Radio device and method in a wireless communication network

Abstract

A method performed by a radio device for controlling hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) data transmissions in a wireless communication network is provided. The radio device determines (501) a status of a first HARQ data transmission. The radio device selects (502) either a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data. The radio device retransmits (504) the data as a second HARQ data transmission in accordance with the selected retransmission scheme.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a wireless device and a method performed thereon for controlling hybrid automatic repeat request (HAR) data transmission in a wireless communication network. Background Technology

[0002] Subscriber nodes, Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem nodes, event subscriber nodes, and methods in communication networks

[0003] In a typical wireless communication network, wireless devices (also referred to as wireless communication devices, mobile stations, stations (STAs), and / or user equipment (UEs)) communicate via a wide area network (WAN) or local area network (such as a Wi-Fi network) or a cellular network comprising a radio access network (RAN) portion and a core network (CN) portion. RAN coverage is divided into geographical areas of service or cell areas (which may also be referred to as beams or beam groups), each of which is served by a radio network node, such as a radio access node (e.g., a Wi-Fi access point, base station (BS), or radio base station (RBS)). In some networks, this radio network node may also be referred to as, for example, a base station (BS), NodeB, eNodeB (eNB), or, as in fifth-generation (5G) communication, gNodeB (gNB). A service area or cell area is a geographical area in which radio coverage is provided by a radio network node. Radio network nodes communicate with wireless devices within their range via an air interface operating on radio frequencies.

[0004] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a standards body that specifies standards for the evolution of cellular systems, including 3G, 4G, 5G, and future evolutions. Specifications for Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Packet System (EPS) have been completed within 3GPP. In 4G, also known as fourth-generation (4G) networks, EPS is the core network, and E-UTRA is the radio access network. In 5G networks, 5GC is the core network, and NR is the radio access network. As part of ongoing network evolution, newer versions of 3GPP specify the 5G network (also known as 5G New Radio (NR)) and the 5G core network (5GC).

[0005] The frequency bands used for 5G NR are divided into two distinct frequency ranges: Frequency Range 1 (FR1) and Frequency Range 2 (FR2). FR1 includes bands below 6 GHz. Some of these bands are traditionally used by legacy standards but have been expanded to cover potential new spectrum offerings from 410 MHz to 7125 MHz. FR2 includes bands from 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz. This millimeter-wave range has a shorter range than the bands within FR1 but offers greater available bandwidth.

[0006] Multi-antenna technology can significantly increase the data rate and reliability of wireless communication systems. For wireless connections between a single user (such as a UE) and a base station (BS), performance is particularly improved if both the transmitter and receiver are equipped with multiple antennas (resulting in a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication channel). This can be referred to as single-user (SU) MIMO. In scenarios where MIMO technology is used for wireless connections between multiple users and a base station, MIMO further improves cell capacity by spatially separating users, allowing them to communicate with the base station simultaneously using the same time-frequency resources. This can be referred to as multi-user (MU) MIMO. Note that MU-MIMO can benefit when each UE has only one antenna. Cell capacity can increase linearly with the number of antennas on the BS side. Therefore, more and more antennas are used in the BS. This system and / or related technology are often referred to as massive MIMO.

[0007] This article uses Figure 1 This document describes the 5G user plane architecture and protocols. The UE (User Unit) establishes an over-the-air connection with the RAN gNB via the Uu protocol. The gNB can be separated into Distributed Units (DUs) and Centralized Units (CUs) connected via the F1 interface. The gNB connects to the CN, which includes User Plane Functions (UPF). Typically, Internet Protocol (IP) data is transmitted via UE-gNB-UPF. The RAN protocol stack between the UE and gNB includes the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), which handles the mapping of Quality of Service (QoS) streams established by the UPF to Data Radio Bearers (DRBs) established by the gNB. The Protocol Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) is responsible for encryption and / or integrity protection, as well as handover forwarding and retransmission. For handover between gNBs, the Xn interface is used. Radio Link Control (RLC) is responsible for segmenting higher-layer PDCP / IP data into Transport Blocks (TBs) suitable for use in lower-layer over-the-air transmission. Furthermore, retransmission is based on Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) in RLC's acknowledgement mode. The Media Access Protocol (MAC) supports the scheduling of over-the-air transmissions and includes the Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) protocol. The physical layer (PHY) handles things like modulation and coding, as well as the actual physical transmission.

[0008] HARQ background

[0009] In 3GPP radio access networks (e.g., 5G NR), the HARQ protocol facilitates data retransmission in the event of transmission errors in the air.

[0010] For downlink (DL) HARQ, data transmission is assigned by a downlink control indicator (DCI) carried on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and data is transmitted on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). Applying different encodings to these channels results in different error rates. As uplink (UL) control information (UCI), HARQ feedback (i.e., the UE's positive acknowledgment (ACK) or negative acknowledgment (NACK) for data reception) is transmitted on either the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), which is multiplexed with other uplink data, because simultaneously transmitting PUCCH and PUSCH presents challenges for radio frequency (RF) implementation. Different encodings for these channels can lead to different error rates, with transmissions on PUCCH generally being more robust. However, it is worth noting that transmissions on PUSCH employ the UL HARQ protocol, meaning they are also subject to retransmissions to correct any decoding errors. Furthermore, the code rate of the UCI on PUSCH can be adjusted by changing the amount of resources used for the UCI.

[0011] PUCCH

[0012] In addition to HARQ feedback, PUCCH can also carry scheduling requests and / or CSI reports. The amount of resources used for PUCCH can vary due to carrier aggregation scheduling, the use of code block groups (CBGs) and / or MIMO layers, the number of UCI bits, and therefore the amount of resources available for PUCCH. Different PUCCH formats (PFs) are specified for optimization for different PUCCH payload sizes, as summarized in the table below.

[0013]

[0014] The difference between PUCCH format 4 and PUCCH format 3 is that PUCCH format 4 uses an orthogonal cover code (OCC) and applies it to the frequency range (FR) 2-2.

[0015] To minimize UCI bits, a dynamic HARQ codebook is used by default, meaning HARQ feedback resources are allocated only to actual DL transmissions. If carrier aggregation and CBG transmissions are used, the HARQ codebook size can become very large. If PUCCH resources are insufficient for simultaneous HARQ feedback and CSI transmissions, CSI is discarded.

[0016] UCI on PUSCH

[0017] When transmitting UCI on the PUSCH, up to two HARQ feedback bits are always truncated. If more HARQ feedback bits are transmitted on the PUSCH, rate matching is used for UL data.

[0018] HARQ Error Cases

[0019] Because the UE may miss a DCI / PDCCH carrying a DL scheduling assignment, it may miscalculate the HARQ codebook size. To address this, a Downlink Assignment Index (DAI) counter is used in the DCI. The DAI field in the DCI indicates the amount of resources reserved for DL ​​HARQ feedback. Therefore, the amount of resources available for DL ​​HARQ feedback (such as the expected count of HARQ feedback bits) is known regardless of whether the device has missed any previous scheduling assignments. The UE sets the bit position corresponding to the missed DCI (such as a lost DAI) to "NACK". However, ambiguity remains because the gNB cannot distinguish whether the UE missed a DCI or the corresponding transport block, and using DAI introduces carrier aggregation scheduling complexity beyond the use of code block groups (CBGs) and MIMO layers, as these resources need to be coordinated across carriers.

[0020] The use of counter DAI (cDAI) and total DAI (tDAI) in DL DCI is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, this allows the UE to detect missed DCIs and determine the HARQ codebook size for UCI transmissions to the network. It should be noted that this is for simplicity only. Figure 2 The HARQ IDs used in the examples are used on different carriers. Each carrier has its own set of HARQ procedures, so the same HARQ ID can be used as on another carrier. The gray DAI pairs in the first row represent the actual cDAI / tDAI, while the black DAI pairs assume that only 2 bits are used for DAI transmission, and the cDAI / tDAI to be provided in the DCI is the actual cDAI / tDAI mod 4.

[0021] The DCI also informs the UE of the time offset between DCI reception and HARQ feedback transmission.

[0022] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the HARQ feedback provided in the UCI. The UE provides a HARQ-FB as a bitmap. Based on the DAI, the UE calculates the size of the HARQ-FB bitmap and the corresponding bitmap positions for HARQ ACK / NACK. For a missed DCI, the UE sets NACK. Therefore, the network cannot distinguish whether the UE has missed a DCI or is unable to decode a transport block.

[0023] Furthermore, if the gNB does not receive any HARQ feedback / UCI on the PUCCH or PUSCH, it is unclear whether the UE has missed the scheduled DCI or whether the UE sent HARQ feedback that the gNB did not detect. Another way to resolve this ambiguity is through a one-time HARQ feedback request, introduced in the context of NR-U. This allows the gNB to request the UE to send HARQ feedback for all HARQ procedures. Other common failures of the downlink HARQ protocol are PUCCH transmission errors causing sent HARQ feedback to be overturned, such as from NACK to ACK (i.e., a false positive) or from ACK to NACK (i.e., a false negative). False negatives lead to unnecessary retransmissions and thus inefficient resource utilization, while false positives can be resolved using the Acknowledgment Mode (AM) of the Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol.

[0024] HARQ timing

[0025] The time slot timing (denoted as K1) between DL data transmission and HARQ feedback is determined based on the K1 field in the DCI. K1=0 means that HARQ-FB is provided in the same time slot, K1=1 means that HARQ-FB is provided in the next time slot, and so on.

[0026] For NR-U, a non-numerical K1 value can be used, indicating that the network has not yet decided when the UE should send a HARQ-FB for a given HARQ procedure. Instead, the network can request a "one-time" HARQ feedback for all (active / inactive) HARQ procedures at a later point in time. When the UE receives such a HARQ-FB request, it sets the HARQ-FB bit to ACK for successfully decoded transport blocks and to NACK for all other transport blocks. The ACK is only refreshed when the UE receives a New Data Indicator (NDI) for the handover of that HARQ procedure. As in the traditional approach, NACK can indicate to the network that the UE missed a DCI or that decoding of the corresponding TB failed.

[0027] Radio link control

[0028] In Acknowledgment Mode (AM), the Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol residing on the HARQ protocol can detect and correct residual HARQ errors. Therefore, the RLC maintains its own state regarding which data packets have been successfully received. This is based on RLC status reports from the receiver. Counters and timers are used to poll, trigger, and retransmit RLC status reports and RLC data as needed until successful reception is ensured. RLC status reports are treated as data in the HARQ protocol, meaning they will undergo HARQ retransmission in the event of unsuccessful reception. The disadvantage of RLC retransmission is increased latency. Summary of the Invention

[0029] The purpose of the embodiments described herein is to improve the performance of wireless communication networks. The embodiments described herein can be understood as aiming to provide an efficient mechanism for retransmitting data using a selected scheme. This may be implemented to implement a mechanism for controlling hybrid automatic repeat request data transmission.

[0030] According to a first aspect of the embodiments herein, the objective is achieved by a method performed by a radio device for controlling Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) data transmission in a wireless communication network.

[0031] The radio equipment determines the status of the first HARQ data transmission.

[0032] The radio equipment selects either the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data.

[0033] The wireless equipment retransmits data according to the selected retransmission scheme as a second HARQ data transmission.

[0034] According to a first aspect of the embodiments herein, this objective is achieved by a wireless device configured to control hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) data transmission in a wireless communication network.

[0035] The radio equipment is configured to determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission.

[0036] The radio equipment is configured to select either a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data.

[0037] The radio equipment is configured to retransmit data according to the selected retransmission scheme as a second HARQ data transmission.

[0038] The embodiments described herein are designed for handling HARQ data transmission. After determining the state of HARQ data transmission, the radio device selects a scheme for retransmitting the data and retransmits the data according to the selected scheme.

[0039] The embodiments described herein offer the following advantages: an efficient mechanism for controlling HARQ data transmission, faster RLC status report round-trip time, and overall improved system spectral efficiency and latency for end users. This is achieved by selecting a scheme for retransmitting data and using the retransmitted data as a second HARQ transmission, resulting in improved wireless communication network performance. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Examples of embodiments described herein are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a 5G user plane architecture based on existing technology.

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example based on existing technology.

[0043] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example based on existing technology.

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a wireless communication network.

[0045] Figure 5 This is a flowchart depicting an embodiment of a method in a wireless device.

[0046] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating a non-limiting example of a wireless device according to embodiments of this document.

[0047] Figure 7 An example of a communication system QQ100 according to some embodiments is shown.

[0048] Figure 8 A UE QQ200 according to some embodiments is shown.

[0049] Figure 9 A network node QQ300 according to some embodiments is shown.

[0050] Figure 10 This is a block diagram of the QQ400 host based on the various aspects described in this article. The QQ400 host can be... Figure 9 An example of the host QQ116.

[0051] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment QQ500 capable of virtualizing functionality implemented by some embodiments.

[0052] Figure 12A communication diagram is shown of a host QQ602 communicating with a UE QQ606 via a network node QQ604 through a partial wireless connection, according to some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0053] As part of the development of this article, the inventors recognized a problem, which will be discussed first.

[0054] A common problem with RLC retransmission is its significant latency, because RLC retransmission is based on RLC timers, which are configured with delays to allow a certain number (e.g., more spectrally efficient) HARQ retransmissions before triggering the RLC retransmission.

[0055] Additionally, when receiving control information such as a MAC CE or RLC status report, retransmitting it may be irrelevant.

[0056] The purpose of the embodiments described herein is to improve the performance of wireless communication networks by providing more efficient HARQ transmission.

[0057] According to embodiments of this document, a method is provided for controlling retransmission based on reliable HARQ feedback received on the uplink PUSCH, such as downlink HARQ feedback. Whether retransmission is performed using unmodified L1 HARQ retransmission or modified L2 retransmission may depend on the content of the original HARQ transmission. Details for handling, for example, RLC status reports and certain MAC CEs included in the HARQ transmission are described below.

[0058] According to the embodiments described herein, if a retransmission triggered by reliable HARQ feedback constitutes an RLC status report or MACCE, the retransmission can update its content. For example, the RLC status report can be regenerated based on the retransmission time, i.e., the content and the time since the original transmission determine whether it triggers an unmodified HARQ L1 retransmission or an L2 retransmission in which the content is modified (such as an update).

[0059] Examples of embodiments described herein may provide advantages such as: avoiding redundant retransmissions, faster RLC status report round-trip time, and overall improved system spectral efficiency and latency for end users.

[0060] Figure 4This is a schematic overview depicting a wireless communication network 100 in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented. The wireless communication network 100 includes one or more RANs and one or more CNs. The wireless communication network 100 may use 5G NR, but may also use many other different technologies such as 6G, Wi-Fi (LTE), Advanced LTE, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications / Enhanced Data Rate GSM Evolution (GSM / EDGE), or Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), to name just a few possible implementations.

[0061] Network nodes (such as radio equipment 110) operate in wireless communication network 100. Each network node provides, for example, multiple cells and can use these cells to communicate with other network nodes. Each network node can be a transmitting and receiving point, such as a radio access network node (e.g., a base station, radio base station, NodeB, evolved Node B (eNB, eNodeB, eNodeB), NR / g Node B (gNB)), base transceiver station, radio remote unit, access point base station, base station router, transmission arrangement of radio base station, stand-alone access point, wireless local area network (WLAN) access point, access point station (AP STA), access controller, UE that acts as an access point or peer in device-to-device (D2D) communication, or any other network element capable of communicating with UEs served by the network node depending on the radio access technology and terminology used.

[0062] A UE (such as radio device 121) operates in a wireless communication network 100. Radio device 121 may be, for example, a UE, a wireless device, an NR device, a mobile station, a wireless terminal, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, an enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC) device, an NR RedCap device, a CAT-M device, a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) device, a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) device, a vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) device, a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) device, a vehicle-to-network (V2N) device, a Wi-Fi device, an LTE device, a non-access point (non-AP) STA, and a STA that communicates with one or more core networks (CN) or IMS networks 105 via a base station and one or more access networks (AN) (e.g., RAN). Those skilled in the art will understand that the term UE is a non-limiting term that refers to any UE, terminal, wireless communication terminal, user equipment, (D2D) terminal, or node (e.g., a smartphone, laptop computer, mobile phone, sensor, relay, mobile tablet computer, or even a small base station communicating within a cell).

[0063] In one respect, the method described herein can be implemented by radio devices 110 and 121. As an alternative, distributed nodes (DNs) and functions (e.g., including those included in...) Figure 4 The cloud 190 shown can be used to perform or partially perform the methods of the embodiments herein.

[0064] Cloud 190 may include cloud network infrastructure. Cloud network infrastructure may be a collection of hardware and software elements, such as computing power, networking, storage, and virtualization resources required to implement cloud computing in a wireless communication network (e.g., a communication network).

[0065] Several embodiments will now be described, some of which may be considered alternatives, while others may be used in combination.

[0066] Now we will combine Figure 5 The method according to the embodiment is described from the perspective of radio devices 110 and 121. Figure 5 Example embodiments of a method for controlling HARQ data transmission in a wireless communication network 100, performed by radio devices 110, 121, etc., are depicted. Radio devices 110 and 121 may include radio device 110. As mentioned above, by a few examples only, radio device 110 may be a network node, such as a radio access network node, base station, NodeB, eN, or gNB. Radio devices 110 and 121 may include radio device 121. As mentioned above, radio device 121 may be a UE, wireless device, NR device, mobile station, wireless terminal, or IoT device. Therefore, the method presented below is applicable to both DL HARQ data transmission and UL HARQ data transmission. The method includes any one or more of the following actions, which may be performed in any suitable order.

[0067] Action 501

[0068] Radio devices 110 and 121 determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission.

[0069] As described below, this could mean, for example, that radio devices 110 and 121 determine whether the first HARQ data transmission has failed. Alternatively or additionally, this could mean, for example, that radio devices 110 and 121 cannot determine whether the first HARQ data transmission has been successful.

[0070] In some embodiments, determining the state of the first HARQ data transmission includes one or more of the following operations: determining that the first HARQ data transmission has failed in response to receiving a HARQ NACK; and being unable to determine that the first HARQ data transmission has succeeded in response to not receiving a HARQ positive acknowledgment (ACK) within a first time period. Therefore, when radio devices 110 and 121 receive a NACK associated with the first HARQ transmission, radio devices 110 and 121 determine that the first HARQ transmission has failed. Furthermore, when radio devices 110 and 121 do not receive an ACK within, for example, a configured time period, radio devices 110 and 121 determine that they cannot determine whether the first HARQ data transmission has succeeded or failed; that is, radio devices 110 and 121 cannot determine that the first HARQ data transmission has succeeded. Since they cannot determine that the first HARQ transmission has succeeded, radio devices 110 and 121 can assume and therefore determine that the HARQ transmission has failed. In some of the examples above, receiving a NACK and / or not receiving an ACK may include receiving a reliable NACK and / or not receiving a reliable ACK. For example, a reliable ACK and / or NACK can mean that the HARQ feedback (i.e., ACK and / or NACK) has passed the cyclic redundancy check.

[0071] Action 502

[0072] Radio devices 110 and 121 select one or more of a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data. The first retransmission scheme may include regenerating the transmitted data before retransmission. This means that the regenerated data is transmitted in the HARQ retransmission. The second retransmission scheme may include retransmitting the same data as transmitted in the first HARQ data transmission, i.e., without modifying the data.

[0073] In some embodiments, the selection of a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme is based on a threshold. This threshold may be, for example, a time threshold.

[0074] In some embodiments, selecting a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme includes any one of the following operations: selecting the first retransmission scheme when the time period since the transmission of the first HARQ data exceeds a threshold, or selecting the second retransmission scheme when the time period since the transmission of the first HARQ data is less than or equal to the threshold. In other words, the retransmission scheme selection can be based on the time between transmitting the first HARQ data and determining the state of the first HARQ transmission. Therefore, selecting a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme may include determining the time between transmitting the first HARQ data and determining the state of the first HARQ transmission and comparing the determined time with a threshold. If the time exceeds the threshold, the first retransmission scheme is selected, and if the time is less than or equal to the threshold, the second retransmission scheme is selected.

[0075] This threshold can be based on the type of data. This means that different thresholds (or threshold values) can be used for different types of data. This makes it possible to differentiate the processing of different types of data.

[0076] Action 503

[0077] In some embodiments, radio devices 110 and 121 regenerate the transmitted data.

[0078] When the first retransmission option is selected, radio devices 110 and 121 can regenerate the transmitted data. By regenerating the transmitted data before retransmission, the retransmitted data will include the latest data. This means that any changes that may have occurred since the first HARQ data transmission will be reflected in the retransmission.

[0079] In some embodiments, regenerating transmitted data includes any one or more of the following operations: regenerating the RLC Packet Data Unit (PDU) and regenerating the MAC CE and / or MAC control information. The MAC CE and / or MAC control information can be regenerated based on current data associated with the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information. The RLCPDU can be regenerated based on current data associated with the RLC PDU. Therefore, the regenerated data will reflect the current data at the time of regeneration.

[0080] Regenerating the RLC PDU may also include any one or more of the following operations: setting the RLC polling bit, updating the RLC status report based on the current reception state, and updating one or more RLC status variables. For example, if the polling bit was set in the RLC PDU included in the first HARQ data transmission, the polling bit can be set. Updating the RLC status report may include updating the RLC status report in the first HARQ data transmission so that the current reception state (e.g., RLC reception state) is reflected in the regenerated RLC status report. RLC status variables or parameters may include, for example, POLL_SN and / or a polling retransmission timer.

[0081] Regenerating the MAC CE and / or MAC control information may also include updating the Buffer Status Report (BSR) based on the current buffer state. Updating the BSR may include updating the BSR in the first HARQ data transmission so that the current buffer state is reflected in the regenerated MAC CE and / or MAC control information. This is not limited to the BSR. This also applies to any other MAC CE and / or control information included in the first HARQ data transmission, such as timing advance, power headroom report, delay status report (DSR), transmit configuration indicator (TCI) status, and / or layer 2 HARQ feedback, etc.

[0082] Action 504

[0083] Radio devices 110 and 121 retransmit data according to the selected retransmission scheme as a second HARQ data transmission. This could mean, for example, that the retransmitted data includes sending the second HARQ data transmission, wherein when the first retransmission scheme is selected, the second HARQ transmission includes regenerated data, and when the second retransmission scheme is selected, the second HARQ transmission includes the same data as that sent in the first HARQ data transmission.

[0084] As described above, in some embodiments, radio devices 110 and 121 may select a retransmission scheme, such as a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme, for each data type included in the first HARQ data transmission. In such embodiments, the second HARQ data transmission may include some regenerated data and some data identical to the data in the first HARQ data transmission.

[0085] The embodiments described herein, such as those described above, will now be further described and illustrated. The following text applies to the embodiments described herein and can be combined with any suitable embodiments described above.

[0086] According to the embodiments described herein, the HARQ feedback is reliably received, meaning that the HARQ feedback has passed the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) and, if necessary, is retransmitted until the CRC passes. In this case, the HARQ feedback can serve as a successful transmission indicator for higher-layer data or control information transmitted via HARQ.

[0087] Although the following examples focus on DL HARQ, the embodiments described herein apply to both DL HARQ and UL HARQ. An example related to UL HARQ is as follows. In DL HARQ, data transmission is assigned via PDCCH / DCI and sent via PDSCH. It is assumed that HARQ feedback is reliably sent via PUSCH, i.e., undergoing the UL HARQ protocol with its own feedback and retransmission scheme. Another way to determine the HARQ reception status is to anticipate the arrival of a reliable ACK within a time window. The latter can be used, for example, in contention-based UL. In this case, for DL ​​HARQ, the lack of a reliable ACK transmission, for example due to unresolved contention in UL, is considered a NACK for DL ​​HARQ. For contention-based UL, in the case of UL HARQ, the lack of a reliable ACK is interpreted as a NACK and can therefore be considered an indicator of HARQ or higher-layer retransmission, as further explained below.

[0088] In the event that HARQ data transmission has been reliably received or not received, a local ACK or NACK can be indicated to a higher-layer protocol within the data transmitter (e.g., radio equipment 110, 121), so that the higher-layer protocol can trigger its corresponding procedures to handle the correct or failed data transmission.

[0089] Upon receiving a reliable NACK, radio devices 110 and 121 may decide to perform a regular HARQ retransmission to continue relying on soft information or to transmit the feedback to a higher-layer entity according to the following procedure. First, the higher-layer entity (i.e., the logical channel of the RLC entity corresponding to the data included in the HARQ data transmission) is identified, and the following actions may be triggered individually for each logical channel / RLC entity.

[0090] According to some examples of embodiments described herein, if a reliable NACK is received for HARQ data transmission, or if no reliable ACK is received within a specified time period, and the HARQ data transmission includes an RLC status report, the RLC status report is not retransmitted. Instead, the RLC status report is regenerated and / or updated to reflect the reception status at the time of retransmission or at least at the time of receiving a reliable NACK. Note that the RLC status report transmitted as data via downlink HARQ relates to the RLC reception status used for UL RLC transmission.

[0091] - Regenerate the RLC status report for the current and / or updated RLC status variables that reflect the reception status, i.e., ACK_SN and NACK_SN, as well as SOstart, SOend and NACK_range, as set according to 3GPP TS 38.322 v15.0.0.

[0092] The decision between performing regular HARQ retransmissions (e.g., using soft combination of the same retransmitted data) and performing retransmissions of regenerated and / or updated data from higher-layer protocols can vary depending on the content of the data sent via the HARQ protocol. For example, for control messages from higher-layer protocols (e.g., RLC status reports), it is important that the sent RLC status messages are up-to-date, meaning that the longer the transmission and retransmission process of the same data (i.e., data used for soft combination in HARQ) takes, the less useful the RLC status report becomes. Therefore, after a certain time, switching from performing regular HARQ retransmissions with soft combination to indicating a reliable NACK to higher layers, making it useful for higher layers to provide regenerated and / or updated data (i.e., in this case, retransmission of updated RLC status reports), becomes beneficial. Thus, the timing of the switch between different retransmission schemes can depend on the type of content (such as data) sent via HARQ. Different switch timings or delays after the initial transmission can be configured for different content types.

[0093] According to some examples of embodiments herein, if a reliable NACK is received for HARQ data transmission, or if no reliable ACK is received within a specified time period, and the HARQ data transmission includes a set RLC polling bit, then an RLC transmitter (such as radio devices 110, 121) can consider an RLC PDU with the set RLC polling bit to be reliably unreceived. This can trigger actions typically applied when the t-PollRetransmitTimer expires. At this point, the RLC transmitter can allow the t-PollRetransmitTimer to expire and follow the actions described in 3GPP TS 38.322 v15.0.0, 5.3.3.4, including resetting the polling bit in the RLC PDU to be retransmitted in the HARQ transmission, setting the POLL_SN state variable to the highest SN of the AMD PDU currently submitted to the lower-level AMD PDU, and restarting the t-PollRetransmitTimer.

[0094] According to some examples of embodiments described herein, if a reliable NACK is received for HARQ data transmission, or if no reliable ACK is received within a specified time period, and the HARQ data transmission includes a DL MAC control element (CE) or control information similar to a specified MAC CE for the day but not designated as a MAC CE, updates and regeneration using updated content (such as data) can be performed depending on the type of the MAC CE. For example, for a timing advance command MAC CE, the timing advance command can be updated based on the timing adjustments currently required. Feedback transmitted via a channel with retransmission and CRC will also be able to provide reliable miss detection, in which transmitted data has not yet been detected by the receiver. In this case, if a miss occurs or the transmission reaches a certain delay (which may depend on the control or data content in the transmission), it is possible to regenerate the control content in the transmission.

[0095] Implementation examples related to retransmission of UL HARQ with reliable feedback

[0096] The examples of embodiments described above for DL ​​HARQ can also be applied to uplink HARQ with reliable feedback. In this case, the content of the HARQ transmission, along with other factors such as the time since the original transmission, can determine whether to trigger a UL HARQ retransmission on L1 (i.e., a HARQ retransmission with soft reassembly but no content modification) or an L2 retransmission with modified or updated content. Examples for different content types are provided below:

[0097] - When HARQ feedback for DL ​​is included in the UL PUSCH (i.e., is part of the UL HARQ transmission), when this feedback needs to be retransmitted, the decision regarding whether to adopt an L1 retransmission with soft combining but without updating the feedback, or an L2 retransmission with no soft combining but updating and / or regenerating the feedback, should favor L2 retransmission with updated feedback compared to other content types. Feedback updates include adjusting the HARQ feedback based on the current reception and decoding state of the downlink HARQ transmission.

[0098] - For downlink transmissions, this also applies to content type RLC status reports, based on the current reception and decoding status.

[0099] This also applies to MAC control elements transmitted in the uplink. Depending on the specific MAC CE, its contents are updated. For example, the BSR control element is updated based on the current buffer state.

[0100] Furthermore, in some examples of embodiments according to this document, data marked as to be discarded by higher layers (e.g., due to the expiration of a PDCP discard timer) is not retransmitted via L1 or L2 retransmission. For example, when an L2 retransmission is triggered due to a local NACK according to embodiments of this document, the L2 retransmission is not performed; instead, the data is considered received, or at least does not hinder the advancement of the transmission window. In another example, if only an L1 retransmission of a transport block containing the discarded data (i.e., an RLC PDU for which the RLC SDU has already been discarded in the PDCP) is performed, the L1 retransmission is not performed, and the HARQ procedure is considered successfully received.

[0101] To perform the above-described operations, radio devices 110 and 121 are configured, for example, to control HARQ data transmission in the wireless communication network 100. Radio devices 110 and 121 may include... Figure 6 The layout shown.

[0102] Radio devices 110 and 121 may include input and output interfaces 600 configured to communicate with each other. Input and output interfaces 600 may include (e.g., wired and / or wireless) receivers (not shown) and (e.g., wired and / or wireless) transmitters (not shown).

[0103] The embodiments described herein can be implemented using a corresponding processor or one or more processors (such as...) Figure 6 The wireless devices 110 and 121 are implemented using at least one processor 610 of the processing circuitry and computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The aforementioned program code can also be provided as a computer program product, for example, in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when loaded into the wireless devices 110 and 121. Such a carrier can be in the form of a CD-ROM. However, it can also be other data carriers such as memory sticks. The computer program can also be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the wireless devices 110 and 121.

[0104] For example, radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 are configured to control HARQ data transmission in wireless communication network 100.

[0105] Radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 are configured to determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission.

[0106] Radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 are configured to select either a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data, and

[0107] Radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 are configured to retransmit data according to a selected retransmission scheme as a second HARQ data transmission.

[0108] In some embodiments, radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 may also be configured to determine the state of the first HARQ data transmission by any one or more of the following operations:

[0109] - In response to receiving a HARQ negative acknowledgment (NACK), it is determined that the first HARQ data transmission has failed; and

[0110] - If no HARQ acknowledgment (ACK) is received within the first time period, it cannot be determined that the first HARQ data transmission was successful.

[0111] In some embodiments, HARQ NACK is a reliable HARQ NACK.

[0112] In some embodiments, the HARQ ACK is a reliable HARQ ACK.

[0113] In some embodiments, radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 may also be configured to regenerate transmitted data when a first retransmission scheme is selected. Radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 may also be configured to retransmit data by transmitting the regenerated data.

[0114] In some embodiments, radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 may also be configured to regenerate transmitted data by any of the following operations:

[0115] - Regenerate RLC PDU, and

[0116] - Regenerate the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information based on the current data associated with the MAC CE and / or MAC control information.

[0117] In some embodiments, radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 may also be configured to regenerate the RLC PDU by any of the following operations:

[0118] - Set the RLC polling bit

[0119] - Update the RLC status report based on the current reception status.

[0120] - Update one or more RLC state variables.

[0121] In some embodiments, radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 may also be configured to regenerate MAC CE and / or MAC control information by updating the BSR based on the current buffer state.

[0122] In some embodiments, the radio devices 110, 121 and / or the processor 610 may also be configured to retransmit data by transmitting the same data transmitted in the first HARQ data transmission when a second transmission scheme is selected.

[0123] In some embodiments, radio devices 110, 121 and / or processor 610 may also be configured to select a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme by any of the following operations:

[0124] - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission exceeds a threshold, the first retransmission scheme is selected; and

[0125] - Select the second retransmission scheme when the time period since the first HARQ data transmission is less than or equal to this threshold.

[0126] In some embodiments, the threshold is based on the type of data.

[0127] In some embodiments, the first retransmission scheme includes RLC retransmission.

[0128] In some embodiments, the second retransmission scheme includes Layer 1 retransmission.

[0129] Radio devices 110 and 121 may also each include a memory 620, which includes one or more storage units. The memory 620 includes instructions executable by the processor 610 in the radio devices 110 and 121.

[0130] The memory 620 is arranged to store instructions, data, configurations, identifiers, HARQ data transmissions, RLC PDUs, MAC CEs, MAC control information, RLC status reports, parameters, and applications for executing the methods described herein when executed in the radio devices 110, 121.

[0131] In some embodiments, the computer program 630 includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor 610, cause the at least one processor 610 of the wireless devices 110, 121 to perform the aforementioned actions.

[0132] In some embodiments, the corresponding carrier 640 includes a corresponding computer program 630, wherein the carrier 640 is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, an electromagnetic signal, a magnetic signal, an electrical signal, a radio signal, a microwave signal, or a computer-readable storage medium.

[0133] Therefore, embodiments herein may disclose, for example, wireless devices 110, 121 configured to control HARQ data transmission in a wireless communication network 100. Wireless devices 110, 121 include a processor 610 and a memory 620, the memory 620 including instructions executable by the processor 610, thereby enabling wireless devices 110, 121 to perform any of the methods described herein.

[0134] Those skilled in communication design will readily understand that functional devices or modules can be implemented using digital logic and / or one or more microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other digital hardware. In some embodiments, some or all of the various functions may be implemented together, such as in a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or in two or more separate devices having suitable hardware and / or software interfaces. For example, several functions may be implemented on a processor shared with other functional components of the base station.

[0135] Alternatively, some functional elements of the processing apparatus discussed may be provided using dedicated hardware, while other functional elements may be provided using hardware for executing software in combination with suitable software or firmware. Thus, the terms "processor" or "controller" as used herein do not exclusively refer to hardware capable of executing software and may implicitly include (but are not limited to) digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, read-only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory for storing software and / or program or application data, and non-volatile memory. Other conventional and / or custom hardware may also be included. Designers of communication receivers will understand the trade-offs in cost, performance, and maintenance among these design options.

[0136] Any suitable steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein can be performed by one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual devices. Each virtual device may include multiple such functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers and other digital hardware (which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific digital logic, etc.). The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or more types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. The program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and / or data communication protocols and instructions for executing one or more technologies described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause corresponding functional units to perform corresponding functions according to one or an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0137] Example

[0138] Hereinafter, some example embodiments 1 to 20 are briefly described. See, for example... Figures 4 to 6 .

[0139] Example 1. A method for controlling Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) data transmission in a wireless communication network 100, performed by wireless devices 110, 121, etc., the method comprising one or more of the following operations:

[0140] Determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission in 501.

[0141] Select one or more of the 502 first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data; and

[0142] The 504 data is retransmitted according to the selected retransmission scheme as the second HARQ data transmission.

[0143] Example 2. According to the method of Example 1, determining the state of the first HARQ data transmission 501 includes any one or more of the following operations:

[0144] - In response to receiving a reliable HARQ negative acknowledgment (NACK), it is determined that the first HARQ data transmission has failed; and

[0145] - If a reliable HARQ acknowledgment (ACK) is not received within the first time period, it cannot be determined that the first HARQ data transmission was successful.

[0146] Example 3. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 2, wherein the method further includes:

[0147] When the first retransmission scheme is selected, the 503 sent data is regenerated, and the retransmission of the 504 data includes sending the regenerated data.

[0148] Example 4. According to the method of Example 3, wherein regenerating the 503 sent data includes any one or more of the following operations:

[0149] - Regenerate Radio Link Control (RLC) Packet Data Units (PDUs), and

[0150] - Regenerate the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information based on the current data associated with the Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) and / or MAC control information.

[0151] Example 5. The method according to Example 4, wherein regenerating the RLC PDU further includes any one or more of the following operations:

[0152] - Set the RLC polling bit

[0153] - Update the RLC status report based on the current reception status, and

[0154] - Update one or more RLC state variables.

[0155] Example 6. According to the method of Example 4, the regeneration of MAC CE and / or MAC control information further includes updating the buffer state report (BSR) based on the current buffer state.

[0156] Example 7. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 6, wherein when the second transmission scheme is selected, retransmitting 504 data includes transmitting the same data as the data transmitted in the first HARQ data transmission.

[0157] Example 8. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, wherein selecting the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme 502 includes:

[0158] - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission exceeds a threshold, the first retransmission scheme is selected; and

[0159] - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission is less than or equal to the threshold, the second retransmission scheme is selected.

[0160] Example 9. The method according to Example 8, wherein the threshold is based on the type of data.

[0161] Example 10. A computer program 630 including instructions that, when executed by a processor 610, cause the processor 630 to perform the actions described in any one of Examples 1 to 9.

[0162] Example 11. A carrier 640, comprising a computer program 630 according to Example 10, wherein the carrier 640 is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, an electromagnetic signal, a magnetic signal, an electrical signal, a radio signal, a microwave signal, or a computer-readable storage medium.

[0163] Example 12. A wireless device 110, 121, configured, for example, to control Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) data transmission in a wireless communication network 100, the wireless device being further configured to perform any one or more of the following operations:

[0164] Determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission.

[0165] Choose either the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data; and

[0166] Data is retransmitted according to the selected retransmission scheme as the second HARQ data transmission.

[0167] Example 13. The wireless devices 110 and 121 according to Example 12, wherein the wireless devices 110 and 121 are further configured to determine the state of the first HARQ data transmission by any one or more of the following operations:

[0168] - In response to receiving a reliable HARQ negative acknowledgment (NACK), it is determined that the first HARQ data transmission has failed; and

[0169] - If a reliable HARQ acknowledgment (ACK) is not received within the first time period, it cannot be determined that the first HARQ data transmission was successful.

[0170] Example 14. According to any one of Examples 12 to 13, the wireless devices 110 and 121 are further configured as follows:

[0171] When the first retransmission option is selected, the sent data is regenerated, and

[0172] Among them, radio devices 110 and 121 are also configured to retransmit data by sending regenerated data.

[0173] Example 15. The wireless devices 110 and 121 according to Example 14, wherein the wireless devices 110 and 121 are further configured to regenerate the transmitted data by any one or more of the following operations:

[0174] - Regenerate Radio Link Control (RLC) Packet Data Units (PDUs), and

[0175] - Regenerate the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information based on the current data associated with the Media Access Control (MAC) control element CE and / or the MAC control information.

[0176] Example 16. Radio devices 110 and 121 according to Example 15, wherein radio devices 110 and 121 are configured to regenerate RLC PDUs by any one or more of the following operations:

[0177] - Set the RLC polling bit

[0178] - Update the RLC status report based on the current reception status, and

[0179] - Update one or more RLC state variables.

[0180] Example 17. According to the radio devices 110 and 121 of Example 15, wherein the radio devices 110 and 121 are configured to regenerate MAC CE and / or MAC control information by updating the buffer state report (BSR) based on the current buffer state.

[0181] Example 18. According to any one of Examples 12 to 17, the radio devices 110 and 121 are configured to retransmit data by transmitting the same data transmitted in the first HARQ data transmission when the second transmission scheme is selected.

[0182] Example 19. The wireless devices 110 and 121 according to any one of Examples 12 to 18, wherein the wireless devices 110 and 121 are configured to select a first retransmission scheme or a second retransmission scheme by any one or more of the following operations:

[0183] - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission exceeds a threshold, the first retransmission scheme is selected; and

[0184] - Select the second retransmission scheme when the time period since the first HARQ data transmission is less than or equal to this threshold.

[0185] Example 20. The method according to Example 19, wherein the threshold is based on the type of data.

[0186] Additional Notes

[0187] Some embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are provided by way of example only to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0188] Figure 7 An example of a communication system QQ100 according to some embodiments is shown.

[0189] In the example, the communication system QQ100 includes a telecommunications network QQ102 and a core network QQ106. The telecommunications network QQ102 includes an access network QQ104, such as a radio access network (RAN), and the core network QQ106 includes one or more core network nodes QQ108. The access network QQ104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes QQ110a and QQ110b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as network node QQ110, which is an example of radio device 110), or any other similar 3GPP access node or non-3GPP access point. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that network nodes are not necessarily limited to implementations that are provided by a single vendor and integrate the radio and baseband portions. Therefore, it should be understood that network nodes include decomposed implementations or portions thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the telecommunications network QQ102 includes one or more Open RAN (ORAN) network nodes. An ORAN network node is a node in the QQ102 telecommunications network that supports ORAN specifications (e.g., specifications published by the O-RAN Alliance or any similar organization) and can operate independently or together with other nodes to perform one or more functions of any node in the QQ102 telecommunications network (including one or more network nodes QQ110 and / or core network nodes QQ108).

[0190] Examples of ORAN network nodes include Open Radio Units (O-RUs), Open Distributed Units (O-DUs), Open Central Units (O-CUs), including O-CU control planes (O-CU-CPs) or O-CU user planes (O-CU-UPs), managed software or software plug-ins (e.g., near real-time control applications (e.g., xApps) or non-real-time control applications (e.g., rApps)), RAN intelligent controllers (near real-time or non-real-time), or any combination thereof (the adjective "open" indicates support for the ORAN specification). Network nodes can support the specification by, for example, supporting interfaces defined by the ORAN specification (e.g., A1, F1, W1, E1, E2, X2, Xn interfaces), open fronthaul user plane interfaces, or open fronthaul management plane interfaces. Furthermore, ORAN access nodes can be logical nodes within physical nodes. Additionally, ORAN network nodes can be implemented in a virtualized environment (described further below) where one or more network functions are virtualized. For example, a virtualized environment may include an open cloud (O-Cloud) computing platform orchestrated by a service management and orchestration framework via an O-2 interface or equivalent technology defined by the O-RAN Alliance. Network node QQ110 facilitates direct or indirect connections between user equipment (UEs), such as connecting UEs QQ112a, QQ112b, QQ112c, and QQ112d (one or more of which may generally be referred to as UE QQ112, which is an example of radio device 121) to the core network QQ106 via one or more wireless connections.

[0191] Examples of wireless communication via wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information without using wiring, cables, or other conductors. Furthermore, in various embodiments, the communication system QQ100 may include any number of wired or radio networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that can facilitate or participate in communication of data and / or signals (whether via wired or wireless connections). The communication system QQ100 may include any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar system, and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunications, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar system.

[0192] UE QQ112 can be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices that are deployed, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network node QQ110 and other communication devices. Similarly, network node QQ110 is deployed, capable of, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with UE QQ112 and / or with other network nodes or devices in telecommunication network QQ102 to achieve and / or provide network access (such as wireless network access) and / or to perform other functions (such as management) in telecommunication network QQ102.

[0193] In the depicted example, core network QQ106 connects network node QQ110 to one or more hosts (such as host QQ116). These connections can be direct or indirect via one or more intermediate networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes can be directly coupled to hosts. Core network QQ106 includes one or more core network nodes (e.g., core network node QQ108) that are formed together with hardware and software components. The characteristics of these components can be substantially similar to those described with respect to UE, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the description is generally applicable to the corresponding components of core network node QQ108. 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 Unhiding Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Agent (SEPP), Network Open Function (NEF), and / or User Plane Function (UPF).

[0194] The host QQ116 may be owned or controlled by a service provider other than the operator or provider of the access network QQ104 and / or the telecommunications network QQ102, and may be operated by or on behalf of that service provider. The host QQ116 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 (such as retrieving and compiling data about 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.

[0195] As a whole, Figure 7The QQ100 communication system enables connections between the UE, network nodes, and the host. 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.

[0196] In some examples, the QQ102 telecommunications network is a cellular network implementing 3GPP standardized features. Therefore, the QQ102 network can support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices connected to it. For example, the QQ102 network 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 yet another set of UEs.

[0197] In some examples, UE QQ112 is configured to send and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, the UE can be designed to send information to access network QQ104 according to a predetermined schedule when triggered by internal or external events or in response to a request from access network QQ104. Additionally, the UE can be configured to operate in single-RAT mode, multi-RAT mode, or multi-standard mode. For example, the UE can operate using any or a combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio), and LTE, i.e., configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0198] In the example, the central QQ114 communicates with the access network QQ104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE QQ112c and / or QQ112d) and a network node (e.g., network node QQ110b). In some examples, the central QQ114 may be a controller, router, content source and analyzer, or any other communication device described herein relating to the UE. For example, the central QQ114 may be a broadband router that enables the UE to access the core network QQ106. As another example, the central QQ114 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 QQ110, or via executable code, scripts, processes, or other instructions in the central QQ114. As another example, the central QQ114 may be a data collector that acts as a temporary storage device for UE data, and in some embodiments, may perform data analysis or other processing. As another example, the central QQ114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE acting as a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, the central QQ114 can retrieve VR assets, videos, audio, or other media or data related to perception information via network nodes, and then provide them directly to the UE after performing local processing and / or adding additional local content. In yet another example, the central QQ114 acts as a proxy server or coordinator for the UE, particularly if one or more of the UEs are low-energy IoT devices.

[0199] The central hub QQ114 may have a continuous / persistent or intermittent connection with the network node QQ110b. The central hub QQ114 may also allow different communication schemes and / or scheduling between the central hub QQ114 and the UE (e.g., UE QQ112c and / or QQ112d) and between the central hub QQ114 and the core network QQ106. In other examples, the central hub QQ114 is connected to the core network QQ106 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Furthermore, the central hub QQ114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider via the access network QQ104, and / or to another UE via a direct connection. In some scenarios, the UE can establish a wireless connection with the network node QQ110 while still being connected via the central hub QQ114 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the central hub QQ114 may be a dedicated hub, i.e., a hub whose primary function is to route communication from the network node QQ110b to the UE / to route communication from the UE to the network node QQ110b. In other embodiments, the central hub QQ114 may be a non-dedicated hub, i.e., a device capable of operating to route communication between the UE and network node QQ110b, but additionally capable of operating as a communication start point and / or endpoint for certain data channels.

[0200] Figure 8 A UE QQ200 according to some embodiments is illustrated. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable of, configured, 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, laptop computers, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop-mounted devices (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.

[0201] The UE can support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for sidelink 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 be a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated device. Alternatively, the UE may represent a device intended to be sold to or operated by a human user but which may not or initially may not be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, the UE may represent a device not intended to be sold to or operated by an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of the user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0202] UE QQ200 includes processing circuitry QQ202, which is operatively coupled via bus QQ204 to input / output interface QQ206, power supply QQ208, memory QQ210, communication interface QQ212, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Some UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure QQ2. The level of integration between components may vary depending on the UE. Furthermore, some UEs may contain multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0203] The processing circuit QQ202 is configured to process instructions and data and can be configured to implement any sequential state machine operable to execute instructions stored as a machine-readable computer program in memory QQ210. The processing circuit QQ202 can be implemented as: one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., implemented with discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors (e.g., microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs)) together with appropriate software; or any combination of the foregoing. For example, the processing circuit QQ202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0204] In the example, the input / output interface QQ206 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, other output devices, or any combination thereof. Input devices can allow users to capture information into the UE QQ200. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive displays, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital camcorders, webcams, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, directional keyboards, touchpads, 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.

[0205] In some embodiments, the power supply QQ208 is configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources can be used, such as an external power source (e.g., a power outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a battery. The power supply QQ208 may also include power circuitry for delivering power from the power supply QQ208 itself and / or an external power source to various parts of the UEQQ200 via input circuitry or an interface such as a power cable. The power delivery may be used, for example, for charging the power supply QQ208. The power circuitry may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications on the power from the power supply QQ208 to suit the power for the various components of the UE QQ200 to which it is supplied power.

[0206] The memory QQ210 can be or is 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 magnetic tape, flash drive, etc. In one example, the memory QQ210 includes one or more applications QQ214, such as an operating system, web browser application, widget, utility engine, or other application, and corresponding data QQ216. The memory QQ210 can store any one or a combination of various operating systems used by the UE QQ200.

[0207] The QQ210 memory 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 multifunction 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." The QQ210 memory allows the UE QQ200 to access instructions, applications, etc., stored on transient or non-transient storage media to unload or upload data. Articles such as those utilizing communication systems may be tangibly embodied in or contained in memory QQ210, which may be or include a device-readable storage medium.

[0208] The processing circuitry QQ202 can be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using a communication interface QQ212. The communication interface QQ212 may include one or more communication subsystems and may include an antenna QQ222 or be communicatively coupled to the antenna QQ222. The communication interface QQ212 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 a transmitter QQ218 and / or a receiver QQ220 suitable for providing network communication (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency assignment, etc.). Furthermore, the transmitter QQ218 and receiver QQ220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna QQ222) and may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively, be implemented separately.

[0209] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication interface QQ212 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 (e.g., using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location), another type of communication function, or any combination thereof. Communication may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards (e.g., 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.).

[0210] Regardless of the sensor type, the UE can provide the output of data captured by its sensors via its communication interface QQ212 through a wireless connection with a network node. Data captured by the UE's sensors can be transmitted via another UE through the same wireless connection. The output can be periodic (e.g., every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to balance the load of reports from several 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).

[0211] As another example, the UE includes actuators, motors, or switches 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.

[0212] When the UE is in the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the UE can be a device used in one or more application areas, including but not limited to urban wearable technology, extended industrial applications, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such IoT devices include or embedded in the following devices: 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 and window sensors, flood / humidity sensors, electronic 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 remotely controlled process robots). In addition to the other components described in UE QQ200 as shown in Figure QQ2, the UE in the form of an IoT device also includes circuitry and / or software depending on the intended application of the IoT device.

[0213] As another specific example, in an IoT scenario, 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, this UE can implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE can represent a vehicle (such as a car, bus, truck, ship, and aircraft) or other device capable of monitoring and / or reporting its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0214] In practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, the first UE can be a drone or integrated into a drone, and provides the drone's speed information (obtained via a speed sensor) to a second UE, which is a remote controller for operating the drone. When the user makes a change 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 can also include more than one of the functions described above. For example, the UE can include sensors and actuators, and handle data communication between both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0215] Figure 9 A network node QQ300 according to some embodiments is illustrated. 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 with 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), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, NodeBs, evolved NodeBs (eNBs), and NR NodeBs (gNBs)), O-RAN nodes, or components of O-RAN nodes (e.g., O-RUs, O-DUs, O-CUs).

[0216] Base stations can be classified based on the coverage they provide (or, in other words, their transmission power levels); therefore, depending on the coverage provided, a base station can be called a femtobase, picobase, microbase, or macrobase. A base station can be a relay node or a relay donor for control relays. Network nodes can also include one or more (or all) portions of a distributed radio base station, such as centralized digital units, distributed units (e.g., in O-RAN access nodes), and / or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as remote radio headends (RRHs). These remote radio units can be integrated with antennas to form an antenna-integrated radio, or they can be independent of antenna integration. A portion of a distributed radio base station can also be referred to as a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0217] Other examples of network nodes include multi-transmitter point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) devices (e.g., MSR BS), network controllers (e.g., radio network controllers (RNC) or base station controllers (BSC)), base transceiver stations (BTS), transmitter points, transmitter 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 Mobility Location Center (E-SMLC)) and / or minimized drive test (MDT).

[0218] Network node QQ300 includes processing circuitry QQ302, memory QQ304, communication interface QQ306, and power supply QQ308. Network node QQ300 can consist of multiple physically separate components (e.g., NodeB and RNC components, BTS and BSC components, etc.), each with its own corresponding components. In some scenarios where network node QQ300 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more separate components can be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC can control multiple NodeBs. In such scenarios, each unique "NodeB and RNC pair" can be considered a single network node in some cases. In some embodiments, network node QQ300 can be configured to support multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components can be replicated (e.g., separate memory QQ304 exists for different RATs), and some components can be reused (e.g., the same antenna QQ310 can be shared by different RATs). The network node QQ300 may also include multiple sets of various components shown for different wireless technologies (e.g., GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, RFID, or Bluetooth wireless technologies). These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chipsets and other components within the network node QQ300.

[0219] The processing circuitry QQ302 may include one or more of the following: a microprocessor, a controller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or coding logic, operable to provide network node QQ300 functionality, either alone or in combination with other network node QQ300 components, such as memory QQ304.

[0220] In some embodiments, the processing circuit QQ302 includes a system-on-a-chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuit QQ302 includes one or more of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuit QQ312 and a baseband processing circuit QQ314. In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuit QQ312 and the baseband processing circuit QQ314 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 circuit QQ312 and the baseband processing circuit QQ314 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit group.

[0221] The memory QQ304 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 drives, optical discs (CDs), or digital video discs (DVDs)) and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions usable by the processing circuitry QQ302. The memory QQ304 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, applications including logic, rules, codes, tables, and / or other instructions executable by the processing circuitry QQ302 and usable by the network node QQ300. The memory QQ304 may be used to store any calculations performed by the processing circuitry QQ302 and / or any data received via the communication interface QQ306. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry QQ302 and the memory QQ304 are integrated together.

[0222] Communication interface QQ306 is used for wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network nodes, access networks, and / or UEs. As shown, communication interface QQ306 includes a port / terminal QQ316 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the network, for example, via a wired connection. Communication interface QQ306 also includes radio front-end circuitry QQ318, which may be coupled to antenna QQ310, or in some embodiments, to a portion of antenna QQ310. Radio front-end circuitry QQ318 includes a filter QQ320 and an amplifier QQ322. Radio front-end circuitry QQ318 may be connected to antenna QQ310 and processing circuitry QQ302. Radio front-end circuitry QQ318 can be configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna QQ310 and processing circuitry QQ302. Radio front-end circuitry QQ318 can receive digital data to be transmitted to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. Radio front-end circuitry QQ318 can use a combination of filter QQ320 and / or amplifier QQ322 to convert the digital data into a radio signal with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal can then be transmitted via antenna QQ310. Similarly, when data is received, the antenna QQ310 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuit QQ318. The digital data can then be passed to the processing circuit QQ302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0223] In some alternative embodiments, network node QQ300 does not include a separate radio front-end circuit QQ318; instead, processing circuitry QQ302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to antenna QQ310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry QQ312 is part of communication interface QQ306. In yet another embodiment, communication interface QQ306 includes one or more ports or terminals QQ316, radio front-end circuitry QQ318, and RF transceiver circuitry QQ312 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and communication interface QQ306 communicates with baseband processing circuitry QQ314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0224] Antenna QQ310 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna QQ310 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry QQ318 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna QQ310 is decoupled from network node QQ300 and may be connected to network node QQ300 via an interface or port.

[0225] Antenna QQ310, communication interface QQ306, and / or processing circuitry QQ302 can be configured to perform any receive operation and / or certain acquire operation described herein 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 QQ310, communication interface QQ306, and / or processing circuitry QQ302 can be configured to perform any transmit operation described herein 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.

[0226] Power supply QQ308 provides power to the various components of network node QQ300 in a manner suitable for each component (e.g., at the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). Power supply QQ308 may also include or be coupled to power management circuitry to supply power to the components of network node QQ300 for performing the functions described herein. For example, network node QQ300 may be connected to an external power source (e.g., mains, power outlet) via input circuitry or an interface (e.g., cable), thereby supplying power to the power circuitry of power supply QQ308. As another example, power supply QQ308 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack, which is connected to or integrated into the power circuitry. The battery can provide backup power if the external power source fails.

[0227] Implementations of the network node QQ300 may include more than Figure 9 The components shown are additional components used to provide certain aspects of the functionality of the network node (including any functionality described herein and / or any functionality required to support the topics described herein). For example, the network node QQ300 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into and output from the network node QQ300. This allows users to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions on the network node QQ300.

[0228] Figure 10 This is a block diagram of a host QQ400 according to various aspects described herein, which may be an embodiment of the host QQ116 of Figure QQ1. As used herein, the host QQ400 may be or include various combinations of hardware and / or software (including processing resources in a standalone server, blade server, cloud-implemented server, distributed server, virtual machine, container, or server cluster). The host QQ400 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0229] The host QQ400 includes processing circuitry QQ402, which is operatively coupled via bus QQ404 to input / output interface QQ406, network interface QQ408, power supply QQ410, and memory QQ412. Other components may be included in other embodiments. The features of these components may be substantially similar to those with respect to the previous figures (e.g., Figure 8 and Figure 9 The characteristics described for the device make its description generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host QQ400.

[0230] The memory QQ412 may include one or more computer programs, including data QQ416 and one or more host applications QQ414. The data QQ416 may include user data, such as data generated by the UE for the host QQ400, or data generated by the host QQ400 for the UE. Embodiments of the host QQ400 may utilize only a subset or all of the illustrated components. The host application QQ414 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Universal 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 for various categories, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., mobile phones, desktop computers, wearable display systems, head-up display systems). The host application QQ414 may also provide user authentication and authorization checks and may periodically report health status, routing, and content availability to a central node (such as a device in the core network or a device at the edge of the core network). Therefore, the host QQ400 can select and / or indicate different hosts for the UE to use for overhead services. The host application QQ414 can support various protocols, such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Real-time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0231] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment QQ500 capable of virtualizing functionality implemented by some embodiments. In this context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of an apparatus or device that may include a virtualization hardware platform, storage devices, and network resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device or component thereof described herein, and involves at least a portion of its functionality being implemented as an implementation of 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 QQ500 hosted by one or more hardware nodes (e.g., hardware computing devices operating as network nodes, UEs, core network nodes, or hosts). Furthermore, in embodiments where virtual nodes do not require radio connectivity (e.g., core network nodes or hosts), the nodes can be fully virtualized. In some embodiments, the virtualization environment QQ500 includes components defined by the O-RAN Alliance, such as an open cloud environment orchestrated via an O-2 interface by a service management and orchestration framework.

[0232] The application QQ502 (which may alternatively be referred to as a software instance, virtual device, network function, virtual node, virtual network function, etc.) is run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0233] The hardware QQ504 includes processing circuitry, memory storing software and / or instructions executable by the hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices described herein (such as network interfaces, input / output interfaces, etc.). The software can be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers QQ506 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs QQ508a and QQ508b (one or more of which may generally be referred to as VM QQ508), and / or perform any functions, features, and / or benefits described in relation to some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer QQ506 can present a virtual operating platform to the VM QQ508, which appears as network hardware.

[0234] VM QQ508 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual network or interface, and virtual storage, and can be run by the corresponding virtualization layer QQ506. Different embodiments of instances of virtual device QQ502 can be implemented on one or more VM QQ508, and these implementations can be made in different ways. In some contexts, hardware virtualization is referred to as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to unify many network device types into industry-standard high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can reside in data centers and customer residential equipment.

[0235] In the context of NFV, a VM QQ508 can be a software implementation of a physical machine, and its program runs as if it were running on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each VM QQ508, along with the portion of the hardware QQ504 that executes for that VM (whether it is hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with other VMs), forms a separate virtual network element. Still within the context of NFV, the virtual network function is responsible for handling the specific network functions running on one or more VM QQ508s above the hardware QQ504 and corresponding to the application of QQ502.

[0236] The hardware QQ504 can be implemented in a standalone network node with general or specific components. Some functions of the hardware QQ504 can be implemented via virtualization. Alternatively, the hardware QQ504 can be part of a larger hardware cluster (e.g., in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed by a management and orchestration QQ510, which in particular oversees the lifecycle management of the application QQ502. In some embodiments, the hardware QQ504 is coupled to one or more radio units, each radio unit 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 conjunction with virtual components to provide radio capabilities to virtual nodes, such as radio access nodes or base stations. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided by using a control system QQ512, which can alternatively be used for communication between the hardware nodes and the radio units.

[0237] Figure 12 A communication diagram is shown illustrating communication between host QQ602 and UE QQ606 via a partial wireless connection through network node QQ604, according to some embodiments. The UE discussed in the preceding paragraphs (e.g., ...) will now be described with reference to Figure QQ6. Figure 7 UEQQ112a and / or UE QQ200 of Figure QQ2), network nodes (e.g., Figure 7 Network node QQ110a and / or network node QQ300 of Figure QQ3) and host (e.g., Figure 7 Example implementations of host QQ116 and / or host QQ400 of Figure QQ4 according to various embodiments.

[0238] Similar to host QQ400, embodiments of host QQ602 include hardware such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. Host QQ602 also includes software stored in or accessible by host QQ602 and executable by the processing circuitry. This software includes a host application operable to provide services to remote users, such as UEQQ606 connected via an over-the-top (OTT) connection QQ650 extending between UE QQ606 and host QQ602. When providing services to remote users, the host application can provide user data sent using the OTT connection QQ650.

[0239] Network node QQ604 includes hardware that enables it to communicate with host QQ602 and UE QQ606. Connection QQ660 can be a direct connection or a connection via the core network (as shown in Figure QQ1's core network QQ106) and / or one or more other intermediate networks (e.g., one or more public, private, or hosted networks). For example, an intermediate network could be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0240] UE QQ606 includes hardware and software stored within or accessible by UE QQ606 and executable by the UE's processing circuitry. The software includes client applications (such as web browsers or operator-specific "applications") operable to provide services to human or non-human users via UE QQ606, supported by host QQ602. In host QQ602, the executing host application can communicate with the executing client application via OTT connection QQ650, which terminates between UE QQ606 and host QQ602. When providing services to a user, the UE's client application can receive request data from the host application of the host and, in response to that request data, provide user data. OTT connection QQ650 can transmit both request data and user data. The UE's client application can interact with the user to generate user data provided to the host application via OTT connection QQ650.

[0241] The OTT connection QQ650 can be extended via connection QQ660 between host QQ602 and network node QQ604, and via wireless connection QQ670 between network node QQ604 and UE QQ606, to provide connectivity between host QQ602 and UE QQ606. Connection QQ660 and wireless connection QQ670, which provide OTT connection QQ650, have been abstractly drawn to illustrate communication between host QQ602 and UE QQ606 via network node QQ604, without explicitly involving any intermediate devices or the precise routing of messages via these devices.

[0242] As an example of sending data via an OTT connection QQ650, in step QQ608, host QQ602 provides user data, which can be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a specific human user interacting with UE QQ606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with UE QQ606, which shares data with host QQ602 without explicit human interaction. In step QQ610, host QQ602 initiates a transmission to UE QQ606 carrying user data. Host QQ602 may initiate the transmission in response to a request sent by UE QQ606. This request may be caused by human interaction with UE QQ606 or by the operation of a client application executed on UE QQ606. Based on the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, this transmission may be delivered via network node QQ604. Therefore, in step QQ612, based on the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node QQ604 sends the user data carried in the transmission initiated by host QQ602 to UE QQ606. In step QQ614, UE QQ606 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which can be performed by a client application running on UE QQ606, which is associated with a host application running by host QQ602.

[0243] In some examples, UE QQ606 executes a client application that provides user data to host QQ602. User data can be provided as a response to data received from host QQ602. Therefore, in step QQ616, UE QQ606 can provide user data, which can be done by executing the client application. When providing user data, the client application may also consider user input received from the user via the input / output interface of UE QQ606. Regardless of the specific manner in which user data is provided, in step QQ618, UE QQ606 initiates the transmission of user data to host QQ602 via network node QQ604. In step QQ620, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, network node QQ604 receives user data from UE QQ606 and initiates the transmission of the received user data to host QQ602. In step QQ622, host QQ602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by UE QQ606.

[0244] One or more embodiments in various implementations improve the performance of the OTT service provided to the UE QQ606 using OTT connection QQ650, in which wireless connection QQ670 forms the final part.

[0245] In the example scenario, host QQ602 can collect and analyze plant status information. As another example, host QQ602 can process audio and video data that may have been retrieved from the UE for creating mappings. As another example, host QQ602 can collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, host QQ602 can store surveillance video uploaded by the UE. As another example, host QQ602 can store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR, or AR, which can be broadcast, multicast, or unicast to the UE. As other examples, host QQ602 can be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time-critical power loads to balance generation demand, location services, presentation services (e.g., compiling charts based on data collected from remote devices), or any other function that collects, retrieves, stores, analyzes, and / or transmits data.

[0246] In some examples, a measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring improved data rates, latency, and other factors in one or more embodiments. Optional network functions may also be present for reconfiguring the OTT connection QQ650 between host QQ602 and UE QQ606 in response to changes in measurement results. The measurement process and / or the network functions for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in the software and hardware of host QQ602 and / or UE QQ606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with other devices traversed by the OTT connection QQ650; the sensors may participate in the measurement process by providing values ​​of the monitored quantities 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 QQ650 may include message formatting, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; reconfiguration does not require a direct change in the operation of network node QQ604. Such processes and functions may be known and practiced in the art. In some embodiments, the measurement may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates host QQ602's measurement of throughput, propagation time, latency, etc. Measurement can be achieved by having the software use an OTT connection to QQ650 to send messages (especially empty or "virtual" messages) while monitoring propagation time, errors, etc.

[0247] 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 should 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 that processes information in ways such as: 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 determinations based on the results 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, the non-computationally intensive functions of any such component may be implemented in software or firmware, and the computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0248] In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be provided by processing circuitry that executes instructions stored in memory, which in some embodiments 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 the processing circuitry, for example, in a hard-wired manner, without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium. In any of these particular embodiments, the 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 individual processing circuitry or other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed holistically by the computing device and / or generally by the end user and wireless network.

[0249] When the words “include” or “contain” are used, they should be interpreted as non-restrictive, meaning “consisting of at least…”.

[0250] The embodiments described herein are not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents may be used.

Claims

1. A method for controlling hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) data transmission in a wireless communication network (100), performed by wireless devices (110, 121), the method comprising: Determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission (501); Choose either the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme (502) for retransmitting data; as well as The data described in (504) is retransmitted according to the selected retransmission scheme as a second HARQ data transmission.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Determine (501) that the status of the first HARQ data transmission includes any one or more of the following: - Upon receiving a HARQ negative acknowledgment (NACK), it is determined that the first HARQ data transmission has failed; as well as - If no HARQ acknowledgment ACK is received within the first time period, it cannot be determined that the first HARQ data transmission was successful.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Any one or more of the following apply: - The HARQ NACK is a reliable HARQ NACK, and - The HARQ ACK is a reliable HARQ ACK.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, Selecting (502) the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme includes: - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission exceeds a threshold, the first retransmission scheme is selected; and - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission was less than or equal to the threshold, the second retransmission scheme is selected.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The threshold is based on the type of data.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The method also include: When the first retransmission scheme is selected, the previously sent data is regenerated (503), and the data retransmitted (504) includes the regenerated data.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, Regenerating (503) sent data includes any one or more of the following operations: - Regenerate Radio Link Control (RLC) Packet Data Units (PDUs). - Regenerate the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information based on the current data associated with the Media Access Control (MAC) control element CE and / or the MAC control information.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Regenerating the RLC PDU also includes any one or more of the following operations: - Set the RLC polling bit - Update the RLC status report based on the current reception status. - Update one or more RLC state variables.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Regenerating the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information also includes updating the buffer state report (BSR) based on the current buffer state.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, Selecting the second transmission scheme to retransmit the data (504) includes: transmitting the same data as the data transmitted in the first HARQ data transmission.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, Any one or more of the following apply: - The first retransmission scheme includes RLC retransmission, and - The second retransmission scheme includes Layer 1 retransmission.

12. A computer program (630) comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor (610), cause the processor (630) to perform any one of embodiments 1 to 11.

13. A carrier (640) comprising the computer program (630) according to claim 12, wherein, The carrier (640) is one of the following: electronic signal, optical signal, electromagnetic signal, magnetic signal, electrical signal, radio signal, microwave signal, or computer-readable storage medium.

14. A wireless device (110, 121) configured to control hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) data transmission in a wireless communication network (100), the wireless device further configured to: Determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission. Choose either the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data; and The data is retransmitted according to the selected retransmission scheme as a second HARQ data transmission.

15. The wireless device (110, 121) according to claim 14, wherein, The radio devices (110, 121) are also configured to determine the state of the first HARQ data transmission by any one or more of the following operations: - Upon receiving a HARQ negative acknowledgment (NACK), it is determined that the first HARQ data transmission has failed; as well as - If no HARQ acknowledgment ACK is received within the first time period, it cannot be determined that the first HARQ data transmission was successful.

16. The wireless device (110, 121) according to claim 15, wherein, the following Any one or more of the following applies: - The HARQ NACK is a reliable HARQ NACK, and - The HARQ ACK is a reliable HARQ ACK.

17. The wireless device (110, 121) according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein, The wireless devices (110, 121) select the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme through any one or more of the following operations: - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission exceeds a threshold, the first retransmission scheme is selected; as well as - When the time period since the first HARQ data transmission was less than or equal to the threshold, the second retransmission scheme is selected.

18. The wireless device according to claim 17, wherein, The threshold is based on the type of data.

19. The wireless device (110, 121) according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein, The wireless devices (110, 121) are also configured to: When the first retransmission scheme is selected, the sent data is regenerated, and The wireless devices (110, 121) are also configured to retransmit the data by sending the regenerated data.

20. The wireless device (110, 121) according to claim 19, wherein, The radio devices (110, 121) are also configured to regenerate the transmitted data by any one or more of the following operations: - Regenerate Radio Link Control (RLC) Packet Data Units (PDUs). - Regenerate the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information based on the current data associated with the Media Access Control (MAC) control element CE and / or the MAC control information.

21. The wireless device (110, 121) according to claim 20, wherein, The radio equipment (110, 121) is configured to regenerate the RLC PDU by any one or more of the following operations: - Set the RLC polling bit - Update the RLC status report based on the current reception status. - Update one or more RLC state variables.

22. The wireless device (110, 121) according to claim 20, wherein, The radio devices (110, 121) are configured to regenerate the MAC CE and / or the MAC control information by updating the buffer state report (BSR) based on the current buffer state.

23. The wireless device (110, 121) according to any one of claims 14 to 22, wherein, The radio devices (110, 121) are configured to retransmit the data when the second transmission scheme is selected, including transmitting the same data as transmitted in the first HARQ data transmission.

24. The wireless device (110, 121) according to any one of claims 14 to 23, wherein, Any one or more of the following apply: - The first retransmission scheme includes RLC retransmission, and - The second retransmission scheme includes Layer 1 retransmission.

25. A wireless device (110, 121) configured to control Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) data transmission in a wireless communication network (100), the wireless device (110, 121) including a processor (610) and a memory (620), the memory (620) including instructions executable by the processor (610), thereby enabling the wireless device (110, 121) to: Determine the status of the first HARQ data transmission. Choose either the first retransmission scheme or the second retransmission scheme for retransmitting data; and The data is retransmitted according to the selected retransmission scheme as a second HARQ data transmission.

26. The wireless device (110, 121) according to claim 25, wherein, The radio equipment (110, 121) is operable to perform the method according to any one of claims 2 to 11.

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