Radio measurements

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and computer program are described including: sending a first message to an access node of a mobile communication system, wherein the apparatus has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and a requirement for a respective measurement gap(s) and / or interruption(s) for the at least two serving cells or component carriers; receiving a measurement configuration from the access node in response to the first message, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, each measurement gap comprising: a measurement period during which a measurement of one of the one or more frequencies is performed, and a transmission and reception of data using the serving cell or component carrier is prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cell or component carrier; and one or more interruption periods during which a transmission and reception of data on a set of the one or more serving cells or component carriers is prohibited; and performing radio measurements of the one or more frequencies according to the measurement configuration.

Description

[0001] Related applications This application relates to and claims priority to GB National Patent Application No. 2318434.4, filed on December 1, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This specification relates to performing radio measurements in mobile communication systems. Background Technology

[0003] Radio measurements in mobile communication systems can be performed according to a defined schedule. Further development is still needed in this area. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect, this specification describes an apparatus (e.g., a user equipment (UE) of a mobile communication system) comprising: components for transmitting a first message to an access node (e.g., a gNB or similar node) of the mobile communication system, wherein the apparatus has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and corresponding measurement gaps and / or interruptions for the at least two serving cells or component carriers; components for receiving a measurement configuration from the access node in response to the first message, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, each measurement gap comprising: a measurement period (e.g., one or more measurement periods), during which measurements of one of the one or more frequencies are performed, and data transmission and reception using the serving cells or component carriers of the at least two serving cells or component carriers are prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cells or component carriers; and one or more interruption periods, during which data transmission and reception on a set of one or more serving cells or component carriers (e.g., a set of multiple serving cells or component carriers) are prohibited; and components for performing radio measurements of one or more frequencies according to the measurement configuration. Exemplary measurements include the center frequency of a neighboring cell.

[0005] Some exemplary embodiments also include: components for preventing the transmission or reception of data via a serving cell or component carrier during one or more measurement gaps.

[0006] Some exemplary embodiments also include: components for retuning one or more radio frequency chains to cause a service cell or component carrier interruption.

[0007] The measurement configuration can define serving cells or component carriers during which data transmission or reception is prohibited during one or more configured measurement gaps. Alternatively or additionally, the measurement configuration can define serving cells or component carriers during one or more interruption periods during which data transmission or reception is prohibited.

[0008] The measurement configuration can define the duration of one or more measurement periods. Alternatively or additionally, the measurement configuration can define the duration of one or more interruption periods.

[0009] One or each interruption period may be shorter than one or each corresponding measurement period.

[0010] One or each interruption period may include a first interruption period and a second interruption period. When multiple measurement gaps are required, the first and second interruption periods may be shorter than the corresponding measurement periods.

[0011] The first interruption period may be provided before (e.g., immediately before) the measurement period within the measurement gap, and the second interruption period may be provided after (e.g., immediately after) the measurement period within the measurement gap.

[0012] The first message may include a capability report for the device.

[0013] Measurement configurations can be incorporated into Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages.

[0014] The measurement configuration can define the periodicity and offset of measurement gaps and / or interruptions.

[0015] The component used to send the first message can send the first message in response to a request from the access node. The request from the access node can be a device capability request. The first message can be a device capability report (e.g., in response to a device capability message being sent). Alternatively or additionally, the request from the access node can be a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration, and the first message can be a Radio Resource Control (RRC) completion message.

[0016] In a second aspect, this specification describes a method comprising: sending a first message from an apparatus of a mobile communication system to an access node of the mobile communication system, wherein the apparatus has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and the corresponding demand for measurement gaps and / or interruptions for the at least two serving cells or component carriers; receiving a measurement configuration from the access node in response to the first message, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, wherein each measurement gap includes: one or more measurement periods during which measurements of one of the one or more frequencies are performed, and data transmission and reception using the serving cells or component carriers are prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cells or component carriers; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on the set of one or more serving cells or component carriers are prohibited (i.e., each measurement period and interruption period forms part of a measurement gap); and performing radio measurements of the one or more frequencies according to the measurement configuration.

[0017] Some exemplary embodiments also include preventing data from being transmitted or received via the serving cell or component carrier during one or more measurement gaps.

[0018] Some exemplary embodiments also include: retuning one or more radio frequency chains to cause a serving cell outage.

[0019] The measurement configuration can define serving cells or component carriers during which data transmission or reception is prohibited during one or more configured measurement gaps. Alternatively or additionally, the measurement configuration can define serving cells or component carriers during one or more interruption periods during which data transmission or reception is prohibited.

[0020] The measurement configuration can define the duration of one or more measurement periods. Alternatively or additionally, the measurement configuration can define the duration of one or more interruption periods.

[0021] One or each interruption period may be shorter than one or each corresponding measurement period.

[0022] One or each interruption period may include a first interruption period and a second interruption period. When multiple measurement gaps are required, the first and second interruption periods may be shorter than the corresponding measurement periods.

[0023] The first interruption period may be provided before (e.g., immediately before) the measurement period within the measurement gap, and the second interruption period may be provided after (e.g., immediately after) the measurement period within the measurement gap.

[0024] The first message may include a capability report.

[0025] Measurement configurations can be incorporated into Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages.

[0026] The measurement configuration can define the periodicity and offset of measurement gaps and / or interruptions.

[0027] The first message may be sent in response to a request from the access node (e.g., a device capability request). The first message may be a device capability report (e.g., in response to a device capability request being sent). Alternatively or additionally, the request from the access node may be a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration, and the first message may be a Radio Resource Control (RRC) completion message.

[0028] In the third aspect, this specification describes computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform (at least) any of the methods described herein (including the methods described in the second aspect above).

[0029] In the fourth aspect, this specification describes a computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium) including program instructions stored thereon for performing (at least) any method as described herein (including the method described in the second aspect above).

[0030] In a fifth aspect, this specification describes an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to perform (at least) any of the methods described herein (including the methods described in the second aspect above).

[0031] In a sixth aspect, this specification describes a computer program comprising instructions for causing a device to perform at least the following operations: sending a first message to an access node of a mobile communication system (e.g., from a device of the mobile communication system, such as a UE), wherein the device has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and the corresponding demand for measurement gaps and / or interruptions for the at least two serving cells or component carriers; receiving a measurement configuration from the access node in response to the first message, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, wherein each measurement gap includes: one or more measurement periods during which measurements of one of the one or more frequencies are performed, and data transmission and reception using the serving cells or component carriers are prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cells or component carriers; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on the set of one or more serving cells or component carriers are prohibited; and performing radio measurements of the one or more frequencies according to the measurement configuration.

[0032] In a seventh aspect, this specification describes an apparatus comprising: a first output (or other components) for transmitting a first message from an apparatus of a mobile communication system to an access node of the mobile communication system, wherein the apparatus has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and corresponding measurement gaps and / or interruptions for the at least two serving cells or component carriers; a first input (or other components) for receiving a measurement configuration from the access node in response to the first message, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, each measurement gap comprising: a measurement period (e.g., one or more measurement periods) during which measurements of one of the one or more frequencies are performed, and data transmission and reception using the serving cells or component carriers are prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cells or component carriers; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on the set of one or more serving cells or component carriers are prohibited; and a processor (or other components) for performing radio measurements of the one or more frequencies according to the measurement configuration. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The example embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following schematic diagrams, wherein: Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a system in which the example embodiments described herein can be used; Figure 2 It is a message stream sequence according to the example embodiment; Figure 3 These are graphs illustrating various aspects of the example embodiments; Figure 4 It is a message stream sequence according to the example embodiment; Figure 5 It is a sequence of behavior flows according to the example embodiment; Figure 6 This is a block diagram of the components of a system according to an example embodiment; and Figure 7 An example of a tangible medium for storing computer-readable code is shown, which, when run by a computer, can perform methods according to the above example embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The scope of protection sought by the various embodiments of this disclosure is set forth in the independent claims. Embodiments and features described in the specification that do not fall within the scope of the independent claims, if any, are to be interpreted as examples useful for understanding the various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0035] In the specification and drawings, the same reference numerals always refer to the same elements.

[0036] The example embodiments described herein relate to configuring measurement gaps (MG) in new radio (NR) or similar applications, such as in the case of dual connectivity and / or carrier aggregation (i.e., configuration of more than one serving cell or component carrier).

[0037] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a system generally indicated by reference numeral 10, in which the example embodiments described herein may be used. In this example, system 10 includes a primary cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG) capable of performing operations in parallel.

[0038] If system 10 is able to perform specific frequency band combinations to support parallel connections between primary cell (PCell) and secondary cell (SCell), this capability can also be used for other operations, such as performing measurements on the channel using the RF chain of the SCell for CA / DC configuration while a mobile device is connected to the system and uses the PCell connection to receive / transmit data, or skipping one or more serving cells to perform measurements.

[0039] System 10 can be used to enable a user equipment (UE) to request measurement gap (MG) configuration information. If there is more than one serving cell or component carrier (CC), it may be inefficient to use the same MG configuration for all serving cells / CCs. This is because if only a subset of the radio frequency (RF) chains (in the UE implementation, each serving cell / CC has its own RF chain and may also have (multiple) spare RF chains) are retuned to perform frequency measurements during the measurement gap, this can lead to poor resource utilization (e.g., during a particular measurement gap, there is no transmission in any serving cell / component carrier, which would have been feasible due to the parallel nature of the hardware).

[0040] Equipment (e.g., UE) may have measurement gaps configured per frequency range (FR), per component carrier (CC), or per UE. FR distinctions are typically used for FR1 (e.g., 450 MHz-7 GHz) and FR2 (e.g., 24-52 GHz). If more than one serving cell or component carrier (CC) in the same frequency range (e.g., carrier aggregation combination in FR1) is configured for measurement gaps, the configuration is typically the same for all serving cells or component carriers in that frequency range.

[0041] This scenario is illustrated in Table 1 below, which shows an example of a mapping table between the serving cell / CC and the frequencies to be measured. All these frequencies to be measured do not need to be members of the same frequency range and / or band as described above (e.g., FR1 range [frequency 1 band x, frequency 2 band y], FR2 range [frequency 3 band z]). In this table, X marks the combination of the serving cell / CC and the frequency to be measured that requires a measurement gap. In Table 1, the columns for frequency 1 and frequency 2 request measurement gaps. Note that frequencies 1 through 3 are not necessarily on the same frequency or band as the serving cell / CC.

[0042]

[0043] Table 1 The scenario shown in Table 1 is an example of a "per-frequency (perFR)" measurement gap configuration where PCell, SCell 1, and SCell2 are in the same FR. It can be seen that frequencies 1 and 2 are given as the frequencies for creating the gap, but this is across all serving cells / CCs. In other words, this configuration is the same for all component carriers / serving cells of the UE in a given FR. This is generally inefficient.

[0044] As discussed further below, in a typical UE architecture, frequency bands belong to band groups, which are used as design terms. A band group can be a portion of a frequency range within FR1 or FR2. For example, the low-frequency band (LB) can be between approximately 600 MHz and approximately 900 MHz, the mid-frequency band (MB) can be between approximately 1.5 GHz and 2.1 GHz, the high-frequency band (HB) can be between approximately 2.3 GHz and 2.6 GHz, the ultra-high-frequency band (UHB) can be between approximately 3.3 GHz and 5 GHz, and the millimeter-wave band (mmWave) can be approximately 24 GHz and above.

[0045] The alternative to the "per FR" configuration shown in Table 1 is the "per CC" configuration. This scenario is expressed in Table 2 below, which is a mapping table between the serving cell / CC and the frequencies to be measured (frequency 1, frequency 2, frequency 3).

[0046]

[0047] Table 2 In the “per CC” configuration shown in Table 2, all measured frequencies will produce gaps on SCell1. Again, this is generally inefficient (e.g., if the UE only needs gaps for only one of the three frequencies (e.g., frequency 1)).

[0048] Note that because the UE will need to retune the RF chain of the serving cell or component carrier to a new frequency before performing the measurement and retune it back to the frequency of the serving cell or component carrier after performing the measurement, it will be unable to receive DL signals or transmit UL signals on the serving cell or component carrier served by the RF chain used for the measurement during the retuning interval. Furthermore, when the UE's RF chain (the RF chain of the serving cell or component carrier, or an RF chain not used by any serving cell or component carrier) is retuned to perform the measurement, it may cause interference / faults on other RF chains(s), causing the transmission / reception of the interfered RF chain to be interrupted. In other words, communication on some serving cells may be affected during the interruption interval, and communication will be interrupted.

[0049] Figure 2 This is a message flow sequence, typically indicated by reference numeral 20, according to an example embodiment. Message flow sequence 20 illustrates messages between device 21 (e.g., UE) and an access node (e.g., gNB or similar node) of a mobile communication system. Device 21 is configured with at least two serving cells (or component carriers). Note that in this specification, the term "serving cell" is used to encompass carrier aggregation and dual connectivity use cases. The term "serving cell" is generally used as an example of the more general "component carrier."

[0050] Sequence 20 begins with the transmission of request 24 from access node 22 to device 21. Note that request 24 is shown in dashed form because it may be omitted in some example embodiments. Request 24 may be a device capability request (in response to which a UE capability report is expected from device 21). Alternatively, the request may be a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message (in response to which a Radio Resource Control (RRC) complete message is expected from device 21).

[0051] The device 21 sends a first message 25 to the access node 22. The first message 25 defines one or more frequencies to be measured and the corresponding measurement gaps and / or interruptions for at least two serving cells. The first message may be a device / UE capability report (e.g., in response to a device capability request). Alternatively, the request may be a radio resource reconfiguration completion message (e.g., in response to a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message).

[0052] In response to the first message 25, a measurement configuration 26 is received from the access node 22. The measurement configuration 26 may form part of a radio resource control message. In an example embodiment, the measurement configuration 26 may define: one or more measurement periods during which measurements of one of one or more frequencies are performed, and when the serving cell requires measurement gaps(s), the use of at least two serving cells / CCs for data transmission and reception is prohibited; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on the set of serving cells / CCs is prohibited even if no measurements are performed. In an exemplary embodiment, the gap configuration in the measurement configuration 26 may include a list of frequencies to be measured. In some exemplary embodiments, all serving cells / CCs may be interrupted during an interruption period, but this is not a requirement in all exemplary embodiments.

[0053] In an example embodiment, measurement configuration 26 may define a plurality of serving cells for which data transmission or reception is prohibited during the measurement process, specifically during a plurality of configured measurement periods. Alternatively or additionally, the measurement configuration may define a plurality of serving cells for which data transmission or reception is prohibited during one or more interruption periods. In some exemplary embodiments, all serving cells (or component carriers) are unable to transmit or receive data during the interruption period.

[0054] In some example embodiments, a measurement period combined with an interruption period before or after it can be defined as a measurement gap.

[0055] In an example embodiment, measurement configuration 26 may include measurement gap configuration and may define one or more of the following (discussed in detail below): • Measurement time period / interval; • One or more interruption periods (e.g., at the beginning and / or end of a measurement gap, or before and / or after a measurement period); • Periodicity and / or offset of measurement periods / intervals and / or interruptions.

[0056] At operation 28, radio measurements at one or more frequencies are performed according to one or more defined measurement periods (as indicated in measurement configuration 26). For example, measurements may include intra-frequency, inter-frequency, and inter-radio technology measurements. As discussed further below, example measurements include the center frequency of a neighboring cell; for example, such a center frequency may differ from the center frequency of the serving cell. By performing radio measurements according to measurement configuration 26, the UE can temporarily suspend data transmission in cells that would be interfered with due to the device retuning an RF chain to perform the measurements. As a result, the need for the device to suspend data transmission / reception in interfered cells throughout the entire measurement period / gap can be avoided.

[0057] Figure 3 The graph, generally indicated by reference numeral 30, illustrates various aspects of the example embodiment. Graph 30 shows the measurement performed by the UE according to the example measurement configuration 26 of message sequence 20.

[0058] Figure 30 is implemented by an exemplary UE, which is configured with a primary cell (PCell), a first secondary cell (SCell1), and a second secondary cell (SCell2), and is implemented using three independent RF chains (RF chain 1, RF chain 2, and RF chain 3, respectively). The RF chains operate in parallel, and each RF chain can transmit uplink (UL) data and receive downlink (DL) data, as shown in the figure.

[0059] Figure 30 illustrates an example of a UE configured with carrier aggregation or dual connectivity, where one RF chain (RF chain 2 in this example) is used to perform measurements. If we assume that the UE has no other (standby) RF chains, and if the UE is to perform inter-frequency measurements, then the UE is forced to interrupt at least one of the active RF chains while performing the measurements.

[0060] Figure 30 defines the measurement gap pattern (sometimes referred to as the H gap due to the shape of the gap pattern as shown in Figure 30). Gap pattern 30 is used for each serving cell / CC gap including interruptions.

[0061] The gap pattern in Figure 30 is divided into 3 time intervals: • During the first time interval (T1), all serving cells (PCell, SCell1, and SCell2 in this example) are interrupted in gap mode, and the UE neither receives downlink (DL) data nor transmits uplink (UL) data. Interval T1 refers to the interruption period before the measurement period (or at the start of the measurement gap).

[0062] • In the second time interval (T2), only a subset of the serving cells (SCell1 in this example) is interrupted to perform measurements (and is therefore the measurement period of the measurement interval). The network can configure the interruption during the measurement period to apply to one or more serving cells. In one example, the UE can use two of its RF receivers to perform two separate measurements. As a result, the serving cell served by these two RF receivers is interrupted during the measurement period.

[0063] • During the third time interval (T3), all serving cells (PCell, Scell1, and SCell2 in this example) are interrupted in gap mode, and the UE neither receives DL data nor transmits UL data. Interval T3 involves an interruption after the measurement period (or at the end of the measurement gap).

[0064] As described above, when measurement gaps are required, each measurement period (T2) combined with its corresponding interruption period(T1 and T3) can be referred to as a "measurement gap". Therefore, a measurement gap can include a "retuning" period before the measurement period, the measurement itself, and another retuning period after the measurement period. In an alternative configuration, a measurement period is defined as excluding interruption / retuning periods; such interruption periods can be provided before (e.g., immediately before) and after (e.g., immediately after) the corresponding measurement period.

[0065] The measurement configuration 26 of message sequence 20 can be used to define the duration of (multiple) corresponding measurement periods and / or the duration of (multiple) corresponding interruption periods.

[0066] As shown in Figure 30, the interruption period or each interruption period may be shorter than the corresponding measurement period or each corresponding measurement period, although this is not necessary for all example embodiments.

[0067] The measurement gap mode shown in Figure 30 allows for independent configuration of interruptions and gaps for different cells. Specifically, a limited number of cells are interrupted when the UE performs a measurement. When using this gap type, the UE can use one of its RF chains to perform the measurement, where: • When the UE is performing measurements, make the first group of serving cells / component carriers unavailable for data transmission / reception; and • Makes the second group of serving cells / component carriers unavailable before and after actual measurements, and allows retuning of one or more RF chains.

[0068] Measurement configurations such as the one described above (configuration 26) offer flexibility. For example, the following scenarios can be handled: • Measurements of one or more frequencies that cause outages on one or more serving cells / CCs; • Measurement of one or more frequencies that cause gaps on one or more serving cells / CCs; • Gapless measurement at one or more frequencies; • Any combination of the above.

[0069] Table 3 below shows examples of combinations of the above gaps and interruptions.

[0070]

[0071] Table 3 Referring to Table 3, to measure frequency 1, the UE can use a gap on SCell 1, but this will cause an outage on PCell and SCell 2. The UE can perform a measurement on frequency 2 without a gap, but in this example, the measurement on frequency 2 will cause an outage of all serving cells. Finally, a measurement on frequency 3 can be performed without a gap and will not cause an outage of any serving cells. This occurs if the UE has an RF architecture that allows frequency 3 to operate completely independently relative to PCell, SCell 1, and SCell 2. For example, if all frequencies except frequency 3 are located on FR1, and frequency 3 itself is located on FR2, then an architecture that allows independent operation exists.

[0072]

[0073] Table 4 In the scenario shown in Table 4, SCell 2 can be processed independently of any frequency being measured; therefore, there is no hardware resource conflict between SCell 2 and any frequency to be measured. It is also noted that, in this example, there is no combination of the frequency to be measured (3) with PCell and SCell 1 that allows parallel operation, thus a gap is created.

[0074] Signaling used to configure measurement intervals (such as message sequence 20) can be based on a mapping between the serving cell and the frequency to be measured. The measurement configuration 26 described above may include some or all of the following attributes: • Frequency list: The frequency measured during the second time interval (T2) shown in Figure 30. Here, one or more serving cells can be interrupted to perform the measurement. Depending on the UE's capabilities, the UE can measure more than one frequency.

[0075] ·List of residential communities 1 This includes a list of cells that were interrupted when the UE performed measurements during the second time interval. Other cells operate normally.

[0076] ·List of residential communities 2 This includes all cells that are interrupted during, for example, the first and third intervals (T1 and T3) shown in Figure 30 (e.g., before and after the measurement duration).

[0077] This list can be defined using one of the alternatives: Cell list 2 includes all active serving cells of the UE.

[0078] Cell list 2 is configured per frequency (perFre) or per UE based on UE capabilities.

[0079] Cell list 2 includes individual cells configured according to multi-carrier, and active or inactive serving cells.

[0080] • Measurement gap repetition period The period between consecutive instances of the gap / interruption mode.

[0081] • Measurement interval duration and duration before and after measurement Parameters indicating the duration of the corresponding time intervals (e.g., T1, T2, and T3). Note that measurements performed without a measurement gap configuration can be forced to be performed without gaps and / or interruptions.

[0082] Figure 4 This is a message flow sequence, typically indicated by reference numeral 40, according to an example embodiment. The message flow sequence illustrates messages transmitted between a UE 41 (such as device 21 described above) and a network element 42 (such as access node 22 described above (e.g., gNB)), which enables the exchange of measurement gap configuration information.

[0083] Sequence 40 begins with network 42 sending message 44 to UE 41 requesting gap information (referred to herein as H gap information). Message 44 may include a list of frequencies to be measured. Message 44 is an example implementation of message 24 in the above message sequence.

[0084] You can request this information using one of the following methods: Option 1, in which network 42 sends a UE capability request, including request 44 (i.e., a UE capability request that includes a request to provide H gap information and other requests).

[0085] Option 2, in which no request is sent. In this scenario, request 44 is omitted from message sequence 40, and if the UE supports the H gap configuration described herein, UE 41 is expected to send information (e.g., as a UE capability report).

[0086] Option 3, in which network 42 sends an RRC message requesting H-gap information. This option can be more dynamic than options 1 and 2 because UE 41 can make decisions about H-gap support for certain serving cells / CCs based on CA / DC configuration.

[0087] UE 41 sends message 45 to network 42 (possibly in response to message 44). This message includes H-gap information. Message 45 is an example implementation of message 25 in the above message sequence 20.

[0088] As part of message 45, the UE may send an H-gap report containing a list of possible H-gap configurations supported by the UE. Each report's H-gap entry may contain one or more of the following: • Frequency list (e.g., frequencies measured using this measurement gap mode); • servingCellId (e.g., the ID of a cell with an H gap can be configured); • ListOfInterruptedCells (e.g., a list of cells that are interrupted when an H gap is configured for servingCellId).

[0089] Network 42 sends message 46, configuring the H gap list, to UE 41. Therefore, message 46 can implement the measurement configuration message 26 of the above message sequence 20.

[0090] Each entry in the list provided in message 46 may include a different H gap pattern, wherein each H gap pattern contains one or more of the following: • gapId: The identifier for the gap; • mgrp and gapOffSet: Parameters indicating the periodicity and offset of the measurement gap / interruption; • mgl: The length of the measurement gap. The mgl parameter can include: T2 only; T1+T2+T3; or T1 / T3 only if it is a gapless measurement. In some example embodiments, T1 and T3 can be provided by additional configurations or fixed values ​​in the specification; • The frequency measured using this measuring gap; • CellList1 (A list of serving cells that are unavailable during the entire measurement interval, i.e., T1+T2+T3). • CellList2 (A list of serving cells that were interrupted during T1 and T3).

[0091] Figure 5 This is a sequence of behavior flows, typically indicated by reference numeral 50, according to an example embodiment. Behavior flow sequence 50 illustrates UE and network behavior during measurement gaps / outages across multiple serving cells and RF chains.

[0092] Behavioral sequence 50 illustrates the UE and network behavior during the example H interval. In this figure, UE 51 is served by cell 152 using RF chain 1 53 configured in CellList1, and UE 51 is configured to be served by other serving cells 54 included in CellList2. UE 51 is also configured to perform measurements on “neighboring cells,” schematically indicated by reference numeral 55. The steps in this figure are described below: In step 1 of action sequence 50, downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) data are transmitted between UE 51 and all serving cells 52 and 54.

[0093] Box 57 in the figure illustrates the behavior of the UE and the network during the duration of the H gap.

[0094] After time interval T1 begins (step 3), the cells in CellList1 and CellList2 are interrupted to perform measurements.

[0095] In steps 4 and 5, RF chain 1 53 stops data transmission / reception. Then, RF chain 1 53 retunes its center frequency to the center frequency associated with neighboring cell 55. Because this operation may cause interference in other RF chains 56, these other RF chains 56 are not scheduled during T1 (see steps 6 and 8 below).

[0096] In step 6, monitoring of other serving cells is stopped. At this point, other RF chains 56 used for communication on serving cells included in CellList2 are interrupted.

[0097] During this phase, cell 1 52 knows that UE 51 is starting an H-gap and should not use the cell for scheduling until the H-gap mode ends after T3. Therefore, in step 7, scheduling is stopped in cell 1 52.

[0098] Similarly, in step 8, scheduling is stopped at the other 54 serving cells included in CellList2.

[0099] Time period T2 begins at step 9. During this time interval, outage scheduling is performed for cells in CellList1, and recovery scheduling is performed for cells in CellList2.

[0100] At the start of T2 (step 10), UE 51’s RF chain 1 53 has been tuned to neighbor cell 55 and is monitoring SS / PBCH block measurement timing configuration (SMTC) from (multiple) neighbor cells 55.

[0101] In step 11, other RF chains 56 used for communicating with the serving cell in CellList2 resume data communication. This includes monitoring scheduling commands from the serving cell 54.

[0102] In step 12, the other serving cells 54 resume scheduling. Therefore, the serving cells in CellList2 can be used for data / control communication between the network and the UE.

[0103] In step 13, the gNB from the neighboring cell transmits a reference signal included in the SMTC (step 13). Note that all gNBs on this frequency can transmit the SMTC signal. Then, if multiple gNBs use different orthogonal sequences, the UE can separate the signal from the multiple gNBs.

[0104] In step 14, data transmission (UL / DL) between UE 51 and serving cell 54 included in CellList2 is resumed.

[0105] Time period T3 begins at step 15. During this time interval, outage scheduling is performed for all cells included in CellList1 and CellList2.

[0106] At step 16, UE 51 can retune RF chain 1 53 to the center frequency of cell 1. Because this operation may cause interference in other RF chains, other RF chains are not scheduled during T3.

[0107] In step 17, other RF chains used for communication on the serving cells included in CellList2 are interrupted (i.e., monitoring of other serving cells 54 is stopped).

[0108] In step 18, other serving cells 54, including those in CellList2, stop scheduling to UE 51.

[0109] Time period T3 ends in step 19. This marks the end of H gap 57. At this point, UE 51 and the network can resume scheduling using all configured serving cells.

[0110] In step 20, monitoring of cell 1 is resumed. Therefore, after the H gap ends, RF chain 1 53, used for communication with the serving cell in CellList1, resumes data communication. This includes monitoring scheduling commands from serving cell 52.

[0111] In step 21, monitoring of other serving cells 54 is resumed. Therefore, after the H gap ends, data communication is resumed in other RF chains used for communication with serving cells in CellList2. This includes monitoring scheduling commands from serving cell 54.

[0112] In step 22, the serving cells in CellList1 can be used for data / control communication between the network and the UE. Therefore, the scheduling of these serving cells is restored.

[0113] In step 23, the serving cells in CellList2 can be used for data / control communication between the network and the UE. Therefore, the scheduling of these serving cells is also restored.

[0114] In step 24, data transmission (DL / UL transmission) between the UE and all serving cells can occur (after the H gap ends).

[0115] The measurement configurations described herein aim to provide flexible and efficient use of measurement gaps. For example, in some embodiments, communication can continue while the UE is performing measurements using an RF chain.

[0116] For the sake of completeness, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of one or more components in the previously described exemplary embodiments, which are generally referred to below as processing system 300. Processing system 300 may be, for example, the apparatus mentioned in the following claims.

[0117] The processing system 300 may include a processor 302, a memory 304 tightly coupled to the processor and including RAM 314 and ROM 312, and optionally a user input 310 and a display 318. The processing system 300 may include one or more network / device interfaces 308 for connecting to a network / device, such as a wired or wireless modem. The network / device interface 308 may also operate as a connection to other devices, such as devices that are not network-side devices. Therefore, direct connections between devices without network involvement are possible.

[0118] The processor 302 is connected to each of the other components in order to control their operation.

[0119] Memory 304 may include non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). The ROM 312 of memory 304 stores the operating system 315, and may also store software applications 316. The RAM 314 of memory 304 is used by the processor 302 for temporary data storage. The operating system 315 may contain code that implements aspects of the aforementioned algorithms and message / behavior sequences 20, 40, and 50 when executed by the processor. Note that in the case of small devices / apparatus, the memory may be best suited for small-size applications, i.e., hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs) are not always used.

[0120] The processor 302 can take any suitable form. For example, it can be a microcontroller, multiple microcontrollers, a processor, or multiple processors.

[0121] The processing system 300 can be a standalone computer, server, console, or its network. The processing system 300 and the necessary structural components can all be embedded within a device, such as an IoT device, i.e., in a very small size.

[0122] In some example embodiments, the processing system 300 may also be associated with external software applications. These may be applications stored on a remote server device / device and may run partially or exclusively on the remote server device / device. These applications may be referred to as cloud-hosted applications. The processing system 300 may communicate with the remote server device / device to utilize the software applications stored there.

[0123] Figure 7 A tangible medium in the form of a removable memory unit 365 storing computer-readable code is illustrated, which, when run by a computer, can execute the methods according to the example embodiments described above. The removable memory unit 365 may be a memory stick, such as a USB memory stick, having an internal memory 366 for storing computer-readable code. The internal memory 366 can be accessed by a computer system via a connector 367. Of course, other forms of tangible storage media can be used, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The tangible medium can be any device / apparatus capable of storing data / information that can be exchanged between devices / apparatus / networks.

[0124] Embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in software, hardware, application logic, or a combination of software, hardware, and application logic. The software, application logic, and / or hardware can reside on memory or any computer medium. In example embodiments, the application logic, software, or instruction set is maintained on any of a variety of conventional computer-readable media. In the context of this document, "memory" or "computer-readable medium" can be any non-transitory medium or component that can contain, store, transmit, propagate, or transfer instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer.

[0125] In relevant contexts, references to “computer-readable medium,” “computer program product,” “tangible computer program,” or “processor” or “processing circuitry” should be understood to encompass not only computers with different architectures (such as single / multiprocessor architectures and sequencer / parallel architectures) but also special-purpose circuits (such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), signal processing devices / apparatus, and other devices / apparatus). References to computer programs, instructions, code, etc., should be understood to express software (such as programmable content of hardware devices / apparatus) used for programmable processor firmware as instructions for the processor or as configuration or configuration settings for fixed-function devices / apparatus, gate arrays, programmable logic devices / apparatus, etc. If necessary, the different functions discussed herein can be executed in different orders and / or simultaneously with each other. Furthermore, if necessary, one or more of the above functions can be optional or can be combined. Similarly, it should be understood that... Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The flowcharts and sequences are merely examples, and the various operations depicted therein can be omitted, reordered, and / or combined.

[0126] It should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are purely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the invention. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading this specification.

[0127] Furthermore, the disclosure of this application should be understood to include any novel feature or any novel combination of features or any generalization thereof explicitly or implicitly disclosed herein, and new claims may be formulated during the examination of this application or any application derived therefrom to cover any such feature and / or combination of such features.

[0128] Although various aspects of the invention are set forth in the independent claims, other aspects of the invention include other combinations of features from the described exemplary embodiments and / or dependent claims with features of the independent claims, and not only those combinations expressly set forth in the claims.

[0129] It should also be noted that while various examples have been described above, these descriptions should not be considered limiting. Rather, several changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: A component for sending a first message to an access node of a mobile communication system, wherein the device has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and the corresponding measurement gaps and / or interruptions for the at least two serving cells or component carriers. Components for receiving measurement configuration from the access node in response to the first message, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, each measurement gap including: a measurement period during which measurements are performed on one of the one or more frequencies, and data transmission and reception using the serving cell or component carrier is prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cell or component carrier of the at least two serving cells or component carriers; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on the set of one or more serving cells or component carriers is prohibited; and Components for performing radio measurements on the one or more frequencies according to the measurement configuration.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: Components for preventing the transmission or reception of data via the serving cell or component carrier during one or more measurement gaps.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the measurement configuration defines the serving cell(s) or component carrier(s) during which data transmission or reception is prohibited during one or more configured measurement intervals.

4. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the measurement configuration defines the serving cell(s) or component carrier(s) during which data transmission or reception is prohibited during the one or more interruption periods.

5. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the measurement configuration defines the duration of the one or more measurement periods.

6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the measurement configuration defines the duration of the one or more interruption periods.

7. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interruption period includes a first interruption period and a second interruption period.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when multiple measurement gaps are required, the first interruption period and the second interruption period are shorter than the corresponding measurement period.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 or 8, wherein the first interruption period is provided before the measurement period within the measurement gap, and the second interruption period is provided after the measurement period within the measurement gap.

10. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first message includes a capability report for the apparatus.

11. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the measurement configuration forms part of a radio resource control message.

12. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the measurement configuration defines the periodicity and offset of the measurement gap and / or interruption.

13. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component for sending the first message sends the first message in response to a request from the access node.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the request from the access node is a device capability request, and the first message is a device capability report.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the request from the access node is a radio resource control reconfiguration, and the first message is a radio resource reconfiguration completion message.

16. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is a user equipment.

17. A method comprising: A first message is sent from a device of a mobile communication system to an access node of the mobile communication system, wherein the device has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and the corresponding measurement gaps and / or interruptions for the at least two serving cells or component carriers. In response to the first message, a measurement configuration is received from the access node, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, each measurement gap comprising: one or more measurement periods during which measurements are performed on one of the one or more frequencies, and data transmission and reception using the serving cell or component carrier are prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cell or component carrier; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on a set of one or more serving cells or component carriers are prohibited; and Radio measurements of the one or more frequencies are performed according to the measurement configuration.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: Prevent data from being transmitted or received via the serving cell or component carrier during one or more measurement gaps.

19. The method of claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the measurement configuration defines the serving cell(s) or component carrier(s) during which data transmission or reception is prohibited during one or more configured measurement gaps.

20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the measurement configuration defines the serving cell(s) or component carrier(s) during which data transmission or reception is prohibited during the one or more interruption periods.

21. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the measurement configuration defines the duration of the one or more measurement periods.

22. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the measurement configuration defines the duration of the one or more interruption periods.

23. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 22, wherein the interruption period includes a first interruption period and a second interruption period.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein when multiple measurement gaps are required, the first interruption period and the second interruption period are shorter than the corresponding measurement period.

25. The method of claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the first interruption period is provided before the measurement period within the measurement gap, and the second interruption period is provided after the measurement period within the measurement gap.

26. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 25, wherein the first message includes a capability report for the device.

27. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 26, wherein the measurement configuration forms part of a radio resource control message.

28. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 27, wherein the measurement configuration defines the periodicity and offset of the measurement gap and / or interruption.

29. The method of any one of claims 17 to 28, wherein sending the first message includes sending the first message in response to a request from the access node.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the request from the access node is a device capability request, and the first message is a device capability report.

31. The method of claim 29 or claim 30, wherein the request from the access node is a radio resource control reconfiguration, and the first message is a radio resource reconfiguration completion message.

32. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 31, wherein the apparatus is a user equipment.

33. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: Sending a first message to an access node of a mobile communication system, wherein the device has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and the corresponding measurement gaps and / or interruptions required for the at least two serving cells or component carriers; In response to the first message, a measurement configuration is received from the access node, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, each measurement gap comprising: one or more measurement periods during which measurements are performed on one of the one or more frequencies, and data transmission and reception using the serving cell or component carrier are prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cell or component carrier; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on a set of one or more serving cells or component carriers are prohibited; and Radio measurements of the one or more frequencies are performed according to the measurement configuration.

34. A computer program comprising instructions for causing a device to execute at least the following: Send a first message to the access node of the mobile communication system, wherein the device has at least two serving cells or component carriers, and wherein the first message defines one or more frequencies to be measured and the corresponding measurement gaps and / or interruptions for the at least two serving cells or component carriers; In response to the first message, a measurement configuration is received from the access node, wherein the measurement configuration defines one or more measurement gaps, each measurement gap comprising: a measurement period during which measurements are performed on one of the one or more frequencies, and data transmission and reception using the serving cell or component carrier are prohibited when the one or more measurement gaps are required by the serving cell or component carrier; and one or more interruption periods during which data transmission and reception on a set of one or more serving cells or component carriers are prohibited; and Radio measurements of the one or more frequencies are performed according to the measurement configuration.

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