WO2023204748A1 - User equipment (ue) assistance information with deactivated secondary cell group (scg) - Google Patents

User equipment (ue) assistance information with deactivated secondary cell group (scg) Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2023204748A1
WO2023204748A1 PCT/SE2023/050353 SE2023050353W WO2023204748A1 WO 2023204748 A1 WO2023204748 A1 WO 2023204748A1 SE 2023050353 W SE2023050353 W SE 2023050353W WO 2023204748 A1 WO2023204748 A1 WO 2023204748A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
scg
ran
assistance information
deactivated
mcg
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PCT/SE2023/050353
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French (fr)
Inventor
Mattias BERGSTRÖM
Lian ARAUJO
Stefan Wager
Martin Van Der Zee
Ali Nader
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Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
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Publication of WO2023204748A1 publication Critical patent/WO2023204748A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W72/00—Local resource management
    • H04W72/20—Control channels or signalling for resource management
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0091—Signaling for the administration of the divided path
    • H04L5/0096—Indication of changes in allocation
    • H04L5/0098—Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates generally to wireless networks and mores specifically to techniques that reduce the energy consumed by a user equipment (UE) when connected to multiple cell groups in a wireless network, particularly when one of the cell groups is in a deactivated state.
  • UE user equipment
  • LTE Long-Term Evolution
  • 4G fourth generation
  • 3 GPP Third-Generation Partnership Project
  • E-UTRAN Evolved UTRAN
  • SAE System Architecture Evolution
  • EPC Evolved Packet Core
  • 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.
  • eNB evolved Node B
  • UE user equipment
  • “user equipment” or “UE” means any wireless communication device (e.g., smartphone or computing device) that can communicate 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”) 3GPP RANs are commonly known.
  • 3G third generation
  • 2G second generation
  • 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 and downlink, 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 Entity (MME) and the Serving Gateway (SGW), shown collectively as MME/S-GWs 134 and 138 in Figure 1.
  • 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.
  • NAS Non-Access Stratum
  • 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.
  • IP Internet Protocol
  • EPC 130 can also include a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 131, which manages user- and subscriber-related information.
  • HSS 131 can also provide support functions in mobility management, call and session setup, user authentication and access authorization.
  • the functions of HSS 131 can be related to the functions of legacy Home Location Register (HLR) and Authentication Centre (AuC) functions or operations.
  • HSS 131 can also communicate with MMEs 134 and 138 via respective S6a interfaces.
  • HSS 131 can communicate with a user data repository (UDR) - labelled EPC-UDR 135 in Figure 1 - via a Ud interface.
  • EPC-UDR 135 can store user credentials after they have been encrypted by AuC algorithms. These algorithms are not standardized (/. ⁇ ., vendor-specific), such that encrypted credentials stored in EPC-UDR 135 are inaccessible by any other vendor than the vendor of HSS 131.
  • 3GPP Rel-10 supports bandwidths larger than 20 MHz.
  • a wideband LTE Rel-10 carrier e.g., >20 MHz
  • CCs component carriers
  • Legacy UEs can be scheduled in all parts of the wideband Rel-10 carrier.
  • CA Carrier Aggregation
  • LTE dual connectivity was introduced in Rel-12.
  • DC operation a UE in RRC CONNECTED state consumes radio resources provided by at least two different network points connected to one another with a non-ideal backhaul.
  • these two network points may be referred to as a “Master eNB” (MeNB) and a “Secondary eNB” (SeNB).
  • MN Master eNB
  • SeNB Secondary eNB
  • MN master node
  • anchor node anchor node
  • SN secondary node
  • SeNB can also be used interchangeably.
  • DC can be viewed as a special case of CA, in which the aggregated carriers (or cells) are provided by network nodes that are physically separated and not connected via a robust, high-capacity connection.
  • NR New Radio
  • eMBB enhanced mobile broadband
  • MTC machine type communications
  • URLLC ultra-reliable low latency communications
  • D2D side-link device-to-device
  • NR networks In addition to providing coverage via “cells,” as in LTE, NR networks also provide coverage via “beams.”
  • a DL “beam” is a coverage area of a network-transmitted RS that may be measured or monitored by a UE.
  • RS can include any of the following, alone or in combination: SS/PBCH block (SSB), channel state information RS (CSI-RS), tertiary reference signals (or any other sync signal), positioning RS (PRS), demodulation RS (DMRS), phase-tracking reference signals (PTRS), etc.
  • SSB SS/PBCH block
  • CSI-RS channel state information RS
  • PRS positioning RS
  • DMRS demodulation RS
  • PTRS phase-tracking reference signals
  • SSB is available to all UEs regardless of RRC state, while other RS (e.g., CSI-RS, DMRS, PTRS) are associated with specific UEs that have a network connection, i.e., in RRC CONNECTED state.
  • RS e.g., CSI-RS, DMRS, PTRS
  • DC is also envisioned as an important feature for 5G/NR networks.
  • DC (or more generally, multi -connectivity) scenarios have been considered for NR. These include NR-DC that is similar to LTE DC discussed above, except that both the MN and SN (referred to as “gNBs”) employ the NR interface to communicate with the UE.
  • gNBs both the MN and SN
  • MR-DC multi-RAT DC
  • One node acts as the MN (e.g., providing MCG) and the other as the SN (e.g., providing SCG), with the MN and SN being connected via a network interface and at least the MN being connected to a core network (e.g., EPC or 5GC).
  • MN providing MCG
  • SN e.g., providing SCG
  • a core network e.g., EPC or 5GC
  • Each of the CGs includes one MAC entity, a primary cell (PCell), and optionally one or more secondary cells (SCells).
  • the term “Special Cell” refers to the PCell of the MCG or the PSCell of the SCG depending on whether the UE’s MAC entity is associated with the MCG or the SCG, respectively.
  • SpCell refers to the PCell.
  • An SpCell is always activated and supports physical UL control channel (PUCCH) transmission and contention-based random access by UEs.
  • PUCCH physical UL control channel
  • NR Rel-15 introduced beam failure detection (BFD) and beam failure recovery (BFR).
  • BFD beam failure detection
  • BFR beam failure recovery
  • the network configures a UE with BFD reference signals (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS) to be monitored, e.g., as part of the UE’s radio link monitoring (RLM) operations.
  • the UE declares beam failure when a quantity of beam failure indications from lower layers (e.g., PHY) reaches a configured threshold before a configured timer expires.
  • RA random access
  • the serving RAN node has provided dedicated RA resources for certain beams, those will be prioritized by the UE.
  • 3GPP Rel-17 includes a work item for efficient SCG/SCell activation/deactivation. These improvements can be especially important for MR-DC configurations with NR SCG since, in some cases, NR UE energy consumption is three-to-four times higher than in LTE.
  • the UE may stop or modify certain operations in the SCG that were ongoing when the SCG was still activated. For example, a UE may perform RLM measurements in a relaxed way compared to when the SCG was activated. As another example, the UE may generate certain SCG-related indications while the SCG is deactivated.
  • the UE may generate certain SCG-related indications while the SCG is deactivated.
  • Embodiments of the present disclosure provide specific improvements to UE operation with a deactivated SCG, such as by facilitating solutions to overcome exemplary problems summarized above and described in more detail below.
  • Some embodiments include methods (e.g., procedures) for a UE configured to communicate with a RAN via an MCG and an SCG.
  • These exemplary methods can include, while the SCG is deactivated, the UE can send first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG. These exemplary methods can also include, after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, sending second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG.
  • the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
  • the one or more features have a first state before the SCG is deactivated and these exemplary methods can also include the following operations:
  • the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is sent to the RAN based on one of the following: the second state is different than the first state, or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the second UE assistance information.
  • these exemplary methods can also include, upon reactivation of the deactivated SCG, entering an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG. In some variants of these embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include remaining in the initial state for at least a minimum duration and after the minimum duration, evaluating whether to exit the initial state and enter a further state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
  • the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG.
  • RLM radio link monitoring
  • BFD beam failure detection
  • the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements, with the initial state being either the relaxed state or the non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
  • these exemplary methods can also include receiving from the RAN a configuration that includes one or more of the following:
  • the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer, which the UE can use in the manner described above.
  • the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the MCG using a first SRB and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB.
  • the first UE assistance information is sent using the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE.
  • the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
  • these exemplary methods can also include receiving from the RAN a first indication that the SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can include receiving from the RAN a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated. Other embodiments include methods (e.g., procedures) for a second RAN node configured to provide an SCG for a UE also configured with an MCG provided by a first RAN node.
  • These exemplary methods can include, while the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receiving first UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the MCG and the first RAN node. These exemplary methods can also include, after reactivation of the UE’s deactivated SCG, receiving second UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the SCG.
  • the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
  • these exemplary methods can also include, before the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receiving from the UE via the SCG a further message that indicates a first state for the one or more features.
  • the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated and the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is received from the UE based on one of the following:
  • the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger the UE to send the second UE assistance information.
  • the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for RLM and/or BFD in the SCG, and the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
  • these exemplary methods can also include sending to the UE a configuration that can have any of the various information and/or formats summarized above in relation to UE embodiments.
  • the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the MCG and a first SRB and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB.
  • the first UE assistance information is received via the MCG and the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE.
  • the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
  • these exemplary methods can also include sending to the UE a first indication that the UE’s SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include sending to the UE a second indication that the UE’s deactivated SCG is reactivated.
  • UEs e.g., wireless devices, loT devices, etc. or component s
  • RAN nodes e.g., base stations, eNBs, gNBs, ng-eNBs, en-gNBs, etc., or components thereof
  • Other embodiments include non-transitory, computer-readable media storing program instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, configure such UEs or network nodes to perform operations corresponding to any of the exemplary methods described herein.
  • a UE sends UE assistance information related to an SCG only when needed by and/or relevant for the network, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling that increases UE energy consumption and wastes limited network signaling capacity.
  • Embodiments also enable a UE to enter well-defined RLM and/or BFD measurement states upon re-activation of a deactivated SCG, thereby facilitating correct and efficient RLM/BFD as well as any UE mobility procedures based thereon.
  • embodiments can improve UE and network operation in relation to deactivated SCGs, which can facilitate reduced UE energy consumption.
  • Figure l is a high-level block diagram of an exemplary LTE network architecture.
  • Figure 2 is a block diagram of exemplary LTE CP and UP protocol layers.
  • Figure 3 shows a high-level view of an exemplary 5G/NR network architecture.
  • Figure 4 shows a high-level illustration of dual connectivity (DC) in combination with carrier aggregation (CA).
  • Figures 5-6 show high-level views of exemplary network architectures that support multi- RAT DC (MR-DC) using EPC and 5GC, respectively.
  • MR-DC multi- RAT DC
  • Figures 7-8 show user plane (UP) radio protocol architectures from a UE perspective for EN-DC with EPC and MR-DC with 5GC, respectively.
  • Figures 9-10 show UP radio protocol architectures from a network perspective for EN- DC with EPC and MR-DC with 5GC, respectively.
  • Figure 11 is a block diagram showing a high-level comparison of control plane (CP) architectures in LTE DC, EN-DC, and MR-DC using a 5G core network (5GC).
  • CP control plane
  • Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication technique.
  • PDCP packet data convergence protocol
  • Figure 13 is an exemplary state transition diagram for NR SCells.
  • Figure 14 is an exemplary SCG state transition diagram.
  • Figures 15-16 show ASN. l data structures for exemplary information elements (IES).
  • Figure 17 is a diagram of an exemplary communication system that includes a UE and first and second RAN nodes, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 18 is a signaling diagram between a UE and a RAN node, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 19 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a UE, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 20 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a RAN node, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 21 illustrates a communication system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 22 is a block diagram of a UE according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 23 is a block diagram of a network node according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 24 is a block diagram of a host computing system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 25 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments of the present disclosure may be virtualized.
  • Figure 26 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.
  • 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) that operates to wirelessly transmit and/or receive signals.
  • RAN radio access network
  • a radio access node examples include, but are not limited to, a base station (e.g., gNB in a 3 GPP 5G/NR network or an enhanced or eNB in a 3GPP LTE network), base station distributed components (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 (TP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a remote radio unit (RRU or RRH), and a relay node.
  • a base station e.g., gNB in a 3 GPP 5G/NR network or an enhanced or eNB in a 3GPP LTE network
  • base station distributed components e.g., CU and DU
  • a high-power or macro base station e.g., a low-power base station (e.g., micro
  • 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 PDN Gateway (P-GW), a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a user plane function (UPF), a Charging Function (CHF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a location management function (LMF), or the like.
  • MME Mobility Management Entity
  • SGW serving gateway
  • P-GW PDN Gateway
  • PCRF Policy and Charging Rules Function
  • AMF access and mobility management function
  • SMF session management function
  • UPF user plane function
  • Charging Function CHF
  • PCF Policy Control Function
  • AUSF Authentication Server Function
  • LMF location management function
  • 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.
  • 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”.
  • Radio Node can be either a “radio access node” (or equivalent term) or a “wireless device.”
  • Network Node is any node that is either part of the radio access network (e.g., a radio access node or equivalent term) or of the core network (e.g., a core network node discussed above) of a cellular communications network.
  • 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 (c.g, administration) in the cellular communications network.
  • 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.
  • eNB 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.
  • node can be any type of node that can in or with a wireless network (including RAN and/or core network), including a radio access node (or equivalent term), core network node, or wireless device.
  • a wireless network including RAN and/or core network
  • radio access node or equivalent term
  • core network node or wireless device.
  • node may be limited to a particular type (e.g., radio access node) based on its specific characteristics in any given context.
  • DAPS dual active protocol stack
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary control plane (CP) protocol stack between a UE, an eNB, and an MME.
  • the exemplary protocol stack includes Physical (PHY), Medium Access Control (MAC), Radio Link Control (RLC), Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), and Radio Resource Control (RRC) layers between the UE and eNB.
  • the PHY layer is concerned with how and what characteristics are used to transfer data over transport channels on the LTE radio interface.
  • the MAC layer provides data transfer services on logical channels, maps logical channels to PHY transport channels, and reallocates PHY resources to support these services.
  • the RLC layer provides error detection and/or correction, concatenation, segmentation, and reassembly, reordering of data transferred to or from the upper layers.
  • the PDCP layer provides ciphering/deciphering and integrity protection for both CP and user plane (UP), as well as other UP functions such as header compression.
  • the exemplary protocol stack also includes non-access stratum (NAS) signaling between the UE and the MME.
  • NAS non-access stratum
  • the RRC layer controls communications between a UE and an eNB at the radio interface, as well as the mobility of a UE between cells in the E-UTRAN.
  • a UE After a UE is powered ON it will be in the RRC IDLE state until an RRC connection is established with the network, at which time the UE will transition to RRC_CONNECTED state (e.g, where data transfer can occur).
  • the UE returns to RRC IDLE after the connection with the network is released.
  • RRC IDLE state the UE does not belong to any cell, no RRC context has been established for the UE e.g., in E- UTRAN), and the UE is out of UL synchronization with the network. Even so, a UE in RRC IDLE state is known in the EPC and has an assigned IP address.
  • the UE’s radio is active on a discontinuous reception (DRX) schedule configured by upper layers.
  • DRX active periods also referred to as “DRX On durations”
  • SI system information
  • an RRC IDLE UE receives system information (SI) broadcast by a serving cell, performs measurements of neighbor cells to support cell reselection, and monitors a paging channel for pages from the EPC via an eNB serving the cell in which the UE is camping.
  • SI system information
  • a UE must perform a random-access (RA) procedure to move from RRC IDLE to RRC CONNECTED state.
  • RRC CONNECTED state the cell serving the UE is known and an RRC context is established for the UE in the serving eNB, such that the UE and eNB can communicate.
  • a Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) - a UE identity used for signaling between UE and network - is configured for a UE in RRC CONNECTED state.
  • C-RNTI Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier
  • 5G/NR technology shares many similarities with fourth-generation LTE.
  • both PHYs utilize similar arrangements of time-domain physical resources into 1-ms subframes that include multiple slots of equal duration, with each slot including multiple OFDM-based symbols.
  • the NR RRC layer includes RRC IDLE and RRC CONNECTED states, but adds another state known as RRC INACTIVE.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a high-level view of the 5G network architecture, consisting of a Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN) 399 and a 5G Core (5GC) 398.
  • NG-RAN 399 can include a set of gNodeB’s (gNBs) connected to the 3GC via one or more NG interfaces, such as gNBs 300, 350 connected via interfaces 302, 352, respectively.
  • the gNBs can be connected to each other via one or more Xn interfaces, such as Xn interface 340 between gNBs 300 and 350.
  • each of the gNBs can support frequency division duplexing (FDD), time division duplexing (TDD), or a combination thereof.
  • FDD frequency division duplexing
  • TDD time division duplexing
  • NG-RAN 399 is layered into a Radio Network Layer (RNL) and a Transport Network Layer (TNL).
  • RNL Radio Network Layer
  • TNL Transport Network Layer
  • the NG-RAN architecture i.e., the NG-RAN logical nodes and interfaces between them, is defined as part of the RNL.
  • 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 3 include a central (or centralized) unit (CU or gNB-CU) and one or more distributed (or decentralized) units (DU or gNB-DU).
  • gNB 300 includes gNB-CU 310 and gNB-DUs 320 and 330.
  • CUs e.g., gNB-CU 310) are logical nodes that host higher-layer protocols and perform various gNB functions such controlling the operation of DUs.
  • Each DU is a logical node that hosts lower-layer protocols and can include, depending on the functional split, various subsets of the gNB functions.
  • each of the CUs and DUs can include various circuitry needed to perform their respective functions, including processing circuitry, transceiver circuitry (e.g., for communication), and power supply circuitry.
  • a gNB-CU connects to gNB-DUs over respective Fl logical interfaces, such as interfaces 322 and 332 shown in Figure 3.
  • 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.
  • DC can be achieved by allowing a UE to connect to multiple DUs served by the same CU or by allowing a UE to connect to multiple DUs served by different CUs.
  • 3GPP TR 38.804 (vl4.0.0) describes various exemplary DC scenarios or configurations in which the MN and SN can apply NR, LTE, or both.
  • the following terminology is used to describe these exemplary DC scenarios or configurations:
  • LTE DC i.e., both MN and SN employ LTE, as discussed above);
  • EN-DC LTE -NR DC where MN (eNB) employs LTE and SN (gNB) employs NR, and both are connected to EPC.
  • MN eNB
  • gNB SN
  • EPC EPC
  • NGEN-DC LTE -NR dual connectivity where a UE is connected to one ng-eNB that acts as a MN and one gNB that acts as a SN.
  • the ng-eNB is connected to the 5GC and the gNB is connected to the ng-eNB via the Xn interface.
  • NE-DC LTE -NR dual connectivity where a UE is connected to one gNB that acts as a MN and one ng-eNB that acts as a SN.
  • the gNB is connected to 5GC and the ng-eNB is connected to the gNB via the Xn interface.
  • NR-DC both MN and SN employ NR.
  • MR-DC multi-RAT DC: a generalization of the Intra-E-UTRA Dual Connectivity (DC) described in 3GPP TS 36.300 (vl6.3.0), where a multiple Rx/Tx UE may be configured to utilize resources provided by two different nodes connected via non-ideal backhaul, one providing E-UTRA access and the other one providing NR access.
  • One node acts as the MN and the other as the SN.
  • the MN and SN are connected via a network interface and at least the MN is connected to the core network.
  • EN-DC, NE-DC, and NGEN-DC are different example cases of MR-DC.
  • FIG. 4 shows a high-level illustration of a UE (430) arranged in DC with CA.
  • each of the MN (410) and the SN (420) can be either an eNB or a gNB, in accordance with the various DC scenarios mentioned above.
  • the MN provides the UE’s MCG (411) consisting of a PCell and three SCells arranged in CA, while the SN provides the UE’s SCG (421) consisting of a PSCell and three SCells arranged in CA.
  • FIG. 5 shows a high-level view of an exemplary network architecture that supports EN- DC, including an E-UTRAN 599 and an EPC 598.
  • E-UTRAN 599 can include en-gNBs (e.g., 510a,b) and eNBs (e.g., 520a, b) that are interconnected with each other via respective X2 (or X2-U) interfaces.
  • the eNBs can be similar to those shown in Figure 1, while the ng-eNBs can be similar to the gNBs shown in Figure 3 except that they connect to the EPC via an Sl-U interface rather than to a 5GC via an X2 interface.
  • the eNBs also connect to the EPC via an SI interface, similar to the arrangement shown in Figure 1. More specifically, the en-gNBs and eNBs connect to MMEs e.g., 530a, b) and S-GWs (e.g., 540a, b) in the EPC.
  • MMEs e.g., 530a, b
  • S-GWs e.g., 540a, b
  • Each of the en-gNBs and eNBs can serve a geographic coverage area including one more cells, including cells 511a-b and 521a-b shown as exemplary in Figure 5.
  • a UE 505 can communicate with the en-gNB or eNB serving that cell via the NR or LTE radio interface, respectively.
  • UE 505 can be in EN-DC connectivity with a first cell served by an eNB and a second cell served by an en-gNB, such as cells 520a and 510a shown in Figure 5.
  • Figure 6 shows a high-level view of an exemplary network architecture that supports MR- DC configurations based on 5GC. More specifically, Figure 6 shows an NG-RAN 699 and a 5GC 698.
  • NG-RAN 699 can include gNBs (e.g, 610a, b) and ng-eNBs (e.g, 620a, b) that are interconnected with each other via respective Xn interfaces.
  • gNBs e.g, 610a, b
  • ng-eNBs e.g, 620a, b
  • the gNBs and ng-eNBs are also connected via the NG interfaces to the 5GC, more specifically to access and mobility management functions (AMFs, e.g., 630a, b) via respective NG-C interfaces and to user plane functions (UPFs, e.g., 640a, b) via respective NG-U interfaces.
  • AMFs access and mobility management functions
  • UPFs user plane functions
  • the AMFs can communicate with one or more session management functions (SMFs, e.g., 650a, b) and network exposure functions (NEFs, e.g., NEFs 660a, b).
  • SMFs session management functions
  • NEFs network exposure functions
  • Each of the gNBs can be similar to those shown in Figure 5, while each of the ng-eNBs can be similar to the eNBs shown in Figure 1 except that they connect to the 5GC via an NG interface rather than to EPC via an SI interface.
  • Each of the gNBs and ng-eNBs can serve a geographic coverage area including one more cells, including cells 611a-b and 621a-b shown as exemplary in Figure 6.
  • the gNBs and ng-eNBs can also use various directional beams to provide coverage in the respective cells.
  • a UE 605 can communicate with the gNB or ng-eNB serving that cell via the NR or LTE radio interface, respectively.
  • the UE can be in MR-DC connectivity with a first cell served by an ng- eNB and a second cell served by a gNB, such as cells 620a and 610a shown in Figure 6.
  • FIGs 7-8 show UP radio protocol architectures from a UE perspective for MR-DC with EPC (e.g., EN-DC) and with 5GC (e.g., NGEN-DC, NE-DC, and NR-DC), respectively.
  • EPC e.g., EN-DC
  • 5GC e.g., NGEN-DC, NE-DC, and NR-DC
  • a UE supports MCG, SCG, and split bearers, as discussed above.
  • MCG bearers have either LTE (e.g., E-UTRA) or NR PDCP and LTE RLC and MAC layers
  • SCG bearers have NR PDCP, RLC, and MAC layers.
  • Split bearers have NR PDCP layer and both LTE and NR RLC and MAC layers.
  • Figures 9-10 show UP radio protocol architectures from a network perspective for MR- DC with EPC (e.g., EN-DC) and with 5GC (e.g., NGEN-DC, NE-DC, and NR-DC), respectively.
  • EPC e.g., EN-DC
  • 5GC e.g., NGEN-DC, NE-DC, and NR-DC
  • an MCG bearer terminated in MN has PDCP layer of the RAT used by the MN, while all other bearers have NR PDCP layer. All bearers have lower layers associated with the RAT of the node(s) in which they are terminated.
  • all bearers have NR PDCP layers and lower layers associated with the RAT of the node(s) in which they are terminated.
  • each MCG, SCG, or and split bearer can be terminated either in MN or in SN.
  • the X2 or Xn interface between the nodes will carry traffic for SCG or split bearers terminated in MN PDCP layer to lower layers in SN.
  • X2 or Xn will carry traffic for MCG or split bearers terminated in SN PDCP layer to lower layers in MN.
  • One difference between the architectures in Figures 9-10 is that the various bearers for MR-DC with 5GC are associated with QoS flows that are terminated in the SDAP layer above PDCP.
  • Figures 9-10 also have some DC-specific variations.
  • the network can configure either E-UTRA PDCP or NR PDCP for MN terminated MCG data radio bearers (DRBs) while NR PDCP is always used for all other DRBs.
  • DRBs data radio bearers
  • NR PDCP is always used for all DRB types.
  • E-UTRA RLC/MAC is used in the MN while NR RLC/MAC is used in the SN.
  • NE-DC NR RLC/MAC is used in the MN while E-UTRA RLC/MAC is used in the SN.
  • NR-DC NR RLC/MAC is used in both MN and SN.
  • FIG 11 is a block diagram showing a high-level comparison of CP architectures in LTE DC, EN-DC, and MR-DC using 5GC.
  • the SN has a separate NR RRC entity in EN-DC and NR-DC. This means that the SN can also control the UE, sometimes without the knowledge of the MN but often in coordination with the MN.
  • the RRC decisions are always made by the MN (MN to UE). Even so, the LTE-DC SN still decides its own configuration because it is aware of its resources, capabilities etc. while the MN is not.
  • split RRC messages are mainly used for creating diversity, and the sender can choose one of the links for scheduling the RRC messages, or it can duplicate the message over both links.
  • the path switching between the MCG or SCG legs (or duplication on both) is left to network implementation.
  • the network configures the UE to use the MCG, SCG, or both for RRC messages.
  • the terms “leg”, “path” and “RLC bearer” are used interchangeably throughout this document.
  • Packet duplication (also referred to as “PDCP duplication” or “PDCP PDU duplication”) can increase reliability and reduce latency, which can be very beneficial for ultra-reliable low latency (URLLC) data services.
  • PDCP duplication is configured for a radio bearer by RRC
  • an additional RLC entity and an additional logical channel are added to the radio bearer to handle the duplicated PDCP protocol data units (PDUs).
  • PDUs PDCP protocol data units
  • PDCP duplication involves sending the same PDCP PDUs twice: once on the original (or primary) RLC entity and a second time on the additional (or secondary) RLC entity.
  • Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary PDCP duplication scheme.
  • the primary RLC entity is associated with a primary logical channel (LCH) and the secondary RLC entity is associated with a secondary LCH.
  • LCH primary logical channel
  • RRC also sets the state of PDCP duplication (i.e., activated or deactivated) at the time of (re-)configuration.
  • the PDCP duplication state can then be dynamically controlled by a MAC CE.
  • DC the UE applies these MAC CE commands regardless of whether they were received via MCG or SCG.
  • 3 GPP previously specified the concepts of dormant LTE SCell and dormancy -like behavior of an NR SCell.
  • LTE when an SCell is in dormant state, the UE does not need to monitor the corresponding physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and cannot transmit in the corresponding UL. This behavior is similar to behavior in a deactivated state, but the UE is also required to perform and report CQI measurements, which is different from deactivated state behavior.
  • PUCCH SCell SCell configured with PUCCH
  • Figure 13 shows an exemplary state transition diagram for NR SCells.
  • a UE’s SCell can transition between deactivated and activated states based on explicit commands from the network (e.g., MAC CEs) or expiration of a deactivation timer.
  • Dormancy-like behavior for NR SCells is based on the concept of dormant bandwidth parts (BWP).
  • BWP dormant bandwidth parts
  • One of the UE’s dedicated BWPs configured via RRC signaling can be configured as dormant for an SCell. If the active BWP of the activated SCell is a dormant BWP, the UE stops monitoring PDCCH on the SCell but continues performing CSI measurements, AGC, and beam management (if configured to do so).
  • Downlink control information (DCI) on PDCCH is used to control entering/leaving the dormant BWP for SCell(s) or SCG(s), and is sent to the SpCell of the cell group that includes the dormant SCell (i.e., to PCell if SCell belongs to MCG, to PSCell if SCell belongs to SCG).
  • the SpCell (i.e., PCell or PSCell) and PUCCH SCell cannot be configured with a dormant BWP.
  • the UE is configured with MR-DC, it cannot fully benefit from the energy reductions of dormant state or dormancy-like behavior since the PSCell cannot be configured to be dormant.
  • SCells can be put into the deactivated state in both LTE and NR. Instead, a solution could be releasing (for power savings) and adding (when traffic demands requires) the SCG on an as-needed basis. Traffic is likely to be bursty, however, so adding and releasing the SCG as needed can involve a significant amount of RRC signaling and inter-node messaging between the MN and the SN. This can introduce considerable delay for the data traffic.
  • the UE supports network-controlled suspension of the SCG in RRC CONNECTED;
  • the UE supports at most one SCG configuration, suspended or not suspended, in Rell6;
  • the SCG can be either suspended or not suspended by configuration.
  • a gNB can indicate for a UE to suspend SCG transmissions when no data traffic is expected to be sent in SCG, such that the UE retains the SCG configuration but does not use it for power saving purposes.
  • Signaling to suspend SCG could be based on DCI/MAC-CE/RRC, but no details were discussed about the particular configuration from the gNB to the UE.
  • this solution for SCells may not be applicable to PSCells, which may be associated with a different network node (e.g., a gNB operating as SN).
  • FIG. 14 is an exemplary state transition diagram illustrating two SCG states (sometimes referred to as “states for SCG activation”) according to this concept. In Figure 14, these states are labelled “SCG deactivated state” and “SCG activated state” and are distinct from RRC states. Rather, these SCG states represent whether an SCG energy saving mode has been applied.
  • 3GPP RAN2 has agreed that SCG activation state can be configured via RRC.
  • SCG activation state can be configured via RRC.
  • RRC Radio Resource Control
  • Radio resource management (RRM) and PSCell mobility is supported
  • SCG activation indication can indicate TCI state.
  • An NR UE performs radio link monitoring (RLM) and beam failure detection (BFD) periodically while in RRC CONNECTED state.
  • the RLM measurements for BFD and detection of Radio Link Failure (RLF) are configured via a RadioLinkMonitoringConfig information element (IE).
  • IE RadioLinkMonitoringConfig information element
  • resources and parameters for UE BFD are configured via RRC as part of the ServingCellConfig IE within each dedicated DL BWP configuration (i.e., BWP-DownlinkDedicated) within the RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE.
  • FIG 15 shows an ASN.l data structure for an exemplary RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE.
  • This IE includes a failureDetectionResourcesToAddModList field, which is a sequence of RadioLinkMonitoringRS sub-fields that define the specific RS resources (e.g., CSLRS or SSB) for BFD. More details about this exemplary RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE are given in 3GPP TS 38.331 (V16.6.0).
  • UE RLM is performed on a set of configured resources (RLM-RS), which are either SSB or CSLRS. Based on measurements in these resources, the UE estimates DL radio link quality (e.g., SINR) and compares it to predefined thresholds Qout and Qin, which correspond to hypothetical PDCCH block error rates (BLER) of 10% and 2%, respectively. Exceeding Qout generates an “out-of-sync” (OoS) indication while being less than Qin generates an “in-sync” (IS) indication.
  • OFS out-of-sync
  • IS in-sync
  • Timer T310 is started when there are more than N310 consecutive OoS indications on the UE’s SpCell.
  • Timer T304 is stopped when there are N311 consecutive IS indications on the UE’s SpCell.
  • RLF declared
  • the UE’s DRBs are suspended, MAC is reset, and the SCG connection is released.
  • the UE then initiates RRC re-establishment to recover the connection.
  • the UE is configured for DC, the UE performs RLM and RLF detection on PCell and PScell.
  • MCG RLF is declared.
  • SCG RLF is declared.
  • BFD is used to recovering beam connection when the DL beam monitored by the UE becomes weak. Similar to RLM, the UE estimates the DL quality of the configured BFD-RS (SSB or CSLRS) periodically and compares it to a threshold Qout,LR which corresponds to a hypothetical PDCCH BLER of 10%.
  • SSB configured BFD-RS
  • LR threshold Qout
  • the UE initiates a RA procedure on the PCell and selects a suitable beam to perform BFR. If the serving gNB has provided dedicated RA resources for certain beams, those will be prioritized by the UE.
  • BFR is considered complete. More details about UE actions during BFD and BFR are given in 3GPP TS 38.321 (vl6.6.0).
  • Resources and parameters for UE BFR are configured via RRC as part of the CellGroupConfig IE within each dedicated UL BWP configuration (i.e., BWP-UplinkDedicated) within the BeamFailureRecoveryConfig IE. These configured resources and parameters include a candidate beam list to be selected upon BFR, threshold(s) for beam selection, etc.
  • Figure 16 shows an ASN.1 data structure for an exemplary BeamFailureRecoveryConfig IE. More details about this exemplary RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE are given in 3GPP TS 38.331 (vl6.6.0).
  • RLM and BFD relaxation methods were introduced for reducing UE energy consumption. If a UE supports these features and they are configured by the network, UEs operating in low-mobility conditions and/or with good serving cell quality can relax (e.g., reduce) the periodicity of UE RLM/BFD assessment. Note that RLM relaxation and BFD relaxation can be configured independently. RLM relaxation is applicable only to PCell and PSCell, while BFD relaxation is applicable to all serving cells of MCG/SCG.
  • a UE can also be configured to report its relaxation status to the network via UE Assistance Information RRC message, which is used more generally by UEs to report various UE status or information that is useful for the network. For example, the UE can report a preferred DRX setting, that the UE is overheated, etc.
  • the network can individually configure the UE to send the different information elements of this message.
  • the network can configure the UE to send separate assistance information relevant for MCG and SCG.
  • a UE can send a UE Assistance Information message to an SCG in two ways: directly via Signaling Radio Bearer 3 (SRB3, if configured); and indirectly via the MCG to MN, which forwards the information transparently to SN that provides SCG.
  • SRB3 Signaling Radio Bearer 3
  • the UE when the UE enters/exits relaxed state in MCG and/or SCG for RLM and/or BFD evaluation, it can indicate this status to the network (i.e., to MN and/or SN) via UE Assistance Information message.
  • the relaxation status can be indicated separately for RLM and BFD. Even so, indicating the relaxation status is only allowed when the UE’s prohibit timer is not running, which is used to protect against mismatch between UE and network knowledge of the UE’s relaxation status.
  • the UE may stop or modify certain operations in the SCG that were ongoing when the SCG was still activated.
  • One example is the relaxed RLM measurements discussed above.
  • the UE may generate certain SCG-related indications while the SCG is deactivated.
  • embodiments of the present disclosure provide novel, flexible, and efficient techniques for a UE operating in DC with first and second cell groups (e.g., MCG and SCG) in a RAN, to manage reporting of UE Assistance Information to the network during SCG deactivation and after SCG re-activation.
  • Embodiments also provide techniques for managing the UE’s RLM relaxation state upon SCG re-activation.
  • Embodiments provide various benefits and/or advantages. For example, a UE sends UE Assistance Information related to an SCG only when needed by and/or relevant for the network, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling that increases UE energy consumption and wastes limited network signaling capacity. Embodiments also enable a UE to enter well-defined RLM and/or BFD relaxation states upon re-activation of a deactivated SCG, thereby facilitating correct and efficient RLM/BFD as well as any UE mobility procedures based thereon. At a high level, embodiments can improve UE and network operation in relation to deactivated SCGs, which can facilitate reduced UE energy consumption.
  • SCG in reduced-energy mode means that the UE is operating in a reduced-energy mode with respect to the SCG.
  • resumed SCG means that the UE is operating in a normal (i.e., non-reduced) energy mode with respect to the SCG.
  • Examples of UE operations include signal reception/transmission procedures, RLM measurements, RRM measurements, reception of signals, transmission of signals, measurement configuration, measurement reporting, evaluation of triggered event measurement reports, etc.
  • various embodiments are described in terms of an SCG that is deactivated for a UE configured with DC, with the MCG operating in a normal (or activated) mode. In such case, the UE will stop monitoring PDCCH on the deactivated SCG cells (i.e., PSCell and/or SCG SCells) but continues monitoring PDDCH on the MCG.
  • PSCell and/or SCG SCells the deactivated SCG cells
  • Similar principles can be applied to an MCG that is deactivated for a UE configured with DC, with the SCG operating in a normal (or activated) mode. In such case, the UE will stop monitoring PDCCH on the deactivated MCG cells (i.e., PCell and/or MCG SCells) but continues monitoring PDDCH on the SCG.
  • FIG 17 shows a diagram of an exemplary communication system, which provides a context for the following description of various embodiments.
  • a UE (1701) is configured for DC (e.g., MR-DC) and is connected to via a first cell group (1702) to a first RAN node (1706) over a first radio interface (1704).
  • the UE is also connected via a second cell group (1703) to a second RAN node (1707) over a second radio interface (1705).
  • DC e.g., MR-DC
  • the first RAN node controls the first cell group (e.g., MCG), which is configured with a main cell (e.g., PCell) and optionally one or more further cells (e.g., SCells) in a CA configuration.
  • the second RAN node e.g., SN
  • controls the second cell group e.g., SCG
  • main cell e.g., PSCell
  • optionally one or more further cells e.g., SCells
  • the first RAN node is connected to the second RAN node over an interface (1708, e.g., X2 or Xn). Note that the first cell group and second cell group are specific to the UE shown, and other UEs served by the two RAN nodes may have UE-specific cell groups composed of the same or different cells served by the two RAN nodes.
  • the UE upon deactivation of a UE’s, the UE will suspend transmission of UE Assistance Information related to the SCG. Upon SCG re-activation, the UE will resume transmission of UE Assistance Information related to the SCG.
  • This suspend/resume behavior can be configured by the UE’s MN or SN. For example, it can be enabled/disabled by the UE’s MN or SN. As another example, it can be a UE-default behavior that can be disabled by the UE’s MN or SN.
  • One benefit of these embodiments is that the UE avoids sending UE Assistance Information related to an SCG when the SCG is deactivated, when such information is not of interest to the network. By avoiding this unnecessary signaling, these embodiments reduce UE energy consumption and avoid wasting limited network signaling resources.
  • the UE Upon initiating the procedure, the UE shall:
  • the UE Upon initiating the procedure, the UE shall:
  • the UE upon activation of the UE’s SCG, the UE will transmit to the network a message that indicates current status of a particular UE feature.
  • the message can indicate the current status of RLM or BFD relaxation related to the SCG.
  • this behavior can be configurable by the network.
  • the network may configure the UE to send (or not send) the status indication upon SCG activation. This configuration can be applicable to all UE features having a relevant status available to be reported upon SCG activation, or specific to one or more particular UE features, such as RLM or BFD relaxation related to the SCG.
  • the UE sends the current status of the UE feature only if the most recent status of the UE feature provided to the network was different than the current status. For example, the UE previously indicated a non-relaxed RLM and/or BFD measurement status when the UE’s SCG was activated. The UE’s SCG is subsequently deactivated and the UE enters RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation for the deactivated SCG. While the SCG is deactivated, the UE’s RLM or BFD relaxation status may change one or more times, e.g., based on UE measurement requirements.
  • the UE When the UE’s SCG is subsequently reactivated, the UE indicates its current RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation status for the SCG only when it is different than the non-relaxed RLM and/or BFD measurement status most recently indicated by the UE.
  • the UE upon activation of the UE’s SCG, the UE will transmit to the network a message that indicates current status of a particular UE feature, but only when the current status is a particular value or a particular set of values. For example, the UE indicates its current RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation status for the SCG when the current status is relaxed but not when the current status is normal or non-relaxed.
  • this behavior can be configurable by the network. For example, the network may configure values (or ranges) of the respective feature status that cause the UE to send (or not send) the status indication upon SCG activation.
  • the UE can enter a particular state upon (re)activation of one of the UE’s cell groups. For example, upon activation of the UE’s SCG, the UE can enter a non-relaxed RLM and/or BFD measurement state for the SCG.
  • the state to enter can be pre-defined (e.g., specified) or configured by the network (e.g., before or during deactivation of the cell group).
  • the UE can be configured to remain in an initial state for a particular duration after (re)activation of the cell group, after which the UE can evaluate whether to change state.
  • the UE can remain in the particular state for the duration of a timer, with an initial timer value that can be pre-defined (e.g., specified) or configured by the network (e.g., before or during deactivation of the cell group).
  • the UE may be configured to enter a nonrelaxed state for RLM and/or BFD measurements and to remain in this state for the duration of a five-second timer, after which the UE is allowed to determine whether to enter a relaxed state.
  • a UE can continue transmitting UE assistance information related to the SCG even after the SCG is deactivated. In this manner, the activation status of the SCG does not affect UE assistance information behavior.
  • the UE whenever the UE needs to send UE assistance information related to the SCG, it sends it via SRB3 when the SCG is activated and via SRB1 (MCG) when the SCG is deactivated, regardless of whether SRB3 is configured.
  • the UE shall set the contents of the UEAssistancelnformation message as follows: [existing text]
  • the UE shall:
  • Figure 18 is a signal flow diagram of a procedure between a UE (1810) and a RAN node (1820) that illustrates various embodiments described above at a high level.
  • the UE may send one or more UE Assistance Information messages to the RAN node.
  • Each message can include status of one or more UE features, such as RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation.
  • One of the messages may be triggered by previous activation of the SCG (not shown), such as in certain embodiments described above.
  • the UE’s SCG is deactivated. While the SCG is deactivated (or in response to the deactivation), the UE may change state of the one or more features for which status was previously indicated to the RAN node. For example, the UE can enter a relaxed state of RLM and/or BFD measurements.
  • the UE’s SCG is reactivated.
  • the UE may optionally perform one or more state changes for the UE features.
  • the state change(s) can be based on various conditions according to the various embodiments described above.
  • the UE’s sequence of states after SCG reactivation may be include a predetermined initial state, such as described above.
  • the UE can send a further UE Assistance Information message to the RAN node. The sending of this message can be conditional according to the various embodiments described above.
  • Figures 19- 20 show exemplary methods (e.g., procedures) performed by a UE and a second RAN node, respectively.
  • exemplary methods e.g., procedures
  • various features of operations described below correspond to various embodiments described above.
  • Figures 19-20 show specific blocks in particular orders, the operations of the respective methods can be performed in different orders than shown and can be combined and/or divided into blocks having different functionality than shown.
  • Optional blocks or operations are indicated by dashed lines.
  • Figure 19 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a UE configured to communicate with a RAN via an MCG and an SCG, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • the exemplary method can be performed by a UE (e.g., wireless device, loT device, modem, etc. or component thereof) such as described elsewhere herein.
  • a UE e.g., wireless device, loT device, modem, etc. or component thereof
  • the exemplary method can include operations of block 1950, where while the SCG is deactivated, the UE can send first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG.
  • the exemplary method can also include operations of block 1980, where after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, the UE can send second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG.
  • the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
  • the one or more features have a first state before the SCG is deactivated and the exemplary method also includes the following operations, labelled with corresponding block numbers:
  • the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is sent to the RAN based on one of the following: the second state is different than the first state, or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the second UE assistance information.
  • the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 1970, where upon reactivation of the deactivated SCG, the UE enters (e.g., sets) an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
  • the exemplary method can also include the operations of blocks 1990-1995, where the UE can remain in the initial state for at least a minimum duration and after the minimum duration, evaluate whether to exit the initial state and enter a further state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
  • the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG.
  • RLM radio link monitoring
  • BFD beam failure detection
  • the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements, with the initial state being either the relaxed state or the non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
  • the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 1910, where the UE can receive from the RAN a configuration that includes one or more of the following:
  • the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer, which the UE can use in the manner described above.
  • the exemplary method can also include operations of block 1930, where the UE can receive from the RAN a first indication that the SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, the exemplary method can include operations of block 1960, where the UE can receive from the RAN a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated. Each of the first and second indications can be received from the MN or the SN.
  • the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the MCG using a first SRB (e.g., in block 1950) and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB (e.g., in block 1980).
  • the first UE assistance information is sent using the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE.
  • the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
  • Figure 20 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a second RAN node configured to provide an SCG for a UE also configured with an MCG provided by a first RAN node, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • the exemplary method can be performed by a RAN node e.g., base station, eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, en- gNB, etc., or components thereof) such as described elsewhere herein.
  • a RAN node e.g., base station, eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, en- gNB, etc., or components thereof
  • the exemplary method can include operations of block 2040, where while the UE’s SCG is deactivated, the second RAN node can receive first UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the MCG and the first RAN node.
  • the exemplary method can include operations of block 2040, where after reactivation of the UE’s deactivated SCG, the second RAN node can receive second UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the SCG.
  • the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
  • the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 2020, where before the UE’s SCG is deactivated, the second RAN node can receive from the UE via the SCG a further message that indicates a first state for the one or more features.
  • the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated and the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is received from the UE based on one of the following:
  • the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger the UE to send the second UE assistance information.
  • the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for RLM and/or BFD in the SCG, and the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
  • the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 2010, where the RAN node send to the UE a configuration that includes one or more of the following:
  • the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer, which the UE can use in the manner described above.
  • the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the MCG and a first SRB (e.g., in block 2040) and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB (e.g., in block 2050).
  • the first UE assistance information is received via the MCG and the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE.
  • the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
  • the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 2030, where the second RAN node can send to the UE (e.g., via the SCG) a first indication that the UE’s SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, the exemplary method can include operations of block 2060, where the second RAN node can send to the UE (e.g., via the SCG) a second indication that the UE’s deactivated SCG is reactivated.
  • FIG. 21 shows an example of a communication system 2100 in accordance with some embodiments.
  • communication system 2100 includes a telecommunication network 2102 that includes an access network 2104 (e.g., a RAN) and a core network 2106, which includes one or more core network nodes 2108.
  • Access network 2104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 21 lOa-b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2110), or any other similar 3GPP access node or non-3GPP access point.
  • Network nodes 2110 facilitate direct or indirect connection of UEs, such as by connecting UEs 2112a-d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2112) to core network 2106 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.
  • communication system 2100 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.
  • Communication system 2100 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.
  • UEs 2112 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes 2110 and other communication devices.
  • network nodes 2110 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UEs 2112 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in telecommunication network 2102 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in telecommunication network 2102.
  • core network 2106 connects network nodes 2110 to one or more hosts, such as host 2116. 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.
  • Core network 2106 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2108) 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 2108.
  • 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).
  • MSC Mobile Switching Center
  • MME Mobility Management Entity
  • HSS Home Subscriber Server
  • AMF Access and Mobility Management Function
  • SMF Session Management Function
  • AUSF Authentication Server Function
  • SIDF Subscription Identifier De-concealing function
  • UDM Unified Data Management
  • SEPP Security Edge Protection Proxy
  • NEF Network Exposure Function
  • UPF User Plane Function
  • Host 2116 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of access network 2104 and/or telecommunication network 2102, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider.
  • Host 2116 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.
  • communication system 2100 of Figure 21 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts.
  • 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.
  • GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
  • UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
  • LTE Long Term Evolution
  • telecommunication network 2102 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, telecommunication network 2102 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to telecommunication network 2102. For example, telecommunication network 2102 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.
  • URLLC Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication
  • eMBB Enhanced Mobile Broadband
  • mMTC Massive Machine Type Communication
  • UEs 2112 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction.
  • a UE may be designed to transmit information to access network 2104 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from access network 2104.
  • a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode.
  • 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 (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).
  • MR-DC multi-radio dual connectivity
  • hub 2114 communicates with access network 2104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 2112c and/or 2112d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 2110b).
  • UEs e.g., UE 2112c and/or 2112d
  • network nodes e.g., network node 2110b
  • hub 2114 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs.
  • hub 2114 may be a broadband router enabling access to core network 2106 for the UEs.
  • hub 2114 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 2110, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in hub 2114.
  • hub 2114 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.
  • hub 2114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, hub 2114 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which hub 2114 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content.
  • hub 2114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.
  • Hub 2114 may have a constant/persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 2110b. Hub 2114 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between hub 2114 and UEs (e.g., UE 2112c and/or 2112d), and between hub 2114 and core network 2106. In other examples, hub 2114 is connected to core network 2106 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, hub 2114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over access network 2104 and/or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with network nodes 2110 while still connected via hub 2114 via a wired or wireless connection.
  • UEs may establish a wireless connection with network nodes 2110 while still connected via hub 2114 via a wired or wireless connection.
  • hub 2114 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 2110b.
  • hub 2114 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 2110b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.
  • FIG 22 shows a UE 2200 in accordance with some embodiments.
  • 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.
  • NB-IoT narrow band internet of things
  • MTC machine type communication
  • eMTC enhanced MTC
  • 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).
  • D2D device-to-device
  • DSRC Dedicated Short-Range Communication
  • V2V vehicle-to-vehicle
  • V2I vehicle-to-infrastructure
  • V2X vehicle-to-everything
  • a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device.
  • a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller).
  • a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale
  • UE 2200 includes processing circuitry 2202 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2204 to an input/output interface 2206, a power source 2208, a memory 2210, a communication interface 2212, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof.
  • Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 22. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.
  • Processing circuitry 2202 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 memory 2210.
  • Processing circuitry 2202 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.
  • processing circuitry 2202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).
  • input/output interface 2206 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 UE 2200.
  • 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.
  • USB Universal Serial Bus
  • power source 2208 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. Power source 2208 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from power source 2208 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of UE 2200 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of power source 2208. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 2208 to make the power suitable for the respective components of UE 2200 to which power is supplied.
  • an external power source e.g., an electricity outlet
  • Photovoltaic device e.g., or power cell
  • Power source 2208 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from power source 2208 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of UE 2200 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example,
  • Memory 2210 may be or be configured to 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.
  • memory 2210 includes one or more application programs 2214, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 2216.
  • Memory 2210 may store, for use by UE 2200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
  • Memory 2210 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.
  • RAID redundant array of independent disks
  • HD-DVD high-density digital versatile disc
  • HDDS holographic digital data storage
  • DIMM external mini-dual in-line memory module
  • SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
  • SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
  • the UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’
  • Memory 2210 may allow UE 2200 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 tangibly embodied as or in memory 2210, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.
  • Processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using communication interface 2212.
  • Communication interface 2212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2222.
  • Communication interface 2212 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 2218 and/or a receiver 2220 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth).
  • transmitter 2218 and receiver 2220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2222) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.
  • communication functions of communication interface 2212 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.
  • a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 2212, via a wireless connection to a network node.
  • Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through 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).
  • 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.
  • the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change.
  • 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.
  • 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-t
  • AR Augmented
  • 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 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device.
  • the UE may implement the 3 GPP NB-IoT standard.
  • 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.
  • any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.
  • Figure 23 shows a network node 2300 in accordance with some embodiments.
  • network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, eNBs, and gNBs).
  • access points e.g., radio access points
  • base stations e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, eNBs, and gNBs.
  • 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.
  • RRUs remote radio units
  • RRHs Remote Radio Heads
  • Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio.
  • Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).
  • DAS distributed antenna system
  • network nodes include 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).
  • MSR multi-standard radio
  • RNCs radio network controllers
  • BSCs base station controllers
  • BTSs base transceiver stations
  • OFDM Operation and Maintenance
  • OSS Operations Support System
  • SON Self-Organizing Network
  • positioning nodes e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)
  • Network node 2300 includes processing circuitry 2302, a memory 2304, a communication interface 2306, and a power source 2308.
  • Network node 2300 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components.
  • network node 2300 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components)
  • one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes.
  • a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs.
  • each unique NodeB and RNC pair may in some instances be considered a single separate network node.
  • network node 2300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs).
  • RATs radio access technologies
  • some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 2304 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 2310 may be shared by different RATs).
  • Network node 2300 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 2300, 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 2300.
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • Processing circuitry 2302 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 components, such as memory 2304, to provide network node 2300 functionality.
  • processing circuitry 2302 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, processing circuitry 2302 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314 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 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.
  • SOC system on a chip
  • processing circuitry 2302 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314.
  • RF transceiver circuitry 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314 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 2312 and baseband processing
  • Memory 2304 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 2302.
  • 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-vola
  • Memory 2304 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 2304a) capable of being executed by processing circuitry 2302 and utilized by network node 2300. Memory 2304 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 2302 and/or any data received via communication interface 2306. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 2302 and memory 2304 is integrated.
  • Communication interface 2306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, communication interface 2306 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 2316 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. Communication interface 2306 also includes radio frontend circuitry 2318 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 2310. Radio front-end circuitry 2318 comprises filters 2320 and amplifiers 2322. Radio front-end circuitry 2318 may be connected to an antenna 2310 and processing circuitry 2302. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 2310 and processing circuitry 2302.
  • Radio front-end circuitry 2318 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry 2318 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 2320 and/or amplifiers 2322. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 2310. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 2310 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 2318. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 2302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
  • network node 2300 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 2318, instead, processing circuitry 2302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna 2310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 2312 is part of communication interface 2306. In still other embodiments, communication interface 2306 includes one or more ports or terminals 2316, radio front-end circuitry 2318, and RF transceiver circuitry 2312, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and communication interface 2306 communicates with baseband processing circuitry 2314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
  • Antenna 2310 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals.
  • Antenna 2310 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 2318 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly.
  • antenna 2310 is separate from network node 2300 and connectable to network node 2300 through an interface or port.
  • Antenna 2310, communication interface 2306, and/or processing circuitry 2302 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, antenna 2310, communication interface 2306, and/or processing circuitry 2302 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.
  • Power source 2308 provides power to the various components of network node 2300 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 2308 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of network node 2300 with power for performing the functionality described herein.
  • network node 2300 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 power source 2308.
  • power source 2308 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.
  • FIG 24 is a block diagram of a host 2400, which may be an embodiment of host 2116 of Figure 21, in accordance with various aspects described herein.
  • host 2400 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.
  • Host 2400 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.
  • Host 2400 includes processing circuitry 2402 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2404 to an input/output interface 2406, a network interface 2408, a power source 2410, and a memory 2412.
  • processing circuitry 2402 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2404 to an input/output interface 2406, a network interface 2408, a power source 2410, and a memory 2412.
  • 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 22 and 23, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 2400.
  • Memory 2412 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 2414 and data 2416, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for host 2400 or data generated by host 2400 for a UE.
  • host 2400 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown.
  • Host application programs 2414 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).
  • Host application programs 2414 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.
  • host 2400 may select and/or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE.
  • Host application programs 2414 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.
  • HTTP Live Streaming HLS
  • RTMP Real-Time Messaging Protocol
  • RTSP Real- Time Streaming Protocol
  • MPEG-DASH Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP
  • FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 2500 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized.
  • virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources.
  • virtualization can be applied to 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 2500 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.
  • VMs virtual machines
  • the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host)
  • the node may be entirely virtualized.
  • Applications 2502 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment 2500 to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.
  • Hardware 2504 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and/or instructions (collectively denoted computer program product 2504a) 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 2506 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 2508a-b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 2508), and/or perform any of the functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein.
  • the virtualization layer 2506 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 2508.
  • VMs 2508 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 2506.
  • VMs 2508 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 2508, 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.
  • NFV network function virtualization
  • a VM 2508 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine.
  • Each VM 2508, and that part of hardware 2504 that executes that VM forms separate virtual network elements.
  • a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 2508 on top of hardware 2504 and corresponds to application 2502.
  • Hardware 2504 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 2504 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 2504 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 2510, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 2502.
  • hardware 2504 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.
  • some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 2512 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.
  • Figure 26 shows a communication diagram of a host 2602 communicating via a network node 2604 with a UE 2606 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments.
  • host 2602 Like host 2400, embodiments of host 2602 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 2602 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by host 2602 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 UE 2606 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 2650 extending between UE 2606 and host 2602.
  • OTT over-the-top
  • Network node 2604 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with host 2602 and UE 2606.
  • Connection 2660 may be direct or pass through a core network (like core network 2106 of Figure 21) and/or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks.
  • an intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.
  • UE 2606 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by UE 2606 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 2606 with the support of host 2602.
  • 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 2606 with the support of host 2602.
  • an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection 2650 terminating at UE 2606 and host 2602.
  • 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.
  • OTT connection 2650 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 OTT connection 2650.
  • OTT connection 2650 may extend via a connection 2660 between host 2602 and network node 2604 and via a wireless connection 2670 between network node 2604 and UE 2606 to provide the connection between host 2602 and UE 2606.
  • Connection 2660 and wireless connection 2670, over which OTT connection 2650 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host 2602 and UE 2606 via network node 2604, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.
  • host 2602 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application.
  • the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with UE 2606.
  • the user data is associated with a UE 2606 that shares data with host 2602 without explicit human interaction.
  • host 2602 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards UE 2606.
  • Host 2602 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by UE 2606. The request may be caused by human interaction with UE 2606 or by operation of the client application executing on UE 2606.
  • the transmission may pass via network node 2604, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • network node 2604 transmits to UE 2606 the user data that was carried in the transmission that host 2602 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.
  • UE 2606 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on UE 2606 associated with the host application executed by host 2602.
  • UE 2606 executes a client application which provides user data to host 2602.
  • the user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from host 2602.
  • UE 2606 may provide user data, which may be performed by executing the client application.
  • the client application may further consider user input received from the user via an input/output interface of UE 2606.
  • UE 2606 initiates, in step 2618, transmission of the user data towards host 2602 via network node 2604.
  • network node 2604 receives user data from UE 2606 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards host 2602.
  • host 2602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 2606.
  • a UE sends UE assistance information related to a secondary cell group (SCG) only when needed by and/or relevant for the network, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling that increases UE energy consumption and wastes limited network signaling capacity.
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • Embodiments also enable a UE to enter well-defined radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) measurement states upon re-activation of a deactivated SCG, thereby facilitating correct and efficient RLM/BFD as well as any UE mobility procedures based thereon.
  • RLM radio link monitoring
  • BFD beam failure detection
  • embodiments can improve UE and network operation in relation to deactivated SCGs, which can facilitate reduced UE energy consumption.
  • UEs and RANs improved in this manner are used to deliver OTT services to end users, they increase the value of such OTT services to the end users and to the service providers.
  • factory status information may be collected and analyzed by host 2602.
  • host 2602 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps.
  • host 2602 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights).
  • host 2602 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE.
  • host 2602 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR or AR which it can broadcast, multicast or unicast to UEs.
  • host 2602 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.
  • a measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve.
  • the measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of host 2602 and/or UE 2606.
  • sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which OTT connection 2650 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities.
  • Reconfiguring of OTT connection 2650 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of network node 2604. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art.
  • measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements by host 2602 of throughput, propagation times, latency, etc.
  • the measurements may be implemented by software that causes messages to be transmitted (e.g., empty or ‘dummy’ messages) using OTT connection 2650 while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.
  • the term unit 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • a method for a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), the method comprising: receiving from a RAN node a first indication that the SCG is deactivated; performing one of the following while the SCG is deactivated: refraining from sending the RAN node UE assistance information related to the SCG; or sending UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN node via the MCG; receiving from the RAN node a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated; and in response to the second indication, performing one or more of the following: sending to the RAN node UE assistance information related to the SCG, sending to the RAN node a message that indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG, and entering a particular state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
  • MCG master cell group
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • A3 The method of any of embodiments A1-A2, wherein: the one or more features have a first state before the SCG is deactivated; and the method further comprises: before the SCG is deactivated, sending to the RAN node a further message that indicates the first state for the one or more features; and while the SCG is deactivated, performing one or more state changes for the one or more features, such that the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated.
  • A4 The method of embodiment A3, wherein the message that indicates current status of the one or more features is sent to the RAN node only when one of the following applies: the second state is different than the first state; or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the message.
  • A5. The method of any of embodiments A1-A4, wherein: the particular state is an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG; and the method further comprises: remaining in the initial state for at least a minimum duration; and after the minimum duration, evaluating whether to exit the initial state and enter a further state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
  • A5a The method of any of embodiments A1-A5, wherein the UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent to the RAN node via the MCG, using a first signaling radio bearer (SRB) while the SCG is activated and using a second SRB while the SCG is deactivated.
  • SRB signaling radio bearer
  • A6 The method of any of embodiments Al-A5a, further comprising receiving from the RAN node a configuration that includes one or more of the following: an indication of whether to refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether to resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated; an indication of whether to send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether to send the message that indicates current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features, that trigger sending the message that indicates current status; an initial state for the one or more features when the SCG is reactivated; and a minimum duration to remain in the initial state.
  • the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG; the current status indicates a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements; and the particular state is either the relaxed state or the non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
  • RLM radio link monitoring
  • BFD beam failure detection
  • a method for a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), the method comprising: sending to the UE a first indication that the SCG is deactivated; sending to the UE a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated, wherein one of the following applies: the RAN node receives no UE assistance information related to the SCG from the
  • MCG master cell group
  • UE user equipment
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • the RAN node receives UE assistance information related to the SCG from the
  • UE via the MCG while SCG is deactivated ; and receiving one or more of the following from the UE in response to the second indication: UE assistance information related to the SCG, and a message that indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
  • the method further comprises, before the SCG is deactivated, receiving from the UE a further message that indicates a first state for the one or more features; and the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated.
  • any of embodiments Bl-B4a further comprising sending to the UE a configuration that includes one or more of the following: an indication of whether the UE should refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether the UE should resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated; an indication of whether the UE should send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether the UE should send the message that indicates current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features, that trigger the UE sending the message that indicates current status; an initial state for the one or more features when the SCG is reactivated; and a minimum duration for the UE to remain in the initial state.
  • the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG; and the current status indicates a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
  • RLM radio link monitoring
  • BFD beam failure detection
  • a user equipment configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), the UE comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with the RAN via the MCG and the SCG; 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 A1-A8.
  • a user equipment configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), the UE being further arranged to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments A1-A8.
  • RAN radio access network
  • MCG master cell group
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments A1-A8.
  • UE user equipment
  • MCG master cell group
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • a computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments A1-A8.
  • UE user equipment
  • RAN radio access network
  • MCG master cell group
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), the RAN node comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with the UE via the MCG; 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-B7.
  • MCG master cell group
  • UE user equipment
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), the RAN node being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B7.
  • MCG master cell group
  • SCG secondary cell group
  • D3. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the RAN node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B7.
  • a computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the RAN node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B7.
  • RAN radio access network
  • MCG master cell group
  • UE user equipment
  • SCG secondary cell group

Abstract

Embodiments include methods for a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG). Such methods include, while the SCG is deactivated, sending first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG. Such methods include, after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, sending second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG. Other embodiments include complementary methods for a second RAN node configured to provide the SCG, as well as UEs and RAN nodes configured to perform such methods.

Description

USER EQUIPMENT (UE) ASSISTANCE INFORMATION WITH DEACTIVATED SECONDARY CELL GROUP (SCG)
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless networks and mores specifically to techniques that reduce the energy consumed by a user equipment (UE) when connected to multiple cell groups in a wireless network, particularly when one of the cell groups is in a deactivated state.
BACKGROUND
Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is an umbrella term for so-called fourth generation (4G) radio access technologies developed within the Third-Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) 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 communicate 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”) 3GPP 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 and downlink, 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 Entity (MME) and the Serving Gateway (SGW), shown collectively as MME/S-GWs 134 and 138 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.
EPC 130 can also include a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 131, which manages user- and subscriber-related information. HSS 131 can also provide support functions in mobility management, call and session setup, user authentication and access authorization. The functions of HSS 131 can be related to the functions of legacy Home Location Register (HLR) and Authentication Centre (AuC) functions or operations. HSS 131 can also communicate with MMEs 134 and 138 via respective S6a interfaces.
In some embodiments, HSS 131 can communicate with a user data repository (UDR) - labelled EPC-UDR 135 in Figure 1 - via a Ud interface. EPC-UDR 135 can store user credentials after they have been encrypted by AuC algorithms. These algorithms are not standardized (/.< ., vendor-specific), such that encrypted credentials stored in EPC-UDR 135 are inaccessible by any other vendor than the vendor of HSS 131.
3GPP Rel-10 supports bandwidths larger than 20 MHz. For backward compatibility with Rel-8, a wideband LTE Rel-10 carrier (e.g., >20 MHz) should appear as a plurality of carriers (“component carriers” or CCs) to a Rel-8 (or legacy) UE. Legacy UEs can be scheduled in all parts of the wideband Rel-10 carrier. One way to achieve this is by Carrier Aggregation (CA), whereby a Rel-10 UE can receive multiple CCs, each preferably having the same structure as a Rel-8 carrier.
LTE dual connectivity (DC) was introduced in Rel-12. In DC operation, a UE in RRC CONNECTED state consumes radio resources provided by at least two different network points connected to one another with a non-ideal backhaul. In LTE, these two network points may be referred to as a “Master eNB” (MeNB) and a “Secondary eNB” (SeNB). More generally, the terms master node (MN), anchor node, and MeNB can be used interchangeably, while the terms secondary node (SN), booster node, and SeNB can also be used interchangeably. DC can be viewed as a special case of CA, in which the aggregated carriers (or cells) are provided by network nodes that are physically separated and not connected via a robust, high-capacity connection.
Currently the fifth generation (“5G”) of cellular systems, also referred to as New Radio (NR), is being standardized within 3 GPP. 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.
In addition to providing coverage via “cells,” as in LTE, NR networks also provide coverage via “beams.” In general, a DL “beam” is a coverage area of a network-transmitted RS that may be measured or monitored by a UE. Such RS can include any of the following, alone or in combination: SS/PBCH block (SSB), channel state information RS (CSI-RS), tertiary reference signals (or any other sync signal), positioning RS (PRS), demodulation RS (DMRS), 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, DMRS, PTRS) are associated with specific UEs that have a network connection, i.e., in RRC CONNECTED state.
DC is also envisioned as an important feature for 5G/NR networks. Several DC (or more generally, multi -connectivity) scenarios have been considered for NR. These include NR-DC that is similar to LTE DC discussed above, except that both the MN and SN (referred to as “gNBs”) employ the NR interface to communicate with the UE. In addition, various multi-RAT DC (MR-DC) scenarios have been considered, whereby a UE can be configured to uses resources provided by two different nodes, one providing E-UTRA/LTE access and the other one providing NR access. One node acts as the MN (e.g., providing MCG) and the other as the SN (e.g., providing SCG), with the MN and SN being connected via a network interface and at least the MN being connected to a core network (e.g., EPC or 5GC).
Each of the CGs includes one MAC entity, a primary cell (PCell), and optionally one or more secondary cells (SCells). The term “Special Cell” (or “SpCell” for short) refers to the PCell of the MCG or the PSCell of the SCG depending on whether the UE’s MAC entity is associated with the MCG or the SCG, respectively. In non-DC operation (e.g., CA), SpCell refers to the PCell. An SpCell is always activated and supports physical UL control channel (PUCCH) transmission and contention-based random access by UEs.
NR Rel-15 introduced beam failure detection (BFD) and beam failure recovery (BFR). The network configures a UE with BFD reference signals (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS) to be monitored, e.g., as part of the UE’s radio link monitoring (RLM) operations. The UE declares beam failure when a quantity of beam failure indications from lower layers (e.g., PHY) reaches a configured threshold before a configured timer expires. After BFD, the UE initiates a random access (RA) procedure on the PCell and selects a suitable beam to perform BFR. If the serving RAN node has provided dedicated RA resources for certain beams, those will be prioritized by the UE.
To improve network energy efficiency and battery life for UEs in MR-DC, 3GPP Rel-17 includes a work item for efficient SCG/SCell activation/deactivation. These improvements can be especially important for MR-DC configurations with NR SCG since, in some cases, NR UE energy consumption is three-to-four times higher than in LTE. SUMMARY
When a UE’s SCG is deactivated, the UE may stop or modify certain operations in the SCG that were ongoing when the SCG was still activated. For example, a UE may perform RLM measurements in a relaxed way compared to when the SCG was activated. As another example, the UE may generate certain SCG-related indications while the SCG is deactivated. However, there currently is no mechanism that prevents the UE from sending these indications to the network while the SCG is deactivated (i.e., when they are of no interest to the network) and facilitates the UE to send these indications to the network after the SCG is activated again (i.e., when they are of interest to the network). Put differently, there is a need to provide timely delivery of certain UE -generated information related to an SCG.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide specific improvements to UE operation with a deactivated SCG, such as by facilitating solutions to overcome exemplary problems summarized above and described in more detail below.
Some embodiments include methods (e.g., procedures) for a UE configured to communicate with a RAN via an MCG and an SCG.
These exemplary methods can include, while the SCG is deactivated, the UE can send first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG. These exemplary methods can also include, after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, sending second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG.
In some embodiments, the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG. In some of these embodiments, the one or more features have a first state before the SCG is deactivated and these exemplary methods can also include the following operations:
• before the SCG is deactivated, sending to the RAN via the SCG further UE assistance information that indicates the first state for the one or more features; and
• while the SCG is deactivated, performing one or more state changes for the one or more features, such that the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated.
In some variants of these embodiments, the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is sent to the RAN based on one of the following: the second state is different than the first state, or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the second UE assistance information.
In some of these embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include, upon reactivation of the deactivated SCG, entering an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG. In some variants of these embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include remaining in the initial state for at least a minimum duration and after the minimum duration, evaluating whether to exit the initial state and enter a further state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
In some variants of these embodiments, the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG. Also, the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements, with the initial state being either the relaxed state or the non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
In some of these embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include receiving from the RAN a configuration that includes one or more of the following:
• an indication of whether to refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated;
• an indication of whether to resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated;
• an indication of whether to send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated;
• an indication of whether to indicate to the RAN current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated;
• a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features related to the SCG, that trigger sending to the RAN an indication of current status of the one or more features;
• an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; and
• a minimum duration to remain in the initial state.
In some of these embodiments, the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer, which the UE can use in the manner described above.
In some embodiments, the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the MCG using a first SRB and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB. In some of these embodiments, the first UE assistance information is sent using the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE. In some of these embodiments, the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include receiving from the RAN a first indication that the SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can include receiving from the RAN a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated. Other embodiments include methods (e.g., procedures) for a second RAN node configured to provide an SCG for a UE also configured with an MCG provided by a first RAN node.
These exemplary methods can include, while the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receiving first UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the MCG and the first RAN node. These exemplary methods can also include, after reactivation of the UE’s deactivated SCG, receiving second UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the SCG.
In some embodiments, the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG. In some of these embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include, before the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receiving from the UE via the SCG a further message that indicates a first state for the one or more features. In some variants of these embodiments, the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated and the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is received from the UE based on one of the following:
• the second state is different than the first state; or
• the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger the UE to send the second UE assistance information.
In some of these embodiments, the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for RLM and/or BFD in the SCG, and the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
In some of these embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include sending to the UE a configuration that can have any of the various information and/or formats summarized above in relation to UE embodiments.
In some embodiments, the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the MCG and a first SRB and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB. In some of these embodiments, the first UE assistance information is received via the MCG and the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE. In some of these embodiments, the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include sending to the UE a first indication that the UE’s SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include sending to the UE a second indication that the UE’s deactivated SCG is reactivated.
Other embodiments include UEs (e.g., wireless devices, loT devices, etc. or component s) thereof) and RAN nodes (e.g., base stations, eNBs, gNBs, ng-eNBs, en-gNBs, 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 network nodes to perform operations corresponding to any of the exemplary methods described herein.
These and other embodiments described herein can provide various benefits and/or advantages. For example, a UE sends UE assistance information related to an SCG only when needed by and/or relevant for the network, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling that increases UE energy consumption and wastes limited network signaling capacity. Embodiments also enable a UE to enter well-defined RLM and/or BFD measurement states upon re-activation of a deactivated SCG, thereby facilitating correct and efficient RLM/BFD as well as any UE mobility procedures based thereon. At a high level, embodiments can improve UE and network operation in relation to deactivated SCGs, which can facilitate reduced UE energy consumption.
These and other objects, features, 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 block diagram of exemplary LTE CP and UP protocol layers.
Figure 3 shows a high-level view of an exemplary 5G/NR network architecture.
Figure 4 shows a high-level illustration of dual connectivity (DC) in combination with carrier aggregation (CA).
Figures 5-6 show high-level views of exemplary network architectures that support multi- RAT DC (MR-DC) using EPC and 5GC, respectively.
Figures 7-8 show user plane (UP) radio protocol architectures from a UE perspective for EN-DC with EPC and MR-DC with 5GC, respectively.
Figures 9-10 show UP radio protocol architectures from a network perspective for EN- DC with EPC and MR-DC with 5GC, respectively.
Figure 11 is a block diagram showing a high-level comparison of control plane (CP) architectures in LTE DC, EN-DC, and MR-DC using a 5G core network (5GC).
Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) duplication technique.
Figure 13 is an exemplary state transition diagram for NR SCells.
Figure 14 is an exemplary SCG state transition diagram.
Figures 15-16 show ASN. l data structures for exemplary information elements (IES). Figure 17 is a diagram of an exemplary communication system that includes a UE and first and second RAN nodes, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 18 is a signaling diagram between a UE and a RAN node, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 19 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a UE, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 20 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a RAN node, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 21 illustrates a communication system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 22 is a block diagram of a UE according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 23 is a block diagram of a network node according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 24 is a block diagram of a host computing system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 25 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments of the present disclosure may be virtualized.
Figure 26 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
Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.
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 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) 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., gNB in a 3 GPP 5G/NR network or an enhanced or eNB in a 3GPP LTE network), base station distributed components (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 (TP), 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 PDN Gateway (P-GW), a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a user plane function (UPF), a Charging Function (CHF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a location management function (LMF), 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”.
• Radio Node: As used herein, a “radio node” can be either a “radio access node” (or equivalent term) or a “wireless device.”
• 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 term) 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 (c.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.
• Node: As used herein, the term “node” (without prefix) can be any type of node that can in or with a wireless network (including RAN and/or core network), including a radio access node (or equivalent term), core network node, or wireless device. However, the term “node” may be limited to a particular type (e.g., radio access node) based on its specific characteristics in any given context.
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 often 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 cells and beams.
As briefly mentioned above, during a dual active protocol stack (DAPS) UE handover, there can be various problems, issues, and/or difficulties related to handling deactivated SCGs (or, more generally, SCGs in a reduced-energy mode such as SCG suspended, SCG dormant, etc.). This is discussed in more detail below, after the following description of various aspects of LTE and NR network architecture and various dual connectivity (DC) arrangements.
Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary control plane (CP) protocol stack between a UE, an eNB, and an MME. The exemplary protocol stack includes Physical (PHY), Medium Access Control (MAC), Radio Link Control (RLC), Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), and Radio Resource Control (RRC) layers between the UE and eNB. The PHY layer is concerned with how and what characteristics are used to transfer data over transport channels on the LTE radio interface. The MAC layer provides data transfer services on logical channels, maps logical channels to PHY transport channels, and reallocates PHY resources to support these services. The RLC layer provides error detection and/or correction, concatenation, segmentation, and reassembly, reordering of data transferred to or from the upper layers. The PDCP layer provides ciphering/deciphering and integrity protection for both CP and user plane (UP), as well as other UP functions such as header compression. The exemplary protocol stack also includes non-access stratum (NAS) signaling between the UE and the MME.
The RRC layer controls communications between a UE and an eNB at the radio interface, as well as the mobility of a UE between cells in the E-UTRAN. After a UE is powered ON it will be in the RRC IDLE state until an RRC connection is established with the network, at which time the UE will transition to RRC_CONNECTED state (e.g, where data transfer can occur). The UE returns to RRC IDLE after the connection with the network is released. In RRC IDLE state, the UE does not belong to any cell, no RRC context has been established for the UE e.g., in E- UTRAN), and the UE is out of UL synchronization with the network. Even so, a UE in RRC IDLE state is known in the EPC and has an assigned IP address.
Furthermore, in RRC IDLE state, the UE’s radio is active on a discontinuous reception (DRX) schedule configured by upper layers. During DRX active periods (also referred to as “DRX On durations”), an RRC IDLE UE receives system information (SI) broadcast by a serving cell, performs measurements of neighbor cells to support cell reselection, and monitors a paging channel for pages from the EPC via an eNB serving the cell in which the UE is camping.
A UE must perform a random-access (RA) procedure to move from RRC IDLE to RRC CONNECTED state. In RRC CONNECTED state, the cell serving the UE is known and an RRC context is established for the UE in the serving eNB, such that the UE and eNB can communicate. For example, a Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) - a UE identity used for signaling between UE and network - is configured for a UE in RRC CONNECTED state.
5G/NR technology shares many similarities with fourth-generation LTE. For example, both PHYs utilize similar arrangements of time-domain physical resources into 1-ms subframes that include multiple slots of equal duration, with each slot including multiple OFDM-based symbols. As another example, the NR RRC layer includes RRC IDLE and RRC CONNECTED states, but adds another state known as RRC INACTIVE.
Figure 3 illustrates a high-level view of the 5G network architecture, consisting of a Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN) 399 and a 5G Core (5GC) 398. NG-RAN 399 can include a set of gNodeB’s (gNBs) connected to the 3GC via one or more NG interfaces, such as gNBs 300, 350 connected via interfaces 302, 352, respectively. In addition, the gNBs can be connected to each other via one or more Xn interfaces, such as Xn interface 340 between gNBs 300 and 350. 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 399 is layered into a Radio Network Layer (RNL) and a Transport Network Layer (TNL). The NG-RAN architecture, i.e., 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 3 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 300 includes gNB-CU 310 and gNB-DUs 320 and 330. CUs (e.g., gNB-CU 310) are logical nodes that host higher-layer protocols and perform various gNB functions such controlling the operation of DUs. Each DU is a logical node that hosts 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 circuitry (e.g., for communication), and power supply circuitry.
A gNB-CU connects to gNB-DUs over respective Fl logical interfaces, such as interfaces 322 and 332 shown in Figure 3. 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 the gNB split CU-DU architecture illustrated by Figure 3, DC can be achieved by allowing a UE to connect to multiple DUs served by the same CU or by allowing a UE to connect to multiple DUs served by different CUs.
3GPP TR 38.804 (vl4.0.0) describes various exemplary DC scenarios or configurations in which the MN and SN can apply NR, LTE, or both. The following terminology is used to describe these exemplary DC scenarios or configurations:
• DC: LTE DC (i.e., both MN and SN employ LTE, as discussed above);
• EN-DC: LTE -NR DC where MN (eNB) employs LTE and SN (gNB) employs NR, and both are connected to EPC.
• NGEN-DC: LTE -NR dual connectivity where a UE is connected to one ng-eNB that acts as a MN and one gNB that acts as a SN. The ng-eNB is connected to the 5GC and the gNB is connected to the ng-eNB via the Xn interface.
• NE-DC: LTE -NR dual connectivity where a UE is connected to one gNB that acts as a MN and one ng-eNB that acts as a SN. The gNB is connected to 5GC and the ng-eNB is connected to the gNB via the Xn interface.
• NR-DC (or NR-NR DC): both MN and SN employ NR.
• MR-DC (multi-RAT DC): a generalization of the Intra-E-UTRA Dual Connectivity (DC) described in 3GPP TS 36.300 (vl6.3.0), where a multiple Rx/Tx UE may be configured to utilize resources provided by two different nodes connected via non-ideal backhaul, one providing E-UTRA access and the other one providing NR access. One node acts as the MN and the other as the SN. The MN and SN are connected via a network interface and at least the MN is connected to the core network. EN-DC, NE-DC, and NGEN-DC are different example cases of MR-DC.
Figure 4 shows a high-level illustration of a UE (430) arranged in DC with CA. In this illustration, each of the MN (410) and the SN (420) can be either an eNB or a gNB, in accordance with the various DC scenarios mentioned above. The MN provides the UE’s MCG (411) consisting of a PCell and three SCells arranged in CA, while the SN provides the UE’s SCG (421) consisting of a PSCell and three SCells arranged in CA.
Figure 5 shows a high-level view of an exemplary network architecture that supports EN- DC, including an E-UTRAN 599 and an EPC 598. As shown in the figure, E-UTRAN 599 can include en-gNBs (e.g., 510a,b) and eNBs (e.g., 520a, b) that are interconnected with each other via respective X2 (or X2-U) interfaces. The eNBs can be similar to those shown in Figure 1, while the ng-eNBs can be similar to the gNBs shown in Figure 3 except that they connect to the EPC via an Sl-U interface rather than to a 5GC via an X2 interface. The eNBs also connect to the EPC via an SI interface, similar to the arrangement shown in Figure 1. More specifically, the en-gNBs and eNBs connect to MMEs e.g., 530a, b) and S-GWs (e.g., 540a, b) in the EPC.
Each of the en-gNBs and eNBs can serve a geographic coverage area including one more cells, including cells 511a-b and 521a-b shown as exemplary in Figure 5. Depending on the cell in which it is located, a UE 505 can communicate with the en-gNB or eNB serving that cell via the NR or LTE radio interface, respectively. In addition, UE 505 can be in EN-DC connectivity with a first cell served by an eNB and a second cell served by an en-gNB, such as cells 520a and 510a shown in Figure 5.
Figure 6 shows a high-level view of an exemplary network architecture that supports MR- DC configurations based on 5GC. More specifically, Figure 6 shows an NG-RAN 699 and a 5GC 698. NG-RAN 699 can include gNBs (e.g, 610a, b) and ng-eNBs (e.g, 620a, b) that are interconnected with each other via respective Xn interfaces. The gNBs and ng-eNBs are also connected via the NG interfaces to the 5GC, more specifically to access and mobility management functions (AMFs, e.g., 630a, b) via respective NG-C interfaces and to user plane functions (UPFs, e.g., 640a, b) via respective NG-U interfaces. Moreover, the AMFs can communicate with one or more session management functions (SMFs, e.g., 650a, b) and network exposure functions (NEFs, e.g., NEFs 660a, b).
Each of the gNBs can be similar to those shown in Figure 5, while each of the ng-eNBs can be similar to the eNBs shown in Figure 1 except that they connect to the 5GC via an NG interface rather than to EPC via an SI interface. Each of the gNBs and ng-eNBs can serve a geographic coverage area including one more cells, including cells 611a-b and 621a-b shown as exemplary in Figure 6. The gNBs and ng-eNBs can also use various directional beams to provide coverage in the respective cells. Depending on the cell in which it is located, a UE 605 can communicate with the gNB or ng-eNB serving that cell via the NR or LTE radio interface, respectively. In addition, the UE can be in MR-DC connectivity with a first cell served by an ng- eNB and a second cell served by a gNB, such as cells 620a and 610a shown in Figure 6.
Figures 7-8 show UP radio protocol architectures from a UE perspective for MR-DC with EPC (e.g., EN-DC) and with 5GC (e.g., NGEN-DC, NE-DC, and NR-DC), respectively. In both cases, a UE supports MCG, SCG, and split bearers, as discussed above. In the EN-DC arrangement shown in Figure 7, MCG bearers have either LTE (e.g., E-UTRA) or NR PDCP and LTE RLC and MAC layers, while SCG bearers have NR PDCP, RLC, and MAC layers. Split bearers have NR PDCP layer and both LTE and NR RLC and MAC layers. In the arrangement shown in Figure 8, all bearers have NR PDCP layers and lower layers corresponding to the RAT used by the MN and SN. One difference between the architectures in Figures 7-8 is that the various bearers for MR-DC with 5GC are associated with QoS flows terminated in an SDAP layer above PDCP.
Figures 9-10 show UP radio protocol architectures from a network perspective for MR- DC with EPC (e.g., EN-DC) and with 5GC (e.g., NGEN-DC, NE-DC, and NR-DC), respectively. In the EN-DC arrangement shown in Figure 9, an MCG bearer terminated in MN has PDCP layer of the RAT used by the MN, while all other bearers have NR PDCP layer. All bearers have lower layers associated with the RAT of the node(s) in which they are terminated. In the arrangement shown in Figure 10, all bearers have NR PDCP layers and lower layers associated with the RAT of the node(s) in which they are terminated. From a network perspective, each MCG, SCG, or and split bearer can be terminated either in MN or in SN. For example, the X2 or Xn interface between the nodes will carry traffic for SCG or split bearers terminated in MN PDCP layer to lower layers in SN. Likewise, X2 or Xn will carry traffic for MCG or split bearers terminated in SN PDCP layer to lower layers in MN. One difference between the architectures in Figures 9-10 is that the various bearers for MR-DC with 5GC are associated with QoS flows that are terminated in the SDAP layer above PDCP.
Figures 9-10 also have some DC-specific variations. In EN-DC with EPC, the network can configure either E-UTRA PDCP or NR PDCP for MN terminated MCG data radio bearers (DRBs) while NR PDCP is always used for all other DRBs. In MR-DC with 5GC, NR PDCP is always used for all DRB types. In NGEN-DC, E-UTRA RLC/MAC is used in the MN while NR RLC/MAC is used in the SN. In NE-DC, NR RLC/MAC is used in the MN while E-UTRA RLC/MAC is used in the SN. In NR-DC, NR RLC/MAC is used in both MN and SN.
Figure 11 is a block diagram showing a high-level comparison of CP architectures in LTE DC, EN-DC, and MR-DC using 5GC. One primary difference is that the SN has a separate NR RRC entity in EN-DC and NR-DC. This means that the SN can also control the UE, sometimes without the knowledge of the MN but often in coordination with the MN. In LTE-DC, the RRC decisions are always made by the MN (MN to UE). Even so, the LTE-DC SN still decides its own configuration because it is aware of its resources, capabilities etc. while the MN is not.
Another difference between LTE-DC and the others is the use of a split bearer for RRC. Split RRC messages are mainly used for creating diversity, and the sender can choose one of the links for scheduling the RRC messages, or it can duplicate the message over both links. In the DL, the path switching between the MCG or SCG legs (or duplication on both) is left to network implementation. On the other hand, for the UL, the network configures the UE to use the MCG, SCG, or both for RRC messages. The terms “leg”, “path” and “RLC bearer” are used interchangeably throughout this document.
Packet duplication (also referred to as “PDCP duplication” or “PDCP PDU duplication”) can increase reliability and reduce latency, which can be very beneficial for ultra-reliable low latency (URLLC) data services. When PDCP duplication is configured for a radio bearer by RRC, an additional RLC entity and an additional logical channel are added to the radio bearer to handle the duplicated PDCP protocol data units (PDUs). As such, PDCP duplication involves sending the same PDCP PDUs twice: once on the original (or primary) RLC entity and a second time on the additional (or secondary) RLC entity.
Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary PDCP duplication scheme. Note that the primary RLC entity is associated with a primary logical channel (LCH) and the secondary RLC entity is associated with a secondary LCH. When configuring duplication for a DRB, RRC also sets the state of PDCP duplication (i.e., activated or deactivated) at the time of (re-)configuration. After the configuration, the PDCP duplication state can then be dynamically controlled by a MAC CE. In DC, the UE applies these MAC CE commands regardless of whether they were received via MCG or SCG.
3 GPP previously specified the concepts of dormant LTE SCell and dormancy -like behavior of an NR SCell. In LTE, when an SCell is in dormant state, the UE does not need to monitor the corresponding physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and cannot transmit in the corresponding UL. This behavior is similar to behavior in a deactivated state, but the UE is also required to perform and report CQI measurements, which is different from deactivated state behavior. A PUCCH SCell (SCell configured with PUCCH) cannot be in dormant state.
Figure 13 shows an exemplary state transition diagram for NR SCells. At a high level, a UE’s SCell can transition between deactivated and activated states based on explicit commands from the network (e.g., MAC CEs) or expiration of a deactivation timer. Dormancy-like behavior for NR SCells is based on the concept of dormant bandwidth parts (BWP). One of the UE’s dedicated BWPs configured via RRC signaling can be configured as dormant for an SCell. If the active BWP of the activated SCell is a dormant BWP, the UE stops monitoring PDCCH on the SCell but continues performing CSI measurements, AGC, and beam management (if configured to do so).
Downlink control information (DCI) on PDCCH is used to control entering/leaving the dormant BWP for SCell(s) or SCG(s), and is sent to the SpCell of the cell group that includes the dormant SCell (i.e., to PCell if SCell belongs to MCG, to PSCell if SCell belongs to SCG). The SpCell (i.e., PCell or PSCell) and PUCCH SCell cannot be configured with a dormant BWP.
However, if the UE is configured with MR-DC, it cannot fully benefit from the energy reductions of dormant state or dormancy-like behavior since the PSCell cannot be configured to be dormant. Also, only SCells can be put into the deactivated state in both LTE and NR. Instead, a solution could be releasing (for power savings) and adding (when traffic demands requires) the SCG on an as-needed basis. Traffic is likely to be bursty, however, so adding and releasing the SCG as needed can involve a significant amount of RRC signaling and inter-node messaging between the MN and the SN. This can introduce considerable delay for the data traffic.
In the context of 3GPP Rel-16, there were some discussions about placing the PSCell in dormancy, also referred to as SCG Suspension. Some general principles of this solution include:
• The UE supports network-controlled suspension of the SCG in RRC CONNECTED;
• UE behavior for a suspended SCG is for further study (FFS);
• The UE supports at most one SCG configuration, suspended or not suspended, in Rell6;
• In RRC CONNECTED upon addition of the SCG, the SCG can be either suspended or not suspended by configuration.
More detailed solutions were proposed for Rel-16, but these have various problems. For example, one proposed solution is that a gNB can indicate for a UE to suspend SCG transmissions when no data traffic is expected to be sent in SCG, such that the UE retains the SCG configuration but does not use it for power saving purposes. Signaling to suspend SCG could be based on DCI/MAC-CE/RRC, but no details were discussed about the particular configuration from the gNB to the UE. Even so, this solution for SCells may not be applicable to PSCells, which may be associated with a different network node (e.g., a gNB operating as SN).
Discussions are ongoing in 3GPP about the Rel-17 MR-DC work item objective “Support efficient activation/de-activation mechanism for one SCG and SCells”. One concept being discussed is a “deactivated SCG” with reduced energy consumption when traffic demands are dynamically reduced. This can be especially important for MR-DC configurations with NR SCG since, in some cases, NR UE energy consumption is three-to-four times higher than in LTE. Figure 14 is an exemplary state transition diagram illustrating two SCG states (sometimes referred to as “states for SCG activation”) according to this concept. In Figure 14, these states are labelled “SCG deactivated state” and “SCG activated state” and are distinct from RRC states. Rather, these SCG states represent whether an SCG energy saving mode has been applied.
3GPP RAN2 has agreed that SCG activation state can be configured via RRC. In addition, the following properties apply to a deactivated SCG:
• No PDCCH/PDSCH/PUSCH Tx/Rx on PSCell;
• All SCells are deactivated;
• SCG reconfiguration via MCG is supported;
• Radio resource management (RRM) and PSCell mobility is supported;
• Both RACH and RACH-less SCG activation is supported;
• UE keeps Time Alignment timer running;
• UE continues BFD and radio link monitoring (RLM), if configured; and
• SCG activation indication can indicate TCI state.
An NR UE performs radio link monitoring (RLM) and beam failure detection (BFD) periodically while in RRC CONNECTED state. The RLM measurements for BFD and detection of Radio Link Failure (RLF) are configured via a RadioLinkMonitoringConfig information element (IE). For example, resources and parameters for UE BFD are configured via RRC as part of the ServingCellConfig IE within each dedicated DL BWP configuration (i.e., BWP-DownlinkDedicated) within the RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE.
Figure 15 shows an ASN.l data structure for an exemplary RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE. This IE includes a failureDetectionResourcesToAddModList field, which is a sequence of RadioLinkMonitoringRS sub-fields that define the specific RS resources (e.g., CSLRS or SSB) for BFD. More details about this exemplary RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE are given in 3GPP TS 38.331 (V16.6.0).
UE RLM is performed on a set of configured resources (RLM-RS), which are either SSB or CSLRS. Based on measurements in these resources, the UE estimates DL radio link quality (e.g., SINR) and compares it to predefined thresholds Qout and Qin, which correspond to hypothetical PDCCH block error rates (BLER) of 10% and 2%, respectively. Exceeding Qout generates an “out-of-sync” (OoS) indication while being less than Qin generates an “in-sync” (IS) indication.
Timer T310 is started when there are more than N310 consecutive OoS indications on the UE’s SpCell. Timer T304 is stopped when there are N311 consecutive IS indications on the UE’s SpCell. When timer T310 expires, RLF declared, the UE’s DRBs are suspended, MAC is reset, and the SCG connection is released. The UE then initiates RRC re-establishment to recover the connection. When the UE is configured for DC, the UE performs RLM and RLF detection on PCell and PScell. When T310 expires on PCell, MCG RLF is declared. When T310 expires on PSCell, SCG RLF is declared.
BFD is used to recovering beam connection when the DL beam monitored by the UE becomes weak. Similar to RLM, the UE estimates the DL quality of the configured BFD-RS (SSB or CSLRS) periodically and compares it to a threshold Qout,LR which corresponds to a hypothetical PDCCH BLER of 10%. Upon BFD, the UE initiates a RA procedure on the PCell and selects a suitable beam to perform BFR. If the serving gNB has provided dedicated RA resources for certain beams, those will be prioritized by the UE. Upon completion of the RA procedure, BFR is considered complete. More details about UE actions during BFD and BFR are given in 3GPP TS 38.321 (vl6.6.0).
Resources and parameters for UE BFR are configured via RRC as part of the CellGroupConfig IE within each dedicated UL BWP configuration (i.e., BWP-UplinkDedicated) within the BeamFailureRecoveryConfig IE. These configured resources and parameters include a candidate beam list to be selected upon BFR, threshold(s) for beam selection, etc. Figure 16 shows an ASN.1 data structure for an exemplary BeamFailureRecoveryConfig IE. More details about this exemplary RadioLinkMonitoringConfig IE are given in 3GPP TS 38.331 (vl6.6.0).
In NR Rel-17, RLM and BFD relaxation methods were introduced for reducing UE energy consumption. If a UE supports these features and they are configured by the network, UEs operating in low-mobility conditions and/or with good serving cell quality can relax (e.g., reduce) the periodicity of UE RLM/BFD assessment. Note that RLM relaxation and BFD relaxation can be configured independently. RLM relaxation is applicable only to PCell and PSCell, while BFD relaxation is applicable to all serving cells of MCG/SCG.
It has been agreed within 3GPP that a UE can also be configured to report its relaxation status to the network via UE Assistance Information RRC message, which is used more generally by UEs to report various UE status or information that is useful for the network. For example, the UE can report a preferred DRX setting, that the UE is overheated, etc. The network can individually configure the UE to send the different information elements of this message. The network can configure the UE to send separate assistance information relevant for MCG and SCG.
A UE can send a UE Assistance Information message to an SCG in two ways: directly via Signaling Radio Bearer 3 (SRB3, if configured); and indirectly via the MCG to MN, which forwards the information transparently to SN that provides SCG.
In this manner, when the UE enters/exits relaxed state in MCG and/or SCG for RLM and/or BFD evaluation, it can indicate this status to the network (i.e., to MN and/or SN) via UE Assistance Information message. The relaxation status can be indicated separately for RLM and BFD. Even so, indicating the relaxation status is only allowed when the UE’s prohibit timer is not running, which is used to protect against mismatch between UE and network knowledge of the UE’s relaxation status.
When a UE’s SCG is deactivated, the UE may stop or modify certain operations in the SCG that were ongoing when the SCG was still activated. One example is the relaxed RLM measurements discussed above. As another example, the UE may generate certain SCG-related indications while the SCG is deactivated. However, there currently is no mechanism that prevents the UE from sending these indications to the network while the SCG is deactivated (i.e., when they are of no interest to the network) and that facilitates sending these indications to the network when the SCG is activated again (i.e., when they are of interest to the network). Put differently, there is a need for timely delivery of certain UE information related to an SCG.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure provide novel, flexible, and efficient techniques for a UE operating in DC with first and second cell groups (e.g., MCG and SCG) in a RAN, to manage reporting of UE Assistance Information to the network during SCG deactivation and after SCG re-activation. Embodiments also provide techniques for managing the UE’s RLM relaxation state upon SCG re-activation.
Embodiments provide various benefits and/or advantages. For example, a UE sends UE Assistance Information related to an SCG only when needed by and/or relevant for the network, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling that increases UE energy consumption and wastes limited network signaling capacity. Embodiments also enable a UE to enter well-defined RLM and/or BFD relaxation states upon re-activation of a deactivated SCG, thereby facilitating correct and efficient RLM/BFD as well as any UE mobility procedures based thereon. At a high level, embodiments can improve UE and network operation in relation to deactivated SCGs, which can facilitate reduced UE energy consumption.
In the following discussion, the terms “suspended SCG”, “deactivated SCG”, “inactive SCG”, and “SCG in reduced-energy mode” are used interchangeably. From the UE perspective, however, “SCG in reduced-energy mode” means that the UE is operating in a reduced-energy mode with respect to the SCG. Likewise, the terms “resumed SCG”, “activated SCG”, “active SCG”, “SCG in normal energy mode”, “normal SCG operation”, and “legacy SCG operation” are used interchangeably. From the UE perspective, “SCG in normal energy mode” means that the UE is operating in a normal (i.e., non-reduced) energy mode with respect to the SCG. Examples of UE operations include signal reception/transmission procedures, RLM measurements, RRM measurements, reception of signals, transmission of signals, measurement configuration, measurement reporting, evaluation of triggered event measurement reports, etc. In the following, various embodiments are described in terms of an SCG that is deactivated for a UE configured with DC, with the MCG operating in a normal (or activated) mode. In such case, the UE will stop monitoring PDCCH on the deactivated SCG cells (i.e., PSCell and/or SCG SCells) but continues monitoring PDDCH on the MCG. However, similar principles can be applied to an MCG that is deactivated for a UE configured with DC, with the SCG operating in a normal (or activated) mode. In such case, the UE will stop monitoring PDCCH on the deactivated MCG cells (i.e., PCell and/or MCG SCells) but continues monitoring PDDCH on the SCG.
The various embodiments described below are equally applicable to UEs in EN-DC with an LTE MCG and an NR SCG, MR-DC with an NR MCG and an LTE SCG, and NR-DC with NR MCG and SCG. Even if certain message names in the following description may be associated with a particular RAT (e.g., LTE or NR) in 3GPP specifications, such names are used generically below unless specifically noted.
Figure 17 shows a diagram of an exemplary communication system, which provides a context for the following description of various embodiments. A UE (1701) is configured for DC (e.g., MR-DC) and is connected to via a first cell group (1702) to a first RAN node (1706) over a first radio interface (1704). The UE is also connected via a second cell group (1703) to a second RAN node (1707) over a second radio interface (1705).
The first RAN node (e.g., MN) controls the first cell group (e.g., MCG), which is configured with a main cell (e.g., PCell) and optionally one or more further cells (e.g., SCells) in a CA configuration. The second RAN node (e.g., SN) controls the second cell group (e.g., SCG), which is configured with a main cell (e.g., PSCell) and optionally one or more further cells (e.g., SCells) in a CA configuration. The first RAN node is connected to the second RAN node over an interface (1708, e.g., X2 or Xn). Note that the first cell group and second cell group are specific to the UE shown, and other UEs served by the two RAN nodes may have UE-specific cell groups composed of the same or different cells served by the two RAN nodes.
In some embodiments, upon deactivation of a UE’s, the UE will suspend transmission of UE Assistance Information related to the SCG. Upon SCG re-activation, the UE will resume transmission of UE Assistance Information related to the SCG. This suspend/resume behavior can be configured by the UE’s MN or SN. For example, it can be enabled/disabled by the UE’s MN or SN. As another example, it can be a UE-default behavior that can be disabled by the UE’s MN or SN.
One benefit of these embodiments is that the UE avoids sending UE Assistance Information related to an SCG when the SCG is deactivated, when such information is not of interest to the network. By avoiding this unnecessary signaling, these embodiments reduce UE energy consumption and avoid wasting limited network signaling resources.
These embodiments can be implemented and/or realized in various ways, such as by specification in a 3GPP standard. The following is some example text that can replace existing text in sections 5.3.5.13a-b of 3GPP TS 38.331 (vl7.0.0).
*** Begin exemplary text for 3GPP TS 38.331 ***
5.3.5.13a SCG activation
Upon initiating the procedure, the UE shall:
1> if the UE is configured with an SCG after receiving the message for which this procedure is initiated:
2> consider the SCG to be activated;
2>resume all initiations of UE assistance information, as defined in clause 5.7.4.2, for fields configured via otherConfig associated with the SCG;
[existing text]
5.3.5.13b SCG deactivation
Upon initiating the procedure, the UE shall:
1> consider the SCG to be deactivated;
1> reset SCG MAC; l>indicate to lower layers that the SCG is deactivated;
1> suspend all initiations of UE assistance information, as defined in clause 5.7.4.2, for fields configured via otherConfig associated with the SCG;
[existing text]
*** End exemplary text for 3GPP TS 38.331 ***
In some embodiments, upon activation of the UE’s SCG, the UE will transmit to the network a message that indicates current status of a particular UE feature. For example, the message can indicate the current status of RLM or BFD relaxation related to the SCG. In some of these embodiments, this behavior can be configurable by the network. For example, the network may configure the UE to send (or not send) the status indication upon SCG activation. This configuration can be applicable to all UE features having a relevant status available to be reported upon SCG activation, or specific to one or more particular UE features, such as RLM or BFD relaxation related to the SCG.
In some of these embodiments, the UE sends the current status of the UE feature only if the most recent status of the UE feature provided to the network was different than the current status. For example, the UE previously indicated a non-relaxed RLM and/or BFD measurement status when the UE’s SCG was activated. The UE’s SCG is subsequently deactivated and the UE enters RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation for the deactivated SCG. While the SCG is deactivated, the UE’s RLM or BFD relaxation status may change one or more times, e.g., based on UE measurement requirements. When the UE’s SCG is subsequently reactivated, the UE indicates its current RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation status for the SCG only when it is different than the non-relaxed RLM and/or BFD measurement status most recently indicated by the UE.
In some embodiments, upon activation of the UE’s SCG, the UE will transmit to the network a message that indicates current status of a particular UE feature, but only when the current status is a particular value or a particular set of values. For example, the UE indicates its current RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation status for the SCG when the current status is relaxed but not when the current status is normal or non-relaxed. In some of these embodiments, this behavior can be configurable by the network. For example, the network may configure values (or ranges) of the respective feature status that cause the UE to send (or not send) the status indication upon SCG activation.
In some embodiments, the UE can enter a particular state upon (re)activation of one of the UE’s cell groups. For example, upon activation of the UE’s SCG, the UE can enter a non-relaxed RLM and/or BFD measurement state for the SCG. In some of these embodiments, the state to enter can be pre-defined (e.g., specified) or configured by the network (e.g., before or during deactivation of the cell group).
In other embodiments, the UE can be configured to remain in an initial state for a particular duration after (re)activation of the cell group, after which the UE can evaluate whether to change state. The UE can remain in the particular state for the duration of a timer, with an initial timer value that can be pre-defined (e.g., specified) or configured by the network (e.g., before or during deactivation of the cell group). As a specific example, the UE may be configured to enter a nonrelaxed state for RLM and/or BFD measurements and to remain in this state for the duration of a five-second timer, after which the UE is allowed to determine whether to enter a relaxed state.
In some embodiments, a UE can continue transmitting UE assistance information related to the SCG even after the SCG is deactivated. In this manner, the activation status of the SCG does not affect UE assistance information behavior. In some variants, whenever the UE needs to send UE assistance information related to the SCG, it sends it via SRB3 when the SCG is activated and via SRB1 (MCG) when the SCG is deactivated, regardless of whether SRB3 is configured.
These embodiments can be implemented and/or realized in various ways, such as by specification in a 3GPP standard. The following is some example text that can replace some existing text in 3GPP TS 38.331 (vl7.0.0). Underline indicates additions to existing text.
*** Begin exemplary text for 3GPP TS 38.331 *** 5.7.4.3 Actions related to transmission of UEAssistancelnformation message
The UE shall set the contents of the UEAssistancelnformation message as follows: [existing text]
The UE shall:
1> if the procedure was triggered to provide configured grant assistance information for NR sidelink communication by an NR RRCReconfiguration message that was embedded within an E-UTRA RRCConnectionReconfiguration'.
2> submit the UEAssistancelnformation to lower layers via SRB1, embedded in E-UTRA RRC message ULInformationTransferlRAT as specified in TS 36.331 [10], clause 5.6.28; l>else if the UE is in (NG)EN-DC:
2> if SRB3 is configured and SCG is not deactivated:
3> submit the UEAssistancelnformation message via SRB3 to lower layers for transmission;
2> else:
3> submit the UEAssistancelnformation message via the E-UTRA MCG embedded in E-UTRA RRC message ULInformationTransferMRDC as specified in TS 36.331 [10]. l>else if the UE is in NR-DC:
2> if the UE assistance configuration that triggered this UE assistance information is associated with the SCG:
3> if SRB3 is configured and SCG is not deactivated:
4> submit the UEAssistancelnformation message via SRB3 to lower layers for transmission;
3>else:
4> submit the UEAssistancelnformation message via the NR MCG embedded in NR RRC message ULInformationTransferMRDC as specified in 5.7.2a.3;
2> else:
3> submit the UEAssistancelnformation message via SRB1 to lower layers for transmission; l>else:
2> submit the UEAssistancelnformation message to lower layers for transmission, [existing text]
*** End exemplary text for 3GPP TS 38.331 *** Figure 18 is a signal flow diagram of a procedure between a UE (1810) and a RAN node (1820) that illustrates various embodiments described above at a high level. Initially, while the UE’s SCG is activated, the UE may send one or more UE Assistance Information messages to the RAN node. Each message can include status of one or more UE features, such as RLM and/or BFD measurement relaxation. One of the messages may be triggered by previous activation of the SCG (not shown), such as in certain embodiments described above.
Subsequently, the UE’s SCG is deactivated. While the SCG is deactivated (or in response to the deactivation), the UE may change state of the one or more features for which status was previously indicated to the RAN node. For example, the UE can enter a relaxed state of RLM and/or BFD measurements.
Subsequently, the UE’s SCG is reactivated. After the SCG is reactivated (or in response to the reactivation), the UE may optionally perform one or more state changes for the UE features. The state change(s) can be based on various conditions according to the various embodiments described above. The UE’s sequence of states after SCG reactivation may be include a predetermined initial state, such as described above. Subsequently, the UE can send a further UE Assistance Information message to the RAN node. The sending of this message can be conditional according to the various embodiments described above.
The embodiments described above can be further illustrated with reference to Figures 19- 20, which show exemplary methods (e.g., procedures) performed by a UE and a second RAN node, respectively. In other words, various features of operations described below correspond to various embodiments described above. These exemplary methods can be used cooperatively to provide various exemplary benefits and/or advantages described herein. Although Figures 19-20 show specific blocks in particular orders, the operations of the respective methods can be performed in different orders than shown and can be combined and/or divided into blocks having different functionality than shown. Optional blocks or operations are indicated by dashed lines.
In particular, Figure 19 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a UE configured to communicate with a RAN via an MCG and an SCG, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary method can be performed by a UE (e.g., wireless device, loT device, modem, etc. or component thereof) such as described elsewhere herein.
The exemplary method can include operations of block 1950, where while the SCG is deactivated, the UE can send first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG. The exemplary method can also include operations of block 1980, where after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, the UE can send second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG. In some embodiments, the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG. In some of these embodiments, the one or more features have a first state before the SCG is deactivated and the exemplary method also includes the following operations, labelled with corresponding block numbers:
• (1920) before the SCG is deactivated, sending to the RAN via the SCG further UE assistance information that indicates the first state for the one or more features; and
• (1940) while the SCG is deactivated, performing one or more state changes for the one or more features, such that the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated.
In some variants of these embodiments, the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is sent to the RAN based on one of the following: the second state is different than the first state, or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the second UE assistance information.
In some of these embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 1970, where upon reactivation of the deactivated SCG, the UE enters (e.g., sets) an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG. In some variants of these embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of blocks 1990-1995, where the UE can remain in the initial state for at least a minimum duration and after the minimum duration, evaluate whether to exit the initial state and enter a further state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
In some variants of these embodiments, the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG. Also, the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements, with the initial state being either the relaxed state or the non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
In some of these embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 1910, where the UE can receive from the RAN a configuration that includes one or more of the following:
• an indication of whether to refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated;
• an indication of whether to resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated;
• an indication of whether to send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated; • an indication of whether to indicate to the RAN current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated;
• a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features related to the SCG, that trigger sending to the RAN an indication of current status of the one or more features;
• an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; and
• a minimum duration to remain in the initial state.
In some of these embodiments, the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer, which the UE can use in the manner described above.
In some embodiments, the exemplary method can also include operations of block 1930, where the UE can receive from the RAN a first indication that the SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, the exemplary method can include operations of block 1960, where the UE can receive from the RAN a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated. Each of the first and second indications can be received from the MN or the SN.
In some embodiments, the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the MCG using a first SRB (e.g., in block 1950) and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB (e.g., in block 1980). In some of these embodiments, the first UE assistance information is sent using the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE. In some of these embodiments, the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
In addition, Figure 20 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method (e.g., procedure) for a second RAN node configured to provide an SCG for a UE also configured with an MCG provided by a first RAN node, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary method can be performed by a RAN node e.g., base station, eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, en- gNB, etc., or components thereof) such as described elsewhere herein.
The exemplary method can include operations of block 2040, where while the UE’s SCG is deactivated, the second RAN node can receive first UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the MCG and the first RAN node. The exemplary method can include operations of block 2040, where after reactivation of the UE’s deactivated SCG, the second RAN node can receive second UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the SCG.
In some embodiments, the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG. In some of these embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 2020, where before the UE’s SCG is deactivated, the second RAN node can receive from the UE via the SCG a further message that indicates a first state for the one or more features. In some variants of these embodiments, the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated and the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is received from the UE based on one of the following:
• the second state is different than the first state; or
• the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger the UE to send the second UE assistance information.
In some of these embodiments, the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for RLM and/or BFD in the SCG, and the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
In some of these embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 2010, where the RAN node send to the UE a configuration that includes one or more of the following:
• an indication of whether the UE should refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated;
• an indication of whether the UE should resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated;
• an indication of whether the UE should send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated;
• an indication of whether the UE should indicate to the RAN current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated;
• a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features related to the SCG, that trigger UE sending to the RAN an indication of current status of the one or more features;
• an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; and
• a minimum duration for the UE to remain in the initial state.
In some of these embodiments, the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer, which the UE can use in the manner described above.
In some embodiments, the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the MCG and a first SRB (e.g., in block 2040) and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB (e.g., in block 2050). In some of these embodiments, the first UE assistance information is received via the MCG and the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE. In some of these embodiments, the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3. In some embodiments, the exemplary method can also include the operations of block 2030, where the second RAN node can send to the UE (e.g., via the SCG) a first indication that the UE’s SCG is deactivated. In some embodiments, the exemplary method can include operations of block 2060, where the second RAN node can send to the UE (e.g., via the SCG) a second indication that the UE’s deactivated SCG is reactivated.
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 21 shows an example of a communication system 2100 in accordance with some embodiments. In this example, communication system 2100 includes a telecommunication network 2102 that includes an access network 2104 (e.g., a RAN) and a core network 2106, which includes one or more core network nodes 2108. Access network 2104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 21 lOa-b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2110), or any other similar 3GPP access node or non-3GPP access point. Network nodes 2110 facilitate direct or indirect connection of UEs, such as by connecting UEs 2112a-d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2112) to core network 2106 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, communication system 2100 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. Communication system 2100 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.
UEs 2112 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes 2110 and other communication devices. Similarly, network nodes 2110 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UEs 2112 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in telecommunication network 2102 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in telecommunication network 2102. In the depicted example, core network 2106 connects network nodes 2110 to one or more hosts, such as host 2116. 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. Core network 2106 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2108) 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 2108. 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).
Host 2116 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of access network 2104 and/or telecommunication network 2102, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Host 2116 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, communication system 2100 of Figure 21 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, telecommunication network 2102 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, telecommunication network 2102 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to telecommunication network 2102. For example, telecommunication network 2102 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, UEs 2112 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to access network 2104 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from access network 2104. 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 (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).
In the example, hub 2114 communicates with access network 2104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 2112c and/or 2112d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 2110b). In some examples, hub 2114 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, hub 2114 may be a broadband router enabling access to core network 2106 for the UEs. As another example, hub 2114 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 2110, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in hub 2114. As another example, hub 2114 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, hub 2114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, hub 2114 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which hub 2114 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content. In still another example, hub 2114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.
Hub 2114 may have a constant/persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 2110b. Hub 2114 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between hub 2114 and UEs (e.g., UE 2112c and/or 2112d), and between hub 2114 and core network 2106. In other examples, hub 2114 is connected to core network 2106 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, hub 2114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over access network 2104 and/or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with network nodes 2110 while still connected via hub 2114 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, hub 2114 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 2110b. In other embodiments, hub 2114 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 2110b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.
Figure 22 shows a UE 2200 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).
UE 2200 includes processing circuitry 2202 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2204 to an input/output interface 2206, a power source 2208, a memory 2210, a communication interface 2212, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 22. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.
Processing circuitry 2202 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 memory 2210. Processing circuitry 2202 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, processing circuitry 2202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).
In the example, input/output interface 2206 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 UE 2200. 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, power source 2208 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. Power source 2208 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from power source 2208 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of UE 2200 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of power source 2208. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from power source 2208 to make the power suitable for the respective components of UE 2200 to which power is supplied.
Memory 2210 may be or be configured to 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, memory 2210 includes one or more application programs 2214, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 2216. Memory 2210 may store, for use by UE 2200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.
Memory 2210 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.’ Memory 2210 may allow UE 2200 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 tangibly embodied as or in memory 2210, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.
Processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using communication interface 2212. Communication interface 2212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2222. Communication interface 2212 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 2218 and/or a receiver 2220 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, transmitter 2218 and receiver 2220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2222) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.
In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of communication interface 2212 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 2212, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through 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 UE 2200 shown in Figure 22.
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 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3 GPP 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 23 shows a network node 2300 in accordance with some embodiments. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, eNBs, and gNBs).
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).
Network node 2300 includes processing circuitry 2302, a memory 2304, a communication interface 2306, and a power source 2308. Network node 2300 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which network node 2300 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, network node 2300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 2304 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 2310 may be shared by different RATs). Network node 2300 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 2300, 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 2300.
Processing circuitry 2302 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 components, such as memory 2304, to provide network node 2300 functionality.
In some embodiments, processing circuitry 2302 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, processing circuitry 2302 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314 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 2312 and baseband processing circuitry 2314 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.
Memory 2304 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by processing circuitry 2302. Memory 2304 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 2304a) capable of being executed by processing circuitry 2302 and utilized by network node 2300. Memory 2304 may be used to store any calculations made by processing circuitry 2302 and/or any data received via communication interface 2306. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 2302 and memory 2304 is integrated.
Communication interface 2306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, communication interface 2306 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 2316 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. Communication interface 2306 also includes radio frontend circuitry 2318 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna 2310. Radio front-end circuitry 2318 comprises filters 2320 and amplifiers 2322. Radio front-end circuitry 2318 may be connected to an antenna 2310 and processing circuitry 2302. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 2310 and processing circuitry 2302. Radio front-end circuitry 2318 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry 2318 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 2320 and/or amplifiers 2322. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 2310. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 2310 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 2318. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 2302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.
In certain alternative embodiments, network node 2300 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 2318, instead, processing circuitry 2302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna 2310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 2312 is part of communication interface 2306. In still other embodiments, communication interface 2306 includes one or more ports or terminals 2316, radio front-end circuitry 2318, and RF transceiver circuitry 2312, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and communication interface 2306 communicates with baseband processing circuitry 2314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).
Antenna 2310 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 2310 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 2318 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, antenna 2310 is separate from network node 2300 and connectable to network node 2300 through an interface or port.
Antenna 2310, communication interface 2306, and/or processing circuitry 2302 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, antenna 2310, communication interface 2306, and/or processing circuitry 2302 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.
Power source 2308 provides power to the various components of network node 2300 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 2308 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of network node 2300 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, network node 2300 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 power source 2308. As a further example, power source 2308 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 network node 2300 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 23 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, network node 2300 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into network node 2300 and to allow output of information from network node 2300. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node 2300.
Figure 24 is a block diagram of a host 2400, which may be an embodiment of host 2116 of Figure 21, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, host 2400 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. Host 2400 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.
Host 2400 includes processing circuitry 2402 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2404 to an input/output interface 2406, a network interface 2408, a power source 2410, and a memory 2412. 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 22 and 23, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 2400.
Memory 2412 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 2414 and data 2416, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for host 2400 or data generated by host 2400 for a UE. Embodiments of host 2400 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. Host application programs 2414 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). Host application programs 2414 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, host 2400 may select and/or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE. Host application programs 2414 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 25 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 2500 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 2500 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 2502 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment 2500 to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.
Hardware 2504 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and/or instructions (collectively denoted computer program product 2504a) 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 2506 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 2508a-b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 2508), and/or perform any of the functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 2506 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 2508.
VMs 2508 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 2506. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 2502 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 2508, 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 2508 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each VM 2508, and that part of hardware 2504 that executes that VM (e.g., hardware dedicated to that VM and/or hardware shared by that VM with other 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 2508 on top of hardware 2504 and corresponds to application 2502.
Hardware 2504 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 2504 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 2504 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 2510, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 2502. In some embodiments, hardware 2504 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 2512 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.
Figure 26 shows a communication diagram of a host 2602 communicating via a network node 2604 with a UE 2606 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with various embodiments, of the UE (such as a UE 2112a of Figure 21 and/or UE 2200 of Figure 22), network node (such as network node 2110a of Figure 21 and/or network node 2300 of Figure 23), and host (such as host 2116 of Figure 21 and/or host 2400 of Figure 24) discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 26.
Like host 2400, embodiments of host 2602 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 2602 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by host 2602 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 UE 2606 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 2650 extending between UE 2606 and host 2602. In providing the service to the remote user, a host application may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 2650.
Network node 2604 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with host 2602 and UE 2606. Connection 2660 may be direct or pass through a core network (like core network 2106 of Figure 21) 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.
UE 2606 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by UE 2606 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 2606 with the support of host 2602. In host 2602, an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection 2650 terminating at UE 2606 and host 2602. 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. OTT connection 2650 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 OTT connection 2650.
OTT connection 2650 may extend via a connection 2660 between host 2602 and network node 2604 and via a wireless connection 2670 between network node 2604 and UE 2606 to provide the connection between host 2602 and UE 2606. Connection 2660 and wireless connection 2670, over which OTT connection 2650 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host 2602 and UE 2606 via network node 2604, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.
As an example of transmitting data via OTT connection 2650, in step 2608, host 2602 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 UE 2606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with a UE 2606 that shares data with host 2602 without explicit human interaction. In step 2610, host 2602 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards UE 2606. Host 2602 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by UE 2606. The request may be caused by human interaction with UE 2606 or by operation of the client application executing on UE 2606. The transmission may pass via network node 2604, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 2612, network node 2604 transmits to UE 2606 the user data that was carried in the transmission that host 2602 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2614, UE 2606 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on UE 2606 associated with the host application executed by host 2602.
In some examples, UE 2606 executes a client application which provides user data to host 2602. The user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from host 2602. Accordingly, in step 2616, UE 2606 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 UE 2606. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, UE 2606 initiates, in step 2618, transmission of the user data towards host 2602 via network node 2604. In step 2620, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 2604 receives user data from UE 2606 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards host 2602. In step 2622, host 2602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 2606.
One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 2606 using OTT connection 2650, in which wireless connection 2670 forms the last segment. For example, a UE sends UE assistance information related to a secondary cell group (SCG) only when needed by and/or relevant for the network, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling that increases UE energy consumption and wastes limited network signaling capacity. Embodiments also enable a UE to enter well-defined radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) measurement states upon re-activation of a deactivated SCG, thereby facilitating correct and efficient RLM/BFD as well as any UE mobility procedures based thereon. At a high level, embodiments can improve UE and network operation in relation to deactivated SCGs, which can facilitate reduced UE energy consumption. When UEs and RANs improved in this manner are used to deliver OTT services to end users, they increase the value of such OTT services to the end users and to the service providers.
In an example scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by host 2602. As another example, host 2602 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps. As another example, host 2602 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, host 2602 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE. As another example, host 2602 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, host 2602 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 OTT connection 2650 between host 2602 and UE 2606, 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 host 2602 and/or UE 2606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which OTT connection 2650 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguring of OTT connection 2650 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of network node 2604. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements by host 2602 of throughput, propagation times, latency, etc. The measurements may be implemented by software that causes messages to be transmitted (e.g., empty or ‘dummy’ messages) using OTT connection 2650 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 and drawings, can be used synonymously in certain instances (e.g., “data” and “information”). It should be understood, that although these terms (and/or other terms that can be synonymous to one another) can be used synonymously herein, there can be instances when such words can be intended to not be used synonymously.
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 communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), the method comprising: receiving from a RAN node a first indication that the SCG is deactivated; performing one of the following while the SCG is deactivated: refraining from sending the RAN node UE assistance information related to the SCG; or sending UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN node via the MCG; receiving from the RAN node a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated; and in response to the second indication, performing one or more of the following: sending to the RAN node UE assistance information related to the SCG, sending to the RAN node a message that indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG, and entering a particular state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
A2. The method of embodiment Al, wherein the message includes UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features related to the SCG.
A3. The method of any of embodiments A1-A2, wherein: the one or more features have a first state before the SCG is deactivated; and the method further comprises: before the SCG is deactivated, sending to the RAN node a further message that indicates the first state for the one or more features; and while the SCG is deactivated, performing one or more state changes for the one or more features, such that the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated. A4. The method of embodiment A3, wherein the message that indicates current status of the one or more features is sent to the RAN node only when one of the following applies: the second state is different than the first state; or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the message.
A5. The method of any of embodiments A1-A4, wherein: the particular state is an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG; and the method further comprises: remaining in the initial state for at least a minimum duration; and after the minimum duration, evaluating whether to exit the initial state and enter a further state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
A5a. The method of any of embodiments A1-A5, wherein the UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent to the RAN node via the MCG, using a first signaling radio bearer (SRB) while the SCG is activated and using a second SRB while the SCG is deactivated.
A6. The method of any of embodiments Al-A5a, further comprising receiving from the RAN node a configuration that includes one or more of the following: an indication of whether to refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether to resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated; an indication of whether to send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether to send the message that indicates current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features, that trigger sending the message that indicates current status; an initial state for the one or more features when the SCG is reactivated; and a minimum duration to remain in the initial state.
A7. The method of embodiment A6, wherein the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer.
A8. The method of any of embodiments A1-A7, wherein: the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG; the current status indicates a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements; and the particular state is either the relaxed state or the non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
Bl. A method for a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), the method comprising: sending to the UE a first indication that the SCG is deactivated; sending to the UE a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated, wherein one of the following applies: the RAN node receives no UE assistance information related to the SCG from the
UE while SCG is deactivated; or the RAN node receives UE assistance information related to the SCG from the
UE via the MCG while SCG is deactivated; and receiving one or more of the following from the UE in response to the second indication: UE assistance information related to the SCG, and a message that indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
B2. The method of embodiment Bl, wherein the message includes UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features related to the SCG.
B3. The method of any of embodiments B1-B2, wherein: the method further comprises, before the SCG is deactivated, receiving from the UE a further message that indicates a first state for the one or more features; and the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated.
B4. The method of embodiment B3, wherein the message that indicates current status of the one or more features is received from the UE only when one of the following applies: the second state is different than the first state; or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the message. B4a. The method of any of embodiments B1-B4, wherein the UE assistance information related to the SCG is received from the UE via the MCG, using a first signaling radio bearer (SRB) when the SCG is activated and using a second SRB when the SCG is deactivated.
B5. The method of any of embodiments Bl-B4a, further comprising sending to the UE a configuration that includes one or more of the following: an indication of whether the UE should refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether the UE should resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated; an indication of whether the UE should send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether the UE should send the message that indicates current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features, that trigger the UE sending the message that indicates current status; an initial state for the one or more features when the SCG is reactivated; and a minimum duration for the UE to remain in the initial state.
B6. The method of embodiment A5, wherein the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer.
B7. The method of any of embodiments B1-B6, wherein: the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or beam failure detection (BFD) in the SCG; and the current status indicates a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
Cl . A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), the UE comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with the RAN via the MCG and the SCG; 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 A1-A8.
C2. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), the UE being further arranged to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments A1-A8.
C3. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments A1-A8.
C4. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments A1-A8.
DI . A radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), the RAN node comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with the UE via the MCG; 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-B7.
D2. A radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), the RAN node being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B7. D3. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the RAN node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B7.
D4. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a radio access network (RAN) node configured to provide a master cell group (MCG) for a user equipment (UE) also configured with a secondary cell group (SCG), configure the RAN node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of embodiments B1-B7.

Claims

1. A method for a user equipment, UE, configured to communicate with a radio access network, RAN, via a master cell group, MCG, and a secondary cell group, SCG, the method comprising: while the SCG is deactivated, sending (1950) first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG; and after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, sending (1980) second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein: the one or more features have a first state before the SCG is deactivated; and the method further comprises: before the SCG is deactivated, sending (1920) to the RAN via the SCG further UE assistance information that indicates the first state for the one or more features; and while the SCG is deactivated, performing (1940) one or more state changes for the one or more features, such that the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is sent to the RAN based on one of the following: the second state is different than the first state; or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger sending the second UE assistance information.
5. The method of any of claims 2-4, further comprising, upon reactivation of the deactivated SCG, entering (1970) an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: remaining (1990) in the initial state for at least a minimum duration; and after the minimum duration, evaluating (1995) whether to exit the initial state and enter a further state for the one or more features related to the SCG.
7. The method of any of claims 5-6, wherein: the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring, RLM, and/or beam failure detection, BFD, in the SCG; the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements; and the initial state is either the relaxed state or the non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
8. The method of any of claims 2-7, further comprising receiving (1910) from the RAN a configuration that includes one or more of the following: an indication of whether to refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether to resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated; an indication of whether to send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether to indicate to the RAN current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features related to the SCG, that trigger sending to the RAN an indication of current status of the one or more features; an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; and a minimum duration to remain in the initial state.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer.
10. The method of any of claims 1-9, wherein the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the MCG using a first signaling radio bearer, SRB, and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is sent via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first UE assistance information is sent using the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE.
12. The method of any of claims 10-11, wherein the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
13. The method of any of claims 1-12, further comprising one or more of the following: receiving (1930) from the RAN a first indication that the SCG is deactivated; and receiving (1960) from the RAN node a second indication that the deactivated SCG is reactivated.
14. A method for a second radio access network, RAN, node configured to provide a secondary cell group, SCG, for a user equipment, UE, also configured with a master cell group, MCG, provided by a first RAN node, the method comprising: while the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receiving (2040) first UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the MCG and the first RAN node; and after reactivation of the UE’s deactivated SCG, receiving (2050) second UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the SCG.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second UE assistance information indicates current status of one or more features related to the SCG.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, before the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receiving (2020) from the UE via the SCG further UE assistance information that indicates a first state for the one or more features.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein: the one or more features have a second state when the SCG is reactivated; and the second UE assistance information that indicates current status of the one or more features is received from the UE based on one of the following: the second state is different than the first state; or the second state is one of a predetermined set of states that trigger the UE to send the second UE assistance information.
18. The method of any of claims 15-17, wherein: the one or more features related to the SCG include relaxation of UE measurements for radio link monitoring, RLM, and/or beam failure detection, BFD, in the SCG; and the current status indicated by the second UE assistance information is either a relaxed state or a non-relaxed state for the UE measurements.
19. The method of any of claims 15-18, further comprising sending (2010) to the UE a configuration that includes one or more of the following: an indication of whether the UE should refrain from sending UE assistance information related to the SCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether the UE should resume sending UE assistance information related to the SCG when the SCG is reactivated; an indication of whether the UE should send UE assistance information related to the SCG via the MCG while the SCG is deactivated; an indication of whether the UE should indicate to the RAN current status of the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; a predetermined set of states, for the one or more features related to the SCG, that trigger UE sending to the RAN an indication of current status of the one or more features; an initial state for the one or more features related to the SCG, when the SCG is reactivated; and a minimum duration for the UE to remain in the initial state.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the minimum duration is indicated by an initial value for a UE timer.
21. The method of any of claims 14-20, wherein the first UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the MCG and a first signaling radio bearer, SRB, and the second UE assistance information related to the SCG is received via the SCG using a second SRB that is different than the first SRB.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first UE assistance information is received via the MCG and the first SRB regardless of whether the second SRB is configured for use by the UE.
23. The method of any of claims 21-22, wherein the first SRB is SRB1 and the second SRB is SRB3.
24. The method of any of claims 14-23, further comprising one or more of the following: sending (1930) to the UE a first indication that the UE’s SCG is deactivated; and sending (1960) to the UE a second indication that the UE’s deactivated SCG is reactivated.
25. A user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) configured to communicate with a radio access network, RAN (599, 699, 2104) via a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) and a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1702), the UE comprising: communication interface circuitry (2212) configured to communicate with the RAN via the MCG and the SCG; and processing circuitry (2202) operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to: while the SCG is deactivated, send first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG; and after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, send second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG.
26. The UE of claim 25, 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.
27. A user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) configured to communicate with a radio access network, RAN (599, 699, 2104) via a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) and a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1702), the UE being further configured to: while the SCG is deactivated, send first UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the MCG; and after reactivation of the deactivated SCG, send second UE assistance information related to the SCG to the RAN via the SCG.
28. The UE of claim 27, being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 2-13.
29. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium (2210) storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (2202) of a user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) configured to communicate with a radio access network, RAN (599, 699, 2104) via a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) and a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1702), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 1-13.
30. A computer program product (2214) comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (2202) of a user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) configured to communicate with a radio access network, RAN (599, 699, 2104) via a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) and a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1702), configure the UE to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 1- 13.
31. A second radio access network, RAN, node (420, 510, 520, 610, 620, 1707, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604) configured to provide a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1703) for a user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) also configured with a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) provided by a first RAN node (410, 510, 520, 610, 620, 1706, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604), wherein the second RAN node comprises: communication interface circuitry (2306, 2504) configured to communicate with the UE via the MCG and with the first RAN node; and processing circuitry (2302, 2504) operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to: while the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receive first UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the MCG and the first RAN node; and after reactivation of the UE’s deactivated SCG, receive second UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the SCG.
32. The second RAN node of claim 31, wherein the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 15-24.
33. A second radio access network, RAN, node (420, 510, 520, 610, 620, 1707, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604) configured to provide a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1703) for a user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) also configured with a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) provided by a first RAN node (410, 510, 520, 610, 620, 1706, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604), wherein the second RAN node is further configured to: while the UE’s SCG is deactivated, receive first UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the MCG and the first RAN node; and after reactivation of the UE’s deactivated SCG, receive second UE assistance information related to the SCG from the UE, via the SCG.
34. The second RAN node of claim 33, being further configured to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 15-24.
35. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium (2304, 2504) storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (2302, 2504) of a second radio access network, RAN, node (420, 510, 520, 610, 620, 1707, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604) configured to provide a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1703) for a user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) also configured with a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) provided by a first RAN node (410, 510, 520, 610, 620, 1706, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604), configure the second RAN node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 14-24.
36. A computer program product (2304a, 2504a) comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry (2302, 2504) of a second radio access network, RAN, node (420, 510, 520, 610, 620, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604) configured to provide a secondary cell group, SCG (421, 1703) for a user equipment, UE (430, 505, 605, 1701, 1810, 2112, 2200, 2606) also configured with a master cell group, MCG (411, 1702) provided by a first RAN node (410, 510, 520, 610, 620, 1706, 2110, 2300, 2502, 2604), configure the second RAN node to perform operations corresponding to any of the methods of claims 14-24.
PCT/SE2023/050353 2022-04-21 2023-04-18 User equipment (ue) assistance information with deactivated secondary cell group (scg) WO2023204748A1 (en)

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