WO2023113670A1

WO2023113670A1 - User equipment (ue) operation with base station energy-saving configuration

Info

Publication number: WO2023113670A1
Application number: PCT/SE2022/051105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Olof Liberg; Sina MALEKI
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2021-12-13
Filing date: 2022-11-25
Publication date: 2023-06-22
Also published as: TW202332310A

Abstract

Embodiments include methods for a user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless network. Such methods include receiving, from a base station of the wireless network, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration. Such methods include, in response to the indication, performing one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. Other embodiments include complementary methods for a base station, as well as UEs and base stations configured to perform such methods.

Description

USER EQUIPMENT (UE) OPERATION WITH BASE STATION ENERGYSAVING CONFIGURATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless networks and more specifically to techniques for predictable and/or correct operation of a user equipment (UE) when its serving base station applies an energy-saving configuration that affects communication with the UE.

BACKGROUND

Currently the fifth generation (“5G”) of cellular systems, also referred to as New Radio (NR), is being standardized within the Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). NR is developed for maximum flexibility to support a variety of different use cases. These include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), machine type communications (MTC), ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC), side-link device-to-device (D2D), and several other use cases. While the present disclosure relates primarily to 5G/NR, the following description of fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology is provided to introduce various terms, concepts, architectures, etc. that are also used in 5G/NR.

LTE is an umbrella term that refers to radio access technologies developed within 3GPP and initially standardized in Release 8 (Rel-8) and Release 9 (Rel-9), also known as Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN). LTE is targeted at various licensed frequency bands and is accompanied by improvements to non-radio aspects commonly referred to as System Architecture Evolution (SAE), which includes Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network. LTE continues to evolve through subsequent releases.

An overall exemplary architecture of a network comprising LTE and SAE is shown in Figure 1. E-UTRAN 100 includes one or more evolved Node B’s (eNB), such as eNBs 105, 110, and 115, and one or more user equipment (UE), such as UE 120. As used within the 3GPP standards, “user equipment” or “UE” means any wireless communication device (e.g., smartphone or computing device) that can with 3 GPP-standard-compliant network equipment, including E- UTRAN as well as UTRAN and/or GERAN, as the third generation (“3G”) and second generation (“2G”) 3 GPP RANs are commonly known.

As specified by 3GPP, E-UTRAN 100 is responsible for all radio-related functions in the network, including radio bearer control, radio admission control, radio mobility control, scheduling, and dynamic allocation of resources to UEs in uplink (UL, i.e., UE to network) and downlink (DL, i.e., network to UE), as well as security of the communications with the UE. These functions reside in the eNBs, such as eNBs 105, 110, and 115. Each of the eNBs can serve a geographic coverage area including one more cells, including cells 106, 111, and 115 served by eNBs 105, 110, and 115, respectively.

The eNBs in the E-UTRAN communicate with each other via the X2 interface, as shown in Figure 1. The eNBs also are responsible for the E-UTRAN interface to the EPC 130, specifically the SI interface to the Mobility Management Entities (MME) and the Serving Gateways (SGW) in EPC 130 (not shown in Figure 1). In general, the MME/S-GW handles both the overall control of the UE and data flow between the UE and the rest of the EPC. More specifically, the MME processes the signaling (e.g., control plane) protocols between the UE and the EPC, which are known as the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) protocols. The S-GW handles all Internet Protocol (IP) data packets (e.g., data or user plane) between the UE and the EPC and serves as the local mobility anchor for the data bearers when the UE moves between eNBs, such as eNBs 105, 110, and 115.

5G/NR was initially standardized by 3GPP in Rel-15 and continues to evolve through subsequent releases. NR is developed for maximum flexibility to support multiple and substantially different use cases. These include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), machine type communications (MTC), ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC), side-link device-to-device (D2D), and several other use cases.

5G/NR technology shares many similarities with LTE. For example, NR uses CP-OFDM (Cyclic Prefix Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) in the DL and both CP-OFDM and DFT-spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM) in the UL. As another example, in the time domain, NR DL and UL physical resources are organized into equal-sized 1-ms subframes. A subframe is further divided into multiple slots of equal duration, with each slot including multiple OFDM-based symbols. However, time-frequency resources can be configured much more flexibly for an NR cell than for an LTE cell. For example, rather than a fixed 15-kHz OFDM sub-carrier spacing (SCS) as in LTE, NR SCS can range from 15 to 240 kHz, with even greater SCS considered for future NR releases.

Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary high-level view of the 5G network architecture, consisting of a Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN) 299 and a 5G Core (5GC) 298. NG-RAN 299 can include a set of gNodeB’s (gNBs) connected to the 5GC via one or more NG interfaces, such as gNBs 200, 250 connected via interfaces 202, 252, respectively. In addition, the gNBs can be connected to each other via one or more Xn interfaces, such as Xn interface 240 between gNBs 200 and 250. With respect the NR interface to UEs, each of the gNBs can support frequency division duplexing (FDD), time division duplexing (TDD), or a combination thereof.

NG-RAN 199 is layered into a Radio Network Layer (RNL) and a Transport Network Layer (TNL). The NG-RAN architecture, /.< ., the NG-RAN logical nodes and interfaces between them, is defined as part of the RNL. For each NG-RAN interface (NG, Xn, Fl) the related TNL protocol and the functionality are specified. The TNL provides services for user plane transport and signaling transport.

The NG-RAN logical nodes shown in Figure 1 include a central (or centralized) unit (CU or gNB-CU) and one or more distributed (or decentralized) units (DU or gNB-DU). For example, gNB 100 includes gNB-CU 110 and gNB-DUs 120 and 130. CUs are logical nodes that host higher-layer protocols and perform various gNB functions such controlling the operation of DUs. DUs are logical nodes that host lower-layer protocols and can include, depending on the functional split, various subsets of the gNB functions. As such, each of the CUs and DUs can include various circuitry needed to perform their respective functions, including processing circuitry, transceiver and/or communication interface circuitry, power supply circuitry, etc.

A gNB-CU connects to gNB-DUs over respective Fl logical interfaces, such as interfaces 122 and 132 shown in Figure 1. The gNB-CU and connected gNB-DUs are only visible to other gNBs and the 5GC as a gNB. In other words, the Fl interface is not visible beyond gNB-CU.

In addition to providing coverage via cells as in LTE, NR networks also provide coverage via “beams.” In general, a downlink (DL, i.e., network to UE) “beam” is a coverage area of a network-transmitted reference signal (RS) that may be measured or monitored by a UE. Examples of NR RS include synchronization signal/PBCH block (SSB), channel state information RS (CSI- RS), positioning RS (PRS), demodulation RS (DM-RS), phase-tracking reference signals (PTRS), etc. In general, SSB is available to all UEs regardless of RRC state, while other RS (e.g., CSI-RS, DM-RS, PTRS) are associated with specific UEs that have a network connection, i.e., in RRC CONNECTED state.

One goal of 3GPP Rel-18 is improving and/or reducing network energy consumption. One method that has been discussed is to dynamically adapt the number of configured logical and physical antenna ports used by a base station (e.g., eNB or gNB) to reduce the base station’s energy consumption.

SUMMARY

However, dynamically reducing the number of transmit antenna ports used by a base station will impact the DL signal quality and signal strength experienced by UEs in the network, as well as the base station’s DL coverage. Likewise, dynamically reducing the number of receive antenna ports used by a base station will impact the base station’s UL sensitivity and coverage, especially for UEs with limited transmission power. This can cause various problems, issues, and/or difficulties such as inconsistent and/or unpredictable UE behavior.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide improvements that facilitate predictable UE behavior during dynamic changes in base station antenna ports and other base station configurations, such as by providing solutions to the exemplary problems summarized above and described in more detail below.

Some embodiments include methods (e.g., procedures) for a UE (e.g., wireless device, MTC device, NB-IoT device, etc.) configured to operate in a wireless network. These exemplary methods can include receiving, from a base station of the wireless network an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration. These exemplary methods can also include, in response to the indication, performing one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

In some embodiments, the base station energy saving configuration includes reduced numbers of one or more of the following:

• active and/or configured receive (RX) physical antenna ports;

• active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports;

• active and/or configured transmit (TX) physical antenna ports; and

• active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports.

In some embodiments, the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following:

• one or more alternative cell selection criteria; and

• an alternative configuration for beam failure detection (BFD), radio link failure (RLF) detection, and/or radio link monitoring (RLM); and

• an alternative target uplink (UL) signal strength.

In some embodiments, the alternative cell selection criteria include one of the following:

• respective alternative thresholds for measured D) signal strength and signal quality; or

• respective offsets to thresholds for measured DL signal strength and signal quality that are associated with the first configuration (i.e., normal base station energy consumption).

In some embodiments, the alternative configuration for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM includes one or more of the following:

• an alternative DL signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync;

• an alternative number of out-of-sync indications needed to detect beam failure or RLF; and

• an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include receiving, from the base station, at least part of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. In some embodiments, the one or more operations based on the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration can include any of the following:

• performing cell selection based on one or more alternative cell selection criteria;

• restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on an alternative configuration or on a configuration in use by the UE before receiving the indication;

• continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration;

• restarting measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration or on a non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration;

• continuing measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration;

• restarting filtering of DL signal strength measurements for UL transmit power control;

• controlling UL transmit power based on an alternative target UL signal strength.

For example, the restarted filtering of DL signal strength measurements can be performed as layer 3 (L3) filtering or as RRC layer filtering, such as discussed above.

In some of these embodiments, the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE:

• restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration;

• restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the configuration in use; or

• continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based the alternative configuration.

In other of these embodiments, restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the configuration in use is performed when the alternative configuration was not received from the base station before receiving the indication.

• restarting measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration;

• restarting measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration; or

• continuing measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

In some embodiments, the indication comprises a single bit or bitfield, the presence or value of which indicates that the UE should apply the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. In other embodiments, the indication comprises a plurality of bits or bitfields, the respective presences or values of which indicate that the UE should apply respective portions of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

In some embodiments, the indication is received from the base station as broadcast or groupcast physical layer downlink control information (DCI). In other embodiments, the indication is received from the base station as unicast RRC signaling.

Other embodiments include methods (e.g., procedures) for a base station (e.g., RAN node, eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, etc., or component thereof) configured to operate in a wireless network. These exemplary methods can include sending, to one or more UEs, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to an energy saving configuration. These exemplary methods can also include operating in the base station energy saving configuration.

In some embodiments, operating in the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following operations:

• receiving UL signals using reduced numbers of one or more of the following, relative to the first configuration: active and/or configured RX physical antenna ports, and active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports; and

• transmitting DL signals using reduced numbers of one or more of the following, relative to the first configuration: active and/or configured TX physical antenna ports, and active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports.

In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include sending, to the one or more UEs, at least part of a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. As summarized above in relation to UE embodiments, the UE can perform one or more operations based on this UE configuration.

In some embodiments, the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration can include one or more of the following:

• one or more alternative cell selection criteria; and

• an alternative configuration for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM; and

• an alternative target UL signal strength.

In some of these embodiments, the alternative cell selection criteria include one of the following:

• respective alternative thresholds for measured DL signal strength and signal quality; or

In some of these embodiments, the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE: • restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration;

• restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on a configuration in use by the UE before receiving the indication; or

• continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration.

In some of these embodiments, the alternative configuration for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM includes one or more of the following:

• an alternative DL signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync;

• an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

In some variants of these embodiments, the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE:

• restarting measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on a non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration; or

In some embodiments, the indication comprises a bit or bitfield, the presence or value which indicates that the UE should apply the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. In other embodiments, a plurality of bits or bitfields, the respective presences or values of which indicate that the UE should apply respective portions of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

In some embodiments, the indication is sent by the base station as broadcast or groupcast physical layer DCI. In other embodiments, the indication is sent by the base station as unicast RRC signaling.

Other embodiments include user UEs (e.g., wireless devices, MTC devices, NB-IoT devices, or components thereof, such as a modem) and base stations (e.g., RAN nodes, eNBs, gNBs, ng-eNBs, etc., or components thereof) configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the exemplary methods described herein. Other embodiments include non-transitory, computer-readable media storing program instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, configure such UEs or base stations to perform operations corresponding to any of the exemplary methods described herein.

These and other embodiments described herein can provide novel, flexible, and efficient signaling and procedures to support dynamic adaptation of the number of configured antenna ports in a base station. These techniques facilitate predictable and/or correct UE behavior when a base station dynamically adapts the number of configured antenna ports to reduce base station energy consumption. Thus, embodiments facilitate improved energy efficiency of wireless networks while maintaining predictable and/or correct UE behavior.

These and other objects, features, benefits, and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following Detailed Description in view of the Drawings briefly described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure l is a high-level block diagram of an exemplary LTE network architecture.

Figure 2 is a high-level block diagram of an exemplary 5G/NR network architecture.

Figure 3 illustrates how a base station’s logical and physical antenna ports can be muted to facilitate powering down the base station’s radio parts.

Figure 4 illustrates how dynamically reducing the number of transmit antenna ports used by a base station can impact cell coverage.

Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a UE (e.g., wireless device), according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a base station (e.g., eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, etc.), according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 7 shows a communication system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 8 shows a UE according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 9 shows a network node according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 10 shows host computing system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 11 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments of the present disclosure may be virtualized.

Figure 12 illustrates communication between a host computing system, a network node, and a UE via multiple connections, at least one of which is wireless, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments summarized above 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.

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.

Furthermore, the following terms are used throughout the description given below:

• Radio Node: As used herein, a “radio node” can be either a “radio access node” or a “wireless device.”

• Radio Access Node: As used herein, a “radio access node” (or equivalently “radio network node,” “radio access network node,” or “RAN node”) can be any node in a radio access network (RAN) of a cellular communications network that operates to wirelessly transmit and/or receive signals. Some examples of a radio access node include, but are not limited to, a base station (e.g., an NR base station (gNB) in a 3GPP NG-RAN or an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNB) in a 3 GPP E-UTRAN), components of a base station split architecture (e.g., CU and DU), a high-power or macro base station, a low-power base station (e.g., micro, pico, femto, or home base station, or the like), an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node, a transmission point, a transmission reception point (TRP), a remote radio unit (RRU or RRH), and a relay node.

• Core Network Node: As used herein, a “core network node” is any type of node in a core network. Some examples of a core network node include, e.g., a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a serving gateway (SGW), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a location management function (LMF), a user plane function (UPF), a Network Exposure Function (NEF), or the like.

• Wireless Device: As used herein, a “wireless device” (or “WD” for short) is any type of device that is capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other wireless devices. Communicating wirelessly can 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. Unless otherwise noted, the term “wireless device” is used interchangeably herein with the term “user equipment” (or “UE” for short), with both of these terms having a different meaning than the term “network node”.

• Network Node: As used herein, a “network node” is any node that is either part of the radio access network (e.g., a radio access node or equivalent name discussed above) or of the core network (e.g., a core network node discussed above) of a cellular communications network. Functionally, a network node is 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 cellular communications network, to enable and/or provide wireless access to the wireless device, and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration) in the cellular communications network.

• Base station: As used herein, a “base station” may comprise a physical or a logical node transmitting or controlling the transmission of radio signals, e.g., eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, en- gNB, centralized unit (CU)/distributed unit (DU), transmitting radio network node, transmission point (TP), transmission reception point (TRP), remote radio head (RRH), remote radio unit (RRU), Distributed Antenna System (DAS), relay, etc.

Note that the description herein focuses on a 3 GPP cellular communications system and, as such, 3GPP terminology or terminology similar to 3GPP terminology is oftentimes used. However, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to a 3GPP system. Furthermore, although the term “cell” is used herein, it should be understood that (particularly with respect to 5G NR) beams may be used instead of cells and, as such, concepts described herein apply equally to both cells and beams.

In LTE and NR, reference points for transmission of physical signals and channels are called “logical antenna ports”. This is an abstract concept invented by 3GPP, and the 3GPP specifications do not disclose how physical signals and channels defined at logical antenna ports are mapped to the physical antenna ports, which are the inputs to the antenna radiating elements.

As briefly mentioned above, a goal of 3GPP Rel-18 is improving and/or reducing network energy consumption. One method that has been discussed is to dynamically adapt the number of configured logical and physical antenna ports used by a base station (e.g., eNB or gNB) in order to reduce the base station’s energy consumption.

Figure 3 illustrates how a base station’s logical and physical antenna ports can be muted to facilitate powering down the base station’s radio parts. The left side shows a conventional configuration in which two signals (Signal 1, 2) are input to two logical antenna ports of the base station, such as any of the logical antenna ports specified in 3 GPP specifications. The base station applies a non-standardized, implementation-specific mapping of the two logical antenna ports to two physical antenna ports, which are the inputs to two antenna panels containing the antenna elements. In the left scenario, a single UE (310) receives transmissions from both antenna panels, which includes the mapped version of Signals 1 and 2.

The right side of Figure 3 shows an energy saving configuration in which the base station mutes the logical antenna port coupled to Signal 2, as well as the corresponding physical antenna port to the right antenna panel. This allows the base station to turn off the transmitter chain (including power amplifier) and receiver chain coupled to the muted ports, resulting in reduced energy consumption by the base station.

From the UE’s perspective, it appears that that the signal path from panel with the muted antenna port has been completely blocked, e.g., by a building or other obstacle. As an alternative, the base station can map the second logical antenna port to the still-active physical antenna port to the right antenna panel. From the UE’s perspective, it appears that Signals 1 and 2 travel over a pair of fully correlated radio channels. If the total transmit power available for each antenna panel is fixed, then only half as much power is available for each signal when both logical antenna ports are mapped to the same physical antenna port.

Figure 4 illustrates how dynamically reducing the number of transmit antenna ports used by a base station can impact cell coverage. In this example, a UE (410) is operating in the normal coverage area of a cell provided by a base station (420), e.g., using a non-energy-saving configuration such as the left arrangement in Figure 3 in which no antenna ports are muted. When the base station switches to a base station energy-saving configuration, such as the left arrangement in Figure 3 in which one or more antenna ports are muted, the coverage of the cell decreases such that the UE is no longer within the cell coverage. Moreover, even if the UE remains within the cell coverage for the base station energy saving configuration, the UE’s DL signal quality and signal strength will degrade. Likewise, the energy-saving configuration will impact the base station’s UL sensitivity and coverage, especially for UEs with limited transmission power.

This can cause various problems, issues, and/or difficulties such as inconsistent and/or unpredictable UE behavior. For example, a sudden degradation in signal level and/or quality in a UE’s serving cell can cause the UE to initiate a mobility operation (e.g., handover, cell reselection, etc.) towards another cell. However, the cell coverage will reappear when the base station subsequently switches out of the energy saving configuration, which may cause the UE to initiate a second mobility operation back to its previous serving cell. This “ping-pong” operation is undesirable for UE and network. Moreover, even if the UE does not switch cells, the degraded signal level and/or quality in the serving cell can reduce data throughput for UE applications and degrade user experience.

Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure provide novel, flexible, and efficient signaling and procedures to support dynamic adaptation of the number of configured antenna ports in a base station. These techniques facilitate predictable and/or correct UE behavior when a base station dynamically adapts the number of configured antenna ports in order to reduce base station energy consumption. Thus, embodiments facilitate improved energy efficiency of wireless networks while maintaining predictable and/or correct UE behavior.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure include signaling and/or procedures that facilitate predictable and/or correct UE behavior with respect to cell selection and/or reselection. A UE determines if a cell is suitable for camping (i.e., in a non-connected state) based on cell suitability criteria, which requires that the signal strength and signal quality for the cell, as measured by the UE, exceeds respective threshold levels Qrxievmin and Qquaimeas. These thresholds are described in more detail in 3GPP TS 38.304 (vl6.0.0).

In some embodiments, the base station provides the UE another set of cell suitability criteria - thresholds Qrxievmin EE and Qq_Uaimeas_EE - to be applied when the base station enters an energy saving configuration, e.g., by reducing the number of active and/or configured RX and TX physical antenna ports. In other embodiments, the base station provides the UE a pair of offset values to be applied to thresholds Qrxievmin and Qquaimeas when the base station enters an energy saving configuration. In either case, the base station can provide this information via unicast RRC signaling, broadcast signaling (e.g., SIB), MAC control element (CE), downlink control information (DCI), or a combination thereof.

When the base station later changes or adapts the number of its active and/or configured antenna ports, it can indicate this change in a broadcast message (e.g., SIB). UEs receiving this information will apply the cell suitability criteria associated with the base station’s new configuration. For example, if the base station indicates that it entered an energy saving configuration in which it muted an antenna port, the UE can apply the thresholds associated with the energy saving configuration.

Alternately, the change indication can be provided through a physical layer (PHY) broadcast signal, e.g., DCI that is broadcast to all the UEs within the cell or multicast to some group of UEs. For example, the DCI can include a bitfield whose meaning is configured via higher-layer (e.g., RRC) signaling or is pre-configured (e.g., 3GPP-specified). The bits in the bitfield can indicate which set of cell suitability criteria (e.g., thresholds) that the UE should use. For example, a bit value “1” can indicate using the thresholds Qrxievmin EE and Qqualmeas EE associated with the energy saving configuration, while a bit value “0” can indicate using the thresholds Qrxievmin and Qquaimeas associated with the nominal (or non-energy saving) configuration. In some variants, the UE may start using the indicated thresholds at some delay after receiving the indication. The delay can be pre-configured, UE implementation-specific, or configured via higher-layer (e.g., RRC) signaling.

By reducing signal level/quality thresholds from Qrxievmin/Qquaimeas to Qrxievmin EE/ Qquaimeas EE, the base station can keep UEs in cell coverage despite reduced DL signal level/quality measured by UEs caused by the base station energy saving configuration that uses a reduced number of antenna ports.

A UE determines signal level (or strength) and quality measurements based on layer-3 (L3, e.g., RRC) filtering of measurement input from the UE’s PHY. In some embodiments, the UE restarts this L3 filtering upon detecting that the base station has changed the number of its active and/or configured antenna ports. L3 filtering is described in more detail in 3GPP TS 38.331 (vl6.6.0).

Other embodiments of the present disclosure include signaling and/or procedures that facilitate predictable and/or correct UE behavior with respect to detection of radio link failures (RLF) and beam failures. A UE in RRC CONNECTED state monitors DL signal quality of the serving cell. If the UE detects more than N310 out-of-sync indications, it declares RLF. An out- of-sync indication is declared when DL signal quality is below a configured threshold value (BLERout). A similar procedure is employed for beam failure detection (BFD), albeit with slightly different parameters and threshold(s). The procedures for RLF detection and BFD in NR are described in more detail in 3GPP TS 38.133 (vl6.9.0). Although the following description is given in terms of RLF detection, these embodiments are equally applicable to BFD given the similarities between the two procedures.

In some embodiments, the base station provides the UE an alternative RLF monitoring configuration to be applied when the base station enters an energy saving configuration, e.g., by reducing the number of active and/or configured RX and TX physical antenna ports. This additional configuration can include, for example, alternative N310 counter and BLERout threshold values that allow the UE to maintain the radio link with the base station despite reduced quality.

The base station can provide the alternative RLF monitoring configuration via unicast RRC signaling or via broadcast signaling (e.g., SIB). Alternatively, the RLF monitoring configuration can be pre-configured and/or specified, e.g., one or more offsets with respect to existing parameters and/or values used for RLM monitoring. The UE applies the alternative RLF monitoring configuration when it detects (e.g., based on indication from the base station, discussed above) that the base station has entered the energy saving configuration In other embodiments, upon detecting (e.g., based on received indication) that the serving base station has entered the energy saving configuration, the UE restarts the RLF procedure using the same RLF monitoring configuration (i.e., rather than an alternative configuration associated with the energy saving configuration of the base station). For example, the UE restarts counting of out-of-sync indications when it detects (e.g., based on received indication) that the base station has entered the energy saving configuration, e.g., by reducing the number of active and/or configured RX and TX physical antenna ports.

In one variant of this approach, the UE can restart the RLF procedure only when an alternative RLF monitoring configuration has not been received. In other words, the UE applies the alternative RLF monitoring configuration when this has been received. In another variant of this approach, the indication from the base station can indicate whether the UE should restart the RLF monitoring procedure, apply an alternative RLF monitoring configuration provided earlier by the base station, or both (i.e., restart with alternative RLF monitoring configuration).

In some scenarios, the UE may be in a relaxed RLF/BFD or radio link monitoring (REM) state in which it performs certain measurements more infrequently than in a normal or nonrelaxed state. For example, the UE may have entered the relaxed state to reduce UE energy consumption, while the base station was operating with a nominal (or non-energy-saving) configuration of antenna ports.

In some embodiments, the UE exits the relaxed state and enters the normal state when it detects (e.g., based on received indication) that the base station has entered the energy saving configuration. In other embodiments, the base station can provide the UE an alternative relaxed measurement configuration that the UE can apply upon detecting that the base station has entered the energy saving configuration. In some variants, the indication from the base station can indicate whether the UE should exit the relaxed state or apply an alternative relaxed-state measurement configuration provided earlier by the base station.

A UE evaluates the pathloss to the base station as the difference between its L3 -filtered PHY DL signal strength and the configured base station TX power. The pathloss estimate is then used in the UE’s UL power control algorithm to determine an appropriate UE transmit power. Reducing the number of base station physical TX antenna ports will impact the UE’s measured DL signal strength. In some embodiments, the UE restarts the L3 filtering upon detecting (e.g., based on received indication) that the base station has changed the number of configured and/or active physical TX antenna ports or has adjusted the base station TX power to facilitate correct UE UL power control.

The UL power control also considers target UL signal strength. In some embodiments, the base station signals an alternative target UL signal strength to be used in the UE power control algorithm when the base station enters an energy saving configuration, e.g., by reducing the number of active and/or configured RX and TX physical antenna ports. This compensates for reduced base station receiver sensitivity due to the reduction in number of physical antenna ports. Like other parameters and/or values discussed above, this parameter can be applied by the UE when it detects (e.g., based on received indication) that the serving base station has entered the energy saving configuration.

As mentioned above, the UE may receive an indication that the base station entered the energy saving configuration, e.g., by reducing the number of active and/or configured RX and TX physical antenna ports. In response to this indication, the UE applies various configured (or pre-configured) parameters and values associated with the base station’s energy saving configuration. In one variant, the indication can be a single bit (or bit field), which implicitly indicates that the UE should apply all configured parameters and/or values associated with the base station’s energy saving configuration. In another variant, the indication can be a plurality of bits (or bit fields), with each bit indicating whether the UE should apply some subset of configured parameters and/or values associated with the base station’s energy saving configuration. For example, a first bit (or bit field) can indicate whether the UE should apply cell selection parameters and/or values, a second bit (or bit field) can indicate whether the UE should apply RLF -related parameters and/or values, etc.

The embodiments described above can be further illustrated with reference to Figures 5-6, which show exemplary methods (e.g., procedures) for a UE and a network node, respectively. Put differently, various features of the operations described below correspond to various embodiments described above. Furthermore, the exemplary methods shown in Figures 5-6 can be used cooperatively to provide various benefits, advantages, and/or solutions to problems, including those described herein. Although Figures 5-6 show specific blocks in particular orders, the operations of the exemplary methods can be performed in different orders than shown and can be combined and/or divided into blocks with different functionality than shown. Optional blocks or operations are indicated by dashed lines.

In particular, Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a UE configured to operate in a wireless network (e.g., E-UTRAN, NG-RAN), according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary method shown in Figure 5 can be performed by a UE (e.g., wireless device, MTC device, NB-IoT device, modem, etc. or component thereof) such as described elsewhere herein.

The exemplary method can include the operations of block 520, in which the UE can receive, from a base station of the wireless network, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration. The exemplary method can also include the operations of block 530, in which the UE can, in response to the indication, perform one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

• one or more alternative cell selection criteria; and

• an alternative target uplink (UL) signal strength.

• respective alternative thresholds for measured downlink (DL) signal strength and signal quality; or

• an alternative DL signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync;

• an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 510, in which the UE can receive, from the base station, at least part of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. For example, the UE can receive this information via unicast RRC signaling, broadcast signaling (e.g., SIB), MAC CE, DCI, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration (i.e., in block 530) can include any of the following, listed with corresponding sub-block numbers:

• (531) performing cell selection based on one or more alternative cell selection criteria;

• (532) restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on an alternative configuration or on a configuration in use by the UE before receiving the indication;

• (533) continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration; • (534) restarting measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration or on a non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration;

• (535) continuing measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration;

• (536) restarting filtering of DL signal strength measurements for UL transmit power control;

• (537) controlling UL transmit power based on an alternative target UL signal strength.

For example, the restarted filtering of DL signal strength measurements (e.g., in block 536) is performed as layer 3 (L3) filtering or as RRC layer filtering, such as discussed above.

In some of these embodiments, the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE (e.g., in block 530):

In other of these embodiments, restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the configuration in use is performed when the alternative configuration was not received from the base station before receiving the indication in block 520.

In some embodiments, the indication comprises a single bit or bitfield, the presence or value of which indicates that the UE should apply the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. In other embodiments, the indication comprises a plurality of bits or bitfields, the respective presences or values of which indicate that the UE should apply respective portions of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. In other words, the UE selectively apply different portions of the UE configuration based on the presence/absence or the contents of the respective bits or bitfields.

In some embodiments, the base station energy saving configuration includes reduced numbers of one or more of the following: • active and/or configured receive (RX) physical antenna ports;

• active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports;

• active and/or configured transmit (TX) physical antenna ports; and

• active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports.

In some embodiments, the indication is received from the base station as broadcast or groupcast physical layer DCI. In other embodiments, the indication is received from the base station as unicast RRC signaling.

In addition, Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a base station configured to operate in a wireless network, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary method shown in Figure 6 can be performed by a base station (e.g., RAN node, eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, etc., or component thereof) such as described elsewhere herein.

The exemplary method can include the operations of block 620, in which the base station can send, to one or more UEs, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to an energy saving configuration. The exemplary method can also include the operations of block 630, in which the base station can operate in the base station energy saving configuration.

In some embodiments, operate in the energy saving configuration in block 630 includes one or more of the following operations, labelled with corresponding sub-block numbers:

• (631) receiving UL signals using reduced numbers of one or more of the following, relative to the first configuration: active and/or configured RX physical antenna ports, and active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports; and

• (632) transmitting DL signals using reduced numbers of one or more of the following, relative to the first configuration: active and/or configured TX physical antenna ports, and active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports.

In some embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 610, where the base station can send, to the one or more UEs, at least part of a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. For example, the base station can send this information via unicast RRC signaling, broadcast signaling (e.g., SIB), MAC CE, DCI, or a combination thereof. As described above in relation to Figure 5, the UE can perform one or more operations based on this UE configuration.

• one or more alternative cell selection criteria; and

• an alternative configuration for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM; and • an alternative target UL signal strength.

• an alternative DL signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync;

• an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

In some embodiments, the indication comprises a bit or bitfield, the presence or value which indicates that the UE should apply the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. In other embodiments, a plurality of bits or bitfields, the respective presences or values of which indicate that the UE should apply respective portions of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. In other words, the base station indicates for the UE to apply different portions of the UE configuration based on the presence/absence or the contents of the respective bits or bitfields.

Although various embodiments are described herein above in terms of methods, apparatus, devices, computer-readable medium and receivers, the person of ordinary skill will readily comprehend that such methods can be embodied by various combinations of hardware and software in various systems, communication devices, computing devices, control devices, apparatuses, non-transitory computer-readable media, etc.

Figure 7 shows an example of a communication system 700 in accordance with some embodiments. In this example, the communication system 700 includes a telecommunication network 702 that includes an access network 704, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 706, which includes one or more core network nodes 708. The access network 704 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 710a-b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 710), or any other similar 3 GPP access node or non-3GPP access point. The network nodes 710 facilitate direct or indirect connection of UEs, such as by connecting UEs 712a-d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 712) to the core network 706 over one or more wireless connections.

Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 700 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, 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. The communication system 700 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.

The UEs 712 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 710 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 710 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 712 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 702 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 702.

In the depicted example, the core network 706 connects the network nodes 710 to one or more hosts, such as host 716. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 706 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 708) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and/or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 708. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and/or a User Plane Function (UPF).

The host 716 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 704 and/or the telecommunication network 702, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 716 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio/video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

As a whole, the communication system 700 of Figure 7 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and/or any low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

In some examples, the telecommunication network 702 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 702 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 702. For example, the telecommunications network 702 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and/or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC)/Massive loT services to yet further UEs.

In some examples, the UEs 712 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 704 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 704. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi -RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e., being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

In the example, the hub 714 communicates with the access network 704 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 712c and/or 712d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 710b). In some examples, the hub 714 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 714 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 706 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 714 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 710, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 714. As another example, the hub 714 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 714 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 714 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 714 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 714 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

The hub 714 may have a constant/persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 710b. The hub 714 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between the hub 714 and UEs (e.g., UE 712c and/or 712d), and between the hub 714 and the core network 706. In other examples, the hub 714 is connected to the core network 706 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 714 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 704 and/or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 710 while still connected via the hub 714 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 714 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to/from the UEs from/to the network node 710b. In other embodiments, the hub 714 may be a nondedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 710b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.

Figure 8 shows a UE 800 in accordance with some embodiments. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded/integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by 3 GPP, including a narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a 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).

The UE 800 includes processing circuitry 802 that is operatively coupled via a bus 804 to an input/output interface 806, a power source 808, a memory 810, a communication interface 812, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 8. 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.

The processing circuitry 802 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 810. The processing circuitry 802 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field- programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, 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 802 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

In the example, the input/output interface 806 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and/or output devices. Examples of an output device include 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. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 800. Examples of an input device 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, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

In some embodiments, the power source 808 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 808 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 808 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 800 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 808. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 808 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 800 to which power is supplied.

The memory 810 may include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 810 includes one or more application programs 814, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 816. The memory 810 may store, for use by the UE 800, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

The memory 810 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), 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 tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and/or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 810 may allow the UE 800 to access instructions, application programs and 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 embodied as or in memory 810, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

The processing circuitry 802 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 812. The communication interface 812 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 822. The communication interface 812 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 818 and/or a receiver 820 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 818 and receiver 820 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 822) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 812 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, 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. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and/or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 812, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be sent via a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., an alert is sent when moisture is detected), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door/window sensor, a flood/moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and/or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 800 shown in Figure 8.

As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE 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 UE and/or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3 GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and/or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

Figure 9 shows a network node 900 in accordance with some embodiments. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, eNBs, gNBs, etc.). Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may 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).

Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, 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), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and/or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

The network node 900 includes a processing circuitry 902, a memory 904, a communication interface 906, and a power source 908. The network node 900 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 the network node 900 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 NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 900 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 904 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 910 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 900 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 900, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) 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 900.

The processing circuitry 902 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 900 components, such as the memory 904, to provide network node 900 functionality.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 902 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 902 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 912 and baseband processing circuitry 914. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 912 and the baseband processing circuitry 914 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 912 and baseband processing circuitry 914 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

The memory 904 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 the processing circuitry 902. The memory 904 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and/or other instructions (collectively denoted computer program product 904a) capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 902 and utilized by the network node 900. The memory 904 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 902 and/or any data received via the communication interface 906. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 902 and memory 904 is integrated.

The communication interface 906 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 906 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 916 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 906 also includes radio front-end circuitry 918 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 910. Radio front-end circuitry 918 comprises filters 920 and amplifiers 922. The radio front-end circuitry 918 may be connected to an antenna 910 and processing circuitry 902. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 910 and processing circuitry 902. The radio front-end circuitry 918 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 918 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 920 and/or amplifiers 922. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 910. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 910 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 918. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 902. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 900 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 918, instead, the processing circuitry 902 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 910. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 912 is part of the communication interface 906. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 906 includes one or more ports or terminals 916, the radio front-end circuitry 918, and the RF transceiver circuitry 912, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 906 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 914, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

The antenna 910 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. The antenna 910 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 918 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 910 is separate from the network node 900 and connectable to the network node 900 through an interface or port.

The antenna 910, communication interface 906, and/or the processing circuitry 902 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 910, the communication interface 906, and/or the processing circuitry 902 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

The power source 908 provides power to the various components of network node 900 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 908 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 900 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 900 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 908. As a further example, the power source 908 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

Embodiments of the network node 900 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 9 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, the network node 900 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 900 and to allow output of information from the network node 900. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 900.

Figure 10 is a block diagram of a host 1000, which may be an embodiment of the host 716 of Figure 7, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 1000 may be or comprise various combinations hardware and/or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 1000 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

The host 1000 includes processing circuitry 1002 that is operatively coupled via a bus 1004 to an input/output interface 1006, a network interface 1008, a power source 1010, and a memory 1012. Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 8 and 9, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 1000. The memory 1012 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 1014 and data 1016, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for the host 1000 or data generated by the host 1000 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 1000 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application programs 1014 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host application programs 1014 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 1000 may select and/or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE. The host application programs 1014 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.

Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1100 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 any device described herein, 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. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 1100 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized.

Applications 1102 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Hardware 1104 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and/or instructions (collectively denoted computer program product 1104a) executable by hardware processing circuitry, and/or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input/output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 1106 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 1108a and 1108b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 1108), and/or perform any of the functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 1106 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 1108.

VMs 1108 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1106. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 1102 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 1108, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, a VM 1108 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 the VMs 1108, and that part of hardware 1104 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and/or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 1108 on top of the hardware 1104 and corresponds to the application 1102.

Hardware 1104 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 1104 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1104 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g., such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 1110, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1102. In some embodiments, hardware 1104 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 1112 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units. Figure 12 shows a communication diagram of a host 1202 communicating via a network node 1204 with a UE 1206 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with various embodiments, of the UE (such as a UE 712a of Figure 7 and/or UE 800 of Figure 8), network node (such as network node 710a of Figure 7 and/or network node 900 of Figure 9), and host (such as host 716 of Figure 7 and/or host 1000 of Figure 10) discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 12.

Like host 1000, embodiments of host 1202 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. The host 1202 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by the host 1202 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as the UE 1206 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1250 extending between the UE 1206 and host 1202. In providing the service to the remote user, a host application may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 1250.

The network node 1204 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with the host 1202 and UE 1206. The connection 1260 may be direct or pass through a core network (like core network 706 of Figure 7) and/or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.

The UE 1206 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by UE 1206 and executable by the UE’s processing circuitry. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or operator-specific “app” that may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1206 with the support of the host 1202. In the host 1202, an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via the OTT connection 1250 terminating at the UE 1206 and host 1202. In providing the service to the user, the UE's client application may receive request data from the host's host application and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1250 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The UE's client application may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides to the host application through the OTT connection 1250.

The OTT connection 1250 may extend via a connection 1260 between the host 1202 and the network node 1204 and via a wireless connection 1270 between the network node 1204 and the UE 1206 to provide the connection between the host 1202 and the UE 1206. The connection 1260 and wireless connection 1270, over which the OTT connection 1250 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host 1202 and the UE 1206 via the network node 1204, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.

As an example of transmitting data via the OTT connection 1250, in step 1208, the host 1202 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with the UE 1206. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with a UE 1206 that shares data with the host 1202 without explicit human interaction. In step 1210, the host 1202 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards the UE 1206. The host 1202 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by the UE 1206. The request may be caused by human interaction with the UE 1206 or by operation of the client application executing on the UE 1206. The transmission may pass via the network node 1204, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 1212, the network node 1204 transmits to the UE 1206 the user data that was carried in the transmission that the host 1202 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1214, the UE 1206 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on the UE 1206 associated with the host application executed by the host 1202.

In some examples, the UE 1206 executes a client application which provides user data to the host 1202. The user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from the host 1202. Accordingly, in step 1216, the UE 1206 may provide user data, which may be performed by executing the client application. In providing the user data, the client application may further consider user input received from the user via an input/output interface of the UE 1206. Regardless of how the user data was provided, the UE 1206 initiates, in step 1218, transmission of the user data towards the host 1202 via the network node 1204. In step 1220, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the network node 1204 receives user data from the UE 1206 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards the host 1202. In step 1222, the host 1202 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the UE 1206.

One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 1206 using the OTT connection 1250, in which the wireless connection 1270 forms the last segment. More precisely, embodiments described herein can provide novel, flexible, and efficient signaling and procedures to support dynamic adaptation of the number of configured antenna ports in a base station. These techniques facilitate predictable and/or correct UE behavior when a base station dynamically adapts the number of configured antenna ports to reduce base station energy consumption. Thus, embodiments facilitate improved energy efficiency of wireless networks while maintaining predictable and/or correct UE behavior. When used to improve UEs and base stations comprising a wireless network, embodiments increase the value (i.e., to end users and to service providers) of OTT services delivered to UEs via the wireless network.

In an example scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by the host 1202. As another example, the host 1202 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps. As another example, the host 1202 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, the host 1202 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE. As another example, the host 1202 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR or AR which it can broadcast, multicast or unicast to UEs. As other examples, the host 1202 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time critical electrical load to balance power generation needs, location services, presentation services (such as compiling diagrams etc. from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing and/or transmitting data.

In some examples, 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 the OTT connection 1250 between the host 1202 and UE 1206, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 1202 and/or UE 1206. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 1250 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above or by supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1250 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of the network node 1204. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like, by the host 1202. The measurements may be implemented in that software causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1250 while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.

The foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the disclosure. Various modifications and alterations to the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous systems, arrangements, and procedures that, although not explicitly shown or described herein, embody the principles of the disclosure and can be thus within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Various embodiments can be used together with one another, as well as interchangeably therewith, as should be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art.

The term unit, as used herein, can have conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and can 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.

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 Processor (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.

As described herein, device and/or apparatus can be represented by a semiconductor chip, a chipset, or a (hardware) module comprising such chip or chipset; this, however, does not exclude the possibility that a functionality of a device or apparatus, instead of being hardware implemented, be implemented as a software module such as a computer program or a computer program product comprising executable software code portions for execution or being run on a processor. Furthermore, functionality of a device or apparatus can be implemented by any combination of hardware and software. A device or apparatus can also be regarded as an assembly of multiple devices and/or apparatuses, whether functionally in cooperation with or independently of each other. Moreover, devices and apparatuses can be implemented in a distributed fashion throughout a system, so long as the functionality of the device or apparatus is preserved. Such and similar principles are considered as known to a skilled person. 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 this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein 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.

In addition, certain terms used in the present disclosure, including the specification, drawings and embodiments thereof, can be used synonymously in certain instances, including, but not limited to, e.g., data and information. It should be understood that, while these words and/or other words that can be synonymous to one another, can be used synonymously herein, that there can be instances when such words can be intended to not be used synonymously.

Example embodiments of the techniques and apparatus described herein include, but are not limited to, the following enumerated examples:

Al . A method for a user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless network, the method comprising: receiving, from a base station of the wireless network, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a configuration associated with normal energy consumption to an energy saving configuration; and in response to the indication, performing one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

A2. The method of embodiment Al, wherein the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following: one or more alternative cell selection criteria; and an alternative configuration for beam failure detection (BFD), radio link failure (RLF) detection, and/or radio link monitoring (RLM); and an alternative target uplink (UL) signal strength.

A3. The method of embodiment A2, wherein the alternative cell selection criteria include one of the following: respective alternative thresholds for measured downlink (DL) signal strength and signal quality; or respective offsets to thresholds for measured DL signal strength and signal quality that are associated with a non-energy saving configuration of the base station. A4. The method of any of embodiments A2-A3, wherein the alternative configuration for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM includes one or more of the following: an alternative downlink (DL) signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync; an alternative number of out-of-sync indications needed to detect beam failure or RLF; and an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

A5. The method of any of embodiments A1-A4, further comprising receiving, from the base station, at least part of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

A6. The method of any of embodiments A1-A5, wherein the one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration include any of the following: performing cell selection based on one or more alternative cell selection criteria; restarting beam failure detection (BFD), radio link failure (RLF) detection, and/or radio link monitoring (RLM) based on an alternative configuration or on the same configuration used before receiving the indication; continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based the alternative configuration; restarting measurements for BFD, RLF, and/or RLM based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration or on a non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration; continuing measurements for BFD, RLF, and/or RLM based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration; restarting filtering of downlink (DL) signal strength measurements for uplink (UL) transmit power control; controlling UL transmit power based on an alternative target UL signal strength.

A7. The method of embodiment A6, wherein the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration; restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the same configuration; or continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based the alternative configuration. A8. The method of embodiment A6, wherein restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the same configuration is performed when the alternative configuration was not received from the base station before the indication.

A9. The method of any of embodiments A6-A8, wherein the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting measurements for BFD, RLF, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration; restarting measurements for BFD, RLF, and/or RLM based on the non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration; or continuing measurements for BFD, RLF, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

A10. The method of any of embodiments A1-A9, wherein the indication comprises one of the following: a single bit or bitfield, based on which the UE performs the one or more operations; or a plurality of bits or bitfields, with each bit or bitfield being associated with a different operation or type of operation.

Al 1. The method of any of embodiments A1-A10, wherein the base station energy saving configuration includes reduced numbers of one or more of the following: active and/or configured receive (RX) physical antenna ports; active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports; active and/or configured transmit (TX) physical antenna ports; and active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports;

BL A method for a base station configured to operate in a wireless network, the method comprising: sending, to one or more user equipment (UEs), an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a configuration associated with normal energy consumption to an energy saving configuration: and operating in the energy saving configuration.

B2. The method of embodiment Al, further comprising sending, to the one or more UEs, at least part of a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration. B3. The method of embodiment B2, wherein the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following: one or more alternative cell selection criteria; and an alternative configuration for beam failure detection (BFD), radio link failure (RLF) detection, and/or radio link monitoring (RLM); and an alternative target uplink (UL) signal strength.

B4. The method of embodiment B3, wherein the alternative cell selection criteria include one of the following: respective alternative thresholds for measured downlink (DL) signal strength and signal quality; or respective offsets to thresholds for measured DL signal strength and signal quality that are associated with a non-energy saving configuration of the base station.

B5. The method of any of embodiments B3-B4, wherein the alternative configuration for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM includes one or more of the following: an alternative downlink (DL) signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync; an alternative number of out-of-sync indications needed to detect beam failure or RLF; and an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

B6. The method of any of embodiments B2-B5, wherein the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting beam failure detection (BFD), radio link failure (RLF) detection, and/or radio link monitoring (RLM) based on an alternative configuration; restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the same configuration used before receiving the indication; or continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based the alternative configuration.

B7. The method of any of embodiments B2-B6, wherein the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting measurements for beam failure detection (BFD), radio link failure (RLF) detection, and/or radio link monitoring (RLM) based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration; restarting measurements for BFD, RLF, and/or RLM based on a non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration; or continuing measurements for BFD, RLF, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

B8. The method of any of embodiments B1-B7, wherein the indication comprises one of the following: a single bit or bitfield, based on which the UE performs one or more operations associated with the base station energy saving configuration; or a plurality of bits or bitfields, with each bit or bitfield being associated with a different operation or type of operation by the UE.

B9. The method of any of embodiments B1-B8, wherein the energy saving configuration includes reduced numbers of one or more of the following: active and/or configured receive (RX) physical antenna ports; active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports; active and/or configured transmit (TX) physical antenna ports; and active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports;

CL A user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless network, the UE comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with a base station of the wireless network; and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments Al -Al 1.

C2. A user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless network, the UE being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments Al-Al l.

C3. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless network, configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments Al -Al 1. C4. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless network, configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments Al -Al 1.

DI . A base station configured to operate in a wireless network, the base station comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with one or more user equipment (UEs); and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B9.

D2. A base station configured to operate in a wireless network, the base station being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B9.

D3. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a base station configured to operate in a wireless network, configure the base station to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B9.

D4. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a processing circuitry of a base station configured to operate in a wireless network, configure the base station to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B9.

Claims

1. A method for a user equipment, UE, configured to operate in a wireless network, the method comprising: receiving (520), from a base station of the wireless network, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration; and in response to the indication, performing (530) one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following: one or more alternative cell selection criteria; an alternative configuration for one or more of the following: beam failure detection, BFD; radio link failure, RLF, detection; and radio link monitoring, RLM; and an alternative target uplink, UL, signal strength.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the alternative cell selection criteria include one of the following: respective alternative thresholds for measured downlink, DL, signal strength and signal quality; or respective offsets to thresholds for measured DL signal strength and signal quality that are associated with the first configuration.

4. The method of any of claims 2-3, wherein the alternative configuration includes one or more of the following: an alternative downlink, DL, signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync; an alternative number of out-of-sync indications needed to detect beam failure or RLF; and an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

5. The method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising receiving (510), from the base station, at least part of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

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6. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein performing (530) one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following: performing (531) cell selection based on one or more alternative cell selection criteria; restarting (532) beam failure detection, BFD, radio link failure, RLF, detection, and/or radio link monitoring, RLM based on an alternative configuration or on a configuration in use by the UE before receiving the indication; continuing (533) BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration; restarting (534) measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on an alternative relaxed measurement configuration or on a non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration; continuing (535) measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration; restarting (536) filtering of downlink, DL, signal strength measurements for uplink, UL, transmit power control; and controlling (537) UL transmit power based on an alternative target UL signal strength.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the restarted filtering of DL signal strength measurements is performed as layer 3, L3, filtering or as radio resource control, RRC, layer filtering.

8. The method of any of claims 6-7, wherein the indication indicates which one of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting (532) BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration; restarting (532) BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the configuration in use; or continuing (533) BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration.

9. The method of any of claims 6-7, wherein restarting (532) BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the configuration in use is performed when the alternative configuration was not received from the base station before receiving (520) the indication.

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10. The method of any of claims 6-9, wherein the indication indicates which one of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting (534) measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration; restarting (534) measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the nonrelaxed or normal measurement configuration; or continuing (535) measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

11. The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein the indication comprises one of the following: a bit or bitfield, the presence or value of which indicates that the UE should apply the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration; or a plurality of bits or bitfields, the respective presences or values of which indicate that the UE should apply respective portions of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

12. The method of any of claims 1-11, wherein the base station energy saving configuration includes reduced numbers of one or more of the following, relative to the first configuration: active and/or configured receive, RX, physical antenna ports; active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports; active and/or configured transmit, TX, physical antenna ports; and active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports.

13. The method of any of claims 1-12, wherein the indication is received from the base station as one of the following: broadcast or groupcast physical layer downlink control information, DCI; or unicast radio resource control, RRC, signaling.

14. A method for a base station configured to operate in a wireless network, the method comprising: sending (620), to one or more user equipment, UEs, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration: and

45 operating (630) in the base station energy saving configuration.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending (610), to the one or more UEs, at least part of a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following: one or more alternative cell selection criteria; an alternative configuration for one or more of the following: beam failure detection, BFD; radio link failure, RLF, detection; and radio link monitoring, RLM; and an alternative target uplink, UL, signal strength.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the alternative cell selection criteria include one of the following: respective alternative thresholds for measured downlink, DL, signal strength and signal quality; or respective offsets to thresholds for measured DL signal strength and signal quality that are associated with the first configuration.

18. The method of any of claims 16-17, wherein the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration; restarting BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on a configuration in use by the UE before receiving the indication; or continuing BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative configuration.

19. The method of any of claims 16-18, wherein the alternative configuration includes one or more of the following: an alternative downlink (DL) signal quality threshold for indicating out-of-sync; an alternative number of out-of-sync indications needed to detect beam failure or RLF; and an alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the indication indicates which of the following should be performed by the UE: restarting measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration; restarting measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on a non-relaxed or normal measurement configuration; or continuing measurements for BFD, RLF detection, and/or RLM based on the alternative relaxed measurement configuration.

21. The method of any of claims 14-20, wherein the indication comprises one of the following: a bit or bitfield, the presence or value which indicates that the UE should apply the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration; or a plurality of bits or bitfields, the respective presences or values of which indicate that the UE should apply respective portions of the UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

22. The method of any of claims 14-21, wherein the indication is sent by the base station as one of the following: broadcast or groupcast physical layer downlink control information, DCI; or unicast radio resource control, RRC, signaling.

23. The method of any of claims 14-22, wherein operating in the base station energy saving configuration includes one or more of the following: receiving uplink (UL) signals using reduced numbers of one or more of the following, relative to the first configuration: active and/or configured receive (RX) physical antenna ports, and active and/or configured RX logical antenna ports; and transmitting downlink (DL) signals using reduced numbers of one or more of the following, relative to the first configuration: active and/or configured transmit (TX) physical antenna ports, and active and/or configured TX logical antenna ports.

24. A user equipment, UE (120, 310, 410, 712, 800, 1206) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299, 704), the UE comprising: communication interface circuitry (812) configured to communicate with a base station (105, 110, 115, 200, 250, 420, 710, 900, 1102, 1204) of the wireless network; and processing circuitry (802) operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to: receive, from the base station, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration; and in response to the indication, perform one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

25. The UE of claim 24, wherein the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 2-13.

26. A user equipment, UE (120, 310, 410, 712, 800, 1206) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299, 704), the UE being further configured to: receive, from a base station (105, 110, 115, 200, 250, 420, 710, 900, 1102, 1204) of the wireless network, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration; and in response to the indication, perform one or more operations based on a UE configuration associated with the base station energy saving configuration.

27. The UE of claim 26, being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 2-13.

28. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium (810) storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (802) of a user equipment, UE (120,

310, 410, 712, 800, 1206) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299, 704), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 1-13.

29. A computer program product (814) comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (802) of a user equipment, UE (120, 310, 410, 712, 800,

48 1206) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299, 704), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 1-13.

30. A base station (105, 110, 115, 200, 250, 420, 710, 900, 1102, 1204) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299, 704), the base station comprising: communication interface circuitry (906, 1104) configured to communicate with one or more user equipment, UEs (120, 310, 410, 712, 800, 1206); and processing circuitry (902, 1104) operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to: send, to the one or more UEs, an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration: and operate in the base station energy saving configuration.

31. The base station of claim 3-, wherein the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 15-23.

32. A base station (105, 110, 115, 200, 250, 420, 710, 900, 1102, 1204) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299, 704), the base station being further configured to: send, to one or more user equipment, UEs (120, 310, 410, 712, 800, 1206), an indication that the base station will switch, or has switched, from a first configuration associated with normal base station energy consumption to a base station energy saving configuration; and operate in the base station energy saving configuration.

33. The base station of claim 32, being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 15-23.

34. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium (904, 1104) storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (902, 1104) of a base station (105, 110, 115, 200, 250, 420, 710, 900, 1102, 1204) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299,

49 704), configure the base station to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 14-23.

35. A computer program product (904a, 1104a) comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (902, 1104) of a base station (105, 110, 115, 200,

250, 420, 710, 900, 1102, 1204) configured to operate in a wireless network (100, 299, 704), configure the base station to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 14-23.

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