Mobility management of environmentally powered wireless devices

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. The mobility function network entity may send an inventory request message to the reader wireless devices that requests the reader to report an inventory of the environment powered wireless device associated with each reader. The reader may request and receive information from the environmentally powered wireless device, and the reader may send an inventory response message identifying the environmentally powered wireless device and its associated information to the mobility function network entity. Based on a first inventory response message indicating that the first environment-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader, the mobility function network entity may send a message to the first reader for relaying to the first environment-powered wireless device.

Description

Cross-references

[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of Greek Patent Application No. 20230100481 entitled “MOBILITY MANAGEMENT FOR AMBIENT-POWERED WIRELESS DEVICES”, filed by LOPES et al. on June 15, 2023 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The following text generally pertains to wireless communication, and more specifically to the mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices. Background Technology

[0003] Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content, such as voice, video, packet data, message sending and receiving, and broadcasting. These systems can support communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple access systems include fourth-generation (4G) systems (such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-A Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems) and fifth-generation (5G) systems (which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems). These systems may employ technologies such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), or Discrete Fourier Transform Extended Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple access communication system may include one or more base stations, each supporting wireless communication for communication devices, which may be referred to as User Equipment (UE). Summary of the Invention

[0004] The described technology relates to improved methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses for supporting mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices. For example, a function (Ambient Internet of Things (A-IoT) Mobility Function (A-IMF)) can manage the mobility of ambient wireless devices. In some cases, the A-IMF can send an inventory request message to one or more reader wireless devices (e.g., readers), requesting the reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient wireless devices (e.g., A-IoT) associated with that particular reader. Each reader wireless device can query the associated ambient wireless device and receive a query response from the ambient wireless device. The reader wireless device can then send an inventory response message identifying the ambient wireless device back to the A-IMF based on the query response. The A-IMF can then send a message to the corresponding reader wireless device (the message to be relayed to the ambient wireless device associated with that reader wireless device), the message indicating that the ambient wireless device is associated with the reader. In this way, the A-IMF (or another central node) can store ambient wireless device identifiers (IDs) and locations and interact with reader wireless devices to authenticate ambient wireless device information.

[0005] A method for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity is described. The method may include sending a set of multiple inventory request messages to a set of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the set of multiple reader wireless devices to report inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device; in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, receiving from the set of multiple reader wireless devices a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the set of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices; and based on a first inventory response message in the set of multiple inventory response messages, sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to the first ambient-powered wireless device, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0006] An apparatus for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity is described. The apparatus may include at least one processor, a memory coupled to the at least one processor (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, or electrically), and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable by the at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to cause the apparatus to send a set of multiple inventory request messages to a set of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the set of multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device; in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, to receive a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the set of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from the set of multiple reader wireless devices; and, based on a first inventory response message in the set of multiple inventory response messages, to send a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to the first ambient-powered wireless device, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0007] Another apparatus for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity is described. The apparatus may include: means for sending a set of multiple inventory request messages to a set of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the set of multiple reader wireless devices to report inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device; means for receiving, in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the set of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from the set of multiple reader wireless devices; and means for sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to the first ambient-powered wireless device based on a first inventory response message in the set of multiple inventory response messages, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0008] A non-transitory computer-readable medium is described, storing code for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity. The code may include instructions executable by at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to send a set of multiple inventory request messages to a set of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the set of multiple reader wireless devices to report inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device; in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, to receive a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the set of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from the set of multiple reader wireless devices; and based on a first inventory response message in the set of multiple inventory response messages, to send a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to the first ambient-powered wireless device, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0009] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving, from the group of multiple reader wireless devices, a group of multiple inventory response messages identifying the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices based on a group of multiple reflected messages from the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0010] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving, from the group of multiple reader wireless devices, a group of multiple second inventory response messages identifying the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices based on a group of multiple announcement messages from the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0011] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for sending one or more request messages to one or more reader wireless devices in the group of plurality of reader wireless devices, requesting the one or more reader wireless devices to report data for relay to an application function network entity, wherein the one or more reader wireless devices may be selected based on stored information associated with the group of plurality of reader wireless devices; receiving one or more response messages identifying the data from the one or more reader wireless devices in response to the one or more request messages; and sending a message to the application function network entity based on the one or more response messages indicating the data.

[0012] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the one or more reader wireless devices may be selected based on the distance or signal strength between the one or more reader wireless devices.

[0013] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for sending messages to an application-functional network entity to indicate the location of the first reader wireless device, the location of the first ambient-powered wireless device, or both.

[0014] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for storing information associated with identifying the multiple ambient-powered wireless devices in the group of multiple inventory response messages.

[0015] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the group of multiple inventory request messages instructs one or more of the group of multiple reader wireless devices to suspend the transmission of one or more of the group of multiple inventory response messages for a period of time or based on a trigger.

[0016] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the group of multiple inventory response messages indicates a group of multiple locations of the group of multiple reader wireless devices, a group of multiple reader wireless device IDs, and a group of multiple ambient-powered wireless device IDs.

[0017] The methods, apparatus, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for sending one or more of the group of multiple inventory request messages, the sending being based on a service profile associated with one or more of the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0018] Examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for storing a set of information associated with the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices identified thereas, wherein the set of information includes power characteristics, energy storage capacity, mobility characteristics, or any combination thereof.

[0019] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the group of multiple inventory request messages includes a set of reporting parameters.

[0020] A method for wireless communication at a reader wireless device is described. The method may include receiving an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity requesting the reader wireless device to report inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; in response to the inventory request message, sending an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity identifying the inventory of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; based on the inventory response message, receiving a message from the mobility function network entity for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, the inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and sending the message to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0021] An apparatus for wireless communication at a reader wireless device is described. The apparatus may include at least one processor, a memory coupled to the at least one processor (e.g., operative, communicative, functional, electronic, or electrical ground), and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable by the at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to cause the apparatus to receive an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity requesting the reader wireless device to report inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; in response to the inventory request message, to send an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity identifying the inventory of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; based on the inventory response message, to receive a message from the mobility function network entity for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, the inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and to send the message to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0022] Another apparatus for wireless communication at a reader wireless device is described. The apparatus may include: components for receiving an inventory request from a mobility function network entity, requesting the reader wireless device to report inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; components for sending an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity in response to the inventory request message, identifying the inventory of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; components for receiving a message from the mobility function network entity based on the inventory response message for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, the inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and components for sending the message to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0023] A non-transitory computer-readable medium is described, storing code for wireless communication at a reader wireless device. The code may include instructions executable by at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to receive an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity requesting the reader wireless device to report inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; in response to the inventory request message, sending an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity identifying the inventory of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; based on the inventory response message, receiving a message from the mobility function network entity for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, the inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and sending the message to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0024] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for sending one or more query messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, requesting information associated with the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0025] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for transmitting the one or more query messages to the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, the transmission being based on movement of the reader wireless device, movement of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, environmental changes, or a combination thereof.

[0026] Examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving one or more query response messages identifying information associated with the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices in response to the one or more query messages, wherein the inventory response messages include the information.

[0027] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the one or more query messages instruct the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to suspend the transmission of the one or more query response messages for a period of time or based on a trigger.

[0028] Examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving one or more reflected messages from the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, and for sending the inventory response message in response to receiving the one or more reflected messages.

[0029] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving one or more notification messages from the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices and for sending a second inventory response message identifying the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to the mobility function network entity.

[0030] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving a first request message from the Mobility Functions Network Entity requesting the reader wireless device to report data for relay to the Application Functions Network Entity; in response to the first request message, sending one or more second request messages to the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices requesting the data; in response to the one or more second request messages, receiving one or more first response messages identifying the data from the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; and in response to the one or more first response messages, sending a response message identifying the data.

[0031] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the first request message may be received based on the distance or signal strength between the reader wireless device and the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0032] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the inventory request message instructs the reader wireless device to pause the transmission of the inventory response message for a period of time or based on a trigger.

[0033] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the inventory request message indicates the location of the reader wireless device, the reader wireless device ID, and one or more ambient-powered wireless device IDs.

[0034] Examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving instructions on a service profile associated with the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein receiving the inventory request message may be based on the service profile.

[0035] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the inventory request message includes a set of reporting parameters.

[0036] A method for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device is described. The method may include receiving a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report that it is associated with the reader wireless device; in response to the query message, sending a query response message to the reader wireless device, the query response message reporting that it is associated with the reader wireless device; and receiving a message from the reader wireless device based on the query response message indicating that it is associated with the reader wireless device.

[0037] An apparatus for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device is described. The apparatus may include at least one processor, a memory coupled to the at least one processor (e.g., operative ground, communicative ground, functional ground, electronic ground, or electrical ground), and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable by the at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to cause the apparatus to receive a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; in response to the query message, to send a query response message to the reader wireless device reporting that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and to receive a message from the reader wireless device based on the query response message indicating that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device.

[0038] Another apparatus for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device is described. The apparatus may include: components for receiving a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report that it is associated with the reader wireless device; components for sending a query response message to the reader wireless device in response to the query message, the query response message reporting that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and components for receiving a message from the reader wireless device based on the query response message indicating that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device.

[0039] A non-transitory computer-readable medium is described, storing code for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device. The code may include instructions executable by at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to receive a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report its association with the reader wireless device; in response to the query message, to send a query response message to the reader wireless device reporting its association with the reader wireless device; and to receive a message from the reader wireless device based on the query response message indicating the association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device.

[0040] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, receiving the query message may include an operation, feature, component, or instruction for receiving the query message requesting information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device.

[0041] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, sending the query response message may include an operation, feature, component, or instruction for sending the query response message identifying the information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device in response to the query message.

[0042] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the query message instructs the ambient-powered wireless device to suspend the transmission of the query response message for a period of time or based on a trigger.

[0043] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving a second query message from a second reader wireless device requesting second information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device based on environmental changes.

[0044] In some examples of the methods, apparatuses, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, sending the query response message may include an operation, feature, component, or instruction for sending the query response message, which may be a backscatter of the query message.

[0045] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for sending a notification message to the reader wireless device based on a timer expiration, the notification message identifying information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device.

[0046] The methods, apparatuses, and examples of non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for receiving a request message from the reader wireless device for relay to a mobility function network entity; and in response to the request message, sending a response message identifying the data to the reader wireless device.

[0047] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the query message may be received based on the movement of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, the movement of the reader wireless device, environmental changes, or a combination thereof.

[0048] Examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein may further include operations, features, components, or instructions for sending instructions on a service profile associated with the ambient-powered wireless device, wherein receiving the query message may be based on the service profile.

[0049] In some examples of the methods, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media described herein, the query message includes a set of reporting parameters. Attached Figure Description

[0050] Figure 1 An example of a wireless communication system supporting mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0051] Figure 2 An example of a network architecture supporting mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0052] Figure 3 An example of a wireless communication system supporting mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0053] Figure 4 and Figure 5 An example of a process flow for mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0054] Figure 6 and Figure 7 A block diagram of an apparatus for mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0055] Figure 8 A block diagram of a communication manager supporting mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0056] Figure 9A diagram is shown of a system including a device that supports mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, according to one or more aspects of this disclosure.

[0057] Figure 10 and Figure 11 A block diagram of an apparatus for mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0058] Figure 12 A block diagram of a communication manager supporting mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0059] Figure 13 A diagram is shown of a system including a device that supports mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, according to one or more aspects of this disclosure.

[0060] Figure 14 and Figure 15 A block diagram of an apparatus for mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0061] Figure 16 A block diagram of a communication manager supporting mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0062] Figure 17 A diagram is shown of a system including a device that supports mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, according to one or more aspects of this disclosure.

[0063] Figures 18 to 24 A flowchart illustrating a method for mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0064] Ambient wireless devices (e.g., ambient Internet of Things (A-IoT) devices) are wireless devices that may have limited or no energy storage. Ambient wireless devices may lack the ability to perform autonomous transmission; therefore, they may communicate by reflecting received energy with additional modulation to carry information (e.g., backscattering). Additionally, ambient wireless devices may lack support for some mobility management procedures, including cell selection and reselection, and registration procedures, and such devices may not be able to initiate communication with other wireless devices. In some cases, wireless devices such as user equipment (UE) and network entities (e.g., base stations) may lack the technology to redirect communication to ambient wireless devices that do not comply with mobility management procedures, for example, when a UE moves out of its current registration area. Furthermore, technologies for selecting UEs, network entities, or other wireless nodes to communicate with specific ambient wireless devices are desirable.

[0065] The described technology relates to improved methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses for supporting mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices. For example, a function (A-IoT Mobility Function (A-IMF)) can manage the mobility management of ambient wireless devices. In some cases, the A-IMF may send an inventory request message to one or more reader wireless devices (e.g., readers), requesting the reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient wireless devices (e.g., A-IoT) associated with that particular reader. The report may indicate that zero or more ambient wireless devices are associated with the particular reader. Each reader wireless device may send a query and receive zero or more query responses from zero or more ambient wireless devices near the particular reader. The reader wireless device may then send an inventory response message identifying the zero or more ambient wireless devices back to the A-IMF based on the query response or the absence of any query response. The A-IMF may send a message to the corresponding reader wireless device indicating that zero or more ambient wireless devices are associated with the reader (the message is to be relayed to the ambient wireless device associated with that reader wireless device). In this way, the A-IMF (or another central node) can store the ambient wireless device identifier (ID) and location and interact with the reader wireless device to authenticate the ambient wireless device information.

[0066] The aspects of this disclosure are first described in the context of a wireless communication system. Then, the aspects of this disclosure are described in the context of network architecture and process flow. The aspects of this disclosure are further illustrated and described by way of apparatus diagrams, system diagrams, and flowcharts relating to mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0067] Figure 1 An example of a wireless communication system 100 supporting mobility management of environmentally powered wireless devices according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. The wireless communication system 100 may include one or more network entities 105, one or more UEs 115, and a core network 130. In some examples, the wireless communication system 100 may be a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, an Advanced LTE (LTE-A) network, an LTE-A Pro network, a New Radio (NR) network, or a network operating according to other systems and radio technologies, including future systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein.

[0068] Network entity 105 may be distributed across a geographical area to form wireless communication system 100 and may include devices in different forms or with different capabilities. In various examples, network entity 105 may be referred to as a network element, mobility element, radio access network (RAN) node, or network equipment, among other names. In some examples, network entity 105 and UE 115 may wirelessly communicate via one or more communication links 125 (e.g., radio frequency (RF) access links). For example, network entity 105 may support coverage area 110 (e.g., a geographical coverage area) within which UE 115 and network entity 105 may establish one or more communication links 125. Coverage area 110 may be an example of a geographical area within which network entity 105 and UE 115 may support signal communication according to one or more radio access technologies (RATs).

[0069] UE 115 may be distributed throughout the wireless communication system 100, and each UE 115 may be stationary or mobile. UE 115 may also be referred to as a mobile device, wireless device, remote device, handheld device, subscriber device, or some other suitable term, wherein "device" may also be referred to as a unit, station, terminal, or client. UE 115 can be a device such as: a cellular phone, smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), multimedia / entertainment device (e.g., a radio, MP3 player, or video device), camera, gaming device, navigation / positioning device (e.g., a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) device based on, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System), BeiDou, GLONASS, or Galileo, or a ground-based device), tablet computer, laptop computer, netbook, smartbook, personal computer, smart device, wearable device (e.g., smartwatch, smart clothing, smart glasses, virtual reality goggles, smart wristband, smart jewelry (e.g., smart ring, smart bracelet)), drone, robot / robotic device, vehicle, vehicle equipment, meter (e.g., parking timer, electricity meter, gas meter, water meter), monitor, air pump, electrical appliance (e.g., kitchen appliance, washing machine, dryer), location tag, medical / healthcare device, implant, sensor / actuator, display, or any other suitable device configured to communicate via wireless or wired media. In some examples, UE115 may also refer to a wireless local loop (WLL) station, an IoT device, an IoE device, or an MTC device, etc., which can be implemented in a variety of items such as appliances, drones, robots, vehicles, meters, etc.

[0070] Some UEs 115 (such as MTC or IoT devices) can be low-cost or low-complexity devices and can provide automated communication between machines (e.g., via machine-to-machine (M2M) communication). M2M communication or MTC can refer to data communication technologies that allow devices to communicate with each other or with network entities 105 (e.g., base stations) without human intervention. In some examples, M2M communication or MTC may include communication from devices integrated with sensors or meters to measure or capture information and relay that information to a central server or application that can utilize the information or present it to people interacting with the program or application. Some UEs 115 can be designed to collect information or enable automated machine behavior. Examples of applications for MTC devices include smart metering, inventory monitoring, water level monitoring, equipment monitoring, healthcare monitoring, wildlife monitoring, weather and geological event monitoring, fleet management and tracking, remote security sensing, physical access control, and transaction-based service charging. In one aspect, the techniques disclosed herein are applicable to MTC or IoT UEs. MTC or IoT UE can include MTC / enhanced MTC (eMTC, also known as CAT-M, Cat M1) UE, NB-IoT (also known as CAT NB1) UE, and other types of UE. eMTC and NB-IoT can refer to future technologies that can evolve from or are based on these technologies. For example, eMTC can include FeMTC (further eMTC), eFeMTC (further enhanced eMTC), and mMTC (massive MTC), while NB-IoT can include eNB-IoT (enhanced NB-IoT) and FeNB-IoT (further enhanced NB-IoT).

[0071] Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content, such as voice, video, packet data, message sending and receiving, broadcasting, etc. These systems can be multiple access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Wireless networks (e.g., wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as Wi-Fi networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11 networks)) can include access points (APs) that can communicate with one or more wireless or mobile devices. APs can be coupled to networks such as the Internet and enable mobile devices to communicate via the network (or with other devices coupled to the AP). Wireless devices can communicate bidirectionally with network devices. For example, in a WLAN, a device can communicate with an associated AP via a downlink (e.g., a communication link from the AP to the device) and an uplink (e.g., a communication link from the device to the AP). Wireless personal area networks (PANs) (which may include Bluetooth connectivity) can provide short-range wireless connections between two or more paired wireless devices. For example, a wireless device (such as a cellular phone) can utilize wireless PAN communication to exchange information such as audio signals with a wireless headset. Components within a wireless communication system can be coupled to each other (e.g., operatively coupled, communicatively coupled, functionally coupled, electronically coupled, and / or electrically coupled).

[0072] As described herein, a node in the wireless communication system 100 (which may be referred to as a network node or a wireless node) may be a network entity 105 (e.g., any network entity described herein), a UE 115 (e.g., any UE described herein), a network controller, apparatus, device, computing system, one or more components, or another suitable processing entity configured to perform any of the techniques described herein. For example, a node may be UE 115. Alternatively, a node may be network entity 105. Alternatively, a first node may be configured to communicate with a second or third node. In one aspect of this example, the first node may be UE 115, the second node may be network entity 105, and the third node may be UE 115. In another aspect of this example, the first node may be UE 115, the second node may be network entity 105, and the third node may be network entity 105. In other aspects of this example, the first node, the second node, and the third node may be different from these examples. Similarly, references to UE 115, network entity 105, device, equipment, or computing system may include disclosures of UE 115, network entity 105, device, equipment, or computing system as nodes. For example, a disclosure that UE 115 is configured to receive information from network entity 105 also discloses that a first node is configured to receive information from a second node.

[0073] In some examples, network entity 105 may communicate with core network 130 or with each other, or both. For example, network entity 105 may communicate with core network 130 via one or more backhaul communication links 120 (e.g., according to S1, N2, N3, or other interface protocols). In some examples, network entity 105 may communicate with each other directly (e.g., directly between network entities 105) or indirectly (e.g., via core network 130) via backhaul communication links 120 (e.g., according to X2, Xn, or other interface protocols). In some examples, network entity 105 may communicate with each other via midhaul communication link 162 (e.g., according to midhaul interface protocol) or fronthaul communication link 168 (e.g., according to fronthaul interface protocol) or any combination thereof. Backhaul communication link 120, midhaul communication link 162, or fronthaul communication link 168 may be or include one or more wired links (e.g., electrical links, fiber optic links), one or more wireless links (e.g., radio links, wireless optical links), etc., or various combinations thereof. UE 115 can communicate with core network 130 via communication link 155.

[0074] One or more network entities in network entity 105 described herein may include or be referred to as base station 140 (e.g., transceiver base station, radio base station, NR base station, AP, radio transceiver, Node B, evolved Node B (eNB), next-generation Node B or gigabit Node B (any of which may be referred to as gNB), 5G NB, next-generation eNB (ng-eNB), home Node B, home eNB, or other suitable terms). In some examples, network entity 105 (e.g., base station 140) may be implemented in an aggregated (e.g., monolithic, self-contained) base station architecture that may be configured to utilize a protocol stack physically or logically integrated within a single network entity 105 (e.g., a single RAN node, such as base station 140).

[0075] In some examples, network entity 105 may be implemented in a decomposed architecture (e.g., a decomposed base station architecture, a decomposed RAN architecture) that can be configured to utilize protocol stacks physically or logically distributed across two or more network entities 105 (such as an Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) network, an Open RAN (O-RAN) (e.g., a network configuration sponsored by the O-RAN Alliance), or a Virtualized RAN (vRAN) (e.g., a Cloud RAN (C-RAN)). For example, network entity 105 may include one or more of the following: a Central Unit (CU) 160, a Distributed Unit (DU) 165, a Radio Unit (RU) 170, a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) 175 (e.g., a near-real-time RIC, a non-real-time RIC), a Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) 180 system, or any combination thereof. 170 may also be referred to as a radio headend, intelligent radio headend, remote radio headend (RRH), remote radio unit (RRU), or transmit / receive point (TRP). One or more components of network entity 105 in a decomposed RAN architecture may be co-located, or one or more components of network entity 105 may be located in distributed locations (e.g., separate physical locations). In some examples, one or more network entities 105 in a decomposed RAN architecture may be implemented as virtual units (e.g., virtual CU (VCU), virtual DU (VDU), virtual RU (VRU)).

[0076] The functional splitting among CU 160, DU 165, and RU 170 is flexible and can support different functionalities depending on which functions (e.g., network layer functions, protocol layer functions, baseband functions, RF functions, and any combination thereof) are performed at CU 160, DU 165, or RU 170. For example, a protocol stack functional splitting can be used between CU 160 and DU 165, allowing CU 160 to support one or more layers of the protocol stack, and DU 165 to support one or more different layers of the protocol stack. In some examples, CU 160 can host higher protocol layer (e.g., Layer 3 (L3), Layer 2 (L2)) functionalities and signaling (e.g., Radio Resource Control (RRC), Serving Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)). The CU160 can connect to one or more DU 165s or RU 170s, and one or more DU 165s or RU 170s can host lower protocol layers, such as Layer 1 (L1) (e.g., Physical (PHY) layer) or L2 (e.g., Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, Medium Access Control (MAC) layer) functionality and signaling, and each can be at least partially controlled by the CU 160. Additionally or alternatively, a protocol stack functional split can be employed between the DU 165 and RU 170, such that the DU 165 can support one or more layers of the protocol stack, and the RU 170 can support one or more different layers of the protocol stack. The DU 165 can support one or more different cells (e.g., via one or more RU 170s). In some cases, functional decomposition between CU 160 and DU 165, or between DU 165 and RU 170, can be performed within the protocol layer (e.g., some functions of the protocol layer can be performed by one of CU 160, DU 165, or RU 170, while other functions of the protocol layer can be performed by different of CU 160, DU 165, or RU 170). CU 160 can be further functionally decomposed into CU control plane (CU-CP) and CU user plane (CU-UP) functions. CU 160 can be connected to one or more DU 165s via midhaul communication link 162 (e.g., F1, F1-c, F1-u), and DU 165 can be connected to one or more RU 170s via fronthaul communication link 168 (e.g., open fronthaul (FH) interface). In some examples, the midhaul communication link 162 or the fronthaul communication link 168 may be implemented based on the interfaces (e.g., channels) between the layers of the protocol stack, which are supported by the corresponding network entities 105 that communicate via these communication links.

[0077] In some wireless communication systems (e.g., wireless communication system 100), the infrastructure and spectrum resources for radio access can support wireless backhaul link capabilities to supplement wired backhaul connections, thereby providing an IAB network architecture (e.g., to core network 130). In some cases, in an IAB network, one or more network entities 105 (e.g., IAB node 104) may be partially controlled by each other. One or more IAB nodes 104 may be referred to as donor entities or IAB donors. One or more DU 165s or one or more RU 170s may be partially controlled by one or more CU 160s associated with donor network entity 105 (e.g., donor base station 140). One or more donor network entities 105 (e.g., IAB donors) may communicate with one or more additional network entities 105 (e.g., IAB node 104) via supported access and backhaul links (e.g., backhaul communication link 120). IAB node 104 may include an IAB mobile terminal (IAB-MT) controlled (e.g., scheduled) by a DU 165 of a coupled IAB donor. The IAB-MT may include a separate set of antennas for relaying communication with UE 115, or may share the same antennas (e.g., those of RU 170) for access to IAB node 104 via DU 165 of IAB node 104. (e.g., referred to as a virtual IAB-MT (vIAB-MT)). In some examples, IAB node 104 may include a DU 165 that supports communication links with additional entities (e.g., IAB node 104, UE 115) within a relay chain or configuration (e.g., downstream) of the access network. In such cases, one or more components of the decomposed RAN architecture (e.g., one or more IAB nodes 104 or components of IAB node 104) may be configured to operate according to the techniques described herein.

[0078] For example, the access network (AN) or RAN may include communication between an access node (e.g., an IAB donor), IAB node 104, and one or more UEs 115. The IAB donor may facilitate connectivity between the core network 130 and the AN (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection to the core network 130). That is, an IAB donor may refer to a RAN node having a wired or wireless connection to the core network 130. The IAB donor may include a CU 160 and at least one DU 165 (e.g., and RU 170), in which case the CU 160 may communicate with the core network 130 via an interface (e.g., a backhaul link). The IAB donor and IAB node 104 may communicate via an F1 interface according to a protocol defining the signaling messages (e.g., the F1 AP protocol). Additionally or alternatively, the CU 160 can communicate with the core network via an interface (which may be part of a backhaul link) and can communicate with other CU 160s (e.g., CU 160 associated with an alternative IAB donor) via an Xn-C interface (which may be part of a backhaul link).

[0079] IAB node 104 may refer to a RAN node that provides IAB functionality (e.g., access for UE 115, radio self-backhaul capability). DU 165 may act as a distributed scheduling node toward child nodes associated with IAB node 104, and IAB-MT may act as a scheduled node toward a parent node associated with IAB node 104. That is, an IAB donor may be referred to as a parent node communicating with one or more child nodes (e.g., an IAB donor may relay UE transmissions through one or more other IAB nodes 104). Additionally or alternatively, depending on the AN's relay chain or configuration, IAB node 104 may also be referred to as a parent or child node of other IAB nodes 104. Therefore, the IAB-MT entity of IAB node 104 may provide a Uu interface for child IAB node 104 to receive signaling from parent IAB node 104, and the DU interface (e.g., DU 165) may provide a Uu interface for parent IAB node 104 to signal to child IAB node 104 or UE 115.

[0080] For example, IAB node 104 may be referred to as a parent node supporting communication to child IAB nodes, or as a child IAB node associated with an IAB donor, or both. An IAB donor may include a CU 160 having a wired or wireless connection to core network 130 (e.g., backhaul communication link 120) and may act as a parent node of IAB node 104. For example, the IAB donor's DU 165 may relay transmissions to UE 115 via IAB node 104, or may signal transmissions directly to UE 115, or both. The IAB donor's CU 160 may signal the establishment of a communication link to IAB node 104 via an F1 interface, and IAB node 104 may schedule transmissions via DU 165 (e.g., transmissions relayed from the IAB donor to UE 115). That is, data may be relayed to and from IAB node 104 via signaling through the NR Uu interface of the MT to IAB node 104. Communication with IAB node 104 can be scheduled by DU 165 of the IAB donor, and communication with IAB node 104 can be scheduled by DU 165 of IAB node 104.

[0081] In the context of applying the techniques described herein in a decomposed RAN architecture, one or more components of the decomposed RAN architecture can be configured to support mobility management of environment-powered radio devices as described herein. For example, some operations described as being performed by UE 115 or network entity 105 (e.g., base station 140) can be additionally or alternatively performed by one or more components of the decomposed RAN architecture (e.g., IAB node 104, DU 165, CU 160, RU 170, RIC 175, SMO 180).

[0082] UE 115 may include or be referred to as a mobile device, wireless device, remote device, handheld device, or subscriber device, or any other suitable term, wherein "device" may also be referred to as a unit, station, terminal, or client, etc. UE 115 may also include or be referred to as a personal electronic device, such as a cellular phone, PDA, tablet computer, laptop computer, or personal computer. In some examples, UE 115 may include or be referred to as a WLL station, IoT device, IoE device, or machine-type communication (MTC) device, and other examples, which may be implemented in various items such as electrical appliances, or vehicles, meters, and other examples.

[0083] The UE 115 described herein may be able to communicate with various types of devices, such as other UEs 115 that may sometimes act as relays, as well as network entities 105 and network equipment including macro eNBs or gNBs, small cell eNBs or gNBs, or relay base stations, etc. Figure 1As shown.

[0084] UE 115 and network entity 105 can wirelessly communicate with each other via one or more communication links 125 (e.g., access links) using resources associated with one or more carriers. The term "carrier" can refer to a set of RF spectrum resources that define the physical layer structure used to support the communication link 125. For example, a carrier for the communication link 125 may include a portion of the RF spectrum band (e.g., a bandwidth portion (BWP)) operating according to one or more physical layer channels for a given RAT (e.g., LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, NR). Each physical layer channel may carry acquisition signaling (e.g., synchronization signals, system information), control signaling coordinating carrier operation, user data, or other signaling. Wireless communication system 100 can support communication with UE 115 using carrier aggregation or multi-carrier operation. Depending on the carrier aggregation configuration, UE 115 can be configured to have multiple downlink component carriers and one or more uplink component carriers. Carrier aggregation can be used for both frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) component carriers. Communication between network entity 105 and other devices can refer to communication between these devices and any part of network entity 105 (e.g., entity, sub-entity). For example, the terms “send,” “receive,” or “communicate” when referring to network entity 105 can refer to any part of the RAN network entity 105 (e.g., base station 140, CU 160, DU 165, RU 170) communicating with another device (e.g., directly or via one or more other network entities 105).

[0085] The signal waveform transmitted via a carrier may include multiple subcarriers (e.g., using multi-carrier modulation (MCM) techniques, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or discrete Fourier transform extended OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM)). In a system employing MCM, a resource element may refer to a resource of one symbol period (e.g., the duration of one modulation symbol) and one subcarrier, in which case the symbol period and subcarrier spacing may be inversely related. The number of bits carried by each resource element may depend on the modulation scheme (e.g., the order of the modulation scheme, the decoding rate of the modulation scheme, or both), such that a relatively high number of resource elements (e.g., in the transmission duration) and a relatively high-order modulation scheme can correspond to a relatively high communication rate. Wireless communication resources may refer to a combination of RF spectrum resources, temporal resources, and spatial resources (e.g., spatial layers or beams), and the use of multiple spatial resources can increase the data rate or data integrity used for communication with UE 115.

[0086] The time interval for network entity 105 or UE 115 can be expressed as a multiple of a basic time unit, such as the sampling period. seconds, of which This can represent the supported subcarrier spacing, while The supported Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) size can be represented. The time interval of the communication resources can be organized according to radio frames, each with a specified duration (e.g., 10 milliseconds (ms)). Each radio frame can be identified by a System Frame Number (SFN) (e.g., ranging from 0 to 1023).

[0087] Each frame may include multiple consecutively numbered subframes or time slots, and each subframe or time slot may have the same duration. In some examples, a frame may (e.g., in the time domain) be divided into subframes, and each subframe may be further divided into a number of time slots. Alternatively, each frame may include a variable number of time slots, and the number of time slots may depend on the subcarrier spacing. Each time slot may include a number of symbol periods (e.g., depending on the length of the cyclic prefix appended to each symbol period). In some wireless communication systems 100, time slots may be further divided into multiple mini-time slots associated with one or more symbols. Excluding the cyclic prefix, each symbol period may be associated with one or more (e.g., The duration of a symbol period is associated with a (number) sampling period. The duration of a symbol period can depend on the subcarrier spacing or the operating frequency band.

[0088] A subframe, time slot, mini-time slot, or symbol can be the smallest scheduling unit of the wireless communication system 100 (e.g., in the time domain) and can be referred to as a Transmission Time Interval (TTI). In some examples, the duration of the TTI (e.g., the number of symbol periods in the TTI) can be variable. Additionally or alternatively, the smallest scheduling unit of the wireless communication system 100 can be dynamically selected (e.g., in a burst of shortened TTIs (sTTIs)).

[0089] Physical channels can be multiplexed using various techniques to enable communication using carriers. For example, one or more of Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), or hybrid TDM-FDM techniques can be used to multiplex physical control channels and physical data channels for signaling via downlink carriers. The control region of a physical control channel (e.g., a control resource set (CORESET)) can be defined by a set of symbol periods and can extend across the system bandwidth of a carrier or a subset of that bandwidth. One or more control regions (e.g., CORESETs) can be configured for a set of UEs 115. For example, one or more UEs in UE 115 can monitor or search control regions to obtain control information based on one or more search space sets, and each search space set can include one or more control channel candidates in one or more aggregation levels arranged in a concatenated manner. The aggregation level of control channel candidates can refer to the amount of control channel resources (e.g., control channel elements (CCEs)) associated with coded information for a control information format having a given payload size. The search space set may include: a common search space set configured to transmit control information to multiple UEs 115, and a UE-specific search space set used to transmit control information to a specific UE 115.

[0090] In some examples, network entity 105 (e.g., base station 140, RU 170) may be mobile, and thus provide communication coverage to mobile coverage areas 110. In some examples, different coverage areas 110 associated with different technologies may overlap, but the different coverage areas 110 may be supported by the same network entity 105. In some other examples, overlapping coverage areas 110 associated with different technologies may be supported by different network entities 105. The wireless communication system 100 may include, for example, a heterogeneous network in which different types of network entities 105 use the same or different RATs to provide coverage for various coverage areas 110.

[0091] Wireless communication system 100 may be configured to support ultra-reliable communication or low-latency communication, or various combinations thereof. For example, wireless communication system 100 may be configured to support ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). UE 115 may be designed to support ultra-reliable, low-latency, or critical functions. Ultra-reliable communication may include private or group communication and may be supported by one or more services, such as push-to-talk, video, or data. Support for ultra-reliable, low-latency functions may include prioritizing services, and such services may be used for public safety or general commercial applications. The terms ultra-reliable, low-latency, and ultra-reliable low-latency may be used interchangeably herein.

[0092] In some examples, UE 115 may be configured to support direct communication with other UE 115s via device-to-device (D2D) communication link 135 (e.g., according to peer-to-peer (P2P), D2D, or sidelink protocols). In some examples, one or more UE 115s performing D2D communication in a group may be within the coverage area 110 of network entity 105 (e.g., base station 140, RU 170), which may support aspects of such D2D communication configured (e.g., scheduled) by network entity 105. In some examples, one or more UE 115s in such a group may be outside the coverage area 110 of network entity 105, or may otherwise be unable or not configured to receive transmissions from network entity 105. In some examples, the group of UE 115s communicating via D2D communication may support a one-to-many (1:M) system, where each UE 115 transmits to each of the other UE 115s in the group. In some examples, network entity 105 may facilitate the scheduling of resources used for D2D communication. In other examples, D2D communication may be performed between UEs 115 without involving network entity 105.

[0093] Core network 130 provides user authentication, access authorization, tracking, Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity, and other access, routing, or mobility functions. Core network 130 can be an evolved packet core (EPC) or a 5G core (5GC), and may include at least one control plane entity (e.g., a Mobility Management Entity (MME), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)) for managing access and mobility, and at least one user plane entity (e.g., a Serving Gateway (S-GW), Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (P-GW), or User Plane Function (UPF)) for routing packets or interconnecting to external networks. The control plane entity may manage non-access stratum (NAS) functions, such as mobility, authentication, and bearer management of UE 115 served by network entity 105 (e.g., base station 140) associated with core network 130. User IP packets can be transferred through user plane entities, which can provide IP address allocation and other functions. User plane entities may connect to one or more network operator IP services 150. IP services 150 may include access to the Internet, intranets, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), or packet-switched streaming services.

[0094] Wireless communication system 100 can operate using one or more frequency bands in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. Generally, the region from 300 MHz to 3 GHz is referred to as the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) region or decimeter band because the wavelength range is approximately one decimeter to one meter in length. UHF waves may be blocked or redirected by buildings and environmental features (which may be referred to as clusters), but these waves are sufficient to penetrate structures so that macrocells can provide service to UE 115 located indoors. Compared to communication using smaller frequencies and longer wavelengths in the lower frequency (HF) or very high frequency (VHF) portions of the spectrum below 300 MHz, communication using UHF waves can be associated with smaller antennas and shorter ranges (e.g., less than 100 km).

[0095] Wireless communication system 100 may utilize licensed and unlicensed RF spectrum bands. For example, wireless communication system 100 may use licensed assisted access (LAA), LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) RAT, or NR technologies in unlicensed frequency bands (such as the 5 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band). When operating using unlicensed RF spectrum bands, devices such as network entity 105 and UE 115 may employ carrier sensing for collision detection and avoidance. In some examples, operation using unlicensed frequency bands may be combined with component carriers operating using licensed frequency bands based on carrier aggregation configurations (e.g., LAA). Operations using unlicensed spectrum may include downlink transmission, uplink transmission, P2P transmission, or D2D transmission, etc.

[0096] Network entity 105 (e.g., base station 140, RU 170) or UE 115 may be equipped with multiple antennas that can be used to employ techniques such as transmit diversity, receive diversity, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication, or beamforming. The antennas of network entity 105 or UE 115 may be located within one or more antenna arrays or antenna panels, which can support MIMO operation or transmit or receive beamforming. For example, one or more base station antennas or antenna arrays may be co-located at an antenna assembly, such as an antenna tower. In some examples, the antennas or antenna arrays associated with network entity 105 may be located at different geographical locations. Network entity 105 may include an antenna array having a collection of multiple rows and columns of antenna ports that network entity 105 can use to support beamforming for communication with UE 115. Similarly, UE 115 may include one or more antenna arrays that can support various MIMO or beamforming operations. Additionally or alternatively, the antenna panel may support RF beamforming for signals transmitted via the antenna ports.

[0097] Beamforming (also known as spatial filtering, directional transmission, or directional reception) is a signal processing technique that can be used at a transmitting or receiving device (e.g., network entity 105, UE 115) to shape or guide an antenna beam (e.g., a transmit beam, a receive beam) along a spatial path between the transmitting and receiving devices. Beamforming can be achieved by combining signals transmitted via antenna elements of an antenna array such that some signals propagating along a particular orientation relative to the antenna array experience constructive interference, while other signals experience destructive interference. Adjustments to the signals transmitted via the antenna elements may include the transmitting or receiving device applying amplitude shifts, phase shifts, or both to the signals carried via the antenna elements associated with the device. The adjustments associated with each of these antenna elements may be defined by a beamforming weight set associated with a particular direction (e.g., relative to the antenna array of the transmitting or receiving device or relative to some other direction).

[0098] The wireless communication system 100 can be a packet-based network operating according to a layered protocol stack. In the user plane, communication at the bearer or PDCP layer can be IP-based. The RLC layer performs packet segmentation and reassembly for transmission via logical channels. The MAC layer performs priority handling and multiplexing of logical channels to transport channels. The MAC layer can also implement error detection, error correction, or both to support retransmission and improve link efficiency. In the control plane, the RRC layer provides the establishment, configuration, and maintenance of RRC connections between the UE 115 and network entity 105 or core network 130 that support user plane data radio bearers. The PHY layer maps transport channels to physical channels.

[0099] The wireless communication system 100 can support mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices. For example, the A-IMF can manage the mobility management of ambient wireless devices. In some cases, the A-IMF can send an inventory request message to one or more reader wireless devices (e.g., readers), requesting the reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient wireless devices (e.g., A-IoT) associated with that particular reader. Each reader wireless device can query the associated ambient wireless device and receive a query response from the ambient wireless device. Then, the reader wireless device can send an inventory response message identifying the ambient wireless device back to the A-IMF based on the query response. The A-IMF can send a message to the corresponding reader wireless device (the message to be relayed to the ambient wireless device associated with that reader wireless device), the message indicating that the ambient wireless device is associated with the reader. In this way, the A-IMF (or another central node) can store the ambient wireless device ID and location and interact with the reader wireless devices to authenticate the ambient wireless device information.

[0100] Figure 2An example of a network architecture 200 (e.g., a decomposed base station architecture, a decomposed RAN architecture) supporting mobility management for environmentally powered wireless devices according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. Network architecture 200 may exemplify examples for implementing one or more aspects of wireless communication system 100. Network architecture 200 may include one or more CUs 160-a that can communicate directly with core network 130-a via backhaul communication link 120-a, or indirectly with core network 130-a via one or more decomposed network entities 105 (e.g., near-RT RIC 175-b via an E2 link or a non-RT RIC 175-a associated with SMO 180-a (e.g., an SMO framework) or both). CUs 160-a may communicate with one or more DUs 165-a via a corresponding midhaul communication link 162-a (e.g., an F1 interface). DUs 165-a may communicate with one or more RUs 170-a via a corresponding fronthaul communication link 168-a. RU 170-a can be associated with a corresponding coverage area 110-a and can communicate with UE 115-a via one or more communication links 125-a. In some implementations, UE 115-a can be served simultaneously by multiple RU 170-a.

[0101] Each network entity in network entity 105 of network architecture 200 (e.g., CU 160-a, DU 165-a, RU170-a, non-RT RIC 175-a, near-RT RIC 175-b, SMO 180-a, Open Cloud (O-Cloud) 205, Open eNB (O-eNB) 210) may include one or more interfaces or may be coupled to one or more interfaces configured to receive or transmit signals (e.g., data, information) via wired or wireless transmission media. Each network entity 105 or an associated processor (e.g., a controller) that provides instructions to the interfaces of network entity 105 may be configured to communicate with one or more network entities in other network entities 105 via transmission media. For example, these network entities 105 may include wired interfaces configured to receive signals or transmit signals to one or more network entities in other network entities 105 via wired transmission media. Additionally or alternatively, network entity 105 may include a wireless interface that may include a receiver, transmitter, or transceiver (e.g., an RF transceiver) configured to receive signals via a wireless transmission medium or to transmit signals to one or more other network entities in network entity 105, or both.

[0102] In some examples, the CU 160-a may host one or more higher-level control functions. Such control functions may include RRC, PDCP, or SDAP. Each control function may be implemented using an interface configured to signal to other control functions hosted by the CU 160-a. The CU 160-a may be configured to handle user plane functionalities (e.g., CU-UP), control plane functionalities (e.g., CU-CP), or combinations thereof. In some examples, the CU 160-a may be logically split into one or more CU-UP units and one or more CU-CP units. When implemented in an O-RAN configuration, the CU-UP unit may communicate bidirectionally with the CU-CP unit via an interface such as an E1 interface. The CU 160-a may be implemented to communicate with the DU 165-a for network control and signaling purposes, as needed.

[0103] DU 165-a may correspond to a logical unit that includes one or more functions (e.g., base station functions, RAN functions) to control the operation of one or more RU 170-a. In some examples, DU 165-a may at least partially host one or more aspects of the RLC layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer (e.g., high PHY layers, such as modules for FEC encoding and decoding, scrambling, modulation, and demodulation), depending at least in part on the functional partitioning, such as that defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). In some examples, DU 165-a may also host one or more low PHY layers. Each layer may be implemented using an interface configured to communicate with other layers hosted by DU 165-a or with control functions hosted by CU 160-a.

[0104] In some examples, lower-layer functionality may be implemented by one or more RU 170-a units. In some examples, an RU 170-a controlled by a DU 165-a may correspond to a logical node that hosts RF processing functions, or low-PHY layer functions (e.g., performing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Inverse FFT (iFFT), digital beamforming, Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) extraction and filtering), or both, based at least in part on functional partitioning (such as lower-layer functional partitioning). In such architectures, the RU 170-a may be implemented to handle over-the-air (OTA) communications with one or more UE 115-a units. In some specific implementations, the real-time and non-real-time aspects of control plane and user plane communications with the RU 170-a may be controlled by the corresponding DU 165-a unit. In some examples, such configurations enable the implementation of DU165-a and CU 160-a units in cloud-based RAN architectures such as vRAN architectures.

[0105] The SMO 180-a can be configured to support RAN deployment and provisioning of both non-virtualized and virtualized network entities 105. For non-virtualized network entities 105, the SMO 180-a can be configured to support the deployment of dedicated physical resources for RAN coverage requirements, which can be managed via an operation and maintenance interface (e.g., the O1 interface). For virtualized network entities 105, the SMO 180-a can be configured to interact with a cloud computing platform (e.g., O-Cloud 205) via a cloud computing platform interface (e.g., the O2 interface) to perform network entity lifecycle management (e.g., to instantiate virtualized network entities 105). Such virtualized network entities 105 may include, but are not limited to, CU 160-a, DU 165-a, RU 170-a, and near-RT RIC 175-b. In some specific implementations, the SMO 180-a can communicate with components configured according to the 4G RAN (e.g., via the O1 interface). Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the SMO 180-a may communicate directly with one or more RU 170-a via the O1 interface. The SMO 180-a may also include a non-RT RIC 175-a configured to support the functionality of the SMO 180-a.

[0106] The non-RT RIC 175-a can be configured to include logical functions enabling non-real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources, including artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) workflows for model training and updates, or policy-based guidance for applications / features in the near-RT RIC 175-b. The non-RT RIC 175-a can be coupled to or communicate with the near-RT RIC 175-b (e.g., via an A1 interface). The near-RT RIC 175-b can be configured to include logical functions enabling near real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources via data collection and actions on an interface (e.g., via an E2 interface) that connects one or more CU 160-a, one or more DU 165-a, or both, and an O-eNB210 to the near-RT RIC 175-b.

[0107] In some examples, to generate AI / ML models to be deployed in a near-RT RIC 175-b, a non-RT RIC 175-a may receive parameters or external enrichment information from an external server. This information can be utilized by the near-RT RIC 175-b and can be received from non-network data sources or network functions at the SMO 180-a or non-RT RIC 175-a. In some examples, a non-RT RIC 175-a or near-RT RIC 175-b may be configured to tune RAN behavior or performance. For example, a non-RT RIC 175-a may monitor long-term trends and patterns in performance and employ AI or ML models to perform corrective actions via the SMO 180-a (e.g., via O1 reconfiguration) or via the generation of RAN management policies such as the A1 policy.

[0108] Network architecture 200 can support mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices. For example, the A-IMF can manage the mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices. In some cases, the A-IMF can send an inventory request message to one or more reader wireless devices (e.g., readers), requesting the reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices (e.g., A-IoT) associated with that particular reader. Each reader wireless device can query the associated ambient-powered wireless device and receive a query response from the ambient-powered wireless device. Then, the reader wireless device can send an inventory response message identifying the ambient-powered wireless device back to the A-IMF based on the query response. The A-IMF can send a message to the corresponding reader wireless device (the message to be relayed to the ambient-powered wireless device associated with that reader wireless device), the message indicating that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader. In this way, the A-IMF (or another central node) can store the ambient-powered wireless device ID and location and interact with the reader wireless devices to authenticate the ambient-powered wireless device information.

[0109] Figure 3 An example of a wireless communication system 300 supporting mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. The wireless communication system may include an ambient wireless device 305-a (e.g., an A-IoT device), a reader wireless device 310-a (e.g., a reader), and a mobility function network entity 330-a (e.g., A-IoT), which may be examples of the corresponding devices described herein. In some examples, the mobility function network entity 330-a may communicate with a plurality of reader wireless devices 310, and each reader wireless device 310 may communicate with one or more ambient wireless devices 305.

[0110] The Ambient Wireless Device 305-a may be an A-IoT device with no or limited energy storage. For example, the Ambient Wireless Device 305-a may not be able to transmit autonomously, or may be able to transmit with limited autonomy. Instead of limited autonomy, or in addition to limited autonomy, the Ambient Wireless Device 305-a may communicate by using energy received through additional modulation of the reflected energy carrying information (e.g., backscatter transmission). The Ambient Wireless Device 305-a may lack support for some mobility management procedures, such as cell selection and reselection, System Information Block (SIB) reading, Tracking Area Configuration, and Network Attached Storage (NAS) registration procedures.

[0111] Ambient wireless devices 305-a can be one of several different types of A-IoT devices. A first device type (Type A) may not have energy storage and independent signal generation (e.g., it may use backscatter transmission). A second device type (Type B) may have limited energy storage (e.g., for amplifying reflected signals) and no independent signal generation (e.g., it may use backscatter transmission). A third device type (Type C) may have limited energy storage (e.g., for amplifying reflected signals) and limited independent signal generation (e.g., for transmitting active RF components). In some examples, A-IoT devices of the third device type may be associated with a specific energy storage category. For example, a device capable of storing up to E1 / E2 joules of energy may have limited energy storage. Therefore, in some cases, a Type C device may not be able to autonomously send or reach a specific node for complex procedures such as registration (e.g., due to a limited number of messages or a limited message size).

[0112] The environmental radio device 305-a may have a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and may be associated with a UE subscription. In addition, different wireless communication environments (e.g., RAN topology) may support the environmental radio device 305-a (e.g., communicating with gNB or network entity 105, UE 115, or some other nodes that act as relays or operate independently).

[0113] Ambient radio device 305-a (particularly type A or type B devices) may have limited communication initiation capabilities due to its limited energy storage capacity. Since ambient radio device 305-a may not support standard mobility management procedures (e.g., cell reselection or cell registration procedures when moving from a current registration area to a new registration area), other devices (e.g., network entity 105, UE 115, or other radio nodes) may find it difficult to direct communication to ambient radio device 305-a. Therefore, methods for selecting radio devices or nodes to communicate with ambient radio device 305-a (e.g., since the communication range of A-IoT devices may be much shorter than that of normal or typical mobile devices) are desirable.

[0114] In some examples, the reader wireless device 310-a can communicate and interact directly with the ambient wireless device 305. The reader wireless device 310-a can send and receive communications from other wireless devices, and in some cases, can additionally provide RF power to power the ambient wireless device 305-a. In some examples, the reader wireless device 310-a may be a UE 115, gNB, or network entity 105, IAB node, another node in a 5G system, or a dedicated node.

[0115] Reader wireless device 310-a can query its environment by sending a query message 315 (e.g., a general query). For example, in response to detecting a change in the environment, reader wireless device 310-a can autonomously send query message 315 via configuration from mobility function network entity 330. In some examples, such as when ambient wireless device 305-a is a type A or type B device that cannot independently generate a signal, query message 315 can provide uplink data transmission opportunity for ambient wireless device 305-a.

[0116] In some examples, query message 315 may indicate a specific environment wireless device 305-a or a group of environment wireless devices 305-a that can use query message 315 to send data (e.g., device information). In some examples, reader wireless device 310-a may indicate the periodicity of query message 315 to environment wireless device 305-a. In some examples, environment wireless device 305-a may provide service expectations to reader wireless device 310-a, which reader wireless device 310-a may use to determine or modify the periodicity of query message 315. In some other examples, mobility function network entity 330-a may configure reader wireless device based on the periodicity of service profiles and characteristics of environment wireless device 305-a.

[0117] Ambient wireless device 305-a can respond to query message 315 with query response message 320 (e.g., transmitted via backscatter). The query response message may include ambient wireless device information, such as device ID and other information about ambient wireless device 305-a (e.g., sensor information or location information). In some examples (e.g., when ambient wireless device 305-a is a type C device capable of transmission), ambient wireless device 305-a may autonomously send announcement messages to reader wireless device 310, as described herein. Figure 5The notification message may include an indicator that the environmental wireless device 305-a has data (e.g., device information or sensor data) to be transmitted to the network. Additionally or alternatively, the notification message may include the data that the environmental wireless device 305-a is to transmit to the network. The reader wireless device 310-a may interact with the environmental wireless device 305-a to acknowledge data, retrieve data (e.g., via a query procedure), or both.

[0118] The reader wireless device 310-a may store ambient wireless device information and / or may transmit device information and its own location to the central node, the mobility function network entity 330-a, via inventory response message 325. The reader wireless device 310-a may interact (e.g., communicate) with the ambient wireless device 305-a and the server (e.g., the mobility function network entity 330-a) to authenticate the reported ambient wireless device ID.

[0119] Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a may be an AMF, another core network node, or an external server, and may be referred to as A-IMF. In some examples, Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a may reside in an authorized (e.g., 3GPP) core network (e.g., in an AMF), in a RAN, in an external server (e.g., outside of 3GPP), or any combination thereof (e.g., some functions may reside in the core network and some functions may reside externally).

[0120] The exact signaling path and delivery may vary depending on whether the mobility function network entity 330-a and reader radio device 310-a are hosted, or where they are hosted. For example, inventory request message 335, inventory response message 325, or both may include user plane signaling sent to UE 115 or control plane signaling sent to network entity 105 (e.g., gNB).

[0121] Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may possess certain functionalities to support mobility management of ambient wireless devices 305-a. In some examples, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may store, be configured with, or be able to access a database of A-IoT device characteristics (e.g., power characteristics, energy storage capacity, or mobility characteristics). In some examples, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may be configured to support reader wireless devices 310-a in collecting and reporting data about their surroundings (e.g., within or near a specific distance, or with sufficient signal strength) of ambient wireless devices 305-a. For example, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may send an inventory request message 335 to one or more reader wireless devices 310-a. In some examples, Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a may receive reports (e.g., inventory response messages 325) from one or more reader wireless devices 310-a. These reports may include environmental wireless device information (e.g., A-IoT device location and A-IoT device ID), reader wireless device information (e.g., reader location and reader ID, such as UEID if reader wireless device 310-a is UE 115, or network node identity if reader wireless device 310-a is network entity 105), or any combination thereof. Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a may store the received information along with reader history (e.g., when inventory response messages 325 were sent or received) in, for example, a database. Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a may also support downlink and uplink communication, search functionality, and communication with other wireless devices capable of transmitting.

[0122] In some examples, other functions (e.g., application function network entities) may interact with mobility function network entity 330-a to obtain information from ambient radio device 305-a in order to communicate with ambient radio device 305-a (e.g., requesting data, requesting new location reports, or sending data such as state changes). In such examples, mobility function network entity 330-a may act as a routing device, or mobility function network entity 330-a may provide data for use by other functions.

[0123] When acting as a routing device, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a can select one or more suitable reader wireless devices 310-a (e.g., the last known reader wireless device 310, the last known ambient wireless device 305-a) based on stored data. Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a can forward a request to one or more reader wireless devices 310-a and wait for a response. One or more reader wireless devices 310-a can provide a device ID to ensure that other devices (e.g., ambient wireless devices 305-a other than those communicating with the other functions) do not respond. For example, if Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a is routing to or querying a specific ambient wireless device 305, reader wireless device 310-a can include the device ID of that specific ambient wireless device 305-a in the query message 315, such that ambient wireless device 305-a will only send a query response message 320 if its device ID matches the ID in the query message 315. If no response is received (e.g., for a period of time after the request was sent), Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a may relax the reader selection criteria, for example, by selecting all reader wireless devices 310-a known to be within a certain distance of the last known location of ambient wireless device 305-a (or reader wireless devices known to have sufficient signal strength with ambient wireless device 305-a). After receiving a suitable response from the target device (e.g., ambient wireless device 305-a), reader wireless device 310-a may forward the response back to Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a, and Mobility Function Network Entity 330-a may provide the received information to the transmitting function.

[0124] When providing data for use by one or more other functions (e.g., enabling other functions to communicate with ambient wireless device 305-a), mobility function network entity 330-a can provide reader location, ambient wireless device location, and other reader-related data for the target device (e.g., ambient wireless device 305-a). If the location data has not been updated for some time (e.g., is not recent enough), mobility function network entity 330-a can follow the same steps described herein, but can avoid forwarding the data to one or more other functions. Instead, mobility function network entity 330-a can send confirmation of the presence and location of ambient wireless device 305-a to one or more other functions.

[0125] In some examples, communication with Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may enable one or more other functions (e.g., Application Functions Network Entity) to track the location of Environmental Wireless Device 305-a (e.g., for general item tracking). In some examples, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may receive a request message for environmental device information from a function. In response to the request message, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may send location and timestamp data associated with Environmental Wireless Device 305-a to the function. The location and timestamp data may be based on a database of previously reported data from Reader Wireless Device 310 and may include the previous location of Reader Wireless Device 310, the previous location of Environmental Wireless Device 305-a (e.g., as determined by Reader Wireless Device 310-a), or both.

[0126] In some examples, the timestamps of location data may not meet a threshold of freshness (e.g., the location data may be outdated and therefore less useful to other functions requesting the information). In such examples, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may initiate a procedure (similar to a procedure used to send data as a routing device) to provide updated location information to other functions. For example, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may select one or more reader wireless devices 310-a based on data stored in a database (e.g., the last known location of reader wireless device 310-a, the last known location of ambient wireless device 305-a, and the history of reader wireless device 310-a). Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may forward a request message to one or more selected reader wireless devices 310-a (e.g., via an inventory request message 335) and wait for a response. One or more reader wireless devices 310-a may send a query message 315 requesting device information from one or more ambient wireless devices 305-a. In some examples, query message 315 may include a device ID to ensure that other devices (e.g., ambient wireless device 305-a, other than the wireless device requesting information for the other functions) do not respond.

[0127] If Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a does not receive a response (e.g., inventory response message 325) within a certain time period, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may relax the reader selection criteria. For example, Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a may select all reader wireless devices 310-a known to be within a specific distance of the last known location of the ambient wireless device 305-a (or known to have at least a threshold signal strength with the ambient wireless device 305-a), and send an inventory request message 335 to the selected reader wireless device 310-a. After receiving the query response message 320 from the ambient wireless device 305, reader wireless device 310-a may forward data (e.g., the location of the ambient wireless device 305-a, the location of the reader wireless device 310-a, or both) to Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a. Mobility Functions Network Entity 330-a can store updated location information along with timestamps in a database and can send reports to other functions including updated location information, timestamps, and other information.

[0128] Figure 4 An example of a process flow 400 supporting mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. In some examples, process flow 400 may implement, or be implemented through, aspects of, wireless communication system 100, network architecture 200, wireless communication system 300, or any combination thereof. For example, process flow 400 may include ambient wireless device 305-b (e.g., A-IoT device), reader wireless device 310-b (e.g., reader), and mobility function network entity 330-b (e.g., A-IMF), which may be described herein with respect to... Figure 3 Examples of the corresponding devices described. In some examples, process flow 400 may include multiple ambient wireless devices 305 and multiple reader wireless devices 310. The following alternative examples may be implemented, in which some steps are performed in a different order than described or not at all. In some cases, steps may include additional features not mentioned below, or additional steps may be added. Although ambient wireless device 305-b, reader wireless device 310-b, and mobility function network entity 330-b are shown as performing the operations of process flow 400, some aspects of some operations may also be performed by one or more other wireless devices.

[0129] At 405, Mobility Function Network Entity 330-b may send an inventory request message to Reader Wireless Device 310-b. In some examples, the inventory request message may configure Reader Wireless Device 310-b to provide inventory for one or more ambient wireless devices 305-a. For example, the configuration may include reporting parameters (e.g., reporting periodicity, movement of Reader Wireless Device 310-b, event triggering such as movement detection, changes in local data such as sensor data, or other triggers).

[0130] At 410, reader wireless device 310-b may, for example, send a query message to ambient wireless device 305-b in response to receiving an inventory request message at 405. Reader wireless device 310-b may send the query message to all ambient wireless devices 305-a or a subset of ambient wireless devices 305 within the area. In some examples, reader wireless device 310-b may send query messages periodically (e.g., according to reporting periodicity configured at 405 by mobility function network entity 330-b).

[0131] At 415, the ambient wireless device 305-b may send a query response message to the reader wireless device 310-b (e.g., in response to receiving a query message at 410). The query response message may include ambient wireless device information, such as device ID and other information (e.g., sensor information or location information). The reader wireless device 310-b may store the device information (along with other information, such as timestamps) in a database. Other ambient wireless devices 305 (if any) may also respond at 415 to the query message communicated at 410.

[0132] At 420, reader wireless device 310-b may send an inventory response message to mobility function network entity 330-b (e.g., based on reporting parameters provided at 405). The inventory response message may include information obtained from the query response message at 415, and may additionally or alternatively include information associated with reader wireless device 310-b (e.g., location and ID). The inventory response message may report information about one or more reader wireless devices 310.

[0133] At 425, the reader wireless device 310-b can detect changes in the environment. For example, the reader wireless device 310-b can detect that it has moved to a new area, one or more environmental wireless devices (e.g., environmental wireless device 305-b) have moved to a new location, local data (such as sensor data) has changed, light or sound levels have changed, other environmental changes have occurred, or any combination thereof.

[0134] At 430, reader wireless device 310-b may send an autonomously initiated query message to ambient wireless device 305-b (e.g., not in direct response to an inventory request message from mobility function network entity 330-b). That is, reader wireless device 310-b may autonomously initiate the transmission of the query message. In some examples, reader wireless device 310-b may send the query message based on the detection of an environmental change at 425, or based on receiving other reporting parameters / triggers from mobility function network entity 330-b at 405. In some examples, reader wireless device 310-b may additionally or alternatively send messages configured for ambient wireless device 305-b to suppress responses for a period of time or based on triggers such as motion detection or changes in local data (e.g., sensor data).

[0135] At 435, the ambient wireless device 305-b may, for example, send a query response message to the reader wireless device 310-b in response to receiving a query message at 430. Similar to the query response message received at 415, the query response message may include ambient wireless device information, such as the device ID and other information (e.g., sensor information or location information). Other ambient wireless devices 305 may also respond to the query message with query response messages. The reader wireless device 310-b may store the device information (along with other information, such as timestamps) in a database.

[0136] At 440, reader wireless device 310-b may send another inventory response message to the mobility function network entity. In addition to the information obtained from the query response message at 435 and information about reader wireless device 310-b, the inventory response message may also include the results of multiple query response messages across time from the same ambient wireless device 305-b (e.g., a history of query response data, including timestamps). In some examples, the inventory response sent at 440 may include information about one or more ambient wireless devices 305. In some examples, mobility function network entity 330-b may receive one or more inventory responses from each of the one or more reader wireless devices 310.

[0137] At 445, Mobility Function Network Entity 330-b may send an association message to Reader Wireless Device 310-b for relay to Ambient Wireless Device 305-b. In some examples, Mobility Function Network Entity 330-b may send the association message based on or in response to receiving an inventory response from Reader Wireless Device 310-b at 420 or 440. The association message may indicate the association between Ambient Wireless Device 305-b and Reader Wireless Device 310-b.

[0138] At 450, reader wireless device 310-b may send a relay association message to ambient wireless device 305-b (e.g., based on or in response to receiving a relay association message from mobility function network entity 330-b at 445). The association message may indicate the association between ambient wireless device 305-b and reader wireless device 310-b. In some examples, ambient wireless device 305-b may send an acknowledgment message to reader wireless device 310-b acknowledging that ambient wireless device 305-b has received the association message. In some examples, reader wireless device 310-b may send an acknowledgment message to mobility function network entity 330-b acknowledging that ambient wireless device 305-b has received the relay association message.

[0139] Figure 5 An example of a process flow 500 supporting mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. In some examples, process flow 500 may implement, or be implemented through, aspects of, wireless communication system 100, network architecture 200, wireless communication system 300, or any combination thereof. For example, process flow 500 may include ambient wireless device 305-c (e.g., A-IoT device), reader wireless device 310-c (e.g., reader), and mobility function network entity 330-c (e.g., A-IMF), which may involve Figure 3 Examples of the corresponding devices described herein. In some examples, process flow 500 may include multiple ambient wireless devices 305 and multiple reader wireless devices 310. The following alternative examples may be implemented, in which some steps are performed in a different order than described or not at all. In some cases, steps may include additional features not mentioned below, or additional steps may be added. Although ambient wireless devices 305-c, reader wireless devices 310-c, and mobility function network entities 330-c are shown as performing operations of process flow 500, some aspects of some operations may also be performed by one or more other wireless devices.

[0140] At 505, the Mobility Function Network Entity 330-c may send an inventory request message to the reader wireless device 310-c. In some examples, the inventory request message may configure the reader wireless device 310-c to provide inventory for one or more ambient wireless devices 305. For example, the configuration may include reporting parameters (e.g., reporting periodicity, movement of the reader wireless device 310-b, or other triggers).

[0141] At 510, reader wireless device 310-c may, for example, send a query message to ambient wireless device 305-c in response to receiving an inventory request message at 505. In some examples, reader wireless device 310-c may send the query message to all ambient wireless devices 305-a or a subset of ambient wireless devices 305 within the area. In some examples, reader wireless device 310-c may send the query message periodically (e.g., according to reporting periodicity configured at 405 by mobility function network entity 330-b) or may initiate the query message when triggered by another reporting parameter configured at 405 by mobility function network entity 330-b (e.g., when it detects nearby movement, a change in lighting level, a change in sound level, that it has moved to a new area, or another environmental change).

[0142] In some examples (e.g., if the ambient wireless device 305-c is a Type C device capable of autonomous transmission), the query message may include reporting parameters (e.g., periodicity of sending notification messages, or one or more other triggers for sending notification messages, such as motion detection, event triggers for changes in local data (such as sensor data), or other triggers), which may be the same as, similar to, or different from the reporting parameters received by the reader wireless device 310-c at 505. In some examples, the query message may include a timer and an indication to send a notification message when the timer expires. That is, the query message may configure the ambient wireless device 305-c to start a timer and send a notification message when the timer expires. In some examples, the reader wireless device 310-c may configure the ambient wireless device 305-c to stop or start sending notification messages, or to start or stop responding (e.g., for a period of time or based on a trigger, such as motion detection or changes in local sensed data).

[0143] At point 515, the ambient wireless device 305-c may send a query response message to the reader wireless device 310-c (e.g., in response to receiving a query message at point 510). The query response message may include ambient wireless device information, such as device ID and other information (e.g., sensor information or location information). The reader wireless device 310-c may store the device information (along with other information, such as timestamps) in a database.

[0144] At 520, reader wireless device 310-c may send an inventory response message to mobility function network entity 330-c (e.g., based on reporting parameters provided at 505). The inventory response message may include information obtained from the query response message at 515, and may additionally or alternatively include information about reader wireless device 310-c. The inventory response message may report information about one or more reader wireless devices 310.

[0145] At 525, the timer may expire (e.g., a timer sent at 510). In some examples, another trigger may occur (e.g., a trigger specified by the reporting parameter at 510, such as when the ambient wireless device 305-c detects a location change).

[0146] Ambient wireless device 305-c can initiate transmission autonomously (e.g., in addition to directly responding to the initial query message at 510) (e.g., because it is a Type C device). For example, at 530, ambient wireless device 305-c can send an announcement message to reader wireless device 310-c (e.g., in response to a timer expiration or another reporting parameter / trigger at 525). Ambient wireless device 305-c can send the announcement based on the reporting parameters received by ambient wireless device 305-c at 510 via the query message. Ambient wireless device 305-c can use its limited energy storage to send the announcement, rather than backscattering or reflecting messages. The announcement message may include ambient wireless device information, such as device ID, device status, and other peripheral information (e.g., sensor information or location information). Reader wireless device 310-c may store device information (along with other information, such as timestamps) in a database. In some cases, the announcement message may include an indication that ambient wireless device 305-c has data to be sent to the network, but may not include said data. In such cases, the reader wireless device 310-c can initiate a query procedure to retrieve data from the ambient wireless device 305-c.

[0147] In some examples, reader wireless device 310-c may send an acknowledgment message to ambient wireless device 305-c, acknowledging that reader wireless device 310-c received the notification message at 530. In some examples, ambient wireless device 305-c may be configured (e.g., via reporting parameters received at 510) to repeatedly send the notification message (or query response message) until ambient wireless device 305-c receives acknowledgment. In some examples, ambient wireless device 305-c may repeatedly send the notification message or query response message until more than one or all of the reader wireless devices 310-c in the area respond with an acknowledgment message.

[0148] At 535, reader wireless device 310-c may send an inventory response message to mobility function network entity 330-c in response to the announcement message at 530. In addition to the information obtained from the announcement message at 530 and information about reader wireless device 310-c (e.g., reader location and reader ID), the inventory response message may also include the results of multiple query response messages from the same ambient wireless device 305-c across time (e.g., a history of query response data, including a list of device IDs and timestamps of query response messages and / or announcement messages, wherein in some examples, the list may be empty because no query response has been received from any ambient wireless device). In some examples, the inventory response sent at 535 may include information about one or more ambient wireless devices 305. In some examples, mobility function network entity 330-c may receive one or more inventory responses from each of one or more reader wireless devices 310.

[0149] Figure 6 A block diagram 600 of a device 605 supporting mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. Device 605 may be an example of an aspect of a mobility function network entity as described herein. Device 605 may include a receiver 610, a transmitter 615, and a communication manager 620. Device 605, or one or more components of device 605 (e.g., receiver 610, transmitter 615, and communication manager 620), may include at least one processor that may be coupled to at least one memory to individually or jointly support or implement the described technologies. Each of these components may communicate with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0150] Receiver 610 may provide components for receiving information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels relating to mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices). The information may be passed to other components of device 605. Receiver 610 may utilize a single antenna or a collection of antennas.

[0151] Transmitter 615 may provide components for transmitting signals generated by other components of device 605. For example, transmitter 615 may transmit information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices). In some examples, transmitter 615 may be co-located with receiver 610 in a transceiver module. Transmitter 615 may utilize a single antenna or a collection of multiple antennas.

[0152] The communication manager 620, receiver 610, transmitter 615, or various combinations thereof, or various components thereof, may be examples of components used to perform various aspects of mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein. For example, the communication manager 620, receiver 610, transmitter 615, or various combinations thereof or components may be able to perform one or more of the functions described herein.

[0153] In some examples, the communication manager 620, receiver 610, transmitter 615, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communication management circuitry). The hardware may include at least one of a processor, digital signal processor (DSP), central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof, configured individually or collectively as or otherwise to support components for performing the functions described herein. In some examples, at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to said at least one processor may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., instructions stored in at least one memory are executed individually or collectively by one or more processors).

[0154] Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the communication manager 620, receiver 610, transmitter 615, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware or software (e.g., executed by at least one processor). If implemented in code executed by at least one processor, the functionality of the communication manager 620, receiver 610, transmitter 615, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, DSP, CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise individually or collectively to support components for performing the functions described in this disclosure).

[0155] In some examples, the communication manager 620 may be configured to use or otherwise cooperate with the receiver 610, transmitter 615, or both to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, acquiring, monitoring, outputting, transmitting). For example, the communication manager 620 may receive information from the receiver 610, transmit information to the transmitter 615, or be integrated with the receiver 610, transmitter 615, or both to acquire information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0156] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 620 can support wireless communication at a mobility function network entity. For example, the communication manager 620 can be, configured, or operated to support a component for sending a set of multiple inventory request messages to a set of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the set of multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device. The communication manager 620 can be, configured, or operated to support a component for receiving, in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the set of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from the set of multiple reader wireless devices. The communication manager 620 can be, configured, or operated to support a component for sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device based on a first inventory response message of the set of multiple inventory response messages, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0157] By including or configuring a communication manager 620 according to the examples described herein, device 605 (e.g., at least one processor that controls or otherwise couples to receiver 610, transmitter 615, communication manager 620, or a combination thereof) can support techniques for mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, which can support reduced power consumption, reduced processing, more efficient use of communication resources, improved coordination between devices, and improved reliability.

[0158] Figure 7 A block diagram 700 illustrates a device 705 for mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure. Device 705 may be an example of an aspect of device 605 or a mobility function network entity as described herein. Device 705 may include a receiver 710, a transmitter 715, and a communications manager 720. Device 705, or one or more components of device 705 (e.g., receiver 710, transmitter 715, and communications manager 720), may include at least one processor that may be coupled to at least one memory to support the described techniques. Each of these components may communicate with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0159] Receiver 710 may provide components for receiving information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices). The information may be transmitted to other components of device 705. Receiver 710 may utilize a single antenna or a collection of antennas.

[0160] Transmitter 715 may provide components for transmitting signals generated by other components of device 705. For example, transmitter 715 may transmit information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels related to mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices). In some examples, transmitter 715 may be co-located with receiver 710 in a transceiver module. Transmitter 715 may utilize a single antenna or a collection of multiple antennas.

[0161] Device 705, or its various components, may be examples of components used to perform various aspects of mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein. For example, communication manager 720 may include request manager 725, response manager 730, relay manager 735, or any combination thereof. Communication manager 720 may be examples of aspects of communication manager 620 as described herein. In some examples, communication manager 720, or its various components, may be configured to use or otherwise cooperate with receiver 710, transmitter 715, or both to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, acquiring, monitoring, outputting, transmitting). For example, communication manager 720 may receive information from receiver 710, transmit information to transmitter 715, or be integrated in combination with receiver 710, transmitter 715, or both to acquire information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0162] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 720 can support wireless communication at a mobility function network entity. The request manager 725 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending a set of multiple inventory request messages to a set of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the set of multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device. The response manager 730 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving, in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the set of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from the set of multiple reader wireless devices. The relay manager 735 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device based on a first inventory response message of the set of multiple inventory response messages, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0163] Figure 8A block diagram 800 is shown of a communication manager 820 supporting mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure. The communication manager 820 may be an example of a communication manager 620, a communication manager 720, or aspects thereof as described herein. The communication manager 820, or its various components, may be examples of parts for performing various aspects of mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device as described herein. For example, the communication manager 820 may include a request manager 825, a response manager 830, a relay manager 835, an information storage manager 840, or any combination thereof. Each of these components, or its components or sub-components (e.g., one or more processors, one or more memories), may communicate directly or indirectly with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0164] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 820 can support wireless communication at a mobility function network entity. The request manager 825 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending a set of multiple inventory request messages to a set of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the set of multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device. The response manager 830 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving, in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the set of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from the set of multiple reader wireless devices. The relay manager 835 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device based on a first inventory response message in the set of multiple inventory response messages, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0165] In some examples, the response manager 830 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that receives, from the group of multiple reader wireless devices, a group of multiple inventory response messages identifying the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices based on a group of multiple reflection messages from the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0166] In some examples, the response manager 830 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving, from the group of multiple reader wireless devices, a set of multiple second inventory responses identifying the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices based on a set of multiple announcement messages from the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0167] In some examples, a request manager 825 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that sends one or more request messages to one or more reader wireless devices in the group of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the one or more reader wireless devices to report data for relay to an application function network entity, wherein the one or more reader wireless devices are selected based on stored information associated with the group of multiple reader wireless devices. In some examples, a response manager 830 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that receives one or more response messages identifying the data from one or more reader wireless devices in response to one or more request messages. In some examples, a relay manager 835 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that sends a message to an application function network entity based on one or more response messages indicating the data.

[0168] In some examples, one or more reader wireless devices are selected based on the distance or signal strength between one or more reader wireless devices and one or more of the group of ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0169] In some examples, the relay manager 835 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components for sending messages to application function network entities indicating the location of a first reader wireless device and the location of a first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0170] In some examples, the information storage manager 840 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components for storing information associated with multiple environmentally powered wireless devices identified by the group, based on multiple inventory response messages of the group.

[0171] In some examples, the group of multiple inventory request messages instructs one or more of the group of multiple reader wireless devices to pause the transmission of one or more of the group of multiple inventory response messages for a period of time or based on a trigger.

[0172] In some examples, the group of multiple inventory response messages indicates a group of multiple locations of the group of multiple reader wireless devices, a group of multiple reader wireless device IDs, and a group of multiple ambient power wireless device IDs.

[0173] In some examples, one or more of the group's multiple inventory request messages are sent based on a service profile associated with one or more of the group's multiple ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0174] In some examples, the information storage manager 840 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components for storing a set of information associated with the group of identified ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein the group information includes power characteristics, energy storage capacity, mobility characteristics, or any combination thereof. In some examples, the group of multiple inventory request messages includes a set of reporting parameters.

[0175] Figure 9 A diagram of a system 900 including device 905 supporting mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, according to one or more aspects of this disclosure, is shown. Device 905 may be an example of device 605, device 705, or a network entity as described herein, or a component including such devices. Device 905 may include components for bidirectional voice and data communication, including components for transmitting and receiving communications, such as a communication manager 920, an I / O controller 910, a transceiver 915, an antenna 925, at least one memory 930, code 935, and at least one processor 940. These components may communicate electronically or be otherwise coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more buses (e.g., bus 945).

[0176] I / O controller 910 manages the input and output signals of device 905. I / O controller 910 can also manage peripheral devices not integrated into device 905. In some cases, I / O controller 910 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral device. In some cases, I / O controller 910 may utilize an operating system such as iOS. ® ANDROID ® MS-DOS ® MS-WINDOWS ® OS / 2 ® UNIX ® LINUX ® Alternatively, the I / O controller 910 may represent or interact with a modem, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, or similar device. In some cases, the I / O controller 910 may be implemented as part of one or more processors, such as at least one processor 940. In some cases, a user may interact with the device 905 via the I / O controller 910 or via hardware components controlled by the I / O controller 910.

[0177] In some cases, device 905 may include a single antenna 925. However, in other cases, device 905 may have more than one antenna 925, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions. Transceiver 915 may communicate bidirectionally via one or more antennas 925, a wired or wireless link as described herein. For example, transceiver 915 may represent a wireless transceiver and be capable of bidirectional communication with another wireless transceiver. Transceiver 915 may also include a modem for: modulating packets; providing the modulated packets to one or more antennas 925 for transmission; and demodulating packets received from one or more antennas 925. Transceiver 915, or transceiver 915 and one or more antennas 925, may be an example of transmitter 615, transmitter 715, receiver 610, receiver 710, or any combination thereof or components thereof as described herein.

[0178] At least one memory 930 may include RAM and ROM. At least one memory 930 may store computer-readable, computer-executable code 935, including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor 940, cause device 905 to perform the various functions described herein. Code 935 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as system memory or another type of memory. In some cases, code 935 may not be directly executable by at least one processor 940, but may enable a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform the functions described herein. In some cases, among other things, at least one memory 930 may also include a BIOS that controls basic hardware or software operation, such as interaction with peripheral components or devices.

[0179] At least one processor 940 may include intelligent hardware devices (e.g., general-purpose processors, DSPs, CPUs, microcontrollers, ASICs, FPGAs, programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, at least one processor 940 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In some other cases, the memory controller may be integrated into at least one processor 940. At least one processor 940 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in memory (e.g., at least one memory 930) to cause device 905 to perform various functions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices). For example, device 905 or components of device 905 may include at least one processor 940 and at least one memory 930 coupled to or coupled to at least one processor 940, wherein at least one processor 940 and at least one memory 930 are configured to perform the various functions described herein. In some examples, at least one processor 940 may include multiple processors, and at least one memory 930 may include multiple memories. One or more of a plurality of processors may be coupled to one or more of a plurality of memories, which may be configured individually or collectively to perform the various functions described herein.

[0180] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 920 can support wireless communication at a mobility function network entity. For example, the communication manager 920 can be, configured, or operated to support a component for sending a set of multiple inventory request messages to a group of multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the group of multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device. The communication manager 920 can be, configured, or operated to support a component for receiving, in response to the set of multiple inventory request messages, a set of multiple inventory response messages identifying the group of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from the group of multiple reader wireless devices. The communication manager 920 can be, configured, or operated to support a component for sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device based on a first inventory response message in the set of multiple inventory response messages, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0181] By including or configuring a communication manager 920 according to the examples described herein, device 905 can support technologies for mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, which can support reduced power consumption, reduced processing, more efficient use of communication resources, improved coordination between devices, and increased reliability.

[0182] In some examples, the communication manager 920 may be configured to use or otherwise coordinate with the transceiver 915, one or more antennas 925, or any combination thereof to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, monitoring, transmitting). Although the communication manager 920 is illustrated as a separate component, in some examples, one or more functions described with reference to the communication manager 920 may be supported by or performed by at least one processor 940, at least one memory 930, code 935, or any combination thereof. For example, code 935 may include instructions that may be executed by at least one processor 940 to cause device 905 to perform various aspects of mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein, or at least one processor 940 and at least one memory 930 may be otherwise configured to perform or support such operations individually or jointly.

[0183] Figure 10 A block diagram 1000 of a device 1005 supporting mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. Device 1005 may be an example of various aspects of a reader wireless device as described herein. Device 1005 may include a receiver 1010, a transmitter 1015, and a communication manager 1020. Device 1005, or one or more components of device 1005 (e.g., receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, and communication manager 1020), may include at least one processor that may be coupled to at least one memory to individually or jointly support or implement the described techniques. Each of these components may communicate with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0184] Receiver 1010 may provide components for acquiring (e.g., receiving, determining, identifying) information (such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units)) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack). The information may be passed to other components of device 1005. In some examples, receiver 1010 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, receiver 1010 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof.

[0185] Transmitter 1015 may provide components for outputting (e.g., transmitting, providing, conveying, transmitting) information generated by other components of device 1005. For example, transmitter 1015 may output information associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack), such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units). In some examples, transmitter 1015 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, transmitter 1015 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof. In some examples, transmitter 1015 and receiver 1010 may be co-located in a transceiver, which may include or be coupled to a modem.

[0186] The communication manager 1020, receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, or various combinations thereof, or various components thereof, may be examples of components used to perform various aspects of mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein. For example, the communication manager 1020, receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, or various combinations thereof or components may be able to perform one or more of the functions described herein.

[0187] In some examples, the communication manager 1020, receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communication management circuitry). The hardware may include at least one of a processor, DSP, CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, or other programmable logic device, microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic element, discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof, configured as or otherwise individually or collectively to support components for performing the functions described herein. In some examples, at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to said at least one processor may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., instructions stored in at least one memory are executed individually or collectively by one or more processors).

[0188] Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the communication manager 1020, receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware, software (e.g., executed by at least one processor), or any combination thereof. If implemented in code executed by at least one processor, the functionality of the communication manager 1020, receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, DSP, CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise individually or collectively to support components for performing the functions described in this disclosure).

[0189] In some examples, the communication manager 1020 may be configured to use or otherwise cooperate with the receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, or both to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, acquiring, monitoring, outputting, transmitting). For example, the communication manager 1020 may receive information from the receiver 1010, transmit information to the transmitter 1015, or be integrated with the receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, or both to acquire information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0190] Communication manager 1020 can support wireless communication at a reader wireless device according to the examples disclosed herein. For example, communication manager 1020 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity, requesting the reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. Communication manager 1020 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for sending an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity in response to the inventory request message, identifying the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. Communication manager 1020 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving messages from the mobility function network entity for relaying to a first ambient-powered wireless device based on an inventory response message indicating that a first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. Communication manager 1020 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for sending messages to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0191] By including or configuring a communication manager 1020 according to the examples described herein, device 1005 (e.g., at least one processor that controls or otherwise couples to receiver 1010, transmitter 1015, communication manager 1020, or a combination thereof) can support techniques for mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, which can support reduced power consumption, reduced processing, more efficient use of communication resources, improved coordination between devices, and improved reliability.

[0192] Figure 11 A block diagram 1100 of a device 1105 supporting mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. Device 1105 may be an example of aspects of device 1005 as described herein or a reader wireless device. Device 1105 may include a receiver 1110, a transmitter 1115, and a communication manager 1120. Device 1105, or one or more components of device 1105 (e.g., receiver 1110, transmitter 1115, and communication manager 1120), may include at least one processor that may be coupled to at least one memory to support the described techniques. Each of these components may communicate with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0193] Receiver 1110 may provide components for acquiring (e.g., receiving, determining, identifying) information (such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units)) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack). The information may be passed to other components of device 1105. In some examples, receiver 1110 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, receiver 1110 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof.

[0194] Transmitter 1115 may provide components for outputting (e.g., transmitting, providing, conveying, transmitting) information generated by other components of device 1105. For example, transmitter 1115 may output information associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack), such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units). In some examples, transmitter 1115 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, transmitter 1115 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof. In some examples, transmitter 1115 and receiver 1110 may be co-located in a transceiver, which may include or be coupled to a modem.

[0195] Device 1105, or its various components, may be examples of various aspects of performing mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein. For example, communication manager 1120 may include inventory request manager 1125, inventory response manager 1130, relay message manager 1135, message manager 1140, or any combination thereof. Communication manager 1120 may be an example of aspects of communication manager 1020 as described herein. In some examples, communication manager 1120 or its various components may be configured to use or otherwise cooperate with receiver 1110, transmitter 1115, or both to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, acquiring, monitoring, outputting, transmitting). For example, communication manager 1120 may receive information from receiver 1110, transmit information to transmitter 1115, or be integrated in combination with receiver 1110, transmitter 1115, or both to acquire information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0196] According to the examples disclosed herein, communication manager 1120 can support wireless communication at the reader wireless device. Inventory request manager 1125 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that receive an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity requesting the reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. Inventory response manager 1130 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that, in response to the inventory request message, send an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity identifying the inventory of one or more ambient-powered devices. Relay message manager 1135 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that receive messages from the mobility function network entity for relaying to the first ambient-powered wireless device based on a response message indicating that the first ambient-powered device is associated with the reader wireless device. Message manager 1140 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that send messages to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0197] Figure 12 A block diagram 1200 is shown of a communication manager 1220 supporting mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure. The communication manager 1220 may be an example of a communication manager 1020, a communication manager 1120, or aspects thereof as described herein. The communication manager 1220, or its various components, may be examples of parts used to perform various aspects of mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device as described herein. For example, the communication manager 1220 may include an inventory request manager 1225, an inventory response manager 1230, a relay message manager 1235, a message manager 1240, a query message manager 1245, an announcement message manager 1250, or any combination thereof. Each of these components, or its components or sub-components (e.g., one or more processors, one or more memories), may communicate directly or indirectly with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0198] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 1220 can support wireless communication at the reader wireless device. The inventory request manager 1225 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that receive an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity, requesting the reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. The inventory response manager 1230 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that, in response to the inventory request message, send an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity identifying the inventory of one or more ambient-powered devices. The relay message manager 1235 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that receive messages from the mobility function network entity for relaying to the first ambient-powered wireless device based on a response message indicating that the first ambient-powered device is associated with the reader wireless device. The message manager 1240 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that send messages to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0199] In some examples, the query message manager 1245 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components for sending one or more query messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, requesting information associated with one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0200] In some examples, one or more query messages are sent to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices based on the movement of the reader wireless device, the movement of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, environmental changes, or a combination thereof.

[0201] In some examples, the query message manager 1245 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving one or more query response messages in response to one or more query messages, the response messages including information associated with one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0202] In some examples, one or more query messages instruct one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to pause the transmission of one or more query response messages for a period of time or based on a trigger.

[0203] In some examples, the query message manager 1245 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving one or more reflected messages from one or more ambient-powered wireless devices. In some examples, the inventory response manager 1230 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending an inventory response message in response to receiving one or more reflected messages.

[0204] In some examples, the notification message manager 1250 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving one or more notification messages from one or more ambient-powered radio devices. In some examples, the inventory response manager 1230 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending a second inventory response message identifying one or more ambient-powered radio devices to a mobility function network entity.

[0205] In some examples, the inventory request manager 1225 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that receives a first request message from a mobility function network entity, requesting a reader wireless device to report data for relay to an application function network entity. In some examples, the query message manager 1245 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that, in response to the first request message, sends one or more second request messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices requesting the data. In some examples, the query message manager 1245 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that, in response to one or more second request messages, receives one or more first response messages identifying the data from one or more ambient-powered wireless devices. In some examples, the inventory response manager 1230 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component that, in response to one or more first response messages, sends a response message identifying the data.

[0206] In some examples, the first request message is received based on the distance or signal strength between the reader wireless device and one or more ambient-powered wireless devices. In some examples, the inventory request message instructs the reader wireless device to pause the transmission of inventory response messages for a period of time or based on a trigger.

[0207] In some examples, the inventory request message indicates the location of the reader wireless device, the reader wireless device ID, and one or more ambient-powered wireless device IDs.

[0208] In some examples, the inventory request manager 1225 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components for receiving instructions on service profiles associated with one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein receiving inventory request messages is based on the service profile. In some examples, the inventory request message includes a set of reporting parameters.

[0209] Figure 13A diagram of a system 1300 including device 1305 supporting mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices, according to one or more aspects of this disclosure, is shown. Device 1305 may be an example of device 605, device 705, or a network entity as described herein, or a component including such devices. Device 1305 may include components for bidirectional voice and data communication, including components for transmitting and receiving communications, such as a communication manager 1320, an I / O controller 1310, a transceiver 1315, an antenna 1325, at least one memory 1330, code 1335, and at least one processor 1340. These components may communicate electronically or be otherwise coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more buses (e.g., bus 1345).

[0210] I / O controller 1310 manages the input and output signals of device 1305. I / O controller 1310 can also manage peripheral devices not integrated into device 1305. In some cases, I / O controller 1310 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral device. In some cases, I / O controller 1310 may utilize an operating system such as iOS. ® ANDROID ® MS-DOS ® MS-WINDOWS ® OS / 2 ® UNIX ® LINUX ® Alternatively, the I / O controller 1310 may represent or interact with a modem, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, or similar device. In some cases, the I / O controller 1310 may be implemented as part of one or more processors, such as at least one processor 1340. In some cases, a user may interact with the device 1305 via the I / O controller 1310 or via hardware components controlled by the I / O controller 1310.

[0211] In some cases, device 1305 may include a single antenna 1325. However, in other cases, device 1305 may have more than one antenna 1325, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions. Transceiver 1315 may communicate bidirectionally via one or more antennas 1325, a wired or wireless link as described herein. For example, transceiver 1315 may represent a wireless transceiver and be capable of bidirectional communication with another wireless transceiver. Transceiver 1315 may also include a modem for: modulating packets; providing the modulated packets to one or more antennas 1325 for transmission; and demodulating packets received from one or more antennas 1325. Transceiver 1315, or transceiver 1315 and one or more antennas 1325, may be an example of transmitter 615, transmitter 715, receiver 610, receiver 710, or any combination thereof or components thereof as described herein.

[0212] At least one memory 1330 may include RAM and ROM. At least one memory 1330 may store computer-readable, computer-executable code 1335, including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor 1340, cause device 1305 to perform the various functions described herein. Code 1335 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as system memory or another type of memory. In some cases, code 1335 may not be directly executable by at least one processor 1340, but may enable a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform the functions described herein. In some cases, among other things, at least one memory 1330 may also include a BIOS that controls basic hardware or software operation, such as interaction with peripheral components or devices.

[0213] At least one processor 1340 may include intelligent hardware devices (e.g., general-purpose processors, DSPs, CPUs, GPUs, microcontrollers, ASICs, FPGAs, programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, at least one processor 1340 may be configured to use a memory controller to operate a memory array. In some other cases, the memory controller may be integrated into at least one processor 1340. At least one processor 1340 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in memory (e.g., at least one memory 1330) to cause device 1305 to perform various functions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices). For example, device 1305 or components of device 1305 may include at least one processor 1340 and at least one memory 1330 coupled to or coupled to at least one processor 1340, wherein at least one processor 1340 and at least one memory 1330 are configured to perform the various functions described herein. In some examples, at least one processor 1340 may include multiple processors, and at least one memory 1330 may include multiple memories. One or more of a plurality of processors may be coupled to one or more of a plurality of memories, which may be configured individually or collectively to perform the various functions described herein.

[0214] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 1320 can support wireless communication at a reader wireless device. For example, the communication manager 1320 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity, requesting the reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. The communication manager 1320 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for sending an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity in response to the inventory request message, identifying the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. The communication manager 1320 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving messages from the mobility function network entity for relaying to a first ambient-powered wireless device based on an inventory response message indicating that a first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. The communication manager 1320 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for sending messages to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0215] By including or configuring a communication manager 1320 according to the examples described herein, device 1305 can support technologies for mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, which can support reduced power consumption, reduced processing, more efficient use of communication resources, improved coordination between devices, and increased reliability.

[0216] In some examples, the communication manager 1320 may be configured to use or otherwise coordinate with the transceiver 1315, one or more antennas 1325, or any combination thereof to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, monitoring, transmitting). Although the communication manager 1320 is illustrated as a separate component, in some examples, one or more functions described with reference to the communication manager 1320 may be supported by or executed by at least one processor 1340, at least one memory 1330, code 1335, or any combination thereof. For example, code 1335 may include instructions that may be executed by at least one processor 1340 to cause the device 1305 to perform various aspects of mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein, or at least one processor 1340 and at least one memory 1330 may be otherwise configured to perform or support such operations individually or jointly.

[0217] Figure 14 A block diagram 1400 of a device 1405 supporting mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. Device 1405 may be an example of an aspect of an ambient-powered wireless device as described herein. Device 1405 may include a receiver 1410, a transmitter 1415, and a communication manager 1420. Device 1405, or one or more components of device 1405 (e.g., receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, and communication manager 1420), may include at least one processor that may be coupled to at least one memory to individually or jointly support or implement the described techniques. Each of these components may communicate with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0218] Receiver 1410 may provide components for acquiring (e.g., receiving, determining, identifying) information (such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units)) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack). The information may be passed to other components of device 1405. In some examples, receiver 1410 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, receiver 1410 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof.

[0219] Transmitter 1415 may provide components for outputting (e.g., transmitting, providing, conveying, transmitting) information generated by other components of device 1405. For example, transmitter 1415 may output information associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack), such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units). In some examples, transmitter 1415 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, transmitter 1415 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof. In some examples, transmitter 1415 and receiver 1410 may be co-located in a transceiver, which may include or be coupled to a modem.

[0220] The communication manager 1420, receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, or various combinations thereof, or various components thereof, may be examples of components used to perform various aspects of mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein. For example, the communication manager 1420, receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, or various combinations thereof or components may be able to perform one or more of the functions described herein.

[0221] In some examples, the communication manager 1420, receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communication management circuitry). The hardware may include at least one of a processor, DSP, CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, or other programmable logic device, microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic element, discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof, configured as or otherwise individually or collectively to support components for performing the functions described herein. In some examples, at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to said at least one processor may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., instructions stored in at least one memory are executed individually or collectively by one or more processors).

[0222] Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the communication manager 1420, receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware, software (e.g., executed by at least one processor), or any combination thereof. If implemented in code executed by at least one processor, the functionality of the communication manager 1420, receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, DSP, CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise individually or collectively to support components for performing the functions described in this disclosure).

[0223] In some examples, the communication manager 1420 may be configured to use or otherwise coordinate with the receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, or both to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, acquiring, monitoring, outputting, transmitting). For example, the communication manager 1420 may receive information from the receiver 1410, transmit information to the transmitter 1415, or be integrated in combination with the receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, or both to acquire information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0224] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 1420 can support wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device. For example, the communication manager 1420 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device. The communication manager 1420 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for sending a query response message to the reader wireless device in response to the query message, the query response message reporting an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device. The communication manager 1420 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving messages from the reader wireless device based on query response messages indicating an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device.

[0225] By including or configuring a communication manager 1420 according to the examples described herein, device 1405 (e.g., at least one processor that controls or otherwise couples to receiver 1410, transmitter 1415, communication manager 1420, or a combination thereof) can support techniques for mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, which can support reduced power consumption, reduced processing, more efficient use of communication resources, improved coordination between devices, and improved reliability.

[0226] Figure 15A block diagram 1500 of a device 1505 supporting mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure is shown. Device 1505 may be an example of device 1305 as described herein or an aspect of an ambient-powered wireless device. Device 1505 may include a receiver 1510, a transmitter 1515, and a communications manager 1520. Device 1505, or one or more components of device 1505 (e.g., receiver 1510, transmitter 1515, and communications manager 1520), may include at least one processor that may be coupled to at least one memory to support the described techniques. Each of these components may communicate with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0227] Receiver 1510 may provide components for acquiring (e.g., receiving, determining, identifying) information (such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units)) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack). The information may be passed to other components of device 1505. In some examples, receiver 1510 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, receiver 1510 may support acquiring information by receiving signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof.

[0228] Transmitter 1515 may provide components for outputting (e.g., transmitting, providing, conveying, transmitting) information generated by other components of device 1505. For example, transmitter 1515 may output information associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack), such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I / Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units). In some examples, transmitter 1515 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more antennas. Additionally or alternatively, transmitter 1515 may support outputting information by transmitting signals via one or more wired (e.g., electrical, fiber optic) interfaces, wireless interfaces, or any combination thereof. In some examples, transmitter 1515 and receiver 1510 may be co-located in a transceiver, which may include or be coupled to a modem.

[0229] Device 1505, or its various components, may be examples of various aspects of performing mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein. For example, communication manager 1520 may include query message component 1525, query response component 1530, device association component 1535, or any combination thereof. Communication manager 1520 may be examples of aspects of communication manager 1320 as described herein. In some examples, communication manager 1520 or its various components may be configured to use or otherwise cooperate with receiver 1510, transmitter 1515, or both to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, acquiring, monitoring, outputting, transmitting). For example, communication manager 1520 may receive information from receiver 1510, transmit information to transmitter 1515, or be integrated in combination with receiver 1510, transmitter 1515, or both to acquire information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0230] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 1520 can support wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device. A query message component 1525 can be configured or operated to support a component that receives a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. A query response component 1530 can be configured or operated to support a component that, in response to the query message, sends a query response message to the reader wireless device reporting that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. A device association component 1535 can be configured or operated to support a component that receives a message from the reader wireless device based on a query response message indicating that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device.

[0231] Figure 16 A block diagram 1600 is shown of a communication manager 1620 supporting mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device according to one or more aspects of this disclosure. The communication manager 1620 may be an example of a communication manager 1420, a communication manager 1520, or aspects thereof as described herein. The communication manager 1620, or its various components, may be examples of parts for performing various aspects of mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device as described herein. For example, the communication manager 1620 may include a query message component 1625, a query response component 1630, a device association component 1635, an announcement message component 1640, a data request component 1645, a data response component 1650, or any combination thereof. Each of these components, or its components or sub-components (e.g., one or more processors, one or more memories), may communicate directly or indirectly with each other (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0232] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 1620 can support wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device. A query message component 1625 can be configured or operable to support a component that receives a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. A query response component 1630 can be configured or operable to support a component that, in response to the query message, sends a query response message to the reader wireless device reporting that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. A device association component 1635 can be configured or operable to support a component that receives a message from the reader wireless device based on a query response message indicating that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device.

[0233] In some examples, in order to support receiving query messages, the query message component 1625 can be, configured, or operated to support a component for receiving query messages requesting information associated with an ambient-powered wireless device.

[0234] In some examples, in order to support the sending of query response messages, query response component 1630 can be, configured, or operated to support components that, in response to query messages, send query response messages identifying information associated with ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0235] In some examples, the query message instructs the ambient-powered wireless device to pause sending query response messages for a period of time that ends based on a trigger.

[0236] In some examples, the query message component 1625 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving a second query message from a second reader wireless device, the second query message requesting second information associated with an ambient-powered wireless device based on environmental changes.

[0237] In some examples, in order to support the sending of query response messages, query response component 1630 can be, configured, or operated to support components for sending query response messages that are backscattered from query messages.

[0238] In some examples, the notification message component 1640 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending notification messages to a reader wireless device, the notification messages identifying information associated with an ambient-powered wireless device based on timer expiration.

[0239] In some examples, data request component 1645 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for receiving a request message from a reader wireless device requesting data for relay to a mobility function network entity. In some examples, data response component 1650 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support a component for sending a response message identifying data to the reader wireless device in response to the request message.

[0240] In some examples, query messages are received based on the movement of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, the movement of reader wireless devices, environmental changes, or a combination thereof.

[0241] In some examples, the query message component 1625 is capable of, configured to, or operable to support components that send instructions on a service profile associated with an ambient-powered wireless device, wherein receiving a query message is based on the service profile. In some examples, the query message includes a set of reporting parameters.

[0242] Figure 17 A diagram of a system 1700 including device 1705 supporting mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, according to one or more aspects of this disclosure, is shown. Device 1705 may be an example of or may include components of device 605, device 705, or a mobility function network entity as described herein. Device 1705 may include components for bidirectional voice and data communication, including components for transmitting and receiving communications, such as a communication manager 1720, an I / O controller 1710, a transceiver 1715, an antenna 1725, at least one memory 1730, code 1735, and at least one processor 1740. These components may communicate electronically or be otherwise coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more buses (e.g., bus 1745).

[0243] I / O controller 1710 manages the input and output signals of device 1705. I / O controller 1710 can also manage peripheral devices not integrated into device 1705. In some cases, I / O controller 1710 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral device. In some cases, I / O controller 1710 may utilize an operating system such as iOS. ® ANDROID ® MS-DOS ® MS-WINDOWS ® OS / 2 ® UNIX ® LINUX ®Alternatively, the I / O controller 1710 may represent or interact with a modem, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, or similar device. In some cases, the I / O controller 1710 may be implemented as part of one or more processors, such as at least one processor 1740. In some cases, a user may interact with the device 1705 via the I / O controller 1710 or via hardware components controlled by the I / O controller 1710.

[0244] In some cases, device 1705 may include a single antenna 1725. However, in other cases, device 1705 may have more than one antenna 1725, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions. Transceiver 1715 may communicate bidirectionally via one or more antennas 1725 as described herein, a wired or wireless link. For example, transceiver 1715 may represent a wireless transceiver and be capable of bidirectional communication with another wireless transceiver. Transceiver 1715 may also include a modem for: modulating packets; providing the modulated packets to one or more antennas 1725 for transmission; and demodulating packets received from one or more antennas 1725. Transceiver 1715, or transceiver 1715 and one or more antennas 1725, may be an example of transmitter 615, transmitter 715, receiver 610, receiver 710, or any combination thereof or components thereof as described herein.

[0245] At least one memory 1730 may include RAM and ROM. At least one memory 1730 may store computer-readable, computer-executable code 1735, including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor 1740, cause device 1705 to perform the various functions described herein. Code 1735 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as system memory or another type of memory. In some cases, code 1735 may not be directly executable by at least one processor 1740, but may enable a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform the functions described herein. In some cases, among other things, at least one memory 1730 may also include a BIOS that controls basic hardware or software operation, such as interaction with peripheral components or devices.

[0246] At least one processor 1740 may include intelligent hardware devices (e.g., general-purpose processors, DSPs, CPUs, microcontrollers, ASICs, FPGAs, programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, at least one processor 1740 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In some other cases, the memory controller may be integrated into at least one processor 1740. At least one processor 1740 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in memory (e.g., at least one memory 1730) to cause device 1705 to perform various functions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices). For example, device 1705 or components of device 1705 may include at least one processor 1740 and at least one memory 1730 coupled to or coupled to at least one processor 1740, wherein at least one processor 1740 and at least one memory 1730 are configured to perform the various functions described herein. In some examples, at least one processor 1740 may include multiple processors, and at least one memory 1730 may include multiple memories. One or more of a plurality of processors may be coupled to one or more of a plurality of memories, which may be configured individually or collectively to perform the various functions described herein.

[0247] According to the examples disclosed herein, the communication manager 1720 can support wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device. For example, the communication manager 1720 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device. The communication manager 1720 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for sending a query response message to the reader wireless device in response to the query message, the query response message reporting an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device. The communication manager 1720 can, is configured, or is operable to support components for receiving messages from the reader wireless device based on query response messages indicating an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device.

[0248] By including or configuring a communication manager 1720 according to the examples described herein, device 1705 can support technologies for mobility management of ambient-powered wireless devices, which can support reduced power consumption, reduced processing, more efficient use of communication resources, improved coordination between devices, and increased reliability.

[0249] In some examples, the communication manager 1720 may be configured to use or otherwise coordinate with the transceiver 1715, one or more antennas 1725, or any combination thereof to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, monitoring, transmitting). Although the communication manager 1720 is illustrated as a separate component, in some examples, one or more functions described with reference to the communication manager 1720 may be supported by or executed by at least one processor 1740, at least one memory 1730, code 1735, or any combination thereof. For example, code 1735 may include instructions that may be executed by at least one processor 1740 to cause the device 1705 to perform various aspects of mobility management for ambient-powered wireless devices as described herein, or at least one processor 1740 and at least one memory 1730 may be otherwise configured to perform or support such operations individually or jointly.

[0250] Figure 18 A flowchart illustrating a method 1800 for mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. As described herein, operation of method 1800 may be implemented by a mobility function network entity or a component thereof. For example, operation of method 1800 may be performed by a mobility function network entity, as referenced in... Figures 1 to 9 As described. In some examples, a mobility function network entity may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the mobility function network entity to perform the described functions. Additionally or alternatively, the mobility function network entity may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the described functions.

[0251] At 1805, the method may include sending multiple inventory request messages to multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device. The operation of 1805 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 1805 may be derived from references... Figure 8 The request manager 825 described is executed.

[0252] At 1810, the method may include receiving, in response to multiple inventory request messages, multiple inventory response messages identifying multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from multiple reader wireless devices. Operation of 1810 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 1810 may be derived from references... Figure 8 The described response manager 830 is executed.

[0253] At 1815, the method may include sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, based at least in part on a first inventory response message among a plurality of inventory response messages, wherein the first inventory response message indicates that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device. Operation of 1815 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 1815 may be derived from references... Figure 8 The relay manager 835 is used to execute this.

[0254] Figure 19 A flowchart illustrating a method 1900 for mobility management of an environment-powered wireless device according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. As described herein, the operation of method 1900 may be implemented by a mobility function network entity or a component thereof. For example, the operation of method 1900 may be performed by a mobility function network entity, as referenced in... Figures 1 to 9 As described. In some examples, a mobility function network entity may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the mobility function network entity to perform the described functions. Additionally or alternatively, the mobility function network entity may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the described functions.

[0255] At 1905, the method may include sending multiple inventory request messages to multiple reader wireless devices, requesting the multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient-powered wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device. The operation of 1905 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 1905 may be derived from references... Figure 8 The request manager 825 described is executed.

[0256] At 1910, the method may include receiving, in response to multiple inventory request messages, multiple inventory response messages identifying multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from multiple reader wireless devices. Operation of 1910 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 1910 may be as described in the references... Figure 8 The described response manager 830 is executed.

[0257] At 1915, the method may include sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, based at least in part on a first inventory response message among a plurality of inventory response messages, wherein the first inventory response message indicates that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device. Operation of 1915 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 1915 may be derived from references... Figure 8 The relay manager 835 is used to execute this.

[0258] At 1920, the method may include sending one or more request messages to one or more reader wireless devices among a plurality of reader wireless devices, requesting the one or more reader wireless devices to report data for relay to an application function network entity, wherein the one or more reader wireless devices are selected at least in part based on stored information associated with the plurality of reader wireless devices. The operation of 1920 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 1920 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 8 The request manager 825 described is executed.

[0259] At 1925, the method may include receiving one or more response messages identifying the data from the one or more reader wireless devices in response to the one or more request messages. Operation of 1925 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 1925 may be as described in references... Figure 8 The described response manager 830 is executed.

[0260] At 1930, the method may include sending a message to an application function network entity based at least in part on one or more response messages indicative of said data. The operation of 1930 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 1930 may be derived from references... Figure 8 The relay manager 835 is used to execute this.

[0261] Figure 20 A flowchart illustrating a method 2000 for mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to various aspects of this disclosure is shown. The operation of method 2000 can be implemented by a reader wireless device or its components as described herein. For example, the operation of method 2000 can be implemented by, as referenced... Figures 1 to 5 as well as Figures 10 to 13 The described reader wireless device performs this function. In some examples, the reader wireless device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the reader wireless device to perform the described function. Additionally or alternatively, the reader wireless device may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the described function.

[0262] At 2005, the method may include receiving an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity, requesting a reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. Operation of 2005 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2005 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 12 The described inventory request manager 1225 is executed.

[0263] At 2010, the method may include, in response to an inventory request message, sending an inventory response message to a mobility function network entity identifying inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with a reader wireless device. Operation of 2010 may be performed according to examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2010 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 12 The described inventory response manager 1230 is executed.

[0264] At 2015, the method may include receiving a message from a mobility function network entity for relaying to the first ambient-powered wireless device, based at least in part on an inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with a reader wireless device. Operation of 2015 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2015 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 12 The relay message manager 1235 described is executed.

[0265] At 2020, the method may include sending a message to a first environment-powered wireless device. The operation of 2020 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 2020 may be derived from, as referenced... Figure 12 The message manager 1240 described is used for execution.

[0266] Figure 21 A flowchart illustrating a method 2100 for mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. As described herein, operation of method 2100 can be implemented by a reader wireless device or a component thereof. For example, operation of method 2100 can be performed by, as referenced... Figures 1 to 5 as well as Figures 10 to 13 The described reader wireless device performs this function. In some examples, the reader wireless device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the reader wireless device to perform the described function. Additionally or alternatively, the reader wireless device may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the described function.

[0267] At 2105, the method may include receiving an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity, requesting the reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. Operation of 2105 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2105 may be as described in the references... Figure 12 The described inventory request manager 1225 is executed.

[0268] At 2110, the method may include sending one or more query messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, requesting information associated with the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices. Operation of 2110 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2110 may be as described in references... Figure 12 The query message manager 1245 described is executed.

[0269] At 2115, the method may include, in response to the one or more query messages, receiving one or more query response messages identifying information associated with the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein the inventory response message includes the information. Operation of 2115 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2115 may be as described in references... Figure 12 The query message manager 1245 described is executed.

[0270] At 2120, the method may include sending an inventory response message to a mobility function network entity in response to an inventory request message, identifying an inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. Operation of 2120 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2120 may be as described in the references... Figure 12 The described inventory response manager 1230 is executed.

[0271] At 2125, the method may include receiving a message from a mobility function network entity for relaying to the first ambient-powered wireless device, based at least in part on an inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with a reader wireless device. Operation of 2125 may be performed according to examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2125 may be as described in references... Figure 12 The relay message manager 1235 described is executed.

[0272] At 2130, the method may include sending a message to a first environment-powered wireless device. Operation of 2130 may be performed according to examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 2130 may be derived from references... Figure 12 The message manager 1240 described is used for execution.

[0273] Figure 22 A flowchart illustrating a method 2200 for mobility management of an environmentally powered wireless device according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. As described herein, operation of method 2200 can be implemented by a reader wireless device or a component thereof. For example, operation of method 2200 can be performed by, as referenced... Figures 1 to 5 as well as Figures 10 to 13The described reader wireless device performs this function. In some examples, the reader wireless device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the reader wireless device to perform the described function. Additionally or alternatively, the reader wireless device may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the described function.

[0274] At 2205, the method may include receiving an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity, requesting the reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device. Operation of 2205 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2205 may be as described in the references... Figure 12 The described inventory request manager 1225 is executed.

[0275] At 2210, the method may include sending an inventory response message to a mobility function network entity in response to an inventory request message, identifying an inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with a reader wireless device. Operation of 2210 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2210 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 12 The described inventory response manager 1230 is executed.

[0276] At 2215, the method may include receiving a message from a mobility function network entity for relaying to the first ambient-powered wireless device, based at least in part on an inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with a reader wireless device. Operation of 2215 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2215 may be as described in references... Figure 12 The relay message manager 1235 described is executed.

[0277] At 2220, the method may include sending a message to a first environment-powered wireless device. Operation of 2220 may be performed according to examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 2220 may be derived from references... Figure 12 The message manager 1240 described is used for execution.

[0278] At 2225, the method may include receiving one or more announcement messages from one or more ambient-powered wireless devices. Operation of 2225 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 2225 may be derived from references... Figure 12 The notification message manager 1250 described is executed.

[0279] At 2230, the method may include sending a second inventory response message identifying one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to a mobility function network entity. Operation of 2230 may be performed according to examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2230 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 12 The described inventory response manager 1230 is executed.

[0280] Figure 23 A flowchart illustrating a method 2300 for supporting mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. As described herein, operation of method 2300 may be implemented by an ambient-powered wireless device or a component thereof. For example, operation of method 2300 may be performed by an ambient-powered wireless device, as referenced... Figures 1 to 5 as well as Figures 13 to 17 Described. In some examples, an ambient-powered wireless device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the ambient-powered wireless device to perform the described functions. Additionally or alternatively, the ambient-powered wireless device may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the described functions.

[0281] At 2305, the method may include receiving a query message from a reader wireless device requesting an ambient-powered wireless device to report that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. Operation of 2305 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2305 may be as described in the references... Figure 16 The query message component 1625 described is executed.

[0282] At 2310, the method may include sending a query response message to the reader wireless device in response to a query message, the query response message reporting that an ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. Operation of 2310 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2310 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 16 The query response component 1630 described is executed.

[0283] At 2315, the method may include receiving a message from the reader wireless device based at least in part on a query response message indicating an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device. Operation of 2315 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2315 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 16 The device associated component 1635 described is executed.

[0284] Figure 24 A flowchart illustrating a method 2400 for supporting mobility management of an ambient-powered wireless device according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. As described herein, operation of method 2400 may be implemented by an ambient-powered wireless device or a component thereof. For example, operation of method 2400 may be performed by an ambient-powered wireless device, as referenced... Figures 1 to 5 as well as Figures 13 to 17 Described. In some examples, an ambient-powered wireless device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the ambient-powered wireless device to perform the described functions. Additionally or alternatively, the ambient-powered wireless device may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the described functions.

[0285] At 2405, the method may include receiving a query message from the reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. The operation of 2405 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 2405 may be as described in the references... Figure 16 The query message component 1625 described is executed.

[0286] At 2410, the method may include sending a query response message to the reader wireless device in response to a query message, the query response message reporting that an ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. Operation of 2410 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2410 may be provided by reference to [reference needed]. Figure 16 The query response component 1630 described is executed.

[0287] At 2415, the method may include receiving a message from the reader wireless device based at least in part on a query response message indicating an association between the ambient-powered wireless device and the reader wireless device. The operation of 2415 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operation of 2415 may be as described in the references... Figure 16 The device associated component 1635 described is executed.

[0288] At 2420, the method may include sending an announcement message to the reader wireless device, the announcement message identifying information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device based at least in part on a timer expiration. Operation of 2420 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, aspects of operation of 2420 may be as described in the references... Figure 16 The notification message component 1640 described is executed.

[0289] The following provides an overview of the various aspects of this disclosure:

[0290] Aspect 1: A method for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity, comprising: sending a plurality of inventory request messages to a plurality of reader wireless devices, requesting the plurality of reader wireless devices to report inventory of ambient power wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device; receiving, in response to the plurality of inventory request messages, a plurality of inventory response messages identifying the plurality of ambient power wireless devices from the plurality of reader wireless devices; and sending a message to a first reader wireless device for relay to the first ambient power wireless device, at least in part based on a first inventory response message among the plurality of inventory response messages, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient power wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

[0291] Aspect 2: According to the method of aspect 1, the method further includes: receiving, at least in part, multiple inventory response messages identifying multiple ambient-powered wireless devices from multiple reader wireless devices based on multiple reflection messages of multiple ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0292] Aspect 3: The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 2 further includes: receiving, at least in part, a plurality of second inventory response messages identifying the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices from a plurality of reader wireless devices based on a plurality of announcement messages of the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0293] Aspect 4: The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3 further includes: sending one or more request messages to one or more reader wireless devices among a plurality of reader wireless devices, requesting the one or more reader wireless devices to report data for relay to an application function network entity, wherein the one or more reader wireless devices are selected at least in part based on stored information associated with the plurality of reader wireless devices; receiving one or more response messages identifying the data from the one or more reader wireless devices in response to the one or more request messages; and sending a message to the application function network entity at least in part based on the one or more response messages indicating the data.

[0294] Aspect 5: According to the method of aspect 4, one or more reader wireless devices are selected at least in part based on the distance or signal strength between one or more reader wireless devices and one or more of a plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0295] Aspect 6: The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5 further includes: sending a message to the application function network entity indicating the location of the first reader wireless device, the location of the first ambient power supply wireless device, or both.

[0296] Aspect 7: The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6 further includes: storing information associated with a plurality of identified ambient-powered wireless devices, at least in part based on a plurality of inventory response messages.

[0297] Aspect 8: The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, wherein a plurality of inventory request messages instruct one or more of a plurality of reader wireless devices to suspend the transmission of one or more of a plurality of inventory response messages for a period of time or at least in part based on a trigger.

[0298] Aspect 9: The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8, wherein a plurality of inventory response messages indicate a plurality of locations of a plurality of reader wireless devices, a plurality of reader wireless device IDs, and a plurality of ambient power wireless device IDs.

[0299] Aspect 10: The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein sending one or more of a plurality of inventory request messages is at least in part based on a service profile associated with one or more of a plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0300] Aspect 11: The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 10 further includes: storing a set of information associated with a plurality of environmentally powered wireless devices identified, wherein the set of information includes power characteristics, energy storage capacity, mobility characteristics, or any combination thereof.

[0301] Aspect 12: The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 11, wherein the plurality of inventory request messages include a set of reporting parameters.

[0302] Aspect 13: A method for wireless communication at a reader wireless device, comprising: receiving an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity requesting the reader wireless device to report inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; in response to the inventory request message, sending an inventory response message to the mobility function network entity identifying inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; receiving a message from the mobility function network entity for relay to the first ambient-powered wireless device based at least in part on the inventory response message indicating that a first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and sending a message to the first ambient-powered wireless device.

[0303] Aspect 14: The method according to aspect 13, the method further comprising: sending one or more query messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to request information associated with one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0304] Aspect 15: The method according to aspect 14, wherein sending one or more query messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices is based at least in part on the movement of the reader wireless device, the movement of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, environmental changes, or a combination thereof.

[0305] Aspect 16: The method according to any one of Aspects 14 to 15 further includes: in response to one or more query messages, receiving one or more query response messages that identify information associated with one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein the inventory response message includes the information.

[0306] Aspect 17: According to the method of aspect 16, one or more query messages instruct one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to suspend the transmission of one or more query response messages for a period of time or at least in part based on a trigger.

[0307] Aspect 18: The method according to any one of aspects 13 to 17 further includes: receiving one or more reflection messages from one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; and sending an inventory response message in response to receiving one or more reflection messages.

[0308] Aspect 19: The method according to any one of aspects 13 to 18 further includes: receiving one or more notification messages from one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; and sending a second inventory response message identifying one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to a mobility function network entity.

[0309] Aspect 20: The method according to any one of Aspects 13 to 19 further includes: receiving a first request message from a mobility function network entity requesting a reader wireless device to report data for relay to an application function network entity; in response to the first request message, sending one or more second request messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices requesting the data; in response to the one or more second request messages, receiving one or more first response messages identifying the data from one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; and in response to the one or more first response messages, sending a response message identifying the data.

[0310] Aspect 21: The method according to aspect 20, wherein the first request message is received at least in part based on the distance or signal strength between the reader wireless device and one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

[0311] Aspect 22: The method according to any one of Aspects 13 to 21, wherein the inventory request message instructs the reader wireless device to pause the transmission of the inventory response message for a period of time or at least in part based on a trigger.

[0312] Aspect 23: The method according to any one of Aspects 13 to 22, wherein the inventory request message indicates the location of the reader wireless device, the reader wireless device ID, and one or more ambient-powered wireless device IDs.

[0313] Aspect 24: The method according to any one of aspects 13 to 23 further includes: receiving an indication of a service profile associated with one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein receiving an inventory request message is at least partially based on the service profile.

[0314] Aspect 25: The method according to any one of Aspects 13 to 24, wherein the inventory request message includes a set of reporting parameters.

[0315] Aspect 26: A method for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device, comprising: receiving a query message from a reader wireless device requesting the ambient-powered wireless device to report that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; in response to the query message, sending a query response message to the reader wireless device, the query response message reporting that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; and receiving, at least in part based on the query response message, a message from the reader wireless device indicating that the ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device.

[0316] Aspect 27: According to the method of aspect 26, receiving a query message includes: receiving a query message requesting information associated with an ambient power supply wireless device.

[0317] Aspect 28: According to the method of aspect 27, sending a query response message includes: in response to a query message, sending a query response message identifying the information associated with an ambient-powered wireless device.

[0318] Aspect 29: The method according to any one of Aspects 26 to 28, wherein the query message instructs the ambient-powered wireless device to suspend the transmission of query response messages for a period of time that is at least partially terminated based on a trigger.

[0319] Aspect 30: The method according to any one of aspects 26 to 29 further includes: receiving a second query message from a second reader wireless device, the second query message requesting second information associated with an ambient-powered wireless device based at least in part on environmental changes.

[0320] Aspect 31: The method according to any one of Aspects 26 to 30, wherein sending the query response message further comprises: sending a query response message that is a backscatter of the query message.

[0321] Aspect 32: The method according to any one of aspects 26 to 31 further includes: sending an announcement message to the reader wireless device, the announcement message identifying information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device based at least in part on a timer expiration.

[0322] Aspect 33: The method according to any one of aspects 26 to 32 further includes: receiving a request message from a reader wireless device for relaying to a mobility function network entity; and in response to the request message, sending a response message identifying the data to the reader wireless device.

[0323] Aspect 34: The method according to any one of Aspects 26 to 33, wherein the query message is received at least in part based on the movement of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, the movement of reader wireless devices, environmental changes, or a combination thereof.

[0324] Aspect 35: The method according to any one of aspects 26 to 34 further includes: sending an indication of a service profile associated with an ambient-powered wireless device, wherein receiving a query message is at least partially based on the service profile.

[0325] Aspect 36: The method according to any one of Aspects 26 to 35, wherein the query message includes a set of reporting parameters.

[0326] Aspect 37: An apparatus for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity, comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, or electrically); and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, without preprocessing) to cause the apparatus to perform the method according to any one of aspects 1 to 12.

[0327] Aspect 38: An apparatus for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity, comprising at least one component for performing the method according to any one of aspects 1 to 12.

[0328] Aspect 39: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity, the code including instructions executable by at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to perform the method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 12.

[0329] Aspect 40: An apparatus for wireless communication at a reader wireless device, comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, or electrically); and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, without preprocessing) to cause the apparatus to perform the method according to any one of aspects 13 to 25.

[0330] Aspect 41: An apparatus for wireless communication at a reader wireless device, comprising at least one component for performing the method according to any one of aspects 13 to 25.

[0331] Aspect 42: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication at a reader wireless device, the code including instructions executable by at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to perform the method according to any one of aspects 13 to 25.

[0332] Aspect 43: An apparatus for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device, comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, or electrically); and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to cause the apparatus to perform the method according to any one of aspects 26 to 36.

[0333] Aspect 44: An apparatus for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device, comprising at least one component for performing the method according to any one of aspects 26 to 36.

[0334] Aspect 45: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device, the code including instructions executable by at least one processor (e.g., directly, indirectly, after preprocessing, or without preprocessing) to perform the method according to any one of Aspects 26 to 36.

[0335] It should be noted that the methods described herein describe possible specific implementations, and the operations and steps can be rearranged or otherwise modified, and other specific implementations are also possible. Furthermore, aspects from two or more methods can be combined.

[0336] While aspects of LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR systems may be described for illustrative purposes, and the terms LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR may be used in most of the description, the techniques described herein are also applicable to networks outside of LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR networks. For example, the techniques described can be applied to a variety of other wireless communication systems, such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash OFDM, and other systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein, including future systems and radio technologies.

[0337] The information and signals described herein can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and methods. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips mentioned throughout the description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or optical particles, or any combination thereof.

[0338] The various exemplary blocks and components described herein can be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, CPU, GPU, FPGA, or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic unit, discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in alternative embodiments, a processor may be any processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration). Any function or operation described herein that can be performed by a processor may be performed by multiple processors capable of performing the described function or operation individually or jointly.

[0339] The functions described herein can be implemented using hardware, software executed by a processor, or any combination thereof. Software should be broadly interpreted as instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, or functions, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or other terms. If implemented using software executed by a processor, these functions can be stored as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium, or transmitted using one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Other examples and specific implementations are within the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, the functions described herein can be implemented using software executed by a processor, firmware, hardwired, or any combination thereof. Features implementing the functions can also be physically located in different locations, including portions distributed such that functions are implemented in different physical locations.

[0340] Computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storage media and communication media, with the latter including any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. Non-transitory storage media can be any available medium accessible by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. By way of example and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, phase-change memory, compact disc (CD) ROM or other optical disc storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code components in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Additionally, any connection is appropriately referred to as computer-readable media. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included within the definition of computer-readable media. As used herein, disks and optical discs include CDs, laser discs, optical discs, digital multifunction discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs. Disks can magnetically reproduce data, and optical discs can optically reproduce data using lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media. Any function or operation described herein that can be performed by memory can be performed by multiple memories capable of performing the described function or operation individually or jointly.

[0341] As used herein (including in the claims), the word "or" in an enumeration of items (e.g., including enumerations of items ending with phrases such as "at least one of..." or "one or more of...") indicates an inclusive enumeration, such that an enumeration of at least one of, for example, A, B, or C means, for example, A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Additionally, as used herein, the phrase "based on" should not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, an example step described as "based on condition A" could be based on both condition A and condition B without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase "based on" should be interpreted in the same manner as the phrase "at least partially based on". As used herein, when the term "and / or" is used in a list of two or more items, it means that any one of the listed items may be used alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed items may be used. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B and / or C, the composition may contain A alone; B alone; C alone; a combination of A and B; a combination of A and C; a combination of B and C; or a combination of A, B and C.

[0342] As used herein, including in claims, the article “a” preceding a noun is open-ended and is understood to refer to “at least one” or “one or more” of those nouns. Therefore, the terms “a,” “at least one,” “one or more,” and “at least one of one or more” are interchangeable. For example, where a claim enumerates “components” performing one or more functions, each of the individual functions may be performed by a single component or by any combination of multiple components. Thus, the term “component” having a characteristic or performing a function may refer to “at least one of one or more components” having a particular characteristic or performing a particular function. Subsequent references to a component introduced with the article “a” using the terms “the” or “the” can refer to any or all of the one or more components. For example, a component introduced with the article “a” can be understood to mean “one or more components,” and subsequent reference to “the component” in a claim can be understood as equivalent to referring to “at least one of the one or more components.” Similarly, subsequent references to a component introduced with the terms “the” or “the” as “one or more components” can refer to any or all of the one or more components. For example, reference to "the one or more components" in the subsequent claims can be understood as equivalent to reference to "at least one of the one or more components".

[0343] The terms "determine" or "identify" encompass a variety of actions, and therefore, "determine" or "identify" can include calculation, computation, processing, derivation, investigation, lookup (such as by searching in a table, database, or other data structure), ascertainment, etc. Additionally, "determine" or "identify" can include receiving (such as receiving information or signaling, e.g., receiving information or signaling for determination, receiving information or signaling for identification), accessing (such as accessing data in memory or accessing information), etc. Furthermore, "determine" or "identify" can include parsing, obtaining, selecting, choosing, creating, and other similar actions.

[0344] In the accompanying drawings, similar components or features may have the same reference numerals. Furthermore, various components of the same type can be distinguished by adding a dash after the reference numeral and a second numeral for differentiation between similar components. If only the first reference numeral is used in the specification, the description can be applied to any of the similar components having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the second or other subsequent reference numerals.

[0345] The description herein, illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, describes an example configuration and does not represent all achievable examples or those within the scope of the claims. The term "example" as used herein means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," not "preferred" or "advantageous over other examples." The detailed description includes specific details used to provide an understanding of the described techniques. However, these techniques can be practiced without these specific details. In some cases, known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concept of the described examples.

[0346] The description provided herein is intended to enable those skilled in the art to implement or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be granted the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communication at a mobility function network entity, the apparatus comprising: At least one processor; as well as A memory, coupled to the at least one processor, stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor to cause the mobility function network entity to: Send multiple inventory request messages to multiple reader wireless devices, the multiple inventory request messages requesting the multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient power wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device; In response to the plurality of inventory request messages, receive a plurality of inventory response messages identifying a plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices from the plurality of reader wireless devices; as well as At least in part based on a first inventory response message among the plurality of inventory response messages, a message is sent to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the mobility function network entity to: The plurality of inventory response messages identifying the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices are received from the plurality of reader wireless devices, based at least in part on the plurality of reflected messages from the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the mobility function network entity to: At least in part, based on multiple announcement messages from the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices, a plurality of second inventory response messages identifying the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices are received from the plurality of reader wireless devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the mobility function network entity to: Send one or more request messages to one or more of the plurality of reader wireless devices, the request messages requesting the one or more reader wireless devices to report data for relay to the application function network entity, wherein the one or more reader wireless devices are selected at least in part based on stored information associated with the plurality of reader wireless devices; In response to the one or more request messages, receive one or more response messages identifying the data from the one or more reader wireless devices; as well as Messages are sent to the application function network entity based at least in part on the one or more response messages that indicate the data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more reader wireless devices are selected at least in part based on the distance or signal strength between the one or more reader wireless devices and one or more of the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the mobility function network entity to: Send a message to the application function network entity indicating the location of the first reader wireless device, the location of the first ambient power wireless device, or both.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the mobility function network entity to: Information associated with the identified plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices is stored, at least in part, based on the plurality of inventory response messages.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inventory request messages instruct one or more of the plurality of reader wireless devices to suspend the transmission of one or more of the plurality of inventory response messages for a period of time or at least in part based on a trigger.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inventory response messages indicate a plurality of locations of the plurality of reader wireless devices, a plurality of reader wireless device identifiers, and a plurality of ambient-powered wireless device identifiers.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein sending one or more of the plurality of inventory request messages is at least in part based on a service profile associated with one or more of the plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the mobility function network entity to: Store a set of information associated with the identified plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein the set of information includes power characteristics, energy storage capacity, mobility characteristics, or any combination thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inventory request messages include a set of reporting parameters.

13. An apparatus for wireless communication at a reader wireless device, the apparatus comprising: At least one processor; as well as A memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the reader wireless device to: The device receives an inventory request message from a mobility function network entity, the inventory request message requesting the reader wireless device to report the inventory of one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; In response to the inventory request message, an inventory response message is sent to the mobility function network entity, identifying the inventory of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices associated with the reader wireless device; The message is received from the mobility function network entity for relaying to the first ambient power wireless device, based at least in part on the inventory response message that indicates the first ambient power wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device. as well as The message is sent to the first environmentally powered wireless device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the reader wireless device to: Send one or more query messages to one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, the query messages requesting information associated with the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein sending the one or more query messages to the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices is based at least in part on the movement of the reader wireless device, the movement of the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, environmental changes, or a combination thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the reader wireless device to: In response to the one or more query messages, receive one or more query response messages identifying information associated with the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices, wherein the inventory response message includes the information.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one or more query messages instruct the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to suspend the transmission of the one or more query response messages for a period of time or at least in part based on a trigger.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the reader wireless device to: Receive one or more reflected messages from the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; and In response to receiving the one or more reflected messages, the inventory response message is sent.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the reader wireless device to: Receive one or more notification messages from the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; and Send a second inventory response message identifying the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices to the mobility function network entity.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the reader wireless device to: A first request message is received from the Mobility Functions Network Entity, the first request message requesting the Reader Wireless Device to report data for relay to the Application Functions Network Entity; In response to the first request message, one or more second request messages requesting the data are sent to the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; In response to the one or more second request messages, receive one or more first response messages identifying the data from the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices; as well as In response to the one or more first response messages, a response message identifying the data is sent.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first request message is received at least in part based on the distance or signal strength between the reader wireless device and the one or more ambient-powered wireless devices.

22. An apparatus for wireless communication at an ambient-powered wireless device, the apparatus comprising: At least one processor; as well as A memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to power the ambient wireless device: Receive a query message from the reader wireless device, the query message requesting the ambient power wireless device to report that the ambient power wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; In response to the query message, a query response message is sent to the reader wireless device, the query response message reporting that the ambient power wireless device is associated with the reader wireless device; as well as The message is received from the reader wireless device based at least in part on the query response message that indicates the association between the ambient power supply wireless device and the reader wireless device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instruction for receiving the query message is executable by the at least one processor to power the ambient-powered wireless device: Receive the query message that requests information associated with the environmentally powered wireless device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instruction for sending the query response message is executable by the at least one processor to enable the ambient-powered wireless device: In response to the query message, a query response message is sent that identifies the information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the query message instructs the ambient-powered wireless device to suspend the transmission of the query response message for a period of time at least partially triggered.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to power the ambient-powered wireless device: A second query message is received from a second reader wireless device, the second query message requesting second information associated with the environmentally powered wireless device based at least in part on environmental changes.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instruction for sending the query response message is further executable by the at least one processor to enable the ambient-powered wireless device: Sending is the query response message, which is a backscatter of the query message.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to power the ambient-powered wireless device: An announcement message is sent to the reader wireless device, the announcement message identifying information associated with the ambient-powered wireless device based at least in part on timer expiration.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to power the ambient-powered wireless device: Receive a request message from the reader wireless device, the request message requesting data for relay to a mobility function network entity; and In response to the request message, a response message identifying the data is sent to the reader wireless device.

30. A method for conducting wireless communication at a mobility function network entity, the method comprising: Send multiple inventory request messages to multiple reader wireless devices, the multiple inventory request messages requesting the multiple reader wireless devices to report the inventory of ambient power wireless devices associated with each reader wireless device; In response to the plurality of inventory request messages, receive a plurality of inventory response messages identifying a plurality of ambient-powered wireless devices from the plurality of reader wireless devices; as well as A message is sent to a first reader wireless device for relay to a first ambient-powered wireless device, based at least in part on a first inventory response message among the plurality of inventory response messages, the first inventory response message indicating that the first ambient-powered wireless device is associated with the first reader wireless device.

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