WO2023059253A1 - Nœud de réseau, dispositif sans fil et procédés mis en œuvre en son sein de fonctionnement et de communication dans une cellule associée à un groupe de cellules - Google Patents

Nœud de réseau, dispositif sans fil et procédés mis en œuvre en son sein de fonctionnement et de communication dans une cellule associée à un groupe de cellules Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2023059253A1
WO2023059253A1 PCT/SE2022/050894 SE2022050894W WO2023059253A1 WO 2023059253 A1 WO2023059253 A1 WO 2023059253A1 SE 2022050894 W SE2022050894 W SE 2022050894W WO 2023059253 A1 WO2023059253 A1 WO 2023059253A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cell
time
uplink timing
uplink
timing
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2022/050894
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English (en)
Inventor
Mattias BERGSTRÖM
Muhammad Ali Kazmi
Stefan Wager
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Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
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Publication of WO2023059253A1 publication Critical patent/WO2023059253A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W56/00—Synchronisation arrangements
    • H04W56/004—Synchronisation arrangements compensating for timing error of reception due to propagation delay
    • H04W56/0045—Synchronisation arrangements compensating for timing error of reception due to propagation delay compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L27/00—Modulated-carrier systems
    • H04L27/26—Systems using multi-frequency codes
    • H04L27/2601—Multicarrier modulation systems
    • H04L27/2602—Signal structure
    • H04L27/26025—Numerology, i.e. varying one or more of symbol duration, subcarrier spacing, Fourier transform size, sampling rate or down-clocking
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0001—Arrangements for dividing the transmission path
    • H04L5/0014—Three-dimensional division
    • H04L5/0023—Time-frequency-space
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/003—Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0032—Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/003—Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0048—Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/003—Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0078—Timing of allocation
    • H04L5/008—Timing of allocation once only, on installation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0091—Signaling for the administration of the divided path
    • 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
    • H04W52/02—Power saving arrangements
    • H04W52/0209—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices
    • H04W52/0225—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
    • H04W52/0229—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal where the received signal is a wanted signal
    • 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
    • H04W52/02—Power saving arrangements
    • H04W52/0209—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices
    • H04W52/0225—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
    • H04W52/0229—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal where the received signal is a wanted signal
    • H04W52/0232—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal where the received signal is a wanted signal according to average transmission signal activity
    • 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
    • H04W52/02—Power saving arrangements
    • H04W52/0209—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices
    • H04W52/0225—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
    • H04W52/0235—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal where the received signal is a power saving command
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02D—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
    • Y02D30/00—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
    • Y02D30/70—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks in wireless communication networks

Definitions

  • a 3GPP Release 17 (Rel-17) work item related to Secondary Cell Group (SCG)/Secondary Cell (SCell) activation/deactivation describes improving network energy efficiency and WD battery life for WDs in Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC).
  • SCG/SCell activation/deactivation may be useful for MR-DC configurations with NR SCG, e.g., in some cases NR WD power consumption is three to four times higher than for a WD in LTE.
  • 3GPP has specified the concepts of dormant SCell (in LTE) and dormancy -like behavior of an SCell (for NR).
  • LTE when an SCell is in dormant state, like in the deactivate state, the WD does not need to monitor a corresponding Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) or Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH).
  • the WD cannot transmit in a corresponding uplink.
  • the WD may be required to perform and report Channel Quality Indication (CQI) measurements.
  • a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) SCell e.g., a SCell configured with PUCCH
  • PUCCH Physical Uplink Control Channel
  • Downlink Control Information is used to control entering/leaving the dormant BWP for one or more SCell(s) or one or more SCell group(s).
  • the DCI is sent to a special cell (SpCell) of the cell group that the SCell belongs to (i. e. , a Primary Cell (PCell) in case the SCell belongs to a Master Cell Group (MCG), and a Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) if the SCell belongs to a Secondary Cell Group (SCG)).
  • the SpCell i.e., PCell or PSCell
  • PUCCH SCell cannot typically be configured with a dormant BWP.
  • the WD supports network-controlled suspension of the SCG in RRC CONNECTED.
  • RRC configuration can select SCG activation state, which can be set using the RRCReconfiguration message at handover, resume, PSCell change, or SCG modification;
  • the WD does not receive PDCCH/PDSCH on PSCell, and there is no Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmission PSCell;
  • PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel
  • Radio Resource Management • The WD continues Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurements and reporting. Also, PSCell mobility is supported.
  • RRM Radio Resource Management
  • Random Access Channel RACH
  • RACH-less SCG activation RACH-less SCG activation
  • the WD keeps a Time Alignment Timer (TAT) running and considers Time Advance (TA) valid as long as TAT is running; and
  • the WD continues Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD)/Radio Link Monitoring (RLM) (if configured).
  • BFD Bidirectional Forwarding Detection
  • RLM Radio Link Monitoring
  • UL transmissions from multiple WDs need to be time aligned at the network node such as a gNB, i.e., UL transmissions should reach the network node around the same time (or within a certain time window such as within a Cyclic Prefix (CP) of the UL signal).
  • CP Cyclic Prefix
  • WDs may be at different distances from the network node, e.g., gNBs, the WDs will need to initiate UL transmissions at different times.
  • a WD far from the network node, e.g., gNB needs to start transmission earlier than a WD close to the network node.
  • WDs at different distances can be handled using by Time Advance (TA) of the UL transmissions, e.g., a WD starts UL transmissions before a nominal time given by the timing of the downlink (DL) signal received by the WD.
  • TA Time Advance
  • Time alignment may be performed by a network node indicating a TA value to the WD.
  • the TA value can be updated by the network node, for example, as the WD moves closer or further away from the network node, e.g., the gNB.
  • a timing advance command field may indicate index value TA used to control an amount of timing adjustment.
  • the WD is configured with the NTA offset value for a serving cell belonging to FR1, e.g., via a system information (SI) such as in a system information block (SIB) during the initial access or during cell reselection.
  • SI system information
  • SIB system information block
  • the WD may also follow a downlink frame timing change of a reference cell, which may also be called as timing reference cell.
  • One cell group e.g., SCG, MCG, etc.
  • TAG has one reference cell.
  • Examples of reference cells are a serving cell of the WD such as SpCell and SCell. Examples of SpCell are PCell and PSCell.
  • the WD transmit timing adjustment (e.g., based on a change in timing of the DL reference cell) is also called WD autonomous timing adjustment or WD autonomous timing change.
  • the WD may use the received timing of a reference signal, e.g., Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), transmitted by the reference cell for determining the change of the DL frame timing of the reference cell.
  • SSB Synchronization Signal Block
  • Tr is the DL frame timing of the reference cell before the latest change in the DL frame timing determined by the WD. • In another example, Tr is the UL transmit timing before the latest change in the DL frame timing determined by the WD.
  • Tr is the DL frame timing of the reference cell determined by the WD in a previous occasion, e.g., at time k3*T0 period before the current timing of the WD.
  • K3 l.
  • the WD initial transmission timing error may be expected to be within certain margin (e.g., within ⁇ Te).
  • Downlink timing in the network node e.g., gNB
  • may drift for example due to a drift in a clock in the network node. If a sudden drift in the downlink timing of the network node happens, the WDs would also (e.g., suddenly) change the uplink timing.
  • the uplink reception window of the network node, e.g., gNB is however not necessarily synchronized to the network node downlink timing. In other words, even if there is a sudden drift in the network node downlink timing, it may not be preferred that the WDs change the corresponding uplink timing suddenly. A large change in the uplink timing may therefore cause degradation at the network node, e.g., a gNB receiver.
  • a WD procedure has been specified in 3GPP for gradually updating the uplink timing based on the downlink timing.
  • the WD may gradually adjust the uplink timing with a certain rate.
  • the rate is low enough to ensure that the network node, e.g., gNB, can cope with gradual changes in the WD uplink timing.
  • the gradual TA adjustment procedure is specified in 3GG TS 38.133 V17.3.0, section 7.1.
  • the WD is required to adjust WD timing to within ⁇ Te.
  • the gradual uplink timing adjustments made to the WD uplink timing follow the certain rules. For example, some rules include: • The maximum amount of the magnitude of the timing change in one adjustment shall be Tq;
  • the WD When a cell group is deactivated for the WD, the WD may be expected to keep the TA value, which allows the WD to resume uplink transmissions in the cell group when the cell group is activated again, even without performing a random-access procedure. If the WD resumes transmissions when the cell group is activated again, the uplink timing that the WD applies is expected to be aligned, e.g., from a network point of view. That is, if the uplink timing that the WD applies is not aligned with the wanted uplink timing, the WD may cause interference in the wireless communication system..
  • a WD performs a gradual uplink timing adjustment for one or more cells associated with a cell group, e.g., a deactivated cell group, using at least one parameter value (e.g., maximum adjustment step size, minimum aggregated adjustment rate, maximum aggregated adjustment rate), related to an adjustment that is different from the adjustment/value used by the WD when a cell group is activated.
  • a parameter value e.g., maximum adjustment step size, minimum aggregated adjustment rate, maximum aggregated adjustment rate
  • the WD may determine/perform uplink timing adjustment based on DL reference cell timing, e.g., when the cell group is deactivated, at least once every L*Tmcycle (i.e., a periodicity of a measurement cycle when cell group is deactivated).
  • L may be equal to 1 or any other value.
  • the WD determines/performs the gradual uplink timing adjustment over a limited time period when the cell group is deactivated, e.g., over a time period shorter than the cell group deactivation period. In another embodiment, the WD determines/performs the gradual uplink timing adjustment over a time period (ATa) starting from the moment/instance when the cell group is deactivated. After ATa, the WD may cease to perform the adjustment(s). In another embodiment, the WD does not determine/perform gradual uplink timing adjustment over ATa starting from the moment and/or instance when the cell group is deactivated. After ATa, the WD may perform the adjustment(s).
  • the WD ceases to apply a gradual timing adjustment for cells in a deactivated cell group, upon determining that a TA value for those cells becomes obsolete.
  • the WD at activation of a cell group determines/sets the uplink transmission timing for a cell to be based on the TA value for that cell.
  • the WD may apply a longer activation delay, compared to the activation delay the WD would apply if the WD has maintained the uplink transmission timing before the cell group is activated.
  • whether the WD applies the gradual uplink timing adjustment, when the cell group is deactivated depends on the availability of a DL reference signal (RS) (e.g., SSB) in a reference cell such as a DL reference cell.
  • RS DL reference signal
  • whether the WD applies the gradual uplink timing adjustment, when the cell group is deactivated depends on the received signal level (Sr) (e.g., Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), Signal to Interference Noise Ratio (SINR), Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), ratio of received energy per resource element to received noise and interference per resource element (Es/Iot) of the DL reference cell (e.g., SSB) at the WD.
  • the duration (ATa) over which the WD applies the gradual uplink timing when the cell group is deactivated depends on the signal level of the reference cell at the WD.
  • a wireless device configured to communicate with a network node and to operate in a cell.
  • the cell is associated with a cell group and the network node.
  • the WD is configured to adjust an uplink timing based at least in part on at least one parameter.
  • the uplink timing is adjusted while the cell group is deactivated.
  • the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD to perform an uplink transmission in the cell at a time when the cell group is activated.
  • the WD is further configured to perform the uplink transmission in the cell based on the adjusted uplink timing.
  • the cell is a primary secondary cell (PSCell).
  • the uplink timing is adjusted based on a downlink frame timing change of a downlink reference cell.
  • the uplink timing is adjusted one of over a predetermined period of time (ATa) starting when the cell group is deactivated; and after the predetermined period of time (ATa) has elapsed.
  • the WD being configured to adjust the uplink timing comprises the WD being configured to adjust the uplink timing based on an availability of a reference signal in a downlink of a downlink reference cell.
  • a predetermined period of time is determined based on the availability of the reference signal, wherein the predetermined period of time (ATa) indicates a period of time during which the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD to perform the uplink transmission in the cell.
  • the predetermined period of time (ATa) is determined further based on a relation between a reference signal periodicity and a threshold H3.
  • the WD being configured to adjust the uplink timing comprises the WD being configured to adjust the uplink timing based on a signal level of a signal received by the WD from a downlink reference cell.
  • the predetermined period of time (ATa) is determined further based on a relation between the signal level and a threshold H6.
  • the at least one parameter includes any one of at least one cell group measurement cycle; at least one predetermined period of time (ATa); at least one time advance value; at least one availability of a reference signal; and at least one signal level.
  • the uplink timing is gradually adjusted based at least in part on the at least one parameter.
  • a method, performed by a wireless device (WD), for communicating with a network node and for operating in a cell is described.
  • the cell is associated with a cell group and the network node.
  • the method includes adjusting an uplink timing based at least in part on at least one parameter.
  • the uplink timing is adjusted while the cell group is deactivated.
  • the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD to perform an uplink transmission in the cell at a time when the cell group is activated.
  • the method includes performing the uplink transmission in the cell based on the adjusted uplink timing.
  • the cell is a primary secondary cell (PSCell).
  • PSCell primary secondary cell
  • the adjusted uplink timing is made so that a transmission timing error is within a certain margin required for the uplink transmission.
  • the uplink timing is adjusted based on a downlink frame timing change of a downlink reference cell.
  • the uplink timing is adjusted one of over a predetermined period of time (ATa) starting when the cell group is deactivated; and after the predetermined period of time (ATa) has elapsed.
  • the adjustment of the uplink timing comprises adjusting the uplink timing based on an availability of a reference signal in a downlink of a downlink reference cell.
  • a predetermined period of time is determined based on the availability of the reference signal, wherein the predetermined period of time (ATa) indicates a period of time during which the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD to perform the uplink transmission in the cell.
  • the predetermined period of time (ATa) is determined further based on a relation between a reference signal periodicity and a threshold H3.
  • the adjustment of the uplink timing comprises adjusting the uplink timing based on a signal level of a signal received by the WD from a downlink reference cell.
  • a predetermined period of time is determined based on the signal level of the signal received by the WD from the downlink reference cell, wherein the predetermined period of time (ATa) indicates a period of time during which the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD to perform the uplink transmission in the cell.
  • the predetermined period of time (ATa) is determined further based on a relation between the signal level and a threshold H6.
  • the at least one parameter includes any one of at least one cell group measurement cycle; at least one predetermined period of time (ATa); at least one time advance value; at least one availability of a reference signal; and at least one signal level.
  • the uplink timing is gradually adjusted based at least in part on the at least one parameter.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of typical dormancy-like behavior for SCells in NR;
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a typical uplink-downlink timing relation in NR
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary network architecture illustrating a communication system connected via an intermediate network to a host computer according to the principles in the present disclosure
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a host computer communicating via a network node with a wireless device over an at least partially wireless connection according to some embodiments of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node and a wireless device for executing a client application at a wireless device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node and a wireless device for receiving user data at a host computer according to some embodiments of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 10 is a flowchart of another exemplary process in a WD according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • relational terms such as “first” and “second,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or order between such entities or elements.
  • the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the concepts described herein.
  • the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
  • Coupled may be used herein to indicate a connection, although not necessarily directly, and may include wired and/or wireless connections.
  • network node can be any kind of network node comprised in a radio network which may further comprise any of base station (BS), radio base station, base transceiver station (BTS), base station controller (BSC), radio network controller (RNC), g Node B (gNB), evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB), Node B, multi-standard radio (MSR) radio node such as MSR BS, multi-cell/multicast coordination entity (MCE), integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, relay node, donor node controlling relay, radio access point (AP), transmission points, transmission nodes, Remote Radio Unit (RRU), Remote Radio Head (RRH), a core network node (e.g., mobile management entity (MME), self-organizing network (SON) node, a coordinating node, positioning node, MDT node, etc.), an external node (e.g., 3rd party node, a node external to the current network), nodes in distributed antenna system (
  • BS base station
  • the network node may also comprise test equipment.
  • a network node may also be a location measurement unit (LMU), integrated access backhaul (IAB) node, , Central Unit (e.g. in a gNB), Distributed Unit (e.g. in a gNB), Baseband Unit, Centralized Baseband, C-RAN, access point (AP), transmission points, transmission nodes, transmission reception point (TRP), nodes in distributed antenna system (DAS), positioning node such as Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Center (E- SMLC).
  • LMU location measurement unit
  • IAB integrated access backhaul
  • Central Unit e.g. in a gNB
  • Distributed Unit e.g. in a gNB
  • Baseband Unit Centralized Baseband
  • C-RAN access point
  • AP access point
  • TRP transmission reception point
  • DAS distributed antenna system
  • positioning node such as Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Center (E- SMLC).
  • E- SMLC Enhanced Serving Mobile Location Center
  • the non-limiting terms wireless device (WD) or user equipment (UE) are used interchangeably.
  • the WD herein can be any type of wireless device capable of communicating with a network node or another WD over radio signals.
  • the WD may also be a radio communication device, target device, device to device (D2D) WD, machine type WD or WD capable of machine to machine communication (M2M), low-cost and/or low-complexity WD, a sensor equipped with WD, Tablet, mobile terminals, smart phone, laptop embedded equipment (LEE), laptop mounted equipment (LME), USB dongles, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), an Internet of Things (loT) device, or a Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) device, vehicular to vehicular (V2V), machine type WD, Machine Type Communication (MTC) WD, etc.
  • D2D device to device
  • M2M machine to machine communication
  • M2M machine to machine communication
  • CPE Customer Premises Equipment
  • radio network node can be any kind of a radio network node which may comprise any of base station, radio base station, base transceiver station, base station controller, network controller, RNC, evolved Node B (eNB), Node B, gNB, Multi-cell/multicast Coordination Entity (MCE), IAB node, relay node, access point, radio access point, Remote Radio Unit (RRU), Remote Radio Head (RRH).
  • RNC evolved Node B
  • MCE Multi-cell/multicast Coordination Entity
  • IAB node IAB node
  • relay node access point
  • radio access point radio access point
  • RRU Remote Radio Unit
  • RRH Remote Radio Head
  • WCDMA Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access
  • WiMax Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
  • UMB Ultra Mobile Broadband
  • GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
  • the terms “suspended SCG”, “SCG in power saving mode”, “SCG deactivated state”, or “deactivated SCG” may be used interchangeably.
  • the term “suspended SCG” may also refer to “deactivated SCG or inactive SCG”, and/or “dormant SCG”.
  • the terms “resumed SCG”, “SCG in normal operating mode”, “SCG activated state” and “SCG in non-power saving mode” may be used interchangeably.
  • the terms “resumed SCG” may refer to “activated SCG” or “active SCG”.
  • the operation of the SCG operating in resumed or active mode may refer to normal SCG operation or legacy SCG operation.
  • signal or radio signal used herein may refer to any physical signal or physical channel.
  • DL physical signals are reference signals such as Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), CSI- RS, Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS), signals in SSB, Discovery Reference signal (DRS), Cell Specific Reference Signa (CRS), and Positioning Reference Signal (PRS).
  • PSS Primary Synchronization Signal
  • SSS Secondary Synchronization Signal
  • DMRS Demodulation Reference Signal
  • DRS Discovery Reference signal
  • CRS Cell Specific Reference Signa
  • PRS Positioning Reference Signal
  • UL physical signals may include reference signal such as SRS and DMRS.
  • the term physical channel may refer to any channel carrying higher layer information, e.g., data and/or control.
  • Examples of physical channels are Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH), NB-IoT PBCH, PDCCH, PDSCH, short PUCCH (sPUCCH), short PDSCH (sPDSCH), short PUSCH (sPUSCH), Machine Type Communication (MTC) PDCCH (MPDCCH), NB-IoT PDCCH (NPDCCH), NB-IoT PDSCH (NPDSCH), Enhanced PDCCH (E-PDCCH), PUSCH, NB-IoT PUSCH (NPUSCH).
  • PBCH Physical Broadcast Channel
  • PDSCH short PUCCH
  • sPDSCH short PDSCH
  • sPUSCH short PUSCH
  • MTC Machine Type Communication
  • MPDCCH MPDCCH
  • NPDCCH NB-IoT PDCCH
  • NPDSCH NB-IoT PDSCH
  • E-PDCCH Enhanced PDCCH
  • PUSCH NB-IoT PUSCH
  • time resource used herein may correspond to any type of physical resource or radio resource expressed in terms of length of time.
  • Nonlimiting examples of time resources are symbol, time slot, subframe, radio frame, Transmission Time Interval (TTI), interleaving time, slot, sub-slot, and mini-slot.
  • TTI Transmission Time Interval
  • functions described herein as being performed by a wireless device or a network node may be distributed over a plurality of wireless devices and/or network nodes.
  • the functions of the network node and wireless device described herein are not limited to performance by a single physical device and, in fact, can be distributed among several physical devices.
  • Some embodiments provide determining/performing a gradual uplink timing adjustment for one or more cells associated with a deactivated cell group based at least in part on a cell group activation status (e.g., activated, deactivated), and/or at least one parameter.
  • a cell group activation status e.g., activated, deactivated
  • FIG. 3 a schematic diagram of a communication system 10, according to an embodiment, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network that may support standards such as LTE and/or NR (5G), which comprises an access network 12, such as a radio access network, and a core network 14.
  • the access network 12 comprises a plurality of network nodes 16a, 16b, 16c (referred to collectively as network nodes 16), such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 18a, 18b, 18c (referred to collectively as coverage areas 18).
  • Each network node 16a, 16b, 16c is connectable to the core network 14 over a wired or wireless connection 20.
  • a first wireless device (WD) 22a located in coverage area 18a is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding network node 16a.
  • a second WD 22b in coverage area 18b is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding network node 16b. While a plurality of WDs 22a, 22b (collectively referred to as wireless devices 22) are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole WD is in the coverage area or where a sole WD is connecting to the corresponding network node 16. Note that although only two WDs 22 and three network nodes 16 are shown for convenience, the communication system may include many more WDs 22 and network nodes 16.
  • a WD 22 can be in simultaneous communication and/or configured to separately communicate with more than one network node 16 and more than one type of network node 16.
  • a WD 22 can have dual connectivity with a network node 16 that supports LTE and the same or a different network node 16 that supports NR.
  • WD 22 can be in communication with an eNB for LTE/E-UTRAN and a gNB for NR/NG-RAN.
  • the communication system of FIG. 3 as a whole enables connectivity between one of the connected WDs 22a, 22b and the host computer 24.
  • the connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection.
  • the host computer 24 and the connected WDs 22a, 22b are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via the OTT connection, using the access network 12, the core network 14, any intermediate network 30 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries.
  • the OTT connection may be transparent in the sense that at least some of the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications.
  • a host computer 24 comprises hardware (HW) 38 including a communication interface 40 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 10.
  • the host computer 24 further comprises processing circuitry 42, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities.
  • the processing circuitry 42 may include a processor 44 and memory 46.
  • the processing circuitry 42 may comprise integrated circuitry for processing and/or control, e.g., one or more processors and/or processor cores and/or FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuitry) adapted to execute instructions.
  • processors and/or processor cores and/or FPGAs Field Programmable Gate Array
  • ASICs Application Specific Integrated Circuitry
  • the processing circuitry 42 of the host computer 24 may enable the host computer 24 to observe, monitor, control, transmit to and/or receive from the network node 16 and or the wireless device 22.
  • the processing circuitry 42 of the host computer 24 may include a host adjustment unit 54 configured to enable the service provider to perform any of the methods/steps/features described in the present disclosure, including but not limited to observe/monitor/ control/transmit to/receive signals from the network node 16 and or the wireless device 22.
  • the communication system 10 further includes a network node 16 provided in the communication system 10 and including hardware 58 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 24 and with the WD 22.
  • the hardware 58 may include a communication interface 60 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 10, as well as a radio interface 62 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 64 with a WD 22 located in a coverage area 18 served by the network node 16.
  • the radio interface 62 may be formed as or may include, for example, one or more RF transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and/or one or more RF transceivers.
  • the communication interface 60 may be configured to facilitate a connection 66 to the host computer 24.
  • the connection 66 may be direct or it may pass through a core network 14 of the communication system 10 and/or through one or more intermediate networks 30 outside the communication system 10.
  • the hardware 58 of the network node 16 further includes processing circuitry 68.
  • the processing circuitry 68 may include a processor 70 and a memory 72.
  • the processing circuitry 68 may comprise integrated circuitry for processing and/or control, e.g., one or more processors and/or processor cores and/or FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuitry) adapted to execute instructions.
  • FPGAs Field Programmable Gate Array
  • ASICs Application Specific Integrated Circuitry
  • the processor 70 may be configured to access (e.g., write to and/or read from) the memory 72, which may comprise any kind of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory, e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory) and/or ROM (Read- Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read- Only Memory).
  • the memory 72 may comprise any kind of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory, e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory) and/or ROM (Read- Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read- Only Memory).
  • the software 74 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 70 and/or processing circuitry 68, causes the processor 70 and/or processing circuitry 68 to perform the processes described herein with respect to network node 16.
  • processing circuitry 68 of the network node 16 may include node adjustment unit 32 configured to perform any of the methods/steps/features of the present disclosure.
  • the communication system 10 further includes the WD 22 already referred to.
  • the WD 22 may have hardware 80 that may include a radio interface 82 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 64 with a network node 16 serving a coverage area 18 in which the WD 22 is currently located.
  • the radio interface 82 may be formed as or may include, for example, one or more RF transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and/or one or more RF transceivers.
  • the processor 86 may be configured to access (e.g., write to and/or read from) memory 88, which may comprise any kind of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory, e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory) and/or ROM (Read-Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).
  • memory 88 may comprise any kind of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory, e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory) and/or ROM (Read-Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).
  • the WD 22 may further comprise software 90, which is stored in, for example, memory 88 at the WD 22, or stored in external memory (e.g., database, storage array, network storage device, etc.) accessible by the WD 22.
  • the software 90 may be executable by the processing circuitry 84.
  • the software 90 may include a client application 92.
  • the client application 92 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the WD 22, with the support of the host computer 24.
  • an executing host application 50 may communicate with the executing client application 92 via the OTT connection 52 terminating at the WD 22 and the host computer 24.
  • the client application 92 may receive request data from the host application 50 and provide user data in response to the request data.
  • the OTT connection 52 may transfer both the request data and the user data.
  • the client application 92 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
  • the processing circuitry 84 may be configured to control any of the methods and/or processes described herein and/or to cause such methods, and/or processes to be performed, e.g., by WD 22.
  • the processor 86 corresponds to one or more processors 86 for performing WD 22 functions described herein.
  • the WD 22 includes memory 88 that is configured to store data, programmatic software code and/or other information described herein.
  • the software 90 and/or the client application 92 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 86 and/or processing circuitry 84, causes the processor 86 and/or processing circuitry 84 to perform the processes described herein with respect to WD 22.
  • the inner workings of the network node 16, WD 22, and host computer 24 may be as shown in FIG. 4 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIG. 3.
  • the OTT connection 52 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host computer 24 and the wireless device 22 via the network node 16, 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 the WD 22 or from the service provider operating the host computer 24, or both. While the OTT connection 52 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).
  • the wireless connection 64 between the WD 22 and the network node 16 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the WD 22 using the OTT connection 52, in which the wireless connection 64 may form the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of some of these embodiments may improve the data rate, latency, and/or power consumption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, relaxed restriction on file size, better responsiveness, extended battery lifetime, etc.
  • 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 the OTT connection 52 may be implemented in the software 48 of the host computer 24 or in the software 90 of the WD 22, or both.
  • sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 52 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 48, 90 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities.
  • the reconfiguring of the OTT connection 52 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the network node 16, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the network node 16. Some such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art.
  • measurements may involve proprietary WD signaling facilitating the host computer’s 24 measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like.
  • the measurements may be implemented in that the software 48, 90 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 52 while it monitors propagation times, errors, etc.
  • the host computer 24 includes processing circuitry 42 and a communication interface 40 that is configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a WD 22 to a network node 16.
  • the WD 22 is configured to, and/or comprises a radio interface 82 and/or processing circuitry 84 configured to perform the functions and/or methods described herein for preparing/initiating/maintaining/supporting/ending a transmission to the network node 16, and/or preparing/terminating/maintaining/supporting/ending in reception of a transmission from the network node 16.
  • FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method implemented in a communication system, such as, for example, the communication system of FIG. 3, in accordance with one embodiment.
  • the communication system may include a host computer 24, a network node 16 and a WD 22, which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the host computer 24 provides user data (Block SI 10).
  • the host computer 24 provides the user data by executing a host application, such as, for example, the host application 50.
  • the host computer 24 initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the WD 22 (Block SI 12).
  • the transmission may pass via the network node 16, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method implemented in a communication system, such as, for example, the communication system of FIG. 3, in accordance with one embodiment.
  • the communication system may include a host computer 24, a network node 16 and a WD 22, which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the WD 22 receives input data provided by the host computer 24 (Block SI 16).
  • the WD 22 executes the client application 92, which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer 24 (Block SI 18).
  • FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method implemented in a communication system, such as, for example, the communication system of FIG. 3, in accordance with one embodiment.
  • the communication system may include a host computer 24, a network node 16 and a WD 22, which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the network node 16 receives user data from the WD 22 (Block SI 28).
  • the network node 16 initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer 24 (Block S130).
  • the host computer 24 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the network node 16 (Block S132).
  • the gradual uplink timing adjustment is determined at least once for every occurrence of a cell group measurement cycle when the cell group is deactivated.
  • the processing circuitry 84 is further configured to determine a first activation delay before the cell group is activated when the gradual uplink timing adjustment is not used to gradually update the uplink transmission timing.
  • the first activation delay is greater than a second activation delay.
  • the second activation delay corresponds to using the gradual uplink timing adjustment to gradually update the uplink transmission timing before the cell group is activated.
  • the first activation delay is applied before the cell group is activated.
  • determining the gradual uplink timing adjustment includes gradually updating the uplink transmission timing of at least one uplink transmission using the gradual uplink timing adjustment.
  • a predetermined period of time, ATa may be determined based on of the availability of the reference signal.
  • the predetermined period of time, ATa indicates a period of time the gradual uplink timing adjustment is used at least to gradually update the uplink transmission timing when the cell group is deactivated.
  • the predetermined period of time, ATa may be determined based on the signal level of the signal received by the WD 22.
  • the at least one parameter includes any one of a cell group measurement cycle, a predetermined period of time, ATa, a time advance value, availability of a reference signal, and a signal level of a signal received by the WD 22.
  • a network node is configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD) and to operate in and/or establish a cell, the cell being associated with a cell group and the network node, the network configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface and/or processing circuitry configured to interoperate and/or communicate with and/or signal to/from the WD in accordance with any one of the methods described above.
  • WD wireless device
  • FIG. 10 is a flowchart of another exemplary process in a WD 22.
  • One or more blocks described herein may be performed by one or more elements of WD 22 such as by one or more of processing circuitry 84 (including the WD adjustment unit 34), processor 86, radio interface 82.
  • Wireless device 22 such as via processing circuitry 84 and/or processor 86 and/or radio interface 82 is configured to adjust (Block S136) an uplink timing based at least in part on at least one parameter.
  • the uplink timing is adjusted while the cell group is deactivated.
  • the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD 22 to perform an uplink transmission in the cell at a time when the cell group is activated, e.g. at a time when the cell group is activated again.
  • the adjusted uplink timing is made so that a transmission timing error is within a certain margin required for the uplink transmission.
  • the uplink timing is adjusted based on a downlink frame timing change of a downlink reference cell.
  • the adjustment of the uplink timing comprises adjusting the uplink timing based on an availability of a reference signal in a downlink of a downlink reference cell.
  • a predetermined period of time is determined based on the availability of the reference signal, wherein the predetermined period of time (ATa) indicates a period of time during which the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD 22 to perform the uplink transmission in the cell.
  • the predetermined period of time (ATa) may by determined further based on a relation between a reference signal periodicity and a threshold H3.
  • the adjustment of the uplink timing comprises adjusting the uplink timing based on a signal level of a signal received by the WD 22 from a downlink reference cell.
  • a predetermined period of time is determined based on the signal level of the signal received by the WD 22 from the downlink reference cell.
  • the predetermined period of time (ATa) may indicate a period of time during which the adjusted uplink timing is usable for the WD 22 to perform the uplink transmission in the cell.
  • the predetermined period of time (ATa) may be determined further based on a relation between the signal level and a threshold H6.
  • the at least one parameter includes any one of, or when possible one or more of, at least one cell group measurement cycles; at least one predetermined period of time (ATa); at least one time advance value; at least one availability of a reference signal; and at least one signal level.
  • the uplink timing is gradually adjusted based at least in part on the at least one parameter.
  • the WD 22 may be expected to keep the TA value, which allows the WD to resume uplink transmissions in the cell group when the cell group is activated again.
  • keeping the TA value may not ensure that the uplink transmission timing is aligned to the expected/desired uplink transmission timing, such as the uplink transmission timing that does cause the interference.
  • a timing adjustment is performed while a cell group is deactivated.
  • whether the WD 22 updates (e.g., gradually updates) the UL timing may be based on one or more rules (which may be used individually or in combination), which may be pre-defined and/or configured by the network node 16 (e.g., by MCG, PCell).
  • the rule may further trigger (e.g., require) the WD 22 to perform the uplink timing adjustment based on the DL frame timing of the DL reference cell if the WD 22 has to transmit a particular type of signal in the UL (e.g., random access, contention based random access transmission) at the time of the activation of the cell group.
  • a particular type of signal in the UL e.g., random access, contention based random access transmission
  • the WD 22 may adjust uplink timing (e.g., uplink transmit timing) based on and/or by following the downlink frame timing change of the DL reference cell at least once every L*Tmsync.
  • uplink timing e.g., uplink transmit timing
  • the WD 22 is not triggered (e.g., required) to adjust its uplink transmit timing based on and/or by following the downlink frame timing change of the DL reference cell by more than once every L*Tmsync.
  • the rule may further require the DL reference cell to provide RS (e.g., transmit SSB) at least once every L*Tmsync.
  • the WD 22 adjusts its uplink transmit timing based on or by following the downlink frame timing change of the DL reference cell at least once every L*Tmsync provided that the RS in the DL reference cell is available at the WD 22 at least once every L*Tmsync.
  • WD 22 may adapt the time alignment timer (TAT) associated with deactivated cell group based on whether the RS (e.g., SSB used for WD timing) in the DL reference cell is available at the WD or not, at least once every L*Tmsync.
  • TAT time alignment timer
  • the WD may adapt the time alignment timer (TAT). Otherwise the WD 22 may determine not to adapt the TAT.
  • TAT may be configured by the network node 16 (e.g., via MAC- CE) when the cell group is deactivated. Examples of adaptation of the TAT are stopping TAT, restarting TAT, increasing the value of TAT by certain margin (Gl) and decreasing the value of TAT by certain margin (G2). Gl and G2 can be pre-defined and/or configured by the network node 16.
  • Tmsync and L may be defined as follows:
  • Tmsync is a periodicity of a measurement cycle.
  • the measurement cell may also be a cell group measurement cycle and/or deactivated cell group measurement cycle.
  • the WD 22 may measure and/or monitor signals (e.g., reference signals such as SSB) once every Tmsync.
  • Tmsync are 160 ms, 320 ms, 640 ms, 1280 ms.
  • a maximum amount of a magnitude of timing change in one adjustment shall be T q when the cell group is activated and T qi when the cell group is deactivated.
  • T q /T q i such that T q > T qi and/or T q ⁇ T q i.
  • a minimum aggregate adjustment rate may be T p per second when the cell group is activated and T pi when the cell group is deactivated.
  • T p ⁇ T p i.
  • T p > T p i.
  • the WD 22 may apply an uplink timing adjustment (e.g., a gradual uplink timing adjustment) for a predetermined amount of time period (ATa) while the cell group is deactivated, e.g., over a duration shorter than the time period over which the cell group remains deactivated.
  • the uplink timing adjustment (e.g., gradual uplink timing adjustment and/or the autonomous uplink timing adjustment) may be used to trigger (e.g., require) the WD 22 to monitor DL timing of a reference cell, e.g. time synchronization of SSB transmitted by the reference cell.
  • One purpose and/or advantage of limiting the time of uplink timing adjustment is to save WD battery power. This embodiment is further described with several examples below:
  • the WD 22 applies the gradual uplink timing adjustment until certain time instance (Tyl) starting from a certain reference time (Tref). After Tyl, the WD may determine not to apply the gradual uplink timing adjustment. Therefore, as a general rule:
  • Tyl and Tref may be pre-defined and/or configured by the network node 16.
  • Tyl may be the time when the SCG is activated (again).
  • Tyl may be the time instance or time resource occurring XI time units (e.g., XI ms) and/or time resources (e.g., XI slots) before the SCG is activated.
  • Tref may include:
  • Tref is the time when the cell group (e.g., SCG) is deactivated by the WD 22.
  • Tref is the time which the last reference signal (e.g., SSB) was available at the WD 22 before the cell group (e.g. SCG) was deactivated by the WD 22.
  • SSB last reference signal
  • SCG cell group
  • Tref is the time which the first reference signal (e.g., SSB) was available at the WD 22 after the cell group (e.g. SCG) was deactivated by the WD 22.
  • the first reference signal e.g., SSB
  • the cell group e.g. SCG
  • Tref is the time instance or time resource occurring X3 time units (e.g., X3 ms) or time resources (e.g., X3 slots) after the cell group (e.g., SCG) is deactivated by the WD.
  • X3 160 ms.
  • a certain time e.g., as defined by Tref
  • the WD 22 may apply an UL timing which is determined based on the DL TX timing of the reference cell and/or the TA value for which the WD 22 has been configured for the cell group, e.g., SCG.
  • the examples of one or more rules may also apply in this embodiment. For example, it may further be specified that when the cell group is deactivated, then over the limited amount of time period (ATa), the WD 22 adjusts its uplink transmit timing based on or/and by following the downlink frame timing change of the DL reference cell at least once every L*Tmsync.
  • the rule may further specify that the WD 22 is required to adjust its uplink transmit timing based on or by following the downlink frame timing change of the DL reference cell provided that the RS in the DL reference cell is available at the WD 22 at least once every L*Tmsync.
  • one or more rules can be specified in the standard e.g.
  • the WD 22 may adjust its uplink timing based on and/or by following the downlink frame timing change of a reference cell over a duration (ATa) starting from a reference time (Tref e.g., when the cell group is deactivated).
  • the WD 22 is not required or is not expected to adjust its uplink timing based on or by following the downlink frame timing change of the reference cell after the duration.
  • the WD 22 may adjust its uplink timing based on and/or by following the downlink frame timing change of a reference cell after a duration (ATa) starting from a reference time (Tref such as when the cell group is deactivated).
  • ATa duration
  • Tref reference time
  • the WD 22 is not required or is not expected to adjust its uplink timing based on or by following the downlink frame timing change of the reference cell during the duration (ATa).
  • the parameters, Tref, Tyl, XI, X2, X3, T and Hl may be pre-defined and/or configured by the network node 16 and/or may depend on one or more of FR and/or numerology of one or more serving cells in the SCG, e.g., PSCell.
  • WD 22 may cease to apply a gradual UL transmit timing adjustment, e.g., the TA value that WD 22 maintains for a cell has a validity time of 1.28 seconds.
  • the TA value may be received via TA advance command from network node 16.
  • the TA validity time may be defined by a timer running in WD 22, e.g., a Time Alignment Timer (TAT).
  • TAT Time Alignment Timer
  • WD 22 may cease to apply such behavior, which is beneficial at least because WD 22 may reduce power consumption, e.g., WD 22 may be able to monitor the DL of the cell at a lower frequency /accuracy than if the WD 22 does not cease to apply such behavior.
  • WD 22 may perform a gradual uplink timing adjustment for a cell group when the cell group is deactivated.
  • WD 22 when WD 22 resumes an SCG, WD 22 sets the UL timing based on a network configured TA value, e.g. based on the NTA, offset and NTA which is derived from a received TA command.
  • the UL timing that WD 22 applies is calculated to be the DL timing but offset with the NTA, offset and NTA that WD 22 has been configured with.
  • whether WD 22 applies the uplink timing adjustment (e.g., gradual uplink timing adjustment) or not, when the cell group is deactivated depends on the availability of the DL reference signal (RS) (e.g., SSB) in the reference cell.
  • the duration (ATa) over which WD 22 applies the uplink timing (e.g., gradual uplink timing) when the cell group is deactivated depends on the availability of the DL reference signal (RS) (e.g., SSB) in the reference cell.
  • the availability of the RS can be expressed in terms of the RS periodicity (TRS), e.g., 20 ms, 40 ms, 80 ms, 160 ms.
  • H2 a threshold
  • the duration (ATa) over which WD 22 applies the uplink timing adjustment may depend on a relation between TRS and a threshold (H3).
  • WD 22 applies the uplink timing adjustment (e.g., gradual uplink timing adjustment) over a ATa larger than a certain threshold (H4), if TRS is larger than H3. Otherwise (e.g., if TRS ⁇ H3), WD 22 applies the uplink timing adjustment (e.g., gradual uplink timing adjustment) over ATa ⁇ H4.
  • Parameters/thresholds Hl, H2, H3 and H4 may be pre-defined and/or configured by network node 16 and/or may depend on one or more of FR and/or numerology of one or more serving cells in the SCG, e.g., a PSCell.
  • the parameters/thresholds, H5 and H6 may be pre-defined and/or configured by network node 16 and/or depend on one or more of FR and/or numerology of one or more serving cells in the SCG, e.g., a PSCell.
  • WD 22 may apply the methods/steps/features/ behavior described herein individually for each timing and/or in combination.
  • Example A2 The WD of Example Al, wherein the gradual uplink timing adjustment is determined at least once for every occurrence of a cell group measurement cycle when the cell group is deactivated;
  • Example A5 The WD of any one of Examples A1-A4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: gradually update the uplink transmission timing based on a time advance value of the cell when the cell group is activated.
  • Example A10 The WD of any one of Examples A8 and A9, wherein a predetermined period of time, ATa, is determined based on any one of: the availability of the reference signal, the predetermined period of time, ATa, indicating a period of time the gradual uplink timing adjustment is used at least to gradually update the uplink transmission timing when the cell group is deactivated; and the signal level of the signal received by the WD.
  • a predetermined period of time, ATa is determined based on any one of: the availability of the reference signal, the predetermined period of time, ATa, indicating a period of time the gradual uplink timing adjustment is used at least to gradually update the uplink transmission timing when the cell group is deactivated; and the signal level of the signal received by the WD.
  • Example Bl A method implemented in a wireless device (WD) configured to communicate with a network node and to operate in a cell, the cell being associated with a cell group and the network node, the WD configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface and/or processing circuitry configured to: determine a gradual uplink timing adjustment based at least in part on whether the cell group is one of activated and deactivated and at least one parameter, the gradual uplink timing adjustment being usable at least to gradually update an uplink transmission timing of at least one uplink transmission of the WD in the cell.
  • a wireless device WD
  • the WD configured to communicate with a network node and to operate in a cell, the cell being associated with a cell group and the network node, the WD configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface and/or processing circuitry configured to: determine a gradual uplink timing adjustment based at least in part on whether the cell group is one of activated and deactivated and at least one parameter, the gradual uplink timing adjustment being usable at least to gradually
  • Example B2 The method of Example Bl, wherein the gradual uplink timing adjustment is determined at least once for every occurrence of a cell group measurement cycle when the cell group is deactivated;
  • Example B3 The method of any one of Examples Bl and B2, wherein, when the cell group is deactivated, the gradual uplink timing adjustment is determined one of: over a predetermined period of time, ATa, the determination starting when the cell group is deactivated; and after the predetermined period of time, ATa, has elapsed.
  • Example B5 The method of any one of Examples B1-B4, wherein the method further includes: gradually updating the uplink transmission timing based on a time advance value of the cell when the cell group is activated.
  • Example B6 The method of any one of Examples B1-B5, wherein the method further includes: determining a first activation delay before the cell group is activated when the gradual uplink timing adjustment is not used to gradually update the uplink transmission timing, the first activation delay being longer than a second activation delay, the second activation delay corresponding to using the gradual uplink timing adjustment to gradually update the uplink transmission timing before the cell group is activated; and applying the first activation delay before the cell group is activated.
  • Example B7 The method of any one of Examples B1-B6, wherein determining the gradual uplink timing adjustment includes gradually updating the uplink transmission timing of at least one uplink transmission using the gradual uplink timing adjustment.
  • Example B9 The method of Example B8, wherein gradually updating the uplink transmission is performed further based on any one of: a first relation between a reference signal periodicity and a first threshold; and a second relation between the signal level and a second threshold.
  • Example Bll The method of Example BIO, wherein the predetermined period of time, ATa, is determined further based on any one of: a third relation between a reference signal periodicity and a third threshold; and a fourth relation between the signal level and a fourth threshold.
  • Example Bl 2. The method of any one of Examples Bl -Bll, wherein the at least one parameter includes any one of: a cell group measurement cycle; a predetermined period of time, ATa; a time advance value; availability of a reference signal; and a signal level of a signal received by the WD.
  • the at least one parameter includes any one of: a cell group measurement cycle; a predetermined period of time, ATa; a time advance value; availability of a reference signal; and a signal level of a signal received by the WD.
  • Example Cl A network node configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD) and to operate in and/or establish a cell, the cell being associated with a cell group and the network node, the network configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface and/or processing circuitry configured to interoperate and/or communicate with and/or signal to/from the WD in accordance with any one of the methods of Examples B1-B12.
  • WD wireless device
  • the network configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface and/or processing circuitry configured to interoperate and/or communicate with and/or signal to/from the WD in accordance with any one of the methods of Examples B1-B12.
  • the concepts described herein may be embodied as a method, data processing system, computer program product and/or computer storage media storing an executable computer program. Accordingly, the concepts described herein may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects all generally referred to herein as a “circuit” or “module.” Any process, step, action and/or functionality described herein may be performed by, and/or associated to, a corresponding module, which may be implemented in software and/or firmware and/or hardware. Furthermore, the disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a tangible computer usable storage medium having computer program code embodied in the medium that can be executed by a computer.
  • Any suitable tangible computer readable medium may be utilized including hard disks, CD- ROMs, electronic storage devices, optical storage devices, or magnetic storage devices.
  • These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer (to thereby create a special purpose computer), special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
  • These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable memory or storage 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 memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
  • the computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
  • Computer program code for carrying out operations of the concepts described herein may be written in an object-oriented programming language such as Python, Java® or C++.
  • the computer program code for carrying out operations of the disclosure may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language.
  • the program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer.
  • the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
  • LAN local area network
  • WAN wide area network
  • Internet Service Provider for example, AT&T, MCI, Sprint, EarthLink, MSN, GTE, etc.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé, un système et un appareil. L'invention concerne un dispositif sans fil (WD). Le WD est configuré pour communiquer avec un nœud de réseau et pour fonctionner dans une cellule. La cellule est associée à un groupe de cellules et au nœud de réseau. Le WD est configuré pour ajuster une synchronisation de liaison montante sur la base, au moins en partie, d'au moins un paramètre. La synchronisation de liaison montante est ajustée alors que le groupe de cellules est désactivé. La synchronisation de liaison montante ajustée peut être utilisée pour que le WD mette en œuvre une transmission de liaison montante dans la cellule à un moment où le groupe de cellules est activé. En outre, le WD est configuré pour mettre en œuvre la transmission de liaison montante dans la cellule sur la base de la synchronisation de liaison montante ajustée.
PCT/SE2022/050894 2021-10-05 2022-10-05 Nœud de réseau, dispositif sans fil et procédés mis en œuvre en son sein de fonctionnement et de communication dans une cellule associée à un groupe de cellules WO2023059253A1 (fr)

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CN113395789A (zh) * 2020-03-12 2021-09-14 展讯通信（上海）有限公司 辅小区组的激活方法及装置、存储介质、ue、基站
WO2022031207A1 (fr) * 2020-08-06 2022-02-10 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Synchronisation de liaison montante (ul) pour groupe de cellules secondaires (scg) désactivées
WO2022155170A1 (fr) * 2021-01-12 2022-07-21 Idac Holdings, Inc. Procédés et systèmes permettant d'entretenir efficacement une synchronisation en liaison montante (ul) avec un groupe de cellules secondaires (scg) désactivé

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CN113395789A (zh) * 2020-03-12 2021-09-14 展讯通信（上海）有限公司 辅小区组的激活方法及装置、存储介质、ue、基站
WO2022031207A1 (fr) * 2020-08-06 2022-02-10 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Synchronisation de liaison montante (ul) pour groupe de cellules secondaires (scg) désactivées
WO2022155170A1 (fr) * 2021-01-12 2022-07-21 Idac Holdings, Inc. Procédés et systèmes permettant d'entretenir efficacement une synchronisation en liaison montante (ul) avec un groupe de cellules secondaires (scg) désactivé

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