User equipment, network node and methods for mirror interference measurement

Abstract

Embodiments of this application relate to user equipment, network nodes, and methods for measuring mirror interference. Embodiments herein disclose a first user equipment (UE) (110), a network node (120), and a method. The method includes: determining whether channel quality information (CQI) in a first subband of bandwidth meets a standard. The method further includes: determining the mirror leakage power in the first subband in response to the CQI meeting the standard.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to the field of wireless communications, and more specifically to user equipment (UE), network nodes, and methods for determining mirrored leakage power. Background Technology

[0002] Some abbreviations that can be found in the instruction manual and / or accompanying drawings are defined here as follows.

[0003]

[0004] The evolution of wireless communication networks, particularly in the context of advanced carrier aggregation (ACE) technologies, has emphasized segmented carrier aggregation (CA) with asymmetric channel bandwidth as a solution to enhance spectral efficiency and network performance. Segmented CA, or discontinuous in-band carrier aggregation, specifically involves user equipment (UE) with hardware configurations that enable the reception of multiple segmented in-band carriers using a single receiver radio frequency (RX RF) chain. In direct-conversion quadrature receivers, the demodulation of the signal at baseband involves directly converting the received RF signal to baseband using in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components. This process is highly sensitive to IQ imbalance, which directly affects the receiver's image rejection ratio (IRR) and can impact performance. IQ imbalance results in unwanted image signals (mirror versions of the desired signal) appearing in baseband because the imbalance distorts the orthogonality of the I and Q components, leading to incomplete cancellation of the image frequency. IRR quantifies the receiver's ability to suppress image signals. Traditionally, IQ imbalance can be compensated cost-effectively, rather than by improving analog front-end RF hardware, through production-time calibration and measurement and compensation at different carrier frequencies. Typically, this IQ imbalance calibration / compensation is sufficient for 3GPP receiver requirements of contiguous and discontinuous carrier aggregation. However, in the case of segmented carriers with unequal bandwidths, the presence of in-gap interference will lead to additional degradation of the desired component carriers due to the mirroring effect caused by residual IQ imbalance after conventional calibration / compensation. Mitigating in-gap interference may be difficult because the source signal is unknown in segmented CAs with asymmetric channel bandwidth. Since the in-gap signal is unknown, traditional mitigation techniques like adaptive mirror cancellation may be less effective. Identifying the source of in-gap interference can help the UE and network mitigate UE receiver performance degradation caused by in-gap interference, ensuring reliable data transmission in wireless communication networks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following describes aspects relating to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. It should be understood that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may cover aspects that may not be set forth below.

[0006] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a first apparatus is disclosed. The first apparatus includes: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus to at least: determine whether channel quality information (CQI) in a first subband of bandwidth meets a criterion. The at least one processor is further configured to: determine the image leakage power in the first subband in response to the CQI in the first subband meeting the criterion.

[0007] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for a first apparatus is provided. The method includes: determining whether channel quality information (CQI) in a first subband of a bandwidth meets a criterion. The method further includes: in response to the CQI in the first subband meeting the criterion, determining the image leakage power in the first subband.

[0008] In a third aspect, a first apparatus is provided. The first apparatus includes components for causing the first apparatus to perform the method of the second aspect.

[0009] Components for the third aspect can be implemented in hardware and / or software. They include, for example, at least one processor for executing computer program code / instructions to cause a corresponding device (e.g., a UE or network node) to perform a corresponding method; and at least one memory for storing the computer program code / instructions. The component may also include a circuit system (as defined herein) for causing the corresponding device to perform the corresponding method.

[0010] According to the fourth aspect, a computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium) is provided. The computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by a UE, cause the UE to perform the method of the second aspect.

[0011] Details of exemplary embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, objects, and advantages of this disclosure will be apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The specific embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same numbers are used to refer to the same features and components.

[0013] Figure 1 A wireless communication system in which example embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown; Figure 2 A method performed by a first device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3 A method performed by a first device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4A method performed by a first device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5 A method performed by a second apparatus according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 6 A method performed by a second apparatus according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 7 A first signaling diagram of a first apparatus and a second apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 8 A second signaling diagram of a first apparatus and a second apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 9 A block diagram of a first apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and Figure 10 A block diagram of a second apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0014] Example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminology used in this disclosure of the example embodiments shown in the drawings is not intended to be limiting. In the drawings, the same numerals denote the same elements.

[0015] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.

[0016] This specification may refer to "a," "an," or "some" embodiments in several places. This does not necessarily mean that every such reference is for the same embodiment, or that the feature applies only to a single embodiment. Individual features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

[0017] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless otherwise expressly stated. It will also be understood that, when used in this specification, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and / or “comprising” specify the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0018] As used herein, whenever the phrase “at least one of” or “one or more of” precedes a list of elements, where the elements are connected by “and” or “or”, it means that at least any one of the elements, or at least some of the elements, or all of the elements are present. As used herein, whenever the phrase “one of” precedes a list of elements, where the elements are connected by “and” or “or”, it means that only one of the elements is present at a given time, unless the context allows for the inclusion of more than one element. Unless the relevant context otherwise indicates, the use of the term “or” should be understood as “inclusive or” rather than “exclusive or”. Unless otherwise specifically stated, or otherwise understood in the context in which it is used, conditional language such as “can” or “may” is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments may not. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require features, elements, and / or steps in any way. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or an intermediate element may be present. Furthermore, as used herein, “connection” or “coupling” can include wireless connection or coupling. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations and arrangements of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the terms “at least one” and “one or more” respectively mean “any one of at least one” and “any one of one or more”.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in common dictionaries shall be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant field, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0020] The accompanying drawings depict a simplified structure showing only some elements and functional entities; all of these can be implemented in ways different from the different logical units shown. The connections shown are logical connections; actual physical connections may differ. Furthermore, all logical units described and depicted in the drawings include the software and / or hardware components required for the unit's operation. Additionally, each unit itself may implicitly include one or more components. These components may be operatively coupled to each other and configured to communicate with each other to perform the unit's functions.

[0021] As used herein, the term "circuit system" may refer to at least one of the following: a) Hardware circuit implementation only (such as implementations in analog, digital and / or quantum circuit systems); b) A combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (if applicable): (i) a combination of analog, digital, and / or quantum hardware circuitry with software / firmware, and (ii) any or all parts of a hardware processor (including: a digital and / or quantum processor with software; and memory, which work together to enable a device such as a mobile device, computing device, or server to perform various functions); or c) Any or all parts of the hardware circuitry, such as microprocessors, processors, and / or quantum processors, require software (e.g., firmware) to operate, but the software may not exist when it is not required to operate.

[0022] This definition of circuit system applies to all uses of the term in this application (including in any claim). As another example, as used in this application, the term circuit system also covers implementations of hardware circuitry or processors (or processors) or portions thereof and their accompanying software and / or firmware. The term circuit system also covers, for example and if applicable to a particular claim element, baseband integrated circuits or processor integrated circuits for mobile devices or similar integrated circuits in servers, cellular network devices or other computing or network devices.

[0023] However, in the following text, different example embodiments will be described using communication network architectures based on 3GPP standards for communication networks (such as 5G NR or 6G (sixth generation)) as examples of communication networks to which example embodiments can be applied, without limiting the example embodiments to such architectures.

[0024] Image signal leakage in wireless communication systems presents a challenge to network performance and signal integrity. Unwanted signals can cause significant interference, degrade the quality of transmitted data, and impair reliable communication. Traditional methods may require separate measurement setups to monitor image signal leakage, while simultaneously narrowing the bandwidth portion (BWP).

[0025] The proposed embodiments provide apparatus and methods for identifying image signal leakage, including determining subband channel quality information (CQI) in the subband, which helps maintain spectral efficiency. Furthermore, by performing interference measurements and determining the image leakage power, the proposed embodiments contribute to reliable data transmission.

[0026] Figure 1 An example of a wireless communication network 100 in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown. The network 100 may include at least a first device 110 and a second device 120 (the first device 110 is also referred to as a terminal device, and the second device 120 is also referred to as a network device).

[0027] In some example embodiments, the first device 110 may include a user equipment (UE) and may be any wireless communication device capable of transmitting and receiving radio signals. The first device 110 may be used to communicate with a radio access network (RAN) via an uplink channel. Non-limiting examples of the first device 110 include smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. The first device 110 may include and / or be referred to as a "terminal device," "user equipment," "wireless transceiver unit," or another name.

[0028] In some example embodiments, the second device 120 may include a network node in a communication network (e.g., network 100) through which the first device 110 can access the network and receive services. The second device 120 may include and / or be referred to as a “base station,” “radio access network node,” “radio unit,” or another name. The second device 120 may operate according to one of several radio access technologies (RATs) communicating with the first device 110 and may be part of a RAN. The second device 120 may communicate with the first device 110 via a downlink channel.

[0029] In the wireless communication network 100, there may be radio coverage areas (referred to as "cells"). Cell 130 may be supported by the second device 120.

[0030] There may be a situation where the first device 110 initiates beam management, wherein the first device 110 may be configured with at least one event / condition, and if the at least one event / condition occurs or is met, the first device 110 may start beam reporting.

[0031] In the example, it provides an artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI / ML)-based scheme that uses a specific autoencoder to dynamically generate RS modes and UE-specific masks. The AI / ML-based scheme optimizes channel estimation, minimizes pilot pollution, and improves spectral efficiency in uplink and downlink MU-MIMO transmissions.

[0032] Figure 2 A flowchart of method 200 performed by first device 110 is shown. At step 202, method 200 provides that, when receiving in a segmented carrier aggregation (CA) configuration state with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW), capability information is sent to second device 120, indicating that first device 110 is capable of performing interference measurements in a subband. At step 204, method 200 provides that a configuration message for interference measurement is received from second device 120 (204).

[0033] In the example, the configuration message is received as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration message and includes at least one of the following: subband channel quality information (CQI) reporting configuration or associated configuration for interference measurement. The associated configuration includes at least one of the following: a threshold level for mirror signal leakage detection; or an event trigger for mirror signal leakage detection.

[0034] In the example, method 200 provides: performing interference measurements on configured subband frequency resources based on configuration messages. Method 200 also provides detecting at least one of the following: image signal leakage or interference in the subband. Method 200 further provides reporting subband interference information to the second device 120 based on at least one of the detected image signal leakage or interference in the subband.

[0035] In the example, subband interference information may include subband channel quality information (CQI) values ​​and image signal leakage interference levels.

[0036] In the example, the execution of interference measurement may include detecting the difference in CQI values ​​between the bandwidth affected by the mirror leakage signal and the unaffected bandwidth, where the difference indicates the presence of the mirror leakage signal.

[0037] In the example, interference measurement includes the measurement of mirror signal leakage in subbands during segmented CA with asymmetric CBW.

[0038] Figure 3 A flowchart of method 300 performed by first device 110 is shown. At step 302, method 300 provides: receiving from second device 120 a configuration message for interference measurement in a subband using non-contiguous intra-band carrier aggregation (CA) with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW). At step 304, method 300 provides: performing interference measurement on the configured subband frequency resources based on the configuration message. At step 306, method 300 provides: reporting subband interference information to second device 120 based on the interference measurement.

[0039] In the example, at least one processor can be configured to: detect at least one of mirror signal leakage or interference in the subband to perform interference measurement.

[0040] In the example, the configuration message may be received as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration message and include at least one of the following: subband CQI reporting configuration; a threshold level for mirror signal leakage detection; or an event trigger for mirror signal leakage detection.

[0041] In the example, method 300 provides: determining whether interference in one or more subbands of a carrier exceeds a predefined threshold. Method 300 also provides: identifying one or more affected subbands from those affected by mirror signal leakage. Method 300 further provides: measuring the power of the mirror signal leakage in one or more affected subbands to perform an interference measurement.

[0042] In the example, method 300 provides: sending a measurement report to the second device 120 to report subband interference information. The measurement report includes at least one of the following: subband CQI value for each subband of the carrier; identification of one or more affected subbands affected by mirror signal leakage; or power measurement of mirror signal leakage in one or more affected subbands.

[0043] In the example, the measurement report may include at least one of the following: a Layer 1 measurement report via the uplink physical uplink control channel (PUCCH); or a Layer 3 measurement report via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0044] In the example, method 300 provides: receiving from the second device 120 scheduling information indicating at least one of the following: scheduling restrictions for one or more affected subbands affected by mirror signal leakage; modulation and coding scheme (MCS) values ​​for scheduling data on the one or more affected subbands; and the start time for applying the scheduling restrictions. The scheduling information is received via a Media Access Control (MAC CE) element. In the example, a downlink (DL) physical channel (such as a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)) may carry the MAC CE payload in response to an uplink (UL) physical channel (such as a PUCCH carrying reports of CQI and subband information).

[0045] Figure 4 A flowchart of method 400 performed by first device 110 is shown. At step 402, method 400 provides: determining whether channel quality information (CQI) in a first sub-band of the bandwidth meets a criterion. At step 404, method 400 provides: in response to the CQI in the first sub-band meeting the criterion, determining the image leakage power in the first sub-band.

[0046] In the example, method 400 provides: determining the image leakage power by measuring the interference power in the bandwidth within the gap between the first subband and the second subband and by estimating the image leakage power using a predefined image rejection ratio (IRR) based on the measured interference power.

[0047] In the example, method 400 provides for determining the mirror leakage power by: performing continuous monitoring of the signals received in the first subband and the second subband; applying an adaptive algorithm to estimate and compensate for the IQ imbalance between the in-phase (I) component and the quadrature (Q) component; measuring the residual power in the first subband before and after IQ imbalance compensation; and estimating the mirror leakage power based at least in part on the measured residual power.

[0048] In the example, method 400 provides to determine the mirror leakage power by measuring the power of a reference signal in the bandwidth within the gap between the first and second subbands. Method 400 also provides to measure the power of the received signal in the first subband at the resource element where the mirror of the reference signal occurs. Method 400 further provides to estimate the expected power in the first subband at the resource element, assuming no mirror of the reference signal occurs, based on the power of the reference signal in the bandwidth within the gap and the power of the received signal in the first subband. Method 400 also provides to estimate the mirror leakage power based on a comparison of the power of the received signal in the first subband with the expected power.

[0049] In the example, method 400 provides to determine the mirror leakage power by calculating a correlation coefficient between the signal received in the first subband and the signal received in the gap between the first and second subbands. Method 400 also provides to use the correlation coefficient to estimate the mirror leakage power.

[0050] In the example, the criteria may include at least one of the following: the difference between the CQI in the first subband and the CQI in the second subband satisfies a first threshold level; or the CQI in the first subband satisfies a second threshold level.

[0051] In the example, method 400 provides: sending capability information to the second device 120, the capability information indicating that the first device 110 is capable of performing interference measurements in a subband during segmented CA with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW). Method 400 also provides: receiving a configuration message for interference measurements from the second device 120. Method 400 further provides: determining the mirrored leakage power based at least in part on the received configuration message.

[0052] In the example, method 400 provides to report at least one of the following to the second device 120: the determined mirror leakage power in the first subband; the CQI value in the first subband; or the identifier of the first subband.

[0053] Figure 5A flowchart of method 500 performed by second device 120 is shown. At step 502, method 500 provides: receiving capability information from at least one first device 110, the capability information indicating that at least one first device 110 is capable of performing interference measurements in a subband during segmented carrier aggregation (CA) with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW).

[0054] At step 504, method 500 provides: sending a configuration message for interference measurement to at least one first device 110.

[0055] In the example, the configuration message is sent as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration message and may include at least one of the following: subband CQI reporting configuration; or associated configuration for interference measurement. The associated configuration may include at least one of the following: a threshold level for mirror signal leakage detection; or event triggering for mirror signal leakage detection.

[0056] In the example, interference measurement may include the measurement of mirror signal leakage in subbands during segmented carrier aggregation (CA) with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW).

[0057] In the example, method 500 provides: receiving subband interference information from at least one first device 110 based on interference measurements performed by at least one first device 110 on configured subband frequency resources. The interference measurements can detect at least one of mirror signal leakage or interference in the subband.

[0058] Figure 6 A flowchart of method 600 performed by second device 120 is shown. At step 602, method 600 provides: sending a configuration message to at least one first device 110 for interference measurement in a subband using non-contiguous intra-band carrier aggregation (CA) with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW).

[0059] At step 604, method 600 provides: receiving subband interference information from at least one first device 110.

[0060] In the example, subband interference information may include the subband CQI value and the level of leakage interference in the mirror signal.

[0061] In the example, the configuration message may be sent as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration message and may include at least one of the following: subband CQI reporting configuration; a threshold level for mirror signal leakage detection; or an event trigger for mirror signal leakage detection.

[0062] In the example, method 600 provides: receiving a measurement report of subband interference information from at least one first device 110. The measurement report may include at least one of the following: subband CQI values ​​for each subband of the carrier; identification of one or more affected subbands affected by mirror signal leakage; or power measurement of mirror signal leakage in one or more affected subbands.

[0063] In the example, method 600 provides: in response to receiving subband interference information, transmitting scheduling information to at least one first device 110, the scheduling information indicating at least one of the following: scheduling restrictions on one or more affected subbands affected by mirror signal leakage; modulation and coding scheme (MCS) values ​​for scheduling data on one or more affected subbands; or a start time for applying the scheduling restrictions. Method 600 also provides: based on the application of the scheduling restrictions, transmitting data on a carrier to at least one first device 110.

[0064] In the example, we will now discuss different procedures for estimating the mirror leakage power using method 600. These different procedures may include a direct measurement using a known mirror rejection ratio (IRR), an adaptive IQ imbalance compensation procedure, a measurement procedure based on a reference signal, or a measurement procedure based on correlation.

[0065] In the example, direct measurement using a known IRR procedure is helpful where the IRR is referred to as the a priori receiver device (UE 110). The IRR quantifies the degree to which the receiver suppresses a mirror signal, an unwanted signal that is symmetrically opposite to the desired signal relative to the local oscillator frequency. In the first step, the interference power can be measured in the bandwidth within the gap between the first and second subbands. In the second step, the mirror signal power leakage can be estimated based on the measured interference power using a predefined IRR (also known as the known IRR). This relationship is given by:

[0066] in, It is the measured interference power within the gap. It is the mirror image suppression ratio. It is the estimated mirror signal leakage power in the first subband (e.g., BW2).

[0067] Advantageously, when the IRR is known accurately, direct measurement using a known IRR process can be simple and efficient.

[0068] In this example, we will now discuss the adaptive IQ imbalance compensation process. This process can assist advanced receivers (UE 110) capable of adaptive IQ imbalance compensation, dynamically correcting defects in the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) paths (the common source of mirror signal leakage). In the first step, continuous monitoring can be performed on the signals received in the first and second subbands. In the second step, an adaptive algorithm can be applied to estimate and compensate for the IQ imbalance between the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components. In the third step, the mirror leakage power can be estimated, at least in part, based on the measured residual power. Advantageously, method 600 can be adapted to real-time changes in receiver conditions, thereby improving accuracy and eliminating the need to measure interference power within the gap.

[0069] In this example, we will now discuss a reference signal-based measurement process. By using a known signal to quantify mirror leakage, the reference signal-based measurement process can be helpful for various receiver types, including standard and advanced types. In the first step, the power of the reference signal in the bandwidth within the gap between the first and second subbands can be measured. In the second step, the power of the received signal in the first subband can be measured at the resource element where the mirror of the reference signal appears. In the third step, based on the power of the reference signal in the bandwidth within the gap and the power of the received signal in the first subband, assuming no mirror of the reference signal appears, the expected power in the first subband can be estimated at the resource element. In the fourth step, the mirror leakage power can be estimated based on the comparison between the power of the received signal in the first subband and the expected power. The reference signal-based measurement process provides a direct estimate of leakage.

[0070] In this example, a correlation-based measurement process will now be discussed. A correlation-based measurement process can be helpful for receivers with signal processing capabilities and relies on the relationship between the signals in the first subband and the bandwidth (BW) within the gap. In a first step, the received signals in the first subband (e.g., BW2) and the BW within the gap are captured. In a second step, a correlation coefficient is calculated between the signal received in the first subband and the signal received in the gap between the first and second subbands (e.g., BW1). In a third step, the correlation coefficient is used to estimate the mirror leakage power. Advantageously, through a correlation-based measurement process, method 600 can utilize existing signals without requiring an additional reference signal.

[0071] In the example, the different processes described above can provide a robust way to measure mirrored signal leakage in a subband of a 3GPP receiver. Each process can utilize the assumption that the receiver can measure the power of the interference source and can be customized for different receiver capabilities, thus ensuring flexibility across standards, known IRR, and advanced receiver types. In the example, the receiver can be referred to as the first device 110.

[0072] Figure 7 A first signaling diagram 700 of the first device 110 and the second device 120 is shown. The configuration for sub-band mirror signal leakage measurement and reporting will now be discussed.

[0073] When the first device 110 enters RRC connection mode, during UE capability information exchange, at step 702, the first device 110 may send capability information regarding its ability to perform mirror signal leakage detection. The capability information may indicate that the first device 110 is capable of performing interference measurements in a subband during segmented CA with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW).

[0074] At step 704, the second device 120 may send a configuration message to the first device 110 as an RRC configuration message (also known as an RRC reconfiguration). The RRC configuration message may include at least one of the sub-band CQI reporting configuration or associated configurations for interference measurement.

[0075] At step 706, the second device 120 acknowledges the received RRC configuration by sending an RRC configuration completion message (also known as RRCReconfigurationComplete) to the first device 110.

[0076] Figure 8 A second signaling diagram 800 of the first device 110 and the second device 120 is shown. The configuration of interference measurement and reporting in the subband will now be discussed.

[0077] At step 802, the first device 110 may send capability information to the second device 120. The capability information may instruct the first device 110 to perform interference measurements in a subband during CA segments with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW).

[0078] At step 804, the second device 120 may send a configuration message to the first device 110 as an RRC configuration message (also known as an RRC reconfiguration). The RRC configuration message may include at least one of the sub-band CQI reporting configuration or associated configurations for interference measurement.

[0079] At step 806, the second device 120 acknowledges the received RRC configuration by sending an RRC configuration completion message (also known as RRCReconfigurationComplete) to the first device 110.

[0080] At step 808, the second device 120 can perform the establishment of a non-continuous in-band CA (segmented unequal bandwidth carrier) connection as configured.

[0081] At step 810, data transmission occurs through the established connection.

[0082] At step 812, the first device 110 can determine that the mirror signal leakage in certain sub-bands exceeds a configured threshold, and can identify the specific sub-band affected by the mirror signal leakage, thereby measuring its power.

[0083] In an embodiment, at step 814, the first device 110 may report the indication subband CQI and additional information including the subband affected by mirror signal leakage on the uplink (UL) Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH). The first device 110 may report the measured mirror signal leakage power (details are described in the process of estimating the mirror signal leakage power by method 600).

[0084] At step 816, based on one or more L1 measurement reports on the active BWP of the carrier, the second device 120 can apply scheduling restrictions to the subbands of the active BWP of the carrier that are affected by image signal leakage. In the absence of threshold image signal leakage / below threshold image signal leakage, the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) value of the data is determined based on the subband CQI measurement reports.

[0085] At step 818, the second device 120 may send a DL MAC CE on the carrier to the first device 110, indicating the subband with scheduling restrictions, the MCS value used for scheduling data there, and the start time of the application of the scheduling restrictions. Alternatively, the second device 120 may send a BWP reconfiguration to the first device 110. The BWP reconfiguration may trigger another measurement for monitoring mirror signal leakage on the reconfigured BWP.

[0086] At step 820, data transmission continues with the applied scheduling restrictions. The first device 110 can receive data on the carrier by applying the scheduling configuration and restrictions described above.

[0087] In the example, the signaling steps described above enable dynamic management of subband resources affected by mirror signal leakage, thereby allowing the first device 110 to maintain optimal performance by applying target limits only to the affected portion of the bandwidth.

[0088] In another embodiment, now discussed Figure 8 The alternative implementations shown are ( Figure 8 (Not shown in the image) Alternative steps from steps 814 to 820. Steps 802 to 812 and... Figure 8 The description is the same as in the previous text, so it will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0089] At step 814, instead of using PUCCH for L1 measurement reporting, the first device 110 may use User Assistance Information (RRC signaling) to send one or more Layer 3 (L3) measurement reports. The L3 measurement reports may indicate the subband CQI and include additional information about subbands affected by mirror signal leakage, and utilize a process from the process of estimating mirror signal leakage power via method 600 to measure the mirror signal leakage power, as previously described in the specification.

[0090] At step 816, upon receiving one or more L3 measurement reports, the second device 120 may apply scheduling restrictions to subbands affected by mirror signal leakage for the carrier's active BWP. In the example, the MCS value may be used for subsequent scheduling beyond this step, based on CQI considered only on 'good' subbands, thereby optimizing transmission efficiency.

[0091] At step 818, the second device 120 may transmit a MAC CE (also known as a downlink medium access control element (DL MAC CE)) on the carrier to indicate to the first device 110: which subbands have scheduling restrictions, where the MCS is used to schedule data on those subbands, and the start time for applying the scheduling restrictions. In one implementation, RRC reconfiguration signaling may alternatively be used to transmit the scheduling restriction configuration instead of the DL MAC CE.

[0092] At step 820, the first device 110 can receive data on the carrier by applying the scheduling configuration and restrictions transmitted in the previous steps, thereby ensuring optimal performance despite the presence of mirror signal leakage in some subbands.

[0093] In the example, the alternative implementation described above can utilize Layer 3 (L3) signaling for measurement reporting, which can provide benefits in terms of signaling efficiency.

[0094] Figure 9 and Figure 10 Block diagrams are shown of a first device 110 and a second device 120 for implementing one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The first device 110 may be or include a terminal device, etc. The second device 120 may be or include a base station, a next-generation NodeB (gNB), etc.

[0095] The first device 110 and the second device 120 may each include processors 1104 and 1204, respectively, for controlling the corresponding operations of the first device 110 and the second device 120. Processors 1104 / 1204 may also be referred to as a central processing unit (CPU). Processors 1104 / 1204 may be embodied in various ways, including circuit systems, at least one processing core, one or more coprocessors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more controllers, processing circuit systems, other processing elements including integrated circuits (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.), or some combination thereof.

[0096] The first device 110 and the second device 120 may each include a memory 1102 and a memory 1202, respectively. The memory 1102 / 1202 may include both read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), and may provide instructions and data to the processor 1104 / 1204, respectively. The memory 1102 and the processor 1104 of the first device 110 may be operatively coupled. Similarly, the memory 1202 and the processor 1204 of the second device 120 may be operatively coupled.

[0097] Memory 1102 / 1202 may store instructions, such as computer-readable instructions / computer program code. The computer-readable instructions / computer program code may be pre-stored in memory 1102 / 1202, or alternatively or additionally, they may be received by the first device 110 and the second device 120 via electromagnetic carrier signals and / or copied from a physical entity such as a computer program product. Execution of the computer-readable instructions by processor 1104 / 1204 may cause the first device 110 or the second device 120 to perform the example embodiments described herein, such as... Figures 2 to 5 The steps outlined in the document.

[0098] The first device 110 and the second device 120 may each include a transmitter / receiver (TX / RX) circuit system 1106 / 1206, and may further include a transmitter 1108 / 1208 and a receiver 1110 / 1210. The TX / RX circuit system 1106 of the first device 110 and the TX / RX circuit system 1206 of the second device 120 may respectively enable them to transmit or receive data. The first device 110 and the second device 120 may include (not shown) multiple antennas, transmitters, and receivers.

[0099] In some example embodiments, the first device 110 and the second device 120 may each include components that enable them to perform... Figures 2 to 5A component for the steps / operations (if applicable). This component can be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the component can be implemented at least in a circuit system, a combination of memory 1102 / 1202, processor 1104 / 1204, TX / RX circuit system 1106 / 1206, or software module.

[0100] Example embodiments of the present disclosure have been disclosed in the accompanying drawings and description. Although specific terminology has been used, it is used in a general and descriptive sense only and not for limiting purposes. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein that are consistent with the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Other embodiments consistent with the present disclosure will become apparent upon consideration of the description in the specification and the present disclosure.

[0101] Furthermore, the various implementations of this disclosure can be described with reference to the following terms, and their features can be combined in any reasonable manner.

[0102] Clause 1. A first apparatus (110) comprising: at least one processor (1104); and at least one memory (1102) storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (1104), cause the first apparatus (110) to at least: determine whether channel quality information (CQI) in a first subband of bandwidth meets a criterion; and, in response to the CQI in the first subband meeting the criterion, determine the mirror leakage power in the first subband.

[0103] Clause 2. The first apparatus (110) according to Clause 1, wherein the at least one processor (1104) is configured to: measure the interference power in the bandwidth within the gap between the first subband and the second subband; and estimate the image leakage power using a predefined image rejection ratio (IRR) based on the measured interference power.

[0104] Clause 3. The first apparatus (110) according to Clause 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the mirror leakage power by: performing continuous monitoring of signals received in the first subband and the second subband; applying an adaptive algorithm to estimate and compensate for the IQ imbalance between the in-phase (I) component and the quadrature (Q) component; measuring the residual power in the first subband before and after the IQ imbalance compensation; and estimating the mirror leakage power based at least in part on the measured residual power.

[0105] Clause 4. The first apparatus (110) according to Clause 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the mirror leakage power by: measuring the power of a reference signal in a bandwidth within a gap between the first subband and the second subband; measuring the power of a received signal in the first subband at a resource element where a mirror of the reference signal occurs; estimating a expected power in the first subband at the resource element based on the power of the reference signal in the bandwidth within the gap and the power of the received signal in the first subband, assuming no mirror of the reference signal occurs; and estimating the mirror leakage power based on a comparison of the power of the received signal in the first subband with the expected power.

[0106] Clause 5. The first apparatus (110) according to Clause 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the mirror leakage power by: calculating a correlation coefficient between a signal received in the first subband and a signal received in the gap between the first subband and the second subband; and using the correlation coefficient to estimate the mirror leakage power.

[0107] Clause 6. The first device (110) according to Clause 1, wherein the criterion includes at least one of the following: the difference between the CQI in the first subband and the CQI in the second subband satisfies a first threshold level; or the CQI in the first subband satisfies a second threshold level.

[0108] Clause 7. The first apparatus (110) according to Clause 1, wherein the at least one processor (1104) is configured to: send capability information to the second apparatus (120), the capability information indicating that the first apparatus (110) is capable of performing interference measurements in a subband during segmented carrier aggregation (CA) with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW); receive configuration messages for the interference measurements from the second apparatus (120); and determine the mirrored leakage power based at least in part on the received configuration messages.

[0109] Clause 8. The first device (110) according to Clause 1, wherein the at least one processor (1104) is configured to report to the second device (120) at least one of the following: the determined mirror leakage power in the first subband; the CQI value in the first subband; or the identifier of the first subband.

[0110] Clause 9. A method (400) for a first apparatus (110), the method (400) comprising: determining (402) whether channel quality information (CQI) in a first subband of bandwidth meets a criterion; and in response to the CQI in the first subband meeting the criterion, determining (404) the mirror leakage power in the first subband.

[0111] Clause 10. A terminal device (110) comprising: a component for performing the method described in accordance with Clause 9.

Claims

1. A first device (110) for communication, comprising: At least one processor (1104). as well as At least one memory (1102) stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (1104), cause the first device (110) to at least: Determine whether the Channel Quality Information (CQI) in the first sub-band of the bandwidth meets the standard; and In response to the CQI in the first sub-band satisfying the criterion, the mirror leakage power in the first sub-band is determined.

2. The first apparatus (110) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor (1104) is configured to: Measure the interference power in the bandwidth within the gap between the first sub-band and the second sub-band; and Based on the measured interference power, the image leakage power is estimated using a predefined image rejection ratio (IRR).

3. The first device (110) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the mirror leakage power by: Continuous monitoring is performed on the signals received in the first sub-band and the second sub-band; An adaptive algorithm is applied to estimate and compensate for the IQ imbalance between the in-phase I component and the quadrature Q component; The residual power in the first sub-band was measured before and after the IQ imbalance compensation. as well as The mirror leakage power is estimated at least in part based on the measured residual power.

4. The first device (110) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the mirror leakage power by: Measure the reference signal power in the bandwidth within the gap between the first sub-band and the second sub-band; The power of the received signal in the first sub-band is measured at the resource element where the mirror image of the reference signal appears; Based on the power of the reference signal in the bandwidth within the gap and the power of the received signal in the first sub-band, the expected power in the first sub-band is estimated at the resource element, assuming no mirror image of the reference signal occurs. as well as The mirror leakage power is estimated based on a comparison between the power of the received signal in the first sub-band and the expected power.

5. The first device (110) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the mirror leakage power by: Calculate the correlation coefficient between the signal received in the first sub-band and the signal received in the gap between the first sub-band and the second sub-band; and The correlation coefficient is used to estimate the mirror leakage power.

6. The first device (110) according to claim 1, wherein the standard includes at least one of the following: The difference between the CQI in the first sub-band and the CQI in the second sub-band satisfies a first threshold level; or The CQI in the first sub-band satisfies the second threshold level.

7. The first apparatus (110) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor (1104) is configured to: The capability information is sent to the second device (120), which indicates that the first device (110) is capable of performing interference measurements in the subband during segmented carrier aggregation (CA) with asymmetric channel bandwidth (CBW). Receive a configuration message for the interference measurement from the second device (120); as well as The image leakage power is determined at least in part based on the received configuration message.

8. The first apparatus (110) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor (1104) is configured to: Report at least one of the following to the second device (120): The determined mirror leakage power in the first sub-band; The CQI value in the first sub-band; or The identifier of the first sub-band.

9. A method (400) for a first device (110), the method (400) comprising: Determine whether the Channel Quality Information (CQI) in the first subband of the (402) bandwidth meets the standard; as well as In response to the CQI in the first subband satisfying the criterion, the mirror leakage power in the first subband is determined (404).

10. A terminal device (110), comprising: Components for performing the method according to claim 9.

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