Network controlled user equipment initiated cell activation

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for network controlled user equipment initiated (UE initiated) cell activation. A method may include receiving, from a network element, a configuration for a cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition. The method may further comprise: when one of the at least one trigger condition is satisfied, triggering transmission of a buffer status report, a power headroom report or a cell activation message initiated by a user equipment; and performing cell activation based on the configuration. The method may also include transmitting a cell activation acknowledgement message on the activated cell to the network element when the cell is activated and ready for use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some example embodiments may typically relate to mobile or wireless telecommunications systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 5G New Radio (NR) access technologies or 5G or other communication systems. For example, some example embodiments may relate to apparatus, systems, and / or methods for user equipment-initiated (UE-initiated) cell activation for network control. Background Technology

[0002] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunications systems can include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), LTE, Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE-A (LTE-A), MulteFire, LTE-A Pro, fifth-generation (5G) radio access technology or NR access technology, and / or 5G-Advanced. 5G wireless systems refer to next-generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. While 5G network technology is largely based on NR technology, 5G (or NG) networks can also be built on E-UTRA radio. It is estimated that NR can provide bit rates of approximately 10-20 Gbit / s or higher and can at least support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC). NR is expected to deliver extremely high bandwidth and ultra-robust, low-latency connectivity and massive networking to support the Internet of Things (IoT). Summary of the Invention

[0003] Some example embodiments may relate to a method. The method may include receiving from a network element a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The method may further include: triggering the transmission of a cache status report, a power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment when one of the at least one triggering condition is met; and performing cell activation based on the configuration. The method may further include: transmitting a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0004] Other example embodiments may relate to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive, at least from a network element, a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition. The apparatus may also be configured to, upon satisfaction of one of the at least one trigger condition, trigger the transmission of a cache status report, a power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment; and perform cell activation based on the configuration. The apparatus may also be configured to, when a cell is activated and ready for use, transmit a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell.

[0005] Other example embodiments may relate to an apparatus. The apparatus may include components for receiving configurations for cell activation initiated by a user equipment from a network element, wherein the configurations include at least one triggering condition. The apparatus may also include components for triggering the transmission of a buffer status report, a power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, and for performing cell activation based on the configuration, when one of the at least one triggering condition is met. The apparatus may further include components for transmitting a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0006] According to other example embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, can perform a method. The method may include receiving from a network element a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The method may further include: triggering the transmission of a buffer status report, a power headroom report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment when one of the at least one triggering condition is met; and performing cell activation based on the configuration. The method may further include: transmitting a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0007] Other example embodiments may relate to a computer program product that performs a method. The method may include receiving from a network element a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The method may further include: triggering the transmission of a cache status report, a power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment when one of the at least one triggering condition is met; and performing cell activation based on the configuration. The method may further include: transmitting a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0008] Other example embodiments may relate to an apparatus that may include a circuitry configured to receive from a network element a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The apparatus may also include a circuitry configured to: trigger the transmission of a buffer status report, a power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment when one of the at least one triggering condition is met; and perform cell activation based on the configuration. The apparatus may further include a circuitry configured to transmit a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0009] Some example embodiments may relate to a method. The method may include configuring a user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The method may also include receiving a buffer status report, power headroom report, or UE-initiated cell activation message from the UE on the activated cell based on the configuration. The method may further include monitoring UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. Furthermore, the method may include scheduling the UE on the activated cell when a cell activation confirmation message is received.

[0010] Other example embodiments may relate to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, together with the at least one processor, to configure a user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition. The apparatus may also be configured to receive, based on the configuration, a buffer status report, a power margin report, or a UE-initiated cell activation message from the UE on the activated cell. The apparatus may also be configured to monitor UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. Furthermore, the apparatus may be configured to schedule UEs on the activated cell when a cell activation confirmation message is received.

[0011] Other example embodiments may relate to an apparatus. The apparatus may include components for configuring a user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The apparatus may further include components for receiving a buffer status report, power headroom report, or UE-initiated cell activation message from the UE on the activated cell based on the configuration. The apparatus may also include components for monitoring UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. Furthermore, the apparatus may include components for scheduling the UE on the activated cell when a cell activation acknowledgment message is received.

[0012] According to other example embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be encoded with instructions that, when executed by hardware, can perform a method. The method may include configuring a user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The method may further include receiving, based on the configuration, a buffer status report, a power headroom report, or a UE-initiated cell activation message from the UE on an already activated cell. The method may also include monitoring UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. Furthermore, the method may include scheduling the UE on the activated cell when a cell activation acknowledgment message is received.

[0013] Other example embodiments may relate to a computer program product that performs a method. The method may include configuring a user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The method may also include receiving, based on the configuration, a buffer status report, a power headroom report, or a UE-initiated cell activation message from the UE on an already activated cell. The method may further include monitoring UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. Furthermore, the method may include scheduling the UE on the activated cell when a cell activation confirmation message is received.

[0014] Other example embodiments may relate to an apparatus that may include a circuitry configured to configure a user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition. The apparatus may also include a circuitry configured to receive a buffer status report, power headroom report, or UE-initiated cell activation message from the UE on an already activated cell based on a configuration. The apparatus may further include a circuitry configured to monitor UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell based on a configuration. Furthermore, the apparatus may include a circuitry configured to schedule UEs on the activated cell when a cell activation acknowledgment message is received. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To correctly understand the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 Example flowcharts are shown according to certain example embodiments.

[0017] Figure 2 Another example flowchart based on certain example embodiments is shown.

[0018] Figure 3An example flowchart of a method according to certain example embodiments is shown.

[0019] Figure 4 An example flowchart of another method according to some example embodiments is shown.

[0020] Figure 5 A set of apparatuses according to certain example embodiments is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0021] It will be readily understood that components of certain example embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, can be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations. Below is a detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products for user equipment (UE-initiated) cell activation for network control.

[0022] The features, structures, or characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this specification can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, the phrases “some embodiments,” “exemplary embodiments,” “some embodiments,” or other similar language used throughout this specification refer to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the phrases “in some embodiments,” “in exemplary embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in other embodiments,” or other similar language appearing throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same set of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “base station,” “cell,” “node,” “gNB,” “network,” or other similar language used throughout this specification are interchangeable.

[0023] As used herein, “at least one of the following: a list of two or more elements” and “at least one of a list of two or more elements” and similar wording, where a list of two or more elements is combined with “and” or “or”, means at least any one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements.

[0024] In extended reality (XR) applications, high data rates and low user equipment (UE) power consumption are often required. However, meeting these requirements simultaneously can be challenging. Carrier aggregation (CA) with optimized secondary cell activation / deactivation based on instantaneous channel and traffic conditions can provide a beneficial trade-off between high data rates and low UE power consumption requirements.

[0025] SCell activation latency is a problem that limits the practical applicability of fast and dynamic SCell activation / deactivation. SCell activation can also take as long as tens or even hundreds of milliseconds. In terms of latency, SCell activation latency can include a combination of one or more latency components, such as the latency associated with the necessary measurement reports required for the gNB to obtain the configuration (and activation) that triggers the SCell. Another latency component can include the latency associated with the need for the UE to perform automatic gain control (AGC) tuning and time / frequency synchronization after receiving the activation command from the gNB and before the UE can begin operation on the corresponding SCell. Yet another latency component can include the latency associated with the UE sending a buffer status report (BSR) to the gNB when SCell activation is triggered by uplink (UL) traffic.

[0026] Because of the introduction of Long Term Evolution (LTE) CA in the 3GPP specifications, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications have described (more) faster SCell activation. With the goal of reducing overall SCell activation latency, for example, when a UE switches from Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle mode to RRC connected mode, early measurement-based schemes have been introduced for LTE in Rel-15 (e.g., utilization of enhanced CA), and for NR in Rel-16, dual connectivity and carrier aggregation (DCCA) enhancements have been introduced. However, these schemes focus on reducing the latency associated with the UE performing measurements and transmitting the corresponding measurement reports necessary for the gNB to initiate SCell configuration and activation, for example, when the UE switches from RRC idle mode to RRC connected mode.

[0027] Although the 3GPP specifications describe some solutions, these solutions do not aim to reduce the delay between the time the UE receives the SCell activation command from the gNB and the time the UE can initiate operation on the corresponding SCell. The latter problem has been addressed by 3GPP in Rel-17. When sending the SCell activation command, the gNB also provides information about the Tracking Reference Signal (TRS) configured for the RRC that the UE can use for AGC tuning and time / frequency synchronization. In this way, SCell activation delay can be reduced because the UE does not need to rely solely on the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) for AGC tuning and time / frequency synchronization.

[0028] On the other hand, Rel-17 fast SCell activation does not reduce the latency associated with BSR transmission when SCell activation is triggered by UL data arriving in the UE's buffer. Additionally, schemes to accelerate SCell activation when triggered by data arriving in the UE's buffer have been described. However, such schemes are limited by the fact that activation is based solely on the buffer state during transmission and reception. Whenever autonomous activation is considered, it is not mentioned whether the UE should consider Tx (transmission) power limitations when triggering secondary cell group (SCG) / SCell activation. Furthermore, even if it is called autonomous SCG activation, conventional schemes may involve the UE autonomously triggering transmissions to the network (e.g., Random Access Channel (RACH), Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)) to request SCG activation. SCell activation in the UE can still be triggered by activation or acknowledgment messages transmitted by the network (NW). Currently, there is no scheme where the UE can initiate SCell activation before receiving such activation or acknowledgment messages from the NW. Additionally, even if UE-initiated SCell activation is provided, this scheme does not cover aspects related to triggering based on data in the UE's buffer and / or available UL Tx power. In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, as described herein, certain example embodiments can reduce SCell activation latency when SCell activation is triggered by UL data arriving in the UE buffer.

[0029] Figure 1 An example flowchart of gNB operation according to certain example embodiments is shown. Figure 1As shown, at 100, the gNB can configure the UE for UE-initiated SCell activation. In some example embodiments, the configuration may include at least one of a trigger condition, an indication of a SCell UL resource for SCell activation confirmation transmission, and / or an indication of a reference signal to be used for UE-initiated SCell activation. Once the UE has been configured, at 105, the gNB can receive at least one of a BSR, a Power Headroom Report (PHR), and / or a UE-initiated SCell activation message on the primary cell (PCell) (or other activated serving SCell). At 110, the gNB can monitor UE transmissions on the configured SCell UL resource. At 115, when a UE transmission occurs on the configured SCell UL resource, the gNB can receive a SCell activation confirmation message on the SCell UL resource configured by the gNB. The SCell activation confirmation message can be sent explicitly or implicitly via signaling. In the case of implicit signaling, a UE transmission on the SCell UL resource configured by the gNB is an implicit indication of SCell activation confirmation. After receiving the SCell activation confirmation message, the gNB can begin scheduling the UE on the SCell at point 120. However, if it is determined at point 115 that the SCell activation confirmation message has not yet been received, the gNB can continue to monitor UE transmissions on the configured SCell(multiple) SCell UL resources.

[0030] According to certain example embodiments, the gNB may configure triggering conditions for the UE to include at least one or a combination of the various conditions described herein. For example, a triggering condition may include a UE buffer state greater than a predefined BSR threshold (e.g., BSR_threshold). A triggering condition may also include a rapid increase in the UE buffer state. In some example embodiments, a rapid increase in the UE buffer state can be assessed by measuring how much data has accumulated in the buffer since the last BSR was sent, or by assessing a rapid increase in the UE buffer state during a specified / configured time window (the length of which can be configured). Furthermore, the triggering condition may take into account the importance of the set of PDUs awaiting transmission, for example, by signaling an importance threshold for a logical channel (LCH) or logical channel group (LCG), below which any change in the buffer state of the LCH or LCG can be ignored. Additionally, a triggering condition may include a UE path loss (PL) less than (i.e., less than) a predefined PL threshold (e.g., PL_Threshold). Additionally, a triggering condition may include a UE PHR greater than a predefined power headroom (PH) threshold (e.g., PH_Threshold).

[0031] In some example embodiments, the PH (Power Probability) can be used instead of the PL (Power Level) to determine when SCell activation should be triggered, for example, when there is dynamic power sharing between an already activated cell and the SCell being activated. Although in the case of semi-static power sharing, the available power on the SCell being activated may be known at the gNB (therefore SCell activation can be based on the PL), in the case of dynamic power sharing, the available power may depend on the available PH when considering transmissions on the already activated cell.

[0032] According to another example embodiment, the triggering condition may include a situation where the time until the next periodic BSR is greater than a predefined BSR time threshold (e.g., TimetoBSR_Threshold). In some example embodiments, the time until the next periodic BSR may cause possible NW behavior, where UE resources are periodically allocated to send periodic BSRs so that the gNB can make scheduling decisions (increase or decrease resources).

[0033] In some example embodiments, cache state triggering (e.g., the triggering condition of BSR) may take into account a subset of LCH and / or LCG. In other example embodiments, a subset of LCH can be configured explicitly or implicitly by means of signaling priority (at which priority are the corresponding LCH changes ignored).

[0034] Figure 2 Example flowcharts illustrating UE operation according to certain example embodiments are shown. Figure 2 As shown, at 200, the UE can receive configuration for UE-initiated SCell activation from the gNB. In some example embodiments, the configuration may include any one or a combination of the triggering conditions described above. At 205, the UE may determine whether any one or a combination of the triggering conditions has been met. If not, the UE may continue to monitor / determine whether any triggering condition has been met. When one or a combination of the triggering conditions has been met, at 210, the UE may trigger the transmission of the BSR, PHR, and / or UE-initiated SCell activation message (on the PCell or other activated serving SCells) on the PCell. At 215, when one or a combination of the triggering conditions has been met, the UE may begin SCell activation, which may include, for example, performing AGC tuning and time / frequency synchronization using reference signals indicated by the gNB for UE-initiated SCell activation. These may be reference signals (DL) used by the UE to perform AGC tuning and time / frequency synchronization when activating the SCell.

[0035] At 220, the UE can determine whether the SCell is ready for use. If the SCell is not yet ready for use, the procedure can return to 215 to perform SCell activation. If it is determined that the SCell is ready for use, the UE can prepare to transmit / receive on the activated SCell. At 225, the UE can also transmit an SCell activation confirmation message to the gNB on the configured SCell UL resource. In some example embodiments, the SCell UL resource may correspond to the resource that the UE uses to transmit the SCell activation confirmation when the SCell is finally activated.

[0036] In some example embodiments, UE-initiated SCell activation can be configured as part of the SCell configuration (RRC). In other example embodiments, the UE-initiated SCell activation message can be a new Media Access Control (MAC) element (CE) transmitted from the UE to the gNB. In yet another example embodiment, if the configuration from the gNB includes an indication to use a designated reference signal (e.g., TRS) other than the SSB for UE-initiated SCell activation, the UE can use the SSB for AGC and frequency / time synchronization before transmitting the BRS, PHR, and / or the UE-initiated SCell activation message (or a positive acknowledgment of receipt of a transport block including the BRS, PHR, and / or the UE-initiated SCell activation message), and after transmitting the BSR, PHR, and / or the UE-initiated SCell activation message (or a positive acknowledgment of receipt of a transport block including the BSR, PHR, and / or the UE-initiated SCell activation message), and use a reference signal other than the SSB (e.g., TRS) for AGC and frequency / time synchronization. In some example embodiments, the UE may assume one RS configuration before transmitting the SCell activation message and another RS ​​configuration after transmitting the SCell activation message.

[0037] According to some example embodiments, the SCell being activated may use the same timing advance (TA) as at least one other cell that has already been activated (e.g., PCell). In this case, the UL resource configured to transmit the SCell activation confirmation message may be a Configuration Grant (CG) Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) Type 1 resource. According to other example embodiments, the UL resource may be a Sound Reference Signal (SRS) resource or a PUCCH resource.

[0038] In some example embodiments, the validity of UL resources allocated in a UL-initiated SCell activation message for a SCell activation confirmation transmission may be valid for a predefined finite time or a predefined number of times following the SCell activation confirmation transmission. For example, in some example embodiments, resources may be automatically deactivated after they have been used to transmit the SCell activation confirmation.

[0039] In another example embodiment, the SCell being activated can use a different TA than other already activated cells (e.g., PCells). In this example, the UL resource configured to transmit the SCell activation configuration can be a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resource. Furthermore, in other example embodiments, a two-step Random Access Channel (RACH) procedure can be implemented to send the SCell activation acknowledgment and BSR and / or PHR.

[0040] According to some example embodiments, at least one of the conditions for triggering SCell activation may include an increase in the amount of data in the UE cache exceeding X bytes or exceeding Y% within a specified time window T, where X, Y, and T may be parameters configured by the NW via, for example, RRC signaling. Additionally, the UE cache may not be considered as a whole, but rather as a subset of LCHs and / or LCGs selected for the triggering condition. According to some example embodiments, the selection of a subset of LCHs and / or LCGs may be based on signaling from the network (e.g., gNB). For example, the gNB may explicitly or implicitly configure a subset of LCHs and / or LCGs, and / or the gNB may signal an LCH priority threshold. In some example embodiments, LCHs with a priority greater than or equal to (≥) or greater than (>) the LCH priority threshold may be considered.

[0041] In some example embodiments, signaling from the gNB can be performed on each SCell to select the LCH and / or LCG. Additionally, a subset of the LHC can be implicitly derived from the mapping constraints of the SCell to be activated. That is, the buffered state of the LCH can be excluded from the logical channel priority (LCP) mapping constraints that prohibit it from transmitting LCH on the SCell.

[0042] According to other example embodiments, at least one of the conditions for triggering SCell activation may be that PH is greater than a specific threshold PH_Threshold. In this example, the UE may calculate the available PH based on a Type 1 PH calculated for each active cell within a set of cells (e.g., a Primary Cell Group (MCG)). For example, in some example embodiments, the nominal maximum UE transmission power may be assumed to be P. NOMdBm. If the UE has only one active cell in the corresponding cell group, and the PH of that corresponding cell is calculated as X dB, then the available PH can be determined as (P NOM -X)dB. In other example embodiments, if the UE has two active cells in the corresponding cell group, and the PH for the corresponding cells is calculated as X1dB and X2dB respectively, then the available PH can be determined as: More generally, if the UE has N active cells in the corresponding cell group, and the PH for the corresponding cells is calculated as X1, X2, ... X... N dB, then the available pH can be determined as Additionally, the UE can determine whether the PH for the activated serving cell is based on the actual transmission or on a reference format based on higher-layer signaling.

[0043] Figure 3 An example flowchart of a method according to certain example embodiments is shown. In the example embodiments, Figure 3 The method can be performed by a network entity or a group of multiple network elements (such as LTE or 5G-NR) in a 3GPP system. For example, in an example embodiment, Figure 3 The method can be similar to Figure 5 The UE executes one of the devices 10 or 20 shown.

[0044] According to certain example embodiments, Figure 3 The method may include receiving, at 300, a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment from a network element. According to some example embodiments, this configuration may include at least one triggering condition. The method may also include, at 305, triggering the transmission of a buffer status report, a power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment when one of the at least one triggering condition is met. The method may further include, at 310, performing cell activation based on the configuration when one of the at least one triggering condition is met. Additionally, the method may include, at 315, transmitting a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0045] According to some example embodiments, the configuration may further include at least one of the following: at least one uplink resource for transmitting a cell activation confirmation message, and an indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment. According to some example embodiments, the cell activation confirmation message may be transmitted on a configuration-authorized uplink resource configured by the network element. According to another example embodiment, when transmission is performed on at least one uplink resource configured by the network element, it may imply cell activation to the network element. According to other example embodiments, at least one triggering condition may include at least one of the following: the user equipment cache state is greater than a cache threshold, the user equipment cache state increases more than a cache threshold within a specified time window, the user equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units with importance greater than a threshold, the user equipment path loss is less than a predefined path loss threshold, the user equipment power margin is greater than a predefined power margin threshold, or the time window until the next periodic cache state report is greater than a time threshold.

[0046] In some example embodiments, when the configuration includes an indication to use a reference signal other than the synchronization signal block for user equipment-initiated cell activation, the method may further include: using the synchronization signal block for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization before transmitting a buffer status report, power headroom report, or user equipment-initiated cell activation message; and using the reference signal other than the synchronization signal block for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization after transmitting the buffer status report, power headroom report, or user equipment-initiated cell activation message. In some example embodiments, the cell being activated may use the same timing advance as at least one other already activated cell. In other example embodiments, the cell being activated may use a different timing advance than at least one other already activated cell.

[0047] According to some example embodiments, the cell activation confirmation message may be transmitted over physical random access resources. According to other example embodiments, after the cell activation confirmation message is transmitted, at least one uplink resource may be available for a predefined amount of time or a predefined number of times. According to some example embodiments, the UE buffer may be a logical subset of channels or a logical group of channels selected for at least one triggering condition.

[0048] Figure 4 An example flowchart of a method according to certain example embodiments is shown. In the example embodiments, Figure 4 The method can be performed by a network entity or a group of multiple network elements (such as LTE or 5G-NR) in a 3GPP system. For example, in an example embodiment, Figure 4 The method can be similar to Figure 5 The gNB executes one of the devices 10 or 20 shown.

[0049] According to certain example embodiments, Figure 4 The method may include configuring a user equipment (UE) at 400 for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The method may also include, at 405, receiving from the UE a buffer status report, power headroom report, or UE-initiated cell activation message on the activated cell based on the configuration. In some example embodiments, the activated cell may include a PCell. The method may also include, at 410, monitoring UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. In some example embodiments, the activated cell may include an SCell. Furthermore, the method may include, at 415, scheduling the UE on the activated cell when a cell activation acknowledgment message is received.

[0050] According to some example embodiments, the configuration may further include at least one of the following: at least one uplink resource for transmitting a cell activation confirmation message, or an indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment. In some example embodiments, the UE may transmit a cell activation confirmation message. According to some example embodiments, the cell activation confirmation message may be received on a configuration-granted uplink resource configured by a network element. According to other example embodiments, activation of the cell may be implied when transmission is performed on at least one uplink resource configured by a network element. According to yet another example embodiment, at least one triggering condition includes at least one of the following: the user equipment cache state is greater than a cache threshold, the user equipment cache state increases more than a cache threshold within a specified time window, the user equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units with importance greater than a threshold, the user equipment path loss is less than a predefined path loss threshold, the user equipment power margin is greater than a predefined power margin threshold, or the time window until the next periodic cache state report is greater than a time threshold.

[0051] In some example embodiments, the method may further include defining X bytes of data in the user equipment buffer, Y% of the data in the user equipment buffer, and a specified window T via radio resource control signaling. In other example embodiments, the method may further include: configuring a subset of logical channels or a subset of logical channel groups in the user equipment buffer; and sending a logical channel priority threshold and logical channels with priorities greater than or equal to the logical channel priority threshold to the user equipment via signaling.

[0052] Figure 5A set of devices 10 and 20 according to certain example embodiments are illustrated. In some example embodiments, device 10 may be an element in or associated with a communication network, such as a UE, mobile device (ME), mobile station, mobile device, fixed device, IoT device, or other device. It should be noted that those skilled in the art will understand that device 10 may include... Figure 5 Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0053] In some example embodiments, device 10 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more wireless access components (e.g., modem, transceiver, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some example embodiments, device 10 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 those skilled in the art will understand that device 10 may include... Figure 5 Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0054] like Figure 5 As illustrated in the example, device 10 may include or be coupled to a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 12 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. In practice, as an example, processor 12 may include one or more of 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 Figure 5 A single processor 12 is shown, but multiple processors may be utilized according to other example embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some example embodiments, apparatus 10 may include two or more processors that can form a multiprocessor system capable of supporting multiple processing (e.g., in this case, processor 12 may represent multiple processors). According to some example embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0055] Processor 12 can perform functions associated with the operation of device 10, including, for example, pre-coding and decoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 10, including... Figures 1-3 The process and examples are shown in the figure.

[0056] Device 10 may also include (internal or external) a memory 14, which may be coupled to processor 12 for storing information and instructions executable by processor 12. 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, memory 14 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a disk or optical disk, hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer-readable medium, and any combination thereof. Instructions stored in memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 12, enables device 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0057] In some example embodiments, device 10 may also include (internal or external) a drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disc, USB drive, flash drive, or any other storage media. For example, the external computer-readable storage media may store data for execution by processor 12 and / or device 10 to perform... Figures 1-3 Any computer program or software that illustrates the methods and examples shown.

[0058] In some example embodiments, device 10 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for receiving downlink signals and transmitting them from device 10 via UL. Device 10 may also include a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 18 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to antenna 15. The radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of 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 UL, such as OFDMA symbols.

[0059] For example, transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna 15, and demodulate information received via antenna 15 for further processing by other elements of device 10. In other example embodiments, transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments, device 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In some example embodiments, device 10 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touchscreen.

[0060] In some example embodiments, memory 14 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality to device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 10. Components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware or in any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to some example embodiments, device 10 may optionally be configured to communicate with device 20 via wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

[0061] According to some example embodiments, the processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in or form part of a processing circuit system or control circuit system. Additionally, in some example embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included in or form part of a transceiver circuit.

[0062] For example, in some example embodiments, device 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to receive from network elements a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition. Device 10 may also be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to trigger the transmission of a cache status report, power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment when one of the at least one trigger condition is met, and to perform cell activation based on the configuration. Furthermore, device 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to transmit a cell activation confirmation message to network elements on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0063] like Figure 5 As shown in the example, device 20 may be a network element, core network element, or element in or associated with a communication network, such as a gNB, BS, cell, or NW. It should be noted that those skilled in the art will understand that device 20 may include... Figure 5 Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0064] In some example embodiments, device 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 example embodiments, device 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 those skilled in the art will understand that device 20 may include... Figure 5 Components or features not shown in the diagram.

[0065] like Figure 5 As illustrated in the example, device 20 may include a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 22 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. For example, processor 22 may include one or more of 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 Figure 5 A single processor 22 is shown, but multiple processors may be utilized according to other example embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some example embodiments, apparatus 20 may include two or more processors that can form a multiprocessor system capable of supporting multiple processing (e.g., in this case, processor 22 may represent multiple processors). In some example embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0066] According to certain example embodiments, processor 22 may perform functions associated with the operation of device 20, which may include, for example, pre-coding and decoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming a communication message, formatting of information, and overall control of device 20, including... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 The process and examples are shown.

[0067] Device 20 may also include (internal or external) a memory 24, which may be coupled to processor 22 for storing information and instructions executable by processor 22. 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, memory 24 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage such as a disk or optical disk, hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer-readable medium, and any combination thereof. Instructions stored in memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 22, enables device 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0068] In some example embodiments, device 20 may also include (internal or external) a drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disc, USB drive, flash drive, or any other storage media. For example, the external computer-readable storage media may store data for execution by processor 22 and / or device 20 to perform... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 The computer program or software that illustrates the methods and examples shown.

[0069] In some example embodiments, device 20 may further include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for transmitting and / or receiving signals and / or data to and from device 20. Device 20 may further include or be coupled to a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 28 may include, for example, multiple radio interfaces that may be coupled to antenna(s) 25. The radio interfaces may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, MulteFire, etc. The radio interfaces may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), mappers, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules, etc., to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks and (e.g., via UL) receiving symbols.

[0070] Thus, transceiver 28 can be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s)25, and demodulate information received via antenna(s)25 for further processing by other elements of device 20. In other example embodiments, transceiver 18 may directly transmit and receive signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments, device 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices).

[0071] In some example embodiments, memory 24 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality to device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 20. Components of device 20 may be implemented using hardware or any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0072] According to some example embodiments, the processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in or form part of a processing circuit system or control circuit system. Additionally, in some example embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be included in or form part of a transceiver circuit system.

[0073] As used herein, the term "circuit system" can refer to a hardware circuit implementation only (such as analog and / or digital circuit systems), a combination of hardware circuits and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuits and software / firmware, any part of a software-enabled hardware processor(s) that works together to enable devices (e.g., devices 10 and 20) to perform various functions, and / or a hardware circuit and / or a processor(s), or a portion thereof, that operates using software, but in which the software may be absent when it is not required for operation. As another example, as used herein, the term "circuit system" can also encompass an implementation of hardware circuits or processors (or processors) only, or a portion of hardware circuits or processors, and their accompanying software and / or firmware. The term "circuit system" can also encompass, for example, baseband integrated circuits in servers, cellular network nodes or devices, or other computing or networking devices.

[0074] For example, in some exemplary embodiments, apparatus 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to configure user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition. Apparatus 20 may also be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to receive buffer status reports, power headroom reports, or UE-initiated cell activation messages from UE on the activated cell based on the configuration. Apparatus 20 may further be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to monitor UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. Additionally, apparatus 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to schedule UEs on the activated cell when a cell activation confirmation message has been received.

[0075] In some example embodiments, the apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 and / or apparatus 20) may include components for performing the methods, processes, or any variations discussed herein. Examples of such components may include one or more processors, memories, controllers, transmitters, receivers, and / or computer program code for inducing the execution of operations.

[0076] Some example embodiments may relate to an apparatus including components for performing any of the methods described herein, including, for example, components for receiving from a network element a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The apparatus may further include components for triggering the transmission of a buffer status report, power margin report, or a cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, and performing cell activation based on the configuration, when one of the at least one triggering condition is met. Furthermore, the apparatus may include components for transmitting a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

[0077] Other example embodiments may relate to an apparatus comprising: components for configuring a user equipment (UE) for UE-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition. The apparatus may further comprise: components for receiving, based on the configuration, a buffer status report, a power margin report, or a UE-initiated cell activation message from the UE on an already activated cell. The apparatus may further comprise components for monitoring UE transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell. Additionally, the apparatus may include: components for scheduling the UE on the activated cell when a cell activation confirmation message has been received.

[0078] Certain example embodiments described herein provide several technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages. For example, in some example embodiments, SCell activation latency can be reduced when SCell activation is triggered by UL data arriving in the UE buffer compared to current standardized methods.

[0079] 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 piece of software code or a portion thereof. Modifications and configurations required for the functionality of certain example embodiments may be executed as one or more routines, which may be implemented as added or updated software routines. The one or more software routines may be downloaded to the device.

[0080] As an example, software or computer program code, or portions thereof, can be in the form of source code, object code, or some intermediate form, and can be stored on some carrier, distribution medium, or computer-readable medium, which can be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such a carrier can include, for example, recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, optoelectronic and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution packages. Depending on the required processing power, the computer program can be executed in a single electronic digital computer, or the computer program can be distributed across multiple computers. The computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium can be a non-transitory medium.

[0081] In other example embodiments, the function may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in the device (e.g., device 10 or device 20), 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 function may be implemented as a signal carried by an electromagnetic signal downloaded from the Internet or other networks, a non-tangible component.

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

[0083] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure as described above can be practiced using processes in a different order and / or using hardware elements in configurations different from those disclosed. Therefore, although the present disclosure has been described based on these exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be readily apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments. While the above embodiments relate to 5G NR and LTE technologies, the above embodiments can also be applied to any other current or future 3GPP technologies, such as LTE-Advanced and / or fourth-generation (4G) technologies.

[0084] Partial Glossary:

[0085] 3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project

[0086] 5G (Fifth Generation)

[0087] 5GCN 5G Core Network

[0088] 5GS 5G system

[0089] Automatic Gain Control (AGC)

[0090] AI / ML Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning

[0091] AMF Access and Mobility Functions

[0092] AS Access Layer

[0093] BS base station

[0094] BSR Cache Status Report

[0095] CA carrier aggregation

[0096] CE control elements

[0097] CG Configuration License

[0098] DC Dual Connection

[0099] DL downlink

[0100] eNB Enhanced Node B

[0101] Enhanced utilization of euCA carrier aggregation

[0102] E-UTRAN Evolution UTRAN

[0103] gNB 5G or next-generation node B

[0104] HW Hardware

[0105] IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity

[0106] LCG (Logical Channel Group)

[0107] LTE Long Term Evolution

[0108] MAC Media Access Control

[0109] MCG Main Cell Group

[0110] NAS Non-Access Layer

[0111] NR New Radio

[0112] NW Network

[0113] PCell main cell

[0114] PHR Power Headroom Report

[0115] PRACH Physical RACH

[0116] PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel)

[0117] PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel

[0118] RACH Random Access Channel

[0119] RAN (Radio Access Network)

[0120] RAT Radio Access Technology

[0121] RF (Radio Frequency)

[0122] RRC Radio Resource Control

[0123] SCell Auxiliary Community

[0124] SCG Auxiliary Community Group

[0125] SSB Synchronization Signal Block

[0126] TA scheduled in advance

[0127] TRS Tracking Reference Symbol

[0128] UE User Equipment

[0129] UL uplink

[0130] XR Extended Reality

[0131] UP User Plane

Claims

1. A method comprising: Receive a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment from a network element, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition; When one of the at least one triggering conditions is met Trigger the transmission of cache status reports, power margin reports, or cell activation messages initiated by user equipment; as well as Cell activation is performed based on the configuration; as well as When the cell is activated and ready for use, a cell activation confirmation message is transmitted to the network element on the activated cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration further comprises at least one of the following: At least one uplink resource for the transmission of the cell activation confirmation message, or An indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is transmitted on the configuration-authorized uplink resources configured by the network element.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein when the transmission is performed on the at least one uplink resource configured by the network element, the activation of the cell is implied for the network element.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises at least one of the following: The user device's cache state is greater than the cache threshold. The increase in the user equipment cache state within a specified time window exceeds the cache threshold. User equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units whose importance is greater than a threshold. The user equipment path loss is less than the predefined path loss threshold. The user equipment power margin is greater than the predefined power margin threshold, or The time window until the next periodic cache status report is longer than the time threshold.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein when the configuration includes an indication to use a reference signal other than a synchronization signal block for cell activation initiated by the user equipment, the method further comprises: Before transmitting the buffer status report, the power margin report, or the cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, the synchronization signal block is used for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization; as well as After transmitting the buffer status report, the power margin report, or the cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, reference signals other than the synchronization signal block are used for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cell being activated uses the same timing advance as at least another cell that has already been activated.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cell being activated uses a different timing advance than the at least one other cell that has already been activated.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is transmitted on physical random access resources.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein after transmitting the cell activation confirmation message, the at least one uplink resource is valid for a predefined amount of time or a predefined number of times.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the user equipment cache is a subset of logical channels or a subset of logical channel groups selected for the at least one trigger condition.

12. A method comprising: The user equipment is configured for user equipment-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition; Based on the configuration, receive cache status reports, power margin reports, or cell activation messages initiated by the user equipment from the user equipment on the activated cell; Monitor user equipment transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell; as well as When a cell activation confirmation message is received, user equipment is scheduled on the activated cell.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the configuration further comprises at least one of the following: At least one uplink resource used for transmitting the cell activation confirmation message, or An indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is received on configuration-authorized uplink resources configured by network elements.

15. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein when the transmission is performed on the at least one uplink resource configured by the network element, activation of the cell is implied.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises at least one of the following: The user device's cache state is greater than the cache threshold. The increase in the user equipment cache state within a specified time window exceeds the cache threshold. User equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units whose importance is greater than a threshold. The user equipment path loss is less than the predefined path loss threshold. The user equipment power margin is greater than the predefined power margin threshold, or The time window until the next periodic cache status report is longer than the time threshold.

17. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, further comprising: The data in the user equipment cache, amounting to X bytes, Y% of the data in the user equipment cache, and a specified window T are defined via radio resource control signaling.

18. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, further comprising: Configure a subset of logical channels or a subset of logical channel groups in the user equipment cache; as well as The user equipment is sent a logical channel priority threshold and logical channels with priorities greater than or equal to the logical channel priority threshold via signaling.

19. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory, including computer program code, The computer program code of the at least one memory and the storage instructions is configured such that, when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the means at least: Receive a configuration for cell activation initiated by a user equipment from a network element, wherein the configuration includes at least one trigger condition; When one of the at least one triggering conditions is met Trigger the transmission of cache status reports, power margin reports, or cell activation messages initiated by user equipment; as well as Cell activation is performed based on the configuration; as well as When the cell is activated and ready for use, a cell activation confirmation message is transmitted to the network element on the activated cell.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the configuration further comprises at least one of the following: At least one uplink resource for the transmission of the cell activation confirmation message, or An indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 or 20, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is transmitted on configuration-authorized uplink resources configured by the network element.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 or 20, wherein when transmission is performed on the at least one uplink resource configured by the network element, activation of the cell is implied for the network element.

23. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises at least one of the following: The user device's cache state is greater than the cache threshold. The increase in the user equipment cache state within a specified time window exceeds the cache threshold. User equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units whose importance is greater than a threshold. The user equipment path loss is less than the predefined path loss threshold. The user equipment power margin is greater than the predefined power margin threshold, or The time window until the next periodic cache status report is longer than the time threshold.

24. The apparatus of any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein when the configuration includes an indication to use a reference signal other than a synchronization signal block for cell activation initiated by the user equipment, the method further comprises: Before transmitting the buffer status report, the power margin report, or the cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, the synchronization signal block is used for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization; as well as After transmitting the buffer status report, the power margin report, or the cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, reference signals other than the synchronization signal block are used for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization.

25. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 24, wherein the cell being activated uses the same timing advance as at least another cell that has already been activated.

26. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 24, wherein the cell being activated uses a different timing advance than the at least one other cell that has already been activated.

27. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 26, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is transmitted on physical random access resources.

28. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 27, wherein after transmitting the cell activation confirmation message, the at least one uplink resource is valid for a predefined amount of time or a predefined number of times.

29. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 28, wherein the user equipment cache is a subset of logical channels or a subset of logical channel groups selected for the at least one trigger condition.

30. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory, including computer program code, The computer program code of the at least one memory and the storage instructions is configured such that, when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the means at least: The user equipment is configured for user equipment-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition; Based on the configuration, receive cache status reports, power margin reports, or cell activation messages initiated by the user equipment from the user equipment on the activated cell; Monitor user equipment transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on the activated cell; as well as When a cell activation confirmation message is received, user equipment is scheduled on the activated cell.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the configuration further comprises at least one of the following: At least one uplink resource used for transmitting the cell activation confirmation message, or An indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 or 31, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is received on configuration-authorized uplink resources configured by the apparatus.

33. The apparatus of claim 30 or 31, wherein when the transmission is performed on the at least one uplink resource configured by the apparatus, activation of the cell is implied.

34. The apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 33, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises at least one of the following: The user device's cache state is greater than the cache threshold. The increase in the user equipment cache state within a specified time window exceeds the cache threshold. User equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units whose importance is greater than a threshold. The user equipment path loss is less than the predefined path loss threshold. The user equipment power margin is greater than the predefined power margin threshold, or The time window until the next periodic cache status report is longer than the time threshold.

35. The apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 34, further comprising: The data in the user equipment cache, amounting to X bytes, Y% of the data in the user equipment cache, and a specified window T are defined via radio resource control signaling.

36. The apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 35, wherein the apparatus is further configured to: Configure a subset of logical channels or a subset of logical channel groups in the user equipment cache; and The user equipment is sent a logical channel priority threshold and logical channels with priorities greater than or equal to the logical channel priority threshold via signaling.

37. An apparatus comprising: A component for receiving configurations for cell activation initiated by a user equipment from a network element, wherein the configurations include at least one triggering condition. When one of the at least one triggering conditions is met A component used to trigger the transmission of cache status reports, power margin reports, or cell activation messages initiated by user equipment; as well as Components for performing cell activation based on the configuration; as well as A component for transmitting a cell activation confirmation message to a network element on the activated cell when the cell is activated and ready for use.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the configuration further comprises at least one of the following: At least one uplink resource for the transmission of the cell activation confirmation message, or An indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 or 38, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is transmitted on configuration-authorized uplink resources configured by the network element.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 or 38, wherein when transmission is performed on the at least one uplink resource configured by the network element, activation of the cell is implied for the network element.

41. The apparatus according to any one of claims 37 to 40, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises at least one of the following: The user device's cache state is greater than the cache threshold. The increase in the user equipment cache state within a specified time window exceeds the cache threshold. User equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units whose importance is greater than a threshold. The user equipment path loss is less than the predefined path loss threshold. The user equipment power margin is greater than the predefined power margin threshold, or The time window until the next periodic cache status report is longer than the time threshold.

42. The apparatus of any one of claims 37 to 41, wherein when the configuration includes an indication to use a reference signal other than a synchronization signal block for cell activation initiated by the user equipment, the method further comprises: Before transmitting the buffer status report, the power margin report, or the cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, the synchronization signal block is used for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization; as well as After transmitting the buffer status report, the power margin report, or the cell activation message initiated by the user equipment, reference signals other than the synchronization signal block are used for automatic gain control and frequency or time synchronization.

43. The apparatus according to any one of claims 37 to 42, wherein the cell being activated uses the same timing advance as at least another cell that has already been activated.

44. The apparatus according to any one of claims 37 to 42, wherein the cell being activated uses a different timing advance than the at least one other cell that has already been activated.

45. The apparatus according to any one of claims 37 to 44, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is transmitted on physical random access resources.

46. ​​The apparatus according to any one of claims 37 to 45, wherein after transmitting the cell activation confirmation message, the at least one uplink resource is valid for a predefined amount of time or a predefined number of times.

47. The apparatus according to any one of claims 37 to 46, wherein the user equipment cache is a subset of logical channels or a subset of logical channel groups selected for the at least one trigger condition.

48. An apparatus comprising: A component for configuring a user equipment for user equipment-initiated cell activation, wherein the configuration includes at least one triggering condition; A component for receiving a cache status report, power margin report, or cell activation message initiated by the user equipment from the user equipment on an already activated cell based on the configuration; A component for monitoring user equipment transmissions on at least one configured uplink resource on an activated cell; as well as A component used to schedule user equipment on the activated cell when a cell activation confirmation message is received.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the configuration further comprises at least one of the following: At least one uplink resource used for transmitting the cell activation confirmation message, or An indication of at least one reference signal to be used for cell activation initiated by the user equipment.

50. The apparatus of claim 48 or 49, wherein the cell activation confirmation message is received on configuration-authorized uplink resources configured by the apparatus.

51. The apparatus of claim 48 or 49, wherein when the transmission is performed on the at least one uplink resource configured by the apparatus, activation of the cell is implied.

52. The apparatus according to any one of claims 48 to 51, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises at least one of the following: The user device's cache state is greater than the cache threshold. The increase in the user equipment cache state within a specified time window exceeds the cache threshold. User equipment cache state includes a set of protocol data units whose importance is greater than a threshold. The user equipment path loss is less than the predefined path loss threshold. The user equipment power margin is greater than the predefined power margin threshold, or The time window until the next periodic cache status report is longer than the time threshold.

53. The apparatus according to any one of claims 48 to 52, further comprising: The data in the user equipment cache, amounting to X bytes, Y% of the data in the user equipment cache, and a specified window T are defined via radio resource control signaling.

54. The apparatus according to any one of claims 48 to 53, further comprising: A component used to configure a subset of logical channels or a subset of logical channel groups in the user equipment cache; as well as A component for sending a logical channel priority threshold and logical channels with a priority greater than or equal to the logical channel priority threshold to the user equipment via signaling.

55. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

56. An apparatus comprising a circuit system configured to cause the apparatus to perform the process according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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