Indication of UE capabilities

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an indication of UE capabilities. A method performed by a user equipment is provided, the method comprising: receiving from a network an indication of at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with a capability of the user equipment; determining whether the user equipment meets the at least one criterion; and sending to the network an indication indicating whether the user equipment meets the at least one criterion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various example embodiments generally relate to improving communication efficiency, such as a user equipment (UE) indicating its type (indicating UE capabilities) to the network, where the type is determined based on at least one certain criterion. Background Technology

[0002] With advancements in communication technology, a large number of UEs (User Equipment) have been introduced into the market, encompassing UEs with varying capabilities and fulfilling numerous different services. It can be beneficial for the network to know the UE's type while it is connecting to the network. Current UE capability lookup processes may not be efficient for this purpose. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The subject matter of the independent claims is provided according to several aspects. Additional aspects are defined in the dependent claims. Embodiments not falling within the scope of the claims are to be interpreted as examples that aid in understanding this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0004] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 One or more embodiments of the network to which this embodiment applies are presented; Figure 2 and Figure 3 A signaling flowchart according to some embodiments is shown; Figures 4A to 4C Different options for at least one standard and for indication are shown according to some embodiments; Figure 5 An apparatus according to an embodiment is shown; Detailed Implementation The following embodiments are exemplary. Although the specification may refer to embodiments as "a," "an," or "some" in various places in the text, this does not necessarily mean that each reference is made to the same embodiment, or that a particular feature applies only to a single embodiment. Individual features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, whether explicitly described or not, the application of such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art. It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another.

[0005] For the purposes of this disclosure, the phrases “at least one of A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” and “A and / or B” mean (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of this disclosure, the phrase “A, B, and / or C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C). As used herein, the terms “at least one” and “one or more” mean “any one of at least one” and “any one of one or more,” respectively.

[0006] The described embodiments can be implemented in a communication network, such as any of the following radio access technologies (RATs): WiMAX, GSM (2G), GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), General Packet Radio Service (GRPS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System based on Basic Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) (UMTS, 3G), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), LTE, LTE Advanced, and Enhanced LTE (eLTE), 5G (also known as NR), or any future RAT (such as 6G). Furthermore, communication within the communication network can utilize any suitable wireless communication technology, including but not limited to: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), Time Division Duplex (TDD), Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), and / or Discrete Fourier Transform Extended OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM).

[0007] As used herein, the term "network device" or "network node" refers to a node in a communication network through which user equipment can access the network and / or control radio communications and manage radio resources within a cell. A network node or network device may be referred to as a base station (BS), access point (AP), or access node. Depending on the technology applied, a network device may be, for example, a Node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved Node B (eNodeB or eNB), an NR NB (also known as a gNB), a remote radio unit (RRU), a radio head (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a repeater, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, a low-power node, a non-terrestrial network (NTN) or non-land network device (such as satellite network equipment, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites), or an aircraft network device.

[0008] Furthermore, in a split radio access network (RAN) connection, network equipment can refer to a centralized unit (CU) and / or a distributed unit (DU) of a base station. The interface between the CU and the DU can be referred to as the F1 interface in NR. In a split RAN architecture, node operations can be performed at least partially in a central / centralized unit (CU, e.g., a server, host, or node) that is operatively coupled to a DU (e.g., a radio head / node). A CU can control one or more DUs, at least acting as a transmit / receive (Tx / Rx) node. In some embodiments, a DU may include, for example, a Radio Link Control (RLC), a Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and a Physical (PHY) layer, while a CU may include layers above the RLC layer, such as a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, Radio Resource Control (RRC), and Internet Protocol (IP) layer. Other functional splitting is also possible. In practice, arbitrary processing tasks can be performed in either a CU or a DU, and the boundary of responsibility between the CU and the DU can depend on the applied implementation.

[0009] The term "terminal device" refers to any terminal device capable of wireless communication. For example, a terminal device can be referred to as a communication device, user equipment (UE), subscriber station (SS), or mobile station (MS). Terminal devices can include mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, tablet computers, wearable terminal devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, desktop computers, image capture terminal devices (such as digital cameras), gaming terminal devices, music storage and recycle bins, in-vehicle wireless terminal devices, USB dongles, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, watches or other wearable devices, head-mounted displays (HMDs), vehicles, drones, medical devices and applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial devices and applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in industrial and / or automated processing chain environments), consumer electronics devices, devices operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, and so on.

[0010] As used herein, the term "resource" can refer to radio resources in the time domain, frequency domain, spatial domain, and / or code domain. Some examples of resources include, for example, physical resource blocks (PRBs), radio frames, subframes, time slots, subbands, frequency regions, subcarriers, frequency bands, carriers, etc. The terms "transmit" and / or "receive" can refer to wirelessly transmitting and / or receiving on radio resources via a radio propagation channel.

[0011] Figure 1An example of a communication network to which the examples disclosed herein can be applied is shown. The communication network, or cellular communication network, may include a network node 110 providing one or more cells (such as cell 100) and a network node 112 providing one or more other cells (such as cell 102). For example, each cell may be a macrocell, microcell, femtocell, or picocell. A cell may define the coverage area or service area of ​​a corresponding access node.

[0012] Network node 110 can provide radio access to a communication network to user equipment (UE) 120 (one or more UEs). Radio access may include downlink (DL) communication from the network node to UE 120 and uplink (UL) communication from UE 120 to the network node. Examples of uplink channels include a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for transmitting control information, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) for transmitting data to the network, and a logical dedicated control channel for transmitting dedicated signaling messages from the UE to the network. Examples of downlink channels include a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for transmitting control information, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) for transmitting data to the UE, and a logical dedicated control channel for transmitting dedicated signaling messages from the network to the UE.

[0013] The system can have multiple UEs (UE 120, UE 122). Each of these UEs can be served by the same or different control nodes (Node 110, Node 112). UE 120 and UE 122 can communicate with each other when a device-to-device (D2D) communication interface is established between them via a so-called side link (SL). Such D2D communication can be referred to as, for example, machine-to-machine, peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, or vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication.

[0014] In a communication network with multiple network nodes, these nodes can connect to each other via interfaces. The LTE specification refers to this interface as the X2 interface. The interface between an LTE node and a 5G node, or between two 5G nodes, can be called the Xn interface.

[0015] Network nodes 110 and 112 can also be connected to the core network 116 of the communication network via another interface. The LTE specification designates the core network as the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), and the core network may include, for example, a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and gateway nodes. The MME can handle the mobility of terminal devices in a tracking area containing multiple cells and handle signaling connections between the terminal devices and the core network. Gateway nodes can handle data routing in the core network to / from terminal devices. The 5G specification designates the core network as the 5G Core (5GC). The 5G Core may include, for example, Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMF) and User Plane Functions / Gateways (UPF), and other functions. The AMF can handle the following terminations: Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling, NAS encryption and integrity protection, registration management, connection management, mobility management, access authentication and authorization, and security context management. For example, a UPF node can support packet routing and forwarding, packet inspection, and Quality of Service (QoS) processing.

[0016] As mentioned above, the number of different types of UEs is increasing, meaning there are UEs with varying capabilities. These UE types with different capabilities can be designed to provide divergent performance metrics, such as high-speed data connectivity, enhanced energy efficiency, or ultra-low latency, to suit anticipated use cases. In the 6G era, with the enhancement and emergence of a wider range of applications with different characteristics, such as augmented / virtual reality (AR / VR), massive twins, immersive smart cities, holographic communications, remote surgery, environmental IoT, and V2X, more customized devices for each of these use cases are expected to be introduced to the market. Therefore, 6G deployments are expected to be diversified to ensure the resilience, efficiency, and cost-effective scalability of the services provided. For example, envisioned basic deployments include eMBB (including demanding services such as XR and metaverse) or low-power wireless access LPWA (for IoT-based or IoT-derived services, targeting cost optimization and energy efficiency). Simultaneously, 6G will need to adapt to a variety of devices to support services. The identification, interoperability, and coherent management of these diverse UE types will be one of the ongoing challenges facing telecommunications systems.

[0017] Earlier 3GPP releases had already taken steps to mitigate these challenges. For example, UE categories were introduced in 4G to define the (Layer 1, L1) data rate requirements for UEs. These UE categories specified the maximum L1 data rate, minimum supported MIMO layers, and L2 buffering capacity. The initial Rel-8 only introduced UE categories 1 through 5. In Rel-10, UE categories 6 through 8 were added. Initially, UE categories covered both UL and DL, but were later split into UL and DL categories to provide greater UE flexibility by allowing UEs to have different UL and DL processing capabilities. Finally, 26 UE categories were defined in 4G, resulting in an overly fragmented and unclear classification. The UE category definitions did not indicate how a UE could achieve its maximum data rate or the presented static values.

[0018] Due to the challenges faced by LTE, UE categories were not initially defined in the 5G standard. Instead, UE categories were replaced by a formula specifying the maximum data rate, based on UE capabilities indicated by signals. The 3GPP specification defines formulas for calculating the maximum (L1) data rate and minimum L2 buffer size, also taking into account MIMO support, which can vary depending on the frequency bands and band combinations used. Additionally, formulas for calculation are needed due to the different subcarrier spacing (SCS) and frequency ranges in NR. However, the lack of specific UE categories makes it difficult to identify UEs designed for unique use cases. For example, RedCap devices with limited capabilities designed for specific use cases were introduced to the market; however, it is impossible to identify such devices using only a general formula for differentiated processing. Therefore, in later versions, it is also necessary to specify some capability-specific UE types in 5G.

[0019] There will also be a large number of new devices with unique capabilities (e.g., unique types) that are being considered for 6G. For example, environmental IoT devices that require extremely energy-efficient operation and XR / VR devices with higher throughput and real-time data transmission fundamentally require different operating modes.

[0020] Under the standardized traditional framework, provided UE capabilities are stored in the RAN and core network (within the UE context) and maintained in the UE registration area to limit signaling overhead. The basic principle is that when a new UE connects to the network, the UE queries the network to provide its complete set of capabilities for a given RAT or frequency band. However, due to the dynamic nature of 5G, equipment manufacturers recognize the need to change this approach by enabling dynamic UE capabilities. This proprietary change will allow the same UE to indicate different inputs regarding its capabilities based on device conditions.

[0021] Given that specific deployments may be designed for specific services, and that these devices are also designed for that specific service, network deployments and device implementations are closely complementary. Device requirements must be adequately met by the underlying network infrastructure. Therefore, deployment strategies and device capabilities are tailored to the same situations and use cases.

[0022] It is worth noting that because internal UE conditions can indicate its operating mode, static UE capabilities, which indicate the entire set of features supported by the UE, appear insufficient and not optimal. In a device-classified environment, static UE capabilities are related to its static UE type (in 4G) and achievable performance. A UE that is generated for high-performance services may appear unacceptable due to performance degradation. In this scenario, when a UE type manufactured for high performance cannot perform in its native mode, it introduces ambiguity to the network regarding how to customize operation and configuration for the UE.

[0023] Furthermore, network providers have significant concerns about certain UEs that claim to belong to the high-performance service category but may only be able to provide low-performance services temporarily. While their classification indicates they are configured for demanding applications, these devices may not meet expected performance standards. This discrepancy can lead to issues such as operational failures, overall performance degradation, and inability to successfully deliver services. Additionally, different UEs can be classified / categorized into a certain type of deployment, while the same UE can be classified / categorized into a different type of deployment. To name just a few non-restrictive deployment types, deployments can be, for example, terrestrial networks (TN) or non-terrestrial networks (NTN).

[0024] Therefore, current methods for indicating UE capabilities / types are insufficient and introduce the burden of identifying expected UEs when matching network service deployments. To at least partially address these challenges, a solution for classifying / categorizing UEs (e.g., for 6G operation) is proposed. To achieve this efficiently and reliably, UEs are distinguished by different criteria (also known as verification criteria). In some embodiments, as will be shown, a UE can determine its type, or the type it will belong to, based on verification criteria that can be provided by the network. The network configures the verification criteria to set boundaries for device classification. The UE then informs the network of the determined UE type. The proposed framework enables changes to UE types based on network configuration or on UE conditions (which may include current or previous conditions experienced by the UE), and allows for differentiated handling of device types and transparent management of services.

[0025] Figure 2 An example method is described. This method can be implemented by a computer. This method can be implemented by a user device (such as...). Figure 1(UE 120) to execute. Figure 2 The procedure for determining the assigned configuration for a UE type based on verification preparation associated with expected service and performance is illustrated.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, in step 200, the UE receives from the network (e.g., from a network node such as gNB 110) an indication of at least one criterion for determining the type of the user equipment. gNB 110 may determine at least one criterion available to the UE for determining the type of the UE. gNB may require the UE to meet (i.e., the UE's type will be determined according to some criteria as an energy-efficient UE, or, for example, as type X, which is mapped to or associated with an energy-efficient UE). However, the exact manner in which gNB determines at least one criterion and on what basis can be an implementation-specific issue and is not discussed in detail in the description.

[0027] The instruction for at least one criterion may include at least one criterion, or the instruction may be an instruction about where to obtain at least one criterion. For example, at least one criterion may be pre-stored at the UE (e.g., defined by a 3GPP specification), and the instruction tells the UE which pre-stored criteria it should use as at least one criterion (e.g., via one or more indexes). The following embodiments may assume that the network broadcasts at least one criterion (i.e., the SIB includes at least one criterion) and the UE explicitly receives the at least one criterion. However, this is merely a non-limiting option, and the above-described instruction for at least one criterion is also possible.

[0028] In an embodiment, the indication of at least one criterion is received in broadcast signaling from a network node. In one embodiment, the broadcast signaling is a System Information Block (SIB) 1. In an embodiment, the broadcast signaling includes several SIBs, each indicating at least one criterion from a different set, such that each SIB is associated with a different type of user equipment. For example, each SIB provides a set of at least one criterion specific to a certain type of UE. In this way, different SIBs can serve different types of UEs. Alternatively, a new SIB or multiple SIBs can be dedicated to this purpose. Therefore, the reception of at least one criterion (and the determination of subsequent step 202) can occur while the UE is in RRC inactive mode or RRC idle mode. This is efficient because it allows the UE to directly indicate its type when connecting to the network for RRC connection, as will be explained later.

[0029] In step 202, UE 120 determines the type of user equipment 120 based on at least one criterion.

[0030] In the embodiments, each UE type is characterized by having multiple different UE capabilities. These capabilities can be static or dynamic. As will be shown later in different embodiments, one UE type can be associated with or indicate a capability for low-energy-efficiency operation based on certain energy consumption thresholds, while another type can be associated with or indicate high data throughput based on certain throughput thresholds. Such thresholds can be provided to the UE in at least one criterion.

[0031] In this embodiment, each type of user equipment is associated with at least one service of the network. For example, some services (such as autonomous driving assistance) may require the UE (e.g., a vehicle) to have high communication throughput, low latency, and low error rate (e.g., high reliability). If it is determined in step 202 that the UE type is such a high-throughput, low-latency, and low-error-rate UE (based on at least one criterion indicated to the UE in step 200), the UE can indicate this to the network (see below in step 203), and the network can then assign such a service suitable for this type of UE to the UE.

[0032] Therefore, in the embodiment, determining the type of the UE in step 202 includes determining which one or more of the at least one criteria might be satisfied by the user equipment only for a predefined duration or permanently (e.g., Figure 2 (The threshold check shown). At least one criterion may include, for example, multiple thresholds that the UE can compare with its own static and / or dynamic capabilities, and in this way determine the type of the UE, or whether the UE meets the criterion, or which criterion the UE meets. The type of the UE is determined at least in part based on which of the at least one criterion the UE meets.

[0033] In one embodiment, the network broadcasts criteria associated with several services. The UE can determine which service it needs, select at least one criterion associated with that specific service (among possible criteria, some are specific to the requested service, while others are unrelated to the service), and determine whether it meets the selected at least one criterion. That is, the network may broadcast only the criteria associated with one service or criterion used for different services.

[0034] It should be noted that a UE's capabilities can vary based on factors such as its battery state and / or power level. As an example, if a UE is capable of high data throughput when it has at least adequate battery power, the same UE may not have high data throughput when its battery power is too low (battery power may be one of the thresholds or may affect the satisfaction of some other threshold(s)). Therefore, the UE type can change dynamically. Furthermore, if the network decides to change the criteria for a UE to, for example, a high data throughput device, the UE's category may change even if it has the same capabilities as before.

[0035] In the embodiments, only a few non-limiting options are given, and the value of at least one criterion can be set based on simulation, testing, historical data, artificial intelligence, or machine learning.

[0036] In one embodiment, each of the at least one criterion is associated with a capability of the UE. For example, the capability indicates at least one of the following characteristics of the UE: energy efficiency, power level, communication latency, communication throughput, communication error rate, or positioning accuracy. Therefore, verification criteria, such as those broadcast via SIB, may include parameters that consider energy efficiency, throughput, latency requirements, and / or other determining factors. For example, the verification criteria may list (multiple) explicit values, (multiple) ranges, (multiple) boundaries, or (multiple) thresholds for one or more of the aforementioned capabilities of the UE. Explicit values ​​may be values ​​for a measurable capability, such as the maximum throughput that the UE can support. The UE can determine the maximum throughput that the UE can support, and if the determined value matches an explicit value, the UE can classify itself as a specific type of UE with respect to communication throughput. Boundaries or ranges may provide upper and / or lower limits for certain UE capabilities, and the UE needs to determine that its capabilities are within the provided limits. Thresholds (multiple) may also provide upper and / or lower limits for certain capabilities.

[0037] As some non-restrictive options, any one or more of the following may be included in at least one criterion: Related to energy efficiency, power consumption, or power level: at least one criterion may include boundaries for one or more of the following: energy cost index, energy level, energy consumption, power state, or battery state. These can set requirements for the UE to classify itself as a device capable of operating in an energy-efficient manner.

[0038] Related to maximum latency. At least one criterion may include, for example, multiple boundaries for maximum processing latency and / or delay. Latency or delay may be combined with overall latency, or specifically, with signaling processing and / or protocol layer latency. Such multiple boundaries set up multiple requirements for classifying a UE as a device capable of performing accordingly (e.g., as a device capable of not exceeding the indicated latency threshold).

[0039] This is related to the maximum achievable throughput. For example, at least one criterion may include multiple boundaries for setting the minimum achievable throughput required for the UE to classify (i.e., determine) the UE as a high-performance device or as a low-performance device.

[0040] It should be noted that there may be a single verification criterion, or a combination of criteria, that a UE needs to satisfy to identify itself as a specific type of UE. For example, when the network provides verification criteria for services associated with autonomous driving, the verification criteria may indicate thresholds related to both low error rate and low latency, both of which need to be met before the UE can determine and notify the network that it belongs to a type suitable for that service. In other words, the network can provide verification criteria to be satisfied to enable the UE to identify itself as a certain type of UE or to be able to have a certain service type.

[0041] As examples, different verification criteria may exist for different associated UE types. For instance, regarding power consumption or energy efficiency, if a UE's current capability relative to that characteristic is below a certain provided threshold as at least one criterion (e.g., with a given value), then that criterion is associated with UE type X (e.g., UE type 1). As another example, if a UE's maximum achievable data rate or throughput is above a certain threshold as at least one criterion (e.g., with a given value), then that criterion is associated with UE type Y (e.g., UE type 2).

[0042] In one embodiment, at least one criterion defines requirements that must be met for a user equipment (UE) to belong to a certain type, and the type determination includes checks on whether the UE is of a certain type. As an example, the UE compares its internal conditions (such as internally specified UE capabilities and performance characteristics, including temporary states such as battery level, power consumption, or radio conditions (good or bad)) with verification criteria / judgments provided by the network and determines whether the check result is positive or negative. For example, if the provided verification criteria are associated with a certain UE type X or a certain service, the UE determines whether it meets the criterion / judgment. For example, if the UE meets the verification criteria / judgments for UE type X or for a service, the UE classifies itself as belonging to UE type X or a UE capable of being used for that service.

[0043] In step 204, the UE sends an indication of the determined type of user equipment 120 to the network (e.g., gNB 110). That is, the UE sends an indication of its UE type (e.g., UE type X) or an indicator generated from the results of a check (e.g., if a number of verification criteria are given, it could be an index corresponding to the criteria being met or a sequential ranking thereof). This indicator, based on the verification criteria, binds the UE to a set of UE capabilities associated with the UE type. One benefit is that the network can learn about the UE's capabilities in advance, which, for example, speeds up the provision of appropriate services to the UE.

[0044] In an embodiment, at least one criterion indicates multiple standards, and the indication of the determined type includes information indicating which of the multiple standards the user equipment (UE) meets. For example, the indication could be a UE type, or an index corresponding to, for example, a verification criterion that has been met, or multiple indices if many standards are met. In this way, one or more indices are associated with the verification criterion checks in the order provided. In some embodiments, the network can determine the UE type based on the received indication (such as based on an index corresponding to a verification criterion that has been met) or based on multiple indices (if the UE meets many standards).

[0045] As an example, an indication of the determined type could include a positive or negative confirmation of whether a user equipment (UE) belongs to a certain type. This might be effective, for instance, when the verification criteria provided to the UE define certain criteria that the UE must meet in order to be classified as a specific UE type. The network might be interested in knowing whether all provided criteria are met. The UE could then provide an ACK or NACK as an indication of whether all criteria are met.

[0046] Meeting all requirements may imply to the network that the UE belongs to a specific type, is suitable for a specific service, and may be in a specific deployment scenario (as described later). For example, when at least one criterion defines requirements that need to be met to make the UE suitable for a certain service from the network, the indication of the determined type includes or may be a positive or negative confirmation of whether the user equipment is suitable for that service.

[0047] In an embodiment, the indication of the determined type includes one type index from a plurality of type indices, wherein each type index corresponds to a different type of user device.

[0048] For example, a specific UE type can be mapped to a specific service according to a predetermined mapping table. Alternatively, an index can be mapped to certain UE types according to another predetermined mapping table. In this way, the signaling used to indicate the type can remain low, while the network still obtains information about which service is suitable for the UE and which configuration of the service should be provided to the UE.

[0049] In one embodiment, an indication of the determined type is sent to the network in the RRC connection establishment request message. Therefore, when the UE intends to move from an idle state to an RRC connected state, it may be beneficial for the UE to send an indication in the RRC connection establishment request message so that the network can obtain knowledge of the UE type as early as possible.

[0050] In this embodiment, the determination of the indication is based on the UE's time conditions, such as radio conditions or battery level. Therefore, in this embodiment, the indication of the determined UE type is only valid for a predetermined duration from the date of the indication's transmission. After the predetermined duration, the network may, independently of the UE no longer meeting at least one criterion, require a new UE type determination or request UE capabilities based on existing technology solutions.

[0051] In an embodiment, if several SIBs providing criteria for different UE types are received in step 200, the UE can determine which SIB includes the criteria that the UE meets, and determine the type of the UE based on that SIB.

[0052] In optional steps 206A and 206B, the network node (e.g., gNB 110) creates and the UE receives configuration based on the indicated UE type, for example, configuration associated with the indicated UE type X associated with a specific service. Therefore, the network can infer that the indication information is sufficient to know the device capabilities and the appropriate operational configuration for the UE. As an advantage, in this scenario, there is no need for the exchange of UE capabilities as in the prior art before providing the initial configuration to the UE. Subsequently, in step 208, the UE can optionally apply the received configuration to perform communication with the network.

[0053] In embodiments, at least one criterion is specific to each deployment scenario, or at least the provided criteria / criteria also include deployment-specific criteria. For example, the network may be a specific deployment type, thus providing the UE with deployment-specific criteria / criteria to ensure that a UE attempting to connect to the network is a UE that the network can serve. This is in... Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the process for assigning configurations for UE type determination based on verification criteria associated with the expected service in a given deployment. Unless otherwise stated, this is in conjunction with... Figure 2 The disclosed embodiments are also applicable Figure 3 The corresponding steps in the process.

[0054] In step 300A, the network meets the requirements for a specific deployment (also known as a deployment scenario) such as TN, NTN, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area Network), Energy Efficient (EE) RAN, AIML (Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning) supported, or AIML-native RAN. There may be certain predetermined conditions that allow the network to operate or enable it to operate in a given deployment scenario.

[0055] In step 300, the network node (e.g., gNB 110) broadcasts (e.g., in an SIB) verification criteria to be used by the UE to determine its classification in a specific deployment (e.g., UE type classification in a given deployment). This information may be included in SIB1, or a new SIB message may be dedicated to this purpose. Verification criteria may include parameters that consider energy efficiency, throughput, latency requirements, and / or other deployment-specific determining factors. Figure 2 The example provided in the connection also applies here.

[0056] In addition, the criteria / rules given for specific deployment scenarios are... Figure 3 Furthermore, it may not be used by the UE to specify the UE type in another deployment scenario. For example, if at least one criterion is provided that is specific to TN, the UE may not be able to determine its type for NTN deployment based on these at least one criterion. At least one criterion can be combined to indicate to the UE that at least one criterion is specific to a particular deployment.

[0057] As for those that have already been combined Figure 2 Further examples beyond the given examples show that validation criteria / standards can list multiple explicit values, ranges, boundaries, or thresholds for certain deployment performance, such as for the following: NTN performance (with multiple boundaries or conditions specific to NTN performance, such as GEO, LEO, HAPS, or multi-track support). As an example, at least one guideline may require a UE to support multiple positioning methods before it can declare itself as an NTN UE (as a type of UE).

[0058] AIML performance (having multiple boundaries or conditions for machine learning processing, machine learning models, and / or their performance associated with CPU, GPU, or memory requirements). As an example, at least one guideline may require a UE to support multiple machine learning models before it can declare itself as an AIML UE (as a type of UE).

[0059] In an embodiment, there exists a validation criterion, such as a criterion supporting specific functionality (e.g., ML or prediction support or multi-track support). In this case, validation criteria for classic deployments (e.g., such as deployment-specific criteria) are more suitable than deployment-specific criteria. Figure 2 Energy efficiency, latency, or throughput (in the context of UE) can take effect with lower priority. If the verification criteria are explicitly or implicitly assigned to requirements for a specific UE type, the criteria can be used internally within the UE to determine whether the UE matches the verification criteria.

[0060] In this embodiment, different verification criteria may exist for different UE types in different deployments. For example, if the UE's maximum achievable data rate or throughput is higher than a certain threshold (e.g., a given value) provided as a criterion, then for a given scenario (e.g., NTN), the UE is determined to be UE type N (e.g., UE type 1). As another example, if the UE's power consumption capability or energy efficiency indicator is lower than a certain threshold (e.g., a given value) provided as a criterion, then for a given scenario (e.g., LPWA), the UE is determined to be UE type M (e.g., UE type 2). In this way, when at least one criterion is specific to the deployment scenario, the UE can determine whether the user equipment meets or will meet at least one criterion in the deployment scenario, or when the UE will operate in that deployment scenario.

[0061] In this embodiment, in different deployment scenarios, at least one different criterion may be provided to the UE for the same capability metric. Therefore, in NTN, a UE can be classified as energy-efficient based on at least one NTN-specific criterion associated with energy efficiency, while in TN, the same UE can be classified as non-energy-efficient based on at least one criterion associated with energy efficiency.

[0062] In an embodiment, one of the UE types (e.g., UE type N) can be considered as a local and default UE type that matches the deployment default operating mode. When the UE provides an indication that it is type N for the deployment scenario, the network can then deduce that the UE belongs to the default type for the deployment scenario, and the default configuration for the deployment scenario can be configured for the UE. If the UE has better quality / type than the default type N (e.g., throughput is better than that of services that are only sufficient for deployment, e.g., throughput is a predetermined offset higher than the default throughput), the network can provide the UE with an optimized configuration, wherein the optimized configuration is more suitable for the deployment scenario than the default configuration (e.g., the configuration defines a higher service throughput than the default configuration).

[0063] As an example, criteria for a UE to classify itself as "default" (e.g., type N) are provided to the UE in an SIB broadcast. Therefore, only UEs that meet these criteria can be connected. This broadcast may include criteria or references to predefined criteria (e.g., performance boundaries), such as values ​​given in standard specifications. In addition to default criteria, the SIB may also include or indicate better performance factors as criteria to be met for UE type classification.

[0064] In step 302, the UE (e.g., UE 120) determines its type based on at least deployment-specific criteria, and in step 304, indicates the determined type to the network. Therefore, a UE can determine its type based on at least one criterion and deployment scenario.

[0065] In one embodiment, the UE sends an indication within the RRC connection establishment request. In one embodiment, this indication may be implicit, such that sending the request serves as an implicit indicator for the network, suggesting that the UE has met at least one criterion provided for the deployment for which the request was sent (i.e., meaning the UE belongs to the type required for a specific deployment). In one embodiment, the UE may trigger the request without any explicit indication only if the indicated UE type matches the deployment's local (i.e., default) operating mode. However, if the UE meets the criteria required for a non-default configuration, the UE may include the indication in the request. Alternatively, the UE may include an indication of the UE type (e.g., UE type N) in the request in any case, provided that the verification criterion check is positive (i.e., the UE meets one or more criteria required for the deployment to be classified as UE type N, which is suitable for (e.g., based on a predefined mapping table) service in the deployment scenario).

[0066] In optional step 306A, the network creates a configuration associated with the indicated UE type (e.g., type N), sends the configuration to the UE in step 306B, and communicates with the UE based on the configuration in a specific deployment in step 308.

[0067] Steps 310 through 316 illustrate the different behaviors of a UE when comparing its UE capabilities and performance characteristics (including temporary states such as battery level, power consumption, or radio conditions (good or bad)) with verification criteria provided by the network, and determine that the check is negative for UE type N, and therefore negative for UEs served under a specific deployment. For example, if a UE (e.g., another device at a different time or the same UE 120) determines in step 310 that it does not meet the verification criteria for a given deployment (i.e., it cannot perform as required by a UE of type N), the UE can notify the network of the non-compliance (default or expected configuration requirements) in step 312. This can be done, for example, once an attempt is made to connect to the network. For example, in step 312, the UE sends an RRC connection establishment request to the network, including an indication that distinguishes the UE type (e.g., from UE type N that meets the verification criteria from the SIB). This can be achieved through a dedicated index, an “other” UE type (e.g., UE type Z), or the value “none,” which corresponds to not meeting any of the verification criteria provided by the network. Therefore, in steps 314A and 314B, the network configures the UE to have a different configuration than in step 306A described above. Then, compared to step 308, the UE and the network can communicate in step 316 according to a different (non-default) configuration that may be in another deployment scenario. For example, in step 208, communication can be deployed according to NTN, while communication in step 316 can be deployed according to TN.

[0068] From a network perspective, such as from the perspective of gNB 110, embodiments may include, for example, determining at least one criterion for determining the type of user equipment, sending an indication of the at least one criterion to the user equipment, and receiving an indication of the determined type of user equipment from the user equipment. In another embodiment, gNB 110 may determine at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with the capabilities of the user equipment, sending an indication of the at least one criterion to the user equipment, and receiving an indication from the user equipment indicating whether the user equipment meets the at least one criterion.

[0069] As already shown, the embodiments present a process for network broadcasting verification criteria for a UE to define its UE type (e.g., via SIB). Upon receiving the verification criteria, the UE can determine the UE type it will belong to. Verification criteria may include parameters that consider energy efficiency, throughput, latency requirements, and other factors that may be associated with classifications such as deployment. When requesting to establish an RRC connection, the UE can signal to the NW to inform it of the UE type it will belong to.

[0070] If the network network (NW) subsequently detects a need to optimize the UE's operating mode, this can trigger a broadcast update of the new authentication criteria for the UE. For example, by changing the boundaries of the authentication criteria, the network can group UEs into high-performance and low-performance service groups accordingly. UEs attempting to connect based on the new criteria can belong to different device groups, thereby enabling different network policies, such as in load management.

[0071] The proposed embodiments may have several advantages, such as the ability of the network to control dynamic changes in UE capabilities and achieve flexible device classification, the ability of the network to directly assign operating modes without giving up UE capabilities, avoidance of excessive processes for exchanging information about UE capabilities, acceleration of full operating modes, and the ability to deploy specific strategies and network optimizations by utilizing differentiated traffic processing and load management for each device type.

[0072] Figures 4A to 4C The diagram presents various non-limiting examples of criteria and indication options. In these diagrams, at least one criterion is provided, comprising three criteria, each defining a threshold for a certain capability of the UE: one for power consumption, one for latency, and one for throughput. These can be indexed using indices [1, 2, 3], respectively. The UE then determines whether it meets these criteria, or which of the criteria it meets, as described above.

[0073] exist Figure 4A In this process, the UE determines that it meets all criteria. In this case, the UE may, for example, indicate to the network in step 204 that the UE belongs to type X, where type X is based on a predetermined mapping table associated with meeting all three criteria. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may indicate to the network index [1, 2, 3] (i.e., the index of the criterion that the UE meets). As yet another option, the UE may indicate to the network a positive acknowledgment “ACK” for meeting all provided criteria.

[0074] exist Figure 4B In this case, the UE determines that it only satisfies criterion 2. For example, in step 204, the UE may indicate to the network that the UE belongs to type Y, where type Y is based on a predetermined mapping table associated with satisfying criterion 2. Alternatively or additionally, the UE may indicate to the network an index [2] (i.e., the index of the criterion that the UE satisfies). As yet another option, the UE may indicate to the network a negative acknowledgment “NACK” for not satisfying all the provided criteria.

[0075] Figure 4CAn example of how deployment specificity can be added to a set of at least one criteria is shown. In this example, criteria 1 and 2 are for deployment A (e.g., NTN), while criterion 3 is for deployment B (e.g., TN). In this case, the UE satisfies criteria 2 and criterion 3. This means that all criteria for deployment B are satisfied, but not all criteria for deployment A are satisfied. In this case, the UE can, for example, indicate to the network in step 204 that the UE belongs to type Z, where type Z is based on a predetermined mapping table associated with satisfying criteria 2 and criterion 3. Additionally or alternatively, the UE can indicate to the network index [2, 3] (i.e., the index of the criteria satisfied by the UE). As yet another option, the UE can indicate to the network an affirmative acknowledgment "ACK" for a UE that satisfies all the provided criteria for deployment B, and / or a negative acknowledgment "NACK" for a UE that does not satisfy all the provided criteria for deployment A.

[0076] As described above, in some embodiments, the provided at least one criterion may include only the criterion for deployment A or only the criterion for deployment B. In this case, the indication does not need to specify which deployment the ACK or NACK is for.

[0077] like Figure 5 As shown, an embodiment provides an apparatus 10 including a control circuit (CTRL) 12 (such as at least one processor) and at least one memory 14 storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least any of the processes described above. In the example, at least one memory and computer program code (software) are configured, together with at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform any of the processes described above. According to any embodiment, the control circuit 12 may include associated circuitry for performing functions.

[0078] Memory can be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory. Memory may include databases for storing data.

[0079] In this embodiment, device 10 is or is included in a user equipment such as UE 120. The device may be configured to perform some of the functions described above, for example... Figure 2 and / or Figure 3 UE steps.

[0080] In another embodiment, device 10 is or is included in a network node such as gNB 110. The device may be configured to perform some of the functions described above, for example... Figure 2 and / or Figure 3 Network-side steps.

[0081] The device may also include a radio interface (TRX) 16, which includes hardware and / or software for establishing a communication connection according to one or more communication protocols. For example, the TRX can provide communication-capable devices to user equipment and / or other entities of the base station.

[0082] The device may also include a user interface 18, which may include, for example, at least one keypad, microphone, touch display, display, speaker, etc. The user interface can be used by a user to control the device.

[0083] According to any embodiment, the control circuit 12 may include (a plurality of) related circuits for performing functions.

[0084] As used herein, the term "circuit" refers to all of the following: (a) implementations of only (multiple) hardware circuitry, such as implementations in only analog and / or digital circuitry; and (b) combinations of circuitry and software (and / or firmware), such as (where applicable): (i) combinations of (multiple) processors or (ii) portions of (multiple) processors / software, including (multiple) digital signal processors, software, and (multiple) memories, which work together to enable a device to perform various functions; and (c) circuitry, such as (multiple) microprocessors or portions of (multiple) microprocessors, which require software or firmware to operate, even if the software or firmware is not physically present. This definition of "circuit" applies to all uses of the term herein. As another example, as used herein, the term "circuit" will also cover implementations of only processors (or multiple processors) or portions of processors and their accompanying software and / or firmware. For example, and if applicable to a particular element, the term "circuit" will also cover baseband integrated circuits or application processor integrated circuits for mobile phones or similar integrated circuits in servers, cellular network devices, or other network devices.

[0085] Capable of execution Figure 2 and / or Figure 3The apparatus of the method (e.g., user equipment or network equipment, respectively) may include components for performing steps of the corresponding method or any of the described embodiments thereof. These components may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the component may be implemented in a circuit or software module. Some other example components for performing the process may include at least one of the following: a detector, a processor (including dual-core and multi-core processors), a digital signal processor, a controller, a receiver, a transmitter, an encoder, a decoder, a memory, RAM, ROM, software, firmware, a display, a user interface, display circuitry, user interface circuitry, user interface software, display software, circuitry, an antenna, antenna circuitry, and circuitry. As used herein, the term "non-transient" refers to a limitation of the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not signal-based), rather than a limitation of the persistence of data storage (e.g., RAM versus ROM).

[0086] As used herein, the term "component" should be interpreted in the singular (i.e., referring to a single element) or the plural (i.e., referring to a combination of single elements). Therefore, the term "component for [performing A, B, C]" should be interpreted to encompass means in which only one component exists for performing A, B, and C, or in which separate components exist for performing A, B, and C, or in which components partially or completely overlap for performing A, B, and C. Furthermore, the terms "component for performing A, component for performing B, component for performing C" should be interpreted to encompass means in which only one component exists for performing A, B, and C, or in which separate components exist for performing A, B, and C, or in which components partially or completely overlap for performing A, B, and C.

[0087] The techniques and methods described herein can be implemented through various components. For example, these techniques can be implemented as hardware (one or more devices), firmware (one or more devices), software (one or more modules), or a combination thereof. Regarding hardware embodiments, the means(s) of the embodiments can be implemented within one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or combinations thereof. Regarding firmware or software, implementation can be executed by a module of at least one chipset (e.g., processes, functions, etc.) performing the functions described herein. Software code can be stored in memory cells and executed by a processor. Memory cells can be implemented within or outside the processor. In the latter case, as is known in the art, it can be communicatively coupled to the processor via various components. Furthermore, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the components of the systems described herein can be rearranged and / or supplemented by additional components to facilitate the achievement of various aspects of the description, and these components are not limited to the precise configuration illustrated in the given figures.

[0088] The described embodiments can also be performed as a computer process defined by a computer program or parts thereof. Embodiments of the described methods can be performed by executing at least a portion of a computer program including corresponding instructions. The computer program can be in source code form, object code form, or some intermediate form, and it can be stored in some kind of carrier, which can be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, the computer program can be stored on a computer or processor-readable computer program distribution medium. The computer program medium can be, for example, but not limited to, recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution packages. The computer program medium can be a non-transitory medium. The coding of the software used to perform the illustrated and described embodiments is entirely within the scope of those skilled in the art.

[0089] The following is a list of some aspects of this disclosure.

[0090] According to a first aspect, a method is provided, comprising: receiving from a network an indication of at least one criterion for determining the type of user equipment; determining the type of user equipment based on the at least one criterion; and sending to the network an indication of the determined type of user equipment.

[0091] The first aspect of the approach may also include at least one feature from the following bulleted list: Each type of user equipment is characterized by its different capabilities.

[0092] Each type of user equipment is associated with at least one service of the network.

[0093] In this process, instructions for at least one criterion are received in broadcast signaling from network nodes.

[0094] Among them, broadcast signaling is System Information Block (SIB) 1.

[0095] The broadcast signaling includes several system information blocks, each system information block indicating at least one criterion from a different set, such that each system information block is associated with a different type of user equipment.

[0096] While the user equipment is in Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive mode or RRC idle mode, the reception and determination of an instruction for at least one criterion occur.

[0097] The indication of the determined type is sent to the network in the RRC connection establishment request message.

[0098] The user equipment is also configured to: receive configuration based on the indicated type of user equipment; and apply the received configuration to perform communication with the network.

[0099] Determining the type of user equipment includes determining which one or more of the at least one criteria the user equipment meets.

[0100] Each of at least one of the criteria is associated with the capabilities of the user equipment.

[0101] Among them, capability indicates the energy efficiency of user equipment.

[0102] Among them, capability indicates the communication latency of user equipment.

[0103] Among them, capability indicates the communication throughput of user equipment.

[0104] The indication of the determined type includes a type index among multiple type indices, where each type index corresponds to a different type of the user equipment.

[0105] The at least one criterion defines the requirements that need to be met in order for the user equipment to belong to a certain type, and the indication of the determined type includes an affirmative or negative confirmation of whether the user equipment is of a certain type.

[0106] At least one criterion indicates multiple criteria, and the type of indication determined includes information indicating which of the multiple criteria the user equipment satisfies.

[0107] The indication is valid for a predetermined duration from the date of its transmission.

[0108] The at least one criterion is specific to the deployment scenario, and further enables the user equipment to determine its type based on the at least one criterion and the deployment scenario.

[0109] According to a second aspect, a method is provided, comprising: determining at least one criterion for determining the type of a user equipment; sending an indication of the at least one criterion to the user equipment; and receiving an indication of the determined type of the user equipment from the user equipment.

[0110] According to a third aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a user equipment to at least: receive from a network an indication of at least one criterion for determining a type of user equipment; determine the type of user equipment based on the at least one criterion; and transmit the indication of the determined type of user equipment to the network. In the first aspect, various embodiments of the third aspect may include at least one feature from a bulleted list.

[0111] According to a fourth aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a network node to at least: determine at least one criterion for determining the type of a user equipment; send an indication to the user equipment regarding the at least one criterion; and receive an indication from the user equipment regarding the determined type of the user equipment.

[0112] According to a fifth aspect, a computer program product is provided, which is embodied on a distribution medium and includes program instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0113] According to a sixth aspect, a computer program product including program instructions is provided, which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0114] According to a seventh aspect, an apparatus is provided, including components for performing a method according to a first aspect or a second aspect, and / or components configured to cause the apparatus to perform a method according to a first aspect or a second aspect.

[0115] According to the eighth aspect, a method is provided, comprising: receiving from a network an indication of at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with a capability of a user equipment; determining whether the user equipment meets the at least one criterion; and sending to the network an indication indicating whether the user equipment meets the at least one criterion.

[0116] The method in the eighth aspect may also include at least one feature from the following bulleted list: The instruction of at least one criterion is received in the broadcast signaling from the network node.

[0117] Among them, broadcast signaling is System Information Block (SIB) 1.

[0118] The broadcast signaling includes several system information blocks, each system information block indicating at least one criterion from a different set, such that each system information block is associated with a different type of user equipment.

[0119] While the user equipment is in Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive mode or RRC idle mode, the reception and determination of an instruction for at least one criterion occur.

[0120] The indication is sent to the network in the RRC connection establishment request message.

[0121] In this context, the user equipment is configured to: receive configuration based on an instruction; and apply the received configuration to perform communication with the network.

[0122] Among them, capability indicates the energy efficiency of user equipment.

[0123] Among them, capability indicates the communication latency of user equipment.

[0124] Among them, capability indicates the communication throughput of user equipment.

[0125] At least one of the criteria defines the requirements that need to be met in order to make the user equipment suitable for a specific service from the network, and the indication of the determined type includes affirmative or negative acceptance regarding whether the user equipment is suitable for the service.

[0126] The indication is valid for a predetermined duration from the date of transmission of the indication.

[0127] In this context, at least one criterion is specific to the deployment scenario, and the user equipment is further configured to determine whether the user equipment meets at least one criterion in the deployment scenario.

[0128] According to a ninth aspect, a method is provided, comprising: determining at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with a capability of a user equipment; sending an indication to the user equipment of the at least one criterion; and receiving from the user equipment an indication of whether the user equipment meets the at least one criterion.

[0129] According to a tenth aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a user equipment to at least: receive from a network an indication of at least one criterion, each of said at least one criterion being associated with a capability of the user equipment; determine whether the user equipment satisfies the at least one criterion; and transmit to the network an indication of whether the user equipment satisfies the at least one criterion. Various embodiments of the tenth aspect may include at least one feature of the bullet point list of the eighth aspect.

[0130] According to an eleventh aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a network node to at least: determine at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with a capability of a user equipment; send an indication to the user equipment regarding the at least one criterion; and receive from the user equipment an indication indicating whether the user equipment meets the at least one criterion.

[0131] According to the twelfth aspect, a computer program product embodied on a distributed medium is provided, and the computer program product includes program instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to the eighth aspect or the ninth aspect.

[0132] According to the thirteenth aspect, a computer program product including program instructions is provided, which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to the eighth aspect or the ninth aspect.

[0133] According to the fourteenth aspect, an apparatus is provided, including components for performing the method according to the eighth aspect or the ninth aspect, and / or components configured to cause the apparatus to perform the method according to the eighth aspect or the ninth aspect.

[0134] Although this disclosure has been described above with reference to examples in accordance with the accompanying drawings, it is clear that this disclosure is not limited thereto, but can be modified in several ways within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, all words and expressions should be interpreted broadly, and they are intended to illustrate rather than limit the embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the concepts of this disclosure can be implemented in various ways as technology advances. Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments can, but need not, be combined with other embodiments in various ways.

[0135] This disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following example implementations. Example 1. A user equipment, comprising: At least one processor; and At least one memory, the at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the user device to at least: Receive instructions from the network for at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with the capabilities of the user equipment; Determine whether the user equipment meets at least one criterion; and Send an indication to the network whether the user equipment meets at least one standard.

[0136] Example 2. According to the user equipment of Example 1, the instruction for at least one criterion is received in a broadcast signaling from a network node.

[0137] Example 3. Based on the user equipment of Example 2, where the broadcast signaling is System Information Block (SIB) 1.

[0138] Example 4. According to the user equipment of Example 2, the broadcast signaling includes a number of system information blocks, each system information block indicating at least one criterion of a different set, such that each system information block is associated with a different type of user equipment.

[0139] Example 5. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, wherein while the user equipment is in Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive mode or RRC idle mode, the reception and determination of an instruction for at least one criterion occur.

[0140] Example 6. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 to 5, wherein the instruction is sent to the network in an RRC connection establishment request message.

[0141] Example 7. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the user equipment is further made such that: Based on the instruction, receive the configuration; and The application receives the configuration to perform communication with the network.

[0142] Example 8. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 through 7, wherein the capability indicates the energy efficiency of the user equipment.

[0143] Example 9. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 through 8, wherein the capability indicates the communication latency of the user equipment.

[0144] Example 10. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 through 9, wherein the capability indicates the communication throughput of the user equipment.

[0145] Example 11. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 to 10, wherein at least one criterion defines requirements that need to be met in order to make the user equipment suitable for a specific service from the network, and the indication of the determined type includes an affirmative or negative confirmation regarding whether the user equipment is suitable for the service.

[0146] Example 12. A user equipment according to any one of Examples 1 to 11, wherein the indication is valid for a predetermined duration from the date of transmission of the indication.

[0147] Example 13. A user device according to any one of Examples 1 to 12, wherein at least one criterion is specific to the deployment scenario, and the user device is further configured to determine whether the user device satisfies at least one criterion in the deployment scenario.

[0148] Example 14. A network node comprising: At least one processor; and At least one memory, which stores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the network node to at least: Determine at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with the capabilities of the user equipment; Send an instruction to the user equipment for at least one criterion; Receive an indication from the user equipment indicating whether the user equipment meets at least one criterion.

[0149] Example 15. A method executed by a user device, the method comprising: Receive instructions from the network for at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with the capabilities of the user equipment; Determine whether the user equipment meets at least one criterion; and Send an indication to the network whether the user equipment meets at least one standard.

[0150] Example 16. A method executed by a network node, the method comprising: Determine at least one criterion, wherein each of the at least one criterion is associated with the capabilities of the user equipment; Send an instruction to the user equipment for at least one criterion; Receive an indication from the user equipment indicating whether the user equipment meets at least one criterion.

[0151] Example 17. A computer program product embodied on a distributed medium, the distributed medium being readable by a computer and including program instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to Example 15 or the method according to Example 16.

[0152] Example 18. A computer program product including program instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to Example 15 or the method according to Example 16.

[0153] Example 19. An apparatus comprising components for performing the method according to Example 15 or the method according to Example 16.

Claims

1. A user equipment, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory, the at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to at least: Receive instructions from the network for at least one criterion, each of which is associated with a capability of the user equipment; Determine whether the user equipment meets at least one criterion; as well as Send an indication to the network indicating whether the user equipment meets at least one of the criteria.

2. The user equipment of claim 1, wherein the indication for the at least one criterion is received in a broadcast signaling from the network node.

3. The user equipment according to claim 2, wherein the broadcast signaling is a System Information Block (SIB) 1.

4. The user equipment according to claim 2, wherein the broadcast signaling includes a plurality of system information blocks, each system information block indicating at least one criterion of a different set, such that each system information block is associated with a different type of user equipment.

5. The user equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the reception and determination of the indication of the at least one criterion occur simultaneously with the user equipment being in Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive mode or RRC idle mode.

6. The user equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the indication is sent to the network in an RRC connection establishment request message.

7. The user equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the user equipment is further configured to: Based on the instruction, receive configuration; and The application receives the configuration to perform communication with the network.

8. The user equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the capability indicates the energy efficiency of the user equipment.

9. The user equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the capability indicates the communication latency of the user equipment.

10. The user equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the capability indicates the communication throughput of the user equipment.

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