the UE leaves the base station coverage area 410 it enters the Mode 2 operational area 416 and switches to a Mode 2 operation. When the UE leaves the base station coverage area 410 or leaves the geo fenced area 412, the UE may be required to perform a handover or conditional handover, CHO, to another base station or relay node. In accordance with embodiments, there may be no restrictions in area 416 and the UE may operate in either the ITS band or the non-ITS band. It is also possible that when the UE is operating in Mode 1 or Mode 2, the UE shifts to Mode 2 and uses only a configured or pre-configured set of resources. It is also possible that when the UE is operating in Mode 2, e.g., on restricted resources, that the UE tries to shift to Mode 1 , e.g., by performing a handover or conditional handover operation, CHO, when leaving the restricted area or geo fence.
Fig. 10 shows a scenario similar to Fig. 9 except that the geo fenced area 412 is larger than the base station coverage area 410. In such a scenario, the UE continues to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area 412 and within the base station coverage area 410. Once the UE leaves the base station coverage area 410, but remains within the geo fenced area 412, in accordance with the geo fencing configuration at the UE for the geo fenced area 412, the UE may perform Mode 2 operations over restricted, authorized or pre-configured resources, or, in accordance with other embodiments, the UE may operate in accordance with Mode 2 using resources specified by the geo fencing configuration, like a specific ITS band in certain frequencies. For example, information concerning the resource pool corresponding to the ITS band and the frequencies to be used, may be provided to the UE as the geo fencing configuration that is transmitted as part of the SIB and/or the MIB or that is transmitted as a PC5 RRC message. Once the UE leaves the base station coverage area 410, but remains within the geo fenced area 412, the UE may attempt to perform a handover or conditional handover to another base station or relay node. When the UE leaves the geo fenced area 412 and enters the Mode 2 operational area 416, the UE may operate in Mode 2. In accordance with embodiments, there may be no resections in area 416 and the UE may operate in either the ITS band or the non-ITS band.
In accordance with embodiments, the UE may receive an updated geo fencing configuration indicating that the geo fenced area changed. When the UE is operating in Mode 1 within updated geo fenced area, the UE continues to operate in Mode 1 , and follow the procedures as described with reference to Fig. 9, where it enforces the updated resource usage restrictions. When the UE is operating in Mode 1 and is outside the geo fenced area, the UE continues to operate in Mode 1, as described with reference to Fig. 9. When the UE is operating in Mode 2 within the updated geo fenced area and within the coverage area of the base station, the UE immediately shifts to Mode 1 , as per the configurations received with the geo fencing update. The UE continues to operate in Mode 1 as long as the UE is within the geo fenced area and within the base station coverage area, and follows the procedures described with reference to Fig. 10. When the UE is operating in Mode 2, out of coverage of the base station and was out of the geo fenced area, but is currently within the updated geo fenced area, the UE enforces the updated resource usage restrictions as per the configurations received with the geo fencing update.
In accordance with embodiments, when the UE receives a geo fencing configuration and enters into the area defined within the configuration, the UE enforces the updated resource usage restrictions as per the configurations, and may also perform a change it its operational mode. This change may be one or more of the following:
• if the UE was operating in RRC connected mode, the UE is to switch to RRC inactive or RRC idle mode,
• if the UE was operating in RRC inactive mode, the UE is to switch to RRC idle mode,
• if the UE is to switch to RRC idle mode and refrain from performing random access to a configured and/or pre-configured or sensed frequency band for a given time period.
Once the UE exits the geo fenced area, if the UE was operating in RRC inactive or RRC idle mode, the UE is to switch to RRC connected mode. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, the geo fencing configuration may be a group based geo fencing configuration. For example, a plurality of UEs communicating over the sidelink may form a group of UEs. For example, a gNB may group UEs based on their geographical location, subscription level and the like. A geo fencing configuration associated with a certain group may be signaled to the UE by an RRC signaling including the geo fencing configuration and indicating a group index or a group Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RNTI. In accordance with other embodiments, the gNB may use the DCI for forwarding the geo fencing configuration for the group, and the DCI may be transmitted in the group common PDCCH, GC-PDCCH, scrambled with the group RNTI, for example to signal, via the geo fencing configuration, the availability of one or more resources, like one or more channels, in the geographical area indicated by the configuration.
Fig. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a group-based geo fencing configuration. Similar to Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, also Fig. 11 illustrates the gNB and the coverage area 410 thereof as well as a geo fenced area 412 indicated by a geo fencing configuration provided to UE1 to UE5 illustrated in Fig. 11. It is assumed that UE1 and UE2 are not members of a certain group and are located within the coverage area 410 of the gNB while UE3 and UE4 are members of a first group C1 and UE5 is a member of a second group C2. Both groups are located outside the coverage area 410 but within the geo fenced area 412. In accordance with embodiments, all UEs depicted in Fig. 11 may initially receive a geo fencing configuration for geo fenced area 412, for example via a system information block, SIB, broadcast by the gNB, as is indicated at 418 in Fig. 12. Fig. 120 illustrates for the scenario of Fig. 11 a SIB based geo fencing configuration and group-based geo fencing configurations for two channels available for a sidelink communication in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The SIB 418 indicates for all UEs, namely UE1 and UE2 not being group UEs and for the groups C1 and C2, available/non-available resources. In the embodiment of Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, the resources may be certain channels, like channelO and channeU, however, the resources may be indicated in any other form, e.g., in a way as described above in more detail. In Fig. 12 the SIB indicated that among the available channels for a sidelink communication, namely channelO and channeU , only channeU is available. More specifically, as is indicated at 418, the SIB indicates the nonavailability of channelO, , and the availability of channeU,. At a time before t1, all UEs depicted in Fig. 11 may be configured to refrain from a communication using channelO and channeU in the geo fenced area 412, i.e., all UEs may include an initial geo fencing configuration prohibiting operation on a sidelink, for example using available channelO and channel! At time t1 , all UEs within the geo fenced area obtain an updated geo fencing configuration via SIB 418 indicating that for a sidelink communication all UEs may employ channel! ChannelO remains unavailable.
In accordance with embodiments employing a group based geo fencing configuration, in addition to the geo fencing area for all UEs provided by SIB 418, the gNB may configure specific UEs or specific groups of UEs with a geo fencing area different than the geo fencing area broadcasted by the gNB. A UE may use a UE specific or group specific geo fencing area instead of the broadcasted geo fencing area at least for a duration which may be indicated by the gNB. Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 illustrate an embodiment in which, initially, the gNB broadcasts the geo fencing area via the SIB 418, and following the broadcasted geo fenced area 412, for example, at a time t2, the gNB may signal a UE-specific or group specific geo fenced configuration for group C1 including UE3 and UE4. The gNB may signal the geo fencing configuration 420 using the GC-PDCCH. UE3 and UE4 may communicate using both available channels, namely channelO and channel! as is indicated by the received configuration 420, thereby overriding the configuration received from the SIB 418. In accordance with further embodiments, at a time t3, the gNB may signal a further UE specific or group specific geo fenced configuration for group C2 including UE5. The gNB may signal the geo fencing configuration 422 for the UEs of group C2 using the GC-PDCCH. Starting from time t3, UEs in group C2 are to refrain from any communication in channelO and in channeM , as is indicated by the received configuration 422, thereby overriding the configuration received from the SIB 418.
It is noted that the use of a UE-specific or group-specific geo fencing configuration for specifying a certain geo fenced area is not limited to groups of UEs, rather, it may also be provided to individual UEs not being members of a group.
In accordance with yet other embodiments, the UE-specific signaling may cause a deactivation of certain resources, like a bandwidth part, responsive to receiving a geo fencing configuration, like a UE-specific geo fencing configuration. For example, the gNB may employ an approach for deactivation of certain resources like a bandwidth part. The UE may be configured with a set of resources or bandwidth parts which span one or more channels or sub-channels and based on the geo fencing for a specific UE, certain resources, like a configured TX bandwidth part, may not be used or employed by the UE. In case the UE already received information about channels that may/may not be used, the UE may deactivate autonomously all resources, like bandwidth parts, that span the non-allowed channels, for example, the channels indicated as being not available in Fig. 12. This may result in a resource change, like a change in bandwidth part, in case the UE operates currently in a deactivated resource or bandwidth part. In accordance with embodiments, in view of the geo fencing configuration that causes the deactivation of certain resources, like a certain bandwidth part, the UE may refuse or is not expected to change to such a deactivated resource set or bandwidth part, despite receiving a signaling from a gNB to use these resources or bandwidth part during a certain validity time window, which may be associated with a geo fencing configuration.
General
Embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, and the respective embodiments and aspects may be implemented individually or two or more of the embodiments or aspects may be implemented in combination.
In accordance with embodiments, the wireless communication system may include a terrestrial network, or a non-terrestrial network, or networks or segments of networks using as a receiver an airborne vehicle or a spaceborne vehicle, or a combination thereof.
In accordance with embodiments, the user device, UE, described herein may be one or more of a power-limited UE, or a hand-held UE, like a UE used by a pedestrian, and referred to as a Vulnerable Road User, VRU, or a Pedestrian UE, P-UE, or an on-body or hand-held UE used by public safety personnel and first responders, and referred to as Public safety UE, PS-UE, or an loT UE, e.g., a sensor, an actuator or a UE provided in a campus network to carry out repetitive tasks and requiring input from a gateway node at periodic intervals, or a mobile terminal, or a stationary terminal, or a cellular loT-UE, or a vehicular UE, or a vehicular group leader, GL, UE, or an loT, or a narrowband loT, NB-loT, device, or a WiFi non Access Point STAtion, non-AP STA, e.g., 802.11 ax or 802.11 be, or a ground based vehicle, or an aerial vehicle, or a drone, or a moving base station, or a road side unit, or a building, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using a sidelink the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any sidelink capable network entity.
The base station, BS, described herein may be implemented as mobile or immobile base station and may be one or more of a macro cell base station, or a small cell base station, or a central unit of a base station, or a distributed unit of a base station, or a road side unit, or a UE, or a group leader, GL, or a relay, or a remote radio head, or an AMF, or an SMF, or a core network entity, or mobile edge computing entity, or a network slice as in the NR or 5G core context, or a WiFi AP STA, e.g., 802.11 ax or 802.11 be, or any transmission/reception point, TRP, enabling an item or a device to communicate using the wireless communication network, the item or device being provided with network connectivity to communicate using the wireless communication network.
Embodiments concern the following types of UEs communicating over a sidelink PCS:
• Vulnerable road users, VRUs, like pedestrian UEs, P-UEs: these UEs are basically hand-held UEs used by pedestrians, like mobile phones. The UE may transmit its location periodically to vehicular UEs, V-UEs, so that these V-UEs are aware of the UE’s location. The V-UEs may receive a transmission from the UE in case they are in proximity and that there is a possibility of a collision.
• Public safety UEs, PS-UEs: such UEs may be on-body or hand-held UEs used by public safety personnel and first responders, like policemen, paramedics and firemen. The PS-UEs require both transmit and receive functionality at all times.
• loT-UEs: these UEs may include sensors in a sensor network, actuators or other low power nodes or powered relay and/or processing nodes.
• Industrial loT-UEs: these UEs may be devices in a closed campus network designed to carry out certain tasks and obtaining inputs from a gateway node at periodic intervals. Examples for loT-UEs are robots on a factory floor carrying out repetitive tasks.
Embodiments of the inventive approach are described for sidelink communications in the context of cellular communication systems, safety communication systems, campus networks. The present invention is not limited to this, rather, in accordance with further embodiments, the inventive approach may be employed in any kind of communication network, e.g., an ad-hoc communication network.
Although some aspects of the described concept have been described in the context of an apparatus, it is clear that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, where a block or a device corresponds to a method step or a feature of a method step. Analogously, aspects described in the context of a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block or item or feature of a corresponding apparatus. Various elements and features of the present invention may be implemented in hardware using analog and/or digital circuits, in software, through the execution of instructions by one or more general purpose or special-purpose processors, or as a combination of hardware and software. For example, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in the environment of a computer system or another processing system. Fig. 13 illustrates an example of a computer system 500. The units or modules as well as the steps of the methods performed by these units may execute on one or more computer systems 500. The computer system 500 includes one or more processors 502, like a special purpose or a general-purpose digital signal processor. The processor 502 is connected to a communication infrastructure 504, like a bus or a network. The computer system 500 includes a main memory 506, e.g., a random-access memory, RAM, and a secondary memory 508, e.g., a hard disk drive and/or a removable storage drive. The secondary memory 508 may allow computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system 500. The computer system 500 may further include a communications interface 510 to allow software and data to be transferred between computer system 500 and external devices. The communication may be in the from electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being handled by a communications interface. The communication may use a wire or a cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link and other communications channels 512.
The terms “computer program medium” and “computer readable medium" are used to generally refer to tangible storage media such as removable storage units or a hard disk installed in a hard disk drive. These computer program products are means for providing software to the computer system 500. The computer programs, also referred to as computer control logic, are stored in main memory 506 and/or secondary memory 508. Computer programs may also be received via the communications interface 510. The computer program, when executed, enables the computer system 500 to implement the present invention. In particular, the computer program, when executed, enables processor 502 to implement the processes of the present invention, such as any of the methods described herein. Accordingly, such a computer program may represent a controller of the computer system 500. Where the disclosure is implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into computer system 500 using a removable storage drive, an interface, like communications interface 510.
The implementation in hardware or in software may be performed using a digital storage medium, for example cloud storage, a floppy disk, a DVD, a Blue-Ray, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, having electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which cooperate or are capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system such that the respective method is performed. Therefore, the digital storage medium may be computer readable.
Some embodiments according to the invention comprise a data carrier having electronically readable control signals, which are capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system, such that one of the methods described herein is performed.
Generally, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a computer program product with a program code, the program code being operative for performing one of the methods when the computer program product runs on a computer. The program code may for example be stored on a machine readable carrier.
Other embodiments comprise the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein, stored on a machine readable carrier. In other words, an embodiment of the inventive method is, therefore, a computer program having a program code for performing one of the methods described herein, when the computer program runs on a computer.
A further embodiment of the inventive methods is, therefore, a data carrier, or a digital storage medium, or a computer-readable medium comprising, recorded thereon, the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein. A further embodiment of the inventive method is, therefore, a data stream or a sequence of signals representing the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein. The data stream or the sequence of signals may for example be configured to be transferred via a data communication connection, for example via the Internet. A further embodiment comprises a processing means, for example a computer, or a programmable logic device, configured to or adapted to perform one of the methods described herein. A further embodiment comprises a computer having installed thereon the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein.
In some embodiments, a programmable logic device, for example a field programmable gate array, may be used to perform some or all of the functionalities of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, a field programmable gate array may cooperate with a microprocessor in order to perform one of the methods described herein. Generally, the methods are preferably performed by any hardware apparatus.
The above described embodiments are merely illustrative for the principles of the present invention. It is understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and the details described herein are apparent to others skilled in the art. It is the intent, therefore, to be limited only by the scope of the impending patent claims and not by the specific details presented by way of description and explanation of the embodiments herein.

Claims

1. A user equipment, UE, for a wireless communication system, wherein the UE is to perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs, and wherein, the UE is to refrain from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
2. The user equipment, UE, of claim 1 , wherein, the UE is to refrain from usage a plurality of time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources in the one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
3. The user equipment, UE, of claim 1 or 2, wherein the UE is to receive restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, e.g., a geofencing configuration, the restriction information indicating the time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources the UE is not to use or to use in the one or more geographical areas.
4. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the previous claims, wherein the frequency resources are defined as one or more of the following:
• a subchannel or a set of subchannels,
• a resource block, RB,
• a resource pool, RP, e.g., transmit or receive or exceptional RP,
• a band width part, BWP,
• a frequency band, like an unlicensed band, e.g., the Intelligent Transportation System, ITS, band and/or the Industrial, Scientific and Medical, ISM, band, or a licensed band, e.g., a non-ITS band,
• a carrier,
• a frequency range.
5. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the previous claims, wherein the time resources are defined as one or more of the following:
• a symbol, e.g., an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, symbol, • a sub-slot,
• a slot,
• a subframe,
• a radio frame,
• an absolute or relative time interval.
6. The User Equipment, UE, of any one of the previous claims, wherein the spatial resources are defined as one or more of the following:
• a transmit and/or receive beam index,
• a transmit and/or receive beam ID,
• a transmit and/or receive beam group ID,
• angular restriction,
• precoder matrix indicator (PMI).
7. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the UE is to receive the restriction information for the one or more geographical areas by means of one or more control messages, e.g., physical layer, like DCI, and/or MAC layer, e.g., via MAC CE message, and/or RRC layer, and/or higher layer control messages, and/or Assistance Information Messages, AIMS.
8. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the UE is to receive the restriction information for the one or more geographical areas, from a base station, BS, of the wireless communication system, e.g., by means of one or more of the following:
• one or more broadcast messages, like a system information block, SIB, or a master information block, MIB,
• Downlink Control Information, DCI, a MAC CE message, or an RRC message,
• a bandwidth part, BWP, configuration, e.g., received by a unicast, groupcast or multicast communication,
• a resource pool configuration,
• any other type of control signaling using the PDCCH or control embedded within the data channel, e.g., PDSCH.
9. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the UE is preconfigured with the geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE to receive the restriction information defining the geofencing configuration from one or more entities of the wireless communication system, e.g., from one or more of the following:
• one or more base stations, BSs,
• one or more relay entities, e.g., relay UE or a relay BS,
• one or more PLMNs different from the wireless communication system,
• a small cell,
• a road side unit, RSU,
• another UE via a sidelink interface, like a group leader, GL, UE,
• a core network, CN, e.g., the 5G-CN,
• over the top, OTT, e.g., via the Internet.
10. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the UE is to receive the restriction information over a sidelink interface by means of one of the following:
• PCS RRC signaling or PC5 MAC CE messages,
• Sidelink Control Information, SCI, wherein the information may be included in the first stage SCI or one or more second stage SCIs,
• one or more Assistance Information Messages, AIMs, wherein the information may be in the form of Sidelink Information Blocks, SLIBs, or as a control or data transmission,
• embedded in the Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel, PSFCH,
• any unicast, groupcast, multicast or broadcast message via the sidelink, SL,
• One or more data packets, e.g., via the Physical Sidelink Shared Channel, PSSCH.
11. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the UE is to receive the restriction information by a passive detection
• on pre-configured or configured resources known by the UE for receiving one or more broadcast control messages, e.g., a PSBCH message, or
• of one or more messages broadcasted at a certain power level, e.g., at a power level higher than a certain threshold, the certain power lever being indicative to the UE that a message is a broadcast control message that may contain the restriction information, or
• by RRC configurations, that are broadcasted by the gNB via the Uu link, or by another UE via the PCS link.
12. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the UE is to receive the restriction information by an active detection, wherein the UE is to actively seek out one or more control messages that contain the restriction information, by
• requesting one or more entities, like one or more neighboring UEs, one or more UEs within a group the UE belongs to, a GL UE, an RSU, a relay node, a relay UE, or a BS, for the restriction information, and
• receiving from the one or more entities the restriction information.
13. The user equipment, UE, of claim 12, wherein the UE is to actively seek out the one or more control messages when a current restriction information of the UE expired, or when the UE is aware, e.g., based on one or more received messages, that it is within or is approaching a certain geographical area for which restrictions apply.
14. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the UE is to receive a resource configuration, wherein the resource configuration includes parameters specifying the restriction information.
15. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the restriction information comprises one or more of:
• information about the one or more restricted geographical areas of a geofencing configuration, such as GNSS coordinates, a geo fence, azoneorzone identifier, a paging area, a celi-ID, a PLMN or a country,
• information about the restricted time resources and/or frequency resources and/or spatial resources of the geofencing configuration
• information about a time the geofencing configuration is active, such as a period of time, a Time to live, TTL, a future time or a time pattern,
• information about a duration of the geofencing configuration, such as day of time, validity or start time,
• information about a delay the geofencing configuration becomes active,
• information about a priority of the geofencing configuration, wherein the UE is to update an existing geofencing configuration only with a geofencing configuration having the priority higher than the priority of the existing geofencing configuration, or wherein the UE is to apply the geofencing configuration only for traffic with a certain priority class, e.g., such that only traffic with a priority above a certain threshold is allowed in the restricted geographical area,
• information about a version of the geofencing configuration,
• information about one or more resource pool configurations of the geofencing configuration, e.g., resource pools dedicated for Mode 1 or Mode 2 operations such that the time-frequency grid corresponding to ITS bands wherein the UE may use both operation modes within the geo-fenced area,
• information about one or more restrictions of the geofencing configuration, such as a use of the geofencing configuration only in an RRC_CONNECTED mode or in an inactive mode or a usage timer interval,
• information about a group ID indicating a group of UEs to which the geofencing configuration applies or does not apply to,
• information about a mode which is restricted with the geo-fenced area, e.g., only Mode 1 is allowed.
16. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when the UE does not receive a geofencing configuration for a certain geographical area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
• the UE is to continue to operate in its current mode using configured bands,
• the UE is only to use bands, e.g., the ITS band, which do not have any underlying geofencing restrictions.
17. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when a geo fenced area as defined by the geofencing configuration is less than a base station coverage area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
• when the UE is operating in Mode 1, the UE is to continue to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area,
• when the UE exits the geo fenced area, the UE is to remain in Mode 1 as long as it is within the coverage area of the base station,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area of the base station, the UE is to shift to Mode 2,
• when the UE is operating in Mode 2 and when the UE is within the coverage area of the base station, the UE is to switch to Mode 1 ,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area of the base station or leaves the geo fenced area, the UE is to perform a handover to another BS, if present, • when the UE is operating in Mode 1 or Mode 2, the UE is to shift to Mode 2 and use only configured and/or pre-configured resources.
18. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the claims 1 to 16, wherein, when a geo fenced area as defined by the geofencing configuration is larger than a base station coverage area, the UE is to perform one or more of the following:
• when the UE is operating in Mode 1 within the geo fenced area, the UE is to continue to operate in Mode 1 as long as it is within the geo fenced area and coverage of the BS,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area and is within a geo fenced area, the UE is to shift to Mode 2 and is to refrain from using the restricted resources,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area and is within a geo fenced area, the UE is to shift to Mode 2 and use only configured and/or pre-configured resources,
• when the UE leaves the coverage area and is within a geo fenced area, the UE is to perform a handover to another BS, if present,
• when UE is out of the geo fenced area, the UE is to operate in either the ITS band or the non-ITS band.
19. The User Equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, responsive to receiving an updated geofencing configuration, the UE is to operate as follows:
• when the UE is operating in Mode 1 within an updated geo fenced area, the UE is to continue to operate in Mode 1 ,
• when the UE is operating in Mode 2 within the updated geo fenced area and is within the coverage of the BS, the UE is to shift to Mode 1, as per the updated geofencing configuration,
• when the UE is operating in Mode 2, is within the updated geo fenced area and is outside the coverage of the BS, the UE is to continue in Mode 2 and is to refrain from using bands as per the updated geofencing configuration or is to restrict its use to configured and/or pre-configured frequency resources, only.
20. The User Equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, responsive to receiving a geofencing configuration, when the UE enters the geo fenced area and may use only restricted resources, and perform one or more of the following:
• if the UE was operating in RRC connected mode, the UE is to switch to RRC inactive or RRC idle mode, • if the UE was operating in RRC inactive mode, the UE is to switch to RRC idle mode,
• the UE is to switch to RRC idle mode and refrain from performing random access to a configured and/or pre-configured or sensed frequency band for a given time period.
21. The User Equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, responsive to receiving a geofencing configuration, when the UE exits the geo fenced area, if the UE was operating in RRC inactive or RRC idle mode, the UE is to switch to RRC connected mode.
22. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the UE is a member of a UE group, and the UE is to receive the geofencing configuration by
• an RRC signaling indicating a group index or a group RNTI, and/or
• a DCI in a group common-PDCCH, GC-PDCCH, scrambled with a group RNTI to signal the availability of channels or applicability of different restriction configurations, or
• a SCI via a unicast, a groupcast, a multicast, or a broadcast communication over the sidelink, or
• an AIM via a control or data transmission.
23. The user equipment, UE, of claim 22, wherein default channel availability information, e.g., obtained by a SIB signaling, is overwritten by the geofencing configuration.
24. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the geofencing configuration is common for some or all of the UEs of the wireless communication system, and/or is U E-specific and/or is group-specific.
25. The user equipment, UE, of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in case the UE is configured with a set of resources spanning across time and/or frequency resources, the UE is to deactivate autonomously all resources which are restricted in accordance with the geofencing configuration.
26. A network entity of a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including a plurality of UEs capable of communicating over a sidelink, wherein the network entity is to signal to one or more of the UEs geofencing configuration causing the UE to refrain from or to allow transmitting and/or receiving in one or more geographical areas indicated by the geofencing configuration.
27. A wireless communication system, comprising: one or more UEs of any one of claims 1 to25, and/or a network entity of claim 26.
28. The wireless communication system of claim 27, wherein the UE comprises one or more of a mobile terminal, or a stationary terminal, or a cellular loT-UE, or a vehicular UE, or a vehicular group leader, GL, UE, or an loT or narrowband loT, NB-loT, device, or a ground based vehicle, or an aerial vehicle, or a drone, or a moving base station, or road side unit, RSU, or a building, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any other item or device provided with network connectivity enabling the item/device to communicate using a sidelink the wireless communication network, e.g., a sensor or actuator, or any sidelink capable network entity.
29. The wireless communication system of claim 27 or 28, wherein the network entity comprises one or more base stations, wherein the base station comprises one or more of a macro cell base station, or a small cell base station, or a central unit of a base station, or a distributed unit of a base station, or a road side unit, RSU), or a UE, or a group leader, GL, UE, or a relay or a remote radio head, or an AMF, or an MME, or an SMF, or a core network entity, or mobile edge computing, MEC, entity, or a network slice as in the NR or 5G core context, or any transmission/reception point, TRP, enabling an item or a device to communicate using the wireless communication network, the item or device being provided with network connectivity to communicate using the wireless communication network.
30. A method for operating a user equipment, UE, of a wireless communication system, the method comprising: operating the UE perform a sidelink communication to communicate with one or more further UEs, and refraining the UE from transmitting and/or receiving on one or more resources, e.g., SL resources, in one or more configured and/or pre-configured geographical areas.
31. A method for operating a network entity of a wireless communication system a plurality of UEs communicating over a sidelink, the method comprising: signaling, by the network entity, to one or more of the UEs geofencing configuration causing the UE to refrain from or to allow transmitting and/or receiving in one or more geographical areas indicated by the geofencing configuration.
32. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a computer, perform the method of any one of clams 30 to 31.
PCT/EP2021/057133 2020-03-20 2021-03-19 Resource allocation fencing for sidelink transmissions WO2021186057A1 (en)

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