System and method for configuring unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multi-RAT dual connectivity (MRDC)

Abstract

Systems and methods for configuring an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multiple radio access technology (RAT) dual connectivity (MRDC) are provided. A first wireless communication node may communicate with a second wireless communication node to share one or more configuration containers. The one or more configuration containers may include various information associated with the terminal service, and wherein the one or more configuration containers correspond to different RATs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to wireless communications, including but not limited to systems and methods for configuring Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Multi-RAT Dual Connectivity (MRDC). Background Art

[0002] The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a standardization organization, is currently specifying a new radio interface called 5G New Radio (5G NR) and the Next Generation Packet Core Network (NG-CN or NGC). 5G NR will have three main parts: 5G Access Network (5G-AN), 5G Core Network (5G GC) and User Equipment (UE). In order to facilitate the implementation of different data services and requirements, the network elements (also called network functions) of 5GC have been simplified, some of which are software-based and some are hardware-based, so that these network elements can be adjusted as needed. Summary of the invention

[0003] The example embodiments disclosed herein are directed to solving problems related to one or more problems existing in the prior art, as well as providing additional features, which will become apparent when referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. According to various embodiments, example systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that these embodiments are provided by way of example and not limitation, and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art who have read this disclosure that various modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0004] At least one aspect relates to the following system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A first wireless communication node (e.g., a master node (Master Node, MN)) can communicate with a second wireless communication node (e.g., a secondary node (SecondaryNode, SN)) to share one or more configuration containers. One or more configuration containers may include various information associated with a terminal service, and one or more configuration containers correspond to different RATs. One or more configuration containers may include at least one of a Long-Term Evolution (Long-Term Evolution, LTE) configuration container or a New Air Interface (NR) configuration container.

[0005] In some embodiments, the various information may include at least one of the following: a wireless communication device (e.g., UAV) identification, configured to identify the wireless communication device; wireless communication device service subscription information, configured to notify the wireless communication node that the wireless communication device is eligible to use the wireless communication device service; the addresses of one or more reporting receivers to which data of the wireless communication device will be collected; wireless communication device location information, configuring wireless communication device location measurement and reporting; altitude reporting information, associated with the wireless communication device; flight path information, associated with the wireless communication device; or measurement information, including frequency-related information of the wireless communication device.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from a core network, the first message including one or more configuration containers. The first wireless communication node may send a second message to a wireless communication device (e.g., a UE), the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message may be a first communication message. The second message may be a second communication message.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from a core network, the first message including one or more configuration containers. The first wireless communication node may send a second message to a second wireless communication node, the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message may be a first communication message. The second message may be a third communication message. One or more configuration containers may also be sent to the wireless communication device via the first communication message.

[0008] In some embodiments, at least some of the various information can be reported by the wireless communication device to the core network through the first wireless communication node, reported to the core network through the second wireless communication node, reported to the core network successively through the second wireless communication node and the first wireless communication node, or reported to the core network successively through the first wireless communication node and the second wireless communication node.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may send a first message to a third wireless communication node (e.g., a target node) requesting that the second wireless communication node be changed to the third wireless communication node. The first message may include one or more configuration containers. The first message may be a third communication message.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from the second wireless communication node requesting that the second wireless communication node be changed to a third wireless communication node. The first wireless communication node may send a second message to the third wireless communication node, the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message and the second message may both be third communication messages.

[0011] In some embodiments, a first wireless communication node (e.g., a source MN) may send a first message to a fourth wireless communication node (e.g., a target MN) indicating that the first wireless communication node is switched to the fourth wireless communication node. The first message may be an Xn Application Protocol (XnAP) message and may include one or more configuration containers. The one or more configuration containers included in the first message may also be sent from the fourth wireless communication node to the second wireless communication node via another third communication message.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may send a first message to the second wireless communication node requesting to add the second wireless communication node. The first message may be a third communication message and may include one or more configuration containers.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may send a first message to the second wireless communication node requesting the removal of the second wireless communication node. The first wireless communication node may receive a second message from the second wireless communication node, the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message and the second message may both be third communication messages.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from the second wireless communication node requesting the removal of the second wireless communication node itself. The first message may be a third communication message and may include one or more configuration containers. In some embodiments, the first communication message may be an NG Application Protocol (NGAP) message. The second communication message may be a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message. The second communication message may be an XnAP message. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Various example embodiments of the present solution are described in detail below with reference to the following figures. The figures are provided for illustrative purposes only and only describe example embodiments of the present solution to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present solution. Therefore, the figures should not be regarded as limiting the breadth, scope or applicability of the present solution. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of description, these figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0016] Figure 1 An example cellular communication network in which the techniques disclosed herein may be implemented according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 2 A block diagram showing an example base station and user equipment according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 3 A sequence diagram of a SN adding process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 4 A sequence diagram of an SN modification process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 5 A sequence diagram of an SN change process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 6 A sequence diagram showing an inter-MN handover process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 7 A sequence diagram showing a MN-based UAV configuration according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 8 shows a sequence diagram of a SN-based UAV configuration according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] Fig. 9 A sequence diagram of UAV reporting in dual connectivity (DC) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Fig.10 A sequence diagram showing mobility in a MN initiated SN change according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Fig.11 A sequence diagram showing mobility in SN initiated SN change according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Fig.12 A sequence diagram of inter-MN handover with and without SN change according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Fig.13 shows a sequence diagram from a standalone architecture to a dual-connection architecture according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0029] Fig.14 A sequence diagram showing a transition from a dual-connectivity architecture to an independent architecture according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0030] Fig.15 A flowchart for configuring a UAV MRDC according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] 1. Mobile Communication Technology and Environment

[0032] Figure 1 An example wireless communication network and / or system 100 is shown in which the techniques disclosed herein may be implemented according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following discussion, the wireless communication network 100 may be any wireless network, such as a cellular network or a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, and is referred to herein as "network 100". Such an example network 100 includes a base station (BS) 102 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 102"; also referred to as a wireless network node) and a user equipment device 104 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 104"; also referred to as a wireless communication device), which may communicate with each other via a communication link 110 (e.g., a wireless communication channel) and a cluster of cells 126, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 covering a geographic area 101. In Figure 1 1, BS 102 and UE 104 are contained within respective geographic boundaries of cell 126. Each of the other cells 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 may include at least one base station operating over an allocated bandwidth to provide adequate wireless coverage to its intended users.

[0033] For example, BS 102 may operate on an allocated channel transmission bandwidth to provide adequate coverage to UE 104. BS 102 and UE 104 may communicate via downlink radio frames 118 and uplink radio frames 124, respectively. Each radio frame 118 / 124 may be further divided into subframes 120 / 127 that may include data symbols 122 / 128. In the present disclosure, BS 102 and UE 104 are generally described herein as non-limiting examples of "communication nodes" that may practice the methods disclosed herein. According to various embodiments of the present solution, such communication nodes may be capable of wireless and / or wired communications.

[0034] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example wireless communication system 200 for sending and receiving wireless communication signals (e.g., OFDM / OFDMA signals) according to some embodiments of the present solution is shown. The system 200 may include components and elements configured to support known or conventional operating features that need not be described in detail herein. In an illustrative embodiment, the system 200 may be used in applications such as Figure 1 The wireless communication environment 100 communicates (eg, transmits and receives) data symbols, as described above.

[0035] System 200 generally includes a base station 202 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 202") and a user equipment device 204 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 204"). BS 202 includes a BS (base station) transceiver module 210, a BS antenna 212, a BS processor module 214, a BS memory module 216, and a network communication module 218, each of which is coupled to and interconnected with each other via a data communication bus 220 as necessary. UE 204 includes a UE (user equipment) transceiver module 230, a UE antenna 232, a UE memory module 234, and a UE processor module 236, each of which is coupled to and interconnected with each other via a data communication bus 240 as necessary. BS 202 communicates with UE 204 via a communication channel 250, which can be any wireless channel or other medium suitable for data transmission as described herein.

[0036] As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the system 200 may also include Figure 2 , any number of modules outside the modules shown in . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the various illustrative blocks, modules, circuits, and processing logic described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented with hardware, computer-readable software, firmware, or any actual combination thereof. In order to clearly illustrate this interchangeability and compatibility of hardware, firmware, and software, it is usually described according to the functionality of various illustrative components, frames, modules, circuits, and steps. Whether this functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software can depend on the specific application and design constraints imposed on the entire system. Personnel familiar with the concepts described herein can implement such functionality in a suitable manner for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0037] According to some embodiments, the UE transceiver 230 may be referred to herein as an "uplink" transceiver 230, which includes a Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes a circuit system coupled to an antenna 232. A duplex switch (not shown) may alternatively couple the uplink transmitter or receiver to the uplink antenna in a time duplex manner. Similarly, according to some embodiments, the BS transceiver 210 may be referred to herein as a "downlink" transceiver 210, which includes an RF transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes a circuit system coupled to an antenna 212. The downlink duplex switch may alternatively couple the downlink transmitter or receiver to the downlink antenna 212 in a time duplex manner. The operation of the two transceiver modules 210 and 230 may be coordinated in time so that while the downlink transmitter is coupled to the downlink antenna 212, the uplink receiver circuit system is coupled to the uplink antenna 232 to receive transmissions via the wireless transmission link 250. Conversely, the operations of the two transceivers 210 and 230 may be coordinated in time such that while the uplink transmitter is coupled to the uplink antenna 232, the downlink receiver is coupled to the downlink antenna 212 to receive transmissions via the wireless transmission link 250. In some embodiments, there is strict time synchronization with a minimum guard time between duplex direction changes.

[0038] The UE transceiver 230 and the base station transceiver 210 are configured to communicate via a wireless data communication link 250 and cooperate with an appropriately configured RF antenna arrangement 212 / 232 that can support a specific wireless communication protocol and modulation scheme. In some illustrative embodiments, the UE transceiver 210 and the base station transceiver 210 are configured to support industry standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and emerging 5G standards. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the application of specific standards and related protocols. Instead, the UE transceiver 230 and the base station transceiver 210 can be configured to support alternative or additional wireless data communication protocols, including future standards or variations thereof.

[0039] According to various embodiments, BS 202 may be, for example, an evolved Node B (eNB), a serving eNB, a target eNB, a femtocell or a microcell. In some embodiments, UE 204 may be implemented in various types of user devices (such as mobile phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, laptop computers, wearable computing devices, etc.). Processor modules 214 and 236 may be implemented or implemented using a general purpose processor, a content addressable memory, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. In this manner, the processor may be implemented as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, etc. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a digital signal processor core, or any other such configuration.

[0040] In addition, the steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be directly implemented in hardware, firmware, software modules executed by the processor modules 214 and 236, respectively, or any practical combination thereof. The memory modules 216 and 234 may be implemented as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In this regard, the memory modules 216 and 234 may be coupled to the processor modules 210 and 230, respectively, so that the processor modules 210 and 230 may read information from and write information to the memory modules 216 and 234, respectively. The memory modules 216 and 234 may also be integrated into their respective processor modules 210 and 230. In some embodiments, the memory modules 216 and 234 may each include a cache memory for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be executed by the processor modules 210 and 230, respectively. Memory modules 216 and 234 may also each include non-volatile memory for storing instructions to be executed by processor modules 210 and 230, respectively.

[0041] The network communication module 218 generally represents the hardware, software, firmware, processing logic and / or other components of the base station 202 that implements bidirectional communication between the base station transceiver 210 and other network components and the communication nodes configured to communicate with the base station 202. For example, the network communication module 218 can be configured to support Internet or WiMAX services. In a non-restrictive typical deployment, the network communication module 218 provides an 802.3 Ethernet interface so that the base station transceiver 210 can communicate with a conventional Ethernet-based computer network. In this way, the network communication module 218 can include a physical interface for connecting to a computer network (e.g., a mobile switching center (MSC)). The terms "configured for", "configured to" and variations thereof used herein for a specific operation or function refer to a device, component, circuit, structure, machine, signal, etc. that is physically constructed, programmed, formatted and / or arranged to perform a specified operation or function.

[0042] The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model (referred to herein as the "OSI model") is a concept and logical layout that defines network communications used by systems (e.g., wireless communication devices, wireless communication nodes) that are open to interconnection and communication with other systems. The model is divided into seven subcomponents or layers, each of which represents a conceptual set of services provided to its upper and lower layers. The OSI model also defines a logical network and effectively describes computer packet transmission by using different layer protocols. The OSI model may also be referred to as a seven-layer OSI model or a seven-layer model. In some embodiments, the first layer may be a physical layer. In some embodiments, the second layer may be a media access control (MAC) layer. In some embodiments, the third layer may be a radio link control (RLC) layer. In some embodiments, the fourth layer may be a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer. In some embodiments, the fifth layer may be a radio resource control (RRC) layer. In some embodiments, the sixth layer may be a non-access (NSA) layer or an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, and the seventh layer is another layer.

[0043] Various example embodiments of the present solution are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings so that a person of ordinary skill in the art can derive and use the present solution. As will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art, after reading this disclosure, various changes or modifications may be made to the examples described herein without departing from the scope of the present solution. Therefore, the present solution is not limited to the example embodiments and applications described and illustrated herein. In addition, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed herein are merely example methods. Based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of steps of the disclosed methods or processes may be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present solution. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the methods and techniques disclosed herein present various steps or actions in an example order, and that the present solution is not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0044] 2. System and method for configuring UAV MRDC

[0045] The Rel-18 New Radio (NR) specification may support UAV-related features. In some cases, NR may not support UAV-related features. By adopting the process introduced in the present invention, one or more UAV configurations and reports can be transmitted between the network (NW) and the UE and / or between the MN and the SN.

[0046] Figures 3 to 6 The call flow of MRDC related procedures (eg, SN addition, SN modification, and / or SN change) is shown. Figure 3 The call flow of the SN adding process is shown. Figure 4 The call flow of the SN modification process (initiated by MN) is shown. Figure 5 The call flow of the SN change process (initiated by MN) is shown. Figure 6 The call flow of inter-MN handover in the case where the SN change process initiated by the MN occurs / does not occur is shown. In some embodiments, the NGAP message, the XnAP message and / or the RRC message can be implemented as any one of various other messages.

[0047] Implementation Example 1: UAV Configuration Container (for Inter-RAT Mobility)

[0048] This implementation example explains why a UAV configuration container may be introduced for inter-RAT handovers. For heterogeneous networks, inter-system handovers (HO) (e.g., HO between gNB and eNB when the Core Network (CN) is changed between the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and the Mobility Management Entity (MME)) and intra-system inter-RAT handovers (e.g., HO between gNB and ng-eNB, where the CN may be the AMF) may be performed during UE mobility. To maximize UAV service continuity, the same UAV-related configurations with different encoding / formats for NR and LTE may be configured to the RAN nodes in different containers. The UE may maintain the use of UAV-related functions regardless of whether different RATs are used between the RAN nodes during the HO. The UAV configuration container may be configured to the UE before or during the HO.

[0049] In some embodiments, at least one of the following information may be added to the NR container and the LTE container: UAV identification (ID), UAV subscription information, one or more addresses of the reporting receiver, UAV location configuration, altitude reporting configuration, flight path information configuration, or measurement configuration. The UAV ID may be used / configured to identify the UAV. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The address of the reporting receiver may include an IP address or URL of the UAV data collector. Different UAV data types may have the same destination or different destinations. The UAV location configuration may include information about UAV location measurement and reporting (e.g., precise requirements for the UAV location), available positioning methods, measurement / reporting frequency, and / or integrity requirements. The altitude reporting configuration may include standards for the time, measurement / reporting frequency, altitude measurement accuracy, and / or integrity requirements for the UE to report its altitude. The flight path information configuration may include UE flight path history or prediction, formula, flight path (e.g., a list of cell IDs, RAN node IDs and coordinates), number of points in the flight path list, timestamp requirements, accuracy requirements, integrity requirements and / or reporting destination (e.g., IP or URL). The measurement configuration may include UE frequency-related measurement information (e.g., the reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ) and signal-to-noise and interference ratio (SINR) of the cell).

[0050] Implementation Example 2: MN-based UAV configuration

[0051] Figure 7 The call flow of the MN-based UAV configuration process is shown.

[0052] In step 1, for one or more UAV configurations, the CN may send an NGAP message to the MN. The NGAP message may contain / include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0053] In step 2, the MN may send a reply NGAP message to the CN using the ACK information.

[0054] In step 3, the MN may send the received UAV configuration information to the UE via an RRC message. The RRC message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0055] In step 4, the UE may send a reply RRC message to the MN using the ACK information.

[0056] In some embodiments, the NGAP message and / or the RRC message may be implemented as any of a variety of other messages.

[0057] Implementation Example 3: SN-based UAV configuration

[0058] Figure 8 The call flow of the SN-based UAV configuration process is shown. Two alternatives are introduced in this implementation example. The SN can receive the UAV configuration via the MN or the CN.

[0059] Alternative 1: MN transmits the received UAV configuration to SN

[0060] In step 1, the CN may send an NGAP message to the MN using the UAV configuration information. The NGAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0061] In step 2, the MN may send the received UAV configuration information to the SN via an XnAP message. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0062] In step 3, the SN may send a reply XnAP message to the MN using the ACK information.

[0063] In step 4a, the MN may send a reply NGAP message to the CN using the ACK information.

[0064] In step 4b, the MN may not send a reply NGAP message after receiving the reply XnAP message in step 3. Before or when the XnAP process in steps 2 and 3 occurs, the NGAP message may be forwarded from the MN to the CN.

[0065] Alternative 2: CN sends UAV configuration to SN

[0066] In step 1, the CN may send a NGAP message to the SN using the UAV configuration information. The NGAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0067] In step 2, the SN may send a reply NGAP message to the CN.

[0068] In some embodiments, the NGAP message used in step 1 in different alternatives may be the same or different messages. For any alternative, the UAV configuration may be finally sent to the UE through the following steps.

[0069] In step A, the SN may send an RRC message to the UE. The RRC message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0070] In step B, the UE may send a reply RRC message to the SN using the ACK information.

[0071] Implementation Example 4: UAV Reporting in Dual Connectivity (DC)

[0072] Fig. 9The call flow of the UAV reporting process in DC is shown. During the reporting process, at least one of the following information can be reported: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV report, or collector address. The UAV report may contain the required UAV information. Details about the UAV configuration section can be viewed in the previous implementation example. The collector address can be an IP address or a URL, depending on the configured address type.

[0073] like Fig. 9 As shown, no matter how the UE receives the UAV configuration (via the MN or the SN), four alternatives can be used to report the UAV information. Fig. 9 The RRC message, XnAP message and NGAP message shown may be newly introduced for UAV, or enhanced by existing messages. The XnAP message used in step 2c and step 2d may be the same message or different messages.

[0074] Implementation Example 5: Mobility during SN Change Initiated by MN

[0075] Fig.10 The call flow of mobility in the SN change process initiated by the MN is shown. For this implementation example, the process in the dashed box is mandatory. The alternative part is which step can be used for UAV configuration transmission. The UAV configuration information can be transmitted in the SgNB Addition Request message or the SgNB Reconfiguration Complete message. In some embodiments, the MN cannot transmit the UAV configuration information to the target SN via these two XnAP messages.

[0076] In step 1, the MN may decide / determine to change the SN. The MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB Additional Request) to the target SN. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0077] In step 2, the target SN may send an XnAP message (eg, SgNB addition request ACK) to the MN.

[0078] In step 3 and step 4, the MN may send an XnAP SgNB release request (XnAP SgNB ReleaseRequest) to the source SN, and the source SN may reply an XnAP SgNB release request confirmation (XnAP SgNB Release RequestACK) to the MN.

[0079] In step 5 and step 6, the MN may send RRC RRCReconfiguration to the UE, and the UE may reply RRC RRCReconfiguration ACK to the MN.

[0080] In step 7, the MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNBReconfiguration Complete) to the target SN. If the UAV configuration is not included in step 1, the UAV configuration may be added to the XnAP message. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0081] Implementation Example 6: Mobility in SN Change Initiated by SN

[0082] Fig.11 The call flow of mobility in the SN change process initiated by the SN is shown. For this implementation example, the process in the dashed box is mandatory. The alternative part is which step can be used for UAV configuration transmission. The UAV configuration information can be transmitted in the SgNB Addition Request message or the SgNB Reconfiguration Complete message. In some embodiments, the MN cannot transmit the UAV configuration information to the target SN via these two XnAP messages.

[0083] In step 1, the source SN may decide to trigger the SN change process. The source SN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB Change Request) to the MN.

[0084] In step 2, the MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB Additional Request) to the target SN. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UEID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0085] In step 3, the target SN may send an XnAP message (eg, SgNB addition request ACK) to the MN.

[0086] In step 4 and step 5, the MN may send RRC RRCReconfiguration to the UE, and the UE may reply RRC RRCReconfiguration ACK to the MN.

[0087] In step 6, the MN may send an XnAP message (eg, SgNB Change Confirm) to the source SN.

[0088] In step 7, the MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNBReconfiguration Complete) to the target SN. If the UAV configuration is not included in step 1, the UAV configuration may be added to the XnAP message. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0089] Implementation Example 7: Inter-MN Handover with / without SN Change

[0090] Fig.12 The call flow of inter-MN handover with and without SN change mobility is shown.

[0091] For alternative solution a, the procedures in the dashed box are only applicable to the SN change scenario. If the target MN decides to reuse the old SN, these procedures may no longer be needed.

[0092] For alternative b, both processes can be performed in this implementation example. There may be different alternatives for sending UAV information to the target SN.

[0093] For inter-MN handover without SN change, the (source) SN and (target) SN can be the same node, because no SN change occurs during the handover. In this case, (source) SN == (target) SN == SN. For inter-MN handover with SN change, the (source) SN and (target) SN can be two different nodes.

[0094] In step 1, the source MN may trigger the handover process by sending an XnAP message (e.g., a handover request (HandoverRequest)) to the target MN. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UEID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0095] In step 2, the target MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB add request (SgNB add request)) to the SN (or target SN). The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0096] In step 3, the SN (or target SN) may send a reply XnAP message (eg, SgNB Addition Request ACK) to the target MN.

[0097] In step 4, the target MN may send an XnAP message (eg, Handover Request ACK) to the source MN.

[0098] In step 5 and step 6 (conditional), the source MN may send an XnAP SgNB Release Request (XnAPSgNB Release Request) to the source SN, and the source SN may reply an XnAP SgNB Release Request Acknowledgement (XnAP SgNBRelease Request ACK) to the source MN.

[0099] In step 7, the source MN may send an RRC message (eg, RRCReconfiguration) to the UE.

[0100] In step 8, the UE may initiate a random access procedure for the target MN.

[0101] In step 9, the UE may send an RRC message (eg, RRCReconfiguration ACK) to the target MN.

[0102] In step 10 (conditional), the UE may initiate a random access procedure for the target SN.

[0103] In step 11, the target MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB Reconfiguration Complete) to the SN (or target SN). If the UAV configuration is not included in step 1, the UAV configuration may be added to the XnAP message. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0104] Implementation Example 8: From Standalone Architecture to Dual-Connection Architecture

[0105] Fig.13 The call flow from a standalone architecture to a dual-connection architecture is shown. For this implementation example, the process in the dashed box is mandatory. The alternative part is which step can be used for UAV configuration transmission. The UAV configuration information can be transmitted in the SgNB Addition Request message or the SgNB Reconfiguration Complete message. In some embodiments, the MN cannot transmit the UAV configuration information to the target SN via these two XnAP messages.

[0106] In step 1, the serving gNB (e.g., the MN in the call flow) may decide to add a SN and switch to the DC. The gNB may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB Additional Request) to the SN. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following UAV configuration information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0107] In step 2, the SN may send a reply XnAP message (eg, SgNB Addition Request ACK) to the MN.

[0108] In step 3 and step 4, the gNB (MN) may send RRC RRCReconfiguration to the UE, and the UE may reply RRC RRCReconfiguration Complete to the MN.

[0109] In step 5, the MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNBReconfiguration Complete) to the SN. If the UAV configuration is not included in step 1, the UAV configuration may be added to the XnAP message. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or a UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0110] Implementation Example 9: From Dual-Connection Architecture to Independent Architecture

[0111] Fig.14 The call flow from dual-connectivity architecture to independent architecture is shown. For MN-initiated SN release, the procedure / steps may be 1a=>2a=>3=>4. For SN-initiated SN release, the procedure / steps may be 1b=>2b=>3=>4.

[0112] SN release initiated by MN

[0113] In step 1a, the MN may decide / determine to release the current SN and switch to an independent architecture. The MN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB Release Request) to the SN.

[0114] In step 2a, the SN may send an XnAP message (e.g., SgNB Release Request ACK) to the MN. The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0115] In step 3 and step 4, the MN may send an RRC RRCReconfiguration to the UE, and the UE may reply an RRC RRCReconfiguration Complete to the MN.

[0116] SN release initiated by SN

[0117] In step 1b, the SN may decide / determine to release itself. The SN may send an XnAP message to the MN (e.g., requesting the release of the SgNB (SgNB Release Required)). The XnAP message may include at least one of the following information: UE identification information (e.g., UE ID), UAV identification information (e.g., UAV ID), UAV subscription information, or UAV configuration container. The UAV subscription information may include a flag that is used / configured to notify the RAN node that the UE is eligible to use the UAV service. The UAV configuration container may include an LTE configuration container and / or an NR configuration container.

[0118] In step 2b, the MN may reply an XnAP message (eg, SgNB ReleaseConfirm) to the SN.

[0119] In step 3 and step 4, the MN may send an RRC RRCReconfiguration to the UE, and the UE may reply an RRC RRCReconfiguration Complete to the MN.

[0120] It should be understood that one or more features from the above-mentioned implementation examples are not exclusive to a particular implementation example, but can be combined in any manner (for example, in any priority and / or order, simultaneously or in other ways).

[0121] Fig.15 A flow chart of a method 1500 for configuring a UAV MRDC is shown. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Any one or more components and devices described in detail implement method 1500. In general, in some embodiments, method 1500 can be performed by a wireless communication node. Depending on the embodiment, additional, fewer, or different operations can be performed in method 1500. At least one aspect of these operations involves a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium.

[0122] A first wireless communication node (e.g., MN) may communicate with a second wireless communication node (e.g., SN) to share one or more configuration containers. The one or more configuration containers may include various information associated with a terminal service, and wherein the one or more configuration containers correspond to different RATs. The one or more configuration containers may include at least one of an LTE configuration container or an NR configuration container.

[0123] In some embodiments, the various information may include at least one of the following: a wireless communication device (e.g., UAV) identification, configured to identify the wireless communication device; wireless communication device service subscription information, configured to notify the wireless communication node that the wireless communication device is eligible to use the wireless communication device service; the addresses of one or more reporting receivers to which data of the wireless communication device will be collected; wireless communication device location information, configuring wireless communication device location measurement and reporting; altitude reporting information, associated with the wireless communication device; flight path information, associated with the wireless communication device; or measurement information, including frequency-related information of the wireless communication device.

[0124] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from a core network, the first message including one or more configuration containers. The first wireless communication node may send a second message to a wireless communication device (e.g., a UE), the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message may be a first communication message. The second message may be a second communication message.

[0125] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from a core network, the first message including one or more configuration containers. The first wireless communication node may send a second message to a second wireless communication node, the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message may be a first communication message. The second message may be a third communication message. One or more configuration containers may also be sent to the wireless communication device via the first communication message.

[0126] In some embodiments, at least some of the various information can be reported by the wireless communication device to the core network through the first wireless communication node, reported to the core network through the second wireless communication node, reported to the core network successively through the second wireless communication node and the first wireless communication node, or reported to the core network successively through the first wireless communication node and the second wireless communication node.

[0127] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may send a first message to a third wireless communication node (e.g., a target node) requesting that the second wireless communication node be changed to the third wireless communication node. The first message may include one or more configuration containers. The first message may be a third communication message.

[0128] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from the second wireless communication node requesting that the second wireless communication node be changed to a third wireless communication node. The first wireless communication node may send a second message to the third wireless communication node, the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message and the second message may both be third communication messages.

[0129] In some embodiments, a first wireless communication node (e.g., a source MN) may send a first message to a fourth wireless communication node (e.g., a target MN) indicating a switch from the first wireless communication node to the fourth wireless communication node. The first message may be an XnAP message and may include one or more configuration containers. The one or more configuration containers included in the first message may also be sent from the fourth wireless communication node to the second wireless communication node via another third communication message.

[0130] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may send a first message to the second wireless communication node requesting to add the second wireless communication node. The first message may be a third communication message and may include one or more configuration containers.

[0131] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may send a first message to the second wireless communication node requesting the removal of the second wireless communication node. The first wireless communication node may receive a second message from the second wireless communication node, the second message including one or more configuration containers. The first message and the second message may both be third communication messages.

[0132] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication node may receive a first message from the second wireless communication node requesting the removal of the second wireless communication node itself. The first message may be a third communication message and may include one or more configuration containers. In some embodiments, the first communication message may be an NGAP message. The second communication message may be an RRC message. The second communication message may be an XnAP message.

[0133] Although various embodiments of the present solution have been described above, it should be understood that these embodiments are presented only as examples and not as limitations. Similarly, various figures may depict example architectures or configurations, which are provided to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the example features and functions of the present solution. However, these technicians will understand that the present solution is not limited to the example architectures or configurations shown, but may be implemented using various alternative architectures and configurations. Additionally, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, one or more features of an embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment described herein. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described illustrative embodiments.

[0134] It should also be understood that any reference to an element using designations such as "first," "second," etc. herein generally does not limit the number or order of these elements. Rather, these designations may be used herein as a convenient means of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of elements. Thus, a reference to a first element and a second element does not mean that only two elements can be used, or that the first element must precede the second element in some manner.

[0135] Additionally, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols (e.g., as may be referenced in the above description) may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0136] It will be further understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that any of the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, processors, devices, circuits, methods, and functions described in conjunction with the various aspects disclosed herein may be implemented by electronic hardware (e.g., digital implementation, analog implementation, or a combination of the two), firmware, various forms of programs or design codes in conjunction with instructions (which, for convenience, may be referred to herein as "software" or "software modules"), or any combination of these technologies. In order to clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware, firmware, and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above in their entirety in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of these technologies, depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the entire system. Those of ordinary skill in the art may implement the described functionality in various ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions will not result in a departure from the scope of this disclosure.

[0137] In addition, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, devices, components, and circuits described herein may be implemented in or performed by an integrated circuit (IC), which may include a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices or any combination thereof. The logic blocks, modules, and circuits may also include antennas and / or transceivers to communicate with various components within a network or within a device. The general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in an alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors and a digital signal processor core, or any other suitable configuration to perform the functions described herein.

[0138] If implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Therefore, the steps of the method or algorithm disclosed herein may be implemented as software stored on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include computer storage media and communication media, and communication media include any media that can realize the transfer of computer programs or codes from one place to another. The storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer. As an example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage device, magnetic disk storage device or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer.

[0139] In this document, the term "module" as used herein refers to software, firmware, hardware, and any combination of these elements for performing the associated functions described herein. Additionally, for the purpose of discussion, various modules are described as discrete modules; however, as is apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, according to embodiments of the present solution, two or more modules may be combined to form a single module that performs the associated functions.

[0140] Additionally, in an embodiment of the present solution, a memory or other storage device and a communication component may be used. It should be understood that, for clarity, the above description has described an embodiment of the present solution with reference to different functional units and processors. However, it is apparent that any suitable functional distribution between different functional units, processing logic elements or domains may be used without departing from the present solution. For example, a function shown as being performed by a separate processing logic element or controller may be performed by the same processing logic element or controller. Therefore, reference to a specific functional unit is merely a reference to a suitable means for providing the described functionality, rather than indicating a strict logical or physical structure or organization.

[0141] Various modifications to the embodiments described in this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the novel features and principles disclosed herein, as set forth in the above claims.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method, comprising: The first wireless communication node communicates with the second wireless communication node to share one or more configuration containers; The one or more configuration containers include various information associated with terminal services, and the one or more configuration containers correspond to different radio access technologies (RATs).

2. The wireless communication method of claim 1, wherein the one or more configuration containers comprise at least one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) configuration container or a New Radio (NR) configuration container.

3. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein the various information includes at least one of the following: a wireless communication device identifier configured to identify the wireless communication device; wireless communication device service subscription information, configured to send a notification to the wireless communication node that the wireless communication device is eligible to use the wireless communication device service; the addresses of one or more reporting receivers to which data from the wireless communication device is to be collected; Wireless communication device location information, configuring wireless communication device location measurement and reporting; altitude reporting information, associated with the wireless communication device; flight path information associated with the wireless communication device; or The measurement information includes frequency-related information of the wireless communication device.

4. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node receives a first message from a core network, the first message including the one or more configuration containers; as well as The first wireless communication node sends a second message to the wireless communication device, the second message including the one or more configuration containers; The first message is a first communication message, and the second message is a second communication message.

5. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node receives a first message from a core network, the first message including the one or more configuration containers; as well as The first wireless communication node sends a second message to the second wireless communication node, the second message including the one or more configuration containers; The first message is a first communication message, and the second message is a third communication message. 6 . The wireless communication method according to claim 5 , wherein the one or more configuration containers are also sent to the wireless communication device via a second communication message.

7. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the various information is reported by the wireless communication device to the core network through the first wireless communication node, reported to the core network through the second wireless communication node, reported to the core network successively through the second wireless communication node and the first wireless communication node, or reported to the core network successively through the first wireless communication node and the second wireless communication node.

8. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node sends a first message to a third wireless communication node requesting to change the second wireless communication node to the third wireless communication node; Wherein the first message includes the one or more configuration containers, and wherein the first message is a third communication message.

9. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node receives a first message from the second wireless communication node requesting to change the second wireless communication node to a third wireless communication node; as well as The first wireless communication node sends a second message to the third wireless communication node, the second message including the one or more configuration containers; The first message and the second message are both third communication messages.

10. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node sends a first message to a fourth wireless communication node indicating switching from the first wireless communication node to the fourth wireless communication node; The first message is a third communication message and includes the one or more configuration containers. 11 . The wireless communication method according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more configuration containers included in the first message are also sent from the fourth wireless communication node to the second wireless communication node through another third communication message.

12. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node sends a first message to the second wireless communication node requesting to add the second wireless communication node; The first message is a third communication message and includes the one or more configuration containers.

13. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node sends a first message to the second wireless communication node requesting removal of the second wireless communication node; The first wireless communication node receives a second message from the second wireless communication node, the second message including the one or more configuration containers; The first message and the second message are both third communication messages.

14. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first wireless communication node receives a first message from the second wireless communication node requesting removal of the second wireless communication node itself; The first message is a third communication message and includes the one or more configuration containers.

15. A wireless communication device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to read a code from the memory and execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A computer program product comprising computer readable program medium code stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

Images