Wireless device, base station device, network node and program

Abstract

To continue a service even if a sensing target moves when a BS collects sensing data on the basis of reflection waves from the target.SOLUTION: A WD includes: management means for managing operation states, the operation states including a first state where the WD can communicate with a management device managing a position of the WD over a mobile communication network and a second state where the WD cannot communicate with the management device; and notification means by which, in a case where a transition from the first state to the second state is instructed by the mobile communication network, when it is reported that sensing is being executed, a second BS is notified of movement to a service area of the second BS in the case of moving from a service area of a first BS to the service area of the second BS in the second state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to sensing technology in a mobile communication network. [Background technology]

[0002] Non-Patent Document 1 discloses various use cases of sensing services via a mobile communication network. Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a form A in which a base station device transmits a wireless sensing signal and the base station device collects sensing data based on the reflected wave, a form B in which a base station device transmits a wireless sensing signal and a wireless device (WD) feeds back the reception result of the sensing signal to the base station device, so that the base station device collects sensing data, and a form C in which a WD transmits a sensing signal and the base station device collects sensing data based on the reception result of the sensing signal by the base station device. Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 1 gives examples of sensing services such as detection of rainfall and traffic volume in a specified area and detection of the state of a person carrying a WD. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] 3GPP TR 22.837,V19.0.0,June 2023 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, consider a sensing service that detects the state of a person or object moving while holding a WD, and the state of the surroundings of the person or object. In the following description, the person or object moving while holding a WD, and the surrounding environment of the person or object are referred to as a "sensing target", and the WD is also referred to as a WD associated with the sensing target. For example, in the case of the above-mentioned form B or form C, the WD feeds back a sensing signal or transmits a sensing signal, so that the mobile communication network can determine a base station device that performs sensing processing, that is, a base station device that provides services to the position of the WD. Therefore, the mobile communication network can continue the sensing service even if the WD moves by switching the base station device that performs sensing processing according to the movement of the WD.

[0005] On the other hand, in the case of the above-mentioned mode A, when the WD is in the CM-CONNECED state (hereinafter referred to as the connected state), the mobile communication network can determine the base station device whose service area is the location of the WD, but when the WD transitions to the CM-IDLE state (hereinafter referred to as the idle state), the mobile communication network cannot determine the base station device whose service area is the location of the WD. Therefore, in the case of the above-mentioned mode A, the mobile communication network cannot switch the base station device that performs sensing in response to the movement of the WD, and therefore cannot continue the sensing service. In order to continue providing the sensing service even in the case of the mode A, it is possible to prohibit the transition to the idle state for the WD associated with the sensing target and keep it in the connected state, but this would increase the power consumption of the WD.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a technique that enables a base station device to continue providing services even if the sensing target moves when the base station device collects sensing data based on reflected waves from the sensing target. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a wireless device in a mobile communication network including a plurality of base station devices is equipped with a management means for managing operating states, the operating states including a first state in which the wireless device can communicate with a management device that manages the location of the wireless device in the mobile communication network, and a second state in which the wireless device cannot communicate with the management device, and a notification means for, when instructed by the mobile communication network to transition from the first state to the second state and notified that sensing is being performed, notifying the second base station device of movement from the service area of ​​a first base station device to the service area of ​​a second base station device in the second state of movement to the service area of ​​the second base station device. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, when a base station device collects sensing data based on reflected waves from a sensing target, it becomes possible to continue services even if the sensing target moves. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a sensing system, according to some embodiments. [Diagram 2] 4 is a sequence diagram according to some embodiments. [Diagram 3] 4 is a sequence diagram according to some embodiments. [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram of a wireless device according to some embodiments. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram of a base station device according to some embodiments. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features among the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0011] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a sensing system according to this embodiment. A mobile communication network includes a core network 1 and a plurality of base station devices (BS) 2 connected to the core network 1. In FIG. 1, two BSs are shown as an example, and the number of BSs may be any number equal to or greater than two. In the following description, when two BSs 2 are to be distinguished from each other, they are referred to as BS#1 and BS#2. The BS 2 may be a single device or may be divided into a plurality of devices, such as a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), and a radio unit (RU). The area in which the BS 2 provides a service, that is, the service area of ​​the BS 2, is referred to as a cell 5. A wireless device (WD) 3 communicates with the BS 2 that provides the cell 5 including its location.

[0012] The server 4 is a device located in a data network (DN) outside the mobile communication network, for example, the Internet, and is operated by a provider that provides sensing services (hereinafter, referred to as a service provider). The core network 1 has various network functions (NFs). One of them is a sensing function (SF) 10. The NFs 20 in FIG. 1 is a collective name for multiple network functions different from the SF 10 of the core network 1. For example, the NFs 20 includes an access management function (AMF) that manages the location of the WD 3. The NFs 20 also includes a network publication function (NEF) that enables the server 4 located in the DN to access the NF of the core network.

[0013] In the sensing service, BS2 is configured to enable the above-mentioned form A. That is, BS2 is configured to transmit a sensing signal and collect sensing data based on the reflected wave.

[0014] 2 and 3 are sequence diagrams according to this embodiment. In S10, the server 4 transmits a sensing request including information for identifying a sensing target to the SF10. The information for identifying the sensing target can be any information based on a prior agreement between a service provider and an operator of a mobile communication network. In addition, information indicating a relationship between the information for identifying the sensing target and an identifier of a WD3 associated with the sensing target (hereinafter, the WD3 associated with the sensing target will be referred to as a target WD3) is stored in advance in the SF10. In S11, the SF10 determines the target WD3 based on the information for identifying the sensing target, and further determines a BS2 whose service area is the current location of the target WD3. For example, when the target WD3 is in a connected state, the SF10 can obtain information on the BS2 whose service area is the current location of the target WD3 from the AMF. Note that the "connected state" is, for example, CM-CONNECED, and the WD3 in CM-CONNECED is in a state in which it can communicate with the AMF. Also, for example, when the target WD3 is in an idle state, the SF10 causes the AMF to page the target WD3, transitioning the target WD3 to a connected state. This allows the SF10 to obtain information on the BS2 whose service area is the current location of the target WD3 from the AMF. Note that the "idle state" is, for example, CM-CIDLE, and the WD3 in CM-IDLE is in a state in which it cannot communicate with the AMF. In the example of FIG. 2, it is assumed that the BS2 whose service area is the current location of the target WD3 is BS#1.

[0015] In S12, SF10 instructs BS#1 to start sensing of the sensing target. This instruction includes the sensing content and the identifier (ID) of the target WD3. In S13, BS#1 starts sensing of the sensing target and collects and accumulates sensing data. Note that, due to the processing in S11, the target WD3 is in a connected state at the time of processing in S13. If the target WD3 is communicating, the connected state is maintained, but if the target WD3 is not communicating, BS#1 instructs the target WD3 to release radio resource control (RRC) in S14 after a predetermined period has elapsed. Instructing RRC release means instructing WD3 to disconnect the wireless link with BS2 and transition from the connected state to the idle state. Therefore, the target WD3 that has received the RRC release instruction transitions to the idle state. In this embodiment, when BS#1 transitions the WD3 associated with the sensing target, i.e., the target WD3, to the idle state, the BS#1 notifies the target WD3 that sensing is being performed and the identifier of SF10 in the RRC release command. As a result, the target WD3 transitions to the second idle state instead of the normal first idle state.

[0016] When a WD3 in the second idle state moves from a cell 5 of a BS2 to a cell 5 of another BS2, it notifies the other BS2 of the movement. The movement notification is a message notifying the BS2 that the WD3 that has notified the movement is a sensing target WD3. Note that a WD3 in the first idle state operates to report the current tracking area to the mobile communication network when the tracking area is switched or when a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

[0017] In S20, the target WD3 moves from cell 5 of BS#1 to cell 5 of BS#2. Since the target WD3 is in the second idle state, in S21, it notifies BS#2 of the movement. At this time, BS#2 notifies BS#2 of the identifier of SF10 notified in S15. In S22, BS#2 notifies SF10 of the identifier notified in S21 of the movement. That is, in S22, BS#2 notifies that the target WD3 has moved to cell 5 of BS#2. The notification includes the identifier of the target WD3. In S23, SF10 instructs BS#2 to start sensing of the sensing target. This instruction includes the sensing content and the identifier of the target WD3. In S24, BS#2 starts sensing of the sensing target and collects and accumulates sensing data.

[0018] In addition, in S25, SF10 instructs BS#1 to stop sensing of the sensing target. This instruction includes the identifier of the target WD3. BS#1 stops sensing in response to the instruction to stop sensing. Then, in S26, BS#1 transmits the accumulated sensing data to SF10, and in S27, SF10 transmits the sensing data to the server 4.

[0019] As described above, the WD3 associated with the sensing target is made to report its location to the mobile communication network at the granularity of a cell 5, not at the granularity of a tracking area, during the idle state. This configuration makes it possible to continue the service even if the sensing target moves when the BS2 collects sensing data based on the reflected waves from the sensing target.

[0020] Although not shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, when the sensing is to be terminated, the server 4 instructs the SF10 to stop sensing. The SF10, which has been instructed to stop sensing, instructs the BS2, which is performing the sensing at that time, to stop sensing. Although not shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the target WD3 is performing communication, and therefore, if the target WD3 moves from the cell 5 of BS#1 to the cell 5 of BS#2 while remaining in a connected state, a handover from BS#1 to BS#2 occurs. In this case, the AMF detects the movement of the target WD3 to the cell 5 of BS#2 in the handover process, and the AMF notifies the SF10 of the movement of the target WD3. Note that the AMF is configured to notify the SF10 when the target WD3 performs a handover in the process of S11. Note that, if the target WD3 performs a handover from BS#1 to BS#2, the BS#1 may be configured to notify the SF10 of the movement of the target WD3 to the cell 5 of BS#2 to the SF10. When SF 10 is notified of the handover to BS#2, it starts the process from S23.

[0021] 2 and 3, the BS2 performing sensing accumulates sensing data and transmits the accumulated sensing data to the SF10 after the sensing is stopped. However, the BS2 may transmit the sensing data to the SF10 without accumulating the sensing data. In this case, the SF10 can accumulate the sensing data and transmit the accumulated sensing data to the server 4 at a predetermined timing, at a predetermined cycle, or in response to polling from the server 4. Alternatively, the SF10 can transfer the sensing data received from the BS2 to the server 4 without accumulating the sensing data. In other words, the BS2 can transfer the sensing data collected by the BS2 to the SF10 without accumulating the data in the BS2 or the SF10. The reason for notifying the identifier of the SF10 in S14 and S21 is to take into consideration the case where a plurality of SF10 are provided in the mobile communication network, and in the case where the mobile communication network includes only one SF10, notification of the identifier of the SF10 is not necessary.

[0022] 4 is a configuration diagram of the WD3. The management unit 31 manages the operation state of the WD3. The operation state includes a connected state and an idle state. The connected state is a state in which the WD3 can communicate with a management device that manages the location of the WD3 in the mobile communication network, such as an AMF, and the idle state is a state in which the WD3 cannot communicate with the management device. The idle state includes a first idle state and a second idle state, as described above.

[0023] When the notification unit 32 is instructed by the mobile communication network to transition from a connected state to an idle state and is notified that sensing is being performed, when moving from a cell 5 of a BS2 to a cell 5 of another BS2 in the idle state, the notification unit 32 notifies the other BS2 of the movement to the cell 5 of the other BS2.

[0024] 5 is a configuration diagram of the BS2. When the collection unit 21 receives a sensing start instruction including the identifier of the target WD3 from the SF10, the collection unit 21 starts sensing and collects sensing data. When the collection unit 21 receives a sensing stop instruction including the identifier of the target WD3 that is performing sensing from the SF10, the collection unit 21 stops the sensing. When the wireless link with the target WD3 is disconnected while sensing is being performed, the notification unit 22 notifies the target WD3 that sensing is being performed. When the notification unit 22 receives a notification indicating that the target WD3, which was notified that sensing was being performed at the time of disconnection of the wireless link, has moved to the cell 5 of the BS2, the notification unit 22 notifies the SF10 of the same.

[0025] 6 is a configuration diagram of a network node 6 that implements SF10. When a determination unit 61 receives a request from the server 4 to start sensing of a sensing target, the determination unit 61 determines a WD3 associated with the sensing target, and determines a BS2 that provides a service area including the current location of the determined WD3. The notification unit 62 notifies the determined BS2 of the identifier of the determined WD3 to start sensing. When the notification unit 62 is notified that the WD3 has moved to a cell 5 of another BS2, the notification unit 62 notifies the other BS2 of the identifier of the WD3 to start sensing, and notifies the original BS1 that was executing the sensing of the identifier of the WD3 to stop sensing.

[0026] Each of the WD3, the BS2, and the network node 6 can be realized by executing an appropriate program on one or more processors of a device having one or more processors. Thus, there is provided a program that, when executed on one or more processors of a device having one or more processors, causes the device to function as any of the WD3, the BS2, and the network node 6, and a computer-readable storage medium having the program stored thereon.

[0027] With the above configuration, when BS2 collects sensing data based on the reflected waves from the sensing target, it is possible to continue the service even if the sensing target moves. Therefore, it will be possible to contribute to Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) led by the United Nations, which is to "Develop resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation."

[0028] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 31: Management Department, 32: Notification Department

Claims

1. A wireless device of a mobile communication network including a plurality of base station devices, A management means for managing an operation state, the operation state including a first state in which the wireless device can communicate with a management device that manages a position of the wireless device in the mobile communication network, and a second state in which the wireless device cannot communicate with the management device; a notification means for notifying the second base station device of a movement to the service area of ​​the second base station device when the second state is moved from a service area of ​​a first base station device to a service area of ​​a second base station device in response to a command to transition from the first state to the second state by the mobile communication network and when the sensing is being executed and the second base station device moves from a service area of ​​a first base station device to a service area of ​​a second base station device in the second state; A wireless device comprising:

2. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the management device is a device implementing an Access and Management Function (AMF).

3. 2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the first state is CM-CONNECED and the second state is CM-IDLE.

4. A program that, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus having one or more processors, causes the apparatus to function as a wireless device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A base station device of a mobile communication network, a collection means for starting the sensing and collecting sensing data when a sensing start instruction including an identifier of the first wireless device is received from a network node; a notification means for notifying the first wireless device that the sensing is being performed when a wireless link with the first wireless device is to be disconnected during the sensing; A base station device comprising:

6. The base station apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the collection means stops the sensing when the collection means receives a sensing stop instruction including an identifier of the first wireless device from the network node.

7. 6. The base station device according to claim 5, wherein when the notification means receives a notification from a second wireless device that has been notified that the sensing is being performed, indicating that the second wireless device has moved into the service area of ​​the base station device, the notification means notifies the network node that the second wireless device has moved into the service area of ​​the base station device.

8. A program that, when executed by one or more processors of a device having one or more processors, causes the device to function as the base station device according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

9. A network node of a mobile communication network including a plurality of base station devices, a determination means for determining a wireless device associated with the sensing target when a request for starting sensing of the sensing target is received from a server, and determining a first base station apparatus whose service area includes the location of the wireless device; a notification means for notifying the first base station apparatus of an identifier of the wireless device to start the sensing; Equipped with The notification means, when notified that the wireless device has moved into the service area of ​​a second base station device, notifies the second base station device of the identifier of the wireless device to start the sensing, and notifies the first base station device of the identifier of the wireless device to stop the sensing.

10. The network node according to claim 9, wherein the movement of the wireless device into the service area of ​​the second base station device is notified by the second base station device, a base station device that established a wireless link with the wireless device before the wireless device moved into the service area of ​​the second base station device, or a management device that manages the location of the wireless device in the mobile communication network.

11. A program that, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus having one or more processors, causes the apparatus to function as a network node according to claim 9 or 10.

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