Methods and apparatus for switching processes

Abstract

A method for a user equipment (UE) is provided, the method comprising: performing an HO of a target primary cell (PCell) and adding a target PSCell based on a command for a handover (HO) with a primary and secondary cell (PSCell); adjusting the radio frequency (RF) of the HO of the target PCell according to a reference signal (RS) timing of the HO of the target PCell, and adjusting the RF of the added target PSCell according to the RS timing of the addition of the target PSCell.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates generally to wireless communication systems, and more specifically to user equipment (UE) radio frequency (RF) adjustment during handover (HO) with primary secondary cell (PSCell). BACKGROUND

[0002] Wireless mobile communication technology uses various standards and protocols to transmit data between base stations and wireless mobile devices. Wireless communication system standards and protocols can include, but are not limited to, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE); Fifth Generation (5G) 3GPP New Radio (NR) standards; technologies beyond 5G. In a Fifth Generation (5G) wireless radio access network (RAN), a base station can include a RAN node such as a 5G node, a New Radio (NR) node, or a g-NodeB (gNB) that communicates with a wireless communication device, also referred to as a user equipment (UE). SUMMARY

[0003] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method for a user equipment (UE) includes performing a handover (HO) of a target primary cell (PCell) and an addition of a target primary secondary cell (PSCell) based on a command for the HO with the PSCell; adjusting a radio frequency (RF) of the HO of the target PCell according to a reference signal (RS) timing of the HO of the target PCell, and adjusting the RF of the addition of the target PSCell according to a RS timing of the addition of the target PSCell.

[0004] According to an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for a user equipment (UE) is provided that includes one or more processors configured to perform the steps of a method as described above.

[0005] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes an apparatus to perform the steps of a method as described above.

[0006] According to an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for a communication device is provided that includes means for performing the steps of a method as described above.

[0007] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a computer program product includes a computer program which, when executed by one or more processors, causes an apparatus to perform the steps of a method as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] The features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system including a base station and a user equipment (UE) according to some embodiments.

[0010] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary method for a UE according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 3 shows RF adjustment of a UE being processed sequentially according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figures 4A-4C shows RF adjustment of a UE being processed in parallel according to embodiments.

[0013] Figure 5A and Figure 5B shows RF adjustment of a UE being processed in parallel according to another embodiment.

[0014] Figure 6A and Figure 6B shows RF adjustment of a UE being processed in parallel according to yet another embodiment.

[0015] Figure 7 shows a communication device (e.g., a UE or a base station) according to some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 8 shows an exemplary interface of baseband circuitry according to some embodiments.

[0017] Figure 9 shows components according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 10 shows an architecture of a wireless network according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] In the present disclosure, a “base station” can include a RAN node such as an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) node B, also commonly referred to as an evolved Node B, an enhanced Node B, eNode B, or eNB, and / or a radio network controller (RNC) and / or a 5G node, a New Radio (NR) node, or g Node B (gNB), which communicates with wireless communication devices, also referred to as user equipment (UE). While some examples can be described with reference to any one of these types of base stations, such devices can be replaced by any type of base station.

[0020] In related art, interruption of HO with PSCell depends on UE implementation of RF adjustment, e.g., RF tuning / re-tuning, bandwidth (BW) change, etc. During HO with PSCell addition / change, both HO and PSCell addition / change are performed by the UE, and the UE needs to coordinate RF adjustment for both to minimize performance loss.

[0021] To achieve this, UE RF adjustment during HO with PSCell is provided by the present disclosure. Various aspects of the present disclosure will be described in connection with the drawings, below.

[0022] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system including a base station and a user equipment (UE) in accordance with some embodiments. Figure 1 A wireless network 100 is shown in accordance with some embodiments. The wireless network 100 includes a UE 101 and a base station 150 connected via an air interface 190.

[0023] The UE 101 and any other UEs in the system can be, for example, a laptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a printer, a machine type device such as a smart meter or a special purpose device or any other wireless device with or without a user interface. The base station 150 can provide network connectivity to a wider network (not shown) to the UE 101 via the air interface 190 in a base station service area provided by the base station 150. In some embodiments, such a wider network can be a wide area network operated by a cellular network provider, or can be the Internet. Each base station service area associated with the base station 150 is supported by antennas integrated with the base station 150. The service area is divided into multiple sectors associated with certain antennas. Such sectors can be physically associated with fixed antennas, or can be assigned to physical areas with tunable antennas or antenna settings that can be adjusted in a beamforming process for directing signals to a particular sector. For example, one embodiment of the base station 150 includes three sectors, each covering a 120 degree area, with an antenna array pointing to each sector to provide 360 degree coverage around the base station 150.

[0024] The UE 101 includes control circuitry 105 coupled with transmission circuitry 110 and reception circuitry 115. The transmission circuitry 110 and reception circuitry 115 can each be coupled with one or more antennas. The control circuitry 105 can be adapted to perform operations associated with MTC. In some embodiments, the control circuitry 105 of the UE 101 can perform calculations or can initiate measurements associated with the air interface 190 to determine channel quality of available connections to the base station 150. These calculations can be performed in conjunction with the control circuitry 155 of the base station 150. The transmission circuitry 110 and reception circuitry 115 can be adapted to transmit and receive data, respectively. The control circuitry 105 can be adapted or configured to perform various operations, such as various operations related to a UE described elsewhere in the present disclosure. The transmission circuitry 110 can transmit a plurality of multiplexed uplink physical channels. The plurality of uplink physical channels can be multiplexed according to time division multiplexing (TDM) or frequency division multiplexing (FDM). The transmission circuitry 110 can be configured to receive blocks of data from the control circuitry 105 for transmission across the air interface 190. Similarly, the reception circuitry 115 can receive a plurality of multiplexed downlink physical channels from the air interface 190 and relay these physical channels to the control circuitry 105. The uplink and downlink physical channels can be multiplexed according to TDM or FDM. The transmission circuitry 110 and reception circuitry 115 can transmit and receive control data and content data (e.g., messages, images, video, etc.) structured within blocks of data carried by the physical channels.

[0025] Figure 1 A base station 150 according to various embodiments is also shown. The base station 150 circuitry can include control circuitry 155 coupled with transmission circuitry 160 and reception circuitry 165. The transmission circuitry 160 and reception circuitry 165 can each be coupled with one or more antennas that can be used to enable communication via the air interface 190.

[0026] The control circuitry 155 can be adapted to perform operations associated with MTC. The transmission circuitry 160 and reception circuitry 165 can be adapted to transmit and receive data, respectively, within a narrow system bandwidth that is narrower than a standard bandwidth used for personal communications. In some embodiments, for example, the transmission bandwidth can be set to or near 1.4 MHz. In other embodiments, other bandwidths can be used. The control circuitry 155 can perform various operations, such as operations related to a base station described elsewhere in the present disclosure.

[0027] Within the narrow system bandwidth, the transmission circuitry 160 can transmit a plurality of multiplexed downlink physical channels. The plurality of downlink physical channels can be multiplexed according to TDM or FDM. The transmission circuitry 160 can transmit the plurality of multiplexed downlink physical channels in a downlink superframe composed of a plurality of downlink subframes.

[0028] Within a narrow system bandwidth, receiver circuit 165 can receive multiple multiplexed uplink physical channels. These multiple uplink physical channels can be multiplexed according to TDM or FDM. Receiver circuit 165 can receive these multiple multiplexed uplink physical channels in an uplink superframe composed of multiple uplink subframes.

[0029] As further described below, control circuits 105 and 155 may be involved in measuring the channel quality of air interface 190. Channel quality may be based, for example, on physical barriers between UE 101 and base station 150, electromagnetic interference from other sources, reflections, or indirect paths between UE 101 and base station 150, or other such signal noise sources. Based on channel quality, multiple retransmissions of data blocks can be scheduled, allowing transmission circuit 110 to transmit multiple copies of the same data, and receiving circuit 115 to receive multiple copies of the same data.

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary method for a UE according to some implementation schemes is shown.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown in method 200, the UE can 201 execute the HO of the target primary cell (PCell) and the addition of the target PSCell based on a command for a handover (HO) with a primary and secondary cell (PSCell). The UE can 202 adjust the radio frequency (RF) of the target PCell's HO according to the timing of the reference signal (RS) of the target PCell's HO, and 203 adjust the RF of the target PSCell's addition according to the timing of the RS of the addition of the target PSCell.

[0032] It should be noted that the PSCell addition / change described in this disclosure can refer to the addition of a PSCell or the change of a PSCell. When used only in this disclosure, the expression "addition" of a PSCell is also intended to cover other scenarios, namely, the "change" of a PSCell.

[0033] In some implementations, the UE can be as follows: Figure 1 The UE 101 described herein. The UE can receive commands for the HO from the network side, for example, from the source PCell.

[0034] In some implementations, the command may be a radio resource control (RRC) command (hereinafter also referred to as the "HO command") targeting a HO with a PSCell. Upon receiving the command, the UE may begin the HO of the target PCell after a predetermined delay time has elapsed.

[0035] In some implementations, the HO of the target PCell (hereinafter also referred to as "PCell HO") and the addition of the target PSCell (hereinafter also referred to as "PSCell addition") can be performed sequentially. The PSCell addition can be performed when the RACH of the PCell HO is completed.

[0036] In this scenario, the UE can avoid adjusting the RF added to the PSCell during the PCell HO period to keep the PCell HO process unaffected. This means the UE can adjust the RF added to the PSCell only after the PCell HO is complete. References will follow below. Figure 3 Describe more details.

[0037] In some implementations, PCell HO and PSCell add can be executed in parallel. After the HO command is decoded, PSCell add can be executed in parallel with the HO RACH.

[0038] In this scenario, the UE can adjust the RF of the PCell HO during the PCell HO time period 202, and adjust the RF of the PSCell during the PSCell added time period 203. See below for further details. Figures 4A-4C , Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 6A , Figure 6B Describe more details.

[0039] In some implementations, the RS timing can be a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS), or a RACH (or other channel) timing. The RS timing of the PCell HO and the RS timing added by the PSCell can refer to the downlink (DL), i.e., the DL RS timing.

[0040] In some implementations, the UE may 202 adjust the RF of the PCell HO to perform at least one of the following operations: tune or retune the RF chain, power the RF chain, and widen the RF coverage in the frequency domain to include the RS timing of the target PCell.

[0041] Similarly, the UE can adjust the added RF of the target PSCell to perform at least one of the following operations: tune or retune the RF chain, power the RF chain, and widen the coverage of the RF in the frequency domain to include the RS timing of the target PSCell.

[0042] According to this disclosure, since the RF adjustment of PCell HO and the RF adjustment added to PSCell are controlled by timing the corresponding RS timing, interruptions can be avoided or minimized during the time period of PCell HO.

[0043] Figure 3 The RF adjustment of a UE being processed sequentially according to some implementation schemes is shown.

[0044] like Figure 3 As shown, PCell HO 305 and PSCell Add 310 can be executed sequentially. PSCell Add 310 can be executed when the UE completes PCell HO 305, that is, when the RACH of PCell HO 305 is completed. In other words, the UE can start PSCell Add 310 when it completes PCell HO 305.

[0045] Therefore, the time range of PCell HO 305 is from the time when the UE starts PCell HO 305 to the time when the UE starts adding 310 to PSCell. The time range of PSCell addition is from the time when the UE starts adding 310 to PSCell to the time when the UE sends the RACH preamble to PSCell (msg1).

[0046] The UE can receive HO command 315, for example, from the network side, such as from the source PCell. Upon receiving HO command 315, the UE can start PCell HO 305 after the delay time TRRC_procedure_delay 320 has elapsed.

[0047] Because there may be RS opportunities during the PCell HO 305 time period for PCell synchronization or tracking, performing RF adjustments on PSCell Add 310 will interrupt the reception or transmission of such RS opportunities. RS opportunities can be, for example, Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS), or RACH (or other channel) opportunities.

[0048] According to this disclosure, the UE can avoid adjusting the RF of PSCell Add 310 during the PCell HO 305 time period. That is, the UE can adjust the RF of PSCell Add 310 only after PCell HO 305 is completed. Here, the completion point of PCell HO 305 can be, for example, PCell RACH timing or PCell Random Access Response (RAR) receive timing.

[0049] Thus, the timing of RS during the PCell HO 305 time period may not be affected.

[0050] In some implementations, the UE can adjust the RF of PSCell Add 310 before the first available RS timing 325-1. For example, the RS timing of PCell HO and the RS timing of PSCell Add can refer to the downlink (DL), i.e., the DL RS timing.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, the UE can adjust the RF of PSCell addition 310 within the time range from the time point when the UE starts adding PSCell 310 to the time point when the first DL RS timing 325-1.

[0052] Therefore, the interruption can be limited to the time range from the start of PSCell addition 310 (i.e., the completion point of PCell HO 305) to the first available DL RS timing 325-1 of PSCell addition.

[0053] In some implementations, the UE can adjust the RF of PSCell Add-in 310 before the RACH transmission of PSCell Add-in 310, where a predetermined number of RS timings of PSCell Add-in 310 have been measured.

[0054] It should be understood that, for the purpose of explanation, Figure 3 Two DL RS timings, 325-1 and 325-2, have already been shown. However, there may be... Figure 3 More or fewer DL RS times. RACH transmission of the PSCell can occur when the predetermined number of RS times (310) has been measured for the PSCell.

[0055] Therefore, the interruption can be limited to the time frame from the start of PSCell Add 310 (i.e., the completion point of PCell HO 305) to the RACH transfer of PSCell.

[0056] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, when performing sequential processing of PCell HO and PSCell addition, the UE can adjust the RF added to the PSCell only after PCell HO is completed. Therefore, the timing of RS during the PCell HO period may not be affected.

[0057] Figures 4A-4C The RF adjustment of a UE that is being processed in parallel according to the implementation scheme is shown.

[0058] like Figures 4A-4CAs shown, PCell HO 405 and PSCell Add 410 can be executed in parallel. This means that PSCell Add 410 and PCell HO 405 are executed in parallel when HO command 415 is decoded, i.e., after the delay time TRRC_procedure_delay 420 has elapsed. In other words, the time point at which the UE starts PCell HO 405 is the same as the time point at which the UE starts PSCell Add 410. In this case, the UE adjusts the RF of PCell HO 405 during the PCell HO 405 time period and adjusts the RF of PSCell Add 410 during the PSCell Add 410 time period.

[0059] In some implementations, the RF tuning of the PCell HO 405 can be independent of the RF tuning of the PSCell 410. This can lead to various scenarios. Figure 4A This illustrates a scenario where the time period of PCell HO 405 is longer than the time period of PSCell 410. Figure 4B and Figure 4C This illustrates a scenario where the time period of PCell HO405 is shorter than the time period of PSCell Add 410. The two scenarios will be discussed separately below, and details such as... Figure 3 Similar features in.

[0060] PCell HO 405 PSCell addition 410 long

[0061] like Figure 4A As shown, the UE can adjust the RF of PSCell Add 410 during the time period of PSCell Add 410 before the first available RS timing 425. Therefore, the interruption based on RF adjustment from PSCell Add 410 can be located within the time period of PCell HO 405. In other words, the duration for which the UE adjusts the RF of PSCell Add 410 in the PSCell Add 410 timeline can be reflected in the PCell HO 405 timeline, which is in Figures 4A-4C The image is depicted as two dashed lines and a hollow block. This type of reflection may or may not affect the PCell HO 405.

[0062] On the one hand, when the duration of RF 430 of PSCell Add 410 by the UE conflicts with at least one RS timing of PCell HO405, causing the at least one RS timing of PCell HO405 to be interrupted, the time period of PCell HO405 may be extended. This means that the RF adjustment 430 of PSCell Add 410 has caused at least one RS timing of PCell HO405 to be lost. In some implementations, the time period of PCell HO405 may be extended by at least one RS timing.

[0063] On the other hand, the time period of PCell HO 405 may not be extended if the RS timing of PCell HO 405 is not interrupted by the RF adjustment 430 of PSCell Add 410.

[0064] PCell HO 405 PSCell addition 410 short

[0065] like Figure 4B The scene shown is similar to... Figure 4A The scenario shown illustrates an RF-based interrupt from PSCell Add 410 that can occur within the time period of PCell HO 405.

[0066] In this case, similarly, Figure 4A As discussed earlier, if the duration of RF 430 of PSCell Add 410 by the UE conflicts with at least one RS timing of PCell HO 405, causing the at least one RS timing of PCell HO 405 to be interrupted, the time period of PCell HO 405 may be extended. If the RS timing of PCell HO 405 is not interrupted by RF adjustment 430 of PSCell Add 410, the time period of PCell HO 405 may not be extended.

[0067] In comparison, such as Figure 4C As shown, the UE can adjust RF430 of PSCell Addition 410 after PCell HO 405 is completed. In this case, the UE interrupts the data channel and / or control channel on the target PCell during the duration of the UE adjusting RF 430 of PSCell Addition 410.

[0068] In other words, an RF-adjusted interrupt from PSCell Add 410 can occur outside the time period of PCell HO 405. In this case, such an interrupt will be assumed to be a data and / or control interrupt on the PCell.

[0069] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, when performing parallel processing of PCell HO and PSCell addition, the UE can adjust the RF of PCell HO during the PCell HO time period and adjust the RF of PSCell addition during the PSCell addition time period. This avoids or minimizes interruptions during the PCell HO time period.

[0070] Figure 5A and Figure 5B The RF adjustment of a UE being processed in parallel according to another implementation is shown.

[0071] like Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, PCell HO 505 and PSCell Add 510 can be executed in parallel, and the UE adjusts the RF of PCell HO 505 during the time period of PCell HO 505 and adjusts the RF of PSCell Add 510 during the time period of PSCell Add 510. Similarly, as referenced... Figures 4A-4C As stated above, when HO command 515 is decoded, that is, after the delay time TRRC_procedure_delay 520 has elapsed, PSCell add 510 is executed in parallel with PCell HO 505.

[0072] Furthermore, the UE may adjust the RF of the target PCell's HO and the added RF of the target PSCell in the time domain in an aligned manner. For example... Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, the block labeled "RF adjustment 530 of PSCell Add 510" is aligned with the block labeled "RF adjustment 535 of PCell HO 505".

[0073] Figure 5A This illustrates a scenario where the time period of PCell HO 505 is shorter than the time period of PSCell 510, while Figure 5B The example illustrates a scenario where the time period of PCell HO 505 is longer than the time period of PSCell Add 510. However, regardless of whether the time period of PCell HO 505 is longer or shorter than the time period of PSCell Add 510, the UE can coordinate the RF units between the PCell carrier and the PSCell carrier to align RF adjustments in the time domain.

[0074] In some implementations, the UE can simultaneously adjust the RF of PCell HO 505 and the RF of PSCell Addition 510 before the earlier of the first available RS timing of the target PCell HO and the first available RS timing of the target PSCell Addition.

[0075] like Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, the block labeled "First Available DL RS Timing 540 of PCell HO 505" precedes the block labeled "First Available DL RS Timing 525 of PSCell Addition 510", and therefore the blocks labeled "RF Adjustment 530 of PSCell Addition 510" and "RF Adjustment 535 of PCell HO 505" are aligned with each other in the time domain before the block labeled "First Available DL RS Timing 540 of PCell HO 505".

[0076] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, neither the time period of PCell HO nor the time period of PSCell addition is extended. Furthermore, after PCell HO, the data / control channels on PCell are not interrupted by PSCell addition.

[0077] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The RF adjustment of a UE that is being processed in parallel according to yet another implementation is shown.

[0078] like Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown, PCell HO 605 and PSCell Add 610 can be executed in parallel, and the UE adjusts the RF of PCell HO 605 during the time period of PCell HO 605 and adjusts the RF of PSCell Add 610 during the time period of PSCell Add 610. Similarly, as referenced... Figure 5A and Figure 5B As described above, when HO command 615 is decoded, i.e., after the delay time TRRC_procedure_delay 620 has elapsed, PSCell add 610 is executed in parallel with PCell HO 605. In particular, the target PCell and PSCell are in-band dual-connected (DC) (sharing automatic gain control (AGC)).

[0079] Furthermore, the UE may adjust the RF of the target PCell's HO and the added RF of the target PSCell in the time domain in an aligned manner. For example... Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown, the block labeled "RF adjustment 630 for PSCell Add 610" is aligned with the block labeled "RF adjustment 635 for PCell HO 605".

[0080] Figure 6A This illustrates a scenario where the time period of PCell HO 605 is shorter than the time period of PSCell 610.Figure 6B The example illustrates a scenario where the time period of PCell HO 605 is longer than the time period of PSCell Add 610. However, regardless of whether the time period of PCell HO 605 is longer or shorter than the time period of PSCell Add 610, the UE can coordinate the RF units between the PCell carrier and the PSCell carrier to align RF adjustments in the time domain.

[0081] In some implementations, the UE simultaneously adjusts the RF of PCell HO 605 and the RF of PSCell Addition 610 in the time domain before the first overlapping time point between the RS timing 640 of PCell HO 605 and the RS timing 625 of PSCell Addition 610.

[0082] like Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown, the block labeled "DL RS Timing 625 of PSCell Add 610" and the block labeled "DL RS Timing 640 of PCell HO 605" first overlap in the time domain, and therefore before these two blocks, the blocks labeled "RF Adjustment 630 of PSCell Add 610" and the blocks labeled "RF Adjustment 635 of PCell HO 605" are aligned with each other in the time domain.

[0083] In such Figure 6A In the scenario shown, if the RS periodicity of the target PCell is less than the RS periodicity of the target PSCell, the time period of PCell HO 605 can be extended because the UE will use the common RS for AGC settlement and accordingly will use the common RS periodicity to determine the time period of PCell HO 605.

[0084] In such Figure 6B In the scenario shown, if the RS periodicity of the target PSCell is less than the RS periodicity of the target PCell, the time period for adding 610 to the PSCell can be extended because the UE will use the common RS for AGC settlement and accordingly will use the common RS periodicity to determine the time period for adding 610 to the PSCell.

[0085] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, interruptions can be avoided or minimized during the PCell HO time period.

[0086] Figure 7 Communication devices (e.g., UEs or base stations) according to some implementation schemes are shown. Figure 7Example components of device 700 according to some embodiments are shown. In some embodiments, device 700 may include at least application circuitry 702, baseband circuitry 704, radio frequency (RF) circuitry (shown as RF circuitry 720), front-end module (FEM) circuitry (shown as FEM circuitry 730), one or more antennas 732, and power management circuitry (PMC) (shown as PMC 734) coupled together as shown. Components of the illustrated device 700 may be included in a UE or RAN node. In some embodiments, device 700 may include fewer components (e.g., the RAN node may not utilize application circuitry 702, but instead include a processor / controller to process IP data received from the EPC). In some embodiments, device 700 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).

[0087] Application circuitry 702 may include one or more application processors. For example, application circuitry 702 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 700. In some embodiments, the processor of application circuitry 702 may process IP data packets received from the EPC.

[0088] Baseband circuitry 704 may include circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. Baseband circuitry 704 may include one or more baseband processors or control logic components to process baseband signals received from the receive signal path of RF circuitry 720 and to generate baseband signals for the transmit signal path of RF circuitry 720. Baseband circuitry 704 may interact with application circuitry 702 to generate and process baseband signals and control the operation of RF circuitry 720. For example, in some embodiments, baseband circuitry 704 may include a third-generation (3G) baseband processor (3G baseband processor 706), a fourth-generation (4G) baseband processor (4G baseband processor 708), a fifth-generation (5G) baseband processor (5G baseband processor 710), or other existing, under development, or future generations (e.g., second-generation (2G), sixth-generation (6G), etc.) baseband processor 712. Baseband circuitry 704 (e.g., one or more processors in the baseband processor suite) may handle various radio control functions capable of communicating with one or more radio networks via RF circuitry 720. In other embodiments, some or all of the functions of the illustrated baseband processor may be included in modules stored in memory 718 and executed via a central processing unit (CPU 714). 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 baseband circuitry 704 may include Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), precoding, or constellation mapping / demapping functions. In some embodiments, the encoding / decoding circuitry of baseband circuitry 704 may include convolution, tail-biting convolution, turbo, Viterbi, or low-density parity-check (LDPC) encoder / decoder functions. Implementations of modulation / demodulation and encoder / decoder functions are not limited to these examples, and other suitable functions may be included in other embodiments.

[0089] In some embodiments, the baseband circuit 704 may include a digital signal processor (DSP), such as one or more audio DSPs 716. The audio DSP 716 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 circuit 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 circuit 704 and the application circuit 702 may be implemented together, for example, on a system-on-a-chip (SoC).

[0090] In some implementations, baseband circuit 704 can provide communication compatible with one or more radio technologies. For example, in some implementations, baseband circuit 704 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 704 is configured to support radio communication with more than one radio protocol may be referred to as multimode baseband circuits.

[0091] RF circuit 720 can communicate with a wireless network via a non-solid medium using modulated electromagnetic radiation. In various embodiments, RF circuit 720 may include switches, filters, amplifiers, etc., to facilitate communication with the wireless network. RF circuit 720 may include a receive signal path that includes circuitry for down-converting an RF signal received from FEM circuit 730 and providing a baseband signal to baseband circuit 704. RF circuit 720 may also include a transmit signal path that includes circuitry for up-converting the baseband signal provided by baseband circuit 704 and providing an RF output signal for transmission to FEM circuit 730. In some embodiments, the receive signal path of RF circuit 720 may include mixer circuit 722, amplifier circuit 724, and filter circuit 726. In some embodiments, the transmit signal path of RF circuit 720 may include filter circuit 726 and mixer circuit 722. RF circuit 720 may also include synthesizer circuit 728 for synthesizing frequencies used by mixer circuit 722 for the receive signal path and / or transmit signal path. In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 722 of the receive signal path may be configured to down-convert the RF signal received from the FEM circuit 730 based on the synthesized frequency provided by the synthesizer circuit 728. The amplifier circuit 724 may be configured to amplify the down-converted signal, and the filter circuit 726 may be a low-pass filter (LPF) or a 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 the baseband circuit 704 for further processing. In some embodiments, although not required, the output baseband signal may be a zero-frequency baseband signal. In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 722 of the receive signal path may include a passive mixer, but the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0092] In some implementations, the mixer circuit 722 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 728 to generate an RF output signal for the FEM circuit 730. The baseband signal can be provided by the baseband circuit 704 and can be filtered by the filter circuit 726.

[0093] In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 722 for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 722 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 722 for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 722 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 722 for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 722 may be arranged for direct downconversion and direct upconversion, respectively. In some embodiments, the mixer circuit 722 for the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 722 for the transmit signal path may be configured for superheterodyne operation.

[0094] 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, the RF circuit 720 may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry, and the baseband circuit 704 may include a digital baseband interface for communicating with the RF circuit 720.

[0095] In some dual-mode implementations, separate radio IC circuits can be provided to process signals for each spectrum, but the scope of the implementation is not limited in this respect.

[0096] In some implementations, synthesizer circuit 728 may be a fractional N synthesizer or a fractional N / N+1 synthesizer, but the scope of implementations is not limited in this respect, as other types of frequency synthesizers may also be suitable. For example, synthesizer circuit 728 may be a Δ-Σ synthesizer, a frequency multiplier, or a synthesizer including a phase-locked loop with a frequency divider.

[0097] Synthesizer circuit 728 can be configured to synthesize an output frequency based on the frequency input and the divider control input for use by mixer circuit 722 of RF circuit 720. In some embodiments, synthesizer circuit 728 may be a fractional N / N+1 synthesizer.

[0098] In some implementations, the frequency input may be provided by a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), although this is not mandatory. The divider control input may be provided by the baseband circuitry 704 or the application circuitry 702 (such as an application processor) 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 circuitry 702.

[0099] The synthesizer circuit 728 of the RF circuit 720 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.

[0100] In some embodiments, the synthesizer circuit 728 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 used in conjunction with quadrature generator and frequency divider circuitry to generate multiple signals having multiple different phases relative to each other at the carrier frequency. In some embodiments, the output frequency may be the LO frequency (f LO In some implementations, the RF circuit 720 may include an IQ / polarity converter.

[0101] The FEM circuit 730 may include a receive signal path, which may include circuitry configured to operate on RF signals received from one or more antennas 732, amplify the received signals, and provide an amplified version of the received signals to the RF circuit 720 for further processing. The FEM circuit 730 may also include a transmit signal path, which may include circuitry configured to amplify transmit signals provided by the RF circuit 720 for transmission by one or more of the one or more antennas 732. In various embodiments, amplification via either the transmit or receive signal path may be performed only in the RF circuit 720, only in the FEM circuit 730, or in both the RF circuit 720 and the FEM circuit 730.

[0102] In some embodiments, FEM circuit 730 may include a TX / RX switch to switch between transmit and receive mode operation. FEM circuit 730 may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of FEM circuit 730 may include an LNA to amplify the received RF signal and provide the amplified received RF signal as an output (e.g., to RF circuit 720). The transmit signal path of FEM circuit 730 may include a power amplifier (PA) to amplify the input RF signal (e.g., provided by RF circuit 720), and one or more filters to generate an RF signal for subsequent transmission (e.g., through one or more antennas in one or more antennas 732).

[0103] In some implementations, the PMC 734 manages the power supplied to the baseband circuitry 704. Specifically, the PMC 734 controls power selection, voltage scaling, battery charging, or DC-DC conversion. The PMC 734 is typically included when the device 700 is capable of being battery powered, for example, when the device 700 is included in an EGE. The PMC 734 can improve power conversion efficiency while providing the desired implementation size and thermal characteristics.

[0104] Figure 7 The diagram shows that the PMC 734 is coupled only to the baseband circuit 704. However, in other embodiments, the PMC 734 may additionally or alternatively be coupled to other components (such as, but not limited to, the application circuit 702, the RF circuit 720, or the FEM circuit 730) and perform similar power management operations for those components.

[0105] In some implementations, the PMC 734 may be controlled or otherwise incorporated into various power-saving mechanisms of the device 700. For example, if the device 700 is in an RRC connected state, and in this state the device remains connected to the RAN node because it anticipates receiving communication soon, the device may enter a state called Discontinuous Receive Mode (DRX) after a period of inactivity. During this state, the device 700 may be powered down for short intervals, thereby saving power.

[0106] If there is no data traffic activity during the extended period, device 700 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 700 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 700 cannot receive data in this state, and in order to receive data, the device must transition back to the RRC connected state.

[0107] 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.

[0108] The processors of application circuit 702 and baseband circuit 704 are elements that can be used to execute one or more instances of a protocol stack. For example, the processor of baseband circuit 704 can be used alone or in combination to execute Layer 3, Layer 2, or Layer 1 functions, while the processor of application circuit 702 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, Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, and 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.

[0109] Figure 8 An exemplary interface 800 of a baseband circuit according to some embodiments is shown. As described above, Figure 8 The baseband circuit 704 may include a 3G baseband processor 706, a 4G baseband processor 708, a 5G baseband processor 710, other baseband processors 712, a CPU 714, and a memory 718 for use by the processors. As shown, each processor in the processor may include a corresponding memory interface 802 for sending / receiving data to / from the memory 718.

[0110] The baseband circuit 704 may also include one or more interfaces for communicatively coupling to other circuits / devices, such as a memory interface 804 (e.g., an interface for sending / receiving data to / from a memory external to the baseband circuit 704) and an application circuit interface 806 (e.g., an interface for sending / receiving data to / from a memory external to the baseband circuit 704). Figure 7 The application circuit 702 is an interface for sending / receiving data, and the RF circuit interface 808 is used for sending / receiving data to / from the application circuit 702. Figure 7 The RF circuit 720 is an interface for transmitting / receiving data, and the wireless hardware connection interface 810 is used for transmitting / receiving data to / from near field communication (NFC) components. Components (e.g.) (low power consumption) Interfaces for sending / receiving data to / from components and other communication components) and power management interface 812 (e.g., an interface for sending / receiving power or control signals to / from the PMC 734).

[0111] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating a component 900, according to some exemplary embodiments, capable of reading instructions from a machine-readable or computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium) and capable of executing any or more of the methods discussed herein. Specifically, Figure 9 A schematic diagram of hardware resource 902 is shown, which includes one or more processors 912 (or processor cores), one or more memory / storage devices 918, and one or more communication resources 920, each of which is communicatively coupled via bus 922. For implementations utilizing node virtualization (e.g., NFV), a hypervisor 904 can be executed to provide an execution environment for one or more network slices / subslices to utilize hardware resource 902.

[0112] Processor 912 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processor, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP) (such as a baseband processor), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), another processor, or any suitable combination thereof) may include, for example, processor 914 and processor 916.

[0113] The memory / storage device 918 may include main memory, disk storage, or any suitable combination thereof. The memory / storage device 918 may include, but is not limited to, any type of volatile or non-volatile memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, solid-state storage devices, etc.

[0114] Communication resource 920 may include interconnection devices or network interface components or other suitable devices for communicating with one or more peripheral devices 906 or one or more databases 908 via network 910. For example, communication resource 920 may include wired communication components (e.g., for coupling via Universal Serial Bus (USB), cellular communication components, NFC components, etc. Components (e.g.) (low power consumption) Components and other communication components.

[0115] Instruction 924 may include software, programs, applications, applets, or other executable code for causing at least any one of the processors 912 to perform any or more of the methods discussed herein. Instruction 924 may reside wholly or partially within processor 912 (e.g., within the processor's cache memory), memory / storage device 918, or any suitable combination thereof. Furthermore, any portion of instruction 924 may be transferred to hardware resource 902 from any combination of peripheral device 906 or database 908. Thus, the memory of processor 912, memory / storage device 918, peripheral device 906, and database 908 are examples of computer-readable and machine-readable media.

[0116] For one or more embodiments, at least one of the components shown in one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to perform one or more operations, techniques, processes, and / or methods as described in the Examples section below. For example, the baseband circuitry described above in conjunction with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate according to one or more of the examples below. As another example, circuitry associated with the UE, base station, network element, etc., described above in conjunction with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate according to one or more of the examples shown in the Examples section below.

[0117] Figure 10 The architecture of a system 1000 for a network according to some implementation schemes is shown. The following description is provided for an example system 1000 operating in combination with LTE system standards and 5G or NR system standards provided by 3GPP technical specifications. However, the exemplary implementation scheme is not limited in this respect, and the implementation scheme can be applied to other networks that benefit from the principles described herein, such as future 3GPP systems (e.g., sixth generation (6G) systems, etc.).

[0118] like Figure 10 As shown, system 1000 includes UE 1001a and UE 1001b (collectively referred to as "UE 1001"). UE 1001a and / or UE 1001b may correspond to the aforementioned UE.

[0119] In this example, UE 1001 is shown as a smartphone (e.g., a handheld touchscreen mobile computing device that can connect to one or more cellular networks), but may also include any mobile or non-mobile computing device, such as consumer electronics devices, mobile phones, smartphones, feature phones, tablets, wearable computing devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), pagers, wireless handheld devices, desktop computers, laptops, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), in-vehicle entertainment (ICE) devices, instrument cluster (IC), head-up display (HUD) devices, onboard diagnostic (OBD) devices, dashtop mobile equipment (DME), mobile data terminal (MDT), electronic engine management system (EEMS), electronic / engine electronic control unit (ECU), electronic / engine electronic control module (ECM), embedded systems, microcontrollers, control modules, engine management system (EMS), connected or “smart” appliances, MTC devices, M2M, IoT devices, etc.

[0120] In some implementations, any of UEs 1001 may be an IoT UE, which may include a network access layer designed to utilize low-power IoT applications with short-lived UE connections. The IoT UE may use technologies such as M2M or MTC to exchange data with an MTC server or device via PLMN, ProSe or D2D communication, sensor networks, or IoT networks. M2M or MTC data exchange may be machine-initiated data exchange. The IoT network describes interconnected IoT UEs, which may include uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices (within the Internet infrastructure) with short-lived connections. The IoT UE may execute background applications (e.g., keeping track of activity messages, status updates, etc.) to facilitate connectivity within the IoT network.

[0121] UE 1001 can be configured to connect to RAN 1010, for example, communicatively coupled. In implementations, RAN 1010 can be an NG RAN or 5G RAN, E-UTRAN, or a legacy RAN such as UTRAN or GERAN. As used herein, the term "NGRAN" etc. can refer to RAN 1010 operating in NR or 5G system 1000, while the term "E-UTRAN" etc. can refer to RAN 1010 operating in LTE or 4G system 1000. UE 1001 utilizes connections (or channels) 1003 and 1004, each connection including a physical communication interface or layer (discussed in further detail below).

[0122] In this example, connections 1003 and 1004 are shown as air interfaces for communication coupling and are compatible with cellular communication protocols such as GSM, CDMA, PTT, POC, UMTS, 3GPP LTE, 5G, NR, and / or any other communication protocols discussed herein. In an implementation, UE 1001 can directly exchange communication data via ProSe interface 1005. ProSe interface 1005 may also be referred to as SL interface 1005 and may include one or more logical channels, including but not limited to PSCCH, PSSCH, PSDCH, and PSBCH.

[0123] UE 1001b is shown configured to access AP 1006 (also referred to as "WLAN node 1006", "WLAN 1006", "WLAN terminal 1006", or "WT 1006", etc.) via connection 1007. Connection 1007 may include a local wireless connection, such as a connection consistent with any IEEE 802.11 protocol, where AP 1006 will include Wireless Fibre. Router. In this example, AP 1006 is shown as a core network connected to the Internet but not to a wireless system (described in further detail below). In various implementations, UE 1001b, RAN 1010, and AP 1006 can be configured to utilize LWA operation and / or LWIP operation. LWA operation may involve UE 1001b, located in RRC CONNECTED, being configured by RAN nodes 1011a-b to utilize the radio resources of LTE and WLAN. LWIP operation may involve UE 1001b using WLAN radio resources (e.g., connection 1007) via IPsec protocol tunneling to authenticate and encrypt packets (e.g., IP packets) transmitted through connection 1007. IPsec tunneling may include encapsulating the entire original IP packet and adding a new packet header to protect the original header of the IP packet.

[0124] RAN 1010 may include one or more AN nodes or RAN nodes 1011a and 1011b (collectively referred to as "multiple RAN nodes 1011" or "RAN node 1011") that enable connectivity between 1003 and 1004. As used herein, the terms "access node," "access point," etc., can describe equipment that provides radio baseband functionality for data and / or voice connections between the network and one or more users. These access nodes may be referred to as BS, gNB, RAN node, eNB, NodeB, RSU, TRxP, or TRP, 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). As used herein, the terms "NG RAN node," etc., can refer to RAN node 1011 (e.g., gNB) operating in NR or 5G system 1000, while the terms "E-UT RAN node," etc., can refer to RAN node 1011 (e.g., eNB) operating in LTE or 4G system 1000. According to various implementation schemes, RAN node 1011 may be implemented as one or more of dedicated physical devices such as macro cell base stations and / or low-power (LP) base stations for providing smaller coverage areas, smaller user capacity or higher bandwidth compared to macro cells.

[0125] In some implementations, all or part of the RAN node 1011 may be implemented as one or more software entities running on a server computer as part of a virtual network, which may be referred to as CRAN and / or Virtual Baseband Unit Pool (vBBUP). In these implementations, CRAN or vBBUP may implement RAN function partitioning, such as PDCP partitioning, where the RRC and PDCP layers are operated by CRAN / vBBUP, while other L2 protocol entities are operated by individual RAN nodes 1011; MAC / PHY partitioning, where the RRC, PDCP, RLC, and MAC layers are operated by CRAN / vBBUP, and the PHY layer is operated by individual RAN nodes 1011; or “lower PHY” partitioning, where the upper portion of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY layers is operated by CRAN / vBBUP, and the lower portion of the PHY layer is operated by individual RAN nodes 1011. This virtualization framework allows the idle processor cores of the RAN node 1011 to execute other virtualized applications. In some specific implementations, a single RAN node 1011 may represent a virtual network via a separate FI interface (…). Figure 10(Not shown) A separate gNB-DU connected to the gNB-CU. In these specific implementations, the gNB-DU may include one or more remote radio head units or RFEMs, and the gNB-CU may be operated by a server (not shown) located in RAN 1010 or by a server pool in a manner similar to CRAN / vBBUP. In addition or alternatively, one or more RAN nodes in RAN node 1011 may be next-generation eNBs (ng-eNBs), which are RAN nodes that provide E-UTRA user plane and control plane protocol terminals to UE 1001 and are connected to the 5G core (5GC) via the NG interface.

[0126] In a V2X scenario, one or more RAN nodes in RAN node 1011 can be RSUs or act as RSUs. The term "roadside unit" or "RSU" can refer to any traffic infrastructure entity used for V2X communication. An RSU can be implemented in or by a suitable RAN node or a stationary (or relatively stationary) UE, wherein an RSU implemented in or by a UE can be referred to as a "UE-type RSU," an RSU implemented in or by an eNB can be referred to as an "eNB-type RSU," an RSU implemented in or by a gNB can be referred to as a "gNB-type RSU," and so on. In one example, an RSU is a computing device coupled to radio frequency circuitry located on the roadside, which provides connectivity support to a passing vehicle UE 1001 (vUE1001). An RSU may also include internal data storage circuitry for storing intersection map geometry, traffic statistics, media, and applications / software for sensing and controlling ongoing vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The RSU may operate on the 5.9 GHz Direct Near Range Communication (DSRC) band to provide extremely low-latency communication required for high-speed events, such as collision avoidance and traffic warnings. Alternatively, the RSU may operate on the cellular V2X band to provide the aforementioned low-latency communication as well as other cellular communication services. Alternatively, the RSU may operate as a Wi-Fi hotspot (2.4 GHz band) and / or provide connectivity to one or more cellular networks to provide uplink and downlink communication. Some or all of the computing device and the RSU's radio frequency circuitry may be packaged in a weather-resistant package suitable for outdoor installation and may include a network interface controller to provide wired connectivity (e.g., Ethernet) to traffic signal controllers and / or backhaul networks.

[0127] Any node in RAN 1011 can terminate the air interface protocol and can be the first point of contact for UE 1001. In some implementations, any node in RAN 1011 can perform various logical functions of RAN 1010, including but not limited to the functions of the Radio Network Controller (RNC), such as radio bearer management, uplink and downlink dynamic radio resource management and data packet scheduling, and mobility management.

[0128] In the implementation, UE 1001 may be configured to communicate with each other or with any of the RAN nodes 1011 on a multi-carrier communication channel using OFDM communication signals according to various communication technologies, such as, but not limited to, OFDMA communication technology (e.g., for downlink communication) or SC-FDMA communication technology (e.g., for uplink and ProSe or sidelink communication), although the scope of the implementation is not limited in this respect. The OFDM signal may include multiple orthogonal subcarriers.

[0129] In some implementations, the downlink resource grid can be used for downlink transmissions from any node in RAN node 1011 to UE 1001, 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.

[0130] According to various implementations, UE 1001 and RAN node 1011 transmit data (e.g., transmit and receive data) through licensed media (also referred to as “licensed spectrum” and / or “licensed band”) and unlicensed shared media (also referred to as “unlicensed spectrum” and / or “unlicensed band”). Licensed spectrum may include channels operating in the frequency range of approximately 400 MHz to approximately 3.8 GHz, while unlicensed spectrum may include a 5 GHz band.

[0131] To operate in unlicensed spectrum, UE 1001 and RAN node 1011 may use LAA, eLAA, and / or feLAA mechanisms. In these specific implementations, UE 1001 and RAN node 1011 may perform one or more known medium sensing and / or carrier sensing operations to determine whether one or more channels in the unlicensed spectrum are unavailable or otherwise occupied before transmission in the unlicensed spectrum. Medium / carrier sensing operations may be performed according to a Listen-After-Speak (LBT) protocol.

[0132] LBT is a mechanism that equipment (e.g., UE 1001, RAN node 1011, etc.) uses to sense a medium (e.g., a channel or carrier frequency) and transmit when the medium is sensed to be idle (or when a specific channel in the medium is sensed to be unoccupied). Medium sensing operations may include CCA, which utilizes at least ED to determine the presence of other signals on the channel in order to determine whether the channel is occupied or idle. This LBT mechanism allows cellular / LAA networks to coexist with existing systems in unlicensed spectrum and with other LAA networks. ED may include sensing RF energy in the intended transmission band over a period of time and comparing the sensed RF energy with predefined or configured thresholds.

[0133] Typically, existing systems in the 5GHz band are WLANs based on IEEE 802.11 technology. WLANs employ a contention-based channel access mechanism called CSMA / CA. Here, when a WLAN node (e.g., a mobile station (MS) such as UE 1001, AP 1006, etc.) intends to transmit, the WLAN node can first perform CCA before transmitting. Additionally, in cases where more than one WLAN node senses the channel as idle and transmits simultaneously, a backoff mechanism is used to avoid collisions. This backoff mechanism can be a counter randomly introduced within the CWS, which increases exponentially upon collision and resets to a minimum value upon successful transmission. The LBT mechanism designed for LAA is somewhat similar to WLAN's CSMA / CA. In some specific implementations, the LBT process for DL ​​or UL transmission bursts (including PDSCH or PUSCH transmissions) can have a variable-length LAA contention window between the X and Y ECCA time slots, where X and Y are the minimum and maximum values ​​of the LAA's CWS. In one example, the minimum CWS for LAA transmission can be 9 microseconds (μs); however, the size of the CWS and MCOT (e.g., transmission burst) can be based on government regulatory requirements.

[0134] The LAA mechanism is built upon the CA technology of LTE-Advanced systems. In CA, each aggregated carrier is called a CC. A CC can have a bandwidth of 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15, or 20 MHz, and a maximum of five CCs can be aggregated, thus the maximum aggregated bandwidth is 100 MHz. In FDD systems, the number of aggregated carriers can differ for DL ​​and UL, where the number of UL CCs is equal to or less than the number of DL component carriers. In some cases, individual CCs can have different bandwidths than the other CCs. In TDD systems, the number of CCs and the bandwidth of each CC are usually the same for DL ​​and UL.

[0135] The CA also includes individual serving cells to provide individual CCs. The coverage of serving cells can differ, for example, because CCs on different frequency bands will experience different path losses. The primary serving cell, or PCell, provides PCCs for both UL and DL and handles activities related to RRC and NAS. Other serving cells are called SCells, and each SCell provides individual SCCs for both UL and DL. SCCs can be added and removed as needed, while changing the PCC may require UE 1001 to undergo a handover. In LAA, eLAA, and feLAA, some or all of the SCells can operate in unlicensed spectrum (called "LAA SCells"), and LAA SCells are assisted by PCells operating in licensed spectrum. When a UE is configured to have more than one LAA SCell, the UE can receive UL grants on the configured LAA SCells, indicating different PUSCH start positions within the same subframe.

[0136] The PDSCH carries user data and higher-layer signaling to UE 1001. Among other information, the PDCCH carries information about the transmission format and resource allocation related to the PDSCH channel. It also informs UE 1001 about the transmission format, resource allocation, and HARQ information related to the uplink shared channel. Typically, downlink scheduling (allocating control and shared channel resource blocks to UE 1001b within the cell) can be performed at any node of RAN node 1011 based on channel quality information fed back from any of the UEs in UE 1001. Downlink resource allocation information can be transmitted on the PDCCH used for (e.g., allocated to) each UE in UE 1001.

[0137] The PDCCH uses Control Channel Elements (CCEs) to transmit control information. Before being mapped to resource elements, the complex-valued symbols of the PDCCH can first be organized into quadruplets, which can then be arranged for rate matching using a sub-block interleaver. One or more of these CCEs can be used to transmit each PDCCH, where each CCE can correspond to six resource element groups (REGs). Each REG includes one resource block within an OFDM symbol. Depending on the size of the downlink control information (DCI) and channel conditions, one or more CCEs can be used to transmit the PDCCH. Different numbers of CCEs (e.g., aggregation levels, L = 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16) can be used for PDCCH transmission.

[0138] Some implementations may use the concept of resource allocation for control channel information, which is an extension of the above concept. For example, some implementations may utilize EPDCCH, which uses PDSCH resources for control information transmission. One or more ECCEs may be used to transmit EPDCCH. Similarly, each ECCE may correspond to a set of nine, each consisting of four physical resource elements, called EREG. In some cases, an ECCE may have a different number of EREGs.

[0139] RAN nodes 1011 can be configured to communicate with each other via interface 1012. In implementations where system 1000 is an LTE system (e.g., when CN 1020 is an EPC), interface 1012 can be an X2 interface 1012. The X2 interface can be defined between two or more RAN nodes 1011 connected to EPC 1020 (e.g., two or more eNBs, etc.), and / or between two eNBs connected to EPC 1020. In some specific implementations, the X2 interface may include an X2 user plane interface (X2-U) and an X2 control plane interface (X2-C). X2-U can provide flow control mechanisms for user packets transmitted via the X2 interface and can be used to transmit information about the delivery of user data between eNBs. For example, X2-U can provide specific sequence number information about user data transmitted from MeNB to SeNB; information about the successful in-order delivery of PDCP PDUs from SeNB to UE1001 for user data; information about PDCP PDUs not delivered to UE1001; information about the current minimum expected buffer size at SeNB for transmitting user data to the UE; and so on. X2-C can provide in-LTE access mobility functions, including context transfer from source eNB to target eNB, user plane transmission control, etc.; load management functions; and inter-cell interference coordination functions. In implementations where system 1000 is a 5G or NR system (e.g., when CN 1020 is 5GC), interface 1012 can be Xn interface 1012. Xn interfaces are defined between two or more RAN nodes 1011 (e.g., two or more gNBs, etc.) connected to 5GC 1020, between a RAN node 1011 (e.g., gNB) connected to 5GC 1020 and an eNB, and / or between two eNBs connected to 5GC 1020. In some implementations, the Xn interface may include an Xn user plane (Xn-U) interface and an Xn control plane (Xn-C) interface. Xn-U provides non-guaranteed delivery of user plane PDUs and supports / provides data forwarding and flow control functions. Xn-C provides management and error handling functions for managing the functionality of the Xn-C interface; mobility support for UE 1001 in connected modes (e.g., CM connection) includes functions for managing UE mobility in connected modes between one or more RAN nodes 1011. Mobility support may include context transfer from the old (source) serving RAN node 1011 to the new (target) serving RAN node 1011; and control of user plane tunnels between the old (source) serving RAN node 1011 and the new (target) serving RAN node 1011. The Xn-U protocol stack may include a transport network layer built on top of the Internet Protocol (IP) transport layer, and a GTP-U layer on top of the UDP and / or IP layers for carrying user plane PDUs.The Xn-C protocol stack may include an application layer signaling protocol (referred to as the Xn Application Protocol (Xn-AP)) and a transport network layer built on top of SCTP. SCTP sits on top of the IP layer and provides guaranteed delivery of application layer messages. In the transport IP layer, point-to-point transmission is used to deliver signaling PDUs. In other implementations, the Xn-U protocol stack and / or Xn-C protocol stack may be the same as or similar to the user plane and / or control plane protocol stacks shown and described herein.

[0140] RAN 1010 is shown communicatively coupled to the core network—in this embodiment, the core network (CN) 1020. CN 1020 may include multiple network elements 1022 configured to provide various data and telecommunications services to customers / users (e.g., users of UE 1001) connected to CN 1020 via RAN 1010. Components of CN 1020 may be implemented in a single physical node or separate physical nodes, including components for reading and executing instructions from machine-readable or computer-readable media (e.g., non-transitory machine-readable storage media). In some embodiments, NFV may be used to virtualize any or all of the aforementioned network node functions via executable instructions stored in one or more computer-readable storage media (described in further detail below). A logical instance of CN 1020 may be referred to as a network slice, and a logical instance of a portion of CN 1020 may be referred to as a network subslice. NFV architectures and infrastructure may be used to virtualize one or more network functions onto physical resources comprising a combination of industry-standard server hardware, storage hardware, or switches (or alternatively, performed by proprietary hardware). In other words, an NFV system can be used to perform a virtual or reconfigurable concrete implementation of one or more EPC components / functions.

[0141] Generally, the application server 1030 can be a component that provides IP bearer resources for applications to use with the core network (e.g., UMTS PS domain, LTE PS data service, etc.). The application server 1030 can also be configured to support one or more communication services for UE 1001 via EPC 1020 (e.g., VoIP sessions, PTT sessions, group communication sessions, social networking services, etc.).

[0142] In the implementation, CN 1020 may be a 5GC (referred to as "5GC 1020", etc.), and RAN 1010 may be connected to CN 1020 via NG interface 1013. In the implementation, NG interface 1013 may be divided into two parts: NG User Plane (NG-U) interface 1014, which carries traffic data between RAN node 1011 and UPF; and SI Control Plane (NG-C) interface 1015, which is the signaling interface between RAN node 1011 and AMF.

[0143] In one implementation, CN 1020 may be a 5G CN (referred to as "5GC 1020", etc.), while in other implementations, CN 1020 may be an EPC. When CN 1020 is an EPC (referred to as "EPC 1020", etc.), RAN 1010 may be connected to CN 1020 via SI interface 1013. In one implementation, SI interface 1013 may be divided into two parts: SI user plane (SI-U) interface 1014, which carries traffic data between RAN node 1011 and S-GW; and SI-MME interface 1015, which is the signaling interface between RAN node 1011 and MME.

[0144] Additional Embodiments

[0145] For one or more embodiments, at least one of the components shown in one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to perform one or more operations, techniques, processes, and / or methods as described in the Examples section below. For example, the baseband circuitry described above in conjunction with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate according to one or more of the examples below. As another example, circuitry associated with the UE, base station, network element, etc., described above in conjunction with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate according to one or more of the examples shown in the Examples section below.

[0146] The following examples relate to other implementation schemes.

[0147] Example 1 is a method for a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: executing the addition of a target primary cell (PCell) HO and a target PSCell based on a command for a handover (HO) with a primary and secondary cell (PSCell); adjusting the radio frequency (RF) of the HO of the target PCell according to a reference signal (RS) timing of the HO of the target PCell; and adjusting the RF of the added target PSCell according to the RS timing of the addition of the target PSCell.

[0148] Example 2 is the method according to Example 1, wherein the HO of the target PCell and the addition of the target PSCell are performed sequentially, and wherein the UE adjusts the added RF of the target PSCell after the HO of the target PCell is completed.

[0149] Example 3 is the method according to Example 2, wherein the UE adjusts the added RF of the target PSCell before the first available RS timing of the added target PSCell.

[0150] Example 4 is the method according to Example 2, wherein the UE adjusts the added RF of the target PSCell before the random access channel (RACH) transmission of the target PSCell, wherein the timing of the added predetermined number of RS of the target PSCell has been measured.

[0151] Example 5 is the method according to Example 1, wherein the HO of the target PCell and the addition of the target PSCell are performed in parallel, and wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell during the time period of the HO of the target PCell, and adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell during the time period of the addition of the target PSCell.

[0152] Example 6 is the method according to Example 5, wherein the UE adjusts the added RF of the target PSCell during the added time period of the target PSCell before the first available RS timing of the added target PSCell after processing the command for the HO.

[0153] Example 7 is the method according to Example 6, wherein when the duration of the added RF of the target PSCell adjusted by the UE conflicts with at least one RS timing of the HO of the target PCell, causing the at least one RS timing of the HO of the target PCell to be interrupted, the time period of the HO of the target PCell will be extended.

[0154] Example 8 is the method according to Example 7, wherein the time period of the HO of the target PCell is extended by at least one RS timing.

[0155] Example 9 is the method according to Example 6, wherein when the RS timing of the HO of the target PCell is interrupted by the adjustment of the added RF of the target PSCell, the time period of the HO of the target PCell is not extended.

[0156] Example 10 is the method according to Example 6, wherein when the UE adjusts the added RF of the target PSCell after the HO of the target PCell is completed, the UE interrupts the data channel and / or control channel on the target PCell during the duration of the UE adjusting the added RF of the target PSCell.

[0157] Example 11 is the method according to Example 5, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell and the added RF of the target PSCell in the time domain in an aligned manner.

[0158] Example 12 is the method according to Example 11, wherein after the UE processes the command for the HO, before the earlier of the first available RS timing of the HO of the target PCell and the first available RS timing of the addition of the target PSCell, the UE simultaneously adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell and the RF of the addition of the target PSCell.

[0159] Example 13 is the method according to Example 11, wherein the UE simultaneously adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell and the added RF of the target PSCell before the first overlapping time point between the RS timing of the HO of the target PCell and the added RS timing of the target PSCell in the time domain.

[0160] Example 14 is the method according to Example 1, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell to perform at least one of the following operations: tuning or retuning the RF chain, powering the RF chain, and widening the coverage of the RF in the frequency domain to include the RS timing of the target PCell, and wherein the UE adjusts the RS timing of the target PSCell to perform at least one of the following operations: tuning or retuning the RF chain, powering the RF chain, and widening the coverage of the RF in the frequency domain to include the RS timing of the target PSCell.

[0161] Example 15 is an apparatus for a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising: one or more processors configured to perform the steps of the method according to any one of Examples 1 to 14.

[0162] Example 16 is a computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes a device to perform the steps of the method according to any one of Examples 1 to 14.

[0163] Example 17 is an apparatus for a communication device, the apparatus including means for performing the steps of the method according to any one of Examples 1 to 14.

[0164] Example 18 is a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes a device to perform the steps of the method according to any one of Examples 1 to 14.

[0165] Unless otherwise expressly stated, any of the above embodiments may be combined with any other embodiment (or combination of embodiments). The foregoing description of one or more specific embodiments provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. In view of the teachings above, modifications and variations are possible, or modifications and variations may be obtained from the practice of various embodiments.

[0166] It should be recognized that the systems described herein include descriptions of specific implementations. These implementations may be combined into a single system, partially integrated into other systems, divided into multiple systems, or otherwise partitioned or combined. Furthermore, it is conceivable to use parameters / attributes / aspects, etc., of one implementation in another implementation. For clarity, these parameters / attributes / aspects, etc., are described only in one or more implementations, and it should be recognized that unless specifically stated herein, these parameters / attributes / aspects, etc., may be combined with or replace parameters / attributes, etc., of another implementation.

[0167] As is widely recognized, the use of personally identifiable information should comply with privacy policies and practices that are generally accepted to meet or exceed industry or governmental requirements for protecting user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly explained to users.

[0168] Although the foregoing has been described in considerable detail for clarity, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. It should be noted that many alternative ways exist to implement both the processes and apparatus described herein. Therefore, embodiments of the invention should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive, and this specification is not limited to the details given herein, but can be modified within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause a user equipment (UE) to: perform a handover (HO) of a target primary cell (PCell) and an addition of a target primary secondary cell (PSCell) based on a command for a handover (HO) with a PSCell, wherein the HO of the target PCell and the addition of the target PSCell are performed in parallel; and adjust a radio frequency (RF) of the HO of the target PCell according to a reference signal (RS) occasion of the HO of the target PCell and adjust the RF of the addition of the target PSCell according to a RS occasion of the addition of the target PSCell, wherein the UE interrupts a data channel and / or a control channel on the target PCell for a duration that the UE adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell when the UE adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell after the HO of the target PCell is complete.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the HO of the target PCell and the addition of the target PSCell are performed sequentially, and wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell after the HO of the target PCell is complete.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell before a first available RS occasion of the addition of the target PSCell.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell before a random access channel (RACH) transmission of the target PSCell, wherein a predetermined number of the RS occasions of the addition of the target PSCell have been measured.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, and wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell during a time period of the HO of the target PCell and adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell during a time period of the addition of the target PSCell.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the addition of the target PSCell during the time period of the addition of the target PSCell before a first available RS occasion of the addition of the target PSCell after the command for the HO is processed.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein when the duration of the RF of the addition of the target PSCell collides with at least one RS occasion of the HO of the target PCell such that the at least one RS occasion of the HO of the target PCell is interrupted, the time period for the HO of the target PCell is to be extended.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 7, wherein the time period for the HO of the target PCell is to be extended by at least one RS occasion.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein when no RS occasion of the HO of the target PCell is interrupted by the adjustment of the RF of the addition of the target PSCell, the time period for the HO of the target PCell is not to be extended.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell and the RF of the addition of the target PSCell in an aligned manner in the time domain.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell and the RF of the addition of the target PSCell simultaneously before an earlier one of a first available RS occasion of the HO of the target PCell and a first available RS occasion of the addition of the target PSCell after the command for the HO is processed.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the UE adjusts the RF of the HO of the target PCell and the RF of the addition of the target PSCell simultaneously before a first overlapping point in time between the RS occasion of the HO of the target PCell and the RS occasion of the addition of the target PSCell in the time domain.

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