Methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media for wireless communication

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media for wireless communication. A method for wireless communication performed by a first network entity is disclosed, comprising: providing a trigger for a switch from a second network entity to the first network entity to transmit Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) communication, wherein the trigger is provided in association with a handover from the second network entity to the first network entity, and wherein the trigger is associated with a received Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration completion message when a user equipment (UE) connects to both the second and first network entities during the handover; and receiving PUSCH communication at least in part based on providing the trigger, wherein Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources associated with the second network entity are released or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission to the second network entity is stopped.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application is a divisional application of Chinese Patent Application No. 202080055981.3, filed July 13, 2020, entitled "Method, Apparatus and Non-transitory Computer-readable Medium for Wireless Communication", filed by Qualcomm Incorporated. It claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 886,221, filed August 13, 2019, entitled "Uplink Switching for Enhanced Mobility", and U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 16 / 946,911, filed July 10, 2020, entitled "Uplink Switching for Enhanced Mobility", both of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The aspects of this disclosure generally relate to wireless communications, and more specifically, to techniques for uplink switching to enhance mobility. Background Technology

[0004] Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide a variety of telecommunications services, such as telephone, video, data, messaging, and broadcasting. Typical wireless communication systems employ multiple access technologies that enable communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, etc.). Examples of such multiple access technologies include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems, Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FCDMA) systems, Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) systems, and Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems. LTE / LTE Advanced is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile standard issued by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

[0005] Wireless communication networks may include multiple base stations (BSs) capable of supporting communication between multiple user equipment (UEs). UEs can communicate with base stations (BSs) via downlink (DL) and uplink (UL). A DL (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the BS to the UE, while a UL link (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the BS. As will be described in more detail herein, a BS may be referred to as a NodeB, LTE evolution nodeB (eNB), gNB, access point (AP), radio head, transmit / receive point (TRP), new radio (NR) BS, or 5G NodeB.

[0006] The aforementioned multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunications standards to provide a common protocol that enables different UEs to communicate at the municipal, national, regional, and even global levels. NR, also known as 5G, is a set of enhancements to the LTE mobile standard issued by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). NR aims to better support mobile broadband internet access by: improving spectrum efficiency, reducing costs, improving service, utilizing new spectrum, and better integrating with other open standards by: using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) with a Cyclic Prefix (CP) on DL (CP-OFDM), using CP-OFDM or SC-FDM (e.g., also known as Discrete Fourier Transform Extended OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM)) (or combinations thereof) on UL (Upper UL), and supporting beamforming, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technologies and carrier aggregation. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Each of the systems, methods, and apparatuses disclosed herein has several innovative aspects, none of which is solely responsible for the desired properties disclosed herein.

[0008] One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a wireless communication method performed by a user equipment (IE). The method may include detecting a trigger for a handover from a source cell to a target cell to transmit Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) communication, wherein the trigger is detected in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, wherein the UE connects to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and at least in part based on the detection of the trigger, a handover from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication.

[0009] In some aspects, the triggering is associated with a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration completion message provided to the target cell. In some aspects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on receiving an acknowledgment (ACK) of the RRC reconfiguration completion message. In some aspects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on receiving a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) addressed to the Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) associated with the UE.

[0010] In some aspects, the triggering is associated with a UE scheduled for PUSCH communication. In some aspects, the handover from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on receiving downlink control information (DCI) including a PUSCH grant associated with the PUSCH communication. In some aspects, the handover from the source cell to the target cell occurs at the time of the first configuration grant associated with the PUSCH communication. In some aspects, the handover from the source cell to the target cell occurs at the time of the PUSCH grant associated with the PUSCH communication.

[0011] In some respects, the trigger is associated with the UE's configuration.

[0012] In some respects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on the assessment of channel conditions.

[0013] In some respects, the switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications essentially occurs at the same time that the UE switches from the source cell to the target cell to receive downlink communications.

[0014] In some aspects, the method may include sending PUSCH communications, Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) communications, and Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmissions to the source cell until the transition from the source cell to the target cell.

[0015] In some respects, for a period of time after the UE switches from the source cell to the target cell, the UE will continue to send PUCCH communications and SRS transmissions to the source cell.

[0016] In some aspects, information indicating that the UE has terminated uplink communication to the source cell is provided to the source cell. In some aspects, the information indicating that the UE has terminated uplink communication to the source cell is provided by the UE via at least one of RRC signaling, a Media Access Control (MAC) control element, or a PUCCH format. In some aspects, the information indicating that the UE has terminated uplink communication to the source cell is provided by the target cell. In some aspects, uplink data packets are forwarded from the source cell to the target cell based at least in part on the information indicating that the UE has terminated uplink communication to the source cell.

[0017] In some aspects, the method may include at least in part a transition from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode based on a handover from a source cell to a target cell to send PUSCH communications. In some aspects, information indicating that the UE has transitioned to full-capability mode is provided to the target cell.

[0018] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a UE for wireless communication. The UE may include memory and one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory. The memory and the one or more processors may be configured to detect a trigger for a handover from a source cell to a target cell to transmit PUSCH communication, wherein the trigger is detected in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, wherein the UE connects to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and to perform a handover from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication, at least in part based on the detection of the trigger.

[0019] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium can store one or more instructions for wireless communication. When executed by one or more processors of the UE, the one or more instructions can cause the one or more processors to detect a trigger for a handover from a source cell to a target cell to transmit PUSCH communication, wherein the trigger is detected in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, wherein the UE connects to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and, at least in part, to switch from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication based on the detection of the trigger.

[0020] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus may include components for detecting a trigger for a handover from a source cell to a target cell to transmit PUSCH communication, wherein the trigger is detected in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, wherein the apparatus is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and components for a handover from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication based at least in part on the detection of the trigger.

[0021] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a wireless communication method performed by a base station. The method may include determining that a source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to a UE, wherein the downlink communication transmissions to the UE terminate in association with a handover from the source cell to a target cell, wherein the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and providing an indication, at least in part based on the determination that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to the UE, that the UE will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0022] In some implementations, the indication is provided via at least one of a MAC control element, a PDCCH, or an RRC signaling.

[0023] In some respects, the indication includes information indicating that the source cell has ended downlink communication transmission to the UE.

[0024] In some respects, the indication is an explicit indication to stop SRS transmission to the source cell or to release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0025] In some respects, at least in part, the UE will switch from limited capability mode to full capability mode based on an indication that it will stop transmitting SRS data to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell. In some respects, when the UE switches to full capability mode, an indicator is provided to the target cell.

[0026] In some respects, at least in part, based on an indication that the UE will stop transmitting SRS data to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, the UE will stop monitoring and receiving downlink transmissions from the source cell.

[0027] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a base station for wireless communication. The base station may include a memory and one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory. The memory and the one or more processors may be configured to determine that a source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to the UE, wherein the downlink communication transmissions to the UE terminate in association with a handover from the source cell to a target cell, wherein the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and to provide an indication, at least in part, based on the determination that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to the UE, that the UE will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0028] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium can store one or more instructions for wireless communication. When executed by one or more processors of a base station, the one or more instructions can cause the one or more processors to determine that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmission to the UE, wherein the downlink communication transmission to the UE terminates in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, wherein the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and, at least in part based on the determination that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmission, provide an indication that the UE will stop SRS transmission to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0029] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus may include components for determining that a source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to a UE, wherein the downlink communication transmissions to the UE terminate in association with a handover from the source cell to a target cell, wherein the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and components for providing an indication, at least in part, based on the determination that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to the UE, that the UE will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0030] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a wireless communication method performed by a UE. The method may include receiving an indication that the UE will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, wherein the indication is received after the source cell has terminated downlink transmissions to the UE in connection with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, and wherein the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and ceasing SRS transmissions to the source cell or releasing PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, at least in part, based on the indication.

[0031] In some respects, the indication is received via at least one of the MAC control element, PDCCH, or RRC signaling.

[0032] In some respects, the indication includes information indicating that the source cell has ended downlink transmission to the UE.

[0033] In some respects, the indication is an explicit indication to stop SRS transmission to the source cell or to release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0034] In some aspects, the method may include switching from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode based at least in part on an indication that the UE will stop SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell. In some aspects, when the UE switches to full-capability mode, an indicator is provided to the target cell.

[0035] In some aspects, the method may include, at least in part, stopping the monitoring and reception of downlink transmissions from the source cell based on an indication that the UE will stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0036] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a UE for wireless communication. The UE may include a memory and one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory. The memory and the one or more processors may be configured to receive an indication that the UE will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, wherein the indication is received after the source cell has terminated downlink transmissions to the UE in connection with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, and wherein the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and to cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, at least in part, based on the indication.

[0037] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium can store one or more instructions for wireless communication. When executed by one or more processors of the UE, the one or more instructions can cause the one or more processors to receive an indication that the UE will stop SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, wherein the indication is received after the source cell has terminated downlink transmissions to the UE in connection with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, and wherein the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover; and, at least in part based on the indication, stop SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0038] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus may include components for receiving an indication that the apparatus will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, wherein the indication is received after the source cell has terminated downlink transmissions to the apparatus in connection with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, and wherein the apparatus is connected to both the source and target cells during the handover; and components for ceasing SRS transmissions to the source cell or releasing PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, at least in part, based on the indication.

[0039] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a method of wireless communication performed by a first network entity. The method may include: providing a trigger for a switch from a second network entity to a first network entity to transmit Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) communication, wherein the trigger is provided in association with a handover from the second network entity to the first network entity, and wherein the trigger is associated with a received Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration completion message when a user equipment (UE) is connected to both the second and first network entities during the handover; and receiving the PUSCH communication based at least in part on providing the trigger, wherein Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources associated with the second network entity are released or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission to the second network entity is stopped.

[0040] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a method of wireless communication performed by a first network entity. The method may include: determining, in association with a handover from a first network entity to a second network entity, the termination of downlink transmission to a user equipment (UE); and, based on the determination of termination of downlink transmission to the UE, providing an indication to release at least one of a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource associated with the first network entity or to stop transmission of a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) to the first network entity, wherein, based on the indication, the PUCCH resource is released or the SRS transmission is stopped.

[0041] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a first network entity for wireless communication. The first network entity may include: a memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, configured to: provide a trigger for a transition from a second network entity to the first network entity to transmit Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) communication, wherein the trigger is provided in association with a handover from the second network entity to the first network entity, and wherein the trigger is associated with a received Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration completion message when a user equipment (UE) connects to both the second and first network entities during the handover; and receive the PUSCH communication at least in part based on providing the trigger, wherein Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources associated with the second network entity are released or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission to the second network entity is stopped.

[0042] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a first network entity for wireless communication. The first network entity may include: a memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, configured to: determine, in association with a handover from the first network entity to a second network entity, terminate downlink transmission to a user equipment (UE); and, based on the determination of termination of downlink transmission to the UE, provide an indication to release at least one of a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource associated with the first network entity or to stop transmission of a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) to the first network entity, wherein, based on the indication, the PUCCH resource is released or the SRS transmission is stopped.

[0043] As fully described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings and specifications, aspects generally include methods, apparatus, systems, computer program products, non-transitory computer-readable media, user equipment, base stations, wireless communication equipment, or processing systems.

[0044] Details of one or more embodiments of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. Note that the relative dimensions in the following drawings may not be drawn to scale. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 This is a block diagram that conceptually illustrates an example of a wireless network.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a block diagram that conceptually illustrates an example of a base station (BS) communicating with a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network.

[0047] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating an example associated with a UE switching from a source cell to a target cell to send Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) communications.

[0048] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates an example of how, after the source cell has ended its downlink communication transmissions to the UE, the UE stops transmitting probe reference signals (SRS) to the source cell or releases physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources.

[0049] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating, for example, an example process performed by the UE.

[0050] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating, for example, an example process performed by a BS.

[0051] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating, for example, an example process performed by the UE.

[0052] The same reference numerals and names in the various figures indicate the same elements. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To describe the innovative aspects of this disclosure, the following description pertains to certain implementations. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in a variety of different ways. Some examples in this disclosure are based on wireless and wired local area network (LAN) communications according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless standard, the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard, and the IEEE 1901 power line communication (PLC) standard. However, the described implementations can be implemented in any device, system, or network capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals according to any wireless communication standard, including any IEEE 802.11 standard, etc. Standards, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), GSM / General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Terrestrial Trunking Radio (TETRA), Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), Evolved Data Optimized (EV-DO), 1xEV-DO, EV-DO Version A, EV-DO Version B, High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High-Speed ​​Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Evolved High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA+), Long Term Evolution (LTE), AMPS, or other known signals used for communication within wireless, cellular, or Internet of Things (IoT) networks, such as systems and technologies utilizing 3G, 4G, or 5G or further implementations thereof.

[0054] In wireless communication systems such as LTE or New Radio (NR), handover can result in a user equipment (UE) switching from a source cell to a target cell. In conventional wireless communication systems, the UE disconnects from the source cell and then connects to the target cell (i.e., during handover, the UE is not connected to either the source or target cell at any time). However, this conventional technique often leads to service interruptions because the UE is not connected to any cell after disconnecting from the source cell and before a connection with the target cell is established.

[0055] Providing mobility enhancements to reduce service interruptions experienced during handover (e.g., 0 milliseconds (ms), or as close to 0 ms as possible) may be desirable. In some cases, this reduction in handover interruption can be achieved by configuring the UE to maintain connections to both the source cell (e.g., the cell from which the UE is handover) and the target cell (e.g., the cell the UE is handover to) during handover. Simultaneous connections to both the source and target cells reduce service interruptions (e.g., communication latency) because the UE will maintain connections to both cells, allowing the UE to communicate with either the source or target cell. For downlink communication, when connected to both the source and target cells, the UE can receive downlink transmissions from both.

[0056] Managing uplink communication can be challenging when a UE is connected to both a source cell and a target cell. For example, transmitting uplink communication to different base stations (BSs) (e.g., the base station associated with the source cell and the base station associated with the target cell) on the same frequency can be difficult when the UE has a single antenna, and in some cases, even when the UE has multiple antennas. Furthermore, even when it is possible to configure the UE to transmit to different BSs on the same frequency, network-side problems arise because uplink data associated with a given uplink communication may be received at different BSs. To address this, the UE can be configured to avoid transmitting to both the source and target cells on the uplink data channel (e.g., the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH)). Therefore, there should be a point where the UE switches from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication. A method needs to be defined whereby the UE switches from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication to minimize service interruption. Some aspects described herein provide techniques and apparatus for uplink switching to enhance mobility.

[0057] In some respects, the UE can detect a trigger for a handover from a source cell to a target cell to send PUSCH communications. Here, the UE can detect the trigger in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, and the UE can connect to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover. The UE can at least partially switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications based on the detection of the trigger.

[0058] Specific implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be practiced to achieve one or more of the following potential advantages. In some aspects, service interruptions experienced during handover can be reduced or eliminated. Furthermore, simplified or improved uplink communication can be provided when the UE is connected to both the source cell and the target cell during handover.

[0059] Another issue when a UE connects to both the source and target cells during handover is that, after the source cell has finished transmitting downlink communications to the UE, the UE should stop transmitting uplink reference signals (e.g., sounding reference signals (SRS)) and release uplink control resources (e.g., physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources) associated with the source cell. For example, since SRS transmissions and PUCCH resources are used in conjunction with downlink communications, they are typically no longer needed after the source cell has finished transmitting downlink communications to the UE.

[0060] In some respects, as described herein, the UE may receive an indication that it will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell. Here, the UE may receive the indication after the source cell has already terminated downlink communication transmissions to the UE in connection with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, and the UE may be connected to both the source and target cells during the handover. The UE may cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell based at least in part on this indication.

[0061] Specific implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to achieve one or more of the following potential advantages. In some aspects, stopping SRS transmissions or releasing PUCCH resources can reduce power consumption because, for example, the UE does not need to transmit SRS or reserve PUCCH resources. Furthermore, in some aspects, resource utilization can be improved because, for example, SRS resources associated with SRS transmissions, or PUCCH, can be reused for transmissions by another device (e.g., configured by the network).

[0062] Figure 1 This is a block diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a wireless network 100. Wireless network 100 can be an LTE network or other wireless networks, such as 5G or NR networks. Wireless network 100 can include multiple BS 110s (shown as BS 110a, BS 110b, BS 110c, and BS 110d) and other network entities. A BS is an entity that communicates with user equipment (UE) and may also be referred to as a base station, NR BS, Node B, gNB, 5G Node B (NB), access point, or Transmit / Receive Point (TRP). Each BS can provide communication coverage for a specific geographic area. In 3GPP, the term "cell" can refer to the coverage area of ​​a BS, a BS subsystem serving that coverage area, or a combination thereof, depending on the context in which the term is used.

[0063] A BS can provide communication coverage for macrocells, picocells, femtocells, another type of cell, or a combination thereof. A macrocell can cover a relatively large geographic area (e.g., a radius of several kilometers) and can allow unrestricted access for UEs with service subscriptions. A picocell can cover a relatively small geographic area and can allow unrestricted access for UEs with service subscriptions. A femtocell can cover a relatively small geographic area (e.g., a home) and can allow restricted access for UEs associated with that femtocell (e.g., UEs in a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG)). A BS used for macrocells can be called a macro BS. A BS used for picocells can be called a pico BS. A BS used for femtocells can be called a femto BS or a home BS. Figure 1 In the example shown, BS 110a can be a macro BS for macro cell 102a, BS 110b can be a pico BS for pico cell 102b, and BS 110c can be a femto BS for femto cell 102c. A BS can support one or more (e.g., three) cells. The terms “eNB,” “base station,” “NR BS,” “gNB,” “TRP,” “AP,” “Node B,” “5G NB,” and “cell” are used interchangeably in this document.

[0064] In some examples, the cell is not necessarily stationary, and the geographical area of ​​the cell can move depending on the location of the mobile BS. In some examples, BSs can interconnect with each other and with one or more other BSs or network nodes (not shown) in the wireless network 100 via various types of backhaul interfaces, such as direct physical connections, virtual networks, or combinations thereof using any suitable transport network.

[0065] The wireless network 100 may also include relay stations. A relay station is an entity capable of receiving data transmissions from an upstream station (e.g., a BS or a UE) and transmitting data transmissions to a downstream station (e.g., a UE or a BS). A relay station can also be a UE capable of relaying transmissions for other UEs. Figure 1 In the example shown, relay station 110d can communicate with macro BS 110a and UE 120d to facilitate communication between BS110a and UE 120d. A relay station can also be called a relay BS, relay base station, relay, etc.

[0066] Wireless network 100 can be a heterogeneous network including different types of BSs, such as macro BSs, pico BSs, femto BSs, and relay BSs. These different types of BSs may have different transmit power levels, different coverage areas, and different effects on interference in wireless network 100. For example, macro BSs may have high transmit power levels (e.g., 5 to 40 watts), while pico BSs, femto BSs, and relay BSs may have lower transmit power levels (e.g., 0.1 to 2 watts).

[0067] Network controller 130 can be coupled to a group of base stations (BSs) and can provide coordination and control for these BSs. Network controller 130 can communicate with the BSs via backhaul. The BSs can also communicate with each other directly or indirectly, for example, via wireless or wired backhaul.

[0068] UEs 120 (e.g., 120a, 120b, 120c) may be distributed throughout the wireless network 100, and each UE may be fixed or mobile. A UE may also be referred to as an access terminal, terminal, mobile station, subscriber unit, station, etc. A UE may be a cellular phone (e.g., a smartphone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless modem, a wireless communication device, a handheld device, a laptop computer, a cordless phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a tablet computer, a camera, a gaming device, a netbook, a smartbook, an ultrabook, a medical device or equipment, a biosensor / device, a wearable device (smartwatch, smart clothing, smart glasses, smart wristband, smart jewelry (e.g., smart ring, smart bracelet)), an entertainment device (e.g., a music or video device, or a satellite radio), a vehicle component or sensor, a smart meter / sensor, industrial manufacturing equipment, a GPS device, or any other suitable device configured to communicate via wireless or wired media.

[0069] Some UEs can be considered Machine-Type Communication (MTC) or Evolved or Enhanced Machine-Type Communication (eMTC) UEs. MTC and eMTC UEs include, for example, robots, drones, remote devices, sensors, meters, monitors, location tags, etc., which can communicate with a base station, another device (e.g., a remote device), or some other entity. For example, a wireless node can provide connectivity to or to a network via a wired or wireless communication link (e.g., a wide area network such as the Internet or a cellular network). Some UEs can be considered Internet of Things (IoT) devices, or can be implemented as NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) devices. Some UEs can be considered Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). UE 120 can be included within a housing that houses the components of UE 120 (e.g., processor components, memory components, similar components, or combinations thereof).

[0070] Typically, any number of wireless networks can be deployed in a given geographical area. Each wireless network can support a specific Radio Access Platform (RAT) and can operate on one or more frequencies. A RAT can also be referred to as a radio technology, air interface, etc. A frequency can also be referred to as a carrier, frequency channel, etc. Each frequency can support a single RAT in a given geographical area to avoid interference between wireless networks using different RATs. In some cases, NR or 5G RAT networks may be deployed.

[0071] In some examples, access to the air interface can be scheduled, where a scheduling entity (e.g., a base station) allocates resources for communication between some or all devices and equipment within the scheduling entity's service area or cell. In this disclosure, as further discussed below, the scheduling entity may be responsible for scheduling, allocating, reconfiguring, and releasing resources for one or more subordinate entities. That is, for scheduled communication, subordinate entities utilize resources allocated by the scheduling entity.

[0072] A base station is not the only entity that can act as a scheduling entity. That is, in some examples, a UE can act as a scheduling entity, scheduling resources for one or more subordinate entities (e.g., one or more other UEs). In this example, the UE acts as the scheduling entity, and other UEs utilize the resources scheduled by that UE for wireless communication. A UE can act as a scheduling entity in a point-to-point (P2P) network, a mesh network, or other types of network. In a mesh network example, in addition to communicating with a scheduling entity, UEs can optionally communicate directly with each other.

[0073] Therefore, in wireless communication networks with scheduled access to time-frequency resources and with cellular, P2P, and mesh configurations, a scheduling entity and one or more subordinate entities can communicate using the scheduled resources.

[0074] In some respects, two or more UEs 120 (e.g., shown as UE 120a and UE 120e) may communicate directly using one or more sidelink channels (e.g., without using BS 110 as a medium). For example, UE 120 may communicate using point-to-point (P2P) communication, device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) protocols (which may include vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) protocols, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) protocols, or similar protocols), mesh networks, or similar networks, or combinations thereof. In this case, UE 120 may perform scheduling operations, resource selection operations, and other operations performed by base station 110 as described elsewhere herein.

[0075] Figure 2This is a block diagram conceptually illustrating an example 200 of a base station 110 communicating with a UE 120. In some aspects, the base station 110 and the UE 120 can be respectively Figure 1 One of the base stations and one of the UEs in the wireless network 100. The base station 110 may be equipped with T antennas 234a to 234t, and the UE 120 may be equipped with R antennas 252a to 252r, wherein typically T≥1 and R≥1.

[0076] At base station 110, transmitting processor 220 can receive data for one or more UEs from data source 212, select one or more modulation and coding schemes (MCS) for each UE based at least in part on channel quality indicators (CQI) received from the UE, process (e.g., encode and modulate) the data for each UE based at least in part on the one or more MCS selected for the UE, and provide data symbols for all UEs. Transmitting processor 220 can also process system information (e.g., semi-static resource allocation information (SRPI), etc.) and control information (e.g., CQI requests, grants, upper-layer signaling, etc.) and provide overhead symbols and control symbols. Transmitting processor 220 can also generate reference symbols for reference signals (e.g., cell-specific reference signals (CRS)) and synchronization signals (e.g., primary synchronization signal (PSS) and secondary synchronization signal (SSS)). The transmit (TX) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) processor 230 can perform spatial processing (e.g., pre-coding / decoding) on ​​data symbols, control symbols, overhead symbols, or reference symbols (if applicable), and can provide T output symbol streams to T modulators 232a to 232t. Each modulator 232 can process its own output symbol stream (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain an output sample stream. Each modulator 232 can further process (e.g., convert to analog, amplify, filter, and up-convert) the output sample stream to obtain a downlink signal. The T downlink signals from modulators 232a to 232t can be transmitted separately via antennas 234a to 234t. Position coding can be used to generate synchronization signals to convey additional information, according to various aspects described in more detail below.

[0077] At UE 120, antennas 252a to 252r can receive downlink signals from base station 110 or other base stations and can provide the received signals to demodulators (DEMODs) 254a to 254r respectively. Each demodulator 254 can adjust (e.g., filter, amplify, down-convert, and digitize) the received signal to obtain an input sample. Each demodulator 254 can further process the input sample (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain the received symbols. MIMO detector 256 can obtain the received symbols from all R demodulators 254a to 254r, perform MIMO detection on the received symbols (if applicable), and provide the detected symbols. Receiver processor 258 can process (e.g., demodulate and decode) the detected symbols, provide data for decoding for UE 120 to data sink 260, and provide decoded control information and system information to controller or processor (controller / processor) 280. The channel processor can determine the Received Reference Signal Power (RSRP), Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), Received Reference Signal Quality (RSRQ), Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), etc. In some respects, one or more components of the UE120 may be included in the housing.

[0078] On the uplink, at UE 120, the transmitting processor 264 can receive and process data from data source 262 and control information from controller / processor 280 (e.g., for reports including RSRP, RSSI, RSRQ, CQI, etc.). The transmitting processor 264 can also generate reference symbols for one or more reference signals. If applicable, the symbols from the transmitting processor 264 can be pre-encoded / decoded by the TX MIMO processor 266, further processed by modulators 254a to 254r (e.g., DFT-s-OFDM, CP-OFDM, etc.), and transmitted to base station 110. At base station 110, uplink signals from UE 120 and other UEs can be received by antenna 234, processed by demodulator 232, detected by MIMO detector 236 (if applicable), and further processed by receiving processor 238 to obtain decoded data and control information transmitted by UE 120. The receiving processor 238 can provide the decoded data to the data sink 239 and the decoded control information to the controller or processor (i.e., controller / processor) 240. The base station 110 may include a communication unit 244 and communicate with the network controller 130 via the communication unit 244. The network controller 130 may include a communication unit 294, a controller or processor (i.e., controller / processor) 290, and a memory 292.

[0079] As described in more detail elsewhere in this document, the controller / processor 240 of base station 110, the controller / processor 280 of UE 120, or Figure 2One or more other components may perform one or more techniques associated with uplink handover for enhanced mobility. For example, the controller / processor 240 of base station 110, the controller / processor 280 of UE 120, or... Figure 2 Any other one or more components (or combinations of components) can perform or direct, for example Figure 5 Process 500 Figure 6 Process 600 Figure 7 The operation of process 700 or other processes described herein. Memory 242 and 282 may store data and program code for base station 110 and UE 120, respectively. Scheduler 246 may schedule data transmission by the UE on the downlink, uplink, or a combination thereof.

[0080] In some implementations, the controller / processor 280 may be a component of a processing system. A processing system can generally refer to a system or a series of machines or components that receive and process inputs to produce a set of outputs (which can be passed to, for example, other systems or components of UE 120). For example, the processing system of UE 120 may refer to a system that includes various other components or sub-components of UE 120.

[0081] The processing system of UE 120 can interface with other components of UE 120 and can process information received from other components (e.g., inputs or signals), output information to other components, etc. For example, the chip or modem of UE 120 may include a processing system, a first interface for receiving or acquiring information, and a second interface for outputting, transmitting, or providing information. In some cases, the first interface may refer to the interface between the processing system of the chip or modem and the receiver, allowing UE 120 to receive information or signal input, and the information can be transmitted to the processing system. In some cases, the second interface may refer to the interface between the processing system of the chip or modem and the transmitter, allowing UE 120 to transmit information output from the chip or modem. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the second interface can also acquire or receive information or signal input, and the first interface can also output, transmit, or provide information.

[0082] In some implementations, the controller / processor 240 may be a component of a processing system. A processing system can generally refer to a system or a series of machines or components that receive input and process the input to produce a set of outputs (which may be passed to other systems or components, such as base station 110). For example, the processing system of base station 110 may refer to a system that includes various other components or sub-components of base station 110.

[0083] The processing system of base station 110 can interface with other components of base station 110 and can process information received from other components (e.g., inputs or signals), output information to other components, etc. For example, the chip or modem of base station 110 may include a processing system, a first interface for receiving or acquiring information, and a second interface for outputting, transmitting, or providing information. In some cases, the first interface may refer to the interface between the processing system of the chip or modem and the receiver, allowing base station 110 to receive information or signal input, and the information can be transmitted to the processing system. In some cases, the second interface may refer to the interface between the processing system of the chip or modem and the transmitter, allowing base station 110 to transmit information output from the chip or modem. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the second interface can also acquire or receive information or signal input, and the first interface can also output, transmit, or provide information.

[0084] When executed by the controller / processor 280 or other processors and modules at UE 120, the stored program code enables UE 120 to perform actions related to... Figure 5 Process 500 Figure 7 The operation described in process 700 or other processes described herein. When executed by the controller / processor 240 or other processors and modules at base station 110, the stored program code enables base station 110 to perform operations related to... Figure 6 The operation described in process 600 or other processes described herein. Scheduler 246 can schedule the UE to perform data transmission on the downlink, uplink, or a combination thereof.

[0085] UE 120 may include components for performing one or more operations described herein, such as Figure 5 Process 500 Figure 7 The process 700 or other processes described herein. In some aspects, such a component may include a combination of Figure 2 One or more components of the UE 120 described.

[0086] Base station 110 may include components for performing one or more operations described herein, such as Figure 6 The process 600 or other processes described herein. In some aspects, such a component may include a combination of Figure 2 One or more components of the described base station 110.

[0087] Although Figure 2The blocks are shown as different components, but the functions described above regarding the blocks can be implemented in a single hardware, software, or combined component, or in various combinations of components. For example, the functions described regarding the transmit processor 264, receive processor 258, TX MIMO processor 266, or another processor can be performed by or under the control of the controller / processor 280.

[0088] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating Example 300 associated with UE 120 switching from a source cell to a target cell to send PUSCH communication. Example 300 can occur when UE 120 connects to both the source and target cells during handover. Figure 3 UE 120 can be Figure 1 and Figure 2 The implementation of UE 120 is depicted and described in the text.

[0089] exist Figure 3 In the middle, UE 120 is retrieving data from a source cell (e.g., a cell associated with the first base station 110, which could be...). Figure 1 and Figure 2 The implementation of base station 110 described in the text is switched to a target cell (e.g., a cell associated with the second base station 110, which may be...). Figure 1 and Figure 2 The implementation of the base station 110 depicted and described in the text). Figure 3 As shown and as described above, during a handover (HO) from the source cell to the target cell, the UE 120 can connect to both the source cell and the target cell.

[0090] As shown by reference numeral 305 in the attached figure, the target cell can provide a trigger associated with the handover from the source cell to the target cell for transmitting PUSCH communication. As shown by reference numeral 310, the UE 120 can detect the trigger for the handover from the source cell to the target cell for transmitting PUSCH communication. It is worth noting that in some aspects, the trigger does not need to be provided by the target cell. In this case, the UE 120 can detect the trigger in another manner, for example, at least in part based on the configuration of the UE 120, as described below.

[0091] In some aspects, the trigger can be associated with a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration complete message provided to the target cell. For example, in the case of a two-step random access procedure, the target cell may receive an RRC reconfiguration complete message (such as msgA) sent by UE 120 in association with performing a handover, and may provide UE 120 with a response indicating that the RRC reconfiguration complete message has been received. Here, the response indicating that the RRC reconfiguration complete message has been received can be used as a trigger. In some aspects, the response indicating that the RRC reconfiguration complete message has been received may include, for example, an acknowledgment (ACK) of the RRC reconfiguration complete message (e.g., a Layer 1 ACK, a Layer 2 ACK). In this case, UE 120 may receive the ACK, and the ACK may be a trigger associated with causing UE 120 to switch (i.e., perform a handover) from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications. As another example, the target cell can receive an RRC reconfiguration complete message sent by UE 120 and can provide a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) addressed to an identifier associated with UE 120 (e.g., a Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) associated with UE 120). Here, UE 120 can receive the PDCCH at least in part based on the PDCCH addressed to the identifier associated with UE 120, and the PDCCH can be a trigger associated with causing UE 120 to switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communication. As another example, for example in the case of a four-step random access procedure, UE 120 can provide an RRC reconfiguration complete message (e.g., msg3) associated with performing a handover. Here, the transmission of the RRC reconfiguration complete message can be used as a trigger. That is, in some respects, the transmission of the RRC reconfiguration complete message itself can act as a trigger for switching from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communication.

[0092] In some respects, the trigger can be associated with UE 120 being scheduled for PUSCH communication transmissions. For example, UE 120 may receive downlink control information (DCI) that includes a PUSCH grant associated with PUSCH communication. Here, the PUSCH grant associated with PUSCH communication can act as a trigger associated with causing UE 120 to switch from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication. As another example, the UE may be scheduled for PUSCH communication transmissions at least in part based on a configured grant (e.g., at least in part based on information received in a handover command). Here, the timing of the first configured grant timing can act as a trigger associated with causing UE 120 to switch from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication. In other words, in some respects, the trigger can cause UE 120 to switch from the source cell to the target cell to transmit PUSCH communication at the moment of the first configured grant timing associated with PUSCH communication. As another example, UE 120 may be scheduled for PUSCH communication transmissions at least in part based on a PUSCH grant. Here, the timing of the PUSCH grant can act as a trigger associated with UE 120 switching from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications. In other words, in some respects, this trigger can cause UE 120 to switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications at the time of the PUSCH grant associated with the PUSCH communications.

[0093] In some respects, the triggering of the transition from the source cell to the target cell for PUSCH communication can be left to the UE implementation. That is, in some respects, the triggering can be associated with the configuration of UE 120. For example, the triggering can be based at least in part on an assessment of channel conditions determined by UE 120 (i.e., the transition can be based at least in part on an assessment of channel conditions). As another example, the triggering can be based at least in part on UE 120 transitioning from the source cell to the target cell for downlink communication (i.e., the triggering can cause UE 120 to transition from the source cell to the target cell for PUSCH communication at the same time that UE 120 transitions from the source cell to the target cell to receive downlink communication).

[0094] like Figure 3As further illustrated in reference numeral 315, UE 120 can, at least in part, switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications based on the detection of a trigger. In some aspects, UE 120 can switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications carrying data to be processed for transmission after the switch (i.e., data is not in the process of being transmitted). That is, UE 120 can switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications carrying new data, and can also switch without switching to the target cell to send ongoing PUSCH communications (i.e., PUSCH communications are already in the process of being transmitted).

[0095] In some respects, UE 120 may send PUSCH communications, PUCCH communications, or SRS transmissions to the source cell until it switches from the source cell to the target cell. That is, in some respects, UE 120 may continue to send PUSCH communications, PUCCH communications, or SRS transmissions to the source cell until UE 120 switches from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications.

[0096] In some respects, UE 120 can be configured to continue sending PUCCH communications or SRS transmissions to the source cell for a period of time after UE 120 has switched from the source cell to the target cell. This configuration can be used because, for example, downlink transmissions from the source cell can continue after UE 120 has switched from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications.

[0097] In some aspects, information indicating that UE 120 has terminated uplink communication to the source cell can be provided to the source cell. In some aspects, UE 120 can provide information indicating that UE 120 has terminated uplink communication to the source cell. In some aspects, UE 120 can provide such information to the source cell via, for example, RRC signaling (e.g., Layer 3 signaling), Media Access Control (MAC) control elements (e.g., Layer 2 signaling), or via PUCCH format (e.g., Layer 1 signaling). In some aspects, the target cell can provide information indicating that UE 120 has terminated uplink communication to the source cell. In some aspects, the target cell can provide such information when, for example, the target cell schedules PUSCH grants associated with UE 120. In some aspects, based at least in part on the indication that UE 120 has terminated uplink communication to the source cell, the source cell can stop providing uplink grants to UE 120, or can begin forwarding uplink data associated with UE 120 to the target cell.

[0098] In some aspects, at least in part, based on the handover from the source cell to the target cell for transmitting PUSCH communications, UE 120 can switch from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode. For example, after switching from the source cell to the target cell for transmitting PUSCH communications and receiving downlink communications, UE 120 can switch from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode. In some aspects, switching from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode may include, for example, moving all antennas from the source cell to the target cell, updating multiple monitored cells, updating monitored bandwidth, or modifying one or more other configurations of UE 120. In some aspects, information indicating that UE 120 has switched to full-capability mode may be provided to the target cell (e.g., via MAC control elements, RRC messages). In some aspects, based at least in part on this information, the target cell may begin scheduling UE 120 with full capabilities.

[0099] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating Example 400 associated with UE 120 ceasing SRS transmission to the source cell or releasing PUCCH resources after the source cell has finished transmitting downlink communication to UE 120. Example 400 may occur in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell, during which UE 120 connects to both the source and target cells. Figure 4 UE 120 can be Figure 1 and Figure 2 The implementation of UE 120 described and illustrated in the text.

[0100] exist Figure 4 In the middle, UE 120 is retrieving data from a source cell (e.g., a cell associated with the first base station 110, which could be...). Figure 1 and Figure 2 The implementation of base station 110 described in the text is switched to a target cell (e.g., a cell associated with the second base station 110, which may be...). Figure 1 and Figure 2 The implementation of the base station 110 depicted and described in the text). Figure 4 As shown and as described above, during a handover (HO) from the source cell to the target cell, the UE 120 can connect to both the source cell and the target cell.

[0101] As shown by reference numeral 405 in the accompanying drawings, the source cell can determine that it has terminated downlink communication transmissions (also referred to herein as downlink transmissions) to UE 120 in connection with the handover of UE 120 from the source cell to the target cell. For example, the source cell can determine that it has no data for UE 120, and therefore, it has terminated downlink communication transmissions to UE 120. As another example, the source cell can detect unfavorable channel conditions that cause it to stop transmitting downlink communication to UE 120 (e.g., this could be the reason for UE 120's handover from the source cell to the target cell), and therefore, it can determine to terminate downlink communication to UE 120.

[0102] As indicated by reference numeral 410 in the attached figure, the source cell may provide to the UE 120, at least in part, an instruction that the UE 120 will cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, based on the determination that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to the UE 120. In some respects, this instruction may be provided via MAC control elements, via PDCCH, or via RRC signaling.

[0103] In some aspects, the indication may be an indication that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to UE 120. Here, the indication that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmissions to UE 120 can serve as an implicit indication that UE 120 will stop SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell. Additionally or alternatively, the indication may include an explicit indication that SRS transmissions to the source cell will be stopped or PUCCH resources associated with the source cell will be released.

[0104] In some respects, this instruction can instruct UE 120 to both cease SRS transmissions to the source cell and release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell. That is, in some respects, a single instruction can be used. In some respects, the instruction can explicitly instruct UE 120 to either cease SRS transmissions to the source cell or release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell. In this case, an explicit instruction to perform one operation can also function as an implicit instruction to perform another operation. For example, an explicit instruction to cease SRS transmissions to the source cell can function as an implicit instruction for UE 120 to release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell (e.g., causing UE 120 to voluntarily release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell).

[0105] As shown by reference numeral 415 in the attached figure, UE 120 can receive an indication that UE 120 will stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, and can stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell at least in part based on the indication.

[0106] In some aspects, at least in part, based on an indication that UE 120 will cease SRS transmission to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, UE 120 can transition from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode. For example, after ceasing SRS transmission to the source cell or releasing PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, UE 120 can transition from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode. In some aspects, transitioning from a limited-capability mode to a full-capability mode may include, for example, moving all antennas from the source cell to the target cell, updating multiple monitored cells, updating monitored bandwidth, or modifying one or more other configurations of UE 120. In some aspects, when UE 120 transitions to a full-capability mode, an indicator (e.g., an indicator indicating that UE 120 has transitioned to a full-capability mode) may be provided to the target cell (e.g., via MAC control elements, RRC messages). In some aspects, based at least in part on this information, the target cell may begin scheduling UE 120 with full capability.

[0107] In some respects, at least in part, based on an indication that UE 120 will stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell (e.g., since the source cell has determined that it has ended downlink communication transmissions to UE 120), UE 120 may stop monitoring and receiving downlink transmissions from the source cell.

[0108] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating, for example, an example procedure 500 performed by a UE. Example procedure 500 illustrates a scenario where a UE, such as UE 120, performs operations associated with uplink transitions for enhanced mobility.

[0109] like Figure 5 As shown, in some aspects, process 500 may include detecting a trigger for a handover from a source cell to a target cell to transmit PUSCH communication (block 510). For example, as described above, the UE (e.g., by using a receive processor 258, a transmit processor 264, a controller / processor 280, and a memory 282) may detect a trigger for a handover from a source cell to a target cell to transmit PUSCH communication. In some aspects, the trigger detection is associated with a handover from the source cell to the target cell. In some aspects, the UE connects to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover.

[0110] like Figure 5 As shown, in some aspects, process 500 may include switching from a source cell to a target cell to transmit PUSCH communication, at least in part based on the detection of a trigger (block 520). For example, as described above, the UE (e.g., by using a receive processor 258, a transmit processor 264, a controller / processor 280, and a memory 282) may switch from a source cell to a target cell to transmit PUSCH communication, at least in part based on the detection of a trigger.

[0111] Process 500 may include additional aspects, such as any single aspect or any combination of aspects of one or more other processes described below or elsewhere herein.

[0112] In the first aspect, the trigger is associated with the RRC reconfiguration completion message provided to the target cell.

[0113] In the second aspect, either alone or in combination with the first aspect, the transition from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on the receipt of an ACK for an RRC reconfiguration completion message.

[0114] In the third aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on the receiving of a PDCCH addressed to a C-RNTI associated with the UE.

[0115] In the fourth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to third aspects, a UE associated with a transmission scheduled for PUSCH communication is triggered.

[0116] In the fifth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fourth aspects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on receiving a DCI that includes a PUSCH license associated with PUSCH communication.

[0117] In the sixth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fifth aspects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell occurs at the moment of the first configuration authorization timing associated with PUSCH communication.

[0118] In the seventh aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to sixth aspects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell occurs at the moment of PUSCH authorization associated with PUSCH communication.

[0119] In the eighth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to seventh aspects, the configuration associated with the UE is triggered.

[0120] In the ninth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to eighth aspects, the transition from the source cell to the target cell is based at least in part on an assessment of channel conditions.

[0121] In the tenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to ninth aspects, the switch from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications essentially occurs at the same moment that the UE switches from the source cell to the target cell to receive downlink communications.

[0122] In the eleventh aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to tenth aspects, the UE may send PUSCH communications, PUCCH communications, and SRS transmissions to the source cell until the handover from the source cell to the target cell.

[0123] In the twelfth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to eleventh aspects, the UE will continue to send PUCCH communications and SRS transmissions to the source cell for a period of time after the UE has switched from the source cell to the target cell.

[0124] In the thirteenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to twelfth aspects, information is provided to the source cell indicating that the UE has terminated uplink communication to the source cell.

[0125] In the fourteenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first to thirteenth aspects, information indicating that the UE has ended the transmission of uplink communication to the source cell is provided by the UE via at least one of the following: RRC signaling, MAC control element or PUCCH format.

[0126] In the fifteenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fourteenth aspects, information indicating that the UE has ended the transmission of uplink communication to the source cell is provided by the target cell.

[0127] In the sixteenth aspect, uplink data packets are forwarded from the source cell to the target cell, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fifteenth aspects, based at least in part on information indicating that the UE has terminated the transmission of uplink communication to the source cell.

[0128] In the seventeenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to sixteenth aspects, at least in part based on the transition from the source cell to the target cell to send PUSCH communications, the UE may switch from a limited capability mode to a full capability mode.

[0129] In the eighteenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to seventeenth aspects, information indicating that the UE has switched to full-capability mode is provided to the target cell.

[0130] In the nineteenth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to eighteenth aspects, the UE switches from a source cell to a target cell to send PUSCH communications carrying data to be processed for transmission after the switch from the source cell to the target cell.

[0131] In the twentieth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first to nineteenth aspects, the transmission of an RRC reconfiguration completion message performed with the UE is triggered.

[0132] although Figure 5 An example block of process 500 is shown, but in some respects, process 500 may include... Figure 5 Compared to those blocks shown, there are additional blocks, fewer blocks, different blocks, or blocks with different arrangements. Alternatively, two or more blocks of process 500 can be executed in parallel.

[0133] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating, for example, an example process 600 performed by a BS. Example process 600 illustrates a situation where a base station, such as base station 110, performs operations associated with uplink switching for enhanced mobility.

[0134] like Figure 6 As shown, in some aspects, process 600 may include determining that the source cell has ended downlink communication transmission to the UE (block 610). For example, as described above, the base station (e.g., by using transmit processor 220, receive processor 238, controller / processor 240, memory 242) may determine that the source cell has ended downlink communication transmission to a UE such as UE 120. In some aspects, downlink communication transmission to the UE ends in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell. In some aspects, the UE connects to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover.

[0135] like Figure 6 As shown, in some aspects, process 600 may include providing an indication that the UE will stop SRS transmission to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, based at least in part on determining that the source cell has ended downlink communication transmission to the UE (block 620). For example, as described above, the base station (e.g., by using transmit processor 220, receive processor 238, controller / processor 240, memory 242) may provide the indication that the UE will stop SRS transmission to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, based at least in part on determining that the source cell has ended downlink communication transmission to the UE.

[0136] Process 600 may include additional aspects, such as any single aspect or any combination of aspects of one or more other processes described below or elsewhere herein.

[0137] In the first aspect, the instruction is provided via at least one of the following: MAC control element, PDCCH, or RRC signaling.

[0138] In a second aspect, either alone or in combination with the first aspect, the indication includes information indicating that the source cell has terminated downlink communication transmission to the UE.

[0139] In the third aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the indication is an explicit indication to stop SRS transmission to the source cell or to release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0140] In the fourth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to third aspects, the UE will switch from limited capability mode to full capability mode based at least in part on an indication that the UE will stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0141] In the fifth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fourth aspects, an indicator is provided to the target cell when the UE switches to full-capability mode.

[0142] In the sixth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fifth aspects, based at least in part on an indication that the UE will stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release the PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, the UE will stop monitoring and receiving downlink transmissions from the source cell.

[0143] although Figure 6 An example block of process 600 is shown, but in some respects, process 600 may include... Figure 6 Compared to those blocks shown, there are additional blocks, fewer blocks, different blocks, or blocks with different arrangements. Alternatively, two or more blocks of process 600 can be executed in parallel.

[0144] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating, for example, an example procedure 700 performed by a UE. Example procedure 700 illustrates a scenario where a UE, such as UE 120, performs operations associated with uplink transitions for enhanced mobility.

[0145] like Figure 7As shown, in some aspects, process 700 may include receiving an indication that the UE will stop SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell (block 710). For example, as described above, the UE (e.g., by using the receive processor 258, controller / processor 280, memory 282) may receive an indication that the UE will stop SRS transmissions to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell. In some aspects, this indication is received after the source cell has terminated downlink transmissions to the UE in association with a handover from the source cell to the target cell. In some aspects, the UE connects to both the source cell and the target cell during the handover.

[0146] like Figure 7 As shown, in some aspects, process 700 may include, at least in part, stopping SRS transmission to the source cell or releasing PUCCH resources associated with the source cell based on the instruction (block 720). For example, as described above, the UE (e.g., by using the receive processor 258, transmit processor 264, controller / processor 280, memory 282) may, at least in part, stop SRS transmission to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell based on the instruction.

[0147] Process 700 may include additional aspects, such as any single aspect or any combination of aspects of one or more other processes described below or elsewhere herein.

[0148] In the first aspect, the instruction is received via at least one of the following: MAC control element, PDCCH, or RRC signaling.

[0149] In a second aspect, either alone or in combination with the first aspect, the indication includes information indicating that the source cell has ended downlink transmission to the UE.

[0150] In the third aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the indication is an explicit indication to stop SRS transmission to the source cell or to release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell.

[0151] In the fourth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to third aspects, based at least in part on an indication that the UE will stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, the UE may switch from a limited capability mode to a full capability mode.

[0152] In the fifth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fourth aspects, an indicator is provided to the target cell when the UE switches to full-capability mode.

[0153] In the sixth aspect, either alone or in combination with one or more of the first to fifth aspects, based at least in part on an indication that the UE will stop transmitting SRS to the source cell or release PUCCH resources associated with the source cell, the UE may stop monitoring and receiving downlink transmissions from the source cell.

[0154] although Figure 7 An example block of process 700 is shown, but in some respects, process 700 may include... Figure 7 Compared to those blocks shown, there are additional blocks, fewer blocks, different blocks, or blocks with different arrangements. Alternatively, two or more blocks of process 700 can be executed in parallel.

[0155] The foregoing disclosure provides illustrations and descriptions, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the aspects to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations can be made based on the foregoing disclosure, or from practice in these areas.

[0156] As used herein, the term "component" is intended to be interpreted broadly as hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. As used herein, a processor is implemented in hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. As used herein, the phrase "based on" is intended to be interpreted broadly as "at least partially based on".

[0157] This article describes several aspects in conjunction with thresholds. As used in this article, a value that satisfies a threshold can refer to a value that is greater than the threshold, greater than or equal to the threshold, less than the threshold, less than or equal to the threshold, equal to the threshold, or not equal to the threshold.

[0158] As used in this article, the phrase “at least one” in the list of items refers to any combination of those items, including a single member. For example, “at least one of a, b, or c” is intended to cover: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, and abc.

[0159] The various illustrative logics, logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithmic processes described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. The interchangeability of hardware and software has been generally described in terms of functionality and illustrated in the aforementioned illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and processes. Whether this functionality is implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0160] Hardware and data processing apparatuses for implementing the various illustrative logics, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed by general-purpose single-chip or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some aspects, specific processes and methods may be performed by circuits specific to a given function.

[0161] In one or more aspects, the described functionality can be implemented in hardware, digital electronic circuits, computer software, firmware (including the structures disclosed in this specification and their equivalents), or any combination thereof. Aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can also be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a computer storage medium, for execution by a data processing apparatus or for controlling the operation of a data processing apparatus.

[0162] If implemented in software, these functions can be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on or through a computer-readable medium. The processes of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein can be implemented in a processor-executable software module that may reside on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include both computer storage media and communication media, with communication media including any medium capable of transferring a computer program from one place to another. Storage media can be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer. Furthermore, any connection can be properly referred to as a computer-readable medium. As used herein, disks and optical discs include compact optical discs (CDs), laser optical discs, optical discs, digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, where disks typically magnetically reproduce data, while optical discs optically reproduce data using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Furthermore, the operations of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of code and instructions on a machine-readable and computer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computer program product.

[0163] Various modifications to the aspects described in this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are accorded the widest scope consistent with the content, principles, and novel features disclosed herein.

[0164] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the terms “upper” and “lower” are sometimes used to facilitate the description of the figures and to indicate the relative position of the figures on the page corresponding to the correct orientation, and may not reflect the correct orientation of any implemented device.

[0165] Some features described in the context of a single aspect in this specification may also be implemented in combination within a single aspect. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single aspect may also be implemented individually in multiple aspects or in any suitable sub-combination. Furthermore, although features may be described above as functioning in certain combinations, and even initially claimed in this way, in some cases, one or more features from the claimed combination may be removed from that combination, and the claimed combination may refer to a sub-combination or a variation of a sub-combination.

[0166] Similarly, although operations are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order or sequence shown, or requiring all shown operations to be performed to achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the drawings may schematically depict one or more example processes in the form of flowcharts. However, other operations not shown may be combined with the schematically shown example processes. For example, one or more additional operations may be performed before, after, simultaneously with, or between any shown operations. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of the various system components in the foregoing aspects should not be construed as requiring such separation in all aspects, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. Furthermore, other aspects are also within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims may be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired result.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication performed by a first network entity, comprising: Provides a trigger for switching from a second network entity to a first network entity to send Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) communication. The trigger is provided in association with the switch from the second network entity to the first network entity, and Wherein, when the user equipment (UE) connects to both the second and first network entities during handover, the triggering is associated with a received Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration complete message; and Receiving the PUSCH communication is based at least in part on providing the trigger. Specifically, the UE releases the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources associated with the second network entity or the UE stops transmitting Probe Reference Signals (SRS) to the second network entity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The transition from the second network entity to the first network entity is associated with sending a response indicating receipt of the RRC reconfiguration complete message.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The response serves as the trigger.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, During the four-step random access process, the RRC reconfiguration completion message is Msg3.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The transmission of the RRC reconfiguration completion message serves as the trigger.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The transition from the second network entity to the first network entity is associated with sending a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) addressing the Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) associated with the UE.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The PUSCH communication carries new data.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Provides information indicating that the UE has terminated uplink communication to the second network entity.

9. A method for wireless communication performed by a first network entity, comprising: Determine the termination of downlink transmission to the user equipment (UE) in association with the handover from the first network entity to the second network entity, wherein the UE was connected to both the first network entity and the second network entity during the handover. as well as Based on determining to terminate downlink transmission to the UE, an indication is provided for at least one of releasing the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource associated with the first network entity or ceasing the transmission of Sounding Reference Signals (SRS) to the first network entity. Based on the instruction, PUCCH resources are released or SRS transmission is stopped.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The indication is provided via the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The instructions are provided via the Media Access Control (MAC) control element.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The instruction is provided via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Determining to terminate downlink transmission to the UE includes: It was determined that the first network entity did not have any data for the UE.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Determining to terminate downlink transmission to the UE includes: One or more channel conditions were detected that caused the first network entity to stop sending downlink transmissions to the UE.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Based at least in part on the instruction, the UE is switched to full-capability mode.

16. A first network entity for wireless communication, comprising: Memory; and One or more processors coupled to the memory are configured to cause the first network entity to: Provides a trigger for switching from a second network entity to a first network entity to send Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) communication. The trigger is provided in association with the switch from the second network entity to the first network entity, and Wherein, when the user equipment (UE) connects to both the second and first network entities during handover, the triggering is associated with a received Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration complete message; and Receiving the PUSCH communication is based at least in part on providing the trigger. Specifically, the UE releases the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources associated with the second network entity or the UE stops transmitting Probe Reference Signals (SRS) to the second network entity.

17. The first network entity according to claim 16, wherein, The transition from the second network entity to the first network entity is associated with sending a response indicating receipt of the RRC reconfiguration complete message.

18. The first network entity according to claim 17, wherein, The response serves as the trigger.

19. The first network entity according to claim 16, wherein, During the four-step random access process, the RRC reconfiguration completion message is Msg3.

20. The first network entity according to claim 17, wherein, The transmission of the RRC reconfiguration completion message serves as the trigger.

21. The first network entity according to claim 16, wherein, The transition from the second network entity to the first network entity is associated with sending a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) addressing the Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) associated with the UE.

22. The first network entity according to claim 16, wherein, The PUSCH communication carries new data.

23. The first network entity according to claim 16, wherein, The one or more processors are further configured to cause the first network entity to: Provides information indicating that the UE has terminated uplink communication to the second network entity.

24. A first network entity for wireless communication, comprising: Memory; and One or more processors coupled to the memory are configured to cause the first network entity to: Determine the termination of downlink transmission to the user equipment (UE) in association with the handover from the first network entity to the second network entity, wherein the UE was connected to both the first network entity and the second network entity during the handover. as well as Based on determining to terminate downlink transmission to the UE, an indication is provided for at least one of releasing the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource associated with the first network entity or ceasing the transmission of Sounding Reference Signals (SRS) to the first network entity. Based on the instruction, PUCCH resources are released or SRS transmission is stopped.

25. The first network entity according to claim 24, wherein, The indication is provided via the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

26. The first network entity according to claim 25, wherein, The instructions are provided via the Media Access Control (MAC) control element.

27. The first network entity according to claim 24, wherein, The instruction is provided via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

28. The first network entity according to claim 24, wherein, The one or more processors used to determine the termination of downlink transmission to the UE are configured to cause the first network entity to: It was determined that the first network entity did not have any data for the UE.

29. The first network entity according to claim 24, wherein, The one or more processors used to determine the termination of downlink transmission to the UE are configured to cause the first network entity to: The detection causes the first network entity to stop sending one or more channel conditions for downlink transmission to the UE.

30. A first network entity for wireless communication, comprising components for performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-15.

31. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-15.

32. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-15.

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