Network energy saving muting operation with aperiodic channel state information and aperiodic channel state information reporting

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for muting operation for network power savings, relating to aperiodic channel state information and aperiodic channel state information reporting. For example, a method may include a user equipment receiving a channel state information reporting configuration from a network, where the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations. The method may also include the user equipment receiving a trigger message from the network. The trigger message may indicate that the user equipment is to measure and report about a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations. The method further includes measuring the first reference signal and the second reference signal and reporting the measurement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some example embodiments may generally relate to communications including mobile telecommunication systems or wireless telecommunication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or new radio (NR) access technology, or other communication systems including subsequent generations of the same or similar standards. For example, certain example embodiments may generally relate to muting operations for network energy conservation involving aperiodic channel state information and aperiodic new channel state information reporting. Background Art

[0002] Examples of mobile telecommunication systems or wireless telecommunication systems may include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE Advanced (LTE-A), MulteFire, LTE-A Pro, and / or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or New Radio (NR) access technology. 5G wireless systems refer to the next generation (NG) of radio systems and network architectures. 5G systems are primarily based on 5G New Radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks can also be based on E-UTRA radio. From Release 18 (Rel-18) onwards, 5G is referred to as 5G Advanced. NR is estimated to provide bit rates of approximately 10-20 Gbit / s or higher and can support at least service categories such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine type communications (mMTC). NR is expected to deliver extremely broadband and ultra-robust, low-latency connectivity and large-scale networking to support the Internet of Things (IoT). As IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications become more prevalent, the demand for networks that meet lower power, low data rates, and long battery life will continue to grow. Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) represents the RAN for 5G, which can provide both NR radio access and LTE (and LTE Advanced) radio access. It should be noted that in 5G, a node that can provide radio access functionality to a user equipment (i.e., similar to a Node B (NB) in UTRAN or an evolved NB (eNB) in LTE) may be referred to as a next generation NB (gNB) when established on an NR radio, and the node may be referred to as a next generation eNB (NG-eNB) when established on an E-UTRA radio. 6G is currently under development and may replace 5G and 5G Advanced. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The embodiments may be directed to a device. The device may include at least one processor and a memory storing at least instructions. When executed by the at least one processor, the instructions may cause the device to at least perform the following steps: receiving a channel state information reporting configuration from a network, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates multiple configurations. A trigger message is received from the network, wherein the trigger message indicates that the device is to measure and report on a first configuration among the multiple configurations and a second configuration among the multiple configurations. At a first predetermined time slot, a first reference signal corresponding to the first configuration among the multiple configurations is measured. At a second predetermined time slot, a second reference signal corresponding to the second configuration among the multiple configurations is measured. A first measurement of the first reference signal from the device is reported, and a second measurement of the second reference signal from the device is reported.

[0004] Another embodiment may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and a memory storing at least instructions. When the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the apparatus may at least perform: providing a channel state information reporting configuration to a user equipment, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations. A trigger message is provided to the user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates that the user equipment is to measure and report on a first configuration among the plurality of configurations and a second configuration among the plurality of configurations. A first reference signal corresponding to the first configuration among the plurality of configurations is provided at a first predetermined time slot, and a second reference signal corresponding to the second configuration among the plurality of configurations is provided at a second predetermined time slot. A first report of the first reference signal is provided from the user equipment, and a second report of the second reference signal is received from the user equipment.

[0005] Another embodiment may be directed to a method. The method may include receiving, at a user equipment (UE), a channel state information reporting configuration from a network, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations. A trigger message is received from the network, wherein the trigger message indicates that the device is to measure and report on a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations. A first reference signal corresponding to the first configuration of the plurality of configurations is measured at a first predetermined time slot, and a second reference signal corresponding to the second configuration of the plurality of configurations is measured at a second predetermined time slot. A first measurement of the first reference signal from the UE is reported, and a second measurement of the second reference signal from the UE is measured.

[0006] Another embodiment may be directed to a method. The method may include providing, by a network node, a channel state information reporting configuration to a user equipment (UE), wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations. A trigger message is provided to the UE, wherein the trigger message indicates that the UE is to measure and report on a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations. A first reference signal corresponding to the first configuration of the plurality of configurations is provided at a first predetermined time slot, and a second reference signal corresponding to the second configuration of the plurality of configurations is provided at a second predetermined time slot. A first report of the first reference signal is received from the UE, and a second report of the second reference signal is received from the UE.

[0007] Another embodiment may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include: a first receiving component for receiving a channel state information reporting configuration from a network, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations; and a second receiving component for receiving a trigger message from the network, the trigger message indicating that the apparatus is to measure and report on a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations. The first measuring component measures a first reference signal corresponding to the first configuration of the plurality of configurations at a first predetermined time slot, and the second measuring component measures a second reference signal corresponding to the second configuration of the plurality of configurations at a second predetermined time slot. The first reporting component reports a first measurement of the first reference signal from the apparatus, and the second reporting component reports a second measurement of the second reference signal from the apparatus.

[0008] Another embodiment may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include a first providing component for providing a channel state information reporting configuration to a user equipment, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations. A second providing component provides a trigger message to the user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates that the user equipment is to measure and report on a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations. At a first predetermined time slot, a third providing component provides a first reference signal corresponding to the first configuration of the plurality of configurations. At a second predetermined time slot, a fourth providing component provides a second reference signal corresponding to the second configuration of the plurality of configurations. A first receiving component receives a first report of the first reference signal from the user equipment, and a second receiving component receives a second report of the second reference signal from the user equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] For a proper understanding of the example embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 illustrates the timing of aperiodic channel state information reporting;

[0011] Figure 2 illustrates the timing of aperiodic channel state information reporting according to certain embodiments;

[0012] Figure 3 illustrates another timing of aperiodic channel state information reporting according to certain embodiments;

[0013] Figure 4 illustrates a muting mode utilizing 32 antenna ports in accordance with certain embodiments; and

[0014] Figure 5 An example block diagram of a system according to an embodiment is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] It should be readily understood that the components of certain example embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing silent operation for network energy conservation related to aperiodic channel state information and aperiodic channel state information reporting is not intended to limit the scope of certain embodiments, but rather is representative of selected example embodiments.

[0016] The features, structures, or characteristics of the example embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments. For example, use of the phrases "certain embodiments," "some embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in certain embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same group of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments.

[0017] Certain embodiments may have various aspects and features. These aspects and features may be applied individually or in any desired combination with each other. Other features, processes, and elements may also be applied in combination with some or all of the aspects and features disclosed herein.

[0018] In addition, if desired, the different functions or processes discussed below can be performed in different orders and / or performed concurrently with each other. In addition, if desired, one or more of the functions or processes described can be optional or can be combined. Thus, the following description can be considered to illustrate the principles and teachings of certain example embodiments and is not limited thereto.

[0019] Network (NW) energy saving (ES) can rely on various NW ES technologies in the time domain, frequency domain, space / antenna domain, and power domain. In the space domain and power domain, enhancements to channel state information (CSI) and beam management (BM) related processes (including measurement and reporting, as well as signaling) may be required to enable efficient adaptation of spatial elements such as antenna ports and active transceiver chains. Enhancements to CSI-related processes (including measurement and reporting, as well as signaling) may also be required to enable efficient adaptation of the power offset value between the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and the CSI reference signal (CSI-RS).

[0020] Compared to fourth generation (4G) long term evolution (LTE), fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) provides improvements in the spatial domain with respect to average user / cell throughput and quality of service, one of the approaches being the use of antenna arrays with a large number of antenna elements, known as multiple input / multiple output (MIMO). The power consumption of a massive MIMO base station (BS) is determined by the hardware driving the large number of antenna ports and antenna elements. The power consumption can be proportional to the hardware applied, such as the number of transceiver chains and the power amplifiers (PAs) applied. Similarly, the baseband processing power can be proportional to the number of activated antennas. In practice, significant / significant energy can be saved for a massive MIMO BS by using only a subset of the available BS antennas and / or transceiver modules (such as turning off certain transceiver chains).

[0021] For MIMO operation in 5G NR, antenna array muting and / or MIMO layer adaptation may operate on a significant timescale due to large antenna activation delays in hardware. For Release 16 (Rel. 16) UE power savings, the maximum number of downlink (DL) MIMO layers can be configured per bandwidth part (BWP) via semi-static radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0022] For spatial / antenna domain power savings, the number of antenna elements per physical antenna array can be reduced while maintaining the same number of antenna ports or logical antenna arrays. While maintaining 64 antenna ports, the reduction in antenna elements from 4 X-pols per array to 1 X-pol per array can yield significant power savings gains in terms of spectral efficiency and average UE throughput. In practice, adapting the antenna elements per physical antenna array can be achieved through an implementation with operations that are transparent to the user equipment (UE).

[0023] Another approach for spatial / antenna domain power conservation can reduce the number of logical antenna ports for power conservation, where the network can shut down a certain number of transceiver chains, particularly during low load conditions. Typically, each cross-polarized antenna can be connected to two transceiver chains, with each transceiver chain connected to one of the polarizations. This approach can achieve even greater power savings than reducing the number of elements per physical antenna array. While maintaining the same number of elements per antenna array, shutting down some logical antenna ports semi-statically (e.g., from 64 to 16 antenna ports) can result in reduced antenna gain and system impact, depending on the approach applied (either horizontally or vertically). In terms of cell coverage, the performance impact for frequency range 2 (FR2) can be higher than for frequency range 1 (FR1). The network's next-generation Node B (gNB) can adapt the number of transceiver chains to serve UEs, for example, based on UE location, such as cell edge or cell center, or guaranteed data rate. From a regulatory perspective, dynamic antenna port muting on the network side may result in transceiver (TRX) configuration changes and potentially have UE beam selection impact.

[0024] The UE can be semi-statically configured with multiple CSI-ReportConfig configurations, where different number of ports parameters (nrofPorts) configured in different CSI-ReportConfigs can correspond to different transceiver muting modes. The UE can report CSI feedback for different transceiver muting modes using different CSI-ReportConfig configurations. There can be many transceiver muting layouts, which may ultimately utilize multiple CSI-ReportConfig configurations. There may be limitations on the UE capability to support the number of CSI reports, such as: the ability to support the number of CSI-Report Configs, which includes 4 P / SP / A-CSI ReportConfigs per BWP and 8 simultaneous reports per CC; or the ability to support the number of CSI-resourceConfigs, which includes a total of 256 ports per band. Consuming numerous CSI reports for transceiver muting operation may impact the operation of other features that require CSI reporting.

[0025] When traffic and resource utilization are likely low and transmission capacity is redundant, transceiver muting can benefit NW ES without significantly impacting performance. By utilizing a mechanism with semi-static spatial adaptation, relatively slow changes to the transceiver muting layout may not accurately track traffic and / or resource utilization changes, which can impact coverage and user perceived throughput (UPT) performance. More dynamic antenna port muting and transceiver muting adaptation can accurately adapt to the service and lead to better ES performance.

[0026] Dynamic antenna port muting / dynamic antenna port adaptation can be implemented by dynamically enabling / disabling at least one subset of ports for one or more CSI-RS resources. When dynamically disabling / enabling a subset of ports, the impact of this adaptation on some CSI-RS configuration parameters can be implemented, for example, via legacy codebook subset restriction (CSBR), which can be configured in CSI-ReportConfig. Alternatively, one can also utilize some existing (multiple) operations to carry the indication of disabling / enabling antenna ports. For example, ZP-CSI-RS related operations can be considered, because in the case of dynamic port disabling / enabling, the network may need to trigger ZP-CSI-RS for the UE.

[0027] An additional aspect to be considered is the impact of dynamic port adaptation on UE measurements and reporting. When a subset of ports is dynamically disabled using an indication sent to the UE, the impact of this disablement and the corresponding indicated / determined CBSR may need to be considered. For example, the UE may not carry measurements and / or reports corresponding to the subset of ports. On the other hand, when the subset of ports is re-enabled, the UE may need to reintegrate or reconsider those ports in measurements and / or reports.

[0028] CSI-RS can be used for various purposes in NR. CSI-RS can be used in DL CSI acquisition and can be used to derive measurements for mobility and beam management as well as interference measurements. In NR, a UE can be configured with one or more CSI-RS resource sets, where each CSI-RS resource set can include one or more configured CSI-RS sets or one or more synchronization signal block (SSB) block resources. CSI-RS resource sets can be operated as periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic. CSI-RS resources can be configured to utilize up to 32 logical antenna ports, and the density is configurable. In the time domain, a CSI-RS resource can start at any orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in a slot and, depending on the number of configured ports, span 1 OFDM symbol, 2 OFDM symbols, or 4 OFDM symbols.

[0029] As indicated by higher layer parameters CSI-ResourceConfig and NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet, a UE may be configured with one or more non-zero power (NZP) CSI-RS resource set configurations. Each NZP CSI-RS resource set may include K>=1 NZP CSI-RS resources.

[0030] Various parameters for which the UE may assume a non-zero transmit power for the CSI-RS resources may be configured via the higher layer parameters NZP-CSI-RS-Resource, CSI-ResourceConfig, and NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet for each CSI-RS resource configuration: nzp-CSI-RS-ResourceId may determine the CSI-RS resource configuration identifier; resourceMapping may define the number of ports, code division multiplexing (CDM) type, and OFDM symbol and subcarrier occupancy of the CSI-RS resource within time slot th; nrofPorts in resourceMapping defines the number of CSI-RS ports; powerControlOffset, which may provide the assumed ratio of PDSCH per resource element energy (EPRE) to NZP CSI-RS EPRE when the UE derives CSI feedback; powerControlOffsetSS, which may be the NZP CSI-RS The assumed ratio of EPRE to synchronization signal (SS) / physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block EPRE; and BWP-Id in CSI-ResourceConfig, which defines the bandwidth part in which the configured CSI-RS is located. Except for the NZP CSI-RS resources used for interference measurement, all CSI-RS resources in a set can be configured with the same density and the same nrofPorts.

[0031] In NR, as described above, the configuration related to CSI-RS transmission may include a list of CSI-RS resource sets, as described with respect to CSI-ResourceConfig in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specification (TS) 38.311, where each set may include certain CSI-RS resources. For semi-persistent and aperiodic CSI-RS, the actual triggering of CSI-RS transmission is per CSI-RS resource set via a medium access control (MAC) control element or downlink control information (DCI). The resource set may be used as part of the UE reporting configuration, which describes what is to be measured by the UE and, correspondingly, what measurement reports are to be made by the UE.

[0032] Specifically, if the CSI-RS resource set is configured as "aperiodic" by RRC, the CSI-RS resource set configuration includes a slot offset, aperiodicTriggeringOffset, also known as offset X, which defines the time interval between triggering DCI and CSI-RS transmission. When aperiodic CSI-RS is triggered, the gNB can transmit CSI-RS according to the slot offset defined by RRC. The UE can receive CSI-RS in the indicated slot accordingly.

[0033] Similarly, UE measurement reporting of CSI can also be operated in a periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic manner, which are the so-called report types in the NR CSI-ReportConfig configuration. UE periodic reporting can operate based on the configured periodic CSI-RS resource set. UE semi-persistent reporting can operate based on both the configured periodic CSI-RS resource set and the configured semi-persistent CSI-RS resource set. UE aperiodic reporting can operate based on all periodic CSI-RS resource sets, semi-persistent CSI-RS resource sets, and aperiodic CSI-RS resource sets. Therefore, periodic CSI-RS resources can be used to generate any report type, semi-persistent CSI-RS resources and periodic CSI-RS resources can be used to generate semi-persistent CSI reports, and aperiodic CSI-RS can be utilized to generate aperiodic reports.

[0034] If "apocalycine" CSI reporting is configured, CSI-ReportConfig may include a list of slot offsets reportSlotOffsetList, also referred to as offset Y, which may define the time gap between the aperiodic CSI report triggering DCI (such as 0_1 / 0_2) and the aperiodic CSI report relative to the number of slots. The time domain resource allocation (TDRA) information element (IE) in the aperiodic CSI report triggering DCI (0_1 / 0_2) may indicate an index in reportSlotOffsetList on the exact timing between the aperiodic CSI report triggering DCI and the aperiodic CSI report. This timing may be related to the aperiodic CSI-RS transmission and aperiodic reporting.

[0035] Figure 1 The timing of aperiodic channel state information reporting is shown in FIG. Figure 1As shown in FIG, there may be communication between a user equipment and a network element (such as a gNB). At 110, the NW may send a higher layer configuration to the UE, for example, using RRC. At 120, the NW may send a lower layer trigger, for example, using MAC CE or DCI. At 130, after X time slots corresponding to offset X, the NW may send a CSI-related reference signal. At 140, after Y time slots corresponding to offset Y from the low layer trigger at 120, the UE may send a CSI report to the network.

[0036] To assist the NW in making a decision about which transceiver muting pattern to apply, taking into account the dynamic adaptation of the NW transceiver muting pattern operation, the NW may request the UE to provide CSI reports corresponding to each of the transceiver muting patterns. Specifically for aperiodic CSI reporting operation, certain embodiments may be related to timing issues for aperiodic CSI transmission and reporting relative to different logical antenna port configurations to be measured by the UE.

[0037] Figure 2 The timing of non-periodic channel state information reporting according to certain embodiments is illustrated. As shown at 210, the CSI report configuration can be provided by the NW to the UE. Therefore, multiple different port configurations can be provided, which can be referred to as multiple configurations. In order to avoid consuming too many limited CSI report configurations, a single CSI report configuration can include a list of nrofPorts configurations corresponding to different transceiver muting modes. More specifically, a single CSI-ReportConfig configuration can include a list of nrofPorts, such as 4 ports, 8 ports, 16 ports, and 32 ports, which can correspond to (multiple) different transceiver muting modes.

[0038] At 220, the NW may trigger or otherwise inform the UE(s) how many ports (nrofPorts) to measure. For example, a bitmap may be provided to indicate that 8 ports / 16 ports are to be measured by the UE. In practice, the NW may only require the UE to report some transceiver muting mode configurations relative to the logical antenna port configurations. For example, an IE in the MAC or DCI may indicate to the UE which nrofPorts from the list of configurations provided at 210 are to be measured and reported. Thus, for example, at 220, the MAC / DCI may indicate to the UE that 8 ports or 16 ports are to be measured.

[0039] At 230, after X time slots from 220, the NW may transmit CSI-related reference signals using, for example, 8 ports. The UE may measure these CSI-related reference signals. At 240, after X time slots from 220 plus offset 1, the NW may transmit CSI-related reference signals using, for example, 16 ports. The UE may measure these CSI-related reference signals. Offset 1 is shown as being greater than zero. When offset 1 is zero, RSs for 8 ports and RSs for 16 ports may be transmitted in the same time slot using different symbols.

[0040] To define the timing relationship between the triggering DCI and multiple CSI transmissions utilizing different logical antenna ports, an offset 1 (offset1) relative to offset X may be configured for each subsequent CSI transmission. By default, or if not configured, or if offset 1 is equal to 0, the subsequent CSI transmission may be located in the same timeslot as the previous CSI transmission configured with a different logical antenna port. As another option, there may be explicit timing in terms of the number of timeslots from the triggering DCI, and this explicit timing may be configured for each subsequent CSI transmission. Alternatively, the timing of the 16-port CSI-related reference signal may be indicated as X1 timeslots from the MAC or DCI at 220. In this way, the timing may be indicated directly rather than referentially.

[0041] The NW may perform CSI-RS transmission using 8 ports at X time slots (at 230) from the time the triggering DCI is sent (at 220), and may perform CSI-RS transmission using 16 ports at X + offset 1 time slot (at 240) from the time the triggering DCI is sent (at 220). The 8-port example and the 16-port example are merely two examples for illustrative purposes. The NW may perform CSI transmission using different logical antenna ports based on the above timing configuration.

[0042] At 250, the UE may provide a CSI report for 8-port transmission to the network Y time slots after the DCI or MAC is triggered at 220. Similarly, at 260, the UE may provide a CSI report for 16-port transmission to the network Y plus offset 2 time slots after the DCI or MAC is triggered at 220. If offset 2 is zero, the measurement of both the CSI-related signal provided at 230 and the CSI-related signal provided at 240 may be reported together in the same CSI feedback report.

[0043] Therefore, the UE can perform measurements on the 8-port and 16-port respectively, and report CSI to the NW based on the configured timing. For example, at 250, the UE can report the CSI report for the 8-port Y time slots from the time the triggering DCI is sent; and at 260, the UE can report the CSI-RS report using the 16-port Y + offset 2 time slots from the time the triggering DCI is sent.

[0044] To define the timing relationship between the triggering DCI and the multiple CSI reports measured by the UE corresponding to different logical antenna ports, an offset from offset Y can be configured for each subsequent CSI report corresponding to each configured logical antenna port. By default, or if not configured, or if offset 2 is equal to 0, the subsequent multiple CSI reports can be carried in the same CSI feedback report. As another alternative, there can be explicit timing in terms of the number of time slots from the triggering DCI, which can be configured for each subsequent CSI report corresponding to each configured logical antenna port. Alternatively, the timing of the reporting of the 16-port CSI-related reference signal can be indicated as Y1 time slots from the MAC or DCI at 220. In this way, the timing can be indicated directly rather than by reference.

[0045] Figure 3 Another timing of non-periodic channel state information reporting according to certain embodiments is illustrated. In order to assist the NW in making a decision about which transceiver muting mode will be applied, a CSI reporting configuration may be provided by the NW to the UE, as shown at 210. Therefore, a plurality of different port configurations may be provided, which may be referred to as multiple configurations. In order to avoid consuming too many limited CSI reporting configurations, a single CSI reporting configuration may include a list of nrofPorts configurations corresponding to different transceiver muting modes. More specifically, a single CSI-ReportConfig configuration may include a list of nrofPorts, such as 4 ports, 8 ports, 16 (L) ports, 16 (R) ports, 24 ports, and 32 ports, which may correspond to (multiple) different transceiver muting modes. For example, 16 (L) may correspond to the left 16 ports of an activated panel, and 16 (R) may correspond to the right 16 ports of an activated panel.

[0046] At 220, the NW may trigger or otherwise inform the UE(s) how many ports (nrofPorts) to measure. For example, a bitmap may be provided to indicate that 8 ports / 16(L) ports / 24 ports are to be measured by the UE. In practice, the NW may only require the UE to report some transceiver muting mode configurations relative to the logical antenna port configurations. For example, an IE in the MAC or DCI may indicate to the UE which nrofPorts from the list of configurations provided at 210 are to be measured and reported. Thus, for example, at 220, the MAC / DCI may indicate to the UE that 8 ports, 16(L) ports, and 24 ports are to be measured.

[0047] At 230, after X time slots from 220, the NW may send CSI-related reference signals using, for example, 8 ports. The UE may measure these CSI-related reference signals. At 340, after X time slots from 220 plus periodAndoffset1, the NW may send CSI-related reference signals using, for example, 16 (L) ports. The UE may measure these CSI-related reference signals. The periodAndoffset1 is shown as being greater than zero. When the periodAndoffset1 is zero, the RS of the 8 ports and the RS of the 16 ports may be sent in the same time slot with different symbols. The parameter periodAndoffset1 may be an offset and may also indicate a period period1. After another period1 time slots have passed, at 310, the network may send CSI-related signals using, for example, 24 ports.

[0048] To define the timing relationship between the triggering DCI and multiple CSI transmissions using different logical antenna ports, period1 relative to offset X can be configured for each subsequent CSI transmission. By default, or if not configured, or if offset 1 is equal to 0, the subsequent CSI transmission can be located in the same time slot as the previous CSI transmission configured with a different logical antenna port. As another option, there can be explicit timing in terms of the number of time slots from the triggering DCI, and this explicit timing can be configured for each subsequent CSI transmission. Alternatively, the timing of the 16-port CSI-related reference signal can be indicated as X1 time slots from the MAC or DCI at 220. In this way, the timing can be indicated directly rather than by reference.

[0049] From the time of sending the triggering DCI (at 220) for X time slots (at 230), the NW can perform CSI-RS transmission using 8 ports, and from the time of sending the triggering DCI (at 220) for X + Offset 1 time slots (at 340), the NW can perform CSI-RS transmission using 16 (L) ports, and from the time of sending the triggering DCI for (X + Offset1 + P) time slots, the NW can perform CSI-RS transmission using 24 ports. The 8-port example and the 16-port example are only two examples for illustrative purposes. The NW can perform CSI transmission using different logical antenna ports based on the above timing configuration.

[0050] At 250, the UE may provide a CSI report for 8-port transmission to the network Y time slots after the DCI or MAC is triggered at 220. Similarly, at 360, the UE may provide a CSI report for 16-port transmission to the network Y plus periodAndoffset2 time slots after the DCI or MAC is triggered at 220. If PeriodAndoffset2 is 0, the measurements of both the CSI-related signals provided at 230 and the CSI-related signals provided at 340 may be reported together in the same CSI feedback report.

[0051] Therefore, the UE can perform measurements on 8-port, 16(L)-port, and 24-port, respectively, and report CSI to the NW based on the configured timing. For example, at 250, the UE can report the CSI report for 8-port Y slots from the time the triggering DCI is sent; and at 360, the UE can report the CSI-RS report using 16(L)-port Y+Offset2 slots from the time the triggering DCI is sent; and at 320, the UE can report the CSI-RS report using 24-port (Y+Offset2+P) slots from the time the triggering DCI is sent.

[0052] Figure 4 The muting mode using 32 antenna ports according to some embodiments is illustrated. By taking 32 antenna ports using (N1, N2) = (8, 2) as an example, as in Figure 4 The muting layout shown in [ ] may be considered by the network, where black crosses are unmuted and gray crosses are muted. This is an example of a single panel situation. The numbering of the various modes may correspond to 3GPP TS 38.214 v15.3 - Table 5.2.2.2.2-1. The number of supported CSI-RS antenna ports may be, for example, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, and 32.

[0053] Figure 5An example of a system including apparatus 10 according to an embodiment is illustrated. In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may be a node, host, or server in a communication network, or a node, host, or server serving such a network. For example, apparatus 10 may be a network node associated with a radio access network (such as an LTE network, 5G, or NR), a satellite, a base station, a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a 5G Node B or access point, a next generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), a TRP, a HAPS, an integrated access and backhaul node, and / or a WLAN access point. For example, in some example embodiments, apparatus 10 may be a gNB or other similar radio node.

[0054] It should be understood that in some example embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system, wherein the server and the radio node may be independent devices that communicate with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or the server and the radio node may be located in the same entity that communicate via a wired connection. For example, in certain example embodiments where the apparatus 10 represents a gNB, the apparatus 10 may be configured in a central unit (CU) and distributed unit (DU) architecture that divides the gNB functionality. In such an architecture, the CU may be a logical node that includes gNB functionality, such as transmission of user data, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning, and / or session management. The CU may control the operation of (multiple) DUs over a midhaul interface, referred to as an F1 interface, and the (multiple) DUs may have one or more radio units (RUs) connected to the (multiple) DUs over a fronthaul interface. Depending on the functional split option, the DU may be a logical node that includes a subset of the gNB functionality. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the apparatus 10 may include Figure 5 Components or features not shown.

[0055] As in Figure 5 As illustrated in the example of , the apparatus 10 may include a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 12 may be any type of general purpose processor or a special purpose processor. In fact, as examples, the processor 12 may include one or more of the following: a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture, or any other processing component. Although a single processor 12 may be used in Figure 51, but according to other embodiments, multiple processors may be utilized. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, apparatus 10 may include two or more processors that may form a multi-processor system (e.g., in this case, processor 12 may represent a multi-processor) that may support multiprocessing. In some embodiments, the multi-processor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0056] The processor 12 may perform functions associated with the operation of the apparatus 10, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain parameters / antenna phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of the apparatus 10, including processes related to muting operations for network energy conservation involving aperiodic channel state information and aperiodic channel state information reporting.

[0057] The device 10 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) memory 14 that may be coupled to the processor 12 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 12. The memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, the memory 14 may be any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a magnetic or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium, or other suitable storage component. The instructions stored in the memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 12, enables the device 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0058] In an embodiment, the device 10 may also include or be coupled to a drive or port (internal or external) configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by the processor 12 and / or the device 10.

[0059] In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for transmitting and receiving signals and / or data to and from the apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 may further include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 18 may include, for example, multiple radio interfaces coupled to the antenna(s) 15, or may include any other suitable transceiver components. The radio interfaces may correspond to multiple radio access technologies, including one or more of: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth (BT), Bluetooth Low Energy (BT-LE), Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), MulteFire, and the like. The radio interfaces may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), mappers, and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks and receive symbols (e.g., via uplinks).

[0060] Thus, the transceiver 18 can be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by the antenna(s) 15, and to demodulate information received via the antenna(s) 15 for further processing by other elements of the apparatus 10. In other embodiments, the transceiver 18 can be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 can include input and / or output devices (I / O devices), or input / output components.

[0061] In an embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. Such modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality for device 10. The components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware, or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0062] According to some embodiments, processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in, or may form part of, processing circuitry / components or control circuitry / components. Additionally, in some embodiments, transceiver 18 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry / components.

[0063] As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to: a hardware circuitry implementation only (e.g., analog and / or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog hardware circuitry and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor(s) (including a digital signal processor) with software that work together to enable the device (e.g., device 10) to perform various functions, and / or hardware circuit(s) and / or processor(s), or portions thereof, that use software for operation, but where the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation. As another example, as used herein, the term "circuitry" may also cover an implementation of only a hardware circuitry or processor(s), or portions of a hardware circuitry or processor, and their accompanying software and / or firmware. The term "circuitry" may also cover, for example, a baseband integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network node or cellular network device, or other computing device or network device.

[0064] As introduced above, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be a network element or RAN node or may be part of a network element or RAN node, such as a base station, access point, Node B, eNB, gNB, TRP, HAPS, IAB node, relay node, WLAN access point, satellite, etc. In an example embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be a gNB or other radio node, or may be a CU and / or DU of a gNB. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes depicted in any of the flowcharts or signaling diagrams described herein (such as in Figure 1 and Figure 2 ), or perform any other method described herein. In some embodiments, as discussed herein, apparatus 10 may be configured to perform processes related to providing silent operation for network energy conservation, for example, involving aperiodic channel state information and aperiodic channel state information reporting.

[0065] Figure 5An example of an apparatus 20 according to an embodiment is also illustrated. In an embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be a node or element in a communication network or may be a node or element associated with such a network, such as a UE, a communication node, a mobile device (ME), a mobile station, a mobile device, a fixed device, an IoT device, or other device. As described herein, a UE may alternatively be referred to as, for example, a mobile station, mobile equipment, a mobile unit, a mobile device, a user equipment, a subscriber station, a wireless terminal, a tablet, a smart phone, an IoT device, a sensor or an NB-IoT device, a watch or other wearable device, a head-mounted display (HMD), a vehicle, a drone, a medical device and its applications (e.g., remote surgery), an industrial device and its applications (e.g., a robot and / or other wireless device operating in an industrial and / or automated process chain environment), a consumer electronic device, a device operating on a commercial wireless network and / or an industrial wireless network, etc. As an example, the apparatus 20 may be implemented, for example, in a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, etc.

[0066] In some example embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the apparatus 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. Figure 5 Components or features not shown.

[0067] As in Figure 5As illustrated in the example of , the device 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22, which is used to process information and execute instructions or operations. The processor 22 can be any type of general-purpose processor or special-purpose processor. In fact, as an example, the processor 22 may include one or more of the following items: a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 22 is shown in 5, according to other embodiments, multiple processors can be utilized. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the device 20 may include two or more processors that can form a multi-processor system (for example, in this case, the processor 22 can represent a multi-processor), and the multi-processor system can support multi-processing. In some embodiments, the multi-processor system can be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (for example, to form a computer cluster).

[0068] The processor 22 may perform functions associated with the operation of the apparatus 20, including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain parameters / antenna phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of the apparatus 20, including processes related to management of communication resources.

[0069] The apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) memory 24 that may be coupled to the processor 22 for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 22. The memory 24 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, the memory 24 may include any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in the memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 22, enables the apparatus 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0070] In an embodiment, the device 20 may also include or be coupled to a drive or port (internal or external) configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by the processor 22 and / or the device 20.

[0071] In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals and for transmitting from the apparatus 20 via an uplink. The apparatus 20 may further include a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 28 may further include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to the antenna 25. The radio interface may correspond to a plurality of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The radio interface may include other components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDM symbols.

[0072] For example, the transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by the antenna(s) 25, and to demodulate information received via the antenna(s) 25 for further processing by other elements of the apparatus 20. In other embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

[0073] In an embodiment, the memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by the processor 22. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for the device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality for the device 20. The components of the device 20 may be implemented in hardware or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, the device 20 may optionally be configured to communicate with the device 10 via a wireless communication link 70 or a wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

[0074] According to some embodiments, processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in, or may form part of, processing circuitry or control circuitry. Additionally, in some embodiments, transceiver 28 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry.

[0075] As discussed above, according to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be, for example, a UE, a SL UE, a relay UE, a mobile device, a mobile station, a ME, an IoT device, and / or an NB-IoT device, etc. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as in Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in or relative to Figure 1 and Figure 2 One or more of the operations described herein, or any other method described herein. For example, in an embodiment, apparatus 20 may be controlled to perform processes related to providing silent operation for network energy conservation, involving aperiodic channel state information and aperiodic channel state information reporting, as described in detail elsewhere herein.

[0076] In some embodiments, an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and / or apparatus 20) may include means for performing any of the methods, processes, or variations discussed herein. Examples of such means may include one or more processors, memories, controllers, transmitters, receivers, and / or computer program codes for causing the execution of any of the operations discussed herein.

[0077] In view of the foregoing, certain example embodiments provide several technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages over prior art processes and constitute improvements in at least the technical field of wireless network control and / or management. Certain embodiments may have various benefits and / or advantages. For example, certain embodiments may allow for efficient operation of network-saving silent operations even when using aperiodic CSI and aperiodic CSI reporting. Similarly, certain embodiments may enhance the efficiency of operation in the case of semi-persistent CSI and semi-persistent CSI reporting, or periodic CSI and semi-persistent CSI reporting, or periodic CSI and any reporting type.

[0078] In some example embodiments, the functionality of any of the methods, processes, signaling diagrams, algorithms, or flow charts described herein may be implemented by software and / or computer program code, or portions of code, stored in a memory or other computer-readable or computer-tangible medium and executed by a processor.

[0079] In some embodiments, the device may include or be associated with at least one software application, module, unit, or entity configured to perform (multiple) arithmetic operations or configured as a program or portion of a program (including added or updated software routines), which may be executed by at least one operating processor or operating controller. A program, also referred to as a program product or computer program, includes network routines, applets, and macros. The program may be stored in any device-readable data storage medium and may include program instructions to perform specific tasks. A computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components that are configured to perform some example embodiments when the program is run. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one software code or portion of a code. Modifications and configurations required to implement the functionality of the example embodiments may be performed as routines, which may be performed as added or updated software routines. In one example, the software routines may be downloaded to the device.

[0080] As an example, the software or computer program code or portion of the code may be in source code form, object code form, or some intermediate form and may be stored in some carrier, distribution medium, or computer readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such carriers may include, for example, recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, optical and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunications signals, and / or software distribution packets. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer, or it may be distributed among multiple computers. The computer readable medium or computer readable storage medium may be a non-transient medium. The term "non-transient" as used herein is a restriction on the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not a signal), rather than a restriction on the persistence of data storage (e.g., RAM versus ROM).

[0081] In other example embodiments, the functions of the example embodiments may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in a device, for example, by using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another example embodiment, the functions of the example embodiments may be implemented as signals, such as non-tangible components, that may be carried by electromagnetic signals downloaded from the Internet or other networks.

[0082] According to example embodiments, an apparatus such as a node, a device, or a corresponding component may be configured as a circuit system, a computer or a microprocessor, such as a single-chip computer element, or as a chipset, which may include at least a memory for providing storage capacity for (multiple) arithmetic operations and / or an operation processor for performing the (multiple) arithmetic operations.

[0083] The example embodiments described herein may apply to both singular and plural implementations, regardless of whether singular or plural language is used in conjunction with describing certain embodiments. For example, an embodiment describing the operation of a single network node may also apply to example embodiments including multiple instances of the network node, and vice versa.

[0084] In some embodiments, components may be provided in a user equipment, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration includes: a plurality of different port configurations corresponding to a plurality of different transceiver muting patterns.

[0085] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a user equipment, wherein the trigger message is provided as an information element in downlink control information, or as a control element of a medium access control message.

[0086] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the user equipment, wherein the trigger message includes an indication of a particular antenna port to be measured.

[0087] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates a first offset between the first reference signal and the second reference signal.

[0088] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a user equipment, wherein when the first offset is zero, the first reference signal and the second reference signal are measured in the same time slot.

[0089] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports with reference to the transmission timing of the first reference signal.

[0090] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the user equipment, wherein from the time of the timing of referencing the first reference signal, subsequent reference signals of the first reference signal are provided with periodic transmissions using different antenna ports.

[0091] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates the transmission timing of subsequent measurement reports using different antenna ports with reference to the transmission timing of the first measurement report.

[0092] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the user equipment, wherein from the timing of the reference to the first measurement report, subsequent measurement reports are provided with periodic transmission using different antenna ports.

[0093] In some embodiments, components may be provided in a user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates a first timing of the first reference signal and a second timing of the second reference signal, respectively.

[0094] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the user equipment, wherein the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports is explicitly signaled as the time from the receipt of the trigger message.

[0095] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates a second offset between reporting the first measurement and reporting the second measurement.

[0096] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the user equipment, wherein when the second offset is zero, reporting the first measurement and reporting the second measurement are performed in the same time slot.

[0097] In some embodiments, the component may be provided in the user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates a third timing for reporting the first measurement and a fourth timing for reporting the second measurement, respectively.

[0098] In some embodiments, components may be provided in a network node, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration includes: a plurality of different port configurations corresponding to a plurality of different transceiver muting patterns.

[0099] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a network node, wherein the trigger message is provided as an information element in downlink control information, or as a control element of a medium access control message.

[0100] In some embodiments, the component may be provided in a network node, wherein the trigger message indicates a first offset between the first reference signal and the second reference signal.

[0101] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a network node, wherein when the first offset is zero, the first reference signal and the second reference signal are provided in the same time slot.

[0102] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a network node, wherein the trigger message indicates the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports with reference to the transmission timing of the first reference signal.

[0103] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the network node, wherein from the time of the timing of referencing the first reference signal, subsequent reference signals of the first reference signal are provided with periodic transmissions using different antenna ports.

[0104] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a network node, wherein the trigger message indicates a first timing of the first reference signal and a second timing of the second reference signal, respectively.

[0105] In some embodiments, means may be provided in the network node, wherein the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports is explicitly signaled as the time from the receipt of the trigger message.

[0106] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a network node, wherein the trigger message indicates a second offset between the first report and the second report.

[0107] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a network node, wherein when the second offset is zero, reporting the first measurement and reporting the second measurement are performed in the same time slot.

[0108] In some embodiments, means may be provided in a network node, wherein the trigger message indicates a third timing of the first report and a fourth timing of the second report, respectively.

[0109] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the example embodiments discussed above may be practiced using processes in a different order and / or using hardware elements in configurations different from those disclosed. Therefore, although some embodiments have been described based on these example embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the example embodiments.

[0110] Partial Glossary

[0111] 3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project

[0112] 4G fourth generation

[0113] 5G Fifth Generation (5G)

[0114] BM Beam Management

[0115] BS Base Station

[0116] BWP Bandwidth Part

[0117] CBSR codebook subset restriction

[0118] CDM Code Division Multiplexing

[0119] CE Control Elements

[0120] CSI Channel State Information

[0121] CSI-RS CSI reference signal

[0122] DCI Downlink Control Information

[0123] DL Downlink

[0124] EPRE Energy per resource element

[0125] ES Energy Saving

[0126] FR1 Frequency Range 1 – frequency band up to 7 GHz

[0127] FR2 Frequency Range 2 - the frequency band from approximately 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz

[0128] GHz Gigahertz

[0129] gNB Next Generation Node B

[0130] IE Information Element

[0131] LTE Long Term Evolution

[0132] MAC Media Access Control

[0133] MIMO Multiple Input / Multiple Output

[0134] NR New Radio

[0135] NW Network

[0136] NZP Non-Zero Power

[0137] OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing

[0138] PA power amplifier

[0139] PBCH Physical Broadcast Channel

[0140] PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel

[0141] Rel.16 Version 16

[0142] RRC Radio Resource Control

[0143] SS synchronization signal

[0144] SSB Synchronous Signal Block

[0145] TDRA Time Domain Resource Allocation

[0146] TRX transceiver

[0147] TS Technical Specification

[0148] UE User Equipment

[0149] UPT User Perceived Throughput

Claims

1. A device comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform: receiving a channel state information reporting configuration from a network, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations; receiving a trigger message from the network, wherein the trigger message indicates that the apparatus is to measure and report on a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations; measuring, at a first predetermined time slot, a first reference signal corresponding to the first of the plurality of configurations; measuring, at a second predetermined time slot, a second reference signal corresponding to the second of the plurality of configurations; reporting, from the apparatus, a first measurement of the first reference signal; as well as A second measurement of the second reference signal is reported from the apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration comprises: Multiple different port configurations corresponding to multiple different transceiver mute modes.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the trigger message is provided as an information element in downlink control information, or is provided as a control element of a medium access control message.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the trigger message comprises: An indication of the specific antenna port to be measured. 5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the trigger message indicates a first offset between the first reference signal and the second reference signal. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein when the first offset is zero, the first reference signal and the second reference signal are measured in the same time slot. 7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the trigger message indicates, as a reference to the transmission timing of the first reference signal, transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, from a time of the timing of referring to a first reference signal, subsequent reference signals of the first reference signal are provided in periodic transmission using different antenna ports.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the trigger message indicates, as a reference to the transmission timing of the first measurement report, the transmission timing of subsequent measurement reports using different antenna ports.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein subsequent measurement reports are provided in periodic transmission using different antenna ports from a time referring to the timing of the first measurement report.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the trigger message indicates a first timing of the first reference signal and a second timing of the second reference signal, respectively.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports is explicitly signaled as the time from the reception of the trigger message.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the trigger message indicates a second offset between the reporting of the first measurement and the reporting of the second measurement. 14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein when the second offset is zero, the reporting the first measurement and the reporting the second measurement are performed in the same time slot. 15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the trigger message indicates a third timing for reporting the first measurement and a fourth timing for reporting the second measurement, respectively.

16. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform: providing a channel state information reporting configuration to a user equipment, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations; Providing a trigger message to the user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates that the user equipment is to measure and report on a first configuration among a plurality of configurations and a second configuration among the plurality of configurations; providing, at a first predetermined time slot, a first reference signal corresponding to the first of the plurality of configurations; providing, at a second predetermined time slot, a second reference signal corresponding to the second of the plurality of configurations; receiving a first report of the first reference signal from the user equipment; as well as A second report of the second reference signal is received from the user equipment.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration comprises: Multiple different port configurations corresponding to multiple different transceiver mute modes.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the trigger message is provided as an information element in downlink control information, or provided as a control element of a medium access control message.

19. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the trigger message indicates a first offset between the first reference signal and the second reference signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein when the first offset is zero, the first reference signal and the second reference signal are provided in the same time slot.

21. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the trigger message indicates, as a reference to the transmission timing of the first reference signal, the transmission timing of a subsequent reference signal using a different antenna port.

22. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein, from a time of the timing of referring to a first reference signal, subsequent reference signals of the first reference signal are provided in periodic transmission using different antenna ports.

23. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the trigger message indicates a first timing of the first reference signal and a second timing of the second reference signal, respectively.

24. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports is explicitly signaled as a time from the receipt of the trigger message.

25. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the trigger message indicates a second offset between the first report and the second report. 26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein when the second offset is zero, the reporting the first report and the reporting the second report are performed in the same time slot.

27. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the trigger message indicates a third timing of the first report and a fourth timing of the second report, respectively.

28. A method comprising: At a user equipment, receiving a channel state information reporting configuration from a network, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations; receiving a trigger message from the network, wherein the trigger message indicates that the apparatus is to measure and report on a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations; measuring, at a first predetermined time slot, a first reference signal corresponding to the first of the plurality of configurations; measuring, at a second predetermined time slot, a second reference signal corresponding to the second of the plurality of configurations; reporting, from the user equipment, a first measurement of the first reference signal; as well as A second measurement of the second reference signal is reported from the user equipment.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration comprises: Multiple different port configurations corresponding to multiple different transceiver mute modes.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 or 29, wherein the trigger message is provided as an information element in downlink control information, or as a control element of a medium access control message.

31. The method according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the trigger message comprises: An indication of the specific antenna port to be measured.

32. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein the trigger message indicates a first offset between the first reference signal and the second reference signal.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein when the first offset is zero, the first reference signal and the second reference signal are measured in the same time slot.

34. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein the trigger message indicates, as a reference to the transmission timing of the first reference signal, the transmission timing of a subsequent reference signal using a different antenna port.

35. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein from the time of the timing of referring to a first reference signal, subsequent reference signals of the first reference signal are provided in periodic transmission using different antenna ports.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the trigger message indicates, as a reference to the transmission timing of the first measurement report, the transmission timing of a subsequent measurement report using a different antenna port.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein subsequent measurement reports are provided in periodic transmission using different antenna ports from a time referring to the timing of the first measurement report.

38. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein the trigger message indicates a first timing of the first reference signal and a second timing of the second reference signal, respectively.

39. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports is explicitly signaled as the time from the reception of the trigger message.

40. The method of any one of claims 28 to 39, wherein the trigger message indicates a second offset between the reporting of the first measurement and the reporting of the second measurement.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein when the second offset is zero, the reporting the first measurement and the reporting the second measurement are performed in the same time slot.

42. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 39, wherein the trigger message indicates a third timing for reporting the first measurement and a fourth timing for reporting the second measurement, respectively.

43. A method comprising: providing, by a network node, a channel state information reporting configuration to a user equipment, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations; Providing a trigger message to the user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates that the user equipment is to measure and report on a first configuration among the multiple configurations and a second configuration among the multiple configurations; providing, at a first predetermined time slot, a first reference signal corresponding to the first of the plurality of configurations; providing, at a second predetermined time slot, a second reference signal corresponding to the second of the plurality of configurations; receiving a first report of the first reference signal from the user equipment; as well as A second report of the second reference signal is received from the user equipment.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration comprises: Multiple different interface configurations corresponding to multiple different transceiver mute modes.

45. The method of claim 43 or 44, wherein the trigger message is provided as an information element in a downlink control channel or as a control element of a medium access control message.

46. ​​The method according to any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein the trigger message indicates a first offset between the first reference signal and the second reference signal.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein when the first offset is zero, the first reference signal and the second reference signal are provided in the same time slot.

48. The method according to any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein the trigger message indicates, as a reference to the transmission timing of the first reference signal, the transmission timing of a subsequent reference signal using a different antenna port.

49. The method according to any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein from a time of the timing of referring to a first reference signal, subsequent reference signals of the first reference signal are provided in periodic transmission using different antenna ports.

50. The method according to any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein the trigger message indicates a first timing of the first reference signal and a second timing of the second reference signal, respectively.

51. The method according to any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein the transmission timing of subsequent reference signals using different antenna ports is explicitly signaled as the time from the receipt of the trigger message.

52. The method of any one of claims 43 to 51, wherein the trigger message indicates a second offset between the first report and the second report.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein when the second offset is zero, the reporting the first measurement and the reporting the second measurement are performed in the same time slot.

54. The method according to any one of claims 43 to 51, wherein the trigger message indicates a third timing of the first report and a fourth timing of the second report, respectively.

55. An apparatus comprising: first receiving means for receiving a channel state information reporting configuration from a network, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations; second receiving means for receiving a trigger message from the network, wherein the trigger message indicates that the apparatus is to measure and report on a first configuration of the plurality of configurations and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations; first measuring means for measuring a first reference signal corresponding to the first of the plurality of configurations at a first predetermined time slot; second measuring means for measuring a second reference signal corresponding to the second of the plurality of configurations at a second predetermined time slot; first reporting means for reporting a first measurement of said first reference signal from said apparatus; as well as Second reporting means for reporting, from the apparatus, a second measurement of the second reference signal.

56. An apparatus comprising means for performing the method according to any one of claims 28-42.

57. An apparatus comprising: a first providing component for providing a channel state information reporting configuration to a user equipment, wherein the channel state information reporting configuration indicates a plurality of configurations; a second providing component configured to provide a trigger message to the user equipment, wherein the trigger message indicates that the user equipment is to measure and report on a first configuration among the multiple configurations and a second configuration among the multiple configurations; third providing means for providing a first reference signal corresponding to the first of the plurality of configurations at a first predetermined time slot; fourth providing means for providing a second reference signal corresponding to the second of the plurality of configurations at a second predetermined time slot; first receiving means for receiving a first report of the first reference signal from the user equipment; as well as Second receiving means for receiving a second report of the second reference signal from the user equipment.

58. An apparatus comprising means for performing the method according to any one of claims 43 to 54.

59. A computer program product encoding instructions for performing the method according to any one of claims 28 to 54.

60. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, cause the hardware to perform the method of any one of claims 28-54.

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