Method and apparatus for V2X applications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for vehicle to everything (V2X) applications are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a V2X Application Specific Server (VASS) receives, from a terminal device, a first indication indicating that a battery power of the terminal device is below a predetermined threshold. The VASS determines whether the terminal device is entering a vulnerable road user (VRU) area. When it is determined that the terminal device is entering the VRU area, the VASS obtains a location of the terminal device from a Service Enabler Architecture Layer (SEAL) Location Management Service (LMS). The VASS sends, via a V2X Application Enabler (VAE) server, an alert message to one or more neighbor terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device indicating that the terminal device having a battery level below a predetermined threshold is around the obtained location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to communications, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications. Background Art

[0002] This section introduces aspects that may facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure. Therefore, the statements in this section should be read in this light and should not be understood as admissions of what is or is not prior art.

[0003] V2X is a technology that allows vehicles to communicate with any entity that may affect the vehicle and vice versa. V2X consists of more specific communication types such as vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-network (V2N), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), etc.

[0004] Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) allows C-V2X devices to connect to the cellular network in a traditional manner via the Uu interface. Uu refers to the logical interface between the user equipment (UE) and the base station. This is commonly referred to as V2N.

[0005] However, due to the large amount of message exchanges especially for V2V communication, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) also introduced the PC5 interface (also referred to as "side link" in the 3GPP Radio Access Network (RAN) specifications) to support direct communication between C-V2X devices to improve C-V2X efficiency.

[0006] V2X is also crucial for safe and efficient autonomous driving. For example, V2X communications can alert an autonomous vehicle to objects that it cannot directly see (non-line of sight).

[0007] Figure 1 The figure illustrates the reference architecture of C-V2X. As shown, pedestrians 110, vehicles 120, and roadside units (RSUs) 130 can communicate with each other via the PC5 interface. RSUs 130 can communicate with the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) / 5th Generation Core (5GC) 140 via the Uu interface, which in turn communicates with the V2X application server 150. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0009] One of the objectives of the present disclosure is to provide an improved solution for V2X applications. In particular, one of the problems to be addressed by the present disclosure is that existing solutions for pedestrian protection may cause pedestrian UEs with low battery power to quickly deplete their batteries, thereby losing the protection provided by the pedestrian safety system.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a V2X application specific server (VASS) is provided. The method includes receiving a first indication from a terminal device indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold. The method also includes determining whether the terminal device is entering a vulnerable road user (VRU) area. The method also includes obtaining the location of the terminal device from a service enabler architecture layer (SEAL) location management service (LMS) when it is determined that the terminal device is entering the VRU area. The method also includes sending an alert message to one or more neighbor terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device via a V2X application enabler (VAE) server, the alert message indicating that the terminal device with a battery charge lower than the predetermined threshold is around the obtained location.

[0011] In this way, it is possible to extend the duration of protection provided to the entity carrying the terminal device, even if the terminal device has a low battery charge.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the alarm message may include: information about the terminal device; a second indication indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; and information about the obtained location of the terminal device.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first indication may be received in an application context for the terminal device.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first indication is implemented by an indicator having a first value, and the indicator can take the first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication may be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator may take the first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, determining whether the terminal device is entering a VRU area may include sending a first request to the VAE server for subscribing to notifications related to whether the terminal device is entering or leaving the VRU area. Determining whether the terminal device is entering a VRU area may also include receiving the notification from the VAE server.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, obtaining the location of the terminal device from the SEAL LMS may include sending a second request to the SEAL LMS for tracking the location of the terminal device. Obtaining the location of the terminal device from the SEAL LMS may also include receiving the location of the terminal device from the SEAL LMS.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include receiving a third indication from the terminal device indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold. The method may further include stopping obtaining the location of the terminal device and stopping sending the alarm message.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third indication may be implemented by an indicator having a second value. The indicator may take a first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0020] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a terminal device is provided. The method may include, when a battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold, sending a first indication to a VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold. The method may also include entering an idle mode in which one or more predetermined operations related to a vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) application are disabled.

[0021] In this way, power consumption of an end device with low battery power can be minimized to allow the end device to maintain connection to its service network for a longer duration, thereby extending the duration of pedestrian safety system protection.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application may include at least one of the following: sending / receiving V2X messages; processing V2X messages; and retrieving the Global Positioning System (GPS) location of the terminal device and sending it to the SEAL LMS.

[0023] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first indication may be sent in an application context for the terminal device.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first indication may be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator may take the first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include, when the battery level of the terminal device is not less than the predetermined threshold, sending a second indication to the VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not less than the predetermined threshold. The method may also include entering a normal mode, in which the one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application are performed normally.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication may be implemented by an indicator having a second value. The indicator may take a first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0027] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a VAE server is provided. The method may include receiving, from a VASS, an alert message indicating that a terminal device having a battery charge below a predetermined threshold is located around a location, and information about a geographical area in which the alert message is to be distributed. The method may also include forwarding the alert message to one or more neighboring terminal devices that are adjacent to the terminal device in the geographical area based on the information about the geographical area.

[0028] In this way, it is possible to provide protection to the entity carrying the terminal device even if the terminal device has a low battery level.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the alarm message may include: information about the terminal device; an indication that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; and information about the location of the terminal device.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the indication may be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator may take the first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a first terminal device is provided. The method may include receiving an alert message from a VAE server, the alert message indicating that a second terminal device with a battery charge below a predetermined threshold is near a location. The method may also include performing one or more predetermined actions to enhance protection for an entity carrying the second terminal device based on the alert message.

[0032] In this way, it is possible to provide protection to the entity carrying the second terminal device even if the second terminal device has a low battery level.

[0033] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more predetermined operations may include one or more of the following: detecting a more accurate location of the second terminal device around the location indicated by the alarm message; causing the vehicle carrying the first terminal device to honk when the vehicle is traveling around the location; and causing the vehicle carrying the first terminal device to maintain a predetermined distance from the location.

[0034] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a more accurate location of the second terminal device can be detected by one or more of the following: radar; lidar; and video camera.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the alarm message may include: information about the second terminal device; an indication that the battery level of the second terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; and information about the location of the second terminal device.

[0036] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a VASS is provided. The VASS may include at least one processor and at least one memory. The at least one memory may contain instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, whereby the VASS may be operable to receive a first indication from a terminal device indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold. The VASS may also be operable to determine whether the terminal device is entering a VRU area. The VASS may also be operable to obtain the location of the terminal device from a SEAL LMS when it is determined that the terminal device is entering a VRU area. The VASS may also be operable to send an alarm message to one or more neighboring terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device via a VAE server, the alarm message indicating that the terminal device with a battery charge lower than the predetermined threshold is around the obtained location.

[0037] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the VASS may be operable to perform the method according to the above first aspect.

[0038] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal device is provided. The terminal device may include at least one processor and at least one memory. The at least one memory may contain instructions executable by the at least one processor, whereby the terminal device may be operable to, when the battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold, send a first indication to a VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold. The terminal device may also be operable to enter an idle mode, in which one or more predetermined operations related to a V2P application are disabled.

[0039] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal device may be operable to execute the method according to the above-mentioned second aspect.

[0040] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a VAE server is provided. The VAE server may include at least one processor and at least one memory. The at least one memory may contain instructions executable by the at least one processor, whereby the VAE server may be operable to receive, from a VASS, an alert message indicating that a terminal device with a battery charge below a predetermined threshold is around a location, and information about a geographical area in which the alert message is to be distributed. The VAE server may also be operable to forward the alert message to one or more neighboring terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device in the geographical area based on the information about the geographical area.

[0041] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the VAE server may be operable to perform the method according to the third aspect above.

[0042] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a first terminal device is provided. The first terminal device may include at least one processor and at least one memory. The at least one memory may contain instructions executable by the at least one processor, whereby the first terminal device may be operable to receive an alert message from a VAE server, the alert message indicating that a second terminal device with a battery level below a predetermined threshold is near a location. The first terminal device may also be operable to perform one or more predetermined operations to enhance protection for an entity carrying the second terminal device based on the alert message.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first terminal device may be operable to execute the method according to the fourth aspect above.

[0044] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, which may include instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to any one of the first to fourth aspects.

[0045] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which instructions may be stored, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to any one of the first to fourth aspects.

[0046] According to the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, a VASS is provided. The VASS may include a receiving module for receiving a first indication from a terminal device indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold. The VASS may also include a determining module for determining whether the terminal device is entering a VRU area. The VASS may also include an obtaining module for obtaining the location of the terminal device from a SEAL LMS when it is determined that the terminal device is entering a VRU area. The VASS may also include a sending module for sending an alarm message to one or more neighboring terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device via a VAE server, the alarm message indicating that the terminal device with a battery power lower than the predetermined threshold is around the obtained location.

[0047] According to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal device is provided. The terminal device may include a sending module configured to, when the battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold, send a first indication to a VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold. The terminal device may also include a control module configured to enter an idle mode, in which one or more predetermined operations related to a V2P application are disabled.

[0048] According to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a VAE server is provided. The VAE server may include a receiving module configured to receive, from a VASS, an alert message indicating that a terminal device having a battery level below a predetermined threshold is located around a location, and information regarding a geographical area to which the alert message is to be distributed. The VAE server may also include a forwarding module configured to forward the alert message to one or more neighboring terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device in the geographical area based on the information regarding the geographical area.

[0049] According to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a first terminal device is provided. The first terminal device may include a receiving module configured to receive an alert message from a VAE server, the alert message indicating that a second terminal device with a battery level below a predetermined threshold is near a location. The first terminal device may also include an execution module configured to execute one or more predetermined operations to enhance protection for an entity carrying the second terminal device based on the alert message.

[0050] According to a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented in a communication system including two or more of a VASS, a terminal device, a VAE server, and a first terminal device is provided. The method may include steps of two or more of the methods according to the first to fourth aspects above.

[0051] According to the sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided, which includes two or more of the VASS according to the fifth or eleventh aspect above, the terminal device according to the sixth or twelfth aspect above, the VAE server according to the seventh or thirteenth aspect above, and the first terminal device according to the eighth or fourteenth aspect above.

[0052] With some embodiments of the present disclosure, since a terminal device with low battery power offloads V2X message processing to the VASS, the battery consumption of the terminal device can be minimized, allowing its network connection to be maintained for as long as possible (or the duration of its network connection to be extended). As long as the terminal device is connected, the VASS can subscribe to its network location and alert (one or more) of its neighboring terminal devices to its presence (or take special actions to protect the entity carrying the terminal device). In this way, even if the terminal device has low battery power, it is possible to provide protection to the entity carrying the terminal device for as long as possible (or extend the duration of protection provided to the entity carrying the terminal device). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0054] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a reference architecture of C-V2X;

[0055] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a process for VAE client-enabled V2P communication scheduling configuration;

[0056] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a process for VAE server-enabled V2P communication scheduling configuration;

[0057] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary communication system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied;

[0058] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a VASS according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] Figure 6 Is used to explain Figure 5 a flowchart of a method;

[0060] Figure 7 Is used to explain Figure 5 a flowchart of a method;

[0061] Figure 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a VASS according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0062] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0063] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0064] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a VAE server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0065] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a first terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0066] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0067] Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0068] Figure 15 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus suitable for use in practicing some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0069] Figure 16 is a block diagram illustrating a VASS according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0070] Figure 17 is a block diagram illustrating a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0071] Figure 18 is a block diagram illustrating a VAE server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0072] Figure 19 is a block diagram illustrating a first terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] For purposes of explanation, certain details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it is apparent to one skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent configuration.

[0074] Vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication operates under the same mechanisms as other types of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I). However, we cannot simply install a V2X connection unit on unpowered V2P entities such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, and, of course, humans. In this case, a smartphone can serve as the end entity.

[0075] However, the limited battery life of smartphones is a bottleneck in implementing pedestrian safety systems. In 3GPP Technical Report (TR) 23.700-64 V1.0.0 (Chapter 6.1), a solution for V2X Application Enabler (VAE) to support energy-efficient V2P is proposed. The VAE layer can provide support functions for enabling V2P applications by integrating V2P application requirements and aligning communication traffic patterns with PC5 Quality of Service (QoS) settings and Access Stratum (AS) layer configurations (e.g., discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles). Such alignment can take the form of triggering updates to the QoS / AS layer configuration based on application requirements.

[0076] Different processes correspond to different solution variants to address different use cases. Figure 2 It is 3GPP TR23.700-64V1.0.0 Figure 6.1.1.2.1-1, and provides a VAE client-enabled V2P communication scheduling configuration that can be suitable for off-grid deployments and can be triggered by a V2X user equipment (UE) application based on a previous configuration from a VAE server (for example, if the UE battery is low while a V2P session is ongoing). In step 1, on V2X UE#1, V2X application-specific clients 1 and 2 provide V2X application requirements to the VAE client, including latency requirements for PC5 communications, etc. In step 2, the VAE client of V2X UE#1 integrates the requirements from the two applications and generates a UE-level transmission schedule such that the off-duration is maximized. In step 3, the VAE client of V2X UE#1 sends a V2P communication schedule update message including the generated UE-level transmission schedule to other VAE clients 2 (nearby or in a service-based group) to negotiate the optimal transmission mode or notify the expected reception mode. In step 4, the VAE client of V2X UE#2 accepts or provides its transmission period, or negotiates a service mode. This depends on the relationship between the UEs and their priority (e.g., UE-1 may be the group leader). In step 5, the VAE client of V2X UE#2 may optionally send a V2P communication schedule update message, which indicates the expected / generated transmission mode for UE#2. In step 6, the VAE clients of V2X UE#1 and V2X UE#2 provide the updated service mode to the V2X layer as V2X application requirements, including QoS requirements for PC5 communication for both applications, such as latency requirements, priority, etc., as specified in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 23.287, section 5.4.1.1. The VAE client may also indicate the transmission mode (unicast, multicast) for each application. The V2X layer of UE#1 and UE#2 processes the requirements from the VAE client and generates a UE-level DRX schedule. The AS layer of UE#1 and UE#2 applies / configures the DRX schedule for the corresponding V2X communication. In step 7 , the VAE clients of V2X UE #1 and #2 may send a notification to (one or more) V2X application specific clients to notify the communication service mode.

[0077] Figure 3 It is 3GPP TR 23.700-64V1.0.0 Figure 6.1.1.2.2-1, and provides a VAE server-enabled V2P communication scheduling configuration, which can be applicable to use cases where the VAE server configures / aligns the schedule for V2X UEs after receiving V2X application-specific server (VASS) requirements (for example, it can be used in vulnerable road user (VRU) areas to avoid flooding / interference by continuously sending / receiving V2X messages). In step 1, one or more V2X application-specific servers provide the VAE server with V2X application requirements, including application QoS requirements for V2P applications and provisioning policies and parameters for PC5 communication. In step 2, the VAE server generates a communication schedule for one or more involved V2X UEs so that the off duration is maximized. In step 3, the VAE server sends a V2P communication scheduling configuration message to the involved VAE clients. In step 4, the VAE clients of V2X UE#1 and V2X UE#2 provide the updated service mode to the V2X layer as V2X application requirements, also including the QoS requirements for PC5 communication for the two applications, such as delay requirements, priority, etc., as specified in 3GPP TS23.287 Section 5.4.1.1. The VAE client may also indicate the transmission mode (unicast, multicast) for each application. The V2X layer of UE#1 and UE#2 processes the requirements from the VAE client and generates a UE-level DRX schedule. The AS layer of UE#1 and UE#2 applies / configures the DRX schedule for the corresponding V2X communication. In step 5, the VAE clients of V2X UE#1 and #2 may send an acknowledgment to the VAE server. In step 6, the VAE clients of V2X UE#1 and #2 may send a notification to (one or more) V2X application-specific clients to notify the communication service mode.

[0078] It can be seen that the concept of the 3GPP solution is to adjust the communication configuration of the V2P UE based on its context to minimize battery consumption.

[0079] However, if a pedestrian UE in the VRU area is low on battery, continuously sending / receiving / processing V2X messages as usual will quickly drain the battery and further disconnect the UE from the network. The VRU will then completely lose the protection of the V2X system.

[0080] The present disclosure proposes an improved solution for V2X applications. Figure 4-19 Describe the solution in detail.

[0081] Figure 41 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary communication system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied. As shown, the communication system includes a V2X UE 410 (also labeled as V2X UE1), a V2X UE 420 (also labeled as V2X UE2), a 3GPP network system 430, and a V2X application server 440. The V2X UE 410 includes a Service Enabler Architecture Layer (SEAL) client 411, a VAE client 412, and a V2X application-specific client 413. The V2X UE 420 includes a SEAL client 421, a VAE client 422, and a V2X application-specific client 423. The SEAL client(s) 411 / 421 may provide SEAL services to the V2X application-specific clients 410 / 420 via a SEAL-C reference point. The VAE clients 412 / 422 may provide V2X application layer support functions to the V2X application-specific clients 413 / 423 via a Vc reference point. The V2X application server 440 includes a SEAL server 441, a VAE server 442, and a V2X application-specific server 443. The SEAL server(s) 441 can provide SEAL services to the V2X application-specific server 443 via the SEAL-S reference point. The VAE server 442 can provide V2X application layer support functions to the V2X application-specific server 443 via the Vs reference point. Note that the number of entities mentioned above can be one or more than one. It should also be noted that the network functions (or network entities) mentioned in this document can be implemented as network elements on dedicated hardware, as software instances running on dedicated hardware, or as virtualized functions instantiated on an appropriate platform (e.g., on a cloud infrastructure).

[0082] The V2X application layer functional entities for V2X UEs and V2X application servers are grouped into a V2X application-specific layer and a VAE layer. The V2X application-specific layer includes V2X application-specific functions. The VAE layer provides VAE capabilities to the V2X application-specific layer. The VAE server resides in the VAE layer. The V2X application layer functional model utilizes the SEAL services specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 V18.2.0. SEAL services utilized by the VAE layer include, but are not limited to, location management, group management, configuration management, identity management, key management, and network resource management. Further details of this communication system can be found in 3GPP TS 23.286 V17.4.0.

[0083] In the context of this disclosure, the term UE or terminal device may also be referred to as, for example, a device, an access terminal, a mobile station, a mobile unit, a user station, etc. It may refer to any terminal device capable of accessing a wireless communication network and receiving services therefrom. By way of example and not limitation, a UE or terminal device may include a portable computer, an image capture terminal device such as a digital camera, a game terminal device, a music storage and playback device, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a wearable device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.

[0084] In the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), a UE or terminal device may refer to a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another UE or terminal device and / or network equipment. In this case, the UE or terminal device may be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may be referred to as a machine-type communication (MTC) device in the 3GPP context. Specific examples of such machines or devices may include sensors, metering equipment such as power meters, industrial machinery, bicycles, vehicles, or household or personal appliances (e.g., refrigerators, televisions), personal wearable devices (such as watches), and the like.

[0085] As used herein, the term "communication system" refers to a system that complies with any suitable communication standard (such as first generation (1G), 2G, 2.5G, 2.75G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G, 5G communication protocols), and / or any other protocol currently known or developed in the future. In addition, communication between terminal devices and network nodes in a communication system may be carried out according to any suitable generation of communication protocols (including but not limited to 1G, 2G, 2.5G, 2.75G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G, 5G communication protocols), and / or any other protocol currently known or developed in the future. In addition, the use of specific terms in this document does not limit the present disclosure to the communication system associated with the specific term, but rather these specific terms may also be more generally applicable to other communication systems.

[0086] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a VASS according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In block 502, the VASS receives a first indication from a terminal device indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold. For example, the terminal device may be carried by a pedestrian. The first indication may be received in an application context for the terminal device. The first indication may be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator may take a first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold. Note that the first indication may be implemented in any other suitable manner.

[0087] At block 504, the VASS determines whether the terminal device is entering a (VRU) zone. For example, block 504 may be implemented as Figure 6 Blocks 610-612 of . In block 610, the VASS sends a first request to the VAE server to subscribe to notifications related to whether the terminal device is entering or leaving a VRU area. For example, the first request may indicate a time period during which notifications will be sent from the VAE server to the VASS whenever the terminal device enters or leaves the VRU area. To protect the entity carrying the terminal device, the "VRU area" mentioned here refers to any VRU area and is not limited to a specific VRU area. In block 612, the VASS receives the notification from the VAE server. For example, blocks 610-612 may be implemented in a manner similar to that described in Section 6.2 of 3GPP TR 23.700-64 V1.0.0. If the notification indicates that the terminal device is entering the VRU area, the determination result at block 504 is affirmative. On the other hand, if the notification indicates that the terminal device is leaving the VRU area, the determination result at block 504 is negative.

[0088] At block 506, upon determining that the terminal device is entering the VRU area, the VASS obtains the location of the terminal device from the SEAL Location Management Service (LMS). For example, block 506 may be implemented as Figure 7 Blocks 714-716 of the present invention are described. In block 714, the VASS sends a second request to the SEAL LMS for tracking the location of the terminal device. For example, the second request may indicate a time period during which the location of the terminal device is to be tracked. The second request may also indicate a time interval at which the tracked location of the terminal device is to be sent from the SEAL LMS to the VASS. In block 716, the VASS receives the location of the terminal device from the SEAL LMS. For example, blocks 714-716 may be implemented in a manner similar to that described in Section 9.3.5 of 3GPP TS 23.434 V18.2.0.

[0089] In box 508, the VASS sends an alarm message to one or more neighboring terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device via the VAE server, indicating that the terminal device with a battery charge lower than a predetermined threshold is around the obtained location. For example, the VASS can send an alarm message and information about the geographical area in which the alarm message will be distributed to the VAE server. The alarm message may include: information about the terminal device (such as identification information); a second indication indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; and information about the obtained location of the terminal device. Similar to the first indication, the second indication can be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator can take a first value for indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold. Note that the second indication can be implemented in any other suitable manner.

[0090] Since the location of the terminal device obtained from SEAL LMS may not be very accurate and the frequency of obtaining the location may not be very high, the geographical area may cover a predetermined range around the obtained location, so that (one or more) vehicles in the geographical area need to pay special attention to the terminal device. The one or more neighbor terminal devices may be (one or more) terminal devices carried by (one or more) vehicles in the geographical area. The VAE server may then send an alert message to the one or more neighbor terminal devices based on the information about the geographical area. The manner in which the alert message is sent from the VASS to the one or more neighbor terminal devices may be similar to the manner described in Section 9.4 of 3GPP TS23.286V17.4.0.

[0091] use Figure 5 With the method, since the VASS sends the alert message on behalf of the terminal device, it is possible to extend the duration of protection provided to the entity carrying the terminal device even if the terminal device has a low battery level.

[0092] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a VASS according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the method includes boxes 502-508 and boxes 818-820. Boxes 502-508 have been described above, and their details are omitted here for the sake of brevity. In box 818, the VASS receives a third indication from the terminal device indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than a predetermined threshold. For example, the third indication can be implemented by an indicator with a second value. The indicator can take a first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than a predetermined threshold. Note that the third indication can be implemented in any other suitable manner. In box 820, the VASS stops obtaining the location of the terminal device and sending an alarm message. Utilize Figure 8 The method can provide more reliable protection for the terminal device when the battery power of the terminal device is restored to normal.

[0093] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the terminal device may be carried by a pedestrian. In block 902, when the battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold, the terminal device sends a first indication to the VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold. For example, the first indication may be sent in an application context for the terminal device. The first indication may be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator may take a first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0094] At block 904, the terminal device enters an idle mode in which one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application are disabled. For example, the one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: sending / receiving V2X messages; processing V2X messages; retrieving the global positioning system (GPS) location of the terminal device and sending it to the SEAL LMS, etc. Figure 9 In this method, because one or more predetermined operations related to V2P applications are prohibited, the power consumption of the terminal device can be minimized, allowing the terminal device to maintain a connection to its service network for a longer period of time. Because the connection is maintained between the terminal device and the service network, the SEAL LMS can still track the location of the terminal device, allowing the VASS to send an alert message on behalf of the terminal device, thereby allowing the terminal device to be protected by the pedestrian safety system for a longer period of time.

[0095] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the method includes blocks 902-904 and blocks 1006-1008. Blocks 902-904 have been described above, and their details are omitted here. In block 1006, when the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than a predetermined threshold, the terminal device sends a second indication to the VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold. For example, the second indication can be implemented by an indicator having a second value. The indicator can take a first value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

[0096] At block 1008, the terminal device enters a normal mode, in which one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application are performed normally. As described above, the one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: sending / receiving V2X messages; processing V2X messages; retrieving the global positioning system (GPS) position of the terminal device and sending it to the SEAL LMS, etc. Figure 10 The method can provide more reliable protection for the terminal device when the battery power of the terminal device is restored to normal.

[0097] Figure 11 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a VAE server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In box 1102, the VAE server receives an alert message from the VASS indicating a terminal device with a battery charge below a predetermined threshold around a location, and information about the geographical area in which the alert message is to be distributed. For example, the alert message may include: information about the terminal device (e.g., identification information); an indication that the battery charge of the terminal device is below the predetermined threshold; and information about the location of the terminal device. The indication may be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator may take a first value for indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is below the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is not below the predetermined threshold. The geographical area may be determined by the VASS, as described above with respect to box 508.

[0098] In block 1104, the VAE server forwards the warning message to one or more neighboring terminal devices that are adjacent to the terminal device in the geographical area based on the information about the geographical area. Since the VAE server can provide V2X application message distribution capabilities, forwarding can be achieved. For example, the method of forwarding the warning message can be similar to the method described in Section 9.4 of 3GPP TS23.286 V17.4.0. Figure 11 The method may provide protection to the entity carrying the terminal device even if the terminal device has a low battery level.

[0099] Figure 121 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a first terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the first terminal device may be carried by a vehicle. In box 1202, the first terminal device receives an alarm message from a VAE server indicating that a second terminal device with a battery charge below a predetermined threshold is around a location. For example, the alarm message may include: information about the second terminal device (such as identification information); an indication that the battery charge of the second terminal device is below a predetermined threshold; and information about the location of the second terminal device. The indication can be implemented by an indicator having a first value. The indicator can take a first value for indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is below a predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery charge of the terminal device is not below a predetermined threshold.

[0100] In block 1204, the first terminal device performs one or more predetermined operations based on the alert message to enhance protection for the entity carrying the second terminal device. For example, the one or more predetermined operations may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: detecting a more accurate location of the second terminal device around the location indicated by the alert message; causing a vehicle carrying the first terminal device to honk when the vehicle is traveling around the location; and causing the vehicle carrying the first terminal device to maintain a predetermined distance from the location. The more accurate location of the second terminal device may be detected by one or more of the following: radar; lidar; video camera; etc. Figure 12 The method can provide protection to the entity carrying the second terminal device even if the second terminal device has low battery power.

[0101] Figure 13 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The process corresponds to a situation where the battery of a pedestrian UE is low. As shown in the figure, five entities are involved in the process: a pedestrian UE, a SEAL LMS, a VAE server, a VASS, and other V2X UEs. The pedestrian UE may include a V2X application specific client (VASC) and a VAE client. In step 1, the VASC in the pedestrian UE sends an application context to the VASS. The application context includes a "low battery indication" set to true, which will be sent when the battery level is below a predefined threshold. In step 2, the VASC enters idle mode (e.g., stops sending / receiving / processing V2X messages, and stops sending GPS location to the SEAL LMS via the user plane) to extend battery life and maintain connection to the network (so that the network location can still work).

[0102] In step 3, the VASS can subscribe to the VRU area management provided by the VAE server. The VAE server will utilize SEAL LMS (since the VASC is in idle mode, SEAL LMS will use network location as an alternative) to track the location of the pedestrian UE and detect whether the UE is approaching / leaving the VRU area (see Chapter 6.2 of 3GPP TR 23.700-64V1.0.0). In step 4, the VAE server alerts the VASS that the pedestrian UE is approaching (or entering) the VRU area. In step 5, the VASS requests SEAL LMS (since the VASC is in idle mode, SEAL LMS will use network location as an alternative) to track the location of the pedestrian UE. For information on tracking the location of the UE using SEAL, please refer to Chapter 9.3.5 of 3GPP TS23.434V18.2.0, "Location reporting procedure triggered by the client or vertical application layer (VAL) server".

[0103] In step 6, the SEAL LMS notifies the VASS of the pedestrian UE's network location. In step 7, the VASS delivers a V2X message (e.g., a VRU Awareness Message (VAM)) on behalf of the pedestrian UE to other relevant V2X UEs (e.g., nearby vehicles). The VASS delivers V2X messages by leveraging the V2X application message distribution capabilities provided by the VAE server (see Section 9.4 of 3GPP TS 23.286 V17.4.0 for V2X message delivery). This message includes at least pedestrian UE information, location, and a low battery indication.

[0104] In step 8, when other V2X UEs receive the V2X message containing UE information, location, and a low-battery indicator, they recognize that the location is a network location, which may have lower accuracy and lower reporting frequency. These V2X UEs can prioritize and compensate for pedestrian detection using other methods, such as radar, lidar, or video cameras, to ensure the safety of pedestrians whose UEs are experiencing low battery. As shown in the figure, steps 6-8 can be performed iteratively.

[0105] In summary, the above process introduces a method for V2P applications (e.g., V2X Application Specific Clients (VASCs)) on UEs with low battery to offload V2X message processing to the server (VASS). For safety reasons, the VASS can provide degraded VRU services to the VRUs for as long as possible. Otherwise, the pedestrian UE will quickly run out of battery and disconnect from the network, leaving the VASS with no opportunity to provide any VRU services to the VRUs.

[0106] Specifically, when the VASC detects that the pedestrian UE is low on battery, it notifies the VASS of this condition and enters idle mode, such as stopping sending / receiving / processing V2X messages to conserve battery life and maintain connectivity to the network. The VASS begins tracking the pedestrian UE's network location. Based on the retrieved network location, the VASS sends V2X messages (e.g., VAM) to other relevant V2X UEs. Other V2X UEs use special mechanisms to process these V2X messages to ensure pedestrian safety. Using this method, even if the pedestrian UE is low on battery, degraded VRU service can be provided to the VRU for as long as possible to ensure safety.

[0107] Figure 14 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The process corresponds to the case where the battery power of the pedestrian UE is restored. In step 1, the VASC in the pedestrian UE sends an application context to the VASS. The application context includes a "low battery indication" set to false, which will be sent when the battery power is above a predefined threshold. In step 2, the VASC returns to normal mode (e.g., starts sending / receiving / processing V2X messages locally and starts sending GPS position to the SEAL LMS via the user plane). In step 3, the VASS may cancel the position tracking of the pedestrian UE. In step 4, the VASS stops delivering V2X messages on behalf of the pedestrian UE.

[0108] Figure 15 15 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus suitable for use in practicing some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, any of the VASS, terminal device, VAE server, and first terminal device described above may be implemented using apparatus 1500. As shown, apparatus 1500 may include a processor 1510, a memory 1520 for storing programs, and an optional communication interface 1530 for communicating data with other external devices via wired and / or wireless communications.

[0109] The program includes program instructions that, when executed by the processor 1510, enable the device 1500 to operate in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, as discussed above. That is, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented at least in part by computer software executable by the processor 1510, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0110] The memory 1520 may be of any type suitable for the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory. The processor 1510 may be of any type suitable for the local technical environment and may include, by way of non-limiting example, one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture.

[0111] Figure 16 1 is a block diagram illustrating a VASS according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, VASS 1600 includes a receiving module 1602, a determining module 1604, an obtaining module 1606, and a sending module 1608. Receiving module 1602 may be configured to receive a first indication from a terminal device indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is below a predetermined threshold, as described above with respect to block 502. Determining module 1604 may be configured to determine whether the terminal device is entering a VRU area, as described above with respect to block 504. Obtaining module 1606 may be configured to, upon determining that the terminal device is entering a VRU area, obtain the location of the terminal device from a SEAL LMS, as described above with respect to block 506. Sending module 1608 may be configured to send an alert message to one or more neighboring terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device via a VAE server, indicating that terminal devices with battery levels below the predetermined threshold are located around the obtained location, as described above with respect to block 508.

[0112] Figure 17 is a block diagram illustrating a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, terminal device 1700 includes a transmitting module 1702 and a control module 1704. Transmitting module 1702 may be configured to, when the battery level of the terminal device is below a predetermined threshold, transmit a first indication to the VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is below the predetermined threshold, as described above with respect to block 902. Control module 1704 may be configured to enter an idle mode in which one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application are disabled, as described above with respect to block 904.

[0113] Figure 181 is a block diagram illustrating a VAE server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the VAE server 1800 includes a receiving module 1802 and a forwarding module 1804. The receiving module 1802 can be configured to receive an alert message from a VASS indicating that a terminal device with a battery level below a predetermined threshold is located around a location, and information about a geographical area to which the alert message is to be distributed, as described above with respect to block 1102. The forwarding module 1804 can be configured to forward the alert message to one or more neighboring terminal devices that are adjacent to the terminal device in the geographical area based on the information about the geographical area, as described above with respect to block 1104.

[0114] Figure 19 1 is a block diagram illustrating a first terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the first terminal device includes a receiving module 1902 and an execution module 1904. The receiving module 1902 may be configured to receive an alert message from a VAE server indicating that a second terminal device with a battery level below a predetermined threshold is located near a location, as described above with respect to block 1202. The execution module 1904 may be configured to perform one or more predetermined operations based on the alert message to enhance protection for the entity carrying the second terminal device, as described above with respect to block 1204. The modules described above may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both.

[0115] In general, various exemplary embodiments may be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuitry, software, logic, or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software that may be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device, although the disclosure is not limited thereto. Although various aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be shown and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other graphical representation, it should be well understood that, as non-limiting examples, the blocks, devices, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuitry or logic, general-purpose hardware or controller, or other computing device, or some combination thereof.

[0116] Thus, it should be understood that at least some aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced in various components such as integrated circuit chips and modules. Thus, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in a device embodied as an integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit can include circuits (and possibly firmware) for embodying at least one or more of a data processor, a digital signal processor, a baseband circuit, and a radio frequency circuit that can be configured to operate according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0117] It should be understood that at least some aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be embodied in computer-executable instructions executed by one or more computers or other devices, such as being embodied in one or more program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., which perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types when executed by a processor in a computer or other device. Computer-executable instructions can be stored on a computer-readable medium, such as a hard disk, an optical disk, a removable storage medium, a solid-state memory, a RAM, etc. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, in various embodiments the functions of the program modules can be combined or distributed as needed. In addition, the functions can be embodied in firmware or hardware equivalents (such as integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.) in whole or in part.

[0118] References in this disclosure to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," etc., indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment must include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with one embodiment, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0119] It should be understood that although the terms "first", "second", etc. can be used in this article to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element can be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element can be referred to as a first element without departing from the scope of this disclosure. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms.

[0120] The terms used herein are only used to describe the purpose of specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a, an" and "the" are intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the terms "include", "have", and / or "comprise" when used in this article refer to the presence of stated features, elements and / or components, and do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and / or their combinations. The term "connect" used in this article covers direct and / or indirect connections between two elements. It should be noted that in the above figures, two frames shown in succession can actually be executed substantially in parallel, or they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved.

[0121] The present disclosure includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein, either explicitly or in any generalized form thereof. When read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, various modifications and adaptations to the above-described exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the relevant art in view of the above description. However, any and all modifications will still fall within the scope of the non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method performed by a vehicle-to-everything V2X application specific server (VASS), comprising: receiving (502) a first indication from a terminal device indicating that a battery level of the terminal device is below a predetermined threshold; determining (504) whether the terminal device is entering a vulnerable road user (VRU) area; When it is determined that the terminal device is entering a VRU area, obtaining (506) the location of the terminal device from a service enabler architecture layer SEAL location management service LMS; and An alert message is sent (508) to one or more neighbor terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device via a V2X application enabler (VAE) server, the alert message indicating that the terminal device with a battery level lower than the predetermined threshold is around the obtained location.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The alarm message includes: information about the terminal device; a second indication indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; and Information about the obtained location of the terminal device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first indication is received in an application context for the terminal device.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The first indication is implemented by an indicator having a first value, wherein the indicator can take the first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein The second indication is implemented by an indicator having a first value, wherein the indicator can take the first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein Determining (504) whether the terminal device is entering a VRU area includes: sending (610) a first request to the VAE server to subscribe to notifications related to whether the terminal device is entering or leaving a VRU area; and The notification is received (612) from the VAE server.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein Obtaining (506) the location of the terminal device from the SEAL LMS includes: sending (714) a second request to the SEAL LMS for tracking the location of the terminal device; and The location of the terminal device is received (716) from the SEAL LMS.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: receiving (818) a third indication from the terminal device indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold; as well as The obtaining of the location of the terminal device and the sending of the alarm message are stopped (820).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein The third indication is implemented by an indicator having a second value, wherein the indicator can take a first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or a second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

10. A method performed by a terminal device, comprising: When the battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold, sending (902) a first indication to a vehicle-to-everything V2X application specific server (VASS) indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; as well as An idle mode is entered ( 904 ) in which one or more predetermined operations related to the vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) application are disabled.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application include at least one of the following: Send / receive V2X messages; Processing V2X messages; and The global positioning system GPS location of the terminal device is retrieved and sent to the service enabler architecture layer SEAL location management service LMS.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: The first indication is sent in an application context for the terminal device.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein The first indication is implemented by an indicator having a first value, wherein the indicator can take the first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising: When the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold, sending (1006) a second indication to the VASS indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold; and A normal mode is entered ( 1008 ), in which the one or more predetermined operations related to the V2P application are performed normally.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein The second indication is implemented by an indicator having a second value, wherein the indicator can take a first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

16. A method performed by a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) application enabler (VAE) server, comprising: receiving (1102) from a vehicle-to-everything V2X application specific server (VASS) an alert message indicating an end device having a battery charge below a predetermined threshold around a location, and information about a geographical area in which the alert message is to be distributed; as well as Based on the information about the geographical area, the alert message is forwarded (1104) to one or more neighbor terminal devices that are adjacent to the terminal device in the geographical area.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein The alarm message includes: information about the terminal device; an indication that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; and Information about the location of the terminal device.

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein The indication is implemented by an indicator having a first value, wherein the indicator can take the first value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold, or the second value for indicating that the battery power of the terminal device is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

19. A method performed by a first terminal device, comprising: receiving (1202) an alert message from a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) application enabler (VAE) server, the alert message indicating that a second end device having a battery charge below a predetermined threshold is around a location; as well as Based on the alert message, one or more predetermined operations for enhancing protection of the entity carrying the second terminal device are performed (1204).

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein The one or more predetermined operations include one or more of the following: detecting a more accurate location of the second terminal device around the location indicated by the alarm message; When a vehicle carrying the first terminal device travels around the location, causing the vehicle to honk; as well as The vehicle carrying the first terminal device is kept at a predetermined distance from the location.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein The more accurate location of the second terminal device is detected by one or more of the following: radar; lidar; and video cameras.

22. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein The alarm message includes: information about the second terminal device; an indication that the battery level of the second terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; and Information about the location of the second terminal device.

23. A vehicle-to-everything (V2X) application specific server (VASS) (1500), comprising: at least one processor (1510); as well as at least one memory (1520), the at least one memory (1520) containing instructions executable by the at least one processor (1510), whereby the VASS (1500) is operable to: receiving a first indication from a terminal device indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold; determining whether the terminal device is entering a vulnerable road user (VRU) area; When it is determined that the terminal device is entering a VRU area, obtaining the location of the terminal device from a service enabler architecture layer SEAL location management service LMS; and An alert message is sent to one or more neighbor terminal devices adjacent to the terminal device via a V2X application enabler (VAE) server, the alert message indicating that the terminal device with a battery level lower than the predetermined threshold is around the obtained location.

24. The VASS (1500) of claim 23, wherein: The VASS (1500) is operable to perform the method according to any one of claims 2 to 9.

25. A terminal device (1500), comprising: at least one processor (1510); as well as at least one memory (1520), the at least one memory (1520) containing instructions executable by the at least one processor (1510), whereby the terminal device (1500) is operable to: When the battery level of the terminal device is lower than a predetermined threshold, sending a first indication to a vehicle-to-everything V2X application specific server (VASS) indicating that the battery level of the terminal device is lower than the predetermined threshold; as well as An idle mode is entered in which one or more predetermined operations related to a vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) application are disabled.

26. The terminal device (1500) according to claim 25, wherein: The terminal device (1500) is operable to perform the method according to any one of claims 11 to 15.

27. A vehicle-to-everything (V2X) application enabler (VAE) server (1500), comprising: at least one processor (1510); as well as at least one memory (1520), the at least one memory (1520) containing instructions executable by the at least one processor (1510), whereby the VAE server (1500) is operable to: receiving, from a vehicle-to-everything V2X application specific server (VASS), an alert message indicating an end device having a battery level below a predetermined threshold around a location, and information about a geographical area in which the alert message is to be distributed; as well as Based on the information about the geographical area, the alert message is forwarded to one or more neighbor terminal devices that are adjacent to the terminal device in the geographical area.

28. The VAE server (1500) according to claim 27, wherein: The VAE server (1500) is operable to perform the method according to claim 17 or 18.

29. A first terminal device (1500), comprising: at least one processor (1510); as well as at least one memory (1520), the at least one memory (1520) containing instructions executable by the at least one processor (1510), whereby the first terminal device (1500) is operable to: receiving an alert message from a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) application enabler (VAE) server, the alert message indicating that a second end device having a battery charge below a predetermined threshold is around a location; as well as Based on the alert message, one or more predetermined operations for enhancing protection of the entity carrying the second terminal device are performed.

30. The first terminal device (1500) according to claim 29, wherein: The first terminal device (1500) is operable to perform the method according to any one of claims 20 to 22.

31. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

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