Ngap connection for wireless access and backhaul

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for adjusting next generation application protocol, NGAP, operations for network nodes, access and mobility management functions (AMFs), and other components in various RANs. Methods can include receiving a next generation application protocol (NGAP) remove request from a wireless access and backhaul (WAB) base station. Other steps can include, for example, releasing NGAP connections in response to the NGAP remove request; or selecting not to release any NGAP connections in response to the NGAP remove request.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing of relevant information

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Priority Application No. 63 / 620370, filed January 12, 2024, entitled “NGAP Connectivity for Wireless Access and Backhaul”. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for adjusting NGAP operation. Background Technology

[0004] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) includes work related to Radio Access and Backhaul (WAB), such as the Rel-19 Study Project Description (SID) for the study of additional topology enhancements for New Radio (NR) in RP-234041. This study comprises two parts: (a) WAB, which refers to the mobile gNB; and (b) fifth-generation (5G) femtocell base stations.

[0005] The rationale for SI's WAB section is that traditional building blocks for 5G radio access network (RAN) topologies should be enhanced to provide a wider range of use cases, such as: (A) 5G access for user equipment (UE) on aircraft, cruise ships, helicopters, and vehicles in remote areas with limited sky visibility via airborne gNBs; (b) backhaul transport via terrestrial networks (TN) and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) in Next Generation (NG) and Xn, including support for NTN <-> TN handover for backhaul; (c) support for airborne / field mobile edge computing (MEC) and local services; (d) support for backhaul transport without access to RAN sharing or roaming protocols between the public terrestrial mobile network (PLMN) and the backhaul PLMN; and (e) backhaul transport for local gNBs deployed in public safety or disaster recovery scenarios.

[0006] WAB can be aligned with Vehicular Relay (VMR) use cases. Single-hop backhaul is expected to be sufficient for WAB and will have no impact on UEs at this late stage of 5G deployment.

[0007] The objectives of the SID related to WAB research are as follows: (a) to study the architecture and protocol stack supporting gNBs with Mobility Termination (MT) functionality (which provides Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session backhaul); (b) to study the impact of WAB mobility within the existing RAN (e.g., inter-gNB neighbor relationships); (c) to identify the necessary inter-gNB and gNB-to-core network (CN) signaling to address support for WAB; and (d) to study signaling enhancements regarding resource reuse for WAB.

[0008] The WAB study does not exclude any return route scenarios (e.g., NTN or TN).

[0009] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a potential WAB architecture. A key feature of the WAB architecture is that the WAB node comprises a WAB-gNB and a WAB-MT. The WAB-gNB portion of the WAB node serves the UE, while the WAB node uses its WAB-MT portion to connect to the rest of the mobile network, i.e., to its serving gNB ( Figure 1 (BH-gNB in ​​the architecture). In this architecture, the PDU session established between the WAB-MT and the Backhaul (BH) User Plane Function (UPF) is used for NGAP (NG Application Protocol) and XnAP connections carrying the WAB-gNB.

[0010] The 5G core network (5GC) serving the WAB-gNB and its connected UEs (i.e., 5GC, Figure 1 The “UE’s 5GC” in the text can be compared with the 5GC of the WAB-MT service (i.e., Figure 1 The black BH 5GC in the image may be the same as or different from the black one.

[0011] The following is an excerpt from TS 38.413 v18.0.0, which describes the NGAP (i.e., NG-C) interface.

[0012] >>>>>>>>>>>>>Excerpt from TS 38.413 begins<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[0013] 4.3.1.2 NG Control Surface

[0014] The NG control plane interface (NG-C) is defined between the NG-RAN node and the AMF. Figure 4 Section 3.1.2-1 illustrates the control plane protocol stack for the NG interface. The transport network layer is built on top of IP transport. For reliable signaling message delivery, SCTP is added on top of IP. The application layer signaling protocol is called NGAP (NG Application Protocol). The SCTP layer provides guaranteed delivery of application layer messages. In the transport, point-to-point IP layer transport is used to deliver signaling PDUs.

[0015] [ Figure 4 3.1.2-1: The NG-C protocol stack is reproduced in this paper as follows: Figure 2 ]

[0016] NG-C provides the following functions:

[0017] - NG interface management;

[0018] - UE context management;

[0019] - UE mobility management;

[0020] - Transmission of NAS messages;

[0021] - Paging;

[0022] - PDU session management;

[0023] - Configure transmission;

[0024] - Warning message transmission.

[0025] More details about NG-C can be found in TS 38.410

[16] .

[0026] >>>>>>>>>>>>>End of excerpt from TS 38.413<<<<<<<<<<<

[0027] There are specific challenges at present. For example, a WAB node may include a WAB-gNB and a WAB-MT. The WAB-gNB portion of the WAB node serves the UE, while the node uses its WAB-MT portion to communicate with the mobile network. Figure 1 The black BH gNB in ​​the diagram is connected, and the WAB-MT's PDU session provides Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to the WAB-gNB. In this architecture, the PDU session established between the WAB-MT and the BH UPF (see...) Figure 1 The IP connectivity provided by the WAB-gNB is NGAP and XnAP. The WAB-gNB can connect to the same Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) as the WAB-MT, or it can connect to other (one or more) AMFs.

[0028] The WAB node will be mobile, and the statement from SID, "5G access for UEs on aircraft, cruise ships, helicopters, and vehicles in remote areas with limited sky visibility via airborne gNB," means that in some relevant scenarios, the WAB node will move over long distances. This also means that the radio resource control (RRC) connection of WAB-MT and the flow control transport protocol (SCTP) association of WAB-gNB, as well as the NGAP connection, may need to be migrated, while maintaining connectivity for the UEs being served.

[0029] The mobility of WAB-MT will likely reuse the mobility framework used for regular UEs. However, it remains unclear how mobility or continuity of the NGAP connection for WAB-gNB should be handled. In addition to mobility, there are additional WAB scenarios where the NGAP connection for WAB-gNB needs to be managed (e.g., when a WAB node is not authorized to operate as a WAB node). Summary of the Invention

[0030] One embodiment of this disclosure includes a method performed by a network node for adjusting NGAP operation. The method includes receiving an NGAP removal request from a WAB base station.

[0031] Another possible method embodiment of this disclosure includes a method performed by a network node for adjusting NGAP operation. The method includes receiving a connection removal request from a RAN node with wireless backhaul.

[0032] Another possible method embodiment of this disclosure includes a method performed by a WAB base station for adjusting NGAP operation. The method includes sending an NGAP removal request to a first AMF.

[0033] Another possible method embodiment of this disclosure includes a method performed by a WAB base station for adjusting NGAP operation. The method includes sending an NGAP pause instruction to a first AMF.

[0034] This summary is provided to introduce a series of concepts in a simplified form, which will be further described in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an indication of the scope of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0035] For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0036] Figure 1 An example of a potential WAB architecture is shown;

[0037] Figure 2 This indicates that it originates from TS 38.413. Figure 4 3.1.2-1 NG-C Protocol Stack;

[0038] Figure 3 This demonstrates NGAP connection pause and resumption;

[0039] Figure 4 This illustrates a possible embodiment in which the target anchor AMF is a new AMF discovered by the NRF and the target anchor AMF can establish a new NGAP connection with the WAB-gNB;

[0040] Figure 5 A flowchart of an embodiment of the method of this disclosure is shown;

[0041] Figure 6 A flowchart of an embodiment of the method of this disclosure is shown;

[0042] Figure 7 A flowchart of an embodiment of the method of this disclosure is shown;

[0043] Figure 8 A flowchart of an embodiment of the method of this disclosure is shown;

[0044] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the communication system of this disclosure is shown;

[0045] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a user equipment embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0046] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the network node of this disclosure is shown;

[0047] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a host embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0048] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the virtualization environment of this disclosure is shown; and

[0049] Figure 14 A schematic representation of an embodiment of communication between nodes, hosts, and user equipment according to this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Before describing the various embodiments of this disclosure in detail, it will be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the parameters of the specifically illustrated systems, methods, apparatuses, products, processes, and / or toolkits, which can of course be changed. Therefore, although specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to particular configurations, parameters, components, elements, etc., the description is illustrative and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed embodiments. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claimed embodiments.

[0051] There are specific challenges. A WAB node will likely consist of a WAB-gNB and a WAB-MT. The WAB-gNB portion of the WAB node serves the UE, while the node uses its WAB-MT portion to connect to the mobile network, and the WAB-MT's PDU session provides IP connectivity to the WAB-gNB. The WAB node will be mobile, and the SID representation implies that in some relevant scenarios, the WAB node will move over long distances. This means that the WAB-MT's RRC connection and the WAB-gNB's SCTP and NGAP connections may need to be migrated while maintaining connectivity for the served UE. The mobility of the WAB-MT may reuse the mobility framework used for regular UEs. Meanwhile, it is unclear how the mobility or continuity of the WAB-gNB's NGAP connection should be handled. In addition to mobility, there are additional WAB scenarios where the management of the WAB-gNB's NGAP connection is required (e.g., when the WAB node is not authorized to operate as a WAB node).

[0052] Specific aspects and embodiments of this disclosure can provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, certain embodiments include the smooth removal or suspension and establishment of NGAP connections between the RAN and an AMF or a set of AMFs. Some embodiments include the establishment of NG (Next Generation) connections between a WAB-gNB and an AMF.

[0053] Specific embodiments can provide one or more of the following technical advantages. For example, specific embodiments enable the orderly removal of NGAP connections (where both WAB-gNB and AMF are aware of the connection), and therefore a moving RAN node (e.g., WAB-gNB) does not need to unnecessarily maintain one or more NGAP connections toward a distant AMF, and the RAN node can connect to a more suitable AMF, such as one closer to its current location. Some benefits of connecting to a closer core network node (i.e., AMF) include faster processing, reduced data latency, and better quality of service. Some embodiments enable the AMF to know that the gNB is moving.

[0054] Some embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0055] Some explanations regarding terminology and various scenarios of use cases for specific embodiments. The specific embodiments described herein apply to two situations: (a) the WAB-gNB and the gNB serving the WAB-MT are served by the same PLMN CN node; and (b) the WAB-gNB and the gNB serving the WAB-MT are served by different core network (CN) nodes in the same or different PLMNs. The procedures used in the specific embodiments can be Class 1 or Class 2 procedures, and they can be new procedures or enhancements to existing procedures. Expressing "X is served by Y" or "X is connected to Y" means that there is a logical interface connection between network nodes X and Y. When X is a UE, this means that node X and the RAN node serving the UE have a logical connection associated with the UE. Unless otherwise stated, the WAB-MT and WAB-gNB are co-located, i.e., they are part of the same WAB node.

[0056] Specific embodiments can be applied to both single-connection and dual-connection WAB nodes. Specific embodiments are applicable in two scenarios: when all UEs connected to the WAB-gNB are served by the same AMF, and when multiple AMFs serve UEs. The term "different core network" can refer to the core network of another PLMN, or it can apply to different parts of the core network of the same PLMN (e.g., different AMFs or AMF groups). The terms "NGAP connection" and "NG-C interface instance" are used interchangeably. Specific embodiments are applicable to NR and future Radio Access Technologies (RATs), such as versions after 3GPP Rel-18.

[0057] The assumed architecture is Figure 1 The architecture shown. Figure 1System 100 illustrates a potential WAB architecture. In some embodiments, there are additional assumptions: the AMF 120 serving UE 110 and the AMF 155 serving WAB-MT 130 may be different or the same. UE 110 may be coupled to, for example, 5GC 105 via access PDU session 170, to WAB gNB 135 via NR access 190, and / or to other components of system 100. 5GC 105 may include SMF 108, AMF 120, and UPF 115. In some embodiments, OAM 140 and BH OAM 145 may include the same OAM. WAB node 125 may include WAB-MT 130 and WAB-gNB 135. WAB-gNB may be coupled to 5GC 105 via NG 175. WAB MT 130 can be coupled to BH UPF 150 via BH PDU session 180 and to BH gNB 160 via NR BH 185. IP network 198 can provide communication coupling between, for example, OAM 140, BH OAM 145, BH AMF 155, BH UPF 150, and 5GC 105, and other components of system 100. Other CN functions 165 can co-located with BH functions or be located elsewhere. Other system embodiments are possible.

[0058] In one use case, suppose WAB node 125 moves and is about to leave the core network (CN) area it is currently connected to (“Old CN”). At this time, WAB-gNB 135 is connected to one or more AMF 120s or AMF groups in the Old CN. During the move, WAB-gNB 135 terminates the old connection and re-establishes a connection with a new core network that is more suitable for the new area.

[0059] Another relevant scenario is when the authorization status of WAB node 125 changes from "authorized" to "unauthorized" (e.g., when WAB node 125 has moved to a restricted area, or when UE 110, served by WAB-gNB 135, no longer needs to be served). In this case, it may be necessary to remove one or more NGAP connections of WAB-gNB 135.

[0060] The applicability of the specific embodiments is not limited to the scenarios described above.

[0061] Specific embodiments take into account different aspects of RAN-CN connectivity, including the SCTP layer and the NGAP application layer, such as initiating a newly defined NGAP connectivity removal procedure or enhancing an existing procedure.

[0062] NGAP connection removed

[0063] The first set of embodiments includes NGAP connection removal. These embodiments relate to the smooth removal of NGAP connections between the WAB-gNB and (one or more) AMFs or between the WAB-gNB and one or more sets of AMFs.

[0064] The NGAP connection between the WAB-gNB and one or more AMFs is removed. One of the AMFs can be the AMF serving WAB-MT. NGAP connections to all AMFs connected to the WAB-gNB can also be removed. The AMFs connected to the WAB-gNB serve the UE connected via the WAB-gNB.

[0065] NGAP removal can be initiated by either the WAB-gNB or the AMF. In some variants, the WAB-gNB can initiate removal by sending a newly defined NGAP removal request to the AMF. In some variants, the WAB-gNB can initiate NGAP removal to the AMF after the WAB-gNB has ensured that it no longer serves UEs (by switching them or releasing them), or after the WAB-gNB has ensured that the association of the served UE has been moved to another (or more) AMFs. In some variants, the AMF sends a newly defined NGAP removal response to the WAB-gNB, while in others, there is no response. Before sending the request to the AMF, the WAB-gNB can establish a new (or more) NGAP connection with one or more AMFs. A new NGAP connection can also be established at any time before or after this. The NGAP message can contain information about the (or more) AMFs with which the WAB-gNB has or will establish a new NGAP connection. Based on this message, the AMF transfers all UE contexts of the UE being served by the WAB-gNB to the AMF indicated in the message received from the WAB-gNB. In some variants, the AMF can initiate removal by sending a newly defined NGAP removal request to the WAB-gNB. In some variants, the WAB-gNB sends a newly defined NGAP removal response to the AMF, while in others, there is no response. In the response message, the WAB-gNB may include information about the new AMF with which it is establishing an NGAP connection. Based on this message, the AMF transfers all UE contexts of the UE being served by the WAB-gNB to the AMF indicated in the message received from the WAB-gNB. Before sending a response to the AMF, the WAB-gNB can establish one or more new NGAP connections to one or more AMFs. New NGAP establishments can also be performed at any time before or after this process. In some variants, the AMF can initiate NGAP removal to the WAB-gNB after receiving an indication that the WAB-gNB is no longer serving the UE, or after receiving an indication that the association of the served UE has been moved to another AMF (e.g., after the WAB is notified that its authorized status has been changed to unauthorized and the WAB has removed all connected UEs). In some variants, the WAB-gNB / AMF can send a trigger for NGAP removal to the AMF / WAB-gNB, whereby the node receiving the trigger should initiate NGAP removal. If the trigger is sent by the AMF to the WAB-gNB, the WAB-gNB can begin the NGAP removal process after it has ensured that it is no longer serving the UE, or after it has ensured, for example, that the association of the served UE has been moved to another AMF.In the above possible embodiments, the request and response can constitute a type 1 process (where the recipient of the request replies to the initiating node within a predetermined time frame), or each of them can be a type 2 process (where the recipient of the request performs a specific action (establishing a new NGAP connection) before sending a type 2 message to the initiating node to confirm the removal).

[0066] In some variations, the request for NGAP removal can be implicit, and in others, it can be explicit. In some variations, the message requesting the removal of the NGAP interface can include a reason value, indicating the reason for removing the NGAP connection. Some non-limiting examples of reason values ​​are: "NGAP removal due to unauthorized WAB node," and "NGAP removal due to WAB mobility."

[0067] In some variations, the NGAP removal response or the trigger message used to initiate the NGAP removal process may contain pointers, identifiers, or references to one or more new AMFs that the WAB-gNB has connected to, should connect to, or is about to connect to. This message can be sent by the AMF or the WAB-gNB.

[0068] In some variants, before removing the NGAP connection with the old AMF, when establishing an NGAP connection with the new AMF, the WAB-gNB instructs the new AMF to retrieve the UE context of all UEs currently served by the WAB-gNB and move the UE's NGAP association to the new NGAP connection.

[0069] The WAB-gNB can be pre-configured to connect to which AMF, depending on the geographic region where the WAB-gNB is currently located or which cells are serving the WAB-MT. The configuration of when the AMF should be changed and which new AMF to connect to based on location (the geographic location calculated by the WAB-MT or the serving cell, the service tracking area) can be pre-provisioned by the Operations and Management (OAM) node. In certain scenarios, the AMF can also coordinate the movement of NGAP connections from one AMF to another, and a smooth transfer (removing the old NGAP and establishing a new NGAP) can be performed.

[0070] Some implementations may use a dedicated anchor AMF to serve the WAB-gNB. An anchor AMF is an AMF with wide coverage, and the WAB-gNB is connected to this AMF regardless of where it moves within a wide area. Such anchor AMFs (IP addresses, SCTP associations) are pre-configured / provisioned via OAM nodes, or via direct signaling between such AMFs and the WAB-gNB. For example, a non-anchor AMF can provide anchor AMF information back to the WAB-gNB (based on local configuration or querying the NRF).

[0071] NGAP connection pause and resume

[0072] The second set of embodiments includes NGAP connection pausing and resuming. Figure 3 The NGAP connection suspension and resumption according to a specific embodiment is illustrated. In this case, there is a removal between AMF1 410 and WAB-gNB 450, and an establishment / resumption between AMF2 430 and WAB-gNB 450. In these embodiments, the NGAP connection is not removed, but suspended and resumed when needed. The steps from the first set of embodiments can be reused, but with some differences. For example, a previous reference to NGAP removal can be replaced with a reference to NGAP suspension. For suspension, all application-level data associated with the suspended NGAP connection is stored in both WAB-gNB and AMF. The UE context associated with the suspended connection will be changed to RRC_IDLE mode, or it needs to be moved if any connected UEs still have a link to the connection. For suspension, the NGAP suspension request message may include the length of the suspension period, and one possible value is "indefinite suspension," which may be the default value in some cases. Other types of auxiliary information for suspension are possible, such as indications of the suspension area, triggering conditions for resumption, etc. For a pause, the NGAP pause request message may contain information about whether the WAB-gNB can still serve the connected UE. This could be, for example, in the presence of a Local User Plane Function (UPF). In addition to the NGAP pause procedure described above, some embodiments also include an NGAP recovery procedure.

[0073] An NGAP recovery process is described below. This NGAP recovery process is initiated by sending an NGAP recovery request. The recovery process can be initiated by either the WAB-gNB or the AMF that previously maintained the suspended connection, regardless of which initiated the suspension. The recovery request can be sent by the WAB-gNB. This request may also include some or all of the information included in an existing NGSETUP REQUEST. This request can be sent by the WAB-gNB when one or more triggers specified in the NGAP suspension request are met. The recovery request can be sent by the AMF. For example, if the AMF is also serving the WAB-MT, the AMF can decide to request the recovery of the NGAP connection based on the known / determined location of the WAB-MT. The node receiving the request can respond with an NGAP recovery response (acknowledging recovery) or by sending an NGAP failure message. For a successful recovery, the application-level data associated with the suspended NGAP connection is reactivated in both involved nodes. In some variations, a suspended connection between the WAB-gNB and an AMF (e.g., AMF1) can be restored using another AMF (e.g., AMF2). In this case, the restored interface configuration is transferred between the old service AMF and the new service AMF.

[0074] NGAP removal based on AMF-induced trigger condition changes and involving NRF.

[0075] The third set of embodiments includes NGAP removal based on AMF change triggering conditions and involving Network Repository Function (NRF). Some embodiments include NGAP removal and subsequent establishment, which is primarily used in scenarios where WAB nodes are being moved and AMF changes are required.

[0076] NRF registration can serve WAB-gNB nodes and can establish NGAP connections for tunneling via WAB-MT. These AMFs can also be referred to as anchor AMFs. NRF receives requests from serving anchor AMFs to identify new target anchor AMFs for WAB-gNB.

[0077] The Serving Anchor Point AMF is the current AMF serving the WAB-gNB. This AMF continuously monitors packet loss, latency, and jitter on the SCTP connection. If packet loss, latency, or jitter exceeds a certain threshold, the Serving AMF sends a trigger / request to the NRF to identify a new AMF for the WAB-gNB. The WAB-gNB can also receive feedback from the UPF regarding PDU session quality and request a change of AMF from the Serving Anchor Point AMF. The WAB-MT can also continuously calculate its location and provide this input to the WAB-gNB, which in turn provides this information to the AMF, which can then determine if a new AMF is needed. The input provided by the AMF to the NRF can be the WAB-MT location, cell ID, or tracking area. Therefore, this input is used by the NRF to discover a suitable target anchor point AMF.

[0078] The target anchor point AMF is a new AMF discovered by NRF, which will establish a new NGAP connection with WAB-gNB. Figure 4 An example is shown. For instance, the serving AMF 650 can monitor SCTP connections with the WAB-gNB 630. The NRF 670 can request the discovery of a new AMF. The NRF 670 can then identify the target AMF 610. The target AMF 610 can then establish a new NGAP with the WAB-gNB 630.

[0079] Processing UEs served by WAB nodes

[0080] The fourth set of embodiments relates to handling UEs served by a WAB node. In some variations, the WAB-gNB requests or confirms the removal of one or more NGAP connections only after the WAB-gNB has established an NGAP connection with one or more new AMFs or AMF groups, and after the context (i.e., non-access stratum (NAS) connections) of all or some of its served UEs have been moved to one or more of the new AMFs. In some variations, the WAB-gNB releases some or all UEs, or switches all or some of these UEs to another node. In some variations, the NAS connections of the served UEs can be moved to the AMF serving the WAB-MT.

[0081] Instructing the network on WAB capabilities

[0082] Some implementations include aspects related to indicating WAB capabilities to the network. The AMF needs to know that the gNB is a WAB-gNB, for example, that it is mobile. This can be achieved in several ways.

[0083] In some variants, the OAM can provide the AMF with the identifier of the mobile gNB. In some variants, when establishing an NGAP connection, the WAB-gNB can indicate to the AMF that it is a WAB-gNB in ​​the NG SETUP REQUEST. In some variants, when two AMFs are communicating regarding mobility for an NGAP connection of a WAB-gNB, the WAB indication can be sent from the old AMF to the new AMF.

[0084] Example Implementation

[0085] Below are example implementations of the first set of embodiments in TS 38.413. New sections are indicated by shading. The examples of encoding and placement of the new IEs are non-limiting. All examples are optional, meaning that different solutions can be constructed from some or all of the enhancements presented below.

[0086] >>>>>>>>>>>>>TS 38.413 Implementation Example Begins<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[0087] 9.2.6.1 NG SETUP REQUEST

[0088] This message is sent by the NG-RAN node to transmit application layer information for the NG-C interface instance.

[0089] Direction: NG-RAN node MF

[0090] 9.2.6.x NG Removal Request

[0091] This message is sent by the NG-RAN node or by the AMF to request the removal of the NG-C interface instance.

[0092] Direction: NG-RAN node AMF

[0093] AMF NG-RAN Node

[0094] 9.2.6.x+1 NG removes response

[0095] This message is sent by the AMF to the NG-RAN node or by the NG-RAN node to the AMF to confirm the removal of the NG-C interface instance.

[0096] Direction: AMF NG-RAN Node

[0097] NG-RAN Node AMF

[0098] 9.2.6.x+2 NG removal failed

[0099] This message is sent by the AMF or by the NG-RAN node to indicate that the removal of the NG-C interface instance failed.

[0100] direction:

[0101] AMF NG-RAN Node

[0102] NG-RAN Node AMF

[0103] 9.3.1.2 Reasons

[0104] The purpose of the IE (Initial Path Indicator) is to indicate the cause for specific events in the NGAP protocol.

[0105] The table below describes the meaning of the different reason values. Generally, the "Unsupported" reason value indicates a lack of relevant capability. On the other hand, the "Unavailable" reason value indicates that relevant capability exists, but the available resources are insufficient to perform the requested action.

[0106] >>>>>>>>>>>>>End of TS 38.413 implementation example<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[0107] Additional Examples

[0108] exist Figure 5Another possible method embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Method 800 includes a method performed by a network node for adjusting NGAP operation. The method includes: receiving an NGAP removal request from a WAB base station in step 810. Method 800 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps. For example, the method may further include: releasing an NGAP connection in response to the NGAP removal request. A particular embodiment may include: choosing not to release any NGAP connection in response to the NGAP removal request. In a particular embodiment, the network node includes at least one of the following: AMF; CN node. In a particular embodiment, the NGAP removal request includes a reason IE. A particular embodiment may further include: sending at least one of the following: reason IE; a request to the WAB base station to perform an NGAP removal procedure; an acknowledgment to the WAB base station regarding the NGAP removal procedure; an NGAP failure message. In a particular embodiment, the IE involves at least one of the following: removal response; removal failure; successful handover; release due to NG-RAN; release due to 5GC; handover cancellation; partial handover; handover failure in the target 5GC / NG-RAN node or target system; handover target not allowed; cell unavailable; unknown target ID; no available radio resources in the target cell; unknown local UE NGAP identifier; inconsistent remote UE NGAP identifier; handover expected for radio reasons; time-critical handover; resource-optimized handover; reducing load in the serving cell; user inactivity; loss of radio connection with the UE; unavailable radio resources; invalid QoS combination; radio interface procedure failure; interaction with other procedures; unknown PDU session identifier; unknown QoS flow identifier; multiple instances of PDU session identifier; multiple instances of QoS flow identifier; encryption and / or integrity protection algorithms not supported; handover triggered within the NG system; handover triggered between NG systems; Xn interface handover triggered; unsupported 5G. QoS identifier value; UE context transmission; fallback triggered; unable to perform user plane UP integrity protection; unable to perform UP confidentiality protection; (one or more) slices are not supported; UE in RRC_INACTIVE state is unreachable; redirection; resources are unavailable for (one or more) slices; data rate reason for UE maximum integrity protection; release due to mobility detected by the core network; N26 interface unavailable; release due to preemption; multiple location report reference identifier instances; non-public network access denied; CAG-only access denied; insufficient UE capability; RedCap UE not supported; unknown MBS session identifier; indicated MBS session area information not provided by gNB; inconsistent slice information for the session; misaligned associations for multicast and unicast sessions or flows.In a particular embodiment, the NGAP removal request includes an indication of a second AMF, and the method further includes sending one or more NGAP connection information to the second AMF.

[0109] exist Figure 6 Another possible embodiment of the method disclosed herein is illustrated. Method 1000 includes a method performed by a network node for adjusting NGAP operation. Step 1010 receives a connection removal request from a RAN node with a radio backhaul. Method 1000 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps. For example, a particular variation may further include: releasing an NGAP connection in response to the connection removal request. A particular embodiment may further include: selecting not to release any NGAP connection in response to the connection removal request. In a particular embodiment, the core network node includes at least one of the following: AMF; gNB; base station. In a particular embodiment, the connection removal request includes a reason IE. Some embodiments may further include: sending at least one of the following: reason IE; a request to the RAN node to perform an NGAP removal procedure; an acknowledgment to the RAN node regarding the NGAP removal procedure; an NGAP failure message.

[0110] exist Figure 7 Another possible method embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Method 1200 includes a method performed by a WAB base station for adjusting NGAP operation. Step 1210 is sending an NGAP removal request to a first AMF. Method 1200 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps. For example, a particular embodiment may further include: establishing an NGAP connection with a second AMF. In some embodiments, establishing the NGAP connection occurs before: after; or simultaneously with the NGAP removal request. In a particular variation, the NGAP removal request is triggered at least in part based on at least one of the following: a mobility process; a change in the authorization state of a network node; packet loss measurement exceeding a specific threshold; latency jitter exceeding a predetermined threshold; receiving a request from the first AMF to send the NGAP removal request to the WAB base station. In a particular embodiment, the NGAP removal request includes an indication from the second AMF. In a particular embodiment, the method may further include: receiving an acknowledgment response from the first AMF.

[0111] exist Figure 8Another possible embodiment of the method disclosed herein is illustrated. Method 1400 includes a method performed by a WAB base station for adjusting NGAP operation. Step 1410 is sending an NGAP pause indication to a first AMF. Method 1400 may include multiple variations and embodiments and / or additional and / or alternative steps. For example, a particular embodiment may include sending an NGAP recovery indication to a second AMF. In a particular embodiment, the first AMF and the second AMF include the same AMF. In some embodiments, sending the NGAP pause indication to the first AMF is based on receiving a request from the first AMF to pause the NGAP connection of the WAB base station. In a particular variation, the NGAP pause indication includes an indication of the duration of the NGAP connection pause. A particular embodiment may also include receiving an acknowledgment response from the first AMF.

[0112] Figure 9 An example of a communication system 2100 according to some embodiments is shown. In this example, the communication system 2100 includes a telecommunications network 2102, which includes an access network 2104 (e.g., a RAN) and a core network 2106 (which includes one or more core network nodes 2108). The access network 2104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 2110a and 2110b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as network node 2110), or any other similar 3GPP access node or non-3GPP access point. Network node 2110 facilitates direct or indirect connections for UEs, for example by connecting UEs 2112a, 2112b, 2112c, and 2112d (one or more of which may generally be referred to as UE 2112) to the core network 2106 over one or more radio connections.

[0113] Examples of wireless communication via a wireless connection include sending and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information without the use of wires, cables, or other conductors. Furthermore, in various embodiments, communication system 2100 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals (whether via a wired or wireless connection). Communication system 2100 may include or interface with any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0114] UE 2112 can be any of a variety of communication devices, including wireless devices that are arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network node 2110 and other communication devices. Similarly, network node 2110 is arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UE 2112 and / or other network nodes or devices in telecommunication network 2102 to enable and / or provide network access (e.g., wireless network access) and / or perform other functions (e.g., management) in telecommunication network 2102.

[0115] In the depicted example, core network 2106 connects network node 2110 to one or more hosts, such as host 2116. These connections can be direct or indirect, via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. Core network 2106 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2108) comprised of hardware and software components. The characteristics of these components may be substantially similar to those described for UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the description generally applies to the corresponding components of core network node 2108. Example core network nodes include one or more of the following functions: Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier Dehiding Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Agent (SEPP), Network Open Function (NEF), and / or User Plane Function (UPF).

[0116] Host 2116 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than the operator or provider of access network 2104 and / or telecommunications network 2102, and may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. Host 2116 may host various applications to provide one or more services. Examples of such applications include real-time and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services (e.g., acquiring and editing data on various environmental conditions detected by multiple UEs), analytics functions, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for alarm and monitoring centers, or any other such functions performed by the server.

[0117] Overall, Figure 9The communication system 2100 enables connectivity between the UE, network nodes, and hosts. In this sense, the communication system can be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards, including but not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (WiFi); and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards, such as Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards, such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0118] In some examples, telecommunications network 2102 is a cellular network implementing 3GPP standardized features. Therefore, telecommunications network 2102 can support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to it. For example, telecommunications network 2102 can provide ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) services to some UEs while providing enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or massive machine-type communication (mMTC) / massive IoT services to other UEs.

[0119] In some examples, UE 2112 is configured to send and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, the UE may be designed to send information to access network 2104 according to a predetermined schedule when triggered by an internal or external event or in response to a request from access network 2104. Additionally, the UE may be configured to operate in single RAT, multi-RAT, or multi-standard modes. For example, the UE may operate using any one or a combination of Wi-Fi, New Radio (NR), and LTE, i.e., configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) New Radio-Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0120] In this example, hub 2114 communicates with access network 2104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UEs 2112c and / or 2112d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 2110b). In some examples, hub 2114 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any other communication device described herein relating to the UE. For example, hub 2114 may be a broadband router that enables the UE to access core network 2106. As another example, hub 2114 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UE. Commands or instructions may be received from the UE, network node 2110, or via executable code, scripts, procedures, or other instructions in hub 2114. As another example, hub 2114 may be a data collector that acts as a temporary storage device for UE data, and in some embodiments, data analytics or other processing may be performed. As another example, hub 2114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE acting as a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, hub 2114 can acquire VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensing information via a network node, and then provide them to the UE directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In yet another example, hub 2114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UE, particularly when one or more UEs are low-power IoT devices.

[0121] Hub 2114 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to network node 2110b. Hub 2114 may also allow different communication schemes and / or scheduling between hub 2114 and UEs (e.g., UEs 2112c and / or 2112d) and between hub 2114 and core network 2106. In other examples, hub 2114 is connected to core network 2106 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Furthermore, hub 2114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider via access network 2104 and / or to another UE via a direct connection. In some scenarios, a UE may establish a wireless connection with network node 2110 while still being connected via hub 2114 through a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, hub 2114 may be a dedicated hub, that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communication from network node 2110b to UE / from UE to network node 2110b. In other embodiments, hub 2114 may be a non-dedicated hub, that is, a device capable of operating to route communication between the UE and network node 2110b, but also capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for a specific data channel.

[0122] Figure 10 A UE 2200 according to some embodiments is illustrated. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable of, configured to, positioned and / or operable to wirelessly communicate with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of UEs include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cellular phones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback devices, wearable terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablet computers, laptops, devices with built-in laptops (LEEs), devices with integrated laptops (LMEs), smart devices, wireless client devices (CPEs), vehicle-mounted or vehicle-embedded / integrated wireless devices, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UEs, Machine-Type Communication (MTC) UEs and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs.

[0123] The UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for secondary link communication, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, the UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated equipment. Instead, the UE may represent a device intended for sale to or operated by a human user but which may not, or initially may not, be associated with a particular human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, the UE may represent a device not intended for sale to or operated by an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0124] UE 2200 includes processing circuitry 2202, which is operatively coupled via bus 2204 to input / output interface 2206, power supply 2208, memory 2210, communication interface 2212, and / or any other component or any combination thereof. A particular UE may utilize... Figure 10 All components or subsets of components are shown. The level of integration between components can vary from UE to UE. Furthermore, a particular UE may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0125] Processing circuitry 2202 is configured to process instructions and data and can be configured to implement any sequential state machine operable to execute instructions of a machine-readable computer program stored in memory 2210. Processing circuitry 2202 can be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., using discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic and appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors (e.g., microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs)) and appropriate software; or any combination thereof. For example, processing circuitry 2202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0126] In this example, the input / output interface 2206 can be configured to provide one or more interfaces to input devices, output devices, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include speakers, sound cards, video cards, displays, monitors, printers, actuators, transmitters, smart cards, another output device, or any combination thereof. Input devices can allow users to capture information into the UE 2200. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive displays, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital video cameras, webcams, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, steering wheels, scroll wheels, smart cards, etc. Presence-sensitive displays may include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to sense input from the user. Sensors may be, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, optical sensors, proximity sensors, biometric sensors, etc., or any combination thereof. Output devices can use the same type of interface port as input devices. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port can be used to provide both input and output devices.

[0127] In some embodiments, power supply 2208 is configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources may be used, such as external power sources (e.g., power outlets), photovoltaic devices, or batteries. Power supply 2208 may also include power circuitry for delivering power from power supply 2208 itself and / or external power sources to various parts of UE 2200 via input circuitry or interfaces (e.g., power cords). The power delivery may be used, for example, to charge power supply 2208. The power circuitry may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications to the power from power supply 2208 to suit the appropriate components of UE 2200 to which power is supplied.

[0128] Memory 2210 may be, or may be configured to include, memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk, optical disk, hard disk, removable cassette tape, flash drive, etc. In one example, memory 2210 includes one or more applications 2214 (e.g., operating system, web browser application, widget, utility engine, or other application) and corresponding data 2216. Memory 2210 may store any one or a combination of various operating systems for use by UE 2200.

[0129] Memory 2210 can be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital versatile optical disc (HD-DVD) drive, an internal hard drive, a Blu-ray disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) disc drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory (e.g., a tamper-proof module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC), including one or more subscriber identification modules (SIMs), such as USIM and / or ISIM), other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC can be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC, commonly referred to as a "SIM card." Memory 2210 can allow UE 2200 to access instructions, applications, etc., stored on transient or non-transient storage media to offload or upload data. Articles manufactured using communication systems may be tangibly embodied in or contained in memory 2210, which may be or include a device-readable storage medium.

[0130] Processing circuitry 2202 can be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using communication interface 2212. Communication interface 2212 may include one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to antenna 2222. Communication interface 2212 may include one or more transceivers for communication (e.g., via one or more remote transceivers capable of wireless communication with another device (e.g., another UE or a network node in the access network). Each transceiver may include transmitter 2218 and / or receiver 2220 adapted to provide network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). Furthermore, transmitter 2218 and receiver 2220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2222) and may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0131] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication interface 2212 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location, another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. Communication may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.

[0132] Regardless of the sensor type, the UE can provide the output of data captured by its sensors via its communication interface 2212 through a wireless connection with a network node. Data captured by the UE's sensors can be transmitted via another UE through the wireless connection with the network node. The output can be periodic (e.g., every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to balance the reporting load from multiple sensors), responsive to a triggered event (e.g., sending an alarm when humidity is detected), responsive to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., real-time video feed of a patient).

[0133] As another example, the UE includes an actuator, motor, or switch associated with a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. The state of the actuator, motor, or switch can change in response to the received wireless input. For example, the UE may include a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a flying drone based on the received input, or adjusts a robotic arm performing a medical procedure based on the received input.

[0134] When taking the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the UE can be a device for one or more application areas, including but not limited to urban wearable technology, extended industry applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices include devices that are or are embedded in the following: connected refrigerators or freezers, televisions, connected lighting devices, electricity meters, robotic vacuum cleaners, voice-controlled smart speakers, home security cameras, motion detectors, thermostats, smoke detectors, door / window sensors, flood / humidity sensors, electric door locks, connected doorbells, air conditioning systems such as heat pumps, autonomous vehicles, surveillance systems, weather monitoring devices, vehicle parking monitoring devices, electric vehicle charging stations, smartwatches, fitness trackers, head-mounted displays for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), wearable devices for haptic or sensory enhancement, sprinklers, animal or object tracking devices, sensors for monitoring plants or animals, industrial robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and any kind of medical device, such as heart rate monitors or remote-controlled surgical robots. The UE in the form of an IoT device includes circuitry and / or software related to the intended application of the IoT device, as well as... Figure 10 Other components described in UE 2200 shown.

[0135] As another specific example, in IoT scenarios, a UE can represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and sends the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another UE and / or network node. In this case, the UE can be an M2M device, which can be referred to as an MTC device in the 3GPP context. As a specific example, a UE can implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE can represent a vehicle (e.g., a car, bus, truck), ship, aircraft, or other device capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0136] In practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, the first UE may be or be integrated into the drone and provide the drone's speed information (obtained via a speed sensor) to a second UE, which acts as a remote controller for operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE can adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling the actuators) to increase or decrease the drone's speed. The first UE and / or the second UE may also include multiple functions described above. For example, the UE may include sensors and actuators and handle data communication between both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0137] Figure 11 A network node 3300 according to some embodiments is shown. As used herein, a network node refers to a device that is capable of, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or other network nodes or devices in a telecommunications network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR Node Bs (gNBs)).

[0138] Base stations can be classified based on the coverage they provide (or in other words, their transmit power level), and therefore, depending on the coverage provided, they can be called femtocells, picocells, microcells, or macrocells. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. Network nodes can also include one or more (or all) portions of a distributed radio base station (e.g., centralized digital units and / or remote radio units (RRUs) (sometimes referred to as remote radio heads (RRHs))). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as antenna-integrated radios. A portion of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0139] Other examples of network nodes include multi-transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment (such as MSR BS), network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNC) or base station controllers (BSC), base transceiver stations (BTS), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCE), operations and maintenance (O&M) nodes, operations support system (OSS) nodes, self-organizing network (SON) nodes, location nodes (e.g., evolved serving mobile location center (E-SMLC)), and / or minimized drive test (MDT).

[0140] Network node 3300 includes processing circuitry 3302, memory 3304, communication interface 3306, and power supply 3308. Network node 3300 may include multiple physically separate components (e.g., node B components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components, etc.), each component may have its own corresponding components. In a specific scenario where network node 3300 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more separate components may be shared among multiple network nodes. For example, a single RNC can control multiple node Bs. In such scenarios, under certain circumstances, each unique node B and RNC pair may be considered a single, separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 3300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 3304 for different RATs), while some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 3310 may be shared by different RATs). Network node 3300 may also include multiple sets of various example components for integrating different wireless technologies (such as GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, RFID, or Bluetooth wireless technologies) into network node 3300. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets as well as other components within network node 3300.

[0141] Processing circuitry 3302 may include one or more of the following, operable to provide network node 3300 functionality individually or in combination with other network node 3300 components (e.g., memory 3304): microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or coding logic.

[0142] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 3302 includes a system-on-a-chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 3302 includes one or more of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 3312 and a baseband processing circuitry 3314. In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuitry 3312 and the baseband processing circuitry 3314 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units (e.g., radio units and digital units). In alternative embodiments, some or all of the RF transceiver circuitry 3312 and the baseband processing circuitry 3314 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0143] Memory 3304 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including but not limited to permanent storage devices, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drive, optical disc (CD), or digital video disk (DVD)) and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable storage device that stores information, data, and / or instructions that can be used by processing circuitry 3302. Memory 3304 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, applications (including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc.) and / or other instructions that can be executed by processing circuitry 3302 and utilized by network node 3300. Memory 3304 may be used to store any calculations performed by processing circuitry 3302 and / or any data received via communication interface 3306. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 3302 and memory 3304 are integrated.

[0144] Communication interface 3306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As shown, communication interface 3306 includes a port / terminal 3316 for sending and receiving data to and from the network, for example, via a wired connection. Communication interface 3306 also includes radio front-end circuitry 3318 that can be coupled to antenna 3310 or, in a particular embodiment, is part of antenna 3310. Radio front-end circuitry 3318 includes a filter 3320 and an amplifier 3322. Radio front-end circuitry 3318 can be connected to antenna 3310 and processing circuitry 3302. Radio front-end circuitry 3318 can be configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 3310 and processing circuitry 3302. Radio front-end circuitry 3318 can receive digital data that will be transmitted to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry 3318 can use a combination of filter 3320 and / or amplifier 3322 to convert the digital data into radio signals with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signals can then be transmitted via antenna 3310. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 3310 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 3318. The digital data can then be passed to processing circuitry 3302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0145] In certain alternative embodiments, network node 3300 does not include a separate radio front-end circuitry 3318; instead, processing circuitry 3302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna 3310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or part of RF transceiver circuitry 3312 is part of communication interface 3306. In other embodiments, communication interface 3306 includes one or more ports or terminals 3316, radio front-end circuitry 3318, and RF transceiver circuitry 3312 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and communication interface 3306 communicates with baseband processing circuitry 3314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0146] Antenna 3310 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 3310 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 3318 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In a particular embodiment, antenna 3310 is decoupled from network node 3300 and may be connected to network node 3300 via an interface or port.

[0147] Antenna 3310, communication interface 3306, and / or processing circuitry 3302 can be configured to perform any receive operation and / or specific acquisition operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be received from the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 3310, communication interface 3306, and / or processing circuitry 3302 can be configured to perform any transmit operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals can be transmitted to the UE, another network node, and / or any other network device.

[0148] Power supply 3308 provides power to the various components of network node 3300 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). Power supply 3308 may also include or be coupled to power management circuitry to provide power to the components of network node 3300 for performing the functions described herein. For example, network node 3300 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., mains, power outlet) via input circuitry or an interface (e.g., a cable), whereby the external power source provides power to the power circuitry of power supply 3308. As yet another example, power supply 3308 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack connected to or integrated into the power circuitry. The battery can provide backup power if the external power source fails.

[0149] Embodiments of network node 3300 may include Figure 11Additional components beyond those shown may be used to provide specific aspects of the functionality of the network node, including any functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the topics described herein. For example, network node 3300 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into and output from network node 3300. This can allow users to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions on network node 3300.

[0150] Figure 12 This is a block diagram of the host 4400 based on the various aspects described in this document. The host 4400 can be... Figure 9 The embodiment of host 2116. As used herein, host 4400 can be or include various combinations of hardware and / or software, including standalone servers, blade servers, cloud-implemented servers, distributed servers, virtual machines, containers, or processing resources in a server farm. Host 4400 can provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0151] Host 4400 includes processing circuitry 4402, which is operatively coupled via bus 4404 to input / output interface 4406, network interface 4408, power supply 4410, and memory 4412. Other components may be included in other embodiments. These components may be characterized substantially similarly to those shown in the previous figures (e.g., Figure 10 and 11 The device description features are designed to make the description generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 4400.

[0152] Memory 4412 may include one or more computer programs, including one or more host applications 4414 and data 4416. Data 4416 may include user data, such as data generated by the UE for the host 4400 or data generated by the host 4400 for the UE. Embodiments of the host 4400 may utilize only a subset or all of the illustrated components. The host application 4414 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Multifunction Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding of multiple different classes, types, or implementations of the UE (e.g., mobile phone, desktop computer, wearable display system, head-up display system). The host application 4414 may also provide user authentication and authorization checks and may periodically report health status, routing, and content availability to a central node (e.g., devices in the core network or at the edge). Therefore, host 4400 can select and / or instruct different hosts for overhead services for the UE. Host application 4414 can support various protocols, such as HTTP Real-Time Streaming (HLS), Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), HTTP Dynamic Adaptive Streaming (MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0153] Figure 13 This is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 5500 in which functionality implemented by some embodiments can be virtualized. In the current context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of a device or apparatus, which may include a virtualized hardware platform, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device or component thereof described herein and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functionality described herein can be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) in one or more virtual environments 5500 hosted by one or more hardware nodes, such as hardware computing devices operating as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hosts. Furthermore, in embodiments in which virtual nodes do not require radio connectivity (e.g., core network nodes or hosts), the nodes can be fully virtualized.

[0154] Application 5502 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, virtual device, network function, virtual node, virtual network function, etc.) runs in virtualization environment 5500 to implement certain features, functions, and / or benefits of some embodiments disclosed herein.

[0155] Hardware 5504 includes processing circuitry, memory storing software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices as described herein, such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, etc. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 5506 (also referred to as a hypervisor or virtual machine monitor (VMM)), provide virtual machines 5508a and 5508b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as virtual machine 5508), and / or perform any functionality, features, and / or benefits described for some embodiments described herein. Virtualization layer 5506 may present a virtual operating platform to virtual machine 5508 that appears to be networked hardware.

[0156] Virtual machine 5508 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual network or interface, and virtual storage devices, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 5506. Different embodiments of instances of virtual device 5502 can be implemented on one or more virtual machines 5508, and can be implemented in different ways. In some contexts, hardware virtualization is referred to as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to consolidate many types of network devices onto industry-standard, high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage devices that can reside in data centers and client devices.

[0157] In the context of NFV, a virtual machine 5508 can be a software implementation of a physical machine, which runs programs as if they were executed on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each virtual machine 5508, along with the portion of hardware 5504 that executes that virtual machine (hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and / or hardware shared by that virtual machine with other virtual machines), forms a separate virtual network unit. Still within the context of NFV, the virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions running on one or more virtual machines 5508 above hardware 5504, and corresponds to application 5502.

[0158] Hardware 5504 can be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 5504 can implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 5504 can be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., such as in a data center or CPE), where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 5510, which, among other things, oversees the lifecycle management of application 5502. In some embodiments, hardware 5504 is coupled to one or more radio units, each including one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that can be coupled to one or more antennas. The radio units can communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more suitable network interfaces and can be used in combination with virtual components to provide a radio-capable virtual node, such as a radio access node or base station. In some embodiments, a control system 5512 can be used to provide signaling, which can alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes and the radio units.

[0159] Figure 14 A communication diagram is shown illustrating how host 6602 communicates with UE 6606 via network node 6604 through a partial wireless connection, according to some embodiments. Reference will now be made to... Figure 14 To describe the UE discussed in the preceding paragraphs according to various embodiments (e.g. Figure 9 UE 2112a and / or Figure 10 UE 2200), network nodes (e.g. Figure 9 Network node 2110a and / or Figure 11 Network node 3300) and host (e.g. Figure 9 Host 2116 and / or Figure 12 Example implementation of host 4400.

[0160] Similar to host 4400, embodiments of host 6602 include hardware such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host 6602 also includes software stored in or accessible by host 6602 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application operable to provide services to remote users, such as a UE 6606 connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 6650 extending between UE 6606 and host 6602. In providing services to remote users, the host application can provide user data transmitted using the OTT connection 6650.

[0161] Network node 6604 includes hardware that enables it to communicate with host 6602 and UE 6606. Connection 6600 can be direct or via a core network (such as...). Figure 9The core network (2106) and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network could be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0162] UE 6606 includes hardware and software, the software being stored in or accessible by UE 6606 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. This software includes client applications, such as web browsers or carrier-specific "applications," operable to provide services to human or non-human users via UE 6606 with the support of host 6602. In host 6602, the executing host application can communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection 6650, which terminates between UE 6606 and host 6602. When providing services to a user, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host application of the host and provide user data in response to that request data. OTT connection 6650 can transmit both request data and user data. The UE's client application can interact with the user to generate the user data it provides to the host application via OTT connection 6650.

[0163] OTT connection 6650 can be extended via connection 6660 between host 6602 and network node 6604 and via wireless connection 6670 between network node 6604 and UE 6606 to provide connectivity between host 6602 and UE 6606. Connection 6660 and wireless connection 6670, which can provide OTT connection 6650, have been abstractly drawn to illustrate communication between host 6602 and UE 6606 via network node 6604, without explicitly referencing any intermediate devices or the precise routing of messages via these devices.

[0164] As an example of sending data via OTT connection 6650, in step 6608, host 6602 provides user data, which can be done by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE 6606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE 6606, which shares data with host 6602 without explicit human interaction. In step 6610, host 6602 initiates a transmission carrying user data toward UE 6606. Host 6602 may initiate the transmission in response to a request sent by UE 6606. This request may be caused by human interaction with UE 6606 or by the operation of a client application executed on UE 6606. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the transmission may be carried out via network node 6604. Therefore, in step 6612, according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 6604 sends the user data carried in the transmission initiated by host 6602 to UE 6606. In step 6614, UE 6606 receives user data carried in the transmission, which can be performed by a client application running on UE 6606, which is associated with a host application running by host 6602.

[0165] In some examples, UE 6606 executes a client application that provides user data to host 6602. User data can be provided in response to data received from host 6602. Therefore, in step 6616, UE 6606 can provide user data, which can be done by executing a client application. When providing user data, the client application may further consider user input received from a user via the input / output interface of UE 6606. Regardless of the specific manner in which user data is provided, UE 6606 initiates a transmission of user data to host 6602 via network node 6604 in step 6618. In step 6620, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node 6604 receives user data from UE 6606 and initiates a transmission of the received user data to host 6602. In step 6622, host 6602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE 6606.

[0166] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 6606 using OTT connection 6650 (where wireless connection 6670 forms the final segment). More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments can improve data rates, latency, and / or power consumption, thereby providing benefits such as reduced user wait times, relaxed file size limits, improved content resolution, better responsiveness, and / or extended battery life.

[0167] In the example scenario, host 6602 can collect and analyze plant status information. As another example, host 6602 can process audio and video data that may have been obtained from the UE for map creation. As another example, host 6602 can collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling traffic congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, host 6602 can store surveillance video uploaded by the UE. As another example, host 6602 can store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR, or AR, which host 6602 can broadcast, multicast, or unicast to the UE. As other examples, host 6602 can be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time-critical power loads to balance generation demand, location services, presentation services (e.g., editing maps based on data collected from remote devices), or any other function that collects, acquires, stores, analyzes, and / or transmits data.

[0168] In some examples, a measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rates, latency, and other factors improved thereon in one or more embodiments. Optional network functions may also be available for reconfiguring the OTT connection 6650 between host 6602 and UE 6606 in response to changes in measurement results. The measurement process and / or network functions for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in the software and hardware of host 6602 and / or UE 6606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with other devices through which the OTT connection 6650 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement process by providing values ​​of the monitored quantities as exemplified above or by providing values ​​of other physical quantities from which the software can calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 6650 may include message formats, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; reconfiguration does not require a direct change in the operation of network node 6604. Such processes and functions may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, the measurement may involve proprietary UE signaling, which facilitates host 6602's measurement of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. Measurements can be made because the software uses the OTT connection 6650 to send messages, especially empty or "dummy" messages, during its monitoring of propagation time, errors, etc.

[0169] While the computing devices described herein (e.g., UE, network node, host) may include combinations of the hardware components shown, other embodiments may include computing devices with different combinations of components. It will be understood that these computing devices may include any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. The determination, calculation, acquisition, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information, for example, by: converting acquired information into other information, comparing the acquired or converted information with information stored in a network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and making a determination as a result of said processing. Furthermore, although components are depicted as single boxes located within larger boxes or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a computing device may include multiple different physical components constituting a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between individual components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of a component may be partitioned between processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, while computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0170] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on memory, which may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functions may be provided by processing circuitry without requiring, for example, hard-wired execution of instructions stored on a separate or separate device-readable storage medium. In any of these particular embodiments, processing circuitry may be configured to perform the described functions regardless of whether instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by such functions are not limited to the processing circuitry or other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole and / or generally by the end user and wireless network.

[0171] It will be understood that computer systems are increasingly taking on various forms. In this specification and claims, the terms “controller,” “computer system,” or “computing system” are broadly defined to include any device or system or combination thereof comprising at least one physical and tangible processor and physical and tangible memory capable of having computer-executable instructions thereon that can be executed by the processor. By way of example and not limitation, as used herein, the terms “computer system” or “computing system” are intended to include personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, handheld devices (e.g., mobile phones, PDAs, pagers), microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, multiprocessor systems, network PCs, distributed computing systems, data centers, message processors, routers, switches, and even devices not typically considered computing systems, such as wearable devices (e.g., glasses).

[0172] A computing system also has multiple structures on it, commonly referred to as "executable components." For example, the memory of a computing system may include executable components. The term "executable component" is a name for a structure well-known to those skilled in the art of computing, which can be software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, when implemented in software, those skilled in the art will understand that the structure of an executable component can include software objects, routines, methods, etc., which can be executed by one or more processors on the computing system, whether such an executable component resides in the heap of the computing system or on a computer-readable storage medium. The structure of an executable component exists on a computer-readable medium in such a form that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, the executable component is operable to cause the computing system to perform one or more functions, such as the functions and methods described herein. Such a structure can be directly computer-readable by the processor, as if the executable component were binary. Alternatively, the structure can be constructed to be interpreted and / or compiled (whether in a single stage or in multiple stages) to generate such binary that can be directly interpreted by the processor.

[0173] The terms “component,” “service,” “engine,” “module,” “control,” “generator,” etc., may also be used in this specification. As used in this specification and in this context, these terms (whether or not expressed with modifying clauses) are intended to be synonymous with the term “executable component” and therefore have a structure familiar to those skilled in the art of computing.

[0174] In terms of computer implementation, a computer is generally understood to include one or more processors or one or more controllers, and the terms "computer," "processor," and "controller" are used interchangeably. When provided by a computer, processor, or controller, these functions can be provided by a single dedicated computer or processor or controller, by a single shared computer or processor or controller, or by multiple separate computers or processors or controllers, some of which may be shared or distributed. Furthermore, the terms "processor" or "controller" also refer to other hardware capable of performing such functions and / or executing software, such as the example hardware described above.

[0175] Generally, various exemplary embodiments may be implemented using hardware or dedicated chips, circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects may be implemented using hardware, while others may be implemented using firmware or software, which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device; however, this disclosure is not limited thereto. Although various aspects of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may be shown and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other graphical representation, it will be understood that, as non-limiting examples, these blocks, apparatuses, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuits or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0176] While not all computing systems require a user interface, in some embodiments, the computing system includes a user interface for transmitting information to / from a user. The user interface may include both output and input mechanisms. The principles described herein are not limited to precise output or input mechanisms, as this will depend on the nature of the device. However, output mechanisms may include, for example, speakers, displays, haptic outputs, projections, holograms, etc. Examples of input mechanisms may include, for example, microphones, touchscreens, projections, holograms, cameras, keyboards, styluses, mice or other pointer inputs, any type of sensor, etc.

[0177] Abbreviations and defined terms

[0178] To aid in understanding the scope and content of this written specification and the appended claims, a selection of terms are defined directly below. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0179] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” mean a quantity or condition that is close to a specified quantity or condition, which still performs the desired function or achieves the desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to a quantity or condition that deviates from a specified quantity or condition by less than 10%, or less than 5%, or less than 1%, or less than 0.1%, or less than 0.01%.

[0180] Various aspects of this disclosure, including devices, systems, and methods, may be illustrated with reference to one or more embodiments or implementations that are essentially exemplary. As used herein, the term "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or superior to other embodiments described herein. Furthermore, references to "implementation" of this disclosure or embodiments include specific references to one or more embodiments thereof, and are intended to provide illustrative examples without limiting the scope of this disclosure, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims rather than by this specification.

[0181] As used herein, words appearing in the singular form include their plural counterparts, and words appearing in the plural form include their singular counterparts, unless otherwise implied or explicit. Therefore, it will be noted that, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. For example, a reference to a singular indicator (e.g., “a small control”) includes one, two, or more indicators, unless otherwise implied or explicit. Similarly, a reference to multiple indicators should be interpreted as including a single indicator and / or multiple indicators, unless the content and / or context explicitly indicate otherwise. For example, a reference to a plural indicator (e.g., “multiple small controls”) does not necessarily require multiple such references. Rather, it will be understood that one or more indicators are contemplated herein, regardless of the inferred number of indicators, unless otherwise stated.

[0182] References to "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc., in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is believed that implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments (whether explicitly described or not) is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0183] It will be understood that although the terms “first” and “second” 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. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated terms listed.

[0184] It will also be understood that, as used herein, the terms “comprising,” “having,” “including” specify the presence of the declared features, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0185] in conclusion

[0186] This disclosure includes any novel features or combinations of features disclosed herein, whether explicit or generalized. Various modifications and alterations to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in light of the foregoing description. However, any and all modifications will still fall within the non-limiting and exemplary-executive scope of this disclosure.

[0187] It will be understood that, for any given component or embodiment described herein, any possible candidates or alternatives listed for that component may generally be used alone or in combination with each other, unless otherwise implied or explicit. Additionally, it will be understood that any list of such candidates or alternatives is illustrative only and not restrictive, unless otherwise implied or explicit.

[0188] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, numerical values ​​used in this specification and claims to represent quantities, components, distances, or other measurements will be understood to be modified by the term "approximately," as defined herein. Therefore, unless stated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in this specification and the appended claims are approximate values ​​that may vary depending on the desired characteristics sought to be obtained from the subject matter presented herein. At least, rather than attempting to limit the application of the equivalence principle to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should be interpreted at least according to the number of significant digits reported and by applying common rounding techniques. While the numerical ranges and parameters set forth in the broad scope of the subject matter presented herein are approximate values, the values ​​set forth in particular examples are reported as precisely as possible. However, any numerical value inherently contains certain errors, which are necessarily caused by the standard deviation found in their corresponding test measurements.

[0189] Any headings and subheadings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this specification or claims. The terminology and expressions used herein are descriptive rather than limiting, and the use of such terminology and expressions is not intended to exclude any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof; however, it will be appreciated that various modifications are possible within the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that although this disclosure has been partially embodied by means of specific embodiments and optional features, modifications and variations of the concepts disclosed herein can be adopted by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0190] It will also be understood that systems, devices, products, toolkits, methods, and / or processes according to specific embodiments of this disclosure may include, incorporate, or otherwise include features or characteristics (e.g., components, members, elements, parts, and / or portions) described in other embodiments disclosed and / or described herein. Therefore, various features of specific embodiments may be compatible with, combined with, and included in and / or incorporated into other embodiments of this disclosure. Consequently, the disclosure of specific features related to specific embodiments of this disclosure should not be construed as limiting the application or inclusion of said features to the specific embodiments. Rather, it will be understood that other embodiments may also include said features, members, elements, parts, and / or portions without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0191] Furthermore, unless a feature is described as requiring another feature in combination with it, any feature herein may be combined with any other feature of the same or different embodiments disclosed herein. Moreover, this document does not describe in particular detail the various well-known aspects of illustrative systems, methods, apparatuses, etc., in order to avoid obscuring aspects of the exemplary embodiments. However, such aspects are also contemplated herein.

[0192] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that methods, apparatuses, apparatus elements, materials, processes, and techniques beyond those specifically described herein can be applied to the practice of the embodiments broadly disclosed herein without requiring excessive experimentation. All prior art known functional equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, apparatus elements, materials, processes, and techniques specifically described herein are intended to be included in this disclosure.

[0193] When a group of materials, compositions, components, or compounds is disclosed herein, it will be understood that all individual members of that group and all its subgroups are disclosed separately. When the Markush group or other groupings are used herein, all individual members of that group, as well as all possible combinations and subcombinations of that group, are intended to be included separately in this disclosure.

[0194] The above embodiments are merely examples. Changes, modifications, and variations can be made to specific embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this specification as defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the operation of the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) performed by a network node, the method comprising: Receive NGAP removal requests from wireless access and backhaul WAB base stations.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: In response to the NGAP removal request, the NGAP connection is released.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: In response to the NGAP removal request, the option is to not release any NGAP connections.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The network node includes at least one of the following: Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF); Core Network (CN) node.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The NGAP removal request includes a reason information element (IE).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: Send at least one of the following: Reason IE; A request to the WAB base station to perform the NGAP removal procedure; Confirmation of the NGAP removal process to the WAB base station; NGAP failure message.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The stated reason for the IE involves at least one of the following: removal response; removal failure; successful handover; release due to reasons arising from the Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN); release due to reasons arising from the Generation 5 Core (5GC); handover cancellation; partial handover; The following handover failures may occur: handover target not permitted; cell unavailable; unknown target ID; no available radio resources in the target cell; unknown local UE NGAP identifier; inconsistent remote UE NGAP identifier; handover expected for radio reasons; time-critical handover; resource-optimized handover; reduced load in the serving cell; user inactivity; loss of radio connection with the UE; unavailable radio resources; invalid QoS combination. Radio interface process failed; interaction with other processes; Unknown Packet Data Unit (PDU) Session Identifier; Unknown QoS flow identifier; Multiple PDU session identifier instances; Multiple QoS flow identifier instances; Encryption and / or integrity protection algorithms are not supported; A switchover was triggered within the NG system; NG system handover triggered; Xn interface handover triggered; Unsupported 5G QoS identifier value; UE context transmission; fallback triggered; Unable to perform user plane UP integrity protection; Unable to perform UP confidentiality protection; (one or more) slices are not supported; UE in RRC_INACTIVE state is unreachable; Redirection; Resource unavailable for (one or more) slices; Data rate reasons for UE maximum integrity protection; Release due to mobility detected by the core network; N26 interface unavailable; Release due to preemption; Multiple location report reference identifier instances; Non-public network access denied; Closed Access Group (CAG) access denied; Insufficient UE capabilities; RedCap UE not supported; unknown multicast broadcast service MBS session identifier; indicated MBS session area information not provided by gNB; inconsistent slice information for the session; misaligned associations for multicast and unicast sessions or streams.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The NGAP removal request includes an instruction from a second AMF, and the method further includes sending one or more NGAP connection information to the second AMF.

9. A method for adjusting the operation of the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) performed by a core network node, the method comprising: Receive connection removal requests from RAN nodes with wireless backhaul.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: In response to the connection removal request, the NGAP connection is released.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: In response to the connection removal request, we choose not to release any NGAP connections.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein, The core network node includes at least one of the following: Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF); gNB; base station.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein, The connection removal request includes a reason information element (IE).

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, further comprising: Send at least one of the following: a cause information element; a request to the RAN node to perform the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) removal procedure; Confirmation of the NGAP removal process to the RAN node; NGAP failure message.

15. A method for adjusting Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) operation performed by a Radio Access and Backhaul (WAB) base station, the method comprising: Send a request to remove the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) to the First Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: Establish an NGAP connection with the second AMF.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The establishment of the NGAP connection occurs in at least one of the following situations: before the NGAP removal request; after the NGAP removal request; or simultaneously with the NGAP removal request.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein, The NGAP removal request is triggered at least in part based on at least one of the following: a mobility process; a change in the authorization state of a network node; packet loss measurement exceeding a specific threshold; latency jitter exceeding a predetermined threshold; or receiving a request from the first AMF to send the NGAP removal request to the WAB base station.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein, The NGAP removal request includes an instruction from the second AMF.

20. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 19, further comprising: Receive an acknowledgment response from the first AMF.

21. A method for adjusting Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) operation performed by a Radio Access and Backhaul (WAB) base station, the method comprising: Send an NGAP pause instruction to the First Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: Send an NGAP recovery instruction to the second AMF.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, The first AMF and the second AMF include the same AMF.

24. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein, Sending the NGAP pause instruction to the first AMF is based on receiving a request from the first AMF to pause the NGAP connection of the WAB base station.

25. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein, The NGAP pause indication includes an indication of the duration for which the NGAP connection is paused.

26. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 25, further comprising: Receive an acknowledgment response from the first AMF.

27. A mobile terminal for adjusting the operation of the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP), comprising: A processing circuit configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 26; as well as A power supply circuit is configured to provide power to the wireless device.

28. A network node for adjusting the operation of the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP), comprising: A processing circuit configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 26; as well as A power supply circuit is configured to provide power to the wireless device.

Images