Method and apparatus for wireless communication

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for wireless communication are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a network node assigns a first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node in an operating state for communication. The network node schedules a first transmission to the first terminal device in a transmission time interval (TTI) based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The network node performs a first transmission to the first terminal device based on a result of the scheduling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to communications, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for wireless communications. 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] Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) is a key technology in fifth-generation (5G) and future radio technologies. Instead of broadcasting data across the entire coverage area, massive MIMO systems focus signal energy on specific users, resulting in significant improvements in throughput and efficiency. As more and more radio frequency (RF) branches are used in base stations, energy efficiency becomes increasingly important.

[0004] In 5G New Radio (NR), beam management plays an important role in two periods: the random access channel (RACH) procedure and the connection procedure. In the RACH procedure, the next generation Node B (gNB) scans the beams by using a different downlink (DL) beam for each synchronization signal block (SSB), and the UE detects the best beam from the gNB and notifies the selection by using a specific physical random access channel (PRACH) resource mapped to each DL beam.

[0005] During the connection process, the following beam management process based on channel state information (CSI) measurement / reporting is supported. In the first phase, the gNB scans the beams and the UE selects the best beam and reports it to the gNB. In the second phase, the gNB refines the beam (e.g., scans a narrower beam within a narrower range), and the UE detects the best beam and reports it to the gNB. In the third phase, the gNB fixes the beam (repeatedly transmits the same beam) and the UE refines its receiver beam. Summary of the Invention

[0006] 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.

[0007] One of the objectives of the present disclosure is to provide an improved solution for wireless communication. In particular, one of the problems to be solved by the present disclosure is that, in existing radio products, the RF branches used in a cell are fixed after the cell is set up, resulting in low energy efficiency in some cases.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a network node is provided. The method may include assigning a first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The method may also include scheduling a first transmission to the first terminal device in a transmission time interval (TTI) based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The method may also include performing the first transmission to the first terminal device based on a result of the scheduling.

[0009] With the above-described first aspect, since group division based on the channel conditions of the terminal devices is taken into consideration in scheduling, it is possible to improve the communication performance of the network nodes.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first transmission to the first terminal device and at least one second transmission to at least one second terminal device may be scheduled in the same TTI. The at least one second terminal device is assigned to the same group as the first terminal device.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first transmission to the first terminal device may be performed by using an antenna branch corresponding to the assigned group of the first terminal device.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first transmission to the first terminal device and at least one third transmission to at least one third terminal device may be scheduled in the same TTI. The at least one third terminal device is assigned to a different group than the first terminal device.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first transmission to the first terminal device may be performed by using antenna branches corresponding to the assigned group of the at least one third terminal device.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, performing the first transmission to the first terminal device may include estimating a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) based on the channel condition reported by the first terminal device. Performing the first transmission to the first terminal device may also include converting the SINR to a target SINR corresponding to the assigned group of the at least one third terminal device. Performing the first transmission to the first terminal device may also include estimating a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for the first transmission based on the target SINR.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, information about the used antenna branches may be notified to the radio component by the baseband component of the network node.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, assigning the first terminal device to one of the plurality of groups may include sending a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) to the first terminal device. Assigning the first terminal device to one of the plurality of groups may also include receiving channel state information (CSI) from the first terminal device. Assigning the first terminal device to one of the plurality of groups may also include determining a group for the first terminal device from the plurality of groups based on the received CSI.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, a first CSI-RS corresponding to a first group of the multiple groups may be sent to the first terminal device. When the CSI received in response to the first CSI-RS indicates a channel condition better than a first predetermined level, a second CSI-RS corresponding to a second group of the multiple groups may be sent to the first terminal device. The number of antenna branches corresponding to the second group is less than the number of antenna branches corresponding to the first group. Additionally or alternatively, when the CSI received in response to the second CSI-RS indicates a channel condition better than a second predetermined level, the second group may be determined to be used for the first terminal device.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first CSI-RS initially sent to the first terminal device may correspond to all antenna branches of the radio component.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the second group is determined to be used for the first terminal device, the second CSI-RS may be sent to the first terminal device instead of the first CSI-RS.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include sending, to the first terminal device, configurations of multiple CSI-RS resource sets corresponding to the multiple groups.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a terminal device is provided. The method may include receiving a transmission from a network node. The terminal device may be assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmission may be scheduled by the network node in a TTI based on the assigned group of the terminal device.

[0022] With the second aspect described above, it is possible to improve the performance of transmission to the terminal device.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include receiving a first CSI-RS corresponding to a first group from the network node. The first group may correspond to a first number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The method may further include sending the first CSI to the network node. The method may further include receiving a second CSI-RS corresponding to a second group from the network node. The second group may correspond to a second, different number of antenna branches of the radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The method may further include sending the second CSI to the network node.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include receiving, from the network node, configuration regarding a plurality of CSI-RS resource sets corresponding to the plurality of groups.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include providing user data and forwarding the user data to the host via transmission to the base station.

[0026] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a network node is provided. The network node 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 network node may be operable to assign a first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The network node may also be operable to schedule a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The network node may also be operable to perform the first transmission to the first terminal device based on a result of the scheduling.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the network node may be operable to perform the method according to the above-mentioned first aspect.

[0028] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, 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 receive transmissions from a network node. The terminal device may be assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmissions may be scheduled by the network node in a TTI based on the assigned group of the terminal device.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal device may be operable to execute the method according to the above-mentioned second aspect.

[0030] According to a fifth 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 and second aspects.

[0031] According to a sixth 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 and second aspects.

[0032] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a network node is provided. The network node may include an assignment module for assigning a first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on a channel condition reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The network node may further include a scheduling module for scheduling a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The network node may further include a transmission module for performing the first transmission to the first terminal device based on a result of the scheduling.

[0033] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal device is provided. The terminal device may include a receiving module for receiving transmissions from a network node. The terminal device may be assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmissions may be scheduled by the network node in a TTI based on the assigned group of the terminal device.

[0034] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented in a communication system including a network node and a terminal device is provided, wherein the method may include all steps of the methods according to the first and second aspects above.

[0035] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided, which may include a network node according to the third or seventh aspect and a terminal device according to the fourth or eighth aspect.

[0036] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, when a scheduled terminal device is near a network node, the transmit power of a network node such as a base station can be saved by shutting down some antenna branches for a TTI, while cell coverage and service performance are not affected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] 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.

[0038] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the architecture of a gNB;

[0039] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a network node according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 3 Is used to explain Figure 2 a flowchart of a method;

[0041] Figure 4 Is used to explain Figure 2 a flowchart of a method;

[0042] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a network node according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figures 7A-7B are flowcharts each illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 8 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus suitable for use in practicing some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0046] Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating a network node according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0048] Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] Figure 13is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication system according to some embodiments;

[0051] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating a UE according to some embodiments;

[0052] Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating a network node according to some embodiments;

[0053] Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating a host according to some embodiments;

[0054] Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating a virtualization environment in which functionality implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized;

[0055] Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating a host communicating with a UE via a network node over a partial wireless connection according to some embodiments;

[0056] Figure 19 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to some embodiments;

[0057] Figure 20 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to some embodiments;

[0058] Figure 21 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to some embodiments; and

[0059] Figure 22 is a flow chart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] 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.

[0061] In general, CSI reference signals (CSI-RS) can be configured for aperiodic, periodic, or semi-persistent transmission. In the case of aperiodic CSI-RS transmission, no periodicity is configured. Instead, the device is explicitly notified ("triggered") of each CSI-RS transmission instant through signaling in the downlink control information (DCI).

[0062] In the case of periodic CSI-RS transmission, the device may assume that the configured CSI-RS transmission occurs once every Nth time slot, where N ranges from as low as 4 (i.e., CSI-RS transmission occurs once every 4th time slot) to as high as 640 (i.e., CSI-RS transmission occurs only once every 640th time slot).

[0063] In the case of semi-persistent CSI-RS transmission, the specific CSI-RS periodicity and the corresponding slot offset are configured in the same way as for periodic CSI-RS transmission. However, the actual CSI-RS transmission can be activated or deactivated based on the media access control (MAC) control element (CE). Once CSI-RS transmission has been activated, the device can assume that CSI-RS transmission will continue according to the configured periodicity until it is explicitly deactivated. Similarly, once CSI-RS transmission has been deactivated, the device can assume that there will be no CSI-RS transmission according to the configuration until it is explicitly reactivated. It is also based on DCI signaling.

[0064] The UE measures the CSI-RS and reports the CSI to the gNB. The reported CSI may include one or more of the following parameters: a channel resource indicator (CRI) indicating which beam is selected; a channel quality indicator (CQI); a rank indicator (RI); and a precoding matrix indicator (PMI).

[0065] In NR, there are two main types of beamforming for traffic beams: reciprocity-based beamforming (beamforming based on the sounding reference signal (SRS)) and codebook-based beamforming. In reciprocity-based beamforming, the UE transmits the SRS and the gNB performs channel estimation to define which direction to use, how many beams to use, and which shape to use. In codebook-based beamforming, the gNB transmits the CSI-RS and the UE can consistently monitor a given pattern of CSI-RS and thus report CSI, which can include CRI, CQI, RI, and PMI. The gNB's downlink beamforming is based on CSI and standardized precoding tables. SRS-based beamforming can only be used for time division duplex (TDD), while codebook-based beamforming can be used for both TDD and frequency division duplex (FDD).

[0066] Figure 1The diagram illustrates the architecture of a gNB for 5G NR. As shown, the gNB includes a baseband component 11 and a radio component 12. The baseband component 11 may include, but is not limited to, a scheduler 111, a physical layer transmitter 112, and a physical layer receiver 113. The radio component 12 may contain numerous RF branches 121 and corresponding antenna elements 122. Each RF branch 121 has its own independent power amplifier (PA). In recent years, the physical layer in some gNB products has been divided into an upper physical layer and a lower physical layer. The upper physical layer resides in the baseband component, while the lower physical layer resides in the radio component.

[0067] The following are some of the scheduler's functions: determining which UEs are scheduled in a TTI; estimating beam direction; and performing link adaptation (e.g., calculating the coding rate and modulation scheme). The UE measures the CSI-RS and estimates the CQI, which is then reported to the gNB. Typically, the link adaptation function estimates the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of the UE-demodulated data based on the CQI and the acknowledgment / non-acknowledgment (ACK / NACK) values. The modulation and coding scheme (MCS) is estimated based on the SINR.

[0068] In current radio products, the RF branches used in a cell are fixed after the cell is set up, even if all scheduled UEs in a TTI are near the base station, which will lead to low energy efficiency of the base station.

[0069] The present disclosure provides an improved solution for wireless communication. This solution can be applied to a communication system including a terminal device and a network node (e.g., a base station). The terminal device can communicate with the base station via a radio access communication link. The base station can provide a radio access communication link to a terminal device within its communication service cell. Note that communication between the terminal device and the base station can be performed according to any suitable communication standard and protocol.

[0070] The term terminal device may also be referred to as, for example, a device, an access terminal, a user equipment (UE), a mobile station, a mobile unit, a user station, etc. It may refer to any end device capable of accessing a wireless communication network and receiving services therefrom. By way of example and not limitation, a terminal device may include a portable computer, an image capture terminal device such as a digital camera, a gaming 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.

[0071] In the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), a 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 terminal device and / or network device. In this case, the terminal device may be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may be referred to as a machine-type communication (MTC) device in the context of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). 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.

[0072] The term "base station (BS)" may refer to, for example, a Node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved Node B (eNodeB or eNB), a next generation Node B (gNodeB or gNB), a multi-standard radio (MSR) radio node such as an MSRBS, a master eNodeB (MeNB), a secondary eNodeB (SeNB), an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node, an access point (AP), a transmission point, a transmission reception point (TRP), a remote radio unit (RRU), a radio head (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a repeater, a low power node such as a femto, a pico, etc. For example, a base station may include a central unit (CU) and one or more distributed units (DUs). The CU and (one or more) DUs may be co-located in the same network node, for example, in the same base station.

[0073] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 2-22 The solution of the present disclosure is described in detail. Figure 2 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a network node according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In box 202, the network node assigns the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on the channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of the radio component of the network node that are in a working state for communication. For example, the channel condition can be represented in the form of CSI, which is obtained by measuring the CSI-RS by the first terminal device. Each antenna branch (or RF branch) has its own independent power amplifier (PA) and can correspond to one or more antenna elements. Compared with the antenna branch in the working state, the antenna branch in the non-working state refers to the antenna branch that is turned off.

[0074] For example, the plurality of groups may include a full branch group corresponding to all antenna branches of the radio component, and one or more partial branch groups each corresponding to a different number of antenna branches of the radio component, where the different number is less than the number of all antenna branches. Assume that the number of all antenna branches is M. As an exemplary example, there may be two groups, one of which corresponds to the M branches of the radio component and the other corresponds to the M / 2 antenna branches of the radio component. As another exemplary example, there may be three groups: a first group corresponding to the M branches of the radio component, a second group corresponding to the M / 2 antenna branches of the radio component, and a third group corresponding to the M / 4 antenna branches of the radio component. Note that the relationship between different groups is not limited to the above-mentioned relationship in which one group is half of another group, and any other suitable group divisions are possible depending on the specific application scenario.

[0075] For example, block 202 may be implemented to include Figure 3 In block 308, the network node transmits a CSI-RS to the first terminal device. In block 310, the network node receives CSI from the first terminal device. In block 312, the network node determines a group for the first terminal device from a plurality of groups based on the received CSI.

[0076] To ensure communication performance, a first CSI-RS corresponding to all branch groups (i.e., corresponding to all antenna branches of the radio component of the network node) may be initially sent to the first terminal device (e.g., when the first terminal device is attached to the network node). This can be considered as the first terminal device being initially assigned to all branch groups. At this point, for ease of explanation, all branch groups may be referred to as the first group. When the CSI received in response to the first CSI-RS indicates channel conditions that are better than a first predetermined level (corresponding to the first group), a second CSI-RS corresponding to a second group of the multiple groups may be sent to the first terminal device, where the number of antenna branches corresponding to the second group is less than the number of antenna branches corresponding to the first group. This can be considered as the second group being preliminarily determined for the first terminal device at block 312. In the above exemplary example of two groups, the second group is an M / 2 branch group. In the above exemplary example of three groups, the second group may be an M / 2 branch group. Note that if the CSI received in response to the first CSI-RS indicates channel conditions that are not better than the first predetermined level, the first group may be determined as the assigned group for the first terminal device.

[0077] When the CSI received in response to the second CSI-RS indicates a channel condition that is better than a second predetermined level (corresponding to the second group), the second group may be determined for the first terminal device as the assigned group. Since the first terminal device is assigned to the second group, the second CSI-RS may be sent to the first terminal device instead of the first CSI-RS. During the time period in which both the first and second CSI-RS are sent, the first terminal device may measure the two CSI-RSs and report the CSI for the two CSI-RSs to the network node. In this way, if transmission to the first terminal device is required during the time period, a suitable beam corresponding to the assigned group (which may be the first group or the second group) may be generated for the first terminal device based on the corresponding CSI (e.g., the CRI contained therein). Note that if the CSI received in response to the second CSI-RS indicates a channel condition that is not better than the second predetermined level, the first group may be determined as the assigned group for the first terminal device.

[0078] If there are additional groups that have not yet been considered for the assignment process, the second CSI-RS can be taken as (or regarded as) a new first CSI-RS, and the above process can be performed again so that a suitable group can be ultimately determined for the first terminal device. For example, in the above exemplary example of three groups, if the CSI received in response to the new first CSI-RS (corresponding to the M / 2 branch group) indicates a channel condition that is better than the new first predetermined level (corresponding to the M / 2 branch group), a new second CSI-RS corresponding to the new second group (i.e., the M / 4 branch group) can be sent to the first terminal device. If the CSI received in response to the new second CSI-RS indicates a channel condition that is better than the new second predetermined level (corresponding to the M / 4 branch group), the new second group (i.e., the M / 4 branch group) can be determined for the first terminal device as the assigned group.

[0079] In block 204, the network node schedules a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the first terminal device's assigned group. In block 206, the network node executes the first transmission to the first terminal device based on the results of the scheduling. As a first option, the first transmission to the first terminal device and at least one second transmission to at least one second terminal device assigned to the same group as the first terminal device are scheduled in the same TTI. The first transmission to the first terminal device is performed using the antenna branches corresponding to the first terminal device's assigned group. Information about the antenna branches used is communicated from the network node's baseband component to the radio component. To this end, a new interface can be introduced. Accordingly, the radio component can be configured to operate the antenna branches used as indicated in the information and, if any, to shut down unused antenna branches. With the first option, terminal devices that are near the network node and therefore assigned to the same partial branch group can be scheduled in the same TTI. Furthermore, transmissions to these terminal devices in this same TTI can be performed using only a portion of the total antenna branches, thereby improving the network node's energy efficiency without impacting cell coverage or service performance. Note that the TTIs scheduled for different groups may be arranged in any suitable order.

[0080] The first option described above may be a general case. As a second option, the first transmission to the first terminal device and at least one third transmission to at least one third terminal device assigned to a group different from the group of the first terminal device are scheduled in the same TTI. The second option is suitable for situations where the first transmission must start immediately, for example, the first transmission has higher requirements on delay. For the second option, the first transmission to the first terminal device is performed by using the antenna branch corresponding to the assigned group of the at least one third terminal device. Similar to the first option described above, the information about the antenna branch used can be notified to the radio component by the baseband component of the network node. Correspondingly, the radio component can be configured to operate the antenna branch used indicated in the information and to turn off the unused antenna branch if there are any unused antenna branches.

[0081] Since the CSI reported by the first terminal device is based on a CSI-RS that is different from the CSI-RS used for the at least one third terminal device, block 206 for the second option is implemented to include Figure 4Blocks 416-420 of FIG. In block 416, the network node estimates the SINR based on the channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. For example, the SINR may be estimated based on the CSI-RS corresponding to the assigned group of the first terminal device. In block 418, the network node converts the SINR to a target SINR corresponding to the assigned group of at least one third terminal device. If the number of antenna branches corresponding to the assigned group of the first terminal device is less than the number of antenna branches corresponding to the assigned group of the at least one third terminal device, a first predetermined incremental value may be added to the estimated SINR to obtain the target SINR. On the other hand, if the number of antenna branches corresponding to the assigned group of the first terminal device is greater than the number of antenna branches corresponding to the assigned group of the at least one third terminal device, a second predetermined incremental value may be subtracted from the estimated SINR to obtain the target SINR. The first and second predetermined incremental values may be obtained through actual experimentation or computer simulation. As an illustrative example, the first predetermined incremental value may be equal to the second predetermined incremental value. In block 420, the network node estimates the MCS for the first transmission based on the target SINR.

[0082] Based on the above description, using Figure 2 In the method, since group division based on channel conditions of terminal devices is taken into account in scheduling, it is possible to improve the communication performance (eg, with respect to energy efficiency or communication delay) of network nodes.

[0083] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed by a network node according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the method includes box 501 and boxes 202-206 described above. In box 501, the network node sends a configuration about multiple CSI-RS resource sets corresponding to multiple groups to the first terminal device. In this way, when the CSI-RS corresponding to a group is necessary for the first terminal device, the network node can send signaling (such as MAC CE) to the first terminal device to activate the first terminal device to receive the corresponding CSI-RS. Boxes 202-206 have been described above and their details are omitted here for the sake of brevity.

[0084] Figure 6 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In block 602, the terminal device receives a transmission from a network node. The terminal device is assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on the channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmission is scheduled by the network node in a TTI based on the assigned group of the terminal device. Details on the assignment process and the scheduling process have been described above and are therefore omitted here. Figure 6 With the method, it is possible to improve the performance (eg with respect to energy efficiency or communication delay) of the transmission to the terminal device.

[0085] Figure 7A is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In box 704, the terminal device receives a first CSI-RS corresponding to a first group from a network node. The first group corresponds to a first number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. In box 706, the terminal device sends the first CSI to the network node. In box 708, the terminal device receives a second CSI-RS corresponding to a second group from the network node. The second group corresponds to a different second number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. In box 710, the terminal device sends the second CSI to the network node. Utilize Figure 7A The terminal device may support the network node in determining a suitable group for the terminal device.

[0086] Figure 7B 7 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 box 701 and box 602 described above. In box 701, the terminal device receives a configuration of multiple CSI-RS resource sets corresponding to multiple groups from a network node. In this way, when the CSI-RS corresponding to a group is necessary for the terminal device, the first terminal device can activate the reception of the corresponding CSI-RS by, for example, receiving signaling (e.g., MAC CE) from the network node. Box 602 has been described above and its details are omitted here.

[0087] Figure 8 8 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus suitable for use in practicing some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, any of the aforementioned network nodes and terminal devices may be implemented by apparatus 800. As shown, apparatus 800 may include a processor 810, a memory 820 for storing programs, and an optional communication interface 830 for communicating data with other external devices via wired and / or wireless communications.

[0088] The program includes program instructions that, when executed by the processor 810, enable the device 800 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 810, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0089] The memory 820 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 810 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.

[0090] Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating a network node according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the network node 900 includes an assignment module 902, a scheduling module 904, and a transmission module 906. The assignment module 902 can be configured to assign the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on the channel conditions reported by the first terminal device, as described above with respect to block 202. Each of the plurality of groups can correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The scheduling module 904 can be configured to schedule a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device, as described above with respect to block 204. The transmission module 906 can be configured to perform the first transmission to the first terminal device based on the result of the scheduling, as described above with respect to block 206.

[0091] Figure 10 1 is a block diagram illustrating a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the terminal device 1000 includes a receiving module 1002. The receiving module 1002 can be configured to receive a transmission from a network node, as described above with respect to block 602. The terminal device can be assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on the channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmission can be scheduled by the network node in a TTI based on the assigned group of the terminal device. The above modules can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of both.

[0092] Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the base station may be, for example, a gNB for 5G NR. In a massive MIMO telecommunication system, many RF branches are typically present in the base station. Assume that the base station supports M RF branches (or antenna branches), each with its own PA.

[0093] Assume that a cell is configured with M RF branches. When M RF branches are used, cell coverage is guaranteed. In NR, the synchronization signal block (SSB) is broadcast in the cell and should be sent using M RF branches to ensure cell coverage. The SSB includes the primary synchronization signal (PSS), the secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and the physical broadcast channel (PBCH). The physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the common search space should also be sent using M RF branches to ensure cell coverage.

[0094] In order to save power of the base station, when all scheduled UEs in a TTI are near the base station, fewer base station (BS) transmit RF branches are used for transmission, and the PAs of unused RF branches are turned off to save power. To achieve this, two new modules are introduced in the scheduler 1112 of the baseband component 1110 of the base station 1100: the group division module 1118 and the RF branch selection module 1122. In the radio component 1120, a new module (i.e., the RF branch switching module 1120) is introduced. Figure 11 As shown, the scheduler 1112 also has a link adaptation module 1120. The baseband component 1110 also has a physical layer receiver 1114 and a physical layer transmitter 1116. Now, each of the newly introduced enhancements will be described in detail.

[0095] Group partitioning module

[0096] As mentioned above, the base station has M RF branches. In the initial configuration, several groups are defined: for example, operation with N1 branches, operation with N2 branches, ..., operation with N k An operation with branches, and an operation with M branches, where N1, N2, ..., N k is a positive integer but less than M.

[0097] The attached UEs in the cell are assigned to the above groups according to their channel conditions. For ease of description, only two groups are described below: operation with N branches and operation with M branches, where N can be N1, N2, ..., N k One of and less than M.

[0098] When a UE is attached, it is configured with two CSI-RS resource sets via a 3GPP Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message. One CSI-RS resource set is mapped to "N" RF branches, and the other CSI-RS resource set is mapped to "M" RF branches. UEs with good channel conditions can be allocated to "N" RF branches.

[0099] At the beginning, the UE is assigned to the "M branch group", M RF branches are used for data transmission, and a CSI-RS resource set with "M" RF branches is activated through MAC-CE. The UE decodes the CSI-RS and reports the CQI or CSI reference signal received power (CSI-RSRP) to the base station. Based on the CQI, the base station estimates the SINR. If the SINR is higher than the predetermined SINR threshold sinrThresholdOfMbraches1 or the CSI-RSRP is higher than the predetermined RSRP threshold rsrpThresholdOfMbraches1, a CSI-RS resource set with "N" RF branches is triggered through MAC-CE. The UE decodes the new CSI-RS and reports the new CQI or new CSI-RSRP to the base station. If the SINR is higher than a predetermined SINR threshold sinrThresholdOfNbraches1 or the CSI-RSRP is higher than a predetermined RSRP threshold rsrpThresholdOfNbraches1, the UE is assigned to the "N-branch group" and deactivates the CSI-RS resource set with "M" RF branches via MAC-CE.

[0100] When the UE is assigned to the "N branch group", N RF branches are used for data transmission, and the CSI-RS resource set with "N" RF branches is activated through MAC-CE. The UE decodes the CSI-RS and reports the CQI or CSI-RSRP to the base station. Based on the CQI, the base station estimates the SINR. If the SINR is lower than the predetermined SINR threshold sinrThresholdOfNbraches2 or the CSI-RSRP is lower than the predetermined RSRP threshold rsrpThresholdOfNbraches2, the CSI-RS resource set with "M" RF branches is triggered through MAC-CE, the UE is assigned to the "M branch group", and the CSI-RS resource set with "N" RF branches is deactivated through MAC-CE.

[0101] RF branch selection module

[0102] In one TTI, M branches are used in the base station if one of the following scenarios occurs: 1) SSB is scheduled in this TTI; 2) PDCCH common space is scheduled in this TTI; 3) UEs in an "M branch group" are scheduled in this TTI; and 4) Random Access Response (RAR), Message 4 (MSG 4), Paging, System Information Block (SIB), and other channels that should be broadcast throughout the cell are scheduled in this TTI.

[0103] In one TTI, N branches are used in the base station in the following scenario: all scheduled UEs in the TTI are in an "N-branch group." When N branches are used in a certain TTI, other unused RF branches are turned off.

[0104] In a TTI, UEs in the same group may attempt to be scheduled so that the possibility of using N RF branches for transmission can be increased, and unused RF branches can be turned off. That is, UEs in different groups are scheduled in different TTIs.

[0105] Sometimes, some data is very sensitive to timing and is expected to be sent as quickly as possible. If both UEs in the "M-branch group" and UEs in the "N-branch group" can be scheduled in the same TTI, this is very helpful for quality of service. In this scenario, if most UEs are in the "N-branch group", N RF branches are used in this TTI (hereinafter referred to as case 1). Otherwise, M RF branches are used in this TTI (hereinafter referred to as case 2). The expression "most UEs" can mean "more than X% of UEs", where X can be configurable. For example, X can be set to 80% or 90%.

[0106] Regarding Case 1, for any UE in the "M-branch group," the CQI measured by the UE is based on the CSI-RS with M RF branches. However, in that TTI, N RF branches are used by the base station's radio components. Therefore, the link adaptation module needs to be updated to support this.

[0107] Typically, the link adaptation module in the base station estimates the SINR based on the CQI and ACK / NACK reported by the UE. The MCS is then estimated based on the SINR. Since N RF branches are used instead of M RF branches, the estimated SINR is adjusted using the deltaFromMToN increment, as shown below:

[0108] SINR in N branches = SINR in M branches – deltaSINRFromMToN, where deltaSINRFromMToN can be measured offline and stored in the base station's database. For example, the SINR for a stationary UE can be measured in M-branch and N-branch scenarios respectively. Then, the incremental deltaSINRFromMToN can be obtained as follows:

[0109] deltaSINRFromMToN=SINR in M branches−SINR in N branches.

[0110] In addition, since the CRI reported by the UE in the CSI indicates the selected beam corresponding to the CSI-RS with M RF branches, the target beam corresponding to the CSI-RS with N RF branches is estimated based on the selected beam indicated by the CRI. The estimated target beam can then be used in the beamforming process.

[0111] Regarding Case 2, since some UEs in this TTI are in the "N-branch group," M RF branches are used for the base station's radio component. For any UE in the "N-branch group," the CQI measured by the UE is based on the CSI-RS with N RF branches. However, in this TTI, M RF branches are used for the base station's radio component, so the link adaptation module is adjusted. Since M RF branches are used instead of N RF branches, the estimated SINR is adjusted using the deltaFromMToN delta, as shown below:

[0112] SINR in M branches = SINR in N branches + deltaFromMToN.

[0113] New interface between baseband and radio components

[0114] A new interface may be introduced between the baseband component and the radio component, via which the baseband component informs the radio component of information related to the used RF branches (e.g., the number of used RF branches, the utilized transmit RF branches, the unused transmit RF branches (if such unused RF branches exist), etc.) in each TTI.

[0115] RF branch conversion module

[0116] In each TTI, the radio component switches on / off the corresponding transmit RF branch according to an instruction message from the baseband component via the RF branch switching module.

[0117] for Figure 11 For the base station shown in FIG, when all scheduled UEs are near the base station, the base station's transmit power can be saved by shutting down unused RF branches in each TTI. Cell coverage and service performance are not affected.

[0118] Figure 121 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This exemplary process can be used for the above-described group division. In block 1201, a UE is attached to a cell of a base station. In block 1202, the UE is configured with two CSI-RS resource sets. In block 1203, the UE is assigned to the "M-branch group." In block 1204, a determination is made as to whether the SINR is higher than a predetermined SINR threshold sinrThresholdOfMbraches1 or whether the CSI-RSRP is higher than a predetermined RSRP threshold rsrpThresholdOfMbraches1. If the determination in block 1204 is positive, a CSI-RS resource set with "N" RF branches is triggered in block 1205. In block 1206, a determination is made as to whether the SINR is higher than a predetermined SINR threshold sinrThresholdOfNbraches1 or whether the CSI-RSRP is higher than a predetermined RSRP threshold rsrpThresholdOfNbraches1. If the determination in block 1206 is positive, the UE is assigned to the "N-branch group" in block 1207. Then, at block 1208, the CSI-RS resource set having "M" RF branches is deactivated.

[0119] Figure 13 An example of a communication system 2800 is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0120] In this example, a communication system 2800 includes a telecommunications network 2802 including an access network 2804, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 2806 including one or more core network nodes 2808. The access network 2804 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 2810a and 2810b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2810), or any other similar third generation partnership project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP access points. The network nodes 2810 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 2812a, 2812b, 2812c, and 2812d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2812) to the core network 2806 via one or more wireless connections.

[0121] Example wireless communications over wireless connections include sending and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transferring information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Additionally, in various embodiments, the communication system 2800 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals, whether via a wired or wireless connection. The communication system 2800 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar types of systems.

[0122] UE 2812 can be any of a variety of communication devices, including wireless devices that are arranged, configured, and / or operable to wirelessly communicate with network node 2810 and other communication devices. Similarly, network node 2810 is arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UE 2812 and / or with other network nodes or devices in telecommunication network 2802 to enable and / or provide network access (such as wireless network access) and / or perform other functions (such as management in telecommunication network 2802).

[0123] In the depicted example, core network 2806 connects network node 2810 to one or more hosts, such as host 2816. These connections may be direct or indirect connections via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, the network node may be directly coupled to the host. Core network 2806 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2808) constructed using hardware and software components. The features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UE, network node, and / or host, so that the description is generally applicable to the corresponding components of core network node 2808. Example core network nodes include the functionality of one or more of a mobile switching center (MSC), a mobility management entity (MME), a home subscriber server (HSS), an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), an authentication server function (AUSF), a subscription identifier dehiding function (SIDF), a unified data management (UDM), a security edge protection proxy (SEPP), a network exposure function (NEF), and / or a user plane function (UPF).

[0124] The host 2816 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than the operator or provider of the access network 2804 and / or the telecommunications network 2802, and may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. The host 2816 may host various applications to provide one or more services. Examples of such applications include real-time and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services (such as retrieving and compiling data about various environmental conditions detected by multiple UEs), analytical functions, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for alarm and monitoring centers, or any other such functions performed by a server.

[0125] As a whole, Figure 13 The communication system 2800 enables connections between UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In this sense, the communication system can be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards, including but not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standards (e.g., 6G); Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (WiFi); and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards, such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0126] In some examples, telecommunication network 2802 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Thus, telecommunication network 2802 can support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to telecommunication network 2802. For example, telecommunication network 2802 can provide ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) services to some UEs while providing enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or provide massive machine type communication (mMTC) / massive IoT services to yet other UEs.

[0127] In some examples, UE 2812 is configured to send and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to a request from access network 2804, the UE can be designed to send information to access network 2804 according to a predetermined schedule. Additionally, the UE can be configured to operate in a single RAT or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, the UE can operate using any one or a combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., be configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio-Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0128] In this example, hub 2814 communicates with access network 2804 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 2812c and / or 2812d) and a network node (e.g., network node 2810b). In some examples, hub 2814 can be a controller, a router, a content source and analysis, or any of the other communication devices described herein with respect to a UE. For example, hub 2814 can be a broadband router that enables a UE to access core network 2806. As another example, hub 2814 can be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in a UE. The commands or instructions can be received from a UE, a network node 2810, or through executable code, scripts, processes, or other instructions in hub 2814. As another example, hub 2814 can be a data collector that acts as a temporary storage device for UE data and, in some embodiments, can perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, hub 2814 can be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, the hub 2814 can retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, and then the hub 2814 provides it to the UE directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In another example, the hub 2814 acts as a proxy server or coordinator for the UE, especially when one or more of the UEs are low-energy IoT devices.

[0129] The hub 2814 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 2810b. The hub 2814 may also allow different communication schemes and / or scheduling between the hub 2814 and the UE (e.g., UE 2812c and / or 2812d) and between the hub 2814 and the core network 2806. In other examples, the hub 2814 is connected to the core network 2806 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. In addition, the hub 2814 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider via the access network 2804 and / or to another UE via a direct connection. In some scenarios, the UE may establish a wireless connection with the network node 2810 while still being connected via a wired or wireless connection via the hub 2814. In some embodiments, the hub 2814 may be a dedicated hub, that is, its primary function is to route communications from the network node 2810b to the UE / from the UE to the network node 2810b. In other embodiments, hub 2814 may be a non-dedicated hub, that is, a device that is operable to route communications between UEs and network node 2810b, but is also capable of operating as a communications origin and / or endpoint for certain data channels.

[0130] Figure 14 UE 2900 according to some embodiments is shown. As used herein, UE refers to a device capable of, configured, arranged and / or operable to wirelessly communicate with a network node and / or other UEs. Examples of UEs include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cellular phones, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablet computers, laptops, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop mounted devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPEs), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded / integrated wireless devices, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UEs, machine type communication (MTC) UEs, and / or enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs.

[0131] The UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communications, for example by implementing 3GPP standards for sidelink communications, dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, the UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user owning and / or operating the associated device. Rather, the UE may represent a device that is intended to be sold to or operated by a human user, but the device may not be associated with a particular human user, or may not initially be associated with that particular human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, the UE may represent a device that is not intended to be sold to or operated by an end user, but the device may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart meter).

[0132] UE 2900 includes a processing circuit 2902 operatively coupled to an input / output interface 2906, a power supply 2908, a memory 2910, a communication interface 2912, and / or any other components, or any combination thereof, via a bus 2904. Some UEs may utilize Figure 14 All or a subset of the components shown in . The level of integration between components may vary from one UE to another UE. In addition, some UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0133] The processing circuit 2902 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operable to execute instructions stored in the memory 2910 as a machine-readable computer program. The processing circuit 2902 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.); programmable logic and appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, a general-purpose processor such as a microprocessor or a digital signal processor (DSP), and appropriate software; or any combination thereof. For example, the processing circuit 2902 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0134] In this example, the input / output interface 2906 can be configured to provide one or more interfaces to an input device, an output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, a transmitter, a smart card, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device can allow a user to capture information into the UE 2900. Examples of input devices include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a webcam, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smart card, etc. A presence-sensitive display can include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from the user. The sensor can be, for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. The output device can use the same type of interface port as the input device. For example, a universal serial bus (USB) port can be used to provide input and output devices.

[0135] In some embodiments, the power supply 2908 is configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power supplies may be used, such as an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a power cell. The power supply 2908 may also include a power circuit for delivering power from the power supply 2908 itself and / or an external power source to various parts of the UE 2900 via an input circuit or an interface such as a power cable. The delivered power may be used, for example, to charge the power supply 2908. The power circuit may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modification on the power from the power supply 2908 to make the power suitable for the various components of the UE 2900 to which it is supplied.

[0136] The memory 2910 may be or be configured to include a memory such as a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a hard disk, a removable tape cartridge, a flash drive, etc. In one example, the memory 2910 includes one or more application programs 2914, such as an operating system, a web browser application, a widget, a gadget engine, or other applications, and corresponding data 2916. The memory 2910 may store any of a variety of operating systems or a combination of operating systems for use by the UE 2900.

[0137] The memory 2910 may be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital versatile disk (HD-DVD) optical drive, an internal hard drive, a Blu-ray disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), an external micro DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory (such as a tamper-resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs) such as a USIM and / or an ISIM), other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC commonly referred to as a "SIM card." The memory 2910 may allow the UE 2900 to access instructions, applications, and the like stored on a temporary or non-temporary storage medium to offload or upload data. An article of manufacture, such as an article of manufacture utilizing a communication system, may be tangibly embodied as or in memory 2910, which may be or include a device-readable storage medium.

[0138] The processing circuit 2902 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using a communication interface 2912. The communication interface 2912 may include one or more communication subsystems and may include an antenna 2922 or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2922. The communication interface 2912 may include one or more transceivers for communication, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or network node in the access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2918 and / or a receiver 2920 suitable for providing network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). In addition, the transmitter 2918 and the receiver 2920 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2922) and may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or may alternatively be implemented separately.

[0139] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functionality of the communication interface 2912 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication such as Bluetooth, near field communication, location-based communication such as using a global positioning system (GPS) to determine location, another similar communication functionality, or any combination thereof. Communication may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, new radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol / internet protocol (TCP / IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), QUIC, hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.

[0140] Regardless of the type of sensor, the UE can provide an output of the data captured by its sensor via a wireless connection to a network node through its communication interface 2912. The data captured by the UE's sensor can be transmitted to the network node via another UE via a wireless connection. The output can be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to load balance reports from multiple sensors), in response to a trigger event (e.g., sending an alarm when moisture is detected), in response to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0141] As another example, a UE includes an actuator, motor, or switch associated with a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input, the state of the actuator, motor, or switch can change. For example, the UE can include a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight based on the received input, or adjusts a robotic arm performing a medical procedure based on the received input.

[0142] When in the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a UE may be a device used in one or more application areas including, but not limited to, urban wearable technology, extended industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices are or are embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a television, connected lighting, an electric meter, a robotic vacuum cleaner, a voice-activated smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, a flood / humidity sensor, a power door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system (such as a heat pump), an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smartwatch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), a wearable device for tactile enhancement or sensory enhancement, a sprinkler, an animal or item tracking device, a sensor for monitoring plants or animals, an industrial robot, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device (such as a heart rate monitor or a remotely controlled surgical robot). In addition to the description of Figure 14 In addition to the other components described for the UE 2900 shown in FIG, a UE in the form of an IoT device includes circuitry and / or software depending on the intended application of the IoT device.

[0143] As another specific example, in an IoT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or a network node. In this case, the UE may be an M2M device, which in the 3GPP context may be referred to as an MTC device. As a specific example, a UE may implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, bus, truck, ship, or airplane, or other device capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operating status or performing other functions associated with its operation.

[0144] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together for a single use case. For example, a first UE may be or be integrated into a drone and provide the drone's speed information (obtained via a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller for operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone's speed. The first and / or second UE may also include more than one of the above functionalities. For example, the UE may include sensors and actuators and handle the communication of data for the speed sensor and actuator.

[0145] Figure 15A network node 3000 according to some embodiments is shown. As used herein, a network node refers to a device capable of, configured, arranged, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or other network nodes or devices in a telecommunications network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and NR Node Bs (gNBs)).

[0146] Base stations can be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, based on their transmit power level), and thus, depending on the amount of coverage provided, a base station can be referred to as a femto base station, a pico base station, a micro base station, or a macro base station. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor node that controls a relay. A network node can also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU), which is sometimes referred to as a remote radio head (RRH). Such a remote radio unit may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0147] Other examples of network nodes include a multi-transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access node, a multi-standard radio (MSR) device such as an MSR BS, a network controller such as a radio network controller (RNC) or a base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a transmission point, a transmission node, a multi-cell / multicast coordination entity (MCE), an operations and maintenance (O&M) node, an operations support system (OSS) node, a self-organizing network (SON) node, a positioning node (e.g., an evolved serving mobile positioning center (E-SMLC)) and / or minimization of drive tests (MDT).

[0148] Network node 3000 includes processing circuitry 3002, memory 3004, a communication interface 3006, and a power supply 3008. Network node 3000 may be comprised of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and an RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), each of which may have its own corresponding components. In certain scenarios where network node 3000 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such scenarios, each unique NodeB and RNC pair may be considered a separate network node in some cases. In some embodiments, network node 3000 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 3004 for different RATs), and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 3010 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 3000 may also include multiple sets of various illustrated components for different wireless technologies, such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, radio frequency identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies, integrated into the network node 3000. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within the network node 3000.

[0149] The processing circuit 3002 may include a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or encoded logic that is operable to provide the functionality of the network node 3000 alone or in conjunction with other network node 3000 components (such as memory 3004).

[0150] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 3002 comprises a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, processing circuitry 3002 comprises one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 3012 and baseband processing circuitry 3014. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 3012 and baseband processing circuitry 3014 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units, such as a radio unit and a digital unit. In alternative embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 3012 and baseband processing circuitry 3014 may be on the same chip, chipset, board, or unit.

[0151] Memory 3004 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including, but not limited to, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., a flash drive, a compact disk (CD), or a digital video disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory, device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuit 3002. Memory 3004 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, applications, including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions that can be executed by processing circuit 3002 and utilized by network node 3000. Memory 3004 may be used to store any computations performed by processing circuit 3002 and / or any data received via communication interface 3006. In some embodiments, processing circuit 3002 and memory 3004 are integrated.

[0152] Communication interface 3006 is used for wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As shown, communication interface 3006 includes one or more ports / terminals 3016 for sending and receiving data to and from the network, for example, via a wired connection. Communication interface 3006 also includes radio front-end circuitry 3018, which may be coupled to antenna 3010 or, in some embodiments, be part of antenna 3010. Radio front-end circuitry 3018 includes a filter 3020 and an amplifier 3022. Radio front-end circuitry 3018 may be connected to antenna 3010 and processing circuitry 3002. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals transmitted between antenna 3010 and processing circuitry 3002. Radio front-end circuitry 3018 may receive digital data to be transmitted to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry 3018 may use a combination of filter 3020 and / or amplifier 3022 to convert the digital data into a radio signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 3010. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 3010 may collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 3018. The digital data may be passed to processing circuitry 3002. In other embodiments, the communication interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0153] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 3000 does not include a separate radio front end circuitry 3018, but rather the processing circuitry 3002 includes the radio front end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 3010. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or a portion of the RF transceiver circuitry 3012 is part of the communications interface 3006. In other embodiments, the communications interface 3006 includes one or more ports or terminals 3016, the radio front end circuitry 3018, and the RF transceiver circuitry 3012 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communications interface 3006 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 3014 as part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0154] Antenna 3010 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 3010 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 3018 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 3010 is separate from network node 3000 and may be connected to network node 3000 via an interface or port.

[0155] The antenna 3010, the communication interface 3006, and / or the processing circuit 3002 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or certain acquisition operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from a UE, another network node, and / or any other network device. Similarly, the antenna 3010, the communication interface 3006, and / or the processing circuit 3002 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be sent to a UE, another network node, and / or any other network device.

[0156] The power supply 3008 provides power to the various components of the network node 3000 in a form suitable for the various components (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each corresponding component). The power supply 3008 may also include or be coupled to power management circuitry to supply power to the components of the network node 3000 for performing the functions described herein. For example, the network node 3000 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., an electrical grid, an electrical outlet) via an input circuit or interface such as a cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to the power circuitry of the power supply 3008. As another example, the power supply 3008 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack that is connected to or integrated into the power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power if the external power source fails.

[0157] An embodiment of the network node 3000 may include Figure 15Additional components beyond those shown are used to provide certain aspects of the network node functionality, including any functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, network node 3000 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into network node 3000 and to allow information to be output from network node 3000. This may allow a user to perform diagnostics, maintenance, repair, and other management functions for network node 3000.

[0158] Figure 16 is a block diagram of a host 3100 according to various aspects described herein, which may be Figure 13 As used herein, host 3100 may be or include various combinations of hardware and / or software, including processing resources in a standalone server, blade server, cloud-enabled server, distributed server, virtual machine, container, or server farm. Host 3100 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0159] Host 3100 includes processing circuitry 3102 operatively coupled to input / output interface 3106, network interface 3108, power supply 3110, and memory 3112 via bus 3104. Other components may be included in other embodiments. The features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to previous figures (such as Figure 14 and Figure 15 ) devices so that its description is generally applicable to corresponding components of the host 3100.

[0160] Memory 3112 may include one or more computer programs, including one or more host applications 3114 and data 3116, which may include user data (e.g., data generated by a UE for the host 3100 or data generated by the host 3100 for the UE). An embodiment of the host 3100 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application 3114 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, and G.711), including code conversion for multiple different categories, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., mobile phones, desktop computers, wearable display systems, head-up display systems). The host application 3114 may also provide user authentication and permission checks and may periodically report health status, routing, and content availability to a central node (such as a device in the core network or on the edge). Thus, the host 3100 can select and / or instruct a different host for over-the-top delivery of services to the UE. The host application 3114 can support various protocols, such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0161] Figure 17 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualized environment 3200 in which the functionality implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of an apparatus or device, which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices, and network resources. As used herein, virtualization may be applied to any device or component thereof described herein and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functionality described herein may be implemented as virtual components performed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 3200 hosted by one or more hardware nodes (such as hardware computing devices operating as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hosts). In addition, in embodiments where the virtual node does not require a radio connection (e.g., a core network node or host), the node may be fully virtualized.

[0162] Application 3202 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, a virtual appliance, a network function, a virtual node, a virtual network function, etc.) runs in a virtualized environment Q400 to implement some features, functions and / or benefits of some embodiments disclosed herein.

[0163] The hardware 3204 includes processing circuitry, memory storing software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices described herein, such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, and the like. The software can be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 3206 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 3208a and 3208b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 3208), and / or perform any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described in connection with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 3206 can present a virtual operating platform that appears to be network hardware to the VMs 3208.

[0164] The VMs 3208 include virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces, and virtual storage, and can be run by corresponding virtualization layers 3206. Different embodiments of instances of virtual devices 3202 can be implemented on one or more of the VMs 3208 and can be implemented in different ways. Virtualization of hardware is referred to in some contexts as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many network device types onto industry-standard high-volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers and customer premises equipment.

[0165] In the context of NFV, VMs 3208 can be software implementations of physical machines that run programs as if they were executed on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each VM 3208 and the portion of hardware 3204 on which it executes, whether dedicated to that VM and / or shared with other VMs in the VM stack, form a separate virtual network element. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions running in one or more VMs 3208 on hardware 3204 and corresponds to an application 3202.

[0166] Hardware 3204 can be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 3204 can implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 3204 can be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., in a data center or CPE), where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 3210, where management and orchestration 3210 oversees, among other things, the lifecycle management of application 3202. In some embodiments, hardware 3204 is coupled to one or more radio units, each of which includes one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that can be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units can communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and can be used in combination with virtual components to provide radio capabilities to virtual nodes such as radio access nodes or base stations. In some embodiments, a control system 3212 can be used to provide some signaling, which can alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0167] Figure 18 A communication diagram showing a host 3302 communicating with a UE 3306 over a partially wireless connection via a network node 3304 according to some embodiments. Figure 18 Describes the UE discussed in the previous paragraphs (such as Figure 13 UE 2812a and / or Figure 14 UE 2900), network nodes (such as Figure 13 network node 2810a and / or Figure 15 network nodes 3000) and hosts (such as Figure 13 Host 2816 and / or Figure 16 An example implementation of host 3100).

[0168] Similar to host 3100, embodiments of host 3302 include hardware such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 3302 also includes software stored in or accessible by host 3302 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that is operable to provide services to a remote user, such as a UE 3306 connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 3350 extending between UE 3306 and host 3302. In providing services to the remote user, the host application can provide user data sent using OTT connection 3350.

[0169] The network node 3304 includes hardware that enables it to communicate with the host 3302 and the UE 3306. The connection 3360 can be direct or through a core network (such as Figure 13The core network 2806 of the present invention and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private or managed networks. For example, the intermediate network can be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0170] UE 3306 includes hardware and software that is stored in or accessible by UE 3306 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or an operator-specific "app," that is operable to provide services to a human or non-human user via UE 3306 with the support of host 3302. In host 3302, an executing host application can communicate with an executing client application via an OTT connection 3350 that terminates between UE 3306 and host 3302. In providing services to a user, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host application of the host and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 3350 can transmit the request data and the user data. The UE's client application can interact with the user to generate user data that it provides to the host application via the OTT connection 3350.

[0171] The OTT connection 3350 may extend via a connection 3360 between the host 3302 and the network node 3304 and via a wireless connection 3370 between the network node 3304 and the UE 3306 to provide connectivity between the host 3302 and the UE 3306. The connection 3360 and the wireless connection 3370 over which the OTT connection 3350 may be provided are drawn abstractly to illustrate communication between the host 3302 and the UE 3306 via the network node 3304, without explicit reference to any intermediate devices and the precise routing of messages via those devices.

[0172] As an example of transmitting data via OTT connection 3350, in step 3308, host 3302 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE 3306. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE 3306, which shares data with host 3302 without explicit human interaction. In step 3310, host 3302 initiates a transmission carrying the user data to UE 3306. Host 3302 may initiate the transmission in response to a request sent by UE 3306. The request may be initiated by human interaction with UE 3306 or by operation of a client application executing on UE 3306. In accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the transmission may pass through network node 3304. Therefore, in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure, in step 3312, network node 3304 transmits the user data carried in the transmission initiated by host 3302 to UE 3306. In step 3314 , UE 3306 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executing on UE 3306 that is associated with a host application executed by host 3302 .

[0173] In some examples, UE 3306 executes a client application that provides user data to host 3302. The user data can be provided in reaction to or in response to data received from host 3302. Thus, in step 3316, UE 3306 can provide the user data, which can be performed by executing the client application. In providing the user data, the client application can further consider user input received from the user via the input / output interface of UE 3306. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data is provided, in step 3318, UE 3306 initiates a transmission of the user data to host 3302 via network node 3304. In step 3320, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 3304 receives the user data from UE 3306 and initiates a transmission of the received user data to host 3302. In step 3322, host 3302 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 3306.

[0174] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 3306 using OTT connection 3350 in which wireless connection 3370 forms the last leg. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments can save transmit power and thereby provide benefits such as extended lifetime of the base station.

[0175] In an example scenario, the host 3302 may collect and analyze plant status information. As another example, the host 3302 may process audio and video data that may have been retrieved from the UE for use in creating a map. As another example, the host 3302 may collect and analyze real-time data to help control vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, the host 3302 may store surveillance videos uploaded by the UE. As another example, the host 3302 may store media content (such as video, audio, VR, or AR) that it may broadcast, multicast, or unicast to the UE, or control access to the media content. As other examples, the host 3302 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time-critical power loads to balance power generation demand, positioning services, presentation services (such as compiling charts based on data collected from remote devices, etc.), or any other function that collects, retrieves, stores, analyzes, and / or sends data.

[0176] In some examples, a measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors improved by one or more embodiments. An optional network function may also be provided for reconfiguring the OTT connection 3350 between the host 3302 and the UE 3306 in response to changes in measurement results. The measurement process and / or network function for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 3302 and / or the UE 3306. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with other devices through which the OTT connection 3350 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement process by supplying values for the monitored quantities exemplified above or other physical quantities from which the software can calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 3350 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, and the like; reconfiguration does not require direct changes to the operation of the network node 3304. Such processes and functions may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, the measurements may involve dedicated UE signaling that facilitates the host 3302's measurement of throughput, propagation time, latency, and the like. The measurements can be achieved by software enabling the use of the OTT connection 3350 to send messages, in particular empty messages or "dummy" messages, while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.

[0177] Although the computing devices (e.g., UE, network node, host) described herein may include the illustrated combinations of hardware components, other embodiments may include computing devices with different combinations of components. It should be understood that these computing devices may include any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The determination, calculation, acquisition, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry that processes information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or the converted information with information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or the converted information, and making a determination as a result of the processing. In addition, although the components are depicted as being located within a larger box or as a single box nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a computing device may include multiple different physical components that make up the single illustrated component, and functionality may be divided between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or functionality of a component may be divided between a processing circuit and a communication interface. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0178] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored in a memory, which in some embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hardwired manner. In any of these particular embodiments, the processing circuitry may be configured to perform the described functionality regardless of whether instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry itself or other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole and / or generally by end users and wireless networks.

[0179] Figure 19 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host, a base station and a UE, which may be reference Figure 13 and 18 For the sake of brevity of this disclosure, only the Figure 19Reference to the accompanying drawings. In step 3410, the host provides user data. In sub-step 3411 of step 3410 (which may be optional), the host provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 3420, the host initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 3430 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station sends the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the host to the UE. In step 3440 (which may be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host.

[0180] Figure 20 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host, a base station and a UE, which may be reference Figure 13 and 18 For the sake of brevity of this disclosure, only the Figure 20 Reference is made to the accompanying drawings of the method. In step 3510 of the method, the host provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown), the host provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 3520, the host initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the transmission can be performed via a base station. In step 3530 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

[0181] Figure 21 is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host, a base station and a UE, which may be reference Figure 13 and 18 For the sake of brevity of this disclosure, only the Figure 21 Reference to the accompanying drawings. In step 3610 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host. Additionally or alternatively, in step 3620, the UE provides user data. In sub-step 3621 (which may be optional) of step 3620, the UE provides user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 3611 (which may be optional) of step 3610, the UE executes a client application that provides user data as a reaction to the received input data provided by the host. In the process of providing user data, the executed client application may also take into account user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data is provided, in sub-step 3630 (which may be optional), the UE initiates transmission of the user data to the host. In step 3640 of the method, the host receives user data sent from the UE in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

[0182] Figure 22is a flow chart showing a method implemented in a communication system according to an embodiment. The communication system includes a host, a base station and a UE, which may be reference Figure 13 and 18 For the sake of brevity of this disclosure, only the Figure 22 Reference to the accompanying drawings. In step 3710 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 3720 (which may be optional), the base station initiates a transmission of the received user data to the host. In step 3730 (which may be optional), the host receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

[0183] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented in a communication system including a host, a base station, and a terminal device is provided. The method may include providing user data at the host. The method may also include initiating a transmission carrying the user data at the host to the terminal device via a cellular network including the base station. The base station may assign the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of a network node that are in an active state for communication. The base station may schedule a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The base station may perform the first transmission to the first terminal device based on the result of the scheduling.

[0184] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include sending user data at the base station.

[0185] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, user data may be provided at the host by executing a host application.The method may further include executing a client application associated with the host application at the terminal device.

[0186] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided that includes a host, the host including a processing circuit configured to provide user data, and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a terminal device. The cellular network may include a base station having a radio interface and a processing circuit. The processing circuit of the base station may be configured to assign the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on the channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an operating state for communication. The processing circuit of the base station may be configured to schedule a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The processing circuit of the base station may be configured to perform the first transmission to the first terminal device based on the result of the scheduling.

[0187] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication system may further include a base station.

[0188] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication system may further include a terminal device. The terminal device may be configured to communicate with the base station.

[0189] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a processing circuit of the host may be configured to execute a host application, thereby providing user data. The terminal device may include a processing circuit configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0190] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented in a communication system including a host, a base station, and a terminal device is provided. The method may include providing user data at the host. The method may also include initiating a transmission carrying the user data at the host to the terminal device via a cellular network including the base station. The terminal device may receive the transmission from a network node. The terminal device may be assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmission may be scheduled by the network node in a time interval (TTI) based on the terminal device's assigned group.

[0191] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include receiving user data from a base station at the terminal device.

[0192] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided that includes a host computer, the host computer including processing circuitry configured to provide user data, and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a terminal device. The terminal device may include a radio interface and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry of the terminal device may be configured to receive transmissions from a network node. The terminal device may be assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmissions may be scheduled by the network node in a time interval (TTI) based on the assigned group of the terminal device.

[0193] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication system may further include a terminal device.

[0194] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cellular network may further include a base station configured to communicate with the terminal device.

[0195] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing circuit of the host may be configured to execute a host application to provide user data, and the processing circuit of the terminal device may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0196] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented in a communication system including a host, a base station, and a terminal device is provided. The method may include receiving, at the host, user data transmitted from the terminal device to the base station. The terminal device may receive transmissions from a network node. The network node may assign the terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmissions may be scheduled by the network node in a time interval (TTI) based on the terminal device's assigned group.

[0197] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include providing user data to the base station at the terminal device.

[0198] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include executing a client application at the terminal device to provide user data to be sent. The method may further include executing a host application associated with the client application at the host.

[0199] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include executing a client application at the terminal device. The method may further include receiving input data for the client application at the terminal device. The input data may be provided at the host by executing a host application associated with the client application. The user data to be transmitted may be provided by the client application in response to the input data.

[0200] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided that includes a host computer, the host computer including a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a terminal device to a base station. The terminal device may include a radio interface and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry of the terminal device may be configured to receive transmissions from a network node. The terminal device may be assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication. The transmissions may be scheduled by the network node in a time interval (TTI) based on the terminal device's assigned group.

[0201] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication system may further include a terminal device.

[0202] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication system may further include a base station. The base station may include a radio interface configured to communicate with a terminal device and a communication interface configured to forward user data carried by a transmission from the terminal device to the base station to a host.

[0203] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing circuit of the host may be configured to execute a host application, and the processing circuit of the terminal device may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing user data.

[0204] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing circuit of the host may be configured to execute a host application to provide request data, and the processing circuit of the terminal device may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to provide user data in response to the request data.

[0205] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented in a communication system including a host, a base station, and a terminal device is provided. The method may include receiving, at the host, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission that the base station has received from the terminal device. The base station may assign the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of a network node that are in an active state for communication. The base station may schedule a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The base station may perform the first transmission to the first terminal device based on the result of the scheduling.

[0206] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include receiving user data from the terminal device at the base station.

[0207] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further include initiating, at the base station, transmission of the received user data to the host.

[0208] In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a communication system comprising a host, the host comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a terminal device to a base station. The base station may comprise a radio interface and a processing circuit. The processing circuit of the base station may be configured to assign the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on a channel condition reported by the first terminal device. Each of the plurality of groups may correspond to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of a network node that are in an operating state for communication. The processing circuit of the base station may be configured to schedule a first transmission to the first terminal device in a TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device. The processing circuit of the base station may be configured to perform the first transmission to the first terminal device based on a result of the scheduling.

[0209] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication system may further include a base station.

[0210] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication system may further include a terminal device. The terminal device may be configured to communicate with the base station.

[0211] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing circuit of the host may be configured to execute a host application. The terminal device may be configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing user data to be received by the host.

[0212] 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 illustrated 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.

[0213] 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.

[0214] 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.

[0215] 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.

[0216] 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.

[0217] 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.

[0218] 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 network node, comprising: assigning (202) the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the first terminal device, wherein each group in the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication; scheduling (204) a first transmission to the first terminal device in a transmission time interval TTI based on the assigned group of the first terminal device; and Based on a result of the scheduling, the first transmission to the first terminal device is performed (206).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first transmission to the first terminal device and at least one second transmission to at least one second terminal device are scheduled in the same TTI, wherein the at least one second terminal device is assigned to the same group as the first terminal device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first transmission to the first terminal device is performed using antenna branches corresponding to the assigned group of the first terminal device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first transmission to the first terminal device and at least one third transmission to at least one third terminal device are scheduled in the same TTI, wherein the at least one third terminal device is assigned to a different group than the first terminal device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein The first transmission to the first terminal device is performed by using antenna branches corresponding to the assigned group of the at least one third terminal device.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: Performing (206) the first transmission to the first terminal device includes: estimating (416) a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) based on the channel condition reported by the first terminal device; converting (418) the SINR to a target SINR corresponding to the assigned group of the at least one third terminal device; and Based on the target SINR, a modulation and coding scheme MCS for the first transmission is estimated (420).

7. The method according to claim 3 or 5, wherein: Information about the antenna branches used is communicated to the radio component by the baseband component of the network node.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein Assigning (202) the first terminal device to one of the plurality of groups comprises: Sending (308) a channel state information reference signal CSI-RS to the first terminal device; receiving (310) channel state information CSI from the first terminal device; and Based on the received CSI, a group for the first terminal device is determined (312) from the plurality of groups.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein A first CSI-RS corresponding to a first group of the plurality of groups is sent to the first terminal device; wherein, when the CSI received in response to the first CSI-RS indicates a channel condition that is better than a first predetermined level, a second CSI-RS corresponding to a second group of the multiple groups is sent to the first terminal device, wherein the number of antenna branches corresponding to the second group is less than the number of antenna branches corresponding to the first group; and / or Wherein, when the CSI received in response to the second CSI-RS indicates a channel condition better than a second predetermined level, the second group is determined to be used for the first terminal device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The first CSI-RS initially sent to the first terminal device corresponds to all antenna branches of the radio component.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: When the second group is determined to be used for the first terminal device, the second CSI-RS is sent to the first terminal device instead of the first CSI-RS.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, further comprising: A configuration of a plurality of CSI-RS resource sets corresponding to the plurality of groups is sent (501) to the first terminal device.

13. A method performed by a terminal device, comprising: receiving (602) a transmission from a network node, wherein the terminal device is assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device, wherein each of the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication, and Therein, the transmission is scheduled by the network node in a transmission time interval TTI based on the assigned group of the terminal devices.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: receiving (704) a first channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) corresponding to a first group from the network node, wherein the first group corresponds to a first number of antenna branches of the radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication; sending (706) first CSI to the network node; receiving (708) a second CSI-RS corresponding to a second group from the network node, wherein the second group corresponds to a second, different number of antenna branches of the radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication; and Second CSI is sent (710) to the network node.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising: A configuration regarding a plurality of CSI-RS resource sets corresponding to the plurality of groups is received (701) from the network node.

16. A network node (800), comprising: at least one processor (810); as well as at least one memory (820), the at least one memory (820) containing instructions executable by the at least one processor (810), whereby the network node (800) is operable to: assigning the first terminal device to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the first terminal device, wherein each group in the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication; scheduling a first transmission to the first terminal device in a transmission time interval (TTI) based on the assigned group of the first terminal device; and Based on a result of the scheduling, the first transmission to the first terminal device is performed.

17. The network node (800) according to claim 16, wherein The network node (800) is operable to perform a method according to any one of claims 2 to 12.

18. A terminal device (800), comprising: at least one processor (810); as well as at least one memory (820), the at least one memory (820) containing instructions executable by the at least one processor (810), whereby the terminal device (800) is operable to: Receive transmissions from network nodes, wherein the terminal device is assigned by the network node to one of a plurality of groups based on channel conditions reported by the terminal device, wherein each of the plurality of groups corresponds to a different number of antenna branches of a radio component of the network node that are in an active state for communication, and Therein, the transmission is scheduled by the network node in a transmission time interval TTI based on the assigned group of the terminal devices.

19. The terminal device (800) according to claim 18, wherein: The terminal device (800) is operable to perform the method according to claim 14 or 15.

20. 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 15.

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