WO2022039651A2 - Method for enhancing random access channel (rach) report content - Google Patents

Method for enhancing random access channel (rach) report content Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022039651A2
WO2022039651A2 PCT/SE2021/050799 SE2021050799W WO2022039651A2 WO 2022039651 A2 WO2022039651 A2 WO 2022039651A2 SE 2021050799 W SE2021050799 W SE 2021050799W WO 2022039651 A2 WO2022039651 A2 WO 2022039651A2
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transmit power
wireless device
power level
msga
attempt
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PCT/SE2021/050799
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French (fr)
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WO2022039651A3 (en
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Ali PARICHEHREHTEROUJENI
Pradeepa Ramachandra
Johan Rune
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Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
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Publication of WO2022039651A2 publication Critical patent/WO2022039651A2/en
Publication of WO2022039651A3 publication Critical patent/WO2022039651A3/en

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W24/00—Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
    • H04W24/10—Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/04—TPC
    • H04W52/30—TPC using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power
    • H04W52/32—TPC of broadcast or control channels
    • H04W52/325—Power control of control or pilot channels
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/04—TPC
    • H04W52/30—TPC using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power
    • H04W52/36—TPC using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/04—TPC
    • H04W52/30—TPC using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power
    • H04W52/36—TPC using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
    • H04W52/367—Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/04—TPC
    • H04W52/38—TPC being performed in particular situations
    • H04W52/48—TPC being performed in particular situations during retransmission after error or non-acknowledgment
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W74/00—Wireless channel access
    • H04W74/08—Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA
    • H04W74/0833—Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W24/00—Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
    • H04W24/02—Arrangements for optimising operational condition
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/04—TPC
    • H04W52/06—TPC algorithms
    • H04W52/14—Separate analysis of uplink or downlink
    • H04W52/146—Uplink power control
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/04—TPC
    • H04W52/38—TPC being performed in particular situations
    • H04W52/50—TPC being performed in particular situations at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates generally to communications, and more particularly to communication methods and related devices and nodes supporting wireless communications.
  • RRC radio resource control
  • Figure 1 which corresponds to Figure 5.6.5.1-1 of 3GPP TS 36.331, illustrates the UE information procedure to request the UE to report information.
  • the UE information procedure is used by the evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E- UTRAN) to request the UE to report information.
  • E- UTRAN evolved universal terrestrial radio access network
  • the E-UTRAN initiates the procedure by sending the UEInformationRequest message.
  • the E-UTRAN should initiate this procedure only after successful security activation.
  • the UE Upon receiving the UEInformationRequest message, the UE shall, only after successful security activation:
  • the UEInformationRequest is the command used by E-UTRAN to retrieve information from the UE.
  • UEInformationRequest-r9 SEQUENCE ⁇ rrc-Transactionldentifier RRC-Transactionldentifier, criticalExtensions CHOICE ⁇ cl CHOICE ⁇ ueInformationRequest-r9 UEInformationRequest-r9-IEs, spare3 NULL, spare2 NULL, spare 1 NULL ⁇ , criticalExtensionsFuture SEQUENCE ⁇ ⁇
  • UEInformationRequest-r9-IEs SEQUENCE ⁇ rach-ReportReq-r9 BOOLEAN, rlf-ReportReq-r9 BOOLEAN, nonCriticalExtension UEInformationRequest-v930-IEs
  • UEInformationResponse [0014] The UEInformationResponse message is used by the UE to transfer the information requested by the E-UTRAN.
  • Signalling radio bearer SRB1 or SRB2 (when logged measurement information is included)
  • RLC-SAP AM Logical channel: DCCH
  • UE to E-UTRAN UEInformationResponse message - ASN1 START
  • the UE stores the number of preambles sent, which corresponds to the parameter PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER in MAC specifications (3GPP TS 36.321).
  • the UE sends a preamble and waits for a random-access response (RAR) during a pre-configured time window (RAR window). If the RAR does not come within that time, the UE shall adjust some preamble transmission parameters (e.g. transmission power) and transmit it again (in what is called power ramping adjustment). If the procedure is successful, at the n-th transmission the preamble will be responded.
  • the number n is what would be provided in the RACH report, so the network knows how many times the UE needed to ramp the power before the procedure was successful.
  • a counter is set of 1.
  • the UE shall set the preamble received target power, i.e., the expected power in the RACH receiver at the eNB, to the initial transmission power (parameter provided by the eNB, e.g., via SIB2 in LTE).
  • the UE shall set the preamble received target power, i.e., the expected power in the RACH receiver at the eNB, to the initial transmission power (parameter provided by the eNB, e.g., via SIB2 in LTE).
  • These values may range from -120dBm to -90dBm, and are provided as part of the Power Ramping Parameters. Note that this may also be a parameter to be optmized later (a too large value may lead to a high RACH success rate, but it coud alo create unnecessary UL interference, problematic especially in high load scenarios).
  • the PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER will be in this first attempt the preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower + DELT A PRE AMBLE (offset depending on the preamble format that has been configured by the network in prach-Configlndex, ranging from -3dB to 8 dB).
  • PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER is incremented by 1. Then, it is checked if the number of increments has reached its maximum value or not (also a configurable parameter that could be optimized).
  • PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower + DELT A PRE AMBLE + 1* powerRampingStep
  • the parameter powerRampingStep may be 0 dB, 2 dB, 4 dB or 6 dB. Power ramping parameters as broadcasted in SIB2 as shown below.
  • PowerRampingParameters SEQUENCE ⁇ powerRampingStep ENUMERATED ⁇ dBO, dB2,dB4, dB6 ⁇ , preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower ENUMERATED ⁇ dBm-
  • PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower + DELT A PRE AMBLE + N* powerRampingStep
  • Random Access procedure shall be performed as follows:
  • Random access procedure is described in the NR MAC specifications and parameters are configured by RRC e.g. in system information or handover (RRCReconfiguration with reconfigurationWithSync). Random access is triggered in many different scenarios, for example, when the UE is in RRC IDLE or RRC INACTIVE and want to access a cell that is camping on (i.e. transition to RRC CONNECTED).
  • RACH configuration is broadcasted in SIB1, as part of the servingCellConfigCommon (with both DL and UL configurations), where the RACH configuration is within the uplinkConfigCommon.
  • the exact RACH parameters are within what is called initialUplinkBWP, since this is the part of the UL frequency the UE shall access and search for RACH resources.
  • initialUplinkBWP initialUplinkBWP
  • the RACH configuration is double underlined, focusing primarily on parameters related to the preamble power ramping functionality, i.e., power ramping step and initial power ramping, as shown for LTE previously.
  • RACH-ConfigGeneric :: SEQUENCE ⁇ prach-Configurationlndex INTEGER (0..255), msgl-FDM ENUMERATED ⁇ one, two, four, eight ⁇ , msgl-FrequencyStart INTEGER (0.,maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-l), zeroCorrelationZoneConfig INTEGER(0..15), preambleReceivedTargetPower INTEGER (-202..-60), preambleTransMax ENUMERATED ⁇ n3, n4, n5, n6, n7, n8, nlO, n20, n50, nlOO, n200 ⁇ , powerRampingStep ENUMERATED ⁇ dBO, dB2, dB4, dB6 ⁇ , ra-ResponseWindow ENUMERATED ⁇ sll, sl2, sl4, sl8, sllO, sl20, sl40,
  • RACH-ConfigCommon SEQUENCE ⁇ rach-ConfigGeneric RACH-ConfigGeneric, totalNumberOfRA-Preambles INTEGER (1..63) OPTIONAL, - Need S ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB CHOICE 1 oneEighth ENUMERATED ln4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64 ⁇ .
  • R ra-ContentionResolutionTimer ENUMERATED ⁇ sf8, sf16, sf24, sf32, sf40, sf48, sf56, sf64 ⁇ , rsrp-ThresholdSSB RSRP -Range OPTIONAL, — Need R rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL RSRP -Range
  • OPTIONAL Cond L139 restrictedSetConfig ENUMERATED ⁇ unrestrictedSet, restrictedSetTypeA, restrictedSetTypeB ⁇ , msg3-transformPrecoder ENUMERATED ⁇ enabled ⁇ OPTIONAL, - Need R
  • the RACH report to assist the network to perform RACH optimization contains the number of preamble transmissions until the procedure succeeds. What has happened at the UE between the first transmission and the last transmission until the procedure was considered successful is that the UE applied power ramping with a configured step and transmitted the preamble once more.
  • PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER is incremented by 1. Then, it is chekced if the number of increments has reached its maximum value or not (also a configurable parameter that could be optimized).
  • a cell in NR is basically defined by a set of these SSBs that may be transmitted in 1 (typical implementation for lower frequencies e.g. below 6GHz) or multiple downlink beams (typical implementation for lower frequencies e.g. below 6GHz).
  • these SSBs carry the same physical cell identifier (PCI) and a MIB.
  • PCI physical cell identifier
  • each of these beams may transmit its own SSB which may be distinguished by an SSB index as illustrated in Figure 2.
  • RACH-ConfigCommon The mapping between RACH resources and SSBs (or CSI-RS) is also provided as part of the RACH configuration (in RACH-ConfigCommon). Two parameters are relevant here: #SSBs-per-PRACH-occasion: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 8 or 16, which represents the number of SSBs per RACH occasion;
  • #CB-preambles-per-SSB preambles to each SS-block within a RACH occasion, how many preambles are allocated;
  • the network upon detecting a preamble in a particular RACH occasion, the network knows exactly which SSB the UE has selected and, consequently, which downlink beam is covering the UE, so that the network can continue the downlink transmission e.g. RAR, etc.
  • RAR downlink transmission
  • each SSB has its own RACH resource, i.e., a preamble detected there indicates to the network which SSB the UE has selection i.e. which DL beam the network should use to communicate with the UE, such as the one to send the RAR.
  • each SS-block typically maps to multiple preambles (different cyclic shifts and Zadoff-Chu roots) within a PRACH occasion, so that it is possible to multiplex different UEs in the same RACH occasions since they may be under the coverage of the same SSB.
  • the number of SSBs per RACH occasion is 2.
  • a preamble received in that RACH occasion indicated to the network that one of the two beams are being selected by the UE.
  • either the network has means via implementation to distinguish these two beams and/or should perform a beam sweeping in the downlink by transmitting the RAR in both beams, either simultaneously or, transmitting in one, waiting for a response from the UE, and if absent, transmit in the other.
  • the UE Assuming that in the first attempt, the UE has selected an SSB (based on measurements performed in that cell), it has transmitted with initial power a selected preamble associated to the PRACH resource mapped to the selected SSB, and it has not received a RAR within the RAR time window. According to the specifications, the UE may still perform preamble re-transmission (i.e. the maximum number of allowed transmissions not reached).
  • the UE may assume the same SSB as the previous attempt and perform power ramping similar to LTE.
  • a maximum number of attempts is also defined in NR, which is also controlled by the parameter PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER.
  • the UE may alternatively select a different SSB, as long as that new SSB has an acceptable quality (i.e. its measurements are above a configurable threshold).
  • the UE does not perform power ramping, but transmits the preamble with the same previously transmitted power (i.e. UE shall not re-initiate the power to the initial power transmission). This is illustrated in Figure 5.
  • PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER a variable defined in the NR MAC specifications (TS 38.321) called PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER, in case the same beam is selected at a retransmission.
  • PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER the previous LTE variable still exists (PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER), so that the total number of attempts is still limited, regardless if the UE performs at each attempt SSB/beam re-selection or power ramping.
  • PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER is incremented (i.e. set to 2 in this second attempt) and the transmission power will be:
  • PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER preambleReceivedTargetPower +
  • PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER is not incremented (i.e. remains 1) and the transmission power will be as in the first transmission:
  • PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER preambleReceivedTargetPower +
  • the MAC entity shall:
  • Random Access Resource selection 1> perform the Random Access Resource selection procedure (see subclause 5.1.2). [0047] Random Access Resource selection
  • the MAC entity shall:
  • Random Access Preamble transmission [0050] The MAC entity shall, for each Random Access Preamble:
  • the RA-RNTI associated with the PRACH occasion in which the Random Access Preamble is transmitted is computed as:
  • RA-RNTI 1 + s_id + 14 x t_id + 14 x 80 x f_id + 14 x 80 x 8 x ul_carrier_id
  • s_id is the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH occasion (0 ⁇ s_id ⁇ 14)
  • t_id is the index of the first slot of the PRACH occasion in a system frame (0 ⁇ t_id ⁇ 80)
  • f id is the index of the PRACH occasion in the frequency domain (0 ⁇ f id ⁇ 8)
  • ul carrier id is the UL carrier used for Random Access Preamble transmission (0 for NUL carrier, and 1 for SUL carrier).
  • the MAC entity shall:
  • Random Access Response contains a MAC subPDU with Random Access Preamble identifier corresponding to the transmitted
  • PREAMBLE INDEX (see subclause 5.1.3): 3> consider this Random Access Response reception successful. > if the Random Access Response reception is considered successful:
  • Random Access Response includes a MAC subPDU with RAPID only:
  • 5> indicate the preambleReceivedTargetPower and the amount of power ramping applied to the latest Random Access Preamble transmission to lower layers (i.e.
  • Random Access Response for the same group of contention-based Random Access Preambles has a different size than the first uplink grant allocated during that Random Access procedure, the UE behavior is not defined.
  • the MAC entity may stop ra-ResponseWindow (and hence monitoring for Random Access Response(s)) after successful reception of a Random Access Response containing Random Access Preamble identifiers that matches the transmitted PREAMBLE INDEX. HARQ operation is not applicable to the Random Access Response reception.
  • Figure 6 which corresponds to Figure 5.7.10.1-1 of 3GPP TS 38.331, illustrates the UE information procedure to request the UE to report information.
  • the UE information procedure is used by the network to request the UE to report information.
  • the network initiates the procedure by sending the UEInformationRequest message.
  • the network should initiate this procedure only after successful security activation.
  • the UE Upon receiving the UEInformationRequest message, the UE shall, only after successful security activation: 1> if the idleModeMeasurementReq is included in the UEInformationRequest and the
  • VarMeasIdleReport that contains measurement information concerning cells other than the PCell:
  • VarLogMeasReport includes one or more logged measurement entries, set the contents of the logMeasReport in the UEInformationResponse message as follows:
  • 3> include the traceRecordingSessionRef and set it to the value of traceRecordingSessionRef in the VarLogMeasReport;
  • 3> include the tce-Id and set it to the value of tce-Id in the VarLogMeasReport,
  • 3> include the logMeasInfoList and set it to include one or more entries from VarLogMeasReport starting from the entries logged first;
  • VarLogMeasReport includes one or more additional logged measurement entries that are not included in the logMeasInfoList within the UEInformationResponse message:
  • VarLogMeasReport includes one or more additional logged WLAN measurement entries that are not included in the logMeasInfoList within the UEInformationResponse message:
  • the UE Upon successfully performing 4 step random access procedure, the UE shall: 1> if the number of RA-Report stored in the RA-ReportList is less than 8 and if the number of PLMN entries in plmn-IdentityList stored in VarRA-Report is less than maxPLMN, then append the following contents associated to the successfully completed random-access procedure as a new entry in the VarRA-Report'.
  • plmn-IdentityList to include the list of EPLMNs stored by the UE (i.e. includes the RPLMN) without exceeding the limit of maxPLMN,'
  • plmn-IdentityList 3>set the plmn-Identity, in plmn-IdentityList, to the PLMN selected by upper layers from the PLMN(s) included in the plmn-IdentityList in SIB1;
  • the UE may discard the random access report information, i.e. release the UE variable VarRA-Report, 48 hours after the last successful random access procedure related information is added to the VarRA-Report.
  • the UE shall set the content in ra-InformationCommon-rl6 as follows: 1> set the absoluteFrequencyPointA to indicate the absolute frequency of the reference resource block associated to the random-access resources used in the random- access procedure;
  • the random-access resource used is associated to a SS/PBCH block, set the associated random-access parameters for the successive random-access attempts associated to the same SS/PBCH block for one or more random-access attempts as follows:
  • 3> set the numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the SS/PBCH block;
  • 3> for each random-access attempt performed on the random-access resource include the following parameters in the chronological order of the random-access attempt:
  • contentionDetected if the random-access attempt is performed on the contention based random-access resource and if raPurpose is not equal to 'requestForOtherSf, include contentionDetected as follows:
  • 3> set the csi-RS-Index to include the CSI-RS index associated to the used random-access resource
  • 3> set the numberOjPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the CSI-RS.
  • the UEInformationResponse message is used by the UE to transfer information requested by the network.
  • Signalling radio bearer SRB1 or SRB2 (when logged measurement information is included)
  • UEInformationResponse-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ rrc-Transactionldentifier , criticalExtensions CHOICE ⁇ uelnformationResponse-r 16 UEInformationResponse-r 16-IEs, criticalExtensionsFuture SEQUENCE ⁇
  • UEInformationResponse-rl 6-IEs :: SEQUENCE ⁇ measResultldleEUTRA-r 16 MeasResultldleEUTRA-r 16 OPTIONAL, measResultldleNR-r 16 MeasResultldleNR-r 16 OPTIONAL, logMeasReport-r 16 LogMeasReport-r 16 OPTIONAL, connEstF ailReport-r 16 C onnEstF ailReport-r 16 OPTIONAL, ra-ReportList-rl6 RA-ReportLi st-r 16 OPTIONAL, rlf-Report-rl6 RLF-Report-rl6 OPTIONAL, mobility HistoryReport-r 16 MobilityHistoryReport-rl6 OPTIONAL, lateNonCriticalExtension OCTET STRING OPTIONAL, nonCriti calExtensi on SEQUENCE ⁇ OPTIONAL
  • LogMeasReport-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ absoluteTimeStamp-rl6 Ab soluteTimelnfo-r 16, traceReference-r 16 TraceReference-r 16, traceRecordingSessionRef-r!6 OCTET STRING (SIZE (2)), tce-Id-rl6 OCTET STRING (SIZE (1)),
  • LogMeasInfo-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ locationlnfo-rl6 Locationlnfo-rl6 OPTIONAL, relativeTimeStamp-r 16 INTEGER (0..7200), servCellldentity-r 16 CGI-Info-Logging-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultServingCell-rl6 MeasResultServingCell-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCells-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ measResultNeighCellListNR MeasResultListLogging2NR-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCellListEUTRA MeasResultList2EUTRA-rl6 OPTIONAL anyCellSelectionDetected-r!6 ENUMERATED ⁇ true ⁇ OPTIONAL
  • ConnEstFailReport-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ measResultFailedCell-rl6 MeasResultFailedCell-rl6, locationlnfo-rl6 Locationlnfo-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCell s-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ measResultNeighCellListNR MeasResultList2NR-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCellListEUTRA MeasResultList2EUTRA-rl6 OPTIONAL numberOfConnF ail-r 16 INTEGER (L .8), perRAInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAInfoLi st-rl 6, timeSinceFailure-rl6 TimeSinceFailure-rl6,
  • MeasResultServingCell-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ resultsSSB-Cell MeasQuantityResults, results S SB SEQUENCE ⁇ best-ssb-Index S SB -Index, best-ssb-Results MeasQuantityResults, numb erOfGood S SB INTEGER (L.maxNrofSSBs-rl6) ⁇ OPTIONAL
  • MeasResultFailedCell-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ cgi-Info CGI-Info-Logging-rl6, measResult-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ cellResults-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ results S SB-Cell-r 16 MeasQuantityResults
  • RA-ReportList-rl6 SEQUENCE (SIZE (L.maxRAReport-rl6)) OF RA-Report-rl6
  • RA-Report-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ cellld-rl6 CGI-Info-Logging-rl6, ra-InformationCommon-rl6 RA-InformationCommon-rl6, raPurpose-rl6 ENUMERATED ⁇ accessRelated, beamFailureRecovery, reconfigurati onW ith Sy nc, ulUn Sy nchronized, schedulingRequestFailure, noPUCCHResourceAvailable, requestForOtherSI, spare9, spare8, spare7, spare6, spare5, spare4, spare3, spare2, sparel ⁇
  • RA-InformationCommon-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ absoluteFrequencyPointA-r 16 ARFCN-ValueNR, 1 ocati on AndB andwi dth-r 16 INTEGER (0..37949), subcarrierSpacing-r 16 SubcarrierSpacing, m sg 1 -F requency Start-r 16 INTEGER (0.. maxN rofPhy si calResourceB 1 ocks- 1 )
  • OPTIONAL m sg 1 -F requency StartCFRA-r 16 INTEGER (0..maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-1) OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacing-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacingCFRA-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-FDM-rl6 ENUMERATED ⁇ one, two, four, eight ⁇ OPTIONAL, msgl-FDMCFRA-rl6 ENUMERATED ⁇ one, two, four, eight ⁇
  • PerRAInfoLi st-r 16 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAInfo-rl6
  • PerRAS SBInfo-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ ssb-Index-rl6 SSB-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB-rl6 INTEGER (1..200), perRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16 PerRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16
  • PerRACSI-RSInfo-rl 6 SEQUENCE ⁇ csi-RS-Index-rl6 CSI-RS-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS-rl6 INTEGER (1..200) ⁇
  • PerRAAttemptInfoList-rl6 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAAttemptInfo-rl6
  • reconnectCellld-rl 6 CHOICE ⁇ nrReconnectCellld-rl 6 CGI-Info-Logging-r 16, eutraReconnectCellld-r 16 CGLInfoEUTRALogging ⁇ OPTIONAL timeUntilReconnection- 16 TimeUntilReconnection- 16 OPTIONAL, reestablishmentCellId-rl6 CGLInfo-Logging-r 16 OPTIONAL, timeConnFailure-rl6 INTEGER (0 .1023) OPTIONAL, timeSinceFailure-rl6 TimeSinceFailure-rl6, connectionF ailureTy pe-r 16 ENUMERATED ⁇ rlf, hof ⁇ , rlf-Cause-rl6 ENUMERATED ⁇ t310-Expiry, random AccessProblem, rlc-
  • MeasResultList2NR-rl6 SEQUENCE(SIZE (L.maxFreq)) OF MeasResult2NR-rl6 MeasResultLi st2EUTRA-r 16 SEQUENCE(SIZE (L.maxFreq)) OF MeasResult2EUTRA-r 16
  • MeasResult2NR-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ ssbFrequency-rl6 ARFCN-ValueNR OPTIONAL, refFreqC SI-RS-r 16 ARFCN-ValueNR OPTIONAL, measResultList-rl6 MeasResultLi stNR
  • MeasResultLi stLogging2NR-r 16 :: SEQUENCE(SIZE (L.maxFreq)) OF
  • MeasResultLogging2NR-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ carrierFreq-rl6 ARFCN-ValueNR, measResultListLoggingNR-r 16 MeasResultListLoggingNR-r 16
  • MeasResultListLoggingNR-rl6 SEQUENCE (SIZE (L.maxCellReport)) OF
  • MeasResultLoggingNR-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ physCellId-rl6 PhysCellld, results S SB-Cell-r 16 MeasQuantity Results, numberOfGoodSSB-rl6 INTEGER (L.maxNrofSSBs-rl6) OPTIONAL
  • MeasResult2EUTRA-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ carrierFreq-rl6 ARFCN-ValueEUTRA, measResultList-rl 6 MeasResultListEUTRA
  • MeasResultRLFNR-rl 6 SEQUENCE ⁇ measResult-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ cellResults-r!6 SEQUENCE ⁇ resultsSSB-Cell-rl6 MeasQuantityResults OPTIONAL, resultsCSI-RS-Cell-rl6 MeasQuantityResults OPTIONAL
  • OPTIONAL OPTIONAL, csi -r sRLMC onfigB itmap-r 16 BIT STRING (SIZE (96)) OPTIONAL
  • the network would not be able to deduce which power level is used by the UE to transmit the RACH preamble. Lack of this knowledge can cause a sub-optimal RACH performance and sup optimal coverage optimization. In fact, if the network does not know what power level is used by UE to transmit the RACH preamble (or at which RACH attempt the maximum preamble transmission power i.e., preambleTransMax is reached), the network would not be able to set the preambleTransMAx value correctly, hence causing long latency for the RACH procedure.
  • a method performed by a wireless device in a network includes transmitting at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level.
  • the method includes logging a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA.
  • the method includes for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
  • a method performed by a network node includes receiving random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device, and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device.
  • the method further includes setting a transmit power to the initial transmit power.
  • the method further includes determining whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts.
  • the method further includes responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device.
  • the method further includes responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam.
  • the method further includes responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam: incrementing the transmit power by a power ramping step and includes incrementing the current RA attempt number by one.
  • the method further includes responsive to determining that the wireless device did not attempt a next RA on the same beam, incrementing the current RA attempt number by one.
  • the method further includes responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device, determining whether the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is a same transmit power as a previous RA attempt.
  • the method further includes responsive to determining that the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is not the same transmit power as the previous RA attempt, determining that the current RA attempt number is an RA attempt number at which the maximum transmit power of the wireless device was reached.
  • a method performed by a network node includes receiving random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of a wireless device, a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device.
  • the method further includes determining a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts.
  • the method further includes determining a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device.
  • the method further includes determining an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
  • Figure l is a signaling diagram illustrating the UE information procedure to request a UE to report information in LTE;
  • Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating beams transmitting their own synchronization signal block
  • FIG. 3 is an illustration that each SSB has its own RACH resource where the number of SSBs per RACH occasion is 1;
  • FIG. 4 is an illustration that each SSB has its own RACH resources where the number of SSBs per RACH occasion is 2;
  • Figure 5 illustrates selecting a new SSB during a RACH procedure
  • Figure 6 is a signaling diagram illustrating the UE information procedure to request a UE to report information in NR;
  • Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless device according to some embodiments of inventive concepts.
  • FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a radio access network RAN node (e.g., a base station eNB/gNB) according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;
  • a radio access network RAN node e.g., a base station eNB/gNB
  • Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating a core network CN node (e.g., an AMF node, an SMF node, etc.) according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;
  • a core network CN node e.g., an AMF node, an SMF node, etc.
  • Figures 10-13 are flow charts illustrating operations of a wireless device according to some embodiments of inventive concepts.
  • Figures 14 and 15 are flow chart illustrating operations of a network node according to some embodiments of inventive concepts
  • Figure 16 is a block diagram of a wireless network in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 17 is a block diagram of a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 18 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 19 is a block diagram of a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments;
  • Figure 20 is a block diagram of a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments;
  • Figure 21 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments;
  • Figure 22 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments;
  • Figure 23 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments;
  • Figure 24 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
  • FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a wireless device 700 (also referred to as a mobile terminal, a mobile communication terminal, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a wireless terminal, mobile device, a wireless communication terminal, user equipment, UE, a user equipment node/terminal/device, etc.) configured to provide wireless communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts.
  • a wireless device 700 also referred to as a mobile terminal, a mobile communication terminal, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a wireless terminal, mobile device, a wireless communication terminal, user equipment, UE, a user equipment node/terminal/device, etc.
  • wireless device 700 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to wireless device 1610 of Figure 16.
  • communication device UE may include an antenna 707 (e.g., corresponding to antenna 1611 of Figure 16), and transceiver circuitry 701 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g., corresponding to interface 1614 of Figure 16) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with a base station(s) (e.g., corresponding to network node 1660 of Figure 16, also referred to as a RAN node) of a radio access network.
  • a base station(s) e.g., corresponding to network node 1660 of Figure 16, also referred to as a RAN node
  • Wireless device UE may also include processing circuitry 703 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry 1620 of Figure 16) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 705 (also referred to as memory, e.g., corresponding to device readable medium 1630 of Figure 16) coupled to the processing circuitry.
  • the memory circuitry 705 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 703 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 703 may be defined to include memory so that separate memory circuitry is not required.
  • Wireless device UE may also include an interface (such as a user interface) coupled with processing circuitry 703, and/or wireless device UE may be incorporated in a vehicle.
  • operations of communication device UE may be performed by processing circuitry 703 and/or transceiver circuitry 701.
  • processing circuitry 703 may control transceiver circuitry 701 to transmit communications through transceiver circuitry 701 over a radio interface to a radio access network node (also referred to as a base station) and/or to receive communications through transceiver circuitry 701 from a RAN node over a radio interface.
  • modules may be stored in memory circuitry 705, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 703, processing circuitry 703 performs respective operations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect to Example Embodiments relating to wireless communication devices).
  • a wireless device 700 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.
  • FIG 8 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a radio access network RAN node 800 (also referred to as a network node, base station, eNodeB/eNB, gNodeB/gNB, etc.) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) configured to provide cellular communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts.
  • RAN node 800 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to network node 1660 of Figure 16.
  • the RAN node may include transceiver circuitry 801 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g., corresponding to portions of interface 1690 of Figure 16) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with mobile terminals.
  • the RAN node may include network interface circuitry 807 (also referred to as a network interface, e.g., corresponding to portions of interface 1690 of Figure 16) configured to provide communications with other nodes (e.g., with other base stations) of the RAN and/or core network CN.
  • the network node may also include processing circuitry 803 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry 1670) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 805 (also referred to as memory, e.g., corresponding to device readable medium 1680 of Figure 16) coupled to the processing circuitry.
  • the memory circuitry 805 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 803 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 803 may be defined to include memory so that a separate memory circuitry is not required.
  • operations of the RAN node may be performed by processing circuitry 803, network interface 807, and/or transceiver 801.
  • processing circuitry 803 may control transceiver 801 to transmit downlink communications through transceiver 801 over a radio interface to one or more mobile terminals UEs and/or to receive uplink communications through transceiver 801 from one or more mobile terminals UEs over a radio interface.
  • processing circuitry 803 may control network interface 807 to transmit communications through network interface 807 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receive communications through network interface from one or more other network nodes.
  • modules may be stored in memory 805, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 803, processing circuitry 803 performs respective operations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect to Example Embodiments relating to RAN nodes).
  • RAN node 800 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.
  • a network node may be implemented as a core network CN node without a transceiver.
  • transmission to a wireless communication device UE may be initiated by the network node so that transmission to the wireless communication device UE is provided through a network node including a transceiver (e.g., through a base station or RAN node).
  • initiating transmission may include transmitting through the transceiver.
  • FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a core network CN node 900 (e.g., an SMF node, an AMF node, etc.) of a communication network configured to provide cellular communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts.
  • the CN node may include network interface circuitry 907 (also referred to as a network interface) configured to provide communications with other nodes of the core network and/or the radio access network RAN.
  • the CN node may also include a processing circuitry 903 (also referred to as a processor) coupled to the network interface circuitry, and memory circuitry 905 (also referred to as memory) coupled to the processing circuitry.
  • the memory circuitry 905 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 903 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 903 may be defined to include memory so that a separate memory circuitry is not required.
  • CN node 900 may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.
  • processing circuitry 903 may control network interface circuitry 907 to transmit communications through network interface circuitry 907 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receive communications through network interface circuitry from one or more other network nodes.
  • modules may be stored in memory 905, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 903, processing circuitry 903 performs respective operations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect to Example Embodiments relating to core network nodes).
  • CN node 900 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.
  • a method at a wireless terminal (used interchangeably with User Equipment and UE in the following description) is provided, the method comprising, after the transmission of a RACH preamble or msgA as part of 2-step RACH procedure
  • various embodiments of inventive concepts include:
  • the UE logs an indication, indicating whether or not the path loss has changed during the RACH procedure.
  • the UE logs the actual transmission power level of the last successful RACH attempt (or successful msgA attempt in 2-step RACH procedure). In yet another embodiment, UE logs whether or not the UE is capable to reach the preambleTransMax set by network. This is useful for the network to know whether or not the UE is capable to reach the maximum transmission power level set by network.
  • the UE indicates its own maximum transmission power level.
  • RAR random-access response
  • the UE For each failed RACH preamble transmission attempt, i.e., upon the expiry of the random-access response (RAR) timer and detecting that a response was not received for a given preamble transmission/RACH resource selection, reporting to the network logged/stored information related to the transmission power level, or the indication on whether each RACH attempt is done using the maximum transmission power, and/or based on measured path loss (and power ramping step) In addition UE reports the measured path loss to the network.
  • RAR random-access response
  • the UE logs the RACH attempt index in which the UE reached the maximum power level to transmit the preamble in 4-step RACH, or to transmit the msgA in 2-step RACH.
  • UE logs the transmission power applied to the last RACH attempt.
  • UE logs the transmission power level per every RACH attempt.
  • UE logs the transmission power if the path loss value is changed in between Rach attempts. This can help the network to calculate the transmission power for other RACH attempts in which the path loss was not changed. Say that the UE performs 7 RA attempts (7 preamble transmissions) and checks the pathloss before attempt 1 3 and 6. Then the UE could report the total number of RA attempts and also report the following:
  • the above information can be logged as part of a 2-step or 4-step RACH procedure [0125] Therefore in case of a 2-step RACH optimization, the UE logs one or more of the above mentioned measurements per each msgA transmission.
  • the measurement can be logged as part of accessibility measurement e.g., connection establishment failure report (CEF Report) which is logged and transmitted to the network upon failed initial access or resume procedure.
  • CEF Report connection establishment failure report
  • the various embodiments of inventive concepts provides methods wherein the UE stores set(s) of information which enables the network to derive the following parameters.
  • the UE stores and reports the initial transmit power used for the RA procedure
  • the UE stores the RA attempt at which the UE reaches its maximum TxPower.
  • the UE stores and reports its maximum Tx Power.
  • One way to implement the various inventive concepts in terms of the RRC specifications is to create a RACH report containing at least some of the information described above. As previously described, the RACH report is included in an UEInformationResponse message.
  • One way to indicate whether or not the preamble transmission power was equal to the preambleTransMax set by the network is to use a binary flag to indicate whether or not the preamble transmission power was equal to the preambleTransMax set by the network. This can be implemented per each RACH attempt. Having it per each RACH attempt increases the granularity so the network can figure out whether or not the path loss measured by UE is significantly changing.
  • section 5.7.10.5 of 3GPP TS 38.331 can be changed to include the information that is double underlined and in bold. Specifically:
  • the UE shall set the content in ra-InformationCommon-rl6 as follows 1> set the absoluteFrequencyPointA to indicate the absolute frequency of the reference resource block associated to the random-access resources used in the random- access procedure;
  • PathLoss to the path loss value measured for the active UL BWP based on the DL RS associated with the PRACH transmission on the active DL BWP of serving cell:
  • the random-access resource used is associated to a SS/PBCH block, set the associated random-access parameters for the successive random-access attempts associated to the same SS/PBCH block for one or more random-access attempts as follows:
  • 3> set the numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the SS/PBCH block;
  • 3> for each random-access attempt performed on the random-access resource include the following parameters in the chronological order of the random-access attempt:
  • 3> set the csi-RS-Index to include the CSI-RS index associated to the used random-access resource
  • 3> set the numberOfPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the CSI-RS.
  • the UEInformationResponse message is used by the UE to transfer the information requested by the NG-RAN.
  • RA-ReportList-rl6 SEQUENCE (SIZE (l ..maxRAReport-r16)) OF RA-Report-rl6
  • RA-Report-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ startTransPower INTEGER (-202..-60). lastAttemptTransPower INTEGER (-202.. 33). pathLoss INTEGER (-202..-60). raAttemptAtWhichMaxTxPowerReached INTEGER (1..200) OPTIONAL. lastAttemptTransmissionPower INTEGER (-202..-60). pathLossChanged BOOLEAN.
  • RA-InformationCommon-rl6 SEQUENCE ⁇ absoluteFrequencyPointA-r 16 ARFCN-ValueNR, 1 ocati on AndB andwi dth-r 16 INTEGER (0..37949), subcarrierSpacing-r 16 SubcarrierSpacing, m sg 1 -F requency Start-r 16 INTEGER (0.. maxN rofPhy si calResourceB 1 ocks- 1 )
  • OPTIONAL m sg 1 -F requency StartCFRA-r 16 INTEGER (0..maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-1) OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacing-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacingCFRA-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-FDM-rl6 ENUMERATED ⁇ one, two, four, eight ⁇ OPTIONAL, msgl-FDMCFRA-rl6 ENUMERATED ⁇ one, two, four, eight ⁇
  • perRAInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAInfoList-rl6 :: SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAInfo-r 16
  • PerRAS SBInfo-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ ssb-Index-rl6 SSB-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB-rl6 INTEGER (1..200), perRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16 PerRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16
  • PerRACSI-RSInfo-rl 6 SEQUENCE ⁇ csi-RS-Index-rl6 CSI-RS-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS-rl6 INTEGER (1..200) ⁇
  • PerRAAttemptInfoList-rl6 SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAAttemptInfo-rl6
  • PerRAAttemptlnfo-r 16 SEQUENCE ⁇ contend onDetected-r 16 BOOLEAN OPTIONAL, dlRSRPAboveThreshold-rl6 BOOLEAN OPTIONAL, nreamhleTransMaxReached BOOLEAN OPTIONAL. nathLossPerRAAttemnt INTEGER (-202..-60). transmissionPowerPerAttemnt INTEGER (-202..33).
  • the UE uses a configured offset relative the transmit power used for the PRACH preamble.
  • This power offset is configured by the msg3-DeltaPreamble IE in the PUSCH-ConfigCommon IE.
  • the transmit power used for Msg3 would be greater than the transmit power used for the PRACH preamble, but negative offsets can also be configured, so that the transmit power for Msg3 is lower than for the PRACH preamble.
  • the UE may reach its maximum transmit power when transmitting Msg3, even though a lower transmit power was used for the PRACH preamble. The opposite is also possible.
  • indications of usage of the maximum transmit power can be reported separately by the UE, e.g. as two different parameters in the UEInformationResponse message, e.g. in the RA-Report-rl6 IE.
  • the UE does not only transmit a PRACH preamble, but also a MsgA PUSCH, i.e. a PUSCH transmission following the PRACH preamble, using time-frequency transmission resources and DMRS configuration associated with the PRACH preamble.
  • the transmit power used for MsgA PUSCH may differ from the transmit power used for the PRACH preamble. Similar to the case of Msg3, this is governed by an offset parameter, msgA-DeltaPreamble-r 16 included in the MsgA-PUSCH-Config-r 16 IE, which configures an offset between the transmit power for the PRACH preamble and the transmit power for MsgA PUSCH.
  • the UE may separately indicate to the network whether it reached its maximum transmit power when transmitting the PRACH preamble and/or when transmitting MsgA PUSCH. This may be indicated in two different parameters in the UEInformationResponse message, e.g. in the RA- Report-rl6 IE.
  • Various embodiments of inventive concepts enable the network to derive the information related to whether or not the UE reached its maximum Tx power, the Tx power used by the UE in the final RA attempt and also in which RA attempt(s) did the UE reach its maximum Tx power.
  • the UE includes the initial Tx power.
  • the network node that uses this information is also aware of the UE’s maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
  • another network node e.g., OAM/CU/Core network.
  • the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
  • the network finds the RA attempt in which the UE reached its max Tx power based on the flow chart of Figure 15 discussed further below.
  • the network can derive the information related to the initial Tx power used by the UE based the RA related information where the UE includes the #RA attempt in which the UE reached its maximum allowed Tx power.
  • the network node that uses this information is also aware of the UE’s maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information. [0149] As the network is aware of the following parameters and the knowledge that the UE increments its Tx power only when the UE performs successive RA attempts on the same beam, the network can deduct the initial Tx power:
  • RACH report information is used as an input for Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO). This may require the UE to log further information in addition to what has been described above, such as:
  • RACH parameters may be optimized based on the information included in RACH reports.
  • the parameters to be optimization may be at least one of the parameters broadcasted in system information and/or provided in dedicated signaling e.g. in handovers.
  • These parameters may be the ones in RACH-ConfigGeneric, such as follows in bold and double underlined.
  • RACH-ConfigGeneric :: SEQUENCE ⁇ prach-Configurationlndex INTEGER (0 .255), msgl-FDM ENUMERATED ⁇ one, two, four, eight ⁇ , m sg 1 -F requency Start INTEGER (0..maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-1), zeroCorrelationZoneConfig INTEGER(0..15), preamhleReceivedTargetPower INTEGER (-202..-60).
  • preambleTransMax ENUMERATED ⁇ n3, n4, n5, n6, n7, n8, nl n200 ⁇ , powerRampingStep ENUMERATED IdBO. dB2.
  • power RampingStep Defines the power ramping steps for PRACH as defined in TS 38.321, 5.1.3.
  • a too high step means that the UE reaches the maximum power too fast, which might be unnecessary.
  • a too low value may lead to too many attempts without a successful RAR reception until the UE succeeds.
  • the network may be aware that the UE is taking too long until it succeeds, but eventually it does at a certain power level. Hence, thanks to that, this setting could be adjusted.
  • RACH-ConfigCommon SEQUENCE ⁇ rach-ConfigGeneric RACH-ConfigGeneric, totalNumberOfRA-Preambles INTEGER (1..63) OPTIONAL, - Need S ssb-nerRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB CHOICE I oneEighth ENUMERATED
  • the UE logging beam selection information in RACH attempts in a RACH report to be reported to the network further enables mobility robustness optimization and/or RACH optimization and/or Coverage and capacity optimization (CCO).
  • CCO Coverage and capacity optimization
  • modules may be stored in memory 705 of Figure 7, and these modules may provide instructions so that when the instructions of a module are executed by respective wireless device processing circuitry 703, processing circuitry 703 performs respective operations of the flow chart.
  • the processing circuitry 703 transmits at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level.
  • the first transmit power level to use in various embodiments is an initial transmit power level.
  • the first transmit power level to use in some embodiments in determined by the processing circuitry 703. In other embodiments, the first transmit power level to use is received from a network (e.g., a network node).
  • the processing circuitry 703 logs a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA.
  • logging the power measurement parameter the power measurement parameter in some embodiments includes the processing circuitry 703 logging, in block 1101, a power level used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or MsgA.
  • logging the power measurement parameter includes the processing circuitry 703 logging, in block 1201, logging a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA
  • the processing circuitry 703 in block 1005 transmits the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level.
  • the revised transmit power level can depend on whether or not a same beam is used. Responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, the processing circuitry 703 in block 1201 increments the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level. In various embodiments, the transmit power level may be incremented until a maximum transmit power level is reached. The processing circuitry 703 in some embodiments increments the revised transmit power level by a power ramping step.
  • the maximum transmit power and/or the power ramping step is set by the wireless device 700. In other embodiments, the maximum transmit power and/or the power ramping step is received from the network (e.g., from a network node).
  • the processing circuitry 703 in block 1203 transmits the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level. In other words, the transmit power level is not changed from a previous attempt to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • the processing circuitry 703 logs the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
  • the processing circuitry 703 in block 1009 sets a final power level to a current transmit power level and in block 1011, logs the final power level.
  • the processing circuitry 703 transmits a failure report to the network.
  • the processing circuitry 703 reports logged information to the network.
  • the processing circuitry 703 can report the power measurement parameters logged to the network in block 1301.
  • the processing circuitry 703 may report the final power level logged to the network.
  • the processing circuitry 703 may report the first transmit power level to the network.
  • the processing circuitry 703 may report whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA
  • the processing circuitry 703 may report a power level applied for reporting a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • the processing circuitry 703 may report a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • modules may be stored in memory 805 of Figure 8, and these modules may provide instructions so that when the instructions of a module are executed by respective RAN node processing circuitry 803, processing circuitry 803 performs respective operations of the flow chart.
  • the UE reports the initial TX power but not when the wireless device reached its maximum transmit power.
  • inventive concepts enable the network to derive the information related to whether or not the UE reached its maximum Tx power, the Tx power used by the UE in the final RA attempt and also in which RA attempt(s) did the UE reach its maximum Tx power.
  • the network node that uses this information is also aware of the UE’s maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
  • another network node e.g., OAM/CU/Core network.
  • the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
  • the network finds the RA attempt in which the UE reached its max Tx power based on the flow chart of Figure
  • the processing circuitry 803 receives the RA information associated to the RA procedure which can include the initial TX power, the UE's maximum allowed Tx power, and the number of RA attempts used by the UE.
  • the processing circuitry 803 knows that the TX power for the first RA attempt is the initial TX power. Thus, if only one attempt was made, then the network node determines that the initial TX power is the power used for the successful attempt. [0178] The processing circuitry 803 in block 1405 determines whether or not the current RA attempt number equals the number of RA attempts used by the UE. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the current RA attempt number does not equal the number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, then the processing circuitry 803 determines whether or not the TX power used for the current RA attempt was equal to the wireless device's maximum allowed power in block 1407. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the current RA attempt was not equal to the wireless device's maximum allowed power, then the processing circuitry 803 determines whether or not the wireless device attempted the next RA on the same beam in block 1409.
  • the processing circuitry 803 determines that the wireless device attempted the next RA on the same beam, then the processing circuitry 803 determines that the wireless device incremented TX power on the next RA in block 1411. In block 1413, the processing circuitry 803 increments the RA attempt number by 1. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the wireless device attempted the next RA on a different beam, then the processing circuitry 803 knows that the wireless device did not increment power on the next RA and increments the RA attempt number by 1 in block 1413.
  • the processing circuitry 803 determines in block 1415 whether or not the TX power used in the current attempt was the same as the previous attempt. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the Tx power used in the current attempt was the same, then the processing circuitry 803 increments the current RA attempt number by 1. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the Tx power used in the current attempt was not the same, then the processing circuitry 803 determines in block 1417 that the RA attempt at which the wireless device's max Tx power is reached in the current RA attempt number. The processing circuitry 803 then increments the current RA attempt number by 1.
  • the processing circuitry 803 determines that the current RA attempt number equals the number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, then the processing circuitry 803 determines in block 1419 that the wireless device's final power is equal to the current Tx power. [0182] In some embodiments, the wireless device reports the RA step in which the wireless device reached its max TXPower
  • the network can derive the information related to the initial Tx power used by the wireless device based the RA related information where the wireless device includes the #RA attempt in which the wireless device reached its maximum allowed Tx power.
  • the network node that uses this information is also aware of the wireless device's maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the wireless device its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
  • another network node e.g., OAM/CU/Core network.
  • the wireless device its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
  • the network finds the initial transmit power in which the wireless device used based on the flow chart of Figure 16.
  • the processing circuitry 803 receives random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device 700, a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device 700, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device 700 reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device 700.
  • the processing circuitry 803 determines a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts. In block 1505, the processing circuitry 803 determines a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device.
  • the processing circuitry 803 determines an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device 700 based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
  • the initial transmit power level is determined in accordance with: where Tx initial is the initial transmit power, Tx max is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and P ram ping step is the power ramp step.
  • a network node using the information logged by the wireless device, a network node. Becoming aware of what was the actual power used by wireless device to go through the RACH procedure, the network can have a better understanding of uplink coverage and can deduce whether or not the maximum transmission power set of RACH preamble transmission is enough to enable the wireless devices performing the RACH in a timely manner.
  • Embodiment 1 A method performed by a wireless device in a network, the method comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the
  • MsgA responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
  • Embodiment 2 The method of Embodiment 1, further comprising: responsive to a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: setting (1009) a final power level to a current transmit power level; and logging (1011) the final power level.
  • Embodiment 3 The method of Embodiment 2, further comprising, for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA, logging whether or not a maximum transmission power set by the network was reached.
  • Embodiment 4. The method of any of Embodiments 1-3, wherein transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level comprises: responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, incrementing (1201) the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level; and responsive to a different beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, transmitting (1203) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level.
  • Embodiment 5 The method of Embodiment 4 wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level until a maximum transmit power level is reached.
  • Embodiment 6 The method of any of Embodiments 4-5, wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level by a ramping step.
  • Embodiment 7 The method of any of Embodiments 1-6, further comprising determining the first transmit power level to use.
  • Embodiment 8 The method of any of Embodiments 1-6, wherein logging the power measurement parameter comprises logging a power level (1101) used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 9 The method of any of Embodiments 1-6, wherein logging the power measurement parameter comprises logging a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 10 The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting
  • Embodiment 11 The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting
  • Embodiment 12 The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting
  • Embodiment 13 the first transmit power level to the network.
  • Embodiment 13 The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting (1307) whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 14 The method of any of Embodiments 1-9 further comprising reporting (1309) a power level applied for reporting a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 15 The method of any of Embodiments 1-9 further comprising reporting (1311) a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • a wireless device (700) adapted to perform operations comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
  • Embodiment 17 The wireless device (700) of Embodiment 16 wherein the wireless device (700) is adapted to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 2-15.
  • a wireless device (700) device comprising: processing circuitry (703); and memory (705) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the communication device to perform operations comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA
  • Embodiment 19 The wireless device (700) of Embodiment 18, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising: responsive to a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: setting (1009) a final power level to a current transmit power level; and logging (1011) the final power level.
  • Embodiment 20 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-19, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA, logging whether or not a maximum transmission power set by the network was reached.
  • Embodiment 21 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-19, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA, logging whether or not a maximum transmission power set by the network was reached.
  • the wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-20 wherein in transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level, the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising: responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, incrementing (1201) the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level; and responsive to a different beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, transmitting (1203) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level.
  • Embodiment 22 The wireless device (700) of Embodiment 21 wherein in incrementing the revised transmit power level, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising incrementing the revised transmit power level until a maximum transmit power level is reached.
  • Embodiment 23 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 21-22, wherein in incrementing the revised transmit power level, the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising incrementing the revised transmit power level by a ramping step.
  • Embodiment 24 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-23, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising determining the first transmit power level to use.
  • Embodiment 25 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-24, wherein the power measurement parameter comprises a power level (1101) used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 26 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-24, wherein the power measurement parameter comprises a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 27 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1301) the power measurement parameters logged to the network.
  • Embodiment 28 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1303) the final power level logged to the network.
  • Embodiment 29 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1305) the first transmit power level to the network.
  • Embodiment 30 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1307) whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 31 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1309) a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 32 The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1311) a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
  • Embodiment 33 A computer program comprising program code to be executed by processing circuitry (703) of a wireless device (700), whereby execution of the program code causes the wireless device (700) to perform operations according to any of embodiments 1-15.
  • Embodiment 34 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium including program code to be executed by processing circuitry (703) of a wireless device (700), whereby execution of the program code causes the wireless device (700) to perform operations according to any of embodiments 1-15.
  • Embodiment 35 A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: receiving (1501) random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device (700) during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device; setting (1503) a transmit power to the initial transmit power; determining (1505) whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts; responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700); responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same
  • Embodiment 36 The method of Embodiment 35, further comprising: responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1519) that a final transmit power level of the wireless device (700) is the current transmit power level.
  • Embodiment 37 A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: receiving (1601) random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device; determining (1603) a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts; determining (1604) a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device; determining (1605) an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
  • Embodiment 38 The method of Embodiment 37, wherein determining the initial transmit power level comprises determining the initial transmit power level in accordance with where Tx initial is the initial transmit power, Tx max is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and P ramping step is the power ramp step.
  • Embodiment 39 A network node (800) adapted to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 35-38.
  • a network node (800) comprising: processing circuitry (803); and memory (805) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising: receiving (1501) random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device (700) during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device; setting (1503) a transmit power to the initial transmit power; determining (1505) whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts; responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700); responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the
  • Embodiment 41 The network node (800) of Embodiment 40, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising: responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1519) that a final transmit power level of the wireless device (700) is the current transmit power level.
  • a network node (800) comprising: processing circuitry (803); and memory (805) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising: receiving (1601) random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device; determining (1603) a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts; determining (1605) a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device; and determining (1607) an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
  • Embodiment 43 The method of Embodiment 42, wherein in determining the initial transmit power level, the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising determining the initial transmit power level in accordance with where Tx initial is the initial transmit power, Tx max is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and P ramping step is the power ramp step.
  • Embodiment 44 A computer program comprising program code to be executed by processing circuitry (803) of a network node (800), whereby execution of the program code causes the network node (800) to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 35-38.
  • Embodiment 45 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium including program code to be executed by processing circuitry (803) of a network node (800), whereby execution of the program code causes the network node (800) to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 35-38.
  • RRC Radio Resource Control
  • Figure 16 illustrates a wireless network in accordance with some embodiments.
  • a wireless network such as the example wireless network illustrated in Figure 16.
  • the wireless network of Figure 16 only depicts network 1606, network nodes 1660 and 1660b, and WDs 1610, 1610b, and 1610c (also referred to as mobile terminals).
  • 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 1660 and wireless device (WD) 1610 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 1606 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 1660 and WD 1610 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together in order 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 NRNodeBs (gNBs)).
  • APs access points
  • BSs base stations
  • eNBs evolved Node Bs
  • gNBs NRNodeBs
  • 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.
  • 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 multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs.
  • MSR multi-standard radio
  • RNCs radio network controllers
  • BSCs base station controllers
  • BTSs base transceiver stations
  • transmission points transmission nodes
  • MCEs multi-cell/multicast coordination entities
  • core network nodes e.g., MSCs, MMEs
  • O&M nodes e.g., OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs.
  • 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 1660 includes processing circuitry 1670, device readable medium 1680, interface 1690, auxiliary equipment 1684, power source 1686, power circuitry 1687, and antenna 1662.
  • network node 1660 illustrated in the example wireless network of Figure 16 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.
  • network node 1660 may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium 1680 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).
  • network node 1660 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 1660 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 1660 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs).
  • RATs radio access technologies
  • Network node 1660 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1660, 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 1660.
  • Processing circuitry 1670 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 1670 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1670 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 1670 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 1670 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 1660 components, such as device readable medium 1680, network node 1660 functionality.
  • processing circuitry 1670 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1680 or in memory within processing circuitry 1670. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein.
  • processing circuitry 1670 may include a system on a chip (SOC).
  • SOC system on a chip
  • processing circuitry 1670 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674.
  • radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674 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 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units
  • processing circuitry 1670 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1680 or memory within processing circuitry 1670.
  • some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1670 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner.
  • processing circuitry 1670 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1670 alone or to other components of network node 1660, but are enjoyed by network node 1660 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
  • Device readable medium 1680 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 1670.
  • 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
  • Device readable medium 1680 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 1670 and, utilized by network node 1660.
  • Device readable medium 1680 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 1670 and/or any data received via interface 1690.
  • processing circuitry 1670 and device readable medium 1680 may be considered to be integrated.
  • Interface 1690 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signalling and/or data between network node 1660, network 1606, and/or WDs 1610. As illustrated, interface 1690 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 1694 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 1606 over a wired connection. Interface 1690 also includes radio front end circuitry 1692 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 1662. Radio front end circuitry 1692 comprises filters 1698 and amplifiers 1696. Radio front end circuitry 1692 may be connected to antenna 1662 and processing circuitry 1670. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1662 and processing circuitry 1670.
  • Radio front end circuitry 1692 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 1692 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1698 and/or amplifiers 1696. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1662. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1662 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1692. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1670. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • network node 1660 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1692, instead, processing circuitry 1670 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1662 without separate radio front end circuitry 1692.
  • processing circuitry 1670 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1662 without separate radio front end circuitry 1692.
  • all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 1672 may be considered a part of interface 1690.
  • interface 1690 may include one or more ports or terminals 1694, radio front end circuitry 1692, and RF transceiver circuitry 1672, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 1690 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 1674, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
  • Antenna 1662 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 1662 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 1692 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 1662 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 1662 may be separate from network node 1660 and may be connectable to network node 1660 through an interface or port.
  • Antenna 1662, interface 1690, and/or processing circuitry 1670 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 1662, interface 1690, and/or processing circuitry 1670 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 1687 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 1660 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 1687 may receive power from power source 1686. Power source 1686 and/or power circuitry 1687 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 1660 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 1686 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 1687 and/or network node 1660.
  • network node 1660 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 1687.
  • power source 1686 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 1687. 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 1660 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 16 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 1660 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 1660 and to allow output of information from network node 1660. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 1660.
  • wireless device refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices.
  • 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, vehi cl e-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
  • V2V vehicle-to-device
  • V2I vehicle-to-infrastructure
  • V2X vehicle-to-everything
  • 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 3 GPP 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. 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.
  • wireless device 1610 includes antenna 1611, interface 1614, processing circuitry 1620, device readable medium 1630, user interface equipment 1632, auxiliary equipment 1634, power source 1636 and power circuitry 1637.
  • WD 1610 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 1610, 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 1610.
  • Antenna 1611 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 1614.
  • antenna 1611 may be separate from WD 1610 and be connectable to WD 1610 through an interface or port.
  • Antenna 1611, interface 1614, and/or processing circuitry 1620 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.
  • radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 1611 may be considered an interface.
  • interface 1614 comprises radio front end circuitry 1612 and antenna 1611.
  • Radio front end circuitry 1612 comprise one or more filters 1618 and amplifiers 1616.
  • Radio front end circuitry 1612 is connected to antenna 1611 and processing circuitry 1620, and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1611 and processing circuitry 1620.
  • Radio front end circuitry 1612 may be coupled to or a part of antenna
  • WD 1610 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1612; rather, processing circuitry 1620 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1611. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may be considered a part of interface 1614.
  • Radio front end circuitry 1612 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 1612 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1618 and/or amplifiers 1616. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1611. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1611 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry
  • the digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1620.
  • the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • Processing circuitry 1620 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 1610 components, such as device readable medium 1630, WD 1610 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 1620 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1630 or in memory within processing circuitry 1620 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.
  • processing circuitry 1620 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 1622, baseband processing circuitry 1624, and application processing circuitry 1626.
  • the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • processing circuitry 1620 of WD 1610 may comprise a SOC.
  • RF transceiver circuitry 1622, baseband processing circuitry 1624, and application processing circuitry 1626 may be on separate chips or sets of chips.
  • part or all of baseband processing circuitry 1624 and application processing circuitry 1626 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may be on a separate chip or set of chips.
  • part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1622 and baseband processing circuitry 1624 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 1626 may be on a separate chip or set of chips.
  • part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1622, baseband processing circuitry 1624, and application processing circuitry 1626 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips.
  • RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may be a part of interface 1614.
  • RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 1620.
  • processing circuitry 1620 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1630, which in certain embodiments may be a computer- readable storage medium.
  • some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1620 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner.
  • processing circuitry 1620 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1620 alone or to other components of WD 1610, but are enjoyed by WD 1610 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
  • Processing circuitry 1620 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 1620, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1620 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 1610, 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 1620 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 1610, 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 1630 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 1620.
  • Device readable medium 1630 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 1620.
  • processing circuitry 1620 and device readable medium 1630 may be considered to be integrated.
  • User interface equipment 1632 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 1610. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 1632 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 1610. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 1632 installed in WD 1610. For example, if WD 1610 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 1610 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 1632 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 1632 is configured to allow input of information into WD 1610, and is connected to processing circuitry 1620 to allow processing circuitry 1620 to process the input information. User interface equipment 1632 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 1632 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 1610, and to allow processing circuitry 1620 to output information from WD 1610. User interface equipment 1632 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 1632, WD 1610 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.
  • Auxiliary equipment 1634 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 1634 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.
  • Power source 1636 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 1610 may further comprise power circuitry 1637 for delivering power from power source 1636 to the various parts of WD 1610 which need power from power source 1636 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein.
  • Power circuitry 1637 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry.
  • Power circuitry 1637 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 1610 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 1637 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 1636. This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 1636. Power circuitry 1637 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 1636 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 1610 to which power is supplied.
  • Figure 17 illustrates a user Equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 17 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with various aspects described 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).
  • 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 17200 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 1700, as illustrated in Figure 17, 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.
  • 3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project
  • the term WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although Figure 17 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.
  • UE 1700 includes processing circuitry 1701 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 1705, radio frequency (RF) interface 1709, network connection interface 1711, memory 1715 including random access memory (RAM) 1717, read-only memory (ROM) 1719, and storage medium 1721 or the like, communication subsystem 1731, power source 1713, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof.
  • Storage medium 1721 includes operating system 1723, application program 1725, and data 1727. In other embodiments, storage medium 1721 may include other similar types of information.
  • Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in Figure 17, 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 1701 may be configured to process computer instructions and data.
  • Processing circuitry 1701 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 1701 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.
  • input/output interface 1705 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device.
  • UE 1700 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 1705.
  • 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 1700.
  • 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 1700 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 1705 to allow a user to capture information into UE 1700.
  • 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 1709 may be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna.
  • Network connection interface 1711 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 1743a.
  • Network 1743a 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 1743a may comprise a Wi-Fi network.
  • Network connection interface 1711 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 1711 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 1717 may be configured to interface via bus 1702 to processing circuitry 1701 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 1719 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 1701.
  • ROM 1719 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 1721 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 1721 may be configured to include operating system 1723, application program 1725 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application, and data file 1727.
  • Storage medium 1721 may store, for use by UE 1700, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
  • Storage medium 1721 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
  • HDDS holographic digital data storage
  • DIMM external mini-dual in-line memory module
  • SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
  • SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
  • smartcard memory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM
  • Storage medium 1721 may allow UE 1700 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 1721, which may comprise a device readable medium.
  • processing circuitry 1701 may be configured to communicate with network 1743b using communication subsystem 1731.
  • Network 1743a and network 1743b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks.
  • Communication subsystem 1731 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 1743b.
  • communication subsystem 1731 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 802.11, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like.
  • Each transceiver may include transmitter 1733 and/or receiver 1735 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 1733 and receiver 1735 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.
  • the communication functions of communication subsystem 1731 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 1731 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication.
  • Network 1743b 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 1743b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near-field network.
  • Power source 1713 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 1700.
  • communication subsystem 1731 may be configured to include any of the components described herein.
  • processing circuitry 1701 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 1702.
  • any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 1701 perform the corresponding functions described herein.
  • the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 1701 and communication subsystem 1731.
  • 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 18 illustrates a virtualization environment in accordance with some embodiments.
  • FIG 18 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1800 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 1800 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 1830. 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 1820 (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 1820 are run in virtualization environment 1800 which provides hardware 1830 comprising processing circuitry 1860 and memory 1890.
  • Memory 1890 contains instructions 1895 executable by processing circuitry 1860 whereby application 1820 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.
  • Virtualization environment 1800 comprises general-purpose or special- purpose network hardware devices 1830 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 1860, 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 1860 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 1890-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 1895 or software executed by processing circuitry 1860.
  • Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 1870, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 1880.
  • NICs network interface controllers
  • Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media 1890-2 having stored therein software 1895 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 1860.
  • Software 1895 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 1850 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 1840 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.
  • Virtual machines 1840 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1850 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 1820 may be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 1840, and the implementations may be made in different ways.
  • processing circuitry 1860 executes software 1895 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 1850, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM).
  • Virtualization layer 1850 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 1840.
  • hardware 1830 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 1830 may comprise antenna 18225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1830 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) 18100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1820.
  • 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 1840 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 1840, and that part of hardware 1830 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 1840, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).
  • VNE virtual network elements
  • VNF Virtual Network Function
  • one or more radio units 18200 that each include one or more transmitters 18220 and one or more receivers 18210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 18225.
  • Radio units 18200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 1830 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 18230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 1830 and radio units 18200.
  • Figure 19 illustrates a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments.
  • a communication system includes telecommunication network 1910, such as a 3 GPP -type cellular network, which comprises access network 1911, such as a radio access network, and core network 1914.
  • Access network 1911 comprises a plurality of base stations 1912a, 1912b, 1912c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1913a, 1913b, 1913c.
  • Each base station 1912a, 1912b, 1912c is connectable to core network 1914 over a wired or wireless connection 1915.
  • a first UE 1991 located in coverage area 1913c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1912c.
  • a second UE 1992 in coverage area 1913a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1912a. While a plurality of UEs 1991, 1992 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 1912.
  • Telecommunication network 1910 is itself connected to host computer 1930, 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 1930 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 1921 and 1922 between telecommunication network 1910 and host computer 1930 may extend directly from core network 1914 to host computer 1930 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1920.
  • Intermediate network 1920 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 1920, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 1920 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).
  • the communication system of Figure 19 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1991, 1992 and host computer 1930.
  • the connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1950.
  • Host computer 1930 and the connected UEs 1991, 1992 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 1950, using access network 1911, core network 1914, any intermediate network 1920 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries.
  • OTT connection 1950 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 1950 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications.
  • base station 1912 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 1930 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1991.
  • Figure 20 illustrates a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments.
  • host computer 2010 comprises hardware 2015 including communication interface 2016 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 2000.
  • Host computer 2010 further comprises processing circuitry 2018, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities.
  • processing circuitry 2018 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 2010 further comprises software 2011, which is stored in or accessible by host computer 2010 and executable by processing circuitry 2018.
  • Software 2011 includes host application 2012.
  • Host application 2012 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 2030 connecting via OTT connection 2050 terminating at UE 2030 and host computer 2010. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 2012 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 2050.
  • Communication system 2000 further includes base station 2020 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 2025 enabling it to communicate with host computer 2010 and with UE 2030.
  • Hardware 2025 may include communication interface 2026 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 2000, as well as radio interface 2027 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 2070 with UE 2030 located in a coverage area (not shown in Figure 20) served by base station 2020.
  • Communication interface 2026 may be configured to facilitate connection 2060 to host computer 2010. Connection 2060 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in Figure 20) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system.
  • hardware 2025 of base station 2020 further includes processing circuitry 2028, 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 2020 further has software 2021 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.
  • Communication system 2000 further includes UE 2030 already referred to. Its hardware 2035 may include radio interface 2037 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 2070 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 2030 is currently located. Hardware 2035 of UE 2030 further includes processing circuitry 2038, 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 2030 further comprises software 2031, which is stored in or accessible by UE 2030 and executable by processing circuitry 2038.
  • Software 2031 includes client application 2032. Client application 2032 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 2030, with the support of host computer 2010.
  • an executing host application 2012 may communicate with the executing client application 2032 via OTT connection 2050 terminating at UE 2030 and host computer 2010.
  • client application 2032 may receive request data from host application 2012 and provide user data in response to the request data.
  • OTT connection 2050 may transfer both the request data and the user data.
  • Client application 2032 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
  • host computer 2010, base station 2020 and UE 2030 illustrated in Figure 20 may be similar or identical to host computer 1930, one of base stations 1912a, 1912b, 1912c and one of UEs 1991, 1992 of Figure 19, respectively.
  • the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Figure 20 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of Figure 19.
  • OTT connection 2050 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 2010 and UE 2030 via base station 2020, 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 2030 or from the service provider operating host computer 2010, or both. While OTT connection 2050 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).
  • Wireless connection 2070 between UE 2030 and base station 2020 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments may improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE
  • OTT connection 2050 in which wireless connection 2070 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the random access speed and/or reduce random access failure rates and thereby provide benefits such as faster and/or more reliable random access.
  • a measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve.
  • the measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 2050 may be implemented in software 2011 and hardware 2015 of host computer 2010 or in software
  • sensors may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 2050 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 2011, 2031 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities.
  • the reconfiguring of OTT connection 2050 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 2020, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 2020. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art.
  • measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 2010’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 2011 and 2031 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 2050 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.
  • Figure 21 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 21 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 19 and 20.
  • a host computer a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 19 and 20.
  • step 2110 the host computer provides user data.
  • step 2110 the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application.
  • step 2120 the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE.
  • step 2130 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 2140 the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.
  • Figure 22 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Figure 22 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 19 and 20.
  • a host computer a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 19 and 20.
  • step 2210 of the method the host computer provides user data.
  • the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application.
  • step 2220 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 2230 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.
  • Figure 23 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments
  • Figure 23 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 19 and 20.
  • a host computer a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 19 and 20.
  • step 4810 the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 2320, the UE provides user data. In substep 2321 (which may be optional) of step 2320, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 2311 (which may be optional) of step 2310, 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 2330 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 2340 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 24 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments
  • FIG. 24 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 29 and 20. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 24 will be included in this section.
  • the base station receives user data from the UE.
  • the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer.
  • step 2430 (which may be optional)
  • the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.
  • any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual apparatuses.
  • Each virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these functional units.
  • These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal 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 (RAM), 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.
  • the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • 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.
  • 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 FFS For Further Study GERAN
  • GSM EDGE Radio Access Network gNB Base station in NR GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
  • GSM Global System for Mobile communication
  • the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “comprises”, “include”, “including”, “includes”, “have”, “has”, “having”, or variants thereof are open-ended, and include one or more stated features, integers, elements, steps, components or functions but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, elements, steps, components, functions or groups thereof.
  • the common abbreviation “e.g.”, which derives from the Latin phrase “exempli gratia” may be used to introduce or specify a general example or examples of a previously mentioned item, and is not intended to be limiting of such item.
  • the common abbreviation “i.e.”, which derives from the Latin phrase “id est,” may be used to specify a particular item from a more general recitation.
  • Example embodiments are described herein with reference to block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations of computer-implemented methods, apparatus (systems and/or devices) and/or computer program products. It is understood that a block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions that are performed by one or more computer circuits.
  • These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor circuit of a general purpose computer circuit, special purpose computer circuit, and/or other programmable data processing circuit to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer and/or other programmable data processing apparatus, transform and control transistors, values stored in memory locations, and other hardware components within such circuitry to implement the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block or blocks, and thereby create means (functionality) and/or structure for implementing the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block(s).

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Abstract

A method performed by a wireless device includes transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level. The method further includes logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA. The method further includes for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.

Description

METHOD FOR ENHANCING RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL (RACH) REPORT CONTENT
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to communications, and more particularly to communication methods and related devices and nodes supporting wireless communications.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Log and reporting of random access channel (RACH) information in long term evolution (LTE)
[0003] In LTE. the report of RACH information when random access procedure is performed may be requested by the network via the UE Information procedure in radio resource control (RRC) (section 5.6.5 of 3GPP TS 36.331), in the case where a RACH procedure was successful. That procedure is summarized below, as described in RRC LTE specifications (e.g., 3GPP TS 36.331):
[0004] UE Information
[0005] General
[0006] Figure 1, which corresponds to Figure 5.6.5.1-1 of 3GPP TS 36.331, illustrates the UE information procedure to request the UE to report information. The UE information procedure is used by the evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E- UTRAN) to request the UE to report information.
[0007] Initiation
[0008] The E-UTRAN initiates the procedure by sending the UEInformationRequest message. The E-UTRAN should initiate this procedure only after successful security activation.
[0009] Reception of the UEInformationRequest message
[0010] Upon receiving the UEInformationRequest message, the UE shall, only after successful security activation:
1> if rach-ReportReq is set to true, set the contents of the rach-Report in the UEInformationResponse message as follows: 2>set the numberOfPreamblesSent to indicate the number of preambles sent by MAC for the last successfully completed random access procedure;
2>if contention resolution was not successful as specified in TS 36.321 [6] for at least one of the transmitted preambles for the last successfully completed random access procedure:
3> set the contentionDetected to true;
2>else:
3> set the contentionDetected to false;
1> else:
2> submit the UEInformationResponse message to lower layers for transmission via SRB1
[0011] UEInformationRequest
[0012] The UEInformationRequest is the command used by E-UTRAN to retrieve information from the UE.
Signalling radio bearer: SRB1
RLC-SAP: AM
Logical channel: DCCH
Direction: E UTRAN to UE
UEInformationRequest message
- ASN1 START
UEInformationRequest-r9 ::= SEQUENCE { rrc-Transactionldentifier RRC-Transactionldentifier, criticalExtensions CHOICE { cl CHOICE { ueInformationRequest-r9 UEInformationRequest-r9-IEs, spare3 NULL, spare2 NULL, spare 1 NULL }, criticalExtensionsFuture SEQUENCE { }
}
}
UEInformationRequest-r9-IEs ::= SEQUENCE { rach-ReportReq-r9 BOOLEAN, rlf-ReportReq-r9 BOOLEAN, nonCriticalExtension UEInformationRequest-v930-IEs
OPTIONAL } - ASM STOP
Figure imgf000004_0001
[0013] UEInformationResponse [0014] The UEInformationResponse message is used by the UE to transfer the information requested by the E-UTRAN. Signalling radio bearer: SRB1 or SRB2 (when logged measurement information is included) RLC-SAP: AM Logical channel: DCCH Direction: UE to E-UTRAN UEInformationResponse message - ASN1 START
UEInformationResponse-r9 ::= SEQUENCE { rrc-Transactionldentifier RRC-Transactionldentifier, criticalExtensions CHOICE { cl CHOICE { ueInformationResponse-r9 UEInformationResponse-r9-IEs, spare3 NULL, spare2 NULL, spare 1 NULL }, criti calExtensi onsF uture SEQUENCE {} } } UEInformationResponse-r9-IEs ::= SEQUENCE { rach-Report-r9 SEQUENCE { numb erOfPreambl es S ent-r9 NumberOfPreamblesSent-rl 1, contentionDetected-r9 BOOLEAN } OPTIONAL, rlf-Report-r9 RLF-Report- r9 OPTIONAL, nonCriticalExtension
UEInformationResponse-v930-IEs OPTIONAL
NumberOfPreamblesSent-rl l ::= INTEGER (1..200)
- ASN1STOP
[0015] In summary, for each RACH procedure the UE stores the number of preambles sent, which corresponds to the parameter PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER in MAC specifications (3GPP TS 36.321). In random access procedure in LTE, the UE sends a preamble and waits for a random-access response (RAR) during a pre-configured time window (RAR window). If the RAR does not come within that time, the UE shall adjust some preamble transmission parameters (e.g. transmission power) and transmit it again (in what is called power ramping adjustment). If the procedure is successful, at the n-th transmission the preamble will be responded. The number n is what would be provided in the RACH report, so the network knows how many times the UE needed to ramp the power before the procedure was successful.
[0016] The random-access procedure, and specifically the meaning of the PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER is summarized below, as described in the MAC specifications. First, during the initialization, a counter is set of 1. Then, at the first attempt, according to the preamble transmission, the UE shall set the preamble received target power, i.e., the expected power in the RACH receiver at the eNB, to the initial transmission power (parameter provided by the eNB, e.g., via SIB2 in LTE). These values may range from -120dBm to -90dBm, and are provided as part of the Power Ramping Parameters. Note that this may also be a parameter to be optmized later (a too large value may lead to a high RACH success rate, but it coud alo create unnecessary UL interference, problematic especially in high load scenarios).
[0017] The PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER will be in this first attempt the preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower + DELT A PRE AMBLE (offset depending on the preamble format that has been configured by the network in prach-Configlndex, ranging from -3dB to 8 dB).
[0018] Then, if no response is received within the configured RAR time window, another parameter to possibly optimize, PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER is incremented by 1. Then, it is checked if the number of increments has reached its maximum value or not (also a configurable parameter that could be optimized).
[0019] Assuming the UE may still perform preamble re-transmission, power ramping occurs and the new preamble transmission power is incremented by a power ramping step, also a configurable parameter. The transmission power in this second attempt will then be:
[0020] PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER = preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower + DELT A PRE AMBLE + 1* powerRampingStep
[0021] The parameter powerRampingStep may be 0 dB, 2 dB, 4 dB or 6 dB. Power ramping parameters as broadcasted in SIB2 as shown below.
PowerRampingParameters ::= SEQUENCE { powerRampingStep ENUMERATED {dBO, dB2,dB4, dB6}, preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower ENUMERATED { dBm-
120, dBm- 118, dBm- 116, dBm- 114, dBm- 112, dBm-
110, dBm- 108, dBm- 106, dBm- 104, dBm- 102, dBm-
100, dBm-98, dBm-96, dBm-94, dBm-
92, dBm-90}
}
[0022] At the (N+l)-th attempt:
[0023] PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER = preamblelnitialReceivedTargetPower + DELT A PRE AMBLE + N* powerRampingStep
[0024] That preamble power ramping procedure, in case of multiple preamble transmission attempts, is shown below as described in the MAC specifications (TS 36.321):
[0025] The Random Access procedure shall be performed as follows:
Flush the Msg3 buffer; set the PREAMBLE TRANSMIS SION COUNTER to 1 ; set the backoff parameter value to 0 ms; for the RN, suspend any RN subframe configuration; proceed to the selection of the Random Access Resource (see subclause 5.1.2).
[0026] RACH configuration in NR
[0027] As in LTE, random access procedure is described in the NR MAC specifications and parameters are configured by RRC e.g. in system information or handover (RRCReconfiguration with reconfigurationWithSync). Random access is triggered in many different scenarios, for example, when the UE is in RRC IDLE or RRC INACTIVE and want to access a cell that is camping on (i.e. transition to RRC CONNECTED).
[0028] In NR, RACH configuration is broadcasted in SIB1, as part of the servingCellConfigCommon (with both DL and UL configurations), where the RACH configuration is within the uplinkConfigCommon. The exact RACH parameters are within what is called initialUplinkBWP, since this is the part of the UL frequency the UE shall access and search for RACH resources. [0029] Below, the RACH configuration is double underlined, focusing primarily on parameters related to the preamble power ramping functionality, i.e., power ramping step and initial power ramping, as shown for LTE previously.
RACH-ConfigGeneric information element
- ASN1 START
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGGENERIC-START
RACH-ConfigGeneric ::= SEQUENCE { prach-Configurationlndex INTEGER (0..255), msgl-FDM ENUMERATED {one, two, four, eight}, msgl-FrequencyStart INTEGER (0.,maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-l), zeroCorrelationZoneConfig INTEGER(0..15), preambleReceivedTargetPower INTEGER (-202..-60), preambleTransMax ENUMERATED {n3, n4, n5, n6, n7, n8, nlO, n20, n50, nlOO, n200}, powerRampingStep ENUMERATED {dBO, dB2, dB4, dB6}, ra-ResponseWindow ENUMERATED {sll, sl2, sl4, sl8, sllO, sl20, sl40, sl80},
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGGENERIC-STOP
- ASN1STOP
Figure imgf000008_0001
Figure imgf000009_0001
RACH-ConfigCommon information element
- ASN1 START
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGCOMMON-START
RACH-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE { rach-ConfigGeneric RACH-ConfigGeneric, totalNumberOfRA-Preambles INTEGER (1..63) OPTIONAL, - Need S ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB CHOICE 1 oneEighth ENUMERATED ln4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. oneFourth ENUMERATED ln4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. oneHalf ENUMERATED ln4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. one ENUMERATED ln4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. two ENUMERATED ln4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32} four INTEGER (11 .16) eight INTEGER ( 1.8), sixteen INTEGER ( 1..4)
} OPTIONAL, - Need
M groupBconfigured SEQUENCE { ra-Msg3 SizeGroup A ENUMERATED {b56, bl44, b208, b256, b282, b480, b640, b800, blOOO, b72, spare6, spared, spared, spare3, spare2, sparel }, messagePowerOffsetGroupB ENUMERATED { minusinfinity, dBO, dB5, dB8, dB10, dB12, dB15, dB18}, numberOfRA-PreamblesGroup A INTEGER ( 1..64)
} OPTIONAL, - Need
R ra-ContentionResolutionTimer ENUMERATED { sf8, sf16, sf24, sf32, sf40, sf48, sf56, sf64}, rsrp-ThresholdSSB RSRP -Range OPTIONAL, — Need R rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL RSRP -Range
OPTIONAL, - Cond SUL prach-RootSequencelndex CHOICE {
1839 INTEGER (0 .837),
1139 INTEGER (0 .137)
}, msgl-SubcarrierSpacing SubcarrierSpacing
OPTIONAL, — Cond L139 restrictedSetConfig ENUMERATED {unrestrictedSet, restrictedSetTypeA, restrictedSetTypeB}, msg3-transformPrecoder ENUMERATED {enabled} OPTIONAL, - Need R
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGCOMMON-STOP
- ASN1STOP
Figure imgf000010_0001
Figure imgf000011_0001
Figure imgf000012_0001
[0030] NR random access procedure (preamble power ramping)
[0031] In LTE, the RACH report to assist the network to perform RACH optimization, contains the number of preamble transmissions until the procedure succeeds. What has happened at the UE between the first transmission and the last transmission until the procedure was considered successful is that the UE applied power ramping with a configured step and transmitted the preamble once more.
[0032] As in LTE, a similar counter PREAMBLE TRANSMIS SION COUNTER that assists the UE to perform power ramping, sort of RACH state variable, also exists in NR. And, as in LTE, during initialization, that counter is set to 1, so that the initial transmission power for the selected preamble is PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER = preambleReceivedTargetPower + DELTA PREAMBLE. This is just like in LTE, where in the first attempt the transmission power is just the initial transmission power configured by the network + a specified offset which depends on the selected preamble.
[0033] Also as in LTE, if no response is received within the configured RAR time window, PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER is incremented by 1. Then, it is chekced if the number of increments has reached its maximum value or not (also a configurable parameter that could be optimized).
[0034] Differences in power ramping in NR and LTE
[0035] In NR, random access resource selection needs to be performed within a cell depending on measurements performed on SSBs (synchronization signal blocks) or CSI-RSs. A cell in NR is basically defined by a set of these SSBs that may be transmitted in 1 (typical implementation for lower frequencies e.g. below 6GHz) or multiple downlink beams (typical implementation for lower frequencies e.g. below 6GHz). For the same cell, these SSBs carry the same physical cell identifier (PCI) and a MIB. For standalone operation, i.e., to support UEs camping on an NR cell, they also carry in SIB1 the RACH configuration, which comprises a mapping between the detected SSB covering the UE at a given point in time and the PRACH configuration (e.g. time, frequency, preamble, etc.) to be used. For that, each of these beams may transmit its own SSB which may be distinguished by an SSB index as illustrated in Figure 2.
[0036] The mapping between RACH resources and SSBs (or CSI-RS) is also provided as part of the RACH configuration (in RACH-ConfigCommon). Two parameters are relevant here: #SSBs-per-PRACH-occasion: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 8 or 16, which represents the number of SSBs per RACH occasion;
#CB-preambles-per-SSB preambles to each SS-block: within a RACH occasion, how many preambles are allocated;
[0037] For example, if the number of SSBs per RACH occasion is 1, and if the UE is under the coverage of a specific SSB e.g. SSB index 2, there will be a RACH occasion for that SSB index 2. If the UE moves and is now under the coverage of another specific SSB e.g. SSB index 5, there will be another RACH occasion for that SSB index 5 i.e. each SSB detected by a given UE would have its own RACH occasion as illustrated in Figure 3. Hence, at the network side, upon detecting a preamble in a particular RACH occasion, the network knows exactly which SSB the UE has selected and, consequently, which downlink beam is covering the UE, so that the network can continue the downlink transmission e.g. RAR, etc. This indicates that each SSB has its own RACH resource, i.e., a preamble detected there indicates to the network which SSB the UE has selection i.e. which DL beam the network should use to communicate with the UE, such as the one to send the RAR.
[0038] Note that each SS-block typically maps to multiple preambles (different cyclic shifts and Zadoff-Chu roots) within a PRACH occasion, so that it is possible to multiplex different UEs in the same RACH occasions since they may be under the coverage of the same SSB. In a second example, shown in Figure 4, the number of SSBs per RACH occasion is 2. Hence, a preamble received in that RACH occasion indicated to the network that one of the two beams are being selected by the UE. So either the network has means via implementation to distinguish these two beams and/or should perform a beam sweeping in the downlink by transmitting the RAR in both beams, either simultaneously or, transmitting in one, waiting for a response from the UE, and if absent, transmit in the other.
[0039] Assuming that in the first attempt, the UE has selected an SSB (based on measurements performed in that cell), it has transmitted with initial power a selected preamble associated to the PRACH resource mapped to the selected SSB, and it has not received a RAR within the RAR time window. According to the specifications, the UE may still perform preamble re-transmission (i.e. the maximum number of allowed transmissions not reached).
[0040] As in LTE, at every preamble retransmission attempt, the UE may assume the same SSB as the previous attempt and perform power ramping similar to LTE. A maximum number of attempts is also defined in NR, which is also controlled by the parameter PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER.
[0041] On the other hand, and different from LTE, at every preamble retransmission attempt, the UE may alternatively select a different SSB, as long as that new SSB has an acceptable quality (i.e. its measurements are above a configurable threshold). In this case, when a new SSB (or, in more general term, a new beam) is selected, the UE does not perform power ramping, but transmits the preamble with the same previously transmitted power (i.e. UE shall not re-initiate the power to the initial power transmission). This is illustrated in Figure 5.
[0042] For this reason, a variable is defined in the NR MAC specifications (TS 38.321) called PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER, in case the same beam is selected at a retransmission. At the same time, the previous LTE variable still exists (PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER), so that the total number of attempts is still limited, regardless if the UE performs at each attempt SSB/beam re-selection or power ramping.
[0043] Hence, if the initial preamble transmission, e.g. associated to SSB-2, does not succeed, and the UE selects the same SSB/beam, PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER is incremented (i.e. set to 2 in this second attempt) and the transmission power will be:
PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER = preambleReceivedTargetPower +
DELTA PREAMBLE + 1 *PREAMBLE_POWER_RAMPING_STEP;
[0044] Else, if instead the UE selects a different SSB/beam, the
PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER is not incremented (i.e. remains 1) and the transmission power will be as in the first transmission:
PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER = preambleReceivedTargetPower +
DELTA PREAMBLE
[0045] The preamble power ramping procedure, in case of multiple preamble transmission attempts, is reproduced below and is described in the MAC specifications (3GPP TS 38.321).
[0046] When the Random Access procedure is initiated on a Serving Cell, the MAC entity shall:
1> flush the Msg3 buffer;
1 > set the PREAMBLE TRANSMIS SION COUNTER to 1 ; 1 > set the PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER to 1 ;
1> set PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING STEP to powerRampingStep;
1 > set SCALING F ACTOR BI to 1 ;
1> if the Random Access procedure was initiated for beam failure recovery (as specified in subclause 5.17); and
1> if beamFailureRecoveryConfig is configured for the active UL BWP of the selected carrier:
2> start the beamFailureRecoveryTimer, if configured;
2> apply the parameters powerRampingStep, preambleReceivedTargetPower, and preambleTransMax configured in the beamFailureRecoveryConfig;
2> if powerRampingStepHighPriority is configured in the beamFailureRecoveryConfig:
3> set PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING STEP to the powerRampingStepHighPriority.
2> else:
3> set PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING STEP to powerRampingStep.
2> if scalingFactorBI is configured in the beamFailureRecoveryConfig:
3> set SCALING FACTOR BI to the scalingFactorBI.
1> else if the Random Access procedure was initiated for handover; and
1> if rach-ConfigDedicated is configured for the selected carrier:
2> if powerRampingStepHighPriority is configured in the rach-
ConfigDedicated:
3>set PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING STEP to the powerRampingStepHighPriority.
2> if scalingFactorBI is configured in the rach-ConfigDedicated:
3> set SCALING FACTOR BI to the scalingFactorBI.
1> perform the Random Access Resource selection procedure (see subclause 5.1.2). [0047] Random Access Resource selection
[0048] The MAC entity shall:
1> if the Random Access procedure was initiated for beam failure recovery (as specified in subclause 5.17); and
1> if the beamFailureRecoveryTimer (in subclause 5.17) is either running or not configured; and
1> if the contention-free Random Access Resources for beam failure recovery request associated with any of the SSBs and/or CSI-RSs have been explicitly provided by RRC; and
1> if at least one of the SSBs with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB amongst the SSBs in candidateBeamRSList or the CSI-RSs with CSI-RSRP above rsrp- ThresholdCSI-RS amongst the CSI-RSs in candidateBeamRSList is available:
2> select an SSB with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB amongst the SSBs in candidateBeamRSList or a CSLRS with CSI-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdCSLRS amongst the CSI-RSs in candidateBeamRSList;
2> if CSLRS is selected, and there is no ra-Preamblelndex associated with the selected CSI-RS:
3>set the PREAMBLE INDEX to a ra-Preamblelndex corresponding to the SSB in candidateBeamRSList which is quasi-colocated with the selected CSLRS as specified in TS 38.214 [7],
2> else:
3>set the PREAMBLE INDEX to a ra-Preamblelndex corresponding to the selected SSB or CSI-RS from the set of Random Access Preambles for beam failure recovery request.
1> else if the ra-Preamblelndex has been explicitly provided by PDCCH; and
1> if the ra-Preamblelndex is not ObOOOOOO:
2> set the PREAMBLE INDEX to the signalled ra-Preamblelndex;
2> select the SSB signalled by PDCCH.
1> else if the contention-free Random Access Resources associated with SSBs have been explicitly provided in rach-ConfigDedicated and at least one SSB with SS- RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB amongst the associated SSBs is available: 2> select an SSB with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB amongst the associated SSBs;
2> set the PREAMBLE INDEX to a ra-Preamblelndex corresponding to the selected SSB.
1> else if the contention-free Random Access Resources associated with CSL RSs have been explicitly provided in rach-ConfigDedicated and at least one CSLRS with CSI-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdCSI-RS amongst the associated CSLRSs is available:
2> select a CSI-RS with CSLRSRP above rsrp-ThresholdCSI-RS amongst the associated CSI-RSs;
2> set the PREAMBLE INDEX to a ra-Preamblelndex corresponding to the selected CSI-RS.
1> else if the Random Access procedure was initiated for SI request (as specified in TS 38.331 [5]); and
1> if the Random Access Resources for SI request have been explicitly provided by RRC:
2> if at least one of the SSBs with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB is available:
3> select an SSB with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB.
2> else:
3> select any SSB.
2> select a Random Access Preamble corresponding to the selected SSB, from the Random Access Preamble(s) determined according to ra-PreambleStartlndex as specified in TS 38.331 [5];
2> set the PREAMBLE INDEX to selected Random Access Preamble.
1> else (i.e. for the contention-based Random Access preamble selection):
2> if at least one of the SSBs with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB is available:
3>select an SSB with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdSSB.
2> else:
3 > select any SSB.
[0049] Random Access Preamble transmission [0050] The MAC entity shall, for each Random Access Preamble:
1> if PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER is greater than one; and
1> if the notification of suspending power ramping counter has not been received from lower layers; and
1> if SSB or CSI-RS selected is not changed from the selection in the last Random Access Preamble transmission:
2> increment PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER by 1.
1> select the value of DELTA PREAMBLE according to subclause 7.3;
1 > set PREAMBLE RECEIVED T ARGET PO WER to preambleReceivedTargetPower + DELTA PREAMBLE + (PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER - 1) x PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING STEP;
1> except for contention-free Random Access Preamble for beam failure recovery request, compute the RA-RNTI associated with the PRACH occasion in which the Random Access Preamble is transmitted;
1> instruct the physical layer to transmit the Random Access Preamble using the selected PRACH occasion, corresponding RA-RNTI (if available), PREAMBLE INDEX and PREAMBLE RECEIVED TARGET POWER
[0051] The RA-RNTI associated with the PRACH occasion in which the Random Access Preamble is transmitted, is computed as:
RA-RNTI= 1 + s_id + 14 x t_id + 14 x 80 x f_id + 14 x 80 x 8 x ul_carrier_id where s_id is the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH occasion (0 < s_id < 14), t_id is the index of the first slot of the PRACH occasion in a system frame (0 < t_id < 80), f id is the index of the PRACH occasion in the frequency domain (0 < f id < 8), and ul carrier id is the UL carrier used for Random Access Preamble transmission (0 for NUL carrier, and 1 for SUL carrier).
[0052] Random Access Response reception
[0053] Once the Random Access Preamble is transmitted and regardless of the possible occurrence of a measurement gap, the MAC entity shall:
1> if the contention-free Random Access Preamble for beam failure recovery request was transmitted by the MAC entity: 2> start the ra-ResponseWindow configured in BeamFailureRecoveryConfig at the first PDCCH occasion as specified in TS 38.213 [6] from the end of the Random Access Preamble transmission;
2> monitor for a PDCCH transmission on the search space indicated by recoverySearchSpaceld of the SpCell identified by the C-RNTI while ra- ResponseWindow is running.
1> else:
2> start the ra-ResponseWindow configured in RACH-ConfigCommon at the first PDCCH occasion as specified in TS 38.213 [6] from the end of the Random Access Preamble transmission;
2> monitor the PDCCH of the SpCell for Random Access Response(s) identified by the RA-RNTI while the ra-ResponseWindow is running.
1> if notification of a reception of a PDCCH transmission on the search space indicated by recoverySearchSpaceld is received from lower layers on the Serving Cell where the preamble was transmitted; and
1> if PDCCH transmission is addressed to the C-RNTI; and
1> if the contention-free Random Access Preamble for beam failure recovery request was transmitted by the MAC entity:
2> consider the Random Access procedure successfully completed.
1> else if a downlink assignment has been received on the PDCCH for the RA- RNTI and the received TB is successfully decoded:
2> if the Random Access Response contains a MAC subPDU with Backoff Indicator:
3> set the PREAMBLE BACKOFF to value of the BI field of the MAC subPDU using Table 7.2-1, multiplied with SCALING FACTOR BL
2> else:
3> set the PREAMBLE BACKOFF to 0 ms.
2> if the Random Access Response contains a MAC subPDU with Random Access Preamble identifier corresponding to the transmitted
PREAMBLE INDEX (see subclause 5.1.3): 3> consider this Random Access Response reception successful. > if the Random Access Response reception is considered successful:
3> if the Random Access Response includes a MAC subPDU with RAPID only:
4> consider this Random Access procedure successfully completed;
4> indicate the reception of an acknowledgement for SI request to upper layers.
3> else:
4> apply the following actions for the Serving Cell where the Random Access Preamble was transmitted:
5> process the received Timing Advance Command (see subclause 5.2);
5> indicate the preambleReceivedTargetPower and the amount of power ramping applied to the latest Random Access Preamble transmission to lower layers (i.e.
(PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING COUNTER - 1) x PREAMBLE POWER RAMPING STEP);
5> if the Serving Cell for the Random Access procedure is SRS-only SCell:
6> ignore the received UL grant.
5> else:
6> process the received UL grant value and indicate it to the lower layers.
4> if the Random Access Preamble was not selected by the MAC entity among the contention-based Random Access Preamble(s):
5> consider the Random Access procedure successfully completed.
4> else: 5> set the TEMPORARY C-RNTI to the value received in the Random Access Response;
5> if this is the first successfully received Random Access Response within this Random Access procedure:
6> if the transmission is not being made for the CCCH logical channel:
7> indicate to the Multiplexing and assembly entity to include a C-RNTI MAC CE in the subsequent uplink transmission.
6> obtain the MAC PDU to transmit from the Multiplexing and assembly entity and store it in the Msg3 buffer.
NOTE: If within a Random Access procedure, an uplink grant provided in the
Random Access Response for the same group of contention-based Random Access Preambles has a different size than the first uplink grant allocated during that Random Access procedure, the UE behavior is not defined.
1> if ra-ResponseWindow configured in BeamFailureRecoveryConfig expires and if a PDCCH transmission on the search space indicated by recoverySearchSpaceld addressed to the C-RNTI has not been received on the Serving Cell where the preamble was transmitted; or
2> consider the Random Access Response reception not successful;
2> increment PREAMBLE TRANSMIS SION COUNTER by 1 ;
2> if PREAMBLE TRANSMISSION COUNTER = preambleTransMax + 1 :
3> if the Random Access Preamble is transmitted on the SpCell: 4> indicate a Random Access problem to upper layers; 4> if this Random Access procedure was triggered for SI request:
5> consider the Random Access procedure unsuccessfully completed.
3> else if the Random Access Preamble is transmitted on a SCell: 4> consider the Random Access procedure unsuccessfully completed.
2> if the Random Access procedure is not completed:
3> select a random backoff time according to a uniform distribution between 0 and the PREAMBLE BACKOFF;
3> if the criteria (as defined in subclause 5.1.2) to select contention- free Random Access Resources is met during the backoff time:
4> perform the Random Access Resource selection procedure (see subclause 5.1.2);
3> else:
4> perform the Random Access Resource selection procedure (see subclause 5.1.2) after the backoff time.
[0054] The MAC entity may stop ra-ResponseWindow (and hence monitoring for Random Access Response(s)) after successful reception of a Random Access Response containing Random Access Preamble identifiers that matches the transmitted PREAMBLE INDEX. HARQ operation is not applicable to the Random Access Response reception.
[0055] RACH Optimization in NR
[0056] UE Information
[0057] General
[0058] Figure 6, which corresponds to Figure 5.7.10.1-1 of 3GPP TS 38.331, illustrates the UE information procedure to request the UE to report information. The UE information procedure is used by the network to request the UE to report information.
[0059] Initiation
[0060] The network initiates the procedure by sending the UEInformationRequest message. The network should initiate this procedure only after successful security activation.
[0061] Reception of the UEInformationRequest message
[0062] Upon receiving the UEInformationRequest message, the UE shall, only after successful security activation: 1> if the idleModeMeasurementReq is included in the UEInformationRequest and the
UE has stored VarMeasIdleReport that contains measurement information concerning cells other than the PCell:
2> set the measResultldleEUTRA in the UEInformationResponse message to the value of measReportldleEUTRA in the VarMeasIdleReportEUTRA, if available;
2> set the measResultldleNR in the UEInformationResponse message to the value of measReportldleNR in the VarMeasIdleReport, if available;
2> discard the VarMeasIdleReport upon successful delivery of the UEInformationResponse message confirmed by lower layers;
1> if the logMeasReportReq is present and if the RPLMN is included in plmn- IdentityList stored in VarLogMeasReport.
2> if VarLogMeasReport includes one or more logged measurement entries, set the contents of the logMeasReport in the UEInformationResponse message as follows:
3> include the absoluteTime Stamp and set it to the value of absoluteTimelnfo in the VarLogMeasReport,
3> include the traceReference and set it to the value of traceReference in the VarLogMeasReport,
3> include the traceRecordingSessionRef and set it to the value of traceRecordingSessionRef in the VarLogMeasReport;
3> include the tce-Id and set it to the value of tce-Id in the VarLogMeasReport,
3> include the logMeasInfoList and set it to include one or more entries from VarLogMeasReport starting from the entries logged first;
3> if the VarLogMeasReport includes one or more additional logged measurement entries that are not included in the logMeasInfoList within the UEInformationResponse message:
4> include the logMeasAvailable,' 3> if the VarLogMeasReport includes one or more additional logged
Bluetooth measurement entries that are not included in the logMeasInfoList within the UEInformationResponse message:
4> include the logMeasAvailableBT;
3> if the VarLogMeasReport includes one or more additional logged WLAN measurement entries that are not included in the logMeasInfoList within the UEInformationResponse message:
4> include the logMeasAvailableWLAN;
1> if ra-ReportReq is set to true and the UE has random access related information available in VarRA-Report and if the RPLMN is included in plmn-IdentityList stored in VarRA-Report'.
2> set the ra-Report in the UEInformationResponse message to the value of ra-Report in VarRA-Report;
2> discard the ra-Report from VarRA-Report upon successful delivery of the UEInformationResponse message confirmed by lower layers;
1> if rlf-ReportReq is set to true'.
2> if the UE has radio link failure information or handover failure information available in VarRLF-Report and if the RPLMN is included in plmn- IdentityList stored in VarRLF-Report'.
3> set timeSinceFailure in VarRLF-Report to the time that elapsed since the last radio link or handover failure in NR;
3> set the rlf-Report in the UEInformationResponse message to the value of rlf-Report in VarRLF-Report;
3> discard the rlf-Report from VarRLF-Report upon successful delivery of the UEInformationResponse message confirmed by lower layers;
2> else if the UE has radio link failure information or handover failure information available in VarRLF-Report of TS 36.331 [10] and if the RPLMN is included in plmn-IdentityList stored in VarRLF-Report of TS 36.331 [10]:
3> set timeSinceFailure in VarRLF-Report of TS 36.331 [10] to the time that elapsed since the last radio link or handover failure in EUTRA; 3> set the measResult-RLF-Report-EUTRA in the rlf-Report in the UEInformationResponse message to the value of rlf-Report in VarRLF- Report of TS 36.331 [10];
3> discard the rlf-Report from VarRLF-Report of TS 36.331 [10] upon successful delivery of the UEInformationResponse message confirmed by lower layers;
1> if connEstFailReportReq is set to true and the UE has connection establishment failure or connection resume failure information in VarConnEstFailReport and if the RPLMN is equal to plmn-Identity stored in VarConnEstFailReport.
2> set timeSinceFailure in VarConnEstFailReport to the time that elapsed since the last connection establishment failure or connection resume failure in NR;
2> set the connEstFailReport in the UEInformationResponse message to the value of connEstFailReport in VarConnEstFailReport;
2> discard the connEstFailReport from VarConnEstFailReport upon successful delivery of the UEInformationResponse message confirmed by lower layers;
1> if the mobility Hi story ReportReq is set to true:
2> include the mobilityHistoryReport and set it to include entries from VarMobilityH istoryReport:
2> include in the mobilityHistoryReport an entry for the current cell, possibly after removing the oldest entry if required, and set its fields as follows:
3> set visitedCellld to the global cell identity of the current cell:
3> set field timeSpent to the time spent in the current cell;
1> if the logMeasReport is included in the UEInformationResponse:
2> submit the UEInformationResponse message to lower layers for transmission via SRB2;
2> discard the logged measurement entries included in the logMeasInfoList from Var LogMeasReport upon successful delivery of the UEInformationResponse message confirmed by lower layers;
1> else: 2> submit the UEInformationResponse message to lower layers for transmission via SRB1.
[0063] Actions upon successful completion of random-access procedure
[0064] Upon successfully performing 4 step random access procedure, the UE shall: 1> if the number of RA-Report stored in the RA-ReportList is less than 8 and if the number of PLMN entries in plmn-IdentityList stored in VarRA-Report is less than maxPLMN, then append the following contents associated to the successfully completed random-access procedure as a new entry in the VarRA-Report'.
2> if the list of EPLMNs has been stored by the UE:
3>if the RPLMN is included in plmn-IdentityList stored in VarRA-Report'.
4> set the plmn-IdentityList to include the list of EPLMNs stored by the UE (i.e. includes the RPLMN) without exceeding the limit of maxPLMN,'
3>else:
4> clear the information included in VarRA-Report,'
4> set the plmn-IdentityList to the list of EPLMNs stored by the UE (i.e. includes the RPLMN);
2> else:
3>set the plmn-Identity, in plmn-IdentityList, to the PLMN selected by upper layers from the PLMN(s) included in the plmn-IdentityList in SIB1;
2> set the cel I Id to the global cell identity and the tracking area code of the cell in which the random-access procedure was performed;
2> set the raPurpose to include the purpose of triggering the random-access procedure;
2> set the ra-InformationCommon-rl6 as specified in subclause 5.7.10.5.
[0065] The UE may discard the random access report information, i.e. release the UE variable VarRA-Report, 48 hours after the last successful random access procedure related information is added to the VarRA-Report.
[0066] RA information determination for RA report and RLF report
[0067] The UE shall set the content in ra-InformationCommon-rl6 as follows: 1> set the absoluteFrequencyPointA to indicate the absolute frequency of the reference resource block associated to the random-access resources used in the random- access procedure;
1> set the locationAndBandwidth and subcarrierSpacing associated to the UL BWP of the random-access resources used in the random-access procedure;
1> set the msg 1 -Frequency Start, msgl-FDM and msg 1 -SubcarrierSpacing associated to the contention based random-access resources used in the random-access procedure;
1> set the msgl-FrequencyStartCFRA, msgl-FDMCFRA and msgl- SubcarrierSpacingCFRA associated to the contention free random-access resources used in the random-access procedure;
1> set the parameters associated to individual random-access attempt in the chronological order of attempts in the perRAInfoList as follows:
2> if the random-access resource used is associated to a SS/PBCH block, set the associated random-access parameters for the successive random-access attempts associated to the same SS/PBCH block for one or more random-access attempts as follows:
3> set the ssb-Index to include the SS/PBCH block index associated to the used random-access resource;
3> set the numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the SS/PBCH block;
3> for each random-access attempt performed on the random-access resource, include the following parameters in the chronological order of the random-access attempt:
4> if the random-access attempt is performed on the contention based random-access resource and if raPurpose is not equal to 'requestForOtherSf, include contentionDetected as follows:
5> if contention resolution was not successful as specified in TS 38.321 for the transmitted preamble:
6> set the contentionDetected to true;
5> else: 6> set the contentionDetected to false;
4> if the random-access attempt is performed on the contention based random-access resource; or
4> if the random-access attempt is performed on the contention free random-access resource and if the random-access procedure was initiated due to the PDCCH ordering:
5> if the SS/PBCH block RSRP of the SS/PBCH block corresponding to the random-access resource used in the random-access attempt is above rsrp-ThresholdSSB'.
6> set the dlRSRP AboveThreshold to true;
5> else:
6> set the dlRSRP AboveThreshold to false;
2> else if the random-access resource used is associated to a CSI-RS, set the associated random-access parameters for the successive random-access attempts associated to the same CSI-RS for one or more random-access attempts as follows:
3> set the csi-RS-Index to include the CSI-RS index associated to the used random-access resource;
3> set the numberOjPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the CSI-RS.
NOTE 1 : The UE does not log the RA information in the RA report if the triggering event of the random access is consistent UL LBT on SpCell as specified in TS 38.321 [0068] UEInformationResponse
[0069] The UEInformationResponse message is used by the UE to transfer information requested by the network.
Signalling radio bearer: SRB1 or SRB2 (when logged measurement information is included)
RLC-SAP: AM
Logical channel: DCCH
Direction: UE to network
UEInformationResponse message - ASN1 START
- TAG-UEINFORMATIONRESPONSE-START
UEInformationResponse-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE { rrc-Transactionldentifier , criticalExtensions CHOICE { uelnformationResponse-r 16 UEInformationResponse-r 16-IEs, criticalExtensionsFuture SEQUENCE {}
}
}
UEInformationResponse-rl 6-IEs ::= SEQUENCE { measResultldleEUTRA-r 16 MeasResultldleEUTRA-r 16 OPTIONAL, measResultldleNR-r 16 MeasResultldleNR-r 16 OPTIONAL, logMeasReport-r 16 LogMeasReport-r 16 OPTIONAL, connEstF ailReport-r 16 C onnEstF ailReport-r 16 OPTIONAL, ra-ReportList-rl6 RA-ReportLi st-r 16 OPTIONAL, rlf-Report-rl6 RLF-Report-rl6 OPTIONAL, mobility HistoryReport-r 16 MobilityHistoryReport-rl6 OPTIONAL, lateNonCriticalExtension OCTET STRING OPTIONAL, nonCriti calExtensi on SEQUENCE {} OPTIONAL
LogMeasReport-r 16 ::= SEQUENCE { absoluteTimeStamp-rl6 Ab soluteTimelnfo-r 16, traceReference-r 16 TraceReference-r 16, traceRecordingSessionRef-r!6 OCTET STRING (SIZE (2)), tce-Id-rl6 OCTET STRING (SIZE (1)),
1 ogMeasInfoLi st-r 16 LogMeasInfoLi st-r 16, logMeasAvailable-rl6 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL, logMeasAvailableBT-rl6 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL, logMeasAvailableWLAN-r!6 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL,
LogMeasInfoList-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (L.maxLogMeasReport-rl6)) OF
LogMeasInfo-r 16
LogMeasInfo-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE { locationlnfo-rl6 Locationlnfo-rl6 OPTIONAL, relativeTimeStamp-r 16 INTEGER (0..7200), servCellldentity-r 16 CGI-Info-Logging-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultServingCell-rl6 MeasResultServingCell-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCells-rl6 SEQUENCE { measResultNeighCellListNR MeasResultListLogging2NR-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCellListEUTRA MeasResultList2EUTRA-rl6 OPTIONAL anyCellSelectionDetected-r!6 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL
ConnEstFailReport-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE { measResultFailedCell-rl6 MeasResultFailedCell-rl6, locationlnfo-rl6 Locationlnfo-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCell s-r 16 SEQUENCE { measResultNeighCellListNR MeasResultList2NR-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultNeighCellListEUTRA MeasResultList2EUTRA-rl6 OPTIONAL numberOfConnF ail-r 16 INTEGER (L .8), perRAInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAInfoLi st-rl 6, timeSinceFailure-rl6 TimeSinceFailure-rl6,
MeasResultServingCell-r 16 SEQUENCE { resultsSSB-Cell MeasQuantityResults, results S SB SEQUENCE} best-ssb-Index S SB -Index, best-ssb-Results MeasQuantityResults, numb erOfGood S SB INTEGER (L.maxNrofSSBs-rl6) } OPTIONAL
}
MeasResultFailedCell-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE { cgi-Info CGI-Info-Logging-rl6, measResult-rl6 SEQUENCE { cellResults-rl6 SEQUENCE{ results S SB-Cell-r 16 MeasQuantityResults
}, rsIndexResults-rl6 SEQUENCE} results S SB -Indexes-r 16 ResultsPerS SB-IndexLi st
}
}
}
RA-ReportList-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (L.maxRAReport-rl6)) OF RA-Report-rl6
RA-Report-r 16 : := SEQUENCE { cellld-rl6 CGI-Info-Logging-rl6, ra-InformationCommon-rl6 RA-InformationCommon-rl6, raPurpose-rl6 ENUMERATED {accessRelated, beamFailureRecovery, reconfigurati onW ith Sy nc, ulUn Sy nchronized, schedulingRequestFailure, noPUCCHResourceAvailable, requestForOtherSI, spare9, spare8, spare7, spare6, spare5, spare4, spare3, spare2, sparel }
}
RA-InformationCommon-rl6 : := SEQUENCE { absoluteFrequencyPointA-r 16 ARFCN-ValueNR, 1 ocati on AndB andwi dth-r 16 INTEGER (0..37949), subcarrierSpacing-r 16 SubcarrierSpacing, m sg 1 -F requency Start-r 16 INTEGER (0.. maxN rofPhy si calResourceB 1 ocks- 1 )
OPTIONAL, m sg 1 -F requency StartCFRA-r 16 INTEGER (0..maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-1) OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacing-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacingCFRA-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-FDM-rl6 ENUMERATED {one, two, four, eight} OPTIONAL, msgl-FDMCFRA-rl6 ENUMERATED {one, two, four, eight}
OPTIONAL, perRAInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAInfoLi st-r 16
PerRAInfoLi st-r 16 : := SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAInfo-rl6
PerRAInfo-r 16 : := CHOICE { perRAS SBInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAS SBInfo-r 16, perRACSI-RSInfoList-rl6 PerRAC SI-RSInfo-r 16
}
PerRAS SBInfo-r 16 : := SEQUENCE { ssb-Index-rl6 SSB-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB-rl6 INTEGER (1..200), perRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16 PerRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16
}
PerRACSI-RSInfo-rl 6 : := SEQUENCE { csi-RS-Index-rl6 CSI-RS-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS-rl6 INTEGER (1..200) }
PerRAAttemptInfoList-rl6 : := SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAAttemptInfo-rl6
PerRAAttemptlnfo-r 16 : := SEQUENCE { contend onDetected-r 16 BOOLEAN OPTIONAL, dlRSRPAboveThreshold-rl6 BOOLEAN OPTIONAL, RLF-Report-rl6 ::= CHOICE { nr-RLF -Report-r 16 SEQUENCE { measResultLastServCell-rl6 MeasResultRLFNR-r 16, measResultNeighCells-rl6 SEQUENCE { measResultLi stNR-r 16 MeasResultList2NR-rl6 OPTIONAL, measResultListEUTRA-rl 6 MeasResultLi st2EUTRA-r 16 OPTIONAL
} OPTIONAL, c-RNTI-rl6 RNTI-Value, previousPCellld-r 16 CHOICE { nrPreviousCell-r 16 CGLInfo-Logging-r 16, eutraPreviousCell-r 16 CGLInfoEUTRALogging
} OPTIONAL, failedPCellId-rl6 CHOICE { nrFailedPCellId-rl6 CHOICE { cellGlobalId-rl6 CGLInfo-Logging-r 16, pci-arfcn-rl6 SEQUENCE { physCellId-rl6 PhysCellld, carrierFreq-rl6 ARFCN-ValueNR }
}, eutraFailedPCellId-rl6 CHOICE { cellGlobalId-rl6 CGLInfoEUTRALogging, pci-arfcn-rl6 SEQUENCE { physCellId-rl6 EUTRA-PhysCellld, carrierFreq-rl6 ARFCN-ValueEUTRA }
}
}, reconnectCellld-rl 6 CHOICE { nrReconnectCellld-rl 6 CGI-Info-Logging-r 16, eutraReconnectCellld-r 16 CGLInfoEUTRALogging } OPTIONAL timeUntilReconnection- 16 TimeUntilReconnection- 16 OPTIONAL, reestablishmentCellId-rl6 CGLInfo-Logging-r 16 OPTIONAL, timeConnFailure-rl6 INTEGER (0 .1023) OPTIONAL, timeSinceFailure-rl6 TimeSinceFailure-rl6, connectionF ailureTy pe-r 16 ENUMERATED {rlf, hof}, rlf-Cause-rl6 ENUMERATED {t310-Expiry, random AccessProblem, rlc-
MaxNumRetx, beamFailureRecoveryFailure, lbtFailure-rl6, bh-rlfRecoveryFailure, spare2, spare 1 }, locationlnfo-r!6 Locationlnfo-rl6 OPTIONAL, noSuitableCellFound-rl6 ENUMERATED {true}
OPTIONAL, ra-InformationCommon-r 16 RA-InformationCommon-r 16 OPTIONAL eutra-RLF -Report-r 16 SEQUENCE { failedPCellld-EUTRA CGI-InfoEUTRALogging, measResult-RLF -Report-EUTRA-r 16 OCTET STRING
MeasResultList2NR-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE(SIZE (L.maxFreq)) OF MeasResult2NR-rl6 MeasResultLi st2EUTRA-r 16 SEQUENCE(SIZE (L.maxFreq)) OF MeasResult2EUTRA-r 16
MeasResult2NR-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE { ssbFrequency-rl6 ARFCN-ValueNR OPTIONAL, refFreqC SI-RS-r 16 ARFCN-ValueNR OPTIONAL, measResultList-rl6 MeasResultLi stNR
}
MeasResultLi stLogging2NR-r 16 ::= SEQUENCE(SIZE (L.maxFreq)) OF
MeasResultLi stLoggingNR-r 16
MeasResultLogging2NR-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE { carrierFreq-rl6 ARFCN-ValueNR, measResultListLoggingNR-r 16 MeasResultListLoggingNR-r 16
}
MeasResultListLoggingNR-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (L.maxCellReport)) OF
MeasResultLoggingNR-r 16
MeasResultLoggingNR-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE { physCellId-rl6 PhysCellld, results S SB-Cell-r 16 MeasQuantity Results, numberOfGoodSSB-rl6 INTEGER (L.maxNrofSSBs-rl6) OPTIONAL
}
MeasResult2EUTRA-r 16 : := SEQUENCE { carrierFreq-rl6 ARFCN-ValueEUTRA, measResultList-rl 6 MeasResultListEUTRA
}
MeasResultRLFNR-rl 6 : := SEQUENCE { measResult-rl6 SEQUENCE { cellResults-r!6 SEQUENCE} resultsSSB-Cell-rl6 MeasQuantityResults OPTIONAL, resultsCSI-RS-Cell-rl6 MeasQuantityResults OPTIONAL
}, rsIndexResults-r 16 SEQUENCE{ resultsS SB-Indexes-r 16 ResultsPer S SB -IndexLi st OPTIONAL, ssbRLMConfigBitmap-rl6 BIT STRING (SIZE (64))
OPTIONAL, resultsC SI-RS-Indexes-r 16 ResultsPerC SI-RS-IndexLi st
OPTIONAL, csi -r sRLMC onfigB itmap-r 16 BIT STRING (SIZE (96)) OPTIONAL
} OPTIONAL
}
}
TimeSinceFailure-rl6 ::= INTEGER (0..172800)
MobilityHistoryReport-rl6 ::= VisitedCellInfoList-rl6
TimeUntilReconnection-16 ::= INTEGER (0..172800)
SUMMARY
[0070] Considering the current RACH report in NR specified in Rel 16 of RRC TS 38.331, the network would not be able to deduce which power level is used by the UE to transmit the RACH preamble. Lack of this knowledge can cause a sub-optimal RACH performance and sup optimal coverage optimization. In fact, if the network does not know what power level is used by UE to transmit the RACH preamble (or at which RACH attempt the maximum preamble transmission power i.e., preambleTransMax is reached), the network would not be able to set the preambleTransMAx value correctly, hence causing long latency for the RACH procedure.
[0071] According to some embodiments of inventive concepts, a method performed by a wireless device in a network includes transmitting at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level. The method includes logging a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA. The method includes for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
[0072] Analogous wireless devices are also provided.
[0073] Currently having a RACH attempts in chronological order, as part of RACH report, network can figure out how much UE struggled to go through the RACH procedure and increasing the power level can be deduced but still network is not aware what was the actual power used by UE to go through the RACH procedure. Advantages that can be achieved using the inventive concepts described herein provide the RAN node that the UE performed RACH towards it, with a better understanding of uplink coverage with the power level information provided as described herein. The network would be capable to deduce whether or not the maximum transmission power set of preamble transmission is enough to enable the UEs performing the RACH in a timely manner.
[0074] According to other embodiments of inventive concepts, a method performed by a network node includes receiving random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device, and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device. The method further includes setting a transmit power to the initial transmit power. The method further includes determining whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts. The method further includes responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device. The method further includes responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam. The method further includes responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam: incrementing the transmit power by a power ramping step and includes incrementing the current RA attempt number by one. The method further includes responsive to determining that the wireless device did not attempt a next RA on the same beam, incrementing the current RA attempt number by one. The method further includes responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device, determining whether the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is a same transmit power as a previous RA attempt. The method further includes responsive to determining that the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is not the same transmit power as the previous RA attempt, determining that the current RA attempt number is an RA attempt number at which the maximum transmit power of the wireless device was reached.
[0075] Analogous network nodes are provided.
[0076] According to further embodiments of inventive concepts, a method performed by a network node includes receiving random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of a wireless device, a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device. The method further includes determining a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts. The method further includes determining a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device. The method further includes determining an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
[0077] Analogous network nodes are provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0078] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of inventive concepts. In the drawings:
[0079] Figure l is a signaling diagram illustrating the UE information procedure to request a UE to report information in LTE;
[0080] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating beams transmitting their own synchronization signal block;
[0081] Figure 3 is an illustration that each SSB has its own RACH resource where the number of SSBs per RACH occasion is 1;
[0082] Figure 4 is an illustration that each SSB has its own RACH resources where the number of SSBs per RACH occasion is 2;
[0083] Figure 5 illustrates selecting a new SSB during a RACH procedure; [0084] Figure 6 is a signaling diagram illustrating the UE information procedure to request a UE to report information in NR;
[0085] Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless device according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;
[0086] Figure 8 is a block diagram illustrating a radio access network RAN node (e.g., a base station eNB/gNB) according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;
[0087] Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating a core network CN node (e.g., an AMF node, an SMF node, etc.) according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;
[0088] Figures 10-13 are flow charts illustrating operations of a wireless device according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;
[0089] Figures 14 and 15 are flow chart illustrating operations of a network node according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;
[0090] Figure 16 is a block diagram of a wireless network in accordance with some embodiments;
[0091] Figure 17 is a block diagram of a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments;
[0092] Figure 18 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment in accordance with some embodiments;
[0093] Figure 19 is a block diagram of a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments;
[0094] Figure 20 is a block diagram of a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments;
[0095] Figure 21 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments;
[0096] Figure 22 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments; [0097] Figure 23 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments; and
[0098] Figure 24 is a block diagram of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0099] Inventive concepts will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples of embodiments of inventive concepts are shown. Inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of present inventive concepts to those skilled in the art. It should also be noted that these embodiments are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present/used in another embodiment.
[0100] The following description presents various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. These embodiments are presented as teaching examples and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosed subject matter. For example, certain details of the described embodiments may be modified, omitted, or expanded upon without departing from the scope of the described subject matter.
[0101] Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a wireless device 700 (also referred to as a mobile terminal, a mobile communication terminal, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a wireless terminal, mobile device, a wireless communication terminal, user equipment, UE, a user equipment node/terminal/device, etc.) configured to provide wireless communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts. (Wireless device 700 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to wireless device 1610 of Figure 16.) As shown, communication device UE may include an antenna 707 (e.g., corresponding to antenna 1611 of Figure 16), and transceiver circuitry 701 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g., corresponding to interface 1614 of Figure 16) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with a base station(s) (e.g., corresponding to network node 1660 of Figure 16, also referred to as a RAN node) of a radio access network. Wireless device UE may also include processing circuitry 703 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry 1620 of Figure 16) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 705 (also referred to as memory, e.g., corresponding to device readable medium 1630 of Figure 16) coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 705 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 703 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 703 may be defined to include memory so that separate memory circuitry is not required. Wireless device UE may also include an interface (such as a user interface) coupled with processing circuitry 703, and/or wireless device UE may be incorporated in a vehicle.
[0102] As discussed herein, operations of communication device UE may be performed by processing circuitry 703 and/or transceiver circuitry 701. For example, processing circuitry 703 may control transceiver circuitry 701 to transmit communications through transceiver circuitry 701 over a radio interface to a radio access network node (also referred to as a base station) and/or to receive communications through transceiver circuitry 701 from a RAN node over a radio interface. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory circuitry 705, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 703, processing circuitry 703 performs respective operations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect to Example Embodiments relating to wireless communication devices). According to some embodiments, a wireless device 700 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.
[0103] Figure 8 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a radio access network RAN node 800 (also referred to as a network node, base station, eNodeB/eNB, gNodeB/gNB, etc.) of a Radio Access Network (RAN) configured to provide cellular communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts. (RAN node 800 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to network node 1660 of Figure 16.) As shown, the RAN node may include transceiver circuitry 801 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g., corresponding to portions of interface 1690 of Figure 16) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with mobile terminals. The RAN node may include network interface circuitry 807 (also referred to as a network interface, e.g., corresponding to portions of interface 1690 of Figure 16) configured to provide communications with other nodes (e.g., with other base stations) of the RAN and/or core network CN. The network node may also include processing circuitry 803 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry 1670) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 805 (also referred to as memory, e.g., corresponding to device readable medium 1680 of Figure 16) coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 805 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 803 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 803 may be defined to include memory so that a separate memory circuitry is not required.
[0104] As discussed herein, operations of the RAN node may be performed by processing circuitry 803, network interface 807, and/or transceiver 801. For example, processing circuitry 803 may control transceiver 801 to transmit downlink communications through transceiver 801 over a radio interface to one or more mobile terminals UEs and/or to receive uplink communications through transceiver 801 from one or more mobile terminals UEs over a radio interface. Similarly, processing circuitry 803 may control network interface 807 to transmit communications through network interface 807 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receive communications through network interface from one or more other network nodes. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory 805, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 803, processing circuitry 803 performs respective operations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect to Example Embodiments relating to RAN nodes). According to some embodiments, RAN node 800 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.
[0105] According to some other embodiments, a network node may be implemented as a core network CN node without a transceiver. In such embodiments, transmission to a wireless communication device UE may be initiated by the network node so that transmission to the wireless communication device UE is provided through a network node including a transceiver (e.g., through a base station or RAN node). According to embodiments where the network node is a RAN node including a transceiver, initiating transmission may include transmitting through the transceiver.
[0106] Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a core network CN node 900 (e.g., an SMF node, an AMF node, etc.) of a communication network configured to provide cellular communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts. As shown, the CN node may include network interface circuitry 907 (also referred to as a network interface) configured to provide communications with other nodes of the core network and/or the radio access network RAN. The CN node may also include a processing circuitry 903 (also referred to as a processor) coupled to the network interface circuitry, and memory circuitry 905 (also referred to as memory) coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 905 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 903 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 903 may be defined to include memory so that a separate memory circuitry is not required.
[0107] As discussed herein, operations of the CN node may be performed by processing circuitry 903 and/or network interface circuitry 907. For example, processing circuitry 903 may control network interface circuitry 907 to transmit communications through network interface circuitry 907 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receive communications through network interface circuitry from one or more other network nodes. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory 905, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 903, processing circuitry 903 performs respective operations (e.g., operations discussed below with respect to Example Embodiments relating to core network nodes). According to some embodiments, CN node 900 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.
[0108] As previously described, with the current RACH report in NR specified in Rel 16 of RRC TS 38.331, network would not be able to deduce which power level is used by the UE to transmit the RACH preamble. Lack of this knowledge may cause a sub-optimal RACH performance and sup optimal coverage optimization. In fact if the network does not know what power level is used by UE to transmit the RACH preamble (or at which RACH attempt the maximum preamble transmission power i.e., preambleTransMax is reached), network would not be able to set the preambleTransMAx value correctly, hence causing long latency for RACH procedure.
[0109] According to various embodiments of inventive concepts, a method at a wireless terminal (used interchangeably with User Equipment and UE in the following description) is provided, the method comprising, after the transmission of a RACH preamble or msgA as part of 2-step RACH procedure various embodiments of inventive concepts include:
[0110] Upon a first attempt to transmit RACH preamble (or msgA as part of two step RACH procedure), logging the power level used to transmit the RACH preamble.
[0111] In a variant in every attempt to transmit the RACH preamble (or msgA as part of two step RACH procedure), logging the power level used to transmit the RACH preamble.
[0112] Upon a first attempt to transmit the RACH preamble (or msgA as part of two step RACH procedure), logging the path loss measured by the UE at the time of transmitting the first RACH attempt. The path loss is measured for the active UL BWP (bandwidth part) based on the DL reference signal associated with the PRACH transmission on the active DL BWP of serving cell.
[0113] In a variant in every attempt to transmit the RACH preamble (or msgA as part of two step RACH procedure), logging the path loss measured for the active UL BWP based on the DL reference signal associated with the PRACH transmission on the active DL BWP of serving cell
[0114] In yet another embodiment, the UE logs an indication, indicating whether or not the path loss has changed during the RACH procedure.
[0115] Upon transmitting any RACH preamble, logging whether or not the maximum transmission power set by network is reached.
[0116] In yet another embodiment, the UE logs the actual transmission power level of the last successful RACH attempt (or successful msgA attempt in 2-step RACH procedure). In yet another embodiment, UE logs whether or not the UE is capable to reach the preambleTransMax set by network. This is useful for the network to know whether or not the UE is capable to reach the maximum transmission power level set by network.
[0117] In yet another embodiment, as part of RACH report, the UE indicates its own maximum transmission power level. [0118] For each failed RACH preamble transmission attempt, i.e., upon the expiry of the random-access response (RAR) timer and detecting that a response was not received for a given preamble transmission/RACH resource selection, reporting to the network logged/stored information related to the transmission power level, or the indication on whether each RACH attempt is done using the maximum transmission power, and/or based on measured path loss (and power ramping step) In addition UE reports the measured path loss to the network.
[0119] In another embodiment, the UE logs the RACH attempt index in which the UE reached the maximum power level to transmit the preamble in 4-step RACH, or to transmit the msgA in 2-step RACH.
[0120] In yet another embodiment UE logs the transmission power applied to the last RACH attempt.
[0121] In yet another embodiment UE logs the transmission power level per every RACH attempt.
[0122] In another embodiment UE logs the transmission power if the path loss value is changed in between Rach attempts. This can help the network to calculate the transmission power for other RACH attempts in which the path loss was not changed. Say that the UE performs 7 RA attempts (7 preamble transmissions) and checks the pathloss before attempt 1 3 and 6. Then the UE could report the total number of RA attempts and also report the following:
- RA attempt number: 1, transmit power: Pl
- RA attempt number: 3, transmit power: P3
- RA attempt number: 6, transmit power: P6
[0123] The absence of reported transmission powers for RA attempts number 2, 4, 5 and 7 makes the network assume that the following transmission powers were used for these RA attempts:
- RA attempt number: 2, transmit power: Pl + powerRampingStep
- RA attempt number: 4, transmit power: P3 + powerRampingStep
- RA attempt number: 5, transmit power: P3 + 2 x powerRampingStep
- RA attempt number: 7, transmit power: P6 + powerRampingStep
[0124] Note that the above information can be logged as part of a 2-step or 4-step RACH procedure [0125] Therefore in case of a 2-step RACH optimization, the UE logs one or more of the above mentioned measurements per each msgA transmission.
[0126] In another embodiment the measurement can be logged as part of accessibility measurement e.g., connection establishment failure report (CEF Report) which is logged and transmitted to the network upon failed initial access or resume procedure.
[0127] In summary, the various embodiments of inventive concepts provides methods wherein the UE stores set(s) of information which enables the network to derive the following parameters.
1. What was the initial transmit power used by the UE for the first RA attempt. The UE stores and reports the initial transmit power used for the RA procedure
2. Whether the UE reached its maximum transmit power while performing the RA procedure
In which RA step did the UE reach its maximum TX power
In the detailed contents of the RA procedure related information stored and reported by the UE, the UE stores the RA attempt at which the UE reaches its maximum TxPower.
3. What is the UE’s maximum Tx power.
The UE stores and reports its maximum Tx Power.
4. The Tx power with which the UE succeeded in reaching the network.
[0128] Currently having RACH attempts in chronological order, as part of RACH report, the network can figure out how much a UE has struggled to go through the RACH procedure and increasing the power level can be deduced. However, the network is still not aware what was the actual power used by UE to go through the RACH procedure. Having the new information described herein, the RAN node that the UE performed RACH towards, can have a better understanding of uplink coverage. The network would be enabled to deduce whether or not the maximum transmission power set of preamble transmission is enough to enable the UEs performing the RACH in a timely manner.
[0129] One way to implement the various inventive concepts in terms of the RRC specifications is to create a RACH report containing at least some of the information described above. As previously described, the RACH report is included in an UEInformationResponse message. One way to indicate whether or not the preamble transmission power was equal to the preambleTransMax set by the network is to use a binary flag to indicate whether or not the preamble transmission power was equal to the preambleTransMax set by the network. This can be implemented per each RACH attempt. Having it per each RACH attempt increases the granularity so the network can figure out whether or not the path loss measured by UE is significantly changing.
[0130] In terms of the RRC specification, section 5.7.10.5 of 3GPP TS 38.331 can be changed to include the information that is double underlined and in bold. Specifically:
[0131] 5.7.10.5 RA information determination for RA report and RLF report
[0132] The UE shall set the content in ra-InformationCommon-rl6 as follows 1> set the absoluteFrequencyPointA to indicate the absolute frequency of the reference resource block associated to the random-access resources used in the random- access procedure;
1> set the locationAndBandwidth and subcarrierSpacing associated to the UL BWP of the random-access resources used in the random-access procedure;
1> set the msg 1 -Frequency Start, msgl-FDM and msgl-SubcarrierSpacing associated to the contention based random-access resources used in the random-access procedure;
1> set the msg 1 -Frequency StartCFRA, msgl-FDMCFRA and msgl- SubcarrierSpacingCFRA associated to the contention free random-access resources used in the random-access procedure;
1> set PathLoss to the path loss value measured for the active UL BWP based on the DL RS associated with the PRACH transmission on the active DL BWP of serving cell:
2> set PathLossChanged to true if the path loss value, measured for the active UL BWP based on the DL RS associated with the PRACH transmission on the active DL BWP of serving cell, has changed during the RACH procedure:
1> set the startTrasPower to indicate the applied transmission power level for the first RACH attempt: 1> set raAttemntAtWhichMaxTxPowerReached to the RACH attempt number at which the UE used/exceeded the maximum transmission power:
1> set the lastAttemptTransPower to indicate the applied transmission power level for the last RACH attempt.
1> set the parameters associated to individual random-access attempt in the chronological order of attempts in the perRAInfoList as follows:
2> if the random-access resource used is associated to a SS/PBCH block, set the associated random-access parameters for the successive random-access attempts associated to the same SS/PBCH block for one or more random-access attempts as follows:
3> set the ssb-Index to include the SS/PBCH block index associated to the used random-access resource;
3> set the numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the SS/PBCH block;
3> for each random-access attempt performed on the random-access resource, include the following parameters in the chronological order of the random-access attempt:
4> set preambleTarsMaxReached to true if the UE used maximum transmission power value to transmit the preamble: 4> set PathLossPerRAAttempt to the path loss value measured for the active UL BWP based on the DL reference signal associated with the PRACH transmission on the active DL BWP of serving cell:
4> set the transmissionPowerPerAttemnt to the power level applied for transmitting the preamble at a given RACH attempt:
4> if the random-access attempt is performed on the contention based random-access resource and if raPurpose is not equal to 'requestForOtherSf, include contentionDetected as follows: 5> if contention resolution was not successful as specified in TS 38.321 [6] for the transmitted preamble:
6> set the contentionDetected to true;
5> else:
6> set the contentionDetected to false;
4> if the random-access attempt is performed on the contention based random-access resource; or
4> if the random-access attempt is performed on the contention free random-access resource and if the random-access procedure was initiated due to the PDCCH ordering:
5> if the SS/PBCH block RSRP of the SS/PBCH block corresponding to the random-access resource used in the random-access attempt is above rsrp-ThresholdSSB:
6> set the dlRSRP AboveThreshold to true;
5> else:
6> set the dlRSRP AboveThreshold to false;
2> else if the random-access resource used is associated to a CSI-RS, set the associated random-access parameters for the successive random-access attempts associated to the same CSI-RS for one or more random-access attempts as follows:
3> set the csi-RS-Index to include the CSI-RS index associated to the used random-access resource;
3> set the numberOfPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS to indicate the number of successive random-access attempts associated to the CSI-RS.
NOTE 1 : The UE does not log the RA information in the RA report if the triggering event of the random access is consistent UL LBT on SpCell as specified in TS 38.321
[0133] UEInformationResponse
[0134] The UEInformationResponse message is used by the UE to transfer the information requested by the NG-RAN.
Signalling radio bearer: SRB1 or SRB2 (when logged measurement information is included) RLC-SAP: AM
Logical channel: DCCH
Direction: UE to NG-RAN
UEInformationResponse message
- ASN1 START
UEInformationResponse-rl6-IEs : := SEQUENCE {
RA-ReportList-rl6 : := SEQUENCE (SIZE (l ..maxRAReport-r16)) OF RA-Report-rl6
RA-Report-r 16 : := SEQUENCE { startTransPower INTEGER (-202..-60). lastAttemptTransPower INTEGER (-202.. 33). pathLoss INTEGER (-202..-60). raAttemptAtWhichMaxTxPowerReached INTEGER (1..200) OPTIONAL. lastAttemptTransmissionPower INTEGER (-202..-60). pathLossChanged BOOLEAN. cellld-rl6 CGI-Info-Logging-rl6, ra-InformationCommon-rl6 RA-InformationCommon-rl6, raPurpose-rl6 ENUMERATED {accessRelated, beamFailureRecovery, reconfigurati onW ith Sy nc, ulUn Sy nchronized, schedulingRequestFailure, noPUCCHResourceAvailable, requestForOtherSI, spare9, spare8, spare7, spare6, spare5, spare4, spare3, spare2, sparel } }
RA-InformationCommon-rl6 : := SEQUENCE { absoluteFrequencyPointA-r 16 ARFCN-ValueNR, 1 ocati on AndB andwi dth-r 16 INTEGER (0..37949), subcarrierSpacing-r 16 SubcarrierSpacing, m sg 1 -F requency Start-r 16 INTEGER (0.. maxN rofPhy si calResourceB 1 ocks- 1 )
OPTIONAL, m sg 1 -F requency StartCFRA-r 16 INTEGER (0..maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-1) OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacing-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-SubcarrierSpacingCFRA-rl6 SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, msgl-FDM-rl6 ENUMERATED {one, two, four, eight} OPTIONAL, msgl-FDMCFRA-rl6 ENUMERATED {one, two, four, eight}
OPTIONAL, perRAInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAInfoList-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAInfo-r 16
PerRAInfo-r 16 : := CHOICE { perRAS SBInfoLi st-r 16 PerRAS SBInfo-r 16, perRACSI-RSInfoList-rl6 PerRAC SI-RSInfo-r 16
}
PerRAS SBInfo-r 16 ::= SEQUENCE { ssb-Index-rl6 SSB-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnSSB-rl6 INTEGER (1..200), perRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16 PerRAAttemptlnfoLi st-r 16
}
PerRACSI-RSInfo-rl 6 : := SEQUENCE { csi-RS-Index-rl6 CSI-RS-Index, numberOfPreamblesSentOnCSI-RS-rl6 INTEGER (1..200) }
PerRAAttemptInfoList-rl6 ::= SEQUENCE (SIZE (1..200)) OF PerRAAttemptInfo-rl6
PerRAAttemptlnfo-r 16 : := SEQUENCE { contend onDetected-r 16 BOOLEAN OPTIONAL, dlRSRPAboveThreshold-rl6 BOOLEAN OPTIONAL, nreamhleTransMaxReached BOOLEAN OPTIONAL. nathLossPerRAAttemnt INTEGER (-202..-60). transmissionPowerPerAttemnt INTEGER (-202..33).
Figure imgf000050_0001
Figure imgf000051_0001
Figure imgf000052_0001
Figure imgf000053_0001
[0135] Generalization to Msg3 and MsgA PUSCH transmission
[0136] When determining the transmit power to use when transmitting Msg3, the UE uses a configured offset relative the transmit power used for the PRACH preamble. This power offset is configured by the msg3-DeltaPreamble IE in the PUSCH-ConfigCommon IE. Typically, the transmit power used for Msg3 would be greater than the transmit power used for the PRACH preamble, but negative offsets can also be configured, so that the transmit power for Msg3 is lower than for the PRACH preamble. Hence, the UE may reach its maximum transmit power when transmitting Msg3, even though a lower transmit power was used for the PRACH preamble. The opposite is also possible.
[0137] Therefore, as one option, indications of usage of the maximum transmit power (or indications that the UE was not able to produce the derived transmit power because it exceeded the UE’s maximum transmit power) can be reported separately by the UE, e.g. as two different parameters in the UEInformationResponse message, e.g. in the RA-Report-rl6 IE.
[0138] When 2-step RA is used, the UE does not only transmit a PRACH preamble, but also a MsgA PUSCH, i.e. a PUSCH transmission following the PRACH preamble, using time-frequency transmission resources and DMRS configuration associated with the PRACH preamble. The transmit power used for MsgA PUSCH may differ from the transmit power used for the PRACH preamble. Similar to the case of Msg3, this is governed by an offset parameter, msgA-DeltaPreamble-r 16 included in the MsgA-PUSCH-Config-r 16 IE, which configures an offset between the transmit power for the PRACH preamble and the transmit power for MsgA PUSCH.
[0139] Just like described above for the Msg3 transmit power, one option is that the UE may separately indicate to the network whether it reached its maximum transmit power when transmitting the PRACH preamble and/or when transmitting MsgA PUSCH. This may be indicated in two different parameters in the UEInformationResponse message, e.g. in the RA- Report-rl6 IE.
[0140] Network Embodiments based on UE report
[0141] When the UE reports the initial TX power
[0142] Various embodiments of inventive concepts enable the network to derive the information related to whether or not the UE reached its maximum Tx power, the Tx power used by the UE in the final RA attempt and also in which RA attempt(s) did the UE reach its maximum Tx power.
[0143] In the RA related information, the UE includes the initial Tx power.
[0144] In some embodiments, the network node that uses this information is also aware of the UE’s maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
[0145] Once these sets of information are available, the network finds the RA attempt in which the UE reached its max Tx power based on the flow chart of Figure 15 discussed further below.
[0146] When the UE reports the RA step in which the UE reached its max TXPower
[0147] The network can derive the information related to the initial Tx power used by the UE based the RA related information where the UE includes the #RA attempt in which the UE reached its maximum allowed Tx power.
[0148] In some embodiments, the network node that uses this information is also aware of the UE’s maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information. [0149] As the network is aware of the following parameters and the knowledge that the UE increments its Tx power only when the UE performs successive RA attempts on the same beam, the network can deduct the initial Tx power:
1. The RA attempt in which the max Tx power was reached.
2. Whether the same beam was used or different beam was used for each of the RA attempts until the UE reached the max Tx power.
[0150] Usage of RACH report by the network for optimizations
[0151] Usage of RACH report for Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO)
[0152] In various embodiments of inventive concepts on the network side, the usage of RACH report information is used as an input for Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO). This may require the UE to log further information in addition to what has been described above, such as:
- Logging and reporting of the RSRP or the beam’s RS where RACH access is attempted: this enables the RAN to understand possible UL/DL coverage disparity when compared with the RACH access measurements;
Information about beams where the RACH access was successful and where it was not successful. This is readily known to the serving RAN, but if the RACH report is sent to other nodes to help them understand serving RAN coverage status, then it has to be present. This could be simply achieved by listing the beams accessed (together with RACH access attempts) in order of access and specifying that the last one is the one where RACH access succeeded, unless maximum number of retransmission occurred, in which case there are two cases: o UE managed to successfully access at the last possible attempt, an indication of successful access should be logged and reported; o UE did not manage to access at the last possible attempt, an indication of unsuccessful access should be logged and reported.
[0153] Usage of RACH report for RACH optimization
[0154] RACH parameters may be optimized based on the information included in RACH reports. The parameters to be optimization may be at least one of the parameters broadcasted in system information and/or provided in dedicated signaling e.g. in handovers. [0155] These parameters may be the ones in RACH-ConfigGeneric, such as follows in bold and double underlined.
RACH-ConfigGeneric information element
- ASN1 START
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGGENERIC-START
RACH-ConfigGeneric ::= SEQUENCE { prach-Configurationlndex INTEGER (0 .255), msgl-FDM ENUMERATED {one, two, four, eight}, m sg 1 -F requency Start INTEGER (0..maxNrofPhysicalResourceBlocks-1), zeroCorrelationZoneConfig INTEGER(0..15), preamhleReceivedTargetPower INTEGER (-202..-60). preambleTransMax ENUMERATED {n3, n4, n5, n6, n7, n8, nl n200}, powerRampingStep ENUMERATED IdBO. dB2. dB4. dB6E ra-ResponseWindow ENUMERATED {sll, sl2, sl4, sl8, sllO, sl20, sl40, sl80},
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGGENERIC-STOP
- ASN1STOP
Figure imgf000056_0001
Figure imgf000057_0001
[0156] Some examples of parameters that may be tuned based on RACH report: [0157] power RampingStep: Defines the power ramping steps for PRACH as defined in TS 38.321, 5.1.3. A too high step means that the UE reaches the maximum power too fast, which might be unnecessary. However, a too low value may lead to too many attempts without a successful RAR reception until the UE succeeds. Hence, thanks to a RACH report including UE power level used for RACH procedure as described in the method the network may be aware that the UE is taking too long until it succeeds, but eventually it does at a certain power level. Hence, thanks to that, this setting could be adjusted.
[0158] There could be further parameters too in the following IE such as the double underlined parameters:
RACH-ConfigCommon information element
- ASN1 START
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGCOMMON-START
RACH-ConfigCommon ::= SEQUENCE { rach-ConfigGeneric RACH-ConfigGeneric, totalNumberOfRA-Preambles INTEGER (1..63) OPTIONAL, - Need S ssb-nerRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB CHOICE I oneEighth ENUMERATED
In4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. oneFourth ENUMERATED
In4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. oneHalf ENUMERATED fn4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. one ENUMERATED fn4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32.n36.n40.n44.n48.n52.n56.n60.n64}. two ENUMERATED ln4.n8.nl2.nl6.n20.n24.n28.n32L four INTEGER ( 1..16), eight INTEGER (1..8), sixteen INTEGER ( 1..4)
} OPTIONAL, - Need M groupBconfigured SEQUENCE { ra-Msg3 SizeGroup A ENUMERATED {b56, bl44, b208, b256, b282, b480, b640, b800, blOOO, b72, spared, spare5,spare4, spare3, spare2, sparel }, messagePowerOffsetGroupB ENUMERATED { minusinfinity, dBO, dB5, dB8, dB10, dB12, dB15, dB18}, numberOfRA-PreamblesGroup A INTEGER ( 1..64)
} OPTIONAL, - Need R ra-ContentionResolutionTimer ENUMERATED { sf8, sfl6, sf24, sf32, sf40, sf48, sf56, sf64}, rsrp-ThresholdSSB RSRP -Range OPTIONAL, - Need R rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL RSRP -Range OPTIONAL, - Cond SUL prach-RootSequencelndex CHOICE {
1839 INTEGER (0 .837),
1139 INTEGER (0 .137)
}, msgl-SubcarrierSpacing SubcarrierSpacing OPTIONAL, — Cond L139 restrictedSetConfig ENUMERATED {unrestrictedSet, restrictedSetTypeA, restrictedSetTypeB}, msg3-transformPrecoder ENUMERATED {enabled} OPTIONAL, - Need R
- TAG-RACH-CONFIGCOMMON-STOP
- ASN1STOP
Figure imgf000058_0001
Figure imgf000059_0001
Figure imgf000060_0001
[0159] The UE logging beam selection information in RACH attempts in a RACH report to be reported to the network further enables mobility robustness optimization and/or RACH optimization and/or Coverage and capacity optimization (CCO).
[0160] Operations of the wireless device 700 (implemented using the structure of the block diagram of Figure 7) will now be discussed with reference to the flow chart of Figure 10 according to some embodiments of inventive concepts. For example, modules may be stored in memory 705 of Figure 7, and these modules may provide instructions so that when the instructions of a module are executed by respective wireless device processing circuitry 703, processing circuitry 703 performs respective operations of the flow chart.
[0161] Turning to Figure 10, in block 1001, the processing circuitry 703 transmits at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level. The first transmit power level to use in various embodiments is an initial transmit power level. The first transmit power level to use in some embodiments in determined by the processing circuitry 703. In other embodiments, the first transmit power level to use is received from a network (e.g., a network node).
[0162] In block 1003, the processing circuitry 703 logs a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA. Turning to Figure 11, logging the power measurement parameter the power measurement parameter in some embodiments includes the processing circuitry 703 logging, in block 1101, a power level used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or MsgA. In other embodiments, logging the power measurement parameter includes the processing circuitry 703 logging, in block 1201, logging a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA
[0163] For each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA and responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmission attempts, the processing circuitry 703 in block 1005 transmits the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level.
[0164] Turning to Figure 12, in some embodiments of inventive concepts, the revised transmit power level can depend on whether or not a same beam is used. Responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, the processing circuitry 703 in block 1201 increments the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level. In various embodiments, the transmit power level may be incremented until a maximum transmit power level is reached. The processing circuitry 703 in some embodiments increments the revised transmit power level by a power ramping step.
[0165] In some embodiments, the maximum transmit power and/or the power ramping step is set by the wireless device 700. In other embodiments, the maximum transmit power and/or the power ramping step is received from the network (e.g., from a network node).
[0166] Responsive to a different beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, the processing circuitry 703 in block 1203 transmits the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level. In other words, the transmit power level is not changed from a previous attempt to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
[0167] Returning to Figure 10, in block 1007,. the processing circuitry 703 logs the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
[0168] Responsive to a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, the processing circuitry 703 in block 1009 sets a final power level to a current transmit power level and in block 1011, logs the final power level.
[0169] When the number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA reaches a maximum number of transmission attempts (set by the wireless device or by the network), the processing circuitry 703 transmits a failure report to the network.
[0170] In various embodiments, the processing circuitry 703 reports logged information to the network. Turning to Figure 13, the processing circuitry 703 can report the power measurement parameters logged to the network in block 1301. In block 1303, the processing circuitry 703 may report the final power level logged to the network. In block 1305, the processing circuitry 703 may report the first transmit power level to the network. In block 1307, the processing circuitry 703 may report whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA In block 1309, the processing circuitry 703 may report a power level applied for reporting a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA. In block 1311, the processing circuitry 703 may report a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
[0171] Various operations from the flow chart of Figure 10 may be optional with respect to some embodiments of communication devices and related methods. Regarding methods of example embodiment 1 (set forth below), for example, operations of blocks 1009 and 1011 of Figure 10 may be optional.
[0172] Operations of a RAN node 800 (implemented using the structure of Figure 8) will now be discussed with reference to the flow chart of Figure 14 according to some embodiments of inventive concepts. For example, modules may be stored in memory 805 of Figure 8, and these modules may provide instructions so that when the instructions of a module are executed by respective RAN node processing circuitry 803, processing circuitry 803 performs respective operations of the flow chart.
[0173] As previously indicated, in some embodiments, the UE reports the initial TX power but not when the wireless device reached its maximum transmit power. Various embodiments of inventive concepts enable the network to derive the information related to whether or not the UE reached its maximum Tx power, the Tx power used by the UE in the final RA attempt and also in which RA attempt(s) did the UE reach its maximum Tx power.
[0174] In some embodiments, the network node that uses this information is also aware of the UE’s maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the UE includes its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
[0175] Once these sets of information are available, the network finds the RA attempt in which the UE reached its max Tx power based on the flow chart of Figure
[0176] Thus, turning to Figure 14, in block 1401, the processing circuitry 803 receives the RA information associated to the RA procedure which can include the initial TX power, the UE's maximum allowed Tx power, and the number of RA attempts used by the UE.
[0177] In block 1403, the processing circuitry 803 knows that the TX power for the first RA attempt is the initial TX power. Thus, if only one attempt was made, then the network node determines that the initial TX power is the power used for the successful attempt. [0178] The processing circuitry 803 in block 1405 determines whether or not the current RA attempt number equals the number of RA attempts used by the UE. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the current RA attempt number does not equal the number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, then the processing circuitry 803 determines whether or not the TX power used for the current RA attempt was equal to the wireless device's maximum allowed power in block 1407. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the current RA attempt was not equal to the wireless device's maximum allowed power, then the processing circuitry 803 determines whether or not the wireless device attempted the next RA on the same beam in block 1409.
[0179] If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the wireless device attempted the next RA on the same beam, then the processing circuitry 803 determines that the wireless device incremented TX power on the next RA in block 1411. In block 1413, the processing circuitry 803 increments the RA attempt number by 1. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the wireless device attempted the next RA on a different beam, then the processing circuitry 803 knows that the wireless device did not increment power on the next RA and increments the RA attempt number by 1 in block 1413.
[0180] If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the current RA attempt was not equal to the wireless device's maximum allowed power, then the processing circuitry 803 determines in block 1415 whether or not the TX power used in the current attempt was the same as the previous attempt. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the Tx power used in the current attempt was the same, then the processing circuitry 803 increments the current RA attempt number by 1. If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the Tx power used in the current attempt was not the same, then the processing circuitry 803 determines in block 1417 that the RA attempt at which the wireless device's max Tx power is reached in the current RA attempt number. The processing circuitry 803 then increments the current RA attempt number by 1.
[0181] If the processing circuitry 803 determines that the current RA attempt number equals the number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, then the processing circuitry 803 determines in block 1419 that the wireless device's final power is equal to the current Tx power. [0182] In some embodiments, the wireless device reports the RA step in which the wireless device reached its max TXPower
[0183] The network can derive the information related to the initial Tx power used by the wireless device based the RA related information where the wireless device includes the #RA attempt in which the wireless device reached its maximum allowed Tx power.
[0184] In some embodiments, the network node that uses this information is also aware of the wireless device's maximum Tx power. In some other embodiments, the network node gets this information from another network node (e.g., OAM/CU/Core network). In some other embodiments, the wireless device its maximum allowed Tx power in the RA related information.
[0185] Once these sets of information are available, the network finds the initial transmit power in which the wireless device used based on the flow chart of Figure 16.
[0186] Turning to Figure 15, in block 1501, the processing circuitry 803 receives random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device 700, a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device 700, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device 700 reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device 700.
[0187] In block 1503, the processing circuitry 803 determines a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts. In block 1505, the processing circuitry 803 determines a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device.
[0188] In block 1507, the processing circuitry 803 determines an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device 700 based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step. For example, in some embodiments of inventive concepts, the initial transmit power level is determined in accordance with:
Figure imgf000065_0001
where Txinitial is the initial transmit power, Txmax is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and Pramping step is the power ramp step.
[0189] Using various embodiments of the inventive concepts described herein, using the information logged by the wireless device, a network node. Becoming aware of what was the actual power used by wireless device to go through the RACH procedure, the network can have a better understanding of uplink coverage and can deduce whether or not the maximum transmission power set of RACH preamble transmission is enough to enable the wireless devices performing the RACH in a timely manner.
[0190] Example embodiments are discussed below.
EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
Embodiment 1. A method performed by a wireless device in a network, the method comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the
MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
Embodiment 2. The method of Embodiment 1, further comprising: responsive to a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: setting (1009) a final power level to a current transmit power level; and logging (1011) the final power level.
Embodiment 3. The method of Embodiment 2, further comprising, for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA, logging whether or not a maximum transmission power set by the network was reached. Embodiment 4. The method of any of Embodiments 1-3, wherein transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level comprises: responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, incrementing (1201) the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level; and responsive to a different beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, transmitting (1203) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level.
Embodiment 5. The method of Embodiment 4 wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level until a maximum transmit power level is reached.
Embodiment 6. The method of any of Embodiments 4-5, wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level by a ramping step.
Embodiment 7. The method of any of Embodiments 1-6, further comprising determining the first transmit power level to use.
Embodiment 8. The method of any of Embodiments 1-6, wherein logging the power measurement parameter comprises logging a power level (1101) used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 9. The method of any of Embodiments 1-6, wherein logging the power measurement parameter comprises logging a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 10. The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting
(1301) the power measurement parameters logged to the network.
Embodiment 11. The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting
(1303) the final power level logged to the network.
Embodiment 12. The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting
(1305) the first transmit power level to the network. Embodiment 13. The method of any of Embodiments 1-9, further comprising reporting (1307) whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 14. The method of any of Embodiments 1-9 further comprising reporting (1309) a power level applied for reporting a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 15. The method of any of Embodiments 1-9 further comprising reporting (1311) a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 16. A wireless device (700) adapted to perform operations comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
Embodiment 17. The wireless device (700) of Embodiment 16 wherein the wireless device (700) is adapted to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 2-15.
Embodiment 18. A wireless device (700) device (700) comprising: processing circuitry (703); and memory (705) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the communication device to perform operations comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
Embodiment 19. The wireless device (700) of Embodiment 18, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising: responsive to a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: setting (1009) a final power level to a current transmit power level; and logging (1011) the final power level.
Embodiment 20. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-19, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA, logging whether or not a maximum transmission power set by the network was reached. Embodiment 21. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-20, wherein in transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level, the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising: responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, incrementing (1201) the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level; and responsive to a different beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, transmitting (1203) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level.
Embodiment 22. The wireless device (700) of Embodiment 21 wherein in incrementing the revised transmit power level, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising incrementing the revised transmit power level until a maximum transmit power level is reached.
Embodiment 23. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 21-22, wherein in incrementing the revised transmit power level, the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising incrementing the revised transmit power level by a ramping step.
Embodiment 24. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-23, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising determining the first transmit power level to use.
Embodiment 25. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-24, wherein the power measurement parameter comprises a power level (1101) used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 26. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-24, wherein the power measurement parameter comprises a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA. Embodiment 27. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1301) the power measurement parameters logged to the network.
Embodiment 28. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1303) the final power level logged to the network.
Embodiment 29. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1305) the first transmit power level to the network.
Embodiment 30. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1307) whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 31. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1309) a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 32. The wireless device (700) of any of Embodiments 18-26, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1311) a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
Embodiment 33. A computer program comprising program code to be executed by processing circuitry (703) of a wireless device (700), whereby execution of the program code causes the wireless device (700) to perform operations according to any of embodiments 1-15. Embodiment 34. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium including program code to be executed by processing circuitry (703) of a wireless device (700), whereby execution of the program code causes the wireless device (700) to perform operations according to any of embodiments 1-15.
Embodiment 35. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: receiving (1501) random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device (700) during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device; setting (1503) a transmit power to the initial transmit power; determining (1505) whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts; responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700); responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam: incrementing (1511) the transmit power by a power ramping step; and incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) did not attempt a next RA on the same beam, incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1515) whether the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is a same transmit power as a previous RA attempt; and responsive to determining that the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is not the same transmit power as the previous RA attempt, determining (1517) that the current RA attempt number is an RA attempt number at which the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700) was reached. Embodiment 36. The method of Embodiment 35, further comprising: responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1519) that a final transmit power level of the wireless device (700) is the current transmit power level.
Embodiment 37. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: receiving (1601) random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device; determining (1603) a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts; determining (1604) a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device; determining (1605) an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
Embodiment 38. The method of Embodiment 37, wherein determining the initial transmit power level comprises determining the initial transmit power level in accordance with
Figure imgf000073_0001
where Txinitial is the initial transmit power, Txmax is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and Pramping step is the power ramp step.
Embodiment 39. A network node (800) adapted to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 35-38.
Embodiment 40. A network node (800) comprising: processing circuitry (803); and memory (805) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising: receiving (1501) random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device (700) during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device; setting (1503) a transmit power to the initial transmit power; determining (1505) whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts; responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700); responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam: incrementing (1511) the transmit power by a power ramping step; and incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) did not attempt a next RA on the same beam, incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1515) whether the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is a same transmit power as a previous RA attempt; and responsive to determining that the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is not the same transmit power as the previous RA attempt, determining (1517) that the current RA attempt number is an RA attempt number at which the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700) was reached.
Embodiment 41. The network node (800) of Embodiment 40, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising: responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1519) that a final transmit power level of the wireless device (700) is the current transmit power level.
Embodiment 42. A network node (800) comprising: processing circuitry (803); and memory (805) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising: receiving (1601) random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device; determining (1603) a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts; determining (1605) a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device; and determining (1607) an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
Embodiment 43. The method of Embodiment 42, wherein in determining the initial transmit power level, the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising determining the initial transmit power level in accordance with
Figure imgf000075_0001
where Txinitial is the initial transmit power, Txmax is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and Pramping step is the power ramp step.
Embodiment 44. A computer program comprising program code to be executed by processing circuitry (803) of a network node (800), whereby execution of the program code causes the network node (800) to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 35-38. Embodiment 45. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium including program code to be executed by processing circuitry (803) of a network node (800), whereby execution of the program code causes the network node (800) to perform operations according to any of Embodiments 35-38.
[0191] Explanations are provided below for various abbreviations/acronyms used in the present disclosure.
Abbreviation Explanation
RACH Random Access Channel
LTE Long Term Evolution
NR New Radio
SSB Synchronization Signal Block
CSLRS Channel State Information-Reference Signal
PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel
PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel
RRC Radio Resource Control
[0192] References are identified below.
1. 3GPP TS 36.331, V16.1.1 (2020-07); Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Radio Resource Control (RRC); Protocol Specification (Release 16).
2. 3GPP TS 38.331, V16.1.0 (2020-07); Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification (Release 16).
[0193] Additional explanation is provided below.
[0194] 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.
[0195] Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.
[0196] Figure 16 illustrates a wireless network in accordance with some embodiments.
[0197] 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 16. For simplicity, the wireless network of Figure 16 only depicts network 1606, network nodes 1660 and 1660b, and WDs 1610, 1610b, and 1610c (also referred to as mobile terminals). 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 1660 and wireless device (WD) 1610 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.
[0198] 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.
[0199] Network 1606 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.
[0200] Network node 1660 and WD 1610 comprise various components described in more detail below. These components work together in order 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.
[0201] 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 NRNodeBs (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 multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As another example, a network node 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.
[0202] In Figure 16, network node 1660 includes processing circuitry 1670, device readable medium 1680, interface 1690, auxiliary equipment 1684, power source 1686, power circuitry 1687, and antenna 1662. Although network node 1660 illustrated in the example wireless network of Figure 16 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 1660 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 1680 may comprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).
[0203] Similarly, network node 1660 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 1660 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 1660 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 1680 for the different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 1662 may be shared by the RATs). Network node 1660 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1660, 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 1660.
[0204] Processing circuitry 1670 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 1670 may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1670 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.
[0205] Processing circuitry 1670 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 1660 components, such as device readable medium 1680, network node 1660 functionality. For example, processing circuitry 1670 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1680 or in memory within processing circuitry 1670. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1670 may include a system on a chip (SOC).
[0206] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1670 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674 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 1672 and baseband processing circuitry 1674 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units
[0207] 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 1670 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1680 or memory within processing circuitry 1670. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1670 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 1670 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1670 alone or to other components of network node 1660, but are enjoyed by network node 1660 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
[0208] Device readable medium 1680 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 1670. Device readable medium 1680 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 1670 and, utilized by network node 1660. Device readable medium 1680 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 1670 and/or any data received via interface 1690. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1670 and device readable medium 1680 may be considered to be integrated.
[0209] Interface 1690 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signalling and/or data between network node 1660, network 1606, and/or WDs 1610. As illustrated, interface 1690 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 1694 to send and receive data, for example to and from network 1606 over a wired connection. Interface 1690 also includes radio front end circuitry 1692 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 1662. Radio front end circuitry 1692 comprises filters 1698 and amplifiers 1696. Radio front end circuitry 1692 may be connected to antenna 1662 and processing circuitry 1670. Radio front end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1662 and processing circuitry 1670. Radio front end circuitry 1692 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 1692 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1698 and/or amplifiers 1696. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1662. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1662 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 1692. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1670. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
[0210] In certain alternative embodiments, network node 1660 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1692, instead, processing circuitry 1670 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1662 without separate radio front end circuitry 1692. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 1672 may be considered a part of interface 1690. In still other embodiments, interface 1690 may include one or more ports or terminals 1694, radio front end circuitry 1692, and RF transceiver circuitry 1672, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 1690 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 1674, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
[0211] Antenna 1662 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 1662 may be coupled to radio front end circuitry 1692 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna 1662 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 1662 may be separate from network node 1660 and may be connectable to network node 1660 through an interface or port.
[0212] Antenna 1662, interface 1690, and/or processing circuitry 1670 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 1662, interface 1690, and/or processing circuitry 1670 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.
[0213] Power circuitry 1687 may comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 1660 with power for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuitry 1687 may receive power from power source 1686. Power source 1686 and/or power circuitry 1687 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 1660 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 1686 may either be included in, or external to, power circuitry 1687 and/or network node 1660. For example, network node 1660 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 1687. As a further example, power source 1686 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 1687. 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.
[0214] Alternative embodiments of network node 1660 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 16 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 1660 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 1660 and to allow output of information from network node 1660. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 1660.
[0215] 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, vehi cl e-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 particular example, the WD may be a UE implementing the 3 GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, 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.
[0216] As illustrated, wireless device 1610 includes antenna 1611, interface 1614, processing circuitry 1620, device readable medium 1630, user interface equipment 1632, auxiliary equipment 1634, power source 1636 and power circuitry 1637. WD 1610 may include multiple sets of one or more of the illustrated components for different wireless technologies supported by WD 1610, 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 1610.
[0217] Antenna 1611 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected to interface 1614. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 1611 may be separate from WD 1610 and be connectable to WD 1610 through an interface or port. Antenna 1611, interface 1614, and/or processing circuitry 1620 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 1611 may be considered an interface.
[0218] As illustrated, interface 1614 comprises radio front end circuitry 1612 and antenna 1611. Radio front end circuitry 1612 comprise one or more filters 1618 and amplifiers 1616. Radio front end circuitry 1612 is connected to antenna 1611 and processing circuitry 1620, and is configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1611 and processing circuitry 1620. Radio front end circuitry 1612 may be coupled to or a part of antenna
1611. In some embodiments, WD 1610 may not include separate radio front end circuitry 1612; rather, processing circuitry 1620 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1611. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may be considered a part of interface 1614. Radio front end circuitry 1612 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 1612 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1618 and/or amplifiers 1616. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1611. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1611 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry
1612. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1620. In other embodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
[0219] Processing circuitry 1620 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 1610 components, such as device readable medium 1630, WD 1610 functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 1620 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 1630 or in memory within processing circuitry 1620 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.
[0220] As illustrated, processing circuitry 1620 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 1622, baseband processing circuitry 1624, and application processing circuitry 1626. In other embodiments, the processing circuitry may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitry 1620 of WD 1610 may comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1622, baseband processing circuitry 1624, and application processing circuitry 1626 may be on separate chips or sets of chips. In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry 1624 and application processing circuitry 1626 may be combined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In still alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1622 and baseband processing circuitry 1624 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processing circuitry 1626 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1622, baseband processing circuitry 1624, and application processing circuitry 1626 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may be a part of interface 1614. RF transceiver circuitry 1622 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 1620.
[0221] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processing circuitry 1620 executing instructions stored on device readable medium 1630, 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 1620 without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storage medium or not, processing circuitry 1620 can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1620 alone or to other components of WD 1610, but are enjoyed by WD 1610 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless network generally.
[0222] Processing circuitry 1620 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 1620, may include processing information obtained by processing circuitry 1620 by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored by WD 1610, 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.
[0223] Device readable medium 1630 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 1620. Device readable medium 1630 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 1620. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1620 and device readable medium 1630 may be considered to be integrated.
[0224] User interface equipment 1632 may provide components that allow for a human user to interact with WD 1610. Such interaction may be of many forms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment 1632 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the user to provide input to WD 1610. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface equipment 1632 installed in WD 1610. For example, if WD 1610 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if WD 1610 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 1632 may include input interfaces, devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interface equipment 1632 is configured to allow input of information into WD 1610, and is connected to processing circuitry 1620 to allow processing circuitry 1620 to process the input information. User interface equipment 1632 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 1632 is also configured to allow output of information from WD 1610, and to allow processing circuitry 1620 to output information from WD 1610. User interface equipment 1632 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 1632, WD 1610 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, and allow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.
[0225] Auxiliary equipment 1634 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 1634 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.
[0226] Power source 1636 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 1610 may further comprise power circuitry 1637 for delivering power from power source 1636 to the various parts of WD 1610 which need power from power source 1636 to carry out any functionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry 1637 may in certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Power circuitry 1637 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in which case WD 1610 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 1637 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 1636. This may be, for example, for the charging of power source 1636. Power circuitry 1637 may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 1636 to make the power suitable for the respective components of WD 1610 to which power is supplied.
[0227] Figure 17 illustrates a user Equipment in accordance with some embodiments. [0228] Figure 17 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with various aspects described herein. 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 17200 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 1700, as illustrated in Figure 17, 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 17 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD, and vice-versa.
[0229] In Figure 17, UE 1700 includes processing circuitry 1701 that is operatively coupled to input/output interface 1705, radio frequency (RF) interface 1709, network connection interface 1711, memory 1715 including random access memory (RAM) 1717, read-only memory (ROM) 1719, and storage medium 1721 or the like, communication subsystem 1731, power source 1713, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1721 includes operating system 1723, application program 1725, and data 1727. In other embodiments, storage medium 1721 may include other similar types of information. Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in Figure 17, 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.
[0230] In Figure 17, processing circuitry 1701 may be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 1701 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 1701 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.
[0231] In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 1705 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, output device, or input and output device. UE 1700 may be configured to use an output device via input/output interface 1705. 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 1700. 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 1700 may be configured to use an input device via input/output interface 1705 to allow a user to capture information into UE 1700. 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.
[0232] In Figure 17, RF interface 1709 may be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface 1711 may be configured to provide a communication interface to network 1743a. Network 1743a 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 1743a may comprise a Wi-Fi network. Network connection interface 1711 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 1711 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.
[0233] RAM 1717 may be configured to interface via bus 1702 to processing circuitry 1701 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 1719 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 1701. For example, ROM 1719 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 1721 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 1721 may be configured to include operating system 1723, application program 1725 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application, and data file 1727. Storage medium 1721 may store, for use by UE 1700, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
[0234] Storage medium 1721 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 1721 may allow UE 1700 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 1721, which may comprise a device readable medium. [0235] In Figure 17, processing circuitry 1701 may be configured to communicate with network 1743b using communication subsystem 1731. Network 1743a and network 1743b may be the same network or networks or different network or networks. Communication subsystem 1731 may be configured to include one or more transceivers used to communicate with network 1743b. For example, communication subsystem 1731 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 802.11, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver may include transmitter 1733 and/or receiver 1735 to implement transmitter or receiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 1733 and receiver 1735 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.
[0236] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of communication subsystem 1731 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 1731 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. Network 1743b 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 1743b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near-field network. Power source 1713 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 1700.
[0237] The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 1700 or partitioned across multiple components of UE 1700. 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 1731 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitry 1701 may be configured to communicate with any of such components over bus 1702. In another example, any of such components may be represented by program instructions stored in memory that when executed by processing circuitry 1701 perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any of such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 1701 and communication subsystem 1731. 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.
[0238] Figure 18 illustrates a virtualization environment in accordance with some embodiments.
[0239] Figure 18 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1800 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).
[0240] 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 1800 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes 1830. 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.
[0241] The functions may be implemented by one or more applications 1820 (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 1820 are run in virtualization environment 1800 which provides hardware 1830 comprising processing circuitry 1860 and memory 1890. Memory 1890 contains instructions 1895 executable by processing circuitry 1860 whereby application 1820 is operative to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.
[0242] Virtualization environment 1800, comprises general-purpose or special- purpose network hardware devices 1830 comprising a set of one or more processors or processing circuitry 1860, 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 1890-1 which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 1895 or software executed by processing circuitry 1860. Each hardware device may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 1870, also known as network interface cards, which include physical network interface 1880. Each hardware device may also include non-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media 1890-2 having stored therein software 1895 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 1860. Software 1895 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 1850 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 1840 as well as software allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.
[0243] Virtual machines 1840 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1850 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 1820 may be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 1840, and the implementations may be made in different ways.
[0244] During operation, processing circuitry 1860 executes software 1895 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 1850, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 1850 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to virtual machine 1840.
[0245] As shown in Figure 18, hardware 1830 may be a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 1830 may comprise antenna 18225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1830 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) 18100, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1820.
[0246] 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.
[0247] In the context of NFV, virtual machine 1840 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 1840, and that part of hardware 1830 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 1840, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).
[0248] 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 1840 on top of hardware networking infrastructure 1830 and corresponds to application 1820 in Figure 18.
[0249] In some embodiments, one or more radio units 18200 that each include one or more transmitters 18220 and one or more receivers 18210 may be coupled to one or more antennas 18225. Radio units 18200 may communicate directly with hardware nodes 1830 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.
[0250] In some embodiments, some signalling can be effected with the use of control system 18230 which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes 1830 and radio units 18200.
[0251] Figure 19 illustrates a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments.
[0252] With reference to Figure 19, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 1910, such as a 3 GPP -type cellular network, which comprises access network 1911, such as a radio access network, and core network 1914. Access network 1911 comprises a plurality of base stations 1912a, 1912b, 1912c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1913a, 1913b, 1913c. Each base station 1912a, 1912b, 1912c is connectable to core network 1914 over a wired or wireless connection 1915. A first UE 1991 located in coverage area 1913c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1912c. A second UE 1992 in coverage area 1913a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1912a. While a plurality of UEs 1991, 1992 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 1912.
[0253] Telecommunication network 1910 is itself connected to host computer 1930, 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 1930 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 1921 and 1922 between telecommunication network 1910 and host computer 1930 may extend directly from core network 1914 to host computer 1930 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1920. Intermediate network 1920 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 1920, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 1920 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).
[0254] The communication system of Figure 19 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1991, 1992 and host computer 1930. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1950. Host computer 1930 and the connected UEs 1991, 1992 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 1950, using access network 1911, core network 1914, any intermediate network 1920 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 1950 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 1950 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 1912 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 1930 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1991. Similarly, base station 1912 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1991 towards the host computer 1930. [0255] Figure 20 illustrates a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments.
[0256] 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 20. In communication system 2000, host computer 2010 comprises hardware 2015 including communication interface 2016 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 2000. Host computer 2010 further comprises processing circuitry 2018, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 2018 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 2010 further comprises software 2011, which is stored in or accessible by host computer 2010 and executable by processing circuitry 2018. Software 2011 includes host application 2012. Host application 2012 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 2030 connecting via OTT connection 2050 terminating at UE 2030 and host computer 2010. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 2012 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 2050.
[0257] Communication system 2000 further includes base station 2020 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 2025 enabling it to communicate with host computer 2010 and with UE 2030. Hardware 2025 may include communication interface 2026 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 2000, as well as radio interface 2027 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 2070 with UE 2030 located in a coverage area (not shown in Figure 20) served by base station 2020. Communication interface 2026 may be configured to facilitate connection 2060 to host computer 2010. Connection 2060 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in Figure 20) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 2025 of base station 2020 further includes processing circuitry 2028, 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 2020 further has software 2021 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.
[0258] Communication system 2000 further includes UE 2030 already referred to. Its hardware 2035 may include radio interface 2037 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 2070 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 2030 is currently located. Hardware 2035 of UE 2030 further includes processing circuitry 2038, 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 2030 further comprises software 2031, which is stored in or accessible by UE 2030 and executable by processing circuitry 2038. Software 2031 includes client application 2032. Client application 2032 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 2030, with the support of host computer 2010. In host computer 2010, an executing host application 2012 may communicate with the executing client application 2032 via OTT connection 2050 terminating at UE 2030 and host computer 2010. In providing the service to the user, client application 2032 may receive request data from host application 2012 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 2050 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 2032 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
[0259] It is noted that host computer 2010, base station 2020 and UE 2030 illustrated in Figure 20 may be similar or identical to host computer 1930, one of base stations 1912a, 1912b, 1912c and one of UEs 1991, 1992 of Figure 19, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Figure 20 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of Figure 19.
[0260] In Figure 20, OTT connection 2050 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 2010 and UE 2030 via base station 2020, 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 2030 or from the service provider operating host computer 2010, or both. While OTT connection 2050 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network). [0261] Wireless connection 2070 between UE 2030 and base station 2020 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments may improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE
2030 using OTT connection 2050, in which wireless connection 2070 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the random access speed and/or reduce random access failure rates and thereby provide benefits such as faster and/or more reliable random access.
[0262] A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of 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 2050 between host computer 2010 and UE 2030, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 2050 may be implemented in software 2011 and hardware 2015 of host computer 2010 or in software
2031 and hardware 2035 of UE 2030, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 2050 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 2011, 2031 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 2050 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 2020, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 2020. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 2010’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 2011 and 2031 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 2050 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.
[0263] Figure 21 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
[0264] Figure 21 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 19 and 20. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure
21 will be included in this section. In step 2110, the host computer provides user data. In substep 2111 (which may be optional) of step 2110, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2120, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 2130 (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 2140 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.
[0265] Figure 22 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments.
[0266] Figure 22 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 19 and 20. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure
22 will be included in this section. In step 2210 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 2220, 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 2230 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.
[0267] Figure 23 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments
[0268] Figure 23 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 19 and 20. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure
23 will be included in this section. In step 4810 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 2320, the UE provides user data. In substep 2321 (which may be optional) of step 2320, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 2311 (which may be optional) of step 2310, 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 2330 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 2340 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.
[0269] Figure 24 illustrates methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments
[0270] Figure 24 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 29 and 20. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 24 will be included in this section. In step 2410 (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 2420 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 2430 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.
[0271] Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal 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 (RAM), 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 some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0272] 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.
[0273] ABBREVIATIONS
[0274] 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
ABS Almost Blank Subframe
ARQ Automatic Repeat Request
AWGN Additive White Gaussian Noise
BCCH Broadcast Control Channel
BCH Broadcast Channel
CA Carrier Aggregation
CC Carrier Component
CCCH SDU Common Control Channel SDU
CDMA Code Division Multiplexing Access
CGI Cell Global Identifier
CIR Channel Impulse Response
CP Cyclic Prefix CPICH Common Pilot Channel CPICH Ec/No CPICH Received energy per chip divided by the power density in the band
CQI Channel Quality information C-RNTI Cell RNTI CSI Channel State Information DCCH Dedicated Control Channel DL Downlink DM Demodulation DMRS Demodulation Reference Signal DRX Discontinuous Reception DTX Discontinuous Transmission DTCH Dedicated Traffic Channel DUT Device Under Test E-CID Enhanced Cell-ID (positioning method) E-SMLC Evolved-Serving Mobile Location Centre
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 FFS For Further Study GERAN GSM EDGE Radio Access Network gNB Base station in NR GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System GSM Global System for Mobile communication HARQ Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request HO Handover HSPA High Speed Packet Access HRPD High Rate Packet Data
LOS Line of Sight
LPP LTE Positioning Protocol
LTE Long-Term Evolution
MAC Medium Access Control
MBMS Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services
MBSFN Multimedia Broadcast multicast service Single Frequency Network
MBSFN ABS MBSFN Almost Blank Subframe
MDT Minimization of Drive Tests
MIB Master Information Block
MME Mobility Management Entity
MSC Mobile Switching Center
NPDCCH Narrowband Physical Downlink Control Channel
NR New Radio
OCNG OFDMA Channel Noise Generator
OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
OFDMA Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access
OSS Operations Support System
OTDOA Observed Time Difference of Arrival
O&M Operation and Maintenance
PBCH Physical Broadcast Channel
P-CCPCH Primary Common Control Physical Channel
PCell Primary Cell
PCFICH Physical Control Format Indicator Channel
PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel
PDP Profile Delay Profile
PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel
PGW Packet Gateway
PHICH Physical Hybrid-ARQ Indicator Channel
PLMN Public Land Mobile Network
PMI Precoder Matrix Indicator PRACH Physical Random Access Channel
PRS Positioning Reference Signal
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
RLM 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 RS SI Received Signal Strength Indicator
RSTD Reference Signal Time Difference
SCH Synchronization Channel
SCell Secondary Cell
SDU Service Data Unit
SFN System Frame Number
SGW Serving Gateway
SI System Information
SIB System Information Block
SNR Signal to Noise Ratio
SON Self Optimized Network SS Synchronization Signal
SSS Secondary Synchronization Signal
TDD Time Division Duplex
TDOA Time Difference of Arrival
TOA Time of Arrival
TSS Tertiary Synchronization Signal
TTI Transmission Time Interval
UE User Equipment
UL Uplink
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
[0275] Further definitions and embodiments are discussed below.
[0276] In the above-description of various embodiments of present inventive concepts, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of present inventive concepts. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which present inventive concepts belong. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
[0277] When an element is referred to as being "connected", "coupled", "responsive", or variants thereof to another element, it can be directly connected, coupled, or responsive to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected", "directly coupled", "directly responsive", or variants thereof to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, "coupled", "connected", "responsive", or variants thereof as used herein may include wirelessly coupled, connected, or responsive. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity. The term "and/or" (abbreviated “/”) includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0278] It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements/operations, these elements/operations should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element/operation from another element/operation. Thus a first element/operation in some embodiments could be termed a second element/operation in other embodiments without departing from the teachings of present inventive concepts. The same reference numerals or the same reference designators denote the same or similar elements throughout the specification.
[0279] As used herein, the terms "comprise", "comprising", "comprises", "include", "including", "includes", "have", "has", "having", or variants thereof are open-ended, and include one or more stated features, integers, elements, steps, components or functions but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, elements, steps, components, functions or groups thereof. Furthermore, as used herein, the common abbreviation "e.g.", which derives from the Latin phrase "exempli gratia," may be used to introduce or specify a general example or examples of a previously mentioned item, and is not intended to be limiting of such item. The common abbreviation "i.e.", which derives from the Latin phrase "id est," may be used to specify a particular item from a more general recitation.
[0280] Example embodiments are described herein with reference to block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations of computer-implemented methods, apparatus (systems and/or devices) and/or computer program products. It is understood that a block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions that are performed by one or more computer circuits. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor circuit of a general purpose computer circuit, special purpose computer circuit, and/or other programmable data processing circuit to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer and/or other programmable data processing apparatus, transform and control transistors, values stored in memory locations, and other hardware components within such circuitry to implement the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block or blocks, and thereby create means (functionality) and/or structure for implementing the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block(s).
[0281] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a tangible computer-readable medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer- readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block or blocks. Accordingly, embodiments of present inventive concepts may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) that runs on a processor such as a digital signal processor, which may collectively be referred to as "circuitry," "a module" or variants thereof.
[0282] It should also be noted that in some alternate implementations, the functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the flowcharts. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Moreover, the functionality of a given block of the flowcharts and/or block diagrams may be separated into multiple blocks and/or the functionality of two or more blocks of the flowcharts and/or block diagrams may be at least partially integrated. Finally, other blocks may be added/inserted between the blocks that are illustrated, and/or blocks/operations may be omitted without departing from the scope of inventive concepts. Moreover, although some of the diagrams include arrows on communication paths to show a primary direction of communication, it is to be understood that communication may occur in the opposite direction to the depicted arrows.
[0283] Many variations and modifications can be made to the embodiments without substantially departing from the principles of the present inventive concepts. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of present inventive concepts. Accordingly, the above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the examples of embodiments are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the spirit and scope of present inventive concepts. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of present inventive concepts are to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the present disclosure including the examples of embodiments and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless device in a network, the method comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
2. The method of Claim 1, further comprising: responsive to a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: setting (1009) a final power level to a current transmit power level; and logging (1011) the final power level.
3. The method of Claim 2, further comprising, for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA, logging whether or not a maximum transmission power set by the network was reached.
4. The method of any of Claims 1-3, wherein transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level comprises: responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, incrementing (1201) the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level; and responsive to a different beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, transmitting (1203) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level.
5. The method of Claim 4 wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level until a maximum transmit power level is reached.
6. The method of any of Claims 4-5, wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level by a ramping step.
7. The method of any of Claims 1-6, further comprising determining the first transmit power level to use.
8. The method of any of Claims 1-6, wherein logging the power measurement parameter comprises logging a power level (1101) used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
9. The method of any of Claims 1-6, wherein logging the power measurement parameter comprises logging a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
10. The method of any of Claims 1-9, further comprising: reporting (1301) the power measurement parameters logged to the network; and reporting (1303) the final power level logged to the network.
11. The method of any of Claims 1-9, further comprising reporting (1305) the first transmit power level to the network.
12. The method of any of Claims 1-9, further comprising reporting (1307) whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
13. The method of any of Claims 1-9 further comprising reporting (1309) a power level applied for reporting a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
14. The method of any of Claims 1-9 further comprising reporting (1311) a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
15. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: receiving (1501) random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device (700) during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device; setting (1503) a transmit power to the initial transmit power; determining (1505) whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts; responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700); responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam: incrementing (1511) the transmit power by a power ramping step; and incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) did not attempt a next RA on the same beam, incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1515) whether the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is a same transmit power as a previous RA attempt; and responsive to determining that the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is not the same transmit power as the previous RA attempt, determining (1517) that the current RA attempt number is an RA attempt number at which the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700) was reached.
16. The method of Claim 15, further comprising: responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1519) that a final transmit power level of the wireless device (700) is the current transmit power level.
17. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: receiving (1601) random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device; determining (1603) a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts; determining (1604) a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device; determining (1605) an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
18. The method of Claim 17, wherein determining the initial transmit power level comprises determining the initial transmit power level in accordance with
Figure imgf000113_0001
where Txinitial is the initial transmit power, Txmax is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and Pramping step is the power ramp step.
19. A wireless device (700) adapted to perform operations comprising: transmitting (1001) at least one of a random access channel, RACH, preamble or a MsgA at a first transmit power level; logging (1003) a power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the msgA; for each unsuccessful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the
MsgA: responsive to a number of unsuccessful transmissions of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA being below a maximum number of transmissions: transmitting (1005) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a revised transmit power level; and logging (1007) the power measurement parameter associated with the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at the revised transmit power level.
20. The wireless device (700) of Claim 19, wherein the wireless node is further adapted to perform operations comprising: responsive to a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA: setting (1009) a final power level to a current transmit power level; and logging (1011) the final power level.
21. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-20, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble of the MsgA, logging whether or not a maximum transmission power set by the network was reached.
22. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-21, wherein the wireless node is further adapted to perform operations comprising: responsive to a same beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, incrementing (1201) the revised transmit power level to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at an incremented transmit power level; and responsive to a different beam being used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA, transmitting (1203) the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA at a same transmit power level.
23. The wireless device (700) of Claim 22 wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level until a maximum transmit power level is reached.
24. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 22-23, wherein incrementing the revised transmit power level comprises incrementing the revised transmit power level by a ramping step.
25. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-24, wherein the wireless device is further adapted to perform operations comprising: determining the first transmit power level to use.
26. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-25, wherein the power measurement parameter comprises a power level (1101) used to transmit the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
27. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-25, wherein the power measurement parameter comprises a path loss (1103) measured by the wireless device at the time of transmitting the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
28. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-27, wherein the wireless node is further adapted to perform operations comprising: reporting (1301) the power measurement parameters logged to the network; and reporting (1303) the final power level logged to the network.
29. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-27, wherein the memory includes further instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising reporting (1305) the first transmit power level to the network.
30. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-27, wherein the wireless node is further adapted to perform operations comprising: reporting (1307) whether or not a path loss has changed during the transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
31. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-27, wherein the wireless node is further adapted to perform operations comprising: reporting (1309) a power level applied for each transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
32. The wireless device (700) of any of Claims 19-27, wherein the wireless node is further adapted to perform operations comprising: reporting (1311) a last attempted transmit power level for a last RACH transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA or a successful transmitting of the at least one of the RACH preamble or the MsgA.
33. A network node (800) adapted to perform operations comprising: receiving (1501) random access, RA, information including an initial transmit power of a wireless device (700) during an initial random access, RA, attempt, a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), and a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device; setting (1503) a transmit power to the initial transmit power; determining (1505) whether or not a current RA attempt number initially set to 1 is equal the number of RA attempts; responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1507) whether or not the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700); responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is not equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1509) whether or not the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) attempted a next RA on a same beam: incrementing (1511) the transmit power by a power ramping step; and incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the wireless device (700) did not attempt a next RA on the same beam, incrementing (1513) the current RA attempt number by one; responsive to determining that the transmit power used for the current RA attempt is equal to the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), determining (1515) whether the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is a same transmit power as a previous RA attempt; and responsive to determining that the transmit power used in the current RA attempt is not the same transmit power as the previous RA attempt, determining (1517) that the current RA attempt number is an RA attempt number at which the maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700) was reached.
34. The network node (800) of Claim 33, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations further comprising: responsive to determining that the current RA attempt number is not equal to the number of RA attempts, determining (1519) that a final transmit power level of the wireless device (700) is the current transmit power level.
35. A network node (800) adapted to perform operations comprising: receiving (1601) random access, RA, information including a maximum transmit power of the wireless device (700), a number of RA attempts used by the wireless device, and a RA attempt number in which the wireless device reached the maximum transmit power of the wireless device; determining (1603) a number of times a same beam was successively used for successive RA attempts; determining (1605) a power ramp step used in incrementing the transmit power level of the wireless device; and determining (1607) an initial transmit power level used by the wireless device based on the maximum transmit power, the number of times the same beam was successively used, and the power ramp step.
36. The network node (800) of Claim 35, wherein in determining the initial transmit power level, the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform operations comprising determining the initial transmit power level in accordance with
Figure imgf000117_0001
where Txinitial is the initial transmit power, Txmax is the maximum transmit power, n is the number of times the same beam was successively used, and Pramping step is the power ramp step
37. A wireless device (700) device (700) comprising: processing circuitry (703); and memory (705) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the communication device to perform operations according to any of Claims 1-14.
38. A network node (800) comprising: processing circuitry (803); and memory (805) coupled with the processing circuitry, wherein the memory includes instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry causes the network node to perform according to any of Claims 15-18.
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