New WUR architecture

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for a WUR architecture and use thereof. The WUR may include a switch in a front-end for dynamically switching to a matching network without a front-end amplifier block (e.g., an LNA) when the received signal level is high. Moreover, it can switch to a front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) when the received signal level is low. The action of the front end to switch between a matching network and a front-end amplifier block (e.g., an LNA) may be controlled by the UE or network according to various possible conditions.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related information This application claims the benefit of U.S. Prior Application No. 63 / 457983, filed April 7, 2023, entitled “New WUR Architecture.” TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for using and configuring wake-up receivers. BACKGROUND

[0003] A wake-up receiver (WUR), sometimes also referred to as a “wake-up radio,” is about enabling a low-power receiver in a user equipment (UE) that wakes up a main (baseband / RF (radio frequency) / less power efficient) receiver to detect an incoming message, typically a paging message (e.g., PDCCH (physical downlink control channel) in a paging occasion (PO) scheduling a paging message on a PDSCH (physical downlink shared channel)) upon detecting a wake-up signal (WUS). The main benefit of employing a WUR is to reduce energy consumption and extend device battery life, or at a fixed energy consumption, it can reduce downlink latency (shorter DRX (discontinuous reception) / duty cycle and more frequent checks for incoming transmissions).

[0004] Figure 1 is an illustration of the location of a WUS and its associated paging occasion. Generally, there are two methods for detecting a WUS: 1) using the main receiver; and 2) having a dedicated WUR. Characteristics of using the main receiver include: no need for additional dedicated hardware / receiver to monitor the WUS; the coverage of the main receiver is generally not impacted; limited power saving gain due to the main receiver monitoring the WUS. Characteristics of using a dedicated WUR include: extremely low power, simple and low cost receiver architecture, relaxed requirements, noisier (i.e., less accurate) clock or oscillator; significant power saving gain by maximizing the time the main receiver can be in sleep mode; enabler for zero energy / battery-less devices, and energy harvesting operation; there are coverage considerations given the trade-off between WUR power consumption and sensitivity.

[0005] For example, Figure 2 A dedicated wake-up radio (WUR) is shown for monitoring a wake-up signal (WUS). Once the WUR detects the expected WUS, it wakes up the main (baseband / RF / less power efficient) receiver to detect further incoming messages. Thus, the main receiver can enter a sleep mode and save power until it is triggered by the WUR.

[0006] Rel-18 NR WUR In Rel-18, there has been considerable interest in introducing WUR for NR, with the goal of achieving a more significant energy efficiency improvement compared to the solutions already specified in earlier releases. As explained above, the only specification support needed to be able to use WUR in a UE is the specification of WUS, and a sufficiently long time gap between PDCCH and WUS in a PO (to allow the UE to start the main receiver). Therefore, the main difference with Rel-17 PEI is that the WUS in Rel-18 should not be PDCCH-based, but rather a simpler and lower-power receiver, i.e. a WUR employing simple modulation and detection techniques (e.g. using on-off keying (OOK) modulation and non-coherent detection, or FSK (frequency shift keying)).

[0007] In Rel-18, a study item on “Low Power Wake-up Signal and Receiver for NR” was approved. The relevant justification and objectives section is copied below (RP-213645): The benefit of WUR is to reduce the energy consumption of the receiver, so that it can remain in a power saving state unless there is any paging and data for the UE. This will extend the battery life of the device, or alternatively enable shorter downlink latency (shorter DRX) with fixed battery life. For short-range communication, WUR power can be low enough (~10 uW), which in combination with energy harvesting, can even enable WUR to be always on (i.e. not using DRX or duty cycle control) without a battery. This can be considered as a key enabler towards battery-less devices for 6G.

[0008] Within the Rel-18 study, different WUR architectures are being studied. In Figures 3A-3C some examples are provided. The three examples shown are: 1) Figure 3A an architecture with RF envelope detection in Figure 3B a heterodyne architecture with IF envelope detection in Figure 3C a homodyne / zero-IF architecture with baseband envelope detection in

[0009] Power and sensitivity tradeoff Design challenges in receivers for IoT applications are to minimize power consumption while achieving sufficient sensitivity levels. In WUR design, receiver sensitivity is an important parameter as it provides the minimum power level at which the receiver can detect a WUS. In general, better sensitivity requires more power consuming electronics (e.g., LNA (Low Noise Amplifier)) at the receiver side, and hence is high power demanding. In contrast, worse sensitivity for the same communication range would require high radiated power at the transmitter side. As such, sensitivity requirements often lead to over-design to ensure reliable communication under adverse conditions. When WUR is used to trigger a lower energy efficient and more power consuming main receiver, ideally, the WUR and the main receiver should have the same range.

[0010] For example, based on existing low power radio designs, in Figure 4 The trade-off between sensitivity / coverage and energy consumption for WUR is shown in Figure 4 The power versus sensitivity survey for low power radios is shown. As can be seen, for every 20 dB improvement in sensitivity, the power consumption increases by at least a factor of 10.

[0011] There are certain challenges in the existing art. The WUR design goal is to save power / reduce energy consumption. To achieve this, several WUR architectures are being discussed in the 3GPP study item. Some studies report that WUR will have a higher noise figure when the LNA (Low Noise Amplifier) is removed. To reduce energy consumption, some architectures do not have an LNA. However, removing the LNA will result in a high noise figure, the consequence of which is either worse sensitivity bringing an imbalance in cell coverage compared to the main receiver. SUMMARY

[0012] One embodiment under the present disclosure includes a method for configuring a WUR performed by a UE. The method includes receiving a configuration from a network with one or more thresholds; performing one or more measurements of one or more signals received from a network node; comparing the one or more measurements to the one or more thresholds; and setting an operating mode of the WUR according to the comparison; wherein the WUR is configured to operate in one or more modes, the modes including at least one of: a high noise figure mode; a low noise figure mode.

[0013] Another embodiment under the present disclosure includes a method for configuring a WUR of a UE performed by a network node. The method includes receiving, from the UE, a capability of the WUR to operate in a high noise figure mode and / or a low noise figure mode; and indicating to the UE whether to operate in the high noise figure mode or the low noise figure mode based at least in part on the capability.

[0014] Another embodiment under the present disclosure includes a WUR for a UE. The WUR includes an antenna configured to receive a WUS, the WUS configured to wake up the UE, and a front-end filter block coupled to the antenna. It further includes a first switch coupled to the front-end filter block and configured to selectively couple the front-end filter block to a front-end amplifier block or a matching network, a front-end down-conversion block configured to provide down-conversion, and a second switch coupled to the front-end down-conversion block and configured to selectively couple the front-end down-conversion block to the front-end amplifier block or the matching network in synchronization with the first switch. It also includes a baseband processing coupled to the front-end down-conversion block; wherein when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the matching network, then the WUR operates in a high noise figure mode, and when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the front-end amplifier block, then the WUR operates in a low noise figure mode.

[0015] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form, further description of the concepts is set forth in the detailed description below. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 Illustrating the location of the WUS and its associated paging occasion; Figure 2 Illustrating a dedicated wake-up radio accompanying the main receiver; Figures 3A-3C Illustrating several types of envelope detection; Figure 4 Illustrating a power versus sensitivity survey for a low power radio; Figure 5 Illustrating a WUR architecture under the present disclosure with dynamic switching of the front-end amplifier block; Figure 6 Illustrating a WUR operating in a mode with high noise figure; Figure 7 Illustrating a WUR operating in a mode with low noise figure; Figure 8 Illustrating a flow diagram of a method embodiment under the present disclosure; Figure 9 Illustrating a flow diagram of a method embodiment under the present disclosure; Figure 10 Illustrating a flow diagram of a method embodiment under the present disclosure; Figure 11 Illustrating a schematic diagram of a communication system embodiment under the present disclosure; Figure 12 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a user equipment under the present disclosure; Figure 13 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a network node under the present disclosure; Figure 14 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a host under the present disclosure; Figure 15 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a virtualized environment under the present disclosure; and Figure 16 a schematic representation of an embodiment of communication between a node, a host and a user equipment under the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Before one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction, parameters, components, and / or arrangement of systems, methods, apparatuses, products, processes and / or articles of manufacture specifically set forth in the description and / or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments described herein are by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concepts. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concepts. There are many embodiments of inventive concepts that can be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts. Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the inventive concepts as hereinafter described, exemplified by the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are provided as examples in order to convey the scope of the inventive concepts to those skilled in the art.

[0018] As discussed above, there are certain challenges currently existing in the prior art. Since the WUR will be fitted in the same device as the main receiver, the radio conditions and blocker / interference environment will be the same for the WUR and the main receiver. If the sensitivity is different for the WUR and the main receiver, there is a risk that the WUR will be out of coverage when the main receiver is not. In this case, when the network sends a WUS signal to such a UE, it cannot be detected by the WUR and hence the main receiver will not be woken up (i.e. for the case of partial WUR coverage in the cell, out of WUR coverage). A new WUR architecture is needed to cope with the above problem, ensuring that the WUR functions as expected to achieve power saving.

[0019] Certain aspects of the present disclosure and embodiments thereof can provide solutions to these or other challenges. Certain embodiments provide a WUR architecture capable of switching between a matching network for high received signal levels and a front-end amplifier block for low received signal levels. In certain embodiments, the UE indicates the capability of the UE to fit the WUR receiver, which can adapt its receiver noise figure to the RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) signal level, e.g. for high expected signal levels, the noise figure can be high, while for low signal levels, the noise figure is low.

[0020] In certain embodiments, a method of WUR architecture can adapt its noise figure to the received signal level (e.g., RSRP), where the WUR receiver contains a switch in the front-end that is used to dynamically switch to a matching network without a front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) when the received signal level is high. Also, it will switch to a front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) when the received signal level is low. The action of the front-end switching between the matching network and the front-end amplifier block (e.g., LNA) can be controlled by the UE or network according to the conditions, as shown in the following examples. In some embodiments, the matching network can be a simple 50-ohm straight line, or can be a matching network for matching the impedance of the front-end filter block and the front-end down-conversion block.

[0021] Embodiments include a new WUR architecture that is able to dynamically work in two modes (high noise figure mode without a front-end amplifier block and low noise figure mode with a front-end amplifier block), which enables different noise figures without sacrificing coverage, thus optimizing power consumption.

[0022] Certain embodiments can provide one or more of the following technical advantages. By introducing a new WUR architecture, the noise figure of the WUR can be improved at the cell edge, and the coverage of the WUR can match the coverage of the main receiver, while optimizing power consumption at the same time.

[0023] Figure 5 A WUR architecture embodiment 700 under the present disclosure is shown with dynamic switching of a front-end amplifier block (FEAB) 710. As shown in Figure 5 The WUR 700 is composed of an antenna 715, a FEAB 710, a front-end filter block 730, a matching network 735, two switches SI and S2, and a front-end down-conversion block (FEDC) 725 and a baseband processing block 750, as shown in

[0024] In one mode (high noise figure mode) of WUR operation, shown in Figure 6 In one mode (high noise figure mode) of WUR operation, shown in Figure 6 The mode shown in

[0025] In one mode (high noise figure mode) of WUR operation, shown in Figure 7In another mode shown in FIG. 7, switches S1 and S2 are switched to FEAB 710, and WUR 700 operates in a low noise figure mode. In this mode, matching network 735 is bypassed.

[0026] In certain embodiments, Figures 5 to 7 FEDC 725 in FIG. 7 can correspond to a general receiver architecture between the mixer to ADC, which can be a heterodyne, zero-IF or low-IF or RF sampling architecture.

[0027] Embodiments for control for different modes In certain embodiments of the disclosure, the WUR operating mode (e.g. high noise figure mode or low noise figure mode) is controlled by the UE according to a measurement signal level received from the serving cell. To switch between different operating modes, the UE can set two signal levels corresponding to different operating modes, e.g. SL1 for high noise figure mode and SL2 for low noise figure mode.

[0028] An example of the measurement signal level can be, for example, a WUS, a WUS synchronization signal, or a cell reference signal, e.g. SSB (synchronization signal block) or CSI-RS (channel state information - reference signal) signal level. Another example of the measurement signal can be a positioning signal or other UE traffic signals of PDCCH (physical downlink control channel), PDSCH (physical downlink shared channel).

[0029] The measurement can be done by the WUR or the main receiver. When it is done by the main receiver, the main receiver can be woken up periodically or aperiodically. Once the measurement is done, the UE can compare the measurement with the predefined SL1 and SL2, and set the operating mode accordingly, e.g. • measurement signal level > SL1, set the operating mode to high noise figure mode; • measurement signal level < SL1 and measurement signal level > SL2, set the operating mode to low noise figure mode.

[0030] Figure 8One embodiment of the process of setting the operating mode is shown in FIG. 9. Method 900 is a method for setting a WUR operating mode performed by a UE. Step 910 is measuring a cell reference signal level or a WUS. If the measured signal level is above SL1, then step 920 is setting the WUR in a high noise figure mode. If the measured signal level is above SL2 but below SL1, then step 930 is setting the WUR in a low noise figure mode. Step 940 is periodically measuring the reference signal level and by going back to step 910. The periodicity of the measurement can depend on various factors / variables such as: UE moving speed, UE location change rate, GNSS location data, timer based control, or other variables. The measurement and any threshold can be used to set an exit condition for any operating mode. This can maintain the benefits used in LP-WUS (low power wake-up signal) usage.

[0031] Figure 9 Another embodiment under the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 10. Method 1000 is a method for configuring a WUR performed by a UE, such as the WUR is configured to operate in one or more modes including at least one of: a high noise figure mode; a low noise figure mode. Step 1010 is receiving a configuration from a network with one or more thresholds. Step 1020 is performing one or more measurements of one or more signals received from a network node. Step 1030 is comparing the one or more measurements to the one or more thresholds. Step 1040 is setting an operating mode of the WUR according to the comparison.

[0032] Network embodiments In certain embodiments, the WUR operating mode is configured by the network, e.g., the network configures the UE to operate in a high noise figure or a low noise figure mode. Figure 10 One possible embodiment is shown in FIG. 11. Method 1100 is a method for configuring WUR operation in a UE performed by a network (node). Step 1110 is the UE indicating (or the network receiving) a capability of the WUR to operate in a high noise figure mode and / or a low noise figure mode. Step 1120 is the UE receiving (or the network configuring the UE) to operate in a high noise figure mode or a low noise figure mode based at least in part on the capability. In some embodiments of step 1110, the UE can report both SL1 for operating in a high noise figure mode and SL2 for operating in a low noise figure mode. The UE can also send other data along with the capability. In another example, the UE reports two noise figures corresponding to the high noise figure mode and the low noise figure mode. In another example, the network can set SL1 and SL2 by predefining a cell coverage. The network can also set another pair of parameters SL3 and SL4 related to S1 and S2 to set a hysteresis curve to prevent ping-pong effect.

[0033] In another embodiment, whether the network configures the UE to set the WUR to either mode of operation can depend on factors such as: the signal level of a measured WUS signal, WUS synchronization signal, SSB, CSI-RS signal, etc.; the location of the UE; the speed of the UE; the battery level indication of the assembled battery; other factors.

[0034] In certain embodiments, the network collects relevant information reported by the UE, e.g., location, battery level indication. The network can also configure thresholds related to parameters such as those listed above or provided by the UE. In this case, the UE can switch to a different mode of operation when such thresholds are exceeded. In another example, the network can signal the UE to decide on its own the switching of different modes of operation, e.g., through RRC signaling, SIB signaling.

[0035] Additional embodiments Figure 11 An example of a communication system 2100 is shown in accordance with some embodiments. In the example, the communication system 2100 includes a telecommunication network 2102 that comprises an access network 2104, such as a RAN, and a core network 2106 that comprises one or more core network nodes 2108. The access network 2104 comprises one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 2110a and 2110b (one or more of which can be commonly referred to as network nodes 2110), or any other similar Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP access points. The network nodes 2110 facilitate direct or indirect connectivity to UEs 2112a, 2112b, 2112c, and 2112d (one or more of which can be commonly referred to as UEs 2112) through one or more wireless connections, such as by connecting to the core network 2106 through one or more wireless connections.

[0036] Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. In addition, in different embodiments, the communication system 2100 can include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in communication of data and / or signals between and among each other. The communication system 2100 can include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio, and / or other similar type of system.

[0037] The UE 2112 can be any of a variety of communication devices, including a wireless device arranged, configured and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network node 2110 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network node 2110 is arranged, capable, configured and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the UE 2112 and / or with other network nodes or devices in the telecommunication network 2102, either directly or indirectly, to enable and / or provide network access such as wireless network access and / or to perform other functions such as management in the telecommunication network 2102.

[0038] In the depicted example, the core network 2106 connects the network nodes 2110 to one or more hosts, such as the host 2116. The connections between the core network 2106 and the network nodes 2110 can be wired or wireless. In other examples, the network nodes can be directly coupled to the host(s). The core network 2106 includes one or more core network nodes, such as the core network node 2108, made up of hardware and software components. The features of these components can be substantially similar to those described with respect to UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that their description generally applies to corresponding components of the core network node 2108. Example core network nodes include functionality of one or more of a mobile switching center (MSC), a mobility management entity (MME), a home subscriber server (HSS), an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), an authentication server function (AUSF), a subscription identifier de-concealing function (SIDF), a unified data management (UDM), a security edge protection proxy (SEPP), a network exposure function (NEF), and / or a user plane function (UPF).

[0039] The host 2116 can be owned or controlled by a service provider that is different from an operator or provider of the access network 2104 and / or the telecommunication network 2102, and can be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. The host 2116 can host various applications to provide one or more services. Examples of such applications include live and on-demand audio / video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various environmental conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functionality for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functionality for alarm and monitoring centers, or any other such functionality performed by a server.

[0040] Overall, Figure 11The communication system 2100 enables connectivity between UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In this regard, the communication system can be configured to operate in accordance with predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards, including but not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunication 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 standards (WiFi); and / or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near-Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards (such as LoRa and Sigfox).

[0041] In some examples, the telecommunication network 2102 is a cellular network implementing 3GPP standardized features. Thus, the telecommunication network 2102 can support network slicing in order to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to the telecommunication network 2102. For example, the telecommunication network 2102 can provide Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) service to some UEs, Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) service to other UEs, and / or massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) / massive IoT service to yet other UEs.

[0042] In some examples, the UEs 2112 are configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, a UE can be designed to transfer information to the access network 2104 at a predetermined schedule, when an internal or external event triggers, or in response to a request from the access network 2104. Additionally, UEs can be configured for operation in single-RAT or multi-RAT or multi-standard modes. For example, UEs can operate in any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., configured for Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC) such as E-UTRA (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio-Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0043] In an example, hub 2114 communicates with access network 2104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UEs 2112c and / or 2112d) and a network node (e.g., network node 2110b). In some examples, hub 2114 can be any of a controller, a router, a content source and analytics device, or other communication devices described herein with respect to UEs. For example, hub 2114 can be a broadband router that enables UEs to access core network 2106. As another example, hub 2114 can be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. The commands or instructions can be received from the UEs, network node 2110, or by executable code, scripts, processes, or other instructions in hub 2114. As another example, hub 2114 can be a data collector that acts as a temporary storage device for UE data, and in some embodiments, can perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, hub 2114 can be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, hub 2114 can retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via network node, which hub 2114 then provides to the UE after performing local processing and / or after adding additional local content. In yet another example, particularly where one or more of the UEs are low-energy IoT devices, hub 2114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs.

[0044] Hub 2114 can have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to network node 2110b. Hub 2114 can also allow for different communication schemes and / or schedules between hub 2114 and UEs (e.g., UEs 2112c and / or 2112d) and between hub 2114 and core network 2106. In other examples, hub 2114 is connected to core network 2106 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Further, hub 2114 can be configured to connect to an M2M service provider through access network 2104 and / or to another UE through a direct connection. In some scenarios, a UE can establish a wireless connection with network node 2110 while still connecting via hub 2114 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, hub 2114 can be a dedicated hub - i.e., a hub whose primary function is to route communications from UEs to network node 2110b or from network node 2110b to UEs. In other embodiments, hub 2114 can be a non-dedicated hub - i.e., a device that is capable of operating to route communications between UEs and network node 2110b, but is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0045] Figure 12A UE 2200 is shown in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device that is capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with a network node and / or other UEs. Examples include, but are not limited to, smart phones, mobile phones, cellular phones, Voice Over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback appliances, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablets, laptops, laptop-mounted embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted installation equipment (LME), smart devices, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle-embedded / wired devices, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specification, including Narrow- Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UEs, Machine Type Communication (MTC) UEs, and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs.

[0046] A UE can support device-to-device (D2D) communication, e.g., by implementing 3GPP standards for sidelink communication, dedicated short range communications (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to- everything (V2X). In other examples, UEs can not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user that owns and / or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE can represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but can not, or can not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE can represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but can be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user enterprise (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0047] The UE 2200 includes processing circuitry 2202 operably coupled to input / output interface 2206, power source 2208, memory 2210, communication interface 2212, and / or any other component(s) or any combination thereof, via bus 2204 or a similar communication coupling. Some UEs can utilize all of these components or only a subset of them. The level of integration between the components can vary from one UE to another UE. Furthermore, a certain UE can include a certain number of one or more instances of a certain component. For example, a UE can include multiple processors for Figure 12 The various components of UE 2200 can be instantiated using hardware components, software components, and any combination of hardware and software components.

[0048] The processing circuit 2202 is configured to process instructions and data and can be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored in the memory 2210, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP). The processing circuit 2202 can be implemented with one or more hardware-implemented state machines, including discrete logic circuitry, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or other

[0049] In this example, the input / output interface 2206 can be configured to provide one or more interfaces to input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device can allow a user to capture information into the UE 2200. Examples of input devices include a

[0050] In some embodiments, the power supply 2208 is configured as a rechargeable battery or battery pack. Other types of power supplies, such as a solar cell, or an external power source, such as an electricity outlet, can also be used. The power supply 2208 can further include power circuitry to deliver power from the power supply 2208 and / or an external power source to the various parts of the UE 2200 via power cables or interfaces. Power from the power supply 2208 can be delivered to the power circuitry, for example, to charge the power supply 2208 or to power the UE 2200 when the UE 2200 is not being used. The power circuitry can perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power supply 2208 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 2200 to which the power is supplied.

[0051] Memory 2210 can be or include cache such as cache 2212, buffer such as buffer 2214, and / or a combination of cache and buffer. Memory 2210 can be or 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), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disk, removable disk, flash memory devices, and others. In one example, memory 2210 includes one or more applications 2214, such as an operating system, web browser application, widgets, widget engine, or other applications; and corresponding data 2216. Memory 2210 can store any of a variety of operating systems for use by the UE 2200.

[0052] Memory 2210 can be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard drives, thumb drives, pen drives, key drives, High-Density Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) optical drive, internal hard disk drives, Blu-Ray optical drives, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical drives, external mini-dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory such as a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) in the form of a subscriber identity module (SIM) such as a USIM, and / or an ISIM, tamper-resistant modules, 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.' Memory 2210 can allow the UE 2200 to access a storage device that can be on an ad hoc basis or on a more permanent basis such as for one time access or the like. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system can be tangibly embodied in or by memory 2210, which can be or include a device readable storage medium.

[0053] The processing circuit 2202 can be configured to communicate with an access network or other networks using the communication interface 2212. The communication interface 2212 can include one or more communication subsystems and can include or be communicably coupled to an antenna 2222. The communication interface 2212 can include one or more transceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers, such as another UE or an access network node in a wireless communication, for example. Each transceiver can include a transmitter 2218 and / or a receiver 2220 adapted to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, etc.). Further, the transmitter 2218 and receiver 2220 can be coupled to one or more antennas, such as the antenna 2222, and can share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0054] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functionality of the communication interface 2212 can 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 determining a location using the global positioning system (GPS), another like communication functionality, or any combination thereof. The communication can be implemented in accordance with one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol / Internet protocol (TCP / IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), QUIC, hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.

[0055] Regardless of the type of sensor, the UE can provide an output of data captured by its sensors through its communication interface 2212 via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by a sensor of a certain UE can be passed to a network node via another UE over a wireless connection. The output can be periodic (e.g., every 15 minutes if it reports a sensed temperature), random (e.g., to balance the load of reports emitted from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., sending an alarm when moisture is detected), in response to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a real-time video feed of a patient).

[0056] As another example, the UE includes an actuator, motor, or switch related to a communication interface that is configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input, the state of the actuator, motor, or switch can change. For example, the UE can include a motor that adjusts a control surface or rotor of a drone in flight according to received input, or a robotic arm that performs a medical procedure according to received input.

[0057] A UE when in the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device can be a device for use in one or more application areas including, but not limited to, urban wearable technology, extended industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices are devices that are, or are embedded in, a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robotic vacuum cleaner, a voice-controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, an overflow / water sensor, an electric door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system such as a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), a wearable device for haptic or sensory augmentation, a sprinkler, an animal or item tracking device, a sensor for monitoring plants or animals, an industrial robot, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device such as a heart rate monitor or a remotely controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an IoT device includes circuitry and / or software dependent on the intended application of the IoT device, plus the other components described for the UE 2200 shown in FIG. 22. Figure 12 The other components described for the UE 2200 shown in FIG. 22.

[0058] As yet another specific example, in an IoT scenario, a UE can represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or a network node. In this case, the UE can be a M2M device, which in a 3GPP context can be referred to as a MTC device. As one particular example, a UE can implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE can represent a vehicle, such as an automobile, a bus, a truck, a boat, and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0059] In practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, a first UE can be or can be integrated in a drone, and can provide speed information of the drone (obtained by a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes a change from the remote controller, the first UE can adjust a throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the speed of the drone. The first and / or second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE can contain a sensor and an actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuator.

[0060] Figure 13A network node 3300 according to some embodiments is shown. As used herein, a network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or equipment within a telecommunications network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR Node Bs (gNBs)).

[0061] Base stations can be categorized by the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, the transmission power level of their transmissions), and thus, depending on the provided coverage, they can be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station can be a relay node or a relay-donating node controlling relays. Network nodes can also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized, digital, single, or remote radio head (RRH). Such a remote radio head can or can not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0062] Other examples of network nodes include multi -transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), operation and maintenance (O&M) nodes, operation support system (OSS) nodes, self-organizing network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (E-SMLC)), and / or

[0063] The network node 3300 includes processing circuitry 3302, memory 3304, communication interface 3306, and power source 3308. The network node 3300 can be composed of multiple physical separate components (e.g., Node B component and RNC component, or BTS component and BSC component, etc.), which can each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 3300 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components can be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC can control multiple Node Bs. In such scenarios, each unique combination of Node B and RNC pair can be considered a single separate network node in some instances. In some embodiments, the network node 3300 can be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components can be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 3304 for the different RATs), and some components can be reused (e.g., the same antenna 3310 can be shared by the different RATs). The network node 3300 can also include multiple sets of various shown components for integration of different wireless technologies into the network node 3300, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, radio frequency identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies. The wireless technologies can be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within the network node 3300.

[0064] The processing circuitry 3302 can comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other processing circuit, as well as any other suitable circuitry for providing the functionality described herein.

[0065] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 3302 comprises a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 3302 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 3312 and baseband processing circuitry 3314. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 3312 and baseband processing circuitry 3314 can be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 3312 and baseband processing circuitry 3314 can be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0066] Memory 3304 can include any form of volatile or nonvolatile computer- readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable memory media (for example, a flash drive, a compact disc (CD), or a digital video disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and / or instructions that can be used with processing circuitry 3302. Memory 3304 can store any

[0067] Communication interface 3306 is used in the wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As illustrated, communication interface 3306 includes port(s) / terminal(s) 3316 to send and receive data, for example, to and from a network over a wired connection. Communication interface 3306 also includes radio front end circuitry 3318 that can be coupled to, or in some embodiments a part of, antenna 3310. Radio front end circuitry 3318 includes filter 3320 and amplifier 3322. Radio front end circuitry 3318 can be connected to antenna 3310 and processing circuitry 3302. Radio front end circuitry can be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 3310 and processing circuitry 3302. Radio front end circuitry 3318 can receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 3318 can convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filter 3320 and / or amplifier 3322. The radio signal can then be transmitted via antenna 3310. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 3310 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 3318. The digital data can be passed on to processing circuitry 3302. In other embodiments, the communication interface can include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0068] In certain alternative embodiments, network node 3300 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 3318, but rather the processing circuitry 3302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna 3310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 3312 is part of communication interface 3306. In still other embodiments, communication interface 3306 includes one or more ports or terminals 3316, radio front-end circuitry 3318, and RF transceiver circuitry 3312 as part of a radio

[0069] Antenna 3310 can include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 3310 can be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 3318 and can be any type of antenna and / or antenna array capable of inducting and / or radiating wireless signals. In certain embodiments, antenna 3310 is separate from network node 3300 and is connectable to network node 3300 through an interface or port.

[0070] Antenna 3310, communication interface 3306, and / or processing circuitry 3302 can be configured to perform any of the receiving operations and / or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and / or signals can be received from a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment. Similarly, antenna 3310, communication interface 3306, and / or processing circuitry 3302 can be configured to perform any of the transmitting operations described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data and / or signals can be transmitted to a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment.

[0071] Power source 3308 provides power to various components of network node 3300 in a form suitable for use by each respective component (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). Power source 3308 can further include, or be coupled to, power management circuitry for powering the components of network node 3300 for performing the functionality described herein. For example, network node 3300 can be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface (such as an electrical cable) that is connectable to the external power source, where the external power source supplies power to the power circuitry of the power source 3308 for powering the components of network node 3300. As a further example, power source 3308 can comprise a source of power, such as a battery or battery pack, connected to, or integrated in, the power circuitry of the power source 3308. The battery can provide backup power should the external power source fail, for example.

[0072] In addition to Figure 13Embodiments of network node 3300 can also include additional components not shown in FIG. 33 in addition to those shown. For example, network node 3300 can also include one or more user interfaces, one or more antennas, one or more displays, one or more user interface devices, one or more output devices, one or more cameras, one or more sensors, one or more location devices, one or more navigation devices, and / or one or more communication buses, as examples. Such components can be

[0073] Figure 14 is a block diagram of a host 4400 that can be a host 2116 according to various aspects described herein. As used herein, host 4400 can be or include various combinations of hardware and / or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, a container, or a processing resource in a server farm. Host 4400 can provide one or more services to one or more UEs. Figure 11

[0074] Host 4400 includes processing circuitry 4402 operably coupled to input / output interface 4406, network interface 4408, power source 4410, and memory 4412 via bus 4404. Other components can be included in other embodiments. Features of these components can be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as host 2116, making their description generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 4400. Figure 12 and Figure 13

[0075] ​​Memory 4412 can include one or more computer programs that contain one or more host applications 4414 and data 4416, which can include user data such as data generated by a UE for the host 4400 or data generated by the host 4400 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 4400 can utilize only a subset of the shown components or all of the shown components. The host applications 4414 can be implemented in a container-based architecture and can provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host applications 4414 can also provide user authentication and permission checks, and can periodically report health, routing, and content availability to a central node such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Thus, the host 4400 can select and / or indicate different hosts for over-the-top services for UEs. The host applications 4414 can support various protocols such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, the Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), the Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), and the like.

[0076] Figure 15 FIG. 55 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 5500 in which some embodiments can be implemented. In the present context, virtualization means the creation of virtual versions of devices or device components, which can include the virtualization of hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can apply to any device or component thereof described herein and relate to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as a virtual component(s). Some or all of the functionality described herein can be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more Virtual Machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 5500 hosted by one or more hardware nodes such as hardware computing devices operating as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hosts. Further, in embodiments where the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or a host), then the node can be entirely virtualized.

[0077] An application 5502, which can alternatively be referred to as a software instance, virtual appliance, network function, virtual node etc., is run in the virtualization environment 5500 to implement some of the features, functions and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0078] Hardware 5504 includes processing circuitry, memory storing software and / or instructions executable by the processing circuitry, and / or other hardware apparatus such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, etc., as described herein. The software is executable by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 5506 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 5508a and 5508b (one or more of which can be referred to generally as VM 5508), and / or perform any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described with regard to some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 5506 can present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to VMs 5508.

[0079] VMs 5508 include virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces and virtual storage, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 5506. Different embodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 5502 can be implemented on one or more of VMs 5508, and these implementations can be made in different manners. In some contexts, the virtualization of hardware is referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise devices.

[0080] In the context of NFV, VMs 5508 can be software implementations of physical machines that run programs just as if they were executing on physical, non-virtualized machines. Each of VMs 5508, and that part of hardware 5504 on which it executes, whether it is hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with others, form a separate virtual network element. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that are run in one or more of VMs 5508 on top of hardware 5504, and corresponds to application 5502.

[0081] Hardware 5504 can be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 5504 can implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 5504 can 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 5510, which among others supervises life cycle management of applications 5502. In some embodiments, hardware 5504 is coupled to one or more radio units, which each include one or more receivers and one or more transmitters that can be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units can communicate with other hardware nodes directly via one or more appropriate networks, and can be used in combination with virtual components to provide a virtual node such as a radio access node or base station with radio capabilities. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided by using control system 5512, which can alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0082] Figure 16 A communication diagram illustrating a host 6602 communicating via a network node 6604 with a UE 6606 over a partial wireless connection according to some embodiments is shown. Reference will now be made to Figure 16 described in the preceding paragraphs, such as Figure 11 UE 2112a and / or Figure 12 UE 2200 of FIG. 22, network nodes such as Figure 11 network node 2110a and / or Figure 13 network node 3300 of FIG. 33, and hosts such as Figure 11 host 2116 and / or Figure 14 host 4400 of FIG. 44, according to various embodiments.

[0083] Similar to host 4400, embodiments of host 6602 include hardware such as communication interface, processing circuitry and memory. Host 6602 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by the host 6602 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that can be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as a UE 6606 connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 6650 that stretches between the UE 6606 and the host 6602. In providing the service to the remote user, the host application can provide user data that is transferred using the OTT connection 6650.

[0084] Network node 6604 includes hardware that enables it to communicate with host 6602 and UE 6606. Connection 6660 can be direct or via a core network (like core network 3100 of FIG. 31) that is not shown. The host 6602 and the network node 6604 can be separate entities or the host 6602 and the network node 6604 can be of the same physical node. Figure 11The network 6604 can comprise one or more backhaul networks, e.g., a

[0085] The UE 6606 includes hardware and software, the software being stored in or accessible by the UE 6606 and executable by processing circuitry of the UE. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or a specific app for a particular service or content source. The app can be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE 6606 with support from the host 6602. In the host 6602, an executing host application is operable to communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection 6650 terminating at the UE 6606 and the host 6602. During the provision of the service to the user, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host's host application, and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 6650 can transmit both the request data and the user data. The UE's client application can interact with the user to generate the user data.

[0086] The OTT connection 6650 can extend via an internet connection 6660 between the host 6602 and the network node 6604, and via a wireless connection 6670 between the network node 6604 and the UE 6606, to provide a connection between the host 6602 and the UE 6606. The connections 6660 and 6670 via which the OTT connection 6650 is provided have been abstractly depicted as a single connection 6660 between the host 6602 and the network node 6604, and a single connection 6670 between the network node 6604 and the UE 6606, to emphasize that the OTT connection 6650 extends across multiple physical links and through various intermediate

[0087] As an example of transmitting data via OTT connection 6650, in step 6608, host computer 6602 provides user data, which can be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a particular human user that interacts with UE 6606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE 6606, such as when the UE is a wearable computing device that shares data with host computer 6602 without explicit human interaction. In step 6610, host computer 6602 initiates a transmission carrying the user data to UE 6606. Host computer 6602 can initiate the transmission in response to a request made by UE 6606. The request can be prompted by a user interacting with UE 6606, or by operation of a client application executed on UE 6606. The transmission can pass through network node 6604, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 6612, network node 6604 transmits to UE 6606 the user data which was carried in the transmission that host computer 6602 had initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 6614, UE 6606 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which can be performed by a client application executed on UE 6606 in association with a host application executed by host computer 6602.

[0088] In some examples, UE 6606 executes a client application that provides user data to host computer 6602. The user data can be provided in reaction to received data, or in response to a query received from host computer 6602. Thus, in step 6616, UE 6606 can provide user data, which can be performed by executing a client application. During provision of the user data, the client application can further consider user input received from a user via an input / output interface of UE 6606. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data is provided, in step 6618, UE 6606 initiates a transmission of the user data to host computer 6602 via network node 6604. In step 6620, network node 6604 receives the user data from UE 6606 and initiates a transmission of the received user data to host computer 6602, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 6622, host computer 6602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 6606.

[0089] One or more of the various embodiments improve performance of OTT services provided to UE 6606 using OTT connection 6650, in which wireless connection 6670 forms the last segment. More specifically, the teachings of these embodiments can improve data rate, latency, and / or power consumption, and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, relaxed restrictions on file size, improved content resolution, better responsiveness, and / or extended battery lifetime.

[0090] In an example scenario, factory condition information can be collected and analyzed by the host computer 6602. As another example, the host computer 6602 can process audio and video data that can have been retrieved from the UE for creating a map. As another example, the host computer 6602 can collect and analyze real-time data to help control traffic congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, the host computer 6602 can store surveillance videos uploaded by UEs. As another example, the host computer 6602 can store media content (such as videos, audio, VR, or AR) that it can broadcast, multicast, or unicast to UEs, or control access to media content. As other examples, the host computer 6602 can be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time critical electric loads to balance electricity demand, positioning services, demonstration services (such as compiling graphs according to data collected from remote devices), or any other functionality.

[0091] In some embodiments, a measurement procedure can be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There can also be an optional network functionality to reconfigure the OTT connection 6650 between the host computer 6602 and the UE 6606, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and / or the network functionality to reconfigure the OTT connection can be implemented in software and hardware of the host computer 6602 and / or the UE 6606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) can be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 6650 passes; the sensors can participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software can compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguration of the OTT connection 6650 can include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguration needs not to affect directly the network nodes 6604, but it can affect

[0092] Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) can include a combination of one or more hardware components, other embodiments can include computing devices with different combinations of components. It is contemplated that the computing devices can include any suitable combination of hardware and / or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining, or similar operations described herein can be performed by a processing circuit, which can process information as described herein by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored within the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing, making a determination. In addition, while components are depicted as single boxes or single nesting of boxes within other boxes, it is contemplated that the computing devices can include multiple physical components that make up a single depicted component, and that functionality of components can be split among components in a manner not depicted. For example, a communication interface can be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or functionality of these components can be split between the processing circuit and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of the components can be implemented in software or firmware and computation-intensive functions can be implemented in hardware.

[0093] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein can be provided by a processing circuit executing instructions stored in a memory, which in certain embodiments can 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 can be provided by a processing circuit, such as in hardwired form, without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium. In any of those particular embodiments, whether the processing circuit executes instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium or not, the processing circuit can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuit or to other components of the computing device alone, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole and / or by end users and wireless networks generally.

[0094] It will be appreciated that computer systems are increasingly taking a wide variety of forms. In this description and in the claims, the term "controller," "computer system," or "computing system" is intended to include any device or system— or combination thereof— that includes at least one physical and tangible processor and physical and tangible memory capable of having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that can be executed by the processor. As used in this description and in the claims, the term "computer system" or "computing system" is intended to encompass a personal computer, desktop computer, laptop, tablet, handheld device (e.g., mobile telephone, PDA, pager), microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronic, minicomputer, mainframe computer, multiprocessor system, network PC, distributed computing system, data center, message processor, router, switch, and even devices that are not generally considered to be computing systems, such as wearable devices (e.g., eyeglasses).

[0095] There are also various structures on the computing system that are commonly referred to as "executable components." For example, the memory of the computing system can include executable components. The term "executable component" is the name for a structure that is commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art in the field of computing to be a structure that can be software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, when implemented in software, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the structure of the executable component can include software objects, routines, methods, etc., that can be executed by one or more processors on the computing system, whether such an executable component exists in the heap of the computing system, or whether the executable component exists on a computer-readable storage medium. The structure of the executable component exists on the computer-readable medium in such a form that it is operable to cause the computing system to perform one or more functions, such as the functions and methods described herein, when the structure is executed by one or more processors of the computing system. Such a structure can be computer-readable directly by the processor— this is the case if the executable component is binary. Alternatively, the structure can be structured to be interpretable and / or compiled— whether in a single stage or in multiple stages— in order to generate such binary that is directly interpretable by the processor.

[0096] The terms "component," "service," "engine," "module," "control," "generator," and so on, can also be used in the present description. As used in this description and in this case, these terms— whether expressed with or without the modifier "executable"— are also intended to be synonymous with the term "executable component," and thus also have the structure commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the field of computing.

[0097] For purposes of computer implementation, a computer is generally understood to comprise one or more processors and / or one or more controllers, and the terms computer, processor, and controller can be used interchangeably herein according to context. These functions can be provided by a single dedicated computer or processor or controller, by a single shared computer or processor or controller, or by a plurality of individual computers or processors or controllers, some of which can be shared or distributed. Moreover, the term processor or controller also refers to other hardware capable of performing such functions and / or executing software, such as the example hardware described above.

[0098] In general, the various exemplary embodiments can be implemented in hardware or special purpose chips, circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects can be implemented in hardware, while other aspects can be implemented in software or firmware executable by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the disclosure is not limited thereto. While various aspects of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure can be illustrated and described as a block diagram, flow chart, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein can be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0099] While not all computing systems require a user interface, in some embodiments the computing system includes a user interface for communicating information to and from a user. The user interface can include output mechanisms as well as input mechanisms. The principles described herein are not limited to precise output mechanisms or input mechanisms, as these will depend on the nature of the device. However, output mechanisms can include, for example, speakers, displays, tactile outputs, projections, holograms, and the like. Examples of input mechanisms can include, for example, microphones, touchscreens, projections, holograms, cameras, keyboards, styluses, mouse or other pointer inputs, sensors of any type, and the like.

[0100] Abbreviations and defined terms To aid understanding of the scope and content of the written description and the appended claims, several terms are defined directly below. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein generally have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0101] The terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" as used herein represent an amount or condition close to the stated amount or condition that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" can refer to an amount or condition that is within less than 10% of, or within less than 5% of, or within less than 1% of, or within less than 0.1% of, or within less than 0.01% of a stated amount or condition.

[0102] Various aspects of the disclosure, including apparatuses, systems, and methods, can be presented with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments or implementations, which are illustrated in the various figures. As used herein, the term "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments disclosed herein. Additionally, reference to an "implementation" of the disclosure or an embodiment includes a reference to one or more embodiments thereof, and vice versa, and is intended to provide illustrative examples of the disclosure, not a limitation as to the scope of the disclosure, which is to be indicated by the appended claims.

[0103] As used in the specification, unless expressly stated to the contrary, or implicitly understood from the context, words shall be construed as taking on their plain and ordinary meaning, and not be limited by interpretations that they might have in other contexts. As used in the specification and the claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the expression "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms.

[0104] References in the specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment,” "an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described can include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment can not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described or claimed. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms.

[0105] It should be understood that although the terms "first" and "second" are used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element without departing from the scope of the example embodiments. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms.

[0106] It will be further appreciated that the terms "comprises", "comprising", "has", "having", "includes" and / or "including" when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, elements and / or components etc. but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0107] Conclusion The present disclosure includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein (either explicitly or any generalization thereof). Various modifications and adaptations to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this disclosure can become apparent to those skilled in the relevant art in view of the foregoing description. However, any and all modifications will still fall within the scope of the non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0108] It is to be understood that for any given component or embodiment described herein, any possible candidate or alternative listed for that component can be used individually or in combination with each other, unless otherwise implicitly or explicitly understood or stated. Further, it is to be understood that any listing of such candidates or alternatives is merely illustrative and not limiting.

[0109] Further, unless otherwise indicated herein, numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, constituents of compositions, reaction conditions, and other quantitative data should be understood to be used exclusively herein to present an approximation. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the recited numerical ranges are approximate, for the purpose of conveying general direction, and are understood to allow for a degree of variability. At the very least, and unless indicated to the contrary, each numerical parameter should be construed in light of the number of significant figures and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Even though numerical ranges and parameters are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as practicable. The numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as practicable. The numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as reasonably possible, but some error is inevitable in replacing a gross description with a number. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the use of a finite number of significant digits.

[0110] Any headings and sub-headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the description or the claims. The language used in the specification and the claims has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes and it can not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the patent rights, resort to the principles of construing statutes. It is therefore intended that the embodiments disclosed in this specification include all such modifications and alterations in the implementation of the concepts disclosed herein.

[0111] It will also be appreciated that systems, apparatus, products, kits, methods, and / or processes according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure can include, incorporate, or otherwise comprise attributes or features (e.g., components, members, elements, parts, and / or portions) described in other embodiments disclosed and / or described herein. Accordingly, various features of certain embodiments can be compatible, combinable, inclusive of, and / or incorporated into other embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, the disclosure of certain features with respect to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure should not be read into the application or inclusion of the features to the particular embodiment. Rather, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can also include the features, members, elements, parts, and / or portions without necessarily departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0112] Further, any of the features disclosed herein can be combined with any other features disclosed herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Moreover, in order to avoid obscuring aspects of example embodiments, various well-known aspects, features, and / or components have not been described in great detail. However, such aspects are contemplated herein.

[0113] It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that methods, apparatus, device elements, materials, processes and techniques other than those specifically described herein can be employed in the practice of the described embodiments as broadly disclosed herein without resort to undue experimentation, and that art-recognized equivalents of the specifically described methods, apparatus, device elements, materials, processes and techniques can be substituted. This disclosure is intended to embrace all such art-recognized alternatives and modifications of the specifically recited methods, apparatus, device elements, materials, processes and techniques.

[0114] When a group of materials, compositions, components, or compounds is disclosed herein, it is understood that all individual members of the group and all subgroups and combinations of the members of the group are individually disclosed herein. When Markush groups or other groupings are used herein, all individual members of the group and all possible subgroups and combinations of the members of the group are included in the disclosure.

[0115] The above embodiments are merely examples. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, and alterations to the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the description, which is defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700) performed by a user equipment (UE) (2200), the WUR constituting the UE, the method comprising: Receive (1010) a configuration with one or more thresholds from the network; Perform one or more measurements of one or more signals received from the network node (1020); Compare one or more measurements described in (1030) with one or more thresholds; as well as The operating mode of the WUR is set according to the comparison (1040); The WUR is configured to operate in one or more modes, the modes including at least one of the following: high noise figure mode; low noise figure mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Indicate to the network the ability of the WUR to operate in high noise figure mode and / or low noise figure mode.

3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, When one or more measurements exceed a first threshold, the WUR is configured to operate in a high noise figure mode.

4. The method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, When one or more measurements are below the first threshold and above the second threshold, the WUR is configured to operate in a low noise coefficient mode.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: Perform one or more additional measurements, and adjust the operating mode of the WUR based on the one or more additional measurements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, Performing one or more measurements or one or more additional measurements is at least one of the following: periodic; non-periodic.

7. The method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The one or more measurements, one or more thresholds, and / or one or more additional measurements are used to set an exit condition for at least one of the following: high noise figure mode; low noise figure mode.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, Periodicity is based on one or more of the following: UE moving speed; UE position change rate; Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position data; and timer-based control.

9. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The one or more measurements involve at least one of the following: Wake-up signal (WUS); WUS synchronization signal; Cell reference signal; Synchronization System Block (SSB); Channel State Information (CSI); Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS); UE service signal; Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) communication; Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) communication; Location signal; UE speed; Battery level indication of the equipped battery.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The one or more measurements and / or one or more additional measurements are performed by at least one of the following: WUR; main receiver.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The WUR includes: Antenna (715) configured to receive wake-up signal WUS; A front-end filter block (730) coupled to the antenna; A first switch (S1) is coupled to the front-end filter block and configured to selectively couple the front-end filter block to a front-end amplifier block (710) or a matching network (735). The front-end downconverter block (725) is configured to provide downconversion. A second switch (S2), coupled to the front-end downconverter block and configured to synchronize with the first switch, selectively couples the front-end downconverter block to the front-end amplifier block or the matching network; and Baseband processing (750) coupled to the front-end downconverter block; Specifically, when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the matching network, the WUR operates in a high noise figure mode, while when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the front-end amplifier block, the WUR operates in a low noise figure mode.

12. A method for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700) of a user equipment (UE) (2200) performed by a network node (3300), the method comprising: The ability of the WUR to operate in high noise figure mode and / or low noise figure mode is received from the UE (1110); as well as Based at least in part on the said capability, the UE is instructed (1120) whether to operate in the high noise figure mode or the low noise figure mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, Whether to operate in the high noise figure mode or the low noise figure mode is based on one or more measurements performed by the UE.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, When one or more measurements exceed a first threshold, the WUR is configured to operate in a high noise figure mode.

15. The method of any one of claims 13 to 14, wherein, When one or more measurements are below the first threshold and above the second threshold, the WUR is configured to operate in a low noise coefficient mode.

16. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein operation in the high noise figure mode or the low noise figure mode is configured to be adjusted based on one or more additional measurements performed by the UE.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, The execution of one or more measurements or one or more additional measurements is configured to be at least one of the following: periodic; non-periodic.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, Periodicity is based on one or more of the following: UE moving speed; UE position change rate; Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position data; and timer-based control.

19. The method of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein, The one or more measurements and / or one or more additional measurements are configured by the network node to involve at least one of the following: Wake-up signal (WUS); WUS synchronization signal; Cell reference signal; Synchronization System Block (SSB); Channel State Information (CSI); Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS); UE service signal; Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) communication; Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) communication; Location signal; UE speed; Battery level indication of the equipped battery.

20. The method of any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein, The one or more measurements and / or one or more additional measurements are configured by the network node to be performed by at least one of the following: WUR; main receiver.

21. The method of any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein, The specification includes sending a first threshold and a second threshold to the UE for comparison with the one or more measurements.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: A third threshold and a fourth threshold are sent to the UE to compare with the one or more measurements, thereby establishing a hysteresis curve to avoid the ping-pong effect.

23. The method as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 22, wherein, The specification includes instructing the UE to determine the operating mode of the WUR itself.

24. The method of any one of claims 12 to 23, wherein, The one or more measurements, one or more thresholds, and / or one or more additional measurements are used to set an exit condition for at least one of the following: high noise figure mode; low noise figure mode.

25. A wake-up receiver (WUR) (700) for a user equipment (UE) (2200), the WUR comprising: An antenna (715) is configured to receive a wake-up signal WUS, which is configured to wake up the UE; A front-end filter block (730) coupled to the antenna; A first switch (S1) is coupled to the front-end filter block and configured to selectively couple the front-end filter block to a front-end amplifier block (710) or a matching network (735). The front-end downconverter block (725) is configured to provide downconversion. A second switch (S2) is coupled to the front-end downconverter block and is configured to synchronize with the first switch to selectively couple the front-end downconverter block to the front-end amplifier block or the matching network. as well as Baseband processing (750) coupled to the front-end downconverter block; Specifically, when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the matching network, the WUR operates in a high noise figure mode, while when the first switch and the second switch are coupled to the front-end amplifier block, the WUR operates in a low noise figure mode.

26. The WUR of claim 25, further comprising the front-end amplifier block and the matching network.

27. A user equipment (UE) (2200) for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700), comprising: Processing circuit (2202), the processing circuit being configured to perform any step of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 11; as well as A power supply circuit (2208) is configured to supply power to the processing circuit.

28. A network node (3300) for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700) of a user equipment (UE) (2200), the network node comprising: Processing circuit (3302), the processing circuit being configured to perform any step of the steps described in any one of claims 12 to 24; A power supply circuit (3308) is configured to supply power to the processing circuit.

29. A user equipment (UE) (2200) for configuring a wake-up receiver (WUR) (700), the UE comprising: Antenna (2222), the antenna being configured to transmit and receive wireless signals; A radio front-end circuit (2212) is connected to the antenna and the processing circuit (2202) and is configured to regulate the signal transmitted between the antenna and the processing circuit, the processing circuit being configured to perform any step of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 11; An input interface (2206) is 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 (2206) is connected to the processing circuit and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuit. as well as A battery (2208) is connected to the processing circuit and configured to supply power to the UE.

Images