Method and apparatus for using simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 for load balancing and mode switching

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products for selecting and / or applying a sidelink (SL) transmission mode are provided. A method may include configuring, by a network node, at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE) to use simultaneous sidelink (SL) Mode 1 and Mode 2 for one or more sidelink (SL) logical channels (LCHs). The method may also include configuring, for the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE), a plurality of transmission modes associated with the use of Sidelink (SL) Mode 1 or Mode 2.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 927,393, filed on October 29, 2019. The entire contents of that earlier-filed application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Some example embodiments may generally relate to mobile or wireless telecommunication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or new radio (NR) access technology, or other communication systems. For example, certain embodiments may relate to systems and / or methods for using a side link (SL) with simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 transmissions for load balancing and mode switching. Background Art

[0004] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunication systems may include the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), Advanced LTE (LTE-A), MulteFire, LTE-A Pro and / or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or New Radio (NR) access technology. 5G wireless systems refer to next generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. 5G systems are primarily built on 5G New Radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks may also be built on E-UTRA radio. It is estimated that NR provides bit rates of approximately 10 to 20 Gbit / s or higher and may support at least service categories such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine type communications (mMTC). NR is expected to deliver extreme broadband and ultra-robust low latency connectivity as well as large-scale networking to support the Internet of Things (IoT). With the increasing popularity of IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, the demand for networks that meet the requirements of low power, low data rate and long battery life will increase. The next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) represents the RAN of 5G, which can provide NR and LTE (and Advanced LTE) radio access. It is to be noted that in 5G, a node that can provide radio access functionality to user equipment (i.e., similar to the Node B (NB) in UTRAN or the evolved NB (eNB) in LTE) can be named as the next generation NB (gNB) when built on the NR radio, and can be named as the next generation eNB (NG-eNB) when built on the E-UTRA radio. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An example embodiment may relate to a method, which may include: configuring, by a network node, a sidelink (SL) UE to use simultaneous SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more SL logical channels ((multiple) LCHs); and configuring multiple transmission styles for the SL UE, the multiple transmission styles being related to the use of SL mode 1 or mode 2.

[0006] In a variation, the transmission pattern may indicate or include: a packet splitting ratio, information on sequential use of SL transmission modes (ie, mode 1 or mode 2), and / or criteria for selecting and using a corresponding transmission pattern for a SL UE.

[0007] In a variation, the configuration of the SL UE may also include: configuring the UE with conditions for triggering the SL LCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the configured transmission pattern; and / or configuring the UE with conditions for triggering the SL LCH to switch from dual-mode back to single-mode operation.

[0008] In a variation, the method may include receiving a message from a UE indicating a transmission pattern selected by the UE for the SL LCH(s). According to one variation, receiving may further include receiving an indication of a reason for the UE to use the selected pattern. In some variations, the reason for using the selected pattern may include high CBR, low PRR, large E2E latency, a large number of retransmissions, and / or RLF. According to a variation, the method may further include performing an appropriate action based on the received reason.

[0009] In a variant, the method may include receiving from the UE a BSR that may be based on the selected transmission pattern. In another variant, when a new transmission mode is selected, receiving may include receiving an updated BSR and / or receiving a reason for selection of the new transmission pattern in the same or a separate message.

[0010] According to a variant, the method may further include: scheduling transmission based on the received BSR and the transmission pattern; and sending a resource allocation to the UE. In another variant, the method may further include: sending a reconfiguration message of the SLLCH and / or the transmission pattern to the UE.

[0011] Another example embodiment may be directed to a method that may include receiving, by a UE, a configuration to use simultaneous SL Mode 1 and Mode 2 for one or more SL LCHs. According to certain embodiments, the method may also include receiving a configuration of multiple transmission patterns associated with the use of SL Mode 1 or Mode 2.

[0012] In a variation, the transmission pattern may indicate or include a packet splitting ratio, information on sequential use of SL transmission modes (ie, mode 1 or mode 2), and / or criteria for the UE to select and use the corresponding transmission pattern.

[0013] According to a variant, receiving the configuration may also include: receiving the configuration of the conditions for triggering the SLLCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the configured transmission pattern; and / or receiving the configuration of the conditions for triggering the SLLCH to switch from dual-mode operation back to single-mode operation.

[0014] In some variants, the method may further include: selecting or updating the correct transmission style from the configured transmission styles based on local sensing and / or measurement results. According to a variant, the method may further include: sending an indication of the selected or updated transmission style of (multiple) SL LCHs to the network node. According to a variant, the transmission may further include: sending an indication of the reason for using the selected or updated style. For example, in some variants, the reason for using the selected style may include high CBR, low PRR, large E2E latency, a large number of retransmissions and / or RLF. According to a variant, the method may further include: transmitting an indication of the selected or updated transmission style of (multiple) SL LCHs to one or more peer SL UEs.

[0015] In another variation, the method may further include: calculating a base station response (BSR) using the selected or updated transmission pattern; and sending the BSR to the network node. In another variation, the method may further include: providing the network node with a reason for selecting the new transmission pattern in the same or a separate message. In another variation, the method may further include: receiving a resource allocation from the network node. According to some variations, the method may further include: receiving a reconfiguration of the SL LCH and / or transmission pattern from the network node.

[0016] In a variation, the method may further include: transmitting packets from the dual-mode SL LCH via different modes according to the selected transmission pattern based on the Mode 1 resources allocated by the network node and the selected Mode 2 resources. In a variation, the method may further include: performing RLM; and using the results of the RLM to select the most appropriate transmission mode. For example, in a variation, the transmission pattern may be used to improve RLM of different modes, which enables and improves real-time monitoring of the different modes.

[0017] Another example embodiment relates to an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform a method according to any other embodiment discussed herein or any variant described above or elsewhere herein.

[0018] Another example embodiment is directed to an apparatus that may include circuitry configured to perform a method according to any of the example embodiments discussed herein, or any variations thereof described above or elsewhere herein.

[0019] Another example embodiment relates to an apparatus that may include means for performing a method according to any of the example embodiments discussed herein, or any variations described above or elsewhere herein.

[0020] Another example embodiment relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions stored thereon to perform at least one embodiment according to any of the example embodiments discussed herein or any of the variations described above or elsewhere herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] For a proper understanding of the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 illustrates an example signaling diagram according to an embodiment;

[0023] Figure 2a illustrates an example flow chart of a method according to an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 2b illustrates an example flow chart of a method according to an embodiment;

[0025] Figure 3a illustrates an example block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment; and

[0026] Figure 3b An example block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] It will be readily understood that the components of certain example embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations. Accordingly, the following detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products for using a side link (SL) with simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 transmissions for load balancing and mode switching is not intended to limit the scope of certain embodiments, but rather is representative of selected example embodiments.

[0028] The features, structures, or characteristics of the example embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments. For example, throughout this specification, the use of the phrases "certain embodiments," "some embodiments," or other similar language refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, throughout this specification, the appearance of the phrases "in certain embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," or other similar language does not necessarily all refer to the same set of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments.

[0029] Additionally, if desired, the different functions or processes discussed below may be performed in different orders and / or concurrently with each other. Furthermore, if desired, one or more of the functions or processes described may be optional or may be combined. Therefore, the following description should be considered as merely an illustration of the principles and teachings of certain example embodiments, and not as a limitation thereof.

[0030] New Radio (NR) Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is part of the next-generation wireless system designed by 3GPP. NR V2X is intended to be used for advanced V2X services, while LTE V2X is used for basic V2X services. One difference between NR V2X and LTE V2X is that NR V2X will allow user equipment (UE) to use both network-scheduled resource allocation mode (i.e., Mode 1) and UE-autonomous resource allocation mode (i.e., Mode 2).

[0031] In other words, NR will provide support for simultaneous configuration of UEs in Mode 1 and Mode 2. A transmitter (TX) UE can be configured to operate in Mode 1 and / or Mode 2. A receiver (RX) UE can receive transmissions without knowing the resource allocation mode used by the TX UE.

[0032] Compared to LTE V2X, NR V2X is developing new concepts and features to support advanced V2X services. One of these new features is the introduction of simultaneous NR SL Mode 1 and Mode 2 for a single V2X user equipment (UE) using SL communications.

[0033] However, one issue associated with simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 is how the UE should determine which part of the SL data to send using Mode 1 or Mode 2. In principle, the UE can be configured by the network (NW) to implement simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2, for example in one or more of the following ways. One way is that the UE can use different modes for different radio access technologies (RATs). For example, a V2X UE uses a network-scheduled resource allocation mode (i.e., Mode 1) for its LTE SL and a UE-autonomous resource allocation mode (i.e., Mode 2) for its NRSL. Another way is that the UE can use different modes on different carriers. For example, a V2X UE can use NR Mode 1 in carrier 1 because it is camped on carrier 1, while it can use NR Mode 2 in carrier 2. Yet another way is that the UE can use different modes based on the operating spectrum. For example, a V2X UE can use NR Mode 1 for SL transmission on a licensed spectrum and NR Mode 2 for SL transmission on an unlicensed spectrum.

[0034] However, the above mentioned options are not flexible enough and may limit the performance improvement of introducing simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2. Compared with the above options, the mode selection method based on SL logical channel (LCH) can be more flexible. Under this method, the SL TX UE can use different modes for different SL LCHs, for example, it can use NR Mode 1 for SL LCH1 and NR Mode 2 for SL LCH2.

[0035] It has been proposed to configure a single mode for each SL LCH / SL Logical Channel Group (LCG) / SL Radio Bearer (RB). Therefore, the UE can use one and only one transmission mode for each SL LCH / SL LCG / SL RB. In this case, the configuration of the transmission mode should be based on the Quality of Service (QoS) requirements of the SL LCH / SL LCG / SL RB and the network performance of each mode. For example, if Mode 1 can provide better reliability than Mode 2, Mode 1 will be configured for SL LCHs with ultra-high reliability requirements. On the other hand, due to the fact that Mode 2 does not require signaling to request and allocate resources, Mode 2 can provide lower latency than Mode 1, so Mode 2 can be applied to SL LCHs with ultra-low latency requirements. This proposal may be wise if the QoS requirements of the SL LCH (such as latency or reliability) can be met in a semi-static manner by a single mode. Note that these types of SL LCHs are referred to as single-mode SL LCHs in this article. However, this proposal to configure a single mode for each SL LCH / SL LCG / SL RB brings at least one problem to configuring an appropriate transmission mode (such as Mode 1 or Mode 2) for the SL LCH on the NW. Typically, the performance of the transmission mode depends on the real-time conditions experienced by the SL UE, such as channel busy rate (CBR), SL transmission power, SL channel conditions, etc. Therefore, the correct transmission mode of the SL LCH may change from time to time depending on the real-time conditions experienced by the SL UE. Therefore, it is difficult for the NW to predict the correct transmission mode of the SL LCH for each specific UE.

[0036] Additionally, if an SL LCH can be supported by both Mode 1 and Mode 2, restricting the SL LCH to using only a single mode may reduce resource usage flexibility and limit achievable performance. These SL LCHs whose QoS requirements can be met by both Mode 1 and Mode 2 are referred to herein as dual-mode SL LCHs. As mentioned above, from a resource usage perspective, one issue is that if the traffic load in one configured mode is higher than the traffic load in the other modes, configuring a dual-mode SL LCH in a single mode may introduce unnecessary restrictions and prevent the dual-mode SL LCH from utilizing available resources in the other modes.

[0037] In LTE V2X, UEs are only allowed to perform SL communications using a single mode: either the network-scheduled resource allocation mode or the UE-autonomous resource allocation mode. Therefore, a UE in the RRC_IDLE state uses the UE-autonomous resource allocation mode to transmit all V2X packets. A UE in the RRC_CONNECTED state can be configured by the network to use either the network-scheduled resource allocation mode or the UE-autonomous resource allocation mode to transmit its V2X packets. In principle, a single mode is used in LTE V2X UEs to serve all packets, regardless of packet priority and delay budget.

[0038] As discussed above, for NR V2X, a single mode (i.e., NR SL Mode 1 or NR SL Mode 2) per SL LCH / SL Logical Channel Group (LCG) / SL Radio Bearer (RB) can be configured for a UE. In this case, taking into account the QoS requirements of the SL LCH / SL LCG / SL RB and the performance of each SL mode, one SL LCH / SL LCG / SL RB will be configured to use a single SL mode. For example, if ultra-low latency is required for the SL LCH / SL LCG / SL RB, NR SL Mode 2 (i.e., UE autonomous resource selection) can be configured because NR SL Mode 1 (i.e., NW scheduled resource allocation) requires additional signaling and latency for the UE to request transmission resources from the network. Therefore, if NR SL Mode 1 is used, the additional signaling for resource request and allocation will introduce additional latency. On the other hand, SL LCH / SL LCG / SL RB requiring ultra-high reliability can be configured to use NR SL mode 1, because the NW-scheduled resource allocation mode can reduce the packet collision rate and provide better reliability compared with the UE-autonomous resource selection mode.

[0039] Certain embodiments enable and / or configure the SL LCH to select a transmission mode at the packet level, i.e., data from the SL LCH can be sent via Mode 1 or Mode 2. In some embodiments, the operation of the SL LCH can be applied to at least a mode switching process in order to obtain real-time performance of each mode and select the best transmission mode for the SL LCH, and / or offload traffic from a congested SL mode to other modes.

[0040] According to certain embodiments, when both Mode 1 and Mode 2 are configured for a SL UE, multiple transmission styles associated with the use of Mode 1 or Mode 2 may also be configured. In an embodiment, the configured transmission style may indicate the sequential use of the SL transmission mode (i.e., Mode 1 or Mode 2) of its packets or the packet splitting ratio between Mode 1 and Mode 2, where single mode operation (i.e., only Mode 1 and / or only Mode 2) may also be configured as one of the styles. In one embodiment, each configured style may be associated with a criterion for selecting and using the corresponding transmission style. For example, in the case of a style defined for load balancing purposes, each style may be configured to be associated with a Mode 2 sensing / measurement result, such as CBR. In the case of a style defined for mode switching, only Mode 1 and / or only Mode 2 style may be configured as the default style. If the performance of the current operating mode is worse than a configured threshold, the simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 styles may be configured to be triggered.

[0041] In some embodiments, the SL TX UE may select the correct transmission pattern, for example, based on its local sensing / measurement results and the configuration of the transmission pattern discussed above. According to an embodiment, the selected / updated transmission pattern may be indicated to the NW to perform the correct actions, such as SL LCH transmission mode reconfiguration, correct resource allocation, etc. In addition, in one embodiment, the selected / updated transmission pattern may also be indicated to the peer SL RX UE, for example, to assist in radio link monitoring (RLM) of each mode.

[0042] According to certain embodiments, for SL LCH / SL LCG / SL UEs operating in simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2, a SL Buffer Status Report (BSR) to the NW may be obtained by using the selected transmission pattern. In other words, in an embodiment, only packets to be sent via Mode 1 according to the configured / selected transmission pattern will be considered in the BSR.

[0043] In an embodiment, the SL UE may also be configured to perform its RLM separately for two different SL modes. The RLM results may be used to select the correct SL transmission mode or switch the transmission interface, for example, from SL communication on the PC5 interface to communication on the Uu interface via the wireless network when the performance of both SL modes cannot meet the service requirements. To achieve this, the RLM configuration, especially the RLL-related configuration (such as corresponding counters and timers), may take the transmission style into consideration. For example, if separate RLM / radio link failure (RLL) on mode 1 and mode 2 are configured, the configured style may allow the UE to detect and recover from radio problems based on the number of consecutive out-of-sync / in-sync indications for each transmission mode, respectively.

[0044] It should be noted that the example embodiments may be applied to each SL UE or each SL LCG or each SL LCH, which may depend on the transmission mode configuration and / or resource allocation granularity in the system.

[0045] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates an example of a signaling diagram depicting certain embodiments. Figure 1 In the example, SL TX and SL RX can represent SL TX and RX UE respectively. Figure 1 As illustrated in the example of , in 101, the SL TX UE may be configured to use simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 for one, multiple, or all SL LCHs (i.e., dual-mode SL LCHs), while other SL LCHs may be single-mode only. For example, if the SL LCH is deemed to be available only via a specific SL mode due to its strict QoS requirements, simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 may not be enabled temporarily.

[0046] In addition, in an embodiment, the UE may also be configured with conditions for using the correct transmission mode. For example, according to some embodiments, the UE may be configured with conditions for triggering the SL LCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the (multiple) transmission patterns indicated in the following process. The triggering condition may be, for example, an increase in the traffic load of the currently used mode, a decrease in the performance of the currently used SL mode, a change in the capabilities to be supported by the link, etc. In an embodiment, the UE may be configured with conditions for triggering the SL LCH to switch from dual mode back to single mode operation. For example, if the performance of one SL mode (e.g., packet reception rate (PRR), packet end-to-end (E2E) delay) and / or the CBR of the SL mode is worse than or higher than a threshold, the dual-mode SL LCH may be switched to a single SL mode with better performance. Note that, at least for, for example, initial configuration, process 1 may be combined with process 102 (discussed below) so that the configuration is sent in a single message.

[0047] like Figure 1 As further illustrated in the example of FIG, in 102, a dual-mode capable SL LCH may be configured with multiple transmission patterns. In an embodiment, if the trigger condition(s) discussed above are detected, each of the transmission patterns may indicate the sequential use of the SL transmission mode (i.e., Mode 1 or Mode 2) of its group. Note that only Mode 1 and / or only Mode 2 patterns may be configured as one of the patterns in the configuration.

[0048] According to certain embodiments, the content of the transmission pattern may include at least some of the following information: a packet splitting ratio, detailed sequence information, and / or criteria for the UE to select and use the corresponding transmission pattern.

[0049] In an embodiment, for each transmission pattern, the packet splitting ratio is the ratio of data transmission via mode 1 to data transmission via mode 2, and vice versa. Different packet splitting ratios can be used under different conditions. For example, if the traffic load of the currently used SL mode A starts to become congested and reaches a threshold S0, the traffic pattern with a ratio of R0 for using SL mode A can be used to offload SL data to other modes, that is, SL mode B. As another example, if the traffic load of SL mode A continues to increase and reaches a higher threshold S1, the SL data can be offloaded to SL mode B by selecting another pattern with a lower ratio of R1 (R1 < R0) for using SL mode A. Since the traffic load under one SL mode can be measured by the UE, different UEs may experience different traffic loads and select different transmission patterns for SL data transmission.

[0050] In an embodiment, the detailed sequence information can include patterns that can be configured with more detailed sequence information by using a periodic sequence. For example, a sequence of [111000] can be used to indicate that the first three packets from the SL UE / SL LCG / SL LCH will be sent in a different mode compared to the next three packets. This sequence information can be applied periodically. In some examples, the packet splitting ratio can be derived from the detailed sequence information.

[0051] As introduced above, the transmission pattern may contain criteria for the UE to select and use the corresponding transmission pattern. For example, in an embodiment, each pattern may be configured with application conditions / events sensed / measured by the UE, such as a range of CBRs, PRRs, packet E2E delays, radio link monitoring results, such as the number of retransmissions in one SL mode or the number of in-sync / out-of-sync indications. Therefore, the UE may select the transmission pattern of the SL LCH based on its local sensing / measurement conditions. For example, if the CBR of the currently used SL mode is much higher than the CBRs of other SL modes, the SL UE may be triggered to switch one or more (multiple) SL LCHs to dual mode to send its packets via two SL modes in order to offload the traffic from one SL mode to another. In another example, if the SL UE experiences performance degradation, such as low PRR, large packet E2E delay, a large number of retransmission attempts, or many out-of-sync indications from the physical layer, especially from transmissions associated with only one SL mode, the SL LCH may also be triggered to select another transmission pattern and split its traffic in different ways via mode 1 and mode 2. Note that in some embodiments, the triggering event may be detected even before the RLF occurs. Therefore, based on the real-time performance experienced, the UE can proactively switch to dual mode or even other appropriate SL transmission modes, thereby reducing the risk of RLF and / or improving service availability. Otherwise, if the UE remains in a single SL mode with reduced performance, RLF may occur or its performance may no longer meet QoS requirements. In this case, the SL mode may be considered unusable and the corresponding service will be disabled, thereby reducing service availability.

[0052] Note that a single-mode SL UE / SL LCG / SL LCH can be configured as a special case of a dual-mode SL UE / SL LCG / SL LCH. It may depend on the real-time system conditions / performance of each mode, such as the CBR, PRR, and packet E2E latency experienced by the UE, for the SL UE to switch between different dual-mode styles, including single-mode operation as one of the styles. Therefore, using transmission styles to send packets via different SL modes enables the SL UE to actively monitor the performance of the different modes and switch to the most appropriate mode.

[0053] In some embodiments, multiple patterns with the same packet splitting ratio can be configured to protect the security and privacy of special / sensitive SL LCH. In this case, the SL LCH can be periodically switched between different patterns, for example, making it difficult for jammers to track SL transmissions.

[0054] According to some embodiments, the configuration of the transmission pattern can be performed using different methods. For example, the NW can configure the pattern by using broadcast signaling and / or dedicated signaling. Alternatively, the transmission pattern can be pre-configured in the SL TX UE. As another option, if the pattern list is pre-configured at the SL TX UE, the NW can signal the feasible patterns by using indicators or pointers in order to save signaling workload. Otherwise, if the NW needs to always send the entire content of the feasible patterns, a large amount of signaling workload may be introduced. As another benefit of this approach, the NW retains the possibility to activate / deactivate appropriate patterns based on its real-time system conditions. For example, if the NW experiences an extremely high traffic load in one SL mode, it can force the dual-mode SL LCH to offload more data to the other SL patterns by only activating those patterns that send less data via the congested SL mode. As yet another option, the UE can be configured or pre-configured with rules to get the correct(s) pattern, which can be a function of different terms, such as CBR from different SL modes.

[0055] Refer again Figure 1 In an example, in 103, if the condition(s) received in 101 are detected and the SL UE / SL LCG / SL LCH is triggered to apply dual-mode transmission, the SL TX UE may select the correct transmission pattern based on its local sensing / measurement results and the configuration received in 102. In 104, the SL TX may send a message to the NW to indicate the transmission pattern selected for the SL LCH. In addition, in an embodiment, the reason for using the selected pattern may also be indicated to the NW. For example, the reason for using the selected pattern may include: high CBR, low PRR, large E2E latency, a large number of retransmissions, and / or RLE.

[0056] In some embodiments, the information received from SL TX can help the NW take the correct action. For example, if the NW receives multiple messages from different UEs for the same reason (e.g., experiencing high CBR), the NW can detect that the configuration mode of the SLUE / SL LCG / SL LCH may no longer be correct, and it may have reconfigured other served UEs to trigger their simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 instead of waiting for a trigger event to be measured by the corresponding UE. As another example, when the NW receives multiple messages from different UEs for the same reason, the NW can reconfigure the served UEs. For example, if multiple SLTX UEs report their RLF from one SL transmission mode, the NW can reconfigure the conditions for triggering dual-mode transmission so that the SLUE / SL LCG / SL LCH can start using dual mode earlier than the RLF occurs. Therefore, this approach can effectively and proactively enable UEs to switch to other modes and reduce the risk of RLF.

[0057] Also like Figure 1 As illustrated in the example of , in 105, the used pattern can also be sent / updated to the (multiple) peer UEs so that the (multiple) peer UEs can efficiently perform radio link monitoring, as discussed in more detail below. In 106, based on the selected transmission pattern, the BSR can be calculated accordingly and reported to the NW, for example, in one example, only packets to be sent via Mode 1 will be considered by the BSR. In addition, when a new transmission pattern is selected, the content of the BSR can be recalculated accordingly and the new buffer status can be updated to the NW. The reason for selecting the new transmission pattern (such as one of the reasons shown in 104) can also be indicated to the NW, for example, by using a separate message.

[0058] In one embodiment, based on the received BSR and transmission pattern, the NW can schedule SL transmissions accordingly and can send its resource allocation to the UE in 107. For example, if the transmission pattern shows that multiple consecutive packets will be sent via SL mode 2 from future time instance T1 to T2, the NW can configure resources that are only valid until T1 (e.g., semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) or configuration grant (CG) resource types). Therefore, the NW can execute its resource allocation algorithm again after those consecutive packets have been sent via SL mode 2 (i.e., time instance T2). In addition, if the BSR has been updated, the associated cause can be used by the NW to adjust its configuration, as mentioned above.

[0059] continue Figure 1In the example of , based on the mode 1 resources allocated by the NW and the mode 2 resources selected by the UE, in 108, the SLTX UE may send its packets via different modes according to the selected transmission style. In 109, the SL RX UE may be able to use the transmission pattern to improve its RLM. If the transmission pattern is not available at the SL RX, the SL RX can only detect the packet reception failure when the SL RX has successfully decoded the SL control information (SCI) from the physical SL control channel (PSCCH) but has not received the SL data packet from the physical SL shared channel (PSSCH). However, if the SL channel condition is not good enough, the SCI may not be successfully decoded, and the SL RX cannot detect the reception failure of the corresponding packet because the SL RX UE is not aware of the transmission from the SL TX UE. However, if the transmission pattern is available at the SL RX, the SL RX may help detect packet loss from one specific mode. For example, if the transmission pattern (e.g., a sequence of [101010...1010]) indicates that each packet should be sent via a different pattern from the previous packet, and each pattern operates on a separate resource pool, then if the SL RX receives two consecutive packets from a resource pool of another single pattern (e.g., SL Mode A), it can be detected that the packet transmitted via one pattern (e.g., SL Mode B) is lost. Correspondingly, the physical layer can indicate to the higher layer that the out-of-sync will be counted in that pattern, e.g., SL Mode B. In this way, the indication received from the physical layer for detecting RLF can be considered for Mode 1 and Mode 2 separately based on the transmission pattern. Therefore, if Figure 1 As shown in 109 , the SL RX can use the transmission pattern to improve its RLM for different modes, thereby achieving and improving real-time monitoring of different modes.

[0060] like Figure 1 As further illustrated in the example of , in 110, the RLM results from different modes may be used by (multiple) SLUEs (SL TX and / or SL RX) to select the most correct transmission mode. For example, if both SL modes perform well, the SL TX may maintain both Mode 1 and Mode 2 simultaneously to balance the traffic between the different modes. Alternatively, it may also switch to single mode transmission by using the most appropriate mode (e.g., the mode with the best performance). As another example, if one SL mode has poor performance that does not meet the QoS requirements of the SL LCH, the SL TX may adapt to future transmissions only by using other modes. As yet another example, if both SL modes have difficulty meeting the QoS requirements of the SL LCH, the SL TX may switch its transmission to use the Uu interface.

[0061] Note that the example embodiments are applicable not only to packet splitting between SL Mode 1 and Mode 2, but also to other scenarios. For example, different patterns can also be applied to packet splitting between transmissions via Uu and PC5, so as to select the most appropriate transmission interface in real time and offload traffic from one interface to another.

[0062] Figure 2a An example flow chart of a method for selecting and applying SL transmission mode according to an example embodiment is illustrated. In some example embodiments, Figure 2a The flowchart of can be executed by a NW entity or NW node in a communication system (such as LTE or 5G NR). For example, in some example embodiments, executing Figure 2a The NW node of the method may include a base station, an eNB, a gNB and / or an NG-RAN node.

[0063] like Figure 2a As illustrated in the example of , the method may include: in 200, configuring the SL UE to use simultaneous SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more SL LCHs. For example, configuration 200 may include: configuring the SL TX to use simultaneous mode 1 and mode 2 for some SL LCHs (i.e., dual-mode SL LCHs), while other SL LCHs may be single-mode. If the UE is configured with simultaneous mode 1 and mode 2, the method may further include: in 205, configuring the UE with multiple transmission patterns associated with using mode 1 or mode 2. In an embodiment, as described above in conjunction with Figure 1 Discussed in more detail, the transmission pattern may indicate or include a packet splitting ratio, information regarding sequential use of SL transmission modes (ie, mode 1 or mode 2), and / or criteria for the UE to select and use the corresponding transmission pattern.

[0064] In some embodiments, the configuration in 200 or 205 may further include: configuring a condition for triggering the SL LCH to start its dual-mode transmission for the UE by using the transmission pattern configured in 205, and / or configuring a condition for triggering the SL LCH to switch from dual-mode back to single-mode operation for the UE. In some embodiments, the configuration in 205 may be combined with and / or performed simultaneously with the configuration in 200.

[0065] In an embodiment, the method may include: in 215, receiving a message from the UE to indicate the transmission style selected by the UE for (multiple) SL LCHs. According to one embodiment, receiving 215 may also include: receiving an indication of the reason why the UE uses the selected style. For example, the reason for using the selected style may include high CBR, low PRR, large E2E latency, a large number of retransmissions and / or RLF. According to certain embodiments, the method may also include: performing appropriate actions based on the received reasons. For example, when multiple messages are received from different UEs for the same reason (e.g., high CBR was experienced), the method may include detecting that the configuration mode of the SL LCH may no longer be correct, and reconfiguring the other served UEs to start their simultaneous mode 1 and mode 2, rather than waiting for a previously configured trigger event. As another example, when multiple messages are received from different UEs for the same reason, the method may include reconfiguring the served UEs.

[0066] In an embodiment, Figure 2a The method may optionally include, at 220, receiving a BSR from the UE that may be based on the selected transmission style. Further, in an embodiment, when a new transmission mode is selected, receiving 220 may include receiving an updated BSR and / or receiving a reason for the selection of the new transmission style in the same or a separate message. According to some embodiments, Figure 2a The method may further include: scheduling transmission based on the received BSR and the transmission pattern in 225; and sending resource allocation to the UE. In an embodiment, the method may further include: sending a reconfiguration of the SL LCH and / or the transmission pattern to the UE.

[0067] Figure 2b An example flow chart of a method for selecting and applying SL transmission mode according to an example embodiment is illustrated. In certain example embodiments, Figure 2b The flowchart of can be executed by a NW entity or NW node in a communication system (such as LTE or 5G NR). For example, in some example embodiments, executing Figure 2b The network entity of the method may be a UE, such as a SLUE (eg, a SL TX UE or a SL RX UE), a mobile station, an IoT device, etc.

[0068] In an embodiment, Figure 2b The method may include: receiving, at 250, a configuration for using simultaneous SL Mode 1 and Mode 2 for one or more SL LCHs from a network node (e.g., a gNB). According to certain embodiments, the method may further include: receiving, at 255, a configuration for multiple transmission patterns associated with using SL Mode 1 or Mode 2. For example, as described above with Figure 1As discussed in detail, the transmission pattern may indicate or include: a packet splitting ratio, information on the sequential use of SL transmission modes (ie, mode 1 or mode 2), and / or criteria for the UE to select and use the corresponding transmission pattern.

[0069] In some embodiments, the reception in 250 or 255 may also include: receiving a configuration of conditions for triggering the SL LCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the transmission pattern configured in 255, and / or receiving a configuration of conditions for triggering the SL LCH to switch from dual-mode back to single-mode operation.

[0070] In some embodiments, Figure 2b The method may further include: in 265, based on local sensing and / or measurement results, selecting or updating the correct transmission style from the configured transmission styles. According to an embodiment, the method may further include: in 270, sending an indication of the selected or updated transmission style of (multiple) SL LCHs to the network node. According to one embodiment, sending 270 may further include: sending an indication of the reason for using the selected or updated style. For example, the reasons for using the selected style may include high CBR, low PRR, large E2E latency, a large number of retransmissions and / or RLF. According to certain embodiments, the method may further include: sending an indication of the selected or updated transmission style of (multiple) SL LCHs to one or more peer SL UEs. This may enable (multiple) peer SL UEs to perform RLM efficiently.

[0071] According to an embodiment, Figure 2b The method may optionally include, at 275, calculating a BSR using the selected or updated transmission pattern and sending the BSR to the network node. For example, in an embodiment, packets to be sent via Mode 1 will be considered for the BSR. In certain embodiments, the method may also include providing the network node with a reason for selecting the new transmission pattern in the same or a separate message. In one embodiment, the method may also include, at 280, receiving a resource allocation from the network node. According to some embodiments, the method may also include receiving a reconfiguration of the SL LCH and / or transmission pattern from the network node.

[0072] In certain embodiments, Figure 2bThe method may further include: in 285, sending packets via different modes according to the selected transmission style based on the mode 1 resources allocated by the network node and the selected mode 2 resources. According to an embodiment, the method may optionally include: in 290, performing RLM, and using the results of the RLM to select the most appropriate transmission mode. For example, the transmission style can be used to improve the RLM of different modes, which enables and improves real-time monitoring of the different modes. Therefore, if both SL modes perform well, the method may include maintaining mode 1 and mode 2 at the same time to balance the traffic between the different modes. Alternatively, the method may include switching to single mode transmission by using the most appropriate mode (e.g., the mode with the best performance). As another example, if one SL mode has performance that does not meet the QoS requirements of the SL LCH, the method may include adapting to future transmissions only by using other modes. As yet another example, if both SL modes have difficulty meeting the QoS requirements of the SL LCH, the method may include switching transmission to use the Uu interface.

[0073] It should be noted that according to some embodiments, Figure 1 、 Figure 2a or Figure 2b One or more of the illustrated processes, functions, or blocks may be optional or may be skipped. Figure 1 、 Figure 2a and Figure 2b Some embodiments are illustrated, but the embodiments should not be considered limited to these examples.

[0074] Figure 3a An example of an apparatus 10 according to an embodiment is shown. In an embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be a node, host, or server in a communication network or serving such a network. For example, the apparatus 10 may be a satellite, a base station, a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a 5G Node B or access point, a next generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), and / or a WLAN access point associated with a radio access network (such as an LTE network, 5G, or NR). In an example embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be an NG-RAN node, an eNB in ​​LTE, or a gNB in ​​5G.

[0075] It should be understood that in some example embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, where the server and the radio nodes may be independent devices that communicate with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or they may be located in the same entity that communicates via a wired connection. For example, in certain example embodiments where the apparatus 10 represents a gNB, it may be configured in a central unit (CU) and distributed unit (DU) architecture that partitions the gNB functionality. In such an architecture, the CU may be a logical node that includes gNB functionality, such as transmission of user data, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning and / or session management. The CU may control the operation of (multiple) DUs on the fronthaul interface. Depending on the functional split option, the DU may be a logical node that includes a subset of the gNB functionality. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the apparatus 10 may include Figure 3a Components or features not shown.

[0076] like Figure 3a As illustrated in the example of , the apparatus 10 may include a processor 12 to process information and execute instructions or operations. The processor 12 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In fact, as examples, the processor 12 may include one or more of the following: a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 12 may be used in Figure 3a 1, but multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, apparatus 10 may include two or more processors, which may form a multi-processor system that can support multi-processing (e.g., in this case, processor 12 may represent a multi-processor). In some embodiments, the multi-processor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0077] Processor 12 may perform functions associated with the operation of device 10, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 10, including processes associated with management of communication resources.

[0078] The device 10 may also include or be coupled to a memory 14 (internal or external), which may be coupled to the processor 12 for storing information and instructions that can be executed by the processor 12. The memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory. For example, the memory 14 may include any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage devices such as magnetic or optical disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer-readable media. The instructions stored in the memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 12, enable the device 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0079] In an embodiment, the device 10 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by the processor 12 and / or the device 10.

[0080] In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for transmitting signals and / or data to and receiving signals and / or data from the apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 may further include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 18 may include, for example, multiple radio interfaces that may be coupled to the antenna(s) 15. The radio interfaces may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), MulteFire, and the like. The radio interfaces may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), mappers, and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks and to receive symbols (e.g., via an uplink).

[0081] Thus, the transceiver 18 can be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by the antenna(s) 15, and demodulate information received via the antenna(s) 15 for further processing by other elements of the apparatus 10. In other embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices).

[0082] In an embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 10. Memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 10. The components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware, or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0083] According to some embodiments, processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in, or may form part of, processing circuitry or control circuitry. Additionally, in some embodiments, transceiver 18 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry.

[0084] As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to a hardware circuitry implementation only (e.g., analog and / or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry with software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor(s) with software (including digital signal processors) that work together to enable a device (e.g., device 10) to perform various functions, and / or hardware circuitry and / or processor(s) or portions thereof that use software to operate, but which may not be present when not needed for operation. As yet another example, as used herein, the term "circuitry" may also cover an implementation of only a hardware circuitry or processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of a hardware circuitry or processor and its accompanying software and / or firmware. For example, the term circuitry may also cover a baseband integrated circuit in a server, cellular network node or device, or other computing or network device.

[0085] As introduced above, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be a NW node or a RAN node, such as a base station, an access point, a Node B, an eNB, a gNB, a WLAN access point, etc. In another example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include a SL UE that performs SL transmission to a SL RX UE. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be configured to perform one or more processes depicted in any flowchart or signaling diagram described herein, such as Figure 1 、 Figure 2a or Figure 2b For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be configured to perform procedures related to selecting and / or applying a SL transmission mode of a dual-mode SL LCH, as discussed herein.

[0086] According to certain embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to configure the SL UE to use simultaneous SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more SL LCHs. For example, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to configure the SL TX to use simultaneous mode 1 and mode 2 for certain SL LCHs (i.e., dual-mode SL LCHs), while other SL LCHs may be single-mode. In an embodiment, the apparatus 10 may also be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to configure the UE with multiple transmission patterns associated with the use of mode 1 or mode 2. In some embodiments, the transmission pattern may indicate or include a packet splitting ratio, information about the sequential use of the SL transmission mode (i.e., mode 1 or mode 2), and / or criteria for the UE to select and use the corresponding transmission pattern.

[0087] In an embodiment, the device 10 can be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to configure the UE with conditions for triggering the SL LCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the transmission pattern configured in 205, and / or configure the UE with conditions for triggering the SLLCH to switch from dual-mode back to single-mode operation.

[0088] In an embodiment, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to receive a message from a UE indicating the transmission pattern selected by the UE for (multiple) SL LCHs. According to one embodiment, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to also receive an indication of the reason for the UE to use the selected pattern. For example, the reason for using the selected pattern may include high CBR, low PRR, large E2E latency, a large number of retransmissions and / or RLF. According to certain embodiments, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to perform appropriate actions based on the received reason. For example, when multiple messages are received from different UEs for the same reason (i.e., experiencing high CBR), the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to detect that the configured mode of the SL LCH may no longer be correct and reconfigure the other served UEs to start their simultaneous mode 1 and mode 2 instead of waiting for a previously configured trigger event. As another example, when multiple messages are received from different UEs for the same reason, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to reconfigure the served UE.

[0089] In an embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to receive a BSR from the UE that may be based on the selected transmission pattern. Further, in an embodiment, when a new transmission pattern is selected, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to receive an updated BSR and / or receive the reason for the selection of the new transmission pattern in the same or separate message. According to certain embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to schedule transmissions based on the received BSR and transmission pattern, and to send resource allocations to the UE. In an embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to send a reconfiguration of the SL LCH and / or transmission pattern to the UE.

[0090] Figure 3b An example of an apparatus 20 according to another embodiment is illustrated. In an embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be a node or element in or associated with a communication network, such as a UE, mobile equipment (ME), mobile station, mobile device, stationary device, IoT device, or other device. As described herein, a UE may alternatively be referred to as, for example, a mobile station, mobile device, mobile unit, mobile device, user equipment, subscriber station, wireless terminal, tablet computer, smart phone, IoT device, sensor, or NB-IoT device. As an example, the apparatus 20 may be implemented in, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, or the like.

[0091] In some example embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the apparatus 20 may include Figure 3b Components or features not shown.

[0092] like Figure 3b As illustrated in the example of , the apparatus 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 22 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In fact, as examples, the processor 22 may include one or more of the following: a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 22 may be used in Figure 3b, but multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, apparatus 20 may include two or more processors, which may form a multi-processor system that can support multi-processing (e.g., in this case, processor 22 may represent a multi-processor). In some embodiments, the multi-processor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0093] Processor 22 may perform functions associated with the operation of device 20 including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 20, including processes associated with management of communication resources.

[0094] The device 20 may also include or be coupled to a memory 24 (internal or external), which may be coupled to the processor 22 for storing information and instructions that can be executed by the processor 22. The memory 24 may be one or more memories and of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, the memory 24 may include any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage devices such as magnetic or optical disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer-readable media. The instructions stored in the memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 22, enables the device 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0095] In an embodiment, the device 20 may further include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by the processor 22 and / or the device 20.

[0096] In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals from the apparatus 20 and transmitting them via an uplink. The apparatus 20 may further include a transceiver 28 configured to send and receive information. The transceiver 28 may further include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to the antenna 25. The radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The radio interface may include other components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDMA symbols.

[0097] For example, the transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by the antenna(s) 25, and to demodulate information received via the antenna(s) 25 for further processing by other elements of the apparatus 20. In other embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

[0098] In an embodiment, the memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by the processor 22. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for the device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to the device 20. The components of the device 20 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, the device 20 may optionally be configured to communicate with the device 10 via a wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology (such as NR).

[0099] According to some embodiments, processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in, or may form part of, processing circuitry or control circuitry. Additionally, in some embodiments, transceiver 28 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry.

[0100] As discussed above, according to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be, for example, a UE (e.g., a SL UE), a mobile device, a mobile station, a ME, an IoT device, and / or an NB-IoT device. According to certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to perform functions associated with the example embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to perform one or more processes depicted in any flowchart or signaling diagram described herein, such as Figure 1 、 Figure 2a or Figure 2b For example, in certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include or represent a UE, such as a SL UE, and may be configured to perform procedures related to configuring and / or applying mode selection of a dual-mode SL LCH.

[0101] In certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to receive a configuration for using simultaneous SL Mode 1 and Mode 2 for one or more SL LCHs from a network node (e.g., a gNB). According to certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to receive a configuration for multiple transmission patterns associated with using SL Mode 1 or Mode 2. For example, as discussed above, the transmission pattern may indicate or include a packet splitting ratio, information regarding sequential use of SL transmission modes (i.e., Mode 1 or Mode 2), and / or criteria for a UE to select and use a corresponding transmission pattern.

[0102] According to an embodiment, the device 20 can also be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to receive a configuration of conditions for triggering the SL LCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the configured transmission style, and / or receive a configuration of conditions for triggering the SL LCH to switch from dual-mode operation back to single-mode operation.

[0103] In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to select or update the correct transmission pattern from the configured transmission patterns based on local sensing and / or measurement results. According to an embodiment, the apparatus 20 may then be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to send an indication of the selected or updated transmission pattern of (multiple) SL LCHs to the network node. According to one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to send an indication of the reason for using the selected or updated pattern. For example, the reason for using the selected pattern may include high CBR, low PRR, large E2E latency, a large number of retransmissions and / or RLF. According to certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to send an indication of the selected or updated transmission pattern of (multiple) SL LCHs to one or more peer SL UEs, which may enable (multiple) peer SL UEs to efficiently perform RLM.

[0104] According to an embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to calculate a BSR using the selected or updated transmission pattern and send the BSR to the network node. For example, in an embodiment, packets to be sent via Mode 1 will be considered for the BSR. In certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to provide the network node with the reason for selecting the new transmission pattern in the same or separate message. In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to receive a resource allocation from the network node. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to receive a reconfiguration of the SL LCH and / or transmission pattern from the network node.

[0105] In certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to transmit packets from the dual-mode SL LCH via different modes according to the selected transmission style based on the mode 1 resources and the selected mode 2 resources allocated by the network node. According to an embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to perform RLM and use the results of the RLM to select the most appropriate transmission mode. For example, the transmission style may be used to improve the RLM of the different modes, which enables and improves real-time monitoring of the different modes. As an example, if both SL modes perform well, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to maintain both mode 1 and mode 2 to balance the traffic between the different modes. Alternatively, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to switch to single-mode transmission by using the most appropriate mode (e.g., the mode with the best performance). As another example, if one SL mode has performance that does not meet the QoS requirements of the SL LCH, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to adapt to future transmissions only by using the other mode. As yet another example, if both SL modes have difficulty meeting the QoS requirements of the SL LCH, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to switch transmission to use the Uu interface.

[0106] Therefore, certain example embodiments provide several technical improvements, enhancements and / or advantages over prior art procedures and constitute at least an improvement in the technical field of wireless network control and management. For example, certain embodiments enable SL LCH to apply simultaneous Mode 1 and Mode 2 transmissions. Some embodiments may allow the UE to balance the traffic load of different SL modes by offloading some data from one SL mode to another mode. Additionally, by splitting the data transmission of SL UE / SL LCG / SL LCH via two different modes, certain embodiments allow the UE to measure the real-time performance on each of the modes. Therefore, the example embodiments provide good accuracy and confidence for determining the correct mode for transmitting packets from the SL LCH. In addition, according to certain embodiments, the UE can actively determine to switch to another SL mode of (multiple) SL LCHs based on its real-time performance measurements from different modes. This can reduce the chance of RLF and improve service availability compared to the case where the SL LCH only adheres to a single SL mode. Therefore, the use of certain example embodiments leads to improved operation of communication networks and their nodes (such as base stations, eNBs, gNBs and / or UEs or mobile stations).

[0107] In some example embodiments, the functionality of any method, process, signaling diagram, algorithm, or flow chart described herein may be implemented by software and / or computer program code or portion thereof, which is stored in a memory or other computer-readable or tangible medium and executed by a processor.

[0108] In some example embodiments, the apparatus may be included in or associated with at least one software application, module, unit, or entity configured as a program or portion thereof (including added or updated software routines) for (multiple) arithmetic operations or for execution by at least one arithmetic processor. A program (also referred to as a program product or computer program, including software routines, applets, and macros) may be stored in any device-readable data storage medium and may include program instructions for performing specific tasks.

[0109] The computer program product may include one or more computer executable components that are configured to perform some example embodiments when the program is run. The one or more computer executable components may be at least one software code or portion of a code. Modifications and configurations required to implement the functionality of the example embodiments may be performed as (multiple) routines, which may be implemented as additional or updated (multiple) software routines. In one example, (multiple) software routines may be downloaded to a device.

[0110] As an example, the software or computer program code or part of the code may be in source code form, object code form or some intermediate form, and it may be stored in some carrier, distribution medium or computer readable medium (which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program). For example, such a carrier may include a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory, an optical and / or electrical carrier signal, a telecommunications signal and / or a software distribution package. Depending on the required processing power, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer, or it may be distributed among multiple computers. The computer readable medium or computer readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

[0111] In other example embodiments, the functionality may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in the device, for example, by using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another example embodiment, the functionality may be implemented as a signal, such as an intangible component carried by an electromagnetic signal downloaded from the Internet or other network.

[0112] According to example embodiments, an apparatus such as a node, a device or a corresponding component may be configured as a circuit system, a computer or a microprocessor such as a single-chip computer element, or as a chipset that may include at least a memory for providing storage capacity for (multiple) arithmetic operations and / or an operation processor for performing (multiple) arithmetic operations.

[0113] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the example embodiments discussed above may be practiced with procedures in a different order and / or with hardware elements in configurations different from those disclosed. Therefore, although some embodiments have been described based on these example embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the example embodiments.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising: configuring, by the network node, at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE to use simultaneous sidelink SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more sidelink SL logical channels LCH; Configuring a plurality of transmission patterns for the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE, wherein the plurality of transmission patterns are associated with usage of the sidelink SL mode 1 or mode 2; as well as A message is received from the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE, where the message is used to indicate a transmission pattern selected by the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE for the sidelink SL logical channel LCH.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission style indicates or includes at least one of the following: a packet splitting rate, information about the sequential use of the side link SL transmission mode 1 or mode 2, or a standard for selecting and using the corresponding transmission style for at least one side link SL user equipment UE.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein configuring the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE) comprises at least one of the following: configuring a condition for the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE by using the configured transmission pattern, the condition being used to trigger a sidelink SL logical channel LCH to start its dual-mode transmission; or A condition is configured for the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE, where the condition is used to trigger the sidelink SL logical channel LCH to switch from the dual mode back to single mode operation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving comprises: An indication of a reason for using the selected pattern is received for the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE).

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: Based on the reason received, an appropriate action is performed.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Based on the selected transmission pattern, a buffer status report BSR is received from the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein when a new transmission pattern is selected, the receiving comprises at least one of: receiving an updated buffer status report (BSR), or receiving a reason for the selection of the new transmission pattern in the same or separate message.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: scheduling the transmission based on the received buffer status report BSR and the transmission pattern; as well as A resource allocation is sent to the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: Sending a reconfiguration of at least one of the following to the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE: a sidelink SL logical channel LCH or a transmission pattern.

10. An apparatus for communication, comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: configuring at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE to use simultaneous sidelink SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more sidelink SL logical channels LCH; Configuring a plurality of transmission patterns for the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE, wherein the plurality of transmission patterns are associated with usage of the sidelink SL mode 1 or mode 2; as well as A message is received from the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE, where the message is used to indicate a transmission pattern selected by the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE for the sidelink SL logical channel LCH.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the transmission style indicates or includes at least one of the following: a packet splitting rate, information about the sequential use of the side link SL transmission mode 1 or mode 2, or a criterion for selecting and using the corresponding transmission style for the at least one side link SL user equipment UE.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, in order to configure the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE), the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least one of the following: configuring a condition for the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE by using the configured transmission pattern, the condition being used to trigger a sidelink SL logical channel LCH to start its dual-mode transmission; or A condition is configured for the at least one side link SL user equipment UE, where the condition is used to trigger the side link SL logical channel LCH to switch from the dual mode back to single mode operation.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in order to receive the message, the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive an indication of a reason for the at least one side link SL user equipment UE to use the selected style.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: perform an appropriate action based on the received cause.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: Based on the selected transmission pattern, a buffer status report BSR is received from the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE).

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein when a new transmission pattern is selected, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive at least one of the following in the same or separate messages: an updated buffer status report (BSR), or a reason for the selection of the new transmission pattern.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: scheduling the transmission based on the received buffer status report BSR and the transmission pattern; and A resource allocation is sent to the at least one sidelink (SL) user equipment (UE).

18. An apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, enable the apparatus to at least: send a reconfiguration of at least one of the following to the at least one side link SL user equipment UE: a side link SL logical channel LCH or a transmission pattern.

19. An apparatus for communication, comprising: means for configuring at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE to use simultaneous sidelink SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more sidelink SL logical channels LCH; means for configuring a plurality of transmission patterns for said at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE, said plurality of transmission patterns being associated with usage of said sidelink SL mode 1 or mode 2; as well as A component for receiving a message from the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE, wherein the message is used to indicate the transmission mode selected by the at least one sidelink SL user equipment UE for the sidelink SL logical channel LCH.

20. A method of communication, comprising: Receiving, by a user equipment UE, a configuration to use simultaneous sidelink SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more sidelink SL logical channels LCH; as well as receiving a configuration for a plurality of transmission patterns associated with use of the sidelink SL mode 1 or mode 2; The transmission pattern is selected or updated from the configured transmission patterns based on at least one of the following: local sensing or measurement results.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the transmission style indicates or includes at least one of the following: a packet splitting rate, information about the sequential use of the side link SL transmission mode 1 or mode 2, or a criterion for selecting and using the corresponding transmission style for the user equipment UE.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein receiving the configuration includes at least one of the following: receiving a configuration of conditions for triggering the side link SL logical channel LCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the configured transmission style, or receiving a configuration of conditions for triggering the side link SL logical channel LCH to switch from the dual-mode operation back to single-mode operation.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising: An indication of the selected or updated transmission pattern for the sidelink SL logical channel LCH is sent to a network node.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the sending comprises: An indication of a reason for using the selected or updated transmission pattern is sent.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising: An indication of the selected or updated transmission pattern for the sidelink SL logical channel LCH is sent to one or more peer sidelink SL user equipments UE.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising: Calculating a buffer status report (BSR) using the selected or updated transmission pattern; as well as The buffer status report BSR is sent to a network node.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising: Receive resource allocations from network nodes.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising: A reconfiguration of at least one sidelink (SL) logical channel (LCH) or transmission pattern is received from a network node.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising: Based on the sidelink SL mode 1 resources allocated by the network node and the selected sidelink SL mode 2 resources, packets from the dual-mode sidelink SL logical channel LCH are sent via different modes according to the selected transmission pattern.

30. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 29, further comprising: Perform radio link monitoring RLM; as well as The results of the radio link monitoring RLM are used to select the most appropriate transmission mode.

31. An apparatus for communication, comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receiving a configuration to use simultaneous sidelink SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more sidelink SL logical channels LCH; as well as receiving a configuration for a plurality of transmission patterns associated with usage of the sidelink SL mode 1 or mode 2; The transmission pattern is selected or updated from the configured transmission patterns based on at least one of the following: local sensing or measurement results.

32. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the transmission style indicates or includes at least one of the following: a packet splitting rate, information about the sequential use of the side link SL transmission mode 1 or mode 2, or a criterion for selecting and using the corresponding transmission style for the apparatus.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least one of: Receiving configuration of conditions for triggering a sidelink SL logical channel LCH to start its dual-mode transmission by using the configured transmission pattern; or A configuration of said conditions for triggering the sidelink SL logical channel LCH to switch from said dual mode operation back to single mode operation is received.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: An indication of the selected or updated transmission pattern for the sidelink SL logical channel LCH is sent to a network node.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein when sending the indication, the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: send an indication of a reason for using the selected or updated transmission pattern.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: An indication of the selected or updated transmission pattern of the sidelink SL logical channel LCH is sent to one or more peer sidelink SL user equipments UE.

37. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: Calculating a buffer status report (BSR) using the selected or updated transmission pattern; and The buffer status report BSR is sent to a network node.

38. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: A resource allocation is received from a network node.

39. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: A reconfiguration of at least one sidelink (SL) logical channel (LCH) or transmission pattern is received from a network node.

40. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: Based on the sidelink SL mode 1 resources allocated by the network node and the selected sidelink SL mode 2 resources, packets from the dual-mode sidelink SL logical channel LCH are sent via different modes according to the selected transmission pattern.

41. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 to 40, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: Performing radio link monitoring (RLM); and The results of the radio link monitoring RLM are used to select the most appropriate transmission mode.

42. An apparatus for communication, comprising: means for receiving a configuration to use simultaneous sidelink SL mode 1 and mode 2 for one or more sidelink SL logical channels LCH; as well as means for receiving a configuration of a plurality of transmission patterns associated with usage of said sidelink SL mode 1 or mode 2; The transmission pattern is selected or updated from the configured transmission patterns based on at least one of the following: local sensing or measurement results.

43. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions stored on the computer-readable medium for at least performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or claims 20 to 30.

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