Method and apparatus for access backhaul integration signaling and selection

Abstract

This application relates to devices and components, including apparatus, systems, and methods for integrated access backhaul donor indication in wireless networks. In some embodiments, a radio access network node can generate system information to transmit these indications to user equipment in a wireless cell.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of International Application No. PCT / CN2020 / 103561, filed on July 22, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to a wireless communication system, including an apparatus, system and method for integrated access backhaul signaling and reselection. Background Art

[0004] Integrated access and backhaul (IAB) is a network technology within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) that facilitates the relaying of access traffic by sharing radio resources between access and backhaul links. In an IAB deployment, an IAB donor is a radio access network (RAN) node that provides an interface between user equipment (UE) and the core network and provides wireless backhaul functionality to the IAB nodes. An IAB node is a RAN node that provides wireless access to the UE and wirelessly backhauls access traffic to another IAB node or the IAB donor. This improves last-mile connectivity when fiber backhaul to all access nodes is impractical. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] A better understanding of the present subject matter may be obtained when the following detailed description of various embodiments is considered in conjunction with the following drawings.

[0006] Figure 1 A network environment is shown according to some embodiments.

[0007] Figure 2 A call flow between network nodes according to some embodiments is shown.

[0008] Figure 3 Nodes of a network environment are shown according to some embodiments.

[0009] Figure 4 An operational flow / algorithm structure according to some embodiments is shown.

[0010] Figure 5 An operational flow / algorithm structure according to some embodiments is shown.

[0011] Figure 6 An operational flow / algorithm structure according to some embodiments is shown.

[0012] Figure 7 User equipment according to some embodiments is shown.

[0013] Figure 8 A radio access network node according to some embodiments is shown.

[0014] While the features described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. However, it should be understood that the drawings and detailed description thereof are not intended to limit this disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals may be used in different figures to identify the same or similar elements. In the following description, specific details, such as specific structures, architectures, interfaces, and technologies, are set forth for purposes of illustration and not limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of the various embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure that various aspects of the various embodiments may be practiced in other examples that deviate from these specific details. In some cases, descriptions of well-known devices, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the various embodiments with unnecessary detail. For the purposes of this document, the phrase (A or B) means (A), (B), or (A and B).

[0016] The following is a glossary of terms that may be used in this disclosure.

[0017] As used herein, the term "circuit" refers to, is part of, or includes a hardware component such as an electronic circuit, a logic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and / or memory (shared, dedicated, or group) configured to provide the described functionality, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable device (FPD) (e.g., a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device (PLD), a complex PLD (CPLD), a high capacity PLD (HCPLD), a structured ASIC or a programmable system on a chip (SoC), a digital signal processor (DSP), etc. In some embodiments, the circuit can execute one or more software or firmware programs to provide at least some of the described functionality. The term (circuit) may also refer to the combination of one or more hardware elements (or a combination of circuits used in electrical or electronic systems) and program code to perform the functions of the program code. In these embodiments, the combination of hardware elements and program code may be referred to as a specific type of circuit.

[0018] As used herein, the term "processor circuitry" means, is part of, or includes circuitry capable of sequentially and automatically performing a series of arithmetic or logical operations or recording, storing, and / or transmitting digital data. The term (processor circuitry) may refer to an application processor, a baseband processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a single-core processor, a dual-core processor, a triple-core processor, a quad-core processor, and / or any other device capable of executing or otherwise operating computer-executable instructions (such as program code, software modules, and / or functional processes).

[0019] As used herein, the term "interface circuitry" refers to circuitry that enables, is part of, or includes circuitry that enables information exchange between two or more components or devices. An interface circuitry may refer to one or more hardware interfaces, such as a bus, an I / O interface, a peripheral component interface, a network interface card, and the like.

[0020] As used herein, the term "user equipment" or "UE" refers to a device that has radio communication capabilities and can represent a remote user of network resources in a communication network. UE may be considered synonymous with and may be referred to as a client, mobile phone, mobile device, mobile terminal, user terminal, mobile unit, mobile station, mobile user, subscriber, user, remote station, access agent, user agent, receiver, radio equipment, reconfigurable radio equipment, reconfigurable mobile device, etc. Furthermore, a UE may include any type of wireless / wired device or any computing device that includes a wireless communication interface.

[0021] As used herein, the term "network element" refers to physical or virtualized equipment and / or infrastructure used to provide wired or wireless communication network services. A network element may be considered synonymous with and / or referred to as a networked computer, networking hardware, network equipment, network node, router, switch, hub, bridge, radio network controller, RAN equipment, RAN node, gateway, server, virtualized VNF, NFVI, etc.

[0022] As used herein, the term "computer system" refers to any type of interconnected electronic devices, computing devices, or components thereof. Additionally, a computer system and / or "system" may refer to various components of a computer that are communicatively coupled to one another. A computer system may refer to multiple computing devices and / or multiple computing systems that are communicatively coupled to one another and configured to share computing and / or networking resources.

[0023] As used herein, the term "resource" refers to a physical or virtual device, a physical or virtual component within a computing environment, and / or a physical or virtual component within a specific device, such as computer equipment, mechanical equipment, memory space, processor / CPU time and / or processor / CPU utilization, processor and accelerator load, hardware time or utilization, power, input / output operations, ports or network sockets, channel / link allocation, throughput, memory utilization, storage, network, database, and application, workload units, etc. "Hardware resources" may refer to the computing, storage, and / or network resources provided by physical hardware elements. "Virtualized resources" may refer to the computing, storage, and / or network resources provided by a virtualization infrastructure to applications, devices, systems, etc. The terms "network resources" or "communication resources" may refer to resources accessible to a computer device / system via a communication network. The term "system resources" may refer to any type of shared entity that provides a service and may include computing resources and / or network resources. System resources may be considered a set of coherent functions, network data objects, or services accessible through a server, where such system resources reside on a single host or multiple hosts and are clearly identifiable.

[0024] As used herein, the term "channel" refers to any tangible or intangible transmission medium for transmitting data or data streams. Channel may be synonymous with and / or equivalent to communication channel, data communication channel, transmission channel, data transmission channel, access channel, data access channel, link, data link, carrier, radio frequency carrier, and / or any other similar terms representing a path or medium through which data is transmitted. Additionally, as used herein, the term "link" refers to a connection between two devices for transmitting and receiving information.

[0025] As used herein, the terms "instantiate," "instantiate," and the like refer to the creation of an instance. "Instance" also refers to the occurrence of an object, which may occur, for example, during the execution of program code.

[0026] The term "connected" may mean that two or more elements at a common communication protocol layer have an established signaling relationship with each other through a communication channel, link, interface, or reference point.

[0027] The term "information element" refers to a structural element that contains one or more fields. The term "field" refers to the individual contents of an information element, or a data element that contains the contents. An information element may include one or more additional information elements.

[0028] Figure 1A network environment 100 is shown according to some embodiments. The network environment 100 may include multiple RAN nodes that provide network access to various UEs. Specifically, the network environment includes an IAB donor 104 that is coupled to a 3GPP fifth generation core network (5GC) 108 that provides various data and telecommunication services to customers / subscribers.

[0029] The IAB donor 104 can be coupled to the 5GC 108 via a fiber backhaul 112. The fiber backhaul 112 can facilitate the communication of higher-speed network traffic associated with 3GPP New Radio (NR) access links. The interface or reference point between the IAB donor 104 and the 5GC 108 can be referred to as an NG interface / reference point. The NG interface / reference point can be divided into two parts: the NG user plane (NG-U) interface / reference point, which carries traffic data between RAN nodes and the user plane function (UPF) of the 5GC 108; and the S1 control plane (NG-C) interface / reference point, which provides a signaling interface between the RAN nodes and the access and mobility management function (AMF) of the 5GC 108.

[0030] IAB donor 104 can provide wireless backhaul to one or more IAB nodes, including, for example, IAB node 1-1 116, IAB node 1-2 120, IAB node 1-3 124, IAB node 2-1 128, and IAB node 2-2 132. In some cases, IAB donor 104 can be referred to as a backend node or parent IAB node, and the IAB nodes can be referred to as intermediate nodes. The IAB nodes can be directly coupled to IAB donor 104, such as, for example, IAB node 1-1 116, IAB node 1-2 120, and IAB node 1-3 124; or they can be indirectly coupled to IAB donor 104 via other IAB nodes, such as, for example, IAB node 2-1 128 and IAB node 2-2 132, over one or more hops. IAB node 1-3 124 may provide wireless backhaul for IAB node 2-1 128 and IAB node 2-2 132.

[0031] IAB donor 104 may include a centralized unit (CU) 136 and one or more distributed units (DUs), such as DU 140 and DU 144. Generally speaking, CU 136 may process higher layer protocols, such as radio resource control (RRC), packet data convergence (PDCP), and service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer protocols, while the DUs process lower layer protocols, such as radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical (PHY) layer protocols.

[0032] The CU 136 may provide control plane (CP) functionality through, for example, a CU-CP component, and user plane (UP) functionality through, for example, a CU-UP component.

[0033] Each of the IAB nodes may include a DU and a mobile terminal (MT). Specifically, IAB node 1-1 116 may include a DU 148 and a MT 152; IAB node 1-2 120 may include a DU 156 and a MT 160; IAB node 1-3 124 may include a DU 164 and a MT 168; IAB node 2-1 128 may include a DU 172 and a MT 176; and IAB node 2-2 132 may include a DU 180 and a MT 184.

[0034] The Mobile Equipment Transport (MT) can be used to connect an IAB node with an upstream RAN node (e.g., an IAB node or IAB) (e.g., toward the 5GC 108 donor). Generally speaking, the MT can provide similar access functionality to the IAB node as a UE. For example, the MT can utilize the same protocols that a typical UE can use to connect to the RAN. For example, the MT can allow the IAB node to establish a signaling radio bearer (SRB) and / or a data radio bearer (DRB) with a parent node (either the IAB node or another IAB node). The MT can perform cell selection to identify the upstream RAN node to join, then establish and utilize RLC channels via the Backhaul Adaptation Protocol (BAP) layer, which provides functionality for routing data for different UEs along different routes through the network. The MT can also perform, for example, cell reselection and radio link failure response.

[0035] The DU may be used to connect the IAB node to a downstream IAB node or UE via the NR Uu interface or reference point. The DU may establish an RLC channel to the UE or MT of the downstream IAB node, which may be referred to as a modified RLC channel.

[0036] Network environment 100 also shows UE-D 186 coupled to DU2 144 ; UE-1-1 188 coupled to DU 148 ; UE-1-2 190 coupled to DU 156 ; UE-1-3 192 coupled to DU 164 ; and UE-2-2 194 coupled to DU 180 .

[0037] The CU 136 can connect to the DUs of all RAN nodes, including those on the IAB donor 104 itself and those on the IAB node. The DUs can connect to the CU 136 using a modified F1 interface / reference point (which can be referred to as F1*) that runs on an RLC channel on the wireless backhaul between the MT on the IAB node and the DU (e.g., DU1 140 or DU2 144) on the IAB donor 104.

[0038] In various embodiments, the RAN nodes may support sub-6 gigahertz (GHz), e.g., frequency range (FR) 1 (generally including 450 to 6000 megahertz (MHz)), or above 6 GHz, e.g., FR 2 (generally including 24,250 to 52,600 MHz), which may also be referred to as millimeter wave (mmWave), for wireless access and backhaul.

[0039] In various implementations, one or more of the access / backhaul links may utilize alternative technologies. For example, the wireless backhaul link may be an NR link, while one or more of the access links may be a Long Term Evolution (LTE) link, or vice versa. Implementations utilizing NR as the wireless backhaul technology can facilitate rapid and dense deployments and allow UEs to utilize mmWave deployments.

[0040] The UE and RAN nodes may connect with the 5GC 108 in a standalone architecture (where 5G cells are used for both the control plane and the user plane) or a non-standalone architecture (where LTE cells are used for the control plane and 5G cells are used for the user plane).

[0041] Although the network environment 100 illustrates a specific IAB architecture with a CU / DU split architecture, additional / alternative architectures (including other CU / DU split architectures or non-split architectures) may be utilized in embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, according to some embodiments, the network environment 100 may employ one or more of the IAB architectures described in Section 6.2 of 3GPP Technical Report (TR) 38.874, v16.0.0 (2018-12).

[0042] The multi-hop topology implemented by network environment 100 may provide an opportunity to improve efficient and reliable access to UEs. However, splitting the access / backhaul links may result in intra-UE module switching. In addition, IAB node transmitters / receivers may need to be implemented with inter-UE duplexing or use different frequencies for these operations. These challenges may complicate scheduling and result in high interference from the backhaul link on the access link. Various embodiments describe signaling and operations for facilitating IAB identification and selection by the UE to address these and other challenges.

[0043] In some embodiments, to reduce latency requirements, UE 120 may be configured to have a preference for connecting directly with an IAB donor rather than through an IAB node. In various embodiments, this preference may partially or fully override beam / cell quality indicators, network load, etc. For example, if UE 1-2 120 has the option of connecting to both IAB donor 104 and IAB node 1-2 120, UE 1-2 120 may choose to connect to IAB donor 104 rather than IAB node 1-2 120, even if the cell provided by IAB node 1-2 120 has better quality indicators, is less loaded, etc. However, in some embodiments, a certain threshold level of quality indicators or network load may disqualify IAB donor 104 as a connection option, as will be discussed in further detail herein.

[0044] To facilitate direct connection between a UE and an IAB donor, various embodiments describe signaling that allows the UE to identify a RAN node as an IAB donor when coverage is available. Various procedures are described by which an IAB donor node can be so identified and utilized to achieve better end-to-end system performance for the UE.

[0045] Figure 2 Shown according to some embodiments Figure 1 A call flow 200 for establishing a backhaul (BH) RLC channel between nodes.

[0046] At 204, the CU 136 may generate a system information broadcast 1 (SIB1) message. The SIB1 message may include remaining minimum system information (RMSI), which provides network nodes with information that will enable them to determine whether they are allowed to access the cell. The SIB1 may be transmitted using the broadcast control channel (BCCH) logical channel, the downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) transport channel, and the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) physical channel. For purposes related to the embodiments described herein, the SIB1 may include a notification by the IAB donor 104 that it supports IAB as a feature.

[0047] SIB1 may include a list of public land mobile network (PLMN) identities and related information in the PLMN-IdentityInfoList information element (IE). As shown, SIB1 may include information about PLMN A and PLMN B. The identification information associated with PLMN A may include the iab-Support parameter. This parameter may indicate both support for IAB nodes and the cell status of the IAB node. In some embodiments, this parameter may be an optional parameter that may have an enumerated 'true' value. Therefore, in these embodiments, if the associated cell supports IAB nodes and the cell is also considered a candidate for IAB nodes, CU 136 may set this parameter to 'true'; and may not include this parameter at all to indicate that the cell does not support IAB nodes and / or that the cell is prohibited for IAB nodes.

[0048] At 208, an IAB node, such as IAB node 2-2 132, that receives the iab-Support parameter and attempts to connect to the IAB donor 104 may initiate an RRC connection by sending an RRC connection request (which may also be referred to as an RRC establishment request). The RRC connection request may be transmitted on signaling radio bearer 0 (SRB0) on a common control channel (CCCH). The RRC connection request may include an identification of the MT 184 and establishment terms.

[0049] The RRC message including the connection request is shown as being transmitted directly between IAB node 2-2 132 and IAB donor 104. Although the RRC message will traverse intermediate nodes, such as IAB node 1-3 124, the intermediate nodes simply forward the message to IAB node 2-2 132 and IAB donor 104 (by modifying appropriate routing headers, such as, for example, the BAP header and the RLC header). The intermediate nodes do not have access to the content of the message at the RRC layer.

[0050] At 212, the IAB donor 104 may respond with an RRC setup message that includes RLC configuration information. The RLC configuration information may specify a set of acknowledged mode (AM) RLC parameters for SRB1, such as uplink and downlink sequence number lengths, maximum number of retransmissions, renumbering timer, and status report polling configuration.

[0051] In some embodiments, the RLC configuration information may be part of a primary cell group configuration section of an RRC setup message, which also includes information related to the MAC and PHY layers. The RRC setup message may also include a radio bearer configuration, which includes, for example, information related to the PDCP layer. In some embodiments, the CU 136 may generate the radio bearer configuration, while the DU 140 generates the primary cell group configuration.

[0052] Upon receiving the RRC Setup message, IAB node 2-2 132 may transition to an RRC Connected state and upon receiving the uplink resource allocation, may transmit an RRC Setup Complete message at 216. The RRC Setup Complete message may include an IAB Node Indication (iab-NodeIndication) to indicate that the IAB node is establishing a connection.

[0053] At 220, CU 136 may generate and transmit an RRC reconfiguration message to IAB node 2-2 132. The RRC reconfiguration message may include BAP configuration information (bap-Config) to configure the BAP entity at MT 184. bap-Config may include bap-Address, bap-Routing ID, or BH logical channel identifier. bap-Address may indicate the BAP address of IAB node 2-2 132. bap-Routing ID and BH logical channel ID may configure the default uplink routing ID and uplink bh-RLC-Channel, respectively, during IAB node bootstrapping for F1-AP and non-F1 traffic.

[0054] The RRC reconfiguration message may also include a cell group configuration (CellGroupConfig) IE, which includes a BH RLC channel to be added or modified list (Bh-RLC-ChannelAddModList). The Bh-RLC-ChannelAddModList may provide the configuration of the MAC logical channels to be added or modified and the corresponding backhaul RLC entities.

[0055] At 224, a BH RLC channel may be established, and at 228, MT 184 may transmit an RRC reconfiguration complete message to CE 136. At this point, IAB node 2-2 132 may transmit information from / to UE 2-2 over the BH RLC channel to IAB donor 104.

[0056] As briefly discussed above, in some embodiments, a UE may prefer a direct connection to an IAB donor, rather than a connection through an IAB node, to reduce latency. To prioritize IAB donor connections, the UE may need to be able to identify a RAN node as an IAB donor when coverage is available. Therefore, in various embodiments, the UE may utilize the iab-Support parameter to identify a RAN node as an IAB donor.

[0057] Figure 3 Nodes of the network environment 100 are shown according to another embodiment. The network environment 100 is shown with cell 304 provided by IAB donor 104, cell 308 provided by IAB node 1-1 116, cell 312 provided by IAB node 1-2 120, and cell 316 provided by IAB node 1-3 124.

[0058] UE-D 186 may be located only in cell 304. Similarly, UE-1-1 188 may be located only in cell 308. Thus, these UEs do not have the option of cell selection and may connect to IAB donor 104 and IAB node 1-1 116, respectively. However, UE-1-2 188 and UE-1-3 192 may be located in locations with at least partially overlapping coverage. Thus, these UEs may select a RAN node to which they may connect.

[0059] In some embodiments, to facilitate the UE's IAB donor connection preference, the UE may examine the iab-Support parameter in the SIB1 message. This allows the UE to determine that the RAN node sending the IE is an IAB donor with a high-speed backhaul connection without multi-hops. For example, UE-1-2 188 may examine the iab-Support parameter transmitted in the SIB1 transmitted by IAB node 1-2 120 and IAB donor 104. This parameter may be present in the SIB1 transmitted by IAB donor 104, but may not be present in the SIB1 transmitted by IAB node 1-2 120. Consequently, UE-1-2 188 may prioritize connection with IAB donor 104. UE-1-3 192 may operate in a similar manner.

[0060] Therefore, in some embodiments, the iab-Support parameter may indicate both support of IAB nodes and UEs and the cell status of the IAB nodes / UEs. Therefore, in these embodiments, the CU of the IAB donor may set this parameter to 'true' if the associated cell supports both IAB nodes / UEs and the cell is also considered a candidate for an IAB node / UE; and may not include this parameter at all to indicate that the cell does not support IAB nodes / UEs and / or that the cell is barred for IAB nodes / UEs.

[0061] Upon identifying the RAN node as an IAB donor, the UE may store cell fingerprint information in an access prioritization structure. The cell fingerprint information may include, for example, the IAB donor's cell identification information and location information (e.g., latitude and longitude). The UE may rely on this cell fingerprint information to subsequently identify the IAB donor whenever it finds itself within the associated coverage area. In some embodiments, if the UE camps on a donor cell, the UE may be able to use the fingerprint information as an offline cell ID storage and prioritization mechanism for access. In this way, the UE may store data offline, for example, in local storage, a separate database, or cloud storage, and may retrieve the data as appropriate to augment the system information received from the network.

[0062] One challenge of allowing UEs to self-select the IAB donor to connect to can be an increase in the radio load on the IAB donor. The core / backend load remains the same regardless of whether all UEs connect directly to the IAB donor or some UEs connect to the IAB donor through one or more IAB nodes. However, if all UEs connect directly to the IAB donor, the radio load on the IAB donor may become overburdened. This can lead to scheduling complications or cell-level delays, which can introduce latency to communications.

[0063] In some implementations, the IAB donor may have a mechanism to control the UE's direct connection level. For example, the IAB donor may generate system information to include a direct connection indication, indicating whether the IAB donor is available for cell selection by the UE. Generally speaking, unless otherwise specified, references to "cell selection" herein also include cell reselection. In some implementations, the IAB donor may use the "CellBarred" parameter in the Master Information Block (MIB) for direct connection indication. In other implementations, the IAB donor may use the "CellReservedForOtherUse" parameter in SIB1 for direct connection indication.

[0064] The UE may rely on the direct connection indication in the system information to identify situations where the radio resources of the IAB donor are overloaded.

[0065] In some embodiments, the direct connection indication may be an IE within the iab-Support IE. For example, the iab-Support IE may include the isNotSupportedNowForNon-IAB Boolean flag, which may be true or false. This Boolean flag may apply only to UEs. IAB nodes may ignore this field. In some embodiments, an IAB node may ignore this field in situations where radio resource availability is low, for example, when the IAB node has limited options for radio connection. In some embodiments, an IAB node may use this field in situations where radio resource availability is high (e.g., an IAB node has multiple radio connection options and can connect to the IAB donor via another IAB node). In situations where radio resources are high, if the flag is set to indicate that the IAB donor does not support non-IAB nodes (even if the flag may not technically prohibit the IAB node from connecting), the IAB node may choose to connect via another IAB node instead of using the IAB donor's radio resources.

[0066] The IAB donor can control the isNotSupportedNowForNon-IAB Boolean flag based on the current radio load of the IAB donor. For example, if the radio load exceeds a first predetermined threshold, the isNotSupportedNowForNon-IAB Boolean flag can be set to true to indicate that direct connections for non-IAB nodes are not supported. If the radio load drops below a second predetermined threshold, the IAB donor can set the isNotSupportedNowForNon-IAB Boolean flag to false to indicate that direct connections for non-IAB nodes are supported. The second predetermined threshold can be the same as the first predetermined threshold, or can be offset from the first predetermined threshold to avoid handover.

[0067] In some embodiments, both the IAB donor and the IAB node can provide advertisements that can be utilized by the UE to make enhanced system selection decisions. In these embodiments, the IAB node can indicate to the UE whether it is better for the UE to connect directly with the IAB donor or with the IAB node. This indication can be based on current network conditions.

[0068] Currently, an IAB node may send an iab-Nodeindication message to the IAB donor to indicate that the IAB node is establishing a connection. Delivery of this message to the UE is optional. In some implementations, this message or a similar message may always be delivered by the IAB node to the UE in its SIB1 message to indicate that the RAN node is not the IAB donor.

[0069] In some embodiments, the indication of whether the RAN node is an IAB donor or an IAB node may be in an IE within the PLMNIdentityList. This indication may be a Boolean flag that indicates, for each PLMN, whether the RAN node is an IAB donor. For example, the iab-Support IE may be as follows:

[0070] -iab-Support

[0071] •PLMN 1 - isDonorIABNode True / False (Boolean)

[0072] •PLMN2 - isDonorIABNode true / false (boolean)

[0073] In some embodiments, the presence of this indication or the manner in which it is received / processed may be based on the UE's latency requirements or current network conditions, eg, time of day, special events, etc.

[0074] In some embodiments, the UE may use this indication as part of a cell selection criterion to prefer one cell over another. The cell selection criterion may also be based on traffic characteristics configured by the UE, such as through network slicing, access point name (APN) information, etc., or may be determined in another manner.

[0075] For example, consider the occurrence of an event that results in high demand for radio resources (e.g., a sports event). A UE within a high-demand location may utilize cell selection criteria that prioritize connections to IAB nodes over connections to IAB donor nodes to avoid overburdening the IAB donor. This may be accomplished, for example, by the IAB donor setting an SI advertisement, as discussed above, to indicate that the IAB donor is unavailable for direct connections with the UE. This may additionally / alternatively be achieved by the UE receiving an indication of a high radio demand situation (e.g., via an SI advertisement from an IAB donor or IAB node) and proactively prioritizing IAB nodes advertised as non-IAB donors, e.g., by having the isDonorIABNode Boolean flag set to false.

[0076] In some embodiments, information related to the IAB donor connection may be explicitly configured to the UE via, for example, RRC signaling. This information may include identification information identifying the RAN node as an IAB node or an IAB donor, selection preference information, radio network congestion information, etc.

[0077] Aspects of the embodiments described herein may be implemented by devices or components that execute operational procedures / algorithm structures. Figures 4 to 6 Some operational flows / algorithm structures according to some embodiments are shown.

[0078] Figure 4 4 shows an operational flow / algorithm structure 400 according to some embodiments. In various embodiments, the operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may be performed by a UE (e.g., Figure 1 The present invention may be implemented in a UE or any one of the UEs 700 or a component thereof (eg, a baseband processor in the processor 704).

[0079] The operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may include processing system information broadcast by one or more RAN nodes, at 404. The SI may be broadcast in a MIB or SIB and may be transmitted by an IAB node or an IAB donor.

[0080] Operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may also include, at 408, identifying an IAB donor. In some embodiments, the identification of the IAB donor may be a positive identification. For example, the RAN node may transmit an indication that it is an IAB donor in, for example, the iab-Support IE. In other embodiments, the identification of the IAB donor may be inferred. For example, the IAB node may be required to transmit an indication in the SIB1 that it is an IAB node, not an IAB donor node. Therefore, if the UE receives an SIB1 that does not include an IAB node indication, the UE may determine that the transmitting RAN node is the IAB donor.

[0081] Operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may also include, at 412, determining whether the IAB donor accepts direct UE connections. In some embodiments, this determination may be based on explicit signaling, such as an indication from the IAB donor that it is accepting direct UE connections. In other embodiments, this determination may be implicit, such as if the IAB donor does not signal that it does not accept direct UE connections. Therefore, in these embodiments, the UE may simply assume that the IAB donor accepts direct UE connections unless there is a signaled indication to the contrary. In other embodiments, a contrary assumption may be made. That is, the UE may assume that the IAB donor does not accept direct UE connections unless there is a signaled indication that it does.

[0082] In some embodiments, identifying the RAN node as an IAB donor at 408 and determining whether the IAB donor accepts direct UE connections at 412 may be based on the same indication transmitted by the IAB donor. For example, in some embodiments, the IAB donor may transmit an isNotSupportedNowForNonIAB indication in an iab-Support IE. This indication may indicate that the node is an IAB donor and may also indicate that it does not accept direct UE connections.

[0083] If it is determined that the IAB donor is accepting direct UE connections, the operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may proceed to 414, which may include determining whether other considerations override the IAB donor selection.

[0084] In some embodiments, other considerations may relate to the suitability of the cell provided by the IAB donor from the perspective of the UE or the overall network system. For example, in some embodiments, other considerations may include determining whether the cell provided by the IAB donor meets the cell suitability criteria of the UE, which may include, for example, cell quality (based on one or more quality indicators) exceeding a predetermined threshold.

[0085] Other considerations may additionally / alternatively include a relative determination comparing available IAB node cells to the IAB donor cell. For example, the relative interference level or cell quality between the IAB donor cell and the IAB node cell may be considered. If the cell quality of the IAB node cell is significantly higher than the cell quality of the IAB donor node, the UE may connect to the IAB node cell using a modulation and coding scheme that compensates for any delay caused by transmitting through one or more additional hops.

[0086] Furthermore, other considerations may include determining the suitability of the IAB donor cell for the type of traffic to be transmitted by the UE. For example, if the UE is transmitting delay-insensitive data, such as Internet of Things (IoT) or Machine Type Communication (MTC) data, then in some scenarios the UE may voluntarily select an IAB node connection in order to reserve the IAB donor connection for UEs with more delay-sensitive data.

[0087] In another embodiment, other considerations may relate to a UE receiving an indication of high radio load at an IAB donor. In some embodiments, this indication may not place an absolute bar on connections (e.g., the IAB donor may still technically accept direct UE connections). Instead, the indication may provide an indication to reserve direct UE connections for specific categories of connections (e.g., high priority or low latency connections).

[0088] If other considerations do not override IAB donor selection at 414 , the operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may include selecting a cell associated with the IAB donor.

[0089] If other considerations do override the IAB donor selection at 414, or if it is determined at 412 that the IAB donor does not accept direct UE connections, the operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may proceed to 420, which includes selecting a cell associated with the IAB node. In these embodiments, the UE may need to rely on extended services provided by the IAB node because the radio resources of the IAB donor may not be available.

[0090] In the event that more than one IAB node is available, the UE may select the IAB node with the fewest hops and the cell that meets the UE's suitable cell criteria, as described above. In some embodiments, the number of hops from the IAB node to the IAB donor may be advertised in system information (e.g., SIB1) broadcast by the IAB node.

[0091] In various embodiments, the selection at 416 or 420 may be part of an initial cell selection or reselection and may be performed from an RRC idle or inactive state.

[0092] Operational flow / algorithm structure 400 may also include, at 424, initiating a connection establishment operation with the selected cell. In some embodiments, the connection establishment operation may include a two-step or four-step random access channel (RACH) exchange. If the RACH exchange is successful, the UE may proceed with the RRC establishment procedure to establish a logical connection and allow configuration of signaling radio bearers for signaling transmission and one or more data radio bearers for data transmission.

[0093] Figure 5 An operational flow / algorithm structure 500 according to some embodiments is shown. The operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may be implemented by an IAB donor (eg, IAB donor 104 or RAN node 800) or a component thereof (eg, a baseband processor in processor 804).

[0094] The operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may include, at 504, generating a SIB1 message to indicate that the IAB donor is available for cell selection by the UE. In some embodiments, the indication may be an iab-Support IE or one or more IEs or parameters included therein. For example, the indication may be an isNotSupportedNowForNonIAB Boolean flag set to false in the iab-Support IE.

[0095] The operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may further include transmitting a SIB1 message at 508. As discussed above, the SIB1 message may be transmitted using the BCCH logical channel, the DL-SCH transport channel, and the PDSCH physical channel.

[0096] The operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may also include, at 512, determining whether the radio load is greater than a first threshold. The radio load may be measured based on the number of radio connections active at the IAB donor, the total amount of radio traffic, or a combination thereof. The first threshold may be predetermined or configured by a management network node, such as in the 5GC.

[0097] If it is determined at 512 that the radio load does not exceed the first threshold, the IAB node may determine that it may continue to accept direct UE connections, and the operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may loop back to 504 .

[0098] If it is determined at 512 that the radio load does exceed the first threshold, the IAB node may determine that it needs to restrict radio access. Therefore, the operational flow / algorithm structure may proceed to 516.

[0099] The operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may include, at 516, generating a SIB1 message to indicate that the IAB donor is not available for cell selection by the UE. In some embodiments, the indication may be an iab-Support IE or one or more IEs or parameters included therein. For example, the indication may be an isNotSupportedNowForNonIAB Boolean flag set to true in the iab-Support IE.

[0100] The operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may further include transmitting a SIB1 message at 520. As discussed above, the SIB1 message may be transmitted using a BCCH logical channel, a DL-SCH transport channel, and a PDSCH physical channel.

[0101] Operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may also include, at 524, determining whether the radio load is less than a second threshold. The second threshold may be predetermined or configured, for example, by a management network node in the 5GC. In some embodiments, the second threshold may be the same as the first threshold. However, in other embodiments, there may be a difference or offset between the two. Providing an offset can reduce switching between allowing and not allowing the UE to directly access the IAB node when the radio load hovers near the threshold.

[0102] If it is determined at 524 that the radio load is less than the second threshold, the IAB node may determine that it can now accept a direct UE connection, and the operational flow / algorithm structure 500 may loop back to 504 .

[0103] If it is determined at 524 that the radio load is not less than the second threshold, the IAB node may continue to restrict radio access, and the operational flow / algorithm structure may loop back to 516 .

[0104] Figure 6 600 according to some embodiments. The operation flow / algorithm structure 600 may be implemented by an IAB node (e.g., Figure 1 The invention may be implemented by any of the IAB node or RAN node 800) or a component thereof (eg, a baseband processor in the processor 804).

[0105] The operational flow / algorithm structure 600 may include encoding a SIB1 message with an IAB node indication at 604. In some embodiments, the IAB node indication may be the iabSupport IE or one or more IEs or parameters included therein. For example, the indication may be the isDonorIABNode Boolean flag set to false in the iabSupport IE.

[0106] The operational flow / algorithm structure 600 may further include transmitting a SIB1 message at 608. As discussed above, the SIB1 message may be transmitted using a BCCH logical channel, a DL-SCH transport channel, and a PDSCH physical channel.

[0107] Figure 7 UE 700 according to some embodiments is shown. UE 700 may be similar to Figure 1 Any of the UEs and are essentially interchangeable with them.

[0108] The UE 700 may be a consumer electronic device, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a wearable computer device, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, an in-vehicle device (e.g., an infotainment device, an instrument cluster, a head-up display device, an on-board diagnostic device, an in-dash mobile device, a mobile data terminal, an electronic engine management system, an electronic / engine control unit, an electronic / engine control module, etc.), an embedded system, a microcontroller, a control module, a networked or (smart) appliance, an MTC device, an IoT device, etc.

[0109] UE 700 may include a processor 704, RF interface circuitry 708, memory / storage 712, and a user interface 716. The components of UE 700 may be implemented as integrated circuits (ICs), portions of integrated circuits, discrete electronic devices or other modules, logical components, hardware, software, firmware, or combinations thereof. Figure 7 The block diagram is intended to show a high-level view of certain of the components of the UE 700. However, some of the components shown may be omitted, additional components may be present, and different arrangements of the components shown may occur in other implementations.

[0110] Components of the UE 700 may be coupled to various other components via one or more interconnects 728, which may represent any type of interface, input / output, bus (local, system, or extension), transmission line, trace, optical connection, etc., that allows various circuit components (on a common or different chip or chipsets) to interact with each other.

[0111] The processor 702 may include processing circuitry such as, for example, an application processor, a digital signal processor, a graphics processing unit, a central processing unit, and / or a baseband processor. The processor 704 may execute or otherwise operate computer-executable instructions (such as program code, software modules, and / or functional processes from the memory / storage device 712) to cause the UE 700 to perform operations as described herein.

[0112] In some embodiments, the baseband processor in processor 704 can access the communication protocol stack 720 in memory / storage 712 to communicate over a 3GPP-compatible network. Generally speaking, the baseband processor can access the communication protocol stack to perform user plane functions at the PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, SDAP layer, and PDU layer; and control plane functions at the PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, RRC layer, and non-access stratum (NAS) layer. In some embodiments, PHY layer operations can additionally / alternatively be performed by components of the RF interface circuitry.

[0113] The baseband processor may generate or process baseband signals or waveforms that carry information in 3GPP-compliant networks. In some embodiments, the waveforms used for LTE may be orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in the downlink and single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) in the uplink. In NR, the waveforms may be based on cyclic prefix OFDM (CP-OFDM) in the uplink or downlink, and discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM) in the uplink.

[0114] The baseband processor may also access information in an access prioritization structure 724 in the memory / storage device 712 to select or reselect a cell to which to connect. As described herein, the access prioritization structure 724 may include fingerprint identification information corresponding to the IAB donor, such as cell identification and location information. The access prioritization structure 724 may additionally or alternatively include information about the IAB node and configured access priority information.

[0115] The memory / storage 712 may include any type of volatile or non-volatile memory that may be distributed throughout the UE 700. In some embodiments, some of the memory / storage 712 may be located on the processor 704 itself (e.g., an L1 cache and an L2 cache), while other memory / storage 712 may be external to the processor 704 but accessible via a memory interface. The memory / storage 712 may include any suitable volatile or non-volatile memory, such as, but not limited to, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, solid-state memory, and / or any other type of memory device technology.

[0116] The RF interface circuitry 708 may include transceiver circuitry and a radio frequency front-end module (RFEM), which allows the UE 700 to communicate with other devices over a radio access network. The RF interface circuitry 708 may include various components arranged in a transmit path or a receive path. These components may include, for example, switches, mixers, amplifiers, filters, synthesizer circuits, control circuits, and the like.

[0117] In the receive path, the RFEM receives the radiated signal from the air interface via the antenna, filters it, and amplifies it (using a low-noise amplifier). This signal is then provided to the transceiver's receiver, which converts the RF signal down to a baseband signal that is provided to the baseband processor of processor 704.

[0118] In the transmit path, the transceiver's transmitter upconverts the baseband signal received from the baseband processor and provides an RF signal to the RFEM. The RFEM may amplify the signal through a power amplifier before radiating the RF signal across the air interface via an antenna.

[0119] In various embodiments, the RF interface circuit 708 may be configured to transmit / receive signals in a manner compatible with LTE or NR access technologies.

[0120] User circuitry 716 includes various input / output (I / O) devices designed to enable a user to interact with UE 700. User interface 716 includes input device circuitry and output device circuitry. Input device circuitry includes any physical or virtual means for accepting input, including, in particular, one or more physical or virtual buttons (e.g., a reset button), a physical keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a trackpad, a touchscreen, a microphone, a scanner, a headset, etc. Output device circuitry includes any physical or virtual means for displaying or otherwise communicating information (such as sensor readings, actuator positions, or other similar information). Output device circuitry may include any number and / or combination of audio or visual displays, including, in particular, one or more simple visual outputs / indicators (e.g., binary state indicators such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs)) and multi-character visual outputs, or more complex outputs such as a display device or touchscreen (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), an LED display, a quantum dot display, a projector, etc.), where the output of characters, graphics, multimedia objects, etc., is generated or produced by the operation of UE 700.

[0121] Figure 8 A RAN node 800 is shown according to some embodiments. The RAN node 800 may be an IAB node or an IAB donor as discussed herein. In various embodiments, the RAN node 800 may be a UE (if an IAB node), an eNB (e.g., an access node of a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) network), an ng-eNB (e.g., an access node using an LTE air interface and connected to a 5GC), or a gNB (e.g., an access node using an NR air interface and connected to a 5GC).

[0122] The RAN node 800 may include a processor 804, RAN interface circuitry 808, core network (CN) interface circuitry 812, and memory / storage circuitry 816. In embodiments where the RAN node 800 is an IAB node and does not have connectivity to the CN via a wired backhaul, the RAN node 800 may not include the CN interface circuitry 812.

[0123] Components of the RAN node 800 may be coupled to various other components via one or more interconnects 828 .

[0124] The processor 804, RAN interface circuitry 808, memory / storage circuitry 816 (including the communication protocol stack 810), and interconnect 828 may be similar to those of reference Figure 7 Like-named elements are shown and described.

[0125] The CN interface circuitry 812 can provide connectivity to a core network, such as the 5GC 108, using a 5GC-compatible network interface protocol (such as a Carrier Ethernet protocol) or some other suitable protocol. Network connectivity to and from the RAN node 800 can be provided via fiber backhaul. The network controller circuitry 1635 may include one or more dedicated processors and / or FPGAs that communicate using one or more of the aforementioned protocols. In some implementations, the CN interface circuitry 812 may include multiple controllers for providing connectivity to other networks using the same or different protocols.

[0126] It is understood that the use of personally identifiable information should be subject to privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized to meet or exceed industry or government requirements for maintaining 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 stated to users.

[0127] For one or more embodiments, at least one of the components shown in one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to perform one or more operations, techniques, processes, and / or methods described in the following Examples section. For example, the baseband circuitry described above in conjunction with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate according to one or more of the following Examples. For another example, circuitry associated with the UE, base station, network element, etc. described above in conjunction with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate according to one or more of the examples shown in the Examples section below.

[0128] Example

[0129] In the following sections, additional exemplary embodiments are provided.

[0130] Embodiment 1 includes a method of operating a UE, the method comprising: processing system information broadcast by one or more RAN nodes; identifying an IAB donor of the one or more RAN nodes based on the system information; and initiating a connection establishment operation with the IAB donor.

[0131] Embodiment 2 includes the method according to embodiment 1 or some other embodiments herein, further comprising: detecting a plurality of RAN nodes including an IAB donor and one or more IAB nodes; selecting an IAB donor from the plurality of RAN nodes based on determining that the IAB donor connection has a higher priority than the IAB node connection; and initiating a connection establishment operation with the IAB donor based on the selection of the IAB donor.

[0132] Embodiment 3 includes the method of embodiment 1 or some other embodiments herein, wherein processing the system information comprises decoding one or more SIB1 messages broadcasted respectively by one or more RAN nodes.

[0133] Embodiment 4 includes the method of embodiment 3 or some other embodiments herein, wherein identifying the IAB donor comprises: extracting PLMN information from a first SIB1 of the one or more SIB1 messages to obtain an IAB support IE; and identifying the IAB donor based on the IAB support IE.

[0134] Embodiment 5 includes the method of embodiment 1 or some other embodiments herein, further comprising storing an identification and location information associated with the IAB donor in an access prioritization structure based on the identification of the IAB donor.

[0135] Embodiment 6 includes a method according to embodiment 1 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the connection establishment operation is a first connection establishment operation, and the method further comprises: determining identification and location information associated with one or more previously identified IAB donors based on the access prioritization structure; and initiating a second connection establishment operation with at least one previously identified IAB donor of the one or more previously identified IAB donors.

[0136] Embodiment 7 includes the method of embodiment 1 or some other embodiments herein, further comprising: detecting a flag indicating that the IAB donor accepts direct UE connections; and initiating a connection establishment operation based on the detection of the flag.

[0137] Embodiment 8 includes the method according to embodiment 1 or some other embodiments herein, further comprising: processing a SIB1 message from a RAN node among the one or more RAN nodes; and determining that the RAN node is an IAB node based on the SIB1 message.

[0138] Embodiment 9 includes a method of operating an IAB donor, the method comprising: generating a message including an indication of whether the IAB donor is available for cell selection by a UE; and transmitting the message over a RAN interface.

[0139] Embodiment 10 includes the method of embodiment 9 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the message is a SIB1 message and the indication is a cell indication reserved for other uses.

[0140] Embodiment 11 includes the method of embodiment 9 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the message is a MIB message and the indication is a cell barring indication.

[0141] Embodiment 12 includes the method of embodiment 9 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the message is a SIB1 message and the indication is in an IAB Support IE.

[0142] Embodiment 13 includes the method of embodiment 12 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the indication is a true or false Boolean flag.

[0143] Embodiment 14 includes a method according to embodiment 12 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the message is a first message, the indication is to indicate that the IAB donor is not available for cell selection by the UE, and the method further includes: determining that the radio load at the IAB donor is below a predetermined threshold; and based on determining that the radio load is below the predetermined threshold, generating a second message with an indication that the IAB donor is available for cell selection by the UE.

[0144] Embodiment 15 comprises a method of operating a RAN node, the method comprising: encoding a SIB1 message with an indication that the RAN node is an IAB node; and transmitting the SIB1 message via a physical downlink shared channel.

[0145] Embodiment 16 includes the method of embodiment 15 or some other embodiments herein, wherein encoding the SIB1 message comprises encoding the indication within an IAB support IE.

[0146] Embodiment 17 includes a method according to embodiment 16 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the IAB support IE includes a PLMN identity list including information related to a plurality of PLMNs, and the encoding SIB1 includes encoding a Boolean flag corresponding to an individual PLMN of the plurality of PLMNs to indicate whether the RAN node is an IAB donor with respect to the associated PLMN.

[0147] Embodiment 18 includes the method of embodiment 17 or some other embodiments herein, wherein the indication comprises a false Boolean value to indicate that the IAB device is not an IAB donor.

[0148] Embodiment 19 includes the method of embodiment 15 or some other embodiments herein, further comprising: encoding an indication of a high radio demand situation; and transmitting the indication of the high radio demand situation to one or more UEs in an access cell.

[0149] Embodiment 20 includes the method of embodiment 15 or some other embodiments herein, further comprising: encoding a priority indication in a message to indicate whether the UE prioritizes the IAB donor connection or the IAB node connection; and transmitting the message to the UE.

[0150] Example 21 may include an apparatus comprising means for performing one or more elements of the method described in or related to any of Examples 1-20, or any other method or process described herein.

[0151] Example 22 may include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, which include instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform one or more elements of the methods described in or related to any of Examples 1 to 20 or any other method or process described herein.

[0152] Embodiment 23 may include an apparatus comprising logic components, modules, or circuits for performing one or more elements of the method described in or related to any of Embodiments 1-20, or any other method or process described herein.

[0153] Example 24 may include methods, techniques, or processes as described or related to any one of Examples 1 to 20, or portions or components thereof.

[0154] Embodiment 25 may include a device comprising: one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media, wherein the one or more computer-readable media include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, technique, or process, or portion thereof, as described in or related to any one of Embodiments 1 to 20.

[0155] Embodiment 26 may include a signal as described or associated with any one of Embodiments 1 to 20, or a portion or component thereof.

[0156] Embodiment 27 may include a datagram, information element, packet, frame, segment, PDU or message, or a portion or component thereof, as described or associated with any one of embodiments 1 to 20, or otherwise described in this disclosure.

[0157] Embodiment 28 may include a signal encoded with data as described or associated with any one of Embodiments 1 to 20, or a portion or component thereof, or as otherwise described in this disclosure.

[0158] Embodiment 29 may include a signal encoded with a datagram, IE, packet, frame, segment, PDU or message as described or associated with any of the above embodiments 1 to 64, or a portion or component thereof, or otherwise described in this disclosure.

[0159] Embodiment 30 may include an electromagnetic signal carrying computer-readable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-readable instructions by one or more processors will cause the one or more processors to perform the method, technique, or process described in or related to any one of Embodiments 1 to 20, or a portion thereof.

[0160] Embodiment 31 may include a computer program comprising instructions, wherein execution of the program by a processing element causes the processing element to perform a method, technique, or process described in or related to any one of Embodiments 1 to 20, or a portion thereof.

[0161] Embodiment 32 may include signals in a wireless network as shown and described herein.

[0162] Embodiment 33 may include a method of communicating in a wireless network as shown and described herein.

[0163] Embodiment 34 may include a system for providing wireless communications as shown and described herein.

[0164] Embodiment 35 may include an apparatus for providing wireless communications as shown and described herein.

[0165] Unless expressly stated otherwise, any of the above examples may be combined with any other example (or combination of examples). The foregoing description of one or more specific implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the various embodiments.

[0166] Although the above embodiments have been described in considerable detail, numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to encompass all such variations and modifications.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a user equipment (UE) to: Processing system information broadcast by one or more Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes; identifying an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donor of the one or more RAN nodes based on the system information; storing, based on the identification of the IAB donor, identification and location information associated with the IAB donor in an access prioritization structure; as well as Initiate a connection establishment operation with the IAB donor.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the UE to: detecting a plurality of RAN nodes including the IAB donor and one or more IAB nodes; selecting the IAB donor from the plurality of RAN nodes based on determining that the IAB donor connection has a higher priority than the IAB node connection; and The connection establishment operation with the IAB donor is initiated based on the selection of the IAB donor.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 or 2, wherein to process the system information, the UE is to: decode one or more System Information Block 1 (SIB1) messages broadcasted respectively by the one or more RAN nodes.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein to identify the IAB donor, the UE is to: extracting public land mobile network (PLMN) information from a first SIB1 of the one or more SIB1 messages to obtain an IAB support information element (IE); and The IAB Donor is identified based on the IAB Support IE.

5. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 or 2, wherein the connection establishment operation is a first connection establishment operation, and the instructions, when executed, further cause the UE to: determining identification and location information associated with one or more previously identified IAB donors based on the access prioritization structure; and A second connection establishment operation is initiated with at least one previously identified IAB donor of the one or more previously identified IAB donors.

6. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the UE to: detect a flag indicating that the IAB donor accepts direct UE connections; and initiate the connection establishment operation based on the detection of the flag.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 or 2, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the UE to: processing a system information block 1 (SIB1) message from a RAN node of the one or more RAN nodes; and It is determined based on the SIB1 message that the RAN node is an IAB node.

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