Next generation handover failure due to unsupported user equipment capability

Abstract

A method performed by a target network node includes receiving a handover request associated with a wireless device from a source network node. The target network node transmits a handover reject message to the source network node via a core network node. The handover reject message includes a cause value for rejecting the handover request.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to systems and methods for next-generation (NG) handover failures caused by unsupported user equipment (UE) capabilities. Background Technology

[0002] In Long Term Evolution (LTE), an RRC_CONNECTED User Equipment (UE), also known as Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA), can be configured by the network to perform measurements. When a measurement report is triggered, the network can send a handover command to the UE (in LTE, this is RRConnectionReconfiguration with a field called mobilityControlInfo, and in NR, it is RRCReconfiguration with a reconfigurationWithSync field).

[0003] These reconfigurations are actually prepared by the target cell based on a request from the source node (via the X2 interface in the case of EUTRA-Evolved Packet Core (EUTRA-EPC), or via the Xn interface in the case of EUTRA-5GC or New Radio (NR), and take into account the existing Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration that the UE has with the source cell (which is provided in the inter-node request). The reconfiguration provided by the target cell includes, among other things, all the information required for the UE to access the target cell, such as, for example, the random access configuration, the new Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) assigned by the target cell, and security parameters that enable the UE to calculate the new security key associated with the target cell. Then, upon accessing the target cell, the UE can send a handover completion message on Signaling Radio Bearer-1 (SRB1) (encrypted and integrity protected) based on the new security key.

[0004] Figure 1A-1B The diagram illustrates the flow signaling between the UE, source node, and target node during the handover process. In both LTE and NR, there are some principles governing handover (or more generally, mobility in RRC_CONNECTED):

[0005] Mobility in -RRC_CONNECTED is network-based because the network has the best information about the current situation, such as load conditions, resources in different nodes, and available frequencies. When performing resource allocation, the network also considers the situation of many UEs within the network.

[0006] - The network prepares the target cell before the UE accesses it. The source node provides the UE with the RRC configuration to be used in the target cell, including the SRB1 configuration for sending the handover (HO) completion message.

[0007] - The target node provides the target C-RNTI to the UE. The target node identifies the UE from MSG.3 at the Media Access Control (MAC) level used for HO completion messages. Therefore, the context is not extracted unless a failure occurs.

[0008] - To expedite handover, the network provides the necessary information about how to access the target, such as Radio Access Channel (RACH) configuration, so that the UE does not have to obtain System Information (SI) before handover.

[0009] - Contention-Free Random Access (CFRA) resources can be provided to the UE. In that case, the target node identifies the UE based on the preamble (MSG.1) used during RACH access. The principle behind this is that the process can always be optimized with dedicated resources. However, in Conditional Handover (CHO), this may be different because there are uncertainties regarding the final target and the timing of the HO. In any case, the network always aims to provide the UE with the most detailed instructions possible to allow access to the target cell as quickly as possible.

[0010] - Security is prepared before the UE accesses the target cell. Specifically, the key must be refreshed before sending the RRC connection reconfiguration complete message. This message is sent based on the new key and is encrypted and protected for integrity, enabling the UE to be authenticated in the target cell.

[0011] - Supports both full and incremental (delta) reconfiguration of the UE, allowing for the minimization of HO commands.

[0012] Handover process based on core network

[0013] When adjacent nodes do not have an X2 / Xn relationship, a switchover can be performed with the help of the core network.

[0014] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the handover of N2 between NG-RAN nodes. Specifically, Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the preparation phase.

[0015] An example of the NG-based handover process is described below:

[0016] 1. Source Radio Access Network (S-RAN) to Source Application Management Function (S-AMF): Handover requirements (target ID, source-to-target transparent container, session management N2 interface (SM N2) information list, protocol data unit (PDU) session identifier (session ID), intra-system handover indication).

[0017] The source-to-destination transparent container includes Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) information created by S-RAN for use by the target Radio Access Node (T-RAN) and is transparent to the 5th Generation Core (5GC). For each PDU session, it also contains corresponding user plane security implementation information, Quality of Service (QoS) flow, and / or Data Radio Bearer (DRB) information subject to data forwarding.

[0018] All PDU sessions handled by S-RAN (i.e., all existing PDU sessions with active user plane (UP) connections) should be included in the handover request message, indicating which of those PDU sessions(one or more) S-RAN requests to be switched.

[0019] 2. S-AMF to T-RAN: Handover Request

[0020] S-AMF determines S-RAN based on the target identifier (target ID). S-AMF can assign a 5G globally unique temporary identifier (5G-GUTI) and a target timing advance identifier (TAI) that are valid for UEs in the AMF.

[0021] The source-to-destination transparent container is forwarded when received from the S-RAN.

[0022] 3. T-RAN to S-AMF: T-RAN sends a handover request confirmation in the target-to-source transparent container, which includes a list of PDU sessions to be handed over and / or a list of PDU sessions that failed to be established due to reasons for failure.

[0023] The target-to-source transparent container comprises a UE container with an access stratum (AS) portion and a non-access stratum (NAS) portion. The AS portion of the UE container is the RRC handover command. The UE container is transparently transmitted to the UE via S-AMF and S-RAN.

[0024] Based on the T-RAN determination, T-RAN creates a list of PDU sessions that failed to be configured and one or more reasons for the failure (e.g., T-RAN decision, S-NSSAI unavailability, and / or inability to perform user plane security implementation). This information is provided to S-RAN.

[0025] 4. S-AMF to S-RAN: Switching command (target to source transparent container, list of PDU sessions to switch to, list of PDU sessions that could not be set).

[0026] The target-to-source transparent container is forwarded when received from S-AMF.

[0027] 5. S-RAN to UE: Handover command (UE container).

[0028] The UE container is the UE portion of the target-to-source transparent container, which is transparently transmitted from the T-RAN to the S-RAN via the AMF and provided to the UE by the S-RAN. The AS portion of the UE container is the RRC handover command.

[0029] 6. UE to T-RAN: Handover confirmation.

[0030] After the UE has successfully synchronized with the target cell, it sends a handover confirmation message to the T-RAN. The UE considers the handover successful upon receiving this message.

[0031] A similar process is followed for S1-based handover in the Evolved Packet System (EPS).

[0032] The cell configuration parameters are exchanged among Xn neighboring cells. An example definition of the served cell information signaled by an NR cell via the Xn interface is specified in section 9.2.2.11 of 3GPP TS 38.423 v. 16.1.0.

[0033] There are some issues. For example, when a UE switches from one cell to another via the NG interface, the source cell transmits UE capabilities to the target cell via the AMF:

[0034] Source node to AMF: Switching requirements Source-to-target transparent container (HandoverPreparationInformation) ue-CapabilityRAT-List.

[0035] AMF to target node: Switching request Source-to-target transparent container (HandoverPreparationInformation) ue-CapabilityRAT-List.

[0036] The ue-CapabilityRAT-List includes UE capabilities.

[0037] As part of UE admission control, the target node for handover checks the UE's capabilities. If no target cell is configured with the capability to handle the UE, the target node rejects the incoming handover request and sends a rejection message, which is forwarded to the source via the AMF.

[0038] Target node to AMF: Switchover failed

[0039] AMF to source node: Switchover preparation failed.

[0040] In this response message, the target node also includes the “reason” value as disclosed in section 9.3.1.2 of 3GPP TS 38.413-g00.

[0041] However, if the UE does not support the subcarrier spacing (SCS) and / or bandwidth configuration associated with the target cell (i.e., the UE's capabilities do not allow the UE to access the target cell using a specific SCS and bandwidth configuration), there is no clear reason value indicating that the handover was rejected due to an unsupported SCS and / or bandwidth-related UE capabilities. Therefore, relevant reason values ​​are missing in the NG interface-related signaling.

[0042] In addition, by simply knowing that the UE's SCS / bandwidth capabilities are unknown, the source node cannot know which SCS and bandwidth the target cell supports. This allows it to block future handover requests to such cells when it knows that such cells do not support certain UE capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0043] This disclosure and certain aspects of its embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, according to some embodiments, methods are provided at network nodes to reduce the likelihood of next-generation (NG) handover failures, thereby reducing the total signaling overhead of performing the handover.

[0044] According to some embodiments, the method performed by the target network node includes receiving a handover request associated with a wireless device from a source network node, and transmitting a handover rejection message to the source network node via a core network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request.

[0045] According to some embodiments, the target network node includes processing circuitry configured to receive a handover request associated with a wireless device from a source network node and to send a handover rejection message to the source network node via a core network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the method performed by the source node includes sending a handover request associated with a first wireless device to a target network node, and receiving a handover rejection message from the source network node via a core network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request of the wireless device.

[0047] According to some embodiments, the source node includes processing circuitry configured to send a handover request associated with the first wireless device to the target network node, and to receive a handover rejection message from the source network node via a core network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request of the wireless device.

[0048] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages. For example, one advantage may be that certain embodiments allow for an active approach to prevent handover rejection via the NG interface when the source cell implicitly or explicitly knows the capabilities of the target RAN node and / or the target / cell (such as, for example, supported SCS, bandwidth, frequency band combinations, etc.). The source cell / node can then suppress attempts to hand over the UE to a target node / cell with capabilities incompatible with the UE's capabilities. This can result in reduced handover time / latency, which would otherwise require the UE to hand over to another target node / cell after the initial handover is rejected. Certain embodiments may also reduce NG signaling overhead because fewer handover procedures can be triggered.

[0049] Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Some embodiments may lack, have some, or all of the advantages described. Attached Figure Description

[0050] To gain a more complete understanding of the disclosed embodiments and their features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0051] Figure 1A-1B The diagram illustrates the flow signaling between the UE, source node, and target node during the handover process;

[0052] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the handover of N2 between NG-RAN nodes;

[0053] Figure 3 An example wireless network according to some embodiments is illustrated;

[0054] Figure 4 The illustration shows an example network node according to some embodiments;

[0055] Figure 5 An example wireless device according to certain embodiments is illustrated;

[0056] Figure 6 An example user equipment according to certain embodiments is illustrated;

[0057] Figure 7 The illustration depicts a virtualized environment, according to certain embodiments, in which functionality implemented by some embodiments can be virtualized;

[0058] Figure 8The illustration shows an example method of a first network node according to certain embodiments;

[0059] Figure 9 The illustration depicts an example method for targeting a network node according to certain embodiments;

[0060] Figure 10 The illustration depicts an example method for a second network node according to certain embodiments; and

[0061] Figure 11 The illustration depicts an example method of a source network node according to certain embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0062] Some embodiments of the ideas contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, other embodiments are included within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, and the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0063] Generally, all terms used herein shall be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant art, unless a different meaning is clearly given and / or implied from the context in which they are used. All references to a (a / an) / element, device, component, part, step, etc. shall be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of that element, device, component, part, step, etc., unless otherwise expressly stated. The steps of any method disclosed herein are not necessarily to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as occurring after or before another step, and / or implies that a step must occur after or before another step. Any feature of any embodiment disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment wherever appropriate. Similarly, any advantage of any embodiment may be applied to any other embodiment, and vice versa. Other objects, features, and advantages of the appended embodiments will become apparent from the following description.

[0064] In some embodiments, the more general term "network node" may be used, and it may correspond to any type of radio network node or any network node that communicates with the UE (directly or via another node) and / or with another network node. Examples of network nodes include NodeBs, primary eNodeBs (MeNBs), network nodes belonging to primary cell groups (MCGs) or secondary cell groups (SCGs), base stations (BSs), multi-standard radio (MSR) radio nodes such as MSR BSs, eNodeBs (eNBs), gNodeBs (gNBs), network controllers, radio network controllers (RNCs), base station controllers (BSCs), relays, donor node control relays, base transceiver stations (BTSs), access points (APs), transmission points, transmission nodes, remote radio units (RRUs), remote radio heads (RRHs), nodes in distributed antenna systems (DASs), core network nodes (e.g., mobile switching centers (MSCs), mobility management entities (MMEs), etc.), operations and maintenance (O&M), operations support systems (OSSs), ad hoc networks (SONs), location nodes (e.g., evolved servicing mobile location centers (E-SMLCs)), minimized drive tests (MDTs), test equipment (physical nodes or software), etc.

[0065] In some embodiments, the term User Equipment (UE) or Wireless Device may be used without limitation, and it may refer to any type of wireless device that communicates with another UE in a network node and / or cellular or mobile communication system. Examples of UEs are target devices, device-to-device (D2D) UEs, machine-type UEs or UEs capable of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, mobile terminals, smartphones, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop-mounted devices (LMEs), unified serial bus (USB) dongles, UE class M1, UE class M2, proximity service UEs (ProSe UEs), vehicle-to-vehicle UEs (V2V UEs), vehicle-to-anything UEs (V2X UEs), etc.

[0066] Furthermore, technical terms such as base station / gNodeB and UE should be considered non-limiting and do not in particular imply any hierarchical relationship between the two; generally, "gNodeB" can be considered device 1, and "UE" can be considered device 2, and the two devices communicate with each other via some radio channel. Additionally, it should be recognized that in any of the following embodiments, the transmitter or receiver can be either a gNB or a UE.

[0067] The term NG interface is used to explain certain embodiments described herein, but any disclosed embodiments and techniques also apply to the S1 interface.

[0068] Although some embodiments are described as applicable to intra-system scenarios (RAN nodes connected to the same core network), the embodiments disclosed herein, including enhanced "reason" values ​​and "further failure information" messages, can also be applied to communication between AMF and MME or between MME and AMF in cases where inter-system handover failures occur due to a mismatch between UE and network node capabilities. Therefore, while some embodiments described herein primarily discuss intra-RAT scenarios, the same embodiments can also be applied to inter-RAT handover scenarios, such as, for example, when a handover from LTE to NR is rejected by the NR cell because the minimum uplink (UL) and / or downlink (DL) bandwidth supported by the UE is greater than the maximum UL and / or DL ​​bandwidth of the NR cell (or vice versa).

[0069] Furthermore, certain embodiments described herein highlight mismatches in certain frequency band combinations between the SCS, UL / DL bandwidth, and / or the UE and the target cell. However, it should be recognized that other capability mismatches, such as the "PDCP / RLC sequence number format," can also be causes of handover rejection. In such cases, a corresponding new "reason" value is added, and the sequence number format supported by the target cell is included in the "further failure information." Thus, the techniques and embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to any cause leading to handover rejection.

[0070] General solutions for mismatched indication capabilities and related "reason" values:

[0071] According to some embodiments, the target cell rejects an incoming handover due to a mismatch between the UE's capabilities and the target cell's capabilities. Subsequently, according to some embodiments, the target cell may include an index or reference to the UE's capabilities that led to the decision to reject the handover from the target cell. By doing so, the source node / cell can know the exact reason for the rejection. This allows for the exclusion of new "reason" values ​​for different mismatches between the UE's capabilities and the target cell's capabilities. Therefore, in some embodiments, it may not be necessary to explicitly include "reason" related information elements. Instead, the target node can provide an index of UE capabilities that the target node does not support. For example, the target node may indicate a fifth index among the UE capabilities it does not support. The source can then check what the fifth UE capability is and understand that the target node does not support that feature.

[0072] For example, a method is provided at or performed by a network node, such as a source RAN node, to reduce the likelihood of NG handover failure and thereby reduce the total signaling overhead of performing the handover. According to some embodiments, the method includes:

[0073] - Receive a handover request associated with the UE from another network node (such as, for example, the source RAN node) via the AMF;

[0074] - Check the incoming UE's radio capabilities at least in terms of supported SCS, supported uplink (UL) / downlink (DL) bandwidth, and supported UL / DL band combinations;

[0075] - Determine whether the network and UE capabilities are compatible (e.g., the UE can support the SCS, bandwidth, frequency band combinations, etc. that the target cell can provide).

[0076] - When it is determined that the UE's capabilities and network capabilities are incompatible, a handover rejection message (handover failure) is sent to the AMF for the UE, wherein the failure indication includes one or more of the following information:

[0077] ○ The handover rejection message indicates a "reason" value that indicates the target cell does not support configurations compatible with the UE's capabilities. For example, the target does not support any of the capabilities related to the UE's supported SCS and / or bandwidth and / or frequency band combinations.

[0078] ○ Optionally, it may include target cell capabilities, such as serving cell information as defined in 3GPP TS 38.423, or a subset of such information, such as a list of SCS, bandwidth, and frequency band combination configurations supported by the target cell.

[0079] In another example, a method is provided at a network node, such as a source RAN node, to reduce the likelihood of NG handover failure and thereby reduce the total signaling overhead of performing the handover. According to some embodiments, the method includes:

[0080] - Send a handover request associated with the UE to the first network node (target RAN node) via AMF;

[0081] - Receive a handover rejection message (handover preparation failed) for the UE from the AMF, wherein the failure indication includes one or more of the following information;

[0082] ○ The handover rejection message indicates a "reason" value that indicates the target cell does not support configurations compatible with the UE's capabilities. For example, the target does not support any of the capabilities related to the UE's supported SCS and / or bandwidth and / or frequency band combinations.

[0083] ○ Optionally, it may indicate the target cell capabilities, for example, in the form of serving cell information as defined in 3GPP TS 38.423, or a subset of such information, such as a list of SCS, bandwidth, and frequency band combinations supported by the target cell.

[0084] - Store one or more of the aforementioned information associated with the target RAN node (e.g., in a neighbor relationship table containing the target node / cell identifier and supported or unsupported features / capabilities).

[0085] - Avoid sending handover request messages to the same target RAN node via AMF for one or more of the following situations:

[0086] For UEs with the same / similar capabilities as the UE that was just rejected;

[0087] For UEs that do not have the capability to be compatible with the capability indicated by the target RAN node / cell in the handover rejection message;

[0088] Creating a Neighbor Relationship Table

[0089] According to some embodiments, upon receiving a "Handover Preparation Failure" message from the AMF that includes the "reason" value proposed herein, the source network node stores this information in a neighbor relationship table (NG neighbor-specific table or NGF+X2 / Xn public neighbor-specific table). If the "Handover Preparation Failure" message only includes the "reason" value and not "further failure information," and if the entry is already available for the target node, the source node appends a current list of UE capabilities related to the transmission bandwidths (both UL and DL) supported by the UE to the table as transmission bandwidths not supported by the target node. If the "Handover Preparation Failure" message includes both the "reason" value and "further failure information," the source node creates a new entry for the transmission bandwidths (both UL and DL) supported by the target node. Based on this table, if the same target node is selected as a handover candidate for another UE, the RAN node checks the capabilities of that other UE, matches this with the contents of the neighbor relationship table associated with the target node, and decides whether to send a "Handover Request" message to the AMF to hand over the other UE to the target node.

[0090] UL transmission bandwidth and / or downlink transmission bandwidth

[0091] In some embodiments, the target node includes both UL and DL transmission bandwidth related information in the "handover failure" message. However, it is also possible that the target node includes only UL or DL ​​transmission bandwidth related information, depending on which UE capability enables the target node to send a "handover failure" message to the AMF, where the failure reason is set as proposed in this invention. The same applies to the UL / DL bands.

[0092] Example Implementation

[0093] The following text provides examples of implementations of the methods described herein, but is not limited thereto. All variations are based on the g-00 release of 3GPP TS 38.413. In the following embodiment, it is shown that the target node sends both UL and DL transmission bandwidth related information to the source node.

[0094] 9.2.3.3 Switchover preparation failed.

[0095] The message was sent by the AMF to notify that the source NG-RAN node switchover preparation had failed.

[0096] Direction: AMF → NG-RAN node.

[0097] IE / group name exist scope IE types and references Semantic description critical Critical of Assignment Message Type M 9.3.1.1 yes reject AMF UE NGAP ID M 9.3.3.1 yes neglect RAN UE NGAP ID M 9.3.3.2 yes neglect reason M 9.3.1.2 yes neglect Further failure information O 9.2.3.x Send when the cause value is one of the following: "Does not support any SCS supported by the UE, the minimum channel bandwidth supported by the UE is greater than the maximum channel bandwidth of the cell, does not support any SCS supported by the UE and the minimum channel bandwidth supported by the UE is greater than the maximum channel bandwidth of the cell, the frequency band in the target cell is incompatible with the UE's capabilities, or the UE's capabilities are incompatible with the target cell". yes neglect Borderline diagnosis O 9.3.1.3 yes neglect

[0098] Switching failed in version 9.2.3.6.

[0099] The message is sent by the target NG-RAN node to notify that AMF resource preparation has failed.

[0100] Direction: NG-RAN node → AMF.

[0101] IE / group name exist scope IE types and references Semantic description critical Critical of Assignment Message Type M 9.3.1.1 yes reject AMF UE NGAP ID M 9.3.3.1 yes neglect reason M 9.3.1.2 yes neglect Further failure information O 9.2.3.x Send when the cause value is one of the following: "Does not support any SCS supported by the UE, the minimum channel bandwidth supported by the UE is greater than the maximum channel bandwidth of the cell, does not support any SCS supported by the UE and the minimum channel bandwidth supported by the UE is greater than the maximum channel bandwidth of the cell, the frequency band in the target cell is incompatible with the UE's capabilities, or the UE's capabilities are incompatible with the target cell". yes neglect Borderline diagnosis O 9.3.1.3 yes neglect

[0102] 9.3.1.2 Reasons

[0103] The purpose of IE is to indicate the cause of a specific event in accordance with the NGAP protocol.

[0104] .

[0105]

[0106]

[0107]

[0108]

[0109] Further failure information in version 9.3.x

[0110] This IE is used to indicate either the UL or DL ​​transmission bandwidth.

[0111]

[0112]

[0113] As another example, further failure information for IE can be included in a target-to-source transparent container IE.

[0114] The following is a description of the possible meanings of some of the example new cause values ​​presented in this article:

[0115] Radio network layer reasons significance Does not support any SCS supported by the UE The failure was due to incompatibility between the SCS supported by the target cell and the UE's capabilities. The minimum channel bandwidth supported by the UE is greater than the maximum channel bandwidth of the cell. The failure was due to incompatibility between the channel bandwidth supported by the target cell and the UE's capabilities. It does not support any SCS supported by the UE, and the minimum channel bandwidth supported by the UE is greater than the maximum channel bandwidth of the cell. The failure was due to incompatibility between the target cell's supported SCS and channel bandwidth and the UE's capabilities. The frequency band in the target cell is incompatible with the UE's capabilities. The failure was due to incompatibility between the frequency band supported by the target cell and the UE's capabilities. UE capabilities are incompatible with the target cell The failure was due to incompatibility between the target cell and the UE's capabilities.

[0116] Figure 3The illustrations depict wireless networks according to some embodiments. While the subject matter described herein can be implemented using any suitable components in any appropriate type of system, the embodiments disclosed herein pertain to wireless networks (such as...). Figure 3 The example wireless network shown in the diagram is illustrated. For simplicity, Figure 3 The wireless network depicted only includes network 106, network nodes 160 and 160b, and wireless device 110. In practice, the wireless network may further include any additional elements suitable for supporting communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other network node or end device. Among the illustrated components, network node 160 and wireless device 110 are described with additional details. The wireless network can provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate access to and / or use of services provided by or via the wireless network.

[0117] Wireless networks can include any type of communications, telecommunications, data, cellular and / or radio network or other similar system, and / or interface with it. In some embodiments, a wireless network can be configured to operate according to a specific standard or other type of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, specific embodiments of the wireless network can implement communication standards such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards such as the IEEE 802.11 standard; and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards such as Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and / or ZigBee standards.

[0118] Network 106 may include one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, shared switched telephone networks (PSTN), packet data networks, optical networks, wide area networks (WAN), local area networks (LAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks that enable communication between devices.

[0119] Network node 160 and wireless device 110 include various components described in more detail below. These components work together to provide the functionality of the network node and / or wireless device, such as providing wireless connectivity in a wireless network. In various embodiments, the wireless network may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in data and / or signaling communication via wired or wireless connections.

[0120] Figure 4An example network node 160 according to certain embodiments is illustrated. As used herein, a network node refers to a device capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a wireless device and / or with other network nodes or devices in a wireless network to enable and / or provide wireless access to the wireless device and / or perform other functions (e.g., management) in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and NR Node Bs (gNBs)). Base stations may be classified based on the coverage they provide (or, in other words, their transmit power levels) and may then also be referred to as femtocells, picocells, microcells, or macrocells. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node that controls the relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) portions of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU), sometimes referred to as a remote radio head (RRH). Such a remote radio unit may or may not be integrated with an antenna as a radio device with an integrated antenna. A portion of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Further examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment (such as an MSR BS), network controllers (such as a radio network controller (RNC) or base station controller (BSC)), base transceiver stations (BTS), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSC, MME), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, location nodes (e.g., E-SMLC), and / or MDTs. As another example, a network node can be a virtual network node, as described in more detail below. However, more generally, a network node can represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to enable and / or provide access to a wireless network for wireless devices or to provide some service to wireless devices already connected to the wireless network.

[0121] exist Figure 4 In the network node 160, processing circuitry 170, device-readable medium 180, interface 190, auxiliary equipment 184, power supply 186, power circuitry 187, and antenna 162 are included. Although in Figure 4The network node 160 illustrated in the example wireless network may represent an apparatus including the illustrated combination of hardware components, but other embodiments may include network nodes with different combinations of components. It should be understood that a network node includes any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. Furthermore, although the components of network node 160 are depicted as a single box within a larger box or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network node may include multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., apparatus-readable medium 180 may include multiple separate hardware drives and multiple RAM modules).

[0122] Similarly, network node 160 may consist of multiple physically separate components (e.g., NodeB components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components, etc.), each of which may have its own corresponding components. In some scenarios where network node 160 includes multiple individual components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of these individual components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In this case, each unique NodeB and RNC pair may be considered a single, separate network node in some instances. In some embodiments, network node 160 may be configured to support multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device-readable media 180 for different RATs), and some components may be reused (e.g., RATs may share the same antenna 162). Network node 160 may also include multiple sets of various illustrated components for different wireless technologies (such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies) integrated into network node 160. These wireless technologies can be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within network node 160.

[0123] Processing circuitry 170 is configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain acquisition operations) provided by a network node as described herein. These operations performed by processing circuitry 170 may include processing information acquired by processing circuitry 170, such as by converting the acquired information into other information, comparing the acquired or converted information with information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and determining the result of said processing.

[0124] Processing circuitry 170 may include a combination of one or more of the following: a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or coded logic operable to provide the functionality of network node 160, either alone or in combination with other network node 160 components (such as device-readable medium 180). For example, processing circuitry 170 may execute instructions stored in device-readable medium 180 or in memory within processing circuitry 170. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include a system-on-a-chip (SoC).

[0125] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units (such as radio units and digital units). In alternative embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0126] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB, or other such network device may be executed by processing circuitry 170, which executes instructions stored in memory or on device-readable medium 180 within processing circuitry 170. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 170 without requiring, for example, hard-wiring execution of instructions stored on separate or discrete device-readable media. In any of those embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform the described functionality regardless of whether instructions stored on device-readable storage media are executed. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 170 alone or other components of network node 160, but are enjoyed by network node 160 as a whole, and / or generally by end users and wireless networks.

[0127] Device-readable medium 180 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including but not limited to persistent storage devices, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drives, CDs, or DVDs), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions usable by processing circuitry 170. Device-readable medium 180 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, applications including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc., and / or other instructions executable by processing circuitry 170 and usable by network node 160. Device-readable medium 180 may be used to store any calculations performed by processing circuitry 170 and / or any data received via interface 190. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 and device-readable medium 180 may be considered integrated.

[0128] Interface 190 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network node 160, network 106, and / or wireless device 110. As shown, interface 190 includes one or more ports / terminals 194 for sending and receiving data to and from network 106, for example, via a wired connection. Interface 190 also includes radio front-end circuitry 192, which may be coupled to antenna 162 or, in some embodiments, is part of antenna 162. Radio front-end circuitry 192 includes filter 198 and amplifier 196. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may be connected to antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may be configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may receive digital data to be transmitted via a wireless connection to other network nodes or wireless devices. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may use a combination of filter 198 and / or amplifier 196 to convert digital data into radio signals with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. Radio signals can then be transmitted via antenna 162. Similarly, when data is received, antenna 162 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 192. The digital data can be transmitted to processing circuitry 170. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0129] In some alternative embodiments, network node 160 may not include a separate radio front-end circuitry 192; instead, processing circuitry 170 may include radio front-end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 162 without a separate radio front-end circuitry 192. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 172 may be considered part of interface 190. In still other embodiments, interface 190 may include one or more ports or terminals 194, radio front-end circuitry 192, and RF transceiver circuitry 172 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 190 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 174, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0130] Antenna 162 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 162 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 192 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 162 may include one or more omnidirectional, sector, or planar antennas operable to transmit / receive radio signals, for example, between 2 GHz and 66 GHz. Omnidirectional antennas can be used to transmit / receive radio signals in any direction, sector antennas can be used to transmit / receive radio signals from devices within a specific area, and planar antennas can be line-of-sight antennas used to transmit / receive radio signals in a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In some embodiments, antenna 162 may be separate from network node 160 and may be connectable to network node 160 via an interface or port.

[0131] Antenna 162, interface 190, and / or processing circuitry 170 can be configured to perform any receive operation and / or certain acquire operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be received from a wireless device, another network node, and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 162, interface 190, and / or processing circuitry 170 can be configured to perform any transmit operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node, and / or any other network device.

[0132] Power circuit 187 may include or be coupled to power management circuitry and is configured to supply power to the components of network node 160 for performing the functionality described herein. Power circuit 187 may receive power from power source 186. Power source 186 and / or power circuit 187 may be configured to supply power to various components of network node 160 in a manner suitable for the respective components (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required for each respective component). Power source 186 may be included in power circuit 187 and / or network node 160, or external to it. For example, network node 160 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet) via input circuitry or an interface (such as a cable), thereby supplying power to power circuit 187. As another example, power source 186 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack, which is connected to or integrated into power circuit 187. The battery can provide backup power if the external power source fails. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

[0133] Alternative embodiments of network node 160 may include, in addition to Figure 4 Additional components, beyond those shown, may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the functionality of the network node, including any functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the topics described herein. For example, network node 160 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into and output from network node 160. This can allow users to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions on network node 160.

[0134] Figure 5An example wireless device 110 is illustrated. According to some embodiments, as used herein, a wireless device refers to a means capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to wirelessly communicate with network nodes and / or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise indicated, the term wireless device may be used interchangeably with user equipment (UE) herein. Wireless communication may involve transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information over the air. In some embodiments, a wireless device may be configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, a wireless device may be designed to transmit information to the network according to a predetermined schedule when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to a request from the network. Examples of wireless devices include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cellular phones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback facilities, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablets, laptops, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop-mounted devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless client devices (CPEs), and in-vehicle wireless terminal devices. Wireless devices can support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and in this case, can be referred to as D2D communication devices. As another specific example, in the Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, a wireless device can represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another wireless device and / or network node. In this case, the wireless device can be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which can be referred to as an MTC device in the 3GPP context. As a specific example, a wireless device can be a UE implementing the 3GPP Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) standard. Specific examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices (such as power meters), industrial machinery, or household or personal appliances (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, etc.), and personal wearable devices (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other cases, a wireless device can refer to a vehicle or other equipment capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. A wireless device as described above can refer to an endpoint of a wireless connection; in this case, the device can be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a wireless device as described above can be mobile; in this case, it can also be referred to as a mobile device or mobile terminal.

[0135] As shown, wireless device 110 includes an antenna 111, an interface 114, processing circuitry 120, a device-readable medium 130, a user interface device 132, auxiliary devices 134, a power supply 136, and a power circuit 137. Wireless device 110 may include multiple sets of components for one or more of the shown components supporting different wireless technologies, such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMax, or Bluetooth, to name just a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into a chip or chipset that is the same as or different from other components within wireless device 110.

[0136] Antenna 111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals and is connected to interface 114. In some alternative embodiments, antenna 111 may be separate from wireless device 110 and may be connected to wireless device 110 via an interface or port. Antenna 111, interface 114, and / or processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any receive or transmit operation described herein as performed by a wireless device. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from a network node and / or another wireless device. In some embodiments, radio front-end circuitry and / or antenna 111 may be considered as an interface.

[0137] As shown, interface 114 includes radio front-end circuitry 112 and antenna 111. Radio front-end circuitry 112 includes one or more filters 118 and amplifiers 116. Radio front-end circuitry 112 is connected to antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120 and is configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120. Radio front-end circuitry 112 may be coupled to antenna 111 or be part of it. In some embodiments, wireless device 110 may not include separate radio front-end circuitry 112; instead, processing circuitry 120 may include radio front-end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 111. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be considered part of interface 114. Radio front-end circuitry 112 can receive digital data to be transmitted via a wireless connection to other network nodes or wireless devices. Radio front-end circuitry 112 may use a combination of filters 118 and / or amplifiers 116 to convert digital data into radio signals with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signals can then be transmitted via antenna 111. Similarly, when data is received, antenna 111 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 112. The digital data can then be transmitted to processing circuitry 120. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0138] Processing circuitry 120 may include a combination of one or more of the following: a microprocessor, controller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or coded logic operable to provide the functionality of wireless device 110, either alone or in combination with other wireless device 110 components (such as device-readable medium 130). Such functionality may include any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 120 may execute instructions stored in device-readable medium 130 or in memory within processing circuitry 120 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.

[0139] As shown in the figure, the processing circuit 120 includes one or more of an RF transceiver circuit 122, a baseband processing circuit 124, and an application processing circuit 126. In other embodiments, the processing circuit may include different components and / or different combinations of components. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 120 of the wireless device 110 may include a System-on-a-Chip (SoC). In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuit 122, the baseband processing circuit 124, and the application processing circuit 126 may be on a separate chip or chipset. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the baseband processing circuit 124 and the application processing circuit 126 may be combined into a single chip or chipset, and the RF transceiver circuit 122 may be on a separate chip or chipset. In yet another alternative embodiment, some or all of the RF transceiver circuit 122 and the baseband processing circuit 124 may be on the same chip or chipset, and the application processing circuit 126 may be on a separate chip or chipset. In yet another alternative embodiment, some or all of the RF transceiver circuit 122, the baseband processing circuit 124, and the application processing circuit 126 may be combined into the same chip or chipset. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be part of interface 114. RF transceiver circuitry 122 may regulate RF signals used for processing circuitry 120.

[0140] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by a wireless device may be provided by processing circuitry 120 executing instructions stored on device-readable medium 130, which may be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 120 without requiring, for example, hard-wired execution of instructions stored on separate or discrete device-readable storage media. In any of those particular embodiments, processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform the described functionality regardless of whether instructions stored on device-readable storage media are executed. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 120 alone or other components of wireless device 110, but are enjoyed by wireless device 110 as a whole, and / or generally by end users and wireless networks.

[0141] Processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain acquisition operations) described herein as being performed by a wireless device. These operations performed by processing circuitry 120 may include processing information acquired by processing circuitry 120, such as by converting the acquired information into other information, comparing the acquired or converted information with information stored in wireless device 110, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and determining the result of said processing.

[0142] Device-readable medium 130 is operable to store computer programs, software, applications including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc., and / or other instructions executable by processing circuitry 120. Device-readable medium 130 may include computer memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., CD or DVD) and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory means that stores information, data, and / or instructions usable by processing circuitry 120. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 120 and device-readable medium 130 may be considered integrated.

[0143] User interface device 132 can provide components that allow a human user to interact with wireless device 110. This interaction can take many forms, such as visual, auditory, tactile, etc. User interface device 132 can be operable to produce outputs to a user and allow the user to provide inputs to wireless device 110. The type of interaction can vary depending on the type of user interface device 132 installed in wireless device 110. For example, if wireless device 110 is a smartphone, the interaction can be via a touchscreen; if wireless device 110 is a smart meter, the interaction can be via a screen providing usage information (e.g., gallons used) or a speaker providing audible alarms (e.g., if smoke is detected). User interface device 132 can include input interfaces, means, and circuitry, as well as output interfaces, means, and circuitry. User interface device 132 is configured to allow information to be input into wireless device 110 and is connected to processing circuitry 120 to allow processing circuitry 120 to process the input information. User interface device 132 can include, for example, a microphone, proximity sensor or other sensor, buttons / buttons, touch display, one or more cameras, USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface device 132 is also configured to allow information output from wireless device 110, and to allow processing circuitry 120 to output information from wireless device 110. User interface device 132 may include, for example, a speaker, display, vibration circuitry, USB port, headphone jack, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, means, and circuitry of user interface device 132, wireless device 110 can communicate with end users and / or wireless networks, allowing them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

[0144] The auxiliary device 134 is operable to provide more specific functionality that is not typically performed by a wireless device. This may include dedicated sensors for measuring for various purposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wired communication, etc. The inclusion and type of components of the auxiliary device 134 may vary depending on the embodiment and / or circumstances.

[0145] In some embodiments, power source 136 may be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources may also be used, such as an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a power battery. Wireless device 110 may further include power circuitry 137 for delivering power from power source 136 to various parts of wireless device 110 that require power from power source 136 to perform any functionality described or indicated herein. In some embodiments, power circuitry 137 may include power management circuitry. Power circuitry 137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in this case, wireless device 110 may be connectable to an external power source (such as an electrical outlet) via input circuitry or an interface (such as a power cable). In some embodiments, power circuitry 137 may also be operable to deliver power from an external power source to power source 136. For example, this may be used for charging power source 136. Power circuitry 137 may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications on the power from power source 136 to suit the power for the respective components of the wireless device 110 to which it is supplied.

[0146] Figure 6 An embodiment of a UE according to the various aspects described herein is illustrated. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated device. Instead, a UE may represent a device intended to be sold to or operated by a human user, but the device may not be associated with, or may not initially be associated with, a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device not intended to be sold to or operated by an end user, but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart meter). UE 200 may be any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including NB-IoT UEs, Machine Type Communication (MTC) UEs, and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs. Figure 4 The UE 200 illustrated is an example of a radio device configured to communicate according to one or more communication standards published by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and / or 5G standards. As previously stated, the terms radio device and UE are used interchangeably. Therefore, although... Figure 6 This is a UE, but the components discussed in this article also apply to wireless devices, and vice versa.

[0147] exist Figure 6In this embodiment, UE 200 includes processing circuitry 201 operatively coupled to an input / output interface 205, a radio frequency (RF) interface 209, a network connectivity interface 211, a memory 215 including random access memory (RAM) 217, read-only memory (ROM) 219, and a storage medium 221, a communication subsystem 231, a power supply 233, and / or any other components or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 includes an operating system 223, application programs 225, and data 227. In other embodiments, storage medium 221 may include other similar types of information. Some UEs may utilize... Figure 6 All components are shown, or only a subset of components are utilized. The integration level between components can vary from one UE to another. Additionally, some UEs may contain multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0148] exist Figure 6 In this system, processing circuitry 201 can be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 201 can be configured to implement any sequential state machine that operates to execute machine instructions stored in memory as a machine-readable computer program, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic along with appropriate firmware; one or more stored programs, a general-purpose processor, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), along with appropriate software; or any combination of the foregoing. For example, processing circuitry 201 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for computer use.

[0149] In the depicted embodiments, the input / output interface 205 can be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, an output device, or both input and output devices. The UE 200 can be configured to use an output device via the input / output interface 205. The output device can use an interface port of the same type as the input device. For example, a USB port can be used to provide input to and from the UE 200. The output device can be a speaker, sound card, video card, display, monitor, printer, actuator, transmitter, smart card, another output device, or any combination thereof. The UE 200 can be configured to use an input device via the input / output interface 205 to allow a user to capture information into the UE 200. The input device can include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, digital camcorder, webcam, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a steering wheel, a scroll wheel, a smart card, etc. A presence-sensitive display can include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to sense input from the user. Sensors can be, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, light sensors, proximity sensors, other similar sensors, or any combination thereof. Input devices can be, for example, accelerometers, magnetometers, digital cameras, microphones, and light sensors.

[0150] exist Figure 6 In this configuration, RF interface 209 can be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as transmitters, receivers, and antennas. Network connectivity interface 211 can be configured to provide a communication interface to network 243a. Network 243a may include wired and / or wireless networks, such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), computer networks, wireless networks, telecommunications networks, another similar network, or any combination thereof. For example, network 243a may include a Wi-Fi network. Network connectivity interface 211 can be configured to include receiver and transmitter interfaces for communicating with one or more other devices over the communication network according to one or more communication protocols such as Ethernet, TCP / IP, SONET, ATM, etc. Network connectivity interface 211 can implement receiver and transmitter functionality suitable for communication network links (e.g., optical, electrical, etc.). Transmitter and receiver functionality may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively, may be implemented separately.

[0151] RAM 217 can be configured to interface with processing circuitry 201 via bus 202 to provide storage or cache of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as operating systems, applications, and device drivers. ROM 219 can be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 201. For example, ROM 219 can be configured to store immutable low-level system code or data for basic system functions stored in non-volatile memory, such as basic input and output (I / O), booting, or receiving keystrokes from a keyboard. Storage medium 221 can be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk, optical disk, floppy disk, hard disk, removable magnetic tape, or flash drive. In one example, storage medium 221 can be configured to include operating system 223, application program 225 (such as a web browser application, widget or utility engine, or another application), and data file 227. Storage medium 221 can store any of a variety of operating systems or combinations of operating systems for use by UE 200.

[0152] Storage medium 221 can be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard disk drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital multifunction disc (HD-DVD) drive, an internal hard disk drive, a Blu-ray disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) disc drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory (such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM / RUIM) module), other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 can allow UE 200 to access computer-executable instructions, applications, etc., stored on a transient or non-transient storage medium to unload or upload data. Articles of manufacture, such as those utilizing a communication system, can be tangibly embodied in storage medium 221, which may include a device-readable medium.

[0153] exist Figure 6In this embodiment, processing circuitry 201 can be configured to communicate with network 243b using communication subsystem 231. Networks 243a and 243b can be the same one or more networks or different one or more networks. Communication subsystem 231 can be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with network 243b. For example, communication subsystem 231 can be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device (such as another wireless device, UE, or a base station of a radio access network (RAN)) capable of wireless communication according to one or more communication protocols (such as IEEE 802.2, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, etc.). Each transceiver can include transmitter 233 and / or receiver 235 to respectively implement transmitter or receiver functionality suitable for the RAN link (e.g., frequency allocation, etc.). Additionally, the transmitter 233 and receiver 235 of each transceiver can share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively can be implemented separately.

[0154] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication subsystem 231 may include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location, another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, the communication subsystem 231 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. The network 243b may include wired and / or wireless networks such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another similar network, or any combination thereof. For example, the network 243b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and / or a near-field network. The power supply 213 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to the components of the UE 200.

[0155] The features, benefits, and / or functions described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 200 or divided across multiple components of UE 200. Additionally, the features, benefits, and / or functions described herein may be implemented using any combination of hardware, software, or firmware. In one example, communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Furthermore, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with any such component via bus 202. In another example, any such component may be represented by program instructions stored in memory, which, when executed by processing circuitry 201, perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any such component may be divided between processing circuitry 201 and communication subsystem 231. In yet another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented using software or firmware, and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented using hardware.

[0156] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualized environment 300, in which functionality implemented by some embodiments can be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating virtual versions of devices or apparatuses, which may include virtualized hardware platforms, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to nodes (e.g., virtualized base stations or virtualized radio access nodes) or apparatuses (e.g., UEs, wireless devices, or any other type of communication apparatus) or components thereof, and relates to the implementation of at least some functionality as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines, or containers executed on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

[0157] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionalities described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines, which are implemented in one or more virtual environments 300 hosted by one or more hardware nodes 330. Additionally, in embodiments where the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), the network node may be fully virtualized.

[0158] The functionality may be implemented by one or more applications 320 (alternatively referred to as software instances, virtual devices, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) that operate to provide some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. The applications 320 run in a virtualization environment 300 that provides hardware 330 including processing circuitry 360 and memory 390. The memory 390 includes instructions 395 executable by the processing circuitry 360, thereby enabling the applications 320 to operate to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and / or functions disclosed herein.

[0159] The virtualization environment 300 includes general-purpose or special-purpose network hardware devices 330, which include a collection of one or more processors or processing circuitry 360. This processing circuitry can be a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processor, a dedicated application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other type of processing circuitry, including digital or analog hardware components or dedicated processors. Each hardware device may include memory 390-1, which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing software or instructions 395 executed by the processing circuitry 360. Each hardware device may include one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 370, also referred to as network interface cards, which include physical network interfaces 380. Each hardware device may also include a non-transitory, persistent machine-readable storage medium 390-2 in which instructions and / or software 395 executable by the processing circuitry 360 are stored. The software 395 may include any type of software, including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software for executing virtual machines 340, and software that allows them to perform the functions, features, and / or benefits described with respect to some embodiments herein.

[0160] Virtual machine 340 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces, and virtual storage devices, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 350 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of instances of virtual appliance 320 can be implemented on one or more of virtual machines 340, and this implementation can be carried out in different ways.

[0161] During operation, the processing circuitry 360 executes software 395 to instantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 350, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). The virtualization layer 350 can present a virtual operating platform that appears to be networked hardware to the virtual machine 340.

[0162] like Figure 7 As shown, hardware 330 can be a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 330 may include antenna 3225 and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 330 may be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., such as in a data center or customer premises equipment (CPE)) in which many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration (MANO) 3100, which, among other things, oversees the lifecycle management of application 320.

[0163] Hardware virtualization is sometimes referred to as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to integrate many types of network devices into industry-standard high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage devices, which can reside in data centers and client devices.

[0164] In the context of NFV, virtual machines 340 can be software implementations of physical machines running programs, just as if they were running on physical, non-virtualized machines. Each virtual machine 340, along with the portion of the hardware 330 that executes that virtual machine, whether it is dedicated to that virtual machine or shared by that virtual machine and other virtual machines 340, forms a separate virtual network element (VNE).

[0165] Within the context of NFV, a Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions running in one or more virtual machines 340 on top of the hardware networking infrastructure 330, and corresponds to Figure 7 Application 320.

[0166] In some embodiments, one or more radio units 3200, each including one or more transmitters 3220 and one or more receivers 3210, may be coupled to one or more antennas 3225. The radio unit 3200 may communicate directly with the hardware node 330 via one or more suitable network interfaces and may be used in combination with virtual components to provide radio capabilities to the virtual node, such as a radio access node or base station.

[0167] In some embodiments, the control system 3230 can be used to influence some signaling, and the control system can alternatively be used for communication between hardware node 330 and radio unit 3200.

[0168] Figure 8 A method 400, performed by a first network node according to certain embodiments, is described. In step 402, the first network node receives a handover request associated with a wireless device from a second network node. In step 404, the first network node determines whether at least one capability of the associated wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network node. In step 406, the first network node takes at least one action based on whether at least one capability of the wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network.

[0169] In a particular embodiment, the first network node is associated with the target cell for handover of the wireless cell, while the second network node is associated with the source cell for handover of the wireless device.

[0170] In a particular embodiment, a handover request is received via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

[0171] In a particular embodiment, at least one capability of the wireless device includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the wireless device; bandwidth supported by the wireless device; and frequency band combination supported by the wireless device.

[0172] In a particular embodiment, at least one capability of the first network node includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the first network node; bandwidth supported by the first network node; and frequency band combination supported by the first network node.

[0173] In a particular embodiment, determining whether at least one capability of the wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network node includes determining that at least one capability of the wireless device is incompatible with at least one capability of the first network node, and taking at least one action includes transmitting a handover rejection message for the wireless device. The handover rejection message is transmitted to the second network node via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), and the handover rejection message includes a failure indication. The failure indication includes a cause value indicating that the first network node does not support a configuration compatible with at least one capability of the wireless device.

[0174] In another specific embodiment, the switch rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the first network node.

[0175] In a particular embodiment, determining whether at least one capability of the wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network node includes determining that at least one capability of the wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network node, and taking at least one action includes transmitting a handover acceptance message for the wireless device. The handover acceptance message is transmitted to the second network node via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

[0176] Figure 9 A method 500 for a target network node 160 according to certain embodiments is described. In step 502, the target network node 160 receives a handover request associated with a wireless device 110 from a source network node 160. In step 504, the target network node 160 transmits a handover rejection message to the source network node 160 via a core network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request.

[0177] In a particular embodiment, the target network node 160 is associated with the target cell of the handover request of the wireless device 110, and the source network node 160 is associated with the source cell of the handover of the wireless device 110.

[0178] In a particular embodiment, the cause value indicates at least one of the following: the target network node does not support the subcarrier spacing supported by the wireless device; the target network node does not support the bandwidth supported by the wireless device; and the target network node does not support the frequency band combination supported by the wireless device.

[0179] In a particular embodiment, the target network node 160 determines that at least one capability of the wireless device 110 associated with the handover request is incompatible with at least one capability of the target network node 160, and a cause value indicates that at least one capability of the wireless device 110 is incompatible with at least one capability of the target network node 160.

[0180] In a particular embodiment, at least one capability of the target network node includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the target network node; bandwidth supported by the target network node; and frequency band combination supported by the target network node.

[0181] In a particular embodiment, the switch rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the target network node.

[0182] In a particular embodiment, the core network node includes the AMF.

[0183] Figure 10 A method 600, performed by a first network node according to certain embodiments, is described. In step 602, the first network node sends a handover request associated with a first wireless device to a second network node. In step 604, the first network node receives a handover rejection message for the first wireless device from the second network node. The handover rejection message includes a failure indication, and the failure indication includes a reason value indicating that the second network node does not support a configuration compatible with at least one capability of the first wireless device.

[0184] In a particular embodiment, the first network node is associated with the source cell of the handover associated with the first wireless cell, and the second network node is associated with the target cell of the handover associated with the first wireless device.

[0185] In a particular embodiment, a handover request is sent via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), and a handover rejection message is received via the AMF.

[0186] In a particular embodiment, at least one capability of the first wireless device includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the first wireless device; bandwidth supported by the first wireless device; and frequency band combination supported by the first wireless device.

[0187] In a particular embodiment, the handover rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the second network node. In another particular embodiment, the at least one capability of the second network node includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the second network node; bandwidth supported by the second network node; and frequency band combinations supported by the second network node.

[0188] In one embodiment, the first network node stores information associated with at least one capability of the second network node. In another embodiment, this information is stored in a neighbor table and includes an identifier associated with the second network node.

[0189] In a particular embodiment, the first network node determines that at least one capability of the second wireless device is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message. Based on the fact that at least one capability of the second wireless device is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message, the first network node sends a handover request for the second wireless device to a third network node that is different from the second network node.

[0190] In a particular embodiment, based on stored information associated with at least one capability of the second network node, the first network node determines that the second network node does not support a configuration compatible with at least one capability of the second wireless device, and the first network node sends a handover request for the second wireless device to a third network node that is different from the second network node.

[0191] Figure 11 A method 700 for a source network node 160 according to certain embodiments is described. In step 702, the source network node 160 sends a handover request associated with a first wireless device to a target network node. In step 704, the source network node 160 receives a handover rejection message from the core network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request of the first wireless device.

[0192] In a particular embodiment, the source network node 160 is associated with the source cell associated with the handover request of the first radio device 110, and the target network node is associated with the target cell associated with the handover of the first radio device 110.

[0193] In a particular embodiment, the cause value indicates at least one of the following: the target network node 160 does not support the subcarrier spacing supported by the first wireless device 110; the target network node 160 does not support the bandwidth supported by the first wireless device 110; and the target network node 160 does not support the frequency band combination supported by the first wireless device 110.

[0194] In a particular embodiment, the cause value indicates that at least one capability of the first wireless device 110 is incompatible with at least one capability of the target network node 160.

[0195] In a particular embodiment, the switch rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the target network node 160.

[0196] In a particular embodiment, at least one capability of the target network node 160 includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the target network node 160; bandwidth supported by the target network node; and frequency band combination supported by the target network node.

[0197] In a particular embodiment, the source network node 160 stores information associated with at least one capability of the target network node 160.

[0198] In a particular embodiment, this information is stored in a neighbor relationship table and includes an identifier associated with the target network node 160.

[0199] In a particular embodiment, based on stored information associated with at least one capability of the target network node 160, the source network node 160 determines that at least one capability of the target network node 160 is incompatible with at least one capability of the second wireless device 110, and sends a handover request for the second wireless device 110 to another target network node.

[0200] In a particular embodiment, the source network node 160 determines that at least one capability of the second wireless device 110 is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device 110 associated with the handover rejection message, and based on the fact that at least one capability of the second wireless device 110 is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device 110 associated with the handover rejection message, sends a handover request for the second wireless device to another target network node that is different from the target network node.

[0201] Example Implementation

[0202] Example 1. A method performed by a first network node, the method comprising: receiving a handover request associated with a wireless device from a second network node; determining whether at least one capability of the associated wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network node; and taking at least one action based on whether at least one capability of the wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network.

[0203] Example 2. The method of Example 1, wherein a first network node is associated with a target cell associated with the handover of a wireless cell, and a second network node is associated with a source cell associated with the handover of a wireless device.

[0204] Example 3. The method of any one of Example 1 to 2, wherein a handover request is received via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

[0205] Example 4. A method of any one of Example 1 to 3, wherein at least one capability of the wireless device includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the wireless device; bandwidth supported by the wireless device; and frequency band combination supported by the wireless device.

[0206] Example 5. A method of any one of Example 1 to 4, wherein at least one capability of the first network node includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the first network node; bandwidth supported by the first network node; and frequency band combination supported by the first network node.

[0207] Example 6. A method of any one of Example 1 to 5, wherein: determining whether at least one capability of a wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of a first network node includes: determining that at least one capability of the wireless device is incompatible with at least one capability of the first network node; and taking at least one action includes: transmitting a handover rejection message of the wireless device, the handover rejection message being transmitted to a second network node via an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), the handover rejection message including a failure indication, the failure indication including: a cause value indicating that the first network node does not support a configuration compatible with at least one capability of the wireless device.

[0208] Example 7. The method of Example 6, wherein the switch rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the first network node.

[0209] Example 8. A method of any one of Example 1 to 5, wherein: determining whether at least one capability of the wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network node includes determining that at least one capability of the wireless device is compatible with at least one capability of the first network node, and taking at least one action includes transmitting a handover acceptance message of the wireless device, the handover acceptance message being transmitted to the second network node via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

[0210] Example 9. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform any of the methods of Example 1 to 8.

[0211] Example 10. A computer program product including a computer program, the computer program including instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform any of the methods of Example 1 to 8.

[0212] Example 11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform any of the methods of Example 1 to 8.

[0213] Example 12. A method performed by a first network node, the method comprising: sending a handover request associated with a first wireless device to a second network node; receiving a handover rejection message of the first wireless device from the second network node, the handover rejection message including a failure indication, the failure indication including a reason value indicating that the second network node does not support a configuration compatible with at least one capability of the first wireless device.

[0214] Example 13. The method of Example 12, wherein a first network node is associated with a source cell associated with a handover of a first wireless cell, and a second network node is associated with a target cell associated with a handover of a first wireless device.

[0215] Example 14. A method of any one of Example 12 to 13, wherein a handover request is sent via the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), and wherein a handover rejection message is received via the AMF.

[0216] Example 15. A method of any one of Example 12 to 14, wherein at least one capability of the first wireless device includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the first wireless device; bandwidth supported by the first wireless device; and frequency band combination supported by the first wireless device.

[0217] Example 16. The method of any one of Example 12 to 15, wherein the switch rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the second network node.

[0218] Example 17. The method of Example 16, wherein at least one capability of the second network node includes at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing supported by the second network node; bandwidth supported by the second network node; and frequency band combination supported by the second network node.

[0219] Example 18. The method of any one of Example 16 to 17 further includes: storing information associated with the at least one capability of the second network node.

[0220] Example 19. The method of Example 18, wherein the information is stored in a neighbor relationship table and includes an identifier associated with the second network node.

[0221] Example 20. The method of any one of Example 16 to 19 further includes: determining that at least one capability of the second wireless device is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message, and sending a handover request for the second wireless device to a third network node different from the second network node based on the fact that at least one capability of the second wireless device is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message.

[0222] Example 21. The method of any one of Example 18 to 19 further includes: determining, based on stored information associated with at least one capability of the second network node, that the second network node does not support a configuration compatible with at least one capability of the second wireless device, and sending a handover request for the second wireless device to a third network node different from the second network node.

[0223] Example 22. A computer program including instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform any of the methods of Example 12 to 21.

[0224] Example 23. A computer program product including a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform any of the methods of Example 12 to 21.

[0225] Example 24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform any of the methods of Example 12 to 21.

[0226] Example 25. A network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any step of any of the examples 1 to 24; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to a wireless device.

[0227] Example 26. A method of any of the foregoing example embodiments, wherein the network node includes a base station.

[0228] Example 27. A method of any of the foregoing example embodiments, wherein the wireless device includes a user equipment (UE).

[0229] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems and devices described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Components of the systems and devices may be integrated or separated. Furthermore, the operation of the systems and devices may be performed by more, fewer, or other components. Additionally, the operation of the systems and devices may be performed using any suitable logic, including software, hardware, and / or other logic. As used in this document, "each" refers to each member of a set, or each member of a subset of a set.

[0230] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the methods described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The methods may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, the steps may be performed in any suitable order.

[0231] Although this disclosure has described certain embodiments, variations and substitutions of the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above description of the embodiments does not limit this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method executed by a target network node, the method comprising: Receive a handover request associated with the wireless device from the source network node; as well as A handover rejection message is transmitted from the core network node to the source network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request, wherein the reason value indicates at least one of the following: The target network node does not support the subcarrier spacing supported by the wireless device; The target network node does not support the bandwidth supported by the wireless device; and The target network node does not support the frequency band combinations supported by the wireless device.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The target network node is associated with the target cell that is associated with the handover request of the wireless device, and the source network node is associated with the source cell that is associated with the handover of the wireless device.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising: It is determined that at least one capability of the wireless device associated with the handover request is incompatible with at least one capability of the target network node, and wherein the cause value indicates that the at least one capability of the wireless device is incompatible with the at least one capability of the target network node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The at least one capability of the target network node includes at least one of the following: The subcarrier spacing supported by the target network node; The bandwidth supported by the target network node; and The frequency band combinations supported by the target network node.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, The handover rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the target network node.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The core network node includes Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMF).

7. A target network node, comprising: The processing circuit is configured as follows: Receive a handover request associated with the wireless device from the source network node; as well as A handover rejection message is transmitted from the core network node to the source network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request, wherein the reason value indicates at least one of the following: The target network node does not support the subcarrier spacing supported by the wireless device; The target network node does not support the bandwidth supported by the wireless device; and The target network node does not support the frequency band combinations supported by the wireless device.

8. The target network node as described in claim 7, wherein, The target network node is associated with the target cell that is associated with the handover request of the wireless device, and the source network node is associated with the source cell that is associated with the handover of the wireless device.

9. The target network node as described in any one of claims 7 to 8, wherein, The processing circuitry is configured to determine that at least one capability of the wireless device associated with the handover request is incompatible with at least one capability of the target network node, wherein the cause value indicates that the at least one capability of the wireless device is incompatible with the at least one capability of the target network node.

10. The target network node as described in claim 9, wherein, The at least one capability of the target network node includes at least one of the following: The subcarrier spacing supported by the target network node; The bandwidth supported by the target network node; and The frequency band combinations supported by the target network node.

11. The target network node as described in claim 9, wherein, The handover rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the target network node.

12. The target network node as described in any one of claims 7 to 8, wherein, The core network node includes Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMF).

13. A method performed by a source network node, the method comprising: Send a handover request associated with the first wireless device to the target network node; as well as The handover rejection message is received from the target network node via the core network node, the handover rejection message including... A reason value for rejecting the handover request from the first wireless device, wherein the reason value indicates at least one of the following: The target network node does not support the subcarrier spacing supported by the first wireless device; The target network node does not support the bandwidth supported by the first wireless device; and The target network node does not support the frequency band combinations supported by the first wireless device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The source network node is associated with the source cell to which the handover request of the first wireless device is associated, and the target network node is associated with the target cell to which the handover of the first wireless device is associated.

15. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 14, wherein, The cause value indicates that at least one capability of the first wireless device is incompatible with at least one capability of the target network node.

16. The method of any one of claims 13 to 14, wherein, The handover rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the target network node.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, The at least one capability of the target network node includes at least one of the following: The subcarrier spacing supported by the target network node; The bandwidth supported by the target network node; and The frequency band combinations supported by the target network node.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising: Store information associated with at least one capability of the target network node.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The information is stored in a neighbor relationship table and includes an identifier associated with the target network node.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: Based on the stored information associated with at least one capability of the target network node, it is determined that at least one capability of the target network node is incompatible with at least one capability of the second wireless device; as well as Send a handover request for the second wireless device to another target network node.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising: Determine that at least one capability of the second wireless device is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message; as well as Based on the fact that the second wireless device has at least one capability and the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message has at least one capability, a handover request for the second wireless device is sent to another target network node that is different from the target network node.

22. A source network node, comprising: The processing circuit is configured as follows: Send a handover request associated with the first wireless device to the target network node; as well as A handover rejection message is received from the target network node via a core network node. The handover rejection message includes a reason value for rejecting the handover request of the wireless device, wherein the reason value indicates at least one of the following: The target network node does not support the subcarrier spacing supported by the first wireless device; The target network node does not support the bandwidth supported by the first wireless device; and The target network node does not support the frequency band combinations supported by the first wireless device.

23. The source network node as described in claim 22, wherein, The source network node is associated with the source cell to which the handover request of the first wireless device is associated, and the target network node is associated with the target cell to which the handover of the first wireless device is associated.

24. The source network node as described in any one of claims 22 to 23, wherein, The cause value indicates that at least one capability of the wireless device is incompatible with at least one capability of the target network node.

25. The source network node as described in any one of claims 22 to 23, wherein, The handover rejection message further includes an indication of at least one capability of the target network node.

26. The source network node as described in claim 25, wherein, The at least one capability of the target network node includes at least one of the following: The subcarrier spacing supported by the target network node; The bandwidth supported by the target network node; and The frequency band combinations supported by the target network node.

27. The source network node as described in claim 25, wherein, The processing circuitry is configured to store information associated with at least one capability of the target network node.

28. The source network node as described in claim 27, wherein, The information is stored in a neighbor relationship table and includes an identifier associated with the target network node.

29. The source network node as described in claim 27, wherein, The processing circuit is configured to: Based on the stored information associated with at least one capability of the target network node, it is determined that at least one capability of the target network node is incompatible with at least one capability of the second wireless device; as well as Send a handover request for the second wireless device to another target network node.

30. The source network node as described in claim 25, wherein, The processing circuit is configured to: Determine that at least one capability of the second wireless device is the same as at least one capability of the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message; and Based on the fact that the second wireless device has at least one capability and the first wireless device associated with the handover rejection message has at least one capability, a handover request for the second wireless device is sent to another target network node that is different from the target network node.

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