Methods, apparatuses and computer programs

Abstract

A first apparatus is provided that includes means for receiving a first signal from a second apparatus, determining one or more properties of the received first signal, determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal, and transmitting the second signal to a third apparatus based on the determined one or more parameters.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to a method, apparatus, system, and computer program, and specifically, but not exclusively, to determining signal parameters. Background Technology

[0002] A communication network can be viewed as a facility that enables communication between two or more communication devices or provides communication devices with access to a data network. Mobile or wireless communication networks are an example of communication networks. Services can be provided to communication devices by an application server.

[0003] Such communication networks operate according to standards provided by organizations such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) or ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute). Examples of standards provided by 3GPP are the so-called 3GPP standards for cellular technology generations, such as the 3GPP standards for 4G technology, the 3GPP standards for 5G technology, and the 3GPP standards for 6G technology. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to certain aspects. These aspects are not intended to indicate key or essential features of the various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, nor are they intended to limit its scope. Other features, aspects, and elements will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. For example, it should be understood that additional aspects may be provided by any combination of any two or more of the aspects described below.

[0005] According to one aspect, a first apparatus is provided, comprising components for: receiving a first signal from a second apparatus; determining one or more attributes of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more attributes of the received first signal; and transmitting the second signal to a third apparatus based on the determined one or more parameters.

[0006] One or more parameters of the second signal may include at least one of the following: a random access channel preamble; a frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; a modulation factor; a modulation type; or an amplification factor.

[0007] The second signal may include a random access channel preamble.

[0008] One or more attributes of the received first signal may include at least one of the following: the signal strength of the first signal; the frequency of the first signal; and the duration of the first signal.

[0009] Determining one or more parameters of the second signal may include selecting one or more parameters of the second signal from a plurality of possible parameters based on one or more properties of the received first signal.

[0010] The selection may include: selecting a subset of possible parameters based on one or more attributes of the received first signal; and randomly selecting one of the selected subset of possible parameters.

[0011] Multiple possible parameters can be pre-configured at the first device, and / or can be configured at the first device based on signaling received from the network node.

[0012] The selection may include: selecting at least a portion of one or more parameters of a second signal based on one or more properties of the received first signal; and randomly selecting at least one remaining portion of one or more parameters.

[0013] The portion of one or more parameters selected based on one or more properties of the received first signal may be the most significant portion of one or more parameters, and the remaining portion of one or more parameters may be the least significant portion of one or more parameters.

[0014] The second and third devices can be the same device or different devices.

[0015] The second device may include an access node or a user equipment.

[0016] The third device may include an access node or user equipment.

[0017] According to one aspect, a first device is provided, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first device to at least: receive a first signal from a second device; determine one or more attributes of the received first signal; determine one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more attributes of the received first signal; and transmit the second signal to a third device based on the determined one or more parameters.

[0018] One or more parameters of the second signal may include at least one of the following: a random access channel preamble; a frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; a modulation factor; a modulation type; or an amplification factor.

[0019] The second signal may include a random access channel preamble.

[0020] One or more attributes of the received first signal may include at least one of the following: the signal strength of the first signal; the frequency of the first signal; and the duration of the first signal.

[0021] At least one processor may be configured to cause the first device to select one or more parameters of a second signal from a plurality of possible parameters based on one or more properties of the received first signal.

[0022] At least one processor may be configured to cause the first device to: select a subset of possible parameters based on one or more properties of the received first signal; and randomly select one of the selected subset of possible parameters.

[0023] Multiple possible parameters can be pre-configured at the first device, and / or can be configured at the first device based on signaling received from the network node.

[0024] At least one processor may be configured to cause the first device to: select at least a portion of one or more parameters of a second signal based on one or more properties of the received first signal; and randomly select at least one remaining portion of the one or more parameters.

[0025] The portion of one or more parameters selected based on one or more properties of the received first signal may be the most significant portion of one or more parameters, and the remaining portion of one or more parameters may be the least significant portion of one or more parameters.

[0026] The second and third devices can be the same device or different devices.

[0027] The second device may include an access node or a user equipment.

[0028] The third device may include an access node or user equipment.

[0029] According to one aspect, a method performed by a first device is provided, the method comprising: receiving a first signal from a second device; determining one or more attributes of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more attributes of the received first signal; and transmitting the second signal to a third device based on the determined one or more parameters.

[0030] According to one aspect, a computer-readable medium including instructions, which, when executed by a first device, cause the first device to perform at least the following: receiving a first signal from a second device; determining one or more attributes of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more attributes of the received first signal; and transmitting the second signal to a third device based on the determined one or more parameters.

[0031] According to one aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided comprising program instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform at least the method according to any of the preceding aspects.

[0032] Many different aspects have been described above. As noted earlier, it should be understood that additional aspects can be provided through any combination of two or more of the aforementioned aspects. Other features, aspects, and elements will become apparent in light of the following. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Some exemplary embodiments will now be described by way of non-limiting and illustrative example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 This illustrates a representation of a fifth-generation communication system; Figure 2 The illustration shows a method for using some example embodiments. Figure 1 The representation of a communication system device; Figure 3 A representation of an apparatus according to some example embodiments is shown; Figure 4 An example system architecture for environmental devices is shown; Figure 5 The methods shown are based on some examples; and Figure 6 A schematic representation of the apparatus based on some examples is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0034] In the following explanation, various exemplary embodiments are described with reference to communication devices capable of communicating with a communication system. Before explaining the various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure in detail, please refer to… Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 Briefly explain the fifth-generation communication system (5GS), its access network and core network (5GC), and communication equipment.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic representation of a 5G communication system (5GS) is shown. The 5GS may include a user equipment (UE) or terminal 100, an access network (such as a 5G radio access network (5G-RAN) 101 or a next-generation radio access network (NG-RAN)), a 5G core network 102, and one or more application functions 103. Application functions 103 may be deployed as trusted application functions in the 5GS, or they may be deployed or hosted on one or more application servers in a data network (DN) 104. Such application functions are untrusted application functions. The 5GS connects the UE to the data network, the access network, and the 5GC 102 (e.g., the 5GC's UPF).

[0036] 5G-RAN 101 may include one or more radio access nodes, such as gNodeBs (gNBs). A gNB may include one or more gNodeB (gNB) distribution units (DUs) connected to one or more gNodeB (gNB) central units (CUs).

[0037] 5GC may include the following network functions: Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF); Network Open Function (NEF) 105; Network Repository Function (NRF); Policy Control Function (PCF); Unified Data Management (UDM) 106; Application Function (AF) 103; Authentication Server Function (AUSF) 107; Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 108; Session Management Function (SMF) 109; and User Plane Function (UPF) 110. Figure 1 Various interfaces (N1, N2, etc.) that can be implemented between various components of the system are also shown.

[0038] Figure 2 It shows the control Figure 1 Access networks (e.g., Figure 1 An example of a control device 200 for the functions of 5G-RAN or NG-RAN is shown. The control device 200 may include at least one random access memory (RAM) 211a, at least one read-only memory (ROM) 211b, at least one processor 212, 213, and a network interface 214. At least one processor 212, 213 may be coupled to RAM 211a and ROM 211b. At least one processor 212, 213 may be configured to execute appropriate software code 215. Execution of the software code 215 may, for example, cause the device to perform operations for controlling functions of the access network. The software code 215 may be stored in ROM 211b. The control device 200 may interconnect with another control device 200 for controlling another function of 5G-RAN or NG-RAN. In some embodiments, each function of 5G-RAN or NG-RAN is deployed or hosted on the control device 200. In alternative embodiments, two or more functions of 5G-RAN or NG-RAN may share the control device.

[0039] Figure 3 A communication device 300 (such as) is shown. Figure 1Examples of UEs (User Equipment). Communication device 300 can be provided by any device capable of transmitting and receiving radio signals. Non-limiting examples of communication device 300 include user equipment, mobile station (MS) or mobile device (such as a mobile phone or so-called "smartphone"), computer equipped with a wireless interface card or other wireless interface facility (e.g., a USB dongle), personal data assistant (PDA) or tablet computer equipped with wireless communication capabilities, machine-type communication (MTC) device, Internet of Things (IoT) type communication device, or any combination thereof. Communication device 300 may include a transceiver for transmitting and / or receiving, for example, wireless signals (e.g., radio signals) carrying communication. Communication can be one or more of voice, email, text messages, multimedia data, machine data, etc.

[0040] Communication device 300 can receive wireless signals (e.g., radio signals) via air or radio interface 307 through suitable means for receiving, and can transmit wireless signals via suitable means for transmitting radio signals. Figure 3 In the diagram, the transceiver is schematically represented by block 306. Transceiver 306 may include, for example, radio components and an associated antenna arrangement. The antenna arrangement may be located inside or outside the mobile device and may include one or more antenna elements. The antenna arrangement may be a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna.

[0041] The communication device 300 may be provided with at least one processor 301, at least one ROM 302a, at least one RAM 302b, and other possible components 303 for software and hardware assistance in performing the tasks it is designed to perform, including controlling access to the network (e.g., Figure 1 This describes access to 5G-RAN (or NG-RAN) and communication with the access network and other communication equipment. At least one processor 301 is coupled to RAM 302b and ROM 302a. The at least one processor 301 can be configured to execute appropriate software code 308. The software code 308 can, for example, allow the execution of one or more operations of the communication equipment. The software code 308 can be stored in ROM 302a.

[0042] The processor, ROM and RAM, transceiver, and other circuitry (e.g., modem) of the communication device can be located on a circuit board, in a chipset, or in a system-on-a-chip. The circuit board, chipset, or system-on-a-chip is indicated by reference numeral 304. The communication device 300 may optionally have a user interface, such as a keypad 305, a touch-sensitive screen or touchpad, or a combination thereof. Optionally, depending on the type of communication device, one or more of a display, speaker, and microphone may be provided.

[0043] In some networks, one or more environmental devices may be deployed. Example environmental devices include environmental Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Environmental devices can collect energy from wireless signals transmitted on a specific carrier and / or bandwidth and charge a simple circuit that, once activated, can transmit / reflect signals that at least encode the ID of the environmental device.

[0044] An example system architecture surrounding an environmental device includes: a first device that transmits a first signal aimed at waking up a passive wireless device; an environmental device that harvests energy within a frequency range and listens for the first signal; when the first signal is detected, the environmental device transmits / reflects a second signal specific to that device; and a second device that listens for and detects the second signal from the environmental device. The first device may or may not be separate from the second device.

[0045] Figure 4 An example system architecture surrounding an environmental device is illustrated, comprising a first device 400, an environmental device 402, and a second device 404. In operation, the first device 400 transmits a first signal 406, which is received by the environmental device 402. The environmental device 402 collects energy from the first signal and transmits / reflects a second signal 408. The second signal 408 can be used to transmit information from the environmental device (such as an identifier of the environmental device) and / or other information (such as sensor information). The second signal 408 is received by the second device 404.

[0046] In some examples, the first device 400 may be an access node of a communication network, or another device in the communication network configured to transmit the first signal 406, such as a UE, a relay node, etc. In some examples, the second device 404 may be an access node, or another device configured to receive the second signal 408 and report it to the access node when received from the environmental device 402.

[0047] Different types of environmental devices may exist, and these devices can be broadly classified based on their peak power consumption and amplification capability during operation.

[0048] For example, Category 1 devices may have a peak power consumption of approximately 1µW, have energy storage capabilities (e.g., rechargeable batteries, capacitors), and be able to achieve up to 10 X The initial sampling frequency offset of ppm has neither DL amplification nor UL amplification capability. The second signal emitted by the Category 1 device can be backscattered on an externally provided carrier.

[0049] Category 2a devices can have peak power consumption of up to several hundred µW, have energy storage capabilities (e.g., rechargeable batteries, capacitors), and can have up to 10X The initial sampling frequency offset is ppm, with DL and UL amplification capabilities at the device. The second signal emitted by the Category 1 device can be backscattered on an externally provided carrier.

[0050] Category 2b devices can have peak power consumption of up to several hundred µW, have energy storage capabilities (e.g., rechargeable batteries, capacitors), and can have up to 10 X The initial sampling frequency offset is ppm, with DL and UL amplification capabilities at the device. The second signal emitted by the Category 1 device can be generated internally by the device.

[0051] Environmental devices can be applied to many different use cases. For example, environmental devices can be used as ID tags, as sensors (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.), as healthcare devices (e.g., monitoring personal medical information), or for logistics.

[0052] Environmental device deployments can be very dense—for example, when environmental IoT devices are attached to inventory items in a warehouse, there may be thousands of devices in a small area. With so many devices, managing them can become difficult, for example, in terms of resource allocation for (multiple) secondary signals to avoid conflicts between concurrent secondary signals.

[0053] Assigning dedicated parameters for a second signal to each environmental device via dedicated signaling between the network and the environmental device (e.g., a unique RACH preamble, or a group-based RACH preamble with receiver-side multiplexing based on per-tag frequency shift) may be impractical. Furthermore, assigning dedicated parameters to each device when a new device enters the area of ​​interest (e.g., new inventory items are delivered to a warehouse) may also be impractical, as it would be beneficial for the environmental device to be trackable upon arrival, rather than incurring delays during the determination and transmission of new parameters via signaling.

[0054] Some examples disclosed herein can address one or more of these problems. Some examples can provide an environment device with a mechanism to derive parameters of a second signal using properties of a first signal without assigning dedicated parameters to each device. This can simplify device management and improve network efficiency. While specific benefits can be achieved with environment devices, it should be understood that similar benefits can be achieved using other types of devices, albeit to a lesser extent in some cases.

[0055] refer to Figure 5 It shows a method based on some examples. Figure 5 The method can be performed by a first device, such as, but not limited to, an environmental device.

[0056] At 500, one method includes receiving a first signal from a second device.

[0057] The second device may include an activator device. In some examples, the second device may include an access node or a user equipment. The first signal may be an activation signal.

[0058] At 502, the method includes: determining one or more attributes of the received first signal.

[0059] One or more attributes may include at least one of the following: the signal strength of the first signal; the frequency of the first signal; or the duration of the first signal. It should be understood that, in some examples, other attributes of the first signal may be determined at 502.

[0060] One or more attributes may be, for example, transmission attributes and / or reception attributes associated with the first signal. One or more attributes may be derived by the receiving entity of the first device. One or more attributes may be determined by the first device based on one or more measurements of the first signal. That is, one or more attributes of the first signal are derived on the first device side by measuring the first signal, and the attributes of the first signal are different from the content of the first signal transmitted by the first signal. For example, one or more attributes may be different from configuration parameters transmitted in the first signal. In some examples, one or more attributes may be derived on the first device side based on measurements of the first signal and the content of the first signal; that is, one or more attributes are different from the content of the first signal, but the content of the first signal is used (but not alone) to derive one or more attributes.

[0061] At 504, the method includes: determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on one or more properties of the received first signal.

[0062] One or more parameters of the second signal may include at least one of the following: a random access channel preamble; a frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; a modulation factor; a modulation type; or an amplification factor. It should be understood that in some examples, other parameters of the second signal may be determined at 504.

[0063] In some examples, determining one or more parameters of the second signal may include selecting one or more parameters from a plurality of possible parameters based on one or more properties of the received first signal.

[0064] For example, the first device may be configured with a list of possible frequency offsets of the second signal relative to the first signal, wherein each possible frequency offset is linked to a signal strength range of the first signal. When the first signal is received, the first device may determine the signal strength of the first signal at 502, and then select the frequency offset of the second signal from a list entry associated with a signal strength range including the determined signal strength at 504. It should be understood that the signal strength and frequency offset given herein are examples of first signal attributes and second signal parameters, respectively, and in other examples, different first signal attributes and / or second signal parameters may be used.

[0065] In some examples, selecting one or more parameters from a plurality of possible parameters based on one or more properties of the received first signal may include: selecting a subset of one or more parameters from a plurality of possible parameters based on one or more properties of the received first signal, and then randomly selecting one of the subset of possible parameters.

[0066] Returning to the previous example, the first device can determine the signal strength of the first signal at 502, and then at 504 select a subset of possible frequency offsets of the second signal from a list of entries associated with a range of signal strengths including the determined signal strength. For example, the first device can select a subset including frequency offsets {f1, f2, f3, f4, f5}. The first device can then randomly select frequency offset f3 from the selected subset. Again, it should be understood that the signal strength and frequency offset given here are one example of a first signal attribute and a second signal parameter, respectively; different first signal attributes and / or second signal parameters may be used in other examples.

[0067] In some examples, selecting one or more parameters from a plurality of possible parameters based on one or more properties of the received first signal may include: selecting at least a portion of one or more parameters of the second signal based on one or more properties of the received first signal, and then randomly selecting at least one remaining portion of one or more parameters.

[0068] For example, one or more parameters may include a RACH preamble. The selection may include: selecting the highest valid portion of the RACH preamble (i.e., at least a portion of one or more parameters) based on one or more properties of the received first signal, and then randomly selecting the lowest valid portion of the RACH preamble (i.e., at least one remaining portion).

[0069] In some examples, the first device may be configured (e.g., pre-configured or configured based on signaling received from a network node) with information indicating a plurality of possible parameters, each of which is associated with a different property of the first signal.

[0070] In some examples, parameters of the second signal can be selected, allowing the first device to choose parameters of the second signal that allow compensation for the conditions of the first device. The conditions of the first device may include, for example, the received strength of the first signal (e.g., weak first signal), the battery level of the first device (e.g., low battery level), limited amplification capability, or no amplification capability. For example, the selected parameters of the second signal could be transmission parameters that require lower power consumption.

[0071] At 506, the method includes: sending a second signal to a third device based on one or more determined parameters.

[0072] The third device includes a reader device. In some examples, the third device may include an access node or a user equipment. In some examples, the third device may be the second device, or may be different from the second device. For example, the second device and the third device may be the same access node or the same UE; or the second device may be the access node and the third device may be the UE; or the second device may be the UE and the third device may be the access node.

[0073] To illustrate some of the concepts discussed above, two additional illustrative examples are given. It should be understood that other examples may also exist within the scope of this disclosure.

[0074] Example 1 In this example, it is assumed that the first device is configured with a valid RACH preamble within a normal range. Upon receiving the first signal from the second device, the first device selects the RACH preamble for random access purposes as follows: 1. Evaluate the strength of the first signal and determine that the first signal is within 40% of the minimum / maximum signal threshold (the threshold can be hard-coded or pre-configured, for example, during initial registration). 2. Select a subset of RACH preambles based on the evaluated signal strength (e.g., select five RACH preambles at the 40th percentile of the pre-configured RACH range in proportion to 40% of the signal strength in the expected range). 3. Randomly select one from the five listed RACH preambles; and 4. Use the selected preamble for subsequent second signal transmission to initiate the RACH process.

[0075] Using this method, collisions between first devices located at different distances from the second device can be reduced or avoided. Furthermore, the cell receiving the used RACH preamble can extract information about the first signal based on the preamble used.

[0076] In alternative scenarios, step 2 may involve selecting only a single preamble, and then randomizing a portion of that preamble in step 3. In different scenarios, the highest-valued part of the preamble may be deterministically selected based on step 2, while the lowest-valued remaining part may be randomized in step 3.

[0077] In some examples, step 3 can be omitted, for instance, when precise signal measurements are being performed such that the likelihood of two first devices measuring the same signal strength is low, and when step 2 would lead to the direct selection of the final preamble.

[0078] Example 2 Some categories of the first devices (e.g., category 1 or 2a) may not have the ability to generate a signal, but instead only shift the frequency (or phase) of the first signal when transmitting the second signal. To orthogonalize the output transmissions among multiple first devices, each first device may use a frequency shift proportional to the signal strength of the first signal.

[0079] For example, the first device, which is farther away from the second device, will receive a first signal with a lower signal strength than the device closer to the second device. This means that the first device will have less energy to modulate the second signal compared to other devices.

[0080] The first device can be configured to determine the received power of the first signal, and because this received power is relatively low, the first device can apply a smaller frequency shift to the second signal compared to other devices. This may mean that, compared to other devices (which receive a higher-intensity first signal and can therefore collect more energy to perform a larger frequency shift), the first device uses a lower-power-demand mechanism to transmit the second signal.

[0081] In some examples, a small fraction of the frequency offset can be randomly configured (e.g., based on variable-configuration software features, such as being proportional to the serial number, or hardware features, such as being proportional to the offset of the built-in oscillator) to reduce the likelihood of interference between the second signal transmitted by the first device and other nearby devices receiving the first signal with similar reception power.

[0082] An example has been described in which a first device (e.g., an environmental device) determines one or more parameters of a second signal based on one or more properties of a received first signal, and then transmits the second signal to the network based on the determined parameters(s). This allows the network to avoid or reduce interference between second signals transmitted by different devices without having to configure unique parameters for each device, thereby reducing system complexity and avoiding unnecessary signaling overhead. This can lead to a more efficient, scalable, and faster-adapting system to new devices entering the network coverage area.

[0083] In some examples, a first device is provided, comprising components for: receiving a first signal from a second device; determining one or more attributes of the received first signal; determining one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more attributes of the received first signal; and transmitting the second signal to a third device based on the determined one or more parameters.

[0084] In some examples, a first device is provided, including at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first device to at least: receive a first signal from a second device; determine one or more properties of the received first signal; determine one or more parameters of a second signal based on the one or more properties of the received first signal; and send the second signal to a third device based on the determined one or more parameters.

[0085] Figure 6 A schematic diagram is shown of non-volatile memory media 600a (e.g., a computer disk (CD) or digital versatile optical disc (DVD)) and 600b (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory stick), which store instructions and / or parameters 602, which enable the processor to execute when executed by the processor. Figure 5 One or more steps of the method.

[0086] It should be understood that the above references to various network functions (e.g., AMF, SMF, TNF, etc.) can be implemented by means of performing at least some of the functions associated with those network functions. Furthermore, means configured to implement network functions can also be configured as virtual network function instances that implement those network functions.

[0087] It should be understood that the device may include or be coupled to other units or modules, such as radio components or radio heads used in or for transmission and / or reception. Although the device has been described as a single entity, different modules and memories may be implemented in one or more physical or logical entities.

[0088] Note that while some example embodiments have been described with respect to 5G networks, similar example embodiments can be applied to other networks and communication systems. Therefore, although some example embodiments have been described above by way of example with reference to certain example architectures of wireless networks, technologies, and standards, other example embodiments can be applied to any other suitable form of communication system besides the communication systems shown and described herein.

[0089] It should also be noted that various changes and modifications may be made to the various exemplary embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0090] As used herein, “at least one of the following: ” and “at least one of ”, and similar wording (where the list of two or more elements is connected by “and” or “or”) means at least any one of the elements, at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements. As used herein, the expression “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the listed terms, including at least any one of the elements, at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements.

[0091] As used herein, the term “or” means non-exclusive “or” unless otherwise stated (e.g., “otherwise” or “or in alternatives”).

[0092] As used herein, unless explicitly stated otherwise, “responding to A” does not indicate that the step is performed immediately after “A” occurs, but may include one or more intermediate steps. Similarly, “based on A” does not indicate that the step or function is performed solely based on “A”, as it may include one or more additional conditions.

[0093] Generally, various embodiments can be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuitry, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects of this disclosure can be implemented in hardware, while others can be implemented in firmware or software that can be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. Although various aspects of this disclosure may be shown and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other graphical representation, it should be understood that, as non-limiting and illustrative examples, these blocks, apparatuses, systems, techniques, or methods described herein can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuitry or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0094] As used herein, the term "circuit" may refer to one or more, or all of the following: (a) Hardware circuit implementation only (e.g., implementation in analog and / or digital circuits only), and (b) A combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (if applicable): (i) A combination of (multiple) analog and / or digital hardware circuits and software / firmware, and (ii) Any part of a hardware processor having software (including (multiple) digital signal processors, software, and (multiple) memories that work together to enable a device such as a mobile phone or server to perform various functions), and (c) The operation requires software (e.g., firmware) for the operation of (multiple) hardware circuits and / or (multiple) processors, such as (multiple) microprocessors or a portion thereof, but the software may not exist when it is not used for operation.

[0095] This definition of "circuit" applies to all uses of the term herein, including in any claim. As another example, as used herein, the term "circuit" also covers only hardware circuitry or processors (or processors) or a portion thereof and their accompanying software and / or firmware implementations. For example, where applicable to a particular claim element, the term "circuit" 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 networking devices.

[0096] Embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented by computer software executable by a data processor of a mobile device (e.g., in a processor entity), by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. Computer software or programs (also referred to as program products, including software routines, applets, and / or macros) may be stored in any device-readable data storage medium, and they include program instructions for performing specific tasks. A computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components configured to implement the various embodiments when the program is run. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one piece of software code or a portion thereof.

[0097] Furthermore, it should be noted in this regard that any block in the logical flow shown in the accompanying drawings may represent a program step, or interconnected logic circuits, blocks and functions, or a combination of program steps and logic circuits, blocks and functions. Software may be stored on physical media such as memory chips or memory blocks implemented within a processor, magnetic media such as hard disks or floppy disks, and optical media such as DVDs and their data variants, CDs. Physical media are non-transitory media.

[0098] As used herein, the term “non-transient” refers to a limitation on the medium itself (e.g., tangible rather than signaling), rather than a limitation on the persistence of data storage (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

[0099] The memory can be of any type suitable for the local technical environment and can be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory. As a non-limiting example, the data processor can be of any type suitable for the local technical environment and can include one or more of general-purpose computers, special-purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), FPGAs, gate-level circuits, and processors based on multi-core processor architectures.

[0100] The various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure can be practiced in a variety of components, such as integrated circuit modules. The design of integrated circuits is primarily a highly automated process. Complex and powerful software tools can be used to transform logic-level designs into semiconductor circuit designs ready for etching and formation on semiconductor substrates.

[0101] The scope of protection sought by the various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure is set forth in the independent claims. Exemplary embodiments and features (if any) described in this disclosure that do not fall within the scope of the independent claims should be interpreted as examples useful for understanding the various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0102] The foregoing description has provided a complete and informative description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure by way of non-limiting and illustrative examples. However, various modifications and adjustments may become apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims, in view of the present disclosure. Nevertheless, all such and similar modifications to these teachings will still fall within the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. As a non-limiting and illustrative example, another exemplary embodiment exists, which includes a combination of one or more exemplary embodiments with any other exemplary embodiments previously discussed.

Claims

1. A first device comprising components for: Receive the first signal from the second device; Determine one or more properties of the received first signal; Based on one or more properties of the received first signal, determine one or more parameters of the second signal; as well as The second signal is sent to the third device based on one or more determined parameters.

2. The first apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters of the second signal include at least one of the following: Random access channel preamble; Frequency offset relative to the frequency of the first signal; Modulation factor; Modulation type; or Amplification factor.

3. The first apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second signal includes the random access channel preamble.

4. The first apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more properties of the received first signal include at least one of the following: The signal strength of the first signal; The frequency of the first signal; The duration of the first signal.

5. The first apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein determining the one or more parameters of the second signal comprises: Based on one or more properties of the received first signal, select one or more parameters of the second signal from a plurality of possible parameters.

6. The first apparatus of claim 5, wherein the selection includes: A subset of possible parameters is selected based on one or more attributes of the received first signal; as well as Randomly select one of the subsets of possible parameters.

7. The first apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of possible parameters are pre-configured at the first apparatus and / or configured at the first apparatus based on signaling received from the network node.

8. The first apparatus of claim 5, wherein the selection includes: Based on one or more attributes of the received first signal, at least a portion of one or more parameters of the second signal are selected; as well as Randomly select at least one remaining portion of the one or more parameters.

9. The first apparatus of claim 8, wherein the portion of the one or more parameters selected based on the one or more attributes of the received first signal is the highest valid portion of the one or more parameters, and the remaining portion of the one or more parameters is the lowest valid portion of the one or more parameters.

10. The first device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second device and the third device are the same device or different devices.

11. The first apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second apparatus includes an access node or a user equipment.

12. The first apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the third apparatus includes an access node or a user equipment.

13. A first apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus to at least: Receive the first signal from the second device; Determine one or more properties of the received first signal; Based on one or more properties of the received first signal, determine one or more parameters of the second signal; as well as The second signal is sent to the third device based on one or more determined parameters.

14. A method performed by a first device, the method comprising: Receive the first signal from the second device; Determine one or more properties of the received first signal; Based on one or more properties of the received first signal, determine one or more parameters of the second signal; as well as The second signal is sent to the third device based on one or more determined parameters.

Images