Reporting implementable power per component carrier with multiple power sources

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for reporting of implementable power per component carrier having multiple power sources, and configurations based on the reporting. For example, a method may include receiving a request to report a user equipment band combining capability. The method may also include reporting the capabilities of the user equipment to the network. The capability may include an indication of one or more component carrier groups in a band-by-band combination or in a band-by-band. One or more component carrier groups may include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier group.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some example embodiments generally relate to communications including mobile or wireless telecommunication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or new radio (NR) access technology, or other communication systems. For example, certain example embodiments generally relate to systems and / or methods for providing reporting of achievable power per component carrier with multiple power sources, and configuration based on the reporting. Background Art

[0002] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunication systems may include the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), Advanced LTE (LTE-A), MulteFire, Professional LTE-A, and / or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or new radio (NR) access technology. 5G wireless systems refer to next generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. 5G systems are primarily built on 5G New Radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks may also be built on E-UTRA radio. It is estimated that NR provides bit rates of 10-20G bits per second or higher and can support at least service categories such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine type communications (mMTC). NR is expected to provide extremely high bandwidth and ultra-strong, low latency connectivity and large-scale networking to support the Internet of Things (IoT). As the Internet of Things and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications become more and more popular, the demand for networks that meet the requirements of low power consumption, low data rates, and long battery life will grow. The next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) represents the RAN for 5G, which can provide radio access for both NR and LTE (and Advanced LTE). It should be noted that in 5G, a node that can provide radio access functions to user equipment (i.e., similar to a Node B, NB in ​​UTRAN, or an evolved NB, eNB in ​​LTE) can be called a next generation NB (gNB) when built on an NR radio, and can be called a next generation eNB (NG-eNB) when built on an E-UTRA radio. Summary of the invention

[0003] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, together with the at least one processor, so that the apparatus at least performs receiving a request to report a frequency band combination capability of a user equipment. The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured, together with the at least one processor, so that the apparatus at least performs reporting the capability of the apparatus to a network. The capability may include an indication of one or more component carrier groups by frequency band combination or by frequency band. One or more component carrier groups may include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier group.

[0004] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, together with the at least one processor, so that the apparatus at least performs a request to send a report of a user equipment frequency band combination capability. The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured, together with the at least one processor, so that the apparatus at least performs a report of receiving user equipment capabilities. The capability may include an indication of one or more component carrier groups by frequency band combination or by frequency band. One or more component carrier groups may include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier group.

[0005] Embodiments may be directed to a method. The method may include receiving a request to report a frequency band combination capability of a user equipment. The method may also include reporting the capabilities of the user equipment to a network. The capabilities may include an indication of one or more component carrier groups by frequency band combination or by frequency band. The one or more component carrier groups include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier group.

[0006] Embodiments may be directed to a method. The method may include sending a request to report a user equipment frequency band combination capability. The method may also include receiving a report of the user equipment capability. The capability may include an indication of one or more component carrier groups by frequency band combination or by frequency band. The one or more component carrier groups may include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier group.

[0007] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include a component for receiving a request to report a user equipment frequency band combination capability. The apparatus may also include a component for reporting the capabilities of the apparatus to a network. The capabilities may include an indication of one or more component carrier groups by frequency band combination or by frequency band. The one or more component carrier groups may include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier group.

[0008] Embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include a component for sending a request to report a user equipment frequency band combination capability. The apparatus may also include a component for receiving a report of the user equipment capability. The capability may include an indication of one or more component carrier groups by frequency band combination or by frequency band. The one or more component carrier groups may include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier group. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] For a proper understanding of the example embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 A power level configuration table for power level two uplink inter-band carrier aggregation is shown;

[0011] Figure 2 Possible power sources mapped to component carriers in carrier aggregation are shown;

[0012] Figure 3 shows the maximum power per component carrier achievable using a power source-component carrier group approach according to certain embodiments;

[0013] Figure 4 shows frequency band combination list parameters according to some embodiments;

[0014] Figure 5 Methods according to some embodiments are shown; and

[0015] Figure 6 An example block diagram of a system according to an embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] It should be understood that the components of certain example embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, can be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing achievable power reporting per component carrier with multiple power sources, and configurations based on the reporting, is not intended to limit the scope of certain embodiments, but rather represents selected example embodiments.

[0017] The features, structures, or characteristics of the example embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in one or more example embodiments in any suitable manner. For example, the use of the phrases "certain embodiments," "some embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification refers to the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiments that may be included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in certain embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," or other similar language that appear throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same set of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more example embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0018] Certain embodiments may have various aspects and features. These aspects and features can be applied individually or in any desired combination to each other. Other features, processes, and elements can also be applied in combination with some or all aspects and features disclosed herein.

[0019] In addition, if desired, the different functions or processes discussed below can be performed in different orders and / or simultaneously with each other. In addition, if desired, one or more of the described functions or processes can be optional or can be combined. Therefore, the following description should be regarded as an explanation of the principles and teachings of some example embodiments, rather than a limitation thereof.

[0020] Certain embodiments may address challenges in terms of coverage enhancement. As part of this coverage enhancement, power domain aggregation enhancement may include improving performance for multiple transmitters (e.g., 4 Tx) with various power amplifier (PA) configurations. New Radio (NR) has many standardized aspects related to power domain aggregation. For a more specific example, in power class two (PC2) (26dBm (400mW)), an inter-band uplink (UL) carrier aggregation (CA) with two bands, four possible power sources, or power class (PC) configurations may be considered. As another example, for band x, there may be power class three (PC3) (23dBm (200mW)), and for band y, there may be PC2. Although the total power as a band combination (BC) is 27.8dBm (200mW+400mW), in this example, the total power is limited by PC2 because it is assumed that the total UE power is limited by the UE power class according to BC. Therefore, if band x uses 23dBm (200mW), the remaining power as BC is 23dBm (200mW), which is the maximum available power for band y at a certain moment (because 200+200=400mW=26dBm, equal to the maximum achievable power by PC2).

[0021] Another example is PC2 intra-band contiguous / non-contiguous CA, where multiple component carriers (CCs) can be aggregated. Some CCs can be covered by a first PA, the remaining CCs can be covered by a second PA, and each achievable PC of each corresponding PA can be different (e.g., each achievable PC is 23dBm, 26dBm), or all CCs can be covered by two PAs with the same or different achievable PCs. Whichever method is used, the total power is limited by PC2, so the achievable power per CC is interdependent between CCs.

[0022] As described above, the performance specification may be based on the principle that the power source is shared across CCs in the BC, e.g., the UE maximum power may be limited by the PC per BC, where each CC may transmit up to MIN(PC per band, PC per BC) power in the BC. It should be noted that for the case of intra-band contiguous / non-contiguous UL CA, the PC per band may be the same as the PC per BC. However, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has gradually allowed greater implementation flexibility than before. Therefore, the original principle may not hold in some cases. More specifically, considering PC2 inter-band UL CA, if the UE has a transmit capability of, for example, 23 dBm on band x and 26 dBm on band y, it does not seem appropriate to limit the total power.

[0023] If this restriction is removed, the total power can be, for example, 27.8 dBm (by BC). In this case, band x can be used to transmit up to 23 dBm of power, and band y can be used to transmit up to 26 dBm of power, respectively, regardless of the power used by the other corresponding bands.

[0024] If multiple power sources are used for CA, these principles can be applied to intra-band UL CA, for example, for intra-band UL non-contiguous UL CA with four CCs, one 23dBm capable PA covers two CCs (CC1+CC2), and another 26dBm capable PA covers the remaining two CCs (CC3+CC4). In this case, the power sources (e.g., 23dBm PA and 26dBm PA) can be independent of each other, and each power source per CC group (e.g., CC1+CC2 and CC3+CC4) can transmit up to 23dBm and 26dBm power, respectively. Therefore, the concepts of PC per band and PC per BC may not be applicable. Even more complex power aggregation requirements may arise and may not be addressed without certain embodiments.

[0025] Figure 1A PC configuration table for PC2 UL inter-band CA with 2 UL component carriers is shown. The requirements specified by Release 17 (Rel-17) for PC2 (26dBm) UL inter-band CA may include four cases (identified as cases a, b, c, and d, respectively, for convenience only, not priority or preference) for the PC configuration as introduced. In this case, the carrier may be equivalent to the band because the intra-band UL CA in each band may not appear in the inter-band UL CA.

[0026] Except for case a, the total power may be limited. More specifically, according to the combination of the UE's per-band PC, the sum of the per-band PC in UL CA for cases b, c, and d may be limited to 26 dBm. Therefore, with respect to case a, since each band can transmit up to 23 dBm of power at most, the transmission power in each band in CA can be independent, while the total power is still 26 dBm. On the other hand, with respect to cases b, c, and d, the total power is capped at 26 dBm, while the PC of one or both bands may exceed 23 dBm. Therefore, if the power of at least one band in CA exceeds 23 dBm, the power of the other band may be reduced. In this case, an upper limit may be used so that if the total power (i.e., PC by BC) is lower than or equal to the sum of the per-band PCs, different power sources (such as a power source in band x and a power source in band y) may be integrated and work as a common source.

[0027] Another method may be called a summation method, and the achievable total maximum power may be considered as the sum of the PCs by band in CA. More specifically, if the summation method is applied to case b or c, the total power may be considered as 27.8 dBm, and no upper limit may be applied to the total power. Therefore, if this function is supported for a band combination, power sources (such as a power source in band x and a power source in band y) may exist independently, thereby canceling the upper limit restriction.

[0028] UL intra-band CA with multiple PAs of different achievable powers will be discussed below as an example. In Release 17 (Rel-17), there can be PC2 intra-band contiguous and non-contiguous UL CA with up to 2 CCs in frequency range one (FR1), where some PA configurations such as 23dBm+23dBm, 23dBm+26dBm and 26dBm+26dBm are considered, and the total power is capped at 26dBm except for 23dBm+23dBm.

[0029] Figure 2 The possible power sources mapped to CCs in CA are shown. The example considered is a case with 3 ULCCs in CA with two possible power sources. More specifically, Figure 2Taking the 23dBm+26dBm power source as an example, the possible power sources mapped to the corresponding CCs are summarized. These cases are labeled as cases 1-4 for ease of reference, rather than by preference or priority. The numbering of the examples is also for convenience only.

[0030] Although the current specification allows the user equipment (UE) to report the number of PAs supported for a BC, so far, case 1 has been used, where the power source is shared among all CCs belonging to the band or BC. Since the power from the two power sources can be shared with all three CCs, case 1 can handle Figure 2 However, Case 2 cannot cover Examples 3, 4, and 5, and Case 3 cannot cover Examples 1, 2, 4, and 5. Cases 2 and 3 for PA configuration can be used if the frequency band has a very wide spectrum, because one PA may not be able to cover the entire frequency band. Case 4 cannot handle Examples 1, 2, and 4.

[0031] Because the achievable power per CC group may be different with different power source mappings, the network may need to know which power source may belong to which CC group and the achievable power of each corresponding power source for resource scheduling. Without certain embodiments, it may not be possible to allow the UE to report the capabilities of the UE to the network, and due to the lack of this information, the network cannot maximize the capabilities of the UE.

[0032] If the above-mentioned restriction on the total achievable power is removed in some way, it may be necessary to clarify which power source can cover which CCs so that the network can understand the real capability of the UE. For example, for case 4, only CC2 can reach 27.8dBm, while CC1 can reach 23dBm, and CC3 can reach 26dBm. Therefore, if the UE is in a power-depleted state, the network may need to schedule resources to CC2. For another example, for case 2, since CC1+CC2 can use up to 26dBm of power alone and CC3 can use up to 23dBm of power alone, if the UE is located at the edge of the cell, the network can schedule important information by using CC1 or CC2 as the primary cell (PCell), and CC3 can also use a smaller number of RBs to compensate for the lower power than CC1 or CC2 (if necessary). The number of power sources alone (such as the number of PAs) cannot provide the network with any clues on how to maximize the use of power sources, and the network may need to know how to map power sources between CCs. After the network knows the mapping, the network can explicitly or implicitly reflect the knowledge of the mapping. As an example of explicit use of mapping knowledge, when configuring the UE with UL CA configuration, the network may provide an indication of which power source is used for which carrier, or may set the maximum power allowed according to the determined maximum power for each power source. As an example of implicit use of this knowledge, the network may provide a UL CA configuration so that the UE can make full use of the UE's own PA configuration, such as grouping UL CA carriers into cell groups so that the UE can use UL power at will to achieve the maximum possibility of the UE. Both explicit and implicit use of mapping knowledge can be represented as the network configuring the user equipment based on the mapping. Therefore, configuring the UE based on mapping knowledge may include providing a suitable p-Max configuration that sets the maximum power per carrier. As another option, configuring the UE based on mapping knowledge may be an indication that the UE is allowed to use a higher power according to the combined p-Max value. As another example, configuring the UE based on mapping knowledge may be an implicit grouping of carriers in a cell group.

[0033] For the bands of multiple PA configurations introduced in Release 18, performance requirements for 4 Tx can be specified. The configurations can be 23dBm x 4, 26dBm x 4, 26dBm x 2+23dBm x 2, and they can be used with any of PC3, PC2, and PC1.5 for single band operation, i.e., without CA. However, some other configurations can be considered, such as (23, 26, 26, 26), (23, 23, 26, 29), etc. PC with these PA configurations can be used to support intra-band CA with 4 Tx, and these many possible configurations will be discussed later, where the use of multiple functions simultaneously can also be discussed, such as PC2 with intra-band UL CA with two CCs, and PC2 with UL MIMO with one CC.

[0034] Certain embodiments may involve the UE indicating to the network the PC per CC group for the UE. This can be distinguished from indicating the PC per frequency band in CA. Likewise, the PC per CC group can be distinguished from the summation method discussed above.

[0035] Certain embodiments relate to the indication and use of power sources (PS) per CC group (CCG). Each CC group may have its own power source(s) that apply only to CCs in the CC group. Examples of power sources may be PC, equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP), total radiated power (TRP), etc. A PS-CCG may indicate which CCs belong to the same power source(s) (e.g., PC) in a band and / or BC. The smallest unit of PS (e.g., PC per band) may be a PS-CCG.

[0036] One aspect of the PS per CCG may include the PS and its mapping to the CC. A CC may belong to multiple PS-CCGs, where (multiple) CCs may use multiple PSs simultaneously, for example for features such as transmit diversity (TxD), UL multiple input / multiple output (MIMO), etc. In one example, CC1 may belong to PS1 and PS2, where PS1 and PS2 may be the same PC or different PCs. CC1 may use either PS1 or PS2, or both PS1 and PS2 simultaneously. In another example, CC1+CC2 may belong to PS1, and CC2+CC3 may belong to PS2, where PS1 and PS2 may be the same PC or different PCs. CC2 may use either PS1 or PS2, or both PS1 and PS2 simultaneously. Then, different mappings may be provided for different features, for example, TxD or UL MIMO may have a PS mapping on CC2 with a power of PS1+PS2, while CC1 or CC3 may use different features with a maximum achievable power of PS1 or PS2, respectively.

[0037] Another aspect of per-CCG PS may include cross-PS-CCG PS processing. For example, a PS-CCG may be treated as independent of the PS of other PS-CCGs unless the sum of multiple PS-CCGs in a band and / or BC is limited to a value lower than the sum of the multiple PS-CCGs. CCs belonging to the same PS-CCG may use the same PS of the PS-CCG to derive PS. CMAX,c or P CMAX,f,c If a CC belongs to multiple PS-CCGs, it can be CMAX,c or P CMAX,f,c All available PS are considered in .

[0038] Additional aspects of PS per CCG may include concurrent feature usage. If certain features are used simultaneously under certain conditions, the PS-CCG may be different. For example, PC2 Intra-band Non-contiguous UL CA with UL MIMO, and PC2 Intra-band Contiguous UL CA with UL MIMO may have different PCs per CC group.

[0039] A power source may be defined as a source that provides a certain achievable power to the CCs belonging to the power source. A power source may include a PA and associated achievable power, but may not be limited to a PA. For example, a Tx chain with or without an antenna, a panel, or a certain set of antenna arrays, etc. may serve as a power source. Therefore, a power source does not necessarily come from a single power level.

[0040] Figure 3 The achievable maximum power per component carrier using a power source-component carrier group approach is shown according to certain embodiments. Figure 3 An example may involve uplink intra-band carrier aggregation. Figure 2 Except for the four cases in Figure 3 Two other cases assuming TxD and / or UL MIMO are also considered.

[0041] For certain embodiments using PS-CCG, which CC can send how much power can be correctly understood by the network. A per-CC achievable power with how many PSs and the corresponding power of each PS may be valuable for the network configuration. Therefore, without certain embodiments, the network cannot select features and parameters in a suitable way. Note that in Figure 2 and Figure 3 The examples shown in are just some of them.

[0042] Likewise, the impact on network configuration may vary. For example, one configuration that may be affected is the UL duty cycle. If resources are allocated to CC3 alone in case 2, the network may not have to consider the UE's UL duty cycle to meet the specific absorption ratio (SAR), while if CC1 and / or CC2 are used, the network may need to consider the UL duty cycle.

[0043] Another example of network impact is UL MIMO. For case 4, the network may know that the UE may only be able to do UL MIMO or TxD through CC2.

[0044] Figure 4 1 shows frequency band combination list parameters according to some embodiments. Figure 4 As shown, the UE capabilities for the band combination list parameter BandCombinationList of the information element may include: cc-GroupList, cc-GroupId, cc-List, and pc-PerCC-Group. The value of cc-GroupList may define the CC group for a given band combination. The value of cc-GroupId may define the identifier of the CC group. The value of cc-List may define the CC belonging to the CC group. The first bit in the string may refer to the first band entry in the bandList for the band combination, and so on. The value of pc-PerCC-Group may determine the maximum power across all cells in the CC group, for example, as defined in 3GPP Technical Specifications (TS) 38.101-1 and 38.101-2. In this example, there is no distinction between different features of the CC-group, and each band combination has only one CC-group list, and each CC-group has only a single power source (PS) indicated by power class (PC) signaling. In other embodiments, a plurality of such CC-group lists may be provided, such that each CC-group list corresponds to a specific feature (eg, TxD, MIMO, etc.).

[0045] like Figure 4 As shown, cc-GroupList can be a sequence, cc-GroupID can be a value, cc-List can be a bit string, and pc-PerCC-Group can be an integer. Similarly, the maxCC-Group value can be an integer.

[0046] Figure 5 A method according to some embodiments is shown. As shown in the figure, the method may include: reporting a capability of a user equipment to a network at 510, the user equipment may be an apparatus for implementing the method. The capability may be a power source per component carrier group. Figure 4A mechanism is shown by which the PS-CCG can be reported to the network (e.g., to the gNB). Figure 5 As shown, at 505, the capability may be requested by the network to be reported, and the UE may receive the request at 507. Therefore, the reporting at 510 may be triggered by the request sent at 505 and received at 507.

[0047] exist Figure 5 In the method, the capability may indicate an association between a given power source of the device and a corresponding component carrier group. The capability may also indicate an achievable power of a given power source. For example, the capability may indicate which power source belongs to which CC group and the achievable power of each corresponding power source for resource scheduling.

[0048] The capability may indicate that each component carrier in the component carrier group belongs to a power source in a frequency band or frequency band combination. For example, a PS-CCG may indicate that the CCs belong to the same power source(s) (eg, PC) in a frequency band and / or BC.

[0049] Multiple power sources may be reported, each power source of the multiple power sources being uniquely associated with a component carrier of a given component carrier group. For example, each CC group may have its own power source(s) that apply only to CCs in the CC group (e.g., PC, EIRP, TRP, etc.).

[0050] The capability may indicate that at least one component carrier belongs to multiple component carrier groups, each component carrier group of the multiple component carrier groups being associated with a different power source. For example, a CC may belong to multiple PS-CCGs, where (multiple) CCs may use multiple PSs simultaneously, e.g., for functions such as TxD, UL MIMO, etc.

[0051] Figure 5 The method may further include: receiving a configuration from the network based on the power source per component carrier group at 520. For example, as described above, the UE's UL MIMO and / or UL duty cycle may be configured by the network based on the reported capability.

[0052] The method may also include: receiving a report of the capabilities of the user equipment at a device implementing the process at 515, which device may be a radio access network node, such as a gNB. The capabilities may include a power source per component carrier group. This may be the same PS-CCG reported at 510. The method may also include: at 525, the network configures the user equipment based on the power source per component carrier group. This may be the same configuration received by the UE at 520. The configuration may include configuring at least one of the following: an uplink duty cycle of the user equipment or an uplink multiple-input multiple-output. These are just examples. Other examples include: providing a maximum power configuration to the user equipment based on the power source per component carrier group.

[0053] At 535, the method may include evaluating the PS-CCGs. The configuration at 525 may be based on the evaluation at 535. The evaluation may include treating each power source per component carrier group as independent when multiple reports of power sources per component carrier group are provided. For example, unless the sum of multiple PS-CCGs in a band and / or BC is limited to a value lower than the sum of multiple PS-CCGs, the PS-CCG may be treated as a PS independent of other PS-CCGs.

[0054] This evaluation includes deriving the maximum power level based on the report. For example, for CCs belonging to the same PS-CCG, the same PS of the PS-CCG can be used to derive the PC MAX,c or PC CMAX,f,c As another example, if a CC belongs to multiple PS-CCGs, then MAX,c or PC CMAX,f,c All available PS are considered in .

[0055] Figure 6 An example of a system including an apparatus 10 according to an embodiment is shown. In an embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be a node, a host, or a server in a communication network or serving such a network. For example, the apparatus 10 may be a network node, a satellite, a base station, a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a 5G Node B or an access point associated with a radio access network (such as an LTE network, 5G or NR), a next generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), a transmission / reception point, a HAPS, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, and / or a WLAN access point. In some example embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be, for example, a gNB or other similar radio node.

[0056] It should be understood that in some example embodiments, the device 10 may include an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, where the server and the radio nodes may be independent devices that communicate with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or they may be located in the same entity that communicates via a wired connection. For example, in certain example embodiments where the device 10 represents a gNB, the device 10 may be configured in a central unit (CU) and distributed unit (DU) architecture that divides the gNB functionality. In such an architecture, the CU may be a logical node that includes gNB functionality (such as user data transmission, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning, and / or session management, etc.). The CU may control the operation of (multiple) DUs via a mid-range interface (referred to as the F1 interface), and the (multiple) DUs may have one or more radio units (RUs) connected to the (multiple) DUs via a front-range interface. The DU may be a logical node that includes a subset of gNB functionality, which subset of gNB functionality depends on the functional splitting option. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the device 10 may include Figure 6 Components or features not shown.

[0057] like Figure 6 As shown in the example of , the device 10 may include a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 12 may be any type of general or special purpose processor. In fact, as an example, the processor 12 may include one or more of the following: a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture, or any other processing component. Although Figure 6 A single processor 12 is shown in FIG. 1 , but multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include two or more processors capable of forming a multiprocessor system (e.g., in which case the processor 12 may represent a multiprocessor) that may support multiprocessing. In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0058] Processor 12 may perform functions associated with the operation of device 10, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 10 including processes related to communication or management of communication resources.

[0059] The device 10 may also include or be coupled to a memory 14 (internal or external), which may be coupled to the processor 12 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 12. The memory 14 may be one or more memories and any type suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology (such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory). For example, the memory 14 may be composed of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static memory (such as a magnetic or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD)), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium, or other suitable storage components. The instructions stored in the memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 12, enables the device 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0060] In an embodiment, the device 10 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by the processor 12 and / or the device 10.

[0061] In some embodiments, the device 10 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for sending and receiving signals and / or data to and from the device 10. The device 10 may also include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to send and receive information. The transceiver 18 may include, for example, a plurality of radio interfaces that may be coupled to (a plurality of) antennas 15, or may include any other suitable transceiver components. The radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth (BT), Bluetooth Low Energy (BT-LE), Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Ultra Wideband (UWB), MulteFire, etc. The radio interface may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), mappers, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules, etc., to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks, and to receive symbols (e.g., via an uplink).

[0062] Thus, the transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by the antenna(s) 15, and to demodulate information received via the antenna(s) 15 for further processing by other elements of the apparatus 10. In other embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be capable of directly sending and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices), or input / output components.

[0063] In an embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. The software modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules (such as applications or programs) to provide additional functionality for device 10. The components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware, or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0064] According to some embodiments, processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in a processing circuit system / component or a control circuit system / component, or may form part of a processing circuit system / component or a control circuit system / component. In addition, in some embodiments, transceiver 18 may be included in a transceiver circuit system / component, or may form part of a transceiver circuit system / component.

[0065] As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to: a hardware circuitry implementation only (e.g., an analog and / or digital circuitry implementation only), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor(s) with software (including a digital signal processor) that work together to enable a device (e.g., device 10) to perform various functions, and / or hardware circuit(s) and / or processor(s) or a portion thereof that operate using software but may not be present when the software is not required for operation. As a further example, as used herein, the term "circuitry" also encompasses an implementation of a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors), or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its accompanying software and / or firmware. The term circuitry also encompasses, for example, a baseband integrated circuit in a server, cellular network node, or other computing or network device.

[0066] As described above, in some embodiments, the device 10 may be part of a network element or RAN node, such as a base station, access point, Node B, eNB, gNB, transmission / reception point, HAPS, IAB node, relay node, WLAN access point, satellite, etc. In an example embodiment, the device 10 may be a gNB or other radio node, or may be a CU and / or DU of a gNB. According to some embodiments, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the device 10 may be configured to perform: in any flowchart or signaling diagram described herein (e.g. Figures 1 to 3 In some embodiments, as described herein, the apparatus 10 may be configured to perform processes related to providing achievable power reporting per component carrier with multiple power sources, and configuration based on the reporting.

[0067] Figure 6 An example of the device 20 is also shown according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the device 20 may be a node or element in a communication network or associated with such a network, such as a UE, a communication node, a mobile equipment (ME), a mobile station, a mobile device, a fixed device, an IoT device, or other device. As described herein, the UE may alternatively be referred to as, for example, a mobile station, a mobile equipment, a mobile unit, a mobile device, a user device, a user station, a wireless terminal, a tablet computer, a smart phone, an IoT device, a sensor or an NB-IoT device, a watch or other wearable device, a head mounted display (HMD), a vehicle, a drone, a medical device and its application (e.g., remote surgery), an industrial device and its application (e.g., a robot and / or other wireless device operating in an industrial and / or automated processing chain environment), a consumer electronic device, a device operating on a commercial and / or industrial wireless network, etc. As an example, the device 20 may be implemented in, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, etc.

[0068] In some example embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include: one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies (such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other radio access technology). It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the apparatus 20 may include Figure 6 Components or features not shown.

[0069] As in Figure 6 As shown in the example of , the device 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 22 may be any type of general or special purpose processor. In fact, as an example, the processor 22 may include one or more of the following: a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although Figure 6 A single processor 22 is shown in FIG. 1 , but according to other embodiments, multiple processors may be used. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include two or more processors capable of forming a multiprocessor system (e.g., in which case the processor 22 may represent a multiprocessor) that may support multiprocessing. In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0070] Processor 22 may perform functions associated with the operation of device 20, including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 20 including processes related to communication resource management.

[0071] The device 20 may also include or be coupled to a memory 24 (internal or external), which may be coupled to the processor 22 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 22. The memory 24 may be one or more memories and any type suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology (such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory). For example, the memory 24 may be composed of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static memory (such as a magnetic or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD)), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium. The instructions stored in the memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 22, enables the device 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0072] In an embodiment, the device 20 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by the processor 22 and / or the device 20.

[0073] In some embodiments, the device 20 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals and transmitting from the device 20 via an uplink. The device 20 may also include a transceiver 28 configured to send and receive information. The transceiver 28 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to the antenna 25. The radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IOT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The radio interface may include other components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDM symbols.

[0074] For example, the transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by (multiple) antennas 25, and to demodulate information received via (multiple) antennas 25 for further processing by other elements of the device 20. In other embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be capable of directly sending and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the device 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In some embodiments, the device 20 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

[0075] In an embodiment, the memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by the processor 22. The software modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for the device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules (such as applications or programs) to provide additional functionality for the device 20. The components of the device 20 may be implemented in hardware, or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, the device 20 may be optionally configured to communicate with the device 10 via a wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology (such as NR).

[0076] According to some embodiments, processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in processing circuitry or control circuitry, or may form part of processing circuitry or control circuitry. In addition, in some embodiments, transceiver 28 may be included in transceiver circuitry, or may form part of transceiver circuitry.

[0077] As described above, according to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be, for example, a UE, a SL UE, a relay UE, a mobile device, a mobile station, a ME, an IoT device, and / or a NB-IoT device, etc. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown in, or with Figures 1 to 3 One or more operations of the related or any other method described herein. For example, in an embodiment, as described in detail elsewhere herein, the apparatus 20 may be controlled to perform processes related to providing achievable power reporting per component carrier with multiple power sources, and configuration based on the reporting.

[0078] In some embodiments, an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and / or apparatus 20) may include: a component for performing a method, process, or any variant discussed herein. Examples of components may include one or more of: a processor, a memory, a controller, a transmitter, a receiver, and / or a computer program code for enabling the execution of any operation discussed herein.

[0079] In view of the above, some exemplary embodiments provide some technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages over existing technical processes, and at least constitute improvements in the field of wireless network control and / or management technology. Certain embodiments may have various benefits and / or advantages. For example, in some embodiments, the association details between various power sources and component carriers in the user equipment may be considered for the network. This may allow the network to more effectively control the configuration of UE transmission characteristics (such as UL duty cycle).

[0080] In some example embodiments, the functionality of any method, process, signaling diagram, algorithm, or flow chart described herein may be implemented by software, and / or computer program code, or code portions, stored in a memory or other computer-readable or tangible medium and executed by a processor.

[0081] In some example embodiments, the device may include or be associated with at least one of the following: a software application, module, unit or entity configured as (multiple) arithmetic operations, or configured as a program or program portion (including added or updated software routines), which can be executed by at least one operating processor or controller. Programs are also called program products or computer programs, including software routines, applets and macros, which can be stored in a data storage medium readable by any device, and can include program instructions for performing specific tasks. Computer program products may include: when the program is running, one or more computer executable components configured to perform some example embodiments. One or more computer executable components can be at least software code or code portions. Modifications and configurations required to implement the functions of the example embodiments can be performed as (multiple) routines, which can be implemented as (multiple) software routines added or updated. In one example, (multiple) software routines can be downloaded to the device.

[0082] As an example, software or computer program code or code portions may be in source code form, object code form, or some intermediate form, and may be stored in some carrier, distribution medium, or computer readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, such carriers may include: recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, optoelectronic and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and / or software distribution packages. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer or distributed among multiple computers. The computer readable medium or computer readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

[0083] In other example embodiments, the functions of the example embodiments may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in a device, such as by using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other hardware and software combination. In another example embodiment, the functions of the example embodiments may be implemented as a signal carried by an electromagnetic signal downloaded from the Internet or other network, such as as a non-tangible component.

[0084] According to example embodiments, an apparatus (such as a node), a device or a corresponding component may be configured as a circuit system, a computer or a microprocessor (such as a single-chip computer element or a chipset), which may include at least: a memory for providing storage capacity for (multiple) arithmetic operations, and / or an operation processor for performing (multiple) arithmetic operations.

[0085] Regardless of whether singular or plural language is used when describing certain embodiments, the example embodiments described herein may apply to both singular and plural implementations. For example, an embodiment describing the operation of a single network node may also apply to example embodiments including multiple instances of the network node, and vice versa.

[0086] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-described example embodiments may be implemented using processes in a different order, and / or with hardware elements that are different from the disclosed configurations. Therefore, although some embodiments have been described based on these example embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications, variations, and alternative configurations will be apparent while still being within the spirit and scope of the example embodiments.

[0087] Partial Glossary

[0088] BC Band Combination

[0089] CA Carrier Aggregation

[0090] CC Component Carrier

[0091] EIRP Equivalent isotropic radiated power

[0092] FDD Frequency Division Duplex

[0093] FR Frequency Range

[0094] LTE Long Term Evolution

[0095] MIMO Multiple Input, Multiple Output

[0096] MR-DC Multi-RAT Dual Connectivity

[0097] NR New Radio

[0098] PA Power Amplifier

[0099] PC Power Rating

[0100] PS Power Source

[0101] RF

[0102] SAR Specific Absorption Rate

[0103] TDD Time Division Duplex

[0104] TRP Total Radiated Power

[0105] TxD Transmit Diversity

[0106] UE User Equipment

[0107] UL Uplink

[0108] WI Work Items

Claims

1. A device comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform: receiving a request for reporting frequency band combination capability of a user equipment; as well as Reporting capabilities of the device to a network, wherein the capabilities include an indication of one or more component carrier groups per frequency band combination or per frequency band, wherein the one or more component carrier groups include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier groups.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform: Based on the power source per component carrier group, at least one of the following is received from the network: a maximum power configuration, an uplink multiple-input multiple-output configuration, or an uplink duty cycle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capability of the apparatus indicates an association between a given power source of the apparatus and a corresponding component carrier group. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the capability further indicates: an achievable power of the given power source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capability indicates that each component carrier in the component carrier group belongs to the power source in a frequency band or a frequency band combination.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of power sources are reported, each power source of the plurality of power sources being uniquely associated with a component carrier in a given component carrier group.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capability indicates that at least one component carrier belongs to a plurality of component carrier groups, each component carrier group in the plurality of component carrier groups being associated with a different power source.

8. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform: Sending a request to report the frequency band combination capability of the user equipment; as well as A report of capabilities of a user equipment is received, wherein the capabilities include an indication of one or more component carrier groups per frequency band combination or per frequency band, wherein the one or more component carrier groups include an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier groups.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the capability indicates an association between a given power source of the user equipment and a corresponding component carrier group.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the capability further indicates: an achievable power of the given power source.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the capability indicates that each component carrier in the component carrier group belongs to the power source in a frequency band or a frequency band combination.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a plurality of power sources are reported, each power source of the plurality of power sources being uniquely associated with a component carrier of a given component carrier group.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the capability indicates that at least one component carrier belongs to a plurality of component carrier groups, each component carrier group in the plurality of component carrier groups being associated with a different power source.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform evaluating the capability, and at least one of: configuring uplink multiple-input multiple-output based on the power source per component carrier group; configuring an uplink duty cycle of the user equipment based on the power source per component carrier group; or Based on the power source per component carrier group, a maximum power configuration is provided from the apparatus to the user equipment.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the evaluating comprises: When multiple reports of power sources per component carrier group are provided, each power source per component carrier group is considered independent.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the evaluating comprises: Based on the report, a maximum power level is obtained.

17. A method comprising: receiving a request for reporting frequency band combination capability of a user equipment; as well as Reporting capabilities of the user equipment to a network, wherein the capabilities include: an indication of one or more component carrier groups by frequency band combination or by frequency band, wherein the one or more component carrier groups include: an indication of one or more power sources for the component carrier groups.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: Based on the power source per component carrier group, at least one of the following is received from the network: a maximum power configuration, an uplink multiple-input multiple-output configuration, or an uplink duty cycle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the capability of the user equipment indicates an association between a given power source of the user equipment and a corresponding component carrier group.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the capability further indicates: an achievable power of the given power source.

Images