Determining the paging cause of inactive devices in 5G systems

Abstract

An apparatus for a next-generation node B (gNB) includes one or more baseband processors configured to receive downlink protocol data units (DL PDUs) from user plane functions for a user equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, wherein the DL PDU includes a paging reason to indicate the paging reason to the UE, and to send the paging reason to the UE in a paging message. The apparatus may include memory for storing the paging message.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 769,312 (AB7212-Z), filed November 19, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Recently, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has proposed introducing a paging reason in [Uu] paging messages. In these proposals, the paging reason is determined by the Mobility Management Entity (MME) in the Evolved Packet System (EPS) and the Session Management Function (SMF) in the 5th Generation System (5GS), and is delivered to the User Equipment (UE) in the [Uu] paging message. The paging reason indicates the type of traffic that caused the paging and can take one of the following exemplary values: “IMS Voice,” “IMSSMS,” “IMS Other,” or “Other,” where IMS refers to Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem and SMS refers to Short Message Service. The paging reason is intended to assist the UE in deciding whether to respond to the paging (e.g., when the paging reason is set to “IMS Voice”) or to postpone the response (e.g., when the paging reason is set to “IMS SMS” and the UE is engaged in some high-priority task).

[0004] Paging reasons have not yet been agreed upon by 3GPP, but the proposal is frequently repeated because it also has the potential to assist dual subscriber identity modules (dual SIM) dual standby devices. If paging reasons are agreed upon, for UEs in Connection Management Idle (CM_IDLE) state, it has been proposed to send the paging reason determined by the Session Management Function (SMF) via N11 to the Access Management Function (AMF), then to the Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) via the [N2] paging message, and from there to the UE in the [Uu] paging message. To date, there are no proposals regarding how to transmit paging reasons to UEs in Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC INACTIVE) state. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect of this application, an apparatus for a next-generation node (gNB) includes: one or more baseband processors configured to receive downlink DL protocol data units (PDUs) from a user plane function (UPF) for a user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, wherein the DL PDU includes a paging reason to indicate the paging reason to the UE and to send the paging reason to the UE in a paging message; and a memory configured to store the paging message.

[0006] According to another aspect of this application, an apparatus for a core network (CN) includes: one or more processors configured to process a Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) value received from a User Plane Function (UPF), and to determine, based on the DSCP, a paging reason for a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, wherein the paging reason indicates the cause of the paging; and a memory configured to store the DSCP.

[0007] According to another aspect of this application, a machine-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by means of a next-generation node (BgNB), cause: for a user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, to receive a downlink DL protocol data unit (PDU) from a user plane function (UPF), wherein the DL PDU includes a paging reason to indicate the paging reason to the UE; and to send the paging reason to the UE in a paging message.

[0008] According to another aspect of this application, a machine-readable medium has instructions that, when executed by a device of a core network (CN), cause: processing a Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) value received from a User Plane Function (UPF); and determining, based on the DSCP, a paging reason for a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive (INACTIVE) state, wherein the paging reason indicates the cause of the paging.

[0009] According to another aspect of this application, an apparatus for a user equipment (UE) includes: one or more baseband processors configured to receive a paging message from a next-generation node (GNB) when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, wherein the paging message includes a paging reason to indicate the reason for paging to the UE; and a memory configured to store the paging message. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The claimed subject matter is specifically pointed out and clearly described in the concluding section of this specification. However, such subject matter can be understood by referring to the following detailed description when reading the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0011] Figure 1 It is a diagram of the architecture of a fifth-generation (5G) system based on one or more implementation schemes.

[0012] Figure 2 The system architecture of a network according to some implementation schemes is shown.

[0013] Figure 3 Example components of a device according to some implementation schemes are shown.

[0014] Figure 4 An example interface of a baseband circuit according to some implementation schemes is shown.

[0015] It should be understood that, for the sake of brevity and / or clarity, the elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, for clarity, the dimensions of some elements may be enlarged relative to others. Furthermore, reference numerals are repeated in the figures where appropriate to indicate corresponding and / or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0016] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a comprehensive understanding of the claimed subject matter. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the claimed subject matter can be implemented without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, processes, components, and / or circuits have not been described in detail.

[0017] In the following description and / or claims, the terms “coupled” and “connected” and their derivatives may be used. In certain embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical and / or electrical contact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical and / or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements may not be in direct contact with each other, but may still cooperate and / or interact with each other. For example, “coupled” may mean that two or more elements are not in contact with each other, but are indirectly joined together via another element or an intermediate element. Finally, the terms “on,” “over,” and “above” may be used in the following description and claims. “On,” “over,” and “above” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical contact with each other. However, it should be noted that “above” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other. For example, “above” may mean that one element is above another element but not in contact with each other, and there may be one or more other elements between the two elements. Furthermore, the term "and / or" may mean "and," it may mean "or," it may mean "exclusive or," it may mean "one," it may mean "some but not all," it may mean "none of," and / or it may mean "both," but in this respect it does not limit the scope of the subject matter protected by the claims. In the following description and / or claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" and their derivatives may be used, and these terms are intended to be synonyms with each other.

[0018] Now for reference Figure 1 This will discuss a diagram of the architecture of a fifth-generation (5G) system based on one or more implementation schemes. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a 5G system architecture in a non-roaming scenario, represented using reference points, and demonstrates how various network functions interact with each other. The 5G system 100 may include a User Equipment (UE) 110, a Radio Access Network (RAN) 112, a User Plane Function (UPF) 114, and a Data Network (DN) 116. The 5G system 100 may also include an Access Management Function (AMF) 118, a Session Management Function (SMF), a Policy Control Function (PCF) 122, and an Application Function (AF) 124. Additionally, the 5G system 100 may include a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) 126, an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) 128, and a Unified Data Management (UDM) 130.

[0019] For UE 110 in the Connection Management Idle (CM_IDLE) state, AMF 118 sends a [N2] paging message including the paging reason to RAN 112. For UE 110 in the Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) (CM Connected) state, the N3 / N9 user plane interface is enabled and operational. According to one or more implementations discussed herein, it is proposed to carry the paging reason in the GTP-U subheader of each data packet on N3 and N9. The 3GPP 5G system defined in Release 15 supports the paging policy differentiation features defined in Clause 5.4.3.2 of 3GPP Technical Standard (TS) 23.501.

[0020] When the 5GS supports the Paging Policy Differentiation (PPD) feature, the Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) value (TOS in IPv4 / TC in IPv6) is set by the application to indicate to the 5GS which paging policy should be applied for a given Internet Protocol (IP) packet. For example, as defined in 3GPP TS23.228, the Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) can support paging policy differentiation by marking one or more packets (e.g., session voice as defined in IMS multimedia telephony service) to be sent to the UE that are associated with a specific IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service.

[0021] In the event that a network-triggered service request and User Plane Function (UPF) buffers downlink data packets, UPF114 should include the Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) (Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE)) in the Type of Service (ToS) (IPv4) and / or Traffic Class (TC) (IPv6) values ​​of the IP header from the downlink data packet, as well as an indication of the corresponding Quality of Service (QoS) flow in the data notification message sent to SMF 120. When Paging Strategy Differentiation (PPD) is appropriate When in use, the SMF120 determines the Paging Policy Indicator (PPI) based on the DSCP received from the UPF114. .

[0022] In the case of network-triggered service requests and SMF 120 buffering of downlink data packets, when PPD is applicable, SMF determines the PPI based on the DSCP in the TOS (IPv4) / TC (IPv6) value of the IP header of the received downlink data packet, and identifies the corresponding QoS flow from the QoS Flow Identifier (QFI) of the received downlink data packet.

[0023] SMF includes the PPI of the corresponding QoS flow in the N11 message sent to AMF118. Assignment and Reservation Policy (ARP) and 5G QoS Identifier (5QI). If the UE is in CM IDLE, the AMF 118 uses this information to derive the paging policy and Send paging message to NG-RAN via N2 .

[0024] For UE 110 in RRC inactive state NG-RAN 112 can implement specific paging policies in the case of NG-RAN paging based on the 5QI, ARP, and PPI associated with the incoming downlink (DL) protocol data unit (PDU). To achieve this, SMF120 guides UPF114 to use DL Packet Detection Rules (PDR) with DSCP for this traffic to... Detect the DSCP in the TOS (IPv4) / TC (IPv6) value in the IP header of the DL PDU, and By using forwarding action rules (FAR) with PPI values. To transmit the corresponding PPI in the core network (CN) tunnel header . NG-RAN112 can then be used in the input The PPI received in the CN tunnel header of DLPDU, so that For situations where paging of a UE is required while the UE is in an RRC inactive state. Apply the corresponding paging strategy .

[0025] As indicated by the underlined text above, the 5GC network has all the necessary mechanisms to determine the Paging Policy Indicator (PPI) that points to the specific paging policy.

[0026] For UE 110 in CM_IDLE state, the PPI indicator is used by AMF 118 when paging is performed.

[0027] For UE 110 in the RRC_INACTIVE state, the PPI is included in the user plane frame on the N3 / N9 interface. The header of the N3 / N9 element is described in 3GPP TS 38.415 as follows.

[0028] 5.5.2.1DL PDU Session Information (PDU Type 0)

[0029] This frame format is defined to allow NG-RAN to receive some control information elements associated with packets transmitted through the interface.

[0030] Table 1 below shows the corresponding "DL PDU Session Information" frames.

[0031]

[0032] Table 1: DL PDU Session Information (PDU Type 0) Format

[0033] The Paging Policy Presence (PPP) field indicates whether the Paging Policy Indicator (PPI) field is included.

[0034] According to one or more implementations, SMF 120 determines the paging reason based on the DSCP received from UPF 114. For UE 110 in the RRC_INACTIVE state, SMF 120 instructs UPF 114 to detect the DSCP in the TOS(IPv4) / TC(IPv6) value in the IP header of the DL PDU by using a DL PDR with the DSCP for that traffic, and the corresponding paging reason in the transmission CN tunnel header. NG-RAN can then utilize the paging reason received in the CN tunnel header of the incoming DL PDU to transmit it to UE 110 in a [Uu] paging message for cases where paging of UE 110 is required while in the RRC_INACTIVE state. Implementations herein relate to a mechanism for transmitting paging reason parameters in a [Uu] paging message for UE 110 in the RRC_INACTIVE state.

[0035] In one or more implementations, SMF 120 determines the paging reason based on the DSCP received from UPF 114. For UE 110 in the RRC_INACTIVE state, SMF 120 instructs UPF 114 to detect the DSCP in the TOS(IPv4) / TC(IPv6) value in the IP header of the DL PDU by using a DL PDR with the DSCP for that traffic, and the corresponding paging reason in the CN tunnel header. NG-RAN 112 can then utilize the paging reason received in the CN tunnel header of the incoming DL PDU to transmit it to UE 110 in a [Uu] paging message for cases where paging of UE 110 is required while in the RRC_INACTIVE state. The proposed change to Clause 5.4.3.2 of 3GPP TS23.501 may be as follows.

[0036] 5.4.3.2 Differentiation of Paging Strategies

[0037] Paging policy differentiation is an optional feature that allows AMF 118 to apply different paging policies based on operator configuration for different traffic or service types offered within the same PDU session. In this release of the specification, this feature applies only to IP-type PDU sessions.

[0038] When the 5GS supports the Paging Policy Differentiation (PPD) feature, the DSCP value (TOS in IPv4 / TC in IPv6) is set by the application to indicate to the 5GS which paging policy should be applied to a given IP packet. For example, as defined in 3GPP TS23.228, the P-CSCF can support paging policy differentiation by marking one or more packets related to a specific IMS service (e.g., conversational voice as defined in IMS Multimedia Telephony Service) to be sent to the UE 110.

[0039] Operators should be able to configure SMF 120 to make paging policy differentiation features applicable only to certain Locally Shared Land Mobile Networks (HPLMNs), Data Network Names (DNNs), and 5G QoS Identifiers (5QIs). In the case of Home Route (HR) roaming, this configuration is performed in the SMF 120 within the Visited PLMN (VPLMN).

[0040] Note 1: Supporting paging policy differentiation in the case of HR roaming requires an agreement between operators, including an agreement on the DSCP value associated with this feature.

[0041] In the event of a network-triggered service request and UPF buffering of downlink data packets, UPF 114 should include the DSCP from the TOS (IPv4) / TC (IPv6) value in the IP header of the downlink data packet, as well as an indication of the corresponding QoS flow in the data notification message sent to SMF 120. When PPD is applicable, SMF 120 determines the Paging Policy Indicator (PPI) based on the DSCP received from UPF 114 and optionally determines the paging reason.

[0042] In the event of a network-triggered service request and SMF buffering of downlink data packets, when PPD is applicable, the SMF120 determines the PPI based on the DSCP in the TOS(IPv4) / TC(IPv6) value of the IP header of the received downlink data packets and optionally determines the paging reason, and identifies the corresponding QoS flow from the QFI of the received downlink data packets.

[0043] SMF 120 includes the PPI, ARP, and 5QI of the corresponding QoS flow, as well as an optional paging reason, in the N11 message sent to AMF 118. If UE 110 is in CM IDLE, AMF 118 uses this information to derive a paging policy and sends a paging message to NG-RAN 112 via N2. If the paging reason is received from SMF 120, AMF 118 should forward the paging reason in the paging message to NG-RAN 112. The paging reason includes one of the following values: "IMS Voice", "IMSSMS", "Other IMS Services" not related to voice / SMS, or "Other PS Services" not related to IMS.

[0044] Note 2: Network configuration needs to ensure that the information used as the trigger for paging policy indication has not been changed within 5GS.

[0045] Note 3: Network configuration needs to ensure that the specific DSCP used as a paging policy indicator in the TOS(IPv4) / TC(IPv6) value is properly managed in order to avoid accidental use of certain paging policies.

[0046] For UE 110 in an RRC inactive state, NG-RAN 112 can implement a specific paging policy in the case of NG-RAN paging based on the 5QI, ARP, and PPI associated with the incoming DL PDU. To achieve this, SMF 120 instructs UPF 114 to detect the DSCP in the TOS(IPv4) / TC(IPv6) value in the IP header of the DL PDU by using a DL PDR with the DSCP for the traffic, and to transmit the corresponding PPI and optionally the paging reason in the CN tunnel header by using a FAR with the PPI and paging reason value. NG-RAN 112 can then utilize the PPI received in the CN tunnel header of the incoming DL PDU to apply the corresponding paging policy for the case where UE 110 needs to be paging while in an RRC inactive state. If the paging reason is included in the CN tunnel header of the incoming DL PDU, NG-RAN 112 forwards the paging reason to UE 110 for the case where UE 110 needs to be paging while in an RRC inactive state. The relevant changes to Clause 5.5.2.1 of 3GPP TS 38.415 are as follows.

[0047] Table 2 below shows the corresponding "DL PDU Session Information" frames, where the paging reason is added underlined.

[0048]

[0049] Table 2: DLPDU Session Information Frames

[0050] Figure 2 The architecture of a system 200 of a network according to some embodiments is shown. System 200 is shown as including user equipment (UE) 201 and UE 202. UE 201 and UE 202 are shown as smartphones (e.g., handheld touchscreen mobile computing devices that can connect to one or more cellular networks), but these UEs may also include any mobile or non-mobile computing device, such as a personal data assistant (PDA), pager, laptop computer, desktop computer, wireless handheld terminal, or any computing device that includes a wireless communication interface.

[0051] In some implementations, either UE 201 or UE 202 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) UE, which may include a network access layer designed to utilize low-power IoT applications with ephemeral UE connectivity. The IoT UE may exchange data with an MTC server or device via technologies such as machine-to-machine (M2M) or machine-type communication (MTC), through a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), Proximity-Based Service (ProSe) or Device-to-Device (D2D) communication, sensor networks, or the IoT network. M2M or MTC data exchange may be machine-initiated. The IoT network describes interconnected IoT UEs, which may include uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices (within the Internet infrastructure) with ephemeral connectivity. The IoT UE may execute background applications (e.g., keeping track of activity messages, status updates, etc.) to facilitate connectivity within the IoT network.

[0052] UE 201 and UE 202 can be configured to connect to Radio Access Network (RAN) 210, for example, in a communications-coupled manner—RAN 210 can be, for example, an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), a Next Generation RAN (NG RAN), or some other type of RAN. UE 201 and UE 202 utilize connection 203 and connection 204, respectively, where each connection includes a physical communication interface or layer (discussed in further detail below); in this example, connection 203 and connection 204 are shown as air interfaces for communications-coupled operation and can be consistent with cellular communication protocols such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network protocols, Push-to-Talk (PTT) protocols, Cellular PTT (POC) protocols, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) protocols, 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocols, 5G protocols, New Radio (NR) protocols, etc.

[0053] In this implementation, UE 201 and UE 202 can also directly exchange communication data via ProSe interface 205. ProSe interface 205 may alternatively be referred to as a sidelink interface including one or more logical channels, including but not limited to the Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH), Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH), Physical Sidelink Discovery Channel (PSDCH), and Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel (PSBCH).

[0054] UE 202 is shown configured to access access point (AP) 206 via connection 207. Connection 207 may include local wireless connectivity, such as a connection consistent with any IEEE 802.11 protocol, wherein AP 206 will include Wireless Fidelity. Router. In this example, AP 206 is shown as connected to the Internet but not to the core network of the wireless system (described in further detail below).

[0055] RAN 210 may include one or more access nodes that enable connections 203 and 204. These access nodes (ANs) may be referred to as base stations (BS), NodeBs, evolved NodeBs (eNBs), next-generation NodeBs (gNBs), RAN nodes, etc., and may include ground stations (e.g., terrestrial access points) or satellite stations that provide coverage within a geographic area (e.g., a cell). RAN 210 may include one or more RAN nodes (e.g., macro RAN node 211) for providing macro cells, and one or more RAN nodes (e.g., low-power (LP) RAN node 212) for providing femtocells or picocells (e.g., cells with smaller coverage areas, smaller user capacity, or higher bandwidth compared to macro cells).

[0056] Either RAN node 211 or RAN node 212 can terminate the air interface protocol and can be the first point of contact for UE 201 and UE 202. In some implementations, either RAN node 211 or 212 can fulfill various logical functions of RAN 210, including but not limited to the functions of a radio network controller (RNC), such as radio bearer management, uplink and downlink dynamic radio resource management and data packet scheduling, and mobility management.

[0057] According to some implementations, UE 201 and UE 202 may be configured to communicate with each other or with either RAN node 211 or RAN node 212 via a multi-carrier communication channel using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication signals, based on various communication technologies such as, but not limited to, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication technology (e.g., for downlink communication) or single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) communication technology (e.g., for uplink and ProSe or sidelink communication), but the scope of the implementation is not limited in this respect. The OFDM signal may include multiple orthogonal subcarriers.

[0058] In some implementations, the downlink resource grid can be used for downlink transmissions from either RAN node 211 or RAN node 212 to UE 201 and UE 202, while uplink transmissions can utilize similar techniques. The grid can be a time-frequency grid, referred to as a resource grid or time-frequency resource grid, which represents the physical resources in the downlink within each time slot. This time-frequency plane representation is common practice for OFDM systems, making radio resource allocation intuitive. Each column and row of the resource grid corresponds to an OFDM symbol and an OFDM subcarrier, respectively. The duration of the resource grid in the time domain corresponds to a time slot in a radio frame. The smallest time-frequency unit in the resource grid is represented as a resource element. Each resource grid comprises multiple resource blocks that describe the mapping of certain physical channels to resource elements. Each resource block comprises a set of resource elements; in the frequency domain, this can represent the minimum amount of resources currently available for allocation. Such resource blocks are used to transmit several different physical downlink channels.

[0059] The Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) carries user data and higher-layer signaling to UE 201 and UE 202. The Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) carries information such as transmission format and resource allocation related to the PDSCH channel. It also notifies UE 201 and UE 202 of transmission format, resource allocation, and H-ARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) information related to the uplink shared channel. Typically, downlink scheduling (allocating control and shared channel resource blocks to UE 102 within the cell) can be performed at either RAN node 211 or RAN node 212 based on channel quality information fed back from either UE 201 or UE 202. Downlink resource allocation information can be transmitted on the PDCCH used (e.g., allocated to) each of UE 201 and UE 202.

[0060] PDCCH can use Control Channel Elements (CCEs) to transmit control information. Before being mapped to resource elements, the complex-valued symbols of the PDCCH are first organized into quadruplets, which are then arranged using a sub-block interleaver for rate matching. One or more of these CCEs can be used to transmit each PDCCH, where each CCE can correspond to a set of four physical resource elements (REGs) of nine. Four Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) symbols can be mapped to each REG. Depending on the size of the Downlink Control Information (DCI) and channel conditions, one or more CCEs can be used to transmit the PDCCH. Four or more different PDCCH formats defined in LTE with different numbers of CCEs (e.g., aggregation level, L = 1, 2, 4, or 8) can exist.

[0061] Some implementations can use the concept of resource allocation for control channel information, which is an extension of the above concept. For example, some implementations can utilize an enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) that uses PDSCH resources for control information transmission. EPDCCH can be transmitted using one or more enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs). Similarly, each ECCE can correspond to a set of nine physical resource elements, called an enhanced resource element group (EREG). In some cases, an ECCE can have a different number of EREGs.

[0062] RAN 210 is shown communicatively coupled to core network (CN) 220 via S1 interface 213. In various embodiments, CN 220 may be an evolved packet core (EPC) network, a next-generation packet core (NPC) network, or some other type of CN. In this embodiment, S1 interface 213 is divided into two parts: an S1-U interface 214, which carries traffic data between RAN nodes 211 and 212 and the serving gateway (S-GW) 222; and an S1-Mobility Management Entity (MME) interface 215, which is the signaling interface between RAN nodes 211 and 212 and the MME 221.

[0063] In this implementation, CN 220 includes MME 221, S-GW 222, Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (P-GW) 223, and Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 224. MME 221 may functionally resemble the control plane of a legacy General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN). MME 221 manages mobility aspects of access, such as gateway selection and tracking area list management. HSS 224 may include a database for network users, containing subscription-related information to support network entities in handling communication sessions. Depending on the number of mobile subscribers, device capacity, network organization, etc., CN220 may include one or more HSS 224s. For example, HSS 224 may provide support for routing / roaming, authentication, authorization, naming / addressing resolution, location dependencies, etc.

[0064] S-GW 222 can terminate the S1 interface 213 toward RAN 210 and route data packets between RAN 210 and CN 220. Additionally, S-GW 222 can serve as a local mobility anchor for inter-RAN node handover and can also provide an anchor for inter-3GPP mobility. Other responsibilities may include lawful interception, billing, and enforcement of certain policies.

[0065] P-GW 223 can terminate the SGi interface toward the PDN. P-GW 223 can route data packets between EPC network 223 and external networks, such as networks including application server 230 (alternatively referred to as application function (AF)), via Internet Protocol (IP) interface 225. Generally, application server 230 can be an element that provides IP-bearing resources for use with the core network (e.g., UMTS Packet Service (PS) domain, LTE PS data service, etc.). In this embodiment, P-GW 223 is shown communicatively coupled to application server 230 via IP communication interface 225. Application server 230 can also be configured to support one or more communication services (e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) sessions, PTT sessions, group communication sessions, social networking services, etc.) for UE 201 and UE 202 via CN 220.

[0066] P-GW 223 can also be a node for policy enforcement and charging data collection. The Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCRF) 226 is the policy and charging control element of CN 220. In non-roaming scenarios, a single PCRF may exist in the domestic public land mobile network (HPLMN) associated with the UE's Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) session. In roaming scenarios with local traffic breaches, two PCRFs may exist associated with the UE's IP-CAN session: a domestic PCRF (H-PCRF) within the HPLMN and a visited PCRF (V-PCRF) within the visited public land mobile network (VPLMN). PCRF 226 can be communicatively coupled to application server 230 via P-GW 223. Application server 230 can signal PCRF 226 to indicate new service flows and select appropriate Quality of Service (QoS) and charging parameters. PCRF 226 can configure the rule as a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) (not shown) with an appropriate traffic flow template (TFT) and QoS category identifier (QCI), which begins with QoS and charging specified by application server 230.

[0067] Figure 3 Example components of device 300 according to some embodiments are shown. In some embodiments, device 300 may include application circuitry 302, baseband circuitry 304, radio frequency (RF) circuitry 306, front-end module (FEM) circuitry 308, one or more antennas 310, and power management circuitry (PMC) 312 (at least coupled together as shown). Components of the illustrated device 300 may be included in a UE or RAN node. In some embodiments, device 300 may include fewer components (e.g., the RAN node may not utilize application circuitry 302, but instead include a processor / controller to process IP data received from the EPC). In some embodiments, device 300 may include additional components such as, for example, memory / storage devices, displays, cameras, sensors, or input / output (I / O) interfaces. In other embodiments, the components described below may be included in more than one device (e.g., the circuitry may be individually included in more than one device for a cloud-RAN (C-RAN) specific implementation).

[0068] Application circuitry 302 may include one or more application processors. For example, application circuitry 302 may include circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. Processors may include any combination of general-purpose processors and special-purpose processors (e.g., graphics processors, application processors, etc.). These processors may be coupled to or may include memory / storage devices and may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory / storage device to enable various applications or operating systems to run on device 300. In some embodiments, the processor of application circuitry 302 may process IP data packets received from the EPC.

[0069] Baseband circuitry 304 may include circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. Baseband circuitry 304 may include one or more baseband processors or control logic components to process baseband signals received from the receive signal path of RF circuitry 306 and to generate baseband signals for the transmit signal path of RF circuitry 306. Baseband processing circuitry 304 may interact with application circuitry 302 to generate and process baseband signals and control the operation of RF circuitry 306. For example, in some embodiments, baseband circuitry 304 may include a third-generation (3G) baseband processor 304A, a fourth-generation (4G) baseband processor 304B, a fifth-generation (5G) baseband processor 304C, or one or more other existing, under development, or future generations of baseband processors 304D (e.g., second-generation (2G), sixth-generation (6G), etc.). Baseband circuitry 304 (e.g., one or more baseband processors among baseband processors 304A-D) may handle various radio control functions that enable communication with one or more radio networks via RF circuitry 306. In other embodiments, some or all of the functions of the baseband processors 304A-D may be included in modules stored in the memory 304G and executed via the central processing unit (CPU) 304E. Radio control functions may include, but are not limited to, signal modulation / demodulation, encoding / decoding, and radio frequency shifting. In some embodiments, the modulation / demodulation circuitry of the baseband circuitry 304 may include Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), precoding, or constellation mapping / demapping functions. In some embodiments, the encoding / decoding circuitry of the baseband circuitry 304 may include convolution, tail-biting convolution, turbo, Viterbi, or low-density parity-check (LDPC) encoder / decoder functions. Implementations of the modulation / demodulation and encoder / decoder functions are not limited to these examples, and other suitable functions may be included in other embodiments.

[0070] In some embodiments, the baseband circuitry 304 may include one or more audio digital signal processors (DSPs) 304F. The audio DSP 304F may include elements for compression / decompression and echo cancellation, and in other embodiments may include other suitable processing elements. In some embodiments, components of the baseband circuitry may be suitably combined in a single chip, a single chipset, or disposed on the same circuit board. In some embodiments, some or all components of the baseband circuitry 304 and the application circuitry 302 may be implemented together, such as on a system-on-a-chip (SoC).

[0071] In some implementations, baseband circuit 304 can provide communication compatible with one or more radio technologies. For example, in some implementations, baseband circuit 304 can support communication with the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (EUTRAN) or other Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMAN), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), or Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN). Implementations in which baseband circuit 304 is configured to support radio communication with more than one wireless protocol may be referred to as multi-mode baseband circuits.

[0072] RF circuit 306 can communicate with a wireless network using modulated electromagnetic radiation over a non-solid medium. In various embodiments, RF circuit 306 may include switches, filters, amplifiers, etc., to facilitate communication with the wireless network. RF circuit 306 may include a receive signal path that includes circuitry for down-converting the RF signal received from FEM circuit 308 and providing a baseband signal to baseband circuit 304. RF circuit 306 may also include a transmit signal path that includes circuitry for up-converting the baseband signal provided by baseband circuit 304 and providing an RF output signal for transmission to FEM circuit 308.

[0073] In some embodiments, the receive signal path of RF circuit 306 may include mixer circuit 306a, amplifier circuit 306b, and filter circuit 306c. In some embodiments, the transmit signal path of RF circuit 306 may include filter circuit 306c and mixer circuit 306a. RF circuit 306 may also include synthesizer circuit 306d for synthesizing the frequency used by mixer circuit 306a in both the receive and transmit signal paths. In some embodiments, mixer circuit 306a in the receive signal path may be configured to down-convert the RF signal received from FEM circuit 308 based on the synthesized frequency provided by synthesizer circuit 306d. Amplifier circuit 306b may be configured to amplify the down-converted signal, and filter circuit 306c may be a low-pass filter (LPF) or band-pass filter (BPF) configured to remove unwanted signals from the down-converted signal to generate an output baseband signal. The output baseband signal may be provided to baseband circuit 304 for further processing. In some implementations, although not required, the output baseband signal may be a zero-frequency baseband signal. In some implementations, the mixer circuit 306a of the receiving signal path may include a passive mixer, but the scope of the implementations is not limited in this respect.

[0074] In some implementations, the mixer circuit 306a of the transmit signal path can be configured to up-convert the input baseband signal based on the synthesized frequency provided by the synthesizer circuit 306d to generate an RF output signal for the FEM circuit 308. The baseband signal can be provided by the baseband circuit 304 and can be filtered by the filter circuit 306c.

[0075] In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 306a for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 306a for the transmit signal path may include two or more mixers and may be arranged for quadrature downconversion and upconversion, respectively. In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 306a for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 306a for the transmit signal path may include two or more mixers and may be arranged for image suppression (e.g., Hartley image suppression). In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 306a for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 306a for the transmit signal path may be arranged for direct downconversion and direct upconversion, respectively. In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 306a for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 306a for the transmit signal path may be configured for superheterodyne operation.

[0076] In some embodiments, the output baseband signal and the input baseband signal may be analog baseband signals, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some alternative embodiments, the output baseband signal and the input baseband signal may be digital baseband signals. In these alternative embodiments, RF circuitry 306 may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry, and baseband circuitry 304 may include a digital baseband interface for communicating with RF circuitry 306.

[0077] In some dual-mode implementations, separate radio IC circuitry can be provided to process the signal for each spectrum; however, the scope of implementations is not limited in this respect. In some implementations, synthesizer circuitry 306d can be a fractional-N synthesizer or a fractional-N / N+1 synthesizer; however, the scope of implementations is not limited in this respect, as other types of frequency synthesizers can also be suitable. For example, synthesizer circuitry 306d can be a Δ-Σ synthesizer, a frequency multiplier, or a synthesizer including a phase-locked loop with a frequency divider.

[0078] Synthesizer circuit 306d can be configured to synthesize an output frequency based on the frequency input and the divider control input for use by mixer circuit 306a of RF circuit 306. In some embodiments, synthesizer circuit 306d can be a fractional N / N+1 synthesizer.

[0079] In some implementations, the frequency input may be provided by a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), but this is not mandatory. The divider control input may be provided by the baseband circuitry 304 or the application processor 302 according to the desired output frequency. In some implementations, the divider control input (e.g., N) may be determined from a lookup table based on the channel indicated by the application processor 302.

[0080] The synthesizer circuit 306d of the RF circuit 306 may include a frequency divider, a delay-locked loop (DLL), a multiplexer, and a phase accumulator. In some embodiments, the frequency divider may be a dual-mode divider (DMD), and the phase accumulator may be a digital phase accumulator (DPA). In some embodiments, the DMD may be configured to divide the input signal by N or N+1 (e.g., based on carry) to provide a fractional division ratio. In some example embodiments, the DLL may include a cascaded, tunable delay element, a phase detector, a charge pump, and a set of D-type flip-flops. In these embodiments, the delay elements may be configured to divide the VCO cycle into Nd equal phase groups, where Nd is the number of delay elements in the delay line. Thus, the DLL provides negative feedback to help ensure that the total delay through the delay line is one VCO cycle.

[0081] In some embodiments, synthesizer circuitry 306d may be configured to generate a carrier frequency as the output frequency, while in other embodiments, the output frequency may be a multiple of the carrier frequency (e.g., twice the carrier frequency, four times the carrier frequency) and may be used in conjunction with quadrature generator and frequency divider circuitry to generate multiple signals having multiple different phases relative to each other at that carrier frequency. In some embodiments, the output frequency may be the LO frequency (fLO). In some embodiments, RF circuitry 306 may include an IQ / polarity converter.

[0082] FEM circuit 308 may include a receive signal path, which may include circuitry configured to operate on RF signals received from one or more antennas 310, amplify the received signals, and provide an amplified version of the received signals to RF circuit 306 for further processing. FEM circuit 308 may also include a transmit signal path, which may include circuitry configured to amplify transmit signals provided by RF circuit 306 for transmission through one or more of the one or more antennas 310. In various embodiments, amplification via the transmit or receive signal path may be performed only in RF circuit 306, only in FEM 308, or in both RF circuit 306 and FEM 308.

[0083] In some embodiments, FEM circuit 308 may include a TX / RX switch to switch between transmit and receive mode operation. The FEM circuit may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the FEM circuit may include an LNA to amplify the received RF signal and provide the amplified received RF signal as an output (e.g., provided to RF circuit 306). The transmit signal path of FEM circuit 308 may include a power amplifier (PA) for amplifying (e.g., provided by RF circuit 306) the input RF signal; and one or more filters for generating an RF signal for subsequent transmission (e.g., through one or more antennas in one or more antennas 310).

[0084] In some implementations, the PMC 312 can manage the power supplied to the baseband circuitry 304. Specifically, the PMC 312 can control power selection, voltage scaling, battery charging, or DC-DC conversion. The PMC 312 is typically included when the device 300 can be powered by a battery, for example, when the device is included in a UE. The PMC 312 can improve power conversion efficiency while providing the desired implementation size and thermal characteristics.

[0085] and Figure 3The PMC 312 is shown coupled only to the baseband circuit 304. However, in other embodiments, the PMC 312 may be additionally or alternatively coupled to other components, such as, but not limited to, the application circuit 302, the RF circuit 306, or the FEM 308, and perform similar power management operations.

[0086] In some implementations, PMC 312 can control or otherwise become part of various power-saving mechanisms of device 300. For example, if device 300 is in an RRC connected state, and in this state the device is still connected to the RAN node because the device expects to receive communication soon, then the device may enter a state called Discontinuous Receive Mode (DRX) after a period of inactivity. During this state, device 300 can be powered down for short intervals, thereby saving power.

[0087] If there is no data traffic activity for an extended period, device 300 may transition to an RRC idle state, in which the device disconnects from the network and does not perform operations such as channel quality feedback or handover. Device 300 enters a very low power state and performs paging, in which the device periodically wakes up again to listen to the network, and then powers off again. Device 300 may not be able to receive data in this state, and in order to receive data, it must transition back to the RRC connected state.

[0088] An additional power-saving mode allows the device to be unavailable from the network for periods exceeding the paging interval (ranging from seconds to hours). During this time, the device is completely unconnected to the network and can be completely powered off. Any data sent during this period will incur significant latency, which is assumed to be acceptable.

[0089] The processors of application circuit 302 and baseband circuit 304 are elements that can be used to execute one or more instances of the protocol stack. For example, the processor of baseband circuit 304 can be used alone or in combination to execute layer 3, layer 2, or layer 1 functions, while the processor of application circuit 304 can utilize data received from these layers (e.g., packet data) and further execute layer 4 functions (e.g., Transport Communication Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) layers). As mentioned herein, layer 3 may include the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer, which will be described in further detail below. As mentioned herein, layer 2 may include the Media Access Control (MAC) layer, the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, and the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, which will be described in further detail below. As mentioned herein, layer 1 may include the physical (PHY) layer of the UE / RAN node, which will be described in further detail below.

[0090] Figure 4An example interface of the baseband circuit according to some implementation schemes is shown. As discussed above, Figure 3 The baseband circuit 304 may include processors 304A-304E and a memory 304G utilized by the processors. Each of the processors 304A-304E may respectively include a memory interface 404A-404E for sending / receiving data to / from the memory 304G.

[0091] Baseband circuit 304 may further include: one or more interfaces for communicatively coupling to other circuits / devices, such as memory interface 412 (e.g., an interface for sending / receiving data to / from a memory external to baseband circuit 304); application circuit interface 414 (e.g., for sending / receiving data to / from a memory external to baseband circuit 304); and application circuit interface 414 (e.g., for sending / receiving data to / from a memory external to baseband circuit 304). Figure 3 Application circuit 302 (interface for sending / receiving data); RF circuit interface 416 (e.g., for sending / receiving data to / from...). Figure 3 RF circuit 306 (interface for transmitting / receiving data); wireless hardware connection interface 418 (e.g., for transmitting / receiving data to / from near field communication (NFC) components, Components (e.g.) Low Energy) Interface for sending / receiving data to / from PMC312 (e.g., an interface for sending / receiving power or control signals to / from PMC312).

[0092] The following are exemplary embodiments of the topics described herein. In Embodiment 1, the apparatus of a Next Generation Node B (gNB) includes one or more baseband processors configured to receive downlink (DL) protocol data units (PDUs) from a User Plane Function (UPF) for a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, wherein the DL PDU includes a paging reason to indicate the paging reason to the UE, and to send the paging reason to the UE in a paging message. The apparatus may include a memory for storing the paging message. In Embodiment 2, the apparatus of a Core Network (CN) includes one or more processors configured to process Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) values ​​received from a User Plane Function (UPF) for determining a paging reason for a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state based on the DSCP, wherein the paging reason indicates the paging reason. The apparatus may include a memory for storing the DSCP. In Embodiment 3, one or more machine-readable media have instructions that, when executed by a device of a Next Generation Node B (gNB), cause the following to be performed: for a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, receive a Downlink (DL) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) from a User Plane Function (UPF), wherein the DL PDU includes a paging reason to indicate the paging reason to the UE, and send the paging reason to the UE in a paging message. In Embodiment 4, one or more machine-readable media have instructions that, when executed by a Core Network (CN) device, cause the following to be performed: process a Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) value received from the User Plane Function (UPF), and determine a paging reason for a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state based on the DSCP, wherein the paging reason indicates the reason for paging. In Embodiment 5, the user equipment (UE) apparatus includes one or more baseband processors configured to receive paging messages from a next-generation node B (gNB) when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, wherein the paging message includes a paging reason to indicate the reason for paging to the UE. The apparatus may include a memory for storing the paging messages.

[0093] While the subject matter protected by the claims has been described with a degree of specificity, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can modify elements of the subject matter without departing from its substance and / or scope. It is believed that the subject matter related to determining the paging reasons of inactive devices in 5G systems, and its many incidental benefits, will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes can be made to the form, construction, and / or arrangement of its components without departing from the scope and / or substance of the subject matter protected by the claims, or without sacrificing all its material advantages. The forms described above are merely illustrative embodiments of the components and / or further do not provide substantial changes. The purpose of the claims is to cover and / or include such changes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a next-generation node (B gNB), the apparatus comprising: One or more baseband processors are configured to receive downlink DL protocol data units (PDUs) from a User Plane Function (UPF) for a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, wherein the DL PDU includes a paging reason to indicate the paging reason to the UE and to send the paging reason to the UE in a paging message, wherein the paging reason is determined by the core network of the UPF based on a Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) received from the UPF, and the paging reason is sent to the UE in a downlink DL protocol data unit (PDU) session information header; and A memory for storing the paging message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the paging reason indicates the type of traffic that caused the paging.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the traffic type includes Internet Protocol IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) voice traffic, IMS Short Message Service (SMS) traffic, other IMS traffic, or non-IMS traffic.

4. A machine-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by a device of a next-generation node (BgNB), cause: For a User Equipment (UE) in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state, a Downlink DL Protocol Data Unit (PDU) is received from a User Plane Function (UPF). The DL PDU includes a paging reason to indicate the paging reason to the UE. This paging reason is determined by the UPF's core network based on a Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) received from the UPF, and the paging reason is sent to the UE in the Downlink DL Protocol Data Unit (PDU) Session Information Header. The paging reason is sent to the UE in the paging message.

5. A machine-readable medium according to claim 4, wherein the paging reason indicates the type of traffic that caused the paging.

6. A machine-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein the traffic type includes Internet Protocol IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) voice traffic, IMS Short Message Service (SMS) traffic, other IMS traffic, or non-IMS traffic.

7. An apparatus for a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising: One or more baseband processors are configured to receive a paging message from a next-generation node (B gNB) when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state (RRC_INACTIVE), wherein the paging message includes a paging reason to indicate the reason for paging to the UE, wherein the paging reason is determined by the core network of the User Plane Function (UPF) based on a Differential Service Code Point (DSCP) received from the UPF, and the paging reason is sent to the UE in a downlink DL Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session information header; and A memory for storing the paging message.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 further includes a dual subscriber identification module (SIM).

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