System and Method for Measuring Radio Access Network (RAN) Visible Somatic Quality of Experience (QoE) in a Dual Connectivity Architecture

Abstract

A system and method for wireless access network (RAN) perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement in a dual connectivity architecture are presented. A first network node of a wireless access network (RAN) may generate a first configuration for at least one perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement to be utilized by the RAN. The first network node may transmit the first configuration to a wireless communication device that should collect at least one QoE measurement according to the first configuration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to wireless communications, including but not limited to systems and methods for wireless access network (RAN) visible body quality of experience (QoE) measurement in a dual connectivity architecture.

Background Art

[0002] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP®), a standards organization, is currently progressing with the specification of a new radio interface called 5G New Radio (5G NR) and a next-generation packet core network (NG-CN or NGC). 5G NR has three main components, namely, a 5G access network (5G-AN), a 5G core network (5GC), and a user equipment (UE). To facilitate the activation of different data services and requirements, the elements of the 5GC, also called network functions, are simplified, some of which are software-based and some are hardware-based, whereby they can be adapted as needed.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0003] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are directed to solving problems related to one or more problems presented in the prior art and providing further features that will become readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. By various embodiments, exemplary systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are disclosed herein. However, these embodiments are presented by way of example and not limitation, and as will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure, various modifications (including, for example, combining features from various disclosed examples, embodiments, and / or implementation aspects) may be made within the scope of this disclosure.

[0004] At least one aspect relates to the following system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A first network node (e.g., a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN)) of a radio access network (RAN) may generate a first configuration for at least one perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement to be utilized by the RAN (e.g., RAN visible QoE configuration). The first network node may transmit the first configuration to a wireless communication device (e.g., a UE) from which at least one QoE measurement should be collected according to the first configuration.

[0005] In some embodiments, the first configuration may include at least one of an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN (e.g., a QoE measurement that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)), an id of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN, an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN) that should utilize at least one QoE measurement, an indication of at least one QoE metric to be included in at least one QoE measurement, an indication of at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric, an indication of an event that should trigger at least one QoE measurement, an indication of the priority of at least one QoE measurement, an indication of the service type of at least one QoE measurement, an indication of the collection interval in at least one QoE measurement, or an indication of the reporting period of at least one QoE measurement.

[0006] In some embodiments, a first network node may transmit a first configuration to a wireless communication device via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message. The first network node may transmit the first configuration to a second network node of the RAN (e.g., a MN or a SN). The wireless communication device may generate a report according to the first configuration and at least one QoE measurement, and the report may include an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN (e.g., a QoE measurement that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)), an id of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN, an indication of at least one QoE metric to be included in at least one QoE measurement, an indication of at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric, an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., a MN or a SN) to utilize at least one QoE measurement, timestamp information of at least one QoE measurement, quality of service (QoS) flow information of at least one QoE measurement, or data radio bearer (DRB) list information of at least one QoE measurement, or at least one of them.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first network node may transmit a report to a second network node of the RAN (e.g., a MN or a SN). The first network node may receive a report from a second network node of the RAN (e.g., a MN or a SN).

[0008] In some embodiments, a first network node (e.g., MN or SN) may receive from a second network node a second configuration generated by the second network node according to at least one requirement of the second network node (e.g., MN or SN). A first network node of a radio access network (RAN) may generate a first configuration according to the second configuration or at least one of at least one requirement of the first network node. A first network node (e.g., MN) may receive from a second network node of the RAN a third configuration of QoE measurements (e.g., QoE measurements that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)) to be utilized by an entity outside the RAN.

[0009] In some embodiments, a first network node may generate a deactivation configuration for terminating at least one QoE measurement, the deactivation configuration including at least one of an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity outside the RAN, an id of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN, or an indication of a service type of at least one QoE measurement. The first network node may transmit the deactivation configuration to a wireless communication device via a radio resource control (RRC) message.

[0010] In some embodiments, a first network node may transmit a message to a second network node via an XnAP message to indicate or request termination of at least one QoE measurement. The first network node may receive from the second network node a confirmation or acknowledgement message regarding the termination. In a particular embodiment, the first network node may include a secondary node (SN), and the second network node may include a master node (MN).

[0011] In some embodiments, the first network node may determine cell group information and signaling radio bearer (SRB) information to be used for reporting at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN. The first network node may transmit the SRB information to the second network node via a defined message or an Xn Application Protocol (XnAP) message. The cell group information may indicate whether a master cell group (MCG) or a secondary cell group (SCG) should be used for reporting at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN or an entity other than the RAN. The SCG information may indicate the type of SCG to be used for reporting at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN or an entity other than the RAN.

[0012] In certain embodiments, the first network node may comprise a master node (MN), and the second network node may comprise a secondary node (SN).

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] Various exemplary embodiments of the present solution are described in detail below with reference to the following figures or drawings. The drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and merely depict exemplary embodiments of the present solution to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present solution. Therefore, the drawings should not be regarded as limiting the scope, range, or applicability of the present solution. It should be noted that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale for clarity and ease of explanation.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] (1. Mobile communication technology and environment) Figure 1 shows an exemplary wireless communication network and / or system 100 in which the techniques disclosed herein according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. In the following description, the wireless communication network 100 may be any wireless network such as a cellular network or a NarrowBand Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, and is referred to herein as the "network 100". Such an exemplary network 100 includes base stations 102 (hereinafter "BS102", also referred to as wireless communication nodes) and user equipment devices 104 (hereinafter "UE104", also referred to as wireless communication devices) that can communicate with each other via communication links 110 (e.g., wireless communication channels), and a cluster of cells 126, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 that overlap a geographic area 101. In FIG. 1, BS102 and UE104 are each included within the respective geographic boundaries of cell 126. Each of the other cells 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 may include at least one base station operating in its assigned bandwidth to provide an appropriate wireless communication range for the intended users.

[0023] For example, BS102 may operate in an assigned channel transmission bandwidth to provide an appropriate effective communication range for UE104. BS102 and UE104 may communicate with each other via a downlink radio frame 118 and an uplink radio frame 124, respectively. Each radio frame 118 / 124 may be further divided into subframes 120 / 127 that may include data symbols 122 / 128. In the present disclosure, BS102 and UE104 are generally described herein as non-limiting examples of "communication nodes" that may practice the methods disclosed herein. Such communication nodes may be capable of performing wireless and / or wired communication according to various embodiments of the present solution.

[0024] Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary wireless communication system 200 for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals (e.g., OFDM / OFDMA signals) according to some embodiments of the present solution. System 200 may include components and elements configured to support known or conventional operating features that need not be described in detail herein. In an exemplary embodiment, system 200 may be used to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive) data symbols in a wireless communication environment such as wireless communication environment 100 of FIG. 1 as described above.

[0025] System 200 generally includes a base station 202 (hereinafter, “BS202”) and a user equipment device 204 (hereinafter, “UE204”). BS202 includes a BS (base station) transceiver module 210, a BS antenna 212, a BS processor module 214, a BS memory module 216, and a network communication module 218, and each module is coupled and interconnected with each other as needed via a data communication bus 220. UE204 includes a UE (user equipment) transceiver module 230, a UE antenna 232, a UE memory module 234, and a UE processor module 236, and each module is coupled and interconnected with each other as needed via a data communication bus 240. BS202 communicates with UE204 via a communication channel 250, which can be any wireless channel or other medium suitable for transmission of data as described herein.

[0026] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, system 200 may further include any number of modules other than those shown in FIG. 2. Those skilled in the art will understand that the various exemplary blocks, modules, circuits, and processing logics described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented in hardware, computer-readable software, firmware, or any practical combination thereof. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability and fitness of hardware, firmware, and software, the various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software may depend upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art having the benefit of the concepts described herein may implement such functionality in a manner suitable for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure

[0027] According to some embodiments, the UE transceiver 230 may be referred to herein as an "uplink" transceiver 230 that includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and an RF receiver, each having circuitry coupled to the antenna 232. As an alternative, a duplex switch (not shown) may couple the uplink transmitter or receiver to the uplink antenna in a time-division duplexing manner. Similarly, according to some embodiments, the BS transceiver 210 may be referred to herein as a "downlink" transceiver 210 that includes an RF transmitter and an RF receiver, each having circuitry coupled to the antenna 212. As an alternative, a downlink duplex switch may couple the downlink transmitter or receiver to the downlink antenna 212 in a time-division duplexing manner. The operations of the two transceiver modules 210 and 230 may be time-aligned such that the downlink transmitter is coupled to the downlink antenna 212 while at the same time the uplink receiver circuitry is coupled to the uplink antenna 232 to receive transmissions via the wireless transmission link 250. Conversely, the operations of the two transceivers 210 and 230 may be time-aligned such that the uplink transmitter is coupled to the uplink antenna 232 while at the same time the downlink receiver is coupled to the downlink antenna 212 to receive transmissions via the wireless transmission link 250. In some embodiments, there is a cut-off time synchronization with a minimum guard time during the change of the duplex direction.

[0028] UE transceiver 230 and base station transceiver 210 communicate via wireless data communication link 250 and are configured to cooperate with appropriately configured RF antenna devices 212 / 232 that can support a particular wireless communication protocol and modulation scheme. In some exemplary embodiments, UE transceiver 210 and base station transceiver 210 are configured to support industry standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and emerging 5G standards. However, it is understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to application to specific standards and related protocols. Rather, UE transceiver 230 and base station transceiver 210 may be configured to support alternative or additional wireless data communication protocols, including future standards or variations thereof.

[0029] According to various embodiments, BS202 can be, for example, an evolved Node B (eNB), a serving eNB, a target eNB, a femto station, or a pico station. In some embodiments, UE204 can be embodied in various types of user devices such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, etc. Processor modules 214 and 236 can be implemented or realized using a general-purpose processor, a content addressable memory, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. Thus, the processor can be realized as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, etc. The processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a digital signal processor core, or any other such configuration.

[0030] Furthermore, the steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly in hardware, firmware, software modules each executed by processor modules 214 and 236, or in any practical combination thereof. Memory modules 216 and 234 can be implemented as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In this regard, memory modules 216 and 234 can be coupled to processor modules 210 and 230, respectively, such that processor modules 210 and 230 can read information from, and write information to, memory modules 216 and 234, respectively. Memory modules 216 and 234 can be integrated into their respective processor modules 210 and 230. In some embodiments, each of memory modules 216 and 234 can include cache memory for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions executed by processor modules 210 and 230, respectively. Each of memory modules 216 and 234 can also include non-volatile memory for storing instructions executed by processor modules 210 and 230, respectively.

[0031] The network communication module 218 generally represents the hardware, software, firmware, processing logic, and / or other components of base station 202 that enable bidirectional communication between base station transceiver 210 and other network components and communication nodes configured to communicate with base station 202. For example, network communication module 218 may be configured to support Internet or WiMAX traffic. In a typical arrangement, but not limited to, network communication module 218 provides an 802.3 Ethernet (registered trademark) interface so that base station transceiver 210 can communicate with a conventional Ethernet (registered trademark)-based computer network. Thus, network communication module 218 may include a physical interface for connecting to a computer network (e.g., a mobile switching center (MSC)). As used herein, the terms "configured to" and "configured so as to" and their conjugations with respect to a specified operation or function refer to a device, component, circuit, structure, machine, signal, etc. that is physically configured, programmed, formatted, and / or arranged to perform the specified operation or function.

[0032] The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model (referred to herein as the "Open Systems Interconnection model") is a conceptual and logical layout that defines network communication used by systems (e.g., wireless communication devices, wireless communication nodes) that are open to interconnection and communication with other systems. The model is divided into seven sub-components or layers, each of which represents a conceptual set of services provided to the layers above and below it. The OSI model also defines logical networks and effectively describes computer packet transfer by using different layer protocols. The OSI model may be referred to as the seven-layer OSI model or the seven-layer model. In some embodiments, the first layer may be the physical layer. In some embodiments, the second layer may be the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. In some embodiments, the third layer may be the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. In some embodiments, the fourth layer may be the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer. In some embodiments, the fifth layer may be the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer. In some embodiments, the sixth layer may be the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) layer or the Internet Protocol (IP) layer, and the seventh layer may be other layers.

[0033] To enable those skilled in the art to make and use the present solution, various exemplary embodiments of the present solution are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, after reading the present disclosure, various changes or modifications to the examples described herein can be made without departing from the scope of the present solution. Accordingly, the present solution is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and applications described and illustrated herein. Further, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed herein is merely an exemplary approach. Based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of steps of the disclosed methods or processes can be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present solution. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will understand that the methods and techniques disclosed herein present various steps or operations in a sample order, and the present solution is not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented unless otherwise specified.

[0034] (2. Systems and Methods for Measuring Radio Access Network (RAN) Visible Perceived Quality of Experience (QoE) in a Dual Connectivity Architecture) Perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement can be configured to collect measurement results of a specific service type at the user equipment (UE) application layer. The reporting of QoE measurement can be transparent / invisible to the radio access network (RAN) node. RAN visible QoE (e.g., referring to QoE information / measurement / reporting that can be seen by and utilized by RAN entities) can be a sub - feature configured in addition to QoE measurement (which may not be visible to RAN entities and should be utilized by entities other than RAN entities). RAN visible QoE can be configured when QoE measurement for a specific service type is activated. However, QoE and RAN visible QoE can only be applied to a stand - alone architecture or a central unit (CU) - distributed unit (DU) split architecture in the current technology. This invention provides a technique for configuring and reporting at least one RAN visible QoE in a dual connectivity architecture.

[0035] The new Radio (NR) Quality of Experience (QoE) Measurement Collection (QMC) function can be activated by operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) via a separate QMC framework. For signaling-based QoE, the QMC configuration in a specific UE can be sent from OAM to the core network (CN), and the CN can send the QMC configuration to the RAN node via UE-related signaling (e.g., NGAP / XnAP / F1AP messages). For management-based QoE, OAM can send the QMC configuration to the RAN node. The RAN node can select UEs that meet the conditions for QoE measurement (e.g., area scope, slice, etc.) and send the QMC configuration to the UEs.

[0036] For QoE in a stand-alone architecture, the UE application layer can collect QoE metrics and send the collected data to the UE AS layer via an attention (AT) command according to the QoE metrics. The UE AS layer can send the collected data (e.g., QoE report) to the RAN node. After the RAN node receives the QoE report, the RAN node can transfer / send the received QoE report to the Measurement Collection Entity (MCE). The MCE can be an entity that collects QoE measurement reports and performs analysis for optimization. The QoE report can be transparent / invisible to the RAN node, which means that the RAN node may not read and / or utilize the content in the QoE report.

[0037] RAN visible QoE can be a sub - feature of QoE. When QoE measurement is activated, the RAN can configure RAN visible QoE based on its own requirements. RAN visible QoE can be associated with the QoE measurement by the id of the QoE measurement. The UE can collect RAN visible QoE measurement results and report the measurement results to the RAN node. The RAN node can use the measurement results for network optimization. In a Central Unit (CU) - Distributed Unit (DU) split architecture, the CU can transfer the RAN visible QoE measurement results to the DU via F1AP messages.

[0038] In dual connectivity (DC), the UE can be connected to two RAN nodes. One of the RAN nodes can function as a Master Node (MN), and the other one of the RAN nodes can function as a Secondary Node (SN). Both the MN and the SN can be configured with minimization of drive test (MDT) and can collect MDT reports. MDT can be activated via a trace function. MDT reports can be sent to a Trace Collection Entity (TCE). QoE measurement reports can be sent to a Measurement Collection Entity (MCE).

[0039] (Implementation Example 1: The MN generates a RAN visible QoE measurement configuration) Figure 3 shows a sequence diagram for Radio Access Network (RAN) visible perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement in a dual - connectivity architecture.

[0040] In step 0, one or more QoE measurements can be activated in a dual connectivity (DC) architecture. One or more QoE configurations can be generated by OAM / CN. OAM / CN can send the QoE configuration to the MN or SN. Regarding management-based QoE, the QoE configuration can be sent directly to the MN / SN by OAM. Regarding signaling-based QoE, the QoE configuration can be sent to the MN / SN via the core network (CN). After receiving the QoE configuration, the MN or SN can transfer the QoE configuration to the UE via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message. The UE can perform one or more QoE measurements in the UE application layer according to the received QoE configuration. The UE can report the QoE measurement results to an NG-RAN node (e.g., the MN or SN). The MN or SN can transfer the received QoE measurement results (e.g., QoE reports) to the MCE for QoE analysis. In some embodiments, the QoE report can be a transparent / invisible container to the RAN node, which means that the MN or SN (e.g., RAN entity) may not be able to read and / or utilize the information in the QoE report (e.g., to apply / process the information to perform or manage network optimization / improvement).

[0041] In step 1a (e.g., optional), the SN can generate RAN visible QoE-related configuration information based on its own requirements. The SN can send the information to the MN via an Xn application protocol (XnAP) message (e.g., S node modification is required).

[0042] In step 1, MN may generate a RAN visible configuration based on its own requirements and / or the RAN visible QoE-related configuration information received from SN. The RAN visible configuration may include configurations for a plurality of RAN visible QoE measurements. The QoE measurement / determination may include collecting a number of parameters (e.g., encoding, transport, content, terminal type, network, service infrastructure, media encoding, and / or user expectations). QoE may be an important function for the design of system and engineering processes. The configuration for each RAN visible QoE measurement may include at least one of the following: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be used by entities other than the RAN (e.g., a QoE measurement that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)); an id of at least one QoE measurement to be used by the RAN (e.g., a RAN visible QoE measurement id); an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN) to use at least one QoE measurement; an indication of at least one QoE metric to include in at least one QoE measurement; an indication of at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric; an indication of an event to trigger at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the priority of at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the service type of at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the collection interval in at least one QoE measurement; or an indication of the reporting period of at least one QoE measurement. The priority of at least one QoE measurement may indicate which QoE measurement is more important among a plurality of QoE measurements. The service type of at least one QoE measurement may include video streaming, web browsing, telephone, and / or television broadcast. For example, a video streaming service may require high traffic demand. QoE may be important for video services. Poor network performance may greatly affect the user experience. The collection interval in at least one QoE measurement may indicate the time-domain granularity (e.g., the time unit or time window used to collect QoE results).The reporting period of at least one QoE measurement can be a default value (e.g., several hours or several days) for reporting the QoE measurement to the MN and / or SN.

[0043] In step 2a (optional), the MN may send the complete RAN visible QoE configuration to the SN via an XnAP message (e.g., S node modification confirmation).

[0044] In step 2, the MN may send the RAN visible QoE configuration to the UE via an RRC message.

[0045] In step 3, after the UE receives the RAN visible QoE configuration, the UE may collect / obtain the RAN visible QoE measurement results according to the corresponding QoE measurement at the application layer. The UE may generate an RAN visible QoE measurement report. The RAN visible QoE report may include at least one of the following: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be used by entities other than the RAN (e.g., QoE measurements that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)); an id of at least one QoE measurement used by the RAN; at least one QoE metric to be included in at least one QoE measurement; at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric; an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., the MN or SN) to use at least one QoE measurement; timestamp information of at least one QoE measurement; quality of service (QoS) flow information of at least one QoE measurement; or, a data radio bearer (DRB) list information of at least one QoE measurement. The QoS flow information of at least one QoE measurement can be based on technical measurements (e.g., access time, response time, or failure rate).

[0046] In steps 4a to 5a, the UE may send a RAN visible QoE report to the MN. After receiving the RAN visible QoE report, the MN may determine / decide whether the RAN visible QoE report should be used by the MN or the SN according to the information in the RAN visible QoE report. If the RAN visible QoE report is for the SN, the MN may transfer the RAN visible QoE report / result to the SN via an XnAP message (e.g., S node modification request).

[0047] In steps 4b to 5b, the UE may send a RAN visible QoE report to the SN. The SN may transfer the RAN visible QoE report / result to the MN as necessary.

[0048] (Implementation Example 2: The SN generates a RAN visible QoE configuration) FIG. 4 shows a sequence diagram of radio access network (RAN) visible perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement (e.g., in a dual connectivity architecture).

[0049] In step 0, one or more QoE measurements may be activated in a dual connectivity (DC) architecture. The QoE configuration may be generated by the OAM / CN. The OAM / CN may send the QoE configuration to the MN or the SN. Regarding management-based QoE, the QoE configuration may be sent directly from the OAM to the MN / SN. Regarding signaling-based QoE, the QoE configuration may be sent to the MN / SN via the core network (CN). After receiving the QoE configuration, the MN or the SN may transfer the QoE configuration to the UE via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The UE may perform one or more QoE measurements in the UE application layer according to the received QoE configuration. The UE may report the QoE measurement result to an NG-RAN node (e.g., the MN or the SN). The MN or the SN may transfer the received QoE measurement result (e.g., the QoE report) to the MCE for QoE analysis.

[0050] In step 1, the SN may generate a RAN visible configuration based on its own requirements. The RAN visible QoE configuration may include a configuration for one or more RAN visible QoE measurements. The QoE measurement / determination may include collecting a number of parameters (e.g., encoding, transport, content, type of terminal, network, service infrastructure, media encoding, and / or user expectations). QoE may be an important metric for the design of system and engineering processes. The configuration for each RAN visible QoE measurement may include at least one of the following: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by entities other than the RAN (e.g., a QoE measurement that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)); an id of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN (e.g., a RAN visible QoE measurement id); an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN) to utilize at least one QoE measurement; an indication of at least one QoE metric to include in at least one QoE measurement; an indication of at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric; an indication of an event to trigger at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the priority of at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the service type of at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the collection interval in at least one QoE measurement; or, an indication of the reporting period of at least one QoE measurement. The priority of at least one QoE measurement may indicate which QoE measurement is more important among a plurality of QoE measurements. The service type of at least one QoE measurement may include video streaming, web browsing, telephone, and / or television broadcast. For example, a video streaming service may require high traffic demand. QoE may be an important metric for video services. Poor network performance may greatly affect the user experience. The collection interval of at least one QoE measurement may indicate the time domain granularity (e.g., the time unit used to collect QoE results). The reporting period of at least one QoE measurement may be a default value (e.g., several hours or days) for reporting the QoE measurement to the MN and / or SN.

[0051] In step 2, the SN may send the RAN visible QoE configuration to the MN via an XnAP message (for example, S node modification is required).

[0052] In step 3, the SN may send the RAN visible QoE configuration to the UE via an RRC message.

[0053] In step 4, after the UE receives the RAN visible QoE configuration, the UE may collect RAN visible QoE measurement results according to the corresponding QoE measurement in the UE application layer. The UE may generate a RAN visible QoE measurement report. The RAN visible QoE report may include at least one of the following: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be used by entities other than the RAN (for example, a QoE measurement that may be invisible to the RAN (or ignored by the RAN and / or not for use by the RAN)); an id of at least one QoE measurement used by the RAN; at least one QoE metric to be included in at least one QoE measurement; at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric; an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (for example, the MN or the SN) to use at least one QoE measurement; timestamp information of at least one QoE measurement; quality of service (QoS) flow information of at least one QoE measurement; or, data radio bearer (DRB) list information of at least one QoE measurement. The QoS flow information of at least one QoE measurement can be based on technical measurements (for example, access time, response time, or failure rate).

[0054] In steps 5a - 6a, the UE may send the RAN visible QoE report to the SN. After receiving the RAN visible QoE report, the SN may use the RAN visible QoE report for network optimization. The SN may, if necessary, send the RAN visible QoE report(s) / results to the MN.

[0055] In steps 5b to 6b, the UE may send a RAN visible QoE report to the MN. The MN may forward the RAN visible QoE report(s) / result to the SN. The SN may use the RAN visible QoE report for network optimization.

[0056] (Implementation Example 3: The MN triggers a RAN visible QoE (RVQoE) in addition to the QoE configured by the SN) Figure 5 shows a sequence diagram of radio access network (RAN) visible perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement (e.g., in a dual connectivity architecture).

[0057] In step 1, the OAM or the core network (CN) may transfer a QoE measurement configuration to the SN.

[0058] In step 2, the SN may send the QoE measurement configuration to the UE via an RRC message. The UE may start measuring and reporting QoE according to the received QoE measurement configuration.

[0059] In step 3, the SN may send the entire QoE configuration to the SN, or may partially send configuration information to the SN (e.g., QoE criteria, MCE IP address, available QoE metrics, etc.).

[0060] In step 4, the MN may generate a RAN visible QoE configuration. The content of the configuration can be the same as that described in step 1 of Implementation Example 1. The configuration may be generated based on the requirements of the MN and / or the SN.

[0061] In step 5, the MN may send the RAN visible QoE configuration to the SN.

[0062] In step 6, after the UE receives the RAN visible QoE configuration, the UE may collect / obtain RAN visible QoE measurement results according to the corresponding QoE measurements at the UE application layer. The UE may generate a RAN visible QoE measurement report based on the RAN visible QoE measurement results. The RAN visible QoE report may include at least one of the following: identifiers (ids) of at least one QoE measurement to be used by entities other than the RAN (e.g., QoE measurements that may be invisible to the RAN (or ignored by the RAN and / or not for use by the RAN)); ids of at least one QoE measurement used by the RAN; at least one QoE metric to be included in at least one QoE measurement; at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric; an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN) to use at least one QoE measurement; timestamp information of at least one QoE measurement, quality of service (QoS) flow information of at least one QoE measurement; or data radio bearer (DRB) list information of at least one QoE measurement. The QoS flow information of at least one QoE measurement can be based on technical measurements (e.g., access time, response time, or failure rate).

[0063] In steps 7a - 8a, the UE may send the RAN visible QoE report to the MN. After the MN receives the RAN visible QoE report, the MN may determine whether the RAN visible QoE report should be used / utilized by the MN or the SN according to the information in the RAN visible QoE report. If the RAN visible QoE report is for the SN, the MN may forward the RAN visible QoE report / results to the SN via an XnAP message (e.g., S node modification request).

[0064] In steps 7b - 8b, the UE may send the RAN visible QoE report to the SN. The SN may forward the RAN visible QoE report / results to the MN as needed.

[0065] (Implementation Example 4: The SN triggers the deactivation / release of RAN visible QoE measurements) FIG. 6 illustrates a sequence diagram for ending radio access network (RAN) visible perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement.

[0066] In step 0, QoE measurement can be activated, for example, in a dual connectivity (DC) architecture. The QoE configuration can be generated by OAM / CN. OAM / CN can send the QoE configuration to the MN or SN. For management-based QoE, the QoE configuration can be sent directly to the MN / SN by OAM. For signaling-based QoE, the QoE configuration can be sent to the MN / SN via the core network (CN). After receiving the QoE configuration, the MN or SN can transfer the QoE configuration to the UE via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The UE can perform QoE measurement in the UE application layer according to the received QoE configuration. The UE can report the QoE measurement result to an NG-RAN node (e.g., the MN or SN). The MN or SN can transfer the received QoE measurement result (e.g., QoE report) to the MCE for QoE analysis. In some embodiments, the QoE report can be a container that is transparent / invisible to the RAN node, which means that the MN or SN may not be able to inspect / read / utilize the information in the QoE report.

[0067] In step 1, the SN decides to deactivate / release / end / interrupt one or more RAN visible QoE measurements and can generate a deactivation configuration for RAN visible QoE. The deactivation configuration can include the configuration of one or more RAN visible QoE measurements to be configured for the UE. The deactivation configuration (e.g., similar to the configuration for each RAN visible QoE measurement) can include at least one of an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be used by an entity other than the RAN, an id of at least one QoE measurement to be used by the RAN, or an indication of the service type of at least one QoE measurement.

[0068] (Alternative A)

[0069] In step 2a, the SN may send a deactivation configuration for RAN visible QoE to the UE via an RRC message to release the RAN visible QoE measurement in the UE. After the UE receives the deactivation message for RAN visible QoE, the UE may release / expire / deactivate the corresponding configuration for RAN visible QoE and may stop collecting and reporting the corresponding RAN visible QoE.

[0070] In step 3a, the SN may notify the MN of the deactivation / release of RAN visible QoE via an XnAP message (e.g., S node modification is required).

[0071] In step 4a, the MN may send a confirmation response regarding the release / deactivation of RAN visible QoE by the SN to the SN via an XnAP message (e.g., S node modification confirmation).

[0072] (Alternative B)

[0073] In step 2b, the SN may send a requirement to release / deactivate one or more of the RAN visible QoE measurements to the MN via an XnAP message (e.g., S node change is required).

[0074] In step 3b, the MN may confirm the requirement from the SN and may send the confirmation to the SN via an XnAP message (e.g., S node modification confirmation).

[0075] In step 4b, after the SN receives the confirmation from the MN, the SN may send a deactivation configuration to the UE to release the RAN visible QoE measurement in the UE. After the UE receives the deactivation message for RAN visible QoE, the UE may release the corresponding configuration for RAN visible QoE and may stop collecting and reporting the corresponding RAN visible QoE.

[0076] (Implementation Example 5: The MN sends signaling radio bearer (SRB) information to the SN) Figure 7 shows a sequence diagram of a Quality of Experience (QoE) configuration (e.g., in a dual connectivity architecture).

[0077] In step 1, OAM or CN may transfer the QoE configuration to MN.

[0078] In step 2, MN may determine / decide which leg is to be used for QoE reporting (e.g., master cell group (MCG) or secondary cell group (SCG)), and the signaling radio bearer (SRB) to be used for QoE reporting (e.g., SRB3, split SRB). An SRB can be a type of radio bearer that carries signaling messages (e.g., RRC messages or / and NAS messages), and can be of various possible types. For example, SRB3 can be for certain RRC messages when the UE is in E-UTRA NR dual connectivity (EN-DC), and uses all dedicated control channel (DCCH) logical channels.

[0079] In step 3a, MN may send the entire QoE configuration to SN, or may partially send the configuration information to SN (e.g., QoE criteria, MCE IP, address, available QoE metrics, etc.).

[0080] In step 3b, MN sends the SRB information (determined / decided in step 2) to SN via the current / defined message (e.g., S node addition request or S node change request) or a (new) XnAP message. An example of the IE structure of the SRB information is shown in Table 1.

[0081] [Table 1]

[0082] The IE can be a revised or newly defined IE of the current / pre-defined IEs in XnAP. In some embodiments, steps 3a and 3b can be performed using different messages or the same message.

[0083] In step 4, the MN can transfer the QoE configuration to the UE via an RRC message. The UE can send a QoE report via the corresponding SRB.

[0084] It should be understood that one or more features from the above and following implementation examples are not limited to a particular implementation example and can be combined in any way (e.g., in any priority and / or order, simultaneously or otherwise).

[0085] FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a method 800 for wireless access network (RAN) perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement (e.g., in a dual connectivity architecture). The method 800 can be implemented using any one or more of the components and devices detailed herein with reference to FIGS. 1 - 2. Briefly described, in some embodiments, the method 800 can be executed by a first network node of the RAN. Depending on the embodiment, additional, fewer, or different operations can be performed in the method 800. At least one aspect of the operations relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium.

[0086] A first network node (e.g., a master node (MN) or a secondary node (SN)) of a radio access network (RAN) can generate a first configuration for at least one perceived quality of experience (QoE) measurement to be utilized by the RAN (e.g., RAN visible QoE configuration). The first network node can send the first configuration to a wireless communication device (e.g., a UE) from which at least one QoE measurement should be collected according to the first configuration.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first configuration may include at least one of the following: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN (e.g., a QoE measurement that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)), an id of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN, an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN) to utilize at least one QoE measurement, an indication of at least one QoE metric to be included in at least one QoE measurement, an indication of at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric, an indication of an event to trigger at least one QoE measurement, an indication of the priority of at least one QoE measurement, an indication of the service type of at least one QoE measurement, an indication of the collection interval in at least one QoE measurement, or an indication of the reporting period of at least one QoE measurement.

[0088] In some embodiments, the first network node may transmit the first configuration to the wireless communication device via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message. The first network node may transmit the first configuration to a second network node of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN). The wireless communication device may generate a report according to at least one QoE measurement according to the first configuration, and the report may include at least one of the following: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN (e.g., a QoE measurement that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)), an id of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN, at least one QoE metric to be included in at least one QoE measurement, at least one QoE value to be determined from at least one QoE metric, an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN) to utilize at least one QoE measurement, timestamp information of at least one QoE measurement, quality of service (QoS) flow information of at least one QoE measurement, or data radio bearer (DRB) list information of at least one QoE measurement.

[0089] In some embodiments, the first network node may send a report to a second network node of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN). The first network node may receive a report from a second network node of the RAN (e.g., MN or SN).

[0090] In some embodiments, the first network node (e.g., MN or SN) may receive a second configuration generated by a second network node according to at least one requirement of the second network node from the second network node (e.g., MN or SN). The first network node of the radio access network (RAN) may generate a first configuration according to at least one of the second configuration or at least one requirement of the first network node. The first network node (e.g., MN) may receive from a second network node of the RAN a third configuration of QoE measurements (e.g., QoE measurements that may be invisible to the RAN (or not for use by the RAN)) to be utilized by entities outside the RAN.

[0091] In some embodiments, the first network node may generate a deactivation configuration for terminating at least one QoE measurement (the process of obtaining / executing), and the deactivation configuration includes at least one of an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by entities outside the RAN, an id of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN, or an indication of the service type of at least one QoE measurement. The first network node may send the deactivation configuration to the wireless communication device via a radio resource control (RRC) message.

[0092] In some embodiments, the first network node may send a message to the second network node via an XnAP message to indicate or request the end of at least one QoE measurement (the process of obtaining / executing). The first network node may receive a confirmation or acknowledgment message regarding the end from the second network node. In certain embodiments, the first network node may comprise a secondary node (SN), and the second network node may comprise a master node (MN).

[0093] In some embodiments, the first network node may determine cell group information and signaling radio bearer (SRB) information to be used for reporting at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN. The first network node may send the SRB information to the second network node via a defined message or an Xn application protocol (XnAP) message. The cell group information may indicate whether the master cell group (MCG) or the secondary cell group (SCG) should be used for reporting at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN or an entity other than the RAN. The SCG information may indicate the type of SCG to be used for reporting at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN or an entity other than the RAN.

[0094] In certain embodiments, the first network node may comprise a master node (MN), and the second network node may comprise a secondary node (SN).

[0095] Although various embodiments of the present solution have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not by way of limitation. Similarly, the various figures may depict an exemplary architecture or configuration provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand the exemplary features and functions of the present solution. However, as will be understood by such skilled artisans, the solution is not limited to the exemplary architecture or configuration shown and may be implemented using various alternative architectures and configurations. Further, as will be understood by skilled artisans, one or more features of one embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment described herein. Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the foregoing exemplary embodiments.

[0096] Also, it is understood that any reference in this specification to elements using terms such as "first", "second", etc. generally does not limit the quantity or order of those elements. Rather, these terms may be used herein as a convenient means of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of elements. Thus, a reference to a first and a second element does not mean that only two elements may be used or that the first element must in some way precede the second element.

[0097] Furthermore, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols that may be referred to in the above description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or optical particles, or any combination thereof.

[0098] As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, any of the various exemplary logical blocks, modules, processors, means, circuits, methods, and functions described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented in electronic hardware (e.g., digital implementation, analog implementation, or a combination of both), firmware, various forms of program or design code incorporating instructions (which may be referred to herein, for convenience, as "software" or "software modules"), or any combination of these techniques. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware, firmware, and software, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software, or as a combination of these techniques, depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those of ordinary skill in the art may implement the described functionality in various ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions are not departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0099] Furthermore, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the various exemplary logical blocks, modules, devices, components, and circuits described herein may be implemented within or executed by an integrated circuit (IC) that includes a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, or any combination thereof. The logical blocks, modules, and circuits may further include antennas and / or transceivers for communicating with various components within a network or device. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suitable configuration for performing the functions described herein.

[0100] When implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Accordingly, the steps of a method or algorithm disclosed herein may be implemented as software stored on a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes both a computer storage medium and a communication medium including any medium that can transfer a computer program or code from one location to another. A storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.

[0101] As used herein, the term "module" refers to software, firmware, hardware, and any combination of these elements for performing the associated functions described herein. Further, for purposes of explanation, the various modules are described as individual modules, but as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, two or more modules may be combined to form a single module that performs the associated functions according to embodiments of the present solution.

[0102] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present solution, a memory or other storage device, as well as communication components, may be used. For clarity, it can be understood that the above description describes embodiments of the present solution with reference to different functional units and processors. However, it is clear that any suitable distribution of functions between different functional units, processing logic elements, or domains may be used without impairing the present solution. For example, functions shown as being performed by separate processing logic elements or controllers may be performed by the same processing logic element or controller. Thus, references to specific functional units are not meant to indicate a strict logical or physical structure or organization, but rather are merely references to suitable means for providing the described functions.

[0103] Various modifications to the embodiments described in this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the novel features and principles disclosed herein, as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method, the method comprising: generating, by a first network node of a radio access network (RAN), a first configuration for at least one quality of experience (QoE) measurement to be utilized by the RAN; transmitting, by the first network node, the first configuration to a wireless communication device from which the at least one QoE measurement is to be collected according to the first configuration A method comprising the above.

2. The first configuration comprises at least one of: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity outside the RAN; an id of the at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN; an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN from which the at least one QoE measurement is to be utilized; an indication of at least one QoE metric to be included in the at least one QoE measurement; an indication of at least one QoE value to be determined from the at least one QoE metric; an indication of an event to trigger the at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the priority of the at least one QoE measurement; an indication of the service type of the at least one QoE measurement; an indication of a collection interval in the at least one QoE measurement, or an indication of a reporting period of the at least one QoE measurement The method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of the above.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting, by the first network node, the first configuration to the wireless communication device via a radio resource control (RRC) message.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting, by the first network node, the first configuration to a second network node of the RAN.

5. The wireless communication device generates a report according to the at least one QoE measurement according to the first configuration, The report comprises: an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity outside the RAN; an id of the at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN; an indication of at least one QoE metric to be included in the at least one QoE measurement; an indication of at least one QoE value to be determined from the at least one QoE metric; an indication of one or more nodes of the RAN from which the at least one QoE measurement is to be utilized; the timestamp information of the at least one QoE measurement, the quality of service (QoS) flow information of the at least one QoE measurement, or the data radio bearer (DRB) list information of the at least one QoE measurement The method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of them.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising transmitting, by the first network node, the report to a second network node of the RAN.

7. The method according to claim 5, comprising receiving, by the first network node, the report from a second network node of the RAN.

8. receiving, by the first network node, from a second network node, a second configuration generated by the second network node according to at least one requirement of the second network node; by a first network node of a radio access network (RAN), the second configuration, or at least one requirement of the first network node generating the first configuration according to at least one of them The method according to claim 1, comprising.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving, by the first network node, from a second network node of the RAN, a third configuration of QoE measurements to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN.

10. generating, by the first network node, a deactivation configuration for ending the at least one QoE measurement, wherein the deactivation configuration comprises an identifier (id) of at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN, the id of the at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN, or an indication of the service type of the at least one QoE measurement, comprising at least one of them, or transmitting, by the first network node, the deactivation configuration to the wireless communication device via a radio resource control (RRC) message The method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of them.

11. The first network node transmits a message for instructing or requesting the second network node to end the at least one QoE measurement via an XnAP message, or The first network node receives a confirmation or confirmation response message regarding the end from the second network node The method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of the above.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and 9 to 11, wherein the first network node comprises a secondary node (SN), and the second network node comprises a master node (MN).

13. The first network node determines cell group information and signaling radio bearer (SRB) information to be used for reporting at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by an entity other than the RAN, and The first network node transmits the SRB information to the second network node via a defined message or an Xn application protocol (XnAP) message The method according to claim 1, comprising the above.

14. The cell group information indicates whether a master cell group (MCG) or a secondary cell group (SCG) should be used to report the at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN or an entity other than the RAN, or The SCG information indicates the type of SCG to be used to report the at least one QoE measurement to be utilized by the RAN or an entity other than the RAN The method according to claim 13, comprising at least one of the above.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or 13 to 14, wherein the first network node comprises a master node (MN), and the second network node comprises a secondary node (SN).

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. An apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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