System and method for task-driven collaborative smart cluster management

Abstract

Systems and methods for task-driven collaborative smart cluster management are presented. A first wireless communication entity may send a first message to a second wireless communication entity, the first message including a collaborative smart cluster configuration indicating that the second wireless communication entity may be configured as a collaborative smart cluster head node. The first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity, the second message including a collaborative smart cluster head node configuration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communications, including but not limited to systems and methods for task-driven collaborative intelligent cluster management. Background Technology

[0002] Coverage is a key consideration in cellular network deployment. With the increasing number of connected devices, there is a growing focus on efficient device communication. Current 3GPP standards (covering standards from 3G to 5G and beyond) emphasize the importance of seamless communication between a wide range of devices, from smart home devices to wearables. In industrial environments, complex tasks often require collaboration. This necessitates several collaborative management systems designed to create workgroups and manage different types of devices to accomplish the required tasks. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate to solving one or more problems presented in the prior art, and provide additional features that will readily become apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. According to various embodiments, exemplary systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not limiting, and that various modifications can be made to the disclosed embodiments by those skilled in the art who have read this disclosure, while remaining within the scope of this invention.

[0004] At least one aspect relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A first wireless communication entity (e.g., an NG-RAN node) may send a first message to a second wireless communication entity (e.g., a UE), the first message including a Cooperative Intelligence Cluster (CIC) head node configuration indicating that the second wireless communication entity can be configured as a CIC head node.

[0005] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from the third wireless communication entity before sending the first message to the second wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC header node standards. The CIC header node standards may include at least one of the following: CIC identification (ID) information or CIC header node standard information.

[0006] In some implementations, before sending the first message to the second wireless communication entity and after receiving the second message from the third wireless communication entity, the first wireless communication entity may send a third message to the third wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC header configuration. The CIC header configuration may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID); user equipment (UE); CIC header indicator; or CIC header information.

[0007] In some implementations, after sending a first message to a second wireless communication entity, the first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC header node configuration. The CIC header node configuration may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID); user equipment (UE); CIC header node indicator; or CIC header node information.

[0008] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC session configuration information for establishing a CIC session. The CIC session configuration information may include at least one of the following: CIC ID; CIC task container; CIC reporting configuration; CIC health level; reporting frequency; event-triggered reporting; or network slicing information.

[0009] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC session configuration information for modifying the CIC session. The CIC session configuration information may include at least one of the following: CIC ID; CIC task container; CIC reporting configuration; CIC health level; reporting frequency; event-triggered reporting; or network slice information.

[0010] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may send a second message to the third wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC session configuration information for modifying the CIC session. The CIC session configuration information may include at least one of the following: CIC ID; CIC task container; CIC reporting configuration; CIC health level; reporting frequency; event-triggered reporting; or network slice information.

[0011] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may send a third message to the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC session configuration information. In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from the second wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC report information. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC report information.

[0012] In some implementations, a first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a second wireless communication entity. The second message may include a head node switching configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include the head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the second or third wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0013] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may send a second message to a second wireless communication entity. The second message may include a head node switching configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include the head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0014] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may send a second message to a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include a head node switching configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a second wireless communication entity. The third message may include the head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the third wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0015] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node switching standard information requesting a switchover of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the third wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0016] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include head node handover configuration. The first wireless communication entity may send a fourth message to the third wireless communication entity. The fourth message may include head node handover configuration. In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to hand over the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity.

[0017] In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include head node handover configuration. The first wireless communication entity may receive a fourth message from the second wireless communication entity. The fourth message may include head node handover configuration determined based on the head node handover standard information. In some implementations, the second wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to hand over the CIC head node.

[0018] In some implementations, a first wireless communication entity may send a second message to a second wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity may receive a third message from the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include a head node handover configuration determined based on the head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity may send a fourth message to a third wireless communication entity. The fourth message may include the head node handover configuration. In some implementations, the second wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to hand over the CIC head node.

[0019] In some implementations, the head node switching configuration may include at least one of the following: a CIC identifier (ID); a head node switching indicator; new head node candidate information; no head node switching indicator; or old head node processing information. In some implementations, the head node switching standard information may include a CIC identifier (ID) or a CIC head node switching standard.

[0020] In some embodiments, a wireless communication device may include a processor and a memory, wherein the processor may be configured to read code from the memory and implement any of the various methods described in detail herein. In some embodiments, a computer program product may include a computer-readable program medium on which code is stored, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement any of the various methods described in detail herein.

[0021] At least one aspect relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity (e.g., an AMF). The second message may include CIC header configuration. The CIC header configuration may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID); user equipment (UE); CIC header indicator; or CIC header information.

[0022] In some implementations, the network nodes of this technical solution can perform task-driven collaborative intelligent cluster management according to at least one of the following example configurations or solutions: Example configuration 1: Header node configuration.

[0023] Example Configuration 2: CIC Session Related Processes.

[0024] Example configuration 3: Header node switching. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the present solution is based on the accompanying drawings. These drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and depict only exemplary embodiments of the present solution to aid the reader's understanding. Therefore, the drawings should not be construed as limiting the breadth, scope, or applicability of the present solution. It should be noted that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale for clarity and ease of explanation.

[0026] Figure 1 An example cellular communication network that implements the techniques disclosed herein is shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 Block diagrams of example base station and user equipment apparatuses according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an example network according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an example inspection task in a smart factory according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5 Example implementations of CN-based CIC header node selection according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 6 Example implementations of CN-assisted CIC head node configuration based on NG-RAN decision-making according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 7 Example implementations of CIC head node configuration based on NG-RAN nodes according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 8 Example implementations of CIC session establishment according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 9 Example implementations of CIC session modifications according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 10 Example implementations of CIC session modification instructions according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 11 Example implementations of CIC reporting according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 12Further example implementations of UE- or UE-triggered CIC head node handover based on CN decision are shown according to some embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 13 An example implementation of CIC head node handover based on NG-RAN nodes according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown; Figure 14 An example implementation of CIC head node handover triggered by NG-RAN node based on CN decision is shown according to some embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 15 Example implementations of CN-based CIC head node switching according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; Figure 16 An example implementation of CN-assisted CIC head node handover based on NG-RAN node decision is shown according to some embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 17 An example implementation of CN-assisted CIC head node handover based on UE decision is shown according to some embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 18 An example implementation of NG-RAN node-assisted CIC head node handover based on UE decision is shown according to some embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 19 Example implementations of new head node configuration and original head node release according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown; and Figure 20 A flowchart illustrating an example method for task-driven collaborative intelligent cluster management according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] 1. Mobile communication technology and environment Figure 1 An example wireless communication network and / or system 100 implementing the techniques disclosed herein is illustrated according to embodiments of this disclosure. In the following discussion, wireless communication network 100 can be any wireless network, such as a cellular network or a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, and is referred to herein as "network 100". Such an example network 100 includes base stations 102 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 102", also called wireless communication nodes) and user equipment 104 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 104", also called wireless communication devices) that can communicate with each other via communication links 110 (e.g., wireless communication channels), and a cluster of cells 126, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 covering a geographic area 101. Figure 1In this context, BS 102 and UE 104 are included within the corresponding geographical boundaries of cell 126. Each of the other cells 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 may include at least one base station operating on its allocated bandwidth to provide sufficient radio coverage to its intended users.

[0028] For example, BS 102 can operate on the allocated channel transmission bandwidth to provide sufficient coverage to UE 104. BS 102 and UE 104 can communicate via downlink radio frame 118 and uplink radio frame 124, respectively. Each radio frame 118 / 124 can be further divided into subframes 120 / 127, which may include data symbols 122 / 128. In this disclosure, BS 102 and UE 104 are described herein as non-limiting examples of "communication nodes," which typically practice the methods disclosed herein. According to various embodiments of this solution, such communication nodes can be capable of wireless and / or wired communication.

[0029] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example wireless communication system 200 for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals (e.g., Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing / Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access (OFDM / OFDMA) signals) according to some embodiments of this solution is shown. System 200 may include components and elements configured to support known or conventional operating features that do not need to be described in detail herein. In one illustrative embodiment, system 200 may be used in a wireless communication environment (e.g., as described above). Figure 1 In a wireless communication environment 100, data symbols are transmitted (e.g., sent and received).

[0030] System 200 typically includes a base station 202 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 202") and a user equipment 204 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 204"). BS 202 includes a base station (BS) transceiver module 210, a BS antenna 212, a BS processor module 214, a BS memory module 216, and a network communication module 218, each module being coupled and interconnected with each other as needed via a data communication bus 220. UE 204 includes a UE (user equipment) transceiver module 230, a UE antenna 232, a UE memory module 234, and a UE processor module 236, each module being coupled and interconnected with each other as needed via a data communication bus 240. BS 202 communicates with UE 204 via a communication channel 250, which can be any wireless channel or other medium suitable for the data transmission described herein.

[0031] As those skilled in the art will understand, system 200 may also include, in addition to Figure 2 Any number of modules other than those shown herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the various illustrative blocks, modules, circuits, and processing logic described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in hardware, computer-readable software, firmware, or any practical combination thereof. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability and compatibility of hardware, firmware, and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described in general terms of their functionality. Whether this functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software may depend on the specific application and design constraints imposed on the system as a whole. Those skilled in the art described herein can implement such functionality in a suitable manner for each specific application; however, such implementation decisions should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0032] According to some embodiments, UE transceiver 230 may be referred to herein as an "uplink" transceiver 230 including a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and an RF receiver, each RF transmitter and RF receiver including circuitry coupled to antenna 232. A duplex switch (not shown) may alternately couple the uplink transmitter or receiver to the uplink antenna in a time-duplex manner. Similarly, according to some embodiments, BS transceiver 210 may be referred herein as a "downlink" transceiver 210 including an RF transmitter and an RF receiver, each RF transmitter and RF receiver including circuitry coupled to antenna 212. A downlink duplex switch may alternatively couple the downlink transmitter or receiver to the downlink antenna 212 in a time-division duplex manner. The operation of the two transceiver modules 210 and 230 may be time-coordinated such that the uplink receiver circuitry is coupled to the uplink antenna 232 so that transmissions are received over the wireless transmission link 250 while the downlink transmitter is coupled to the downlink antenna 212. Conversely, the operation of the two transceivers 210 and 230 can be time-coordinated so that the downlink receiver is coupled to the downlink antenna 212, so that transmissions can be received via the wireless transmission link 250 while the uplink transmitter is coupled to the uplink antenna 232. In some embodiments, there is tight time synchronization with the shortest guard time between multiple changes in the duplex direction.

[0033] UE transceiver 230 and base transceiver 210 are configured to communicate via wireless data communication link 250 and cooperate with RF antenna arrangements 212 / 232 appropriately configured to support specific wireless communication protocols and modulation schemes. In some illustrative embodiments, UE transceiver 210 and base transceiver 210 are configured to support industry standards, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and emerging 5G standards. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is not necessarily limited to application to specific standards and related protocols. Rather, UE transceiver 230 and base transceiver 210 may be configured to support alternative or additional wireless data communication protocols (including future standards or variations thereof).

[0034] According to various embodiments, BS 202 may be, for example, an evolved Node B (eNB), a serving eNB, a target eNB, a femtocell, or a picocell. In some embodiments, UE 204 may be embodied in various types of user equipment (e.g., mobile phones, smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, laptops, wearable computing devices, etc.). Processor modules 214 and 236 may be implemented or realized using a general-purpose processor, content-addressable memory, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof, designed to perform the functions described herein. In this way, the processor may be implemented as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine, etc. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of multiple computing devices, such as a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors incorporating a digital signal processor core, or any other combination of such configurations.

[0035] Furthermore, the steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be directly embodied in hardware, firmware, software modules executed by processor modules 214 and 236 respectively, or any actual combination thereof. Memory modules 216 and 234 can be implemented as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, removable disks, compact optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In this respect, memory modules 216 and 234 can be coupled to processor modules 210 and 230 respectively, such that processor modules 210 and 230 can read information from and write information to memory modules 216 and 234 respectively. Memory modules 216 and 234 can also be integrated into their respective processor modules 210 and 230. In some embodiments, memory modules 216 and 234 may each include cache memory for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be executed by processor modules 210 and 230, respectively. Memory modules 216 and 234 may also each include non-volatile memory for storing instructions to be executed by processor modules 210 and 230, respectively.

[0036] Network communication module 218 broadly represents the hardware, software, firmware, processing logic, and / or other components of base station 202 that enable bidirectional communication between base station transceiver 210 and other network components and communication nodes configured to communicate with base station 202. For example, network communication module 218 may be configured to support Internet or Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMAX) services. In a typical but non-limiting deployment, network communication module 218 provides an 802.3 Ethernet interface, enabling base station transceiver 210 to communicate with conventional Ethernet-based computer networks. In this way, network communication module 218 may include a physical interface for connecting to a computer network (e.g., a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)). The terms “configured for,” “configured to,” and their various variations, used herein in relation to a specified operation or function, refer to devices, components, circuits, structures, machines, signals, etc., that are physically constructed, programmed, formatted, and / or arranged to perform the specified operation or function.

[0037] The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model (referred to herein as the "OSI model") is a conceptual and logical layout that defines network communications used by systems (e.g., wireless communication devices, wireless communication nodes) for interconnecting and communicating with other systems. The model is divided into seven sub-components or layers, each representing a conceptual set of services provided to its upper and lower layers. The OSI model also defines logical networks and efficiently describes computer packet transmission using different layer protocols. The OSI model may also be referred to as the seven-layer OSI model or the seven-layer model. In some embodiments, the first layer may be the physical layer. In some embodiments, the second layer may be the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. In some embodiments, the third layer may be the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. In some embodiments, the fourth layer may be the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer. In some embodiments, the fifth layer may be the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer. In some embodiments, the sixth layer may be the Radio Resource Control (NAS) layer or the Internet Protocol (IP) layer, and the seventh layer is another layer.

[0038] Various exemplary embodiments of this solution are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable those skilled in the art to create and use this solution. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various changes or modifications can be made to the examples described herein without departing from the scope of this solution after reading this disclosure. Therefore, this solution is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and applications described and illustrated herein. Furthermore, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed herein is merely exemplary. Based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the disclosed methods or processes can be redeployed while remaining within the scope of this solution. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that the methods and techniques disclosed herein present various steps or actions in an exemplary order, and unless otherwise expressly stated, this solution is not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0039] 2. Systems and methods for task-driven collaborative intelligent cluster management Industry standards (e.g., 3GPP standards) for group communication (e.g., in a 5G core network) focus on forming collections of devices to be operated, such as collections of smart home devices or wearable devices, such as... Figure 3As shown. However, in some systems (e.g., 5G-A and / or 6G), achieving intelligent collaborative operation within such workgroups can present significant challenges when applications involve various automated devices. Addressing this challenge may require overcoming several technical hurdles, such as dynamic cluster configuration, adaptive task-driven traffic management, or task-level Quality of Service (QoS) management.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, inspection tasks can vary depending on the complexity of the tasks in a smart factory, the production line being inspected, or the manufacturing environment (e.g., lighting, noise, temperature, etc.). Therefore, a single device may not be sufficient to guarantee efficient operation and provide real-time alerts. For example, a robotic arm may be mobile but may have blind spots it cannot inspect. Therefore, inspection tasks will be completed collaboratively by the robotic arm and high-definition cameras and sensors (e.g., gas sensors, temperature sensors, etc.). In this context, task-driven Collaborative Intelligent Cluster (CIC) services (which can include different types of network-controllable devices (e.g., drones (UAVs), autonomous vehicles, robots, sensors, etc.)) can support task completion through intelligent collaboration between multiple nodes.

[0041] In a typical CIC, there are (or can be) two roles: head node and members. The head node is responsible for CIC management, such as adding, modifying, or deleting members; assigning tasks among members; and allocating resources to relevant members. Members are responsible for executing commands from the head node and processing tasks it receives. If possible, the head node can also assign tasks to itself. The head node can act as the control and command entity within the CIC, while members can act as working entities. The initial head node of a CIC can be configured by the manufacturer, operator, or CIC owner. In some configurations, the initial head node can also be randomly selected by the core network (CN) or gNodeB (gNB) from one or more CIC entities with head node capabilities before / during the task allocation phase or CIC formation phase. In some configurations, if an entity with head node capabilities is the first to access the CIC, that entity can be selected as the initial head node.

[0042] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, for CN-based CIC head node selection, the CN can completely determine / select the CIC head node (or multiple head nodes). Head node selection can be performed with or without a CIC-related PDU session. Without any CIC-related PDU session, head node selection can be performed using newly introduced Next-Generation Radio Access Network Application Protocol (NGAP) messages or existing NGAP UE context-related messages (e.g., initial context establishment procedure, UE context modification procedure, etc.). Alternatively, head node selection can be omitted until the CN receives a CIC-related task, and a CIC-related PDU session can be established / modified. The CN can perform head node selection using newly introduced NGAP messages or existing NGAP PDU-related messages (e.g., PDU session resource establishment procedure, PDU session resource modification procedure, etc.).

[0043] For each of the one or more related CICs, the CN can selectively / prefer to configure the CIC head node. The AMF can send NGAP message A to the NG-RAN node. For each of the one or more involved CICs, the CN can inform the NG-RAN node of at least one of the following: CIC identifier (CIC ID), which can be used to identify which CIC can be configured as a CIC head node; UE ID, which can be used to identify the UE; CIC head node indicator, which can be used to indicate that the aforementioned / specific UE is the head node of this CIC; or CIC head node information, which may include at least one UE ID indicating the CIC head node (when a CIC has one or more head nodes). The NG-RAN node can receive the CIC head node information and send the CIC head node information to the UE via RRC message A. In some configurations, a new RRC message or an existing message can be used (e.g., RRC reconfiguration). The NG-RAN node can be informed of at least one of the following: a CIC ID, which can be used to identify which CIC can be configured as a CIC head node; a UE ID, which can be used to identify the UE; a CIC head node indicator, which can be used to indicate that the aforementioned / specific UE is the head node of that CIC; or CIC head node information, which may include at least one UE ID from one or more UE IDs indicating a CIC head node (when a CIC has one or more head nodes). The UE can receive the CIC head node configuration and understand / determine that the UE is the head node of one or more related CICs. The UE can then reply to / transmit an RRC message B to the NG-RAN node with an RRC message B including ACK information. The NG-RAN node can receive the RRC message B and send / transmit an NGAP message B with / including ACK information to the AMF.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, for CN-assisted CIC head node selection, the CN may not directly select a head node for the CIC. The CN can provide the NG-RAN node with criteria on how to select the CIC head node. The NG-RAN node can select a head node for the relevant CIC based on the received criteria and notify the CN of its decision. The AMF can provide the NG-RAN node with the CIC head node criteria for each of the one or more CICs involved via NGAP message A. In some configurations, NGAP message A can be a newly defined message or an existing message (e.g., NG establishment request, AMF configuration update, etc.). For each of the one or more CICs involved, at least one of the following information can be provided: CIC ID information, which can be used to identify which one or more CICs can be configured as the head node criteria; or CIC head node criteria information, which can be a criterion on how to select a CIC head node for a CIC (with the aforementioned one or more CIC IDs). An entity may select a CIC head node by using at least one of the following: for example: whether the aforementioned / specific head node candidate has CIC head node capability; whether the head node candidate's total hashrate and / or remaining hashrate and / or occupied hashrate is higher than or not lower than a certain level / value; whether the head node candidate's current battery / power state is at least a certain level / value / ratio; whether the head node candidate's total battery / power state is at least a certain level / value; restrictions on mobility and status, including factors such as flight capability, whether the head node candidate is flying, crawling capability, or the head node candidate's current speed; location restrictions on the candidate (e.g., head node candidates can only be selected in a limited number of cells or a limited number of areas / locations); other statuses of the head node candidate (e.g., temperature, pressure, humidity, etc.); thresholds for real-time measured reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR); or whether the CIC head node value / level is at least a certain value / level.

[0045] CIC head node values / grades can be a comprehensive evaluation of all candidate head nodes in the CIC. The evaluation of values / grades can consider multiple criteria for each candidate head node. To avoid complex configurations, the CN can configure CIC head node values / grades as criteria for NG-RAN nodes. The CN may not be concerned with every detailed attribute of the CIC head node, but if a candidate's CIC head node value / grade is qualified, then that candidate can be a head node in the CIC. In this disclosure, a value can refer to a specific number or quantity that can be assigned to an attribute (e.g., a specific computing power value, temperature, pressure, etc.). A grade can be a category / standard or division of an attribute (e.g., small, medium, and large; grade 1, grade 2… grade N; or low, normal, and high). A ratio can be a comparison of two quantities, expressed as a fraction or percentage (e.g., 10%, 15%, 1 / 2, etc.).

[0046] In some configurations, NG-RAN nodes may not make any decisions regarding the CIC head node. NG-RAN nodes can respond with an NGAP message (C) containing ACK information. The NGAP message (C) can be a newly defined message or an existing message (e.g., NG establishment response, AMF configuration update acknowledgment, etc.). When an NG-RAN node determines / identifies the CIC head node using the received criteria, it can select the CIC head node as described in detail herein and notify the AMF of the result.

[0047] NG-RAN nodes can identify qualified head node candidates that implement / meet the configured criteria. NG-RAN nodes can send / transmit RRC message A to the UE to configure the UE as a head node of the CIC. In some configurations, RRC message A can be a newly defined message or an existing message (e.g., RRC reconfiguration). For each involved CIC, at least one of the following can be informed / transmitted from the NG-RAN node to the UE: CIC ID, which can be used to identify which CIC can be configured as a CIC head node; UE ID, which can be used to identify the UE; CIC head node indicator, which can be used to indicate that the aforementioned / specific UE is a CIC head node; or CIC head node information, which may include at least one UE ID from a plurality of UE IDs indicating a CIC head node (when a CIC has one or more head nodes). The UE can receive the CIC head node configuration and understand / determine that the UE is a head node of one or more related CICs. The UE can reply to / transmit RRC message B to the NG-RAN node using RRC message B including ACK information. The NG-RAN node can determine which entity can be a CIC head node. NG-RAN nodes can inform / transmit CIC head node information to the AMF using NGAP message B. In some configurations, NGAP message B can be a new or existing message (e.g., NG setup response, AMF configuration update confirmation, RAN configuration update, etc.). For each involved CIC, at least one of the following can be informed / provided: CIC ID, which can be used to identify which CIC will (or can) be configured as a CIC head node; UE ID, which can be used to identify the UE; CIC head node indicator, which can be used to indicate that the UE can be a CIC head node; or CIC head node information, which may include at least one of one or more UE IDs indicating a CIC head node (when a CIC has one or more head nodes).

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, for CIC head node selection based on NG-RAN nodes, the NG-RAN node can be responsible for the CIC head node selection. After selecting the CIC head node, the NG-RAN node can inform / transmit the result to the CN. The selection criteria on the RAN side can be configured by OAM (if any). The NG-RAN node can decide to use the UE as the head node of the CIC. The NG-RAN node can send / transmit RRC message A to the UE. In some configurations, RRC message A can be a newly introduced message or an existing message (e.g., RRC establishment completed, RRC reconfiguration, etc.). For each of the one or more CICs involved, at least one of the following information can be informed to the UE: CIC ID, which can be used to identify which CIC can be configured as the CIC head node; UE ID, which can be used to identify the UE; CIC head node indicator, which can be used to indicate that the aforementioned / specific UE is the head node of this CIC; or CIC head node information, which can include at least one UEID indicating the CIC head node. The UE can receive this message and determine that the UE can be the head node of the CIC (or some CICs). The UE can reply to / transmit RRC message B to the NG-RAN node. The NG-RAN node can complete the CIC head node configuration between the NG-RAN node and the UE. The NG-RAN node can inform / transmit CIC head node information to the AMF. For each involved CIC, at least one of the following can be informed to the AMF: CIC ID, which can be used to identify which CIC can be configured as a CIC head node; UE ID, which can be used to identify the UE; CIC head node indicator, which can be used to indicate that the aforementioned / specific UE is the head node of this CIC; or CIC head node information, which may include at least one UE ID indicating the CIC head node.

[0049] In some implementations, for CIC session-related procedures, at least one of the following information may be included in the CIC session configuration information: CIC ID; CIC task container; or CIC reporting configuration. The CIC ID can be used to identify the CIC. The CIC task container may include details of the task information. The task information may be transparent to the AMF and / or NG-RAN node and / or UE AS layer. If the CIC task container is transparent to both the NG-RAN node and / or UE AS layer, the information included in the CIC task container may not be read by the NG-RAN node and / or UE AS layer. In addition to the container, the CIC task can also be directly passed to the UE as user plane data. The CIC reporting configuration can be used by the NW to configure how the CIC head node can report CIC status.

[0050] The aforementioned / specific configuration may provide at least one of the following information: status information; reporting frequency; event-triggered reporting; or NW slice information. Status information indicates which information can be reported to the NW. Status information may include at least one of the following: task completion rate; the number of warnings and / or errors detected and fixed; or CIC health level. Task completion rate can be used to indicate the percentage of tasks completed. The number of warnings and / or errors detected and fixed can be used to indicate how many warnings and / or errors have been detected and / or fixed. Errors or warnings may be CIC-related (internal / inter-CIC warnings / errors) or task-related (task-related errors or warnings). CIC health level can be a comprehensive assessment of CIC. The CIC head node may consider all / some CIC-related situations (e.g., assessment of all important members / head nodes, detected errors / warnings, etc.) and provide a CIC health level. The NW can use the CIC health level / value to check / determine whether CIC can maintain normal operation in the next time period. If the CIC health level / value is high enough, the NW may not need the CIC to report its status periodically or monitor its status closely. If the CIC health level / value is low enough, the NW may require the CIC head node to report its status more frequently and / or more detailed information about the task and CIC. In this disclosure, various terms may be used to describe the level or value of an attribute, including: small, medium, large, etc.; grades (e.g., grades 1, 2, 3, 4…N, etc.); ratios (e.g., 10%, 15%, 1 / 2, etc.); or specific numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3…M, etc.).

[0051] The NW can configure the CIC head node to a reporting frequency, and the CIC head node can report the CIC status using the configured frequency. The NW can configure at least one of multiple thresholds for the CIC head node. If the CIC achieves / meets the configured threshold, the CIC head node can report the threshold-related status or the configured status to the NW. In the aforementioned / specific configuration, at least one of the following information may be provided / informed: CIC can move outside / within the configured area; CIC can be above / below a certain height; the remaining computing power of the CIC head node can be above / below or not below / above a threshold; the occupied computing power of the CIC head node can be above / below or not below / above a threshold; the CIC health level can be above / below or not above / below a threshold; the CIC health level can exceed the configured range; the CIC health level is within the configured range; the average power of the CIC can be above / below or not above / below a threshold; the average power of the CIC can exceed the configured range; the average power of the CIC is within the configured range; specific errors and / or specific warnings can be detected; the number of detected warnings can be above / below / not above / below a threshold; the number of detected warnings can exceed the configured range; the number of detected warnings is within the configured range; the number of detected errors can be above / below or not above / below a threshold; the number of detected errors can exceed the configured range; or the number of detected errors is within the configured range.

[0052] If available, the CIC can perform NW slicing. For each of one or more related CICs, at least one of the following information can be provided / informed in the CIC report information: CIC ID; CIC report container; or status information. The CIC ID can be used to identify the CIC. The CIC report container can contain details of the application layer report information. The information in the report can be transparent to the AMF and / or NG-RAN nodes and / or UE AS layers. If the container is transparent to both the NG-RAN nodes and the UE AS layers, the information contained in the container may not be read by the NG-RAN nodes or the UE AS layers. In addition to the container, the CIC application layer report can also be passed directly as user plane data. Status information can indicate which information will (or can) be reported to the NW. Some information can be provided / informed here. For example, the task completion rate can be used to indicate the percentage of task completion. The number of warnings and / or errors detected and corrected can be used to indicate how many warnings and / or errors have been detected and / or corrected. Errors or warnings can be CIC-related (inter-CIC warnings / errors) or task-related (task-related errors or warnings). CIC health level can be a comprehensive assessment of CIC. The head node can consider all / some CIC-related conditions (e.g., assessment of the status of all critical members / head nodes, detected errors / warnings, etc.) and provide a CIC health level. The NW can use the CIC health level to approximate whether the CIC can maintain normal operation in the next time period. If the level / value is high enough, the NW may not need the CIC to report its status regularly and may not need continuous monitoring of the CIC status. If the level / value is low enough, the NW may need the CIC head node to report its status more frequently and / or report / provide more detailed information about the task and CIC.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8As shown, the CN can trigger the CIC session establishment process. The AMF can send / transmit NGAP message A with / including CIC session establishment request information to the NG-RAN node. For each of the one or more CICs involved, at least one of the following information can be informed / provided / included: CIC session configuration information. When the NG-RAN node receives the CIC session establishment request information, the NG-RAN node can send / transmit the CIC session establishment request information to the UE via RRC message A. At least one of the following information can be informed / provided / included: CIC session configuration information. Alternatively, after the UE receives RRC message A, the UE can establish a CIC session accordingly and reply with RRC message B with ACK information. After the NG-RAN node receives RRC message B, the NG-RAN node can reply to the AMF with ACK information via NGAP message B. In some implementations, if CIC reporting is configured to be sent to the UE, a reporting process can be triggered / initiated.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the CN can modify existing CIC sessions. The CN can trigger a CIC session modification process, and the AMF can send / transmit NGAP message A with / including CIC session modification information. For each of the one or more CICs involved, at least one of the following information can be informed / provided: CIC session configuration information. When the NG-RAN node receives NGAP message A, the NG-RAN node can send / transmit CIC session modification information to the UE via RRC message A. At least one of the following information can be informed / provided / included: CIC session configuration information; or after the UE receives RRC message A, the UE can modify the CIC session accordingly and reply with RRC message B with ACK information. After the NG-RAN node receives RRC message B, the NG-RAN node can reply to the AMF with ACK information via NGAP message B. In some implementations, if CIC reporting is configured for the UE, a reporting process can be triggered / initiated.

[0055] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10As shown, when an NG-RAN node decides to modify an existing CIC session configuration, it can send / transmit an NGAP message A containing CIC session modification indication information to the AMF. For each of the one or more CICs involved, at least one of the following information can be provided / informed: CIC session configuration information. When the AMF receives the CIC session modification information, it can use the received information as a reference. The AMF can send / transmit CIC session modification confirmation information with the final decision regarding the CIC session modification to the NG-RAN node via NGAP message B. At least one of the following information can be provided / informed: CIC session configuration information. After the NG-RAN node receives the CIC session modification confirmation information, it can send / transmit an RRC message A containing CIC session modification information to the UE. At least one of the following information can be provided / informed: CIC session configuration information. After the UE receives the CIC session modification information, it can modify the existing CIC session configuration accordingly and reply / transmit an RRC message B to the NG-RAN node. In some implementations, the reporting process can be triggered if CIC reporting is configured for the UE.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 11 As shown, the UE can trigger CIC reporting. For example, depending on different configurations, the UE can report CIC information once, periodically, or based on triggered events. When reporting is triggered (e.g., periodic reporting or event-triggered reporting), the UE can send / transmit an RRC message A with CIC reporting information to the NG-RAN node. When the NG-RAN node receives the RRC message A with CIC reporting information, the NG-RAN node can send / transmit an NGAP message A with CIC reporting information to the AMF.

[0057] In some implementations, the head node position in a CIC may not be fixed / static throughout the CIC's lifecycle. Each member within a CIC with CIC head node capability can be a candidate for CIC head node. A CIC or NW (NG-RAN node or CN) can select a new, appropriate head node based on circumstances. For each of one or more related CICs, at least one of the following information can be communicated / provided in the head node switching request / head node switching information: CICID; head node switching indicator; new head node candidate information; or old head node handling. The CIC ID can be used to identify which CIC is associated with the head node switching process. The head node switching indicator can be used to indicate that the aforementioned / specific CIC can change to a new head node. The new head node candidate information may include one or more IDs of one or more members in the CIC, meaning / indicating that the original head node can pick / select one or more of these members as the new head node. This selection can serve as a reference / suggestion or decision based on a particular embodiment. Old head node handling can indicate how the old head node should be handled after the head node switch. This may include / indicate at least one of the following: the old head node can continue to join the CIC as a member, or the old head node can be removed from the CIC.

[0058] For each relevant CIC, the head node handover response may include at least one of the following: CIC ID; head node handover indicator; new head node candidate information; old head node handling; headless head node handover indicator; or ACK information. The CIC ID can be used to identify which CIC is associated with / used in the head node handover process. The head node handover indicator indicates that the CIC can change to a new head node. The new head node candidate information may include one or more IDs of one or more members in the CIC, meaning / indicating that the original head node can select / choose one or more of these members as the new head node. The old head node handling indicates how the old head node should be handled after the head node handover. This may indicate / include at least one of the following: the old head node can continue to join the CIC as a member, or the old head node can be removed from the CIC. The headless head node handover indicator indicates that no head node handover may be necessary. The ACK information indicates that the entity receiving the head node handover request information has stored the received information. Depending on the specific circumstances, the entity sending the ACK information may be a UE, an NG-RAN node, or a CN.

[0059] For each of the one or more related CICs, at least one of the following information may be provided / included: a CIC ID, which can be used to identify which CIC is associated with the head node switching process; or a CIC head node switching criterion, which may include at least one of the following: all detailed descriptions in the CIC head node criterion information; the candidate head node's computing power may be higher than the current head node (with or without a certain value / level / ratio); the candidate head node's battery / power status may be higher than the current head node (with or without a certain value / level / ratio); the candidate head node's mobility status may be higher than the current head node (e.g., faster, higher, etc.); the candidate head node's location may be better than the current head node (e.g., closer to the NG-RAN node); other states of the candidate head node may be better than the current head node (e.g., temperature, pressure, humidity, etc. regulation); the candidate head node's RSRP, RSRQ, SINR may be better than the current head node; the candidate CIC head node value / level may be higher than the current head node; or the candidate CIC head node value / level may be higher than or not lower than a threshold.

[0060] In some embodiments, such as Figure 12 As shown, the original head node of the CIC can be the UE. As the head node of the CIC, the UE can trigger the head node handover process. For UE-based solutions, the UE has complete control over the head node handover process and provides the final decision to the NW. For UE-assisted processes, the UE can trigger / initiate the head node handover process and provide suggestions for head node handover. The final decision regarding head node handover can be made by the CN.

[0061] The current head node of the CIC (in this example, the current head node is the UE) can decide to initiate / trigger the head node handover process. The UE can send / transmit an RRC message A with the head node handover configuration to the NG-RAN node. After the NG-RAN node receives the head node handover request from the UE, it can send / transmit an NGAP message A with the head node handover configuration. In some configurations, the head node handover information can be included in the head node handover configuration in both the RRC message A and the NGAP message A. The CN can follow the head node decision of the received head node handover. After the CN receives the head node handover information (included in the head node handover configuration), it can store the received information and reply / transmit ACK information. The CN can modify the stored CIC information, and the AMF can reply / transmit an NGAP message B to the NG-RAN node including the head node handover response (which may only include ACK information). The NG-RAN node can receive the ACK information and reply / transmit an RRC message B to the UE including the head node handover response (which may only include ACK information).

[0062] For certain configurations, the head node handover request can be included in the head node handover configuration within RRC message A and NGAP message A. The CN can use the received head node handover request (included in the head node handover configuration) as a reference. If the CN cannot find / determine a better solution, the CN can use the received head node handover request as the final decision. If the CN finds / determines a better way to hand over the head node (e.g., a better candidate, a better way to handle the old head node, no head node handover required, etc.), the CN can send / transmit the final decision to the NG-RAN node and the original head node, which can be included in the head node handover response. After the CN's evaluation, the AMF can reply with NGAP message B containing the head node handover response. After receiving the above information, the NG-RAN node can send / transmit RRC message B containing / including the head node handover response to the UE.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 13 As shown, the NG-RAN node can be responsible for the head node handover of the CIC. The NG-RAN node can send head node handover information to the UE (e.g., the original head node). The NG-RAN node can send / transmit the head node handover decision (included in the head node handover information) to the AMF. The NG-RAN node can decide to execute the head node handover procedure. The NG-RAN node can send / transmit an RRC message A containing / including head node handover information to the UE. After the UE receives the head node handover request, the UE can acknowledge the head node handover information and reply with an RRC message B containing ACK information. The NG-RAN node can send an NGAP message A containing / including head node handover information to the AMF. The AMF can receive the head node handover information. The CN can store the received information and reply with an NGAP message B containing ACK information.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 14As shown, head node handover can be triggered by an NG-RAN node. The NG-RAN node can first send a head node handover request to the AMF for further confirmation. With the AMF's approval and final decision, the NG-RAN node can perform a head node handover procedure with the UE (e.g., the original head node). The NG-RAN node can decide to perform the head node handover procedure. The NG-RAN node can send its proposal (e.g., head node handover request) to the AMF via NGAP message A. After CN evaluation, the AMF can send / transmit NGAP message B to the NG-RAN node containing / including the CN's final decision regarding the head node handover (e.g., head node handover response). Upon receiving NGAP message B, the NG-RAN node can send / transmit RRC message A to the UE containing / including the head node handover decision (e.g., head node handover information). After the UE receives RRC message A containing / including the head node handover decision, the UE can perform the head node handover configuration accordingly and reply with RRC message B containing ACK information. In some implementations, if the CN determines that a head node handover is not required, the CN can add to the head node handover response... Headless node switching indicator (no head switching indicator).

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 15 As shown, the CN can be responsible for the head node handover process. The CN can send its head node handover decision to the NG-RAN node and the UE accordingly. The CN can decide to use a new head node for the CIC. The AMF can send / transmit an NGAP message A containing / including head node handover information to the NG-RAN node. The NG-RAN node can receive the NGAP message A and send / transmit an RRC message A containing / including the head node handover decision to the UE. After the UE receives the RRC message A containing / including the head node handover decision, the UE can perform the head node handover configuration accordingly and reply with an RRC message B containing ACK information. After the NG-RAN node receives the UE's reply message, the NG-RAN node can send / transmit an NGAP message B containing ACK information to the AMF.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 16As shown, the CN can provide the head node handover criteria to the NG-RAN node. The NG-RAN node can make a final decision on whether to perform a head node handover based on the received criteria. After the NG-RAN node decides to perform a head node handover for one or more related CICs, the NG-RAN node can notify / inform the original UE head node and the CN of the head node handover. The CN can provide the CIC head node handover criteria to the NG-RAN node via an NGAP message containing the CIC head node handover criteria. A. The NG-RAN node can receive the configured head node handover criteria. The NG-RAN node can choose not to make any decision regarding the CIC head node handover and can reply / transmit ACK information to the AMF via NGAP message B. Based on the configured head node handover criteria, the NG-RAN node can find / determine a new qualified head node and decide to perform a head node handover. The NG-RAN node can send / transmit an RRC message A containing / including head node handover information (e.g., a decision). The UE can receive the head node handover decision and reply with an RRC message B containing ACK information. An NG-RAN node can receive an RRC message B and send / transmit an NGAP message C containing head node switching information to the AMF. The NGAP message C may include head node switching information (e.g., a decision). After the CN receives the NGAP message C, the CN can modify its stored CIC information accordingly.

[0067] In some embodiments, such as Figure 17As shown, the CN can provide the current UE head node with a head node handover standard, and the UE can make a final decision on the selection of a new head node. By using the configured standard, the UE head node can find / determine one or more new head nodes that can implement / satisfy the standard and trigger / initiate a head node handover process. The CN can decide to configure the head node handover standard to the CIC head node (in this example, the CIC head node is the UE). The AMF can send / transmit an NGAP message A with / including head node handover standard information. The NG-RAN node can receive the head node handover standard information and send / transmit an RRC message A with the head node handover standard information to the UE. The UE can receive the standard and reply with an RRC message B with ACK information. The NG-RAN node can receive the ACK information from the UE and send / transmit an NGAP message B including the ACK information to the AMF. Based on the configured standard, the UE can select one or more new head nodes for one or more involved CICs. The UE can send / transmit an RRC message C including head node handover information (e.g., a decision) to the NG-RAN node. NG-RAN nodes can receive head node handover information and send it to the AMF via NGAP message C (e.g., decision-making). After receiving NGAP message C, the CN can modify its stored CIC information accordingly. In some implementations, if the CN determines that a head node handover is not required, the CN can add to the head node handover response. Headless Node switching indicator .

[0068] In some embodiments, such as Figure 18As shown, the NG-RAN node can provide the current UE head node with a head node handover standard. Using the configured standard, the UE head node can make a final decision regarding head node handover and trigger / initiate the head node handover process. The NG-RAN node can send / transmit CIC head node handover standard information to the UE via RRC message A. The NG-RAN node can generate the head node handover standard itself or it can be configured by OAM. The UE can receive the configured head node handover standard and reply with an RRC message B containing ACK information. In some implementations, if the UE determines to perform a head node handover upon receiving the standard, the UE can skip replying with an RRC message B containing ACK information. Based on the configured standard, the UE can make a final decision regarding head node handover and send / transmit this final decision to the NG-RAN node. The UE can send / transmit an RRC message C containing / including head node handover information (e.g., the decision) to the NG-RAN node. The NG-RAN node can receive the RRC message C and send / transmit an NGAP message C containing / including head node handover information to the AMF. After the CN receives the NGAP message C, the CN can modify the stored CIC information accordingly.

[0069] In some embodiments, such as Figure 19 As shown, after the head node handover is completed, the AMF can trigger / initiate a head node configuration process and establish a new head node for the CIC (in this example, the new head node is the UE). The AMF can trigger / initiate a CIC session establishment process with the new head node (or in some implementations, the head node configuration process and the CIC session establishment process can be performed simultaneously). In some implementations, the AMF can trigger / initiate the head node configuration process and the CIC session establishment process concurrently / simultaneously. After the new head node is established, the original head node of the CIC can be modified. The AMF can send / transmit an NGAP message A with / including CIC head node modification information. For each of the one or more CICs involved, at least one of the following can be notified to the NG-RAN node: the CIC ID, which can be used to identify the CIC; or the CIC head node modification information, which can indicate that the original head node may no longer be the head node of the CIC, and / or how the original head node should be handled. The NG-RAN node may inform / include / provide at least one of the following: the original head node may continue to join the CIC and perform / participate in the CIC as a member; the original head node may also release all or part of the CIC session information (if any) that has been configured to / used by the CIC node; the original head node may be removed from the CIC; or all CIC-related information may be released. When the NG-RAN node receives information from the AMF, the NG-RAN node may send / transmit CIC head node modification information to the UE (e.g., the original head node).

[0070] Now for reference Figure 20 This document illustrates a flowchart of a method 2000 for task-driven collaborative intelligent cluster (CIC) management. This can be used in conjunction with... Figures 1 to 18 Method 2000 may be implemented by any of the detailed components and devices. In general, method 2000 may include: sending a first message from a first wireless communication entity (e.g., an NG-RAN node) to a second wireless communication entity (e.g., a UE), the first message including a Cooperative Intelligent Cluster Header Node Configuration indicating that the second wireless communication entity can be configured as a CIC header node (2002). Method 2000 may further include: receiving a second message from a third wireless communication entity (e.g., an AMF) by the first wireless communication entity, the second message including a CIC header node configuration (2004).

[0071] At operation (2002), and in some arrangements, a first wireless communication entity (e.g., an NG-RAN node) may send a first message to a second wireless communication entity (e.g., a UE), the first message including a Cooperative Intelligent Cluster (CIC) head node configuration indicating that the second wireless communication entity can be configured as a CIC head node.

[0072] In some configurations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from the third wireless communication entity before sending the first message to the second wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC header node standards. The CIC header node standards may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID) information or CIC header node standard information.

[0073] In some configurations, before sending a first message to a second wireless communication entity and after receiving a second message from a third wireless communication entity, the first wireless communication entity may send a third message to the third wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC header configuration. CIC header configuration may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID); user equipment (UE); CIC header indicator; or CIC header information.

[0074] In some configurations, after sending a first message to a second wireless communication entity, the first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC header configuration. The CIC header configuration may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID); user equipment (UE); CIC header indicator; or CIC header information.

[0075] In some configurations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC session configuration information for establishing a CIC session. The CIC session configuration information may include at least one of the following: CIC ID; CIC task container; CIC reporting configuration; CIC health level; reporting frequency; event-triggered reporting; or network slicing information.

[0076] In some configurations, the first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC session configuration information for modifying the CIC session. The CIC session configuration information may include at least one of the following: CIC ID; CIC task container; CIC reporting configuration; CIC health level; reporting frequency; event-triggered reporting; or network slicing information.

[0077] In some configurations, a first wireless communication entity may send a second message to a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC session configuration information for modifying the CIC session. The CIC session configuration information may include at least one of the following: CIC ID; CIC task container; CIC reporting configuration; CIC health level; reporting frequency; event-triggered reporting; or network slicing information.

[0078] In some configurations, the first wireless communication entity can send a third message to the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC session configuration information. In some configurations, the first wireless communication entity can receive a second message from the second wireless communication entity. The second message may include CIC report information. The first wireless communication entity can send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include CIC report information.

[0079] In some configurations, a first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a second wireless communication entity. The second message may include a head node switching configuration requesting a switchover of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include the head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the second or third wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0080] In some configurations, a first wireless communication entity may send a second message to a second wireless communication entity. The second message may include a head node switching configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a third wireless communication entity. The third message may include the head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0081] In some configurations, a first wireless communication entity may send a second message to a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include a head node switching configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a second wireless communication entity. The third message may include the head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the third wireless communication entity may be configured to make the decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0082] In some configurations, a first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node switching standard information requesting a switchover of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity. The first wireless communication entity may send a third message to a second wireless communication entity. The third message may include head node switching configuration. In some implementations, the third wireless communication entity may be configured to make the decision to switch the CIC head node.

[0083] In some configurations, the first wireless communication entity can receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity can send a third message to the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include head node handover configuration. The first wireless communication entity can send a fourth message to the third wireless communication entity. The fourth message may include head node handover configuration. In some implementations, the first wireless communication entity can be configured to make a decision to hand over the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity.

[0084] In some configurations, the first wireless communication entity can receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity can send a third message to the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include head node handover configuration. The first wireless communication entity can receive a fourth message from the second wireless communication entity. The fourth message may include head node handover configuration determined based on the head node handover standard information. In some implementations, the second wireless communication entity can be configured to make a decision to hand over the CIC head node.

[0085] In some configurations, a first wireless communication entity may send a second message to a second wireless communication entity. The second message may include head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity may receive a third message from the second wireless communication entity. The third message may include a head node handover configuration determined based on the head node handover standard information. The first wireless communication entity may send a fourth message to a third wireless communication entity. The fourth message may include the head node handover configuration. In some implementations, the second wireless communication entity may be configured to make a decision to hand over the CIC head node.

[0086] In some configurations, the head node switching configuration may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID); head node switching indicator; new head node candidate information; no head node switching indicator; or old head node processing information. In some configurations, the head node switching standard information may include a CIC identifier (ID) or a CIC head node switching standard.

[0087] In some configurations, a wireless communication device may include a processor and a memory, wherein the processor may be configured to read code from the memory and implement any of the various methods described in detail herein. In some configurations, a computer program product may include computer-readable program medium code stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to implement any of the various methods described in detail herein.

[0088] At least one aspect relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A first wireless communication entity may receive a second message from a third wireless communication entity (e.g., AMF) (2004). The second message may include CIC header node configuration. The CIC header node configuration may include at least one of the following: CIC identifier (ID); user equipment (UE); CIC header node indicator; or CIC header node information.

[0089] While various embodiments / implementations of this solution have been described above, it should be understood that these embodiments / implementations are presented as examples only and not as limitations. Similarly, various accompanying drawings may depict exemplary architectures or configurations, provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand exemplary features and functions of the solution. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the solution is not limited to the illustrated exemplary architectures or configurations, but can be implemented using various alternative architectures and configurations. Furthermore, as those skilled in the art will understand, one or more features of one embodiment / implementation may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment / implementation described herein. Therefore, the breadth and scope of this disclosure should not be limited to any of the exemplary embodiments described above.

[0090] It should also be understood that any reference to elements in this document using names such as "first," "second," etc., generally does not restrict the number or order of these elements. Rather, these names may be used in this document as a convenient way to distinguish two or more elements or multiple instances of an element. Therefore, a reference to the first element and the second element does not imply that only two elements can be used or that the first element must precede the second element in some way.

[0091] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols as described above can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or light particles, or any combination thereof.

[0092] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that any of the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, processors, means, circuits, methods, and functions described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware (e.g., digital implementation, analog implementation, or a combination of both), firmware, various forms of program or design code in conjunction with instructions (which may be referred to herein as "software" or "software module" for convenience), or any combination of these technologies. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability between hardware, firmware, and software, the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are generally described above according to their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of these technologies, depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the system as a whole. Those skilled in the art can implement the described functionality in various ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions will not exceed the scope of this disclosure.

[0093] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, devices, components, and circuits described herein can be implemented in or executed by an integrated circuit (IC), which may include a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, or any combination thereof. Logic blocks, modules, and circuits may also include antennas and / or transceivers for communication with various components within a network or device. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, it may be any conventional processor, controller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors incorporating DSP cores, or any other suitable configuration for performing the functions described herein.

[0094] These functions, if implemented in software, can be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Therefore, the steps of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein can be implemented as software stored on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include both computer storage media and communication media, encompassing any medium capable of transferring computer programs or code from one place to another. Storage media can be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the required program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer.

[0095] In this document, the term "module" as used herein refers to software, firmware, hardware, and any combination of these elements for performing the associated functions described herein. Furthermore, for the purposes of discussion, various modules are described as separate modules; however, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, two or more modules may be combined to form a single module that performs the associated functions according to embodiments of this solution.

[0096] Furthermore, in embodiments of this solution, memory or other storage devices and communication components may be used. It should be understood that, for clarity, the above description refers to embodiments of this solution with reference to different functional units and processors. However, it will be apparent that any suitable distribution of functionality among different functional units, processing logic elements, or domains can be used without diminishing the effectiveness of this solution. For example, functions shown as being performed by separate processing logic elements or controllers may be performed by the same processing logic element or controller. Therefore, references to specific functional units are merely illustrative of a suitable means of providing said functionality and do not imply a strict logical or physical structure or organization.

[0097] Various modifications to the embodiments described in this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the novel features and principles disclosed herein as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising: transmitting, by a first wireless communication entity to a second wireless communication entity, a first message comprising a cooperative intelligent cluster (CIC) head node configuration, the CIC head node configuration indicating that the second wireless communication entity is configured as a CIC head node.

2. The method of wireless communication of claim 1, further comprising, prior to transmitting the first message to the second wireless communication entity: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity from a third wireless communication entity, a second message comprising the CIC head node configuration; wherein the CIC head node configuration comprises at least one of: a CIC identification (ID); a user equipment (UE); a CIC head node indicator; or CIC head node information.

3. The method of wireless communication of claim 1, further comprising, prior to transmitting the first message to the second wireless communication entity: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity from a third wireless communication entity, a second message comprising a CIC head node criterion; wherein the CIC head node criterion comprises at least one of: CIC identification (ID) information; or CIC head node criterion information.

4. The method of wireless communication of claim 3, further comprising, prior to transmitting the first message to the second wireless communication entity, and after receiving the second message from the third wireless communication entity: transmitting, by the first wireless communication entity to the third wireless communication entity, a third message comprising the CIC head node configuration; wherein the CIC head node configuration comprises at least one of: a CIC identification (ID); a user equipment (UE); a CIC head node indicator; or CIC head node information.

5. The method of wireless communication of claim 1, further comprising, after transmitting the first message to the second wireless communication entity: transmitting, by the first wireless communication entity to a third wireless communication entity, a third message comprising the CIC head node configuration; wherein the CIC head node configuration comprises at least one of: a CIC identification (ID); a user equipment (UE); a CIC head node indicator; or CIC head node information.

6. The method of wireless communication of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity from a third wireless communication entity, a second message comprising CIC session configuration information for establishing a CIC session; wherein the CIC session configuration information comprises at least one of: a CIC ID; a CIC task container; a CIC reporting configuration; a CIC health level; a reporting frequency; an event triggered reporting; or network slice information.

7. The method of wireless communication of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity from a third wireless communication entity, a second message comprising CIC session configuration information for modifying a CIC session; The CIC session configuration information includes at least one of a CIC ID, a CIC task container, CIC reporting configuration, a CIC health level, a reporting frequency, event-triggered reporting, or network slice information.

8. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message to a third wireless communication entity, the second message including CIC session configuration information for modifying a CIC session; wherein the CIC session configuration information includes at least one of a CIC ID, a CIC task container, CIC reporting configuration, a CIC health level, a reporting frequency, event-triggered reporting, or network slice information.

9. The wireless communication method of any one of claims 6-8, further comprising: sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to the second wireless communication entity, the third message including the CIC session configuration information.

10. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message from the second wireless communication entity, the second message including CIC reporting information; and sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to a third wireless communication entity, the third message including the CIC reporting information.

11. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message from the second wireless communication entity, the second message including a head node switch configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity; and sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to a third wireless communication entity, the third message including the head node switch configuration; wherein the second wireless communication entity or the third wireless communication entity is configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

12. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message to the second wireless communication entity, the second message including a head node switch configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity; and sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to a third wireless communication entity, the third message including the head node switch configuration; wherein the first wireless communication entity is configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

13. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message to a third wireless communication entity, the second message including a head node switch configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC head node to another wireless communication entity; and sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to the second wireless communication entity, the third message including the head node switch configuration; wherein the third wireless communication entity is configured to make a decision to switch the CIC head node.

14. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message from a third wireless communication entity, the second message including a header node switch configuration for requesting a switch of the CIC header node to another wireless communication entity; and sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to the second wireless communication entity, the third message including the header node switch configuration; wherein the third wireless communication entity is configured to make a decision to switch the CIC header node.

15. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message from a third wireless communication entity, the second message including header node switch criteria information; sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to the second wireless communication entity based on the header node switch criteria information, the third message including a header node switch configuration; and sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a fourth message to the third wireless communication entity, the fourth message including the header node switch configuration; wherein the first wireless communication entity is configured to make a decision to switch the CIC header node to another wireless communication entity.

16. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message from a third wireless communication entity, the second message including header node switch criteria information; sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message to the second wireless communication entity, the third message including the header node switch criteria information; and receiving, by the first wireless communication entity, a fourth message from the second wireless communication entity, the fourth message including a header node switch configuration determined based on the header node switch criteria information; wherein the second wireless communication entity is configured to make a decision to switch the CIC header node.

17. The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a second message to the second wireless communication entity, the second message including header node switch criteria information; receiving, by the first wireless communication entity, a third message from the second wireless communication entity, the third message including a header node switch configuration determined based on the header node switch criteria information; and sending, by the first wireless communication entity, a fourth message to a third wireless communication entity, the fourth message including the header node switch configuration; wherein the second wireless communication entity is configured to make a decision to switch the CIC header node.

18. The wireless communication method according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein, the header node switch configuration includes at least one of the following: a CIC identification (ID); a header node switch indicator; new header node candidate information; a no header node switch indicator; or old header node handling information.

19. The wireless communication method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein, the header node switch criteria information includes a CIC identification (ID) or CIC header node switch criteria.

20. A wireless communication device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein, the processor is configured to read code from the memory and implement a method according to any of claims 1 to 19.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer readable program medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

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