WO2025201685A1

WO2025201685A1 - Method, apparatus and computer program

Info

Publication number: WO2025201685A1
Application number: PCT/EP2025/050308
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stepan Kucera; Taylan SAHIN; Anastasios KAKKAVAS; Prajwal KESHAVAMURTHY
Original assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
Current assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
Priority date: 2024-03-25
Filing date: 2025-01-08
Publication date: 2025-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-25
Also published as: GB2639860A; GB202404251D0

Abstract

There is provided a first apparatus comprising means for: receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determining one or more properties of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

Description

METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

TECHNICAL FIELD

Various example embodiments of this disclosure relate to a method, apparatus, system and computer program and in particular but not exclusively to determining signal parameters.

BACKGROUND

A communication network can be seen as a facility that enables communications between two or more communication devices or provides communication devices access to a data network. A mobile or wireless communication network is one example of a communication network. A communication device may be provided with a service by an application server.

Such communication networks operate in accordance with standards such as those provided by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) or ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute). Examples of standards provided by 3GPP are the so-called 3GPP standards for cellular technology generations, such as 3GPP standards for 4G technology, 3GPP standards for 5G technology, and 3GPP standards for 6G technology.

SUMMARY

Some example embodiments of this disclosure will be described with respect to certain aspects. These aspects are not intended to indicate key or essential features of the various example embodiments of this disclosure, nor are they intended to be used to limit the scope of thereof. Other features, aspects, and elements will be apparent to a person skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. For example, it should be appreciated that further aspects may be provided by the combination of any two or more of the various aspects described below.

According to an aspect, there is provided a first apparatus comprising means for: receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determining one or more properties of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

The one or more parameters of the second signal may comprise at least one of: a random access channel preamble; a frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; a modulation factor; a modulation type; or an amplification factor. The second signal may comprise the random access channel preamble.

The one or more properties of the received first signal may comprise at least one of: a signal strength of the first signal; a frequency of the first signal; a duration of the first signal.

Determining the one or more parameters of the second signal may comprise: selecting the one or more parameters of the second signal from a plurality of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal.

The selecting may comprise: selecting a subset of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and selecting one of the selected subset of possible parameters randomly.

The plurality of possible parameters may be pre-configured at the first apparatus and/or configured at the first apparatus based on signalling received from a network node.

The selecting may comprise: selecting at least part of the one or more parameters of the second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and selecting at least one remaining part of the one or more parameters randomly.

The part of the one or more parameters selected based on the one or more properties of the received first signal may be a most significant part of the one or more parameters and the remaining part of the one or more parameters may be a least significant part of the one or more parameters.

The second apparatus and the third apparatus may be the same apparatus or different apparatuses.

The second apparatus may comprise an access node or a user equipment.

The third apparatus may comprise an access node or a user equipment.

According to an aspect, there is provided a first apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determine one or more properties of the received first signal; determine one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and send, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

The one or more parameters of the second signal may comprise at least one of: a random access channel preamble; a frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; a modulation factor; a modulation type; or an amplification factor.

The second signal may comprise the random access channel preamble.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the first apparatus to: select the one or more parameters of the second signal from a plurality of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the first apparatus to: select a subset of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and select one of the selected subset of possible parameters randomly.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the first apparatus to: select at least part of the one or more parameters of the second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and select at least one remaining part of the one or more parameters randomly.

The second apparatus may comprise an access node or a user equipment. The third apparatus may comprise an access node or a user equipment.

According to an aspect, there is provided a method performed by a first apparatus, the method comprising: receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determining one or more properties of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a first apparatus, cause the first apparatus to perform at least the following: receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determining one or more properties of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

According to an aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform at least the method according to any of the preceding aspects.

In the above, many different aspects have been described. As previously noted, it should be appreciated that further aspects may be provided by the combination of any two or more of the aspects described above. Other features, aspects, and elements will become apparent in view of the following.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Some example embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting and illustrative example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures (FIGs.) in which:

FIG. 1 shows a representation of a 5^th generation communication system;

FIG. 2 shows a representation of an apparatus for the communication system of FIG. 1 according to some example embodiments;

FIG. 3 shows a representation of an apparatus according to some example embodiments;

FIG. 4 shows an example system architecture for an ambient device;

FIG. 5 shows a method according to some examples; and

FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus according to some examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following various example embodiments are explained with reference to communication devices capable of communication with a communication system. Before explaining in detail the various example embodiments of this disclosure, a 5^th generation communication system (5GS), an access network and a core network (5GC) thereof, and communication devices are briefly explained with reference to FIG. 1 , 2 and 3.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a 5G communication system (5GS). The 5GS may comprise a user equipment (UE) or Terminal 100, an access network, such as a 5G radio access network (5G-RAN) 101 or next generation radio access network (NG-RAN), a 5G core network 102, and one or more application functions 103. An application function 103 may be deployed in the 5GS as trusted application function or may be deployed or host on one or more application servers of the data network (DN) 104. Such application functions are untrusted application functions. The 5GS connects the UE to a data network the access network and the 5GC 102 (e.g., a UPF of the 5GC).

The 5G-RAN 101 may comprise one or more radio access nodes, such as a gNodeB (gNB). A gNB may include one or more gNodeB (gNB) distributed units (DUs) connected to one or more gNodeB (gNB) centralized units (CUs).

The 5GC may comprise the following network functions: Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF); Network Exposure Function (NEF) 105; Network Repository Function (NRF); Policy Control Function (PCF); Unified Data Management (U DM) 106; Application Function (AF) 103; Authentication Server Function (AUSF) 107; an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 108; Session Management Function (SMF) 109; and a user plane function (UPF) 110. FIG. 1 also shows the various interfaces (N1 , N2 etc.) that may be implemented between the various elements of the system.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a control apparatus 200 for controlling a function of the access network (e.g., a 5G-RAN or the NG-RAN illustrated in FIG. 1) of FIG. 1. The control apparatus 200 may comprise at least one random access memory (RAM) 211a, at least on read only memory (ROM) 211 b, at least one processor 212, 213 and a network interface 214. The at least one processor 212, 213 may be coupled to the RAM 211a and the ROM 211 b. The at least one processor212, 213 may be configured to execute an appropriate software code 215. Execution of the software code 215 may, for example, may cause the apparatus to perform operations for controlling a function of the access network. The software code 215 may be stored in the ROM 211 b. The control apparatus 200 may be interconnected with another control apparatus 200 for controlling another function of the 5G-RAN or the NG-RAN. In some embodiments, each function of the 5G-RAN or the NG-RAN is deployed or hosted on a control apparatus 200. In alternative embodiments, two or more functions of the 5G-RAN or the NG- RAN may share a control apparatus.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a communication device 300, such as the UE of FIG. 1. The communication device 300 may be provided by any device capable of sending and receiving radio signals. Non-limiting examples of a communication device 300 comprise a user equipment, a mobile station (MS) or mobile device, such as a mobile phone or what is known as a ’smart phone’, a computer provided with a wireless interface card or other wireless interface facility (e.g., USB dongle), a personal data assistant (PDA) or a tablet provided with wireless communication capabilities, a machine-type communications (MTC) device, an Internet of things (loT) type communication device or any combinations of these or the like. The communication device 300 may comprise a transceiver for transmitting and/or receiving, for example, wireless signals carrying communications, for example radio signals. The communications may be one or more of voice, electronic mail (email), text messages, multimedia data, machine data and so on.

The communication device 300 may receive wireless signals (e.g., radio signals) over an air or radio interface 307 via appropriate apparatus for receiving and may transmit wireless signals via appropriate apparatus for transmitting radio signals. In FIG. 3 transceiver is designated schematically by block 306. The transceiver 306 may comprise, for example, a radio part and associated antenna arrangement. The antenna arrangement may be arranged internally or externally to the mobile device and may comprise one or more antenna elements. The antenna arrangement may be a multi-input multi output (MIMO) antenna.

The communication device 300 may be provided with at least one processor 301 , at least one memory ROM 302a, at least one RAM 302b and other possible components 303 for use in software and hardware aided execution of tasks it is designed to perform, including control of access to and communications with access networks (e.g., the 5G-RAN or NG-RAN illustrated in FIG. 1) and other communication devices. The at least one processor 301 is coupled to the RAM 302b and the ROM 302a. The at least one processor 301 may be configured to execute an appropriate software code 308. The software code 308 may, for example, allow to perform one or more operations of the communication device. The software code 308 may be stored in the ROM 302a. The processor, the ROM, and the RAM, the transceiver and other circuitry of the communication device (e.g., a modem) can be provided on a circuit board, in chipsets, or in a system on chip. The circuit board, chipsets or system on chip is denoted by reference 304. The communication device 300 may optionally have a user interface, such as keypad 305, a touch sensitive screen or a pad, combinations thereof or the like. Optionally one or more of a display, a speaker and a microphone may be provided depending on the type of communication device.

In some networks, one or more ambient devices may be deployed. Example ambient devices include ambient internet-of-things (loT) devices. An ambient device may harness energy from wireless signals sent on specific carriers and/or bandwidths and charge a simple circuitry that, once activated, may emit/reflect a signal which encodes at least the ID of the ambient device.

An example system architecture around an ambient device comprises a first device that sends a first signal targeted at waking up the passive radio device, an ambient device which harnesses energy over a range of frequencies and listens for the first signal; when the first signal is detected, the ambient device emits/reflects a second signal which may be specific to that device, and a second device that listens and detects the second signal from the ambient device. The first device may or may not be separate from the second device.

FIG. 4 shows an example system architecture around an ambient device comprising a first device 400, an ambient device 402 and a second device 404. In operation, the first device 400 emits a first signal 406 which is received by the ambient device 402. The ambient device 402 harnesses the energy from the first signal and emit/reflects a second signal 408. The second signal 408 may be used to convey information from the ambient device, such as an identifier of the ambient device, and/or other information such as sensor information. The second signal 408 is received by the second device 404.

In some examples the first device 400 may be an access node of a communications network, or another device in the communications network, for example a UE, relay node etc., that is configured to send the first signal 406. In some examples the second device 404 may be the access node or may be another device configured to receive and report the second signal 408 to the access node when received from the ambient device 402.

There may be different types of ambient device, which may be broadly categorized based on their peak power consumption and amplification capabilities during operation. For example, category 1 devices may have approximately 1 pW peak power consumption, with energy storage capabilities (e.g., rechargeable battery, capacitor), capable of an initial sampling frequency offset up to 10^x ppm, with neither DL nor UL amplification capabilities. The second signal emitted by category 1 devices may be backscattered on a carrier wave provided externally.

Category 2a devices may have up to a few hundred pW peak power consumption, with energy storage capabilities (e.g., rechargeable battery, capacitor), capable of an initial sampling frequency offset up to 10^x ppm, with DL and UL amplification capabilities at the device. The second signal emitted by category 1 devices may be backscattered on a carrier wave provided externally.

Category 2b devices may have up to a few hundred pW peak power consumption, with energy storage capabilities (e.g., rechargeable battery, capacitor), capable of an initial sampling frequency offset up to 10^x ppm, with DL and UL amplification capabilities at the device. The second signal emitted by category 1 devices may be generated internally by the device.

Ambient devices may be applied in many different use cases. For example ambient devices may be used as ID tags, as sensors (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.), as healthcare devices (e.g., monitoring personal medical information), or in logistics.

Ambient device deployment may be very dense - for example when ambient loT devices are attached to stock items in a warehouse there may be several thousand devices in a small area. With so many devices, management of those devices can become difficult, for example in terms of resource allocation for the second signal(s) to avoid collisions of concurrent second signals.

It may not be practical to assign each ambient device with dedicated parameters for the second signal (e.g., a unique RACH preamble, or group-based RACH preamble with receiverside multiplexing based on a per-tag frequency shift) via dedicated signalling between the network and ambient devices. Furthermore, assigning dedicated parameters to each device may not be practical for when new devices enter an area of interest (e.g., new stock items are delivered to the warehouse), as it would be beneficial for the ambient devices to be trackable immediately on arrival, rather than having a delay while new parameters are determined and signalled. Some examples of the present disclosure may address one or more of these issues. Some examples may provide mechanisms for ambient devices to use properties of the first signal to derive parameters of the second signal without assigning each device with dedicated parameters. This may simplify device management and improve network efficiency. While particular benefits may be achieved for ambient devices, it should be understood that similar benefits may be achieved with other types of device, although in some cases to a lesser extent.

Reference is made to FIG. 5, which shows a method according to some examples. The method of FIG. 5 may be performed by a first apparatus, such as but not limited to an ambient device.

At 500, a method comprises receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal.

The second apparatus may comprise an activator device. In some examples the second apparatus may comprise an access node or a user equipment. The first signal may be an activation signal.

At 502, the method comprises determining one or more properties of the received first signal.

The one or more properties may comprise at least one of: a signal strength of the first signal; a frequency of the first signal; or a duration of the first signal. It should be understood that in some examples other properties of the first signal may be determined at 502.

The one or more properties may for example be transmission properties and/or reception properties associated with the first signal. The one or more properties may be derived by a receiving entity of the first apparatus. The one or more properties may be determined by the first apparatus based on one or more measurements of the first signal. That is to say, the one or more properties of the first signal are derived at the first apparatus side by measuring the first signal, the property of the first signal is different from the content of the first signal that the first signal is conveying. For example, the one or more properties may be different from configuration parameters transmitted in the first signal. In some examples the one or more properties may be derived at the first apparatus side based on measuring the first signal and a content of the first signal - that is to say the one or more properties are different from the content of the first signal, but the content of the first signal is used, but not alone, to derive the one or more properties. At 504, the method comprises determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties parameters of the received first signal.

The one or more parameters of the second signal may comprise at least one of: a random access channel preamble; a frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; a modulation factor; a modulation type; or an amplification factor. It should be understood that in some examples other parameters of the second signal may be determined at 504.

In some examples determining the one or more parameters of the second signal may comprise selecting the one or more parameters from a plurality of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal.

For example, the first apparatus may be configured with a list of possible frequency offsets of the second signal relative to the first signal, where each possible frequency offset is linked to a range of signal strengths of the first signal. When a first signal is received, the first apparatus may determine the signal strength of the first signal at 502, and then at 504 select the frequency offset of the second signal from the list entry associated with the range of signal strengths that includes the determined signal strength. It should be understood that the signal strength and frequency offset given here are one example respectively of a first signal property and second signal parameter, and that in other examples different first signal properties and/or second signal parameters may be used.

In some examples selecting the one or more parameters from the plurality of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal may comprise selecting a subset of the one or more parameters from the plurality of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal, and then selecting one of the selected subset of possible parameters randomly.

Returning to the previous example, the first apparatus may determine the signal strength of the first signal at 502, and then at 504 select a subset of possible frequency offsets of the second signal from the list entry associated with the range of signal strengths that includes the determined signal strength. For example, the first apparatus may select a subset including frequency offsets {f1 , f2, f3, f4, f5}. The first apparatus may then randomly select frequency offset f3 from the selected subset. Again, it should be understood that the signal strength and frequency offset given here are one example respectively of a first signal property and second signal parameter, and that in other examples different first signal properties and/or second signal parameters may be used. In some examples selecting the one or more parameters from the plurality of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal may comprise selecting at least part of the one or more parameters of the second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal, and then selecting at least one remaining part of the one or more parameters randomly.

For example, the one or more parameters may comprise a RACH preamble. The selecting may comprise selecting a most-significant part of the RACH preamble (i.e., at least part of the one or more parameters) based on the one or more properties of the received first signal, and then selecting a least-significant part of the RACH preamble (i.e. at least one remaining part) randomly.

In some examples the first apparatus may be configured (e.g., pre-configured or configured based on signalling received from a network node) with information indicating the plurality of possible parameters, where each of the plurality of possible parameters are associated with different properties of the first signal.

In some examples, the parameters of the second signal may be selected such that the first apparatus chooses parameters of the second signal that allow to compensate for a condition of the first apparatus. The condition of the first apparatus may for example include the received strength of the first signal (e.g., a weak first signal), battery charge of the first apparatus (e.g., low battery), limited or no amplification capability, etc. For example, the selected parameters of the second signal may be transmission parameters that require lower energy usage.

At 506, the method comprises sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

The third apparatus comprise a reader device. In some examples the third apparatus may comprise an access node or a user equipment. The third apparatus may in some examples be the second apparatus or may be different to the second apparatus. For instance, the second apparatus and third apparatus may be a same access node or same UE; or the second apparatus may be an access node and the third apparatus may be a UE; or the second apparatus may be a UE and the third apparatus may be an access node.

To illustrate some of the concepts discussed above, two further illustrative examples are given. It should be understood that other examples are possible while falling within the scope of the present disclosure. Example 1

In this example it is assumed that the first apparatus is configured with a plain range of valid RACH preambles. Upon receiving a first signal from the second apparatus, the first apparatus selects RACH preamble for random access purposes as follows:

1. evaluating the strength of the first signal and determining that the first signal is 40% between a min I max signal threshold (the threshold can be hard-coded or preconfigured, e.g. during initial registration);

2. selecting a subset of the RACH preambles based on the evaluated signal strength (e.g., selecting five RACH preambles of the 40-th percentile in a pre-configured RACH range proportionally to the 40% signal strength in the expected range);

3. selecting randomly one out of the five short-listed RACH preambles; and

4. using the selected preamble for subsequent second signal transmission to initiate a RACH procedure.

With this approach collisions between first apparatuses with different proximity to the second apparatus may be reduced or avoided. Also, the cell receiving the used RACH preamble can extract information about the first signal based on which preamble has been used.

In an alternative scenario, step 2 may involve only the selection of a single preamble whose part is then randomized in step 3. In a different scenario, the most-significant part of the preamble can be selected deterministically based on step 2 while the least-significant remaining part may be randomized in step 3.

In some examples step 3 may be omitted - e.g. when precise signal measurements are conducted such that there is a low chance of two first apparatuses measuring identical signal strength, and step 2 would lead to direct selection of the final preamble.

Some categories of first apparatus (e.g., category 1 or 2a) may not have the ability to generate signals, and instead only conduct a frequency (or phase) shift of the first signal when emitting the second signal. To orthogonalize the outgoing transmission among multiple first apparatuses, each first apparatus may use a frequency shift offset that is proportional to the signal strength of the first signal.

For example, a first apparatus located further away from the second apparatus will receive a first signal with lower signal strength than devices closer to the second apparatus. This means that the first apparatus will have less energy to use to modulate the second signal compared to the other devices.

The first apparatus may be configured to determine a received power of the first signal, and since that received power is relatively low, the first apparatus may apply a smaller frequency shift to the second signal than compared to the other devices. This may mean that the first apparatus uses a less power intensive mechanism for transmitting the second signal as compared to the other devices (which receive a higher strength first signal and may therefore harvest more energy to use for performing a greater frequency shift).

In some examples, a small portion of the frequency offset may be configured randomly (e.g., based on variably configured software features such as proportional to serial number, or hardware features such as proportionally to built-in oscillator offset), to reduce the chance of interference between the second signal sent by the first device and other nearby devices receiving the first signal with similar received power.

Examples have been described whereby a first apparatus (e.g., an ambient device) determines one or more parameters of a second signal based on one or more properties of a received first signal, and then transmits a second signal to the network based on the determined parameter(s). This may enable a network to avoid or reduce interference between second signals sent by different apparatuses without having to configure each apparatus with unique parameters, thereby reducing the complexity of the system and avoiding unnecessary signalling overhead. This may result in a system that is more efficient, easily scalable and quicker to adapt to new apparatuses coming into the coverage area of the network.

In some examples there is provided a first apparatus comprising means for: receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determining one or more properties of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties parameters of the received first signal; and sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

In some examples there is provided a first apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determine one or more properties of the received first signal; determine one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties parameters of the received first signal; and send, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of non-volatile memory media 600a (e.g., computer disc (CD) or digital versatile disc (DVD)) and 600b (e.g. universal serial bus (USB) memory stick) storing instructions and/or parameters 602 which when executed by a processor allow the processor to perform one or more of the steps of the method of FIG. 5.

It is understood that references in the above to various network functions (e.g., to an AMF, an SMF, TNF etc.) may be implemented by apparatus that perform at least some of the functionality associated with those network functions. Further, an apparatus configured to implement a network function may further be configured to implement a virtual network function instance of that network function.

It should be understood that the apparatuses may comprise or be coupled to other units or modules etc., such as radio parts or radio heads, used in or for transmission and/or reception. Although the apparatuses have been described as one entity, different modules and memory may be implemented in one or more physical or logical entities.

It is noted that whilst some example embodiments have been described in relation to 5G networks, similar example embodiments can be applied in relation to other networks and communication systems. Therefore, although certain example embodiments were described above by way of example with reference to certain example architectures for wireless networks, technologies and standards, further example embodiments may be applied to any other suitable forms of communication systems than those illustrated and described herein.

It is also noted herein that there are several variations and modifications which may be made to the various example embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

As used herein, “at least one of the following: <a list of two or more elements>” and “at least one of <a list of two or more elements>” and similar wording, where the list of two or more elements are joined by “and” or “or”, mean at least any one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all the elements. As used herein, the expression “and/or” includes any and all combinations of the listed terms, including at least any one of the elements, at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements. As used herein, the term “or” refers to a non-exclusive “or” unless otherwise indicated (e.g., use of “or else” or “or in the alternative”).

As used herein, unless stated explicitly, performing a step “in response to A” does not indicate that the step is performed immediately after “A” occurs and one or more intervening steps may be included. Analogously, performing a step or functionality “based on A” does not indicate that the step or functionality is performed solely based on “A” as one or more additional conditions may be included.

In general, the various embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuitry, software, logic or any combination thereof. Some aspects of the disclosure may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the disclosure is not limited thereto. While various aspects of the disclosure may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting and illustrative examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

As used herein, the term “circuitry” may refer to one or more or all of the following:

(a) hardware-only circuit implementations (such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry) and

(b) combinations of hardware circuits and software, such as (as applicable):

(i) a combination of analog and/or digital hardware circuit(s) with software/firmware and

(ii) any portions of hardware processor(s) with software (including digital signal processor(s)), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions) and

(c) hardware circuit(s) and or processor(s), such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that utilizes software (e.g., firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not utilized for operation.”

This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term herein, including in any claims. As a further example, as used herein, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in server, a cellular network device, or other computing or network device.

The embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented by computer software executable by a data processor of the mobile device, such as in the processor entity, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. Computer software or program, also called program product, including software routines, applets and/or macros, may be stored in any apparatus-readable data storage medium and they comprise program instructions to perform particular tasks. A computer program product may comprise one or more computerexecutable components which, when the program is run, are configured to carry out embodiments. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one software code or portions of it.

Further in this regard it should be noted that any blocks of the logic flow as in the FIGs. may represent program steps, or interconnected logic circuits, blocks and functions, or a combination of program steps and logic circuits, blocks and functions. The software may be stored on such physical media as memory chips, or memory blocks implemented within the processor, magnetic media, such as hard disk or floppy disks, and optical media, such as DVD and the data variants thereof, CD. The physical media is a non-transitory media.

The term “non-transitory,” as used herein, is a limitation of the medium itself (e.g., tangible, not a signal ) as opposed to a limitation on data storage persistency (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

The memory may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. The data processors may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may comprise one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), FPGA, gate level circuits and processors based on multi core processor architecture, as non-limiting examples.

Various example embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in various components, such as integrated circuit modules. The design of integrated circuits is by and large a highly automated process. Complex and powerful software tools are available for converting a logic level design into a semiconductor circuit design ready to be etched and formed on a semiconductor substrate. The scope of protection sought for various example embodiments of the disclosure is set out by the independent claims. The example embodiments and features thereof, if any, described in this disclosure that do not fall under the scope of the independent claims are to be interpreted as examples useful for understanding various example embodiments of the disclosure.

The foregoing description has provided, by way of non-limiting and illustrative examples, a full and informative description of the various example embodiments of this disclosure. However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of this disclosure, when read in conjunction with the drawings and the claims.

However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings will still fall within the various example embodiments of this disclosure. By way of non-limiting and illustrative example, there is a further example embodiment comprising a combination of one or more example embodiments with any of the other example embodiments previously discussed.

Claims

1. A first apparatus comprising means for: receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determining one or more properties of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

2. The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters of the second signal comprises at least one of: a random access channel preamble; a frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; a modulation factor; a modulation type; or an amplification factor.

3. The first apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second signal comprises the random access channel preamble.

4. The first apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more properties of the received first signal comprises at least one of: a signal strength of the first signal; a frequency of the first signal; a duration of the first signal.

5. The first apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein determining the one or more parameters of the second signal comprises: selecting the one or more parameters of the second signal from a plurality of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal.

6. The first apparatus of claim 5, wherein the selecting comprises: selecting a subset of possible parameters based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and selecting one of the selected subset of possible parameters randomly.

7. The first apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of possible parameters are preconfigured at the first apparatus and/or configured at the first apparatus based on signalling received from a network node.

8. The first apparatus of claim 5, wherein the selecting comprises: selecting at least part of the one or more parameters of the second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and selecting at least one remaining part of the one or more parameters randomly.

9. The first apparatus of claim 8, wherein the part of the one or more parameters selected based on the one or more properties of the received first signal is a most significant part of the one or more parameters and the remaining part of the one or more parameters is a least significant part of the one or more parameters.

10. The first apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the second apparatus and the third apparatus are the same apparatus or different apparatuses.

11 . The first apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the second apparatus comprises an access node or a user equipment.

12. The first apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the third apparatus comprises an access node or a user equipment.

13. A first apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to: receive, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determine one or more properties of the received first signal; determine one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and send, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.

14. A method performed by a first apparatus, the method comprising: receiving, from a second apparatus, a first signal; determining one or more properties of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and sending, to a third apparatus, based on the determined one or more parameters, the second signal.