Methods and apparatus for cell measurement in cellular networks

Abstract

A communication device for use in a cellular network is described. The device includes: a plurality of antenna panels for communicating with cells in the cellular network; components for performing a panel selection process based on received power levels to select a corresponding antenna panel from the plurality of antenna panels for each of a serving cell and neighboring cells; and components for performing a measurement period requiring determination of corresponding power levels received from the serving cell and neighboring cells. The components for performing the measurement period are configured to, during a first type of measurement period, measure a first power level received from a neighboring cell using the antenna panel selected for the neighboring cell, and to measure a second power level received from a neighboring cell using the antenna panel selected for the serving cell. The components for performing the measurement period are further configured to, during a second type of measurement period, measure a third power level received for a neighboring cell using the antenna panel selected for the serving cell, and adjust the third power level using an offset function of the difference between the first and second power levels, the adjusted third power level being used as the corresponding power level for the neighboring cell. A method implemented at a communication device is also described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Methods and apparatus for cell measurements in cellular networks are described. These methods and apparatus can be set against the background of user equipment comprising multiple antenna panels performing radio resource management (RRM) measurements. Background Technology

[0002] In 5G networks, user equipment (UE) devices must perform neighboring cell measurements. This measurement consumes UE power. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The scope of protection is defined by the independent claims. Embodiments, examples, and features described in the specification that do not fall within the scope of protection are to be interpreted as examples useful for understanding the various embodiments or examples that do fall within the scope of protection.

[0004] One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a communication device, including:

[0005] - Multiple antenna panels for communicating with cells in a cellular network.

[0006] - Used to perform a panel selection process based on the received power level to select the appropriate antenna panel component for each of the serving cell and neighboring cells among multiple antenna panels;

[0007] - A component for performing a measurement cycle that requires determining the corresponding power levels received from the serving cell and the neighboring cells;

[0008] - The components for performing the measurement cycle are configured to: during a first type of measurement cycle, measure a first power level received from a neighboring cell using an antenna panel selected for the neighboring cell, and measure a second power level received from a neighboring cell using an antenna panel selected for the serving cell;

[0009] The components used to perform the measurement cycle are also configured to: during the second type of measurement cycle, use the antenna panel selected for the serving cell to measure the third power level received for the neighboring cell, and use an offset function of the difference between the first power level and the second power level to adjust the third power level, which is then used as the corresponding power level for the neighboring cell.

[0010] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the component for performing the measurement cycle is further configured to measure a first power level, a second power level, and a third power level for the plurality of beams of the neighbor, and to perform an adjustment of the third power level for each of the plurality of beams.

[0011] In at least some exemplary embodiments, a panel selection process and a measurement cycle are performed for multiple adjacent cells.

[0012] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the received power level is the reference signal received power level.

[0013] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the device further includes components for performing an offset confidence check, wherein if the check fails, the first power level and the second power level are refreshed by performing at least one first type of measurement cycle.

[0014] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the component for performing the offset confidence check is also configured to check one or more of the following conditions. The check fails if at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0015] - M consecutive second-type measurement cycles have been executed, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 1;

[0016] - The power level of at least one neighboring cell is higher than the first threshold due to the adjustment of the third power level;

[0017] - The difference between two consecutive measurements of the second power level is higher than the second threshold;

[0018] - Communication equipment selects different antenna panels for the serving cell;

[0019] The handover to the new serving cell has taken place.

[0020] In at least some exemplary embodiments, M decreases as the mobility of the communication device increases.

[0021] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the component for performing the measurement cycle is configured to perform the first type of measurement cycle N times consecutively, where N is an integer that increases with the mobility of the communication device.

[0022] One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a method at a communication device including a plurality of antenna panels for communicating with cells in a cellular network, the method comprising:

[0023] - Perform a panel selection process based on the received power level to select the appropriate antenna panel for each of the serving cell and neighboring cells from among multiple antenna panels;

[0024] - Perform a measurement cycle that requires determining the corresponding power levels received from the serving cell and neighboring cells;

[0025] - During the first type of measurement period, the first power level of the received data from the neighboring cell is measured using the antenna panel selected for the neighboring cell, and the second power level of the received data from the neighboring cell is measured using the antenna panel selected for the serving cell.

[0026] - During the second type of measurement period, the third power level received from the neighboring cell is measured using the antenna panel selected for the serving cell, and the third power level is adjusted using an offset function of the difference between the first power level and the second power level. The adjusted third power level is used as the corresponding power level for the neighboring cell.

[0027] In at least some exemplary embodiments, a panel selection process and a measurement cycle are performed for multiple adjacent cells.

[0028] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the received power level is the reference signal received power level.

[0029] In at least some exemplary embodiments, one or more methods further include an offset confidence check, wherein if the check fails, the offset is refreshed by performing at least one first-type measurement cycle.

[0030] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the offset confidence check includes checking one or more of the following conditions. The check fails if at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0031] - M consecutive second-type measurement cycles have been executed, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 1;

[0032] - The power level of at least one neighboring cell is higher than the first threshold due to the adjustment of the third power level;

[0033] - The difference between two consecutive measurements of the second power level is higher than the second threshold;

[0034] - Communication equipment selects different antenna panels for the serving cell;

[0035] The handover to the new serving cell has already taken place.

[0036] In at least some exemplary embodiments, M decreases as the mobility of the communication device increases.

[0037] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the first type of measurement cycle is executed N times consecutively, where N is an integer that increases with the mobility of the communication device.

[0038] One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a non-transient computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code that, when executed by at least one processor at a communication device, causes the communication device to perform steps of a method according to one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Exemplary embodiments will be more fully understood through the detailed description and accompanying drawings provided herein, which are given by way of illustration only.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a phase diagram of the receiver and transmitter beam alignment process that can be used in at least some of the embodiments;

[0041] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-panel UE and the position of its panels relative to multiple base stations;

[0042] Figure 3 It is a diagram of the conventional configuration and the discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle according to one or more embodiments;

[0043] Figure 4a It is a diagram showing the directional patterns of an antenna panel including patch linear arrays with different configurations;

[0044] Figure 4b It means Figure 4a The diagram of the upper right quadrant;

[0045] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-panel UE on the trajectory between the serving cell and neighboring cells;

[0046] Figure 6 This is a flowchart based on one or more exemplary embodiments;

[0047] Figure 7 It is a schematic block diagram of a user equipment (UE) according to one or more exemplary embodiments.

[0048] It should be noted that these figures are intended to illustrate general features of the methods, structures, and / or materials used in some exemplary embodiments and to supplement the written description provided below. However, these figures are not drawn to scale and may not accurately reflect the precise structural or performance characteristics of any given embodiment, and should not be construed as limiting or restricting the range of values ​​or characteristics included in the exemplary embodiments. The use of similar or identical reference numerals in the various figures is intended to indicate the presence of similar or identical elements or features. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Various exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative in describing exemplary embodiments. Exemplary embodiments may be implemented in many alternative forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It should be understood that there is no intention to limit the exemplary embodiments to the specific forms disclosed.

[0050] Those skilled in the art will understand that any function, engine, block diagram, flowchart, state transition diagram, and / or process diagram herein represents a conceptual view of an illustrative circuit embodying the principles of exemplary embodiments. Similarly, it should be understood that any flowchart, process diagram, state transition diagram, pseudocode, etc., represents various processes that can be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and executed by a computer or processing device, whether or not the computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0051] Each described function, engine, block, or step can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or any suitable combination thereof. If implemented in software, the function, engine, block diagram, and / or flowchart diagram of the block can be implemented by computer program instructions / software code that can be stored on or transmitted through a computer-readable medium, or loaded onto a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable processing device and / or system to produce a machine, such that the computer program instructions or software code executing on the computer or other programmable processing device creates components for implementing the functions described herein.

[0052] In this specification, a function block is referred to as a “component configured to perform…” (a function) and should be understood as a function block comprising circuitry suitable for performing or configured to perform a function. Therefore, a component configured to perform a function does not necessarily mean that the component must perform that function (at a given moment). Furthermore, any entity described herein as a “component” may correspond to or be implemented as “one or more modules,” “one or more devices,” “one or more units,” etc. When provided by a processor, the function may be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple individual processors, some of which may be shared. Furthermore, the explicit use of the terms “processor” or “controller” should not be construed as referring only to hardware capable of executing software, but may implicitly include, but is not limited to, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile memory for storing software. Other conventional or custom hardware may also be included. Their functions can be implemented through program logic operations, through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control and dedicated logic, or even manually. The specific technology can be selected by the implementer based on a more specific understanding of the context.

[0053] Although flowcharts can describe operations as a sequential process, many operations can be executed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. Furthermore, the order of operations can be rearranged. A process may terminate when its operations are completed, but it may also have additional steps not included in the diagram. A process can correspond to a method, function, program, subroutine, subroutines, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to the function returning to the calling function or the main function.

[0054] As disclosed herein, the terms "storage medium," "computer-readable storage medium," or "non-transient computer-readable storage medium" can refer to any physical medium that can be read, written, or more generally accessed by a computer / processing device. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, flash drives or other flash memory devices (e.g., memory keys, memory sticks, USB key drives), CD-ROMs or other optical storage, DVDs, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, solid-state storage, memory chips, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, smart cards, relational database management systems, traditional databases, or any other suitable medium that can be used to carry or store program code in the form of instructions or data structures that can be read by a computer processor. Furthermore, various forms of computer-readable media can be used to send or carry instructions to a computer, including routers, gateways, servers, or other wired (coaxial cable, fiber optic, twisted pair, DSL cable) or wireless (infrared, radio, cellular, microwave) transmission devices. Instructions can include code from any computer programming language, including but not limited to assembly, C, C++, Basic, SQL, MySQL, HTML, PHP, Python, Java, Javascript, etc. Embodiments of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, computer storage media and communication media, including any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one place to another. Specifically, program instructions or computer-readable program code for performing the embodiments described herein may be stored, in whole or in part, temporarily or permanently, on a non-transient computer-readable medium comprising one or more storage media on a local or remote storage device.

[0055] Furthermore, the example embodiments can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, program code or code segments for performing necessary tasks can be stored in a machine or computer-readable medium (such as a computer-readable storage medium). When implemented in software, one or more processors will perform the necessary tasks. For example, as described above, according to one or more example embodiments, at least one memory may include or store computer program code, and at least one memory and computer program code can be configured, together with at least one processor, to cause a network element or network device to perform necessary tasks. Furthermore, the processor, memory, and example algorithms encoded as computer program code serve as components for providing or causing the execution of the operations discussed herein.

[0056] A code segment of computer program code can represent any combination of programs, functions, subroutines, routines, subroutines, modules, software packages, classes, instructions, data structures, or program statements. A code segment can be coupled to another code segment or hardware circuit by passing and / or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc., can be transmitted via any appropriate means, including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc.

[0057] The terms “including” and / or “having” as used herein are defined as comprising (i.e., open-ended language). The term “coupled” as used herein is defined as a connection, although not necessarily a direct connection or a mechanical connection. Terms derived from the word “indicating” (e.g., “indicates” and “indication”) are intended to encompass all the various techniques that can be used to convey or reference the indicated object / information. Some, but not all, examples of techniques that can be used to convey or reference the indicated object / information include the transmission of the indicated object / information, the transmission of an identifier of the indicated object / information, the transmission of information used to generate the indicated object / information, the transmission of certain parts or portions of the indicated object / information, the transmission of certain derivatives of the indicated object / information, and the transmission of certain symbols representing the indicated object / information.

[0058] Although the terms first, second, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0059] According to the example embodiments, network elements, network devices, data servers, network resource controllers, network apparatuses, clients, routers, gateways, network nodes, computers, cloud-based servers, web servers, application servers, proxies or proxy servers, etc., can be (or include) hardware, firmware, hardware executing software, or any combination thereof. Such hardware may include processing or control circuitry, such as, but not limited to, one or more processors, one or more CPUs, one or more integrated circuits, one or more controllers, one or more ALUs, one or more DSPs, one or more microcomputers, one or more FPGAs, one or more SOCs, one or more PLUs, one or more microprocessors, one or more ASICs, or any other device(s) capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner.

[0060] As used in this application, the term "circuit system" may refer to one or more or all of the following:

[0061] (a) Pure hardware circuit implementation (such as implementation using only analog and / or digital circuit systems), and

[0062] (b) A combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (if applicable):

[0063] (i) A combination of (multiple) analog and / or digital hardware circuits and software / firmware, and

[0064] (ii) Any part of a hardware processor(s) having software, including (multiple) digital signal processors(s), software, and (multiple) memories(s), which work together to cause a device (such as a mobile phone or server) to perform various functions, and

[0065] (c) (Multiple) hardware circuits and / or (multiple) processors, such as (multiple) microprocessors or a portion thereof, which require software (e.g., firmware) to operate, but may be absent when operation is not required.

[0066] 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 only hardware circuitry or a processor (or processors) or a portion of hardware circuitry or a processor and its accompanying software and / or firmware. For example, 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 network devices, or other computing or network devices.

[0067] The exemplary embodiments described herein are set within the framework of 5G Next Radio (NR) communication networks. However, those skilled in the art can readily apply the teachings disclosed herein to other types of networks in which mobile user equipment with multiple antenna panels can be used.

[0068] It should also be noted that while the exemplary embodiments described herein take the UE in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state as an example, these embodiments are not limited to this context. Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurements can be relaxed under certain conditions when in an RRC idle / inactive state, and these embodiments can be readily adapted for use in such a context, particularly for neighboring cell measurements. Although the power savings in idle mode may be less (the UE listens to the SSB but does not perform Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) measurements, see beam alignment process stages 1 and 2 below), they can still prove valuable.

[0069] In the following text, User Equipment (“UE”) generally refers to a portable computing device that includes a wireless mobile communication device, operating with or without a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), including but not limited to the following types of devices: mobile station (mobile phone), smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld device, device using a wireless modem (alarm or measuring device, etc.), laptop and / or touchscreen computer, tablet computer, game console, notebook computer, and multimedia device. It should be understood that a UE can also be a virtually unique uplink-only device, an example of which is a camera or camcorder that loads images or video clips onto the network.

[0070] The UE can be carried by or as part of a mobile object such as a person, a manned or unmanned vehicle or mobile device (car, drone, bicycle, train, ship, autonomous vehicle, etc.).

[0071] A UE can also be a device capable of operating in an Internet of Things (IoT) network, a scenario that provides objects with the ability to transmit data over a network without human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. In some applications, a UE can be a small, portable device with wireless components such as a watch, earphones, or glasses. A UE can be implemented as a single hardware device or can be implemented on separate interconnected hardware devices interconnected by one or more communication links with wired and / or wireless segments. A UE can also be referred to as a user unit, mobile station, remote terminal, access terminal, user terminal, or user equipment, among a few of these names or devices.

[0072] According to one or more embodiments, the UE includes multiple antenna panels. Multi-panel user equipment is sometimes referred to in the literature as the acronym "MPUE". The antenna panels can be positioned to allow reception of signals from different directions.

[0073] The frequency bands allocated to NR fall into different frequency ranges (FR), such as FR1 (from 410MHz to 7125MHz) and FR2 (from 24250MHz to 52600MHz). For high-frequency millimeter waves at FR2 and above, path loss increases significantly. Further attenuation is caused by buildings, rain, and vegetation. Beamforming with one or more antenna panels can be used to at least partially mitigate these consequences during reception and / or transmission.

[0074] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating three stages of an exemplary initial transmit and receive beam alignment or beam management process between base station 101 (also referred to as "gNB" in the 5G context) and UE 102. The process iteratively refines the antenna panel and beam selection for both entities.

[0075] In the first phase, the base station performs a wide-beam scan of the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB). The UE cycles through its antenna panels during a so-called Synchronization Signal Burst (“SS Burst”) to select the optimal panel, in which one SSB is transmitted on each beam. For example, the “optimal panel” could be the panel with the highest measured SSB Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP). Once the UE has selected the appropriate panel, it performs a random access procedure (based on transmitting a random access channel preamble, or “PRACH”), on the optimal SSB beam for reception. As a result of this phase, the base station selects a wide beam and the UE selects an antenna panel. The UE also receives information that enables it to receive the PDCCH channel.

[0076] In the second phase, the base station performs narrow-beam scanning while transmitting Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) for UE evaluation. CSI-RS is used to estimate the channel and report channel quality information, specifically, based on RSRP measurements, to report to the base station which CSI-RS beam is optimal. As a result of this phase, the base station will select a narrow beam (e.g., Figure 1 CSI3 in (the text is incomplete and cannot be translated).

[0077] In the third phase, the base station repeatedly transmits the CSI-RS signal on the narrow beam selected during the second phase. The UE performs a narrow beam scan using the antenna panel selected during the first phase and selects the optimal narrow beam. This selection can be based, for example, on the highest RSRP measurement obtained. At the end of this phase, the UE and base station are aligned, and the link budget is improved based on the beamforming process.

[0078] General information on beam alignment can be found in 3GPP TR 28.802 section 6.1.6 and TS 38.214 section 5.2.

[0079] Regarding the first phase, considering a UE with multiple antenna panels, different assumptions can be made about how such multiple panels can or will be used. Among these assumptions, for example, the following can be considered:

[0080] Assumption 1: At any given time, only one of the multiple panels is active. The UE can switch to or activate another panel within a switching / activation delay of X milliseconds.

[0081] - Assumption 2: Several panels out of multiple panels are activated simultaneously, and more than one of the activated panels is available for transmission.

[0082] - Assumption 3: Several panels are activated simultaneously, but only one of the activated panels can be used for transmission.

[0083] For assumptions 2 and 3, it is assumed that two activated panels and corresponding receiving chains are used for receiving.

[0084] One or more of the above stages may be repeated once or multiple times to improve the accuracy of beam alignment between the base station and the UE and / or to take into account possible changes in the environment.

[0085] For example, the second and third phases can be repeated periodically for intra-cell beam management and beam tracking in connected mode, while the first phase can be used for initial access, RRM measurement, handover, beam fault recovery, etc., followed by the second and third phases.

[0086] While determining the degrees of freedom in the spatial domain, the number of narrow beams considered during the beam alignment process affects delay and signaling overhead, as it implies the transmission of reference signals in many directions and narrow beam alignment at both ends of the communication link.

[0087] Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurements are configured by the NW for mobility management and include a list of neighboring cells that the UE should measure along with its serving cell. Other parameters provided to the UE as part of the UE measurement configuration are different measurement reporting trigger conditions, which have different thresholds for the measured received power of the serving cell at the UE and / or relative thresholds for the measured received power of the serving cell at the UE compared to the measured received power of neighboring cells at the UE. The UE should periodically or whenever the measurement reporting trigger conditions are met provide measurement reports including its serving cell and configured neighboring cells [3GPP TS 38.331, Section 5.5]. Multi-panel UEs should run a panel selection procedure to determine the optimal panel for a given neighboring cell, identify the N (N>=1) strongest beams on that panel after L2 and L3 filtering, and determine the cell measurement value to be reported as the average of the N strongest beams.

[0088] The more measurements performed by the UE, the higher the UE power consumption. Measurement requirements can be relaxed under certain conditions. Within the RRM framework, this could be, for example, when the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle / inactive state, has low mobility, and is not located at the cell edge. However, RRM measurements are not relaxed when the UE is in an RRC_connected state.

[0089] Based on the first point, in FR2, a multi-panel UE is used. This allows for the introduction of more and / or longer measurements as part of the panel and beam selection. This issue is particularly relevant for Assumption 1 or Assumption 2 / 3, where the front end can only receive on two chains simultaneously, but the UE has more than two panels, typically four.

[0090] Measurements are performed on each panel individually, and in the case of sequential measurements, the receiver chain (from the front end to the baseband processing) of a multi-panel UE needs to be open for a period of Z times longer than that of a single-panel UE, where Z is the number of panels of the UE.

[0091] Table 1 illustrates examples of the potential impact on the power consumption of the UE. Three exemplary scenarios are shown: a single-panel UE, three-panel UEs performing measurements sequentially for each of the three panels, and three-panel UEs performing measurements simultaneously and in parallel on all panels.

[0092]

[0093]

[0094] Table 1

[0095] x, y, and z represent the power consumed at each stage, and the percentages given are provided only as possible comparative magnitudes for illustrative purposes. In Table 1, the power consumed by a three-panel UE with sequential measurements is only three times that of a single-panel UE. For a three-panel UE with parallel measurements, the front end will still be proportional to the number of panels, while for baseband processing and transceivers, shared hardware resources can reduce the total power used compared to the sequential case. Actual values ​​will depend on the specific hardware implementation.

[0096] Based on the second point, it is also anticipated that more frequent measurements will be required due to the short distances and propagation conditions at and above the FR2 frequency range. This is especially likely in higher mobility applications due to the inherent directivity of links in millimeter waves. Furthermore, the narrower the beam, the greater the sensitivity to environmental changes, and therefore the greater the need for beam tracking and beam realignment to achieve the appropriate link budget.

[0097] According to point 3, as shown in Section 8.1.4 of 3GPP TR 38.840, “UE power consumption model for RRM measurement”.

[0098] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the positioning of an exemplary UE 201 relative to three base stations 202, 203, and 204. The UE 201 has three antenna panels. Figure 2 The antennas are labeled P1, P2, and P3. The main lobe of each antenna is schematically shown next to each antenna panel.

[0099] Power measurement levels, such as the RSRP level of a given beam from a given base station, vary depending on which antenna panel the UE uses to perform the measurement. For example, considering the front lobe / rear lobe ratio of some antennas, the difference in measurement levels can be very large. Figure 2 In the example, panel P1 is probably the best choice for performing measurements for base station 202, but not for base station 204, and the difference is greatest for base station 203.

[0100] Power consumption and / or link reliability may be affected by the panel scanning and panel switching process implemented by the UE:

[0101] (a) If the panel handover is determined for the purpose of neighboring cell measurement, the UE performs measurements from more than one panel simultaneously.

[0102] (b) Link reliability may be compromised due to potential cell changes with delays. This can occur when the UE measures from only one panel at a time, such as in Hypothesis 1 above, or if it measures the cell only from the panel selected for the serving cell. A decrease in throughput or even beam failure may occur.

[0103] Figure 3 This shows the traditional C-DRX cycle ( Figure 3 The upper timeline "a") and when at least one exemplary embodiment is implemented ( Figure 3 The lower timeline “b”) is a schematic diagram of the discontinuous reception period (“C-DRX” period) in the RRC connection state of both. Figure 3 In the DRX cycle, there are two distinct time intervals: a first interval (“on time”) corresponding to the period during which the UE is active, and a second interval (“off time”) corresponding to the period during which the UE is in sleep mode to conserve power. The first interval comprises three sequential sub-intervals during which the UE monitors PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) information received from the serving base station, performs neighbor cell measurements, and performs other scheduled data uplink transmissions or downlink receptions. For simplicity, each sub-interval in the conventional timeline has a constant duration, which is not necessarily the case in actual implementations, especially regarding the duration of sub-intervals corresponding to scheduled services. In the lower timeline, reducing the number of sub-intervals required for measurement can reduce the on-time given unchanged scheduled services, and thus allow the UE to return to sleep more quickly, thereby reducing UE power consumption associated with RRM measurements.

[0104] According to one or more exemplary embodiments, the UE provides an estimate of beam measurements for neighboring cells based on power (e.g., RSRP) measurements performed on these cells using the optimal panel selected for the serving cell. This measurement refers to the gNB beam measurement evaluated by the UE panel with a wide beam configuration. Note that the UE panel can be configured for different beamwidths and different angular orientations. During neighboring cell measurements, the UE is typically configured with a wide beam because it is unaware of the power source. Therefore, the UE does not switch panels to obtain the estimate, as it only uses the panel of the serving cell. To obtain this estimate for a given neighboring cell, an offset is used to correct the measurements performed on the given neighboring cell using the panel selected for the serving cell. This offset for a given neighboring cell has previously been determined during the default measurement period: it is equal to the difference between the measurements performed on the given neighboring cell during the default period as previously described (using the “optimal” panel determined for the neighboring cell) and the measurements performed using the panel of the serving cell (the same panel used later for estimation).

[0105] The default measurement used to refresh the offset can be triggered based on one or more conditions.

[0106] Figure 4a This is a diagram of a set of radiating patterns on an eight-element linear array (8×1) panel in different configurations:

[0107] - "Single patch": Only one element in the array is active, which results in the widest beam pattern and the lowest directivity;

[0108] - "ULA 4x1": Four out of the eight elements are active, which results in increased directivity and reduced beamwidth;

[0109] - "ULA 4x1 45SA": Four out of the eight elements are active, and the resulting beam is controlled at a 45-degree azimuth angle;

[0110] - "ULA 8x1": 8 out of 8 elements are active, resulting in maximum directivity and the narrowest beamwidth;

[0111] - "ULA 8x1 45SA": Eight of the eight elements are active, and the resulting beam is controlled at a 45-degree azimuth angle.

[0112] Figure 4b express Figure 4a The first quadrant. Along the 0° and 45° axes, the values ​​of the main lobes of the above radiation pattern are indicated.

[0113] like Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown, due to the beamwidth ratio, the RSRP levels of cells / beams measured from different panels can exhibit significant differences. According to one or more embodiments, this ratio can be calculated and used to estimate neighboring cells with the serving panel, thereby avoiding panel handover and full measurement, thus saving power. This ratio will not change significantly over the number of “X” in the DRX cycle, where “X” can be configured by the UE or base station and depends on the UE's mobility. Therefore, the UE can perform full measurements on the serving cell and each neighboring cell for at least two (or N) measurement opportunities, and use the same panel as for the serving cell to calculate the offset in the RSRP level. This offset is not expected to change significantly unless a sudden channel change occurs, which would trigger a full measurement.

[0114] Now we will rely on Figure 5 Table 2 describes numerical examples according to one or more exemplary embodiments. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of UE201 on trajectory 501 between the serving cell of base station 502 and the neighboring cell of base station 503. For the purposes of this example, the UE has three antenna panels P1 to P3, which have been combined... Figure 2 Mentioned. Figure 5The three positions of UE 201 on trajectory 501 are shown: position 1, position 2, and position x. Panel P1 is the most suitable panel for serving cell 502, and panel P3 is the most suitable panel for neighboring cell 503, as determined during the beam alignment process.

[0115] Table 2 provides Figure 5 Here are some illustrative examples of RSRP measurements and an RSRP estimate in the context. P_P1s represents RSRP measurements performed by the serving cell with panel P1, while P_P1n, P_P2n, and P_P3n represent measurements performed by panels P1, P2, and P3 of neighboring cells.

[0116]

[0117] Table 2

[0118] Default measurements are performed for UE locations 1 and 2, while an estimate is provided for RSRP measurements of neighboring cells for UE location x. When considering location 1, the offset between the neighboring cell measurement using the default measurement procedure and the measurement of that cell using P1 is -25 dBm (-95 + 70). The neighboring cell measurement using P1 at location x is -94 dBm. Using offset correction, this yields an estimate of 69 dBm. The offset generated using location 2 can also be applied, which will be -26 dBm.

[0119] According to a variant embodiment, the offset is selected based on the slope of change (linear interpolation) between the locations where default measurements are performed, for example, interpolation between location 1 and location 2 in the case of Table 2. According to another variant embodiment, if the last N measurements are within + / - Q dB (where Q = 1, for example), the obtained last value is applied. According to a variant embodiment, the average of the offsets calculated over the N default measurement periods is applied.

[0120] According to a variant embodiment, if the power level measured for a neighboring cell using the panel selected for the serving cell is below a threshold, the measurement is considered unreliable and does not provide an estimate for that particular neighboring cell. As an example, this threshold could be a reference sensitivity level.

[0121] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating details of one or more exemplary embodiments.

[0122] According to step 601, the multi-panel UE is in RRC connection mode and is configured by the network to perform RRM measurements of the serving cell and a list including at least one neighboring cell. In this embodiment, these measurements include RSRP measurements.

[0123] According to step 602, the UE performs the configured RRM measurement, performing the beam management procedure as described above for the given cell before performing the measurement on the given cell. This measurement is referred to herein as the "default measurement" or "full measurement".

[0124] According to step 603, the UE performs a default measurement for N consecutive measurement opportunities corresponding to the DRX cycle according to this embodiment. N is an integer equal to or greater than 1, for example, N can be selected to be equal to 2.

[0125] According to step 604, for each neighboring cell to be measured, the UE records the offset between the RSRP measurement performed on a given neighboring cell using the best panel of the serving cell and the measurement performed using the previously determined best panel for the given neighboring cell.

[0126] According to step 605, for the next neighboring cell measurement, the UE measures the neighboring cell without switching panels—this measurement is performed using the serving cell panel, and the UE provides an estimate of the given neighboring cell measurement based on the measurement of the serving cell panel, with the offset previously determined for the given neighboring cell added to the measurement of the serving cell panel.

[0127] According to step 606, a check is performed to determine whether the offset is still considered valid or should be refreshed. According to one or more embodiments, this check includes one or more of the following:

[0128] a) M consecutive estimation measurement opportunities have been performed, where M is an integer greater than 1;

[0129] b) The estimated RSRP level of one or more neighboring cells is higher than a threshold (e.g., a threshold indicating the need for handover, such as a threshold configured by the network for measurement reporting to trigger).

[0130] c) The difference between two consecutive RSRP measurements for a given neighboring cell using the serving cell panel is higher than a threshold (e.g., this may indicate congestion in a given neighboring cell);

[0131] d) The UE switches the serving cell to a panel other than the one used to calculate the offset;

[0132] e) The switch to a new serving cell has occurred.

[0133] If the check requires a refresh offset, the method proceeds to step 602. Otherwise, proceed to step 604.

[0134] According to one or more exemplary embodiments, when any one of conditions (a) to (d) is met, it is necessary to check the indication refresh.

[0135] M and N can be determined empirically.

[0136] According to one or more exemplary embodiments, N can be a function of the UE's mobility. For example, the mobility can be evaluated based on the change in offset between two measurements of a given neighboring cell, and N can be increased if the change exceeds a threshold. Other methods for determining the UE's mobility can be used (e.g., based on internal UE sensors).

[0137] According to one or more exemplary embodiments, the UE may occasionally resume performing all measurements, including beam selection (i.e., steps 602 and below), based on an internal timer and / or on the estimated number of measurement opportunities. The offset for a given neighboring cell is then refreshed. The value of M can be selected accordingly. M may, for example, represent the number of DRX cycles, which themselves indicate mobility and channel conditions.

[0138] According to a variant embodiment, the UE selects a new panel for the serving cell based on a change in orientation (e.g., rotation). This can be independent of whether the UE is moving along a path or stationary. Changes in orientation can be detected using, for example, sensors inside the UE. The UE is able to compensate for changes in orientation.

[0139] According to a variant embodiment, in step 603, the UE performs a default measurement for more than one beam of a neighboring cell, and in step 604, derives and stores the offset of each of these beams. Then, in step 605, a measurement and estimate are provided for each beam of the neighboring cell. For example, estimates can be provided for n beams. For example, n = 4. The reserved n beams can be those that produce the highest estimates. The UE can report one or more estimates to the serving cell, which may be useful or necessary.

[0140] According to one or more of the above embodiments, because the switching frequency between panels is low, the total time spent on panel selection measurements is reduced. As a result of the time savings achieved during measurement, sleep mode can be entered more quickly and power is saved.

[0141] The illustrative numerical examples will now be described based on the following assumptions:

[0142] - Set "X" to the measurement time taken to perform a full RRM measurement within a given DRX period.

[0143] - Perform 8 RRM measurements per DRX cycle

[0144] - The 8 measurements include 3 complete measurements, followed by 5 measurements, as previously described, to calculate estimated measurements for neighboring cells.

[0145] - Using an MPUE with three panels, the relative measurement time for measurements with estimates is 33% (1 / 3) compared to the full measurement.

[0146] Based on the assumptions made, the time saved can be calculated as follows:

[0147] -Estimated measurement time: Y = 3 / 8 * X + 5 / 8 * X * 0.33

[0148] -Expected time savings:

[0149] (XY) / X%=(X-(3 / 8*X+5 / 8*X*0.33)) / X%=41.67%

[0150] Among other factors, actual savings may depend on how many measurements can be performed using the panels selected for the serving cell and neighboring cells before a full measurement is needed to refresh the offset. Furthermore, the reduction in measurement time by eliminating panel selection depends on the number of panels. This example assumes the UE has three panels. Considering a two-panel UE, the time saving would be approximately 31%, while for a four-panel UE, the relative saving would be approximately 47%.

[0151] According to one variant exemplary embodiment, the process of measuring the power of a cell on one panel and using the result to estimate the power of a cell measured from another panel is a feature that can be turned off. According to another variant embodiment, the activation or deactivation of this feature can be UE-controlled and / or network-controlled.

[0152] According to one variant embodiment, the feature can be used in high mobility scenarios, low mobility scenarios, or both.

[0153] Figure 7 This is a block diagram of a device 700 that can be used to implement a user equipment or UE according to an exemplary embodiment. Device 700 includes a printed circuit board 701 on which a processor 703 is connected via a communication bus 702, a random access memory 704, a storage medium 711, an interface 705 for connecting a display 706, a series of connectors 707 for connecting user interface devices or modules such as a mouse or touchpad 708 and a keyboard 709, a wireless network module 710 connected to antenna panels 713a, 713b, 713c, and 713d (connections not shown), and a wired network interface 712. The UE also includes at least one sensor 714, which may include one or more of an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, and / or other sensors or modules for determining velocity, acceleration, orientation / rotation, and / or geolocation. Depending on the required functionality, the UE may implement only a portion of the above. Figure 7Some modules may be internally or externally connected, in which case they do not necessarily form an integral part of the device itself. For example, display 706 may be a display that is only connected to the device in a specific environment, or the device may be controlled by another device having a display; that is, such a device does not require a specific display 706 and interface 705. Storage medium 711 may be ROM and contain code that, when executed by processor 704, causes the device and its components to perform the methods described in this specification.

[0154] Antenna panels are placed on the left, right, top, and bottom inner sides of the UE. Obviously, there can be more or fewer panels, and they can be placed differently, for example, considering details of the UE, such as the size of other components, or the impact of these components on the quality of reception and transmission.

[0155] While various aspects of this disclosure have been specifically shown and described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various additional embodiments can be contemplated by modifications to the disclosed machines, systems, and methods without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of this disclosure as defined by the claims and any equivalents.

[0156] Example

[0157] Example EA1 - A communication device (102, 201, 700) includes:

[0158] - Multiple antenna panels (713a-d) for communicating with cells in a cellular network.

[0159] - Components for performing a panel selection process based on the received power level to select the appropriate antenna panel for each of the serving cell (502) and neighboring cells (503) among the plurality of antenna panels;

[0160] - Components for performing measurement cycles (602, 603) that require determining the corresponding power levels received from the serving cell (502) and the neighboring cell (503);

[0161] - The component for performing the measurement cycle is configured to: during a first type of measurement cycle (604), use an antenna panel (P3) selected for the neighboring cell (503) to measure a first power level received from the neighboring cell (503), and use an antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502) to measure a second power level received from the neighboring cell (503);

[0162] The component used to perform the measurement cycle is also configured to: during the second type of measurement cycle (605), use the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502) to measure the third power level received for the neighboring cell (503), and adjust the third power level using an offset function of the difference between the first power level and the second power level, the adjusted third power level being used as the corresponding power level of the neighboring cell (503).

[0163] Example EA2. A communication device according to Example EA1, wherein the component for performing the measurement cycle is further configured to measure a first power level, a second power level and a third power level for a plurality of beams for the adjacent cells, and to perform an adjustment of the third power level for each of the plurality of beams.

[0164] Example EA3. Based on the communication equipment of Example EA1 or EA2, in which panel selection process and measurement cycle are performed for multiple neighboring cells.

[0165] Example EA4. A communication device according to one of Examples EA1 to EA3, wherein the received power level is the reference signal received power level.

[0166] Example EA5. A communication device according to one of Examples EA1 to EA4, further includes a component for performing an offset confidence check, wherein if the check fails, the first power level and the second power level are refreshed by performing at least one first type of measurement cycle.

[0167] Example EA6. According to the communication device of Example EA5, the offset confidence includes checking one or more of the following conditions, and the check fails if at least one of the checked conditions is met:

[0168] - M consecutive second-type measurement cycles have been executed, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 1;

[0169] - The power level of at least one neighboring cell is higher than the first threshold due to the adjustment of the third power level;

[0170] - The difference between two consecutive measurements of the second power level is higher than the second threshold;

[0171] - Communication equipment selects different antenna panels for the serving cell;

[0172] The handover to the new serving cell has taken place.

[0173] Example EA7. A communication device based on Example EA6, where M decreases as the mobility of the communication device increases.

[0174] Example EA8. A communication device according to one of Examples EA1 to EA7, wherein the component for performing a measurement cycle is configured to continuously perform N first-type measurement cycles, where N is an integer that increases with the mobility of the communication device.

[0175] Example P1. A method at a communication device (201, 700) including a plurality of antenna panels (713a-d) for communicating with cells in a cellular network, the method comprising:

[0176] - Perform a panel selection process based on the received power level to select the appropriate antenna panel for each of the serving cell (502) and neighboring cells (503) among the plurality of antenna panels;

[0177] - Perform a measurement cycle (602, 603) that requires determining the corresponding power levels received from the serving cell (502) and the neighboring cell (503);

[0178] - During the first type of measurement period (604), the first power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P3) selected for the neighboring cell (503), and the second power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502).

[0179] - During the second type of measurement period (605), the third power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502), and the third power level is adjusted using an offset function of the difference between the first power level and the second power level, and the adjusted third power level is used as the corresponding power level of the neighboring cell (503).

[0180] Example P2. The method according to Example P1 further includes performing the measurement cycle to measure the first power level, second power level and third power level of a plurality of beams in the adjacent cell, and performing an adjustment of the third power level of each of the plurality of beams.

[0181] Example P3. Based on the method of Example P1 or P2, wherein a panel selection process and measurement cycle are performed for multiple neighboring cells.

[0182] Example P4. According to one of the methods in Examples P1 to P3, where the received power level is the reference signal received power level.

[0183] Example P5. According to one of Examples P1 to P4, the method further includes an offset confidence check, wherein if the check fails, the offset is refreshed by performing at least one first-type measurement cycle.

[0184] Example P6. According to the method in Example P5, the offset confidence check includes checking one or more of the following conditions, and the check fails if at least one of the checked conditions is met:

[0185] - M consecutive second-type measurement cycles have been executed, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 1;

[0186] - The power level of at least one neighboring cell is higher than the first threshold due to the adjustment of the third power level;

[0187] - The difference between two consecutive measurements of the second power level is higher than the second threshold;

[0188] - Communication equipment selects different antenna panels for the serving cell;

[0189] The handover to the new serving cell has taken place.

[0190] Example P7. Following the method in Example P6, where M decreases as the mobility of the communication device increases.

[0191] Example P8. According to one of the methods in Examples P1 to P7, the first type of measurement cycle is executed continuously N times, where N is an integer that increases with the mobility of the communication device.

[0192] Example CRM1. A non-transient computer-readable medium (711) storing computer-executable code that, when executed by at least one processor (703) at a communication device (201, 700), causes the communication device to perform the steps of a method according to one of Examples P1 to P7.

[0193] Example UA1. A communication device (201, 700) includes a plurality of antenna panels (713a-d) for communicating with cells in a cellular network, at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured together with the at least one processor to cause the communication device to perform at least the following:

[0194] - Perform a panel selection process based on the received power level to select the appropriate antenna panel for each of the serving cell (502) and neighboring cells (503) among a plurality of antenna panels;

[0195] - Perform a measurement cycle (602, 603) that requires determining the corresponding power levels received from the serving cell (502) and the neighboring cell (503);

[0196] - During the first type of measurement period (604), the first power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P3) selected for the neighboring cell (503), and the second power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502).

[0197] - During the second type of measurement period (605), the third power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502), and the third power level is adjusted using an offset function of the difference between the first and second power levels, and the adjusted third power level is used as the corresponding power level of the neighboring cell (503).

[0198] Example UA2. A communication device according to Example UA1, wherein the component for performing the measurement cycle is further configured to measure a first power level, a second power level and a third power level for a plurality of beams for adjacent cells, and to perform an adjustment of the third power level for each of the plurality of beams.

[0199] Example UA3. A communication device based on either Example UA1 or UA2, wherein a panel selection process and measurement cycle are performed for multiple neighboring cells.

[0200] Example UA4. A communication device based on one of Examples UA1 to UA3, wherein the received power level is a reference signal received power level.

[0201] Example UA5. A communication device according to one of Examples UA1 to UA4, wherein at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, together with at least one processor, to cause the communication device to perform an offset confidence check, wherein if the check fails, the offset is refreshed by performing at least one first-type measurement cycle.

[0202] Example UA6. A communication device based on Example UA5, wherein the offset confidence check includes checking one or more of the following conditions, and the check fails if at least one of the checked conditions is met:

[0203] - M consecutive second-type measurement cycles have been executed, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 1;

[0204] - The power level of at least one neighboring cell is higher than the first threshold due to the adjustment of the third power level;

[0205] - The difference between two consecutive measurements of the second power level is higher than the second threshold;

[0206] - Communication equipment selects different antenna panels for the serving cell;

[0207] The handover to the new serving cell has taken place.

[0208] Example UA7. A communication device according to Example UA6, wherein at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, together with at least one processor, to reduce the size of the communication device by M as the mobility of the communication device increases.

[0209] Example UA8. A communication device according to one of Examples UA1 to UA7, wherein at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, together with at least one processor, to cause the communication device to continuously perform N first-type measurement cycles, where N is an integer that increases with the mobility of the communication device.

Claims

1. A communication device (102, 201, 700), comprising: - Multiple antenna panels (713a-d) for communicating with cells in a cellular network. - Components for performing a panel selection process based on the received power level to select the appropriate antenna panel for each of the serving cell (502) and neighboring cells (503) among the plurality of antenna panels; - Components for performing measurement cycles (602, 603) that require determining the corresponding power levels received from the serving cell (502) and the neighboring cell (503); - The component for performing the measurement cycle is configured to: during a first type of measurement cycle (604), use the antenna panel (P3) selected for the neighboring cell (503) to measure a first power level received from the neighboring cell (503), and use the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502) to measure a second power level received from the neighboring cell (503); The component used to perform the measurement cycle is also configured to: during the second type of measurement cycle (605), use the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502) to measure the third power level received for the neighboring cell (503), and adjust the third power level using an offset function of the difference between the first power level and the second power level, the adjusted third power level being used as the corresponding power level of the neighboring cell (503).

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the component for performing the measurement cycle is further configured to: measure a first power level, a second power level, and a third power level for a plurality of beams in the adjacent cell, and perform an adjustment of the third power level for each of the plurality of beams.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the panel selection process and the measurement period are performed for multiple adjacent cells.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the received power level is a reference signal received power level.

5. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a component for performing an offset confidence check, wherein if the check fails, the first power level and the second power level are refreshed by performing at least one first type of measurement cycle.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the offset confidence comprises checking one or more of the following conditions, and the check fails if at least one of the checked conditions is met: - M consecutive second-type measurement cycles have been executed, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 1; - The power level of at least one neighboring cell is higher than the first threshold due to the adjustment of the third power level; - The difference between two consecutive measurements of the second power level is higher than the second threshold; - The communication device selects different antenna panels for the serving cell; The handover to the new serving cell has taken place.

7. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein M decreases as the mobility of the communication device increases.

8. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the component for performing the measurement cycle is configured to continuously perform the first type of measurement cycle N times, wherein N is an integer that increases with the mobility of the communication device.

9. A method at a communication device (201, 700), said communication device (201, 700) including a plurality of antenna panels (713a-d) for communicating with cells in a cellular network, said method comprising: - Perform a panel selection process based on the received power level to select the appropriate antenna panel for each of the serving cell (502) and neighboring cells (503) among the plurality of antenna panels; - Perform a measurement cycle (602, 603) which requires determining the corresponding power levels received from the serving cell (502) and the neighboring cell (503); - During the first type of measurement period (604), the first power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P3) selected for the neighboring cell (503), and the second power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502). - During the second type of measurement period (605), the third power level received from the neighboring cell (503) is measured using the antenna panel (P1) selected for the serving cell (502), and the third power level is adjusted using an offset function of the difference between the first power level and the second power level, the adjusted third power level being used as the corresponding power level for the neighboring cell (503).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the panel selection process and the measurement period are performed for a plurality of adjacent cells.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the received power level is a reference signal received power level.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising an offset confidence check, wherein if the check fails, the offset is refreshed by performing at least one first-type measurement cycle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the offset confidence check comprises checking one or more of the following conditions, and the check fails if at least one of the checked conditions is met: - M consecutive second-type measurement cycles have been executed, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 1; - The power level of at least one neighboring cell is higher than the first threshold due to the adjustment of the third power level; - The difference between two consecutive measurements of the second power level is higher than the second threshold; - The communication device selects different antenna panels for the serving cell; The handover to the new serving cell has taken place.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein M decreases as the mobility of the communication device increases.

15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the first type of measurement cycle is performed continuously N times, wherein N is an integer that increases with the mobility of the communication device.

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