Nrradio link discontinuous reception resource allocation

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system is described. The wireless communication system includes a plurality of UEs. The UE communicates with one or more other UEs using a sidelink (SL). The UE operates in a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode. When out of coverage, the UE acquires one or more resources available for transmission by: an assistance information message (AIM) received from the one or more other UEs within an active duration of one or more DRX cycles; and / or an assistance information message (AIM) received from the one or more other UEs within a listening duration; and / or by sensing in a set of sidelink resources or a sidelink resource pool of the wireless communication system within the active duration of the one or more DRX cycles; and / or by sensing in the set of sidelink resources or the sidelink resource pool of the wireless communication system within the listening duration.

Description

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless communication systems or networks, and more specifically to discontinuous reception DRX on a direct link SL. Embodiments of the invention relate to resource allocation in the case of DRX on the SL.

[0002] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a terrestrial wireless network 100, as shown in Figure 1(a), including a core network 102 and one or more radio access networks RAN1, RAN2, ... RAN N Figure 1(b) shows the Radio Access Network (RAN). n The example schematic representation may include one or more base stations gNB1 to gNB5, each base station serving a specific area around the base station schematically shown by corresponding cells 1061 to 1065. The base stations are provided to serve users within the cell. One or more base stations may serve users in licensed and / or unlicensed frequency bands. The term base station (BS) refers to gNB in ​​a 5G network, eNB in ​​UMTS / LTE / LTE-A / LTE-APro, or simply BS in other mobile communication standards. Users may be fixed or mobile devices. The wireless communication system may be accessed by mobile or fixed IoT devices connected to the base station or the user. Mobile devices or IoT devices may include physical devices, ground vehicles such as robots or cars, aircraft such as manned or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, buildings, and other items or devices having embedded electronics, software, sensors, actuators, etc., and network connectivity enabling these devices to collect and exchange data over existing network infrastructure. Figure 1(b) shows an exemplary view with only five cells; however, RAN n It can include more or fewer such cells, and RAN nAlternatively, only one base station may be included. Figure 1(b) shows two user UEs, UE1 and UE2, located in cell 1062 and served by base station gNB2, also referred to as user equipment UEs. Another user UE3 is shown in cell 1064 served by base station gNB4. Arrows 1081, 1082, and 1083 schematically represent uplink / downlink connections used for transmitting data from users UE1, UE2, and UE3 to base stations gNB2 and gNB4, or for transmitting data from base stations gNB2 and gNB4 to users UE1, UE2, and UE3. This can be implemented on licensed or unlicensed frequency bands. In addition, Figure 1(b) shows two IoT devices 1101 and 1102 in cell 1064, which can be fixed or mobile devices. IoT device 1101 accesses the wireless communication system via base station gNB4 to receive and transmit data, as schematically indicated by arrow 1121. IoT device 1102 accesses the wireless communication system via user UE3, as schematically indicated by arrow 1122. Each base station gNB1 to gNB5 can connect to the core network 102, for example via the S1 interface, through corresponding backhaul links 1141 to 1145, which are schematically represented in Figure 1(b) by arrows pointing to "core". The core network 102 can connect to one or more external networks. External networks can be the Internet or private networks, such as local area networks or any other type of campus network, such as private WiFi or 4G or 5G mobile communication systems. Furthermore, some or all of the base stations gNB1 to gNB5 can be interconnected via corresponding backhaul links 1161 to 1165, for example via the S1 or X2 interface or the XN interface in the NR, schematically represented in Figure 1(b) by arrows pointing to "gNBs". The direct link channel allows direct communication between UEs, also known as device-to-device (D2D) communication. The direct link interface in 3GPP is named PC5.

[0003] For data transmission, a physical resource grid can be used. A physical resource grid may include a set of resource elements to which various physical channels and physical signals are mapped. For example, physical channels may include physical downlink channels (PDSCH), physical uplink shared channels (PUSCH), and physical direct link shared channels (PSSCH) carrying user-specific data (also referred to as downlink, uplink, and direct link payload data); physical broadcast channels (PBCH) and physical direct link broadcast channels (PSBCH) carrying, for example, Master Information Blocks (MIBs) and one or more System Information Blocks (SIBs), one or more Direct Link Information Blocks (SLIBs) (if supported); physical downlink control channels (PDCCH), physical uplink control channels (PUCCH), and physical direct link control channels (PSSCH) carrying, for example, downlink control information (DCI), uplink control information (UCI), or direct link control information (SCI). The direct link interface may also support two levels of SCI, referring to a first control region containing some portions of the SCI, and optionally, a second control region containing a second portion of the control information.

[0004] For the uplink, the physical channel may further include the physical random access channel (PRACH or RACH) used by the UE to access the network after UE synchronization and acquisition of the MIB and SIB. Physical signals may include reference signals or symbols (RS), synchronization signals, etc. The resource grid may include frames or radio frames that have a certain duration in the time domain and a given bandwidth in the frequency domain. Frames may have a certain number of subframes of predefined length, such as 1 ms. Depending on the length of the cyclic prefix (CP), each subframe may include one or more time slots of 12 or 14 OFDM symbols. Frames may also consist of fewer OFDM symbols, for example, when utilizing a shortened transmission time interval (sTTI) or a small time slot / non-time slot-based frame structure that includes only a few OFDM symbols.

[0005] Wireless communication systems can be any single-tone or multi-carrier system using frequency division multiplexing, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or any other IFFT-based signal with or without CP, such as DFT-s-OFDM. Other waveforms can be used, such as non-orthogonal waveforms for multiple access, such as filter bank multicarrier (FBMC), generalized frequency division multiplexing (GFDM), or universal filtered multicarrier (UFMC). Wireless communication systems can operate, for example, according to LTE-Advanced Pro standards, or 5G, or NR (New Radio) standards, or NR-U (New Radio operating in unlicensed bands) standards.

[0006] The wireless network or communication system depicted in Figure 1 can be a heterogeneous network with different overlapping networks, such as a macrocell network, each macrocell including macro base stations, such as base stations gNB1 to gNB5, and a network of small cell base stations (not shown in Figure 1), such as femtocells or picocells. In addition to the terrestrial wireless networks described above, there are also non-terrestrial wireless communication networks (NTNs), including satellite transceivers and / or airborne transceivers such as those used in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems. Non-terrestrial wireless communication networks or systems can operate in a manner similar to the terrestrial systems described above with reference to Figure 1, for example, according to the LTE-Advanced Pro standard or the 5G or NR (New Radio) standard.

[0007] In mobile communication networks, such as those described above with reference to Figure 1, such as LTE or 5G / NR networks, there may be UEs that communicate directly with each other via one or more direct link (SL) channels, for example using PC5 / PC3 interfaces or WiFi Direct. UEs that communicate directly with each other via SL channels can include vehicles communicating directly with other vehicles (V2V communication), vehicles communicating with other entities in the wireless communication network (V2X communication), and other entities such as roadside units (RSUs), roadside entities such as traffic lights, traffic signs, or pedestrians. An RSU can function as either a BS or a UE, depending on the specific network configuration. Other UEs may not be vehicle-related UEs, but can include any of the aforementioned devices. These devices can also communicate directly with each other using SL channels (D2D communication).

[0008] When considering two UEs communicating directly with each other via a direct link, the same base station can provide services to both UEs, allowing the base station to provide direct link resource allocation configuration or assistance. For example, the two UEs can be within the coverage area of ​​one of the base stations shown in Figure 1. This is referred to as the "within coverage" scenario. Another scenario is referred to as the "outside coverage" scenario. It is important to note that "outside coverage" does not mean that the two UEs are not within one of the cells shown in Figure 1, but rather that these UEs...

[0009] - They may not be connected to a base station, for example, they are not in an RRC connected state, therefore the UE does not receive any direct link resource allocation configuration or assistance from the base station, and / or

[0010] - It may be connected to a base station, but for one or more reasons, the base station may not provide the UE with direct link resource allocation configuration or assistance, and / or

[0011] - May connect to base stations that may not support NR V2X services, such as GSM, UMTS, and LTE base stations.

[0012] When considering two UEs communicating directly with each other via a direct link, such as using a PC5 / PC3 interface, one UE can also connect to a BS and relay information from the BS to another UE via the direct link interface, and vice versa. Relaying can be performed within the same frequency band (in-band relay) or in a different frequency band (out-of-band relay). In the first case, communication between the UE and the direct link can be decoupled using different time slots, as in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) system.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic representation of a scenario within the coverage area, where two UEs communicating directly with each other are both connected to the base station. The coverage area of ​​the base station gNB is schematically represented by circle 200, which basically corresponds to the cell schematically shown in Figure 1. The UEs communicating directly with each other include a first vehicle 202 and a second vehicle 204, both located within the coverage area 200 of the base station gNB. Vehicles 202 and 204 are both connected to the base station gNB, and they are also directly connected to each other via the PC5 interface. V2V traffic scheduling and / or interference management are assisted by the gNB via control signaling on the Uu interface, which is the radio interface between the base station and the UE. In other words, the gNB provides SL resource allocation configuration or assistance to the UE and allocates resources for V2V communication via the direct link. This configuration is also referred to as Mode 1 configuration in NR V2X, or Mode 3 configuration in LTE V2X.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an out-of-coverage scenario where UEs communicating directly with each other are either not connected to the base station, although they may be physically located within a cell of the wireless communication network, or some or all of the UEs communicating directly with each other are connected to the base station, but the base station does not provide SL resource allocation configuration or assistance. As shown in the figure, three vehicles 206, 208, and 210 communicate directly with each other via a direct link, for example, using a PC5 interface. V2V traffic scheduling and / or interference management are based on algorithms implemented between the vehicles. This configuration is also known as Mode 2 configuration in NR V2X, or Mode 4 configuration in LTE V2X. As mentioned above, Figure 3 The scenario described here refers to a scenario outside the coverage area. This does not necessarily mean that the corresponding Mode 2 UE in NR or Mode 4 UE in LTE is outside the coverage area of ​​the base station. Rather, it means that the corresponding Mode 2 UE in NR or Mode 4 UE in LTE is not served by the base station, is not connected to the base station in the coverage area, or is connected to the base station but does not receive SL resource allocation configuration or assistance from the base station. Therefore, the following situation may exist: Figure 2Within the coverage area 200 shown, in addition to NR mode 1 or LTE mode 3 UEs 202 and 204, there may also be NR mode 2 or LTE mode 4 UEs 206, 208, and 210. Furthermore, Figure 3 The illustration schematically depicts a UE outside the coverage area using relay and network communication. For example, UE 210 can communicate with UE1 via a direct link, and UE1 can in turn connect to the gNB via the Uu interface. Therefore, UE1 can relay information between the gNB and UE 210.

[0015] Although Figure 2 and Figure 3 While the description covers vehicle-mounted UEs, it's important to note that the described in-coverage and out-of-coverage scenarios also apply to non-vehicle-mounted UEs. In other words, any UE that communicates directly with another UE using the SL channel, such as a handheld device, can be in or out of coverage.

[0016] In wireless communication systems or networks, such as those described above with reference to FIG1, relay devices or relay nodes can be used to address performance issues, such as reduced data rates, weakened signals, and increased interference that may be encountered at the radio coverage edge of a base station cell. Relay nodes can extract data from received signals, apply noise correction, and retransmit new signals themselves. Relay nodes can not only repeat signals but also improve signal quality. UE-to-network relaying is specified in the 3GPP specifications for 4G. Figure X illustrates a scenario where a relay UE operates as a UE-to-network relay. The aforementioned relay device or relay node can be a User Equipment (UE) and is referred to as a relay UE below. Figure X shows a UE 200 connected to destination 202, such as an entity connected to access network 202a, like a gNB, or an entity connected to core network 202a. End-to-end communication between UE 200, also referred to as a remote UE, and the destination uses relay UE 206, which provides support for remote UE 200 to connect to the destination in core network 202. Remote UE 200 and relay UE can communicate using the PC5 interface, and relay UE and access network can communicate using the Uu interface.

[0017] In NR or 5G, in addition to supporting UE-to-network relay, UE-to-UE relay is also supported. In this scenario, destination 202 is another UE. Figure Y illustrates a scenario where the relay is a UE-to-UE relay 206. Remote UE 200 connects to another UE 202, and relay UE 206 provides the remote UE 200 with the ability to connect to destination UE 208. Remote UE 200 and relay UE can communicate using the PC5 interface, and relay UE and another UE 202 can also communicate using the PC5 interface.

[0018] Although Figure 4 and Figure 5 The diagram shows a relay as a UE, but it's important to note that a relay can be any entity with network connectivity that connects a remote UE 200 to a destination 202 (such as the core network or another UE). For example, a relay entity could be a group leader UE, a roadside unit (RSU), or any mobile or fixed device. Such a relay entity can be a relay node with certain base station functions, such as resource scheduling. Furthermore, a relay can also be a relay node in the traditional sense, such as a base station infrastructure device providing relay functions, such as amplify-forward (AF) relay or decode-forward (DF) relay, for example, operating at Layer 2 (L2) or even Layer 3 (L3), forwarding data at the Internet Protocol (IP) level.

[0019] In the aforementioned vehicle-mounted user equipment (UE) scenario, multiple such UEs can form a UE group, or simply a group, and communication within or between group members can be conducted via a direct link interface between UEs, such as a PC5 interface. For example, the scenario using vehicle UEs described above can be applied to the transportation industry, where multiple vehicles equipped with vehicle UEs can be grouped together, for example, for remote driving applications. In other use cases, multiple UEs can be grouped together for direct link communication with each other. Examples include, for instance, factory automation and power distribution. In factory automation, multiple mobile or stationary machines within a factory can be equipped with UEs and grouped together for direct link communication, for example, for controlling machine operation, such as robot motion control. In power distribution, entities within a power distribution network can be equipped with corresponding UEs. These devices, located within a certain area of ​​the system, can be grouped together for communication with each other via direct link communication to monitor the system and handle power distribution network faults and interruptions.

[0020] Of course, in the above use cases, direct link communication is not limited to communication within a group. Instead, direct link communication can occur between any UE, such as between any pair of UEs.

[0021] In the above reference figure 1, Figure 2 or Figure 3 In the described wireless communication system, a UE communicating via a direct link can operate in discontinuous reception DRX mode.

[0022] Based on the aforementioned existing technology, it may be necessary to enhance or improve the resource allocation for UEs operating in discontinuous reception DRX mode.

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an example wireless communication system;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic representation of a scenario within the coverage area, where two UEs that communicate directly with each other are both connected to the base station;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic representation of a scenario outside the coverage area, where UEs communicate directly with each other;

[0027] Figure 4 The scenario shown illustrates a relay UE operating as a UE to the network relay.

[0028] Figure 5 This illustrates a scenario where the relay is a UE-to-UE relay;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system, including a transmitter, such as a base station, and one or more receivers, such as a user equipment (UE) capable of operating according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 7 An embodiment of resource allocation via auxiliary information according to the present invention is shown;

[0031] Figure 8 An embodiment is shown that employs additional listening duration for receiving AIM at a direct link UE operating in DRX mode;

[0032] Figure 9 illustrates a DRX cycle according to an embodiment of the present invention, including one or more listens;

[0033] Figure 10 illustrates the duration of periodic monitoring according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 11 illustrates an embodiment of an SL UE operating in DRX mode and sensing within the SL resource pool; and

[0035] Figure 12 An example of a computer system is shown on which the units or modules described in the method according to the invention and the steps of the method can be executed.

[0036] Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar elements have the same designated reference numerals.

[0037] Refer to Figure 1 above. Figure 2 or Figure 3In the described wireless communication system or network, direct link communication between corresponding user equipment can be implemented, such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-outside communication, or any other device-to-device (D2D) communication between any user equipment (such as those mentioned above). However, in NR-Uu operation or direct link operation such as PC5 operation, the UE is always awake and monitors the control channel in each subframe in order to receive information from the network and from another UE, respectively. This increases the UE's power consumption because the UE is always on even when there is no data to send or receive. For vehicular use cases such as NR V2X, power saving may not be an issue because vehicular UEs (V-UEs) are devices with sufficient power, such as the vehicle's own battery.

[0038] However, direct link communication or direct link PC5 operation is not limited to the operation of vehicle-mounted UEs. Other UEs with limited or restricted power supplies, such as general user equipment including batteries that require periodic charging, can communicate via direct link. Such UEs can include so-called vulnerable road user (VUE) devices, such as pedestrian UEs (P-UEs), or field first-aid equipment for public safety use cases, or IoT devices, such as general IoT UEs or industrial IoT UEs. For these types of UEs, since they are not connected to a constant power source but rely on batteries, power conservation is important.

[0039] To reduce UE power consumption in NR, discontinuous reception DRX is employed on the Uu interface. DRX is a mechanism where a UE enters a sleep mode for a period of time, during which it neither sends nor receives any data. The UE wakes up for another period, during which it can send and receive data. A key aspect of DRX is the synchronization between the UE and the network regarding wake-up and sleep cycles (also known as DRX cycles). In the worst-case scenario, the network attempts to send data to a UE in sleep mode, resulting in no data being received when the UE wakes up. In the NR-Uu interface, this is prevented by maintaining a well-defined protocol between the UE and the network or system regarding sleep and wake-up cycles. That is, the DRX is configured for the UE via the gNB, synchronizing the DRX with the gNB. The DRX cycle includes wake-up (ON) and OFF times within a fixed time interval, and for the NR Uu interface, short DRX cycles and long DRX cycles are defined, where a short DRX cycle can span several symbols within a time slot, and a long DRX cycle can span an entire time slot or multiple time slots. The inactive timer can specify the number of consecutive control messages that the UE may be in an active state after successfully decoding a control message indicating a new transmission. It has the following configuration:

[0040] • The timer restarts upon receiving a control message for a new transmission and / or any other control message addressed to the UE, such as a UE-specific RNTI or a group-specific RNTI.

[0041] • After the timer expires, the UE enters DRX mode or shuts down.

[0042] To further reduce power consumption at the UE in the NR communicating via a direct link, DRX mode can also be implemented on the direct link. The UE communicating via the direct link can be within or outside the coverage area, as shown in the reference above. Figure 2 and reference Figure 3 As explained, when the UE is within coverage, even when operating via a direct link in DRX mode, the gNB, which knows the DRX period, will handle resource allocation for transmissions performed by the UE via the direct link. This is not possible when the UE is not within coverage, for example, when the UE is operating in mode 2.

[0043] This invention provides a method for reliably acquiring resources for transmission on a direct link by a UE operating in DRX mode and outside the coverage area. Embodiments of this invention can be seen in Figure 1, Figure 2 or Figure 3 The wireless communication system described includes a base station and users, such as mobile terminals or IoT devices. Figure 6 This is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system including a transmitter 300, such as a base station, and one or more receivers 302, 304, such as user equipment (UE). The transmitter 300 and receivers 302, 304 can communicate via one or more wireless communication links or channels 306a, 306b, 308, such as radio links. The transmitter 300 may include one or more antennas ANT coupled to each other. T Alternatively, it may include an antenna array with multiple antenna elements, a signal processor 300a, and a transceiver 300b. Receivers 302 and 304 include one or more antennas (ANTs) coupled to each other. UE Alternatively, it may include an antenna array with multiple antennas, signal processors 302a and 304a, and transceivers 302b and 304b. Base station 300 and UEs 302 and 304 can communicate via corresponding first wireless communication links 306a and 306b, such as radio links using the Uu interface, while UEs 302 and 304 can communicate with each other via a second wireless communication link 308, such as a radio link using the PC5 or direct link SL interface. When UEs are not served by a base station and are not connected to a base station—for example, when they are not in an RRC connection state—or more generally, when the base station does not provide SL resource allocation configuration or assistance, UEs can communicate with each other via a direct link. Figure 6 The system or network shown, Figure 6 One or more UEs 302, 304 and shown Figure 6 The base station 300 shown can operate according to the teachings described in this invention.

[0044] User equipment acquires resources via auxiliary information messages or sensing.

[0045] This invention provides a user equipment (UE) for a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including multiple UEs.

[0046] In this context, the UE uses the direct link SL to communicate with one or more other UEs.

[0047] Among them, the UE operates in discontinuous reception DRX mode, and

[0048] When outside the coverage area, the UE

[0049] • Auxiliary Information Messages (AIMs) received from one or more other UEs during the active duration of one or more DRX cycles, and / or

[0050] • From Auxiliary Information Messages (AIMs) received from one or more other UEs during the listening duration, and / or

[0051] • By sensing within a set of direct link resources or a pool of direct link resources in a wireless communication system during the activation duration of one or more DRX cycles, and / or

[0052] • By sensing within a set of direct link resources or a pool of direct link resources in a wireless communication system during the listening period.

[0053] • Obtain one or more resources that can be used for transmission.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the UE obtains one or more resources that can be used for transmission from the AIM and from the sensing results.

[0055] According to an embodiment, when the UE obtains one or more resources available for transmission from AIM and from sensing results, the UE

[0056] • Compared to resources in AIM, preferred sensing results are preferred, for example, by overlaying resources in AIM with sensing results, or

[0057] • Resources in the AIM are preferred over sensing results, for example, by covering the sensing results with resources in the AIM, or

[0058] • Use a combination of resources indicated in the AIM and resources indicated in the sensing results, or

[0059] • Use one of multiple AIMs.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the UE obtains one or more resources available for transmission from the sensing results rather than from the AIM when one or more of the following are true:

[0061] The RSRP threshold used by the UE for sensing is associated with a priority higher than that of AIM.

[0062] • By the time the UE obtains the sensing results, the validity of AIM has expired.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the UE obtains one or more resources available for transmission from AIM rather than from sensing results when one or more of the following are true:

[0064] • AIM has a higher priority than the priority associated with the RSRP threshold used by the UE for sensing.

[0065] • When AIM is received, the sensing results are outdated.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the UE obtains one or more resources that can be used for transmission from a combination of AIM and sensing results, and

[0067] • If the AIM only contains resources that the UE does not use, the UE uses the sensing results, for example, by removing the resources indicated in the AIM from the resources acquired through sensing, or

[0068] • The UE only considers resources jointly indicated by AIM and sensing results, or

[0069] • The UE only considers resources jointly indicated by AIM and sensing results, among which the UE can select resources with a certain level of reliability, for example, those with a reliability exceeding a certain threshold, such as the RSRP threshold.

[0070] According to the embodiment, when the UE receives multiple AIMs, the UE

[0071] • Resources in the first AIM with first priority are preferred over resources in the second AIM with second priority (second priority is lower than first priority). For example, resources in the first AIM can cover resources in the second AIM, or

[0072] • Use an AIM with a higher priority to cover another AIM with a lower priority.

[0073] Auxiliary information messages

[0074] According to an embodiment, AIM includes resources for the UE to transmit UE self-control (such as PSCCH) and / or UE self-data (such as PSSCH) and / or UE feedback (such as PSFCH).

[0075] According to an embodiment, the resources included in the AIM that can be used for transmission depend on the type of UE.

[0076] According to the embodiment, when the UE obtains resources available for transmission from the AIM, the UE does not perform any type of sensing and relies on one or more other UEs in the vicinity to sense and select resources available for transmission by the UE.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the DRX configuration or DRX pre-configuration notifies the UE not to perform sensing for determining the resources used for transmission, but instead to use the resources indicated in one or more AIMs received from one or more other UEs near the UE.

[0078] According to the embodiment, the UE receives the AIM as a control packet, such as via PC5 RRC signaling, or as the AIM as MAC CE signaling, or as the AIM as a data packet from one or more other UEs, or as an information block, such as the Direct Link Information Block (SLIB).

[0079] According to an embodiment, the UE receives an updated DRX configuration including AIM.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the updated DRX configuration notifies the UE not to perform sensing for resources used to determine available transmissions, but instead uses resources indicated in one or more AIMs received from one or more other UEs near the UE.

[0081] According to an embodiment, AIM includes explicit parameters indicating that the UE does not sense transmissions in any resource, or that the UE does not sense transmissions in one or more resources or resource sets.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the UE receives an AIM for one or more data packets to be transmitted, and uses the resources indicated in the AIM for the transmission of the data packets for which it received the AIM.

[0083] According to an embodiment, accompanied by AIM control messages, such as SCI or MAC CE indications, the UE does not sense the transmission of one or more data packets in any resource, or the UE does not sense the transmission of one or more resources or resource sets.

[0084] According to an embodiment, when a UE receives an AIM from one of other different UEs, the UE selects the resources for transmission based on one or more criteria, such as the hierarchy of the AIM source, and / or the priority associated with the AIM, and / or the resources found in some or all of the AIMs.

[0085] According to an embodiment, the UE requests one or more AIMs.

[0086] According to an embodiment, the UE requests one or more AIMs, for example, when

[0087] • The UE needs assistance during the resource allocation process, and / or

[0088] • The UE has already selected a specific DRX configuration, and / or

[0089] • The UE's power state is below the configured and / or pre-configured threshold.

[0090] According to the embodiments, the UE requires assistance during the resource allocation process in one or more of the following situations:

[0091] The transmission of one or more data packets requires high reliability and / or low latency.

[0092] • Insufficient or no sensing data is available at the UE, for example, in cases where the resource pool changes.

[0093] • The UE's power level is lower than the configured and / or pre-configured threshold.

[0094] UEs hope to improve their power consumption by reducing sensing workload and limiting sensing to configured and / or pre-configured resource / resource pool sets.

[0095] Sensing during the activation duration

[0096] According to an embodiment, the UE acquires resources available for transmission by sensing during the activation duration of one or more DRX cycles.

[0097] According to an embodiment, the UE switches from the currently used DRX cycle, such as a long DRX cycle, to a new DRX cycle, such as a short DRX cycle. The new DRX cycle has a continuous active duration that is spaced by time intervals, such as a shutdown duration, which is shorter than the time interval between the active durations of the currently used DRX cycle.

[0098] According to an embodiment, if the number of sensing results acquired during a certain sensing window is insufficient, such as the number of sensing results being lower than a threshold, or the confidence value associated with the sensing results being lower than a threshold, the UE switches to a new DRX cycle.

[0099] According to an embodiment, the DRX configuration of the currently used DRX cycle includes determining a threshold for insufficient resources obtained from sensing. If the resource threshold is lower than the threshold, the UE will switch to a new DRX cycle, which also includes the DRX configuration of the new DRX cycle.

[0100] According to an embodiment, if the sensing results indicate that there are sufficient available resources during a certain sensing window, the UE switches back from the new DRX cycle to the currently used DRX cycle.

[0101] According to an embodiment, the UE performs sensing over multiple activation durations only when the interval between consecutive activation durations is below a certain threshold, such as during a short DRX period.

[0102] According to an embodiment, in response to a regular DRX cycle configuration, the UE will sense at any time during its active duration.

[0103] Sensing during the listening duration

[0104] According to an embodiment, the listening duration includes one or more of the following:

[0105] • A listening duration preceding the activation duration, and a listening duration that is continuous with or offset from the activation duration by a certain time.

[0106] • A listening duration following the activation duration, or a listening duration that is continuous with the activation duration or offset from the activation duration by a certain time.

[0107] • Multiple listener durations preceding the activation duration, with the corresponding listener durations offset from each other by a certain time.

[0108] • After the activation duration, there are multiple listening durations, with the corresponding listening durations offset from each other by a certain time.

[0109] • The active duration of the DRX cycle during which the UE only listens for control messages and one or more AIMs, similar to a “light” DRX cycle.

[0110] According to an embodiment, when the UE acquires resources available for transmission by sensing during the listening duration, the UE only performs sensing or AIM reception during the listening duration and does not transmit or decode any control and / or data during the listening duration.

[0111] According to an embodiment, the UE senses during at least a portion of the listening duration and the activation duration, for example, in response to a regular DRX cycle configuration indicating the listening duration.

[0112] User equipment that provides auxiliary information messages

[0113] This invention provides a user equipment (UE) for a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including multiple UEs.

[0114] In this context, the UE uses the direct link SL to communicate with one or more other UEs.

[0115] In this process, the UE senses and determines available resources for transmission within the SL resource pool, either directly or indirectly, such as via relay, obtaining resources from the base station of the wireless communication system.

[0116] In this context, the UE may use Auxiliary Information Message (AIM) to transmit resources that are determined to be available for transmission.

[0117] According to an embodiment,

[0118] • A UE and one or more other UEs form a UE group, and

[0119] • UE assists one or more other group members by providing one or more AIMs, enabling one or more other group members to

[0120] ○ No sensing is required, or

[0121] ○ Reduce activation duration, or

[0122] ○ Disable activation duration and enable listening duration, or

[0123] ○ Reduce the duration of listening.

[0124] generally

[0125] According to an embodiment, when outside the coverage area, the UE

[0126] • If the UE is not connected to a base station in a wireless communication system, for example, if the UE is operating in mode 2 or is not in an RRC connection state, therefore the UE does not receive direct link resource allocation configuration or assistance from the base station, and / or

[0127] • A base station connected to a wireless communication system, where, for one or more reasons, the base station cannot provide the UE with direct link resource allocation configuration or assistance, and / or

[0128] • Base stations connected to wireless communication systems that do not support direct link services such as NR V2X services, such as GSM, UMTS, or LTE base stations.

[0129] According to the embodiments, the UE includes one or more of the following: power-limited UE; or handheld UE, such as a UE used by a pedestrian and referred to as a vulnerable road user (VRU); or pedestrian UE (P-UE); or a UE carried on the body or in hand by public safety personnel and first responders and referred to as a public safety UE, PS-UE; or IoT UE, such as a sensor, actuator, or UE provided in a campus network to perform repetitive tasks and require periodic input from a gateway node; or mobile terminal; or fixed terminal; or cellular IoT-UE; or vehicle-mounted UE; or vehicle group leader (GL) UE; or IoT or narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) device; or ground-based vehicle; or air vehicle; or drone; or mobile base station; or roadside unit (RSU); or building; or any other item or device that provides network connectivity to enable the item / device to communicate using a wireless communication network, such as a sensor or actuator; or any other item or device that provides network connectivity to enable the item / device to communicate using a direct link of a wireless communication network, such as a sensor or actuator; or any network entity with direct link capability.

[0130] system

[0131] The present invention provides a wireless communication system including a plurality of user equipment (UE) of the present invention, and configured to perform direct link communication using resources, for example, a set of direct link resources from the wireless communication system.

[0132] According to an embodiment, the wireless communication system includes one or more base stations, which include one or more of the following: macro cell base station, or small cell base station, or central unit of base station, or distributed unit of base station, or roadside unit (RSU), or UE, or group leader (GL), or relay or remote radio head, or AMF, or SMF, or core network entity, or mobile edge computing (MEC) entity, or network slice in such NR or 5G core context, or any transmit / receive point TRP that enables an item or device to communicate using the wireless communication network, said item or device being provided with network connectivity to communicate using the wireless communication network.

[0133] method

[0134] This invention provides a method for operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including multiple UEs, the method comprising:

[0135] Operate the UE to communicate with one or more other UEs using the direct link SL.

[0136] Operating the UE in discontinuous reception DRX mode, and

[0137] When outside the coverage area, via UE

[0138] • From Auxiliary Information Messages (AIMs) received from one or more other UEs during the activation duration of one or more DRX cycles, and / or

[0139] • From Auxiliary Information Messages (AIMs) received from one or more other UEs during the listening duration, and / or

[0140] • By sensing within a set of direct link resources or a pool of direct link resources in a wireless communication system during the activation duration of one or more DRX cycles, and / or

[0141] • By sensing within a set of direct link resources or a pool of direct link resources in a wireless communication system during the listening period.

[0142] Obtain one or more available resources for the transfer.

[0143] This invention provides a method for operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including multiple UEs, the method comprising:

[0144] Operate the UE to communicate with one or more other UEs using the direct link SL.

[0145] The UE senses and determines available resources for transmission within the SL resource pool, either directly or indirectly, such as via relay, from the base station of the wireless communication system.

[0146] The UE transmits resources that are determined to be available for transmission, for example, using Auxiliary Information Message (AIM).

[0147] Computer program products

[0148] Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more methods according to the present invention.

[0149] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for reliably determining the resources used for transmission over a direct link at a UE operating in DRX mode. The method is applicable to each UE communicating over a direct link and operating in DRX mode, where, when outside coverage, the UE requires reliable resources for communication, such as transmission, via the direct link.

[0150] The embodiments relate to the following types of UEs communicating via a direct PC5 link:

[0151] • Vulnerable road users, VRUs, such as pedestrian UEs (P-UEs): These UEs are essentially handheld UEs used by pedestrians, such as mobile phones. The UE can periodically transmit its location to vehicle-mounted UEs (V-UEs) so that these V-UEs know the UE's location. If V-UEs are close enough and a collision is possible, the V-UEs can receive the transmission from the UE.

[0152] • Public safety UE, PS-UE: This type of UE can be a personal or handheld UE used by public safety personnel and emergency responders, such as police officers, paramedics, and firefighters. PS-UEs require both sending and receiving capabilities at all times.

[0153] • IoT-UE: These UEs may include sensors, actuators or other low-power nodes or electrically powered relays and / or processing nodes in a sensor network.

[0154] • Industrial IoT-UE: These UEs can be devices within a closed campus network designed to perform certain tasks and obtain input from a gateway node at periodic intervals. An example of an IoT-UE is a robot performing repetitive tasks on a factory floor.

[0155] UEs communicating via a direct link and operating in DRX mode, as described above, need to select reliable resources for data transmission when outside coverage, such as when operating in mode 2. According to embodiments of the invention, the UE is given one or more resources available for transmission, or senses one or more resources available for transmission, to be periodically coupled with DRX to allow the UE to acquire reliable resources in a power-efficient manner and avoid the UE having to keep the reliable resources required for SL transmission of data open at all times. In this specification, one or more resources available for transmission are also referred to as candidate resources or a set of candidate resources.

[0156] Auxiliary information

[0157] According to an embodiment, resource allocation for out-of-coverage UEs communicating via a direct link can utilize so-called auxiliary information. An out-of-coverage UE, such as one operating in mode 2, can receive auxiliary information from another nearby UE if it does not receive assistance from a gNB. The auxiliary information can be sent from the other UE via control messages, such as using PC5 RRC signaling or MAC CE, or it can be transmitted as a data packet. The auxiliary information can be sent using an Auxiliary Information Message (AIM). The AIM may include a set of resources for the UE, which can be used by a given UE to transmit one or more of the following:

[0158] • UE's own control messages, such as PSCCH,

[0159] • UE's own data, such as PSSCH,

[0160] • UE feedback, such as PSFCH. UEs can be polled to provide feedback on predefined resources, such as sending their geolocation on the second-stage SCI or providing CSI feedback on the PSFCH.

[0161] For example, when considering the P-UE described above, such a P-UE requires resources to transmit its location so that other vehicle-mounted UEs (V-UEs) are aware of its presence. On the other hand, for the PS-UE or IoT-UE described above, the AIM can contain resources for data transmission based on the UE type. For example, PS-UEs and IoT-UEs can have predefined message types and sizes, and the UE that senses the AIM knows this and accordingly senses the appropriate resources for the PS-UE or IoT-UE that allow reliable transmission of such messages.

[0162] AIM can be transmitted by one or more other UEs during the active or listening duration of an implemented DRX cycle. Therefore, in the case of an active DRX cycle, a UE can receive resource allocation information in the AIM from one or more other UEs providing the AIM. For example, a P-UE can receive the AIM at the beginning of the active duration and broadcast its location information, as indicated by the AIM, for the remainder of the active duration or any subsequent active duration using the resource allocation information included in the received AIM, so that a V-UE near the PS-UE can receive it. After transmission, the PS-UE can return to the off duration. In other words, according to embodiments of the invention, using AIM instead of sensing through itself, a UE can receive the AIM and thus receive resources for transmission via a direct link during the active duration of one or more DRX cycles.

[0163] Figure 7 An embodiment of resource allocation via auxiliary information according to the present invention is shown. Figure 7 The DRX cycle that can be used by the SLUE is shown. As illustrated, the DRX cycle includes an active duration and an off duration. During the off duration, the UE is not active and does not receive or send information. Only during the active duration is the UE activated, and according to an embodiment of the invention, during the active duration, the UE receives... AIM (Automatic Information Provider) derives resource information for transmission from AIM and uses the resources obtained by the UE from AIM to send data. Data. Note that a DRX period can be a short DRX period or a long DRX period. In a short DRX period, the interval or shutdown duration between subsequent active durations is shorter than in a long DRX period. For example, the active duration in a short DRX period and the active duration in a long DRX period can span the same amount of time, such as two or more consecutive subframes or symbols; however, in a short DRX period, the shutdown duration between subsequent active durations is shorter, for example, only 3 subframes compared to 7 subframes in a long DRX period. According to other embodiments, a DRX period can have a duration of one or more time slots, each time slot spanning 12 or 14 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, and a long DRX period can include an active duration, for example, at the beginning of a time slot and spanning one or more symbols, while a short DRX period can include multiple active durations within a time slot.

[0164] According to a further embodiment of using auxiliary information for resource allocation in an SL UE operating in DRX mode, the activation duration of the DRX cycle can be extended by a so-called listening duration. According to the embodiment, a listening duration is provided at the beginning and / or end of the regular activation duration. During the additional listening duration, the UE will receive AIM. Figure 8 An embodiment is shown that employs an additional listening duration for receiving AIM at a direct link UE operating in DRX mode. Figure 8 The DRX cycle is illustrated by an activation duration extended at its beginning by a first listening duration LD1 and at its end by a second listening duration LD2. During the listening duration, the UE only listens; that is, the UE does not perform any transmissions. Furthermore, during the listening duration, the UE may only perform power sensing without performing control and data decoding, or it may only perform control decoding for sensing or wake-up purposes without performing data decoding. Figure 8 In the embodiment described herein, it is assumed that the UE receives during the first listening duration LD1. AIM, so that it can use resources acquired from AIM for transport during the actual active duration of the DRX cycle. . Figure 8 Another embodiment is shown, according to which AIM is received for a second listening duration LD2 following the activation duration. So that transmission is only performed during the activation duration of the next DRX cycle. data.

[0165] Notice, Figure 8Only one embodiment is shown where the listening duration is provided at the beginning and end of the activation duration; however, according to other embodiments, the listening duration may be provided only at the beginning or end of the activation duration. However, the invention is not limited to a listening duration before and / or after the activation duration, such that the listening duration is continuous with the activation duration.

[0166] According to a further embodiment, a listening duration before and / or after the activation duration can be offset from the activation duration by a certain time, as shown in FIG9(a). DRX cycle 1 includes a listening duration LD1, which is before the activation duration and offset from the activation duration by time Δt1. DRX cycle 2 includes a listening duration LD2, which is after the activation duration and offset from the activation duration by time Δt2. DRX cycle 3 includes a listening duration LD1, which is before the activation duration and offset from the activation duration by time Δt3; and a listening duration LD2, which is after the activation duration and offset from the activation duration by time Δt4. Note that, according to the embodiment, in DRX cycle 3, time Δt3 or time Δt4 can be zero, that is, listening duration LD1 or listening duration LD2 can be continuous with the activation duration. According to the embodiment, times Δt1, Δt2, Δt3, and Δt4 can be the same or different.

[0167] According to a further embodiment, more than one listening duration can be provided before and / or after the activation duration, as shown in Figure 9(b). DRX cycle 1 includes multiple listening durations LD1 before the activation duration, which are offset from each other by the same time or different time intervals. DRX cycle 2 includes multiple listening durations LD2 after the activation duration, which are offset from each other by the same time or different time intervals. DRX cycle 3 includes multiple listening durations LD1 before the activation duration (which are offset from each other by the same time or different time intervals) and multiple listening durations LD2 after the activation duration (which are offset from each other by the same time or different time intervals).

[0168] Note that any combination of the listening durations described above can also be achieved.

[0169] The listening duration is used by the UE to receive one or more AIMs. It is not expected that the UE will not send any packets or decode any received packets. As mentioned above, the listening duration can be before or after any active duration, such as... Figure 8 As shown in Figure 9.

[0170] According to other embodiments, the listening duration can be the active duration of a DRX cycle, during which the UE listens to only one or more AIMs. This is also referred to as a standalone listening duration or a light DRX cycle. The standalone listening duration can be referred to as DRX lite mode, in which the active duration defined for normal DRX operation is used by the UE only to listen to one or more AIMs to acquire resources for future transmissions, and not for transmitting any data and / or receiving any other data.

[0171] According to an embodiment, the listening duration can be periodic across time, and the listening duration can be limited to the beginning of a time slot only, wherein one or more AIMs are transmitted, as shown in Figure 10(a) as a periodic listening duration for one or more AIMs. According to a further embodiment, the listening duration can be periodic based on the configuration of the AIM. The configuration of the AIM can be received at the UE in an SIB or MIB. The AIM can then be transmitted as an information block, such as a Direct Link Information Block (SLIB), and the periodicity of the SLIB is defined in the SIB or MIB. Figure 10(b) illustrates the periodic listening duration for AIM transmitted as a SLIB.

[0172] According to the embodiment, the UE can receive auxiliary information or AIM as...

[0173] • Control packets, such as those via PC5 RRC signaling, or as MAC CE signaling, or

[0174] • Data packets from one or more other UEs, or

[0175] • Information blocks, such as the direct link information block SLIB mentioned above.

[0176] According to an embodiment, the UE can receive auxiliary information in a configured form, and the UE can use the configuration for the transmission of multiple packets, such as the transmission of all packets within a predefined time period in which the configuration is valid. For example, the configuration can be valid for all data packets after 100ms, or it can be valid for all data packets after the UE enters a specific geographical area. According to other embodiments, the auxiliary information can be received for one or more packets to be sent, and can only be used by the UE to transmit these one or more packets.

[0177] According to a further embodiment, the UE can receive multiple AIMs from one or more other UEs, and if the AIMs include different resources, i.e., in the event of an AIM conflict, the UE can select the resource for transmission based on one or more of the following criteria:

[0178] • The hierarchy of AIM sources

[0179] Priority indicators in AIM

[0180] • Common resources discovered in conflicting AIMs.

[0181] According to an embodiment, a UE operating in DRX mode based on the current DRX configuration can receive a new or updated DRX configuration to be used during the active duration. According to an embodiment, the updated DRX configuration may include an AIM (Active Information Model). The updated DRX configuration may also inform the UE not to sense all transmissions or only to sense specific transmissions. This limitation may also be time-limited; for example, the UE may not sense during a defined period, but is expected to sense after that period. For example, the new or updated DRX configuration may include details of the AIM indicating the resources the UE will use for all transmissions or only for specific transmissions.

[0182] According to an embodiment, the UE may receive a DRX configuration or be pre-configured with a DRX configuration that explicitly requires the UE not to perform sensing for determining resources used for transmission, but instead to use resources indicated in AIM received by the UE from other UEs in the vicinity. This restriction may also be time-limited; for example, the UE may not perform sensing for a defined period of time, but is expected to perform sensing after this period.

[0183] According to embodiments, using AIM can prevent the UE from performing any type of sensing; for example, the UE does not perform sensing in any resource, which reduces the burden on the UE and thus improves its power state in terms of battery life. According to other embodiments, AIM, or control messages accompanying AIM, such as SCI or MAC CE, instruct the UE not to sense transmissions in one or more resources or resource sets, such as...

[0184] • One or more resource pools, RPs, such as send, receive, or exception resource pools, or

[0185] • One or more bandwidth segments, BWP, or

[0186] One or more frequency entities, or

[0187] • One or more time entities, such as OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, or radio frames.

[0188] A frequency entity can be represented in any of the following ways:

[0189] • Through bitmaps, which indicate resources such as resource blocks, spanning a BWP,

[0190] • Through initial resources, such as resource blocks, and multiple resources in a resource set,

[0191] • If the resource set is discontinuous in frequency, it can be determined by using multiple starting resources, such as resource blocks, and ending resources.

[0192] • Through explicit resource indexes, such as resource block indexes,

[0193] • By highlighting resources that are explicitly mentioned or are part of another resource set or RP,

[0194] • Through initial resources, and for subsequent periodic offsets,

[0195] • Through resource blocks or sub-channels.

[0196] A time entity can be represented in any of the following ways:

[0197] • Through a time-spanning bitmap, the bitmap indicates resources such as OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, or frames, where a set of resources is defined, spanning a portion or the entire length of a BWP.

[0198] • By the starting resource, such as a time slot or subframe, and the duration of the resource set,

[0199] • By using explicit resource numbering, such as slot or subframe numbering,

[0200] • By highlighting resources that are explicitly mentioned or are part of another resource set or RP,

[0201] • Through initial resources, and for subsequent periodic offsets,

[0202] • By symbols, time slots, subframes, or frame patterns.

[0203] According to an embodiment, a UE can request one or more AIMs. For example, when the UE's power state is below a predefined threshold, the UE can request one or more AIMs to avoid performing sensing and thus save power. The UE can transmit its power state to a network or another UE, which can provide an AIM or notify the UE to perform sensing, for example, when the power level exceeds a predefined threshold. According to another embodiment, a UE operating in DRX mode can transmit DRX configuration, for example, identified by a bit sequence, to another UE or network that can provide an AIM. According to a further embodiment, when a UE needs assistance during resource allocation, the UE can request one or more AIMs, for example in the following situations:

[0204] The transmission of one or more packets requires high reliability and / or low latency and / or high priority.

[0205] • Insufficient or no sensing data is available at the UE, for example, in cases where the resource pool changes.

[0206] The UE's power level is lower than a predefined threshold.

[0207] UEs aim to improve their power consumption by reducing sensing workload and limiting sensing to predefined resources / resource pools.

[0208] Sensing during the activation duration

[0209] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a UE outside the coverage area of ​​DRX, such as a Mode 2 UE, performs sensing during the active duration of the DRX cycle, for example, sensing within a set of direct link resources provided by a wireless communication system for direct link communication, also known as a direct link resource pool, to identify candidate resources that the UE can use for data transmission. For example, the UE can... Figure 7 Sensing occurs during the active duration of the DRX cycle shown. Unlike receiving AIM as described above, the UE... Figure 7 Sensing is performed during one or more activation durations as shown to acquire reliable resources for transmission over the direct link. According to an embodiment, for an SL UE operating in DRX mode, resource allocation via sensing can be employed when the UE determines that it has not received an AIM or that there is no nearby UE providing such an AIM.

[0210] To obtain reasonable or reliable sensing results, the UE needs to perform sensing over a certain period of time, but only within the active duration. Sensing within active durations that are spaced apart from each other, such as sensing during long DRX cycles, may not be sufficient to identify the best or most reliable resources for the UE's transmission.

[0211] For example, sensing can be performed within a certain duration or within a certain sensing window, such as a time period between 100ms and 1100ms, according to predefined rules. During the sensing window, the number of active durations using a long DRX period is lower than the number of active durations using a short DRX period. Therefore, the number of sensing results may be considered insufficient to reliably determine whether resources are available. In other words, the confidence level of the sensing results may be below a certain threshold. Therefore, the DRX mode using a long DRX period by default may not obtain reliable sensing results. Therefore, according to an embodiment, in order to acquire resources via sensing, the UE can switch from a long DRX period to a short DRX period so that more active durations are available during the sensing window. This allows the UE to acquire reliable or sufficient resources for transmission. The DRX configuration of the currently used DRX period may include a threshold to determine the insufficiency of resources acquired from sensing.

[0212] Figure 11 illustrates an embodiment of an SL UE operating in DRX mode and sensing within the SL resource pool. Figure 11(a) shows the UE operating according to a long DRX period. The UE can only listen during the active duration, thereby performing sensing of available / unavailable resources in the direct link resource pool. As previously mentioned, to obtain reasonable sensing results, the UE performs sensing over an extended time period, for example, as shown in Figure 11(a), where the duration of the aforementioned sensing window is Δt. However, when using a long DRX period, the time interval between subsequent active durations, and consequently subsequent sensing operations... The time interval between them is very long, making it impossible to obtain reliable sensing results. Therefore, as described above, according to the embodiment, the UE switches to the short DRX cycle shown in Figure 11(b) to allow for a longer activation duration during the sensing window Δt, during which sensing is performed. This allows for the acquisition of more reliable and reasonable sensing results.

[0213] According to a further embodiment, to obtain reliable sensing results, when the resource pool performing the sensing is congested, the UE can switch to a shorter DRX period with frequent activation durations. In this case, if the UE cannot successfully acquire sufficient resources using a long DRX period, it is desirable to switch to a shorter DRX period with more frequent activation durations to obtain sensing results. On the other hand, when the resource pool is not congested, it is desirable for the UE not to switch to a short DRX period, as it can use the sensing results acquired within a long DRX period to determine the resources available for transmission. This approach can only be used if the UE actually uses the sensing process and acquires sufficient resources for transmission within the long DRX period. For example, if the UE can construct a candidate resource set containing at least 80% of all available resources, the UE can determine that it has acquired sufficient resources. If not, the RSRP threshold can be increased by a predefined value, such as 3 dB, and then sensing can be performed again. In this case, the UE may be able to acquire the required resources.

[0214] The UE can switch to a short DRX cycle for short periods to allow for more frequent activation durations, and can switch back to a long DRX cycle to save power once the UE has completed the sensing process and acquired the necessary resources. For example, if the sensing results indicate that there are sufficient resources available during the sensing window, the UE can switch back from a short DRX cycle to a long DRX cycle.

[0215] Sensing during the listening period

[0216] According to further embodiments of the invention, for example, to avoid the aforementioned problems associated with using a long DRX period, instead of switching to a short DRX period, a modified DRX period can be used, thereby using the aforementioned additional duration, referred to as the listening duration LD. According to these embodiments, in order to provide the UE with sufficient time to perform sensing in the direct link resource pool to obtain reasonable sensing results, instead of switching from a long DRX period to a short DRX period, the activation duration of the DRX period, such as the activation duration of the long DRX period, can be determined according to the above reference. Figure 8 The listening duration can be extended in a manner described in detail in Figure 10. During the listening duration, the UE only performs sensing and does not perform any data transmission. For example, the UE can perform sensing by listening to other UEs and decoding their control messages, such as SCI, to determine whether resources available for transmission are occupied by other UEs. A configurable listening duration can be enabled before and / or after the active duration of the DRX cycle, such as... Figure 8 As shown in Figure 10. The listening duration can be the active duration of the DRX cycle, during which the UE will perform sensing. This is also known as the stand-alone listening duration. The stand-alone listening duration can be referred to as DRXlite mode, in which the active duration defined for normal DRX operation is used by the UE to acquire sensing results in order to determine resources for future transmissions, but not for transmitting any data.

[0217] According to the above embodiment of acquiring resources for direct link transmission through sensing, the UE is expected to sense and identify resources for transmission without any explicit instruction not to perform sensing. If the UE receives a normal DRX configuration, it is expected to perform sensing at any time during its active duration. If the UE receives a DRX configuration that includes a defined listening duration, the UE may perform sensing during the listening duration or during both the listening and active durations; however, the UE does not transmit any data during the listening duration.

[0218] AIM and Sensing

[0219] According to an embodiment, the UE can obtain a set of candidate resources for transmission from the AIM and from the sensing results. For example, the UE can...

[0220] • Compared to resources in AIM, preferred sensing results are preferred, for example, by overlaying resources in AIM with sensing results, or

[0221] • Resources in the AIM are preferred over sensing results, for example, by covering the sensing results with resources in the AIM, or

[0222] • Use a combination of resources indicated in the AIM and resources indicated in the sensing results, or

[0223] • Use one of multiple AIMs.

[0224] According to other embodiments, when the RSRP threshold used by the UE for sensing is connected to a higher priority than AIM, and / or when the validity of AIM has expired when the UE obtains the sensing results, the UE can obtain a candidate resource set for transmission from the sensing results instead of from AIM.

[0225] According to yet another embodiment, when the priority of AIM is higher than the priority associated with the RSRP threshold used by the UE for sensing, and / or when the sensing result expires when AIM is received, the UE can obtain a candidate resource set for transmission from AIM instead of from the sensing result.

[0226] According to a further embodiment, the UE can obtain a candidate resource set for transmission from a combination of AIM and sensing results, and the UE can

[0227] • If the AIM only contains resources not used by the UE, then the sensing results are used, for example, by removing the resources indicated in the AIM from the resources acquired through sensing, or

[0228] • Only consider resources jointly indicated by AIM and sensing results, or

[0229] • Only resources jointly indicated in AIM and sensing results are considered. Among these resources, the UE can select resources with a certain level of reliability, such as those with a reliability exceeding a certain threshold, such as the RSRP threshold.

[0230] According to other embodiments, when the UE receives multiple AIMs, the UE can

[0231] • Resources in a first AIM with a first priority are preferred over resources in a second AIM with a second priority (the second priority is lower than the first priority), for example, by overwriting resources in the second AIM with resources in the first AIM, or

[0232] • Use a high-priority AIM to override another low-priority AIM.

[0233] UE providing AIM

[0234] Further embodiments of the invention provide an SL UE that communicates with one or more other UEs using a direct link SL and obtains resources from an SL RP. For example, when the UE is outside coverage, the UE can determine the resource set by sensing; or, when the UE is in mode 1 or within coverage, the UE can determine the resource set directly from resources provided to the UE by the base station of the wireless communication system; or, when the UE is in mode 2 or within or outside coverage, the UE can determine the resource set indirectly from resources provided to the UE by the base station of the wireless communication system via a relay. The UE transmits the determined resources available for transmission to one or more other UEs, for example, using an Auxiliary Information Message (AIM).

[0235] According to an embodiment, a UE and one or more other UEs form a UE group, and the UE assists one or more other group members by providing one or more AIMs, thereby enabling one or more other group members to...

[0236] • No sensing required, or

[0237] • Can reduce activation duration, or

[0238] • Disable activation duration and enable listening duration, or

[0239] • Reduce the duration of listening.

[0240] generally

[0241] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, and the corresponding embodiments and aspects can be implemented individually or in combination.

[0242] According to embodiments, the wireless communication system may include a terrestrial network or a non-terrestrial network, or a network or network segment that uses an airborne aircraft or a spaceborne aircraft or a combination of both as a receiver.

[0243] According to embodiments, the User Equipment (UE) described herein can be one or more of the following: a power-limited UE; or a handheld UE, such as a UE used by a pedestrian and referred to as a Vulnerable Road User (VRU); or a pedestrian UE, P-UE; or a body-worn or handheld UE used by public safety personnel and first responders and referred to as a public safety UE, PS-UE; or an IoT UE, such as a sensor, actuator, or UE provided in a campus network to perform repetitive tasks and require periodic input from a gateway node; or a mobile terminal; or a fixed terminal; or a cellular IoT-UE; or a vehicle-mounted UE; or a vehicle group leader (GL) UE; or an IoT or narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) device; or a WiFi non-access point (non-AP) station. STA), such as 802.11ax or 802.11be; or ground-based vehicles; or air vehicles; or drones; or mobile base stations; or roadside units (RSUs); or buildings; or any other item or device that provides network connectivity to enable the item / device to communicate using a wireless communication network, such as sensors or actuators; or any other item or device that provides network connectivity to enable the item / device to communicate using a direct link to a wireless communication network, such as sensors or actuators; or any network entity with direct link capability.

[0244] The base station (BS) described herein can be implemented as a mobile or fixed base station and can be one or more of the following: a macro cell base station, or a small cell base station, or a central unit of a base station, or a distributed unit of a base station, or a roadside unit, or a UE, or a group leader (GL), or a relay or remote radio head, or an AMF or SMF, or a core network entity, or a mobile edge computing entity, or a network slice in a core context such as NR or 5G, or a WiFi AP STA, such as 802.11ax or 802.11be, or any transmit / receive point (TRP) that enables an item or device to communicate using a wireless communication network, and the item or device is provided with network connectivity to communicate using a wireless communication network.

[0245] Embodiments of the method of the present invention have been described for direct link communication in the context of cellular communication systems, secure communication systems, and campus networks. The invention is not limited thereto, but according to further embodiments, the method of the present invention can be applied in any type of communication network, such as ad-hoc communication networks.

[0246] Although certain aspects of the described concepts have already been described in the context of the apparatus, it is clear that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, where a block or device corresponds to a method step or a feature of the method step. Similarly, aspects described in the context of method steps also represent a description of a corresponding block or item or feature of the corresponding apparatus.

[0247] Various elements and features of the present invention can be implemented in hardware using analog and / or digital circuits, in software by executing instructions through one or more general-purpose or special-purpose processors, or as a combination of hardware and software. For example, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in a computer system or another processing system environment. Figure 12 An example of a computer system 500 is shown. Units or modules, and the steps of methods performed by these units, can be executed on one or more computer systems 500. The computer system 500 includes one or more processors 502, such as dedicated or general-purpose digital signal processors. The processors 502 are connected to a communication infrastructure 504, such as a bus or network. The computer system 500 includes main memory 506, such as random access memory (RAM), and secondary memory 508, such as a hard disk drive and / or removable storage device. The secondary memory 508 may allow computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system 500. The computer system 500 may further include a communication interface 510 to allow software and data to be transferred between the computer system 500 and external devices. Communication can be in the form of electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals that can be processed by the communication interface. Communication can use wires or cables, optical fibers, telephone lines, cellular telephone links, RF links, and other communication channels 512.

[0248] The terms "computer program medium" and "computer-readable medium" are generally used to refer to tangible storage media, such as removable storage units or hard disks installed in hard disk drives. These computer program products are means for providing software to computer system 500. The computer program, also known as computer control logic, is stored in main memory 506 and / or auxiliary memory 508. The computer program may also be received via communication interface 510. When executed, the computer program enables computer system 500 to implement the present invention. In particular, when executed, the computer program enables processor 502 to implement the processes of the present invention, such as any methods described herein. Thus, such a computer program can represent a controller of computer system 500. When implementing this disclosure using software, the software can be stored in a computer program product and loaded into computer system 500 using a removable storage drive, interface, etc., such as communication interface 510.

[0249] Digital storage media, such as cloud storage, floppy disks, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, CDs, ROMs, PROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, or flash memory, can be used to execute hardware or software implementations that store electronically readable control signals, cooperating with, or being able to cooperate with, a programmable computer system to execute corresponding methods. Therefore, digital storage media can be computer-readable.

[0250] Some embodiments of the invention include a data carrier having electronically readable control signals that are capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system to perform one of the methods described herein.

[0251] Generally, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as a computer program product having program code that is operable for performing a method when the computer program product is run on a computer. The program code may, for example, be stored on a machine-readable medium.

[0252] Other embodiments include a computer program stored on a machine-readable medium for performing one of the methods described herein. In other words, therefore, embodiments of the methods of the present invention are computer programs that, when run on a computer, have program code for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0253] Therefore, a further embodiment of the method of the present invention is a data carrier, or a digital storage medium, or a computer-readable medium, comprising a computer program recorded thereon for performing one of the methods described herein. Therefore, a further embodiment of the method of the present invention is a data stream or signal sequence representing a computer program for performing one of the methods described herein. The data stream or signal sequence may be used, for example, for transmission via a data communication connection, such as via the Internet. Further embodiments include processing means, such as a computer or a programmable logic device, configured or adapted to perform one of the methods described herein. Further embodiments include a computer on which a computer program for performing one of the methods described herein is installed.

[0254] In some embodiments, a programmable logic device, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), may be used to perform some or all of the functions of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, the FPGA may cooperate with a microprocessor to perform one of the methods described herein. Generally, the method is preferably performed by any hardware device.

[0255] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. It should be understood that modifications and variations in the arrangements and details described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the intent of the invention is limited only by the scope of the claims, and not by the specific details given in the description and explanation of the embodiments herein.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) for a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system comprising a plurality of user equipments (UEs), the UE comprising: One or more antennas or an antenna array having multiple antennas; Signal processor; and transceiver The UE uses a direct link SL to communicate with one or more other UEs. The UE operates in discontinuous reception DRX mode, and When outside the coverage area, the UE • From Auxiliary Information Messages (AIMs) received from one or more other UEs during the listening duration, and / or • By sensing within a set of direct link resources or a pool of direct link resources in a wireless communication system during the listening period. Obtain one or more resources that can be used for transmission. The listening duration includes one or more of the following: • A listening duration preceding the activation duration, or a listening duration that is continuous with or offset from the activation duration by a certain time. • A listening duration following the activation duration, or a listening duration that is continuous with the activation duration or offset from the activation duration by a certain time. • For multiple listening durations preceding the activation duration, the corresponding listening durations are offset from each other by a certain time. • After the activation duration, there are multiple listening durations, with the corresponding listening durations offset from each other by a certain time. • The active duration of the DRX cycle, during which the UE only listens for control messages and one or more AIM messages. Wherein, when the UE acquires resources available for transmission by sensing during the listening duration, the UE only receives or senses AIM during the listening duration and does not transmit or decode any control and / or data during the listening duration.

2. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the UE obtains the one or more resources available for transmission from the AIM and from the sensing results.

3. The user equipment (UE) as described in claim 2, wherein, When the UE obtains the one or more resources available for transmission from the AIM and from the sensing results, the UE • Compared to the resources in the AIM, the sensing results are preferred, or • Compared to the sensing results, the resources in the AIM are preferred, or • Use a combination of the resources indicated in the AIM and the resources indicated in the sensing results, or • Use one of multiple AIMs.

4. The User Equipment (UE) as described in claim 1, wherein, When the UE obtains resources available for transmission from the AIM, the UE does not perform any type of sensing and relies on one or more other UEs in the vicinity to sense and select the resources available for transmission for the UE.

5. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the UE receives: the AIM as a control packet, or the AIM as a data packet from one or more other UEs, or the AIM as an information block.

6. The user equipment (UE) as described in claim 1, wherein, The UE receives an AIM for one or more data packets to be transmitted and uses the resources indicated in the AIM for the transmission of the data packets for which it received the AIM.

7. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the UE requests one or more AIMs.

8. The User Equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the UE requests one or more AIMs when The UE requires assistance during resource allocation, and / or • The UE has already selected a specific DRX configuration, and / or • The power state of the UE is lower than the configured and / or pre-configured threshold.

9. The user equipment (UE) of claim 8, wherein the UE requires assistance during the resource allocation process in one or more of the following circumstances: The transmission of one or more packets requires high reliability and / or low latency. • Insufficient or no sensing results are available at the UE. The power level of the UE is lower than the configured and / or pre-configured threshold. The UE aims to improve its power consumption by reducing sensing workload and limiting sensing to configured and / or pre-configured resource / resource pool sets.

10. The user equipment (UE) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The UE acquires resources available for transmission by sensing during the active duration of one or more DRX cycles.

11. The user equipment (UE) as claimed in claim 10, wherein, The UE performs sensing over multiple activation durations only when the interval between consecutive activation durations is less than a certain threshold.

12. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the UE senses during the listening duration and during at least a portion of the activation duration.

13. The user equipment (UE) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, When outside the coverage area, the UE • Not connected to the base station of the wireless communication system, so that the UE does not receive direct link resource allocation configuration or assistance from the base station, and / or • A base station connected to the wireless communication system, wherein, for one or more reasons, the base station is unable to provide the UE with direct link resource allocation configuration or assistance, and / or • A base station connected to the wireless communication system that does not support direct link service.

14. A wireless communication system comprising a plurality of user equipment (UEs) as described in claim 1, and configured to perform direct link communication using resources from a set of direct link resources from the wireless communication system.

15. A method for operating a user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system comprising a plurality of user equipments (UEs), the method comprising: The UE is operated to communicate with one or more other UEs using the direct link SL. The UE operates in discontinuous reception DRX mode, and When outside the coverage area, via the UE • From Auxiliary Information Messages (AIMs) received from one or more other UEs during the listening duration, and / or • By sensing within a set of direct link resources or a pool of direct link resources in the wireless communication system during the listening duration. Obtain one or more resources that can be used for transmission. The listening duration includes one or more of the following: • A listening duration preceding the activation duration, or a listening duration that is continuous with or offset from the activation duration by a certain time. • A listening duration following the activation duration, or a listening duration that is continuous with the activation duration or offset from the activation duration by a certain time. • For multiple listening durations preceding the activation duration, the corresponding listening durations are offset from each other by a certain time. • After the activation duration, there are multiple listening durations, with the corresponding listening durations offset from each other by a certain time. • The active duration of the DRX cycle, during which the UE only listens for control messages and one or more AIM messages. Wherein, when the UE acquires resources available for transmission by sensing during the listening duration, the UE only receives or senses AIM during the listening duration and does not transmit or decode any control and / or data during the listening duration.

Images