Frequency hopping configuration via BWP

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a method for signaling a Reduced Capability (Redcap) User Equipment (UE) to perform frequency hopping using a Bandwidth Part (BWP) framework. These methods may include signaling frequency hopping using new parameters, and also zoning paired and non-paired spectra. In one embodiment, a RedCap UE may be configured with a radio frequency (RF) bandwidth (BWP) that is not wider than its BW for sounding resource signal (SRS) / positioning reference signal (PRS) frequency hopping. In this case, new parameters may be defined as being associated with RB allocations for each frequency hopping.

Description

Related applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application serial number 63 / 446,724, filed on February 17, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the configuration of frequency hopping reduction capability (RedCap) user equipment (UE) within the bandwidth portion (BWP) framework of a wireless communication system. Background Technology

[0003] The new radio (NR) positioning Rel-18 features potential enhancements for positioning of Reduced Cap (RedCap) devices, where the maximum bandwidth for RedCap user equipment (UE) is 20 MHz in frequency range 1 (FR1) and 100 MHz in FR2. One of the target enhancements is the introduction of Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) / Sound Reference Signal (SRS) frequency hopping to improve positioning accuracy for downlink-dependent RedCap positioning. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Various embodiments provide methods for signaling a Reduced Capability (RedCap) User Equipment (UE) to perform frequency hopping using a Bandwidth Part (BWP) framework. These methods may include using new parameters to signal frequency hopping, and also distinguishing between paired and unpaired spectrum. In one embodiment, the RedCap UE may be configured with a BWP no wider than its radio frequency (RF) bandwidth (BW) for Sound Resource Signal (SRS) / Location Reference Signal (PRS) frequency hopping. In this case, the new parameters may be defined as associated with the RB allocation for each frequency hopping.

[0005] In one embodiment, a method may be performed by a RedCap UE to configure frequency hopping via a BWP framework, the method comprising: receiving (402) sounding reference signal (SRS) parameters and resource block allocation for at least one of a plurality of frequency hopping from a network node (510); and performing (404) frequency hopping based on the SRS parameters.

[0006] In one embodiment, the size of the BWP of the RedCap UE is equal to or less than the radio frequency bandwidth of the RedCap UE.

[0007] In one embodiment, the SRS parameter indicates the center frequency of the at least one frequency hopping.

[0008] In one embodiment, the center frequency of the at least one frequency hopping is within the BWP of the RedCap UE.

[0009] In one embodiment, the BWP of the RedCap UE is greater than the RF bandwidth of the RedCap UE.

[0010] In one embodiment, the SRS parameter indicates the center frequency used for the at least one frequency hopping.

[0011] In one embodiment, the center frequency of the resource block allocation is predefined.

[0012] In one embodiment, the center frequency of the resource block allocation is based on an offset parameter associated with the SRS parameter.

[0013] In one embodiment, uplink frequency hopping and downlink frequency hopping are configured separately.

[0014] In one embodiment, uplink frequency hopping and downlink frequency hopping are configured together.

[0015] In one embodiment, the SRS parameters are received via at least one of Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling or Media Access Control (MAC) entity.

[0016] In one embodiment, a RedCap UE can be configured to perform frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion framework, wherein the RedCap UE includes processing circuitry configured to: receive SRS parameters from a network node and resource block allocation for at least one of a plurality of frequency hopping; and perform frequency hopping based on the SRS parameters.

[0017] In one embodiment, a method for configuring frequency hopping via a BWP framework, performed by a network node, may be provided, the method including: sending SRS parameters to a RedCap UE and allocating resource blocks for at least one of a plurality of frequency hopping frequencies.

[0018] In one embodiment, a network node for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion framework may be provided, wherein the network node includes processing circuitry configured to send SRS parameters to a RedCap UE and allocate resource blocks for at least one of a plurality of frequency hopping frequencies.

[0019] In one embodiment, a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method according to any of the above embodiments may be provided.

[0020] Specific implementations can provide one or more of the following technical advantages. RedCap UE frequency hopping can be configured within the BWP framework.

[0021] RRC and MAC entities can be used for frequency hopping, and parameters can be modified to associate each frequency hop with a different BWP. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate various aspects of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram depicting frequency hopping having a bandwidth portion (BWP) that is wider than the radio frequency (RF) bandwidth of the user equipment (UE) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram depicting a BWP with a bandwidth not greater than that of the UE RF bandwidth, according to the various aspects described herein;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram depicting the relationship between the center frequency and the overlapping BWP according to the various aspects described in this article;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a message sequence diagram of a method for signaling a Reduced Capability (RedCap) UE to perform frequency hopping using the BWP framework, based on the various aspects described in this document;

[0027] Figure 5 Examples of communication systems based on the various aspects described herein are shown;

[0028] Figure 6 The UE is shown according to the various aspects described herein;

[0029] Figure 7 The network nodes are shown according to the various aspects described in this article;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a block diagram of the host based on the various aspects described in this article;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating a virtualized environment according to the various aspects described herein; and

[0032] Figure 10 shows a communication diagram of the host according to the various aspects described herein. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The embodiments described below illustrate information that enables those skilled in the art to practice these embodiments and explain the best manner in which they are practiced. When the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of this disclosure and recognize the application of these concepts, which are not specifically mentioned herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0034] Currently, there are some challenges in achieving this goal. For example, frequency hopping has not been introduced for RedCap UEs, which have a wider radio frequency (RF) bandwidth than RedCap UEs. There are also some questions regarding how to configure frequency hopping using the Bandwidth Part (BWP) framework.

[0035] Currently, BWP switching can only be triggered using the following mechanisms:

[0036] Via PDCCH (i.e., DCI): A specific BWP can be activated via the bandwidth portion indicator in DCI format 0_1 ​​(UL licensed).

[0037] via bwp-InactivityTimer

[0038] via RRC signaling

[0039] The random access procedure is triggered by the MAC entity itself.

[0040] How to use the current BWP handover mechanism to indicate the frequency hopping mode to the UE remains an open question.

[0041] Specific aspects and embodiments of this disclosure provide solutions to these or other challenges. This disclosure proposes a technique for configuring frequency hopping for RedCap UE frequency hopping via a BWP framework. This solution introduces specific parameters for different BWPs associated with different frequency hopping and distinguishes between paired or unpaired spectrum configurations.

[0042] Specific implementations can provide one or more of the following technical advantages. RedCap UE frequency hopping can be configured within the BWP framework.

[0043] RRC and MAC entities can be used for frequency hopping, and parameters can be modified to associate each frequency hop with a different BWP.

[0044] Various embodiments provide methods for signaling a Reduced Capability (RedCap) User Equipment (UE) to perform frequency hopping using a Bandwidth Part (BWP) framework. These methods may include using new parameters to signal frequency hopping, and also distinguishing between paired and unpaired spectrum. In one embodiment, the RedCap UE may be configured with a BWP no wider than its radio frequency (RF) bandwidth (BW) for Sound Resource Signal (SRS) / Location Reference Signal (PRS) frequency hopping. In this case, the new parameters may be defined as associated with the RB allocation for each frequency hopping.

[0045] In one disclosed embodiment, the RedCap UE is configured with a BWP wider than its RF bandwidth (BW) for SRS / PRS frequency hopping. In this case, new parameters can be defined and associated with the RB allocation for each frequency hopping. One of these parameters can be associated with the center frequency location of the RedCap UE's RF bandwidth (e.g., the local oscillator frequency). For example, the center frequency location of the RedCap UE can be selected by the UE using the center frequency of the allocated RB range within the frequency hopping. Another example is reusing the existing OffsetToCarrier parameter and associating it with one BWP or a different BWP configuration for each frequency hopping. In this case, the RedCap UE carrier bandwidth can be selected by default as 20MHz, but other bandwidths can be used in other embodiments.

[0046] Figure 1 An embodiment of such a frequency hopping BWP with a wider bandwidth than the UE RF bandwidth is described.

[0047] In another embodiment, the RedCap UE can be configured with a BWP no wider than its RF bandwidth BW for SRS / PRS frequency hopping. In this case, new parameters can be defined in association with the RB allocation for each frequency hop. In this case, there is ambiguity regarding where to set the center frequency for each frequency hop. In one example, OffsetToCarrier can still be used to set each hop. In other examples, the RedCap UE itself can set the center frequency, provided the UE can transmit the scheduled SRS within that BWP.

[0048] Figure 2 An example of frequency hopping within a BWP that is no wider than the UE RF bandwidth is described.

[0049] In another embodiment, one or more new parameters can be associated with the RB allocation for each frequency hopping, enabling the selection of the center frequency of the allocated RB range within the frequency hopping, and the use of the OffsetToCarrier parameter to determine the center frequency for the next hopping, such as... Figure 3 As shown. In Figure 3 In this context, fc1 is the center frequency of the first BWP, and fc2 is the center frequency of the second BWP / second transition. Figure 3 BWP in overlap This indicates the overlap between the first BWP (BWP 1) and the second BWP (BWP 2). In this example scenario, fc2 equals (fc1 + BWP1 / 2 - BWP 2). overlap ) + BWP2 / 2.

[0050] therefore, Figure 3 The description of fc2 relative to fc1 and BWP overlap The relationship between them.

[0051] In another embodiment, for paired spectrum, the DL and UL BWP are configured and switched separately. For UL SRS frequency hopping, the frequency hopping configuration may focus only on the UL BWP. For unpaired spectrum, the DL and UL BWP are associated and switched together. Therefore, in some embodiments that also require CSS configuration, for unpaired spectrum, both the DL and UL BWP are configured for frequency hopping.

[0052] In another embodiment, when the RedCap UE is configured with frequency hopping mode, the network should reserve resources accordingly. To reduce scheduler complexity, the frequency hopping duration should be kept short, taking into account the overhead of frequency retuning. However, the RedCap UE is expected to synchronize with the DL frame timing and track cell timing. This is because during each frequency hopping process of an SRS transmission, the UE still needs to meet the frequency error requirement (e.g., 0.1 ppm) and maintain the timing of the UL frame boundary without requiring a new update for the timing used for each hop in advance. For paired spectrum, the UE maintains cell timing tracking if the DL BWP does not change. For unpaired spectrum, the UE may lose cell timing because the DL and UL BWPs are switched together, and if the DL BWP that RedCap switches to does not have CSI-RS or SSB. To compensate for this, an additional time interval can be added between frequency hoppings so that the UE can resynchronize to cell timing for unpaired spectrum. This also applies to RedCap UEs operating in HD-FDD mode.

[0053] In another example, frequency hopping with a time interval between two transitions needs to be considered, and the UE will use this time interval for DL ​​cell timing resynchronization. For example, for unpaired spectrum, additional interruption time is allowed for DL ​​cell resynchronization, and this interruption time can be associated with the start and end points of the time slot boundaries. In another example, when the UE receives PRS resources in different transitions, the UE does not update its AGC settings. In this case, the additional time for AGC updates is not considered. For example, when the UE receives PRS resources in different transitions, it determines that it needs to update its AGC settings. In this case, the additional time required for the UE to update its AGC settings needs to be considered. For example, the UE can be configured to perform frequency hopping for PRS measurements from different TRPs. This additional time may be required if the PRS measured in one time slot / symbol is sent from one TRP, while the PRS measured in another time slot / symbol is sent from another TRP.

[0054] In another embodiment, the UE is configured with PRS frequency hopping across a bandwidth, wherein the bandwidth of a hop is the same as the bandwidth of each DL BWP configured for the UE. During PRS frequency hopping, the resources used for the current hop are considered as the active virtual DL BWP, which the network uses for downlink transmission, and the UE uses for downlink reception.

[0055] In another embodiment, a UE is configured with SRS frequency hopping across a wide bandwidth, wherein the bandwidth of a hop is the same as the bandwidth of each UL BWP configured for that UE. During SRS frequency hopping, the resources used for the current hop are treated as a virtual active UL BWP, which the UE uses for uplink transmission, and which the network uses for uplink reception.

[0056] In some embodiments, the frequency hopping mode is configured via RRC signaling or using a MAC entity.

[0057] Figure 4 This is a message sequence diagram of a method for signaling a Reduced Capability (RedCap) UE to perform frequency hopping using the BWP framework, based on the various aspects described herein.

[0058] In step 402, network node 510 can provide SRS parameters and resource block allocation to RedCap UE 512.

[0059] In step 404, RedCap UE 512 can perform frequency hopping based on SRS parameters and resource block allocation.

[0060] Figure 5 An example of a communication system 500 according to some embodiments is shown.

[0061] In this example, communication system 500 includes telecommunications network 502, which includes access network 504 (such as a radio access network (RAN)) and core network 506 (which includes one or more core network nodes 508). Access network 504 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 510a and 510b (one or more of which may be collectively referred to as network node 510), or any other similar 3GPP access node or non-3GPP access point. Network node 510 facilitates direct or indirect connections of user equipment (UE), for example, by connecting UEs 512a, 512b, 512c, and 512d (one or more of which may be collectively referred to as UE 512) to core network 506 over one or more radio connections. One or more UEs 512 may be embodiments of the RedCap UE described herein.

[0062] Examples of wireless communication via a wireless connection include sending and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information without the use of wires, cables, or other conductors. Furthermore, in various embodiments, communication system 500 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals (whether via a wired or wireless connection). Communication system 500 may include and interface with any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0063] UE 512 can be any of a variety of communication devices, including wireless devices that are arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network node 510 and other communication devices. Similarly, network node 510 is arranged, capable of, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UE 512 and / or other network nodes or devices in telecommunication network 502 to enable and / or provide network access (e.g., wireless network access) and / or perform other functions (e.g., management) in telecommunication network 502.

[0064] In the depicted example, core network 506 connects network node 510 to one or more hosts, such as host 516. These connections can be direct or indirect, via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes can be directly coupled to hosts. Core network 506 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 508) composed of hardware and software components. The characteristics of these components can be substantially similar to those described for UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the description generally applies to the corresponding components of core network node 508. Example core network nodes include one or more of the following functions: Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier Dehiding Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Secure Edge Protection Agent (SEPP), Network Open Function (NEF), and / or User Plane Function (UPF).

[0065] Host 516 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than the operator or provider of access network 504 and / or telecommunications network 502, and may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. Host 516 may host various applications to provide one or more services. Examples of such applications include real-time and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services (e.g., acquiring and compiling data on various environmental conditions detected by multiple UEs), analytics functions, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for alarm and monitoring centers, or any other such functions performed by the server.

[0066] Overall, Figure 5 The communication system 500 enables connections between the UE, network nodes, and hosts. In this sense, the communication system can be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards, including but not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (WiFi); and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards, such as Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards, such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0067] In some examples, telecommunications network 502 is a cellular network implementing 3GPP standardized features. Therefore, telecommunications network 502 can support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to it. For example, telecommunications network 502 can provide ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) services to some UEs while providing enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or massive machine-type communication (mMTC) / massive IoT services to other UEs.

[0068] In some examples, UE 512 is configured to send and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, the UE may be designed to send information to access network 504 according to a predetermined schedule when triggered by an internal or external event or in response to a request from access network 504. Additionally, the UE may be configured to operate in single RAT, multi-RAT, or multi-standard modes. For example, the UE may operate using any one or a combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0069] In this example, hub 514 communicates with access network 504 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 512c and / or 512d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 510b). In some examples, hub 514 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any other communication device described herein relating to the UE. For example, hub 514 may be a broadband router that enables the UE to access core network 506. As another example, hub 514 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UE. Commands or instructions may be received from the UE, network node 510, or via executable code, scripts, procedures, or other instructions in hub 514. As another example, hub 514 may be a data collector that acts as a temporary storage device for UE data, and in some embodiments, data analytics or other processing may be performed. As another example, hub 514 may be a content source. For example, for a UE acting as a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, hub 514 can acquire VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensing information via a network node, and then provide them to the UE directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In yet another example, hub 514 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UE, particularly when one or more UEs are low-power IoT devices.

[0070] Hub 514 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to network node 510b. Hub 514 may also allow different communication schemes and / or scheduling between hub 514 and UEs (e.g., UEs 512c and / or 512d) and between hub 514 and core network 506. In other examples, hub 514 is connected to core network 506 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Furthermore, hub 514 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider via access network 504 and / or to another UE via a direct connection. In some scenarios, a UE may establish a wireless connection with network node 510 while still being connected via hub 514 through a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, hub 514 may be a dedicated hub, that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communication from network node 510b to UE / from UE to network node 510b. In other embodiments, hub 514 may be a non-dedicated hub, that is, a device capable of operating to route communication between the UE and network node 510b, but also capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for a specific data channel.

[0071] Figure 6 A UE 600 is illustrated according to some embodiments of the RedCap UE described herein. As described herein, a UE refers to a device capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to wirelessly communicate with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of UEs include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cellular phones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, gaming consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablet computers, laptops, laptop built-in devices (LEEs), laptop installed devices (LMEs), smart devices, wireless client devices (CPEs), vehicle-mounted or vehicle-embedded / integrated wireless devices, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UEs, Machine-Type Communication (MTC) UEs, and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs.

[0072] The UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for secondary link communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, the UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated equipment. Instead, the UE may represent a device intended for sale to or operated by a human user but which may not, or initially may not, be associated with a particular human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, the UE may represent a device not intended for sale to or operated by an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0073] UE 600 includes processing circuitry 602, which is operatively coupled via bus 604 to input / output interface 606, power supply 608, memory 610, communication interface 612, and / or any other component or any combination thereof. Some UEs may utilize... Figure 6 All components or subsets of components are shown. The level of integration between components can vary from UE to UE. Furthermore, some UEs may contain multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0074] Processing circuitry 602 is configured to process instructions and data and can be configured to implement any sequential state machine operable to execute instructions of a machine-readable computer program stored in memory 610. Processing circuitry 602 can be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., using discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic and appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, a general-purpose processor (e.g., a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP)) and appropriate software; or any combination thereof. For example, processing circuitry 602 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0075] In this example, input / output interface 606 can be configured to provide one or more interfaces to input devices, output devices, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include speakers, sound cards, video cards, displays, monitors, printers, actuators, transmitters, smart cards, another output device, or any combination thereof. Input devices can allow users to capture information into UE 600. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive displays, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital video cameras, webcams, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, steering wheels, scroll wheels, smart cards, etc. Presence-sensitive displays may include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to sense input from the user. Sensors may be, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, optical sensors, proximity sensors, biometric sensors, etc., or any combination thereof. Output devices can use the same type of interface port as input devices. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port can be used to provide both input and output devices.

[0076] In some embodiments, power supply 608 is configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources may be used, such as external power sources (e.g., power outlets), photovoltaic devices, or batteries. Power supply 608 may also include power circuitry for delivering power from power supply 608 itself and / or external power sources to various parts of UE 600 via input circuitry or interfaces (e.g., power cords). The delivery of power may, for example, be used to charge power supply 608. The power circuitry may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications to the power from power supply 608 to suit the appropriate components of UE 600 to which power is supplied.

[0077] Memory 610 may be, or may be configured to include, memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk, optical disk, hard disk, removable cassette tape, flash drive, etc. In one example, memory 610 includes one or more applications 614 (e.g., operating system, web browser application, widget, utility engine, or other application) and corresponding data 616. Memory 610 may store any one or a combination of various operating systems for use by UE 600.

[0078] The memory 610 can be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital versatile optical disc (HD-DVD) drive, an internal hard drive, a Blu-ray disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) disc drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro DIMM SDRAM, a smart card memory (such as a tamper-proof module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identification modules (SIMs), such as USIM and / or ISIM), other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC can be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC, commonly referred to as a "SIM card". The memory 610 can allow the UE 600 to access instructions, applications, etc., stored on transient or non-transient storage media to offload or upload data. Articles manufactured using communication systems may be tangibly embodied in or contained in memory 610, which may be or include a device-readable storage medium.

[0079] Processing circuitry 602 can be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using communication interface 612. Communication interface 612 may include one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to antenna 622. Communication interface 612 may include one or more transceivers for communication (e.g., via one or more remote transceivers capable of wireless communication with another device (e.g., another UE or a network node in the access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 618 and / or a receiver 620 adapted to provide network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). Furthermore, transmitter 618 and receiver 620 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 622) and may share circuitry, software, or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication interface 612 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location, another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. Communication may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.

[0081] Regardless of the type of sensor, the UE can provide the output of data captured by its sensors via its communication interface 612 through a wireless connection with a network node. Data captured by the UE's sensors can be transmitted via another UE through the wireless connection with the network node. The output can be periodic (e.g., every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to balance the reporting load from multiple sensors), responsive to a triggered event (e.g., sending an alarm when humidity is detected), responsive to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., real-time video feed of a patient).

[0082] As another example, the UE includes an actuator, motor, or switch associated with a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. The state of the actuator, motor, or switch can change in response to the received wireless input. For example, the UE may include a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a flying drone based on the received input, or control a robotic arm performing a medical procedure based on the received input.

[0083] When taking the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the UE can be a device for one or more application areas, including but not limited to urban wearable technology, extended industry applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices include devices that are or are embedded in the following: connected refrigerators or freezers, televisions, connected lighting devices, electricity meters, robotic vacuum cleaners, voice-controlled smart speakers, home security cameras, motion detectors, thermostats, smoke detectors, door / window sensors, flood / humidity sensors, electric door locks, connected doorbells, air conditioning systems such as heat pumps, autonomous vehicles, surveillance systems, weather monitoring devices, vehicle parking monitoring devices, electric vehicle charging stations, smartwatches, fitness trackers, head-mounted displays for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), wearable devices for haptic or sensory enhancement, sprinklers, animal or object tracking devices, sensors for monitoring plants or animals, industrial robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and any kind of medical device, such as heart rate monitors or remote-controlled surgical robots. The UE in the form of an IoT device includes circuitry and / or software related to the intended application of the IoT device, as well as... Figure 6 Other components described in UE 600 shown.

[0084] As another specific example, in IoT scenarios, a UE can represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and sends the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another UE and / or network node. In this case, the UE can be an M2M device, which can be referred to as an MTC device in the 3GPP context. As a specific example, a UE can implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE can represent a vehicle (e.g., a car, bus, truck), ship, aircraft, or other device capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0085] In practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, the first UE may be or be integrated into the drone and provide the drone's speed information (obtained via a speed sensor) to a second UE, which acts as a remote controller for operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE can adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling the actuators) to increase or decrease the drone's speed. The first UE and / or the second UE may also include multiple functions described above. For example, the UE may include sensors and actuators and handle data communication between both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0086] Figure 7A network node 700 according to some embodiments is illustrated. As described herein, a network node refers to a device that is capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or other network nodes or devices in a telecommunications network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and NR Node Bs (gNBs)).

[0087] Base stations can be classified based on the coverage they provide (or in other words, their transmit power level), and therefore, depending on the coverage provided, they can be called femtocells, picocells, microcells, or macrocells. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. Network nodes can also include one or more (or all) portions of a distributed radio base station (e.g., centralized digital units and / or remote radio units (RRUs) (sometimes referred to as remote radio heads (RRHs))). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as antenna-integrated radios. A portion of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0088] Other examples of network nodes include multi-transmitter point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio MSR devices (such as MSR BS), network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNC) or base station controllers (BSC), base transceiver stations (BTS), transmitter points, transmitter nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCE), operations and maintenance (O&M) nodes, operations support system (OSS) nodes, self-organizing network (SON) nodes, location nodes (e.g., evolved serving mobile location center (E-SMLC)), and / or minimized drive test (MDT).

[0089] Network node 700 includes processing circuitry 702, memory 704, communication interface 706, and power supply 708. Network node 700 may include multiple physically separate components (e.g., node B components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components, etc.), each component may have its own corresponding components. In some scenarios where network node 700 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more separate components may be shared among multiple network nodes. For example, a single RNC can control multiple node Bs. In such scenarios, in some cases, each unique node B and RNC pair may be considered a single, separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 700 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 704 for different RATs), while some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 710 may be shared by different RATs). Network node 700 may also include multiple sets of various example components for integrating different wireless technologies (such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, RFID, or Bluetooth wireless technologies) into network node 700. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets as well as other components within network node 700.

[0090] Processing circuitry 702 may include one or more of the following, operable to provide network node 700 functionality individually or in combination with other network node 700 components (e.g., memory 704): microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or coding logic.

[0091] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 702 includes a system-on-a-chip (SOC). In some embodiments, processing circuitry 702 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 712 and baseband processing circuitry 714. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 712 and baseband processing circuitry 714 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units (e.g., radio units and digital units). In alternative embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 712 and baseband processing circuitry 714 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0092] Memory 704 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including but not limited to permanent storage devices, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drives, optical discs (CDs), or digital video discs (DVDs)) and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable storage device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuitry 702. Memory 704 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, applications (including one or more of logic, rules, codes, tables, etc.) and / or other instructions that can be executed by processing circuitry 702 and utilized by network node 700. Memory 704 may be used to store any calculations performed by processing circuitry 702 and / or any data received via communication interface 706. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 702 and memory 704 are integrated.

[0093] Communication interface 706 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As shown, communication interface 706 includes a port / terminal 716 for sending and receiving data to and from the network, for example, via a wired connection. Communication interface 706 also includes radio front-end circuitry 718 that can be coupled to antenna 710 or, in some embodiments, is part of antenna 710. Radio front-end circuitry 718 includes a filter 720 and an amplifier 722. Radio front-end circuitry 718 can be connected to antenna 710 and processing circuitry 702. Radio front-end circuitry 718 can be configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 710 and processing circuitry 702. Radio front-end circuitry 718 can receive digital data that will be transmitted to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry 718 can use a combination of filter 720 and / or amplifier 722 to convert the digital data into radio signals with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signals can then be transmitted via antenna 710. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 710 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 718. The digital data can then be passed to processing circuitry 702. In other embodiments, the communication interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0094] In some alternative embodiments, network node 700 does not include a separate radio front-end circuitry 718; instead, processing circuitry 702 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna 710. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or part of RF transceiver circuitry 712 is part of communication interface 706. In other embodiments, communication interface 706 includes one or more ports or terminals 716, radio front-end circuitry 718, and RF transceiver circuitry 712 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and communication interface 706 communicates with baseband processing circuitry 714, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0095] Antenna 710 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 710 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 718 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 710 is decoupled from network node 700 and may be connected to network node 700 via an interface or port.

[0096] Antenna 710, communication interface 706, and / or processing circuitry 702 can be configured to perform any receive operation and / or certain acquire operation as described herein by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be received from the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 710, communication interface 706, and / or processing circuitry 702 can be configured to perform any transmit operation as described herein by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be transmitted to the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device.

[0097] Power supply 708 provides power to the various components of network node 700 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). Power supply 708 may also include or be coupled to power management circuitry to provide power to the components of network node 700 for performing the functions described herein. For example, network node 700 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., mains, power outlet) via input circuitry or an interface (e.g., a cable), whereby the external power source provides power to the power circuitry of power supply 708. As yet another example, power supply 708 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack connected to or integrated into the power circuitry. The battery can provide backup power if the external power source fails.

[0098] Embodiments of network node 700 may include Figure 7Additional components beyond those shown may be used to provide certain aspects of the functionality of the network node, including any of the functions described herein and / or any functions necessary to support the topics described herein. For example, network node 700 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into and output from network node 700. This can allow users to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions on network node 700.

[0099] Figure 8 Based on the block diagram of host 800 described in this article, host 800 can be... Figure 5 An embodiment of host 516. As used herein, host 800 can be or include various combinations of hardware and / or software, including standalone servers, blade servers, cloud-implemented servers, distributed servers, virtual machines, containers, or processing resources in a server farm. Host 800 can provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0100] Host 800 includes processing circuitry 802, which is operatively coupled via bus 804 to input / output interface 806, network interface 808, power supply 810, and memory 812. Other components may be included in other embodiments. These components may be characterized substantially similarly to those shown in the previous figures (e.g., Figure 6 and 7 The device description features are designed to make the description generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 800.

[0101] Memory 812 may include one or more computer programs, including one or more host applications 814 and data 816. Data 816 may include user data, such as data generated by the UE for the host 800 or data generated by the host 800 for the UE. Embodiments of the host 800 may utilize only some or all of the components shown. The host application 814 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Multifunction Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding of multiple different classes, types, or implementations of the UE (e.g., mobile phone, desktop computer, wearable display system, head-up display system). The host application 814 may also provide user authentication and authorization checks and may periodically report health status, routing, and content availability to a central node (e.g., a device in the core network or at the edge). Therefore, the host 800 may select and / or instruct different hosts for over-the-top services for the UE. The host application 814 can support various protocols, such as HTTP Real-Time Streaming (HLS), Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), HTTP Dynamic Adaptive Streaming (MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0102] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 900 in which functionality implemented by some embodiments can be virtualized. In the current context, virtualization means creating virtual versions of devices or equipment, which may include virtualized hardware platforms, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device or component thereof described herein and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functionality described herein can be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) in one or more virtual environments 900 hosted by one or more hardware nodes, such as hardware computing devices operating as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hosts. Furthermore, in embodiments in which virtual nodes do not require radio connectivity (e.g., core network nodes or hosts), the nodes can be fully virtualized.

[0103] Application 902 (which may also be referred to as a software instance, virtual device, network function, virtual node, virtual network function, etc.) runs in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement certain features, functions, and / or benefits of some embodiments disclosed herein.

[0104] Hardware 904 includes processing circuitry, memory storing software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices as described herein, such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, etc. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 906 (also referred to as a hypervisor or virtual machine monitor (VMM)), provide virtual machines 908a and 908b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as virtual machine 908), and / or perform any functionality, features, and / or benefits described for some embodiments described herein. Virtualization layer 906 may present a virtual operating platform to virtual machine 908 that appears to be networked hardware.

[0105] Virtual machine 908 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual network or interface, and virtual storage devices, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 906. Different embodiments of instances of virtual device 902 can be implemented on one or more virtual machines 908, and can be implemented in different ways. In some contexts, hardware virtualization is referred to as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many types of network devices onto industry-standard, high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage devices that can reside in data centers and client devices.

[0106] In the context of NFV, a virtual machine 908 can be a software implementation of a physical machine, which runs programs as if they were executed on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each virtual machine 908, along with the portion of hardware 904 that executes that virtual machine (hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and / or hardware shared by that virtual machine with other virtual machines), forms a separate virtual network element. Still within the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions running on one or more virtual machines 908 above hardware 904, and corresponds to application 902.

[0107] Hardware 904 can be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 904 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 904 may be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 910, which, among other things, oversees the lifecycle management of application 902. In some embodiments, hardware 904 is coupled to one or more radio units, each including one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that can be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more suitable network interfaces and may be used in combination with virtual components to provide a radio-capable virtual node, such as a radio access node or base station. In some embodiments, a control system 912 may be used to provide signaling, which may alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes and the radio units.

[0108] Figure 10 illustrates a communication diagram of a host 1002 communicating with a UE 1006 via a partial wireless connection through a network node 1004, according to some embodiments. The UEs discussed in the preceding paragraphs (e.g., UE 512a and / or UE 512a of Figure 12) according to various embodiments will now be described with reference to Figure 10. Figure 6 UE 600), network nodes (e.g. Figure 5 Network node 510a and / or Figure 7 Network node 700) and host (e.g. Figure 5 Host 516 and / or Figure 8 Example implementation of host 800.

[0109] Similar to host 800, embodiments of host 1002 include hardware such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 1002 also includes software stored in or accessible by host 1002 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application operable to provide services to remote users, such as UE 1006 connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1050 extending between UE 1006 and host 1002. In providing services to remote users, the host application can provide user data transmitted using the OTT connection 1050.

[0110] Network node 1004 includes hardware that enables it to communicate with host 1002 and UE 1006. Connection 1060 can be direct or via a core network (such as...). Figure 5 The core network (506) and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network could be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0111] UE 1006 includes hardware and software, the software being stored in or accessible by UE 1006 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. This software includes client applications, such as web browsers or carrier-specific "applications," operable to provide services to human or non-human users via UE 1006 with the support of host 1002. In host 1002, the executing host application can communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection 1050, which terminates between UE 1006 and host 1002. When providing services to a user, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host application of the host and provide user data in response to that request data. OTT connection 1050 can transmit both request data and user data. The UE's client application can interact with the user to generate the user data it provides to the host application via OTT connection 1050.

[0112] OTT connection 1050 can be extended via connection 1060 between host 1002 and network node 1004 and via wireless connection 1070 between network node 1004 and UE 1006 to provide connectivity between host 1002 and UE 1006. Connection 1060 and wireless connection 1070, through which OTT connection 1050 can be provided, have been abstractly depicted to illustrate communication between host 1002 and UE 1006 via network node 1004, without explicitly referencing any intermediate devices or the precise routing of messages via those devices.

[0113] As an example of sending data via OTT connection 1050, in step 1008, host 1002 provides user data, which can be done by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE 1006. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE 1006, which shares data with host 1002 without explicit human interaction. In step 1010, host 1002 initiates a transmission carrying user data toward UE 1006. Host 1002 may initiate the transmission in response to a request sent by UE 1006. This request may be caused by human interaction with UE 1006 or by the operation of a client application executed on UE 1006. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the transmission may be carried out via network node 1004. Therefore, in step 1012, according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 1004 sends the user data carried in the transmission initiated by host 1002 to UE 1006. In step 1014, UE 1006 receives user data carried in the transmission, which can be performed by a client application running on UE 1006, which is associated with a host application running by host 1002.

[0114] In some examples, UE 1006 executes a client application that provides user data to host 1002. User data can be provided in response to data received from host 1002. Therefore, in step 1016, UE 1006 can provide user data, which can be done by executing a client application. When providing user data, the client application may further consider user input received from a user via the input / output interface of UE 1006. Regardless of the specific manner in which user data is provided, UE 1006 initiates a transmission of user data to host 1002 via network node 1004 in step 1018. In step 1020, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 1004 receives user data from UE 1006 and initiates a transmission of the received user data to host 1002. In step 1022, host 1002 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 1006.

[0115] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 1006 using OTT connection 1050 (where wireless connection 1070 forms the final segment). More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments can improve data rates, latency, and power consumption, thereby providing benefits such as reduced user wait times, relaxed file size limits, improved content resolution, better responsiveness, and extended battery life.

[0116] In the example scenario, host 1002 can collect and analyze plant status information. As another example, host 1002 can process audio and video data that may have been obtained from the UE for map creation. As another example, host 1002 can collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling traffic congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, host 1002 can store surveillance video uploaded by the UE. As another example, host 1002 can store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR, or AR, which host 1002 can broadcast, multicast, or unicast to the UE. As other examples, host 1002 can be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time-critical power loads to balance generation demand, location services, presentation services (e.g., compiling maps based on data collected from remote devices), or any other function that collects, obtains, stores, analyzes, and / or transmits data.

[0117] In some examples, a measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rates, latency, and other factors improved thereon in one or more embodiments. Optional network functions may also be available for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1050 between host 1002 and UE 1006 in response to changes in measurement results. The measurement process and / or network functions for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in the software and hardware of host 1002 and / or UE 1006. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with other devices through which the OTT connection 1050 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement process by providing values ​​of the monitored quantities as exemplified above or by providing values ​​of other physical quantities from which the software can calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 1050 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; reconfiguration does not require a direct change in the operation of network node 1004. Such processes and functions may be known and practiced in the art. In some embodiments, the measurement may involve proprietary UE signaling, which facilitates host 1002's measurement of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. Measurements can be made because the software causes messages to be sent using the OTT connection 1050 during its monitoring of propagation time, errors, etc., especially empty messages or "dummy" messages.

[0118] While the computing devices described herein (e.g., UE, network node, host) may include the hardware component combinations shown, other embodiments may include computing devices with different component combinations. It should be understood that these computing devices may include any suitable hardware and / or software combination required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The determination, calculation, acquisition, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information, for example, by converting acquired information into other information, comparing acquired or converted information with information stored in a network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and making determinations based on the results of said processing. Furthermore, although components are depicted as single boxes within larger boxes, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a computing device may include multiple different physical components constituting a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between individual components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of a component may be partitioned between processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, the non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, while the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0119] In some embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored in memory, which in some embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or separate device-readable storage medium (e.g., in a hardwired manner). In any of these particular embodiments, processing circuitry may be configured to perform the described functionality regardless of whether instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry or other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the entire computing device, the end user, and the wireless network.

[0120] Some embodiments of this disclosure are described below:

[0121] Example 1: A method for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion frame, performed by a user equipment, the method comprising: receiving parameters and resource block allocation for at least one of a plurality of frequency hopping; and utilizing the parameters.

[0122] Example 2: The method described in Example 1 further includes the following step: determining the center frequency based on the parameter.

[0123] Example 3: The method according to any of the foregoing embodiments further includes: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to the host via transmission to a network node.

[0124] Example 4: A method for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion framework, performed by a network node, the method comprising: transmitting parameters and allocating resource blocks for at least one of a plurality of frequency hopping frequencies.

[0125] Example 5: The method described in Example 4, wherein the parameter takes into account the time interval between two transitions.

[0126] Example 6: The method according to any of the foregoing embodiments further includes: acquiring user data; and forwarding the user data to a host or user equipment.

[0127] Example 7: A user equipment for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion frame, comprising: a processing circuit configured to perform any one of the steps according to any one of Examples 1 to 3; and a power supply circuit configured to supply power to the processing circuit.

[0128] Example 8: A network node for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion frame, the network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any one of the steps according to any one of Examples 4 to 6; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

[0129] Example 9: A user equipment (UE) for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion frame, the UE comprising: an antenna configured to transmit and receive radio signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and processing circuitry and configured to modulate signals transmitted between the antenna and processing circuitry; processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps described in any of the above embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow information to be input into the UE for processing by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information processed by the processing circuitry from the UE; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to power the UE.

[0130] Example 10: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide over-the-top (OTT) services, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate the transmission of user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE includes a communication interface and processing circuitry, the communication interface and processing circuitry of the UE being configured to perform any one of the steps according to any one of Examples 1 to 3 to receive user data from the host.

[0131] Example 11: The host according to the previous example, wherein the cellular network further includes a network node configured to communicate with the UE to send user data from the host to the UE.

[0132] Example 12: The host according to the first two examples, wherein: the host's processing circuitry is configured to execute a host application to provide user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executed on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0133] Example 13: A method implemented by a host operating in a communication system including a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: providing user data to the UE; and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network including the network node, wherein the UE performs any one of the operations according to any one of Examples 1 to 3 to receive the user data from the host.

[0134] Example 14: The method according to the previous example further includes: at the host, executing a host application associated with a client application executed on the UE to receive user data from the UE.

[0135] Example 15: The method according to the previous example further includes: at the host, sending input data to a client application executed on the UE, the input data being provided by executing the host application, wherein the user data is provided by the client application in response to input data from the host application.

[0136] Example 16: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide over-the-top (OTT) services, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate the transmission of user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE includes a communication interface and processing circuitry, the communication interface and processing circuitry of the UE being configured to perform any one of the steps according to any one of Examples 1 to 3 to transmit user data to the host.

[0137] Example 17: The host according to the previous example, wherein the cellular network further includes a network node configured to communicate with the UE to send user data from the UE to the host.

[0138] Example 18: The host according to the first two examples, wherein: the host's processing circuitry is configured to execute a host application to provide user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executed on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0139] Example 19: A method implemented by a host configured to operate in a communication system including a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host, receiving user data sent by the UE to the host via the network node, wherein the UE performs any one of the steps according to any one of Examples 1 to 3 to send the user data to the host.

[0140] Example 20: The method according to the previous example further includes: at the host, executing a host application associated with a client application executed on the UE to receive user data from the UE.

[0141] Example 21: The method according to the previous embodiment further includes: at the host, sending input data to a client application executed on the UE, the input data being provided by executing the host application, wherein user data is provided by the client application in response to input data from the host application.

[0142] Example 22: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide over-the-top (OTT) services, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate the transmission of user data to a network node in a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node being configured to perform any one of the operations according to any one of Examples 4 to 6 to transmit user data from the host to the UE.

[0143] Example 23: The host according to the previous example, wherein: the host's processing circuitry is configured to execute a host application that provides user data; and the UE includes processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to receive user data transmission from the host.

[0144] Example 24: A method implemented in a host configured to operate in a communication system including a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: providing user data to the UE; and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network including the network node, wherein the network node performs any one of the operations according to any one of Examples 4 to 6 to send the user data from the host to the UE.

[0145] Example 25: The method described in the previous example further includes: at a network node, sending the host to provide user data to the UE.

[0146] Example 26: The method according to any one of the preceding two examples, wherein the user data is provided at the host by executing a host application that interacts with a client application executed on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0147] Example 27: A communication system configured to provide over-the-top service, the communication system comprising: a host, the host including: processing circuitry configured to provide user data to a user equipment (UE), the user data being associated with the over-the-top service; and a network interface configured to initiate the transmission of user data to a cellular network node for transmission to the UE, the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node being configured to perform any of the operations according to any one of Examples 4 to 6 to transmit user data from the host to the UE.

[0148] Example 28: The communication system according to the previous embodiment further includes: a network node; and / or a user equipment.

[0149] Example 29: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide over-the-top (OTT) services, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to initiate reception of user data; and a network interface configured to receive user data from a network node in a cellular network, the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node being configured to perform any one of the operations according to any one of Examples 4 to 6 to receive user data for the host from a user equipment (UE).

[0150] Example 30: The host according to the first two examples, wherein: the host's processing circuitry is configured to execute a host application to provide user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executed on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0151] Example 31: The host according to any one of the preceding two examples, wherein initiating the receipt of user data includes: requesting user data.

[0152] Example 32: A method implemented by a host configured to operate in a communication system including a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host, initiating the reception of user data from the UE, the user data originating from a transmission received by the network node from the UE, wherein the network node performs any one of the steps according to any one of Examples 4 to 6 to receive user data from the UE for the host.

[0153] Example 33: The method described in the previous example further includes: sending the received user data to the host at the network node.

[0154] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of this disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered to be within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion (BWP) framework, performed by a degraded capability RedCap user equipment (UE) (512), the method comprising: Receive (402) probe reference signal SRS parameters and resource block allocation for at least one of multiple frequency hopping from network node (510); as well as Based on the SRS parameters, frequency hopping (404) is performed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The size of the BWP of the RedCap UE (512) is equal to or less than the radio frequency bandwidth of the RedCap UE (512).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The SRS parameter indicates the center frequency of the at least one frequency hopping.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The center frequency of the at least one frequency hopping is within the BWP of the RedCapUE (512).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The BWP of the RedCap UE (512) is greater than the RF bandwidth of the RedCap UE (512).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The SRS parameter indicates the center frequency used for the at least one frequency hopping.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The center frequency of the resource block allocation is predefined.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The center frequency of the resource block allocation is based on an offset parameter associated with the SRS parameter.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, Uplink frequency hopping and downlink frequency hopping are configured separately.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, Uplink frequency hopping and downlink frequency hopping are configured together.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The SRS parameters are received via at least one of Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling or Media Access Control (MAC) entity.

12. A Reduced Capability RedCap User Equipment (512) configured for frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion frame, the RedCap UE (512) including processing circuitry configured to: Receive (402) probe reference signal (SRS) parameters and resource block allocation for at least one of a plurality of frequency hopping frequencies from network node (510); and Based on the SRS parameters, frequency hopping (404) is performed.

13. The RedCa UE (512) according to claim 12, wherein, The processing circuit is also configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 2 to 11.

14. A method performed by a network node (510) for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion (BWP) framework, the method comprising: Send (402) probe reference signal SRS parameters and resource block allocation for at least one of the multiple frequency hopping frequencies to the degraded capability RedCap user equipment (512).

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The SRS parameter indicates the center frequency used for the at least one frequency hopping.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, The center frequency of the resource block allocation is based on an offset parameter associated with the SRS parameter.

17. A network node (510) for configuring frequency hopping via a bandwidth portion frame, the network node including processing circuitry configured to: Send (402) probe reference signal SRS parameters and resource block allocation for at least one of the multiple frequency hopping frequencies to the degraded capability RedCap user equipment (512).

18. The network node (510) according to claim 17, wherein, The processing circuit is also configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 15 to 16.

19. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

20. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 14 to 16.

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