Methods, apparatus and computer-readable media for inter-panel reception of user equipment

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may be a UE (User Equipment). The UE receives from a base station a configuration of an initial aggregate bandwidth W0 carried on specified C0 component carriers, wherein the UE's receiver unit (RXU) receives signals on the C0 component carriers. The UE determines the total bandwidth W that can be received. TOT UE is based on W TOT W0 determines the initial hardware limit for the Q0′ RXUs that the UE can activate simultaneously. The UE determines the adjusted aggregate bandwidth W1 carried on C1 component carriers based on the channel conditions between the UE and the base station, where the UE's RXUs receive signals on C1 component carriers.

Description

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This invention claims priority to the following U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 294,883, filed December 30, 2021, entitled “Inter-Panel MIMO” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 296,013, filed January 3, 2022, entitled “NR FR2 UE reception with 2 Panels”, which are incorporated herein by reference together. Technical Field

[0003] This invention generally relates to communication systems, and more specifically, to techniques for inter-panel reception of signals transmitted from a base station at a user equipment (UE). Background Technology

[0004] The statements in this section provide only background information about the invention and do not constitute prior art.

[0005] Wireless communication systems can be widely deployed to provide various telecommunications services, such as telephone, video, data, information transmission and reception, and broadcasting. Typical wireless communication systems employ multiple-access technologies, which enable communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources. Examples of such multiple-access technologies include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems, Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) systems, and Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) systems.

[0006] These multiple access technologies have been applied in various telecommunications standards to provide a common protocol enabling different wireless devices to communicate at the city, national, regional, and even global levels. An example telecommunications standard is fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR). 5G NR is part of the continuous evolution of mobile broadband released through the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), addressing new requirements related to latency, reliability, security, scalability (e.g., with the Internet of Things (IoT),) and others. Some aspects of 5G NR can be based on the fourth-generation (4G) long-term evolution (LTE) standard. 5G NR technology still requires further improvement. These improvements can also be applied to other multiple access technologies and telecommunications standards that employ them. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The following is a simplified overview of one or more aspects to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This overview is not a comprehensive overview of all anticipated aspects, and is neither intended to identify key or important elements of all aspects, nor to depict the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description later.

[0008] In one aspect of the invention, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may be a UE (User Equipment). The UE receives from a base station a configuration of an initial aggregate bandwidth W0 carried on specified C0 component carriers, wherein the UE's reception unit (RXU) receives signals on the C0 component carriers. The UE determines the total bandwidth W that can be received. TOT UE is based on W TOT W0 determines the initial hardware limit for the Q0′ RXUs that the UE can activate simultaneously. The UE determines the adjusted aggregate bandwidth W1 carried on C1 component carriers based on the channel conditions between the UE and the base station, where the UE's RXUs receive signals on C1 component carriers.

[0009] The method for inter-panel reception at the UE proposed in this invention can improve user experience by increasing or decreasing the number of RXUs used based on hardware limitations and channel quality. Specifically, when the channel quality is poor, the UE can maintain a higher throughput by using a larger number of RXUs; when the channel quality is good, the UE can reduce the number of RXUs to save power consumption.

[0010] To accomplish the foregoing and related objectives, the one or more aspects include the features fully described below and specifically pointed out in the claims. The embodiments and drawings describe certain illustrative features of one or more aspects in detail. However, these features only indicate a few of the various ways in which the principles of the aspects can be employed, and this description is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a wireless communication system and access network.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating communication between a base station and a UE in an access network.

[0013] Figure 3 An example logical structure of a distributed access network is shown.

[0014] Figure 4 An example physical structure of a distributed access network is shown.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a subframe centered on the following downlink (DL).

[0016] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a subframe centered on the uplink (UL).

[0017] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating how a UE receives signals sent from a base station.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the method (process) for adjusting aggregate bandwidth.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a hardware implementation for a device employing a processing system. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are intended as descriptions of various configurations and are not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described in this invention can be implemented. These embodiments include specific details intended to provide a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, these concepts can be implemented without these specific details by those skilled in the art. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring such concepts.

[0021] Several aspects of a telecommunications system will now be presented with reference to various apparatuses and methods. These apparatuses and methods will be described in the embodiments described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings by various blocks, components, circuits, processes, and algorithms (collectively referred to as “elements”). These elements can be implemented using electronic hardware, computer software, or any combination thereof. Whether these elements are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0022] By way of example, an element, or any part of an element, or any combination of elements, can be implemented as a “processing system” comprising one or more processors. Examples of processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, graphics processing units (GPUs), central processing units (CPUs), application processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors, systems on a chip (SoCs), baseband processors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functions of all aspects of this invention. One or more processors in the processing system can execute software. Software should be interpreted broadly as instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software components, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, threads of execution, programs, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or others.

[0023] Therefore, in one or more example embodiments, the described functionality can be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, these functions can be stored on a computer-readable medium or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include computer storage media. Storage media can be any available medium accessible by a computer. For example, but not limited to, computer-readable media can include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), optical disc storage, magnetic disk storage, other magnetic storage devices, and combinations of the above computer-readable media types, or any other medium that can be used to store computer-executable code in the form of computer-accessible instructions or data structures.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a wireless communication system and access network 100. The wireless communication system (also referred to as a wireless wide area network (WWAN)) includes base station 102, UE 104, and an evolved packet core (EPC) 160 and another core network 190 (e.g., a 5G core (5GC)). Base station 102 includes macro cells (high-power cellular base stations) and / or small cells (low-power cellular base stations). Macro cells include base stations. Small cells include femtocells, picocells, and microcells.

[0025] Base station 102 configured for 4G LTE (collectively referred to as the Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) terrestrial radioaccess network (E-UTRAN)) is connected to EPC 160 via backhaul link 132 (e.g., S1 interface). Base station 102 configured for 5G NR (collectively referred to as the Next Generation radio access network (NG-RAN)) is connected to core network 190 via backhaul link 184. In addition to other functions, base station 102 may perform one or more of the following functions: user data transmission, radio channel encryption and decryption, integrity protection, header compression, mobility control functions (e.g., handover, dual connectivity), inter-cell interference coordination, connection establishment and release, load balancing, distribution of non-access stratum (NAS) messages, NAS node selection, synchronization, radio access network (RAN) sharing, multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), subscriber and device tracking, RAN information management (RIM), paging, location, and warning message delivery. Base stations 102 may communicate with each other directly or indirectly (e.g., via EPC 160 or core network 190) via backhaul link 134 (e.g., X2 interface). Backhaul link 134 may be wired or wireless.

[0026] Base station 102 can wirelessly communicate with UE 104. Each of base stations 102 can provide communication coverage for a corresponding geographic coverage area 110. Overlapping geographic coverage areas 110 may exist. For example, small cell 102' may have coverage area 110' that overlaps with the coverage areas 110 of one or more macro base stations 102. A network that includes both small cells and macro cells can be called a heterogeneous network. A heterogeneous network may also include home evolved node B (HeNB), where HeNB can provide services to a restricted group called a closed subscriber group (CSG). The communication link 120 between base station 102 and UE 104 may include UL (also called reverse link) transmission from UE 104 to base station 102 and / or DL ​​(also called forward link) transmission from base station 102 to UE 104. Communication link 120 may use multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology, including spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and / or transmit diversity. The communication link may use one or more carriers. Base station 102 / UE 104 may use a spectrum with a bandwidth of up to Z MHz per carrier (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 100, 400 MHz), allocated in carrier aggregation up to a total of Z*V MHz (V component carriers) for transmission in each direction. These carriers may be adjacent to each other or not. The allocation of carriers for DL ​​and UL may be asymmetrical (e.g., more or fewer carriers may be allocated to DL than to UL). Component carriers may include a primary component carrier and one or more secondary component carriers. The primary component carrier may be referred to as the primary cell (PCell), and the secondary component carriers may be referred to as secondary cells (SCells).

[0027] Some UEs 104 can communicate with each other using device-to-device (D2D) communication link 158. D2D communication link 158 can use DL / UL WWAN spectrum. D2D communication link 158 can use one or more sidelink channels, such as physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH), physical sidelink discovery channel (PSDCH), physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), and physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH). D2D communication can be achieved through various wireless D2D communication systems, such as FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, LTE, or NR.

[0028] The wireless communication system further includes a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) access point (AP) 150 that communicates with a Wi-Fi station (STA) 152 via a communication link 154 in the 5 GHz unlicensed spectrum. When communicating in the unlicensed spectrum, the STA 152 / AP 150 can perform a clear channel assessment (CCA) to determine the availability of the channel before communication.

[0029] Cell 102' can operate in licensed and / or unlicensed spectrum. When operating in unlicensed spectrum, cell 102' can employ NR and use the same 5 GHz unlicensed spectrum as Wi-Fi AP 150. Employing NR in unlicensed spectrum can improve access network coverage and / or increase access network capacity.

[0030] Base station 102, whether a small cell 102' or a large-area (e.g., a macro base station), may include an eNB, gNodeB (gNB), or other types of base stations. Some base stations, such as gNB180, may operate at millimeter wave (mmW) frequencies and / or near-mmW frequencies to communicate with UE 104. When gNB 180 operates at mmW or near-mmW frequencies, gNB180 may be referred to as an mmW base station. Extremely high frequency (EHF) is a portion of the radio frequency (RF) band in the electromagnetic spectrum. EHF has a range from 30 GHz to 300 GHz and wavelengths between 1 mm and 10 mm. Radio waves in this band may be referred to as millimeter waves. Near-mmW can extend down to 3 GHz frequencies with wavelengths of 100 mm. The ultra-high frequency (SHF) band ranges from 3 GHz to 30 GHz and is also known as centimeter wave. Communication using mmW / near mmW RF bands has extremely high path loss and short range. Beamforming 184 can be used between base station 180 and UE 104 to compensate for the extremely high path loss and short range.

[0031] Base station 180 can transmit beamforming signals to UE 104 in one or more transmit directions 108a. UE 104 can receive beamforming signals from base station 180 in one or more receive directions 108b. UE 104 can also transmit beamforming signals to base station 180 in one or more transmit directions. Base station 180 can receive beamforming signals from UE 104 in one or more receive directions. Base station 180 / UE 104 can perform beam training to determine the optimal receive and transmit directions for each of base station 180 / UE 104. The transmit and receive directions of base station 180 can be the same or different. The transmit and receive directions of UE 104 can be the same or different.

[0032] EPC 160 includes a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 162, other MMEs 164, a Serving Gateway 166, an MBMS Gateway (GW) 168, a Broadcast Multicast Service Center (BM-SC) 170, and a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway 172. MME 162 can communicate with the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 174. MME 162 is the control node that handles signaling between UE 104 and EPC 160. Typically, MME 162 provides bearer and connection management. All user Internet Protocol (IP) packets are delivered through the Serving Gateway 166, which is itself connected to the PDN Gateway 172. The PDN Gateway 172 provides UE IP address allocation and other functions. The PDN Gateway 172 and BM-SC 170 are connected to the IP service 176. IP service 176 may include the Internet, intranet, IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), packet-switched streaming service, and / or other IP services. BM-SC 170 can provide functions for MBMS user service provisioning and delivery. BM-SC 170 can serve as an entry point for content provider MBMS transmissions, can be used to authorize and initiate MBMS bearer services in public land mobile networks (PLMNs), and can be used to schedule MBMS transmissions. MBMS GW 168 can be used to allocate MBMS traffic to base station 102 belonging to a multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) area belonging to a broadcast-specific service, and is responsible for session management (start / stop) and collecting payment information related to evolved MBMS (eMBMS).

[0033] The core network 190 includes the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 192, other AMFs 193, the Location Management Function (LMF) 198, the Session Management Function (SMF) 194, and the User Plane Function (UPF) 195. The AMF 192 can communicate with the Unified Data Management (UDM) 196. The AMF 192 is the control node that handles signaling between the UE 104 and the core network 190. Typically, the SMF 194 provides QoS flow and session management. All user Internet Protocol (IP) datagrams are transmitted through the UPF 195. The UPF 195 provides UE IP address allocation and other functions. The UPF 195 connects to IP services 197. IP services 197 may include the Internet, intranet, IMS, PS streaming services, and / or other IP services.

[0034] A base station may also be referred to as a gNB, Node B, evolved Node-B (eNB), AP, base transceiver station, radio base station, radio transceiver, transceiver function, basic service set (BSS), extended service set (ESS), or other suitable terms. Base station 102 provides the AP to EPC160 for UE 104. Examples of UE 104 include mobile phones, smartphones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), satellite radios, global positioning systems, multimedia devices, video devices, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, game consoles, tablet computers, smart devices, wearable devices, automobiles, meters, air pumps, ovens, or any other similarly functional device. Some UEs 104 may also be referred to as IoT devices (e.g., parking timers, air pumps, ovens, automobiles, etc.). UE 104 may also be referred to as station, mobile station, user station, mobile unit, user unit, radio unit, remote unit, mobile device, radio device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile user station, access terminal, mobile terminal, radio terminal, remote terminal, mobile phone, user agent, mobile client, client or other suitable terms.

[0035] Although this invention may relate to 5G NR, it may be applicable to other similar fields such as LTE, LTE-A, CDMA, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) or other wireless / radio access technologies.

[0036] Figure 2This is a block diagram illustrating communication between base station 210 and UE 250 in the access network. In the DL, IP packets from EPC 160 can be provided to controller / processor 275. Controller / processor 275 implements Layer 3 and Layer 2 functions. Layer 3 includes the radio resource control (RRC) layer, and Layer 2 includes the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio link control (RLC) layer, and medium access control (MAC) layer. The controller / processor 275 provides RRC layer functions, PDCP layer functions, RLC layer functions, and MAC layer functions. The RRC layer functions are associated with system information (e.g., master information block (MIB) and system information block (SIB)) broadcasting, RRC connection control (e.g., RRC connection paging, RRC connection establishment, RRC connection modification, and RRC connection release), mobility between Radio Access Technology (RAT), and measurement configuration for UE measurement reporting. The PDCP layer functions are associated with header compression / decompression, security (encryption, decryption, integrity protection, integrity verification), and handover support functions. The RLC layer functions are associated with the transmission of upper-layer packet data units (PDUs), error correction via automatic repeat request (ARQ), and RLC service data units. The concatenation, segmentation, and reassembly of data units (SDUs), the resegmentation of RLC data PDUs, and the reordering of RLC data PDUs are all related. Among them, the MAC layer functions are related to the mapping between logical channels and transport channels, the multiplexing of MAC SDUs to transport blocks (TBs), the demultiplexing of TBs to MAC SDUs, scheduling information reporting, error correction through hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), priority processing, and logical channel priority.

[0037] The transmit (TX) processor 216 and receive (RX) processor 270 implement Layer 1 functions associated with various signal processing functions. Layer 1 (including the physical (PHY) layer) may include error detection on the transport channel, forward error correction (FEC) encoding / decoding on the transport channel, interleaving, rate matching, mapping on the physical channel, modulation / demodulation of the physical channel, and MIMO antenna processing. The TX processor 216 processes the mapping to the signal constellation based on various modulation schemes (e.g., binary phase-shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK), M-phase-shift keying (M-PSK), and M-quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM)). The encoded and modulated symbols can then be split into parallel streams. Each stream can then be mapped to an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal (e.g., a pilot) in the time and / or frequency domains, and then combined using an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) to generate a physical channel carrying a time-domain OFDM symbol stream. The OFDM streams are spatially precoded to generate multiple spatial streams. The channel estimate from channel estimator 274 can be used to determine the coding and modulation scheme, as well as for spatial processing. The channel estimate can be derived from the reference signal and / or channel state feedback transmitted by UE 250. Each spatial stream can then be provided to different antennas 220 via a separate transceiver 218 (transceiver 218 includes RX and TX). Each transceiver 218 can modulate an RF carrier using its respective spatial stream for transmission.

[0038] At UE 250, each transceiver 254 (including RX and TX) receives signals through its respective antenna 252. Each transceiver 254 recovers the information modulated onto the RF carrier and provides this information to the RX processor 256. The TX processor 268 and RX processor 256 implement Layer 1 functions associated with various signal processing functions. The RX processor 256 can perform spatial processing on the information to recover any spatial streams to be transmitted to UE 250. If multiple spatial streams exist to be transmitted to UE 250, the RX processor 256 combines these multiple spatial streams into a single OFDM symbol stream. The RX processor 256 then uses a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to transform the OFDM symbol stream from the time domain to the frequency domain. The frequency domain signal includes a separate OFDM symbol stream for each subcarrier of the OFDM signal. The symbols and reference signals on each subcarrier are recovered and demodulated by determining the signal constellation diagram most likely to be transmitted by base station 210. These soft decisions can be based on the channel estimate calculated by channel estimator 258. The soft decision is then decoded and deinterleaved to recover the data and control signals originally transmitted by base station 210 on the physical channel. This data and control signals are then provided to controller / processor 259, which implements Layer 3 and Layer 2 functions.

[0039] Controller / processor 259 may be associated with memory 260, which stores program code and data. Memory 260 may be referred to as computer-readable medium. In UL, controller / processor 259 provides demultiplexing, packet reassembly, decryption, header decompression, and control signal processing between transmission and logical channels to recover IP packets from EPC 160. Controller / processor 259 is also responsible for error detection using acknowledgement (ACK) and / or negative acknowledgement (NACK) protocols to support HARQ operation.

[0040] Similar to the functional description of DL transmission via base station 210, controller / processor 259 provides RRC layer functions, PDCP layer functions, RLC layer functions, and MAC layer functions. The RRC layer functions are associated with system information (e.g., MIB, SIB) acquisition, RRC connection, and measurement reporting. The PDCP layer functions are associated with header compression / decompression and security (encryption, decryption, integrity protection, integrity verification). The RLC layer functions are associated with the transmission of upper-layer PDUs, error correction via ARQ, concatenation, segmentation, and reassembly of RLC SDUs, and reordering of RLC data PDUs. The MAC layer functions are associated with mapping between logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing of MAC SDUs to TBs, demultiplexing of TBs to MAC SDUs, scheduling information reporting, error correction via HARQ, priority processing, and logical channel priority.

[0041] The channel estimate derived by channel estimator 258 can be used by TX processor 268 to select appropriate coding and modulation schemes and facilitate spatial processing, wherein the channel estimate is derived from a reference signal or feedback transmitted by base station 210. The spatial stream generated by TX processor 268 can be provided to different antennas 252 via individual transceivers 254. Each transceiver 254 can use the corresponding spatial stream to modulate an RF carrier for transmission. Base station 210 processes UL transmissions in a manner similar to that described in the receiver function description at UE 250. Each transceiver 218 receives signals through a corresponding antenna 220. Each transceiver 218 recovers the information modulated onto the RF carrier and provides this information to RX processor 270.

[0042] Controller / processor 275 may be associated with memory 276, which stores program code and data. Memory 276 may be referred to as computer-readable medium. In the UL, controller / processor 275 provides demultiplexing, packet reassembly, decryption, header decompression, and control signal processing between the transmission and logical channels to recover IP packets from UE 250. IP packets from controller / processor 275 may be provided to EPC 160. Controller / processor 275 is also responsible for error detection using ACK and / or NACK protocols to support HARQ operation.

[0043] NR refers to a radio configured to operate under a new air interface (e.g., in addition to an OFDMA-based air interface) or a fixed transport layer (e.g., other than IP). NR can use OFDM with a cyclic prefix (CP) in both UL and DL, and includes support for half-duplex operation using Time Division Duplexing (TDD). NR can include mission-critical services such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) for wide bandwidths (e.g., above 80 MHz), mmW for high carrier frequencies (e.g., 60 GHz), massive MTC (mMTC) for non-backward-compatible Machine Type Communication (MTC) technologies, and / or ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) services.

[0044] It can support a single component carrier with a bandwidth of 100 MHz (or other suitable bandwidth). In one example, an NR resource block (RB) can span 12 subcarriers with a sub-carrier spacing (SCS) of 60 kHz and a duration of 0.25 ms, or an SCS of 30 kHz and a duration of 0.5 ms (similarly, for a 50 MHz bandwidth, an SCS of 15 and a duration of 1 ms). Each radio frame can include 10 subframes of 10 ms in length (or 10, 20, 40, or 80 NR slots). Each subframe can indicate the link direction (i.e., DL or UL) for data transmission, and the link direction of each subframe can be dynamically switched. Each subframe can include DL / UL data as well as DL / UL control data. NR UL and DL subframes can be defined below. Figure 5 and Figure 6 A detailed description will be provided in the following section.

[0045] NR RAN can include a central unit (CU) and distributed units (DU). NR base stations (BS) (e.g., gNB, 5G Node B, Node B, transmission reception point (TRP), AP) can correspond to one or more BSs. NR cells can be configured as access cells (ACells) or data-only cells (DCells). For example, the RAN (e.g., CU or DU) can configure cells. DCells can be cells used for carrier aggregation or dual connectivity and are not used for initial access, cell selection / reselection, or handover. In some cases, DCells do not transmit synchronization signals (SS). In other cases, DCells transmit SS. NR BSs can transmit DL signals indicating the cell type to the UE. Based on this cell type indication, the UE can communicate with the NR BS. For example, the UE can determine the NR BS based on the indicated cell type to consider for cell selection, access, handover, and / or measurement.

[0046] Figure 3 An example logical structure of a distributed RAN 300 according to aspects of the present invention is illustrated. The 5G access node 306 includes an access node controller (ANC) 302. The ANC may be a CU of the distributed RAN 300. The backhaul interface to the next-generation core network (NG-CN) 304 may terminate at the ANC. The backhaul interface to the adjacent next-generation access node (NG-AN) may terminate at the ANC. The ANC includes one or more TRPs 308 (also referred to as BS, NR BS, Node B, 5G NB, AP, or some other terminology). As mentioned above, TRP can be used interchangeably with "cell".

[0047] TRP 308 can be a DU. A TRP can be connected to one ANC (ANC 302) or more ANCs (not shown). For example, for RAN sharing, radio as a service (RaaS), and service-specific ANC deployments, the TRP can be connected to more than one ANC. The TRP includes one or more antenna ports. The TRP can be configured to serve traffic to the UE independently (e.g., dynamically selected) or jointly (e.g., jointly transmitted).

[0048] The local architecture of the distributed RAN 300 can be used to describe the fronthaul definition. Architectures supporting fronthaul solutions across different deployment types can be defined. For example, the architecture can be based on transmit network performance (e.g., bandwidth, latency, and / or jitter). This architecture can share features and / or components with LTE. Depending on various aspects, the NG-AN 310 can support dual connectivity with NR. The NG-AN can share common fronthaul for both LTE and NR.

[0049] The structure can enable collaboration between TRPs 308. For example, collaboration can be pre-configured within a TRP and / or across TRPs via ANC 302. Depending on the aspects, interfaces between TRPs may be unnecessary or nonexistent.

[0050] Depending on various factors, the dynamic configuration of separate logical functions can exist within the distributed RAN300 architecture. PDCP, RLC, and MAC protocols can be adaptively placed in the ANC or TRP.

[0051] Figure 4 An example physical structure of a distributed RAN 400 according to aspects of the invention is illustrated. A centralized core network unit (C-CU) 402 can assume core network functions. The C-CU can be centrally deployed. C-CU functions can be offloaded (e.g., offloaded to an advanced wireless service (AWS)) to handle peak capacity. A centralized RAN unit (C-RU) 404 can assume one or more ANC functions. Optionally, the C-RU can assume core network functions locally. The C-RU can be distributed. The C-RU can be closer to the network edge. A DU 406 can assume one or more TRPs. The DU can be located at the network edge with RF functionality.

[0052] Figure 5 Figure 500 illustrates an example of a DL-centered subframe. The DL-centered subframe includes a control portion 502. The control portion 502 may exist in the initial or beginning portion of the DL-centered subframe. The control portion 502 includes various scheduling and / or control information corresponding to different portions of the DL-centered subframe. In some configurations, the control portion 502 may be a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), such as... Figure 5As shown. The DL-centric subframe also includes a DL data portion 504. The DL data portion 504 is sometimes referred to as the payload of the DL-centric subframe. The DL data portion 504 includes communication resources for communication from a scheduling entity (e.g., UE or BS) to a lower-level entity (e.g., UE). In some configurations, the DL data portion 504 may be a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

[0053] The DL-centered subframe also includes a common UL section 506. The common UL section 506 is sometimes referred to as a UL burst, common UL burst, and / or various other suitable terms. The common UL section 506 includes feedback information corresponding to various other sections of the DL-centered subframe. For example, the common UL section 506 includes feedback information corresponding to the control section 502. Non-limiting examples of feedback information include ACK signals, NACK signals, HARQ indications, and / or various other suitable types of information. The common UL section 506 includes additional or optional information, such as information related to the random access channel (RACH) procedure, scheduling request (SR), and various other suitable types of information.

[0054] like Figure 5 As shown, the end of the DL data portion 504 can be temporally separated from the start of the common UL portion 506. This temporal separation may sometimes be referred to as a gap, guard period, guard interval, and / or other suitable terms. This separation provides time for the handover from DL communication (e.g., reception operation of a lower-level entity (e.g., UE)) to UL communication (e.g., transmission of a lower-level entity (e.g., UE)). Those skilled in the art will understand that the above is merely an example of a DL-centric subframe, and alternative structures with similar characteristics may exist without deviating from the aspects described herein.

[0055] Figure 6 Figure 600 shows an example of a subframe centered on UL. The UL-centered subframe includes a control section 602. The control section 602 may be present in the initial or beginning portion of the UL-centered subframe. Figure 6 Control section 602 may be related to reference Figure 5The control portion 502 is similar. The UL-centric subframe also includes a UL data portion 604. The UL data portion 604 may sometimes be referred to as the payload of the UL-centric subframe. The UL portion may refer to communication resources used for communication from a lower-level entity (e.g., UE) to a scheduling entity (e.g., UE or BS). In some configurations, the control portion 602 may be a PDCCH.

[0056] like Figure 6 As shown, the end of control section 602 can be time-separated from the start of common UL data section 604. This time separation may sometimes be referred to as an interval, protection period, protection interval, and / or other suitable terms. This separation provides time for the switch from DL communication (e.g., receiving operations of a scheduling entity) to UL communication (e.g., transmissions of a scheduling entity). The UL-centric subframe also includes common UL section 606. Figure 6 The public UL section 606 may be related to the reference Figure 6 The common UL portion 606 is similar. The common UL portion 606 may additionally or extraneously include information regarding the channel quality indicator (CQI), SRS, and various other suitable types of information. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above is merely an example of a DL-centered subframe, and alternative structures with similar characteristics may exist without deviating from the aspects described herein.

[0057] In some cases, two or more subordinate entities (e.g., UEs) can communicate with each other using sidelink signaling. Practical applications of this sidelink communication include public safety, proximity services, UE-to-network relay, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, Internet of Everything (IoE) communication, IoT communication, mission-critical mesh, and / or various other suitable applications. Typically, sidelink signaling can refer to communication from one subordinate entity (e.g., UE 1) to another subordinate entity (e.g., UE 2) without relaying the communication through a scheduling entity (e.g., UE or BS), even if the scheduling entity may be used for scheduling and / or control purposes. In some examples, sidelink signaling can communicate using licensed spectrum (unlike wireless LANs that typically use unlicensed spectrum).

[0058] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram 700 illustrating a UE receiving signals transmitted from a base station. In this example, the UE 704 has antenna panels 710-1…710-p…710-p in different directions. Furthermore, each antenna panel may have X RXUs, each RXU connected to one or more antennas. For example, antenna panel 710-p has X RXUs 714-p-1…714-pX. RF signals received at an antenna connected to a particular RXU are sent to that particular RXU for processing.

[0059] Base station 702 can send a configuration to UE 704 specifying the bandwidth W0 carried on C0 component carriers, where UE 704's RXUs receive signals on C0 component carriers. In this example, W0 is 1.6 GHz, and C0 is 16. The bandwidth of each component carrier is 100 MHz. In other examples, different component carriers can have different bandwidths. Furthermore, UE 704 has a total of Q RXUs.

[0060] UE 704 has a maximum total bandwidth W capable of receiving signals. TOT W TOT This is a hardware limitation of UE 704. In this example, W TOT It is 3.2GHz. Based on W TOT With W0, UE 704 can determine the maximum value of Q0′ RXUs that the UE is allowed to activate simultaneously. That is: W TOT =W 00 *W′0. In this example, Q0′ is 2. UE 704 can select one or two RXUs from Q RXUs (in this example) based on certain rules to receive signals on C0 (e.g., 16) component carriers transmitted from base station 702.

[0061] To reduce cost and power consumption, UE 704 typically activates (turns on) only the RXU on the same panel at a time. UE 704 can activate the antenna panel with the highest Reference Signal Receiving Power (RSRP). The antenna panel with the highest RSRP changes over time due to UE movement, rotation, and environmental obstructions. Therefore, UE 704 needs to switch to other antenna panels. UE 704 determines when to measure the RSRP on other antenna panels to find the optimal antenna panel based on certain criteria (e.g., periodically or when the RSRP of the active panel is below a threshold).

[0062] In some configurations, panel switching suffers from a delay on the order of 100 milliseconds, during which the received signal at the UE becomes unstable. Frequent panel switching can significantly reduce throughput. If signals arrive at the UE from multiple angles due to severe environmental reflections and scattering, the UE will suffer performance degradation if it is limited to receiving these signals on a single active panel.

[0063] In some configurations, UE 704 can activate multiple antenna panels simultaneously. Therefore, UE 704 does not need to switch antenna panels and thus does not suffer from panel switching latency. Furthermore, activating multiple panels can potentially improve the SNR of the received signal, which can significantly increase throughput, enhance cell edge performance, and expand cell coverage.

[0064] Nevertheless, deactivating RXUs at the antenna panel level can be inflexible. In some configurations, UE704 can activate a subset of RXUs (e.g., two RXUs) on different antenna panels for transmission or reception. Therefore, UE704 can receive signals from multiple angles of arrival (AoA) while avoiding excessive power consumption.

[0065] In the first scenario, UE 704 can determine that it is located at the cell edge with low received SNR. UE 704 can determine that it is moving and / or rotating rapidly, and that UE 704 has difficulty maintaining good signal quality at a given antenna panel. Furthermore, some antenna panels of UE 704 may be obstructed by obstacles. Therefore, UE 704 can determine that (a) the channel conditions between the base station and the UE are worse than a corresponding threshold, (b) the UE is moving faster than a corresponding threshold, or (c) the UE is rotating faster than a corresponding threshold. Additionally, UE 704 can determine that the initial aggregate bandwidth W0 configured by base station 702 is greater than a corresponding threshold and / or the maximum number of active RXUs Q0′ is less than a corresponding threshold. In other words, UE 704 determines that the current aggregate bandwidth W0 for each RXU is too large, and the maximum number of concurrently active RXUs Q0′ is too small.

[0066] In the second scenario, UE 704 can determine that it is located in the center of a cell with a high received SNR. UE 704 can determine that it is static and does not require frequent antenna panel switching. UE 704 can determine that it is not obstructed by obstacles. Therefore, UE 704 can determine that (a) the channel conditions between the base station and the UE are better than the corresponding threshold, (b) the UE's movement is slower than the corresponding threshold, or (c) the UE's rotation is slower than the corresponding threshold. Furthermore, UE 704 can determine that the initial aggregate bandwidth W0 configured by base station 702 is less than the corresponding threshold and / or the maximum number of active RXUs Q0′ is greater than the corresponding threshold. In other words, UE 704 determines that the current aggregate bandwidth W0 for each RXU is too small, and the maximum number of concurrent active RXUs Q0′ is too large.

[0067] UE 704 can determine the preferred aggregation bandwidth W1 carried by C1 component carriers based on the channel conditions described above, on which UE 704's RXU receives signals. In this example, initially, UE 704 uses only RXU 714-1-1 and the connected antenna to receive signals carried on C0 (e.g., 16) component carriers in the aggregation bandwidth W0 (e.g., 1.6 GHz).

[0068] UE 704 measures the reference signal transmitted on the C0 component carriers to determine the SNR. UE 704 further determines that the measured SNR falls within a range corresponding to a 400MHz aggregate bandwidth on the C1 (e.g., 4) component carriers to obtain better signal quality. Therefore, UE 704 determines that 400MHz is the preferred aggregate bandwidth for each RXU.

[0069] UE 704 may send an indication to base station 702 indicating the preferred aggregate bandwidth W1 and the corresponding number (e.g., C1) of component carriers. In one configuration, UE 704 may use UE Assistance Information (UAI) as defined in the 3GPP standard to send the indication.

[0070] In response to receiving an instruction from UE 704, base station 702 may send an instruction to UE 704 specifying a preferred aggregation bandwidth W1 carried by C1 component carriers, on which UE 704's RXUs receive signals. After receiving the configuration, UE 704 activates one or more RXUs according to the preferred aggregation bandwidth described below.

[0071] UE 704 is based on W TOT W1 determines the preferred hardware limitations on the number of Q1′ RXUs that can be activated simultaneously by the UE. In this example, due to W... TOTThe frequency is 3.2 GHz, W1 is 400 MHz, and Q1′ is 8. In other words, UE 704 can activate a maximum of 8 RXUs to receive signals simultaneously on C1 component carriers. Furthermore, based on other criteria (e.g., total power consumption), UE 704 can determine a preferred hardware limit of using only T RXUs, which is no greater than Q1′ RXUs.

[0072] In the first technique, base station 702 transmits signals on C1 component carriers of one or more transmission beams. The transmission beams can be coarse or fine. UE 704 adjusts the antennas on antenna panels 710-1…710-p…710-p according to a predefined configuration to receive those transmission beams on the coarse receiving beam. For example, a predefined antenna weighting vector (AWV) is applied to one or two antennas connected to the RXU. UE 704 activates one or more of the Q RXUs at a time to receive reference signals on the C1 component carriers until each of the Q RXUs is activated once. The reference signal can be an SSB, a Tracking Reference Signal (TRS), a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS), and / or a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS). UE 704 measures the quality of the reference signal (e.g., RSRP, signal-noise ratio (SNR), or mutual information (MI) received at each RXU). UE 704 compares the quality of the reference signals from all Q RXUs to select the T stronger RXUs. The T RXUs can be selected from across all antenna panels 710-1…710-p…710-p, and are not constrained by the fact that the active RXUs come from the same antenna panel. UE 704 then activates the selected T RXUs while simultaneously receiving signals on C1 component carriers transmitted from base station 702.

[0073] In the second technique, base station 702 transmits signals on C1 component carriers of one or more transmission beams. The transmission beams can be coarse or fine. UE 704 adjusts the antennas on antenna panels 710-1…710-p…710-p according to some beamforming method to receive those transmission beams on a fine receiving beam. For example, an AWV (selected / generated based on channel conditions) is applied to most or all antennas connected to the RXU. The beamforming method can be optimized for each RXU or jointly optimized by multiple RXUs. UE 704 activates one or more of the Q RXUs at a time to receive a reference signal on the C1 component carriers until each of the Q RXUs is activated once. The reference signal can be SSB, TRS, CSI-RS, and / or DMRS. UE 704 measures the quality of the reference signal received at each RXU (e.g., RSRP, SNR, or MI). UE 704 compares the quality of the reference signal from all Q RXUs to select the T stronger RXUs. T RXUs can be selected from all antenna panels 710-1…710-p…710-p, without being restricted by the fact that the activated RXUs come from the same antenna panel. Subsequently, UE 704 activates the selected T RXUs while receiving signals on C1 component carriers transmitted from base station 702.

[0074] Figure 8 This is a flowchart 800 of a method (process) for adjusting aggregated bandwidth. The method can be performed by a UE (e.g., UE 704). In operation 802, the UE receives from the base station a configuration of an initial aggregated bandwidth W0 carried on specified C0 component carriers, wherein the UE's RXU receives signals on said C0 component carriers. In operation 804, the UE determines the total bandwidth W0 on which signals can be received. TOT In operation 806, the UE is based on W TOT The initial hardware limit for Q0′ RXUs that the UE can activate simultaneously is determined by W0. In operation 808, the UE determines the adjusted aggregate bandwidth W1 carried on C1 component carriers based on the channel conditions between the UE and the base station, on which the UE's RXUs receive signals.

[0075] In operation 810, the UE sends an indication to the base station of at least one of indications W1 and C1. In some configurations, this indication is sent to the base station as a UAI. In operation 812, the UE receives from the base station a configuration specifying an adjusted aggregate bandwidth W1 carried on C1 component carriers, wherein the UE's RXU receives signals on said C1 component carriers.

[0076] In operation 814, the UE is based on W TOTW1 determines the adjusted hardware limit for the Q1′ RXUs that the UE can activate simultaneously. In operation 816, the UE determines to activate T RXUs out of the Q0′ RXUs. T is a positive integer and not greater than Q0′.

[0077] In some configurations, the UE has a total of Q RXUs. Q is an integer not less than Q0′. In operation 818, the UE receives one or more reference signals transmitted from the base station at the Q RXUs. In operation 820, the UE measures the one or more reference signals received at the Q RXUs. In operation 822, the UE selects T RXUs from the Q RXUs based on the measurement results. In operation 824, the UE receives signals transmitted from the base station at each of the T RXUs on C0 component carriers constituting the initial aggregate bandwidth W0.

[0078] In some configurations, the corresponding one or more reference signals are in a coarse beam transmitted from the base station. In some configurations, the corresponding one or more reference signals are in a coarse beam received at the UE. In some configurations, the corresponding one or more reference signals are in a thin beam transmitted from the base station. In some configurations, the corresponding one or more reference signals are in a thin beam received at the UE.

[0079] In some configurations, before determining the adjusted aggregate bandwidth W1, the UE determines that (a) the channel conditions between the base station and the UE are worse than a first threshold, (b) the UE moves faster than a second threshold, or (c) the UE rotates faster than a third threshold. The UE further determines that Q1′ is greater than a fourth threshold.

[0080] In some configurations, before determining the adjusted aggregate bandwidth W1, the UE determines that (a) the channel conditions between the base station and the UE are better than a first threshold, (b) the UE's movement is slower than a second threshold, or (c) the UE's rotation is slower than a third threshold. The UE further determines that Q1′ is less than a fourth threshold.

[0081] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram 900 illustrating an example of a hardware implementation of a device 902 employing a processing system 914. Device 902 may be a user interface (UE). The processing system 914 may implement a bus architecture, generally represented by a bus 924. Depending on the specific application and overall design constraints of the processing system 914, the bus 924 may include any number of interconnected buses and bridges. The bus 924 links together various circuits including one or more processors and / or hardware components, represented by one or more processors 904, receiving components 964, transmitting components 970, aggregation bandwidth adjustment components 976, channel state components 978, and computer-readable media / memory 906. The bus 924 may also link various other circuits, such as timing sources, external devices, voltage regulators, and power management circuits.

[0082] The processing system 914 may be coupled to a transceiver 910, wherein the transceiver 910 may be one or more transceivers 254. The transceiver 910 may be coupled to one or more antennas 920, wherein the antennas 920 may be communication antennas 252.

[0083] Transceiver 910 provides a means of communication with various other devices via a transmission medium. Transceiver 910 receives signals from one or more antennas 920, extracts information from the received signals, and provides this extracted information to processing system 914 (particularly receiving component 964). Additionally, transceiver 910 receives information from processing system 914 (particularly transmitting component 970) and generates signals based on the received information, applying them to one or more antennas 920.

[0084] Processing system 914 includes one or more processors 904 coupled to computer-readable medium / memory 906. The one or more processors 904 are responsible for overall processing, including executing software stored on the computer-readable medium / memory 906. When the software is executed by the one or more processors 904, it causes processing system 914 to perform various functions of any of the specific devices described above. Computer-readable medium / memory 906 can also be used to store data manipulated when the software is executed by the one or more processors 904. Processing system 914 also includes at least one of a receiving component 964, a transmitting component 970, an aggregation bandwidth adjustment component 976, and a channel state component 978. These components may be software components that run in one or more processors 904 and are permanently stored / represented in computer-readable medium / memory 906, one or more hardware components coupled to one or more processors 904, or a combination of the above components. Processing system 914 may be a component of UE 250 and includes memory 260 and / or at least one of TX processor 268, RX processor 256, and controller / processor 259.

[0085] In one configuration, the device 902 for wireless communication includes a means for performing... Figure 8 The means of each operation. The means may be that one or more components of the processing system 914 of device 902 are configured to perform the functions described above.

[0086] As described above, the processing system 914 includes a TX processor 268, an RX processor 256, and a controller / processor 259. Similarly, in one configuration, the above-described means may involve configuring the TX processor 268, RX processor 256, and controller / processor 259 to perform the functions described above.

[0087] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the disclosed process / flowchart is an illustration of an exemplary method. It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the process / flowchart can be rearranged based on design preferences. Furthermore, some steps can be combined or omitted. The appended method claims protection for the elements presented in the various steps in an exemplary order, but this does not mean that the invention is limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0088] The foregoing description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined in the invention can also be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to limit the aspects shown in the invention, but rather to conform to the full scope of the language claims, in which references to singular elements, unless specifically stated otherwise, are not intended to mean “one and only one,” but rather “one or more.” The term “exemplary” in this invention means “as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described as an “example” is not necessarily more preferred or advantageous than other aspects. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” means one or more. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” include any combination of A, B, and / or C, and may include multiple A, multiple B, or multiple C. Specifically, combinations such as "at least one of A, B, or C", "one or more of A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", "one or more of A, B, and C", and "A, B, C, or any combination thereof" can be only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C, wherein any such combination may include one or more members of A, B, or C. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the various aspects described in this invention are known to or will subsequently be known to those skilled in the art and are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be included by the claims. Furthermore, regardless of whether the invention is expressly recited in the claims, the disclosure of this invention is not intended for public use. The terms "module," "mechanism," "component," "device," etc., may not be alternatives to the term "means." Therefore, unless an element in a claim is explicitly stated using the phrase "means for…", it should not be construed as a functional limitation.

Claims

1. A panel-inter reception method of a user equipment, comprising: receiving, from a base station, a configuration specifying an initial aggregated bandwidth W0 carried on C0 component carriers, wherein a reception unit of the user equipment receives signals on the C0 component carriers; determining a total bandwidth W that the user equipment is able to receive signals TOT ; Based on W TOT and W0determine an initial hardware limit of Q0' receiving units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously; determining, based on a channel condition between the user equipment and the base station, an adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1 carried on C1 component carriers, wherein a reception unit of the user equipment receives signals on the C1 component carriers; sending, to the base station, an indication indicating at least one of W1 and C1 ; after sending the indication, receiving, from the base station, a configuration specifying the adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1 carried on the C1 component carriers, wherein a reception unit of the user equipment receives signals on the C1 component carriers; and Based on W TOT and W1 determine an adjusted hardware limit of Q1' receive units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously. 2.The panel-inter reception method of the user equipment according to claim 1, further comprising: sending, to the base station, the indication indicating at least one of W1 and C1 as user equipment assistance information. 3.The panel-inter reception method of the user equipment according to claim 1, further comprising: determining to activate T reception units of the Q0′ reception units, T being a positive integer and not greater than Q0′; and receiving, at each of the T reception units, signals transmitted from the base station on the C0 component carriers constituting the initial aggregated bandwidth W0. The user equipment has a total of Q reception units, Q being an integer not less than Q0′, the method further comprising: 4.The panel-to-panel reception method of claim 3, wherein, receiving, at the Q reception units, one or more reference signals transmitted from the base station; measuring the one or more reference signals received at the Q reception units; and selecting the T reception units from the Q reception units based on the measurement results. The corresponding one or more reference signals are in a coarse beam transmitted from the base station. 5.The panel-to-panel reception method of claim 4, wherein, The corresponding one or more reference signals are in a coarse beam received at the user equipment. 6.The panel-to-panel reception method of claim 4, wherein, The corresponding one or more reference signals are in a fine beam transmitted from the base station. 7.The panel-to-panel reception method of claim 4, wherein, The corresponding one or more reference signals are in a fine beam received at the user equipment. 8.The panel-to-panel receiving method of claim 4, wherein, 9.The panel-inter reception method of the user equipment according to claim 1, further comprising: before determining the adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1, determining that (a) the channel condition between the base station and the user equipment is worse than a first threshold, (b) a movement of the user equipment is faster than a second threshold, or (c) a rotation of the user equipment is faster than a third threshold; determining that Q1′ is greater than a fourth threshold. Based on W TOT and W1 determine an adjusted hardware limit of Q1' receive units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously; and 10.The panel-inter reception method of the user equipment according to claim 1, further comprising: before determining the adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1, determining that (a) the channel condition between the base station and the user equipment is better than a first threshold, (b) a movement of the user equipment is slower than a second threshold, or (c) a rotation of the user equipment is slower than a third threshold; determining that Q1′ is less than a fourth threshold. Based on W TOT and W1 determine an adjusted hardware limit of Q1' receive units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously; and 11.An apparatus for a panel-inter reception device of a user equipment, the apparatus being a user equipment, comprising: a memory, and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to: ​ receiving, from a base station, a configuration specifying an initial aggregated bandwidth W0 carried on C0 component carriers, wherein receive units of the user equipment receive signals on the C0 component carriers; determining a total bandwidth W that the user equipment is able to receive signals TOT ; Based on W TOT and W0determine an initial hardware limit of Q0' number of receive units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously; and determining an adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1 carried on C1 component carriers based on channel conditions between the user equipment and the base station, wherein receive units of the user equipment receive signals on the C1 component carriers; sending, to the base station, an indication indicating at least one of W1 and C1; after sending the indication, receiving, from the base station, a configuration specifying the adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1 carried on the C1 component carriers, wherein receive units of the user equipment receive signals on the C1 component carriers; and Based on W TOT and W1 determine an adjusted hardware limit of Q1' receive units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the at least one processor is further configured to: send, to the base station, an indication indicating at least one of W1 and C1 as user equipment assistance information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the at least one processor is further configured to: determine to activate T receive units of the Q0' receive units, T being a positive integer and not greater than Q0'; and receive, at each of the T receive units, signals transmitted from the base station on C0 component carriers constituting the initial aggregated bandwidth W0.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, the user equipment has a total of Q receive units, Q being an integer not less than Q0', the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, at the Q receive units, one or more reference signals transmitted from the base station; measure the one or more reference signals received at the Q receive units; and select the T receive units from the Q receive units based on the measurement.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, the at least one processor is further configured to: before determining the adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1, determine that (a) the channel conditions between the base station and the user equipment are worse than a first threshold, (b) movement of the user equipment is faster than a second threshold, or (c) rotation of the user equipment is faster than a third threshold; determine that Q1' is greater than a fourth threshold. Based on W TOT and W1 determine an adjusted hardware limit of Q1' receive units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously; and 16. The apparatus of claim 11, the at least one processor is further configured to: before determining the adjusted aggregated bandwidth W1, determine that (a) the channel conditions between the base station and the user equipment are better than a first threshold, (b) movement of the user equipment is slower than a second threshold, or (c) rotation of the user equipment is slower than a third threshold; determine that Q1' is less than a fourth threshold. Based on W TOT and W1 determine an adjusted hardware limit of Q1' receive units that the user equipment is allowed to activate simultaneously; and the computer executable code is for performing steps of the inter-panel reception method of the user equipment of any of claims 1-10.

17. A computer readable medium for storing computer executable code, the computer executable code comprising instructions for:

17. A computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform steps of the inter-panel reception method of the user equipment of any of claims 1-10.

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