Beam reconfiguration in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless device (18) is configured for use in a wireless communication network (10), such as a non-terrestrial network. The wireless device (18) is configured to receive signaling (22) from a network node (20) in the wireless communication network (10) indicating a reconfiguration of a beam (16) serving the wireless device (18). In some embodiments, the wireless device (18) is further configured to, in response to receiving the signaling (22), reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam (16), such as to account for the indicated reconfiguration of the beam (16).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates generally to wireless communication networks and, more particularly, to beam reconfiguration in such networks. Background Art

[0002] Compared to terrestrial networks, non-terrestrial networks can provide wireless communication services over a wider area of ​​the earth, for example, to make the service more independent of location. To provide such coverage, non-terrestrial networks can, for example, include multi-beam satellites that use multiple beams to provide service. These beams can be spot beams that cover discrete and independent areas (for example, the size of a city). However, the satellite may dynamically reconfigure the beams to adapt to changing service needs, for example, as determined by changing satellite coverage or traffic demand. The satellite can, for example, reconfigure the locations covered by the beams, the size of the beams, and / or the power radiated in each beam. Providing satellite coverage in this manner advantageously provides high-frequency reuse, but requires great flexibility in beam reconfiguration. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to some embodiments herein, a wireless communication network notifies a wireless device of a reconfiguration of a beam serving the wireless device. The network may, for example, notify the wireless device of how and / or when the serving beam will be reconfigured or has been reconfigured. Thus, rather than isolating the wireless device from knowledge of the beam reconfiguration, some embodiments equip the wireless device with knowledge of the beam reconfiguration in order to trigger the wireless device to reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization with respect to the beam. Thus, reacquiring synchronization with respect to the beam in this manner can adaptively account for beam reconfigurations that would otherwise jeopardize synchronization. These and other embodiments can prove particularly well-suited for non-terrestrial networks. Indeed, in such cases, embodiments herein can advantageously maintain the flexibility of reconfiguring the beam of a multi-spot beam satellite (e.g., to achieve high frequency reuse and data rates) while also maintaining time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0004] However, generally speaking, embodiments herein include a method performed by a wireless device configured for use in a wireless communication network (e.g., a non-terrestrial network). The method includes receiving signaling from a network node in the wireless communication network indicating a reconfiguration of a beam serving the wireless device. In some embodiments, the method further includes reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam based on the signaling, e.g., to account for the indicated reconfiguration of the beam.

[0005] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates that the reconfiguration of the beam is to occur.

[0006] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates that the reconfiguration of the beam will occur at or after a specific time.

[0007] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a value of a beam activity timer. This beam activity timer indicates when the beam will be reconfigured with a default configuration. In this case, the method may further include: when performing downlink reception or uplink transmission on the beam using a non-default configuration of the beam, starting or restarting the beam activity timer using the indicated value. Furthermore, reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization may include: reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam in response to expiration of the timer.

[0008] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a change of a reference position of the beam, wherein the reference position is a position used as a common reference for time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0009] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a change in the ephemeris of a satellite providing the beam.

[0010] In some embodiments, the signaling implicitly indicates the reconfiguration of the beam by indicating a change in the identity of a cell served by the beam or a change in a serving link supporting the beam.

[0011] In some embodiments, the signaling is broadcast to wireless devices served by the beam.

[0012] In some embodiments, the signaling includes system information.

[0013] In some embodiments, the signaling comprises radio resource control signaling, or medium access control MAC control element command, or downlink control information message, or a combination thereof.

[0014] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration changes the coverage area and / or elevation angle of the beam.

[0015] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration includes switching a serving link supporting the beam from a source satellite to a target satellite.

[0016] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration comprises reconfiguration of the gain or pointing of an antenna providing the beam.

[0017] In some embodiments, reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam comprises reacquiring downlink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam.

[0018] In some embodiments, reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam comprises reacquiring uplink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method further comprises sending or receiving a transmission on the beam based on the reacquired time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam.

[0020] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network.

[0021] Embodiments herein also include a corresponding method performed by a radio network node configured for use in a wireless communication network (e.g., a non-terrestrial network). The method comprises: sending signaling from the network node to a wireless device indicating a reconfiguration of a beam serving the wireless device. The reconfiguration may, for example, affect time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam. In some embodiments, the signaling is configured to trigger the wireless device to regain time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam. Thus, in some embodiments, the method further comprises: after sending the signaling, receiving signaling from the wireless device that triggers the radio network node to send a timing advance and / or frequency correction to the wireless device.

[0022] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates that the reconfiguration of the beam is to occur. In this case, the method may comprise sending the signaling before performing the reconfiguration of the beam.

[0023] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates that the reconfiguration of the beam will occur at or after a specific time.

[0024] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a value for a beam active timer that controls when the beam is reconfigured with a default configuration. In this case, upon performing downlink reception or uplink transmission on the beam using a non-default configuration for the beam, the beam active timer is started or restarted with the indicated value. Furthermore, in response to expiration of the timer, the beam is reconfigured with the default configuration.

[0025] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a change of a reference position of the beam, wherein the reference position is a position used as a common reference for time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0026] In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a change in the ephemeris of a satellite providing the beam.

[0027] In some embodiments, the signaling implicitly indicates the reconfiguration of the beam by indicating a change in the identity of a cell served by the beam or a change in a serving link supporting the beam.

[0028] In some embodiments, sending the signaling includes broadcasting the signaling.

[0029] In some embodiments, the signaling includes system information.

[0030] In some embodiments, the signaling comprises radio resource control signaling, or medium access control MAC control element command, or downlink control information message, or a combination thereof.

[0031] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration changes the coverage area and / or elevation angle of the beam.

[0032] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration includes switching a serving link supporting the beam from a source satellite to a target satellite.

[0033] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration comprises reconfiguration of the gain or pointing of an antenna providing the beam.

[0034] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, after sending the signaling, receiving signaling from the wireless device that triggers the network node to send a timing advance and / or frequency correction to the wireless device.

[0035] In some embodiments, the time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam comprises downlink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0036] In some embodiments, the time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam comprises uplink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0037] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration of the beam changes the configuration of the beam from an old configuration to a new configuration. In this case, the method may further include: transmitting the beam with the old configuration and transmitting the beam with the new configuration simultaneously; and manipulating the wireless device to connect to the beam with the new configuration. In some embodiments, such manipulation includes transmitting the beam with the new configuration using a higher transmit power than the transmit power used by the network node to transmit the beam with the old configuration. In other embodiments, such manipulation includes transmitting a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) command that triggers the wireless device to perform random access to the beam with the new configuration.

[0038] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network.

[0039] In some embodiments, the signaling triggers the wireless device to reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam.

[0040] Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatus, computer programs, and carriers for these computer programs. For example, embodiments herein include a wireless device configured for use in a wireless communication network (e.g., a non-terrestrial network). The wireless device is configured to receive signaling from a network node in the wireless communication network indicating a reconfiguration of a beam serving the wireless device. In some embodiments, the wireless device is further configured to, in response to receiving the signaling, reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam, e.g., to account for the indicated reconfiguration of the beam.

[0041] Embodiments also include a radio network node configured for use in a wireless communication network (e.g., a non-terrestrial network). The radio network node is configured to send signaling from the network node to a wireless device indicating a reconfiguration of a beam serving the wireless device. The reconfiguration may, for example, affect time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam. In some embodiments, the signaling is configured to trigger the wireless device to regain time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam. Thus, in some embodiments, the radio network node is further configured to, after sending the signaling, receive signaling from the wireless device that triggers the radio network node to send a timing advance and / or frequency correction to the wireless device.

[0042] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above features and advantages. In fact, those skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages after reading the following detailed description and viewing the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communication network according to some embodiments;

[0044] Figure 2 is a block diagram of a wireless communication network in the form of a satellite network with bent pipe transponders according to some embodiments;

[0045] Figure 3 is a block diagram of wireless device shifting of uplink and downlink frame structures according to timing advance commands in accordance with some embodiments;

[0046] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a base station and wireless device shifting of uplink and downlink frame structures according to some embodiments;

[0047] Figure 5is a block diagram of service link switching according to some embodiments;

[0048] Figure 6 is a block diagram of a service link handover affecting time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization according to some embodiments;

[0049] Figure 7 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a wireless device according to some embodiments;

[0050] Figure 8 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a network node according to some embodiments;

[0051] Figure 9 is a block diagram of a wireless device according to some embodiments;

[0052] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments;

[0053] Figure 11 is a block diagram of a wireless communication network according to some embodiments;

[0054] Figure 12 is a block diagram of a user equipment according to some embodiments;

[0055] Figure 13 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment according to some embodiments;

[0056] Figure 14 is a block diagram of a communication network having a host computer according to some embodiments;

[0057] Figure 15 is a block diagram of a host computer according to some embodiments;

[0058] Figure 16 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment;

[0059] Figure 17 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment;

[0060] Figure 18 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment;

[0061] Figure 19 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] Figure 1A wireless communication network 10 in the form of a non-terrestrial network is shown. As shown, the wireless communication network 10 includes a satellite 12 (e.g., a communication satellite) and a ground gateway 14 that connects the satellite 12 to a base station or core network. The satellite 12 (possibly in conjunction with the ground gateway 14) provides a beam 16 that serves a wireless device 18. The satellite 12 can be equipped with, for example, a phased array antenna, an electronically steerable parabolic antenna, etc., to form the beam 16 in a spatial dimension. In a phased array antenna implementation, for example, the beam 16 can be formed via antenna precoding. In some embodiments, the beam 16 is a spot beam, for example, if the satellite 12 is a multi-spot beam satellite, the beam 16 can be one of multiple spot beams. In these and other embodiments, the beam 16 can serve a cell identified by a physical cell identifier or be associated with a cell in other ways. Alternatively or additionally, the beam 16 can be identified by a beam identifier and / or associated with one or more synchronization signals.

[0063] Beam 16 may be configured in any number of ways (e.g., according to one or more configuration parameters). Beam 16 may be configured, for example, according to the gain and / or pointing of an antenna providing beam 16. Increasing antenna gain may, for example, correspond to reducing half-power beamwidth and / or cell size, e.g., to improve the link budget in the cell. Alternatively or additionally, antenna pointing may be changed (e.g., by adjusting precoding weights) to refocus beam 16 to an area of ​​high mobile traffic density, e.g., to improve the link budget in that area. Thus, in these and other embodiments, beam 16 may be configured according to the coverage area of ​​beam 16 (e.g., the location, size, or area of ​​beam 16) and / or the elevation angle of beam 16. Alternatively or additionally, the configuration of beam 16 may be specified according to the center of the beam coverage area or other reference point for beam 16. In other embodiments, beam 16 may be configured according to the satellite or serving link serving beam 16.

[0064] At any point in time after beam 16 is initially configured to serve wireless device 18, beam 16 may be reconfigured. In this regard, reconfiguration of beam 16 means that one or more parameters controlling the configuration of beam 16 are changed. Parameters that may be changed include, for example, the gain and / or pointing direction of the antenna providing beam 16, the coverage area of ​​beam 16, the elevation angle of beam 16, the center of the beam coverage area, a reference position of beam 16, the satellite or serving link used for beam 16, and the like. In this latter case, for example, reconfiguration of beam 16 may include switching the serving link supporting beam 16 from a source satellite to a target satellite. Thus, serving link switching is considered a type of beam reconfiguration.

[0065] In these and other embodiments, beam 16 can be reconfigured in a manner that affects time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16. Here, time synchronization involves the wireless device determining the correct moments at which to sample downlink signals from network 10 and / or transmit uplink signals to network 10. Otherwise, timing errors will result in inter-symbol interference. Frequency synchronization involves the wireless device determining the correct frequency and / or phase of its local carrier oscillator, for example, to maintain subcarrier orthogonality and reduce inter-channel interference. In some embodiments, wireless device 18 is configured to achieve such time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 relative to a reference point for beam 16 (e.g., the center of the beam's footprint). In this case, any reconfiguration that changes the location of the beam's reference point (e.g., a reconfiguration that changes the location of the beam's footprint or changes the pointing direction of the antenna providing beam 16) will affect time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16.

[0066] According to some embodiments herein, the wireless communication network 10 notifies the wireless device 18 of a reconfiguration of the beam 16 serving the wireless device 18. For example, the network 10 may inform the wireless device 18 of how and / or when the beam 16 is or has been reconfigured. Thus, rather than isolating the wireless device 18 from knowledge of the beam reconfiguration, some embodiments equip the wireless device 18 with knowledge of the beam reconfiguration in order to trigger the wireless device 18 to reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization with respect to the beam 16. Thus, reacquiring synchronization with respect to the beam 16 in this manner can adaptively account for beam reconfigurations that would otherwise compromise synchronization. These and other embodiments may prove particularly well-suited for non-terrestrial networks. Indeed, in such cases, embodiments herein may advantageously maintain the flexibility of reconfiguring the beams of a multi-spot beam satellite while also maintaining time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0067] More specifically, Figure 1The network 10 is shown to include a network node 20, which may be associated with, for example, a terrestrial gateway 14 or a satellite 12. In either case, the network node 20 according to embodiments herein, for example, upon determining that a beam 16 has been or will be reconfigured, sends signaling 22 to the wireless device 18. The signaling 22 indicates, for example, via a beam reconfiguration indication 24, a reconfiguration of the beam 16 serving the wireless device 18. In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates the reconfiguration of the beam 16 simply in the sense that the signaling 22 indicates the past, present, or future occurrence of the reconfiguration, e.g., regardless of how the beam has been or will be reconfigured. The signaling 22 may, for example, simply indicate that the reconfiguration of the beam 16 will occur, e.g., at some indeterminate or unspecified time in the future. Alternatively, the signaling 22 may more specifically indicate that the reconfiguration of the beam 16 will occur at or after a specific time (e.g., the next system information modification period). In other embodiments, the signaling 22 may indicate, for example, the value of a so-called beam activity timer, which is used to control or supervise the timing of the reconfiguration of the beam 16. The wireless device 18 may, for example, be configured to start a timer with the indicated value upon receipt of the signaling 22, wherein expiry of the timer means that a reconfiguration of the beam 16 has occurred or is occurring.

[0068] Regarding the timer-based method, in some embodiments, the network 10 configures the wireless device 18 with a default beam configuration (e.g., including information such as a reference position and serving satellite ephemeris). In this case, the wireless device 18 can use the active beam configuration, which is a non-default configuration, to perform downlink reception and uplink transmission. The wireless device 18 can then start or restart the timer after performing downlink reception or uplink transmission using the active beam configuration. However, after the beam active timer expires, the wireless device 18 can apply the default beam configuration. In this way, the beam active timer indicates when the beam will be reconfigured with the default configuration.

[0069] It is noted here that the signaling 22 may explicitly or implicitly indicate the reconfiguration of the beam 16. The signaling 22 may, for example, use one or more information elements (IEs) to explicitly indicate the occurrence of the reconfiguration, one or more IEs dedicated to indicating the occurrence of the reconfiguration, and / or the values ​​of one or more IEs directly indicating the occurrence of the reconfiguration.

[0070] Alternatively, the signaling 22 may implicitly indicate the occurrence of a reconfiguration using one or more IEs that are not specifically used to indicate the occurrence of a reconfiguration and / or whose values ​​directly indicate something other than the occurrence of a reconfiguration, but from which the occurrence of a reconfiguration can be assumed, inferred, or otherwise deduced. Thus, such an implicit indication still notifies the wireless device 18 of the beam reconfiguration. In one embodiment, for example, the signaling 22 implicitly indicates the reconfiguration of beam 16 by indicating a change in the identity of the cell served by the beam or a change in the serving link supporting beam 16. In this case, the signaling 22 may include one or more IEs whose values ​​directly indicate such a cell identity change and / or serving link change, but it can be assumed, inferred, or otherwise deduced that the reconfiguration of beam 16 also occurred in conjunction with the cell identity change and / or serving link change.

[0071] In other embodiments, signaling 22 may alternatively or additionally indicate information regarding how the beam has been or will be reconfigured, e.g., based on any one or more parameters controlling the configuration of beam 16. In some embodiments, for example, signaling 22 indicates a change in a reference position for beam 16, e.g., where the reference position is a position used as a common reference for time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization (common in the sense of being common among wireless devices served by beam 16). The reference position may, for example, be a position on the ground, a position in the sky, a position at satellite 12, or even a null position. In one specific example, the reference position is the center of the beam's coverage area or the center of the cell served by beam 16. If the reference position changes from an old position to a new position, signaling 22 may, for example, indicate the new position. Alternatively or additionally, signaling 22 may indicate a change in the ephemeris of satellite 12 providing beam 16. If the ephemeris changes from old ephemeris to new ephemeris, signaling 22 may, for example, indicate the new ephemeris.

[0072] In some embodiments, signaling 22 is broadcast, for example, to wireless devices served by beam 16 and / or network node 20. Alternatively or additionally, signaling 22 may be included in system information, such as in a master information block (MIB) containing basic system information for access, in system information block #1 (SIB1) containing scheduling information for system information blocks, or in any system information block (SIB). System information may or may not be broadcast. In other embodiments, signaling 22 is dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) command, a downlink control information (DCI) message, or a combination thereof. In dedicated RRC signaling, network 10 may use RRC messages to signal the above information. Alternatively, network 10 may use RRC reconfiguration signaling to directly convey changed information related to beam reconfiguration (e.g., system information). Network 10 may indicate the beam reconfiguration command in a MAC CE command or DCI. The MAC CE command or DCI may also include the time and / or frequency adjustments required after the beam reconfiguration.

[0073] In certain embodiments, the network 10 may then use signaling 22 (e.g., broadcast signaling) to provide an explicit indication that the network 10 intends to perform a beam reconfiguration, which may affect the downlink carrier frequency and downlink timing in the cell served by the beam 16. Alternatively or additionally, if there is a change in reference position and serving satellite, the signaling 22 may include information about the new reference position and new serving satellite ephemeris at the time of the reconfiguration. Alternatively or additionally, the signaling 22 may indicate the expected timing of the reconfiguration, for example, by means of existing system information modification indication signaling and timing.

[0074] In any case, in response to receiving the signaling 22, according to some embodiments, the wireless device 18 reacquires time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16, for example, to account for the indicated reconfiguration of beam 16. Thus, the signaling 22 may prompt or trigger the wireless device 18 to reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16. In this regard, the wireless device 18 may reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization in the downlink and / or uplink. Reacquiring downlink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 may involve, for example, measuring one or more synchronization signals and / or one or more reference signals (collectively shown as signals 26) sent to the wireless device 18 on beam 16. With respect to downlink time synchronization, for example, the wireless device 18 may use these measurements to estimate the timing of transmissions performed on beam 16 in the downlink, for example, based on a transmission timing structure. Alternatively or additionally, reacquiring uplink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 may involve receiving a timing advance and / or frequency offset from the network node 20 or another node. The signaling 22 may, for example, prompt or trigger the wireless device 18 to initiate a random access procedure (e.g., by sending a random access preamble), during which the wireless device 18 receives such timing advance and / or frequency offset.

[0075] However, the wireless device's response to the signaling 22 may depend on the RRC state of the wireless device 18. In some embodiments, for example, if the wireless device 18 is in the RRC idle or RRC inactive state, the wireless device 18 may reacquire downlink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization in response to receiving the signaling 22. However, if the wireless device 18 is in the RRC connected state, the wireless device 18 may also reacquire uplink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization, for example, to obtain a new timing advance (TA) value from the network 10.

[0076] However, regardless of the specific manner in which the wireless device 18 regains time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization, in some embodiments, the wireless device 18 may then send and / or receive transmissions on beam 16 based on the regained time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16. The wireless device 18 may, for example, adjust the timing and / or frequency with which the wireless device 18 receives signals on beam 16 in the downlink and / or transmits signals on beam 16 in the uplink.

[0077] Some embodiments are intended to ensure that such adjustments to time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization (triggered by a change in the configuration of beam 16 from an old configuration to a new configuration) do not interrupt ongoing data transmissions. In one or more embodiments, the reconfiguration from the old configuration to the new configuration may be performed, for example, by simultaneously transmitting beam 16 with the old configuration and transmitting beam 16 with the new configuration. In some embodiments, transmissions using beam 16 with the old configuration may involve transmitting one or more signals on beam 16 configured with the old configuration, while transmissions using beam 16 with the new configuration may involve transmitting one or more signals on beam 16 configured with the new configuration. Regardless, with beam 16 being transmitted simultaneously using the old configuration and the new configuration, network node 20 can then effectively steer wireless device 18 to connect to beam 16 with the new configuration.

[0078] For example, such manipulation may involve transmitting the beam 16 with the new configuration using a higher transmit power than the transmit power used by the network node 20 to transmit the beam 16 with the old configuration. In one implementation, the power of the new beam (i.e., the beam 16 with the new configuration) may then be increased during one time interval, while the power of the old beam (i.e., the beam 16 with the old configuration) may be decreased during another time interval. In these and other embodiments, if the beam reconfiguration includes or is associated with a change in the physical cell identifier (PCID) of the cell served by the beam 16, the wireless device 18 may detect the new PCID and perform a handover procedure, for example, in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state. During the handover procedure, a new timing advance value will be sent to the wireless device 18, and the wireless device 18 thereby acquires time synchronization for the reconfigured beam 16. In other embodiments, the network node 20 may manipulate the wireless device 18 to connect to the beam 16 with the new configuration by sending a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) command, which triggers the wireless device 18 to perform random access to the beam 16 with the new configuration. For example, if the beam reconfiguration does not include or is not associated with a change in the PCID, the network node 20 may send the PDCCH command to the wireless device 18 in the RRC connected state. The PDCCH command may trigger a random access in which the wireless device 18 sends a random access preamble in the beam 16 with the new configuration, and the network 10, in response to detecting the random access preamble, signals a new TA value for the beam 16 with the new configuration.

[0079] In general, then, some embodiments herein provide a signaling method for notifying a wireless device 18 in a wireless communication network 10 (e.g., a non-terrestrial network) of a beam reconfiguration that affects the device's time-frequency reference. Upon receiving signaling 20 notifying the wireless device 18 of this, the wireless device 18 can trigger a procedure (e.g., a random access procedure) for updating its time-frequency configuration. Thus, according to some embodiments, the network 10 indicates a beam reconfiguration to the wireless device 18 (e.g., including the timing of the indicated beam reconfiguration), the network 10 performs the beam reconfiguration, and the wireless device 18 regains time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization. In this way, some embodiments facilitate controlled network beam reconfiguration in a non-terrestrial network.

[0080] In this regard, additional details of some embodiments are considered, which can be implemented in the context of 3GPP standardized operation of non-terrestrial networks (NTN). In some embodiments, Figure 1 The wireless communication network 10 shown is a satellite radio access network. In this case, the network 10 includes a satellite 12 or other spaceborne platform and a ground gateway 14. The gateway 14 connects the satellite 12 to a base station or core network, depending on the architecture selected. The network 10 may also include a feeder link (not shown), which refers to the link between the gateway 14 and the satellite 12. The network 10 may also include a service link (not shown), which refers to the link between the satellite 12 and a wireless device 18 (e.g., user equipment UE).

[0081] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network 10 has a bent pipe transponder architecture. In this case, the base station is located on Earth behind the gateway 14, and the satellite 12 acts as a repeater to forward the feeder link signal to the service link and vice versa. In other embodiments, the wireless communication network 10 has a regenerative transponder architecture. In this case, the satellite 12 is in the base station, and the service link connects the satellite 12 to the terrestrial core network. Thus, in Figure 1 In some embodiments where the network node 20 is implemented as a base station, the network node 20 may be located on Earth behind the gateway 14 (if the network 10 has a bent-pipe transponder architecture) or at a satellite 12 (if the network 10 has a regenerative transponder architecture).

[0082] Satellites 12 may be classified as low earth orbit (LEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), or geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites, depending on their orbital altitude. Typical altitudes for LEOs range from 250 to 1,500 kilometers, and orbital periods range from 90 to 120 minutes. Typical altitudes for MEOs range from 5,000 to 25,000 kilometers, and orbital periods range from 3 to 15 hours. GEOs have an altitude of approximately 35,786 kilometers and an orbital period of 24 hours.

[0083] In some embodiments, satellite 12 generates multiple (e.g., several) beams over a given area, i.e., beam 16 is only one of multiple such beams. The coverage area of ​​any given beam may be elliptical, which may be considered a cell. The coverage area of ​​a beam may be referred to as a spot beam. The spot beam may move across the Earth's surface as the satellite moves, or it may be fixed to the ground, with satellite 12 using some beam-steering mechanism to compensate for its motion. The size of the spot beam may depend on the system design and may range from tens of kilometers to thousands of kilometers.

[0084] Figure 2 A more specific example architecture of the wireless communication network 10 is shown in the form of a satellite network with bent pipe transponders. The elevation angle of the serving link shown can affect the distance between the satellite 12 and the wireless device 18 and the velocity of the satellite 12 relative to the wireless device 18.

[0085] Some embodiments herein consider propagation delay as a physical phenomenon in the wireless communication network 10. If the network 10 is a satellite communication network, this propagation delay makes the radio access network design different from that of a land mobile system. The round trip time (RTT) will depend on the NTN architecture used. For a bent-pipe satellite network, the following delays are relevant: (i) the one-way delay from the base station via the satellite 12 to the wireless device 18, or the one-way delay in the reverse direction; and (ii) the round-trip delay from the base station via the satellite 12 to the wireless device 18 and from the wireless device 18 back to the base station via the satellite 12. For a regenerative satellite network, the following delays are relevant: (i) the one-way delay from the wireless device 18 to the satellite 12, or the one-way delay in the reverse direction; and (ii) the round-trip delay from the wireless device 18 to the satellite 12 and back to the wireless device 18, or the round-trip delay in the reverse direction.

[0086] There may be additional delay between the ground base station (BS) antenna and the BS (which may or may not be collocated). This delay depends on the deployment and can be accounted for in the communication system design.

[0087] Table 1 shows an example of propagation delay for a non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite (see Table 5.3.4.1-1 in 3GPP TR 38.811 v15.2.0 “Study on New Radio (NR) to support non-terrestrial networks”).

[0088]

[0089] Table 1

[0090] As can be seen from Table 1, the example round-trip delay for satellite systems at an elevation angle of 90 degrees is much greater than that for terrestrial systems. At lower elevation angles, the delay increases further. In contrast, for typical terrestrial cellular networks, the round-trip time is typically less than 1 millisecond.

[0091] In some embodiments, such as when the wireless communication network 10 is a 3GPP terrestrial network, the wireless device is responsible for accounting for RTT under network control. In this case, the wireless device 18 can shift its uplink transmit frame structure compared to the downlink receive frame structure of the wireless device 18. This shift corresponds to a timing advance (TA) command signaled from the network 10. The TA corresponds to the round-trip time between the base station and the wireless device 18. However, in NTNs, this design requires a larger shift in the wireless device's UL frame structure. Figure 3 This situation is shown in Figure 2. In particular, Figure 3 1 shows wireless device shifting of UL and DL frame structures according to a TA command, where the base station corresponds to a gNB and the wireless device 18 is illustrated as a UE. See 3GPP TR 38.821 v16.0.0 “Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks” in Figure 6 .2.1-1.

[0092] In other embodiments, such as those where the wireless communication network 10 is an NTN network, the impact on the wireless device 18 is reduced. In this case, the network 10 shifts its UL and DL frame structures relative to each other based on a reference delay, such as the RTT between the base station and a reference point on Earth, such as the center of a beam 16, which may be a spot beam. A wireless device 18 in the same beam 16 may also adjust its UL-DL frame timing based on a TA corresponding to a residual timing difference between the reference RTT and the actual RTT of the wireless device. Figure 4 This situation is shown, where the base station corresponds to a gNB and the wireless device 18 is illustrated as a UE. In particular, Figure 4 The base station and wireless device shifts for the UL and DL frame structures in 3GPP NR NTN are shown. For example, see 3GPP TR 38.821 v16.0.0 “Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks”. Figure 6 .2.1-1. Note that if the wireless device 18 is located at the center of the beam 16, the residual timing error corresponding to the TA value shown will be zero.

[0093] Some embodiments herein also take into account NTN Doppler shift. In this regard, in LEO NTN, satellites move at a rate of approximately 7.1 km / s. This leads to relativistic effects, including a Doppler shift of up to 24 parts per million (ppm) for the carrier frequency on the service link for LEO satellites at an altitude of 600 km. 3GPP TR 38.821 v16.0.0. Due to the motion of satellites in the sky, the Doppler shift also varies with time. For LEO 600 km satellites, the variation in Doppler shift can be as high as 0.27 ppm / s. The Doppler shift will affect (i.e., increase or decrease) the frequency received on the service link compared to the transmitted frequency. In addition, the service link timing will be affected by the satellite velocity. If the satellite moves toward the receiver (e.g., wireless device 18), the observed frequency will increase, and time will appear to pass faster in the receiver compared to the transmitter.

[0094] Similar to delay compensation, the base station can also compensate for the time-frequency effects just mentioned. Again, the compensation will be applied to a reference point (e.g., the spot beam center) at which the wireless device 18 will not experience any Doppler shift due to the compensation described above. The residual Doppler experienced by the wireless device 18 can depend on the device's position relative to the selected reference point.

[0095] Note that in some embodiments, satellite 12 can support dozens or even hundreds of spot beams on a serving link. Satellite 12 can also flexibly change the position and size of each spot beam. In a phased array antenna implementation, this can be achieved, for example, by reconfiguring antenna precoding weights.

[0096] Reconfiguration of the beam 16 (eg, a spot beam) may occur, for example, when switching a service link from a first satellite to a second satellite, such as when Figure 5 In particular, Figure 5 A service link handover is shown, where beam 16 is a terrestrial fixed beam. The movement of the satellite is shown using vector v. In these and other embodiments, reconfiguration of beam 16 can be triggered by increasing the link budget requirement in the cell by increasing the satellite antenna gain (which corresponds to a reduction in half-power beamwidth and cell size). Beam 16 can also be refocused to areas of high mobile traffic density to improve the link budget in that area.

[0097] However, the reconfiguration of the beam 16 will affect the timing and frequency of the cell served by the beam 16 (e.g. in the form of a spot beam). Consider an embodiment where, in the case of a serving link handover, the wireless device 18 is located at a cell edge, e.g. Figure 6As shown in FIG. Wireless device 18 will first experience a change in its residual timing relative to the cell center because wireless device 18 will be at a different distance relative to the serving satellite before and after the serving link handoff. Wireless device 18 will also experience a change in carrier frequency because the residual Doppler depends on the different elevation angles before and after the serving link handoff. Similar examples can exist for other types of beam reconfigurations.

[0098] Some embodiments avoid performing beam reconfiguration transparently to wireless devices in the network 10. Thus, some embodiments avoid scenarios where the wireless device 18 is unaware of the impact on timing and / or carrier frequency caused by the beam reconfiguration. Thus, some embodiments prevent wireless devices in an RRC connected state from dropping connections due to beam reconfiguration and its impact on time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization. For wireless devices in an RRC idle or RRC inactive state, some embodiments advantageously prevent access attempts from failing due to beam reconfiguration and its impact on time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization. In practice, according to some embodiments herein, a signaling method can notify wireless devices in the network 10 (e.g., a 3GPP NTN) of an expected beam reconfiguration. Upon receiving the signaling, the wireless device 18 can trigger a process for updating the time and frequency configuration of the wireless device 18.

[0099] Note that, as used herein, a transmission timing structure may include multiple symbols and / or define an interval comprising several symbols (and, accordingly, their associated time intervals). In the context of this disclosure, it should be noted that, for ease of reference, references to symbols may be interpreted as referring to the time domain projection of that symbol, or a time interval, or a time component, or a duration, or a time length, unless it is clear from the context that the frequency domain component must also be considered. Examples of transmission timing structures include slots, subframes, mini-slots (which may also be considered as substructures of slots), slot aggregates (which may include multiple slots and may be considered as superstructures of slots), and, accordingly, their time domain components. A transmission timing structure may typically include multiple symbols that define a time domain extension (e.g., an interval, length, or duration) of the transmission timing structure and are arranged adjacent to each other in numbered order. A timing structure (which may also be considered or implemented as a synchronization structure) may be defined by a series of such transmission timing structures, which may, for example, define a timing grid, where a symbol represents the smallest grid structure. Transmissions of the transmission timing structure and / or boundary symbols or schedules may be determined or scheduled relative to such a timing grid. The received transmission timing structure may be a transmission timing structure in which, for example, scheduling control signaling is received with respect to a timing grid.In particular, the transmission timing structure may be a time slot or a subframe, or in some cases a mini-slot.

[0100] References to specific resource structures such as transmission timing structures and / or symbols and / or time slots and / or mini-slots and / or subcarriers and / or carriers may relate to specific parameter sets that may be predefined and / or configured or configurable. A transmission timing structure may represent a time interval that may cover one or more symbols. Some examples of transmission timing structures are transmission time intervals (TTIs), subframes, time slots, and mini-slots. A time slot may include a predetermined (e.g., predefined and / or configured or configurable) number of symbols, such as 6 or 7, or 12 or 14. A mini-slot may include a number of symbols (which may in particular be configurable or configured) that is less than the number of symbols in a time slot (specifically, 1, 2, 3, or 4 symbols). A transmission timing structure may cover a time interval of a specific length that may depend on the symbol time length and / or cyclic prefix used. A transmission timing structure may relate to and / or cover a specific time interval in a time stream, for example, synchronized for communication. A timing structure (e.g., a time slot and / or mini-slot) used and / or scheduled for transmission can be scheduled and / or synchronized relative to a timing structure provided and / or defined by other transmission timing structures. Such a transmission timing structure can define a timing grid, for example, in which the symbol time interval within an individual structure represents the smallest timing unit. Such a timing grid can be defined, for example, by time slots or subframes (wherein, in some cases, a subframe can be considered a specific variant of a time slot). A transmission timing structure can have a duration (time length) determined based on the duration of its symbols (possibly with the addition of a cyclic prefix used). The symbols of a transmission timing structure can have the same duration, or in some variations, can have different durations. The number of symbols in a transmission timing structure can be predefined and / or configured or configurable, and / or depend on a parameter set. The timing of the mini-slots can generally be configured or configurable, in particular by the network and / or network nodes. The timing can be configurable to start and / or end at any symbol of the transmission timing structure (in particular, one or more time slots).

[0101] In general, the parameter set and / or the subcarrier spacing may indicate the bandwidth of the subcarriers of a carrier (in the frequency domain) and / or the number of subcarriers in a carrier and / or the numbering of the subcarriers in a carrier. In particular, different parameter sets may differ in terms of the bandwidth of the subcarriers. In some variants, all subcarriers in a carrier have the same bandwidth associated with them. The parameter set and / or the subcarrier spacing may differ between carriers, in particular in terms of the subcarrier bandwidth. The symbol time length and / or the time length of the timing structure involving the carrier may depend on the carrier frequency and / or the subcarrier spacing and / or the parameter set. In particular, different parameter sets may have different symbol time lengths.

[0102] Signaling may generally include one or more symbols and / or signals and / or messages. A signal may include or represent one or more bits. An indication may represent signaling and / or be implemented as one or more signals. One or more signals may be included in and / or represented by a message. Signaling (particularly control signaling) may include multiple signals and / or messages, which may be sent on different carriers and / or associated with different signaling procedures, e.g., representing and / or referring to one or more such procedures and / or corresponding information. An indication may include signaling and / or multiple signals and / or messages, and / or may be included within them. An indication may be sent on different carriers and / or associated with different confirmation signaling procedures, e.g., representing and / or referring to one or more such procedures. Signaling associated with a channel may be sent so as to indicate signaling and / or information for that channel and / or so that the signaling is interpreted by the transmitter and / or receiver as belonging to that channel. Such signaling may generally conform to the transmission parameters and / or format used for that channel.

[0103] Signaling can generally be considered to represent an electromagnetic wave structure (e.g., in time intervals and frequency intervals) that is intended to convey information to at least one specific or general (e.g., anyone who might pick up the signaling) target. The signaling process may include sending signaling. Sending signaling (particularly control signaling or communication signaling) may include coding and / or modulation. Coding and / or modulation may include error detection coding and / or forward error correction coding and / or scrambling. Receiving control signaling may include corresponding decoding and / or demodulation. Error detection coding may include and / or be based on parity checking or checksum methods, such as CRC (cyclic redundancy check). Forward error correction coding may include and / or be based on, for example, turbo coding and / or Reed-Muller coding and / or polar coding and / or LDPC coding (low-density parity check). The type of coding used may be based on the channel (e.g., physical channel) to which the coded signal is associated.

[0104] Example types of signaling include signaling for a specific communication direction, in particular uplink signaling, downlink signaling, sidelink signaling, and reference signaling (e.g., SRS or CRS or CSI-RS), communication signaling, control signaling, and / or signaling associated with a specific channel (e.g., PUSCH, PDSCH, PUCCH, PDCCH, PSCCH, PSSCH, etc.). Here, SRS refers to a sounding reference signal, CRS refers to a cell-specific reference signal, and CSI-RS refers to a channel state information reference signal. In addition, PUSCH refers to a physical uplink shared channel, PDSCH refers to a physical downlink shared channel, PUCCH refers to a physical uplink control channel, PSCCH refers to a physical sidelink control channel, and PSSCH refers to a physical sidelink shared channel.

[0105] Communication signaling may include and / or represent and / or be implemented as data signaling and / or user plane signaling. Communication signaling may be associated with a data channel (e.g., a physical downlink channel or a physical uplink channel or a physical sidelink channel, in particular a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH)). Typically, a data channel may be a shared channel or a dedicated channel. Data signaling may be signaling associated with and / or on a data channel.

[0106] An indication may generally indicate the information it represents and / or indicates explicitly and / or implicitly. An implicit indication may, for example, be based on the location and / or resources used for transmission. An explicit indication may, for example, be based on parameterization with one or more parameters and / or one or more indices and / or one or more bit patterns representing the information. In particular, it may be considered that control signaling as described herein implicitly indicates the type of control signaling based on the sequence of resources utilized.

[0107] In view of the above modifications and changes, Figure 7 A method performed by a wireless device 18 configured for use in a wireless communication network 10 is shown in accordance with certain embodiments. The method includes receiving signaling 22 from a network node 20 in the wireless communication network 10 indicating a reconfiguration of a beam 16 serving the wireless device 18 (block 700). In some embodiments, the method may further include reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam 16 based on the signaling 22, e.g., to account for the indicated reconfiguration of the beam 16 (block 710). In one or more embodiments, the method may further include sending or receiving a transmission on the beam 16 based on the reacquired time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam 16 (block 720).

[0108] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates that a reconfiguration of the beam 16 is to occur.

[0109] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates that the reconfiguration of the beam 16 will occur at a specific time or will occur after a specific time.

[0110] In some embodiments, signaling 22 indicates a value for a beam activity timer. The beam activity timer indicates when beam 16 will be reconfigured with a default configuration. In this case, the method may further include starting or restarting the beam activity timer using the indicated value when performing downlink reception or uplink transmission on beam 16 using a non-default configuration of beam 16. Furthermore, reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization may include reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 in response to expiration of the timer.

[0111] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates a change in a reference position of the beam 16 , where a reference position is a position used as a common reference for time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0112] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates a change in the ephemeris of the satellite providing the beam 16 .

[0113] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 implicitly indicates the reconfiguration of the beam 16 by indicating a change in the identity of the cell served by the beam 16 or a change in the serving link supporting the beam 16 .

[0114] In some embodiments, signaling 22 is broadcast to wireless devices served by beam 16 .

[0115] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 includes system information.

[0116] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 comprises radio resource control signaling or medium access control MAC control element commands or downlink control information messages or a combination thereof.

[0117] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration changes the coverage area and / or elevation angle of beam 16 .

[0118] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration includes switching of the serving link supporting beam 16 from the source satellite to the target satellite.

[0119] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration includes reconfiguration of the gain or pointing of the antenna providing beam 16 .

[0120] In some embodiments, reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 includes reacquiring downlink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 .

[0121] In some embodiments, reacquiring time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 includes reacquiring uplink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 .

[0122] In some embodiments, the method further includes sending or receiving a transmission on beam 16 based on the regained time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 .

[0123] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network 10 is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network.

[0124] Figure 8A method performed by a network node 20 configured for use in a wireless communication network 10 according to other specific embodiments is shown. The method includes sending signaling 22 from the network node 20 to a wireless device 18 indicating a reconfiguration of a beam 16 serving the wireless device 18, e.g., where the reconfiguration affects time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam 16 (block 800). In some embodiments, the method further includes, after sending the signaling 22, receiving signaling from the wireless device 18 triggering the network node 20 to send a timing advance and / or frequency correction to the wireless device 18 (block 810).

[0125] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates that a reconfiguration of the beam 16 is to occur. In this case, the method may comprise sending the signaling 22 before performing the reconfiguration of the beam 16.

[0126] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates that the reconfiguration of the beam 16 will occur at a specific time or will occur after a specific time.

[0127] In some embodiments, signaling 22 indicates a value for a beam activity timer that controls when beam 16 will be reconfigured with a default configuration. In this case, when downlink reception or uplink transmission is performed on beam 16 using a non-default configuration of beam 16, the beam activity timer will be started or restarted with the indicated value. Furthermore, in response to expiration of the timer, beam 16 will be reconfigured with the default configuration.

[0128] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates a change in a reference position of the beam 16 , where a reference position is a position used as a common reference for time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0129] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 indicates a change in the ephemeris of the satellite providing the beam 16 .

[0130] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 implicitly indicates the reconfiguration of the beam 16 by indicating a change in the identity of the cell served by the beam 16 or a change in the serving link supporting the beam 16 .

[0131] In some embodiments, sending signaling 22 includes broadcasting signaling 22 .

[0132] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 includes system information.

[0133] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 comprises radio resource control signaling or medium access control MAC control element commands or downlink control information messages or a combination thereof.

[0134] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration changes the coverage area and / or elevation angle of beam 16 .

[0135] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration includes switching of the serving link supporting beam 16 from the source satellite to the target satellite.

[0136] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration includes reconfiguration of the gain or pointing of the antenna providing beam 16 .

[0137] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, after sending the signaling 22 , receiving signaling 22 from the wireless device 18 triggering the network node 20 to send a timing advance and / or frequency correction to the wireless device 18 .

[0138] In some embodiments, time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 includes downlink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0139] In some embodiments, time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for beam 16 includes uplink time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

[0140] In some embodiments, the reconfiguration of beam 16 changes the configuration of beam 16 from an old configuration to a new configuration. In this case, the method may further include: transmitting beam 16 with the old configuration and transmitting beam 16 with the new configuration simultaneously; and manipulating wireless device 18 to connect to beam 16 with the new configuration. In some embodiments, this manipulation includes transmitting beam 16 with the new configuration using a higher transmit power than the transmit power used by network node 20 to transmit beam 16 with the old configuration. In other embodiments, this manipulation includes transmitting a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) command that triggers wireless device 18 to perform random access to beam 16 with the new configuration.

[0141] In some embodiments, the wireless communication network 10 is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network.

[0142] In some embodiments, the signaling 22 triggers the wireless device 18 to reacquire time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization with respect to the beam 16 .

[0143] The embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatuses. The embodiments herein, for example, include a wireless device 18 configured to perform any steps of any embodiment described above for the wireless device 18 .

[0144] The embodiment also includes a wireless device 18 comprising a processing circuit and a power supply circuit. The processing circuit is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 18. The power supply circuit is configured to provide power to the wireless device 18.

[0145] Embodiments also include a wireless device 18 that includes processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 18. In some embodiments, the wireless device 18 also includes communication circuitry.

[0146] The embodiment also includes a wireless device 18 comprising a processing circuit and a memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuit, whereby the wireless device 18 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the wireless device 18.

[0147] In addition, an embodiment includes a user equipment (UE). The UE includes an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals. The UE also includes a radio front-end circuit, which is connected to the antenna and the processing circuit and is configured to adjust the signal transmitted between the antenna and the processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to perform any steps of any embodiment described above for the wireless device 18. In some embodiments, the UE also includes an input interface, which is connected to the processing circuit and is configured to allow information to be input into the UE for processing by the processing circuit. The UE may include an output interface, which is connected to the processing circuit and is configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuit. The UE may also include a battery, which is connected to the processing circuit and is configured to provide power to the UE.

[0148] The embodiments herein also include a network node 20 configured to perform any steps of any embodiment described above for the network node 20 .

[0149] The embodiment further includes a network node 20 comprising a processing circuit and a power supply circuit. The processing circuit is configured to perform any steps of any embodiment described above for the network node 20. The power supply circuit is configured to provide power to the network node 20.

[0150] The embodiment further includes a network node 20, which includes a processing circuit configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 20. In some embodiments, the network node 20 further includes a communication circuit.

[0151] The embodiment further includes a network node 20 comprising a processing circuit and a memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuit, whereby the network node 20 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 20.

[0152] More specifically, the apparatus may implement any functional device, module, unit, or circuit to perform the methods and any other processing described herein. In one embodiment, for example, the apparatus includes corresponding circuitry configured to perform the steps shown in the method diagram. The circuitry in this regard may include circuitry dedicated to performing specific functional processing and / or one or more microprocessors in combination with memory. For example, the circuitry may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include a digital signal processor (DSP), dedicated digital logic, etc. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in a memory, which may include one or more types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. In various embodiments, the program code stored in the memory may include program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and / or data communication protocols and instructions for executing one or more techniques described herein. In embodiments employing memory, the memory stores program code that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the techniques described herein.

[0153] For example, Figure 9 A wireless device 900 (e.g., wireless device 18) implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments is shown. As shown, the wireless device 900 includes processing circuitry 910 and communication circuitry 920. The communication circuitry 920 (e.g., radio circuitry) is configured to send and / or receive information to and / or from one or more other nodes, for example, via any communication technology. Such communication may occur via one or more antennas internal or external to the wireless device 900. The processing circuitry 910 is configured to perform the above operations, for example, by executing instructions stored in the memory 930. Figure 7 In this regard, the processing circuit 910 may implement specific functional devices, units or modules.

[0154] Figure 10 A network node 1000 (e.g., network node 20) implemented according to one or more embodiments is shown. As shown, the network node 1000 includes a processing circuit 1010 and a communication circuit 1020. The communication circuit 1020 is configured to send and / or receive information to and / or from one or more other nodes, for example, via any communication technology. The processing circuit 1010 is configured to perform the above operations, for example, by executing instructions stored in the memory 1030. Figure 8 In this regard, the processing circuit 1010 may implement specific functional devices, units or modules.

[0155] Those skilled in the art will also understand that the embodiments herein also include corresponding computer programs.

[0156] A computer program includes instructions that, when executed on at least one processor of a device, cause the device to perform any of the above-mentioned corresponding processes. In this regard, the computer program may include one or more code modules corresponding to the above-mentioned components or units.

[0157] The embodiment also includes a carrier embodying such a computer program. The carrier may include one of an electric signal, an optical signal, a radio signal or a computer-readable storage medium.

[0158] In this regard, embodiments herein also include a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable (storage or recording) medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform as described above.

[0159] The embodiment also includes a computer program product, which includes a program code portion for performing the steps of any embodiment herein when the computer program product is executed by a computing device. The computer program product can be stored on a computer-readable recording medium.

[0160] Additional embodiments will now be described.For illustrative purposes, at least some of these embodiments may be described as being suitable for particular contexts and / or wireless network types, but these embodiments are similarly suitable for other contexts and / or wireless network types not explicitly described.

[0161] While the subject matter described herein may be implemented in any suitable type of system using any suitable components, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to wireless networks (e.g., Figure 11 For simplicity, Figure 11 The wireless network shown in FIG. 1 only depicts network 1106, network nodes 1160 and 1160b, and WDs 1110, 1110b, and 1110c. In practice, a wireless network may also include any additional elements suitable for supporting communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device (e.g., a landline phone, a service provider, or any other network node or terminal device). Of the components shown, network node 1160 and wireless device (WD) 1110 are depicted in additional detail. A wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate access and / or use by the wireless device of services provided by or via the wireless network.

[0162] A wireless network may include and / or be connected to any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and / or radio network or other similar type of system. In some embodiments, a wireless network may be configured to operate according to a particular standard or other type of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particular embodiments of a wireless network may implement communication standards such as Global System for Mobility Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, and / or ZigBee standards.

[0163] The network 1106 may include one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks that enable communication between devices.

[0164] The network node 1160 and the WD 1110 include various components described in more detail below. These components work together to provide network node and / or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connectivity in a wireless network. In various embodiments, a 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 may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals (whether via a wired or wireless connection).

[0165] As used herein, a network node refers to a device that is capable of, configured, arranged 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), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, node Bs, evolved node Bs (eNBs), and NR node Bs (gNBs)). Base stations can be classified based on the amount of coverage provided by the base stations (or in other words, their transmit power levels), and may then also be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node that controls a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station (e.g., a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU) (sometimes also referred to as a remote radio head (RRH))). Such a remote radio unit may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Other examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) devices such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SON nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and / or MDTs. As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node as described in more detail below. However, more generally, a network node may represent any suitable device (or group of devices) capable of, configured, arranged, and / or operable to enable and / or provide access to a wireless network by a wireless device or to provide a service to a wireless device that has accessed the wireless network.

[0166] exist Figure 11 In FIG. 1 , the network node 1160 includes a processing circuit 1170, a device-readable medium 1180, an interface 1190, an auxiliary device 1184, a power supply 1186, a power supply circuit 1187, and an antenna 1162. Figure 11The network node 1160 shown in the example wireless network of FIG. 1160 may represent a device that includes the combination of hardware components shown, but other embodiments may include network nodes with different combinations of components. It should be understood that the 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 the network node 1160 are depicted as a single box within a larger box or nested within multiple boxes, in reality, the network node may include multiple different physical components that make up the single illustrated component (e.g., the device readable medium 1180 may include multiple separate hard drives and multiple RAM modules).

[0167] Similarly, network node 1160 may include multiple physically separate components (e.g., a Node B component and an RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), each of which may have its own corresponding components. In some cases where network node 1160 includes multiple separate components (e.g., a BTS and a BSC component), one or more of the separate components may be shared among multiple network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple Node Bs. In such a scenario, in some cases, each unique Node B and RNC pair may be considered a single, separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 1160 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be replicated (e.g., separate device-readable media 1180 for different RATs), while some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 1162 may be shared by all RATs). Network node 1160 may also include multiple sets of various exemplary components for different wireless technologies (e.g., GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies) integrated into network node 1160. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within network node 1160 .

[0168] The processing circuit 1170 is configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as provided by the network node. These operations performed by the processing circuit 1170 may include: processing information obtained by the processing circuit 1170, for example, by converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or the converted information with information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or the converted information; and making a determination as a result of the processing.

[0169] The processing circuitry 1170 may include a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic operable to provide network node 1160 functionality, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 1160 components (e.g., device-readable medium 1180). For example, the processing circuitry 1170 may execute instructions stored in the device-readable medium 1180 or in a memory within the processing circuitry 1170. Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1170 may include a system-on-chip (SOC).

[0170] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1170 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1172 and baseband processing circuitry 1174. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1172 and baseband processing circuitry 1174 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units (e.g., a radio unit and a digital unit). In alternative embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1172 and baseband processing circuitry 1174 may be on the same chip, chipset, board, or unit.

[0171] In certain 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 performed by processing circuitry 1170 executing instructions stored on a device-readable medium 1180 or a memory within processing circuitry 1170. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 1170 without requiring, such as hard-wired execution of instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable medium. In any of these embodiments, processing circuitry 1170 can be configured to perform the described functionality regardless of whether or not executing instructions stored on a device-readable storage medium. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to processing circuitry 1170 or other components of network node 1160, but are enjoyed by network node 1160 as a whole and / or by end users and wireless networks generally.

[0172] Device-readable medium 1180 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including, but not limited to, permanent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a flash drive, a compact disk (CD), or a digital video disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory, device-readable and / or computer-executable storage device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuit 1170. Device-readable medium 1180 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 that can be executed by processing circuit 1170 and utilized by network node 1160. Device-readable medium 1180 may be used to store any computations performed by processing circuit 1170 and / or any data received via interface 1190. In some embodiments, processing circuit 1170 and device-readable medium 1180 may be considered integrated.

[0173] Interface 1190 is used for wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network node 1160, network 1106, and / or WD 1110. As shown, interface 1190 includes port / terminal 1194 for sending and receiving data to and from network 1106, for example, via a wired connection. Interface 1190 also includes radio front-end circuitry 1192, which can be coupled to antenna 1162 or, in some embodiments, be part of antenna 1162. Radio front-end circuitry 1192 includes filter 1198 and amplifier 1196. Radio front-end circuitry 1192 can be connected to antenna 1162 and processing circuitry 1170. Radio front-end circuitry 1192 can be configured to condition signals transmitted between antenna 1162 and processing circuitry 1170. Radio front-end circuitry 1192 can receive digital data to be transmitted to other network nodes or WDs via wireless connections. The radio front-end circuit 1192 can use a combination of filters 1198 and / or amplifiers 1196 to convert the digital data into a radio signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal can then be transmitted via the antenna 1162. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 1162 can collect the radio signal, which is then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuit 1192. The digital data can be passed to the processing circuit 1170. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0174] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 1160 may not include a separate radio front end circuitry 1192, and instead, the processing circuitry 1170 may include the radio front end circuitry and may be connected to the antenna 1162 without the separate radio front end circuitry 1192. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or a portion of the RF transceiver circuitry 1172 may be considered part of the interface 1190. In other embodiments, the interface 1190 may include one or more ports or terminals 1194, the radio front end circuitry 1192, and the RF transceiver circuitry 1172 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the interface 1190 may communicate with the baseband processing circuitry 1174 that is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0175] Antenna 1162 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 1162 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 1190 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 1162 may include one or more omnidirectional, sectored, or flat panel antennas operable to transmit / receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. Omnidirectional antennas can be used to transmit / receive radio signals in any direction, sectored antennas can be used to transmit / receive radio signals from devices within a specific area, and flat panel antennas can be line-of-sight antennas for transmitting / receiving radio signals in relatively straight lines. In some cases, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In some embodiments, antenna 1162 may be separate from network node 1160 and may be connected to network node 1160 via an interface or port.

[0176] Antenna 1162, interface 1190 and / or processing circuit 1170 can be configured to perform any receive operation and / or certain obtain operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and / or signal can be received from a wireless device, another network node and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 1162, interface 1190 and / or processing circuit 1170 can be configured to perform any transmit operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and / or signal can be sent to a wireless device, another network node and / or any other network device.

[0177] Power circuit 1187 may include or be coupled to power management circuitry and is configured to provide power to the components of network node 1160 for performing the functions described herein. Power circuit 1187 may receive power from power source 1186. Power source 1186 and / or power circuit 1187 may be configured to provide power to the various components of network node 1160 in a form appropriate for the respective components (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). Power source 1186 may be included in power circuit 1187 and / or network node 1160 or external thereto. For example, network node 1160 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., a power outlet) via an input circuit or interface (e.g., a cable), whereby the external power source provides power to power circuit 1187. As another example, power circuit 1186 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack connected to or integrated into power circuit 1187. The battery may provide backup power if the external power source fails. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

[0178] Alternative embodiments of network node 1160 may include Figure 11 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 subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 1160 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into the network node 1160 and to allow information to be output from the network node 1160. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions with respect to the network node 1160.

[0179] As used herein, a wireless device (WD) refers to a device that is capable of, configured, arranged, and / or operable to wirelessly communicate with a network node and / or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise specified, the term WD may be used interchangeably with user equipment (UE) in this article. Wireless communication may involve the use of electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information over the air to send and / or receive wireless signals. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to send and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, a WD may be designed to send information to a network in a predetermined schedule when triggered by an internal or external event or in response to a request from a network. Examples of WD 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 devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablet computers, laptop computers, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop mounted devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), vehicle mounted wireless terminal devices, and the like. A WD may 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 such cases may be referred to as a D2D communication device. As another specific example, in an Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, a WD may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another WD and / or network node. In such a case, the WD may be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may be referred to as an MTC device in the 3GPP context. As a specific example, a WD may be a UE that implements the 3GPP Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) standard. Specific examples of such machines or devices include sensors, metering equipment such as power meters, industrial machinery, or household or personal appliances (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, etc.), or personal wearable devices (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other cases, a WD may represent a vehicle or other device capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operating status or other functions associated with its operation. As described above, a WD may represent an endpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, the WD as described above may be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.

[0180] As shown, wireless device 1110 includes antenna 1111, interface 1114, processing circuitry 1120, device-readable medium 1130, user interface device 1132, auxiliary device 1134, power supply 1136, and power supply circuitry 1137. WD 1110 may include multiple groups of one or more of the components shown for the different wireless technologies supported by WD 1110 (e.g., GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, NB-IoT, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, to name a few). These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets as other components in WD 1110.

[0181] Antenna 1111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals and is connected to interface 1114. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 1111 may be separated from WD 1110 and may be connected to WD 1110 via an interface or port. Antenna 1111, interface 1114, and / or processing circuit 1120 may be configured to perform any receive or transmit operation described herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, data, and / or signal may be received from a network node and / or another WD. In some embodiments, the radio front-end circuit and / or antenna 1111 may be considered an interface.

[0182] As shown, interface 1114 includes radio front-end circuitry 1112 and antenna 1111. Radio front-end circuitry 1112 includes one or more filters 1118 and an amplifier 1116. Radio front-end circuitry 1114 is connected to antenna 1111 and processing circuitry 1120 and is configured to condition signals transmitted between antenna 1111 and processing circuitry 1120. Radio front-end circuitry 1112 may be coupled to antenna 1111 or may be part of antenna 1111. In some embodiments, WD 1110 may not include a separate radio front-end circuitry 1112; instead, processing circuitry 1120 may include radio front-end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 1111. Similarly, in some embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1122 may be considered part of interface 1114. Radio front-end circuitry 1112 may receive digital data transmitted via a wireless connection to other network nodes or WDs. Radio front-end circuitry 1112 may use a combination of filters 1118 and / or amplifiers 1116 to convert the digital data into a radio signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 1111. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 1111 may collect the radio signal, which may then be converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 1112. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 1120. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0183] The processing circuit 1120 may include a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic operable to provide WD 1110 functionality, either alone or in combination with other WD 1110 components (e.g., device-readable medium 1130). Such functionality may include providing any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, the processing circuit 1120 may execute instructions stored in the device-readable medium 1130 or in a memory within the processing circuit 1120 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.

[0184] As shown, processing circuitry 1120 includes one or more of RF transceiver circuitry 1122, baseband processing circuitry 1124, and application processing circuitry 1126. In other embodiments, the processing circuitry may include different components and / or different combinations of components. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 1120 of WD 1110 may include a system-on-chip (SoC). In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1122, baseband processing circuitry 1124, and application processing circuitry 1126 may be implemented on separate chips or chipsets. In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry 1124 and application processing circuitry 1126 may be combined into a single chip or chipset, while RF transceiver circuitry 1122 may be implemented on a separate chip or chipset. In other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1122 and baseband processing circuitry 1124 may be implemented on the same chip or chipset, while application processing circuitry 1126 may be implemented on a separate chip or chipset. In other alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1122, baseband processing circuitry 1124, and application processing circuitry 1126 may be combined into the same chip or chipset. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 1122 may be part of interface 1114. RF transceiver circuitry 1122 may condition RF signals for processing circuitry 1120.

[0185] In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein as being performed by the WD may be provided by a processing circuit 1120 executing instructions stored on a device-readable medium 1130 (which may be a computer-readable storage medium in some embodiments). In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functions may be provided by the processing circuit 1120 without the need to execute instructions stored on a separate or separate device-readable medium, such as in a hardwired manner. In any of these specific embodiments, the processing circuit 1120 can be configured to perform the described functions regardless of whether the instructions stored on the device-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functions are not limited to the processing circuit 1120 or other components of the WD 1110, but are enjoyed by the WD 1110 as a whole and / or generally by the end user and the wireless network.

[0186] The processing circuit 1120 may be configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain obtaining operations) described herein as being performed by the WD. These operations performed by the processing circuit 1120 may include: processing information obtained by the processing circuit 1120, for example, by converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or the converted information with information stored by the WD 1110, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or the converted information; and making determinations as a result of the processing.

[0187] 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 circuit 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., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a compact disk (CD) or digital video disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable storage device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by processing circuit 120. In some embodiments, processing circuit 1120 and device-readable medium 1130 may be considered integrated.

[0188] The user interface device 1132 may provide components that allow a human user to interact with the WD 1110. This interaction may take various forms, such as visual, auditory, tactile, and the like. The user interface device 1132 may be operable to generate output to the user and allow the user to provide input to the WD 1110. The type of interaction may vary depending on the type of user interface device 1132 installed in the WD 1110. For example, if the WD 1110 is a smartphone, the interaction may be via a touch screen; if the WD 1110 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through a screen that provides usage information (e.g., gallons used) or a speaker that provides an audible alarm (e.g., if smoke is detected). The user interface device 1132 may include input interfaces, devices, and circuitry, as well as output interfaces, devices, and circuitry. The user interface device 1132 is configured to allow information to be input into the WD 1110 and is connected to the processing circuit 1120 to allow the processing circuit 1120 to process the input information. The user interface device 1132 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity sensor or other sensor, keys / buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. The user interface device 1132 is also configured to allow information to be output from the WD 1110, and to allow the processing circuit 1120 to output information from the WD 1110. The user interface device 1132 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, a vibration circuit, a USB port, a headphone jack, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits of the user interface device 1132, the WD 1110 may communicate with an end user and / or wireless network, allowing them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

[0189] Auxiliary devices 1134 can be operated to provide more specialized functions that may not typically be performed by a WD. This can include specialized sensors for measuring for various purposes, interfaces for other communication types such as wired communication, etc. The inclusion and types of components of auxiliary devices 1134 can vary depending on the embodiment and / or scenario.

[0190] In some embodiments, power source 1136 can take the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources can also be used, such as an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a battery. WD 1110 may also include power circuitry 1137 for delivering power from power source 1136 to various components of WD 1110 that require power from power source 1136 to perform any functions described or indicated herein. In some embodiments, power circuitry 1137 may include power management circuitry. Power circuitry 1137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source. In this case, WD 1110 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet) via an input circuit or interface (e.g., a power cord). In some embodiments, power circuitry 1137 may also be operable to deliver power from the external power source to power source 1136. This may be used, for example, to charge power source 1136. Power circuitry 1137 may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modification of the power from power source 1136 to make it suitable for the respective components of WD 1110 to which it is being supplied.

[0191] Figure 12 One embodiment of a UE according to various aspects described herein is shown. 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 equipment. Rather, a UE may represent a device that is intended to be sold to or operated by a human user but may not be, or may not initially be, associated with a particular human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended to be sold to or operated by an end user but may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE12200 may be any UE identified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including NB-IoT UE, Machine Type Communication (MTC) UE, and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE. As Figure 12 As shown, UE 1200 is an example of a WD that is configured to communicate in accordance with one or more communication standards promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and / or 5G standards. As previously mentioned, the terms WD and UE may be used interchangeably. Figure 12 It is UE, but the components discussed in this article are also applicable to WD and vice versa.

[0192] exist Figure 12In the embodiment, UE 1200 includes a processing circuit 1201, which is operatively coupled to an input / output interface 1205, a radio frequency (RF) interface 1209, a network connection interface 1211, a memory 1215 (including a random access memory (RAM) 1217, a read-only memory (ROM) 1219, and a storage medium 1221, etc.), a communication subsystem 1231, a power supply 1233 and / or any other components or any combination thereof. The storage medium 1221 includes an operating system 1223, an application 1225, and data 1227. In other embodiments, the storage medium 1221 may include other similar types of information. Some UEs may utilize Figure 12 All components shown may be used, or only a subset of these components may be used. The level of integration between components may vary from one UE to another. In addition, some UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0193] exist Figure 12 In the embodiment of the present invention, processing circuit 1201 can be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuit 1201 can be configured to implement any sequential state machine operable to execute machine instructions stored as a machine-readable computer program in memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logic and appropriate firmware; one or more stored programs, general-purpose processors (e.g., microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs)) and appropriate software; or any combination thereof. For example, processing circuit 1201 can include two central processing units (CPUs). Data can be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

[0194] In the depicted embodiment, the input / output interface 1205 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, an output device, or both. The UE 1200 may be configured to use an output device via the input / output interface 1205. The output device may use the same type of interface port as the input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to or output from the UE 1200. The output device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, a transmitter, a smart card, another output device, or any combination thereof. The UE 1200 may be configured to use an input device via the input / output interface 1205 to allow a user to capture information into the UE 1200. The input device may include a touch-sensitive display or a presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a webcam, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a steering wheel, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smart card, etc. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from the user. The sensor can be, for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another similar sensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device can be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

[0195] exist Figure 12 In the embodiment of the present invention, the RF interface 1209 can be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna. The network connection interface 1211 can be configured to provide a communication interface to the network 1243a. The network 1243a can include a wired and / or wireless network, 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 1243a can include a Wi-Fi network. The network connection interface 1211 can be configured to include a receiver and a transmitter interface, which are used to communicate with one or more other devices via a communication network according to one or more communication protocols (such as Ethernet, TCP / IP, SONET, ATM, or Ethernet). The network connection interface 1211 can implement receiver and transmitter functions suitable for a communication network link (such as optical, electrical, etc.). The transmitter and receiver functions can share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively can be implemented separately.

[0196] RAM 1217 can be configured to connect to processing circuit 1201 via bus 1202 to provide storage or caching of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs such as an operating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 1219 can be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuit 1201. For example, ROM 1219 can be configured to store unchanging low-level system code or data for basic system functions (e.g., basic input and output (I / O), booting, receiving keystrokes from a keyboard stored in non-volatile memory). Storage medium 1221 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), magnetic disk, optical disk, floppy disk, hard disk, removable cassette, or flash drive. In one example, storage medium 1221 can be configured to include an operating system 1223, an application 1225 such as a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine, or another application, and data files 1227. The storage medium 1221 may store any one of various operating systems or a combination of operating systems for use by the UE 1200 .

[0197] Storage medium 1221 can be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), a floppy disk drive, a flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical drive, an internal hard drive, a Blu-ray disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), an external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory (e.g., a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity (SIM / RUIM) module), other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 1221 can allow UE 1200 to access computer-executable instructions, applications, etc. stored on a transient or non-transitory storage medium to download or upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system, can be tangibly embodied in storage medium 1221, which can include device-readable media.

[0198] exist Figure 12In the embodiment, processing circuit 1201 can be configured to communicate with network 1243b using communication subsystem 1231. Network 1243a and network 1243b can be the same network or different networks. Communication subsystem 1231 can be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with network 1243b. For example, communication subsystem 1231 can be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device (e.g., another WD, UE, or a base station of a radio access network (RAN)) capable of wireless communication according to one or more communication protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.12, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, etc.). Each transceiver can include a transmitter 1233 and / or a receiver 1235 to respectively implement transmitter or receiver functions suitable for a RAN link (e.g., frequency allocation, etc.). In addition, the transmitter 1233 and receiver 1235 of each transceiver can share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively can be implemented separately.

[0199] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication subsystem 1231 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 to determine location (GPS), another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, the communication subsystem 1231 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. The network 1243b may include a wired and / or wireless network, 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 1243b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and / or a near-field network. The power supply 1213 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to the components of the UE 1200.

[0200] The features, benefits, and / or functionality described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 1200, or may be divided among multiple components of UE 1200. Furthermore, the features, benefits, and / or functionality described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software, or firmware. In one example, the communication subsystem 1231 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Furthermore, the processing circuit 1201 may be configured to communicate with any such components over the bus 1202. In another example, any such component may be represented by program instructions stored in a memory that, when executed by the processing circuit 1201, perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any such component may be divided between the processing circuit 1201 and the communication subsystem 1231. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, while the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0201] Figure 13 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1300 in which functionality implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of an apparatus or device, which may include a virtualized hardware platform, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization may be applied to a node (e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) or a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device, or any other type of communication device) or a component thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of functionality is implemented 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).

[0202] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be implemented as virtual components performed by one or more virtual machines implemented in one or more virtual environments 1300 hosted by one or more hardware nodes 1330. Furthermore, in embodiments where the virtual nodes are not radio access nodes or do not require radio connectivity (e.g., core network nodes), the network nodes may be fully virtualized.

[0203] These functions may be implemented by one or more applications 1320 (which may alternatively be referred to as software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operable to implement certain features, functions, and / or benefits of some embodiments disclosed herein. The applications 1320 run in a virtualized environment 1300, which provides hardware 1330 including processing circuitry 1360 and memory 1390. The memory 1390 contains instructions 1395 executable by the processing circuitry 1360, whereby the applications 1320 are operable to provide one or more features, benefits, and / or functions disclosed herein.

[0204] The virtualized environment 1300 includes general-purpose or specialized network hardware devices 1330, which include a set of one or more processors or processing circuits 1360, which may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuit including digital or analog hardware components or specialized processors. Each hardware device may include memory 1390-1, which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 1395 or software executed by the processing circuits 1360. Each hardware device may include one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 1370 (also known as network interface cards), which include physical network interfaces 1380. Each hardware device may also include a non-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage medium 1390-2 in which software 1395 and / or instructions executable by the processing circuits 1360 are stored. The software 1395 may include any type of software including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 1350 (also known as hypervisors), executing virtual machines 1340, and enabling them to perform the functions, features and / or benefits associated with some of the embodiments described herein.

[0205] The virtual machine 1340 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual network or interface, and virtual storage, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1350 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of instances of the virtual device 1320 can be implemented on one or more virtual machines 1340 and can be implemented in different ways.

[0206] During operation, processing circuitry 1360 executes software 1395 to instantiate a hypervisor or virtualization layer 1350, which may sometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). Virtualization layer 1350 may present a virtual operating platform to virtual machines 1340 that appears to be networked hardware.

[0207] like Figure 13As shown, hardware 1330 can be a standalone network node with common or specialized components. Hardware 1330 can include antenna 13225 and can implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1330 can be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., such as in a data center or customer premises equipment (CPE)), where many hardware nodes work together and are managed by management and orchestration (MANO) 13100, which, among other things, oversees the lifecycle management of application 1320.

[0208] In some contexts, virtualization of hardware is referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry-standard, high-volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage devices that can be located in data centers and customer premises equipment.

[0209] In the context of NFV, a virtual machine 1340 can be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executed on a physical, non-virtual machine. Each virtual machine 1340 and the portion of hardware 1330 that executes the virtual machine (hardware dedicated to the virtual machine and / or hardware shared by the virtual machine with other virtual machines 1340) form a separate virtual network element (VNE).

[0210] Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions running in one or more virtual machines 1340 on top of the hardware networking infrastructure 1330 and corresponds to Figure 13 Application 1320.

[0211] In some embodiments, one or more radio units 13200, each including one or more transmitters 13220 and one or more receivers 13210, may be coupled to one or more antennas 13225. The radio units 13200 may communicate directly with the hardware nodes 1330 via one or more appropriate network interfaces, and may be used in combination with virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or base station.

[0212] In some embodiments, some signaling may be implemented using a control system 13230 , which may alternatively be used for communications between the hardware node 1330 and the radio unit 13200 .

[0213] Figure 14 A telecommunications network is shown connected to a host computer via an intermediate network according to some embodiments. In particular, reference is made to Figure 14According to an embodiment, a communication system includes a telecommunications network 1410, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, including an access network 1411, such as a radio access network, and a core network 1414. The access network 1411 includes a plurality of base stations 1412a, 1412b, 1412c (e.g., NBs, eNBs, gNBs) or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1413a, 1413b, 1413c. Each base station 1412a, 1412b, 1412c can be connected to the core network 1414 via a wired or wireless connection 1415. A first UE 1491 located in the coverage area 1413c is configured to wirelessly connect to or be paged by the corresponding base station 1412c. A second UE 1492 in the coverage area 1413a can wirelessly connect to the corresponding base station 1412a. Although multiple UEs 1491 , 1492 are shown in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to situations where only a single UE is in the coverage area or a single UE is connected to the corresponding base station 1412 .

[0214] Telecommunications network 1410 itself is connected to a host computer 1430, which can be embodied in the hardware and / or software of a standalone server, a cloud-enabled server, a distributed server, or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 1430 can be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or can be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 1421 and 1422 between telecommunications network 1410 and host computer 1430 can extend directly from core network 1414 to host computer 1430, or can be via an optional intermediary network 1420. Intermediary network 1420 can be one of a public, private, or managed network, or a combination of more than one of these; intermediary network 1420, if present, can be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediary network 1420 can include two or more subnetworks (not shown).

[0215] Overall, Figure 14The communication system enables connectivity between connected UEs 1491, 1492 and a host computer 1430. This connectivity can be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1450. The host computer 1430 and the connected UEs 1491, 1492 are configured to communicate data and / or signaling via the OTT connection 1450, using the access network 1411, the core network 1414, any intermediate networks 1420, and possibly other infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 1450 can be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 1450 passes are unaware of the routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, the base station 1412 may not be informed or need not be informed of the past routing of incoming downlink communications with data originating from the host computer 1430 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to the connected UE 1491. Similarly, the base station 1412 does not need to be aware of the future routing of outgoing uplink communications from the UE 1491 to the host computer 1430.

[0216] According to one embodiment, reference will now be made to Figure 15 Example implementations of the UE, base station, and host computer discussed in the previous paragraphs are described. Figure 15 A host computer is shown communicating with a user device via a base station via a partially wireless connection according to certain embodiments. In communication system 1500, host computer 1510 includes hardware 1515, which includes a communication interface 1516 configured to establish and maintain a wired or wireless connection with different communication devices of communication system 1500. Host computer 1510 also includes processing circuitry 1518, which may have storage and / or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 1518 may include one or more programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or a combination of these items suitable for executing instructions (not shown). Host computer 1510 also includes software 1511, which is stored in host computer 1510 or accessible by host computer 1510 and executable by processing circuitry 1518. Software 1511 includes host application 1512. The host application 1512 is operable to provide services to a remote user, such as a UE 1530 connected via an OTT connection 1550 terminating at the UE 1530 and the host computer 1510. In providing services to the remote user, the host application 1512 may provide user data sent using the OTT connection 1550.

[0217] The communication system 1500 also includes a base station 1520 provided in the telecommunication system, and the base station 1520 includes hardware 1525 that enables it to communicate with the host computer 1510 and the UE 1530. The hardware 1525 may include a communication interface 1526 for establishing and maintaining wired or wireless connections with different communication devices of the communication system 1500, and for establishing and maintaining connections with the network devices located in the coverage area ( Figure 15 The communication interface 1526 may be configured to facilitate a connection 1560 with the host computer 1510. The connection 1560 may be direct, or the connection 1560 may be through a core network (e.g., a telecommunications system) of the telecommunications system. Figure 15 (not shown) and / or through one or more intermediate networks external to the telecommunications system. In the illustrated embodiment, the hardware 1525 of base station 1520 also includes processing circuitry 1528, which may include one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or a combination of these suitable for executing instructions (not shown). Base station 1520 also has software 1521 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

[0218] Communication system 1500 also includes the previously mentioned UE 1530. The hardware 1535 of UE 1530 may include a radio interface 1537 configured to establish and maintain a wireless connection 1570 with a base station serving the coverage area in which UE 1530 is currently located. The hardware 1535 of UE 1530 also includes processing circuitry 1538, which may include one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or a combination of these suitable for executing instructions (not shown). UE 1530 also includes software 1531 stored in or accessible by UE 1530 and executable by processing circuitry 1538. Software 1531 includes client applications 1532. Client applications 1532 are operable to provide services to human or non-human users via UE 1530 with the support of host computer 1510. In host computer 1510, a host application 1512 executing on the host computer 1510 can communicate with a client application 1532 executing on the host computer 1510 via an OTT connection 1550 that terminates between UE 1530 and host computer 1510. In providing a service to a user, client application 1532 can receive request data from host application 1512 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 1550 can transmit both the request data and the user data. Client application 1532 can interact with the user to generate the user data it provides.

[0219] Notice, Figure 15The host computer 1510, base station 1520 and UE 1530 shown can be respectively Figure 14 The host computer 1430, one of the base stations 1412a, 1412b, 1412c, and one of the UEs 1491, 1492 may be similar or identical. That is, the internal workings of these entities may be similar to Figure 15 shown, and independently, the surrounding network topology can be Figure 14 The surrounding network topology.

[0220] exist Figure 15 In FIG, an OTT connection 1550 has been abstractly drawn to illustrate communication between a host computer 1510 and a UE 1530 via a base station 1520, without explicitly referencing any intermediate devices and the precise routing of messages through these devices. The network infrastructure can determine the routing, and the network infrastructure can be configured to hide the routing from the UE 1530 or from the service provider operating the host computer 1510, or both. While the OTT connection 1550 is active, the network infrastructure can further make decisions based on which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., based on load balancing considerations or network reconfiguration).

[0221] The wireless connection 1570 between the UE 1530 and the base station 1520 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improves the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 1530 using the OTT connection 1550 (where the wireless connection 1570 forms the final segment).

[0222] A measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors that one or more embodiments improve upon. In response to changes in measurement results, there may also be an optional network function for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1550 between the host computer 1510 and the UE 1530. The measurement process and / or network function for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1550 may be implemented in the software 1511 and hardware 1515 of the host computer 1510, or in the software 1531 and hardware 1535 of the UE 1530, or in both. In an embodiment, a sensor (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with the communication device through which the OTT connection 1550 passes; the sensor may participate in the measurement process by providing values ​​of the monitored quantities exemplified above or other physical quantities from which the software 1511, 1531 can calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 1550 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, and the like. The reconfiguration need not affect the base station 1520 and may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 1520. Such processes and functions may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, the measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates host computer 1510 to measure throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. The measurements may be achieved because software 1511 and 1531 causes messages, particularly empty or "dummy" messages, to be sent using OTT connection 1550 during its monitoring of propagation time, errors, etc.

[0223] Figure 16 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which may be a reference Figure 14 and Figure 15 To simplify this disclosure, only the host computers, base stations, and UEs described in this section are included. Figure 16 Reference is made to the accompanying drawings of FIG. In step 1610, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step 1611 of step 1610 (which may be optional), the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1620, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 1630 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station sends the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the host computer to the UE. In step 1640 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

[0224] Figure 17 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which may be a reference Figure 14 and Figure 15 To simplify the present disclosure, this section only includes the host computers, base stations and UEs described in the present disclosure. Figure 12 Reference is made to the accompanying drawings of the present invention. In step 1710 of the method, a host computer provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown), the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1720, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, this transmission may be through a base station. In step 1730 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

[0225] Figure 18 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which may be a reference Figure 14 and Figure 15 To simplify the present disclosure, this section only includes the host computers, base stations and UEs described in the present disclosure. Figure 18 Reference is made to the accompanying drawings. In step 1810 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 1820, the UE provides user data. In sub-step 1821 (which may be optional) of step 1820, the UE provides user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 1811 (which may be optional) of step 1810, the UE executes a client application that provides user data in response to the received input data provided by the host computer. When providing user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data is provided, the UE initiates transmission of the user data to the host computer in sub-step 1830 (which may be optional). In step 1840 of the method, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the host computer receives user data sent from the UE.

[0226] Figure 19 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE, which may be a reference Figure 14 and Figure 15 To simplify the present disclosure, this section only includes the host computers, base stations and UEs described in the present disclosure. Figure 19 Reference is made to the accompanying drawings. In step 1910 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 1920 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 1930 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

[0227] Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions or benefits disclosed herein can be performed by one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual devices. Each virtual device can include a plurality of these functional units. These functional units can be implemented via processing circuits that can include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers and other digital hardware that can include digital signal processors (DSPs), dedicated digital logic, etc. The processing circuit can be configured to execute program codes stored in a memory, which can include one or more types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory device, optical memory, etc. The program code stored in the memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and / or data communication protocols and instructions for executing one or more technologies described herein. In some embodiments, the processing circuit can be used to cause the corresponding functional units to perform the corresponding functions according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0228] In view of the above, embodiments herein generally include a communication system comprising a host computer. The host computer may include processing circuitry configured to provide user data. The host computer may also include a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE). The cellular network may include a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the base station being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the base station.

[0229] In some embodiments, the communication system further comprises a base station.

[0230] In some embodiments, the communication system further comprises a UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0231] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing user data. In this case, the UE includes processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0232] Embodiments herein also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE). The method includes providing user data at the host computer. The method may also include initiating, at the host computer, a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network including the base station. The base station performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the base station.

[0233] In some embodiments, the method further includes: at the base station, sending user data.

[0234] In some embodiments, the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application. In this case, the method further comprises: executing, at the UE, a client application associated with the host application.

[0235] The embodiments herein also include a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station. The UE includes a radio interface and a processing circuit configured to perform any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

[0236] Embodiments herein also include a communication system comprising a host computer. The host computer includes processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE). The UE includes a radio interface and processing circuitry. Components of the UE are configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

[0237] In some embodiments, the cellular network further comprises a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

[0238] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application to provide user data. The processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0239] Embodiments also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE). The method includes: providing user data at the host computer; and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network including the base station. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

[0240] In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving, at the UE, user data from the base station.

[0241] Embodiments herein also include a communication system comprising a host computer. The host computer includes a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station. The UE includes a radio interface and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry of the UE is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

[0242] In some embodiments, the communication system further comprises a UE.

[0243] In some embodiments, the communication system further comprises a base station. In this case, the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE; and a communication interface configured to forward user data carried by transmissions from the UE to the base station to the host computer.

[0244] In some embodiments, the processing circuit of the host computer is configured to execute a host application. And, the processing circuit of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing user data.

[0245] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application to provide the request data, and the processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to provide the user data in response to the request data.

[0246] Embodiments herein also include a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE). The method includes: receiving, at the host computer, user data transmitted from the UE to the base station. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

[0247] In some embodiments, the method further includes: at the UE, providing user data to the base station.

[0248] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: executing, at the UE, a client application to provide user data to be transmitted. The method may further comprise: executing, at the host computer, a host application associated with the client application.

[0249] In some embodiments, the method further includes: executing a client application at the UE; and receiving input data to the client application at the UE. The input data is provided at a host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application. The user data to be sent is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

[0250] Embodiments also include a communication system comprising a host computer. The host computer includes a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station. The base station includes a radio interface and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry of the base station is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the base station.

[0251] In some embodiments, the communication system further comprises a base station.

[0252] In some embodiments, the communication system further includes a UE, which is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0253] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, and the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing user data to be received by the host computer.

[0254] Furthermore, an embodiment includes a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE). The method includes: receiving, at the host computer, from the base station user data originating from a transmission received by the base station from the UE. The UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the UE.

[0255] In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving, at the base station, user data from the UE.

[0256] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: at the base station, initiating transmission of the received user data to a host computer.

[0257] Generally, all terms used in this article will be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless clearly given and / or implied different meanings in the context of using the term. Unless explicitly stated, all references to one / an / this element, device, assembly, part, step, etc. should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of this element, device, assembly, part, step, etc. Unless explicitly described as a step after or before another step and / or implicitly a step must be after or before another step, the steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed. Where appropriate, any feature of any embodiment disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment. Similarly, any advantage of any embodiment may be applicable to any other embodiment, and vice versa. Other purposes, features and advantages of the attached embodiments will be apparent from the description.

[0258] The term "unit" may have a conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and / or electronic equipment, and may include, for example, electrical and / or electronic circuits, devices, modules, processors, memories, logical solid-state and / or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for performing corresponding tasks, processes, calculations, output and / or display functions, etc. as described herein.

[0259] As used herein, the term "A and / or B" encompasses embodiments having A alone, B alone, or both A and B. Thus, the term "A and / or B" can equivalently mean "at least one of any one or more of A and B."

[0260] Some embodiments contemplated herein are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, other embodiments are within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. 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.

[0261] It is noted that modifications and other embodiments of the disclosed invention will occur to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings provided in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless device (18) configured for use in a wireless communication network (10), the method comprising: receiving (700) signaling (22) from a network node (20) in the wireless communication network (10) indicating a reconfiguration of a beam (16) serving the wireless device (18), wherein the reconfiguration includes a switching of a serving link supporting the beam (16) from a source satellite to a target satellite, and wherein the beam (16) serves the same cell before and after the serving link switching; and Based on the signaling (22), time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam (16) is reacquired (710) to account for the indicated reconfiguration of the beam (16).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The signaling (22) indicates a change in a reference position of the beam (16), wherein the reference position is a position used as a common reference for time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein The signaling (22) indicates a change in the ephemeris of the satellite providing the beam (16).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein The signaling (22) implicitly indicates a reconfiguration of the beam (16) by indicating a change in the identity of a cell served by the beam (16) or a change in a serving link supporting the beam (16).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein The signaling (22) is broadcast to wireless devices (18) served by the beam (16).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The reconfiguration: changing the coverage area and / or elevation angle of the beam (16); and / or This includes reconfiguring the gain or pointing of an antenna that provides the beam (16).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising: A transmission is sent or received on the beam (16) based on the regained time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam (16).

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The wireless communication network (10) is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network (10).

9. A method performed by a network node (20) configured for use in a wireless communication network (10), the method comprising: Signaling (22) is sent (800) from the network node (20) to a wireless device (18) indicating a reconfiguration of a beam (16) serving the wireless device (18), wherein the reconfiguration affects time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam (16), wherein the reconfiguration includes a handover of a serving link supporting the beam (16) from a source satellite to a target satellite, and wherein the beam (16) serves the same cell before and after the serving link handover.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The signaling (22) indicates a value of a beam activity timer, the beam activity timer controlling when the beam (16) is to be reconfigured with a default configuration, wherein when downlink reception or uplink transmission is performed on the beam (16) using a non-default configuration of the beam (16), the beam activity timer is to be started or restarted with the indicated value, and wherein, in response to expiration of the timer, the beam (16) is to be reconfigured with the default configuration.

11. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein: The signaling (22) indicates a change in the ephemeris of the satellite providing the beam (16).

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein: The signaling (22) implicitly indicates a reconfiguration of the beam (16) by indicating a change in the identity of a cell served by the beam (16) or a change in a serving link supporting the beam (16).

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein: The reconfiguration: changing the coverage area and / or elevation angle of the beam (16); and / or This includes reconfiguring the gain or pointing of an antenna that provides the beam (16).

14. The method according to any one of claims 9-10, further comprising: After sending the signaling (22), signaling (22) is received from the wireless device (18) triggering the network node (20) to send a timing advance and / or frequency correction to the wireless device (18).

15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein: The reconfiguration of the beam (16) changes the configuration of the beam (16) from an old configuration to a new configuration, and wherein the method further comprises: transmitting a beam (16) having the old configuration and transmitting a beam (16) having the new configuration simultaneously; and The wireless device (18) is steered to connect to the beam (16) having the new configuration.

16. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein: The wireless communication network (10) is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network (10).

17. A wireless device (18) configured for use in a wireless communication network (10), the wireless device (18) comprising: Communication circuits; as well as processing circuitry configured to: receiving signaling (22) from a network node (20) in the wireless communication network (10) indicating a reconfiguration of a beam (16) serving the wireless device (18), wherein the reconfiguration includes a switching of a serving link supporting the beam (16) from a source satellite to a target satellite, and wherein the beam (16) serves the same cell before and after the serving link switching; and Based on the signaling (22), time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam (16) is reacquired to account for the indicated reconfiguration of the beam (16).

18. The wireless device (18) of claim 17, wherein: The wireless communication network (10) is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network (10).

19. The wireless device (18) according to any one of claims 17-18, wherein The signaling (22) indicates a change in the ephemeris of the satellite providing the beam (16).

20. A network node (20) configured for use in a wireless communication network (10), the network node (20) comprising: Communication circuits; as well as Processing circuitry configured to: send signaling (22) from the network node (20) to a wireless device (18) indicating a reconfiguration of a beam (16) serving the wireless device (18), wherein the reconfiguration affects time synchronization and / or frequency synchronization for the beam (16), wherein the reconfiguration includes a switching of a serving link supporting the beam (16) from a source satellite to a target satellite, and wherein the beam (16) serves the same cell before and after the serving link switching.

21. The network node (20) according to claim 20, wherein The wireless communication network (10) is a non-terrestrial wireless communication network (10).

22. The network node (20) according to any one of claims 20-21, wherein The signaling (22) indicates a change in the ephemeris of the satellite providing the beam (16).

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