Relaxation of measurements used for fault detection

Abstract

Example embodiments of this disclosure relate to relaxing measurements for fault detection in a cell. In an example embodiment, a device performs measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times, and determines one or more Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) levels of the cell based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals. Furthermore, the device determines one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality, one of the reference RSRP levels being associated with one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell. The device evaluates relaxation criteria based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the determined RSRP levels of the cell. Furthermore, if the evaluation relaxation criteria have been met for a period of time, the device relaxes the measurements for fault detection in the cell.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to PCT application No. PCT / CN2022 / 070770, filed on January 7, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to the field of communications, and more particularly to devices, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage media for relaxing measurements for fault detection in a cell. Background Technology

[0004] A measurement (referred to as Radio Link Monitoring (RLM)) performed by a User Equipment (UE) on its serving cell to monitor the performance of the serving cell has been proposed to ensure the downlink radio link quality of the serving cell. The downlink radio link quality of the serving cell is monitored based on a reference signal provided by the serving cell to indicate asynchronous and / or synchronized states to higher layers.

[0005] Furthermore, beam fault detection (BFD) has been proposed to detect the transmission / reception beam quality between the UE and the serving cell. Accordingly, if a beam fault is detected, beam recovery or beam change can be performed.

[0006] However, especially for UEs in low mobility and short-period discontinuous reception (DRX) connection modes, frequent measurements for fault detection lead to high power consumption. Therefore, addressing high power consumption to further improve transmission efficiency remains an important problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In general, exemplary embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus, method, device, and computer-readable storage medium for relaxing measurements for fault detection in a cell.

[0008] In a first aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times. The apparatus is caused to determine one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) levels of a cell based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times. Furthermore, the apparatus is caused to determine one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality. One of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell. The apparatus is also caused to evaluate relaxation criteria based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the determined one or more RSRP levels of the cell. Furthermore, the apparatus is caused to relax measurements for fault detection in the cell according to an evaluation that the relaxation criteria have been met over a time period.

[0009] In a second aspect, a method is provided. In this method, measurements are performed on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times. Then, based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at the one or more measurement times, one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) levels of the cell are determined. Furthermore, one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality are determined. One of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell. Relaxation criteria are evaluated based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the determined RSRP levels of the cell. Furthermore, measurements for fault detection in the cell are relaxed according to the evaluation that the relaxation criteria have been met over a period of time.

[0010] In a third aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes components for performing the method according to the second aspect.

[0011] In a fourth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that includes program instructions stored thereon. When executed by a processor of a device, the instructions cause the device to perform the method according to the second aspect.

[0012] It should be understood that the summary portion is not intended to identify key or essential features of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Some exemplary embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 An example environment in which example embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented is shown;

[0015] Figure 2 A flowchart of an example method according to some example embodiments of this disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 3 This demonstrates how to determine the RSRP level of a cell at the measurement timing when beam combining is applied;

[0017] Figure 4 A simplified block diagram of a device suitable for implementing example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0018] Throughout the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The principles of this disclosure will now be described with reference to some exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these exemplary embodiments are described merely for illustration and to help those skilled in the art understand and implement this disclosure, and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. The disclosure described herein can be implemented in various other ways besides those described below.

[0020] In the following description and claims, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0021] As used herein, the term "network device" refers to a device that can provide services to terminal devices in a communication network. As an example, a network device may include a base station. As used herein, the term "base station" (BS) refers to a network device that can provide services to terminal devices in a communication network. A base station may include any suitable device through which a terminal device or UE can access a communication network. Examples of base stations include relay stations, access points (APs), transport points (TRPs), Node Bs (NodeBs or NBs), evolved Node Bs (eNodeBs or eNBs), new radio (NR) Node Bs (gNBs), remote radio modules (RRUs), radio headers (RHs), remote radio headends (RRHs), and low-power nodes (such as femtoseconds, picoseconds, etc.).

[0022] As used herein, the terms "terminal device" or "user equipment" (UE) refer to any terminal device capable of wirelessly communicating with each other or with a base station. Communication may involve transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic signals, radio waves, infrared signals, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information over the air. In some example embodiments, the UE may be configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to a request from the network side, the UE may transmit information to the base station according to a predetermined schedule.

[0023] Examples of user equipment include, but are not limited to, smartphones, wireless tablets, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop-mounted devices (LMEs), wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), sensors, metering devices, personal wearable devices (such as watches), and / or vehicles capable of communication. For the purposes of discussion, some exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to a UE as an example of a terminal device, and the terms "terminal device" and "user equipment" (UE) may be used interchangeably in the context of this disclosure.

[0024] As used herein, the term "circuit system" may refer to one or more, or all of the following:

[0025] (a) Pure hardware circuit implementation (such as implementation using only analog and / or digital circuit systems), and

[0026] (b) A combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (if applicable):

[0027] (i) A combination of (multiple) analog and / or digital hardware circuits and software / firmware, and

[0028] (ii) Any part of a hardware processor(s) having software (including (multiple) digital signal processors), software, and (multiple) memories, which work together to enable a device (such as a mobile phone or server) to perform various functions, and

[0029] (c) (Multiple) hardware circuits and / or (multiple) processors, such as (multiple) microprocessors or a portion thereof, which require software (e.g., firmware).

[0030] The software can be used to perform operations, but can be left unused when no operation is needed.

[0031] The definition of "circuit system" applies to all uses of the term in this application, including in any claim. As another example, as used in this application, the term "circuit system" also covers implementations of only hardware circuitry or processors (or processors in general) or portions thereof and their accompanying software and / or firmware. For instance, if applicable to a particular claim element, the term "circuit system" also covers baseband integrated circuits or processor integrated circuits for mobile devices, or similar integrated circuits in servers, cellular base stations, or other computing or base stations.

[0032] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” also include the plural forms, unless the context explicitly specifies otherwise. The term “comprising” and its variations should be understood as open terms meaning “including, but not limited to.” The term “based on” should be understood as “at least partially based on.” The terms “one embodiment” and “embodiment” should be understood as “at least one embodiment.” The term “another embodiment” should be understood as “at least one other embodiment.” Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below.

[0033] As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used to describe various elements, and these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed terms.

[0034] RLM was discussed in 3GPP Releases 16 and 17. The UE can assess the downlink radio link quality of the serving cell.

[0035] UE can be able to evaluate in the previous T Evaluate_in Does the downlink radio link quality on the estimated configured RLM-RS resources become better than T within the [ms] time period? Evaluate_i [ms] Q during the evaluation period in If the downlink radio link quality becomes better than Q... in Then the UE will send a synchronization indication to the upper layer.

[0036] Similarly, the UE can be able to evaluate the final T Evaluate_out Does the downlink radio link quality on the estimated configured RLM-RS resources deteriorate within the [ms] time period compared to T? Evaluate_out [ms] Q during the evaluation period out Qout For example, this could correspond to a 10% BLER level. If the downlink radio link quality becomes worse than Q... out If the UE detects a desynchronization, it will send a desynchronization indication to the upper layer. For each desynchronization indication from the lower layer to the upper layer, the UE will increment a counter N310. If the counter N310 reaches its configured maximum value, the UE will start a timer T310, during which the UE continues to measure and evaluate the channel quality. If the channel conditions fail to improve within T310, the UE will declare a radio link failure after T310 expires.

[0037] Similarly, in order to access the downlink radio link quality of the serving cell beam, the UE can be able to assess the quality at the final T... Evaluate_BFD Does the downlink radio link quality on the estimated configured reference signal resources deteriorate below the threshold Q within the ms time period? out_LR Threshold Q out_LR The downlink radio link quality is defined as the level at which the link cannot reliably receive downlink radio signals given a resource configuration, and should correspond to a 10% BLER level. If the downlink radio link quality becomes worse than Q... out_LR If so, the UE will send a beam failure instance indication to the upper layer.

[0038] However, as mentioned above, especially for UEs in connection modes with low mobility and short-cycle discontinuous reception, frequent measurements for fault detection will lead to high power consumption. Furthermore, to date, there is no effective method to reduce power consumption to further improve transmission efficiency.

[0039] This disclosure provides an example embodiment of a scheme for relaxing measurements used for fault detection in a cell. Using this scheme, a device, such as a UE, performs measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times. The device determines one or more RSRP levels of the cell based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at the one or more measurement times. Furthermore, the device determines one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality. One of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell. The device evaluates relaxation criteria based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the determined RSRP levels of the cell. Furthermore, if the evaluation relaxation criteria have been met for a period of time, the device relaxes the measurements used for fault detection in the cell.

[0040] By relaxing the measurement, this scheme flexibly and efficiently reduces the frequency of measurements used for fault detection in the cell. Therefore, it allows for the avoidance of unnecessary signaling overhead and power consumption.

[0041] Figure 1 An example environment 100 in which example embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown.

[0042] Environment 100 (which may be part of a communication network) includes two devices 110 and 120 that communicate with each other or with other devices via each other.

[0043] Devices 110 and 120 can be implemented by any suitable device in the communication network. In some example embodiments, device 110 can be implemented by a terminal device and device 120 can be implemented by a network device, or vice versa. In some other example embodiments, both devices 110 and 120 can be implemented by either a terminal device or a network device. For the purposes of discussion only, in this example, a terminal device is used as an example of device 110, and a network device is used as an example of device 120.

[0044] It should be understood that the two devices shown in environment 200 are for illustrative purposes only and do not impose any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, environment 200 may include additional devices communicating with devices 110 and 120.

[0045] Communications in Environment 100 may follow any suitable communication standards or protocols that are already in place or will be developed in the future, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), 5G New Radio (NR), Wi-Fi, and Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMAX) standards, and employ any suitable communication technologies, including, for example, Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), Code Division Multiplexing (CDM), Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Machine-Type Communication (MTC), Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC), Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC), Carrier Aggregation (CA), Dual Connectivity (DC), and New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) technologies.

[0046] Figure 2 A flowchart of an example method 200 according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Method 200 can be performed by, for example... Figure 1 The device 110 shown is implemented. For the purposes of discussion, reference will be made to... Figure 1 Description method 200.

[0047] like Figure 2As shown in block 205, device 110 performs measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times. For example, device 110 may measure the RSRP of one or more reference signals. For example, the RSRP may be a Layer 3 (L3) RSRP or an L1-RSRP. In some example embodiments, the reference signal may be a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB). In some other example embodiments, the reference signal may be a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS).

[0048] In box 210, device 110 determines one or more RSRP levels of a cell based on measurements of one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times.

[0049] For example, the RSRP level can be derived as follows: RSRP level (dB) = Q rxlevmeas -(Q rxlevmin +Q rxlevminoffset )-P compensation -Q offsettemp A detailed description of the above variables is shown in Table 1 below.

[0050] Table 1

[0051]

[0052] In some example embodiments, if beam combining is applied, for example, if nrofSS-BlocksToAverage and absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation are configured, and the highest beam measurement value is higher than absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation, then the cell RSRP is equal to the linear power-scale average of the highest beam measurement values ​​above absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation, where the total number of averaged beams should not exceed nrofSS-BlocksToAverage. Device 110 can then determine the cell's RSRP level by averaging measurements of one or more reference signals over multiple beams on a time scale. For example, the relevant measurement parameters can be configured in measObject and reportConfig. In this case, nrofSS-BlocksToAverage and absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation can be configured. nrofSS-BlocksToAverage can be used to limit the total number of beams to be averaged. The absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation can be used to constrain only the highest N (N < nrofSS-BlocksToAverage) RSRPs (if any) averaged over a timescale above the absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation can be used to determine the RSRP level to be averaged across multiple beams in the cell at the measurement time. In this case, device 110 can determine the top N RSRPs averaged over a measurement period, for example, including 5 measurement times. If the highest RSRP averaged over the timescale is higher than the absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation, device 110 can determine the RSRP level of the cell at the measurement time based on the top N RSRPs (if any) that are higher than the absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation over the timescale. For example, the RSRP level of the cell at the measurement time can be equal to the average of the N RSRPs averaged over the timescale. Otherwise, if the highest average RSRP over the time scale is not higher than absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation, or if any parameters are not configured, the RSRP level of the cell at the time of measurement can be equal to the highest average RSRP over the time scale. For example, referencing Figure 3 The determination of the RSRP level of a cell in the case of beam combining is discussed.

[0053] Figure 3This illustrates determining the RSRP level of a cell at the measurement timing when beam combining is applied. Figure 3 In this context, the measurement timing can be configured in the SSB Measurement Timing Configuration (SMTC) window, and nrofSS-BlocksToAverage can be set to 4. For example... Figure 3 As shown, in SMTC window 301, the cell's RSRP level can be derived as the average of the four beams, i.e., the four RSRP levels measured on each SSB, because the average RSRP of the four beams over the time scale is higher than that of absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation 302. The time scale can be a measurement period within the frequency range, such as five SMTC cycles. In SMTC window 303, the cell's RSRP level can be derived as the average of the two beams, because only two beams have an average RSRP over the time scale that is higher than that of absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation 302. In SMTC window 305, the cell's RSRP level can be derived as the highest average RSRP over the time scale, because no beam has an average RSRP over the time scale that is higher than that of absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation 302. In SMTC window 307, the RSRP level of a cell can be derived as the average of the four beams because the RSRP averaged across the four beams over the time scale is higher than that of absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation 302. As a result, the RSRP level of a cell can be based on a number of reference signals, i.e., beams, and the number of reference signals used to derive the RSRP level of a cell can vary from time to time.

[0054] In some example embodiments, if beam combining is not applied, device 110 can determine the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at one of the measurement times in one or more measurement times. Device 110 can then determine the RSRP level of the cell at one of the measurement times in one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP. For example, the RSRP level of the cell at one of the measurement times in one or more measurement times may be equal to the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at one of the measurement times in one or more measurement times.

[0055] In some example embodiments, if beam combining is not applied, device 110 can determine the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at one of the measurement times in one or more measurement times. Furthermore, device 110 can determine at least one previous highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at at least one previous measurement time. Device 110 can then determine the RSRP level of the cell at one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP of the measurement time in one or more measurement times and at least one previous highest RSRP of at least one previous measurement time. For example, the RSRP level of the cell at one or more measurement times may be equal to the average of the highest RSRP of the measurement time in one or more measurement times and at least one previous highest RSRP of at least one previous measurement time. In one example, the RSRP level of the cell at one or more measurement times may be equal to the average of the highest RSRP of the measurement time in one or more measurement times and the average of the four previous highest RSRP values ​​from four previous measurement times.

[0056] Refer again Figure 2 In box 215, device 110 determines one or more reference RSRP levels that reflect radio link quality or beam quality. One of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell.

[0057] In some example embodiments, device 110 may determine one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality based on at least one of the following: a threshold quality (referred to as first threshold quality) for controlling when a user equipment needs to perform RSRP measurements on neighboring cells, such as s-MeasureConfig for RLM or s-measure for BFD; another threshold quality (referred to as second threshold quality), such as Q in Or another threshold quality (also known as a third threshold quality) (e.g., Q out This is used for monitoring downlink radio link quality and / or beam quality. Alternatively, one or more reference RSRP levels may be determined by other threshold parameters configured by network 110 or defined by device 120. For example, the user equipment may be a user equipment with low mobility.

[0058] In an example embodiment where one or more reference RSRP levels can be determined based on a first threshold quality (e.g., s-MeasureConfig for RLM or s-measure for BFD), if it is determined that the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is higher than or not lower than the first threshold quality, then device 110 can determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as the associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0059] Alternatively, if it is determined that the RSRP level in one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is higher than the above-mentioned absThreshSS-BlocksConsolidation, then device 110 may determine the RSRP level in one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0060] At one or more reference RSRP levels, a second threshold quality (e.g., Q) can be used as a basis. in In an example embodiment determined by [the criteria], if it is determined that the radio link quality in the cell is higher than a second threshold quality during the time period used for the relaxation criterion assessment, for example, Q [the threshold]... in Then, device 110 can determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as the associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels. For example, if device 110 sends at least one synchronization indication during the time period, the reference RSRP level can be updated to the current RSRP level of the cell.

[0061] At one or more reference RSRP levels, a third threshold quality (e.g., Q) can be used as a basis. out In an example embodiment determined by [the principle of] ... out If the user equipment has not sent any desynchronization indication during the time period used for relaxation criterion assessment, then device 110 may determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as the associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0062] In some example embodiments, if it is determined that no beam fault occurred in the cell during the time period used for relaxation criterion evaluation, device 110 may determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels of the cell. For example, if device 110 has not yet sent any beam fault instance indication to higher layers during that time period, the reference RSRP level may be updated to the current RSRP level of the cell.

[0063] In some example embodiments, if device 110 sends at least one Layer 1 (L1)-RSRP measurement to the upper layer during the time period used for relaxation criterion evaluation, device 110 may determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0064] In some example embodiments, in the event of at least one of radio link failure, radio resource control re-establishment, beam fault detection, beam recovery, or redirection, device 110 may determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels. That is, if a connection failure occurs or a connection failure is recovered, the reference RSRP level may be updated to the cell's current RSRP level. Alternatively, the reference RSRP level may be reset to an initial value, such as indefinitely.

[0065] In some example embodiments, after a handover, device 110 may determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels. In this case, for example, the reference RSRP level may be updated to the current RSRP level of the cell. Alternatively, the reference RSRP level may not be updated; that is, device 110 may reuse a previous reference RSRP level prior to the handover or a reference RSRP level that has been reset to an initial value (e.g., infinite).

[0066] In some example embodiments, after a beam change, device 110 may determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels. In this case, for example, the reference RSRP level may be updated to the cell's current RSRP level. Alternatively, the reference RSRP level may not be updated; that is, device 110 may reuse a previous reference RSRP level prior to the beam change, or a reference RSRP level that has been reset to an initial value (e.g., infinite).

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown in block 220, device 110 evaluates relaxation criteria based on one or more reference RSRP levels and one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell.

[0068] In some example embodiments, if the difference between at least one of the determined RSRP levels of a cell and an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels is within a threshold level, the device 110 may assess the relaxation criterion as satisfied.

[0069] In some example embodiments, device 110 may assess a relaxation criterion as satisfied if the result of subtracting the RSRP level of one or more of the cell's determined RSRP levels from at least one associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels is less than another threshold level. For example, the aforementioned threshold level may be configured by device 120.

[0070] In box 225, if the evaluation relaxation criteria have been met for a period of time, device 110 relaxes the measurements used for fault detection in the cell. For example, if the relaxation criteria have been met, device 110 may reduce the frequency of measurements used for fault detection in the cell, such as measurements used for RLM and / or BFD. For example, this period of time may be configured by device 120.

[0071] In some example embodiments, measurements for fault detection in a cell may include measurements for radio link monitoring. In some other example embodiments, measurements for fault detection in a cell may include measurements for beam fault detection.

[0072] In some example embodiments, if it is determined that the relaxation criteria have not been met within the time period, device 110 may determine the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as the associated reference RSRP of one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0073] Therefore, for example, by taking into account potential radio link failures, beam failures, handovers, and / or beam changes, the measurements used for fault detection in a cell, such as radio link failure claims or beam failure detection, can be relaxed without causing fault detection delays. This greatly benefits UEs in connected modes with low mobility and short-cycle discontinuous reception. It allows for savings in unnecessary signaling overhead and power consumption.

[0074] Figure 4 This is a simplified block diagram of a device 400 suitable for implementing exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Device 400 can be, for example... Figure 1 It is implemented at or as part of the device 110 or device 120 shown.

[0075] As shown in the figure, device 400 includes a processor 410, a memory 420 coupled to the processor 410, a communication module 430 coupled to the processor 410, and a communication interface (not shown) coupled to the communication module 430. The memory 420 stores at least a program 440. The communication module 430 is used for bidirectional communication, for example, via multiple antennas. The communication interface can represent any interface required for communication.

[0076] Assuming program 440 includes program instructions that, when executed by the associated processor 410, enable device 400 to operate according to an example embodiment of this disclosure, as referenced herein. Figures 1-3 The exemplary embodiments described herein may be implemented by computer software executable by the processor 410 of device 400, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. The processor 410 may be configured to implement various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0077] Memory 420 can be of any type suitable for a local technology network and can be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as, as non-limiting examples, non-transitory computer-readable storage media, semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic storage devices and systems, optical storage devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory. Although only one memory 420 is shown in device 400, device 400 may have several physically different memory modules. As a non-limiting example, processor 410 can be of any type suitable for a local technology network and may include one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Device 400 may have multiple processors, such as application-specific integrated circuit chips that are time-dependent on a clock synchronized with the main processor.

[0078] When device 400 acts as or is part of device 110, processor 410 and communication module 430 can cooperate to achieve the above reference. Figures 1-2 Method 200 is described. (The above is for reference only.) Figures 1-3 All the operations and features described also apply to device 400 and have similar effects. For simplicity, details will be omitted.

[0079] Generally, the various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented using hardware or dedicated circuitry, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects can be implemented using hardware, while others can be implemented using firmware or software that can be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device. Although various aspects of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other graphical representation, it should be understood that, as non-limiting examples, the blocks, apparatuses, systems, techniques, or methods described herein can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuitry or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0080] This disclosure also provides at least one computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions, such as instructions included in a program module, which execute in a device on a target real or virtual processor to perform the above-referenced... Figures 1-2 Method 200 is described. Typically, a program module includes routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. In various example embodiments, the functionality of a program module can be combined or split among program modules as needed. The machine-executable instructions of a program module can be executed on a local or distributed device. In a distributed device, a program module can reside on both local and remote storage media.

[0081] Program code used to perform the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a stand-alone software package, partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0082] In the context of this disclosure, computer program code or related data may be carried by any suitable carrier to enable a device, apparatus, or processor to perform the various processes and operations described above. Examples of carriers include signals and computer-readable media.

[0083] Computer-readable media can be computer-readable signal media or computer-readable storage media. Computer-readable media can include, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media will include electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer floppy disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0084] Furthermore, although operations are described in a specific order, this should not be construed as requiring the operations to be performed in the specific order shown or sequentially, or to perform all of the shown operations to obtain the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, while several specific implementation details are included in the foregoing discussion, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular example embodiments. Certain features described in the context of individual example embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, the various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple example embodiments.

[0085] Although this disclosure has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that this disclosure as defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claims.

[0086] Various example embodiments of the technology have been described. In addition to or as an alternative to the foregoing, the following examples are described. Features described in any of the following examples may be used in conjunction with any other examples described herein.

[0087] In some aspects, a method includes: performing measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; determining one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) levels of a cell based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; determining one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality, wherein one of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell; evaluating relaxation criteria based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the determined RSRP levels of the cell; and relaxing measurements for fault detection in the cell according to the evaluation that the relaxation criteria have been met over a period of time.

[0088] In some example embodiments, one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality are determined based on at least one of the following: a first threshold quality for controlling when a user equipment needs to perform RSRP measurements on neighboring cells; and a second threshold quality Q for the purpose of monitoring downlink radio link quality and / or beam quality. in Or the third threshold quality Q out .

[0089] In some example embodiments, determining one or more reference RSRP levels includes: determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels based on the determination that the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is higher than a first threshold quality.

[0090] In some example embodiments, determining one or more reference RSRP levels includes: based on the radio link quality in the cell being higher than a second threshold quality Q during that time period. in The determination of the RSRP level in one or more RSRP levels of the cell is to identify the associated reference RSRP level in one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0091] In some example embodiments, determining one or more reference RSRP levels includes: based on radio link quality not being lower than a third threshold quality Q. out Alternatively, if the user equipment has not sent any confirmation of asynchrony indication during the time period, the RSRP level of one or more RSRP levels determined in the cell will be identified as the associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0092] In some example embodiments, measurements for fault detection in a cell include measurements for radio link monitoring and measurements for beam fault detection.

[0093] In some example embodiments, the reference signal is a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

[0094] In some example embodiments, the method further includes: if the difference between at least one RSRP level of the cell and an associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels is within a threshold level, then the assessment relaxation criterion is satisfied.

[0095] In some example embodiments, determining one or more reference RSRP levels includes: in an event including at least one of radio link failure, radio resource control re-establishment, beam failure detection, beam recovery, or redirection, determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0096] In some example embodiments, determining one or more reference RSRP levels includes: after a handover or beam change, determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as the associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0097] In some example embodiments, determining one or more RSRP levels of a cell includes: determining the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at a measurement time in one or more measurement times; and determining the RSRP level of the cell at a measurement time in one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP.

[0098] In some example embodiments, determining one or more RSRP levels of a cell includes: determining the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at a measurement time in one or more measurement times; determining at least one previous highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at at least one previous measurement time; and determining the RSRP level of the cell at the measurement time in one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP of the measurement time in one or more measurement times and at least one previous highest RSRP of the measurement time in at least one previous measurement time.

[0099] In some example implementations, if beam combining is not applicable, one or more RSRP levels for the cell are determined.

[0100] In some example embodiments, the user equipment is a user equipment with low mobility.

[0101] In some aspects, an apparatus includes: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: perform measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; determine one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) levels of a cell based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; determine one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality, one of the one or more reference RSRP levels being associated with one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell; evaluate relaxation criteria based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the determined RSRP levels of the cell; and relax measurements for fault detection in the cell according to the evaluation that the relaxation criteria have been met over a period of time.

[0102] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality based on at least one of the following: a first threshold quality for controlling when a user equipment needs to perform RSRP measurements on neighboring cells; and a second threshold quality Q for the purpose of monitoring downlink radio link quality and / or beam quality. in Or the third threshold quality Q out .

[0103] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more reference RSRP levels by: determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels based on the determination that the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is higher than a first threshold quality.

[0104] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more reference RSRP levels by: based on the radio link quality in the cell being higher than a second threshold quality Q during that time period. in The determination of the RSRP level in one or more RSRP levels of the cell is to identify the associated reference RSRP level in one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0105] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more reference RSRP levels by: ensuring that the radio link quality is not lower than a third threshold quality Q. outAlternatively, if the user equipment has not sent any confirmation of asynchrony indication during the time period, the RSRP level of one or more RSRP levels determined in the cell will be identified as the associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0106] In some example embodiments, measurements for fault detection in a cell include measurements for radio link monitoring and measurements for beam fault detection.

[0107] In some example embodiments, the reference signal is a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

[0108] In some example embodiments, the device is also configured such that if the difference between at least one RSRP level of the cell and an associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels is within a threshold level, then the assessment relaxation criterion is satisfied.

[0109] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more reference RSRP levels by: in an event including at least one of radio link failure, radio resource control re-establishment, beam failure detection, beam recovery, or redirection, determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0110] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more reference RSRP levels by: after a handover or beam change, determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as the associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0111] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more RSRP levels of a cell by: determining the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at a measurement time in one or more measurement times; and determining the RSRP level of the cell at a measurement time in one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP.

[0112] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more RSRP levels of a cell by: determining the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at a measurement time in one or more measurement times; determining at least one previous highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at at least one previous measurement time; and determining the RSRP level of the cell at a measurement time in one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP of the measurement time in one or more measurement times and at least one previous highest RSRP of the measurement time in at least one previous measurement time.

[0113] In some example embodiments, the device is configured to determine one or more RSRP levels of a cell when beam combining is not applicable.

[0114] In some example embodiments, the user equipment is a user equipment with low mobility.

[0115] In some aspects, an apparatus includes: components for performing measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; components for determining one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) levels of a cell based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; components for determining one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality, one of the one or more reference RSRP levels being associated with one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell; components for evaluating relaxation criteria based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the determined one or more RSRP levels of the cell; and components for relaxing measurements for fault detection in the cell according to an evaluation that the relaxation criteria have been met over a period of time.

[0116] In some example embodiments, one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality are determined based on at least one of the following: a first threshold quality for controlling when a user equipment needs to perform RSRP measurements on neighboring cells; and a second threshold quality Q for the purpose of monitoring downlink radio link quality and / or beam quality. in Or the third threshold quality Q out .

[0117] In some example embodiments, the component for determining one or more reference RSRP levels includes: a component for determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels based on the determination that the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is higher than a first threshold quality.

[0118] In some example embodiments, the component for determining one or more reference RSRP levels includes: determining whether the radio link quality in the cell is higher than a second threshold quality Q during the time period. in The determination of the RSRP level in one or more RSRP levels of the cell is a component that determines the associated reference RSRP level in one or more reference RSRP levels.

[0119] In some example embodiments, the components for determining one or more reference RSRP levels include: [the components are used to determine the radio link quality based on a third threshold quality Q]. out Or, the user equipment has not yet sent any asynchronous indication determination within that time period to determine the RSRP level of one or more RSRP levels of the cell as a component of one or more associated reference RSRP levels.

[0120] In some example embodiments, measurements for fault detection in a cell include measurements for radio link monitoring and measurements for beam fault detection.

[0121] In some example embodiments, the reference signal is a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

[0122] In some example embodiments, the apparatus further includes a component for assessing whether a relaxation criterion is met when the difference between at least one RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell and an associated reference RSRP level of one or more reference RSRP levels is within a threshold level.

[0123] In some example embodiments, the components for determining one or more reference RSRP levels include: components for determining the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of a cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels in the event including at least one of radio link failure, radio resource control re-establishment, beam failure detection, beam recovery, or redirection.

[0124] In some example embodiments, the components for determining one or more reference RSRP levels include: components for determining one or more RSRP levels of a cell as an associated reference RSRP level among one or more reference RSRP levels after a handover or beam change.

[0125] In some example embodiments, the components for determining one or more RSRP levels of a cell include: components for determining the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at a measurement time in one or more measurement times; and components for determining the RSRP level of the cell at a measurement time in one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP.

[0126] In some example embodiments, the components for determining one or more RSRP levels of a cell include: components for determining the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at a measurement time in one or more measurement times; components for determining at least one previous highest RSRP of one or more reference signals at at least one previous measurement time; and components for determining the RSRP level of the cell at a measurement time in one or more measurement times based on the highest RSRP of the measurement time in one or more measurement times and at least one previous highest RSRP of the measurement time in at least one previous measurement time.

[0127] In some example implementations, if beam combining is not applicable, one or more RSRP levels for the cell are determined.

[0128] In some example embodiments, the user equipment is a user equipment with low mobility.

[0129] In some aspects, a computer-readable storage medium includes program instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the device to perform a method according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A device for communication, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: Perform measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; Based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at the one or more measurement times, the one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) level of the cell is determined; One or more reference RSRP levels are determined to reflect the radio link quality or beam quality after a handover or beam change, wherein one of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the determined one or more RSRP levels of the cell. The relaxation criteria are evaluated based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the one or more RSRP levels determined for the cell. as well as Based on an assessment that the relaxation criteria have been met over a period of time, the measurements used for fault detection in the cell are relaxed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting the radio link quality or beam quality after a handover or beam change based on at least one of the following: The first threshold quality is used to control when user equipment needs to perform RSRP measurements on neighboring cells; Second threshold mass Q in Or the third threshold quality Q out It is used for the purpose of monitoring downlink radio link quality and / or beam quality.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels by: Based on the determination that the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is higher than the first threshold quality, the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels by: Based on the determination that the radio link quality in the cell is higher than the second threshold quality Q during the time period. in The RSRP level of the cell is determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels by: Based on the determination that the radio link quality is not lower than the third threshold quality Q out Or, if the user equipment has not sent any asynchronous indication during the time period, the RSRP level of the cell among the determined RSRP levels of the cell shall be determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the measurement for fault detection in the cell comprises: Measurements used for radio link monitoring and measurements used for beam fault detection.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the reference signal is a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device is further configured to: If the difference between at least one of the determined RSRP levels of the cell and the associated reference RSRP level of the one or more reference RSRP levels is within a threshold level, then the relaxation criterion is evaluated as satisfied.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels by: In the event including at least one of radio link failure, radio resource control re-establishment, beam failure detection, beam recovery, or redirection, the RSRP level of the cell among the determined one or more RSRP levels is determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device is configured to determine one or more RSRP levels of the cell by: The measurement timing in one or more of the measurement timings determines the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals; and The RSRP level of the cell at one or more measurement times is determined based on the highest RSRP.

11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device is configured to determine one or more RSRP levels of the cell by: The measurement timing within the one or more measurement timings determines the highest RSRP of one or more reference signals; At least one previous highest RSRP of one or more reference signals is determined at at least one previous measurement point; as well as The RSRP level of the cell at one or more measurement times is determined based on the highest RSRP at one of the one or more measurement times and the at least one previous highest RSRP at one of the at least one previous measurement times.

12. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device is a user equipment with low mobility.

13. A method for communication, comprising: Perform measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; Based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at the one or more measurement times, the one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) level of the cell is determined; One or more reference RSRP levels are determined to reflect the radio link quality or beam quality after a handover or beam change, wherein one of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the determined one or more RSRP levels of the cell. The relaxation criteria are evaluated based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the one or more RSRP levels determined for the cell. as well as Based on an assessment that the relaxation criteria have been met over a period of time, the measurements used for fault detection in the cell are relaxed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination of the one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting the radio link quality or beam quality after a handover or beam change is based on at least one of the following: The first threshold quality is used to control when user equipment needs to perform RSRP measurements on neighboring cells; Second threshold mass Q in Or the third threshold quality Q out It is used for the purpose of monitoring downlink radio link quality and / or beam quality.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the one or more reference RSRP levels comprises: Based on the determination that the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is higher than the first threshold quality, the RSRP level of one or more determined RSRP levels of the cell is determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the one or more reference RSRP levels comprises: Based on the determination that the radio link quality in the cell is higher than the second threshold quality Q during the time period. in The RSRP level of the cell is determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the one or more reference RSRP levels comprises: Based on the determination that the radio link quality is not lower than the third threshold quality Q out Or, if the user equipment has not sent any asynchronous indication during the time period, the RSRP level of the cell among the determined RSRP levels of the cell shall be determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the reference signal is a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

19. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the one or more reference RSRP levels comprises: In the event including at least one of radio link failure, radio resource control re-establishment, beam failure detection, beam recovery, or redirection, the RSRP level of the cell among the determined one or more RSRP levels is determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

20. A device for communication, comprising: A component used to perform measurements on one or more reference signals at one or more measurement times; Components for determining the one or more reference signal received power (RSRP) levels of a cell based on the measurements of the one or more reference signals at the one or more measurement times; Components for determining one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting radio link quality or beam quality after handover or beam change, wherein one of the one or more reference RSRP levels is associated with one of the determined one or more RSRP levels of the cell; Components for evaluating relaxation criteria based on the one or more reference RSRP levels and the one or more RSRP levels determined for the cell; as well as A component for relaxing the measurement used for fault detection in the cell based on an assessment that the relaxation criteria have been met over a period of time.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the component is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels reflecting the radio link quality or beam quality following a handover or beam change based on at least one of the following: The first threshold quality is used to control when user equipment needs to perform RSRP measurements on neighboring cells; Second threshold mass Q in Or the third threshold quality Q out It is used for the purpose of monitoring downlink radio link quality and / or beam quality.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the component is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels by: Based on the determination that the radio link quality is not lower than the third threshold quality Q out Or, if the user equipment has not sent any asynchronous indication during the time period, the RSRP level of the cell among the determined RSRP levels of the cell shall be determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the device is configured to determine the one or more reference RSRP levels by: In the event including at least one of radio link failure, radio resource control re-establishment, beam failure detection, beam recovery, or redirection, the RSRP level of the cell among the determined one or more RSRP levels is determined as the associated reference RSRP level among the one or more reference RSRP levels.

24. The device according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the device is a user equipment with low mobility.

Images