Slot format enhancement for RF energy harvesting for environmental IoT

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods with slot format enhancements for radio frequency (RF) acquisition are described herein. RF acquisition enhancements may facilitate use of environmental IoT devices. In some embodiments, a network node may allocate symbols within a time slot and configure one or more of the symbols within the time slot as one or more RF acquisition symbols. The network node may transmit data during downlink symbols of the time slot, and receive data from one or more user equipment (UE) devices during uplink symbols of the time slot. Further, the network node may reserve the one or more RF acquisition symbols for transmission of the RF acquisition signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application generally relates to wireless communication systems, including incorporating RF energy harvesting signals into time slots. Background Art

[0002] Wireless mobile communication technologies use various standards and protocols to transfer data between base stations and wireless communication devices. For example, wireless communication system standards and protocols can include, for example, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) (e.g., 4G), 3GPP New Radio (NR) (e.g., 5G), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards for wireless local area networks (WLANs) (commonly referred to within the industry as ).

[0003] As envisioned by 3GPP, different wireless communication system standards and protocols can use various radio access networks (RANs) for communication between a base station of the RAN (sometimes also referred to as a RAN node, network node, or simply node) and a wireless communication device known as a user equipment (UE). 3GPP RAN can include, for example, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) RAN (GERAN), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), and / or Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN).

[0004] Each RAN can use one or more radio access technologies (RATs) for communication between the base station and the UE. For example, GERAN implements GSM and / or EDGE RAT, UTRAN implements Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) RAT or other 3GPP RAT, E-UTRAN implements LTE RAT (sometimes simply referred to as LTE), and NG-RAN implements NR RAT (this NR RAT is sometimes referred to herein as 5G RAT, 5G NR RAT, or simply NR). In some deployments, E-UTRAN can also implement NR RAT. In some deployments, NG-RAN can also implement LTE RAT.

[0005] The base stations used by the RAN can correspond to that RAN. An example of an E-UTRAN base station is an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Node B (commonly also denoted as an Evolved Node B, Enhanced Node B, eNodeB, or eNB). An example of an NG-RAN base station is a Next Generation Node B (sometimes also called a gNodeB or gNB).

[0006] The RAN provides its communication services together with external entities through its connection to the core network (CN). For example, E-UTRAN can utilize the evolved packet core (EPC), while NG-RAN can utilize the 5G core network (5GC). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or action, one or more of the most significant digits in the reference numerals refer to the drawing number in which the element was first introduced.

[0008] Figure 1 Examples of enhanced time slot formats according to embodiments disclosed herein are illustrated.

[0009] Figure 2 Examples of reconfiguration of flexible symbols according to embodiments disclosed herein are illustrated.

[0010] Figure 3 Examples of different configurations and combinations of RF symbols in a time slot format according to embodiments disclosed herein are illustrated.

[0011] Figure 4 Examples of configurations of downlink symbols as RF symbols according to embodiments disclosed herein are illustrated.

[0012] Figure 5 Examples of configurations of uplink symbols as RF symbols according to embodiments disclosed herein are illustrated.

[0013] Figure 6 A method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0014] Figure 7 A method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0015] Figure 8 An example architecture of a wireless communication system according to embodiments disclosed herein is illustrated.

[0016] Figure 9 A system for performing signaling between a wireless device and a network device according to embodiments disclosed herein is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Various embodiments are described with reference to the UE. However, the reference to the UE is provided merely for illustrative purposes. Example embodiments can be used with any electronic component that can establish a connection to the network and is configured with hardware, software, and / or firmware for exchanging information and data with the network. Thus, the UE as described herein is used to represent any suitable electronic component.

[0018] Additionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The reference to IoT devices is provided merely for illustrative purposes, and the embodiments of the present disclosure can be used with any device having the ability to collect and exchange data. IoT devices can be embedded with sensors, software, and network connectivity, allowing them to communicate with other devices and systems. IoT devices can vary in size, complexity, and functionality. They can range from small, simple devices such as temperature sensors and smart household appliances to more complex devices such as industrial machinery and autonomous vehicles.

[0019] Some IoT devices include environmental IoT devices. An environmental IoT device is a device capable of harvesting energy from environmental sources. For example, some environmental IoT devices can be powered using radio frequency (RF) waves. To power such devices using RF, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide enhancements to the wireless communication system framework to introduce a new class of devices capable of harvesting energy from environmental sources. Environmental IoT devices can be referred to as RF-powered devices. Environmental IoT devices can also be UE devices.

[0020] There are various types of environmental IoT devices that a wireless communication system can support. For example, in terms of energy storage, some devices can be battery-less devices with no energy storage capabilities at all and rely entirely on the availability of external energy sources. Some devices can include limited energy storage capabilities that do not need to be manually replaced or recharged but can be charged by harvesting energy from environmental sources. In some embodiments, device classification can be based on characteristics corresponding to the device (e.g., energy source, energy storage capabilities, passive / active transmission, etc.).

[0021] The embodiments of the present disclosure contemplate the following set of environmental IoT devices. IoT device type A has no energy storage, harvests energy from environmental sources, and has no independent signal generation, only backscatter transmission. IoT device type B has energy storage from harvested environmental sources but does not perform independent signal generation (e.g., backscatter transmission). The use of stored energy by IoT device type B can include amplification of backscatter signals. IoT device type C has energy storage from harvested environmental sources and has independent signal generation (e.g., active RF components for transmission). A common aspect of all these device categories is that they may rely solely on energy harvested from environmental sources. From the perspective of a wireless communication system, RF energy harvesting can be considered. For example, a device can utilize the energy of incoming signals from other nodes in the system.

[0022] For energy harvesting-enabled devices, two operation modes can be considered: single-static mode and dual-static mode. In the single-static operation mode, the reader and the transmitter are the same. The transmitter is the node that provides the RF signal for energy harvesting of the ambient IoT device. The reader is the node that receives (backscatters or transmits) the signal from the ambient IoT device.

[0023] In the dual-static operation mode, the reader and the transmitter are different. Once the ambient IoT device harvests energy from the RF signal sent by the transmitter, the ambient IoT device will respond back to the reader. There can be one or more transmitters. In some embodiments, for a given ambient IoT device, a node that may purely act as a transmitter may be the reader of other ambient IoT devices. Thus, the transmitter label does not necessarily imply the existence of a dedicated system node solely for energy harvesting purposes.

[0024] Some embodiments herein contemplate integrating / introducing dedicated signals in a wireless communication framework for energy harvesting purposes. This can include enhancing the frame / slot structure to enable coexistence of ambient IoT devices and traditional devices. Additionally, some embodiments describe how to achieve energy harvesting of ambient IoT devices when both network nodes (e.g., gNB / transmission reception point (TRP) / repeater) and UE devices are considered as transmitters. In other words, the embodiments describe how to support network nodes such as gNB / TRP / repeaters and / or UE devices to send RF energy harvesting signals to ambient IoT devices. Some embodiments herein provide solutions that consider supporting both single-static mode and dual-static mode.

[0025] Figure 1 An example of slot format 102 for wireless communication between a network node (base station), a UE (user equipment), and an ambient IoT network device according to one or more examples of the present disclosure is illustrated. In at least one embodiment, a slot may refer to a time interval within a frame structure during which data transmission or reception occurs. In some embodiments, symbols may constitute a slot, where a symbol may refer to a time unit during which data or information may be transmitted or received within the time interval of the slot. In some embodiments, a network node may be configured to allocate symbols within a slot. Examples of different kinds of symbols may include, but are not limited to, downlink symbols, uplink symbols, and flexible symbols. During each of the symbols included in the slot, various actions may be performed. For example, a network node may be configured to transmit data during the downlink symbols of the slot. Additionally, the network node may also be configured to receive data from one or more user equipment (UE) devices during the uplink symbols.

[0026] In some embodiments, a UE may be configured to receive symbol allocations within a time slot. As discussed with reference to network nodes, different actions may be performed during each symbol. According to the present disclosure, the UE may be configured to receive data from a network node during the downlink symbols of the time slot. Additionally, the UE may be configured to transmit data to the network node during the uplink symbols of the time slot.

[0027] In some embodiments, Figure 1 The shown time slot format 102 may be enhanced to introduce new symbol types. In at least one embodiment, an RF symbol 108 may be included in the time slot format 102, where the RF symbol 108 may be a new symbol type that may be specifically configured for the transmission and / or reception of RF harvesting signals. This may be advantageous as various network nodes (e.g., gNB / TRP / repeater) and / or UE devices may be enabled to send RF energy harvesting signals to ambient IoT devices. Further, this may enable ambient IoT devices to harvest energy from ambient sources in order to transmit and / or receive transmissions when not connected to a dedicated power source. In some embodiments, the time slot format 102 may reserve one or more RF symbols 108 within the time slot pattern for the transmission of RF harvesting signals.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the symbols configured as RF symbols 108 within the time slot format 102 may allow for the transmission of unmodulated signals. According to the present disclosure, an unmodulated signal may be a signal that is transmitted without variation or modulation. In some embodiments, the symbols configured as RF symbols 108 may be configured to allow for the transmission of modulated signals. In at least one embodiment, a modulated signal may be a signal having varying characteristics (such as amplitude and frequency) according to the information being transmitted. In this way, the RF symbols 108 may be used for the transmission of unmodulated signals or modulated signals. This may further enable RF harvesting signals to be transmitted and / or received via a wide range of communication methods.

[0029] Additionally, the time slot format 102 may include other types of symbols for various purposes. In at least one example, the time slot format 102 may include downlink symbols 104. The downlink symbols may be used for downlink transmissions. Similarly, the time slot format 102 may also be configured to include uplink symbols 106. In at least one embodiment, the uplink symbols 106 may be used for uplink transmissions. The inclusion of multiple symbol types may enable devices and network nodes to communicate with each other via the transmission and reception of data.

[0030] In some examples of the present disclosure, the time slot format 102 may include flexible symbols 110. In at least one example, the flexible symbols 110 set in the time slot format 102 may be reconfigured as other types of symbols when a UE or a base station transmits or receives various signals.

[0031] In some embodiments, the slot format 102 may include a pattern of downlink symbols 104, uplink symbols 106, RF symbols 108, and flexible symbols 110. In this way, various amounts of different symbols may constitute the slot format 102. In some examples of the present disclosure, there may be at least one dedicated RF symbol 108 in the pattern of the slot format 102, where the pattern of the slot format 102 may be the order and placement of symbols in the slot structure of the slot format 102. In at least one example, the dedicated RF symbol 108 in the slot format 102 may enable a UE or a base station to transmit the RF symbol 108 to an ambient IoT device.

[0032] As previously discussed, the flexible symbols of the slot format may be reconfigured as different types of symbols included within the slot. Figure 2 An example of a flexible symbol 210 reconfigured as an RF symbol within the slot format 202 is illustrated. In a conventional slot structure, the flexible symbol may be reconfigured as a downlink symbol 204 or an uplink symbol 206. In some embodiments herein, the flexible symbol 210 may also be configured as an RF symbol 208.

[0033] In at least one example of the present disclosure, the flexible symbol 210 may be configured by a semi-static time division duplex (TDD) uplink / downlink (UL / DL) configuration. Then, the flexible symbol 210 in this configuration may be reconfigured or dynamically indicated as an RF symbol 208. This may enable different patterns of slot formats to add an RF symbol 208.

[0034] As Figure 2 shown, the slot format 202 may be configured by a network node using a TDD UL / DL common configuration 218 with an initial symbol set. The TDD UL / DL common configuration 218 may signal some symbols as flexible symbols. As shown, the slot format 202 may not initially be configured with a dedicated RF symbol 208, but may instead include a plurality of downlink symbols 204, uplink symbols 206, and flexible symbols (e.g., flexible symbol 210 and flexible symbol 220).

[0035] In some embodiments, the network node may use a TDD UL / DL dedicated configuration 212 to reconfigure at least some flexible symbols (e.g., flexible symbol 210) as RF symbols (e.g., RF symbol 208). By changing the flexible symbol to an RF symbol, the slot format 202 may be filled with at least one RF symbol 208. This may be advantageous because a pre-existing slot format may be used for RF energy harvesting regardless of whether its initial configuration includes an RF symbol 208.

[0036] For example, as Figure 2As shown, the network node can use the TDD UL / DL dedicated configuration 212 to reconfigure the time slot format 202 to have at least one dedicated RF symbol 208. This enables ambient IoT devices to receive RF acquisition signals during the RF symbol 208.

[0037] In some embodiments, the TDD UL / DL common and / or dedicated configuration can signal some symbols as flexible symbols, and then the dynamic indication (e.g., via the slot format indication (SFI) 214 of the downlink control information (DCI)) can indicate that at least some of the flexible symbols are RF symbols. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the network node can use the SFI 214 to dynamically indicate the flexible symbol 220 as the RF symbol 216. In some embodiments, the SFI 214 or the TDD UL / DL dedicated configuration 212 can be used to change the flexible symbol. In some embodiments, both the SFI 214 and the TDD UL / DL dedicated configuration 212 can be used to change the flexible symbol. For example, in at least one example, the SFI 214 can be sent to further re - use the more flexible symbol 220 as the RF symbol 216. This can be advantageous because, in response to dynamic issues, the more flexible symbol 210 can be re - used as the RF symbol 208.

[0038] Figure 3 Various combinations of RF symbols and uplink symbols within a time slot are illustrated according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Generally speaking, when an enhanced time slot format including RF symbols is configured, an uplink symbol can follow the RF symbol. This can allow for receiving transmissions from different types of ambient IoT devices after energy harvesting. In some embodiments, ambient IoT devices can store the harvested energy while other devices cannot. For different types of devices, it may be desirable to have different symbol patterns in the time slot format. For example, it is advantageous that the symbol configuration in the time slot transmitted to an ambient IoT device without a component for storing the harvested RF energy is different from the symbol configuration in the time slot transmitted to an IoT device with a component for storing the harvested RF energy.

[0039] In some embodiments, multiple consecutive RF symbols may not be allowed or supported. Figure 3 The first time slot format 302 shown illustrates a pattern where multiple consecutive RF symbols are not allowed or supported. For example, each RF symbol can be followed by a UL symbol, and then the subsequent symbol can be an RF symbol, and so on. This pattern may be beneficial for ambient IoT devices without a component for storing the harvested RF energy.

[0040] For example, some environmental IoT devices do not include batteries, capacitors, or other components for storing energy. In a time slot format configured for an environmental IoT device that does not have a component for storing energy, multiple consecutive instances of RF symbols may not be allowed or supported. For example, at least a first RF symbol 304 and a second RF symbol 306 may also be configured in a first time slot format 302. Additionally, at least one uplink symbol 308 may be directly allocated after the first RF symbol 304, and at least one other uplink symbol 310 may be directly positioned after the second RF symbol 306.

[0041] In some embodiments, the first time slot format 302 may include at least one RF / UL pair 312, where the RF / UL pair 312 may include an RF symbol and an uplink symbol directly after the RF symbol. This configuration may enable the environmental IoT device to harvest energy directly in response to the RF symbol. For example, an environmental IoT device having the first time slot format 302 may initially harvest energy in response to the first RF symbol 304, and the environmental IoT device may send information via backscattering of the signal or transmission during the uplink symbol 308.

[0042] Figure 3 A second time slot format 314 is also illustrated, where the second time slot format 314 may include a symbol pattern different from the symbol pattern found in the first time slot format 302. As Figure 3 shown, the second time slot format 314 may be configured to include one or more consecutive RF harvesting symbols. As Figure 3 shown, these RF symbols may be configured in series continuously, which may define an RF burst 316. Additionally, after the RF burst 316 present in the second time slot format 314 may be at least one uplink symbol. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, after the RF burst 316 may be a symbol other than the uplink symbol 308.

[0043] In some embodiments, the configuration of one or more RF harvesting symbols may be based on the type of RF-powered device. For example, different from the time slot pattern shown in the time slot format 302, which may be more beneficial for an environmental IoT device that does not have the ability to store harvested energy, the time slot format 314 may include multiple RF symbols that may be configured in series, which may be more beneficial for an environmental IoT device that has the ability to store harvested energy.

[0044] According to the present disclosure, an RF burst 316 combined with at least one uplink symbol may define a burst sequence 318. Similar to the previously discussed RF / UL pair 312, the burst sequence 318 may enable an ambient IoT device to harvest RF energy and allow backscattering or transmission from the ambient IoT device. In some examples, the RF burst 318 may be advantageous for ambient IoT devices having the ability to store harvested energy. RF bursts 316 of different sizes may increase the amount of energy harvested by the ambient IoT device. Increasing the amount of harvested energy may amplify the backscattering and thus increase the power of the signal transmitted from the ambient IoT device. Additionally, the RF burst 316 allows an increase in the amount of energy stored in the ambient IoT device, which may enable the device to perform more functions between harvest sessions.

[0045] Figure 4 Illustrated is an example of configuring a downlink symbol as an RF signal in accordance with one or more examples of the present disclosure. In at least one example, a network node or base station may act as a transmitter of an RF harvest signal. In the illustrated example, the network node may be configured as a transmitter and send an RF harvest signal to an ambient IoT device and / or other UEs. When in this configuration, the network node may use downlink symbols to transmit data to other devices and / or for the RF harvest signal. As shown, the downlink symbol 404 transmitted by the network node may be configured as an RF symbol 408.

[0046] As Figure 4 shown, the network node may include a network node slot format 402, where the network node slot format may be filled with different types of symbols. If the network node is configured as a signal transmitter, one or more downlink symbols (e.g., downlink symbol 404) may be used as RF symbols 408, as shown in the reconfigured slot format 406.

[0047] For an ambient IoT device, the downlink symbol 404 configured as an RF symbol 408 may be used for RF energy harvesting. For example, the ambient IoT device may be configured / indicated to have a DL symbol as an RF symbol, or the DL symbol is interpreted as an RF symbol for energy harvesting.

[0048] In some embodiments, other devices may be configured to receive signals from the network node. Many of these devices may not have the ability to perform RF energy harvesting. Thus, the network node may configure / indicate the slot format 402 to other devices (not ambient IoT devices) using a "DL" symbol as an "RF" symbol. For any downlink symbol configured / indicated as an RF symbol, other devices are not expected to be scheduled for downlink on those symbols.

[0049] In some embodiments, the UE may be configured to perform interference measurements when receiving a configured RF symbol 408. Interference measurements may be beneficial because the UE may be configured to measure interference during the configured RF symbol 408. The UE may then report the measurement results back to the network. These measurement results may then be used to determine the interference caused by the RF acquisition signal, which may help determine the optimal coexistence of the signals between the network node and the ambient IoT and between the network node and the UE.

[0050] Figure 5 An example of configuring an uplink symbol as an RF signal according to one or more examples of the present disclosure is illustrated. In at least one example, the UE may act as a transmitter of an RF acquisition signal. When in this configuration, the UE may use one or more uplink symbols (e.g., uplink symbol 504) to transmit data to other devices or as one or more RF symbols (e.g., RF symbol 508). The ambient IoT device may be configured / indicated to have UL symbols as RF symbols, or the UL symbols are interpreted as RF symbols for energy harvesting. Other UE (not ambient IoT) devices configured / indicated to have UL symbols as RF symbols are expected to be scheduled with RF signals on those symbols.

[0051] As Figure 5 shown, the time slot format 502 may be configured with different types of symbols (e.g., UL, DL, flexible). If the UE is configured as a signal transmitter, the UE may use the uplink symbol 504 to transmit an RF acquisition symbol to the ambient IoT device. In this example, one of the uplink symbols in the uplink symbol 504 is reconfigured as an RF symbol 508. The uplink symbol 504 configured as an RF symbol 508 may be used by the UE and the ambient IoT device for RF energy harvesting.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, an ambient device configured with an RF symbol may receive an energy harvesting signal from a transmitter (the device transmitting the signal) and respond back to a reader (the device reading the signal) with a backscatter signal during the same RF symbol. In other words, the transmission of the RF acquisition signal and the reception of the backscatter signal from the ambient IoT device may occur during the same RF symbol. In this example, the transmitter may be a network node, a UE, or another device capable of transmitting a signal to the ambient IoT device. This may be beneficial because the ambient IoT device may provide feedback immediately in response to the RF acquisition signal.

[0053] In some embodiments, an environmental IoT device may respond back to a transmitter on the same RF symbol in a single-static mode or a dual-static mode. In at least one embodiment, the single-static mode may be defined when the reader and the transmitter are the same device. Conversely, the dual-static mode may be defined when the reader and the transmitter are different devices.

[0054] In some embodiments, a UE (other than the environmental IoT device) may be configured with an RF symbol and configured as a transmitter. The UE may expect to be scheduled to transmit an RF energy harvesting signal to the environmental IoT device during the RF symbol.

[0055] In some embodiments, a UE (other than the environmental IoT device) may be configured with an RF symbol and configured as a reader. The UE may expect to be scheduled to receive a backscatter signal from the environmental IoT device during the RF symbol.

[0056] In another embodiment, another UE (other than the environmental IoT device) configured with an RF symbol and configured as both a transmitter and a reader may expect to be scheduled to transmit an RF energy harvesting signal to the environmental IoT device and be assigned the task of receiving a backscatter signal from the environmental IoT device on the same RF symbol.

[0057] Figure 6 Method 600 of a network node according to an embodiment herein is illustrated. The illustrated method 600 includes allocating 602 symbols within one time slot. Additionally, method 600 includes configuring 604 one or more of the symbols within the time slot as one or more radio frequency (RF) harvesting symbols. As Figure 6 shown, method 600 further includes transmitting 606 data during the downlink symbols of the time slot. The method also includes receiving 608 data from one or more user equipment (UE) devices during the uplink symbols of the time slot. Additionally, method 600 includes reserving 610 one or more RF harvesting symbols for the transmission of RF harvesting signals.

[0058] In some embodiments of method 600, the time slot may include a time slot format that further includes a symbol type dedicated to RF harvesting symbols.

[0059] In some embodiments of method 600, configuring one or more RF harvesting symbols may include reconfiguring flexible symbols. In some such embodiments, a dynamic indication may also be sent to indicate that a flexible symbol is one of the RF harvesting symbols.

[0060] In some embodiments of method 600, configuring one or more RF acquisition symbols may include configuring a first RF acquisition symbol and a second RF acquisition symbol. Additionally, some embodiments of method 600 may further include allocating at least one uplink symbol among the uplink symbols after the first RF acquisition symbol, and allocating at least one other uplink symbol among the uplink symbols after the second RF acquisition symbol.

[0061] In some embodiments of method 600, configuring one or more RF acquisition symbols may include configuring a plurality of RF acquisition symbols consecutively in a burst, where the burst is followed by at least one uplink symbol.

[0062] In some embodiments of method 600, a network node may act as a transmitter of an RF acquisition signal. In some such embodiments, one or more downlink symbols among the downlink symbols are configured as one or more RF acquisition symbols.

[0063] In some embodiments of method 600, a first UE device among one or more UE devices may act as a transmitter of an RF acquisition signal. Additionally, one or more uplink symbols among the uplink symbols may be configured as one or more RF acquisition symbols.

[0064] In some embodiments of method 600, reception of an RF acquisition signal and transmission of a corresponding backscatter from a UE device may occur on the same RF acquisition symbol.

[0065] In some embodiments of method 600, reception of a corresponding backscatter is on the same symbol and the same frequency as the RF acquisition signal (i.e., full-duplex TDD).

[0066] In some embodiments of method 600, reception of a backscatter is on the same symbol as the RF acquisition signal, but at a different (shifted) frequency (i.e., FDD).

[0067] In some embodiments of method 600, RF acquisition symbols are used for unmodulated signal transmission or modulated signal transmission.

[0068] In some embodiments of method 600, method 600 may further include receiving interference measurements associated with the RF acquisition symbols.

[0069] In some embodiments of method 600, configuring one or more RF acquisition symbols may be based on the type of RF-powered device.

[0070] In some embodiments, on a symbol configured as an RF symbol, only unmodulated signal transmission (i.e., a carrier) is allowed.

[0071] In some embodiments, modulation signal transmission (e.g., physical channels or reference signals) is allowed on symbols configured as RF symbols.

[0072] In some embodiments, a UE (not ambient IoT) device configured / indicated to have UL symbols as RF symbols is expected to measure interference on the RF symbols and report the measurement results back to the network. This may be beneficial for determining the interference caused by the RF signal to the UE (other than ambient IoT) for optimal coexistence.

[0073] In some embodiments, for ambient device type A, only one pair of RF and UL symbols can be configured (i.e., an RF symbol followed by a UL symbol). In some embodiments, for ambient device type B or type C, one or more consecutive RF symbols are allowed and no subsequent UL symbols.

[0074] Embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes means for performing one or more elements of method 600. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus of a base station (such as network device 918 as a base station, as described herein).

[0075] Embodiments contemplated herein include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform one or more elements of method 600. The non-transitory computer-readable media can be, for example, a memory of a base station (such as memory 922 of network device 918 as a base station, as described herein).

[0076] Embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes logic, modules, or circuitry for performing one or more elements of method 600. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus of a base station (such as network device 918 as a base station, as described herein).

[0077] Embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes: one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform one or more elements of method 600. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus of a base station (such as network device 918 as a base station, as described herein).

[0078] Embodiments contemplated herein include a signal as described in or related to one or more elements of method 600.

[0079] Implementations contemplated herein include a computer program or computer program product that includes instructions, where execution of the program by a processing element causes the processing element to perform one or more elements of method 600. The processor may be a memory of a base station (such as processor 920 of network device 918 that is a base station, as described herein). These instructions may be located, for example, in the processor and / or on a memory of the base station (such as memory 922 of network device 918 that is a base station, as described herein).

[0080] Figure 7 Method 700 for a UE according to an implementation herein is illustrated. The illustrated method 700 includes receiving 702 symbol allocations within a time slot, where one or more symbols within the time slot are configured as one or more radio frequency (RF) acquisition symbols. Method 700 further includes receiving 704 data from a network node during downlink symbols of the time slot. Additionally, method 700 may include transmitting 706 data to the network node during uplink symbols of the time slot. Method 700 may further include reserving 708 one or more RF acquisition symbols for transmission of an RF acquisition signal.

[0081] In some implementations of method 700, the time slot may include a time slot format that includes a symbol type dedicated to RF acquisition symbols.

[0082] In some implementations of method 700, method 700 may further include receiving a reconfiguration of a flexible symbol to reconfigure the flexible symbol as one of the RF acquisition symbols.

[0083] In some implementations of method 700, method 700 may further include receiving a dynamic indication that indicates a flexible symbol as one of the RF acquisition symbols.

[0084] In some implementations of method 700, the time slot may include a first RF acquisition symbol and a second RF acquisition symbol. In some such implementations, the time slot may include at least one uplink symbol among the uplink symbols after the first RF acquisition symbol, and at least one other uplink symbol among the uplink symbols after the second RF acquisition symbol.

[0085] In some implementations of method 700, the time slot may include a plurality of consecutive RF acquisition symbols in a burst. Additionally, there may be at least one uplink symbol after the burst.

[0086] In some implementations of method 700, the network node may act as a transmitter of an RF acquisition signal. In some such implementations, one or more downlink symbols among the downlink symbols may be configured as one or more RF acquisition symbols.

[0087] In some embodiments of method 700, the UE may act as a transmitter of RF acquisition signals. Additionally, one or more of the uplink symbols may be configured as one or more RF acquisition symbols.

[0088] In some embodiments of method 700, the reception of the RF acquisition signal and the transmission of the corresponding backscatter from the UE device may occur on the same RF acquisition symbol.

[0089] In some embodiments of method 700, the reception of the corresponding backscatter is on the same symbol and the same frequency as the RF acquisition signal (i.e., full-duplex TDD).

[0090] In some embodiments of method 700, the reception of the backscatter is on the same symbol as the RF acquisition signal, but at a different (shifted) frequency (i.e., FDD).

[0091] In some embodiments of method 700, the RF acquisition symbols may be used for unmodulated signal transmission or modulated signal transmission.

[0092] In some embodiments of method 700, method 700 may further include performing interference measurements during one or more of the RF acquisition symbols.

[0093] In some embodiments of method 700, the configuration of one or more RF acquisition symbols may be based on the type of RF-powered device.

[0094] Embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes means for performing one or more elements of method 700. The apparatus may be, for example, an apparatus of a UE (such as wireless device 902 that is a UE, as described herein).

[0095] Embodiments contemplated herein include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform one or more elements of method 700. The non-transitory computer-readable medium may be, for example, a memory of a UE (such as memory 906 of wireless device 902 that is a UE, as described herein).

[0096] Embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes logic, modules, or circuitry for performing one or more elements of method 700. The apparatus may be, for example, an apparatus of a UE (such as wireless device 902 that is a UE, as described herein).

[0097] Example embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes: one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform one or more elements of method 700. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus of a UE (such as wireless device 902 that is a UE, as described herein).

[0098] Example embodiments contemplated herein include a signal as described in one or more elements of method 700 or described in relation to one or more elements of the method.

[0099] Example embodiments contemplated herein include a computer program or computer program product that includes instructions, where execution of the program by a processor causes the processor to perform one or more elements of method 700. The processor can be a processor of a UE (such as processor 904 of wireless device 902 that is a UE, as described herein). The instructions can be, for example, located in and / or on a memory of the UE (such as memory 906 of wireless device 902 that is a UE, as described herein).

[0100] Figure 8 An example architecture of a wireless communication system 800 in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein is illustrated. The following description provided is for an example wireless communication system 800 operating in conjunction with the LTE system standard and / or 5G or NR system standard provided in 3GPP technical specifications.

[0101] As Figure 8 shown, the wireless communication system 800 includes UEs 802 and 804 (however, any number of UEs can be used). In this example, UEs 802 and 804 are illustrated as smart phones (e.g., handheld touchscreen mobile computing devices capable of connecting to one or more cellular networks), but can also include any mobile or non-mobile computing device configured for wireless communication.

[0102] UEs 802 and 804 can be configured to communicate-couple with RAN 806. In an embodiment, RAN 806 can be an NG-RAN, an E-UTRAN, etc. UEs 802 and 804 utilize connections (or channels) with RAN 806 (shown as connections 808 and 810, respectively), where each connection (or channel) includes a physical communication interface. RAN 806 can include one or more base stations (such as base stations 812 and 814) that implement connections 808 and 810.

[0103] In this example, the connections 808 and 810 are the air interfaces for achieving such communication coupling and can conform to the RAT used by the RAN 806, such as LTE and / or NR.

[0104] In some embodiments, the UEs 802 and 804 may also directly communicate and exchange data via the sidelink interface 816. It is shown that the UE 804 is configured to access an access point (shown as AP 818) via the connection 820. For example, the connection 820 may include a local wireless connection, such as any connection conforming to the IEEE 802.11 protocol, where the AP 818 may include a router. In this example, the AP 818 may not be connected to another network (e.g., the Internet) through the CN 824.

[0105] In an embodiment, the UEs 802 and 804 may be configured to communicate with each other or with the base stations 812 and / or 814 over a multi-carrier communication channel using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication signals according to various communication technologies, such as but not limited to, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication technology (e.g., for downlink communication) or single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) communication technology (e.g., for uplink and ProSe or sidelink communication), although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this regard. The OFDM signal may include a plurality of orthogonal subcarriers.

[0106] In some embodiments, all or part of the base station 812 or the base station 814 may be implemented as one or more software entities running on a server computer as part of a virtual network. Additionally, or in other embodiments, the base stations 812 and 814 may be configured to communicate with each other via the interface 822. In an embodiment where the wireless communication system 800 is an LTE system (e.g., when the CN 824 is an EPC), the interface 822 may be an X2 interface. The X2 interface may be defined between two or more base stations (e.g., two or more eNBs, etc.) connected to the EPC and / or between two eNBs connected to the EPC. In an embodiment where the wireless communication system 800 is an NR system (e.g., when the CN 824 is a 5GC), the interface 822 may be an Xn interface. The Xn interface is defined between two or more base stations (e.g., two or more gNBs, etc.) connected to the 5GC, between the base station 812 (e.g., gNB) connected to the 5GC and an eNB, and / or between two eNBs connected to the 5GC (e.g., the CN 824).

[0107] Shows the RAN 806 communicatively coupled to the CN 824. The CN 824 may include one or more network elements 826 configured to provide various data and telecommunications services to customers / subscribers (e.g., users of UEs 802 and 804) connected to the CN 824 via the RAN 806. The components of the CN 824 may be implemented in one physical device or in respective independent physical devices including components for reading and executing instructions from a machine-readable or computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium).

[0108] In an embodiment, the CN 824 can be an EPC, and the RAN 806 can be connected to the CN 824 via the S1 interface 828. In an embodiment, the S1 interface 828 can be divided into two parts: the S1 user plane (S1-U) interface, which carries traffic data between the base station 812 or base station 814 and the serving gateway (S-GW); and the S1-MME interface, which is a signaling interface between the base station 812 or base station 814 and the mobility management entity (MME).

[0109] In an embodiment, the CN 824 can be a 5GC, and the RAN 806 can be connected to the CN 824 via the NG interface 828. In an embodiment, the NG interface 828 can be divided into two parts: the NG user plane (NG-U) interface, which carries traffic data between the base station 812 or base station 814 and the user plane function (UPF); and the S1 control plane (NG-C) interface, which is a signaling interface between the base station 812 or base station 814 and the access and mobility management function (AMF).

[0110] Generally, the application server 830 can be an element that provides an application that uses Internet Protocol (IP) bearer resources together with the CN 824 (e.g., packet-switched data services). The application server 830 can also be configured to support one or more communication services (e.g., VoIP sessions, group communication sessions, etc.) for the UEs 802 and 804 via the CN 824. The application server 830 can communicate with the CN 824 through the IP communication interface 832.

[0111] Figure 9 Illustrates a system 900 for performing signaling 934 between a wireless device 902 and a network device 918 according to embodiments disclosed herein. The system 900 can be part of a wireless communication system as described herein. The wireless device 902 can be, for example, a UE of a wireless communication system. The network device 918 can be, for example, a base station (e.g., eNB or gNB) of a wireless communication system.

[0112] The wireless device 902 may include one or more processors 904. The processor 904 may execute instructions to perform various operations of the wireless device 902 as described herein. The processor 904 may include one or more baseband processors, which are implemented using, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a controller, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device, another hardware device, a firmware device, or any combination thereof for performing the operations described herein.

[0113] The wireless device 902 may include a memory 906. The memory 906 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions 908 (which may include, for example, instructions executed by the processor 904). The instructions 908 may also be referred to as program code or a computer program. The memory 906 may also store data used by the processor 904 and results calculated by the processor.

[0114] The wireless device 902 may include one or more transceivers 910, which may include radio frequency (RF) transmitter circuitry and / or receiver circuitry that uses the antenna 912 of the wireless device 902 to facilitate transmitted or received signaling (e.g., signaling 934) between the wireless device 902 and other devices (e.g., network device 918) according to a corresponding RAT.

[0115] The wireless device 902 may include one or more antennas 912 (e.g., one, two, four or more). For embodiments having multiple antennas 912, the wireless device 902 may take advantage of the spatial diversity of these multiple antennas 912 to transmit and / or receive multiple different data streams on the same time-frequency resource. This behavior may be referred to as, for example, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) behavior (referring to the multiple antennas used at each of the transmitting and receiving devices to achieve this aspect). The MIMO transmission performed by the wireless device 902 may be implemented according to precoding (or digital beamforming) applied to the wireless device 902, where the wireless device 902 multiplexes data streams between the antennas 912 based on known or assumed channel characteristics such that each data stream is received with an appropriate signal strength relative to the other streams and at a desired location in the spatial domain (e.g., the location of the receiver associated with that data stream). Certain embodiments may use single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) methods (where the data streams are all directed to a single receiver) and / or multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) methods (where individual data streams may be directed to individual (different) receivers at different locations in the spatial domain).

[0116] In some embodiments with multiple antennas, the wireless device 902 may implement analog beamforming techniques, whereby the phases of the signals transmitted by the antennas 912 are adjusted relative to each other such that the (joint) transmission of the antennas 912 is directional (which is sometimes referred to as beam steering).

[0117] The wireless device 902 may include one or more interfaces 914. The interfaces 914 can be used to provide input or output to the wireless device 902. For example, the wireless device 902 as a UE may include interfaces 914, such as a microphone, a speaker, a touch screen, buttons, etc., to allow a user of the UE to input to and / or output from the UE. Other interfaces of such UEs may consist of transmitters, receivers, and other circuitry (e.g., in addition to the transceiver 910 / antennas 912 already described), which allow the UE to communicate with other devices and may operate according to known protocols (e.g., etc.).

[0118] The wireless device 902 may include a symbol module 916. The symbol module 916 can be implemented via hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the symbol module 916 can be implemented as a processor, circuitry, and / or instructions 908 stored in the memory 906 and executed by the processor 904. In some examples, the symbol module 916 can be integrated within the processor 904 and / or the transceiver 910. For example, the symbol module 916 can be implemented by a combination of software components (e.g., executed by a DSP or a general-purpose processor) and hardware components (e.g., logic gates and circuitry) within the processor 904 or the transceiver 910.

[0119] The symbol module 916 can be used in various aspects of the present disclosure, for example, Figures 1 to 8 aspects of. The symbol module 916 is configured to determine the symbol type of a time slot.

[0120] The network device 918 may include one or more processors 920. The processors 920 can execute instructions to perform various operations of the network device 918 as described herein. The processors 920 may include one or more baseband processors, which are implemented using, for example, a CPU, a DSP, an ASIC, a controller, an FPGA device, another hardware device, a firmware device, or any combination thereof configured to perform the operations described herein.

[0121] The network device 918 may include a memory 922. The memory 922 can be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions 924 (which may include, for example, instructions executed by the processors 920). The instructions 924 may also be referred to as program code or a computer program. The memory 922 may also store data used by the processors 920 and results calculated by the processors.

[0122] The network device 918 may include one or more transceivers 926, and the one or more transceivers may include an RF transmitter circuit and / or a receiver circuit, and the RF transmitter circuit and / or the receiver circuit uses the antenna 928 of the network device 918 to facilitate transmitted or received signaling (e.g., signaling 934) between the network device 918 and other devices (e.g., the wireless device 902) according to the corresponding RAT.

[0123] The network device 918 may include one or more antennas 928 (e.g., one, two, four or more). In an embodiment having multiple antennas 928, the network device 918 may perform MIMO, digital beamforming, analog beamforming, beam control, etc. as described above.

[0124] The network device 918 may include one or more interfaces 930. The interface 930 may be used to provide input to the network device 918 or provide output from the network device. For example, the network device 918 as a base station may include an interface 930 composed of a transmitter, a receiver, and other circuits (e.g., in addition to the transceivers 926 / antennas 928 already described), which enables the base station to communicate with other equipment in the core network, and / or enables the base station to communicate with an external network, a computer, a database, etc., for the purpose of performing operations, managing, and maintaining the base station or other equipment operably connected thereto.

[0125] The network device 918 may include a time slot configuration module 932. The time slot configuration module 932 may be implemented via hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the time slot configuration module 932 may be implemented as a processor, a circuit, and / or instructions 924 stored in the memory 922 and executed by the processor 920. In some examples, the time slot configuration module 932 may be integrated within the processor 920 and / or the transceiver 926. For example, the time slot configuration module 932 may be implemented by a combination of a software component (e.g., executed by a DSP or a general-purpose processor) and a hardware component (e.g., logic gates and circuits) within the processor 920 or the transceiver 926.

[0126] The time slot configuration module 932 may be used in various aspects of the present disclosure, for example, Figures 1 to 8 in various aspects. The time slot configuration module 932 is configured to configure symbols of a time slot.

[0127] For one or more embodiments, at least one of the components depicted in one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to perform one or more operations, techniques, processes, and / or methods as described herein. For example, a baseband processor as described herein in connection with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the examples set forth herein. As another example, circuitry associated with a UE, base station, network element, etc. as described above in connection with one or more of the foregoing figures may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the examples set forth herein.

[0128] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, any of the above embodiments may be combined with any other embodiment (or combination of embodiments). The foregoing description of one or more specific implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings, or may be acquired from the practice of various embodiments.

[0129] Embodiments and specific implementations of the systems and methods described herein may include various operations, which may be embodied in machine-executable instructions to be executed by a computer system. The computer system may include one or more general-purpose or special-purpose computers (or other electronic devices). The computer system may include hardware components that include specific logic components for performing the operations; or may include a combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware.

[0130] It should be recognized that the systems described herein include a description of specific embodiments. These embodiments may be combined into a single system, partially combined into other systems, divided into multiple systems, or otherwise partitioned or combined. Additionally, it is contemplated that the parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment. For clarity, these parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. are described in only one or more embodiments, and it should be recognized that, unless explicitly stated herein, these parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. may be combined with or substituted for the parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. of another embodiment.

[0131] It is well known that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of inadvertent or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of the authorized use should be clearly explained to the user.

[0132] Although the foregoing has been described in considerable detail for purposes of clarity, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. It should be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing both the processes and apparatus described herein. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and the specification is not limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for a network node, the method comprising: Allocating symbols within time slots; configuring one or more of the symbols in the time slot as one or more radio frequency (RF) acquisition symbols; transmitting data during downlink symbols of the time slot; receiving data from one or more user equipment (UE) devices during uplink symbols of the time slot; as well as The one or more RF acquisition symbols are reserved for transmission of an RF acquisition signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the time slot comprises a time slot format, the time slot format comprising a symbol type specific to the RF acquisition symbol. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the one or more RF acquisition symbols comprises reconfiguring a flexible symbol, or sending a dynamic indication to indicate that the flexible symbol is one of the RF acquisition symbols.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the one or more RF acquisition symbols comprises: Configure a first RF acquisition symbol and a second RF acquisition symbol; as well as At least one of the uplink symbols is allocated after the first RF acquisition symbol, and at least one other of the uplink symbols is allocated after the second RF acquisition symbol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the one or more RF acquisition symbols comprises configuring a plurality of RF acquisition symbols consecutively in a burst, wherein the burst is followed by at least one of the uplink symbols.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network node acts as a transmitter of the RF acquisition signal, and wherein one or more of the downlink symbols are configured as the one or more RF acquisition symbols.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a first UE device of the one or more UE devices acts as a transmitter of the RF acquisition signal, and wherein one or more of the uplink symbols are configured as the one or more RF acquisition symbols.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reception of the RF acquisition signal and the corresponding backscattered transmission from the UE device occur on the same RF acquisition symbol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the corresponding backscattered reception is at the same sign and the same frequency as the RF acquisition signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the backscatter is received on the same symbol as the RF acquisition signal, but on a different frequency. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the RF acquisition symbol is used for unmodulated signal transmission or modulated signal transmission.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving interference measurements associated with the RF acquisition symbols.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the one or more RF acquisition symbols is based on a type of RF powered device.

14. A method for user equipment UE, the method comprising: receiving an allocation of symbols within a time slot, wherein one or more of the symbols within the time slot are configured as one or more radio frequency (RF) acquisition symbols; receiving data from a network node during a downlink symbol of the time slot; transmitting data to the network node during an uplink symbol of the time slot; as well as The one or more RF acquisition symbols are reserved for transmission of an RF acquisition signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the time slot comprises a time slot format, the time slot format comprising a symbol type specific to the RF acquisition symbol.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a reconfiguration of a flexible symbol to reconfigure the flexible symbol as one of the RF acquisition symbols.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a dynamic indication indicating a flexible symbol as one of the RF acquisition symbols.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the time slot comprises a first RF acquisition symbol and a second RF acquisition symbol, The time slots include: At least one of the uplink symbols following the first RF acquisition symbol and at least one other of the uplink symbols following the second RF acquisition symbol.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the time slot comprises a plurality of RF acquisition symbols consecutively in a burst, wherein the burst is followed by at least one of the uplink symbols.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the network node acts as a transmitter of the RF acquisition signal, and wherein one or more of the downlink symbols are configured as the one or more RF acquisition symbols.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the UE acts as a transmitter of the RF acquisition signal, and wherein one or more of the uplink symbols are configured as the one or more RF acquisition symbols.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the reception of the RF acquisition signal and the corresponding backscattered transmission from the UE device occur on the same RF acquisition symbol.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the corresponding backscattered reception is at the same sign and the same frequency as the RF acquisition signal.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the backscatter is received on the same symbol as the RF acquisition signal, but on a different frequency.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the RF acquisition symbol is used for unmodulated signal transmission or modulated signal transmission.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising performing interference measurements during one or more of the RF acquisition symbols.

27. The method of claim 14, wherein configuration of the one or more RF acquisition symbols is based on a type of RF powered device.

28. An apparatus comprising means for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 27.

29. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 27.

30. An apparatus comprising logic, modules or circuits operable to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 27.

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