WO2022029120A1 - Ss-set group switching application delay - Google Patents

Ss-set group switching application delay Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022029120A1
WO2022029120A1 PCT/EP2021/071667 EP2021071667W WO2022029120A1 WO 2022029120 A1 WO2022029120 A1 WO 2022029120A1 EP 2021071667 W EP2021071667 W EP 2021071667W WO 2022029120 A1 WO2022029120 A1 WO 2022029120A1
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Prior art keywords
delay
set group
application delay
wireless device
value
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PCT/EP2021/071667
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French (fr)
Inventor
Ilmiawan SHUBHI
Sina MALEKI
Andres Reial
Ajit Nimbalker
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Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
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Publication of WO2022029120A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022029120A1/en

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Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04WWIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/02Power saving arrangements
    • H04W52/0209Power saving arrangements in terminal devices
    • H04W52/0212Power saving arrangements in terminal devices managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
    • H04W52/0216Power saving arrangements in terminal devices managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02DCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
    • Y02D30/00Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
    • Y02D30/70Reducing energy consumption in communication networks in wireless communication networks

Definitions

  • Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to wireless communications and, more particularly, to a search space (SS)-set group switching feature.
  • SS search space
  • one of the power-consuming activities of user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control (RRC) connected (i.e., RRC CONNECTED) mode is to monitor the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
  • RRC radio resource control
  • the UE performs blind detection in its configured control resource sets (CORESETs) to identify whether there is a PDCCH sent to it and act accordingly.
  • CORESETs configured control resource sets
  • the UE is not scheduled in most PDCCH monitoring occasions (MOs) and thus, the UE wastes its energy.
  • crossslot scheduling can be implemented. Specifically, by implementing the cross-slot scheduling enhancement feature, also introduced in Rel. 16.
  • NR Fifth generation (5G) new radio
  • NR-U new radio unlicensed
  • SS search-space
  • a UE can be provided a group index for a respective search space set by searchSpaceGroupIdList-rl6 for PDCCH monitoring on a serving cell. If the UE is not provided searchSpaceGroupIdList-rl6 for a search space set, the following procedures are not applicable for PDCCH monitoring according to the search space set.
  • searchSpaceSwitchingGroupList-rl6 indicating one or more groups of serving cells
  • the following procedures apply to all serving cells within each group; otherwise, the following procedures apply only to a serving cell for which the UE is provided searchSpaceGroupIdList-r 16.
  • a UE can be provided, by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-rl6, a timer value.
  • the UE decrements the timer value by one after each slot in the active downlink bandwidth part (BWP) of the serving cell where the UE monitors PDCCH for detection of downlink control information (DCI) format 2 0.
  • BWP active downlink bandwidth part
  • DCI downlink control information
  • a UE If a UE is provided by SearchSpaceSwitchTrigger-rl6 a location of a search space set switching field for a serving cell in a DCI format 2 0, as described in Clause 11.1.1, and detects the DCI format 2 0 in a slot, then the UE performs the following actions.
  • the UE If the UE is not monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, on the serving cell at a first slot that is at least P symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH with the DCI format 2 0, if a value of the search space set switching field is 0.
  • the UE monitors PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, on the serving cell at a first slot that is at least P symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH with the DCI format 2 0, and the UE sets the timer value to the value provided by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-rl6, if a value of the search space set switching field is 1.
  • the UE monitors PDCCH on a serving cell according to search space sets with group index 1
  • the UE starts monitoring PDCCH on the serving cell according to search space sets with group index 0, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, on the serving cell at the beginning of the first slot that is at least P symbols after a slot where the timer expires or after a last symbol of a remaining channel occupancy duration for the serving cell that is indicated by DCI format 2 0.
  • a UE If a UE is not provided SearchSpaceSwitchTrigger-rl6 for a serving cell, then the UE performs the following actions.
  • the UE If the UE detects a DCI format by monitoring PDCCH according to a search space set with group index 0, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, on the serving cell at a first slot that is at least P symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH with the DCI format, the UE sets the timer value to the value provided by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-r 16 if the UE detects a DCI format by monitoring PDCCH in any search space set.
  • the UE monitors PDCCH on a serving cell according to search space sets with group index 1
  • the UE starts monitoring PDCCH on the serving cell according to search space sets with group index 0, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, on the serving cell at the beginning of the first slot that is at least P symbols after a slot where the timer expires or, if the UE is provided a search space set to monitor PDCCH for detecting a DCI format 2 0, after a last symbol of a remaining channel occupancy duration for the serving cell that is indicated by DCI format 2 0.
  • NR also includes cross-slot scheduling.
  • a UE may omit physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) buffering after the last symbol of PDCCH and may go to microsleep earlier in the respective slot.
  • PDSCH physical downlink shared channel
  • the UE may also relax its PDCCH decoding, which could give additional power-saving.
  • the UE needs to know in advance that the UE will be scheduled with cross-slot scheduling.
  • Rel. 16 enables this by an introduction of minimum scheduling offset parameter configured through RRC configuration on a per-BWP basis. Using this feature, the UE knows in advance whether the UE will be scheduled using cross-slot scheduling. As used herein, the minimum scheduling offset is referred to as minK.
  • the network and the UE will apply the newly indicated SS-set group at a first slot which is at least P (P is a predetermined value) symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching.
  • P is a predetermined value
  • the UE needs to switch its SS-set group earlier than minK slots after the PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching.
  • the SS-set group switching timer and channel occupancy duration (COD) value might be small and the UE needs to go to the other SS-set group earlier than minK slots after the slots in which those timers expire.
  • the UE might not be able to relax its decoding process when the SS-set group switching feature is configured for the respected UE and the UE might not be able to gain powersaving from the PDCCH decoding relaxation in such configurations.
  • particular embodiments determine the application delay to apply the newly-indicated SS-set group in the SS-set group switching mechanism.
  • the baseline application delay of SS-set group switching is updated depending on additional operations that may be simultaneously configured. If provided with the additional application delay, the UE may be able to apply the same power saving measures, e.g., relaxed physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) decoding, as in the baseline scenario.
  • PDCCH physical downlink control channel
  • determining the application delay several aspects can be considered such as, baseline application delay of SS-set group switching feature, minimum feasible application delay of crossslot scheduling feature, the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching, the currently applied minK value, and/or the BWP’s numerology.
  • both the network and the user equipment (UE) determine a correct application delay according to the disclosed principles to remain aligned in SS selection for PDCCH scheduling/monitoring.
  • Some embodiments include power saving optimization at a UE where the UE determines the SS switch application delay and adjusts its operation accordingly. For example, the UE may determine whether to relax the PDCCH decoding or not; or how much to relax it (e.g., how many HW blocks to activate).
  • particular embodiments include determining an application delay.
  • the application delay is a delay between the slot in which the network sends, either implicitly or explicitly, the SS-set group switching indication and the slot where the UE starts to monitor PDCCH according to the new SS-set group of the currently active BWP.
  • the UE is generally not expected to receive different SS-set group switching indication with the previously indicated SS-set group before the indicated SS-set group is applied. In some embodiments, whether the UE could or could not receive different SS SS-set group switching indication with the previously indicated SS-set group before the indicated SS-set group is applied, is based on the minimum scheduling offset change indication.
  • the application delay considers at least one of: the location of the last symbol of the slot containing the SS-set group switching indication, the minimum feasible time to change the SS-set group, minimum feasible delay for cross-slot scheduling feature, and/or the currently applied minK value associated with the current BWP.
  • the minK value used in the currently active BWP of the scheduled component carrier (CC) may be normalized to the numerology of the currently active BWP of the scheduling CC for when one or more cells implement cross-carrier scheduling.
  • the application delay further considers BWP-switch delay for when SS-set group switching is indicated together with a BWP-switch indication.
  • the minK and Z values used in the application delay are the minK and Z values of the source BWP.
  • the application delay applies independently for each cell when more than one cell is active.
  • the determination of the application delay of each cell considers individual application delay and the numerology of the active BWP of all serving cells.
  • the application delay is rounded up to the nearest slot based on the either the numerology of the active BWP of the respected cell or the smallest numerology of the active BWP of all serving cells.
  • a method performed by a wireless device comprises: monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasion according to a first search space (SS)-set group; receiving a SS-set group switching trigger to switch to a second SS-set group; determining an application delay to wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
  • the method further comprises applying a power saving feature (e.g., relaxed PDCCH decoding) during the determined application delay.
  • a power saving feature e.g., relaxed PDCCH decoding
  • receiving the SS-set group switching trigger comprises one of receiving a DCI, expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
  • the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the wireless device receives the SS-set group switching trigger and the slot where the wireless device starts to monitor the PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
  • determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value wherein minK refers to a scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling (e.g., as specified in the current 3GPP specifications or the minK value that is currently active in use.
  • the NW can configure two minK values via RRC and a bit in the DCI then is used to select which minK value that needs to be used by the UE), a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay.
  • BWP bandwidth part
  • the baseline application delay, P is a delay that ensures the wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology.
  • the minimum application delay, Z, of crossslot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
  • the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value. In some embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
  • the wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined independently for each cell.
  • the application delay may be determined based on the cell with the smallest numerology or based on the cell that triggered the SS-set group switching.
  • a wireless device comprises processing circuitry operable to perform any of the wireless device methods described above.
  • a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the wireless device described above.
  • a method performed by a network node comprises: transmitting control channels according to a first search space (SS)-set group; determining to switch from the first SS-set group to a second SS-set group; determining an application delay that a UE will wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, transmitting control channels according to the second SS-set group.
  • SS search space
  • determining to switch from the first SS-set group to the second SS-set group comprises one of preparing a DCI with a SS-set group switching indication, expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
  • the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the network node receives the SS-set group switching indication and the slot where the network node starts to transmit the control channels according to the second SS-set group.
  • determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value, a BWP numerology, and a BWP switch delay.
  • the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value. In some embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
  • a network node comprises processing circuitry operable to perform any of the network node methods described above.
  • a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the network node described above.
  • a UE may preserve the benefits of PDCCH decoding relaxation while also benefiting from the PDCCH monitoring reduction obtained through the SS-set group switching feature.
  • FIGURE l is a block diagram illustrating an example wireless network
  • FIGURE 2 illustrates an example user equipment, according to certain embodiments
  • FIGURE 3 is flowchart illustrating an example method in a wireless device, according to certain embodiments.
  • FIGURE 4 is flowchart illustrating an example method in a network node, according to certain embodiments.
  • FIGURE 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a wireless device and a network node in a wireless network, according to certain embodiments
  • FIGURE 6 illustrates an example virtualization environment, according to certain embodiments.
  • FIGURE 7 illustrates an example telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer, according to certain embodiments
  • FIGURE 8 illustrates an example host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection, according to certain embodiments
  • FIGURE 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented, according to certain embodiments.
  • FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments.
  • FIGURE 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments.
  • FIGURE 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments.
  • FIGURE 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with some embodiments.
  • particular embodiments determine the application delay to apply the newly-indicated SS-set group in the SS-set group switching mechanism.
  • the baseline application delay of SS-set group switching is updated depending on additional operations that may be simultaneously configured. If provided with the additional application delay, the UE may be able to apply the same power saving measures, e.g., relaxed physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) decoding, as in the baseline scenario.
  • PDCCH physical downlink control channel
  • baseline application delay of SS-set group switching feature minimum feasible application delay of crossslot scheduling feature, the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching, the currently applied minK value, and/or the bandwidth part’s (BWP’s) numerology.
  • a user equipment is configured with one or more SS-set groups and the UE can switch between different SS-set groups.
  • the SS groups may potentially include SS configurations which are at least different on one of the underlying SS configuration parameters, e.g., SS periodicity, duration, offset, etc., between different groups.
  • the SS configurations in different groups are at least different in SS periodicity, however, the SSs within the same group may have similar periodicities.
  • the switching mechanisms can be similar to Rel 16 SS-set group switching, or a new one as part of existing downlink control information (DCI) (e.g., through a switching command in a scheduling DCI), or a new DCI format explicitly designed to switch between different SS-set groups.
  • DCI downlink control information
  • a method includes determining the application delay to apply a newly indicated SS-set group in the SS-set group switching mechanism.
  • the application delay can be defined as the gap between the slot in which the UE receives the SS-set group switching indication and the slot in which the UE starts to monitor physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the newly indicated SS-set group.
  • PDCCH physical downlink control channel
  • the UE will start to monitor the newly indicated SS-set group in slot n + V where n is the slot in which the UE receives the SS-set group switching indication.
  • n can be the slot in which the UE receives an explicit SS-set group switching command, e.g. through explicit bit-field in DCI; or can be the slot in which the UE receives an implicit indication, e.g., scheduling DCI without explicit bitfield, the SS-set group switching timer expires, or the channel occupancy duration ends.
  • the application delay may also be defined in a symbol basis. For example, having an application delay of B symbols, the UE will start to monitor PDCCH in the newly indicated SS-set group in the first slot which is at least B symbols after the last symbols of PDCCH containing DCI that triggers (explicitly or implicitly) the SS-set group switching, or the last symbol of the remaining channel occupancy duration, or the last symbol of the slot in which the SS-set group switching timer expires.
  • the application delay may refer to a processing delay, or similar.
  • the application delay or processing delay refers to a time allowance for the UE to apply particular settings after being instructed, explicitly or implicitly, by the network.
  • the Rel. 16 SS-set group switching feature is used as the baseline, particular embodiments are also applicable when a similar triggering mechanism is used or introduced, e.g., explicit switching mechanism using a bit-field (either by using the existing or new additional bit-field) in a scheduling DCI (DCI format 0-1, format 1-1, etc.).
  • a similar triggering mechanism e.g., explicit switching mechanism using a bit-field (either by using the existing or new additional bit-field) in a scheduling DCI (DCI format 0-1, format 1-1, etc.).
  • the application delay can be defined as part of the technical specifications, or configured by the network through higher layer signaling, or it can also be indicated as part of the DCI based SS-set group switching indication.
  • Particular examples described herein consider a scenario where the UE is at least configured with two SS groups, namely SS group 0 and SS group 1, and when the SS switching indication is received, e.g., in slot //, the UE is expected to have switched to the new SS group after V units of time.
  • the typical timing will be in a slot manner, and thus, for simplicity, particular examples refer to the number of slots as the unit of time, except if otherwise specified. However, all the examples can be readily extended to the case of number of symbols or ms as the unit of time.
  • One aspect is the baseline application delay of the SS-set group switching feature.
  • a predetermined baseline application delay may be defined.
  • the baseline application delay may be used to ensure that the UE finishes the PDCCH decoding before the newly indicated SS-set group takes effect, i.e., for the case of baseline configuration is used.
  • the baseline configuration means the configuration in which minK is not configured for the respected UE, component carrier (CC), or bandwidth part (BWP).
  • the baseline application delay can be determined by a slot or symbol basis.
  • the baseline application delay as in Rel. 16 can be used.
  • the baseline application delay, P is defined on a symbol basis and the value depends on the UE capability and the numerology of the BWP.
  • the possible values of P are given in 3GPP TS 38.306 V16.1.0 (2020-07) and 3GPP TS 38.213 V16.2.0 (2020-06).
  • the possible P values are summarized in Table 1.
  • These baseline application delay values e.g., can also be considered as the current minK values used by the UEs.
  • Another aspect for determining application delay includes the minimum feasible application delay of the cross-slot scheduling feature.
  • the cross-slot scheduling feature there is a gap/delay between the slot in which the UE is indicated to change the minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied. This delay, Z, may be used to ensure that the UE can finish the PDCCH decoding and know that it should change the minK value.
  • this gap can also be considered in determining the SS-set group switching application delay when Rel. 16 cross-slot scheduling feature is configured for the UE.
  • the Z value depends on the numerology and is shown in Table 2. Note that unlike the baseline application delay for SS-set group switching, the value of Z is defined in slot.
  • Another aspect for determining application delay includes the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching.
  • the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching, m can be used as the starting point to count the baseline application delay, e.g. as in Rel. 16 SS-set group switching baseline application delay.
  • m can be used together with a certain threshold, S. E.g., if m is equal to or smaller than 5, the baseline application delay (e.g., P or Z) will remain the same; and if m is larger than 5, the baseline application delay can be increased by L slots.
  • S is equal to 3 and L is equal to 1.
  • m depends on what kind of event that triggers the SS-set group switching.
  • SS-set group switching feature for example, for the case the SS-set group switching is triggered by DCI (either explicitly, e.g., through the bitfield in DCI format 2 0 or implicitly, e.g., by detection of any DCI format), m is the location of the last symbol of the PDCCH sent by the network to switch the SS-set group.
  • SS-set group switching timer expiration
  • m is the last symbol of the slot in which the SS-set group switching timer expires.
  • SS-set group switching is initiated by the expiration of channel occupancy duration
  • m is the last symbol of the channel occupancy duration.
  • Another aspect for determining application delay includes the currently applied minK value.
  • the application delay of the SS-set group switching caused by the cross-slot scheduling feature, F is equal to the currently applied minK value.
  • the value of F is the normalized value of minK to the numerology of the scheduling CC.
  • the normalized value can be obtained, for example, by multiplying the currently applied minK with the ratio between 2 to the power of the scheduling CC and 2 to the power of the scheduled CC.
  • a ceiling function can be applied to the nearest integer if necessary.
  • the following examples are described with respect to a single carrier.
  • the UE may store the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-switch, m.
  • m the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-switch
  • the UE may determine the SS-set group switching baseline application delay.
  • the SS-set group switching baseline application delay may be based on the UE capability and BWP SCS, e.g. as in Rel. 16.
  • the SS-set group switching baseline application delay, P is equal to 12, as indicated in example Table 1.
  • the UE calculates the normalized baseline application delay of SS-set group switching.
  • the normalized baseline application delay, W can be calculated by transforming the delay from a symbol basis to a slot basis, e.g. by dividing the addition of m and P with the number of symbols inside of a slot, and round it up to the nearest integer. For example, the following formula might be used. where L is the number of symbols in a slot.
  • the UE determines the minimum feasible delay for the cross-slot scheduling feature.
  • the value of the minimum feasible delay for cross-slot scheduling, Z can be based on the numerology of the BWP and the location of the last symbol of the PDCCH triggering the SS-set group switching, e.g. similar with the Rel. 16 cross-slot scheduling feature. For example, for the case of 30kHz of SCS and the last symbol of the PDCCH triggering the SS-switch is located at the third symbol, the value of Z is equal to 1.
  • the determination of Z may be omitted in the calculation, e.g., because this delay is created for a similar purpose with the baseline application delay for SS-set group switching.
  • the UE stores the currently applied minK value.
  • the minK is equal to the currently applied minK value.
  • a UE configured with minimum scheduling offset of 0 and 3 and currently applying minimum scheduling offset of 3 in the slot of the PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching will have minK value equal to 3. Note that in Rel. 16 a UE can be configured with one or two minimum scheduling offset in one BWP.
  • the minK can be set to be the maximum value of the configured minimum scheduling offset value (from one or two values of minKO and/or one or two values of minK2).
  • the UE determines the applied SS-set group switching application delay.
  • the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be determined as the maximum value between the delay given by the baseline application delay (W), the delay given by the currently applied minK (Y), and the delay given by the baseline application delay for cross-slot scheduling feature (Z).
  • W baseline application delay
  • Y delay given by the currently applied minK
  • Z baseline application delay for cross-slot scheduling feature
  • the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be determined as the maximum value of W and Y, i.e., omitting Z factor.
  • the SS-set group switching application delay can be the extended value from the baseline application delay, W, by X slots, where X is the delay given by the cross-slot scheduling feature implementation, e.g., based on the delay caused by currently applied minK (E), and the delay given by the baseline application delay for cross-slot scheduling, (Z).
  • X the delay given by the cross-slot scheduling feature implementation, e.g., based on the delay caused by currently applied minK (E), and the delay given by the baseline application delay for cross-slot scheduling, (Z).
  • the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be determined as the addition of the baseline application delay, W, and the delay caused by the currently applied minK, Y, i.e., omitting the Z factor.
  • W the baseline application delay
  • Y the delay caused by the currently applied minK, Y
  • the above application delay applies for SS-set group switching both for the case of the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching also indicates the minK change and for the case of the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching does not indicate the minK change.
  • the network in the case of the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching does not indicate a change of minK, the network only uses the baseline application delay of SS-set group switching, W.
  • the applied SS-set group switching application delay for each cell can be different. This is because there is a possibility that at least one of W, Z, or Y values are different, e.g. due to difference in the currently applied minK, numerology of the active BWP in each cell, etc.
  • the UE independently applies the applied SS-set group switching application delay for each cell.
  • the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be taken from the SS-set group switching application delay of the cell having the smallest numerology on its active BWP.
  • the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be taken from the SS-set group switching application delay of the cell that triggers the SS-set group switch.
  • a ceiling function can be used if the application delay falls in the middle of a slot. Note that the ceiling function can be based on the numerology of the respected CC or be based on the CC having the smallest numerology.
  • the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be aligned based on the cell that has the maximum V value. Alternatively, it can also be based on the cell that has the minimum V value. Note that in comparing the V values, the V value of each cell may be first normalized to the same reference numerology. A ceiling function can be used afterwards if the application delay falls in the middle of a slot. Note that the ceiling function can be based on the numerology of the respected CC or be based on the CC having the smallest numerology. Using the second option, the UE will start the newly indicated SS-set group at the same time instance for each cell.
  • Another aspect for determining application delay includes BWP switch delay.
  • the SS-set group switching may be triggered by the same PDCCH that triggers the BWP- switch.
  • the BWP-switch delay, E> should also be taken as consideration.
  • the UE starts to monitor PDCCH in the target BWP using the newly indicated SS-set group at the first slot after the UE receives signal (e.g., PDSCH, PUSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS) scheduled by the PDCCH which indicates the SS-set group switching, irrespective of the SS-set group switching baseline application delay, W.
  • signal e.g., PDSCH, PUSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS
  • W irrespective of the SS-set group switching baseline application delay
  • the application delay of the SS-set group switching is determined by the maximum value of E>, X, and W.
  • the value of IK is also based on the source BWP numerology.
  • the value of Z can be omitted, i.e., as it gives a similar purpose with W.
  • the application delay of SS-set group switching is extended by the delay caused by the cross-slot scheduling factors.
  • one goal is to determine the application delay.
  • Particular embodiments also include UE behavior during the application delay time frame. For example, during the application delay, the UE monitors PDCCH based on the currently applied SS-set group. In one example, the UE is not expected to receive different SS-set group switching indication before slot n + V. In another example, the UE may receive a different indication before slot n + V if the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching does not indicate the change of minK; and could not be indicated with a different indication before slot n + V if the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching indicates the change of minK.
  • Particular embodiments may include aspects specific to the network.
  • the network and UE implement the same application delay, e.g., through a standard based on the disclosed principles to remain aligned in SS-set group selection for PDCCH scheduling/monitoring.
  • the network can deliberately delay the start of the newly indicated SS-set group based on the calculated application delay above.
  • the network may use safe MOs during the application delay period.
  • the safe MO set is a set of MOs that are present in both the current and the new SS (or SS set), as well as DCI formats that are present in both.
  • the common MOs may be associated with the SS that have overlapping configurations, e.g., one or more similar aggregation levels (ALs) in both SSs.
  • the network may configure the SS-set group switching timer equal to or larger than that of the calculated application delay, i.e., to make sure that the new SS-set group starts after an appropriate delay after the SS-set group switching timer expires.
  • the UE may provide assistance information about its preferred PDCCH decoding time and the network may confirm that the desired decoding delay will be considered. The network may then omit to schedule the UE in the new SS-set group during the agreed decoding time.
  • Particular embodiments may include aspects specific to a UE.
  • the UE may determine the SS switching point offset in relation to PDCCH decoding completion at the UE side for the given scenario, as described above, as well as the application delay specified in a standard and/or assumed by the network. The UE can thereby determine whether the default or PS-optimized processing timeline is suitable for the scenario at hand.
  • the UE may use the estimated application delay to determine whether the PDCCH decoding can be relaxed or not, or how much it can be relaxed.
  • the extent of relaxation may mean e.g. how many PDCCH decoder HW blocks to activate for the given blind decoding hypothesis set and the given time budget from PDCCH reception to possible Ss change.
  • the UE may choose to apply relaxed decoding regardless of the available decoding time to save power but adopt a safe-MO monitoring strategy when the resulting decoding time exceeds the application delay applied by the network.
  • the UE may adopt this approach, e.g., when the SS switch is statistically infrequent, or the energy cost of safe MO operation is low.
  • the network may explicitly send the applied delay to the UE rather than derive it using a certain formula, e.g., as part of the DCI payload. Note that in here, the aspects which are considered in deriving the formula will also be considered. However, the network may have other considerations, such as network flexibility, network load, CDRX configuration applied for the UE, suggested minK value, UE application, the gap between the DCI that triggers the switching with ACK/NACK of the respected PDCCH/PDSCH, etc.
  • FIGURE 1 illustrates an example wireless network, according to certain embodiments.
  • the wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio network or other similar type of system.
  • the wireless network may be configured to operate according to specific standards or other types of predefined rules or procedures.
  • wireless network may implement communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.
  • GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
  • UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
  • LTE Long Term Evolution
  • WLAN wireless local area network
  • WiMax Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
  • Bluetooth Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.
  • Network 106 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.
  • PSTNs public switched telephone networks
  • WANs wide-area networks
  • LANs local area networks
  • WLANs wireless local area networks
  • wired networks wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.
  • Network node 160 and WD 110 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together to provide network node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network.
  • the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections.
  • network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the wireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the wireless network.
  • network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)).
  • APs access points
  • BSs base stations
  • Node Bs evolved Node Bs
  • gNBs NR NodeBs
  • Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations.
  • a base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay.
  • a network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs).
  • RRUs remote radio units
  • RRHs Remote Radio Heads
  • Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio.
  • Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).
  • DAS distributed antenna system
  • network nodes include multistandard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs.
  • MSR multistandard radio
  • RNCs radio network controllers
  • BSCs base station controllers
  • BTSs base transceiver stations
  • MCEs multi-cell/multicast coordination entities
  • core network nodes e.g., MSCs, MMEs
  • O&M nodes e.g., OSS nodes
  • SON nodes e.g., SON nodes
  • positioning nodes e.g., E-SMLCs
  • a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged, and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with access to the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless device that has accessed the wireless network.
  • network node 160 includes processing circuitry 170, device readable medium 180, interface 190, auxiliary equipment 184, power source 186, power circuitry 187, and antenna 162.
  • network node 160 illustrated in the example wireless network of FIGURE 1 may represent a device that includes the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise network nodes with different combinations of components.
  • a network node comprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein.
  • components of network node 160 are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 180 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).
  • network node 160 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components.
  • network node 160 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components)
  • one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes.
  • a single RNC may control multiple NodeB’ s.
  • each unique NodeB and RNC pair may in some instances be considered a single separate network node.
  • network node 160 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 180 for the different RAT s) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 162 may be shared by the RATs).
  • Network node 160 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 160, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 160.
  • Processing circuitry 170 is configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 170 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 170 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.
  • processing information obtained by processing circuitry 170 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.
  • Processing circuitry 170 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 160 components, such as device readable medium 180, network node 160 functionality.
  • processing circuitry 170 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 180 or in memory within processing circuitry 170. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein.
  • processing circuitry 170 may include a system on a chip (SOC).
  • processing circuitry 170 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174.
  • radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units.
  • part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units
  • processing circuitry 170 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 180 or memory within processing circuitry 170.
  • some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 170 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner.
  • processing circuitry 170 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 170 alone or to other components of network node 160 but are enjoyed by network node 160 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
  • Device readable medium 180 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 170.
  • volatile or non-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non
  • Device readable medium 180 may store any suitable instructions, data or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 170 and, utilized by network node 160.
  • Device readable medium 180 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 170 and/or any data received via interface 190.
  • processing circuitry 170 and device readable medium 180 may be considered to be integrated.
  • Interface 190 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between network node 160, network 106, and/or WDs 110. As illustrated, interface 190 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 194 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 106 over a wired connection. Interface 190 also includes radio front end circuitry 192 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 162.
  • Radio front end circuitry 192 comprises filters 198 and amplifiers 196.
  • Radio front end circuitry 192 may be connected to antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170.
  • Radio front end circuitry 192 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 192 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 198 and/or amplifiers 196. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 162.
  • antenna 162 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 192.
  • the digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 170.
  • the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • network node 160 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 192, instead, processing circuitry 170 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 162 without separate radio front end circuitry 192.
  • processing circuitry 170 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 162 without separate radio front end circuitry 192.
  • all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 172 may be considered a part of interface 190.
  • interface 190 may include one or more ports or terminals 194, radio front end circuitry 192, and RF transceiver circuitry 172, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 190 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 174, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
  • Antenna 162 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 162 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 192 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 162 may comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna may be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In certain embodiments, antenna 162 may be separate from network node 160 and may be connectable to network node 160 through an interface or port.
  • Antenna 162, interface 190, and/or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 162, interface 190, and/or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment.
  • Power circuitry 187 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 160 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 187 may receive power from power source 186. Power source 186 and/or power circuitry 187 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 160 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 186 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 187 and/or network node 160.
  • network node 160 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry 187.
  • power source 186 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 187. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.
  • Other types of power sources such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.
  • network node 160 may include additional components beyond those shown in FIGURE 1 that may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein.
  • network node 160 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 160 and to allow output of information from network node 160. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 160.
  • wireless device refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, the term WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE). Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information through air.
  • a WD may be configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction.
  • a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the network.
  • Examples of a WD include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a tablet, a laptop, a laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc.
  • VoIP voice over IP
  • PDA personal digital assistant
  • LOE laptop-embedded equipment
  • LME laptop-mounted equipment
  • CPE wireless customer-premise equipment
  • a WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3 GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device.
  • D2D device-to-device
  • a WD may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another WD and/or a network node.
  • the WD may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device.
  • M2M machine-to-machine
  • the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard.
  • NB-IoT narrow band internet of things
  • machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.).
  • a WD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.
  • a WD as described above may represent the endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal.
  • a WD as described above may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.
  • wireless device 110 includes antenna 111, interface 114, processing circuitry 120, device readable medium 130, user interface equipment 132, auxiliary equipment 134, power source 136 and power circuitry 137.
  • WD 110 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 110, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or set of chips as other components within WD 110.
  • Antenna 111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 114. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 111 may be separate from WD 110 and be connectable to WD 110 through an interface or port. Antenna 111, interface 114, and/or processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a network node and/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 111 may be considered an interface.
  • interface 114 comprises radio front end circuitry 112 and antenna 111.
  • Radio front end circuitry 112 comprise one or more filters 118 and amplifiers 116.
  • Radio front end circuitry 112 is connected to antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120 and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120.
  • Radio front end circuitry 112 may be coupled to or a part of antenna 111.
  • WD 110 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 112; rather, processing circuitry 120 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 111.
  • some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be considered a part of interface 114.
  • Radio front end circuitry 112 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 112 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 118 and/or amplifiers 116. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 111. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 111 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 112. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 120. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • Processing circuitry 120 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD 110 components, such as device readable medium 130, WD 110 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 120 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 130 or in memory within processing circuitry 120 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.
  • processing circuitry 120 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126.
  • the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • processing circuitry 120 of WD 110 may comprise a SOC.
  • RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126 may be on separate chips or sets of chips.
  • part or all of baseband processing circuitry 124 and application processing circuitry 126 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be on a separate chip or set of chips.
  • part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 and baseband processing circuitry 124 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 126 may be on a separate chip or set of chips.
  • part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips.
  • RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be a part of interface 114.
  • RF transceiver circuitry 122 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 120.
  • processing circuitry 120 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 130, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storage medium.
  • processing circuitry 120 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner.
  • processing circuitry 120 can be configured to perform the described functionality.
  • the benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 120 alone or to other components of WD 110, but are enjoyed by WD 110, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
  • Processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, as performed by processing circuitry 120, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 120 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 110, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.
  • processing information obtained by processing circuitry 120 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 110, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.
  • Device readable medium 130 may be operable to store a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 120.
  • Device readable medium 130 may include computer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 120.
  • processing circuitry 120 and device readable medium 130 may be integrated.
  • User interface equipment 132 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 110. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 132 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 110. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 132 installed in WD 110. For example, if WD 110 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 110 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected).
  • usage e.g., the number of gallons used
  • a speaker that provides an audible alert
  • User interface equipment 132 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 132 is configured to allow input of information into WD 110 and is connected to processing circuitry 120 to allow processing circuitry 120 to process the input information. User interface equipment 132 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipment 132 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 110, and to allow processing circuitry 120 to output information from WD 110. User interface equipment 132 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment 132, WD 110 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.
  • Auxiliary equipment 134 is operable to provide more specific functionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This may comprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliary equipment 134 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.
  • Power source 136 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or power cells, may also be used.
  • WD 110 may further comprise power circuitry 137 for delivering power from power source 136 to the various parts of WD 110 which need power from power source 136 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein.
  • Power circuitry 137 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry.
  • Power circuitry 137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 110 may be connectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Power circuitry 137 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 136. This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 136. Power circuitry 137 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 136 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 110 to which power is supplied.
  • a wireless network such as the example wireless network illustrated in FIGURE 1.
  • the wireless network of FIGURE 1 only depicts network 106, network nodes 160 and 160b, and WDs 110, 110b, and 110c.
  • a wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable to support communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other network node or end device.
  • network node 160 and wireless device (WD) 110 are depicted with additional detail.
  • the wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices’ access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wireless network.
  • FIGURE 2 illustrates an example user equipment, according to certain embodiments.
  • a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device.
  • a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller).
  • a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).
  • UE 200 may be any UE identified by the 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-IoT UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.
  • UE 200 is one example of a WD configured for communication in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP’s GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards.
  • 3GPP 3 rd Generation Partnership Project
  • the term WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although FIGURE 2 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.
  • UE 200 includes processing circuitry 201 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 205, radio frequency (RF) interface 209, network connection interface 211, memory 215 including random access memory (RAM) 217, read-only memory (ROM) 219, and storage medium 221 or the like, communication subsystem 231, power source 213, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof.
  • Storage medium 221 includes operating system 223, application program 225, and data 227. In other embodiments, storage medium 221 may include other similar types of information.
  • Certain UEs may use all the components shown in FIGURE 2, or only a subset of the components. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.
  • processing circuitry 201 may be configured to process computer instructions and data.
  • Processing circuitry 201 may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above.
  • the processing circuitry 201 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.
  • input/output interface 205 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device.
  • UE 200 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 205.
  • An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device.
  • a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE 200.
  • the output device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof.
  • UE 200 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 205 to allow a user to capture information into UE 200.
  • the input device may include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like.
  • the presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user.
  • a sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof.
  • the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.
  • RF interface 209 may be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna.
  • Network connection interface 211 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 243a.
  • Network 243a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof.
  • network 243a may comprise a Wi-Fi network.
  • Network connection interface 211 may be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate with one or more other devices over a communication network according to one or more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM, or the like.
  • Network connection interface 211 may implement receiver and transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.
  • RAM 217 may be configured to interface via bus 202 to processing circuitry 201 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as the operating system, application programs, and device drivers.
  • ROM 219 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 201.
  • ROM 219 may be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions such as basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokes from a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory.
  • Storage medium 221 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, or flash drives.
  • storage medium 221 may be configured to include operating system 223, application program 225 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application, and data file 227.
  • Storage medium 221 may store, for use by UE 200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
  • Storage medium 221 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD- DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof.
  • RAID redundant array of independent disks
  • HD- DVD high-density digital versatile disc
  • HD- DVD high-density digital versatile disc
  • HD- DVD high-density digital versatile disc
  • HD- DVD high-density digital versatile disc
  • Blu-Ray optical disc drive holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive
  • DIMM
  • Storage medium 221 may allow UE 200 to access computer-executable instructions, application programs or the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data.
  • An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied in storage medium 221, which may comprise a device readable medium.
  • processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with network 243b using communication subsystem 231.
  • Network 243a and network 243b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks.
  • Communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 243b.
  • communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.2, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like.
  • Each transceiver may include transmitter 233 and/or receiver 235 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 233 and receiver 235 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.
  • the communication functions of communication subsystem 231 may include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short- range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof.
  • communication subsystem 231 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication.
  • Network 243b may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof.
  • network 243b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near- field network.
  • Power source 213 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 200.
  • communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include any of the components described herein.
  • processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 202.
  • any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 201 perform the corresponding functions described herein.
  • the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 201 and communication subsystem 231.
  • the non- computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.
  • FIGURE 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a wireless device, according to certain embodiments. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of FIGURE 3 may be performed by wireless device 110 described with respect to FIGURE 1.
  • the method begins at step 312, where the wireless device (e.g., wireless device 110) monitors a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to a first SS-set group.
  • the first SS-set may be associated with a monitoring configuration for periodicity, duration, offset, etc.
  • the wireless device receives a SS-set group switching trigger to switch to a second SS-set group.
  • the second SS-set may be associated with a different monitoring configuration (e.g., different periodicity, duration, offset, etc.).
  • One example reason for switching may be to switch from a high periodicity to a low periodicity for power savings.
  • receiving the SS-set group switching trigger comprises one of receiving a DCI (i.e., explicit indication to switch), expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
  • a DCI i.e., explicit indication to switch
  • expiration of a SS-set group switching timer i.e., explicit indication to switch
  • expiration of a channel occupancy duration i.e., whether the timer or duration has expired, and does not necessarily refer to receiving an external message.
  • the wireless device triggers the SS-set group switch based on any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • the wireless device determines an application delay to wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group. For example, the wireless device needs time to process the switching trigger before switching to the second SS-set group. Instead of a fixed duration baseline wait time, the wireless device calculates a more efficient wait time based on the particular configuration of the wireless device and/or network.
  • the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the wireless device receives the SS-set group switching trigger and the slot where the wireless device starts to monitor the PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
  • determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value wherein minK refers to a scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling, a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay.
  • the baseline application delay, P is a delay that ensures the wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology.
  • the minimum application delay, Z, of cross-slot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
  • the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value. In some embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
  • the wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined independently for each cell.
  • the application delay may be determined based on the cell with the smallest numerology or based on the cell that triggered the SS-set group switching.
  • the wireless device determines the application delay according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • the wireless device may apply a power saving feature (e.g., relaxed PDCCH decoding) during the determined application delay.
  • a power saving feature e.g., relaxed PDCCH decoding
  • the wireless device monitors a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
  • FIGURE 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a network node, according to certain embodiments. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of FIGURE 4 may be performed by network node 160 described with respect to FIGURE 1.
  • the method begins at step 412, where the network node (e.g., network node 160) transmitting control channels according to a first SS-set group.
  • the first SS-set group is described with respect to FIGURE 3.
  • the network node determines to switch from the first SS-set group to a second SS-set group. Determining to switch from the first SS-set group to the second SS-set group may be based on expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, expiration of a channel occupancy duration, or any other event or trigger. In some embodiments the network node may prepare a DCI with a SS-set group switching indication to send to a wireless device. In other embodiments, the network node and the wireless device operate according to the same timers or durations and each independently know when a switch is triggered.
  • the network node determines to switch based on any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • the network node determines an application delay that a UE will wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group. If the network node how long the UE will wait, then the network node can know when to start transmitting control channels according to the second SS-set group.
  • Determination of the application delay is the same as described with respect to FIGURE 6 and/or any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • the network node transmits control channels according to the second SS-set group.
  • FIGURE 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of two apparatuses in a wireless network (for example, the wireless network illustrated in FIGURE 1).
  • the apparatuses include a wireless device and a network node (e.g., wireless device 110 and network node 160 illustrated in FIGURE 1).
  • Apparatuses 1600 and 1700 are operable to carry out the example methods described with reference to FIGURES 3 and 4, respectively, and possibly any other processes or methods disclosed herein. It is also to be understood that the methods of FIGURES 3 and 4 are not necessarily carried out solely by apparatuses 1600 and/or 1700. At least some operations of the methods can be performed by one or more other entities.
  • Virtual apparatuses 1600 and 1700 may comprise processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like.
  • the processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc.
  • Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments.
  • the processing circuitry may be used to cause receiving module 1602, determining module 1604, monitoring module 1606, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1600 to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • the processing circuitry described above may be used to cause determining module 1704, transmitting module 1706, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1700 to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • apparatus 1600 includes receiving module 1602 configured to receive control channels and SS-set group switching triggers according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • Determining module 1604 is configured to determine an application delay according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • Monitoring module 1606 is configured to monitor SS-set groups according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • apparatus 1700 includes determining module 1704 configured to determine an application delay according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • Transmitting module 1706 is configured to transmit control channels and SS-set group switching triggers, according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
  • FIGURE 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 300 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized.
  • virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources.
  • virtualization can be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or to a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device) or components thereof and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines or containers executing on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).
  • a node e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node
  • a device e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device
  • some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 300 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 330. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may be entirely virtualized.
  • the functions may be implemented by one or more applications 320 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.
  • Applications 320 are run in virtualization environment 300 which provides hardware 330 comprising processing circuitry 360 and memory 390.
  • Memory 390 contains instructions 395 executable by processing circuitry 360 whereby application 320 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.
  • Virtualization environment 300 comprises general -purpose or special -purpose network hardware devices 330 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 360, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or special purpose processors.
  • processors or processing circuitry 360 which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or special purpose processors.
  • Each hardware device may comprise memory 390-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 395 or software executed by processing circuitry 360.
  • Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 370, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 380.
  • NICs network interface controllers
  • Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media 390-2 having stored therein software 395 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 360.
  • Software 395 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 340 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.
  • Virtual machines 340 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 350 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 320 may be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 340, and the implementations may be made in different ways.
  • processing circuitry 360 executes software 395 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 350, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM).
  • VMM virtual machine monitor
  • Virtualization layer 350 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 340.
  • hardware 330 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 330 may comprise antenna 3225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 330 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 3100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 320.
  • CPE customer premise equipment
  • MANO management and orchestration
  • NFV network function virtualization
  • NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high-volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.
  • virtual machine 340 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine.
  • Each of virtual machines 340, and that part of hardware 330 that executes that virtual machine be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/or hardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtual machines 340, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).
  • VNE virtual network elements
  • VNF Virtual Network Function
  • one or more radio units 3200 that each include one or more transmitters 3220 and one or more receivers 3210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 3225.
  • Radio units 3200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 330 via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station.
  • control system 3230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 330 and radio units 3200.
  • a communication system includes telecommunication network 410, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 411, such as a radio access network, and core network 414.
  • Access network 411 comprises a plurality of base stations 412a, 412b, 412c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 413a, 413b, 413c.
  • Each base station 412a, 412b, 412c is connectable to core network 414 over a wired or wireless connection 415.
  • a first UE 491 located in coverage area 413c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 412c.
  • a second UE 492 in coverage area 413a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 412a. While a plurality of UEs 491, 492 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 412.
  • Telecommunication network 410 is itself connected to host computer 430, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm.
  • Host computer 430 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 421 and 422 between telecommunication network 410 and host computer 430 may extend directly from core network 414 to host computer 430 or may go via an optional intermediate network 420.
  • Intermediate network 420 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 420, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 420 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).
  • the communication system of FIGURE 7 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 491, 492 and host computer 430.
  • the connectivity may be described as an over- the-top (OTT) connection 450.
  • Host computer 430 and the connected UEs 491, 492 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 450, using access network 411, core network 414, any intermediate network 420 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries.
  • OTT connection 450 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 450 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications.
  • base station 412 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 430 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 491. Similarly, base station 412 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 491 towards the host computer 430.
  • FIGURE 8 illustrates an example host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection, according to certain embodiments.
  • Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment of the UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to FIGURE 8.
  • host computer 510 comprises hardware 515 including communication interface 516 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 500.
  • Host computer 510 further comprises processing circuitry 518, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities.
  • processing circuitry 518 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.
  • Host computer 510 further comprises software 511, which is stored in or accessible by host computer 510 and executable by processing circuitry 518.
  • Software 511 includes host application 512.
  • Host application 512 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 530 connecting via OTT connection 550 terminating at UE 530 and host computer 510. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 512 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 550.
  • Communication system 500 further includes base station 520 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 525 enabling it to communicate with host computer 510 and with UE 530.
  • Hardware 525 may include communication interface 526 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 500, as well as radio interface 527 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 570 with UE 530 located in a coverage area (not shown in FIGURE 8) served by base station 520.
  • Communication interface 526 may be configured to facilitate connection 560 to host computer 510. Connection 560 may be direct, or it may pass through a core network (not shown in FIGURE 8) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system.
  • hardware 525 of base station 520 further includes processing circuitry 528, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.
  • processing circuitry 528 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.
  • Base station 520 further has software 521 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.
  • Communication system 500 further includes UE 530 already referred to. Its hardware 535 may include radio interface 537 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 570 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 530 is currently located. Hardware 535 of UE 530 further includes processing circuitry 538, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions.
  • UE 530 further comprises software 531, which is stored in or accessible by UE 530 and executable by processing circuitry 538.
  • Software 531 includes client application 532. Client application 532 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 530, with the support of host computer 510.
  • an executing host application 512 may communicate with the executing client application 532 via OTT connection 550 terminating at UE 530 and host computer 510.
  • client application 532 may receive request data from host application 512 and provide user data in response to the request data.
  • OTT connection 550 may transfer both the request data and the user data.
  • Client application 532 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
  • host computer 510, base station 520 and UE 530 illustrated in FIGURE 8 may be similar or identical to host computer 430, one of base stations 412a, 412b, 412c and one of UEs 491, 492 of FIGURE 6, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in FIGURE 8 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIGURE 6.
  • OTT connection 550 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 510 and UE 530 via base station 520, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.
  • Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from UE 530 or from the service provider operating host computer 510, or both. While OTT connection 550 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., based on load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).
  • Wireless connection 570 between UE 530 and base station 520 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 530 using OTT connection 550, in which wireless connection 570 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the signaling overhead and reduce latency, which may provide faster internet access for users.
  • a measurement procedure may be provided for monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve.
  • There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 550 between host computer 510 and UE 530, in response to variations in the measurement results.
  • the measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 550 may be implemented in software 511 and hardware 515 of host computer 510 or in software 531 and hardware 535 of UE 530, or both.
  • sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 550 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software 511, 531 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities.
  • the reconfiguring of OTT connection 550 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 520, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 520. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art.
  • measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 510’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like.
  • the measurements may be implemented in that software 511 and 531 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 550 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.
  • FIGURE 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.
  • the communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 9 will be included in this section.
  • step 610 the host computer provides user data.
  • substep 611 (which may be optional) of step 610, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application.
  • step 620 the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE.
  • step 630 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • step 640 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.
  • FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.
  • the communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 10 will be included in this section.
  • step 710 of the method the host computer provides user data.
  • the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application.
  • step 720 the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE.
  • the transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • step 730 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.
  • FIGURE 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.
  • the communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 11 will be included in this section.
  • step 810 the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally, or alternatively, in step 820, the UE provides user data. In substep 821 (which may be optional) of step 820, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 811 (which may be optional) of step 810, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 830 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 840 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • FIGURE 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment.
  • the communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 12 will be included in this section.
  • step 910 the base station receives user data from the UE.
  • step 920 the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer.
  • step 930 the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.
  • the term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, for example, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks, procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and so on, as such as those that are described herein.
  • a method performed by a wireless device for logical channel prioritization comprises receiving an allowed priority level for a logical channel, receiving an uplink grant with a priority indication, determining the uplink grant may be used for transmission of the logical channel based on the priority level of the logical channel and the priority indication of the uplink grant, and transmitting the logical channel in the uplink grant.
  • the priority indication in the uplink grant is represented by an absence of a priority indication.
  • the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority or high priority.
  • the allowed priority level for the logical channel may be allowed on grant without indication.
  • the priority indication in the uplink grant is low priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the priority indication in the uplink grant is high priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is high priority.
  • the method further comprises providing user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to the base station.
  • a method performed by a base station for logical channel prioritization comprises transmitting an allowed priority level for a logical channel to a wireless device, transmitting an uplink grant with a priority indication to the wireless device, and receiving the logical channel in the uplink grant based on the priority level of the logical channel and the priority indication of the uplink grant.
  • the priority indication in the uplink grant is represented by an absence of a priority indication.
  • the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority or high priority.
  • the allowed priority level for the logical channel may be allowed on grant without indication.
  • the priority indication in the uplink grant is low priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the priority indication in the uplink grant is high priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is high priority.
  • the method further comprises obtaining user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer or a wireless device.
  • Some examples include a wireless device for logical channel prioritization.
  • the wireless device comprises processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the above wireless device examples and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.
  • Some examples include a base station for logical channel prioritization.
  • the base station comprises processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of base station examples above and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.
  • the UE comprises: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry.
  • the processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above.
  • the UE further comprises: an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.
  • Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide user data and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a UE.
  • the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry.
  • the base station s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the base station examples described above.
  • the communication system may further include a base station.
  • the communication system may further include a UE configured to communicate with the base station.
  • the processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data.
  • the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.
  • Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE.
  • the method comprises: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the steps of any of the base station examples described above.
  • the base station may transmit the user data.
  • the user data may be provided at the host computer by executing a host application, and the UE may execute a client application associated with the host application.
  • Some examples include a UE configured to communicate with a base station.
  • the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to performs any of the previous examples.
  • Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide user data and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a UE.
  • the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry.
  • the UE’s components are configured to perform any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above.
  • the cellular network may further include a base station configured to communicate with the UE.
  • the processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data.
  • the UE’s processing circuitry may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.
  • Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE.
  • the method comprises: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above.
  • the method may further comprise the UE receiving the user data from the base station.
  • Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a UE to a base station.
  • the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry.
  • the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above.
  • the communication system may further include the UE.
  • the communication system may further include the base station.
  • the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station.
  • the processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, and the UE’s processing circuitry may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.
  • the processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data, and the UE’s processing circuitry may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application,
  • Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE.
  • the method comprises: at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above.
  • the UE may provide the user data to the base station.
  • the UE may execute a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted.
  • the host computer may execute a host application associated with the client application.
  • the UE may execute a client application, The UE may receive input data to the client application.
  • the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application.
  • the user data to be transmitted may be provided by the client application in response to the input data.
  • Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a UE to a base station.
  • the base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry.
  • the base station ’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the base station examples described above.
  • the communication system may include the base station.
  • the communication system may include the UE.
  • the UE may be configured to communicate with the base station.
  • the processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application.
  • the UE may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.
  • Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE.
  • the method comprises: at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above.
  • the base station may receive the user data from the UE.
  • the base station may initiate a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.
  • FIGURE 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with some embodiments.
  • the method includes the steps of a method performed by a network node and steps of a method performed by a wireless device, in accordance with some embodiments.
  • the illustrated method begins at step 1302 with the network node determining that the data it is to send to the wireless device is to be sent with a periodicity that differs from a preconfigured discontinuous reception cycle.
  • the data may be sent with a periodicity involving a fraction or decimal (e.g., every 33.3333 ms) while the preconfigured DRX may start every 32 ms.
  • the data may be user data that the network node is to forward on to a wireless data.
  • it may be virtual reality, augmented reality or other such data.
  • the network node may transmit a message comprising an indication that the wireless device is to use an offset with the DRX.
  • the offset may correct the DRX cycles in which the data to be sent to the wireless device would otherwise have been sent during a period in which the wireless device is not normally receiving data.
  • the wireless device receives the first message from network node comprising an indication that an offset is to be used with discontinuous reception.
  • the first message is an RRC message.
  • the indication may be part of a DRX-Config information element.
  • the indication may provide an amount of time that is to be used for the offset.
  • the indication may provide a frequency with which to apply the offset. In some embodiments, both the amount of time of the offset and the frequency with which to apply it may be received in the first message.
  • the wireless device obtains additional offset information.
  • the additional offset information may be obtained from the first message, from a second message from the network node, or it may be predetermined or preconfigured by the wireless device and/or the standard being used to receive the data.
  • the types of additional offset information may be similar to the offset information. That is, it may be the amount of time to be used for the offset or the frequency with which to apply the offset.
  • first message may specify the amount of time of the offset and the wireless device may be preconfigured with the frequency with which to apply the offset.
  • the first message may indicate the frequency with which to apply an offset
  • a second message may indicate the amount of time.
  • the wireless device monitors the downlink during a first period of time associated with a preconfigured DRX cycle. Although this is referred to as a first period of time, it is not necessarily the very first time the wireless device is monitoring the downlink.
  • the network node transmits data during the first period of time.
  • the transmission may start anywhere during the respective DRX cycle. That is, the network node does not have to start transmitting at the start of the DRX cycle, even if the wireless device begins monitoring the downlink at the start of the DRX cycle.
  • the network node and the wireless device determine a first number of time periods have occurred since the first downlink period of time.
  • each device may make the determination independent of the other, and at different points in time.
  • the wireless device monitors the downlink during a second period of time that has been adjusted from preconfigured DRX based on the offset.
  • the second period of time does not necessarily occur in the DRX cycle immediately after the first period of time. Rather, the number of cycles between the first and second periods of time may depend on the variance in the periodicity between the data that is to be sent and the preconfigured DRX cycle.
  • the network node transmits data during the second period of time. As before, the network node may transmit the data at any point within the second period of time.
  • the method lists separate steps of determining a number of time periods has occurred since the first downlink period of time (1314) and then monitoring the downlink (1316) or transmitting data (1318) based on the offset. These may be done using an equation, such as:
  • references in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.
  • ECGI Evolved CGI eNB E-UTRAN NodeB ePDCCH enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel
  • GERAN GSM EDGE Radio Access Network gNB Base station in NR HARQ Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request HSPA High Speed Packet Access HRPD High Rate Packet Data
  • PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel
  • PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel
  • PUCCH Physical Uplink Control Channel
  • PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel RACH Random Access Channel

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises: monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasion according to a first search space (SS)-set group; receiving a SS-set group switching trigger to switch to a second SS-set group; determining an application delay to wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.

Description

SS-SET GROUP SWITCHING APPLICATION DELAY
TECHNICAL FIELD
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to wireless communications and, more particularly, to a search space (SS)-set group switching feature.
BACKGROUND
Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features, and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description.
In a wireless communication system, one of the power-consuming activities of user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control (RRC) connected (i.e., RRC CONNECTED) mode is to monitor the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). In monitoring the PDCCH, the UE performs blind detection in its configured control resource sets (CORESETs) to identify whether there is a PDCCH sent to it and act accordingly. On the other hand, the UE is not scheduled in most PDCCH monitoring occasions (MOs) and thus, the UE wastes its energy.
Accordingly, techniques that reduce unnecessary PDCCH MOs, i.e., allowing a UE to go to sleep or wake-up only when required, can be beneficial. One solution, for example, may be achieved using the search space (SS)-set group switching feature introduced in Third Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) Rel. 16.
In addition, to reduce power consumption in each slot of the PDCCH monitoring, crossslot scheduling can be implemented. Specifically, by implementing the cross-slot scheduling enhancement feature, also introduced in Rel. 16.
Fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) includes SS-set group switching. In Rel-16, 3GPP introduced the new radio unlicensed (NR-U) search-space (SS)-set group switching mechanism.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) The mechanism is described as follows in 38.213 vl6.
A UE can be provided a group index for a respective search space set by searchSpaceGroupIdList-rl6 for PDCCH monitoring on a serving cell. If the UE is not provided searchSpaceGroupIdList-rl6 for a search space set, the following procedures are not applicable for PDCCH monitoring according to the search space set.
If a UE is provided searchSpaceSwitchingGroupList-rl6, indicating one or more groups of serving cells, the following procedures apply to all serving cells within each group; otherwise, the following procedures apply only to a serving cell for which the UE is provided searchSpaceGroupIdList-r 16.
A UE can be provided, by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-rl6, a timer value. The UE decrements the timer value by one after each slot in the active downlink bandwidth part (BWP) of the serving cell where the UE monitors PDCCH for detection of downlink control information (DCI) format 2 0.
If a UE is provided by SearchSpaceSwitchTrigger-rl6 a location of a search space set switching field for a serving cell in a DCI format 2 0, as described in Clause 11.1.1, and detects the DCI format 2 0 in a slot, then the UE performs the following actions.
If the UE is not monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, on the serving cell at a first slot that is at least P symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH with the DCI format 2 0, if a value of the search space set switching field is 0.
If the UE is not monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, the UE monitors PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, on the serving cell at a first slot that is at least P symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH with the DCI format 2 0, and the UE sets the timer value to the value provided by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-rl6, if a value of the search space set switching field is 1.
If the UE monitors PDCCH on a serving cell according to search space sets with group index 1, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH on the serving cell according to search space sets with group index 0, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, on the serving cell at the beginning of the first slot that is at least P symbols after a slot where the timer expires or after a last symbol of a remaining channel occupancy duration for the serving cell that is indicated by DCI format 2 0.
If a UE is not provided SearchSpaceSwitchTrigger-rl6 for a serving cell, then the UE performs the following actions.
If the UE detects a DCI format by monitoring PDCCH according to a search space set with group index 0, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, on the serving cell at a first slot that is at least P symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH with the DCI format, the UE sets the timer value to the value provided by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-r 16 if the UE detects a DCI format by monitoring PDCCH in any search space set.
If the UE monitors PDCCH on a serving cell according to search space sets with group index 1, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH on the serving cell according to search space sets with group index 0, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, on the serving cell at the beginning of the first slot that is at least P symbols after a slot where the timer expires or, if the UE is provided a search space set to monitor PDCCH for detecting a DCI format 2 0, after a last symbol of a remaining channel occupancy duration for the serving cell that is indicated by DCI format 2 0.
NR also includes cross-slot scheduling. When using cross-slot scheduling, a UE may omit physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) buffering after the last symbol of PDCCH and may go to microsleep earlier in the respective slot. In addition, the UE may also relax its PDCCH decoding, which could give additional power-saving. To benefit from cross-slot scheduling, however, the UE needs to know in advance that the UE will be scheduled with cross-slot scheduling.
Rel. 16 enables this by an introduction of minimum scheduling offset parameter configured through RRC configuration on a per-BWP basis. Using this feature, the UE knows in advance whether the UE will be scheduled using cross-slot scheduling. As used herein, the minimum scheduling offset is referred to as minK.
There currently exist certain challenges. For example, when a UE applies PDCCH decoding relaxation, it is possible that the UE does not know the content of the DCI before minK slots after the scheduling DCI reception. This is a drawback with respect to the SS-set group switching implementation.
Using the current standard, when the SS-set group switching is triggered by DCI (e.g., explicitly by a bit-field in DCI 2-0 or implicitly by detection of any DCI), the network and the UE will apply the newly indicated SS-set group at a first slot which is at least P (P is a predetermined value) symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching. In other words, it is possible that the UE needs to switch its SS-set group earlier than minK slots after the PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching. Similarly, the SS-set group switching timer and channel occupancy duration (COD) value might be small and the UE needs to go to the other SS-set group earlier than minK slots after the slots in which those timers expire.
Accordingly, the UE might not be able to relax its decoding process when the SS-set group switching feature is configured for the respected UE and the UE might not be able to gain powersaving from the PDCCH decoding relaxation in such configurations. There is thus a need for improved mechanisms for maximizing UE power-saving when SS-set group switching feature is configured.
SUMMARY
Based on the description above, certain challenges currently exist with search space (SS)- set group switching. Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, particular embodiments determine the application delay to apply the newly-indicated SS-set group in the SS-set group switching mechanism. In particular embodiments, when there is an inherent application delay for SS-set group switching, e.g., the case for cross-slot scheduling, the baseline application delay of SS-set group switching is updated depending on additional operations that may be simultaneously configured. If provided with the additional application delay, the UE may be able to apply the same power saving measures, e.g., relaxed physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) decoding, as in the baseline scenario.
In determining the application delay, several aspects can be considered such as, baseline application delay of SS-set group switching feature, minimum feasible application delay of crossslot scheduling feature, the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching, the currently applied minK value, and/or the BWP’s numerology.
In some embodiments, both the network and the user equipment (UE) determine a correct application delay according to the disclosed principles to remain aligned in SS selection for PDCCH scheduling/monitoring.
Some embodiments include power saving optimization at a UE where the UE determines the SS switch application delay and adjusts its operation accordingly. For example, the UE may determine whether to relax the PDCCH decoding or not; or how much to relax it (e.g., how many HW blocks to activate).
Although particular embodiments are described with respect to the Rel. 16 SS-set group switching feature used as the baseline, other embodiments are applicable also when similar triggering mechanisms are used or introduced, e.g., if explicit switching mechanism using a bitfield in a scheduling downlink control information (DCI) (DCI format 0-1, format 1-1, etc.) is introduced in the future.
In general, particular embodiments include determining an application delay. The application delay is a delay between the slot in which the network sends, either implicitly or explicitly, the SS-set group switching indication and the slot where the UE starts to monitor PDCCH according to the new SS-set group of the currently active BWP.
The UE is generally not expected to receive different SS-set group switching indication with the previously indicated SS-set group before the indicated SS-set group is applied. In some embodiments, whether the UE could or could not receive different SS SS-set group switching indication with the previously indicated SS-set group before the indicated SS-set group is applied, is based on the minimum scheduling offset change indication.
In particular embodiments, the application delay considers at least one of: the location of the last symbol of the slot containing the SS-set group switching indication, the minimum feasible time to change the SS-set group, minimum feasible delay for cross-slot scheduling feature, and/or the currently applied minK value associated with the current BWP. The minK value used in the currently active BWP of the scheduled component carrier (CC) may be normalized to the numerology of the currently active BWP of the scheduling CC for when one or more cells implement cross-carrier scheduling.
In particular embodiments, the application delay further considers BWP-switch delay for when SS-set group switching is indicated together with a BWP-switch indication.
In particular embodiments, the minK and Z values used in the application delay are the minK and Z values of the source BWP.
In particular embodiments, the application delay applies independently for each cell when more than one cell is active.
In particular embodiments, the determination of the application delay of each cell considers individual application delay and the numerology of the active BWP of all serving cells.
In particular embodiments, the application delay is rounded up to the nearest slot based on the either the numerology of the active BWP of the respected cell or the smallest numerology of the active BWP of all serving cells.
According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises: monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasion according to a first search space (SS)-set group; receiving a SS-set group switching trigger to switch to a second SS-set group; determining an application delay to wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group. In particular embodiments, the method further comprises applying a power saving feature (e.g., relaxed PDCCH decoding) during the determined application delay.
In particular embodiments, receiving the SS-set group switching trigger comprises one of receiving a DCI, expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
In particular embodiments, the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the wireless device receives the SS-set group switching trigger and the slot where the wireless device starts to monitor the PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
In particular embodiments, determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value wherein minK refers to a scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling (e.g., as specified in the current 3GPP specifications or the minK value that is currently active in use. The NW can configure two minK values via RRC and a bit in the DCI then is used to select which minK value that needs to be used by the UE), a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay. The baseline application delay, P, is a delay that ensures the wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology. The minimum application delay, Z, of crossslot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
In particular embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value. In some embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
In particular embodiments, the wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined independently for each cell. In some embodiments, the application delay may be determined based on the cell with the smallest numerology or based on the cell that triggered the SS-set group switching. According to some embodiments, a wireless device comprises processing circuitry operable to perform any of the wireless device methods described above.
Also disclosed is a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the wireless device described above.
According to some embodiments, a method performed by a network node comprises: transmitting control channels according to a first search space (SS)-set group; determining to switch from the first SS-set group to a second SS-set group; determining an application delay that a UE will wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, transmitting control channels according to the second SS-set group.
In particular embodiments, determining to switch from the first SS-set group to the second SS-set group comprises one of preparing a DCI with a SS-set group switching indication, expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
In particular embodiments, the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the network node receives the SS-set group switching indication and the slot where the network node starts to transmit the control channels according to the second SS-set group.
In particular embodiments, determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value, a BWP numerology, and a BWP switch delay.
In particular embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value. In some embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
According to some embodiments, a network node comprises processing circuitry operable to perform any of the network node methods described above.
Also disclosed is a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable program code, the computer readable program code operable, when executed by processing circuitry to perform any of the methods performed by the network node described above.
Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages. For example, in some embodiments a UE may preserve the benefits of PDCCH decoding relaxation while also benefiting from the PDCCH monitoring reduction obtained through the SS-set group switching feature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the disclosed embodiments and their features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE l is a block diagram illustrating an example wireless network;
FIGURE 2 illustrates an example user equipment, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 3 is flowchart illustrating an example method in a wireless device, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 4 is flowchart illustrating an example method in a network node, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a wireless device and a network node in a wireless network, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 6 illustrates an example virtualization environment, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 7 illustrates an example telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 8 illustrates an example host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments;
FIGURE 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, according to certain embodiments; and
FIGURE 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Based on the description above, certain challenges currently exist with search space (SS)- set group switching. Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, particular embodiments determine the application delay to apply the newly-indicated SS-set group in the SS-set group switching mechanism. In particular embodiments, when there is an inherent application delay for SS-set group switching, e.g., the case for cross-slot scheduling, the baseline application delay of SS-set group switching is updated depending on additional operations that may be simultaneously configured. If provided with the additional application delay, the UE may be able to apply the same power saving measures, e.g., relaxed physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) decoding, as in the baseline scenario.
In determining the application delay, several aspects can be considered such as, baseline application delay of SS-set group switching feature, minimum feasible application delay of crossslot scheduling feature, the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching, the currently applied minK value, and/or the bandwidth part’s (BWP’s) numerology.
Particular embodiments are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.
In the embodiments and examples described herein, a user equipment (UE) is configured with one or more SS-set groups and the UE can switch between different SS-set groups. The SS groups may potentially include SS configurations which are at least different on one of the underlying SS configuration parameters, e.g., SS periodicity, duration, offset, etc., between different groups. In one example, the SS configurations in different groups are at least different in SS periodicity, however, the SSs within the same group may have similar periodicities. The switching mechanisms can be similar to Rel 16 SS-set group switching, or a new one as part of existing downlink control information (DCI) (e.g., through a switching command in a scheduling DCI), or a new DCI format explicitly designed to switch between different SS-set groups.
In particular embodiments, a method includes determining the application delay to apply a newly indicated SS-set group in the SS-set group switching mechanism. As used herein, the application delay can be defined as the gap between the slot in which the UE receives the SS-set group switching indication and the slot in which the UE starts to monitor physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the newly indicated SS-set group. For example, having an application delay of V slots, the UE will start to monitor the newly indicated SS-set group in slot n + V where n is the slot in which the UE receives the SS-set group switching indication. Note that here, n can be the slot in which the UE receives an explicit SS-set group switching command, e.g. through explicit bit-field in DCI; or can be the slot in which the UE receives an implicit indication, e.g., scheduling DCI without explicit bitfield, the SS-set group switching timer expires, or the channel occupancy duration ends.
Alternatively, the application delay may also be defined in a symbol basis. For example, having an application delay of B symbols, the UE will start to monitor PDCCH in the newly indicated SS-set group in the first slot which is at least B symbols after the last symbols of PDCCH containing DCI that triggers (explicitly or implicitly) the SS-set group switching, or the last symbol of the remaining channel occupancy duration, or the last symbol of the slot in which the SS-set group switching timer expires.
In some embodiments, the application delay may refer to a processing delay, or similar. In general, the application delay or processing delay refers to a time allowance for the UE to apply particular settings after being instructed, explicitly or implicitly, by the network.
Although in particular embodiments the Rel. 16 SS-set group switching feature is used as the baseline, particular embodiments are also applicable when a similar triggering mechanism is used or introduced, e.g., explicit switching mechanism using a bit-field (either by using the existing or new additional bit-field) in a scheduling DCI (DCI format 0-1, format 1-1, etc.).
The application delay can be defined as part of the technical specifications, or configured by the network through higher layer signaling, or it can also be indicated as part of the DCI based SS-set group switching indication. Particular examples described herein consider a scenario where the UE is at least configured with two SS groups, namely SS group 0 and SS group 1, and when the SS switching indication is received, e.g., in slot //, the UE is expected to have switched to the new SS group after V units of time. The typical timing will be in a slot manner, and thus, for simplicity, particular examples refer to the number of slots as the unit of time, except if otherwise specified. However, all the examples can be readily extended to the case of number of symbols or ms as the unit of time.
In general, to determine the application delay, several aspects may factor into the determination. One aspect is the baseline application delay of the SS-set group switching feature.
When applying a newly indicated SS-set group, a predetermined baseline application delay may be defined. The baseline application delay may be used to ensure that the UE finishes the PDCCH decoding before the newly indicated SS-set group takes effect, i.e., for the case of baseline configuration is used. Here, the baseline configuration means the configuration in which minK is not configured for the respected UE, component carrier (CC), or bandwidth part (BWP). The baseline application delay can be determined by a slot or symbol basis.
In one example, the baseline application delay as in Rel. 16 can be used. In Rel. 16, the baseline application delay, P, is defined on a symbol basis and the value depends on the UE capability and the numerology of the BWP. The possible values of P are given in 3GPP TS 38.306 V16.1.0 (2020-07) and 3GPP TS 38.213 V16.2.0 (2020-06). The possible P values are summarized in Table 1. These baseline application delay values, e.g., can also be considered as the current minK values used by the UEs.
Table 1. P values in Rel. 16 SS-set group switching feature
Figure imgf000013_0001
Another aspect for determining application delay includes the minimum feasible application delay of the cross-slot scheduling feature. In the Rel. 16 cross-slot scheduling feature, there is a gap/delay between the slot in which the UE is indicated to change the minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied. This delay, Z, may be used to ensure that the UE can finish the PDCCH decoding and know that it should change the minK value.
As the indication of SS-set group switching is also known after the UE decodes the PDCCH, this gap can also be considered in determining the SS-set group switching application delay when Rel. 16 cross-slot scheduling feature is configured for the UE. In Rel. 16, the Z value depends on the numerology and is shown in Table 2. Note that unlike the baseline application delay for SS-set group switching, the value of Z is defined in slot.
Table 2. Z values in Rel. 16 cross-slot scheduling feature
Figure imgf000013_0002
Another aspect for determining application delay includes the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching. In one example, the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching, m, can be used as the starting point to count the baseline application delay, e.g. as in Rel. 16 SS-set group switching baseline application delay.
In another example, m, can be used together with a certain threshold, S. E.g., if m is equal to or smaller than 5, the baseline application delay (e.g., P or Z) will remain the same; and if m is larger than 5, the baseline application delay can be increased by L slots. In Rel. 16 cross-slot scheduling feature, for example, S is equal to 3 and L is equal to 1.
Note that the definition of m depends on what kind of event that triggers the SS-set group switching. In Rel. 16 SS-set group switching feature, for example, for the case the SS-set group switching is triggered by DCI (either explicitly, e.g., through the bitfield in DCI format 2 0 or implicitly, e.g., by detection of any DCI format), m is the location of the last symbol of the PDCCH sent by the network to switch the SS-set group. When the SS-set group switching is initiated by the SS-set group switching timer expiration, m is the last symbol of the slot in which the SS-set group switching timer expires. When SS-set group switching is initiated by the expiration of channel occupancy duration, m is the last symbol of the channel occupancy duration.
It should be noted that in Rel. 16, there is no explicit SS-set group switching command in DCI other than DCI 2 0. For the case of explicit SS-set group switching command through DCI other than DCI 2 0 is introduced, similar assumptions can be considered, i.e., to define m as the last symbol of PDCCH containing DCI that triggers the SS-set group switching.
Another aspect for determining application delay includes the currently applied minK value. In one example, for same-carrier scheduling or cross-carrier scheduling with the same numerology between the active BWP of the scheduling CC and the active BWP of the scheduled CC, the application delay of the SS-set group switching caused by the cross-slot scheduling feature, F, is equal to the currently applied minK value.
In another example, for the case of cross-carrier scheduling with different numerologies, the value of F is the normalized value of minK to the numerology of the scheduling CC. The normalized value can be obtained, for example, by multiplying the currently applied minK with the ratio between 2 to the power of the scheduling CC and 2 to the power of the scheduled CC. A ceiling function can be applied to the nearest integer if necessary.
Figure imgf000014_0001
The following examples are described with respect to a single carrier. In particular embodiments, the below methods can be used to determine the SS-set group switching application delay when minK is configured in the BWP. Note that this is only one example. A similar example can be derived when a similar approach is used. Note that in here, the application delay calculation is normalized to slot basis. In another realization, the symbol basis normalization (i.e., change the application delay which is defined in a slot basis to a symbol basis) can also be used. In this example, the active BWP currently applies minK = 4.
As a first step, the UE may store the location of the last symbol of PDCCH that triggers the SS-switch, m. For example, when the SS-set group switching is triggered by explicit DCI command, and the PDCCH containing the DCI has 2 symbol length and starts from symbol number 1 (note: in this example, 14 symbols in a slot is assumed and the symbol number is from 0 to 13). Thus, in this case, the value of m is equal to 2.
At a second step, the UE may determine the SS-set group switching baseline application delay. In one example, the SS-set group switching baseline application delay may be based on the UE capability and BWP SCS, e.g. as in Rel. 16. For example, for UE capability 2 and a BWP numerology of 1 (30 kHz subcarrier spacing, SCS), the SS-set group switching baseline application delay, P is equal to 12, as indicated in example Table 1.
At a third step, the UE calculates the normalized baseline application delay of SS-set group switching. In one example, the normalized baseline application delay, W, can be calculated by transforming the delay from a symbol basis to a slot basis, e.g. by dividing the addition of m and P with the number of symbols inside of a slot, and round it up to the nearest integer. For example, the following formula might be used.
Figure imgf000015_0001
where L is the number of symbols in a slot.
In the above example, assuming that the value of L = 14 symbols, the value of W is equal slots.
Figure imgf000015_0002
Note that a similar formula should not be precluded. For example, if the symbol number starts from 1 instead 0, the “1” element in the above formula might be not used.
At a fourth step, the UE determines the minimum feasible delay for the cross-slot scheduling feature. In one example, the value of the minimum feasible delay for cross-slot scheduling, Z, can be based on the numerology of the BWP and the location of the last symbol of the PDCCH triggering the SS-set group switching, e.g. similar with the Rel. 16 cross-slot scheduling feature. For example, for the case of 30kHz of SCS and the last symbol of the PDCCH triggering the SS-switch is located at the third symbol, the value of Z is equal to 1.
In another example, the determination of Z may be omitted in the calculation, e.g., because this delay is created for a similar purpose with the baseline application delay for SS-set group switching.
At a fifth step, the UE stores the currently applied minK value. In one example, the minK is equal to the currently applied minK value. For example, a UE configured with minimum scheduling offset of 0 and 3 and currently applying minimum scheduling offset of 3 in the slot of the PDCCH that triggers the SS-set group switching will have minK value equal to 3. Note that in Rel. 16 a UE can be configured with one or two minimum scheduling offset in one BWP.
In another example, the minK can be set to be the maximum value of the configured minimum scheduling offset value (from one or two values of minKO and/or one or two values of minK2).
At a sixth step, the UE determines the applied SS-set group switching application delay. In one example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be determined as the maximum value between the delay given by the baseline application delay (W), the delay given by the currently applied minK (Y), and the delay given by the baseline application delay for cross-slot scheduling feature (Z). Using the above example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay = max(IF, Z, minK) = max(2, 1, 3) = 3 slots.
In another example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be determined as the maximum value of W and Y, i.e., omitting Z factor.
In another example, the SS-set group switching application delay can be the extended value from the baseline application delay, W, by X slots, where X is the delay given by the cross-slot scheduling feature implementation, e.g., based on the delay caused by currently applied minK (E), and the delay given by the baseline application delay for cross-slot scheduling, (Z). For example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay = W + X, where X= max(F, Z).
In yet another example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be determined as the addition of the baseline application delay, W, and the delay caused by the currently applied minK, Y, i.e., omitting the Z factor. For example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay = W + Y.
In one example, the above application delay applies for SS-set group switching both for the case of the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching also indicates the minK change and for the case of the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching does not indicate the minK change. In an alternative realization, in the case of the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching does not indicate a change of minK, the network only uses the baseline application delay of SS-set group switching, W.
When more than one carrier is used, such as for carrier aggregation, additional aspects may exist for determining application delay. When more than one cell is active, the applied SS-set group switching application delay for each cell can be different. This is because there is a possibility that at least one of W, Z, or Y values are different, e.g. due to difference in the currently applied minK, numerology of the active BWP in each cell, etc.
In one example, the UE independently applies the applied SS-set group switching application delay for each cell.
In another example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be taken from the SS-set group switching application delay of the cell having the smallest numerology on its active BWP.
In yet another example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be taken from the SS-set group switching application delay of the cell that triggers the SS-set group switch. A ceiling function can be used if the application delay falls in the middle of a slot. Note that the ceiling function can be based on the numerology of the respected CC or be based on the CC having the smallest numerology. Using the second option, each cell in the UE starts the newly indicated SS-set group at the same time instance.
In yet another example, the applied SS-set group switching application delay can be aligned based on the cell that has the maximum V value. Alternatively, it can also be based on the cell that has the minimum V value. Note that in comparing the V values, the V value of each cell may be first normalized to the same reference numerology. A ceiling function can be used afterwards if the application delay falls in the middle of a slot. Note that the ceiling function can be based on the numerology of the respected CC or be based on the CC having the smallest numerology. Using the second option, the UE will start the newly indicated SS-set group at the same time instance for each cell.
Another aspect for determining application delay includes BWP switch delay. For example, the SS-set group switching may be triggered by the same PDCCH that triggers the BWP- switch. Here, the BWP-switch delay, E>, should also be taken as consideration.
In one example, the UE starts monitoring the PDCCH in the target BWP using the newly indicated SS-set group right after the BWP-switch delay expires, i.e. V = D.
In another example, the UE starts to monitor PDCCH in the target BWP using the newly indicated SS-set group at the first slot after the UE receives signal (e.g., PDSCH, PUSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS) scheduled by the PDCCH which indicates the SS-set group switching, irrespective of the SS-set group switching baseline application delay, W. Note that, in here, the offset of the signal (PDSCH, PUSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS) should not be earlier than max(E>, X). It should also be noted that here, the minK and Y values used in determining the X value is the minK value of the source BWP. In yet another example, the application delay of the SS-set group switching is determined by the maximum value of E>, X, and W. Note that in here, the value of IKis also based on the source BWP numerology. In a similar approach, the value of Z can be omitted, i.e., as it gives a similar purpose with W. Thus, in the last approach, the application delay of the SS-set group switching is determined by the maximum value of D, Y, and W (note that X = max(T, Z)).
In yet another example, the application delay of SS-set group switching is extended by the delay caused by the cross-slot scheduling factors. In one example, W is extended by max(Z>, X), i.e. V= W + max(D, X). In another example of realization, IK is extended by max(D, F), i.e. V = ffl + max(E>, Y).
In the embodiments described above, one goal is to determine the application delay. Particular embodiments also include UE behavior during the application delay time frame. For example, during the application delay, the UE monitors PDCCH based on the currently applied SS-set group. In one example, the UE is not expected to receive different SS-set group switching indication before slot n + V. In another example, the UE may receive a different indication before slot n + V if the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching does not indicate the change of minK; and could not be indicated with a different indication before slot n + V if the PDCCH indicating the SS-set group switching indicates the change of minK.
Particular embodiments may include aspects specific to the network. In many embodiments, the network and UE implement the same application delay, e.g., through a standard based on the disclosed principles to remain aligned in SS-set group selection for PDCCH scheduling/monitoring.
In another embodiment, if the explicit understanding (e.g., through a standard) does not exist, the network can deliberately delay the start of the newly indicated SS-set group based on the calculated application delay above.
In yet another embodiment, the network may use safe MOs during the application delay period. In one example, the safe MO set is a set of MOs that are present in both the current and the new SS (or SS set), as well as DCI formats that are present in both. Furthermore, the common MOs may be associated with the SS that have overlapping configurations, e.g., one or more similar aggregation levels (ALs) in both SSs.
In some embodiments, if minK is not configured for a BWP, the network may assume minK = 0 in calculating the application delay. In an alternative, rather than assuming minK = 0, the network may assume a minK value the same as the lowest value of configured kO, k2, or aperiodic CSI-RS value.
In some embodiments, the network may configure the SS-set group switching timer equal to or larger than that of the calculated application delay, i.e., to make sure that the new SS-set group starts after an appropriate delay after the SS-set group switching timer expires.
In some embodiments, the UE may provide assistance information about its preferred PDCCH decoding time and the network may confirm that the desired decoding delay will be considered. The network may then omit to schedule the UE in the new SS-set group during the agreed decoding time.
Particular embodiments may include aspects specific to a UE. In one group of embodiments, the UE may determine the SS switching point offset in relation to PDCCH decoding completion at the UE side for the given scenario, as described above, as well as the application delay specified in a standard and/or assumed by the network. The UE can thereby determine whether the default or PS-optimized processing timeline is suitable for the scenario at hand.
In some embodiments, the UE may use the estimated application delay to determine whether the PDCCH decoding can be relaxed or not, or how much it can be relaxed. The extent of relaxation may mean e.g. how many PDCCH decoder HW blocks to activate for the given blind decoding hypothesis set and the given time budget from PDCCH reception to possible Ss change.
In some embodiments, the UE may choose to apply relaxed decoding regardless of the available decoding time to save power but adopt a safe-MO monitoring strategy when the resulting decoding time exceeds the application delay applied by the network. The UE may adopt this approach, e.g., when the SS switch is statistically infrequent, or the energy cost of safe MO operation is low.
In some embodiments, the network may explicitly send the applied delay to the UE rather than derive it using a certain formula, e.g., as part of the DCI payload. Note that in here, the aspects which are considered in deriving the formula will also be considered. However, the network may have other considerations, such as network flexibility, network load, CDRX configuration applied for the UE, suggested minK value, UE application, the gap between the DCI that triggers the switching with ACK/NACK of the respected PDCCH/PDSCH, etc.
FIGURE 1 illustrates an example wireless network, according to certain embodiments. The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wireless network may be configured to operate according to specific standards or other types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of the wireless network may implement communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.
Network 106 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.
Network node 160 and WD 110 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together to provide network node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments, the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections.
As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the wireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the wireless network.
Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations.
A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodes include multistandard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs.
As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged, and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with access to the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless device that has accessed the wireless network.
In FIGURE 1, network node 160 includes processing circuitry 170, device readable medium 180, interface 190, auxiliary equipment 184, power source 186, power circuitry 187, and antenna 162. Although network node 160 illustrated in the example wireless network of FIGURE 1 may represent a device that includes the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise network nodes with different combinations of components.
It is to be understood that a network node comprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Moreover, while the components of network node 160 are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 180 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).
Similarly, network node 160 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which network node 160 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeB’ s. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node.
In some embodiments, network node 160 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 180 for the different RAT s) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 162 may be shared by the RATs). Network node 160 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 160, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 160. Processing circuitry 170 is configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 170 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 170 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.
Processing circuitry 170 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 160 components, such as device readable medium 180, network node 160 functionality.
For example, processing circuitry 170 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 180 or in memory within processing circuitry 170. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include a system on a chip (SOC).
In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units
In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or other such network device may be performed by processing circuitry 170 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 180 or memory within processing circuitry 170. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 170 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 170 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 170 alone or to other components of network node 160 but are enjoyed by network node 160 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
Device readable medium 180 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 170. Device readable medium 180 may store any suitable instructions, data or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 170 and, utilized by network node 160. Device readable medium 180 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 170 and/or any data received via interface 190. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 and device readable medium 180 may be considered to be integrated.
Interface 190 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between network node 160, network 106, and/or WDs 110. As illustrated, interface 190 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 194 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 106 over a wired connection. Interface 190 also includes radio front end circuitry 192 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 162.
Radio front end circuitry 192 comprises filters 198 and amplifiers 196. Radio front end circuitry 192 may be connected to antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front end circuitry 192 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 192 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 198 and/or amplifiers 196. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 162. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 162 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 192. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 170. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
In certain alternative embodiments, network node 160 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 192, instead, processing circuitry 170 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 162 without separate radio front end circuitry 192. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 172 may be considered a part of interface 190. In still other embodiments, interface 190 may include one or more ports or terminals 194, radio front end circuitry 192, and RF transceiver circuitry 172, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 190 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 174, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
Antenna 162 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 162 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 192 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 162 may comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna may be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In certain embodiments, antenna 162 may be separate from network node 160 and may be connectable to network node 160 through an interface or port.
Antenna 162, interface 190, and/or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 162, interface 190, and/or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or any other network equipment.
Power circuitry 187 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 160 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 187 may receive power from power source 186. Power source 186 and/or power circuitry 187 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 160 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 186 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 187 and/or network node 160.
For example, network node 160 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry 187. As a further example, power source 186 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 187. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.
Alternative embodiments of network node 160 may include additional components beyond those shown in FIGURE 1 that may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, network node 160 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 160 and to allow output of information from network node 160. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 160.
As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, the term WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE). Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information through air.
In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the network.
Examples of a WD include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a tablet, a laptop, a laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc. A WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3 GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device.
As yet another specific example, in an Internet of Things (loT) scenario, a WD may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another WD and/or a network node. The WD may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one example, the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard. Examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.).
In other scenarios, a WD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. A WD as described above may represent the endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described above may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.
As illustrated, wireless device 110 includes antenna 111, interface 114, processing circuitry 120, device readable medium 130, user interface equipment 132, auxiliary equipment 134, power source 136 and power circuitry 137. WD 110 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 110, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or set of chips as other components within WD 110.
Antenna 111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 114. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 111 may be separate from WD 110 and be connectable to WD 110 through an interface or port. Antenna 111, interface 114, and/or processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a network node and/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 111 may be considered an interface.
As illustrated, interface 114 comprises radio front end circuitry 112 and antenna 111. Radio front end circuitry 112 comprise one or more filters 118 and amplifiers 116. Radio front end circuitry 112 is connected to antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120 and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120. Radio front end circuitry 112 may be coupled to or a part of antenna 111. In some embodiments, WD 110 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 112; rather, processing circuitry 120 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 111. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be considered a part of interface 114.
Radio front end circuitry 112 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 112 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 118 and/or amplifiers 116. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 111. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 111 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 112. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 120. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
Processing circuitry 120 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD 110 components, such as device readable medium 130, WD 110 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 120 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 130 or in memory within processing circuitry 120 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.
As illustrated, processing circuitry 120 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126. In other embodiments, the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitry 120 of WD 110 may comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126 may be on separate chips or sets of chips.
In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry 124 and application processing circuitry 126 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In still alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 and baseband processing circuitry 124 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 126 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122, baseband processing circuitry 124, and application processing circuitry 126 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be a part of interface 114. RF transceiver circuitry 122 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 120. In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processing circuitry 120 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 130, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 120 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner.
In any of those embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 120 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 120 alone or to other components of WD 110, but are enjoyed by WD 110, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
Processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any determining, calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, as performed by processing circuitry 120, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 120 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 110, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination.
Device readable medium 130 may be operable to store a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed by processing circuitry 120. Device readable medium 130 may include computer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/or computer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 120. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 120 and device readable medium 130 may be integrated.
User interface equipment 132 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 110. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 132 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 110. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 132 installed in WD 110. For example, if WD 110 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 110 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected).
User interface equipment 132 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 132 is configured to allow input of information into WD 110 and is connected to processing circuitry 120 to allow processing circuitry 120 to process the input information. User interface equipment 132 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipment 132 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 110, and to allow processing circuitry 120 to output information from WD 110. User interface equipment 132 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment 132, WD 110 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.
Auxiliary equipment 134 is operable to provide more specific functionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This may comprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliary equipment 134 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.
Power source 136 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or power cells, may also be used. WD 110 may further comprise power circuitry 137 for delivering power from power source 136 to the various parts of WD 110 which need power from power source 136 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry 137 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry.
Power circuitry 137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 110 may be connectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Power circuitry 137 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 136. This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 136. Power circuitry 137 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 136 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 110 to which power is supplied. Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in any appropriate type of system using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wireless network, such as the example wireless network illustrated in FIGURE 1. For simplicity, the wireless network of FIGURE 1 only depicts network 106, network nodes 160 and 160b, and WDs 110, 110b, and 110c. In practice, a wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable to support communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other network node or end device. Of the illustrated components, network node 160 and wireless device (WD) 110 are depicted with additional detail. The wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices’ access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wireless network.
FIGURE 2 illustrates an example user equipment, according to certain embodiments. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE 200 may be any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-IoT UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. UE 200, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, is one example of a WD configured for communication in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP’s GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, the term WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although FIGURE 2 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.
In FIGURE 2, UE 200 includes processing circuitry 201 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 205, radio frequency (RF) interface 209, network connection interface 211, memory 215 including random access memory (RAM) 217, read-only memory (ROM) 219, and storage medium 221 or the like, communication subsystem 231, power source 213, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 includes operating system 223, application program 225, and data 227. In other embodiments, storage medium 221 may include other similar types of information. Certain UEs may use all the components shown in FIGURE 2, or only a subset of the components. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.
In FIGURE 2, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 201 may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 201 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.
In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 205 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device. UE 200 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 205.
An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE 200. The output device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof.
UE 200 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 205 to allow a user to capture information into UE 200. The input device may include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.
In FIGURE 2, RF interface 209 may be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface 211 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 243a. Network 243a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 243a may comprise a Wi-Fi network. Network connection interface 211 may be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate with one or more other devices over a communication network according to one or more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM, or the like. Network connection interface 211 may implement receiver and transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.
RAM 217 may be configured to interface via bus 202 to processing circuitry 201 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as the operating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 219 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 201. For example, ROM 219 may be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions such as basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokes from a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory.
Storage medium 221 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, or flash drives. In one example, storage medium 221 may be configured to include operating system 223, application program 225 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application, and data file 227. Storage medium 221 may store, for use by UE 200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
Storage medium 221 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD- DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 may allow UE 200 to access computer-executable instructions, application programs or the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied in storage medium 221, which may comprise a device readable medium. In FIGURE 2, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with network 243b using communication subsystem 231. Network 243a and network 243b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks. Communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 243b. For example, communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.2, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver may include transmitter 233 and/or receiver 235 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 233 and receiver 235 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.
In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of communication subsystem 231 may include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short- range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, communication subsystem 231 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. Network 243b may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network 243b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near- field network. Power source 213 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 200.
The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 200 or partitioned across multiple components of UE 200. Further, the features, benefits, and/or functions described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware. In one example, communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 202. In another example, any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 201 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 201 and communication subsystem 231. In another example, the non- computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.
FIGURE 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a wireless device, according to certain embodiments. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of FIGURE 3 may be performed by wireless device 110 described with respect to FIGURE 1.
The method begins at step 312, where the wireless device (e.g., wireless device 110) monitors a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to a first SS-set group. The first SS-set may be associated with a monitoring configuration for periodicity, duration, offset, etc.
At step 314, the wireless device receives a SS-set group switching trigger to switch to a second SS-set group. For example, the second SS-set may be associated with a different monitoring configuration (e.g., different periodicity, duration, offset, etc.). One example reason for switching may be to switch from a high periodicity to a low periodicity for power savings.
In particular embodiments, receiving the SS-set group switching trigger comprises one of receiving a DCI (i.e., explicit indication to switch), expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration. With respect to expiry of a timer or duration, “receiving” in this context may refer to an internal notification that the timer or duration has expired, and does not necessarily refer to receiving an external message.
In particular embodiments, the wireless device triggers the SS-set group switch based on any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
At step 316, the wireless device determines an application delay to wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group. For example, the wireless device needs time to process the switching trigger before switching to the second SS-set group. Instead of a fixed duration baseline wait time, the wireless device calculates a more efficient wait time based on the particular configuration of the wireless device and/or network.
For example, in particular embodiments the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the wireless device receives the SS-set group switching trigger and the slot where the wireless device starts to monitor the PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
In particular embodiments, determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value wherein minK refers to a scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling, a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay. The baseline application delay, P, is a delay that ensures the wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology. The minimum application delay, Z, of cross-slot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
In particular embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value. In some embodiments, the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling. In some embodiments, the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
In particular embodiments, the wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined independently for each cell. In some embodiments, the application delay may be determined based on the cell with the smallest numerology or based on the cell that triggered the SS-set group switching.
In particular embodiments, the wireless device determines the application delay according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
At step 318, the wireless device may apply a power saving feature (e.g., relaxed PDCCH decoding) during the determined application delay.
At step 320, after the determined application delay, the wireless device monitors a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 301 of FIGURE 3. Additionally, one or more steps in the method of FIGURE 3 may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order.
FIGURE 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example method in a network node, according to certain embodiments. In particular embodiments, one or more steps of FIGURE 4 may be performed by network node 160 described with respect to FIGURE 1.
The method begins at step 412, where the network node (e.g., network node 160) transmitting control channels according to a first SS-set group. The first SS-set group is described with respect to FIGURE 3.
At step 414, the network node determines to switch from the first SS-set group to a second SS-set group. Determining to switch from the first SS-set group to the second SS-set group may be based on expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, expiration of a channel occupancy duration, or any other event or trigger. In some embodiments the network node may prepare a DCI with a SS-set group switching indication to send to a wireless device. In other embodiments, the network node and the wireless device operate according to the same timers or durations and each independently know when a switch is triggered.
In some embodiments, the network node determines to switch based on any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
At step 416, the network node determines an application delay that a UE will wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group. If the network node how long the UE will wait, then the network node can know when to start transmitting control channels according to the second SS-set group.
Determination of the application delay is the same as described with respect to FIGURE 6 and/or any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
At step 418, after the determined application delay, the network node transmits control channels according to the second SS-set group.
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 400 of FIGURE 4. Additionally, one or more steps in the method of FIGURE 4 may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order.
FIGURE 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of two apparatuses in a wireless network (for example, the wireless network illustrated in FIGURE 1). The apparatuses include a wireless device and a network node (e.g., wireless device 110 and network node 160 illustrated in FIGURE 1). Apparatuses 1600 and 1700 are operable to carry out the example methods described with reference to FIGURES 3 and 4, respectively, and possibly any other processes or methods disclosed herein. It is also to be understood that the methods of FIGURES 3 and 4 are not necessarily carried out solely by apparatuses 1600 and/or 1700. At least some operations of the methods can be performed by one or more other entities.
Virtual apparatuses 1600 and 1700 may comprise processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments.
In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause receiving module 1602, determining module 1604, monitoring module 1606, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1600 to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Similarly, the processing circuitry described above may be used to cause determining module 1704, transmitting module 1706, and any other suitable units of apparatus 1700 to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
As illustrated in FIGURE 5, apparatus 1600 includes receiving module 1602 configured to receive control channels and SS-set group switching triggers according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. Determining module 1604 is configured to determine an application delay according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. Monitoring module 1606 is configured to monitor SS-set groups according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
As illustrated in FIGURE 5, apparatus 1700 includes determining module 1704 configured to determine an application delay according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein. Transmitting module 1706 is configured to transmit control channels and SS-set group switching triggers, according to any of the embodiments and examples described herein.
FIGURE 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 300 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or to a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type of communication device) or components thereof and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines or containers executing on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).
In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 300 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 330. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may be entirely virtualized. The functions may be implemented by one or more applications 320 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications 320 are run in virtualization environment 300 which provides hardware 330 comprising processing circuitry 360 and memory 390. Memory 390 contains instructions 395 executable by processing circuitry 360 whereby application 320 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.
Virtualization environment 300, comprises general -purpose or special -purpose network hardware devices 330 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 360, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry including digital or analog hardware components or special purpose processors. Each hardware device may comprise memory 390-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 395 or software executed by processing circuitry 360. Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 370, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 380. Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media 390-2 having stored therein software 395 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 360. Software 395 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 340 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.
Virtual machines 340, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 350 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 320 may be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 340, and the implementations may be made in different ways.
During operation, processing circuitry 360 executes software 395 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 350, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 350 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 340.
As shown in FIGURE 6, hardware 330 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 330 may comprise antenna 3225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 330 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 3100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 320.
Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high-volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.
In the context of NFV, virtual machine 340 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtual machines 340, and that part of hardware 330 that executes that virtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/or hardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtual machines 340, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).
Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more virtual machines 340 on top of hardware networking infrastructure 330 and corresponds to application 320 in Figure 18.
In some embodiments, one or more radio units 3200 that each include one or more transmitters 3220 and one or more receivers 3210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 3225. Radio units 3200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 330 via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station.
In some embodiments, some signaling can be effected with the use of control system 3230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 330 and radio units 3200.
With reference to FIGURE 7, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 410, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 411, such as a radio access network, and core network 414. Access network 411 comprises a plurality of base stations 412a, 412b, 412c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 413a, 413b, 413c. Each base station 412a, 412b, 412c is connectable to core network 414 over a wired or wireless connection 415. A first UE 491 located in coverage area 413c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 412c. A second UE 492 in coverage area 413a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 412a. While a plurality of UEs 491, 492 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 412. Telecommunication network 410 is itself connected to host computer 430, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 430 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 421 and 422 between telecommunication network 410 and host computer 430 may extend directly from core network 414 to host computer 430 or may go via an optional intermediate network 420. Intermediate network 420 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 420, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 420 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).
The communication system of FIGURE 7 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 491, 492 and host computer 430. The connectivity may be described as an over- the-top (OTT) connection 450. Host computer 430 and the connected UEs 491, 492 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 450, using access network 411, core network 414, any intermediate network 420 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 450 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 450 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 412 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 430 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 491. Similarly, base station 412 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 491 towards the host computer 430.
FIGURE 8 illustrates an example host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection, according to certain embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment of the UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to FIGURE 8. In communication system 500, host computer 510 comprises hardware 515 including communication interface 516 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 500. Host computer 510 further comprises processing circuitry 518, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 518 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 510 further comprises software 511, which is stored in or accessible by host computer 510 and executable by processing circuitry 518. Software 511 includes host application 512. Host application 512 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 530 connecting via OTT connection 550 terminating at UE 530 and host computer 510. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 512 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 550.
Communication system 500 further includes base station 520 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 525 enabling it to communicate with host computer 510 and with UE 530. Hardware 525 may include communication interface 526 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 500, as well as radio interface 527 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 570 with UE 530 located in a coverage area (not shown in FIGURE 8) served by base station 520. Communication interface 526 may be configured to facilitate connection 560 to host computer 510. Connection 560 may be direct, or it may pass through a core network (not shown in FIGURE 8) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 525 of base station 520 further includes processing circuitry 528, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 520 further has software 521 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.
Communication system 500 further includes UE 530 already referred to. Its hardware 535 may include radio interface 537 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 570 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 530 is currently located. Hardware 535 of UE 530 further includes processing circuitry 538, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 530 further comprises software 531, which is stored in or accessible by UE 530 and executable by processing circuitry 538. Software 531 includes client application 532. Client application 532 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 530, with the support of host computer 510. In host computer 510, an executing host application 512 may communicate with the executing client application 532 via OTT connection 550 terminating at UE 530 and host computer 510. In providing the service to the user, client application 532 may receive request data from host application 512 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 550 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 532 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides. It is noted that host computer 510, base station 520 and UE 530 illustrated in FIGURE 8 may be similar or identical to host computer 430, one of base stations 412a, 412b, 412c and one of UEs 491, 492 of FIGURE 6, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in FIGURE 8 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIGURE 6.
In FIGURE 8, OTT connection 550 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 510 and UE 530 via base station 520, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from UE 530 or from the service provider operating host computer 510, or both. While OTT connection 550 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., based on load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).
Wireless connection 570 between UE 530 and base station 520 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 530 using OTT connection 550, in which wireless connection 570 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the signaling overhead and reduce latency, which may provide faster internet access for users.
A measurement procedure may be provided for monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 550 between host computer 510 and UE 530, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 550 may be implemented in software 511 and hardware 515 of host computer 510 or in software 531 and hardware 535 of UE 530, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 550 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software 511, 531 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 550 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 520, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 520. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 510’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 511 and 531 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 550 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.
FIGURE 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 9 will be included in this section.
In step 610, the host computer provides user data. In substep 611 (which may be optional) of step 610, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 620, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 630 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 640 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.
FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 10 will be included in this section.
In step 710 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 720, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 730 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.
FIGURE 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 11 will be included in this section.
In step 810 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally, or alternatively, in step 820, the UE provides user data. In substep 821 (which may be optional) of step 820, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 811 (which may be optional) of step 810, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 830 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 840 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
FIGURE 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 12 will be included in this section.
In step 910 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 920 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 930 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.
The term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, for example, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks, procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and so on, as such as those that are described herein.
The following are examples of some of the embodiments described above. In some examples, a method performed by a wireless device for logical channel prioritization comprises receiving an allowed priority level for a logical channel, receiving an uplink grant with a priority indication, determining the uplink grant may be used for transmission of the logical channel based on the priority level of the logical channel and the priority indication of the uplink grant, and transmitting the logical channel in the uplink grant.
In one example, the priority indication in the uplink grant is represented by an absence of a priority indication. As another example, the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority or high priority. The allowed priority level for the logical channel may be allowed on grant without indication. In another example, the priority indication in the uplink grant is low priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the priority indication in the uplink grant is high priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is high priority.
In one example, the method further comprises providing user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to the base station. In some examples, a method performed by a base station for logical channel prioritization comprises transmitting an allowed priority level for a logical channel to a wireless device, transmitting an uplink grant with a priority indication to the wireless device, and receiving the logical channel in the uplink grant based on the priority level of the logical channel and the priority indication of the uplink grant.
In one example, the priority indication in the uplink grant is represented by an absence of a priority indication. As another example, the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority or high priority. The allowed priority level for the logical channel may be allowed on grant without indication. In another example, the priority indication in the uplink grant is low priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is low priority, or the priority indication in the uplink grant is high priority and the allowed priority level for the logical channel is high priority.
In one example, the method further comprises obtaining user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer or a wireless device.
Some examples include a wireless device for logical channel prioritization. The wireless device comprises processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the above wireless device examples and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.
Some examples include a base station for logical channel prioritization. The base station comprises processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of base station examples above and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.
Some examples include a UE for logical channel prioritization. The UE comprises: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above. The UE further comprises: an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.
Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide user data and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a UE. The cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry. The base station’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the base station examples described above. The communication system may further include a base station. The communication system may further include a UE configured to communicate with the base station. The processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data. The UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.
Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE. The method comprises: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the steps of any of the base station examples described above. The base station may transmit the user data. The user data may be provided at the host computer by executing a host application, and the UE may execute a client application associated with the host application.
Some examples include a UE configured to communicate with a base station. The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to performs any of the previous examples.
Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide user data and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a UE. The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE’s components are configured to perform any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above. The cellular network may further include a base station configured to communicate with the UE. The processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data. The UE’s processing circuitry may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.
Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE. The method comprises: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above. The method may further comprise the UE receiving the user data from the base station.
Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a UE to a base station. The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above. The communication system may further include the UE. The communication system may further include the base station. The base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station. The processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, and the UE’s processing circuitry may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data. The processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data, and the UE’s processing circuitry may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.
Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE. The method comprises: at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above. The UE may provide the user data to the base station. The UE may execute a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted. The host computer may execute a host application associated with the client application. The UE may execute a client application, The UE may receive input data to the client application. The input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application. The user data to be transmitted may be provided by the client application in response to the input data.
Some examples include a communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a UE to a base station. The base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The base station’s processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the base station examples described above. The communication system may include the base station. The communication system may include the UE. The UE may be configured to communicate with the base station. The processing circuitry of the host computer may be configured to execute a host application. The UE may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.
Some examples include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a UE. The method comprises: at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the wireless device examples described above. The base station may receive the user data from the UE. The base station may initiate a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.
FIGURE 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with some embodiments. For convenience, the method includes the steps of a method performed by a network node and steps of a method performed by a wireless device, in accordance with some embodiments. The illustrated method begins at step 1302 with the network node determining that the data it is to send to the wireless device is to be sent with a periodicity that differs from a preconfigured discontinuous reception cycle. For example, the data may be sent with a periodicity involving a fraction or decimal (e.g., every 33.3333 ms) while the preconfigured DRX may start every 32 ms. The data may be user data that the network node is to forward on to a wireless data. For example, it may be virtual reality, augmented reality or other such data.
At step 1304, upon determining there is an incongruity in the periodicity of the DRX cycles and the data to be sent, the network node may transmit a message comprising an indication that the wireless device is to use an offset with the DRX. The offset may correct the DRX cycles in which the data to be sent to the wireless device would otherwise have been sent during a period in which the wireless device is not normally receiving data.
At step 1306, the wireless device receives the first message from network node comprising an indication that an offset is to be used with discontinuous reception. In some embodiments, the first message is an RRC message. In some embodiments, the indication may be part of a DRX-Config information element. In some embodiments, the indication may provide an amount of time that is to be used for the offset. In some embodiments, the indication may provide a frequency with which to apply the offset. In some embodiments, both the amount of time of the offset and the frequency with which to apply it may be received in the first message.
At step 1308, the wireless device obtains additional offset information. The additional offset information may be obtained from the first message, from a second message from the network node, or it may be predetermined or preconfigured by the wireless device and/or the standard being used to receive the data. The types of additional offset information may be similar to the offset information. That is, it may be the amount of time to be used for the offset or the frequency with which to apply the offset. For example, first message may specify the amount of time of the offset and the wireless device may be preconfigured with the frequency with which to apply the offset. Similarly, the first message may indicate the frequency with which to apply an offset, and a second message may indicate the amount of time. At step 1310, the wireless device monitors the downlink during a first period of time associated with a preconfigured DRX cycle. Although this is referred to as a first period of time, it is not necessarily the very first time the wireless device is monitoring the downlink.
At step 1312, the network node transmits data during the first period of time. The transmission may start anywhere during the respective DRX cycle. That is, the network node does not have to start transmitting at the start of the DRX cycle, even if the wireless device begins monitoring the downlink at the start of the DRX cycle.
At step 1314, the network node and the wireless device determine a first number of time periods have occurred since the first downlink period of time. Although the method shows this as one step, each device may make the determination independent of the other, and at different points in time.
At step 1316, the wireless device monitors the downlink during a second period of time that has been adjusted from preconfigured DRX based on the offset. The second period of time does not necessarily occur in the DRX cycle immediately after the first period of time. Rather, the number of cycles between the first and second periods of time may depend on the variance in the periodicity between the data that is to be sent and the preconfigured DRX cycle.
At step 1318, the network node transmits data during the second period of time. As before, the network node may transmit the data at any point within the second period of time.
The method lists separate steps of determining a number of time periods has occurred since the first downlink period of time (1314) and then monitoring the downlink (1316) or transmitting data (1318) based on the offset. These may be done using an equation, such as:
[(SF/VxlO) + (subframe nr) + (n x traffic_time_offset) modulo DRXcycle
Figure imgf000049_0001
SFNxW + subframe nr uKAcycle number - DRX _cycle n = n + 1 when DRXcycle numbermodulo traffic_drx_offset = 0.
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention. The components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. Moreover, the operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed by more, fewer, or other components. Additionally, operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed using any suitable logic comprising software, hardware, and/or other logic. As used in this document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set. Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the methods disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention. The methods may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order.
The foregoing description sets forth numerous specific details. It is understood, however, that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of this description. Those of ordinary skill in the art, with the included descriptions, will be able to implement appropriate functionality without undue experimentation.
References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.
Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments, alterations and permutations of the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of the embodiments does not constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure, as defined by the claims below.
At least some of the following abbreviations may be used in this disclosure. If there is an inconsistency between abbreviations, preference should be given to how it is used above. If listed multiple times below, the first listing should be preferred over any subsequent listing(s). lx RTT CDMA2000 lx Radio Transmission Technology
3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project
5G 5th Generation
ACK/NACK Acknowl edgment/N on-ackno wl edgment
ARQ Automatic Repeat Request
CA Carrier Aggregation
CC Carrier Component
CDMA Code Division Multiplexing Access
CP Cyclic Prefix CQI Channel Quality information
C-RNTI Cell RNTI
CSI Channel State Information
DCI Downlink Control Information DFTS-OFDM Discrete Fourier Transform Spread OFDM
DL Downlink
DRX Discontinuous Reception
DTX Discontinuous Transmission
ECGI Evolved CGI eNB E-UTRAN NodeB ePDCCH enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel
E-SMLC evolved Serving Mobile Location Center
E-UTRA Evolved UTRA
E-UTRAN Evolved UTRAN FDD Frequency Division Duplex
GERAN GSM EDGE Radio Access Network gNB Base station in NR HARQ Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request HSPA High Speed Packet Access HRPD High Rate Packet Data
LTE Long-Term Evolution
MAC Medium Access Control
MCS Modulation and Coding Scheme
MME Mobility Management Entity MSC Mobile Switching Center
NPDCCH Narrowband Physical Downlink Control Channel
NR New Radio
OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
OFDMA Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access OTDOA Observed Time Difference of Arrival
O&M Operation and Maintenance
PBCH Physical Broadcast Channel
PCell Primary Cell
PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel PLMN Public Land Mobile Network PSS Primary Synchronization Signal PUCCH Physical Uplink Control Channel PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel RACH Random Access Channel
QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation RAN Radio Access Network RAT Radio Access Technology
RUM Radio Link Management RNC Radio Network Controller
RNTI Radio Network Temporary Identifier
RRC Radio Resource Control RRM Radio Resource Management RS Reference Signal RSCP Received Signal Code Power
RSRP Reference Symbol Received Power OR Reference Signal Received Power
RSRQ Reference Signal Received Quality OR Reference Symbol Received Quality RSSI Received Signal Strength Indicator
RSTD Reference Signal Time Difference
SCH Synchronization Channel
SCell Secondary Cell
SDU Service Data Unit SFN System Frame Number
SI System Information
SIB System Information Block SNR Signal to Noise Ratio SPS Semi-Persistent Scheduling SS Synchronization Signal
SSS Secondary Synchronization Signal
TDD Time Division Duplex
TDOA Time Difference of Arrival TO Transmission Occasion TO A Time of Arrival
TSS Tertiary Synchronization Signal TTI Transmission Time Interval
UE User Equipment
UL Uplink
URLLC Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunication System
USIM Universal Subscriber Identity Module
UTDOA Uplink Time Difference of Arrival
UTRA Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
UTRAN Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network WCDMA Wide CDMA
WLAN Wide Local Area Network

Claims

52 CLAIMS:
1. A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising: monitoring (312) a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasion according to a first search space (SS)-set group; receiving (314) a SS-set group switching trigger to switch to a second SS-set group; determining (316) an application delay to wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, monitoring (320) a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying (318) a power saving feature during the determined application delay.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the power saving feature comprises relaxed PDCCH decoding
4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein receiving the SS-set group switching trigger comprises one of receiving a downlink control information (DCI), expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the wireless device receives the SS-set group switching trigger and the slot where the wireless device starts to monitor the PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value wherein minK refers to a scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling, a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay. 53
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the baseline application delay, P, is a delay that ensures the wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the minimum application delay, Z, of cross-slot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
9. The method of any one of claims 6-8, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value.
10. The method of any one of claims 6-8, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
11. The method of any one of claims 6-8, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
12. The method of any one of claims 6-8, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
13. The method of any one of claims 1-12, wherein wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined independently for each cell.
14. The method of any one of claims 1-12, wherein wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined based on the cell with the smallest numerology.
15. The method of any one of claims 1-12, wherein wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined based on the cell that triggered the SS-set group switching. 54
16. A wireless device (110) comprising processing circuitry (120) operable to: monitor a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasion according to a first search space (SS)-set group; receive a SS-set group switching trigger to switch to a second SS-set group; determine an application delay to wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, monitor a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
17. The wireless device of claim 16, the processing circuitry further operable to apply a power saving feature during the determined application delay.
18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the power saving feature comprises relaxed PDCCH decoding
19. The wireless device of any one of claims 16-18, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to receive the SS-set group switching trigger by one of receiving a downlink control information (DCI), expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
20. The wireless device of any one of claims 16-19, wherein the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the wireless device receives the SS-set group switching trigger and the slot where the wireless device starts to monitor the PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group.
21. The wireless device of any one of claims 16-20, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to determine the application delay based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value wherein minK refers to a scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling, a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay. 55
22. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the baseline application delay, P, is a delay that ensures the wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology.
23. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the minimum application delay, Z, of cross-slot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
24. The wireless device of any one of claims 21-23, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value.
25. The wireless device of any one of claims 21-23, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
26. The wireless device of any one of claims 21-23, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
27. The wireless device of any one of claims 21-23, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
28. The wireless device of any one of claims 16-27, wherein wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined independently for each cell.
29. The wireless device of any one of claims 16-27, wherein wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined based on the cell with the smallest numerology.
30. The wireless device of any one of claims 16-27, wherein wireless device is using carrier aggregation and the application delay is determined based on the cell that triggered the SS- set group switching.
31. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: transmitting (402) control channels according to a first search space (SS)-set group; determining (404) to switch from the first SS-set group to a second SS-set group; determining (406) an application delay that a UE will wait before monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, transmitting (408) control channels according to the second SS-set group.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein determining to switch from the first SS-set group to the second SS-set group comprises one of preparing a downlink control information (DCI) with a SS-set group switching indication, expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
33. The method of any one of claims 31-32, wherein the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the network node receives the SS-set group switching indication and the slot where the network node starts to transmit the control channels according to the second SS-set group.
34. The method of any one of claims 31-33, wherein determining the application delay is based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value wherein minK refers to a scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling, a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the baseline application delay, P, is a delay that ensures a wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the minimum application delay, Z, of cross-slot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
37. The method of any one of claims 34-36, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value.
38. The method of any one of claims 34-36, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
39. The method of any one of claims 34-36, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
40. The method of any one of claims 34-36, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
41. A network node (160) comprising processing circuitry (170) operable to: transmit control channels according to a first search space (SS)-set group; determine to switch from the first SS-set group to a second SS-set group; determine an application delay that a UE will wait before monitoring aPDCCH monitoring occasion according to the second SS-set group; and after the determined application delay, transmit control channels according to the second SS-set group.
42. The network node of claim 41, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to determine to switch from the first SS-set group to the second SS-set group based on one of preparing a downlink control information (DCI) with a SS-set group switching indication, expiration of a SS-set group switching timer, and expiration of a channel occupancy duration.
43. The network node of any one of claims 41-42, wherein the application delay is a time domain delay between the slot in which the network node receives the SS-set group switching indication and the slot where the network node starts to transmit the control channels according to the second SS-set group. 58
44. The network node of any one of claims 41-33, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to determine the application delay based on at least one or more of a baseline application delay associated with SS-set group switching, a minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling, a location of a last symbol of a PDCCH that triggered SS-set group switching, a current minK value, a bandwidth part (BWP) numerology, and a BWP switch delay.
45. The network node of claim 44, wherein the baseline application delay, P, is a delay that ensures a wireless device finishes PDCCH decoding before the second SS-set group takes effect and P is based on a UE capability and a BWP numerology.
46. The network node of claim 44, wherein the minimum application delay, Z, of crossslot scheduling is a minimum delay between a slot in which the wireless device is indicated to change its minK value and the slot in which the newly indicated minK is applied and Z is based on a numerology.
47. The network node of any one of claims 44-46, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay and a delay associated with the current minK value.
48. The network node of any one of claims 44-46, wherein the application delay is the maximum value of the baseline application delay, the delay associated with the current minK value, and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
49. The network node of any one of claims 44-46, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a maximum of a delay associated with the current minK value and the minimum application delay of cross-slot scheduling.
50. The network node of any one of claims 44-46, wherein the application delay is the value of the baseline application delay plus a delay associated with the current minK value.
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