Method and apparatus for physical downlink control channel monitoring in co-located scenarios

Abstract

This invention discloses a method in which a network base station provides a user equipment (UE) with information related to the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of multiple component carriers (CCs) in a monitoring carrier aggregation (CA) scheme. The base station configures a first CC and a second CC for the CA combination for the UE, and provides the UE with information regarding the CA combination, including an indication of whether the first CC and the second CC are co-located.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] A User Equipment (UE) can establish connections with at least one of multiple different networks or different types of networks. To establish and / or maintain network connections, the UE can monitor the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) to receive downlink control information from the network. In some cases, the UE may be operating with the network in a Carrier Aggregation (CA) configuration. In CA, the UE can exchange information with the network using multiple component carriers (CCs). During CA operation, the UE can monitor the PDCCH on multiple CCs. Summary of the Invention

[0002] Some exemplary implementations relate to methods performed by base stations in a network. These methods include configuring a first component carrier (CC) and a second CC in a carrier aggregation (CA) combination for a user equipment (UE), and providing the UE with information regarding the CA combination, wherein the information includes an indication of whether the first CC and the second CC are co-located.

[0003] Other exemplary embodiments relate to a base station having one or more processors and a transceiver communicatively connected to the one or more processors. The processors are configured to: configure a first component carrier (CC) and a second CC for a user equipment (UE) carrier aggregation (CA) combination, and provide the UE with information regarding the CA combination, wherein the information includes an indication of whether the first CC and the second CC are co-located.

[0004] Another exemplary embodiment relates to a baseband processor configured to perform operations. These operations include configuring a first component carrier (CC) and a second CC for a carrier aggregation (CA) combination to a user equipment (UE), and providing the UE with information regarding the CA combination, wherein the information includes an indication of whether the first CC and the second CC are co-located. Attached Figure Description

[0005] Figure 1 Exemplary network arrangements according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0006] Figure 2 Exemplary user equipment (UE) according to various exemplary embodiments are shown.

[0007] Figure 3 Exemplary network cells according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0008] Figure 4A and Figure 4B An exemplary timing diagram of two component carriers (CCs) carrying Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) symbols is shown.

[0009] Figure 5Three exemplary span patterns relative to a time slot are shown.

[0010] Figure 6 The timing diagram shows two corresponding PDCCH symbol pairs on each of the two CCs.

[0011] Figure 7 A frequency band diagram including two exemplary frequency bands is shown.

[0012] Figure 8A and Figure 8B A CA PDCCH timing diagram is shown as an example illustrating the MRTD difference between CCs.

[0013] Figure 9 An exemplary method for a UE to select a PDCCH monitoring type for a URLLC, according to various exemplary implementations, is shown.

[0014] Figure 10 A second exemplary method for a UE to select a PDCCH monitoring type for a URLLC, according to various exemplary implementations, is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The exemplary embodiments can be further understood with reference to the following description and related figures, wherein similar elements have the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments relate to user equipment (UE) monitoring PDCCH symbols in a carrier aggregation (CA) scenario.

[0016] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to the UE. However, reference to the UE is provided for illustrative purposes only. The exemplary embodiments can be used with any electronic component capable of establishing a connection to a network and configured with hardware, software, and / or firmware for exchanging information and data with the network. Therefore, the UE described herein is used to represent any electronic component.

[0017] Furthermore, exemplary embodiments are described with reference to 5G New Radio (NR) cellular networks. However, the reference to 5G NR networks is provided for illustrative purposes only. Exemplary embodiments can be used with any network that implements the functionality described herein with respect to the UE capability report. Therefore, a 5G NR network as described herein can refer to any network that includes the functionality described herein with respect to 5G NR networks.

[0018] An exemplary implementation is also described with reference to Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC). It is envisioned that URLLC will support latency-sensitive use cases such as autonomous driving, robotic surgery, and factory automation. However, while an exemplary implementation is described with reference to URLLC, it should be understood that the principles described herein for monitoring the PDCCH can be applied to any type of communication.

[0019] Exemplary implementations are also described with reference to PDCCH monitoring in carrier aggregation (CA) scenarios. Those skilled in the art will understand that CA involves a UE configured with multiple component carriers (CCs). Each CC may represent a channel conducive to communication between the UE and the network in a specific frequency band. Multiple CCs may correspond to the same frequency band, or each CC may correspond to different frequency bands or combinations of frequency bands. Furthermore, each CC has a specific bandwidth, and the more CCs the UE is configured with, the more bandwidth is available for communication with the network. Example CA scenarios, such as intra-band continuous CA, intra-band discontinuous CA, and inter-band CA, are described in more detail below. However, it should be understood that CA is merely one example of a UE receiving information on multiple frequency bands. Exemplary implementations can also be applied to other scenarios where the UE receives information on multiple frequency bands, such as NR dual connectivity (DC).

[0020] Furthermore, the exemplary implementation is described with reference to two CCs. It should be understood that a CA may include more than two CCs. Those skilled in the art will understand how the principles described herein with reference to two CCs can be extended to handle the monitoring of PDCCH symbols in more than two CCs.

[0021] Exemplary implementations relate to a UE selecting the type of PDCCH monitoring. In a first aspect, the exemplary implementation includes the UE selecting the type of PDCCH monitoring based on the span pattern of the PDCCH. In a second aspect, the exemplary implementation includes the UE selecting the type of PDCCH monitoring based on co-location information of component carriers (CCs) combined with CAs.

[0022] Figure 1 A network arrangement 100 according to various exemplary embodiments is illustrated. Network arrangement 100 includes a UE 110. Those skilled in the art will understand that the UE 110 can be any type of electronic component configured to communicate via a network, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, smartphone, phablet, embedded device, wearable device, Cat-M device, Cat-M1 device, MTC device, eMTC device, other types of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc. A practical network arrangement may include any number of UEs used by any number of users. Therefore, the example of a single UE 110 is provided merely for illustrative purposes.

[0023] UE 110 can communicate with one or more networks. In the example of network configuration 100, the networks with which UE 110 can wirelessly communicate are 5G New Radio (NR) Radio Access Network (5G NR-RAN) 120, LTE Radio Access Network (LTE-RAN) 122, and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) 124. However, UE 110 can also communicate with other types of networks, and UE 110 can also communicate with networks via wired connections. Therefore, UE 110 may include a 5G NR chipset communicating with 5G NR-RAN 120, an LTE chipset communicating with LTE-RAN 122, and an ISM chipset communicating with WLAN 124.

[0024] 5G NR-RAN 120 and LTE-RAN 122 can be parts of cellular networks that can be deployed by cellular providers (e.g., Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc.). These networks 120, 122 can include, for example, base stations (NodeB, eNodeB, HeNB, eNBS, gNB, gNodeB, macrocell base stations, microcell base stations, small cell base stations, femtocell base stations, etc.) configured to send and receive traffic from UEs equipped with appropriate cellular chipsets. WLAN 124 can include any type of wireless local area network (WiFi, hotspot, IEEE 802.11x network, etc.). Further details of 5G NR-RAN 120 are provided below.

[0025] Base stations (e.g., gNB 120A, gNB 120B, eNB 122A) may include one or more communication interfaces to exchange data and / or information with pre-occupied UEs, the corresponding RAN, cellular core network 130, Internet 140, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that any association procedure can be performed for UE 110 to connect to the 5G NR-RAN 120. For example, as described above, the 5G NR-RAN 120 can be associated with a specific cellular service provider, whereby UE 110 and / or its user have protocol and credential information (e.g., stored on a SIM card). Upon detecting the presence of the 5G NR-RAN 120, UE 110 may transmit the corresponding credential information to associate with the 5G NR-RAN 120. More specifically, UE 110 may be associated with a specific cell (e.g., gNB 120A of the 5G NR-RAN 120). As described above, the use of the 5G NR-RAN 120 is for illustrative purposes, and any type of network can be used.

[0026] The use of standalone 5G NR-RAN 120 and LTE-RAN 122 is provided for illustrative purposes only. Actual network deployments may include RANs comprising architectures capable of providing both 5G NR RAT and LTE RAT services. For example, a Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) (not shown) may include a Next Generation Node B (gNB) providing 5G NR services and a Next Generation Evolved Node B (ng-eNB) providing LTE services. The NG-RAN may be connected to at least one of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) or a 5G Core (5GC).

[0027] In addition to networks 120, 122, and 124, network deployment 100 also includes a cellular core network 130, an Internet 140, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) 150, and a network services backbone 160. The cellular core network 130 can be viewed as an interconnected set of components that manage the operation and traffic of the cellular network. The cellular core network 130 also manages the traffic flowing between the cellular network and the Internet 140. The IMS 150 can generally be described as an architecture for delivering multimedia services to the UE 110 using IP protocols. The IMS 150 can communicate with the cellular core network 130 and the Internet 140 to provide multimedia services to the UE 110. The network services backbone 160 communicates directly or indirectly with the Internet 140 and the cellular core network 130. The network services backbone 160 can generally be described as a set of components (e.g., servers, network storage deployments, etc.) that implement a set of services that can be used to extend the functionality of the UE 110 to communicate with various networks.

[0028] Figure 2 An exemplary user equipment (UE) 110 according to various exemplary embodiments is shown. Reference will be made to... Figure 1 The network layout 100 is used to describe UE 110. UE 110 can represent any electronic device and may include processor 205, memory layout 210, display device 215, input / output (I / O) device 220, transceiver 225, and other components 230. Other components 230 may include, for example, a SIM card, audio input device, audio output device, battery providing a limited power source, data acquisition device, ports for electrically connecting UE 110 to other electronic devices, etc.

[0029] Processor 205 can be configured to execute multiple engines of UE 110. For example, an engine may include PDCCH monitoring engine 235. PDCCH monitoring engine 235 can perform various operations related to monitoring PDCCH, including selecting the type of PDCCH monitoring to be performed by UE 110. As will be described in more detail below, UE 110 can select the type of PDCCH monitoring based on one or more different types of information, including the span mode of the received PDCCH and the co-address information of the CC.

[0030] The engine described above, as an application (e.g., a program) executed by processor 205, is merely exemplary. The functionality associated with the engine may also be represented as a separate, integrated component of UE 110, or as a modular component coupled to UE 110, such as an integrated circuit with or without firmware. For example, the integrated circuit may include input circuitry for receiving signals and processing circuitry for processing signals and other information. The engine may also be embodied as a single application or multiple separate applications. Furthermore, in some UEs, the functionality described for processor 205 is distributed among two or more processors, such as a baseband processor and an application processor. Exemplary implementations can be implemented according to any of these or other configurations of the UE.

[0031] Memory arrangement 210 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by UE 110. Display device 215 may be a hardware component configured to display data to a user, while I / O device 220 may be a hardware component enabling user input. Display device 215 and I / O device 1120 may be separate components or may be integrated together (such as a touchscreen). Transceiver 225 may be a hardware component configured to establish connections with 5G NR-RAN 120, LTE-RAN 122, WLAN 124, etc. Therefore, transceiver 225 may operate on multiple different frequencies or channels (e.g., a continuous set of frequencies).

[0032] Figure 3 An exemplary network cell according to various exemplary embodiments is shown. In this example, the network cell can be considered as... Figure 1 gNB 120A. Figure 3 The network cell shown can also represent any other gNB of gNB 120B or 5G NR-RAN 120. gNB 120A can represent any access node belonging to the 5G NR network that UE 110 can use to establish connections and manage network operations.

[0033] The gNB 120A may include a processor 305, a memory arrangement 310, input / output (I / O) devices 320, a transceiver 325, and other components 330. Other components 330 may include, for example, audio input devices, audio output devices, a battery, data acquisition devices, and ports for electrically connecting the gNB 120A to other electronic devices.

[0034] Processor 305 can be configured to execute multiple engines of gNB 120A. For example, these engines may include CA co-location configuration engine 335 for providing UE 110 with configuration information for monitoring PDCCH in CA scenarios.

[0035] The engines described above, each acting as an application (e.g., a program) executed by processor 305, are merely exemplary. The functions associated with the engines may also be represented as independent integrated components of the gNB 120A, or as modular components coupled to the gNB 120A, such as integrated circuits with or without firmware. For example, the integrated circuit may include input circuitry for receiving signals and processing circuitry for processing signals and other information. Furthermore, in some gNBs, the functions described for processor 305 are split among multiple processors (e.g., baseband processor, application processor, etc.). Exemplary implementations may be implemented according to any of these or other configurations of the gNB.

[0036] Memory 310 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by UEs 110 and 112. I / O device 320 may be a hardware component or port enabling a user to interact with gNB 120A. Transceiver 325 may be a hardware component configured to exchange data with UEs 110, 112, and any other UE in system 100, for example, when gNB 120A is used as a PCell or SCell for either or both of UEs 110 and 112. Transceiver 325 may operate on a variety of different frequencies or channels (e.g., a set of consecutive frequencies). Therefore, transceiver 325 may include one or more components (e.g., radio components) to enable data exchange with various networks and UEs.

[0037] Figure 4A and Figure 4B Exemplary timing diagrams 400 and 450 are shown for two component carriers (CCs) carrying PDCCH symbols. Figure 4AExemplary slots 410 and 420 for URLLC, corresponding to two CCs 405 and 415, are shown, with the corresponding PDCCH symbols aligned. Slots 410 and 420 are illustrated as having 7 pairs of symbols labeled AG, resulting in a total of 14 symbols in each of slots 410 and 420. In this example, slots 410 and 420 have a span pattern of {2,2}. This span pattern will be described in more detail below. This is considered an aligned case because the corresponding PDCCH symbols of each CC 405 and 410 (e.g., symbol A of CC1 405 and symbol A of CC2 415) arrive at UE 110 simultaneously.

[0038] Figure 4B Exemplary slots 460 and 470 for URLLC, corresponding to two CCs 455 and 465, are shown, where the PDCCH is not aligned. In this example, slots 460 and 470 also have a span pattern of {2,2}. This is considered an misaligned case because the corresponding PDCCH symbols for each CC 455 and 465 (e.g., symbol B of CC1 455 and symbol B of CC2 465) do not arrive at UE 110 simultaneously. As will be described in more detail below, the type of PDCCH monitoring can be selected at least based on whether the PDCCH is aligned or not.

[0039] A span pattern can be defined by a pair of multiple symbols {X,Y}. X can represent the minimum number of consecutive symbols between the first symbols of two PDCCH monitoring moments in two corresponding consecutive span patterns. Y can represent the number of consecutive symbols of a PDCCH monitoring moment within X symbols starting from the first symbol of X symbols. Figure 5 Three different span patterns relative to a time slot are shown. These three span patterns {2,2}, {4,3}, and {7,3} can be defined in the specifications of various networks (e.g., 3GPP standards).

[0040] UE 110 can be configured to find downlink control information associated with UE 110 within a subframe by monitoring and blindly decoding a specific set of control channel elements (CCEs) including PDCCH candidates (e.g., CCEs to which the PDCCH is mapped). For example, in the aligned case, UE 110 processing resources / power, including the number of blind decodings and channel estimations (non-overlapping CCEs), can be shared among different CCs. In the misaligned case, the worst span in each CC is used to count the number of blind decodings and the number of non-overlapping CCEs. Examples of the number of blind decodings for the aligned and misaligned cases are provided below. Throughout this specification, the term PDCCH monitoring should be considered to include all associated operations for receiving, blind decoding, and channel estimation of PDCCH candidates.

[0041] Figure 6 Timing diagram 600 shows two corresponding PDCCH symbol pairs 601a-601d on each of the two CCs 610 and 620. Symbols 601a-601d can represent Figures 4A to 4B One of the symbol pairs shown (e.g., Figures 4A to 4B The symbols in the diagram are (B). As will be described in more detail below, symbols 601a-601d can be considered aligned or unaligned. Figure 6 In the diagram, the symbols are shown to be aligned, but this is only for illustrative purposes.

[0042] The following will refer to Figure 6 Various types of PDCCH monitoring are described. Therefore, throughout this specification, when describing the type of PDCCH monitoring selected by UE 110, examples of the types of PDCCH monitoring available to UE 110 are provided below. Exemplary types of PDCCH monitoring are described with reference to UE processing resource / power constraints. For example, constraints could be the number of blind decodings performed per PDCCH symbol pair, the number of channel estimates for non-overlapping CCEs, etc.

[0043] In the first example, symbols 601a-601d can be considered aligned (e.g., symbols 601a and 601c are time-aligned, and symbols 601b and 601d are time-aligned). In the first example, PDCCH monitoring constraints (e.g., the number of blind decodes per symbol pair, the number of channel estimates for non-overlapping CCEs, etc.) can be determined as follows:

[0044] 601a+601b+601c+601d<=threshold_1

[0045] Therefore, in this example, the maximum number of blind decodes can be shared across all symbols 601a-601d of the symbol pair. This PDCCH monitoring type can be referred to as the Rel.15 aligned monitoring type. Rel.15 refers to version 15 of the 3GPP standard.

[0046] In the second example, symbols 601a-601d can be considered aligned as in the first example. However, in the second example, the PDCCH monitoring limit can be determined as follows:

[0047] 601a + 601c <= threshold_2

[0048] 601b + 601d <= threshold_2

[0049] Therefore, in this example, the maximum number of blind decodes can be shared for corresponding symbols of this symbol pair. This PDCCH monitoring type can be referred to as the Rel.16 aligned monitoring type.

[0050] In the third example, symbols 601a-601d can be considered misaligned. In the third example, the PDCCH monitoring limit can be determined as follows:

[0051] max(601a,601b)+max(601c,601d)<=threshold_3

[0052] Therefore, in this example, the maximum number of blind decodes can be based on the maximum number of blind decodes per CC for PDCCH symbols. This PDCCH monitoring type can be referred to as the Rel.16 unaligned monitoring type.

[0053] It should be noted that in the examples above, the values ​​of the thresholds (e.g., threshold_1, threshold_2, threshold_3) can be the same or different. Furthermore, the values ​​of the thresholds can be changed based on any number of factors, including the capabilities of individual UEs and the span mode configuration of the PDCCH.

[0054] Figure 7 A band diagram 700 is shown, comprising two exemplary frequency bands 710 and 720. In the band diagram 700, frequency band 710 can be considered to correspond to frequency range 1 (FR1) and frequency band 720 to FR2 of 5G NR-RAN 120. However, this is merely exemplary, and frequency bands 710 and 720 may correspond to any frequency band. In the band diagram 700, each frequency band comprises ten (10) sub-bands. Again, this is merely exemplary, as those skilled in the art will understand that FR1 and FR2 comprise many more than 10 sub-bands.

[0055] The purpose of band diagram 700 is to describe the various CA scenarios in which UE 110 can operate. For the purposes of this description, three carriers 730-750 operating within bands 710 and 720 can be considered. Each carrier is operating two (2) sub-band CA combinations. Therefore, each carrier is using CC1 and CC2, such as Figures 4A to 4B As shown in the image.

[0056] In the first example, carrier 730 serves CC1 733 and CC2 737 in band 710. This is an example of intra-band contiguous CA; for example, CC 733 and 737 are served in the same band 710, and their subbands are adjacent to each other. In the second example, carrier 740 serves CC1 743 and CC2 747 in band 710. This is an example of intra-band non-contiguous CA; for example, CC 743 and 747 are served in the same band 710, but their subbands are not adjacent to each other. In the third example, carrier 750 serves CC1 753 in band 710 and CC2 777 in band 720. This is an example of inter-band CA; for example, CC 753 and 757 are served in different bands 710 and 720.

[0057] Consider an aligned inter-band CA scenario. In this scenario, the maximum receive time difference (MRTD) within FR1 of 5G NR can reach up to 33 microseconds, and across the frequency range, the MRTD can reach up to 25 microseconds. This MRTD can cause PDCCH symbols that are thought to be aligned to actually arrive in a pattern similar to an unaligned case.

[0058] Figure 8A and Figure 8B The CA PDCCH timing diagrams 800 and 850 are shown, illustrating an example of the MRTD difference between CCs. Figure 8A and Figure 8B In this context, for inter-band CA, the subcarrier spacing can be considered to be 30 kHz. If the MRTD is 33 microseconds (which approximates the duration of one symbol), then for Figure 8A and Figure 8B Regarding the nominal alignment shown for CC1 and CC2, UE 110 actually receives PDCCH timings that are not aligned.

[0059] Figure 8A The nominally aligned PDCCH timings of CC1 810 and CC2 820a with span pattern {2,2} are shown. However, when UE 110 actually receives the PDCCH, CC2 820b shows the PDCCH timings. The PDCCHs of CC1 810 and CC2 820b appear to be misaligned rather than aligned.

[0060] Figure 8B The nominally aligned PDCCH timings of CC1 860 and CC2 870a with span pattern {4,3} are shown. However, when UE 110 actually receives the PDCCH, CC2 870b shows PDCCH timings. The PDCCHs of CC1 860 and CC2 870b appear to be misaligned rather than aligned.

[0061] Figure 9 An exemplary method 900 for UE 110 to select a PDCCH monitoring type for URLLC, according to various exemplary embodiments, is illustrated. In the exemplary method 900, UE 110 may select the PDCCH monitoring type based on the span pattern of the PDCCH and / or whether the PDCCH is aligned or unaligned. The exemplary method 900 can be used to solve problems such as those described in the references. Figure 8A and Figure 8B The problem described is that the CC received by UE 110 is not aligned as nominally aligned.

[0062] In step 905, UE 110 determines whether inter-band CA is currently in use. If not, the method terminates because step 900 applies to scenarios where inter-band CA is in use. If inter-band CA is in use, UE 110 determines the scenario for which the PDCCH monitoring type configured for UE 110 is applied. Configuring UE 110 with one of scenarios 1-3 can be configured by the network (e.g., via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling), by standards (e.g., 3GPP standards), or may depend on the specific implementation of UE 110.

[0063] In the first example, consider UE 110 configured with scenario 1 910. As shown in 915, all CCs with any span pattern across CCs (e.g., {7,3}, {4,3}, {2,2}) are considered unaligned. That is, even nominally aligned CCs are considered unaligned for inter-band CAs. As stated above, the reason for this assumption is that although CCs may be nominally aligned, UE 110 may consider the PDCCH unaligned because MRTDs may exist between received CCs.

[0064] Therefore, in 920, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 unaligned monitoring type as described above. For example, all CCs will be considered unaligned, and the worst span in each CC will be used to count the number of blind decodes and the number of non-overlapping CCEs.

[0065] In the second example, consider UE 110 configured with scenario 2 925. As shown in 930, CCs with span patterns {4,3} and {2,2} are considered unaligned. CCs with span pattern {7,3} can be tested to determine if the CCs are aligned and processed accordingly.

[0066] Therefore, if it is determined in 935 that the CC has a span pattern of {4,3} or {2,2}, then in 920, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 misalignment monitoring type as described above. If in 935 the span pattern is not {4,3} or {2,2} (e.g., the span pattern is {7,3}), then method 900 proceeds to 940, where UE 110 determines whether the CC is aligned. If the CC is misaligned, then in 920, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 misalignment monitoring type as described above. If the CC is aligned, then in 945, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 alignment monitoring type as described above.

[0067] In the third example, consider UE 110 configured with scenario 3 950. As shown in 955, a CC with a span pattern {2,2} is considered misaligned. Therefore, if it is determined in 960 that the CC has a span pattern {2,2}, then in 920, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 misalignment monitoring type as described above. If in 960 the span pattern is not {2,2} (e.g., the span pattern is {4,3} or {7,3}), the method proceeds to 940, where UE 110 determines whether the CC is aligned. If the CC is misaligned, then in 920, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 misalignment monitoring type as described above. If the CC is aligned, then in 945, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 alignment monitoring type as described above.

[0068] Figure 10 A second exemplary method 1000 for UE 110 to select a PDCCH monitoring type for URLLC according to various exemplary embodiments is illustrated. Method 1000 provides a co-location flag for CC co-location based on a gNB (e.g., gNB 120A or gNB 120B). Those skilled in the art will understand that co-location of CCs indicates that the cells serving the CCs are physically located in the same location (e.g., on the same cell tower). The co-location information can be used to understand whether there will be a difference in the reception time of the CCs. Since the two cells serving the CCs are in the same relative location, it is unlikely that there will be a reception time difference at UE 110, as the signals will propagate simultaneously from the same location through the same physical environment (e.g., atmospheric conditions, obstacles, etc.). Therefore, when CCs are co-located, the aforementioned MRTD difference is unlikely to occur, and aligned PDCCH symbols should arrive at UE 110 relatively aligned. UE 110 can use this knowledge to select the type of PDCCH monitoring, as described in more detail below.

[0069] In step 1010, UE 110 determines whether the CC combination has a co-location flag set. As described above, when configuring the CA combination for UE 110, gNB 120A or 120B may include flags in the configuration information to inform UE 110 whether the CCs are co-located. If the CCs are not co-located, the method continues to step 1030, where UE 110 considers the CCs to be unaligned, regardless of whether the CCs are nominally aligned. As described above, when the CCs are co-located, UE 110 may assume that aligned PDCCH symbols will arrive relatively aligned. However, when the CCs are not co-located, the PDCCH symbols in the CCs may experience the MRTD differences described above, and even nominally aligned PDCCH symbols may arrive unaligned. Therefore, in this case, in step 940, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 unaligned monitoring type as described above.

[0070] However, if CC co-addressing is determined in 1010, then in 1020, UE 110 can determine whether the PDCCH is aligned or unaligned. For the unaligned PDCCH case, in 1040, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.16 unaligned monitoring type as described above. For the aligned PDCCH case, in 1050, UE 110 will perform PDCCH monitoring based on the Rel.15 alignment monitoring constraint or the Rel.16 alignment monitoring constraint as described above.

[0071] In other exemplary embodiments, a CC may be classified into co-location groups across cell groups or within cell groups. As those skilled in the art will understand, cells may be divided into primary cell groups (MCGs) and secondary cell groups (SCGs) with respect to UE 110. Therefore, UE 110 can determine whether a CC is co-located based on the cell group to which it belongs. The specific manner in which a CC is classified into cell groups is beyond the scope of this disclosure, as those skilled in the art will understand that many ways may exist to classify a CC into a cell group. The purpose of the group is to signal co-location information to UE 110.

[0072] In some exemplary implementations, when a CC is assigned to a co-located group within a cell group, the UE 110 may report capability information to the gNB 120A or 120B. For example, the capability information may include whether the UE 110 supports Rel.15 alignment monitoring restrictions for MCG and / or SCG and whether the UE 110 supports Rel.16 alignment and / or misalignment monitoring restrictions for MCG and / or SCG.

[0073] The gNB 120A or 120B can then be configured with respect to the PDCCH monitoring type for each co-located group within the cell group, based on the capability information received from the UE 110. The configuration can be sent to the UE 110 via RRC signaling.

[0074] Those skilled in the art will understand that the exemplary embodiments described above can be implemented with any suitable software or hardware configuration or combination thereof. Exemplary hardware platforms for implementing the exemplary embodiments may include, for example, Intel x86-based platforms with compatible operating systems, Windows OS, Mac platforms and MAC OS, and mobile devices with operating systems such as iOS, Android, etc. Exemplary embodiments of the methods described above may be embodied as programs comprising lines of code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, at compile time, can be executed on a processor or microprocessor.

[0075] Although this patent application describes various combinations of various embodiments, each with different features, those skilled in the art will understand that any feature of an embodiment can be combined with features of other embodiments or features that are not functionally or logically inconsistent with the operation or function of the device of the disclosed embodiment of the invention in any manner not explicitly denied.

[0076] As is widely recognized, the use of personally identifiable information should comply with privacy policies and practices that are generally accepted to meet or exceed industry or governmental requirements for protecting user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly explained to users.

[0077] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to this disclosure without departing from its spirit or scope. Therefore, this disclosure is intended to cover all modifications and variations thereof, provided that such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising: At the network base station: The user equipment (UE) receives capability information for a first cell group, the capability information indicating support for a set of multiple physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring types, the set of multiple PDCCH monitoring types including version 15 aligned monitoring restrictions, version 16 aligned monitoring restrictions, and / or version 16 unaligned monitoring restrictions. Configure the UE with the first component carrier CC and the second CC of carrier aggregation (CA) combination in the first cell group; as well as The UE is provided with information for the CA combination, wherein the information includes an indication of the co-addressing of the first CC and the second CC, and one of the multiple PDCCH monitoring types that will be used by the UE for the CA combination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is a co-location flag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is based on the CA combination as a member of the primary cell group (MCG) or the secondary cell group (SCG).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication is based on the CA combination being a member of one of a plurality of co-located subgroups of the MCG or the SCG.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration is based on Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling from the base station to the UE.

6. A base station, comprising: One or more processors, said one or more processors being configured to: The user equipment (UE) receives capability information for a first cell group, the capability information indicating support for a set of multiple physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring types, the set of multiple PDCCH monitoring types including version 15 aligned monitoring restrictions, version 16 aligned monitoring restrictions, and / or version 16 unaligned monitoring restrictions. Configure the UE with the first component carrier CC and the second CC of carrier aggregation (CA) combination in the first cell group; as well as The UE is provided with information for the CA combination, wherein the information includes an indication of the co-addressing of the first CC and the second CC and one PDCCH monitoring type from the set of multiple PDCCH monitoring types that will be used by the UE for the CA combination; and A transceiver, which is communicatively connected to the one or more processors.

7. The base station according to claim 6, wherein the indication is a co-location flag.

8. The base station according to claim 6, wherein the indication is based on the CA combination as a member of the primary cell group (MCG) or the secondary cell group (SCG).

9. The base station of claim 8, wherein the indication is based on the CA combination being a member of one of a plurality of co-located subgroups of the MCG or the SCG.

10. The base station of claim 6, wherein the configuration is based on Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling from the base station to the UE.

11. A baseband processor configured to perform operations including: The user equipment (UE) receives capability information for a first cell group, the capability information indicating support for a set of multiple physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring types, the set of multiple PDCCH monitoring types including version 15 aligned monitoring restrictions, version 16 aligned monitoring restrictions, and / or version 16 unaligned monitoring restrictions. Configure the UE with a first component carrier CC and a second CC of carrier aggregation (CA) combination in the first cell group; and The UE is provided with information for the CA combination, wherein the information includes an indication of the co-addressing of the first CC and the second CC, and one of the multiple PDCCH monitoring types that will be used by the UE for the CA combination.

12. The baseband processor of claim 11, wherein the indication is a co-address flag.

13. The baseband processor of claim 11, wherein the indication is based on the CA combination as a member of the primary cell group (MCG) or the secondary cell group (SCG).

14. The baseband processor of claim 13, wherein the indication is based on the CA combination being a member of one of a plurality of co-located subgroups of the MCG or the SCG.

Images