Environmental Internet of Things system

Abstract

An environmental Internet of Things (AIoT) system includes an AIoT entity having store-and-forward capabilities. The AIoT entity includes an AIoT reader that acts as a separate network element or as a component hosted on the entity. The AIoT system may also include an AIoT device and an air interface protocol separate from the AIoT reader-writer. And the AIoT equipment communicates with the AIoT reader-writer through an air interface protocol.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication systems, and more specifically, to Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) systems. Background Technology

[0002] Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) devices are environmentally powered Internet of Things (IoT) devices that are primarily powered through energy harvesting. AIoT devices can operate without batteries or have limited energy storage capabilities, such as using capacitors. Unlike other devices like narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), mobile phones, and 5G residential gateways (RG), AIoT devices have unique characteristics. One of these characteristics is their reliance on energy harvesting. AIoT devices are battery-free and have limited energy storage capabilities. Some environmentally powered IoT devices can have the ability to communicate directly with base stations. However, current fifth-generation (5G) systems lack the architecture and protocol stacks suitable for such communication by AIoT devices.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for an AIoT system that can solve problems in existing technologies and other issues. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of this disclosure is to provide an Environmental Internet of Things (AIoT) system that can solve problems and other issues in the prior art, provide an efficient and lightweight architecture and communication, and / or provide simple and straightforward data transmission.

[0005] In one aspect of this disclosure, the AIoT system includes an AIoT entity with store-and-forward capabilities. The AIoT entity includes an AIoT reader / writer, which acts as a standalone network element or as a component hosted on the entity. Attached Figure Description

[0006] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of this disclosure or related technologies, the accompanying drawings, which will be described in the embodiments, are briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any cost.

[0007] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an AIoT device that communicates with a fifth-generation (5G) system and is configured to implement some of the embodiments presented herein.

[0008] Figure 2A This is a block diagram illustrating an AIoT system including an AIoT entity configured to implement some of the embodiments presented herein.

[0009] Figure 2B This is a block diagram illustrating an AIoT system including an AIoT entity configured to implement some of the embodiments presented herein.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an AIoT system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which provides an architecture supporting AIoT direct communication mode between AIoT devices and AIoT entities.

[0011] Figure 4 It shows the use of Figure 3 The diagram shows at least a block diagram of the control plane protocol stack of the architecture.

[0012] Figure 5 It shows the use of Figure 3 A block diagram of at least one user plane protocol stack of the architecture shown.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating an AIoT system providing an architecture for AIoT devices with non-access-stratum (NAS) capabilities, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 7 It shows the use of Figure 6 A block diagram of at least one control plane protocol stack of the architecture shown.

[0015] Figure 8 It shows the use of Figure 6 A block diagram of at least one user plane protocol stack of the architecture shown.

[0016] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating an AIoT system providing a non-IP data delivery (NIDD) architecture for AIoT devices without NAS capabilities, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 10 It shows the use of Figure 9 A block diagram of at least one protocol stack of the architecture shown.

[0018] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating an AIoT system with an NIDD architecture for AIoT devices with NAS capabilities, provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 12It shows the use of Figure 11 A block diagram of at least one protocol stack of the architecture shown.

[0020] Figure 13 This is a block diagram of an example computing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 14 This is a block diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical content, structural features, objectives, and effects of the embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specifically, the terminology used in the embodiments of this disclosure is only used to describe the purpose of a particular embodiment and is not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0023] Cellular Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as Long Term Evolution Machine Type Communications (LTE-M or LTE-MTC) and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), have played a significant role in helping industries address their pressing challenges. However, battery-powered IoT devices can present several practical limitations. These limitations include: deployment in remote or hard-to-reach locations where frequent battery repairs would be logistically difficult or expensive; and large-scale IoT implementations where managing battery replacements would be impractical. Similarly, scenarios where devices are embedded in structures, machines, or even the human body can make battery replacement overly complex or dangerous. Long-term deployments requiring years of unattended operation also pose challenges for battery-powered devices. Furthermore, safety-related regulatory constraints may limit battery use in certain environments or sectors. The environmental impact of large-scale battery manufacturing, replacement, and disposal is also a concern. By 2025, an estimated 78 million batteries will be discarded globally every day. To address these challenges, advancements in IoT technology have incorporated environmental energy harvesting, a method of obtaining electricity from the environment, thus avoiding the need for batteries.

[0024] The emergence of ambient-powered IoT technology promises to unlock new services and use cases where battery replacement is not feasible. These new services and use cases include personalized healthcare, smart transportation, industrial applications in hazardous locations, smart logistics, smart warehousing, smart homes, and smart cities. AIoT services are characterized by their ability to support the widespread deployment of low-cost, ultra-low-complexity devices with limited functionality, requiring only small and infrequent data transmissions, and not needing batteries.

[0025] AIoT devices are ambient-powered IoT devices that are primarily powered through energy harvesting. AIoT devices can operate without batteries or have limited energy storage capabilities, such as using capacitors. Unlike other devices like NB-IoT, mobile phones, and 5G home gateways (RGs), AIoT devices have unique characteristics. One of these characteristics is their reliance on energy harvesting. AIoT devices are battery-free and have limited energy storage capabilities. Some ambient-powered IoT devices can have the ability to communicate directly with base stations. However, current fifth-generation (5G) systems lack the architecture and protocol stacks suitable for such communication by AIoT devices.

[0026] Considering the characteristics of AIoT devices, a more efficient and lightweight architecture and communication approach is more suitable. Not every AIoT device requires communication based on the Internet Protocol (IP). Some AIoT devices may only require simple and direct data transmission. For some AIoT devices, the IP stack represents unnecessary overhead.

[0027] Some embodiments of this disclosure provide an AIoT system including AIoT entities with store-and-forward capabilities. The AIoT entities include AIoT readers / writers, which act as stand-alone network elements or as components hosted on the entities. This addresses problems in the prior art and other issues, providing an efficient and lightweight architecture and communication, and / or providing simple and straightforward data transmission. Furthermore, some embodiments of this disclosure provide various architectural options and protocol stacks designed to support AIoT devices, adapting to AIoT devices with and without NAS signaling capabilities, and allowing IP-based session and non-IP data transfer (NIDD).

[0028] For clarity, throughout this disclosure, the terms "AIoT tag" and "AIoT device," as well as other similar terms, are interchangeable and have no difference in meaning. The terms "environmental IoT node," "environmental IoT reader," "AIoT node," "AIoT reader," or simply "reader," as well as other similar terms, are interchangeable and have no difference in meaning. The terms "AIoT entity," "base station with AIoT capability," "environmental IoT base station," and other similar terms are interchangeable in this disclosure and have no difference in meaning. The terms "network element" and "network node," as well as other similar terms, are interchangeable and have no difference in meaning. The terms "separate" and "independent," as well as other similar terms, are interchangeable and have no difference in meaning.

[0029] Figure 1An AIoT device communicating with a 5G system is shown, which is configured to implement some of the embodiments presented herein. Figure 1 In some embodiments, AIoT devices are shown registering to a 5G network via an AIoT reader. The AIoT reader acts as a standalone network element / node, or as a component hosted on a separate entity from the environmental IoT device or tag, such as a base station, user equipment (UE), radio access network (RAN), integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, repeater, or relay. Communication between the environmental IoT device (or tag) and the reader is facilitated via an air interface protocol. This air interface protocol can be a 3GPP access layer protocol or an existing non-3GPP wireless communication protocol capable of supporting wireless communication between the environmental IoT device or tag and the environmental IoT reader or node. Figure 1 It is also shown that, in some embodiments, AIoT devices communicate with the rest of the 5G system via AIoT nodes. The rest of the 5G system may include the RAN, the 5G core network, an AIoT application server (AS), and / or an AIoT application function (AF).

[0030] Figure 2A An AIoT system including an AIoT entity configured to implement some of the embodiments presented herein is shown. Figure 2B An AIoT system including an AIoT entity configured to implement some of the embodiments presented herein is shown. Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, in some embodiments, the AIoT system includes AIoT entities with store-and-forward capabilities. The AIoT entities include AIoT readers / writers, and the AIoT readers / writers act as individual or independent network elements / network nodes (e.g.,...). Figure 2A As shown, the combined AIoT reader and gNB can be referred to as a "base station with environmental IoT capabilities" or act as a component hosted on a physical entity (such as...). Figure 2B As shown, the AIoT reader is a component of the gNB. The AIoT entity can be an AIoT base station. In some embodiments, the AIoT system also includes an AIoT device and an air interface protocol separate from the AIoT reader, wherein the AIoT device communicates with the AIoT reader via the air interface protocol.

[0031] Specifically, in some examples, an AIoT entity can be a UE, base station, IAB node, repeater, or relay separate from the ambient IoT device or tag. For example, when the AIoT entity is a UE, the AIoT UE entity can include an AIoT reader / writer as a separate network element interacting with the UE, such as a UE with ambient IoT capabilities. Alternatively, the AIoT reader / writer can simply be a component hosted on the UE, similar to separate devices or tags. Figure 2A and Figure 2B The example outlined in [the document] illustrates this. Communication between the AIoT device (or tag) and the reader is achieved via an air interface protocol. This air interface protocol can be a 3GPP access layer protocol or a non-3GPP wireless communication protocol suitable for supporting the air interface between the AIoT device or tag and the AIoT reader / node. Because tags are not always available, the AIoT reader / node or AIoT entity has store-and-forward capabilities. This allows the AIoT entity to collect and temporarily store data before sending it to the network, or to retain network information intended for use with the tag and subsequently forward it to the tag.

[0032] It should be understood that although the main focus of some embodiments of this disclosure is on base stations, the principles detailed herein can be applied to other managed entities by those skilled in the art.

[0033] In some examples, an AIoT reader may include a module designed to transmit carrier waves to activate AIoT tags. Alternatively, a separate carrier generator may be located external to the AIoT reader. The carrier generator operates independently by transmitting carrier waves for the tag to perform energy harvesting, or, under the control of the AIoT reader, transmits carrier waves through a defined communication interface to allow the AIoT device to perform energy harvesting. In some examples, an AIoT access point (AP) is used to support a communication protocol that ensures interaction between the AIoT reader and the AIoT tag, primarily operating at Layer 2. In some examples, this protocol may operate at Layer 3 or other higher layers.

[0034] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Examples of AIoT gateways (GWs) and their operating modes are also shown. In some embodiments, the AIoT reader / writer includes an AIoT GW, and the AIoT GW is coupled with gNB functionality, or the AIoT GW is one of multiple gNB functions.

[0035] Specifically, in some examples, the AIoT GW acts as a gateway, bridge, or interoperability module between the AIoT reader / writer and the rest of the 5G system. In one embodiment, the AIoT GW can handle associated 5G control plane procedures, user plane procedures, and 5G interface N1, N2, or N3 functions. In another embodiment, the AIoT GW can interact with, for example... Figure 2A The gNB functionality is coupled at the base station shown. In this case, the AIoT GW can simply forward information to the gNB, allowing the gNB to handle relevant 5G control plane procedures, user plane procedures, and 5G interfaces N1, N2, and N3. In yet another embodiment, for a 3GPP access AIoT reader, it can be included as one of several gNB functions, such as... Figure 2B As shown.

[0036] In some embodiments, the AIoT reader can be a local mobile anchor that can handle access to IoT services in a 5G environment at the AIoT reader to provide services within a network supported by the AIoT AP.

[0037] It should be understood that Figure 2A This is used to illustrate the architectural options in the remainder of this disclosure. However, other possible embodiments may also be applied, such as... Figure 2B .

[0038] Figure 3 An AIoT system is illustrated according to embodiments of the present disclosure, providing an architecture that supports a direct AIoT communication mode between AIoT devices and AIoT entities. The AIoT entity may be an AIoT base station. The AIoT base station may be part of a 3GPP 5G system. Figure 4 It shows the use of Figure 3 The architecture shown includes at least the control plane protocol stack. Figure 5 It shows the use of Figure 3 The architecture shown includes at least one user plane protocol stack. Under this architecture, Figure 4 and Figure 5 Examples of control plane and user plane protocol stacks designed for AIoT devices / tags that do not support 5G NAS functionality are shown respectively.

[0039] In some embodiments, the AIoT entity further includes at least one control plane protocol stack, and the at least one control plane protocol stack includes a tag service layer configured to process AIoT information. In some embodiments, the tag service layer is configured to perform one or more operations: the tag service layer responds with an electronic product code (EPC) when prompted by an AIoT reader to retrieve information from a tagged object; the tag service layer is configured to interpret commands issued by the AIoT reader, the AIoT application server of the AIoT system, or the AIoT application function (AF) of the AIoT system; or the tag service layer is configured to issue commands to retrieve requested information from the storage device of the AIoT device, to request at least one lower layer to encode the requested information using an encoding format, and to request the at least one lower layer to transmit the requested information in a radio frequency (RF) signal format.

[0040] Specifically, for example, the tag service layer (or other similar names / terms, such as data service layer, AIoT tag service layer, AIoT service layer, or simply AIoT layer) is responsible for processing information defined by environmental IoT service providers, or environmental IoT network operators, or environmental IoT device manufacturers, or end users.

[0041] In one embodiment, the Tag Service Layer (TSL) can simply respond with its EPC when prompted by the reader to extract corresponding information from a tagged object. In another embodiment, the TSL layer can be responsible for interpreting commands issued by the reader or by the AIoT AS or AF. These commands may include:

[0042] Query: Query certain information elements stored on one or a group of tags, such as sensor data or real-time sensor data stored on the tags, location information, positioning information, EPC, identity, operator information, manufacturing information, etc.

[0043] Disable: Disable one or a group of tags so that further communication with the reader will cease permanently or for a predefined period of time.

[0044] Update: Modify an existing data entry in one or a group of tags.

[0045] Delete: Remove certain information from one or a group of tags.

[0046] Create: Create one or more new data entries in one or a group of tags.

[0047] Pause: Pause the operation of one or a group of tags.

[0048] Energy harvesting: Notify one or a group of tags to perform energy harvesting at a certain frequency.

[0049] Inventory: Notify one or a group of tags to perform predefined inventory actions.

[0050] Activate / Deactivate: Activate or deactivate a tag or a group of tags.

[0051] Close: The operation of closing one or a group of tags.

[0052] In another embodiment, a tag equipped with a universal integrated circuit card (UICC), UICC-Lite, eUICC, or other forms of UICC can support some or all of the commands described above. These commands are implemented through the functions and interfaces specified in the latest version of ETSI TS 102 221. They are executed by, for example, an AIoT SIM application located on a UICC, UICC-Lite, eUICC, or other forms of UICC.

[0053] In yet another embodiment, when a tag is queried to provide information to a requested reader, the Tag Service Layer (TSL) may issue commands to retrieve the requested information from the AIoT tag's storage device, to request a lower layer to encode the information using an appropriate encoding format, and to request that the lower layer to transmit the requested information in an appropriate RF signal format.

[0054] The AIoT 3GPP AS layer can include a data link layer, which is responsible for establishing and terminating communication between AIoT tags and AIoT nodes. The data link layer (also known in some cases as the media access control layer) defines the communication methods between the reader and the tag, including features such as multiple access mechanisms, collision detection, error correction, and synchronization.

[0055] The 3GPP AS layer for environmental IoT also includes the physical layer, which is responsible for air interface, line coding, timing, modulation / demodulation, etc.

[0056] Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the AIoT entity further includes at least one user plane protocol stack, which includes a tag service layer configured to process AIoT information and a protocol data unit (PDU) layer configured to establish communication between the AIoT reader / writer and the anchor user plane function (UPF) of the AIoT system. In some embodiments, the anchor UPF provides an interface to the AIoT system, allowing the AIoT AS or AIoT AF to issue commands to the AIoT device through the tag service layer of at least one user plane protocol stack.

[0057] For example, in Figure 5 In the user plane protocol stack, the AIoT base station has a PDU layer, which is responsible for establishing communication between the AIoT reader / writer and the anchor UPF. The anchor UPF provides an N6 interface to allow the environment IoT AS or AF to issue commands to the AIoT tag through the tag service layer.

[0058] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Examples of control plane and user plane protocol stacks designed for AIoT devices / tags that do not support 5G NAS functionality are shown. In some embodiments, the AIoT system also includes an Internet Protocol (IP) data delivery architecture for the AIoT device, configured to deliver data from the AIoT device. In some embodiments, the AIoT device does not have non-access stratum (NAS) capabilities, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT entity. In some embodiments, at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device does not have NAS capabilities, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT entity. In some embodiments, the at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT entity includes non-access stratum session management (NAS-SM) and non-access stratum mobility management (NAS-MM), and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-SM and / or NAS-MM. In some embodiments, the at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device includes a tag service layer and at least one AIoT AS layer, and the tag service layer and at least one AIoT AS layer of the AIoT device do not have NAS capabilities.

[0059] Figure 6An AIoT system is shown that provides an architecture for AIoT devices with non-access stratum (NAS) capabilities, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 7 It shows the use of Figure 6 At least one control plane protocol stack of the architecture shown. Figure 8 It shows the use of Figure 6 The architecture shown includes at least one user plane protocol stack. In some embodiments, the AIoT tag may have NAS signaling capabilities, such as... Figure 6 The architecture shown. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The control plane protocol stack and user plane protocol stack in this scenario are illustrated. In some embodiments, the AIoT system further includes an Internet Protocol (IP) data delivery architecture for AIoT devices, configured to deliver data from the AIoT devices. In some embodiments, the AIoT device has NAS capability, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT device. In some embodiments, at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device has NAS capability, and the at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device. In some embodiments, the at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device includes NAS-MM, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-MM of the AIoT device. In some embodiments, at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT entity includes NAS-SM, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-SM.

[0060] In some embodiments, the AIoT system also includes a non-IP data delivery (NIDD) architecture for AIoT devices, which is configured to deliver data from AIoT devices. Figure 9 An AIoT system is shown that provides a non-IP data delivery (NIDD) architecture for AIoT devices without NAS capabilities, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 10 It shows the use of Figure 9The architecture described above includes at least one protocol stack. In some embodiments, the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices does not have NAS capability, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT entity. In some embodiments, at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices does not have NAS capability, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to at least one protocol stack of the AIoT entity. In some embodiments, the at least one protocol stack of the AIoT entity includes Non-Access Stratum Session Management (NAS-SM) and Non-Access Stratum Mobility Management (NAS-MM), and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-SM and / or NAS-MM. In some embodiments, at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices includes a tag service layer and at least one AIoT AS layer, wherein the tag service layer and at least one AIoT AS layer of the AIoT device do not have NAS capability.

[0061] Specifically, in some examples, to reduce complexity, architectures and protocols are exposed to leverage Non-IP Data Delivery (NIDD) mechanisms in 5GC to deliver small amounts of data from surrounding IoT devices. NIDD helps minimize management overhead by eliminating IP overhead and optimizing power consumption. Since no IP stack is required on the tags, this approach simplifies tag design, further saving power and resulting in cost savings. Using a non-IP stack also helps mitigate the potential risks of common IP-based threats. Data can bypass traditional IP networks and directly access the intended service.

[0062] Figure 9 An NIDD-based architecture is shown, where AIoT tags do not have NAS capabilities. AIoT nodes or AIoT entities can handle all NAS signaling, including the N1 and N2 interfaces.

[0063] In some embodiments, the AIoT system also includes a non-IP data delivery (NIDD) architecture for AIoT devices, which is configured to deliver data from AIoT devices. Figure 11 An AIoT system with an NIDD architecture for AIoT devices with NAS capabilities is shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 12 It shows the use of Figure 11At least one protocol stack of the illustrated architecture. In some embodiments, the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices has NAS capability, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT device. In some embodiments, at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices has NAS capability, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices. In some embodiments, at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices includes NAS-MM, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-MM of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices. In some embodiments, at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices includes NAS-SM, and at least one interface for NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-SM of the NIDD architecture for AIoT devices.

[0064] In summary, some environmental IoT devices can have NAS signaling capabilities. However, due to their power-limited nature, many environmental IoT devices may lack these capabilities. Lightweight architectures and protocol stacks are needed to accommodate environmental IoT devices within the 5G framework. Some embodiments of this disclosure not only introduce architectures and protocol stacks designed for environmental IoT devices with NAS signaling that are currently lacking in 5G systems, but also introduce simplified designs for environmental IoT devices without NAS signaling. Furthermore, the proposal to use non-IP data transfer for ambient IoT devices in some embodiments of this disclosure also brings several advantages:

[0065] Simplified device design: No IP stack is required on the device or tag, reducing complexity. This not only extends the lifespan of the energy storage in the device or tag but also results in significant cost savings. These properties are crucial for environmental IoT devices designed for long-term, minimal-intervention operation.

[0066] Enhanced data delivery: Without the involvement of UPF, data delivery becomes more reliable and simplified, making it ideal for occasional small-volume data transmissions.

[0067] Enhanced security: Minimizing non-IP communication reduces the risk associated with common IP-based threats.

[0068] The commercial benefits of some embodiments are as follows: 1. Solving problems and other issues in the prior art. 2. Providing efficient and lightweight architecture and communication. 3. Providing simple and straightforward data transmission. 4. Some embodiments of this disclosure can be used in many applications. Some embodiments of this disclosure are applicable to: chipset suppliers; video system development suppliers; automotive manufacturers, including cars, trains, trucks, buses, bicycles, motorcycles, helmets, etc.; drones (unmanned aerial vehicles); smartphone manufacturers; communication equipment for public safety purposes; AR / VR / MR device manufacturers, such as for gaming, conferences / seminars, and educational purposes. Some embodiments of this disclosure are combinations of "technologies / processes" that can be adopted in video standards to create end products. Some embodiments of this disclosure propose technical mechanisms. At least one proposed solution, method, system, and apparatus of some embodiments of this disclosure can be used in current and / or new / future standards concerning communication systems. Compatible products follow at least one proposed solution, method, system, and apparatus of some embodiments of this disclosure. The proposed solutions, methods, systems, and apparatus are widely used in communication systems. With the implementation of at least one proposed solution, method, system, and apparatus according to some embodiments of this disclosure, at least one modification / improvement of the energy-related routing method and apparatus is considered for standardization.

[0069] Figure 13 This is an example of a computing device 1100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Any suitable computing device can be used to perform the operations described herein. For example, Figure 13 It demonstrates that this can be achieved using any suitably configured hardware and / or software. Figures 1 to 12 Examples of computing devices 1100 illustrating the apparatus and / or methods shown herein. In some embodiments, computing device 1100 may include processor 1112 communicatively coupled to memory 1114 and executing computer-executable program code and / or accessing information stored in memory 1114. Processor 1112 may include a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a state machine, or another processing device. Processor 1112 may include any one of a plurality of processing devices, including a single processing device. Such a processor may include, or be able to communicate with, a computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by processor 1112, cause the processor to perform the operations described herein.

[0070] Memory 1114 may include any suitable non-transitory computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media may include any electronic, optical, magnetic, or other storage device capable of providing computer-readable instructions or other program code to a processor. Non-limiting examples of computer-readable media include disks, memory chips, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), configuration processors, optical storage devices, magnetic tape or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium from which a computer processor can read instructions. The instructions may include processor-specific instructions generated by a compiler and / or interpreter from code written in any suitable computer programming language, including, for example, C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Java, Python, Perl, JavaScript, and ActionScript.

[0071] The computing device 1100 may also include a bus 1116. The bus 1116 may communicatively couple one or more components of the computing device 1100. The computing device 1100 may also include multiple external or internal devices, such as input devices or output devices. For example, the computing device 1100 is shown having an input / output (I / O) interface 1118 that can receive input from one or more input devices 1120 or provide output to one or more output devices 1122. The one or more input devices 1120 and the one or more output devices 1122 may be communicatively coupled to the I / O interface 1118. The communicative coupling can be implemented by any suitable means (e.g., via a printed circuit board connection, via a cable connection, via wireless communication, etc.). Non-limiting examples of the input device 1120 include a touchscreen (e.g., one or more cameras for imaging a touch area or a pressure sensor for detecting pressure changes caused by a touch), a mouse, a keyboard, or any other device that can be used to generate input events in response to physical actions of a user of the computing device. Non-limiting examples of output device 1122 include a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, an external monitor, a speaker, or any other device that can be used to display or otherwise present the output generated by the computing device.

[0072] Computing device 1100 can execute program code that configures processor 1112 to perform the above-mentioned... Figures 1 to 12The embodiments shown herein describe one or more of a plurality of operations. The program code may reside in memory 1114 or any suitable computer-readable medium and may be executed by processor 1112 or any other suitable processor.

[0073] The computing device 1100 may also include at least one network interface device 1124. The network interface device 1124 may include any device or group of devices adapted to establish a wired or wireless data connection to one or more data networks 1128. Non-limiting examples of the network interface device 1124 include Ethernet adapters and / or modems, etc. The computing device 1100 may transmit messages as electronic or optical signals via the network interface device 1124.

[0074] Figure 14 This is a block diagram of an example communication system 1200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments described herein can be implemented in the communication system 1200 using any suitably configured hardware and / or software. Figure 14 A communication system 1200 is shown, which includes radio frequency (RF) circuitry 1210, baseband circuitry 1220, application circuitry 1230, memory / storage device 1240, display 1250, camera 1260, sensor 1270, and input / output (I / O) interface 1280, which are coupled to each other at least as shown.

[0075] Application circuitry 1230 may include circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. The processor may include any combination of general-purpose and special-purpose processors, such as graphics processors or application processors. The processor may be coupled to a memory / storage device and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory / storage device to enable various applications and / or operating systems to run on the system. Communication system 1200 may execute program code that configures application circuitry 1230 to perform the aforementioned... Figures 1 to 12 One or more of the described operations. The program code may be located in application circuit 1230 or any suitable computer-readable medium, and may be executed by application circuit 1230 or any other suitable processor.

[0076] The baseband circuit 1220 may include circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core or multi-core processors. The processor may include a baseband processor. The baseband circuitry can handle various radio control functions that enable communication with one or more wireless networks via RF circuitry. Radio control functions may include, but are not limited to, signal modulation, encoding, decoding, and frequency shifting. In some embodiments, the baseband circuitry can provide communication compatible with one or more wireless technologies. For example, in some embodiments, the baseband circuitry can support communication with the evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (EUTRAN) and / or other wireless metropolitan area networks (WMAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), and wireless personal area networks (WPAN). Embodiments of the baseband circuitry configured to support radio communication using more than one wireless protocol may be referred to as multimode baseband circuitry.

[0077] In various embodiments, baseband circuit 1220 may include circuitry that operates on signals not strictly considered to be at baseband frequencies. For example, in some embodiments, the baseband circuitry may include circuitry that operates on signals having an intermediate frequency (IF), which is between the baseband frequency and the radio frequency (RF). RF circuit 1210 may use modulated electromagnetic radiation to enable communication with a wireless network via a non-solid-state medium. In various embodiments, RF circuitry may include switches, filters, amplifiers, etc., to facilitate communication with a wireless network. In various embodiments, RF circuitry 1210 may include circuitry that operates on signals not strictly considered to be at the radio frequency (RF). For example, in some embodiments, RF circuitry may include circuitry that operates on signals having an intermediate frequency (IF), which is between the baseband frequency and the RF frequency.

[0078] In various embodiments, the above regarding Figures 1 to 12The transmitter circuitry, control circuitry, or receiver circuitry described in the apparatus and / or methods illustrated may be wholly or partially embodied in one or more of the RF circuitry, baseband circuitry, and / or application circuitry. As used herein, “circuit” may refer to, be part of, or include: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a (shared, dedicated, or grouped) processor and / or (shared, dedicated, or grouped) memory executing one or more software or firmware programs; combinational logic circuitry; and / or other suitable hardware components providing said functionality. In some embodiments, electronic device circuitry may be implemented in one or more software or firmware modules, or the functionality associated with the circuitry may be implemented by one or more software or firmware modules. In some embodiments, some or all of the components of the baseband circuitry, application circuitry, and / or memory / storage device may be implemented together on a system on a chip (SOC). Memory / storage device 1240 may be used to load and store, for example, data and / or instructions for the system. One embodiment of the memory / storage device may include any combination of suitable volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM)) and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory).

[0079] In various embodiments, I / O interface 1280 may include one or more user interfaces designed to enable user interaction with the system and / or peripheral component interfaces designed to enable peripheral components to interact with the system. User interfaces may include, but are not limited to, physical keyboards or keypads, touchpads, speakers, microphones, etc. Peripheral component interfaces may include, but are not limited to, non-volatile memory ports, universal serial bus (USB) ports, audio jacks, and power interfaces. In various embodiments, sensor 1270 may include one or more sensing devices to determine environmental conditions and / or location information relevant to the system. In some embodiments, sensors may include, but are not limited to, gyroscope sensors, accelerometers, proximity sensors, ambient light sensors, and positioning units. Positioning units may also be part of, or interact with, baseband and / or RF circuitry to communicate with components of a positioning network (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) satellites).

[0080] In various embodiments, display 1250 may include a display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touchscreen display. In various embodiments, communication system 1200 may be a mobile computing device, such as, but not limited to, a laptop, tablet, netbook, ultrabook, smartphone, AR / VR glasses, etc. In various embodiments, the system may have more or fewer components and / or different architectures. Where appropriate, the methods described herein may be implemented as a computer program. The computer program may be stored on a storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory storage medium).

[0081] Those skilled in the art will understand that each of the various units, algorithms, and steps described and disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure is implemented using electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions operate in hardware or software depends on the application conditions and the design requirements of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can implement the functions of each specific application in different ways, and such implementation should not exceed the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that he / she can refer to the working process of the systems, devices, and units in the above embodiments, as the working processes of the above systems, devices, and units are substantially the same. For ease of description and simplification, these working processes will not be described in detail.

[0082] It is understood that the systems, devices, and methods disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in other ways. The above embodiments are merely exemplary. The division of units is based solely on logical function, while other divisions exist in the implementation. It is possible to combine or integrate multiple units or components into another system. It is also possible to omit or skip some features. On the other hand, the mutual coupling, direct coupling, or communication coupling shown or discussed, whether implemented indirectly or communicatively through electrical, mechanical, or other means, operates through some ports, devices, or units.

[0083] The units used as separate components for explanation may or may not be physically separate. The units used for display may or may not be physical units, i.e., located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the multiple units are used depending on the purpose of each embodiment. Furthermore, the respective functional units of the multiple functional units in each of the multiple embodiments may be integrated into a single processing unit in a physically independent manner, or integrated into a single processing unit with two or more units.

[0084] If a software functional unit is implemented and used and sold as a product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium within a computer. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure can be implemented substantially or partially in the form of a software product. Alternatively, a portion of a technical solution that is advantageous to conventional technology can be implemented in the form of a software product. Software products in a computer (including multiple commands for computing devices (e.g., personal computers, servers, or network devices)) are stored in a storage medium to execute all or some of the multiple steps disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure. Storage media include USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), floppy disks, or other types of media capable of storing program code.

[0085] While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with what are considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements made without departing from the broadest interpretation of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An environmental Internet of Things, AIoT, system, comprising: an AIoT entity having store-and-forward capabilities, wherein the AIoT entity comprises an AIoT reader and the AIoT reader acts as a standalone network element or as a component hosted on an entity.

2. The AIoT system of claim 1, further comprising: an AIoT device separate from the AIoT reader; and an air interface protocol, wherein the AIoT device communicates with the AIoT reader through the air interface protocol. the AIoT entity is an AIoT base station, the AIoT reader comprises an AIoT gateway, GW, and the AIoT gateway is coupled with a gNB function, or the AIoT gateway is one of a plurality of gNB functions. 3.The AIoT system of claim 1 or 2, wherein, the AIoT entity further comprises at least one control plane protocol stack, and the at least one control plane protocol stack comprises a tag service layer configured to process AIoT information.

4. The AIoT system of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein, the tag service layer is configured to perform one or more operations: 5.The AIoT system of claim 4, wherein, the tag service layer responds with an Electronic Product Code, EPC, when prompted by the AIoT reader to extract information from a tagged object; the tag service layer is configured to interpret commands issued by the AIoT reader or an AIoT application server of the AIoT system or an AIoT application function, AF, of the AIoT system; or the tag service layer is configured to issue a command to retrieve requested information from a storage device of the AIoT device, to request at least one lower layer to encode the requested information using an encoding format, and to request the at least one lower layer to transmit the requested information in a radio frequency, RF, signal format. the AIoT entity further comprises at least one user plane protocol stack, and the at least one user plane protocol stack comprises a tag service layer configured to process AIoT information and a protocol data unit, PDU, layer configured to establish communication between the AIoT reader and an anchor user plane function, UPF, of the AIoT system.

6. The AIoT system of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein, an interface of the AIoT system is provided from the anchor UPF to allow the AIoT AS or the AIoT AF to issue commands to the AIoT device through the tag service layer of the at least one user plane protocol stack. 7.The AIoT system of claim 6, wherein, 8. The AIoT system of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an Internet Protocol, IP, data transfer architecture for the AIoT device, the IP data transfer architecture configured to transfer data from the AIoT device. the AIoT device does not have non-access stratum, NAS, capabilities and at least one interface with respect to NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT entity. 9.The AIoT system of claim 8, wherein, at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device does not have the NAS capabilities and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT entity.

10. The AIoT system of claim 9, wherein, ​ 11. The AIoT system of claim 10, wherein, The at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT entity comprises a Non-Access Stratum Session Management, NAS-SM, and a Non-Access Stratum Mobility Management, NAS-MM, and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-SM and / or the NAS-MM. 12.The AIoT system of claim 10 or 11, wherein, The at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device comprises a Label Service Layer and at least one AIoT AS Layer, the Label Service Layer and the at least one AIoT AS Layer of the AIoT device not having the NAS capability. 13.The AIoT system of claim 8, wherein, The AIoT device has a NAS capability, and at least one interface with respect to NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT device.

14. The AIoT system of claim 13, wherein, At least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device has the NAS capability, and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to the at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device.

15. The AIoT system of claim 14, wherein, The at least one control protocol stack of the AIoT device comprises a NAS-MM, and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-MM of the AIoT device.

16. The AIoT system of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a Non-IP Data Delivery, NIDD, architecture for the AIoT device, the NIDD architecture configured to deliver data from the AIoT device.

17. The AIoT system of claim 16, wherein, The NIDD architecture for the AIoT device does not have a NAS capability, and at least one interface with respect to NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT entity.

18. The AIoT system of claim 17, wherein, At least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for the AIoT device does not have a NAS capability, and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to at least one protocol stack of the AIoT entity.

19. The AIoT system of claim 18, wherein, The at least one protocol stack of the AIoT entity comprises a Non-Access Stratum Session Management, NAS-SM, and a Non-Access Stratum Mobility Management, NAS-MM, and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-SM and / or the NAS-MM. 20.The AIoT system of claim 18 or 19, wherein, The at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for the AIoT device comprises a Label Service Layer and at least one AIoT AS Layer, the Label Service Layer and the at least one AIoT AS Layer of the AIoT device not having the NAS capability.

21. The AIoT system of claim 16, wherein, The NIDD architecture for the AIoT device has a NAS capability, and at least one interface with respect to NAS signaling is connected to the AIoT device.

22. The AIoT system of claim 21, wherein, At least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for the AIoT device has the NAS capability, and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to the at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for the AIoT device.

23. The AIoT system of claim 22, wherein, The at least one protocol stack of the NIDD architecture for the AIoT device comprises a NAS-MM, and the at least one interface with respect to the NAS signaling is connected to the NAS-MM of the NIDD architecture for the AIoT device.

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