Communication apparatus and communication method

Abstract

The communication apparatus performs communication with the first communication network and the second communication network, and wireless communication with the terminal. On the basis of an instruction from a first communication network, the communication device sets whether or not to operate as a wireless base station that accommodates a terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication device and a communication method capable of performing wireless communication with a terminal (User Equipment, UE). Background Art

[0002] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP: registered trademark) has standardized the fifth-generation mobile communication system (also referred to as 5G, New Radio (NR), or Next Generation (NG)), and is also standardizing the next generation referred to as Beyond 5G, 5G Evolution, or 6G.

[0003] For example, in the white paper related to 6G (non-patent document 1), research is being conducted on network architecture, including more flexible network function configuration.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Non-patent literature

[0006] Non-Patent Document 1: NTT Docomo, “Docomo 6G White Paper Version 5.0,” [Online] January 2023, Internet <URL:https: / / www.docomo.ne.jp / binary / pdf / corporate / technology / whitepaper_6g / DOCOMO_6G_White_PaperJP_20221116.pdf> Summary of the Invention

[0007] As one form of architecture of previous mobile communication networks, it is known that there are communication devices that can be freely set up by subscribers of communication services, so-called access points (APs). However, in 6G, in order to achieve higher frequency / wideband wireless communications, it is envisioned that more APs will be needed.

[0008] Therefore, in the conventional method of freely installing APs, there is a problem in that it is difficult to achieve an optimal structure for the entire mobile communication network.

[0009] Therefore, the following disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a communication device and a communication method that can realize an optimal structure as an entire mobile communication network.

[0010] One embodiment of the present disclosure is a communication device (NCAP100), which includes: a communication unit (a first communication unit 110, a second communication unit 120, and a third communication unit 130), which performs communication with a first communication network and a second communication network, and wireless communication with a terminal (UE200); and a control unit (control unit 140), which sets whether to act as a wireless base station that accommodates the terminal based on an instruction from the first communication network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 It is a diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of the wireless communication system 10 .

[0012] Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of NCAP100.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example (part 1) of a network architecture including the NCAP 100 according to the second operation example.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing an example (part 2) of a network architecture including the NCAP 100 according to the second operation example.

[0015] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the NCAP 100 .

[0016] Figure 6 2001 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a vehicle 2001 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or similar reference numerals will be given to the same functions and structures, and their description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0018] (1) Overall schematic structure of wireless communication system

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of wireless communication system 10 according to this embodiment. Wireless communication system 10 is a wireless communication system that complies with standards known as Beyond 5G, 5G Evolution, or 6G (hereinafter referred to as 6G), and includes a wireless base station 50 (hereinafter referred to as gNB 50) and a terminal 200 (hereinafter referred to as UE 200, or User Equipment, or UE). Wireless communication system 10 may also comply with standards other than 6G, such as 5G New Radio (NR).

[0020] The gNB 50 is a 6G-compliant radio base station that performs 6G-compliant wireless communications with the UE 200. By controlling radio signals transmitted from multiple antenna elements, the NCAP 100 and UE 200 support Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output), which generates more directional antenna beams; Carrier Aggregation (CA), which bundles and uses multiple component carriers (CCs); and Dual Connectivity (DC), which enables simultaneous communication between the UE and two or more RAN nodes.

[0021] In addition to the gNB 50, the wireless communication system 10 also includes a network control access point 100 (hereinafter referred to as NCAP 100). NCAP 100 is a type of communication device known as an access point (AP) and can provide the same functions as a wireless base station. NCAP is a temporary term and may also be referred to by other similar names such as communication node, RAN node, relay device, etc.

[0022] NCAP 100 may be set by the operating entity of the wireless communication system 10 (mobile communication system) (also referred to as a network operator or mobile operator, etc.), or may be freely set by a subscriber (Customer, Subscriber) of the communication service provided by the wireless communication system 10 .

[0023] Furthermore, compared to gNB 50, at least one of the frequency bands (which may include frequency band combinations, etc.), number of antenna beams, number of MIMO layers, and transmit power supported by NCAP 100 may be restricted. Since NCAP 100 can provide essentially the same functionality as gNB 50, it can form cell C1 and accommodate UE 200.

[0024] The UE 200 is typically a portable terminal such as a smartphone, but may also be a device for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications).

[0025] The wireless communication system 10 may be composed of a radio access network (RAN) composed of multiple RAN nodes such as gNB 50 using 6G radio access technology (RAT), and a core network compliant with 6G. The RAN and core network may be simply referred to as "network."

[0026] The core network (CN) can be connected to the RAN and is a network composed of a switch, a subscriber information management device, etc. The UE 200 can communicate with the core network via the RAN.

[0027] In the wireless communication system 10 , a control plane (C-plane) function and a user plane (U-plane) function (UPF: User Plane Function) are defined.

[0028] The C-plane may refer to a series of control processes exchanged mainly for establishing communications, etc. The U-plane may refer to a process for transmitting and receiving user data.

[0029] In the core network (and part of the RAN), the concept of CUPS (Control and User Plane Separation) can be introduced, in which the functions of the C-plane and U-plane are clearly separated.

[0030] The C-plane functions of the core network may include: an access and mobility management function (AMF) that provides access and mobility management functions for UE 200, a session management function (SMF) that provides session management functions, etc. In addition, AMF and SMF may also be referred to by other names.

[0031] For NCAP 100, network operators can connect to the RAN and perform various controls via C-plane functionality. At least a portion of this connection and / or control can also be implemented using the Self-Organizing Network (SON) framework. SON can be interpreted as a self-optimizing function of the mobile communication network, including automatic configuration during gNB 50 installation and automatic parameter optimization.

[0032] As described above, NCAP 100 can connect to gNB 50 via the C-plane function. The connection between gNB 50 and NCAP 100 can be via the RAN (RAT) or a wired network. Furthermore, NCAP 100 can provide UE 200 with a communication path to the broadband internet and servers for MEC (Multi-access Edge Computing) via a local area network (LAN). MEC is a mechanism that deploys servers and storage closer to users (subscribers) in mobile communication networks. Furthermore, various cloud services can be accessed via the broadband internet.

[0033] (2) Functional block structure of wireless communication system

[0034] Next, the functional block structure of the wireless communication system 10 will be described. Specifically, the functional block structure of the NCAP 100 will be described. Figure 2 This is the functional block structure diagram of NCAP100.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, the NCAP 100 includes a first communication unit 110 , a second communication unit 120 , a third communication unit 130 , and a control unit 140 .

[0036] The first communication unit 110 performs communication with the network operator side. Specifically, the first communication unit 110 performs communication with the RAN node including the gNB50. The connection with the gNB50 (and other RAN nodes) can use a radio access technology (RAT) or a wired network other than the RAT. The network on the network operator side composed of the RAN nodes including the gNB50 can also be called the first communication network. That is, the first communication unit 110 uses the RAT to perform communication with the first communication network. The network on the network operator side can be interpreted as including the concept of SON.

[0037] The second communication unit 120 performs communication with a local area network (LAN). Specifically, the second communication unit 120 performs communication via a communication device such as a router constituting the LAN and the broadband Internet (which may be omitted as simply the Internet).

[0038] The connection to the LAN can be a wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or a wired LAN such as Ethernet (registered trademark). The network on the LAN side can also be called a second communication network. That is, the second communication unit 120 uses LAN technology to perform communication with the second communication network.

[0039] In addition, the second communication unit 120 can communicate with the network operator via the LAN (second communication network) and the broadband Internet. This communication is not limited to the U-plane function, and may also include communication related to the C-plane function.

[0040] The third communication unit 130 performs communication with the UE 200. Specifically, the third communication unit 130 performs wireless communication with the UE 200 using a radio access technology (RAT). In this case, the NCAP 100 can provide the same functions as the gNB 50 to the UE 200.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first communication unit 110 , the second communication unit 120 , and the third communication unit 130 constitute a communication unit that performs communications with the first communication network (network operator side) and the second communication network (LAN side), and wireless communications with the UE 200 .

[0042] The control unit 140 controls each functional block constituting the NCAP 100. In particular, in this embodiment, the control unit 140 can set whether to operate as a radio base station (gNB) accommodating the UE 200 based on an instruction from the network (first communication network) on the network operator side.

[0043] Specifically, control unit 140 can determine whether to operate as a network device (equipment) accommodating UE 200 based on the timing of the network connection to the network operator, according to the content of the network operator's instructions. The connection timing can be at the beginning of the connection process, after the connection process is completed, or in the middle of the connection process.

[0044] The actions of a network device that accommodates UE 200 can be interpreted as synonymous with the actions of a wireless base station (gNB), but they may not be completely consistent, and NCAP 100 may not support some actions of the gNB.

[0045] The instruction from the network operator side includes permission (or prohibition) of the operation of the network device accommodating UE 200 , but may also include the type of wireless base station (or network device), the target area (coverage area), etc.

[0046] The control unit 140 may also control operations related to wireless communication with the UE 200 based on an instruction to allow operation as a wireless base station (or network device). Operations related to wireless communication with the UE 200 may include determining a transmission path for U-plane signals (data signals) to and from the UE 200 and transmission processing of such signals.

[0047] (3) Operation of wireless communication system

[0048] Next, the operation of the wireless communication system 10 will be described. Specifically, an example of the control operation of the NCAP 100 led by the network operator will be described.

[0049] (3.1) Prerequisites

[0050] In 6G, various requirements are generated based on the following perspectives, and it is assumed that it is difficult to meet all the requirements from all perspectives using the previous network deployment method.

[0051] Efficiency / speed: A network that satisfies specific performance needs to be constructed quickly only at locations where the network is required.

[0052] Efficient Utilization of Frequency Resources: Achieving terabit-level communication speeds requires effective and flexible utilization of ultra-high frequencies such as sub-terahertz waves (90-300 GHz). Even achieving a suitable network configuration using NR's 52.6 GHz millimeter wave frequency is a significant challenge, and utilizing sub-terahertz waves requires a larger number of wireless base stations.

[0053] Fault Tolerance: Communication services must continue to be provided even when equipment on the network operator side fails.

[0054] On the other hand, even if a conventional alternative network such as a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) access point (AP) is utilized, the following problems still exist.

[0055] Optimization: Since subscribers of communication services can freely install APs to build a network, the number of APs may become disorganized, making it difficult to achieve an optimal structure for the entire network.

[0056] Frequency of use: In the case of a network that can only use the unlicensed spectrum, the bandwidth is limited, so the maximum performance (communication speed, etc.) is limited.

[0057] In the following operation example, taking such premise into consideration, an example of a method of constructing a new mobile communication network (cellular network) in the 6G era using NCAP is described.

[0058] (3.2) Action example

[0059] As in the past, subscribers (Customers, Subscribers) of communication services can freely set up (configure) NCAP 100 , specifically, devices (communication apparatuses) having the same functions (capabilities) as wireless base stations.

[0060] However, the network operator can control what actions the NCAP 100 performs. In other words, the configuration of the NCAP 100 can be delegated to the subscriber, but the NCAP 100 can be controlled by the network operator.

[0061] There are no particular restrictions on the control content of NCAP 100. As described above, it can include permission (or prohibition) of the operation of the network device accommodating UE 200, but it can also include the type of wireless base station (or network device), the target area (coverage area), the type of UE to be accommodated, etc.

[0062] (3.2.1) Action Example 1

[0063] As described above, the NCAP 100 may be connected to a network operator (specifically, a network on the network operator's side).

[0064] Regarding the execution of operations as a network device accommodating UE (operations such as a wireless base station), NCAP 100 can exchange information with the network operator when connecting to the network operator or after the connection is completed.

[0065] Specifically, while typically a permission is an indication of the network device's actions, NCAP 100 may also report supported functions and / or capabilities to the network operator. Furthermore, as described above, in addition to permission, instructions from the network operator may also include information such as the type of wireless base station (or network device), coverage area (which may also include cell size (which may also be interpreted as transmit power), antenna beam direction and number), and so on.

[0066] Furthermore, the control of the NCAP 100 can be performed using a Self-Organizing Networks (SON) framework. However, the control is not limited to SON, and other autonomously configurable frameworks can also be used.

[0067] After receiving an indication from the network operator that the action is permitted, NCAP 100 may execute actions related to communication with UE 200. Specifically, data signals (which may include user data signals, the same applies hereinafter) sent to UE 200 may be forwarded to UE 200 from an external source (e.g., broadband Internet, LAN, etc.) via NCAP 100, rather than through the network operator's network.

[0068] Furthermore, the data signal transmitted from the UE may be forwarded to the outside via the NCAP 100 from the UE 200 without passing through the network of the network operator.

[0069] Furthermore, in the case where communication is performed between UEs 200 accommodated in the same network related to the NCAP 100 , communication can be performed between a plurality of UEs 200 via the NCAP 100 without going through the outside.

[0070] Furthermore, when UE 200 transmits or receives a specific type of service, the service may also be communicated with the outside world (eg, broadband Internet, LAN, etc.) via NCAP 100 and the network operator. Specific types of services may be, for example, services related to voice calls.

[0071] According to this operation example, the efficiency and speed described in the premise (3.1), the effective use of frequency resources, the fault tolerance, etc. can be improved, and the optimal structure can be achieved for the entire wireless communication system 10 (mobile communication network).

[0072] (3.2.2) Action Example 2

[0073] In this operation example, control related to the architecture of the network including the NCAP 100 will be described. Figure 3 An example (part 1) of a network architecture including the NCAP 100 according to the second operation example is shown.

[0074] like Figure 3 As shown, when NCAP 100 is connected to a network operator, it can communicate with the network operator's network via the RAN (using the RAT). Specifically, information regarding the connection operation between NCAP 100 and the network operator's network (e.g., gNB 50 or AMF / SMF constituting the core network) and the execution of actions as a network device accommodating a UE can be exchanged through wireless communication with gNB 50, or NCAP 100 can perform connection actions as a UE.

[0075] The RAN-related C-plane of the gNB 50 and the NCAP 100 may be defined as being between the gNB 50 and the NCAP 100. Furthermore, the C-plane may be any one of the radio resource control layer (RRC), the packet data convergence protocol layer (PDCP), the radio link control layer (RLC), the medium access control layer (MAC), or the physical layer (PHY).

[0076] This network architecture can improve the compatibility of NCAP 100 with the network operator's network when accommodating UE 200. Furthermore, by leaving the connection destination for communication of user data of UE 200 to the LAN, it becomes easier to build a network that is highly secure for UE 200.

[0077] Figure 4 FIG. 2 shows an example of a network architecture including NCAP 100 according to operation example 2 (part 2). Figure 4 As shown, when the NCAP 100 is connected to a network operator, communication with the network operator's network can be performed via broadband Internet. Specifically, information regarding the connection between the NCAP 100 and the network operator's network can be exchanged via wired communication via the Internet connection line to the network operator's network.

[0078] This network architecture can stabilize the communication between the network operator's network and NCAP 100.

[0079] In addition, if Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, when NCAP 100 performs actions related to communication with UE 200, communication between NCAP 100 and UE 200 may be performed via RAN (using RAT). In this case, the C-plane and / or U-plane involved in the RAN may be defined as between NCAP 100 and UE 200. Alternatively, the C-plane and / or U-plane involved in the RAN may be defined as between a network operator's network and UE 200.

[0080] The C-plane can be any layer among RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC, or PHY, or only a portion of the C-plane functions can be used as the target. In addition, the U-plane (if necessary) can be any layer among Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), PDCP, RLC, MAC, or PHY, or only a portion of the U-plane functions can be used as the target.

[0081] The RAN used for connecting the network on the network operator side with the NCAP 100 and the RAN used for connecting the network on the network operator side with the UE 200 may be of the same type (e.g., 6G) or different types (e.g., NR and 6G).

[0082] (4) Action and Effect

[0083] According to the above embodiment, the network operator can control the operation of NCAP 100 and specify the network architecture (via RAN, LAN, broadband Internet, etc.) including NCAP 100. Therefore, the optimal structure of the entire mobile communication network can be achieved while using NCAP 100.

[0084] (5) Other Implementation Methods

[0085] Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiment, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made.

[0086] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a case where a connection with a server for MEC and the broadband Internet is possible via a LAN is described, but the LAN can be set in the same segment or can be different LANs that are physically or logically separated.

[0087] In the above embodiment, NCAP 100 is connected to both the network operator's network (first communication network) and the LAN (second communication network), but it may also be connected to only one of the networks. Furthermore, UE 200 connected to the network formed by NCAP 100 may or may not be connected to the network operator's wireless base station. The presence or absence of this connection may also affect the behavior of NCAP 100 and / or UE 200. Furthermore, the network formed by NCAP 100 may use either the authorized band or the unlicensed band.

[0088] In addition, the block diagram ( Figure 2 ) shows blocks in functional units. These functional blocks (structural parts) are implemented by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. In addition, there is no particular limitation on the implementation method of each functional block. That is, each functional block can be implemented using a device that is physically or logically combined, or can be implemented using multiple devices by connecting two or more physically or logically separated devices directly or indirectly (for example, using wired or wireless connections). The functional block can be implemented by combining software with the above-mentioned one device or the above-mentioned multiple devices.

[0089] Functions include, but are not limited to, judging, determining, determining, calculating, calculating, processing, deriving, investigating, searching, confirming, receiving, sending, outputting, accessing, resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, comparing, assuming, expecting, regarding, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating, mapping, and assigning. For example, a functional block (structural unit) that enables the transmission function is called a transmitting unit or a transmitter. In short, as described above, there is no particular limitation on the implementation method.

[0090] Furthermore, the NCAP 100 can function as a computer that performs processing of the wireless communication method of the present disclosure. Figure 5 FIG1 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of NCAP 100. Figure 5 As shown, the NCAP 100 may be configured as a computer device including a processor 1001 , a memory 1002 , a storage device 1003 , a communication device 1004 , an input device 1005 , an output device 1006 , a bus 1007 , and the like.

[0091] In the following description, the word "device" can be replaced with "circuit," "device," "unit," etc. The hardware structure of the device may include one or more of the devices shown in the figures, or may exclude some of the devices.

[0092] Each functional block of NCAP100 (refer to Figure 2 ) is implemented by any hardware element or combination of hardware elements in the computer device.

[0093] In addition, each function in NCAP100 is implemented by reading predetermined software (program) on hardware such as processor 1001 and memory 1002, so that processor 1001 performs calculations and controls the communication of communication device 1004 or controls at least one of the reading and writing of data in memory 1002 and storage device 1003.

[0094] The processor 1001 controls the entire computer by, for example, running an operating system. The processor 1001 may be composed of a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral devices, a control unit, a calculation unit, registers, and the like.

[0095] In addition, the processor 1001 reads programs (program code), software modules, data, etc. from at least one of the storage device 1003 and the communication device 1004 to the memory 1002, and performs various processes accordingly. As a program, a program that causes the computer to perform at least a portion of the actions described in the above embodiments is used. Moreover, the various processes described above can be performed by one processor 1001, or by two or more processors 1001 simultaneously or sequentially. The processor 1001 can also be implemented by one or more chips. In addition, the program can also be transmitted from the network via a telecommunications line.

[0096] The memory 1002 is a computer-readable recording medium and may be composed of, for example, at least one of a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and a random access memory (RAM). The memory 1002 may be referred to as a register, a cache memory, or a main memory (main storage device). The memory 1002 may store a program (program code), a software module, or the like that enables execution of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0097] Storage device 1003 is a computer-readable recording medium and may be composed of, for example, at least one of an optical disk such as a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a hard disk drive, a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disc, a digital versatile disc, a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc), a smart card, a flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy disk, a magnetic stripe, and the like. Storage device 1003 may also be referred to as an auxiliary storage device. The aforementioned recording medium may be, for example, a database, a server, or other appropriate medium that includes at least one of memory 1002 and storage device 1003.

[0098] The communication device 1004 is hardware (transceiver) used to communicate between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and may also be called a network device, a network controller, a network card, a communication module, etc.

[0099] The communication device 1004 may be configured to include, for example, a high-frequency switch, a duplexer, a filter, a frequency synthesizer, etc., to implement at least one of frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD).

[0100] The input device 1005 is an input device that receives input from the outside (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, etc.). The output device 1006 is an output device that outputs to the outside (e.g., a display, speaker, LED light, etc.). Alternatively, the input device 1005 and the output device 1006 may be integrally formed (e.g., a touch panel).

[0101] Furthermore, the processor 1001, the memory 1002, and other devices are connected via a bus 1007 for communicating information. The bus 1007 may be configured as a single bus or may be configured as different buses between devices.

[0102] Furthermore, the device may be configured to include hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and some or all of the functional blocks may be implemented using such hardware. For example, the processor 1001 may be implemented using at least one of these hardware components.

[0103] In addition, the notification of information is not limited to the form / implementation method described in the present disclosure, and other methods may also be used. For example, the notification of information may be implemented through physical layer signaling (e.g., downlink control information (Downlink Control Information: DCI), uplink control information (Uplink Control Information: UCI), high-layer signaling (e.g., RRC signaling, medium access control (Medium Access Control: MAC) signaling, broadcast information (Master Information Block (Master Information Block: MIB), System Information Block (System Information Block: SIB)), other signals or a combination thereof. In addition, RRC signaling may also be referred to as an RRC message, for example, an RRC Connection Setup message, an RRC Connection Reconfiguration message, etc.

[0104] Each form / embodiment described in the present disclosure can also be applied to a mobile communication system using Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), Super 3G (SUPER 3), IMT-Advanced, 4th generation mobile communication system (4G), 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), 6th generation mobile communication system (6G), xth generation mobile communication system (xG) (x is an integer or a decimal), Future Radio Access (FRA), New Radio (NR), W-CDMA (registered trademark), GSM (registered trademark), CDMA2000, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)), IEEE At least one of IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.20, Ultra Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth (registered trademark), other appropriate systems, and next-generation systems that are expanded upon these systems. Furthermore, a combination of multiple systems (for example, a combination of at least one of LTE and LTE-A with 5G, etc.) may also be employed.

[0105] The processing steps, sequences, and flows of each form / implementation described in this disclosure may be reordered unless there is a conflict. For example, the methods described in this disclosure use an illustrative order to present the elements of various steps, but are not limited to the specific order presented.

[0106] In this disclosure, specific actions performed by a base station may also be performed by its upper node, depending on the circumstances. In a network consisting of one or more network nodes including a base station, various actions performed to communicate with a terminal can be performed by at least one of the base station and other network nodes other than the base station (e.g., an MME or S-GW, but not limited thereto). While the above example illustrates a single other network node other than the base station, it may also be a combination of multiple other network nodes (e.g., an MME and an S-GW).

[0107] Information, signals (information, etc.) can be output from a higher layer (or lower layer) to a lower layer (or higher layer), or can be input or output via multiple network nodes.

[0108] Input and output information can be stored in a specific location (e.g., memory) or managed using a management table. Input and output information can be overwritten, updated, or appended. Output information can also be deleted. Input information can also be sent to other devices.

[0109] The determination may be made using a value represented by one bit (0 or 1), a Boolean value (Boolean: true or false), or a comparison of numerical values ​​(for example, comparison with a predetermined value).

[0110] Each form / implementation described in this disclosure may be used individually or in combination, and may be switched between them depending on the execution. Furthermore, notification of scheduled information is not limited to being performed explicitly (e.g., a notification of "yes X") but may also be performed implicitly (e.g., not notifying the scheduled information).

[0111] Software, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or by other names, shall be interpreted broadly to refer to instructions, sets of instructions, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, execution threads, procedures, functions, etc.

[0112] Additionally, software, commands, information, and the like may be sent and received via a transmission medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using at least one of a wired technology (coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), etc.) and a wireless technology (infrared, microwave, etc.), at least one of these wired and wireless technologies is included within the definition of a transmission medium.

[0113] The information, signals, etc. described in this disclosure may also be represented using any of a variety of different technologies. For example, data, commands, instructions, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc. that may be referred to in the entire description may also be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or photons, or any combination thereof.

[0114] In addition, the terms used in this disclosure and those required for understanding this disclosure may be replaced with terms having the same or similar meanings. For example, at least one of a channel and a symbol may be a signal (signaling). Furthermore, a signal may be a message. Furthermore, a component carrier (CC) may also be referred to as a carrier frequency, a cell, a frequency carrier, etc.

[0115] As used in this disclosure, the terms "system" and "network" are used interchangeably.

[0116] In addition, the information, parameters, etc. described in this disclosure can be expressed using absolute values, relative values ​​relative to predetermined values, or other corresponding information. For example, wireless resources can also be indicated using indexes.

[0117] The names used for the above parameters are non-limiting in any respect. Furthermore, the formulas and the like using these parameters may sometimes differ from those explicitly disclosed in this disclosure. Various channels (e.g., PUCCH, PDCCH, etc.) and information elements can be identified by any appropriate names, and the names assigned to these channels and information elements are non-limiting in any respect.

[0118] In this disclosure, terms such as "base station (BS)", "wireless base station", "fixed station", "NodeB", "eNodeB (eNB)", "gNodeB (gNB)", "access point", "transmission point", "reception point", "transmission / reception point", "cell", "sector", "cell group", "carrier", and "component carrier" are used interchangeably. Base stations are also sometimes referred to as macrocells, small cells, femtocells, and picocells.

[0119] A base station can accommodate one or more (for example, three) cells (also called sectors). When a base station accommodates multiple cells, the base station's overall coverage area can be divided into multiple smaller areas, each of which can also provide communication services through a base station subsystem (for example, a small base station (Remote Radio Head: RRH)) for indoor use.

[0120] The terms "cell" or "sector" refer to a portion or the entire coverage area of ​​at least one of a base station and a base station subsystem that provides communication services within the coverage area.

[0121] In the present disclosure, the base station sending information to the terminal may also be replaced by the base station instructing the terminal to perform a control / action based on the information.

[0122] In the present disclosure, terms such as “mobile station (MS)”, “user terminal (user terminal)”, “user equipment (UE)”, and “terminal” may be used interchangeably.

[0123] For mobile stations, those skilled in the art sometimes also use the following terms to refer to them: subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, or some other appropriate terms.

[0124] At least one of the base station and the mobile station may also be referred to as a transmitting device, a receiving device, a communication device, etc. In addition, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may also be a device mounted on a mobile body, the mobile body itself, etc. The mobile body may be a means of transportation (for example, a car, an airplane, etc.), a mobile body that moves unmanned (for example, a drone, an autonomous vehicle, etc.), or a robot (manned or unmanned). In addition, at least one of the base station and the mobile station also includes a device that does not necessarily move during communication operations. For example, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may be an IoT (Internet of Things) device such as a sensor.

[0125] In addition, the base station in the present disclosure can also be replaced by a mobile station (user terminal, the same below). For example, regarding a structure in which the communication between a base station and a mobile station is replaced by communication between multiple mobile stations (for example, it can also be called D2D (Device-to-Device: device to device), V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything: vehicle to everything system), etc.), the various forms / implementations of the present disclosure can also be applied. In this case, it is also possible to set a structure in which the mobile station has the functions of the base station. In addition, terms such as "uplink" and "downlink" can also be replaced by terms corresponding to communication between terminals (for example, "side"). For example, uplink channels, downlink channels, etc. can be replaced with side channels (or side links).

[0126] Likewise, the mobile station in the present disclosure may be replaced by a base station. In this case, the base station may have the same functions as the mobile station.

[0127] A radio frame can be composed of one or more frames in the time domain. In the time domain, one or more frames can be called a subframe. A subframe can also be composed of one or more time slots in the time domain. A subframe can be a fixed time length (e.g., 1 ms) that is independent of the numerology.

[0128] A parameter set may be a communication parameter applied to at least one of the transmission and reception of a signal or channel. For example, the parameter set may represent at least one of the following: subcarrier spacing (SCS), bandwidth, symbol length, cyclic prefix length, transmission time interval (TTI), number of symbols per TTI, radio frame structure, specific filtering performed by the transceiver in the frequency domain, specific windowing performed by the transceiver in the time domain, and the like.

[0129] A slot may be composed of one or more symbols (OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbols, SC-FDMA (Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access) symbols, etc.) in the time domain. A slot may be a time unit based on a parameter set.

[0130] A time slot may contain multiple mini-slots. Each mini-slot may consist of one or more symbols in the time domain. Furthermore, a mini-slot may also be referred to as a sub-slot. A mini-slot may consist of fewer symbols than a time slot. A PDSCH (or PUSCH) transmitted in a time unit larger than a mini-slot may also be referred to as PDSCH (or PUSCH) mapping type A. A PDSCH (or PUSCH) transmitted using a mini-slot may also be referred to as PDSCH (or PUSCH) mapping type B.

[0131] Radio frame, subframe, time slot, mini-time slot, and symbol all represent time units for signal transmission. Radio frame, subframe, time slot, mini-time slot, and symbol may be referred to by other corresponding names.

[0132] For example, a subframe can be called a transmission time interval (TTI), multiple consecutive subframes can be called a TTI, and a slot or mini-slot can be called a TTI. That is, at least one of a subframe and a TTI can be a subframe (1ms) in existing LTE, a period shorter than 1ms (e.g., 1-13 symbols), or a period longer than 1ms. Furthermore, the unit representing a TTI can be called a slot, a mini-slot, or the like, rather than a subframe.

[0133] Here, TTI refers to, for example, the minimum time unit for scheduling in wireless communications. For example, in the LTE system, a base station schedules the allocation of radio resources (such as the frequency bandwidth and transmit power available to each user terminal) to each user terminal using TTIs. The definition of TTI is not limited to this.

[0134] A TTI can be a unit of time for transmitting data packets (transport blocks), code blocks, code words, etc. after channel coding, or a unit of processing such as scheduling and link adaptation. Furthermore, when a TTI is given, the time interval (e.g., the number of symbols) to which a transport block, code block, code word, etc. is actually mapped can be shorter than the TTI.

[0135] In addition, when a time slot or a mini-time slot is called a TTI, one or more TTIs (i.e., one or more time slots or one or more mini-time slots) can become the minimum time unit for scheduling. In addition, the number of time slots (mini-time slots) that constitute the minimum time unit for scheduling can also be controlled.

[0136] A TTI with a time length of 1 ms is also called a normal TTI (TTI in LTE Rel. 8-12), a normal TTI, a long TTI, a normal subframe, a normal subframe, a long subframe, a time slot, etc. A TTI shorter than a normal TTI may also be called a shortened TTI, a short TTI, a partial or fractional TTI, a shortened subframe, a short subframe, a minislot, a subslot, a time slot, etc.

[0137] In addition, for long TTI (for example, normal TTI, subframe, etc.), it can be understood as a TTI with a time length of more than 1ms, and for short TTI (for example, shortened TTI, etc.), it can be understood as a TTI with a TTI length smaller than long TTI (long TTI) and greater than 1ms.

[0138] A resource block (RB) is a unit of resource allocation in the time and frequency domains. In the frequency domain, it can contain one or more consecutive subcarriers. The number of subcarriers contained in an RB can be the same regardless of the parameter set, for example, it can be 12. The number of subcarriers contained in an RB can also be determined by the parameter set.

[0139] In addition, the time domain of an RB may include one or more symbols, or may be the length of a slot, a mini-slot, a subframe, or a TTI. A TTI, a subframe, etc. may also be composed of one or more resource blocks.

[0140] In addition, one or more RBs may also be referred to as a physical resource block (PRB), a sub-carrier group (SCG), a resource element group (REG), a PRB pair, an RB pair, and the like.

[0141] Furthermore, a resource block may be composed of one or more resource elements (REs). For example, one RE may be a radio resource region of one subcarrier and one symbol.

[0142] A Bandwidth Part (BWP) (also referred to as a fractional bandwidth) represents a subset of contiguous common resource blocks (RBs) used for a particular parameter set within a carrier. Common RBs can be identified by their index relative to the common reference point for that carrier. PRBs can be defined within a BWP and numbered within that BWP.

[0143] The BWP may include a BWP for UL (UL BWP) and a BWP for DL ​​(DL BWP). One or more BWPs may be configured for a UE within one carrier.

[0144] At least one of the configured BWPs may be active, and it is not assumed that the UE transmits or receives predetermined signals / channels outside of the activated BWP. In addition, "cell", "carrier", etc. in the present disclosure may be replaced with "BWP".

[0145] The above-described structures of radio frames, subframes, slots, mini-slots, and symbols are merely examples. For example, various modifications may be made to the structures, such as the number of subframes in a radio frame, the number of slots per subframe or radio frame, the number of mini-slots within a slot, the number of symbols and RBs within a slot or mini-slot, the number of subcarriers within an RB, the number of symbols within a TTI, the symbol length, and the cyclic prefix (CP) length.

[0146] The terms "connected", "coupled" or all variations of these terms are intended to indicate any direct or indirect connection or combination between two or more elements, and may include situations where there is one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are "connected" or "coupled" to each other. The combination or connection between elements may be a physical combination or connection, a logical combination or connection, or a combination of these. For example, "access" may be used instead of "connection". As used in this disclosure, two elements may be considered to be "connected" or "coupled" to each other using at least one of one or more wires, cables and printed electrical connections, and as some non-limiting and non-inclusive examples, electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the wireless frequency domain, microwave region and light (including both visible and invisible) region may be used to "connect" or "couple" to each other.

[0147] The reference signal may be referred to as Reference Signal (RS) for short, or may be referred to as a pilot signal depending on the applicable standard.

[0148] The phrase “based on” used in this disclosure does not mean “based only on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” means both “based only on” and “based at least on.”

[0149] The “unit” in the configuration of each of the above-mentioned devices may be replaced with a “section,” “circuit,” “device,” or the like.

[0150] Any reference to an element using the designations "first," "second," etc., as used in this disclosure, does not necessarily define the number or order of these elements. These designations may be used in this disclosure as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Therefore, reference to a first and a second element does not mean that only two elements can be used there, or that the first element must precede the second element in some form.

[0151] When the terms "include," "including," and variations thereof are used in this disclosure, these terms, like the term "comprising," are intended to be inclusive. Furthermore, the term "or" used in this disclosure does not mean an exclusive or.

[0152] In the present disclosure, when an article is added by translation, such as a, an, and the in English, the present disclosure also includes cases where the noun following the article is in a plural form.

[0153] As used in this disclosure, terms such as "determining" and "determining" sometimes encompass a variety of actions. For example, "determining" and "judging" may include situations where judging, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up, searching, inquiring (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), and ascertaining are considered "determining" and "determining." Furthermore, "determining" and "receiving" (e.g., receiving information), transmitting (e.g., sending information), inputting, outputting, and accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory) are considered "determining" and "determining." Furthermore, "determining" and "resolving" may include situations where selecting, choosing, establishing, and comparing are considered "determining" and "determining." That is, "judgment" and "decision" can include situations where certain actions are considered to have been "judged" or "decided." In addition, "judgment (decision)" can also be replaced by "assuming (assuming)", "expecting (expecting)", "considering (considering)", etc.

[0154] In this disclosure, the phrase "A and B are different" can mean "A and B are different from each other." Alternatively, the phrase can mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "bound" can also be interpreted in the same way as "different."

[0155] While the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description of the present disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure in any way.

[0156] Figure 6 2001 shows a structural example of a vehicle. Figure 6As shown, the vehicle 2001 has a drive unit 2002, a steering unit 2003, an accelerator pedal 2004, a brake pedal 2005, a gear lever 2006, left and right front wheels 2007, left and right rear wheels 2008, an axle 2009, an electronic control unit 2010, various sensors 2021 to 2029, an information service unit 2012 and a communication module 2013.

[0157] The driving unit 2002 is constituted by, for example, an engine, a motor, or a hybrid of an engine and a motor.

[0158] The steering unit 2003 includes at least a steering wheel (also referred to as a steering wheel), and is configured to steer at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels based on an operation of the steering wheel by a user.

[0159] The electronic control unit 2010 is composed of a microprocessor 2031, a memory (ROM, RAM) 2032, and a communication port (IO port) 2033. Signals from various sensors 2021 to 2027 included in the vehicle are input to the electronic control unit 2010. The electronic control unit 2010 may also be referred to as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

[0160] As signals from various sensors 2021 to 2028, there are current signals from the current sensor 2021 that senses the current of the motor, speed signals of the front and rear wheels obtained by the speed sensor 2022, air pressure signals of the front and rear wheels obtained by the air pressure sensor 2023, vehicle speed signals obtained by the vehicle speed sensor 2024, acceleration signals obtained by the acceleration sensor 2025, accelerator pedal depression amount signals obtained by the accelerator pedal sensor 2029, brake pedal depression amount signals obtained by the brake pedal sensor 2026, shift lever operation signals obtained by the shift lever sensor 2027, detection signals for detecting obstacles, vehicles, pedestrians, etc. obtained by the object detection sensor 2028, etc.

[0161] Information service unit 2012 is comprised of various devices, such as a car navigation system, audio system, speakers, a television, and a radio, that provide (output) various types of information, including driving information, traffic information, and entertainment information, and one or more ECUs that control these devices. Information service unit 2012 uses information obtained from external devices via communication module 2013 and the like to provide various multimedia information and services to vehicle 1 passengers.

[0162] The information service unit 2012 may include input devices for receiving input from the outside (such as keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, touch panel, etc.), and may also include output devices for implementing output to the outside (such as display, speaker, LED light, touch panel, etc.).

[0163] The driving assistance system unit 2030 is composed of various devices that provide functions for preventing accidents or reducing the driver's driving load, such as millimeter-wave radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), cameras, positioning devices (such as GNSS), map information (such as high-definition (HD) maps, autonomous vehicle (AV) maps, etc.), gyroscope systems (such as IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), INS (Inertial Navigation System), etc.), AI (Artificial Intelligence) chips, AI processors, and one or more ECUs that control these devices. In addition, the driving assistance system unit 2030 sends and receives various information via the communication module 2013 to implement driving assistance functions or autonomous driving functions.

[0164] The communication module 2013 can communicate with the microprocessor 2031 and components of the vehicle 1 via the communication port. For example, the communication module 2013 can transmit and receive data via the communication port 2033 with the drive unit 2002, steering unit 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, shift lever 2006, left and right front wheels 2007, left and right rear wheels 2008, axle 2009, the microprocessor 2031 in the electronic control unit 2010, the memory (ROM, RAM) 2032, and the sensors 2021 to 2028 included in the vehicle 2001.

[0165] The communication module 2013 is controlled by the microprocessor 2031 of the electronic control unit 2010 and is a communication device capable of communicating with external devices. For example, various information can be transmitted and received with the external device via wireless communication. The communication module 2013 can be located inside or outside the electronic control unit 2010. The external device can also be, for example, a base station or a mobile station.

[0166] The communication module 2013 may also transmit at least one of the signals input to the electronic control unit 2010 from the various sensors 2021-2028, information obtained based on these signals, and information based on external (user) input obtained via the information service unit 2012 to an external device via wireless communication. The electronic control unit 2010, the various sensors 2021-2028, the information service unit 2012, etc. may also be referred to as an input unit that receives input. For example, the PUSCH transmitted by the communication module 2013 may include information based on these inputs.

[0167] The communication module 2013 receives various information (traffic information, signal information, inter-vehicle information, etc.) sent from external devices and displays it on the information service unit 2012 of the vehicle. The information service unit 2012 can also be called an output unit that outputs information (for example, outputs information to a device such as a display or speaker based on the PDSCH received by the communication module 2013 (or data / information decoded from the PDSCH)). In addition, the communication module 2013 stores various information received from external devices in the memory 2032 that can be used by the microprocessor 2031. The microprocessor 2031 can also control the drive unit 2002, steering unit 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, gear lever 2006, left and right front wheels 2007, left and right rear wheels 2008, axles 2009, sensors 2021 to 2028, etc. of the vehicle 2001 based on the information stored in the memory 2032.

[0168] (Note)

[0169] The above disclosure can also be expressed as follows: A first feature is a communication device comprising: a communication unit that performs communication with a first communication network and a second communication network, and wireless communication with a terminal; and a control unit that determines whether to operate as a wireless base station accommodating the terminal based on an instruction from the first communication network.

[0170] A second feature is that, in the first feature, the control unit controls operations related to wireless communication with the terminal based on the instruction to permit operation as the wireless base station.

[0171] A third feature is that, in the first or second feature, the communication unit performs communication with the first communication network using a radio access technology.

[0172] A fourth feature is that, in the first to third features, the communication unit performs communication with the first communication network via the second communication network and the Internet.

[0173] A fifth feature is that, in the first to fourth features, the communication unit performs wireless communication with the terminal using a radio access technology.

[0174] Description of labels

[0175] 10 Wireless Communication Systems

[0176] 50gNB

[0177] 100NCAP

[0178] 110 First Ministry of Communications

[0179] 120 Second Ministry of Communications

[0180] 130 Third Ministry of Communications

[0181] 140 Control Department

[0182] 200UE

[0183] C1 Community

[0184] 1001 Processor

[0185] 1002 Memory

[0186] 1003 Storage Devices

[0187] 1004 Communication device

[0188] 1005 Input Device

[0189] 1006 Output Device

[0190] 1007 Bus

[0191] 2001 Vehicle

[0192] 2002 Drive Department

[0193] 2003 Steering

[0194] 2004 Accelerator Pedal

[0195] 2005 Brake Pedal

[0196] 2006 gear lever

[0197] 2007 Left and right front wheels

[0198] 2008 left and right rear wheels

[0199] 2009 Axle

[0200] 2010 Electronic Control Department

[0201] 2012 Information Services Department

[0202] 2013 Communication Module

[0203] 2021 Current Sensor

[0204] 2022 Speed ​​Sensor

[0205] 2023 Air Pressure Sensor

[0206] 2024 Vehicle Speed ​​Sensor

[0207] 2025 Accelerometer

[0208] 2026 Brake Pedal Sensor

[0209] 2027 Gearshift sensor

[0210] 2028 Object Detection Sensor

[0211] 2029 Accelerator pedal sensor

[0212] 2030 Driving Assistance Systems Department

[0213] 2031 Microprocessor

[0214] 2032 memory (ROM, RAM)

[0215] Communication port 2033

Claims

1. A communication device, wherein: The communication device comprises: a communication unit that performs communication with the first communication network and the second communication network, and wireless communication with the terminal; as well as A control unit sets whether to operate as a wireless base station accommodating the terminal based on an instruction from the first communication network.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The control unit controls operations related to wireless communication with the terminal based on the instruction to permit operation as the wireless base station.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The communication unit performs communication with the first communication network using a radio access technology. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein: The communication unit performs communication with the first communication network via the second communication network and the Internet. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein: The communication unit performs wireless communication with the terminal using a radio access technology.

6. A communication method, wherein: The communication method comprises the following steps: performing communications with the first communication network and the second communication network, and wireless communications with the terminal; and Based on an instruction from the first communication network, whether to operate as a wireless base station accommodating the terminal is set.

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