Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for wireless communication

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) can establish a connection with a network for transmission of a plurality of data bursts that further include a plurality of data segments. The UE can transmit, to the network, a first data segment corresponding to a first quality of service (QoS) flow identifier (QFI) associated with a first QoS flow and a second data segment corresponding to a second QFI associated with a second QoS flow. The UE can be configured to map one or more data segments to one or more QFIs based on at least one of a slice type, a frame type, a modulo operation, and a sequence number. The plurality of data bursts can be transmitted in accordance with at least one of one or more configured grants (CGs), one or more dynamic grants (DGs), and one or more instances of the one or more CGs or the one or more DGs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to wireless devices, and more specifically to apparatus, systems, and methods for coordinating communications and providing energy-saving techniques for extended reality applications operating in wireless communication systems. Background Technology

[0002] The use of wireless communication systems is growing rapidly. In recent years, wireless devices such as smartphones and tablets have become increasingly sophisticated. In addition to supporting phone calls, many mobile devices (i.e., user equipment or UE) now offer access to the internet, email, text messaging, and navigation using the Global Positioning System (GPS), and are capable of operating complex applications that utilize these capabilities. Furthermore, many different wireless communication technologies and standards exist. Some examples of wireless communication standards include GSM, UMTS (e.g., associated with WCDMA or TD-SCDMA air interfaces), LTE, LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), HSPA, 3GPP2 CDMA2000 (e.g., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD), IEEE 802.11 (WLAN or Wi-Fi), and BLUETOOTH. ™ wait.

[0003] The increasing number of features and functionalities introduced into wireless communication devices has created a continuous demand for improvements in both wireless communication and the devices themselves. Ensuring the accuracy of signals transmitted and received by user equipment (UEs), such as wireless devices like cellular phones, base stations, and relay stations used in wireless cellular communications, is of paramount importance. In some cases, UEs may experience latency in data reception (e.g., low latency), which can adversely affect user experience and the performance of certain extended reality (XR) applications running on the UE. Furthermore, increasing the functionality of UE devices can put significant strain on their battery life. For example, some applications running high-definition graphics may require increased power usage to process the graphics. Therefore, it is equally important to reduce the power requirements in UE device design while allowing the UE device to maintain good transmit and receive capabilities for improved communication.

[0004] To increase coverage and better serve the growing demand and scope for the intended uses of wireless communication, in addition to the aforementioned communication standards, new wireless communication technologies are under development, including fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) communication. Therefore, there is a need to improve the areas supporting this development and design. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The implementation scheme relates to apparatus, systems, and methods for coordinating communications and providing energy-saving technologies for extended reality applications operating in wireless communication systems.

[0006] In some implementations, the user equipment (UE) may establish a connection with the network for transmitting multiple data bursts that further include multiple data segments. The UE may transmit to the network a first data segment corresponding to a first Quality of Service (QoS) flow identifier (QFI) associated with a first QoS flow and a second data segment corresponding to a second QFI associated with a second QoS flow.

[0007] According to some implementations, the first data burst of the plurality of data bursts may include a first data segment and a second data segment. Additionally or alternatively, the first data burst of the plurality of data bursts may include a first data segment, and the second data burst of the plurality of data bursts may include a second data segment. In some implementations, the first data segment may correspond to a first application data unit (ADU) or a first chip, and the second data segment may correspond to a second ADU or a second chip.

[0008] According to another implementation, the UE may be configured to map one or more data segments of a plurality of data segments to one or more QFIs based on an indication of at least one of timer expiration, sequence number, periodicity, one or more errors, and one or more measured conditions. In some implementations, the UE may be configured to map one or more data segments of a plurality of data segments to one or more QFIs based on at least one of slice type, frame type, modulo operation, and sequence number.

[0009] In some implementations, the multiple data bursts may be transmitted based on at least one of one or more Configuration Grants (CGs), one or more Dynamic Grants (DGs), and one or more instances of the one or more CGs or DGs. Furthermore, according to some implementations, the one or more CGs or DGs may be configured to have one or more periodicities between the one or more instances of the one or more CGs or DGs.

[0010] The technologies described herein can be implemented in and / or used with a variety of different types of devices, including but not limited to any one of cellular phones, tablets, wearable computing devices, portable media players and various other computing devices.

[0011] The present invention is intended to provide a brief overview of some of the subjects described in this document. Therefore, it should be understood that the above features are merely illustrative and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or substance of the subjects described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subjects described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0012] A better understanding of the subject matter can be obtained by considering the following detailed description of the various embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 An exemplary wireless communication system according to some implementation schemes is shown;

[0014] Figure 2 This illustrates a base station (BS) communicating with a user equipment (UE) device according to some implementation schemes;

[0015] Figure 3 An exemplary block diagram of a UE according to some implementation schemes is shown;

[0016] Figure 4 An exemplary block diagram of a BS according to some implementation schemes is shown;

[0017] Figure 5 An exemplary block diagram of a cellular communication circuit according to some embodiments is shown;

[0018] Figure 6 A wireless communication network for extended reality (XR) applications is shown according to some implementation schemes;

[0019] Figure 7 Different segments or portions of data bursts in an extended reality application, according to some implementation schemes, are shown;

[0020] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary aspect of a method for mapping Quality of Service Flow Identifiers (QFIs) to data segments of an XR data burst, according to some embodiments;

[0021] Figure 9 This illustrates an XR application data burst that has been modified to include a mapping of QFI to certain data segments, according to some implementation schemes;

[0022] Figure 10 An exemplary transmission of data bursts from one or more instances of an Extended Reality application, which utilizes configuration authorization according to some implementation schemes, is shown.

[0023] While the features described herein may be subject to various modifications and alternatives, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the drawings and their detailed description are not intended to limit this document to the specific forms disclosed, but rather are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the substance and scope of the subject matter as defined by the appended claims. Detailed Implementation

[0024] acronym

[0025] Various acronyms are used throughout this disclosure. The definitions of the most prominent acronyms that may appear throughout this disclosure are as follows:

[0026] • 3GPP: Third Generation Partnership Project

[0027] •TS: Technical Specifications

[0028] •RAN: Radio Access Network

[0029] •RAT: Radio Access Technology

[0030] •UE: User Equipment

[0031] •RF: Radio Frequency

[0032] •BS: Base Station

[0033] •DL: Downlink

[0034] •UL: Uplink

[0035] •LTE: Long Term Evolution

[0036] •NR: New Radio

[0037] •5GS: 5G system

[0038] • 5GMM: 5GS Mobility Management

[0039] •5GC: 5G Core Network

[0040] •RRC: Radio Resource Control

[0041] •MAC-CE: Media Access Control - Control Element

[0042] •DCI: Downlink Control Information

[0043] •XR: Extended Reality

[0044] •AF: Application Function

[0045] •AS: Application Server

[0046] •ADU: Application Data Unit

[0047] •DN: Data Network

[0048] •PDCP: Protocol Data Convergence Protocol

[0049] •SDU: Service Data Unit

[0050] •NAL: Network Abstraction Layer

[0051] •RTP: Real-time Transport Protocol

[0052] • RTCP: Real-time Transmission Control Protocol

[0053] •QoS: Quality of Service

[0054] •QFI: Quality of Service Flow Identifier

[0055] •TX: Transmission

[0056] •RX: Receive

[0057] •DRB: Data Radio Bearer

[0058] •SN: Serial Number

[0059] •CG: Configuration Authorization

[0060] •DG: Dynamic Licensing

[0061] •AS: Access Layer

[0062] •NAS: Non-Access Layer

[0063] •LCH: Logical Channel

[0064] •BLER: Block Error Rate

[0065] •TB: Transport Block

[0066] •L1: Layer 1

[0067] •PDCCH: Physical Downlink Control Channel

[0068] the term

[0069] The following is a glossary of terms used in this disclosure:

[0070] Memory media—any device of any type of nontransitory memory device or storage device. The term "memory media" is intended to include mounting media such as CD-ROMs, floppy disks, or magnetic tape devices; computer system memory or random access memory such as DRAM, DDR RAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, Rambus RAM, etc.; non-volatile memory such as flash memory, magnetic media, e.g., hard disk drives or optical storage devices; registers or other similar types of memory elements, etc. Memory media may also include other types of nontransitory memory or combinations thereof. Furthermore, memory media may reside in a first computer system executing a program, or may reside in a different second computer system connected to the first computer system via a network such as the Internet. In the latter case, the second computer system may provide program instructions to the first computer for execution. The term "memory media" may include two or more memory media that may reside in different locations on different computer systems, for example, connected via a network. Memory media may store program instructions (e.g., representing a computer program) that can be executed by one or more processors.

[0071] Carrier medium—the memory medium as described above, and physical transmission medium, such as buses, networks and / or other physical transmission media for transmitting signals (such as electrical signals, electromagnetic signals or digital signals).

[0072] Programmable hardware elements encompass a variety of hardware devices that include multiple programmable functional blocks connected via programmable interconnects. Examples include FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices), FPOAs (Field-Programmable Object Arrays), and CPLDs (Complex PLDs). Programmable functional blocks can vary from fine-grained (combinatorial logic units or lookup tables) to coarse-grained (arithmetic logic units or processor cores). Programmable hardware elements may also be referred to as "configurable logic units."

[0073] Computer system—any of all types of computing or processing systems, including personal computer systems (PCs), mainframe computer systems, workstations, networked appliances, internet-connected appliances, personal digital assistants (PDAs), television systems, grid computing systems, or other devices or combinations of devices. In general, the term "computer system" can be broadly defined to encompass any device (or combination of devices) having at least one processor that executes instructions from a memory medium.

[0074] User equipment (UE) (or “UE device”) — any of various types of computer systems or devices that are mobile or portable and perform wireless communication. Examples of UE devices include mobile phones or smartphones (e.g., iPhone). ™ Based on Android™ Telephones), portable gaming devices (e.g., Nintendo DS) ™ PlayStation Portable ™ Gameboy Advance ™ iPhone ™ Laptops, wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches, smart glasses), head-mounted displays, VR displays, XR devices, PDAs, portable internet devices, music players, data storage devices, or other handheld devices, etc. Generally speaking, the term "UE" or "UE device" can be broadly defined as any electronic device, computing device, and / or telecommunications device (or combination of devices) that is portable to the user and capable of wireless communication.

[0075] A wireless device is any of various types of computer systems or devices that perform wireless communication. A wireless device can be portable (or mobile), or it can be stationary or fixed in a location. A UE is an example of a wireless device.

[0076] A communication device is any of various types of computer systems or devices that perform communication, which may be wired or wireless. A communication device may be portable (or mobile), or it may be stationary or fixed in a location. A wireless device is one example of a communication device. A UE is another example of a communication device.

[0077] Base station—The term “base station” has the full range of its common meaning and includes at least a wireless communication station that is installed in a fixed location and is used for communication as part of a wireless telephone system or radio system.

[0078] A processing element (or processor) is a component or combination of components capable of performing the functions of a device such as user equipment or cellular network equipment. A processing element may include, for example: a processor and associated memory, portions or circuitry of individual processor cores, an entire processor core, a single processor, a processor array, circuitry such as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), programmable hardware components such as a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and any combination thereof.

[0079] A channel is a medium used to transmit information from a transmitter to a receiver. It should be noted that because the characteristics of the term "channel" can vary depending on different wireless protocols, the term "channel" as used herein can be considered to be used in a standard manner consistent with the type of device to which the term is referenced. In some standards, the channel width can be variable (e.g., depending on device capabilities, frequency band conditions, etc.). For example, LTE can support scalable channel bandwidths from 1.4 MHz to 20 MHz. In contrast, WLAN channels can be 22 MHz wide, while Bluetooth channels can be 1 MHz wide. Other protocols and standards may include different definitions of channels. Furthermore, some standards may define and use multiple types of channels, such as different channels for uplink or downlink and / or different channels for different purposes such as data, control information, etc.

[0080] Frequency band—The term “frequency band” has the full range of its general meaning and includes at least a segment of spectrum (e.g., radio frequency spectrum) in which a channel is used or reserved for the same purpose.

[0081] Automatic—means an action or operation performed by a computer system (e.g., software executed by the computer system) or device (e.g., circuits, programmable hardware elements, ASICs, etc.) without requiring direct user input to specify or perform that action or operation. Therefore, the term "automatic" contrasts with an action performed or specified manually by a user, where the user provides input to perform that action directly. An automatic process can be initiated by user-provided input, but the subsequent actions performed "automatically" are not specified by the user; that is, they are not performed "manually," where the user specifies each action to be performed. For example, a user filling out a form by selecting each field and providing input to specify information (e.g., by typing information, selecting a checkbox, radio selection, etc.) is considered manually filling out the form, even though the computer system must update the form in response to the user's actions. The form can be automatically filled out by a computer system (e.g., software executed on the computer system) which analyzes the fields of the form and fills it out without any user input specifying answers for the fields. As indicated above, the user can invoke the automatic filling of the form but does not participate in the actual filling of the form (e.g., the user does not manually specify answers for the fields, but they are completed automatically). This manual provides various examples of operations that are automatically performed in response to actions taken by the user.

[0082] Approximately—means a value close to the correct or precise value. For example, approximately can refer to a value within 1% to 10% of the precise (or expected) value. However, it should be noted that the actual threshold (or tolerance) can vary depending on the application. For example, in some implementations, “approximately” may mean within 0.1% of some specified or expected value, while in various other implementations, the threshold may be, for example, 2%, 3%, 5%, etc., depending on the expectations or requirements of the specific application.

[0083] Concurrency refers to the parallel execution or implementation of tasks, processes, or programs in a manner that overlaps at least partially. For example, concurrency can be achieved using “strong” or strict parallelism, where tasks are executed in parallel (at least partially) on corresponding computing elements; or using “weak parallelism,” where tasks are executed in an interleaved manner (e.g., by time multiplexing of execution threads).

[0084] "Configured as"—Various components can be described as being "configured to" perform one or more tasks. In such contexts, "configured as" is a broad expression generally meaning "having" a "structure" that performs one or more tasks during operation. Thus, a component can be configured to perform a task even when it is not currently performing one (e.g., a set of electrical conductors can be configured to electrically connect one module to another, even when the two modules are not connected). In some contexts, "configured as" can also be a broad expression generally meaning a structure that "has" a "circuit" that performs one or more tasks during operation. Thus, a component can be configured to perform a task even when it is not currently switched on. Typically, the circuit forming the structure corresponding to "configured as" can include hardware circuitry.

[0085] For ease of description, various components may be described as performing one or more tasks. Such descriptions should be interpreted as including the phrase “configured to”. Statements describing a component as configured to perform one or more tasks are explicitly intended not to invoke the interpretation of 35 USC § 112(f) for that component.

[0086] Figure 1 and Figure 2 —Communication System

[0087] Figure 1 A simplified exemplary wireless communication system according to some implementation schemes is shown. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The system described herein is merely one example of a possible system, and the features of this disclosure can be implemented in any of a variety of systems as needed.

[0088] As shown in the figure, the exemplary wireless communication system includes a base station 102A, which communicates with one or more user equipments 106A, 106B to 106N via a transmission medium. Each user equipment may be referred to herein as a "user equipment" (UE). Therefore, user equipment 106 is referred to as a UE or UE device.

[0089] Base station (BS) 102A may be a transceiver base station (BTS) or a cell site (“cellular base station”), and may include hardware for implementing wireless communication with UE 106A to UE 106N.

[0090] The communication area (or coverage area) of a base station can be referred to as a "cell". Base station 102A and UE 106 can be configured to communicate via a transmission medium using any of a variety of Radio Access Technologies (RATs), also known as wireless communication technologies or telecommunications standards, such as GSM, UMTS (associated with air interfaces such as WCDMA or TD-SCDMA), LTE, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), 5G New Radio (5G NR), HSPA, 3GPP2 CDMA2000 (e.g., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD), etc. Note that if base station 102A is implemented in an LTE environment, its alternative location can be referred to as an "eNodeB" or "eNB". Note that if base station 102A is implemented in a 5G NR environment, its alternative location can be referred to as a "gNodeB" or "gNB".

[0091] As shown in the figure, base station 102A can also be configured to communicate with network 100 (e.g., in various possibilities, the core network of a cellular service provider, telecommunications networks such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and / or the Internet). Therefore, base station 102A can facilitate communication between user equipments and / or between user equipments and network 100. Specifically, cellular base station 102A can provide UE 106 with various communication capabilities such as voice, SMS, and / or data services.

[0092] Base station 102A and other similar base stations (such as base stations 102B...102N) operating according to the same or different cellular communication standards can therefore be provided as a network of cells that can provide continuous or nearly continuous overlapping services to UE 106A-N and similar devices over a geographical area via one or more cellular communication standards.

[0093] Therefore, although base station 102A can act as such Figure 1The diagram shows the "serving cell" of UEs 106A-N, but each UE 106 may also be able to receive signals (and possibly within its communication range) from one or more other cells (which may be provided by base stations 102B-N and / or any other base stations), which may be referred to as "neighboring cells". Such cells may also facilitate communication between user equipments and / or between user equipments and network 100. These cells may include "macro" cells, "micro" cells, "pecimen" cells, and / or any other cells of various other granularities providing service area size. For example, in Figure 1 Base stations 102A to 102B shown can be macro cells, while base station 102N can be a micro cell. Other configurations are also possible.

[0094] In some implementations, base station 102A may be a next-generation base station, such as a 5G New Radio (5G NR) base station or a “gNB”. In some implementations, the gNB may be connected to a legacy evolved packet core (EPC) network and / or to an NR core (NRC) network. Furthermore, the gNB cell may include one or more transition and receive points (TRPs). Additionally, a UE capable of operating according to 5G NR may connect to one or more TRPs within one or more gNBs. For example, base station 102A and one or more other base stations 102 may support joint transmission, enabling UE 106 to receive transmissions from multiple base stations (and / or multiple TRPs provided by the same base station).

[0095] It should be noted that UE 106 can communicate using multiple wireless communication standards. For example, in addition to at least one cellular communication protocol (e.g., GSM, UMTS (associated with, for example, WCDMA or TD-SCDMA air interfaces), LTE, LTE-A, 5G NR, HSPA, 3GPP2 CDMA2000 (e.g., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD, etc.), UE 106 can be configured to communicate using wireless networking (e.g., Wi-Fi) and / or peer-to-peer wireless communication protocols (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi peer-to-peer, etc.). If desired, UE 106 can also or alternatively be configured to communicate using one or more Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS, e.g., GPS or GLONASS), one or more mobile television broadcasting standards (e.g., Advanced Television Systems Committee—Mobile / Handheld (ATSC-M / H)) and / or any other wireless communication protocol. Other combinations of wireless communication standards (including more than two wireless communication standards) are also possible.

[0096] Figure 2The illustration shows a user equipment 106 (e.g., one of devices 106A to 106N) communicating with base station 102 according to some embodiments. UE 106 can be a cellular communication-capable device, such as a mobile phone, handheld device, computer, laptop, tablet, smartwatch, or other wearable device, or virtually any type of wireless device.

[0097] UE 106 may include a processor (e.g., a processing element) configured to execute program instructions stored in memory. UE 106 may perform any of the method embodiments of the present invention by executing such stored instructions. Alternatively or additionally, UE 106 may include any of the programmable hardware elements, such as any of the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), integrated circuits, and / or various other possible hardware components configured to perform (e.g., individually or in combination) any of or any portion of any of the method embodiments described herein.

[0098] UE 106 may include one or more antennas for communicating using one or more wireless communication protocols or technologies. In some embodiments, UE 106 may be configured to communicate using, for example, NR or LTE using at least some shared radio components. As an additional possibility, UE 106 may be configured to communicate using CDMA2000 (1xRTT / 1xEV-DO / HRPD / eHRPD) or LTE using a single shared radio component and / or GSM or LTE using a single shared radio component. The shared radio may be coupled to a single antenna or may be coupled to multiple antennas (e.g., for MIMO) for performing wireless communication. Typically, the radio components may include any combination of baseband processors, analog radio frequency (RF) signal processing circuitry (e.g., including filters, mixers, oscillators, amplifiers, etc.) or digital processing circuitry (e.g., for digital modulation and other digital processing). Similarly, the radio components may use the aforementioned hardware to implement one or more receive chains and transmit chains. For example, UE 106 may share one or more portions of the receive chain and / or transmit chain among various wireless communication technologies such as those discussed above.

[0099] In some implementations, UE 106 may include separate transmit and / or receive chains (e.g., including separate antennas and other radio components) for each wireless communication protocol configured to communicate therewith. As another possibility, UE 106 may include one or more radio components shared among multiple wireless communication protocols, as well as one or more radio components used uniquely by a single wireless communication protocol. For example, UE 106 may include shared radio components for communicating using either LTE or 5G NR (or, in various possibilities, either LTE or 1xRTT, or either LTE or GSM), and separate radio components for communicating using each of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Other configurations are also possible.

[0100] Figure 3 —UE block diagram

[0101] Figure 3 An exemplary simplified block diagram of a communication device 106 according to some embodiments is shown. It should be noted that... Figure 3 The block diagram of the communication device is merely one example of possible communication devices. According to the implementation, among other devices, the communication device 106 may be a user equipment (UE) device, a mobile device or mobile station, a wireless device or wireless station, a desktop computer or computing device, a mobile computing device (e.g., a laptop, notebook, or portable computing device), a tablet computer, and / or a combination of devices. As shown, the communication device 106 may include a set of components 300 configured to perform core functions. For example, this set of components may be implemented as a system-on-a-chip (SOC), which may include portions for various purposes. Alternatively, the set of components 300 may be implemented as individual components or groups of components for various purposes. This set of components 300 may be (e.g., communicatively; directly or indirectly) coupled to various other circuitry of the communication device 106.

[0102] For example, communication device 106 may include various types of memory (e.g., including NAND flash memory 310), input / output interfaces such as connector I / F 320 (e.g., for connection to a computer system; docking station; charging station; input devices such as microphone, camera, keyboard; output devices such as speaker; etc.), a display 360 that may be integrated with or external to communication device 106, and wireless communication circuitry 330 (e.g., for LTE, LTE-A, NR, UMTS, GSM, CDMA2000, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, etc.). In some embodiments, communication device 106 may include wired communication circuitry (not shown), such as a network interface card for Ethernet, for example.

[0103] The wireless communication circuit 330 may (e.g., communicatively; directly or indirectly) be coupled to one or more antennas, such as one or more antennas 335 as shown in the figure. The wireless communication circuit 330 may include cellular communication circuitry and / or short-to-medium range wireless communication circuitry, and may include multiple receive chains and / or multiple transmit chains for receiving and / or transmitting multiple spatial streams, such as in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) configuration.

[0104] In some embodiments, as further described below, the cellular communication circuit 330 may include one or more receive chains for a plurality of RATs (including and / or coupled to (e.g., communicatively; directly or indirectly) dedicated processors and / or radio components (e.g., a first receive chain for LTE and a second receive chain for 5G NR). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the cellular communication circuit 330 may include a single transmit chain that can be switched between radio components dedicated to a particular RAT. For example, a first radio component may be dedicated to a first RAT (e.g., LTE) and may communicate with a dedicated receive chain and a transmit chain shared with a second radio component. A second radio component may be dedicated to a second RAT (e.g., 5G NR) and may communicate with a dedicated receive chain and a shared transmit chain.

[0105] The communication device 106 may also include one or more user interface elements and / or be configured to be used with one or more user interface elements. User interface elements may include any of a variety of components such as a display 360 (which may be a touch screen display), a keyboard (which may be a separate keyboard or may be implemented as part of the touch screen display), a mouse, a microphone and / or a speaker, one or more cameras, one or more buttons, and / or any of a variety of other components capable of providing information to the user and / or receiving or interpreting user input.

[0106] The communication device 106 may also include one or more smart cards 345 with SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) functionality, such as one or more UICC cards (one or more Universal Integrated Circuit Cards) 345.

[0107] As shown in the figure, the SOC 300 may include a processor 302 and display circuitry 304. The processor executes program instructions for the communication device 106, and the display circuitry performs graphics processing and provides display signals to the display 360. One or more processors 302 may also be coupled to a memory management unit (MMU) 340 (which may be configured to receive addresses from one or more processors 302 and translate those addresses into locations in memory (e.g., memory 306, read-only memory (ROM) 350, NAND flash memory 310)) and / or coupled to other circuitry or devices (such as display circuitry 304, wireless communication circuitry 330, connector I / F 320, and / or display 360). The MMU 340 may be configured to perform memory protection and page table translation or setup. In some embodiments, the MMU 340 may be included as part of the processor 302.

[0108] As described above, communication device 106 may be configured to communicate using wireless and / or wired communication circuitry. As described herein, communication device 106 may include hardware and software components for implementing any of the various features and techniques described herein. For example, by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium), processor 302 of communication device 106 may be configured to implement some or all of the features described herein. Alternatively (or in addition), processor 302 may be configured as a programmable hardware element, such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). Alternatively (or in addition), in conjunction with one or more of other components 300, 304, 306, 310, 320, 330, 340, 345, 350, 360, processor 302 of communication device 106 may be configured to implement some or all of the features described herein.

[0109] Furthermore, as described in this invention, processor 302 may include one or more processing elements. Therefore, processor 302 may include one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to perform the functions of processor 302. Additionally, each integrated circuit may include circuitry (e.g., a first circuit, a second circuit, etc.) configured to perform the functions of one or more processors 302.

[0110] Furthermore, as described herein, the wireless communication circuit 330 may include one or more processing elements. In other words, one or more processing elements may be included in the wireless communication circuit 330. Therefore, the wireless communication circuit 330 may include one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to perform the functions of the wireless communication circuit 330. Additionally, each integrated circuit may include circuitry (e.g., a first circuit, a second circuit, etc.) configured to perform the functions of the wireless communication circuit 330.

[0111] Figure 4 —Block diagram of a base station

[0112] Figure 4 An exemplary block diagram of a base station 102 according to some embodiments is shown. It should be noted that... Figure 4 The base station shown is merely one example of a possible base station. As illustrated, base station 102 may include a processor 404 capable of executing program instructions for base station 102. Processor 404 may also be coupled to a memory management unit (MMU) 440 or other circuitry or device, which may be configured to receive addresses from processor 404 and translate those addresses into locations in memory (e.g., memory 460 and read-only memory (ROM) 450).

[0113] Base station 102 may include at least one network port 470. Network port 470 may be configured to be coupled to a telephone network and provide access rights as described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The telephone network described herein includes multiple devices such as UE device 106.

[0114] Network port 470 (or an additional network port) may also be configured, or alternatively configured, to be coupled to a cellular network, such as the core network of a cellular service provider. The core network may provide mobility-related services and / or other services to multiple devices, such as UE device 106. In some cases, network port 470 may be coupled to a telephone network via the core network, and / or the core network may provide a telephone network (e.g., in other UE devices served by the cellular service provider).

[0115] In some implementations, base station 102 may be a next-generation base station, such as a 5G New Radio (5G NR) base station, or “gNB”. In such implementations, base station 102 may be connected to a legacy evolved packet core (EPC) network and / or to an NR core (NRC) network. Furthermore, base station 102 may be considered a 5G NR cell and may include one or more transition and receive points (TRPs). Additionally, UEs capable of operating according to 5G NR may connect to one or more TRPs within one or more gNBs.

[0116] Base station 102 may include at least one antenna 434 and possibly multiple antennas. The at least one antenna 434 may be configured to function as a wireless transceiver and may be further configured to communicate with UE device 106 via radio component 430. Antenna 434 communicates with radio component 430 via communication link 432. Communication link 432 may be a receive link, a transmit link, or both. Radio component 430 may be configured to communicate via various wireless communication standards, including but not limited to 5G NR, LTE, LTE-A, GSM, UMTS, CDMA2000, Wi-Fi, etc.

[0117] Base station 102 can be configured to perform wireless communication using multiple wireless communication standards. In some cases, base station 102 may include multiple radios that enable base station 102 to communicate according to multiple wireless communication technologies. For example, as one possibility, base station 102 may include an LTE radio component for performing communication according to LTE and a 5G NR radio component for performing communication according to 5G NR. In this case, base station 102 may be able to operate as both an LTE base station and a 5G NR base station. As another possibility, base station 102 may include a multimode radio component capable of performing communication according to any of multiple wireless communication technologies (e.g., 5G NR and LTE, 5G NR and Wi-Fi, LTE and Wi-Fi, LTE and UMTS, LTE and CDMA2000, UMTS and GSM, etc.).

[0118] As further described herein, base station 102 may include hardware and software components for implementing or supporting embodiments of the features described herein. Processor 404 of base station 102 may be configured to implement or support some or all of the methods described herein, for example, by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium). Alternatively, processor 404 may be configured as a programmable hardware element such as a FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), or a combination thereof. Alternatively (or in addition), in conjunction with one or more of other components 430, 432, 434, 440, 450, 460, and 470, processor 404 of base station 102 may be configured to implement or support some or all of the features described herein.

[0119] Furthermore, as described in this invention, one or more processors 404 may include one or more processing elements. Therefore, processor 404 may include one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to perform the functions of processor 404. Additionally, each integrated circuit may include circuitry (e.g., a first circuit, a second circuit, etc.) configured to perform the functions of one or more processors 404.

[0120] Furthermore, as described in this invention, the radio component 430 may include one or more processing elements. Therefore, the radio component 430 may include one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to perform the functions of the radio component 430. Additionally, each integrated circuit may include circuitry (e.g., a first circuit, a second circuit, etc.) configured to perform the functions of the radio component 430.

[0121] Figure 5 —Block diagram of cellular communication circuit

[0122] Figure 5 An exemplary simplified block diagram of a cellular communication circuit according to some embodiments is shown. It should be noted that... Figure 5 The block diagram of the cellular communication circuit is merely one example of possible cellular communication circuits; other circuits, such as those including or coupled to sufficient antennas for different RATs to perform uplink activities using independent antennas, or those including or coupled to fewer antennas, such as those that can be shared among multiple RATs, are also possible. According to some embodiments, the cellular communication circuit 330 may be included in a communication device such as the communication device 106 described above. As mentioned above, among other devices, the communication device 106 may be a user equipment (UE) device, a mobile device or mobile station, a wireless device or wireless station, a desktop computer or computing device, a mobile computing device (e.g., a laptop, notebook, or portable computing device), a tablet computer, and / or a combination of these devices.

[0123] Cellular communication circuitry 330 may be coupled (e.g., communicatively; directly or indirectly) to one or more antennas, such as antennas 335a-b and 336 as shown in the figure. In some embodiments, cellular communication circuitry 330 may include dedicated receive chains for multiple RATs (including and / or coupled (e.g., communicatively; directly or indirectly) to dedicated processors and / or radio components (e.g., a first receive chain for LTE and a second receive chain for 5G NR). For example, as Figure 5 As shown, the cellular communication circuit 330 may include a first modem 510 and a second modem 520. The first modem 510 may be configured for communication according to a first RAT (e.g., such as LTE or LTE-A), and the second modem 520 may be configured for communication according to a second RAT (e.g., such as 5G NR).

[0124] As shown, the first modem 510 may include one or more processors 512 and a memory 516 communicating with the processors 512. The modem 510 may communicate with a radio frequency (RF) front-end 530. The RF front-end 530 may include circuitry for transmitting and receiving radio signals. For example, the RF front-end 530 may include a receiver circuitry (RX) 532 and a transmitter circuitry (TX) 534. In some embodiments, the receiver circuitry 532 may communicate with a downlink (DL) front-end 550, which may include circuitry for receiving radio signals via an antenna 335a.

[0125] Similarly, the second modem 520 may include one or more processors 522 and a memory 526 communicating with the processors 522. The modem 520 may communicate with an RF front-end 540. The RF front-end 540 may include circuitry for transmitting and receiving radio signals. For example, the RF front-end 540 may include receiving circuitry 542 and transmitting circuitry 544. In some embodiments, the receiving circuitry 542 may communicate with a DL front-end 560, which may include circuitry for receiving radio signals via an antenna 335b.

[0126] In some implementations, switch 570 may couple transmitting circuitry 534 to uplink (UL) front-end 572. Additionally, switch 570 may couple transmitting circuitry 544 to UL front-end 572. UL front-end 572 may include circuitry for transmitting radio signals via antenna 336. Therefore, when cellular communication circuitry 330 receives an instruction to transmit according to a first RAT (e.g., supported by a first modem 510), switch 570 may be switched to a first state allowing the first modem 510 to transmit signals according to the first RAT (e.g., via a transmission chain including transmitting circuitry 534 and UL front-end 572). Similarly, when cellular communication circuitry 330 receives an instruction to transmit according to a second RAT (e.g., supported by a second modem 520), switch 570 may be switched to a second state allowing the second modem 520 to transmit signals according to the second RAT (e.g., via a transmission chain including transmitting circuitry 544 and UL front-end 572).

[0127] As described herein, the first modem 510 and / or the second modem 520 may include hardware and software components for implementing any of the various features and techniques described herein. For example, processors 512, 522 may be configured to implement some or all of the features described herein by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium). Alternatively (or in addition), processors 512, 522 may be configured as programmable hardware elements, such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) or as ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits). Alternatively (or in addition), processors 512, 522 may be configured to implement some or all of the features described herein by combining with one or more of other components 530, 532, 534, 540, 542, 544, 550, 570, 572, 335, and 336.

[0128] Furthermore, as described herein, processors 512 and 522 may include one or more processing elements. Therefore, processors 512 and 522 may include one or more integrated circuits (ICs) configured to perform the functions of processors 512 and 522. Additionally, each integrated circuit may include circuitry (e.g., a first circuit, a second circuit, etc.) configured to perform the functions of processors 512 and 522.

[0129] In some implementations, the cellular communication circuit 330 may include only one transmit / receive chain. For example, the cellular communication circuit 330 may not include modem 520, RF front-end 540, DL front-end 560, and / or antenna 335b. As another example, the cellular communication circuit 330 may not include modem 510, RF front-end 530, DL front-end 550, and / or antenna 335a. In some implementations, the cellular communication circuit 330 may also not include switch 570, and RF front-end 530 or RF front-end 540 may communicate with UL front-end 572, for example, through direct communication.

[0130] Figure 6 Extended Reality Wireless Communication Networks

[0131] Figure 6 A wireless communication network for extended reality (XR) applications, according to some implementation schemes, is illustrated. More specifically, Figure 6A user equipment (UE) running a 5G-XR sensing application is illustrated. This UE can utilize a 5G-XR client to facilitate the network communications necessary for receiving and / or transmitting essential data or information, enabling the XR application to perform as intended. To facilitate these communications, the 5G-XR client can connect to the radio access network (RAN) via a Uu interface. Furthermore, the RAN can connect to the user plane function (UPF) via an N3 interface. In some embodiments, the UPF can utilize an N6 interface, which is further connected to an external data network (DN) operating as a 5G-XR application provider and including a 5G-XR application function (AF) and a 5G-XR application server (AS).

[0132] Additionally or alternatively, according to some implementations, the UPF can use the N6 interface to further connect to a trusted DN including a pair of similar 5G-XR AFs and 5G-XR ASs. Furthermore, the 5G-XR AF can connect to the Policy Control Function (PCF) via the N5 interface and to the Network Open Function (NEF) via the N33 interface. Additionally or alternatively, the 5G-XR AF of the external DN can also connect to the NEF via a separate N33 interface. Therefore, the RAN can utilize these networks, along with application functions and servers, to provide the necessary data flow to the UE (via the 5G-XR client), enabling 5G-XR-aware applications to execute ideally. While Figure 6 An example of a wireless communication network for the XR application described in detail is shown, but many variations and modifications to the wireless network will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0133] Figure 7 -Extended Reality Data Burst

[0134] Figure 7 Different segments or portions of extended reality application data bursts are illustrated according to some implementation schemes. For example, XR applications may operate using Application Data Units (ADUs) or data bursts represented by larger data segments, where each segment of application layer data may further consist of a series of multiple IP packets. Such application layer data can typically be delivered in a bursty manner and often in a relatively periodic manner. Furthermore, data bursts may consist of application layer bitstreams mapped to a set of Application Data Units (ADUs), where each ADU is transmitted in multiple smaller data packets, such as Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) packets mapped to Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Service Data Units (SDUs) that can be used by the UE modem. Additionally, ADUs may contain slices or slice partitions. A slice is a segment of the application layer bitstream.

[0135] For example, in the case of an audio codec, an ADU may be referred to as an audio frame. Additionally or alternatively, in the case of video compression standards such as Advanced Video Decoding (AVC, e.g., H.264) or High Efficiency Video Decoding (HEVC, e.g., H.265), an ADU may be referred to as a Network Abstraction Layer (NAL) Unit (NALU).

[0136] Furthermore, while newer (e.g., 5G) QoS mappings can be primarily applied to individual data packets (e.g., targeting packet error rate and packet delay budget) or using an average period of bit rate, in some cases XR data traffic may require a series of packets (such as ADUs and / or slices) to perform operations (e.g., slices for decoding video frames). The units of these slices and ADUs play a crucial role in how QoS is applied to XR applications and in the associated data transmission between the UE and the network.

[0137] In some implementations, a slice can represent a sequence of packets containing the necessary information to reconstruct a video frame. Furthermore, a slice can be considered a segment of a bitstream (e.g., an application-layer bitstream corresponding to an XR application) that can be reconstructed independently of other slices within the same picture. For example, in H.264, in terms of entropy coding, signal prediction, and residual signal reconstruction, a slice can be considered a data structure (with special encoding) that can be decoded independently of other slices within the same picture. In other words, in some XR or graphics implementations, a slice can be an entire picture or a region of a picture, and therefore can be considered a substantially independent spatial element.

[0138] Furthermore, an error in one slice may only affect that same slice and not other slices. A similar principle applies to other codec types. For example, different slice types such as intra-frame (I-frame), predictive frame (P-frame), bidirectional frame (B-frame), switched P-slice (SP-slice), switched I-slice (SI-slice), and switched S-slice can have different compression rates, and therefore result in transmissions with varying reliability. Additionally, slices can be housed within their own NAL units (e.g., ADUs) at the RTP level. In some cases, multiple RTP packets may be needed to transmit a single video frame (e.g., between 2 and 10 packets, and possibly more). A similar principle applies to other codecs used for XR.

[0139] In some implementations, Application Data Units (ADUs) can be used as NAL Units (NALUs) for, for example, video traffic (e.g., XR traffic). NAL Units (or ADUs) may also contain slices or slice data partitions and may specify a common format used in both packet-based and bitstream systems. In some implementations, ADUs may be mapped to multiple packets (e.g., IP packets). According to some implementations, the format of NAL Units can be the same for both packet-based transport and byte streams, except that in byte stream formats each NAL Unit may be preceded by a start code prefix and additional padding bytes. Furthermore, a set of NALUs (NAL Units) that has been decoded to produce a decoded image consisting of one or more slices can be considered Access Units (AUs).

[0140] Communication coordination and energy-saving technologies for expanding real-world applications

[0141] According to some implementations described herein, extended reality (XR) can include real and virtual environments, as well as combinations thereof, in addition to human-computer interactions generated by computer technology and certain wearable devices. For example, XR can include forms of reality such as augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), as well as areas interpolated between them. Furthermore, the level of virtuality can range from partial sensory input to immersive virtuality.

[0142] In mobile devices supporting Extended Reality (XR) capabilities, some XR services may exhibit deterministic behavior due to defined Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. For example, some XR services may need to transmit and / or receive multiple data type streams corresponding to different QoS requirements. In other words, certain data streams or Service Data Streams (SDFs) may be associated with certain QoS parameters, which effectively adapt the transmission and reception of the data streams based on the associated QoS parameters. For example, a data stream or SDF including video frames may correspond to a certain set of QoS parameters and QoS rules (e.g., packet filters), while another data stream or SDF including audio information may correspond to a different set of QoS parameters and QoS rules (e.g., packet filters). In some implementations, the UE may be able to autonomously derive QoS rules. Each data stream or SDF may be mapped or transmitted as a sequence of slices or a series of ADUs. Additionally, the payload of XR data may typically be transmitted and received periodically. XR services can benefit from reducing latency by utilizing multiple Configuration Grants (CGs), Dynamic Grants (DGs), and Downlink (DL) Half-Cycle Scheduling (SPS) for the streams.

[0143] Furthermore, XR data traffic (e.g., transmission / reception between the UE and the network) may involve mapping multiple QoS flows to the same Data Radio Bearer (DRB) and / or Logical Channel (LCH). Additionally, each QoS flow may have its own QoS forwarding processing. Therefore, if different QoS forwarding processing is required for each QoS flow passing through the air interface, the network can map them to different DRBs. However, given the much larger volume of traffic flows in XR, this may not always be possible. In other words, the network can be incentivized to map different QoS flows to different DRBs / LCHs and / or CGs. Additionally or alternatively, there may be configurations where mapping multiple QoS flows to the same DRB or LCH may be beneficial.

[0144] To facilitate the mapping of application layer data to network resources, some networks may assign certain QoS flows to application information transmitted in data bursts to establish higher priority and / or protect the transmitted data, minimizing data loss and latency. For example, a QoS Flow ID (QFI) can be used to identify QoS flows in the network. In some implementations, QoS flows may require Guaranteed Stream Bit Rate (GBR) or may not require GBR (non-GBR). Additionally or alternatively, some QoS flows may be used for mission-critical GBR (e.g., delay-critical QoS flows). These GBRs associated with QoS flows can allow for more efficient data delivery for higher-priority transmissions, which can further lead to an enhanced user experience. Apparatus, systems, and methods for mapping QoS flows corresponding to application data units or fragments being transmitted can improve the efficiency of UE and base station operations by further reducing unnecessary transmissions / receptions. Therefore, UEs and / or base stations may experience increased power savings due to these mappings.

[0145] Therefore, it is desirable to optimize UE and base station power saving based on XR traffic pattern characteristics. Additionally, since payload data (such as I-frames and P-frames) contained in ADUs or data bursts differ in severity (importance) and entropy, there is a desire for better protection and / or control / management of certain portions of the payload, making transmission more reliable through enhanced QoS. Furthermore, some payload data may be mixed with the Real-time Transmission Control Protocol (RTCP) on the same DRB, and the PDCP layer may discard data packets if data is not delivered on time. This discarded data may include I-frames of video sequences and RTCP feedback for lost RTP packets (e.g., both are more critical than P-frames). Moreover, if RTP and RTCP packets are carried on the same DRB or transmitted in the same transport block or PDCP SDU, the probability of losing critical data due to unrecoverable errors on Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) or Radio Link Control (RLC) is high. Therefore, improvements are desired.

[0146] Figure 8 - Map the Quality of Service Flow Identifier (QFI) to the data segment of the XR data burst.

[0147] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary aspect of a method for mapping a Quality of Service Flow Identifier (QFI) to a data segment or portion of an XR data burst, according to some embodiments. More specifically, Figure 8 It describes in detail how user equipment (UE) or network-side entities in some implementations can assign or map certain QoS parameters to corresponding XR data slices or ADUs, thereby enabling more efficient transmission and reception of XR data.

[0148] For example, in 802, the UE can communicate with the network to establish a connection. Once the connection is established, the UE may be able to transmit or relay XR data bursts about extended reality (XR) applications running on the UE to the network. (See above regarding...) Figure 6 The UE can achieve this via the Uu interface between the UE and the network (e.g., a base station acting as part of the RAN). Therefore, once a connection to the network is established, the UE can begin transmitting XR data bursts to the network using a configuration grant (CG). Additionally or alternatively, step 802 can be performed by a network entity (e.g., a base station and / or the core network (CN)). For example, the network can initiate communication with the UE to establish a connection to further facilitate XR data burst transmission from the network to the UE.

[0149] In step 804, the UE may transmit a first data segment corresponding to the first QFI. In some embodiments, the UE may perform a mapping operation such that certain QoS flows are assigned or mapped to corresponding data segments (e.g., slices and / or ADUs) of a data burst. For example, a data burst that can be transmitted over the air in a dedicated configuration authorization (CG) may include data or information of an XR application in the form of one or more slices and / or ADUs. Therefore, the UE may map the first data segment or data portion (e.g., a data slice or ADU) of the data burst to the first QoS flow. When doing so, the first data segment (mapped to the first QoS flow) may have traffic forwarding processing corresponding to the traffic pattern and QoS parameters of the first QoS flow. Additionally or alternatively, step 804 may be performed by network entities such as base stations and / or core networks. For example, in some embodiments, the network may support XR applications running on the UE (e.g., by providing external computing resources) and may also need to transmit associated data bursts to the UE. Therefore, the network may utilize a similar approach in step 804 to map the first data segment of the data burst to the first QoS flow. In doing so, the network can link or associate the first data segment (corresponding to the first QoS flow) with traffic forwarding processing that corresponds to the traffic pattern and QoS parameters of the first QoS flow. In some implementations, the precise mapping between QoS flows and data segments can be established by the network or defined based on predefined rules.

[0150] In 806, the UE may also transmit a second data segment corresponding to the second QFI. In some implementations, the UE may map different QoS flows (e.g., the second QFI) to a second data segment of a data burst, which may be further transmitted via a second configuration grant (CG). In doing so, the second data segment (associated with the second QFI) may have different QoS forwarding processing and QoS parameters (associated with latency, reliability, priority, etc.) compared to the first data segment. Therefore, data segments (e.g., slices / ADUs) may have different or preferred processing when transmitted to the network to support XR applications. Additionally or alternatively, 806 may be performed by network entities such as base stations and / or core networks. For example, in some implementations similar to 806, the network may also map different QoS flows (e.g., the second QFI) to a second data segment of a data burst that may have been transmitted by a second half-cycle scheduling (SPS). In doing so, the network may configure the second data segment (associated with the second QFI) to have traffic forwarding processing corresponding to the second QFI parameters (different from the first QFI).

[0151] These XR data bursts can be transmitted based on QFIs of corresponding data segments mapped to the data burst, which also include mappings of one or more QFIs to one or more slices / ADUs of the data burst. Additionally or alternatively, QFIs may be included in the transmission. Therefore, the base station and / or core network may be able to control how data segments within a data burst are processed when transmitted to the UE for XR applications. As discussed above with respect to 804 and 806, this can allow priority processing of certain slices or ADUs (e.g., data segments) that may require higher fidelity transmission. In practice, mapping certain QFIs to certain XR data segments by the network can improve the performance of XR applications running on the UE through more efficient and higher fidelity transmission. Therefore, once the UE receives the XR data, it can further process and display the data according to the XR application running on the UE. For example, an XR data burst may include video and / or multimedia frames that require certain codecs to decode, and the UE may display these video and / or multimedia frames immediately after they are decoded.

[0152] Figure 9 - Mapping of ADU and QoS flows

[0153] Figure 9 This illustrates an extended reality application data burst modified to include QFI-to-slice and / or ADU mappings according to some implementations. For example, a single application layer data stream as part of the payload (such as I-frames and P-frames in video, a slice, or certain periodically recurring packets) can benefit from transport utilizing a different or different QoS. One way to achieve this is to map those payload data bytes to another or a different QoS stream. This is typically done on a per-packet basis (e.g., NAL Unit (ADU), IP packet, PDCP SDU, etc.). In some implementations, this method can be applied to a single application layer frame, such that certain portions of the payload are processed with different reliability (e.g., different QoS). Additionally or alternatively, this method can be applied to different ADUs, data bursts, and other data segments.

[0154] For example, Figure 9 The first slice (e.g., slice 1) is shown with a first configuration grant (CG1) having a corresponding first QoS (QoS 1), which further corresponds to approximately 10 -5 The block error rate (BLER). Furthermore, slice 1 (including the ADU shown) can be characterized as an I-slice belonging to an I-frame. Similarly, Figure 9 Also shown is a second slice (e.g., slice 2) with a corresponding second QoS (QoS 2) second configuration grant (CG2) (which may or may not be included in the same data burst), the second QoS having approximately 10-1 The block error rate (BLER). Furthermore, slice 2 (including the ADU shown) can be characterized as a P-slice belonging to a P-frame. Therefore, because the PDCP SDUs of slice 1 and slice 2 have been mapped to different corresponding QoS streams (e.g., QFI1 and QFI2 respectively), slices can be handled differently during transmission regarding priority or protection (e.g., latency, reliability).

[0155] In some implementations, the method may include mapping slices or ADUs to a QoS flow (e.g., QFI) based on slice type (e.g., in RTP or ADU) or frame type (I-frame, P-frame, B-frame, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the network may create QoS rules with packet filters corresponding to ADUs or slices, such that the QoS rules are based on the inherent characteristics of the slice or ADU. For example, in some implementations, packet filters may be established based on slice type, where ADUs may be mapped to different QFIs and different packet filters. Furthermore, the associated QoS rules may have different priority values. In some implementations, intermediate filtering rules may be applied (e.g., between XR applications and IP flows) to map ADUs or slices to different IP flows (or SDFs). Alternatively, the UE may derive QoS rules temporarily applied to slices or ADUs based on triggering events or configurations from upper layers (thus creating packet filters that map IP flows to different QFIs). In some implementations, this may further indicate the start and end of a slice or ADU. Additionally or alternatively, the method may include mapping slices or ADUs to another or different QoS streams based on sequence numbers (SNs). In some embodiments, SN mapping may be based on modulo operations according to a predefined pattern (e.g., for every x number of packets). Thus, different QFIs may receive different QoS processing by mapping slices to different QFIs and different CGs and / or data radio bearers (DRBs).

[0156] In some implementations, the network or UE may map QFIs to certain CGs or DRBs (e.g., slices / ADUs) based on a predefined time, causing temporary variations in reliability (e.g., QoS) within the same CG or DRB. Additionally or alternatively, when mapping certain QFIs to certain slices / ADUs, the base station may be able to prioritize I-frame data and RTCP feedback packets over P-frames, separate critical data to another carrier, or carry them on a separate QoS stream or DRB.

[0157] Furthermore, the network or UE may be able to leverage cross-layer dependencies, such as fields in the RTP header indicating the relative importance of packets (e.g., the Transaction Identifier (TID) field in H.265 / HEVC and other slice-related information), to establish Non-Access Stratum (NAS) QoS rules for mapping IP packets to QoS flows. Additionally, to help higher layers generate appropriate ADUs where possible, the Access Stratum (AS) may be able to expose radio transmission scheduling and QoS-related information (such as transmission timing, periodicity, byte size, reliability, and latency) of allocated radio resources to XR applications running on the UE.

[0158] According to some implementations, for a given set of QoS flows or DRBs, the PDCP layer can prepare data by first triggering encryption and integrity protection for critical or high-priority SDU data. As a result, these higher-priority SDUs are ready for first transmission, similar to signaling radio bearers (SRBs) that are typically processed first. Additionally or alternatively, the PDCP for certain DRBs can be configured with logical channel (LCH) priorities by the RRC. In some implementations, if QFIs are considered higher priority, the Serving Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer can also submit data to the PDCP in priority order, and can be further configured by the RRC accordingly.

[0159] Contextual QoS

[0160] According to some implementation schemes, it may be beneficial to temporarily enhance the QoS of certain data bursts (e.g., fragments / ADUs). For example, payload data such as I-frames and P-frames contained in ADUs or data bursts may differ in terms of severity (e.g., importance) and entropy. Additionally, control data communications processed via the Real-time Transmission Control Protocol (RTCP) may also require better protection (e.g., enhanced QoS levels).

[0161] In some implementations, during critical transmission cycles, a QoS flow may enter a higher reliability phase or a phase with modified or enhanced QoS settings before returning to its normal QoS level. This can be used to protect the most critical parts of application layer messages or ADUs, complete ADUs, or even special messages and / or packets of higher importance. To achieve this, a QoS flow or logical channel may be allowed to temporarily strengthen, modify, or enhance its QoS settings for a period of time when another QoS level or another reliability is applied. For example, for an ongoing video call with a certain (constant) codec rate, I-frames and RTCP packets may be received relatively periodically (e.g., for feedback). To protect these critical parts during a transmission cycle, the connection can benefit from entering a higher reliability state. Furthermore, during such protected phases or cycles, the UE may use PDCP replication, rely on configuration authorization with a higher number of TB repetitions, use a different MCS, or even strengthen the connection to achieve higher reliability. Additionally or alternatively, various different settings are possible, and the network or UE can configure these settings.

[0162] In some implementations, the UE may be configured with a secondary QoS profile or a secondary set of QoS parameters and / or QoS features for the same QFI and / or 5G QoS identifier (5QI). Furthermore, according to some implementations, the network or the UE itself may be able to introduce different QoS severity (e.g., importance / priority) levels within the same flow of QoS flows, causing the UE to automatically switch to the next better QoS / QFI parameter (e.g., next BLER or next periodicity) in the parameter value list.

[0163] Therefore, there may be various methods or means to trigger changes in QoS or QFI associated with a slice or ADU in an XR application data burst. In some implementations, the network may be configured to switch the QFI-to-slice or ADU mapping based on sequence number (SN) to a higher reliability or secondary QoS. For example, according to some implementations, the QFI mapping may be characterized such that every Nth RTP SN, Nth PDCP SDU, Nth application layer packet, or Nth IP packet belongs to a certain QoS flow. Furthermore, in some implementations, N may be characterized or determined by a statistical distribution function (e.g., Pareto distribution or truncated Gaussian distribution). In some implementations, a higher reliability or secondary QoS phase may be characterized such that the QoS flow remains in that state for a configurable number of packets (e.g., 1…M). Additionally or alternatively, the switch to a higher reliability or secondary QoS profile may be configured to occur at every Nth ADU as a whole and / or for different slice types. In some implementations, the application layer may identify the start and end packets associated with a slice or ADU and indicate them to a lower layer, which may further identify and trigger a modified reliability or QoS period for the associated traffic.

[0164] In some implementations, a configuration grant (CG) can be characterized as causing the reliability of the CG to be switched periodically. For example, according to some implementations, the network or UE can utilize multiple configuration grants for data bursts, such that every second (or Nth) CG is repeatedly associated with a higher reliability or a higher number of transport blocks (TBs).

[0165] In addition, in some implementations, the XR application or associated connection may have a set of secondary QoS features with better reliability or enhancement settings that can be automatically triggered based on error events, the history of earlier abnormal events, or location (e.g., when another failure can be inferred from the history).

[0166] According to some implementation schemes, the network or UE can be configured to automatically enable or trigger a period of higher reliability based on anomalies or error events in the UE. For example, the network can trigger a higher reliability period based on feedback or radio conditions (e.g., below a certain RSRP / RSRQ) or the UE. Additionally or alternatively, temporary modifications to reliability can also be based on a timer, allowing the specification of a defined period with enhanced QoS settings (e.g., with start and stop times).

[0167] Figure 10 - Solution based on new configuration authorization type

[0168] Figure 10An exemplary transmission of data bursts from one or more instances of an extended reality application, which utilizes configuration authorization according to some implementation schemes, is shown.

[0169] For ideal TB / CG transmission, the entire data burst will fit within one TB or CG. However, in some cases, conventional configuration licensing can leverage TB repetition to accommodate larger datasets / bursts while providing increased reliability. For example, a first data burst associated with a CG can be transmitted, followed by one or more subsequent TBs repeated on the same CG. Thus, the next data burst (and subsequent new transmissions and further TB repetitions) will be transmitted according to the periodicity of the CG.

[0170] In some implementations, if the data burst is large enough due to a large number of PDCP SDUs, the packet delay budget (PDB) may allow the PDCP SDUs to be extended to several TBs, rather than attempting to combine the data bursts into a single transport block (TB). Furthermore, the available licensed size may not be large enough for a single time slot of that size. Additionally or alternatively, degraded radio conditions may not allow for the use of a large licensed size. In this case, multiple configured CG instances may be an option.

[0171] According to some implementation schemes, the UE and network may be able to utilize CG types that repeat like TB, but without repetition for the transmission of XR application data. Instead, the UE can send new data in different instances of the CG. For example, Figure 10 CG0 instances 0, 1, 2, and 3 of a data burst are shown. Each of these instances can be characterized as a new transmission and, in some implementations, may further correspond to the size of an ADU. Therefore, one benefit of transmitting data within multiple instances of a CG may be that the UE will not need to schedule the CG continuously with shorter periods. In other words, the UE may not need to skip UL transmissions between data bursts or send padding (if UL skipping is not configured) to transmit the data burst. Therefore, in addition to providing energy savings and reduced latency, this may also allow for better use of radio resources to adjust XR traffic patterns. Additionally or alternatively, although configuration authorization may not be utilized in downlink communications, this solution may also be applied to semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) in downlink allocation according to some implementations.

[0172] Additional Information

[0173] In some implementations, the license size for a CG instance can optionally be set based on the size of an ADU. This may require cross-layer interaction or pre-configuration so that the network implicitly associates the new license size when codec rate, periodicity, or QoS configuration changes. Such pre-configuration can be signaled and / or updated separately via the Media Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) or via RRC.

[0174] Additionally or alternatively, it is possible to modify the CG parameter configuration for different instances of the CG, such that the license size is staggered or different reliability is associated with each instance in the different CG instances. According to some implementations, the network may be able to associate the CG with two periodicities. For example, the network may associate the CG with a first periodicity corresponding to the gap or time between a first CG instance (e.g., CG instance 0) and the next occurrence of CG instance 0 (e.g., the currently existing periodicity of the CG configuration). Additionally or alternatively, the network may associate the CG with a second periodicity corresponding to the gap or time between CG instances (0, 1, 2, N). This provides the benefit of allowing TB transmissions to be spaced more freely.

[0175] Therefore, there may be some signaling associated with the number of CG repeating instances specified or configured for use in new transfers. For example, the operation could use parameters in the configuredGrantConfig information element (IE) (e.g., newTxK-r18, similar to the parameters for repK used for TB repeating), but instead utilize new data on each CG instance instead of performing TB repeating.

[0176] In some implementations, if the data burst size changes too frequently, the actual number of CG instances used can be dynamically indicated via Layer 1 (L1) signaling. More specifically, the network can configure the number of CG instances (via a parameter such as "newTxK-r18") while the UE dynamically indicates whether it will use all CG instances for a given CG cycle. Therefore, if the indication from the UE is given early enough (e.g., at the first CG instance), the network may be able to reuse any remaining CG resources.

[0177] According to some implementation schemes and following the principles discussed above, Dynamic Grant (DG) can be enhanced so that a single DCI can be used to schedule multiple consecutive transport blocks using a DG. For example, XR application data burst transmission operations involving DG can resemble TB repetition, except that the UE may need to transmit new data in each instance of a TB scheduled by such a DG. Therefore, the MAC may have to create a new MAC Protocol Data Unit (PDU) for each TB instance. However, the use of DG can facilitate a reduction in signaling overhead and help save UE power due to less Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) processing. Furthermore, network entities (e.g., base stations or gNBs) may also experience less processing overhead for similar reasons. Additionally or alternatively, although Dynamic Grant may not be utilized in downlink communications, this solution can also be applied to downlink allocation according to some implementation schemes.

[0178] Exemplary Implementation

[0179] Another exemplary embodiment may include a device comprising: an antenna; a radio component coupled to the antenna; and a processing element operatively coupled to the radio component, wherein the device is configured to implement any or all of the foregoing examples.

[0180] Another exemplary implementation may include a method comprising: performing any or all of the foregoing examples by a device.

[0181] Another implementation may include a non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium that, when executed at the device, causes the device to perform any or all of the instructions of any of the foregoing examples.

[0182] Another exemplary embodiment may include a computer program that includes instructions for performing any or all of the portions of any of the examples described above.

[0183] Another exemplary embodiment may include an apparatus that includes means for performing any or all of the elements of any of the foregoing examples.

[0184] Another exemplary embodiment may include an apparatus comprising a processing element configured to cause a wireless device to perform any or all of the elements of any of the foregoing examples.

[0185] As is widely recognized, the use of personally identifiable information should comply with privacy policies and practices that are generally accepted to meet or exceed industry or governmental requirements for protecting user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly explained to users.

[0186] Embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented in any of a variety of forms. For example, some embodiments may be implemented as computer-implemented methods, computer-readable storage media, or computer systems. Other embodiments may be implemented using one or more custom-designed hardware devices such as ASICs. Other embodiments may be implemented using one or more programmable hardware elements such as FPGAs.

[0187] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be configured to store program instructions and / or data, wherein if the program instructions are executed by a computer system, the computer system performs a method, such as any method embodiment of the method embodiments described herein, or any combination of the method embodiments described herein, or any subset or combination of any such subset of any method embodiments described herein.

[0188] In some implementations, the device (e.g., UE 106 or BS 102) may be configured to include a processor (or a set of processors) and a memory medium, wherein the memory medium stores program instructions, and wherein the processor is configured to read from and execute the program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement any of the various method implementations described herein (or any combination of method implementations described herein, or any subset of any method implementations of method implementations described herein, or any combination of such subsets). The device may be implemented in any of a variety of forms.

[0189] Although the above embodiments have been described in considerable detail, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the disclosure is fully understood. This disclosure is intended to render the following claims as encompassing all such variations and modifications.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising: Establish a connection to the network for transmitting multiple data bursts, wherein the multiple data bursts include multiple data segments, wherein the multiple data segments are included in a bit stream of data corresponding to an application running on a user equipment (UE); Transmit a first data segment of the plurality of data segments to the network, the first data segment corresponding to a first Quality of Service Flow Identifier (QFI) associated with a first QoS flow of the plurality of QoS flows; as well as Transmit a second data segment of the plurality of data segments to the network, the second data segment corresponding to a second QFI associated with a second QoS flow of the plurality of QoS flows, wherein the second QFI is different from the first QFI.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: One or more of the plurality of QoS flows are associated with a modified set of QoS parameters, wherein the modified set of QoS parameters is associated with the one or more QoS flows to temporarily enhance the QoS of one or more of the plurality of data bursts via a phase of higher reliability or a phase with modified or enhanced QoS settings.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the modified QoS parameter set is applied during a time period following the automatic switch of the UE to a previously used or previously unused QoS parameter set.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Mapping one or more of the plurality of data segments to one or more QFIs based on at least one of the following: The network's ability to create QoS rules using packet filters corresponding to slices or application data units (ADUs) associated with the application, wherein the QoS rules are based on at least one of the inherent characteristics of the slice or ADU; intermediate filtering rules; and the UE's ability to autonomously derive the QoS rules.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first data burst of the plurality of data bursts includes the first data segment and the second data segment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data burst of the plurality of data bursts includes the first data segment, and the second data burst of the plurality of data bursts includes the second data segment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data segment corresponds to a first slice or a first application data unit (ADU) associated with the application, and the second data segment corresponds to a second slice or a second ADU associated with the application.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Mapping one or more of the plurality of data segments to one or more QFIs based on at least one of the following: slice type, frame type, modulo operation, sequence number (SN) or timer expiration, periodicity, one or more errors, or indications of one or more measured conditions. The SN mapping is based on a modulo operation according to a predefined pattern, and the QFI to chip or ADU mapping is based on the SN switching to higher reliability or secondary QoS.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data bursts are transmitted corresponding to one or more instances of one or more configuration-authorized CGs or one or more dynamic-authorized DGs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more CGs or one or more DGs are configured to have one or more periodicities between the one or more instances of the one or more CGs or one or more DGs.

11. A method for wireless communication, comprising: Establish a connection with a user equipment (UE) for transmitting multiple data bursts, wherein the multiple data bursts include multiple data segments, wherein the multiple data segments are included in a bit stream of data corresponding to an application running on the UE; Transmit a first data segment of the plurality of data segments to the UE, the first data segment corresponding to a first Quality of Service Flow Identifier (QFI) associated with a first QoS flow of the plurality of QoS flows; as well as The second data segment of the plurality of data segments is transmitted to the UE. The second data segment corresponds to a second QFI associated with a second QoS flow of the plurality of QoS flows, wherein the second QFI is different from the first QFI.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Associate one or more of the plurality of QoS flows with a modified set of QoS parameters.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the modified QoS parameter set is applied during a time period following the automatic switch of the UE to a previously used or previously unused QoS parameter set.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Mapping one or more of the plurality of data segments to one or more QFIs based on at least one of the following: The base station's ability to create QoS rules using packet filters corresponding to slices or application data units (ADUs) associated with the application, wherein the QoS rules are based on at least one of the inherent characteristics of the slice or ADU; intermediate filtering rules; and the UE's ability to autonomously derive the QoS rules.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data burst of the plurality of data bursts comprises the first data segment and the second data segment.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data burst of the plurality of data bursts includes the first data segment, and the second data burst of the plurality of data bursts includes the second data segment.

17. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: At least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to cause a user equipment (UE) to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-10.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: A radio component capable of being operatively coupled to the at least one processor.

19. A computer program product comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-16.

20. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: At least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to cause the base station BS to perform the method according to any one of claims 11-16.

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