Parallel measurement gap enhancement in non-terrestrial networks

Abstract

Techniques described herein include solutions for configuring and using parallel measurement gaps with the same gap type for both synchronization signal block (SSB)-based measurements and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS)-based measurements associated to the same frequency layer. A user equipment (UE) may indicate to a non-terrestrial base station its capability to support parallel measurement gaps. The capability may be indicated separately for the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement, or the capability is indicated in a combined format for both the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement. The UE receives a measurement gap configuration to configure the parallel measurement gaps, and performs the measurement accordingly. The measurement gap for SSB-based measurements and the measurement gap for CSI-RS-based measurements may be considered to be associated to the same or different frequency layers according to various conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to wireless communication networks including techniques for performing measurements within the wireless communication network. Background Art

[0002] A wireless communication network may include user equipment (UE), base stations, and / or other types of wireless devices capable of communicating with each other. During operation, a UE may measure the signal quality of an active cell and / or neighboring cells to facilitate handover, carrier aggregation, etc., thereby improving performance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] The present disclosure will be easily understood and implemented through the specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The same figure numerals may designate the same features and structural elements. The accompanying drawings and corresponding descriptions are provided as non-limiting examples of aspects, specific implementations, etc. of the present disclosure, and reference to "one" or "an" aspect, specific implementation, etc. may not necessarily refer to the same aspect, specific implementation, etc., and may mean at least one, one or more, etc.

[0004] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless network including a user equipment (UE) configured with parallel measurement gaps by a non-terrestrial network (NTN) according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0005] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating signaling between a UE and a non-terrestrial base station for configuring parallel measurement gaps according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0006] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a synchronization signal block (SSB) parallel measurement capability parameter and a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) parallel measurement capability parameter according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0007] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating a parallel measurement gap configuration according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a parallel measurement gap configuration according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating combined parallel measurement capability parameters according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figures 7 to 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a parallel measurement gap configuration according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figures 10 to 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating measurement gap prioritization according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0012] Fig.14

[0026] A process flow for a UE to perform measurements using parallel measurement gaps according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] Fig.15 A process flow for a base station to configure a UE for measurement using parallel measurement gaps according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0014] Fig.16

[0013] A process flow for a UE to perform measurement gap prioritization for parallel measurement gaps according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0015] Fig.17 is a block diagram illustrating a device that may be used to perform gapless UE measurements in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0016] Fig.18 is a block diagram illustrating baseband circuitry that may be used to perform gapless UE measurements in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same figure numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar features, elements, operations, etc. Additionally, the present disclosure is not limited to the following description, as other specific implementations may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0018] A user equipment (UE) may measure the signal quality of active cells and / or neighboring cells within a non-terrestrial network (NTN) to facilitate resource allocation processes such as handover, beam management, and the like. As an example, in 5G, synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) are used to determine path loss and average channel quality. Channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) are used to track rapidly changing channel conditions to support mobility and beam management. Some examples of UE measurements using SSB or CSI-RS include reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), and signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) measurements. The UE may perform a given measurement within a measurement gap, which may be configured by the serving base station. During the measurement gap, the UE suspends data transmission / reception and performs any necessary radio frequency (RF) circuit retuning in order to perform the configured measurements.

[0019] NTNs may include multiple non-terrestrial base stations (e.g., satellites) that can communicate with UEs. Due to the nature of NTNs, base stations typically move at very high speeds. In addition, non-terrestrial base stations are typically located farther from the UE than terrestrial base stations. The long distance from the UE to the non-terrestrial base station introduces signaling delays, and the high mobile speeds introduce variability in the delays. Due to the unique challenges of NTN measurements, alternative measurement techniques are desired to reduce the time required to complete measurements and improve measurement accuracy compared to their terrestrial measurements.

[0020] One measurement technique that is beneficial to NTN or other long-range base stations is to use two parallel measurement gaps for two or more NTN measurements that are defined to be associated with one frequency layer. The two parallel measurement gaps share a measurement gap repetition period (MGRP) and are offset in time from each other. Part of the continued prioritization of NTN will be to implement parallel measurement gaps for CSI-RS measurements. Currently, it is unclear whether and when one or more CSI-RS measurements can use parallel measurement gaps, i.e., are considered to be associated with one frequency layer with another CSI-RS measurement or even other UE measurements such as one or more SSB measurements. In addition, if parallel measurement gaps are configured for SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements, but these measurement gaps are incompatible for simultaneous operation (e.g., exceed UE capabilities, overlap in time, etc.), it is unclear which measurement gaps should be prioritized.

[0021] Therefore, the present disclosure relates to the configuration and prioritization of parallel measurement gaps for both SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based NTN measurements. In some aspects, the UE sends UE capability information to a non-ground base station. The capability information indicates whether the UE supports two parallel measurement gaps with the same gap type for SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements associated to a single frequency layer. Based on the UE capability information, the non-ground base station or the UE may prioritize the measurements based on the priority rules specified below, and the non-ground base station may configure the UE with the measurement gaps associated with the prioritized measurements. Depending on whether SSB measurements, CSI-RS measurements, or both SSB measurements and CSI-RS measurements are configured, whether various measurements are associated with a frequency layer may be defined and determined based on different criteria.

[0022] Figure 1An example architecture of a network system 100 according to various aspects is illustrated. The network system 100 includes a UE 101, which may represent one or more UEs (collectively referred to as "UE 101" and individually referred to as "UE 101"). UE 101 may be configured to connect to, e.g., be communicatively coupled to, an NTN. The NTN may include non-terrestrial base stations (e.g., satellites) 130-1, 130-2. UE 101 may communicate with the non-terrestrial base stations 130-1, 130-2 using connections 132 and 133 for downlink and uplink, respectively. The non-terrestrial base stations 130-1, 130-2 may communicate with a radio access network (RAN) 110 using connections 134-1 and 134-2, respectively, and communicate with each other using connection 136 or communicate through RAN 110 using connections 134-1 and 134-2. The RAN 110 may be part of a terrestrial network (TN) and may include one or more terrestrial base stations 111 - 1 , 111 - 2 that may communicate with UEs using connections 102 and 104 .

[0023] In some aspects, UE 101 receives reference signals including SSB beams and CSI-RS from non-terrestrial base stations 130-1, 130-2 and performs SSB / CSI-RS measurements using configured parallel measurement gaps. The UE transmits a measurement report including the results of these measurements to non-terrestrial base station 130-1 using connection 133.

[0024] In some aspects, the non-terrestrial base station 130-1 (e.g., a serving cell) transmits a measurement configuration to the UE 101 to configure two parallel measurement gaps for NTN measurements. In some aspects, the measurement configuration is transmitted using connection 132. Parallel measurement gap types have the same gap type and are used for measurements associated with the same frequency layer. The gap type may, for example, include a per-UE gap type, a per-frequency layer 1 (FR1) gap type, or a per-frequency layer 2 (FR2) gap type. The parallel measurement gaps share the MGRP, and the parallel measurement gaps may have the same or different gap patterns. The parallel measurement gaps may be used for SSB-based measurements, CSI-RS-based measurements, or a combination of SSB-based and CSI-RS-based measurements.

[0025] In some aspects, the measurement configuration configures more measurement gaps than the UE 101 is capable of supporting. In response, the UE 101 prioritizes the configured measurement gaps within the capabilities of the UE 101 and discards other measurements associated with the excessive measurement gaps based on a priority rule. The prioritization may include prioritizing measurement gaps for SSB-based measurements, or prioritizing measurement gaps for associated SSB measurements and corresponding CSI-RS measurements. The associated SSB specifies timing information to be used for the corresponding CSI-RS and may be specified by a parameter such as associatedSSB within a CSI-RS information element (IE) (e.g., CSI-RS-CellMobility).

[0026] In this example, UE 101 may be illustrated as a smart phone, but may include any mobile computing device or non-mobile computing device, such as a consumer electronic device, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a feature phone, a tablet computer, a wearable computer device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a pager, a wireless handheld device, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), an in-car entertainment (ICE) device, an instrument panel (IC), a head-up display (HUD) device, an on-board diagnostic (OBD) device, a vehicle mobile equipment (DME), a mobile data terminal (MDT), an electronic engine management system (EEMS), an electronic / engine control unit (ECU), an electronic / engine control module (ECM), an embedded system, a microcontroller, a control module, an engine management system (EMS), a networked or "smart" appliance, a machine type communication (MTC) device, a machine to machine (M2M) and / or Internet of Things (IoT) device, etc.

[0027] In some aspects, the RAN 110 may be a next generation (NG) RAN or a 5G RAN, an evolved-UMTS terrestrial RAN (E-UTRAN), or a legacy RAN such as a UTRAN or GERAN. As used herein, the term "NG RAN" or the like may refer to the RAN 110 operating in an NR or 5G system, while the term "E-UTRAN" or the like may refer to the RAN 110 operating in an LTE or 4G system.

[0028] In some aspects, the core network (CN) 120 can be a 5GC (referred to as "5GC 120" or the like), and the RAN 110 can be connected to the CN 120 via two parts: a next generation (NG) user plane (NG-U) interface 114, which carries traffic data between the RAN node and the user plane function (UPF); and an S1 control plane (NG-C) interface 115, which is a signaling interface between the RAN node and the access and mobility management function (AMF).

[0029] Figure 2Signaling between UE 101 and non-terrestrial base station 130-1 to configure parallel measurement gaps according to some aspects is illustrated. In some aspects, non-terrestrial base station 130-1 transmits measurement gap configuration 206 to UE 101 to configure a set of parallel measurement gaps. Measurement gap configuration 206 can be transmitted using radio resource control (RRC) signaling or the like.

[0030] In some aspects, in response, at action 208, UE 101 uses the configured parallel measurement gaps to perform various measurements. If the parallel measurement gaps exceed UE capabilities (e.g., if UE 101 only supports two parallel measurement gaps and the measurement configuration specifies three parallel measurement gaps), UE 101 may prioritize a subset of the configured measurement gaps (e.g., UE 101 prioritizes two of the configured measurement gaps). UE 101 then uses the prioritized measurement gaps to perform SSB measurements and / or CSI-RS measurements, and transmits a measurement report 210 including the results of the SSB measurements and / or CSI-RS measurements to non-terrestrial base station 130-1. Techniques for measurement gap prioritization are described in more detail further in this disclosure.

[0031] In some optional aspects, the UE 101 receives a UE capability query 202 prior to receiving the measurement gap configuration 206. Then, the UE 101 transmits UE capability information 204 to the non-terrestrial base station 130-1. In some aspects, the measurement configuration 206 is based on the UE capability information 204. The UE capability information 204 may be included in an IE (e.g., MeasAndMobParameters) and indicates whether the UE 101 supports two parallel measurement gaps with the same gap type associated to one frequency layer. The indication may be made for SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements separately, or for both SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements jointly.

[0032] Figure 3An SSB parallel measurement capability parameter (e.g., parallelMeasurementGapforSSB-r17) and a CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter (e.g., parallelMeasurementGapforCSIRS-r17) according to some aspects are illustrated. Separate parameters are used to indicate the UE's support for parallel measurement gaps for SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements, respectively. The SSB parallel measurement capability parameter indicates whether the UE supports two parallel measurement gaps with the same gap type for SSB measurements associated to one frequency layer. The CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter indicates whether the UE supports two parallel measurement gaps with the same gap type for CSI-RS measurements associated to one frequency layer. In some aspects, the SSB parallel measurement capability parameter and the CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter are included in the IE 300 (e.g., in the UE capability information 204).

[0033] In some aspects, two or more SSBs may be considered to be associated with the same frequency layer. The SSBs must meet the following criteria to be considered to be associated with the same frequency layer: the center SSBs of the target cells configured for measurement are the same; and the SSB subcarrier spacing of the target cells configured for measurement is the same. If the SSBs may be considered to be associated with the same frequency layer, the SSBs may be measured using two parallel measurement gaps associated to the same frequency layer.

[0034] In some aspects, two or more CSI-RS may be considered to be associated with the same frequency layer. The CSI-RS must meet the following criteria to be considered to be associated with the same frequency layer: the subcarrier spacing of the CSI-RS resources of the target cell configured for measurement is the same; the cyclic prefix (CP) type of the CSI-RS resources of the target cell configured for measurement is the same; and the center frequency of the CSI-RS resources of the target cell configured for measurement is the same. If the CSI-RS can be considered to be associated with the same frequency layer, the CSI-RS can be measured using two parallel measurement gaps associated to the same frequency layer.

[0035] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B Parallel measurement gap configurations in accordance with some aspects are illustrated. In some aspects, parallel measurement gaps are configured via a measurement gap configuration (eg, measurement gap configuration 206).

[0036] As shown, various measurements are repeated periodically in time, and various occasions may be referred to using suffixes a, b, etc. For example, the first occasion of the first measurement gap may be referred to as 413a, the second occasion may be referred to as 413b, etc. Similarly, the first occasions of the second measurement gap, the third measurement gap, and the fourth measurement gap may be referred to as 415a, 423a, 425a, respectively, and the second occasions of the second measurement gap, the third measurement gap, and the fourth measurement gap may be referred to as 415b, 423b, 425b, respectively.

[0037] As shown, various SSBs and CSI-RSs are repeated periodically in time. Suffixes a, b, etc. may be used similarly to refer to various timings. For example, the first timing of the first SSB and the second SSB may be referred to as 412a and 414a, respectively, and the second timing of the first SSB and the second SSB may be referred to as 412b and 414b, respectively. The first timing of the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS may be referred to as 422a and 424a, respectively, and the second timing of the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS may be referred to as 422b and 424b, respectively.

[0038] The first measurement gap 413 may refer to any single occurrence (e.g., 413a or 413b) or all occurrences (e.g., 413a and 413b) of the first measurement gap. Similarly, the second measurement gap 415, the third measurement gap 423, the fourth measurement gap 425, the first SSB 412, the second SSB 414, the first CSI-RS 422, and the second CSI-RS 424 may be used to refer to any single occurrence or all corresponding occurrences.

[0039] like Figure 4A As shown, in some aspects, a first set of parallel measurement gaps having a first gap type is configured. In some aspects, the SSB parallel measurement capability parameter (e.g., as shown in reference Figure 3 The ) indicates that the UE supports two parallel measurement gaps with the same gap type for SSB-based measurements associated with one frequency layer.

[0040] In some aspects, the first set of parallel measurement gaps includes a first measurement gap 413 and a second measurement gap 415, both of which are associated with the first frequency layer 410. The first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 415 are used to measure the first SSB 412 and the second SSB 414, respectively, and share an MGRP. As a non-limiting example, the MGRP is illustrated as 40 ms, but the MGRP can be various other values ​​depending on the gap pattern of the measurement gaps 413, 415.

[0041] like Figure 4BAs shown, in some aspects, a second set of parallel measurement gaps having a second gap type is configured. In some aspects, the CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter (e.g., as shown in reference Figure 3 The ) indicates that the UE supports two parallel measurement gaps with the same gap type for CSI-RS-based measurement associated with one frequency layer. The second group of parallel measurement gaps includes a third measurement gap 423 and a fourth measurement gap 425, both of which are associated with the second frequency layer 420. The third measurement gap 423 and the fourth measurement gap 425 are used to measure the first CSI-RS 422 and the second CSI-RS 424, respectively, and share the MGRP. The MGRP is illustrated as 40ms, but the MGRP may be various other values ​​depending on the gap pattern of the measurement gaps 423 and 425.

[0042] In some aspects, the performing of the parallel measurement gaps is performed based on UE capability information indicating that the UE supports parallel measurement gaps. Figure 4A and / or Figure 4B For example, the UE may indicate the SSB parallel measurement capability parameter and the CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter (e.g., Figure 3 In response, the base station may configure the UE for parallel measurement of both SSB and CSI-RS. If the SSB parallel measurement capability and the CSI-RS parallel measurement capability are each separately indicated, then by definition, the SSB measurement and the CSI-RS measurement are considered to be associated with different frequency layers (e.g., frequency layers 410, 420).

[0043] In some respects, Figure 4A As an example measurement gap configuration, for example, if the UE supports parallel measurement gaps only for SSB and not for CSI-RS, or if there is no CSI-RS measurement to be performed. Alternatively, if the UE supports parallel measurement gaps for SSB and CSI-RS, and there is a CSI-RS measurement to be performed, then Figure 4A and Figure 4B The measurement configurations shown can occur simultaneously.

[0044] Figure 5 A parallel measurement gap configuration according to some aspects is illustrated. In some aspects, Figure 5 Including similar to Figure 4A The first frequency layer 410, the first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 415, and the first SSB 412 and the second SSB 414. Figure 4BIn contrast, if the UE supports parallel measurement gaps for SSB-based measurements (e.g., the UE indicates an SSB parallel measurement capability parameter) but does not support parallel measurement gaps for CSI-RS-based measurements (e.g., the UE does not indicate a CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter), the parallel measurement gaps are not configured to be associated with CSI-RS measurements (e.g., as shown by the second frequency layer 420). The third measurement gap 423 is configured and used to measure the first CSI-RS 422, but no parallel measurement gaps may be configured for another CSI-RS, e.g., the second CSI-RS 424. Therefore, even though the second CSI-RS 424 is considered to be associated with a frequency layer as the first CSI-RS 422, the second CSI-RS cannot be measured as the first CSI-RS 422 in the parallel measurement gaps.

[0045] Figure 6 A combined parallel measurement capability parameter according to some aspects is illustrated. In some aspects, the parallel measurement capability is indicated in a combined format for at least both SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements (e.g., as a single parameter parallelMeasurementGap-r17). When the combined parallel measurement capability parameter is indicated, the UE supports two parallel measurement gaps of the same gap type for SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements associated to the same frequency layer. In some aspects, the combined parallel measurement capability parameter is included in the IE 600 (e.g., in the UE capability information 204).

[0046] In some respects, if SSB meets the reference Figure 3 Similarly, if the CSI-RS satisfies the criteria of reference Figure 3 If the above criteria are met, they can be considered to be associated to the same frequency layer.

[0047] In some aspects, SSB measurements and CSI-RS measurements are defined as being associated to different frequency layers and therefore cannot be configured with parallel measurement gaps. In some alternative aspects, it is possible that both SSB measurements and CSI-RS measurements are associated to the same frequency layer. If the SSB is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS, the SSB and CSI-RS may be considered to be associated to the same frequency layer. Alternatively or additionally, if the SSB and CSI-RS are in the same cell carrier, the SSB and CSI-RS may be considered to be associated to the same frequency layer. In the present disclosure, reference is made to Figures 7 to 13 A more detailed configuration example of SSB and CSI-RS associated to the same frequency layer is further described.

[0048] Figures 7 to 9A parallel measurement gap configuration according to some aspects is illustrated. In some aspects, the UE indicates support for two parallel measurement gaps of the same gap type for SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements associated with one frequency layer. The indication may be made by indicating a combined parallel measurement capability parameter. In some aspects, two parallel measurement gap configurations including a first measurement gap 413 and a second measurement gap 415 are configured within one MGRP.

[0049] In some aspects, the first measurement is performed within the first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement is performed within the second measurement gap 415. Figure 7 As shown, in some aspects, SSB 412 is measured within the first measurement gap 413, and CSI-RS 422 is measured within the second measurement gap 415. Both SSB 412 and CSI-RS 422 are considered to be associated with the first frequency layer 410 and meet at least one of the conditions previously described. For example, SSB 412 can be an associated SSB for CSI-RS 422, or SSB 412 and CSI-RS 422 can be in the same cell carrier.

[0050] In some aspects, more than one measurement is performed in the first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 415, respectively. Figure 8 As shown, in some aspects, a first SSB 412 and a first CSI-RS 422 are measured within a first measurement gap 413. A second SSB 414 and a second CSI-RS 424 are measured within a second measurement gap 415. The SSBs 412, 414 and the CSI-RSs 422, 424 are all considered to be associated with the first frequency layer 410. For example, the SSBs 412, 414 and the CSI-RSs 422, 424 may all be in the same cell carrier.

[0051] Alternatively, if Fig. 9 As shown, the first SSB 412 and the second SSB 414 may be measured in the first measurement gap 413, and the first CSI-RS 422 and the second CSI-RS 424 may be measured in the second measurement gap 415. Figures 8 to 9 As shown, when the measurements are all associated with the same frequency layer, the measurements may be configured in various ways within the two measurement gaps 413, 415, and the specific measurement configuration depends on how the network configures the UE.

[0052] Figures 10 to 12Measurement gap prioritization according to some aspects is illustrated. In some aspects, a measurement configuration specifies more parallel measurement gaps than the UE is capable of having. For example, the UE is capable of having two parallel measurement gaps, but four parallel measurement gaps are specified in the measurement configuration. In response, the UE prioritizes the measurement gaps based on priority rules. The UE may select to prioritize two measurement gaps (e.g., a first measurement gap and a second measurement gap) of the four parallel measurement gaps based on the priority rules, and discard the remaining measurement gaps. In some alternative aspects, prioritization may be performed on the network side based on priority rules (e.g., based on UE capability information) before transmitting the measurement configuration. Reference Figures 10 to 13 Examples of possible priority rules are described.

[0053] like Fig.10 As shown, a first measurement gap 413 and a second measurement gap 415 for measurements of a first SSB 412 and a second SSB 414, respectively, are illustrated. The measurement configuration may additionally specify measurement gaps for a first CSI-RS 422 and a second CSI-RS 424, respectively (as illustrated by dashed lines). In some aspects, the UE selects to prioritize measurement gaps for SSB-based measurements (e.g., measurement gaps 413, 415) and discards and does not perform CSI-RS-based measurements (e.g., first CSI-RS 422 and second CSI-RS 424). In some alternative aspects, prioritization is performed by the network (e.g., non-terrestrial base station 130). For example, the network may have some knowledge of the UE capabilities from the UE capability information and will trigger prioritization on the network side accordingly.

[0054] like Fig.11 As shown, a first measurement gap 413 and a second measurement gap 415 for measurement of a first SSB 412 and a first CSI-RS 422, respectively, are illustrated. The measurement configuration may additionally specify measurement gaps for a second SSB 414 and a second CSI-RS 424, respectively (as illustrated by dashed lines). In some aspects, the UE selects to prioritize measurement gaps for a first pair of associated SSBs and corresponding CSI-RSs, and discards at least one other measurement gap. In some alternative aspects, the prioritization is performed by the network (e.g., a non-terrestrial base station 130). For example, the network may have some knowledge of the UE capabilities from the UE capability information, and will trigger prioritization on the network side accordingly. In some aspects, the associated SSB and the corresponding CSI-RS may be specified as associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapCSIRS-v17, respectively, within the measurement object configuration IE.

[0055] Alternatively, if Fig.12As shown, the UE may choose to prioritize the measurement gap for a random pair of associated SSBs and corresponding CSI-RSs. A first measurement gap 413 and a second measurement gap 415 for measurement of a second SSB 414 and a second CSI-RS 424, respectively, are illustrated. The second SSB 414 is an associated SSB for the second CSI-RS 424. Prioritize the measurement of the second SSB 414 and the second CSI-RS 424 over the measurement of the first SSB 412 and the first CSI-RS 422. Prioritization may be based on selecting a random pair of associated SSBs and corresponding CSI-RSs. In some aspects, the first SSB 412 and the first CSI-RS 422 may be designated as associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapCSIRS-v17, respectively, within the measurement object configuration IE. The second SSB 414 and the second CSI-RS 424 may be specified as associatedMeasGapSSB2-r17xy and associatedMeasGapCSIRS2-v17xy, respectively, within the measurement object configuration IE. Fig.12 As illustrated, based on random selection, the second pair of associated SSBs and corresponding CSI-RSs may be selected. Alternatively, the first pair of associated SSBs and corresponding CSI-RSs may be selected, which results in a similar Fig.11 Measurement gap configuration for the illustrated configuration.

[0056] Fig.13 Measurement gap prioritization according to some aspects is illustrated. In some aspects, a measurement gap for SSB measurement overlaps in time with a measurement gap for CSI-RS measurement, and the SSB to be measured is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS to be measured. In response to the SSB being the associated SSB for the CSI-RS, the UE or the network prioritizes the measurement gap for the SSB measurement.

[0057] For example, the first measurement gap 413 is configured to measure the SSB 412 associated with the first frequency layer 410. The second measurement gap 423 is configured to measure the CSI-RS 422 associated with the second frequency layer 420. The first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 423 overlap in time. Since the time end 416 of the first measurement gap 413 overlaps with the second measurement gap 423 in time, the first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 423 conflict in time.

[0058] SSB 412 is an associated SSB for CSI-RS 422. The UE configures the first measurement gap 413 preferentially for measuring SSB 412 while ignoring the measurement gap priority from the network (eg, the priority specified in the measurement configuration).

[0059] In some alternative aspects, the prioritization is done by the network (e.g., non-terrestrial base station 130). For example, when SSB 412 is the associated SSB for the corresponding CSI-RS 422, the network can always configure the measurement gap 413 for SSB 412 with a higher priority than the measurement gap 423 for CSI-RS 422.

[0060] Although the first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 423 are illustrated as colliding while being associated with different frequency layers, it should be understood that similar techniques can be applied to scenarios in which the first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 423 are associated with the same frequency layer. For simplicity, the first measurement gap 413 and the second measurement gap 423 are only illustrated as being associated with different frequency layers.

[0061] Fig.14 is a process flow for a UE to perform measurements using parallel measurement gaps according to some aspects. In some optional aspects, at action 1410, the UE sends UE capability information to a non-terrestrial base station. The UE capability information may be the UE capability information previously described, and may indicate the UE capability for two parallel measurement gaps (MGs) with the same gap type associated to the same frequency layer. The capability may be indicated jointly (e.g., a combined parallel measurement capability parameter) or individually (e.g., an SSB parallel measurement capability parameter and a CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter). At action 1420, the UE receives a parallel MG configuration. At action 1430, the UE performs the configured measurements, and at action 1440, the UE sends a measurement report including the results of the performed measurements to the non-terrestrial base station.

[0062] Fig.15 The present invention is a process flow for a base station according to some aspects to configure a UE for measurement using parallel measurement gaps. In some aspects, the base station is a non-terrestrial base station. In some optional aspects, at action 1510, the base station receives UE capability information from the UE. The UE capability information may be the UE capability information previously described, and may indicate the UE capability for two parallel MGs with the same gap type associated to the same frequency layer. The capability may be indicated jointly (e.g., a combined parallel measurement capability parameter) or individually (e.g., an SSB parallel measurement capability parameter and a CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter). At action 1520, the base station sends an MG configuration to the UE to configure the parallel MGs. In some aspects, if the base station receives the UE capability information at action 1510, the measurement configuration may be determined based on the UE capability information. For example, the measurement configuration may configure the measurement gap within the capabilities of the UE based solely on a priority rule. At action 1530, the base station receives a measurement report containing the results of the measurement from the UE.

[0063] Fig.16 The present invention provides a process flow for a UE to perform measurement gap prioritization for parallel measurement gaps according to some aspects. In some aspects, at act 1610, the UE receives a measurement configuration to configure a set of parallel MGs. At act 1620, the UE determines that the set of parallel MGs exceeds the capabilities of the UE. At act 1630, the UE prioritizes the MGs, which may be performed according to one of the various MG prioritization rules previously described. At act 1640, the UE performs measurements using the prioritized MGs, and at act 1650 sends a measurement report including the results of the performed measurements.

[0064] Fig.17 1 is a diagram illustrating example components of a device 1700 that may be employed according to some aspects. In some aspects, the device 1700 may include at least an application circuit 1702, a baseband circuit 1704, a radio frequency (RF) circuit 1706, a front end module (FEM) circuit 1708, one or more antennas 1710, and a power management circuit (PMC) 1712 coupled together as shown. The components of the illustrated device 1700 may be included in a UE, or a RAN node, or a satellite (such as UE 101, BS 111, or NT-BS 130), as described, for example, with reference to FIG. Figure 1 to Figure 2 and as described throughout the present disclosure. UE 101 and NT-BS 130 may be configured to use parallel measurement gaps for SSB-based measurements and CSI-RS-based measurements, as described throughout the present disclosure. In some implementations, device 1700 may include fewer elements (e.g., the RAN node may not utilize application circuit 1702, but instead include a processor / controller to process IP data received from the CN (which may be a 5GC or an evolved packet core (EPC))). In some implementations, device 1700 may include additional elements, such as, for example, a memory / storage device, a display, a camera, a sensor (including one or more temperature sensors, such as a single temperature sensor, multiple temperature sensors at different locations in device 1700, etc.), or an input / output (I / O) interface. In other implementations, the components described below may be included in more than one device (e.g., the circuit may be separately included in more than one device for a cloud-RAN (C-RAN) implementation).

[0065] The application circuit 1702 may include one or more application processors. For example, the application circuit 1702 may include circuits such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. The processor may include any combination of general-purpose processors and special-purpose processors (e.g., graphics processors, application processors, etc.). The processor may be coupled to or may include a memory / storage device, and may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory / storage device to enable various applications or operating systems to run on the device 1700. In some specific implementations, the processor of the application circuit 1702 may process IP data packets received from the EPC.

[0066] The baseband circuit 1704 may include circuits such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. The baseband circuit 1704 may include one or more baseband processors or control logic components to process baseband signals received from the receive signal path of the RF circuit 1706 and generate baseband signals for the transmit signal path of the RF circuit 1706. The baseband circuit 1704 may interact with the application circuit 1702 to generate and process baseband signals and control the operation of the RF circuit 1706. For example, in some specific implementations, the baseband circuit 1704 may include a third generation (3G) baseband processor 1704A, a fourth generation (4G) baseband processor 1704B, a fifth generation (5G) baseband processor 1704C, or other baseband processors 1704D of existing generations, under development, or to be developed in the future (e.g., second generation (2G), sixth generation (6G), etc.). The baseband circuit 1704 (e.g., one or more of the baseband processors 1704A to 1704D) may handle various radio control functions that enable communication with one or more radio networks via the RF circuit 1706. In other implementations, some or all of the functionality of the baseband processors 1704A to 1704D may be included in a module stored in the memory 1704G and executed via the central processing unit (CPU) 1704E. The radio control functions may include, but are not limited to, signal modulation / demodulation, encoding / decoding, radio frequency shifting, etc. In some implementations, the modulation / demodulation circuitry of the baseband circuit 1704 may include fast Fourier transform (FFT), precoding, or constellation mapping / demapping functionality. In some implementations, the encoding / decoding circuitry of the baseband circuit 1704 may include convolution, tail-biting convolution, turbo, Viterbi, or low-density parity check (LDPC) encoder / decoder functionality. The specific implementation of the modulation / demodulation and encoder / decoder functionality is not limited to these examples and in other aspects may include other suitable functionality.

[0067] In some implementations, the baseband circuit 1704 may include one or more audio digital signal processors (DSPs) 1704F. The audio DSP 1704F may include elements for compression / decompression and echo cancellation, and may include other suitable processing elements in other implementations. In some implementations, the components of the baseband circuit may be appropriately combined in a single chip, a single chipset, or disposed on the same circuit board. In some implementations, some or all of the components of the baseband circuit 1704 and the application circuit 1702 may be implemented together, such as, for example, on a system on a chip (SOC).

[0068] In some implementations, the baseband circuit 1704 may provide communications compatible with one or more radio technologies. For example, in some implementations, the baseband circuit 1704 may support communications with NG-RAN, Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (EUTRAN) or other wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wireless personal area networks (WPANs), etc. Implementations in which the baseband circuit 1704 is configured to support radio communications of more than one wireless protocol may be referred to as multi-mode baseband circuits.

[0069] RF circuit 1706 may enable communication with a wireless network using modulated electromagnetic radiation through a non-solid medium. In various specific implementations, RF circuit 1706 may include switches, filters, amplifiers, etc. to facilitate communication with a wireless network. RF circuit 1706 may include a receive signal path, which may include circuitry to down-convert RF signals received from FEM circuit 1708 and provide a baseband signal to baseband circuit 1704. RF circuit 1706 may also include a transmit signal path, which may include circuitry to up-convert baseband signals provided by baseband circuit 1704 and provide an RF output signal to FEM circuit 1708 for transmission.

[0070] In some implementations, the receive signal path of the RF circuit 1706 may include a mixer circuit 1706A, an amplifier circuit 1706B, and a filter circuit 1706C. In some implementations, the transmit signal path of the RF circuit 1706 may include a filter circuit 1706C and the mixer circuit 1706A. The RF circuit 1706 may also include a synthesizer circuit 1706D for synthesizing frequencies used by the mixer circuit 1706A of the receive signal path and the transmit signal path. In some implementations, the mixer circuit 1706A of the receive signal path may be configured to down-convert the RF signal received from the FEM circuit 1708 based on the synthesized frequency provided by the synthesizer circuit 1706D. The amplifier circuit 1706B may be configured to amplify the down-converted signal, and the filter circuit 1706C may be a low pass filter (LPF) or a band pass filter (BPF) configured to remove unwanted signals from the down-converted signal to generate an output baseband signal. The output baseband signal may be provided to baseband circuit 1704 for further processing. In some implementations, the output baseband signal may be a zero frequency baseband signal, but this is not required. In some implementations, the mixer circuit 1706A of the receive signal path may include a passive mixer, but the scope of the implementation is not limited in this respect.

[0071] In some implementations, the mixer circuit 1706A of the transmit signal path can be configured to up-convert an input baseband signal based on a synthesized frequency provided by the synthesizer circuit 1706D to generate an RF output signal for the FEM circuit 1708. The baseband signal can be provided by the baseband circuit 1704 and can be filtered by the filter circuit 1706C.

[0072] In some implementations, the mixer circuit 1706A of the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 1706A of the transmit signal path may include two or more mixers and may be arranged for quadrature down-conversion and up-conversion, respectively. In some implementations, the mixer circuit 1706A of the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 1706A of the transmit signal path may include two or more mixers and may be arranged for image suppression (e.g., Hartley image suppression). In some implementations, the mixer circuit 1706A of the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 1706A of the transmit signal path may be arranged for direct down-conversion and direct up-conversion, respectively. In some implementations, the mixer circuit 1706A of the receive signal path and the mixer circuit 1706A of the transmit signal path may be configured for superheterodyne operation.

[0073] In some implementations, the output baseband signal and the input baseband signal may be analog baseband signals, although the scope of the implementation is not limited in this respect. In some alternative implementations, the output baseband signal and the input baseband signal may be digital baseband signals. In these alternative implementations, RF circuit 1706 may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuits, and baseband circuit 1704 may include a digital baseband interface to communicate with RF circuit 1706.

[0074] In some dual-mode implementations, separate radio IC circuits may be provided to process signals for each spectrum, although the scope of the implementations is not limited in this respect.

[0075] In some implementations, synthesizer circuit 1706D can be a fractional-N synthesizer or a fractional N / N+1 synthesizer, but the scope of the implementation is not limited in this respect, as other types of frequency synthesizers may also be suitable. For example, synthesizer circuit 1706D can be a delta-sigma synthesizer, a frequency multiplier, or a synthesizer including a phase-locked loop with a frequency divider.

[0076] The synthesizer circuit 1706D can be configured to synthesize an output frequency based on the frequency input and the divider control input for use by the mixer circuit 1706A of the RF circuit 1706. In some implementations, the synthesizer circuit 1706D can be a fractional-N / N+1 synthesizer.

[0077] In some implementations, the frequency input may be provided by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), although this is not required. The divider control input may be provided by the baseband circuit 1704 or the application circuit 1702 according to the desired output frequency. In some implementations, the divider control input (e.g., N) may be determined from a lookup table based on the channel indicated by the application circuit 1702.

[0078] The synthesizer circuit 1706D of the RF circuit 1706 may include a frequency divider, a delay locked loop (DLL), a multiplexer, and a phase accumulator. In some implementations, the frequency divider may be a dual-mode frequency divider (DMD), and the phase accumulator may be a digital phase accumulator (DPA). In some implementations, the DMD may be configured to divide the input signal by N or N+1 (e.g., based on a carry output) to provide a fractional frequency division ratio. In some example implementations, the DLL may include a set of cascaded and tunable delay elements, a phase detector, a charge pump, and a D-type flip-flop. In these implementations, the delay element may be configured to divide the VCO cycle into Nd equal phase groups, where Nd is the number of delay elements in the delay line. In this way, the DLL provides negative feedback to help ensure that the total delay through the delay line is one VCO cycle.

[0079] In some implementations, the synthesizer circuit 1706D can be configured to generate a carrier frequency as an output frequency, while in other implementations, the output frequency can be a multiple of the carrier frequency (e.g., twice the carrier frequency, four times the carrier frequency), and can be used with a quadrature generator and divider circuit to generate multiple signals with multiple different phases relative to each other at the carrier frequency. In some implementations, the output frequency can be an LO frequency (fLO). In some implementations, the RF circuit 1706 can include an IQ / polarity converter.

[0080] The FEM circuitry 1708 may include a receive signal path that may include circuitry configured to operate on RF signals received from one or more antennas 1710, amplify the received signals, and provide an amplified version of the received signals to the RF circuitry 1706 for further processing. The FEM circuitry 1708 may also include a transmit signal path that may include circuitry configured to amplify transmit signals provided by the RF circuitry 1706 for transmission via one or more of the one or more antennas 1710. In various implementations, amplification by either the transmit signal path or the receive signal path may be accomplished only in the RF circuitry 1706, only in the FEM circuitry 1708, or in both the RF circuitry 1706 and the FEM circuitry 1708.

[0081] In some implementations, the FEM circuit 1708 may include a TX / RX switch to switch between transmit mode and receive mode operation. The FEM circuit may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the FEM circuit may include an LNA to amplify a received RF signal and provide the amplified received RF signal as an output (e.g., to the RF circuit 1706). The transmit signal path of the FEM circuit 1708 may include a power amplifier (PA) to amplify an input RF signal (e.g., provided by the RF circuit 1706); and one or more filters to generate an RF signal for subsequent transmission (e.g., through one or more of the one or more antennas 1710).

[0082] In some implementations, the PMC 1712 can manage the power provided to the baseband circuit 1704. Specifically, the PMC 1712 can control power selection, voltage scaling, battery charging, or DC-DC conversion. When the device 1700 is capable of being powered by a battery, for example, when the device is included in a UE, the PMC 1712 can generally be included. The PMC 1712 can improve power conversion efficiency while providing the desired implementation size and heat dissipation characteristics.

[0083] Although Fig.17The PMC 1712 is shown coupled only to the baseband circuit 1704, however, in other embodiments, the PMC 1712 may be additionally or alternatively coupled to other components (such as, but not limited to, the application circuit 1702, the RF circuit 1706, or the FEM circuit 1708) and perform similar power management operations for these other components.

[0084] In some implementations, the PMC 1712 can control or otherwise be part of various power saving mechanisms of the device 1700. For example, if the device 1700 is in the RRC_Connected state, where the device is still connected to the RAN node because it expects to receive traffic immediately, then after a period of inactivity, the device can enter a state known as discontinuous reception mode (DRX). During this state, the device 1700 can be powered off for short time intervals, thereby saving power.

[0085] If there is no data traffic activity for an extended period of time, the device 1700 may transition to the RRC_Idle state, in which the device is disconnected from the network and does not perform operations such as channel quality feedback, handover, etc. The device 1700 enters a very low power state, and it performs paging, in which the device wakes up periodically again to listen to the network, and then powers down again. The device 1700 may not receive data in this state; in order to receive data, the device may transition back to the RRC_Connected state.

[0086] An additional power saving mode can prevent a device from using the network for a period longer than the paging interval (which can range from a few seconds to several hours). During this period, the device is completely unable to connect to the network and can be completely powered down. Any data transmitted during this period will be significantly delayed, assuming that the delay is acceptable.

[0087] The processor of the application circuit 1702 and the processor of the baseband circuit 1704 can be used to execute elements of one or more instances of the protocol stack. For example, the processor of the baseband circuit 1704 can be used alone or in combination to perform the functionality of layer 3, layer 2, or layer 1, and the processor of the baseband circuit 1704 can utilize data received from these layers (e.g., packet data) and further perform the functionality of layer 4 (e.g., transmit communication protocol (TCP) and user datagram protocol (UDP) layer). As mentioned herein, layer 3 may include a radio resource control (RRC) layer, which will be described in further detail below. As mentioned herein, layer 2 may include a medium access control (MAC) layer, a radio link control (RLC) layer, and a PDCP layer, which will be described in further detail below. As mentioned herein, layer 1 may include a physical (PHY) layer of a UE / RAN node, which will be described in further detail below.

[0088] Fig.18 A diagram illustrating an example interface of a baseband circuit that may be employed according to some aspects is illustrated. As discussed above, Fig.17 The baseband circuit 1704 of the UE 101 may include processors 1704A to 1704E and a memory 1704G used by the processors. Each of the processors 1704A to 1704E may include a memory interface 1804A to 1804E, respectively, to transmit / receive data to / from the memory 1704G. The baseband circuit 1704 or one or more baseband processors or control logic components of the baseband circuit 1704 may be independently UE 101 or base station 111 or NT-BS 130, and perform signaling and operations in the sense as described throughout the present disclosure.

[0089] The baseband circuit 1704 may also include one or more interfaces for communicatively coupling to other circuits / devices, such as a memory interface 1812 (e.g., an interface for transmitting / receiving data to / from a memory external to the baseband circuit 1704), an application circuit interface 1814 (e.g., an interface for transmitting / receiving data to / from a memory external to the baseband circuit 1704), and a memory interface 1815 (e.g., an interface for transmitting / receiving data to / from a memory external to the baseband circuit 1704). Fig.17 The application circuit 1702 transmits / receives data through an interface), an RF circuit interface 1816 (for example, to transmit / receive data to / from the application circuit 1702). Fig.17 an interface for transmitting / receiving data to / from the RF circuit 1706), a wireless hardware connection interface 1818 (e.g., for transmitting / receiving data to / from a near field communication (NFC) component, Components (e.g. Low power consumption), components and other communication components to transmit / receive data) and a power management interface 1820 (for example, an interface for transmitting / receiving power or control signals to / from the PMC 1712).

[0090] Embodiments herein may include subject matter, such as a method, components for performing actions or blocks of the method, and at least one machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a machine (e.g., a processor with memory, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.), cause the machine to perform actions of a method or apparatus or system for concurrent communication using multiple communication technologies according to the described specific implementations and embodiments.

[0091] Embodiment 1 is a user equipment (UE), which includes a memory and a processor, wherein the processor is coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory so that the UE: sends UE capability information to a serving cell, wherein the UE capability information includes a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) parallel measurement capability parameter, wherein the CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter indicates that the UE is capable of using two parallel measurement gaps (MGs) to perform two CSI-RS-based measurements; receives a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration is used to configure the two parallel MGs including a first MG and a second MG; and performs the two CSI-RS-based measurements including a first CSI-RS-based measurement and a second CSI-RS-based measurement in the first MG and the second MG, respectively.

[0092] Embodiment 2 includes any variation of the subject matter of claim 1, wherein the two CSI-RS based measurements are associated with a first frequency layer.

[0093] Embodiment 3 includes any variation of the subject matter of claim 2, wherein in response to the CSI-RS resources associated with the first CSI-RS measurement and the CSI-RS resources associated with the second CSI-RS based measurement having the same subcarrier spacing, the same cyclic prefix (CP), and the same center frequency, the first CSI-RS based measurement and the second CSI-RS based measurement are determined to be associated with the first frequency layer.

[0094] Embodiment 4 includes any variation of the subject matter of claim 1, wherein the UE capability information further includes a synchronization signal block (SSB) parallel measurement capability parameter.

[0095] Embodiment 5 includes any variation of the subject matter of claim 1, wherein the two parallel MGs have the same gap type and the same measurement gap repetition period (MGRP).

[0096] Embodiment 6 includes any variation of the subject matter of claim 1 wherein the serving cell is a non-terrestrial serving cell.

[0097] Embodiment 7 is a baseband processor of a user equipment (UE). The baseband processor is configured to: send UE capability information to a serving cell, the UE capability information including a combined parallel measurement capability parameter, the combined parallel measurement capability parameter indicating that the UE can use two parallel measurement gaps (MGs) to perform synchronization signal block (SSB)-based measurements and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS)-based measurements; receive a measurement configuration, the measurement configuration is used to configure the two parallel MGs including a first MG and a second MG; and use the first MG and the second MG to perform a first measurement and a second measurement.

[0098] Embodiment 8 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 7, wherein the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement are associated with a first frequency layer.

[0099] Embodiment 9 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 8, wherein the first measurement is an SSB-based measurement, and wherein the second measurement is a CSI-RS-based measurement.

[0100] Embodiment 10 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 9, wherein, in response to the SSB of the SSB based measurement being an associated SSB for the CSI-RS based measurement, the SSB based measurement and the CSI-RS based measurement are determined to be associated with the first frequency layer.

[0101] Embodiment 11 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 9, wherein in response to the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement being in the same cell carrier, the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement are determined to be associated with the first frequency layer.

[0102] Embodiment 12 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 7, wherein the two parallel MGs have the same gap type and the same measurement gap repetition period (MGRP).

[0103] Embodiment 13 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 7, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are SSB-based measurements, wherein the measurement configuration further configures a third MG for CSI-RS-based measurements, and wherein the SSB-based measurements and the CSI-RS-based measurements are defined as being associated with different frequency layers.

[0104] Embodiment 14 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 7, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are SSB-based measurements, wherein the measurement configuration also configures a third MG for CSI-RS-based measurements, and wherein the baseband processor is further configured to: ignore the priorities of the first MG and the third MG from the measurement configuration and prioritize the first MG over the third MG, wherein the SSB of the first measurement is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS-based measurement, and wherein the first MG and the third MG overlap in time.

[0105] Embodiment 15 is a baseband processor of a base station. The baseband processor is configured to: receive UE capability information from a user equipment (UE), the UE capability information including a combined parallel measurement capability parameter, the combined parallel measurement capability parameter indicating that the UE is capable of using two parallel measurement gaps (MGs) to perform synchronization signal block (SSB)-based measurements and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS)-based measurements; send a measurement configuration to the UE, the measurement configuration is used to configure the two parallel MGs to be used for the first measurement and the second measurement; and receive a measurement report including the results of the first measurement and the second measurement from the UE.

[0106] Embodiment 16 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 15, wherein the measurement configuration is based on the UE capability information.

[0107] Embodiment 17 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 15, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are SSB-based measurements, and wherein the MG for SSB-based measurements is prioritized over the MG for CSI-RS-based measurements is configured.

[0108] Embodiment 18 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 17, wherein the prioritization is performed in response to one of the two parallel MGs overlapping in time with a third MG for CSI-RS based measurement, and wherein the SSB of the first measurement or the SSB of the second measurement is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS based measurement.

[0109] Embodiment 19 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 17, wherein the prioritization is performed in response to a number of MGs exceeding a capability of the UE as indicated in the UE capability information.

[0110] Embodiment 20 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 15, wherein the first measurement is an SSB-based measurement, wherein the second measurement is a CSI-RS-based measurement, and wherein the SSB of the SSB-based measurement is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS-based measurement.

[0111] Embodiment 21 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 15, wherein the base station is a non-terrestrial base station.

[0112] Embodiment 22 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 15, wherein the SSB based measurement and the CSI-RS based measurement are associated with a first frequency layer.

[0113] Embodiment 23 includes any variations of the subject matter of Embodiment 15, wherein the two parallel MGs have the same gap type and the same measurement gap repetition period (MGRP).

[0114] Embodiment 24 is a user equipment (UE), which includes a memory and a processor, wherein the processor is coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory so that the UE: receives a measurement configuration from a non-ground base station, the measurement configuration being used to configure a set of parallel measurement gaps (MGs) for synchronization signal block (SSB)-based measurements and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS)-based measurements; determines that the set of parallel MGs exceeds the parallel gap measurement capability of the UE; prioritizes a first MG and a second MG in the set of parallel MGs based on a priority rule; and performs first measurements and second measurements associated with the prioritized first and second MGs, and discards them by not performing measurements associated with the remaining MGs in the set of parallel MGs.

[0115] Embodiment 25 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 24, wherein the first MG and the second MG are both associated with SSB based measurements, and wherein the first MG and the second MG are prioritized over MGs for CSI-RS based measurements.

[0116] Embodiment 26 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 24, wherein the first MG is used for SSB-based measurement, wherein the second MG is used for CSI-RS-based measurement, and wherein the SSB for the SSB-based measurement is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS-based measurement.

[0117] Embodiment 27 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 24, wherein the first MG and the second MG are specified in a measurement object configuration information element (IE) by associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapCSIRS-v17, respectively.

[0118] Embodiment 28 includes any variation of the subject matter of Embodiment 26, wherein the first MG and the second MG are prioritized over a third MG and a fourth MG specified by associatedMeasGapSSB2-r17xy and associatedMeasGapCSIRS2-v17xy, respectively, in the measurement object configuration IE, and wherein the priority rule includes selecting a random pair of measurement gaps for CSI-RS measurement and the associated SSB measurement.

[0119] The above description of illustrative examples, implementations, aspects, etc. of the disclosed subject matter, including what is described in the abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed aspects to the precise forms disclosed. Although specific examples, implementations, aspects, etc. are described herein for illustrative purposes, various modifications are contemplated within the scope of such examples, implementations, aspects, etc., as can be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art.

[0120] In this regard, while the subject matter of the present disclosure has been described in conjunction with various examples, implementations, aspects, etc. and corresponding figures, it should be understood that other similar aspects may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the disclosed subject matter, where applicable, for performing the same, similar, alternative or alternative functions of the subject matter without departing from the disclosed subject matter. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single example, implementation, or aspect described herein, but should be interpreted in accordance with the breadth and scope of the following claims.

[0121] In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the above-described components or structures (assemblies, devices, circuits, systems, etc.), unless otherwise specified, the terms used to describe such components (including references to "members") are intended to correspond to any component or structure that performs the specified function of the component (e.g., functionally equivalent), even if not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure that performs the function in the exemplary implementations illustrated herein. In addition, while particular features have been disclosed with respect to only one of a plurality of implementations, for any given or particular application, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations, which may be desirable and advantageous.

[0122] As used herein, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, "X employs A or B" is intended to mean any natural inclusive arrangement of natural inclusive arrangements. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then "X employs A or B" is satisfied in any of the foregoing cases. In addition, the articles "one" and "an" used in this application and the appended claims should generally be interpreted as meaning "one or more" unless otherwise specified or clear from the context to point to a singular form. In addition, to the extent that the terms "including", "comprising", "having", "having", "with", or variations thereof are used in the detailed description and claims, such terms are intended to be included in a manner similar to the term "comprising". Additionally, in the case of discussing one or more numbered items (e.g., "first X", "second X", etc.), generally, the one or more numbered items may be different or they may be the same, but in some cases, the context may indicate that they are different or that they are the same.

[0123] It is understood that the use of personally identifiable information should be subject to privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized to meet or exceed industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of the authorized use should be clearly stated to users.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE), the user equipment (UE) comprising: Memory; and a processor, the processor being coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory so that the UE: Sending UE capability information to a serving cell, the UE capability information including a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) parallel measurement capability parameter; wherein the CSI-RS parallel measurement capability parameter indicates that the UE is capable of using two parallel measurement gaps (MGs) to perform two CSI-RS-based measurements; receiving a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration is used to configure the two parallel MGs including a first MG and a second MG; as well as The two CSI-RS based measurements including a first CSI-RS based measurement and a second CSI-RS based measurement are performed in the first MG and the second MG, respectively. 2 . The UE of claim 1 , wherein the two CSI-RS based measurements are associated with a first frequency layer.

3. The UE according to claim 2, wherein in response to the CSI-RS resources associated with the first CSI-RS measurement and the CSI-RS resources associated with the second CSI-RS based measurement having the same subcarrier spacing, the same cyclic prefix (CP) and the same center frequency, the first CSI-RS based measurement and the second CSI-RS based measurement are determined to be associated with the first frequency layer.

4. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the UE capability information further includes a synchronization signal block (SSB) parallel measurement capability parameter.

5. The UE of claim 1, wherein the two parallel MGs have the same gap type and the same measurement gap repetition period (MGRP). The UE according to claim 1 , wherein the serving cell is a non-terrestrial serving cell.

7. A baseband processor of a user equipment (UE), the baseband processor being configured to: Sending UE capability information to a serving cell, the UE capability information comprising a combined parallel measurement capability parameter, the combined parallel measurement capability parameter indicating that the UE can use two parallel measurement gaps (MGs) to perform synchronization signal block (SSB) based measurements and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) based measurements; receiving a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration is used to configure the two parallel MGs including a first MG and a second MG; as well as A first measurement and a second measurement are performed using the first MG and the second MG.

8. The baseband processor of claim 7, wherein the SSB-based measurements and the CSI-RS-based measurements are associated with a first frequency layer.

9. The baseband processor of claim 8, wherein the first measurement is an SSB-based measurement, and wherein the second measurement is a CSI-RS-based measurement.

10. The baseband processor of claim 9, wherein in response to the SSB of the SSB-based measurement being an associated SSB for the CSI-RS-based measurement, the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement are determined to be associated with the first frequency layer.

11. The baseband processor of claim 9, wherein in response to the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement being in the same cell carrier, the SSB-based measurement and the CSI-RS-based measurement are determined to be associated with the first frequency layer.

12. The baseband processor of claim 7, wherein the two parallel MGs have the same gap type and the same measurement gap repetition period (MGRP).

13. The baseband processor of claim 7, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are SSB-based measurements, wherein the measurement configuration further configures a third MG for CSI-RS-based measurements, and wherein the SSB-based measurements and the CSI-RS-based measurements are defined as being associated with different frequency layers.

14. The baseband processor of claim 7, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are SSB-based measurements, wherein the measurement configuration further configures a third MG for CSI-RS-based measurements, and wherein the baseband processor is further configured to: Ignoring priorities of the first MG and the third MG from the measurement configuration and giving priority to the first MG over the third MG; wherein the first measured SSB is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS based measurement; and The first MG and the third MG overlap in time.

15. A baseband processor of a base station, the baseband processor being configured to: receiving UE capability information from a user equipment (UE), the UE capability information comprising a combined parallel measurement capability parameter, the combined parallel measurement capability parameter indicating that the UE is capable of performing synchronization signal block (SSB) based measurement and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) based measurement using two parallel measurement gaps (MGs); Sending a measurement configuration to the UE, where the measurement configuration is used to configure the two parallel MGs to be used for the first measurement and the second measurement; as well as A measurement report including results of the first measurement and the second measurement is received from the UE.

16. The baseband processor of claim 15, wherein the measurement configuration is based on the UE capability information.

17. The baseband processor of claim 15, wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are SSB-based measurements, and wherein the MG for SSB-based measurements is configured to be prioritized over the MG for CSI-RS-based measurements.

18. The baseband processor of claim 17, wherein the prioritization is performed in response to one of the two parallel MGs overlapping in time with a third MG for CSI-RS based measurement, and wherein the first measured SSB or the second measured SSB is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS based measurement.

19. The baseband processor of claim 17, wherein the prioritization is performed in response to a number of MGs exceeding a capability of the UE as indicated in the UE capability information.

20. The baseband processor of claim 15, wherein the first measurement is an SSB-based measurement, wherein the second measurement is a CSI-RS-based measurement, wherein an SSB of the SSB-based measurement is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS-based measurement.

21. The baseband processor of claim 15, wherein the base station is a non-terrestrial base station.

22. The baseband processor of claim 15, wherein the SSB-based measurements and the CSI-RS-based measurements are associated with a first frequency layer.

23. The baseband processor of claim 15, wherein the two parallel MGs have the same gap type and the same measurement gap repetition period (MGRP).

24. A user equipment (UE), the user equipment (UE) comprising: Memory; and a processor, the processor being coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory so that the UE: receiving a measurement configuration from a non-terrestrial base station, the measurement configuration being used to configure a set of parallel measurement gaps (MGs) for synchronization signal block (SSB) based measurements and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) based measurements; determining that the set of parallel MGs exceeds a parallel gap measurement capability of the UE; prioritizing a first MG and a second MG in the set of parallel MGs based on a priority rule; as well as First and second measurements associated with the prioritized first and second MGs are performed, and discarded by not performing measurements associated with remaining MGs in the set of parallel MGs.

25. The UE of claim 24, wherein the first MG and the second MG are both associated with SSB based measurement, and wherein the first MG and the second MG are prioritized over a MG for CSI-RS based measurement.

26. The UE of claim 24, wherein the first MG is used for SSB-based measurement, wherein the second MG is used for CSI-RS-based measurement, and wherein the SSB of the SSB-based measurement is an associated SSB for the CSI-RS-based measurement.

27. The UE of claim 26, wherein the first MG and the second MG are specified by associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapCSIRS-v17 in a measurement object configuration information element (IE), respectively.

28. The UE of claim 27, wherein the first MG and the second MG are prioritized over a third MG and a fourth MG specified by associatedMeasGapSSB2-r17xy and associatedMeasGapCSIRS2-v17xy, respectively, in the measurement object configuration IE, and wherein the priority rule comprises selecting a random pair of measurement gaps for CSI-RS measurement and the associated SSB measurement.

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