Base station, wireless communication method of user equipment and equipment for wireless communication

Abstract

The invention provides a base station, a wireless communication method of user equipment and equipment for wireless communication. A wireless communication method of a user equipment includes, in certain configurations, the UE transmitting a difference of reception timing (RTD) capability of the UE to a base station. The RTD capability indicates an RTD supported by the UE between the first cell and a timing reference cell. Data reception or measurement is performed according to the RTD capability of the UE.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application generally relates to a method and device for measuring a receiving timing difference (RTD) capability, and more specifically, to a method and device for measuring a receiving timing difference (RTD) capability of a user equipment (UE). Background Art

[0002] Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide a variety of telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcast. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple access technologies that are capable of supporting communications with multiple users by sharing the available system resources. Examples of these multiple access technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) systems.

[0003] These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate at a municipal, regional, or even global level. An example is 5G New Radio (NR). 5G NR is part of the continued mobile broadband evolution driven by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to meet new requirements related to latency, reliability, security, scalability (e.g., Internet of Things (IoT)), and other requirements. Some aspects of 5G NR may be based on the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. There is a need for further improvements in 5G NR technology. These improvements may also be applicable to other multiple access technologies and the telecommunication standards that adopt them. Summary of the invention

[0004] A simplified summary of one or more aspects is presented below to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This summary is not a comprehensive overview of all intended aspects, and is neither intended to identify key or important elements of all aspects, nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description that is presented later.

[0005] According to one embodiment, a method, a computer-readable medium, and a device are provided. The method may be performed by a user equipment (UE). In certain configurations, the UE sends a receive timing difference (RTD) capability of the UE to a base station. The RTD capability indicates the RTD supported by the UE between a first cell and a timing reference cell. The UE performs data reception or measurement according to the RTD capability.

[0006] According to another embodiment, a method, a computer-readable medium, and a device are provided. The method may be performed by a base station. In certain configurations, the base station receives an RTD capability of the UE from the UE. The RTD capability indicates an RTD supported by the UE between a first cell and a timing reference cell. The base station determines a configuration of the UE based on the RTD capability of the UE. The base station sends an instruction of the configuration to the UE.

[0007] According to another embodiment, the RTD capability of the UE includes a parameter indicating whether the UE supports advanced RTD capability or limited RTD capability.

[0008] According to another embodiment, the RTD capability of the UE is a per-UE capability, a per-band capability, a per-band combination (BC) capability of multiple bands, or a per-BC capability per band.

[0009] The embodiments of the present invention can further improve the 5G NR technology.

[0010] To accomplish the foregoing and related ends, the features included in one or more aspects and specifically pointed out in the claims are fully described below. The following description and the accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative features of the one or more aspects. However, these features are indicative of several of the various ways of employing the principles of the various aspects, and this description is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 An exemplary diagram of a wireless communication system and access network according to the present invention is shown.

[0012] Figure 2 An exemplary diagram showing communication between a base station and a UE in an access network according to the present invention is shown.

[0013] Figure 3 An example logical architecture of a distributed access network according to the present invention is shown.

[0014] Figure 4 An example physical architecture of a distributed access network according to the present invention is shown.

[0015] Figure 5 A diagram showing an example of downlink-centric time slots according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0016] Figure 6 A diagram showing an example of uplink-centric time slots according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 7 A diagram showing the RTD between two cells according to the present invention is shown.

[0018] Figure 8 An exemplary diagram showing a configuration process between a UE and a base station according to the present invention is shown.

[0019] Fig. 9 A flow chart of a base station determining a configuration according to the RTD capability of a UE according to the present invention is shown.

[0020] Fig.10 A flow chart of a base station determining a configuration according to the RTD capability of a UE and the RTD capability of the base station according to the content of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Fig.11 A diagram showing an example process between a UE and a base station according to the present invention is shown.

[0022] Fig.12 A diagram showing another example process between a UE and a base station according to the present invention is shown.

[0023] Fig.13 The flowchart of a UE wireless communication method (process) according to the present invention is shown.

[0024] Fig.14 A flow chart of a base station wireless communication method (process) according to the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The technical terms in this specification are used in the technical field. If there is an explanation or definition of certain technical terms in this specification, the technical terms in this part will take precedence over the explanation or definition elsewhere. The present invention of each embodiment has one or more technical features. Where possible, a person of ordinary skill in the art can selectively implement some or all of the technical features of the present invention, or selectively combine these technical features of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 1 is a diagram of an exemplary wireless communication system and access network 100. The wireless communication system (also referred to as a wireless wide area network (WWAN)) includes a base station 102, user equipment (UEs) 104, an evolved packet core (EPC) 160, and another core network 190 (e.g., a 5G core (5GC)). The base station 102 may include a macro cell (a high-power cellular base station) and / or a small cell (a low-power cellular base station). A macro cell includes a base station. A small cell includes a home cell, a micro cell, and a medium cell.

[0027] Base stations 102 configured as 4G LTE (collectively referred to as Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN)) can interface with EPC 160 via a backend link 132 (e.g., an S1 interface). Base stations 102 configured as 5G NR (collectively referred to as Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN)) can interface with core network 190 via a backend link 184. Among other functions, base stations 102 can perform one or more of the following functions: user data transmission, radio channel encryption and decryption, integrity protection, header compression, mobility control functions (e.g., handover, dual connectivity), inter-cell interference coordination, connection establishment and release, load balancing, non-access stratum (NAS) message distribution, NAS node selection, synchronization, radio access network (RAN) sharing, multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), user and device tracking, RAN information management (RIM), paging, positioning, and warning messaging. The base stations 102 can communicate with each other directly or indirectly (e.g., through EPC 160 or core network 190) via a backend link 134 (e.g., an X2 interface). The backend link 134 may be wired or wireless.

[0028] Base stations 102 may communicate wirelessly with user equipment (UEs) 104. Each base station 102 may provide communication coverage for a corresponding geographic coverage area 110. There may be overlapping geographic coverage areas 110. For example, a small cell 102' may have a coverage area 110' that overlaps with the coverage area 110 of one or more macro base stations 102. A network including small cells and macro cells may be referred to as a heterogeneous network. A heterogeneous network may also include Home Evolved Node Bs (eNBs) (HeNBs), which may provide service to a restricted group called a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG). A communication link 120 between a base station 102 and user equipment (UEs) 104 may include uplink (UL) (also referred to as reverse link) transmissions from the user equipment (UE) 104 to the base station 102 and / or downlink (DL) (also referred to as forward link) transmissions from the base station 102 to the user equipment (UE) 104. The communication link 120 may use multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology, including spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and / or transmit diversity. The communication link may be carried out over one or more carriers. The base station 102 / user equipment (UEs) 104 may use spectrum with a bandwidth of up to 7 MHz (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 100, 400, etc. MHz), with each carrier allocated in a carrier aggregation of a total of Yx MHz (x component carriers) for transmission in each direction. The carriers may be adjacent or non-adjacent. For DL ​​and UL, the allocation of carriers may be asymmetric (e.g., more or fewer carriers may be allocated for DL ​​than for UL). The component carriers may include one primary component carrier and one or more secondary component carriers. The primary component carrier may be referred to as a primary cell (PCell) and the secondary component carrier may be referred to as a secondary cell (SCell).

[0029] Certain user equipments (UEs) 104 may communicate with each other using a device-to-device (D2D) communication link 158. The D2D communication link 158 may use the DL / UL WWAN spectrum. The D2D communication link 158 may use one or more sidelink channels, such as a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH), a physical sidelink discovery channel (PSDCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), and a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH). D2D communication may be performed via various wireless D2D communication systems, such as FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi based on IEEE 802.11 standards, LTE, or NR.

[0030] The wireless communication system may also include a Wi-Fi access point (AP) 150 that communicates with a Wi-Fi station (STA) 152 in the 5 GHz unlicensed spectrum via a communication link 154. When communicating in the unlicensed spectrum, the STA 152 / AP 150 may perform a clear channel assessment (CCA) prior to communication to determine whether the channel is available.

[0031] The small cell 102' can operate in licensed and / or unlicensed spectrum. When operating in unlicensed spectrum, the small cell 102' can adopt New Radio (NR) and use the same 5 GHz unlicensed spectrum as the Wi-Fi AP 150. The small cell 102' operating in the unlicensed spectrum with NR can enhance coverage and / or increase capacity of the access network.

[0032] The base station 102, whether a small cell 102' or a large cell (e.g., a macro base station), may include an evolved NodeB (eNB), a gNodeB (gNB), or other types of base stations. Some base stations, such as gNB 180, may communicate with UE 104 in conventional sub-6 GHz spectrum, millimeter wave (mmW) frequencies, and / or near millimeter wave frequencies. When the gNB 180 operates in millimeter wave or near millimeter wave frequencies, the gNB 180 may be referred to as a millimeter wave base station. Extremely high frequency (EHF) is part of the radio frequency (RF) in the electromagnetic spectrum. The range of extremely high frequency is 30 GHz to 300 GHz, with a wavelength between 1 mm and 10 mm. Radio waves in this frequency band may be referred to as millimeter waves. Near millimeter waves may extend to frequencies of 3 GHz with a wavelength of 100 mm. The super high frequency (SHF) band extends between 3 GHz and 30 GHz and is also referred to as centimeter waves. Communication using the millimeter wave / near millimeter wave radio frequency band (e.g., 3 GHz-300 GHz) has extremely high path loss and short distances. The mmWave base station 180 may communicate with the UE 104 using beamforming 182 to compensate for the extremely high path loss and short range.

[0033] The base station 180 may transmit beamformed signals in one or more transmit directions 108a to the UE 104. The UE 104 may receive the beamformed signals from the base station 180 in one or more receive directions 108b. The UE 104 may also transmit beamformed signals to the base station 180 in one or more transmit directions. The base station 180 may receive beamformed signals from the UE 104 in one or more receive directions. The base station 180 / UE 104 may perform beam training to determine the best receive and transmit directions for the base station 180 / UE 104. The transmit and receive directions of the base station 180 may be the same or different. The transmit and receive directions of the UE 104 may be the same or different.

[0034] The Evolved Packet Core (EPC) 160 may include a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 162, other MMEs 164, a Serving Gateway 166, a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Gateway 168, a Broadcast Multicast Service Center (BM-SC) 170, and a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway 172. The MME 162 may communicate with a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 174. The MME 162 is a control node that handles signaling between the UE 104 and the EPC 160. Typically, the MME 162 provides bearer and connection management. All user Internet Protocol (IP) packets are transmitted through the Serving Gateway 166, which itself is connected to the PDN Gateway 172. The PDN Gateway 172 provides UE IP address allocation and other functions. The PDN Gateway 172 and the BM-SC 170 are connected to the IP Services 176. The IP Services 176 may include the Internet, an Intranet, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), PS streaming services, and / or other IP services. The BM-SC 170 may provide the functionality for MBMS user service configuration and delivery. The BM-SC 170 may serve as an entry point for content provider MBMS transmissions, may be used to authorize and start MBMS bearer services within a public land mobile network (PLMN), and may be used to schedule MBMS transmissions. The MBMS Gateway 168 may be used to distribute MBMS traffic to base stations 102 belonging to a broadcast multicast single frequency network (MBSFN) area that broadcasts a specific service, and may be responsible for session management (start or stop) and collecting eMBMS-related billing information.

[0035] The core network 190 may include an access and mobility management function (AMF) 192, other AMFs 193, a location management function (LMF) 198, a session management function (SMF) 194, and a user plane function (UPF) 195. The AMF 192 may communicate with a unified data management (UDM) 196. The AMF 192 is a control node that handles signaling between the UE 104 and the core network 190. Typically, the SMF 194 provides QoS flow and session management. All user Internet Protocol (IP) packets are transmitted through the UPF 195. The UPF 195 provides UE IP address allocation and other functions. The UPF 195 is connected to the IP service 197. The IP service 197 may include the Internet, an intranet, an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), a PS streaming media service, and / or other IP services.

[0036] Base stations may also be referred to as gNBs, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), access points, base transceiver stations, wireless base stations, wireless transceiver stations, transceiver functions, basic service sets (BSSs), extended service sets (ESSs), transmission reception points (TRPs), or other suitable terms. Base stations 102 provide access points to EPC 160 or core network 190 for UEs 104. Examples of UEs 104 include cellular phones, smart phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), satellite radios, global positioning systems, multimedia devices, video devices, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, game consoles, tablets, smart devices, wearable devices, vehicles, electric meters, gas pumps, large or small kitchen appliances, medical devices, implants, sensors or actuators, displays, or any other similarly functional device. Some UEs 104 may be referred to as Internet of Things (IoT) devices (e.g., parking meters, gas pumps, toasters, vehicles, heart monitors, etc.). UE 104 may also be referred to as a station, a mobile station, a user station, a mobile unit, a user unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a remote device, a mobile user station, an access terminal, a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handheld device, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or other suitable terminology.

[0037] Although the present invention may refer to 5G New Radio (NR), the present invention may also be applicable to other similar fields, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), or other wireless or radio access technologies.

[0038] Figure 22 is a block diagram of a base station 210 communicating with a user equipment (UE) 250 in an access network. In the downlink (DL), IP packets from the evolved core (EPC) 160 may be provided to the controller / processor 275. The controller / processor 275 implements layer 3 and layer 2 functions. Layer 3 includes a radio resource control (RRC) layer, and layer 2 includes a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, a radio link control (RLC) layer, and a media access control (MAC) layer. The controller / processor 275 provides RRC layer functions associated with broadcasting of system information (e.g., master information block (MIB), system information blocks (SIBs)), RRC connection control (e.g., RRC connection paging, RRC connection establishment, RRC connection modification, and RRC connection release), inter-radio access technology (RAT) mobility, and measurement configuration for UE measurement reporting; PDCP layer functions associated with header compression / decompression, security (ciphering, deciphering, integrity protection, integrity verification), and handover support functions; RLC layer functions associated with transmitting upper layer packet data units (PDUs), error correction through automatic repeat request (ARQ), splicing, segmentation and reassembly of RLC service data units (SDUs), re-segmentation of RLC data PDUs, and reordering of RLC data PDUs; and mapping between logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing of MAC SDUs to transport blocks (TBs), MAC Demultiplexing of SDUs from TBs, scheduling information reporting, error correction through Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ), priority handling and MAC layer functions related to logical channel priority.

[0039] The transmit (TX) processor 216 and receive (RX) processor 270 implement layer 1 functions associated with various signal processing functions. Layer 1, including the physical (PHY) layer, may include error detection of the transmission channel, forward error correction (FEC) encoding / decoding of the transmission channel, interleaving, rate matching, mapping to physical channels, modulation or demodulation of physical channels, and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna processing. The TX processor 216 handles the mapping to the signal constellation based on various modulation schemes (e.g., binary phase shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), M-phase shift keying (M-PSK), M-quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM)). The coded and modulated symbols may then be split into parallel streams. Each stream may then be mapped to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal (e.g., pilot) in the time and / or frequency domain, and then combined together using an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) to produce a physical channel carrying a time domain OFDM symbol stream. The OFDM stream is spatially precoded to generate multiple spatial streams. Channel estimates from channel estimator 274 may be used to determine coding and modulation schemes, as well as for spatial processing. Channel estimates may be derived from reference signals and / or channel condition feedback transmitted by UE 250. Each spatial stream may then be provided to a different antenna 220 via a separate transmitter 218TX. Each transmitter 218TX may modulate an RF carrier with a corresponding spatial stream for transmission.

[0040] At the UE 250, each receiver 254RX receives a signal through its corresponding antenna 252. Each receiver 254RX recovers the information modulated onto the RF carrier and provides the information to a receive (RX) processor 256. The TX processor 268 and the RX processor 256 implement layer 1 functions associated with various signal processing functions. The RX processor 256 may perform spatial processing on the information to recover any spatial streams intended for the UE 250. If multiple spatial streams are intended for the UE 250, they may be combined into a single OFDM symbol stream by the RX processor 256. The RX processor 256 then converts the OFDM symbol stream from the time domain to the frequency domain using a fast Fourier transform (FFT). The frequency domain signal includes a separate OFDM symbol stream for each subcarrier. The symbols and reference signals on each subcarrier are recovered and demodulated by determining the most likely signal constellation point transmitted by the base station 210. These soft decisions may be based on channel estimates calculated by the channel estimator 258. The soft decisions are then decoded and deinterleaved to recover the data and control signals originally transmitted by the base station 210 on the physical channel. The data and control signals are then provided to the controller / processor 259 which implements Layer 3 and Layer 2 functions.

[0041] The controller / processor 259 may be associated with a memory 260 that stores program codes and data. The memory 260 may be referred to as a computer readable medium. On the uplink (UL), the controller / processor 259 provides demultiplexing between transport and logical channels, packet reassembly, decryption, header decompression, and control signal processing to recover IP packets from the EPC 160. The controller / processor 259 is also responsible for error detection using an acknowledgement (ACK) and / or negative acknowledgement (NACK) protocol to support HARQ operations.

[0042] Similar to the functional description associated with DL transmission of the base station 210, the controller / processor 259 provides RRC layer functions associated with system information (e.g., MIB, SIBs) acquisition, RRC connection and measurement reporting; PDCP layer functions associated with header compression / decompression, and security (encryption, decryption, integrity protection, integrity verification); RLC layer functions associated with transmission of upper layer PDUs, error correction through ARQ, splicing, segmentation and reassembly of RLC SDUs, re-segmentation of RLC data PDUs, and reordering of RLC data PDUs; and MAC layer functions associated with mapping between logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing of MAC SDUs to TBs, demultiplexing of MAC SDUs from TBs, scheduling information reporting, error correction through HARQ, priority handling and logical channel priority.

[0043] Channel estimates derived by the channel estimator 258 from a reference signal or feedback transmitted by the base station 210 may be used by the TX processor 268 to select an appropriate coding and modulation scheme and to facilitate spatial processing. The spatial streams generated by the TX processor 268 may be provided to different antennas 252 via separate transmitters 254TX. Each transmitter 254TX may modulate a radio frequency carrier with a corresponding spatial stream for transmission. The UL transmission is processed at the base station 210 in a manner similar to that associated with the receiver function of the UE 250. Each receiver 218RX receives a signal through its corresponding antenna 220. Each receiver 218RX recovers the information modulated onto the radio frequency carrier and provides the information to the RX processor 270.

[0044] The controller / processor 275 may be associated with a memory 276 that stores program codes and data. The memory 276 may be referred to as a computer readable medium. In the uplink, the controller / processor 275 provides demultiplexing between transport and logical channels, packet reassembly, decryption, header decompression, control signal processing to recover IP packets from the user equipment (UE) 250. The IP packets from the controller / processor 275 may be provided to the evolved packet core (EPC) 160. The controller / processor 275 is also responsible for error detection using an ACK and / or NACK protocol to support hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) operations.

[0045] New Radio (NR) may refer to a radio configured according to a new air interface (e.g., a non-orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) air interface) or a fixed transport layer (e.g., non-Internet Protocol (IP)). NR may use orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with cyclic prefix (CP) in uplink and downlink, and may include support for half-duplex operation using time division duplex (TDD). NR may include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services targeting wide bandwidth (e.g., above 80 MHz), millimeter wave (mmW) targeting high carrier frequencies (e.g., 60 GHz), massive machine type communications (mMTC) targeting non-backward compatible MTC technologies, and / or mission critical targeting ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) services.

[0046] A single component carrier bandwidth of 100MHz can be supported. In one example, an NR resource block (RB) can span 12 subcarriers with a subcarrier bandwidth of 60kHz and a duration of 0.25ms, or a bandwidth of 30kHz and a duration of 0.5ms (similarly, a 15kHz subcarrier spacing (SCS) has a bandwidth of 50MHz over a 1ms duration). Each radio frame can consist of 10 subframes (10, 20, 40, or 80 NR time slots) with a length of 10ms. Each time slot can indicate the link direction of data transmission (i.e., downlink or uplink), and the link direction of each time slot can be switched dynamically. Each time slot can include downlink / uplink data and downlink / uplink control data. NR's uplink and downlink time slots can be as follows: Figure 5 and Figure 6 The described in more detail.

[0047] The NR radio access network (RAN) may include a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU). NR base stations (e.g., gNB, 5G Node B, Node B, transmission reception point (TRP), access point (AP)) may correspond to one or more base stations. NR cells may be configured as access cells (ACells) or data-only cells (DCells). For example, the RAN (e.g., a central unit or a distributed unit) may configure the cell. DCells may be cells for carrier aggregation or dual connectivity and may not be used for initial access, cell selection / reselection, or switching. In some cases, DCells may not transmit a synchronization signal (SS), and in some cases, DCells may transmit SS. The NR base station may transmit a downlink signal indicating the cell type to the UE. Based on the cell type indication, the UE may communicate with the NR base station. For example, the UE may determine the NR base station to be considered for cell selection, access, switching, and / or measurement based on the indicated cell type.

[0048] Figure 3 An example logical architecture of a distributed RAN 300 according to aspects of the present invention is shown. A 5G access node 306 may include an access node controller (ANC) 302. The ANC may be a central unit (CU) of the distributed RAN. The backhaul interface to the next generation core network (NG-CN) 304 may terminate at the ANC. The backhaul interface to adjacent next generation access nodes (NG-ANs) 310 may terminate at the ANC. The ANC may include one or more TRPs 308 (also referred to as base stations, NR base stations, Node Bs, 5GNBs, APs, or other terms). As described above, TRPs may be used interchangeably with "cells."

[0049] The controller / processor 275 may be associated with a memory 276 that stores program codes and data. The memory 276 may be referred to as a computer readable medium. In the uplink, the controller / processor 275 provides demultiplexing between transport and logical channels, packet reassembly, decryption, header decompression, control signal processing to recover IP packets from the user equipment (UE) 250. The IP packets from the controller / processor 275 may be provided to the evolved packet core (EPC) 160. The controller / processor 275 is also responsible for error detection using an ACK and / or NACK protocol to support hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) operations.

[0050] New Radio (NR) may refer to a radio configured according to a new air interface (e.g., a non-orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) air interface) or a fixed transport layer (e.g., non-Internet Protocol (IP)). NR may use orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with cyclic prefix (CP) in uplink and downlink, and may include support for half-duplex operation using time division duplex (TDD). NR may include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services targeting wide bandwidth (e.g., above 80 MHz), millimeter wave (mmW) targeting high carrier frequencies (e.g., 60 GHz), massive machine type communications (mMTC) targeting non-backward compatible MTC technologies, and / or mission critical targeting ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) services.

[0051] A single component carrier bandwidth of 100MHz can be supported. In one example, an NR resource block (RB) can span 12 subcarriers with a subcarrier bandwidth of 60kHz and a duration of 0.25ms, or a bandwidth of 30kHz and a duration of 0.5ms (similarly, a 15kHz subcarrier spacing (SCS) has a bandwidth of 50MHz over a 1ms duration). Each radio frame can consist of 10 subframes (10, 20, 40, or 80 NR time slots) with a length of 10ms. Each time slot can indicate the link direction of data transmission (i.e., downlink or uplink), and the link direction of each time slot can be switched dynamically. Each time slot can include downlink / uplink data and downlink / uplink control data. NR's uplink and downlink time slots can be as follows: Figure 5 and Figure 6 The described in more detail.

[0052] The NR radio access network (RAN) may include a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU). NR base stations (e.g., gNB, 5G Node B, Node B, transmission reception point (TRP), access point (AP)) may correspond to one or more base stations. NR cells may be configured as access cells (ACells) or data-only cells (DCells). For example, the RAN (e.g., a central unit or a distributed unit) may configure the cell. DCells may be cells for carrier aggregation or dual connectivity and may not be used for initial access, cell selection / reselection, or switching. In some cases, DCells may not transmit a synchronization signal (SS), and in some cases, DCells may transmit SS. The NR base station may transmit a downlink signal indicating the cell type to the UE. Based on the cell type indication, the UE may communicate with the NR base station. For example, the UE may determine the NR base station to be considered for cell selection, access, switching, and / or measurement based on the indicated cell type.

[0053] Figure 3 An example logical architecture of a distributed RAN 300 according to aspects of the present invention is shown. A 5G access node 306 may include an access node controller (ANC) 302. The ANC may be a central unit (CU) of the distributed RAN. The backhaul interface to the next generation core network (NG-CN) 304 may terminate at the ANC. The backhaul interface to adjacent next generation access nodes (NG-ANs) 310 may terminate at the ANC. The ANC may include one or more TRPs 308 (also referred to as base stations, NR base stations, Node Bs, 5GNBs, APs, or other terms). As described above, TRPs may be used interchangeably with "cells."

[0054] The TRP 308 may be a distributed unit (DU). The TRP may be connected to one ANC (ANC 302) or multiple ANCs (not shown). For example, for RAN sharing, Radio as a Service (RaaS), and service-specific ANC deployments, the TRP may be connected to multiple ANCs. The TRP may include one or more antenna ports. The TRP may be configured to provide traffic services to the UE individually (e.g., dynamically selected) or jointly (e.g., joint transmission).

[0055] The local architecture of the distributed RAN 300 can be used to illustrate the fronthaul definition. The architecture can define fronthaul solutions that support across different deployment types. For example, the architecture can be based on transport network capabilities (e.g., bandwidth, latency, and / or jitter). The architecture can share features and / or components with LTE. According to aspects, the next generation access node (NG-AN) 310 can support dual connectivity with NR. The NG-AN can share a common fronthaul for LTE and NR.

[0056] The architecture may enable collaboration between and among TRPs 308. For example, collaboration may be provisioned within a TRP and / or performed across TRPs by ANC 302. Depending on the aspect, an inter-TRP interface may not be required / present.

[0057] According to aspects, there may be dynamic configuration of logical functional partitioning within the architecture of the distributed RAN 300. PDCP, RLC, MAC protocols may be adaptively placed in the ANC or TRP.

[0058] Figure 4An example physical architecture of a distributed RAN 400 according to aspects of the present invention is shown. A centralized core network unit (C-CU) 402 may host core network functions. The C-CU may be centrally deployed. C-CU functions may be offloaded (e.g., to Advanced Wireless Services (AWS)) to handle peak capacity. A centralized RAN unit (C-RU) 404 may host one or more ANC functions. Optionally, the C-RU may host core network functions locally. The C-RU may be distributedly deployed. The C-RU may be closer to the edge of the network. A distributed unit (DU) 406 may host one or more TRPs. The DU may be located at the edge of the network with radio frequency (RF) functions.

[0059] Figure 5 500, illustrating an example downlink (DL)-centric time slot. The DL-centric time slot may include a control portion 502. The control portion 502 may be present at an initial or beginning portion of the DL-centric time slot. The control portion 502 may include various scheduling information and / or control information corresponding to various portions of the DL-centric time slot. In some configurations, the control portion 502 may be a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), such as Figure 5 As shown. The DL-centric time slot may also include a DL data portion 504. The DL data portion 504 is sometimes also referred to as the payload of the DL-centric time slot. The DL data portion 504 may include communication resources for communicating DL data from a scheduling entity (e.g., a UE or a base station BS) to a subordinate entity (e.g., a UE). In some configurations, the DL data portion 504 may be a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

[0060] The DL-centric timeslot may also include a common uplink (UL) portion 506. The common UL portion 506 is sometimes referred to as a UL burst, a common UL burst, and / or other appropriate terms. The common UL portion 506 may include feedback information corresponding to various other portions of the DL-centric timeslot. For example, the common UL portion 506 may include feedback information corresponding to the control portion 502. Non-limiting examples of feedback information may include an acknowledgment signal ACK, a negative acknowledgement signal NACK, a HARQ indicator, and / or other appropriate types of information. The common UL portion 506 may include additional or alternative information, such as information related to a random access channel (RACH) procedure, scheduling requests (SRs), and various other appropriate types of information.

[0061] like Figure 5As shown, the end of the DL data portion 504 may be separated in time from the beginning of the common UL portion 506. This time separation is sometimes referred to as a gap, a guard period, a guard interval, and / or other appropriate terminology. This separation provides a switching time from DL communication (e.g., a reception operation of a subordinate entity (e.g., a UE)) to UL communication (e.g., a transmission of a subordinate entity (e.g., a UE)). Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above is merely an example of a DL-centric time slot, and there may be alternative structures with similar features without necessarily departing from the aspects described herein.

[0062] Figure 6 600, illustrating an example uplink (UL) centric timeslot. The UL centric timeslot may include a control portion 602. The control portion 602 may be present at the beginning or start of the UL centric timeslot. Figure 6 The control portion 602 in the above reference may be Figure 5 The control portion 502 is similarly described. The UL-centric time slot may also include a UL data portion 604. The UL data portion 604 is sometimes also referred to as the payload of the UL-centric time slot. The UL portion may refer to communication resources used to communicate UL data from a subordinate entity (e.g., a UE) to a scheduling entity (e.g., a UE or a BS). In some configurations, the control portion 602 may be a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

[0063] like Figure 6 As shown, the end of the control portion 602 may be separated in time from the beginning of the UL data portion 604. This time separation is sometimes referred to as a gap, a guard period, a guard interval, and / or other appropriate terminology. This separation provides time to switch from DL communications (e.g., reception operations of the scheduling entity) to UL communications (e.g., transmissions of the scheduling entity). The UL-centric timeslot may also include a common UL portion 606. Figure 6 The common UL portion 606 in the above reference may be Figure 5 The common UL portion 606 may also include information related to a channel quality indicator (CQI), a sounding reference signal (SRSs), and various other suitable types of information. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above is merely an example of a UL-centric time slot, and that there may be alternative structures with similar features without necessarily departing from the aspects described herein.

[0064] In some cases, two or more subordinate entities (e.g., UEs) may communicate with each other using sidelink signals. Real-world applications of such sidelink communications may include public safety, proximity services, UE-to-network relay, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications, Internet of Things (IoE) communications, Internet of Things (IoT) communications, mission-critical mesh networks, and / or other appropriate applications. Generally speaking, sidelink signals may refer to signal communications from one subordinate entity (e.g., UE1) to another subordinate entity (e.g., UE2) without relaying the communication through a scheduling entity (e.g., UE or BS), even though the scheduling entity may be used for scheduling and / or control purposes. In some examples, the sidelink signals may use licensed spectrum for communication (unlike wireless LANs that typically use unlicensed spectrum).

[0065] A Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) is a network established and operated by an administration or recognized operating organization (ROA) specifically for the provision of land mobile communication services to the public. PLMN provides communication possibilities for mobile users. PLMN can provide services in one or more frequency bands. Access to PLMN services is achieved through an air interface involving radio communications between mobile phones and base stations, as well as integrated IP network services. A PLMN may include multiple radio access networks (RANs) that access mobile services using different radio access technologies (RATs). The radio access network is the part of a mobile communication system that implements the radio access technology. Conceptually, the RAN is located between mobile devices and provides connectivity to its core network (CN). According to the standards, mobile phones and other wirelessly connected devices are referred to as user equipment (UE, i.e. MS), terminal equipment (TE), mobile station (MS, i.e. UE), mobile terminal (MT), etc. Examples of different RATs include 2G GERAN (GSM) radio access network, 3G UTRAN (UMTS) radio access network, 4G E-UTRAN (LTE), 5G New Radio (NR) radio access network, Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN), and other non-3GPP access RATs including WiFi.

[0066] In contrast to PLMN, a non-public network (NPN) is a network used for non-public purposes. An NPN is either a standalone non-public network (SNPN), i.e., operated by an NPN operator and not dependent on the network functionality provided by a PLMN, or a public network integrated NPN (PNI-NPN), i.e., a non-public network deployed with the support of a PLMN. A credential holder (CH) can authenticate and authorize access to a SNPN that is separate from the credential holder. The combination of a PLMN ID and a network identifier (NID) identifies a SNPN. A UE may be enabled to support SNPNs.

[0067] A PNI-NPN is an NPN provided over a PLMN, for example, over a dedicated DNN or one or more network slice instances assigned to the NPN. When a PNI-NPN is provided over a PLMN, the UE must subscribe to the PLMN to access the PNI-NPN. Since network slicing cannot prevent a UE from attempting to access the network in an area where the network slice assigned to the NPN is not allowed, access control can be performed on the PNI-NPN using a closed access group (CAG). A closed access group (CAG) identifies a set of subscribers that are allowed to access one or more CAG cells associated with the CAG. A CAG is used for a PNI-NPN to prevent UEs that are not allowed to access the NPN over the associated cells from automatically selecting and accessing the associated CAG cells. CAGs are used for access control, for example, for authorization at cell selection time and configured as part of mobility restrictions in a subscription. A CAG is identified by a CAG identifier that is unique within the PLMN ID range.

[0068] Local or localized services are localized services (e.g., provided in a specific / limited area and / or limited in time). A localized service provider is an application provider or network operator that localizes its services and provides them to the end-user over a hosted network. A hosted network is a network that provides localized services (access), a hosted network can be a SNPN or a PNI-NPN, and a home network is a network that has a subscription or credentials currently used by the UE. A home network can be a Home-PLMN or a Subscribed-SNPN. The end-user can enable or disable access to localized services. If the end-user disables access to localized services, the UE (i.e., MS) may not be able to access the NPN that provides localized services.

[0069] In order to provide the UE with access to localized services, the UE needs to be able to discover, select and access an NPN (as a hosting network) that provides localized services.

[0070] Figure 7 is a diagram showing the RTD between two cells. Figure 7 As shown, timing t1 refers to the reception timing of a signal from one cell (e.g., a timing reference cell) in frequency band #1, and timing t2 refers to the reception timing of a signal from another cell (e.g., a first cell) in frequency band #2. In this case, RTD=t2-t1, indicating the timing difference between the two cells. In some configurations, the reception timing can be determined by, for example, a received slot / frame boundary or a received symbol (e.g., symbol #0) boundary.

[0071] In some configurations, if the UE's RTD is large, for example, RTD > cyclic prefix (CP) length, it is expected that there will be increased UE complexity in terms of cell synchronization and measurements of secondary cells SCells with reduced synchronization signal blocks (SSB-less). However, supporting RTD > CP length may help cover more cases. For example, the traditional timing alignment error of a base station in inter-band carrier aggregation (CA) is 3μs, which exceeds a CP of 30kHz. Other examples include multiple transmit receive point (multi-TRP) measurements and low-layer triggered mobility (LTM), for example, Release-18 (R-18) L1 and L2 LTM.

[0072] In view of the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a solution to align the network (NW, e.g., base station) and UE's understanding of the deployed RTD (depending on the cell size, TAE capability of the gNB, etc.) and the UE's ability to handle RTD. Doing so may achieve certain technical advantages, such as network energy saving (because more SSB-less SCells can be enabled), shorter SCell activation delay, and less UE power consumption (because the quality of SSB-less cells is based on cells with SSB on the band pair). For example, the UE can report its RTD capability to the base station so that the base station can determine the UE's configuration based on the UE's RTD capability. In some configurations, the UE's RTD capability may include information (e.g., a parameter) indicating that the UE supports advanced RTD capability (i.e., better RTD capability with higher RTD) or limited RTD capability (i.e., lower RTD). If the UE supports advanced RTD capabilities, the base station may configure the UE with corresponding measurement delay requirements (e.g., shorter measurement delay) or measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gap requirements (e.g., without any measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps), or may configure the UE's SSB-less SCell on the corresponding frequency band. On the other hand, if the UE only supports limited RTD capabilities, the base station may configure the UE with corresponding measurement delay requirements (e.g., longer measurement delay) or measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gap requirements (e.g., with measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps), or may ignore configuring the SSB-less SCell on the UE.

[0073] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example process between a UE and a base station. Figure 8As shown, in example process 800, before performing the UE configuration process, UE 810 may send the RTD capability 830 of UE 810 to base station 820 (e.g., gNB). In some embodiments, UE 810 may send the RTD capability 830 to base station 820 via RRC signaling. As previously described, in some configurations, the RTD capability 830 may include parameters indicating that UE 810 supports advanced RTD capability or limited RTD capability. For example, the advanced RTD capability may include cases where RTD > CP length or RTD > 3 μs (or in some configurations, 3 μs < RTD < X μs, where X is the upper limit value of RTD). In one embodiment, the upper limit value is, for example, CP length < RTD < 33 us (for FR1) or 8 us (for FR2). Thus, when UE 810 supports the advanced RTD capability, the parameter may include an indication of RTD > CP length, or an indication of RTD > 3 μs (or 3 μs < RTD < X μs). On the other hand, the limited RTD capability may include cases where RTD ≤ 3 μs, RTD < CP, 260 ns < RTD < min(CP, 3 μs), or RTD ≤ 260 ns. Thus, when UE 810 supports the limited RTD capability, the parameter may include an indication of RTD ≤ 3 μs, an indication of RTD < CP length, an indication of 260 ns < RTD < min(CP length, 3 μs), or an indication of RTD ≤ 260 ns.

[0074] In operation 840, after receiving the RTD capability 830 of UE 810, base station 820 may determine the configuration of UE 810 according to the RTD capability 830 of UE 810. After determining the configuration, base station 820 sends the configuration to UE 810 via configuration instruction 850. At UE 810, after receiving the configuration instruction 850, in operation 860, UE 810 performs the configuration according to the configuration instruction 850.

[0075] In some embodiments, the configuration determined by the base station 820 can be used to configure the UE 810 to perform LTM, multi-TRP, or SSB-less SCell. For example, for LTM, when the RTD capability 830 of the UE 810 indicates that the UE 810 supports advanced RTD capabilities, the base station 820 can configure the UE 810 to perform LTM with a corresponding measurement delay requirement (e.g., a shorter measurement delay requirement). On the other hand, when the RTD capability 830 of the UE 810 indicates that the UE 810 supports limited RTD capabilities, the base station 820 can configure the UE 810 to perform LTM with a corresponding measurement delay requirement (e.g., a shorter measurement delay requirement or a longer measurement delay requirement). For multi-TRP, when the RTD capability 830 of the UE 810 indicates that the UE 810 supports advanced RTD capability, the base station 820 can configure the UE 810 to perform multi-TRP by measuring different cells in different frequency bands (e.g., measuring cell #1 in frequency band #1 and measuring cell #2 in frequency band #2) without measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps. On the other hand, when the RTD capability 830 of the UE 810 indicates that the UE 810 supports limited RTD capability, the base station 820 can configure the UE 810 to perform multi-TRP by measuring different cells in different frequency bands (e.g., measuring cell #1 in frequency band #1 and measuring cell #2 in frequency band #2) with or without measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps. For configuring SSB-less SCell, when the RTD capability 830 of UE 810 indicates that UE 810 supports advanced RTD capability, the base station 820 can configure UE 810 with SSB-less SCell on the frequency band, and when the RTD capability 830 of UE 810 indicates that UE 810 supports limited RTD capability, the base station 820 can choose whether to configure UE 810 with SSB-less SCell on the frequency band.

[0076] In certain embodiments, the base station 820 may determine the configuration primarily based on the RTD capability of the UE 810 (eg, whether the RTD capability of the UE 810 indicates that the UE 810 supports advanced or limited RTD capability).

[0077] Fig. 9900 is a process flow chart of a base station determining a UE configuration based on the RTD capability of the UE. Process 900 is performed by a base station (e.g., base station 820). In operation 910, the base station receives the RTD capability of the UE from the UE. In operation 920, the base station determines whether the UE supports advanced RTD capabilities (e.g., RTD>CP length or RTD>3μs) based on parameters in the RTD capability of the UE. When the base station determines that the UE supports advanced RTD capabilities, in operation 930, the base station applies the corresponding advanced configuration (e.g., configuring the UE to perform LTM with a shorter measurement delay requirement, such as the measurement delay (measurement delay) will be amplified according to the number of measurement target cells with different RTDs, or according to the number of co-frequency layers for L1-RSRP measurements configured for LTM; configuring the UE to perform multi-TRP by measuring different cells in different frequency bands without measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps, such as the UE expects not to send or receive data on symbols corresponding to SSB indices configured for L1-RSRP measurements; or configuring the UE to have an SSB-less SCell on the frequency band). On the other hand, when the base station determines that the UE supports limited RTD capability, in operation 940, the base station applies the corresponding limited configuration (for example, configuring the UE to perform LTM with a longer measurement delay requirement; configuring the UE to perform multi-TRP by measuring different cells in different frequency bands with measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps; or not configuring SSB-less SCell on the UE).

[0078] In some embodiments, in addition to the RTD capability of the UE, the base station may also determine the configuration based on the RTD capability of the UE and other factors, such as the RTD capability of the network (e.g., base station 820). Specifically, the RTD capability of the base station may depend on the cell size of the frequency band, TAE, co-located cell, or base station. In some embodiments, when the RTD capability of the UE indicates that the UE supports advanced RTD capabilities, the base station may apply the corresponding advanced configuration. On the other hand, when the RTD capability of the UE indicates that the UE supports limited RTD capabilities, the base station may need to determine the configuration based on a comparison of the RTD capability of the UE with the RTD capability of the base station, that is, whether the RTD capability of the UE is greater than the RTD capability of the base station.

[0079] Fig.101000 is a flowchart of a base station determining a UE configuration based on the RTD capability of the UE and the RTD capability of the base station. The process 1000 is performed by a base station (e.g., base station 820). In operation 1010, the base station receives the RTD capability of the UE from the UE. In operation 1020, the base station determines whether the UE supports advanced RTD capabilities (e.g., RTD>CP or RTD>3μs) based on parameters in the RTD capability of the UE. When the base station determines that the UE supports advanced RTD capabilities, in operation 1030, the base station applies corresponding advanced configurations (e.g., configuring the UE to perform LTM with shorter measurement delay requirements, configuring the UE to perform multi-TRP by measuring different cells in different frequency bands without measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps, or configuring SSB-less SCells in a certain frequency band on the UE). On the other hand, when the base station determines that the UE does not support advanced RTD capabilities, in operation 1040, the base station determines that the UE supports limited RTD capabilities. In this case, in operation 1050, the base station further determines whether the RTD of the UE is greater than the RTD of the network (i.e., whether the RTD capability of the UE is greater than the RTD capability of the base station). If the RTD capability of the UE is greater than the RTD capability of the base station, the base station continues operation 1030 to apply the corresponding advanced configuration. If the RTD capability of the UE is not greater than the RTD capability of the base station, in operation 1060, the base station applies the corresponding limited configuration (e.g., configuring the UE to perform LTM with a longer measurement delay requirement, configuring the UE to perform multi-TRP by measuring different cells in different frequency bands with measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps, or not configuring SSB-less SCell on the UE).

[0080] In some embodiments, the RTD capability of the UE may be a per-UE capability, indicating the RTD capability of the UE for all bands. Alternatively, the RTD capability of the UE may be a per-band capability for a specific band, a per-band combination (BC) capability for multiple bands (e.g., a combination of two bands), or a per-band per-BC capability.

[0081] Fig.111 is a diagram illustrating an example process between a UE and a base station. In the example process 1100, a UE 1102 (e.g., UE810) reports the RTD capability of the UE to a base station 1104 (e.g., base station 820) on a per BC basis, reporting the RTD capability of the band combination of band #1 and band #2. In operation 1110, the UE 1102 transmits an RRC message containing the RTD capability of the UE 1102 to the base station 1104. For example, the RTD capability of the UE 1102 may include a parameter indicating RTD>CP, thereby indicating an advanced RTD capability (RTD>CP) of the band combination of band #1 and band #2. After receiving the RTD capability of the UE 1102, in operation 1120, the base station 1104 determines a configuration based on the RTD capability of the UE 1102. In operation 1140, the base station 1104 transmits the configuration to the UE 1102 in a configuration instruction. After receiving the configuration instruction, in operation 1160, UE 1102 performs configuration (e.g., LTM / multi-TRP / SSB-less SCell configuration).

[0082] In some embodiments, the configuration determined by the base station 1104 may be used to configure the UE 1102 for LTM, multi-TRP, or a secondary cell SCell with reduced synchronization signal blocks SSB-less. Since the RTD capability of the UE 1102 indicates an advanced RTD capability (RTD>CP), the configuration determined in operation 1120 is a corresponding advanced configuration for the band combination of band #1 and band #2 on the UE 1102, regardless of the RTD capability of the network. For example, the base station 1104 may configure the SSB-less SCell of the UE 1102 on band #1 and configure the primary cell PCell (i.e., timing reference cell) on band #2, or the base station 1104 may configure the SSB-less SCell on band #2 and configure the primary cell PCell (i.e., timing reference cell) on band #1. In some embodiments, the base station 1104 may configure the UE 1102 to perform LTM with corresponding shorter measurement delay requirements on cells on frequency band #1 and frequency band #2. For example, for a serving cell on frequency band #1 and a measurement target cell on frequency band #2, the base station 1104 may configure the UE 1102 to have a layer 1 (L1) LTM with corresponding shorter measurement delay requirements. In some embodiments, the base station 1104 may configure the UE 1102 to perform measurements on cell #1 on frequency band #1 and cell #2 on frequency band #2 without measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps on these two frequency bands #1 and #2.

[0083] In example procedure 1100, the advanced configuration is applied to the band combination of band #1 and band #2. It should be noted that UE 1102 may report other RTD capabilities of UE 1102 on other bands or band combinations, and different configurations (as well as measurement delay requirements or measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gap requirements) may be applied according to the corresponding RTD capabilities of these other bands or band combinations. For example, in one embodiment, UE 1102 may also report another RTD capability of band #3, and the base station 1104 determines the configuration of band #3 according to this RTD capability. Therefore, after receiving the configuration from the base station 1104, UE 1102 can configure the LTM / multi-TRP / SSB-less SCell of band #3 accordingly.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the UE reports its RTD capabilities to the base station. However, in some configurations, the network (i.e., the base station) may also configure or broadcast the RTD capabilities of the network to the UE. In some embodiments, the RTD capabilities of the network may be included in broadcast information, such as SI blocks (SIBs), or via RRC signaling.

[0085] Fig.12 FIG. is a diagram illustrating another example procedure between UE 1202 and base station 1204. In example procedure 1200, UE 1202 (e.g., UE 810) reports the RTD capabilities of the UE to base station 1204 (e.g., base station 820) on a per-band combination basis, reporting the RTD capabilities of the band combination of band #1 and band #2. In operation 1205, the base station 1204 optionally broadcasts / transmits the RTD capabilities of the network (i.e., base station 1204) to UE 1202. For example, the RTD capabilities of the network may include parameters indicating RTD < 3 μs or RTD < CP, and the cells are co-located or the cells are small enough.

[0086] In operation 1210, UE 1202 transmits an RRC message with the RTD capabilities of UE 1202 to base station 1204. For example, the RTD capabilities of UE 1202 may include parameters indicating RTD = 3 μs or 15 KHz CP, thereby indicating limited RTD capabilities (RTD ≤ 3 μs) of the band combination of band #1 and band #2. After receiving the RTD capabilities of UE 1202, in operation 1220, base station 1204 determines the configuration of the band combination of band #1 and band #2 according to the RTD capabilities of UE 1202 and the RTD capabilities of the network (i.e., base station 1204). In operation 1240, base station 1204 transmits the configuration to UE 1202 in a configuration instruction. After receiving the configuration instruction, in operation 1260, UE 1202 executes the configuration (e.g., LTM / multi-TRP / SSB-less SCell configuration).

[0087] In some embodiments, the configuration determined by base station 1204 may be used to configure UE 1202 for LTM, multi-TRP, or SSB-less SCell. Since the RTD capability indication of UE 1202 indicates limited RTD capability (RTD = 3 μs or RTD = CP of 15 KHz), but is still greater than the network's RTD capability (RTD < 3 μs or RTD < CP), the configuration determined in operation 1220 is the corresponding advanced configuration for the frequency band combination of frequency bands #1 and #2 on UE 1102. For example, base station 1104 may configure the SSB-less SCell of UE 1102 on frequency band #1 and configure the PCell (i.e., the timing reference cell) on frequency band #2. In some embodiments, base station 1104 may configure UE 1102 to perform LTM with corresponding shorter measurement latency requirements on the cells of frequency bands #1 and #2. For example, for the serving cell on frequency band #1 and the measurement target cell on frequency band #2, base station 1104 may configure UE 1102 to have layer 1 (L1) LTM with corresponding shorter measurement latency requirements. In some embodiments, base station 1104 may configure UE 1102 to perform measurements on cell #1 on frequency band #1 and cell #2 on frequency band #2, without measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gaps on these two frequency bands #1 and #2.

[0088] In example process 1200, the advanced configuration is applied to the BCs of frequency bands #1 and #2. It should be noted that UE 1202 may report the RTD capabilities of other frequency bands or BCs, and different configurations (as well as measurement latency requirements or measurement and / or scheduling restrictions and / or gap requirements) may be applied according to the corresponding RTD capabilities of these other frequency bands or BCs. For example, in one embodiment, UE 1202 may also report another RTD capability of frequency band #3, and base station 1204 determines the configuration of frequency band #3 according to this RTD capability. Therefore, after receiving the configuration from base station 1204, UE 1202 may configure the LTM / multi-TRP / SSB-less SCell of frequency band #3 accordingly.

[0089] Fig.13 is a flowchart of a method (process) for UE wireless communication. This method may be executed by a UE (e.g., UE 810, 1102, or 1202). In operation 1310, the UE sends the receive timing difference (RTD) capability of the UE to the base station. The RTD capability indicates the RTD supported by the UE between a first cell and a timing reference cell. In operation 1320, the UE receives a configuration instruction determined according to the RTD capability of the UE from the base station. In operation 1330, the UE performs configuration according to this configuration instruction. In one embodiment, the UE performs data reception or measurement according to the RTD capability of the UE.

[0090] Fig.14 14 is a flow chart of a method (process) for base station wireless communication. The method can be performed by a base station (e.g., a gNB, base station 820, 1104, or 1204). In operation 1410, the base station receives the RTD capability of the UE from the UE. The RTD capability indicates the RTD supported by the UE between the first cell and the timing reference cell. In operation 1420, the base station determines the configuration of the UE based on the RTD capability of the UE. In operation 1430, the base station sends a configuration instruction to the UE.

[0091] In certain embodiments, when the parameter indicates that the UE supports limited RTD capability, the base station may determine the configuration based on a comparison of the RTD capability of the UE with the RTD capability of the base station.

[0092] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy in the disclosed flowcharts is an illustration of exemplary methods. Based on design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy in the flowcharts can be rearranged. In addition, some steps can be combined or omitted. The accompanying method claims present the various steps in an example order and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0093] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of the blocks in the disclosed process / flowchart is an illustration of an exemplary method. It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of the blocks in the process / flowchart may be rearranged based on design preferences. In addition, some blocks may be combined or omitted. The accompanying method claims present the elements of the various blocks in an example order and are not intended to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0094] The foregoing description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the various aspects shown herein, but should be given a full scope consistent with the claims text, wherein unless explicitly stated, the reference to the elements in the singular form is not intended to represent "one and only one", but to represent "one or more". The word "exemplary" is used herein to represent "used as an example, instance or illustration". Any aspect described as "exemplary" herein is not necessarily interpreted as being preferred or advantageous over other aspects. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the term "some" refers to one or more. Combinations such as "at least one of A, B or C", "one or more of A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C", "one or more of A, B and C" and "A, B, C or any combination thereof" include any combination of A, B and / or C, and may include multiple A, multiple B or multiple C. Specifically, phrases such as "at least one of A, B, or C," "one or more of A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B and C," "one or more of A, B, and C," and "A, B, C, or any combination thereof" may be only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C, wherein any such combination may include one or more members of A, B, or C. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements throughout the various aspects of the description of the present invention that are known or will later be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims. In addition, regardless of whether such disclosure is expressly recited in the claims, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public. The terms "module," "mechanism," "element," "device," and the like may not replace the term "device." Therefore, unless a claim element is expressly recited using the phrase "device for...", no claim element should be interpreted as a device plus function.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method for a user equipment UE, characterized in that: Comprising: Sending a receive timing difference (RTD) capability of the UE to a base station, where the RTD capability indicates the RTD supported by the UE between a first cell and a timing reference cell; and Performing data reception or measurement according to the RTD capability of the UE.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Performing data reception or measurement according to the RTD capability of the UE includes: Receiving an instruction for a configuration from the base station, where the configuration is determined according to the RTD capability of the UE; and Performing the configuration according to the instruction.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The RTD capability of the UE includes a parameter indicating that the UE supports an advanced RTD capability or a limited RTD capability.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The parameter indicating that the UE supports an advanced RTD capability includes the following indications: RTD > cyclic prefix (CP) length, or RTD > 3 μs.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The parameter indicating that the UE supports a limited RTD capability includes the following indications: RTD ≤ 3 μs, RTD < cyclic prefix (CP) length, 260 ns < RTD < min(CP, 3 μs), or RTD ≤ 260 ns.

6. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The configuration is for configuring the UE to perform low layer triggered mobility (LTM) with a corresponding measurement delay requirement.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The corresponding measurement delay requirement includes: A shorter measurement delay requirement when the UE supports an advanced RTD capability, or when the UE supports a limited RTD capability, or A longer measurement delay requirement when the UE supports a limited RTD capability.

8. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The configuration is for configuring multiple transmit receive points (multi-TRP) with corresponding measurement, scheduling restrictions, and / or gap requirements.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The configuration for configuring multi-TRP with corresponding measurement, scheduling restrictions, and / or gap requirements includes: Configuring a multi-TRP without measurement, scheduling restrictions, and / or gaps when the UE supports an advanced RTD capability, or when the UE supports a limited RTD capability and the RTD capability of the UE is greater than the RTD capability of the base station; and Configuring a multi-TRP with the measurement, scheduling restrictions, and / or gaps when the UE supports a limited RTD capability and the RTD capability of the UE is not greater than the RTD capability of the base station.

10. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The first cell is a secondary cell (SCell) with reduced synchronization signal block (SSB-less), the timing reference cell is a primary cell (PCell), and the configuration is for configuring the SSB-less SCell when the UE supports an advanced RTD capability, or when the UE supports a limited RTD capability and the RTD capability of the UE is greater than the RTD capability of the base station.

11. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The RTD capability of the UE is per-UE capability, per-band capability, per-band combination (BC) capability for multiple bands, or per-band per-BC capability.

12. A device for wireless communication, characterized in that: The device is a user equipment (UE), comprising: A memory; and At least one processor, coupled to the memory and configured to: Send a receive timing difference (RTD) capability of the UE to a base station, where the RTD capability indicates the RTD supported by the UE between a first cell and a timing reference cell; Receive an instruction for a configuration from the base station, where the configuration is determined according to the RTD capability of the UE; and Configure the UE according to the configuration.

13. A wireless communication method of a base station, characterized in that: include: Receiving a receive timing difference (RTD) capability of a user equipment (UE) from the UE, wherein the RTD capability indicates an RTD supported by the UE between a first cell and a timing reference cell; Determining a configuration of the UE according to the RTD capability of the UE; as well as An instruction of the configuration is sent to the UE.

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