Apparatus and methods for controlling scheduling

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlling scheduling in a communication system are disclosed. The method includes: determining (300) that a terminal device may skip one or more channel measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met; wherein the at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages relative to the start of the next scheduled channel measurement opportunity and includes information about resources for data transmission or reception; and transmitting (302) a message to the terminal device including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention generally relate to wireless communication systems. Embodiments of the present invention particularly relate to apparatus and methods in wireless communication networks. Background Technology

[0002] Wireless communication systems are constantly evolving. New services and applications are being developed. Some of these services and applications require minimal latency in their communication. Latency-critical services may include extended reality (XR), virtual reality, or other services where latency could severely impair the quality of the required service. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The following is a brief overview of the invention to provide a basic understanding of some aspects thereof. This overview is not a comprehensive summary of the invention. It is not intended to identify key / essential elements of the invention or to depict its scope. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus in a communication system is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory including instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: determine that a terminal device may skip one or more channel measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is satisfied; wherein the at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages relative to the start of the next scheduled channel measurement opportunity and includes information about resources for data transmission or reception; and transmit a message to the terminal device including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is satisfied.

[0005] According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus in a communication system is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory including instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: receive a message including configuration information from a network element to skip one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is satisfied, wherein the at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, the one or more control messages including information about resources for data transmission or reception related to the start of the next scheduled measurement opportunity.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method in an apparatus of a communication system is provided, comprising the steps of: determining that a terminal device may skip one or more channel measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met; wherein the at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages relative to the start of the next scheduled channel measurement opportunity and includes information about resources for data transmission or reception; and transmitting a message to the terminal device, the message including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met.

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, a method in an apparatus of a communication system is provided, comprising the steps of: receiving a message including configuration information from a network element to skip one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met, wherein the at least one given condition relates to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, the one or more control messages including information about resources for data transmission or reception relating to the start of the next scheduled measurement opportunity.

[0008] In one embodiment, an apparatus in a communication system is provided, the apparatus comprising: means for determining, upon satisfying at least one given condition, that a terminal device may skip one or more channel measurement opportunities; wherein the at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, the one or more control messages including information about resources for data transmission or reception related to the start of the next scheduled channel measurement opportunity; and means for transmitting, upon satisfying at least one given condition, a message including configuration information to the terminal device to skip one or more measurement opportunities.

[0009] In one embodiment, an apparatus in a communication system is provided, including components for receiving messages including configuration information from network elements to skip one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met, wherein the at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, the one or more control messages including information about resources for data transmission or reception related to the start of the next scheduled measurement opportunity.

[0010] One or more examples of embodiments are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings and the claims. Embodiments and / or examples and features (if any) described herein that do not fall within the scope of the independent claims are to be construed as examples useful for understanding various embodiments of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 and Figure 2 An example of a simplified system architecture for a communication system is shown; Figure 3A and 3B This is a flowchart illustrating some embodiments; Figure 4 An example of communication between the gNodeB and the terminal device is shown; Figure 5 This is a signaling diagram illustrating an embodiment; Figure 6 An example of communication between the gNodeB and the terminal device is shown; Figure 7A , 7B Figures 7C and 7C illustrate simplified examples of apparatuses to which some embodiments of the present invention are applied. Detailed Implementation

[0012] Figure 1 Devices 100 and 102 are shown. Devices 100 and 102 can be, for example, user equipment or user terminals. Devices 100 and 102 are configured to wirelessly connect to node 104 on one or more communication channels. Node 104 is also connected to core network 106. In one example, node 104 can be an access node serving devices in a cell, such as an (e / g)NodeB. In one example, node 104 can be a non-3GPP access node. The physical link from a device to the (e / g)NodeB is referred to as an uplink or reverse link, and the physical link from the (e / g)NodeB to the device is referred to as a downlink or forward link. It should be understood that the (e / g)NodeB or its functionality can be implemented using any entity suitable for this purpose, such as a node, host, server, or access point.

[0013] A communication system typically includes more than one (e / g)NodeB. In this case, the (e / g)NodeBs can also be configured to communicate with each other via wired or wireless links designed for this purpose. These links can be used for signaling purposes. An (e / g)NodeB is a computing device configured to control the radio resources of the communication system to which it is coupled. A NodeB can also be referred to as a base station, access point, or any other type of interface device, including relay stations capable of operating in a wireless environment. An (e / g)NodeB includes or is coupled to a transceiver. From the transceiver of the (e / g)NodeB, a connection is provided to antenna elements that establish a two-way radio link to the device. Antenna elements can include multiple antennas or antenna elements. The (e / g)NodeB is also connected to the core network 106 (CN or Next Generation Core (NGC)).

[0014] The device (also known as a subscriber unit, user equipment, user gear (UE), user terminal, terminal equipment, etc.) illustrates a type of apparatus to which resources on the air interface are allocated and assigned, and thus any features described herein with respect to the device can be implemented by a corresponding apparatus (such as a relay node). An example of such a relay node is a Layer 3 relay (self-backhaul relay) toward a base station.

[0015] Devices generally refer to devices that include wireless mobile communication devices (e.g., portable or non-portable computing devices) operating with or without a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), including but not limited to the following types of devices: mobile stations (mobile phones), smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices, devices using wireless modems (alarm or measuring devices, etc.), laptops and / or touchscreen computers, tablets, game consoles, laptops, and multimedia devices. It should be understood that a device can also be a virtually exclusive uplink-only device, an example of which is a camera or camcorder that loads images or video clips onto a network. Devices can also be devices capable of operating in an Internet of Things (IoT) network, a scenario in which objects are provided with the ability to transmit data over a network without human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction (e.g., for smart grids and connected vehicles). Devices can also utilize the cloud. In some applications, a device may include a user portable device with radio components (such as a watch, headset, or glasses), and computation is performed in the cloud. The device (or, in some embodiments, a Layer 3 relay node) is configured to perform one or more user equipment functions.

[0016] The various techniques described in this paper can also be applied to cyber-physical systems (CPS) (systems that control collaborative computing elements of physical entities). CPS can realize and utilize a large number of interconnected information and communication technology (ICT) devices (sensors, actuators, processors, microcontrollers, etc.) embedded in physical objects in different locations. Mobile cyber-physical systems, which are inherently mobile physical systems, are a subcategory of cyber-physical systems. Examples of mobile physical systems include mobile robots and electronic devices transported by humans or animals.

[0017] Furthermore, although the device has been described as a single entity, different units, processors, and / or memory units can be implemented. Figure 1 (Not all of them are shown in the image).

[0018] 5G, or NR (New Radio), enables the use of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas and a significantly larger number of base stations or nodes than LTE (the so-called small cell concept). This includes macro sites that operate in cooperation with smaller stations and employ various radio technologies depending on service requirements, use cases, and / or available spectrum. 5G mobile communications support a wide range of use cases and related applications, including video streaming, augmented reality, different data sharing methods, and various forms of machine-type applications (e.g., massive machine-type communications (mMTC), including vehicle safety, various sensors, and real-time control). 5G is expected to have multiple radio interfaces, such as below 6 GHz or above 24 GHz, cmWave, and mmWave, and can also integrate with existing legacy radio access technologies such as LTE. Integration with LTE can be implemented, at least initially, as systems where macro coverage is provided by LTE, and 5G radio interface access is obtained from small cells via aggregation to LTE. In other words, 5G is planned to support inter-RAT interoperability (such as LTE-5G) and inter-RI interoperability (inter-radio interface interoperability, such as below 6 GHz - cmWave, 6 or above 24 GHz - cmWave and mmWave). One concept being considered for use in 5G networks is network slicing, where multiple independent and dedicated virtual sub-networks (network instances) can be created within the same infrastructure to run services with different requirements for latency, reliability, throughput, and mobility.

[0019] The current architecture in LTE networks is entirely distributed across radios and entirely centralized in the core network. Low-latency applications and services in 5G require bringing content closer to the radio, leading to local offloading and multi-access edge computing (MEC). 5G enables analytics and knowledge generation to occur at the data source. This approach requires leveraging resources that may not be discontinuously connected to the network, such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and sensors. MEC provides a distributed computing environment for application and service hosting. It also has the ability to store and process content near cellular subscribers for faster response times. Edge computing encompasses a wide range of technologies, such as wireless sensor networks, mobile data acquisition, mobile signature analytics, collaborative distributed peer-to-peer self-organizing networking and processing, and can also be categorized as local cloud / fog computing and mesh / grid computing, dew computing, mobile edge computing, micro-cloud, distributed data storage and retrieval, autonomous self-healing networks, remote cloud services, augmented and virtual reality, data caching, the Internet of Things (IoT) (massive connectivity and / or latency critical), and critical communications (autonomous vehicles, traffic safety, real-time analytics, time-critical control, healthcare applications).

[0020] The communication system can also communicate with other networks 112 (such as the public switched telephone network, or VoIP network, or the Internet, or private network) or utilize the services provided by them. The communication network can also support the use of cloud services; for example, at least a portion of the core network operation can be performed as a cloud service (this is in...). Figure 1 (Described by “Cloud” 114). The communication system may also include a central control entity, which provides facilities for different operators’ networks to collaborate, for example, in spectrum sharing.

[0021] Edge cloud technologies can be brought into the radio access network (RAN) by leveraging Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Using edge cloud technologies means that access node operations are performed, at least partially, in servers, hosts, or nodes operatively coupled to a remote radio head or base station, including the radio portion. Node operations can also be distributed across multiple servers, nodes, or hosts. The application of a cloud RAN architecture enables the execution of real-time RAN functions at or near remote antenna sites (in the distributed unit DU 108) and the centralized execution of non-real-time functions (in the centralized unit CU 110).

[0022] It should also be understood that the division of labor between core network operations and base station operations may differ from that in LTE, or even not exist at all. Some other technological advancements that may be used include big data and all-IP, which could potentially change the way networks are built and managed. 5G (or New Radio, NR) networks are designed to support multiple hierarchical structures, where MEC servers can be placed between the core and base stations or NodeBs (gNBs). It should be understood that MEC can also be applied to 4G networks.

[0023] 5G can also leverage satellite communications to enhance or supplement 5G service coverage, for example, by providing backhaul. Possible use cases include providing service continuity for machine-to-machine (M2M) or Internet of Things (IoT) devices or for passengers on transportation, or ensuring the availability of critical communications and future rail / sea / air communications. Satellite communications can utilize geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite systems, but can also utilize low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems, particularly mega-constellations (systems deploying hundreds of (nanometer) satellites). Each satellite in a mega-constellation can cover a network entity of several supporting satellites that create a terrestrial cell. Terrestrial cells can be created via ground relay nodes or by gNodeBs located on the ground or in satellites.

[0024] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the depicted system is merely an example of a portion of a radio access system, and in practice, the system may include multiple (e / g)NodeBs, which may have access to multiple radio cells, and the system may also include other devices, such as physical layer relay nodes or other network elements. At least one of the (e / g)NodeBs may be a home (e / g)NodeB. Furthermore, multiple different types of radio cells and multiple radio cells may be provided within the geographical area of ​​the radio communication system. Radio cells may be macrocells (or umbrella cells), which are large cells typically having a diameter of tens of kilometers, or smaller cells such as microcells, femtocells, or picocells. Figure 1 The (e / g)NodeB can provide any type of these cells. Cellular radio systems can be implemented as multi-layer networks comprising several types of cells. Typically, in a multi-layer network, one access node provides one type of cell, thus requiring multiple (e / g)NodeBs to provide this network structure.

[0025] To meet the needs of improved communication system deployment and performance, the concept of "plug and play" (e / g) NodeB has been introduced. Typically, in addition to home (e / g) NodeBs (H(e / g) NodeBs), networks capable of using "plug and play" (e / g) NodeBs also include home NodeB gateways or HNB-GWs. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). HNB gateways (HNB-GWs), typically installed within a carrier's network, can aggregate traffic from a large number of HNBs back to the core network.

[0026] Figure 2 An example of a communication system based on 5G network components is illustrated. A user terminal or user equipment 100 communicates with a data network 112 via a 5G network 202. The user terminal 100 is connected to a radio access network (RAN) node, such as (e / g) NodeB 206, which provides connectivity to the network 112 to the user terminal via one or more user plane functions 208. The user terminal 100 is also connected to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 210, which is a control plane core connector for the (radio) access network and can be viewed from this perspective as a 5G version of the Mobility Management Entity (MME) in LTE. The 5G network also includes a Session Management Function (SMF) 212 and a Policy Control Function 214. The SMF 212 is responsible for subscriber sessions, such as session establishment, modification, and release, while the Policy Control Function 214 is configured to manage network behavior by providing policy rules to the control plane functions.

[0027] (e / g) NodeB 206 can serve terminal devices within its coverage area by utilizing beamforming technology, whereby it transmits signals to the terminal devices via one or more beams. The beams may have at least partially distinct coverage areas. In embodiments, the terminal device may receive signals via more than one beam. Typically, transmissions on each beam include a beam index. Therefore, the terminal device can know which beam it is receiving.

[0028] 6G networks are expected to employ flexible, decentralized, and / or distributed computing systems and architectures, along with ubiquitous computing, where local spectrum licensing, spectrum sharing, infrastructure sharing, and intelligent automated management are supported by mobile edge computing, artificial intelligence, short packet communication, and blockchain technologies. Key features of 6G will include intelligent connectivity management and control, programmability, integrated sensing and communication, reduced energy footprint, trusted infrastructure, scalability, and affordability. Furthermore, 6G addresses new use cases by integrating location and sensing capabilities into the system definition to unify the user experience across the physical and digital worlds.

[0029] Typically, advancements in wireless communication systems enable the creation of a wide range of new services for users. As mentioned above, some services and applications are time-critical because they require low latency from the communication. Examples of such services include extended reality (XR) services, which can further include virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) services. Latency or delay in these services can degrade the Quality of Service (QoS) below the required level.

[0030] On the other hand, communication networks need to know the channel conditions between terminal devices and transmission points (TPs), such as base stations or (e / g) NodeBs. Therefore, the system's terminal devices can be configured to perform channel measurements even when they are actively communicating with the TP. This is part of the communication network's Radio Resource Management (RRM). For example, in 5G, terminal devices are configured by the network to perform measurements during a given time window that defines a measurement opportunity or timing. Examples of such measurement opportunities are Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) Measurement Timing Configuration (SMTC) and Measurement Gaps (MG). Therefore, it is possible for a terminal device to perform a measurement due to a measurement timing, while simultaneously causing unacceptable latency when there is time-critical data to be received or transmitted. In many cases, this unacceptable latency may violate, for example, the Packet Delay Budget (PDB) constraints of XR services.

[0031] More precisely, taking 5G or NR as an example, according to the current NR specification, the network configures when the terminal device measures the Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) from the SSB (as an example) via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling using Measurement Timing Configuration (SMTC) for the SSB. The time resolution of SMTC is at the subframe level, corresponding to 1ms intervals. It can be noted that SMTC only configures when the terminal device (in the time domain) measures the RSRP; the specific timing of the measurement during those measurement opportunities and which antenna panel is used for this measurement are left to the terminal device implementation to determine.

[0032] The specification defines scheduling restrictions applicable to the terminal device during the time interval during which the terminal device can perform RSRP measurements according to the SMTC configuration. Specifically, for L1-RSRP on frequency range 2 and SSB, the specification states that "UE is not expected to transmit PUCCH / PUSCH / SRS or receive PDCCH / PDSCH / CSI-RS…". Here, PUCCH represents the Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUSCH represents the Physical Uplink Shared Channel, and SRS represents the Sounding Reference Signal. PDCCH represents the Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDSCH represents the Physical Downlink Shared Channel, and CSI-RS represents the Channel State Information Reference Signal.

[0033] A typical network configuration might use a 5ms SMTC window every 20ms, meaning that end devices cannot be scheduled 25% of the time, and their data transmission could be delayed by up to 5ms, which corresponds to half the time of the packet latency budget (PDB) for AR / VR services. This introduces severe scheduling constraints that can challenge the network's ability to effectively schedule and serve its XR users according to its QoS constraints, thus severely limiting XR capacity under such scheduling constraints.

[0034] Therefore, it is highly advantageous if channel measurements and corresponding scheduling constraints can be skipped, de-prioritized, or relaxed, or if activities unintended for the intended measurements can be prioritized, especially with minimal signaling load between the terminal device and the network. The term "skip" is used hereinafter, but any of the following terms or their equivalents may also be used, as those skilled in the art will recognize: postpone, ignore, bypass, cancel, de-prioritize, relax, loosen, advance, move in time. If channel measurements are skipped, reception and transmission take precedence over channel measurements, and the terminal device can then be considered available for scheduling (or not unavailable).

[0035] Figure 3AThe flowchart illustrates an embodiment. In the embodiment, the device can be a network element. For example, the device can be a base station or (e / g) NodeB, or a part of a base station or (e / g) NodeB. The device can also be implemented as a cloud function, i.e., divided into more than one physical entity.

[0036] In step 300, the device is configured to determine that the terminal device may skip one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met.

[0037] At least one given condition may be associated with the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages relative to the start of the measurement timing of the next schedule, and may include information about the resources used for data transmission or reception.

[0038] In step 302, the device is configured to transmit a message to a terminal device, the message including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met.

[0039] In one embodiment, the device is configured to transmit a message including configuration information during the establishment of a connection with a terminal device.

[0040] Figure 3B The flowchart illustrates an embodiment. In one embodiment, the device may be, for example, a terminal device or a user device, or a part of a terminal device or a user device.

[0041] In step 310, the device is configured to receive a message from a network element, the message including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met.

[0042] At least one given condition may be associated with the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages relative to the start of the measurement timing of the next schedule, and may include information about the resources used for data transmission or reception.

[0043] In one embodiment, at least one given condition may be associated with a first time interval between a control message, which includes information about resources used for data transmission or reception, and the start of the measurement timing for the next scheduling.

[0044] In one embodiment, at least one given condition may relate to the number of control messages within a second time interval prior to the start of the next scheduled measurement time.

[0045] Therefore, the proposed solution discloses a method for implicitly skipping scheduling constraints during scheduled measurement periods (e.g., MG or SMTC windows in 5G). The network can determine one or more skip conditions, and when at least one condition is met, the terminal device is configured to prioritize data transmission / reception (such as PDCCH / PDSCH decoding and PUCCH / PUSCH transmission) over channel measurements. Both the base station or (e / g) NodeB and the terminal device are aware of the conditions and when they are met.

[0046] In one embodiment, the network is responsible for determining and configuring whether a terminal device is configured to skip a measurement if at least one condition is met. Therefore, when the terminal device will act accordingly, if at least one condition is met, the base station or (e / g)NodeB connected to the terminal device can transmit a control message to the terminal device instructing it to skip the measurement. In this embodiment, the control message can be implemented using, for example, RRC signaling from the gNodeB to the terminal device.

[0047] In the following text, we assume that the communication system is 5G, NR, or 6G. However, as is well known to those skilled in the art, the embodiments can also be applied to other systems. Therefore, the measurement timing is represented as the MG / SMTC window. Furthermore, control information including resources for data transmission or reception is represented as downlink control information (DCI) transmitted by the base station or (e / g) NodeB.

[0048] In an embodiment, at least one condition is based on the time interval between the DCI message and the start of the next MG / SMTC window. The condition is satisfied if the time interval is less than a first time interval T1. The time interval T1 can be defined in milliseconds (ms), frames, slots, or symbols. While the first moment defining the time interval T1 can naturally be defined as the first slot (or subframe) of the MG / SMTC window (or more generally, the nth slot or subframe preceding the first slot or subframe of the MG / SMTC window), the second moment can be defined in a variety of ways, including (but not limited to): - The first or last symbol of the time slot in the transmission scheduling DCI; -Including the first or last symbol of the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission that schedules the DCI; - The first or last symbol (or slot) transmitted by the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the DCI.

[0049] Therefore, when the time between the reception (or transmission) of the scheduled DCI and the start of the next MG / SMTC window is less than T1, the scheduling restrictions in the next MG / SMTC window are skipped / relaxed. In one embodiment, the value of T1 can be selected considering the gNodeB and UE processing times at the gNodeB and terminal device, which are known on the gNodeB side. In another possible implementation, the value of T1 can be fixed in the specification.

[0050] Figure 4 This embodiment is illustrated. The figure shows an example of communication between the gNodeB and the terminal device. The terminal device has an MG / SMTC window 400, during which it is unavailable for data communication. The gNodeB transmits a DCI 402 to the terminal device, where the DCI includes information about resources used for data reception. In this example, the DCI occurs at a time T before the start of the MG / SMTC window 400. The gNodeB has specified a value T1. In this example case, T > T1. Therefore, the MG / SMTC window 400 is not skipped, and the terminal device can perform measurements during the MG / SMTC window 400 and is unavailable for data communication. The gNodeB can then transmit data 404 to the terminal device, which can then transmit an acknowledgment message 406 before the MG / SMTC window begins. Conversely, if T ≤ T1, the MG / SMTC window 400 is skipped, and the terminal device is available for data communication.

[0051] Figure 5 This is a signaling diagram illustrating an embodiment. The diagram shows an example of communication between gNodeB 500 and terminal device 502. The diagram also illustrates an example of an embodiment where a skipping of a measurement timing (MG / SMTC window) is caused by a scheduling DCI sent shortly before the next MG / SMTC window.

[0052] The network and the terminal device agree to skip configuration (504). The network can configure the skip behavior of the terminal device via RRC signaling by transmitting a control message containing configuration information.

[0053] In one embodiment, the configuration information includes parameters such as the maximum time between scheduling the DCI and the start of the next MG / SMTC window, the time to trigger skip behavior, and the maximum time to relax corresponding scheduling restrictions. An example of a parameter is a time interval T1. Additional parameters may include the number of consecutive MG / SMTC windows that can be skipped after scheduling the DCI.

[0054] In this example, the XR frame k is ready to be delivered to the terminal device (506). The network transmits DCI (508) indicating the resources for downlink transmission. Thus, the gNodeB has data to transmit to the terminal device. In this example, the DCI message 508 reaches the terminal device, such that the time interval T to the next MG / SMTC window is less than a given time interval T1, so T < T1. According to the configuration information transmitted by the gNodeB, the terminal device determines (510) that it will skip the next MG / SMTC window because T < T1, and makes PDCCH / PDSCH decoding take precedence over measurements in the next MG / SMTC window. Thus, it will be available for data scheduling (512), and the network can schedule downlink data transmission (514) without waiting for the end of the MG / SMTC window. The gNodeB knows the configuration parameters and the determination made by the terminal device. The terminal device can transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest HARQ acknowledgement (516).

[0055] In this example, in the next XR frame (528), the gNodeB transmits DCI (520) at such a moment T before the next measurement occasion that T > T1. Thus, the condition for skipping the measurement occasion is not satisfied. Accordingly, the scheduling restrictions and RRM measurements in the second MG / SMTC window (526) are not skipped compared to the previous frame. In this example, data transmission 522 and acknowledgement 524 can occur before the MG / SMTC window (526). The terminal device is not available for scheduling (528) during the MG / SMTC window.

[0056] In an embodiment, the skipping behavior of the proposed terminal device can be defined in a more general form as follows: If the terminal device receives at least N1 scheduling DCIs within T1 time units (e.g., symbols) before the start of an MG / SMTC window, both the terminal device and the gNodeB assume that the terminal device will prioritize PDCCH / PDSCH decoding or PUSCH / PUCCH transmission over performing measurements in that MG / SMTC window.

[0057] If the condition is not met, the terminal device will follow the standard procedure when entering the MG / SMTC window to prioritize RRM measurements over PDCCH decoding, PDSCH reception, and PUSCH / PUCCH / SRS transmission according to the current NR 3GPP specifications. Thus, the gNodeB will consider the UE unavailable for scheduling during the MG / SMTC window and postpone the transmission of uplink grants in the DCI on the PDCCH until after the MG / SMTC window.

[0058] The configuration information transmitted by the gNodeB can control the skipping behavior of the terminal device in various ways. Above, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the example embodiment shown, the time interval between the arrival of the DCI of the scheduled resource and the start of the MG / SMTC window indicates whether to skip the window.

[0059] In an additional embodiment, skipping may also be based on the number of scheduled DCIs received within a given time interval before the start of the MG / SMTC window, or the total size of transport blocks scheduled within a period before the start of the MG / SMTC window.

[0060] Configuration parameters can be included in the configuration information transmitted by the gNodeB. Configuration parameters may include, for example, the following: - The maximum time interval T1 between the scheduled DCI (or the corresponding scheduled transport) and the start of the next MG / SMTC window. - The minimum number N1 of DCI commands sent before the start of the next MG / SMTC window and the maximum time window T2 for counting DCI commands, and - The minimum total size of transport blocks scheduled during the period before the start of the next MG / SMTC window, B1, and the maximum time window T3 for counting the size of the transport blocks scheduled.

[0061] In an embodiment, the decision to skip the next measurement opportunity can be based on the number of DCIs (RRC parameter N1) received within the time window (RRC parameter T2) prior to the start of the next measurement opportunity. It can be noted that, in conjunction with... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The example embodiment described is a special case of this general embodiment, where N1=1 and T2=T1.

[0062] In an embodiment, the decision to skip the next measurement opportunity can be based on the sum of the transport block sizes (RRC parameter B1) already scheduled within the time window (RRC parameter T3) before the start of the next measurement opportunity.

[0063] In the embodiments, the proposed parameters N1, B1, T2, and T3 introduce additional flexibility in the skipping behavior. For example, N1 can be interpreted as the minimum number of scheduled DCIs to be received within time window T2 in order to trigger skipping of the next MG / SMTC window. In this way, if data transmission is minimal (i.e., the scheduling rate is less than...),... If the RRM measurement is not skipped, then B1 can be interpreted as the minimum number of bits scheduled in the past time window T3 in order to trigger a skip of the next MG / SMTC window.

[0064] In an embodiment, the gNodeB may include only parameters N1, B1, and T1 in the configuration information. Thus, neither parameter T2 nor T3 is specified or signaled (i.e., T1 = T2 = T3). An example of such an implementation is shown in Figure 6 where N1 = 2 and T2 = T1 = 7.5 ms.

[0065] Figure 6 An embodiment is shown. The figure shows an example of communication between a gNodeB and a terminal device. The terminal device has a MG / SMTC window 600 during which it is scheduled to be unavailable for data communication. The gNodeB transmits two DCIs 600, 602 to the terminal device, where the DCI includes information about resources for data reception.

[0066] In this example, two DCIs are received within a time window T < T2 before the next MG / SMTC window 600. Thus, according to the configuration information received from the gNodeB, the terminal device prioritizes PDCCH / PDSCH decoding over RRM measurement in the next MG / SMTC window, and the network relaxes the corresponding scheduling restrictions. That is, the terminal device is always available for scheduling in the next MG / SMTC window 600.

[0067] In an embodiment, the proposed scheme is equally applicable to cases where the first downlink data transmission is a dynamically scheduled downlink transmission (such as a PDSCH transmission scheduled by a DCI command transmitted on a PDCCH) or a PDSCH transmission based on downlink semi-persistent scheduling (SPS). Specifically, when the pre-allocated SPS resources conflict with the scheduling restrictions caused by the MG / SMTC window in time, the terminal device may prioritize PDSCH decoding over RRM measurement.

[0068] In an embodiment, the maximum time T1 for triggering the skip condition may be measured between the first symbol of the first time slot of the SPS allocation and the start of the MG / SMTC window.

[0069] In an embodiment, the proposed scheme may also be applied to scheduled and / or semi-persistent uplink transmissions, such as uplink configured grant transmissions.

[0070] Figure 7A 、 7BFigures 7C illustrate embodiments. The accompanying drawings show simplified examples of a device to which embodiments of the invention are applied. It should be understood that the device is described herein as an example illustrating some embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the device may also include other functions and / or structures, and not all of the described functions and structures are necessary. Although the device has been depicted as a single entity, different modules and memories may be implemented in one or more physical or logical entities.

[0071] Figure 7A An example of a device that may be a terminal device or part of a terminal device is shown.

[0072] The example device includes a control circuit (CNTL) 700 configured to control at least a portion of the operation of the device.

[0073] The device may include a memory (MEM) 702 for storing data. Furthermore, the memory may store software (PROG) 704 that can be executed by the control circuitry 700. The memory may be integrated into the control circuitry.

[0074] The device may include one or more interface circuits 706, 708. The interface circuits are operatively connected to control circuitry 700. Interface circuit (RF) 706 may be a set of transceivers configured to wirelessly communicate with a terminal device or user equipment of a wireless communication network. The interface circuits may be connected to an antenna arrangement (not shown). The device may also include a connection to a transmitter instead of a transceiver. The device may also include a user interface (UI) 708.

[0075] In an embodiment, the software 704 may include a computer program that includes program code components adapted to cause the control circuitry 700 of the device to implement at least some of the above embodiments.

[0076] Figure 7B Examples of devices that may be base stations, (e / g)NodeBs, or part of a base station or (e / g)NodeB are shown.

[0077] The example device includes a control circuit (CNTL) 710 configured to control at least a portion of the operation of the device.

[0078] The device may include a memory (MEM) 712 for storing data. Furthermore, the memory may store software (PROG) 714 that can be executed by the control circuitry 710. The memory may be integrated into the control circuitry.

[0079] The device may include one or more interface circuits 716, 718. The interface circuits are operatively connected to control circuitry 710. Interface circuit (RF) 716 may be a set of transceivers configured to wirelessly communicate with terminal equipment or user equipment in a wireless communication network. The interface circuit may be connected to an antenna arrangement (not shown). The device may also include connections to transmitters instead of transceivers. The device may also include an interface (IF) 718 configured to communicate with other network elements, such as a core network or other corresponding devices, such as a user interface.

[0080] In an embodiment, the software 714 may include a computer program that includes program code components adapted to cause the control circuitry 710 of the device to implement at least some of the embodiments described above.

[0081] In an embodiment, such as Figure 7C As shown, Figure 7B At least some functions of the device can be shared between two physically separate devices, thereby forming an operational entity. Therefore, the device can be seen as an operational entity comprising one or more physically separate devices for performing at least some of the processes described. Thus, utilizing this shared architecture... Figure 7C The apparatus may include a remote control unit (RCU) 720, such as a host computer or server computer, operatively coupled (e.g., via a wireless or wired network) to a remote distributed unit (RDU) 722 located in an (e / g) NodeB. In embodiments, at least some of the described processes may be performed by the RCU 720. In one embodiment, the execution of at least some of the processes may be shared between the RDU 722 and the RCU 720.

[0082] In an embodiment, the RCU 720 can generate a virtual network through which it communicates with the RDU 722. Typically, virtual networking can involve the process of combining hardware and software network resources and functions into a single software-based management entity (virtual network). Network virtualization can involve platform virtualization, often combined with resource virtualization. Network virtualization can be categorized into external virtual networking, which combines many networks or portions of networks into a server computer or host computer (e.g., RCU). The goal of external network virtualization is optimized network sharing. Another type is internal virtual networking, which provides network-like functionality to software containers on a single system. Virtual networking can also be used to test terminal devices.

[0083] In one embodiment, the virtual network can provide flexible operational distribution between the RDU and RCU. In fact, any digital signal processing task can be performed in either the RDU or RCU, and the boundaries of responsibility transferred between the RDU and RCU can be selected depending on the implementation.

[0084] In an embodiment, such as Figure 7C As shown, Figure 7B At least some of the functions of the device can be shared between two physically separate devices, thereby forming an operational entity.

[0085] The baseband portion of the device may be located in the baseband unit 720, and the radio unit may be located in the remote radio head end RRH 722, which may be located near the antenna used by the device in transmission.

[0086] The steps and related functions described above and in the accompanying figures do not have an absolute temporal order, and some steps may be performed simultaneously or in a different order than given. Other functions may also be performed between or within steps. Some steps may also be omitted or replaced with corresponding steps.

[0087] The device or controller capable of performing the above steps can be implemented as an electronic digital computer, processing system, or circuit, which may include working memory (random access memory, RAM), a central processing unit (CPU), and a system clock. The CPU may include a set of registers, an arithmetic logic unit, and a controller. The processing system, controller, or circuit is controlled by a sequence of program instructions transferred from RAM to the CPU. The controller may contain multiple microinstructions for basic operations. The implementation of the microinstructions may vary depending on the CPU design. The program instructions may be encoded in a programming language, which may be a high-level programming language (such as C, Java, etc.) or a low-level programming language (such as machine language or an assembler). The electronic digital computer may also have an operating system that provides system services to the computer program written with the program instructions.

[0088] As used in this application, the term "circuit" means all of the following: (a) a hardware circuit implementation, such as an implementation in analog and / or digital circuits only; and (b) a combination of circuits and software (and / or firmware), such as (if applicable): (i) a combination of (one or more) processors or (ii) a portion of (one or more) processors / software, including (one or more) digital signal processors, software and (one or more) memory, which work together to enable a device to perform various functions; and (c) circuits, such as (one or more) microprocessors or portions of (one or more) microprocessors, which require software or firmware to operate, even if the software or firmware does not exist physically.

[0089] This definition of "circuit" applies to all uses of the term in this application. As another example, as used in this application, the term "circuit" will also cover only the implementation of a processor (or processors) or a portion thereof and its accompanying software and / or firmware. For example, and if applicable to a particular element, the term "circuit" will also cover baseband integrated circuits or application processor integrated circuits for mobile phones or similar integrated circuits in servers, cellular network devices, or other network devices.

[0090] An embodiment provides a computer program embodied on a distribution medium, including program instructions that, when loaded into an electronic device, are configured to control the device to perform the embodiments described above.

[0091] Computer programs can be in the form of source code, object code, or some intermediate form, and they can be stored on some kind of carrier, which can be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such carriers include, for example, recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, and software distribution packages. Depending on the required processing power, computer programs can be executed on a single electronic digital computer or distributed across several computers.

[0092] The device can also be implemented as one or more integrated circuits, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Other hardware embodiments are also possible, such as circuits constructed from separate logic components. A mixture of these different implementations is also possible. When choosing an implementation method, those skilled in the art will consider requirements such as device size and power consumption, necessary processing power, production costs, and production volume.

[0093] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways as technology advances. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above, but can be varied within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising: A processor; and a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to: Determine whether a terminal device can skip one or more channel measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met; The at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, which are the start of the next scheduled channel measurement and include information about resources used for data transmission or reception. A message is transmitted to the terminal device, the message including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the processor, to further enable the apparatus to: Transmit control information messages, including resources for data transmission or reception, to the terminal device; It is determined that the terminal device will skip one or more measurement opportunities used to perform the data transmission or reception; The resources are used to receive data from or transmit data to the terminal device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the processor, to further enable the apparatus to: The terminal device may skip one or more channel measurement opportunities based on the quality of service associated with the data transmission to or from the terminal device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the processor, to further enable the apparatus to: The message, which includes configuration information, is transmitted during the connection establishment with the terminal device.

5. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising: A processor; and a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to: Receive messages from network elements, the messages including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met. The at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, which are the start of a measurement time relative to the next schedule and include information about resources used for data transmission or reception.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured, together with the processor, to further enable the apparatus to: Receive from the network element a control information message including resources for data transmission or reception; Determine whether the at least one given condition is met; Based on the determination, one or more measurement opportunities for performing the data transmission or reception are skipped; Utilize the resources to receive data from or transmit data to the network element.

7. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the condition of the at least one condition is that the time interval between the control message including resources for data transmission or reception and the start of the next scheduled measurement timing is less than a first time interval T1.

8. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the condition of the at least one condition is that the number of control messages including resources for data transmission or reception within a second time interval T2 prior to the measurement timing of the next scheduling is greater than a first threshold N1.

9. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the condition of the at least one condition is that the sum of the transport block sizes scheduled in the control message, which includes resources for data transmission or reception, within a third time interval T3 prior to the start of the next scheduled measurement timing is greater than a second threshold B1.

10. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the configuration information includes a first timer interval, a second timer interval, and a third timer interval, as well as the first threshold and the second threshold.

11. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first timer interval, the second timer interval, and the third timer interval, as well as the first threshold and the second threshold, are system parameters.

12. A method in an apparatus of a communication system, comprising the following steps: Determine whether a terminal device can skip one or more channel measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met; The at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, which are the start of the next scheduled channel measurement and include information about resources used for data transmission or reception. A message is transmitted to the terminal device, the message including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: Transmit control information messages, including resources for data transmission or reception, to the terminal device; It is determined that the terminal device will skip one or more measurement opportunities used to perform the data transmission or reception; The resources are used to receive data from or transmit data to the terminal device.

14. A method in an apparatus of a communication system, comprising the following steps: Receive messages from network elements, the messages including configuration information for skipping one or more measurement opportunities if at least one given condition is met. The at least one given condition is related to the timing, number, or content of one or more control messages, which are the start of a measurement time relative to the next schedule and include information about resources used for data transmission or reception.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: Receive from the network element a control information message including resources for data transmission or reception; Determine whether the at least one given condition is met; Based on the determination, one or more measurement opportunities for performing the data transmission or reception are skipped; Utilize the resources to receive data from or transmit data to the network element.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein one of the at least one conditions is that the time interval between the control message including the resource for data transmission or reception and the start of the next scheduled measurement timing is less than a first time interval T1.

17. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the condition of the at least one condition is that the number of control messages including resources for data transmission or reception within a second time interval T2 prior to the measurement timing of the next scheduling is greater than a first threshold N1.

18. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the condition of the at least one of the conditions is that the sum of the transport block sizes scheduled in the control message, which includes resources for data transmission or reception, within a third time interval T3 prior to the start of the next scheduled measurement timing is greater than a second threshold B1.

19. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein the configuration information includes a first timer interval, a second timer interval, and a third timer interval, as well as the first threshold and the second threshold.

20. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of claims 12 to 19.

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