Measurement of periodically occurring signals

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to measurement of periodically occurring signals. According to one example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus configured to: receive, from a serving cell, a measurement configuration defining measurement of periodically occurring signals of a network; receive, from the network, an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell provides its periodically occurring signals less frequently than the measurement of periodically occurring signals is defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received indication indicates the periodicity of the periodically occurring signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and perform at least one measurement of the periodically occurring signals of the at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received indication and the measurement configuration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to cellular communications and measurement configurations therein. Background Technology

[0002] User equipment (UE) attached to a cellular network can be configured to search for reference signals transmitted by the network in order to establish time and frequency synchronization with the network. Such reference signals may be referred to by different names; typically, they are signals with known characteristics that enable the UE to search for them, and in some cases, they are called synchronization signals. Reference signals can be periodically transmitted from the network at fixed time intervals between consecutive reference signals; this fixed time interval is called periodicity. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The subject matter of the independent claims is provided according to several aspects. Several embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. The scope of protection sought by the various embodiments of the invention is defined by the independent claims. Embodiments, examples, and features (if any) described in this specification that are not within the scope of the independent claims are to be interpreted as examples that help in understanding the various embodiments of the invention.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing core, causing the apparatus to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell, at least in part based on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0005] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus to at least: provide a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; provide an indication to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and receive a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of the at least one neighboring cell. The apparatus may also be configured to: provide the user equipment with a time offset of the periodic occurrence signals of the at least one neighboring cell. The indication is included in the measurement configuration.

[0006] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided, comprising: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided, the method comprising: providing a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; providing an indication to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell.

[0008] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a set of computer-readable instructions stored thereon is provided, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell, at least in part based on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0009] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a set of computer-readable instructions stored thereon is provided, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the means to at least: provide a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; provide an instruction to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and receive a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell.

[0010] According to a seventh aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising components for: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining a measurement of a periodic occurrence signal of a network; receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0011] According to an eighth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising components for: providing a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; providing an indication to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement performed by the user equipment on the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell.

[0012] According to a ninth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing core, causing the apparatus to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the apparatus's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received instruction indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell, at least in part based on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0013] According to a tenth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing core, causing the apparatus to at least: provide a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; provide an indication to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the indication indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and receive a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of the at least one neighboring cell. The apparatus may also be made to: provide the user equipment with a time offset of the periodic occurrence signals of the at least one neighboring cell. The indication is included in the measurement configuration.

[0014] According to an eleventh aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided, the method comprising: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received instruction indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0015] According to a twelfth aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided, the method comprising: providing a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; providing an indication to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the indication indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of the at least one neighboring cell.

[0016] According to a thirteenth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer-readable instruction set, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the apparatus to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received instruction indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell, at least in part based on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0017] According to a fourteenth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable instruction set stored thereon is provided, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the means to at least: provide a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; provide an instruction to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the instruction indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and receive a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0018] According to a fifteenth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising components for: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received instruction indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell, at least in part based on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0019] According to a sixteenth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising components for: providing a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; providing an instruction to the user equipment that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the instruction indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0020] According to a seventeenth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing core, causing the apparatus to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration; and determine the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cells by searching for periodic occurrence signals from the at least one neighboring cell using the measurements.

[0021] According to the eighteenth aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided, the method comprising: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration; and determining the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cells by searching for periodic occurrence signals from the at least one neighboring cell using the measurement.

[0022] According to a nineteenth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a set of computer-readable instructions stored thereon is provided, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the means to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the means's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration; and determine the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell by searching for periodic occurrence signals from at least one neighboring cell using the measurements.

[0023] According to a twentieth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising components for: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration; and determining the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell by searching for periodic occurrence signals from at least one neighboring cell using the measurements.

[0024] According to a twenty-first aspect of this disclosure, a user equipment is provided, the user equipment including a mobile terminal portion, at least one processing core, and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processing core, cause the user equipment to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell, at least in part based on the received instruction and the measurement configuration, wherein at least one moment of the at least one measurement is selected at least in part based on the maximum periodicity received from the network.

[0025] According to a twenty-second aspect of this disclosure, a base station device is provided, the base station device including at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing core, causing the base station device to at least: provide a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network and providing the user equipment with the maximum periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals; provide the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the frequency of measurements defined by the measurement configuration; and receive a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0026] According to a twenty-third aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided, comprising: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receiving from the network an instruction that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of a user equipment provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration, wherein at least one moment of the at least one measurement is selected based at least in part on the maximum periodicity received from the network.

[0027] According to a twenty-fourth aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided, the method comprising: providing a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network, and providing the user equipment with the maximum periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals; providing the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the frequency of measurements defined by the measurement configuration; and receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0028] According to a twenty-fifth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable instruction set stored thereon is provided, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the means to at least: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of a user equipment provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell, at least in part based on the received instruction and the measurement configuration, wherein at least one moment of the at least one measurement is selected at least in part based on the maximum periodicity received from the network.

[0029] According to a twenty-sixth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable instruction set stored thereon is provided, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the means to at least: provide a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network and providing the user equipment with the maximum periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals; provide the user equipment with an instruction that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the frequency of measurements defined by the measurement configuration; and receive a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0030] According to a twenty-seventh aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising components for: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining a measurement of a periodic occurrence signal of a network; receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of a user equipment provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration, wherein at least one moment of the at least one measurement is selected at least in part based on the maximum periodicity received from the network.

[0031] According to a twenty-eighth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided comprising components for: providing a measurement configuration from a user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network, and providing the user equipment with the maximum periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals; providing the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the frequency of measurements defined by the measurement configuration; and receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An example system according to at least some embodiments of the present invention is illustrated;

[0033] Figure 2A The diagram illustrates the periodicity in the transmission of the reference signal;

[0034] Figure 2B The diagram illustrates the offset between the reference signals;

[0035] Figure 2C This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments;

[0036] Figure 2D This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments;

[0037] Figure 3 The illustrations show example apparatuses that can support at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates signaling according to at least some embodiments of the present invention; and

[0039] Figures 5-11 This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] This document discloses a method for facilitating a UE's search for reference signals from neighboring cells, wherein the UE is advised that the periodicity of the reference signals from neighboring cells exceeds the periodicity of a measurement configuration possessed by the UE. This activated measurement configuration possessed by the UE can be used in the serving cell to monitor the received signal strength of the reference signals from the serving cell. Using this information, for example, the UE is enabled to find the reference signals from neighboring cells more efficiently compared to a situation where the UE is only informed of the time offset of the reference signals from neighboring cells. Therefore, the UE is enabled to use a measurement configuration to measure reference signals with different periodicities, and the number of measurement configurations required by the UE does not increase due to the different periodicities used when delivering reference signals from the serving cell and its neighboring cells. In some embodiments, the network informs the UE which periodicities neighboring cells use when providing their reference signals, while in other embodiments, the UE will respond to indications of larger periodicities in neighboring cells by empirically determining the periodicity or these periodicities through UE measurements. When summarizing the results of the measurements, the UE can be configured to include only data from measurements that have already captured actual reference signals in the average, rather than measurements from empty measurement opportunities.

[0041] Figure 1AAn example system according to at least some embodiments is illustrated. The system (which is a terrestrial cellular communication network) includes base stations 130 and 135 communicating with a UE (such as UE 110). A radio link connects base station 130 to UE 110. The radio link may be bidirectional, including an uplink UL and a downlink DL, whereby the UL is used to transmit information from UE 110 to base station 130, and the DL is used to transmit information from base station 130 to UE 110. The cellular communication system may include hundreds or thousands of base stations; for clarity, Figure 1A Only two base stations are shown in the diagram. Base stations can be distributed, meaning they consist of centralized units (CUs) and one or more distributed units (DUs). A base station is an example of a base station node.

[0042] Base station 130 is also communicatively coupled to core network node 140, which may include, for example, an evolved packet core (EPC) node, such as a mobility management entity (MME) or a home subscriber server (HSS); or a 5G core network node, such as an access and mobility management function (AMF), a unified data repository (UDR) for 5G, or a call session management function (SMF). Core network node 140 may be coupled to other core network nodes and network 150, which may include, for example, the Internet or a corporate network. The system can communicate with other networks via network 150. For clarity, in Figure 1A Examples of other core network nodes not shown include gateways and subscriber information repositories. Core network nodes can be virtualized, meaning they can run as software modules on a computing substrate, allowing more than one virtualized network node to run on the same physical computing substrate. The network can be configured to operate according to a suitable cellular standard, such as fourth-generation 4G (also known as Long Term Evolution LTE), fifth-generation 5G (also known as New Radio NR), or the sixth-generation 6G standard defined by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). For interoperability, UEs attached to the network are configured to support the same standards as the network.

[0043] exist Figure 1A In the example, base station 130 controls cells 130A and 130B, where UE 110 is... Figure 1A In the case shown, it is attached to cell 130A, and Figure 1A In the example, base station 135 controls cells 135A and 135B. The number of cells and / or beams can exceed [number missing]. Figure 1AThe number shown. A base station can also have a single cell or beam. Although illustrated as a sector, cells of the same base station can be omnidirectional and operate on, for example, different frequencies. Mobility events can include handovers from one beam to another within the same cell, or handovers from one cell to another. To support mobility procedures, UEs, including UE 110, are configured to perform mobility measurements to measure the signal strength of reference signals from adjacent beams and / or cells, and report the results of these measurements to the network, which can then make decisions about mobility events, such as beam changes or cell handovers.

[0044] The UE includes the Mobile Terminal (MT) portion, which manages communication with the network to handle tasks such as signal processing and protocol compliance. It includes functions such as connecting to base stations, signal processing for radio access, and managing network protocols required for data transmission. The MT acts as a gateway between the UE and the mobile network. It manages tasks such as registration, authentication, handover, and data / voice transmission. The UE also includes the Terminal Equipment (TE) portion, which is the application layer and enables user interaction (e.g., application and data processing). The TE is responsible for application processing, managing application-generated data, and user interface interactions. The TE handles higher-level tasks such as launching applications, displaying information, and providing input / output functions. The TE typically includes the operating system and user-interactive applications of a smartphone.

[0045] Figure 1B An example system according to at least some embodiments is illustrated. The system is a non-terrestrial network (NTN), a type of cellular communication network comprising at least one satellite 120 in orbit around the Earth, the satellite 120 controlling cells 120A, 120B, 120C, 120D, 120E, and 120F. UEs on the Earth's surface can be attached to cells 120A through 120F. Satellite 120 can be included in a similar satellite constellation in similar orbits, thereby enabling the construction of a reliable communication network with broad coverage. For example, the satellites (multiple) can be located in low Earth orbit or medium Earth orbit. As used herein, in an NTN, the UE is on the Earth's surface, not in orbit.

[0046] As orbiting satellites move rapidly relative to the ground, UEs in an NTN need to switch between cells to maintain network connectivity. Therefore, mobility events are required even for UEs stationary relative to the Earth's surface. These mobility events are facilitated by periodically transmitted reference signals from satellite 120. In an NTN, mobility events can occur between beams or cells of a single satellite, or between cells of a first satellite and cells of a second satellite. Satellite 120 is connected to ground station 160 via a two-way radio link 126, which can be, for example, a radio link or a laser communication link. Ground station 160 is then connected to core network 170, which can be similar to the core network of a terrestrial cellular communication network.

[0047] Whether it is Figure 1A The ground network shown is still as Figure 1B In the NTN shown, the reference signal is considered to be transmitted from the cell. In the case of a terrestrial network, the physical device performing the transmission is the base station, while in the case of an NTN, the physical device performing the transmission is the satellite. Although this document primarily discusses the reference signal, other periodically occurring signals that can be used for measurement are also within the scope of this disclosure.

[0048] The reference signal can be a synchronization signal, which can be provided in a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), such as in a 5G radio interface. LTE also has synchronization signals that can be used as reference signals. A specific example of an SSB is a Non-Cell Defined SSB (NCDSSB). Alternatively, the reference signal can be a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) or another reference signal.

[0049] In the 5G radio interface, the SSB includes the Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), the Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), and the Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH). This SSB can be used in both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. Another term for the SSB is the SS / PBCH block. The SSS is generated using a Gold sequence, which can be used to generate mutually unrelated sequences. The Gold sequence is generated by multiplying two cyclically shifted binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) modulated m-sequences.

[0050] Some networks can be configured to provide their reference signal in at least some cells with a longer periodicity than the default or minimum periodicity. The periodicity can vary from cell to cell. For example, in an NTN, satellites may have power limitations, such as transmit power limits and power consumption limits, and they may not be able to communicate simultaneously using all satellite beams. This can also be due to the limited number of transmitter and receiver chains in the satellite transceiver hardware. To avoid transmitting the reference signal simultaneously in all cells or beams, the periodicity of the reference signal can be increased, and time offsets can be provided for different cells or beams to provide the reference signal, thus enabling transmission only in a subset of cells or beams at a given time.

[0051] However, different periodicities present challenges when performing measurements on these reference signals using the same measurement configuration. The position of the reference signal in the time domain is determined by a combination of the reference signal's periodicity and its time offset relative to a useful reference time point. Examples of such reference time points include the serving cell's reference signal and system frame number (SFN). When multiple different periodicities are used between neighboring cells, the UE may be unable to detect when each cell transmits its reference signal. If the UE measures a reference signal during a measurement opportunity when the signal is not actually provided, the UE can input the measurement results into an averaging process that does not accurately reflect the cell's signal strength. This results in incorrect measurement results being returned to the network, which in turn may degrade the quality of mobility decisions made by the network based on these measurements.

[0052] In 5G, the serving cell and neighboring cell SSBs can be measured based on a measurement configuration called the SS / PBCH block measurement time configuration (SMTC). The goal is to have only one measurement configuration per frequency. In NTN, due to potentially large propagation delay differences between serving and neighboring satellites and the UE, SSBs may not be able to be measured within the same measurement window. Therefore, an offset list can be used, enabling measurements using the periodicity of the SMTC and offsets from offset lists for different neighboring cells. The offset list associates time offsets with cell identifiers, allowing selection of the offset used to measure a specific cell. Neighboring cells can operate at the same frequency as the serving cell. This offset list can be provided to the UE as an SSB-MTC4 information element.

[0053] For the serving cell, the UE learns the periodicity of the SSB by reading the broadcast system information. For neighboring cell measurements, the UE can, for example, receive the SMTC and offset list from the broadcast system information. One problem with the offset list is that it does not support periodicities different from those defined in the SMTC. Therefore, the UE can use the SMTC periodicity to measure the neighboring cell's SSB, which may result in measurements being performed when there is no actual signal, even if some SMTC measurement opportunities do not overlap with actual SSB transmissions from the neighboring cell. Measurement requirements can be defined based on the assumption that the SSB is available for measurement during the SMTC measurement opportunity. As a concrete numerical example, the SMTC may define a measurement with a periodicity of 20 milliseconds (ms), while a neighboring cell may transmit its reference signal with a periodicity of 160 ms. If the UE measures the neighboring cell with a periodicity of 20 ms, the measurement will mainly accumulate noise, and the measurement will fail. Further complicating matters, another neighboring cell may use a periodicity of 80 ms.

[0054] Figure 2A The diagram illustrates the periodicity of the reference signal transmission. Time progresses horizontally from left to right. At the top of the diagram, the serving cell provides its reference signal at 20ms intervals, labeled "SSB" in the diagram, and the UE is configured with a measurement configuration, namely SMTC, to perform measurements during this period to monitor the signal strength of the serving cell. In the diagram, "SMTC" indicates the measurement timing of these measurements; in other words, measurement opportunities occur periodically. Furthermore, the UE is provided with a time offset to account for the propagation delay differences between neighboring cells. This offset indicates the time elapsed from the start of the serving cell's SSB to the start of the neighboring cell's SSB during a measurement opportunity where both SSBs are present. In the diagram, "SMTC4" indicates the measurement timing based on the SMTC and the offset. As shown, the periodicity of these measurements matches the periodicity of the serving cell configured with the SMTC, but not with neighboring cells. In fact, most measurement opportunities indicated by the SMTC and the offset do not correspond to the SSBs transmitted by neighboring cells, and the average measurement results across all measurements will not accurately reflect the signal strength of the SSBs received by the UE from neighboring cells.

[0055] Configuring multiple SMTCs for the UE may not solve this problem because if the UE cannot measure multiple configured SMTCs in parallel, the measurements will be performed sequentially, resulting in missing many SSBs of the serving cell when measuring neighboring cells and prolonging the measurement period. To overcome this problem, the UE can be given an instruction that at least one neighboring cell provides its reference signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration active in the UE. The UE can then consider the existence of a neighboring cell reference signal at each measurement opportunity defined by the measurement configuration, and if it exists, the UE can use a time offset to perform the measurement at the correct time to measure that reference signal. Even if the corresponding cells operate at the same carrier frequency, the offset enables the measurement of multiple reference signals on a single measurement opportunity. Therefore, multiple measurements can be performed in the same measurement opportunity, greatly improving the speed of measurement compared to sequential measurements. Parallel measurement refers to a measurement in which a first measurement is performed on at least one instance of a reference signal from the first cell at a certain time after the start of the second measurement in the second cell and before the end of the second measurement.

[0056] Without such parallel measurements, the UE may fail to complete the measurements in time to meet the handover interruption requirement, leading to Radio Link Failure (RLF), which negatively impacts communication quality. If the serving cell does not know the exact time when the target neighboring cell transmits its SSB, it may command the handover earlier than the optimal time, increasing the handover interruption time at the UE.

[0057] Figure 2B The diagram illustrates the offset between the reference signals. For example... Figure 2A As shown, time progresses horizontally from left to right. Here, three neighboring cells provide their reference signal (SSB in this example) at a period of 80ms, and the serving cell provides its reference signal at a period of 20ms. As illustrated, each neighboring cell has its own offset, which is defined to help the UE find the reference signal from the serving cell.

[0058] To overcome these problems, this paper at least partially describes a method in which the network indicates to the UE that, in a given frequency, there exists a reference signal from at least one neighboring cell whose periodicity is longer than the periodicity of the active measurement configuration configured in the UE. Different options exist for discovering the periodicity of these neighboring cell reference signals. First, the network can inform the UE of the periodicity along with a time offset, enabling the UE to construct a signal timing scheme to determine when each reference signal is transmitted. Second, the network can indicate to the UE the maximum periodicity used by any of the neighboring cells to be measured using the configured measurement configuration (such as SMTC).

[0059] Based on network indications, at each SMTC timing, the UE can determine whether reference signals(s) for a cell or group of cells(s) are available. In the first option described above, this determination can be based on information provided to the UE from the network. Alternatively, if the network does not notify the UE of the periodicity of neighboring cells, the UE can determine the periodicity through measurement. Specifically, the UE can initially perform measurements at each measurement opportunity defined by the active measurement configuration using the offset of each corresponding neighboring cell and determine whether a reference signal has been received. This determination can be based on a received signal strength threshold, for example, such that if the threshold is not met, the UE considers that the reference signal was not transmitted in that measurement opportunity. Furthermore, after the UE has performed measurements on neighboring cells with and without reference signals, it is easy to determine which measurements have captured the reference signal, as the signal level will be significantly higher. In response to receiving the reference signal twice from a neighboring cell, the UE can calculate the periodicity by subtraction. After the UE thus determines the periodicity, the UE can report these periodicities to the network, which can then notify other UEs of these periodicities. The UE can also use the determined periodicity to perform future measurements, so that the UE does not need to perform a measurement if it knows that the reference signal was not sent in the measurement opportunity.

[0060] In some embodiments, the UE is configured to determine which neighboring cells' reference signals are expected to be available based on at least one previous measurement of the reference signal and the maximum reference signal periodicity received from the network. Specifically, the UE can determine that a cell must provide its reference signal in the next measurement opportunity, or it will exceed the maximum reference signal periodicity. In response to this determination, the UE can measure the reference signal in the next measurement opportunity, and optionally, also determine the periodicity of that cell as the maximum periodicity. In some embodiments, the periodicity can simply be a value that is an integer power of 2 of the basic periodicity. In these systems, the UE can use this information when determining the periodicity of neighboring cell reference signals because using this information reduces the number of test measurements that need to be performed.

[0061] Typically, based on any of the mechanisms described above, the UE can assess whether a reference signal is expected to be available in a given measurement opportunity, and if there are measurement opportunities where the reference signal for a particular cell is unavailable, the UE can adapt the measurement to exclude these measurement opportunities (when reference signals from that particular cell are involved). Adapting the measurement may include changing the measurement period by a scaling factor so that the measurement includes the same number of instances of the measurement reference signal, even if these reference signals are transmitted at lower frequencies. The scaling factor may be selected as the periodicity used by neighboring cells divided by the measurement periodicity defined in the measurement configuration. This adaptation includes one or more of the following: Layer 3 measurement averaging, measurement requirements, and measurement reporting. Averaging adaptation may include not providing an input for averaging in measurement opportunities where no reference signal is available.

[0062] As an alternative to extending the measurement period, measurements can be adapted by keeping the measurement period unchanged. This means that during measurement opportunities where no reference signal is transmitted, the reference signal can be replaced with another signal from a neighboring cell (such as a PDCCH). Furthermore, since the larger periodicity reduces the number of reference signal observations, measurements can be adapted by tolerating more errors in the measurement results.

[0063] The UE considers measurements that overlap with the reference signal as valid measurements. When evaluating measurement triggers, the UE considers valid measurements in its internal processing. The UE can report valid measurements to the network in the measurement report.

[0064] The advantage of the technical solution described herein is that if the periodicity of the reference signal is longer than the periodicity of the measurement configuration active in the UE, multiple new measurement configurations are not required; instead, modified UE behavior using existing SMTC and / or offset lists is relied upon. In previous technical solutions, it could be assumed that the UE supports multiple parallel SMTCs, where if the number of parallel SMTCs (SMTCs at the same frequency that overlap in time) exceeds the supported number, the measurement period can be scaled according to the number of SMTCs, increasing the latency of measurement reporting. By configuring UE behavior as described herein, a single measurement configuration (such as an SMTC) can be used to measure reference signals (such as SSBs) with different periodicities and offsets, provided the propagation delay is the same. Therefore, by implementing parallel measurements, this technical solution can support different time offsets without increasing the total measurement period.

[0065] According to one example aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus (i.e., a UE) is provided, configured to: receive a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of a network; receive an indication from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the apparatus provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration; and perform at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received indication and the measurement configuration. The measurement configuration may be an SMTC. The periodic occurrence signal may be a reference signal, such as an SSB, as described above. The network may be terrestrial or non-terrestrial. The indication may include the periodicity of (a plurality of) neighboring cells, or the indication may include the maximum periodicity among (a plurality of) neighboring cells, or the indication may only include an indication that at least one neighboring cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration. The measurement periodicity is the time between consecutive measurement opportunities defined by the measurement configuration.

[0066] The received indication can indicate the periodicity of the periodic occurrence of signals in one or more of the at least one neighboring cell.

[0067] The UE can be configured to determine the periodicity of periodic signals from one or more neighboring cells by searching for periodic signals from at least one neighboring cell using measurements. This search is performed in the time domain by executing test measurements.

[0068] At least one moment for at least one measurement may be selected based at least in part on the maximum periodicity value received from the serving cell. The moment corresponds to a measurement opportunity when a reference signal is determined to exist at least in part based on the maximum periodicity value.

[0069] Figure 2C This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments. In phase 2C1, the UE is configured with a measurement configuration, such as SMTC. In phase 2C2, the UE receives information defining the periodicity of reference signal transmissions in neighboring cells. For example, this information may be provided as part of the measurement configuration or in broadcast system information in the serving cell. In phase 2C3, the UE receives offsets of the reference signals of neighboring cells relative to the reference signals of the serving cell or relative to another reference time point. For example, these offsets may be provided in the broadcast system information or in the measurement configuration. Phases 2C1, 2C2, and 2C3 may occur simultaneously in any order or in parts.

[0070] In phase 2C4, the UE prepares for the next measurement opportunity. In phase 2C5, based on the information received in phase 2C2, the UE determines whether the reference signal is expected to be available. If not, processing proceeds to phase 2C9 and then returns to phase 2C4; otherwise, if the reference signal is expected to be available, processing proceeds to phase 2C6, where a measurement is performed, and processing proceeds to phase 2C7. In phase 2C7, the UE determines whether sufficient instances of the reference signal from the cell have been measured, and if so, processing proceeds to phase 2C8, where a measurement report for the reference signal is sent to the network. Processing then proceeds back to phase 2C4, just as it would have returned from phase 2C7 to 2C4 if a measurement report was not yet ready.

[0071] In other words, during each measurement opportunity, the UE will assess whether a reference signal is expected to be available by comparing the indicated periodicity (or periodicity and offset) with the measurement configuration. If a reference signal from a neighboring cell is expected at this opportunity, the UE will measure that sample and include it in the average performed for the measurement report. Otherwise, the UE will skip the sample and wait for the next measurement opportunity with the expected reference signal from the cell to perform the measurement.

[0072] In relevant embodiments, the UE notifies the Layer 3 filter about periodicity, or that a sample has been discarded, to allow the measurement filter to consider a longer periodicity than in the measurement configuration. One approach to considering extended periodicity is to first repeat the previous or current sample value, and then change the filter coefficients to another pre-configured value, i.e., assigning higher weights to the new sample. Alternatively, provided that at least one PDCCH is available between two valid reference signal moments, the UE can perform extrapolation of known samples to replace discarded samples, or estimate the reference signal received power from other channels in the cell, such as the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

[0073] Figure 2D This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments. In phase 2D1, the UE is configured with a measurement configuration, such as SMTC. In phase 2D2, the UE receives an indication that at least one neighboring cell provides its reference signal with a periodicity greater than that defined by the measurement configuration. In phase 2D3, optionally, the UE is configured to report its determined periodicity to the network. If phase 2D3 is not performed, processing proceeds directly from phase 2D2 to phase 2D4.

[0074] In Phase 2D4, the UE determines the periodicity and optional offset of a reference signal provided by one or more neighboring cells (of multiple) neighboring cells. The offset is determined if the network does not indicate the offset to the UE. Specifically, the UE can perform test measurements during multiple measurement opportunities to identify the periodicity and optional time offset of neighboring cells, and will update its understanding of the periodicity accordingly to avoid performing unnecessary measurements on neighboring cells in the future. The UE can be configured to use a received signal strength threshold to determine, for example, whether a reference signal exists during the test measurement.

[0075] In phase 2D5, the UE prepares for the next measurement opportunity. In phase 2D6, the UE determines, at least based on the information established in phase 2D4, whether the reference signal is expected to be available. If not, processing proceeds to phase 2D7 and then back to phase 2D5; otherwise, if the reference signal is expected to be available, processing proceeds to phase 2D8, where a measurement is performed, and processing proceeds to phase 2D9. In phase 2D9, the UE determines whether sufficient instances of the reference signal from the cell have been measured, and if so, processing proceeds to phase 2D10, where a measurement report for the reference signal is sent to the network. Processing then proceeds back to phase 2D5, as if returning from phase 2D9 to phase 2D5 had not yet been prepared for a measurement report. Phase 2D10 may also include reporting the periodicity and optional time offset determined in phase 2D4 to the network.

[0076] According to Figure 2DIn these embodiments, the UE does not receive detailed information about the periodicity of the reference signal and the optional time offset. Therefore, the UE can be configured to report to the network the periodicity and / or offset of the neighboring cell reference signal, which the UE determines empirically. In these embodiments, the UE can be given more time to perform measurements. Since the network can inform other UEs of the periodicity of the neighboring cell reference signal it has learned from the UE, the network can select a UE to perform this embodiment based on UE type; for example, the network can select a UE with at least a threshold number of radio receivers and / or a UE with access to stable power, rather than a battery-powered UE.

[0077] By performing a test measurement sequence with continuous time offsets during the measurement opportunity, a determined time offset can be performed simultaneously with a determined periodicity, with the time offset having a higher received signal strength corresponding to the correct time offset of the reference signal in question.

[0078] Figure 3 Example apparatuses capable of supporting at least some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated. The illustrated device is 300, which may include, for example, a mobile communication device, such as... Figure 1A or Figure 1B The UE 110, or in applicable portions, includes network equipment such as base stations or satellites, or portions thereof. Device 300 is an apparatus. Device 300 includes a processor 310, which may include, for example, a single-core or multi-core processor, wherein a single-core processor includes one processing core, and a multi-core processor includes more than one processing core. Processor 310 typically includes a control device. Processor 310 may include more than one processor. When processor 310 includes more than one processor, device 300 may be a distributed device, wherein processing of tasks occurs in more than one physical unit. Processor 310 may be a control device. Suitable commercially available processing cores may be used. Processor 310 may include at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Processor 310 may include at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Processor 310 may optionally be, along with memory and computer instructions, a component for performing method steps in device 300, such as receiving, executing, determining, and providing. Processor 310 may be configured at least partially by computer instructions to perform actions.

[0079] A processor may include, or be constructed from, one or more circuit systems configured to perform the various stages of the methods according to the embodiments described herein. As used herein, the term “circuit system” may refer to one or more or all of the following: (a) a purely hardware circuit implementation, such as an implementation solely in analog and / or digital circuit systems; and (b) a combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as, where applicable: (i) a combination of (multiple) analog and / or digital hardware circuitry with software / firmware; and (ii) any portion of (multiple) hardware processors having software (including (multiple) digital signal processors), software, and (multiple) memories that work together to enable a device such as a mobile phone or base station to perform various functions; and (c) (multiple) hardware circuitry and / or (multiple) processors, such as (multiple) microprocessors or a portion thereof, which require software (e.g., firmware) to operate, but may be absent when the software is not required to operate.

[0080] This definition of circuit system applies to all uses of the term in this application, including in any claim. As another example, as used herein, the term circuit system also covers implementations of hardware circuitry or processors (or processors) or portions thereof, and their accompanying software and / or firmware. For instance, if applicable to a particular claim element, the term circuit system also covers 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.

[0081] Device 300 may include memory 320. Memory 320 may include random access memory and / or permanent memory. Memory 320 may include at least one RAM chip. Memory 320 may be a computer-readable medium. Memory 320 may include, for example, solid-state, magnetic, optical, and / or holographic memory. Memory 320 may be at least partially accessible by processor 310. Memory 320 may be at least partially included in processor 310. Memory 320 may be a component for storing information (e.g., instructions). Memory 320 may include computer instructions configured to be executed by processor 310. When instructions (e.g., computer instructions) configured to cause processor 310 to perform certain actions are stored in memory 320, and device 300 is configured as a whole to run using computer instructions from memory 320 under the guidance of processor 310, processor 310 and / or at least one of its processing cores may be considered to be configured to perform the aforementioned actions. Memory 320 may be at least partially located outside device 300, but may be accessible by device 300. The memory 320 can be transient or non-transient. The term “non-transient” as used herein refers to a limitation on the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not signaling), rather than a limitation on the persistence of data storage (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

[0082] Device 300 may include a transmitter 330. Device 300 may include a receiver 340. Transmitter 330 and receiver 340 may be configured to transmit and receive information according to at least one cellular or non-cellular standard, respectively. Transmitter 330 may include more than one transmitter. Receiver 340 may include more than one receiver. Transmitter 330 and / or receiver 340 may be configured to operate according to standards such as GSM, WCDMA, 5G, LTE, IS-95, WLAN, Ethernet, and / or WiMAX.

[0083] Device 300 may include a near-field communication (NFC) transceiver 350. The NFC transceiver 350 may support at least one NFC technology, such as NFC, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wibree, or similar technologies.

[0084] Device 300 may include a user interface (UI) 360. UI 360 may include at least one of a display, keyboard, touchscreen, vibrator arranged to signal a user by causing device 300 to vibrate, speaker, or microphone. A user may be able to operate device 300 via UI 360, for example, to receive incoming calls, initiate phone or video calls, browse the internet, manage digital files stored in memory 320 or accessible in the cloud via transmitter 330 and receiver 340 or via NFC transceiver 350, and / or play games.

[0085] Device 300 may include or be arranged to accept a subscriber identification module 370. Subscriber identification module 370 may include, for example, a subscriber identification module SIM card that can be installed in device 300. Subscriber identification module 370 may include subscription information identifying the user of device 300. Subscriber identification module 370 may include password information that can be used to verify the identity of the user of device 300 and / or facilitate the encryption of communication information and billing of the user of device 300 for communications performed via device 300.

[0086] Processor 310 may be equipped with a transmitter arranged to output information from processor 310 to other devices included in device 300 via electrical wires within device 300. Such a transmitter may include a serial bus transmitter arranged to output information to memory 320 for storage, for example, via at least one electrical wire. Alternatively, the transmitter may include a parallel bus transmitter. Similarly, processor 310 may include a receiver arranged to receive information from other devices included in device 300 via electrical wires within device 300. Such a receiver may include a serial bus receiver arranged to receive information from receiver 340, for processing within processor 310, for example, via at least one electrical wire. Alternatively, the receiver may include a parallel bus receiver.

[0087] Device 300 may include Figure 3 Other devices not shown. For example, in the case where device 300 includes a smartphone, it may include at least one digital camera. Some devices 300 may include a rear camera and a front camera, wherein the rear camera can be used for digital photography and the front camera is used for video calling. Device 300 may include a fingerprint sensor arranged to at least partially authenticate the user of device 300. In some embodiments, device 300 lacks at least one of the devices described above. For example, some devices 300 may lack an NFC transceiver 350 and / or a user identification module 370.

[0088] Processor 310, memory 320, transmitter 330, receiver 340, NFC transceiver 350, UI 360, and / or user identification module 370 can be interconnected in various ways via electrical wires within device 300. For example, each of the above devices can be individually connected to the main bus within device 300 to allow the devices to exchange information. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this is merely an example, and various methods can be chosen to interconnect at least two of the above devices according to embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0089] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates signaling according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. On the vertical axis, the serving cell SRV is positioned on the left, the UE is positioned in the middle, and the neighboring cell N1 is positioned on the right. Time is shifted from top to bottom.

[0090] In phase 410, the serving cell provides the UE with a measurement configuration, such as SMTC. In phase 420, the serving cell provides the UE with an indication that at least one neighboring cell uses a periodicity greater than the periodicity defined by the measurement configuration in its reference signal. The greater the periodicity, the lower the frequency. In phase 430, the serving cell configures the UE to report any periodicity to the network and, optionally, to report a time offset determined by the UE itself through measurement. Phase 440 corresponds to the serving cell providing the UE with a reference signal of a periodicity defined as the periodicity in the measurement configuration of phase 410. Phase 450 corresponds to the neighboring cell providing the UE with a reference signal of a periodicity different from the periodicity defined as the periodicity in the measurement configuration of phase 410. Phases 440 and 450 are repeated phases, although... Figure 4 The diagram is shown as a single instance, but each stage has its own periodicity.

[0091] In phase 460, the UE performs measurements using the measurement periodicity configured in phase 410. In phase 470, the UE evaluates the reference signal of neighboring cell N1 and anticipates which measurement opportunity is available. This can be based on the test measurements performed in phase 460, for example, as described above. Alternatively, it can be based on the periodicity of neighboring cell N1 provided to the UE by the network.

[0092] In phase 470, the UE utilizes the periodicity of reference signals from neighboring cells that it already knows to perform parallel measurements on the reference signals of the serving cell and neighboring cells. This may involve skipping measurement opportunities associated with neighboring cells that do not temporally correspond to reference signals that cell will transmit. Alternatively, this may involve discarding samples acquired from the measurements that do not temporally correspond to reference signals transmitted by the cell.

[0093] In phase 490, the UE reports the measurement results to the network, excluding data that does not correspond to any actual reference signal. In phase 4100 (which may be part of phase 490), the UE informs the network of the periodicity of the reference signal of neighboring cell N1, and optionally also informs it of its time offset. If the network informs the UE of the time offset of the reference signal of neighboring cell N1, the UE does not need to determine the time offset itself.

[0094] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The stages of the method shown can be performed, for example, in a user equipment, or in a control device configured to control its functions when installed therein. Stage 510 includes: receiving a measurement configuration from a serving cell, the measurement configuration defining a measurement of a periodic occurrence signal of the network. Stage 520 includes: receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration. Stage 530 includes: performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0095] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The stages of the method shown can be performed, for example, in a base station, or in a control device configured to control its function when installed therein.

[0096] Phase 610 includes: providing a measurement configuration from the user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of the network. Phase 620 includes: providing the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration. Phase 630 includes: receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0097] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The stages of the method shown can be performed, for example, in a user equipment, or in a control device configured to control its functions when installed therein.

[0098] Phase 710 includes receiving a measurement configuration from the serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of the network. Phase 720 includes receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received instruction indicates the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell. Phase 730 includes performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration.

[0099] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The stages of the method shown can be performed, for example, in a base station, or in a control device configured to control its function when installed therein.

[0100] Phase 810 includes: providing a measurement configuration from the user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of the network. Phase 820 includes: providing the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the indication indicates the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signals of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell. Phase 830 includes: receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0101] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The stages of the method shown can be performed, for example, in a user equipment, or in a control device configured to control its functions when installed therein.

[0102] Phase 910 includes receiving a measurement configuration from the serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of the network. Phase 920 includes receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration. Phase 930 includes performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration. Phase 940 includes determining the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell by searching for periodic occurrence signals from at least one neighboring cell using measurements.

[0103] Figure 10This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The stages of the method shown can be performed, for example, in a user equipment, or in a control device configured to control its functions when installed therein.

[0104] Phase 1010 includes receiving a measurement configuration from the serving cell, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodic occurrence signals of the network. Phase 1020 includes receiving an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration. Phase 1030 includes performing at least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of at least one neighboring cell based at least in part on the received instruction and the measurement configuration, wherein at least one moment of the at least one measurement is selected based at least in part on the maximum periodicity received from the network.

[0105] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of a method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The stages of the method shown can be performed, for example, in a base station, or in a control device configured to control its function when installed therein.

[0106] Phase 1110 includes: providing a measurement configuration from the user equipment, the measurement configuration defining measurements of periodically occurring signals of the network, and providing the user equipment with the maximum periodicity of the periodically occurring signals. Phase 1120 includes: providing the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodically occurring signal less frequently than the frequency of measurements defined by the measurement configuration. Phase 1130 includes: receiving a report from the user equipment relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodically occurring signals of at least one neighboring cell.

[0107] It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are not limited to the specific structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but can be extended to equivalents that will be recognized by those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0108] References to an embodiment or an embodiment in this specification indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. When numerical values ​​are referenced using terms such as approximately or substantially, exact numerical values ​​are also disclosed.

[0109] As used herein, for convenience, multiple items, structural elements, constituent elements, and / or materials may be presented in a public list. However, these lists should be interpreted as each member being individually identified as a separate and unique member. Therefore, no individual member in such a list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member in the same list solely based on its presentation in the common group (without any indication to the contrary). Furthermore, various embodiments and examples of the invention, as well as alternatives to its various components, may be referenced herein. It should be understood that these embodiments, examples, and alternatives should not be construed as de facto equivalents of each other, but should be considered as separate and autonomous representations of the invention.

[0110] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details, such as examples of length, width, shape, etc., have been provided in the foregoing description to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more specific details, or using other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0111] While the foregoing examples illustrate the principles of the invention in one or more specific applications, those skilled in the art will understand that many modifications can be made to the form, usage, and details of the implementation without inventive effort and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Therefore, the invention is limited only to the following claims.

[0112] In this document, the verbs “comprising” and “including” are used as disclosure restrictions, neither excluding nor requiring the presence of unreferenced features. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with each other. Furthermore, it should be understood that the use of “a” or “an” (i.e., the singular form) in this document does not exclude the plural. Industrial applicability

[0113] At least some embodiments of the present invention have found industrial applications in wireless communication.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communication, comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by said at least one processing core, cause the apparatus to at least: - Receive measurement configuration from the serving cell, the measurement configuration defining the measurement of periodically occurring signals of the network; - Receive an instruction from the network stating that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received instruction indicates: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cell; and - At least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell is performed, based at least in part on the received indication and the measurement configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the periodic occurrence signal of the network is a synchronization signal or a reference signal, and wherein the synchronization signal is located in a synchronization signal block.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the apparatus to further: receive from the network the time offset of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the indication from the network is included in the measurement configuration, and wherein the serving cell and the at least one neighboring cell operate on the same frequency band.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the apparatus to further perform at least one of the following: Trigger additional measurements in response to the results of the at least one measurement, and report the results of the at least one measurement to the network; The result of the at least one measurement is determined by including only the measurement data identified as corresponding to the actual transmitted reference signal of the at least one neighboring cell in the result; or To adapt to the measurement requirements defined by the measurement configuration.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the network is a non-terrestrial network, wherein the uplink from the apparatus to the network is a wireless link to at least one satellite in orbit around the Earth.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the apparatus to further: use orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in communication with the network.

8. An apparatus for communication, comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus to at least: - Provide a measurement configuration to the user equipment, the measurement configuration defining the measurement of periodically occurring signals of the network; - Provide the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the user equipment's serving cell provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the indication specifies: the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cells; and - Receive a report from the user equipment, the report relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell.

9. A method for communication, comprising: - Receive measurement configuration from the serving cell, the measurement configuration defining the measurement of periodically occurring signals of the network; - Receive an instruction from the network that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the device provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the received instruction indicates the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cells; as well as - At least one measurement of the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell is performed, based at least in part on the received indication and the measurement configuration.

10. A method for communication, comprising: - Provide a measurement configuration to the user equipment, the measurement configuration defining the measurement of periodically occurring signals of the network; - Provide the user equipment with an indication that at least one neighboring cell of the serving cell of the user equipment provides its periodic occurrence signal less frequently than the measurement periodicity defined by the measurement configuration, wherein the indication indicates the periodicity of the periodic occurrence signal of one or more of the at least one neighboring cells; as well as - Receive a report from the user equipment, the report relating to at least one measurement that the user equipment has performed on the periodic occurrence signal of the at least one neighboring cell.

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